Northumberland

The operation to rescue up to 100 vehicles stranded in the snow over Carter Bar in North Northumberland lasted "well into the small hours," Border Search and Rescue Unit said.

Three kayakers found dead in a river in Northumberland were today named by police as brothers Darren and Mark Thorpe and their cousin Gavin Bradley

Three kayakers from the same family have been found dead in a river in Northumberland after a major search and rescue operation were launched last night.

Police, fire crews and the RAF were drafted in to search for three kayakers who were reported missing late last night.

Read: Two vehicles belonging to kayakers found

It is understood a third body has been found in the search for a missing kayaker.

The men, two brothers and a cousin, all from South Shields, had gone out on the River Tyne yesterday (May 11).

Chief Superintendent Gordon Milward of Northumbria police says they had kayaked on the Tyne before.

Two vehicles belonging to missing kayakers on the River Tyne were found early this morning just hours before two bodies were found.

Two kayaks have also been recovered after a the group of three kayakers from the South Shields area of South Tyneside went missing.

Formal identification of the two bodies is yet to take place and searches are continuing for the third missing kayaker.

Read: Rescuers continue search for third missing kayaker

Emergency teams are scouring the River Tyne in Northumberland after three kayakers reportedly went missing yesterday.

Two bodies have been found, but rescue teams are continuing their search and have been joined by the Royal Air Force and the Coastguard.

A call was received at 11pm yesterday saying a trio of kayakers had failed to return home, and by 6.20 am this morning two bodies had been recovered from the river.

Read: Two bodies found after kayakers go missing

Two bodies have been recovered as part of a search and rescue operation after three kayakers went missing last night in the River Tyne, Northumberland, said police

A major search and rescue operation is under way on a riverside after a group of kayakers are believed to have gone missing.

Rescue teams have been joined by a Sea King helicopter and the fire service as they search the scene.

More than 50 inmates reportedly took over part of a prison wing. The incident broke out at HMP Northumberland in Morpeth at around 7.30pm yesterday.

Prison Officers Association general secretary Steve Gillan told the BBC that there was a stand-off. He said last night: "We do not know what has sparked this major incident, but I do know that 50 plus inmates have taken over a wing," he said.

"We have teams from other establishments trained to deal with riots on their way. There is concerted indiscipline and our officers will try to contain it."

A spokesman for Sodexo, which operates the prison, said the situation has now been resolved and an investigation is due to be carried out into the incident.

Read: Northumberland prison wing hit by 'disturbance'

Inmates are reported to have taken over part of a prison wing. Officials at HMP Northumberland confirmed a "disturbance" was under way, but dismissed as "speculation" the suggestion of a stand-off between inmates and guards.

A spokesman for Sodexo, which operates the prison, said: "We can confirm there is a disturbance at HMP Northumberland.

"It is confined to part of one wing of the prison and we are working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible."

The incident has been ongoing since around 7.30pm. The Sodexo spokesman added: "It is not quite resolved yet."