16/09/2011 North West Tonight

Good evening. Welcome to North West Tonight with Gordon Burns and

Ranvir Singh. Our top story: the heroes return.

77 years after their last county championship win Lancashire bring

home cricket's top trophy. We'll be live at Old Trafford with

Tony. For the conquering heroes are home.

After 77 years, they have arrived. Eco-warriors set up camp in

Lancashire, they're planning a big weekend protest against

controversial plans to drill for gas.

Strictly out of of line or telling a few home truths? Dance judge

Bruno gives his verdict on Blackpool. It's full of drunks, he

says. Not too keen, Blackburn's fans

planning a demo calling for their It's been a long time coming but

Lancashire's cricketers today returned home in triumph with

cricket's top trophy, the County Championship. The last time they

won it outright was back in 1934. The team arrived back in Manchester

today after that nail-biting season finale at Taunton yesterday, tired,

happy and very possibly hungover. Let's join Tony Livesey who's at

Old Trafford now. I can confirm they were handover.

It is quiet at the moment but the smell of successes in the air. If

you've had a few beers, the last thing you want to do is spend six

hours on a coach. When they got here, it looks as though the party

was about to start again. -- it looked as though.

You wait 77 years for a bus... And then it finally arrives. Lancashire

have won the one-day trophies galore for decades. No one present

Today has ever seen anything like this before. The coach wouldn't

exactly have been a horse drawn one of these fellas just -- won the out

right Championship him amounted it is seven. But today was about the

new breed. I was so happy to be out there in the end. By wanted to get

over the line. There were a few lads with thick heads on the bus

but it was well deserved. There was a brilliant atmosphere. That is why

we all play the game, four days like that. I've got the stump here.

If you have signed it. -- a few. The skipper has been trying to win

this for 20 years. Is this your Freddie Flintoff moment? They would

not let us drink past 1am, the baht closed. We were lucky, it could

have got a message. They will probably have another go tonight.

After being run as a six-times over the last 14 years, these home-grown

that boys have done what countless home -- household names have failed

to do, they are champions. You couldn't stop them smiling once

that bus arrived. It was a magic moment. The club gets a cheque for

�500,000 for winning the title. Couple that with a �30 million

redevelopment of Old Trafford, and excitement lies ahead. I'll be back

later with the sport and there will be speaking to the coach who has

minded -- masterminded this historic victory.

Terrific stuff. More of today's news now, and up to 200

environmental protesters are expected to gather in West

Lancashire over the next 24 hours. They're protesting plans to extract

gas from underground shale beds. Green groups say burning more

fossil fuels will exacerbate climate change. But there also more

local concerns. Test drilling was stopped a few weeks ago after the

area was hit by a series of small earth tremors. Let's join Colin

Sykes who's at the camp at Hesketh Bank.

The first protesters started arriving this morning and all day

long, they'd been putting up tents in anticipation of what they hope

will be 200 people taking part in a peaceful protest over the weekend.

A couple of miles away from where the rigours drilling for shale gas.

India, they got the chance to meet the men from the mining company. --

earlier on. I know you guys are not trying to scare people... The boss

of the mining company meets his critics head-on. It's about

understanding of the sounds. can people not be scared of the

catalogue... It is fair to say the eco campers did not buy the

argument that shale gases called for them but they did make their

points. A couple of miles away is the raid in its current location.

It is portable and is trailing 9000 ft below into the share of. --

drilling. This is part of the testing process. The company has

not yet decided whether to apply for commercial licences. Dozens of

protesters are expected over the weekend to voice their opposition

to the process where rock deep underground has fractured using

water and lubricants to release the gas. Some operations were suspended

after a mini earth tremor which followed a trial. The results of an

investigation will be known soon. There were two minor earthquakes in

the area and we halted the operation to do a detailed study,

to look at the effect between pumping and the seismic activity

induced. We expect to have that report published within 30 days.

Some local campaigners have joined the process. -- protest. They are

worried about the wider impact. have seen some of the problems they

have had in America and we are quite concerned about how it will

be regulated, accidents. It will be going through a main route through

the village. Obviously, we are concerned about any effect that

might have on our local area. natural gas at record prices, the

quest for new sources has become urgent. Convincing people this type

of extraction is safe is not proving to be easy.

