02/05/2012 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Welcome to Look North. Tonight, James Allen appears in court. As

well as two murders, he is charged with a number of other serious

offences. Also tonight, a royal opening for

the new unit which puts one hospital at the forefront of cancer

treatment nationwide. And the woman who is determined

that cancer will not stop her carry ing the Olympic Torch. It is going

to be an emotional day, not just for me, but a lot of people that

have been here for me. Plus a promise from one of water

companies that, however much the drought-hit south wants our water,

customers here will always come first.

In sport, there is the Champions' League place on the line as

Newcastle United play Chelsea. And we are live from what could be

Darlington's new ground. And we will meet that former

Olympic medallist who is hoping a revived road race will be a runaway

He was the subject of a four-day nationwide manhunt involving 100

police officers. But today, 36- year-old James Allen made his first

appearance in court after being charged with murdering 81-year-old

Colin Dunford in Middlesbrough and 50-year-old Julie Davison in Whitby.

During his brief court appearance, he made an obscene gesture at

magistrates. Mr Allen also faced four other charges, including rape

and false imprisonment. After three days of questioning by

detectives, James Allen arrived at court this morning charged with

murdering two people in their homes. Arrested following a manhunt

involving three separate police forces and 100 officers, he was

discovered in Leeds early Sunday morning by an off-duty police

officer. He has been charged with killing 81-year-old Colin Dunford

in Middlesbrough and 50-year-old Julie Davison at her flat in Whitby.

They were both found dead last week. Both suffered -- both suffered

serious head injuries. The brief hearing lasted less than

five minutes. Mr Allen came into court have Cook -- came into court

handcuffed to a security guard, speaking only once to confirm his

name and date of birth. He faces four other charges of assault, rape,

also imprisonment and witness intimidation. As he left court, he

directed an obscene gesture to the magistrate.

Because of the serious nature of the charges, the case has now been

transferred to Teesside Crown Court, where he will appear tomorrow. As

James Allen was leaving court, detectives investigating the murder

of Julie Davison launched an appeal to find her silver and black

Toshiba laptop computer, which is missing from her home. It was, they

said, extremely important that it Parts of it have been likened to a

hotel lounge rather than a hospital waiting room. A major new cancer

treatment centre has opened at the James Cook Hospital in

Middlesbrough, equipped with the latest technology and designed to

put patients at ease, part of a �35 million expansion that means the

hospital has now amongst the best in Europe for cancer treatment.

Impressive Endeavour unit is attracting patients, staff and now

royalty. Princess Alexandra, the Queen's cousin, took a course and

nursing before she started to undertake official engagements. Her

two interests collided today as she opened the new cancer centre at

James Cook Hospital. It comes equipped with an advanced CT

scanner and the latest radio therapy technology, making

treatment more safe, accurate and effective. Tumours are not square

and rectangular, but are oddly shaped, so we have equipment that

can follow the shape of tumours, so we can spare surrounding normal

tissue. That means less side- effects. And treatment should be

less debilitating and patients should recover better. That is the

clinical side. What about the emotional?

As soon as you walk through the door, you see grass and trees, the

idea being to bring outside inside and make patients feel as

comfortable as possible going through one of the most traumatic

experiences of their life. We have looked at the psychology of this,

with colours that have positive effects. We have teachers ceilings

where it is local scenery that people can see, places the patients

should recognise. -- we have featured ceilings. When our

patients walks into one of the treatment rooms, they cannot see

equipment. The door or shut quietly, so patients do not feeling closed.

It does not make me feel like a patient, but a human being,

A man has been charged with conspiracy to commit burglary

following a break-in at Durham's Oriental Museum last month.

Workless smashed a hole in the wall of the museum and stole two

artefacts worth more than �2 million. They were later recovered

by police. Lee Wildman appeared before Peterlee Magistrates this

afternoon and was remanded in custody for a week. Another man and

two women are still being questioned.

