05/10/2011 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Hello and welcome to Wednesday's Look North. Tonight. Under

investigation - the doctor's surgery that wrongly told patients

their operations were not available on the NHS.

Safe at last. Victims of the Libya conflict get specialist treatment

here in the North. Blowing hot and cold - how future

weather extremes could hit the elderly and vulnerable.

And first of the summer wine. Britain's most northerly vineyard

produces a very cheeky little number.

In sport. One of the region's most successful clubs is taking on a

whole new challenge. It's still a balancing act, but

these gymnasts are hoping they've First tonight, a doctor's practice

in North Yorkshire is at the centre of controversy after it offered

patients private treatment for minor surgery that can be carried

out on the NHS. Haxby and Wigginton Health Centre in York has written

to patients suggesting private providers who can perform the

operations for a fee. There are fears that it could be the start of

a new trend following the squeeze on health service finances and the

planned overhaul of the NHS. Danny Carpenter has the story.

It is quite a short better, but it has created a big fuss. This

practice known to 30 patients are waiting for microsurgery and told

them it would no longer be available on the NHS. They would

have to pay. This has upset people. Most of think the NHS should still

be free. It is not right. You pay taxes and National Insurance. It is

not right. Glasses, teeth, everything, they are pushing it

more to be private. The letter lists four private companies that

could carry out procedures, including one owned by the practice

itself. Politicians, patient groups and even the primary care trust are

worried that creates a potential conflict of interest. There is an

important principle. All doctors have to be aware that there is

potential conflict of interest in working in NHS and private work. It

has to be managed as a professional responsibility. Concerns have also

been expressed that information given to the NHS is being used to

target potential private patients. But the surgery say they have done

nothing wrong. Our patients have been left without a service, we

have outlined the options available. If they did not have that option,

where would they go? They were caught up in a violent

conflict 2,000 miles away. They've suffered gunshot and shrapnel

wounds. But now three civilians injured in the battle for power in

Libya have been flown here to one of the North's biggest hospitals to

receive specialist treatment. Stuart Whincup has this report.

Safe at last. 28-year-old Mohammed Adrizzi, a university graduate, was

trying to flee the fighting. As he tried to ecape, he was knocked over

and a car drove over him. Many of his friend were wounded in the

crossfire. Their relatives, though, remain,

caught up in the conflict as the bloody battle to remove Colonel

Gaddafi continues into its seventh month. They have been telling us it

was very difficult and very unpleasant surroundings. They are

very grateful to be in this safety of a hospital like this. They have

a number of injuries. Gunshot wounds, road traffic accidents and

shrapnel wounds. These are injuries it to the bone and soft tissue.

Mohammed says all the hospitals in Libya are full with people of all

ages fighting for their lives. Many like him are innocent civilians.

Now he's part of a group of 50 young men and women who've been

flown to the UK for specialist treatment. The full costs of this

care is being met by the Libyan government.

Managers say that the fact of a hospital has been asked to help by

the government is testament to their expertise of the staff. They

stress it will not impact on the day today running of the Hospital.

Two prisoners have appeared before a judge at Newcastle Crown Court

charged with murdering a sex offender inside Durham's high

security Frankland Jail. It comes on the day a judge has called for

an urgent review of systems at high security prisons. 23-year-old

Nathan Mann and Michael Parr, who's 32, were arrested after the body of

Mitchell Harrison was found in a cell at Frankland Prison on

Saturday. Police said he'd died from multiple injuries. Harrison,

who was 23, was jailed for raping a 13-year-old girl in Cumbria.

Neither accused entered a plea and the case was adjourned until

January with a provisional trial date set for March.

Police have urged women who may have slept with an HIV infected man

to come forward. Simon McClure, who's 38 and from Middlesbrough,

was jailed for two years and eight months at Teesside Crown Court

after he admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on a woman

with whom he had unprotected sex. Two police staff are to stand trial

accused of assaulting a prisoner at Peterlee police station in March.

They appeared at Teesside Magistrates Court today and denied

two charges each. Sergeant Stephen Harvey and detention officer

Michael Mount will face trial in January.

So, none of us is getting any younger. And don't we know it. But

scientists here in the North say we now need to plan where our ageing

population will be most vulnerable in years to come. That's because

they're predicting more flooding, cold snaps and heatwaves in years

to come, mainly in rural parts of the region. Gerry Jackson has more

on this. Sounds pretty dramatic, Gerry?

It is tempting to think about the sheer numbers of people out there

and the number of pensioners among us, now and in a generation's time.

There are some very clever people on one as we say we must at begging

about -- how we must start planning for all eventualities now.

It might seem like the world revolves around the young, but

within 20 years, one in five of us will be over 65. Climate change

could make us more vulnerable as elderly people.

