:00:08. > :00:11.North live from Chester-le-Street on the eve of an historic sporting
:00:11. > :00:15.event. Yes, tomorrow thousands of cricket fans will be making their
:00:15. > :00:18.way here as the Fourth Test in the Ashes series finally gets underway.
:00:18. > :00:21.Tonight. The final countdown to one of the greatest fixtures in world
:00:21. > :00:31.sport as the battle for cricket's most prestigious trophy comes to the
:00:31. > :00:38.North. The Aussies arrive - ready to do
:00:38. > :00:43.battle in a rivalry with England that dates back more than 130 years.
:00:43. > :00:47.The interaction has been fantastic. They love us and we love them.
:00:47. > :00:51.Also tonight. Cut down on your drinking. The advice to older people
:00:51. > :00:53.from academics who say the over 65s are consuming too much alcohol.
:00:53. > :00:58.25 years on. A controversial nuclear re-processing plant reaches an
:00:58. > :01:02.important milestone. And one of the world's most advanced
:01:02. > :01:12.aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner, drops in on the North, and we're invited
:01:12. > :01:18.
:01:18. > :01:21.Tonight, Look North comes to you live from what used to be called the
:01:21. > :01:25.Riverside, but what is now, to give it its full name, the Emirates
:01:25. > :01:28.Durham International Cricket Ground. And it's that "international" bit
:01:28. > :01:31.we're excited about this evening, because one of the great fixtures in
:01:31. > :01:37.world sport is coming to this ground tomorrow morning. England against
:01:37. > :01:40.Australia, the fourth Test match in 2013 Ashes series. It's a rivalry
:01:40. > :01:43.that stretches back for more than 130 years. And it's the first time
:01:44. > :01:48.the battle for cricket's oldest, and most prestigious, trophy has come to
:01:48. > :01:51.the North East. And with a history of great teams, and a passion for
:01:51. > :01:58.sport unmatched just about anywhere in the country, this could be the
:01:58. > :02:01.single most important sporting event the region has ever seen.
:02:01. > :02:08.A few weeks ago, double Olympic champion Mo Farah thrilled the
:02:08. > :02:12.crowds at Gateshead, at the European Athletics Team Championships. Last
:02:12. > :02:17.year Brazil's football fans brought the samba beat to the streets of
:02:17. > :02:20.Newcastle, as the Olympic Games paid a visit. Wind the clock back to
:02:20. > :02:27.1966, and Sunderland's old Roker Park ground staged a World Cup
:02:27. > :02:30.quarterfinal. All major sporting events, but can any of them top
:02:30. > :02:33.this? England's cricketers against the old enemy, Going for the win
:02:33. > :02:41.that would clinch the Ashes series. When you talk about sporting
:02:41. > :02:45.rivalries, they don't come any bigger than this. I didn't think
:02:45. > :02:50.we'd see Durham playing first-class cricket and I don't think we would
:02:50. > :02:53.see them winning a county championship. To have an Ashes Test,
:02:53. > :02:56.my spine tangles. What we shouldn't forget is just how far Durham have
:02:56. > :02:59.come. -- tingles. From a minor county club - part-time players,
:02:59. > :03:03.watched by a handful of spectators - to a successful, professional
:03:03. > :03:11.outfit, running out onto one of the great sporting arenas. Back in 1990,
:03:11. > :03:16.all this was a far-off dream. Durham is a first-class county in
:03:16. > :03:25.every way except for one thing. In cricket and herons, they are a minor
:03:25. > :03:31.county. The county club have plans to achieve first-class status and
:03:31. > :03:35.those plans include the provision of a first-class ground and test match
:03:35. > :03:40.facilities on this lovely spot here. It was a bold bid. No club had moved
:03:40. > :03:44.up into top-flight cricket for 70 years, since Glamorgan in 1922.
:03:44. > :03:48.Durham had �26,000 in the bank, and were told they needed a million.
:03:49. > :03:56.Which they raised. Then they had to find a team. Which they did. But
:03:56. > :04:06.they also had to find a ground. Then club chairman Don Robson took a call
:04:06. > :04:08.
