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Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium is to open as a mass vaccination centre.

MPs from across Teesside held a meeting with the Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi last week to discuss the plans.

A date is yet to be confirmed, but the opening is understood to be planned for mid-March.

Simon Clarke, Conservative MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said he was "delighted", and Middlesbrough's Labour MP Andy McDonald has described it as "wonderful news".

It follows the opening of a mass vaccination centre in Darlington yesterday.

Four of the hides at the centre near Druridge Bay were badly damaged by "mindless thugs".

The brain tumour centre at a Newcastle hospital has been recognised as a centre of excellence by the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission.

The facility at the Royal Victoria Infirmary is one of nine around the country to receive the honour for the “outstanding care and treatment” of patients with brain cancer.

Among those treated there was Dentistry Professor Jimmy Steele (pictured below) who was head of Newcastle's Dental school.

He was told he had a glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer in December 2015, and died less than two years after the diagnosis.

Image source, Newcastle NHS

His wife Prof Kate Bushby (pictured with Jimmy Steele below), was inspired to take a voluntary role with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission in establishing the network of centres of excellence.

She said: "The task is to build even more on excellence, both within the centres already designated and also developing and spreading excellence more broadly so that in the end no patient with a brain tumour is left behind."

Image source, Family photo

The fundraising of Oliver Voysey, who has a brain injury, played a major part in saving the centre.

Leaders representing Newcastle, Gateshead, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland, and County Durham, have urged residents to "stay vigilant and help us recover”.

It comes after a sunny weekend, which saw scores of people gather at beaches, riversides and parks, with some concerned about a lack of social distancing.

The councils praised the “vast majority” of residents for being “magnificent” at following lockdown rules, but said there is a danger "of undoing all that good work if we all don’t continue to do so".

"This weekend saw the good weather attract many people outdoors for their exercise. That’s understandable, but please remember to only meet up with one other person or stay within your household or support bubble, and stay local."

From July, blue badge holders in Newcastle will have to pay to use council car parks.

Newcastle forwards Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin are ruled out until April after picking up injuries in Saturday's draw against Wolves.

Pets Corner in Jesmond Dene is appealing for public help to raise funds.

The family attraction founded in the 1960s is home to alpacas, pot-bellied pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits and birds.

It has been closed for much of the year because of coronavirus and Avian Flu restrictions.

Urban Green, which manages the attraction, wants to keep the entry free for visitors but says as a small charity it needs public donations to survive.

Image source, Urban Green Newcastle

Ali Forbes, from Urban Green Newcastle, said: “It’s been tough for the team, not being able to welcome the public for most of last year, and for our regular visitors who’ve missed seeing the animals.”

Donations will pay for food, bedding, toys, vets fees and treatment.

Image source, Urban Green Newcastle

Relive all of Tuesday's action as Cardiff thrash Derby to go sixth in the Championship, while fifth-placed Reading also win.

The GMB Union says employees say they were told to sign a loan agreement or face possible dismissal.

Newcastle are facing several civil claims regarding the behaviour of former employee George Ormond, who in 2018 received a 20-year jail sentence for multiple cases of sexual abuse.

There's been a spate of vandalism at a Northumberland wildlife-watching spot, with four bird hides damaged.

Hauxley Wildlife Discovery centre, next to Druridge Bay, is considered to be one of the best bird-watching spots in the North East, attracting about 140 bird species a year.

The Northumberland Wildlife Trust site is currently closed because of Covid restrictions but wardens discovered the Tern Hide had suffered a huge amount of damage.

Three further hides were also vandalised.

Image source, Northumberland Wildlife Trust

Director of Conservation Duncan Hutt said: "We've got devastation in here, with benches on the ground, the shelving smashed up and the windows all broken. Every single window in the hide is broken.

"There's a huge amount of damage and a huge amount of repairs to be done before we're able to open the site again and we're hoping that might be in April some time."

Image source, Nothumberland Wildlife Trust

A fifth mass vaccination centre has opened its doors in the North East with the capacity to see up to 1,000 people a day.

Darlington's Arena, or Mowden Park stadium as its also known, is the second vaccination centre in the town.

Dr Stewart Findlay who is the director for the Covid Vaccination Programme for the North East and North Cumbria said: "We're planing to do 500 to 600 vaccines a day and will continue to recruit staff so we have the ability to go up to 1,000 maybe 2,000 a day as the programme continues.

"We are expecting the vaccine supply to increase."

Across the North East and Cumbria more than 900,000 people have now been given their first Covid vaccine.

Pennny Spring, Darlington's director of public heath said: "This is going to enable us to vaccinate so many more people so quickly."

One worker was killed and another injured inside a large rotating drum in County Durham.

Fire crews are continuing to tackle a fire at a recycling centre in Gateshead.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service were called to the Campground Waste and Recycling Centre on Springwell Road yesterday morning.

Image source, TWFRS

It's described as a deep-seated fire and crews have been on site overnight and will be through today.

People are being asked to avoid the area and keep their windows and doors closed.

Image source, TWFRS

Bringing you the latest news from across the North East from Monday 1 March to Friday 5 March 2021

A six-year-old boy is in a critical condition in hospital with head and leg injuries after being hit by a car while cycling.

A 35-year-old male cyclist was also injured when the pair were struck by a white Mercedes Benz van on Yarm Road, near the junction with Newsam Road, in Eaglescliffe at about 07:15 GMT on Sunday.

A 24-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of drug-driving, Cleveland Police said.

The van had been driven along Yarm High Street and then Yarm Road in the direction of Preston Park in the moments before the collision.

Officers are appealing for anyone with CCTV or dash cam footage to contact them.

Image source, Google

Alan Shearer pays tribute to his former Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder, who has died aged 65 after a long illness.

Former Watford, West Ham, Newcastle and Norwich manager Glenn Roeder dies aged 65, says the League Managers Association.