Police have praised the public after a suspicious sight led to the discovery of a large-scale cannabis farm.

In the early hours of Tuesday, police were contacted by a member of the public who saw a number of individuals wearing balaclavas leaving an address on Cleveland Road, in Sunderland.

With a strong smell of cannabis coming from the house, the bystander alerted police.

They found an industrial-scale cannabis farm which covered three floors of the property. Almost 300 plants were found and later destroyed.

Sgt Keith Goldsmith said: “This was a large-scale cannabis farm with hundreds of plants found in various stages of growth. Thankfully, we have now taken action to prevent criminals from making any further financial gain from this property."

Image source, Northumbria Police

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Northumbria Police has blamed "unprecedented cuts to funding" after it increased its part of the council tax bill.

The police precept, which is added to council tax bills, could increase by £24 next year for those in council tax band D properties.

Residents will face the increased council tax bills from the next financial year, which starts in April.

The force currently has a precept of £110.33, which it says is the lowest of any police and crime commission.

The Home Office is allowing Police and Crime Commissioners to add £24 to council tax bills for band D homes next year.

Members of Northumbria's Police and Crime Panel unanimously voted to approve the rise in the precept, saying the force needed the funds.

Joe Day was playing against Middlesbrough while his wife was giving birth to their twin girls.

An armed robber who stole nearly £12,000 from a Newcastle post office before blowing the money on a quad bike and an Armani tracksuit has been jailed.

Image source, Northumbria Police

Stephen Robertson, 22, has been handed a 10-year prison sentence after a raid at the Westerhope Post Office on Chatsworth Gardens.

A court was told how he raided the post office on October 2 last year and threatened the 63-year-old postmistress with a knife.

The next day Robertson splashed out £380 on a full Armani tracksuit at the JD Sports store in Newcastle, before spending £5,000 on a new quad-bike and mini Kawasaki moped.

Image source, Northumbria Police

Detectives traced him through the orange motorcycle helmet he used during the robbery and which he discarded nearby. It was covered in his DNA.

During sentencing the court was told the postmistress had been left so scarred by her ordeal she was never able to open the store again.

Det Sgt Steve Ross, from Northumbria Police, said "even some of the stupidest criminals would have avoided spending thousands of pounds on luxury items just days after staging a robbery".

Image source, Northumbria Police

A company based in North Cumbria has been found guilty of selling a potentially deadly "fat burner" chemical for human consumption.

At Carlisle Crown Court earlier, Enhanced Athlete Europe Ltd, external was found unanimously guilty of the offence of placing an unsafe food product on to the market.

This came following a trial held in the absence of anyone representing the company, which has registered addresses in both Wigton and Gateshead.

Jurors had been shown examples of the toxic substance 2,4-dinitrophenol, or DNP, which were found to have been shipped as tablets to thousands of customers around the world from an industrial unit in Wigton.

The company, and its former director of European operations Shaun Corrigan, 25, are due to be sentenced at the crown court later this week.

Image source, Cumbria Police

Goalkeeper Joe Day sprints down the tunnel after hearing his wife has gone into labour as his Newport team-mates celebrate a stunning FA Cup win over Middlesbrough.

The leader of Northumberland County Council says if the Ports of Tyne and Blyth were designated a freeport zone, it would be considered to be outside of the UK for customs purposes.

This would mean companies could import and export goods without paying the usual tariffs.

Councillor Peter Jackson said "if we are going to change the trade rules and the way we trade with other countries and economies, I think it is essential for us as the North of Tyne to take seriously this idea that we should be a freeport area.

"We have many, many years of trading on the international stage. I think we can build on that and create more opportunities for the people that live here.

The North East is expected to be the region worst-hit by the economic impact of Brexit, with a recent CBI warning that a no-deal Brexit would result in the region's economy shrinking by £7bn a year by 2034.

BBC Tees

A large number of tools have been stolen from a construction site in Ingleby Barwick.

Burglars targeted the site on the Rings sometime between 00:30 and 08:00 on 1 February.

