16/06/2011 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Hello and welcome to Thursday's Look North. Tonight, hundreds of

new jobs from the north as an engineering firm wins a contract to

build train parts. Also tonight, how this little girl's life was

saved by a quick thinking bin man out on his rounds. I don't know

what would have happened if he couldn't have started her breathing

again, because the ambulance wasn't near. Nobody else was doing

anything. Jailed. The man who beat a woman with a steel bar and then

raped her in an horrific attack. The children of today remember a

disaster which claimed the lives of 183 youngsters more than a century

ago. And down to a tea. How experts have come up with a formula for

making the perfect cuppa. In sport disappointment for Blue Bajan in

the Royal Ascot Gold Cup and revolving doors at St James' Park

as Kevin Nolan signs for West Ham, hammers striker Demba Ba arrives on

First tonight, the engineering company Siemens is to create up to

300 jobs on South Tyneside. The company's won a deal to make Compo

nens for train carriages at its factory in Hebburn. It is a

contract that will see 2,000 new jobs across the UK as part of a

deal to build trains for Thameslink. Ian Reeve joins us from Hebburn. It

goes without saying this news has been widely welcomed. Yes, it has,

because it, as you say excellent news but it is being reported that

Siemens which is a German company, won this train order of a UK based

company leaving it with a dearth of orders. Well, is that the case?

This is the company's response. Firstly bombardier is a Canadian

company and very much under separate ownership, but Siemens has

a long history in the UK. 160 plus years in the UK. This plant alone

has been here 100 years and the plant on the north of the Tyne, the

parson's facility has been here 100 years, there is 2,000 people in

this area employed by Siemens so we are a localised company. Well of

course many of us remember this place as the former ray roll

factory that employed up to 12,000 people. I have been speaking to two

workers who while welcoming this new order remember this place in

its heyday. As you come on to the site, the site is well done on what

down on what it used to be. But we are still here we are still

fighting. We still have lads here who have been here as long as I

have, now that we have the news we have received this order, it is

fantastic news. Really good. They are talking about five years work

and that is brilliant in anybody's book. That is brilliant. So it will

see me until I I'm 606789 you know, that will be great. -- 60. Not

surprisingly the Government is being basks in -- basking in these

good news. This is the Transport Minister. This is good news for the

North East, and it comes hard on the heels of the announcement on

the InterCity express programme, which means that we will see a

train assembly plant at Newton Aycliffe, so together these

announcements are seeing something of a renaissance in the train

business, for the North East, demonstrating once again the

strength of the manufacturing capacity in the North East, and the

competitiveness of what the North East is able to offer. Ian, there

is another Siemens factory nearby which is shedding job, will those

workers move into the new posts? That is right. There is a factory

owned by Siemens that is shedding 90 jobs and moving a full order

book to Germany. So I asked the company would those people, those

losing their jobs be able to transfer. Siemens said they train

people to allow them to move elsewhere within the company, but

there doesn't seem to be any guarantee the 890 people losing

their jobs can have any of these 300 new ones. Thank you. He has

been hailed a hero. Bin man Paul Thompson saved the life of a two-

year-old girl as he was out on his rounds in Middlesbrough. Paul

sprang into action after the grandmother of Farrah Appleby ran

into the street screaming for help with Farrah in her arms. The tot --

toddler has suffered a fit but Paul managed to revive her. Alive, well

and back in the arms of her Nana. But this time last week, the scene

was very different. I was babysitting my granddaughter, she

collapsed on the floor but she I was shaking, and her eyes were

going back. I panicked. So I grabbed Farrah and ran across the

street, to my neighbour, and I just like took her, and I said something

the matter with her. Hold her, but she didn't really know neither what

was the matter with her. Fortunately bin man Paul Thompson

was just round the corner, and he did know, having done a council

first-aid course. I saw the little girl in her grandma's arms, and she

was struggling to breathe. She was purple in the face, so, and

everybody was panicking and hysterical. There was no control.

So I decided to act and run over quick, I asked her grandmother for

the child. She passed me the child and I put her in the recovery

position and I put my finger in her mouth because her tongue was

blocking her airway. I pulled the tongue forward with my finger, and

she gasped for air. We don't know what would have happened if he

couldn't have saved her, started her breathing because the ambulance

wasn't near. Nobody else was doing anything. Loads of people in the

street, but thrps there was only Paula, like, everybody was

panicking, they didn't know. So yes. Paul was brilliant. Really nice guy

He degraded and humiliated his Vic tiing in a horrific attack. Michael

Preston beat a woman over the head with a steel bar and then raped her.

