Newcastlecentric understands the incident occurred just before lunchtime at Ryton Comprehenisve School.

Both the police and fire brigade were informed and arrived to decontaminate the students involved. A specialist from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital also attended to ensure that the children were clear to return home. In all, 10 students suffered burns from the substance.

Sodium hydroxide is better known as caustic soda, and is used in the manufacture of soaps, detergents and as a drain cleaner.

- Police emailed the personal details of suspected criminals to 150 farmers. Members of the Northumberland Farm Watch scheme were stunned when they opened the message to discover the names, dates of birth and addresses of dozens of alleged offenders. [The Journal]

- Gateshead Council says it has no plans to sell an original model of Antony Gormley’s Angel of the North after it became the first £1m object to feature on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow. [Design Week]

- Brave-hearted volunteers are needed to take a Boxing Day dip into the chilly waters at South Shields seafront. It has become a tradition which attracts dozens of charity champs every year, and volunteers are again needed to take the plunge and raise much-needed cash for St Clare’s Hospice in Jarrow. [Shields Gazette]

Photo by kurokaze204 on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Either way, everyone knows your political leanings now; a list of nearly 13,000 BNP supporters, activists and contacts has been leaked online by an anonymous source.

Although the story is only just breaking in the mainstream media the list appeared on Blogger last night, though its validity was not then known. Statements released by officials on behalf of the right-wing party this morning have confirmed its authenticity.

The list includes the names, address and other personal information of activists, supporters and recent contacts - individuals who are not supporters of the BNP, but have had correspondence with the party.

While the list has now been removed from the blog it was published on, newcastlecentric.com received a copy last night. So how does Newcastle, Sunderland and the rest of Tyne & Wear fare?

On the list are around 300 names and addresses of contacts with Tyne & Wear postcodes. In several instances, members as young as 16-years-old are registered where families have party membership. Also according to the list, there are two households in Fenham and Gateshead where five BNP members are registered as living at the same address.

On the BNP website, leader Nick Griffin claims the list to be outdated and that some people “appeared to have had their names maliciously added by whoever was responsible for the blog posting.”

Tornado, the first new main line steam locomotive to be built in Britain for almost 50 years, hauled her final test train on the Network Rail main line from York to Newcastle last night.

Hundreds of people filled Newcastle Central station to see the engine, which was built by the A1 Trust in Darlington. The test train consisted of 10 carriages and diesel locomotive, equating to about 550 tons, and will run at up to 75mph.

Should the journey have been considered a success by the trust, the locomotive will venture further onto the East Coast Main Line; Tornado will head for Kings Cross in early February next year, when the general public will have its first chance to travel on board. But will it have free wi-fi? That’s what the kids want to know.

Photo by Paul J White on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Lau’s Buffet King is unspectacular. It feels like a dining hall rather than a restaurant - with basic wooden tables and chairs, no sense of comfort and their all you can eat, help-yourself buffet at which people queue as though having school dinners.

The service is blunt, with no niceties - you are told on arrival that you will be charged £8.50 if you are seated at the restaurant, regardless of whether you are eating or not. So whilst being cheap, we wouldn’t call Lau’s cheerful.

Making up for lack of ambiance is the wide choice of food, from salad, chicken soup, duck pancakes, prawn crackers and seaweed to start, to main courses including New Zealand Green Mussels in a seafood dish, the usual sweet and sour pork and chicken, lemon chicken, beef and black bean sauce, Chinese curry and a choice of noodles and rice.

Unfortunately the food lets itself down somewhat by being lukewarm when it hits your plate and pretty much cold by the time you return to your table to eat. But it’s swings and roundabouts in Lau’s, as making up for lack of satisfaction with your main course is the choice of desserts to sweeten your palate. Banana fritters, gateaux, jelly and ice cream as well as fruit salad for the health conscious. If you can leave room for a little something extra, it’s a nice way to finish off your meal on a good note.

Time and again we’ve have returned to Lau’s, despite it being a consistent disappointment, but there’s something to say about easy dining. With no frills or fuss you know what you’re getting and you get your money’s worth - no more, no less.

Thursday is another Get Involved day at The End Bar, with acts such as The French Quarter. It’s also the day that Tygers of Pan Tang finally come to Trillans. Get to The Sage on Friday, as Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals is playing with his producer, Boom Bip.

