22/02/2012 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Welcome to Look North. Tonight: Every parent's nightmare. Two

toddlers in hospital after a motorbike ploughs into their

pushchair. Tonight, there is an uncertain

future over community centres. Still waiting. Greece keeps

Christopher Rochester's parents waiting after their son's body is

exhumed. Newcastle want their name it

reinstated at the ground. And the man going to his 5th

18 month-old twins are in hospital tonight after a motorbike hit their

bogey as they were being pushed across the road by their mum. One,

a girl, is in will Victoria Infirmary. Her brother is in

Sunderland hospital. The mother was also taken to hospital, as was the

motorcyclist. None of those involved have been named by the

police. It happened at dogs fed International Business Park in

Sunderland. -- Doxford International Business Park.

What happened isn't clear tonight but local people think this might

have been the accident they say was waiting to happen. The speed limit

here is 60 miles an hour. Far too high, they say. The road is

extremely dangerous. You can wait ages just to get across the road. I

wish they would do something about it because they seem to be speeding

down there. If those who came across the scene said the little

boy was responding to an paramedics but his twin sister seemed to be

more seriously injured. The mother was in hysterics, obviously. I told

her to keep calm. A woman was comforting her. It must have been

awful for you to witness. It was horrible. I have a one year-old and

it is sickening. Any accident you don't want to see but especially

one that involves children. road was closed for three hours

while investigators investigated the scene of a stop tonight, the

police are asking for anyone who saw the accident to contact them

Dozens of council community centres face an uncertain future this

evening. Durham County Council says it can no longer afford to run and

refurbish all of its 120 centres. Instead it was local people to take

them over. The council will provide �2 million over two years to help

36 centres but others will no wrong they receive council funding. Some

communities feel that will force It is kick-boxing here at the

community centre. Its history is it was a local school but then it

became a community centre in 1968. It is estimated �100,000 of work is

needed on the roof. In the past, they would have looked to the

council -- County Council to help as it is a council building. They

have said they were not invest any more money. They want to transfer

the money to the local community. The council says it will provide

support and a pot of money to help them take ownership of their own

community centre. It isn't simply over to you. We have consulted on

our approach. We have asked the opinion if they think it is the

right way to go. People think it is the right way to go ahead. It is a

fantastic opportunity to gain other resources because there are other

Local people are heavily involved. One of the linchpins is Betty, from

the community association. They say it is a great opportunity to run

the centre. TUC it that way? Definitely not. It is hard work and

lots of fund raising and we need be council's support. You fear this

might be the end of the community centre if this happens. What will

be lost if it closes? Everything. All these children, we have 30

children in here tonight. We have 30 adults later on. We have 70 in

the last night. The committee runs seven days a week and we are all

volunteers running debts. We have a part-time caretaker and that is all

we have. We raised every penny to keep the amenities going. There is

nothing else left. As you can hear, there is big concerns here. Other

community centres shed those concerns.

A few committee centres will be affected. Will other councils watch

what is happening here and do the same to save money?

We are seeing this with lots of council services. Other councils

will be watching this, particularly those services where the council

are not legally obliged to fund these centres. The problem comes

when the committee finds it isn't willing to and then facilities will

have to close. The test they endured the agony of

having their son's body exhumed for DNA testing. The body -- the family

of Christopher Rochester say the results don't show what happened.

His body was returned to the UK with a kidney missing. His body

returned from roads. It was meant to provide answers.

Eight months on, what have they learnt? If nothing. We are no

further forward now than we were when his body was exhumed. When we

heard a the results had been successful, we thought it was fine.

We should hear any day and we can move forward. But that is not the

case. As it has been for 12 years, we have to have days like today.

Chris Rochester died after falling from a balcony in roads in 2000 but

his body was returned missing a kidney. The family allege an organ

later sent back wasn't his. This isn't just about whether the wrong

kidney was sent back. It is about why was their kidney removed in the

first place because the family say he slowly bled to death in that

Greek hospital. Could it be the kidney contains vital evidence

about his death and could it be that is the reason the kidney was

removed? The truth is we don't know. What do the family want? First, to

get the DNA results to prove the kidney wasn't his. If they do that,

fresh court action in Greece to answer their questions. Why was the

kidney taken? The family think the Greeks are now sitting on the DNA

tests. The family are all now receiving counselling for what

happened eight months ago. We want our day in court and we want

Fears are growing for the jobs of 1000 financial service workers in

York after shares in the card protection company, CPP, were

suspended on make London Stock Exchange. It is currently the

subject of a mis-selling investigation by the Financial

Services Authority. It has being -- it is being asked to look at his

past business and pay compensation. Cumbria's Director of Public Health

has been called before his bosses after speaking out against the

Government's health reforms. Jon Ashton was a signatory to a letter

published in the Independent newspaper which criticised the

coalition's proposed Health Bill. A John Ashton is well known as a

leading figure in the NHS in the north-west. He has spoken out

before against Government health reforms. Last year he was one of

around 400 people who signed a letter calling on the House of

Lords to throw out Health Bill. As we keep co-signed a similar protest

letter, this time to the Independent newspaper. It is now

understood he has received a letter of his own calling him to a meeting

with NHS Cumbria's Chief Executive and Andrew Lansley given a half --

tough ride, the protest was raised in the Commons. Will the Secretary

of State confirm it is now his policy to threaten NHS staff with

disciplinary action if they speak out against his reorganisation?

isn't my policy. If he had shown me the letter, I could have

A spokesman for the Department of Health said they had not seen the

letter but clearly PCT's should not be employing heavy-handed tactics.

