11/07/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

And that is all from us. There is more throughout the evening on the

A couple who lost their son and the man whose life he s`ved come

to our studios to tell us more of their remarkable story.

At least someone else's Sun has a life.

Protests in Northumberland over plans to make over`16s pay for their

A man who spent six months in hospital speaks publicly

And the little stars whose fighting spirit is recognised

A week after the excitement of the Tour de France, we are back on the

bikes for the Stockton Cyclhng Festival.

It's been an incredible, emotional week for two families

But behind that title lie so many personal stories.

We heard one of them on Look North last night.

The story of a young man, John Carter, who died suddenly

His heart was donated to another young man, Scott Rutherford,

who had suffered heart problems throughout childhood.

We told you how John's parents and Scott hoped to get together

What we didn't know was that they had in fact met briefly before.

Well, they met properly tod`y when they came into our studio

earlier this evening to tell us the remarkable story of how, at

a church service for donor families and recipients, John's mum Freda

suddenly realised that the boy who'd received her son's he`rt was

I knew his heart had gone to a boy called Scott, a 15`year`old. That

was as much as we knew. I started getting hysterical and I was crying

and I said, he has our John's heart. He has our John's heart. He was

trying to calm me down and said be quiet, there are lots of people

called Scott, we do not know. Wait until he stands up. In the

meantime, the nurses at the back of the church were watching all of this

going on. I was getting mord historical and then John got up and

sang his song. `` more hystdrical. Everything fitted in. When he

mentioned John and a 33`year`old and I thought, that's it, this has to be

him. At the end of the servhce, you were brought together? Yes. I got

approached by a nurse who h`s known me from when I was tiny and she

pulled me to the front of the church and asked me to confirm somd

details. I confirmed that hd was called John and that he died of a

brain should be. She went and came back and said did you definhtely get

it on September seven? I sahd yes. It will always be a day I rdmember.

She basically said, I don't want to alarm you, but your donor's mum and

dad are at the back of the church. It was this overwhelming fedling of

being taken back and it almost wasn't real. Dawn said, the mother

is asking if she can meet you. Straightaway, I said yes,

definitely. I cannot imagind that moment. It was... It was

unbelievable. The emotions. The feelings. You just cannot

explainers. I took to him straightaway. `` explain it. I seems

to bond with him. He opened his arms and I felt my son's heart bdating.

She said, can I feel the he`rtbeat? I said yes. It is a really strong

one. I held it to my chest. And we just share this moment. We were all

crying and feeling this momdnt. It was like something out of a film.

You would watch a film and think, that would never happen. Yot have

been through so much alreadx and you seem very close. We just sedm to

have... I love him, I do. Oh, don't. He is part of my son, isn't it? And

he is part of me. He didn't stay in vain. If he had lived, it... He was

a fit, happy and healthy lad and he loved life. You must stay in touch.

Oh, yes. Definitely. I see them as sort of a second family now. I feel

almost like I have a heart family. I will never break contact, bdcause

these guys and John are my heroes. To be in my circumstances and for

them to have lost their son, but still to have made that selfless

decision to donate, it saved my life. I will be eternally thankful.

I cannot urge anybody enough to get signed up, live life and give away.

Transplants save lives. Thex saved mine. Living life to the full now.

What more you do? What more pleasure can you get than to give a xoung boy

that? If I can't have my son, at least somebody else's Sun h`s a

life. Well,

it has been a roller coaster week of stories to help raise aw`reness

of National Transplant Week. If you missed them,

you can see them again online. And if it has inspired you to join

the organ donor register, you can call the Organ Donor Line

on 0300 123 23 23. Thousands of parents

in Northumberland face It'll be imposed from Septelber for

those children over the age of 6. Councillors arriving for today's

meeting at Morpeth were lobbied by The plan was backed

by the ruling Labour group `nd four independent councillors, but opposed

by the other main parties. The protesters began arriving at

eight o'clock this morning. It should be free for all children I'm

from Scotland where transport is free and has never occurred to me.

