28/07/2011 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Operation Sledgehammer, the police target drug trafficking and fraud

in early morning raids. From the heart, a dad sets out to

try to save the hospital unit that saved his son's life.

Roman skeletons found buried in a garden go on show to the public for

the first time. And it's said to be the biggest

banjo in the world, now proudly owned by a man with one of the

smallest houses. In sport, disappointment in the

pool for our World Championship finalist as her best mate wins a

medal. And with money too tight to mention

at the football club, how are Middlesbrough gearing up for the

First tonight, the dramatic early morning raids by police targeting

drug trafficking and fraud in County Durham and among the people

arrested following those raids, a 75-year-old woman. Today's

operation in the Darlington and Teesside areas came on the day of a

national Government crackdown on organised crime. Adele Robinson is

live for us now at Durham Police Headquarters. Yes, I am at the

centre from where Operation Sledgehammer has been co-ordinated

by Durham Police. The last big raid we saw from operation was back in

March when over 12 people were arrested on suspicion of money

laundering and the supply of cocaine. Now today's raid was

similar. It also targeted suspected criminal organised gangs and was

the result of a lengthy It is an illegal business that

costs us between �20 billion and �40 billion each year in the UK.

Today, police in Darlington took action in their war against

organised crime. It will hit them where it hurts. It

will deprive them of their lifestyle. It will also tell them

there is no place to hide. 50 officers were briefed and four

properties raided including this bungalow on the outskirts of the

town. It is part of a long running investigation into a suspected

organised criminal gang in the area. We are looking at drugs offences,

supplying of illegal drugs, money laundering and fraud. The fraud

breaks itself down into the kinds of insurance claims where people

are making vibg tish shus accidents. Four people were arrested. Other

addresses raided include a business in Darlington and address in

Middlesbrough. Today's operation ties in with the Government's

launch of its organised crime strategy.

Well, I welcome the Government's thrust on organised crime. It gives

us the justification to go ahead under Sledgehammer. Hopefully the

community will say what we have done to take away from this

lifestyle from organised crime to try and tackle the most difficult

people, the people who are causing the greater harms in communities.

A 75-year-old woman and two men are being questioned on suspicion of

fraud, money laundering and drugs offences. A 29-year-old man is in

custody on suspicion of a public order offence.

STUDIO: How do today's raids link in with the national strategy

against organised crime? Well, the national strategy is a much more

robust one which aims to do more to target target criminal gangs. It

will help speed up the seizure of criminal assets at home and abroad

and enable officers to work with the taxman when they tackle front

businesses which are used to hide money. The strategy is a stronger

approach to targeting criminal gangs and one which Durham Police

will utilise and benefit from. County Durham wasn't the only place

to see raids today. Other in Cumbria, the police there were

targeting metal thieves. With the high price of metal recently, it

has seen a rise in the number of thefts which has also targeted

schools, homes and churches. Operation Big Breer has seen --

Brother has seen eleven arrests. One of eleven people arrested in

West Cumbria today. Operation Big Brother saw the county's force

trying to thrabg down those who maybe making money from stolen

metal. Yesterday, officers seized this truck. They want to know if

any of the goods are stolen or if the driver is licensed for the

business. It is incredulous, the lengths

people will go to get metal to weigh-in. They see the rewards are

greater. There is potentially less risk for them than burgling a house.

The return on investment is higher. In the past three months, nearly 50

metal thefts were reported in the county. St Michael's church

suffered �32,000 worth of damage when the led was stolen from its

roof. British Transport Police also visited a number of scrap metal

dealers today. They want them on side to curb the market.

This is the kind of thing the officers are looking for during

their search. It is copper telecommunications wire, it is

valuable, but what they have to work out is if it was taken

properly. If it was stolen, it means somebody would have lost

their home phone or broadband, but worse if it was taken from a train

line, it can cause communication problems between drivers and the

signals. It is that that is disrupting you

and I getting from A to B on a day- to-day basis. Railways ar safe

place to travel, but dangerous to play and commit crime.

