A nine-year-old boy found a maggot crawling on his school dinner tray, his mother said yesterday. Kevin Ray, nine, spotted the larva as he tucked into a meal of sausage roll, beans and chips at Cheviot Junior School in Norham Avenue North, South Shields, South Tyneside. His mother, Diane, said she was disgusted to think her son could have swallowed the maggot. A school spokeswoman said staff were investigating the incident and had contacted environmental health officers.

burglar's spree: A burglar carried out five house raids in a week, a court heard yesterday. Paul Robinson, 25, pleaded guilty to burgling three homes in Sunderland on July 5, 8 and 9, at Newcastle Crown Court, taking electrical goods, videos, DVDs and prescription medication. Robinson, of Edward Burdis Street, Sunderland, also asked for further raids, on July 7 and 10, to be taken into consideration. Sentencing was adjourned for the preparation of reports and Robinson was remanded in custody.

rape denied: A man has appeared in court charged with raping a 22-year-old woman. Paul Lowther, of Barnard Avenue, Ludworth, County Durham, pleads not guilty to rape on November 22. Teesside Crown Court heard how he met the woman after she became locked out of her flat in Darlington. Lowther, 24, claimed she willingly had sex after he helped her get into the flat. The prosecution claims she was too drunk to say no. The case continues.

Cyclist's surgery: A 75-year-old cyclist who suffered serious head injuries in a collision with a Vauxhall Corsa, in Darlington, on Monday, underwent surgery at Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital yesterday. The accident happened near Fullbeck Bridge, on Staindrop Road. The pensioner was last night in a stable condition.

NEGLECT ALLEGED: A couple jointly charged with three counts of child neglect appeared before magistrates in Darlington yesterday. The couple, aged 35 and 29, from Darlington, were committed to Durham Crown Court to appear on December 6. Their unconditional bail was extended. The Northern Echo has chosen not to name the couple to protect the identity of the child.

HOMES PLAN: A housing association wants to demolish a church hall and build bungalows in its place. Endeavour Housing Association wants to pull down St Augustine's Church Hall, in Ribble Drive, Darlington, and build seven, two-bedroom bungalows. The plans will go before Darlington Borough Council's planning committee next month.

LATE SHOPPING: Late night opening for Christmas at the McArthurGlen designer outlet on the outskirts of York will start on November 24. The outlet will remain open until 9pm every week night, 7pm on Saturdays and 6pm on Sundays.

RETAIL TRENDS: A report on city centre retailing trends in York is to be considered by the city's executive in the near future. It was commissioned by the authority after statistics showed the city's appeal as a place to visit primarily for shopping was waning.

NEW HOMES: A plan by Acorn Developments (NE) is to turn a former bakery in Geneva Road, Darlington, into 11 two-storey houses and two bungalows will be heard by Darlington Borough Council next month