22/07/2011 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Hello and welcome to Friday's Look North. Tonight: On the edge of

disaster - a woman narrowly escapes death when her patio collapses

during Cumbria's storms. Under fire - the 81 year-old

coroner being urged to resign over inquest delays.

Hitting the buffers - why one of the world's most historic railway

lines could be at risk. The great summer getaway begins, as

thousands fly off to the sun. And on a wing and a prayer - we

look forward to this year's Sunderland Air Show.

In sport, can Wembley success provide the springboard for

Darlington's return to the Football League?

And talking of springboards - how did this North Yorkshire teenager

First tonight, the horrifying moment a pensioner's back yard

collapsed and plunged 40 feet into a river below. Pat Howe's garden

shed went with it. And she says she's lucky to be alive because she

was in the shed earlier in the day. Pat, from Wetheral in Cumbria, is

now facing a massive repair bill and a wrangle with her insurers.

Mark Macalindon has the story. Pat Howe fell in love with Howard

Cottage, her dream home, when she first saw it. But last Sunday was

to become a nightmare as storms which flooded homes in nearby Great

Corby brought destruction to within inches of her back door. It was a

dreadful afternoon. The water came down vertically. There was what are

pouring out of the gutterings. I was in that shed every day. It was

terrifying. I was shaking with fright.

Pat can still get to her shed, but it means walking the riverbank

below, where the view of what happened gives a disturbing insight

into how lucky she's been. It comes not long after a dispute with her

insurance company. She contacted her insurance company after seeing

at crack a few months ago. Be said they were not liable and could not

pay for repairs. Now look at how has a big financial headache that

she says she is determined to rebuild her home. The people who

did the work on the tower at the church last year have looked at it.

They look at it before this happened, but they know this has

happened. They would be prepared to rebuild it. But there will be a

cost will there not? Yes, there will be a high cost. The surveyor

said they are not happy and it will cost a lot of money. There is

always the money problem. Bereaved families on Teesside are

facing an average wait of ten months before inquests into the

death of their loved ones take place. And some are blaming the 81

year-old local coroner for the long delays. Now, MPs are urging Michael

Sheffield to consider his position. But he says he won't resign. Our

Political Editor, Richard Moss, has this report.

Mandi Blake collapsed and died in 2001 aged just 32. Her death a

complete mystery. And the grief of her family compounded by having to

wait 14 months for Michael Sheffield to conduct an inquest.

The whole family was devastated. None of us could move on until we

found out. 10 years on and Margo is appalled

that Mr Sheffield is still Teesside's Coroner and still

presiding over long delays. He is 81 years old. He should have let

when he was known for being a good person. But now he has kept all

these people waiting again why their loved ones have died. It is

awful that he knew were going through not knowing. If it was one

of his children would you like it to go on for 14 months?

The average wait in England for an inquest is 27 weeks. But in

Teesside it's risen from 33 in 2009, to 43 weeks last year. The

neighbouring Hartlepool Coroner takes an average of just 20 weeks

to complete an investigation. Michael Sheffield has said that the

delays are down to cuts in the number of police officers dedicated.

Police have denied that. Some say excuses should stop and action

should be taken. If my concern is for the families of loved ones who

have lost relatives. We need to get something done about it. It is no

good blaming someone else. He needs to be so do his position.

And Michael Sheffield does have form. In 2003, MPs called on him to

form. In 2003, MPs called on him to resign after he built up a two-year

backlog. In 2004 he was severely reprimanded by the Lord Chancellor.

While we were filming here Michael Sheffield came out. I asked him for

an interview. He said he could not. I asked him would you resign. He

said, why should he. And with that he left. MPs say the facts are

clear. Bereaved families are waiting too long. Mr Sheffield

should get a grip or get out they say.

Meanwhile, a date's finally been set for the inquest into the

Grayrigg train crash in Cumbria Grayrigg train crash in Cumbria

which happened four and a half years ago.

84 year-old Margaret Masson, from Glasgow, died when an express train

derailed on the West Coast line in February, 2007. Officials said

faulty points had gone unreported because of failures in routine

checks. The inquest is due to start Built by George Stephenson, and the

only one of its kind in the world. Yet the Bowes Railway, which lies

between Sunderland and Gateshead, survives largely because of the

dedication of one man and his band of volunteers. And they're warning

we could be in danger of losing this incredibly important part of

our history - because not enough of us bother to visit. Our Chief

Reporter, Chris Stewart, has the story.

