12/07/2011 Look North (Yorkshire)

Thank you very much. A warm welcome to this the 153rd Great Yorkshire

Show. We have got quite a few of these under our belts. I can't

remember a bigger or more exciting first day. On Look North tonight:

Fighting back - how Australia and China have created booming prices

for Yorkshire wool. And doesn't she scrub up well? The

region's farmers take time out to show off both the beauties and the

beasts as entries hit an all-time high.

Also tonight: We will have a round- up of the region's news and sport

including celebrations for Chesterfield Football Club. We are

live as the Spirites celebrate last season's Division Two Championship

victory with a civic reception. It has been a fabulous first day at

the Great Yorkshire Show. Will the weather be fine tomorrow? Join me

I love it here. Year after year, we come, but it's always exciting. You

can guarantee one thing - over the next three days there will be

130,000 people who will probably share the same experience as we do.

Entries have hit - well they have broken all records this year. This

continues to be the biggest agricultural event in the entire

country. Despite this success, it has to be

said it's been a tough few years for our farmers. We have a success

story for you. The price of wool is rising again and Spencer Stokes can

tell us the implications of that. November 2010 and the Prince of

Wales launches his campaign for wool in Bradford. It already seems

to be showing signs of success. Two years ago, wool prices were at rock

bottom. Shearing sheep cost more than the wool was worth. Prices

have on average doubled. producers are going to be happy to

receive the wool cheque and back in 2007/8 the prices were low.

Hopefully, we will maintain these prices. It is not just Prince

Charles' backing that has boosted the wool price. Other factors have

played a part. Across the world, sheep numbers are declining. So

when it comes to fleeces, demand is chasing supply. Combined with that,

China's rapid industrialisation means wool is much in demand for

carpets so many of these fleeces could end up in the Far East. That

need for woollen products in China is helping some of wost Yorkshire's

textile mills. This one -- West Yorkshire's textile mills. This one

opened 175 years ago. Wool hasn't been able to market itself to the

same degree as synthetic fibres. A lot of people are waking up to just

how good it is. There is nothing quite as good as wool. At the

bottom of the chain are the farmers. Look North filmed with Susan two

years ago when wool prices were very low. She says you don't notice

the extra cash. It is not that much you are jumping for joy, are you?

Everything else is so expensive. To me, I have never known other things

like your diesel, everything else being so high in price. Whether the

wool recovery can continue will depend on a whole range of global

factors. But at the Great Yorkshire Show catwalk models were doing

their bit. Many dressed in clothes cut from those big fluffy fleeces.

If you come down to this wonderful Showground, you will see all sorts

of rural activities including the dry stone wallers and that will be

ten foot high by the time they have finished. I think they are joking!

Let's speak to the Show Director, Bill Cowling. Why does it continue

year on year to attract record entries? I think one of the things

is we stick to our rural roots. There is more to it than just

farming. People who come to an agricultural show want to see some

agriculture. It is not about bouncy castles and sweet stalls - there

are animals? There are bouncy castles and sweet stalls! Many

shows have gone by the wayside. The Great Yorkshire Show can capitalise

on that? Absolutely. We have benefited from the demise of some

of the other county shows. Good for us, especially in the livestock

entries. Is there any chance of it getting bigger? There has been a

lot of talk about moving the site. This is it? We are certain we won't

move the site. We have too much invested in this site. We look at

various things and making other sections slightly bigger. The

Showground won't move. We have talked about record entries. What

is particularly up this year - sheep, cattle? Sheep, an all-time

record. Pigeons, wool fleeces... Pigeons? Coming back into fashion,

are they? Obviously. What else? huge entry of horses. 12,700

entries so everything is a good entry. The showjumping is on now

and that's got some of the top names - John Whittaker? The horse

that won the Hickstead Derby is here. It has been a wonderful first

day. We have really enjoyed it. Of course, there are very significant

worries for farmers in the industry. They want to know that the future

is better. But they have certainly had the brightest, the biggest and

the best on display as Ian White has been finding out.

