12/03/2014 Look North (East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire)

looking pretty good. Dry in most parts with sunshine around.

Good evening and welcome to BBC Look North. The headlines tonight.

Warnings e`cigarette smokers could be getting dangerous amounts of

nicotine. This is a real concern for the long`term because we don't have

the health risks of e`cigardttes in the long term.

The people`smugglers caught by Dutch police posing as lorry drivdrs.

Closed because of a slipperx floor, safety tests at the newly

refurbished Cleethorpes Pool. Boxer, golfer, footballer. The

sporting dynasty started by a greengrocer in Hull.

They've been claimed to help thousands of people give up

cigarettes. But health fears are being raised about the effects of

e`cigarettes. It's an issue for health workers in Hull, where a

third of adults smoke. It's estimated 11% of smokers now use

e`cigarettes. And the Europdan market for them is thought to be

worth ?1.7 billion a year. @nd growing. But health officials in

Hull say users may be taking in much higher quantities of nicotine than

when they smoked. And one sdnior Yorkshire doctor says there are

unknown health risks. We'll hear from a company that makes

e`cigarettes after this report from Sarah Corker.

Electronic cigarettes, a revolution in helping smokers to quit, or

glamorising a dangerous and addictive habit? Doctors can't

agree. Paul DeJong is one of these new breed of smokers, or vapers I

used to smoke 25`30 a day. That s going on for 40 years. I trhed

everything to stop. Patches, inhalers, everything. And I couldn't

do it. And then I went on to e`cigs, and it just changes your entire

life. Your food tastes bettdr, your smell comes back. We've got

everything from almond, aniseed Amaretto. 1.3 million peopld in the

UK use them. And Paul now sdlls them on the high street. So, this is how

it works. Liquid nicotine goes on here. It's then powered by ` battery

which turns it into a vapour, which you then inhale. So it feels and

tastes like a cigarette, but, crucially, without those cancer`

causing agents found in tob`cco E`cigarettes, though, aren't without

their risks. We don't know what the health risks of e`cigarettes could

be in the long term. And I think until we do, we would advisd people

to use these cigarettes in moderation, and, if possibld, stop

using them altogether. Hull has one of the highest rates of smokers in

the country. Yet, at this stop smoking service, there's concern

about the levels of nicotind people are getting from e`cigarettds.

They're taking in much highdr dosages than they would frol normal

cigarettes. Nicotine is probably the most highly addictive subst`nce

known to man. It increases blood pressure which makes people more

prone to heart attacks, and strokes. From 2016, there will be tighter

regulations. Restrictions on the kind of e`cigarettes sold. @nd the

amount of nicotine in them. They will have to carry health w`rnings,

and marketing will be restrhcted. And there will also be a ban on

sales to under 18s. But somd health professionals want them classed as

medical devices which would mean stringent testing. They are being

marketed as a consumer prodtct rather than a medicinal aid. And the

research really isn't adequ`te to know whether they help people stop

smoking. Critics say they are being advertised as sexy and cool,

targeting younger people. Btt there is some widespread agreement that

e`cigarettes are safer than smoking the real thing.

Earlier, I spoke to Michael Clapper from the e`cigarette companx

Vapestick. I started by askhng him if he thinks e`cigarettes are safe

to use. I do think they are safer, xes. Are

they not just glamorising an addictive habit? One poster we've

seen is of a woman posing seductively with one. I don't think

they are glamorised in smokhng. I think what they are doing is the

right job which is moving mhllions of smokers away from smoking on to

and orders of magnitude safdr alternative. You say that btt NHS

workers tell us that those people who are puffing on those cigarettes

are getting much higher levdls of nicotine. That is not a healthy way

to go, is it? I think that hs a huge generalisation. You can seldct the

amount of nicotine you'd like in your electronic cigarette. @nything

from 0% up to whatever strength suits you. And you can have as much

or little of it as you want when you want it. So I'm not quite stre where

those statistics come from. They don't seem to ring true to le at

all. So, you don't think th`t these people who are smoking them are

getting higher levels of nicotine than in an ordinary cigarette? No, I

don't. And actually there's been scientific studies pretty rdcently

which confirm that e`cigarettes take quite a bit longer to gener`te the

same level of nicotine concdntration in the bloodstream as a single

cigarette. What about the British Dental Foundation? Their research

shows that youngsters are more likely to take up smoking if they

smoke e`cigarettes first. Would you like to see e`cigarettes banned for

under 18s? I absolutely think e`cigarettes shouldn't be m`de

available to under 18s. It's something we've always said, since

day one. But I certainly don't think they are any kind of gatewax towards

tobacco smoking, particularly given that I don't see why anybodx would

move from a product that dodsn't smell, is not known to kill you and

is far less expensive on to one that is the opposite of all thosd things.

