It looks like Sunderland forward Fabio Borini enjoyed his equalising goal last night in the 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace.

City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust performed the most weight loss procedures in the country last year, a BBC Freedom of Information Act request has found.

Sunderland Royal Hospital's centre for weight loss surgery is the busiest in England for bariatric surgery, performing 756 operations in total.

This follows the news that the North East has the highest proportion of weight loss surgery in the country.

BBC Sport

Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka was frustrated by his side's 2-1 loss to Blackburn Rovers.

He said: "It's taken 75-85 for us minutes to wake up. It's really difficult for me to understand why a team like Blackburn, who is in the middle of the table and which had played five games in the last two weeks, and their players wanted it more than us.

"Their players are jumping more than us, they were quicker than us, even when they were winning 2-0 they were desiring to score the third one.

"When we are playing to get promotion, or at least to be in the play-offs, it is difficult to understand."

A Darlington man nicknamed "Diesel Dave" went equipped to steal fuel from a highways depot, a court has heard. 

Evidence linking David Wilkinson to the crime was found in a Ford Ranger which was stuck in mud and abandoned near Brough in Cumbria in March, 2014, prosecutors said.  

Twenty-six plastic five-litre fuel drums, a pump and some hose were located in the vehicle, along with Wilkinson's phone.

Wilkinson, of Hewitson Road South, pleaded guilty to going equipped for the theft of red diesel and was sentenced to a nine-month jail term suspended for two years at Carlisle Crown Court. 

A Tyneside tourist attraction based on the life of the Venerable Bede which was due to close has been saved.

It was announced last month that Bede's World was to close due to lack of funds, but now South Tyneside Council has stepped in to ensure it has a long-term future.

Image source, Matt Storey

The attraction in Jarrow had been run by Bede's World Charitable Trust until recently, with the council providing a grant to support it.

The council is in talks with charity Groundwork South Tyneside and Newcastle about taking on the lease of the site.

Rebecca Turner
BBC North East

Following the news that BBC Tees presenter and Middlesbrough football commentator Ali Brownlee had died, tributes poured in.

The Ayresome Park gates at the Riverside Stadium are covered in shirts, scarves, messages and flowers in remembrance of Ali, who was known as the Voice of the Boro.

But now the club has announced these will be put to a good cause.

Image source, MFC

“People have been very kind and that has helped us all so much,” says his wife Wendy. “Thank you to everybody. 

“I know that Alastair would want everything to go to those in need. He did so much for charity.”

Should any fans wish to remove their tribute they are asked to do so by 12:00 tomorrow.

Sunderland City Council will now charge households £25 a year for 17 brown bin collections between March and November, in a move that could save the authority about £800,000 a year.

The charge has sparked a political war of words between the city’s ruling Labour party and its Liberal Democrat opponents., external

Image source, Sunderland Echo

A TV premiere saw the red carpet rolled out at the Baltic Centre in Gateshead last night.

The CBBC show Wolfblood is about to screen its fourth series, after picking up Baftas and nominations for each of the previous series.

The show, which is filmed in the North East, follows packs of humans who transform into wolves.  

BBC Sport

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce was relieved after Fabio Borini scored a "stunning" goal to equalise against Crystal Palace.

Substitute Borini's injury-time effort from an almost impossible angle moved the Black Cats out of the relegation zone for the first time since November.

Match report:Sunderland 2-2 Crystal Palace

A North East man's petition calling for the meningitis B vaccine to be offered to all children has been rejected, despite being the most-signed petition in parliamentary history. 

Lee Booth (pictured), from Gateshead, began his campaign in September last year after being frustrated at his local health centre where he was told his daughter, at eight months, was too old to have the vaccination.  

The government says offering it to all children is "not cost effective" and would be a waste of NHS money.

Former Sunderland winger Adam Johnson has arrived at court as the jury continues deliberations at his trial for sexual activity with a child.

Image source, Getty Images

NHS weight loss operations in the North East take place at double the rate of anywhere else in England, figures show.

There were 497 procedures for every million people in the region in 2014-15, compared with 30 in the East Midlands, figures obtained by the BBC show.  

The National Obesity Forum says the decline of heavy industry and manual work in the North East had contributed to obesity problems, resulting in a greater rate of surgery.  

BBC Sport

Fabio Borini struck a stunning late leveller against Crystal Palace to lift Sunderland out of the bottom three.

Dame N'Doye's deflected first-half effort had put the hosts in front.

Connor Wickham scored twice in six second-half minutes against his former club to put Palace on course for a first league win in 11 games.

But substitute Borini's injury-time effort from an almost impossible angle rescued a point for Sam Allardyce's side and moved them up to 17th.

BBC Sport

Middlesbrough missed the chance to go top of the Championship following goals from Hope Akpan and Danny Graham which sealed victory for Blackburn Rovers.

Boro, who needed a point, were undone by a deep cross to the back post that Akpan nodded in early after the break.

Graham made it four goals in four games against Boro when he took in Simeon Jackson's flick-on and smashed in.

Adam Forshaw's late goal gave the Teessiders hope in injury time, but it came too late to rescue a point.

Thanks to Ian Hannent for this photo taken while staying in Newcastle over the weekend.

Image source, Ian Hannent

It was submitted to England's Big Picture and shows the Sage in Gateshead.  

A church fire in Gateshead is being treated as arson, police say.

The blaze at St Paul's Church in Winlaton was started in the early hours of Tuesday morning last week.

A man was seen running away from the area with his hood pulled over his face just after the fire was reported.

Image source, Gateshead Police

Firefighters attended and put out the flames. No one was hurt however the building was badly damaged.

The man spotted fleeing the scene is described as wearing a grey or green padded jacket, dark bottoms and light coloured shoes.  

The Chronicle

North East boxers are set to strap on their gloves for the fight against cancer.

The fight, in aid of two-year-old Frankie Sherwood who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer last year, is set to be held at the Forest Hall Boxing Club this evening., external

Image source, Chronicle Live

The death of a man found with severe chest injuries in Middlesbrough is being treated as suspicious, police have said.

Paramedics and the air ambulance were called to the Flatts Lane area of Normanby yesterday.

They alerted police just after 17:00. Despite efforts to save the man he died, police said.

Officers from Cleveland Police said they believe the man had been assaulted.

Twelve people have been arrested after a window was shot in Edgmond Court in Sunderland yesterday.

Photos circulated on social media of armed police and rumours spread about the sound of gunfire, but police told the BBC no shots were fired.

They've since clarified that a window was shot at.

Seven people were arrested yesterday, followed by five more in Fulwell Road.

Northumbria Police says there may be further activity in the area.

BBC Weather

A chilly start, with some sleet and snow possible, perhaps rain near the coast.

Although remaining rather cold, many areas will then see some sunny spells develop, before a developing breeze brings further wintry sleet and snow southwards towards dusk.

Check the weather where you are.