A TEENAGER has admitted beating his friend to death during a row over a shirt. William Heslop, 18, denied murdering 16-year-old Karl Brownsword but admitted the lesser charge of manslaughter yesterday.

Heslop struck his friend half a dozen times at a house in Norham Avenue South, South Shields, last August, as he confronted him over a shirt which he believed to have been stolen. Heslop, of Warkworth Avenue, South Shields, will be sentenced at a later date.

SEX CHARGES: A man appeared in court yesterday accused of luring a teenage girl to a sex attack by posing as a schoolboy on the Internet. Sephton Allen, 50, is facing charges of attempted rape, indecent assault and gross indecency following an alleged incident in a Northumberland lay-by on January 24. No pleas were taken during a hearing at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday. Mr Allen, of Derby, was remanded in custody until April 16.

POLICE CHIEF: A new chief constable for Teesside will be announced today. The successor to Cleveland Chief Constable Barry Shaw, who retires next month, will be one of six deputy chief constables. On the shortlist are Phil Brear, of West Yorkshire Police; Bill Brereton, of North Wales; David Mellor, of the Fife force; Sean Price, from Nottingham; Adrian War, from Grampian Police; and Cliff Dixon, from Bedfordshire Police. Mr Shaw wants to travel and may write a book.

QUESTION TIME: Young people from Sunderland take on leading politicians in Westminster today. The 15 youngsters, who belong to youth groups, will be joined by other youngsters from across the UK to hear speeches from Charles Kennedy, leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, and Education Secretary Charles Clarke. They will then put questions to the politicians.

STAR TURN: Veteran film and TV actor Ian Carmichael has been named president of Wykeham Country Fair, which is planned for July 19 and 20 at Wykeham, near Scarborough. Mr Carmichael, who lives near Whitby, starred in movies such as I'm Alright Jack and TV's Lord Peter Wimsey.

DOUBLE DOUBLE: Bread star Jonathan Morris appears in a romantic comedy at Darlington Civic Theatre between March 4 and 8. Bookings for Double Double, a play by Eric Elice and Roger Rees, are being taken. For information and tickets, call (01325) 486555, or for group bookings, call (01325) 467071.

RACING NIGHT: J and C Coaches, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, is holding a charity night at Sunderland Greyhound Stadium on Wednesday, February 19. The event is to raise money for Ann Teasdale, who suffers from the rare condition reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome. Tickets are £12 and are available on (01325) 312705.

STATION SCHEME: Plans for a two-storey building to provide accommodation for railway workers at Darlington station have been submitted to the borough council.