PROPOSED constituency boundary changes will merge Hexham with Cramlington if the Boundary Commission's final recommendations are accepted.

The changes are part of a plan to cut the number of UK MPs from 650 to 600, and to allow for a better pattern of constituencies in the Northumberland region.

The proposed new Berwick and Morpeth constituency will inherit Bellingham and the Northumberland National Park.

The 2018 Boundary Review examined areas and made proposals for a new set of boundaries which are fairer and more equal, while also trying to reflect geographic factors and local ties.

The proposals were carried out to ensure that every new constituency has roughly the same number of electors: no fewer than 71,031 and no more than 78,507.

The final recommendations for Northumberland have formed constituencies of Berwick and Morpeth, Blyth and Ashington, and Hexham and Cramlington.

An initial proposal to link the towns of Hexham and Morpeth received limited support according to the commission.

They also received significant opposition to the division of the town of Ponteland between constituencies, and in particular to the inclusion of the Ponteland East and Stannington ward, in the proposed Newcastle upon Tyne West constituency.

Responding to the report, Hexham's MP Guy Opperman said:

"I am delighted that the independent Boundary Commission has listened to local residents in east Ponteland, Stannington and the surrounding villages, who did not want to be part of Newcastle.

"I am very disappointed at the decision of the independent Boundary Commission to ignore our proposals to keep the Bellingham ward in the Hexham seat.

"The overall principle of equal sized populations in constituencies across the country does, however, make sense."

Changes will only come into effect if they are approved by the House of Commons.

They may prove unpopular with MPs as a cut in the number of seats will lead to a battle for representative candidates.

The Conservatives would have won an overall majority of 16 at the last general election if the proposed boundary shake-up had been in place, according to analysis.