A ceremonial county in North East England with Darlington as its largest settlement
The David Bowie: On Tour exhibition has begun its national run, starting at V&A Dundee and touring to Blackpool, County Durham, Hull and Bristol. It features more than 100 artefacts, including Ziggy Stardust costumes, Berlin-era keys, Low-era art and a rare Simpsons-related item, drawn from Bowie's stored archive.
Wildfires across England and Wales remain at very high to exceptional risk as heatwave conditions continue. North Wales declared a major incident near Conwy Mountain; firefighters are battling blazes in Conwy, Glossop, Tintwistle Moor and other sites as temperatures stay dangerously high. Authorities urge caution and continued vigilance.
Britain’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, moves to deconcentrate power by opening a northern base in Manchester. No. 10 North will coordinate national and local governance to push growth beyond London, with mayors gaining greater revenue discretion. The move is seen as a circuit-breaker for centralization.
Two Cleveland police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, and five people in a Volkswagen Passat have been pronounced dead after the Passat travelled the wrong way on the A66 at South Bank and collided with a marked armed response vehicle. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has opened an investigation and dozens of arrests have been made in linked inquiries.
Amazon has expanded Prime Air test flights from Darlington to the wider town as it seeks regulatory approval to operate nationwide. More than 500 flights have taken place, with two-hour delivery windows for items under 5lb and 39-minute best times. Authorities are reviewing safety after a July drone incident.
The inquest into the discovery of a full-term baby’s remains in Bishop Auckland has concluded, with coroner Crispin Oliver ruling the death likely resulted from homicide. DNA and radiocarbon dating place the baby’s origin around 1910, and investigations have highlighted the challenges of lacking modern evidence. The case has prompted funeral arrangements funded by public bodies and community support.