24/01/2012 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Hello, welcome. The headlines. The York nurseries

investigation, four care assistants are told they will not face charges.

The kindest of cousins, he is giving her a new kidney after she

wrote about her plight on the internet.

Plans to cut children's services at a North Yorkshire hospital, bosses

say a recruitment crisis is to blame.

Big dogs tale, canines in the classroom to help children with

their reading. We meet the Teesside are doing his

best to make sure it is the Wearside is two, out on top in the

FA Cup Derby. And, who would have thought this

event would earn the region a There will be no charges brought

against four children's nursery assistants in York, arrested last

August. Concerns had been raised about the quality of care and

welfare of children at Stuart House and Little Joe's. Both police and

council investigators were called in. The CPS has advised that no

action should be taken against the assistance.

It was in August last year that two Nurseries fell under the spotlight,

six members of staff were arrested. The allegations against them were

not made public. Police made clear it was not a case of sexual abuse.

In October, two staff members were told they would face no further

action. In November, Ofsted inspected the nurseries and ask for

some procedural issues to be tightened up. That has been done.

Today, the police case against the four remaining staff has been

dropped. Parents who stayed loyal reacted to date with relief for the

staff and some criticism of the police and council's handling of

the investigation. It is appalling, the way it has been handled. We are

in the dark. For the staff, it is dreadful. It is such a relief to

know that everything has eventually been dropped. There was never

anything can any of our minds that anything had gone on, the children

are always happy and playing. They are all brilliant. The support they

have offered for the parents has been second to none. It has been a

difficult six months for the nursery, they have been very badly

affected by the cloud of suspicion cast over them. Their owner packed

her staff from day one, and co- operated with the inquiry. The

authority's duty to investigate has come at a price to her business and

her accused staff. Would you consider donating one of

your kit is to a stranger who needs it more than you? The NHS is

launching a new campaign to encourage more donors to come

forward for life kidded donations. It is a view shared by Claire Neal,

she appealed on Facebook for a living donor when she was told by

her doctor she needed an urgent transplant. It was a plea answered

by her second cousin, Peter. Claire Neal has been diagnosed with

late-stage kidney failure. She has kept -- she is kept alive by

phalluses, which she has three times a week. -- kept alive by

dialysis. I posted on Facebook when my specialist said, we need to

start looking for a donor. It freaked me out, how was I supposed

to ask somebody to give me part of their body? It is not like, can I

borrow the car for a weekend? It is not like that. It is asking

somebody, can you be cut open and give me a part of your body? Peter

messaged me back and said, you have already stolen our hearts, what is

one more organ? That make me cry. When she got in touch, I have never

even heard of the term live donor, I knew nothing about it. But I knew

my auntie had a kidney taken away 40 years ago, and Steve is still

smashing. -- she is still smashing. It used to be the case that most

living organ donations came from close relatives. But advances in

clinical practice have made it much less likely that the recipient will

reject the organ. That means that more and more donations are coming

from complete strangers. One in three organ transplants in the UK

it are now from a living donor. That is a threefold increase in the

past 10 years. 93% of living kidney transplants are still functioning

well after the first year. That is compared with 88% of those using

kidneys from a dead donor. The Freeman Hospital does about 60

operations a year, using live kidneys. Doctors say the donors

benefit as well. There are risks, but we have found them to be quite

small. The benefit to the society, to the individuals, and to the

people who donate is huge. The donate his, they live longer,

because the tests we do show up any problems that we can treat. Clare

gets her transplant in March. She supports the Government's drive for

more living donors. You have got to be a special kind of person to be

an organ donor anyway. You have got to be even more special to do it

for a stranger, but organs are in such demand, you only need one.

are worth it! If you have a storage you would

like to share with us, contact us. Police trying to identify a man

killed by a Metro train on Tyneside 11 days ago have extended their

inquiries to Poland. The victim died on the tracks a week last

Friday. He was 45-50 and wearing clothes similar to these, with a

swallow tattooed on his right shoulder. Detectives are

investigating whether he was from Eastern Europe, and have contacted

Polish media. We believe he may be Polish or from

Eastern Europe. We have contacted some local media outlets for the

Polish community, which are to win some work with the committee's

locally, so hopefully that will lead to a conclusion.

