Good News 
Tees Valley barn owl population grows as 541 chicks are recorded this year
Volunteers from the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust have recorded 541 barn owl chicks this season, doubling the previous year's total of 270. Fa…
Durham City Riverscape Community collects over 50 bags of rubbish from the River Wear
Volunteers from the Durham City Riverscape Community have cleared more than 50 bags of waste from the River Wear during their latest monthl…
Durham’s The Light gallery opens with works by Tracey Emin and Steve McQueen
Following a £17m redevelopment, the former Durham Light Infantry Museum has reopened as The Light, a new space combining military history w…
Seagull survives eight-mile journey trapped in car grille on the A1(M)
A motorist driving between Aycliffe and Darlington discovered a seagull wedged behind his numberplate after travelling eight miles at motor…
Students in Hartlepool celebrate A-level results and future career paths
Students across the UK received their A-level, BTEC and T-level results this week, marking the end of months of anticipation. Among those c…
Smoking rates during pregnancy fall by 40% in the North East and North Cumbria
The number of women smoking at the time of delivery in the North East and North Cumbria has dropped to 7.8%, down from 13.1% in 2020-21. Th…
Traditional farming methods preserved the meadows at Hannah Hauxwell's Low Birk Hatt Farm
Hannah Hauxwell maintained traditional agricultural practices at her remote Pennine farm for decades, resisting the shift toward intensive …
Darlington health coach Paul Woodhouse marks five years of sobriety by helping others
After a struggle with alcohol nearly cost him his life, 40-year-old Paul Woodhouse has spent the last five years building a new career as a…
New theme park inspired by history and myth opens in Bishop Auckland
The Storied Lands has opened in County Durham, offering visitors immersive historic environments and live performances alongside the existi…
New Viking-themed arena and visitor attractions approved for Bishop Auckland's Kynren
Durham County Council has approved plans for a new Viking Arena and an immersive experience called The Legend of the Wear at the Kynren sit…
Newcastle vicar completes first skydive to raise funds for church youth work
Revd Gerard Rundell of St Aidan's Church in Gosforth completed a 14,000ft skydive over County Durham, even finding time to bless his camera…
County Durham food waste is now being converted into renewable energy
Around 9,000 tonnes of household food waste collected across County Durham is being processed at the Wardley Anaerobic Digestion facility t…