01/05/2014 Look North (Yorkshire)

connection with a murdering Belfast back in the 1970s. That is all from

the BBC News Good evening. Welcome to the

programme. On tonight's Look North: "A shining light". Teacher Ann

Maguire's family pay tribute to her as a schoolboy appears in court

charged with her murder. Also tonight: The woman from

Sheffield found guilty of using drink and drugs to lure young girls

into a life of prostitution. And treacherous terrain. Swaledale

Mountain Rescue gets ready for the influx of thousands of Tour De

France visitors. In a. It has been a grey day. Join me for the details.

The family of a Yorkshire teacher who was stabbed to death in her

classroom have paid an emotional visit to the school to see the

hundreds of messages and flowers left in her memory. Ann Maguire had

been a teacher for forty years at Corpus Christi College in Leeds, but

was killed just months before she was due to retire. Today her husband

and daughters described her as a "shining light" who "brightened the

world". Earlier a fifteen`year`old boy appeared at Leeds Youth Court,

accused of her killing. Our crime correspondent, John Cundy, reports.

A college and community's display of love and affection, made clear today

to the family of Ann Maguire. Widower Donald and daughters Emma

and Kerry saw the moving tributes for themselves. A father and his

daughters hand`in`hand as they remembered a beloved wife and

mother. The family made a visit to the church, which has been an

important focus in the last few days. On Monday evening, as you

know, we had at one stage 600 people there to remember Ann. The family

issued their first statement today since Ann Maguire's tragic death.

They said: The day for the family had begun

with a two`minute hearing in the Leeds Youth Court. The 15`year`old

schoolboy accused of the murder was remanded in custody to appear at the

Crown Court tomorrow. Also tomorrow, there will be a one`minute silence

for Ann before a Wigan rugby game. Ann was born in Wigan. God knows

what is going through her family's minds. It is a tragedy. If we can

show any level of respect and recognition about what has gone on,

I am sure that we will do our best. This afternoon, a consoling arm from

the priest as Ann Maguire's family quietly walk away from the scene of

the many tributes to the much loved teacher.

A twenty`three`year`old woman from Sheffield who used drugs and alcohol

to lure vulnerable girls into prostitution has been found guilty

of running a child sex ring. Amanda Spencer used the money to fund her

own drug and alcohol addictions. Three men accused of related

offences have been cleared by a jury at Sheffield Crown Court. Kate

Bradbrook is there for us this evening. Kate, what is the

background to this? Amanda Spencer, and 23 years old,

was from a troubled background. She started to drink and take drugs at

an early age. When she was 16, she started to befriend young girls in

Sheffield. She gave them drugs and alcohol and was a shoulder for them

to cry on. Many of them were from chaotic backgrounds, like she was.

She would force them into prostitution and then she would take

the money for drink and drugs. Her youngest victim was only 13 years

old. We have heard harrowing accounts from these victims. They

said they were too frightened to go to the police.

What happened in court today? Spencer was charged with offences

relating to prostitution. She was found guilty of 16 offences and was

cleared from seven. There are another 15 charges outstanding that

the jury need to decide about. Three men have been cleared of related

offences today. Another man has been found guilty of two sexual assaults.

The jury will continue their deliberations tomorrow. The judge

said he will accept a majority verdict. Spencer could be sentenced

tomorrow afternoon. Later on Look North: Morrisons

unveils what it's calling the biggest price cut in a decade.

