Tyne Tees funeral

The funerals of three men who died while kayaking in Northumberland will take place later today (May 23).

Darren Thorpe, his younger brother Mark and their cousin Gavin Bradley failed to return home after a day on the water near Hexham on May 11. They were all from South Tyneside.

Hundreds of mourners gathered today (January 24) for the funeral of an amateur boxer who died after a New Years Eve party.

Thirty one year old Mark Denton died in hospital after suffering serious injuries at a house party in Hartlepool.

Julia Bathram reports.

Hundreds of mourners are attending the funeral of an amateur boxer who died at a house party in Hartlepool.

Mark Denton was attacked on New Year's Eve.

The service is being held at The Borough Hall in Hartlepool, where some of his matches took place.

The funeral of a soldier from County Durham will take place today. Captain Richard Holloway was killed by enemy fire in Afghanistan two days before Christmas. The service will be held at Durham Cathedral. In an earlier statement, his family described him as an exceptional, loyal man.

The funeral is due to take place later today, Wednesday December 4, of 12-year-old Matthew Hayes.

He died after he was hit by a bus on Ryhope Street South in Sunderland nearly two weeks ago.

He was on his way home from school.

Two funeral workers have been sacked from Co-operative Funeral care for cremating the wrong body.

The mix-up saw staff place the wrong body in a coffin and send it to Birtley Crematorium in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear.

Grieving friends and family, who thought they were saying their final goodbyes to someone they loved, were actually saying farewell to a complete stranger.

Co-operative Funeralcare have apologised to the family, and sacked the two workers involved. A spokesman said:

The funeral of a soldier killed in Afghanistan has taken in Middlesbrough.

Corporal Andrew Roberts, 32, died after being hit by mortar fire. His family has described him as a hero.

Corporal Roberts, 32, from Hemlington was killed by enemy mortar fire in Helmand Province.

The father-of-three will be honoured with a full military funeral.

At the opening of the monthly session of Home Office questions in the Commons, the Home Secretary paid tribute to the late PC David Rathband.

On the day of his official memorial service in Newcastle (which the Police Minister Nick Herbert is attending), Ms May called him a brave and fine police officer. She added that his death was a huge loss to the Northumbria force.