North East news LIVE: Delays clear on A1 after earlier multi-vehicle crashes
ChronicleLive's breaking news service including Wednesday's traffic, travel, weather, sport and more covering Newcastle and the North East
Alex McIntyre
Hello and welcome to the breaking news blog for Wednesday January 15, 2020.
It's Alex McIntyre here and I'll be keeping you updated.
If you would like to get in touch with us today about any breaking news, here are my details:
Email: alex.mcintyre@reachplc.com
Twitter: @AlexJMcIntyre
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Looking for the latest news in your postcode? Visit InYourArea.co.uk to stay up to date with what's happening near you.
Have you seen this wanted man? 11:06
Kathryn Riddell
Check your area
The A1 is still looking busy so you may need to plan a different route.
You can check for any other problems in your area using our traffic and travel widget.
News latest today
Here we have some of the latest news stories.
Plans for 102 homes on the site of the demolished Chapel Park Middle School. (Image: ID Partnership / Gentoo Homes via Newcastle City Council planning portal.)
Demolished middle school in Newcastle's outer west could be replaced with 100-home estate
Drink-driver took mum's car and crashed twice after necking a bottle of vodka
Plans revealed to open up 38-mile route to open up Northumberland coastline to the public
It's 'unacceptable' for people to suffer due to poor air quality - North Tyneside councillor warns
Government reaches deal with Flybe shareholders to keep airline operating
Crash cleared on northbound A1
All lanes have now also opened on the northbound side of the road near to the Angel of the North.
Delays are still in place and traffic is still slow moving.
Southbound crash cleared
It is now been reported that all lanes have reopened southbound and the crash near Chester-le-Street has been cleared.
Traffic was still very slow however after lane three was closed for around an hour.
Heavy delays in both directions
It's best to avoid the A1 if you you're travelling between Gateshead and County Durham.
Travel time was 25 minutes heading north and 15 minutes southbound.
Traffic was still able to get past both crashes but there were knock-on delays.
Scotswood Road crash cleared
A crash on Scotswood Road has now been cleared.
This was partially blocking the road earlier near the Newcastle Business Park.
Delays to traffic on the A1
Traffic was looking particularly busy around Washington due to the two crashes on the A1.
One was northbound near to the Angel of the North and the other was southbound near to Chester-le-Street.
A1 traffic after crashes north and southbound (Image: TomTom)
Multi-vehicle crash on both sides of A1
Traffic officers were at a crash on the A1 northbound near the Angel of the North.
Lane three was closed after a three-vehicle crash.
There was been a reported multi-vehicle crash on the A1 southbound near to Chester-le-Street.
One lane was closed and police and traffic officers were also at the scene.
Allan Saint-Maximin gives a brilliant positive injury update
Allan Saint-Maximin gave a memorable injury update on Twitter on Tuesday night as he moves closer to a return to action.
The Newcastle United forward has been missing since the start of December after aggravating a hamstring injury in the final minutes of the Southampton win but Tweeted he was pain free as he moon-walked to Michael Jackson's 'Don't Stop Til You Get Enough'.
When you no longer feel any pain pic.twitter.com/Nrh82HELHo
— Allan Saint-Maximin (@asaintmaximin) January 14, 2020
"When you no longer feel any pain," his message read.
Fans loved the update and that should be the clearest indication yet that United's attacking talisman is close to a return to first team action.
Only Saint-Maximin could deliver the news in that way though, a fact acknowledged by Jamaal Lascelles in the replies. He tweeted: "I feel the same! Just can't dance like that!" The skipper asked Saint-Maximin for some lessons at training today.
Barrier Ex to open in the UAE after securing deal
A North Tyneside lighting company is planning to open a new office in the Middle East after securing a multimillion-pound, multi-year deal.
Barrier Ex, which makes hazardous area lighting, has secured the lucrative deal after meeting with His Royal Highness Sheikh Saeed bin Saqer bin Sultan Al-Qasimi, who rules over the Emirate of Sharjah in the UAE.
Steven Lee, MD at Barrier Ex Ltd (Image: @NeilDenham)
With support from the Department for International Trade and the North East England Chamber of Commerce, Barrier Ex managing director Steven Lee and technical director Tony Oram travelled to the region last year to discuss a deal that could see the Tyneside firm provide commercial and industrial lighting to the emirate in a long-term relationship.
More on the new office.
What's new for the Great North Run's 40th half marathon
This year's Great North Run will be the 40th time the half marathon is held.
Olympian Brendan Foster first had the idea for the run in 1979, inspired by a race in New Zealand, which took runners from the city of Auckland to the coast.
