The £8m funding will cover running costs over the next three months as passenger levels remain low.

It is hoped the "definitive" collection of 300 swords and weapons will be exhibited in Hartlepool.

Wasps come from 18-6 behind at half-time to beat Newcastle and move level on points with the Falcons.

Sheldon Farnell, four, died from sepsis a day after being released from hospital.

The Queen has personally thanked four volunteers from the North East for their efforts in helping others throughout the pandemic.

In a video call with the Duchess of Cornwall and Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) chief executive, Catherine Johnstone, the Queen spoke with the volunteers from RVS and NHS Volunteer Responders who have helped vulnerable people in their communities.

Image source, Buckingham Palace

Sue Cadwallader has been helping with the Northumberland Good Neighbours Service and Tracy Clarke has been delivering books to people unable to visit Gateshead libraries.

Simon Holmes, from Stockton-on-Tees, and Anderson Akponeware, from Middlesbrough, were also on the call. They are both giving their time as NHS volunteers making ‘Check in and Chat’ calls with people in need of conversation.

Image source, Buckingham Palace

Praising their work, the Queen said: "I think it’s wonderful work. Thank you to everybody - and all the others too who have been volunteering. It has been a great help."

Efforts are under way to remove the remains of the juvenile which was monitored by whale watchers.

Health chiefs say a "deluge" of inquires is blocking phone lines for patients with urgent needs.

Cagefighter Paul Robson denies murdering his teacher ex-partner Caroline Kayll and a teenage boy.

Firefighters in Middlesbrough have been subjected to a series of violent attacks.

Crews have been called out to the Northern Road area of Whinney Banks 13 times in the past two weeks, where children and youths have been deliberately setting fires.

Cleveland Police said the behaviour will not be tolerated and it is doing everything it can to find those responsible.

Sgt John Sproson said: "It is unacceptable that we have people in the local area purposely going out and setting fires and abusing our emergency services."

Middlesbrough Council’s Neighbourhood Safety team has identified two young people from CCTV footage building fires in Northern Road.

One young person has been issued with a final warning and a second has been visited by police.

Listen to BBC Radio Manchester commentary of Swinton Lions v Newcastle Thunder in the Challenge Cup.

Follow live text updates as Brighton host relegation rivals Newcastle in the Premier League.

Relive Saturday's EFL action as Watford ease past Birmingham in the Championship and leaders Norwich are held by Blackburn.

He previously represented Stockton South for two years and now hopes to become Hartlepool's MP.

The 33-year-old man suffered serious injuries on Friday and died five days later in hospital.

Health chief Craig Blundred says Hartlepool's weekly case rate is stuck at 100-130 per 100,000.

Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium will open as an NHS vaccination centre on Monday.

It's the fifth large vaccination site to open in the region, with the aim of vaccinating as many people as quickly as possible.

Potentially it could see up to 1,000 patients a day, running 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Across the North East and North Cumbria more than one million people have been vaccinated by the NHS.

Image source, PA Media

NHS England is inviting everyone aged 50 and over to have their vaccination. This will be either by letter or through a text alert from the National Booking Service.

Middlesbrough FC manager Neil Warnock welcomed the stadium being used as a vaccination centre:

Almost a year on since the first coronavirus patients were admitted to James Cook University hospital in Middlesbrough, more than 150 patients have been recruited into a trial for critical care treatments for Covid-19.

The hospital is the third-highest recruiting centre in the country for the Remap Cap trial, which is investigating treatments for severely ill coronavirus patients.

Patients from the hospital have also been helping with another study looking at why some people diagnosed with Covid-19 have no symptoms and others become ill.

Critical care consultant at James Cook and research lead, Prof Stephen Bonner, said: “Through the research projects supported at hospitals like James Cook, the UK has been able to build a vital understanding of Covid-19, and deliver some of the most important findings anywhere in the world, especially why some people become critically ill and how to treat them.

“There are still more questions to be answered in relation to Covid-19, but with our country’s unique NHS research infrastructure, along with those patients who participate in research, we are in the best possible position to succeed.”

What does the "transformational" scheme for southern Scotland and northern England hope to deliver?

The claimant's lawyers say they "experienced significant distress" and had no access to counselling.

Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock is charged with improper conduct by the Football Association.