28/05/2013 North West Tonight

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

Annabel Tiffin. Our top story. Shame on you, shame on all of you.

A coroner criticises the media after a Lancashire teacher who

changed sex killed herself. We do not want to be demeaned or

ridiculed because of who we are. We want to be treated like human

beings. The coroner is now urging the government to take action to

avoid similar cases. Also tonight. Investigations continue after a

South Lakes zoo keeper is mauled to death by a tiger.

Heading home. The ships and the veterans leave Liverpool after

commemorating the Battle of the Atlantic.

The party's over. Roberto Martinez resigns from Wigan and heads for

talks about taking charge at And back on stage. Manchester's M-

People reunited after a health The coroner is now urging the

A coroner has criticised the media for ill informed bigotry after a

Lancashire teacher who changed sex killed herself following what the

coroner described as character assassination. His comments came at

the end of an inquest into the death of Lucy Meadows who taught at

a primary school in Accrington. But Blackburn coroner Michael Singleton

is now urging the Government to take action to avoid similar cases.

Peter Marshall is in Blackburn now. Lucy Meadows was just 32 years old.

She was a teacher at St Mary Magdalene's school. It seems at the

inquest that the school and her colleagues were supportive of of

her six change, but the wider media was not. This is Nathan Upton - a

man who wanted to live his life as announced he was changing sex and

would return as Lucy Meadows. The decision attracted national

publicity. One article in particular by Daily Mail columnist

Richard Littlejohn would lead to The inquest heard Lucy Meadows

killed herself in March through carbon monoxide poisioning. She had

complained to the Press Complaints Commission about press harrassment

and the Littlejohn article, but didn't blame her suicide on the

coverage. She just wrote she had had enough of living. The coroner,

however, said he was appalled at the media intrusion she'd faced,

saying: "She had done nothing wrong. Her only crime was to be different

not by her own choice, but by some trick of nature." A vigil was held

outside the Daily Mail offices by transgender campaigners. Thousands

signed an online petition calling for Richard Littlejohn to be sacked

and for the paper to apologise. Campaigners have welcomed the

coroner's comments. I think they would start to understand that this

is not a fad, this is not a joke. This is something very serious and

we don't want to be demeaned or ridiculed because of who we are. We

are human beings just like you are. was no link between the article and

the death of Lucy Meadows. It is not just the Daily Mail that

has faced criticism, it is the media in general. At the end of the

inquest, the coroner returned to the press bench and said shame on

you, shame on all of you. Other news from around the North

West now and in the last hour, one of two men arrested on suspicion of

the murder of Middleton soldier Lee Rigby has been discharged from

hospital and is now in police custody. Drummer Lee Rigby was

killed near Woolwich Barracks on Wednesday. Meanwhile the National

Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire say his name will be engraved on

the memorial for fallen servicemen and women. It says his name will be

included because he died in a terrorist attack.

Tributes have been paid to a rider who died at the Isle of Man TT

qualifying session yesterday. Yoshinari Matsushita, who's from

Japan, is the 21st rider to die at the races since 2000.

The dog that attacked and killed a Liverpool pensioner at the weekend

wasn't a banned breed, say Merseyside Police. Clifford Clarke,

a retired hospital porter, was attacked near his home in the Club

Moor area of the city on Saturday. Police say the dog was a cross

between a bull mastiff and a presa canario and wasn't banned under the

Dangerous Dogs Act. The brother of Tayyab Subhani, one of the two men

from East Lancashire accused of endangering an aircraft, say he's

not a terrorist. The plane was travelling from Pakistan to

Manchester when it was intercepted by RAF fighters and escorted to

Stansted Airport in Essex on Friday. Tayyab Subhani, who lives in

Townley Street in Nelson, and Mohammed Safdar, from Hallam

Crescent in Briefield, have both been remanded in custody. They have

said that it is not a terror related incident which is really

good for us because he is not a terrorist. Obviously, you do get

scared when you hear the word terrorist. Obviously, we have got

beards and we have got hats on, but we are peace loving people. This is

just a big misunderstanding. Quarry Bank Mill is to receive �3

to restore it to its former glory. The estate is one of the most

significant sites of the Industrial Revolution in Cheshire and the

money will be used to renovate some of its historical buildings.

Police investigations are continuing into the death of a zoo

keeper at a Cumbrian Wildlife park. Sarah McClay was mauled by a tiger

in an enclosure at the South Lakes Wild Animal centre on Friday.

Tributes to the the 24 year old continued today. Our chief reporter

Dave Guest has the story. Four days on and questions still

remain over the death of zoo-keeper Sarah McClay who was savaged by a

tiger at the South Lakes Wild Animal Park. At this stage, we are

focusing our enquiries on establishing exactly how Sarah came

into contact with the Tiger. zoo said there was no reason why

she should have come into contact with the tiger. Sarah was carrying

out her routine duties, cleaning and serviceing the pens. --

servicing. The animals should not be in there. That is the focus of

our enquiries as to how that animal came to be in the pen. It was an

accident. We do not know what mistakes were made, but it was an

accident. Apparently, this is not the first time the park's tigers

have shown just how vicious they can be. BBC North West Tonight has

learned that back in December, a Tiger cub was mauled to death by

one of the other Tigers. The park refused to discuss that incident

today but in an interview recorded over the weekend, the owner said

that the tiger responsible for Sarah's death would not be

destroyed. The tiger will not be destroyed. It did not do anything

wrong. It is not the first time the park has been in the news. In 1997,

a rhino tried to escape and was so badly injured it had to be shot.

