06/11/2013 Look North (East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire)

from the west That is all from the BBC News at

six, on Good evening and welcome to BBC Look

North. The headlines tonight: Despite a planning defeat,

campaigners say the fight goes on to secure this unique part of our

wartime heritage. We will do everything we can to

achieve our aims. Families facing an uncertain future

as mental health services for children are under review.

Great growing conditions for these trees mean a bumper crop just in

time for the festive season. And the music tribute acts bringing

home national awards. Join me for the forecast.

It's stood in this condition for more than 70 years, but campaigners

fighting to maintain what is one of Britain's last remaining World War

II bomb sites have suffered a huge blow to their hopes. The National

Picture Theatre in Hull was a cinema that was hit by German bombs in 1941

and enthusiasts hoped to add an education centre to the site to tell

schoolchildren about the Hull blitz. But this afternoon councillors voted

to allow commercial development on the land around the ruin. Gemma

Dawson reports. The future of this historic sitein

the hands of these councillors. The owner of this land wants to build an

extension at the back of the Swan Inn pub ` on the right ` and erect a

fence to divide its patio garden from the remains of the National

Picture Theatre. After surveying the area, councillors voted to approve

the plans at a packed committee meeting this afternoon. It is a

setback. It is unfortunate. I doubt anybody is happy, but we have to go

by the law. It's a disappointing blow for Alan.

He's part of a group that wants to preserve this site for future

generations. It stops are doing what we wanted to do, to have an

education building behind it. But you don't own this land. Quite

right. We have to take on board what was said. They also said we haven't

come forward with money. A lot has been going on in the background.

This is the last remaining civilian bomb site ruins in the whole of the

UK. It was largely destroyed when it was bombed. Cinemagoers had been

inside watching Charlie Chaplin film when the air raid sounded.

Like Hull, Coventry was heavily bombed during the Second World War.

Now thousands of people visit the city's Cathedral every year to learn

about what happened here. The team in Hull believe the National Picture

Theatre could also attract similar interest. Still, for now, the site's

future has been decided. But campaigners say they haven't given

up hope of securing the site in the future.

A little earlier I spoke to Neil Redfern from English Heritage who

gave his reaction to the decision to develop the Beverley Road site. On

the one hand, it is slightly disappointing. It gives us more

challenges and how we take forward the conservation of the site.

Nothing new in terms of the challenges we are already faced

with. Where you in favour with keeping it? Is it historically

important? Yes, certainly. The site is quite significant. It is a unique

site in terms of being the last surviving civilian bomb site. Also,

the site that most reflects the event that happened on the night it

was bombed. We have not really been to this site and tidied it up. We

can go there and fully understand all the events that took place that

evening when the site was actually bombed, from when the people were in

the auditorium, where they tried to leave to go on to go onto Beverley

Road, and then they retreated back into the auditorium. The auditorium

and the entrance was where they were when the bomb fell. It has been

derelict for over 70 years. Isn't the time we just have to move on and

improve an area? Yes, but I think retaining the site as it now is with

enhanced access and enhanced interpretation would fundamentally

contribute to doing that to the area. The site could form a really

comprehensive and vital contribution to open it up. Whole has such an

important history ` ` Hull has such an important role in history. Good

to talk to you. Thank you. I would be keen to get your views on this

one. Do you think it is right that the developer is being allowed to

build on this ruin? Thoughts on this.

In a moment: Tributes are paid by the family of a retired head teacher

found dead in the Alps. Two MPs say they want answers

following concerns about a unit which treats children and young

people with mental health issues. Parents say they've been told that

day care at the West End Unit in Hessle in East Yorkshire is under

threat. The trust that runs it will only say that it's reviewing the

situation, but one mum says she wouldn't be able to cope if the

centre closes. Vicky Johnson reports.

This woman's son suffers from a range of mental health problems

including a severe eating disorder. At 14, he weighs just over four and

a half stone. After struggling on her own with him for years, he's

recently attended the West End unit in Hessle. We've changed her voice

to protect the family's identity. You have to deal with it. Trying to

get him to eat, drink. You live your life saying, eat, drink. He tells

you he's dying and there is nothing. The only respite I've had is the day

unit. But there's now some doubt over the future of day services at

the West End unit. Some parents say they've been told it could close by

the end of the year. We have asked for someone from the foundation

trust to talk to us about the centre's future. So far, they have

declined our request. Instead they have given us a statement which says

only that the facilities here at West End are currently being

reviewed. To ensure they are still, in their words, "appropriate for

those who use their services." This uncertainty comes just a fortnight

after two MPs from Hull raised the issue of local mental health

services for children during a Commons debate. These are children

with very difficult and complicated conditions. Families who are often

at the end of their tether, and now there is this uncertainty as to

whether there will be local services, or not. It is not fair on

people, leaving them in the state of limbo. This mum said she could no

longer cope if the unit was to close. I was getting ready for the

point when somebody else has them. What you do, he is my son. I have

had no respite from him. Families have struggled since the end of

residential care six months ago, and they now fear their lives could get

harder if the day unit closes too. The Hull West and Hessle MP Alan

Johnson held a Commons debate on the level of services being offered to

young people at the unit just two weeks ago. I spoke to him earlier

and asked what his reaction was to the possibility of the unit closing?