This is land-locked Harrogate and this is the Great Yorkshire Show

When you are filming here, it is all about location, location and

location which is a good job because... That is property show

presenter Kirsty Allsop. She was far too busy to talk to us. There

is one place I'm not keen on - the cheese hall. I don't like cheese. I

don't know what is wrong with me. I'm amazed. Look what we have got

here. We have a lovely Wensleydale cheese. Would you like to try some?

No. I have two volunteers who are going to have a sample for me. Give

it a try. You love cheese? I do. do. That is gorgeous! Thank you.

What do you make of that? Spot on. Beautiful. That is the cheese done

and dusted. What have other people come to see? Lambs. Sheep. It's the

little traders that I enjoy most, looking at the little stalls and

going around those. It is really good. We have been mostly around

the sheep. Sheep and cattle. I tried one of those new two-Wheeler

things... Segways! They are brilliant! Five grand! When I

thought it was safe, I bump into you! I am only here to admire your

Ian had a flat cap and you have a farmer's stick. I can use this for

lots of interesting things. I tell you something, we have noticed that

it is still very busy at this time of the evening which isn't always

the case. People obviously disappear around 5.30pm but still

lots of people here around and buying things as well. The big

showjumping competition is still on now. One thing I have noticed,

though, it's not been as warm as predicted. We need a word in ten

minutes with one Paul Hudson. Let's check-up on the rest of the news

now and re-join Tanya. Thank you.

West Yorkshire Police have been criticised for the way they handled

the hunt for a missing person. 72- year-old Camille Bowers was

suffering from a psychotic disorder when she disappeared from Fieldhead

Hospital in Wakefield in May last year. Officers searched her bedroom

at the hospital and the garden of her home. She had broken into her

house and taken an overdose but her body wasn't found until the next

day. A report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission said

police could have done more. The M1 Motorway was closed for two

hours this morning when two lorries collided and a fire started. One of

the lorries was carrying plastic crates which set alight, causing

thick black smoke to spread across the road. People living near the

scene of the accident, near Tankersley just south of Barnsley,

were warned to stay indoors as more than 40 firefighters tackled the

blaze. A three-year-old girl remains

critically ill in hospital after being hit by a train near Doncaster

yesterday. A 28-year-old man died in the incident between Adwick and

Bentley on the East Coast Main Line. Police are investigating how they

came to be on the track. A church in South Yorkshire faces a

�100,000 repair bill after thieves stole the lead from the roof. St

Lawrence's Church in Hatfield near Doncaster is Grade-I listed but

parishioners found on Sunday morning that most of the lead had

been taken overnight. The church's insurance company has faced so many

claims for lead theft that it has now imposed a �5,000 limit, meaning

the church must find the rest of the money. We have had lots of

events happening, people working so hard and it does take a lot of time

to make sure this place doesn't look as if it's ever been changed.

Over the years, we have had committees meeting, planning

permission, faculty applications, architects on site, lots of work

and this just really is so, so sickening.

The Shibden Mill Inn in Halifax has been chosen as Yorkshire's

Favourite Pub. More than 200 pubs were nominated across Yorkshire.

They were then whittled down to 12 finalists by a panel of judges. The

public then picked the 17th Century inn in the Shibden Valley as the

winner. Olympic rowing champion Sir Steve

Redgrave was in Barnsley today visiting the new schools that have

benefited from the Building Schools for the Future programme. The five-

time gold medal winner spoke to pupils at Darton College and

Penistone Grammar Advanced Learning Centre. Pupils at Darton College

put on a dance performance to show off their new facilities. It is

really important that we cater for everybody within the school. We

can't sort of fit one model fits all in some ways. You have spaces

like this, it is a better environment for doing that within

sport and academia. Being part of it is great seeing these things to

parts of the community I didn't like when I was at school. This is

fun. Children from Honley High School

near Huddersfield have attempted to break a world record today by

staging the largest aerobic workout. Almost 1,000 of them took part in

the class led by fitness guru Rajko Radovic. They used water bottles

instead of weights for the hour- long exercise. But they'll have to

wait until the summer holidays to find out if they broke the record.

