A watchdog says five wards run by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust are "inadequate".

Paul Robson denies being "a cold and calculating killer" while giving evidence at a murder trial.

Newcastle council hopes banning parents driving to school gates will cut pollution and congestion.

Daniel Holland
Local Democracy Reporter

The Metro will be fully operational again by 11 April, the day before non-essential shops, hairdressers and leisure facilities are due to reopen.

The network, which has needed more than £40m of government funding to keep it going during the pandemic, has been running a reduced timetable since late November due to a shortage of drivers.

Thirty new recruits were taken on last September, but with delays to training because of lockdown, 20% of train services had to be cut from the timetable.

Nexus chief operating officer Martin Kearney said: “We are now nearing a full complement of driver resource and we are performing very well at the moment."

Last week, it was confirmed that the Metro has secured an additional £8m government grant that will allow it to keep trains running at reduced passenger levels until 21 June.

Three men were found guilty of the manslaughter of a man who was shot in the head.

Two household recycling centres in Gateshead are staying open for longer to try and cut mammoth three-hour queues experienced by residents getting rid of their rubbish.

Gateshead Council’s two tips at Campground in Wrekenton and Cowen Road in Blaydon reopened in May last year after the first lockdown, with an alternate number plate system for when people can go.

But recent “unprecedented public demand” has seen drivers waiting as long as three hours to access the sites, causing problems on nearby roads.

From today the opening hours of both sites will be extended by three hours, closing at 20:00.

The alternating odd and even number plate system will stay in place.

Newcastle wing Mateo Carreras is banned for nine games after admitting intentional contact with the eye of Wasps' Josh Bassett.

A company wants to demolish an old shed but opponents say it is the last link to a historic railway.

About 10% of Middlesbrough care staff have turned down the offer, a health security panel is told.

Tree felling is helping to restore an ancient ecosystem which can store even more carbon than trees do.

Paul Robson tells a court he tried to give first aid to his ex-partner who was lying motionless.

Health bosses hope to use data to map out where in Middlesbrough vaccine uptakes are lower.

Paul Robson denies murdering his ex and attempting to murder a boy she was unlawfully involved with.

Listen to BBC radio commentary from Saturday's action in the FA Trophy semi-finals and National League.

Durham sign New Zealand batsman Will Young for the first three games of the County Championship season.

A company wants to demolish an old shed but opponents say it is the last link to a historic railway.

Andrew Stones was last seen five months ago and police are treating his disappearance as murder.

Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden will miss the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury in Saturday's defeat at Brighton.

Hartlepool stretch their unbeaten run to 10 games with a 1-0 win at Dagenham that keeps their National League title hopes alive.

Locals complain Covid travel rules are being broken, but flying drones is not illegal, police say.