:04:08. > :04:16.from the deputy leader of Chester-le-Street council. He said,
:04:16. > :04:25.you know down by the Riverside, they are giving it up because they cannot
:04:25. > :04:35.make any money. I watched around and I said, this is everything. The
:04:35. > :04:36.
:04:36. > :04:44.castle they are lens and order to the whole area. On this particular
:04:44. > :04:49.site, definitely. You have not closed your mind to the
:04:49. > :04:52.possibilities of test cricket. want to create a ground for the next
:04:52. > :04:55.century with superb facilities and why should we not have a test match
:04:55. > :05:01.here? Within five years, Don Robson was leading Her Majesty the Queen
:05:01. > :05:04.down the pavilion steps to offically open the Riverside Ground. Soon to
:05:04. > :05:11.become England's first new Test match arena since Sheffield's
:05:11. > :05:18.Brammall Lane, more than a century before.
:05:18. > :05:25.The most important thing is we got the first-class status. It was
:05:25. > :05:28.fantastic, and this was beyond my dreams. You got the ground and you
:05:28. > :05:38.got test match cricket. Hope Road will you be when England play
:05:38. > :05:46.Australia? Coming here this weekend hoping they beat Australia but I do
:05:46. > :05:50.feel the north-east should be proud. Joining us now is the chief
:05:50. > :05:58.executive of Durham County Cricket ground. It has to be a nervous night
:05:58. > :06:08.ahead? Don't suppose I will get too much sleep but we are very excited
:06:08. > :06:14.and very proud. Everything is in place? Nothing to worry about.We
:06:14. > :06:20.waited so long for an Ashes Test. Finances being what they are, will
:06:20. > :06:25.they ever come back? We cannot answer that. We have to be
:06:25. > :06:30.realistic. There are ten international parks and each and
:06:30. > :06:36.every one of them would want to stage an Ashes Test so the
:06:36. > :06:44.competition is tough but hopefully we will put on a good show.
:06:44. > :06:53.turned down the chance for some one-day internationals. We took the
:06:53. > :06:58.view that there is a real danger we are and we are competing with London
:06:58. > :07:04.and other parts of the country and the concern is what it gets close to
:07:04. > :07:11.each other at high prices may be too much. We had a conversation with the
:07:11. > :07:14.International Cricket board. We will go forward from there. Well,
:07:14. > :07:18.hundreds of Australian cricket fans have begun arriving in the North
:07:18. > :07:22.ahead of the start of the fourth test. And if you're out and about,
:07:22. > :07:31.they'll be easy to spot as they tend to go to games dressed in bright
:07:31. > :07:34.yellow and call themselves The Fanatics. But before the serious
:07:34. > :07:37.stuff starts tomorrow, they're playing a grudge match against a
:07:37. > :07:47.group of England supporters this evening. Peter Harris joined them on
:07:47. > :07:56.
:07:56. > :08:02.their journey to Chester-le-Street. To say they were in good voice, that
:08:02. > :08:12.would be a lie, but then this final advance for load a heavy night on
:08:12. > :08:15.
:08:15. > :08:22.the beer. It is the way it goes, you are on tour. I suppose we can take a
:08:22. > :08:29.little bit back. The interaction with them has been fantastic. They
:08:29. > :08:34.love us and we love them. We get it to them and they give it back.
:08:34. > :08:40.are not here just to watch. Tonight was the latest any series of games
:08:40. > :08:45.against England fans. It has not been going well for the Australian
:08:45. > :08:54.team and it is not going much better for the Australian fans who are
:08:54. > :09:04.losing their own Ashes series 2-0. Waiting for them was Englund's Army
:09:04. > :09:09.
:09:09. > :09:19.Army. -- barmy army. And playing the best of Australian
:09:19. > :09:20.
:09:20. > :09:24.music... Kylie and Jason's greatest hits. This is as good as it gets.
:09:25. > :09:33.These Australians are here to enjoy themselves and party and make a few
:09:33. > :09:40.friends along the way. Can't beat a bit of banter. Let
:09:40. > :09:43.battle commence! Let's go back to the studio for more of today's news.
