15/06/2011 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Hello and welcome to Wednesday's Look North. In the headlines

tonight: A rehab hospital fit for heroes, a recovery centre for

injured soldiers in the North. The Southern Cross crisis, could

high rents have pushed the care homes giant to the brink?

Honoured at last, a Wimbledon champion from the North East, but

we are still waiting for the next 1,100 years later.

An Springwatch comes to Tyneside, the boys are in town but what are

they looking for? In sport, Sunderland rubbish claims

they have tried to sell the record signing. Newcastle's skipper is on

the verge of leaving St James's for I 50-bed rehabilitation centre for

soldiers injured in conflicts is to be built at Catterick Garrison. It

is one of five to be built in a �70 million programme paid for by the

Help For Heroes charity. For injured servicemen and women from

the North, it could be a godsend as they can be treated nearer to home.

Peter Lugg is at Catterick. The military say that a new centre

to be pulled here at Catterick will be for the so-called Afghan

generation, providing care and recuperation but that -- facilities

for a growing number of servicemen and women returning from combat

overseas were terrible injuries. At the moment, those soldiers have to

travel down south, to national centres and to Midlands -- to the

Midlands. This is the site at Gaza Barracks, whether personal recovery

and assessment centre will be killed. Richmondshire District

Council is already considering a planning application for the unit,

which will cost �12 million. It will be similar to this one already

operating in Edinburgh, and one of five to the will to run the country.

You will come some of the worst casualties of war, men like soldier

James Rose, who lost ball of his legs in a bomb blast. Others who

have been blinded or who are suffering from post-traumatic

stress syndrome. All to be rehabilitated and assessed as to

what their future roles might be. This will benefit the wider

community of soldiers, whether injured in action or as part of the

routine daily life. We are delivering here a facility that has

put residential four-day visitors and also to administer feet process

in terms of fitness suites, his crash in classes, and it is located

well, with Garrison rehabilitation, resettlement and general facilities.

Help For Heroes is pretty in �70 million for the national build. The

Royal British Legion will put a further �50 million towards the

running costs. In future, the facilities needed by soldiers like

James, who we saw there, could be provided right you are on the

doorstep. The planning application is with Richmondshire District

Council. It could be built from September of this year. It could be

operational some time next year. A retired couple had a lucky escape

after a car smashed into their house and push a wall on to the ban.

It happened last night in Rocha in Sunderland. -- on to their dead.

Luckily they were not at home on the time.

They are more cunning ways to be woken, but not for the residents of

the street in Sunderland. There premature we Cup call came in the

form of this estate car, demolished in the front end of this bungalow.

I was in bed. There was a big bang. It was like a bomb. I got up, the

wife said, there is a car there. Get out of your house, we said. We

got out. The car careered through these events, across the garden,

narrowly missing this House, but hitting the front bedroom and a gas

pipe head on. Fortunately, the people living here were not in at

the time. Emergency services say it is down to that fact that no one

was killed. That would have been the potential for a gas explosion

at the time when the vehicle hit the gas intake, so we are very

fortunate that did not occur. If they had been anyone in the bedroom

at the time, we could have been looking at a fatality. There is

great belief that tragedy was avoided, but now it the efforts of

the Housing Group who own the property is on stabilising the

building. We will not leave the site until the property is secured

and save. The main thing from our point of view is that tenants are

supported, with the cup to their needs. A 34-year-old man has been

arrested on suspicion of dangerous It looks after 3,500 vulnerable

people in more than 100 care homes across our region, but tonight the

fate of Southern Cross remains unclear. At a crisis meeting today,

ministers sat down with the company and its landlords, and it has now

emerged that one of those landlords, which owns six Southern Cross you

homes in the North, is also in trouble. Unions fear a financial

domino effect. Mark Denten reports. The twists and turns of the punt --

the Southern Cross saga are personal for this man. Brian's wife

is a resident of one of the company's homes in Darlington.

trauma if they had to move could have fatal consequences, it could

hasten the death. They are very unwell people. The talks today

between the Government, Southern Cross and its landlord were

designed to reassure people like Brian as the company attempts to

weather a financial storm. Some of the landlords also have problems.

The DEC understands a landed on this Southern Cross home is in

administration and has been for over a year. -- the BBC understands.

