Teesside and County Durham stories you might have missed

Sheridan Smith (left) plays the role of Ann Ming (right) in the series I Fought the Law

Ann Ming's long fight for justice over her daughter's murder hits the small screen, the Sedgefield firm's multimillion-pound contract with SpaceX, and a much-loved seal statue collapses on a roundabout.

Here are five Teesside stories you might have missed this week.

Mum's fight to change law after daughter killed

Julie Hogg was 22 when she was murdered by William 'Billy' Dunlop in 1989

Ann Ming's 22-year-old daughter Julie Hogg was killed by William Dunlop at her home in Billingham in 1989.

But when two juries initially failed to reach a verdict, the law meant he could not be tried again for her murder, despite later admitting to what happened.

Over 17 years, Julie's mother campaigned tirelessly to fight for justice, which led to a change in the law and Dunlop eventually being jailed for the crime.

Actress Sheridan Smith plays Ann Ming in a four-part ITV drama, I Fought The Law.

"Sheridan portrayed me as though she was inside me," said Ann.

• You can read more of Ann Ming and Sheridan Smith's interview here

Biggest space contract for tech firm

Filtronic signed a deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX (pictured in 2014)

A County Durham technology firm has secured its biggest ever contract, worth £47.3m, with Elon Musk's SpaceX.

Filtronic, based in Sedgefield, signed a deal to supply gallium nitride E-band technology for use in satellite communications.

The company, which has manufacturing sites in the North East and the US, along with three engineering centres in the UK, said its technology would play a "vital role" in supporting the Starlink constellation.

• You can read more on this story here

Park praised for its communication board

Robbie, pictured with his family, is calling on councils to install more communication boards in parks to help children express their needs

A father is calling for more picture boards to be put up in council parks to help parents communicate with their non-verbal children and avoid "meltdowns".

Robbie Barnes, 37, said they helped his five-year-old daughter to express her needs and make her "100 times happier".

The dad-of-four praised Stockton Borough Council for putting them up in Preston Park.

• There is more on this story here

Residents fight energy plant approval

More than 800 people have opposed the plans for an energy plant near Sedgefield

Campaigners have claimed businesses will fail if planning approval is not revoked for a biodegradable energy plant.

Plans for the facility near Sedgefield were approved in December, but the decision is to be reconsidered after more than 800 people registered objections.

Teesside company BioConstruct NewEnergy said the facility would process food waste and farmyard manure to produce methane gas, which will be purified for the National Grid.

• Read more about the dispute here

Seal sculpture collapses on roundabout

Three of the seal sculptures have been in place since 2011, with a fourth added in 2017

A seal sculpture on a roundabout has partially collapsed prompting calls from locals for urgent repair work.

The Coatham seals have become a much-loved feature of the town near Redcar since three of them were put in place in 2011. A fourth was added in 2017 but weathering has caused them to rot.

Resident Neil Baldwin said the seals, which residents decorate throughout the year, have long shown signs of deterioration.

• There's more on the roundabout seals here