05/02/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

rise. That is all

Hello, welcome to Look North. In the headlines tonight: Nearly 400

potential victims of the Medomsley abuse scandal come forward. Now the

Prime Minister promises support for the Durham Police investigation if

it's needed. Still defenceless. As more flooding

hits the South West, Morpeth's new flood scheme is running behind

schedule ` and millions of pounds over budget.

Just horsing around, or something more serious? Official disapproval

for the woman who trotted into a supermarket as part of the latest

online craze. And the fat of the land ` the North

tops a health watchdog's national league table of obesity. In sport,

we will be live at the Billingham Forum Leisure Centre for the

highlight have already. It is the BBC north`east sports awards.

The Prime Minister has promised Government support for the police

inquiry into allegations of physical and sexual abuse at a youth

detention centre in County Durham. More than 200 men have now come

forward after last week's revelations on BBC Inside Out about

brutality at Medomsley Detention Centre. The total of potential

victims now stands at close to 400. Dan Farthing reports. It is always

in my head. It has ruined my life, completely ruined it.

Since Inside Out broadcast shocking revelations about the years of abuse

at Medomsley, 232 potential new victims have contacted the police

and they believe there could be more to come. Medomsley was open for more

than 30 years. Potentially there is more victims out there, more people

to talk to us. I am delighted that they have had the confidence in

Durham Police to come forward and tell us their story. But I am

saddened by the fact that so many people have had a bad experience at

Medomsley. Kevin Champley from Teesside is one of the scores who've

come forward. There was physical abuse every day. You were forced to

fight other boys. Sort of like in gladiatorial tournaments for the

amusement of officers. The first time I seen a dead body was in

Medomsley. It was in a cell. He was just 17 when he was sent to there

for fighting in a youth club. It had affected probably all of my life.

Obviously you cannot turn the clock back but I feel, if there is people

out there who should be punished for it, they should be punished. Two men

have already been jailed for raping boys at the youth jail ` they've

both since died. But the police aren't ruling out new charges. The

priority is the victims. We have to give people a chance to top, and

work our way through the 375. My priority is them. We will be talking

to suspects later in the year. The jail closed in the late 1980s,

having been part of the controversial "short, sharp, shock"

programme which was meant to turn young people away from a life of

crime. And Medomsley took on a new political dimension today, as the

Prime Minister guaranteed Government support for what has become Durham

Police's biggest ever inquiry. Some of our smallest police forces are

hugely capable but when they are doing large and complex

investigations like this, on occasion they need help and support

so we should make sure that is available. And that support could

well been needed as hard cash ` as the police inquiry will continue for

months to come and is expected to cost many millions. Dan Farthing,

BBC Look North, County Durham. The Prime Minister was speaking in

response to a question from North West Durham MP Pat Glass. She wanted

an assurance that the Durham Police Force would be given sufficient

resources for such a major investigation. Earlier, I asked her

if she's happy with the progress the police are making. It is the biggest

investigation Durham Constabulary has ever undertaken. And they have

created a very specialist team and they are determined that every

single victim will be seen and will be listened to. And I think part of

my job is to make sure that the Constabulary has the resources to

ensure that that team stays together until this is complete. I have been

contacted by victims who are telling me that they are pleased with the

way this is happening and they think that Durham Constabulary are doing a

really good job. This is a big ask of a very small force but they seem

to be doing very well. Do you think they do need any assistance on this

or can they cope? At the moment, things are fine. However, this is a

very small force and we are not one of the big boys. It just takes one

major incident or a major murder and there will be pressure on the

specialist team, it is part of my job to ensure that I talk to the

Home Secretary to make sure that this team remains together and is

able to take this investigation to its conclusion.

