Look North

Welcome to Thursday's Look North. Here are the headlines: Say no to

three jobs, no money for three years. How the Government plans to

get the region's jobless back into work. I have been out of work for

that long that I am on the scrapheap. Also tonight - and the

Durham officer who fired the shot which killed this man gives

evidence at the inquest into his death.

Table returned. Historic furniture stolen from a North Yorkshire

stately home turns up in a garage. And living proof that checks do

save lives. Radio Cumbria's Val lent her support to the campaign.

The Wembley dream is over but not without a fight. This is the goal

that set up yet another thriller Turn down at three jobs and will

lose benefits for three years. That is the stark message from the

Government as it carries out the biggest shake-up in the welfare

system for 60 years. Unemployment in our region currently stands at

11 %. Campaigners have condemned the get-tough approach, but others

see these plans are already showing results. Here is our reporter.

Breakfast time for Clare and her son. Clare is 24 and lives in North

Tyneside and she has never worked. Because her son is now five -- you

look for jobs and there is nothing on the computers. Because her son

is now five the Government wants to treat her differently. Ministers

want to move along pavements off income support and on to

jobseeker's allowance. If you do not full-out the full former the

sanction new money. -- if you do not complete the full former they

sanction at you. The Government says that change is not about

putting undue pressure on to Clare, rather about giving people the best

chance to find work. If a claimant turns down one job offer they face

a cut in benefits of three months. If they turn down another, benefit

would be cut for six months. With the job refusals a claimant would

have their benefit stopped for three years.

That is worrying this man. He regularly applied the 20 jobs every

week and fears he will get caught by the new rules. I am terrified.

You benefits could get stopped for three years. Some people would say

it why would I have the motivation to go to work for five days. I have

been out of work that long that I am no on the scrap heap. Along with

the strict approach the government is also using back strategy. One of

the key parts of the strategy is showing success right here. This

former drug user now has a permanent job because of something

called their Work Programme. The government pays money to people --

to firms to keep people in work. are not looking for quick fixes. We

right job. That is a benefit to them both socially and financially.

For this man his life has been transformed by at job. It is

getting better. If you look for the right support then you will get

there. One success story, one life changed, but thousands more in this

region are wanting the same. That is the latest in our series

looking at changes in the benefits system.

One last night's programme we heard from this family. They get �500 per

week in benefits and say their family would struggle to survive if

those benefits were cut. We have had a large response to this. Our

reporter is back to tell us more. What are people saying? One person

says: I cannot believe that people cannot survive on �500 per week. I

work in a stressful job and only get �250 per week. I manage, I pay

my mortgage. Another person said, I am very

angry. Most of us go to work for less than that. We have to pay

mortgages. Child benefit alone is �60, which is more than myself and

my husband have left each week for food.

Somebody else says, I feel empathy for that family. For me to take out

the amount the debt in benefits and would need to earn another �8,000

per year. There is more on this story on The

Politics Show on Sunday. We have had a lot of comment. Thank

you. Do not forget you can still have

your say on this and other stories by contacting us. You can also join

in the debate on your local BBC radio station between 9am and 10am

tomorrow morning. Detectives investigating a vicious

assault at a petrol station in Carlisle have extended their search

for clues to our region. They have released images of a Subaru car.

The victim is in a serious condition after being hit by

baseball bats yesterday morning. He had stopped at this petrol station.

Police think the car may have travelled from Cleveland, Durham,

or Newcastle. At potash mining company believes

it has struck one of the largest scenes of the resource in the world.

Potash is used to make fertiliser. An exploratory drilled suggests

that the amount report - here is larger than was first thought. It

could create thousands of jobs. At 12-year-old boy survived after

being swept into the sea in North Tyneside last night. He had been

playing at Cullercoats with his twin brother -- with his brother

and friends. He was swept into the sea. He was rescued by lifeboat

after 50 minutes. Rescue workers are now warning children of the

dangers of so-called wave dodging. When we arrived his head was

starting to go below the surface. There could have been a fatality.

Wave dodging is something that we have all done but it is buried

dangerous. You must treat the sea with respect. An inquest into the

first person to be shot dead by Durham Police has heard from the

officer who fired the fatal shot. In an unusual move the court was

curtained off from the public gallery and the press so that the

identity of the officer could not be revealed. He described the

moment that the stand-off between 47-year-old Keith Richards and

armed officers came to an end in 2009.

The stand-off was here at the home of Keith Richards in Shildon.

Inside the 47-year-old father-of- two was armed. So also were three

policemen who took up positions overlooking a host. Now to that

years later those officers are giving evidence to the coroner.

Amman are known only as officer be fired the fatal shot.

The coroner asked, did you take a shot at that time?

No I did not. If you had a clear shot would you

have hired? Yes I would have. Maybe I should

have. By an armed colleagues were in grave danger. They would have

relied on me to protect them. Back that time, sir, I let them down. He

said it was the most frightening place he had ever been.

The crossbow bolt did not hit anyone. Keith Richards was heard to

say you will have to kill me. Then he lifted a second crossbow.

Officer he spoke about the final stand-off.

