02/12/2011 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Hello, welcome to Friday's Look In tonight's headlines, a high

price for cheap booze. Research suggests a shocking rise in the

number of young people made seriously ill by alcohol. Doctors

demand action. Alcohol is far too cheap, far too available and too

heavily promoted. Caught on camera, the rapist who

calmly tried to dispose of the clothes he knew would incriminate

him. A gift from the Olympics, but there

are fears that council cuts may jeapordise the sporting legacy of

the London games. And comic book hero, find out why

Simon Donald from Viz is championing young people with

dyslexia. We're live once again at the

Stadium of Light with the latest on Sunderland's mission to make Martin

O'Neill their new manager. And there'll be an emotional day at

Newcastle tomorrow but plans to pay tribute to former midfielder Gary

Liver specialists in the region say they're fighting an epidemic of

alcoholic liver disease in the young. Latest figures suggest that

in less than a decade, the number of people in their early thirties

who've been admitted to hospital with the disease has gone up by

400%. The national average is 61%. Hospital consultants across the

North East and Cumbria have signed a letter calling for stricter

legislation to control the sale and advertising of drink. Our health

reporter Sharon Barbour joins us live from outside Newcastle's A&E

department to tell us more. kidneys is it is Friday night and

the Christmas celebrations have began -- the good news is it is

Friday night. The doctors are expecting a very busy night though.

People will come in as a result of consuming too much alcohol. But

their real concern is long-term impact of alcohol. The message is

that doctors across the region have written and open it as the

government following statistics that there has been a 400% rise in

the number of people in their thirties being admitted to hospital

as a result of alcohol-related liver disease and that is bad news.

An epidemic. That's what doctors here are calling the shocking rise

in the North East of the number of people suffering from alcoholic

liver disease. An epidemic the liver specialists say must be

urgently be tackled. So they've written an open letter to the

Government. During my career as a doctor, there's again and in

enormous increase in alcohol consumption. This has led to a

great deal of increase in liver disease and we are seeing the

effect in young people. This epidemic of alcoholic liver disease

and hospital admissions as a result in very young people. This is all

because alcohol is far too cheap, far too available and far too

heavily promoted. Alcoholic liver disease can be treated. If caught

early but can be fatal if discovered too late. It is often

too late. Mother-of-three, Joanne Patterson

of Sunderland, was diagnosed with cirrhosis at just 39. She needs to

take nearly 100 pills a week. And her heavy drinking means she now

needs a liver transplant. On a daily basis, what I can remember,

usually three bottles of wine. Started off with one and just went

on from there. If it was not quite enough, you wanted one more glass

of wine. And then after that you have done two bottles of wine, the

same thing happens to that and it goes on and on and on.

It's the young drinkers the doctors want to reach but those we spoke to

said today's statistics would not change their drinking behaviour

until they were older. And this is the problem. The North East already

has the highest rate in England of 11-15-year-olds who drink. And the

region's liver experts say they took the action today, desperate to

break a cycle they say is destroying young people's lives.

And one other point, the North-East also has the highest number of

underratings admitted to hospital because of alcohol and the doctors

who wrote that letter say they are the people who will be the liver

disease statistics of tomorrow -- "A loathsome man who refused to

show sympathy or remorse" - the judgement on a Carlisle man who

brutally raped a 16-year-old girl as she walked home from a city

centre party. 50-year-old Mark Jackson attacked the girl in the

Denton Holme area of the city before calmly trying to clean and

dispose of the clothes he knew would incriminate him. Today, a

judge at the city's crown court jailed him for 12 years. Mark

Within hours of the attack, Jackson - seen here in police interviews -

was the prime suspect. Initially, he refused to admit what he'd done,

at one point even telling officers to "respect his feelings". But CCTV

in the hostel where he lived was to expose his lies. Here he is coolly

taking away the clothes he'd worn during the attack in October.

Jackson is a particularly loathsome individual. 17 police interviews

and not once did he show a shred of remorse or sympathy towards the

young lady at the centre of this incident. He continued to deny any

involvement despite the evidence being put to him, including

scientific and accused officers of been underhand. The defendant was

exhausted through lack of sleep. A statement was read on her behalf.

would like to stress the importance of people thinking that this may

not happen to anybody else at there. Your innocence is taken away and he

will never get it back. Police say a steady Safe and make sure that

you get home safe. Jackson had lived here in this hostel since

March. He had convictions for violence against women are nothing

I central -- sexual nature. But sentencing him today, Judge Paul

Batty said it was clear he had carried out a premeditated attack.

