:00:00. > :00:00.Commons has been cleared of rape and other sex charges. Goodbye.
:00:00. > :00:23.Never giving up. The mother of Claudia Lawrence tells Look North
:00:24. > :00:29.her instincts say her daughter's still alive. I just have thhs gut
:00:30. > :00:35.feeling that I might be a grandmother. I just have.
:00:36. > :00:37.Has the Beacon lost its shine? A year after it opened, Redcar's
:00:38. > :00:41.newest attraction just isn't attracting businesses.
:00:42. > :00:44.And the railway line that rdfused to die. The story behind the c`mpaign
:00:45. > :00:47.to save the picturesque route between Carlisle and Settle.
:00:48. > :00:52.In sport, a Northumberland `mateur tees off at the US Masters hn
:00:53. > :00:56.Augusta. And the end of an era for a
:00:57. > :01:00.Newcastle fanzine. The beginning of a new one in the United boardroom.
:01:01. > :01:15.But is the manager already `t odds with the new MD?
:01:16. > :01:18.Companies in the North East have won the lion's share of the latdst
:01:19. > :01:22.pay`out from the government's Regional Growth Fund. ?57 mhllion
:01:23. > :01:26.has been promised to 11 companies or projects, the largest amount in any
:01:27. > :01:29.of the country's regions. The fund was set up to create jobs and
:01:30. > :01:35.encourage private investment. Our Business Correspondent reports.
:01:36. > :01:45.One of the latest recipients of government cash. ?5 million here
:01:46. > :01:51.will help to kick a ?30 million project for a new mirror all. 1 5
:01:52. > :01:59.jobs will be created. The effects will be felt all around this potash
:02:00. > :02:02.mine. I think this will be ` way to ensure our medium and long`term
:02:03. > :02:12.future. This is not just about our employees, it is about our
:02:13. > :02:24.suppliers, stationery, food for the canteen, everybody. Here, they were
:02:25. > :02:28.promised ?3.5 million. The deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats was
:02:29. > :02:32.basking in the largess of the regional growth fund. The l`rgest
:02:33. > :02:42.number of bids have been given to the north`east computer anywhere
:02:43. > :02:51.else in the UK. Ten organis`tions. ?57 million. This company h`s won
:02:52. > :02:56.cash in three rounds of bids. They say this is invaluable. Without the
:02:57. > :03:01.investment, this company wotld not have grown anywhere near as fast as
:03:02. > :03:12.it has. It has given us new opportunities. For companies that
:03:13. > :03:17.have missed out, the new ground will open for applications in thd summer.
:03:18. > :03:20.?57 million being given out is obviously good news, but thdre is
:03:21. > :03:27.some criticism of the Regional Growth Fund, isn't there?
:03:28. > :03:34.That's right. Labour has concerns about bureaucracy and delay in
:03:35. > :03:41.getting cash to companies. That latter problem, particularlx
:03:42. > :03:50.emphasised by the Labour MP for Hartlepool, is often discussed. It
:03:51. > :03:54.doesn't get the money into the north`east as quick as it should.
:03:55. > :03:59.Some firms have had to wait up to two years. One company had to wait
:04:00. > :04:04.so long that they said they didn't want the money. It is all vdry good
:04:05. > :04:09.to see this amounts to. It `s well, what of money is coming to the
:04:10. > :04:14.north`east, but the key trick is to make sure the process is streamlined
:04:15. > :04:21.and not bureaucratic. The money gets into the regions to create jobs as
:04:22. > :04:25.quickly as possible. Rather less partisan criticism has come from the
:04:26. > :04:29.National Audit Office. In Fdbruary, it found that over the 2.6 William
:04:30. > :04:36.pounds which has been alloc`ted since 2012, only ?492 million had
:04:37. > :04:40.found its way to companies or businesses. It also found that
:04:41. > :04:46.44,000 jobs had helped to bd created by this fund, but the cost of
:04:47. > :04:50.creating each of those individual jobs was ?37,400. Saw some trenchant
:04:51. > :05:12.criticism they are. `` so. The mother of the missing York chef,
:05:13. > :05:15.Claudia Lawrence, has told Look North she still believes her
:05:16. > :05:17.daughter is alive. Five years after Claudia disappeared, the recent
:05:18. > :05:20.Crimewatch appeal has resulted in several new lines of enquirx. And
:05:21. > :05:23.speaking to us exclusively, Joan Lawrence says she even belidves
:05:24. > :05:27.Claudia might have a child or children of her own.
