Tyneside and Northumberland stories from this week

Gill Castle (left) is leading a group of women up Kilimanjaro

A rare avian visitor draws crowds, a law court closed due to maggots, and the woman proving that having a stoma does not have to stop you doing amazing things.

Here are some of the stories from Tyneside and Northumberland you might have missed this week.

Maggots from dead birds 'raining down' into court

Dead birds stuck in the roof of South Tyneside Law Courts led to maggots falling into the lobby

A law court was forced to close when maggots from rotting bird carcasses rained down from the ceiling, a report on issues in the justice system revealed.

South Tyneside Magistrates' Court in South Shields shut early for two days after dead seagulls became trapped in the roof above the lobby.

The report from The Law Society of England and Wales said underinvestment had left courts struggling as "buildings fall into disrepair, technology fails and cases are delayed".

• You can read more on this story here.

Stoma swimmer leading trek for Kenyan women

Gill Castle became the first woman to swim the channel with a stoma

In September 2023, Gill Castle became the first person with a stoma to swim the channel and now she is embarking on a new challenge.

She is leading 16 women – most of whom have suffered birth trauma, or have a stoma, or both - up Africa's highest mountain.

Mrs Castle had a colostomy after she was injured during the birth of her son in 2011.

Since then, she has proved that having a stoma does not have to stop people doing amazing things.

• You can read more on this story here.

Football fan group beer trademark sparks dispute

Wylam Brewery re-branded its Wor Flags beer to NCL Flags

A dispute has erupted between two breweries over the trademark of the word Wor on beer associated with a group of football fans.

Tyneside-based Wylam Brewery re-branded its Wor Flags beer to NCL Flags last week - the sales of which support the Wor Flags fan group best known for creating Newcastle United banner displays.

Anarchy Brew Co, also based in Tyneside, said it registered the trademark for beer products in 2022 during its own similar partnership with Wor Flags, which ended before the start of the new season.

Wylam Brewery said it was "disappointed" to be put in that position.

• You can read more on this story here.

Bird watchers flock to spot rare Asian visitor

Birdwatchers gathered on The Leas in South Shields on Monday

Crowds of birdwatchers descended on a seafront to catch a rare glimpse of a Pechora pipit.

Despite the species usually breeding in the tundra of the far north of Russia before migrating to countries in south-east Asia, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, one somehow ended up on The Leas in South Shields.

Onlookers armed with binoculars and cameras were delighted to spot the bird that is ranked as "very rare" by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

• You can read more on this story here.

Greggs gets green light for 24-hour opening

The branch opposite Newcastle Central Station can now open round-the-clock

Two branches of Greggs in a city centre will be allowed to stay open 24 hours a day despite concerns they could become a "focal point" for crime.

Newcastle Council has granted a new licence to extend the hours at the bakery chain's Grainger Street and Neville Street stores.

Northumbria Police had argued it would encourage drunken people to stay in the city centre later.

But Greggs said it would take steps to ensure the 24/7 operation would not add to crime issues, and the licensing committee approved the application.

• You can read more on this story here.