05/12/2013 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

One, we join our teams where you One, we join our teams where you

Hello, welcome to Thursday's Look North, on a day when we've been

battered by high winds. Roads closed, homes and business evacuated

this evening, as rivers flood in the high winds and tidal surge, testing

coastal defences. This is the big test. This is a one in 30 year high

tide, so it is a really big test of this ?25 million worth of

Environment Agency sea defences. It's been a day of disruption with

lorries overturned, trains and planes cancelled. We're live across

the region with the latest. Also tonight, Look North learns more

than 160 girls on Teesside are receiving counselling after being

groomed for sex. And ` staying warm. But how will the

Chancellor's cut in green levies affect the poorest in our community?

And in sport ` Plenty of goals last night but not always in the right

net. Newcastle's unbeaten run comes to an end in South Wales while

Sunderland push Chelsea all the way in a seven goal thriller at the

Stadium of Light. Homes and businesses evacuated.

Roads and bridges closed. Lorries overturned. Trains and planes

cancelled. Trees felled. Schools forced to shut. Thousands of homes

and businesses without power. And the coast battered by waves, with

sandbags lining the streets to guard against flooding ` and it's still

going on now. Just some of the disruption the region faced today,

due to the storm`force winds which touched 80 miles an hour in places,

along with the worst tidal surge in 30 years. And tonight, there remain

59 ongoing flood incidents across our region, with hundreds of people

evacuated from their homes. Very few rail services are operating to

Scotland on either the east or west coast mainlines. We've had reporters

out across our region since early this morning. In a moment, we'll

cross to Phil Connell, who's in Redcar. But first, let's join Andrew

Hartley in Newcastle. Andrew. I've been a journalist working on

Tyneside for 25 years, and I've never seen this before. The river

Tyne bursting its banks on Newcastle's quayside, one of this

country's most iconic places, around the millennium Bridge and the Tyne

Bridge. It's all caused by a huge tidal wave that was caused by the

wind that has reached this spot. Truly one of the most remarkable

windy days we've ever seen. A day of brutal winds caused

disruption across road and rail. Here on a bridge between Newcastle

and Gateshead, a lorry was blown on to a car. No one was seriously hurt.

Many other major routes across the region were closed at some time

during the day. Rail passengers also suffered. Here at Newcastle's

Central Station, many cancellations and delays, with no services in and

out of Scotland. Women to be going, but all the trains cancelled. Our

manager has sorted out and think Ralston was to go. I'm being paid,

so it's all right. The train from Edinburgh is cancelled, so I got one

of the trains out of Scotland, and I'm just going to wait and see what

comes up. I'm trying to get accident. I was trying to get direct

train, but now I'm going to go a different route that is changes. It

is a bit annoying. A timetable for yesterday 's game is a bit of an

advantage in terms of knowing was achievable to run today in order to

keep as many people living as was safely possible, but really, the

messages to check for you travel. The East Coast website, on Twitter,

and if you are planning on travelling today and would like to

travel tomorrow, your tickets will be valid tomorrow. Air travel was

also difficult. They diverted easyJet blamed was struck by

lightning approaching Newcastle Airport, and a ferry from Amsterdam

with more than 300 passengers was held up close to the mouth of the

Tyne for two hours. A number of different factors have occurred at

the same time to create the tidal swell, and we needed to wait for the

wind to drop in order to have a safer approach of the river. This is

really choppy weather. We were stuck outside the harbour for two hours.

It short and some people's trips, I imagine. Falling trees were never

have the will stop this scene on a road near Gateshead, and this across

the East Coast Mainline in Northumberland. And a narrow escape

a family from stock. `` Stockton. This tree missed a room where a

two`year`old girl was asleep, and came so close, it down the satellite

dish. At the heart of the storm, part of roof of Hartlepool College

was ripped off, and thousands of homes across the region were without

power. Another blow for the region on this windiest days.

