29/04/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

at night. There is frost on the way. Thank you very much. Goodbye from

me. And Hello and welcome to Tuesday's Look

North. Tonight...

Another shocking health statistic. More than half of people in the

North East are overweight, according to a new survey, and a quarter are

obese. I passed a wheelchair sitting in the corridor which was twice as

wide as a standard wheelchair. I actually took a picture of it.

Could the Durham Miners' Gala be under threat, following a ?2 million

court case? Facing eviction ` the collector of

farm machines and engines, at odds with his local council.

And it is the end of an era, as this herd of alpacas heads to the auction

house. And in football, could it be the end

of the road for Carlisle United in League One? They will be relegated

if they lose at Crawley tonight. And the pressure builds on Newcastle

boss Alan Pardew, as the Magpies slump to their sixth defeat in a

row. More than half of people in the

North East are overweight and many are in denial about it. That is the

conclusion of the latest national survey on the state of our health.

It concludes that 56% of people are too heavy and 26% are said to obese.

That is based on the Body Mass Index, or BMI, calculation, which

compares your weight with your height. The obesity level here is

the highest in the UK. Our reporter Stephanie Cleasby has been looking

at the figures and has been out on the streets of Newcastle to gauge

reaction. Another report puts the North East 's waistline under the

spotlight. Most people work out their weight by setting one scales,

but doctors rely on a more scientific formula called the body

mass index. We have been asking people if they know the body mass

index. 25 more means you are overweight and above 50 is

classified as obese. That gives us 27.9. I could do something about

that. I did not think I was overweight. I am 76 years old. I

need to do something about that. I could rectify that, as long as I am

not obese. You are 24, you come within the health limits. That is

good news. It is good for your heart. I will be we are now more

that you have mentioned it. I want to be healthy, as well as slim.

29.4. Are you surprised to be that high? Do you lead a healthy

lifestyle? Not actually, I work in a restaurant. I had better watch my

weight. I feel one of the lucky ones others, because I like healthy food,

I like walking on like this sea and meeting people. More than half the

people in the region in denial about the state the health. They are

unaware of the potential health risks. I saw a real cheer on the

corridor that was twice as wide as the standard wheelchair. It was so

striking that I took my camera and took a picture of it. The body mass

index of the entire population has gone up. Two thirds of people are

either overweight or obese, and in other words, more than half. It has

become average to become too heavy. And Steph joins me in the studio

now. So, the North East is still one of the worst, if not the worst,

region in the country for obesity and many people are in denial about

the state of their health? 56% of people who are rated as overweight

CVR in excellent health, which shows a degree of denial. Overall health

problems related to overweight this or obesity cost millions of pounds

each year. We have never been as fat as we are now. The body mass index

is a general guide to dividing weight by eight. If it is over 25,

you should go and see your doctor, to see if there is anything you

should do to get that down. And you can have your say on that

story by visiting the Look North Facebook page. The details are on

your screen now... It is an event that has been

embedded into the region's industrial heritage for 140 years,

but could the Durham Miners' Gala disappear from the summer calendar?

Miners' leaders say it could be at risk, after their lawyers lost a

court case costing more than ?2 million. The Durham Miners'

Association says it will now have to ask its trade union partners to help

save the Gala. Gerry Jackson is in the city tonight. Gerry, the very

thought of this will come as a shock to a lot of people? This is the

racecourse, the culmination of many of the events. The question is, how

much longer will it remain? For generations, every second

Saturday in July, they have come in their tens of thousands, but there

is a chance that, like the pits themselves, this, too, could pass

into history. The Gala costs ?100,000 a year, much

of that being raised by the public, but the Durham Miner's Association

subsidises the branches that travel from far and wide. Each band that

comes to the gal gets ?600. They have got to pay transport costs out

of that. You get maybe bands coming from Lancashire or Yorkshire.

The Durham Miners were fighting a compensation case on behalf of

members now suffering from osteoarthritis of the knees. They

lost and faced a bill of ?2.2 million. They still owe around one

third of that. There have got to be some harsh decisions made. We are

very proud of representing Maynards and families outrun tribunal. They

need our help and support. But should the Gala be at risk while

the miners have assets like their grand Durham headquarters? In the

1990s, this building was put up as collateral in a court case they were

fighting. They say there is no need to do that this time. It is our job

to make sure the gal continues. But do you need to have this building?

That is being looked at. We have had the talk over the last few years. We

will be having talks with whoever. God forbid that, but we have to

vacate this place to ensure the survival of the Maynards

Association, we will do it. Time marches on and bills must be

paid. But the DMA says it is confident its friends in the trade

unions will want to show their support. They, too, it is hoped,

will find the idea of an end to all of this unthinkable. So, the

messages it is not just about the remaining heritage, but the whole

labour movement. The Durham Miners' Gala is the centrepiece of that in

the North East. The upshot is that members will have to put their hands

in their pockets to ensure the survival of the event.