I saw him put a bolt into the crossbow. He started to gain. I

discharge my weapon because I believe that at that time he was

trying to kill me. Cross examining for the family, the

challenge was booked, you're account is not true.

The policeman replied, that is simply not true. He pointed a

loaded crossbow at me and tried to kill me. The inquest continues.

It is the time of for the hierarchy to stop ducking the issue at sort

out this shambles once and for all. That is the shocking warning sent

to Network Rail managers in the months before the crash in Cumbria

which killed Margaret Masson. It came in an e-mail that was read to

the inquest into the death today. Our reporter has more.

We know that faulty points on this line were responsible for dealing

this train. We know that the jack knifing of the first of nine

carriages would have thrown its passengers around, including

Margaret Masson who died. Today they inquest into her dead heard

shocking claims that the inspection regime on the line was at breaking

points. The court was told that an �11

billion upgrade meant that with faster trains, there was less time

to carry it inspections. It was end cuts it was said that in winter

inspection staff had only two hours to cover five miles. This greatly

affected the maintenance schedule. E-mails read to the inquest

revealed the shocking extent of the worries some people had about the

inspection system. One person said this - it is time

for the hierarchy to stop ducking the issue and sort out this

The inquest is likely to run until the end of next week.

At table stolen in a raid on a stately home in Yorkshire has been

recovered by the police and returned to its order. The table is

said to have historic significance. It went missing two years ago. It

was found in a garage along with other valuables. Our reporter has

more. This is the stately home and

tourist attraction that in its June 2009 suffered a burglary. The

thieves took a table made for the house in 1775. Two years later,

after extensive police investigations, that table, worth

�500,000, has now been recovered. This table was commissioned to sit

in his room. It is a fabulous piece of work. The detail is a stupendous.

Did you expect to get it back? did not. When you lose something

you expect it to be gone forever, but the police were always

confident. The thieves got into the building after dark. The table was

the only thing that the thieves took. The made off in a vehicle in

the direction of Ripon. It was eventually recovered in a police

raid on a garage in the North Yorkshire. The police escort is now

working on an investigation relating to thefts from stately

homes all across the nation. Whether it is antiques, drugs, fuel,

I would not want to get into too much conjecture, but we are looking

at organised criminals. Two men have so far been arrested in

connection with the theft of the table. Enhanced security measures

at a house have since been installed. Sadly my father is not

Plenty more to come. Including a progress report on Val Armstrong.

And a Northumberland woman who is a world leader in surf kayaking.

I will have the rest of your half- term where there. -- weather.

We have been following the story of BBC Radio Cumbria presenter, Val

Armstrong, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. She is

backing a campaign which encourages people to look out for the early

signs of the disease. She beat the disease for the second time.

I was a good nine years away from being caught by the regular

screening programme so if I had not taken notice of my symptoms I would

not be here. She is a well-known voice on the

radio in Cumbria and now she is the face of a campaign to help people

catch cancer early. Is there was something wrong with your car, you

would not think twice about popping to the garage so why would you

think twice about having your body checked. I have been caught twice

early and I am so lucky. We need to stop unnecessary deaths from people

who wait too long to get checked. I'll has been very open about her

fight with cancer through her blog and audio diaries. She recorded

painful details about losing her hair and her double mastectomy and

she felt this could help others. The women at her breast cancer

support group nominated her to be the ambassador for the Be Clear on

Cancer campaign. She has advised that everyone listens to and she

has a very good sense of humour. She knows what she's talking about.

She is an inspiration to anyone who is suffering. People know that she

knows what she's talking about. People listen. Fal is a keen walker

but since undergoing treatment, side effects have made it hard for

her to get back to full health -- Roma I think I have forgotten what

normal is. I think I have forgotten what pre-cancerous foul was like.

You have to change. I have changed physically -- Val Armstrong. I have

changed physically and I have battled to get myself to look

similar to the person I was before cancer. I'm getting there slowly.

But, in the meantime, she hopes she can continue to raise awareness and

You are looking good. You don't look any different.

She is a lovely lady. I met her at Wembley last year.

Excellent. Have you got more Wembley news?

I have. Another Wembley dream shattered and the end of an

unbeaten record. But there was so much more to Newcastle's Carling

Cup defeat. You can't really blame the Magpies' fans who switched the

radio off last night with their side 2-0 down deep into stoppage

time. Only a soothsayer could have predicted the extra-time thriller

which unfolded. As suspected, Newcastle put out a

strong team with a quarter-final place at stake. Five changes,

Premier League but their early goal was out of the top drawer. The

Magpies were strangley flat in the opening half, although Demba Ba was

denied. Tim Krul was the busier of the two keepers as Newcastle

continued to spurn what half chances came their way. Then, with

just over an hour gone, controversy. The visitors denied what looked a

stonewall penalty and while the Toon Army were still voicing their

displeasure, Blackburn were - seconds later - awarded their own.

A decision which could have gone either way. Former Boro striker

Yakubu made it 2-0. Surely game over. But as the game seemed to be

peetering out, a stoppage time sensation first from Danny Guthrie.

