Live News: December 4, 2012 (From The Northern Echo)

10:20pm

10:01pm

8:25pm

Our man at the James Arthur gig is Chris Webber. He reports that James has told the crowd at Middlesbrough town hall: "Today I've been back to my roots and seen the life I used to live.

"I have so much love for all these people, every last one of them."

8:23pm

@christopherweb9 Lads' counter chant: "we want nicole." Can see why

8:23pm

@christopherweb9 He's finally here. God, the screaming!

8:23pm

@christopherweb9 About 1,200 at warm up James Arthur gig. Impressive. Cold n wet. 

5:33pm

5:28pm

A FORMER council leader who campaigned to have speed cameras installed on a busy road has today been disqualified from driving after being caught speeding in the same place.

Councillor Ken Lupton, the former leader of Stockton Borough Council who also ran for the role of Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner in November’s elections, was driving his BMW with personalised number plates along Darlington Road in Stockton on May 29 when he was caught going 35mph in a 30mph zone.

Read the full story here.

5:27pm

Police in Middlesbrough are hunting a suspected double rapist after two attacks in the town were linked.

Read the full story here.

4:26pm

Drivers in the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber are being advised by the Highways Agency to check weather and traffic conditions before setting out on journeys overnight and tomorrow with a forecast of snow in some areas.

The Highways Agency is being advised by the Met Office that up to two inches of snow could fall overnight and throughout tomorrow morning north of Newcastle in Northumberland – potentially affecting the A1.

Eastern parts of North Yorkshire could be similarly affected with a possible impact on the A64 and A19.

4:25pm

X Factor finalist James Arthur and mentor Nicole Sherzinger chat in chilly Saltburn

4:14pm

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said the government has received final consent from all Commonwealth realms to press ahead with a bill ending discrimination against women in the succession to the British throne.

3:59pm

2:54pm

2:27pm

A North-East judge who said burglary needed a huge amount of courage has been given a formal reprimand, the Office for Judicial Complaints (OJC) said.

Judge Peter Bowers admitted he might be pilloried when he spared the burglar jail at Teesside Crown Court in September.

1:14pm

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for the North-East for snow, possibly causing travel disruption tommorow morning.

Some of the snow showers will be on the heavy side, with 5-10cm possible, particularly over hills and higher routes.

Icy stretches are also likely, especially on untreated surfaces at lower levels.

1:04pm

Click here for a preview of the Quakers' game against Hebburn Town.

1:02pm

Darlington are having a pitch inspection at 2.45pm ahead of their game tonight.

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11:41am

James Arthur poses with fans as he arrives back home on Teesside

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10:42am

Richard Morgan, the man accused of the manslaughter of County Durham baby Slater Sharkey, is expected to give evidence at Newcastle Crown Court this morning. The 33-year-old, from Tantobie, and girlfriend Rachel Peacock deny charges relating to the death of the 13-month-old boy in December 2010.

10:41am

A West Ham spokesman has denied that Andy Carroll had been involved in a physical confrontation with a photographer.

"Andy Carroll was in Dublin as part of a social trip with full permission of the management team," the club said.

"Andy agreed to have a number of pictures taken at the request of a photographer who was waiting on the street.

"Despite this, the photographer then carried on taking photos in the close proximity of Andy and was politely asked to stop by the private security team working on the trip.

"When he then continued taking more photos he was restrained by the security team for Andy's safety.

"Eyewitnesses state at no point was there any physical contact between Andy and the photographer."

West Ham confirmed that gardai took a number of statements from the group at the hotel.

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10:31am

Former Newcastle United footballer Andy Carroll has been interviewed by police in Ireland after a photographer was allegedly assaulted.

The striker was with West Ham team-mates in Dublin for a weekend Christmas party after beating Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.

Carroll, 23, denies any wrongdoing.