:05:28. > :05:33.We have had an explanation `s to why there could be a cigarette hn this
:05:34. > :05:38.van. It is nearly a month shnce this appeal on Crimewatch. Joan Lawrence
:05:39. > :05:45.is still an just the awaiting news about Claudia Lawrence. Thex are
:05:46. > :05:48.following everything up unddr going through this with a fine tooth comb.
:05:49. > :05:54.I don't know if they have hdard about the DNA on the cigarette end.
:05:55. > :06:03.People have been brilliant coming for word. After five years, that is
:06:04. > :06:08.quite something. Joan has kdpt notes on her deepest thoughts which might
:06:09. > :06:12.be turned into a book to help others. I did start to take notes to
:06:13. > :06:17.do a book, but because you don't know what is happening and we got a
:06:18. > :06:23.new team, everything went to one side. If you were to write ` book,
:06:24. > :06:31.tell us some of the emotions and thoughts that would go into it. How
:06:32. > :06:39.do you explain being a mothdr in IT in this situation? How do you
:06:40. > :06:48.explain getting up in the morning and getting through the day? Just
:06:49. > :06:56.sitting there, it is very h`rd. But I will get there. It will bd purely
:06:57. > :07:04.from here. I can't describe it sometimes. I really want to help
:07:05. > :07:15.other mothers in my situation. In the first fortnight when yot get
:07:16. > :07:21.news like this, it is good to speak to people. After five years, do you
:07:22. > :07:28.have an instinct as to what has happened to her? Yes and no. I have
:07:29. > :07:31.an instinct that she is out there somewhere. Were missing somdthing so
:07:32. > :07:39.simple. That is why we are lissing an. Something that is probably so
:07:40. > :07:42.obvious that we bypassed it. I am not complaining about the police
:07:43. > :07:47.because it could happen to `nyone in this situation. I just have this gut
:07:48. > :07:57.feeling that I might be a grandmother. I just have.
:07:58. > :08:02.Work is underway to turn a 106`year`old Cumbrian reservoir back
:08:03. > :08:06.into a smaller, natural, tarn. Hayeswater ` high in the Lakeland
:08:07. > :08:10.Fells, near Patterdale ` hasn't been needed for drinking water shnce
:08:11. > :08:14.2005. Now its owner ` United Utilities ` is to lower the water
:08:15. > :08:17.level and remove its dam, to make it easier for wildlife to flourish
:08:18. > :08:21.there. There has been a fall in thd rate of
:08:22. > :08:24.teenage pregnancies in Northumberland. Girls under 18 now
:08:25. > :08:26.account for three in every hundred pregnancies in the county, `ccording
:08:27. > :08:30.to the Office of National Statistics. This is now below the
:08:31. > :08:36.national average, and down from about four in a hundred in 0998
:08:37. > :08:40.Public health bosses say it's thanks to better sex education in schools.
:08:41. > :08:43.It wasn't universally popul`r, but the idea of a vertical pier on
:08:44. > :08:51.Redcar seafront certainly c`ptured the imagination. Now it's the first
:08:52. > :08:56.anniversary of the ?1.6 million Redcar Beacon. In that time, the
:08:57. > :08:59.council says the 80 foot tower has welcomed almost 200,000 vishtors.
:09:00. > :09:03.But there has been criticisl that half of the shop units inside are
:09:04. > :09:09.empty. The helter`skelter like attraction
:09:10. > :09:19.has been part of the skylind in Redcar four one year. It is a love,
:09:20. > :09:24.hate thing. It is horrible. It needs to be knocked down. We have enjoyed
:09:25. > :09:29.an. It is the first time we have been out. I don't know, it hs just
:09:30. > :09:35.different. It is not what you would expect. I think it is a welcome
:09:36. > :09:39.addition to the seafront. Vhsitor numbers look impressive, but they
:09:40. > :09:45.include those who only came through the door to use the public toilets.
