RESIDENTS said they were scared to walk the streets of a North-East town after a drive-by shooting took place in broad daylight, on May 9, 2018.

Three occupants of a parked silver Ford Focus were shot at by two people on a motorbike in Stockton on Wednesday, May 9, 2018.

No one was hurt, but residents expressed their fears about the area, saying they were afraid to walk down the street or speak out in case of retribution.

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A resident said: “There was a loud bang. I didn’t take much notice because I thought it was a car backfiring, but then all the police started arriving.”

A woman, who didn’t want to be named for fear of reprisals, said: “This place is going down the pan. There are drug dealers everywhere and I am now scared to walk down the street. It is getting worse.

“But we have never had a shooting before – it is frightening.”

Others said a woman was sitting in the car and the two other occupants were returning to it from the post office when the shots were fired.

Firefighters remained on the scene of a massive fire that ripped through a derelict building, on May 9, 2018.

Seaton Carew seafront was closed for several hours while crews fought to bring the fire in the old Longscar Centre under control.

Officers remained in place overnight to continue damping down the site to ensure there are no further pockets of fire in the building.

Scores of people took to the streets to watch the drama unfold and police officers closed the road while firefighters tackled the blaze.

A local resident said: “It’s been an absolute stain on Seaton Carew for years.

"What was once a lovely building, which created a lot of lovely memories, has been stood derelict for too long.

"It would be nice if something good came from this now because the investment in the rest of the seafront here is scarred by the sight of such an eyesore.”

Tributes were paid to a much-loved D-Day veteran and colourful character who was a familiar sight on the streets of Darlington.

Born in Skegness in 1925, Frank Hughes died on Sunday, May6, 2018 at the age of 92, having enjoyed a full, active and independent life up until a final illness.

The well-known veteran will be remembered as a gregarious, charming individual who made friends wherever he travelled, according to those who knew and loved him.

He was an active member of the British Legion and Age UK’s veterans club in Darlington, where he would reminisce with his friends about life in the Royal Navy.

Mr Hughes was a signaller on board the frigate HMS Waveney during the D-Day landings in 1944 and, with his crew, was responsible for landing hundreds of Canadian troops onto the beaches.

In 2015, his bravery was recognised when he awarded France’s highest military honour – the Legion d’Honneur medal – for his role in the Normandy landings.

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Throughout the years, Mr Hughes – who lost his brother during the Second World War – would pay tribute to those who lost their lives to conflict.

He once said: “I feel very privileged to have been able to serve my country in various ways, but those difficult days in 1944 will always stay with me as I remember all those young men who sacrificed everything for us.

“We must always remember them."