Mr Ashley has been one of the High Street's most prominent and colourful figures since founding the firm.

Hartlepool United sign goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell on a permanent but undisclosed-terms deal, after his Derby exit.

Locals fear the area could become a magnet for anti-social behaviour if the court is not replaced.

Stockton sprinter Richard Kilty claimed a silver in the men's 4x100m relay at the Tokyo Olympics.

However, he very nearly went one better as the team, including Chijindu Ujah, Zharnel Hughes and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, were pipped to the gold by Italy by one hundredth of a second.

Image source, PA Media

Mitchell-Blake, who anchored GB to world gold in 2017, was overhauled right on the line by Filippo Tortu as the Italians snatched victory.

Image source, Reuters

Kilty consoled Mitchell-Blake after the race saying "this is a team...he brought us home in incredible style".

"We're Olympic silver medallists, we went out to win it but this is unity and when we're old and retired we'll look back on tonight as one of the best moments of our lives."

Image source, PA Media

A conduct panel says Matthew Sides "neglected his duty" to ensure the boy's claim to be 16 was true.

Government staff are out and about across South Shields to try to persuade people to have a Covid vaccination.

The 25 government workers will spend Friday and the weekend knocking on doors across areas of South Tyneside where take-up is lower than average.

They are looking to contact younger people aged 18 to 29 years old and working-age men.

It's part of the government's package of "enhanced measures" for the area and it's expected more teams could soon be going out knocking on doors in Newcastle and Middlesbrough.

Almost £50,000 of funding has been secured to help victims of sexual violence.

The money from NHS England will also pay for training of charity workers helping affected women.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics shows the Cleveland police area has the third highest rate of serious rape and sexual assault per 100,000 population across England and Wales.

The money will be used by charities A Way Out and ARCH Teesside, to increase understanding of sexual violence and also fund pre-trial therapy training which will mean victims can get therapy and support before cases go to court.

Image source, Getty Images

The biggest share of the money - £28,000 - will go to A Way Out's Blossom Project which helps support vulnerable young women aged 13 to 25, as well as survivors of sexual assault and abuse.

Cleveland's Police and Crime Commissioner Steve Turner said: “It is totally unacceptable that an estimated 5,101 of women in Cleveland experienced sexual assault and attempted sexual assault last year.

“This funding will will help us better understand the breadth of sexual violence in Cleveland so we can target resources better in future.”

Premier League clubs are concerned that outside TV interviews will be disrupted by fans this season.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Alex Metcalfe

Plans to demolish a shopping centre and replace it with a park, offices and a £15m "leisure hub" have been criticised.

Under the plans Stockton's Castlegate Shopping Centre would be shut and replaced with a waterfront urban park, offices and the leisure hub created, with work potentially starting early next year.

Image source, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

They would see the Splash centre, which opened in 2001 and was refurbished eight years later, replaced with a new centre featuring a pool, gym and studios, closer to Stockton's High Street.

But Conservative group leader Tony Riordan said he believed the plan to replace the Church Road leisure centre “beggared belief”.

The opposition leader said: “The facility is only 20 years old, it has had a substantial upgrade a number of years ago, however we’re now told it needs £5m spent on it in a couple of years’ time, so it’s better to build a new one at £15m."

Labour leader Bob Cook said: “Splash is in need of millions of pounds worth of maintenance and repairs and it’s pretty clear why we’ve decided to do what we’re doing, and why our plans to step in and make badly-needed changes in our town centres are getting so much positive national attention.”

Plans for the waterfront park will go to the vote at Stockton Council’s planning committee on Monday.

The group was evicted last weekend after setting up camp on a field adjoining Cowgate Sports Club.

Swansea City sign former Bristol City attacking midfielder Jamie Paterson on a free transfer.

Team GB have claimed bronze in the women's hockey at Tokyo 2020 with a thrilling 4-3 victory over India - and one of those medals will be returning to the region.

Defender Fiona Crackles from Kirkby Lonsdale is a student at Durham University.

Image source, Reuters

The team came from behind to defeat India 4-3.

It's the first time ever Team GB’s men or women have recorded three successive medals at the Olympic Games.

Gareth Weaver-Tyler, who's head of hockey at Durham University, said: "It's huge for the squad and for Fiona who entered the programme less than a year ago and here she is with an Olympic bronze medal.

"For the sport to have done that at three consecutive Olympics in phenomenal."

Image source, Reuters

Mr Weaver-Tyler added: "Fiona has grown immensely from an attacking perspective. She's always been an attack-minded defender and throughout the Olympics she's had to play a more attacking role.

"She wants to be better all the time and has grown throughout the tournament, she's a confident and hard-working individual."

Two aircraft will be based at Newcastle Airport from March 2022 as Ryanair increases its routes.

Crawley sign French defender Ludwig Francillette following his release by Premier League side Newcastle United.

Durham beat Lancashire to go second in One-Day Cup Group Two as rain hits both games in Group One.

Raymond Finn was given a suspended jail sentence for assaulting the two women while in costume.

League Two newcomers Hartlepool United sign Millwall winger Tyler Burey on loan until January 2022.

Middlesbrough sign Argentine midfielder Martin Payero for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal.