13/04/2012 Look North (North East and Cumbria)


13/04/2012

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Hello and welcome to Friday's Look North.

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Tonight: 1,000 new jobs for the North in the

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offshore windfarm industry. All systems go! Teesside's

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mothballed blast furnace will be fired up this weekend.

:00:11.:00:14.

Also tonight, the �5 million bill to treat obesity in the North East

:00:14.:00:18.

and Cumbria. We join Beefy on his Great British

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Walk for charity as it passes through our region.

:00:22.:00:26.

And seeing red - why volunteers are being asked to count these little

:00:26.:00:31.

creatures for a special census. In sport, Sunderland could go back

:00:31.:00:34.

into the Premier League's top ten this weekend.

:00:34.:00:36.

And a night to remember for these England schoolboys as north-east

:00:36.:00:46.
:00:46.:00:54.

players take centre stage in It may well be Friday the 13th but

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the North has today received a major economic boost, creating or

:00:57.:01:04.

safeguarding nearly 2,000 jobs on both Teesside and Tyneside. Firstly,

:01:04.:01:06.

the engineering firm Offshore Group Newcastle is to build the

:01:06.:01:10.

foundations for large wind turbine generators at its yard in Wallsend.

:01:10.:01:15.

The company says it'll create up to 1,000 jobs. It's been helped by a

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government grant of �640,000 and construction work will begin later

:01:18.:01:24.

this year. Meanwhile, the blast furnace at the former Corus

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steelworks on Teesside is to be relit over the weekend. It'll mean

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a return to steelmaking there after a break of two years. 800 workers

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have been taken on, many had lost their jobs when the site was

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mothballed. More on that in a moment. But first, those new jobs

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in the offshore wind farm industry. Good evening. This is a good day

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for the north, I am here at the yard where the night shift is under

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way and the whole workforce is celebrating the award of this

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�640,000 grant which will help them to design and build a prototype for

:02:06.:02:09.

a foundation that will accommodate these enormous offshore wind

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:02:19.:02:20.

turbines. This is an area which has been heavily caught by the

:02:20.:02:26.

Government. The director says this will enable them to compete for a

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healthy share of the market. grant is the first step, it is a

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great boost to us, we have our own ideas and to the design features

:02:35.:02:41.

which we think will reduce the cost of the foundations. Hence the

:02:41.:02:51.
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ground. Because of the scale thing, week have committed to 6,000, we

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have to be installing around 600 a year. In terms of competition it is

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about coming up with a solution that is easy and cheap to install.

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No one company will dominate this market but we want our fair share.

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This is an area of the North East which is crying out for new

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employment opportunities. The mere prospect of this many jobs has been

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welcomed with open arms by everyone who lives here. There is nothing

:03:23.:03:30.

here, so many jobs have been lost. The high street is empty, the

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shopping centre is nearly empty so it is good news for the region.

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Fantastic, we need it. It is dead, nobody has buried it yet. A lot of

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shops are shutting because there is no work, nobody has any money.

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Everybody is going to London or further afield to find work because

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there is nothing here at all. on the prototype will begin later

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this year and then hopefully that prototype and design will translate

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into real jobs here on the ground by 2014.

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Thanks, Damian. Well on Teesside it's been announced the Thai steel

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company SSI will fire up the mothballed blast furnace over the

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weekend. 1,600 jobs went at the Redcar plant in February 2010 when

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the former owner, Corus, had to close it after the loss of a ten-

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year steel supply agreement. However, SSI paid �290 million for

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the facility, taking it over in March last year. About 800 people

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work there at the moment but SSI has said, eventually, it wants to

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employ 1,800 workers at the site. Earlier I spoke to the Redcar MP

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Ian Swales and I asked him for his reaction to today's announcement.

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It is every year since SSI took over the site, we knew there was a

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lot of work to do. It felt like the town was dying when the steelworks

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closed and I feels like it is coming back to life again. It is

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fantastic. 800 people are working there were the moment, SSI are

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hoping to pick it up to 1800. worry lot of jobs there at the

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moment and there will be more because some of the jobs relate to

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the actual production. SSI are ambitious, they want to do more

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there, but let us walk before we run. They want to be there long

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term and have invested a lot of money on this side. We are

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optimistic for the future, supporting them as well as we can.

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I suppose the worry is given that Corus Steelworks could not make a

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go of it what will be different? This will be different because I

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have been to SSI's site and they need this much steel, they will

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take it to SSI's site in Thailand. I think this will be different.

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Well, those employed by SSI are expected to accept new ways of

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working. The Thai company has said it doesn't want entrenched steel

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industry attitudes on its site. And it's been trying to recruit a lot

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of newcomers to the industry. Our Business Correspondent, Ian Reeve,

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has been following one of the new boys from day one.

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This was the first day at work for some of the new workers at SSI. No

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molten iron in sight, rather an autumn day at Middlesbrough

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Football Club last year and an introduction to the values of the

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owner of the blast furnace. I felt the first day had to be an

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important day where they get an understanding of perhaps the way

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the world used to be and the way the world needs to be in the future.

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A SSI has employed former workers but it wants a new mindset on site,

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not entrenched with old steel industry values. It wants people

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like Daniel, in his 20s and new to the business. Stability is going to

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be there for the whole family, it is going to be massive. A massive

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future really. I would like to be part of that.

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Three months on and the job has captivated Daniel. He's training on

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the coke ovens, an important part of the steel making process.

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lads, the team leaders, everybody is there for you. If there are any

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questions you need answered they stop did what they are doing to

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help. And the boss also thinks he's coming along pretty well. He is

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doing very well. Like all of the new boys they are taking to it like

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a duck to water. And two weeks ago, Daniel finished his training. The

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control room now his domain. He's still happy possibly because his

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pay rise has kicked in. What we have heard of management and stuff

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like that we have finished off brilliantly. It looks really good.

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Daniel is just one of 800 workers taken on so far. But his youth and

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enthusiasm mixed with the experience of some old hands is

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what SSI is hoping will make this Ian, if Corus couldn't make the

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blast furnace work, what's the difference this time with SSI?

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we know, SSI is a Thai company and it intends to export or the steel

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that it makes here on Teesside back to Thailand. It is going to be used

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in the automotive industry making cars and the car industry in

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Thailand is booming, they made something like 1.6 million cars

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last year. There is also a demand from the rest of south-east Asia

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for the foreseeable short term, at least the next two or three years.

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We may also seek SSI branching out and supplying steel to UK wind

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farms to make those big wind turbines. We might see Teesside

:09:10.:09:20.
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It's emerged that nearly �5 million a year is now being spent in our

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region on gastric surgery for obese people. And the bill is likely to

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rise. Operations for people from across the North East and Cumbria

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are carried out in Sunderland at the regional centre of excellence

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for bariatrics, that's the treatment of obesity. Our Chief

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Reporter Chris Stewart's been to the city and met a man who used to

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eat so much, it could have killed him.

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This is one I am on holiday, 33 stone. He is less than half the man

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he was and he sets a gastric bypass was his only option. If I had never

:09:58.:10:04.

got it down, I would be dead. Darren is 44 and the steward of a

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working man's club. He had to remortgage his home for his

:10:08.:10:12.

operation, six years ago the NHS would not do it. He still has

:10:12.:10:17.

excess weight, but ironically it is made up of the excess skin he has

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been left with. The NHS has now set him that what he sees as an

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impossible target to have that skin removed. You have got to be 12

:10:27.:10:32.

stone. I am not going to get down to 12 stone and I cannot afford to

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get it done privately. It is around �10,000. I could not afford to get

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it done privately. Perhaps he should not have to. So says the man

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at the top at Sunderland Royal. Patients are brought here from

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across the North and as the population gets heavier and heavier

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there is now a potential caseload of 1000 patients a year. We think

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it is something we have to face up to and address. Week are

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considering offering that as a secondary treatment to patients who

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are successful. That means more demands on your purse strings.

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does indeed. But we spend our money wisely and well. We are doing the

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population a good service. option to do nothing is not an

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option at all, he says. Spent nothing on bariatrics and the

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resulting bill for diabetes and heart problems will be even higher.

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More of our region's soldiers were honoured today. They were each

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awarded their first Afghan service medal at a ceremony in Newcastle.

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Officers and soldiers from 132 Battery of 39 Regiment Royal

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Artillery paraded in front of friends and families at Albermarle

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Barracks. They've been on a six- month tour of duty in Helmand

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Province. The proud heroes return. After

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months in one of the most volatile countries in the world. Medals were

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awarded for more than half of the 72 service personnel who've just

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served their first tour in Afghanistan. I have been really

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proud of myself and for my family to see me get the medal. It means a

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lot. It can be quite scary up there. A was a scary at times in

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Afghanistan? Yes. Yes, it was. soldiers and officers have only

:12:33.:12:37.

been back in their families for one week following a six-month tour in

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Afghanistan. Their job there is very specific, to provide firepower

:12:43.:12:47.

support using machines such as that one, a high-tech multiple rocket

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launcher system. While Sri are not needed, we are not used in

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Afghanistan every single day, week are ready every single day to

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provide that specific targeting and we can destroy the threat.

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The battery returns to Afghanistan in two years' time. They'll be the

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last to serve there before troops are pulled out at the end of 2014.

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In the meantime nine weeks leave means all are now catching up on

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moments missed. Missed Christmas again and miss the youngest's

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birthday. We had a great party, didn't we? Great to see them safely

:13:32.:13:35.

home. The cricketing legend Sir Ian

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Botham was on Tyneside today for the second leg of his latest

:13:38.:13:41.

charity trek. Beefy's Great British Walk 2012 takes in ten cities from

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Glasgow to London. Sir Ian, who played for Durham in the early '90s,

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is raising money for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. Andy Smythe

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caught up with him, or tried to, I am side by side with the

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England's best cricketer. Better say something clubber. You got a

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fair pace. Why take longer than you have to? A I am an idiot. What

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keeps you inspired? Winning a battle. Forget year-old Ben

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Charlton is winning the battle. He was diagnosed with leukaemia.

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great that I have beaten the cancer. It is his way of saying thank you.

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It is saving lives. Sir Ian Botham began his walks in the 80s.

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Leukaemia are is more survivable -- survive rubble. That is now and 90

:14:58.:15:04.

tower at -- 92 % chance. It took two-and-a-half hours or Beefy to

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meet the finish. How many squirrels have you seen

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lately? A new conservation group which is dedicated to saving the

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:15:30.:15:31.

red squirrel has launched its first region worried squirrels senses. --

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region worried. Red squirrels are now restricted to

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Northumberland and Cumbria. People like Emma and Richard are to turn

:15:45.:15:55.
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the tide. Squirrels love sunflower seeds. Red squirrels are not easy

:15:56.:16:06.
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to see but there are ways to detect them. We have remote cameras that

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we attach to trees. Everything that comes to the feeder box will

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trigger the camera. We can see everything that visits the box.

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These pick up the hearers from visiting squirrels. We can pit the

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hairs under a microscope. A degree squirrel is blamed -- the grey

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squirrel is blamed for their it decline of the it red squirrel.

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numbers trapped are 50 % of what I have had in previous years. There

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was a bonus this week when for the first time in two-and-a-half years,

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there was a red squirrel on my patch. The results will be known by

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July. It is hoped the account will be happily in the red.

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If you have spotted a red squirrel, let us know one or Facebook page.

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It is well known many children spend more time in front of a

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computer than playing out side. The National Trust wants to change that.

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They have given a list of what children can do before reaching 10.

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I am Jonathan and I am 10. adjoining children building again.

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It is one of the 50 tasks the National Trust is encouraging

:18:04.:18:10.

children to do. I have done the majority and I have 11 yes -- left

:18:10.:18:20.
:18:20.:18:28.

to do. I enjoy making dens. You can run wild. Get some branches.

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find that people are struggling to engage with the countryside. I do

:18:33.:18:43.

not know what that is not welcoming enough. It is valuable. It gives

:18:43.:18:50.

them a sense of independence. don't get out and about. They need

:18:50.:18:58.

fresh air. A scheme is in response to a new response -- research.

:18:58.:19:07.

Fewer than one in 10 children play and wild spaces. If you know

:19:07.:19:12.

someone who has some items left on their list, the doors are opening

:19:12.:19:22.
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again next weekend. There is nothing like it. It could

:19:27.:19:37.
:19:37.:19:38.

BDDP for Darlington. Craig Liddle says he will not be

:19:38.:19:41.

manager next season whatever happens.