As you can see, the river Tyne has completely subsided, so all of that

flooding has gone, but there are reports that the river Tees is

getting in on the act now with some reports of loading in Middlesbrough

and then, and there are scenes of flooding in the area around Blyth

harbour, with reports that hundreds of homes have been evacuated around

there. What is certain to night is that this is a story that has not

blown over. Well, the other big problem

alongside the wind was the high tide, which caused waves to come

crashing into the coastline. Many business closed for the day in case

of flooding. Phil Connell has spent the day in East Cleveland ` and is

in Redcar tonight. Phil. Well, dramatic scenes here along the

coast tonight. Here in Redcar, the high tide arrived 5:00pm. The sea

defences here have been largely successful, but you can see that in

certain places, they had been breached. The debris on the floor

here, and further down, the road has been closed because of localised

flooding. For residents here, it has been a day of watching and waiting

to see what the weather would bring. Battening down the hatches and

preparing for the worst. In Saltburn, this morning, shops along

the seafront were closing early. People here took all possible

precautions to protect their property. It will affect the

business. People will be able to come down and get their fish and

chips, the locals. The restaurant would maybe flood out. Concerns here

are understandable. These were the scenes in Saltburn in September,

with torrential rain causing extensive damage to several parts of

the town. The aftermath, really, all the debris that was left everywhere.

The owner of this shop business escaped being flooded by

just several feet in September. He was fearful that night's conditions

could be even worse. You can't do anything. It's in the hands of God.

We can't do anything about it. All we can do is make the try and stop

the always getting flooded, or something like that, but apart from

that, that is all we can do. Along the coast in Redcar tonight has

brought the first real test of the sea defences. Recently completed

here, they cost ?25 million. The council leader says he will be

watching closely. This is the big test. This is a one in 30 year high

tide, I am led to believe, so it is a really big test for this ?25

million worth of Environment Agency sea defence, and it is really a very

big test indeed. Back in Saltburn, the peer was closed today for safety

reasons by the council. Our coastal towns ready and prepared to night

for whatever the weather may bring? Well, further north from here, 300

homes have been evacuated at Port Clarence because of budding, with

residents being taken into emergency accommodation. `` flooding. The

concern is that while the high tide may have passed, tidal surge could

still cause further problems, and let's not forget, we still have that

further high tide to cope with at 5am.

Thank you. Well, it's been a similar situation

across in Cumbria, where many roads were closed and rail services

suspended. Damian O'Neill is in Carlisle tonight. Damian.

It's been a very wild and windy day right across Cumbria. The

hardest hit with the coast, which was battered by gale force winds and

lashed by the rain. Whitehaven harbour was closed and the police

sealed off large areas of it. They warn people not to go near it to do

any sightseeing, that didn't stop everybody. But there were really

some very scary looking scenes that you didn't want to get too close to.

There are still no train services from Carlisle running either to or

from Scotland. The West Coast line has been down all day. The latest

information from Virgin trains is that they will be down until about

11 o'clock p.m. , and meanwhile, there are still homes and businesses

across Cumbria without power. That was double the figure earlier on in

the day, and several roads across the county have been closed,

including the ASICS six. `` ASICS T6.

According to the Environment Agency, hundreds of homes are at risk of

flooding in what what we're told could be the most serious tidal

surge in decades. A number of flood warnings are in place. And amongst

the many incidents going on, we've heard in the last hour that the

Glass Centre and other premises at Sunderland have been evacuated as a

precaution. Our correspondent Mark Denten joins us live now from the

Tyneside headquarters of the Environment Agency. Mark.

This is the Environment Agency control room at neighbouring on the

river Tyne, just outside Newcastle, and I can sell you that there are 18

flood warnings in force at the moment. The flood situation is the

highest tide for 60 years, something that has kept the buyer and agency

busy all afternoon, and no doubt will also tomorrow. I am joined by

Phil Wilton from the buyer and agency. What are the latest? We have

18 flood warnings across the North Coast line. We're not expecting any

further problems Cumbria, but in the North East, we still have flood

warnings. We are begging to remain in place tomorrow morning for them

where are the areas you are particularly worried about? There

are a number of areas. Live was a worry, that is its IP tide is

dropping there. The Northumberland coast and particularly on Teeside,

there are a number of flood warnings there. What about the situation? How

do we compare to the past, saying the situation is only comparable but

events of 60 years ago? But did their put it into context. This is a

really high tide. We have a wonder Lolita Sergent of the normal spring

tight, so this is the highest tide since 1953, when 300 people died on

this coast. We have come a long way since then intended defences. The

tide levels are not as I have come a long way since then intended

defences. The tide levels are not as IFR. But they are very high, and we

are respecting more floods the night. And the situation Cumbria, we

have a lot of power shortages and power cuts, but there is also an

issue of flooding, I gather. I never yes, there were a number of warnings

in Korea. For at one point today. But with the high tide at lunchtime,

people will not be affected. People will be worried into the early hours

and tomorrow. There is a number they can call if they want to get advice

and find out what the situation is. Could you give is that number?

and find out what the situation is. Could you give That is on screen. We

would ask people to call that number and ask for a service if they are in

an at risk area, and they can do that from the phone or the website.

