Man dies after crashing into a garden wall in Eaglescliffe

A man in his 60s has suffered a "medical episode" at the wheel and crashed on Station Road in Eaglescliffe

A man has died after he crashed his car into a garden wall after suffering a “medical episode”, police have confirmed.

Cleveland Police were called to a road traffic incident on Station Road in Eaglescliffe, Stockton just after 3pm today.

The driver of a BMW, believed to be in his 60s, collided with a Ford Mondeo after having what police have described as a “medical episode”.

A force spokeswoman said: “He then veered across the road onto the junction of Station Road and Yarm Road, where he went through a garden wall.

“Unfortunately, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.”

There were no passengers in the car and no other injuries were recorded.

A fire engine from Thornaby, and an engine and emergency tender from Stockton station, attended the scene this afternoon and firefighters extricated the casualty from the car.

Man appears in court over drug smuggling attempt at Stockton's Holme House Prison

Alleged that Robert Hickman caused another to bring, throw or convey two green balloons containing Class B drugs into or out of the prison

A man has appeared in court in connection with a drug smuggling attempt at Stockton’s Holme House Prison.

Robert Thomas Hickman, 29, has been charged in relation to an alleged offence involving balloons containing drugs.

It is alleged that Hickman caused another to bring, throw or convey a prohibited article, two green balloons containing Class B drugs, into or out of Holme House Prison on December 19 last year.

Yesterday Hickman appeared before Teesside Magistrates’ Court.

His solicitor wasn’t present in court but Hickman was content for the hearing to go ahead and there was no bail application.

The prosecution said it was an indictable only offence which has to be dealt with at the crown court and applied for a remand in custody.

The magistrates directed the case to Teesside Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on June 23 and remanded him in custody.

A co-accused, Ian Alexander Venis, has already had his case sent to the crown court and is also due to appear there on June 23.

Venis, 52, of South Terrace, South Bank, is accused of bringing, throwing or conveying two green balloons containing Class B drugs into or out of Holme House Prison on December 19 last year.

Venis also faces a number of drugs charges and motoring offences. He was granted unconditional bail.

Speedy dog's antics brighten school day for hundreds of Stockton youngsters

Comedic children’s author Jeremy Strong spoke to around 700 pupils from across Stockton borough at Yarm School

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Peter Reimann

Jeremy Strong talks to pupils from across Stockton

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The summer holiday antics of a speedy dog brightened up the school day for hundreds of Teesside youngsters.

Comedic children’s author Jeremy Strong paid a visit to around 700 pupils from Years 2, 3 and 4 across Stockton borough, where he read from his new book Kidnapped! The-Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog’s Sizzling Summer.

The pupils came together at Yarm School to listen to Jeremy’s funny tale about Streaker the dog.

Award-winning Jeremy has written many wacky books for children aged from seven to teenagers.

These include My Dad’s Got an Alligator and My Brother’s Famous Bottom. Jeremy’s unique brand of silliness has made him hugely popular with young readers.

Youngsters from 14 Stockton schools took part in the author session which was organised by Stockton Council and Yarm School.

The author then signed books before leaving.

Wolves enter race to sign Boro striker Lukas Jutkiewicz with player swap a possibility

Boro January loan target Kevin Doyle a player Wolves want to sell and Aitor Karanka also believed to be interested in left-back Stephen Ward

Wolves have entered the race to sign Lukas Jutkiewicz.

According to reports coming out of the West Midlands, Wanderers boss Kenny Jackett is in the market for a centre-forward and has set his sights on the Boro striker.

Bolton have made no secret of their desire to sign Jutkiewicz, but may struggle to match Boro’s valuation of a player they signed from Coventry for £1.3m in January 2012.

To spice things up, Boro’s January loan target Kevin Doyle is a player Wolves want to sell this summer and Aitor Karanka is also believed to be interested in the club’s out-of-favour left-back Stephen Ward.

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Gallery: Potential Boro summer signings?

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So there’s an outside possibility the clubs could arrange a player swap with Jutkiewicz moving to Molineux and Doyle or Ward travelling in the opposite direction to the Riverside.

Boro were one of several clubs chasing Doyle’s signature during the January transfer window but the Irish striker agreed a deal with QPR on deadline day.

Newly-promoted Rangers haven’t ruled out making a new bid for him ahead of the new season, though Doyle wasn’t especially prolific during an injury-affected stay at Loftus Road.

A complication from Boro’s point of view if they do decide to make a bid for the striker is the fact that he’s on a salary agreed when Wolves were a Premier League team and has a year remaining on his current deal.

Doyle, meanwhile, will now be able to jet off on his summer holidays after representing Ireland during their end of season tour.

He scored against England’s World Cup opponents Costa Rica in a 1-1 friendly draw in Philadelphia last week and was a second half sub as Martin O’Neill’s team were beaten 5-1 in New Jersey on Wednesday.

Asked about Doyle’s perceived dip in form over the last two seasons, O’Neill had some advice for the 30-year-old.

O’Neill said: “He has to ask himself what’s happened in the last couple of years - whether it’s sometimes you don’t score the goals and you feel that’s your major job.

“Then confidence is affected and you start dropping down a couple of divisions - relegation with Wolves a couple of times doesn’t help anybody.

“But he’s had a bit of rejuvenation going to QPR, helping them get into the Premier League and that’s where he’s got to try to get back to - to the player he was a couple of years ago.

“There shouldn’t be any reason for him not being able to do that if, in fact, it was confidence and confidence alone.

“Against Costa Rica I thought he did really fine for us - he chased the one down in the corner for us to eventually get the goal, and that was great for his confidence.

“I think Roy Keane had asked him beforehand when he’d actually last scored for Ireland and it was some time ago.

“So scoring is good for confidence anyway. I think, like most players especially if you’ve done something half decent in the big league, you want to get back to that.

“And he’ll have to help himself to do that.”

Ireland international Ward wasn’t selected for the trip to the USA.