It's dirty. It's smelly. It's hard work. It's exactly the way it was

when it was a real colliery. With its own real railway taking coal to

the River Tyne. The region owes everything to places like this -

and yet visitors can be down to four or five a week. Does it heard

that people do not come here in their droves? It can do. I look at

other places that have a big advertising budget. Some places are

like a family day out. This place is real history. We want people to

come in and support us. If you do not use it you will lose it.

So this Sunday is a big day. It's an open day. The engines will be

fired up and taking passengers on the mile and a half of track. The

coal for those engines has just been delivered. Guess what? It is

from up Russia. Generations of British miners must be spinning in

their graves. They would spend a faster still if they knew how tough

it was to keep this museum going. The only regular funding is �18,000

per year from Sunderland City Council. Everything extra has to be

begged and borrowed. If we are not visiting enough is it really worth

saving? Very much so. We are losing all other industry and heritage.

This place could have apprentices in it. It could up all sorts. It is

not just asked at the museum. It is the real deal. It is the last

colliery site left. What cannot be measured in pounds and pence is the

passion of John and his volunteers. Perhaps that is priceless.

Still to come on Look North - Friday's sports desk.

Plus: All set for summer - 55,000 people get ready to jet off from

the North this weekend in search of sunnier skies. We are in for a

drier weekend and who will not be breaking any temperature records.

The Fool forecasts later. It's been a big success in London.

Now a cheap and easy cycle-hire scheme has been launched in

Newcastle. Branded bikes can be hired for up to two hours, from 15

sites across the city centre. And more are planned in the suburbs, to

encourage city commuters to get on their bikes. Adrian Pitches saddled

up to find out more. First Paris, then London, now Newcastle. Two

hours by bike for 20p. Does that appeal? The yes it does. You need

exercise. It is fantastic. It will keep people healthy and get them

out. Hopefully it will not mean. Would you hire a bike? Half I not.

We expect and hope that all sorts of people will want to do this.

There will be plenty of racks around the city centre. We expect

that tourists and students will be interested. Do you think the bikes

were get stolen? Back is always a possibility, but if you look at

them they're not particularly cool looking bikes so they will not be

attractive to thieves, but equally this scheme has been running on

university campuses and outlying parts of the city centre for nine

months and none of the bikes have been stolen. The mastermind behind

the scheme are to engineering graduates. You can find a bike on

our website or walking around the stations are clearly marked. You

can download hour at. You can also rent a bike through the eye phone.

The it is time to take the bike for us then that but first I must tuck

my trousers into my socks. Who used his bicycle clips nowadays? Urban

biking. Trousers in the socks - what a

great look. And the great summer getaway has

begun. Thousands of people across the North are heading for the Sun.

Spain, and the Canary Islands are their most popular destinations. We

will now go live to Newcastle Airport.

There is nothing worse than being in an airport all day. I am the

only one not going anywhere. All day we have seen people with

impressive tans, smiles, sombreros. No donkey's I am glad to report.

The schools have broken at and already the family's first year for

their holidays. It is not just their airports that benefit. There

are amazing facts for the past and the cafes. Over the next week 3494

The people we have been speaking to today are impressed by the figures

but they are thinking mostly of their holidays. I am excited.

excited. Ready for two weeks of relaxation. Tenerife. We are

relieved. It will be a nice break. What kind of mood are you in?

Excited. It is all the time. We are looking forward to having a seat

for a couple of hours. This is the calm before the storm. And the

innings and has come on. Already we have had at 80 flights leaving

today. Over the next two days there will be 130 holiday flights leaving.

The airport managers say they have been practising and preparing for

this all year. They say they are more than prepared. We are

expecting 55,000 customers from this morning at until Sunday. It is

the busiest period within our calendar. The most popular routes

are to Spain, the Canaries and to Turkey. We have got all our teams

all queued up to offer the customer or an exceptional journey and also

The fifth a lot of people will be staying at home. Few places will be

busier than the Lake District. They're already impressed by the

number of people -- the number of bookings they have received. They

are confident of having a number -- another record year. People are a

bit wary about spending a lot of money. There being a bit cautious.

But we have a lot of loyal customers. They are coming back

because they know they can get a value for money holiday in

absolutely stunning surroundings. We are quite optimistic and we are

ready and waiting for the summer holiday to begin. But the one

important thing I have learnt today, the most important lessons,

spending a day at an airport is a lot more relaxing when you have not

got to children. The people who seem to be smiling at the most

other people are you travelling without. It is quite tempting to

join them! Well, if you are staying at home,

you might be among the crowd of around a million people expected to

attend next weekend's Sunderland International Airshow. There'll be

displays by jets, helicopters and classic planes. And also among the

attractions will be a wing-walking team, which includes a young woman

who's just graduated from Newcastle University.

