16/11/2011 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Good evening. On a day of depressing unemployment news, the

North East, the area with the highest jobless rate in the country,

has received an extra kick in the teeth.

The opposition leader blames the Government - we week -- we ask him

what he would do. Also tonight, a story to cheer you

up - the baby that a live -- arrived at 11 minutes past 11 on

the 11th day of the 11th month of 2011.

And more good reasons to support Children In Need - we need to be

youngsters looking after their parents, thanks to your donations.

Fans rushed on line to welcome the big shake-up of Yorkshire County

Cricket Club. And one of our oldest established sports grounds has been

celebrated in print. On a day if depressing unemployment

news, the North East has received an extra kick in the teeth. The

Alcan aluminium smelting plant in Northumberland is to close, with

the loss of over 500 jobs. Other jobs will go, too, unless another

buyer can be found. The closure is devastating for the Lynemouth area

of South East Northumberland. Since the loss of the coal mines, Alcan

has been one of the key sources of employment. And while its future

has been in doubt for some time, the workforce, and their families,

have clung to the hope that a survival package would be found.

Well, today those hopes were dashed. Our Chief Reporter Chris Stewart

joins us from the smelter now. Chris. I am sorry we cannot hear

Chris at the moment. He compiled this report Phil stopped this plant

was once powered by coal from a colliery next door.

Costs were easy to control and emissions were not much of an issue.

Now the coal is more expensive and coal also cops sit for big bill in

environment tax. That means that the company has not seen the return

it would like to see on its investment. If the company has high

aspirations for the returns. This plant has not met those aspirations.

It is a very competitive global market place. So this place is not

making enough money for the shareholders, so it is gone? This

is a high-cost operation - the costs of compliance and producing

energy. There are only going to increase and therefore it is no

longer a sustainable business. The workers said they knew what was

coming. It has been coming for a while. It is not like it is out of

the blue or anything. It was expected. Do you mind me asking how

old you are? 24. How long have you be in working here? -- been working

here? Three years. There are already 14 people looking for every

job in the North East. It is going to get worse. We wish you the best

of luck. There is nothing we can do about it. There is no point

worrying yourself, really, because there is nothing you can do. You

have to accepted. Obviously, everyone is going to be upset about

it. You are an apprentice? Yes. Will you finish your

apprenticeship? I am not sure what is going to happen.

A company had considered converting the plan for biomass fuel, but that

would have been too costly. There is still hope that a buyer can be

found on a power station but the smelter closes next month - -- next

smelter closes next month - -- next month May Phil,.

We have been speaking to people around here and, while they had an

idea this might happen, they found it hard to bear. It is devastating

for the local community, absolutely devastating. I have a few friends

who work there and of what there all their lives. -- and have worked

there all their lives. I am taken aback by the news. It is sad and

devastating. I think the Government should jump in and help Alcan out,

put some money in or try to find someone who will buy it. It is a

disgrace. There we have it, Chris. We cannot

over-emphasise how crucial Alcan is to the area.

Absolutely. There is something about this that shows how 0 linked

this company is with their area. All around, we have the farm land

that is owned by Alcan. Bizarrely, we have 10 farm workers who tonight

a worrying what is going to become of them. I picked up the company

magazine. Inside it talks about career opportunities for young

people. Well, none of them work here.

The timing of that announcement has rendered the latest unemployment

figures for the region, well, redundant. But they still make

bleak reading. Although unemployment fell slightly in the

north-west, the north-east is still the country's unemployment

blackspot. 146,000 were without a job in the three months from July

to September - a rate of 11.6% of the workforce. 20,000 more people

were without a job compared to the previous quarter. And, most

worryingly, unemployment amongst the young has, as predicted, soared.

Our business correspondent, Ian Reeve, reports.

