26/02/2013 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

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

Room for debate. Protests grow over the Government's controversial

bedroom tax. If people stand up and say this is wrong, we are not going

to do it, and everybody stood up, walked out onto the street and told

them straight you can't do it. Unexplained. An open verdict at an

inquest into the death of a woman whose body was found in undergrowth

in Cumbria. Banking on success. Sir Richard

Branson's in the region and he's revealed big plans for expansion.

And teens' choice. How some pupils will be allowed to leave school at

In sport, we've been to watch the awards dished out to some of the

region's top disabled athletes. And the boot's on the other foot,

as Middlesbrough defender George Friend finds out what it's like to

It's been called the bedroom tax and it will affect thousands of

tenants in our region. But now some are preparing to fight back. A

summit meeting was called today of the people that represent 100,000

tenants across the North East. They were gathering to discuss the

impact and how they might fight this benefit change. Our Political

Editor Richard Moss was there. It might look pretty civilised, but

this is actually a council of war. Tenants from associations across

the North East gathering because don't like the so-called bedroom

tax. They include people who will take a hit. And that's because of

the effect on people like Alison McCauley from Skelton in Teesside.

Under the new rules, her four bedroom-house will be classed as

having two bedrooms too many for the single mother and her twin sons.

The result? It is not there to penalise me and my children. For

something that is not my fault. I didn't deliberately go into a four

bedroomed house. It started out as a family of six. It has been my

children's home for several years and now we can't live there. She'll

lose �150 a month in benefits. He lives on his own in a two-bedroom

flat in Dormanstown. But because of his spare room, he'll lose around

�11 of housing benefit a week. going to have to cut down on fuel,

food, living expenses and costs. I am willing to move to another

property but there is no other property available. So, this

meeting of tenants associations is deciding how it can protest against

the changes. Its organiser was the Coast and Country Housing

Association. But wouldn't they be better helping tenants find new

affordable homes rather than stoking up protest? At this moment

in time, there are 1,800 tenants and occupying and as we speak today,

we have two two bedroom apartments available. So there is not a

plethora of accommodation. here's one woman who's been

delighted to see some action. Maureen Hagan lives with her

granddaughter in Grangetown. She'll also lose money for having a spare

bedroom. But after today's meeting, she feels a protest movement is

gaining momentum. When you're used to working in a group of three

people fighting all these taxes and you come to anything like this and

you realise there is more than three of you, it is brilliant. It

gives you that extra boost. And I hope, I really hope it goes on

further. The Government is determined that it has to cut the

housing benefit bill. And protestors have just a few weeks to

persuade ministers this is the wrong way.

Richard Moss is here now. Is the Government under real pressure over

this now, as the protests mount? The pressure is mounting. The

Government wants to stick to its guns. This Bill could be �20

billion a year. This could shave �5 billion off the bill. But

unfairness is another issue. This is what the MPs said. It was unfair

to have people living in social housing accommodation that was

above and beyond what was route -- required for their living standards

and having 5 million people on the social housing waiting list and

having more than a quarter of a million people living in

overcrowded accommodation. There is a trade to be had. It is pertinent

to the North East because recent figures show that more than 46% of

all recipients of housing benefit in the North East are being paid to

live in accommodation that is too large for their requirements.

Government seems quite determined over this bedroom tax. The

protesters cannot stop it, can they? It is not like the poll tax,

people cannot refuse to pay it. It is a cup to their benefits. They

will not have a quiz. -- hut to their benefits. There is a budget

due. Maybe it can persuade the Chancellor that this is the wrong

option to choose. The Housing Association said they are calling

this the nasty tax. The Government says that for everybody who is a

loser, there is the winner. The -- there is a winner.

The coroner at the inquest into the death of a woman found in

undergrowth in Cumbria has recorded an open verdict. Deputy coroner

Robert Chapman said he believed Betty Brown had probably died after

being the victim of a sexually motivated attack. But almost three

years since her disappearance, there wasn't enough evidence to say

exactly what happened to her. Alison Freeman reports.

No-one knows for sure why Betty Brown left Edinburgh on May the

18th 2010. But the following January, the 56-year-old's body was

found in undergrowth in Longtown. She was often met there by her

daughter and son-in-law before going to their house in Gretna. But

uncharacteristically Betty hadn't told them she was coming. Today,

the deputy coroner Robert Chapman recorded an open verdict, saying

there wasn't enough evidence to say exactly what had happened to Betty.

