07/02/2012 North West Tonight

Good evening. Welcome to North West Tonight with Ranvir Singh and Roger

Johnson. Our top story: It's four years since Joshua Titcombe died at

Furness General Hospital. So why does a new report say there's still

a significant risk to the safety of mums and babies there? Joshua's

father tells us the findings are appalling - we have the latest from

our Health Correspondent. Also tonight: Lucky to be alive - the

victim of a suspected racial hate crime speaks of his ordeal. I've

broken my eye socket in two places, I've broke my cheek bone and I've

fractured my skull. If you want inspiration, join north-west

tonight with myself and this wonderful pastor, Antoine from

Congo. He has got a story to tell. Ploughing on - we meet the 90-year-

old Cheshire twins who've been running the same farm for three

quarters of a century. And Kop Cat - we meet the feline footballer

who's become an internet sensation Mothers and babies are still being

put at significant risk at the maternity unit at Furness General

Hospital, despite repeated warnings from health watchdogs. That's

amongst the findings of a report published today. One of the first

things new board members will have to deal with after being imposed on

the troubled trust found to be incapable of running its own

hospitals. Tonight the father of Joshua Titcombe - who died after

being born at Furness General - has told us he is appalled by the

report. It's eight months after the inquest into his son's death. Our

Health Correspondent, Laura Yates, reports. Joshua Titcombe was just

nine days years old hen he died. An inquest said midwives missed an

opportunity to treat the infection he has. His father has since

followed what has been on in the unit where he was born. The report

makes the most difficult reading. Three and a half years and Joshua's

death, to read of significant risks to mothers and babies ongoing. I

don't think anyone could read this and not be shocked by it. It's

pretty appalling. The report found that leadership within maternity

services was a concern. That medical and midwifery teams were

not work together and staff didn't know where adult resuscitation was

and there was a lack of equipment Also criticised in a separate

report was the Trust's handling of the faulty appointments system.

14,000 patients were affected. They failed to see it could harm

patients. Ben Johnson contacted us to say he believes the system is

not working. He just visited fur Ness. The consultant said come in,

I went in and he said, well really I don't know why you have been sent

for. Someone in the system has no idea where they're doing. There was

criticism of the way the Trust is being run, its systems and

processes described as inadequate. Tonight the Trust has told us it

accepts the report's findings, but says it has already made progress.

Laura Yates joins me now. Laura, it seems that night after night it's

damning report after report. But who should be doing something to

stop mums and babies still being at risk? Well it looks as if the Trust

can get warning after warning without facing consequences. Its

something I put to Care Quality Commission. They say they're inside

fur Ness general and trying to work out what is going on. And they say

if they find naig suggests the hospital is unsafe for patients,

they well take immediate action and that could include restricting

services, or even closing the unit down. It is something we have heard

before. But I think there are only so many times a hospital Trust can

get such warnings without facing the consequences if problems

continue. Thank you. The police are hunting a gang of Asian youths who

left a white teenager for dead in what may have been a race attack.

Daniel Stringer, from Stockport, suffered serious head injuries when

he and his best friend were badly beaten in Hyde town centre. The

police are treating it as a hate crime. One man has been arrested on

suspicion of assault. Stuart Flinders reports. The moment this

morning when Daniel Stranger's family heard a man had been

arrested on suspicion of assaulting him. It has been an emotional few

days since the 17-year-old was beaten. He was walking through Hyde

town centre with his friend when they say a sinister gesture us made

-- was made by a customer in a takeaway. There was a guy with a

knife, putting it at his neck and pointing at me. They were chased by

a gang of Asian men who set about them. I've broken my eye socket in

two places. I broke my cheek bone and I've fractured my skull. It

gives me a headache and I can't chew properly. So you can't eat

meat properly? No not really. police say it may have been a

racially motivated attack. One of the individuals involved perceived

it is to do with race. So we have recorded it as a hate crime and are

investigating it as such. By we keep an open mind about it.

police have been told there was a snow ball fight here before the

incident. And they're looking into whether it could be connected. But

the two teenagers say they did nothing to provoke the attack and

they hadn't been drink. They only came into Hyde to buy sweets. The

get well cards offer support, but doctors say it is too early to

judge the long-term effect of Daniel Stringer's injuries. The

Labour MP for Birkenhead is calling for commissioners to be sent in to

run Wirral Council. Frank Field told Westminster that senior

officers had cost the authority around �60 million in missed grants.

