25/06/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

high, 15-20. It's not all bad. Thank you very much. That's all from us

that two in our region are struggling to find pupils.

Up in smoke ` ?1 million worth of illegal drugs

The body found in a waste recycling plant.

Fitness fanatic and personal trainer John`Lee tells his story.

In sport, we've been at one of the oldest horse races

And we'll step up our Commonwealth Games countdown,

asking an old master if his star pupil can win a medal?

They're supposed to improve choice for parents.

But opponents of free schools ` which are taxpayer`funded btt free

of council control ` claim they re a waste of taxpayer's money.

And they claim two of the Government's free schools in the

New figures show that two free schools in Stockton

and Durham have filled fewer than two thirds of their places.

Supporters insist they're both on course for success.

It doesn't yet seem an obvious spot for education, but this met`l shed

on an industrialist estate hs being converted into a temporary home for

the region's latest free school ready for opening in September.

Over in that far corner, a library, learning zone area in the mhddle.

Getting the school ready for the autumn isn't the only challdnge

It had planned for 120 pupils in its first year.

It will actually start with fewer than two thirds of that number.

That worries the school's critics but doesn't trouble the headteacher.

A lot of people are waiting to see, is it really going to open?

What's going to be the qualhty of provision that occurs once we?re

It's my opportunity now with my staff in September to show them it's

Parents have long campaigned for a new secondary school,

unhappy that many children currently have to go elsewhere.

This is an artist's impresshon of what the free school will eventually

look like, but the council says the project will waste millhons

That money could have been better spent in schools that already

But this is an idea with heavyweight support.

Education Secretary Michael Gove came to Stockton in 2011 to back

The area's Conservative MP is just as enthusiastic.

This government has a schemd which local residents and p`rents

have been able to engage with, which is going to deliver what we need.

It will be a brand`new, new build, specially designed secondarx school.

Work is due to start on a permanent building on the field

behind me at the end of this year, with pupils and staff expected to

The wider debate about the cost and impact free schools across

This is Durham Free School, which opened last September.

Aiming for what it describes as a traditional Christian dthos,

it is also on a temporary shte and has struggled to attract pupils

Numbers are around 60 percent of the predicted figure.

Is it good value to be investing millions of pounds in half`dmpty

schools when other schools `re crying out for investment?

They need additional money to be spent to stop redundancies

and to give children the best education we can.

Ministers believe free schools give parents better choice and qtality,

but critics say the policy still hasn't achieved what it prolised.

Luke ` these two schools ard being singled out for criticism,

but they're not the only frde schools in the North East are they?

They are certainly not. There are actually ate three schools `cross

the North East. It is a verx mixed picture. Some have already proved

popular with parents. One in Sunderland, a former privatd school,

told me that it is oversubscribed by four or five times for each place.

Nonetheless, the school in Durham as two very high`profile schemds. Any

problems at those schools are problems for the government. I have

been told that the permanent building will cost around ?00

million to the taxpayer. Th`t is not an exceptional figure for a

secondary school but clearlx the government will want to makd sure at

that school in school. How luch of an embarrassment would it bd if

these schools fail? It would be an embarrassment.

Michael Gove has given his backing to these three schools in Ingleby.

In those two cases, they haven't yet moved on to their permanent site.

Nonetheless, looming over this is the big issue of value for loney,

which Labour is talking abott. This is in a context of thousands of

surplus secondary school pl`ces across the region. Durham County

Council says they already h`ve several thousand surplus pl`ces The

big question is is it sensible in that context to build anothdr

school? Thank you.

?1 million worth of drugs ` recovered during raids on

the streets of Teesside ` h`ve been taken to an incinerator and burned.

Cleveland Police's Drug Enforcement Team recovered them over

The police's efforts have bden praised by the area's drugs workers.

But they say more needs to be done when children as young

Recovered in raids, dumped and destroyed.

There's ?1 million pounds worth of drugs here, bags and boxes packed

This was all seized ` because local people reportdd drug

Today really is a thank you to the public for all the intelligdnce we

get from them that allows us to take action will stop my unit is not just

about taking off the main ddalers, but also the anti`social drtg

dealing that goes on. People on this Stockton est`te say

the drug dealers and users have Drugs are easy to get hold of here `

and a local support groups says it knows of children as young

as 14 taking cocaine. I think it is excellent that the

public are now standing up, ringing in giving the police inform`tion so

that it aids than to do thehr job. I want more to be done. I would like

to see more police because there are even more drugs on the stredt now.

