19/02/2014 North West Tonight

you. That is all from

Good evening. Welcome to North West Tonight with Annabel Tiffin and

Graham Liver. Our top story: Get off our land!

Anti`fracking protestors say they'll fight moves to evict them from

Barton Moss. The land owners have issued court papers to repossess the

site. Also tonight: we talk about plans

for a wind farm. We talk to the Warrington man

falsely branded a thief after a mix`up at work.

And if you think boxing is just for boys, think again. This young lady

is one of our rising stars. I will be talking to her later on.

Anti`fracking protestors tonight say they'll fight plans to evict them

from their camp at Barton Moss in Eccles. The land owners, Peel, have

issued court papers saying they re seeking repossession of the land.

The camp was established last November by campaigners trying to

prevent iGas from carrying out test drilling in the area. And those

there today were in no mood for moving, as Dave Guest explains.

Among the Barton Moss protestors today, a spirit of dogged

determination that their fight against fracking would continue

Storms haven't been able to get rid of us, bailiffs might try, we might

have to take some tents down but we will not stop to protesting. Their

tents and shelters stand on land that belongs to one of the country's

biggest corporate concerns, Peel, and they want it back. They're

asking the courts to order their eviction. These are the court papers

that were issued by hand yesterday. The inform protesters that Peel

investments Limited are seeking repossession of this land. They say

there is to be a court hearing in Manchester on Friday, which will

determine whether these people have to leave and if so, when. We have

come here to highlight the dangers of fracking and to peacefully

protest. I think whatever the outcome, we will continue to do

that. And what ever it takes, people are prepared to do that. Even if it

involves balance? `` balance? This has always been a peaceful mode

movement. I think non`violent protest is the best way to get our

point out in the most effective way. Suppose the day comes when you have

lost your court action and bailiffs start removing tents, what happens

then? Only time can tell what happens then. That is largely

dependent on the actions of Greater Manchester Police and whichever

bailiffs may attend. Peel declined to comment today. Dave is with me in

this did you now. So, Dave, How quickly would any eviction happen?

Relatively quickly. Peel had to give two days notice of this and on

Friday they will try to persuade the court to issue a repossession order.

It will then be up to enforcement officers and police to decide a

logistics. If the protesters wanted to delay or talents there is one of

their number would have to put their name award to the court. The risk

would be that if the action lost they could face costs. This could

happen sometime next week. Keeping with the subject of power,

and proposals have been outlined which could double the size of the

Scout Moor wind farm between Rochdale and Rossendale. The company

behind the plan want to erect dozens of new turbines on what is already

England's biggest wind farm. Plans go out for consultation in April. In

a moment we'll hear from our Lancashire reporter Peter Marshall,

but first, Annabel's been looking at the situation in the North West

At the moment there are 405 operational wind turbines in the

region. The largest wind farms are off shore. There are only five of

them, but the 187 giant turbines provide enough energy to power

approximately 429,000 homes. Onshore, ie on the land, there are

31 wind farms, with 218 turbines. They generate enough power for

around 168,000 homes. It's an expanding business. 83 more turbines

have been approved, and 14 are already under construction. But that

doesn't include projects like an extension to Scout Moor wind farm

near Rochdale, already one of England's biggest wind farms, where

developers are hoping to double its capacity. Peter Marshall has been

looking at the plans. Love them or loathe them, wind farms

are increasingly common. Scout Moor, between Edenfield and Rochdale,

opened in 2008. Through conception and birth it attracted controversy

and protest marches. So why risk more opposition by expanding it

further? This wind farm has toured enough electricity to supply the

demand of over 40% of Rochdale. The potential to double it could see

this wind farm generating the equivalent of almost all Rochdale's

domestic liquidity. `` electricity. This is the existing Scout Moor

site, which has 26 turbines. The hope is to double that to 52 ` some

in the existing area, others in the expanded zones to the north. A

separate plan by Coronation Power could see 17 turbines added to the

east on Rooley Moor. We said when that when far was developed if we

not careful, every ridgeline in the area will be covered in turbines and

we will wake up and wonder why we didn't stop it. The Rooley Moor site

would straddle part of the Pennine Bridle Way national trail, a

long`distance route loved by horse riders. At this local livery yard,

strong opposition. People come up after work, Park up there for some

peace and quiet. It won't be quiet with 17 turbines on either side We

will be saturated in turbines. We don't want that. We were born and

bred here and we don't want it becoming industrial. The Scout Moor

proposals go to public consultation in April, Coronation Power's from

next week. Both companies say they'll work closely with

communities to limit impact and bring maximum benefit to the area.

