22/02/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Good afternoon. The new Bishop of Durham's enthronement service is

under way at Durham Cathedral. He's already condemned Government welfare

reforms, accusing the Prime Minister of creating hardship and poverty.

The Right Reverend Paul Butler was speaking at the falchion ceremony

yesterday, an ancient ceremony to welcome him to the diocese ahead of

his enthronement. I am new to the area so I will take time to get

around and Lytton and so on but obviously there are issues around

poverty and employment, particularly youth unemployment and so speaking

up for those things and there is a genuine concern that region is

distant from the metropolis get forgotten sometimes or not listened

to adequately. And on the same day as the new

Bishop of Durham is enthroned, a woman from Sunderland has also been

enthroned in New Zealand. Reverend Dr Helen`Ann Hartley will become the

seventh Bishop of Waikato. She is the first woman priest originally

ordained in the Church of England to become an Anglican Bishop. Her

parents, who live near Durham, have flown out for the service.

This weekend marks a month since the disappearance of Megan Roberts. The

20`year`old student from York St John University was last seen close

to the River Ouse near Lendal Bridge in the early hours of Thursday 23rd

January. The student union has been handing out leaflets to help in the

search. Police investigating a robbery at a

Newcastle post office are continuing to appeal for witnesses. Extra

police officers are in the Gosforth area after the robbery in which a

woman was found tied up. It happened at the post office in the Gosforth

Shopping Centre off the high street yesterday morning. A man stole a

large amount of cash before making his way towards the nearby park.

Officers were called after the alarm system was triggered. The woman

suffered minor injuries and was left shaken, but unhurt.

Northumberland`based Gunners march onto parade today to troop the

historic battle axe for the last time at Albemarle Barracks, in

Newcastle. The tradition of Battle Axe Day goes back to when the

Battery helped in the capture of Martinique in 1809 from the French.

It's traditional that the tallest man always carries the battle axe on

parade ` he's known as the "Axe Man" ` and traditionally he also wears a

moustache. We will have a report on that tonight.

To football ` and today's fixtures Sunderland are away at Arsenal in

the Premier League, Middlesbrough have just kicked`off their game

against Leeds United in the Championship at the Riverside

Stadium. Carlisle hoping to build on their midweek victory by beating

fifth placed Rotherham ` in League One. In League Two, Hartlepool

travel to the side bottom of the Football League, Northampton, while

York City are at home ` to play`off hopefuls Southend. Gateshead against

Alfreton Town and in the Scottish League two, Berwick away to East

Stirling Newcastle face Aston Villa tomorrow at St James' Park. Let's

find out the weather prospects now for the rest of the weekend.

A lovely morning for some bright sunshine for many of us but then the

cloud will thicken from the West during the afternoon and in Cumbria,

that will bring some light rain initially. Elsewhere, we will hang

on to the sunshine particularly across the coast. Temperatures

getting up to nine Celsius with the wind is fairly strong from the

south`west. That rain increases as we go through the night. It will be

a fairly cloudy night and windy as well with gales for many of us,

temperatures down to seven Celsius. Turning wet and windy tomorrow.

Good afternoon. It has been a lovely start with some very welcome winter

sunshine. For the rest of the day, the further east you are, you will

hang onto that for much of the time. The