24/10/2013 Look North (Yorkshire)

Monday. That is all from the

Welcome to Thursday's Look North. On the programme tonight.

Business is booming in Grimethorpe. The Prime Minister pays a visit to

the former mining village as online retail giant ASOS announces further

investment there. We'll hear from David Cameron but

also from the local MP who says long`term unemployment is rising.

Also tonight. Jail for the man who punched a West

Yorkshire Police horse at a football match.

And the gamble pays off for the Dewsbury school that let Educating

Yorkshire's cameras in, as demand for places increases. I think it is

some sort of validation of the impact of the programme, that people

are certain fiscal could be good for them. These were the blue skies

today. We do have some heavy rain forecast tomorrow morning. I will be

back later in the programme with your full forecast.

Good evening and thank you for joining us.

Tonight, a ?30 million investment creating hundreds of new jobs has

been promised for the former pit village of Grimethorpe. This would

make ASOS the biggest online fashion retailer in the world. Prime

Minister David Cameron visited the South Yorkshire company today. Len

Tingle was there, too, to look at how far the mining community had

come since the days of Brassed Off. 200,000 items of fashion clothing

packed and despatched every day. One point two million every week. 60% of

it going to customers abroad. How long have you been here? Two and a

half years. It was another statistic that brought the Prime Minister to

this massive operation in Yorkshire. Jobs. What we see here is

a company and drawing 3200 people that a few years ago employed to

know one at all. It is a hopeful story. If we look across Yorkshire

and Humberside, we have 110,000 more people into void in the private

sector than three years ago. It's difficult to believe that 20 years

ago we would have been looking at the Grimethorpe colliery. This

company announced increased profits of almost a quarter of this week so

it's going to invest even more and expand even more. The company is

rapidly on the way to becoming the biggest online fashion distributor

in the world. The shed was here. We looked at the local workforce and we

saw there was capacity. ASOS is here, it's pertinent home is here.

This is the backbone of our logistics, of our Empire,

effectively. And it will be four years to come. For generations, the

men earned their pay from coal but even when the famous colliery brass

band led the Pitman back to work in 1985 after that famous strike, that

way of life was ending. The pit was bulldozed after closure in 1993.

It's been a struggle to fill that you're an economic gap ever since.

Even with several companies setting up, unemployment is still well above

the Yorkshire average. There's a particular worry over the job

prospects for the young. We've got to make sure everyone can be

included in this economic recovery, which is why all of our programmes

are so important, as is welfare reform to give people the

opportunity to earn more by going out to work. Few could have

predicted that workers could earn their living in this way. The

transformation from coal to clothes is giving a long`awaited boost to an

area that really needs it. So, is it as rosy as the Prime Minister says?

Well, one of Barnsley's MPs has been keen to point out that ASOS is

located on a business park built during the Labour government in

2007. David Cameron called it a hopeful story. He's right, isn't

he? Vindication that government policies are working? It's fantastic

we have ASOS in Barnsley, in my constituency. It is a business that

has gone from strength to strength since 2000. This has not happened

overnight. This business park that ASOS are based in was built by the

previous Labour government in 2007, the road network around there which

is critical in attracting ASOS to the area was something that hasn't

happened overnight. It is fantastic that we have so many jobs from ASOS

in Barnsley. Barnsley has got to have an extra 32,000 jobs across the

borough just to get to the national average for unemployment.

Unemployment in my constituency has gone up 88% in just the last two

years. So it is great we've got ASOS, we need more companies like

them, but we've still got a great big jobs crisis. So, how do you

create those jobs? We need to grow the private sector. We are

attracting companies like ASOS into the area. The Prime Minister talked

about a recovery but it doesn't feel like it for most people. The

economy, after flat`lining, growth is going back to where it was at the

2010 general election, but on average families in Yorkshire are

?1700 a year worse off every year. Too many people are still in

part`time jobs, they can't get enough hours. And, of course, wages

aren't going up as fast as prices in 39 of the 14 months that David

Cameron has been Prime Minister. We still do have a jobs crisis

throughout Yorkshire. We've got a cost of living prices as well, and

another one of the big energy giants is whacking up their prices as well.

David Cameron has done nothing about that.

