Mark Lawrenson takes on Lonely The Brave drummer Gavin 'Mo' Edgeley for this weekend's Premier League fixtures.

Dwight Gayle scores the winner on his first appearance of the season as Newcastle return from a coronavirus-enforced absence to heap more misery on West Brom.

Hallam Amos scores one try and makes another as Cardiff Blues beat Newcastle Falcons 33-20 in the European Challenge Cup.

A Covid-19 mass testing centre is to be opened on Teesside in the new year amid fears of a spike after the Christmas break.

The South Tees public health team is looking to use Middlesbrough Town Hall (pictured) as a testing hub to prevent local hospitals becoming overwhelmed.

There are fears infection rates could rise after rules are relaxed, allowing up to three households to meet for Christmas.

The government is sending lateral flow tests to areas of the country in the highest tiers, like Teesside.

Joseph Telford, 76, was found guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault and six rapes.

Police say CCTV footage shows the pet being put in a back pack after being thrown from a bridge.

Nearly £1.5m goes to Sunderland Music, Arts and Culture Trust, Live Theatre and the Queen's Hall.

A drug dealer says he beat John Wright with a baton as punishment for the victim using fake money.

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce will be without a "big chunk" of his squad for Saturday's game with West Brom because of the club's coronavirus outbreak.

A 51-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

The Sunderland plant, which has 7,000 employees, says trade tariffs would make it unviable.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Daniel Holland

Several sites are being prepared to give the coronavirus vaccination in Newcastle, with three due to be opened next week.

Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary became one of the first places in the country to start issuing the jabs this week, with 400,000 people due to be given the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at the RVI “as a priority”.

Care home staff are expected to receive their jabs next week with those aged over 80 over the coming weeks.

The Pfizer vaccine is initially stored at temperatures of -70C, and after it is delivered to hubs it can be stored for up to five days in a fridge.

Martin Wilson, chief operating officer at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said 200 to 250 people are currently being vaccinated at the RVI each day.

He added that bigger vaccination centres at large venues, such as sport centres or conference halls, are likely to open early in 2021 to allow for more people to be vaccinated.

Listen to BBC Radio commentary and follow live text updates of Everton v Chelsea in the Premier League.

The electric vehicle battery plant will provide 3,000 skilled jobs and 5,000 more supplying it.

Spanish police say snow has halted searches for Esther Dingley, who was last seen in the Pyrenees.

Newcastle midfielder Matt Ritchie says the team have "no excuses" against West Brom, despite the Magpies' Covid-19 outbreak.

John Wright died after being attacked with a baton and knife over a drug debt.

Redcar is to start community testing for coronavirus next week.

Grangetown Community Hub will be providing lateral flow tests to asymptomatic residents for five days from Monday.

Image source, Getty Images

The tests use a saliva sample and provide results within about 20 minutes.

However a positive result then needs to be confirmed with a further test, which involves a swab to the nose and throat before the samples are sent to a laboratory.

Redcar had been earmarked for a mass coronavirus testing pilot in October, but the plans were dropped when Redcar and Cleveland Council council leader Mary Lanigan said the government "decided to prioritise Liverpool" for the study.

Newcastle Thunder are promoted to the RFL Championship, after their bid was chosen by an independent panel.

Michelle Wrightson helped John Dees cut his hair and alter his car colour after the shooting.