15/02/2017 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Hello, welcome to Wednesday's Look North.

Tonight: the operation that could change his life.

We're with the family of Finley Ingles, the five year-old

boy who's travelled to America, where doctors will try to shrink

I cannot put into words just how much he needs this surgery. It will

change his life. It is what we fought for four months.

Also tonight: Anger as traditional school nurse scheme

is axed across Cumbria - head teachers say it'll

Going for gold: Ramsdens - the Teesside pawnbroker -

Why a museum in Moscow is honouring a famous North Yorkshire vet.

In sport, we hear from England's new cricket captain

And The Magpies cling on to top spot after a thrilling

They've travelled around 5,000 miles to the United States for the surgery

Five-year-old Finley Ingles from Middlesbrough has a rare brain

tumour which can't be operated on in this country.

His family say he currently suffers up to 15 seizures a day.

A huge fundraising campaign raised a staggering ?200,000 to pay

for the ground-breaking surgery in Texas.

Stuart Whincup is out there with Finley and the youngster's family,

After years of planning and tireless fundraising, they made it to

Houston. This trip, they say, is Finley's last hope.

Finley's brain tumour can't be removed in the UK because it is too

deep, so surgeons here at Texas's Children's Hospital will now use

lasers to try to shrink it. It is everything. Just absolutely

everything. I can't put into words just how much Finley needs this

surgery. It will change his life and that is what we have fought for four

months, but it is still quite nerve wracking to know that you're going

to hand your child over for a procedure.

Finley's online fundraising campaign started slowly, but support quickly

grew, as a crusty side, people became aware of his story. --

Teesside. Since leaving the UK a fortnight

ago, Finley has had daily tests, scans and appointments. Entire days

have been spent in waiting rooms, but he does have a way of passing

the time. Bob the builder... Can we fix it?

More than 1500 people donated to tee's fundraising cause so he could

travel from Teesside to Texas for this surgery, and as well as the big

cheques from local businesses, there were his classmates and school

friends who donated their pocket money. Also, Finley can have the

surgery Finley believes good changes lie. -- Finley's family believe.

If you come across him, he is an amazing little boy, he is absolutely

gorgeous. He just trundles and threw it all. Seizure after seizure,

appointment after appointment. He just gets on with it, and... We

can't ask for anything more. He is just an amazing little boy.

And we'll be following Finley's progress throughout the rest

Teachers in Cumbria say plans to scrap the county's school nurses

The council says its six school nurses are "unaffordable".

It's replacing them with a service based in Carlisle,

and schools will have to pay for it from their existing budgets.

Here's our correspondent Mark Denten.

The school nurse, often cheaply dubbed the nit nurse, but only ever

behind her back, used to be a key part of every school. Cumbria still

has 11 of them for its 69,000 people, but not for long. The

council says the ?927,000 service is unaffordable. It is being replaced

by six school-age health coordinators, based in Carlisle.

Schools will have to pay for them out of existing budgets.

What we are being asked to do is buy back the school nurse service, but

the implication of that is, the service that was previously paid for

through financing and health, will be shifting to being paid for by an

education budget. Is there a money for heads to say,

we can pay for that? It sounds like there isn't.

Quite simply, no, there isn't. There has been a 13% fall in

November of school nurses since 2010, leaving 2606 NHS nurses across

the country, according to recent figures.

You know, children are many versions of us. They have mental health

problems, stress, emotional concerns, they are victims of

bullying, and all of those things, they need support from a health

practitioner to deal with. But the County Council says

scrapping its school nurses will actually result in a better service

for the county's children. We are trying to integrate the whole

service and make sure that more people are, I say, responsible for

the health of our young people, rather than its just being, oh,

well, we will wait until the school nurse comes and they can deal with

it. It is everyone's responsibility. I don't like to really imagine

children going out without the health care and support that they

need, or children having their education impaired by loss of

services, but it is quite clear that with fewer teachers, fewer school

nurses, we are sailing into very difficult times.

