Local News

A man had to be taken to hospital after a search and rescue operation in the River Tees in the early hours of yesterday morning;

The Regent Cinema in Redcar must will remain closed for the foreseeable future after a structural survey revealed worse damage than expected;

...and a school has been placed into special measures after a damning report from Ofsted inspectors.

A man had to be taken to hospital after a search and rescue operation in the River Tees in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The operation involved he Redcar RNLI lifeboats, Cleveland Police, UK Coastguard rescue teams and North East Ambulance Service crews.

Police initiated the search for the man at South Gare, after officers became concerned for his wellbeing.

The two RNLI lifeboats from Redcar were launched just after 2.15am and began a search along the seaward and river side of the South Gare breakwater.

The man was found by police officers on an area known as Bran Sands.

He was extremely cold and drifting in and out of consciousness. He was given immediate medical by aid by paramedics and coastguard teams before being evacuated on a stretcher aboard the Redcar lifeboat.

He was taken to the entrance to Tees Dock where he was transferred to a waiting ambulance and taken to the James Cook University Hospital for treatment.

The Regent Cinema in Redcar must will remain closed for the foreseeable future after a structural survey revealed worse damage than expected.

A team of independent building surveyors has found major structural defects to the roof, floors and walls of the building including three major, vertical cracks on the north wall facing the sea, an extension exposed to the sea which appears to be pulling away from the main cinema hall.

In addition, the survey also found significant weather damage to the main roof including corrosion to older metal beams, cracks to the side wall of the rear stage, and cracking to the interior walls.

It is also believed that there is asbestos in the building and an Asbestos Refurbishment Survey has now begun.

In a statement yesterday Neil Bates, the manager at the Regent, says that he was disapointed by the setback, and will be working with the council to see what is the best way forward.

An school has been placed into special measures after a damning report from Ofsted inspectors.

Freebrough Academy in Brotton has been rated as inadequate after Ofsted found poor quality teaching, bad behaviour and school leaders who were not sure where pupils were.

The academy, which has just over 700 pupils on roll, was rated as good in its last report.

Leaders at the academy say they are extremely disappointed at the findings of the inspection, which took place in April.

They now want to assure parents, pupils and staff that steps have already been taken to improve as quickly as possible, with an emergency board being set up.