SOUTH Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the first trust in the region to implement the national paediatric early warning score (PEWS) system in a digital format. NHS England is rolling out a national standardised approach of tracking the deterioration of children in hospital. The National Paediatric Early Warning Score or PEWS will allow for consistencyContinue Reading

The cost of in-home care has become a contentious issue in the North East, with residents in Middlesbrough and Darlington facing vastly different financial demands for similar services. The disparity has raised questions about fairness and the financial pressures placed on vulnerable individuals. In Middlesbrough, a 23-year-old receiving essential in-homeContinue Reading

An eight-year-old boy who lives with a disability has been praised for saving the life of his dad who had slipped into a diabetic coma. Durham Police said Tyler gave the 999 call handler “vital information”, while also keeping his four-year-old sister calm, after dad Jamie Miller became seriously illContinue Reading

Police are appealing for information after a pedestrian is left with life-threatening injuries following a collision in Gateshead. Shortly after 11:15pm yesterday (Monday), police received a report of a collision involving a pedestrian and a vehicle on High West Street, in the Gateshead area. It was reported that a blackContinue Reading

Officers are appealing for the public’s help to locate a missing North Tyneside woman. Chelsea Beavers, 25, from the North Shields area, was last seen at about 2.30pm on Saturday. Police and Chelsea’s family are growing increasingly concerned for her welfare. Chelsea is described as white, 5ft 6in tall of slim build with longContinue Reading

The A1M in North Yorkshire/County Durham is closed in both directions between J57 (Stapleton) and J58 (Darlington) due to a collision involving two vehicles. Emergency services are on scene. National Highways Traffic Officers are also in attendance assisting with traffic management.  Collision investigation will be taking place so the roadContinue Reading

The Tyne and Wear Metro’s brand-new trains have officially hit the tracks—and the first passengers to board were left in awe, calling the experience “absolutely amazing.” Excitement reached a fever pitch on Wednesday morning as the £362 million fleet of state-of-the-art Stadler-built carriages made its highly anticipated debut. Word spreadContinue Reading

Birds flying high

Latest situation Take action to prevent bird flu and stop it spreading. Be vigilant for signs of disease and report it to keep your birds safe. 23 December 2024 Following the report of suspicion of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in commercial poultry at a premises near Hingham, South Norfolk, Norfolk (AIV SOSContinue Reading

A former professional footballer has been banned from being a company director for eight years.   Kieron Minto-St.Aimie claimed a £25,000 Covid Bounce Back Loan for the St Aimie’s Sports Academy Community Interest Company in Brent, when it was entitled to much less.  Elizabeth Pigney, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:Continue Reading

A FORMER patient who suffered a life-threatening stroke has praised a hospital team for saving her life. Jillian Ryan, 62, is back to running her home business after suffering from a severe stroke earlier this year. In September 2023, Jill woke up in her home in Thirsk with a denseContinue Reading

A specialist team setup to assist our takedown of serious and organised crime has now passed the milestone of 500 years in jail sentences. Operation Venetic was launched in 2020 with our officers working alongside international law enforcement agencies to clampdown on organised criminal networks by infiltrating the encrypted messagingContinue Reading

A landlord has been forced to pay more than £25,000 for failing to get licences for six of his homes. Kamran Adil’s properties in Blackhall Colliery, near Peterlee in County Durham, had problems including electrical hazards and structural concerns. Durham County Council uses selective licences to regulate landlords and ensureContinue Reading

A three-year-old girl who had a life-saving organ transplant will appear on the Christmas special of Casualty to highlight the importance of donation. Beatrix, from Burnopfield in County Durham, spent more than a year in the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle waiting for a new heart. She had her transplant inContinue Reading

Workers at the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) office in Newcastle are set to commence an eight-week strike on Monday. The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) announced the strike to support three colleagues it claims were unfairly dismissed. A picket line is planned outside HMRC’s Benton Park offices, accordingContinue Reading

Kearney FM’s Managing Director, Aaron Kearney, is set to launch his brand-new podcast, The Daily Dose of Aaron, on 31st December 2024. The podcast promises to cover “everything and anything,” offering listeners engaging conversations, insightful stories, and plenty of surprises. New episodes will be released every Wednesday and Sunday atContinue Reading

A new puppet theatre in Newcastle has been vandalised, just days after reaching its fundraising target to establish a permanent space. Moving Parts Arts, the organisation behind the popular Newcastle Puppetry Festival, was preparing to transform an abandoned AA call centre in Elswick into a creative hub for puppetry andContinue Reading

An emergency department consultant has described the strain caused by “Black Eye Friday” as “demoralising” for NHS staff. The last Friday before Christmas, a popular night for festive celebrations, is notorious for a surge in alcohol-related incidents, which adds significant pressure to already stretched hospital services. Staff at the NorthContinue Reading

Just days after the announced closure of Middlesbrough’s Cineworld, Odeon has confirmed plans to take over the venue. The cinema, located on Marton Road, is among several Cineworld sites impacted by a nationwide restructuring plan and is slated to close in January. Landlords Legal & General (L&G) announced that OdeonContinue Reading