:09:46. > :09:49.So where are people spending their cash or just spending a penny? The
:09:50. > :09:55.attraction is free to enter. Inside, there is a cafe and views of
:09:56. > :09:59.the course. But business has been tough at the top. Half of the retail
:10:00. > :10:05.units are empty. This woman decided to move her jewellery busindss out
:10:06. > :10:10.of the building because of the lack of passing trade. She is about to
:10:11. > :10:14.open a new shop on Station Road in the town instead. I felt th`t the
:10:15. > :10:19.doors were locked on a regular basis through the week mainly so people
:10:20. > :10:24.weren't able to come in. Thdre were days through the week when nobody
:10:25. > :10:31.came in. It was only really at the weekends. And people would say that
:10:32. > :10:40.they had just accidentally found me. Has the big plan fallen short? She
:10:41. > :10:46.has moved out to the high Street and we would prefer people to bd in the
:10:47. > :10:53.high Street to be honest. Btt there are cheaper rates in the Be`con So
:10:54. > :10:59.people can come here initially and then move on to bigger and better
:11:00. > :11:06.premises. On the fourth floor, this woman says her business had been
:11:07. > :11:11.allowed to grow. I used to work from home. It was difficult to gdt the
:11:12. > :11:17.exposure that I would have liked for my work. For me, it has been
:11:18. > :11:28.positive. Love it or hate it, I hear on and everyone is still talking
:11:29. > :11:31.about the Redcar Beacon. A ?90 million out`of`town shopping
:11:32. > :11:35.centre opened in York this lorning. Shoppers queued to be among the
:11:36. > :11:42.first into John Lewis, which is one of three big stores at the heart of
:11:43. > :11:45.the Vangarde Centre at Monk's Cross. There's been controversy ovdr the
:11:46. > :11:49.location, with city centre shops fearing a loss of footfall. But the
:11:50. > :11:56.centre's brought hundreds of jobs ` and a new face to North Yorkshire.
:11:57. > :12:01.Good morning to you all! A last`minute pep talks for these new
:12:02. > :12:08.partners in John Lewis. The brand is celebrating its 150th birthday this
:12:09. > :12:13.year. Yorkshire had had onlx one store for decades. That explains the
:12:14. > :12:22.excitement and the queues hdre. Why has it taken so long? We have been
:12:23. > :12:27.trying for a long time to expand in Yorkshire. We started digging in
:12:28. > :12:35.Leeds on Monday. We are verx pleased with this store as well. Thd
:12:36. > :12:40.investment has been welcomed. The ?90 million site is also hole to two
:12:41. > :12:48.other large brands and will eventually be joined by a sports
:12:49. > :12:52.stadium. But many people sthll believe that shiny new shops with
:12:53. > :13:01.free parking outside the city centre can't help but pool trade from the
:13:02. > :13:05.town centre. It is simply about parking. We want to compete on a
:13:06. > :13:15.level training cash level playing field. And the High Street Cope Did
:13:16. > :13:22.York need more shops? Valid concerns, but no`one begrudges the
:13:23. > :13:26.jobs. It was like winning the lottery when I got the phond call.
:13:27. > :13:33.It was amazing. I was not expecting the call. When it happened, I
:13:34. > :13:39.screamed down the telephone. They knew I was excited about getting a
:13:40. > :13:48.job. I am really happy. If today is a barometer of the health of retail,
:13:49. > :13:52.it is set to fine. Coming up soon, another fans' mag
:13:53. > :13:55.bites the dust, as digital takes over from print. And strict new
:13:56. > :13:59.rules at a leading agriculttral show, to weed out competitors who've
:14:00. > :14:01.been going a step too far to improve the appearance of their dairy
:14:02. > :14:07.cattle. The weather summary for tomorrow has
:14:08. > :14:12.not been artificially enhanced in any shape or form! Join me later for
:14:13. > :14:14.the full forecast. 25 years ago this week, the
:14:15. > :14:23.breathtaking railway between Carlisle and Settle was savdd from
:14:24. > :14:26.closure. The line had been run down by British Rail for years, prompting
:14:27. > :14:29.an incredible campaign by an alliance of locals, rail enthusiasts
:14:30. > :14:32.and academics. It was a long and bitter battle, involving hate mail
:14:33. > :14:36.for some ` years of tireless toil for others ` and a maverick BR
:14:37. > :14:45.manager, who decided that instead of shutting the line, he would do all
:14:46. > :14:49.he could to keep it open. It is one of the most spect`cular
:14:50. > :14:54.sections of real way in the country. 72 miles of tracks snaking
:14:55. > :14:59.its way north through the Pdnnines to Carlisle. But in 1983, after
:15:00. > :15:05.years of neglect, British r`il announced it would cut its losses
:15:06. > :15:09.and close. From day one, I was determined to do my very best to
:15:10. > :15:16.ensure it was kept open if `t all possible. He was given six lonths to
:15:17. > :15:22.close the line. But he had ` reputation for being stubborn.
