The planning committee refuses the plans despite a Durham County Council recommendation to approve.

Stockton Council says the £20m Spence Building at Preston Park will host touring exhibitions.

A woman in her 80s is taken to hospital with serious injuries sustained in the crash in Sunderland.

As England begins wild releases of beavers, some animals just cannot wait for freedom - or love.

A group of residents say they pick up litter each day only for it to be replaced with more.

David and Ros Butler have been cleared the "vile" plant from the banks of the Tees for 13 years.

The Housing Innovation & Construction Skills Academy opens to hundreds of pupils for its first term.

Three primary schools in Sunderland turn their outdoor areas into fruit and vegetable patches.

Vadaine Oliver, released by Bradford City at the end of last season, joins National League Hartlepool United.

Ben Raine and Matthew Potts resist with the bat to earn Durham a County Championship draw at Essex.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

The groundstaff have done a great job mopping up after the thunderstorm which hit Chelmsford just before 3pm.

Play is set to resume at 4.46pm and we have a minimum of 9.5 overs to go. Durham are ahead by 19 runs and there would need to be a change of innings if Essex are win.

They obviously need three quick wickets, but if Durham get to within three overs of the end of the game it's job done.

They could end being nine down and lose that final wicket in that third last over, but they would have saved the game because there would be no time for a re-start.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

The end of the world has arrived in Chelmsford. We have torrential rain, thunder and lightning and it's almost dark.

The radar suggested a really big storm was heading our way and would not pass for about two hours.

Essex' hopes of a win are being thwarted by rain and Raine. Ben Raine and Matty Potts both have 25 runs and have added 47 to the Durham total so far. They have also staved off an innings defeat.

At 143-7 Durham lead by 19 runs. While Essex will be hoping to get back on the field later, the weather may actually end their hopes of victory.

For Durham, it would stave off an embarrassing defeat in a game where they had been 189-1 on day one.

Business owners are told they can still move into alternative premises if they want to.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Colin Ackermann's time in the middle was rather brief.

He was on five runs when he decided to cut a delivery from Simon Harmer, but half way through the shot he seemed to change his mind and ended up edging to Dean Elgar at first slip.

It was not the start Durham wanted after lunch and I am not sure they will be here come tea either - unless it rains.

They are also not making any progress in terms of runs, so they remain nearly 50 behind. Tea is at 3.10pm and that seems a long way off from here.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

I couldn't see any point in Essex continuing with their first innings today, given so much time was lost in this game to the weather yesterday.

However, the talk around the ground was about how they would bat on. Yet 15 minutes before the start of day four the declaration was announced, with the hosts 124 ahead at 457-8.

The bowling conditions were also good. It's cold, overcast and windy. Very autumnal.

It was a good decision because in no time they had both openers gone. Alex Lees fell for five and Emilio Gay for 13, both LBW to Jamie Porter in consecutive overs from The Gooch End.

Ben McKinney and David Bedingham restored a bit of calm before McKinney left a ball from Simon Harmer and was bowled on 11. Durham trail by 79 runs.

Fulwell will have a new tree after last year's was damaged by vandals who stripped its decorations.

Thomas Kwan, 54, is charged with the attempted murder of a man in his 70s.

Durham's council leader has called on others to exit the Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility.