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Decision reached on maternity services in Berwick

Decision reached on maternity services in Berwick Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

The future of maternity services in Berwick has just been decided.

The NHS has opted for an office hours service in the unit, with 24-hour on-call midwifery support.

It will mean fewer services based at the unit.

Managers say it is the safest model and will avoid nurses' time being wasted, but the Berwick-upon-Tweed MP Sir Alan Beith says it is a poorer deal for the town.

He said: "Although we will still have facilities in Berwick for births and enhanced training for midwives, if you give birth outside office hours, it's an on-call basis to get the midwives in and the ward open.

That's a lesser standard of service than would be provided in other units in Northumberland that are not as far away from the main hospitals as Berwick is."

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Police corruption investigation bill nears £4million

Investigations into alleged corruption at Cleveland Police have now amounted to a bill of nearly four million pounds.

The bill for criminal inquiry Operation Sacristy and separate disciplinary hearings has reached 3.8 million pounds, the force has confirmed.

The first allegations were made three years ago. Ten people have been arrested and nine remain on bail.

Raids lead to arrests across the North East

Four men have been arrested in early morning raids across the north of England in connection with alleged drugs and money-laundering offences.

More than 50 officers raided addresses in Easington in County Durham, North Shields and Thirsk in North Yorkshire as part of ongoing operations into the activities of crime gangs.

Men aged 41, 40, 35 and 27 have been questioned at police stations in Peterlee and Durham city.

Officers from the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) were helped by detectives from the Durham and Northumbria forces.

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