He accused them of crass inefficiency, particularly

concerning the Rock Ferry development. Wirral Council's Chief

Executive, Jim Wilkie, issued a statement in response to the

comments saying he's pleased that the minister recognises the

significant work currently going on with the Local Government

Association to make the necessary improvements the council needs to

move forward in the future. first contract was for five million

to kick start this development and one of the senior officers just

couldn't be bothered, or wasn't efficient enough to get the

contract in on time. Wirral issued statement saying he is pleased the

minister recogniseds the -- recognises the work going on to

make the improvements the council needs s to move forward. A group of

soldiers from Cheshire set out today walking 50 miles while

blindfolded. Members of the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh are hiking

from their barracks in Chester to Llandudno. It's in aid of St

Dunstan's - a charity which provides training and

rehabilitation to blind ex-service men and women. Back in 2010 we had

a number of soldiers injured, in their eyes. So we started an

afilliation with the charity and we did one charity event with great

success. This is carrying on the afilliation and showing our support.

Liverpool is voting on plans which would make political history

tonight and potentially transform the way's it's run. The City

Council is deciding whether to move from having a council leader to a

directly-elected mayor. The idea's to have a high-profile Mayor,

chosen by voters to lead Liverpool and represent it abroad. But

opponents say the system's undemocratic and so is the way it's

being pushed through. Well our political editor Arif Ansari is in

Liverpool tonight. What's the latest? Yes, in that corridor a few

metres away is the chamber of the council and that debate is under

way. I went in earlier to get a flavour of what was going on there.

This grand town hall dates from about 1750 and it is hugely

historic and it would be an exaggeration to say this change is

the biggest change for Liverpool council since then. But it is

significant. I did meet the Lord mayor earlier in the corridor.

Nothing to do with the Lord maier. That is a ceremonial role and that

continues. This is about the leadership of the council. At the

moment you go in and at elections you vote for a councillor and they

select the leader. This to change the leader to a mayor, somebody

more powerful, taking a strong lead of the council and representing it

abroad or around the country. You may be able to see pictures of the

meeting that is taking place that I was in before. The current leader

in the chamber. The Lord mayor also presiding over events. One

development and that is that the Liberal Democrats have changed

their position. They were opposed to a mayor for Liverpool. They were

cue to -- due to vote against and they have put koun an amendment. If

that falls and they say they're going to swing behind Labour and

support the idea of a mayor. I think almost certainly it will get

through tonight. It is an interesting development. The other

point in Salford they decided to let the voters decide whether they

wanted a mayor. Why aren't they doing that in Liverpool? There have

been controversy about that and plenty of people who would have

liked a say. In al-- Sal fords, turn out was only 18%. But Labour

and Jo aner son - eJoe Anderson the leader, he said they had a deal

with the Government and he said why wait for a referendum and then an

Lex in November. Why not go for it now. Liberal Democrat said well you

could have had those power and that money without going for a mayor. So

there has been a big debate over that. But I have been asking voters

what they make of the idea of a mayor. I think it is better that

someone like this a selected by the people. One gets the impression

that in America they're always campaigning and nothing ever

happens that isn't about campaigning to be mayor. It would

be a good thing. For city to have an identity. I haven't got a clue

is what going on. Sorry. Liverpool all set for big change.

We expect the result about 7.30. And then assuming Is yes, which it

almost certainly will be, then there will be an election for the

mayor in May. We will have that report later. Thank you. Still to

come on North West Tonight: By Royal Appointment - the Duchess of

York visits a Congolese aid worker whose arm was saved by Manchester

surgeons. And the cat's whiskers - we meet the Kop Cat whose on the

pitch antics have become an internet hit. He's a star. He was

the best player on the pitch. will hear from him. It's the blight

on every high street, but today we we're told no region is harder hit

than here in the North West. No town centre worse affected than

Stockport. A survey put the town at the top of a national table for

empty shops with almost one in three there empty. You've been e-

mailing about the problems on your High Street all day. More on those

in a moment. First here's Our Economics Correspondent, Jayne

Barrett. The most recent casualty behind that many more. I first met

this man Three years ago. thought we would gefr get out of it

and woe would go under. Back then Stockport was still top of the

league table. Then he hoped for a rent or rate relief. If anything,

the rates have gone higher. would have liked to have seen more

MEP? Yes. He was lucky, others haven't been. - more help. For

others have been tough. We have lost household names. When we met

in 09, ministers were in the shop promoting a new scheme. It was just

window dressing. For six months the shops were filled with artwork. It

didn't have an impact and what has happened? Well still have vacant

shops. The council says it is tackling the problem and agreed to

buy out the town's department store premise after the landlord went

into receiveship. We're now the proud owner of a Debenham's lease.

