It will be fitting to gain a little exercise in what we hope will be warm sunshine amid the daffodils in a village that once called itself the “Montpelier of the North” such was its healthy position.

An Echo photographer tried out a new wide angle lens in Haughton in 1965

Indeed, so wholesome was it that in 1845, the artist William Bewick, his health shot to pieces by hanging around in the draughty Sistine Chapel, was advised to settle in Haughton by his doctors.

Bewick had been commissioned to paint a copy of Michelangelo’s famous ceiling for the Royal Academy. He had scaffolding 60ft high erected inside the Vatican chapel, and from the top of it, began his work.

An Edwardian postcard looking east along Haughton green

However, Pope Leo XII didn’t like the smell of the paint, and insisted that all the windows in the chapel should be kept open while Bewick was at work.

As it was winter, the unfortunate artist suffered immensely, and once he had finished his commission, his doctors in London suggested he should retire to the “Montpelier of the North” for the sake of his health.

Next Saturday’s walk will go past Bewick’s home and studio on the green.

The walk, arranged by Cllr Chris McEwan and led by Chris Lloyd, who compiles Memories, with local historian Carol Atkinson, will begin at the church – the oldest in Darlington – and end in the Wave Café in the church hall – which is next to the oldest domestic building in Darlington.

A 1905 postcard showing Haughton church

The Grey Horse, Haughton, with licensee Jane Robinson in the centre of her door frame. Here the first football team in Darlington met in 1879

We’ll kick up a stink over the Cheese Affair, start a discussion over Fatty Man’s Squeeze, look at where the first football team in the town had their headquarters, and wonder whether the Highland Laddie pub really is named after a Scottish soldier who was injured in a skirmish with English soldiers during the 1740s Jacobite Rebellion but taken in and cared for by kindly villagers.

The Highland Laddie used to be on one of the most dangerous corners in Durham. Work to remove it began in 1939 but was stopped by the war. A newly built Highland Laddie was eventually opened in 1948

Then we’ll head down Mill Lane to the site of river-powered mill that was one of three mills in the district – the others were at Ketton and in Darlington town centre – that were mentioned in the Boldon Book of 1183.

The Skerne used to meander badly here but a dead straight mill race was built to provide it with greater power and it grew into a large complex straddling the waterway.

Haughton Church reached over a bridge over the meandering Skerne

It ground corn and malt until the late 18th Century when it was taken over by John Kendrew. He had used a mill in the town centre to produce the best spectacle lenses until his methods were stolen by unscrupulous Birmingham businessmen. Then assisted by the Backhouse family, he pioneered the use of steam power to spin flax. He protected his invention with a patent but, despite a lengthy court case in 1787, his idea was stolen by John Marshall of Leeds, forcing him to retire to Haughton.

The mill here was ideally located as flax was being imported into Stockton from the Baltic states and Russia.

Mr Kendrew died in 1800, and the Parker family took over the mill. Their employees were noted marching behind their banners on Tuesday, June 12, 1832, through the town centre with 3,000 other labourers, and with 12,000 spectators, celebrating the passing of the Great Reform Act. The millworkers then returned to the mill where they were “sumptuously regaled with plum pudding and roast beef”.

Once the mill had a stone inscribed “JM 1782 KS” on its gable end, but now nothing of it remains, although as we walk along the Skerne we’ll be able to note how its course has been changed over the centuries as we also talk about the lost Red Hall mansion.

The Red Hall mansion fell derelict from 1966 and was used as a riding stables before it was demolished in 1984

The walk will finish at the church hall where hopefully we’ll be sumptuously regaled with a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

A lovely 1949 picture looking east along Haughton Green taken from The Northern Echo archive. The electricity cables running the length of the road powered the trolley buses which reached the end of their run at the roundabout

• The walk is free will set off from the church at 10am, but the vicar is kindly opening the doors from 9.30am so people can gather and have a look around. We aim to be back for 11.30am. All are welcome. Cllr McEwan has been put in charge of the weather. Bring a brolly, just in case.

A string of high-profile Brits living in the emirate have been accused of sanitising reality while tensions escalate across the Middle East

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Dubai-based British influencers are coming under fire for continuing to flood social media with glossy, picture-perfect posts as missile strikes and conflict continues to unfold around them.

