A£300m film studio and education complex, on land near where Billy Elliot danced, came a step nearer yesterday.

A handcuffed prisoner who escaped while being treated in hospital is found at an address on Wearside.

Three people are hurt when a motorbike careers into spectators at a speedway meeting.

Engineers work to fix a faulty cable which has cut electricity supplies to hundreds of homes on Teesside.

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COURAGEOUS Shaun Turnbull has lost his fight with leukaemia after battling the disease since the age of four.

A MUM-TO-BE will give birth behind bars after she was jailed for stealing thousands of pounds from an elderly woman in her care.

A teenager accused of causing the death of a boy by dangerous driving was expected to appear at Teesside Crown Court today.

Hollywood rolled into Redcar today as filming got under way on a major movie blockbuster.

YANGON (Reuters) - The United States was set to fly relief supplies on Monday to Myanmar, a country it has called an"outpost of tyranny", as aid continues to dribble into the reclusive state nine days after a devastating cyclone.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian swimmer survived a greatwhite shark attack by poking the creature in the eyes as itdragged him through the water after badly savaging his leftleg.

TOKYO (Reuters) - German carmaker Volkswagen and Japan'sSanyo Electric Co will jointly develop a lithium-ion battery tobe used in hybrid and electric cars, the Nikkei financial dailyreported on Sunday.

DENVER (Billboard) - Perhaps no single device has had moreimpact on mobile music than Apple's iPhone.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Adult women who were breast-fedas infants may have a lower risk of developing breast cancerthan those who were not breast-fed, unless they werefirst-born, study findings suggest.

LONDON (Reuters) - Alex Ferguson said Manchester United will"bounce"into the Champions League final against Chelsea after pipping the Londoners to the Premier League title on Sunday.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - McLaren's Lewis Hamilton hasrecognised that acting may not be his forte after a TurkishGrand Prix promotional stunt turned into an embarrassment forthe Formula One driver.

LONDON (Reuters) - German dance group Scooter zoomed to the top of the album charts on Sunday with their new release"Jumping All Over The World", according data from the Official UK Charts Company.

A Hezbollah assault forces several villages loyal to a pro-government leader to hand control to Lebanon's army.

A witness to the murder of a boy in a south-east London bakery comes forward after a police appeal.

The table below shows the final results of the London Mayor election which saw Boris Johnson force out Ken Livingstone.

Voters in England and Wales yesterday cast their ballots in elections to more than 150 councils, the first electoral test of Gordon Brown?s premiership.

PRUDHOE Traders? Association is calling for a public inquiry over the handling of the Duke of Northumberland?s plans to redevelop the town centre.

AFTER receiving the keys to their new premises two GPs? surgeries are now busy moving their practices into the new wing at Hexham Hospital.