26/08/2011 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Welcome to Friday's Look North. In tonight's headlines.

The police and council investigation is under way into the

running of two children's nurseries. One week on, police state to the

streets to discover who murdered a pensioner from Hexham.

Why a country show whose future was threatened by legal action is back

on the back Colin Callander. And why t another Jules is flavour

of the month. In sport, Joey Barton tells us why

he has left Tyneside for west London.

The Magpie squad Barton has left behind Marilyn made it through to

the third round of the Carling Cup. Two children's nurseries in York

are under investigation by the City Council and police. A number of

staff at she would house in Melrosegate and Little Joes in

Fishergate have been temporarily suspended. The council will not

explain the allegations, nor will the police. The owner says she is

in the dark, she is horrified, and it is having a devastating effect

on her business. She what has nurse recalled

satisfactory in Ofsted inspection in May. Little Joes inspected three

years ago - children up to the age of eight described as relaxed and

confident. The inquiry into the two nurseries

began two days ago. Since then the number of staff have been suspended

by their employer. No details have been revealed, but any question of

sexual abuse against children has been ruled out. We appreciated that

this is going to cause anxiety to parents. I am a parent and I can

appreciate just how much anxiety it would cause, what I would say is

that clearly what jobs into parents' mind when you talk about

allegations relating to nurseries is the more recent high-profile

case in the south of England. We are not talking about the same kind

of investigation, we are not talking about sexual up base --

sexual abuse. The owner of the nursery's question what the council

said about suspensions. She is horrified about the allegations

being made. I have asked several goals if they will be strong, they

are resilient, I am behind them 110%, but if they could just stay

at home until I find out what is happening and the situation gets

resolved. I am distraught to be honest - complete shock. Appalled

at the way things have gone and what happened. I realise complaints

have been made but I have no idea where from, I do not know the

extent of the complaints. A lot of people have withdrawn their

children and it has had a bad effect on my business. Some parents

have posted messages on the website supporting the staff. The majority

have worked for me for years and they are superb at what they do.

They genuinely love these children. York council and the police say

they do not know how long their investigations into the nurseries

will take. One week on from the murder of 77-

year-old Judith Richardson, and police say they will find her

killer. She was beaten to death with a hammer at her home in Hexham.

Her bag was found that day in Newcastle. When police returned it,

they found her body. Her brother and sister aged 74 and 68 have been

released on bail. The flowers lies some way distant,

because the house is still being examined by scientists. On the

window, signs of a search for fingerprints, and everyone walking

or driving through the street is afternoon invited to have a

friendly chat. This is all about people's habits -

if they are at this afternoon there is a good chance they were out last

week, and if they were, did they see something which could help the

police find whoever is responsible? An interruption, but nobody minded.

Here his wife. I just said to the police, things

like this do not happen in Hexham. But it did happen here, and the

police say whoever did it could give themselves away to people who

know them. If you have a friend, a colleague, or neighbour, you will

notice some change or behaviour, and if you have any concerns,

please contact us. Ms Richardson's bag was dumped in Clayton Street in

Newcastle, so the police were talking to shoppers here today.

Significant perhaps, this area has a number of second-hand shops.

While the police know the bag contained a bank cards, they have

not find them yet. But this they were third public's help, it isn't

a matter of whether they solve the The jury has been sent home for the

weekend to consider its verdict in the trial of a 77-year-old man, his

son and his grandson. They are all accused of murder. John Newton who

was 45 and from red card died after being bundled into a van and being

badly beaten. George Thomas Senior, his son George Thomas and grandson

Stephen Thomas all deny the charge -- deny the charge.

