Thursday, December 11, 2014

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, Friday 12th December, 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.





Good morning all. Reporter James Cain here kicking off the live blog for Tuesday December 12, 2014.




As always, if you're out and about and see something, get in touch and let us know - comment on the live blog, tweet us (@EveningGazette) or call us on 01642 234 391.




Thanks for joining us, whether you're on your way to work, just getting in, or simply an early bird, we hope you have a great day.




In form Patrick Bamford tells Middlesbrough and Chelsea he wants to stay


Patrick Bamford has told Boro he wants to stay for the rest of the season and revealed his current scoring streak followed a summit meeting with Aitor Karanka.


The young Chelsea striker has scored five goals in the last six games after being given an extended run in the first team.


He has started seven of the last eight fixtures but, before that sequence, was named in the first XI in just three of the previous eight.


That fringe role led the 21-year-old to seek a chat with Boro’s head coach.


“I had a meeting with the gaffer and just said that I need to be playing more,” Bamford said.


“I played against Brentford and scored, but then I was in and out of the team.


“I only started two or three games and then I had a meeting with him when I came back after the international break after the Brighton game.


“I just said ‘I want to play, that’s why I have come here, I need to play, I can only show you what I can do if I am playing’, and he’s put his belief in me. I’ve played the games and proved him right, or proved myself right; that I can do it when I get a run of games together. I think that’s the important thing.”


That run of games has convinced Bamford his immediate future belongs on Teesside.


His current loan deal is set to lapse in January but he’s told Boro and his parent club he wants to stay until the end of the season.


“Things haven’t been tied up, the paperwork’s not been done,” he began. “But I think it was about just before the Blackburn game on the Friday, Eddie Newton (Chelsea’s development coach) came up, which they do every so often, every couple of months, just to check how everything is, and just to go over my games and welfare.


“Before he arrived I sat down with the gaffer (Karanka), looked through some of my (video) clips and told him that I wanted to stay until the end of the season, seeing how I am enjoying life here and to stay would make me happy, so I think they are on the case now pushing it towards Chelsea.


“It’s also come out that the gaffer at Chelsea, (Jose) Mourinho, is really happy with me being here as well. So I think it’s just finalising the details now, which shouldn’t be hard.”


Boro play Derby tomorrow, a club Bamford played for on loan last season.


The striker is looking forward to coming up against his old club and says he has no fears about playing the Championship leaders.


“I’m excited, if anything,” he said. “To me it’s another game where we can push towards the top of the table.


“It’s a fixture I look out for,” added Bamford, “It was a great team to play for; I can’t speak highly enough of the lads, the place and the staff, the whole club really. I really enjoyed my time there. It will be good to play against players I know really well.”



Middlesbrough FC could name Craig Hignett's replacement soon


Boro could appoint a new assistant head coach sooner rather than later.


Aitor Karanka has refused to rule out potentially naming Craig Hignett’s successor before Christmas.


The Boro boss was asked if it was possible a new assistant could be in place in the next week or so and he answered non-committedly, saying: “Could be.”


He then added: “We have to be very sure about the person who is going to come with us, so I prefer to wait one week or two weeks; one month or two months, or however long it takes to find the right person.


“I prefer a person who knows the club, who knows the league, who knows the chairman.”



Saltburn man will be missing Christmas to help with the Ebola crisis


An ex-serviceman will be missing Christmas this year so that he can help with the Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone.


Saltburn man Mark Cussons will be spending the festive season in Sierra Leone working as a medic to help bring relief to the area, which has been ravaged by the outbreak of the deadly disease.


Asked why he was prepared to give up his Christmas, trained medic Mark, 46, said: “We’re due to leave at around December 17.


“It’s that thing that’s in every human being to help. As a medic, you try to do whatever you can to help people.”


The dad-of-two will be leaving behind his wife of 21 years, Claire, 42, their daughter Hayley, 20, and son Ewan, 16.


“I’m going to be missing them at Christmas,” said Mark. “It’s a very important time for family life but my wife is very, very understanding.


“She’s my rock - she’s fantastic.


“I’ll be keeping very much in touch with them and I’ll be keeping an eye on the Boro.”


Mark’s usual work is as an army reserve recruiter in Norton. He trained as a medic after leaving the army.


He said: “It’s nothing new to the family to have me away at Christmas, I was a soldier for 25 years.


“But this will actually be the first time I’ll be practising as a medic - you’ve got to start somewhere.


“I trained to be a medic after I left the army. I closed one chapter and opened up another. I never thought that I’d end up rejoining the army reserves.”


Mark will be working at a treatment unit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.


He said: “We’ll be looking after British soldiers and people who are out there doing NHS work.


“I’m not really concerned about the danger. In the military we’re trained to the highest standards. If you follow your drills, there’s little chance of being infected.


“I have a lot of trust in the procedures and the people I’ll be working with.”



US Senate approves sanctions bill on Venezuelan officials



The US Senate has approved a bill that would freeze the assets of Venezuelan officials accused of human rights violations, barring them from entry to the United States.



The US Senate unanimously passed the measure on Monday, which will now head to the House of Representatives for a debate.


The bill targets Venezuelan officials accused of directing or aiding human rights abuses, including arrests or prosecutions of anti-government protesters.


In February, the Venezuelan government arrested thousands of people who took part in protests that broke out across the country.


The White House has offered approval for the bill making its way through Congress. US President Barack Obama must sign the bill for it to become law.


A senior National Security Council official confirmed last month that Washington would not oppose new sanctions against Venezuela.


In August, the US imposed travel bans on 24 Venezuelan officials over allegations of human rights violations during anti-government protests that left 43 people dead earlier this year.


Caracas and Washington remain at odds since the late Hugo Chavez became president in 1999. Both sides have refused to exchange ambassadors since 2010.


GMA/MHB/AS



US-led drone attack kills 5 Afghan students


This file photo shows American drones in Afghanistan.



A US-led drone attack has killed five Afghan students in the country’s northern province of Parwan.



Authorities say the strike, which hit the Siahgard town on Wednesday, was meant to target Taliban militants, but killed the students instead.


Locals say the students were preparing for their yearly exams in a garden at the time.


The incident is the latest in the US-led drone attacks in Afghanistan that have claimed many civilian lives so far.


The US carries out targeted killings through drone strikes in several Muslim nations such as Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Somalia.


Washington claims the targets of the drone attacks are militants, but local officials and witnesses maintain that civilians have been the main victims of the attacks over the past few years.


The United Nations and several human rights organizations have identified the US as the world’s number one user of “targeted killings,” largely due to its drone attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan.


DB/NN/KA



Teesside's schoolchildren have only 50% chance of getting a good secondary education, say Ofsted


Children on Teesside have just a 50/50 chance of a getting a good secondary school education, according to a critical new Ofsted report.


But education chiefs say they are working to try and close what is - in two Teesside boroughs - a widening gap in the quality of education between primary and secondary schools.


Figures released in Ofsted’s annual report this week reveal more than half of local secondary school pupils are being taught at a school not yet classed as “good” or better.


While primary schools are continuing to improve, standards have fallen in Stockton and Redcar and Cleveland secondary schools.


Just 46% of Stockton secondary pupils are taught at a good or outstanding school, a fall of 16% on last year.


In Redcar and Cleveland the number was down by 8% to 52%.


Middlesbrough, at 48%, was the only authority to improve, up by 6%.


However the primary schools continued to excel.


In Stockton nine out of 10 youngsters (91%) are taught at a good or outstanding school, up 7%. Middlesbrough rose by 1% to 81% and Redcar and Cleveland was unchanged also at 81%.