:15:23. > :15:26.Rather than closing it, she would do the opposite. Firstly, I trhed to
:15:27. > :15:34.introduce special ticket fares for excursions. I realised that we were
:15:35. > :15:40.increasing revenue and passdngers. From within, the closure programme
:15:41. > :15:45.was undermined. What kept it at bay for so long was the quality of the
:15:46. > :15:48.campaign, against all the odds. I thought it would be an extrdmely
:15:49. > :15:54.tough battle, but I didn't necessarily expect the outcome to be
:15:55. > :15:59.successful. Fortunately the real campaigners had such a firm belief
:16:00. > :16:04.in it that the were not going to let go until they got the victory they
:16:05. > :16:08.sought and deserved. The Carlisle to Settle wind is often fought of as
:16:09. > :16:16.one of the most spectacular in the country. But that is not down the
:16:17. > :16:24.reason why it captured the public imagination. The landscape hs so
:16:25. > :16:31.compelling. This line represented one of the great triumphs of
:16:32. > :16:35.Victorian engineering through this rural community. The protracted
:16:36. > :16:41.fight was not without its d`rker moments. Passions were such that
:16:42. > :16:51.some struggled to contain them. People felt very strongly. Some
:16:52. > :16:57.people felt excessively and over the top. I did get some threatening
:16:58. > :17:03.letters. Despite the pressure, the committee had to listen to both
:17:04. > :17:07.sides before making a judgelent When the report was done, the report
:17:08. > :17:17.found in favour of keeping the railway open. And that is what the
:17:18. > :17:20.minister acted on in the end. And saw a great victory was one.
:17:21. > :17:27.Humbling of corporate power by many small but determined voices. Then
:17:28. > :17:33.Transport Minister Michael Portillo confirmed in Parliament the line
:17:34. > :17:39.would stay open. The success was due to many factors. It was bec`use of
:17:40. > :17:43.the enormous number of people who supported keeping an open and
:17:44. > :17:49.support for the initiatives that were put on in our marketing sense.
:17:50. > :17:58.And it was due to the fighthng nature of the Transport Comlittee.
:17:59. > :18:05.Without Ron Cotton, I am not certain that it would have been successful.
:18:06. > :18:08.Tomorrow, many of those who were in the campaign will travel along the
:18:09. > :18:12.line to celebrate their achievements.
:18:13. > :18:16.And in tomorrow night's programme we board a special anniversary train on
:18:17. > :18:21.the famous line. Now, this sounds "udderly" `mazing.
:18:22. > :18:28.Organisers of the Great Yorkshire Show say stringent checks whll be in
:18:29. > :18:30.place to catch exhibitors who cheat. It follows concerns last ye`r that
:18:31. > :18:33.some competitors in the livdstock classes had tampered with their
:18:34. > :18:43.cows' udders to improve thehr appearance.
:18:44. > :18:47.Showing livestock is big business these days. At our country shows,
:18:48. > :18:53.there have been recent allegations of cheating and dirty tricks. At
:18:54. > :18:59.the Great Yorkshire Show last year, a small minority of competitors were
:19:00. > :19:09.accused of tampering with their cows' udders. Those in question have
:19:10. > :19:26.agreed to never compete agahn. In a statement, the show director said:
:19:27. > :19:32.I think there is only a minority of people that were doing this.
:19:33. > :19:45.Hopefully this will make other people not do it. Verse daily farmer
:19:46. > :19:57.near your house said there have been cases of gas and glued being used to
:19:58. > :20:01.get higher marks. His familx has been showing cattle for 50 xears.
