Live News: October 12, 2012 (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

5:28pm

FOOTBALL: Middlesbrough have expressed "extreme disappointment" after being allocated only 2,800 tickets for the Capital One Cup tie at Sunderland. Competition rules allow up to 15 per cent of the stadium capacity to be handed over to away fans, but the Wearsiders' safety advisory group recommended their allocation be slashed, citing supporter safety and previous 'bad behaviour' of fans. 

Can't help but feel Boro have been given a raw deal here. 

4:28pm

4:23pm

MISSING MAN: Police are becoming increasingly concerned for the welfare of a man who hasn’t been seen since Sunday 30th September.

Mark Anthony Leah, 23, was last seen in Middlesbrough town centre at around 12pm on Sunday 30th September.

He is described as white, around 5’6” tall, slim build, with short blonde hair. He has distinctive tattoos on his legs; a black panther on his right leg and a sabre toothed tiger on his left leg. He was wearing a grey tracksuit and an army-style camouflage jacket.

At the time of his disappearance, Mark was living in the Stockton area but he is believed to have links to the Northumbria area.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact DS Joanne Wright of Cleveland Police on the non-emergency number 101.

4:19pm

3:36pm

McMULLEN ROAD: A police spokeswoman has said that the section of Darlington's McMullen Road closed following a fatal crash is not expected to re-open for another two hours.

Officers are currently at the scene investigating the circumstances behind the death of a cyclist in his 50s who was hit by a Kia Pecanto at around 1pm today.

3:35pm

ASSAULT ARREST: A second man has been arrested in connection with a violent assault in a Darlington pub which left the victim, Mark Drummond, with multiple fractures to his face and a bleed on his brain.

The 36-year-old man, from Darlington, was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent earlier today.

3:16pm

FLOOD WARNINGS IN NORTH YORKSHIRE: The Environment Agency says it is expecting flooding at Hovingham in Ryedale, where water levels at the beck are continuing to rise.

Flooding is also possible around Kirby Wiske, where the River Wiske has so far risen to 1.53 metres and is slowly rising.

The Environment Agency is also closely monitoring the River Nidd at Kirk Hammerton between Harrogate and York where heavy rainfall has caused the river levels at Skip Bridge to reach 3.06 metres.

2:49pm

A SURPRISE new candidate has entered the race to become County Durham and Darlington’s first Police and Crime Commissioner.

With a week to go before the final list of candidates is announced Kingsley Smith, former Chief Executive of Durham County Council, has declared he is standing as an Independent.

It had previously been a two horse race between candidates Ron Hogg (Labour) and Nick Varley (Conservative). The election takes place on November 15.

2:04pm

DARLINGTON COLLISION: We are receiving reports of a serious collision on McMullen Road, in Darlington, close to the car sales garages.

It is thought the incident could involve a cyclist.

More to follow

1:05pm

12:30pm

JIMMY SAVILE: Yet more revelations emerging about the sordid life of Jimmy Savile.

Police in North Yorkshire have received their second complaint of an alleged sexual offence by the disgraced TV star. Dating back to the late 1960s, it involved a teenage girl and happened in Scarborough, although the victim now lives in Durham.

Police have passed the complaint on to Scotland Yard, who have been swamped by similar allegations from all over the country.

12:22pm

11:39am

SCULPTURE STOLEN: A 12ft wooden snake sculpture has been stolen less than two weeks after it was created by a school pupil as part of an outreach project at Elemore Woods, near Durham.

11:26am

Echo reporters off to Newcastle this morning to meet Chester-le-Street’s Kaylee Davidson, 25 years to the day since she became Britain’s first successful heart transplant baby.

11:17am

11:14am

BURNOPFIELD FIRE: A man was taken to hospital after fire at Burnopfield last night. Fire services called to a flat in Dene View shortly after 9.45pm. Six fire fighters went inside to search the smoke-filled flat and put out the fire, which was centred on the living room. A man from a neighbouring property was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead after suffering the effects of smoke inhalation

11:02am

FIRSTSOURCE: Are you an employee at Firstsource who has been told their job is at risk? Contact Lauren Pyrah at lauren.pyrah@nne.co.uk or call 01325-505076.

10:48am

BREAKING NEWS

Outsourcing firm Firstsource is to shed 500 call centre jobs as demand for payment protection insurance (PPI) claims falls.

About half the affected staff, who process PPI claims for Barclaycard, are permanent, while the remainder are on temporary, one-year contracts.

The move, which is subject to a 90-day consultation process, is in reponse to falling demand for the service.

Lauren Pyrah, Deputy Business Editor

10:27am

COLLISSION IN HARTLEPOOL: Police are appealing for witnesses to a collision that occurred on Friday 28th September at around 10pm at the junction of Osbourne Road and Lister Street in Hartlepool.

The collision involved a cyclist on a BMX pedal cycle and a silver car that did not stop at the scene.

The 38-year-old female cyclist suffered a fractured wrist in the incident and was treated at hospital.

Police are investigating the circumstances of the incident.

The driver of the silver vehicle or any witnesses who may have seen the incident are asked to contact PC Mark Cubitt of Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit on the non-emergency 101 number, quoting reference number 183341.

10:02am

9:39am

METAL THEFT: Between 11.30 am and 12.10 pm, Thursday 11th October, on Marlborough Road Skelton, a metal disability access ramp, which was outside the front of the address was stolen.

A male was seen to walk up the drive of the property and remove the ramp from beside the front door of the address. It is suspected that the male was the passenger of a vehicle collecting scrap in the area at the time. The vehicle is described as having a red front. 

The ramp is described as telescopic, of aluminium construction with green colouring on the handles.

It had been installed at the address to assist the occupiers with access to the premises.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Pc Paul Davies on the non-emergency number 101 or crime stoppers on 0800 555 111.

9:37am