04/01/2012 Look North (Yorkshire)

Tonight on Look North: Are you sticking to your new year

resolution? How many of you are on a post christmas diet? We visit a

town with a New Year campaign to make takeaways healthier. We'll

talk to a lifestyle expert who tells us how to make 2012 the year

we kick our bad habits for good. Also tonight - talking of food. We

meet the folk singer immortalising Harry Ramsden's in song. And still

off - we're live near Keighley where hundreds of homes are still

without gas. The river was looking quite high, a

chance of severe gales, the latest First tonight - A young widow from

York says more needs to be done to help men deal with depression after

her husband took his own life - leaving her to raise their three

son's alone. 28-year-old Jo Mcdonagh believes Chris had been

suffering from depression for several years before he hanged

himself. She hopes her story will prevent another family going

through the same thing. 11th of it just doesn't seem real,

I remember turning round to him and saying, what have you done? I just

didn't know what to do. I knew, as soon as I saw him, he had died, he

wasn't with me. I looked for any signs of life, there was nothing.

Jo Mcdonagh describes the moment she found her husband had hanged

himself. He was just 38, and had a lot to live for. He had a young

family, and ran a successful pub. In 2006, their lives were turned

upside down. Chris was forced to take six months off work after

being assaulted by a customer. She says this was the start of his

depression. He was in his pyjamas, he sat on his computer, he never

went out. He wasn't himself. It wasn't the man that I fell in love

with. He became a recluse. mother of three says he refused to

get professional help, and after a couple of years she thought he had

turned a corner. In 2009 she got a text message saying goodbye.

wanted to stop him, I came straight up, to find that that he had hung

himself. Over a five-year period in Yorkshire, 488 women committed

suicide, compared to 1,600 men, almost the three-and-a-half times

more. I think more men register as a statistic, because we don't talk

about men, society expects us to bottle it up. If I could help one-

person realise that their husband, or friend, that they are not right,

and they can get some help, that's all I wish for. I want to stop one

family not going through what we went through.

A heartrending story there from Jo Mcdonough Mike Bush, who campaigns

on mental health issues is with us now. Mike, I think you got involved

with this issue after your father took his own life. What impact did

that have on you? It has been called a personal Holocaust. There

are a whole kaleidoscope other nations. You torture yourself.

Suicide bereavement is unique, it is different from a sudden accident,

or murder. Why men? They are less inclined to be connected to their

emotional status. They are unable to support one another, and express

their emotions. They don't talk about it, they tend to bottle it up.

How can we make people go for specialist help? One of the things

we have to do with men, a bit of reverse psychology, tell them that

they have a problem, that they have to do with it. In Jo's case, she

had no idea that he would himself. That can be the case. It is

difficult, because you don't always have the signs to see. You are

saying that there are people out there who who can help? -- who can

help? It is important to screen these things. There are always

Samaritans. There are a load of organisations, information for

mental health is a wonderful website. Useful advice.

Hundreds of families in West Yorkshire are still unable to cook

or heat their homes after gas supplies were cut off in strong

winds yesterday. 1,600 were affected. Ian White is in Steeton

for us now. What's happening? in a club which has been turned

into a makeshift operations centre. They are trying to get his back on

as quickly as possible. This sector, sector three, that has gone back on.

Their colouring in the map as more homes get reconnected.

Back cooking on gas, relief for Cooks at this hospital after nearly

two days without gas to make meals on. We need hot food, individuals

cannot live off cold food. biggest concern is the lack of hot

water. 1,600 people have been affected by the loss of gas, caused

by high winds. Degas was shut off as a safety precaution. -- of the

gas was shut off. An emergency control room has been

set up, residents have come to collect heaters and hotplates.

the gas going off, you have people who are looking after the elderly.

Thank you very much. Not a nice day for rate is its? -- not a nice day

for it, is it? This woman lives alone. She relies on gas. When the

system went down, she was without her main support systems. It has

certainly been a frustrating start to the New Year, there is a long

night ahead for the engineers. Many homes are still without gas.

Why has it taken so long to get these people back on the network?

It is not as simple as putting a few is back in, or -- putting a

fuse back in, or flicking a switch. If anyone's coming home tonight, we

will be about the customer service number. Will we be back here

tomorrow, are people still go to be without gas? We are still putting

people back on. We are working as hard as we can. The helpline number

is below. Back to the studio. Later on Look North: Trying to get

back in the saddle, a race against time for the showjumper who broke

his neck but still harbours Olympic hopes.

