THE ghostly past of the banks of the River Tyne will be uncovered this Halloween.

Gateshead Borough Council is organising an evening ghost walk on Thursday along Gateshead Quays and Newcastle Quayside. The free walk will be led by Anthea Lang, the council's local studies librarian, who will tell walkers about gravestones, the ghost of Mirk Lane, the Great Fire of 1854, and other grisly incidents. The walk will last about one and half-hours, and will start from the Gateshead end of the Swing Bridge at 7pm. Walkers must book by calling the Gateshead Quays Visitor Centre on 0191-477 5380.

MUSICAL NIGHT: Durham Recorded Music Society meets on Wednesday, in Alington House, North Bailey, at 7pm, when Joe Stewart will give a presentation called A Year of Music.

FLOWER POWER: Cestrian Flower Club will hold a demonstration called Seeing Clearly when it meets on Thursday, November 7, at 7.15pm at the North Lodge site of the Park View Community Association, Chester-le-Street.

STORY TIME: A story time session for pre-school youngsters will be led by Carol Attewell and Jacqui Rodgerson at Durham Clayport Library, Millennium Place, Claypath, Durham, on Wednesday, at 11am. Admission is free. All youngsters and their carers are welcome.

PREY DISPLAY: Birds of prey can be seen by the public when workers from a bird of prey hospital visit a Durham pet store. On Saturday and Sunday, representatives from Gentleshaw Birds of Prey Hospital and Wildlife Sanctuary, from Staffordshire, will be at the Pets at Home store at the Arnison Retail Centre, Pity Me, Durham, where they will provide information about their work and put on a display.

AUTUMN FAIR: Parkinson Memorial Methodist Church, Sherburn Village, will hold an autumn fair on Saturday. It will be opened by Anne Offler at 2.30pm, and there will be various stalls and teas. A small admission charge will be made. Everyone is welcome.

CRAFT FAIR: Witton Gilbert Primary School will hold its annual craft fair on November 16, starting at 11am. There will be various stalls, including cakes and sweets, and Santa will be in his grotto. All proceeds will go to the school.

COFFEE CASH: All Saints' Ladies Fellowship, in the Fulwell area of Sunderland, has raised £2,000 towards the cost of new equipment for Sunderland Royal Hospital through donations and coffee mornings.

CLUB DINNER: Seaham Red Star FC's annual sportsmen's dinner will feature as guest speaker the former Sunderland, Newcastle, Liverpool and England footballer Alan Kennedy and comedian Rudi West, on Thursday, November 28. The event includes a four-course meal. Tickets cost £22 and can be obtained by calling 0191-581 1347.

IONIAN RETREAT: St John's College, Durham, will hold a week-long pilgrimage retreat to the island of Iona in April, led by Dr Gavin Wakefield, director of Mission Studies at the college's Cranmer Hall. For further details call James on (01274) 599622.

JAZZ TRIBUTE: Djangology will be performing a tribute to legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt from 8pm tonight in East Durham and Houghall Community College. Tickets cost £4 and are available from the college on 0191-518 2000.