Local News

A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a woman in Middlesbrough;

The Borough of Redcar and Cleveland has a new Mayor;

...and a group of talented primary school children are preparing to follow in the footsteps of Florence and the Machine and Emilie Sande by performing at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, even though most of them have never been to London and many have never even left Teesside.

A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a woman in Middlesbrough.

Yesterday afternoon police arrested a 37-year-old man in the West Yorkshire Police area on suspicion of murder following the death of 34-year-old Jessica Patel in Middlesbrough on Monday.

The man remains in police custody.

As part of the ongoing police inquiry, officers have spoken with neighbours and local businesses, and forensic work has been carried out at both the scene of the murder and the pharmacy where Jessica worked.

Officers have spent hours painstakingly trawling through CCTV footage to try to piece together her movements on the day of her death. 

Anyone with information which they believe may assist police with their enquiries is asked to contact Cleveland Police on the non-emergency number 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The Borough of Redcar and Cleveland has a new Mayor.

Guisborough ward Councillor Dennis Teasdale was voted in as Redcar and Cleveland’s first Conservative Mayor for over ten years.

Dennis, who is a former Borough Council Officer, has held the position of Guisborough town mayor over the last year, and has been involved with the Guisborough gateway project over the past twelve months.

Councillor Steve Kay, the Independent Councillor for Lockwood Ward, was elected to the position of Deputy Mayor. 

Dennis takes over from the outgoing Mayor Karen King and Deputy Mayor Malcolm Griffiths.

A group of talented primary school children are preparing to follow in the footsteps of Florence and the Machine and Emilie Sande by performing at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, even though most of them have never been to London and many have never even left Teesside.

More than 300 Teesside primary schoolchildren – many of them from disadvantaged backgrounds – are set to be part of a ground-breaking two-hour concert at the famous Royal Festival Hall.

On Monday June 11, they will join forces with over 200 children from Teesside’s Galileo Trust and other local primary academies plus more than 80 children from London schools to perform.

The children will be backed at the concery by a 25-piece band featuring musicians from the Strictly Come Dancing TV band and also the Dalesmen Choir.

The children are now looking for charities or businesses who may be able to fund the costs for the most disadvantaged children.

If you think you can help, contact Emma Waites at the Tees Valley Education Trust on 01642 304406.