The pathologist told the inquest in Carlisle her body was too badly

decomposed to find the cause of death. He said that despite her a

drink problem and depression, he ruled a suicide because she had

belongings were for suggesting she was planning a week away. He also

said that because she was naked from the waist down with her

clothing scattered around her, he believed she had been lured into

the undergrowth by an attacker, who was sexually motivated. I think it

was an unlawful killing. I am quite happy that the coroner has given an

open verdict because it means the case is left open. I would never

have got over it if they said that my sister had committed suicide. I

knew my sister. I knew she would not do that. She would not have

taken her life. All that trouble to come down here. She was heading to

her family. It has been very frustrating because you've got a

family that want to know what has happened to their mother and sister.

As the police, we like to deliver that. On this occasion, due to the

lack of evidence we have had, we haven't been able to do that, but

we have left no stone unturned. What happened to Betty remains a

mystery but there is hope that someone who knows the truth will

come forward. Sir Richard Branson has said Virgin

Money could transform itself into a major banking player by buying

hundreds of branches from Royal Bank of Scotland. They would be

added to the 70 branches that came with the takeover of Northern Rock.

The Virgin boss was in Newcastle this morning meeting staff and

young entrepreneurs. Our Business Correspondent Ian Reeve reports.

One year on from Virgin Money's takeover of Northern Rock and the

Virgin chairman is here casting his eye over the acquisition. And, he

says, the bank's thinking big. It could make a bid to buy 316

branches from Royal Bank of Scotland., RBS want to play ball,

we may well be there to talk to them about their branches as well

to see if we can do to their brothers what we have done to

Northern Rock. Currently, Virgin Money only has 70 branches. A deal

with RBS would deliver nearly two million customers and 250,000 small

business accounts. If we were to take over the RBS branches and

invest the kind of money we have done in Northern Rock branches, we

would be a serious player on the High Street. People would like to

see an alternative bank. We would be that alternative bank. On his

visit, Sir Richard also met young regional entrepreneurs. They've

been given loans from a scheme he persuaded the Government to set up.

The future of Great Britain will be based on a kind of young

entrepreneurs I've met today. Some of them were built the Virgins of

the future. And they remind me of myself years ago. Jessica was just

one. But her idea of waterproof children's rain and swimwear caught

the eye. It is great to meet him. He is such a role model for

entrepreneurs. It is an honour to meet him. For the region, it is

good to know that Sir Richard could be writing out a cheque to expand a

bank that, as Northern Rock, has less than a bright future.

One of Sir Richard Branson's other interests was in the news today as

it was revealed the bungled bidding process for the West Coast Mainline

rail franchise has cost taxpayers �50 million, according to a

Westminster watchdog. Virgin Rail originally lost out to First Group

in the battle to run West Coast trains, but when questions were

asked about the bidding process, the whole franchise battle was put

on ice. The Commons Public Accounts Committee has pointed to a failure

to get basic processes right. Police investigating violence

before last month's football match between Sunderland and West Ham

have released images of two men they want to speak to. The men were

picked up on CCTV and are being urged to contact officers. So far,

20 people have been arrested after trouble outside a bar in Low Row on

January the 12th. Police believe the disorder was pre-arranged.

A barrister held a gun to his own head in a courtroom today at the

inquest into the death of a soldier in Iraq. The QC was holding the

very weapon that killed Lance Cpl David Wilson from County Durham

after what the inquest heard was a drunken incident involving several

comrades. It was also told that the 27-year-old soldier, from

Spennymoor, had everything to live for. Gerry Jackson has been

following the evidence at the hearing in Crook.

This tragedy happened at Basra in 2008 as the British deployment was

coming to an end. The solders had been ordered to carry fire arms at

all times as a security measure. David Wilson was found slumped over

a desk with a single gunshot wound to his head. At that time, the MoD

said there was nothing to suggest anyone else had been involved but

yesterday the inquest he was told that are sold at the funeral had

told a mourner there were four of us, we had been drinking, something

happened that should never have happened. We were all drunk. The

inquest has also heard that alcohol was tightly restricted at the base.

It also heard that Lance Corporal Wilson was three times over the

drink-drive limit. He had become dressed before the two and 11 week

old child, was engaged to be married, was cheerful and that

suicide would have been out of character. And then today's real

drama. William Boyce QC acting for the solder's family in front of his

fiancee, father and twin brother was hand at the very 9 mm pistol

found next to David Wilson's body. He suggested to the pathologist who

performed the post-mortem that the angle that he was holding it

against his head would have been awkward and unnatural for someone

to achieve that wanted to shoot themselves. The pathologist agreed

that was a possible interpretation but said it would depend on the

inclination of the soldier's head. Also today, the inquest heard from

Staff Sergeant Anthony Todd who admitted he had been drinking with

the soldier on the night he died. He said a considerable amount of

vodka had been consumed but he said he had gone off to bed at around 2

am and hadn't heard the shot fired that killed Lance Corporal David

Wilson. The inquest is expected to continue tomorrow.

