13/05/2014 North West Tonight

chilly. That's all from the BBC News at six

so Welcome to North West Tonight with

Annabel Tiffin ` and Roger Johnson. MPs are unconvinced ` as Pfizer

refuses to safeguard jobs here ` We'll talk live to the

Macclesfield MP ` The flight from Manchester forced

into an emergency landing after the Thieves steal a protected swan and

its eggs from a Cheshire village And three Blackpool Tower `` we are

behind`the`scenes. More than 5,000 people are employed

by AstraZeneca here in the That single firm is responsible for

a big chunk of the regional economy. But tonight, as it is considered

for what could be the biggest ever British take`over, we ask if there's

anything to be feared from Pfizer? Today the US firm was grilled by MPs

over it's intentions for what many In a moment we'll speak to

David Rutley MP for Macclesfield who This is the value

of Astra Zeneca to the North West. Today Pfizer chiefs arrived

at Westminster to face a grilling. No wonder there's fierce interest

in this. Pfizer want what would be

the biggest buy out in UK history. MPs today wanted assurances that UK

jobs would be safe. I can't tell you how many people

will be here. and ?63 billion. The boss says he

hasn't heard the books. Do you believe him? I'm sure he has seen

annual report. He has a good idea of the jobs here. You're been talking

about it and we have for a long time now. I wanted to set the record

straight. What is their commitment in terms of jobs? Is he going to

stick with 2000 jobs in Macclesfield? I was disappointed

that he sidestepped the issue. He said there would be a substantial

presence in Macclesfield. He did say that. That again you heard on the KP

wasn't clear as to what that meant. `` clip. If you are spending ?63

billion deal you need a better idea of your workforce. And how many will

be based in the second largest site in the UK. You talk about needing

concrete reassurance. Vince cable said it could be difficult for the

government to block this deal. Should David Cameron come out and

put pressure on Pfizer? He already is. He is working hard on that. We

need to find out what the commitments will be, make them

specific. They need to have a clear`cut commitment as to what

they're doing in Cambridge. We have to make these things enforceable, as

if there are tax breaks, if they don't follow through on their

commitments there is benefit should be clawed back. We need to be

looking at that clearly and Asians, because Pfizer have such a big deal

and a big interest in this which is vital to our economy. Over 2% of UK

exports are being manufactured from Macclesfield. Flank you for your

time. A plane bound

for Manchester has made an emergency The Boeing 737, with 114 people

on board, was diverted after the pilot reported an electrical

fault and fumes in the cockpit. This plane parked on its stand after

passengers were evacuated. The pilot reported a fault and the smaller

fumes. It triggered a full`scale emergency plan. The aircraft lands

and they tried to get permission for them to escort it back to stand as a

precaution. The aircraft landed safely. It taxied normally and the

passengers left normally. After the landing engineers opted to fly home

to Manchester rather than journey on. When the door was opened you

could deftly smell smoke. It was more noticeable after it had landed.

CU worried `` so you were worried? Yes. They were fantastic. No panic

at all. It is just when you see the fire engines, that is nerve

wracking. I was asked if I smell the smoke. I said I was fine. I didn't

smell it. There was no panic? Engineers have been checking over

the plane. Arrangements have been made the most passages to go on to

Amsterdam on other flights. Stuart Hall has been described as a rapist.

The prosecution has been summoned up its case against the man who is

charged with rape and indecent assault dating back to the 1970s.

The defence say they were in a consensual relationship with him. He

admits one can't but denies the others.

Dog owners who allow their pets to attack people are to

Maximum jail sentences for fatal attacks have increased

from two years to 14 years, while the term handed down over injury is

There've been a number of dog attack deaths in the region `

including that of Jade Anderson in Atherton last year.

The writer and comedian Caroline Aherne ` originally from Wythenshawe

` has revealed she's battling a genetic form of lung cancer.

The actress ` and star of "The Royle Family"

She's now encouraging people to speak up about how they think

Next Thursday we have a major set of elections across the North West.

There are votes for 26 councils ` and also

for the European elections which are only held every five years.