Cumbria's school nurses will be replaced from April.

A wealthy businessman has told a court that claims he abused boys

75-year-old Colin Gregg, from Gosforth in Newcastle,

is accused of indecently assaulting four boys over a period

Giving evidence at Leeds Crown Court he denied all the allegations.

When asked by his barrister if he had ever sexually abused

The court has heard Colin Gregg - a former head teacher -

had helped build the Gregg's bakery chain, and raise millions

He denies nine counts of indecent assault on boys aged 10 to 14,

Unemployment in the north east has jumped by 11,000,

to stand at 90,000 - that's 7% of the workforce.

In Cumbria, 4,650 people claimed JobSeekers' Allowance in January,

a rise of about 200 from the month before.

And in North Yorkshire, the total stands at 4,540,

Council tax in North Yorkshire is going up by almost four percent.

The increase means an extra ?45 a year for an average house in band D.

Two percent of the increase will go towards paying

The Prime Minister has insisted she remains fully committed to plans

for a new nuclear power station next to Sellafield amid growing

Theresa May was in the Cumbrian constituency

of Copeland, ahead of the upcoming by-election there.

But she refused to be drawn on whether the Government will match

Labour's pledge to underwrite the proposed plant at

Yesterday the scheme's main investor Toshiba said it

would look to sell its stake before construction began.

It is the Conservative government that is putting nuclear back into

the UK. It is the conservative government that has agreed new

nuclear build. We recognise the importance of nuclear. Jeremy Corbyn

was asked five times in one interview to back more side. He

would not do it. It is the Conservative government that

recognises the importance of Moorside and the nuclear industry in

the UK. Well, the future of jobs

in the nuclear industry is just one of the issues in next week's

Copeland by-election. Labour is defending a 2,500 majority

in the coastal constituency which the party has held

for more than 80 years. But a strong challenge

from the Conservatives have led Our political correspondent

Luke walton has been to Keswick and Whitehaven to follow candidates

on the campaign trail. The banners, the leaflets,

the pets bearing party colours - it looks like typical by-election,

but the result in Copeland The bookies have made

the Conservatives favourites, even though this has long

been Labour territory, and governing parties don't

usually take seats off The Tory challenger is charity

worker Trudy Harrison. It is obviously huge ask after 68

years of Labour rule, and it is testament to people wanting change

here. -- And questions about the area's

biggest employer Sellafield have Jeremy Corbyn, for many many years,

has campaigned against nuclear. The evidence is there at Hinkley

Point C. We cannot afford to have that kind of concern in our

community. It would be devastating. But Labour is fighting back,

innsisting it not only supports the industry but is willing

to underwrite a new Government needs to intervene now to

make sure we have security of those jobs and that Moorside actually

happens. This corner of West Cumbria is

beautiful, but it is also geographically isolated, feeding the

feeling among voters that they are too often forgotten by national

politicians. A feeling that's heightened

by a threat to services The proposals are opposed

by all the parties. But Labour candidate

Gillian Troughton, a former NHS doctor,

points the finger at ministers. We need to make sure we get out and

vote Labour and make sure we save our hospital, you know that.

But what about that other tricky issue?

Is Jeremy Corbyn a help or hindrance to campaign?

Jeremy has been up to Copeland twice during this campaign, and I have

spoken to him, and we have discussed the issues. This by-election is

about what people are telling me on the doorstep. It is about investment

in this area. Someone who definitely does see the

Labour leader as an asset, at least to her campaign, is the Ukip

candidate. We have been knocking on doors in

Labour areas, and a lot of them are anti Corbin and have been saying, I

am never voting Labour while we have the Jeremy Corbyn, so they are going

to ask, because they are also saying, we could never vote

Conservative. Majority here voted to leave the EU.