Nathan Graham may be walking in the shadow of the soon to be reopened

Redcar blast furnace, but it won't be giving him a job. At 18, he

hasn't worked since August. He has posted out 75 copies of his CV,

with stamped addressed envelopes, but had just one interview. I had a

job and it was going well, then I got made redundant. If it is any

consolation to him, Nathan's not alone. The number of 16 to 24-year-

olds across the country without a job has risen to 1.2 million. In

the north-east alone, in the 18-24 group, there are nearly 30,000

young people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance. So what's to blame? Well,

the boss of this company, a utilities business that supplies

heat, steam and power to the giant Wilton chemical complex on Teesside,

says that, in part, it's down to wrong academic choices being made

at school. It is the children who pick the subjects that they like

but do not have an end game that I think are suffering now, and not

understanding what the work force or the local industry requires from

them. They do not have the skills or the experience. And if the right

choices are made, as Jade and Dan have found out, then there are some

jobs to be had. After an apprenticeship here they are in

secure, well-paid posts. For the North East, it is quite

unusual to get a job at this time. I felt like every Sir at -- every

single person on my course, all of us got jobs. It is very challenging

and very good. The contrast with Nathan couldn't

be greater. A plumbing job is what he wants. Failing that, any job.

The only problem is so, it appears, do more than a million other young

people across the country. The rise in youth unemployment is

sounding alarm bells. The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, was in

Sunderland win today's jobless figures came out. He was visiting

the Liebherrs crane factory, and the young apprentices who work

there. Adrian Pitches reports. On most Wednesday lunchtimes, Ed

Miliband is facing David Cameron in the House of Commons at Prime

Minister's Questions. But today he was in Sunderland facing factory

workers and hearing their stories. His particular interest was the

young apprentices who are learning a trade when 1 million of their

contemporaries are out of work. am incredibly impressed by what I

have seen here today. This shows what our economy could be like.

Jobs in manufacturing, jobs for young people, apprenticeships which

could make an enormous difference to our economy under country for

the future. -- and our country. Manufacturing has a proud heritage

on Wearside and the young men who have landed apprenticeships at

Liebherr are grateful that they can carry on that tradition. It has

given all of us a chance to get back into engineering and get the

Trades. It means everything be cops that -- because it keeps all of us

in work. I enjoy it. I am learning new tasks, hands on tasks.

parent company is in Austria. I went there for a few months. It is

better than you would get in any other place. "A better

apprenticeship than any other place" is a ringing endorsement.

But many more apprenticeships will be needed to remove 1 million young

people from the unemployment register. Everyone believes that

youth unemployment is too high. We're creating double the number of

apprenticeships compared to last year. We have invested �25 million

specifically in hi-tech manufacturing apprenticeships will

stop that is the government might doing something about this problem.

-- that is the Government. Adrian Pitches, BBC Look North, Sunderland.

After that visit, Ed Miliband came here to the BBC Look North studio.

With our grim employment figures, a heavy reliance on public sector

jobs and the blow of losing another 660 today at Alcan, I asked him if

we need special help. It is a terrible day, isn't it? It is a day

when youth unemployment across the country has gone above one million.

I grew up and 90 C/ 80s -- I grew up in the 1980s. I hope the

Government sees reason and understands that this cannot go on

as it is. We have some proposals. Let us attacks bankers' bonuses and

use it for jobs for young people to stop unless we get the growth we

need I do not think things will get better. If we cannot afford that as

a country, we cannot afford that lost generation. Business leaders

have been telling us that Labour got it wrong, 13 successive years

of Labour government. You got it wrong because you produced a

bloated public sector in the North East and we are paying for that now,

under investment in the private sector. I do not think that the

reason we do not have a large private sector is because of the

size of the private -- the public sector. I think we need to look to

the future and ask how we can make things better. This region can do

very well in the manufacture in the future. The green industries,

making wind turbines and so forth. We need a Government to work with

the private sector to make that happen. All I see with this

government is that they want to get out of the way and cut back

government. I do not think that is good for the future. You say that

we should tax the bankers - we need more than that, don't we? It is not

the only proposal. We should cut VAT. Why? Because we need more

money in people' pockets so they can start spending again. We have

problems in the European economy, problems at home - the problem with

the Government's plans is that they were not working well before this

eurozone crisis. That may make it worse. They have tried, though,

haven't they? 15 of the 19 grants awarded under the Regional Growth

Fund came here. That will help, wanted? What business leaders are

saying to me is that, at the moment, there is not the confidence or the

sense that things are going to get better. Unless there is that

businesses are not going to make the investments that we really need

for the future. The Government wants to sit by and say, our plan

is working. I think that people can see in their lives and that the

plan is not working and they need to change course.