Nick Hudson, Ofsted director for the North-east, said poor performing secondary schools in the region “must do better”.


“The biggest challenge we face is the poor performance of the area’s secondary schools,” he said.


“Too many young children have a good or better education at their primary school, only to then attend a school that must improve.


“Looking ahead to next year, Ofsted inspectors will be working with schools and councils to raise the proportion of good and outstanding schools, and help raise the prospects of those pupils from poorer backgrounds.”


Stockton Council’s Cabinet member for children and young people, Councillor Ann McCoy, said: “We are working closely with schools across the borough towards our goal of every child having the opportunity to attend a good or outstanding school.


“Schools across Stockton Borough and the council are completely committed to improving attainment for all children and a great deal of work is already under way.


“To help with this the local authority is coordinating tailored intervention and support packages to ensure there is rapid improvement in schools demonstrating underperformance.


“ Significant progress is being made across our secondary schools and we have already seen huge improvements in our primary schools and colleges.”


Cllr McCoy added: “It is also important to understand that the Ofsted measure is not always helpful as it is a summary of judgements over time and in many instances does not reflect the improvements that schools have already made.”


In Redcar and Cleveland Councillor Joan Guy, Cabinet member for children’s services and education, said: “As an authority we recognise that there is a marked contrast between the performance of our primary and secondary schools.


“We believe that all children in Redcar and Cleveland should go to a school that is judged to be good or better by Ofsted.


“To that end we are working with all schools and academies through our new Framework for School Improvement, we have introduced a programme to challenge and support schools whilst learning from the outstanding practice of some schools in the borough.”


Councillor Jan Brunton, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive member for education and skills, said: “We share Ofsted’s ambition for all of our children to attend a school judged good or better. We are working with all schools in to ensure that they provide excellent teaching and learning and high quality leadership, which are the key factors that determine if a school is good.


“The Middlesbrough School Effectiveness Strategy provides the framework for the Local Authority to identify areas for improvement with each school and agree their improvement plan.


“This process is well underway and we are confident that it will result in improved outcomes for children and young people in Middlesbrough.”


Tristram Hunt, Labour’s shadow education secretary was visiting Rye Hills secondary school in Redcar yesterday with Anna Turley Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Redcar, and said secondary schools could learn important lessons from primary schools.


“What we have learnt from the Ofsted report is that simply converting schools to academies doesn’t solve the problem,” he said.


The way to reduce the divide between primary and secondary education is by “focusing on quality of teaching”. “The quality of teaching at primary is really delivering exciting results,” Mr Hunt told the Gazette. “We need that same focus on progressional development and quality and strength of leadership in the secondaries.”


Rye Hills is one of the Redcar schools which Ofsted say “requires improvement”.



Militants rock US airbase in southern Yemen


People carry the victims of an attack on a military base in Yemen’s southeast, December 9, 2014.



Reports say a powerful explosion has rocked a military airbase in southern Yemen that hosts US forces and is an operation center for the American drone raids in the Arab country.



Witnesses said mortar fire hit the Al-Anad base in Lahij Province early Thursday. The base is mainly occupied by forces from the United States and Europe.


Al-Qaeda-linked militants have claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was in retaliation for a recent US rescue operation against one of their hideouts.


The failed US mission, which was carried out on Saturday, was meant to rescue an American photojournalist and a South African teacher held by the militants; the two were, however, killed by their captors.


The Anad base is a strategic logistic station for the US military in southern Yemen, where American forces conduct their drone strikes from.


Yemen has seen numerous cases of US drone attacks across its territory. Many civilians in rural areas have been killed in what the US says is an operation to root out al-Qaeda in the Arab country.


MS/HJL/KA



Israel forces shoot Palestinian teen in head



Israeli troops have shot and wounded a 14-year-old Palestinian boy in the head during a clash in the occupied West Bank.




The incident took place during a clash at the Jelazoun refugee camp on Wednesday.


A medical source said the victim was taken to hospital in the nearby city of Ramallah in “very serious” condition.


An Israeli military spokesman said troops at Jelazoun were confronted by “50 Palestinians…. They hurled rocks and rolled burning tires at the force.”


The clash erupted in response to Israeli forces’ killing of a senior Palestinian official during a protest near Ramallah.


According to Palestinian security sources on Wednesday, Ziad Abu Ein, who was in charge of the issue of Israeli settlements within the Palestinian territories, died after Israeli soldiers hit him with the butts of their weapons and their helmets during the demonstration in the village of Turmus Ayya.


Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian national unity government, has condemned “the brutal assault that led to the martyrdom” of Abu Ein, calling it a “barbaric act that cannot be tolerated or accepted.”


HN/HSN/SS



Snow update: Be aware of 'hazardous driving conditions' say Met Office


As snow falls across Teesside drivers have been warned of potentially hazardous driving conditions.


We reported earlier that our area has finally seen its first snow fall.


This follows three warnings from the Met Office about extreme weather conditions.


Now experts from the agency say that drivers should use extra caution.


The updated forecast says: “A weather system will cross to the south of the warning area early on Friday.


“This will bring rain to many areas but snow is likely over some of the higher ground, such as the Pennines.


“Even at lower levels there is a risk that rain may turn to snow before it clears eastwards - but this not happening everywhere.


“The snow could be heavy on hills, giving 5cm or so, but on lower ground temporary accumulations of up to 2cm seem more likely.


“Following clearance at the end of the night, there is an increasing risk of ice forming on untreated surfaces.”


It adds: “The public should be aware of the potential for hazardous driving conditions.


“This is a further update to the warning first issued on Tuesday, edging the risk area south again and slightly reducing the expected amounts and impacts.


“This is a complex development and details may yet change.”


The temperature ranges between -1C tomorrow night and 8C on Sunday.



Norton base of Daisy Chain charity damaged in storm


The home of a Stockton charity has been damaged in the storm gales that have battered Teesside this week.


Workman had to be called to the Norton base of the autism charity Daisy Chain to secure part of the old barn that had become unsafe in the winds.


Judith Haysmore, chief executive of the charity, said: “It is only used for storage but we were concerned that bricks which had been working loose would fall.


“A few had fallen to the ground and although no member of the public should have been in that area it was important that we made sure that nobody would get hurt.”


The affected building is part of the old barn, which forms one of the oldest parts of Calf Fallow Farm, the home of the charity.


A team from Midas Cladding Construction Group on Riverside Park in Middlesbrough fenced off the area and removed the parts of the structure that had become unsafe.


“We are very grateful to them for their rapid response to our cry for help,” added Judith.


“They sent a team here in next to no time to carry out the work - and they did it all for free.”



US allies question its human rights record post-CIA report


The US is facing a tough time to defend its human rights record which is being questioned by many countries, including some of its allies, following the release of a damaging report on CIA’s detention and interrogation programmes.


Top US government officials including President Obama have acknowledged having made mistakes with lawmakers conceding that some of the interrogation techniques amount to torture.


Afghan President Ashraf Ghani yesterday said the CIA interrogation techniques were a violation of international laws while countries like China and Iran have slammed the US for its human rights violation.


Putting a brave front, both the White House and the State Department asserted that it stood by its human rights record and would continue to strongly take up the human rights issues of countries across the globe.


“If the US moral authority had been substantially diminished, we would not have had so much success in building a coalition of more than 60 countries, including many Muslim majority countries in the Middle East joining us in the fight against ISIL. So, we’ve made substantial progress,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said when asked if the US had lost its moral authority.


