An urban region around the River Tees in North East England.
Andy Burnham has been confirmed as Labour leader at a special conference in London and will become prime minister on Monday after Keir Starmer formally resigns to the King. Burnham has secured overwhelming support from Labour MPs, pledged a "distinctively Labour" government, and promised to devolve power, tackle social care and focus on growth outside London.
The Makerfield MP has been confirmed as Labour leader at a London conference and will become Prime Minister on Monday, succeeding Sir Keir Starmer. He vows to deliver a united, purposeful Labour focused on restoring hope and addressing living standards.
Isabelle Welsh suffered weeks of abuse, including 21 broken bones, before she collapsed at her Thornaby home in September. Her mother Alexandra Walker and her boyfriend Harrison Simpson have been jailed for murder and child cruelty, with Simpson also convicted of sexually abusing the child. Police say an outstanding arrest warrant for Simpson was not acted on promptly, prompting a review and changes in warrant tracking and governance.
Mayors will keep a share of income tax and business rates from 2027-28, replacing central grants and empowering local areas to fund transport, housing and jobs. The reform is pitched as the biggest transfer of power in a generation, with details to be announced in the autumn budget as Burnham leads devolution push.
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.
Multiple fatal crashes linked to dangerous driving have triggered government pressure on social-media platforms to remove content celebrating reckless road behavior. Ministers say platforms must act now as investigations unfold and a review of online safety powers is underway.
A deadly crash in Teesside linked to social-media videos of dangerous driving has spurred government pressure on platforms to remove such content. Police say one victim had posted similar clips; officials vow to curb the trend as calls for platform action mount.
Police say a Volkswagen Passat driven dangerously collided with an armed response vehicle on the A66, killing five occupants and two officers. Authorities have arrested 12 people linked to alleged serious and organised crime as the investigation widens across Teesside.
A wave of violence in Cleveland’s Teesside area has prompted a major police deployment after a head‑on crash killed seven people, including two officers, and a fatal house fire claimed a seven‑year‑old girl and her aunt. Authorities say investigations are ongoing into possible links to organised crime.
The investigation into the A66 crash that killed seven people, including two officers, has risen to 24 arrests. Four men aged 21, 25, 35 and 40 are being questioned on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life, arson and drugs offences. Several others are held on threats to kill and property offences, with £15,000 seized in cash. Authorities say the force remains focused on pursuing suspected organised criminals.
A man has been charged with murder after a fire in Ollerton killed two women. Investigations and court appearances continue as relatives remember the victims.