Stolen tools include a clipper saw, 9in grinder, circular saw, Makita chop saw, mixer, Stihl saw, various hand tools, six 110v leads, a transformer and a 110v drill.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Cleveland Police.

The mail was posted from the Galapagos Islands to Greater Manchester in July 1989.

Strike action on Northern trains has been suspended after talks, the RMT union says.

The company has now offered a guarantee of a conductor on all trains, including the new fleet, for the duration of the current franchise.

Further talks will now seek agreement for future operations.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said "today's offer of a guarantee of a conductor on all services throughout the duration of the franchise, including the new fleet, is the substantial progress we have been pushing for. The union will make further statements in due course".

Image source, PA

BBC Newcastle

A team of lifeboat volunteers rescued a dog which had become stranded in a sea cave following a fall from a cliff.

The Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade went to the aid of stricken Cocker spaniel Frankie at Cullercoats Bay (pictured below) on Tuesday.

Image source, Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

A brigade spokesman said Frankie's owner rang 999 after seeing the dog fall from the cliff at about 14:30. They and the Cullercoats RNLI searched for the dog before finding it cowering in the cave.

The spokesman said: "The team then worked together to get the dog back to dry land where it was reunited with its extremely grateful owner. Frankie was cold and a little frightened, but otherwise seemed in reasonable health given her adventure.

"In this case the owner acted in exactly the right manner by not attempting to reach the dog herself but phoning 999 and asking for the Coastguard."

The DNP pills, which could cause serious side effects, were shipped to customers around the world.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A 3.99 per cent tax rise in Sunderland is to be formalised at the City Council Cabinet meeting next week.

This would mean a 70p per week increase in a Band A property and £1.04 in a Band D property.

One per cent of the money would go towards funding adult social care such as helping with eating, washing and domestic routines which is provided to 3,800 adults with disabilities.

The increase is expected to raise £99.6m towards a budget of £651.4m.

It was a chance to socialise while taking photos of Newcastle and sharing tips.

The Tees Valley mayor has secured £1.3m to bring hydrogen vehicles and refuelling stations to the region.

The refuelling stations will be built in Middlesbrough and Redcar and would allow cars, buses and trains to be powered by the super fuel.

Tees Valley produces more than half of the UK's hydrogen and it is used daily in the petrol and food industries.

It is part of a £14m national programme which will deliver five new hydrogen stations across the UK.

Image source, Tees Valley Combined Authority

A union says there has been a "history of issues" relating to behaviour at the school in Gateshead.

Aided by his new girlfriend, Torbjorn Kettlewell stabbed his ex after she ended their relationship.

More green buses are coming to Newcastle.

Go North East is one of 19 bidders being given Government funding to buy environmentally-friendly vehicles.

The company will get £1.6m which will buy nine electric buses. They will operate from Gateshead to Newcastle across the Tyne Bridge, which is a major air quality hot spot.

It's hoped they'll be in service by early next year.

She was pinned against a wall and struck several times by a couple who demanded cash, police say.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A Lebanese restaurant chain has lost licences for two of its sites in County Durham over concerns about illegal workers.

In August last year, two sites under the Lebaneat chain were visited by the Home Office, with illegal workers found at the North Bailey and Claypath sites.

During the visit, two people suspected of working illegally were discovered at each site, prompting the council to review the licences at both restaurants.

Durham Police and the Home Office called for the licences to be removed due to concerns about the chain's employment practices.

Ahmed Sayed, who owns three branches of Lebaneat in the city, is currently facing a combined £30,000 fine following the Home Office visits. This includes £20,000 for the Wrap House in Claypath and another £10,000 in relation to the North Bailey premises.

At a hearing on February 5, councillors from Durham County Council's Statutory Licensing Sub-Committee voted to revoke both licences.

The meeting heard that Lebaneat was served a notice warning in 2016 after one if its workers was found to have overstayed his visa. And after the visit by officers in August last year, it emerged the licence for the Claypath premises had not been paid in two years.