As September's autumn leaves fell and the weather turned chilly, the region went through a RAAC crisis, a storm and much more. Here are some of the biggest stories of 2023 from September to December.
In the last few months of 2023, the North East saw Olympic legend Mo Farah take part in the Great North Run, and face the fury of Storm Babet.
Perhaps one of the most memorable moments from the end of the year came from Home Secretary James Cleverly who was accused of calling Stockton a "sh*thole" by MP Alex Cunningham.
Here's your roundup of some of the biggest stories to hit the North East from September to December 2023.
RAAC concrete crisis
September 1, 2023
Late August into early September saw the RAAC crisis unfold, and saw schools across the region close due to the suspected crumbling concrete which posed a danger for pupils.
In the following months, RAAC was found in multiple schools as well as institutions including James Cook University Hospital.
St Leonard's School in Durham is now expected to see RAAC repairs continue until 2026, and parents and pupils launched the 'Save Our School' campaign.
Great North Run 2023
September 10, 2023
60,000 runners made their way to Newcastle to take part in the 2023 Great North Run today (September 10), tackling the 13.1-mile route to South Shields.
A magnificent flyby from the famous red arrows was a sight to see over the Quayside, turning the sky red, white and blue for runners who were only just getting started with their journey.
Those taking part this year were competing in less than normal conditions, as temperatures soared to reach up to 24C with some light drizzles of rain.
Darlington and Durham hospital maternity ward 'inadequate'
September 15, 2023
An inspection of Darlington maternity ward revealed in September that understaffing has put mothers and babies at "risk" with midwives warning that the unit was "unsafe."
Darlington Memorial Hospital maternity ward was downgraded from good to inadequate after a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection on March 28/29, 2023.
Following the news, Noel Scanlon, Director of Nursing at the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust, responded to the report and described it as "very disappointing".
He said: "Clearly to be downgraded two levels is very significant. We do take it very seriously.
"It will have an impact on our reputation, the morale of our staff and most importantly on expectant mothers. Some people won’t get past one word of the report."
XL Bully ban: North East dog trainers speak out
September 18, 2023
The government announced earlier this year that XL Bully breed dogs will be banned - meaning that owners were left with months to safely register their dogs in order to keep them.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the ban on September 16, calling the breed "dangerous", following a string of attacks that saw a 52-year-old man mauled to death in the West Midlands and a man in Shiney Row, Sunderland fatally injured by an 'XL Bully'.
Katie Guastapaglia, a dog trainer and founder of Dogwood Adventure Play in Stockton, described her shock and heartbreak when she first heard of the ban.
Katie admitted she was "devastated" and has since utilised her business to provide free training for concerned XL bully owners.
Wilko stores close across the region
September 25, 2023
Shoppers bid a final farewell to discount retailer Wilko as September ended. Stores across the country closed including Darlington's store on East Street.
As soon as the large site was left empty, residents were wondering what the building will be used for.
The Town's MP, Peter Gibson, has said that he has committed to working with Darlington Borough Council to transform the building into something of use to the town.
He said: "I will be speaking to the Council to establish how the vacant site can be utilised into the future and how it fits in with redevelopment opportunities alongside the Skerne in conjunction with the Library, the old Sports Direct site, Towns Fund Investment etc to ensure that the site works hard for our town as we continue to bring investment and new opportunities to the town."
Sycamore Gap tree felled overnight
September 27, 2023
The region was left shocked when the famous Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland appeared to have been felled overnight in late September.
The famous tree stood tall next to Hadrian's Wall near Crag Lough and was a poignant landmark that ended up garnering thousands of tributes from across the world when it was felled.
As of December 2023, police are still investigating the case and made two further arrests in November.
Investigation after woman declared dead wakes up in Darlington Hospital
October 16, 2023
Durham Police investigated the death of a woman in her 50s days after paramedics from the North East Ambulance Service declared her dead and brought her to Darlington Hospital where she woke up.