Today, 31-year-old Preston from Hartlepool was told he was serve a

minimum of six-and-a-half years in prison. Michael Preston had just

been released from prison when he subjected his victim a judge said,

to the most awful physical and sexual violence. Then the police

say he tried to destroy the evidence. Outside court, a police

officer read out a statement on behalf of Preston's victim.. Now he

has been sentenced it stops him attacking anybody else. I have

nightmares but I am hoping with time these will fade. I reported

the attack because I wanted the man to be caught and brought to justice.

Now he has, I can move on. It was here at Thornaby rail depot he

carried out the attack. When his victim tried to run away, he picked

up a metal bar, and hit her over the head. He then raped her. After

the assault he picked up the metal bar again and continued to hit her

over the head. Leaving her for dead, he ran away. Amazingly somehow she

managed to move herself from here and get help. It was an horrific

violent sexual attack which no human being should suffer. The

victim showed a great deal of bravery. She was in and out of

consciousness and it was a case of pursuing bits of information that

we had and she could fill the gaps in, which was difficult but she was

very brave. The judge warned him he would serve a long time in prison.

Just because he was eligible for parole in six-and-a-half years he

said, it was unlikely he would released then. Northern Rock is up

for sale. The Chancellor George Osborne made the announcement last

night at his Mansion House speech in London. The Newcastle-based bank

was taken into public ownership in February 2008 but the intention of

the current and previous Government was always to return it to the

private sector. Earlier I spoke to the man who first broke the Tory of

the Rock's severe financial problem, the BBC's business editor Robert

Peston. I asked him who he thinks the likely bidders might be? Well,

we know that the Coventry building society, the Yorkshire Building

Society, a special company set up to buy banks, called NBNK. Virgin

money, they have expressed an interest in at least getting hold

of the books and deciding whether to make baid. It is too early to

make a prediction about who in the end will put their money on the

table and make a serious offer. lot of people still working for

Northern Rock up here, what are the implications for jobs? You I know,

more, you know I think there must be questions about the outlook for

job, frankly whoever buys it. I think it is impossible to make

concrete predictions about what will happen but I can understand

why people would be nervous. the sale was announced last night

but any idea of timescale for a deal? Well, the Treasury wants to

get on wit as quickly as possible, they would like to be able to name

a preferred buyer before the end of the year, but let us be clear, this

is not an easy business to sell. It is loss making, it is relatively

small, banking is not a particularly fashionable industry

at the moment, there is a lot of money sort of sloshing round, so,

you know, although the Government has been advised, that it is

sellable, and although the Government is hopeful that it will

get about �1 billion for it, we will see whether that turns out to

be slightly too optimistic. You know, I think this is going to be a

pretty difficult business to sell frankly. More news now and 16

primary schools in the North East and Cumbria are in special measure,

and face being taken out of council control. The Education Secretary

Michael Gove wants to see 200 of the worst performing primary

schools in England removed from Local Authority control, and turned

into academies. The father of the missing chef Claudia Lawrence has

been speaking at a Parliamentary inquiry into the rights of missing

people's families. Claudia was last seen in York in March 2009. The

session at Westminster looked at whether a legal guard yab ship

could help manage affairs. There is no legal mechanism round in England

and Wales, for people to deal with all the practical things that you

need to do when a missing adult goes missing. Like Claudia, she was

34 when she went missing, eshe had her own house, mortgage, car,

insurance policy, and you have to try and deal with those with banks

and insurance companies saying sorry, you are not our customer, we

can't take instructions from you. There has to be something to

alleviate that. Let us hope one day that mystery will be solved. It has

been teetering on the brink for weeks but could the care home

company Southern Cross be heading for better times? A deal has been

struck with the Darlington firm's lands Lords which will allow them

four months to restructure themselves. But some relatives of

those in the homes are concerned. Multi-million pound loss, top level

financial talks but actually this is the reality of Southern Cross

for many people in our region, ordinary buildings like this one in

Darlington where their loved-ones live. This afternoon at this care

home, a meeting between residents, relatives, and the management. Now,

Southern Cross didn't want us to hear what the relatives said in the

meeting. They wouldn't allow us to film that event. It seems even with

a financial deal struck for a few months, things are still sensitive.

But which did bump into Anne, off to that meeting. Her mum has been

in this care home since January. So is she reassured by the latest

deal? Not really. Is this particular home going to stay open?

