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North East darts star Chris Dobey will make his return to the Utilita Arena stage in March after being included as the local Challenger for the Unibet Premier League's return to Newcastle.
Nine top stars - led by new World Champion Peter Wright and world number one Michael van Gerwen - will be competing full-time in the Premier League, the PDC's roadshow event which begins in February.
However, the opening nine nights feature a Challenger who will get the chance to take on the sport's top stars, giving them a taste of Premier League life.
Bedlington's Dobey shone on a memorable night in 2019 when he stepped in to compete in Newcastle after the withdrawal of Gary Anderson with a back injury, drawing with Mensur Suljovic.
He has since progressed into the world's top 20 players, reaching his first televised semi-finals at the World Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals during 2019 as well as the last 16 at the recent World Championship.
Dobey has been chosen by the PDC as the Challenger to compete in Newcastle on Thursday March 19, giving him further big-stage experience as the tournament visits his local area.
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Local authorities in the North East have dished out hundreds of thousands of pounds in fines for overrunning roadworks.
Freedom of Information Act requests submitted by the Chronicle revealed the penalties issued by councils for the late running works that cause gridlock on the region’s roads.
The data showed that in the last financial year Newcastle City Council imposed 38 fines totalling £232,000.
In 2017/18 the city dished out 47 fines, but the overall total was much lower at £45,400.
Last financial year Northumbrian Water payed the largest individual fine to the city - £174,000.
Works on Denton Road that went over by more than a month caused the water company to pick up the mammoth bill.
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The most bizarre rescues made from furniture by North East firefighters have been revealed - including a man who got his testicles trapped in a commode.
On top of tackling fires and keeping the public safe, firefighters do get a number of red-faced callers who get into some embarrassing predicaments.
Firefighters have been called out to people of all ages from babies to pensioners. There have been many people becoming trapped on commodes, beds and sofas while children were most commonly stuck in cots or baby bath seats.
The testicles incident in Blyth is just one of 55 peculiar incidents unearthed as a result of a freedom of information request to North East fire and rescue services over the past four years.
Others in Northumberland include a nine-month old child stuck in a bath seat, a 96-year-old getting trapped in a stairway bannister and stool and a child getting their thumb stuck to a metal bed frame.
A spokeswoman for Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service advised members of the public to "be careful".
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Missing Martin Cooper is back with his family after disappearing for more than 24 hours.
The Chronicle told on Tuesday how police and relatives were searching for the retired English teacher who vanished from his Whitley Bay home on Monday morning.
But his family has now confirmed he was found in Scotland on Tuesday evening.
Dad-of-three Martin travelled back to Tyneside on Wednesday and is now back home with his wife, Mary.
Martin's son Joe has told of his relief.
The 38-year-old said: "He's been found safely near Fort William. We were extremely worried."
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A heroic police dog bravely tackled a suspected car thief in Bedlington - and officers rewarded her with a late night burger.
Six-year-old Belgian herder Ziva was given the treat after she caught the suspect at about 10.30pm on Wednesday.
Officers from Northumbria Police had found a vehicle they believed to have been stolen in a burglary earlier in the evening.
They signalled for the vehicle to stop but the driver, believed to be under the influence, ignored the blue lights and continued to drive away before he jumped out and ran.
As officers chased him over open fields, PC Helen Kane unleashed Ziva from the opposite direction and she was able to track down the suspect and tackle him before officers caught up and arrested the suspect.
At the end of the shift, PC Kane made sure to reward Ziva for her heroics by treating her to the hamburger - with cheese, extra tomato sauce and no gherkins.
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The 27th edition of the PDC World Championships rolls into town next Thursday, as darts fans are treated to 16 days of pure tungsten theatre.
World number one Michael van Gerwen won his third world title last year as he beat Michael Smith 7-3 in a thrilling final at Alexandra Palace.
MVG will look to successfully defend the world title for this first time this year but he will have to be at his best to see off the threats of the chasing pack.
