06/12/2011 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Welcome to the programme. Tonight's headlines: The wait is over for

Wearside. Some don't unveil Martin O'Neill as their new boss. Lower

tuition fees for some Teesside students, but some may not notice.

Training for war. We are with the part-time soldiers who are training

for Afghanistan. Barking dogs. These beasts helping to move

Christmas trees. I have met Martin O'Neill. Just down the A 19,

Hartlepool United are looking for a They have finally got their man.

Today, Martin O'Neill spoke movingly of his boyhood passion for

Sunderland, as he was unveiled as the new boss. He said it was hard

to describe how he felt. He recalled how his love of the club

was ignited by legends such as Brian Clough and Charlie Hurley. He

said he hoped he could revive the club's sagging fortunes. Let's go

to the Stadium of Light now. It is a case of if you don't succeed for

Martin O'Neill. They tried to get Martin O'Neill in 2006. Play

finally got him today. What was also obvious was his passion for

this club, dating back to his childhood in Northern Ireland. He

talked of Charlie Hurley and Brian Clough. Back then, he chose

Sunderland. Today, Sunderland chose him. Boxing Day 1962 was the day

that Prime Clough injured himself. I remembered shedding a few tears

when Brian Clough got injured. I had a little while with him

afterwards, and I shed a few more to his! Body was not over it his

injury, let me put it that way! There is an end to -- energy about

this football club. That is something that those things, with a

bit of determination, I hope that that will give us a lift. He said

he was so energised by being as I think we had got as far as we had

got under Bruce. He is a good manager. Or have had -- I have had

a few rumours that he is already working hard at the training ground.

That is not the only Martin O'Neill we have been speaking to. There is

another one that owns a sweetshop in Sunderland. We are all very

excited. I am also a Celtic fan, and I have followed his career all

the way from Nottingham Forest. I'm looking forward to the chant of

there is only to Martin O'Neill's, which would be great! It is up to

Martin O'Neill to make the Mackems His first game is against Blackburn

Managers of Northern Rock have decided to close the north and --

bad bank part of Northern Rock. The unions say it is a devotee --

devastating loss to the work force. The staff work for what is known as

the bad bank. It remains under government ownership. The move was

welcomed and celebrated. Teesside University began the first in the

north-east to say it is lowering its tuition fees. A closer look

showed that its more expensive courses' prices have fallen from

�8,500 to �8,450. A reduction of Teesside promises and education

that is accessible and affordable to all. Inspiration is the

lifeblood of a great university. But will its lower tuition fees

make any difference? Some courses have been just reduced by �50. Not

a big saving on �1,500 fees. �50, that is just noise. But it is

important six say that... It is included in our average fee. We

want a higher achieving students from disadvantaged backgrounds. We

hope the new strategy will up and do that. The average cost of a

degree is just over �7,000. It is also giving grants and scholarship

of �1,500. I think it is a welcome introduction to Teesside. It is

going to help us recruit more students from disadvantaged

backgrounds from the area, and from the rest of the country. I buy it -

- by reducing its fees, it will be able to apply for 20,000 extra

A seafood company that employs more than 500 people across the north-

east in Cumbria says its future is secured despite going into

administration. It has been bought by a capital company. Budget

airline Jet to is launching flight to Rome in Italy and locations in

Turkey. The Northumberland town of Hexham has won a �100,000 for a

Hydro-Electric power scheme on the River Tyne. They built -- it beat

all other contenders in the National on blind -- online vote.

The new turbine will cost �800,000. The power will be sold to the neck

-- National Grid. There are worries that the turbine could be a death

trap for fish on the river. The power of a river is impressive to

see. There's a plan to harness this renewable resource with a turbine

in the River Tyne. This is similar to a scheme in the Yorkshire Dales.

The backers bravely donned a bikini for a dip in the River Tyne. What

really got the vote was people reading about the project. That is

what got the vote. The whole community, and it being a good

project! But anglers were not voting for the turbine on the River

Tyne. They are worried gigabit a mincing machine for fish. The river

is back in the best state it could ever be. For anglers, it is

fantastic. There's an awful lot to risk. That is a lot of risk for 150

houses' directors do. At the present time, fish cannot get past

the Revell Weir. The salmon should be able to go upstream. There is a

duty to protect fisheries. The river has been restocked last week.

It will have to reconcile the conflicting interests went the

application comes in for the Hexham All too often, we report on how

soldiers from our region are killed and injured in Afghanistan. Today,

the violence continued their with 58 civilians killed in suicide

attacks. The British troops are due to be withdrawn in 2014. The army

and Territorial Army will continue to provide a vital role. In the

first of two reports, we travelled with the 5th Battalion Royal

Regiment of Fusiliers on a training mission to Cyprus, which prepares

them for possible deployment to the Afghan region of. First, we will

Jonny Gwynne joined 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in 2007.

As a Territorial soldier, he has already spent one year away from

his family and career on the front line in Afghanistan. It certainly

was a shock to the system. There was a lot of bloodshed that I did

not wish on anybody. It also brought out the good in the guise.