A school from Holmfirth has won a national competition to design a

meal for athletes at the 2012 Olympics. Year 2 at Helme Primary

created a cauliflower and chickpea curry inspired by Ethiopian

marathon runner Haile Gebresellasie. They won their prize at a

Masterchef-style cook-off held in London earlier today. On to

cricket: Yorkshire are in a fantastic position against

Worcestershire. A great tenth wicket partnership between Ajmal

Shahzad and Ryan Sidebottom gave them a big first innings lead.

It's been a party that's been a long time coming! It seems an age

since the end of the football season when Chesterfield's status

as League Two Champions was confirmed. It's not too long before

they start playing in League One, but the promotion party is being

staged tonight in the town. Tom Ingall is at the town hall now. I'm

very jealous. You should be. The party is in full flow. Take a look

at the crowd here in front of the town hall. There must be a couple

of thousand people here. I have been trying to work out when the

last time we had a do like this in Chesterfield - probably the 1997

semifinal Cup run. Joining me now is the Mayor. It must have given

such a boost to the town to get the team into League One? It really has.

So many people have turned out and they are the supporters. The amount

of response that they have given to the new ground, the attendances

have doubled, the season ticket holders so they have responded in

every way. We have a terrific team and management. We have a fantastic

new stadium. It looks like a great night and the fans have responded

to the incompetent vestment in the club. John, can we bring you in.

Terrific achievement. Not many weeks now till you start playing in

League One. What are your plans for next season? We are expect a tough

league. There are some excellent games for us. We are looking

forward to it. We will enjoy tonight. But we know we are going

to have a very hard season ahead. There are no transfer signings you

want to drop in for us now? No, no. Any cards up your sleeves? I am

trying to bring three or four players in. I'm looking forward to

the season. What do you think your chances are of still being in

League One or the play-offs? We are going to try to get out of the

division. I hope we compete and we believe in ourselves. The club is

going places. We want to do well in the division. Good luck. Thank you

for joining us. Thank you, Peter. We will let you get back and enjoy

the party because it will be a great night in Chesterfield. Thank

you very much. Well, that's it from me for the

moment. Now, back to Harry and Christa at the Great Yorkshire Show.

Thank you very much. I can tell you it is still busy. Have a look at

the people who are here to see Harry! Welcome to the Great

Yorkshire Show. Are you all alive? Yes! Are you enjoying yourself?

Very much so. What has been the best part? Rural crafts. Anybody

else got something to add? I do. The Army centre. That was the best

part. Well done. The best! I tell you what, I have a little bit of a

favourite to show you now. This is what they call pole-climbing. The

experts, Richard and Terry, will do it in 15 seconds. Take it away,

lads. We are counting. They are We will call that a draw! That was

incredible! APPLAUSE Well done. In a moment, Harry will have a go! No,

he's not! One thing people have been worried about - bees. You love

your honey? The good weather in the spring has meant that the parasite

which has been affecting hives and honey production has not had a

devastating impact this year. I've been to Hoyland near Barnsley to

take a look. This is like a hidden garden. It is a nice quiet place

and a pleasant place to keep bees. If you puff a bit of smoke on them,

it subdues them. So they won't get me? Hopefully not! We will see.

Let's have a look. This is a new queen this year. A nice gentle

strain of bee. They will forage within a three-mile radius. They

have had a busy day? They are not going that far today because the

nectar source is much needer. If they need to go 50 yards, they will

go 50 yards. This one you are worried about? Yes. If you look at

this one compared to these two that we have just looked at, this is

obviously understrength. Do you like honey? I do. I eat it every

day. Every day. By the spoonful? have it on cereals or on me toast.

I eat quite a lot during the summer, little pieces of corn, off-cuts.

How much bees have you got? Well, there's what, how many hives down

there? Ten, 15, so - some of these bigger ones will contain 70,000

bees. I'm not going to add it up. You can do the maths! A lot. I

really loved it. We have Michael Badger, the bee steward. That is

correct, isn't it? I was listening to you. I can say having spent that

day with Phil, I really want a hive of bees. They sting! I know. You

haven't seen it - I had the full works on! You brought me a present?

Yes. Mead made from Yorkshire bees. There is a ditty on the back.

According to the surgeon - I don't think we will do that! Seriously,

it was a problem, wasn't it? We were worried about the bees? It is

a problem. Science has overcome it. Nature will always have its revenge.