In other news now: Network Rail has apologised to the family of a little

girl who died when the car that she was in was hit by a train on a level

crossing near Doncaster. An inquest into the death of four`year`old Emma

Lifsey from North Lincolnshire concluded her death last December

was an accident. But the assistant coroner says the warning lights at

the crossing were not bright enough. Taxpayers face the prospect of

funding compensation claims by victims of the late Jimmy Savile

should money from his estate run out. So far more than 140 people

have come forward to claim they were assaulted by him. The current value

of his estate is put at ?3.3 million. Health Minister Norman

Lamb, said if those funds were exhausted pay`outs would have to

come from the public purse. As fire fighters across Yorkshire

prepare for more strike action this weekend, West Yorkshire Fire and

Rescue say they can't guarantee the same level of service that helped

save a number of buildings in Leeds last month. A hundred fire fighters

tackled a huge blaze on an industrial estate in Armley. The

Tradpak building was destroyed, but several others were saved. There is

a warning that with only half the usual cover available, that might

not be possible this weekend. I ensure that we will cope. The

problem will be if there are any large incidence. There were three,

four, or five buildings that were saved by the prompt actions of the

Fire Service. Well, members of the Fire Brigades

Union will strike tomorrow between noon and five, and will take action

again on Saturday and Sunday. The government says fire fighters have

one of the most generous pension schemes in the public sector and is

calling the strike "unnecessary". The Labour Party has become the

latest to launch its local council and European Parliament election

campaign for Yorkshire. Senior politicians and activists gathered

in Dewsbury for the start of what it says is the fight to overcome a cost

of living crisis. Our political editor, Len Tingle, was there.

What are the most common issues that are raised? Labour chose to launch

their election campaign at a Dewsbury housing association. Their

flagship new policy out today ` to curb the cost of finding and renting

affordable housing. That is part of a manifesto that they say will help

people who are not benefiting from the UK's recent economic growth.

There are still too many people in this country who are facing a cost

of living crisis. You only have to listen to people here today to

realise the extent of that crisis and how important it is that we take

steps to address it. We cannot afford to let this government off

the hook... It is not just local council elections being contested.

Outside Dewsbury Town Hall, activists and supporters were joined

by Labour's candidates for the European Parliament elections `

which will be held on the same day. Labour has done well over the past

few years at local government level. They have taken control of Sheffield

and Leeds. They go into this election only one seat short of

controlling Bradford. But at the European elections last time around,

it was a disaster. They came second in the polls for the first time and

they were down to just one seat. They are hoping to do much better

this time. Polling day is in exactly three weeks, on Thursday, 22 May.

BBC Look North, Dewsbury. And more information on the parties and

candidates can be found on the BBC's Election 2014 website.

It is being touted as the biggest price cut by a supermarket in a

decade. Today Bradford`based Morrisons announced they were

discounting over a thousand items in a bid to win back shoppers. It is a

bold move but is it enough? Here is our business correspondent Danni

Hewson. There is no denying that the last

few years has been tough for Morrisons. Sales have fallen and

shopper numbers have dwindled. Their campaigns have fallen short. Now

they are gambling that cutting prices will result in dividends. My

job is to make sure that the business is good for the future. We

used to have antiquated systems and we have been diligently working to

update this. We will have 200 shops by the end of this year. We are also

going online. We are modernising our systems will stop the next step is

to make sure that we offer the best value and that is what we are doing

today. Price is the battle ground. More people are turning to discount

stores and markets. The cost of food has risen by 10% between 2007 and

2012. Do people think Morrisons are on the right path? Yes I do.

Everyone should be lowering prices. I like nice, fresh bid. I shop at

Waitrose. `` fresh food. Smack has a lot of ground to make up. ASDA has

lower prices. And others questioned whether price is the answer. Time

will tell what the consumer wants. When you look at the economy, it is

getting better. People are perhaps not as price conscious as they were

18 months ago. Will it work? If it does, they may not have to worry

about the shoppers of tomorrow. This is Easter, a foal abandoned by

the road in Leeds. He has been rescued by an animal centre and now

he needs a surrogate mum Next tonight: There are just over two

months to go until the biggest bike ride in the world arrives here in

Yorkshire. And fewer people can be busier than

Nicky Roche, at the moment. She is the chief executive of the Tour de

France Hub, which is in charge of planning the logistics behind the

Grand Depart. And we will be hearing from them regularly over the next

few weeks. But first Yorkshire's hosting of the Grand Depart this

summer will provide a global stage for many of the region's most

beautiful, and dramatic, landscapes. But the rugged beauty of places like

the Dales brings its own challenges. Our Tour de France correspondent,

Matt Slater, reports from Swaledale where the emergency rescue team has

been preparing for any mishaps on the day.