Plans for a �4 million conference centre on the shores of Windermere

have been given the go ahead. The largely glass structure will be

built on the site of the Low Wood Watersports Centre. Around 600

people can be accommodated in the two-storey drum-shaped building.

The group, the Friends of the Lake District, said it was not

appropriate, but it was approved by planners today.

With a little over 12 hours to go until the polls open, do not be

surprised if you get and knock on the door from a politician this

evening. Around 200 seats in 10 councils are up for grabs. Labour

wants voters to punish the coalition parties for taking us

into recession. But one Cabinet Minister believes the North are

showing signs of revival. At this time of year, politicians

and no stranger to doors, but not usually this out. This Carlisle

factory makes them on an industrial scale and does well selling them

abroad. No wonder a cabinet Minister was keen to visit. With so

much economic gloom around, voters might be tempted to show

Conservative councillors at different kind of door. But Michael

Gove believe his party deserves credit for preventing an even

bigger crisis. We need to keep interest rates low, so that

businesses like this can go off. Problems like route -- problems in

Europe and elsewhere are holding us. But we have to back entrepreneurs,

back investment in education, which this company exemplify is, what the

Government is backing and what Labour is attacking. The Liberal

Democrats have also had to defend coalition policies. For these

elections, the wants to put the message across to be bought for

them. The difference we have made in Government has been as a Liberal

Democrat. -- to vote for them. some parts of the UK, the

Conservatives than an endangered species. People will vote for the

Liberal Democrats, because the care about the problems ordinary working

people are facing in these difficult and Ince. For Labour,

there seems to be a ready-made chance to capitalise on the

coalition's problems. But the party insists they are also positive

reasons to vote for the councillors. Labour has a positive message

across the North East. On crime, jobs and housing, Labour

councillors make a difference, not just protecting from a Conservative

Government, but my aching a positive change the people's lives.

From tomorrow, politicians will be abandoning doors of any kind to

await their fate when polls open at seven in the morning.

Police Federation members in Cumbria say they will not leave the

country bombed -- weed the county vulnerable to crime went up to 100

travel to London for a protest march next week. Officers from the

region are expected to join colleagues from across the country

opposing proposed changes to pay and conditions. The federation says

it will not affect their crime- fighting capacity. A Cumbrian

service will not be affected. Everyone attending the match are

doing so in their own time. -- attending the match. That could be

taking rest days or annual leave. The functions will be total the

unaffected. It was built with the Premier

League in mind. A purpose-built stadium to house Darlington as the

club surged towards football's top tyre. Now as it plunges down the

League Pyramid in to the ranks of the part-timers, the club plans to

leave the 25,000 seater arena on the edge of time and could ground-

share with another non-League team. -- on the edge of town. Keith

Akehurst is at one place it could I am in one of three of four

grounds Darlington could sheer next season. -- could be sharing next

year. It offered a bright future. A

promise of top-quality football, possibly in the world's top league,

but the arena has become a financial millstone for Darlington,

dragging it down the leagues. Hindsight is wonderful. It is easy

now to say it was folly. At the time, George Reynolds save

Darlington Football Club from administration, built the stadium.

A lot of people said it was great, welcoming it, but it has proved to

be Darlington Football Club's downfall. This is one of the places

the group trying to save Darlington is considering ground-sharing next

season. It has a main stand and dug out. The directors' box as portable.

No executive boxes here. We have to suit what we have. We have

resources and hearts and minds and have to put something to them that

means we will be in business as Darlington for many years and stop

this regular peak and trough of going out of business. For the

stadium, it could be a financial windfall. I am shocked and amazed,

to tell you the truth. If we can help them out in any way, we

certainly will. We have helped other teams in previous years. The

fans have to realise that, if Darlington comes here, we will do

what we can, but it will not be the arena. Where Darlington actually

play next season could depend on which leak they are playing in. The

Football Association could still do more than father as punishment for

going bust so many times. -- which League.