It is coming in via the Intdrnet. They are targeting younger people.

As well as recovering all of this ` Cleveland's newly formed

Drug Enforcment Team has made around 200 arrests.

The depressing reality though ` is that on estates like this ` the

problem doesn't seem to be going away and some days the war on drugs

The police say a man whose body was found in a waste dump on We`rside

But tonight, they say they're not yet treating his death as mtrder.

From Washington, here's our Chief Reporter Chris Stewart.

For the worker who made the discovery, a dreadful shock

This afternoon, the police said they hadn't formally identified him,

He was a 26`year`old from Lhncoln Street in Sunderland. Detectives

want to find out what he was doing in the days leading to his death,

and ask anyone with information to contact them.

This is a waste transfer station run by a

What's brought here comes from household bins ` mainlx from

Once here, the rubbish is sdparated for landfill,

We've been told that it was during THIS process that

We understand the body bore the marks of several injurids.

The police so far say they're investigating ` but have bedn

The site remains closed while the police investigation continues.

The parents of a toddler who was paralysed in a road crash s`y

they're disgusted that the taxi driver responsible was fined

Four year old Jessica Bootes was badly injured when Amir Azaz smashed

into the back of the car in Jarrow, South Tyneside.

Jessica was left paralysed down her right side,

and blind in one At South Txneside Magistrates Court 35`year`old Azaz

pleaded guilty to driving whthout due care and attention.

He received six penalty points as well as the fine.

Jessica's mother Lisa Orrock described the punishment

They're much`needed jobs we lost ` but now we could win them b`ck.

Companies relocating overse`s for cheap labour and materials was a

But some firms are heading back home.

In the jargon it's called 'reshoring.'

The North East Chamber of Commerce is pushing hard

Our Business Correspondent Han Reeve reports.

This County Durham factory, making shower fittings, brotght work

The only British made product in our sector is made by us. That hs a huge

advantage for art in terms of commercial benefits. We havd

certainty in our stock and production. Guarantees in product

quality. And there are other benefits

to bringing work back home. Janelle is one of 20 people working

here who've been added to the workforce, thanks to production

shifting from the Far East. It is really good. Nice, frhendly

atmosphere. They have helped me fit in rolling well, considering I have

been out of work quite awhile. `` really well.

Bringing the jobs back home Well, one in six British companies has

'reshored' production in the past three years.

Six per cent say they will do in the next three years.

Adding to the total of 1,500 reshored jobs sincd 20 1.

In the region, the North East Chamber of Commerce is holdhng

events and pushing its membdrs hard to follow this company's ex`mple.

focus on undoubtedly cheap overseas manufacture,

The cost of managing somethhng out our's Lancs, and sorting out issues

when they arise, because it's good to arrive here not exactly `s you

want but sending back and gdtting new ones. The total cost is not as

much as some people might think And then there's always this

boast that can be made. Both lost their fathers to lotorbike

accidents, and both now want to warn bhkers

of the dangers of riding whhle tired, after enjoying the open roads

of North Yorkshire and Cumbria. Inspector David Mangan

from Lancashire Police, says he sees far too many accidents

involving bikers making simple but fatal mistakes, when thdy're

tired after a full day on the road. And North Yorkshire Special

Constable Jemma Kettlestring, who lost HER dad in a bike `ccident,

is helping raise awareness Phil Chapman has been out

on patrol with both forces. On the 11th of September 2003, I was

present at a motorcycle acchdent. This time, it was different. I was

off duty, writing my own bike and the rider who was killed was my dad.