Jackson had stalked a vulnerable girl as she made her way home. He

jailed Jackson for 12 years and said he would be on the sex

offenders register for life. Judge Batty also saluted the courage of

the young victim who'd been in court to see her tormentor face

justice. Sporting facilities across the

North East and Cumbria have shared an extra �750,000 thanks to the

London 2012 Olympics. But there's concern that this Olympic legacy in

the region is being undermined as our local authorities make cuts in

their own leisure and sport budgets. Luke Walton reports.

Ponteland Rugby Club. Plenty of skill on show, but these players

don't just have to contend with the opposition. The big problem here is

waterlogged pitches that mean matches get cancelled. Now �50,000

is being spent to improve drainage and it's all thanks to the Olympics.

This is very much about community sport. Getting more people to

participate and having something that you can turn round after the

Olympics and said that if it was not for the Olympics, we would not

have these local clubs. Other sports picking up Lottery

cash include cricket at Billingham, football at Stockton, rowing and

fencing in Durham. But triathlete Elizabeth Oates from Crook hasn't

noticed a 2012 dividend. Along with cycling, her sport requires

swimming. But her local pool and gym recently closed as part of

millions of pounds of council cuts. My training has really been

affected by it. And no local people feel the same as may they might not

be able to travel further, they will stop in the house, it will

affect their health and lifestyle. That concern is shared here.

Middlesbrough Council is consulting on whether to shut this athletics

stadium and sell the site. It plans to build a new, better track

elsewhere in the town. But some question if that promise will be

delivered. My main concern is well they have the money to deliver what

is promised, having sold this? If they cannot, it will be devastated

for this area. -- devastating. The more gold medals we win next

year, the more inspiration for young people like these. But

whether they also get the opportunities and facilities they

need after 2012 is still an open question.

And the region's MPs will be discussing the Olympics legacy in

Sunday's Politics Show. That's at noon on BBC One.

He made his name as a cartoonist and writer of the Geordie adult

comic Viz as a teenager. But at the age of 40, Simon Donald was

diagnosed with dyslexia. Now he's become the patron of Dyslexia North

East, and hopes to be an inspiration to other young people

with the condition. Chris Storey Silly songs and poems, some of them

just a little bit rude. Viz founder Simon Donald entertains children at

the Dyslexia North East Christmas party. He's the new patron of the

One of the things that dyslexia has had a great impact on my life is

the root my life took. If I had not been lucky enough to work with my

brother and make the comic that was very successful, I do not know what

would have happened to me. Long before Viz started them

laughing, it was Simon's school reports that read like a joke.

Though he understood the language perfectly, he couldn't read and

write like other children. That's because dyslexics have a

neurological condition that impairs their ability to read. Written off

as disruptive and lazy, he left school with just two O-Levels. But

as Simon was to prove, dyslexic people can be touched with talent.

The interesting thing about dyslexics is they are genuinely not

a less able than other people, in fact a lot of them are more able.

In terms of ability to cope, that is why dyslexics come into their

own. When they are very young, their brain has to find another way

of coping with a normal situation. Dyslexia North East supports

children and parents at home and in school, adding the key ingredient

of confidence. We are thrilled to have signed a helping us because he

is dyslexic and he is able to show us that if you are dyslexic, you

can still succeed and it helps other people understand that you

can do things and learn things and succeed in life even if you are

dyslexic. Most of his writing for Viz

involved words of around four letters. But since being diagnosed

at the age of 40, Simon's treatment has allowed him to write his

autobiography. Not bad for someone Where do you go when you've

travelled the world and photographed it, and are looking

for your next challenge? Back home to Northumberland, of course! For

this week's Look North Report, Trai Anfield caught up with a man who's

returning to his roots for Chris Weston is one of the world's

most influential wildlife photographers. His work is not just

to market -- dramatic and beautiful, shot like these helped to save them

Today, his focus is on landscape. He was born in and make but he has

been challenged now to following a photographer and I am keen it to

A pewter for sport. Why are we in this place? This location? The idea

basically was I came across this book in the local bookshop and it

is these pencil drawings of Northumberland around 150 years ago.