So, still more people coming forward with disturbing stories about

Medomsley. There is a helpline for anyone who has been affected by the

issues raised. Call the BBC Action line on 08000 566 065, or go to the

website. Bbc.co.uk/actionline. It's been the South West's turn to

experience severe flooding this winter. But Look North can reveal

one of the biggest flood defence projects in our region is millions

over budget ` and running late. It's now five years since Morpeth, in

Northumberland, was deluged and 1,000 homes were flooded. The town

won a battle for new defences ` but residents are angry that the project

is overspent by ?3 million. And they fear they could be flooded again

before the work is finished. Sharon Barbour has tonight's Look North

report. Paul Gillie's B and B in Morpeth has

been flooded twice ` in 2008 and again in 2012. It is nonsense. These

flood defences should have been built two years ago. He's among

residents here fed`up that a flood defence scheme to protect his home

still hasn't been completed. They need to be pulling their finger out

and getting on with it. There is no excuse for them being this late

over. I don't accept any of their excuses for why they are not

finished. In 2008, when the river Wansbeck here in Morpeth flooded,

the water rose so high that it went right over the top of the bridge a

thousand homes were flooded. A much needed flood`defence project is well

under way, but there's anger that defence walls like this one, at High

Stanners, are not finished. People don't sleep at night if times `` at

times if there is heavy rain. You see floods in the south of England

and think, what would happen if it was here? We should have been

protected by now. We have had some delays in building the walls in the

town. So in terms of the flood defence scheme, are they working? By

the autumn, by November we are expecting them to be complete. The

delays are not the only thing worrying residents. They are

concerned about the cost, which has gone up from ?21 million to ?24

million. Money the cash`strapped Northumberland County Council and

Environment Agency has to find. Costs are likely to be higher than

originally planned, but how much, we don't know. A few percent in the

overall budget at the start. Three million on top of 21 million is

closer to 10% extra cost. It is. It is a very complex project and when

you see the size of the reservoir that we are constructing, it is

absolutely enormous. And a small change in the height of that

reservoir means a considerable amount of material that we need to

put in to top up the dam. The main message for the people of Morpeth is

that the scheme will not be stopped. As far as anger is concerned, if I

were to let out how I felt it would not be pretty, in all honesty. Rain

is forecast for the next several days. Without full protection from

flooding in place, residents like Paul can only hope history isn't

repeated. The rules are simple. Film yourself

downing an alcoholic drink while doing something unusual. Post a

video online, and nominate two more people to take up the challenge. It

is a new craze which apparently originated in Australia. But when

this young lady arrived in her local supermarket on a horse, and downed a

fizzy drink, official disapproval quickly followed. Jonathan Swingler

reports. 21`year`old `` this 21`year`old

women ready to a supermarket as part of the game. Friends nominate each

other to do a challenge and down a drink. Normally it is alcoholic but

in this case it was a Coca`Cola. The people at Tesco head office give us

a statement saying they are aware of the incident. The women in question

did not want to be interviewed and told her that her parents are not

happy with all of the attention this has generated. The police want to

have a word with her. How stupid this could be. What could have gone

wrong? The horse is actually sliding on the polished floor. I think

someone goes past with a pushchair. If the horse had fallen over, the

writer could have entrapped. There is all sorts of things that could

have gone wrong. The craze has spread but with some tragic

consequences. One man drowned in Ireland. This woman made a video

drinking tea. I have never heard anything catch on so quickly in all

the years I have been here. It is a bit hot so I cannot let it. Some of

them are really funny but my concern is that younger people. `` I cannot

neck it. I did not drink a pint of beer but if they are drinking pints

of spirits, they don't realise what it is doing to their bodies. It can

be fatal. There is concern that teenagers under 18 in our region

could be taking part in this craze. Just a passing craze, or a potential

threat to life? You can join the debate on our Look North Facebook

page ` the address is on your screen now.

A man presumed dead after falling overboard from a cruise ship in the

South Atlantic has been identified as Wearside journalist Bob Horn. Mr

Horn, who was 69, was for decades the Houghton`le`Spring reporter for

the Sunderland Echo. He fell from the ship shortly after it left the

Uruguayan capital, Montevideo. It's one of our most famous

landmarks. But now there are plans to build five giant wind turbines

close to Roseberry Topping near Guisborough in east Cleveland. The

developers say the wind farm will benefit the community, and has today

announced a scheme to offer local people ?5,000 each to help them find

a job. But many are not convinced, as Stuart Whincup discovered.

Distinctive and iconic. Roseberry Topping provides amazing views

across Teesside and North Yorkshire. A patchwork of fields, villages and

towns. But this is how protestors claim it will look if the new wind

farm development is approved. Anita Johnson has lived in Mount Pleasant

for 36 years. The turbines would be built at the back of her house. It

would be like having your heart ripped out. I am being serious. I

just don't like them at all. Even on a grey day the views from Roseberry

Topping are impressive. And protestors say huge, ugly wind

turbines would destroy all this. They are going to loom over

Guisborough for 25 years. They will destroy the tourism revenue and

probably the house prices will fall in the area. The developer, Banks

Renewables, says the views from Roseberry Topping already show wind

farms and Teesside heavy industry. `` Teeside's heavy industry. They

also say it will bring jobs and investment. And it's offering grants

of up to ?5,000 to help local people get jobs. If you want to become a

chef and can't afford your Chef outfit, you can get a ?300 grant for

that. Or if you get an apprenticeship with a local employer

wanting to take on a young person, up to ?5,000 can be put towards that

salary. The developers know they are in for

a battle. The National Trust are also opposed in the wind farm. A

final decision will be made by the council and that is expected in

April. Coming up next, the health survey

that labels most of the region the fattest in England.