It doesn't make sense at all. But the one thing everybody is saying,

and you'd agree with this, hs not enough research has been done on the

health implications of e`cigarettes. We simply don't know. You don't

know. What we do know is th`t tobacco is a proven killer. And what

we also know is that the short`term studies that have been done so far

on the electronic cigarettes have shown that they are orders of

magnitude safer than tobacco cigarettes. That wasn't the

question. The question was not enough research has been done on the

health implications of e`cigarettes, have they? The only thing that's not

yet been done because it cotldn t be is long`term studies of the effects

of electronic cigarettes and that's simply because they've not been

around long enough. But enotgh people are using these prodtcts on a

regular basis, as either a replacement or supplement to their

tobacco, that it won't be long until we can see the long`term

implications. Very good to talk to you tonight, thank you very much

indeed. And you, thanks for having me. Maybe you are an e`cigarettes

smoker, how worried are you about the possible health problems, or are

they a good thing if they hdlp people to quit smoking? We have

heard both sides of the story. Please get in touch.

Already, some tweets coming in. I look forward to hearing frol you, as

always. Thank you for watchhng. In a moment, the town counchl with

blank cheques lying around the office and debt collectors knocking

on the door. Laminin striver has been banned from driving and ordered

to do community service following a crash in Lincolnshire which left a

patient dead. Garth Green, who's 63, was convicted of driving without due

care and attention after his ambulance went into a ditch at

Sibsey killing 75`year`old Largaret Alsop who was being taken to

hospital in Boston with a mhnor leg injury.

Four members of a people`smtggling gang, which was being run from a car

wash in Hull, have been jailed. They were stopped by Dutch policd trying

help four teenage girls and a man get into Britain through thd Hull

ferry terminal. Our reporter is there. How were they caught? The man

leading this gang made one crucial mistake. He tried to recruit an

undercover police officer to help him smuggle people into the

country. From there, the gang were closely watched until the

authorities got their chancd to swoop in.

September last year, Dutch police intercept vehicles carrying four

women and a man before they are smuggled into the UK via thd port of

Rotterdam. The man behind the failed attempt was Ali Mohammed Raza.

Investigators say his former car wash in Hull was used as a front for

the crime. The illegal immigrants were believed to be from Syria.

They'd paid the gang to help them into the UK and had already been

smuggled through five countries before reaching Holland. Thd trip

from Rotterdam to Hull would have been the final leg of their journey.

But the gang were tracked after Raza offered cash to two undercover

police officers who were posing as lorry drivers. Police say they used

coded messages, referring to the illegal immigrants as "Marlboros".

Raza and his accomplices have been jailed for between two and six years

each for what investigators called "preying on vulnerable people in

order to line their own pockets " I have spoken to the Home Office

today. They say human smuggling isn't that big a problem here at the

port of Hulkenberg to someone like Dover. But they do say it does so

happen and cases like this one will hopefully put people off taking

advantage of desperate migr`nts who will do anything to get into this

country. Two men, who were arrested on

suspicion of drugs offences following the death of a man at the

Bridlington home of the arthst David Hockney, will not face charges.

Dominic Elliott died followhng two days of drinking and drug t`king

with Mr Hockney's former partner John Fitzherbert at the house in the

town. Mr Elliott was taken to hospital after drinking drahn

cleaner and a coroner recorded a verdict of misadventure at his

inquest. People arrested in the Goold area of

East Yorkshire will be taken to cells as far away as Hull and

Scunthorpe. Humberside Police is planning a trial closure of the five

cells in Goole because of the falling number of arrests there

Figures show there's been a sharp rise in crimes recorded as being

linked to Facebook. Humbershde Police had 272 reports last year.

There are calls to give offhcers better training on cyber crhme.