“The president did take these steps in early 2009 to put in place a task force that later in 2009 announced significant reforms to the way that US personnel interrogate and detain individuals that happen to be in the custody of the United States government,” he said.


He said the President was very clear in outlawing unequivocal techniques substantially rebuilt US’ credibility and moral authority around the globe.


“We have evidence that this effect is having an impact on our ability to protect American national security interests around the globe,” Earnest said.


Noting that the US moral authority is one of the most powerful tools in the country’s arsenal for protecting and advancing American interests around the globe, Earnest said the President believes that there is more that we’re going to continue to do.


“I think in all of our conversations with countries around the world we’ll continue to convey that we ended this practice. It was one of the first steps the President made. We’re willing to be open and transparent about our mistakes and make changes. And that’s exactly what we did here,” State Department Spokesperson, Jen Psaki said.


She said if other countries wanted to put out a report on their human rights practices or on their intelligence gathering practices, the US would certainly welcome it.


“We haven’t seen that from anywhere in the world,” she said.



Aitor Karanka not sure where he will sit for Boro clash against 'best team in the league' Derby County


Aitor Karanka admits he doesn't know yet where in the Riverside he'll watch Saturday's game against Derby County.


The Boro boss was handed a one-match touchline ban yesterday by the FA, who charged him with improper conduct.


Karanka was sent off by referee Mark Clattenburg in the closing stages of the club's last home fixture against Blackburn Rovers after reacting angrily when the visitors' controversial late equaliser was allowed to stand.


The Boro boss, who travelled to Wembley Stadium to attend a personal hearing with an FA panel yesterday, admits he made a mistake but expects his players to continue the form which saw them thrash Millwall 5-1 last weekend.


“It's frustrating for me but it is just one game,” he said.


“I felt one second after I had been sent off that I had made a mistake.


“I hope that the players will continue to play in the way they have been and the most important thing is the team and winning the next game.”


Asked where he would sit during the game, Karanka admitted he had yet to settle on a location.


“I don't know,” he answered. “I have to speak with the club because I don't know the stadium 100% and I have to speak with our people.”


Saturday's top of the table clash with Derby kicks-off at 12.15pm and fourth-placed Boro will go top, for a few hours at least, if they beat leaders Derby.


Karanka, however, expects a hard encounter and is taking nothing for granted.


The next game is going to be very difficult because Derby are the best team in the league,” he said.


“They were last season very close to getting promotion so they are tough opponents.


“They were very close to promotion last season and they have kept working the same way with the same manager. They have some better players and they are improving every single day.


“So last season they were good and this season they are better. But we have to think about ourselves because when we play in the way we know we can we can beat anyone.”


Jonathan Woodgate could be named in Karanka's matchday squad after training with the first team this week.


Rhys Williams, who hasn't played since January as a result of a serious Achilles injury, has also returned to full training but won't be involved this weekend.


Getting such influential players back into the squad would be like making two signings, said Karanka.


“This week Rhys Williams and Woody have been training with us,” he confirmed. “It is good because they are important players and in December they could be like our signings.”


Ben Gibson is a doubt after cutting his head in an accidental training ground collision.


He trained today but faces a fitness test tomorrow.



The £1 house: Take a look inside the four-bedroom home in Liverpool that cost just only a pound


What can a quid buy you these days? Two packets of crisp? A cheese burger from McDonald's? How about a four-bedroom house?


For less than the price of two first-class stamps, Jayalal Madde bought the property that also boasts three living rooms, a cellar and two bathrooms – and it's less than 10 minutes from a string of posh shops including Hugo Boss, Harvey Nics, John Lewis and Vivienne Westwood.


The double-fronted terrace was one of a string of houses put up for sale for a quid in Toxteth, Liverpool, a year ago.


And after spending £30,000 on renovating the Cairns Street home, taxi driver Jayalal, 49, is now preparing to move into his plush pad in time for Christmas.


The dad of two told the Liverpool Echo: "I love the house because it's a big, double-fronted terrace. I’m trying to move in before Christmas.


"There's work still to do but I hope it won't take long. This whole area is being done up and when it's finished this will be a brand-new, regenerated community."


He will share the refurbished house with his wife and two daughters, aged 11 and 13, who currently live with him in nearby Bentley Road.


Liverpool council sold 20 derelict properties in the area for £1 to first-time buyers who promised to live in them for at least five years.


Jayalal's house is just 1.9 miles – a six-minute drive – from Liverpool One – a £920million shopping centre in the heart of the city that boasts a 14-screen cinema, a Hilton hotel and a string of designer fashion stores.


The average UK house price as of November 2014 was £189,388 – up by 8.5% year on year.



DJ friend of Jimmy Savile, Ray Teret, jailed for 25 years over sex offences


A DJ friend of Jimmy Savile has been branded a "monster" after being jailed for 25 years for a string of historical sex offences in Manchester.


Ex-Radio Caroline presenter Ray Teret, 73, used his celebrity status in the Manchester club scene in the 1960s and 1970s to prey on his under-age victims who were between 13 and 15.


Teret - known as Ugly Ray - was mentored by Savile in the early days of his career and was described as following him around "like a shadow", his trial heard.


Sentencing him at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, Mr Justice Baker said: "It is clear that you exploited your celebrity status to sexually abuse young girls when they were between 13 and 15 years of age.


"Those who were raped had little or no understanding what was happening to them and felt they could do little to prevent the abuse taking place."


He said Teret's "well-judged cynicism" that his victims would not come forward was matched by his belief that the jury would not believe their accounts.


The public gallery, which contained a number of complainants in the case, erupted into applause when the sentence was passed.


One woman shouted "Yes" and another said "Monster" as he was led to the cells. Teret shook his head in the dock after the judge completed his remarks.


Last week a jury found him guilty of seven rapes and 11 indecent assaults which took place between 1963 and 1979. He was cleared of various sexual offences in relation to six other complainants.


In the wake of the trial, Greater Manchester Police confirmed they are investigating fresh sex allegations against Teret made by four other women.


Detective Chief Inspector Graham Brock Teret "cast a dark shadow" over his victims' lives, adding: "I know from speaking to them personally how devastating the effects of his abuse have been. They have courageously relived their ordeal at court and should be applauded for having the bravery to speak out and bring this man to justice for his appalling crimes.


"Since his trial began, we have received four new complaints about Teret and our officers will now be investigating these fresh allegations. For obvious reasons I cannot go into great detail about those complaints."


The judge said Teret's abuse had led to some victims committing self-harm, some sought solace in alcohol, others needed psychiatric and medical treatment, while many had difficulties in forming relationships with partners and their own children.


He said the "catalyst" of the case was the media publicity that followed the death of Savile as complainants started coming forward against the defendant.


Common themes in Teret's offending was the selection of young girls who were both "physically and emotionally immature", his initial approach to them to make them feel special and his "audacity towards some of them that they should feel grateful they had lost their virginity to you rather than anyone else", said Mr Justice Baker.


Six of his victims were raped while five were "so awed" by Teret's celebrity status that they consented to having sex with him, the court was told.


Teret, of Woodlands Road, Altrincham, who denied all the charges, told the jury he had no interest in under-age teenage girls, despite a previous conviction for sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl in 1999 - which he says was a miscarriage of justice.


The judge said after reading the papers in that case he was "satisfied" that Teret was guilty of that offence.


Opening the case, prosecutor Tim Evans said: "The Crown say that young teenage girls, far from doing nothing for him, were consistently pursued by him through the '60s and '70s."


Many of the victims were starstruck with DJs who were treated like "royalty" in that era, said Mr Evans.


