Threat of further disorder disrupts NHS, transport and events across North East

The threat of further disorder across the region is causing disruption to local services and events.

It comes after unrest in Hartlepool, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Darlington over the last week.

Rioters damaged property, attacked police and targeted Mosques - leading to dozens of arrests and several convictions in recent days.

With the potential threat of further action, Northumbria Police has issued a warning that rioters will “face the full force of the law” while Cleveland Police said it was "resourced and well-equipped".

Ahead of any further disorder, services including those within the NHS are being affected.

Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed appointments have been rearranged at the Campus for Ageing and Vitality, at the former Newcastle General Hospital site, on Westgate Road.

A GP surgery in Heaton has also closed early, at 5pm this evening.

Notifying patients, bosses said the early closure was "due to the scenes of unrest across Newcastle."

They added: "We have taken the unprecedented decision to close our practice early at 5pm today. We will be open at 8:30am tomorrow.

"This is not a decision we have taken lightly. A lot of our staff need to travel through the city centre to get home.

"We hope you understand, their safety is very important to us."

Public transport is facing disruption with bus services being diverted through Newcastle.

Stagecoach confirmed on its website that services 10, 11, 12, 32, 32A, 37, 38, 39, 40, 685, X82 have been diverted, from about 6:00pm until around 10:00pm on Wednesday.

Buses will call at their normal stops in Newcastle city centre, and west of Two Ball Lonnen in Fenham.

Events in both Newcastle and Sunderland have been affected.

Gateshead Pride event, due to be held on Saturday, has been postponed.

In statement online organisers, Out North East, said the event was about "coming together in safety and without fear".

It added: "Due to the recent riots by a small minority and in consultation with the Police and Gateshead Council, we have decided to postpone the event to a later date.

"Pride is all about the community coming together in safety and without fear and we will now actively be looking for another date to hold this event.

"We will be sharing the new date for the postponed event as soon as possible. While this is obviously very disappointing for everyone, the good news is that our family picnic in Saltwell Park on Sunday will be going ahead as planned and we hope as many people as possible will join us and enjoy a fantastic day out."

Sunderland Empire has also cancelled its performance of The Wizard of OZ on Wednesday night "due to the possibility of disruption in the city".

In a post online, theatre bosses said they had made the decision "reluctantly", adding: "We understand customers may have concerns about attending but please be assured we have comprehensive plans in place to ensure our guests' safety.

"All performances from tomorrow are scheduled to go ahead as planned. Thank you for your continued support."

It added that customers for the Wednesday 7 August 7:30pm performance will be contacted directly to assist with rearranging bookings to later in the week, for credit vouchers or refunds.

Newcastle's Theatre Royal has also cancelled a performance which was meant to go ahead this evening.

In a statement online a spokesperson for the theatre said their decision to cancel the performance of Come From Away wasn't taken "lightly".

They added: "We have reluctantly made the decision to cancel tonight's performance of Come From Away due to the possibility of disruption in the city.

"We never take the decision to cancel a performance lightly and will only do so in exceptional circumstances when all potential options have been explored.

"All further performances are currently planned to go ahead as scheduled and please be assured that we have comprehensive plans in place to ensure the safety of our audiences, staff and visiting company."

The theatre said customers with bookings for tonight will be contacted directly regarding tickets.

The manager of a care service provider in Dunston said her employees have been scared to attend home visits.

Maria Field, from Nurtured Care NE, added that this has put her clients at risk.

She said: “We are a very diverse organisation, we have carers and health care assistants from every walk of life.

“That’s deliberate because we've got a very rich community across gateshead and Newcastle.

“It’s just abhorrent for me and for us to think that people in this day and age when were supposed to be so enlightened and a diverse community, would use something to splinter all of the hard work that’s been done

“The integration is quite literally up in flames, and for what? It hasn’t achieved anything, other than making people part of our community feel afraid and that’s what what my carers are feeling at the moment."

Ms Field said the situation over the last week - and with potentially further protests to come - had created more fear than during the pandemic.

She added: “We’ve had calls this morning from some of our carers, who have worked here for years and are very experienced. They worked through covid without missing a beat, telling me they’re afraid.

“That cuts through the heart of our company. The heart of our business is care with compassion and the people who are doing this are forgetting that they’re doing this to other human beings.

“It does put our patients and clients in direct risk of not receiving their care. Things like not getting vital medication.

“Our carers would really never want to do that, so that tells me the extent at which it’s effecting people. They’ve actually said ‘we’re afraid’.”

Assistant Chief Constable Andrew Hill, of Northumbria Police, said: “We are aware of potential protest activity to take place in our region in the coming days.

“The right to lawful protest is a key part of any democracy, however, we will not accept people using them as a means to commit crime.

“A robust policing presence has been stood up. Officer rest days have been cancelled and resources redeployed to ensure officers are out and visible in our communities to keep you safe."

He continued: “As you will have seen, a number of arrests have been made and people swiftly convicted following the disorder in Sunderland last week. They are likely to receive considerable sentences.

“This should act as a warning to anyone with the intention of causing any further disorder – you will face the full force of the law. You are not welcome in our region.”

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