:09:43. > :09:45.Too many older people are drinking too much here in the North according
:09:45. > :09:47.to research published today. Newcastle and Sunderland
:09:47. > :09:51.Universities have been investigating the alcohol consumption of those
:09:51. > :09:54.aged 65 and over. And now academics are calling for changes to the
:09:54. > :10:01.recommended safe levels of drinking for people in that age group. Here's
:10:01. > :10:04.our Political Correspondent Mark Denten.
:10:04. > :10:08.The North East has a problem with drinking, but while its normally
:10:08. > :10:11.associated with these people, it's not normally with these. But a new
:10:11. > :10:21.report from Newcastle and Sunderland Universities says people over 65 are
:10:21. > :10:22.
:10:22. > :10:27.drinking too much alcohol. example was a lady who reported
:10:27. > :10:31.drinking a bottle of wine each night every night of the week, so the main
:10:31. > :10:39.finding was that people seems to be quite confused about what was a
:10:39. > :10:44.sensible amount to drink. government says men should bring a
:10:44. > :10:50.maximum of about a pint and a half a week, and for women it is two or
:10:51. > :10:53.three units. Some say that you'd be hard for those over 65. While this
:10:54. > :10:58.latest report doesn't specify limits for older people, these drinkers in
:10:58. > :11:05.Newcastle say they don't need to cut down. I don't drink too much and I
:11:05. > :11:10.don't blink too little. It depends what I am doing. When I was younger
:11:10. > :11:20.I would drink until I was unconscious. Now I have two pints
:11:20. > :11:21.
:11:21. > :11:25.and that is it. Drinking too much ruins you. We will drink more if you
:11:25. > :11:31.get the around them. Today's report was from a sample of 53 older
:11:31. > :11:35.people, 0.012% of the population of over 65s in the North East. But its
:11:35. > :11:45.authors say it should add to the body of evidence and make older
:11:45. > :11:45.
:11:45. > :11:50.people question their drinking habits.
:11:50. > :11:52.The questioners have they got it right or are they wrong? How do you
:11:52. > :11:56.feel about it? Four men have been arrested in
:11:56. > :11:59.connection with the death of a man in his 30s late last night in
:11:59. > :12:02.Scarborough. Police were called to an address in Eastborough district
:12:02. > :12:05.shortly before midnight. Shortly after they arrived a man at the
:12:05. > :12:09.scene died. Police arrested four local men and say anyone with any
:12:09. > :12:12.information should contact them. 25 years ago today the storage
:12:12. > :12:19.facility at the controversial THORP plant at Sellafield opened its
:12:19. > :12:22.doors. THORP stores and re-processes spent fuel from around the world. At
:12:22. > :12:28.the time, the �2.8 billion plant was the largest single project completed
:12:28. > :12:33.in the UK. Although a major leak was discovered on part of the site eight
:12:33. > :12:37.years ago, bosses say it's safe and secure. Critics though say THORP has
:12:37. > :12:40.been an expensive failure.' Mark McAlindon reports.
:12:40. > :12:47.Building THORP - the thermal oxide reprocessing plant - was a mammoth
:12:47. > :12:50.task, completed in 1994. Today though the warehouse which receives
:12:50. > :12:56.and stores spent fuel from British and foreign reactors was celebrating
:12:56. > :13:06.its 25th anniversary. Some who've been here the entire time had some
:13:06. > :13:13.tales to tell. One of these stories about this building is the flying
:13:13. > :13:19.bedsteads, a piece of kit designed for if you drop something, and it
:13:19. > :13:26.was originally built out of balsa wood. They took the world's supply
:13:26. > :13:33.of balsa wood for two years. It is difficult to get an idea of just how
:13:33. > :13:36.fast this operation is. This is a third of the mile long and employees
:13:36. > :13:42.in excess of 1000 people. A leak in another part of the plant in 2005
:13:42. > :13:45.however did cause controversy. But bosses say this is a safe facility.
