The England & Wales Cricket Board confirm their new competition in 2020 will be 100 balls a side - made up of ten 10-ball overs.

A woman had volunteered to be a town's Santa but councillors said children expected it to be a man.

The 90-year-old structure is in need of £20m of safety and repair work, a council says.

Police investigating an aggravated burglary in Penshaw are keen to trace a possible witness.

A 70-year-old man was assaulted when a property on Thirkeld Place was targeted on Monday.

One man is due before magistrates later charged with aggravated burglary, and a second man was arrested and later released under investigation pending further enquiries.

Officers have also identified a potential witness - a man seen running on Thirkeld Place at around 17:40 GMT and is believed to have seen the suspects shortly after the offence.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Northumbria Police.

When player Bali Mumba takes over the Sunderland AFC manager's press conference.

BBC Tees

A man is in a critical condition in hospital after suffering stab wounds to his legs.

Cleveland Police said they were called to an incident on Tawney Road in Middlesbrough at about 06:10 where they found the 46-year-old man.

He is in James Cook University Hospital and a force spokeswoman said the attacker is believed to be known to the victim.

She said inquiries are continuing and appealed for information.

Dr Nas Khan went from being a teenager unable to speak English to a prominent businessman with an OBE.

They stay it is a "little bit of insurance should the worst happen".

Mark Denten
BBC Look North

A County Durham man has been jailed after sexually assaulting an “extremely frail” cancer patient and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Tony Plews, 36, had previously served a 12-year jail sentence for raping an 87-year-old woman in her home in2004.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that on 30 January Plews attacked the 68-year-old woman in her home.

At the time his victim weighed five stone and was recovering from stomach cancer. She also had osteoporosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

After initially going to his victims flat asking for a glass of milk, Plews sexually assaulting her twice in her bedroom.

He remained in his victim's home for seven to eight hours threatening that if she went to the police there would be “headlines” about her and she would have to appear in court and have to relive her ordeal.

Plews only left her flat when she told him her daughter was arriving soon.

The court heard Plews had since become “very forensically aware” during his time in prison and had attempted to convince police he’d been having a relationship with his latest victim by removing personal items from her flat and putting them in his own home on the floor above.

Plews pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and one of peverting the course of justice

Jailing him for five years and 11 months Judge Robert Adams told him he targeted his victim because of her frailty. Judge Adams told him: “It is my judgement you are clearly dangerous an extended sentence is clearly necessary to protect the public.”

Audiences in Newcastle have the chance to be the first to watch some of the BBC's Christmas TV highlights.

There will be a screening in a specially-built cinema at Newcastle Central Station on Saturday 15 December.

On the line up will be Mrs Brown's Boys and family shows Zog and The Midnight Gang.

Tickets and screening times are available here.

The town's father Christmas has always been a male volunteer, but this year it was suggested it could be a woman.

The judge said the man losing his job as an airline pilot was "significant punishment".

BBC Tees

A man has admitted murdering his ex-partner who was found stabbed to death in the street.

Torbjorn Kettlewell, 30, of The Oval, Hartlepool, had initially denied killing Kelly Franklin, 29, but pleaded guilty when he was re-arraigned at Teesside Crown Court.

Ms Franklin (pictured below) was found dead on Oxford Road in Hartlepool on 3 August.

Image source, Family handout

Kettlewell will be sentenced after the trial of Julie Wass, 48, who is also charged with, but denies, murder.

The trial of Ms Wass, of Kipling Road, Hartlepool, is due to start on 14 January.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC told Kettlewell he would be remanded in custody to be sentenced after Ms Wass' trial has concluded.

He had initially denied murdering Kelly Franklin but has changed his plea to guilty.

BBC Tees

One of Teesside's best known businessmen, Nas Khan, has died.

The news was confirmed by a spokesman from the Lookers Group, which took over the business he owned, the Jennings Motor Group.

Dr Khan, from Stockton, came to Britain at the age of 14 and couldn't speak any English, but went on to be made an OBE, external for his charity work and contribution to the economy.

He also formed his own foundation and supported many charities including the Salvation Army in Middlesbrough.

Further details are expected to be released later.

Image source, Lookers Group

The mum said she would have been helpless if the "amazing" police had not offered help.

Hartlepool United supporters have backed the departure of boss Matthew Bates, external after the club’s dismal recent run.

Image source, HARTLEPOOL MAIL

"Coercive" drinking rituals must end, says a man whose son died after an organised bar crawl in Newcastle.

Katrina Farnell says her heart was "ripped out" as her son Sheldon died in her arms.