The Journal
Grieving families relieved as early releases blocked
CRIMINALS responsible for the deaths of two North East children will be blocked from earlier prison releases, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has confirmed. Mr Burnham announced new changes to the controversial early release scheme yesterday. He said...
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Drivers warned: ‘No post or video is worth a life’
A NORTH East Police and Crime Commissioner has spoken out about the “disturbing culture” of those who film their dangerous driving. Durham PCC Joy Allen say officers are regularly seeing the “devastating consequences” of reckless driving. She...
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Volunteers angry as clean-up after spillage cut back
VOLUNTEERS have been left outraged after the official teams clearing up spilled nurdles from the coast were slashed. A collision between vessel Wind Orca and berthed container ship BG Orange dumped 17 tonnes of plastic pellets into the Tyne last...
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Donations boost for Trusts’ bid to buy historic estate
AMAJOR plan to buy a historic country estate in Northumberland is within touching distance of success after donations of more than £5m were received in recent days. The Northumberland Wildlife Trust and the national Wildlife Trust announced less than...
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TOP THAT!
MEET the sea swimming trio who are back on dry land after a “terrifying but exhilarating” charity challenge. Claire Watson-Armstrong, Jill Henderson and Karen Gallichan braved jellyfish, reports of orca sightings and dodged strong tidal currents to...
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Teenagers held after fire wrecks historic building
TWO teenagers were arrested after a suspected arson attack devastated a Grade II listed building in Northumberland. Firefighters and other emergency services were called to Fenkle Street in Alnwick on Sunday after a fire broke out in a...
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KEVIN’S KINGDOM
> Newcastle United fans put on a tremendous flag display in memory of Kevin Keegan before yesterday’s match against Liverpool at St James’ Park. Keegan, who died last month, was a hero to both sets of fans. The game finished 2-2, with United conceding...
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Van driver fined for crashing into school minibus
CHILDREN were left screaming when a careless driver smashed into their school minibus after “overcooking” a corner on a Northumberland country road. The bus driver was left injured and needed morphine while he and a pupil sitting behind him were...
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Gap in top grades widens yet again
THE gap between the number of North East GCSE pupils getting top grades compared to those in London has widened again. Exam results yesterday showed that 17.7% of North East entries attained a grade 7 or above this year, the lowest rate in England and...
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PLAYING FOR KEEPS
AMOTHER-OF-TWO has been inundated with support after opening a new play cafe in Northumberland. Beth Larby opened The Willow Bean Play Cafe on Market Street in Bedlington last month. The 31-year-old, who previously worked in occupational therapy,...
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RAISING THE BAR –AT THE AGE OF 45
AMOTHER-OF-SIX who returned to high jumping after a hiatus of more than 20 years will compete at an international competition in South Korea. Emily MacDonald gave up high jumping when she was 18 years old, returning to the sport five years ago. The...
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Third data centre could join North East’s AI cluster
EARLY proposals for a third data centre in South East Northumberland have been submitted to Northumberland County Council. The plans would see the facility built on land at Factory Road in Cambois. It borders another site earmarked for a data centre,...
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Firefighters tackle major blaze at country park
> People were yesterday urged to avoid a North East country park as firefighters tackled a blaze. They were called to Herrington Country Park in Sunderland after a fire broke out on a field. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service sent six appliances to...
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21-storey tower plan a step closer
HUGE plans to tear down a prominent Newcastle building to make way for a 21-sorey student housing tower could be approved next week. A £60m vision to redevelop the vacant Hadrian House was unveiled earlier this year. City planners have recommended...
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Region is lagging further behind on A-level top grades
THE gap between the number of students getting top A-level grades between the North East and London has grown to another record level. Almost a third of students in the capital, 32.7%, were awarded A or A* when results were released yesterday. That...
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Minister snubbed A1 plea – so now we’ll try the PM
NORTHUMBERLAND’S council leader has vowed to take the fight for improved safety on the A1 to Prime Minister Andy Burnham after being told that the Government still has no plans to dual the road. County council leader Glen Sanderson and North East...
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Key bridge ‘at risk of collapse’ unless work carried out
A RAIL bridge close to the Tyne Tunnel could be at “serious risk of collapse” without new safety measures. Lane closures are expected on the busy A19 at the northern side of the tunnels to allow for enhanced barriers to be installed around a Metro...
