Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle may be considering alternatives, potentially as a negotiating tactic, but their interest in Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi remains alive.

The 24-year-old is braced for a further approach from the Magpies after seeing four bids rising to £65m turned down.

Guehi is ready to move this summer if the option becomes available, with two years remaining on his contract in south London.

But Palace are reluctant to lose both centre-backs after agreeing a fee with Fulham to sell Joachim Andersen for around £30m.

Palace's chairman Steve Parish had told BBC Sport, "I can’t imagine a situation where we would lose both of our centre-halves."

But an increased fifth bid could be enough to finally convince Parish as he would be walking away from the best possible fee he could get for Guehi, with a sale next summer likely to be for less as his contract runs into its final year.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

What a lovely innings from Ben McKinney. He's reached his first Campionship 50, in his fifth first-class match.

He's hit eight sumptuously-timed fours, most of them beautiful cover drives.

It's been quite a week for the 19-year-old. He played in an England Lions win against Sri Lanka last week, having scored his first century in one-day cricket, just a few days before that.

Alex Lees is 33 not out at the other end.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

We have started on time in CLS. It's sunny and windy and any showers which may pass by won't be here for long. It's also a nice 19C.

Durham have given Championship debuts to Neil Wagner, Ashton Turner and Daniel Hogg.

Wagner has appeared for four other counties, but Turner has only played white-ball cricket for Durham. The Australian spinner is back in the country ahead of the T20 quarter-final at Surrey in two weeks.

Hogg is a tall bowler, who has come through the Durham age groups and recently played a couple of one day games.

Notts have alos given a debut to off-spinner Freddie McCann, who has featured in the One-Day Cup this year as well.

Campaigners say trams could serve heavily populated areas which are not part of the Metro system.

Plankey Mill Farm, near Langley, is being prepared as a set for the second part of 28 Years Later.

Witnesses say queues of cars lined the tidal causeway after a tractor crashed into a level crossing.

People in Sunderland are asked to have their say on plans to display the art in the St Peter’s area.

All 18 counties are in action as the County Championship returns after a seven-week break for this season's final push.

Guidance from Newcastle University suggests using the term could be patronising.

Declan Dixon, from the Wigan area, has lost his job as an apprentice electrician.

Adam Rankin, Paul Brown and Irfan Yousaf are sentenced for targeting four people in the Durham area.

A psychiatrist gives evidence on the defendent's mental state.

Samantha Holden's partially clothed body was found on her living room floor by by her teenage son, a jury is told.

Staff say a "midnight marine marauder" dumped a "bucket full" of shore crabs in their recycling bin.

High levels of waste and fly-tipping are causing a problem with rats, residents claim.