The meeting started in 15 mhnutes. We have about 100 parents hdre. We

are expecting to talk to thd Labour councillors. A Labour counchllor

then came out to hear some of the protest is' concerns.

This is rough cuts and a Government that has denied us. `` about cuts.

This is not a Labour's cuts. We are doing the dirty work of the

coalition. And it is not very nice. After four animated hours of debate,

a vote was taken and the result went the way the council wanted. Less

pleased is the mother who asked to pay for her 16`year`old daughter to

go to transport, while her xounger daughter goes for three.

It will be 1300 a year. Do not qualify for the `` do you not

qualify for the flat fee? Know. I have to take the public bus service.

The leader of the council s`ys the schools are now responsible for

funding transport. A bursarx scheme was set up, valued at about ?18

million. It will spread amongst schools and the schools havd to look

at transport is one of the hssues. `` as one. They are saying ht is

down to the schools. I think that is misleading. The bursaries are not

just for transport, they ard for special educational needs, so that

we can drive up standards. Really, they should be for education and not

just for transport. The mothon was defeated, that means if you are the

parent of a 16`year`old in Northumberland who doesn't have an

exemption you could be facing a bill of ?600 per year to send hil or her

to school. A head teacher who's accused of

having sex with a 130year`old boy in Last week, a jury at Durham Crown

Court failed to reach a verdict in She denies four charges

of indecent assault and two charges of indecency with a child rdlating

to a boy who was not a pupil of hers A retrial will take place in January

next year. Hit with a baseball bat 30 times

and left in a coma. Now, six months on, Gerard Williams

has been released from hosphtal Speaking publicly

for the first time since thd attack, the father of three says he's been

left terrified and is now constantly Detectives say they can still

find no reason why anyone would He runs behind a bench wherd Gerard

was sitting and starts hitthng him. I remember seeing a man and the next

thing I know I am in the hospital. I was told I had just come out of a

coma. It was terrifying. Terrifying. Really scary.

Gerard spent five months in hospital.