:19:41.:19:46.

With Newcastle not playing this weekend, Sunderland Barrault only

:19:46.:19:56.
:19:56.:19:58.

hope. We're taking on wolves. It was the reverse fixture at

:19:58.:20:02.

Molineux when Martin O'Neill realised what a bad job he had

:20:02.:20:12.
:20:12.:20:13.

taken on. Plenty of demand gloom. It has been a wonderful pick up

:20:13.:20:19.

from the supporters. They have galvanised the club again. There

:20:19.:20:26.

are stronger now. Sunderland going to tomorrow's came after a

:20:26.:20:36.
:20:36.:20:39.

difficult Easter. The around a lot of difficulty. They have to win a

:20:39.:20:48.

number of these games to perform a mini miracle. We want that to start

:20:48.:20:58.
:20:58.:21:05.

at the Stadium of Light. They need to put in a performance.

:21:05.:21:09.

Middlesbrough desperately needed victory to get in the championships.

:21:09.:21:16.

It is a real six-pointer this weekend. I hugely disappointing

:21:17.:21:26.

week. Tony Mowbray says his side must win three of their last four

:21:26.:21:35.

games. We shot ourselves in the foot. The positives are that some

:21:35.:21:43.

results have gone for us. We had a great result on Easter Monday. We

:21:43.:21:53.
:21:53.:21:54.

cannot worry too much and we must look ahead. Carlyle could move back

:21:54.:22:04.
:22:04.:22:05.

into... Hartlepool have a great chance to pick up points.

:22:05.:22:10.

It was a night to remember for a local lads as England schoolboys

:22:10.:22:20.
:22:20.:22:22.

bet -- beat Scotland 2-0. Michael Sweet from Darlington and another

:22:22.:22:29.

scoring the goals. Newcastle Falcons survival

:22:29.:22:34.

continues to hang in the balance. If the Wasps when, they will finish

:22:34.:22:44.
:22:44.:22:44.

bottom of the league. The Falcons are eight points adrift.

:22:44.:22:53.

Gary Gold has the utmost respect for his side. I have seen teams

:22:53.:22:57.

before or from a distance that have capitulated in this position. They

:22:58.:23:05.

have hung in there. They have a never-say-die attitude. They are

:23:06.:23:15.

doing everything in their power. Even if they finish bottom of the

:23:15.:23:20.

league, they will still have an agonising wait to find out if they

:23:20.:23:28.

are relegated. They would stay up ith financially troubled Wasps go

:23:28.:23:37.

into administration. If that is because other team's misfortune, if

:23:37.:23:44.

something comes along and helps us, if not, we take the responsibility.

:23:44.:23:53.

It is a big challenge Cup weekend. There has been mixed news for

:23:53.:24:01.

Olympic hopefuls. Savannah Marshall has been picked in China. She has

:24:01.:24:07.

reached the semi-finals to compete in London. There is no place for

:24:07.:24:14.

Amanda Coulson. On the second day of their County

:24:14.:24:24.
:24:24.:24:34.

Championship, not Durham have had a It will be a tough day tomorrow.

:24:34.:24:44.
:24:44.:24:50.

Too many of us -- not too many of us will be disappointed. It is a

:24:50.:25:00.
:25:00.:25:01.

good chance to enjoy the daffodils. If you are joining the first of the

:25:01.:25:11.
:25:11.:25:12.

crisis -- cruises are out of the time, you can see the blue sky and

:25:12.:25:22.
:25:22.:25:31.

the seat. This evening, we have seen some showers. After midnight,

:25:31.:25:41.
:25:41.:25:42.

keep an eye on the North East corner. That rain will turn wintry.

:25:42.:25:52.
:25:52.:25:52.

There could be see off for a centimeters of snow. -- three or

:25:52.:26:02.
:26:02.:26:07.

four. Temperatures will go down to zero. On Saturday, these showers

:26:08.:26:17.
:26:18.:26:19.

will continue. They will fade-out to the south. In the afternoon,

:26:19.:26:29.
:26:29.:26:49.

looking more settled. Along the coastline, it will be chilly. The

:26:49.:26:59.
:26:59.:27:02.

northerly wind will bring in this cold air. Sunday looks like the

:27:02.:27:12.
:27:12.:27:25.

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