Next tonight, a football fan who punched a police horse after his

team lost to their arch rivals has been jailed for 12 months. Thank you

very much. The court heard Barry Rogerson was drunk when he attacked

the animal from West Yorkshire's mounted division. Trouble flared

when Newcastle lost to Sunderland at home in April. Ironically, the same

police horse, Bud, will be back on duty this weekend, when the two

teams play again. Anna Crossley reports. Caught on camera, the

moment this football fan Barry Rogerson punched police force in the

face. Today, 45`year`old Barry Rogerson was sentenced to 12 months

in prison for his part in the ugly scenes after the game between

Newcastle and Sunderland. The footage of Rogerson squaring up to

the animal and punching it on the head was seen on the Internet and

television by millions and caused outrage. He claimed he was acting in

self defence. The course was coming at me. I panicked. It was an instant

reaction. I didn't intend to hurt the horse. I don't think I did hurt

the horse. It wasn't intent, it just happened. Bud, who has been with the

mounted section with the police for eight years, what an injured in the

attack, seemingly taking it all in his stride. He was fine, he was used

to it. It is traumatic for us as individuals, but in terms of Bud, he

was fine with it, he's used to that. He gets the next day off. A couple

of days later, he's back to his normal routine, doing what he does

on a daily basis. After that, we got well wishes from all over the world,

from New Zealand, Australia, America, lots of letters of

appreciation, asking how Bud was getting on. It was incredible.

Today, West Yorkshire Police's mounted division, including Bud,

were preparing to go back on duty in the north`east this weekend when

Sunderland host Newcastle at the Stadium of Light.

Coming up on Look North. It was a huge fire that destroyed

most of its factory. But the business is already getting back on

its feet. We go back to Airedale Air Conditioning to find out what

happened after the fire was out. In other news, around Yorkshire a

review of all hospitals in the country has put Leeds Teaching

Hospitals into the highest risk category regarding the quality of

its services. The Care Quality Commission has identified concerns

including the number of cases of the bug C. Difficile. It's also raised

issues relating to whistle`blowing. The Trust say they're aware of the

risks identified in the report and that action has been taken. Leeds

General Infirmary and St James' Hospital will now be in the next

wave of Trusts to undergo a full inspection.

A 47`year`old man from Sheffield has been jailed after shooting a friend

in the head with an air rifle while drunk and high on cannabis. Russell

Fairchild had already admitted the manslaughter of 24`year`old Chris

Humphreys. Today he was sentenced to three years in prison. The court

heard he'd been waving the gun around believing it to be unloaded.

The pellet penetrated his friend's brain.

Jimmy Savile's former flatmate and chauffeur has been arrested over

fresh allegations of historic sex abuse against children. 71`year`old

Ray Teret was re`arrested when he answered bail. Police say the

accusations were not linked to the national inquiry into abuse by

disgraced broadcaster Savile. The level of homelessness in one of

Yorkshire's most prosperous towns has been described as "staggering"

by a local charity. Harrogate Homeless Project says more than 150

people have been referred to a scheme which aims to make sure those

sleeping rough never have to do it again. It's now being rolled out

across the whole of North Yorkshire. Essential work to strengthen the

Woodhouse Tunnel in Leeds has been given the go`ahead. If not carried

out, the council says the Inner Ring Road would close within five years

for safety reasons. The Department for Transport has approved ?16

million worth of funding for the project. Overnight work will begin

next month and is expected to last two years.

The Home Secretary says a new tougher watchdog to investigate the

police will start looking into complaints next year. It follows

allegations of a cover`up over the police's handling of the

Hillsborough disaster. 96 football fans were crushed to death at the

stadium in Sheffield in 1989. Theresa May says the Independent

Police Complaints Commission needed to be beefed up. The events of last

year proved over men `` overwhelmingly that we need to beef

up the IPCC. Where it has needed new powers, for instance in its

investigation in Hillsborough, we have legislated to provide them. And

the evidence of the past week shows we need to go further, and we will

do so. Staff at a factory in Leeds involved

in a massive fire say they're optimistic about the future after

production re`started there. A large part of the Airedale Air

Conditioning plant in Rawdon was affected and it was feared staff

could lose their jobs. Now, though, less than two months after the fire,

production is slowly increasing in make`shift facilities. Ian White's

been back to see how everyone's coping.

It was one of the biggest incidents West Yorkshire Fire crews have had

to deal with in recent years. What had been a normal working day ended

in devastation at the Airedale Air Conditioning when a massive fire

broke out. Those pictures were filmed on six September and you can

see the impact the fire had. It's too dangerous to go inside but,

incredibly, even though two months has barely passed, production has

restarted. The managing director showed me the burnt out factory and

told me how difficult things had been. You get through the first

couple of weeks our buy our. It is seven weeks now and we all feel

extremely optimistic. Basically, we've still got the products and

people, we've still got the orders and we will come back to a

world`class facility. No full`time ends of staff have lost their jobs

but it has been an uncertain time. This former rugby player works on

the shop floor. The first thing is you think about your job. I knew

going to have a job, how bad was the devastation? `` are you going to

have a job? But we came down to start work. Work dried up the casual

staff and 40 people remain on full pay at home. In the temperate office

block, it has been an interesting time. It is quite an adventure,

really. We are all squashed up in this small office but it's quite

fun. It's a change, a break to the routine. The company has found

temporary facilities elsewhere to increase production. Eventually,

they will move back to a purpose`built facility. We are

relocating our main plant which will be fully operational at the end of

November, when we will be up to about 90% capacity. Is that the fire

alarm? No! Good job it wasn't a fire alarm. We

went to the fire some weeks ago. We filmed those shots. I think at the

time there was a fear that the whole thing had gone up.