Figures obtained by the GMB union suggests Southern Cross is paying

�66,000 per year rent on this nursing home at �845,000 in total

for five nose in homes in the North East. The union says that is

excessive. How can that be right and how can that be viable or

ethical for them to do that? And also have a situation where the

company the other one would for is in financial difficulty itself.

Southern Cross say continuity of care for their residents is a

priority but they will not comment on the level of their rents.

One politician who has been observing developments at Southern

Cross is the Wansbeck MP, E Lavery. He has 11 Southern Cross comes in

his constituency. -- Ian Lavery. I spoke to him at Westminster and

asked him what he wanted to see happen next. The Government have

got to take some form of responsibility immediately, but in

to place an emergency plan where they will take control of all the

residential homes, where they would finance it, and it would be

controlled by local Government, therefore people should be relaxed

about it, they should not be feeling about what will happen to

them. I have today written to Andrew Lansley to ask him for a

public inquiry into the way in which the financial dealings have

been allowed to take place within Southern Cross and all the equity

partners involved in this absolutely horrendous fiasco.

does seem you are calling for a bail-out, but the Government surely

cannot afford to do that. I am not asking for a bail-out for Southern

Cross, but a guarantee from the Government that they will provide

their local Government, they will provide access to finance is to

ensure that every single one of those 31,000 elderly aunt frail

residents are guaranteed somewhere to live for the future. -- elderly

and frail. The Government must take control of the elderly people, is

that not a great idea to use finances? If we can bail out the

banks, we can help vulnerable old and often disabled people.

An increasing number of councils are switching to fortnightly

rubbish collections, according to a survey. Hartlepool, Redcar,

Hamilton and Richmondshire have all moved to four-night feet refuse

collection. Derwentside also has its general waste picked up every

two weeks what the rest of County Durham joining them in the spring.

Yesterday the Government said he could not enforce weekly

collections. Trees have been paid to the former

Roman Catholic Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, who has died aged 82.

Bishop Ambrose Griffiths was being treated for leukaemia. He is

reported to have passed away peacefully yesterday.

It is expected that the Chancellor will confirm tonight that Northern

Rock will be sold off. The bank was taken into public ownership during

the credit crisis when it suffered the first run on a British bank in

150 years. Now at the bank will be privatised. Potential buyers

include Virgin and Tesco. Our business correspondent Ian Reeve

joins me now. Well Northern Rock customers be affected?

We will know that an to we know the name of the company whose

purchasing head, whether they will retain the Northern Rock men, what

financial products they will sell. The name in the frame include Tesco,

Virgin Money, N DMK that, headed by Gary Hoffman who is a former Chief

Executive on Northern Rock. Also at auction - back Yorkshire Building

Society. George Osborne has turned down the pleading of some MPs to

turn Northern Rock back into a building society. The Treasury is

hoping to raise about �1 billion from the sale. We should know the

name of the successful bidder before the end of the year.

There might be implications for jobs as well. With the unemployment

figures out today, there has been a surprise fall in the number of

unemployed in our region. In the North East, we have seen a

reduction by -- to 118,000. The North East has his unwanted

accolade of being the country's unemployment blackspot. In Cumbria,

there are about 8,500 people claiming jobseeker's allowance in

May. The big surprise today has been the fall in youth unemployment.

19-year-old Andy Parr hits a pretty good cover-drive. But then, he has

a lot of time to be affected. He cannot find the work he wants. He

has been offered places training to be aghast heating engineer, but no

companies are willing to sponsor him. -- to be aghast heating

engineer. Some companies have answered me, saying we have nothing

at the moment but we will keep you one file. Water companies have not

bothered to reply, which has been frustrated. -- a lot of companies.

But there might be some good news in today's and employment figures.

In the 16-24 age group, there has been a huge drop in unemployment.

They are now 895,000 unemployed 16 to 20 - at 16-24-year-old across

the country, a cut of 79,000 crossed a lot -- the last quarter.

There is anecdotal evidence that companies are looking to recruit.

Some, like John Lees's civil and structural engineering company,

cannot find suitable workers. And he needs trainees. Some other

senior people I employ a have not be able -- do not have people to

pass on their knowledge to. I do try to get some of the younger

people involved. The trick now is matching up young unemployed people

with companies like John's. If they get together, the unemployment

figures should keep falling. And people like Andy will have rather

You are watching Look North. Still to come. Katie has summer transfer

news and we have a changing weather forecast.