And we're live from the BBC North East Sports Awards. Plus: Should

there be an end to toys for boys ` and girls? One of our MPs claims

they reinforce gender stereotypes and could even influence the future

careers of young girls. It was another at Lanting low that

brought windy weather today. I can offer you something quieter

tomorrow. Join me later for your full regional forecast. `` it was

another wet and windy low. Our region, it's claimed, contains

the fattest of the fat. The health watchdog Public Health England has

produced league tables of obesity levels throughout England. And we're

top of all three. Copeland, in Cumbria, is the local authority with

the most overweight people. Cumbria itself is the fattest County in

England. And the North East is the most obese region in the country.

Surprised? Well, some people think the way the figures have been

collated is flawed. Alison Freeman reports.

A couple of years ago, this man would have found this task

impossible. But he is now `` he has now lost more than half of his body

weight. I realised that when your vehicle is overweight, you ruined

your tires. My joints were beginning to go. My health was beginning to

go. I had to do something. He has got down from 31 stone to just 14

stone. Apparently bucking the trend in the county today named the

fattest in England. Cumbria's rugged coastline and abundance of trails to

what and keep fit on, it has come as a surprise to many that it is the

fattest county. Add to that the fact that only a hundred people out of a

population of half a million were asked to give their weight and

height, some people are questioning the validity of the figures. It is

biological implausibility, if you look around you, does that seem to

fit? Are 75% of the people walking down the street fact? The answer is

no. There are other ways of getting this information. One possibility

was through GPs but at the moment we don't have the system in place to do

that. The people that GPs measure are not necessarily representative

of the whole population. At the moment, we do not have the best way

of looking at that data. Deprivation and poverty were blamed for the

north`east being labelled the fattest region. And Copland being

home to the highest number of overweight people. I am in town

every day. I don't see any obese people. There is not that many fat

people around here. The data may not be accurate but Public Health

England says it is the first time it has been able to get a snapshot of

each area's weight problems. Now time for a toy story. This one

doesn't have Buzz Lightyear in it ` but MPs in Parliament. Newcastle MP

Chi Onwurah says gender specific toys, like dolls for girls, could

limit children's future career options. She thinks the issue's so

important she raised it in the House of Commons this afternoon. Here's

our Political Correspondent Mark, Denten.

This place may well bring back a few memories for you. The excitement of

walking into a toy shop, that feeling of wondering what to play

with, whether you can touch it and more importantly, whether through

persuasion, smiles or tantrum, you can persuade your mum or dad to

shell out for it. But in this toy shop, still a bit of the pink/blue

divide. Toys for girls, and toys for boys. But have we got our toy

choices right? Should girls always be presented with cute little baby

dolls or boys with rockets? Or should toys be more like this one,

targeted at both girls and boys? Today, one local MP called for a big

change. Children and parents are not being allowed to choose what toys

they want to play with for themselves because they are being

told that certain toys are for girls, certain toys are for boys and

in particular, girls toys have to be pink. The kind of toys that children

play with does influence what carriers they choose. Joanne, the

owner of this toy shop, is not convinced. I still believe people

will still go towards the toys they want to get, which will be gender

specific. And Ray, looking for a toy aeroplane for his great`grandson, is

not worried about the gender politics of toys. It is a waste of

time. And I think that even at 18 months, he knows exactly what he

wants. He does not have to be guided, really. But here is

geneticist Theresa looking for something for her son. She is more

supportive. You can be attracted to certain sort of toys. We are looking

for super heroes because that is what my son is interested in at the

moment. But the pink Lego that they have at the moment, my daughter will

not touch. 354 million toys were sold last year and whether gender

specific or not, we spent nearly ?3 billion on them.

Time for sport now. And the team are out and about tonight. And with the

Winter Olympics about to get under way, how fitting that we found our

own Jeff Brown in an ice`rink. Jeff, what on earth are you doing there?

Yes, it is a very good question. You have the Winter Olympics, it is the

perfect setting. We are at the Billingham Forum Leisure Centre. It

is the 2013 BBC North East Sports Awards. We have athletes and

gymnasts won the Academy behind us entertaining the crowd. When the

presentation starts, it will be in the middle of the ice rink. The team

here, we are all very well wrapped up. I am wearing a vest. We have

been looking back at what was a terrific year of sport in the

north`east. Some fantastic performances and occasions. We even

found ourselves a new world champion. He is about to take part

in a prehistoric night`night in Tyneside.

Suited and booted. On the left, ex`Darlington roofer Stuie Hall, IBF

world bantamweight boxing champion since four days before Christmas. ``

take part in a historic site night in Tyneside. `` a historic fight

night. His opponent at the Newcastle Arena on March the 29th is the new

Commonwealth Champion Martin Ward, from West Rainton, near Durham. An

all North`East affair ` the first for a World boxing title.