The cost of replacing stolen wires and piping can be 100 time the

amount made by the thieves, but the crime continues to grow as metal

Some other news now. There are calls that a Darlington-

based care home group, at the centre of an abuse scandal, makes

"root and branch" improvements. The Care Quality Commission has told

Castlebeck Care Group that it has serious concerns about four of its

24 homes. The inquiry was launched after BBC Panorama secretly filmed

patients being abused at Castlebeck's Winterbourne View

residential hospital, in Bristol. The Care Quality Commission says a

further seven including one in Darlington, another in Hartlepool

and two in Hexham do not fully comply with essential standards of

quality and safety. Production at Teesside Cast Products could re-

start before the end of the year. The Thai firm SSI bought the plant

in Redcar earlier this year and says it'll create 1,000 jobs there.

The plant was mothballed by Corus more than a year ago after a major

contract fell through with the loss of 1,600 jobs. Now SSI have

confirmed that the final stages of preparing the blast furnace are

almost complete. The closure of Cumbria's smallest school came a

step closer today. The school will have just nine pupil from September.

The county cabinet agreed to publish proposals for its closure.

Now as uncertainty continues to hangover the future of the region's

children's heart unit, two men have set off on a challenge of a

lifetime in their bid to keep it open. The father of a young boy

whose life was saved at the Freeman Hospital along with Ben Shepherd

are cycling from Tyneside to Cumbria and running all the way

back. They hope to raise �100,000 Amid the dancing and the party

atmosphere at the seaside, two men and their supporters were preparing

for a mammoth challenge, cycling from coast to coast and then

running back. We're going to run five marathons in five days and get

back here next Wednesday. And here is the reason why.

Seb's life was saved by doctors at Freeman, but he faces more surgery.

As parents we can't mend him. That's up to the guys at the

Freeman, but we can raise as much money and as much awareness as we

can so Seb can continue to receive the best treatment and other

children can continue. Our job is, we are never going to stop fund-

raising, ever. REPORTER: How much do you hope to

raise? I want to raise �100,000. It didn't take much to twist the

arm of TV star, Ben Shepherd to join them.

Their son is alive now because of them. It would be a tragedy from my

point of view to see it close. Does it have to close? I can see the

work they have done has been remarkable and continues to be

remarkable. It will be a hectic, but enjoyable,

emotional week, I think. REPORTER: How will you keep going

through the pain barriers? The pain Seb has been through is more than I

can express so we'll get through it. We'll get through it.

The money they raise will buy equipment for the hospital. The

decision on which children's heart units will have to close will be

And good luck to them all. You are watching Look North.

We meet the man who bought what is believed to be the biggest banjo in

the world. Will there be sunshine in

Sunderland for the international air show?

Join me for the forecast to find Six Roman skeletons found buried in

a York garden are going on display in the city for the first time. The

remains are a unique find and theories about how the Romans died

are hard to come by. After years of research, strong evidence points to

Nearly 2,000 years after his death, the bones of this man are the cause

of much fascinating discussion. He is one of 80 skeletons found buried

in a York garden seven years ago. All, but one were men and half had

been decapitated. Now six are going on display for the first time in

York and visitors can decide for themselves how these men might have

met their grisly deaths. Theory number one is these men were

glade ators and this is the single bone that gives rise to that

interpretation. It is a pelvis which is in pieces, but it has bite

marks on it, possibly from a large carnivore, maybe a lion, a tiger or

even a bear. You can see them clearly. Theory number two, is the

bones belonged to soldiers killed in battle, but decapitated after

death because Romans believed that would stop them haunting the liferg.

The third theory is they were executed criminals or victims of a

political massacre. We want to get people involved in the discussion

really. You know, who these people were. We want them to enjoy it. We

want them to learn something and go away and think about it and that's

for everybody from children through to adults.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the the Gladiator they are they are theory

is most people's favourite and even better it raises the possibility of

an ar arena yet to be discovered under the streets of modern York.

I am expecting two weeks after we finish the report on this that we

will find the arena and we will have to write something completely

new about it! They have it to be gladiators

really, don't they? A museum has been open since the 1930s it was a

gift to the town from a local landowner and had the backing of

the council for the last 80 years until now. The museum is closing

because of a lack of funds and The battle to keep the museum open

has ended. Even though its collections have been described as

of national importance, the museum can't afford the town centre rates

set to start next year. The council sub-let the building to the museum

at a pepper corn rent, but next year the owners want to change its

use to a commercial one. Despite inheriting the museum 80 years ago,

the council can no longer offer it a home.