:13:45. > :13:55.It was very unfortunate but it has been properly investigated and
:13:55. > :14:00.repairs put in place. The workers in this plan now they are the first
:14:00. > :14:09.person in front of any contamination event. Quite simply, we do not have
:14:09. > :14:12.them. We designed the plan around it and a lot of safety contingencies.
:14:12. > :14:14.THORP will close in 2018 when reprocessing contracts end.
:14:14. > :14:17.Anti-nuclear critics say that while spillages have been tackled, the
:14:17. > :14:27.plant itself has proved a costly mistake, only reaching its targets
:14:27. > :14:30.years later than first promised. British Airways' brand new 787
:14:30. > :14:35.Boeing Dreamliner touched down at Newcastle airport for the first time
:14:35. > :14:41.today. The aircraft was in the North as part of its preparations for
:14:41. > :14:43.flying long haul journeys. Heather Clancy reports.
:14:43. > :14:51.British Airways ultra light and ultra green 787 Dreamliner, touches
:14:51. > :14:55.down in Newcastle. At a cost of �250 million, it doesn't look any
:14:55. > :15:03.different from a regular plane but what sets it apart is the material
:15:03. > :15:06.its made from - carbon fibre, which is used to make Formula one cars.
:15:06. > :15:10.Boeing says this lighter material makes it 20% more fuel efficient
:15:10. > :15:16.than other planes. Inside, everything is designed to minimise
:15:16. > :15:22.jet lag. The cabin has a lower pressure than other aircraft meaning
:15:22. > :15:25.you won't feel as tired. There's also mood lighting designed to
:15:25. > :15:29.reflect the time of day and the windows are the biggest in any
:15:29. > :15:37.plane, meaning everyone gets a good view. But the best sights can be
:15:37. > :15:43.seen in the cockpit. This is a tremendous aeroplane and is a joy to
:15:43. > :15:46.fly because of all the technology, and that is in the cabin as well
:15:46. > :15:49.where there's a more relaxing experience for our customers.
:15:49. > :15:52.not been a smooth ride for all these planes though. In January,
:15:52. > :15:56.Dreamliners around the world were grounded because of faults with the
:15:56. > :15:58.batteries. Boeing fixed the problem and they took to the skies again in
:15:58. > :16:01.April. Designed for long haul flights, this Dreamliner won't be
:16:01. > :16:11.based here but passengers connecting to Toronto or Newark from Newcastle
:16:11. > :16:13.
:16:13. > :16:17.could get the chance to fly on the plane.
:16:17. > :16:21.She is enjoying that too much! That's it from me. A full weather
:16:21. > :16:24.forecast of course coming up later in the programme from Hannah Bayman.
:16:24. > :16:26.Now it's back to Chester-le-Street for more from Carol and Jeff.
:16:26. > :16:29.Thanks, Colin. Yes, welcome back to Chester-le-Street where we're
:16:30. > :16:34.counting down the hours to the start of the fourth test here tomorrow.
:16:34. > :16:44.There's quite a buzz the grounds today and lots of work to make sure
:16:44. > :16:44.
:16:44. > :16:48.everything is just right. And of course the age-old rivalry between
:16:48. > :16:52.England and the Aussies has thrown up some of the most talked about
:16:52. > :16:54.moments in world cricket, or are we just a little biased? Probably! But
:16:54. > :16:58.after a long period of Australian domination, the pendulum finally
:16:58. > :17:01.swung back eight years ago. An Ashes series win saw national celebration
:17:01. > :17:06.in Trafalgar Square and some of the most famous hangovers in English
:17:06. > :17:16.sporting history. And our region has more than played its part in
:17:16. > :17:19.
:17:19. > :17:25.England's revival. Our Ashes reporter Katie Gornall explains.
:17:25. > :17:30.In the summer of 2005, the country was gripped by Ashes fever with
:17:30. > :17:36.England winning the series for the first time in nearly 20 years and
:17:36. > :17:43.the men from the north-east were at the heart of the celebrations. He
:17:43. > :17:51.was at the peak of his career and took 17 wickets in the series.
