New light shone on ancient wall

THE ancient northern border of the Roman Empire was seen in a new light at the weekend as beacons lined its 73-mile length.

Hadrian's Wall was lit from end to end by a team of 500 volunteers holding flaming torches on Saturday evening.

The first torch was lit at Segedunum Fort in Wallsend, North Tyneside, at about 6pm. The final beacon was ignited at Bowness-on-Solway, on Cumbria's west coast, about an hour later, with the "line of light" remaining illuminated for 30 minutes.

Linda Tuttiett, chief executive of Hadrian's Wall Heritage, said it was a great moment.