13/04/2012 North West Tonight

Good evening. Welcome to North West Tonight with Roger Johnson and

Ranvir Singh. Our top story: A suspended jail sentence for

causing the death of her own baby. A court hears how the baby girl was

left in a front garden wrapped in a shawl. A court hears how the mother

was put under enormous cultural and psychological stress. Also on

tonight's programme: The long road to recovery leads

north. Fabrice Muamba gets ready for the move to a hospital nearer

Can he do it again? All eyes on Ballabriggs on the eve of the Grand

National. He is in great shape. He is doing really well.

And how this man survived the sinking of the Titanic to open his

And as well as the racing, it's Ladies Day at Aintree. Dianne is

there with Tony. Good evening. A warm welcome to the

dying embers of Ladies' Day where 53,500 punters came through the

doors earlier on for a great day's racing and fun. They saved the

bookies always win, but this lot ain't for that not happen to them.

And if Ballabriggs can do it tomorrow, it will be fantastic.

Join us later. A mother who concealed the birth

and death of her baby daughter has been spared jail. Fatima Ali left

the body of her infant in a garden in Bury, then went to work as

normal. A court heard she'd been under enormous cultural,

psychological and physical stress at the time. Bolton Crown Court was

told we'll never know why the baby died, but she hadn't been subjected

to any form of abuse. Handing down a suspended prison sentence the

judge said the tragedy of what Ali had done would be with her forever.

Fatima Ali left Court this afternoon with her face covered.

She is the woman on the left. The 26-year-old admitted concealing the

death of her child. The discovery of the body caused widespread shock.

You can seep through the front bedroom window a bundle in the

garden. We found out it was a child who had been left there have

wrapped up. Police tried to find her mother and it ended less than a

quarter of a mile from here. At Bolton Crown Court she admitted

cruelty as she did not seek medical attention for the child when it was

born. She had managed to give the pregnancy secret from her family

and had given birth alone in her bedroom. The child had lived for

about two hours. What caused it's there remains a mystery, although

there were no signs of ill- treatment. The following morning,

she went to a work as possible, depositing the body and the front

garden of a friend's. Andrew Noctor The judge said that what Fatima Ali

had done well be with her for ever. Now for some news that just a few

weeks ago seemed utterly impossible. We're delighted to report that

Bolton's Fabrice Muamba is expected to leave hospital in the next few

days. It seems like a miracle. The Bolton star's heart stopped beating

for 78 minutes and stunned fans watched in horror as a desperate

scenes unfolded on the football field. Now incredibly, doctors say

he'll soon be well enough to come This was the moment that thousands

of football fans watched, stunned by what they were seen. Bolton

player Fabrice Muamba collapsed on the pitch after suffering a cardiac

arrest. For 17 minutes he was clinically dead. Many feared the

worst, but what happened was a miracle for everybody. Everyone has

been following this story. Now he is on his way back north and we

will hopefully see him playing again. Muamba spent four weeks at

the London chest Hospital and to say. You have these cake made

specially for the staff. He now has a different relator pacemaker but

should detect any further problems and has now been moved to a

hospital in Cheadle. Doctors hope he will be able to go home in a few

days. Other news now. Ryanair says the Government's

increase in Air Passenger Duty in the last Budget has forced it to

cut flights from Liverpool's John Lennon Airport. Travellers to Italy

are affected the most after the budget airline announced it was

axing services to Milan, Rome, and Rimini throughout the summer,

leaving just Pisa. Flights to Almeria in Spain have also been

dropped. A woman from Lancashire had to be

rescued from a cliffside after becoming trapped by the incoming

tide in Cornwall. Stacey Hayes from Leyland and three others had to

cling to rocks as they became cut off by the tide in Green Bay.

Coastguards nearby heard screams and alerted a Royal Navy rescue

helicopter. One of the candidates running for

Mayor of Liverpool says he would halve the salary if elected,

although it's still not been decided how much the mayor will be

paid. Adam Heatherington, who's running for the UK Independence

Party, also says he would protect local services. If elected, I it

would stop the local cuts and I would bring much-needed jobs to the

area and I would retrain the unemployed. There is a for at least

of all the candidates on our website.

Merseyside is bracing itself for an invasion of racing fans for

tomorrow's Grand National. Every year it seems the world's most

famous race throws up a remarkable story. Last year, it was

Ballabriggs - winning for the son of Ginger McCain. And the horse is

well fancied to triumph again to become the first since Ginger's Red

Rum to win successive Nationals. It would be another Aintree fairytale,

coming just months after Ginger McCain's death. Tony's live at

Aintree tonight to assess the form Thank you. As you know, the focus

today has been very much on the ladies, but tomorrow, it switches

to the Grand National. The big question is can Ballabriggs do it

again? If it did, it would emulate the great Red Rum from the 1970s.