It would be a disaster. I have yet to get to the bottom on whether the

day services are closing. It has caused huge problems, which I was

talking about in Parliament. To take away the day unit completely would

be extraordinary. There would be a crisis. We are not going to resolve

it by closing centres. It issued by a small number of people. Can we

justify the cost? Yes. This is adolescent children 's mental

health. If we don't resolve these problems earlier, these children

will have these problems when they grow older. All the evidence and

research accepted by the government shows fall 2% of mental health

problems occur under the age of 14 ` ` 40%. We were dealing with it quite

successfully. What can you do to influence the decision now? We have

had the Parliamentary debate. The 13`year`old was taken 103 miles away

to be treated. That is not the society I want to be living in? We

have been invited to have a meeting. That takes place early December.

Norman Lamb said all the things in the debate he should about the

importance of mental health. He has two understand it is a national

issue. Thank you for your time. Alan Johnson talking. Some more news.

A firefighter has been hurt while tackling a fire in North

Lincolnshire. Humberside Fire and Rescue were called to the fire at a

derelict building in Barton this morning. Structural engineers have

been on site assessing the damage. The firefighter received minor

injuries and is recovering at home. Hospitals across Lincolnshire are

preparing to deal with an increase in patients during the winter month.

The Government's given an extra eight million pounds to A and E

units in the county to help ease pressure on services. The United

Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust says it's considering sharing resources

with other health authorities to help improve patient care.

Probation service staff have returned to work following a

national 24`hour strike. The union is objecting to proposals to

transfer parts of the service to private firms such as G4S and Serco.

Humberside Police say they've seen a 400% increase in the number of

catalytic convertors being stolen from cars. The convertors reduce

poisonous gases from a vehicle's exhaust but are being stolen because

they contain precious metals. We had 15 bands lined up, ready for

delivery that evening. Within 45 minutes, the thief managed to

hacksaw the converters of the vehicles.

The body of an East Yorkshire woman, who's been living in France, has

been found in the Alps. Carol Sheridan, who was originally from

Driffield, went missing just over a week ago. Her family had appealed

for help in finding her from hikers in France. Amanda White is here now.

When was Mrs Sheridan's body found? Today Mrs Sheridan's family posted a

statement on social media to say her body has been discovered close to

where her car was found at a popular walking spot in the French Alps this

morning. Mrs Sheridan had moved to the area, which is around 20 miles

from Lake Geneva, a couple of years ago. It's understood she'd left the

washing up in the sink, and her windows open and had decided to go

out and enjoy a a couple of hours in the mountains a week last Sunday.

73`year`old Carol's disappearance ten days ago sparked a big online

campaign for help in tracking her down. Air and ground searches by the

professionals, though, were hampered by snow and freezing temperatures.

Mrs Sheridan's grandson Simon made a statement on Facebook earlier in

which he said thank you to everyone who had helped in the search for his

grandmother and added that "Carol was an amazing woman who lived an

amazing life. She was dearly loved by many and will be hugely missed by

all of us. Personally, I am taking some comfort in that her last

moments were spent doing something she loved."

Still ahead tonight: Perfect growing conditions means a bumper crop for

our Christmas tree farmers. Just like the real thing ` top

tribute acts bring national awards home.

?? new line Airmyn near Goole taken by Barry Hunter.

Thank you for that. Another picture tomorrow. Roger wrote to me after

last night, and said, did Paul Hudson pinch that shirt off a guy on

his way into work yesterday? Whatever. It is great news, because

tomorrow looks set to be a lovely day. Lots of sunshine around. All

part said to be dry. Most of those will be dry. That is because we have

got one system down across northern France. There is some nice weather

to look forward to. It is pretty dreary out there. Rain and drizzle

across a good part of Lincolnshire. Damp, chilly night. Other cast as

well. That rain will pull away and it is clear skies. It will be quite

chilly across parts of East Yorkshire. The breeze will pick up

later. The sun rises at 7:12am. Your next high water time in Cleethorpes

at 7:51am. A lovely start to the day. Lots of blue sky. I think we

will keep a lot of sunshine. A small chance of an isolated shower.

Breezy, but sunshine. Top temperatures about 10 Celsius.

Further ahead, Friday and Saturday, a scattering of showers but they

should be few and far between. That is the forecast.

Here is another one. I wonder if you noticed that Paul's hair has become

a bit dark. It is not artificial. It is a change

in the lighting. Lane the lighting, that is right.

Good night. Blame the engineers. EWLINE Christmas appears to have

come early for the farmers in Lincolnshire who grow the fir trees

that we decorate during December. Growers in the county say a shortage

of the most popular trees, in mainland Europe, means more

wholesalers are buying British. Simon Spark reports on the

preparations for a busy month ahead. Christmas may still be over a month

away, but already the orders are coming in to guarantee trees.

