SEPTEMBER

Voted down: The leader of Northumberland County Council, Coun. Peter Jackson, lost a vote of no confidence by a single vote, with one councillor claiming the authority had gone “a bit North Korea.”

Mayoral visit: The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, stopped off in Riding Mill for a surprise game of cricket. Mr Khan is a long-term friend of one of the club’s members.

New rules: New restrictions on the North-East were introduced as coronavirus cases began to rise once more. A ban on households mixing, a 10pm curfew on pubs, and restrictions on non-essential public transport were all introduced.

OCTOBER

Spy mistake: Hexham businessman Maitland Hyslop was left with life-threatening injuries after three weeks of imprisonment and interrogation after being mistaken for a spy in the Middle East.

Lovin’ it: Fast food giant McDonald’s announced it was eyeing up a move to Hexham, after plans were submitted to open an outlet on a prime site at the town’s new retail park at the Bunker Site on Alemouth Road.

Helping out: Businesses throughout Tynedale stepped up to provide meals for hungry children during the half-term holiday after the Government voted down a Labour motion to provide food vouchers for children in receipt of free school meals.

NOVEMBER

Lockdown two: The Government announced a second lockdown as cases of coronavirus spiralled out of control. Pub owners in Tynedale spoke of their disappointment, while one shop owner had to close just three days after opening her store for the first time.

Absolutely quackers: A duck sporting a bow tie turned heads in the district, before it emerged that he had already made a name for himself in his native Devon, even attending church services!

Big cats: Farmers feared previously rejected plans to release lynx into Kielder Forest could be back on the agenda after it was backed by the new head of Natural England.

DECEMBER

Vaccine hope: The UK became the first country in the world to authorise a coronavirus vaccine for supply. Hexham MP Guy Opperman said it would allow the public to “reclaim their lives.”

Cases spike: Cases of Covid-19 spiked in the south west of the district, with more than half of students at Haydon Bridge High School asked to attend remotely.

Community spirit: A total of £4,300 was raised to purchase an insulin pump for six-year-old Wylam resident James Sanderson.