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Cancer centre set to reopen in 2027
AUSTRALIAN health firm Icon Group has announced it is to re-open a state-of-the-art Northumberland cancer centre which has been dormant since 2022. The former Rutherford Cancer Centre, near Bedlington, was shuttered just four years after opening. Now...
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ALL FALL DOWN
CROWDS came together to witness a large-scale domino run in Newcastle yesterday. Thousands of breeze blocks were placed around the heart of the city. They formed an evolving sculptural chain, stretching east to west, and travelled through streets,...
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70 GP practices are hit by IT problem
AROUND 70 GP surgeries across the North East were hit by IT disruption yesterday. The issue mostly affected practices in County Durham and Northumberland. The North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board said practices had contingency plans.
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Shocking footage shows car stuck at junction on A1
SHOCKING footage shared by a campaign group calling for improvements on the A1 in Northumberland shows a car trapped in the middle of the road as traffic passes by on either side. The video was captured by a local farmer and shows the Beal turn-off...
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Nurdles spill could have been far worse
AROUND 58 tonnes of nurdles have been prevented from spilling into the River Tyne after a collision between two ships, the Port of Tyne estimates. The Wind Orca collided with the BG Orange on July 19, with containers on the latter ship being ripped...
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HOW A FIRE NEXT DOOR HAS HIT MY BUSINESS
A BUSINESS which supplies the NHS has been left with an unstable wall and leaking roof following a huge blaze at the factory next door. A fire broke out at Streamline PopTop in Washington on Friday afternoon and massive plumes of smoke could be seen...
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ROMANCE AND REFLECTIONS
> Bella Welsh’s Newcastle bookshop will specialise in romance novels.
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Concern at fears council tax shift could hit finances
COUNCILLORS in Northumberland have raised concerns about a potential drop in income for the local authority if reported changes to the council tax system are brought in. Last week, North East leaders called for a “fairer deal” for the region after...
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Deal set to hand mayor more cash and more power
ANDY Burnham will hand the North East mayor a share of income tax revenues under what is being labelled the biggest transfer of power and money out of Westminster in a generation. The Prime Minister yesterday launched plans to give local leaders...
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Howe goes – but fans will never forget what he did for United
NEWCASTLE United fans yesterday paid warm tributes to boss Eddie Howe after the shock announcement of his departure. News broke yesterday morning that Howe was leaving the club with immediate effect. It has since emerged Howe has been in...
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PM’s promise of ‘no dead ends’ for our school leavers
ANDY Burnham has promised there will be ‘no dead ends’ for thousands of young people across the North East facing joblessness when they leave school. The new Prime Minister announced education reforms on Tuesday that will allow school pupils, from age...
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Leaders call for fairer deal on tax for North East
NORTH East leaders have called for a “fairer deal” for our region, amid reports that council tax could be scrapped. Andy Burnham has said there will be “big decisions” to come on the future of the local charge and criticised the unfairness of the...
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Latest A1 tragedy shows we cannot give up – leader
CAMPAIGNERS calling for the A1 in Northumberland to be dualled cannot afford to give up after another fatal crash, says the leader of the county council. A man in his 80s died after a collision between a car and a transporter lorry on Friday. A woman...
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RHAPSODY IN BLUE
I LOVED the idea of being immersed in a world of Vincent Van Gogh – imagining all those buttery yellows and vibrant blues – so was keen to see the touring show, which is having a month-long stay at Utilita Arena in Newcastle, with its promise of...
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‘IF YOU CAN AVOID THE AREA, THEN PLEASE DO SO’
> Gateshead Council’s Anneliese Hutchinson at the town’s Park Lane roundabout. The demolition of the Gateshead flyover over the roundabout is about to start – and Ms Hutchinson it will be the most challenging time of the project so far for drivers.
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Hospitality rates cut hailed – but will it be enough?
NORTH East hospitality and business groups have welcomed new cuts to business rates bills for pubs, clubs and live music venues – but say the moves do not go far enough to help the sector. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a 20% cut in rates,...
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North East leaders warn urgent action needed on housing
THE scale of the North East’s housing crisis has been exposed – with 43,000 households either homeless or living in unsuitable accommodation. Regional leaders have warned that urgent action is needed to accelerate the pace and scale of housebuilding...
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A DAY FOR GRATITUDE AND GRIEF AT ST JAMES’PARK
SIR Alex Ferguson has hailed the fierce managerial rival who built Newcastle’s “best ever team” amid an ongoing outpouring of affection for Kevin Keegan. The former Manchester United boss, the man famously on the other end of Keegan’s “I’d love it,...