Giving evidence, Teret told the prosecutor that men who pounced on a girl and hoped to get away with it "want shooting" and he had never been in that situation.


Teret was cleared of aiding and abetting Savile to rape a 15-year-old girl in the early 1960s but was found guilty himself of raping the same complainant.


Teret was sentenced to 25 years for seven counts of rape, 18 months for five indecent assaults and 12 months for six indecent assaults, all terms to run concurrently.


The judge said: "Anyone who considers that society was a better place then than now to be a child would do well to reflect upon the evidence that this trial disclosed about that period - when sex education, to the extent that it was taught, was rudimentary and sexual matters in general were little discussed within the home.


"That state of ignorance was one of the main facilitators of your ability to exploit these young girls. None of whom, with the exception of two whose vulnerability was enhanced by having previously been sexually abused by others, had any prior sexual experience.


"In the main you did not have to use force to abuse these girls, as the combination of their naivety and your celebrity was such that they willingly came with you to the various locations where you abused them.


"Thereafter their wholly unwarranted feelings of guilt and shame prevented them in the main from disclosing what you had done to them, either to their parents or the authorities.


"The immediate effect of your abuse of these girls ranged from feelings of disgust and degradation, so that they never wanted to have anything more to do with you, through to their being so corrupted that they became promiscuous both with yourself and others.


"To use the modern idiom you 'groomed' your victims, some of whom were plied with alcohol and allowed to smoke cigarettes, whilst others were impressed with the accoutrements of your relative wealth and fashion, as a beguiling contrast to the strictness and austerity of their own homes."


The public gallery balcony was packed, with one woman weeping throughout the sentencing.



Saltburn Bank car crash: Woman and a baby 'wait almost two hours for ambulance'


Witnesses said a woman and a baby waited almost two hours for an ambulance to arrive after being involved in a car crash that saw fire crews cut the woman out of the car.


At 9.40am today two vehicles were involved in a collision at the bottom of Saltburn Bank.


According to witnesses, fire crews and a first response ambulance arrived at the scene but there was no sign of an ambulance to transport casualties to hospital for almost two hours after emergency services first received the call.


Due to snow fall, fire crews were forced to wait for the arrival of a RAF Sea King helicopter before they could begin to cut a 60-year-old woman out of her car.


The woman was complaining of severe back and neck pain and, according to witnesses, lost consciousness at one point.


An 18-month-old baby was safely removed from his vehicles and was unharmed in the accident.


The Sea King helicopter landed at the bottom of Saltburn Bank at about 11.42am before taking off and landing at James Cook University Hospital at about 11.50am.



Billingham-based project aiming to feed and clothe homeless over Christmas


Christmas spirit is taking over Teesside this year as groups of volunteers plan to feed and clothe the homeless and others in need over the festive season.


Friends Faye Forbes Spencer and Zoe Lonsdale, both of Billingham, have set up a 12 Days of Christmas project for the Billingham and Stockton areas, and have already had offers of help from dozens of kindhearted people as well as bags full of donated clothes, tinned food and toiletries.


The Gazette reported earlier how a similar project is taking place in Middlesbrough, being run by Jamie-Leigh Scott, 27, and three friends.


Mum-of-four Faye decided to set up the Billingham-based project after reading a message on Facebook suggesting it.


Faye, 28, who is mum to Molly, 11, Ellie, nine, Sophie, seven, and five-year-old Madison, said: “The initial idea was to go out on to the streets with hot food for the homeless, but we realised they can often be hard to find as they tend to hide. We approached some shelters, including Prefer Homes and the Moses Project, so now we’re working with them.


“We’ve asked what they’re in need of for donations, and we’ve got kitchens to cook in over of the 12 nights in the run- up to Christmas, from the 12th to the 24th.


“The shelters are helping to get the word out to homeless people to let them know we’re going to be there, so we’re not sure how many people will turn up.


“We’ll just have to take the first night as it comes and learn from it for the next.


“We’re not just giving out food though; we’re also there to meet people and have a chat with them.


“I didn’t want to be just one of those who drops off donations on the doorstep, it’s also about interaction.”


Faye, who’s married to Lee, 31, said she and Zoe, a single mum to Faith, two, have already had to sort out dozens of black bags full of kind donations, and were grateful for every single item.


She added: “I didn’t expect it to get this big. People have been absolutely fantastic. We’ve had plenty of coats, hats, scarves.


“The things we’re lacking in now are shoes and duvets or sleeping bags.


“Loads of people have been brilliant, and I can’t name them all, but one lady used to own a warehouse, and she donated what she had left over, loads of toiletries, which I’ve been able to use to make little washbags we can give away. I’m so grateful to everyone who’s offered help. It’s been hard work sorting it all, and Zoe and I have put as much of our own money into it as we can, but if we can make just one person’s Christmas better, then it’s worth it.”


Faye said the group has also had offers of help from Billingham’s Asda and Iceland.


Anyone wanting to get involved can friend request Faye Forbes Spencer on Facebook and ask to be added to the 12 Days of Christmas group.


A meeting is also being held in The King’s Arms, Billingham, tonight from 7pm, which people can attend for more information.



RSS secret agenda unmasked; pracharak claimed 40K conversion last year


Rajeshwar Singh, the RSS regional pracharak of western UP, in a letter to probable donors, has claimed that, nearly 2,000 were Muslims were converted to Hinduism during last year alone, out of 40,000 people approximately.


Rajeshwar Singh, regional chief of Dharma Jagaran Samiti, Western UP, based in Madhav Bhavan, Jaipur House, Agra, sent the copy of the letter which makes this claim.


“Last year there were paravartan (homecoming) programmes in 20 districts, in which 40,000 people returned to the fold of Hinduism, and out of them, there were 2,000 Muslims. In 2014, our target is higher. We have to hold more than 50 such events and bring nearly one lakh Christians and Muslims to our fold”, writes Rajeshwar Singh.


“As you know, much money is spent on such programmes, and we have to collect money from (Hindu) samaj, and the samaj willingly donates. Now, since more people will do the homecoming at more places, more money will be needed for such programmes…..I would therefore request you to contribute to these programmes.


“We expect you to foot the bill for at least one such event and contribute towards the upkeep of one full-time worker.


“It costs Rs 2 lakhs annually to support one worker who works on Christians and Rs 5 lakhs annually to support one worker who works on Muslims. We need such donations in the least”, writes Singh.


The Dharma Jagaram Samiti, Western UP, names Dr Manveer Singh as district convenor for Aligarh, Ajay Jalesaria and Abhiram Goel as co-convenors, Kashinath Bansal as Treasurer and Brajesh Kantak as metropolitan convenor



Nativity 2014: Preston Primary School, Eaglescliffe

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This was the scene at Preston Primary School, Eaglescliffe, as the school held its nativity.


Pupils took part in the school's nativity recently and you can see pictures from the occasion in the galley above.


The Gazette's photographers will be taking pictures at nativities at schools across Middlesbrough, Stockton and Redcar and Cleveland in the build-up to Christmas.


You can see all the pictures we have taken so far - as well as last year's pictures - by clicking here .



Nativity 2014: Christ The King, Thornaby

VIEW GALLERY

This was the scene at Christ The King, Thornaby, as the school held its nativity.


Pupils took part in the school's nativity recently and you can see pictures from the occasion in the galley above.


The Gazette's photographers will be taking pictures at nativities at schools across Middlesbrough, Stockton and Redcar and Cleveland in the build-up to Christmas.