A string of high-profile Brits living in the United Arab Emirates, including former Love Islander Arabella Chi, have been accused of sanitising reality by sharing sun-soaked snaps of their gym routines and luxe lives while tensions escalate across the Middle East.

On February 28, the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, triggering a sharp escalation in the region. Iran retaliated, forcing the closure of airspace across the Gulf — including the UAE — leaving more than 100,000 Britons stranded in Dubai as missiles and debris fell from the sky.

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Falling wreckage sparked a fire at Fairmont The Palm, injuring four people, while blasts also damaged Dubai International Airport and ignited another fire at Jebel Ali Port.

In the weeks that followed, the UK Foreign Office faced its biggest consular crisis since Covid, with around 138,000 Brits registering in the region — 112,000 of them in the UAE.

Despite the chaos, influencers continued posting — though some briefly broke ranks. Several shared then deleted clips admitting fear, with Petra Ecclestone and Kate Ferdinand posted their concerns online before removing them.

Others took a very different tone. Content creator Mitchell Armstrong mocked those fleeing the city in a video posted on February 28, saying: “What does everyone mean there’s bombs and explosions going off in Dubai?

“As long as I’ve still got my sauna and I’ve still got my G-Wagon and I still live in my $2.1 million mansion on the Palm, I don’t really care . . . I can’t really hear anything over the sound of success.”

“All the rich guys, all the guys making money, printing bread either profited off the war or made more money because we are more locked in,” he added. “People running around like headless chickens, like the world is ending, and now four days in a row, we have had nothing in Dubai.

“No bombs, no crackles, no nothing, no missile interceptions.”

Meanwhile, influencer Soudi Al Nadak painted a calmer picture for her 1.3million TikTok followers, insisting: “As you can see, it is very quiet and peaceful in Dubai at the moment, but for those people who want to leave, let them leave. I just think they are very ungrateful.” On March 4, she added she felt safe because “we know who protects us” — prompting one follower to hit back: “How much have you been paid to keep on posting government propaganda?”

Chi, however, has done a full 180 degree backflip, sharing a continuous stream of pristine content — often just minutes away from where incidents have unfolded.

On March 3, three days after flames tore through the iconic Burj Al Arab, she posted a romantic dinner at Asia Asia, captioned: “A forever kind of love.” Days later, she shared beach snaps with her 10-month-old daughter Gigi — captioned “Sandy toes” — showing a serene, sun-drenched shoreline despite the conflict unfolding nearby. Followers quickly noticed something was off. One wrote: “Stay safe, that beach looks so quiet”, while another asked: “Did everyone leave Dubai?”

On March 9, drones struck near the airport and debris hit a waterfront tower, sparking a blaze and forcing evacuations — but Chi’s feed instead promoted a luxury jewellery collaboration. On March 13, debris hit a building in the Dubai International Financial Centre, sending smoke across the city. Still, she posted from Jumeirah Beach, posing in a bikini with her daughter.

The snaps pose a grim contrast when compared this, shared by Chi at the beginning of the conflict:

The UAE has some of the strictest social media laws in the world, with authorities warning against “publishing or circulating rumours and information from unknown sources” after the conflict began.

Influencers must hold government-issued licences to post paid content, tying their income to compliance. Content deemed to incite panic or harm the country’s reputation can result in heavy fines, prison sentences or deportation.

The K-pop group’s emotional comeback was livestreamed around the world

BTS star Jin confessed he had “so many worries” about their first concert in four years, which is streaming on Netflix.

The K-pop sensations returned to the stage for BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang, with the seven-member group taking over Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul.

The group – RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – performed their fifth studio album Arirang, the day after its release, as well as some of their biggest crowd favourites, including Dynamite. K-pop enthusiasts were delighted to see the boys reunite after they announced in 2022 that they would be taking a break whilst they completed mandatory military service in their home country.

During the hour-long show, Kim Seok-jin, who performs under the name Jin, expressed in Korean: “Thank you so much for coming here. I had so many worries before about standing here today but seeing you all again, I’m so emotional and happy.” Addressing BTS’s fanbase, known as Army, he said: “Thank you, Army.”

READ MORE: BTS The Return first look as band promises they are ‘where we’re meant to be’READ MORE: What time is the BTS comeback concert on Netflix UK?