The line`up for next month's Clash of the Clans includes an impressive

undercard, featuring two of the region's best known fighters,

Bradley Saunders from Sedgefield, and Birtley's Jon Lewis Dickinson.

But it's the top of the bill clash that's most exciting to the likes of

1989 world cruiserweight champion Glenn McCrory. Stuie Hall

Stuart Hall is the man who has swapped a wild party lifestyle in

Ibiza for a return to professional boxing. His opponent is seeking to

become the first world champ from it has been coming for a long, long

time. The fact that it is a world title fight makes it so much more

worth the wait. Mark Tulip, BBC Look North.

With me is a man who was once the region's only world boxing

champion. Did you ever think you would see the day went to

north`eastern fighters would fight for a world title? I did not. Dreams

have come true. Stuart Hall wins the world title, it has been 25 years. I

have always wished that someone would do it and I am glad that

Stewart did. Never in his first event it is even better, he is going

to fight a north`east boxer so north`east boxing is back in the big

time. It is great for the region. We are going to have a lot of local

boxers on. It is going to be a massive event. It is nearly 25 years

since you want your title. Where has the time gone? Exactly. We are still

alive. We have never changed. It is amazing that the north`east has had

to wait so long for another title. It is. There is always a wealth of

talent in the amateur boxing scene. Now we have got lots of hopes and

the promoters are coming here, the big guns, we have got good promoters

here as well and a good crop of good fighters. He has opened the gates

now, Stuart Hall. It is all going to change now. Boxing is going to be

here quite a bit and we are going to have a lot of champions. Thank you.

It is not just me here. With me now is the director of cricket. It has

been an amazing sporting year in the north`east. But in Durham

particularly and for you as well. Exactly. This time last year the

team was just about written off by all of the critics. We had lost a

few players. But the team excelled and came home fantastically well in

the championship. In fact, they could have won one or two other

trophies as well. They played well throughout the season. There was a

hiccup in the middle of the season. You are underplaying that a little

bit! You had a heart attack. Fantastic hospital people helped me

through it. And I was back in action to witness the last half of the

year. The boys really pleased for you as well. If that is the case,

thank you very much but they were brilliant. Lots of young cricketers

are moving their careers on and it is wonderful to see some people

representing England. That was what Durham County was all about to start

with. They are fulfilling their dream. I hope you have got your

thermals on. You will need it in there tonight. I won't tell you what

is underneath. There will be a full report on

tomorrow night's BBC Look North. And the late news as well. We will tell

you who has won the top award. That is the BBC North East Sports Awards.

Personality of the year. Those of you with a nervous

disposition might want to turn away now.

disposition might want It was a nice day for ducks. That is

the rain arriving for the big gathering later in the month. As

well as rain today, gusty winds. The gas came in the early hours of the

morning but through the afternoon exposed parts hit the low 50s,

inland it was a little bit lighter. Over the next few days, unsettled

weather, tomorrow is an improvement, bigger and brighter, more rain

spreading up from the south tomorrow night. Things dry up on Friday. It

is up and down. This is the low pressure system that brought us

today is wet and windy weather. There is Bill outbreaks of rain as

we head to this evening. The shoppers will become less widespread

overnight but they will not die away completely although there will be

some drier interludes at times. Temperatures will get down to four

or five Celsius. Those very strong just the southeasterly winds will

start to ease. Still a few showers around first thing tomorrow morning.

Especially in the Pennine areas, they will die away, some places will

have a drier picture for the afternoon, a few bright spells and

sunshine and Sunderland and Whitehaven as we head into the

afternoon, temperatures will peak at eight Celsius. With drier weather

and much lighter winds, it should feel a whole lot more pleasant

tomorrow but as I said, more rain on the way tomorrow night as this next

low comes in. That could eastwards through the course of Brady into the

weekend the lows just keep coming. Bringing bands of wet and windy

weather one after the other. If you are out and about over the next few

days, expect one or two early showers on Friday, it should dry up

through the day, more wet and windy weather on Saturday and the showers

are fewer and further between on Sunday. Breezy at times but the

winds are coming from south or westerly directions. Rain or showers

around in the north`east. Probably escaped the worst of the showers

east of the Pennines as the winds coming from a westerly direction for

a good part of the time. We will keep you bang up to date on the

local radio station. If you have got washing hanging about, it is good to

get it out now before the rain starts. Have a good evening.

NICK CLEGG: Are you in, or are you out?

That's the real question at stake at the European elections on May 2 nd.

even though that would wreck the recovery and destroy jobs.

The Conservatives are now openly flirting with exit,

and the Labour Party, well, they just don't have the courage

they wouldn't lift a finger to help keep Britain in the EU

So I'm asking you to vote for the Liberal Democrats,

in for the sake of British prosperity and jobs.

I'm in because we set the global standards

95% of everything we use, we eat we heat ourselves in, comes in by sea.