You're watching Look North. Still to come tonight:

Jeff's here with tonight's sports desk.

Football hack. Meet the Boro player who's tasting life in a newsroom.

High pressure remains enshrined the next few days with temperatures

dependent on cloud amount. Dry and later for the full forecast. --

joined me later. Motorists across the region are

being warned to expect to pay record prices at the fuel pumps by

Easter. The cost of petrol and diesel is expected to continue

rising over the coming weeks. People living in rural areas could

be among those hardest hit. Peter Marshall's been to Cumbria to find

out more. Filling your tank is proving

increasingly dramatic with pump prices on the up and a third of

increase expected. It really rose last year. This couple downsize

their car to save petrol money only to see savings eaten away by price

rises. We were trying to save the money them spent it on the kids,

given them treats, that happens. gets to the weekend and even a

friend coming with us for a walk, we can't afford to do it because we

can't afford the fuel. It does not trust a rural issue. In the North

West, petrol prices went up 6.2 pence per litre from January to

February. Diesel went up 5.2 pence so an average litre costs trust

over �1.44. It means a two-car family's petrol bill has risen by

�30 -- 13 proms 25. Petrol prices in isolated areas can also be

higher. The smaller rural retailers don't have the volume to be able to

offer significant price reductions. And the distribution cost us

greater to them than it is often to a convenient nearby urban centre.

The a blames rises on the falling pound and the stock market

speculators and the stark warning is pump prices haven't peaked yet.

A glitzy event masterminded by two North East business men is set to

raise at least �300,000 for three of our region's charities. Graham

Wylie and Ian Watson are hosting an event next month called Fashion

Match in the grounds of Newcastle Falcons to raise funds for the

Children's Heart Unit fund at the Freeman Hospital for Marie Curie

and the Chef's Adopt A School Charity. Celebrities including the

Royle Family's Ralph Little, and comedian Bobby Davro will be

supporting. Is 14 too young to decide what you

want to do with your life? I couldn't decide what to have for

lunch at that age! The question comes as youngsters of that in age

in Harrogate have been told they'll soon be able to leave school and go

to college. It's part of Government plans to give young people more

options and, it hopes, more chance of finding a job. Stuart Whincup

reports. In the college salon, it looks like

the real thing. Hair and beauty is one of three subjects offered to 14

year-olds in Harrogate under new plans. The idea is to offer

youngsters more tries. For some students, school is not the ideal

learning environment. Some thrive better in a college environment. We

have staff industry trained, and we have facilities that are industry-

standard so we have links with employers which stops them on a

pathway for employment later, possibly apprenticeships. Some have

criticised the plan. 14, they say, is too young to know what career to

follow but the MP visited the college and a more practical

education would benefit his daughter, he says. The worst thing

is for her to sit in a classroom and not understand what is going on.

She loves cookery, and if you can do something like that, it would

benefit her greatly. Harrogate College is one of 200 across the

country to be given the green light to run the courses which will start

in September. The college says this is not an easy option. All the

courses come with mandatory GCSEs in English, science and maths, and

this is about offering youngsters a taste about a profession they might

want to pursue. Now, you knew what you wanted to do

at 14. I'd always wanted to be a sports

reporter. Keep going, you might get there and

you might be famous one day! 2012 was an outstanding year for

sport generally and disabled sport in particular. The London

Paralympics was the most successful in the history of the Games, and

this lunchtime local athletes were honoured at a special ceremony in

Durham. For one young star it meant another award to add to the trophy

cabinet, as Dawn Thewlis reports. 2012 was a remarkable year for this

young man. At just 15, swimmer Josef Craig became the youngest

Paralympic gold medallist breaking two world records in the process.

He's won countless awards since and today was no different as he picked

up the Young Male Achiever trophy at the North East Disability Sport

Awards. And my mum doesn't like it, she puts up all the shells and

builds everything. She says, stop winning them. I am sick of doing

DIY. I still think, how did I do that in a million years? And it was

another trophy for swimmer Stephanie Moore who won the

equivalent awards for the girls. wish every nominee got a trophy

this year because there were some inspirational athletes and I hope

they do succeed in 2013. Teesside Paralympic wheelchair basketball

player Terry Bywater won the male Personality Award collected by

former Paralympian Lee Fawcett on his behalf. And Gayle Bloomfield

won the women's award for her success in dressage. I am totally

blown away. I am over the moon. It is great to be recognised for your

dedication to your sport because we trained very hard and you hope you

can produce a good result. But then to be recognised it is lovely,

really lovely. There was also recognition for Tees Rowing Club

home of Olympic champion Kat Copeland which won the Club Of The

Year trophy for their programme promoting adaptive rowing. And Liz

Starrs and Glynis Hansen were winners of the Service To Sport

Award for 25 years helping Hartlepool Sportability club. And

for Paralympic legend and three time gold medallist Stephen Miller

there was a special award. A hip injury prevented him from making

the podium in London but captaining the British team and the success of

the games made up for his disappointment on the field. I've

got no regrets. It was a great games. I'm glad I did what it did

for disability sport. It is a great turning-point for Paralympic sports.