The police have completed an operation to it in the remains of

the body of an unknown woman in Malton Cemetery. The detectives are

anxious to find out the identity of the woman and how she died more

than 30 years ago. She was found in undergrowth close to Sutton Bank.

The body will undergo DNA tests and will be buried again at the service

tomorrow. More than 600 women from the region

have offered to donate their eggs to help a pioneering treatment.

Scientists at Newcastle University are researching a technique which

allows DNA to transfer between two human X. The findings could help to

prevent serious inherited disorders. The university has delighted -- is

delighted so many donors have come forward so quickly, but they are

looking for more women. A hospital in North Yorkshire is

considering major cutbacks to its children's and maternity services.

The Friarage has been suffering a recruitment crisis. It cannot

attract the consultants it needs to meet new standards. Under the

proposals, in-patient paediatric beds would be scrapped, high-risk

births would be sent elsewhere and 80 unit would be created for six

children and babies instead. -- basic unit.

The Friarage hospital has been suffering a major recruitment

crisis for several years. There is a national shortage of paediatric

consultants. One recent post advertised has only just been

filled after two years. particular issue is, because it is

a small unit, we also need paediatricians with general skills,

and increasingly, they are looking for specialist jobs, which

compounds the problem. The Friarage is just about coping. But the Royal

College has laid down new standards for paediatric care, based not on

five consultants, put on 10. It will mean a full range of services

for patients, but it may also jeopardise the status quo. The

South Tees Trust has asked the national clinical advisory team to

help look at the situation in light of the new standards. It now plans

to consult GPs, councils and the public and a solution it calls

option five. Option five is a day assessment unit. Families want a

diagnosis, they want to see a senior doctor who can give them an

explanation, but then they prefer to go home if they can. For a small

number of children, that need admission to hospital, we cannot

deliver high dependency care or intensive care here, so it would be

better for this family is to be cared for in a unit that has all

the specialist support. Switching to day care would have an immediate

impact on maternity services. High risk and premature births, more

than 50% of the total, would have to go to other hospitals. The

consultation is expected to last a year.

Cumbria's Director of Public Health is common for private health

clinics to be forced into helping women given faulty PIP breast

implants. He is writing to the Attorney-General, asking him to

clarify the law surrounding the issue. The jockeys that all women

who have received sub-standard in plants have a right to have them

removed or replaced -- he argues. If you buy a car or a holiday,

have redress if things go wrong. Here, with private healthcare, it

is a different ball game. It is worthy and now that the legislation

that is going through Parliament is going to open up the health service

to a mass of small private operators -- it is worrying.

Still to come, we catch up with the Newcastle student back home after

an epic trek. And, it is not the ideal night to

spot the northern lights, too much cloud around. Join me later for the

The much loved City Farm has celebrated its 25th birthday, but

it faces closure because of council funding cuts. Bill Quay Community

Farm is run in partnership by the local community association, and

Gateshead council, but the council says it cannot meet the �300,000

I am as happy as a peek at a Community farm! I am here with a

Tamworth pig. Seven rare breeds are found at his farm. It is a rare

Breeds Farm, but it is also a free amenity, are open seven days a week,

it has got a shot, Class Room, Cafe, it is a community resource, it

costs �300,000 a year to run, and the council cannot afford it any

more. There are Hebridean sheep, a whole range of animals. People from

the East End of Gateshead and beyond can visit these animals, it

is free, and it is a great centre for the community. One of the uses

explain to me how important it is for people from all backgrounds.

For a lot of visually impaired people, this is the only experience

they will get of agriculture, that they can get to under their own

steam. That is really important, not to rely on somebody else to get

you there. We are close to the Metro, we have got a good bus route.

