Tyneside and Northumberland stories from this week

Sir David Attenborough has urged people to support the plans for Northumberland's Rothbury Estate

A wild forager encourages people to explore, a festive wheelbarrow race in doubt and junk food adverts being banned on Metro trains.

Here are five stories from across Tyneside and Northumberland you might have missed this week.

Foraging for wild food 'can be empowering'

Gemma Gee believes foraging is good for connecting with nature

A wild food forager is encouraging people to get out in nature after completing her 100th guided walk.

Gemma Gee, 35, has a lifelong love of blackberry-picking and began foraging during Covid lockdowns.

She now takes groups of people around Northumberland's woods, showing them which flowers and fruit to gather and safely eat.

• Read more about foraging in Northumberland here

Attenborough plea hands estate bid £580k boost

Rothbury Estate in Northumberland is a 15-sq-mile (38.8-sq-km) tract of former grouse moor, woodland and farmland

Conservation charities hoping to buy a huge stretch of land in northern England raised £581,000 in 24 hours after Sir David Attenborough backed their campaign.

The documentarian made a video plea on behalf of The Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust appeal for £30m to buy the Rothbury Estate from the Duke of Northumberland's youngest son, Lord Max Percy.

Sir David officially lent his support on Wednesday, inspiring thousands of people to donate to the trusts and their aim to boost wildlife and promote nature-friendly farming on the land.

• Find out more about the project here

Station toilets left vicar 'physically nauseated'

The vicar said the toilets offered an "appalling" first impression of Newcastle

The Reverend Mark Edwards has called for the toilets at Newcastle Central to be refurbished.

The vicar said the bathrooms offered an "appalling" first impression of Newcastle to any visitors arriving at the Grade I-listed station.

"The experience was so unpleasant that I felt physically nauseated using them," he said, describing his experience.

• Read more about what the vicar had to say here

Future of traditional wheelbarrow race in doubt

The Ponteland wheelbarrow race is thought to have been running since the 14th Century

A traditional New Year's Day wheelbarrow race is "under review" due to the costs of running it.

Thousands of people come out every year to watch competitors trundle along in wheelbarrows through Ponteland in Northumberland, while raising money for charity.

Conservative councillor Michaela Horncastle said organisers initially cancelled the 2026 event over the "cost of safety management". Northumberland County Council needs a certified traffic management company to be used for such events.

• Read more about what the council has to say here

Junk food adverts banned on Metro trains

Adverts for unhealthy food will be banned on the train network from December

Junk food adverts are being banned across the Tyne and Wear Metro network.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has enforced the ban after she backed celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's campaign to limit ads for unhealthy food in public places.

It will come into effect on 1 December across the network's 60 stations and its entire fleet of trains.

• Find out why the ban has been enforced here