A positive attitude and a bit of Yorkshire grit has got them through.

Before seven o'clock. Hoping for a hat trick. Sheffield's

Nick Matthew prepares for the world championships, could he retain the

title for a third time? And reaping the rewards of fame,

what next for the school that let the cameras in?

A great`grandfather who was unable to speak properly for more than two

years has got his voice back. Retired miner James Sykes from

Barnsley caught a virus which paralysed his vocal cords. Now,

after months of silence, he says he's enjoying being able to argue

with his family, and hopes to start singing again. Kate Bradbrook

reports. James Sykes is much like any other pension. He loves to spend

time with his family. Earlier this year, James lost something many of

us take for granted. His voice. It was a two`year period when it

happened. It gradually got worse. I couldn't use the phone. Things like

that. James, a former miner, contracted the virus which paralysed

his vocal chords. There were doubts about whether anything could be done

until his daughter found a specialist surgeon online. My dad

said straightaway, ring him, let's try to get him. I didn't know

whether he would because the procedure is a needle in the neck

and I thought he might not want it. He said straight away, go for it. I

want to try it. Within weeks, he underwent treatment at the Queen

Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, a procedure funded by the hospital's

charity. I was able to inject the vocal cord and push it across. In

order to get the voice sounding clear, you have to close of the air

between the vocal cords so the injection moves the vocal cord a

little bit too. James wasn't allowed to talk for the first few days, but

according to his family he is now unstoppable. For the first couple of

days, I got fed up of him ringing me up! But it is just lovely to want to

talk `` to get to talk to him and for him to reply. There's one more

goal he wants to achieve. I'd like to get my singing voice back. That

is what I'd like. Can't think of anything worse than not being not

able to talk. You can think of anything better, can you?

The Squash World Championships take place next week, and one man from

Sheffield is hoping to take the title for the third time.

33`year`old Nick Matthew became the first Englishman ever to win the

world championship back in 2010. Well, he won the title again last

year. And now he's hoping for a hat trick.

It gives me a massive thrill to see that trophy. With squash and not

being the Olympic sport, that is the biggest trophy in our sport. We've

got a couple of smaller replicas in my home, so it would be nice to

complete a hat`trick this week. It is some career you've had. Getting

your hands on it in 2010, the first Englishman to do so, retaining it,

and now you are ranked pretty high. I am forth in the world, apparently.

The guy from Egypt is coming in favourite. He is unbeaten for a

year. So he is the hot favourite coming in. But no reason with the

home crowd behind us that we can't do well. You grew up in Sheffield.

Your dad was a pig teacher. Was that a help or a hindrance? It was a bit

of both! I got a bit of stick in my `` from my friends. It helped me in

some ways. I was into sport from a young age. He made you captain the

cricket and football team as well. The football was probably

favouritism, the cricket was OK. When did you stop playing squash? I

started playing tennis, and I saw squash when I was getting past. I

tried it, swapped sports and the rest went on from there. So, the

world Championships next week, it is on the wrong side of the Pennines,

but we not mentioning that. That shows it is growing in popularity

because it is also being broadcast on the BBC. Me and James, we have a

great rivalry, we are both from Yorkshire, and we can't meet until

the finals. So that is the dream final. There is no love lost between

you. He's described you as pretentious and vicious. I've got my

own book out right now, so I'm not saying I've got my own back, but we

do have contrasting personalities, and when there is adrenaline and we

want the same thing, it boils onto the court. Where did we go from

here? The book is out next week, the Championships to play for, it's a

busy time for you. Hopefully I've got the right people working on the

book behind the scene so I can concentrate on playing, because that

is the most important thing. It is a good time to launch the book now.

Hopefully it will go down well. You confident? Yes. I got the final of

the US Open last week, I didn't win, but hopefully one step further next

week. What is the title of your book? Sweating To Death.

Did mentioned the book at all? ! Sheffield boxer Kell Brook is

preparing to face his toughest opponent yet. He'll fight Devon

Alexander at the Arena on Saturday. And, as Tanya Arnold found out, he's

focused on victory, and a shot at the world title.