The Springwatch boys are out on the town. We have a sneak preview of

their safari in Newcastle and Gateshead.

I will be here with the Football round-up and a forecast for

In two days time, rock royalty will be performing and what has become

the North East's biggest music venue. The Kings of Leon concert at

the Stadium of Light to complete a sell-out run for the venue

following the four Take That shows earlier this month. A total of

275,000 people have been through the turnstiles and millions of

pounds had been poured into the They gig of the year. Take That

fans would say the decade. The venue chosen for the first night of

the biggest-selling UK tour in history, Sunderland's Stadium of

Light. A we have been promoting this to her for years. There isn't

enough music fans in the north-east to justify a concert of this scale.

The north-east people have proved them wrong. And so has the home of

a black cat. It is fit for a cane, or should I say Kings of Leon. In

three weeks �18 million has been injected directly into the local

economy, that is a quarter of a million people passing through the

gates at the Stadium of Light and that is the same a seven home games

for attendance. It is a massive event was dug in terms of the

profile it is massive. The opening night of Take That was a media

event worldwide. Kings of Leon Aramaic -- massive USA banned. That

is money can't buy advertising. is also broadened the chief

executive's musical tastes. playlist has changed. Sex on fire

was the only track I knew from Kings of Leon. I have downloaded

all their albums, I did the same with pink last year. I saw the fall

dress-rehearsal here. I can sing every song from the Take That

repertoire. The big question is, who is playing next? People used to

ask me if I was going to sign Ronaldo, they are now asking me if

I am going to sign lady gaga. If we are going to bring in some

different bands. I have been quizzed by many people including my

wife and my lips are sealed. he's not going to tell her, he is

not going to tell me. Time now for Sport and lots to talk

about on the football front starting with a potentially big

departure at Newcastle United. It looks as though Newcastle's

skipper and top scorer last season, Kevin Nolan is on the verge of Lou

-- leaving the club for West Ham. He is due to have a medical

tomorrow. Their feet, we believe, is �3 million. -- the FE. This

comes after he rejected a new Dail at St James' Park.

He is ready to make that dropped down to the Championship.

His former boss at Alton, Sam Allardyce, his art had -- in charge

at Upton Park. This is a bold move from the Newcastle hierarchy. He

has two years left on his contract and Alan Pardew has previously

stated he was to keep hold of him. It has cast further doubt on the

other big earners including Joey Barton and Jose Enriques.

Joey Barton has been busy on Twitter with his a reaction.

He said he was sad and surprise. He described Kevin Nolan as a great

player, lead and captain. He suggested that he, Jose Enriques

and Jonas Guiterrez could follow. This time of year there is always

lot of speculation and these were the headlines this morning. Alan

Shearer would be managing Cardiff City the stop that hasn't happened.

He released a statement late last night, it too late for the paper

deadline, saying he was one of the candidates to succeed Dave Jones at

Cardiff but despite been impressed by the board's ambition, those

talks were unsuccessful on this occasion. It looks increasingly

likely that Shearer will start the new season on the Match Of the Day

sofa. He hasn't managed to Sen's those eight games in charge of

Newcastle which ended with their relegation from a Premier League

two years ago. Chris Hughton was also linked with the role but is

now favourite to take over the vacant at Birmingham job.

Niall Quinn has not been happy and has been on the offensive over

rumours surrounding the future of their biggest signing?

There was speculation this morning that Asamoah Gyan had been secretly

offered for sale to other clubs. The Sunderland chairman took the

unusual step of releasing a statement he said the suggestion

that we have spoken to an agent to sell this play on our behalf is

embarrassing to all concerned. I hope our fans would be smart enough

to realise that this is probably some other club or outside agents's

way of attempting to destabilise our relationship with one of our

players. On to rugby. Jonny Wilkinson will

get the chance to return to Newcastle next season after his

French side, Toulon, were drawn with the Falcons in the European

Challenge Cup. He scored over 2,000 points in 12 seasons at Kingston

Park. Jemma Lowe has joined Jo Jackson in

qualifying for the World Championships. The Commonwealth

Games medallist won the hundred metres butterfly at the national

swimming championships in Sheffield and represent Britain now in

Shanghai next month. As the country gears up for

Wimbledon, Tyneside has been celebrating its own champion tennis

player. Muriel Robb won the Ladies' singles title in 1902 on was a

pioneer of the game. If a parked on her achievement has been unveiled

at her local club. -- a plaque. Muriel Robb was a superstar of her

time the stock as well as the Wimbledons ladies' singles, she

also took the mixed doubles, the Scottish, Welsh and Irish titles.