The new year was only 11 hours old when David and Dorothy Metcalfe

were killed in a horrific car crash on the notorious Stanningley

byepass between Leeds and Bradford. A man has been charged with causing

death by dangerous driving. For the Metcalf's son Clive a remarkably

brave interview follows in which he talks of his thanks to all who

tried to help at the scene. Even those who are used to

witnessing horrific scenes, found this harrowing. It was a high-speed

crash. It is known as the mad a mile, it is down a hill. -- be mad

a. My mum was still in her seat. She was hanging out of the back

window of the car. For this to happen at any time is tragic enough,

but Sony is day, even more so. Clive it was quick to praise those

who try to help. We were very grateful. I would like to thank

them. A gentleman on his motorbike has stopped and try to help my mum.

Another lady has gone and cover the dad up. You got an incredible

response from the emergency services. I would like to thank

them for their swift response. It was New Year's Day, they were there,

knowing some of the guys who were there, the air ambulance, the

police, we couldn't have wished for a better service. A man has been

charged with death by dangerous driving. The funeral will take

place next week. More news from around Yorkshire and

a second man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a

father of two at a New Year's Eve party in Sheffield. Joshua Green

was attacked on the dancefloor of the Stars and Mayfair club and died

at the scene from his injuries. A 22-year-old local man has been

arrested on suspicion of murder. A teenager who was arrested yesterday

is still in police custody. A canoeist from North Yorkshire who

was rescued from an icy river in Cumbria on New Year's Day, has died.

41-year-old Catherine Stainsby from Malton, was treated in hospital

after being caught in fast flowing waters near Sedbergh. Mountain

rescue volunteers, the fire service, police and ambulance crews were all

involved in the rescue. A Barnsley school furniture company

says it has saved forty five jobs - after taking over a struggling

outdoor play equipment firm. Metalliform Holdings bought out

Chesterfield based Timberline which was put in administration last

november. Still to come before 7 o'clock: A

lament to a lost legend. We finish with fish at Harry's, it was close

to heaven. A song charting the rise and fall of the first Harry

Ramsden's fish and chip restaurant. Millions of us will diet this new

year, to shed the festive pounds, I know a few people round here who've

already started! So, Christa you Thanks, Harry. Well I think you'll

find I'm just about average! That means I've put on about five pounds

over Christmas. Findings show the average crash diet lasts just 15

days and at the end of it 35% of us end on putting on more weight than

they lost in the first place. Well, in a moment we'll be talking to a

life coach to get a few tips on how to shift those bad habits for good.

First though, Charlotte Leeming has been to Featherstone where they're

targeting the fast food market. And there is no shortage of

takeaways to choose from here. These fast food outlet to be

encouraged to become healthier. The dishes they server being tested for

the Salt, sugar and fat content. It is all part of an initiative to

tackle obesity. People are generally living longer, but people

are developing long-term health conditions, things like heart

disease and stroke. All these conditions are related to the

lifestyles of people and their diet is a big part of that. This project

is not about demonising takeaways, but it is a bite is offering people

healthier options when they want to buy fast food. I control my Salt

intake, so I don't worry too much if I have a takeaway. Is this a

good initiative? It is very good that there tried to control how

much we have. I don't have sold, my wife dos. If this fish-and-chip

shop is one of 15 outlets that they assessed. That testing takes place

at this Laboratory in Leeds. Scientists here exam of the

nutritional content of the dish and the results are given to the

takeaway owners so they can all today recipes - - there are recipes

of the Jews to do so. You can find very high levels of Salt,

especially in Chinese takeaways. We have found 20 grams of Salt. This

is six grams of Salt, the recommended maximum amount for an

adult, and we have found Chinese takeaways with 20 grams of Salt in

a single portion. So, three times your target maximum sold in taking

a single meal. It is up to the traders to decide if they want to

make any changes to their food, but with the takeaway meal containing

1000 calories on average, perhaps it is their chance to start the new

year on a healthier note. Angela Whitlock is a life coach and

author from North Yorkshire. They are trying with fast food in

Featherstone, but what can we do to keep our healthy resolutions?

of the problems you find is that you focus on the end result of the

time, but you need to focus on the process. One of the things we have

all done is driven a car. The process of learning, getting people

involved, getting people around you to help you, that is the process of

achieving a gold - - achieving a goal. Resolutions always seem to be

about losing weight, going to the gym, are they the right ones?

about changing your mind set. you were going to say that! That is

harder. When you focus on being healthy or something more positive,

you have much more chance of achieving it. He has lost his

voice! More water. I suppose gender is a depressing month anyway, so is

it the right time to start this sort of campaign? It is a good

springboard because we are all focused on new things in January.

