North East mayor: Liberal Democrat Dr Aidan King to run

Dr Aidan King promised to be a "strong champion" for the North East if elected

The Liberal Democrats have announced their North East England mayoral candidate with a vow to provide "a new direction" for the area.

Dr Aidan King, who works at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, was a councillor in the city's Castle ward from 2018 to 2021.

He will face Labour's Kim McGuinness, Conservative Guy Renner-Thompson and Independent Jamie Driscoll on 2 May.

The new role will have funding and decision-making powers.

It is being created under a £4.2bn devolution deal for the region.

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Sunderland councillor Paul Donaghy is standing as the Reform UK candidate, while Andrew Gray will represent the Green Party.

The winner will represent about two million people across Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham.

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Dr King, who is also a lecturer at Newcastle University, said the region needed "a strong champion".

He vowed to create thousands of jobs by building the UK's largest on-shore wind farm, promised to "kickstart a house-building renaissance" and added his "common-sense transport plan" would provide seamless travel across Metro, bus, car and bike journeys.