FIVE people have been charged and one released on bail by police after an 18-year-old local youth was attacked, sustaining serious head injuries.

The six - two juveniles among them - were quizzed over the weekend in connection with charges of aggravated burglary, kidnapping, false imprisonment, threats to kill and assault.

A Cleveland Police spokesman said: "Police in Middlesbrough are currently investigating a serious incident which occurred on the evening of Wednesday December 20."

He declined to go into details, but it is understood the victim of the attack was admitted to a hospital's intensive care unit, but is now thought to be out of danger.

Two of those detained will appear in court this morning. The other three will appear on January 2