America's Got Talent star Courtney Hadwin has signed with Simon Cowell's record label, months after narrowly losing out in the talent show's final.

The 14-year-old from Hesleden, near Peterlee, wowed US audiences with energetic covers of hits including Otis Redding's Hard to Handle, Tina Turner's River Deep, Mountain High, and James Brown's Papa's Got a Brand New Bag.

The teenager had been favourite to win America's Got Talent - hosted by Cowell, Mel B, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel - but was beaten in September's final by magicianShin Lim.

Image source, Getty Images

She has now signed with Cowell's Syco records and Arista Records, which are both owned by Sony Music.

She said: "I'm so excited to finally say that I have signed a record deal ... now let's make music."

Simon Cowell said: "Courtney is an amazing artist. I will never forget her first audition on the show this year, and now we have the opportunity to work with her alongside Arista - it's fantastic.

"We are all really excited about her future."

The youngster will shortly be recording a new album as well as taking part in America's Got Talent: The Champions.

Sunderland Echo
Newspaper

A mum has said the pain she feels after being raped by two strangers at asylum seekers' accommodation, external makes her "want to die".

Image source, Sunderland Echo

Lucy Moody
Journalist

Some good news for you this morning.

Police say 12-year-old boy missing from Peterlee, has been found safe.

He'd gone missing from school yesterday.

Durham Constabulary would like to thank all who shared our appeal for information.

Saheed Rasoolli and Araz Abdulla targeted a woman waiting for a bus in Sunderland city centre.

Lucy Moody
Journalist

Police hope a new scheme will tackle the problem of off-road bikers in Teesside.

Cleveland Police is now working with garages to limit the sale of fuel to people suspected of using the bikes in an anti-social manner.

It comes after Operation Endurance earlier this year saw officers responding to concerns from local people who said motorbikes were being driven dangerously.

PCSO Mark Ballinger says it's a scheme which was previously piloted in Eston back in 2006.

He added: "Since the changes in neighbourhood policing, we now have police problem-solvers working along the PCSOs and we've decided to relaunch on a slightly bigger scale and hopefully role it out force wide."

Hartlepool Mail
Newspaper

CCTV is to be installed in parks across Hartlepool to help protect against anti-social behaviour. , external

Image source, Hartlepool Mail

Lisa Gallagher
Weather presenter, BBC Look North

It will be a rather windy with plenty of cloud and the growing chance of some rain and drizzle.

Later there is a chance of heavier rain edging its way slowly eastwards.

Despite the strong winds it will feel mild with maximum temperatures reaching about 10C (50F).

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage.

We've got all the news, sport, travel and weather through the day.

If you want to get in touch with any news or send us photos you can tweet us, external, contact us via our Facebook page, external or email us.

BBC research shows British councils now employ 1,500 fewer wardens than five years ago.

BBC Newcastle

Tyne and Wear Metro services are to run later on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, bosses have confirmed.

On Christmas Eve a weekday service will run until about 18:30, with an hourly service afterwards until about 23:00.

Trains will also run to a weekday timetable on New Year's Eve until about 22:00 then at half-hourly intervals until about 23:00.

There will also be additional trains to accommodate crowds expected for Newcastle's early evening New Year's Eve fireworks display.

Click here for the full details., external

A group of men in fancy dress are asked to get in touch with police after a fight at Catterick Garrison which left a man seriously injured.

Image source, Google

North Yorkshire Police believe the group may have "important information" about the incident, outside Louis bar on Kitchener Road in the early hours of Sunday morning.

One man was taken to James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, for treatment while a 22-year-old who was arrested by police has been released under investigation.

Police have put out CCTV stills of two people they are trying to trace after a pensioner was critically injured last night.

Image source, Cumbria Police

Officers say they would like to speak to the people in the stills.

The man from Sunderland injured in the attack has not yet been able to tell detectives what happened, although his condition has now stabilised in the Royal Preston Hospital, where his family is by his bedside.

The police say they were were called by ambulance paramedics after the man was punched while walking on the Glebe at Bowness at about 17:30 on Sunday.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Nic Marko

CCTV is to be installed in parks across Hartlepool to help protect against anti-social behaviour.

The four main parks in the town - Burn Valley, Rossmere, Seaton and Ward Jackson - will be monitored by the council in-house team.

Council bosses said the move comes as anti-social behaviour and damage to play equipment remains an issue in parks across the area.

The council finance and policy committee agreed to reallocate funding previously earmarked to use on gateway roundabouts and barriers in the town.

Councillor Stephen Akers-Belcher said: "It's a really good use of money, not only does it protect our parks for the future, I'm sure it will make people feel safer in those parks when they are using them."

Former Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison has said filming a programme centred on her break-up from fiance John Noble was "therapeutic" and helped her get over the heartache.

The 31-year-old was due to film a series alongside her ex-partner.

After the couple (pictured) separated, she decided to continue filming, with the show changed to follow her struggles after the relationship failed.

Image source, PA

The former Extra Camp presenter stars in Vicky Pattison: The Break Up, but had originally signed up to appear with her fiance in a TLC special called Vicky And John Said Yes.

She said: "The filming process has actually been therapeutic for me. I hope that anyone who has been hurt in a relationship will be able to relate to me when watching the show."

BBC Look North
North East and Cumbria

It's a special night at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle tonight, with hundreds of children getting the chance to see a Christmas concert for free.

Tyneside singer Channy Thompson has organised a scheme where local community groups and schools helped fund seats for the children who would otherwise be unable to see her concert.

She's also run a competition for two up and coming performers to have a big break and join her on stage.

The Chronicle

The driver in a fatal van crash is still being treated in hospital one week on., external

BBC Look North
North East and Cumbria

An eight-year-old boy from Darlington, who is fighting for his life, has been accepted on a cancer trial in Barcelona.

Luke Bell has been undergoing treatment in Newcastle for neuroblastoma - a rare type of cancer - but the disease has progressed and he may only have weeks to live, with no more treatment options left.

The family's only hope was the trial in Spain and this morning it was confirmed Luke has been accepted by doctors there.

Sunderland Echo
Newspaper

A joint exhibition in an iconic Sunderland building is celebrating the city’s proud heritage in a new way. , external

Image source, Sunderland Echo

Thomas Johnson., 92, was struck by a Renault Clio in Darlington.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Alex Metcalfe

A former nightclub and post office, bought by Stockton Council to prevent them being snapped up by private investors, cost taxpayers £138,000 while they sat empty.

The council bought the former Glam Nightclub and post hub on the High Street four years ago and the authority has revealed it had cost them the six figure sum in rates since.

The fate of the two sites was sealed on Wednesday evening with council leaders agreeing a plan to bulldoze the site and replace it with a "pocket park" and temporary car park.

The Glam has been empty since June 2013 and the post office has been unused since March 2014. The authority bought the buildings for a reported £600,000 in December 2014.