Inspectors find Cleveland Police is making "notable improvements" but some areas need further work.

Twenty years on from the start of the foot-and-mouth crisis, the Covid parallels appear stark.

The ring fell off James Ross' finger when he took rubbish to the local tip on Valentine's Day.

Mark Lawrenson takes on Architects frontman and Man Utd fan Sam Carter to make predictions for this weekend's Premier League fixtures.

Jamie Hellings is jailed for nearly seven years for shooting a grandfather in Carlin How.

Middlesbrough win their appeal against defender Paddy McNair's red card in Tuesday's win over Huddersfield.

Kyril Louis-Dreyfus becomes Sunderland chairman at the age of 23 after buying a controlling interest in the club.

A man who lost his wedding ring while dropping off cardboard at a recycling centre in North Shields has thanked the workers who managed to find it.

James Ross noticed his wedding band was missing on Valentine's Day while emptying his cardboard waste into a container.

The 38-year-old, who alerted staff when he realised it was gone, said: “It wasn’t what it cost – it was laser engraved with my wife’s handwriting and the date we got married in 2009. It was irreplaceable."

Twenty minutes later, one of the four members of staff who'd been searching for it, found it in a puddle of mud under at 10ft (3m) pile of waste.

Image source, North Tyneside Council

Plant operator, Jordan Cooper, 22, who found it said: “When we realised what had happened, we were all happy to help in the search, especially as it was Valentine’s Day."

Image source, North Tyneside council

Redcar and Cleveland's Inspiring Women Awards have been postponed until 2022 due uncertainty about how long coronavirus restrictions will be in place.

The annual ceremony, usually held in the spring, recognises women who make a difference in categories like business and volunteering.

The organisers want to create a legacy for radio presenter Julie Donaldson, who died last year after contracting Covid.

She had hosted all the previous awards events and was named volunteer of the year in 2018.

Ruth Fox, chair of the awards, said: “It was devastating to lose Julie, who played such an important role in the Inspiring Women project and in the wider community."

Image source, Redcar and Cleveland council

BBC Radio Tees

The South African variant of coronavirus has been detected in Hartlepool but public health leaders said work is under way "to ensure there's no further spread".

The case, found earlier this month, was related to travel.

Last week, Middlesbrough Council set up a pop-up test centre after the variant was found in the TS7 area.

Mark Adams, joint director of public health for Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland, said there are other cases in the North East.

"Cases were reported in Scarborough and we've got two cases that have come back from travelling and a single case in Hartlepool and the case that we have in Middlesbrough," Mr Adams told BBC Radio Tees.

"All the cases in the North East have either come back from travel and isolated so they haven't been in contact with any other people... or like our cases which don't have foreign travel but have limited contact with people.

"I live on Teesside and it's not something I'm concerned about personally.I think it's unclear at the moment just how different the South African variant is from the Kent variant anyway."

Image source, Middlesbrough council

A 15-year-old girl has had an air gun pellet removed from her head after she was shot in Middlesbrough.

The teenager was wounded in the back of her head on Trimdon Avenue on Tuesday night.

Police said the pellet was from an air gun or pistol.

Det Insp Matt Hollingsworth, from Middlesbrough CID, said: “It is very fortunate that someone was not more seriously injured.

"She [the girl] has been very lucky. If that pellet had hit her in the eye or soft tissue areas there could have been catastrophic injuries."

Image source, Cleveland Police

Police said three people were hit with pellets close to the Bluebell Medical Centre, where a group of youths were believed to have gathered.

A 56-year-old man cycling past the centre was hit in the shoulder at 20:45, and a 28-year-old woman reported being struck with a pellet on the back at about 21:00.

The 15-year-old girl was shot about 15 minutes later and was taken to James Cook Hospital to have the projectile removed.

Image source, Cleveland Police

Police said there will be a high-visibility presence in the area around Trimdon Avenue on Thursday night and into the coming days.

Gatherings will be dispersed and anyone breaching the order can be arrested, officers warned.

BBC Sport takes a look back at some of Jermaine Jenas greatest Premier League moments as the Match of the Day pundit turns 38.

The Grade II listed Captain Cook pub is said to be Middlesbrough's oldest standing tavern.

Sunderland boss Lee Johnson believes clinching a Wembley trip in the Papa John's Trophy can spur a "resurrection" for the former Premier League giants.

Doris and Charles Clark were detained last year over the disappearance of their son in 1992.

Police say they are growing "increasingly concerned" about a vulnerable Gateshead man who has been missing for more than two weeks.

Jordan Patterson, 25, was first reported missing on 1 February after failing to turn up for a medical appointment. Inquiries at his home address in the Rooksleigh area of Winlaton failed to locate him and Jordan has failed to pick up his prescription medication, Northumbria Police said.

His last movements were caught on CCTV at a shop at Gateshead Interchange at about 11:00 GMT on 1 February. He is known to visit Winlaton, Ryton, Rowlands Gill, Gateshead town centre and Newcastle city centre.

Image source, Family handout

Det Ch Insp Angela Hufton said: “We are growing increasingly concerned for Jordan’s welfare, particularly considering the bitterly cold weather we’ve had in recent weeks.

“We have had some reported sightings of Jordan off the back of our public appeals but we have so far been unable to track his whereabouts. Searches are continuing today and we are still confident we can locate Jordan alive and well, but time is critical."

Mr Patterson is described as white, 5ft 10in (1.8m) tall, of medium build with short dark hair and facial hair. He is known to often wear dark clothing, in particular hoodies with the hood up and a black coat.

Image source, Northumbria Police

Newcastle return more positive Covid-19 cases, so Saturday's game at Worcester is cancelled, Premiership Rugby confirms.

Listen to live BBC commentary from Exeter Chiefs v Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers v Wasps in the English Premiership.

Listen to BBC Radio Devon commentary on Torquay United v FC Halifax Town in the National League.

Middlesbrough hang on despite Paddy McNair's late red card as they revive their faltering play-off bid by coming from behind to beat struggling Huddersfield.