Swimmers are demanding to know when a newly refurbished pool will

reopen. Cleethorpes swimming pool was shut on safety grounds when a

number of people slipped ovdr on new special flooring. Ten days on,

swimming clubs say they can't get answers. North`east Lincolnshire

Council says specialists ard still looking at the flooring. Phhllip

Norton reports. It was supposed to be a new dawn for

Cleethorpes Pool but injurids caused by newly laid slippery floors have

posted and angered parents. Three old Chelsea is among those who have

slipped over join slimming `` during a swimming lesson. She was holding

onto a teacher's hand and that is when she slipped. She startdd

crying. And she bruised and grazed the back of her five. She w`s very

upset. The work to refurbish the centre took five months to complete

at a cost of ?2.5 million. The swimming pool opened on 22nd

February but a week later it was closed and it has been closdd ever

since. As well as the issues with the flooring, problems have been

found with showers and cracks in the new slide. The cuts and bruhses have

healed but her parents say they should never have happened hn the

first place. It is a complete farce. It is supposed to be nonslip floor,

but it is slippery. Dave Maxs did `` they have wasted money and time It

is a complete sham. It is a lot of money to waste. At work ahe`d of

slimming classes tonight, the chairman of the swimming Association

says the continued closure hs affecting those who love thd sport

and it is an embarrassment to the area. I talk to people everx day,

and they go every day, which is their exercise, but it's sad they

can't do it, and it's sad they are not telling us the facts. Nobody was

made available by the Counchl for interview but they say the Paul

remains closed for safety rdasons while they await test results on the

flooring. Are they right to keep it closed for safety reasons while they

are looking at the floor? M`ybe you are a user of the pool. Just a

reminder, this is how you c`n get in touch.

Still ahead tonight, 20 gamds without defeat, Scunthorpe Tnited

break their club record. Evdry Sunday, religiously, we alw`ys

have... Keeping an eye on the ball, the

family from Hull fighting on many sporting fronts.

Another lovely sunny day. This was taken by Rob days at pool.

You are sitting out sunbathhng this lunchtime. Stunning those hhdeous

white legs. I was answering questions stch as,

is your mate all right? Did he get the questions right?

Tomorrow, temperatures could be up to 14. There will be some ddnts fog

first thing. Visibility will be pretty poor for your commutd in the

morning. High pressure in charge, and it looks like we will kdep the

fine unsettled weather throtghout the rest of this week and the

weekend as well. So, great news if you fancy getting out and about It

took early afternoon until the fog cleared the Trent Valley, btt it did

so, and we saw temperatures of 2 this afternoon. So, it is as clear

as a belt out there right now. We will see some mist, then fog, which

will be fairly widespread, `nd pretty dents which means visibility

is less than 100 metres. And there will be a widespread ground frost.

Really, we could be close to freezing. `` rurally.

Watch out on the roads for that fog, but it should lift and break, and by

late morning, there should be a lot of blue sky and the afternoon

becomes very sunny. A light wind, and it should feel pleasant. A

couple of degrees upon todax's values, highs of 13 or 14. Ht is

just a chance of 15. More fog Thursday night, clearing quhckly

Friday morning. Then, the wdekend, predominantly fine, but increasingly

breezy. That is the forecast. When you said pretty dents, I didn't

know what you are talking about I thought you had deviated from the

forecast. Very dense. It was a council office with a

budget of half a million potnds a year. Its main job ` to cut grass in

Gainsborough in Lincolnshird. But, for years, the town council was

keeping a secret. That it w`s not very good at looking after loney.

Signed, blank`cheques were left lying around. It was spending much

more than it should. And debt collectors were knocking on the

door. Questions are being asked about how a public body could get

into such a mess. Jake Zuckdrman reports.

Looking after parks in Gainsborough is the main job of the town council.

But, two years ago, the authority had run up debts of ?100,000. This

report was prepared by auditors in 2012. Its conclusions were damning.

Among the problems were poor financial processes, the auditors

had little confidence in thd completeness and accuracy of the

accounts, and they highlighted a lack of knowledge and expertise

amongst staff. The accounts were a mess and the council was behng

pursued by debt collectors. Since then, there's been a change in

leadership. The new mayor s`ys they've made huge improvements.

Every working aspect of everything that was going on in the cotncil

needed improvement. Over thd last two years, we have spent th`t time

sorting out those things, and 7 now completed, and we're now on the way

with the other two things. Gainsborough Town Council elploys

ten members of staff. Its btdget this year is ?530,000. And ht's

responsible for looking aftdr Gainsborough's parks, sports fields

and cemetery. It's impossible to say how much taxpayer's money w`s

wasted. The public to have ` right to be angry. I think the biggest

impact of all these issues can be seen across the size that wd manage

and operate. It is very evident when you look across those sites now that

maintenance levels have fallen. Way below where they should havd been.

We need to ask ourselves how this has been allowed to happen, and

whether more effective meastres can be put in place to prevent ht

happening in the future. Thdse are questions about whether there is

proper accountability in auditing, and questions about whether we can

provide more and effective training. Those now in charge at the

council say safeguards are now in place. But this episode highlights

the importance of sound fin`ncial management at every level of

government. A burst water main in Hull caused

problems for commuters this morning and almost led to some people being

evacuated from their homes. In the early hours, police warned some

people on Holderness Road that they were in danger of being flooded The

waters eased and repairs have now begun on the affected area.

The closure of two public toilets in Grimsby town centre provoked a large

response on last night's Look North. North`east Lincolnshire council s

asking a local market and shopping centre to help provide toildts as it

tries to cut ?70 million from its budget. There was a very big

response on this story last night and this afternoon. Thank you for

all your messages. Mark says, "These toilets are vital to people using

the market. Especially to the disabled, as I am." Amanda says "It

won't save money, it will mdan more costs for clearing up when people

start to urinate in the strdet because they have no altern`tive."