The search is continuing for a man who has been missing in Ravenglass

in Cumbria since yesterday morning. John Allen, who is 76, was last seen

walking into the estuary at Ravenglass along with his dog.

Police say they do not believe he was swimming, but he may have been

trying to help his dog from the water. The dog reappeared, but Mr

Allen has not been seen since. And a dog from Newcastle, who was

killed in Afghanistan alongside her handler, is to be awarded the

highest military honour for an animal. Sasha will be given the

PDSA's Dickin Medal, for saving the lives of scores of soldiers and

civilians by sniffing out IEDs and other hidden weaponry. She died,

along with Lance Corporal Kenneth Rowe, in July, 2008, when their

routine patrol was ambushed. Now, his supporters would say it is

an Aladdin's cave of heavy engineering, but if you listen to

the local council, it is just too much metal, a lot of it is rusting

and, worse still, it is in the wrong place. Husky Petch, who has built up

a collection of engines and farm vehicles, is now facing eviction in

a row with his local authority. This engine is called the Blackstone. He

is one of life 's unforgettable characters. He has a passion for

engines, farm machinery. For the past 15 years, his collection has

grown on this piece of land owned by the council. No, the authority wants

it back and on Thursday, has threatened to Husky Petch evict and

remove the hundreds of items he has gathered over the years. Things like

this, this is an interesting thing. I have never seen one before. It is

the same as everything in here. Husky Petch is a well`known

character and his collection is true. Many locals have promised

their support and will be here if the bailiffs a lot arrive on the

first of next month. He has done so much for the local community. So

many people love him. This is his life. The collection he has got is a

collection of her study. It is devastating. I do not have

television or radio. This is all that I do. I do not know what I read

two of the bailiffs came into control away. I really do not know.

Husky Petch is the living illegally on the site to safeguard the

collection. The leader of Redcar Cleveland

Council, George Dunning, issued a statement earlier today, which said:

"Mr Petch is being evicted because he is illegally occupying a business

premises and there are concerns for the structure of the buildings and

his safety. The council is left with no other

option, after trying for many years to reach a mutually agreeable

outcome. He has occupied the site on a peppercorn rate since 2008,

declined the offer of two alternative sites and refused to

cooperate with court orders, thereby forcing the situation."

The leader of the Green Party has promised to give the region a fairer

deal on arts funding. At the moment, people in London receive nearly four

times the amount spent on the arts than those in the North East.

Natalie Bennett was speaking at the Sage Gateshead, ahead of the

European and local elections next month.

Everyone Deserves Music ` perhaps an unusual slogan at election time, but

here is a politician arguing for arts funding. Natalie Bennett, the

Green Party leader, condemned what she called the "slashing of arts

budgets". We have seen a huge concentration on the arts in London

and the south`east. We want to see the funding spread out locally. We

wanted to be given to local communities for them to decide how

it should be distributed. But the Greens would also scrap the

government's welfare cap, so would that not just drain the nation's

coffers? We have to make sure that people are able to feed themselves

and not rely on charity. We will not rest until the last third bank

closes because of lack of demand. The Greens are putting up over 60

candidates at the local elections on May 22 and full lists of candidates

in the European elections. You can see a full list of

candidates for the European elections on the BBC Politics

website. And, of course, we will be bringing you news from the other

parties, ahead of those May 22 elections.

Still to come, Dawn Thewlis with Tuesday's sport.

And showcasing some of Yorkshire's best`known artists. The exhibition

featuring some rarely`seen work. And after a lovely day for most, join me

later for the latest weather forecast.