It has been a busy day for many people, not least our weather

presenter. Are we over the worst two yes, the tides are turning out, the

winds are starting to ease, and we are seeing the last of the rainfall.

Here with the earlier radar picture. The raindrop drenched the east of

Cumbria. I will be back with a full forecast later. Thank you.

Other news, and the story from Teesside Crown Court of how

vulnerable young girls were befriended, groomed and then

sexually exploited. Some were given free taxi rides, drink and drugs.

Guilty verdicts have been delivered against 32`year`old Shakil Munir and

19`year`old Sakib Ahmed, both from Middlesbrough. Detectives said they

left their victims, six girls aged between 13 and 15, traumatised. But

tonight, Look North can reveal this isn't an isolated case. We've

learned a staggering 160 young girls on Teesside are currently being

supported by a North East charity after they were groomed and

exploited by older men. Stuart Whincup reports.

Some girls were picked up in the early hours of the morning. They

were given free taxi`rides, drink and drugs. At first they were

befriended, taken to nightclubs and parties. Then it all changed, and

they were exploited, assaulted and abused. This woman, whose words are

spoken by an actor, recently discovered her daughter was one of

six young girls sexually abused by the men. I felt sick. I was

devastated. I couldn't believe a person could do that to a child.

That's what she is, she is a child. You could tell what she was. He knew

what she was. She was a child. I felt physically sick. It's turned my

world upside down. I sleep in the living room now, by the door, so no

one can get in, and I know she will be safe. And this was the man who

abused her daughter. 32`year`old Shakil Munir. A local taxi driver,

he was more than twice her age. On one occasion, he picked one of the

girls up from her home in the early hours of the morning in his taxi.

She was wearing slippers and pyjamas and a dressing gown. He took every

drive around the area full. He found a lay`by in a secluded location and

there, he sexually assaulted her. The young girl was just 14. But

Munir didn't act alone. His friend, 19`year`old Sakib Ahmed, admitted

sexually assaulting five girls. Quite frankly, their behaviour is

disgraceful. These men did realise there was a huge age gap between

them and their victims, and despite that, they have continued with their

behaviour, continued to abuse the girls, and as a result, they left

their victims in some cases quite traumatised. Worryingly, these cases

are not rare. Barnardo's says fewer young girls may be walking the

streets. But hidden from public view, inside flats and houses

they're still being sexually exploited. The charity has told Look

North it's currently young girls in Teesside alone who

have been groomed by older men. Some are as young as 12. We have seen

that typical grooming process happen in all of those cases. The friend I

slightly older or often much older men, or a friend of a male, applying

that young person with gifts, friendship, and love, with alcohol

and sometimes drugs, and then getting them into a state where they

feel they have to comply to what is going to happen. This afternoon,

17`year`old Ateeq Lateef was found guilty of helping Sakib Ahmed to

meet and abuse the girls. They and Shakil Munir will all be sentenced

at a later date. the Chancellor delivered his Autumn

statement today in one of the most widely trailed headlines has been a

reduction in green levies on energy bills, giving consumers a ?50 cut in

their annual payments. But will there be losers as well as winners?