Real concerns from the people there. But what about local opposition?

As you say, a lot of protesters have come from all over the country,

following for campaign on Facebook and Twitter. Locally, the feeling

is mixed. A group of councillors say they are setting up their own

working party to look at the possible impact of drilling. The

local parish council say they recognise the company as a

legitimate company operating under a government licence and with

planning permission from the local council. The demonstration here

will culminate in a protest on Sunday afternoon.

Police said today that the deaths of a baby boy and his father in

Preston would be the subject of a major case review by the

authorities. Detectives believe Ollie McBride was suffocated by his

father Paul, who then hanged himself. The family was known to

social services. There is still a sense of disbelief

in Preston, where the bodies of Oliver and his father, Paul, were

discovered yesterday. A post-mortem examination revealed that the man

had died from hanging, his six months old son from suffocation.

Detectives said they were not seeking anyone else in connection

with the deaths. It is understood Ollie's parents had been living

apart and he had been on an access visit from the tragedy happened.

Lancashire police today confirmed that their officers had attended a

number of domestic incidents involving all these parents in the

past, although they would not elaborate. -- Oliver's parents. It

has also been reported that the family were known to social

services, although Lancashire County Council today refused to

confirm or deny those reports. However, they did say that a sub-

committee of the county's safeguarding children board would

be reconvened in early October to decide whether to carry out a

serious case review. The aim is to try to discover whether any lessons

can be learnt from the tiles death. For now, the immediate issue facing

Oliver's mother and other relatives is dealing with the grief and shock

of what has happened. Police are questioning a teenager

after a 17 year old boy was stabbed to death in Birkenhead. It happened

at a flat in Corporation Road in the early hours of this morning.

Police have named the victim as Darren Brewster from Wallasey.

Another 17-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

A man whose wife died during pregnancy is taking legal action

against Furness General Hospital in Barrow. The husband of Niran Aukhaj

claims the hospital failed to properly monitor his wife,

particularly her high blood pressure. Mrs Aukhaj and her unborn

child died suddenly at home seven months into her pregnancy. The

hospital says it cannot comment on the case because of the ongoing

police inquiry into deaths in its maternity unit.

A mother from Manchester is demanding an apology from the

police after they used an electric stun gun to restrain her 16-year-

old son. The woman called officers to her home in Wythenshawe after

her son locked her out during a row. It's the latest in a series of

controversies over the use of tasers. The Independent Police

Complaints Commission is investigating the incident.

Hundreds of business leaders gathered at Chester Racecourse

today for an event aiming to attract jobs and investment to

Cheshire. The Duke of Kent officially opened the exhibition.

It highlighted the county's attractive locations, highly-

skilled workforce and good transport links. Lots of locations

around the country are being very vocal but Cheshire has been quiet.

We are starting to tell that story He is paid to shoot to from the lip.

You are like a true Vegas scrum but. While the BBC's Strictly Come

Dancing programme says something about Blackpool. Bruno says

something else. In an interview with a lad's mag, he says we are in

a Blackpool this year which is interesting. Had he interest -- had

he seen the resort's attractions? No, he'd only seen a lot of drug

people fallen about the streets. is rubbish. We are not like that

even though we come to Blackpool every year. It is a sorry sight. He

has definitely got a point. About �250 million has been spent in

recent years improving and upgrading. Merlin entertainment

says they have invested heavily in new attractions. To be honest, I

think it is unfair. I don't think Bruno has been in Blackpool for 12

months so my message to him would be to come back and see what has

happened during that period. comment from Bruno today, he is in

LA, but when strictly his life final welcomes him to the resort,

it will be warned. This is a great place for families, friends, stag

nights and head and eyes. Come to Blackpool and have some fun. You

worry misery! Have some Blackpool rock. They will be keen to show him

the new attraction, including this dungeon. How long they will leave

him -- leave him in there, that is to be decided!

I think he will get a very warm welcome when he gets there.

Something happened in Salford today. Something that used to be so

commonplace that we wouldn't have bothered telling you about it.

It was a ceremony to mark the building of 101 new council houses.

They're the first new council houses in Salford for a quarter of

a century. And, as Stuart Flinders reports, even though there's a

housing shortage, it may be another 25 years before the next ones are

built. I declare this development open.

was treated as quite an occasion, a grand unveiling by the mayor, music

and new tenants who cannot believe their luck. We never had a home,

I've not anyway. We have always moved every year. We have had to.