But the Lib Dems say the Government's Brexit strategy

Hard Brexit has huge implications, and people are only just starting to

uncover some of them. So, for example, the government is

determined to pull it out of Euratom, which has implications the

nuclear industry here. For the anti-nuclear Green

party, a constituency dependent on the industry

might appear unpromising. We have had MPs for the past 70 odd

years who have been pro-nuclear. I think it is time to think about

diversifying our economy and providing better economies for

people who want a well-paid job. Also standing in Copeland,

independents Though it's the ebb and flow

between Labour and the Conservatives that's likely to decide

this crucial contest. The Teesside pawnbroker, Ramsdens,

made its stock market debut today. The Midlesbrough-based business

is probably best known for sponsoring the shirts

of the town's football club - one of only four UK-based companies

to do that in the Premier League. Starting with a single shop

on Stockton, it's now worth more Here's our Business

Correspondent, Ian Reeve. Mandy has worked for this Teesside

pawnbroking business - Ramsdens - for more than 20 years.

It's changed immensely. Gone up market...does far

more than pawnbroking. When I started over 20 years ago, we

had tee branches. Now we have over 130 branches. We offered three

products, and pawnbroking was the key factor. Everybody used to use

pawnbroking. Then we used to did cheque-cashing and if you sales.

Now, you can see that we do over ten products and services.

Three quarters of Ramsden's business is now in foreign exchange.

It changed over ?300 million last year.

And figures like that - and future growth -

have brought it a stock market flotation today,

But is there still something of a stigma about pawnbroking?

People who don't understand it, yes, there is. People who use it now,

because it is absolutely transparent. It is a loan against an

asset, so the person has an asset to start with. They are raising cash

against that asset, then they repay the loan and they get that asset

back. That happens 80% of the time. Of course, on Teesside,

the Middlesbrough-based business It's the football

club's shirt sponsor. Something that's sent its logo

around the world and brought I think the average figure is about

20 million people watch a Premier League football match, so obviously,

Ramsden's are enjoying that. The good thing about them is, they are a

local company, and so obviously, from local company, they get access

to the match day and can bring clients to the executive boxes to

enjoy hospitality. They get advertising within the ground.

And now Ramsden's is also Middlesbrough's only stock

A goal achieved after 30 years in business.

You're watching Wednesday's Look North.

Birds of prey will be used to scare away goals in Whitley at the --

after councillors approved a plan. The move follows so-called goal

muggings. You're watching

Wednesday's Look North. Dawn's here shortly

with all the highlights from last night's football,

plus: It's no ordinary circus. With stunning acrobatics

and spectacular set designs, the Cirque du Soleil rolls

into the North East. Weather-wise, mixed bag tomorrow,

but temperatures remain on the mild side. Join me later for the full

forecast. From tonight, a Moscow museum

is hosting a special tribute The works of vet and

author James Herriot - real name Alf Wight,

who was born in Sunderland - And the State Museum

in the Russian capital has invited staff from the "World

of James Herriot Museum" in Thirsk, after they sent material to help

with the new exhibition. From the Yorkshire Dales to the

world, the work of James Herriot, or Alf Wight, is still popular

everywhere. And in return, the World Of James Herriot has had hundreds of

visitors. In the next few days, the Russians will be paying tribute to

the Yorkshire writer. There is going to be a large and

very important exhibition in a museum in Moscow, and so it is

fantastic, isn't it? It is just staggering. Dad knew how popular he

was all over the world, before he died, thankfully, but still, these

new things are happening. Still, the television series is not on

prime-time TV, still there is this interest.

An absolutely amazing legacy. Back the great man himself ventured to

Russia. In 1961, a long time ago, he took

some sheep on a boat to Russia as the vet in charge. He documented it

in some of his books. He was able to ring home, and this was unusual in

those days, but as I say, he was in this gale, and it was my mum and

dad's when it an adversary when he rang, November the 5th, 1961. --

wedding anniversary. He had left a card with me for mum to open, and

inside, it said" from Russia, with Love".

