A VANDAL who tried to cause a rail crash by driving a car on to tracks might be traced through blood found inside the vehicle.

Blood spots discovered in the front of the Citroen Xantia have been sent to police laboratories for DNA testing. The car was driven off the platform at Middlesbrough station and abandoned in the early hours of Sunday, July 6 - only 90 minutes before the first trains were due to pass along the track. Police believe the culprit was injured when the car plunged 5ft from the edge of a platform on to the track.

BOY HURT: A young boy was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital suffering head injuries after being in a collision with a car in Barnes Road, Murton, near Seaham, at noon yesterday. The youngster, whose injuries were described as not life threatening, had to be rescued from beneath the car by firefighters.

SUSPECTS CHARGED: Three people are due to appear at Teesside Magistrates' Court this morning charged with supplying a controlled substance and possession with intent to supply a controlled substance. The three, two women aged 18 and 34 and a 31-year-old man were arrested by members of Langbaurgh Drugs Squad and officers from South Bank CID who raided an address in Grangetown, near Redcar, on Saturday.

BLOOM VANDALISM: Vandals have wrecked a showcase exhibit only days before it was due to be assessed by Britain in Bloom judges. Volunteers are now busy repairing the damaged replica of the pier at Saltburn, east Cleveland. The 17ft long model, made of wood and decked with flowers, forms part of the display which will be examined by judges on Thursday.

FREE FOLK: More than 20 groups of singers, dancers and musicians are taking part in a free folk concert and workshops at Nature's World, Middlesbrough. The outdoor concert will be held in the White Garden and will run from 1pm to 8pm on Saturday, and from noon until 5pm on Sunday.

HOLIDAY HELP: A graphics designer is hoping to make life easier for holidaymakers in Britain - with one the biggest website of its kind on the Internet. David Whaite, from Stockton, Teesside, has produced a site with information on 4,000 British holiday destinations, including camp and caravan sites, route planning, eating places and points of interest. He says that www.findapitch.com "is by far the largest single source of information of its kind on the Internet."