It is a family affair worthy of Hollywood, but the big problem is,

the handicappers have put 11 stone nine on horseback's back and some

think it may make the race impossible. Let's have a look at

Ballabriggs's chances. If the course at Aintree had eight

roof, it would come off if Ballabriggs were to repeat his win

of 2011. Owned by Trevor Hemmings, of Ballabriggs is the romantic

fluttered. He is trained by Donald McCain, whose father won two

successive Grand Nationals with Red Rum. Can he matches that? He is in

great shape and has been active all year. It is a tough task, but he

can do it. The handicappers have not been kind, so what are the

odds? Who did make a howler at Valentines, but he is an each-way

shot. It will be hard for him to win. He is carrying more weight,

but can he do it? Some horses are put off when they come back to

Aintree for the second visit. Ginger McCain died last year and an

after a Ballabriggs's when he was in tears. If his son does it

tomorrow, it is a fair bet 70,000 racegoers will do the same.

We will be back with Tony and die and shortly. -- Diane Shaubli. --

Shaubli. Today we come to the end of our

Titanic trail around the North West. Looking at some of the places and

stories that link the doomed ship to our region. We've had the heroes,

the villains and the victims. Tonight though we end on a happier

note, looking at the story of a Welcome to Cheetham Hill where for

100 years people from all around the world have flocked to start a

new life. Today's Titanic story is about one such man and 100 years on,

his story is still very much alive. People around here have been

calling this place Titanic's for nearly a century because the man

who owned it was the man who got away. It was such a massive story

at the time that people would literally. At him as he was walking

down the street. Joseph, fleeing persecution, was dreaming of a new

life in America. He'd ended up on the Titanic after being dumped in

Glasgow by an unscrupulous captain who told him it was New York. A

common scam at the time. As the ship went down, or Joseph found

himself in one of the last lifeboats to leave the ship, an

escape that intrigues Titanic enthusiast. Joseph's story was

amazing. For a lead a third of the third-class passengers survived.

Yet here we are, this poor Jewish immigrants, made it into the last

lifeboat to leave the Titanic and he finds himself borrowing for his

life next to the owner of the Titanic. The rich and the poor in

the same boat together. I after being rescued by the Carpathia, he

ended up in New York, but could not settle. He was brought back to

Manchester by relatives. He needed to make a living and decided to set

up a deli, just like the ones he had seen in Manhattan. He prospered,

but the disaster had left its mark. He never really spoke about it. He

would wake up in the middle of the night screaming because he was

totally traumatised. You getting into a lifeboat with acanthus sides

and it is freezing cold and you are hearing people drowning and

screaming. On what I can understand, he did say that you heard the

gurgling and the noise of the ship going down and then deathly silence.

Joseph died in 1956, but his deli sells on into the second century, a

living, breathing Titanic survivor. It is a good heritage. I got out of

a lot of trouble in school because people were impressed my dad was on

Amazing. Yes, an incredible story. And don't you for your e-mails.

Lots of you have been responding to the series with stories of your own.

We could not cover everything, but we hope you got a lot out of it and

enjoyed it. We've already heard about

Ballabriggs's chances in tomorrow's Grand National. But the race is

just half of a massive Merseyside sporting weekend - with Everton and

Liverpool facing each other at Wembley tomorrow lunchtime in the

FA Cup semi-final. Many fans have already set off for

London to watch the game. But as they depart, thousands of others

are flocking to Aintree for the big race and we can rejoin Tony, who's

live there with all the sport. What a weekend for Merseyside. It

has been another bumper Ladies' Day. Despite some heavy rain, the women

managed to hang onto their suntans. Away from that, there are talks

about animal safety. The death at last year's race of

two horses cast a shadow over the event. So this year, organisers

have introduced restrictions on horses allowed to take part and

fences have been made safer. Stuart Flinders reports on how changing

attitudes to animal welfare have forced Aintree into making safety a

priority. It is the day the rest of the world looks in on racing and

what it saw last year was the death of to animals. The Grand National

had to change. We don't want a repeat of last year, but it is the

race and there may be accidents. Hour job is to make it as safe as

we can. Attitudes to animal welfare have hardened. In 1954, 20 courses

fail to complete the course and four died. The news will

commentator was unmoved. gentleman who came unstuck a

sorting themselves out. They had been trying to make Becher's Brook

saved. The drop on the landing site has been reduced by four inches.

They are trying to make sure that horses who are not up to we do not

get to take part. The minimum age of a horse has been raised from six

to seven years old and every 40 C on Saturday would have finished at

least 4th in a similar race. fences were all right, but you have

to go with the times. Nobody likes to see horses get hurt. Without

some risk, it would not be the Grand National, but a organisers of

the brace say that safety is their priority.

Joining me now his former Grand National winner Nick Fitzgerald.