So researchers at Durham have been plotting how the whereabouts of our

senior citizens will coincide with the biggest likely increases in

flooding, cold, and heat. affects a lot of people. And it is

predicted to change. It would be exciting to map this out across the

whole of the United Kingdom, to influence people to take action now.

Using Government projections, they mapped the parts of our region

likely to have the greatest concentration of over-65s. Then the

climate projections of where extreme weather events are likely

to be most frequent. Flooding, for example - parts of Cumbria,

including the Solway Firth are expected to be more vulnerable.

Extreme cold snaps. Again, parts of Cumbria and North Northumberland,

if the projections are correct. And at the other end of the scale,

heatwaves. They might have the most effect on the elderly in much the

same areas. This is to build up our capacity to look ahead and see how

these issues may impact in the future. We are working with local

authorities who have this very much in mind. Our project is feeding

into the planning we are doing. Building Design is needed to change

to accommodate potentially bad weather. Longer term development so

like buildings and services have to be planned.

Of course, even talking about climate provokes controversy and

these are very long range forecasts. But when we're old enough to need

the help, we'll expect the young to know what they're doing. If you

talk to some of the people running are councils, they will tell you

they have enough on their hands planning for the next year or two,

never mind the next generation. But they do have to make these plans.

These are gradually evolving plans. The NHS is in a similar position.

But it is the young people that will have to make these decisions

so let's hope they do not hold any grudges against us.

Thank you very much. A pensioner has installed his very

own memorial bench at a bus stop in Northumberland, despite being alive

and well. 78-year-old James Campbell has arthritis and wanted a

seat he could benefit from as he waits for the bus in his home

village of Alnmouth. He originally made plans for it to be erected

after his death, but decided he wanted to use it himself. Adele

Robinson reports. This is a memorial bench, but they

are still very much around and still waiting to take off. Why have

a memorial bench? When I was waiting for a bus, it was hurting

my legs. I thought, when I die, I am going to dedicate a seat. When I

got on the bus, I thought why wait? I need it now.

So 78-year-old James went for a more unconventional plaque. Your

flight isn't due any time soon? whole lot. I reckon they will get

about 25 years of use out of it. I've spent a fortune on it, I'm not

going to leave it behind. The memorial's only been up a few days.

But it has, shall we say, surprised a few people. I couldn't believe it,

I thought something had happened to them. But I had to see them. I was

a bit confused. The day it went up, it was really funny. People were

reading it and laughing. What was your first reaction? I did not like

the idea at all, I thought it sounded creepy. But the wording is

funny. But for now James and Sally are still here. And still

celebrating being very much alive. As long as the drugs Don't sleep on

it. Get off my bench! I like his sense of humour.

Still to come - Wednesday's sportsdesk with Jeff. And why it's

been a vintage year for the North's most northerly vineyard. This

week's re there isn't -- and this 75 years ago today, the Jarrow

marchers took their demand for work to London. They walked the 300

miles to highlight an unemployment rate of more than 70% in the town,

as well as one of the highest mortality rates in the country.

Three quarters of a century later, a group of young people are

retracing the marchers' steps. They set off from Jarrow on Saturday.

Our Business Correspondent Ian Reeve caught up with them today on

their leg from Darlington to Northallerton.

"Decent jobs for decent pay, the Jarrow March is on its way," is the

cry. And one or two about evil bankers. This is day four of a

march by young people who say they form the 21st century equivalent of

the famous 1936 crusade. There are half-a-million vacancies for 2.5

million people looking for jobs. I think amongst young people, the

situation is particularly bad. We want to recreate it there Jarrow

march to draw attention to the issues. There are, though, a few

differences between the 1936 marchers and the modern day ones.

75 years ago, it's doubtful that a rest stop included playing on a

swing or a quick game of footy. There were 200 marchers back then.

Today in this North Yorkshire village, there are 17. And there

are other, bigger differences too. And the marchers do seem to be

welcomed along the route. Susan King is re-enacting history.

grandma made tea for the original marchers as they passed through

Darlington. They are doing a good job and we fully agree with them.

Short hours, zero contracts, they do not get decent jobs and decent

pay. The support we have got so far is unbelievable. People coming out

of their homes and giving us cups of tea. They are giving us money

out of their own pocket. In this current economic crisis, I think

that is quite a lot. What ever you think of the marchers, they say

they are determined to reach London. Tomorrow, they go from

Northallerton to read them and say they will reach the capital on 5th

November. -- Ripon. Now, at one time, English wine

produced anywhere north of Watford was practically unheard of. But

then some northern growers tried planting white grapes and a small

industry in light fruity wines was born. And now one North Yorkshire

vineyard has gone a stage further. It's producing a full blooded red.

Ryedale Vineyard is the most northerly in Britain and Peter Lugg

Ah, the Loire Valley, or Burgandy perhaps. Maybe the Dordogne even.

