07/09/2011 Look North (East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire)

Good evening and welcome to BBC Look North. The headlines tonight.

Fears a wind turbine factory planned for Hull which could bring

10,000 jobs could be under threat. First phone and railway cable now

our area's houses are the target for metal thieves. Anything they

can get their hands arm, they take Cracking down on drink driving in

Lincolnshire for migrant workers. Your weather forecast will follow

There are fears tonight that a multi-million pound contract

bringing thousands of jobs to Hull and the Humber is under threat. An

agreement with the wind turbines manufacturer, Siemens, to bring a

huge development to the area, ran out at the end of July. Now there

are two of rival bids from elsewhere in Europe. Three Hull MPs

have called for urgent talks with the Government. In a moment, will

be speaking with one of those, Alan Johnson. First, let's have a look

at the background. When the plans were revealed, it

was the biggest economic boost to our area in generations. A giant

factory that would make thousands of wind turbines, bringing with it

thousands of jobs. Siemens currently make turbines in Denmark

but they want to relocate closer to the sides of three huge new wind

finds -- wind farms planned for the North Sea. Hull was the preferred

location. The contract ran out in July, prompting MPs to it seek

assurances from the parliament in - - in parliament today. We face

foreign competition. What this Government do what the last

Government did and back this bill - - this bit? Will he do everything

he can to secure or Siemens coming to whore? I agree with the lady for

raising this issue. It is vital for the future of this economy and the

area she represents. I met whiff if Members of Parliament to discuss

this issue and have spoken to the head off Siemens. -- I met with

members of parliament. We are supporting the development of this

EST astray. Now it seems the fight to bring this investment to Hull

has only just started. Alan Johnson is joining us. Good

evening. The memorandum of understanding between Siemens and

Hull City Council has role -- a run-out. Could Siemens walk away

from Hull any times -- any time it likes? The memorandum said they

will look exclusively at Hull in the UK. The point I have made his

if Siemens don't come to whore, they won't come to the UK. They

will go elsewhere in northern Europe. -- if they don't come to

Hull, they will go elsewhere. The fact that the contract ran out in

July it doesn't mean the deal is there. Some people are saying that

Siemens is dead. Neither comment is true. Your point was right, it

seems like this has just begun. There is an enormous amount of work

that has been dunces January. We are coming to the end game and

there is a role for Government here. Hull City Council have been

brilliant. Who holds the cars now - - cards now? The Government hold

the cards. Because there are different departments, energy,

Department for business, Treasury, we have to make sure someone was

getting a grip on this from the start. The Prime Minister's

comments were important. Now we are sure there is a real ministerial

group on Mez. These talks are commercially confidential. Siemens

of receiving offers from other countries and offers of Health --

help. We are doing everything we can to make it an attractive

location. If in a sentence, you message to Vince Cable and the

Government to make sure we keep this? If is to say, get a

ministerial group on this, they sure it is coming from the top. We

want this country -- company to move to this country and we are

doing everything we can within reason to help them to do that.

Good to talk to you. In a moment, rescued yesterday but

this whale in the Humber could become stranded again.

Empty council houses being targeted by metal thieves have cost one

housing association �70,000. Shoreline Housing in crispy says

thieves of ripping out boilers and copper piping. -- Grimsby. The

price of scrap metal continues to rise.

The point of entry has been through the window. It is a problem that is

costing Shoreline Housing thousands of pounds a week. In Grimsby,

houses with no sitting tendance are being stripped of lead, copper

piping and other metals. Anything that they can get value for and any

means, they don't have any problems in ripping up floorboards. This is

a common occurrence. It is existing tenants that are the biggest victim

of this crime. In Grimsby, Shoreline Housing provides houses

for 8,000 families. The cost of repairing damaged homes has cost

them at �63,000 so far this year. A cost which means investment is

being lost from other important areas. Not only are we paying for

these costs, it means we are delaying the opportunity to let

those hands for families in great housing need. We are upset about it.

On this street, one resident told me how bad the problems have become.

Anything they can get their hands on. They will take it. In recent

months, they read it -- and railway lines, churches and a memorial

statue pulled from its plinth have been targets. For Tony Bateman, it

means extra checks. His scrapyard has never been as busy. If they

come with a vehicle, we take the registration number. They have to

show identification. Phase thousands of pounds worth of metal

here. Housing associations are doing more to protect their homes.

Scrap metal prices are true -- driving thieves to wreaking havoc.

I would like your thoughts on this one. What should be done to stop

the amount of metal theft at the moment? Is the your tough enough?

A man who claims he was abused at a Catholic boys' home in East

Yorkshire says he will die before any compensation claims are settled.

Robert Maxwell was a pupil at the St William's home near market

Wheaton in the 1960s. He and other former residence, which closed in

1992, are seeking compensation from the church. The diocese of

Middlesbrough denies being responsible for the running.