Jenny Wood is being nibbled by piglets as we speak! How important

is this place? It is a really important place for the local

community, it was built by the community, and it is a special

place because it is here for anybody of any ability and any age.

There is Education, volunteering, all sorts of our old crafts you

will not see anywhere else, and it is a unique resource in the north-

east. You will have to find some funding, how are you getting on?

is difficult, we are trying to work with the council to make sure that

we can do that. It is a short time wind, and we are hoping to get some

leeway -- short time Rhine. We are hoping that it will go forward.

should point out, at Gateshead council have said, we have got to

make �70 million of cuts, no decision has yet been made about

this place. But if you are a friend of Bill Quay, say what you think on

the face that page. -- Facebook The pet visits Redcar Community

College with her owner once a week and sits patiently while the

children read aloud. Teachers say it boosts the children's self-

confidence and their reading has come on in leaps and bounds.

This is Audrey, an Italian dog who lost nothing more damp a good tale.

It sets their waiting for me. research shows that children can

find reading aloud stressful. But with Audrey here, these pupils

become much more relaxed and teachers are seeing that the

results. She helps the students to stay calm. They absolutely love her.

They've read and talk to her. She changes to the mood. Without doing

anything other than being herself, she has encouraged the children to

She might not offer much criticism, but Audrey has her own way of

keeping the class focused on work. If you get lost when you are

reading the book, she will put her poor on you like. When we were --

Paw on your leg. When we were told the we would be reading to a dog, I

was very pleased. Audrey seems to enjoy it as well as the children.

Audrey is registered with a charity that works with schools and

hospitals to provide Peps for therapy. If children are feeling

hyper active, a dog will reduce that. A Audrey is now a regular

visitor at the school and she seems happy to continue lending Arthur

eight year. -- a furry ear. Teaching the children to pause and

all -- in all the right places. Talks about saving Darlington

Football Club are continuing but, tonight, the team returns to action

for what could be their last away game. The Quakers' depleted squad

set off this afternoon for their Conference clash with Hayes and

Yeading. They have had plenty of goodwill from local rivals and

travelled south on Middlesbrough's team coach. Meanwhile, Hartlepool

United have offered to play a fund- raising friendly at the Arena next

month. This evening, Darlington, who are just five points clear of

relegation, will field a youthful side.

It is less daunting for the youngsters because they are coming

into an environment like this. They have got nothing to fear. They are

quite fortunate because they are comfortable in my company. They do

not have to deal with a new manager. Hopefully, they will settle in and

relax and enjoy the night. He is the Teessider plying his

trade on Wearside. Lee Cattermole is really enjoying his football at

the moment, and Sunderland's steady rise up the Premier League table.

More than most, the Black Cats' skipper is looking forward to

Sunday's Wear-Tees FA Cup derby which will see him come up against

his boyhood favourites and his former club, Middlesbrough.

The last time Stockton-born Lee Cattermole walked out at the

Stadium of Light for a Sunderland- Boro clash, he was playing for the

away team. A last minute 3-2 defeat helped the home side survive. A

year later though, the Teessiders were relegated. I would love to see

Middlesbrough come back up. It looks like they have turned things

around a little bit. I know they have had some bad results let me,

but things are going well. So what about Sunday's cup tie? I would be

happy with anyone. I have supported my Lords bar all my life --

Middlesbrough all my life. Cattermole has been reflecting on

the managerial changes nearly two months ago which saw the sacking of

Steve Bruce, the man who signed him for both Wigan and Sunderland.

got on great with Steve Bruce. He was a big loss, sorry to see them

go. But you move on. I spoke to him off to words -- afterwards added

will be to keep my head down and get on with the work. The new

manager has come in and given a big lift to the players. The intensity

has gone up and we have got to backing from the fans. Confidence

is back in the team. It is a good place to be back at the moment.