Focused. Determined. And, dare I say it, a bit more grown`up? Kell Brook

understands the sacrifices he has to make to get to the top. There is

still that young kid in me, that'll never go. When we are in the gym, we

have a good crack with the lads. But I know what needs to be done. And it

does get done, the hard work, the hard training, up early, cold

mornings, I am a at the crack of dawn training. It's been a tough

year for him. He was set to fight Devon Alexander three times and

three times injuries got in the way. The worst thing I've ever had to go

through my boxing career. But now I am enjoying boxing. I've enjoyed

every single session of this training camp. I've enjoyed the

diet, everything about it. It's reignited to me. When you're giving

a kid a bag of candy, you put it in front of him and take it away, it is

a massive disappointment. That's what it is for boxers. You give him

a world title fight, big payday, big exposure, then somebody sweeps it

away and it is a massive downer for the fighter and everybody involved.

So it has made him realise you can't take these things for granted. Kell

Brook believes his opponent, former world champion is the toughest he

has ever faced. There is no room for error. I've got to look spectacular

in this fight with Shevchenko and move on to that world title fight.

It is a massive fight. There is big talks going on. I want to be on the

top table with elite fighters. Before goes to plan, he could

finally have that world title fight next spring.

Good luck to him. Now, would you want to live in a

loo? An old toilet block in Leeds has been sold at auction today for

just under ?40,000. I lived somewhere quite grotty when I was a

student, it wasn't quite a toilet. The derelict building in Morley town

centre was put on the market by Leeds City Council with a guide

price of ?10,000. The successful bidder spent quite a few pennies in

the auction, the final price, ?37,000. He intends to turn it into

shops and an apartment. That is some outlay. No bog`standard stories

here. Tantrums, tellings`off, and tired

out teachers. For eight weeks now, we've been getting a fly`on`the`wall

view of life in a Dewsbury high school. The show, Educating

Yorkshire, has been a huge hit for Channel 4 with close on five million

viewers tuning in to see what it's like to grow up or work in high

school. Pupil applications are up and more staff are applying to work

there. Spencer Stokes has been back to Thornhill to see how staff and

students have been coping with their new found fame. The school that

lifted the lid on what goes on inside. For one term, Channel 4

filmed this school with cameras and microphones. The headteacher made

the decision to take part in the series something he thought long and

hard about. So, Mr Mitchell, here we are, two months on, are you glad you

did Educating Yorkshire? Very much so. I think it has been a

roller`coaster ride but it not has `` it hasn't been negative. Largely

it's been 95% positive, I would say. One of the early stars was Bailey,

instantly famous for having shaved off her eyebrows. My eyebrows, I

shaved them all off. I shaved all my eyebrows off. That comment came

something of a catchphrase and outside of school, Bailey has been

getting used to lots of extra attention. As soon as they see me,

they stopped to talk about me. Then they ask me about my eyebrows.

Others are remembered for different reasons, like this man. You're at

school, do maths! Somebody shouted one I was coming out of a bank from

50 metres away, " do maths!" That mini explosion didn't impress

everybody but opinions changed a few weeks later when the programme

showed him struggling on despite being ill. Each episode has dealt

with a multitude of different issues. Tonight's looks at her

student who struggles with his speaking. He has suffered with a

stammer. But he is a great kid. What is going on inside your head when

the words don't come out? It feels like...

It's probably our own version of the King 's speech. It is a fabulous

watch and I'm very proud of it. It's my favourite. With the camera is

gone, life here is getting back to normal. Staff and students hope

their eight weeks in the spotlight has provided a snapshot of what it

is like educating and being educated in this corner of Yorkshire.

It has been a fascinating series. I think I know them all, do you

know? Let's check out the weather

prospects. Lots of areas of low pressure on Monday, more on that in

just a second. We had a lovely day, plenty of

sunshine, more unsubtle tomorrow, particularly tomorrow morning when

we have some rain on the cards, clearing away to the North, but it

will remain blustery through the deck. Our weather is being dominated

by this low pressure. This front is pushing tomorrow morning, and on

Saturday, we have another waiting in the wings. It has been very pleasant

today, plenty of sunshine. It is very nice out there. This cloud in

the south`west pushes northwards through this evening and overnight.

Clear spells, at first it's fine. The breeze will strengthen, the

cloud will thicken and increase, and by the end of the night, there will

be some rain. With the cloud, it is going to be a mild night and

temperatures stay in double figures. So, the sunrise.

Tomorrow morning's rush hour is going to be grotty. There will be

strong winds and surface water and heavy rain through the morning hours

but we will see an improvement with the rain clearing away to the North.

We see the odd shower through the afternoon and a few showers perhaps

returning to the Dales later on in the day. It is going to be a rather

blustery day, a fresh and gusty wind from the south`west but Bridges will

be fairly respectful, getting to about 17. We have an early warning

potential for a very nasty storm to track across the UK. A lot of

uncertainty in its track, intensity and timing. It doesn't go on top of

us but that could change. Keep tuned to that. I don't think temperatures

can be respectful, I meant respectable!

What did you think of Bailey's eyebrows?

Better than yours! I'm not sure I want to know. Good

night.