But science will come back again and again and it has done and a lot

of it is really to do with the fact that stockmanship, beekeepers have

bees and they think they can manage them on their own. When they are in

the wild, they are different. was saying you have to eliminate

the weak hive. I was getting it. Honestly, I have got the alcoholic

Beveridge so I suppose I should give Harry the honey! Thank you.

Let me tell you about this. This is special. Because this is Heather

honey and this is far better than other honey. It has a higher

protein level. It is from Whitby. Very nice. Over the years, we have

had a tradition to try and beat the traffic. I have been here on a bike,

last year I shared a caravan with someone. So what did I do this

year? I came here last night for a new adventure.

A relaxing day at the Great Yorkshire Show. Now to find

somewhere nice to camp. The young farmers' enclosure, that is my kind

of place. Here we go! CHEERING Just what I need, a nice

You have got it the wrong way round! Do you want a mallet to put

your thing, to put your pegs in! Please. LAUGHTER Go on! Hop in

Good night! I get all the good jobs. I have the mead and we have a young

budding chef from Wakefield who has brought us some traditional

Yorkshire fayre. What is this? tea-smoked pigeon. Yorkshire tea?

Yes. Mmm. The sauce is a Pontefract cake sauce. Then some beetroot. It

is all from Pontefract. It's a very local plate. When I was a kid we

used to chew on these. I love liquorice sticks. Yorkshire produce,

it is the best in the country. course it is. I have always had a

strong passion for Yorkshire produce, it is very important. My

restaurant menus are based on Yorkshire food. That is very

important to us. Do you think people are becoming more and more

interested in where their food is coming from? Certainly. Yes. As

chefs, we look at our menu... ordinary members of the public seem

to care? They want to see on the menu where the food has come from.

They want to know what farm the meat has come from. They want to

know it is local, in terms of the food miles as well as the quality.

Ken was talking to us previewing the show, the president of the

Great Yorkshire Show, he was saying we are going to have to pay more if

we want the quality of good strong local produce. You would echo that?

Certainly. You get what you pay for. I will start... That is tough! This

will take me a while. I will hand to Harry who is somewhere in the

crowd. I wanted to introduce the best

forecaster in the country. Do you agree? Yes! Are you all mad?!

LAUGHTER I can tell you he has a great forecast. That lady said "no".

Can we have words afterwards?! We did say a 20% chance of a shower.

did say a 20% chance of a shower. It will be more of the same

tomorrow. It has been a nice day here. When the cloud comes over, it

is a bit on the cool side. After all, this is the great British

summer. Let's look at the Great Yorkshire Show forecast for

tomorrow and for Thursday. Again, it's predominantly dry. There will

be quite a bit of cloud tomorrow. The nicest day from a warmth point

of view will be Thursday. Thursday afternoon, we could see

temperatures around 21 Celsius. That is 70 Fahrenheit. That is the

Great Yorkshire Show forecast. As regards the evening forecast, if we

run that graphic sequence, we will see that there is quite a bit of

cloud on there. There is still a risk of one or two light showers

around. I think the cloud should tend to break up in western areas.

Temperatures will fall to 9 or 0 Celsius. -- 9 or 10 Celsius.

Tomorrow morning, it will be a bright start in the west. The cloud

will build from the word go. That will filter westwards so it ask a -

- so it is a day of variable amounts of cloud. In the breeze, it

will feel fairly cool along the coast. Inland, with a bit of

brightness, up to 18 Celsius. So, for the further outlook, Thursday

looks a fine and increasingly warm day. Breezy at first but the winds

should ease during the afternoon. With some sunshine, temperatures

will reach 21. The message is enjoy this predominantly dry weather if

you can because on Friday it will cloud over, a risk of showers later

in the day. That sets us up for a very unsettled weekend with showers

possibly merging to give longer spells of rain and that could open

the window to a very unsettled second half of July so enjoy the

next couple of days. That is it from me. What do you think of it so

far? Rubbish! That is a well- trained crowd! Try this cheese.

This is award-winning first in show Wensleydale. It is stunning. We

have saved you some wood pigeon. Looking forward to that. I have to