It is 12 years since Seaton Delaval occupied pole position at any stage - but Nick Gray's side has done the trick to enter the New Year as the top division's top dogs.

Delaval are two points clear of last season's champions Walker Central - although their nearest rivals, managed by Paul Bennett, have two vital games in hand.

At Wheatridge Park, Delaval beat visitors Ponteland United 3-2 to clinch their fourth league victory on the trot, but they had an anxious time in the closing stages.

History was played out yesterday in a suitable setting as FA Cup heroes Blyth Spartans took over Seaton Delaval Hall.

The club held its first ever press conference in the central hall of the 18th Century building which is Blyth Valley's heritage showpiece.

The event brought together the bid by the National Trust to acquire the hall for the nation and the hopes of the Spartans of pulling off what would be a truly historic FA Cup Third Round victory over Premiership Blackburn Rovers - the first side from England's top tier which Blyth have met.

The venue for Monday's tie, Blyth's Croft Park, will also be marking its 100th anniversary from January 1.

"Switching the tie to Newcastle's St James's Park was out of the question. Playing the game at Croft Park will be a fitting memorial to the 100th anniversary," said Spartans chairman Tony Platten.

National Trust boss David Ronn has pushed the boat out as the deadline nears in the bid to raise enough cash to buy Seaton Delaval Hall.

Donations and pledges from the public have reached £1.75m towards the target of £2m, with the trust hopeful that a series of major grant bids will enable the goal to be met of raising the total £6.3m purchase price for the Northumberland hall.

David, who lives near Morpeth and is regional director of the trust, decided to do his bit. A keen sailor, he and businessman friend Stephen Sharp set sail in a 16ft catamaran dinghy from Amble in Northumberland at dawn for a sponsored voyage along the North East coast.

For the first time in 12 years Seaton Delaval are top of the Re/Max Northern Alliance Premier Division.

Seaton are two points clear of Walker Central after their 3-2 win against Ponteland United at Wheatridge Park.

This was a fourth league victory on the trot for the new leaders.

Youngsters in Northumberland have been getting lessons about festive fare that will keep them fit and healthy.

Local children attended a festive cookery session at Seaton Sluice Middle School, while the Spar shop in North Seaton, Ashington, also hosted a cookery demonstration, complete with a non-alcoholic mulled fruit drink, as part of the national Change4Life scheme.

A new partnership launched to drive forward economic regeneration work in some of Northumberland's most deprived areas has been welcomed by a local Labour MP.

The South East Northumberland Area Partnership - which will cover Blyth Valley, Wansbeck and part of Castle Morpeth - will have a key role to play following local government reorganisation in April.

A senior Government minister was last night told to "get in the real world" after claiming the new super council in Northumberland would help the region overcome the recession.

Local Government Minister John Healey said new unitary councils in Northumberland and County Durham would provide "more scope" to deal with economic pressures, as he began the 100-day countdown to the biggest town hall shake-up for decades.

Budget proposals - including proposed efficiency savings and likely Council Tax levels - for Northumberland's new unitary council will be discussed at a series of area committee meetings in January, which are open to the public.

The Blyth Valley meeting will be held in the Buffalo Community Centre, Blyth, at 7pm on January 14.

A fire chief has strongly denied claims that 999 cover is being over-stretched in Northumberland - although he admits that the service is currently operating with 19 firefighters short.

County chief fire officer, Brian Hesler, has slammed what he described as "scaremongering" over fire and rescue cover and an alleged shortage of front-line firefighters.

Blyth Valley MP Ronnie Campbell has produced wallet-sized calendars for his constituents -containing contact details so that they can easily get in touch with him and his office staff in 2009.

He has sent the calendars to local GP surgeries and chemists, but more are available to anyone who wants them at his Renwick Road office in Blyth.