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‘TODAY WE MOURN THE LOSS OF A TRUE GIANT OF OUR HISTORY’
WHEN Kevin Keegan turned out for Doncaster pub team Lonsdale Hotel on a Sunday morning, little did he know it would be the start of a journey to football’s elite. Joseph Kevin Keegan, who has died aged 75 following treatment for stage four cancer, was...
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Drama at the dock as crane damaged
ONE person was taken to hospital following an incident at the Port of Tyne involving a dockside crane. A huge 999 response was launched shortly after 1pm yesterday. Emergency services including the North East Ambulance service and the Great North Air...
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Fight to dual A1 goes on – leader
NORTHUMBERLAND’S council leader says the region’s resolve to get the A1 dualled will not be diminished by a continuing lack of commitment from the Government. The long-standing campaign to upgrade the busy road through Northumberland has been...
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HOP TO IT, THE RABBITS ARE HERE
TAKE a look at these photos as the Peter Rabbit: Tales on the Tyne art trail launched this week, across Newcastle and North Tyneside. On Wednesday morning, the last of the 96 sculptures was unveiled at Newcastle Civic Centre, as the annual summer...
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NATIONAL PARK’S £146M BOOST TO NORTH ECONOMY
ONE of the North East’s greatest natural and heritage assets contributed £146m in a year to the regional economy, according to the latest figures. The new data shows strong growth in the value of tourism generated by Northumberland National Park and...
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Mayor’s bus plan £100m cost shock
TAKING the North East’s buses under public control will cost over £100m more than first anticipated. Auditors found a “discrepancy” in the financial modelling on mayor Kim McGuinness’ flagship plans to strip private companies of their power over bus...
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Safety petition to dual A1 exceeds 1,000 signatories
MORE than 1,000 people have backed a campaign to improve safety on the A1 road in Northumberland since it was launched last week. The campaign, which was set up by The Journal and its sister paper The Chronicle after a number of recent fatal...
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Leaders in bid to ease child poverty
NEW help for mums-to-be and a push to find young people with huge sums of unclaimed savings will be among the next moves in the North East’s fight against child poverty. Leaders from across the region gathered in Newcastle for a second Child Poverty...
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City falls silent in tribute to fallen police officer, 19
ONE of Newcastle’s busiest thoroughfares fell silent yesterday morning as a funeral procession and service for PC Jess Turnbull took place at Newcastle Cathedral in St Nicholas’ Square. The police officer was mourned by hundreds of colleagues as the...
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End this ‘national embarrassment’
THE North East mayor has contacted Andy Burnham about dualling the A1 in Northumberland to end a “national embarrassment”. Our region’s leaders have campaigned for decades to upgrade the busy route, much of which becomes a single carriageway north of...
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IN 2024, THE GOVERNMENT SAID THAT DUALLING THE A1 IN NORTHUMBERLAND WAS: ‘not good value for money’
THE Journal is bringing together a coalition of political, business and community leaders to demand dualling of the A1 in Northumberland. We and many others have been campaigning for improved safety on the A1 for more than 30 years. Successive...
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Plan would bring more journeys and lower fares – review
BRINGING the North East’s buses back under public control would result in cheaper fares and millions of extra journeys every year compared to if they are left in the hands of private companies, according to a review of mayor Kim McGuinness’...
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LOCAL HERO BURN HEADS INTO WORLD CUP RECORD BOOKS
NEWCASTLE United’s Dan Burn made history at the World Cup and said: “I don’t think I’ll ever forget that night”. The Blyth-born defender played a key role in helping England beat Mexico 3-2 at the famous Azteca Stadium in the small hours of yesterday...
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Schools’ supplies of cash plummet
SCHOOLS in Northumberland have seen their cash reserves drop sharply over the last academic year according to new figures. Overall balances fell by more than half across the county’s 90 schools maintained by the county council. The overall balances...
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ARE WE GETTING THROUGH?
NEIGHBOURS have been left outraged after plans emerged to build more than 200 homes next to the “only nice part” of a Newcastle suburb. Hundreds of residents in Newbiggin Hall have spoken out over new proposals to build on green land next to the Outer...
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LAST HURRAH
A private school which has been operating in the North East for 142 years closed for good yesterday. Durham High School in Durham, which has 281 pupils, will enter administration following the end of term. The school sent a letter to parents on...