This is our first home and he can stay here now for ages. Thanks to a

one-off government grant, Salford has built 101 new homes throughout

the city. These are the first new houses to be built by Salford

council and 25 years. There is a waiting list in this city of more

than 10,000. Is this any more than a drop in the ocean? It is 50 years

since the big push to end the housing shortage. By the 1980s,

Salford had more than 40,000 council homes but there are now

near a 10,000. The world has changed enormously from 25 years

ago and even though this is the first new council housing bowled by

Salford City Council, there has been a social housing, housing

built by housing associations, during that time. Margaret

Thatcher's right-to-buy was popular but it forced councils to sell

their properties. Salford fears hit they may lose these as well.

opportunity to buy is still there but we are looking to keep as much

housing as possible for social housing, for all residents and all

people who want to come into the city as well. As for when Salford

may again be able to build homes, the council says the ball is in the

Government's court. The Liberal Democrats kick off the

conference season next week in Birmingham. Their supporters will

be asking just how much impact they've had on Government policy.

Well, one Lib Dem policy that did get through is the pupil premium.

This is the scheme that gives schools extra cash to help poorer

pupils. Schools in Lancashire have received one of the highest amounts

of funding in the country. Elaine Dunkley has been to Burnley to find

out if the scheme is working. This is St Leonard's Church of

England Primary School, outstanding in its Ofsted report, despite

having a high number of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is

just the sort of school the Liberal Democrats had a mind. The party is

hailing her its premium as a success but the head teacher says

they must try harder. I've not really seen a difference. It has

not been noticeable. We have had cuts in our budget. �430 per pupil

for free school meals has not had that the impact that we have

noticeably seen. We cannot say it has made a difference to attainment.

The North West has the highest number of pupils eligible for the

premium outside of London. Across the region, 192,000 pupils refuse

funding of �82 million. -- receive. There is more money on the way.

big benefit is that the money is being given to the school, not the

council. The school can spend it on what they think the and people in

their school needs. -- need for a stop in these times of austerity,

many teachers are having to think outside the blocks. -- box.

majority of head teachers did not come into this to be business

people, we came in as teachers. It is scary being on your own so we

have to work together. The Liberal Democrats say the pupil premium is

adding value but there is concern amongst head teachers that the

figures don't have. More on that on this Sunday's

Politics Show at the Liberal Democrat party conference. Our

political editor Arif Ansari has been talking to North West Lib Dems

about the challenges they're facing. And he will be putting those

concerns to the Party President and Cumbrian MP Tim Farron. That's the

return of the Politics Show, this Sunday afternoon at 1.35pm on BBC

One. Sport now and with more on that

county championship win and storm clouds over Ewood Park, let's

rejoin Tony at Old Trafford. Tony, has to be said, that famous old

ground hasn't had a lot to do with the victory, has it?

That is the incredible fact about this place. Because of the

redevelopment, they have not played a single game here all season.

They've played at Southport and Blackpool, the rest have been at

Liverpool. Earlier, when I spoke to the coach, and I asked him what

part Liverpool have played in Lancashire's success. Winning the

championship has come from various places. We've had the weather.

Liverpool has helped their. The also won five games on the road. --

in a row. We have played good critic -- cricket. Liverpool have

looked after us But Old Trafford as the home where we like to be as

well. Things will move on and hopefully we can keep playing good

cricket. It really is a North West, home-grown team. They are not

household names though, are they? No, they are not. By next to the

famous pavilion. Imagine the famous names to have stood there. None of

those have won the County Championship, and yet these guys

half. What they are is a real band of brothers. They are young players,

who have grown up together, and they are a real success. I asked

Peter Moores what that means for the future of the club. There are

key senior players and their like the captain. -- been there. The

exciting part is looking at other names, Kerrigan, Smith, and so on.

It is not just a victory for Lancashire, it is a victory for

English cricket some have said. English cricket is going very well

at the moment, we have seen at international level. It is a great

advert for local talent. The people have come to watch people who play

for Fleetwood and so on. They love it. The last have responded. -- the

lads. The spotlight now moves from this Old Trafford to the one a

couple of hundred yards up the road at the weekend when Manchester

United host Chelsea in the Premier League's Match of the Season so far.