The Education Secretary, Michael Gove, has welcomed a move by

Lincolnshire County Council urging all county schools to become

academies. Yesterday, councillors agreed their schools should be

encouraged to take on the status. Mr Gove claims it will help raise

education standards. Lincolnshire is a very well have run local-

authority and schools have been doing well for young people over

the last few years. They can do better and academy status gives

them the freedom and flexibility and resources to raise standards

for all children. Experts say they are becoming

increasingly worried that the whale rescued from Immingham Docks may

become stranded for a second time. Rescuers worked for more than six

hours to free the 30 ft whale yesterday after it became stuck in

the mud. Despite hopes it had swum at to see, they have been several

reported sightings in the Humber estuary.

We have an expert here monitoring the whale. Good evening.

Can you tell us what has been happening? We had a report from the

coastguard at 9am this morning saying it was just off the north

coast of Grimsby in the centre of the Humber estuary. In a deep

channel by wasn't causing a problem. It was swimming westwards back into

the estuary. We have had a report an hour and a half ago, something

large were seen in the area that the animal was stranded yesterday.

They are out there trying to track it to see if it it -- it is the

animal we saw yesterday. The area is not his natural habitat,

does that caused concern? We were thinking it was an adult mink you

wail. Looking at the footage, it is a juvenile or very young fin whale.

They need to live over the other side of the continental shelf in

deeper waters. There is not much food for them here. This animal

would be weaned by now. It is 27 ft long. It may not be the eternally

dependent but we have had reports of another whale in the area as

well. That is an confirmed at the moment. There is a possibility that

it could get beached again. What would happen then? It is a case of

looking at the situation as it is there. We don't make any clinical

decision on what happens to the whale. It is down to a vet. They

would decide whether the animal is fit for refloating or whether it

should be euthanasia or put out of its suffering. Because it has a

history of stranding and it is not innate good place, if it does need

the guidance of its mother and his mother is gone, the vet will

probably take a pragmatic view and put it out of its misery. It is

case by case. Thank you very much. We will follow the story.

Road signs in Latvian, Lithuanian and Polish are being put up in

parts of Lincolnshire warning of the dangers of drink-driving as

part of a big campaign. It is targeting Eastern European drivers.

Migrant make a 1% of the working population in Lincolnshire but

account for a third of those who test positive for drink driving --

drink-driving. We have been finding out what is being done to tackle

the problem. They are posters to warn drivers

but not many in Boston will understand them. They are aimed at

Latvian and Polish drivers. Statistics show a disproportionate

and worrying number of convictions. Even though migrant workers make up

1% of the working population in Lincolnshire, 32 % of those caught

drinking and driving were foreign nationals, burst from the Boston

and sporting areas of Lincolnshire. -- at most from. It is socially

unacceptable to drink and drive. We don't know whether they have the

same feeling. Hopefully we can influence what we feel about drink-

driving upon them. In addition, leaflets like this will be

distributed at key points from tomorrow. Then there will be

advertising on buses from Monday. Why is all this necessary when all

these three countries have strict alcohol limits and higher penalties

if you are caught drink-driving? In this Latvian bakery in West St,

we asked whether this campaign was a good idea. We got an insight into

how big a problem this was. It is really good because especially in

Latvia, people drive drunk very often. In Latvia, we have very

strong walls. They don't care. people like to drive and when they

are drunk. The law isn't strict in Latvia. These are the views from

one of the countries targeted so changing many cultures to a

different way of drinking could Think you for watching. Still

ahead: the crowds gather to see the works of one of the world's most

famous artists. And why Yorkshire has the happiest

Tonight's photograph is of Green Lane had Sledmere and it was taken

A snazzy new shirt and tie! Removed to Seville five years ago, and we

watched Look North every night, says a cure. Peter is more tanned

than the locals! Let's have a look at the headline for the next 24

hours. It will be fairly cloudy for tomorrow. There will be a

frightening process and apart from the odd shower, they should be a

good deal of dry weather. But the weekend is looking unsettled. We

weekend is looking unsettled. We see cloud increasing from the west.

They are one or two showers around with patchy outbreaks of rain

coming in from the West. Although there is a good deal of dry weather

around, rain will come through. Amounts will be small but it could

be down at times. A breeze coming in from the West and we will see

lowest temperatures down to 11 Celsius. The sun will rise in the

morning at 6:22am. The high water times. Quite cloudy, especially at

first. A bit of dampness and the odd spot of rain and drizzle. But

other than that, a fair amount of dry weather. A few bright and sunny

spells coming through. It is not looking all that bad tomorrow. Less

of a wind, and we should have temperatures up to 18 Celsius in

Hull. Friday - patchy rain at first, brighter and warmer later. The

weekend looking very unsettled. Windy at times with the risk of

rain. Gales could develop early rain. Gales could develop early

He was Hull's first victim of one of the worst blunders in medical

history. He was not expected to live long after he was born with

deformed arms and hands. His mother had taken the drug thalidomide

during pregnancy. But now Simon Wilcock says while life could not

be better, the fight for justice continues.