I am joined by the Secretary of this football club. What difference

will it make for this football club if Darlington come here?

Darlington were to come, that is a big question. Yes, perhaps we would

have some benefits that would allow us to do things which we have not

been able to do, because of shortage of finances. It would have

some positive benefits. You have shared grounds before, with Bishop

Auckland, and that went well? point. We had some problems, as you

do when you are trying to get games and competitions gone, but all in

all, it will end well. So it is something you could seriously do?

Yes. We need to find out what is happening with Darlington and at

what level. And what League. Then we take it from there, because

there will be some ground improvements that need to be done

to meet their level of football. We will just have to wait and see.

Thank you very much. This all depends on the group hoping to save

Darlington getting the finances together to take control of the

club. We have heard in the last few minutes that Darlington is on the

verge of liquidation yet again because up land creditors meeting

on Friday has been cancelled and the fans' group have until noon

tomorrow to come up with the money. If not, the liquidator -- the

administrator says it plans to liquidate the club. Back to the

studio. Plenty more to come, including the

sport, and we found out why a former Olympic medal winning

marathon runner was getting beaten by a bunch of school children.

And what does the weather hold? After look ahead at the end of the

One of a region's water companies has guaranteed at supplies Endon

North East will come first even after it out continues down south.

There are warnings that another dry winter could mean water

restrictions and much of England. But Northumbrian Water say that

even if they are asked to supply other areas their customers will

still come first. There may be warnings of floods and rainfall

records being broken but another dry winter means much of England

will suffer as Severe drought again. Drastic measures would then need to

be taken. The or it is too early to tell yet.

But if we have another dry winter that becomes more likely.

Reservoirs are full in our region but if it out elsewhere becomes a

long tour problem then the rest of the country could be knocking on

our door asking for supplies. The last crisis, in 1995, meant 1,000

tankers a day it going from the North East to Yorkshire.

Ultimately, if there is a crisis, people will take the water. There

is a need to export so much water to the south. I do not think the

people of the North can just say, it is ours, you are not having it.

I would reassure our customers and the North East England but whatever

happens there supplies will be guaranteed and safeguarded.

The company says a pipe network transporting water simply is not

feasible. So whilst we might be sick of the Reina rate now perhaps

we need to hope for more of it if we are not to see water tankers

back on the road next summer. -- set off the rain. You can see more

of that story on an inside out And you can visit a Facebook page

She has been told that it is likely cancer will take her life but one

county Durham Women is determined to carry the Olympic torch. Two

years ago Mandi Welsh was left with scars from skin cancer on her face.

She is hoping to recover in time to help carry the torch. A 6 1/2 hour

operation. 100 stitches. And all 26 lymph nodes removed from the neck.

At just 40 T years old, Mandi Welsh does not know how much longer she

has to live. You can see the scar running up

behind my ear. This gives me longer with my family. If it meant going

through that for them, then it had to be done.

She already had cancer on her face two years ago. That left a scar. At

the time she was touring the region's schools warming at the

potential dangers of sunbeds. That led to her work as an

ambassador for cancer research UK. She is now hoping to build up

enough strength to walk the few hundred yards holding the flame.

Even if I need a walking stick I will do it without everybody else's

help. It will be one way of saying to cancer, you cannot stop me

carrying the torch. The cancer is classed as Stage 3.

Malignant melanoma. Skin cancer which has advanced to the lymph

nodes. Doctors say that if it returns again it will be in an

organ. It is so unpredictable, who knows.

I could have another 10 years. I do not make plans for the future.

Until I am told that there is no hope I will carry on and I will

fight it. It will be an emotional day. Not

just for me, but for lots of people who have been here for me. I will

be carrying this torch for everybody that has lost the fight

against cancer and everybody that continues to fight it.

One a brave woman. You can see full coverage of the Olympic torch

journeying through our region of four on Look North. We will track

its progress. It will be quite an Two back football matches tonight.