In feels very bleak here in this region at the moment. Of we have

public sector strikes looming at the end of the month. That is

another day's payee lost or parents who have to look after children -

what do you say to them? Government must get round the table

and stop them happening. How does that happen? I think many people in

the trade unions understand that pensions will have to change over

time. This Government has essentially imposed a tax rise on

public centre workers -- public sector workers. I do not think that

is fair. It affects dinner ladies one as little as �150 a week.

you supporting the strikes? I think strikes are always a sign of

failure but the government has a responsibility to stop them from

happening. Three warders have been treated in

hospital after being attacked by inmates at a County Durham prison.

The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that they were injured

during an incident at HMP Durham yesterday afternoon. It is thought

the outbreak was connected to triple killer Kevan Thakrar being

found not guilty last week of attempting to murder three prison

officers at Frankland Prison in County Durham.

Cumbria Police has announced more job losses in its bid to save

around �20 million within the next five years. 56 more posts will go

after a review showed that the force could make significant

savings by bringing its personnel, finance and training matters onto

one site. Some of the staff have already decided to take voluntary

redundancy. It is about finding out how we can do is better, make

better use of some of their technology that we have. It will

have no impact on the public and community of Cumbria.

The policeman shot and blinded by Raoul Moat has revealed that he is

separating from his wife. PC David Rathband posted a message on the

social networking site Twitter saying his wife has called time on

their 20 your marriage. The couple started to live apart in September.

One of the North's biggest agricultural shows is on the move.

The Northumberland County Show is to move from its current home at

Tynedale Rugby Club in Corbridge to a bigger site at Bywell near

Stocksfield. Next year will be its last on the present site. Last year

it attracted around 25,000 visitors. Now, few can have ever made a more

memorable arrival into the world. The odds alone are several million

to one. As all around the country people were observing the two-

minute silence to remember the nation's war dead, a Hartlepool

mother was preparing for the birth of her baby girl. And, at 11

minutes past 11 on November 11th in 2011, she arrived. Stuart Whincup

reports. Meet Isabelle Poppy Flounders, a

girl who already knows how to make an entrance. And she made her

mother wait. Nikki's waters broke a month early, so when the magic

moment finally came the last thing she was thinking about was the time.

It was a shock but we were a bit emotional at the time. It was

afterwards, when we thought about it, it was nice. It is going to be

good for us because we don't know what time we were born, and I

suppose our parents don't, but she always will know what time she was

born. It is a special day all round. Yeah. After waiting four weeks for

Isabelle's arrival, Nikki had been rushed in and out of hospital. She

was induced, but when that did not speed things up she was given a

Caesarean section. Now, with the drama over, Nikki and Liam can

finally get round to enjoying their daughter's arrival. She has been

brilliant, absolutely fantastic. She slept through the night, so she

is a good little baby. I'm just glad she wasn't 11 pounds.

Now, in our Children In Need report earlier this week, we met some of

the Grand mothers and grandfathers struggling to look after their

grandchildren because their children's parents were no longer

able to. Tonight we go to Cumbria to hear about the youngsters who

are helping to look after their own parents, and the guidance and

support they get, through your Children In Need donations, from a

charity supporting more than 100 young carers in the Eden district

of Cumbria. Jon Williams has He is my eyes and my legs. He helps

me to see and to walk and hold on to the pram and things. It's an

uphill struggle, battling the onset of MS while bringing up a young

son... And a baby daughter... But in the last year Nicola Kerr has

come to rely on 7-year-old Liam to help her get through. He is my

carer, really. On the days when I find it difficult to walk or to see

things, he helps me to do the things I am not able to. After a

series of tests, Nicola is waiting for final confirmation that she is

suffering from multiple sclerosis - a disease that affects the central

nervous system. Its symptoms can come and go, but since the birth of

baby Maisy she has needed more help at home. To get things like her

nappies or to get her yoghurt from the fridge, I do not Mrs Ardely

have to ask for something, if Liam sees me changing her and he sees

that I cannot see something or reach for something, he

instinctively goes to get it for me, which is great. Despite his tender

years, Liam has a very clear idea of why he sometimes has to take

charge to help his mum. Because she cannot handle my sister on her

Honour. She might get a little bit tired. When she is walking down the

hill she cannot really see properly and her legs feel dizzy and weird,

so why have to help her down the hill and hold her hand. -- sought...