The Londoners have been overlooked because of 100% starts by United

and Manchester City but Fergie says don't write them off.

Manchester teams enjoyed a publicity of predictions we will be

involved in at the whim of the week. -- the winner. Manchester will be

enjoying it at the moment. They will be there at the end of the

season, there is no doubt about that. The Blackburn Rovers manager

Steve Kean says he has the full backing of the club's owners ahead

of a protest by some supporters calling for him to be sacked.

Rovers are bottom of the Premier League with just one point. They

have won seven of 28 games since Kean took charge. But as Richard

Askam reports ahead of tomorrow's match at home to Arsenal, the

manager is confident the tide will turn.

Lady Luck certainly has not smiled on Rovers. It is all over, it is

one to one. Injury time... After a poor start to the season, some fans

claim for managers luck has run out and just four games in, they wanted

change. To want to be a -- to want to be having a protest, there is

something wrong. The results have not been good enough. There is an

issue which divides supporters, and many don't agree with tomorrow's

demonstration. I don't think it is necessary. We should support the

team. They should have a protest. It is justified. Do you agree with

the protest? No, not really. About �10 million spent in the transfer

window is evidence of the backing that they have from the club's

owners. The manager says he does understand the sense of frustration.

There is nobody more frustrated than myself, the players, because

we feel we have done well enough in a couple of games to get all three

points, never mind none. We share their frustrations and all we need

now is for everybody to stick together. The club's owners have

released a statement in which they say we understand there is a sense

of disappointment and anger among staff fans. They also go on to say

that in their view, the support of fans is even more important at this

time and they conclude by saying we are fully committed to making sure

that the team's performance improves. And the coach knows that

only positive results will silence his critics. Three points tomorrow

will certainly help to make his point. It's a big weekend in Super

League with all three of the north west's play-off contenders in

action. It's Wigan against St Helens on Sunday while Warrington

hosting Huddersfield tonight knowing victory will put Tony

Smith's side one game away from October's Grand Final.

We have had a great year so far. Do come top of the table at the end is

something we are very proud of. There are only three games to go

now. I am sure we will be doing everything we can to Secure them.

And there's full match commentary from the Halliwell Jones Stadium on

BBC Radio Manchester tonight. Thanks to Lancashire's success

yesterday, this region now holds the country's best football,

cricket and rugby league team. You can add to that the FA Cup told --

FA Cup holders and the Challenge Cup holders. Have a good weekend.

And the best sports presenter! There was very heavy rain this

afternoon, it's just thundered down. I am not sure whether we are in for

more of this this weekend. Good evening. It has been a very

lively at times through the day-to- day. It continues to be very, very

unsettled as we go through the weekend. Look at this. Saturday,

hefty showers. Sunday, still showery. The showers has to be the

theme through the weekend. For a huge portion of today, many parts

of the region avoided the rain that we were talking about yesterday.

Over the last couple of hours, that line has worked its way through

from the Irish Sea and there are four under storms within that. --

thunderstorms. When you look at that, you can see the cloud and

what you think is the package to those showers. Not a chance. They

will kick off again as we had to deny it. They will come in from the

Irish Sea. Some of them will be fairly lively. If any where will

miss them, it will be parts of Cheshire and parts of Greater

Manchester. That is true for tomorrow as well. They will catch

up with all of us as the night goes on. Look how our computer brings

the men. From time to come, they will merge together. The weather is

saving grace is the breeze which is not terribly strong. Your

temperatures well held at 9-11 degrees. In parts of Cumbria, 13

degrees towards the early hours of the morning. For tomorrow, a case

of showers, showers and more showers. Away from them, in

southern parts, every now and again there will be a Denzel sunshine. If

you look at the Scala, it just keeps on coming, those blue showers

coming in from the Irish Sea. There is a fairly fresh westerly wind

which will be a feature to the afternoon. Within them once again

through the afternoon, they will merge together for longer spells of

rain. Fairly hefty from time to time and that Thunder will continue

to rumble on. In terms of temperatures, not very good at all

over the weekend. Today, 17. Tomorrow, 15 or 16 degrees. On

Saturday, more rain coming through and on Sunday, those showers keep

on going. The start of next week is Mind you radio show is on Radio