From the school of ‘old crooners’, Peter Grant is at The Tyne Theatre. Otherwise, and I hope you’re ready for this, its Elliot Minor at Northumbria University.Apparently, it’s ‘a strange hybrid of emo, pop-punk and indie…like nothing you’ve heard before’. Call the contradiction police!

Saturday 8th has the legendary Skinnyman at The Cluny and covers band, Ask Ruby at Martha’s Vineyard (Hebburn). To round off the week, Ida Maria is at The Carling Academy with Mercury Rev. Local talent 27 Club will be playing at The Tyne.

w/c 10th November
Joe Bonamassa has been plying the guitar since the age of four, he’s grown up now and no doubt improved his rock and blues sound which he’ll play tonight (Monday) at The Sage. Tuesday brings another almighty talent to The Sage with 1960s legends, The Temptations. The Carling Academy has a slightly more youthful edge with Team Water Polo who cite Deaftones, The Beatles and Wu-Tang as their influences.

Local seven piece, indie band The Eye Jab will be playing in The End Bar on Wednesday. If you want to hear the negative aspects if higher education summed up in a hip-hop style, Kanye West is at Metro Radio Arena on Thursday 13th. If that doesn’t do justice to your Thursday feeling, take a chance on The Tyne with Hiccup Riot. By far the highlight of Friday night has to be influential jazz pianist, Herbie Hancock at The Sage.

Alternatively, The Black Keys are playing at The Carling Academy. Sexy ageing rocker Paul Weller will be raising middle aged blood pressures at Metro Radio Arena on Saturday. The Whip, Manchester electro-pop group will be playing at The Other Rooms. They’ve been recommended by NME so they’re pretty likely to sound like most things you’ve heard already.

Remember The Christians? Well they sang ‘When will there be a Harvest for the World?’, and they’re obviously still waiting for an answer as they’ll be at TheTyne Theatre on Saturday 15th. Finally, the week will end with geeky, Leeds based band The Grammatics at The End Bar and alt-rock, Texan outfit White Denim at The Cluny.

w/c 17th November
Heartfelt, housewives favourite from the late 80s Extreme will be blasting out hits such as ‘More Than Words’ at City Hall, whilst the band who seem to provide a fantastic soundtrack to a teen movie montage, Less Than Jake will be at Northumbria Student’s Union. John Otway and the Big Band will be playing at The Cluny on Tuesday, whilst Fever host an Open Mic Night.

Wednesday, why not see Peculiar Disco Moves and Radio Dynamics as well as many more at The HoS, courtesy of Too Far North. Irish soul band The Commitments, who gave us the unforgettable music for Alan Parker’s BAFTA winning film are playing at The Carling on Thursday 20th. Giant Sand and James Apollo will be playing at The Cluny, if alt-rock is more to your liking.

On Friday, limber up for Cybernetics at The End Bar, which promises a load of the finest trance, dub and techno. On the rockier side of things, Gladstone will be at Egypt Cottage. On Saturday at The Other Rooms, we’ll have Little Boots, who is everything that is good about pop apparently. Matt Schofield, one of those from the new generation of British blues musicians will be playing at The Cluny. The Zutons will be playing at The Carling Academy on Sunday, whilst Buen Chico will be at The HoS as part of Fakeindielabel.

w/c 24th November
NME gave Future of the Left an eyebrow raising 8/10, which means they must be rubbish! Just kidding, of course! They’re playing at The Cluny with our favourite local band Moleck. On Tuesday, New Found Glory are at The Carling Academy whilst Queen Mab Trio are at The Cluny.

Unique and charming, so they are; The Shortwave Set will be Wednesday’s Cluny treat. Meanwhile, Little Comets are at The Bridge Hotel. Ralph McTell is best known for his poignant narratives and the tune, ‘Streets of London’, and he’ll be at The Sage on Thursday 27th, whereas The Cornshed Sisters will be at The Tyne.

For some rock and pop covers this Friday, head to The Star Inn for Knee Jerk Reaction. Also on Friday, Brutus Gold, the pretendy 70s disco MC will be doing lord knows what with the Love Train at The Carling Academy. Saturday; cute Swedish pop-tarts who mix Northern Soul into their floaty, happy-go-lucky charm are Those Dancing Days and will be at The Other Rooms.

Imelda May, Irish soul chanteuse will be at The Cluny, spreading her intelligent, bluesy, folky pop. Finally, to end the week and the month check out dancy, electro-pop quartet Flamboyant Bella at The Carling Academy, or talented local boys, The Pilots at The HoS.