Updates on Friday 5 February
Updates for the North East have now finished for the day. We'll be back with more news, sport, weather and travel from 08:00 on Monday. We hope you can join us then and hope you have a lovely weekend.
If you'd like to get in touch you can tweet, external us, email, or contact us through our Facebook page, external.
Rain this evening will become heavy for a time, before gradually clearing to the south, with most places dry with clear spells by midnight.
Strong winds will also ease. Further outbreaks of rain may return to western parts by dawn.
Minimum temperature: 3C (37F). Check the forecast near you.
Nick Barnes
BBC Newcastle's Sunderland commentator
I'm all set for my trip to Anfield - where Sunderland will take on Liverpool.
Full match commentary as always on BBC Newcastle on your radio - with build up from 14:00 tomorrow.
Middlesbrough goalkeeper Tomas Mejias has signed a contract extension that will keep him on Teesside until June 2018, the club has confirmed, external.
The keeper has starred for Boro in the cup competitions over the past 12 months, with outstanding performances at Manchester City in the FA Cup, external and most recently against Manchester United, when Mejias emerged as the Teessiders’ penalty shoot-out hero at Old Trafford, external.
Image source, Getty ImagesHartlepool travel to Notts County in League Two on Saturday.
Ronnie Moore's side have won only one of their last eight league games and currently sit four points above the relegation zone.
Phil Blackwood, originally from Redcar, has been reunited with his family after serving 13 months in jail in Burma.
Phil and two Burmese men were sentenced to hard labour after being found guilty of insulting religion in Myanmar over a poster promoting a drinks event depicting Buddha with headphones.
He was released as part of an amnesty on political prisoners.
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He told BBC Tees: "It's fantastic of course. The hardest part of it for me was the separation from my family." Hear the full interview here.
The Question Time panel faced the question 'has the Northern Powerhouse run out of steam?
If you missed it, you can see the question being answered here (Starting at 46:15).
Middlesbrough will hope to return to the top of the league as they play Blackburn at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.
Middlesbrough's new striker Jordan Rhodes is in line for a debut against his former club, as are loan signings Ritchie de Laet and Gaston Ramirez.
Full-back George Friend is out for up to a month (shoulder) but defender Ben Gibson (hip) returns to contention.
Top of the league Hull face third place Burnley.
Image source, Getty ImagesHere are some match facts:
A teenage busker from Spennymoor will perform to an audience of millions this weekend.
Chloe Castro, 19, is taking part in The Voice on BBC One tomorrow evening.
She says years of busking in Durham City means she's used to a tough audience.
Image source, BBC OneShe told BBC Tees: "I started off in my bedroom and I decided that I'd go busking one day and see what people thought of me.
"To be honest I got like 50/50 negative and positive support and that's why I've woken up and I'm now like right I don't care if you want to be negative towards me."
Newcastle welcome West Brom to St James' Park on Saturday.
Newcastle will be forced into a defensive reshuffle with Chancel Mbemba and Paul Dummett ruled out through injury and Jamaal Lascelles banned.
Jack Colback is also sidelined but defender Kevin Mbabu returns to the squad. Steven Taylor is expected to make his first start since August.
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle head coach Steve McClaren said: "We have got talent but we have to be more consistent. We also need attitude, character and to hold our nerve.
"Saturday is a big game and 50,000 Geordies will demand a performance of attitude, character and football."
Suspected cocaine and cannabis with an estimated street value of more than £7,500 was found hidden in a wardrobe and loft, external in Billingham.
The address on Crescent Avenue, Billingham, was searched on Sunday and two people were arrested.
A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possession with intent to supply class B drugs.
An 18-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of driving whilst unfit through drugs.
A South Tyneside landmark was lit up in purple to mark World Cancer Day, external.
Image source, The Shields GazetteSunderland travel to Anfield to face Liverpool in the Premier League at 15:00 on Saturday.
Sunderland will check on the fitness of Yann M'Vila and Jeremain Lens, who have respective foot and groin injuries.
Younes Kaboul is available after a hamstring problem, while newcomer Wahbi Khazri could make his first start.
Image source, Getty ImagesSam Allardyce described Jurgen Klopp as a "soft German" after the pair argued during Liverpool's win at Sunderland in December.
BBC Tees
www.bbc.co.uk/BBCTees
Police are hoping CCTV images will help them catch a robber who injured a woman with a syringe in Billingham, external.
The man went into Teesdale Convenience Store on the town's Teesdale Avenue and threatened a shop worker, before escaping with cash and cigarettes.
She was taken to hospital and released after treatment.
Image source, Cleveland PoliceA woman from Gateshead who made the headlines after having cochlear implants fitted is backing a campaign to raise awareness of hidden disabilities.
Jo Milne was deaf for 40 years until she had her life changing surgery.
She has now joined forces with Stagecoach North East to educate the public about disabilities such as sensory loss, chronic pain and mental health.
Jo's condition means she's now losing her sight so she understands the challenges of using public transport.
A body found during the search for missing woman Sally Allan has been identified as her, police have confirmed.
She left her home in Ponteland early on Boxing Day and was later seen on CCTV on Newcastle's Quayside.
Her body was recovered from Tyne Dock West, Jarrow on Wednesday.
Image source, Northumbria Police
Fergus Hewison
BBC Newcastle political reporter
The misery continues for those people hit by flooding over the last few weeks in Cumbria and the North East as they clear up and dry out their properties.
But can you guess how many homes in our region have been built or developed in areas where flooding is likely from rivers or the sea? You might be surprised by the answer.
The BBC analysed figures for the period 2001 to 2014. We found that in the North East & Cumbria 10,531 residential properties were built or developed in areas where flooding is possible. Watch the video here, external.
You can watch my full report on Sunday Politcs on BBC One at 11:00 on Sunday.
Sunderland Echo
Newspaper
A historic Sunderland landmark is featuring on long-running TV show Countryfile as the rural life magazine programme heads to Tyne and Wear, external.
Kay Crewdson
Weather presenter, BBC Look North
Staying cloudy this afternoon with some outbreaks of light rain.
Over western hills there may be some heavier bursts possible along with strong southwesterly winds. Outbreaks of drizzly rain are more likely further east, but coastal areas will see some drier interludes.
Maximum temperature: 11C (52F). Check the forecast near you.
The family of PC David Rathband, who was shot and blinded by Raoul Moat, have lost their negligence claim against Northumbria Police.
The family claimed that a warning should have been issued to officers out on the street, and subsequently accused the police of "arrogance and insensitivity" .
But in dismissing the claim, the judge Mr Justice Males ruled the Rathband family should now pay the force's costs, with an interim payment of £100,000 due within 21 days. Watch the video here.
Image source, PA