It won't go away. The row over the renaming of St James' Park has now

reached Parliament. A dozen MPs have signed an Early Day motion

calling on Mike Ashley, the owner, to reinstate the name. Gateshead MP,

Ian Mearns has been leading the campaign and I asked him why Mr

Ashley should listen to them. an expression of frustration from

local Members of Parliament because Mike Ashley hasn't listened to the

fans. The fans aren't like the consumers of any ordinary

entertainment. Last week, when we saw the pictures on TV of the name,

St James' Park being Croad barred from the wall of the ground, that

seemed to be over the top. Mike Ashley can call the ground whatever

he wants but removing that history in the way he has, seems to be a

little bit gratuitous. He would say, I have invested millions, I want to

generate income back. He doesn't own the ground, he owns the

buildings on which the ground stands. The land on which the grand

-- ground stands belonged to the Freemen of the city. Day rent him

the ground on a long lease. He doesn't technically owned

everything to do with the stadium. He owns the buildings where the

stadium stands. He is forgetting that piece of history as well.

is doing what other clubs are going up around the country. The vast

majority of cases, those sponsoring deals are on new stadia which have

been built separately. There is a good president, where as Surrey

Cricket Club play at the Brit Oval but it is still the Oval. As far as

the fans are concerned, they will always be St James' Park and I

can't imagine anybody that Aynho would be telling me on Saturday

that they are going to the Sports Direct arena to watch the Newcastle

play Wolverhampton Rovers. It will always beat St James' Park.

would love to hear from Mike Ashley. If he ignores you, there's nothing

else you can do, is there? Gentle persuasion is needed. Mike, you

have done an awful lot of good for the club. He has got them into a

healthy position but they are so many gaffes which have taken place

and it has upset the fans. Why don't they talk to local people

before they decide to do things? He has a lot to learn about the public

relations business and the people he is dealing with in terms of the

Newcastle United fans. We will not be dragged back to the

bad old days. That was the promise from David Cameron today at a

summit aimed at tackling racist abuse in football. The meeting was

attended by former players and football bosses and the tough

talking has been welcomed by campaigners in our region.

Today the Prime Minister promised to tackle for poor's racist. That

is dreadful, don't wait they are shouting at whenever Shaun Wright

Phillips gets near the ball. It is happening at every level. We had a

corner so I packed into the goalkeeper and he went like this. I

thought, why did that come from? Trevor Benjamin is a former

professional footballer who was abused while playing in the

Northern League with Morpeth Town. You feel hurt, angry, everything

all at once coming to you. After the game, you sit back and really

think about it and it is even worse than on the pitch. Trevor was

joined by other former professionals this afternoon at any

event organised by the campaign group, show racism the red card.

am not sure if it is getting better or worse. People are ready to

report things now. Maybe a couple of years ago, they were not. Black

people, Muslims, travellers, they have had enough of it. I black

players know longer have bananas thrown at them but campaigners say

the battle against prejudice on the pitch will continue as long as

Coming up next, a young band with stars in their eyes. And talking of

eyes, find out why the stars have been donating their spectacles to a

charity exhibition. And with flood alerts in part of

the region, I will be a full weather forecast at the end of the

news. A band made up of young teenagers

from Carlisle has been given the opportunity of a lifetime, to play

in front of 4,000 people as the support act for McFly. The Alleys

are all aged between 14 and 16 and they'll be playing original

material at The Clyde Auditorium in Glasgow on the 13th of April.

Alison Freeman went to meet them. Rehearsing in Aspatria is a far cry

from playing in front of thousands of people. But in two months, The

Alleys will be taking to the stage at the Clyde Auditorium in Glasgow.

They beat thousands of other hopefuls in contest held by pop

band McFly to find support acts. was absolutely chuffed. It seems

like a lot of work has paid off over the past couple of years. We

have been gradually getting bigger. It is really cool. They were one of

my favourite bands when I was a kid. The teenagers, who all come from

the Carlisle area, sent in material showing them gigging as part of

Radio One's introducing before the Big Weekend. Fans votes helped them

make the shortlist of just 50. Then McFly themselves handpicked them

for the Glasgow gig on the 13th of April. What are you hoping will

come off the back of this? Lots of girls! I would love to be able to

play in a band and see lots of new places all over the world. That

would be good. It is more the travelling than the being famous

thing. I think it will be great. If we are still having fun in 10 years,

I guess. The lads may only be aged 14 to 16, but they're thinking big

and they already have almost 30 songs and plan to release and album

by April. When Emma Newton was killed by a

falling tree last year, the shock spread way beyond the Tyne Valley

where she lived. But her family and friends have turned her life into a

celebration, and a charitable fundraiser. Tomorrow, an exhibition

opens at the Queen's Hall in Hexham, featuring a collection of famous

spectacles. Why? Well, Paul Mooney's been for a preview.