A non-league footballer has appeared in court charged with the murder of another player following an altercation at York Station. James Hitchcock, a goalkeeper for Barton Town FC, sustained serious injuries on 15 December after a night out in York. He passed away in hospital on Wednesday. Mckenzie Dicicco, 22,Continue Reading

A paedophile caught in an online sting where he thought he was sending sexual messages to a 14-year-old girl has been jailed for three years. Nathaniel Morley, 26, invited the “girl” to commit a sex act, not realising he was talking to online paedophile hunters, Teesside Crown Court heard. AfterContinue Reading

 new skate park and the transformation of a play area have been granted planning permission. Guisborough’s King George V playing fields in Howlbeck Road will undergo changes to benefit an area “which has been in sad decline”, ward councillor Bill Clarke said. The application described plans for “wheeled play provision”,Continue Reading

Holidaymakers who decide to drive under the influence once they touch down at the airport are being targeted as part of a new police operation. The first of its kind in the North East, Operation Take Off sees Durham officers team up with Northumbria Police to take dangerous drivers offContinue Reading

Mason Longstaff from the Newton Aycliffe and Bishop Auckland area who was a volunteer with local charity Angel Trust has been convicted. He has been convicted with 18 months suspended sentence and had to sign a SHPO for 10 years. Angel Trust in a statement has said: Recently, social mediaContinue Reading

Arriva North East will implement fare changes starting January 1, 2025. In response to customer and stakeholder feedback regarding the complexity of the single fare structure, most single fares in the region will now be set at £1.60 or £1.70 for short trips, £2.30 for slightly longer journeys, and cappedContinue Reading

Police have launched a dedicated Retail Crime Squad to tackle shoplifting and anti-social behaviour over the festive period in Gateshead. Started on Monday (December 16), it brings together officers from Northumbria Police’s response and neighbourhood policing teams to address key issues in the town centre and Team Valley. Led byContinue Reading

A new campaign is underway to ramp up efforts to prevent burglary and car crime over the winter months thanks to funding from Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen.  The County Durham and Darlington PCC has invested £18k into Durham Constabulary’s Winter Nights 2024 operation.  The initiative, which runs until January 2025,Continue Reading

A DEVOTED lead nurse from Teesside is helping to shape the future of UK healthcare research after landing a prestigious new role. Nicky Cunningham, from South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been appointed as the regional research setting lead for all hospitals across the North East and North Cumbria.Continue Reading

Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen has expressed her shock that young drivers can still purchase illegal and unroadworthy vehicles without compulsory checks following another tragic death.  The County Durham and Darlington PCC met Karen and John Rowlands, from Durham, earlier this week to discuss the tragic death of theirContinue Reading

(C) Durham Police A Durham woman whose infant son drowned unsupervised in the bath while she played a video game on her mobile phone has been jailed for seven years today after pleading guilty to gross negligence manslaughter at Teesside Crown Court. Danielle Massey, 31, of West Chilton Terrace, Ferryhill,Continue Reading

Images (C): Zoe Place Hospice Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice in Middlesbrough received a new bundle of advanced tech equipment from a charity that provides life-changing technology. This new donation continues a longstanding partnership with Lifelites, a charity that has been supporting the hospice for many years. Lifelites has been working with Zoe’s PlaceContinue Reading

The leader of Gateshead Council has urged commuters to avoid peak travel times on Monday, marking the first working day following the closure of the Gateshead Flyover. The flyover was shut down on Friday night after inspections revealed “serious concerns” about its structural integrity, prompting immediate action. Councillor Martin GannonContinue Reading

The devastated family of an ‘amazing’ and beloved man who sadly died following a collision in Newcastle have paid a heartfelt tribute to him. Shortly after 11.30pm on November 28, officers received a report of a one-vehicle collision on the A69 close to Throckley. It was reported that a greyContinue Reading

Hartlepool CID has charged a man in connection with a burglary at King Johns Tavern on South Road and a shop theft in Sainsburys on Murray Street. The shop theft was reported to have occurred on Sunday 15th December whilst the burglary reportedly happened on Tuesday 17th December. Officers charged the 36-year-oldContinue Reading

Three people have sought hospital treatment after taking what police and public health colleagues believe could be contaminated crack cocaine. Cleveland Police is currently treating the incidents as linked and while we would not advocate the use of illegal drugs, we would warn drug users that there appears to beContinue Reading

So far, the Cleveland Police investigation – codenamed Operation Acorn – has led to detectives in the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team (HMET) identifying 17 individuals from the wanted images that have been released. Here we have 18 men and one woman whose images have been issued but they areContinue Reading

Officers investigating a robbery in Newcastle have identified a man they would like to trace. At around 1am on Sunday, November 3, it was reported that an offender has approached a man on Grainger Street in Newcastle city centre. The offender punched the man, knocking him to the floor, andContinue Reading