A thought-provoking play about a war photographer and the tensions between his home and work life is coming to the region next week.

Safety was premiered at the Edinburgh Festival last year and will visit Darlington Arts Centre on Wednesday and Thursday. Unlimited Theatre will visit the town as part of their national tour. Tickets are £8 or £6 for discounts. Call the box office on (01325) 486555.

MOTORWAY CRASH: Two people were taken to Gateshead's Queen Elizabeth Hospital after two cars collided on the northbound carriageway of the A1(M), near the Washington Services, Wearside, during yesterday morning's rush hour. The crash caused tailbacks of up to four miles.

ANNUAL DINNER: The North-East Branch of the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) held its annual dinner dance at the Blackwell Grange, Darlington. The branch, which represents legal executives and trainees in the area, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. A raffle raised £80 to support two charities, Coastwatch and the Air Ambulance.

SMALL FORTUNE: Vectis Auctions, of Stockton, is expecting its latest auction of 1,000 Dinky toys to fetch up to £250,000 in Buckingham, next Wednesday. One Dinky Foden lorry is expected to make between £5,000 and £7,000.

RACE NIGHT: A race night in aid of the International Polio Eradication Campaign will be held at the Cumby Arms, Heighington, near Darlington, tonight, from 7pm. For details, call Barry Hutchinson on (01325) 311453.

CHARITY CONCERT: More than 100 performers will appear at a charity concert in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, on Sunday, April 27. The event, at the town's leisure centre, starts at 1.30pm. Tickets are free for senior citizens and accompanied children, or £3 for adults. To book, call (01325) 313924.

MUSIC SHOW: Tickets are still on sale for a show detailing the life of 1960s legend Billy Fury. Halfway to Paradise will be at Darlington's Civic Theatre on Tuesday, April 15, from 7.30pm. The show features Fury's original backing band Fury's Tornadoes. For tickets, call (01325) 486555.

COURSE DATE: Darlington Advanced Motorists are staging a Skill for Life course on Wednesday, April 16, at 7.30pm, in the indoor bowls club on North Road. For details, contact Kathleen Hill on (01388) 812323.

GRANT QUESTIONS: The Community Fund is holding advice surgeries for any group considering making a National Lottery application to ask questions about the grants available. The next surgery will be held at Stockton Borough Development Agency on Thursday, April 17, this will be followed by a surgery at the Community Fund offices in Newcastle on Tuesday, April 29. For further details, contact the Community Fund on 0191-255 1100.

MAN CLEARED: A jury at Teesside Crown Court yesterday cleared a man of one charge of rape and three further counts of indecent assault. Raymond Baldwin, 53, of Merrybent, Darlington, had denied all four charges.