A fire that took place at a house in Northumberland is no longer being treated by police as suspicious.
The fire, that broke out at a house on Portia Street in Ashington in the early hours of yesterday morning, was initially thought to have been caused by an arson attack.
Police now believe that the cause of the fire was accidental and are no longer investigating the incident.
Two people, who were rescued from the house and taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, have since been released.
A family were rescued from their home after a wheelie bin fire spread to their house. The fire in Portia Street in Ashington is being treated as arson. An investigation is now underway.
Property damage Credit: ITV Wheelie bin fire spread to the house Credit: ITV The family were rescued after the fire spread Credit: ITV Smoke damage Credit: ITVPolice at the scene Credit: ITV
Police are treating a fire in Ashington as arson. Officers believe a wheelie bin was deliberately set on fire before it spread to a house through a window. The family who were inside the house on Portia Street had to be rescued at 3am. They were taken to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.
"This was a distressing incident for the occupants of the house.
"Extra officers will be in the area to both reassure residents and to carry out enquiries into the fire and make sure those who are responsible are apprehended."
– Ashington Neighbourhood Inspector Barrie Joisce
An investigation is now underway and police are asking anyone with information to come forward.
Two men from Ashington men have been convicted of animal cruelty offences.
33-year-old Christopher Hindmarsh, of Links View and 30-year-old Gavin Young, of Pont Street, were arrested in connection with tampering with a badger set in Longhorsley in April of last year.
The two men were charged after a joint investigation with the RSPCA, and they appeared at Bedlington Magistrates Court earlier this month - where they were found guilty of animal cruelty offences.
Hindmarsh was ordered to pay £320 court costs and Young was ordered to pay £338 court costs.
Hindmarsh - banned from keeping animals for three years - had both of his dogs seized by police due to the condition they were being kept with.
A mobile phone belonging to Young was also seized after images of animal cruelty were found on it.
Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was assaulted in Northumberland and had part of his ear bitten off.
The attack happened shortly before midnight on Saturday 16 March when a 19-year-old man was assaulted in an alleyway near to Poundland in Ashington town centre.
Police are particularly keen to speak to a group of men in the area who they believe may have witnessed the assault.
Officers believe that the people involved are known to each other, and an 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault and has since been bailed.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact police on 101 ext 69191, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Two teenage boys have been assaulted in Ashington, Northumberland. Police say the 16-year-olds were approached by a group of young people on the evening of 25th January.
One suffered facial injuries and another a fractured wrist during the attack on Hawthorn Road. They were both taken to hospital.
