PR & Photography

Jim Beirne, the Chief Executive of the Live Theatre in Newcastle - a leading light in the North East's diverse and thriving cultural scene - has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by Northumbria University, in recognition for his achievements in the arts ..

All Systems go for the Sunderland 'Cloud' ... Sunderland City Council Leader Paul Watson (left) and Sunderland City Council Chief Executive Dave Smith (right) pictured in the atrium of the new £10m Sunderland Software Centre which is currently under construction, where they announced there will be a £5.7m Cloud internet infrastructure deal with business giant IBM ...

Trampolinist and Olympic hopeful Kat Driscoll pictured at Sunderland's Penshaw Monument which will provide a backdrop for the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay as it passes through the city next year ... Sunderland City Council is hoping people in the city will take up the invitation to join the celebrations when the Olympic Flame passes through the city on the 16th June next year ..

Talented youngsters from the River of Music were joined by representatives from the Newcastle Theatre Royal, Northern Stage, and the Sage Gateshead to help launch the London 2012 Festival - an exciting 12 week long programme of events, featuring leading lights from the UK's diverse and thriving arts and culture scene ..

Dr Glyn Howatson from Northumbria University who has led research into cherry juice's ability to improve the length and quality of people's sleep ... The published study shows subjects increased their sleep time by around 25 minutes ...

Sunderland Goes Legally Blonde ... Liz McLarnon and Matthew Kelly who will be appearing together in the musical 'Legally Blonde' at The Sunderland Empire Theatre this Christmas ...

Pictured is Nigel McMinn, Managing Director of Benfield Motor Group, who will take immediate control of North East Audi, following today's announcement. Benfield have successfully completed the acquisition of North East business Colebrook and Burgess Ltd, who trade as North East Audi, for an undisclosed fee ...

Middlesbrough couple Christine and Michael McNeil celebrate their £100K Lotto win, with the iconic Middlesbrough Transporter bridge in the background - which is celebrating its 100th birthday this weekend ..

Stephen Haram, 20, is benefitting from an apprentice scheme launched by UK Asset Resolution (UKAR), the firm that manages the closed mortgage businesses of Bradford & Bingley (B&B) and Northern Rock Asset Management (NRAM) .. The scheme has created jobs for 9 young people - with a further 12 apprentices to be recruited this year ..

The grand opening of the new Disney Store at the Bridges Shopping Centre in Sunderland, where fans young and old queued eagerly - with one young fan dressed in a Minnie Mouse dress for the occasion..!

Disney On Ice boss Kenneth Feld greets the stars of the new show Worlds of Fantasy ahead of its world premiere last night.

The barge carrying the four huge modules for the Royal Navy's new Queen Elizabeth II Aircraft Carrier, passes under the Firth of Forth road bridge this afternoon on its journey to Rosyth. The four modules, that will form part of the flight deck and hanger of the Navy's new flagship, wiegh a total of 3000 tonnes and were completed ahead of schedule by the workforce at A&P shipyard in South Tyneside.

Pupils from Usworth Grange Primary School prepare for the Washington Heritage festival with Sunderland Councillor John Kelly, portfolio holder for Safer City and Culture.

Reg Curtis, the CEO of NAAFI, presents a cheque to Katie Wilson from Help for Heroes. The money was raised through the sale of NAAFI tea and their 90th anniversary book.