Can't create named.pid

[Russell]

I'm a bind novice so bear with me.

I have had a Bind 8 server that has been running fine for a couple of 
years. This morning it was not working. The messages log said to the effect:

couldn't create pid file '/var/run/named.pid'

Named was taking up 75 to 97 percent of the CPU time as it kept trying 
to create the pid file. Any ideas on what is causing this and why it 
would suddenly start doing that.

Thanks, Russell