A CITY will defend the crown it won last year at an international competition after being named a finalist in this year's event.

Newcastle's submission to the Nations in Bloom (NIB) competition has satisfied the judges to allow the city to take part in the finals, to be held in the German city of Stuttgart, from October 3 to 8. It will be facing competition from Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as cities in Spain, Japan and the US. Last December, Newcastle received the NIB award for areas with a population of up to a million.

CASUALTIES Reduced: Figures from City of York Council show that one of its most recent safety schemes, in Tower Street, has had an impact in cutting road accidents in the area. The scheme, which provided segregated routes for cyclists from Skeldergate Bridge to Tower Street, has enjoyed huge success. Between 1995 and 1997 there were 12 recorded accidents, including eight involving cyclists. But since the scheme was introduced in May 2000 there have only been two accidents, one involving a cyclist.

BOOK SIGNING: Author John Bunting, who is originally from Eastbourne but now lives in North Yorkshire, was at the Riverside ground, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, on Thursday to sign copies of At Riverside, his new poetry book celebrating cricket and the home of Durham County Cricket Club.

WINNING DESIGN: Stephen Foster, 13, of Kenton School in Drayton Road, Newcastle, has won a national competition to design a futuristic invention for the restaurant group PizzaExpress. He caught the judges' attention with his tabletop ordering machine, landing his class a day out to the London Design Museum.

BIKES STOLEN: Thieves using bolt cutters stole two mountain bikes from the public car park at Chopwell Woods, Gateshead, between 11.40am and11.50am on Sunday. The bikes are a red and yellow downhill Rocksox Boxer, worth £3,000, and a white and yellow Wildcat Trial Pace Monster Forks, worth £1,500.

BOGUS DEMANDS: Police have warned businesses to be on their guard against bogus letters requesting money. The warning comes after a letter asking for £354 was posted to a Sunderland firm from Zurich, Switzerland. The letter claimed the money was for subscriptions for inclusion on the World Telecom Database and International Telefax Communications Directories. Firms have been advised to ignore the demands.

Cancer care: Marie Curie Cancer Care is asking people in the region to host fund-raising feasts. Anyone who wants to take part is asked to cook a meal for family and friends and then ask all diners to give a small donation towards the charity's work in the region. For more details, contact 0191-382 3311.

METRO ART: Paintings by Tyneside youngsters in the style of artists Picasso and Matisse are on display in the MetroCentre, Gateshead, this week. Pupils from 20 schools are taking part in the exhibition, which runs until today in the Town Square.

RIDING HIGH: Finest Brands International, the Leeds country clothing manufacturer, is supporting Richmond Equestrian Centre, in North Yorkshire, by sponsoring three competitions in August and September under its Champion brand.