Residents return home after blaze

Residents have returned to their homes after being forced to leave amid fears a fire in a skip would ignite gas cylinders in South Tyneside.

More than 60 homes were evacuated as a precaution on Wednesday evening during the blaze at a garage in Hebburn.

The area around Glen Street was declared safe almost 24 hours later. An investigation into the fire is ongoing.

Metro services, which were suspended between Pelaw and Jarrow during the emergency, have returned to normal.