Local News

Police are appealing for information after a man was injured in an incident in Dormanstown;

Concerned members of the public have joined forces with environmental activists to protest the over the mass deaths of sea creatures and pollution on the Teesside coast;

...and Cleveland Police are introducing a DNA tagging spray in order to target off-road bikers.

Police are appealing for information after a man was injured in an incident in Dormanstown.

Officers were called at 4.40am yesterday to reports of a disturbance in the Westfield Court and Westfield Way area.

On their arrival a 33-year-old man was discovered with a leg wound and he was taken to hospital by ambulance, where he is still receiving treatment.

While no one has been arrested at this stage, enquiries are on-going and police have remained in the area today.

Detectives would reassure residents that this is believed to be a targeted incident, with no current risk to the wider public.

Officers are appealing for anyone with information or dash cam or CCTV who has not yet spoken with police to contact them on the non-emergency number 101.

Concerned members of the public have joined forces with environmental activists to protest the over the mass deaths of sea creatures and pollution on the Teesside coast.

The 'Reclaim Our Sea' group came together on shores across Teesside yesterday to show their support and to raise awareness of the pollution in local waters. The protest comes following the deaths of thousands of sea creatures including crabs and lobsters.

Government department Defra launched a probe which said the most likely cause was an algal bloom - but the findings continue to be heavily disputed by fishermen, conservation campaigners along the Teesside coast and an independent marine expert who maintain high levels of a chemical called pyridine, used in industry, are behind the deaths.

Campaigners believe dredging at the mouth of the River Tees has unearthed historical toxins leading to the crab deaths.

Defra has previously ruled dredging out as a cause for the crustacean mortalities.

Cleveland Police are introducing a DNA tagging spray in order to target off-road bikers.

The spray is being introduced across Cleveland, and can forensically prove that suspects were in a specific location at an exact time.

The spray can be used at scenes of a crime to detect a suspect if they make off from police, and one of those instances when it will be used is to spray off-road bikers committing antisocial driving.

It is an additional tactical option and can also be used in a crowd, such as at a mass gathering of quads or off-road bikes.

The substance can be sprayed from a distance to mark the bikes, clothing and skin of any riders and passengers with a uniquely-coded but invisible DNA that will provide forensic evidence to link them to a specific crime.

A number of other Forces around the country are also using the DNA tagging spray, which can help avoid the risks around carrying out pursuits.