Now, while Scout Moor is planning to double in size, the region's oldest

wind farm, Coal Clough near Burnley in Lancashire, is getting smaller.

Improved technology means it will provide more electricity with fewer

turbines. A jury has retired to consider its

verdicts in the trial of the mother of Dale Cregan, who was convicted of

killing two police officers in 012. 56`year`old Anita Cregan is accused

of aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office by acquiring

information on the manhunt of her son. It's alleged information was

accessed and passed on by a police call handler, 25`year`old Kathryn

Smith and her then boyfriend Sean Booth. All three deny the charges.

A seventh person has been treated in hospital in Liverpool, after

apparently taking the party drug Geebs. The 24`year`old man was found

collapsed on Sunday after it's believed he took the liquid

substance, normally used as an alloy wheel cleaner. Officers say the

incident isn't linked to two other cases, in which a total of six

people were taken to hospital. A 38`year`old man has been arrested

on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after a cyclist

from Warrington died in a hit`and`run incident. 47`year`old

Terry Brown from Warrington was found by a passing motorist early

yesterday morning on Warrington Road in Bold Heath. He was taken to

hospital with a serious head injury, but died later.

Unemployment in the North West has fallen, according to the latest

figures published today. In total, 277,000 people were out of work and

claiming benefit between October and December. That's down 6000 on the

previous quarter, leaving the region with an unemployment rate of 8. %.

A man from Warrington says he'll fight to clear his name after being

wrongly branded a thief. A picture of Jordan Ross was published on the

web, which it was claimed showed him stealing a computer printer from an

off`licence in the town. In fact, it was one of two working machines

Jordan was given by mistake. He was meant to collect scrap printers

That happened in January but he only found out about it after returning

to work this week from paternity leave. This from our Cheshire

reporter, Mark Edwardson. At home with his fiancee and baby son,

Jordan Ross enjoying life as a new dad. In January he was sent to

collect two scrap printers from this off`licence and then went on leave,

but he hadn't bargained for what happened when he got back. We went

in to pick up the printers, waited for them to be collectors. The guy

brought them out and we headed back to the yard. The photo from CCTV in

the shop was published in the shop's website. Jordan was organised

by friends. I went down to the police station. That was the only

way he could clear his name. The paper issued a statement and

said... They were happy to clarify what happened. It was circuit is as

a normal channels but concerns were raised by Jordan about circulating

the image. It was removed from circulation but he remains angry.

The police said there was no case because you can tell he's innocent.

They have checked the CCTV to clear the case which they should have done

first before putting it online. No one from the shop was available for

comment today that the company said it apologised for any confusion the

misunderstanding had caused. They said following the receipt of

further information police have closed the case.

Children from deprived areas can sometimes struggle at school, but

now a charity claims it's found a way of dramatically improving the

GCSE results of pupils in parts of Manchester. ReachOut runs a

mentoring programme for young people, offering them one`to`one

academic and emotional support. It says the scheme helps teenagers who

might otherwise be overlooked. Naomi Cornwell reports. It might look like

fun and games, but this booster session at a primary school in

Rusholme is designed to help the children with their class work. Each

has a dedicated mentor who provides advice not only on schoolwork but on

what they should be aiming for in life. Keiarnya received the same

help. Now she's looking forward to university. From year seven until

nine I wasn't one of the most good children, so I tried to reach out

and it made me see there was no need to be naughty. It helped me put

myself back on track and set my goals. There are a lot of activities

in the projects could will be based around things like making the right

decisions in difficult situations or good judgement, staying power, and

also things like revision techniques, things that are more

applicable to college. Keiarnya has herself become a mentor, hoping to

show others what they can achieve. In the last school year, 53% of

pupils across Manchester received at least five GCSEs of grade C or

above. But ReachOut says the proportion of pupils on its

mentoring programme who achieved that was higher, at 79%. The

teachers have got together and identified children who would

benefit from working with the mentor is on to boot their confidence and

it is going well. It helps me with the work I am not sure whether. When

you do your work you get to do something fun after it and it is

kind of easier but had as well. If I don't understand something she will

help me with it. By targeting areas where economic prosperity and

aspirations are low, ReachOut hopes to raise the results of more young

people like Keiarnya. Now, here's an opportunity. I'm sure

there's plenty of people out there with opinions on the BBC. Maybe this

programme. I am sure. Now's your big chance to tell us about them by

joining our local audience panel. The BBC Trust is looking for people

of all ages, and all backgrounds from across the region. The panel

meets three times a year. It isn't paid but you do get expenses. The

closing date for applications is Friday seven March 2014 and the

easiest way to find out more, and to get an application pack, is to go to

the website. If you don't have internet access call 0800 092 6 30

which is free from landlines but not necessarily from mobiles. So tell us

what you think. Still to come on North West Tonight: why the fallout

from this foul could land Manchester City's manager in trouble with the

football authorities. And we meet the man carving out a

career using 200 million`year`old wood. 200 million `year`old wood. It

is petrified. Not just a little scared? Scared stiff.

