17/02/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

A building has partially collapsed and several houses have had to be

evacuated tonight after a sink hole opened`up in a North Yorkshire

street. The ground suddenly collapsed beneath a house just

before six o'clock this evening in Magdalene's Close in Ripon. Luckily,

there was no`one in the house at the time, but a dog was successfully

rescued from the building. Residents from adjoining houses have been

evacuated as a precaution and the area has been cordoned off by the

police. A Fire and Rescue unit from Ripon are currently at the scene,

and mining experts are now on their way to assess the situation.

Our household returned to his house and realised there had been some

subsidence in his back garden. He could see large cracks have appeared

in the long and down the side of the house. Some of the house started to

move away from the main part of the building. We are going to secure the

scene now and make sure that the gas mains at isolated. The structural

engineers will have a good look during the light of day.

It created a wave of anger ` and fears that lives could be put at

risk. Last month, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service announced more

than 130 job losses and the closure of three stations ` all in response

to a cut of ?9 million in Government grants. But today a reprieve and the

Fire Authority's come up with revised plans. A short time ago, our

Political Correspondent Mark Denten sent this report from one of those

threatened stations in Sunderland. This is Sunderland Central Fire

Station. It is one of the fire stations that were due to close last

month. Today the same fire authority has issued a statement. It says it

has been listening to public concerns and it has made changes.

One of the changes will use ?6 million of reserves to cushion the

cats. The closures of fire stations like this one will only be made as a

last resort. Has that convinced the critics? No. I have been speaking to

the Fire Brigades union. It is a fudge. It is confused. There was an

option to save the fire stations for a minimum of three years. That

option was not taken. The fire service has not been protected. We

are left with confusion. The fire authority were not

available for interview on this subject tonight, but Labour MPs are

also angry, particularly the member for Sunderland Central. She has

issued a statement saying she is disappointed with the revised

statement from the fire authority and says it. Put lives in Sunderland

at risk. `` it will still put lives. Durham Police have been questioning

three men arrested in an armed operation last night in Darlington.

The three, aged 30, 22 and 19, were detained in the town's Yarm Road,

after the van in which they were travelling was brought to an

enforced stop by officers. They're from different locations in

the North East, and are being held at separate police stations. A

police spokesman said today there were no injuries and went on to

reassure people in Darlington this was "an isolated incident."

Police have launched a fresh appeal for information about the unsolved

murder of a man 18 years ago today. Kevin Nightingale, a club doorman

from South Shields, was shot on his doorstep after returning from work

on the 17th of February, 1996. Bob Cooper reports.

He was only 33 and a father of two children. Described as a

lovely`natured man, who idolised his family. He was a lovely man. He had

a heart of gold. He would help anybody stop. But his life was

cruelly cut short, when someone shot Kevin Nightingale after work in

front of his family home. That was 18 years ago today.

Since then, his widow jury has been living in limbo. The longer it's

gone on the harder it is getting. We are waiting to see who did it. Why?

Three people were charged in 2000 and then again 2001 for Mr

Nightingale's murder, but the charges were dropped both times. Now

police are renewing efforts to find out who is responsible. Detectives

worked on the murder for several years. It is an opportunity with

advances in technology to have a look at everything and see if there

is anything new that can be done. Crimestoppers are also offering

?5,000 for information that might lead to a conviction. And if anyone

out there does know anything, jury Nightingale has this message for

them. If anybody knows anything at all, it

might be the tiniest piece of information, please come forward,

because it might mean a big deal to the police.

A public meeting's been held in York this evening on the controversial

issue of fracking. Representatives of Dart Energy, which holds the

licence for fracking in the area, are meeting campaigners who are

against the idea. The process involves drilling deep underground

to extract shale gas. The Government says it'll create jobs and bring

cheaper energy in the future. Opponents say it damages the

environment. Tributes have been paid to the

former BBC Newcastle presenter, Frank Wappat, who's died on his 84th

birthday. Frank suffered heart failure at the Royal Victoria

Infirmary in Newcastle this morning. He retired after a stroke in 2010,

ending a 40 year career on the station.

Football, and Sunderland fans still don't know who they'll face in the

quarter finals of the FA Cup. Brighton and Hull 1`1 tonight ` so

they'll have to replay to decide who the Black Cats will play in just

under three weeks' time. Well it's murky and damp, but it is

getting a fraction warmer. We'll take what we can get, Hannah Bayman.

take what we can get, Hannah Barely mild over the next few days.

Tomorrow we are expecting showers. First thing tomorrow quite misty. A

few showers to the West. In Northumberland one or two showers,

but there will be sunshine as well. Mostly dry on Wynnstay. `` wedding

stay. Wind and heavy rain return on Thursday.

for the most part on Wednesday, it will turn

Whilst across the whole of the country the general weather pattern

shows no signs of completely settling down there is some good