18/08/2014 North West Tonight

you might stay dry. The temperatures will still be in

A Southport woman who killed her alcoholic mother after suffering

The judge described the case as "a disaster waiting to happen".

The Liverpool company bidding for government contracts using

Manchester City Council say 20mph's plenty for thousands of roads

But will it really slow down the speeders?

And the pound`a`night poultry palace gets off to a flying start

It was, said a judge in Liverpool today,

In January, Clancy Durkin, an alcoholic,

was killed by her own daughter after years of mental cruelty.

Rebecca Durkin, who's nineteen, was today jailed for manslaughter.

The judge, at Liverpool Crown Court, told her she'd have to live with

what she'd done for the rest of her life.

Belittled and undervalued by her own mother,

She was 19, a student and part time care worker.

Her mother, Clancy Durkin, was 56, a cleaner at Southport and

Many of her relatives and friends didn't realise it,

In January, at their home in Southport, her daughter suffocated

Rebecca Durkin claimed she hadn't meant to kill her.

We only have her side of the story. The sister described Clancy as a

caring mother and she had issues but we only have the spin that Rebecca

has put Durkin was tried for murder at

Liverpool Crown Court and acquitted. But she pleaded guilty to

manslaughter The judge described it as a

difficult home environment. They had done their best for each other, he

said, but Rebecca suffered long`term mental cruelty at her mother?s

hands. The alcohol addiction clouded her judgement. He rejected

Rebecca?s claimed she had not intended to kill her mother. You had

had enough, he told her, something you must live with for the

rest of your sentenced to four years

and eight months in prison. After being held in custody

since January, she'll actually serve 'Your family life may have been

a very sad and very difficult one,' "But that family is now totally

destroyed and split The Government's being accused

of using cheap labour by paying prison inmates to do jobs

in the private and public sector. Prisoners from HMP Liverpool are

used on a number of contracts but are often being paid far less

than the minimum wage. Critics say the scheme undercuts

local businesses and threatens jobs. Its supporters say it reduces

re`offending by getting inmates Behind its walls,

HMP Liverpool is home to more than Some are in gainful employment `

in laundries and in packing jobs It's run by the Ministry of Justice

and its work has attracted praise But it's less popular with

Walton's MP. It will be difficult for any company

to compete with on a level playing field with prisoners paid far less

than people on the national minimum wage. In a statement, the ministry

told us... ISS, who're the laundry contractors

for Walton Centre Foundation Trust in Liverpool, had planned to use

inmates provided by One3One. Somehow the residual money is

propping up what needs to be done in the prison service. It is wrong. The

Prison Service tells us they want to stop the same faces coming back to

prison time and time again. They disagree on how it is done.

A man from Oldham's appeared before magistrates,

accused of punching a heavily pregnant teenager in the stomach

The 16 year old girl ` who was seven months pregnant `

was attacked in Copster Park in the town last Thursday.

18`year`old Dusan Bako ` who's charged with child destruction

It's been reported that a Liverpool takeaway owner is among a group

of British`based Kurds who've returned to Iraq, to fight

Mohammed Abudullah told Sky News that even though he has a British

passport and a good life in Liverpool,

he wanted to return to Kurdistan to fight for his people against

I have got a British passport and everything and the good life. I do

not need anything but I am here support the Kurdistan people for my

family, my dad, I do not care if I get killed or not.

The West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper says some patients have been facing

a wait of up to two hours for an ambulance.

She claims one of her constituents died less than 48 hours after being

The North West Ambulance Service says demand has risen by 7%

An investigation's underway after a bin bag containing

the severed heads of a number of cats was found on a street

The discovery was made by a council worker who'd been sent to

Road safety campaigners have for some time been repeating

the mantra that "twenty's plenty" on suburban streets.

And growing numbers of councils across the region are

Today Manchester City Council introduced 20 mile per hour zones

The authority hopes it'll cut accident rates ` but will it?

Our Chief Reporter, Dave Guest, has been investigating and joins us now.