Our Environment Correspondent, Adrian Pitches, has been to see how

that green levy money is being spent insulating people's homes on

Tyneside. The tenant of this Whitley Bay flat

spends every winter huddled in one room, unable to heat the rest of her

home. She has been living here for four years with little or no

heating. What heating she has had has been wholly inadequate. Spending

?35 or more per week purely on direct heating. But this winter will

be different. Central heating is being installed for free. There is

funding out there for people, we just need to get their message

across that it is there, all you have to do is ask, and we will try

to help where we can. There are criteria that have to be met. Not

everyone will get 100% of everything for free, but wherever we can, we

will do that. Warm Zone works across the North, funded by the energy

company Obligation. The Big Six have to help those who cannot afford to

heat their damp and draughty homes. But then they charge all of us for

carrying out that work. The average dual fuel bill is currently about

?1,325. Of that, ?115 pays for green energy or warmer homes. Just 9% of

the total bill. The Energy Company Obligation, or ECO, is ?55 ` almost

half of that ?115. While the Renewables Obligation, the subsidy

for green energy, is ?35. Slashing the ECO will enable energy companies

to cut bills. But the old and the cold could suffer. You will have

fewer people employed, more people living in cold, damp homes, and

that's just after we seen the recent excess winter death statistics,

people dying in this country. That is frankly a national scandal. We

need to invest in more of this to avoid that, pushed down excess

winter deaths, employ more people, boost the local economy. Eileen and

Pierce had central heating installed a week ago and their home has been

transformed. This feels like Christmas has come early. In years

like this, our quality`of`life is lot there were a lot better, and I

hope that when thousands of pensioners die in the winter, they

are saying we have cold winter, but when you're young, you can take it.

As you get older, you really feel it. It has been heaven. It really

is. They have come straight in, and I could live in a little bit longer

in bed ! That was good. It is usually, you have to get up early to

get the heating ready and get the room warmer. Many people like Eileen

and Pierce will be warmer this winter, thanks to the ECO scheme.

But many more may miss out in future.

Football now. Not a great night and the football front. There was a

thriller on Wearside, , and if Sunderland do end up getting

relegated, it's clear that under Gus Poyet, they will have gone down

fighting. The Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho looked a relieved man at

last night's final whistle. He'd just watched his side win an

exciting game 4`3 at the Stadium of Light, leaving Poyet's men rooted to

the bottom. But there may be hope yet.

As Sunderland head coach Gus Poyet, a former Chelsea player, greeted

Jose Mourinho, late arriving fans held up by delays on both road and

rail were raising an eyebrow at Steven Fletcher starting on the

bench, with fellow striker Joze Altidore restored the the starting

line`up. But it proved an inspired decision, as Altidore, the USA

international, opened the scoring early on for the bottom club with a

smart finish. Too early, complained some home fans on Twitter, and so it

proved, as man of the match Eden Hazard, who terrorised the Black

Cats all night, set up Frank Lampard for the simplest of equalisers

before putting the visitors in front with a precise finish. But

Sunderland are improving and, when John O'Shea equalised early in the

second half, Chelsea knew they'd have to raise their game once again.

While Poyet, like Mourinho afterwards, was critical of his

side's defending, the Uruguayan conceded Hazard's masterclass was

unplayable. There were penalty shouts at both ends after that, and

when the tiring Bardsley put the ball into his own net to leave

Chelsea 4`2 ahead, that seemed to be that.

But back came Bardsley and Sunderland to suggest a thrilling

climax. It did fizzle out in stoppage time, with tired legs on

both sides, but Tottenham know they'll have to equal Chelsea's

class and commitment on Saturday tea`time.

We're probably looking at the games that Chelsea played this season,

they made extra effort today to beat us. We have to make sure that they

suffer a lot when they come here to beat us.

Despite Swansea having the bulk of possession, Newcastle had the best

chance in the early stages, but Loic Remy, who's scored eight goals in

nine league games, saw his shot brilliantly saved by Michel Vorm.

The Swans with without their top scorers Wilfried Bony and Michu, but

it didn't seem to matter when substitute Nathan Dyer put Swansea

ahead on the stroke of half time. Mathieu Debuchy found himself on the

scoresheet at the wrong end after the break when Jonjo Shelvey's

strike went in off the Frenchman. The final word went to Shelvey

though, with Krul unable to keep out his fabulous strike from outside the

area. Newcastle barely threatened in the second half, but Alan Pardew

felt things might have been different if a couple of decisions

had gone their way, including a penalty appeal when Remy's goalbound

shot hit Ben Davies' arm with the score at 1`0. Big calls, and we

didn't get them. That's unfortunate, because we were on a great run, and

the brakes have gone against us tonight. It is a bit galling for us.

Middlesbrough were unlucky not to come away with a point when they met

former Manager Steve McClaren's Derby County. A warm handshake

between Boro's most successful manager and Chairman Steve Gibson

before kick`off. But new manager Aitor Karanka saw his side reduced

to ten men after half an hour when an unfortunate Curtis Main picked up

his second yellow card in ten minutes, the youngster distraught at

having to leave the field, and minutes later, Chris Martin put the

Rams ahead. Middlesbrough had a couple of chances before Mustafa

Carayol ran half the length of the pitch to see his cross eventually

converted by Dean Whitehead, his first goal for the club. On loan

keeper Shay Given kept Derby at bay until Connor Sammon snatched a last

minute victory as McClaren's success story at Pride Park continues.

