Police have launched an investigation into what caused a pollution leak that killed thousands North Yorkshire fish last week.

Two people have been hospitalised after the double-decker bus they were riding on toppled over on a rural road.

CCTV footage of the area showed a flat bed van driving up the street, where a man got out of the vehicle and removed the waste before driving away.

Doctors Gate at Hamsterley Forest, near Bishop Auckland, has faced "significant" damage from vehicles in recent months.

Police have launched an appeal to make three bikes 'too hot to handle' after they were stolen from a campervan passing through Durham as part of a family holiday.

Emergency services were called to JA Jewitt (Meat) in Spennymoor at around lunchtime on Thursday after a member of staff was critically injured.

Two boys aged 12 and 15 were arrested on suspicion of arson after a barn fire at Staindrop, County Durham.

The vehicle was at Cookshold Lane in Sherburn, Durham at approximately 7pm last night (Saturday, November 5), leading residents to believe someone had taken Bonfire Night a bit too seriously.

Led by Wildlife Officer, PC Dave Williamson, members of the Barnard Castle Neighbourhood Policing Team, RSPB, the National Wildlife Crime Unit and Police Scotland carried out a search in an area close to Hamsterley Forest on Wednesday morning (November 2).

Firefighters were called at 2:10pm this afternoon (Wednesday, October 26) to the Westgate Ford, near Stanhope, in Weardale, after a person in a Volkswagen got into difficulties.

Fed-up homeowners in rural County Durham are said to be ‘fed up’ at having to contend with the off-road bikes that are taking over parks, green space, and even people’s gardens, as the police look to tackle the anti-social behaviour.

One recent incident included the recovery of a stolen quad bike which was taken as a farmer worked his land and just 24 WhatsApp messages later, was recovered and the suspect arrested.

More than 1,500 people from rural areas are using WhatsApp groups to give information to Durham Police in an effort to cut crime.

A litter-strewn section of the River Wear is set to be cleared of debris after a local campaign.

County Durham and Darlington Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen has welcomed the latest Rural Crime Report by leading rural insurer NFU Mutual, which shows the cost of rural crime in County Durham fell by almost 30 per cent in 2021 to £260k.