Yes, last time you might remember the British National Party Leader

Nick Griffin became one of our eight Euro MPs.

So what's likely to happen this time?

Our political editor Arif Ansari can tell us what's at stake.

There are 751 Euro MPs in the European Parliament

and we select eight of them to represent the entire North West.

Last time, the Conservatives won, taking three seats.

The UK Independence Party, the Lib Dems and the BNP took one each.

But this time, that's going to change.

The last time the European election was held here in the North West

in 2009 we had a very unpopular Gordon Brown led government.

They won one seat at the Conservatives won three seats.

That is likely to be reversed and the big factor is UKIP.

They won one seat last time and are riding on the crest

They will increase their representation, possibly

at the expense of the Liberal Democrats, desperately trying to

This time the Tories are braced to lose one to Labour.

But what about the final eighth seat?

The mainstream parties would love to see the BNP lose.

But equally the Lib Dems will be struggling to hold on.

Maybe the Greens could win or UKIP might take a third seat.

An Independence from Europe, the English Democrats, NO2EU,

the Pirate Party and the Socialist Equality Party.

But if you prefer your politics closer to home,

The Tories control two ` Trafford and West Lancashire.

The Lib Dems only control South Lakeland.

So with hundreds of seats up for grabs, what's likely to change?

There are two huge contests in the north`west, Trafford and West

Lancashire, which the Conservatives are desperate to defend.

Labour are keen to win and if they were to take those two councils

Ed Miliband can expect to be Prime Minister at this time next year.

Labour also had designs on two councils under no control

with a reasonable expectation of taking them.

Then you have the issue of the Liberal Democrat meltdown.

They have lost almost half their council in the north`west over

And after that's all over, settle in for the general election.

The people of a village in Cheshire are appealing for help

in catching thieves who've stolen a swan from their village pond.

The thieves also took a clutch of eggs that were almost ready to

But they left behind the swan's mate.

Swans are a protected species so if the culprits are found they'll be

It's an idyllic spot just outside Warrington.

Certainly that is what this pair of swans thought

when they chose to nest here and look after their clutch of eggs.

They became a big draw for the locals.

We have seven eggs, so we have seven young ones.

And everybody comes to see them, loads of people.

Someone has stolen the eggs just days before they were

due to hatch and they've also taken the male swan too.

His mate has been left alone and forlorn.

It is hard to believe how someone can do such a horrid thing.

We have been coming two or three times to watch the nest

and we were excited to see they might have hatched today.

It is unfair on the swan and that person whgo has done this

know she has sat on the eggs for 30 of 40 days, something like that.

He didn't want us to show his face because

his job includes catching poachers but he says he's in no doubt the

Obviously, nobody has stolen it for a pet.

I can understand them taking one egg, but certainly not seven.

If they ever find out who took the eggs and the swan, they are likely

to face a hefty fine or possibly even a term of imprisonment.

But perhaps the saddest part of this story is that swans mate for life.

So, the one who is left behind is unlikely to find another soul mate.

A "Rolls Royce of a player" ` but no longer on the road to Old Trafford.

Rio Ferdinand leaves the club where he's been

And the lofty landmark on the eve of a major milestone.

We meet the men and women keeping Blackpool Tower going. You always

have it in your mind you could fall if you don't look after yourself

properly. Some of the pictures are amazing.

Now have you ever thought about the effort that goes

into restoring a painting? Well visitors to Tatton Park can do

just that because of a conservation project that is taking place.

