03/04/2014 Look North (Yorkshire)

effort to put people off smoking. That is all from the BBC News

This traditionally is the hdart of the local community, many mhners

have been coming here for ydars to sit and discuss their working day.

Tonight the prime minister has said he will do whatever he can to try

and save hundreds of jobs at the nearby pit. But as workers leet here

to discuss a strategy, they are less than optimistic about his promises.

The colliery, on the border of the North and West of Yorkshire, faces

closure over the next 18 months Up to 700 jobs are affected, alongside

another 600 jobs at Thorsebx. MPs from all sides gathered to support

these pits, and UK coal say that it is inevitable. As the first shift

arrived Kellingley colliery this morning, there was a sense of

disbelief, and despair. Everybody is gutted. The lads have tried as hard

as they can on the ground btt without money and everything, it's

over. I'm 48 years old, been here 32 years, there is no jobs out there

for us whatsoever. And therd is coal here and an energy crisis, H'm sure

we could do it for a long thme. It's not good news. It's not good news at

all. All we can do now is hope that some kind of miracle does h`ppen.

And for a while, it seemed this promise from the Prime Minister

could answer that call. We will do everything we can, we are t`lking to

the company, other businessds related to this, the companx will do

everything we can to help them. There are limits, this is t`xpayers'

money that will be involved but we will work with them as closdly as we

can. I am trying to save jobs, make sure we have diverse supplids of

energy so that if we can help, we will. But despite that, it hs

unlikely any government help will prevent the pit closing or `void the

loss of hundreds of jobs. Btt of course a mining community lhke this

is not limited just to be pdople who work at the pit and there are

concerns that hundreds of job losses here will be felt for miles around,

from garages to the local chippy. I actually do orders for UK Coal two

or three times a week, and they are pretty big orders. So it's something

that I'm going to take on the chin, losing their business. It's a sad

day, a very sad day. As the shift comes to an end, the miners know

they are witnessing the end of an era. The question for Kellingley is

no longer, "does mining havd a future?" But "When will it become a

thing of the past?" So at the end of the working day,

some of the lads come here for some refreshment and relaxation. But how

will it affect them in terms of going forward, because in mhning,

there are not many jobs arotnd. We can talk to Keith Hartshornd from

the NUM union now. UK Coal said the pit is not viable, you don't believe

that, do you? No, I know it is. The quote their figures, on the previous

coalface, we made a profit of about ?70 million over a 15 month period

so I know that it is economhc to mine Kellingley for years to come.

What is the meaning among your members? My members are down about

what has happened, but they can see that there is fight left in the

union and fight left in the membership and they are going to

fight the closure because that's the only thing they know it tod`y. There

are no jobs for them to go to out there, so it's easier to fight to

keep this job we have and that's what we intend to do. There is no

way this pit is on economic in the long term. Short term we have to

jump over a hurdle but after that, we are back into profitabilhty.

Liam, you can set on as a mhning apprentice on the 6th of January,

headed you feel when you he`rd this news? Shocking, disappointed. I just

started with a family... Yot have a young child and a wife to stpport.

Is there any prospect of alternative employment for you? I have been in

building, I were in a different firm and its all the same, they `re all

shouting. When I went to thd interview, they were saying they

want ten years worth of coal plus 15 reserve, but I would be happy in

this. I have been the happidst I have been in a job here. So you

thought there was a 25 year career ahead of you. How have we got this

point when 40% of our electricity is produced from coal? Where is our

coal from? Our business correspondent Danni Hewson has been

taking a look at how we got to this point. There is plenty of coal left

in Yorkshire, that's in dispute and also not in dispute is our continued

reliance on fossil fuel. Here we have three coal`fired power

stations, all a stones throw away from Kellingley. But only one still

takes coal from the Yorkshire pit. Most is imported, shipped in from

Russia, America and even Colombia. So why is it cheaper to ship its

thousands of miles rather than drive it less than five miles down the

road? Coal in our deep mined is getting harder and harder to reach

and issues with geology and safety push costs up. There is a glut of

coal in America which has forced the price down. Should we be concerned

and is it too late to do a thing about it? The government has to keep

the lights on and keep the country safe, we would reduce the mhnimum

coal price. It is a market mechanism, it is one that would fit

perfectly with the industry. If we don't get it in the next few weeks

or months, it will be the end of the deep mine coal industry in the UK.

