Live: Breaking news, traffic and travel across Teesside

The Evening Gazette's live breaking news blog brings you regular updates, pictures, video, tweets and comments covering the latest Teesside and North Yorkshire traffic, travel, weather, crime and council news for today, Tuesday 22nd July, 2014.

You can contribute to the live blog by posting your comment below, and you can also tweet us @EveningGazette to share breaking news stories, pictures and opinions.

Our Teesside breaking news live blog begins at 07:00am every weekday and is updated throughout the day and into the evening.

River search for man reported as being in difficulty

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River search for man reported as being in difficulty

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Emergency services are searching the River Tees for a man who was reported as being in difficulty in the water.

Cleveland Police, Cleveland Fire Brigade, the RNLI and the police helicopter are carrying out searches of the river in Stockton to try and locate the man.

He was reported as missing at 7.40pm today.

Dave Cocks, spokesman for Redcar RNLI, said: “We were asked to assist with the search.

“We are searching an area just a bit further up from the Tees Barrage.

“We are not sure of the circumstances of what happened.

“We have one lifeboat involved in the search with four crew members on board.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on the non-emergency number 101.

Pakistan army raid kills 28 militants: Officials

At least 28 militants have been killed in the Pakistani army’s air strikes on their hideouts in the country’s northwest, officials say.

In a statement released on Sunday, the military officials said the offensive took place in Shawal village in the troubled North Waziristan region earlier in the day.

“At least 28 local and foreign terrorists were killed in today’s airstrikes and their six hideouts were destroyed,” a senior military official said.

It was part of an assault against the pro-Taliban militants that began on June 15 in North Waziristan.

Over 500 militants and more than 25 soldiers have been killed in the offensive so far, according to the military.

North Waziristan is considered as a stronghold of pro-Taliban militants.

The militants have carried out numerous attacks against Pakistani security forces as well as civilians and managed to spread their influence in various regions of the country despite sporadic offensives by the Pakistani army.

Thousands of Pakistanis have lost their lives in bombings and other militant attacks since 2001, when Pakistan entered an alliance with the United States in the so-called war on terror. Also, more than 4,000 Pakistani police and soldiers have reportedly been killed so far.

MSM/MAM/AS

Venezuela condemns Israeli invasion of Gaza

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has condemned Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip, saying the Tel Aviv regime is committing genocide against the Palestinians.

Maduro made the remarks on Sunday, comparing the Israeli invasion of the besieged Gaza Strip to an “extermination.”

In addition, Maduro said the Israeli actions against Gaza could not be justified as like-for-like warfare.

“Venezuela also rejects the cynical campaigns trying to condemn both parties equally, when it is clear you cannot morally compare occupied and massacred Palestine with the occupying state, Israel, which also possesses military superiority and acts on the margins of international law,” said Maduro.

The Venezuelan president has called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council to condemn the Israeli regime for its atrocities and policy of genocide against the Palestinian population in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Bolivian President Evo Morales has also condemned the Israeli invasion of Gaza, saying it was time to take action “to end the genocide that Israel is carrying out on Palestine.”

Israeli warplanes have been carrying out incessant airstrikes against Gaza since July 8. On July 17, thousands of Israeli soldiers launched a ground invasion into the densely-populated strip as well.

A total of 478 Palestinians have so far been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza and more than 3,000 others have been wounded.

CAH/HJL/HRB

Primary school pupils handed £100 in shopping vouchers - for attending class every day

A Teesside school has tested a new approach to improving attendance levels - giving £100 shopping vouchers to pupils who did not miss a day.

Youngsters at Roseberry Primary School in Billingham who had gained 100% attendance throughout the past year were each give a £100 gift voucher.

During an end of year awards ceremony last week, 11 children at the school were presented with the vouchers in recognition of their attendance.

Headteacher, Maggie Fearnley said: “We know how important it is for children to be in school so that they progress, reach their full potential and as a result widen their future prospects and choices.”

The money for the vouchers was funded by the school’s annual budget.

The new approach came about after attendance levels at the school were recognised as a problem which needed to be addressed.

Ms Fearnley said: “In our last Ofsted inspection, attendance at school was highlighted as a concern and this is one of a range of measures we have introduced to try and drive attendance up.”

It is hoped that end of year awards like this will act as an incentive for the children to go to school during the next academic year.

She added: “Our record is getting better, last year attendance was below the national average and now it is in line with it.

"We are piloting various approaches, which we are continuously reviewing, to further this improvement.”

'I couldn’t just stand and watch': Mum helps tackle shoplifter in Tesco car park

A Teesside mum has been praised after she helped restrain a shoplifter who was attacking a security guard outside a supermarket.

Stacey McCreesh was driving into the car park of Tesco, in Billingham, when she saw a female security guard struggling to restrain a young shoplifter.

Mrs McCreesh, from Billingham, stopped her car and ran to help - pinning the 16-year-old female shoplifter down.

She said: “I had my two children in the car at the time but I couldn’t just stand and watch.

The shoplifter was being quite aggressive and at one point I saw her bite the security guard.

"I’m not one to let something like that happen and not help.”

The police were called and the 16-year-old was arrested on suspicion of theft and assault.

She had stolen £250 worth of goods. The girl was subsequently given a caution.

Mrs McCreesh had her two young children, Drew, three, and Samuel, two, in the car when the incident happened on Monday at 2pm.

“I had just driven into the car park when I could see the security guard and the young girl in some sort of scuffle," said the 32-year-old.

“I saw the shoplifter trying to throw a punch. I slowed down and the security guard was trying to restrain her.

"She seemed to have her restrained but then the girl started biting her and digging her nails into her skin.

“One of the managers from inside had come out to help too.

“I got out and went to help. The girl was trying to bite me too. She was in a state and desperate to get away.

“It was awful because my youngest son was getting upset and was crying his eyes out.

“At one point the girl tried to get away and crawled under my car. I grabbed her and pinned her down.

“She kept trying to get away and was digging her fingers into us. At one point she spat at us.

“It felt like it went on for ages.

“The security guard was quite shaken and she had to go to hospital.”

Mrs McCreesh, who has two other children - Declan, 14, and Ashton, seven, said the staff thanked her and gave her some flowers and her children some chocolate.

A spokesman for Tesco said: “The security guard and service manager went above and beyond and restrained a shoplifted who had stolen £250 worth of goods.

“We are very appreciative of Stacey’s actions and we gave her some flowers and her children some chocolate to thank her for what she did.”

Live: Updates following the Malaysia Airlines crash as anger grows over "disrespectful" treatment of bodies by rebels

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Chris Styles

Editor, Evening Gazette

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Chris was appointed editor of the Evening Gazette in January 2012. He is also a former Gazette news editor. Chris has more than 20 years experience as a journalist and has previously worked in senior positions in Newcastle, Exeter and Nottingham.