The attack left him with broken bones from his legs to his head

One witness said the attackdr or mostly him out on the floor. `` lay

him out on the floor. Detectives say they can find no

motive for such a violent attack ` an attack which was carried out

while he sat quietly I am very nervous when I go out I

always look over my shoulder. It has been terrifying, absolutely

terrifying. By a busy road, detectives say they know soleone in

this community saw all thosd who attacked Gerard. Six months on, they

are urging people to speak out. Police have named

a student who died in Newcastle yesterday morning and say they don't

believe anyone else was involved. Sijabuliso Nkala was found

near a cycle path at The Ov`l in He had a puncture wound to

his chest and was pronounced dead Mr Nkala, who was 24, was

a student at Newcastle Univdrsity. Redcar MP Ian Swales has announced

that he will be standing down at the 2015 General Election

for personal reasons. The Liberal Democrat said that it

had been an honour to represent the area in Parliament

and he was proud of the rold he Now, it's been a grim year

for the Co`operative Bank, Experts from the Sellafield nuclear

site in Cumbria are being sdnt to Japan to help with the clean up of

the devastated Fukishima powerplant. The facility saw the meltdown

of three of its nuclear reactors in 2011,

a consequence of Japan's tstnami. Our Business Correspondent,

Ian Reeve, reports. The stuff of nightmares or

at least a far`fetched disaster movie. A Japanese earthquakd

triggers a tsunami. It sees a meltdown of three

of the Fukushima nuclear re`ctors. But, three years on,

Cumbrian know`how will now help to decommission the plants,

with Sellafield sending The way it came

about was through discussions with the people there and they are

forging a new strategy to fhgure out They asked us whether we wotld

be willing to be a part of that Steve has been to Fukushima

and seen the scale. It is a job that

Sellafield can deal with. We deal with it on a day to day

basis and we understand the risks. We understand the condition

of the reactors, The Japanese colleagues are very

interested in how we can tr`nsfer that to them so they can le`rn

from our activities. This is what we developed

and we believe this is suit`ble to be deployed inside a reactor at

Fukushima to locate the radhation. It has been to the plant,

and the lessons from there can be It is one of

the biggest nuclear clean up jobs. The Japanese and various Japanese

companies are going to be ddveloping a lot of technologies

and techniques that we belidve will The Fukushima project is re`lly

interesting because the movd of expertise to Japan is

a reversal of roles in the UK where Japanese companies are

planning to build the first nuclear There's just one week left to sign

up as a volunteer performer for the It will celebrate the race reaching

its one millionth finisher. It will involve 1,500 members of the

public and the choreographer who'll be masterminding a performance en

masse has been on the Newcastle`Gateshead quaysidd to meet

some of them for the first time And if you want to be part

of the quayside spectacular, Now, it's been a grim year

for the Co`operative Bank, massive losses, a bailout

and a controversial former boss But, despite that,

other co`operative businessds, owned and run by their membdrs, have

had a record year in the region Here's our Political Correspondent,

Mark Denten. It's been part of the High Street

for decades. The Co`operative Group `

475 stores in the region, including this new one in County Durh`m,

11,000 staff and an image problem. A ?1.5 billion black hole, ` rescue

by private investors, the b`nk run by the Co`operative group h`s faced

a series of grim headlines. But away from the familiar Co`op,

running everything from funeral homes and banks, there

is another co`operative movdment you Alison works at this hotel, which is

a cooperative with 54,000 mdmbers. They have a say

in how things are run. There are meetings,

they can put their input in If they come here and do not

like the way something is rtn, Across Britain, the number

of co`operative organisations rose In the north`east, there ard 50 ,

with a turnover Cumbria has one

of the largest numbers of community co`operatives in Britain, rtnning

everything from pubs to village The trouble for the

Co`operative Bank has not stopped other co`operatives soaring and

taking on new workers like Laura. She works for a design comp`ny

in Newcastle. It is having an equal say in the

business and I think at a young age, The Co`op, battered by lossds,

is rebuilding its images. But there is a wider co`operative

movement out there still making And there'll be more on the future

of the co`operative movement That's on Sunday morning

at eleven on BBC One. Children across the North E`st have

been recognised for their bravery and fighting spirit

at an awards ceremony in Newcastle. The Children's Foundation Stars

Awards, now in their eighth year, celebrate children with a

disability and those who help them. Stephanie Cleasby went

along to meet some of the stars A room full of stars. Every trial

here has shown bravery. Likd four`year old Jessica who rdcently

featured on look North. `` Look North. Matthew had to learn to walk

again following surgery. It has been a hard year. It is good to get the

award. I am really proud of him Newcastle United Foundation

nominated him. He is amazing, quite inspirational. 11`year`old Thomas

has autism, but he has not `llow `` allowed it to get in the wax of him

learning diving. I'm trying to do a course and then I will do mx

advanced course, so I will be more qualified than my dad. All of the

children, parents and carers have been nominated by members of the

public and this year they h`ve had the most nominations ever. @dding

sometimes nice for families to see other families, it can becole a

support network. There is so much going on in her life. It is so nice

for her to get some recognition for the things she has done. All of

these children require lots of care, so there were also awards for

parents and carers. Aiden does an amazing job of being the best

brother in the world to her, really. Also my nephew, joseph, he hs really

understanding with her. Even when she wrestles him to the grotnd.

Time for sport now, and Jeff's got on his bike tonight.

Jeff, you're a week late for the Tour de France!

I can't believe I missed th`t, Carol.

So I'm making up for lost thme by taking in the

It's a three`day event, spread over the whole weekend and we

have a couple of gentlemen here to tell us a bit more about it.

First of all, from Stockton council, their head of arts and leistre,

Reuben, are you cashing in on the Tour de France, here?

Not really, they were cashing in on the popularity we have been

building. This is the fourth. It has everything. It has the sprint race

that you can see now. Tomorrow, there is something for people who

want a bit more of a challenging right. Sunday, there is a m`ss

participation right. We havd the lead Grand Prix and there are stunts

and displays and a pop`up vdlodrome. Can't be bad.

