06/08/2013 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Tonight: Calls for tougher penalties for those caught carrying

knives from a mum whose son was stabbed to death.

How the wrangle over the future of children's heart surgery in the

north could go on for at least another year.

Cashing in on the Ashes. Could one of the north's biggest ever

sporting events bring in �20 million to the local economy?

The abandoned pet terrapins that are said to be threatening

Cumbria's wildlife. And how punk rock, and pomp and

circumstance are coming together at one of Britain's great traditional

occasions. In sport, we meet the hockey

international hoping to spread the word about his favourite game.

And the Aussies are in town! They've checked into their north-

east base, ahead of this week's Get tough on those who carry knives.

That's the message from a mum whose son was stabbed to death. It comes

as new figures released today reveal that more people arrested in

the Cleveland Police area were found to be carrying an offensive

weapon than in any other part of the country. Police recovered a

firearm, knife or some other kind of weapon on 269 occasions last

year. Campaigners say the force isn't doing enough to combat the

problem. Today's figures, which clearly

suggest the streets of towns like Middlesbrough are among the most

dangerous in the country, will come as a shock to parents and the wider

public alike. They're based on the number of incidents where a person

is stopped by police and found to be carrying a weapon. In our region,

Middlesbrough's figure of 269 compares to 177 in North Yorkshire,

221 in County Durham, 270 in Cumbria and 615 in Northumbria. But

it's when those figures are placed in context with the size of

population that Cleveland's are found to be the worst in the

country. A gang came to the door when he was at his friend's house.

They wanted to smoke drugs, Christopher was frightened and

descended and a way. But they came back later and Chris was killed.

Theresa Cave from Redcar knows better than most the consequences

of carrying an offensive weapon. It's just over ten years since her

son Chris was stabbed to death. Since her loss, she's campaigned

tirelessly to raise awareness of knife crime but still feels her

services are not used enough. They should get a sentence to show

that they should not get away with carrying a knife. Cleveland Police

say they've committed thousands of hours towards addressing the issue

and the figures are actually down on last year. It's just that the

situation in other areas has improved even more quickly.

From our perspective, the work we're doing in the local community

is to find -- is proving a success. We're talking 260 offences across

the year. For us, that is potentially fewer victims of

It's a medical and legal wrangle that's been going on for years. But

now, it's emerged that a decision on the future of children's heart

units in Newcastle and Leeds could be at least another year away. The

NHS wanted to close the unit in Leeds, but that decision was

blocked at the High Court. A new report says the obligation to

listen to all sides must take precedence over the need to end all

the uncertainty. Gerry Jackson is live for us at Newcastle's Freeman

Hospital. It is five years since this raised

its head. Just over one year since there were scenes of celebration

here, but as we just know -- as we now know their relief was premature.

After the successful challenge by Leeds, the judge ordered it to be

re-run. We could be waiting a while yet.

It was all about reducing the number of children's heart surgery

centres, to concentrate expertise and hence, it was said, save more

young lives. It's 13 months since the original decision to save the

CHU at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital. The one in Leeds was marked for

closure. Anger in West Yorkshire prompted a legal challenge at the

High Court. In March this year, the judge quashed the decision to end

surgery at Leeds after what she agreed was fundamental unfairness

in the NHS review. Finally, this June, the Health Secretary said the

plans could not go ahead in their current form. Now, according to NHS

England, it seems a new verdict could be another year away, or more.

NHS England's medical director Bill And he says that could all take

until June 2014. Everyone concerned agrees that unnecessary delay is

good for nobody. The question is, how long must this go on?

Three all the parents are bitterly disappointed that it will be at

least another year. Everyone involved understands being

methodical and transparency, but what is on hold as the development

of the service and everyone is in limbo, which is so distressing.

harsh truth is that however long it takes, and whatever is pronounced,

a lot of people are sure to be made very unhappy.

Joining me now is the trustee executive. While the surgeons and

clinicians are able to do their jobs, why does it matter in terms

about come whether this takes one year or two or five? We have got to

get it right. The Government decided that the scope of the study

is now much wider. It is going to include ongoing support and -- from

childhood into adulthood, and on it goes. It was anticipated one year,

possibly two years. What can you not do until this is resolved?

