BBC Local Live: North East England

Two vehicles collided on the outskirts of Durham in the early hours of yesterday, leaving two men badly injured.

It happened at 01:15 yesterday on the A690, at the West Rainton / Pittington Lane junction.  

The cars involved were a Vauxhall Corsa and an Audi A3. The Corsa was travelling eastbound on the A690 with the Audi heading in the opposite direction.

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The collision took place as the Corsa crossed the carriageway, intending to turn right on o Pittington Lane.

The driver of the Corsa, a 21-year-old man from Hartlepool was uninjured but the driver and passenger of the Audi both received serious injuries and were taken to hospital.

The driver, a 42-year-old man from Houghton-le-Spring, is in the Royal Victoria Infirmary at Newcastle and his passenger, a man from Durham aged 44, is in the University Hospital North Durham. Both are described as stable.

Cloudy with outbreaks of rain, some of these turning heavy during the early hours. 

Rain easing later with clearer spells in the north by dawn. 

Feeling mild throughout with mainly light winds.  

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Check the forecast where you are here.

The Newport Bridge in Middlesbrough is closed and there's queuing traffic in both directions between Cannon Park Interchange and the A1046 Haverton Hill Road junction because of a police incident. 

Congestion on A66 to Hartington Interchange.  

get the latest travel for Tyne and Wear and Teesside.

We can all agree that the people in the North East are top notch - there’s no denying that. But how do the region's pets fair?

Hartlepool MailCopyright: Hartlepool Mail

A Roman Catholic priest has been charged with two counts of fraud.

Father John Reid, 69, was parish priest at St Cuthbert's Church in Chester-le-Street.

Durham Police said the charges relate to allegations of an abuse of a position of trust.

Fr Reid was first arrested more than two years ago amid allegations that money had gone missing.

He withdrew from public ministry while investigations were carried out.

He will appear at Peterlee Magistrates' Court on August 30. 

A man has been found guilty of stabbing to death a 24-year-old in North Tyneside.

Reece Allen, pictured below, was discovered with multiple stab wounds outside an address in West Avenue, North Shields, in the early hours of 25 January. He later died in hospital.

Joe Welsh, also 24, of no fixed address, was found guilty of murder after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

The judge is currently deliberating over when to sentence him.

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Now to look at some other stories from across the region:

A car has been broken into and a number of items were stolen, including valuable surveying equipment.

The incident took place between 23:00 on Tuesday and 10:00 yesterday, while the car was parked on Warkworth Drive in Hartlepool.

A window was smashed before the suspect also went through the items in the boot of the vehicle.

Items stolen include a Garmin sat nav, an electronic measuring tape, a hydrometer, a Cannon digital camera and a large red travel bag containing paperwork. 

Lynne Freeman was a mother of four.

Her children paid tribute to her after her death by saying she was "thriving in life" and loved volunteering for the Redcar Beacons, a charity project she was part of.

They added: "The person who lit up a room as she walked in, the loving way she helped others and in return expected nothing, her infectious laugh and personality, the amazing person who selflessly volunteered to give back into the community, is the person she should be remembered for -  and not the events that took place that night."

CHRISTIAN NIGHTLIFE INIATIVESCopyright: CHRISTIAN NIGHTLIFE INIATIVES

The grandmother of three children who saw their father murder their mother in a horrific attack outside their home said she was "destroyed" to hear they had witnessed the stabbing.

Alan Bennett, 34, from Lingholme, Redcar, was sentenced for murdering firsthis partner Lynne Freeman, then his ex Jodie Betteridge.

Impact statements from the women's families were read out today at Teesside Crown Court by Andrew Robertson QC, prosecuting. 

Jodie Betteridge's mother, Marina Griffiths, said: "My daughter had three young children who have lost their mother and when I found out they saw their own father kill their mum, this destroyed me even more."

She added: "He has destroyed his children's lives as they now have to grow up without their mother who looked after them and loved them dearly."

Ms Griffiths said the family were pleased when Jodie split up with Bennett, as she would no longer be manipulated by him.

An independent investigation is to be carried out into how a man with a history of domestic abuse was able to murder his partner and ex-girlfriend in Redcar.

Alan Bennett, who was today jailed for at least 32 years, had been violent to both of his victims and was barred from having unsupervised contact with his three children.

The 34-year-old killed Lynne Freeman, 46, before stabbing Jodie Betteridge 132 times in front of their children in Redcar on 23 March.  

Det Sgt Peter Carr from Cleveland Police said: "A domestic homicide review is going to take place in due course.

"That's going to be done by Redcar and Cleveland Community Safety Partnership, the police will be involved in that process, and rightly so it sits away from the investigation."

Redcar residents have reacted to Alan Bennett's 32-year jail term for a double murder in the town.

A man who witnessed part of Jodie Betteridge's murder says he saw police pining Bennett to the floor while paramedics tried to resuscitate Ms Betteridge.