We are are driving the agenda. local authority step in, but is it

enough. Mike want s radical change. Let's shrink it down and encourage

businesses to move and settle in one area and allow the vacant unit

to be used for different thins. says don't expect the shops to fill

again soon. Deal with the possibility they may never. Well

you have been e-mailing about the state of your town centre and Jane

is with us. What have they been saying? They have been painting a

bleak picture. First in presston, they have been waiting for even

years for developers to build the Tithebarn centre. But they pulled

out. A similar story at the Valley Centre, that is being demolished.

And Joanne told us Rochdale is full of charity shops and mobile phone

shop and even Macdonalds has closed down. Andrew says Bolton has been

hit by an out of town retail park. Claire said the arcades in Wigan

are empty and the market is dwindling. Sue rang in about

Ellesmere port arcade, three flagship stores there are expected

to close. Wince ford is a dying town according to one of you. She

said post office staff turned up to find their shop was closed. But now

elsewhere businesses have been getting together to promote the

town and organise events. But the report says that the twin threat of

internet shopping and out of town developments may be too much for

many high streets to fights. Thank you. You can tell us your stories.

When aid worker Antoine Munyagena was attacked by Congolese rebels,

he didn't expect to survive. He was shot in the arm and saw all his

colleagues killed. But surgeons in Manchester heard of his plight and

operated on him for free after he was flown over here. Today, Antoine

was reunited with his doctors and visited by the Duchess of York,

whose charity helped bring him over for treatment. Abbie Jones reports.

His range of movement is better. Antoine Munyagena's progress has

amazed not only Sara Ferguson, but everyone who treated him sm he was

troubling to a school in Congo when he was attacked. They say, shoot

him in his head. When our vehicle was shot and there was... Armed on

my colleague and I feel like I was died. Antoine's injuries were too

severe to be treated in Africa and so he was flown 4 thousand miles

for an operation here. He could have lost the arm. You can see all

the damaged bone, nerve damage, his progress is amazing. He is works

very hard and he is already regaining movement. It is a thing

unbelievable, to be treated freely. It's a very incredible. Today the

Duchess of York sat in on his physio session. There are not the

wards to describe the strength and courage and integrity of a man like

this. An Tuan hadn't heard of Royal Family before. So what did he make

of her? Nice. And he will have more opportunities to get her. She has

invited him to her home. Sometimes the word nice can cover it. Looks

like they both made a friend. She's called Gretchen - a slightly

tattered, pretty ordinary looking child's toy. But her story is

extraordinary. She was found in on one of the Nazi's most infamous

concentration camps, Bergen-Belsen. That was in 1945. Now the Southport

woman who owns her wants Gretchen's story to be used to warn future

generations of the horrors of the Holocaust. Peter Marshall reports.

She's tiny, delicate and in the safest 06 -- of hands. Each time I

take her out I get goose pimples. In 1945 Gretchen was find in rubble

when Berg again - eBergen-Belsen concentration camp was liberated.

Thousands of Jewish prisoners perished here. It is where Ann

Frank spent her final days. Nurse mayor Margaret Jump, from Southport

was with the troop and spotted Gretchen. She was there with the

bricks and she picked her up. It belonged to a little girl and that

girl, goodness know what happened to her. Typhoid was rife there.

Anything could have happened to her. She was kept in a family trunk for

over 50 years. Now, she is being restored. When I'm working on

Gretchen, I think what did she see? And she could only speak and tell

us. And maybe tell us what happened to her owner. Manchester's Jewish

museum for one says the doll can spread a powerful message to future

generations. You see an every day object and think about the people

going into these camps. They were normal people. So it is a message

that is strong and needs to be passed on. The hope is she will

ends up on public display. It does bring a lump to your throat. Yes.