No, this is England. It's Yorkshire. For heaven's sake, we're not far

off the A64 near Malton. That one is a very ripe. They it is amazing.

Stuart and Elizabeth Smith run the most northerly commercial vineyard

in Britain and this year's grapes are almost ready for harvest.

planted in 2006. The white wine was absolutely wonderful. It won a

silver medal. It won trophies. English white and rose wines are an

increasing common sight in the supermarkets, but full-blooded reds

are rare. We've had a heat wave which is brilliant. We had a warm

spell in April that of the vines growing early. -- that got the

vines. That means the grapes will bit right -- it will be right.

Rydale Nouveau should be available early in the new year. Look out for

York Minster on the label. We're off to the fantastic northern

Fells of the Lake District now for this week's Grundy's North. The

village of Caldbeck between Carlisle and Penrith was originally

an industrial community. It's now as pretty as they come. John Grundy

begins his stroll at a place called The Howk.

How it is not a very nice world. -- Howk is not a very nice word. It

used to mean to pick your nose. This stream it turns into their

river the gives the village of Caldbeck its name. It has all some

power. You should see this during winter storms. In the past, the

power of this river drove industries. This was a bobbin mill.

The Barnett was used it to store the wood. -- the barn. This had one

of the biggest water feels in England. 42 ft in diameter. -- for

water wheel. There was a Willem bill, a flax mill, a corn mill, a

smelting mill. I would determine mill, a crushing Miller -- a wood

turning mill, a crushing mill. There has always been Industry here.

But at the Old working buildings have all been given new users. They

are now pretty country cottages. Even at the village pond the there

is surprisingly large number of ducks has got an industrial origin.

It was formed by the extraction of play for the building trade. This

is the last mill in the village. It was built in 7002. -- 1702. This

church has a smashing graveyard with Victorian gravestones. I do

not know whether you happen to 0 John Peel. -- to know off John Peel.

Here he is. And next door, a quite gorgeous Georgian vicarage. The

village is packed with beautiful houses. They are dotted about all

over the place. Because we are in Cumbria, many of them are painted

in gorgeous colours. Fresh and sparkling the light. This village

is a delight to be in. It is very pretty. We have all be

marvelling at the shot behind your head!

Now what do you do when the local council that runs the leisure

centre, where your highly successful sports club is based,

announces it can no longer afford to maintain it? Well, the answer,

in the case of one County Durham gymnastics club, is take it over

yourself! They've been churning out

international gymnasts at the Deerness Valley Club for 20 years

now. The club based at Ushaw Moor near Durham specialises in

acrobatics and tumbling and has seen more than 60 of its members

come back with a host of World and European medals. But the biggest

threat to future success came when Durham County Council announced

cost-cutting measures that would include the closure of five leisure

centres, including theirs. So how do you get round that? Take over

the lease. To find out that we were up for closure was devastating. We

had to decide what to do. We gathered together as a community

group to try to save it. In the community, we have engineers,

cleaners, painters, electricians. A massive group of people have pulled

it together to offer their services it to keep the building open.

have already started converting some of the rooms. We have opened

up to that local community. We have all sorts of classes on offer. And

for all ages. We hope that that will generate the income to keep

the centre running as a non-profit organisation. To those angry that

their leisure centre will not offer other sports, it has to be

remembered at that that building would have been lost otherwise.

In football, former Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has spoken out

to ensure fans that Steve Bruce will remain as the Black Cats'

manager, at least for the forseeable future.

Bruce has come under fire from a section of the supporters following

the club's unimpressive start to the season. But Quinn, who stepped

down earlier this week, told reporters Bruce won't be isolated

by American owner Ellis Short's move into the chairman's role. And

he said, "Unless the situation becomes apocalyptic, and it's no

good worrying about that, Steve will get time."

Finally, in Rugby League, a warning from Workington Town chairman Dave

Bowden. He says promotion from Championship One is imperative for

the club next season. Town lost to Keighley Cougars in the Grand Final

last weekend, missing out on a place in the Championship, and the

league's restructuring in 2013 has increased the pressure for success.

Bowden said, "Fans want to see the old names like Leigh, Featherstone

and Halifax." And with new clubs like Hemel Hempstead coming into

the League, he's worried it could be difficult to attract sufficient

support. We were talking about streams --

extremes of the weather. What has the weather got in store for us

First, some photographs. This is a water vole. Through the rest of the

week, they will be glad that they have a warm nest. We have heavy

outbreaks of rain through the evening. These will gradually move

out into the North Sea. Still some light ones replacing them and

moving across our region through the night. It will be a much cooler

night it tonight. That goes for tomorrow as well. The wind will

term to the north-west and low in a batch of showers. -- and a blow end.

There has been some thunder today and poor tomorrow. -- and there

will be more tomorrow. Temperatures of 12 and 13 degrees. But feeling

colder in that wind. Through the rest of the week, that went will