A SCHOOLGIRL with autism overcame her communication difficulties to help doctors give life-saving treatment to her mum during a severe asthma attack, in June 2018.

Jo Cardie, then 37, said she is “incredibly proud” of her 12-year-old daughter Dakota, who sprang into action when she saw her mum was suffering from severe chest pains and becoming more and more breathless.

It happened while they were being driven home from Teesside Park by Ms Cardie’s partner Shane Hare.

Read more: Vessel built in North East in 1886 analysed by experts - here's what they found

While Mr Hare found somewhere safe to pull over off the A19, Dakota rang the emergency services and accurately describe her mum’s symptoms over the phone.

The youngster was also able to give doctors vital information about Ms Cardie’s heart condition and details of all the medicines she takes, so that, on arrival, paramedics were fully briefed to treat Ms Cardie safely.

Dakota’s actions prevailed over her autism, which affects her communication skills, and Ms Cardie said the 999 call was the first time the youngster had spoken to strangers.

Captain Cook’s legendary ship made her final journey into Whitby from Teesside’s dry dock in June 2018, where it has been since April 2018 undergoing an extensive refurbishment to create a visitor attraction for the harbour town.

The 40-mile journey from Middlesbrough to Whitby marked the ship’s homecoming as the original vessel was built in Whitby in 1764, the town where James Cook also began his sea-faring career.

Owner and local businessman Andrew Fiddler said he was proud to see the ship finally arriving into the quay after a long process to make it an attraction for Whitby to be proud of.

He bought the ship for £155,000 beating bids from Dubai, Portsmouth and London.

He said: "It went up for auction last August and there was stiff competition from around the world and the Royal Navy. Luckily we were successful and our main aim was to keep it in the North East.

"I really feel Whitby deserves to keep it and I’m so pleased to finally welcome it home."

The Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire was described as a being a “great friend and champion for the area” after his death in a helicopter crash, on May 30, 2018.

Barry Dodd died when his aircraft crashed in a field near Aldborough, Boroughbridge.

Mr Dodd, who lived with wife Frances near Carlton-in-Cleveland, was a keen flyer and frequently made journeys from North Yorkshire to a business plant in Wales.

Described by peers as a serial entrepreneur and wealth creator, Mr Dodd worked throughout North Yorkshire to support business, promoting the region on a national and international level.

Read next:

If you want to read more great stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo? Click here

Finally, plans to create thousands of jobs in Darlington were a step closer to becoming reality after planning permission for a “game changing” new business park was granted.

Earlier in 2018,The Northern Echo revealed that plans had been submitted for Symmetry business park, east of Lingfield Point, to the east of Darlington town centre.

Planning permission was granted for the 94-acre site, which was due to include a three-storey storage and distribution centre.