Or will it be taken over by another provider? These are the things I

want to know. It does worry me when Southern Cross say that they are

going to reduce care staff. Most of the people in these care homes are

physically disabled, mentally impaired and these people need one-

to-one care. An hour later Anne emerged from the meeting. No, there

is no answers. It is all, you know, very much up in the air. So the

concerns you had are still there? Yes, yes, it could take week,

months. Southern Cross say while every effort will be made to

minimise redundancies at the home, other changes they are introducing

will improve care quality. Staying with financial matters, Newcastle

Airport is calling for taxes on individual flights to be replaced

with a tax on airport congestion instead. Newcastle is one of ten

regional airports arguing that any increase in the current air

passenger u duty system would damage business. It says London has

the most congested airports and should pay more tax. To allow

smaller airports to compete. It argues that flight taxes are

deterring low and middle income families from flying. It would

stimulate demand. More people would be able to afford to fly. That

would allow us to put on more service, that would be beneficial

to the private sector in the region. It would help rebalance the economy,

and it would just give that stimulus to the regional economy we

need. A Carlisle man with a muscle wasting disease is lobbying MPs and

train companies in London today, to try to improve access a at railway

stations. David Gale says a steep ramp and bridge at Carlisle make

life difficult for people with mobility problem, although Virgin

has promised to reinstate lifts by 2013 Mr Gale says most stations

present problems. He is hoping the meeting will lead to changes.

Basically today, I am down in Westminster, to meet many

representatives from train operators to discuss disabled

access, that is the main reason I'm going down to try and universely

improve things on the rail network and hopefully everybody can have

the same access. You are watching Look North. Still to come. This

Thursday evening. What makes a perfect cup of tea? We reveal the

formula the experts say produces the best brew. And there is rain on

the way tomorrow, then an improving picture through the course of the

weekend. I will have all the weather details shortly. It was

billed as the greatest treat for children ever given. But it ended

in the lofs 183 young lives. And today, pupils from four schools in

Sunderland gathered to remember those who died in the Victoria Hall

disaster nearly 130 years ago. They were crushed in a stampede for

gifts after a show at the city's concert hall. A ceremony of

remembrance. School-children reflecting on history. 183 children

their age, died in the Victoria Hall disaster in 1883. Exactly 128

years ago today. The names of those lost, each read out. The service

led by Father Stephen Edmonds. discovered that nothing is done to

recognise this each year and we thought we would come together and

acknowledge this event in our city's history. It is a great sign

of hope for us, that in the middle of this disaster, here are children

who want to tell the story and to be involved in telling that history,

to grown ups. At the long demolished Victoria Hall an

entertainer offered free Geoffs to children. Many in the gallery

rushed down the staircase. They met a partly bolted inward opening door,

they couldn't get out. Within minutes children were getting

crushed. 100 were seriously injured and many died, but their story

firmly present in the hearts and minds of those here today.

people died. They thought have thought about the doors before they

put so many children in there of them were really young. Like

three-year-old. Made us quite upset. Nay have been studying in it school

so we have tried to bring it the life and make it a community event.

A lot of older people are interested in what they are

studying in the classroom. In the Sunderland museum one of gift, a

rocking horse damaged on the day in the chaos. After today's event, it

is hoped that all schools in this community can be involved for the

130th anniversary. Amazing. Now, just about everyone loves a cup of

tea. Especially here in the north, where we drink more than seven

million cups of the stuff every day. But do we know how to make it

properly? Don't shout at once because researchers at Northumbria

university have come up with the formula for the perfect cuppa. It

doesn't involve warming the pot! There is nothing so British as a

cup of tea. And nothing that can sometimes divide us more either

like to squash mine against the cup with the spoon. A lot of guys make

tea, they take the bag out and plop it on the bench. It is important

how you have your tea. What do you think about putting the milk in

second? Never. I always put the milling in last. Do you? What is

your perfect cup of tea? Cider. what better news that that of a new

formula for perfect cup of tea. Scientists at Northumbria

university have spent months researching it We prepared 285 cups

of tea. We use quite a few panellists to describe the tea. It

is ball balanced. The flavour and milkyness is balanced. So with our

region's rich history of tea making what better place to put to it the

test than at ring on thes. So here it is, the formula for the perfect

cuppa. So first it is TB, which is tea bag. You add freshly boiled

water. Then BT. Brewing time. You need to leave it for two minutes.

Thirdly. M. Milk. You need to add tenmls. Then brewing time again.

Wait six minutes and then you should get your perfect cuppa at a

temperature of 60 degrees. But do u the expects agree? Simon, what do

you think? Well, for me, I would brow it for longer, everybody likes

their tea their own individual way. I think I know my way and you

probably know yours so I don't think in reality there really is a

perfect way. So experts here at ring on thes say it is a personal

choice. For me, it is missing a vital ingredient. A jammie dodger.

Other biscuits are available. Of course! Not that I eat them any

more. I do enjoy a cup of tea. I saw you with a biscuit the other

day. You are fussy about your tea. I like the put the milk in second.

If you put too much in first it is ruined. Men are so fussy! Big news.