Yes, they have not roll this out to every street in Manchester but I am

not losing it. This is every street. It is one of the streets

where the council hopes by lowering the speed limit they will lower the

number of accidents. Not everyone is convinced that painting numbers on

the road will reduce accidents. This is Woodland Road in Gorton `

one of hundreds across Manchester Some within this community have

welcomed the new speed limit. We have 40 children playing in this

area alone. And we just think that we need this to protect our

children. From today, more than

a thousand streets in Manchester are Twenty's been plenty in parts

of Blackpool for some years now. This is Highfield Road where the

limit was introduced back on 2009. Do you stick to 20? I try to. It

slows us down quite a bit but in built`up areas you need it for

safety of people. Not everyone is convinced about the worth of the

signs. Too many councils are putting up signs come if the road looks like

30 and the character doesn't change, the behaviour won't change. You have

to change the character of the road and that involves more than putting

up signs. If road users do not respect the signs, what happens? We

will monitor the situation and look at enforcement action. So people can

be fined? Absolutely. The council hopes to designate more zones in the

near future. The council are looking to the police to enforce these areas

and recent guidance from ACPO says they have referred to speed

awareness courses if people are caught breaking the limit. They also

say it isn't just about science, it is changing the environment and

making sure the mindset changes as well.

This is a subject which has prompted quite a response from you today `

Alan Swan e`mailed to say they're already in Blackpool

and are ignored by everyone ` including public transport.

Alan reckons crawling in second gear creates road anger.

Ian Wallbank lives on a road in a 20 zone.

He says he's been overtaken several times ` on one occasion someone went

Proof, he says, that there are people with no regard for this law.

On Twitter, Zulu 123 wrote ` the 20 mile`an`hour zones in Cleveleys cost

250`thousand pounds ` drivers ignore it or deliberately go faster.

It's a tick in the box for the Health and Safety brigade.

Paul Emsley says on Facebook ` Nobody enforces them.

The council say it's down to the police to enforce them ` and the

While Lulu Anne Percival thinks it's a brilliant idea `

but there will be some folks who don't think it applies to them!

A weekend of anti`fracking protests culminated today in the protests

around the area. Protesters occupied the building where one of the Shell

gas companies have offices. But while they were condemning the ``

for gas, opponents pointed out the protest camps cookers and gas

heaters were gas powered! They are calling it today `` a day of direct

action and to Blackpool the main target was this office, leased by

Cuadrilla and focused much of the anger from the anti`fracking

protesters. Inside the building, a determined group of campaigners who

for several hours refused to leave. Among the group, Danny. We walked up

to the office, we walked through the door, the door was open, pushed in

and sat down, held hands, secured ourselves together and then shut the

door. Eventually, the group left voluntarily. The Chamber of Commerce

says the protesters were actually in its offices, not Cuadrilla. And

there was more direct action by anti`fracking campaigners from the

North West who travelled to London to superglued themselves to Defra,

the department responsible for energy. When ministers insist

fracking is safe and essential. Other critics of the protesters

tweeted this, a picture showing gas canisters used to power their

anti`fracking site in Blackpool. According to the organisers, the

criticism is unfair. I am a human being living in a community, some

people do choose to go into the hills and live entirely self

sufficiently and that is an option but I want to be part of society.

Having set up camp to highlight their cause, by the end of the

week, most of have gone, the debate itself will

continue. Last season's top two start the

season with Premier League wins. And, the Lancashire teenager who

hatched a plan for a hen hotel ` Last week on BBC North West tonight

we followed the fortunes of a group of allotmenteers

from Manchester determined to put on a show to help raise ?10,000

for disabled access at The Crumpsall Well, yesterday was show time after

months of preparations for Veg Fest. The weather certain wasn't kind

but did the public gave generously. The gardeners are vying for best

in show and the performers ready to put on a show but the blustery

weather is causing concern. Quite fraught, running around last

minute. We did not know what the weather would be like. I got here

this morning, it was pouring but waiting now for more of the

general public. It is one of the best local shows,

would the best I have seen for a long time.