Mark Tulip, BBC Look North. According to his agent, the Bosnia

and Herzegovina striker Zlatan Muslimovic spent today training

with Sunderland 24 hours after a day with Rangers. He is looking for

a new club after leaving Greek club PAOK Salonika in the summer.

Mica McNeill from Consett in County Durham made sure Team GB ended the

Winter Youth Olympic Games on a high by winning a silver medal in

the women's two-man bobsleigh in Innsbruck. Mica, who's the driver,

and her partner Jazmin Sawyer were in fourth place after their first

run. But they produced a spectacular time on their second to

move two places up the field and come away with a silver medal in

the first ever Winter Youth Games. It means so much. I have been

working very hard for a long time. Finally to have a medal, it is

awesome. There is nothing more I could have done. We pushed our best.

I had a fairly good drive added worked out in the end. We were

confident in ourselves, but we did not expected to move up to silver.

Fantastic effort. It looked a bit chilly out in

Austria, and it was not much warmer in Chester-le-Street this morning

when our Hannah, and some bloke off the telly, helped with the regional

launch of Run England. It is a scheme to persuade us all to get

out there and run, no matter good or bad you are. It's all about

improving the nation's fitness. We hope to offer and nice safe

entry level for people to just get involved and build up their

confidence and fitness. Then they can approach to their local club.

Running is a sociable sport as well. There are lots of groups and clubs

around. It is really cheap, all you need is a pair of trainers. It gets

you out doors so you can get fresh air. Log on to the website to get

Home after an amazing adventure. A Newcastle student is back in

Britain tonight after a record breaking Polar trek. A few days ago,

Bryony Balen became the youngest British woman to ski from the coast

of Antarctica to the South Pole, a feat we followed here on Look North.

Well, she's safely back home and she can join us now live. Bryony,

good evening and welcome back. Hello. How are you feeling? Are you

still buzzing? Definitely. Not all the buzzing from completing their

expedition, but from being back home and seeing the family. The

world feels it very surreal after two months of living in a tent.

you have any exam paint? I am surprisingly well when I was on

their expedition. Now I am starting to ache from sitting around and

feeling stiff. We know that you really pushed it towards the end to

beat a certain deadline for yourself. What was the most

difficult part of this? I don't really know. The length of time was

difficult. The days to do that brought together a lot and you felt

disconnected from the real world. Knowing that there was stuff going

on in the News At with my family, that was quite difficult.

Physically, every time I got new supplies, that was pretty tough.

Your father taught me that he wants you to come back to Newcastle and

finish your degree. But I'm sure you have other things in mind?

have got some recovery to get into. Some catching up to do with family

and friends and some way to put back on. I lost too much when I was

out there. Thank you very much. Got Andy some crisps. -- go and eat.

She is a amazing. Nice to see somebody that will not

Nice to see somebody that will not The last couple of guys have given

us some great sightings of the Northern Lights. I do not think we

will have that tonight. The charged particles will be entering our

atmosphere, but there will be too much cloud around. This picture was

taken on Sunday night. It is cloudy because this weather system is

approaching from the West as we head through today. That cloud will

stay with us tonight. There is a lot of cloud on the satellite

picture. As we head through the evening, there will be a lot of

cloud around and some that rain with that as well. Dizzily, patchy

rain. These will tend to dry up later on. But it will stay misty.

But it should not be too cold. Around about six Celsius. By the

end of the night, that wind will be starting to Pickup. That will be a

feature of tomorrow's weather. More persistent rain edging into Western

powers of Cumbria later in the afternoon. -- western parts. The

wind will be gusty, possibly gale force, along the Cumbrian coast.

Temperatures of around 11 Celsius. Over the next few days, that is the

picture. That weather front will move away, introducing colder

weather in behind it. A lot of dry and bright weather coming.

Temperatures starting to drop again, so some frosty nights. Temperatures

not going much above five Celsius. A return to frosty nights as we

head through to Friday. If you have any pictures, we would love to see

Thanks, Paul. Finally tonight, a look at the headlines.

One of the UK's eight oil refineries has gone bust. More than