You also miss the comradeship, but at the end of the day, you are

risking your life, and it is how many times you can do that. These

are going to be the trackers. Marcon joined in 1997. That was

when the TA was the rather seen as a weekend Cup for blokes who liked

playing with guns. I had part-time jobs in pubs and stuff. I wanted a

change. Did you think you would have to go and fight? No, not

really. The last time PTA had been mobilised was on service days.

days ago, five TA soldiers went to a training camp in Cyprus. These

are the sort of soldiers who will be increasingly fighting on the

frontline. A recent government White Paper set out a plan which

would seek the 8th reservists making up 30 % of our total armed

forces. That is up from 10 % now. That means that Howard Smith, who

has already seen action in Iraq and Afghanistan, may be called up again.

Are you ready to be called up again? If need be. Do you want to?

If need be! I think you are better off asking my wife that question.

In the past, the TA was brighter -- widely viewed with contempt by a

regular soldiers. Has this changed? The journey to Cyprus involved an

overnight trip from Durham to RAF Brize Norton. A flight then took

RAF Akrotiri, and then a further flight to Dhekelia Barracks. When

we finally arrived, things did not look too promising. 28 hours on,

and there are no food or water. What is that all about? Whenever

the military do anything, moving 91 or so people from one country to

another, it is a huge feet. I am not excusing the fact that there

wasn't true -- food available for them. Was it because it was the TA?

No. When you do things on a bad scale, when things go wrong, they

And you can see the second part of the report on tomorrow's programme.

Our part-time soldiers will be training in earnest. Planted more

to come, including more on the faults of Sunderland's new manager.

And the weather is set to throw a lot at us at the next few days. It

will be very windy. I will have a It was a night of celebration on

Tyneside for the art world last night. They were at the Baltic in

Gateshead to see Scotland's Martin Boyce being named the winner of the

prestigious Turner Prize. Our arts reporter met him today to find out

what impression the region has made on him.

This is a moment Martin Boyce will never forget. He was named the best

contemporary artist in Britain today and now the Baltic has become

a rather special place for him. are working away in the gallery and

working closely with the people from the Baltic, and you get to

know the crew and people her help renew and then in evening, you go

out in Newcastle and get to know the city about as well. It is a

great place. Yes, but it is the art here which

has been providing the nourishment for the 120,000 people who have

been to see the Turner Prize exhibition since it opened six

weeks ago. It is great that people from Gateshead and Newcastle are

engaging with the work in such a great way. I have never seen people

queuing to get into an art exhibition. It is amazing that

people have embraced it. Boyce's work was displayed

alongside the three other shortlisted artists. All very

different but did the judges make the right decision? I do think they

got it right. I think it is a beautiful sculpture and I enjoyed

it more now it has been explained to me. I think I am a bit

conventional. I think they made the right decision rather than the

material which was crushed up and didn't seem to have much skill

attached to it. I quite enjoyed the winning piece. I understood it more

than some of the others and perhaps that helped. I thought it was so

much better than the rubbish by Tracey Emin and others. So the

Turner Prize has been decided but the exhibition were remain for four

more weeks, so you still have a chance to see it.

This is a bigger story of the day - down at Dalby Forest they have

enlisted new recruits to help out with Christmas-tree sales. They are

a little on the large size. Christmas is great, but let us face

it it is not that again. What with the tensile and paper and transport

costs and electric lights. But here they're trying to cut their carbon

footprint. This is an Newfoundland. It looks like a cross between a

pony and a beer but is actually a dog. A dog which is capable of

pulling it 50 times its own body weight. So a card with a couple of

Christmas trees is nothing for them. For a small donation to charity,

they will carry trees to the car- park. Add the juice for a big dog

and a reason for awning them. They're lovely docile dogs you can

work with, they're good working dogs. Obviously, they are beautiful

but the temperament is fantastic. I wanted a dog I could work with.

There are also a downside. The a slobber. When they're wet and muddy,

the smell. They are at large, extra-large and oh my God! This dog

is 13 1/2 stone. Addison wait for a rugby player and a little worrying

if you see why happens when this 8 stone dog wants to go for a walk.

If you're thinking why such big pause, it is because they have

webbed feet. They do breaststroke so well they can tour boats. They

are trained to rescue people from the water. So pulling Christmas

cheese is probably beneath them. -- Christmas trees.

Time for sports now. Early on in the programme we heard about Martin

O'Neill's boyhood love for work Sunderland. We heard how he was

keen to steer it they it assembled journalists into the real world. In

the limelight is 16 months after leaving Aston Villa. Martin

O'Neill's first match in charge on Sunday should guarantee a bumper

crowd and renewed optimism on Wearside. First he must galvanise a

squad short on confidence. The best way to do it is to win a couple of

football games. Players have to play through little periods were

confidence and self-belief is not as high. That is the making of a

player, they have to go out and perform when they're not doing so

well, if he can do that under pressure, then of course life will

be rosier. The hope of the Sunderland board is

that a meal can repeat his success at most of the other clubs he has

managed where trophies, Cup finals and improved league positions have

been consistently achieved. While he accepts he is in a results

business, the new boss can see a bright bigger picture. There is an

energy about his food all club, there is a passion about it. Those

things, with a bit of determination and a combination of all of that, I

hope that will give us that lift. - - football club.