I think they have a moral responsibility, but they are

facesing difficult times and it would be difficult to sell the idea

of maybe paying three times the rent for another 20 years or

whatever to maintain the museum. Council has offered some financial

support for the museum in a new location, but despite seeking

Lottery funding and searching for a new site, no alternative to closure

has yet yet been found. There are a number of interesting

ways that we can use this really splendid collection of Roman

artefacts. To take that out, to dislay it in public -- display it

in public places so the community can enjoy.

But time is up for the treasures housed here. This is a great museum,

full of fascinating things you wouldn't expect to find in a town

the size of Malton, but soon the artefacts willnd up in storage --

end up in storage. The museum collection is one of the

most unique collections from the Roman period in the whole of the

north of England. There is so many people in the town

and in the area who think it is a good thing.

There is lots of good stuff. From this month, the museum is

abolishing its entrance fees until it closes. It is free to share

Yorkshire's heritage before it is It was quite a trip if you tried to

make it in the depths of a harsh winter. The rail jurn journey from

the Durham coalfields to Bar owe was famous for its slog through

snow and ice through remote communities. Volunteers are

bringing the old Stainmore railway The famous Stainmore in winter.

They tried rocket engines and brute force. In 1861 the Stainmore

Railway was opened. Over the last few years, volunteers restored the

station and are relaying the track. Well, we have arrived at bridge

three which for the time being is the end of the line. This is bridge

three. The one before it is bridge two, but I don't know where bridge

one is. I haven't worked here for only five months so I haven't found

it yet. This place has great volunteers.

The key to its success. The whole project is run. We have

no paid staff, it is run by volunteers giving up their time to

develop a project for the benefit of the local community. I don't

think any of the volunteers give up the time they do if they didn't

care passionately about it. Thanks to those volunteers the the

Stainmore Railway Company is open. In August this station is 150 years

old. To celebrate that, they are to

erect a replica of the famous Stainmore Summit sign. It has been

made by a specialist firm using the latest equipment. You talk to

anybody who travelled over the line and the Stainmore Summit sign is

the one thing that everybody remembers seeing. The two originals

survived. Thousands of people have seen them. We just feel it would be

lovely to have one back in situ as a memorial to everybody involved

with the railway. Well, it has been made and the sign

will soon be erected and the visitors and the volunteers will be

ready to celebrate the last 150 Swimmers today.

Yes, all will be revealed in swimming's World Championships.

A silver for Great Britain, but not for Jemma Lowe who reached her

second butterfly final. In the 200 meters Jemma in the blue cap and

fourth from the top of your screen had to settle for seventh place

behind the winner from China and Team GB room mate Ellen Gandy who

finish second. I made two finals a the world which

is fantastic. I am disappointed at my place, but I gave it my best

shot. After this, I go home and have a break and get back in again

and start training for the Olympics next year.

There was a sixth place for the 200 meters freestyle including Jo

Jackson. He was voted the best player to win

a Middlesbrough shirt, Juninho had three spells at the club and

tomorrow night he will return to the RiverSide Club.

It is hoped the game will provide a lift for the supporters who have

seen the club spend the summer In truth the summer sales started

early. The big names and big earners went in last season's

clearance. They have been followed by a a Frenchman, Kris Boyd moved

to Turkey, Andrew Taylor headed to Cardiff. Will the manager have some

money to spend? It deal probably brings us to the

point where we want to be at. Unless we do more business, I don't

see a host of players coming in. What I would say the players we

have got at the club are experienced footballers who

finished the season strongly and there is no reason why with this

group of players we can't become competitive.

Middlesbrough run has been seen as a cause for optimism, but there is

cause for concern by some at the lack of transfer activity.

We are going to struggle. One of our players now is going to get

transferred and there is no sign of any new players coming in.

Play-offs hopefully. It will be a good season for us. Where we ended

last season, it will be fantastic. They are hoping for a big crowd

tomorrow to show their appreciation for one of the club's most popular

players. Juninho was focal. I am sure he will look forward to coming

back and I hope the people come out Juninho is still only 38.

