13/01/2017 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

It's been a day of anticipating, and in some cases braving,

the high tide surges which moved their way

At high tide this afternoon, Flood warnings were in place

in our region, from Seahouses in the North, to Scarborough

in North Yorkshire, where the sea overtopped the promenade.

Foreshore Road was closed but most seafront properties were protected

In Whitby meanwhile, this was Pier Road just before high tide.

Further inland, water came over the harbour wall,

making New Quay Road impassable to traffic.

There were also some dramatic scenes further north

at Roker in Sunderland, from where Adrian Pitches

The waves have died down tonight but it was pretty spectacular earlier

today, around high tide, people lining the promenade to see the

storm surge in action, this strong wind whipping up a really high tide,

spring tide, leading to some amazing scenes as the waves overtopped the

promenade. This is what some of the people thought about it. Never seen

anything like this, fantastic at the moment. I was born here and I used

to sit on those steps. I want today, but this is wonderful. It beats

California, everywhere. It is amazing, fantastic. I have lived

here 40 years and they don't think I have seen seen like this. There were

11 flood warnings along the coast put in place by the Environment

satisfied with the way they dealt satisfied with the way they dealt

with this potential flood risk today. We put out the right number

of flood warnings so people could be aware of the risks and be prepared.

Conditions are still quite dangerous, and on the short window

on the tide is still high and we would encourage people to exercise

temptation to go sightseeing and put temptation to go sightseeing and put

themselves at any risk. The sea and wind are dying down and for now the

flood risk seems to have passed. A court's heard how a man -

accused of strangling a grandmother with an electrical cable -

was prepared to do whatever it took 33-year-old Gareth Dack is accused

of murdering 79-year-old Norma Bell at her home in Hartlepool last

April. The prosecution claimed Gareth Dack

was guilty of the brutal murder of Norma Bell,

and that he strangled her with an electrical cable

at her home in Hartlepool. He then stole and sold

the television and searched the property for money or anything

valuable which he could sell. In the early hours of the morning,

as his victim lay close by, the court was told that Gareth Dack

used Norma Bell's telephone Now the prosecution say that

when Dack decided to leave Norma Bell's house one final time,

he decided to cover his tracks He turned the gas on at the hob,

hoping the gas would ignite, causing an explosion,

destroying any scientific evidence Dack's DNA was found on a number

of items throughout the house. He later told the police

that was because he'd done some He also told officers he was not

guilty of the murder and that she was a friend

of his mother's. The prosecution say Gareth Dack's

motivation was financial. He needed cash and was going to do

whatever it took to get 33-year-old Gareth Dack from

Hartlepool denies murder and arson. Police are appealing for information

after a family home in County Durham was badly vandalised

while the occupants were out. It happened in

Petterson Dale in Coxhoe on Tuesday. Those responsible had

thrown paint around, poured cleaning products over walls

and furniture, ransacked cupboards and drawers and poured

bleach into the kettle. Sir Leonard Fenwick - the country's

longest-serving NHS boss - He's been in charge

of Newcastle Hospitals since 1977, and helped put them on the world map

with their transplant For more than 40 years, Sir Leonard

Fenwick has managed Newcastle hospitals. He seen a huge number of

changes and challenges in the health service and in many ways has put

Newcastle on the map, creating the great North Children's Hospital,

bright and robotic surgery and set up the Bobby Robson Cancer Centre,

but perhaps most notably he oversaw work around transplants, Newcastle

performing the first successful single lung transplant in Europe and

the first successful surviving baby heart transplant and today tribute

was paid to his work. I would say thank you for his vision to become

reality. You have saved not only my life but transplants at around the

region and we will be forever grateful. Dealing in National review

of children's heart surgery he battled and one for Newcastle before

the decision was overturned. Big thank you to everyone in the

north-east but also from throughout the country and abroad who have

supported Newcastle upon Tyne and all we do. That battle is still

ongoing. Last year the trust was rated outstanding by the Care

Quality Commission. So what has happened today? In a statement

Newcastle hospitals confirmed Sir Leonard Fenwick is taking a period

of extended leave, they wouldn't say why. NHS improvement which oversees

hospitals has told us... Sir Leonard Fenwick hasn't been

available for comment today but many staff told us they were shocked at

the news. I think we are. The winds are dying

down but we have a yellow warning in force for ice through tonight

invented tomorrow morning. So where we have had showers today on

untreated surfaces, watch out for any I ceased surfaces. Other than

that a dry and chilly start to the morning with a brisk breeze coming

down from the north-west but essentially we see plenty of

sunshine and maybe one or two showers are on the coast and the

temperature getting up to a high of around five Celsius. All into Sunday

with something much milder but with the mild air is a lot of cloud and

some outbreaks of rain as well. The temperature on Sunday getting to a

high of around nine. Here is a reminder of the weekend weather and

with the national forecast by hand you over.

5-6 is the best we will have. It stays cold into the