BBC Tees
BBC Tees Sport

It has been confirmed this morning that Middlesbrough's Championship home game against Bristol City will be played on Tuesday 2 April.

It comes as the date had to be changed due to Boro’s involvement in the FA Cup.

In case you missed it last night - The women got a refund, but CCTV footage later showed they put their own hair in the food.

BBC Tees
BBC Tees Sport

Middlesbrough Football Club has won its appeal after being accused of paying some of its staff below the minimum wage.

The club had refuted the allegations saying that lower salaries were given to some employees in return for season tickets.

The case was brought by HMRC with a tribunal in Middlesbrough today ruling in the club's favour.

Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson says he is "delighted" the appeal was successful, and called the action a "huge waste of public money".

Julie Wass told police she saw Torbjorn Kettlewell attack Kelly Franklin.

'Coercive and abusive' Torbjorn Kettlewell stabbed Kelly Franklin more than 30 times in the street.

Lucy Moody
Journalist

A jury at Teesside Crown Court unanimously convicted 30-year-old Torbjorn Kettlewell of stabbing Kelly Franklin to death in the street last year.

His lover Julie Wass was found guilty of manslaughter.

The pair will be sentenced tomorrow morning.

Temporary Det Supt Wendy Tinkler said: "Kelly Franklin was a domestic abuse victim who was manipulated and controlled by her former partner, Torbjorn Kettlewell.

"This control and manipulation continued following their separation despite Kelly attempting to rebuild her life without him.

Image source, Cleveland Police

"Kettlewell and Julie Wass began a relationship together where they both monitored and manipulated Kelly, ultimately leading to the horrendous events of 3 August when Kelly suffered the brutal attack inflicted upon her by Kettlewell.

"Kelly had her young life tragically stolen from her by Kettlewell and Wass and her family have been left absolutely heartbroken.

"She was the mother of three young children, she had many dreams and ambitions about what she wanted to achieve for herself and her young family.

"Nothing will ever bring Kelly back and her family will continue to struggle to recover from this tragic event, however, I hope they feel reassured that justice has been served."

Image source, Torbjorn Kettlewell

The family of Kelly Franklin have paid tribute to their daughter.

A family statement said: "Kelly was a smiling, beautiful, loving daughter, sister and mother who had three wonderful children.

"She was a bubbly, chatty, friendly girl whom anybody would feel comfortable talking to. Devastatingly, her life was tragically cut short by that evil, vicious monster Ian Kettlewell.

"Kettlewell plagued Kelly's life for 12 years in a controlling and abusive relationship, but she had finally escaped his grip and realised she didn't need someone like him in her life.

Image source, FAMILY HANDOUT

"She had started to move on from him and was much better off without him.

"She seemed more confident and determined to rebuild her life after he had worn her down. She was back to being herself again.

"Julie Wass was supposed to be a friend and neighbour.

"She was a 48-year-old care worker who was a mother and grandmother herself, she should have known better.

"She should hang her head in shame for the role she has played in this, her actions have been downright disgusting, and totally heartless. We hope this hangs on their conscience everyday of their miserable lives and they are punished accordingly for their ultimate betrayal.

Image source, Cleveland Police

"No matter what sentence is given, it will never be enough, it will not be justice, it will not bring Kelly back to us, she is still gone forever and the children will still not have their mother.

"We feel so blessed that we had the time with Kelly that we did, but also robbed of the many memories we still had yet to make. She was so young when she died and she still had her whole life ahead of her, so many things she dreamed of doing and achieving. Our lives will never been the same."

Lucy Moody
Journalist

Torbjorn Kettlewell, 30, has been found guilty of murdering his former partner Kelly Franklin in Hartlepool last August.

Kettlewell, previously admitted stabbing her more than 30 times in the street but denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Image source, CLEVELAND POLICE

His new lover Julie Wass was found guilty of manslaughter.

they will be sentenced tomorrow.

Image source, Cleveland Police

BBC Tees
BBC Tees Sport

Middlesbrough will face Newport County tonight in their FA Cup fourth round replay.

The pair drew 1-1 at the Riverside on 26 January (you can catch up on that result in the video below).

The trip to South Wales will be something of a homecoming for Boro boss Tony Pulis who was born and raised in Newport, but he says he won't be distracted from his efforts to win the match.

The winners will host Premier League champions Manchester City on 16 February.

The administrators of HMV, KPMG, has released its list of HMV stores planned for closures.

It has been confirmed that none of our stores here in the North East are set to shut.

Image source, Press Association

Coastal defences in a North Yorkshire village where a girl was killed by a falling rock will be studied.

Ionut Mihai has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and other motoring offences.

Richard Moss
Political Editor, BBC Look North

The final local government settlement has landed.

Government is trumpeting a rise in spending power per household, which its figures do bear out, but what it isn't saying is that is because council tax is rising.

The government grant continues to fall.

And that reliance on council tax leads to some uneven results based on councils ability to raise tax - i.e. how many big houses are in the area.

One example: Core spending power rises next year by 6.3% in Wokingham in Berks, but only by 1.2% in Gateshead.

There's not just a north-south imbalance though, as North Yorkshire County Council sees its core spending power rise next year by 4.8%, while Newcastle sees it increase by 1.3%.

BBC Tees

Middlesbrough Football Club has mounted a legal challenge to a HMRC claim that some of its staff have been paid less than the minimum wage.

The club currently has a scheme where employees can have the cost of season tickets taken out of their wage packets.

According to Inland revenue, that pushes them below minimum wage.

Club chairman Steve Gibson's described the situation as ludicrous, external.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The number of firefighting Jedis has fallen in the Tyne and Wear Rescue Service.

The census showed there were two full-time Jedi employees out of 793 last year compared to six in 2017.

The figures also showed the fire brigade had lost its two only Pagans, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

In the 2011 national census, 177,000 people identified as Jedi, making it the seventh most popular religion in the UK.

In 2016 The Charity Commission rejected an application to grant charitable status to The Temple of the Jedi Order.

It said Jediism did not "promote moral or ethical improvement" for charity law purposes in England and Wales.

Stuart Whincup
BBC Look North

The jury in the trial of a Hartlepool father accused of murdering the mother of his three children has retired to consider its verdict.

Torbjorn Kettlewell, 30, and his lover 48-year-old Julie Wass are accused of plotting to kill Kelly Franklin in Hartlepool last August.

Kettlewell admits stabbing his former partner more than 30 times in the street, but denies murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

She denies murder.

Image source, FAMILY HANDOUT

Hartlepool Mail
Newspaper

Good morning, here is a copy of our front page and a link to our top story, external.

Image source, Hartlepool Mail

Sunderland Echo
Newspaper

A mum from Sunderland mum has told of the terrifying moment she was struck by a hit-and-run driver while her daughter watched on in horror, external.

Image source, Sunderland Echo

Thornaby Community Fire Station will hold a public open day tomorrow between 14:00 and 16:00.

BBC Tees

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson has welcomed plans to revamp Eaglescliffe Station, her local rail stop which she has previously criticised for its poor disabled access.

The planned £15m project would see the construction of a new footbridge, installation of a lift and creation of a bigger car park.

Baroness Grey-Thompson said: "It is really exciting, we just need to be thinking about how more people can access public transport."