23/03/2014 North West Tonight

Good evening. A campaign to lower the age for

cervical screening to 16, in memory of a teenager from Wirral, has

become the most signed e`petition ever. The family of 19`year`old

Sophie Jones from Eastham, who died last weekend, claim if she'd been

tested it could have saved her. More than 310,000 people have signed the

petition, three times the ntmber required to prompt a Commons debate

on the subject. It's been more than 60 years since

the end of the Korean war. Now associations formed to provhde

support and a network of frhendship to those who were involved `re being

wound up. Including one in Greater Manchester which, at one pohnt, was

the largest of its kind. For a quarter of a century, Korean

War veterans have held a melorial service at Christ Church in Bolton,

a chance for men such as Brhan Hough to remember the role they played in

the three year conflict. But this year will be the l`st time

they'll congregate here. Our numbers have declined. We have

lost a locked of people. `` a lot of people.

The Greater Manchester Branch ` once the the largest in the country ` is

disappearing, along with other branches. 60 years after thd

conflict that killed 39 men in Greater Manchester and 1,100 British

service personnel nationallx. We think that we did a proud thing

by having this organisation. They would be very proud of what we have

done. Each branch has said that they will carry on as a social group and

they will meet every month whilst they are still able, they whll meet

for lunch. Those memories of the forgotten war

will be kept alive as friendships remain.

People living in a flood prone Lancashire village are being given

training to prevent a repeat of the deluge which cause major dalage two

years ago. Croston was flooded twice in a matter of weeks over the summer

of 2012. It's all hands to the pump.

Croston's villagers have calpaigned for and now have been traindd how to

use this high`volume pump to keep their homes dry.

We've got it set at the minhmum speed at the moment.

It has cost ?21,000. Croston Parish Council, the Environment Agdncy and

Lancashire County Council contributed and this is why.

Summer 2012, and more than 70 homes in Croston were flooded twice in a

matter of weeks. The River Xarrow gets so full that rain backs up into

streets and homes. Kath Almond is among those villagers who h`ve been

trained to use the pump. When it gets to a certain ldvel the

water can't get into the river, because the river is higher than the

drains. That is when everything backs up.

The pump will clear up excess water. It will be switched on at the first

sign of flooding. But it is a temporary solution to the problems.

A permanent solution would be a 600 metre long five metre high flood

embankment built upstream. Ht will cost ?6 million, two million of

which has yet to be found. Hf all goes well, construction will start

in March next year. We are very glad to have thhs pump

and it is an interim solution, but as glad as I will be to see it

arriving in Croston, when the bigger solution arrives and the pulp can go

away, I will be happier still. Over 8000 runners took to the

streets of Liverpool today hn the city's half marathon. The event was

celebrating its 21st anniversary this year and starting off the race

was Liverpool manager Brend`n Rodgers.

It is wonderful and it is stch a cold morning as well. But for all

the people doing it, it is brilliant. I hurt my foot in a

football game, so I could not run today, but I am here to support

everyone and for our team. Preston's Laura Massaro has become

world squash champion. The 30`year`old world number two beat

seeded Egyptian Nour El Sherbini in the final in Malayasia. She's the

first British woman to win the title in 15 years.

A good day for the region's Super League teams Widnes edged a tight

game at Hull FC, winning7`0. Salford Red Devils beat Castleford 23`1 at

home and top of the table St Helens came away from Wakefield with a win.

24`16. Now the weather with Kay Forster.

We have had some sunshine this afternoon and the clouds have been

fading away, thanks to this high pressure. We are entering into a dry

night, and with the wind falling, it will be a cold night. Away from the

coast, there will be a frost. Just about holding above freezing near

the coast. Tomorrow, it will be a cold but right start with lots of

sunshine. The cloud will increase from the West, and maybe sole rain

from the Isle of Man. That dastern areas holding on to the dry and

bright weather but feeling warmer, highs of ten or 11 Celsius.

I will be back at 10:15pm. Goodbye. Hello. Following today's showers,

tonight is going to be much colder. Clear skies, light winds, a recipe

for a widespread frost. Sharp showers for the next couple of

hours. From East Yorkshire to the south-east. Hail and thunder. Skies

will clear across many areas. Temperatures tumbling across rural

parts it could be as low as minus six. Not as cold across Northern

Ireland and the far south-west. Increasing cloud ahead of the

weather