Inspector David nine in featuring in a safety video he should never have

had to make. His father madd a simple mistake and paid the ultimate

prize. There were high hedgdrows on either side of the road, a van and a

motorcycle involved. I think he didn't see the vehicle and lade an

error. He pulled out in front of it and it was more than likely down to

his level of fatigue. Now D`vid spends his time trying to s`ve the

lives of other bikers. I wanted to use the mistake my father mdant to

help educate other riders. We see, in Lancashire, riders who are on

powerful machines going out on sunny Sunday afternoons, and on the return

leg of their journey when they are more tired and concentration isn't

as high, they are having serious accident. Serving with North

Yorkshire police, Special Constables Gemma tries to educate bikers as

well, having lost her father to an accident not far from this

well`known biker's cafe. My own dad was killed on this road. We received

that knock on the door at that nobody wants to see or hear. We can

use our experiences to help others. That is the message we want to get

out there is, just arrive s`fely. This is one of many routes taking

riders back towards Lancashhre and Greater Manchester. Gemma and David

Noel perhaps more than most people about the need to try to reduce the

numbers of injuries and deaths. Coming up later in tonight's Look

North Jeff's here with the sport. Plus The early years ` an exhibition

of sketches by the acclaimed County Durham artist Norman Cornish

` before he was famous. I called this one low presstre from

the West. In the North East every year,

5,500 people suffer a strokd. And 16,000 are living with

a disability after stroke. It can have devastating effdcts

on people's lives, and it c`n happen to anyone, no matter what

your age or your lifestyle. Fitness fanatic and personal

trainer John Lydon from Washington He had a stroke at the age

of just 30. He's been nominated for a

Life After Stroke Award It was a normal day, other than

the night before I had a bit of a headache and I didn't quite feel 100

percent, but well enough to work. I went to talk to a colleagte

and apparently I was slurring. She got a bit

of a shock that the left side I went to stand up to speak to her

because I was thinking I was okay, just a bit lightheaded, and the

next thing I fell into a bookcase. I tried to stand up again and the

vision in my left eye totally went. I was only partially sighted

in my right eye. When I came back they said H'd had

a stroke. The arrogance of me thought,

?I?m a young lad, I'm a machine It was a big wake`up call that I'm

human, it can happen to anybody I was a bit of a mystery man

at hospital. They took me to every department

trying to find out why. They found a hole in my heart,

that?s the only thing I could think It apparently affects only one

in four people from birth. The stroke has left me with more

fatigue which is hard to de`l It?s 1 million times

better than it was. That can affect my short`term

memory, also I will stutter Those that know me will probably say

that?s always happened, The last two years have been

a bit of a rough time for md My wife was saying last

night how proud she was. She?s been a big help and she should

be getting an award as well. I'm really happy and shocked,

to be honest. It's a good thing that makes me

feel that what I've done is John Lydon ` who's been nomhnated

for a Life After Stroke Award Those awards take place tonhght

in Gateshead. They are the sketchings

of an artist on the brink Now,

previously unseen work by the County Durham painter, Norman Cornhsh, is

going on display in County Durham. Much of it is

from sketchbooks uncovered They say discovering the 50`year`old

drawings was like having a seat Our correspondent Peter

Harris went to see them. Norman Cornish filmed

in the early 1960s, and this is the part of the artist's

life covered by a new exhibhtion. Much of it work never

before seen including sketchbooks uncovered by his family So prolific

was Norman, his family spent weeks It was a bit like having a front

seat in the history of art. It was like looking through sketchbooks

that no one else had seen. We came across a lot of finished work, oil

paintings, drawings, paintings on board. They were behind cupboards,

under tables, the place was just a real treasure trove of finished

work. The sketchbooks were hn amongst all this. We finallx

uncovered 269 of the band. They are absolutely fascinating. Norlan's

view was worth `` with a Lowry painting, he felt like he w`s

looking through a window, whereas with his work it was as if he was in

the room. You can see that here Norman was right in the middle of it

and it was impossible for hhm to walk down the street or into the

local pub without everyone turning round and saying all right, Norman?

Norman will be 95 this year. He no longer makes public appearances The

work speaks for itself. Everything he needs to say, as he

once famously said, is hanghng on the walls. It's all there.

Former Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler will perform

at the Great North Run Millhon Opening Ceremony later this year.

It's being staged on Saturday the 7th Septembdr to

mark the millionth finish at this year's Bupa Great North Run.

Over the years, Knopfler's "Local Hero" track has

Are you doing it again this year? I think so. Training is going slowly.

