Photos showed mask-clad activists from the Animal Justice Project (AJP) standing on the roof of the building holding banners and spraying coloured smoke flares on Saturday, May 28.

TWO people were injured in a crash involving a tractor and two cars on the A66 near Barnard Castle.

The incident occurred sometime between 4pm on Thursday, May 26 and 7am on Friday, May 27 at Eldiss Transport site on Jowett Way.

A BRAZEN diesel thief has been handed a hefty fine and a suspended prison sentence after targeting the same County Durham business nine times in the space of three months – taking hundreds of litres of fuel over that timeframe.

ANIMAL rights protesters have taken to the roof of the Darlington Farmers Mart in protest against what they say is an industry that 'violates' animals.

A County Durham man has been ordered to pay £1,000 after being caught on CCTV dumping a mattress, car seat and wood at the side of a road.

A FLY-TIPPER who left a "disgusting" and "vile" mess inside a County Durham garage - which included dumping a shopping trolley and plastic sheeting - has been slapped with a hefty fine.

THE RSPCA is appealing after two rabbits were found ‘dumped’ on a green in County Durham earlier this week - leaving the pets in a 'desperate' state.

A WOMAN has been fined over £500 in court after knowingly causing waste to be deposited at a nature reserve in County Durham.

COUNCIL officers are currently investigating a ‘shameful’ fly-tipping incident that has put a ‘severe blight’ on the County Durham countryside after sofas, building materials and furniture was dumped in rural grasslands.

RESIDENTS are being urged to share their views on proposals to introduce new enforcement powers to tackle anti-social behaviour in a popular Teesdale beauty spot.

A MAN from Coundon in County Durham has been subject to a community order and fined nearly £5,000 after causing unnecessary suffering to animals.

A MAN was fined after failing to secure hay bales properly when moving them with a tractor.

THE RSPCA is investigating after an injured one-month-old puppy was been found dumped "close to death" in a County Durham Town.

SHOCKING pictures have captured the moment youths scaled to the top of Barnard Castle's tower - risking a potentially fatal fall from its huge height.