:17:51. > :17:57.was fantastic. 2009, I knew my career was over. Playing against
:17:57. > :18:05.Australia was a great thing. I feel humbled and honoured to have played
:18:05. > :18:09.against the best side of all time. Many spend their entire careers
:18:09. > :18:19.trying to achieve their place in Ashes Test the day, but that
:18:19. > :18:19.
:18:19. > :18:25.happened in a split second. It will be talked about for years to come.
:18:25. > :18:28.The substitute fielder became an unlikely hero when he ran out Ricky
:18:28. > :18:38.Ponting at Trent Bridge but his time at the top was short lived when he
:18:38. > :18:39.
:18:39. > :18:44.was released a year later by Durham. To get released at around 23 years
:18:44. > :18:50.old was a disappointment. That probably did not help me but there
:18:50. > :18:57.was a lot of tension and it helped my career. The victory was the
:18:57. > :19:02.springboard for this all-rounder, lifting the Ashes three times. He
:19:02. > :19:09.knows just what it means to have the Ashes on the doorstep. Ashes cricket
:19:09. > :19:13.is so intense and you know what it means for everyone and for the
:19:13. > :19:21.country so for Durham to host a match like this and have the world
:19:21. > :19:28.media are looking on, we can be very proud of it. No one can be more
:19:28. > :19:35.proud than Graham onions. A winner in 2009, he has been recalled for
:19:35. > :19:38.this fourth test. If they want someone who can take wickets, they
:19:38. > :19:41.need look no further. It would be terrific to see Graham
:19:41. > :19:44.Onions in the team tomorrow. England put him forward for the press
:19:44. > :19:48.conference yesterday - maybe we're reading too much into that. He's
:19:48. > :19:51.been such a consistent bowler all his career, and it's mainly through
:19:51. > :19:54.injury that he's won only nine England caps. Maybe captain Alastair
:19:54. > :19:58.Cook will think Onions can give them a bit of home advantage, but the
:19:58. > :20:07.Aussie skipper, Michael Clarke, also has a bit of help, from former
:20:07. > :20:17.Durham batsman Michael Di Venuto. think Durham is a wonderful place to
:20:17. > :20:17.
:20:17. > :20:22.come and play cricket. We have Di Venuto as a batting coach and the
:20:22. > :20:30.boys have had a good time so far. It was a warm day yesterday and I am
:20:30. > :20:35.looking forward to this. The ground looks fantastic. I think it will be
:20:35. > :20:42.a great atmosphere and we have had some good success when we have
:20:42. > :20:47.played well as a team. The lads are really looking forward to it and I
:20:47. > :20:57.think it is great. Different grounds can get the opportunity to host an
:20:57. > :21:02.Ashes test match. Hopefully, we will make yesterday. A big occasion for
:21:02. > :21:07.us but just another day in the late for this man. You have been all over
:21:07. > :21:15.the world watching cricket, how does this compare? It is beautiful, the
:21:15. > :21:25.only ground with an adjoining Kassel. 2003 was the first test
:21:25. > :21:27.
:21:27. > :21:34.match here. -- castle. This is a huge event for everybody here.
:21:34. > :21:41.many changes going on in cricket, we have a technical question. I have
:21:41. > :21:48.been hearing about things like hot spots and so on... There has been
:21:48. > :21:55.crazy talk. We thought leaving Manchester it would be quiet for a
:21:55. > :22:04.couple of days. There is a lot of focus on the review system with
:22:04. > :22:07.Monty Palace are going off the rails and Sussex. -- Monty Panesar.
:22:07. > :22:16.Australia need to show the performance in Manchester was not
:22:16. > :22:20.just a flash in the pan. Come back soon!
:22:20. > :22:24.We will carry on with the rest of the sport with football first. In
:22:24. > :22:27.the draw for the second round of the Capital One Cup, Newcastle are at
:22:27. > :22:30.Morecambe, Sunderland entertain MK Dons and Carlisle are at home to
:22:30. > :22:32.Leicester. That's their reward for beating Blackburn on penalties last
:22:32. > :22:35.night after an exciting three-all draw.
