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More than three quarters of residents would back a local lockdown in the North East as coronavirus cases continue to soar, according to a ChronicleLive survey.
However, less than 10% believe people would follow the rules if tighter restrictions were imposed in the region.
Boris Johnson announced on Wednesday that social gatherings of more than six people will be illegal in England from Monday in a bid to curb the rise in coronavirus cases.
The new laws follow a sharp rise in infection rates which has prompted warnings from council leaders and public health experts that a local lockdown is a real possibility.
Sunderland now has the second highest coronavirus infection rate in England after 209 cases were confirmed in the seven days to September 7 - a rate of 75.3 cases per 100,000 population.
According to the same NHS data Gateshead now has the 13th highest number of cases in the country with 55.8 cases per 100,000 people.
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A £2.5m Government funding boost will help get Bedlington's stalled redevelopment works "up and running again," town bosses have said.
A start date for the scheme is expected this year after the cash boost from Boris Johnson’s “Get Britain Building” fund - but some changes to the design have been announced.
Northumberland County Council-owned company Advance Northumberland says the economic impact of Covid-19 on the high street retail market will mean some planned retail space will now be replaced by a swimming pool, relocated library and "enterprise hub".
Chair of Advance Northumberland, Richard Wearmouth, said: "Works involving the anchor supermarket store remain unaffected as will the frontage onto the market square which will still include additional shops. It is anticipated that these works will start in 2020 as previously suggested.
"However, the remainder of the scheme will be amended to provide a new leisure offer and will make use of space that had been earmarked for larger retail units, and / or the site held in reserve for a family oriented pub and restaurant.
"In addition, the design work will look at relocation of the library to a town centre site and the creation of an enterprise hub. Both will encourage further spend in the town centre by increasing footfall.
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An honest drink driver confessed "I'l be over the limit" when he was approached by police officers in Northumberland.
Police followed James Tinson after they spotted him driving erratically in his Vauxhall Insignia and watched as he was forced to come to a stop after he went down a dead-end street.
The officers then walked up to the 31-year-old's vehicle and breathalysed him after they noticed he showed all the classic signs of being drunk, a court heard.
Tinson failed the test and was arrested, later giving a reading nearly three times over-the-limit.
Now, Tinson, of Merley Gate, in Morpeth, has been given a 18-month community order after he pleaded guilty to one count of driving with excess alcohol during a hearing at South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court.
Prosecutor, Rehana Haque, said police began following Tinson after they spotted him driving erratically in Bedlington on July 31 this year.
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A drink driver has been banned from the roads after he was caught after his girlfriend phoned the police.
Dad-of-two Christopher Armstrong and his partner had been arguing at their Bedlington home when he decided to get behind the wheel of his Kia Sportage in a bid to "calm down".
However, the 31-year-old was unaware that the woman had phoned the police and officers were waiting for him when he returned minutes later.
Armstrong then failed a roadside breath test and was arrested.
The Nissan worker, of Burnside, in Bedlington Station, has now been banned from the roads for 20 months after he pleaded guilty to one count of driving with excess alcohol.
Rehana Haque, prosecuting at South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court, said the police were called to the couple's address on the evening of July 30 this year.
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Despicable Kieran Ditchburn spat at two paramedics who had just saved his life and threatened to kill them and their families.
When the ambulance men revived him after he took a drugs overdose, the thug reacted with disgusting aggression instead of gratitude.
He spat in the face of one of the paramedics, leading to an anxious six month wait to see if blood tests showed if he had contracted any diseases.
A court heard Ditchburn also repeatedly punched his mother and taunted the ambulance crew by asking what they were going to do about it.
He then spat at two police officers.
The 21-year-old had been given a suspended prison sentence just weeks earlier for spitting at police while claiming to have coronavirus and calling medical staff offensive names.
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An elderly drink driver was caught after he was spotted driving too "carefully" in a Northumberland town.
Police followed Andrew Fenny, 70, when they saw him doing 20mph in a 30mph zone in Bedlington one evening in February this year.
The pensioner then parked-up near his home in Rowan Close but was stopped by the officers and breathalysed, a court heard.
Fenny was arrested after he failed the test and later gave a reading of 45 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
And he has now been banned from the roads for 12 months after he pleaded guilty to one count of driving with excess alcohol at South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court.
Fenny's solicitor, Steve Chambers, said he first came to the attention of the officers for driving too "carefully" on February 24.
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The simplest sign an area is growing in popularity is when house prices start to increase - which can help identify the most sought-after towns in the North East.
According to the latest figures from Rightmove, a number of towns and villages across the region have seen significant swings in average property prices in recent years.
The new data shows the average value of homes in each area in July 2017 compared with the same month in 2020.
In the past three years, average house prices have soared in certain areas by as much as almost 25%.
The locations people are most desperate to move to in the North East are quieter locations to settle down and raise a family, particularly in Northumberland.
Here are the top nine areas of the region which have seen the biggest house price percentage increases since July 2017. Check out properties for sale on InYourArea.
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Murder accused James Rutherford may stand trial early next year accused of killing Andrew Saint.
Rutherford is accused of attacking the 64-year-old, who died three weeks after he was allegedly assaulted in Bedlington, Northumberland.
Rutherford, 37, made his first appearance at Newcastle Crown Court via a video-link to HMP Durham on Thursday.
The charge was not put to him but a provisional trial date was set for January 12 next year, with a time estimate of seven days.
Judge Paul Sloan QC told him: "I'm going to adjourn this case to a further pre-trial hearing. That will be listed on September 1 and you will be linked in on that date as you have been today.
"You should understand, if you have committed any offence or offences arising out of these allegations, the sooner that's communicated to the court, the better for you, the more credit you will receive. The longer you leave it, the worse it will be for you."
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Still reeling from the shock death of her beloved dad, Toni Saint has made an emotional plea for help to find out what happened to him.
Fun-loving great-grandad Andrew Saint died in hospital weeks after he was allegedly assaulted.
The 64-year-old had gone to his local shop in the hours before the incident, which happened in Bedlington Station, Northumberland.
When Andrew - who was in poor health - did not come home, his family became worried and asked friends to help look for him
But the next time his loved ones saw him he was in hospital, hooked up a ventilator and in a coma. Andrew never regained consciousness and passed away almost three weeks later.
A 37-year-old has now appeared in court charged with his murder.
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Murder accused James Rutherford has today appeared in court over the death of Andrew Saint.
The 64-year-old died in hospital almost three weeks after he was allegedly attacked at a home in Bedlington.
Northumbria Police say Mr Saint was found with a serious head injury after emergency services were called to the home, on Pioneer Terrace, at around 7pm on February 23.
He was taken to hospital where he passed away on March 13.
A 37-year-old man was arrested on the night of the incident and released under investigation.
Yesterday Mr Rutherford, of Pioneer Terrace, was charged with murder.


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