Denise Welch and family celebrate dad's life as they bid final goodbye to 'legend'(Image: Instagram)

Today's updates: The top North East news stories this Friday, October 22, 2021

Here are the best-read stories on our website today

by · ChronicleLive

Top stories from Chroniclelive today include Denise Welch and family celebrate her 'legend' dad's life, twelve days of strikes are planned by Stagecoach staff and rising coronavirus cases have forced North East headteachers to consider closing year groups and even schools.

In case you missed them, we've put together some teasers below and links to full articles.

Here are the best-read stories from the North East today (October 22).

Go here for the very latest breaking news updates from across the North East

Family of Denise Welch celebrate dad's life as they bid final goodbye to 'legend'

Denise Welch donned a bright pink blazer and sparkly gold ensemble to celebrate her dad Vin's life as family and friends gathered on home turf for his funeral on Wednesday.

Denise took to Instagram at the end of last month to reveal the sad news that dad Vin had died, months after a battle with pneumonia and undergoing a series of major operations in hospital.

Announcing Vin had passed away, the Hollyoaks actress wrote: "After making a miraculous recovery recently from major surgeries, pneumonia plus his existing pulmonary fibrosis was more than even he could take.

"He left us surrounded by his family who could not have loved anyone more."

Read the full story here.

Stagecoach staff to strike for 12 days over 'divide-and-rule' pay tactics

Twelve days of strikes are planned by Stagecoach staff over the company's "divide-and-rule" pay tactics.

The action, due to take place across November and into December, will disrupt bus services across the operator's Newcastle, South Shields and Sunderland sites.

The decision to strike has been made by more than 800 drivers, engineers, cleaners, supervisors and managers at Stagecoach North East, according to union Unite.

It follows "verbal offers" by management of "a cap at two per cent for the pay year 2021 - 2022".

Read the full story here.

North East schools considering closing as Covid pressure mounts

Rising coronavirus cases have forced North East headteachers to consider closing year groups or even whole schools.

Covid-19 is upping the workload for on all the region's schools, while some face "very significant pressures" due to "outbreaks" in the classroom, according to reports from academy trust CEOs.

In a briefing seen by Chronicle Live, regional education charity Schools North East summarised feedback from the leaders of primary and secondary schools in the region amid spiking cases and growing worry across the country about the spread of the virus.

Go here for the latest coronavirus updates and breaking Covid-19 news

According to the briefing, most of the region's schools are experiencing "manageable" disruption. But those overwhelmed and forced to consider the possibility of closure say they aren't getting the support they need.

Read the full story here.

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