The Office for Judicial Complaints has issued an investigation into

the coroner for Teesside, Michael Sheffield. Last month we reported

that bereaved families are having to wait ten months before inquests

into the deaths of the late loved ones. Mr Sheffield says he will not

resign. A new �1 million pharmacy unit is

being opened in Northumberland providing chemotherapy for cancer

patients. The sterile unit at Wansbeck General Hospital in

Ashington was unveiled by MP Ian Lavery. The number of patients

needing cancer treatment at a farm near Healthcare NHS Foundation

Trust has increased by more than a third since 2007. Six new staff

have been taken on, and they will prepare medicines for patience from

Berwick, North Tyneside and Wansbeck hospitals. It will save

people making long journeys for their treatment. When patients are

having chemotherapy it is not a very nice time for them, and to

have to travel long distances to get their medication, it is not

something they can take and have at home, it is obviously a lot better

for them to be able to be in the unit that is near where they live.

Rather than having to travel 50 miles of further in some cases.

A country show in Northumberland which was scrapped because the

organisers were afraid of being sued returns this weekend. The

annual Dyke Neuk show stopped when Bormann took legal action over an

injury she says she suffered when taking part in a side show right.

-- a side show ride. It has been running here for many

years, it is traditional, and it is the hub of the community in the

summertime. It is the sort of show you find in

the little corners of the countryside, as English as Jane

Seymour dancing around a May Ball, eating a Cox's Orange Pippin while

a spit fire does victory rolls of a head.

But darkness fell over the Dyke Neuk fare when in 2007 a woman

allegedly grazed her bottom as she was being pulled by a tractor

across a field on a sheet of tarpaulin. Two years later a lawyer

said the woman was suing the show, and that meant the end. The

committee could not afford to buy better liability insurance for

future events, but now, they can. It was cancelled in 2010, and as a

result we had to form a new committee to get the show on this

year. We did everything from simple things like domino nights to the

royal wedding parties, and that sort of thing, and raffles and Tom

boilers. Local people gathered round and made sure that we made

enough cash. They is even more good news for the village of Melbourne.

Dyke Neuk pop lost a huge amount of trade because of a road closure.

Now it is opened again and the sun is shining. It was a busy a Sunday.

-- a busier Sunday. It is a bit busier now. We have parties here

most of the time. Dyke Neuk show is this Sunday.

Good news, and coming up next, Sir John Hall talks about his plans for

a new tourist attraction on Teesside.

Olympic he returned adventurer James Cracknell takes on a coast-

to-coast challenge. And in your forecast, will we be

walking on Sunshine was still singing in the rain?