He led Newcastle United to promotion and helped them cement

their place back in the Premier League, but today Kevin Nolan

completed his transfer to relegated West Ham United. His five year deal

is thought to be worth up to �4 million. Meanwhile a Hammers

striker has been on Tyneside this afternoon, hoping to move in the

opposite direction. Fellow midfielder Joey Barton,

whose own future on Tyneside is uncertain, had already bemoaned the

likely departure of Kevin Nolan via Twitter. "Great player, leader,

captain, person, trainer and mostly a friend for life" he said.

Nolan, who teams up again with old boss Sam Allardyce, the new West

Ham manager, scored some important goals for Newcastle, but perhaps

his leadership qualities in a squad renowned for its good team spirit

will be most missed. The length of contract he wanted

was the biggest sticking point according to Magpies boss Alan

Pardew today, with the club's hierarchy unwilling to hand out

long-term contract extensions to the likes of Nolan and Barton.

Expect a more youthful squad at St James's come August.

One of the new arrivals could well be West Ham's Senegalese striker

Demba Ba, who arrived at St James's Park this afternoon to discuss a

move from Upton Park. On Wearside, meanwhile, news that

Sunderland supporters have been officially named as the best

behaved in the Premier League last season. Chairman Niall Quinn will

be asking fans how the �20,000 prize money should be spent.

The draw for the first round of the Carling Cup hasn't thrown up any

particular highlights for our teams. A League One clash for Hartlepool,

who take on newly relegated Sheffield United at Victoria Park,

while Carlisle travel to Oldham. But the former Middlesbrough boss,

Steve McClaren, who succeeded Billy Davies as Nottingham Forest manager

earlier this week, has a local derby on his hands. McClaren was

presented to the media at the City Ground today, and now knows his

first Cup tie back in English football will see his Forest side

take on local rivals Notts County. Disappointment for the trainer and

owner of Blue Bajan in this afternoon's Gold Cup at Ascot.

Owner John Hollowood forked out �25,000 to enter his horse, trained

at Middleham by David O'Meara, as a late runner, but it was one gamble

that didn't pay off. Despite being well backed, Blue Bajan eventually

crossed the line in tenth place in the oldest race at Royal Ascot.

Favourite Fame and Glory was the winner.

And Durham's cricketers are aiming to be Twenty20 winners tonight for

the second time this week. After beating leaders Notts on Tuesday at

Chester-le-Street, they'll be trying to do the double when the

teams take to the field at Trent Bridge. The game starts at 7

o'clock. The weather has been o'clock. The weather has been

decent. But is it changable? It is very fickle. It is a case of making

hay while the sunshines. Tonight's weather photographers have been

doing just that. A lovely traditional blue sky looking out

across Ullswater. This time of the year, another traditional shot,

this time on Newcastle Town Moor. The Hoppings being set up at the

minute. Lovely sunshine there. It gets under way tomorrow for nine

days. Tomorrow, we have got rain on the way. It's a dry start for most.

Rain spreading to most places through the course of day and it is

changeable for the weekend as well. So more of that in a second. There

were a few showers round today, most through the morning, they

tended to fizzle out by the afternoon, clear away from that

North East coast by tea time and most rounding the day on a fine day.

One or two showers in western Cumbria. They might not disappear

through the night but most places stay dry, the longest clear spells

in the east again and temperatures, well generally down between eight

and 10C but a few spots in the east could be a few degrees colder than

that. Five or six in one or two spots by the end of the night.

Those showers in the west first thing tomorrow, they will become

more widespread. The early bright innocence the east starts to fade

as the cloud thickens up and through the afternoon most places

will see some outbreaks of rain. I say most places, if you are near

the North East coast you will hang on to the cryest weather longest

but by team time many of us will have seen some rain. The rain more

persistent in the west. That is where temperatures will struggle.

The eastern areas that will see the best temperatures. Come frt further

west the rain is there the longest. 14 to 16 typical, that is round

about 60 degrees Fahrenheit. South- easterly winds on the fresh side.

That is bringing wet and windy weather. That low pressure and

weather front. It hangs round for a time on Saturday. Gradually moves

away as the low moves over Scandinavia and things improve as

we head into Sunday. It looks as if you are out and about over the

weekend, that Sunday looks the better of the todays. I think there

will be dry bright weather in the west. Keswick, some bright spells.

Further east we are more likely to see outbreaks of rain on and off.

Eventually ta rain clearing away as we head into Saturday evening, and

jou overnight and Sunday looks a much improved picture. Temperatures

with sunny spell, maybe as high as 19C. Lighter wind all together a

more summary feel for Sunday. Remember to keep your June weather

pictures coming as well. You might be lucky and feature as the June

page in our weather calendar. If you wanted to know how the e-mail

them to us the details are on the website. That is the way the

weather is looking. If it is the Hoppings it usually means rain. The

headlines. Britain's high street shops saw a drop in sales last

month. They fell by 1.4%. A bigger drop than predicted and 300 jobs

look set to be create in the the North East as Siemens is named the