Fourteen heroin overdoses have been reported in the north east of England in just 24 hours, police have said - including one death.

A particularly dangerous batch of the class A drug in circulation in the area has been blamed for the sudden surge in the number of recorded overdoses.

The warning was issued by Cleveland Police, together with the North East Ambulance Service and Public Health England, after the death of a 50-year-old man from Stockton, Teesside.

The bad batch of heroin has mostly been based around the Oxbridge area of Stockton, though one of the victims was taken to hospital from Middlesbrough.

People using streets dealers in particularly need to exercise care, police said.