28/02/2012 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Welcome to Tuesday's Look North. In tonight's headlines:

First steps. Pioneering surgery to help children with cerebral palsy

to walk will be made available in the North. An exclusive report.

give a child and improved quality of life is an amazing gift.

Earthing that money cannot buy. -- a thing.

A deadline looms and more than 500 jobs hang in the balance at a

Northumberland smelting plant. The ex-PM's wife is in the region

to show her support for a cancer charity.

And we meet the protester who is staging a sit-in on an historic

ship. In sport, why Sunderland old boy

Jordan Henderson is backing his former team-mates to come good in

the derby. And run for home. Why this Carling Cup hero was back at

the Riverside eight years after that famous night.

Many call it a miracle operation. But it comes at a price, a cost of

around �50 thousand and a round trip of thousands of miles. Now, it

is going to be made available here. For a number of years, Look North

has reported on the stories of families who have had to take their

children to America for surgery to help them to walk for the first

time. The results have been extraordinary, but it's not cheap.

Now, a surgeon based in the North of England is ready to do that same

operation on children across our region. Health reporter Sharon

Barbour has this exclusive story. Before his operation in America,

Ben could not walk. But here he is today. The five-year-old, from

Killingworth in North Tyneside, has cerebral palsy. He was told he

would never be able to walk. I was given his wheelchair. To receive

that, it is heartbreaking. I was devastated. I could not believe

this was going to be his life. heard about the selective dorsal

rhizotomy operation in the States. It was a chance he could walk on

his own and she raised tens of thousands of pounds it would cost.

He is five-and-a-half months and the things he is achieving it is

amazing. I never thought he would be able to do that. Incredibly,

after the operation, he did not need his wheelchair and they left

it at the airport. If the operation is successful, why is it not done

here? We have come to the hospital in Leeds, where one surgeon to has

a dream to do that. He travelled to the States to see the operation.

saw children and then walking frames, a cable comes behind them,

going from those to crutches to independent steps. What a fantastic

gift for our children. operation involves cutting nerves

in the spine that are responsible for rigid muscles. It costs about

�55,000. After seeing the surgery, this surgeon was determined to do

it here. He is set for his first young patient. He hopes to do three

in the next few months and he hopes the NHS will find them. You cannot

put a price on taking a child out of a wheelchair and improving their

quality of life so they can run in the playground. It can make a huge

difference to their lives. To do it in this country is paramount. We

are not a Third World country. We should be able to look after our

children in this country. That is why I went to the States to learn

how to do this. That the operation is available here in the North will

be big news for other children with her cerebral palsy. It brings new

hopes that their child like Ben can leave the wheelchair and learn to

walk on their own. It sounds like great news. Sharon

joins us. I am joined by just a few of the

children across the North East and Cumbria whose lives are confined to

wheelchairs and who want to -- walk for the first time. If I can come

to Callum. And mother Sharon. How is the fund-raising to go to

America again? It is going quite well. We are just over 21,000. It

is hard work. It takes over your life 24 hours a day. It is good,

but it makes you feel like you are begging, and that is not a good

thing to do. But it will change his life. Time is critical for Callum.

What do you make of the News the operation will be available here

for other families? Why is it such big news? Be it is fantastic.

Because they will not have to go through this fund-raising. There is

light at the end of the tunnel. you angry it has come late for you?

Yes, if we did not have to fund raised, it would have been

fantastic but we are halfway there but we need people to donate and

help us get to America. Thank you. I am going to speak to Jody and

Thomas. What is your story? We just had our first steps of the journey.

We have only been going one week. We need constant help to help

Thomas to be able to walk and to play with his friends. Because you

are in the early stages, and Thomas is four, there is a chance you

might benefit from the operation available in the UK. It is a

possibility. We will try this avenue. The way things stand, it

looks like we will have to fund raised to get to America. That is

50,000 per family and per child and more for physiotherapy. Time is

critical. Good news about Leeds. But these children need their

operation quickly if they are going to walk.

More than 500 jobs hang in the balance at the Alcan smelter in

Northumberland, where a staff consultation on closure ends

tomorrow. The aluminium smelter is owned by mining and metals giant

Rio Tinto, which announced the sale of the plant last November. But a

buyer has yet to be found. The Alcan plant has dominated the

skyline near Ashington almost 40 years. More than 500 people work at

the plant, the biggest private sector employer in Northumberland.

