A man was taken to hospital after he fell 20ft down a bank close to the River Tees at Middleton St George, near Darlington, on Saturday.

Two fire crews from Darlington were called to the accident, which happened near Dinsdale Spa House at 2.50pm. Fire officers gave the man first aid and oxygen. He was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital by ambulance.

FREE COURSE: County Durham Drug Action Team and the Parent and Carer Support Service are offering people who have lived with someone with a drug or alcohol problem the chance to take part in a course that hopes to put their experience to good use. Travel and childcare will be paid for, and those completing the course will gain a qualification from the North-East Open College Network. For details call 0191-333 3237.

SHOP TALK: The Co-op store in Richmond, North Yorkshire, will unveil its new look tomorrow. The company has invested £150,000 in modernising its Friary Fields store.

HORSE RESCUED: Firefighters were called to the Black Boxes stables, on Lord Lambton's Estate, near Fence-Houses, Wearside, yesterday morning after a horse got its foot stuck in a horse box. They safely released the animal.

CHILD FREED: Firefighters were called to Lambourne Road, in Ashbrooke, Sunderland, at 6.40pm on Saturday, after a child had got his head stuck between the cushion and wooden back of a dining chair. The child was safely released.

PLAQUE UNVEILING: The Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor Margaret Carter, will unveil a plaque commemorating Newcastle surgeon Dr John Gibb, who was immortalised in the song The Blaydon Races, at Gibb Chambers, Newcastle, today. She will be joined by children from Our Lady and St Anne's RC School, who will sing the song.

CAMPAIGN LAUNCH: Mal Kaye, a policeman and contender for the title of Britain's strongest man, will pull a seven-tonne bus at Framwellgate Bridge, Durham, at 12.30pm today to mark the launch of Leg-it week, and Leg-it day, on Thursday. The campaign will encourage people to get to school or work by means other than cars.

MORE ARRESTS: A further two arrests have been made in Scarborough following drugs raids on homes in the town in the past week. It brings the total to 34. Police said 20 people had been charged with criminal offences. Of those, 17 had been charged with offences relating to the supply of hard drugs.

FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT: Children from across the UK travelled to the North-East at the weekend to take part in a seven-a-side football tournament. Teams faced the Darlington 21st Allstars during a day of matches on Saturday at the town's Longfield School.

DOG RESCUE: Teesdale and Weardale Fell rescue were called in to help County Durham and Darlington Fire Brigade rescue a dog which was stuck on the top of a cliff near Wycliffe Hall, Barnard Castle.

STAR DIES: The keyboard player of Sixties band The Animals has died days after performing in the North-East. David Rowberry died of a heart attack at his home in London. He played his last gig with the band in South Shields last Monday.