Cancer patient Connor is walking 20 miles in a month for charity

Council finance chiefs say they are "not in a position" to help all 68,000 businesses in the region.

Swansea City climb to third in the Championship thanks to a dramatic 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough which leaves Neil Warnock fuming.

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales at the Liberty Stadium

Neil Warnock is not a happy man.

The Middlesbrough manager has had plenty to say to referee Gavin Ward and his team of officials this afternoon.

His players have done their best to lighten the mood, yet they continue to trail despite being the better side.

Can Swansea hold on for another 20 minutes?

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales at the Liberty Stadium

Swansea triumphed at Stoke in midweek after a dubious refereeing decision allowed Andre Ayew to score a stoppage-time winner.

Ayew is on the scoresheet again here and, while the referee had nothing to do with this goal, Swansea are fortunate to be ahead given that they have struggled to get going in the first half.

Ayew scored with a deflected shot after Middlesbrough made a mess of clearing a Conor Hourihane free-kick.

Neil Warnock has spent much of the first period berating the officials, but this time there was an earful for his players.

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales at the Liberty Stadium

"There's four of you and not one of you saw it," screams Neil Warnock at referee Gavin Ward.

After signing a new contract this week, the veteran Middlesbrough manager is showing no signs of slowing down in the dugout.

Warnock was unhappy over an off-the-ball collision between Anfernee Dijksteel and Swansea's Ryan Manning.

But he is probably fairly happy with most of what he has seen in the opening stages here, with Boro seeing plenty of early possession.

Image source, Rex Features

Officials are keen to stop the spread of the South African variant found in part of Stockton.

Follow live text updates and BBC Radio 5 Live commentary from Tottenham v Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Sale Sharks make it two Premiership wins in a row as they comfortably overcome Newcastle Falcons at AJ Bell Stadium.

Policing bodies respond to a super-complaint raised by a BAME support group in Tees Valley.

Bundles of drugs and phones thrown over a fence at HMP Northumberland were intercepted by guards.

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce says he will do his "utmost" to find out who leaked a training ground row with Matt Ritchie to the media.

The events are scheduled for June in the hope restrictions of movement will be eased in time.

Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock says he felt "embarrassed" by Swansea City being awarded a penalty when Kyle Naughton went down in the box at Stoke City in midweek.

Relive Saturday's English Football League action, including Swansea's last-gasp victory over Middlesbrough.

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce says he will do his "utmost" to find "the culprit" who leaked a training ground row with Matt Ritchie to the media.

A motorcyclist came off his bike in a collision with a car which failed to stop in Middlesbrough.

Cleveland Police say a blue BMW approached the bike at speed at 18:30 on Monday 1 March on Marton Road, near the junction at Clairville Road.

Officers want to trace anyone who saw what happened.

The motorcyclist suffered minor injuries and damage to his bike.

Image source, Google

A device which uses ultraviolet light to sanitise moving handrails has been fitted to all 36 escalators on the Tyne and Wear Metro.

It will see handrails continuously cleaned while the escalator is in motion.

Customer Services Director at Nexus Huw Lewis said: “It’s vital because the handrails are some of the most high-touch surfaces on our network.

“We already have a rigorous cleaning regime across all of our stations and trains, but are committed to doing everything we can to ensure that the transport network is clean and Covid-secure."

Measures include additional cleaning, contactless payment, social distancing signs and hand sanitiser points.

The UV equipment has already been rolled out across the Tube network by Transport for London.

The vessels' return to Hartlepool reflects the town's "proud maritime heritage", the council says.

Surge testing is under way in the TS19 postcode area of Stockton after the South African variant of coronavirus was identified in the area.

The case was reported a week ago and has not been linked to international travel, so people without symptoms are being urged to be tested at one of four sites.

Director of Public Health for Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Sarah Bowman-Abouna said: "The reason we are concerned about this is not because there's any evidence that the South African variant is more dangerous as it were in terms of death and serious health, but because it is more infectious.

"Please come forward for testing, it's really important we try and pick up any further cases of this in the local community."

Details of the four testing sites and how to book a test can be found on Stockton-on-Tees council website, external

Image source, Google