South Tyneside Council urges the public to avoid touching the pellets and keep dogs on leads.
Emergency services attend the Port of Tyne after a crane "collided" with a container ship, police say.
South Tyneside Council is consulting on childcare services but parents fear cuts are likely.
Locals say they are being terrorised despite authorities' claims of targeting criminal behaviour.
A 20-year-old man is arrested over the crash in South Shields at the weekend.
Contractors start work on the bell hammers, support beams and clockfaces of the structure.
Police were called to Sea Road in South Shields after reports that the pair had been hit by a motorcycle.
Animals cool down and get counted, while humans collect prizes in our latest quiz of the week.
In operation since 1980, the last of the old style Metro trains bows out of service.