In a trailer for the concert, rapper RM, real name Kim Nam-joon, states: “We promised our fans that we would be back.” The band gathered at the historic Gwanghwamun, the main gate of the Gyeongbokgung palace in Seoul, which was illuminated with purple, red and blue and filled with tens of thousands of ecstatic fans, reports the Mirror.

Park Ji-min, known to fans as Jimin, also spoke to the crowd during the concert, stating: “We are finally here and seeing you again. The fact that I am speaking here… I am so moved.

“All seven of us standing on stage together makes me so happy. Thank you all so much. You have filled Gwanghwamun Square today.” Throughout the performance, the group expressed their gratitude to their fans for waiting for their return, describing their reunion on stage as a “dream”.

It has been reported that the group’s leader, RM, sustained an injury prior to the performance, and he was observed limiting his movement and sitting on a chair at times during the show.

Free tickets for the concert were distributed to fans via a global lottery held on the South Korean fan-community website Weverse, with general public reservations also available through NOL Ticket.

The concert precedes the release of a new Netflix documentary about the group titled BTS: The Return, which will be released on 21 March. It will document the build-up to BTS’s comeback, which was initially announced when the band sent handwritten letters to members of their fanbase worldwide.

BTS – an acronym of Bangtan Sonyeondan, or Beyond the Scene – have achieved four top 10 singles and two number one albums in the UK. They are most recognised in the UK for songs such as Butter, Dynamite and Life Goes On – as well as collaborations with western artists like Charli XCX, Coldplay and Halsey.

BTS were the first K-pop act to secure a Grammy nomination and have received five nods but have never won. They are the best-selling music act in South Korean history, having sold over 40 million albums, and the first non-English speaking group to sell out Wembley Stadium.

BTS The Comeback is streaming on Netflix.

It will take place on March 24.

A standards hearing will decide whether councillor David Sedgwick broke Stockport council’s code of conduct over his involvement in the ‘Trigger Me Timbers (TMT) WhatsApp scandal. Councillor Sedgwick, who represents the Heatons North ward, was part of the group made up of Labour councillors and ex-MP Andrew Gwynne. Reports emerged in early 2025 of allegedly offensive messages made towards residents and other politicians.

A wave of suspensions from the Labour Party followed when the allegedly offensive comments from the group came out. Mr Gwynne was sacked as a government minister. The former MP for Gorton and Denton later stood down on health grounds, sparking the recent by-election won by the Green Party’s Hannah Spencer.

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Councillor Sedgwick now sits as an independent in the Stockport council chamber and has been investigated by the town hall over his role in the scandal.

A 60-page report has been published by Stockport council’s monitoring officer Vicki Bates after 11 complaints were made against Councillor Sedgwick.

The monitoring officer found that, on the balance of probabilities, David Sedgwick ‘failed to comply’ with some sections of the council’s code of conduct.

Stockport council’s report stressed that the monitoring officer ‘does not have the ability or authority to make a decision on whether there has been a breach of the Code’.

This will be a decision for the standards sub-committee meeting on March 24 at Stockport town hall.

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David Sedgwick was found by the Stockport council report to have made ‘many hateful and highly inappropriate’ comments in the TMT WhatsApp group.

When approached for comment, David Sedgwick said he has written a full response to the report’s findings.

He added: “In all honesty, I don’t think there’s more to say. The report I think is fair and balanced and the response I’ve put in I think reflects that. I won’t be at the hearing as I have a meeting in London on Tuesday and Wednesday but I have submitted an introduction.”

He is referred to in the report as ‘Cllr S’.

The report sets out the council’s findings: ‘For the Code to be engaged the comments have to be made in relation to Cllr S’s capacity as a councillor.

‘There are many comments that are made by many members of the TMT WhatsApp group that would fall under the above descriptions but if they are not made by Cllr S in his capacity as a councillor then they do not fall to be considered as part of this investigation.

‘However, there are still many hateful and highly inappropriate comments in the TMT WhatsApp transcript made by Cllr S in his capacity as a councillor, which are in breach of the Code.’

One conversation published in the report focused on comments made by Councillor Sedgwick during an online council meeting in October 2020.

According to the report, David Sedgwick described another councillor as ‘absolutely crackers’ and said ‘I reckon he’s one for Operation Yew Tree’.

Operation Yewtree was led by the Metropolitan Police in 2012 to investigate allegations of child sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile and others.

