TAXI SMASH: A taxi window was smashed by a large object thrown from the street. The taxi was driving under the Railway Bridge on Oxbridge Lane, Stockton, at about 7.30pm on Tuesday, October 20 when the object was thrown. It was not carrying passengers and no-one was hurt.  Witnesses should contact PC David Cannings on the non-emergency number 101.

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY: Police are appealing for witnesses to an attempted robbery on Norton High Street, Norton, Stockton, which happened on Saturday (October 27). A woman was walking along the High Street in the direction of The Green at around 3.30pm when she was approached by a man who tried to grab her handbag and pulled her over. The man ran off towards The Green. The woman sustained a minor injury to her knee. Witnesses should contact DC Leigh Gill of Stockton CID on the non-emergency 101 number.

HUB BIKES: Staff at The Hub, in Stockton, are asking for people to donate any unwanted children’s bikes in the run up to Christmas. They will fix or clean the donated bikes before distributing them to local charities and organisations to be given as presents. Anyone who can offer a bike can take it to The Hub, on Bridge Road, anytime between Monday and Friday from 7.30am and 5.30pm. The Hub is a project between Stockton Council, Sustrans and NHS  which aims to promote fitness.

SLEIGH RIDE: Two lucky schoolchildren will get the chance to ride a sleigh pulled by real reindeer in the Stockton Sparkles competition launched yesterday (October 30). The annual Reindeer Parade takes place on Sunday, December 16 at 2pm on Stockton High Street and the search is now on for two children aged between five and ten years who will sit beside Father Christmas. Entry forms are available at stockton.gov.uk/reindeerparade and in the Rediscover Stockton shop on the town’s High Street. 

MUSICAL YOUTH: Grants are on offer to young people in Hartlepool to help them with their musical studies. The money is available from the Preston Simpson and Sterndale Young Musicians Trust, an educational charity administered by Hartlepool Borough Council. For more information and an application form, contact Ann Turner on 01429-523766 or e-mail ann.turner@hartlepool.gov.uk