Emma was passionate about the performing arts. After the tragic

sudden death, her family and friends set up the M Newton Fund to

ensure her legacy could bring benefit to Southwark -- other

performers. But why spectacles? idea came from my wife and I

thinking, what can we do to help the fund. She used to wear these

wonderful classes. We thought, let's do something with spectacles.

The stars of the show are Kylie Minogue's spectacles. She has

centres the ones she warned -- warned the front of a magazine.

Losing Emma has shattered our lives. Every day, we miss her. Events like

this have helped us, the support we have had over the months, it has

been fantastic. They are talking about a broken society but not in

this region. The money raised should benefit other young people.

She started showing an interest in various things and we struggled. It

was different events, backwards and forwards in the car, it was a

struggle. There is money available. Just to know that the fund-raising

which is happening may help children out there, that is a great

fund -- comfort. The exhibition runs until the 17th March.

's Time now for the sport. It was an important result for

Middlesbrough last night. Two goals from Dutch striker Marvin Emnes,

his 13th and 14th of the season, helped Middlesbrough to a 3-1

victory at Millwall last night. The result takes Boro back into the

Championship top six and re-ignites hopes of at least a promotion play-

off place. Mark Tulip reports. With the current form of West Ham

and Birmingham, Boro boss Tony Mowbray may well be viewing the

play-offs as his side's most realistic chance of getting

promotion back to the Premier League. Certainly it was a good

time to play Millwall, who've been finding goals hard to come by,

although Boro missed a host of early chances, before Marvin Emnes

atoned for his earlier howler by deflecting in Rhys Williams's shot.

There was nothing scrappy about the Teessiders second. Emnes with a

fine finish. And, although Darius Henderson's looped header gave the

home side hope, Boro withstood a strong second half fight-back

before teenage ex Darlington striker Curtis Main powered home

his first Boro goal. The excellent Jason Steele helped ensure back to

back wins. Very timely indeed. Mark Tulip, BBC Look North.

There is a top-of-the-table clash in the Conference this evening.

Gateshead are in danger of falling away. But the other end of the

table, Darlington remain above the relegation zone.

Harrogate's Jack Laugher is hoping for a medal in the Diving World Cup

tonight at London's new Olympic Aquatic Centre. He's competing in

the final of the men's three metre individual springboard competition

after setting a personal best to finish sixth in the semis.

Paralympian Stephen Miller was at the North East Disability Sports

Awards this afternoon to present one of four awards to outstanding

young disabled athletes. It will be nice to put a better performance on

in the final. It was not as good as I could have done. There is room

for improvement. This is just preparation for the Olympics.

luck to him. Stephen Miller was at the north-east disability sports

award this afternoon to present one of four or wards two outstanding

young disabled athletes. Adrian Pitches reports. In the year of the

Olympics and the Paralympics, these North East Disability Awards have a

special significance. The great thing about it is bringing people

together. A lot is being done in the region. It does not get

broadcast. Great work is being done. Stephen was guest of honour and

presented the Male Personality of the Year award. I used to run a lot

before my illness. That became a lot more difficult. It is about

competing on a level playing field. It has all gone very quickly, from

being very much a fun runner, thinking I will go for a run with

my friends, to the excitement of being here and winning awards like

this. I trained eight times a week, including twice in the swimming-

pool. I do three different sessions, they are pretty hard. I was a gold

medallist in the Sainsbury's school games. Not a bad roll call of

achievements by all of these young athletes. Adrian Pitches, BBC Look

Let's take a look at the headlines. It is going to be probably be

warmest day of the year so far. Nowhere near as wet as it has been

today. Flood alerts still in place for parts of Cumbria. A splash of

rain and a splash of rain -- red, a lady bird. Thank you for that

beautiful image. Tomorrow, very mild and nowhere near as wet. It

will be it a bit drizzly in the West. Overnight, murky. A lot of

cloud to the West. Some outbreaks of rain but the worst is over. This

is light and patchy, nowhere near as heavy as India. -- be earlier.

Nine Celsius, that is higher than the average.

It is getting even milder through the day tomorrow. Further outbreaks

of rain at times but some dry spells. It is the North Yorkshire

and North East Coast that get the best of the weather tomorrow. 15

Celsius in the sunshine at the coast. It will feel like spring.

But the breeze will feel noticeable. Still drizzly.

Not quite as mild over in the West. 12 Celsius probably be top

temperature. Wins lighter than today. An improving picture for

those flood zones. The Very Best Of tomorrow's where they are destined

for the East. Let's take a look further forward. The weekend

looking pretty good. Friday pretty good day for being out and about.

Bright skies for much of the north- east. Temperatures not quite as

high as tomorrow but still feeling warm for the time of year. But it

is February. Those temperatures would tend to be around eight

Celsius. Not doing too bad for the time of year. It will get cloudier

on Saturday. Still some sunshine to be had. A last look at the

headlines. The Sunday Times journalist, Marie Colvin, has been

killed in Syria in the latest spate of violence.