You can see all the pictures we have taken so far - as well as last year's pictures - by clicking here .



Nativity 2014: Bankfields Primary School, Middlesbrough

VIEW GALLERY

This was the scene at Bankfields Primary School in Middlesbrough, as the school held its nativity.


Pupils took part in the school's nativity recently and you can see pictures from the occasion in the galley above.


The Gazette's photographers will be taking pictures at nativities at schools across Middlesbrough, Stockton and Redcar and Cleveland in the build-up to Christmas.


You can see all the pictures we have taken so far - as well as last year's pictures - by clicking here.



Redcar UKIP official warned by party officials after 'unpleasant and unpalatable' Stephen Lawrence comments


A Teesside official for the UK Independence Party has been warned after she made “unpleasant and unpalatable” comments about murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence.


UKIP’s Redcar branch secretary Pamela Preedy was warned by party officials she could have lost her party membership after she made remarks on an internal online party forum last year around the time of the 20th anniversary of the death of Mr Lawrence.


In comments attributed to Ms Preedy, she said the image of Mr Lawrence, who was murdered in a racist attack while waiting for a bus in London on April 22 1993, had been “promoted to sainthood.”


She was reported in a national newspaper to have written: “‘The image of Stephen Lawrence has been promoted to sainthood, with his own memorial site, constant invocation of his name in any discussion of racism; even to close down a discussion about immigration when the issue bore no relevance to his murder.”


The comments went on to say that Prime Minster David Cameron “and other politicos” had been “worshipping at the shrine of Saint Stephen.”


She added: “I’m sure his mother (Doreen Lawrence) still grieves for him, but it’s time she did it privately without setting him up as some kind of media icon.


“She risks... boring us all to tears.”


Ms Preedy told The Gazette in January this year that the comments had been taken from a private forum and used out of context, but declined to comment further.


However the party’s regiona chairman Richard Elvin condemned the comments and said: “An internal inquiry is taking place at the moment which we hope will have a speedy conclusion.


“The ultimate sanction would be for the person to have their membership revoked.”


However, a UKIP spokesman said: “Pamela Preedy’s comments were unpleasant and unpalatable.


“The NEC considered this matter at the time, and ensured that Pamela Preedy was warned as to her future conduct in this regard.


“The matter was considered closed many months ago.”



Pizza kitchen, ice cream parlour and a 'cake-away': Check out pub's revamp


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Build your own burger, treat yourself at the ice cream parlour and round it all off with goodies from a ‘cake-away’...


This is the Lingfield Farm in Coulby Newham - but not as you'd know it.


The pub and restaurant has now reopened after a radical makeover to become one of the first 'Generous George' venues in the UK.


Now featured at the Lingfield is a brand new pizza kitchen, an ice-cream parlour and a ‘cake-away’ which offers a puddings-to-go option where your sweet treat can be boxed up to enjoy at home.


The bar has been revamped.


There are now booths with interactive screens in the family area, screens displaying daily specials and new large wall-mounted televisions for sports.


The site closed for refurbishment late October and has opened its doors in time for Christmas.


Manager Collette Gore said: “We have a completely new menu and we’re confident that this, combined with our fresh new look, will offer something for everyone.


“We’re excited about the coming months – particularly with Christmas around the corner.”


The pub is open from 9am - starting with breakfast.


Menu highlights include pub ‘classics’ such as giant sausage and mash and golden breaded scampi.


Pizzas include ‘The Inferno’ with pepperoni, red onion, fiery jalapeños, red chillies and hot yellow habanero sauce and ‘The Butcher’s Block’ with pepperoni, Wiltshire ham, mini-meatballs and chicken breast.


There are also pies, curry, pastas, salads, chicken and a grill.


Drinks include cocktails - such as Long Cosmopolitan and Woo Woo - and a range of cask ales.


A ‘1-2-3 lunch deal’ offers one course for £5.49, two courses for £7.49 and three courses for £9.49.


Generous George is a concept by Marston’s, the public house operator which owns the Lingfield.


It has more than 2,000 pubs across the country and Coulby’s Generous George is currently only one of four in the UK.


More information is available here.


If you sign up to the newsletter here you can currently qualify for a free drink.


The offer dependent on stock levels and it can be withdrawn at any time.



Dara Ó Briain confirms extra Middlesbrough Town Hall date for Crowd Tickler show


Top TV comic Dara Ó Briain has confirmed an extra date at Middlesbrough Town Hall.


Comedy fans have been snapping up tickets for Dara’s new show, Crowd Tickler, at Middlesbrough on Wednesday, April 15, so quickly that promoters moved fast to bag an extra date on Tuesday, April 14.


Tickets for the extra date are now on sale at Middlesbrough Town Hall box office, and mark a hugely welcome Town Hall return for one of the most recognisable faces on British TV.


Dara has hosted BBC2’s Mock The Week since 2005, is a regular guest on Have I Got News For You and QI, and is an integral member of Three Men In A Boat alongside Griff Rhys Jones and Rory McGrath.


He has also appeared as both a guest and host on Live at the Apollo, and presented Stargazing Live, School of Hard Sums, and BBC2’s The Apprentice: You’re Fired.


The extra date adds to a growingly impressive Town Hall comedy line-up for 2015. Also appearing on Teesside next year will be Jimmy Carr on March 28, Alan Carr on April 19 and July 30, Katherine Ryan on May 16, Patrick Monahan on June 19, Kevin Bridges on July 16, and Dave Gorman on November 21.


Graham Ramsay, of promoters Ten Feet Tall, who work alongside the Town Hall to deliver the venue’s comedy programme, said: “I was absolutely buzzing when the first date came in, so this extra date is a fantastic early Christmas present as far as I’m concerned.


“It’s a good few years since we saw Dara round these parts, so it’s great to see him back in Boro, and the second date is just the icing on the cake.


“I’d deffo recommend people buy early for this one - can’t think of too many better things to find in anyone’s Christmas stocking than a ticket to see this fella.”


Crowd Tickler starts at 8pm on both dates, suitable for ages 16+. Tickets are £23, on sale at Middlesbrough Town Hall Box Office on 01642 729729 or online at http://ift.tt/1edwSZT .



Peter Beagrie: 'Boro are unrecognisable from the boring side under Gordon Strachan'


Former Boro winger and now Sky Sports pundit Peter Beagrie believes Aitor Karanka has galvanised the club and built a talented promotion-chasing squad.


Boro-born Beagrie made 33 appearances for his hometown club between 1983 and 1986 and has kept a close eye on the team's fortunes in recent years.


Ahead of Saturday’s televised showdown with league leaders Derby, Beagrie has had his say on Karanka - and believes the club has made great strides since the dark days under Gordon Strachan.


“My thoughts on our beloved Boro remain as they were at the start of the season,” he told Sky Sports.


“I was as excited about their promotion chances as I have been for years, considering the finish to last season and the manager’s quick grasp of what is needed in the Championship followed by a summer of quality acquisitions.


“Boro are unrecognisable from the boring, one-paced predictable side under Gordon Strachan.


“Now we see a quick, expansive, technically-gifted squad with so many attacking options and a defence bolstered by quality, athletic loanees Ryan Fredericks and Kenneth Omeruo.”


Gordon Strachan


Beagrie also heaped praise on Karanka, who has transformed Boro during his 13 months on Teesside from mid-table hopefuls to genuine promotion contenders.


But with the Spaniard banned from the dugout for the Rams’ visit, Beagrie believes Saturday’s showdown will be a good barometer to see how far Boro have come.


“Karanka came with a very good pedigree, working with top managers and coaches and with the Spanish national team”, Beagrie said.