Rather nice. From tonight, a small team from the museum in Thirsk is in

Moscow to help launch the exhibition.

I got an e-mail from the State Museum in Moscow and it said that

they were going to put on an exhibition to celebrate the

hundredth anniversary of the life of Alf Wight, James Herriot, and we

were absolutely delighted and gobsmacked, really, because it is a

tremendous accolade to have James Herriot, Alf Wight, being honoured

in Russia. In the stately zein. And at the end of the trip, Ian will

be presenting his Russian counterpart with a miniature

statuette of Alf Wight, as a permanent reminder of this

extraordinary exhibition. What an amazing story!

Fantastic. I love the TV series. And now, the sport.

England's new cricket captain Joe Root has been speaking

for the first time about taking over from Alastair Cook

Root was formally introduced as new skipper back

on home turf at Headingley where he honed his skills

with Yorkshire before becoming an England regular.

And the 26-year-old admits captaining his country

I've an small kid, you dream of being England captain. You always

want to get to the top of your profession, when you are dreaming as

a kid, and in more recent times, it has been about being the best buyer

I could be within the team and helping support, and now I have this

opportunity, it is a huge honour, and I am just really looking forward

to putting my stamp on things. It could have been so much better

but it could have been worse. With second-placed Brighton

also drawing last night, Newcastle's hard-earned point

at Norwich - thanks to a late equaliser -

WAS good enough to hold on to top But, as you can see,

there isn't too much room for manoeuvre with the chasing pack

determined not to let the Magpies Another free-scoring thriller

between these old rivals. Newcastle United were hoping

to steal a march on 2nd placed Brighton and couldn't have wished

for a better start against Norwich. Ayoze Perez produced this smart

finish after a slide-rule pass from Jack Colback to give

the Magpies the lead at Carrow Road Mitrovic spurned the chance

to double the advantage before Newcastle gifted the home team a way

back into the game. Cameron Jerome outmuscled

Jamal Lascelles before setting up Worse was to follow for United

and this is a moment Karl Darlow will have nightmares

about for weeks to come. His scuffed attempted

clearance let Jerome in for an embarrassingly

easy second goal. Rafa Benitez was pleased

with his side's response to going behind and Matt Ritchie had

already hit the bar when Lascelles redeemed himself with a sweet

finish at the far post. Even later chances were foiled

by Norwich keeper John Ruddy Brighton were held too last night

but wins for their nearest four promotion rivals are keeping it

tight at the top. In League Two, there was a welcome

return to form for Carlisle United. Victory over the leaders,

Doncaster Rovers, keeps the Cumbrians in the third place -

but Hartlepool couldn't do them a favour at fourth-placed Luton,

in what's become a real battle for that final automatic

promotion spot. Doncaster arrived at

Brunton Park on the back Carlisle had won just once

since the turn of the year. But Nicky Adams' stunning

first half volley put Keith Curle's side on the way

to three priceless points. They had to fight hard

to hold on to the lead, but were just about home and dry

when defender Niall Mason turned Rovers pulled a goal back,

deep into stoppage time - but the home fans will be

hoping their team's wobbles of recent weeks are now

firmly behind them. Sadly, it was another miserable

night for Hartlepool. They were two-down at Luton

within the first 13 minutes, and never looked like avoiding

a fourth successive away defeat. A young side - with Middlesbrough

Academy keeper Joe Fryer making his debut in goal -

did, at least, hold out until late in the game -

only conceding a third But Pools are now just two points

clear of the drop zone. The draw for the third

round of rugby league's Challenge Cup has thrown up

two regional derbies. Newcastle Thunder will play

Workington Town at Kingston Park. York City Knights are at home

to Egremont Rangers and Whitehaven will play away at either West Hull

or Thatto Heath Crusaders. And finally after yesterday's

success in knocking out two time world champion Mark Williams

at snooker's Welsh Open, Gateshead's Elliot Slessor