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Yard is ready to deliver warships
NEW bosses at a Tyneside shipyard say workers there stand ready to deliver new warships as part of the Government’s plans for defence spending. Balaena acquired A&P Group – including its Hebburn yard – only weeks ago and has welcomed the Government’s...
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‘SOME OF MY FRIENDS THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY’
THE North East’s first openly trans councillor has spoken out about their “wild” election, the future of the Greens in Gateshead, and the infamous A167 flyover. The Local Democracy Reporting Service spoke to Melissa Harker, the first openly trans...
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Burnham pledges a revolution in devolution when he gets to No.10
ANDY Burnham has promised a radical transfer of power from Whitehall to the North East and other regions of the UK. The would-be PM delivered a major speech in Manchester yesterday, in which he set out a vision to “rewire” the country and create “good...
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STOKES IN SHOCK DECISION TO RETIRE...
ENGLAND captain Ben Stokes yesterday announced his bombshell retirement from international cricket. Stokes issued a statement shortly before tea on day four of the decisive third Test against New Zealand, having informed his team-mates in the dressing...
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Thank you for your service
THE North East yesterday said farewell to the original Tyne and Wear Metro fleet with “mixed emotions”. Nexus has been operating special farewell services throughout the week, with this the last time passengers are guaranteed to see one of the old...
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> LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS:
Sir Elton John with, from left, William Gurney, Spencer Collins, Noah Mannion and Rafferty Smale, at the Billy Elliot The Musical launch photocall in London. The latest revival of the North East-set hit musical, with songs by Sir Elton, will include...
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Who in North East is backing Burnham for PM?
ANDY Burnham’s bid to become Prime Minister cleared another hurdle yesterday as another potential rival ruled himself out of the race. The newly-elected MP for Makerfield looks on course to succeed Sir Keir Starmer in Number 10. Senior Labour...
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Yet another fatal crash sparks new plea to dual A1
THE leader of Northumberland County Council has pledged to do “all he can” to ensure the A1 is dualled after a sixth person died on the road in a month. Police are investigating after a BMW collided with an HGV near Causey Park on Monday. The...
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North East MPs quick to rally to Burnham
NORTH East MPs have begun rallying behind Andy Burnham as he looks certain to become Prime Minister. The newly-elected MP for Makerfield confirmed yesterday morning that he would stand for the Labour leadership, shortly after Sir Keir Starmer announced...
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TAKE THAT!
‘Knights’ on horseback battled it out in an action-packed show at Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland, at the weekend.
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North East mayor backs Burnham after big victory
THE North East mayor has backed Andy Burnham to replace Sir Keir Starmer in 10 Downing Street. MPs from the region were also quick to offer their congratulations after Mr Burnham sealed his return to Parliament with a resounding victory in the...
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‘There won’t be a blade of grass between towns’
APRE-PLANNING application has been drawn up to build more than 1,200 new homes in a Northumberland town. The proposals, which went before West Bedlington Town Council last week, would see approximately 1,250 houses built, plus a community hub and...
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City children have ‘worst life chances’
WHITE working-class children in Newcastle have the worst life opportunities in England, new research has found. Newcastle Central and West ranks bottom out of 543 constituencies in England in terms of outcomes for White British young people who are...
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Councillor summonsed three times over unpaid council tax
AFORMER mayoral candidate in North Tyneside was summonsed to court three times for unpaid council tax, it has emerged. Conservative councillor Liam Bones was issued three court summonses between May 2023 and May 2024 in relation to council tax arrears...
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Leader ‘sceptical’ over levy – but won’t axe it yet
NEWCASTLE’S new council leader has expressed doubts over an extra charge imposed on the city’s late night venues, but says he will not make a “knee-jerk” decision to scrap it. City businesses with a licence to sell alcohol between midnight and 6am pay...
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You haven’t lost plans to dual the A1, have you?
THE deputy leader of Northumberland County Council has warned it would be a “disgrace” if plans to dual the A1 in the county were lost. The authority has been trying to secure detailed plans and documents from National Highways. But it has failed to...
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Fresh hopes for quay arena plan
THE North East mayor says that “constructive” talks have been held with Reform UK over the prospect of a new arena on the Gateshead Quayside. Labour’s Kim McGuinness and Gateshead Council’s Reform leader Nick Allan clashed last week, after the latter...
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Police mourn one of their own after officer dies
NORTHUMBRIA Police’s Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine yesterday paid tribute after the death of a teenage constable, saying she made the “ultimate sacrifice” to keep our communities safe. Jess Turnbull, 19, died in hospital on Wednesday after she was...
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