The Breitling Wingwalkers have held crowds spellbound before at the

Sunderland International Airshow. This year, they're appearing on

both days. And one of the professional wingwalkers is

Charlotte Vose, who has just graduated with a geography degree

from Newcastle University. I was looking for a job. My mum find it,

actually. I love roller-coaster as and being outdoors and meeting

people, so it is a really great opportunity. You normally in a

cockpit, but when you're up there, the force of the wind is shocking.

When she gets used to it, it is an amazing experience.

The acrobatics are performed on the wings of the classic bi-plane as it

flies at more than 100 miles an hour. Lottie will appear at 90

shows this year all over the UK and Europe. As an airshow preview,

volunteers could experience it for themselves.

You'd expect me to have a go. As an intrepid reporter, David expect me

to have a go. He did not really expect me to do that, did you?!

Joanne Moore from Sunderland Council did agree. She's worked on

the last seven airshows. Like thousands of other people, I have

looked up and really admired them. If I ever got the opportunity, I

wanted to do it. There is a few nerves around, but I am excited.

After a whirlwind five minutes, Joanne was back on the ground.

Absolutely amazing. I am glad I had the Opera it makes you appreciate

what a skill it is to be against that wind.

The Sunderland airshow takes place over the last weekend in July.

There's been an overwhelming response from people wanting to

adopt the slightly nervous Northumbria police dog who was too

soft on crime. Earlier this week, we told you about Vegas, the young

German Shepherd who failed her training course because she didn't

like biting. A police spokesman said they've received more than 300

calls and emails from people offering her a new home. So no more

calls, please. They'll decide shortly on a new owner for Vegas.

From dogs to birds, and last night we began telling the incredible

story of two rare peregrine falcons who've set up home in the middle of

the huge noisy SABIC chemical works on Teesside. But what happened to

them next? In true soap opera style, our correspondent left the story on

a cliff hanger! But she's back now for the final instalment.

A cliffhanger in many ways. Back in February, are birds were starting

to nest 90 metres up one of those Chenies behind me. Did they manage

to raise a family in that precarious spot and did our

wildlife camera trap managed to catch any of the action? Suffice to

say, it was not plain sailing. This was the last time we saw our

bird. Perched next to his nest 90 metres up a chimney. It's now May.

Hopefully any eggs have hatched and ornathologist Chris Brown is back

on site. He wants to ring any peregrine falcon chicks so they can

be monitored once they fly the nest. But when we arrive, we learn all

has not gone according to plan. It's been 70 days since we were

last here and unfortunately in that time, the peregrines have switched

nesting site. Now, it's not necessarily bad news for the birds

- we just need to find them.This is what we were hoping to see. Last

year, the same birds raised two chicks in their chimney-top nest.

These are the shots taken when Chris ringed those chicks. But this

time around, it appears the birds have been spooked by essential site

work at the base of the chimney. have a lot of work going on at the

moment. We have been putting a lot of

scaffolding up in the last couple of months. Possibly one reason we

think the birds have moved on. Chris climbs up to check the

abandoned nest. When he's there, he retrieves footage from the wildlife

camera trap. The images it has captured give us hope. The adult

birds are still using the chimney as a perch so the nest must be

close. But try as we might, we just can't

find it. There are a lot of stacks, pylons and man-made cliffs. A lot

of places to look! Finally, three weeks later, we're

back. Two fully grown chicks have been spotted in a nest within a

restricted area of the plant. can see a dark semi-circle ship on

the country itself. That is the nest.

But sadly the workers who spotted the chicks think we're too late.

You have missed the chicks fledging. That is one thing you have missed.

There is two of them. From a crane, Chris confirms it.

Our chicks have flown the nest. What did you see up there?

Unfortunately nothing. The main thing is that they have fledged

successfully. I'm not too concerned about ringing them. I might get

them next year. Since those chicks have fled, they

have been seen flying over these fields to the land you can just see

in the distance, which is brilliant news. That land is owned by the

RSPB, so anyone can watch those birds hunt. Given a little bit of

luck and quite a lot of patients. Just head down to the RSPB and ask

the staff to help you spot them. What a brilliant thing to do with

the kids. And now the sport.

