Wearside stories you might have missed this week

Kevin Thornhill's dress collection spans the years 1848 to 2018

Redundancies at the National Glass Centre, home-loss fears over a proposed railway line and a major investigation into breast cancer errors at a hospital trust are just some of the stories that have hit the headlines this week on Wearside.

Breast cancer error 'may affect thousands'

The County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust says the cases it has identified so far were mainly at the University Hospital of North Durham

A major investigation is under way into the care of thousands of breast cancer patients at a hospital trust.

The County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust issued an apology this week after it said some women received "more extensive surgery than was clinically necessary".

Almost 200 cases have been identified so far following a review, but the trust said it could include thousands of cases dating back to 2019, mainly at the University Hospital of North Durham. A number of patient deaths are also being investigated.

• More on this story here

'I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do'

The dresses will next be on show Sunderland, York and Middlesbrough

Hundreds of wedding dresses dating back to 1848 have gone on display.

Kevin Thornhill, from Peterlee, County Durham, has amassed about 400 gowns over four decades and brides are still donating their dresses to this day.

"It's real privilege to be given somebody's wedding dress, because it's from a very important day in their lives and they trust you to take it and look after it and try and preserve it," Mr Thornhill said.

Some of the dresses from the collection, which has helped raise more than £600,000 for charity since 1995, are being shown at exhibitions and fashion shows.

• More can be read on his collection here

Man's Metro line housing fears

David Potts says he "couldn't cope" with the noise from passing trains, if the track was extended nearby

A man living near a proposed railway extension fears he will have to move and lose his stabling business, if the plans go ahead.

David Potts, who lives in Penshaw, Sunderland, said he "wouldn't be able to cope" due to the noise if the Tyne and Wear Metro was to run past the property and cut through a field.

Plans are yet to be submitted but it is thought land near Borehole Cottages could be repurposed in order to link Washington with South Hylton.

• Read more about what he had to say here

Glass centre redundancies

Glassworks aim is to preserve Sunderland's glass-making history

The University of Sunderland announced up to 25 people will be made redundant at the National Glass Centre.

It said the existing roles that directly support the centre would become redundant in July, when the building closes.

The BBC understands there are currently no plans to transfer the jobs to Glassworks, the new hub tasked with preserving the city's glass-making history.

• Read more about this story here.

Breakfast club boost

Headteachers have said they have seen the free clubs make a difference

Free breakfast clubs are boosting attendances and improving behaviour in schools, headteachers have said.

The clubs were introduced earlier this year by the government at some primary schools in disadvantaged communities to ensure children have a healthy breakfast before lessons.

Hudson Road Primary School in Sunderland is part of the first phase of the national roll-out of the pilot scheme.

Headteacher Cathy Westgate said it helped children have a "lovely, calm start to the day" .

• More on this story here