There is uncertainty in the investment programme. There's an

additional planned to recruit for the staff and additional facilities,

and we want to get on and get things done. You think one here is

optimistic? -- one year? I think it is going to be quite a scope study.

There will be a lot of public opinion. We'd can only keep our

fingers crossed. Thank you. From the Leeds went, there is a lot

of campaign. They say they are keeping up with their campaign and

say that they welcome the fact that NHS England is committed to new

levels of transparency and stakeholders engagement. Their

overwhelming priority is the input of patients' families and

clinicians from all regions. Whatever is decided in the end,

there is no guarantee at this stage that there would not be yet another

legal challenge at the end of all of that.

A woman and her husband have denied stealing nearly �100,000 her 91-

year-old godmother's life savings account. Teesside Crown Court's

heard that Lesley and Andrew Reeve from Hartlepool are accused of

withdrawing the cash and transferring money over the

internet from Joan Killen's account to their joint account over two

years. Mr Reeve became a co- signatory for Miss Killen's

accounts after her mental health began to deteriorate with dementia.

A controversial merger of a private and state school in North Tyneside

will go ahead after councillors voted unanimously against a

judicial review. The fee-paying Kings School and state Priory

Primary school in Tynemouth will become the new Kings Priory School

in September. North Tyneside council says it is working to

counteract the detrimental effect it says the merger will have on

other schools in the area. Now we have decided the legal challenges

of the agenda, we will ask if they are willing to give financial

relief to the schools affected. This is a perfectly reasonable

request, considering they are paying off a �5 million debt of the

independent school. They can grow to the size of a

dinner plate, have a nasty bite and are quite partial to a leg of duck!

But now abandoned pet terrapins are threatening Cumbrian wildlife,

according to one of the county's rescue centres. It seems people buy

them as pets then decide they are a bit of a handful. Around 100

terrapins have been found dumped in rivers and ponds in the Carlisle

and Penrith areas over the last year. 14 were recovered in the last

week. A quick inspection for a new

arrival at the sanctuary. He might not look like much of a handful now,

but with snappy jaws and claws always ready to swipe, terrapins

can quickly become tricky pets. goes back over the years since the

start of the teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles craze. But turtles being

sold have got bigger and bigger, and people are dumping them all

over the place throughout the Lake District. The terrapins were

rescued from the River Eden near Carlisle and the Eamont in Penrith.

The water's too cold for them to breed but they still pose a threat

to the county's native wildlife. They will eat anything that moves,

and they will lead and take the legs of ducks. Snapping turtles can

be really dangerous and could take the finger off a child. Terry says

there is a limit to how many terrapins he can rescue. He's

calling for more regulation for the pet shops which sell them and a bit

more common sense from the people who buy them.

And you can have your say on that story on the Look North Facebook

page. Log on and leave your comment. The details on your screen now.

Still to come on tonight's Look North, Jeff's here with Tuesday's

sport. Plus, how one of our most famous

punk rock bands will be doing their bit for a very British institution.

Did you see the sky last night? I will have some fantastic images of

the sunset if you missed it. Just three days to go now until

England play Australia in the Ashes at Chester-le-Street - the home of

Durham County Cricket Club. The match is arguably the biggest ever

sporting fixture in our region. It's sold out for the first three

days, and tickets are going fast for the remaining two. When

everything's added up it could bring in an estimated �20 million

for the local economy. Here's our business correspondent.

There's a palpable sense of anticipation hanging over Riverside.

Its first Ashes Test is almost here. Five days of cricket against the

most eagerly-awaited opponent - Australia. And while the match is

being played, it will be quietly doing its bit for our economy.

looks like it will be a minimum of �20 million coming into the economy

as a result. That is people spending money in hotels,

restaurants, bars, going out and seeing the county while they are

here. And it is not just the obvious tourist facilities that

will benefit. This gym overlooks Riverside. Indeed the deal to put

it here allowed the cricket club to build a stand for its first Test

back in 2002. And the Ashes should bring it an upsurge in membership.

The atmosphere in the club changes when cricket matches are won. There

are a lot of people visiting the area and the ground, and you get

people coming to see what we can offer. As for Durham Cricket itself,

the club should make money from hosting the Ashes Test. Although it

has to pay the game's governing body, the ECB, an undisclosed sum

for the privilege of doing so. There is clearly a massive

investment in originally securing the ear and then developing the

ground around it. But it is different to a lot of the one-day

stuff that we have here watch does not generate a great deal of money.