Now for the second part in a look in the Life and Times of Sir John

Hall who first head hit the headlines in the early 80s. It was

1986 when he opened the gate had said MetroCentre, the first major

out-of-town shopping centre in the country. Twenty-five years later he

is in his 80th year, fighting cancer, but still looking to the

future. Britain had never seen anything

like it. 120 acres of industrial waste land transformed into an

American-style shopper's paradise, all springing from a winter's day

out in Newcastle. I had always remembered walking up

Northumberland Street in the snow, and the cold. I thought there has

got to be something better than this, and it was from the idea of

America, I tried to get it started. It was difficult to get the local

authorities to give permission, because most of them, Newcastle

City Council had a half share in building developments. They did not

want any can petition, so they did their best to stop these out of-

town schemes. -- competition. This is now one of the most successful

shopping centres in Europe, still used by 25 million people a year,

and loved by the people in the North East. Do you go there

yourself? Yes, I sit and have a coffee and read the papers. Around

the time the MetroCentre was opening, so John and his wife were

moving house to the fabulous Wynyard Hall. Not bad for a miner's

son from Ashington. My father said Teesside, what are you doing down

there? We came through in the Range Rover, and I said, that is it. How

will I clean it! By Hall's still live at Wynyard, which they turned

into a hotel three years ago. In October, there will be a book to

celebrate the site. But so John has even bigger plans. The hotel has

now become probably the most successful wedding venue in the

North East, and this year we will do 200 weddings, the bedrooms are

90% occupancy. My wife and I are leaving a last legacy in the walled

garden, the biggest rose garden in Europe. English Heritage say they

like the scheme so hopefully by the end of the year it will become a

great tourist attraction for Tees Valley, and a lot of people will

enjoy it. You never sit still, do you! Has there ever been a time

when you have rested? No, my generation were taught to get out

of your background. I have such wonderful memories of the area, it

is my home. You come back to it, and shopping centres are still

recognised. I have contributed a lot, I have worked hard, made a lot

of money, but I have worked hard for it. I have never inherited a

penny, times have been tough, but there is a lasting legacy, and I

hope my grandchildren, and there is more coming into the family now,

will carry on the business. I have still got one or two good schemes

coming through! It has been a wonderful life.

At the Dell with a difference. Jules always dreamed of starting

her own business, and her new venture was supplied tea to London

fashion Week. She launched her business the day after she

graduated in fashion marketing from Northumbria University.

From freshly graduated to freshly brewed. Jules has made it her

business to fashion tea with design. Fashion does not have to be just

clothes, there is so many different forms of fashion, and t is a type

of fashion. So it proves that he is a trend, and have made a

fashionable tea company. As a budding entrepreneur, Jules

imports tea bags from Sri Lanka. She read packages it into

recyclable paper cups and even throws fun into the mix. I did this

for charity, it has got moustaches on it. And then there is like

little cups and saucers, and I did Space invaders inside. So when you

finish your cup of tea, you say, I woke up -- I will have another one.

Now she is taking her cubs to London fashion Week. She has been

invited by the organiser to supply The Olympic gold medal-winning hero

turned adventurer James Cracknell has set out today on a crawling

four Day challenge to cross our region. He is around 100

competitors competing by kayak, open water and on foot.

You can feel the excitement as the competitors gather for action.

Among them is James Cracknell, eager to get going. It is a great

race as a multi-sport event. Some of them are done way you go from

eight to the, whether it be running, cycling, but you best way you want

over four or five days, whether this is -- while this is done in

stages, so you race between 5 and 10 hours a day but there is a bit

of time of 3 in the evening. First up is a 12 kilometre or kayak

along the West Cumbrian coast. For these competitors arriving, this is

the first stage of what promises to be a four-day trial of endurance.

They will compete at 200 miles on foot, in open water and using their

bicycles before they reached a Bay on the east coast some time on

Monday. Competitors come from everywhere,

including our region. This man is on his own, doing every part of the

race himself. It is just a small part of our challenge. A lot of

people enjoy this for a fitness challenge, and also for social

banter. Ultimately, it is just an amazing journey.

Staying with sport, Jilly Barton has left Newcastle United. What

will we talk about now? The saga is finally over.

His spat with the news cockle -- Newcastle board have been played

out on Twitter, but he has decided that he will join QPR on a four

year deal. As I looked at his last week, he

says, I will always have a special relationship with the Geordie

nation, but sadly they are not the decision-makers.

The managing director has thanked the jury buttoned for his

contribution on the pitch. -- Barton.

He could make his debut against Newcastle.

Newcastle manager Alan part you must be disappointed tonight. They

survived a scare to reach the third round of the eight -- third round

of the Carling Cup. Barton it did not play last night, and now the

club will have to adjust to life without him.

Even this morning, the manager was holding out hope that Barton it

would decide against a move to QPR. I inherited some history, and I

have tried to get a situation where he might stay at the club. Have you

spoken to him today? I have had some contact, and hopefully this is

the last question. He has to make the decision for himself, and he

will. But he will be happy if he decides not to go? Yes. If a but it

was not to be. Not entirely surprising. He has not been happy,

and I do not think he has been treated well by the club. The he

would have been quite happy to stay, they would not give them a contract

because he is an outspoken person. He should not have had a go at the

club on the internet. Good luck to him. I have enjoyed watching him

play, but I do not think it is as big a deal as everyone is saying.

He was not available to provide a spark against Scunthorpe. In the

first half, the home side dominated. If it had not been for their

goalkeeper, Newcastle would have been out. But it was a rejuvenated

side who came out after the break. Leon best's effort was offside.