Another neighbour says that locals have been "on edge" since the attack took place in March, but they can now "calm down".

He added: "You can see it when people have been walking about, making sure nothing happens to them, because it can happen to anyone."

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A man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend 132 times tried to flee the scene, witnesses have said.

Alan Bennett, 34, killed Lynne Freeman, 46, before stabbing Jodie Betteridge multiple times in front of their three children in Redcar.

One witness to the second attack in Byland Close told me: "He tried to get away but the police got him.  

"We were doing CPR on her chest, but she was gone.

"I didn't realise he stabbed her 132 times but I knew it was severe. She was a mess bless her."

Killer Alan Bennett wrote a letter saying he still loves the two women he brutally stabbed to death, a judge says.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton said the letter was "full of self-pity" and that he claimed to still love his victims, Lynne Freeman, 46, and Jodie Betteridge, 30.

He added that he had made a "monumental mistake".   

But the judge said: "You are a violent individual, you are a man with a quick temper, a man who always expects to get his own way. 

"That becomes worse when you are in drink.

"There was no mistake about it, it was quite deliberate by you." 

A man who stabbed to death two women in Redcar has never explained why he committed the savage attacks, police say.

Alan Bennett has today been given two life sentences and jailed for at least 32 years for the two murders minutes apart in March.

Det Sgt Peter Carr from Cleveland Police said:

Quote Message: Throughout the investigation Bennett refused to take responsibility for his terrible actions, and he never gave his reasons or an explanation for what he did.

Throughout the investigation Bennett refused to take responsibility for his terrible actions, and he never gave his reasons or an explanation for what he did.

Quote Message: I am pleased that today we finally hear two guilty pleas. This will at least spare the victims’ families and friends the additional trauma of going through a trial.

I am pleased that today we finally hear two guilty pleas. This will at least spare the victims’ families and friends the additional trauma of going through a trial.

Quote Message: I hope both families will take some comfort from the fact that Bennett faces a lengthy spell in prison as they continue to come to terms with what happened.”

I hope both families will take some comfort from the fact that Bennett faces a lengthy spell in prison as they continue to come to terms with what happened.”

A Redcar mum who was brutally murdered by her ex-partner in front of their children has today been remembered by her family.

Jodie Betteridge was described as a devoted mother who "lived for her children, as they were the most important people in her life".

Her family do not understand why Alan Bennett carried out the fatal attack in front of their three children, and say they "can’t imagine the pain that she must have gone through".

They added: "Nothing will take the pain away from losing Jodie but it is a comfort to know that justice has been served."

Today he was jailed for a minimum of 32 years.

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The children of Redcar murder victim Lynne Freeman have today said they will have to "live with the consequences" of Alan Bennett's "cruel actions".

Bennett was today sentenced to at least 32 years in jail for stabbing the mother and grandmother to death.

Ms Freeman's family say their pain will "never go away" and that today's sentencing is just " a fraction of what he deserves".

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In a statement, they added: "Our mother’s life was taken at the age of 46, when she should have had years ahead of her with her family and friends. 

"Jail will never be good enough for what he has done as it’s never going to bring mam back."

Double knife murderer Alan Bennett made a "chilling and detached" call to police after stabbing his girlfriend Lynne Freeman to death, police say.

The killer made the call as he walked away from her home in Mapleton Crescent in Redcar and made the short journey to neighbouring Byland Close, where he would go on to kill his ex Jodie Betteridge.

Det Sgt Peter Carr from Cleveland Police said: "Without doubt Bennett acted in cold blood as he attacked both Lynne and Jodie - one his partner at the time, the other the mother of his three children.  

"His phone call to police as he walked away from the fatal attack on Lynne Freeman is particularly chilling and detached."

A man who witnessed a fatal stab attack on a mother of three has spoken of the devastation the murder has had on the community.

Jodie Betteridge was stabbed to death by Alan Bennett shortly after he knifed his partner just around the corner in Redcar.

The witness, who wishes to remain anonymous, saw the attack on Jodie and tried to resuscitate her, but she died a short time later from 132 injuries.

He told me: "It's quiet in this estate now, it shocked the community. 

"You don't expect it to be on you doorstep, but two in a matter of minutes...

"We'll have to live with it, we have to go on. You have to think of the kids."

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A man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend 132 times thought she was a "bad parent" when it was in fact he who had the problem, a judge has said.

Sentencing Alan Bennett to two life sentences for murdering Lynne Freeman, 46, and Jodie Betteridge in Redcar on 23 March, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton told him both his victims were vulnerable. 

A significant aggravating factor was that Bennett killed Jodie, his children's mother, as they watched in horror, the judge said. 

Social services and the courts had decided that Bennett, who had a history of domestic abuse against both women, should not have unsupervised contact with his children because of his personality. 

It is believed his frustration over this was behind his decision to kill.