John says, "I won't go into Grimsby to spend my pounds if I can't spend

a penny." Scunthorpe United have beatdn their

own record by going 20 games without losing. They're still chasing

promotion after a draw with Southend last night. But, despite thd

unbeaten run, Scunthorpe ard drawing most of their games, and have only

won twice in two months. Silon Clark reports.

If the pressure of breaking a record was on Scunthorpe minds, it wasn't

evident early on. Only thred minutes gone, Matt Sparrow blasted home the

opener. Then another. In thd second half, the Southend manager weaved

some magic into his side and they scored a wonder goal. Soon `fter, it

was all square. A strange one, this, for 2`2. Disappointing, throwing

away at two goal lead. Awful second half. You get used to it,

unfortunately. They should have won the game. But it wasn't to be. But

you can't complain. Good first half, it would be better if we stopped it

then! Another draw, not good enough. We were lucky, in the end. We

weathered an early storm. The second goal was a great goal as well as the

first. Lady Luck wasn't with us tonight. Congratulations to

Southend, but very proud to be 0 unbeaten. Scunthorpe United may not

have had a victory that would have taken on top of the table btt with

most of their rivals roaring last night, it's not as bad as it might

have been. With ten games to go starting at Plymouth on Sattrday,

they are still in the promotion race.

Hull City have been allocatdd almost 32,000 tickets for their FA Cup

semifinal. The game with Shdffield United will be played at Welbley on

Sunday 13th April. The Tigers have been allocated the eastern side of

the stadium. More details about the tickets will be released on Friday.

As I say, there are 32,000 of them. At the Winter Paralympics in Russia,

Lincolnshire skier Jade Ethdrington has won her third medal. Thd

23`year`old from Bourne has taken silver in the visually impahred

slalom to add to her silver and bronze medals from earlier hn the

Games. On Friday, Jade compdtes in the final event of the Super

Combined. She's guaranteed her fourth medal if she finishes.

Fingers crossed and we will let you know on Friday night.

A father from Hull has been explaining the secrets of hhs sons'

sporting success. Chris Coyle, who runs a fruit and veg stall, has

produced a professional boxdr, a professional golfer and two

footballers. Jill Archbold has been to meet them.

If you ever needed proof of the virtues of five a day, simply look

to fruit and veg trader Chrhs Coyle, whose four sons are each carving a

career as professional sportsmen. Tommy, 24, he is the professional

boxer. Then Joe, he's 19, hd's a golfer. Louis, he's 18, he's a

professional footballer. And then my youngest is training with Ldeds

United. We've come here for a game of football golf to find out who was

the most talented member of the team. My dad wasn't fussed. If one

of us wanted to be a ballerhna, boxer or golfer, he wants to us to

do what we enjoy. Who was your dad 's favourite sportsman? Walker,

definitely. The footballers, golfer and boxer head to the coursd to

compete. But is the youngest son really Dad's favourite? I don't have

any favourites whatsoever. They are all equal and there are all my

favourites. Footballer, golfer, but Sir, I couldn't be prouder. Today's

game is a bit of fun. But, between them, the brothers spend hotrs each

week training, so where do they get their determination? I have always

worked for myself in business. I have always said, never givd in Yet

up the next day and go again. That is where they get it from. @nd in

amongst the seriousness, pldnty of room for brotherly silliness. They

are my pals now. We come hole and every Sunday, religiously, we always

have... We are a team. I expect Joe to look after us all, we ard a team,

and that is where that comes from. I would always support my kids, know

what what they want to do. Ly dad is a great role model as a father.

Terrible dress sense, though. Whatever his stress sense, that will

always have the final word. Tell you what, there is always a job on the

fruit stall! Let's get a recap of the national

and regional headlines. Labour says an EU referendum is unlikelx, unless

there were plans to give more powers to Brussels.

Health professionals in Hull warn e`cigarette users they could be

taking in dangerous quantithes of nicotine.

Tomorrow, fog, locally densd, slowly clearing, then all parts drx and

sunny. Feeling warm after a frosty start. Maximum temperature, 14.

Light and variable wind. Yotr messages on e`cigarettes, thank you

for all of them. The only problem is that they will outsell norm`l

cigarettes and this is scarhng the government because

'Small businesses are very important to the whole country.'

Without small businesses on the high street,

it would close the heart of the towns and villages.

The first time for 100... over 130 years since we've been here,

we are expanding and we've bought another shop,

'Whether you are a small or a large business,

'things have been extremely difficult.'

due to the fact that people come in more regularly.