Peter, with the boom in cycling popularity over the past

We have just seen the world's biggest sporting event just over the

border. We're here to capit`lise on get more people on bikes. This event

is so timely. You couldn't get a better format for us. Loads of fun

activities. You can even turn up with no bike, you can get a bike on

the day. There is everything. What other Tour de France done for

cycling here? `` has there. Everyone is riding on this wave of

enthusiasm. People are going on right from Stockton down to watch

the Tour de France. The best thing is that when you look at thd council

and the British Cycling websites, you can find things that yot can do

to get into cycling. There `re recreational right, it is all there.

`` `` recreational ride mag. I will be not quite as fit, but I am

fond onto the moors to get really knackered. Guys, thank you very

much. `` I am going on too. Staying with the bikes,

there's a big cycle speedwax meeting On Sunday morning,

at their new track at Cramlhngton Learning Village, Northumbrha

Vikings play host to a whold day of action with races for juniors

right the way up to veterans. There's also an internation`l event,

with top riders from England Meanwhile, for fans of the lotorised

version, the region's four speedway teams ` Newcastle, Redcar,

Workington and Berwick ` take part in the Premier League Pairs

tournament at the Somerset Rebels' track tonight, while Cumbri`n Craig

Cook, who rides for Edinburgh, flies the flag in tomorrow's

British Grand Prix in Cardiff. From two wheels to some pretty nifty

movers on two feet and the World and Olympic marathon champion,

Stephen Kiprotich, will be on Tyneside this wedkend,

escorted by a regiment of Gtrkahs. They're all running in Sund`y's

Great North 10K, which starts at the International Stadiul and

takes in the streets of Gatdshead. The Gurkahs are based at

Catterick Garrison, and this'll be the third ye`r

they've taken part in the event For 25`year`old Kiprotich,

from Uganda, it's a warm`up for There's a saying in my langtage that

says that you get something small, have something small, meanwhile you

are hunting for the big one. They allow me to prepare myself

for the big ones, other than One little football news and

Middlesbrough have agreed tdrms with a Spanish club to sign Enrico Letta

Garcia, `` Enrico A bit of sunshine for most of us

today. Blue skies and fairwdather Cumulus, thanks to John for that

shot. This afternoon, we saw 24 Celsius in Keswick. Most inland

areas made it to the low 20s. We hit the high teens in most placds at

least. What does the weekend have in store? A bit of everything. It

starts off fine. We will sed some rain later on before things pick up

again. A mostly dry picture as we head into the night. Any showers

will die away, leaving clear spells. There is scope for some misty cloud

to come onto the North Yorkshire coast. Adie further North and maybe

one or two patches of low cloud Asthma may be further. Tempdratures

should stay in double figurds. `` may be further. Most places dry and

break through the morning. The cloud will thicken up in the West and as

we go into the afternoon thd cloud will bring outbreaks of rain. Maybe

one or two showers. Essenti`lly eastern areas stage riots the

longest. Another warm day. `` stage `` stay driest. As we had through

tomorrow evening, that rain becomes more widespread. It spreads further

East. There will be heavy btrsts to take us into Sunday morning. But the

weather system that brings ts that rain will continue East. It is an

improving picture through the second half of the weekend. Into Monday,

another system brings more cloud and rain and then things dry and

breaking up. Most of us can expect a fine start tomorrow. But evdntually

cloud and rain will spread from the West. Feeling warm, a bit fresher by

Sunday. Temperatures into the low 20s and most places will brhghten up

through the course of the d`y. Monday and Tuesday, cloud and patchy

rain coming from the West. Drier and brighter for Tuesday.

Not too bad at all. Satisfidd customers all around. That hs it

from us. Do not forget our latest news tonight at 1025.

Make the most of your weekend, wherever you are.

Use the BBC Weather App to stay one step ahead of the weather.

Imagine if you could talk to the animals.

Zoologist Lucy Cooke is going to show us how.

This is the first example we know of of infrared communication.

This is amazing. So this is a dolphin greeting?