In the same conversation, David Sedgwick was asked who might be watching the online meeting, and he shared the name of a resident and Stockport Labour club name – which were redacted in the report – and then added a message saying ‘assorted weirdos’, according to the council investigation.

The report highlighted other conversations and allegations of offensive messages.

It went on to say: ‘There are two references to a local MP being called “Special Needs [redated name]” but those comments are not clearly linked to Cllr S acting in his capacity as a councillor.

‘There is continual bullying of this MP throughout the transcript in terms of his appearance by various members of the group. However, as this relates to Parliament and the Labour Party rather than in Cllr S’s capacity as a councillor, this is not a breach of the Code.’

Stockport council’s report stated that David Sedgwick called the monitoring offer in February 2025 to self-refer himself in relation to the allegations published about him in the press about the scandal.

It added: ‘Evidence has been provided in the complaints / complaint forms to support, on the balance of probabilities (more than 50 per cent chance of establishing) the alleged breaches of the following seven sections of the Code.’

David Sedgwick submitted a response to Stockport council’s investigation.

He explained that he has ‘served as an elected member for many years’ and had ‘been a member of the Labour Party for more than twenty-one years’ without being referred to the standards committee until now.

He said that he has approached the process with ‘seriousness, respect for the Members’ Code of Conduct, and a clear understanding of my responsibilities as a councillor.’

Councillor Sedgwick said the ‘overwhelming majority of the approximately 50,000 messages exchanged in the group related to lawful political discussion, council business, campaigning activity, and informal social interaction.’

He continued: ‘I acknowledge that certain comments made within the group, when viewed in isolation and without context, fall below the standards expected in public office if they were to be expressed in a public forum.

‘I express genuine contrition for those instances and accept responsibility where my judgement fell short or when I did not challenge others.’

He concluded his statement: ‘This response asks that the matters under investigation be assessed in the round: taking account of context, proportionality, my long-standing and otherwise unblemished record of public service, the exceptional circumstances of the period in question, and the limited proportion of messages now under scrutiny relative to the total body of communications.

‘I remain committed to the highest standards of conduct, to accountability, and to continuing to serve my community with integrity.’

Rojina Shams Nateri, Pharmacist at Roseway Labs, has issued an alert to anyone who drinks coffee before 9am. There’s something vital they need to know about their morning routine

Many people wake up in great need of a morning coffee, but little you may know there are times you’re better off not drinking it. You could actually be causing more harm than good to your body, as the time you drink it could be having a big impact on your health.

Rojina Shams Nateri, Pharmacist at Roseway Labs, explained that having a coffee first, without water, worsens your dehydration from the night and works against your biology. Cortisol is the body’s wake-up hormone and peaks around 30 to 60 minutes after waking up and Rojina said that, by flooding your system with caffeine before this hormone has been able to do its job, you disrupt your body’s natural regulation.

She explains that caffeine can cause havoc with hormones, too. In fact, there’s actually a perfect time you can drink it if you want to enjoy it in the best way possible.

Sharing expert advice, Rojina said: “It’s much better tolerated 60 to 90 minutes after waking, as it allows adrenal function to balance out, meaning the caffeine in your coffee is used more strategically and effectively.”

However, she also warned it’s not just coffee that’s the problem. She additionally noted several so-called “healthy” trends should also be avoided.

For example, a high-sugar, low-protein breakfast can play havoc with your blood sugar and sustained energy, according to the expert. Cold showers also trigger adrenaline that can be draining in the long term, especially in winter when the body is already working hard to stay warm.

Fasted workouts can reduce glucose and glycogen levels, adding to the body’s stress and making you feel more tired rather than alert. Checking emails first thing triggers an early dopamine spike, leading to mental fatigue.

The best way to wake up

For better and more consistent energy, Rojina recommends a slow-paced morning. She said: “Start with water before caffeine to restore hydration. Limit screen exposure in the first hour and try to get natural morning light in with a walk, for example, to support your circadian rhythm.”

She also advises getting proper tests before taking supplements. She added: “B12, iron and magnesium are great but they should always be guided by blood test results to ensure a true clinical benefit.

“Magnesium is often better suited to evening use rather than for immediate energy.”

Drinking coffee before 9am could be why you’re exhausted by 3pm. Many people are causing blood sugar spikes and draining their nervous system without realising.

