The National Trust has contacted police after dangerous nail traps were found by mountain bikers on a Wearside trail.
The traps, photographed here by keen rider Dan King, were hidden on the trail at Dawson’s
Plantation near Penshaw. It is thought they were placed there to damage
bikes.
The land is owned by the trust and head ranger
Helen McDonald says the nails could also have "caused serious injury".
Dan KingCopyright: Dan King
Dan KingCopyright: Dan King
The trust has been closed for conservation and to protect the area of special scientific interest. It said the discovery of the traps had "no bearing on the decision".
An on-line petition was started by Dan King, of the Penshaw Riders bike group, who said it would be "missed". He said the nearest similar terrain is an hour’s drive away in Hamsterley.
The trust said it was keen to work with the riders and other bodies to find a suitable replacement route.
South Tyneside Council budget agreed
South Tyneside Council has approved a 4.95% council tax rise.
As a result, householders in Band A properties will be charged 87p a week extra from April.
The council says that 3% of the rise is the adult social care precept.
The authority needs to save £19m in the next financial year.
Durham teaching assistants protest
BBC Look North
North East and Cumbria
About 100 teaching assistants have protested outside County Hall today against changes to their contracts.
Durham County Council says it will only pay its teaching assistants during term time and unions claim that will cut wages by up to 23%.
Negotiations are continuing and the council says it is carrying out a review of the roles and activities of its teaching assistants.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Fire and ice
Huge blocks of ice will be carved into beautiful sculptures - of Vikings, dragons, and King Arthur - as they form a trail around Durham city for the Fire and Ice Festival.
A woman and two young children out for a walk on the beach at South Shields today weren't surprised to see a group of excited gulls swooping around noisily.
But they were shocked when they realised that the gulls were attacking a barn owl.
Amy Salem was out with her friends' kids, Molly Edgar and Elli-Jo House at Sandhaven Beach when they witnessed the assault.
Then, when some crows joined in the attack, they saw the owl plunge into the sea as it tried to escape.
Amy SalemCopyright: Amy Salem
The owl in the towelImage caption: The owl in the towel
Amy says she waded into the sea to rescue the owl.
A passer-by provided a towel to keep the owl warm and National Trust warden Mick Simpson was soon on the scene to take the owl away to recover in safety.
There was outrage when the abuse to which Andrew and Daniel Frankish subjected a bulldog became public knowledge.
The brothers, from Redcar in Teesside, had
repeatedly stamped on the dog
and thrown it down stairs. As a result the dog became paralysed in the back legs and was eventually put down.
RSCPACopyright: RSCPA
Yet they were given only a suspended sentence. Even if they had been jailed, the maximum prison sentence they could have faced was six months - meaning they would be released in just three.
The sentence attracted widespread criticism. Nearly
500,000 people signed an online petition
calling for a tougher penalty. Others held a vigil for the abused dog while a plane was flown over Middlesbrough FC's stadium during a match, calling for the brothers to be locked up.
Redcar's Labour MP Anna Turley, who was among those outraged by the sentence, has secured a parliamentary debate about the issue later.
Leazes Park vandals sought
Newcastle City Council is hunting for vandals who damaged Leazes Park.
Kirsty Wilkinson, who is leading the Macmillan Joining the Dots County Durham work, said: “The impact a cancer diagnosis can have on an individual and their family goes beyond medical treatment.
"Right now, the project is seeking views from people affected by cancer about the help they need, and where and when they need it."
The team will be in Durham marketplace on Tuesday, Middlesbrough's Captain Cook Square on Wednesday, Darlington West Row on Thursday and Tesco Extra in Newton Aycliffe on Friday.
Live Reporting
All times stated are UK
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Jim JonesCopyright: Jim Jones 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
NissanCopyright: Nissan 
Dan KingCopyright: Dan King 
Dan KingCopyright: Dan King 
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Amy SalemCopyright: Amy Salem The owl in the towelImage caption: The owl in the towel 
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Sunderland EchoCopyright: Sunderland Echo 
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Latest PostOur live coverage across the day
That's us all done for another day - thank you for joining us.
You can catch up with the latest news tonight on BBC Tees , BBC Newcastle , Look North and online.
We'll leave you with this lovely photo Jim Jones sent us at Druridge Bay the morning after Storm Doris.
If you have a photograph you'd like to share with us, you can Tweet us @BBCNewsNE , email , or contact us via our Facebook page .
We'll be back on Monday from 08:00 - have a lovely weekend!
Pickford may return to face Everton
BBC Sport
Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is pushing to return for Saturday's Premier League trip to Everton after missing the last two months with a knee injury.
He could make his first appearance since Boxing Day in place of Vito Mannone .
Nissan's new panel press gets to work in Sunderland
Nissan has started production at its Sunderland plant using a new press, which will be capable of stamping 2.5 million panels a year.
The new equipment has taken 18 months to install at a cost of £37m.
It stands more than 10m-high (33ft), and will be used to press body panels for the range of cars the company produces in Sunderland.
It comes as the company celebrates the nine millionth vehicle to come off the production line since the plant opened in 1986.
Crash causes A1 delays
BBC Travel
There are reports of delays southbound on the A1 Western Bypass due to a three-vehicle collision near junction 68 at Lobley Hill.
Tail backs to junction 72 at Swalwell.
