Teesside and County Durham stories this week

John Hobbs has been searching for mobility equipment for the last three years

A pair of trees look like consuming a street light, custody navigators tackle knife crime and the past gets a funding boost.

Here are some stories from Teesside and County Durham you may have missed this week.

Uganda mission to help disabled people

Kumi Community Foundation volunteers distribute the equipment in Uganda

For the past three years a 91-year-old man has collected more than 100 wheelchairs, sticks and walking frames to send to disabled people in Uganda in East Africa.

John Hobbs, who lives in Hartlepool, searches markets and charity shops for mobility equipment which the NHS does not need to be returned.

This is then refurbished before being transported through the Kumi Community Foundation (KCF) in Darlington.

Mr Hobbs said he was "always trying to help people" and, being retired, had "plenty of time".

• Read more about his mission here

Looming conifer up for the chop

Leylandii are the fastest growing conifer trees in the UK

A huge set of overgrown conifer trees have been causing bother for residents and businesses.

The enormous leylandii, looming over a row of houses in Skelton, led to a formal complaint lodged with Redcar and Cleveland Council's planning department.

Residents Mick Doe and Julie Swales, of Copeland Close, claimed the conifers, which have grown round a lamppost, blocked sunlight reaching their home.

A spokesperson for the council said the trees in the GP Hillside Practice car park "will be removed" when bird nesting season is over.

• More on the tree woes here

Knife crime lessons 'miss most offenders'

The custody navigator team was set up three years ago

Attempts to tackle youth knife crime by visiting schools have no effect on the majority of young offenders who are no longer in education, a specialist team has warned.

Custody navigators in Middlesbrough, who speak to young people when they are arrested or brought in for questioning, say 70% are aged between 15 and 17 but no longer in school.

Will Swinburne, from Cleveland Police's youth custody suite, said safeguarding for those teenagers who fall out of the education system "is non-existent".

The team said figures from 2024 showed a re-offending rate for those who spoke to a custody navigator after their first crime was 8%, against a national re-offending rate of 32.5%.

• Find out more about young offenders who are no longer in education here

Museums £2m cash boost

Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum in Wallsend was among those awarded grant money

Museums across the north-east of England have been awarded more than £2m as part of a national funding scheme.

The Museum Renewal Fund is a £20m pot of grant money that will be shared across 75 museums in England.

One of the sites, Middlesbrough Council's Captain Cook Birthplace Museum, said the money would support the development of "ambitious plans" for a new venue in Stewart Park.

• Read more about the funding scheme here

Campaigners want speed limit cut

Organisers of a petition say lower speeds are desperately needed at Neville's Cross

Campaigners want a busy city road to have its speed limit cut.

People in the Neville's Cross area of Durham warn the current 40mph limit on the A167 is dangerous for pedestrians and want it reduced to 30mph.

A petition has been signed by 250 people, while local MP Mary Kelly Foy has also backed the appeal.

Durham County Council said it would respond after the petition had closed.

• Click here for more on the campaign