By waiting before you have your caffeine hit, this time will allow your body’s natural cortisol (stress hormone) levels to peak and taper off, avoiding excessive jitters and letting caffeine provide a more effective, natural energy boost.

Not to mention, drinking coffee on an empty stomach immediately upon waking can increase stomach acidity, which may cause acid reflux. There are a few reasons why it’s better to wait.

So, in short, hydrate first, eat protein and wait 60 to 90 minutes for that morning cuppa. You’ll feel the difference by the afternoon.

Some of the most impressive performances at UFC London came on the undercard.

Nathaniel Wood overcame the odds yet again to beat Losene Keita, while Mason Jones overwhelmed Axel Sola in a bruising back and forth fight of the year encounter.

Jones and Sola were covered in blood and breathing heavily by the end of their contest, with both fighters swinging until the final bell, using every last drop of energy.

Jones’ performance was the type that can have a lasting effect on a fighter’s career but he and Wood roused the fans on a night when the atmosphere was sometimes flat at the O2 Arena.

Fighters on the prelims like Wood and Jones don’t get as much media attention or promotion from the UFC – and strikingly less money than their headlining peers.

But in a sport that demands so much from the flesh and mind, there are arguments the athletes should be better looked after amid a changing landscape in combat sports.

Fighter pay has been questioned by athletes and the media recently after boxer Conor Benn secured a reported £11m one-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing.

Zuffa Boxing is owned by UFC president Dana White, so critics have asked why the 56-year-old isn’t paying similar amounts to his MMA fighters under contract.

The UFC gives about 20% of revenue to fighter pay, compared with boxers who get about 60% of revenue from their events.

London’s Wood, who has won 11 of 14 fights in the UFC, says he hopes the Benn deal will spark a change because he was “heartbroken” when he saw how much he would be earning.

“When you think I’ve been in the UFC for eight years, but I’m not on that, I”m not even on 1% of that,” Wood told BBC Sport before UFC London.

“Especially when I believe MMA is the tougher sport as well, but again I just try and control what’s in my hands and it’s got nothing to do with me.

“It was definitely heartbreaking to see someone is getting paid that much.”

The 500ml insulated bottle is available in a range of colours and is perfect for keeping drinks cool in the summer and warm in the winter

Fitness enthusiasts are being alerted to an incredible deal that allows them to snap up a trendy water bottle for mere pennies. Gymshark’s 500ml insulated bottle normally retails at £28, but there’s a straightforward method to secure one for just 68p.

The bottle is currently reduced to £16.80 on the Gymshark website, with an additional saving available through money-saving platform TopCashback. New members who register here can claim a £15 cashback bonus when spending £15 or more at selected retailers.

This means new TopCashback members and first-time Gymshark shoppers can get the bottle for just 68p after cashback. For those already registered with Gymshark, the cost works out slightly higher at £1.10 after cashback.

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The Instagram-worthy bottle is available in several eye-catching shades, including reset pink, mushroom grey, light pink and cool brown. With a 500ml capacity, the bottle boasts metal insulation designed to maintain cold beverages chilled and hot drinks warm.

Alternative options are also available. Amazon offers the bottlebottle Stainless Steel Water Bottle priced at £22.99, reports Wales Online.

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New TopCashback users can get £15 cashback when they spend more than £15.

This model comes with the added benefit of insulation, capable of keeping drinks cold for up to 24 hours or hot for up to 12 hours. The bottle is available in numerous colours and designs for those seeking something more eye-catching, although this does come at a slightly higher cost.

YETI is another highly sought-after name in the reusable bottle sector, with its 1L water bottle offered in an array of vibrant shades, including tropical pink, key lime, ultramarine violet and charcoal. It retails for £28 on both the YETI website and Amazon.

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The sole review posted so far for the Gymshark bottle noted: “Purchased in the sale. Lovely mushroom colour and great for gym or general use. Holds 500ml which is about right for my rucksack too.”

No significant issues have been reported by purchasers thus far, although it’s important to note that the bottle isn’t dishwasher safe and requires handwashing only.

How to get the bottle for less via TopCashback

• Sign up as a new member at TopCashback for free via this link.
• Search for Gymshark on the site, click through and buy the item normally.
• Get £15 cashback when you spend £15 or more on an item.
• The cashback will track to the TopCashback ‘Earnings page’ within seven days of your purchase.