lost his second round tie Now, mention the word "circus",

and you'd most likely think of a ringmaster,

the big top and the But this particular circus -

the Cirque du Soleil - Yes, their latest production,

Varekai, opens at the with not a clown or

an elephant in sight. It features spectacular sets,

stunning acrobatics, and what they call "a whole

host of whimsical and Jim Knight's been along

to meet some of them. Backstage at the Arena this

afternoon, some of the 50 performers from Varaky looked

like they were limbering up But of course, that's

pretty much what is is, But of course, that's

pretty much what it is, when you see the spectacular

and extraordinary acrobatics Of course, it is only when you get

up close and personal with these performers that you get a real sense

of the precision and power. Like that!

The show itself is a visual feast, a dazzling combination

of acrobatics, music, vivid costumes and mind-boggling

I certainly wouldn't advise you to try this one at home!

Expect the impossible becoming possible. There is a storyline where

it touches everybody in a certain way. But also, the spectacle, the

eyelevel acrobatics, and just a feast of colours for the eyes. It is

just an amazing experience. Little Emily, from Leeds,

fell in love with it so much, she literally ran away from home

to join the circus at I never expected to get offered a

contract so young. That was an emotional time for me and my parents

and my family, the fact that I had to pack my bags and moved to the

other side of the world. That was really difficult.

It is such a beautiful feeling to be able to perform and show a full

audience of people what we can do and what we do for a living, and it

was the best decision I have ever made.

Varaky's mystical characters will be spinning through the rafters

Wow! Takes your breath away. And from Cirque du Soleil, the cos

that is French for the Sun... Very good! First time this year, I

have felt the warmth of the sun. I have seen a few people mention the

words spring recently. I think it is a little bit early to

mention spring! Just to underline my view, look at this shot taken

yesterday and achieve yet. Dramatic ice build-up there, looking like

Cupid's wings on Valentine's Day. And meanwhile, on the Cumbrian

fells, things were a bit more thought out, and next year of

sunshine and shave there. -- shade. Tomorrow, bit of a mixed bag

weather-wise. Some bright spells, some blue skies. A fusion hours

likely as well, it will be breezy, but the temperatures will stay on

the mild side, and they will stay that way over the next few days.

Tonight, a lot of cloud around at first, showery outbreaks of rain

through the evening. Most of that will die away as we had through the

night. Many places will have a dry night, with clear spells, and even

with those clear spells, brisk south-westerly breeze picks up, so

temperatures should not drop lower than 5-6 Celsius. Tomorrow, mostly

dry to start. Cloud around, which will be accompanied by a few showers

over the Pennines, for instance, through the day. To the tail end of

the afternoon, so more widespread brain comes in across Cumbria.

Eastern areas will hang on to the best of the brightness tomorrow, but

it will be quite easy and gusty, a West or south-westerly wind at

times. Tebbit is, like today, up to 9-10 best. That is the way it looks

tomorrow. Towards Friday, little ridge of high pressure starts to

build temporarily. That keeps things fair for Friday. The weekend sees

these weather fronts being driven in by that Atlantic lowered to the

north. Things more unsettled, a few lines on the chart indicating it

will be breezy at times. Friday, mostly dry, much lighter winds, so

it should feel warmer. Temperatures again making it a double figures for

most of us. Saturday sees thicker cloud coming in, bringing patchy

rain at times, especially in the West, and the south-westerly breeze

starts to pick up again as well. It should stay frost free as we had

through Saturday night into Sunday, by which time, it is back to

generally dry and brighter, the wind is a bit lighter, top temperature

around ten. We will treat you updated on your local radio station

and our clap. Thank you. It wasn't just the sun! I

saw the little shoots coming through!

It is trying, it is trying. That is it. We will see you

tomorrow. Goodbye. when farmers leave

their daily routines behind... Right, here we come, Dorset!

..for a show day.