For the gardeners, it's a tense time waiting to find out who

We have seen is a round of nature and we get opportunities to dance in

between the vegetables and fruits and flowers. I feel a part of it. We

thought it would be a complete disaster, nobody here for the first

hour and a bit but everybody came. It was fantastic. Despite the wind

and the rain, hundreds of people. Doug the allotment secretary

has had a busy few weeks. Finally he gets the chance

to enjoy the performances. The day has been a success

for the Crumpsall and Cheetham Hill Allotment Society `

over a thousand pounds and it's Sorry I missed that. What flavour

was the ice cream? ! We will move on quickly to

Now to sport and a huge night for Burnley with the return of Premier

Richard is there for us as the clarets prepare to take

And easy opener against Chelsea. Most of the Burnley fans know how

difficult it will be. Those are the Chelsea fans going into that part of

Turf Moor. Chelsea will put out a side cost ?200 million to assemble,

Burnley spent 6 million on seven new players in the summer, that would

buy you one of Diego Costa?s legs! In 2009, the first home game here

that season when Burnley win Premier League was against Man

United, we will show you what happened, a stunning volley enough

to win the game on that day for Burnley. And they might just spring

a surprise. I am sure Tony Livsey will be among

those fans behind you tonight. I have just seen him!

How confident are they? Yeah, they are realistic, Roger,

they know how difficult it will be but having said that their form

season has convinced many they might just do it, who knows? Good team

spirit and a chance as long as we keep it 0`0. We could nick it. My

hunch is a draw. I would take that and go home. A team of superstars

but it is the posh boy going to the Council of State. They will get a

cigar. They will not like it. Many regard Mourinho?s men as favourites

for the title. What does Sean make of the opening game?

Well, the fans here have nicknamed Sean the ginger Mourinho. He is

quietly confident. Let's hear from him. Home and away you play every

team. It is a relevant, for sure, tough challenge, fantastic manager

and club and team but amazing power in the market. There are no

guarantees for anyone. I want to win against Burnley. That is the first

step. And to win against Burnley will be hard. I can imagine.

Well, these teams are the last to get their Premier League campaign is

under way. The other sides were in action at the weekend.

It was Daniel's 36th goal in 50 games.

The most clinical striker. We were not at our best today.

We were nervous, it's a pity. `` pity.

Family players do need? Four or five, I would say.

Everton have done plenty of transfer business but let the lead slip at

Leicester. Super strikes from two players should have given the

winning start but this draw will feel like two points dropped.

Blackpool have decided to keep it in the family. Their new signing moves

to Bloomfield Road with his twin brother. The team is without a point

after defeat to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. A couple of goals did

damage for the men. Two `when the final score. Fleetwood town made it

two wins out of two with a win at Notts County. Preston North end hit

four goals past their opponents. Excellent wins for Morecambe and

Berry as well. Cricket now `

In the LV County championship Lancashire's match against Durham

ended in nail biting finish. Durham ended their second innings on

187 leaving Lancashire 107 to win. The fans are arriving in confidence.

We were powerful commentary of the game on BBC radio Lancashire. From

Turf Moor, back to you. A proud young man! Thank you very much.

Enjoy the game. Now to North Lancashire,

where an enterprising teenager has It might seem curious but Sam Jones

could have found a niche market. He set up his business in Carnforth

after noticing the rise in the numbers of families keeping

poultry at home. # This is a song about birds # About

birds? It's the latest resort

on the tourist trail and clients are When you go on holiday and

if you do have chickens, They had nowhere to go,

so I've taken advantage and I've Chicken check`in is pretty quick,

they don't bring much luggage. Guests are given free range

of the 5`star facilities. Fresh water, food, access to fresh

grass 24/7, whenever they want. While some choose to lounge by the

pool, others prefer room service. It costs the paltry sum

of ?1 per night for each bird. And Sam has already been surprised

by the number of bookings. It started off with posters on

the lamp posts, and from there, the public have just been in contact,

September is now fully booked. 11`year`old Zoe keeps chickens in

St Anne's, and would happily shell I love chickens so much,

they are my favourite animal. I think a chicken hotel would be

good, because it's very hard to find people who will look after chickens,

it's quite a hard thing to do. Now, Sam is planning to expand

the business. It might be that I have to get

a delivery service. People might not be able to drive to

get here, then they are stuck, so... Chicken owners can be assured

this is no "Fowl`ty" Towers. Sam is promising his guests

an "egg`cellent" stay. She did not use the chicken Song.

Probably not appropriate. Paul said he put his chickens into a boarding

kennel and it cost ?137. That would be ?49. He could have hit on

something. Good entrepreneurial skills. As long as he doubles his

rates, he was still be in business. Profit margin! It is all about the

money. It isn't getting any better. We have a unsettled week ahead, the

temperatures will be disappointing. You are talking 15 or 16 degrees.

This is not what we expect. Lines of showers throughout the day,