Damp days in the Dales are nothing new. Yorkshire has been living with

water ever since the ice age and yet still it comes ` creating holes in

the limestone, like those that give Cliff Gate Road its other name,

Buttertubs Pass. Farmers used to keep their butter down there in the

summer, but this July these potholes could provide a real headache for

somebody. It is not the bikers, it will be the spectators. What we have

particularly looked at is someone falling down one of the dozen holes.

The mountain rescue team are volunteers who get called out 25

times a year, usually to help hurt hikers and wayward walkers. But they

have never seen a crowd as big as the one that is expected for the

Tour de France. They have been out staging a dress rehearsal for a

drama they hope no one will ever see. Once we have practised it a

couple of times, we will do it at a faster tempo as if we were doing it

for real on the day. Practice makes perfect. That is exactly what we are

doing now. There could be as many as 50,000 people along the road

cheering on Sir Bradley Wiggins and others on the 5th of July. Making

sure that everyone goes home safe is the priority. We want people to

enjoy themselves, but take care. There is no need to go close to the

edges. You can see that the ground is rough and there are some real

hazards ` some caverns, some caves, and some steep ground. The message

is clear. Enjoy the day, but mind the gaps. This is a beauty spot you

do not want to visit. Well joining us now is Nicky Roche, chief

executive of the Tour de France Hub. A big job ahead ` what are the key

challenges for you with two months to go? It is making sure that

everyone is ready. We are expecting large numbers of people from all

over the world. It is a fantastic opportunity for the region and we

want to make sure that everyone is putting their best foot forward. We

are putting information online. This information is for people who are

related to the Tour de France, but also people who need to know how

they will be affected for business reasons. We saw there an iconic

beauty spot, Buttertubs. How worried are you that too many people will

turn up to places like this, creating a nightmare for police and

emergency services? We are working with the local services to make sure

that we know how these large clouds `` clouds can be accommodated. It is

all about details. We are working as a team. When people ask what it was

like, they will think it was Yorkshire and the UK and did we not

do a good job. Look at all the people on the held. `` hill. There

is a maximum capacity and the roads will be closed in the morning. We

will be watching it very carefully to make sure that we are not

overcrowding local areas. Do you think you might have two turn people

away? We will have to redirect people. There are different places

that you can watch along the route. The tour runs over several hours, so

you might want to go to one part and then go to the pub, and then go to

another part. A lot of concerns too about road closures. Can you clear

this up for us? If you live on the route, when can you expect roads to

be closed by? Local authorities are telling people when the roads will

be closed. That is getting sharper and sharper in terms of when exactly

it will be. The expectation is that the roads will be closed to vehicles

on Friday and then after the tour begins to run, cyclists will also

not be able to use the roads as we will need it for the race. Anne

MacGregor got in touch. She runs a vet practice and says: As the roads

will be closed our clients will not be able to reach us, so at present

we have no idea as to how we are going to cover the emergency service

we provide. What do you say to businesses like that? We are

planning for that. People need to contact your local authority and

there will be information there about how they can operate emergency

services. Life comes first. Also, Alex Murray asks: What will a

successful Grand Depart look like on Monday morning after race leaves

Yorkshire? If you are going, please take your rubbish home with you and

use the bends. Let us have a bit of action from

last night's football now. Halifax Town have a goal up their sleeves,

for the second leg of their play`off semifinal at Cambridge on Sunday.

And you never know, it might be enough. In last night's first leg at

the Shay, they edged out Cambridge by 1`0. It came from this penalty by

Lee Gregory, just seven minutes from time, after a foul on Matty Pearson.