A surprise defeat for Lancashire left Durham leading Division One by

two points. On the South Coast last night, Yorkshire suffered defeat in

the CB 40 Competition. They bowled out the Tykes for 170.

Michael Yardy completing the rout. Naved-ul-Hasan with the catch.

Yorkshire remain fifth with two wins out of seven.

Congratulations are in order to the Olympic hopeful trampolinist we

featured last week. The 25-year-old picked up a couple of golds at the

When it comes to musical instruments, forget about sound, it

is size that matters. So says Richard Ineson who claims to have

acquired the biggest banjo in the world! There is a problem, Richard

happens to live in one of the smallest houses in North Yorkshire.

Peter Lugg went to investigate. Just walk along church Street, he

said and you will know the house as soon as you get there. You know, he

was right. Hi, Richard. Oh good morning.

Did you find me? It was just a hunch, you know. I was walking

along Church Street. What is this? It is the biggest

banjo in the world and if you don't mind, I will put it down.

How did you come by it? It is a long story, but I bought it off an

old lady whose husband used to play it in a banjo band many, many years

ago. I think they are quite rare really. This was made by a well-

known banjo manufacturer and I think they only ever made five and

three of those got lost over the years, probably destroyed in the

war or destroyed by music lovers. We want to see this playing in all

its glory. It would be nice for it to be back

in an orchestra, you know, playing its tradition role really.

I have got something else in mind. Really, what? On a sunny day in wit

bee, the busking scene can get competitive, but Richard had one

big advantage. I don't think it was designed tor

travelling -- for travelling. You live in one of the smallest

houses? Yes, doismt I do.

Wouldn't a mouth organ have been better. But, but it is somebody to

talk to on the dark winter's nights!

Is the weather going to be music to Is the weather going to be music to

our ears? I don't think we will be dancing in

the streets for joy, but I am trying to pull a few strings!

For today, if you were in Cumbria, it was unlikely it will the

highlight of your weather week. But for the north-east, it was a very

good bonus. The sunniest and brightest morning of the week and

there was a bit afmigration towards the coast with that in mind. The

kids all out in their sun hats. The suncream was needed and there was

plenty of it in the north-east in particular this morning. Hu to be

made of -- hu to be made of sturdy stuff to be throwing yourself in

the waves at this time of year, but it was good fun and everybody

looked as if they enjoyed it. It looks like the rest of the week

with the Sunderland international air show in mind, it does look like

tomorrow and Saturday and Sunday are going to stay dry and bright.

It wasn't the case today. We have had this little front with rain

just dribbling down the West. It is making its way further eastwards.

The odd splash here and there through the evening time, but it

won't last long. The front continues tonight and that leaves

tomorrow looking good. We have got this nice, high settled system for

Friday. As you can see on the map, plenty of dry weather and sunshine

for us in the north-east and Cumbria. More detail on that for

you now. Here is the rainfall. You can see it fizzling out tonight and

some descent, clear spells coming in particularly for the north of

Northumberland. Into tomorrow then for Friday. It

does look like a dry day. Lots of sunshine particularly away from the

north-east coast and we will have the best of the brightness for

Cumbria tomorrow. Highs of 18 Celsius to 19 Celsius in the West.

Struggling a little bit more to get into the mid-teens.

It is the weekend. So Saturday, we stay fair. We are going to have

this light breeze and a dry day. There will be good brightness

around. If you are at any of the events maybe the Gateshead Flower

Show, it should be a descent Saturday. Sunday, you can see a

veil of cloud. Later in the day this next front will catch up with

us, pushing rain our way later on Sunday. Tomorrow is going to be the

brightest day, but not the warmest. Saturday and Sunday, the

temperatures picking up a bit, but there is the threat of rain later

on in the weekend. For the north- east, a similar picture, enjoy what

you are you are doing, whatever you Police have told Sara Payne whose

daughter Sarah was murdered, that she was on the list of people whose

phones may have been hacked. Police have carried out early

morning raids targeting organised crime in county County Durham.

That's Look North this Thursday evening. Tomorrow night, we will be

looking forward to one of the biggest free events in Europe.