Welshman Gerwyn Price could well be van Gerwen's biggest threat in London. The Welsh ace successfully defended his Grand Slam of Darts title in November, beating van Gerwen en route to the title. He also pushed van Gerwen all the way in the recent Players Championships final and he has been well backed to win his first world title.
2018 world champion Rob Cross arrives as the number two seed and has enjoyed a very successful year on the tour, winning the World Matchplay and European Championships as well as reaching the final of the UK Open and the Premier League.
Last year's World Championship semi-finalist Nathan Aspinall was the only other major winner this year, while Peter Wright, Michael Smith, Dave Chisnall and James Wade will fancy their chances after reaching major finals in 2019.
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A registered sex offender who dressed as Santa Claus in Newcastle city centre has been jailed after being caught taking pictures with children for cash.
Stephen Brown, 40, was parading near Fenwick's festive window on a busy Northumberland Street offering to pose with pictures of children while dressed as Father Christmas.
But the department store's security staff contacted police who were concerned about the stranger's activity on Saturday.
Officers arrived and discovered that Brown had been jailed for five years in 2012 for possession of indecent images and inciting a child to engage in a sex act.
He was immediately arrested by police in front of a packed Northumberland Street and was later charged with breaching the sexual offences prevention order.
The court heard how it was the second time Brown had breached the order since being released from prison in January 2017.
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A big-hearted donation by one of South East Northumberland’s largest employers has enabled local football club, Bedlington Terriers FC, to provide its players, staff and visitors with rapid emergency response should it ever be needed.
Lynemouth Power Station has gifted the community club with a life-saving heart defibrillator which will now be installed at the Welfare Park ground. If deployed within three to five minutes of a cardiac arrest, such equipment could potentially increase the chances of someone surviving a heart attack from six to 74 per cent. Each minute without CPR and defibrillation also reduces a patient’s survival rate by between seven and ten per cent.*
The Northern League Division Two club is home to seven teams and over 80 footballers from senior players to an under 6 ‘tots’ team. Along with daily training sessions and match attendances, the club sees hundreds of people visiting the ground on a weekly basis therefore the defibrillator has been very well received by all.
Rowan Edwards, Commercial Director of Bedlington Terriers FC, commented, “This is a vital piece of first aid equipment and we are extremely grateful to Lynemouth Power Station for their kind donation. Given the number of on-site staff, players training each week and visitors to the ground, it is essential that our trained staff have instant access to life-saving equipment in case of emergencies. It will mean a lot to everyone here at the club as well as the local community, so we’re very grateful for the power station’s support.”
Janet Mole from Lynemouth Power Station added, “Having these devices installed in popular public places and venues is so important, so rather than just donate to the fundraising effort, we decided to purchase the equipment outright on behalf of the club. As a local employer, it is important that community initiatives like this are well supported so we’re delighted to hand over the defibrillator to all at the club.”

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Bedlington darts ace Chris Dobey reached his first ever European Tour final on Sunday to all but secure his place in next month's World Matchplay.
Dobey was beaten 8-3 by Dave Chisnall in the final of the Danish Darts Open at Copenhagen's Brondby Hallen but enjoyed a superb run over the three-day competition.
The 29-year-old saw off Steve West, Ricky Evans, former World Championship finalist Kirk Shepherd, and Jose de Sousa before beating two-time major champion Gerwyn Price in the semi-finals to reach his first big-stage final.
'Hollywood' ran out of steam in the final, though, and despite taking a 2-0 lead, he won just one of the next nine legs as Chisnall secured his first European Tour title since 2013.
Dobey's run over the weekend now means he is all but assured of a World Matchplay debut next month, following on from his debut in the Premier League earlier this year.
The World Matchplay is widely considered the second most prestigious major in the darts calendar after the World Championships and after narrowly missing out on qualification for each of the last two years Dobey is delighted he has secured a long overdue debut in the competion.


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