But stopping Cambridge from scoring last night may prove just as

valuable! We will take the 1`0, one more clean

sheet and then we are on our way. Are you thinking about Wembley

already? No. Yes, I am. No. I am just thinking about a clean sheet

again. We have had a lot recently. We have defended fantastically. We

are in everything. We can score goals. We are going to go down

there, we are not going to defend, we are going to try to score again `

which we can. Barnsley has a rich heritage when it

comes to cricketers. There is Geoffrey Boycott, Darren Gough,

Martyn Moxon, and Katherine Brunt to name but a few. Don't forget Dickie

Bird or we will be in real trouble! Now there are some new stars on the

horizon. The under`13's cricket team from Horizon Community College are

off to Lords for tomorrow's final of the Lady Taverners Competition.

Tanya has the details. I just love cricket. This team that we are in,

everyone encourages each other and we are such a good team. So good,

that they are in the final five of a competition that around 750 teams

started out in. I hope that we win, it would be good if we win. It will

be a good opportunity. We are really excited because we were so close

last time and we are here this time so it is even more special. Last

year, they fell at the final hurdle ` pipped to the North of England

spot by a team from Lancashire. But this time, the home of cricket

beckons. I have played cricket all my life and I have coached for the

last few years and I have never been to Lords. I am not sure if some of

the girls realise how big it is. Tomorrow, they certainly will.

Staff at an animal rescue centre are appealing for help to raise a

two`week`old baby. Easter, the foal, was found near the White Rose Centre

in Leeds. He had been abandoned at just one day old. But there's a

happy ending to this one, as Danny Carpenter reports.

There is nothing quite so cute as a baby, no matter what the species.

But Easter obviously did not appeal to his original owners. At just

one`day`old, he was abandoned by the roadside and left to die. He was

taken by police to Hope Pastures where they are trying to keep him

alive. In the absence of Easter's mum, 21`year`old Danny has to be the

daddy. Feeds are hourly. With fellow volunteer Sophie, they have been

caring for the foul around the clock. He is worth it. He is

absolutely lovely and we love him to bits. If he can grow up to be a

horse that lives for 30 years and has a happy life, a couple of months

of our time is so small in comparison to the life he might

have. They are hoping to find a brood mare for him. Tilly here is

keen to foster him, but he really needs a mother's milk. What he needs

is a horsey friend to teach him how to be a horse. Tilly is very

maternal and has taken a shine to him, so we're hoping that she can

mother him. From a desperate first`day, through a difficult two

weeks, Easter is already defying the odds. And who now would bet against

him making it through. Things are starting to look good. Danny

Carpenter, BBC Look North. Now it is time to get the weather.

There were bad storms yesterday. This picture was taken at 7pm. Here

is another photograph from Leeds. This one is from Sheffield. But look

how beautiful dresses. `` this is. Let us look outside. The rain is

just stopping in Leeds, temperatures five Celsius. But the good news is

that better weather is on the way. Tomorrow, the cloud will break and

there will be some sunshine. The sunshine will follow. Saturday will

be a beautiful day. That should last for the whole bank holiday weekend.

Perhaps on Sunday there will be a little bit of rain, but other than

that it looks nice. There is some mess and fog over the hills

tonight. `` mist. The lowest temperatures, five Celsius. The sun

will rise in the morning at these times. A slow start in the morning,

but breaks will soon arrive in North Yorkshire and filter southwards. The

afternoon looks pleasant. Some good sunny spells. There will be a cold

breeze along the coast. But quite pleasant and the sunshine. `` in the

sunshine. We cannot blame the weatherman when the weather is not

good. That is all from us. Goodbye. 'The last two generations have been

robbed of an opportunity 'And yet it has greater impact

on our everyday lives than anything 'We need to put this issue

to bed now, 'and not leave it

for another generation.' I want a Britain that is free

to control its own destiny.