Meanwhile, the tributes to Sarah McClay have continued. The

University of Cumbria where she studied have described her as a

bubbly, fun-loving student who was also academically gifted. Now, the

Government may have announced plenty of spending cuts, but today

million will be given to Peel Ports to dredge the approach channel in

the Mersey Estuary. The Chancellor George Osborne visited the Port of

Liverpool earlier today. Once dredged, the river will handle

larger ships, all to boost Liverpool's economy. Nazia Mogra

reports. The Chancellor's ringing

endorsement for new plans for the Port of Liverpool. A new �210

million deep-water terminal is being constructed to take a new

generation super-sized cargo ships. But for those ships to get into the

new terminal at Seaforth, the river channel itself will have to be

deepened. And that's what the new money will help pay for. Those

containers that currently go into the South Today and come up here by

a road, will be able to come into the sport. Right now, the biggest

ship in the Mersey is around 13 metres high and 33 metres wide.

When this project is complete, ships as tall as 14 double decker

buses and the length of 4 football pitches will be able to enter the

Mersey. The river terminal will offer the big shipping companies a

new entry port to Britain and competition for the south. It's

hoped work will be completed by Apologies, but was not George

Osborne. More than 300,000 people were in

Liverpool this weekend to commemorate the 70th anniversary of

the end of the Battle of the Atlantic.

And today warships from around the world finally left the Mersey,

watched by thousands of people along the banks of the river.

Beccy Meehan reports. It was the longest continuous

military campaign of the Second World War. Today, the people of

Liverpool came out in full force to bid farewell to the warships that

have congregated here in Liverpool since last week to mark the 70th

anniversary of the end of Battle of the Atlantic. It is something that

should be remembered for posterity. The battle began in 1939 as the

Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy fought to control supply routes

across the ocean. 3,500 merchant ships and 175 warships were sunk

with the loss of tens of thousands of lives. Liverpool was right at

the heart of the campaign and, this weekend, the city honoured those

who served with a Merchant Navy Veterans Parade, a fly-past and a

service at Liverpool Cathedral which was attended by the Princess

Royal. I think everyone should remember. We've got members of the

Polish, Belgium Davies leaving now. Thousands of people have lined the

streets here. Over 300,000 have turned out over the weekend to mark

this important occasion. The effort that the people of Liverpool have

put into a welcoming us has been fantastic. It is such an historic

occasion that the navy believe it is right and fitting to commemorate

this. An impressive display to mark an important period in our heritage.

Beccy Meehan, BBC North West Tonight, Liverpool.

Still to come on North West Tonight. Liverpool's David Price a get some

And they are going back on tour. 30 years ago, one of the great

political battles of the 1980s started brewing in Liverpool. It

was the rise of Derek Hatton and the Militant Tendency. Yes, in 1983,

Labour took control of the city council.

And today we start a three part series looking back at Militant's

influence. Our Political Editor Arif Ansari is here, so what's the

significance of Militant? There is no equivalent of it today.

Derek Hatton was the deputy leader of Liverpool City Council. But he

was still a national political figure and a focus of opposition to

what was going on in the government. The Militant tendency was a

revolutionary, Marxist group and they saw their best chance of

changing Britain was through the fight in Liverpool. A Labour

council... We will start something that not even the Thatcher can

ignore. In 1983, Labour symbolically ejected the Lord Mayor

and took control of Liverpool City Council. It was a signal that

politics were going to be done very differently. And a socialist

political movement known as the Militant Tendency was pulling the

strings. Essentially, they were another political party operating

within at the Labour Party. They have their own policies, their own

staff, their own organisation. They were using the Labour Party to

promote their own cause, strengthen their own party. Militant was a

national movement. But Liverpool became its battlefield. The city

was struggling with unemployment, poverty and decline. Not everyone

had faith in a Labour Party which was pretty right wing in the '60s

and '70s. There was a political gap on the Left. And increasingly,

Militant began to fill it. This standby Liverpool will be seen it...

We challenged power and privilege in society. The aspirations of

people... I do not see any difference. We were very focused,

organised with a clear vision of what we hoped to achieve. Indeed,

thousands marched to Militant's banner as they confronted the

government. Conservative ministers became increasingly dismayed as the

moderate leader of the city council John Hamilton was sidelined and the

chief executive Alfred Stocks undermined.

The board has a officers. He could not have a confidential discussion

in his own office. -- they bugged his offices. That is an impossible

situation. Yet Militant appeared to be winning. And next time we'll see

how they used the Budget as a weapon as they took on the Tories.

