A man was rescued from the North Sea by a lifeboat after trying to swim from the North Tyne Pier to the South Tyne Pier at Tynemouth just before 9.30pm on Sunday. The man had managed to swim only a short distance before being carried out to sea by the strong current and was almost out of sight of a group of fishermen, who raised the alarm. The lifeboat arrived on scene within minutes and quickly rescued the man, who was hypothermic, and taken for medical treatment.

HOUSE FIRE: Firefighters were called to an electric cooker fire at a house in Sandford Close, Wingate, near Peterlee, at 2.15pm today. (Monday May 27) Eight members of the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service attended and two wearing special breathing apparatus and a hose reel to tackle the blaze. No injuries were reported.