A woman accused of murder following in incident on Good Friday has made a brief appearance in court.

Marie Metcalfe, 40, was charged with the murder of Laura Metcalfe following an incident on Brougham Terrace in Hartlepool on April 7.

Emergency services were called to the scene just after 8pm, where they took the victim to James Cook University Hospital with life threatening injuries.

The 44-year-old died in hospital the following day.

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A second defendant, Kelly Nicholson, 44, did not turn up at court and Judge Paul Watson KC, issued a warrant for her arrest.

Nicholson, of Shinwell Terrace in Wheatley Hill, is charged with assisting an offender.

Judge Watson adjourned the case until May 19 for another hearing to take place.