27/12/2013 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

more throughout the evening on the BBC News Channel. We're

Good evening. Once again, galeforce winds and heavy rain have brought

damage and disruption to our region. Cumbria's borne the brunt, with

thousands of homes still without electricity tonight. One West

Cumbrian family had a lucky escape after a neighbour's chimney pot came

crashing through their front window, as Mark McAlindon reports.

At the height of the gales, this roof was blown off one house on

Barncroft Avenue in Seaton and into the house opposite, meaning a narrow

escape for those inside. Everything just came through. It was like being

in a washing machine. Two kids lying on the sofa and they were just

carried upstairs to bed. What a Christmas! It's the third roof in

the area to be blown off in just the last month. Elsewhere, 7,000

Cumbrian homes were still without electricity as darkness started to

fall. It is the middle of the afternoon and the weather is still

absolutely horrendous. Many houses in this part of the county are still

without power and the electricity company says it is too dangerous for

engineers to try to stop climbing poles, fixing overhead lines.

Driving too was hazardous, with speed restrictions on the M6 and

minor roads close to impassable. In the North East, this Middlesbrough

leisure centre roof was damaged and there were delays on the East Coast

Main Line. I don't know how I'm going to get home! It can't be

helped with the weather, so just get on with it and get home eventually!

Clearly, for many, it's been a tough Christmas break.

Meanwhile, firefighters say it could be up to two weeks before a fire at

a Teesside factory is out. The fire, at UK Wood Recycling on the Wilton

chemical complex near Redcar, started on Christmas Eve as a small

hotspot in a stack of wood, but the high winds overnight escalated the

blaze. Roads were closed this morning and people told to keep

doors and windows closed. The difficulty we have is that the wind

provides more oxygen for the fire so it fans the flames, so that makes it

more difficult for us. The wind sometimes prevents us from directing

the water where we want it as well, so it is difficult but we are

managing OK up until now. The family of former Middlesbrough

footballer Gary Parkinson say they've been humbled by the support

they've received. Gary had a stroke which left him with locked`in

syndrome in 2010. His family were given a standing ovation by the

crowd at Middlesbrough's game yesterday.

This was an emotional return to his hometown club. Three years after a

major stroke left him fighting for his life, Gary's family said they'd

been overwhelmed by the support they'd received. It was emotional

for him. We told him not to cry too much because all the cameras would

be on him. There was a bit of tears between everybody afterwards. At to

have him back here is brilliant and the support we have come to know

over the last three years has just been phenomenal. Gary played 250

times for Middlesbrough during the '80s and '90s. After two years in

hospital, he's now back at home. He's unable to move or speak but is

fully aware of what's happening and communicates by moving his eyes. He

is progressing a little every day, so as long as it is in the right

direction, we remain positive and that is the way it has been since it

happened. No looking backwards, just forwards, so that is good news.

Well here's the goal, which gave Middlesbrough back`to`back wins for

the first time in 2013. Manny Ledesma's effort was enough to beat

Championship leaders Burnley at the Riverside.

And there was festive cheer for Sunderland and Newcastle, too!

No`one would've believed the final scoreline at St James's after 40

minutes. But then, leading 1`0, Stoke had a man sent off and they

were soon down to nine men. Thomas Sorensen produced another Tyneside

penalty save but Loic Remy swiftly made amends for his miss. In the

second half, another home goal from Yohan Gouffran. Moussa Sissoko set

up Remy for his second and Cabaye made it 4`1 before Papiss Cisse's

icing on the Christmas cake. Leaders Arsenal, beware! A red card for

Everton keeper Tim Howard helped Sunderland to a first win at

Goodison Park since 1996, Ki Sung Yeung with the goal.

The Black Cats' hero, though, was their keeper Vito Mannone.

Tomorrow's opponents, Cardiff, have sacked their manager.

In League One, in front of nearly 8,000 fans and after a promising

start, Carlisle slipped to a 1`0 home defeat by Preston.

There was a battling point for Hartlepool at League Two leaders

Chesterfield, despite having Andy Monkhouse sent off.

And yet another draw for York City, also courtesy of a penalty, at

relegation rivals Accrington. And the Berwick Rangers Supporters'

Trust are paying for all fans to get free entry at tomorrow's home game

with Peterhead. A Northumberland charity runner has

given up an attempt to run 2,600 miles across Australia. Mark

Allison, known as "Run Geordie Run", set off in October, but he's stopped

on safety grounds, just 180 miles from the finish.

To the weather with Hannah now. How much more of this storm are we in

for? We start the forecast with a weather

warning for strong winds across the region, and a warning from the Met

Office in force until the end of the night, but through the early hours

of the morning, the winds will ease, leaving nothing more than a

fresh breeze early on Saturday. Wintry over the hills but for most

places, much more sunshine and dry weather than we have had for the

past couple of days. A fine Saturday for much of the North East and

Cumbria, with temperatures as high as six or seven. Risk breezes

continue but nowhere as near as strong as they have been. That is

it. That is our news so far. We will

Good evening. What a week it has been, a stormy start, a law through

Christmas, then a wild end to the week, had to keep up, isn't it? This

was a