It is terrible. Let's look at these guys. Is it rude, the chap on the

right does look like the clap out of The Last of the Summer wine.

chap on the right. The Queen is celebrating 60 years on the throne

this year. Few people have done the same job for half that time, but in

Cheshire twin farmers have been working even longer. Ted and Harold

Bickerton have farmed in Coppenhall near Crewe for 76 years. What's

more they're still going at 90 years old - with plans to expand in

the Spring. Kate Simms reports. From boys to men. This farm has

been the Bickerton twins' life. have been born here and I worked

out since 14 haven't I? And working a bit before. Harold and Ted are

the third generation of the family to farm here. They never married,

farming through the war, recession and even a hay fire. But the

biggest change has been the small amount of the housing estate that

built around them and changed the way they farmed. Milking was the

best job. I like milking. But we couldn't keep them. We couldn't

keep them, could we? They had to go like. Because it was too far to

take the cows to the fields like you know? And that one is going.

Now the boys are waiting until the spring to buy their next batch of

cows. Their success is down to team work. We never argue, do we?

does, but I don't do nothing like that. I can't drive the tractor and

he can. What he can do, I can do and so so. Oh dear. The boys have

no plans for retirement any time soon. Still going strong. Could we

do with a dose of what they have. Whatever it is. A pint of something

I'm sure. Next to the coolest cat football's ever seen. A mystery

moggie invaded the pitch at Anfield last night, and his confident strut

pleased the crowds a lot more than the game did. He's now got more

than 25,000 followers on Twitter, and has been making catty comments

about Manchester United all day. He wasn't around for a post match

interview, but could Nina Warhurst track down the feistiest feline in

Making his debut at a ground like an fields is never easy. But this

cat took it all in his stride. COMMENTATOR: A cat has found its

COMMENTATOR: A cat has found its way on to the Anfield pitch!

Ignoring the keeper before taking in the atmosphere and even raising

a smile from Kenny. Today fans agreed he brought some life to an

otherwise average game. He was quicker than Downing. And he has

got better hair. Better actor than Gar evident Bale and moves quicker.

But where was he today? Off-the- record a security guard said his

name is Sam and he does have a home, but loves the beautiful game,

almost as much as he loves attention. So look where we found

him? This is one cat who knows he looks good. Like a lot of celebs he

is happy to pose for pictures, but now too famous to talk. Sam what

are your thoughts on your performance last night? He is not

the first cat to appear at Anfield. COMMENTATOR: Now it is a cat. I

wonder which side it supports, Arsenal or Liverpool. This one

became a lucky omen and Liverpool beat Arsenal and then won the cup.

So cowl this cat be just as lucky? He is certainly confident ahead of

the game with Manchester United at the weekend, he has tweeted, if I

can get past freedel, getting past the United keeper should be easy!

Fantastic. She did well to find him. We were sketchical. Is that the

real Sam. I was worried as she ran after it with a microphone as a car

went past. Which way is the Gatt going to go. Now the -- cat going

to go. And now the weather. You were impressed with our farming

twins. At this time of year, farming is no fun. But they're

stipg still doing it. If you fancy doing system star gazing the

conditions are great. We have a full moon and you can see Venus if

you look to the swers. It sets at - - South West, it sets at 8.56. If

you have a telescope and know what you're doing, you could see the

great red spot at about 20 past 10. The conditions could comply. We

have some patchy cloud. And that depressed the temperatures on

Merseyside at 3 o'clock, it was at four degrees. The cloud rolled on

in and blocked the sunshine. But this cloud disperses tonight. And

once again it is dry, clear and if you are star gazing, wrap up, it is

going to be bitterly cold and this could be one of our coldest nights

so far. While thist these temperatures represent towns and

city the Isle of Man is the best place to be. It could be up to

minus eight in rural areas. So a hard frost tomorrow morning. The

sun is up at 7.43. Yes you have some thin cloud through the morning.

But as that breaks, I think you have got an afternoon of winter

sunshine just about every where. So about nine or ten hours of daylight

and you could see six hours of sunshine. So that is good. But the

attempts -- temperatures are so low and the isle of Mantis bst place.

For most of us, one or -- the Isle of Man is the best place. But the

red spot? Yes you love thing like. You two do. The only red spots I

see are in the mirror. Before we go, Bolton school set a new record