Surf spectacular
National championship at Druridge Bay

A Dog's life
We have the best dog beaches - it's official!

Affordable housing
Dreaming of your own house?

Deer Ambler
Spring surprise

Everybody's talking
Community forum promotes our interests

Hedging bets
Doing what comes naturally

Saving wildlife
Making a river change its mind

RNLI station shop
Spend money and save lives

Amble slimmers
Get thin and save lives

Editorial
Supermarket snags and what's in this "life saving" issue.

Have your say
Letters and email, including photos

Improving Queen Street
Grants can give you an uplift

National 'Elf
Dress up as an elf and save lives

Veggie basket scheme
Disadvantaged people help community

Neighbourhood watch
Keeping an eye on your neighbours

Coquet High School Partnership
Expected drop in pupil numbers

Women's house building project
The house that Jill built

Artograffi
Easter fun

David's Diary
News from Amble Development Trust

Town council report
News update from the Town Council

Confessions of an addict
Harry gives up the weed

Age Concern Northumberland
...need people who are concerned

Chinese freeze affects Welfare
Snow stops take-away

Child Trust Fund
Invest in your child's future

Penny
New year Resolutions

Amble Churches Together
Thoughts for New Year

County Councillors report
Future developments

A tale of two thefts
You have been warned

The Peer Mentors
Students help each other

Residents get the hump over bumps
Calming the traffic?

Dirty wellies in a wine bar
Rural romance

Small skinny latte
Toddlers make their own coffee shop

Poetry corner
Safe to shore

Paddlers Paradise
New look play area

Snippets...
Local food, recycling, school numbers, welfare update

What's On
Including live music, Easter services, volunteering at Warkworth Castle and more.

Greetings from Aglaia
Message from a tall ship

Ray King column
Kevin Keegan takes over. "We all eagerly await"

The gang at Artograffi want to say Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers. We hope you get all the things that you ask for Christmas. From Sophie, Alex, Amber, Katie, Ross, Bradley, Paul, Joe, Ashleigh, “Ed” Samantha, Molly, Rachel and Liam

Skatepark destroyed

Q. Why was the skate park near Breeze’s garage demolished?
A. The reason the skate park was demolished is because the people who owned the land sold it and said the equipment had to be moved.
Q. Who owned the land?
A. Alnwick District Council
Q. Who bought the land?
A .Northumberland Estates (The Duke of Northumberland)
Q. What’s going to happen to all the equipment?
A. It is all going to be stored away until it is ready to be put up somewhere else.
Q. Why are they doing this?
A. They are doing this because the new owners bought this piece of land and they don’t want the skate park.

By Katie Scott, Bradley Summerville and Ashleigh Shields

What is white and goes up? A confused snow flake!

Green Christmas trees

Real Christmas trees are better than fakes they are more environmentally friendly and each Christmas tree planted provides the daily oxygen for 18 people Info from BBC Newsround By Joseph Thomas

A Christmas Story: When Santa Came To Amble

On Christmas Eve when it was dark, Sophie and I were at the rocket hill playing. We were going back to our Gran’s when we heard a big crash, a scream and a yell.
We went to the smoking piece of machinery, it was red and it had a lot of sacks on the back of it. There was loads of smoke coming from the front and side of it.

We went round the other side of the carriage. At first Sophie did not want to go, but she was brave and did. When we went around we came across a big man lying on the grass. Sophie said that it was Santa so when he woke up we took him back to our Gran’s.

The man that we thought was Santa actually was Santa’s grand-son Humphrey. Humphrey told us that his grand-father Nicolas was ill with penguin pox and had it really bad. It was all over his feet and he could not walk; Humphrey told us Santa would be back delivering the presents next Christmas. By Liam and Sophie

The smoking ban

Have you noticed that every bar now has a seat or picnic table outside of it just for the smokers? It all started around the time the ban took place which was the 1st of July. I think that the ban was a really good thing to do because I don’t like it when the people that smoke, smoke around me so I make an excuse to leave or I just cover my mouth and only gasp once and awhile. By Liam Lillico.

What do you get when you cross a snowman and a vampire? Frostbite!

We were asked to visit HM Coastguard station by Coastguards Steve McMaster and Ken Henderson. It was an excellent and enjoyable visit. There are lots of rooms in the station even though it’s small. We saw where the vehicles are and where the equipment is kept. The crew room is where they get dressed and there is also the map room and the control room (sector office).

Steve told us all about being a coastguard. There are 8 in the Amble coastguards team. In the kit they wear there are:
Steel cap boots, waterproof coat, hard hat (with whistle or light)
radio, overalls (flame, oil and water proof ), leggings, rucksack.

He told us they sometimes use search dogs from Morpeth when they are searching for missing people.

Some people get confused between the Coastguards, the Lifeboats and the Life Guards. We learned that the lifeboats and the coastguards are very different. Steve told us that the Coastguards are the oldest emergency service. They were created before the Fire Brigade and the Police, in the days of smugglers. Ken Henderson & Steve McMaster

The lifeboats are a charity and the Coastguards are funded from the government. But the Coastguards don’t get paid except for expenses. They are all volunteers.. If the Coastguard needs the Lifeboat to launch, they contact Humber using the radio in the Sector Office. In contrast, a Life Guard is someone who patrols the beach in the summertime. On TV they wear red swimsuits!

If you see an incident such as someone getting into difficulty in the sea, the first thing you should do is call 999. You then ask for the Coastguard.

“The best thing about being a coastguard is that you do get a lot of satisfaction from doing it” stated Steve and Ken. We asked them if they ever get scared doing their job. “We don’t get worried about it, because everyone is a professional” said Steve. He’s been a Coastguard for 10 years. Ken has been a Coastguard for 27 years.

Chemicals and unexploded bombs on the beach are very dangerous. If you see anything like that on the beach DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING. Ring the Coastguard.
If you want to join the Coastguard, you need to be at least 17 and you need your driving license.

Not everyone is nice to the Coastguards even though they are trying to save people’s lives. Steve told us that people make hoax calls and some throw stones and bricks at Coastguard’s vehicles.

Thank you to Steve and Ken for our visit.

By Amber Brown and Molly Mooney

What is an ig? An icy house without a loo? Ha ha ha ha ha he he he he

10 TOP TIPS FOR A HEALTHY NEW YEAR

1. Tidy out your bedroom.
2. Try and do something either good or something you’ve never done before every day.
3. Do more fitness things.
4. Eat healthily but if you’re used to eating not so heathily have a treat at the weekend.
5. Try to save some money.
6. Try & learn something new
7. Join artograffi on a Monday(5;30).
8. Try to save the planet by recycling more & saving energy.
9. Keep active by doing clubs once in a while and have a walk or cycle once or twice a week.
10. Include your pets in fitness too.

What do you get if you cross a cat and a parrot? A carrot!