We are trying to recreate with a photograph, the drawings as we see

them. It will show how it has changed over the past 150 years. I

want to get a sense of the framing of the image, try to make sure

everything is in the drawing which is still here and is still in the

frame. I think that has done it. If we can

find that, that will give us our central point. There are our arches.

And there it is, excellent! It hasn't changed that much.

original buildings, aren't they? It is too busy with the cars now

but I will take one shot for the record. There's one thing that

would make it more authentic, to replicate this woman here you need

to go and borrow a bucket and walk around with a bucket on your head!

Landscape photography particularly in the UK, lots of places are

photographed constantly over and over again. That is the idea, how

do you photo something but do it in a different way? The original

picture had a lot of sea in the foreground and I will try to

replicate that with grass which is now on the dunes. I need to get

some movement and I will use a slow shutter speed and to get the lack

of light from the lines I will use You read a lot about Northumberland

and its natural beauty as a photographer. It is stunning and I

love the wildness of it, the ruggedness. Very different to the

south of England so yes, it is a stunning place and it is nice to be

back. In 150 years' time, we may do the same thing again with a new set

of photographs. That body of work is out in the new year. You can see

those photographs online Still to come tonight, meet the man known as

Mr Volleyball. He could be this year's Unsung Sporting Hero.

And I will have the region's first Time for sport now and the BBC

understands that Martin O'Neill is on the verge of becoming

Sunderland's new manager following the sacking of Steve Bruce on

Wednesday. Talks have been taking place in London today with the

owner and chairman Ellis Short and now we appear to be playing a

waiting game. Jeff Brown is outside the Stadium of Light for us tonight.

Any news? They do say no news is good news but I am not sure that is

true in football. We are still waiting for official confirmation

that Martin O'Neill has accepted the deal. We have been told he has

agreed in principle. The club have issued this statement, Sunderland's

quest to fill the vacant managerial position is in full flow and the

club will make a statement in due course. We are still waiting for

that statement. With everything going on around this, it is easy to

forget that there's an important game on Sunday. Yes, the players

returned to training today for the first time since Steve Bruce was

sacked. Ironic, the play Wolverhampton Wanderers, managed by

the Mick McCarthy who knows what it is like to be sacked by Sunderland.

Eric Black will be in charge him Molineux on Sunday. Elsewhere,

Newcastle have an important game tomorrow.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has challenged his side to still be in

the top four at Christmas. Tomorrow United take on Chelsea in the first

home game since the ground was renamed. While the players have to

try to focus on taking all three points, the fans will be

remembering their former midfielder Gary Speed who died tragically last

weekend although the special tributes planned for before kick-

Fans have created a shrine to their much-loved number 11 and captain

which grows by the day. Gary Speed made almost 300 appearances for

Newcastle between 1998 and 2004 and was as highly regarded off the

pitch as he was on it. Tomorrow's official matchday programme will

have Gary's picture on the front cover. However the planned tributes

before kick-off have been postponed at the request of Gary's wife

Louise who wants to attend the tributes herself. They'll now take

place ahead of the Swansea game. There'll still be a minute's

applause though as fans remember a life so full of promise and so

shockingly cut short. The effect of Gary Speed's death

has been profound and nowhere more so than at Newcastle's training

ground. The training ground has been heavy, particularly the first

few days because a lot of staff and players not just remembering him as

a great player but as a great person as well. It has been a

difficult week and even today, things were a bit low but by the

time the game comes round, we can prepare ourselves mentally for the

game. And they'll need to. Chelsea may

have been struggling under new manager Andre Villas-Boas but the

Newcastle boss pays no heed to those who have his side down as

favourites to win. The new manager has tried to put changes in and

that is difficult in an established group like I think they will get

that right and nothing he will get it right. I hope they do not do it

against us because it is a very difficult game for us and we are

certainly not favourites. Middlesbrough are looking to bounce

back from their midweek defeat to West Ham when they take on Bristol

City. Tony Mowbray will be expecting a reaction after his side

lost at home for the first time since February in front of their

biggest crowd of the season. But City are unbeaten in six games

following the appointment of a new manager. Derek McGuinness.

Two of our sides are in action in the second round of the FA Cup

action this weekend. Carlisle have a tough tie away at League One

leaders Charlton who beat them 4-0 in the league earlier in the season.

