Tyneside and Northumberland stories from this week

7 December 2025

News image — Micala Trussler's daughter, Holly Newton, was killed almost three years ago

Family handout Holly takes a selfie with her mother. Holly has long brown hair and Micala has blond hair, both are looking at the camera smiling. — Micala Trussler's daughter, Holly Newton, was killed almost three years ago

It has been another busy week on Tyneside and across Northumberland with the Tyne Bridge's repairs in the news alongside a mum's warning about a lack of protection for girls and women who are victims of domestic abuse.

Tyne Bridge needs extra 1,000 repairs, report says

Newcastle City Council To the right, there is a large green metal arched bridge over the river, with scaffolding on it. In the distance there are trees and buildings and a car park. It is a cloudy day. — Despite the estimated repairs doubling, council bosses say the project will be completed on time

The number of repairs needed to restore the Tyne Bridge to its former glory has more than doubled since works began, engineers have reported.

Teams working to refurbish the Grade II* listed crossing say they have encountered a "significantly increased" number of problems due to it being in a more dilapidated condition than previously thought.

The landmark has been undergoing a revamp since 2023, with the number of repairs estimated at about 1,000. However, the predicted total has since reached more than 2,000.

Newcastle City Council said the scale of the issues "could not be detected" before contractors Esh began their work.

Read more here.

Books help explain cancer to patients' families

Leanne is reading the children's book. There is an illustration of a woman with curly hair wearing a cold cap. Text around it reads: "Mammy didn't want to lose her hair, so the doctor gave her a cold cap. The cold cap was like a big, icy hat. It felt very cold. Mammy wore it on her head while she got her treatment. It is meant to stop mammy's hair falling out... Mammy said it gave her brain freeze like when you eat too much ice cream!" — The books detail treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy

Breast cancer nurses hope books they have written to help explain treatments to children will help the "whole family".

Authors and specialist nurses Emily Turnbull and Rachel Lockerbie wrote three stories aimed at primary school-aged children detailing procedures "mammy" went through, including surgery and chemotherapy.

They will be given free of charge to patients at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead, which also treats people living in South Tyneside, Durham and Sunderland.

Mother-of-five Leanne was diagnosed with breast cancer in July and said: "These books just explain everything in such a easy-to-understand, child-friendly way."

Read more here.

'Holly died three years ago, nothing has changed'

Family handout Black-and-white picture of Holly. She is sitting with her back against a wall and is smiling at the camera. — Holly Newton was a funny and energetic girl, her family said

A sapling grown from the felled Sycamore Gap tree has been planted in memory of a girl murdered by her ex-boyfriend.

However, almost three years since her daughter's death, Holly Newton's mum says nothing has changed in the battle against violence against women and girls.

Holly would have been 18 last week. But instead of partying with her friends, her loved ones have gathered in the cemetery where she is buried to see a tree planted in her memory.

Holly was 15 when she was lured into an alleyway in the middle of Hexham, where she went to school, in January 2023 by her 16-year-old ex-boyfriend Logan MacPhail.

Read more here.

Late trains for those enjoying night on the town

Northumberland County Council A Northern train running on the Northumberland Line crosses the North Seaton Viaduct. The blue and white two-carriage train cross over the grey steel bridge. It is passing over a large number of green, leafy trees. — The new Northumberland Line service will enable people to travel back from Newcastle later each night

A new late service is being added to a rural train line for those wishing to enjoy a night in the city.

The Northumberland Line reopened in December last year and allowed passengers to travel from Ashington to Newcastle for the first time in 60 years.

Twelve months on, Northern Rail is to launch a late train which will leave the city at 23:21 on Mondays to Saturdays beginning on 15 December. Services on Sunday will be extended to the Metrocentre station.

Northern's programme manager Paul Henry said passengers had told the company they wanted to spend longer in Newcastle city centre.

Read more here.

Eddie Howe and Dan Burn receive honorary degrees

Northumbria University Dan Burn and Eddie Howe smiling into the camera. They are both wearing bright blue hats and matching robes with golden trim. Burn is on the left and has light hair and stubble and is wearing white underneath the robe. He is considerably taller than Howe. Howe is smiling with his mouth closed and has black material peeking out of the colour of the robe. His hair is mostly covered by the hat. — Dan Burn and Eddie Howe received honorary degrees from Northumbria University

Newcastle United's Eddie Howe and Dan Burn have received honorary degrees, alongside former Sunderland chairman Sir Bob Murray CBE.

Northumbria University honoured seven people who have contributed to the university or the north-east of England at its winter graduation ceremonies this week.

Howe, Burn and Sir Bob were all made Doctors of Civil Law, and Howe said the Newcastle duo were "blown away by the gesture" after helping the Magpies to their first domestic trophy since 1955.

A former student of Newcastle Polytechnic, before it became Northumbria in 1992, Sir Bob said his time there gave him the "foundation for his career". He will receive his degree later.