1. Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:01 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    Our live updates here have now finished for the day - thank you for joining us.

    This feed will be updated with any breaking news and sport stories as well as travel updates. You can also stay up date on BBC Newcastle, BBC Tees,online and on Look North.

    We'll be back with live updates from 08:00 tomorrow.

    In the meantime, if you'd like to get in touch with news or photos you can tweet us @BBCNewsNE, external, email us,or contact us via our Facebook page, external.

  2. Have you seen this woman?published at 17:53 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    A Thornaby woman has gone missing.

    Naheed Khan has not been in touch with her family for three weeks and was reported missing on 12 June.

    The 43-year-old is known to visit Middlesbrough and Stockton town centres quite often.

    Naheed KhanImage source, CLEVELAND POLICE
  3. Newcastle Central MP concerned over Virgin Money uncertaintiespublished at 17:46 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    Newcastle Central Labour MP Chi Onwurah is concerned over the sale of Virgin Money.

    In 2011 the company bought parts of Northern Rock, which Ms Onwurah remembers as a worrying time over "their commitment to staff".

    In a statement today, Ms Onwurah said: "Now the announcement of the takeover of Virgin Money by Clydesdale & Yorkshire Banks only gives some assurances for the next three years.

    "I will be seeking better assurances about the future for the staff and local communities."

    Chi OnwurahImage source, LABOUR PARTY
  4. CCTV images released following Sunderland assaultpublished at 17:33 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    Police have released CCTV images of three men they would like to speak to over an assault on Holmeside.

    They were in Sunderland city centre at the time and police believe they could help with inquiries.

    CCTV imagesImage source, NORTHUMBRIA POLICE
  5. Your Pictures: Clouds over Whitley Baypublished at 17:20 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    Rob Owers took this stunning picture of a cloudy Sunday in Whitley Bay.

    LighthouseImage source, ROB OWERS

    Have you got any photos you'd like to share with us? You can tweet us, external, contact us via our Facebook page, external or email us.

  6. 'Try before you buy' sex doll firm finedpublished at 17:19 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    Lovedoll UK was visited by inspectors following complaints it was running a "sex doll brothel".

    Read More
  7. The £1.5m spending plans to make Hartlepool safer and look smarterpublished at 16:52

    Hartlepool Mail
    Newspaper

    A host of improvements are to be carried out across Hartlepool as part of £1.5m plans to invest in regeneration, safety and the wellbeing., external

    FRONT PAGEImage source, HARTLEPOOL MAIL
  8. Drivers warned of possible delayspublished at 16:32 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    Northumberland Gazette

    A 280m stretch of Denwick Lane, north from its junction with the B6346 Bondgate Without, will be closed from 08:00 to 15:00 on Sunday, 1 July, while resurfacing work is carried out., external

    Denwick Lane in AlnwickImage source, NORTHUMBERLAND GAZETTE
  9. Man jailed for biting off eyebrowpublished at 16:13 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    Police say Michael Sancaster was looking for a fight and "sucker-punched" his 24-year-old victim.

    Read More
  10. Newcastle council writes off debts worth millionspublished at 15:51 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    Laura Hill
    Local Democracy Reporter

    Newcastle City Council is set to write off £4.6m of debts it can't recover.

    Businesses going bust and debtors dying have been blamed for the need to write off the cash.

    Officers will ask the council's cabinet to agree to sign off the unrecoverable debts made up of £2.5m of council tax, £1.2m of business rates and £900,000 of sundry debts.

    Newcastle City Council's cabinet member for resources Veronica Dunn said: "The council has a statutory duty to collect council tax and business rates.

    "Our council tax collection rate is the highest among the core cities and our write-off figures represent a fraction of what we collect."

  11. Weather: Potential rain tonightpublished at 15:27 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    BBC Weather

    Mostly cloudy this evening with some patchy light rain and drizzle.

    It is then expected to turn mainly dry through tonight with long clear spells breaking through.

    The brisk winds will ease tonight.

    weather graph

    Check the weather where you are.

  12. Borderlands told to 'put up or shut up'published at 15:08 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    Hundreds of businesses and individuals are urged to seize the chance of a cross-border "growth deal".

    Read More
  13. Woman sexually assaulted on a train from Edinburgh to Newcastlepublished at 14:47 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    A woman has been sexually assaulted on a train from Edinburgh to Newcastle.

    The 19-year-old was touched by a man who was sat next to her, who then proceeded to expose himself.

    The suspect tried to get the woman to touch him during the attack on 20 May.

    Det Con Colin Dore from BTP in Newcastle said: “The victim has been left extremely distressed following this incident.

    "We take all reports of sexual offences very seriously and we will do all we can to get justice for victims."

    The suspectImage source, BRITISH TRANSPORT POLICE
  14. Travel: Metro delayspublished at 14:24 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    Passengers travelling between Central Station and St James will experience delays.

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  15. Gateshead sex doll shop owner fined over 'try before you buy'published at 14:04 British Summer Time 18 June 2018
    Breaking

    A business selling adult sex dolls has been fined £10,000 over its "try before you buy" scheme, a council says.

    The owner of Gateshead-based Lovedoll UK was prosecuted after an investigation found he was operating without a licence.

    A dollImage source, 5LIVE

    Graeme Tulip previously said the try before you buy system would give potential customers "first-hand experience of whether it is something for them".

    He appeared at Gateshead Magistrates' Court on 13 June and he was convicted in his absence of knowingly using the premises as a sex establishment without obtaining a licence.

  16. Hundreds from England and Scotland to discuss potential growth dealpublished at 13:43 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    John Stevenson MP

    More than 300 people from businesses on either side of the English-Scottish border are meeting for the first time today.

    The first Borderlands Growth Initiative conference is being held in Dumfries today.

    Last year, the government said it would support efforts by five councils on either side of the border to secure a "growth deal, external" similar to those won by cities such as Greater Manchester, external or wider areas such as Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire., external

    The Conservative MP for Carlisle John Stevenson is also the Borderlands Growth Deal Champion, external for England:

    Quote Message

    The ultimate goal is to actually increase productivity in the area, increase wealth, job opportunities, and attract investment, and people, into our region

  17. Waste ground search in 1998 murder casepublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    Donna Keogh, aged 17, was last seen in Middlesbrough and her body has never been found.

    Read More
  18. Landlord jailed for enslaving tenantspublished at 13:20 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    The 46-year-old forced homeless people to work, often in grim conditions, without pay.

    Read More
  19. M&S closures decision was 'difficult'published at 12:57 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    The Marks & Spencer North East boss has reacted to the recent news of store closures.

    Andrew Crooks called the decision to close shops in Darlington and Stockton "difficult" but hopes customers continue to shop with the brand.

    Stockton's store will close on 11 August.

    Marks & Spencer storeImage source, PA
  20. Students' protests over rent increasespublished at 12:46 British Summer Time 18 June 2018

    The university said the rent increase was proposed but not formally agreed.

    Read More