We need to keep going. The drink is real. It is alive. -- the dream is

real. On to football, and at the

Riverside tomorrow night it's Middlesbrough against Chelsea for a

place in the FA Cup quarter final. But what do footballers do when

they finish training? A round of golf? A bit of shopping? Well, not

Boro's George Friend. George is doing a part-time degree in

journalism, and he's been learning from the club's PR team and from

our radio colleagues at BBC Tees. Peter Harris went to meet him.

North Yorkshire. County Durham. Teesside. Proud of where we leave -

- live. BBC tees. A bit of spare time saw Middlesbrough's left-back

signing up at the local radio station for work experience.

Learning a new trade is all part of the university degree course.

me, the university work is a bit of escapism. I can use my mind in a

different way and I enjoyed that learning aspect of it. Where others

might play golf, I do this. There has been working at BBC Tees once a

week when his football schedule allows. This is the practical side

of the degree emotionalism and broadcasting. One of the successes

of Middlesbrough's season so far, he is used to dealing with the

media but has newsroom live surprised him? This year, I am out

of work because for every little thing that comes out for the vans

and public, it all revolves around the club, so there is a lot of work

involved. Arsenal lost 3-1 to Bayern Munich... He has taken to it

as a natural, he is learning different disciplines all the time,

he is learning how to write bulletins, he is learning how to

edit our interviews, but he is also doing a bit of reporting for

himself, he is helping us get behind the scenes of the training

ground. We cannot get that close as reporters, so that is a real

insight for us. When I did some work experience 20 years ago, I did

the tea. Have you made tea it was I haven't had to make any tea yet.

They were very good to me and they didn't pass me around too much. It

has been a good experience so far. That was really good, there. Well

done. He hopes to be writing headlines for himself tomorrow when

Middlesbrough take control seat in the FA Cup. -- take on Chelsea in

the FA Cup. Staying with football, four matches

to watch out for tonight. In League One, BBC Radio Cumbria will bring

you commentary of Carlisle against Walsall, while BBC Tees will keep

you updated on the latest instalment of Hartlepool's Great

Escape. They're at home to Crewe. Radio York will have coverage of

the Minstermen's short trip to Rotherham. And in Scottish Division

Three, Berwick take on Elgin City at Shielfield Park.

Durham expect captain Paul Collingwood to be fit for the new

season despite surgery to repair an injured thumb. The former England

batsman suffered a ruptured tendon in his right hand last year, but

surgery was delayed until the swelling went down. Collingwood led

Durham's recovery after taking over as skipper following a poor start

to the 2012 season. In rugby Union, Newcastle Falcons

have signed winger Noah Cato from Northampton Saints. The 24 year-old

who's represented England in the Sevens and at U20 level has joined

until the end of the season to bolster the Falcons' squad ahead of

Now, Paul has been enigmatic over the weather. Is it going to be

cold? It is all to do with cloud amounts.

It is critical. Most places will stay dry. Where the cloud bricks,

we will see sunshine. But those bricks will also give us Frost and

fog. Cowden Mountsorrel so variable, resulting in various temperatures.

-- cloud and Melzer were variable. As I say, the cloud will vary from

place to place. The further North you bar, the more broken the cloud

will be. That is where we will see some mist and fog. Temperatures

will generally state trust above freezing where it stays cloudy. A

chilly start tomorrow and any early fog patch is cleared through the

morning and a bank of cloud breaks up nicely as we go through the day.

-- and that Bank of cloud. The Cumbrian crew of staff, the

temperatures should seize seven or eight Celsius. -- the Cumbrian

coast. High pressure stays with us as we head through tomorrow and

right through the rest of the working week. On Thursday, this

weather front sinks down from the North. It might increase the cloud

amount but it shouldn't produce much rain. The high pressure

establishes itself again as we head towards a beacon. If you are out

and about, large dry. Friday, more cloud combined with the wind, it

will feel cooler. For Cumbria, a little bit more cloud at times

tomorrow and again on Thursday. Temperatures at 7 or 8. The cloud

thickening on Friday. For most of Cumbria, we should see temperatures

almost nudging double figures. Remember, catch up with all the

weather information on the website. And we will keep you updated on

your local BBC radio station. That is the way the weather is looking