A 59-year-old woman has died after "taking ill" at Tesco on Corporation Road in Middlesbrough, police have said.

Two men aged 33 and 38-years-old have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and attempted theft over the incident yesterday evening.

A post-mortem exam has taken place today and the woman's death is being treated as unexplained.

A police spokesman said: "Our thoughts go out to the woman's family and friends at this difficult time."

A passenger has been punched on a bus in Sunderland.

The attack happened at the Park Lane Interchange at about 16:00 on 19 March.

Police are now looking to trace the man pictured below wearing a red hat as they believe he may be able to help with inquiries.

Image source, Northumbria Police

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Northumbria Police has been described as 'vulnerable' as cash reserves plummet from £71m to just £9.1m over seven years.

Image source, NCJ Media

The Police and Crime Commissioner, Dame Vera Baird said the force's budget had been cut by more than £135m and the government were moving the responsibility of funding to the council tax payers.

Northumbria has experienced the biggest cuts of any force in England and Wales since 2010 and has lost more than 900 officers in that time.

Dame Vera said: "Due to our massively depleted reserves, there is a danger that Government cuts put us in a vulnerable position of not being able to respond to an emergency or to fund major change costs because we don't have the reserves to do so."

General reserves are held for unexpected events or emergencies, but since 2010 the number has continued to fall.

A 20-year-old woman is arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation.

A man in his 40s has been left with facial injuries after a racially aggravated attack in Middlesbrough.

The victim, who is black, was racially abused before being assaulted outside the Viewley Centre in Hemlington.

It happened at about 17:45 on Monday 19 March.

Police are now trying to find the man and woman pictured below.

Image source, Cleveland Police

Newcastle Falcons prop Rob Vickers is retiring at the end of the season after 12 years at the club.

A man has been jailed for 10 years for his role in a post office robbery in Darlington.

Image source, Durham Constabulary

Thomas Hurman, 24, raided Blackwell post office on February 16.

Hurman, of Rockwell Avenue, Darlington, admitted robbery and possession of a firearm at an earlier hearing.

More than £19,000 worth of cash and cigarettes were taken.

Det Insp Sharon Alderson said she was pleased with the sentence: "This must have been a traumatic experience for the victim, who was terrorised by Hurman as they went about their normal daily business."

The Royal Bank of Scotland has announced it will be closing 162 branches across England and Wales.

Image source, PA

As a result 792 jobs would go and staff would be offered voluntary redundancy.

In the North East, branches will be closing in Durham, Middlesbrough and Sunderland.

Mohammed Zahir Khan shared messages on social media saying "death to Shias", a court is told.

An eighth person has been arrested in connection with an alleged murder in Normanby last month.

Image source, Cleveland Police

The body of Steven Willis, 27, was discovered at Meadowcroft Road in Normanby at about 22:30 on Monday 16 April.

A 20-year-old woman has now been arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation and remains in custody.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Redevelopment work in Seaburn has been delayed following the discovery of birds nesting on site.

Demolition of the Seaburn Centre, in Whitburn Road, has been put on hold after an ecology survey found starlings.

Builders started work on the derelict centre in November, which is due to converted into a hub for seafront retail and leisure attractions.

Image source, Google

A spokesman for Sunderland City Council said: "The survey identified an active starling nest on the side of the building and demolition works were therefore postponed.

"The council is continuing to monitor the situation."

Last week temporary planning permission was granted for pop-up attractions including cinemas and markets to be housed in "bespoke shipping containers" on the site.

A 96-year-old woman is standing as a Conservative candidate in local elections in Newcastle.

Image source, PA

Florence Kirkby is believed to be one of the oldest candidates in the country, and is in the running in the newly-created Manor Park ward.

After a career and and MBE in education, she is vowing to stand up for the elderly and teachers if she wins a seat.

She said: "When you hear about older people in the media it's usually that there are too many of them and they are absorbing all the resources of the health service.

"There's no acknowledgement about what they can contribute."

• You can find out more information about all the candidates standing in the Newcastle City Council elections here., external

BBC Newcastle

There will soon be more help available to women expecting babies on Wearside.

The Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust is expanding its Perinatal Community Mental Health Team.

It provides care for women who are experiencing mental health problems before and after giving birth.

The service will start work in South Tyneside and Sunderland in the autumn.

The Northern Echo
Newspaper

A robber who assisted in an early morning armed raid on a village post office in which more than £19,000 worth of cash and cigarettes were stolen has been jailed for 10 years., external

Image source, Northern Echo

Sunderland's turmoil after back-to-back relegations has "nothing" to do with outgoing owner Ellis Short, says former manager Gus Poyet.

A North East MP has been laughed at in the House of Commons over her concerns about the government's approach to the region's car industry.

The Labour MP for Washington and Sunderland West, Sharon Hodgson, described recent job losses at the Nissan plant, saying they were "more than likely due to decline in diesel sales and the switch in production to newer cleaner models".

Image source, PA

She asked for a clear outline in how the sector would be supported in the future.

Business minister, Richard Harrington responded by saying that Nissan was one of the biggest investors in cleaner technology, adding: "In her constituency the production of the new Nissan Leaf - the most popular electric car in the world - began in Sunderland last year with batteries actually made there."

The Chronicle

Eldon Garden shopping centre in Newcastle could be closed down. Three-quarters of the arcade is vacant and its owners say they may have to shut., external

Image source, Google

BBC Tees
BBC Tees Sport

BBC Tees Sport understands Matthew Bates will be appointed as the new Hartlepool United manager.

Bates has been in caretaker charge for 13 games and led Pools to National League safety.

Nisha Joshi
BBC broadcast journalist

The search for clues into the disappearance of a toddler from Hartlepool who vanished from an army base in Germany more than 30 years ago, has entered its second day.

Two-year-old Katrice Lee was last seen in a supermarket on the base, at Paderborn in 1981.

A five week search of the nearby river Alme began on Monday.

The youngster's father, Richard Lee, is due to travel to the scene on Wednesday to be given more details about the search operation, which involves 100 military and police officers.

The Royal Military Police have released a photofit of a man seen holding a child similar to Katrice getting into a green car at the time of Katrice's disappearance.

Image source, Family photo

A Darlington bank is closed today after thieves stole lead from the roof.

The branch on Prospect Place is said to have been targeted overnight between 06:30 Monday and 08:20 this morning.

Police believe thieves did not gain access to the premises but officers have been dispatched as a precaution.