It's generated enough words to fill five volumes of War and Peace and

will have a major impact on how Cheshire develops over the next 20

years. Today Cheshire East council published its long`awaited Local

Plan, which details where new homes can be built. But it's late, so

developers have pretty much been building where they like. Council

leaders have described it as being under siege. Our political editor

Arif Ansari reports on Cheshire East council's attempt to regain control

of planning. It's a blueprint to redraw the map of East Cheshire

This is a local plan. The lack of a local plan has been good for

developers, who've been winning appeals and building where they

like. They even defeated a smaller five`year housing plan in court One

site alone for one developer could bring millions of pounds, so they

can spend a lot of fighting us and we can't spend the same fighting

them, but that is business, we have been robust coming forward and we

are now in a position to protect local people. On the last day of

consultation, developers delivered 400 submissions. A deliberate

delaying tactic, suspects the council. Here in Congleton you can

see part of the problem. Behind this gate developers want to build 4 new

homes. The council challenged the developers and lost, partly because

they didn't have a Local Plan in place. I can show you how it's going

to work out. Derek White expects his back view will be concreted over. He

blames the council's lack of a plan. We have been back to them, we can ``

we have had a lot of verbal support from the council but in practice,

the supply has not been there to help residents. The Local Plan will

be voted on next week. Labour says it's welcome but late. Hopefully the

plan will be amended in line with those consultation results and a

final plan we can agree on will go to the planning Inspectorate of this

year, but it has been a long process. We should have had a plan

in place years ago. The Local Plan should soon be submitted to

government inspectors. But it is unlikely developers have given up

just yet. Let's move on to sport now, and

Richard is out and about tonight at a boxing gym in Birkenhead which has

a rising star in its ranks. Yes, this is Birkenhead venture

boxing club. Lots of talent or perhaps this young lady is one of

the most interesting, 14`year`old Chloe Watson. We will talk to her

later but first the big news from last night, Barcelona beating

Manchester City to nil in the first leg of their last 16 Champions

League tie. Things didn't work out for city and after the game, Manuel

Pellegrini said the referee was not impartial may have landed him in hot

water. This had the feeling of a landmark moment in Manchester City's

journey into the elite. I went to Wigan, Northampton and places like

that. I never expected this. Fantastic, after we've suffered all

these years. Fantastic. Really looking forward to tonight's game,

whatever the outcome. The outcome whenever you face Barcelona is to

expect to do plenty of chasing. This is why they're so difficult to play

against. 40 consecutive passes, keeping the ball for two minutes.

When City did get it back, they had the best first`half chances. 22

goals between them, but none for 52 minutes. And then the moment.

Iniesta saw a pass, Messi saw a chance, Demichelis saw danger and

the defender saw red. That's how a game of football turns on its head.

Messi made the penalty look as easy as the world's best should make a

penalty look. Then Barca should have buried City, but they didn't. There

were chances to equalise, David Silva with one of the best. In

injury time, Dani Alves put the ball through Joe Hart's legs and almost

certainly put Barcelona through They gave us no chance whatsoever.

Did you have any hope now? The referee was falling. `` he was

appalling. From the beginning I felt that the referee was not impartial

to both teams, so he decided the game with the foul that he didn t

allow. And with the penalty, that was not a penalty, it was outside

the box. Playing 40 minutes with one player less is very difficult.

Winning in Bayern Munich earlier this season shows all is not lost

for Manchester City in Barcelona, but the fact remains that the only

three clubs to have one here this season and perhaps that proves there

is still a gap between this club and Europe's very best.

It is a fantastic facility. They get 50, maybe 70 young fighters here.