He won Wigan Athletic their first ever major trophy but manager

Roberto Martinez now looks like he's on his way to Merseyside. The

Spaniard has been given permission to talk to Everton chairman Bill

Kenwright after telling Wigan owner Dave Whelan he wanted to end his

four year stay with the Latics. Ian A week ago, Roberto Martinez

celebrated Wigan's biggest ever achievement. I would love him to

stay. I asked him if he wanted to stay or to speak to Everton. The

answer was he would want to move to another club. The club have been

relegated to the Championship. Despite this, his stock has never

been higher. I told him, I do not want to lose you, but I said he had

to consider Everton if he had to go. They are a well run, family club.

do not blame him. He will go with everyone's best wishes. Everton

will have to pay �2 million compensation to get their man.

Everton fans have been giving their reaction. I do not think it is

ambitious move by the club, quite predictable. I think he is good.He

felt he had to move. He was disappointed and he feels he has

let us down. Our supporters do not feel that. This has been one of the

most eventful months in this club's history. Winning the FA Cup will

never be forgotten here and neither will the man who led them to

history. Liverpool boxer David Price's

career was on the rise until a shock defeat in February.

Afterwards, David received a message of support on Twitter from

none other than Lennox Lewis. It lifted his spirits and led to David

spending three weeks with the former champion in Canada. Stuart

Pollitt was given exclusive access to their training camp.

David Price was punching his way through the heavyweight division

until February when this happened against American Tony Thompson. The

disaster scenario. To get his career back on track and prepare

for a rematch, David has travelled here to Toronto to the banks of

Lake Ontario to learn from his boyhood hero who just happens to be

the more successful British heavyweight of the last 100 years.

It still feels a little bit surreal at times that I am at the gym with

Lennox Lewis. To me, he was like my boxing hero. I'm honoured to be a

hero. I'm just out there to help young talent mature and flourish.

He has spent much of the last three weeks in here, they call it the

dungeon and Lennox has been very much hands-on. The determination,

the desire, he has got all that. I can see that with him. He never

complains about any work and he does it. I've learned a lot while

I've been here. This has given me a massive advantage. David is a good

guy, maybe too much of a good guy. I am going to get some nastiness in

him, I'm going to get him mean. He needs to be mean out there.

Lennox was a mean opponent, conquering the UK before beating

the likes of Tyson and Evander Holyfield. But even he suffered

shock defeats. He went on to become one of the greatest heavyweights of

all time. If that isn't inspiration, I don't know what is. Everybody has

losses in their life and it's how you return from those losses that

really makes you a man and makes you a champion. He knows what it

takes and he thinks I've got what it takes. Massive encouragement.

These two giants have even been battling each other. In a less

physical sport. Tell me about chess, the other sport you teo have been

doing? -- you two. We have played a couple of games of chess. And we

tie. He is going to say he beat me, but he didn't, I let him beat me.

With Lennox's help, David can now begin to plot his moves back to the

top of the heavyweight ranks. I can't imagine them playing chess.

They were one of the biggest bands of the 1990s. They made their name

in Manchester and they're going back out on tour again - 20 years

after their heyday. Providing the soundtrack to the

Olympics kept Heather Small in the public consciousness. But after

suffering a serious throat problem, she's now going back on the road

with M-People. They popped in to Well,. Thank you for coming into

the studio. -- will come. How does it feel to be going back out on the

road again? Fantastic, a lot of fun. We have been doing loss of

promotion and it has been such fun. I'm not keen on at rehearsal, but

it has to be done. Did you ever officially split up? No. But we

were called and told, the people want to see us again. What has

brought you back together again? were worried about her operation.

You had assist on your vocal cords? You have such a distinctive voice,

that must have been terrifying. because I wanted to sing since I

was a girl. And I wanted to be known as a singer. I get on stage

and I feel that I have earned the right to be there. Dear we mention

under? -- Miranda. It has brought you to the attention of a lot of

other people who did not know you from the 1980s. I thought that was

lovely. It was so positive. I don't watch the show because I think I

might pop up at any will that. But family and friends of it. Its very

positive. -- at any moment. I've heard about the Christmas parties.

Lovely to meet a wall. The best of You could do backing vocals?

It has been a horrible today. If its your children are off and

you are hoping the weather will be better through the day tomorrow, I

have good news for you. It will get a little bit better. This has been

the weather front that has bothered us through the day today. Another

weather front coming across tomorrow afternoon. After that, not

too bad. But more weather France moving him for the weekend. --

weather fronts. This is our latest picture. The rain is finally

starting to pull away into the Irish Sea. But Isle of Man will see

the worst of that through the night tonight. The think the Isle of Man

first. The picture for you is much better tomorrow. Some breaks in

developing in the cloud. Temperatures of mine degrees

overnight. Tomorrow morning will have the best of the weather. We

were stuck to see the cloud building up from the other side of

the Pennines after lunch time. Temperatures are pretty hit and

miss. With the cloud cover is Rimini, 12 degrees. Otherwise about

15 degrees. The weekend was so gorgeous. And