“He also came with a no-nonsense approach, saying it like it is, even in his broken English.


“His concise, astute and refreshingly honest post-match assessment of wins, draws or losses, told me we were dealing with a clever, mentally strong individual who knows the game.


“Then he recruits and produces the strongest and most exciting squad seen at Boro since the European years.


“Before the first international break of the season Aitor saw his side lose 1-0 to Reading at home and bemoaned the side’s lack of consistency.


© CameraSport


Middlesbrough players celebrate their third goal

“He told everyone how much he was looking forward to working for two weeks on the training ground with his players and also on trying to bring in players to improve the team and squad.


“He was as good as his word. Jelle Vossen and Fredericks arrived on Teesside, heightening the excitement and underlining Karanka’s liking for gifted, athletic individuals.


“Boro then embarked on an impressive run that saw them only lose once in 15 league games and frighten the life out of Liverpool at Anfield, just losing out on penalties.


“They are the real deal and although it’s not a must-win game against Derby this Saturday, I will be there using it as a barometer to see how they fare against the division’s favourites.”



Palestinian minister killed by Israel, strangled to death infront of protestors


Image from today, when an Israeli border guard grabed Palestinian official Ziad Abu Ein (L) during the demonstration in the village of Turmus Aya near Ramallah


Ziad Abu Ein, head of the Anti-Wall and Settlement Commission, died today after suffocating on tear gas and being beaten during the Israel army’s dispersal of a protest in the West Bank, an Anadolu Agency correspondent and a Palestinian medical source reported.


The Anadolu correspondent reported that “Abu Ein lost consciousness during a physical clash with the Israeli army forces while they dispersed a protest against settlements and the Separation Wall organised today by popular Palestinian resistance committees in the village of Turmusiya, north of Ramallah.”


He added: “During the dispersal of the protestors, the Israeli army fired tear gas canisters, resulting in the suffocation of dozens, including Abu Ein.” The activist was transported to the Palestinian Medical Complex in Ramallah for treatment.


Director of the Palestinian Medical Complex, Ahmed Bitawi told Anadolu: “Abu Ein died as a result of suffocation due to inhalation of tear gas.” He added that he reached the medical complex in critical condition and was admitted to intensive care before dying.


Activist Abdullah Abu Rahmeh told Anadolu that “we will continue all forms of action to confront settlement expansion”.


No comment was immediately available from the Israeli side.


In addition to his position as Head of the Anti-wall and Settlement Commission, Abu Ein is also a Palestinian Authority minister and a member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council.


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Ennsub's showcase for top oil and gas delegation


Subsea manufacturer Ennsub celebrated the culmination of two years work with a live demonstration of its products in front of oil and gas industry seniors.


The Wynyard Business Park-based firm brought a delegation of 20 customers to Dyer Engineering’s Durham premises to showcase their workclass remotely operated vehicle deployment system – which is soon to be installed on pipe laying vessel the CEONA Amazon.


Ennsub directors chartered a flight from Aberdeen, where the firm operates a base, to bring a party of top customers to the North-east.


They were given a working demonstration of Ennsub’s deployment systems which are used in the launch of multi-million pound deep sea exploration equipment from ships.


The system includes electric winching and umbilical handling for operators of WROVs in the offshore oil and gas industry.


General manager Scott Macknocher said the event represented Ennsub’s growing presence in the offshore engineering market.


He said: “The equipment we’ve shown today is what you might call “ultra high-end”. The technology behind this system will now form the core of our other products.


“The fact that we have this level of technology after two years of trading is impressive.


“We thought it was important to show customers first hand what we have developed. They used to be able to ‘kick the tyres’ with projects like this, but that has become less common.”


Formed by a group of directors with strong subsea manufacturing pedigrees – including Tekmar’s Paul Lavelle and Gordon Conlon – Ennsub has targeted a niche in the market for deployment systems for high-tech deepsea WROVs, built by the likes of North-east neighbours SMD.


Employing 12 staff across its Teesside and Aberdeen operations, Ennsub was established to exploit a demand created where the subsea industry had not kept pace.


Mr Machnocher explained: “In the last 10 years the industry has really got its act together, and depending on order pipeline, customers can now get WROVs in a matter of months. However, they were being held up by lack of deployment systems in order to use them – which is where we saw the opportunity.”


Recently Ennsub secured a £2m contract to supply US firm Benthic with a launch and recovery system for its offshore exploration and surveying equipment.


The work will be carried out at Ennsub’s Teesside base, ready for commissioning in the second quarter of 2015.


Mr Machnocher explained that while a slowdown in the offshore engineering industry had been exacerbated by the recent fall of oil prices, Ennsub expected to double its workforce in the next three years.



It's snowing! First fall across Teesside as THIRD weather alert issued


Do you want to build a snowman?!


If so, you could be in luck.


Twitter users from across Teesside say that they’ve spotted the first fall of snow in our area - and it could be the first of many if predictions prove correct.


We were the first in Teesside to report yesterday that we are set to be besieged by extreme weather thanks to gales, snow and ice.


Up to 10cm of snow is predicted on higher ground.


The Met Office has two severe weather warnings in place for the region - the snow alert is for tomorrow and adds to another alert for gales of up to 70mph, with gusts already hitting the area.


And now a third alert has been issued. This is a cold weather alert which is given in conjunction with Public Health England to warn that the vulnerable - including the young, elderly and those with chronic illnesses - need extra protection in the cold.


Further information on how to keep warm is available here.


National media has dubbed the coming together of extreme conditions as a ‘weather bomb.’


The Met Office issues warnings when ‘severe or hazardous weather has the potential to cause danger to life or widespread disruption’.


A forecast says of tomorrow’s alert: “A weather system will cross to the south of this region early on Friday.


“This will bring rain to many areas but snow is likely over some of the higher ground, such as the Pennines and Southern Uplands, and rain may turn to snow at lower levels before it clears eastwards.


“The snow may be heavy in places, possibly giving 2cm to 5cm at low levels and maybe 10cm or more above around 200m.


“Following clearance, there is also the risk of widespread ice on untreated surfaces in time for the morning rush hour.


“The public should be aware of the potential of disruption to travel and also of hazardous driving conditions.


“This is an update to the warning issued on Tuesday to move the risk of snow away from the central belt of Scotland and into northern England.


“This is a complex development and details may yet change.”


Temperatures are said to reach a maximum of 7C on Sunday and -1C tomorrow.



Tees Valley Mohawks back to full strength for final match of 2014


Tees Valley Mohawks will have a full squad to choose from for the first time in three weeks as they head into their last match before the winter break.


And Steve Butler, the Middlesbrough-based side’s head coach, is hoping his back-to-strength team will give him an early Christmas present.


It’s been a difficult first half of the season for the Mohawks but although they go into tomorrow’s EBL National League Division One clash against Manchester Magic (5pm tip-off)struggling near the foot of the table with a 2-6 record, many of those defeats have been close-run affairs.


Alvaro Pontes (knee) and Lee McLaughlin (foot) have both recovered from injury in time for the match, giving Butler the rare luxury of a full squad at his disposal.


Confidence is high in the visitors’ camp after they booked their place in the National Cup final with a 16-point victory over Division Two team London Lithuanica.


However after a bright start to their league campaign they now sit mid-table with a 4-4 record.


Mohawks are looking to Bryan Hockaday the outstanding form he showed in last weekend’s narrow defeat to Leicester and coach Butler stubbornly refuses to give up hope of turning things around and booking a place in the end-of-season play-offs.