The job seemed doomed. That is disastrous. With more people

unemployed, not just a Alcan, but further down the chain, it means

more people will apply for fewer jobs. It is a disaster for the

local economy and for the people in the area. In Ashington today there

was anger that Rio Tinto is poised to shut the plant it acquired four

years ago. I used to work at Alcan for almost 20 years. I was retired

when Rio Tinto took over. I said to my friends, when Rio Tinto took

over, that was the death knell for Alcan. It will have a massive

impact on the area. We are already decimated. It is an area in trouble.

For them to be closing a plant like that with the employment in there,

it will be massive. The consul station started in November when

the plot was put up for sale. ends tomorrow. Matters went there

will be a hunt for a buyer. -- that is. None is expected. It means that

next week all staff might be issued with 90 days' notice.

The news is no better on South Tyneside, where one of its oldest

industrial businesses has gone into administration, with the immediate

loss of 100 jobs. McNulty Offshore has been in South Shields for more

than a century. A big name in the boom times. And a

survivor of the decline until now. McNulty Offshore has specialised

the 20 years in fabrication and repair for the oil and gas industry.

The global downturn in contracts has hit suppliers like this hard.

The administrators say it is hopeful of selling the business and

its valuable dry dock facilities. 32 staff will stay on at the yard

while the search for a buyer continues. The company has an

operation at Aberdeen. So far, no redundancies have been announced

that. In Tyneside, it is another blow for one of the most

specialised work force is in the region and perhaps the end of yet

another famous old industrial brand. The Mayor of Hartlepool says he

felt he had no choice but to sack six of his cabinet members. The

Labour councillors did not attend last week's full council meeting.

And Stuart Drummond says without their support, the cabinet's budget

proposals, which they had worked on for nine months, did not go through.

Mr Drummond says he will work on building a new cabinet after May's

elections. I believe they were in a difficult position. Put there by

their own party. I believe they were threatened with expulsion from

the party if they showed up. They had a decision to make.

Unfortunately, for me, it was not to show up and support what I and

the Cabinet have been doing. I am afraid circumstances are that, at

the moment, there are difficult decisions to be made and I need a

team who can take the decisions. The wife of the former prime

minister Gordon Brown has been in the region today. But Sarah Brown

wasn't here for political reasons. She was starting work on a new

cancer centre in Newcastle. Mrs Brown is patron of the charity

known as Maggie's. Next year, it will open a base at the Freeman

Hospital offering support to those with the disease.

For Sarah Brown, time in the spotlight opened up a new world.

The profile led her to charity work, which is why, today, she was at a

Freeman Hospital as work began on a cancer centre. Part of your life is

leading an extraordinary life but keeping an ordinary family life,

but the other part was consort for Galton and also using my

opportunity to use my voice. -- Gordon. I was a terrible public

speaker, but I was so passionate about things like the centre, I am

quite a noisy person now. Maggie's Centre to be built here

adds to 10 in the country, offering counselling and advice to cancer

patients. The idea is that people receive treatment here at the

Northern centre and then walk across the road to what would be

the Maggie's Centre. These buildings will be knocked down and

it should be up and running by spring next year. A one of the

things people talking about cancer, is feeling a real sense of being

alone and isolated, a sense of outer control. Maggie's is there to

help with that through Still to come, a familiar Hess has

a heart to heart with us. I am Stefanie Powers and diamond

Darlington. You will find out why I. Join me for your weather. He spent

years fighting to see an historic ship returned to his birthplace.

Peter Maddison reoccupied the City of darkness. -- City of Adelaide.

Findings City of Adelaide in derelict wasteland and the dark is

hard. Getting on board is even harder, especially for a fat bloke.

It is Peter Maddison's second night aboard the clapper and there is

little in the we of creature comforts. Things are going great

for us. We came on board last night. It is great being back on bought I

have brought you a bottle of rum. I will put it somewhere it will not

get mislaid. But cannot find any ship's biscuits.