When Pat Bentley went to Peru in the 1970s, she fell in love with the

alpaca, with its mop of curly hair and deep brown eyes. Later, she

became one of the first people to farm the animal in this country, on

her Cumbrian small holding. But an era is now coming to an end, as Pat

is retiring. Mark McAlindon went for one last look at her herd. For Pat,

alpacas have been her life. They are believed to be distantly related to

camels. They have given her a sense of well`being. They are very good

for someone who has a stressful job. You can come back and see them being

calm and gentle. It began 50 years ago when she got the first licence

to import them from South America. She then set up a business selling

clothes made of the rule. To describe as an exotic creature is

too damning with faint praise. They were revealed by the end tribes in

South America. It is why Pat is so sad to be saying goodbye. I can be

reduced to tears when I think about it, but it is so much work, but my

loss will be someone else's game. It could be the beginning of a carrier

for someone else. It would be good for someone younger who needs a

future. They're here will go under the hammer next Monday. The animals

will move on and five, but Pat will come home to an empty farm, the end

of an era. The Tour de France is not all about

elite riders and gruelling climbs. In the run up to July and Le Grand

Depart, a cultural event is also taking place. It is called The

Yorkshire Festival and one of the highlights is an exhibition at the

Mercer Gallery in Harrogate, showcasing some of the county's

best`known artists. The collection even features rarely`seen work by

David Hockney. The beauty of Yorkshire 's landscape reportedly

moved the great British painter Turner to tears. This is part of a

new exhibition which demonstrates the influence of Yorkshire. It is a

great draw for the landscape artists, such as tundra. There was a

tremendous diversity of landscape. You have the places where the

industrial revolution began, the fantastic coastline and then you

have got the softness of the days and the countryside and the big

cities. The collection cleverly places past Masters with

contemporary artists. It means Venus old scenes set alongside the likes

of modern art by David Hockney. It is something to be very proud of. It

shows the diversity of the country. It shows how well these artists

stand out. We have not decayed at all. It merely emphasises the

skill. The range of artists are amazing. The work is amazing. I am

really impressed. It is food for the eyes. It is fantastic. The paintings

come to life. It is part of a cultural array of events, head of

the Tour de France. Very nice. Ten for sport. Unlike the

paintings, this is not very nice. The unwanted statistics keep piling

up for Newcastle. Six defeats in a row is their worst run for 27 years.

The Magpies have scored just one goal in the last six and, since they

sold midfielder Yohan Cabaye in January, they have picked up just

nine points from a possible 39. Manager Alan Pardew is a man under

pressure. There is no disgrace in losing at

the Emirates and the odds are that Newcastle will still finish in the

top half of the table. But their collapse since the turn of the year

has been dramatic and left the fans looking for someone to blame. With

owner Mike Ashley staying well out the firing line, that leaves his

manager to take the flak. It is not comfortable. It is a pleasure for

all others. When you have gone six games and have not won a game, the

pressure does build. It has not helped that Pardew had

been serving a ban for headbutting Hull's David Meyler. He hoped his

return to the touchline might make a difference, but all it did was give

him a better view of Arsenal's charge towards the Champions League.

2`0 down at the break, the Magpies did at least avoid a complete

collapse, but Giroud made it three and, having lost their last home

game to Swansea, next up, it is bottom of the table Cardiff at St

James'. The result last week put us under

pressure, the last minute goal which I do not think we deserved. But the

only way to get out of it is to show the character we showed tonight.

Carlisle United will be relegated to League Two tonight if they lose to

Crawley. The Cumbrians will be without their main striker Gary

Madine because a police curfew requires him to be home in the North

East by seven o'clock. Even if Carlisle avoid the drop tonight with

a draw, they will still have to beat league leaders Wolves on the last

day of the season on Saturday to give themselves a chance of staying

up. Whatever the outcome, boss Graham Kavanagh says he thinks he

deserves the chance to continue managing the club. I like to think

that when I took over, we only had half a dozen points and were going

nowhere. We have had a horrendous injury crisis since I took over. The

one thing I have probably liked as a new manager, I put faith and trust

on players that I thought would remain fit. Every player I brought

in on the short`term and we have been scrimping and scraping all the

way through. Another few years in the wilderness. The whole process

starts again. I think they could stay up. It would not be good for

the city, football eyes. BBC Radio Cumbria has commentary of

the match, with James Phillips and Grant Holt starting the build up

from seven o'clock. Newcastle Racecourse has been given

approval to build an all`weather track at High Gosforth Park. The

existing one mile six furlongs turf track at High Gosforth Park will be

converted into an all`weather surface and Newcastle hopes to have

races on the world's only floodlit straight mile. They will be allowed

to apply to host fixtures next year. And in cricket's County

Championship, Yorkshire are in the driving seat at Lord's on day three

of the game. A big century from Gary Ballance helped them set Middlesex a

target of 472 for victory, but Chris Rogers and Sam Robson are leading

the fightback and the home side are currently 159`0.

Now, let us see how the weather is shaping up.

It has cooled down a bit this evening, but it was a lovely day for

many others. Warm sunshine through the middle part of the day meant

some very warm temperatures. The hotspot today was 19 Celsius. But

not everywhere was wrong, with coastal parts especially struggling

with mist and fog. As we head into this evening, there is a bit of

cloud over the odd shower, but they will die away and many places will

have the dry night. Again, low cloud, mist and fog forming, so pure

visibility through the early hours of the morning. But not cold, with a

low temperature of just seven Celsius. A rather get a start

tomorrow, but the low cloud should lift and clear in the morning and we

should again see bright spells developing. The sunny spells will be

mingled with some sharp showers in the afternoon. There could be some

heavy downpours into the late afternoon and evening. Top

temperature of about 17 Celsius. Take a look at the pressure sequence

for Thursday. Whether France producing cloud and rain for most of

us, but it does move away to the south, introducing drier and fresher

weather as we head towards the weekend. I pressure building and I

will stick my neck out as we'll go to the bank holiday weekend, most of

should enjoy a fair bit of dry weather, but it will also be cooler.

Temperatures fresher than they have been of late. That is how it is

looking at the moment. Any changes, we will of course keep them updated.

Can you just hear it there until 10:30pm for the late weather!

And that is Look North for now. We are back with headlines at eight

o'clock and the late bulletin after the national ten o'clock news. Bye

for now.