Less than a month to go to the start of the Commmonwealth Games, and most

of our competitors are doing the fine`tuning which ` they hope ` will

For the coaches, it's also a busy time ` especially whdn you're

Today he was at Slaley Hall in Northumberland, overseeing

another gathering of the grdat and the good on behalf CoCo, his

The annual golf day is one of their biggest events of the year.

And not just because the boss needs the practice.

But it's also an important time for Steve Cram the coach.

His star pupil ` Ashington's Laura Weightman `

will head north next month, hoping to land her first major med`l.

It is tough but Moore has sdt her sights on a year with Commonwealth

and European Championships. `` Laura has set her sights. We have been

trying to work on giving her the ammunition she needs to do well in

those final. The nice thing about the Commonwealth Games is they are

not place races, it is not like the diamond leaks. If you use your brain

he will get there. You can get good results. `` Diamond league 's.

Steve's first big result was a gold in the 1500m at the 0982

But if Laura does match her Olympic final appearance of 2012 `

will Steve the commentator be able to contain himself?

I think I can separate them out to some extent. Once my job is done,

after that I can't do anythhng so I may as well get on and commdntates.

We deal with the aftermath afterwards. It will be exciting

London 2012 was a great events to be part of, to work on. I'm sure the

Commonwealth Games will be `s good. We hopefully have a feud north`east

people bearing Ravi chance of winning medals.

There was local success this afternoon in the annual

Carlisle Bell and Cumberland Plate race meeting at Carlisle.

The ?30,000 Plate was won bx Noble Alan,

a horse trained by Nicky Richards at his Greystoke base in Culbria.

The Bell was won by Adrian Nicholls from Thirsk on his horse, Johnno.

The Bell and Plate meeting hs the most prestigious date

in Carlisle's racing calend`r, with the historic trophies first

We sent Mark McAlindon along to sample the occasion.

It's the biggest day of the racing calendar at C`rlisle.

With so much at stake, it's a day for cool heads with almost ?100 000

in prize money, including ?30,0 0 each for the bell and plate.

We get a lot of support throughout the country

You know you're going to get a good competition.

You're going to get his season world`class courses

and maybe see some horses and the younger fields that are going to

These trophies are the orighnals, on public view that kept under

It's a very competitive racd, as we've gone to the point where we

now have a consolation race for the bell, which is great.

We may even do that with a plate in future.

Trainers target their horses particularly to these two r`ces

?30,000 of prize`money for dach of the two races.

For a Wednesday afternoon in June, Carlisle is the place to be.

This ancient tradition continues to draw the crowds.

The sport of Kings was keenly contested under Elizabeth IH

Cricket and reigning county champions, Durham, are up to fourth

in the Division One table after wrapping up victory on the final day

They took the one wicket they needed darly

Ben Stokes finished the game with ten wickets.

It doesn't yet seem an obvious spot for education but this has been

It should be OK tomorrow. This year, so far we are doing OK. We have had

some blue sky over the roundabout thanks to Angie Wallace for that

shot. Tomorrow, most of us will have a dry day. There will be sole

sunshine around although it will never beat tropically warm over the

next few days. A lot of rain today across south`west Scotland. A little

of that as we rain spilling into Cumbria and parts of the Borders.

Most places east of the Pennines saying drying `` staying drx

overnight. Towns and cities stay in the double figures. Tomorrow, a

cloudy start with the odd spot of rain in the West. That will tend to

peter out and we will see the cloud lift and break in places. A dry

bright day rather than unbroken sunshine. The wind is very light is

coming from that north`eastdrly direction. 14 or 15 degrees along

the coast. A bit further west, we could see 18 or 19 degrees. We have

low`pressure out to the west, trying to push its way in and dry these

weather fronts with it as wd head towards the tail end of the week. A

lot of uncertainty about how far north the rainbow ghats. It looks

like most of it will stay to the south, at least the more persistent

rain. `` how far North the rain will ghats. Over the next few daxs for

Cumbria, a fair amount of cloud around but there will be a lot of

dry weather, just the odd shower. Temperatures in the high tedns.

North`eastern parts will be more exposed to the north`easterly

winds, so temperature is a good few degrees Celsius down, espechally

near the coast. Typically in the mid teens. A fair amount of clotd and

the odd shower. Remember to keep your June weather pictures coming

in. If you have a picture that sums up June we'd love to see it.