Wearside stories you may have missed this week

A camera screen sits on a bike. The display shows a circular, digital chart and the number in the middle reads 83.2.Northumbria Police

Officers caught up with the fastest adapted e-bike they had seized

A man using his experience of addiction to help others recover, plans for a new glass-works centre put on hold and the seizure of a dangerous e-bike.

Here are some of the stories from Wearside you may have missed this week.

'My addiction experience helps me to help others'

Colin Burns, who has brown gelled hair and a brown beared, is wearing a dark blue button-down T-shirt. He is smiling in front the camera as he stands on a concrete path. In the background, there are tall trees and faded grass. To his right, there is an office building which has a red roof and beige coloured bricks.

Colin Burns spent 20 years struggling with alcohol and drug abuse

A man whose alcohol and drug addiction left him with liver disease and a 50% chance of survival has returned to work for the recovery team which "saved his life".

Colin Burns, of Sunderland, spent two decades in and out of jobs and struggled to stay sober after leaving the armed forces aged 19.

The 47-year-old, who has since recovered from his addiction, retrained in care and now works for the South Tyneside Adult Recovery Service (Stars) in South Shields.

Provider Training in Care, which helps people like Mr Burns into the sector, said giving them second chances could help alleviate the national shortage of carers.

  • You can read more about this story here.

'Dangerous' e-bike seized could reach 80mph

A black and blue bike leans against black metal railings on a path, bushes are poking through the railings.Northumbria Police

The rider was also not wearing a helmet while travelling at more than 35mph

An adapted e-bike which could reach "incredibly dangerous speeds" of more than 80mph (128km/h) has been seized by police.

Northumbria Police said it was the fastest illegally modified pedal cycle that officers had come across in Sunderland.

It was stopped on Durham Road following reports it was travelling in front of a car, reaching speeds of more than 35mph (56km/h), making it illegal to ride.

PC Jamie Allan, of the city's Operation Capio team, set up to prevent anti-social motorcycle use, said the speed of 83.2mph (133.8km/h) the bike could reach was "incredibly worrying".

  • For the full details, click here.

National Glass Centre replacement put on hold

Councillor Paul Edgeworth standing in front of Sunderland's City Hall. He has brown hair and is wearing glasses and a black long-sleeve jumper. He is standing with his arms crossed.Wearside Liberal Democrats

Councillor Paul Edgeworth said the planned Glassworks Sunderland site would be a downgrade from the existing National Glass Centre

Plans for a new glass-making facility have been put on hold after city councillors asked for them to be re-examined.

In July, Sunderland City Council agreed to spend £2.4m to convert the former Peter Smith Antiques Building into Glassworks Sunderland, to replace the National Glass Centre (NGC).

But opposition leader Liberal Democrat councillor Paul Edgeworth said rarely used "call-in" powers had been used to temporarily block the plans until the council could explain whether the project represented value for money.

The council said it was working to secure the future of glass-making in the city and the call-in would be considered by its scrutiny committee in September.

  • And you can read more on this story here.

Debt collection firms shut down for keeping cash

Four bank notes spread out on a white table. The notes are a £5, £10, £20 and £50 note.PA Media

Businesses paid the debt collection agencies hundreds of pounds but never received their owed money

Three debt-collection agencies have been shut down after spending thousands of pounds of their clients' money at bookmakers, hotels and football clubs.

Sunderland-based EDC Group NE Ltd, UK EDC Ltd and UK TCF Limited charged clients to collect debts on their behalf but failed to pass on almost £55,000 of their clients' money.

The companies, which were all owned by the same director, have been dissolved by the High Court following an investigation by the Insolvency Service (IS).

One victim, who the IS did not name, said EDC Group NE Ltd had given her "false hope" after she paid £600 to recover £15,000 in debts.

  • For the full story, click here.

Metro chiefs working 'quickly' to fix leaks

The first new Metro train at Pelaw station on 18 December 2024. It is in the signature yellow-and-black Tyne and Wear Metro colours and has a Metro logo under its front window. A number of people at the station are waiting to board.

The first of the new Metro trains entered service in December

Tyne and Wear Metro chiefs say they are "working as quickly as possible" to resolve air conditioning issues with the service's new trains.

Several have had to be temporarily withdrawn over the past two months due to water leaks, including three last week.

Operator Nexus and Swiss-manufacturer Stadler say condensation is draining too slowly from the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (Hvac) system during long hours of operation on hot days and dripping into carriages through vents.

Forty-six trains are scheduled to enter service by the end of next year as part of a £362m modernisation programme.

  • To see the story in its entirety, click here.

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