AS I write the weather has broken after some lovely sunny days. By the bridge on the main road my grand-children were thrilled to see a mother mallard with 12 newly hatched ducklings in tow, presumably her second brood of the year.

Nearby was a pair of beautiful birds which our bird book tells us are yellow wagtails. They seem to have taken up residence for a while and I would be grateful if somebody could confirm our identification, contact me telephone (01661) 824347 or anncooperx@gmail.com).

STAFF and pupils at Ponteland High School are celebrating the best ever A level results. Thirty per cent of all entries were awarded the top grades of A*–A. whereas last year this figure was 23 per cent.

Among the successes are Charlotte Burrin and Matthew Ross who will be going to Cambridge to study medicine, Jamie Carpenter and Rosie Clear Hill who will be going to Oxford to study maths and biology respectively.

Patrick Allsop will be studying engineering at Durham and Emma Farquhar will be studying to be a vet at Edinburgh. Other students who will read medicine are Maisie Ingram (Leeds), Bea Milligan (Glasgow) and Joe Pilsbury (Birmingham).

Over 40 per cent of students gained A*–B grades in a wide range of subjects and students are going on to study courses as varied as accounting, American studies, architecture, biomedical sciences, cognitive neuroscience, computer forensics and security, computer science, criminology, equine therapy and rehabilitation, fashion communication, geography, history, international business management, Japanese studies, law, performance and theatre, pharmacy, primary education, psychology, and Spanish.

Universities students will be attending include our four local ones plus Bath, Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, London (UCL), Manchester, Reading, Teeside and York. We are very fortunate it Ponteland in having such good schools to enrich our community.

THE Ponteland branch of the Embroiderers Guild will meet at the Memorial hall at 2pm on Monday, August 24, for a workshop entitled ‘Exploring stitches’. You are welcome to go along and find out more about stitching.

THE town planning committee will meet on Tuesday, August 25, at 10am, at Unit 1, Meadowfield Court, Meadowfield Industrial Estate, and the public is welcome to attend.

PONTELAND Ramblers have organised walks on Wednesday, August 26, and Sunday, August 30. Anyone interested should contact Steve Edwards telephone (01661) 886310.

A NEW reading group is starting in the library on Wednesday, August 26. For details telephone (01661) 823594.

THE Merton Hall is open six days each week from 9.30am until 11.15am, for the cheapest coffee and tea around. Do drop-in.

And if you are looking for something more rewarding then you could volunteer to make the coffee there once a month telephone (01661) 872917.

On Thursday, August 27, it will be ‘Brunch and Bingo’ in Merton hall from 11.15am until 2.30pm, and all are welcome.