TIDE WARNING: The Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade has warned people to be aware of the tide after a Darlington man was cut off by the sea. The brigade was paged by the Humber Coastguard after receiving a 999 call reporting a man possibly cut off by the tide on the Bear’s Back Rocks between Cullercoats Bay and Tynemouth. The brigade captain witnessed the man wade back across to the mainland with the sea water above his waist. The captain spoke with the man and warned him about the risks of the tides.

CONTAINER FIRE: Fire crews were called to an industrial estate in Darlington after reports that a container was ablaze inside a factory. Two appliances from Darlington Fire Station were called to Dodsworth Street, in Albert Hill Industrial Estate, at 3.20am today (Sunday, March 31) and extinguished the fire.

CANDLE BLAZE: A house fire was believed to have been started when a kitchen blind was set alight by a candle. Fire crews were called to a house in Bellburn Lane, in the Faverdale area of Darlington, at 4.30am today (Sunday, March 31) where they were confronted by a drunk woman who they said shouted obscenities at them. The firefighters entered the property and were able to put out the fire.