Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

The sun is shining in Chester-le-Street and we are in for another lovely day in the North East, with highs of around 19C.

And will the sun continue to shine on the Durham duo of Ben McKinney and Matthew Potts? They put on 109 runs last night and have taken the side to within seven runs of a third batting point.

When the two came together that looked unlikely because Durham lost three wickets for five runs in two crazy overs after tea.

McKinney has a career-best 143 and Potts has 53. If the latter is to break his highest total then we are in for a treat because he made 149* at Edgbaston last season.

Image source, BBC Sport

Proposals to introduce payment limits on NHS ADHD assessment providers are removed.

There have been 1,000 name suggestions from members of the public for Sunderland's new bridge.

Paul Holborn from Sunderland wins the men's World Marathon Challenge.

Despite only half its stations being open, passenger numbers on the new rail route exceed estimates.

Ben McKinney hits his second century in just four innings at Chester-le-Street as Durham battle back against Warwickshire.

Consultant director of rugby Steve Diamond is banned for six games by the RFU for abusing a match official.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Durham opener Ben McKinney is now on his highest score in FC cricket. A six off Ethan Bamber took him to 124, beating his 121 in a win here against Notts last season.

He also hit Bamber for four in the same over and has now put on 88 runs with Matthew Potts, who has 47.

These are much-needed runs for Durham after they lost three wickets in two overs after tea. It would be nice from the home team's perspective to see these two still together at the close of play.

Feasibility studies are under way, with the council intending to keep the frontage "intact".

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Durham have got themselves in a spot of bother after tea, losing three wickets for five runs in just two overs.

It all began when Colin Ackermann slog-swept Tazeem Ali to Hamza Shaikh on the legside boundary when on 18. Will Rhodes, who made 10 and two on his debut last weekend, went for a third ball duck, bowled by Ali.

Then Ben Raine missed one when he was on four and was bowled by Vishwa Fernando. He could have been out first ball after edging an Ali delivery straight through the legs of leg slip.

Last weekend Durham lost their last five wickets for just 21 runs at Notts and didn't recover from that. I feel they are going to leave plenty of runs out there today as well.

But in Ben McKinney they have hope. The opener has been steady and has 93 runs.

Gary Lewis was stabbed with a syringe full of muscle relaxant in a seemingly random attack.

Sunderland winger Romaine Mundle is expected to return from a hamstring injury in time for the play-offs.

Northumbria Police sees a rise in dog attacks causing injury to a person or assistance dog.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

The last thing Warwickshire needed to do was give a chance to David Bedingham. He scored 1,331 championship runs last year and broke Durham records for fun.

He was on 29 when he edged Ethan Bamber to rookie keeper Kai Smith, but he couldn't hold onto the chance. If that wasn't bad enough he was dropped in Bamber's next over as well, this time at first slip by Rob Yates when on 30.

He and Ben McKinney have put on 60 runs so far, with McKinney reaching his 50 in 93 balls with seven fours.

It is a lovely warm afternoon in Chester-le-Street and plenty of spectators are in T-shirts and shorts. I'm old enough to remember people telling us they shouldn't play cricket this far north in April.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

We are just a few minutes away from lunch now and David Bedingham has recently joined Ben McKinney in the middle.

Bedingham, who was Division One's leading run-maker last season, got off the mark with a beautiful four through mid-wicket off Michael Booth.

He replaced Emilio Gay, who was caught behind off Booth on 41, but had been becalmed for a few overs prior to his dismissal. He did put on 78 runs with McKinney though after Durham lost opener Alex Lees for a duck in the first over.

A second man appears in court over the death of a man shot through a window of his house.

The home in Mapleton Road is now boarded up and will remain closed for the next three months.