Wholesalers are increasingly turning to British growers to fulfill their

orders because of a continuing shortage of Nordman firs in mainland

Europe. In Fillingham with 700,000 trees being grown, William Rose is

in a good position to supply. Think there is possibly a national wide

shortage, but we have be planting over the years just because we could

see the shortage coming. And near Louth, it's the same. You

can alter the wake of the machine. Here, ?80,000 pounds worth of the

latest equipment is needed to ensure the trees are cut to meet demand.

But, they'll need to buy in another 15,000 trees to meet their customer

needs. Sales are looking very strong. Others are failing. We had a

customer yesterday, from Southampton wanting a lorry load of trees,

because his supplier of a decade is unable to fulfil his requirements.

From sapling to centrepiece, it takes an average of eight years to

grow the Christmas trees we have in our homes and eight million of them

are bought in the UK every year. At Doddington Hall near Lincoln, they

too grow their own, and sell the decorations that go with them. The

demand for the trees is always there. People are treating

themselves more to decorations and baubles, perhaps new light.

So while we only begin to start thinking ahead to the festive

season, timing and planning is everything to our Christmas tree

growers ` and while the shortage continues elsewhere, fields like

this will continue to grow. Lots of you have been in touch with

us about the cost of using hospital car parks. Patients and visitors to

hospitals in Northern Lincolnshire and Goole pay the most in our area.

Managers say part of the money raised will go towards improving the

car parks. Some people have now started leaving their cars down side

streets to avoid paying. We've had a lot of response on this

subject, including this one from the Reverend Ian Walker who used to be a

chaplain for two`and`a`half years at Grimsby hospital.

Bonfire celebrations and firework displays have been held across our

area over the past few days. These are pictures from the big bonfire

event at Heslam Park in Scunthorpe last night. Hundreds of people

turned up at the home of Scunthorpe Rugby Club for the display.

And you've been sending us pictures from your own displays, like this

from Barry Pearce in Skellingthorpe near Lincoln. John Barber joined the

crowds at the display on Beverley Westwood last night, and finally

Terry Cumbers sent this image of sparklers in Grimsby. Thank you very

much to all of you who got in touch. We'd like to invite you to come to

our party for Children in Need. The fair for Pudsey with a mini fun fair

and entertainment takes place at the Sirius Academy in Hull on the 15th

November. You can arrive any time from half five, but you do need to

book your free tickets through our reception in Hull. The number is

there now on the screen. The Beautiful South, Mick Ronson and

The Housemartins are just some of the artists from this area that have

achieved musical success, but now local tribute acts are making their

mark. Badness, The ELO Experience and Miss Madonna have all received

recognition at The National Tribute Awards. Leanne Brown has been to see

what's life is like on the road impersonating the stars.

They've got thousands of fans and their gigs regularly sell out at

venues arcos the UK. This is Badness from Hull. We base the show around

the music, how good the music was and how catchy, and put the show

across as ourselves, six lads from Hull.

Although they do have their own unique style, this is the band

they're paying tribute to ` Madness ` and you could say their life is

equally as glamourous. This is their world famous tour bus. It is the

original first ever purpose`built tour bus. It is carried a lot of

stars over the years. Status quo, the wonder stuff, like ` ` black

sabbath, the beastie boys. The band have been named the best

Madness and ska band in the UK at the National Tribute Awards. Miss

Madona from East Yorkshire was also recognised and The ELO experience

from Hull. Whoever your favourite band is, there's a tribute.

Organisers of Europe's biggest tribute festival say it's a great

alternative. I think some of them are better than the real thing. One

of the things today is the affordability. It costs a lot of

money to see the bigger bands. You can probably see some of the top

tribute bands for ?5 ?10, is great, and you get a really good show.

Back on the tour bus, the outfits are ready for their gig on the south

coast this weekend. These are the press cuttings the band has had in

the papers over the years. These are the new suit. They still smell of

newsprint. The band say they have no plans to

give up the act. That would be pure madness.

I wonder what it is about East Yorkshire getting on the tribute

acts. Well done to them all. Let's get a recap of the national

and regional headlines The end of shipbuilding in Portsmouth as

defence company BAA cuts jobs across the country. Hopes to create an

education Centre at this unique wartime ruin asset`backed by a

planning decision this afternoon in Hull.

That wartime ruin comes with a big response. Karen says, there is not

enough content to preserve, move on. Angie says, having two children, I

think the building should be made safe and used for education

purposes, especially as World War II is studied in depth from primary

school onwards. It is a huge response. Sarah says, if it is so

significant, why has it taken over 60 years for anyone to even try and

do something with it? Colin says, Peter, this is a no`brainer.

Preservation of this site and construction of a memorial garden

will create a valuable and important Herut ` ` heritage site. Another

one, this site should be preserved. An interesting one, I am a Hull man

serving in Belgium, this site must be preserved to tell an important

historical story about the great. In Belgium, tens of thousands of people

pay good money to walk around trenches and understand history

better. Thank you for those. Join me on the radio tomorrow if you can.

Take care.