And it's no easy ride for Gateshead either. They take on fellow

Conference side Tamworth at the International Stadium, who are four

points and four places behind them. It's 56 years since Gateshead have

been in the third round. A massive game for the club and the City and

the north-east. It is a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity for a lot of

these players. A few of them are just getting past their first round

so getting into the third round, getting in the spotlight, that is

the dream. We are under no illusions, Saturday will be a very,

very difficult game. Good luck to them.

And good luck tonight to Newcastle Eagles who are a step away from

reaching the final of the BBL Cup. Table-topping Eagles take on

Leicester Riders at Sport Central in the second leg of their semi-

final tie with the scores at 90 apiece. And Newcastle Falcons must

beat Gloucester tonight if they're to have any hope of reigning in a

nine-point gap at the bottom of Now to the last of our three

candidates vying for the title of the region's Unsung Sporting Hero.

The winner will be announced at the prestigious North East Sports

Awards at Gateshead College next week. And we sent the former

Olympic swimmer Chris Cook to meet Steve has been involved in

volleyball for 40 years and has been a huge influence on the sport

within the region. Steve -- Steve coaches volleyball and trains up to

80 people per week. Here in the north-east, he is known as Mr

volleyball. Mr volleyball is the perfect way to describe him. He is

so enthusiastic. Everybody in this area, as soon as they hear

volleyball, they associated with Steve. He wants to see the sport

develop and continue. Good lad. He contributes to volleyball

England's management and running of the courses. But also to the

administration and development, bringing people into the

development into the sport. former PE teacher, Steve got into

the sport almost by accident. the youngsters were leaving school

and there was no way to play so they said to me, would I set up a

volleyball Cup for them? They remember the words are used, which

were yes, I will set it up, we will set up a facility for Friday night

but if we struggle to get a team out, then we will have to stop I am

afraid. That is where we started an here we are, 40 years later. He has

brought so many people through. I have been one of the scholars and

he organises so many tournaments as well as doing local things as well.

He has got massive enthusiasm for the game. There's certainly no sign

of him slowing down any time soon. He will be doing this until... Well,

I was going to say old and grey but he is already old and grey! But

definitely many years after this. Another great candidate, Jeff, go

There could be a bit of rivalry hotting up between two of the towns

in our region. But for once, it's not over football. X Factor fans

from Middlesbrough and South Shields will be busy voting for

their two locals acts that have got through to this weekend's semi-

final of the show. Joanne Carter reports.

Back in 2009 it was more like Geordie Factor rather than X Factor.

Joe McElderry's win, with a little bit of help from Cheryl, threw

South Shields into the spotlight. Two years on and the town's done it

again. This time round it's two girls. Jade Thirwell and Perrie

Edwards who are through to the semi-finals as part of Little Mix.

Middlesbrough's got a real chance too with comeback act, Amelia Lily.

I hope Amelia Lily wins because she is the best singer. I like Little

Mix but I love Amelia Lily. I don't know who will win.

Could it become a real battle of the towns? Oh no, it won't, say the

stars of pantoland in South Shields. We have had a really good run in

South Tyneside because Emily Fleming was in the search for

Dorothy on BBC and then to Joe and now Jade and Perrie Edwards who are

real talents in their own right and they have formed this group and

they are fantastic. So South Shields, is it a musical hotbed of

talent? Only one way to find out. Let us go in here to find somebody

to audition. # I am washing on a star.

To follow where you are. # I am wishing on a dream. # To follow

what it means. Hmmm, not sure what Simon Cowell

I had better not comment! I knew it was chilly, but I did not know it

Some photographers made it up the South Tyne Valley and I don't think

these cyclists were prepared for the snow on the tops! These ladies

caught in the snow, they look a bit more prepared. It looks like it has

felt a bit more wintry on the high ground and that is the way it is

set to continue this weekend. We have got the chilly north-westerly

wind. For most of us it will be rain put on high ground, it will

turn to sleet and snow. That is what is happening at the moment.

This band of showery rain working across Cumbria. It will come east

across the night. It will then go out to the North Sea. By tomorrow

dawn, most places will be dry. Much more cloud generally and a much

stronger wind which means temperatures not as low as last

night. We were scraping frost of the night, lows of around three

Celsius so not much of a frost. Into the weekend, Saturday starting

briefly dry. Holding on that way in the north-east for the bulk of the

day but for Cumbria with the West wind, you will always be on the

front line for the showers coming in. There will be rain at low

levels, they may turn wintry on the tops of the hills. If you're going

fell-walking, do be prepared for the first wintry weekend of the