Teesside and County Durham stories you might have missed

The original tree on Yarm High Street was criticised due to its dead branches

A festive disappointment, coastal erosion fears and shrinking budgets to manage play areas were among the stories to make headlines in Teesside and County Durham.

Fears erosion repairs will leave village 'cut off'

Cowbar Lane is the main road into the village for residents of the north side of Staithes

Works to repair a road at risk of collapse could risk isolating a village, according to residents.

Waves and heavy rain have caused the cliff face on Cowbar Lane, the main road into the north side of Staithes, to erode, according to an inspection.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, which will bring forward works previously scheduled for the 2030s to 2027, said it would work with the community.

Colin Harrison, who has lived there most of his life, said it was "vital" that residents had access, adding: "We are small village with one road, it's one in, one out."

• Read more about the coastal erosion in Staithes here

Christmas tree with dead branches replaced

Yarm Town Council says the new tree is "looking absolutely wonderful"

Complaints from residents about the state of Yarm's Christmas tree have prompted a council to take action.

Decorations had already gone up on the tall tree with visible patches of brown, with dozens of comments on social media branding it a "waste of money and effort" and that it looked "disgraceful".

Stockton Borough Council said the tree had been put up in the dark when its condition could not be properly seen.

After a new one was installed on the town's high street, Yarm Town Council posted a picture and said it was "excited" for the community to "enjoy the new tree this festive season".

• Read more about Yarm's Christmas tree here

Prison's drug culture remains 'entrenched'

Inspectors revisited Barnard Castle's HMP Deerbolt in October

A watchdog said progress on a prison's "entrenched drug culture" had been "far from sufficient", despite the best efforts of staff.

HMP Inspectorate of Prisons said there had been a "slight decline" in the number of positive tests at HMP Deerbolt, in Barnard Castle, since its previous visit in 2024, but more work was needed.

Inspectors praised measures such as upgraded CCTV in the visits room as a step forward, although they warned work had been hampered by issues such as staff shortages.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said it realised "more must be done" to resolve issues at the site.

• Read more about the issues at HMP Deerbolt here

Play parks decision backed despite concerns

Preston Park, in Eaglescliffe, is among the sites to have been discussed

A decision to gradually close 11 play areas and focus on maintaining 32 due to shrinking budgets has been upheld.

Last month, Stockton Council's cabinet said it would put "quality over quantity" because it could not afford to upgrade or refurbish all its sites.

A group of Conservative councillors challenged the decision, calling for a debate.

However, members of the authority's scrutiny committee voted 7-5 to take no further action as they decided the cabinet's decision had been made in line with decision-making principles.

• Read more about the debate on the play areas in Stockton here

Plaque unveiled for pioneering gay politician

Sam Green is said to be the first openly gay politician to be elected in the UK

A blue plaque has been unveiled celebrating the life and legacy of a councillor believed to be the first openly gay politician to be elected in the UK.

Councillor Sam Green was a psychiatric nurse who made history when he was elected to the now-abolished Durham City Council for the Crossgate ward as a Liberal councillor in 1972.

Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, unveiled the plaque outside a home on The Avenue where Green, who died in 1999, had lived.

The City of Durham Parish Council, which installed the plaque, said Green was a "much-loved" figure in the area and a "one-off".

• Read more about Sam Green here