Sunderland & North East News

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25/08/2026

"Can you stick a post out please mate to see if anyone knows who this is ? He's put a mini bus window out in the ford estate area belonging to someone I know."

25/08/2026

BREAKING: Bridget Phillipson has demanded that Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice "apologise" for saying Britons should "enjoy the heat" accusing him of insulting the work of firefighters and understating the impact of climate change.

25/08/2026

NEWTON AYCLIFFE MUM FACES DAUGHTER’S 10TH BIRTHDAY WITHOUT HER

A heartbroken Newton Aycliffe mum is marking what should have been her daughter’s 10th birthday after the nine-year-old died just days before Christmas last year.

Millie Rose Hedley died only 24 hours after being diagnosed with the rare and fast-growing blood cancer acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

Tuesday, August 25, would have been Millie’s 10th birthday.

Her mum, Kimberley, said her daughter should still be here celebrating the milestone and described the pain of losing her as impossible to put into words.

Millie had experienced symptoms including bone pain and extreme tiredness for around a year before her death, with some symptoms believed to have been flu-like.

Now, her family are determined to keep her memory and legacy alive.

To mark Millie’s birthday, Kimberley is collecting bunny rabbit teddy bears to donate to children at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, where Millie died. Her daughter’s favourite teddy, Buddy, was a bunny who went everywhere with her.

The family are also preparing for a charity drive from Newton Aycliffe to Benidorm and back, with supporters able to add names, messages and memories to their rally car in Millie’s memory.

The fundraising will support The Great North Children’s Hospital and help Kimberley establish The Millie Rose Foundation, which aims to support bereaved families through workshops, activities and community events.

Millie’s mum said she cannot bring her daughter back, but she can ensure that “her name, her love and her legacy continue.”

Sources: Newton News / Family statements / The Great North Children’s Hospital information

25/08/2026

A66 CRASH: POLICE FEDERATION WARNS OF ‘BAITING’ OFFICERS WITH DANGEROUS DRIVING

The Police Federation of England and Wales has warned that some young people are “baiting police officers” with dangerous driving, following the fatal A66 crash in which seven people died.

Two serving Cleveland Police officers, PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed alongside five people travelling in a Volkswagen Passat.

Police said the Passat was being driven the wrong way along the A66 near South Bank before colliding with the marked police vehicle shortly after a pursuit had been abandoned.

The five people in the Passat have been named as Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, and Jakub Matusiak, 23.

Cleveland Police said 12 people have since been arrested in connection with alleged criminal activity before the crash, including suspected organised crime, fi****ms and drug offences.

The force said several reports had been received about two vehicles being driven dangerously earlier that morning. Both vehicles were believed to have been using cloned number plates.

Paul Williams of the Police Federation said dangerous driving and attempts to provoke officers were becoming a serious concern, particularly when incidents are shared on social media.

He said officers should not have to worry about whether they will return home safely from their shifts or about being filmed and “plastered all over social media.”

Cleveland Police said there was currently no evidence that the driving was filmed for TikTok purposes.

More than £750,000 has been raised for the families of PC Blades and PC Clough.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal collision.

Sources: BBC News / Press Association / Cleveland Police / IOPC

25/08/2026

FIREFIGHTER WHO BATTLED WILDFIRES LOSES FAMILY HOME IN DEVASTATING BLAZE

A firefighter who has spent his career helping people through some of their worst moments has now found himself facing a devastating tragedy of his own.

Phil Morris, 47, a Group Manager with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, lost his family home in a serious fire.

Phil, his wife and their three children were left with little more than the clothes they were wearing after the blaze destroyed much of their home.

Phil and his teams had spent much of the summer battling wildfires across mid Wales, including fires in remote mountainous areas.

Now, his firefighting colleagues and the wider community in Brecon, Powys, have rallied around him and his family.

A JustGiving fundraiser has already raised more than £22,000, with donations helping the family cover essential items, clothing, food, temporary accommodation and other unexpected costs as they begin rebuilding their lives.

Brecon Fire Station said the incident was a call “none of us ever expected to receive”, adding that when a fire involves one of their own, “it really hits home.”

The station also thanked the community for supporting Phil and his family.

The fundraiser organisers said: “No donation is too small.”

The community is continuing to come together to support a firefighter who has dedicated his life to helping others.

Sources: Brecon Fire Station / WalesOnline / Mirror

25/08/2026

NEWCASTLE COUNCIL WARNS TIKTOKERS OVER ‘EXPLOITATIVE’ FILMING OF VULNERABLE PEOPLE

Newcastle City Council has issued two Community Protection Warnings to social media creators accused of filming vulnerable people without their informed consent.

The warnings tell the creators not to record members of the public without consent anywhere in Newcastle, amid concerns over videos showing people who are rough sleeping, intoxicated or otherwise vulnerable.

The council has also warned them against recording employees of Newcastle City Council, Northumbria Police or NE1, or behaving in a way likely to cause nuisance or annoyance.

More than 5,600 people have signed a petition calling for action against what it describes as the use of vulnerable people for online entertainment.

The warnings have reportedly been issued to creators known as Michael Ballymore and Tin tin. Both previously told the BBC they aim to act responsibly and within the law.

A Community Protection Warning is an initial step that can be followed by a formal Community Protection Notice. Breaching a Community Protection Notice is a criminal offence.

The council said it will continue working with Northumbria Police and reviewing further reports or evidence to determine whether additional action is required.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has also criticised filming people without their knowledge or permission, describing the use of smart glasses to secretly record someone as “completely disrespectful.”

Sources: Newcastle City Council / Newcastle Chronicle / BBC News

25/08/2026

HOSPITAL TRUST HONOURS SCHOOLGIRL’S LEGACY WITH CHANGES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

A hospital trust has become the first in the North East and only the third NHS trust nationally to receive recognition for putting a young girl’s final wishes into practice.

Sophie Fairall, from Hampshire, was just 10 when she was diagnosed with the rare childhood cancer rhabdomyosarcoma. She died in September 2021, around a year after her diagnosis.

Before her death, Sophie identified three changes she wanted to see in hospitals:

• Better food for children
• Meals for parents staying with their child
• Access to play specialists seven days a week

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has now introduced all three.

Parents staying overnight can receive meals, children have a dedicated menu, and play specialist support is available seven days a week.

The trust prepares around 18,000 meals from scratch every week, with the new children’s menu formally introduced in March following around 12 months of development.

Sophie’s mum, Charlotte Fairall, said it meant a great deal to see her daughter’s wishes being put into practice.

She said even simple changes, such as ensuring parents can eat while staying beside their sick child and giving children food they want to eat, can make an “enormous difference” during an incredibly difficult time.

The trust has been awarded Sophie’s Legacy Approved Hospital recognition in honour of the changes.

Sources: BBC News / County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust / Sophie’s Legacy

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