But it is part of the price you pay for the bigger paydays that keep

the ground ticking over. The hope is though that this Ashes test will

help to narrow the �1.2 million pound loss Durham reported for its

last financial year. With the rest of the region benefiting to the

tune of �20 million pounds, it would seem only fair.

So a big boost to the economy anticipated when the match gets

underway on Friday. In the meantime, the Australians have actually

arrived. Here they are, checking into their team hotel in Gateshead

ahead of tomorrow's practice session at Chester-le-Street.

Meanwhile the finishing touches are being applied to the ground, and

Katie Gornall's been looking at how the team have been preparing to

host the big game. Getting ready to welcome the world.

Chester-le-Street may be the new kids on the block when it comes to

hosting Ashes cricket, but the staff here are determined to leave

a lasting impression, and have been putting in some hard graft. We have

teams of people checking all the seats in the stadium making sure

they are fit for use on Friday. We are expecting the Australian kits

to come soon, and they will going to the dressing rooms. We are half

a day ahead of where we should be. Of course, a full ground means

plenty of mouths to feed. Making sure no-one goes hungry is head

chef Mark Bennett, who started planning his menu seven months ago.

It is a challenge for the hospitality. We are doing about

50,000 on the first day, and then we have the English cricket team

who we will give the I P food to. And then Australians get cod and

chips! We need every advantage we can get out of them. Then we have

about 17,000 public on site, so we have a retail wagons from stir-

fries to hog roasts and burgers. It is quite a challenge. So the clock

is ticking, but the ground has been gearing up to this. The eyes on the

world will be focused on that wicket over there. Tomorrow the

players will be here to judge the pitch for themselves. It's

undergone some drastic changes in the past 24 hours. Last night the

outfield was under water. But the new outfield is doing well, and

we're confident that we will cope with it, and we came in this

morning to just one or two puddles, so it just shows you how organise

we are. To work up to an Ashes Test is unbelievable. We have had a few

Test matches, but an Ashes Test is brilliant. The pride is palpable

here at Chester-le-Street, and soon their hard work will be put to the

Test. It is a very impressive ground.

Everyone must be nervous. You have a bit of TV news, is that right?

-- team news. Well, England - like Australia - arrived in the north-

east today, fresh from that washout at Old Trafford in Manchester. And

for spin bowler Graeme Swann, it's a bit like coming home. His father,

Ray, is from Northumberland, and played cricket for the county

before moving to the Midlands, where Graeme was born. That

explains why the spinner is a Newcastle United fan. And this

afternoon he was in Durham to promote the cancer charity, set up

by former Magpies' boss, Sir Bobby Robson. Graeme is offering a

private coaching session as part of Sir Bobby's Breakthrough Auction.

And he says he feels like he's come home.

I do, yes. My family are all from here. It still feels like home when

I come back here. Hundreds of people coming out of the woodwork

for the game, so it is great to be home. This has been a first-class

ground for 15 or 16 years, so to get a nasty -- Ashes Test match so

quickly is brilliant. It has always been thriving up here, and for

Durham to have such success in a short time, it is great that has

been recognised. And it's Graeme Swann's county side,

Northants, who stand between Durham and a place at T20 Finals' Day. The

quarter-final tie at Northampton starts just after seven o'clock.

There's commentary on the BBC cricket website, and on 5 Live

Sports Extra, and we'll have the result on our late news bulletin.

From cricket to football, and the games are coming thick and fast.

Tonight's it's the first round of the Capital One League Cup, and

Middlesbrough are breaking new ground. Tony Mowbray's side are at

home to Accrington Stanley - the first time the clubs have met in

any form of competition. Saturday's home defeat by Leicester underlined

Boro's need for more new signings, but how many does Mowbray think

they need? I am wary of putting a number on it,

but... The team are very supportive, it is not me putting pressure on

everyone, we do need signings. Everyone is working hard to make

that happen. We have a few targets we are shooting at, and I am sure

some of them will drop in for us in the next week or so. There will be

commentary from the Riverside, as usual, on BBC Tees, where you can

also follow Hartlepool United's trip to Nottingham Forest. BBC

Radio York will have coverage of the Minstermen at home to Burnley.