Bird flu outbreak in chicken flock
A protection zone is put in place after avian flu breaks out among 35 birds in Northumberland.
Read moreNail traps left for trail bikers
The National Trust has contacted police after dangerous nail traps were found by mountain bikers on a Wearside trail.
The traps, photographed here by keen rider Dan King, were hidden on the trail at Dawson’s Plantation near Penshaw. It is thought they were placed there to damage bikes.
The land is owned by the trust and head ranger Helen McDonald says the nails could also have "caused serious injury".
The trust has been closed for conservation and to protect the area of special scientific interest. It said the discovery of the traps had "no bearing on the decision".
An on-line petition was started by Dan King, of the Penshaw Riders bike group, who said it would be "missed". He said the nearest similar terrain is an hour’s drive away in Hamsterley.
The trust said it was keen to work with the riders and other bodies to find a suitable replacement route.
South Tyneside Council budget agreed
South Tyneside Council has approved a 4.95% council tax rise.
As a result, householders in Band A properties will be charged 87p a week extra from April.
The council says that 3% of the rise is the adult social care precept.
The authority needs to save £19m in the next financial year.
Durham teaching assistants protest
BBC Look North
North East and Cumbria
About 100 teaching assistants have protested outside County Hall today against changes to their contracts.
Durham County Council says it will only pay its teaching assistants during term time and unions claim that will cut wages by up to 23%.
Negotiations are continuing and the council says it is carrying out a review of the roles and activities of its teaching assistants.
Fire and ice
Huge blocks of ice will be carved into beautiful sculptures - of Vikings, dragons, and King Arthur - as they form a trail around Durham city for the Fire and Ice Festival.
Day trippers swoop to save barn owl
A woman and two young children out for a walk on the beach at South Shields today weren't surprised to see a group of excited gulls swooping around noisily.
But they were shocked when they realised that the gulls were attacking a barn owl.
Amy Salem was out with her friends' kids, Molly Edgar and Elli-Jo House at Sandhaven Beach when they witnessed the assault.
Then, when some crows joined in the attack, they saw the owl plunge into the sea as it tried to escape.
Amy says she waded into the sea to rescue the owl.
A passer-by provided a towel to keep the owl warm and National Trust warden Mick Simpson was soon on the scene to take the owl away to recover in safety.
Debt will follow waste boss 'for life'
Raymond Shepherd was ordered to pay back £14,000 of his debt.
Read moreBradley For England!
Bradley Lowery, who is battling cancer, has been invited to be a mascot when England play Lithuania next month.
The five-year-old, who is from Blackhall Colliery in County Durham, has already been a mascot for his favourite club side, Sunderland.
His family were told earlier this week that he has developed a new tumour .
MP to call for tougher animal cruelty sentences
Bethan Bell
BBC News Online
When two brothers who filmed themselves torturing a dog were spared jail it provoked an outcry. Yet England and Wales has the lightest maximum sentence in Europe for animal cruelty offences. Now an MP is hoping to make the law tougher on perpetrators .
There was outrage when the abuse to which Andrew and Daniel Frankish subjected a bulldog became public knowledge.
The brothers, from Redcar in Teesside, had repeatedly stamped on the dog and thrown it down stairs. As a result the dog became paralysed in the back legs and was eventually put down.
Yet they were given only a suspended sentence. Even if they had been jailed, the maximum prison sentence they could have faced was six months - meaning they would be released in just three.
The sentence attracted widespread criticism. Nearly 500,000 people signed an online petition calling for a tougher penalty. Others held a vigil for the abused dog while a plane was flown over Middlesbrough FC's stadium during a match, calling for the brothers to be locked up.
Redcar's Labour MP Anna Turley, who was among those outraged by the sentence, has secured a parliamentary debate about the issue later.
Leazes Park vandals sought
Newcastle City Council is hunting for vandals who damaged Leazes Park.
‘Can you hear me?’: Residents warned to hang up on new phone scam
Sunderland Echo
Newspaper
People in the North East are being warned of a new telephone scam which is currently sweeping the United States and is set to hit the UK.
Park vandal attack 'heartbreaking'
Police investigate after Victorian balustrades are smashed and the bandstand damaged.
Read moreMacmillan cancer support goes on tour
Macmillan Cancer Support’s mobile service will be touring the region next week offering free information and support about cancer.
Kirsty Wilkinson, who is leading the Macmillan Joining the Dots County Durham work, said: “The impact a cancer diagnosis can have on an individual and their family goes beyond medical treatment.
"Right now, the project is seeking views from people affected by cancer about the help they need, and where and when they need it."
The team will be in Durham marketplace on Tuesday, Middlesbrough's Captain Cook Square on Wednesday, Darlington West Row on Thursday and Tesco Extra in Newton Aycliffe on Friday.
Search for precious pendant
BBC Newcastle
A woman is appealing for help to find a pendant which fell off her necklace in Newcastle because it contains her mum's ashes.
Lauren Bennet, whose mum died three months ago, came to the city last Friday to register the death.
She thinks the pendant fell off somewhere between The Gate and the Centre for Life.
Lauren says she is "desperate" to get back the "little bit of her mum she had left".
Gazette: Friday's front page story
The Gazette
Newspaper
Hundreds of jobs secured after Teesside chemicals firm sold to China for £100m .