At Nicola was put in touch with Eden Carers, who specialise in

training and supporting young family members to help and

understand when their parents or siblings need care in the home.

is adapting to the combination of his mother not being as well as he

would wanted to be and also having a young baby on the scene. He has a

lot to adapt to. With funding from Children In Need, Eden Carers help

to support and counsel more than 100 young carers, some as young as

five, across a vast rural district of Cumbria. Clubs and group

meetings like this help them share their concerns and make friends

with other youngsters in a similar situation.

We get to go on the computers and talk to friends. Sometimes we do

RTE staff -- arty stuff. He is fantastic. I would be lost without

him. Lovely boy. Here is another one -

Mark with the sport! The Yorkshire County Cricket

chairman Colin Graves admits they have put their money where their

mouth is with the shake-up announced yesterday. Fans are

broadly welcomed the return of former Australian star Jason

Gillespie as first-team coach, heading a new-look backroom staff.

The new appointments, including Aussie batsman Phil Jaques as

overseas player, follow last season's short relegation to the

second division. Martyn Moxon remains as director of cricket.

The runner disqualified from the Kielder Marathon after being

accused of cheating has suffered a further setback. Former Sunderland

Harrier Rob Sloan has now been banned for six months by England

Athletics. He can appeal the decision.

Now, when a national rugby magazine ran a competition to sponsor the

writing of a local club's history, it struck a chord with a Wearside

historian. He won that competition and the result is this: One Among

Many, the story of Sunderland Rugby Club. Jeff Brown went along to one

of the oldest established sports grounds in the region.

Some of the world's sporting greats have played here at - groups - the

New Zealand All Blacks, the Australian cricket team, even

Sunderland Football Club, though, confusingly, that was also the name

of the city's rugby club. It is their history that has been

uncovered by Keith Gregson. club goes back just over 125 years.

It is recognised as the first sporting club in Tyne and Wear. We

now have a blue plaque outside that says that Sunderland AFC played

here for one year before the cricket arrived. There were many

sports clubs but eventually with many of them one sport took over.

It does say outside that we are the home of sport in Sunderland.

Virtually every sport apart from soccer, which, of course, you go

all over the world, and everybody knows Sunderland Football Club.

There was hockey, tennis, squash, rugby, cricket, bowls. The lads

behind the bar have formed a football team which is in the local

league. Here are some shots from

Northallerton. Paul is selling the calendars for Children In Need. I

will give you details at the end of the forecast about who you -- about

how you can get one. The major of Northallerton came to say hello to

Pudsey and to the crowd. Pudsey is giving me a hand with the weather.

A great picture to kick us off. Thank you to Malcolm for this one.

It will be misty start tomorrow but the sunshine soon develops. A

little look at this evening. It will be dry in the east, cloudier

and the West. Possibly a few spots of rain for Northumberland.

Temperatures above average for the time of year. It will be a frosty

start to the day and then a really nice morning develops. The rain

clears away, the skies cleared, bright sunshine in a late morning

and into the afternoon, particularly for North Yorkshire

and the North East. The after noon is mild as well. Still no sign of

frost and certainly no snow in this forecast. A little cloudier in

Cumbria to finish the afternoon. It will be mild and dry here at 4pm.

There is a band of rain waiting in the AVC so expect a wet evening in

the West. The rain will move to the east overnight into Friday. Pudsey

looks pretty happy. A little wet in the West on Friday. That clears and

then the weekend starts of dry, fine and mild. For all of the

calendar details, you can go to our website or call the number on

screen. A final look at tonight's main

headlines... More than a million people aged between 16 and 24 are

now jobless. Total unemployment is now more than 2.6 million. And