Carlisle play Blackburn tomorrow, in case you're wondering. Newcastle

have confirmed the signing of a striker, after their match with

Glasgow Rangers. Well, it's never going to overtake football in our

region, but it seems hockey is growing in popularity among some of

our youngsters. To try to keep the momentum going, a top international

goalkeeper has flown up to offer some coaching tips. As Damian

O'Neil found out, hockey is not just for the ladies.

It has a reputation as a genteel sport played at boarding schools

for girls, but that's not how the goalkeeper sees it when the ball's

heading towards his face at 80mph. Former England GB keeper Simon

Mason is here to impart some of his wisdom on the girls and boys who

want to follow in his footsteps. requires a degree of bravery, and a

degree of intelligence. Every player on the pitch would say it is

downright stupidity standing in goals having balls had put your

head. Some players are really talented. Scottish national and

Whitley Bay keeper Blair Fotheringham has lost a front tooth

to hockey and admits it takes a while to get used to the speed of

the game. I am not going to live. When I first started playing in

goal, it was scary with the ball coming at 80 miles an hour to watch

your head. You need to train yourself out of it, and it is good

fun. Do you consider yourself to be posh? No, not really!Isn't it a

posh girls' game? I do not think it is. Traditionally it probably was

seen as a private girls' school game. But more and more boys are

getting involved, especially with the Olympics in 2012, more people

are getting an idea of the sport. Damian did not have a go because it

is too rough for him! Now, it's billed as "the world's greatest

classical music festival." For eight weeks, every summer, the

Royal Albert Hall in London plays host to the Henry Wood Promenade

Concerts, better known as the BBC Proms.

This year, though, there's a new element to the programme. And it

involves a singer and guitarist from Sunderland, playing with a

band you wouldn't normally associate with the pomp and

ceremony of one of Britain's great, traditional occasions.

If you think this is what the Proms He's been all over the world in his

13 years as the front man for The Stranglers, but Baz Warne still has

a base back home on Wearside. So it seemed natural to head off down to

the beach for a chat, and to ask what he thought, when one of our

oldest punk bands was invited to play at the Proms. I cannot really

tell you what my reaction was because this is teatime television!

But I was very surprised, pleasantly so. Then it was, how do

we approach this, what will it be about? I think they just wanted a

classic or old-style British band. A band who have been around a long

time and have had a lot of hits. It was as much as the a surprise to us

as it was to other people. Top hat and tails? We have talked about

dress codes, but as to what we are going to wear on the day, we will

probably just do believe the return where a leather jackets, that's

what we have always done. -- we will probably just go down the

lazier route. There are various other people and a huge big

orchestra. So I am really looking forward to it. Now that his

imminent. I have not thought about it for a while, but now that is on

the doorstep. Next year the Strangler celebrate 40 years in the

business, so how long can the a go on? I am philosophical about it.

Nothing lasts forever. I saw some of the stones to teach from

Glastonbury, and there comes a time when you have to City yourself, we

cannot do this for much longer. -- the Rolling Stones footage from

Glastonbury. If we're popular enough to pull crowds, which we are,

That is at the Royal Albert Hall on We have got some beautiful weather

pictures to start us off. Did you catch the sun set last night across

the region? He is one of the many This looks like a scene from Alfred

Hitchcock film. And the last image, the Angel of the North, with the

red sky at night. Thank you to some Campbell. There will be spells of

sunshine after of yesterday's downpours. Through this evening and

overnight, it stays dry across the region, and we're expecting a bit

of late sunshine and clear spells after dark. Those clearing skies

allowed in there just to get quick though possibly into single figures.

It will be fresher than it has been for the last few nights, high

Fortes in Fahrenheit. First thing tomorrow, lots of sunshine,

especially in North Yorkshire and parts of Cumbria. By teatime,

temperatures around average, 20 Celsius, 68 Fahrenheit. More

sunshine to come, with temperatures in the high teens. Things are

staying largely dry and settled by the end of the week, with Thursday

or Friday bringing settled conditions and sunshine, with

nothing more than sunlight passing showers. Top temperatures tend to

be around average for this time in August. Over the next few days

things will be largely dry and settled, with some showers on

Friday morning. All eyes will be on the first day of the test, and it