“We have to do a lot better, make better decisions on the court and play controlled sensible basketball,” he warned.


“But we have a great team here and if we can get this win confidence will be high going into 2015 and reaching the play-offs.


“We are due a win. We are playing well but not getting over the finish line.


“It’s very frustrating as I believe in the squad.”


Mohawks are hoping for a bumper crowd at Teesside University’s Olympia Building to cheer them on.


Ticket prices are £4 for adults and £2.50 children or £10 for a family ticket for two adults and two children.


Meanwhile Mohawks II travel to Newcastle- under-Lyme College Knights aiming to make it two wins out of two after a great 66-60 victory over Leeds Allerton Force in Division Three (North) last weekend.


They remain bottom of the table but will be buoyed by their win over Leeds.


Mohawks Under-14s are enjoying a better season than their senior counterparts and currently sit fourth in the North Conference of their National League.


They have high hopes of making it three wins on the bounce when they take on joint-bottom side Leeds Tigers in their final game before the Christmas break.


The game at the Olympia Building tips off at 12.30pm tomorrow and admission is free.



Thornaby landscape gardener's wooden reindeer sculptures prove a Christmas hit


Deery me, these festive fellows are causing quite a storm.


Bright eyed, red nosed, and rather cute - the figures are the handiwork of Phil Dales.


And in the short period they have been on sale this Christmas, more 300 have flown out of the door - heading for homes on Teesside and beyond to bring an extra special touch of festive cheer.


Phil, 30, a joiner and landscape gardener from Thornaby, said: “The response I’m getting is great.


“I am so pleased that people are getting a lot of joy out of them.”


Creative Phil started making his reindeer four years ago, and has since gone on to set up The Wooden Reindeer Company.


“My friend had bought one from a florists and the back legs fell off, so he asked me to fix it,” said Phil.


“After I did, I thought to myself that I could start making them - re-engineering them to my own style and liking.”


And Phil has not looked back since. What started out as a hobby has now turned into a small enterprise.


“My first one took me one hour 40 minutes to make but now I can make one in 15 minutes,” he said.


”At first I was only doing them for friends and family but it has just grown and grown every year.


“This year I thought I would aim to make five or six every weekday and 30 over the weekend.


“But I have actually ended up making about 12 a weekday and 60 over a weekend to keep up with the demand.


“Last year, I made and sold 150. This year I have already sold 300.”


Phil, who works out of Fox’s Farm, on Yarm Back Lane in Stockton, and has a stall at a garden centre in the town, works all hours of the day and night preparing and making the wooden reindeer.


“I started preparing for this in September,” he said. “I have worked through 52 tonnes of timber to get usable material.”


And proud of the fruits of his labour, Phil has set up a Facebook page where people can share pictures of his creations in pride of place in their homes.


“It is great to get people’s pictures and see the reindeer in their homes,” he said. “It is great to see people enjoy them.”


“They do get me into the Christmas spirit,” he added.


The wooden reindeer cost from £25 - a portion of which goes to Teesside Hospice.


For more information, visit The Wooden Reindeer Company on Facebook.



Pupils on Teesside outperforming national average in Key Stage 2 tests


Pupils in parts of Teesside are outperforming the national average when it comes to tests at the end of primary school.


In Redcar and Cleveland, 83% of pupils achieved Level 4 or above on their maths and reading tests and writing teacher assessment at the end of Key Stage 2 (KS2) in Year 6 in 2014.


The national average was 79%, according to figures from the Department for Education.


In Stockton, 80% of pupils made the expected level, while Middlesbrough was just slightly behind on 78%.


That was up from 76% in 2013.


A quarter of pupils in Redcar and Cleveland achieved at least a Level 5 - putting their performance above the average for the age group.


It was 24% in Stockton and 21% in Middlesbrough.


Attainment in primary schools has risen in every subject and disadvantaged pupils continue to close the gap on their peers - figures for primary tests out today show.


The results for more than half a million 11-year-olds (Key Stage 2) show the percentage achieving the expected level (Level 4) in reading, writing and maths has risen by three percentage points to 79% while the proportion achieving the more challenging Level 4b is also up - from 63% to 67%.


Today's figures also show the number of primaries below the floor has remained stable even though schools have been judged on a new tougher threshold.


Schools Minister David Laws said: "I am pleased to see that primaries have responded to the challenge of a higher floor standard - we have raised the bar and schools have raised their game.


"It is also encouraging to see the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers continue to narrow and parents, teachers and pupils deserve to be congratulated for their efforts.


"But we know there is more to do and there are still too many areas with simply unacceptable levels of attainment for disadvantaged pupils.


"We are committed to helping schools do more and have increased the pupil premium they receive per pupil to £1,300 so they have the resources they need."


While attainment has increased overall, disadvantaged pupils continue to close the gap on their peers, with the proportion of disadvantaged pupils achieving the expected level in reading, writing and maths combined has risen six percentage points between 2012 and 2014 - from 61% to 67%.


The attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers has narrowed by two percentage points over the same period.


This year, primary schools where fewer than 65% of pupils achieved at least the expected level (Level 4) in the reading test, the maths test and teacher assessment of writing, and which were below the progress measures in all these subjects, are below the floor standard.


This year, a more challenging floor standard has been introduced - with the proportion of pupils required to reach the expected level rising by 5% (from 60 to 65%).


Despite this higher target, there are 768 schools below the floor - equivalent to six% of state-funded mainstream schools - the same proportion as in 2013.


If primary schools were judged against last year's floor standard only 469 schools would have been below the threshold - a reduction of almost 300 schools.



Man 'very lucky to get out' of flat safely after kitchen blaze


A man was “lucky to get out” of his home safely after a kitchen blaze in a flat.


Cleveland Fire Brigade was called just after 12am today to reports of a fire at a ground floor flat in Burghley Court in Hemlington.


Two fire crews, one from Coulby Newham and one from Thornaby arrived at the scene shortly after receiving a call just after midnight.


When they arrived, the kitchen of the ground floor flat was well alight and gave first aid and oxygen to a man who had escaped from the flat.


The man was taken to James Cook University Hospital by ambulance to be treated for suffered smoke inhalation.


Fire crews used breathing apparatus and one hose reel to battle the flames and eventually extinguished the fire at about 1am.


The kitchen had almost been completely destroyed by fire and the remainder of the flat was smoke damaged.


Thornaby Fire Station crew manager Dave Bradshaw said: “At the moment we believe it was a chip pan fire.


“The resident was alerted by the smoke alarm, he was very lucky to get out.”


More to follow



No one will be prosecuted after CIA torture report, but the man who exposed the CIA is already detained



After Tuesday’s release of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on the CIA’s interrogation tactics, the Department of Justice (DOJ) decided not to re-open their investigation into the agency’s methods.


This means none of those responsible for the acts depicted in the report will face prosecution.


There is one person connected to the report though, who is currently in jail: the man who alerted the world to what the CIA was doing.


In 2007, John Kiriakou, an ex-CIA employee, revealed the existence of the programme in an interview with ABC News.

In that interview, and subsequent ones with other American news outlets, Kiriakou told the world the CIA was waterboarding detainees in order to make them talk.


The DOJ charged Kiriakou in 2012 with disclosing a covert officer’s identity and other classified information to journalists. He plead guilty to one charge in 2013 and was sentenced to 30 months in a federal prison. He had originally been looking at 30 years if found guilty.


So John Kiriakou spent Tuesday, the day the DOJ decided that the new information in the Senate report wasn’t sufficient to re-open their investigation, in his cell in Loretto, Pennsylvania, still the only man prosecuted in connection with the CIA’s treatment of detainees.


