Newcastle City Council will try to claim back some of the £3.7m costs incurred from the blast.

A woman aged in her 80s died after she was hit by the bike in Sunderland, with a man later arrested.

This week saw repairs to a pier begin and community volunteers getting top honours.

James Minto, Alex Lees and Emilio Gay star with the bat as Durham fight back on day two of their County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire.

The woman, 41, was approached by a man in Hartlepool on Friday afternoon and attacked, police say.

Plans are approved despite concerns from residents about overdevelopment of the area.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

The umpires changed the ball after 60.3 overs, with Durham 204-2. I have lost count how many times a change of ball brings a wicket. Is it some kind of magic? I don't know, but I always menton it on air.

And two overs later things happened. Emilio Gay should have been out when he edged Lyndon James to Joe Clarke at first slip. He was on 30 but Clarke put the chance down.

Two balls later though spinner Liam Patterson-White found the edge of Alex Lees' bat and the Durham opener was caught behind on 82 to leave Durham 208-3.

They could have done with him hanging around for longer and the timing couldn't have been worse, just an over before tea.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Image source, BBC Sport

Spectators at The Riverside received an unexpected treat when the England Test skipper Ben Stokes came out to go through his paces during the lunch interval.

I have to say in all the years I have known him I don't think I have seen him as svelt as he looked today.

He's spent the last five months recovering from a hamstring injury which he picked up during the tour of New Zealand in the winter. It followed a similar injury in a Hundred game last summer.

Stokes did plenty of shuttle running in front of the media centre, before heading back into the dressing room. He's set to make his return in the Test against Zimbabwe next Thursday.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

I think James Minto has become the youngest player to score a first-class half-century for Durham.

At 17 years and 172 days he beats Nicky Peng, who scored 98 on debut against Surrey in 2000, aged 17 and 226 days. I can't think of anyone else younger, but I may be wrong.

He's played some lovely shots. The 50 included 61 balls and eight fours. And a blow to the head.

It's been a great start for Durham. Minto opened as a nightwatchman last night!

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Left arm seamer James Minto signed his first rookie contract this week. The 17-year-old is the latest bowler to come through the Durham Academy.

But it's his batting which has been causing a stir this morning. He came in as a nightwatchman last night and faced all six deliveries remaining in the day.

This morning he's hit some beautiful cover drives to the boundary and is now on a career-best 33.

He opens the batting for Norton Cricket Club in the North Yorkshire South Durham League and when he came to Durham's attention as a 14-year-old it was because of his batting.

From what we have seen today I would suggest we now refer to him as an all-rounder. He's hit six boundaries so far.

Redcar's 100-year-old boating lake remains empty despite repairs and an attempt to refill it.

Rower Lauren Irwin, from Peterlee, is awarded County Durham’s Chairman’s Medal.

People in Benwell have "some closure" after a drug dealer is jailed for the fatal explosion.

The Chairman's Medal is the highest accolade Durham County Council grants for community work.

Haseeb Hameed's remarkable unbeaten double-century puts Nottinghamshire in a strong position on day one of their County Championship clash with Durham.

Sunderland defender Dan Ballard says he visualised Didier Drogba's Champions League final goal for Chelsea before replicating it to send Sunderland to Wembley.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Notts lost 7-110 during the afternoon session and didn't look long for this world. But skipper Haseeb Hameed and Brett Hutton had other ideas.

Their ninth-wicket partnership is currently worth 85 runs and they have steered Notts to two extra batting points in the process.

Back in April Durham's bowlers could only look on as Josh Tongue and Lyndon James put on a ninth-wicket stand of 96 at TRent Bridge, something which would prove costly later in the game.

Hutton now has 26 and Hameed 168. The new ball has just been taken, but could these two see the day out for the visitors? There are 16 overs left today.

The aim of the work is to make Durham's bus stops "safer, more accessible and more welcoming".

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Durham only took one wicket before lunch, with Notts 133-1 at the break. But closing in to tea they are now seven down.

Codi Yusuf has taken four of the wickets to fall this afternoon, as he saw off Freddie McCann for 26 and Joe Clarke for one. McCann was caught behind while Clarke was bowled.

He also claimed the wickets of Kyle Vereynne for 41 and Lyndon James for 21. They were caught behind too.

Brydon Carse saw off Jack Haynes for one. He was caught and bowled. Meanwhile Liam Patterson-White was bowled for a third-ball duck by George Drissell.

At the other end Haseeb Hameed has led a bit of a charmed life. The inside edge of his bat has been in regular use as he's struggled to time the ball. He's on 108 but has nearly chopped on a number of times.

Kevin Wood, 38, struck the victim 50 times with punches, kicks, and beer cans, police say.