Welcome to your daily look at the news in the North East.
Each morning and lunchtime we'll bring you some of the latest news from the North East - from breaking news and top stories to NUFC updates and the cost of living latest.
Today, we bring you news of Britishvolt being sold to an Australian firm, the NHS nurses and ambulance workers strike from the picket line in Gateshead and a Cramlington house fire which left one man seriously ill in hospital.
This is your Tuesday morning briefing on all the latest from across the North East.
Man seriously injured after 'massive bang' as fire rips through Cramlington home with neighbours evacuated
First we bring you the news that a man was seriously injured after a fire ripped through a property in Cramlington on Sunday evening. Pictures from the scene show the property badly damaged by fire, with all of the front windows blown out, while all that remains of the roof are charred beams.
One man was taken to hospital with serious injuries and emergency services remained at the scene throughout the night and into Monday morning.
A neighbour told ChronicleLive she heard a "massive bang" at around 7.20pm on Sunday. A gasworks cordon was also in place outside the house with workers from Northern Gas Networks in attendance.
Northumbria Police confirmed that officers are working to establish the events which led up to the fire. A spokesman said: "Shortly after 7.20pm yesterday (Sunday), we were alerted to a house fire at a property on Sunnyside Road, Cramlington.
"Officers and emergency services attended the scene and one man was taken to hospital, where he remains, with serious injuries. Due to concerns over the safety of the property, a number of residents in the street were evacuated. Enquiries into the cause of the fire are ongoing."
Striking NHS nurses and ambulance workers stand together and demand Rishi Sunak starts to negotiate
Our health reporter Sam Volpe reported on the latest NHS strikes yesterday, catching reaction from the picket line. NHS nurses and ambulance workers stood side-by-side on picket lines and together urged the Prime Minister to once again "get around the table" and bring the ongoing NHS pay row to an end.
For the first time during the winter of NHS strikes so far, two services took action on the same day. And though both ambulance workers and nurses had picket lines around the region - in Gateshead they were just yards from one another and each group spent time backing their NHS colleagues.
Speaking to Sam, outside of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, nurse Lindsey Lang said: "We don't want to be here, let's be honest. We would much rather be at work looking after patients. But we just have to take this stand.
"It's getting to a point where it's unsafe - unsafe for patients and unsafe for staff."
Her colleague Amy Harkness added: "I feel like everyone's just a bit deflated. We didn't expect to be here. We didn't expect the Government to continue to let us down. They have brought nothing to the table."
Northumberland jobs hope as Britishvolt sold to Australian firm
ChronicleLive's business editor, Graeme Whitfield, had the latest on Northumberland's Britishvolt after it went into administration. He revealed that Britishvolt has been sold to Australian firm Recharge Industries, which will now aim to make plans for the battery plant at Cambois a reality.
Little is known of the Australian company, which like Britishvolt is a new business that was only founded in 2021. But the company, which is also trying to build a battery plant at Geelong, near Melbourne, is known to have beaten other businesses interested in Britishvolt.
David A. Collard, founder of Recharge Industries said “We’re thrilled to be progressing with our proposed bid for Britishvolt and can’t wait to get started making a reality of our plans to build the UK’s first gigafactory. After a competitive and rigorous process, we’re confident our proposal will deliver a strong outcome for all involved.”
Read next:
- Northumberland County Council supporting staff and pupils after death of Holly Newton in Hexham
- Holly Newton 'stabbing': Boy injured in alleged attack in Hexham is discharged from hospital
- Then and Now: The Northumberland pub featured in a classic TV episode of the Likely Lads
- Police probe launched after man asks two children to get into his car in Ponteland
- Berwick town centre like 'ghost town' as big name retailer prepares to shut