Brian Taylor hit a trademark goal to take the tie into extra-time.

But as the time ticked down, the substitute made it a night to

remember, bursting through to score the winner.

I just remember cutting on to my right foot and thinking I might as

well hit it. As soon as I did, I thought it was going in. It was

excellent. Definitely one for the future, but now it is about the

present, without bottom. After a derby defeat and a Carling

Cup exit, Sunderland could probably do without their first Premiership

trip outside England. It will be their first match at newly-promoted

Swansea City's new stadium for stopper you have to go back to 1983

for the first meeting between the two clubs, and 20 years further for

Sunderland's last win at Swansea. But Steve Bruce is more concerned

at the media mauling he feels he is suffering.

I do not think it is fair. We have played a two against -- two games,

since we are true at Anfield. It is something you have to live with.

Thankfully, the chairman and the owner see it better than most of

the journalists, I have to say. If we beat Swansea tomorrow, it is

four points from a three games. A difficult start, with Chelsea round

the corner, and we will settle with that. We have bought players for

the future of the club, and we must give them time to adapt and settled

and be ready for the Premier League. There are not many 18 year-olds,

and the South Korean that is only 20 himself. We are down the line

with two or three things, and we hope we can sort something out in

the next few days, and see where we go from there.

Middlesbrough will be hoping to continue their good start to the

season against Coventry. They hope to build on that last week's crowds

that have witnessed an entertaining victory against Birmingham. But the

manager is concerned there is too much pressure on a summer players.

Before the game on Wednesday, I realised I could not bring him off

the pitch. Hopefully he can score a goal or two, and then sit down and

have a rest. I fear that if we lose him, Coventry could win.

Cricket, and Durham's all-rounder Ben and Stokes was today named in

the squad for the one-day internationals against India.

Meanwhile, another player has signed a two-year contract

extension. But the county's title hopes are hanging by a thread.

If a defeat against Nottinghamshire this week may have been the final

straw for Durham this season. But there is still a chance on Monday

eight to reach the finals of the one-day competition. You never know

what could happen elsewhere. You have got a knockout competition to

try and get to the final at Lord's, which will be a fantastic

opportunity for the players and it's something they deserve. The

meanwhile, despite an early dismissal yesterday, then a Stokes

should get more chances to shine for England.

It is encouraging for the club, it is encouraging for Ben, but in the

short term, it is encouraging -- disappointing we do not have his

services for the end of the season. Time for the weather. It is a bank

holiday weekend, so we all know It will start unsettled, but there

are improvements in store. We will lose the blustery showers, and for

once it is looking like the best of the three days. You may get some

brightness at times. The farmers will be glad they got their harvest

in recently, because it has been flinging it down with rain at this

afternoon. That rain is still on its way northwards, right up the

eastern coast line. Part of North Tyneside and Northumberland could

get a lot of rain. It will leave for just one or two fragments in

the morning. A lot of cloud overnight, temperatures will just

about stay in double figures. As we head into tomorrow, we are waking

up to a bank holiday weekend. It should be quite bright in the

morning, but once that goes the showers will pick up. Some could

turn quite heavy. There will be some brightness, and the best of it

will make temperatures reached about 18 Celsius. But the wind

picking up could give a chilly edge to those temperatures. You may

still need to wrap up. A for the rest of the weekend,

Sunday looks very windy. There will be more showers, but on Monday this

batch of rain will hopefully stay offshore. I think that leaves

Cumbria still pretty safe for the brightest of the weather. First of

all for Cumbria, a quick reminder, showers to come, but improving for

Monday. For the north-east, it will be a little on the cloudy side.

Thank you very much. Sporadic fighting continues in the

Libyan capital of Tripoli as Libyan capital of Tripoli as

supplies come up -- supply is running low. But the rebels insist

they are ready to do run a government.