Simon Wilcock enjoying time with the grandchildren he was not

expected to live long enough to see. His deformed limbs still a reminder

of the thalidomide scandal. We were given life expectancy of no more

than 20 or 30 years and that reflected in the amount and levels

of compensation we have got, which is why we are fighting for a bit of

Justice. More than 1,000 babies were born with deformities after

their mothers took the Thalidomide drug during pregnancy. Only Haft

survived more than a month. Simon's mother was told he would be lucky

to reach 30. I can only put it down to his bravery. We have sat and

cried, when he was little. He used to come in from school and tell me

what they would call him. I am so proud of him. I never thought he

would do what he does. Many other thalidomide survivors have been

much more seriously affected than Simon, but he is able to celebrate

this milestone birthday knowing he has so far enjoyed a full and

active life. I have played football, up to about 20, I went to the rugby

union club. From about the age of 21, I played rugby union until I

was 35. While the battle for more compensation goes on, the Wilcock

family still have every reason to celebrate this most important of

birthdays. The opening of a new �38 million

scored in Hull has been delayed after the collapse of the company

responsible for supplying furniture for the building. The school was

due to open tomorrow. The council says it will be a phased opening

with some students starting next Monday for stop those of you who

have been in touch about the story about the �92,000 climbing frame in

Cleethorpes to be taken down. It could cost a further �70,000 of

taxpayers' money to move it. Jamie texted to say, I think it was a

Thank you for those. In rugby league, Hull Kingston Rovers hooker

Ben Fisher says he is confident his team will make the play-offs by

avoiding defeat at Castleford. They need to win or draw in order to

finish in the top eight. Castleford are also vying for the sting --

same spot in the table. Castleford have been in the top eight for the

whole season. We have to be on our game. We have a big belief in what

we are doing and where we are going, and as long as we look after our

end, the result will look after itself.

A quick word on the digital six- over -- switch over, he may have

seen adverts are advising you to retune your TV but because you are

seeing this TV programme, you are getting your pictures from the

Belmont transmitter which has already switched. So no need to

retune again. You might have some new viewers tonight. Thank you for

watching. Lamb skips of East Yorkshire had

been at the centre of attention at an event in London today. David

Hockney unveiled his exhibition 1221 at the Royal Academy of Art.

It will feature 150 landscapes and this time not all of them will be

on the canvas. Linsey Smith was at the launch.

When you're painting sales fell over �5 million, you're guaranteed

to attract a crowd. David Hockney did not disappoint today. Just two

of the works introduced for the upcoming exhibition. Despite him

having homes in Kensington and the Hollywood Hills, all were painted

in countryside around Bridlington. It is a lovely bit of England still.

I always came before Christmas. The first time I did stay, I realised

how beautiful the winter was. It was not black and white, it was not

great, in fact sometimes a lot more colour than the summer. As arguably

Britain's greatest living artist, David Hockney's works are some --

in some of the most famous galleries in the world. It is his

home in Bridlington that has provided his inspiration. Driving

from his home, David Hockney has created many new pieces for this

exhibition. I shall paint it. Very beautiful. 150 in total will be

displayed, but not all on canvas. In recent years he has started

drawing with an application on his I phone and then on the eye pad Mac.

A closer winter tunnel. Or show an intense observation of landscapes

in nature. Kuwaitis say David Hockney has had the energy of a 30-

year-old while planning this exhibition. He says he spends so

much time on landscapes, expect some portraits soon.

The work of David Hockney. People living in Yorkshire are by happiest

in Britain. That is the findings of a new lifestyle report which shows

that six out of every 10 of us are happy with our lot. J Meikle has

been trying to find out why Yorkshire if such a happy place.

Being happy and from Yorkshire is not a new thing. Vintage radio star

Wilfred Pickles made an entire career out of it. Here he is

performing to a crowd and they are a very jolly lot. Yorkshire today

it and they are still smiling. fine with my life, thank you.

Yorkshire people are always very friendly. The survey suggest

Yorkshire people could be happy because there is an abundance of

wide-open spaces, quality of life was certainly one reason this

marketing firm set up here. Work matters but so does the rest of

your life. It was important we chose allocation where we were all

happy to live and access clients. There is a lot of pride in being

from Yorkshire. It is a county which revels in his tradition, its

food and celebrate being distinctive from the rest of the

country. But could happen is here also be simply down to attitude?

have a different culture here. It is not as conservative as it is

down south. You enjoy what you get. You smile all the time. Over the

generations, maybe Yorkshire folk have learnt to appreciate what they

have. I hope you are happy tonight. Thank

you fortune. If you have a story you think we should know about, get

in touch. A recap of the headlines: some of

Britain's top economists called for the 50 pence tax rate on the

country's richest people to be scrapped.

Fears the Humber could lose out in the fight to bring a wind turbine

jobs to the area. And tomorrow is mostly dry and

bright with cloud and sunshine. Showers are possible. Top

temperatures of 19 Celsius. Thank you for your e-mails and

texts. Jane says, this would not happen if we had police foot

patrols. Martin says, is the housing association replacing the

Mad tall stolen with plastic ones? Another says, icy metal theft on a

weekly basis as I work for a mobile phone company. The thieves are

stealing copra and cutting off phone and mobile for ban coverage