Teesside stories you might have missed this week

Education Minister Catherine McKinnell said child poverty needs to be tackled in Middlesbrough but admitted it was a difficult task

Objections to new homes, a consultation on a historic church and an angry seller of rare DVDs- here are some of the stories from Teesside you might have missed this week.

DVD seller angry at Royal Mail 'terrible service'

Mark Corfield says he has lost thousands of pounds through lost or delayed parcels

A seller of rare DVDs has slammed Royal Mail for what he described as a "terrible service" that has cost him thousands of pounds.

Mark Corfield, from Billingham, said he has been bombarded with emails and phone calls from customers saying they have not received their items.

The 55-year-old has been selling rare and bespoke DVDs since 2014 and said he wanted to raise awareness of problems reporting issues with the service.

A spokesperson for Royal Mail apologised to Mr Corfield and said his complaints were being "actively investigated".

Diocese triggers consultation on historic church

St Cuthbert's Church in Billingham has "low" numbers of worshippers

A Church of England diocese has triggered a public consultation on the future of a 1,000-year-old church.

Billingham parish applied to close St Cuthbert's Church last year due to rising costs and falling attendance.

A Bishop's Council meeting has now decided to hold a consultation on its future.

A Diocese of Durham spokesperson said keeping the church open was "no longer sustainable" due to the significant cost of maintaining the building.

Minister 'determined' to cut child poverty

Education Minister Catherine McKinnell visited a session at the Teesside Academy of Gymnastics

A government minister has said tackling child poverty is a "huge challenge" while visiting one of the country's most deprived areas.

Education Minister Catherine McKinnell visited a gymnastics academy in Middlesbrough, which offers free places to children from low-income families through the government's Holiday Activities and Food programme.

Middlesbrough has some of the poorest areas in the country, including its Newport ward where 85% of children live in poverty, according to data published by the Department of Work and Pensions.

McKinnell said the government was "absolutely determined" to ensure where youngsters came from did not determine what they could achieve in life.

Plans for 600 homes get more than 180 objections

A satellite map of the site where Taylor Wimpey is proposing to build up to 600 homes near Yarm

More than 180 objections have been made against a plan for hundreds of new homes near a market town.

Developer Taylor Wimpey is preparing an outline plan to build up to 600 properties on land south of Green Lane, in Yarm, Stockton-on-Tees.

It said the properties would consist of two to five-bedroom homes, including up to 120 which were affordable.

Some of the objections include traffic concerns. The developer, which held a public consultation, said it welcomed the feedback.