That's talk about football first. Fleetwood's dreams of a Wembley

final in the Johnson's Paint Trophy ended last night despite a 1`nil win

at Chesterfield. Graham Alexander's side were 3`1 down from the home leg

so were always up against it. Jon Parkin got the goal in the dying

moments to spark a tense finale but unfortunately it wasn't enough for

Town to go through. More than 1 ,000 people have joined a Facebook

campaign for a museum at Preston North End's ground dedicated to Sir

Tommy Finney. The 91`year`old, who spent his whole career at Deepdale

and played 76 times for England died on Friday. Fans says the space

vacated by the National Football Museum after it moved to Manchester

could be turned into a lasting tribute for the great man. A civic

funeral will take place a week tomorrow. The route will run from

Deepdale into the city centre. In the women's bobsleigh at the Winter

Olympics in Sochi, Blackburn born Paula Walker and Rebekah Wilson from

Manchester have completed their fourth and final run and finished

12th overall. Well done to them Let's have a word with the lady of

the moment, Chloe Watson. How are you? Good, thanks. And this is her

coach. I have been watching you train. You look like a fantastic

fighter. How much of your life is that good to boxing? Most of it I

love it, though, so I don't mind. You have spoken about Natasha Jonas

as an Olympian and Nicola Adams How much have they inspired you? Natasha

always comes into my school but I think the Olympics inspired most

girls. There have been more girls in the gym since then. Has it ignited

that dream for you to make the Olympics? Yes, that is my goal to go

to the Olympics. You looked determined to me. Sean, how good is

she? All the other coaches noticed her talent. She is a hard worker and

never misses a session. I think she has what it takes. We are into the

attic and pleased with what she has achieved and the future is very

bright for her. There aren't that many girls at clue we's level so

she's bars against boys. I imagine at the beginning they thought that

would be easy. She is one of the best boxers in the gym, male or

female, and she has won seven of her 11 contests and we are still going

to get a match so she has to boxlike. Sean seems to think you

will do it. Do you believe that maybe not at Rio but later you will

be at the Olympics? Yes, that is my goal and what I am hoping to

achieve. Good luck. If you look in Chloe's eyes you can tell how

determined she is. Thank you. She is one to watch for the future, from

Birkenhead. Back to you. Her feet and fits look so quick

Brion. Sculptors work with a whole range of materials but not many are

carving with remains said to be millions of years old. Martin

Bednarczuk from Salmsbury has started to use fossils that date

back to the Jurassic Period. Pieces of art made of ancient

material which is claimed to be around 200 million years old. This

is petrified wood, the fossilised remains of vegetation. Martin has

been carving for almost 30 years. They are the hardest woods you can

carve with, but this is like stone but it is the end effect that makes

it so unique. It is worth the struggle. Self`taught, he has moved

from traditional pieces to stone and now petrified wood. It is formed of

dance materials and is buried under layers of ash and mud, with

materials comprising rotting wood from oxygen on the original plant

material is replaced with minerals and it turns to stone. Because of

the age of this would, it is hard to get hold of. These pieces came from

a location of the Black Sea. The idea is to get a Martin being the

MasterCard and one of only a few sculptors in the UK over to the

exhibition in the Army in December. That's back in Miami. He is already

attracting worldwide interest. Sometimes sculptors don't come into

their own until their 50s because you have to go through a period of

struggle. That is what has happened to me, really.

People pay thousands for that. It is an art. Let's get the weather now.

Do we have anything look forward to?

an art. Let's get the weather now. Do we have anything Yes, there will

be some sunshine between the rain and strong winds. It hasn't been a

bad day to date tonight and tomorrow we will see some changes, some rain,

strong winds busting to deal forced perhaps until lunchtime tomorrow.

Then we are in nature are re`routed and by Sunday all signs point to

more heavy rain and strong winds in the forecast. That will be confirmed

in the next few days. You can see to weather systems bring us tomorrow,

it is why we have rain and strong winds, then these westerly winds

bring showers but through Saturday night and into Sunday, you can see

how the isobars are squeezed and it doesn't look brilliant. We are not

expecting it to be brilliant but it wasn't bad today. We saw at

temperatures up to 11 in places and for a time tomorrow you may get them

against that by that tend you get to 10pm, this rain appears into the

Isle of Man and the coast. And it is on and off, but for most of us it

will be a wet night and as that wind picks up in the early hours of the

morning, busting to deal forced around the seacoast and the hills

will be below we as well. Temperatures really good for the

time of the, eight and nine degrees, but when you have all this cloud and

strong winds to contend with, that is something you may not notice

Tomorrow morning the remnants of the rain will be around for the first

few hours and it is a windy start, but it moves away relatively

quickly. Behind that there will be some showers in the mix away from

the showers one or two spells of sunshine, I think they will turn up

every now and then that with the wind is continuing to be blustery it

will never feel brilliant. Temperatures 10 degrees before

midday, then cooling down to around seven or eight.

Finally, from one exotic creature with a long neck to another. She's a

West African giraffe, she's been born at South Lakes Wild Animal Park

and she's said to be "one of the rarest animals on the planet". There

are just 450 in the wild in West Africa and a few in captivity. She's

been named Belle. Very appropriate the, I think despite the wobbly

knees. Watchet! Goodbye.