Can the National ever be saved? There will always be an element of

risk. They have tried to eradicate any real chance of a problem

recurring with a horse. They have changed Becher's Brook. It was for

me the ball and was like jumping off a cliff. They have even do it

out so it becomes a level playing field. They are trying to make it

safe for the time, but the problem is, if you make it to say, you

detract from the racing. Let us not forget, this is the world's

greatest horse race. Throughout history it has been the race

everybody wants to win. I wanted to be the safest it can be, but let it

still be a fair test. Talking of winners, can Ballabriggs do it

again? He has got a strong chance. They could be history being made

tomorrow. A lady could win the National tomorrow. One of odds?

think it is 20-1. It will happen. These lady jockeys are getting

better and better. And the reason you are here? The is the legends

race tomorrow. We do have some proper legends racing as well.

to speak to you. Let us hope that every man and every woman and every

Lots of sport this weekend. Liverpool 1 to win the FA Cup as

much as Everton. It has divided the city. -- Liverpool want. Families

like this one are divided. With an extended family of half blues and

half reds, Derby Day is not a day to be on the losing side. I think

it's going to be Kenny Dalglish. The formed the players are in, the

results, it is great. As they did last in 1989 and before

that 1986. And despite the rivalry, for most

it's good humoured. There is more bands of these days, but it is

always in good humour. It will be great, whoever wins.

And with a resurgent Everton and a Liverpool team with the cup winning

habit, this is one derby that whoever you're rooting for, is

particularly tough to call. I can't wait. BBC Radio Merseyside has for

coverage. The kick-off is at 1238. -- is at 12:30pm.

It could be an historic night for Fleetwood Town tonight. The Cod

Army could realise their dream of making it into the Football League

if they can beat Lincoln at Highbury. Already with 102 points,

it would cap an incredible season for Micky Mellon's side. Good luck

to them. That is pretty much it from the sports desk. We will be

back later with all the fashion news. Back to the studio.

Well, Tony may have left his top hat and tails at home today, but

Dianne was among the throngs of women showing off their finery, and

she scrubs up pretty well herself, too. We can join her now in another

part of the race course where she's talking top togs and high heels.

That is exactly what this is all about. It is a well's greatest

horse race, but it is also at the north-west's premier fashion race.

Earlier, we were talking to a nurse he says there is a surge in Angkor

related injuries because of the high heels. They have been doing a

roaring trade in Danish pastries and champagne hair. So, it is about

horses, high heels and beautiful hats. You know what they say, if

you want to get ahead, get a hat. So where better to go and get your

hat than a farm? What is the connection between this

farm and Aintree? There is the odd horse, but there are also hands,

lots and lots of them. What is the reaction from people when they get

here? They are quite surprised when they come down but farm track and

are greeted by a wet labrador. Helen started her business last

year when she took over her husband's sniggering and filled it

with all these haves. -- hats. There was not much discussion, she

just told me. He did not really use the snooker table very much. Maybe

Christmas. And when Tommy is not mucking out, he is mucking in,

serving customers. The customers are quite glamourous. Some of the

local farmers come in and have a look. This is quite a nice one. It

is quite Audrey Hepburn. In a recent weeks, Helen has had a lot

of customers, looking at their Ladies' Day options. Set it takes

longer to choose the have done anything else? Yes, in my case.

long as customers keep buying, the snooker cues will remain redundant.

What you saw Lees in Stewart's story there, but let me introduce

her properly. We cannot get too close because we keep on banging

our heads. How much thought has gone into this whole outfit?

weather has made me change my mind. It was originally a strapless dress,

but the weather has changed. It is your first time at Aintree, even

though you are local. Why did you come along today? I went to Ascot

last year, which I thought was amazing, and I've always wanted to

come to Aintree because I only lived 10 miles away. This year I

decided to come. And you have pushed the boat out. You look

fantastic. We know the girls put so much effort into Ladies' Day. How

does it compare to Royal Ascot? Very similar. I was quite surprised,

but in all honesty, it is all about fashion and it is nice to see

ladies dressed up. It has been great. Well, you look wonderful and

I am glad you enjoyed the day. Hopefully we'll see you next year.

Weather Wise, I'm afraid it has not felt to warm. The temperatures have

tailed off over the last couple of hours. If you are coming racing

tomorrow, you will see there are more showers in the forecast and

the temperatures like even more. Through the weekend, it is all

about that North to north easterly air coming in. As we start next

week, it becomes very unsettled and be showery conditions will go and

it will become wet and windy. Tonight, temperatures falling down

to zero fairly widely. We are going through quite a cold snap at the

weekend. There will be a widespread frost. Tomorrow, a mixture of cloud

and showers. You will notice, one or two wintry ones could be around

over the Pennines. Showers could turn up anywhere and it will be

quite cold. The wind will pick up during the day. It will feel more

like January than the middle of April. Sunday doesn't look so bad,

it should be a dry and quiet day. But Saturday night is cold and it

will take a while for temperatures to recover. As we start next week,

it will become unsettled. I have never known anything like it.