Tyne Tees North Tyneside

Patients’ experiences of receiving care for cancer in Northumberland and North Tyneside are among the best in the country.

Northumberland Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust came sixth in a league table measuring patient experience across England, according to results released today by Macmillan Cancer Support, based on research commissioned by NHS England.

It is the fourth successive year that Northumbria Healthcare has been named in the top 10 for the survey.

The league table compares the performance of hospitals across England based on measures of patients’ experiences while being treated in hospital.

Gill Starkey, lead cancer nurse at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are delighted that once again we have been named among the best in the country for cancer patient experience. We are passionate about ensuring every one of our patients receives the highest quality of care and a first-class experience and this latest accolade reflects the dedication of our hard-working teams."

The results come as Northumbria Healthcare opens its fifth specialist oncology unit in the trust at Alnwick Infirmary, meaning that patients across Northumberland and North Tyneside have more local access to chemotherapy treatment.

The trust’s other units are at Berwick Infirmary and Wansbeck, Hexham and North Tyneside general hospitals.

Police investigating an assault at Saint Andrews Court in Benton on 29th August have charged a man with attempted murder.

The stabbing took place at around 4:34am and a 21-year-old was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Read More: 21-year-old stabbed in North Tyneside

21-year-old Daniel Harrington, of Hollington Close, Longbenton, in North Tyneside, has been charged with attempted murder and is due to appear before North Tyneside Magistrates' Court later today.

Two friends from Newcastle are cycling 3,000 miles across the USA from LA to New York to raise funds for a sensory room at the primary school site in Forest Hall in North Tyneside, Newcastle Upon-Tyne.

Jonny Connop and Martin Kay have undertaken the 'Pedal for Percy' challenge, which involves cycling the 3000 miles coast to coast in America in 30 days from L.A. to New York. So far, they are on day 15, exactly half way through their journey.

They hope to raise enough money to buy equipment for a new sensory room which will be required for the children of The Percy Hedley Primary school who have cerebral palsy. The school is moving premises and some of the older equipment will not be able to be moved.

The cycling chums set off each morning at 8am USA time, 7 hours behind the UK. They hope to finish on the 4th October in Manhattan New York.

To support the boys you can go to their website: www.pedalforpercy.com

Police are releasing CCTV images after £300 worth of meat and alcohol was stolen from the Co-Op store in Great North Road, North Tyneside.

The theft occurred between 9:30pm and 9:50pm on Friday, 1st August.

The images released show a man and a woman police want to speak to in connection with the theft.

Anyone who recognises them is asked to contact the police.

A 40-year-old man has died after he was found unconscious with head injuries in Whitley Bay. He was discovered lying on the ground at Waterford Crescent, near Whitley Bay Metro station, just before 11pm on Friday 12th September. Police believe he may have been assaulted.

Police are appealing for witnesses following a two-vehicle crash in North Tyneside.

It happened at around 5.50am, on Tuesday, 9th September when a VW Polo was involved in a crash with a Citroen Xsara Picasso on the roundabout at New York Road, while being pursued by police.

The Polo had been reported for an earlier theft of petrol from Chirton Main Service Station, on Front Street, in Chirton, at around 5.20am.

Enquiries also revealed the same Polo vehicle had been stolen at around 10.40pm, on Monday, 8th September.

The driver had been approached by three men while stationery at the junction of Norham Road North and Westminster Avenue, who asked him to get out the vehicle and hand over the keys. The men then made off in the car.

The occupants of the Polo have been arrested - a 26-year-old man on suspicion of robbery and a 21-year-old man on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking. They are currently helping police with enquiries.

The Picasso driver was uninjured.

Investigations into the crash are ongoing and police are keen to speak to anyone with information.

North Tyneside’s Elected Mayor, Norma Redfearn, is putting together dedicated task groups to tackle anti-social behaviour in Whitley Bay.

It follows from an event attended by over 50 local residents, where people shared their growing concerns over nuisance behaviour in parts of the town, perceived to be fuelled by alcohol and drug use.

Suggestions from the meeting included additional use of CCTV, a review of letting procedures and creating a stronger partnership across residents and police to unite against trouble-makers.

A Metro footbridge in North Tyneside that was closed for six weeks for repair work has now re-opened to the public, just in time for the new school term.

The pedestrian footbridge linking Marmion Terrace and Norham Road in Monkseaton is well used by parents and children to access a number of local schools.

Raymond Johnstone is the Director of Rail and Infrastructure for Nexus, the company which owns and manages Metro. He said: “We knew the bridge was a key walking route for a number of schools in the Monkseaton area so it was vital that the work was done during the holidays.”

Police are appealing for information after a 21-year-old man has been stabbed in North Tyneside.

It happened around 4.34am today (Friday, 29th August) at an address in Saint Andrews Court, Benton.

The 21-year-old has been taken to hospital with serious injuries and his condition is currently described as critical but stable.

Acting Detective Inspector Michelle Robson said: "Officers are in Benton carrying out enquiries into the incident and speaking to local residents. If anyone saw anything in the early hours of this morning in Saint Andrews Court, I would urge them to get in contact."

Police are appealing for information after a house fire in North Tyneside.

It happened at 7.45pm on Thursday, 28th August at a house in Cheshire Gardens, Wallsend.

The fire was extinguished and no-one was injured but smoke damage was caused to the house.

Fire investigators are carrying out enquiries to establish the cause of the fire, anyone with information should contact the police.