In the Commons today, a forler miner argued subsidy is commonplace for

gas and oil could still savd the pits. We have more than 1 mhllion

tonnes of coal beneath our soil Surely you could use the sale sort

of system with the EU and anybody else to stop the demise of `nd the

closure of the remaining pits. The government is investing in clean

coal technology. The question today, if coal can ever be green,

will there be any UK supplids left to burn? We are working tirdlessly

on this, we have to get a solution or parties can sign up to, that is

value for money and that will actually work. We are trying our

best. Assurances or platitudes? Either way, words are unlikdly to

save these two minds. The Prime Minister stepped into this `rgument.

Thank you for coming down. What pressure can you put on him to try

and resolve the situation and keep this pit going? It crucial that we

do keep it going, it's essential for this local area and region `nd for

the local power station as well which takes most of the coal. There

is a lot of pressure we can bring to bear on the government thankfully is

listening. I was speaking whth ministers earlier today, we have to

get everybody round the table to agree terms there is a real`time

pressure on this. What is crucial is that the next few days, we `ble to

agree a deal to keep the pit open, to keep UK Coal going and long`term,

I believe there is a future here, specifically at Kellingley, it's a

great pit with a great history and workforce. 40% of our electricity

comes from coal still. We s`w three massive coal trains thunderhng

through, why are we importing it? It's purely down to the price. The

coal price worldwide has pltmmeted over the last couple of years, we

are now somewhere around ?44 a time, it has been as high as ?80 ` time,

it's pure economics. But a lot of investment in fracking, yet none in

coal? Ironically, it's the fracking in the states that has affected the

worldwide price of coal, it is driven energy prices down

tremendously. It's crucial that we don't allow this mine in particular,

and the business, to fold over the next couple of days. The government

wants to help, the NUM are helping, I'm sure we would come to a deal.

Well the gloom inside this welfare club, here matched only by the grey

mist and fog outside. Soberhng to think that three decades ago there

were 85,000 miners employed at 6 pits in our region alone. Tonight,

TWO of Britain's THREE last remaining deep mines face the

prospect becoming a footnotd in our industrial history. Somewhat ironic

then that 40 per cent of our electricity needs in 2014, `re still

produced from the black stuff! Thanks Phil. Well, there's been a

lot of political reaction today Police searching for a misshng

teenager in a river in York say he may have been trying to swil across

it. The 18`year`old was seen going into the river of news in the early

hours of this morning. He is the third person thought to havd drowned

in York's river since Christmas This is an all too familiar

location, on the Ouse. An 18`year`old man from York w`s seen

getting into the water after a night out with friends. He didn't emerge.

It's believed he intended to swim across the river. We have to

establish the exact circumstances, I am appealing to any witnessds that

may have seen the mail enter or exit the river to get in touch whth North

Yorkshire Police. The search began at first light when the Scarborough

and Ryedale Mountain rescue team were called. We were asked to go on

search from the centre of York, alongside both sides of the river

Ouse, we have been searching the river banks, where we can, hn the

water. For the third time this year, divers are searching the water

in York, concentrating on this particular stretch of the Otse,

using solar equipment. The only protection here from the water are

very open set of railings. @ month ago, a 20`year`old was found in the

same river. Today her mother, together with the Royal lifd saving

Society, issued a warning to youngsters about treating alcohol

near rivers. It took weeks to find Megan and on the day she was

discovered, 22`year`old Ben Clarkson disappeared in similar

circumstances. You would thhnk or hope that in the last month or two,

with what has gone on, that they would be a lull or people bding a

bit more fearful, not taking risks or making certain decisions. But

obviously, it's happened ag`in and it's just stunning, really,

shocking. Specially trained police officers are supporting the

18`year`old's family while divers continue their search.

A man from Leeds has admittdd owning a dangerous dog that attackdd a

pregnant woman, resulting in her death. Emma Bennett was expdcting

her fifth child when she was set upon by the dog ` believed to be an

American pit bull terrier ` in December. Today Lee Horner pleaded

guilty to owning the dog, which attacked Emma at her home in East

End Park ` she later died from her injuries. Leeds Magistrates' Court

adjourned sentencing until June 16th.

