Local News

The National Audit Office has confirmed that it could investigate Teesworks - but has not yet received a request to do so;

A major road in our area had to be closed yesterday due to a police incident;

...and a structure on the former Redcar steelworks site has finally been demolished - after two earlier attempts bring it down failed.

The National Audit Office has confirmed that it could investigate Teesworks - but has not yet received a request to do so.

The NAO previously said a probe was outside of its remit as it cannot examine the decisions or actions of the Tees Valley Combined Authority or the South Tees Development Corporation.

However, it has now stated that an investigation would be possible but it needs to be requested by a government minister.

Pressure has been piling on the government to launch an investigation after Labour's Shadow Levelling Up Secretary Lisa Nandy called for a review and Conservative Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen echoed her request later the same day.

A major road in our area had to be closed yesterday due to a police incident.

Just after 11am yesterday Cleveland Police closed a section of the A174 Parkway in both directions near to the Blue Bell interchange and asked drivers to find an alternative route whilst the incident was dealt with.

The closure lead to queuing traffic in and around the area with the road reopening later yesterday afternoon.

The nature of the incident has not yet been revealed.

A structure on the former Redcar steelworks site has finally been demolished - after two earlier attempts bring it down failed.

The Incinerator Stack at Teesworks in Redcar, on the former steelworks site, was originally supposed to be brought down in a controlled explosion around 2pm on Thursday.

Just before 2pm, an explosion detonated at the base of the tall structure - however it remained standing.

And after an attempt to pull it down with guide ropes didn't work either, the demolition was paused while workers went back to the drawing board.

The 120 metre stack was eventually brought down by a digger, which pushed it onto its side in order to topple it.

The demolition marks the penultimate explosive demolition at the Teesworks site, with a final event to bring down remaining structures due for the end of June.