He once the ship returned to its birthplace and believes it will

cost �2 million to restore her. have the best chance ever to bring

this ship back to its former glory. It is not a done deal. The deadline

for this to be removed is 31st March. There has not been much

activity year. That deadline will come and go or and this ship is in

peril of being broken up than ever. At one time, we were great. If we

brought this ship back and restored it to its formal glory, it would be

great. He says he has enough supply is to keep him on board for two

weeks. He does not deny his passion for the Shap. I feel it would take

a lot more than �2 million to restore her.

I can think of nicer places to spend the night.

Everyone has an opinion on art. This is called Flow. It has been

created as part of our cultural compilation for the 2012 Olympics.

Your average philistine might call it a cross between a shed and a

paddle steamer. I will not. It is up half-a-million pound creation

which survived a sea journey. It has taken a eight towers to make

its journey. Born and in Amble boatyard, Flow was chosen from

hundreds of entries. But is designed to be a water driven

musical entrant -- instrument. is a mechanical wooden instrument.

It is powered by the quail. It responds to the different elements

in the water. The amount of salt and the water changes and that

affects the torn. Another 10 miles up river, and Flow arrived safely.

I'd walk the people of Tyneside love it. We loved it as soon as we

saw the original drawings. From a personal point of view, I served my

apprenticeship on the Tyne. It is exciting. It will be open to the

public from March 25th until September.

That was pretty good. After Sunderland fall back, Peter

Bardsley's... January signing eight per IPCC has been withdrawn from

the Senegal squad for tomorrow night. After leaving the pitch with

a groin injury. He left to the North East in search of silverware

and he is back with a medal. That is a whirlwind existence of Jordan

his education at the Stadium of Light. He moved to Liverpool. He

now has a Cup winner's medal. There is little time to rest at this

It gives me great confidence to play with such talented players.

Everyone wants to play in the senior squad. If we keep doing it

right, we will have a chance to stay on. He says he has not thought

about the Derby, he is sure his old Ospreys its -- team-mates will not

dwell on it. They will bounce-back and they will be up for the game on

Sunday. In League One, Hartlepool travel to

Bari. Eight hears the call tomorrow at Middlesbrough celebrated their

Carling Cup victory. Gaizka Mendieta returned to yesterday. The

Spanish superstar will take part in the five key riverside run ending

at Borat Stadium on the 18th. He played a key role in the Carling

Cup victory and calls on fans to join him. It is not just for people

who want to make a record. If they can just finish the race. This is

the 4th year of the Five cake. The numbers have grown it year-on-year.

Ahead of their Het Premiership rugby clash, Newcastle Falcons have

signed new players. Adam Balding returns to that old from Worcester.

James Goode joins the squad until the end of the season. The Balkans

are waiting for confirmation that Peter Stringer can play for them

for the rest of the campaign. signed a contract but there are

regulations that we need to do. Peter is out of his loan agreement.

When that comes to an end, he should join us here. The Carlisle

racing driver Alex MacDowell will make his debut and the world

touring car. He will be at the wheel of Bath cruised for bamboo

Engineering. -- Cruze. She is the start from the golden

era of Hollywood. You must remember it. She is now 70. She is treading

the boards at Darlington Civic Theatre. She is in On Golden Pond.

You look exactly like Mrs Hart. The years have been kind. It is my

mother's jeans. I am very fortunate. Find your mother. What are you

doing in Darlington? I am doing a wonderful play. Many people think

of it as a movie first. It was a play first. It was about a

dysfunctional family headed by a retired professor. It became a film

in the 1970s and was iconic because it was the only film that Jane

Fonda and Henry Fonda appeared in together. The mother was played by

Katharine Hepburn. The two of them won Academy Awards. I had the

distinction of playing the role that Katharine Hepburn played. I

tried not to sound like her. have done a lot in your career. The

one thing you're much loved for his heart to heart. I know that. It was

a joyful thing to do. Robert Wagner and I are still in contact. It is

lovely that it is so well received in people's memories. One last

thing, can you say it murder? said it. You have got to try.

Today, you could certainly have had a barbecue. Sizzling at 17 degrees.

Some places have been relatively cool. It will stay fairly mild

through the rest of the week. There will be a lot of cloud. The

thickest cloud will be in the West. Temperatures will not drop too far

tonight. Tomorrow, the best of the brightness will be in the North

East. Tomorrow, it will be a most late Friday. On Thursday and Friday,

we're still under the influence of the system. -- this system.