And then another gem from Yohan Cabaye's free-kick collection.

Going into extra-time the momentum seemed to have swung Newcastle's

way until Pederson's deflected free-kick made it 3-2. But there

was another twist. A tug on Peter Lovenkrands's shirt was spotted.

Lovenkrands himself kept that Wembley dream alive only for the

cruellest finale as Givet stooped to conquer with United running on

empty after a gallant display. Alan Pardew was proud of his team but

knows they'll be in for an ever harder war of attrition at Stoke on

Non-league Workington Reds Football Club have rejected a second and

final takeover bid. The London- based property developer Baron

Bloom had made a reported offer of just over �150,000. The Reds board

said that wasn't enough. Mr Bloom says he'll now look to invest in

other clubs. A schoolteacher from Northumberland

has just returned from America with the top title in surf kayaking.

It's taken just six years for Tamsin Green to go from novice to

World Champion, with many hours spent practising in the surf off

Six years ago, Tamsin Green's husband bought her a surf kayak,

and since then she's hardly been out of the sea, come sun, rain, or

snow. The North Sea is not what you'd call warm and inviting but it

hasn't deterred her from putting in the hours necessary to become World

Champion. She came home from the finals in North Carolina with the

one trophy she didn't have in her cabinet. It was the any major

women's serve title I have and one and it was the one the two previous

times I have gone out in the semi- finals. I don't think I did my best

in those competitions so it was the one that was really important for

me and it is the biggest competition for surf kayaking. That

was really good as well. Practicing off the North East coast prepared

Tamsin for the seven foot waves she encountered in America, but she

almost didn't make it at all after her kayak was damaged and she had

to literally hold it together with bits of tape. The cracks go right

the way through my boat. That was the morning of the final when I

went out for a practice. I hit the beach very heavily so it was a

quick the key take a job and my husband stripped the padding out of

his boat so why could put it in mind if I needed to.

Tamsin's now taking a rest from surf kayaking but will be back to

defend her title in Australia in We are very lucky here in the North

to have so many fine ruins which has to mean it's time for Grundy's

North! I think I should have rephrased that!

This week John's visiting one of his favourite ruins of all, Jervaux

Abbey between Middleham and Bedale in North Yorkshire, where he's

I will let you into a very important secret about old

buildings. They almost almost always take you to places which

have reached scums. You didn't think it was just about

architecture?! Burnett was the founder of the Cistercian order of

monks. He was a great believer in the power of nature and he told his

followers to seek out wild and beautiful places. Hundreds made

their way to the wild and glorious valleys of Yorkshire to build their

monasteries. There are places like Fountains Abbey and here, my

favourite of them all, Jervaux Abbey in Wensleydale. There are all

sorts of reasons why it is my favourite but the first is that it

is privately owned. There is no big organisation running it so, instead

of a ticket office, we get this - an honesty box. I hope we all live

up to the trust. I am sure we do. How about that as a way of keeping

people under control? We are so used to CCTV cameras and guard dogs,

it is lovely to be in to -- in a place where they ask you not to go

any further. You probably know English ministries were closed by

Henry VII and became ruins but this is more ruins than most because the

last abbot rebelled against the King who got his revenge by giving

this place the once over. It is quite difficult to know where you

are. I have a guide book and I am still struggling to know if I am in

the undercroft or anywhere else. That is the great thing here. It is

good fun to try and understand how it all worked, if that is your back.

There is a gigantic fireplace so this room must have been really

cosy so why would they call it a misery court. If you are not

bothered about coins and things, you can enjoy it for its natural

beauty because it is not kept pristine like it would be by

English Heritage. The walls are rich in wild flowers, shrubs and

trees. In spring and summer, the flowers provide the colour and

Beattie. There are stones everywhere and broken carvings.

Lovely fragments. It really is the nicest building. I love English

Heritage ruins as well but there is something so special about this

carved stone and unbridled nature. It is one of the most romantic

His voice always makes me want to It is the weekend coming at but we

have to get through tonight and tomorrow. Tonight could be a

turnaround in the weather. The skies will Clear and we will start

to see dry weather coming in. Looking like this in Newcastle. The

only difference is that we may get early mist and fog along the

riverbanks. When that has gone, a dry and sunny Friday to end your

half-term with right the way around the region. It should look like

this in Richmond tomorrow afternoon. Autumn colours highlighted by the

sunshine. The rain is chased away into the

North Sea and try and clear skies replaces it. Mist and fog patches

forming, thickest in the Vale of York. Temperatures will plummet

overnight. In the countryside, as little as two degrees Celsius so

some frost here or there. Tomorrow, a dry start. A bit misty and Chile

but when that evaporates, look at the sunshine! A golden day around

the region. A fantastic Friday. Temperatures are not a disgrace for

this time of year. Through the weekend, in the north-east, some

rain on Saturday in western areas. On Sunday, it should do so kid --

disappear. For the north-east, tomorrow is probably the best of

the next three-day is. Some cloud on Saturday and more in the wake of

wind over the weekend but mostly dry around Cumbria. -- I got back

completely wrong, you will see wet Thank you. To needs to - --