Sarah Chapman, 31, from Tonge Moor, is asking residents to help find her missing cat Charlie.

The three-year-old rescue cat has not been seen since Tuesday, March 17.

“He is the most loving cat and will go up to anyone,” said Sarah.

Charlie is microchipped but does not wear a collar as “he finds it distressing” .

He is a large tomcat, weighing around six kilos, with white legs and chest, a black “Batman mask” over his eyes, and a black smudge on his nose.

“He has a big belly, so he’s hard to miss really,” Sarah added.

Charlie the tomcat (Image: Supplied)

Charlie was last seen at around 3.30pm on Turner Bridge Road, off Crompton Way.

Sarah said: “We called him in a few hours after he was last seen, and when he didn’t come in at first we weren’t too worried, due to the warm weather.

“However, the following morning he still hadn’t returned.”

When checking neighbours’ cameras, there was no sign of Charlie.

Sarah is urging residents to check sheds and outbuildings in case he has been accidentally locked in.

While searching Tonge Moor and posting on Facebook, she discovered that at least three other cats in the area have also recently gone missing.

She said that people had posted about missing cats and as a result, she fears of the possibility that Charlie may have been stolen.

Sarah said: “He’s never run away from home before, and we’ve lived here for three years.

“Cats disappear all the time, but I worry with the suspicious activity so close by.”

Sarah’s six-year-old daughter is finding the situation very distressing and a £100 reward is being offered for Charlie’s safe return.

Posters are also being distributed across the area to raise awareness.

Until more is known, Sarah is urging other owners to keep their cats indoors after dark.

Anyone who spots Charlie, or believes they may have seen him, is asked to email s.e.chapman@hotmail.co.uk.

Three-year-old Charlie (Image: Supplied)

Tonge with the Haulgh councillor Emily Mort said: “I am a cat owner myself, so this is an issue that is particularly close to my heart.

“The resident should report the incident to the police if they have not already done so.

“We have proposed the adoption of an Animal Welfare Charter in Bolton.”

She added: “Animal welfare is a matter of importance to us all, and incidents should be reported to the police.

“Residents can call 101 or contact Greater Manchester Police online.”

Cllr Mort also recommended contacting Cats Protection, a national animal welfare charity, for advice and support.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is in the middle of a suspension from the touchline after cumulative yellow cards

Pep Guardiola will keep his place in the Manchester City dugout for the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal despite being in the middle of a two-game ban. The Blues boss was given a suspension earlier this month after picking up his sixth yellow card of the campaign.

City’s manager has already served a one-match ban after picking up his first three, sitting out the FA Cup win over Exeter in January. And further losses of discipline have forced him to miss a second and third game of the campaign.

The first of those came at West Ham in the Premier League last Saturday, with Guardiola communicating from the stands as No.2 Pep Lijnders took charge on the touchline as he had done at Exeter. However, the City boss was back to his normal spot for the Champions League game with Real Madrid in midweek and will also be able to operate as usual for the League Cup final at Wembley.

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That is because the disciplinary rules only apply to Premier League and FA Cup games, with separate regulations applying in the Carabao Cup and Champions League. Guardiola will therefore serve the second match of his latest suspension in the FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool at the beginning of April.

City and Arsenal go head to head to decide the first trophy of the season with both teams also gunning for another two domestically. Mikel Arteta’s team hold a nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League having played a game more, and travel to Championship side Southampton in the FA Cup.

Arsenal are also through to the Champions League quarter-finals as their dream of a Quadruple lives on, having defeated Leverkusen in the last-16. City’s own hopes were ended this week at home to Real Madrid after they were unable to overturn a 3-0 deficit from the first leg, losing 2-1 at the Etihad and bowing out 5-1 on aggregate.

Police closed the A19 between the northern end of the Thirsk bypass and the A684 Northallerton – Osmotherley junction towards the northern end of the North York Moors.

Both carriageways, northbound and southbound, were shut.

The crash happened shortly after 2am this morning. Police have yet to release any further details.

The road remained closed for the rest of the morning and reopened early this afternoon.

The A19 is the main route to Teesside and is also much used by traffic heading to the North York Moors.

The A170 junction to Sutton Bank and the southern North York Moors is south of the closure and remains open.