Newcastle United are chasing a Champions League spot. If they win

at Chelsea -- if Chelsea win the Champions' League then allow the

top three seeds in the Premiership will qualify for the premier

Continental competition. Bobby Robson took Newcastle further than

ever in the Champions' League so he would have loved the way this

season has gone. Some of his old players along with a few familiar

faces from Middlesbrough and Sunderland were taking part at a

second annual golf day in aid of support a's Cancer Foundation. --

the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Foundation.

Newcastle are on a roll now. It will be very tough but even a draw

Addict son of Champions League football would be fantastic at St

James' Park. -- a return. Chelsea were victorious back in

December but it might have been different if this air Li'l Carter

was a red card instead. And despite the thumping at White in the

manager remains upbeat. -- Wigan. To be a point above Chelsea and

level with spas at this stage in the season is out standing. We

apologise to our fans for a poor 45 minutes but the bottom line is that

there is still three games and everything to play for. We're

absolutely delighted and will give it our best shot.

On the BBC Radio York you can hear a full commentary of the York City

We have been talking about London 2012 plenty this week. But we will

not see squash at the Games. You may not recognise this man but he

is a Yorkshireman, James Willstrop, the current world No. 1. He played

an exhibition match year and met some members of a thriving junior

club. But what a difference it would make to his sport profile if

it could achieve Olympic status. You cannot only imagine what would

happen if the top players in this country had chances to win the

medals at London. What a prospect for Oz as a sport. And the profile

of the game would just skyrocket. That is a very regretful situation

for us. The marathon of the North takes

place this weekend. And running enthusiasts have another date for

their diary - 15th July. It will see the revival of a road race

which was once a large community event from the 1920s until the

second world war. The Prudhoe Miners Race has been relaunched to

celebrate the Olympics with some help from an Olympic medal winner.

A double helping of history for these local schoolchildren. The

bronze medal was won by running legend, Charlie Spedding, at the

Los Angeles Olympic marathon. This cold top, a genuine mining original,

marks the entrance to an old Pat. Today they came together for the

relaunch of the -- the relaunch of The Prudhoe Miners Race. Always

happy to see a new race happening. The opportunity to compete in a

road race is always an excellent thing. But I also like the idea of

resurrecting a traditional event. My career began with local road

races, that was how I got into the sport. So I am very keen to see

traditional events revived. It is hoped that the race could

become an annual event again. We needed to remember Our roots.

For the country and the town. We need to bring this race to the

attention of people and celebrate the fact that the Olympics are here,

along with the history of the town. It might even inspire these

youngsters to become future all Olympians.

There cricket, and the rain has stayed away. Durham were bowled out

for to Swan hundred and 63 but have produced Warwickshire to 116 for

When it comes to whether I have a mentally written this month off. So

Get will still be pretty disappointing over the next few

days. Thank you to Archie work man who took this picture. The pictures,

a bit of an East-West split. Cloudier form of Yorkshire and the

North East. Drying in mist and low cloud from the North Sea overnight.

We should avoid frost. Bus thing in the morning, lots of sunshine. A

pleasant start in Cumbria. -- first thing in the morning. The Pennines,

the dividing line for the weather tomorrow. Temperatures way below

the average for this time of year. But it's a lovely called on the

Northumberland coast. Across the Pennines however, a gorgeous spring

afternoon to come. Light winds and a very nice end to the day in

Cumbria. Father-of-four, drizzly rain on the way for much of the

North East. -- father for what. Saturday comes and will be really

cold. Miserable. Across the Pennines again, just a little bit

milder. In between weather systems for a couple of days. Drizzly like

rain on Friday, but for many places becoming dry before high-pressure

begins to try to build from the north. That will settle things down

over the weekend. Generally cool and always cloudy for the North

East and North Yorkshire. Brightest in the West. But it does look as

though we will see sunshine on Sunday. Things will Brighton, the

high will start to clear some of the clouds and we should all see

some sunshine by the end of the The main headlines: a coroner has