Ofsted inspectors have graded South Tyneside Council's children's services inadequate after alerting chief executive Jonathan Tew and council leaders about ‘serious failures'.

Council leader Tracey Dixon told The MJ ‘it was a bit of a shock' to discover between 15 and 21 youngsters had been placed in unregistered children's homes over a six-month period last year, which emerged during an initial inspection in December.