UPDATE! Urgent Appeal Launched To Find Boy Missing From Belmont North

 BY IAN CROUCH

 Great News!

Following extensive inquiries by police, Riley has been found safe and well in the early hours of Friday morning.

 Police have thanks the media and the community for their assistance.

 EARLIER:

Police have issued an urgent appeal for help to find a young boy who's gone missing at Lake Macquarie.

10-year-old Riley Baker was last seen at about 8.00pm on Thursday at a community hall on Old Belmont Road at Belmont North.

Police were notified when he couldn't be contacted or located.

Riley's described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 155cm tall with a thin build, short dark brown hair and was last seen wearing a gold football jersey, blue shorts and no shoes.

If you've seen Riley or know where he is call Belmont Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Missing boy Riley Baker

Crews Kept Busy With House Fires At Wallsend And Belmont North

 BY IAN CROUCH

Police are investigating a suspicious house fire at Wallsend.

Firefighters from Wallsend, Lambton and Mayfield West were called to a two level brick and tile duplex in Stapleton Street just after 9.30pm on Monday to find a fire in the garage.

They took about 30 minutes to contain the fire which was confined to the garage - the rest of the house was smoke damaged.

Newcastle Fire Command says the occupants were accounted for and no-one was injured.

Meanwhile, a mother and her three children have escaped unharmed after a fire broke out in their Belmont North home overnight.

Five fire trucks from Belmont, Tingira Heights and Charlestown arrived at the Cooinda Close home just before 11.30pm on Monday to find a fire had started in a bedroom.

Crews took about half an hour to extinguish and mop up the fire which was confined to the bedroom.

The cause of the fire is not yet known but is not being treated as suspicious. 

 

Crews at the house fire in Stapleton Street Wallsend. Picture: Wallsend Fire & Rescue

 

 

Police Investigate Pedestrian Crash At Belmont North

BY IAN CROUCH

Investigations are continuing after a pedestrian was hit by a car at Belmont North early Friday morning.

Police and ambulance paramedics were called to Buttaba Avenue just before 12.15am to reports a male had been struck by a 4-wheel drive utility.

The 27-year-old man was taken to the John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition with a broken leg.

Police say the driver initially left the scene but it's understood he's since been identified although officers are yet to interview him.

Anyone who witnessed the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

Meanwhile, a man has been taken to hospital as a precaution after crashing his car at Wallsend.

Police say he lost control of his silver Hi-Lux ute on the Newcastle Link Road near Lake Road just before 3.00am on Friday and hit a tree.

2 of four eastbound lanes were closed while the crash scene was cleared.

Man Facing Court Over Police Pursuit Through Lake Macquarie

BY IAN CROUCH

A man is due to face court today over a police pursuit through Lake Macquarie.

Officers noticed a blue Ford Falcon reported missing from Forster outside a home in Leicester Street Belmont North at about 3pm on Monday.

As they were making enquiries, it's alleged a 32-year-old man got into the car and drove off at speed.

The officers gave chase, with the car allegedly reaching 110 km/h in a 60 zone and running a red light before before stopping at the intersection of the Pacific Highway and South Street at Windale, where the man was arrested.

He's been refused bail to face Newcastle Local Court today charged with police pursuit - not stop - drive dangerously and driving while unlicensed.

Battery Blamed For Belmont North House Fire

BY IAN CROUCH

Quick thinking by a Belmont North resident has prevented his house from going up in flames.

Fire crews from Belmont and Tingira Heights were called to the single level timber cottage on Arlington Street at about 8.00pm Wednesday to reports of a fire in a bedroom.

Police say it appears a lithium battery sitting on a bed caught alight.

The male resident grabbed two fire extinguishers from the garage, smashing the bedroom window and managed to douse the flames by the time firefighters arrived.

The bedroom sustained smoke damage in the fire.

Man Charged Over Cannabis Hydroponic Set Ups In Lake Macquarie

A man has been charged after police executed a search warrant and located hydroponic cannabis set-ups near Lake Macquarie.

At 8.30am on Wednesday 14 November 2018, officers from Lake Macquarie Police District executed a search warrant at a property on Kahibah Street, Swansea.

Police will allege they located hydroponic set-ups and seized cannabis plants from three rooms in the house.

A short time later, police attended a property on John Fisher Road at Belmont North where they seized cannabis plants before arresting a 37-year-old man and taking him to Belmont Police Station.

He was charged with cultivate prohibited plant and granted conditional bail to appear at Belmont Local Court on Wednesday 28 November 2018.

Belmont North Gets Container Deposit Machine

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

The rollout of Return and Earn is continuing across the Hunter, with the state government and EPA announcing a new collection point at Belmont North.

A reverse vending machine has been installed at Jewellstown Plaza, and will operate 7 days a week from 7am until 10pm.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald said the state government is committed to developing the scheme.

"Containers make up about 50% of our litter-load," he said, "so it's very important to continue the scheme."

He said it's disappointing the Labor Party has been so negative about Return and Earn "considering they failed to implement their own container deposit scheme."

It seems Hunter residents have widely embraced the scheme, with over 11 million containers returned in the region and 152 million in the state since December 1st, 2017.