Read the Senate Intelligence Committee report here.


Read the DOJ’s press release in the John Kiriakou case.



Israel confiscates 79 acres of Palestinian land west of Ramallah


Israeli forces firing tear gas at Palestinian protestors in a jovial mood


The Israeli army has issued an order to confiscate 79 acres of the Palestinian land west of the city of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.


The order prevents Palestinians from using road number 443 which connects the western region with the city of Ramallah.


According to the order, Israel will seize 79 acres from the villages of Beit Ur Al-Fauqa, Ein Arik, and the town of Beitunia.


The head of the Beit Ur Al-Fauqa village council, Rami Alawi pointed said: “The army’s claim that the order was issued for security reasons is completely untrue. The order will steal Palestinian land planted with tens of thousands of olive trees.”


He said the decision is vague and ambiguous, and would lead to completing the chain of illegal colonies surrounding the village along with the military base in the area and prohibits village residents from using road 443 or even approaching it.


Highway 443 connects Tel Aviv with Jerusalem. The street has led to the confiscation of thousands of acres of Palestinian lands in the villages west of Ramallah.


Israel prevented the Palestinians from using the road after the Second Intifada and established an alternative road in defiance of the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision which allowed Palestinians to use the road



Girls aged 13 and 14 charged with murder of Angela Wrightson in Hartlepool


Two teenage girls have been charged with the murder of a woman in Hartlepool.


The two girls, aged 13 and 14, remain in police custody charged with the death of 39-year-old Angela Wrightson from Hartlepool.


They will appear at Hartlepool Magistrate’s Court later this morning.


Miss Wrightson’s body was discovered at her home on Stephen Street Hartlepool yesterday morning.


Following a post mortem, police confirmed they were treating the death as suspicious.


The two teenage girls were arrested in connection with the incident and were questioned by officers.


At about 12.45am today, police confirmed the girls had been charged with Miss Wrightson’s murder.



Judge has to shout to be heard as man is cleared of raping woman as she slept


A man accused of raping a woman as she slept has been cleared by a jury at Teesside Crown Court.


Jack Parnell’s acquittal was greeted with a roar of cheers and shouts from the public gallery, while he cried in the dock.


A jury of six women and five men unanimously found him not guilty of rape after just over an hour’s consideration.


High Court judge Mrs Justice Simler had to shout to make herself heard above the noise in the courtroom.


“Be quiet or I will have you removed," she said yesterday. "Silence in court. It was a most outrageous outburst.”


Judge Simler asked some people to leave as she received apologies from the gallery.


Mr Parnell, 23, of Thornthwaite, Acklam, Middlesbrough, denied rape.


The prosecution alleged he had sex with a young woman while she was asleep at a Middlesbrough home on the morning of September 21 last year.


Mr Parnell denied taking advantage of a sleeping woman and told jurors he felt he was the victim.


He said he had consensual sex with the woman while she was awake and an enthusiastic participant.


The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she awoke in a bedroom at a Middlesbrough flat to find him having sex with her.


Mr Parnell said she was never unconscious or asleep, she responded to sex and never rejected him.


He told the jury he was shocked when she jumped up saying “what are you doing?” and went into a corner shaking and crying.


He said she told him she was asleep and he replied: “No you weren’t. You can’t have been.”


Mr Parnell denied claims that he told her: “I feel so guilty. I’m so sorry.”


He gave her a quilt, went to ask her friend to help her and left the flat.


He said it did not make sense to him, he could not deal with it and did not think he had done anything wrong.


He got annoyed and threw his phone away when he was contacted and an explanation demanded.


The woman’s friend took her home in a taxi and the police were called.


Mr Parnell went to Middlesbrough police station later that day where he was arrested.


He told officers: “She’s a stupid woman.


“I thought I would come down and prove my innocence.”


The woman had been drinking and taking cocaine earlier that night but said the drug wore off quickly and did not keep her awake or affect her memory.


She denied changing her mind about sex during the act due to shame and embarrassment.


Mr Parnell and another woman had got into bed with her and they were talking and “messing about” before the two were left alone.


The court heard there had been no flirting or sexual attraction before the encounter.


The jury was asked to consider whether Mr Parnell held a “reasonable belief” that the woman was consenting.


The judge said: “A drunken consent is still consent. Sleepy consent is still consent. But a person cannot consent if she is asleep.”



Friends fear Christmas without presents after claiming they were conned out of savings scheme cash


Two friends fear their loved ones will face a Christmas without presents after they were allegedly conned out of cash they thought was going towards a savings scheme.


Jacquelyn Allan and Sharon Brown both thought they were paying into the Park Christmas Savings scheme.


But after handing over £900 each and receiving no vouchers, they claim they have since discovered a third woman, who was responsible for paying into the trio’s scheme, has not paid the money to the company.


Both women say they now face the stress of trying to find the cash for presents.


“I don’t know what I am going to do,” said Jacquelyn, 27, a Billingham mum to Owyn McManus, seven, and one-year-old Melanie McNulty.


“I get paid on the 17th so I think I am going to have to miss some bills.”


“I am angry and upset,” added mum-of-two and grandmother Sharon, 45, of Norton.


“I am having to borrow money now to get us through Christmas.”


Jacquelyn and Sharon, who both work at the taxi office at Teesside Cars, said they started paying the money to the woman they knew well monthly in January.


“She said she had done it last year and I thought I could do with doing it as well,” said Jacquelyn.


“Last Christmas I got myself into a lot of debt so I thought doing this would be easier and a way to avoid that again.”


The pair started paying £80 every four weeks. But last week, and still not having received any vouchers, alarm bells started to ring.


“I had already gone on the Argos app and put everything I was getting for the kids in the basket. I was just waiting for the vouchers to come through.


“I thought ‘surly they should be here by now? Where are our vouchers?’ because we need to start buying the stuff for our kids,” said Jacquelyn.


“The other woman has just kept on putting us off and eventually was ignoring our calls and attempts to get in touch with her.


“Park have since told us both that no payments have been made all year.


“I’m shocked and feel used.”


Sharon added: “I am gutted.”


A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: “We have received a complaint and are currently carrying out inquiries.”



Havelock happy as Richard Hall completes Redcar Bears 2015 line-up


Promoter Brian Havelock has declared himself satisfied after completing his 2015 team-building with the capture of Richard Hall.


Bedale-based Hall started last year in the Ecco Finishing Bears team but lost his place after picking up a 28-day ban for an altercation with Josh Auty at Scunthorpe.


Although his return to action with Peterborough later in the season was a short-lived affair, he’s now eager to get back in the saddle.


The 30-year-old, who won the Elite League with Peterborough in 2006, arrives on an average of 4.28 but has the potential to score much higher than that.


He twice posted paid nine scores for the Bears before losing his place last season and famously won the South Tees Silver Helmet in spectacular style 2006.


“You look at his averager and you think ‘there’s a couple more points to come there’,” said Havelock.


“His head wasn’t right when he rode for Peterborough last season but I believe he can come in and do a job for us.


“I’m pleased with the team we’ve put together - especially considering three-and-a-half weeks ago we had no-one and it was looking bleak.”


Hall will slot into a second string position at South Tees Motorsports Park, with Jan Graversen at reserve with Rafal Konopka.


The rest of the team is made up of No 1 Lasse Bjerre, Stuart Robson, 2013 and 2014 Bears Rider of the Year Hugh Skidmore and former Czech champion Matej Kus.