An abstract view of the 2019 Great North Run from the Tyne Bridge. (Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
Initially, Brendan and his fellow founders expected around 1,000 runners to take part, but 11,000 signed up to the first Great North Run in 1981. The event has grown ever since, into a globally famous half-marathon which attracts elite distance runners and thousands upon thousands of amateurs from the North East, the UK and around the world every September. Around 1.2m have finished the Great North Run.
More on the changes this year.
It's 'unacceptable' for people to suffer due to poor air quality - councillor
A top councillor has warned it is "unacceptable" for people to suffer as a result of poor air quality.
Coun Carl Johnson spoke out just days before North Tyneside councillors will be asked to approve measures that will see daily tolls of up to £50 imposed on some high-polluting vehicles entering Newcastle city centre.
Coun Carl Johnson
Final proposals for a controversial Clean Air Zone (CAZ) designed to slash emissions were supported at a full meeting of Newcastle City Council earlier this month.
More on the plans.
Heartbroken Newcastle mum pays tribute to 'caring' son
A heartbroken mum has paid tribute to her loving son who took his own life.
Tony Hall with his son Paisley, sister Stephanie and her daughter Amelia (Image: Tina Hall)
After coming out of prison, Tony Hall was living in a hostel and his family claim he received "a lack of support".
Tony's mum Tina said the 26-year-old's mental health deteriorated and he tragically took his own life on May 3 last year.
She has told his story.
Front page today
On today's front page, a mum pays tribute to her son and tries to help others with mental health problems.
KEY EVENT
Have you seen this wanted man?
Police are searching for a Wallsend man wanted in connection with a serious assault.
Officers are keen to locate Karl Brierley, 35, following the incident on Peregrine Court, in North Shields, which was reported on December 17 and left a 44-year-old victim with serious injuries.
Efforts are ongoing to locate Brierley and a number of homes have already been searched.
Karl Brierley, 35, is wanted by police in connection with a serious assault in North Shields (Image: Northumbria Police)
Northumbria Police has asked members of the community who know his whereabouts or who have recently seen him to come forward with information.
Brierley, or anyone with information which could help locate him, is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 158749G/19.
Alternatively you can phone independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Lorry driver allegedly caused death of driver by stopping on A19 to reverse after missing slip road
A lorry driver allegedly caused the death of a motorist who slammed into the back of him when he stopped on a dual carriageway to reverse to a slip road he had missed, a court heard.
John Terence Robinson who died in a collision near Washington (Image: Northumbria Police)
Prosecutors say Marcel Balan brought his Daf HGV to a stop on an unlit stretch of the A19.
Three seconds later, John Robinson, 24, who was travelling home from work, crashed his Ford Fusion into the back of the lorry, jurors at Newcastle Crown Court heard.
The force of the impact was such that the HGV was pushed forwards eight metres and Mr Robinson's car went underneath it. He died from severe head injuries.
Balan, 57, denies causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by driving without due care and attention and is standing trial.
Full story here.
It's Kathryn Riddell here and I'll be keeping you updated.
Email: kathryn.riddell@reachplc.com
Twitter: @KathrynRiddell
Dancing on IceDancing On Ice's Caprice and partner Hamish Gaman 'part ways' leaving viewers guessing what happenedIt was announced right at the start of Sunday that Caprice and pro partner Hamish had parted ways
World NewsFlight disruption as Storm Gloria forces fire-damaged Alicante Airport to closePlanes have been forced to divert to nearby airports during the closure, including flights to and from Newcastle
ITVHow to apply to be on The Ibiza Weekender as guest or a holiday repThe Ibiza Weekender has been a big hit on itv2 for six years now and you can now apply to be on the next series
Dancing on IceWho is Ben Hanlin on Dancing on Ice? Magician suffers injury blow ahead of live showsBen Hanlin is one of the contestants on the Dancing on Ice lineup for the new series on ITV
ITVThe Masked Singer's Daisy has viewers certain she is pop star KelisThe identity of Thee Masked Singer's Daisy prompted plenty of social media predictions after Saturday's show
SunderlandPolice issue warning after medication deadly to humans is stolen in Sunderland burglaryOfficers say the medication was for animals and could be fatal if taken by humans - an appeal has now been made for the drugs to be returned
SunderlandPolice issue warning after medication deadly to humans is stolen
Officers say the medication was for animals and could be fatal if taken by humans - an appeal has now been made for the drugs to be returned
Durham ConstabularyMan dies after car crashes off the A19 in County Durham
Durham Constabulary revealed that the driver of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident on Friday evening