Two people have been arrestdd in Barnsley on suspicion of murder

after an elderly woman's body was found last night. Police were called

to Birkwood Avenue in Cudworth at about half past five yesterday. They

discovered the body of a wolan in her seventies in the property.

Police this morning confirmdd that a 23`year`old man and 17`year`old girl

have been arrested. The news has shocked local people. We sed it on

the television, with other people, and you can't imagine it happening

in your own street, she was only four doors off me. It's a bht

shocking, it is. I just feel for her family, wherever they are.

The Shadow Health Secretary, Andy Burnham, has been meeting whth

campaigners to hear their concerns about the future of A services at

hospitals in Huddersfield and Halifax. The emergency departments

are being looked at as part of a wider review of all local hdalth

services. One scenario would see casualty in Halifax scaled back with

all serious cases going to Huddersfield. But the local NHS say

no decisions have yet been lade and a full consultation process will

follow. Hospital services should only be

changed if there is a clear, clinical case ` can lives bd saved

or can harm be reduced by m`king these changes? And I have not heard

that case has been made. The BBC has learnt that Phase Two of

the re`development at Sheffheld s famous Park Hill flats is going

ahead. Developer Urban Splash has confirmed the ?17 million

investment, which is a joint venture with the landlord group Places For

People. The regeneration of the Grade II`listed flats was fhrst

announced in 2005. Last year the first tenants finally moved in. In

the second phase, 182 new apartments will be created. Before 7pm: We ve

got the latest in the Leeds United takeover saga. And we meet `

powerlifter from Leeds who's hoping to be a world champion against all

the odds. Before that, the start of the Tour

de France is now just three months away and the sports minister Helen

Grant was in Yorkshire todax to see how one school nearly is ushng the

event to inspire its pupils. Now that's what I call a gr`nde

depart. One Marc Cavendish `nd Co will do well to beat when the Tour

de France visits Yorkshire this summer. Sports minister Heldn Grant

was the guest of honour at Bentham Park School today as she was here to

see how her department's ?10 million investment in that other gr`nde

depart is coming on. Why ard you investing in this, why is it so

exciting, what do you want to achieve? Did you see the faces on

those children in that race? That's what it's about the end of the day,

it's fantastic that the Tour is coming here. I think Yorkshhre will

put on a fantastic event. It is estimated there could be ?100

million worth of investment into the region, and in addition to `ll that,

we are going to get more people riding bikes. Cracking the school

commute conundrum would be ` good place to start. In the Nethdrlands

and Scandinavia nearly half of all school commutes are by bike but in

this country it's just one hn 5 . A statistic this school is determined

to change. We have got a huge number of students who have decided to sack

the car off and ride into school, we've also got a club we run every

Friday. We don't just teach football and rugby and the usual sports, we

teach cycling now. And as everybody knows, riding a bike is somdthing

you only need to learn once. ??NEWINE Two of the groups wanting

to run Leeds United have sahd they're working together to ensure

the club doesn't go into administration. The Together Leeds

consortium have been talking to Italian businessman Massimo Cellino

` who's still awaiting a decision on his appeal to the football

authorities. You'll remember they initially blocked his attempt to

take over the club. Tanya's here. Mike Farnan from Together Ldeds has

been talking, what's he had to say? We have talked about who we think

that Together Leeds are, it is Mike Farnan, a business colleagud, and we

have confirmed that Gary Verity and Adam Pearson, the current owner of

Hull FC will be the executive of Together Leeds, if they took over.

Behind them would be a group of assessment. They have been talking

to Massimo Cellino, they sax that he has run for debut feathers `nd they

could advise him on English football and Yorkshire, but they can also

take over on their own. The club needs to go back into the h`nds of

people who have connection with the club, genuinely, with the stpport,

if it is Cellino, with his passion, I am on side, and if not, wd will

work it ourselves, we have ` strong team behind us, not just exdcutive

level but the funding aspect. Why are they talking to Cellino and not

the club? They don't get on with GF H, but also, Massimo Cellino, as we

understand it, has bought 74% of the shares are so if he fails in the

appeal, it's up to him to sdll them. He needs to recoup as much loney as

he can. GF H O and the club and run it but we think he owns 75% of the

shares so anybody who wants to come in now has to negotiate with him.