:22:35. > :22:38.After watching their side lose the opening league game 5-1, the
:22:38. > :22:41.Carlisle management team were encouraged to see new signing and
:22:41. > :22:44.Saturday's scorer David Amoo give the League One side an early lead.
:22:44. > :22:47.Championship club Blackburn turned the game round early in the second
:22:48. > :22:50.half. Tom Cairney equalised with the help of a wicked deflection before
:22:51. > :22:54.Chris Taylor put the visitors in front. But Carlisle's young side
:22:54. > :23:00.were in a battling frame of mind - Lewis Guy taking the game to
:23:00. > :23:03.extra-time. Alan Judge put Rovers back in front. But, after Cairney
:23:03. > :23:07.was sent off, David Amoo made it 3-3. Time for an early season
:23:07. > :23:11.penalty shoot out. It started badly for the Cumbrians but when Rovers
:23:11. > :23:19.missed two in a row, the scene was set for David Symington to send the
:23:19. > :23:27.4,000 home fans into raptures. In transfer news, Sunderland winger
:23:27. > :23:29.James McClean's completed his move to Wigan. And to And Middlesbrough
:23:29. > :23:36.have completed the signing of Ghananian international winger
:23:36. > :23:41.Albert Adomah from Bristol City on a three-year deal.
:23:41. > :23:51.That the football but it is cricket we are concentrating on and off
:23:51. > :24:01.
:24:01. > :24:08.course the all-important weather. We out and nearly all of them open air,
:24:08. > :24:17.so what the fans and players will be asking is what will the weather be
:24:17. > :24:21.like? Sunshine and showers, but probably more sunshine and showers.
:24:21. > :24:27.Through this evening, a view showers at first and then in the early
:24:27. > :24:35.hours, more general rainfall widespread by the early hours of the
:24:35. > :24:39.morning. 14 Celsius overnight for many places and a wet and gloomy
:24:39. > :24:45.start to Friday, very unpromising for the cricket at first, but things
:24:45. > :24:51.swiftly improve what sunshine breaking out across the north-east
:24:51. > :24:58.and Cumbria and into the afternoon as the cricket gets going, things
:24:58. > :25:05.will be looking good with top temperatures of 21 Celsius. Light to
:25:05. > :25:09.moderate winds from the north and north-west. Over the next few days,
:25:09. > :25:16.we can see the outlook for Cumbria are what sunshine and showers for
:25:16. > :25:21.Saturday through to Monday. Very similar in the north-east, dry on
:25:21. > :25:29.Saturday and Monday but show Eddie possibly through the day on Sunday.
:25:29. > :25:39.-- showery. All eyes on the cricket through the weekend. Let's look in
:25:39. > :25:40.
:25:40. > :25:44.detail at the fourth test forecast. By 11 o'clock in the morning, by the
:25:45. > :25:51.time the executors take to the pitch, we are expecting it to be
:25:51. > :25:55.fine and dry. A little bit of cloud cover for the batsmen could help
:25:55. > :26:04.them slightly through the afternoon with temperatures rising to around
:26:04. > :26:12.20 Celsius. Things look pretty good year for the first day but of course
:26:12. > :26:17.this test could go on for five days. Let's look a little further forward.
:26:17. > :26:23.Friday, showed early at first but it brightens and Saturday and Monday
:26:23. > :26:33.looked pretty good. Sunday is the focus for a little bit of show only
:26:33. > :26:35.weather. Sunday could be wet first thing. -- showery. The rain moving
:26:35. > :26:42.an overnight on Saturday last thing through Sunday morning and perhaps
:26:42. > :26:50.not clearing and time for a school day's play. We will be updating you
:26:50. > :26:56.on the forecast every night this week. At the moment, Sunday is
:26:56. > :27:00.looking potentially the most problematic day weather-wise.
:27:00. > :27:05.Monday, the sky is bright and again with the outside chance of some
:27:05. > :27:15.showers. The weather looking pretty good here and across the north-east
:27:15. > :27:20.
:27:20. > :27:27.and Cumbria. There's the forecast, is sold out and the last two days