It's just one of the schemes that has helped the

attraction get a prestigious award. Our reporter Yunus Mulla is at

Tatton Park and can tell us more. Tell us more about that. The gardens

here are visited by around 800,000 visitors every year and will weather

like this you can see why, but it is also halfway through a five`year

plan. This is one of the most important paintings here but it is

showing its age. You can see areas of flaky paint around here. I

removed all the layers of service dirt annual varnishes, taking it

back to the original layer. Then I will consolidate these areas of

flaking paint and anything that is missing I will fill them in. I will

retouch the missing pieces to bring it back together. It picks to

members of the family as well as members of the local gentry, so it

is an interesting painting from a social perspective. The painting is

being preserved in full view of the public, just one of the initiatives

that has helped it win a gold award from visit England. We walked into

the door and saw what they were doing. I believed we would get told

to leave, but it is interesting to see how it is done. The painting is

expected to be returned to its original place in the main hall by

the end of October. I apologise for those technical problems. I was

going to show you this, the Gold award at the park has been given for

its range of attractions here, including making the restoration

work that is taking place here, available for the public. They are

hoping to boost visitor numbers up to around 1 million by 2016 and this

is perhaps evidence they are on their way. Flank you very much. ``

thank. It's the end of an era

for Manchester United. Rio Ferdinand, for so long

the rock at the centre of defence, Michael Owen today described him

as 'a Rolls Royce player.' But, as Stuart Flinders reports,

Ferdinand isn't hanging up Six Premier League titles, the

European cup, Rio Ferdinand was a key ingredients in the winning

formula. He was in Singapore today as fans worldwide absorb the news of

his departure. In his most recent TV interview aired on Saturday, he was

cagey about his future. I want to play on. I still have stuff to

offer. He has released a statement thanking the club and the supporters

for an unbelievable 12 years. Team plays treated their good

wishes. He wasn't brought Old Trafford as a goal`scorer but as

winner in the final minute against Liverpool in 2006 is a fond memory

for fans. He signed in to browse more than ?29 million, a walled

records. `` in 2002 for more. What a player. Not many better England

centre halves. He has a future somewhere and in a particular team

he can thrive. There have been low points. In 2003 he was fined and

banned for eight months for missing a drugs test, but where ever he goes

on here he will be remembered for one of the greatest players of the

modern game and even be turns up here when an opposition shirt he

will get a good reception. Some more sports news now and Wigan

missed out on promotion to the Premier League last night

after losing 2`1 to QPR. They went to extra time

in the second leg of their Charlie Austin quickly scored

for QPR, giving them Meanwhile, Fleetwood took a slender

one nil advantage in their rescheduled League Two play`off

semi`final first leg against York, with Matty Blair scoring

against former side, York City. Andrew Flintoff is set to make

a comback to cricket in Lancashire. The club's announced they're

in talks over a return ahead of "Freddy" Flintoff ` as he's known `

hasn't played in nearly five years after bowing

out in 2009 ` but has recently been That'll guarantee more bums on

seats. We have risk assessments here. It is the same in many big

countries. The men who painted lap pool Tower had to be very brave.

As Blackpool Tower prepares to celebrate

its 120th birthday tomorrow, we've been behind the scenes at one of the

The Tower Ballroom is a sight to behold.

But John Bowdler only ever sees it in his rear view mirror.

After 26 years playing here, he's still happy to have realised

It was my ambition to play here from the age of seven or eight.

I used to come in on the balcony with my mum and dad and watched

The work behind the scenes is non`stop and, altogether with

the front of house staff, over 300 people work at the There are quite

a number of people who have worked here for a number of years that have

They have the animal stories about the one night

the lions got out and a night watchman found them, and about

elephants and how they were used to stopping people getting into the

There are a lot of stories and lots of interesting people.

But it hasn't always been a pleasant place to work.

Painting the tower is a never`ending job, and those that

Over the years, they've faced the toughest conditions.

Among them, Joan Butterworth's uncle.

They had a tarpaulin which came loose and we understand

whipped him off the platform he was stood on and he came straight

He didn't even make the front page of the newspaper.

Nowadays the safety equipment stretches beyond a flat cap.

We have rope access that comes out where we will work off ropes

and hang off ropes and abseil down the tower.

They were brave. I showed people the picture of the man holding the

ladder. He was a brave man. of that and hopefully good spells of

sunshine. We could see 16 or 17 Celsius tomorrow, that is not bad.

Then, look at this. For Thursday the temperatures are getting higher, 17

Celsius. We hang on to the high pressure for Saturday and Sunday.

Have a look at this. In Cheshire, we could see temperatures as high as 20

Celsius. I can say Cheshire, but not Cumbria. We knew what she meant. A

lovely and warm weekend ahead for us. Have a lovely evening. Good

night.