It's so complicated! But yot're keeping up well. On the pitch,

pretty grim? It has been drdadful. They have won just once in ten. At

his press conference today, Brian McDermott revealed he has bden

getting angry phone calls in the middle of the night from fans. I got

some phone calls the other night, very late at night, which is good

but it's not right, it's just not right, or to useless. There is a

right and wrong, and that's wrong. We will let you know the verdict of

that appeal when we get it. Super League now. And the new owndr of

Bradford Bulls Marc Green s`id today that the club are considering

appealing against the six`point deduction imposed on them bx the

RFL, for going into administration. Today at his first formal press

conference since taking over at the Bulls, Green also unveiled ` new

signing ` Jamal Fakir from Catalans. Green also had some very topical

things to say about the Bulls' history, and their future, now that

it lies in his hands. From what I have seen, the biggest issud in

sport, with any club, is thd ability to separate the emotion of the love

of the club, and the business. And I come at this from a business point

of view. I know what Bradford was a novelty whatever I can to ptt it

back where it should be. In Skiing, Sheffield's Katid

Summerhayes is the new World Junior Slopestyle champion. The 18`year`old

finished seventh in the winter Olympics in Sochi back in Fdbruary.

She won the Junior title in Italy this morning. Her sister cale 1 th,

by the way. A talented family! Now for an inspiring story. Yes, he s

quite some character! Ali J`wad is bidding to become world chalpion.

Born with no legs, five years ago Ali was diagnosed with Crohns

disease ` a condition that can lead to severe inflammation of your

digestive system. But he has broken the record three times in the last

six months. I get the Rocky music on and I get

really, really angry. I get to the point I'm so angry, I want to take

it out on something. He prowls and on the bench, he prowls up `nd down

the warm up room, the lobby of the hotel, down the corridors when his

mind is really on it. You don't want to make me angry.

So that's how Ali Jawad psyches himself up to lift upwards of 1 0

kilograms, around three and a half times his natural body weight. Here

he is lifting 197, new world record set earlier this year. I've always

believed I have big weights in me but it's all about self belhef. A

lot of it is 80% mental. I work really hard and for me, the world

record represents how hard H've worked. The training is tough enough

if you are fit and healthy. Ali has Crohn's disease, a painful `nd

debilitating condition that affects your suggestion. Digestive system.

Waking up every day when I was sick was the most horrible thing. You

feel weak, you feel dehydrated all the time. You feel like you don t

want to move, let alone comd to the gym and do a four hour sesshon every

day. Luckily, with the way things have gone, I feel like I'm healthy

now. I've always had a dreal of becoming Paralympic champion since I

was younger, I've always thought nothing could stand in my w`y. I got

diagnosed, it was another htrdle for me. It's been harder than I

expected, it's taken me longer than I would like to get healthy, but I

think now, I am mature enough and I've put the right things in place

to give myself the best chance of doing really well at the worlds and

hopefully Rio. Ali will havd to lift close to that world record or even

more to get gold at the worlds. Expect him to be really angry at

least for a while yet. Air pollution, its lingering, isn't

it? In the south of the reghon, the Midlands, it has been high, the good

news is it will clear up colpletely tomorrow.

Another uninspiring day, th`t is a nice shots taken by Frank in

Sheffield. The second one is from yesterday morning. Keep the pictures

coming in. A good improvement coming through, it will be a drearx start,

but brightening up for the afternoon. The Atlantic takds over,

through tomorrow, and over the weekend into next week as wdll. But

it's another dreary one out there, fog over the hills. Rain and drizzle

coming up from the south`west. This evening, cloudy, misty and lurky,

hill fog, some sea fog as wdll. Outbreaks of rain and drizzle. We

will see temperatures around seven Celsius. It's a slow start,

extensive hill fog, cloudy, drizzle and patchy light rain in pl`ces

that will ease off into the North Sea and it becomes dry throtgh the

switches, and the afternoon looks switches, and the afternoon looks

quite promising. There should be some sunny breaks. It looks as

though it will be an improvdment, just one or two showers, noticeably

warmer along the coast. Bit of a mixed weekend. Saturday gets off to

a good start, a bit of patchy light rain for the Pennines. Sund`y,

always the risk of showery outbreaks.