Now, what is it about Gateshead FA Cup ties and extreme weather? The

club's first round replay against League Two leaders Oxford was called

off last month because of a waterlogged pitch. This evening,

they're hoping to defy the gales, with the winner travelling to

Wrexham for a televised second round tie this Monday.

Good luck to them ! Let's return to our main news now ` the severe

weather that's hit our region today. Many areas of the region remain

under water tonight, with homes and businesses evacuated and power off.

Middlesbrough town centre is one area that has been hit. Stuart

Whincup has just sent us this report.

This is the scene on one of Middlesbrough's busiest roads

tonight. Let me see `` show you the bus station. As you can hear, there

are sirens all around, the only side that would sound we are hearing. You

can see police cars and fire engines. Just behind me, or Newport

Road, one of the busiest roads in Middlesbrough, all of the lights

from the shops are out. I must they, shoppers we're spoken to, they are

in good humour. They are using phones and torches to see where they

are going. They are quite calm and relaxed. What we know is that just

after 5pm there was a massive power cut in Middlesbrough town centre,

and more than 10,000 homes have been affected. At this stage, we have no

indication when the power and lights will go back on.

And Stuart is back in BBC Tees, which thankfully has its own

generator. Stuart, what's the latest?

The situation is still the same. All those homes still without power in

Middlesbrough. The problem was called with the substation was

blooded. News coming in that all the traffic lights are out, shops and

businesses are still in complete darkness. Cleveland Police are

urging everyone to take care on the roads, and no trains will run

between Redcar and Middlesbrough. The line is. That is the news

tonight. That is how it is an Teeside.

Let's cross to Scarborough now and join Jamie Coulson. Jamie, what's

the situation there? Over the last couple of hours,

conditions have changed dramatically here in Scarborough. When we

arrived, it was blue skies and a flat C. Then, the tide turned, and

crashing waves came in that breach the sea wall and started lapping up

against the shop fronts here. If you look behind me, it is actually quite

difficult to believe that the tide is now on its way out. A number of

businesses here have been flooded, and there is concern tonight because

there was another high tide early in the morning.

Thank you very much. Let's see what the weather is going to be like,

then. Is it over now? then. Is it

Yes, it is easing now. Let's look at how windy it has been. A league

table of gusts across the north`east. It was the North

Pennines that sure the strongest gusts, 112 mph, lasting for just the

few seconds, and sustained winds on that fell where hurricane force,

over 90 miles an hour this morning. Some great weather photos from

viewers. The storm surge at Whitehaven. Thank you very much for

that, braving the high water there, the big waves. And the headline for

the rest of tonight, the winds will ease. It turns clear and it turns

frosty. Just one or two showers possible in the Western. One or two

of them will be wintry, but otherwise, dry and clear, starry

skies, allowing it to get really cold. The coldest night

winter so far, temperatures as low as `2 Celsius in towns and villages,

colder in the countryside, so a frosty start, and possibly ice after

the rain earlier. First thing tomorrow, a very different day.

Lighter winds and brighter skies, especially for North Yorkshire, and

in the north`east. In Cumbria by tea`time, more rain on the way,

although it is light and patchy as we talk North Yorkshire, it is cold,

despite the sunshine. Temperatures just one or two degrees above

freezing. Notice the winds, much lighter than they were today. If you

snow flurries over the North Pennines in the Cumbrian fells.

Here, not quite as cold as in the north`east, for Celsius, the high

30s in Fahrenheit. Let's take a look at the next couple of days. After

tomorrow, you will be very pleased to hear it as a calmer, milder

weekend. Mostly fine and dry across the north`east. It will be drizzly

for a time in the West on Saturday and Sunday. But the temperature is

nowhere near as cold as they were will be tomorrow. Seven or eight

Celsius to Saturday afternoon, and on Sunday, looking like the best day

of the weekend, as high as 11 Celsius, the low 50s in Fahrenheit,

so the best day of the two. Some bright spells breaking through in

the north`east as well. Rusty tonight, I've finally, those winds

easing. All eyes on that second high tide first thing tomorrow morning.

What a day that has been ! Thank you very much. You can get the latest

updates on your local radio stations, and Hannah is here with an

update would meet with the