However, the patient later died and police categorised the death as "unexpected".
Storm Babet hits the North East
October 18, 2023
Many parts of the North East experienced flooding and travel was severely disrupted in October when Storm Babet hit the region.
Winds of up to 50mph battered the coast and damage was caused to roads after trees were felled, while the dome of South Shields Pier Lighthouse was removed by waves and strong winds.
Drivers were also left stranded after ignoring flood warnings and driving through water, while public transport was severely impacted, and travel company LNER warned passengers not to travel.
Read here.
Go North East bus strikes commence
October 27, 2023
Go North East drivers voted to strike indefinitely at the end of October, leaving the North East without key transport links and caused chaos for commuters.
After over a month, members of the Unite union had narrowly voted to accept an 11.2% pay rise offer and end their indefinite strike om December 1.
In a bid to bring back passengers and restore public trust in routes that were shut down for weeks, the operator waived its usual fares for single and day tickets for a week.
Lanchester, County Durham, hit by flash flooding
October 29, 2023
A County Durham village was devastated by flash flooding in late October which made roads impassable and saw businesses damaged.
The River Browney burst its banks and forced locals to evacuate as emergency services attended the scene where Front Street was submerged in water, while the A691 was closed in both directions for a period.
Many villagers The Northern Echo spoke to said Durham County Council's "failure to keep drains clear of autumn leaves" was the cause of the flooding.
Pickering Anglers win High Court case for Upper Costa Beck
November 21, 2023
Pickering anglers have won a historic legal victory against the government and the Environment Agency for faulty river improvement plans.
Fish Legal, acting on behalf of the Pickering Fishery Association, challenged the government on the River Basin Management Plan for the Humber district.
On 20 November, Justice Lieven ruled that the government and Environment Agency (EA) had failed in their legal duties.
The North Yorkshire anglers argued that the current plan did not meet the legal requirements to restore the Upper Costa Beck.
Home Sec claims 's**t' remark was aimed at Stockton MP
November 23, 2023
Allegations were made in November that Home Secretary James Cleverley called Stockton a 'sh*thole' during Prime Minister's Question Time.
However, a source close to James Cleverly said he had not called Stockton a 's**thole,' but had referred to MP for Stockton North, Alex Cunningham, as a 's**t MP' instead.
The source added Mr Cleverly would never criticise Stockton and said he has regularly campaigned in the town.
They said: "James made a comment. He called Alex Cunningham a s**t MP. He apologises for unparliamentary language.
"As was made clear yesterday, he would never criticise Stockton. He’s campaigned in Stockton and is clear that it is a great place."
Nissan to produce two new electric car models in Sunderland
November 24, 2023
Nissan announced in November that they will be producing two new electric vehicle models at its Sunderland plant.
The Japanese carmaker’s new electric Qashqai and Juke models will be manufactured at the site.
Nissan is making a “direct investment of up to £1.12 billion” to produce the two models, the Government said.
Bishop Auckland Christmas Town dazzles hundreds of visitors
November 24 - 26
In late November Bishop Auckland was transformed into a winter wonderland for the third annual Christmas Town event, featuring everything from festive food stalls to a Ferris wheel.
The weekend has been brought together by Bishop Auckland Town Council, Durham County Council, and partners, whose teams worked since Easter to organise over 20 stalls selling wintery favourites including hot chocolate, churros, chicken, and handmade gifts.
Overall, the event attracted 35,000 people over the weekend when organisers only predicted 25,000.
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Darlington Coats for Christmas winter clothes appeal launched
December 9, 2023
In December, The Northern Echo launched its 'Coats for Christmas' campaign to help a Darlington clothing scheme's need for donations of winter clothes amid unprecedented demand.
The shop, run by Darlington Cares and located in Queen Street Shopping Centre saw an unprecedented demand for winter coats, hats, scarves and gloves as the winter season approached.
Following the launch, the shop saw a huge influx of donations
Here are just a few of The Northern Echo's front page splashes from September to December of 2023.
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