She is not a well-known events around her home town of Newcastle.

She is the only Wimbledon champion from north of Birmingham. The rest

of the country up to Aberdeen hasn't got a Wimbledon champion. We

are proud of that. With her dying so early that was tragic. She was

only 28 when she died but her career was short and pioneering

will stop she played when much of society, mainly the men, thought

that women should have other things to do with their time. For they

weren't quite sure what the ladies should play tennis. Championship

tennis. There was a slight cloud over people's ethics it in that

respect. I think she suffered a lack of appreciation because of

this question. Should Ladies' be playing tennis at all? After Raul -

- all she served over arm and nobody else did. She was something

of a character. She had to play in an outfit you might have worn on an

expedition to the North Pole. are very hot. They are hard to

Rennes in, you can't rent as fast as you can in normal tennis outfits.

She now has a plaque in her honour and it has only taken as a 109

years to put it out. Durham beat Nottinghamshire last

night in cricket. If you have been lapping up

Springwatch on BBC Two for the past few weeks you will be delighted to

learn that two the presenters have had a lads trip to Tyneside. Chris

Packham was determined to show Martin used games a good time out

but it doesn't seem they were hyped This weekend I am going tinted use

Martin to a new form of wildlife watching. One which does not it

involve horrible this comfort, campaign. Where you can wear your

City garb and not get much all over your clothes. Way you can have a

rich mix of culture and wildlife at the same time. This is my idea of a

I must say, Chris is looking dapper today. I am not sure it is the

right garb for wildlife watching. He has promised me a wildlife

encounter but we're going to the art gallery. It is a bit of an

obsession with him. I like art myself but right now I am more keen

to see the living, breathing animals he has promised me. I think

Martin is it -- appreciating theirs. He is going to love what is

upstairs. Brace yourself. This is some of the finest art nature can

offer. This is a beautiful sight. Look at that. Dozens of them stuck

to the building the stock they are so dainty and neat. They know

people can't reach them. They are very tolerant as long as you stay

in your space. It is a brilliant place to watch their behaviour.

You can see the full story of the boys' weekend on Springwatch

tonight. That is over on BBC Two at 7:30pm. It has been so warm today.

We have had summary temperatures and it is summer in June as far as

meteorologists are concerned. Here a couple of images that tell the

story of the North East. Thank you for these pictures. Here is the

Teesside with the scent poking through above Middlesbrough. --

with the sun. More sunshine tomorrow and showers. Feeling warm

outside of the showers. They could be heavy in places. If skies are

clear enough, you can see a total eclipse of the moon. It is moving

into the earth's shadow and will turn a dark red colour. It will be

visible after sunset tonight. It will start to get dark at 10pm

tonight. We still have showers forecast along the east coast and

parts of Cumbria but there is a little bit of clear skies over the

Pennines and possibly a chance to see that eclipse from parts of the

Tyne and Wear Valley's. Generally, it is a mixed night, disappointing

far as who were hoping for a great view of the moon. Here is the

picture by five tomorrow morning. Mild in places with clear skies but

a few showers. Sunshine and showers through the morning in the West and

the very best of tomorrow's sunshine will be in Cumbria those

showers becoming widespread. By teatime they are sitting across the

North-East. It is warm outside the showers, 21 degrees. Quite possible

tomorrow for parts of North Yorkshire and the North East but a

little bit cooler as we cross the Pennines. In Cumbria which ended

the day with bright, blue skies. A lovely afternoon in the Lakes.

Let's take a look at the big picture over the next few days.

This low to the north-west. It is this one we are watching. It passes

over the UK are Friday and Saturday. A squeeze on the isobars so strong

winds and heavy rainfall to start the weekend. By Sunday, the isobars

have stretched out and the wind will become lighter and the

sunshine comes back. Hear what it means for the next few days. Wet a

windy for Friday and Saturday, a few showers. Sunday is the best day

A look at tonight's headlines. Public sector anger over pension

cuts is growing. Thousands of civil servants had voted to strike on the

30th of this month. Yesterday, two teaching unions voted for a walkout

on the same date. A new military rehabilitation