It takes 90 up to 100 days to ginger habits, that was what we

know now. You have to forgive yourself, because when you make a

mistake, you have to forgive yourself and get back on track. It

is those little moments we don't forgive yourself that you think,

what is the point, I might as well not carry on. Harry, you will be

back speaking again? I hope so. One of our Olympic hopeful

showjumpers is facing a race against time to qualify for 2012

after breaking his neck. Tim Stockdale, from Worksop, fell from

a horse during training in October. Incredibly, he managed to avoid any

life-changing injuries and after a traumatic few months is now

plotting a return to the sport. Nick Hope has been following the

story. At its best, showjumping is a stunning combination of style,

elegance and animal athleticism. At its worst it is simply a bleak,

with frightening consequences. Tim Stockdale's accident happened aware

for the cameras, but being admitted to this hospital give some idea of

the serious - - seriousness of the triple neck fracture. It was a

little bit windy and it started to rain and maybe something spoke to

him, but he ran out of the corner. My saddle slipped up the wrong side,

so I was coming down and they don't remember anything more. The doctor

felt my neck and as he pressed around a new that there was

something seriously wrong. What is it been like as a patient?

nightmare. He doesn't understand keep still, but he is getting there,

are due? Just about. His condition has certainly improved. He was

released at the end of November and managed an appearance at Olympia

earlier this month. It is lovely to be out of hospital. Five weeks on

my back was a difficult time. I wanted to make one day at Olympia,

and that was going to be my success. Averting goes according to plan I

hope that I'll be riding in February and jump fences again in

March. What would have been for you to get that place ankle to the

Olympics? It would be fabulous, fantastic. Something like this is

the ignition to doing better and it isn't the late my furnaces. He has

made a career out of overcoming obstacles, and despite the

challenges ahead due in the sport would doubt that he has the

character to land a place in the Games.

Fingers crossed he makes it. Some other good news tonight and the

England rugby squad have announced they will be using West Park in

Leeds as their training base later this month ahead of the RBS Six

Nations. England have spent their January training week in Portugal

for the last three years. It began life in a hut in Guiseley

and grew to become the biggest fish and chip shop in the world, but now

the site of the original Harry Ramsden's is shutting down. So, how

do you mark the fall of one of the county's legends? Well, you could

write a book or erect a statue or, in the case of one Yorkshire

composer, write a song about it. We will be speaking to him in a moment,

but first let's hear some snippets. In a trice that appetising whiff

came wafting up. And crew and chewy as perfects proof that the

Ramsden's had bought wisely. Alas, she didn't last that there very

long, which may carry more determined and he fried on and on.

The hut has had its day. That is now it was a restaurant, not just

to take away. His name was Harry, Well, Eddie Lawler is here now. Why

do you feel so strongly about it? think it is part of our West

Yorkshire culture, which has vanished. I come from Manchester

Road in Bradford, and so did Harry Ramsden, so there is a bit of local

pay I think there is a slight feeling of disappointment and

morning but something has gone. did change. If you talk to the

local people, they deserted it. They respect other places. It has

been through several hands and I don't think the hands were very

good one. It does things like Mother's Day, a special treat,

granny's birthday. The amusement arcade in the back. Brass-band

sometimes playing. It was a tree to go to Harry Ramsden's. And you take

everything for granted and due don't know what you have got until

that is gone. A supermarket is coming instead. This song is

already on their website you can get it for nothing. It is part of

the CD that will be launched at the end of March. I think if we had

best anybody to do a tribute, I don't remember a story getting as

much response to, a one-off story about one firm, we have hundreds of

e-mails. It would be nice if we did a Harry Ramsden's tribute.

It is a really lovely song. Can we have a little bit more? This is

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 40 seconds

Let's have a look at some of the pictures that some of the weather

we have been having. That is a water fall with the water for going

back uphill. So, all sorts We start with the warning of keels

again. We have got the Environment Agency warnings out. There is a

warning for heavy rain across the Pennines. Tomorrow should be better,

drier and brighter, but still very windy. There is the promise of

something better on Friday morning into Friday afternoon. You can see

this cloud that has been pitching in from the West. It has rained all

day again. There has been about an inch of rain in some places today.

The Environment Agency are keeping an eye on all this rain. It will be

a wild and wet night with the gales locally. Lowest temperatures down

to five Celsius. So, the sun will rise in the morning. Times of high

So, a windy, blustery start with outbreaks of rain and drizzle.

Slowly through the morning these outbreaks of rain will push away

southwards and into the afternoon it should be better, dry and bright.

A strong north-westerly wind throughout all sea temperatures

peaking at around about seven On Friday morning, an early frost

and then make the most of the morning as it should be dry with

sunshine. It will cloud over in the afternoon with drizzle pitching in

from the West. Saturday will be a bit better.