Local News

Redcar and Cleveland businesses, employees, families of school pupils and school staff are being encouraged to make the most of free rapid coronavirus tests;

Police are warning members of the public about lost medication which could be harmful if taken by someone not prescribed it;

...and extra staff have had to be drafted in to deal with a "sea of rubbish" which has blighted the borough's beaches and parks in the last two days.

Redcar and Cleveland businesses, employees, families of school pupils and school staff are being encouraged to make the most of free rapid coronavirus tests.

A number of Government schemes are in place for people to get tested as restrictions begin to lift. 

Around 1 in 3 people with coronavirus don't have symptoms, which means they could be spreading the virus in workplaces without knowing. Rapid testing detects cases quickly – in under 30 minutes – meaning positive cases can isolate immediately, breaking chains of transmission.

Regular testing could be the difference between a workplace being able to stay open and operational, or needing to close due to a COVID-19 outbreak. It is recommended that people should be tested twice a week.

Police are warning members of the public about lost medication which could be harmful if taken by someone not prescribed it. 

A medical safe containing around two weeks worth of medication was reported lost today, Wednesday 31st March, in the Wykeham Close area of Redcar. 

The medication includes: lamotrigine, thiamine, creon, vitamin B compound, alverine, lansoprazole and sertraline. 

Anyone who comes across the safe or the medication is asked to hand it in at their nearest pharmacy or call Cleveland Police on the non-emergency number 101.

Extra staff have had to be drafted in to deal with a "sea of rubbish" which has blighted the borough's beaches and parks in the last two days.

The council has deployed more staff to cleaning duties, especially in the Redcar, Marske and Saltburn areas, and 20 officers were cleaning from 7am today, Wednesday 31 March, after working late into the evening yesterday. Another eight staff have also been drafted in to clean tonight and mechanical cleaners and power washing equipment are also being used.

Nearly 40 fines have had to be issued to cars parked illegally on seafronts yesterday which made it impossible for bin wagons and mechanical cleaners to clean with most work having to be done by hand and a number of fines for littering have been issued. Extra cleaning officers will also be cleaning across the Easter weekend with other officers moved from duties in other parts of the borough to deal with the huge amounts of litter.