O'Neills says he and American Warner Ellis Short have not

discussed the January transfer window. I am excited about taking

his job and what to do something about it, that is not a discussion

at the moment, we will see what develops. We had Jennie Lee not

discuss that. -- genuinely preliminary talks about managing

Sunderland did take place between O'Neill and then chairman Naill

Quinn five years ago. Now he is in the hot seat, roll on Sunday.

As we say hello to one manager, we say goodbye to another. Hartlepool

have sacked head coach Mick Wadsworth after 16 months in charge.

Despite a good start the season, a club statement said it felt fresh

direction was needed after Hartlepool, who were 13th in League

One, lost their last seven games at their victory and Park home.

Assistant Micky Barron will take temporary charge, but there is

speculation to make the Hartlepool may look for a player manager to

replace Mick Wadsworth. Ritchie Humphreys or Nobby Solano anyone?

It has been a week of celebration for England women's rugby captain

Katy McLean. The Darlington Mowden Park Sharks fly half led her

country to a 2-0 series win over the reigning world champions New

Zealand this week and picked up her 50th cap into the bargain. In

strong winds at Esher and against the run of play, the black ferns

scored the first try in the third and final game to give them the

lead at half-time. But England came back with a try from Natasha Hunt

after the break to level the scores at 8 - all and give England a

historic series victory. It is amazing. I thought a better

in the summer or. You never really believe it until you get there. It

is just great that her family and friends were here to see it. It

would be nice for the girls to just relax now and enjoy it. It is

massive for their history, we had never fought back like this to a

victory. Women's rugby is growing, and we are involved in it and we

have 2013 in New Zealand to look forward to. Well done to the girls.

This Saturday either have the population will be watching

Strictly Come Dancing on the BBC or the X Factor on the other channel.

If you are X Factor fan you'll know that our region has a special

interest, Amelia Lily heels from the region and the Little Mix has

two members from Sao it sounds -- from South Shields. We have this

report from South Shields. Stardom beyond their wildest dreams - not

any more. Little Mix are days away, if you believe the bid years, from

the X Factor champions. -- believe the bookmakers. They're keeping

their profile up with a gig in South Shields and another press

conference with their men to on the show. She is a mother figure - aged

23. The two girls are 18. It is a tough here, there is some really

good competition, but we have worked so hard that we honestly

feel we stand a chance. They're calling this town next factory.

Last year Joe Makel Drew took them on. I remember the sport he got

from the North East, it really helped him. With the backing of the

North East, we have an even better chance. The confidence of used!

They seem completely unafraid of failure. -- the confidence of the

use! I see him in the chair sitting there and I think I am doing it for

you. The is girls really deserve to have their lives changed. So please

pick up the phone and change their lives. -- these girls. They can do

a lot for females across the country.

Hopefully, we will be catching up with Amelia Lily in Middlesbrough

tomorrow. All this cold weather has me in a Christmas mid. I have to

say I am getting in the Christmas mood myself. He is an idea for an

ideal stocking filler, we have sold 6,000 copies of the Callender for

2012. There's still a few left. Go 2012. There's still a few left. Go

to our website if you wish to buy one.

This was at the Cumbrian fells earlier today. A covering us know

over the hills. Some sleet, snow and ice, so not good for the sheep

either. He had been out and about what you cameras in the region as

well. This is a nice picture of Brampton from earlier today. This

is County Durham, thank you to Stephen for that shot. This sign

that. Said the road underneath is no. Showers were less frequent

today. The return with a vengeance tonight with a band of rain over

their hills. Scattered showers for the tail-end of the night.

Temperatures will hold up above freezing, but on the Trans Pennine

routes one or two icy patches to watch out for. It will feel cold

everywhere as a westerly wind picks up again. A windy day tomorrow,

some sunny spells, the east will see the best of breaks in the cloud.

One or two showers in the West, not widespread. There will be some

sleet and snow mixed in there. Many places will miss the showers. It

will never feel warm, six or seven at the highest temperatures. It

will feel cold when you are out and about. All change for a Wednesday,

this weather system comes in from the West bringing wet and windy

weather. I called northwest winds for their end of the week. Early

warnings from the Met Office - for a strong winds on Thursday and by

Friday and return to much more wintry conditions with outbreaks of

sleet and snow for many of us. Wet and windy for Thursday, reasonably

mild. Much colder by Friday with mild. Much colder by Friday with

wintry showers returning. Thank you very much. Never last

look at the main headlines: Twin suicide attacks leaves at least 50

people dead and hundreds injured in Afghanistan. Martin O'Neill says