At the World Aquatic Championships in Shanghai, double World Junior

Champion Jack Law found himself in the spotlight today. 16-year-old

Jack, from Harrogate, certainly didn't look out of place and seemed

to be completely unaffected by nerves. He finished eighth in the

three metre springboard final on his World Championship debut - a

sign that British teammate Tom Daley might soon have to share the

media attention. Our Premier League clubs continue

their overseas pre-season tours this weekend. Sunderland complete

their three match stint in Germany tomorrow afternoon with a friendly

at one of the former powerhouses of the Bundesliga, Borussia

Monchengladbach, while Newcastle, who've been enduring an American

heatwave, take on Orlando City in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Back home two months ago, they were celebrating Wembley glory. Now

Darlington are hoping to carry that feelgood factor into the new season

with a return to the Football League high on the agenda. Four new

faces have come into the squad ahead of tomorrow's visit to the

Arena of near neighbours Middlesbrough.

They were scenes Darlington fans will always remember. Now the

Quakers are hoping last season's cup glory will be a springboard for

a promotion push. We finished the season really well last year. We

have to keep that going and keep the belief, keeps the spirit going

amongst the players, the supporters, the staff, the guys that for hear

from last year. Wembley is a constant reminder for us. The four

lads that we have brought in have blended into the grip effortlessly.

The FA Trophy victory over Mansfield brought wild celebrations

for the 9,000 who went to London. Season ticket sales, though, have

been modest - around 1,300. The club had targetted 2,000. But

Cooper is hoping crowds will improve this time, and hopefully

with some much-needed stability off the pitch. We certainly got it at

Wembley. I do not see any reason why we cannot get another 400 or

500 people coming to the Games. I understand the only way to

guarantee that is to keep winning games. You should keep winning on a

consistent basis and people will start to come.

Last week's defeat against Newcastle was overshadowed by crowd

trouble, but Darlington are optimistic there'll be no repeat

when Boro visit the Arena tomorrow. In cricket, relegation-threatened

Yorkshire are making a gallant bid to beat their oldest rivals

Lancashire in the county championship. After bowling the

visitors out for 194 in their second innings, they are doing well

at 80-1, but denied 118 for 4, still needing another 166 runs to

win. Victory for second place like this should not be good news for

Durham, but they have started well in reply to Somerset's's imposing

And now the weather. Will we see any sunshine back here?

I think you will. You could head off to one of the local beaches if

you're not heading off overseas. Maybe even this man made temporary

base -- Beach on Newcastle's quayside. Why go abroad?! You might

notice that virtually everybody on this beach is wearing a hippy, a

jumper, or a cardigan. It is maybe not as warm as it is in many of the

more exotic resorts! How do be fair compared to places across the

Continent? Benidorm is slightly warmer than last! Keswick made 17

today, will while it was 30 in the Greek islands. 14 Celsius on the

North East coast doesn't really compare very well to Naples - 30

degrees. As we head through the weekend, closer to home that we can

expect some sunshine. It will be mostly dry, but a better weekend

than the last couple. The winds coming down from the North will

mean we will not break any temperature records on Saturday or

Sunday. This evening and over night, there is a fair amount of cloud

around. One a two showers, but they will drive away. -- die away. It

will be dry for most of us and Chile. Temperatures will dip into

single figures again. Quite a few places will see seven Celsius. One

or two spots in Cumbria will be a bit colder still. Tomorrow will

start off Chile, but mostly drive. You can see good sunny spells

through the morning. One a two showers possible, but most places

stay fine and dry. Find conditions for the Penrith show and for a lady

stay at Newcastle races. Carlisle sees 19 Celsius with a bid of

shelter from the northerly wind. It becomes a bit cooler as you come

further East. There will be some cloud around the North East coast,

and with a northerly wind, you're more likely to stick around about

the 14 Celsius mark at the seaside. It will feel colder in that wind as

well. The reason for the wind is the steep area of low pressure out

to the East. Most of the rain is associated with that and stays out

over the North Sea. It does feed down as cold northerly winds

through the weekend. On Monday, we stay between weather systems and

stay largely drive. The outlook for the North East for the next few

days, mostly dry but some brightness, but temperatures will

struggle in that brisk wind. Cumbria fares a bit better than

everyone else and might actually hit the heady heights of 20 Celsius

Now, a final look at the main national and local headlines.

A massive explosion has rocked Oslo. At least two people died and

several injured in the Norwegian capital.

And on the verge of disaster - a Cumbrian woman's lucky escape when