:20:02. > :20:08.They say it is a painful process which needs to be stamped ott. We
:20:09. > :20:14.want it to be a level playing field. A good cow is a good code. On
:20:15. > :20:18.another day, she might not win. That is how it should be. Rather than
:20:19. > :20:37.somebody making that call something it is not. `` cattle. Organhsers say
:20:38. > :20:43.stringent checks will be in place to stamp out instances of anyone who
:20:44. > :20:46.might be tempted to cheat. One of the region's best known
:20:47. > :20:51.football fanzines has been published in print for the last time. The Mag
:20:52. > :20:54.will soon be missing from the Newcastle United match day
:20:55. > :20:57.experience, as well as from newsagents shelves. It will still
:20:58. > :21:01.have its own website, but the fanzine's co`founder admits it is
:21:02. > :21:04.the end of an era. And whild it might be the start of a new era in
:21:05. > :21:07.the United boardroom, is manager Alan Pardew already at odds with the
:21:08. > :21:14.new managing director? Issue 289 of The Mag. They didn t
:21:15. > :21:17.even call the debut edition Number one because they weren't sure
:21:18. > :21:29.whether there would be enough demand for a second. Distribution problems
:21:30. > :21:42.and changing technology. So the final print edition has been
:21:43. > :21:49.printed. It is difficult with the deadline. There was one isste every
:21:50. > :21:56.month and sometimes a big story would break the day after you had
:21:57. > :22:00.published the magazine. Deadline for the final issue came too soon for
:22:01. > :22:03.Newcastle's last match ` Saturday's 4`0 home defeat to Manchestdr United
:22:04. > :22:06.Or this week's big talking point: the promotion of Lee Charnldy to new
:22:07. > :22:10.managing director. In a statement Charnley said the club would
:22:11. > :22:14.continue to recruit just ond or two players a year. So does that put him
:22:15. > :22:16.at him at odds with the man`ger There is no conflict in terls of
:22:17. > :22:19.view of where we are going. The owner has set out the criteria for
:22:20. > :22:22.this club. We know what that is We have to bring in players we think
:22:23. > :22:28.will take us for word. People thought there would be a lot of
:22:29. > :22:33.changes at the start? We have to reflect on what happens to the
:22:34. > :22:40.squad. If two or three leavd, we need to replace them. It is
:22:41. > :22:45.important the squad is balanced and there is a certain level of quality
:22:46. > :22:58.that represents this football club. We need to add some quality to this
:22:59. > :23:04.group. We need a player of real quality. But one thing is for sure.
:23:05. > :23:07.He'll be without Remy again for Saturday's trip to Stoke, even
:23:08. > :23:09.though Newcastle's top scordr is now back in training.
:23:10. > :23:13.It's been almost two years since Darlington football club pl`yed its
:23:14. > :23:16.last game at the Arena. But today the Quakers have moved one step
:23:17. > :23:24.closer to returning to the town ?85,000 in funds has been r`ised by
:23:25. > :23:28.fans and local businesses. Some of that will be used to pay off club
:23:29. > :23:32.debts, but most will be used to try and make the move back home in a
:23:33. > :23:36.ground share with Darlington Rugby Club.
:23:37. > :23:42.It is absolutely huge what dveryone has done for us. The fan base has
:23:43. > :23:47.been fantastic. They have dtg deep. So of local businesses. We still
:23:48. > :23:53.have an element of fundraishng to go. Infrastructure work needs to be
:23:54. > :23:56.done. Without this ?85,000 being in the bank, there would have been more
:23:57. > :23:59.financial challenges ahead for the club. This gives us a fantastic
:24:00. > :24:06.opportunity to build on somdthing more solid.
:24:07. > :24:09.Northumberland golfer Garrick Porteous teed off at the US Masters
:24:10. > :24:12.in Augusta this afternoon. The 24`year`old Bamburgh Castle player
:24:13. > :24:15.who plays out of the Northulberland Golf Club in Gosforth, won the 013
:24:16. > :24:18.Amateur Championship to qualify for Augusta and will move into the
:24:19. > :24:25.professional ranks after thd tournament.
:24:26. > :24:29.At the moment, he is four over par after seven holes. Not doing too
:24:30. > :24:32.badly at all. And in speedway, Redcar Bears host
:24:33. > :24:36.local rivals Newcastle Diamonds tonight ` without the services of
:24:37. > :24:39.Richard Hall. He's been banned for 30 days after kicking Scunthorpe's
:24:40. > :24:42.Josh Auty, who was lying on the track after the pair came to grief.
:24:43. > :24:46.Hall ` who's from Northallerton in north Yorkshire ` lashed out after
:24:47. > :24:55.blaming Auty for the crash. He's since apologised.
:24:56. > :25:01.I was in my garden this aftdrnoon. It was roasting, briefly!
:25:02. > :25:08.We have had some decent weather today. That will continue. There was
:25:09. > :25:13.some sunshine at Durham Cathedral. The trees are coming to lifd.
:25:14. > :25:18.Tomorrow, I think there will be good spells of sunshine. A chillx start
:25:19. > :25:22.to the day. Most places will stay bone dry and there will be some good
:25:23. > :25:26.sunny spells. High`pressure is in charge at the moment. These weather
:25:27. > :25:29.fronts come around the high`pressure, increasing cloud
:25:30. > :25:34.amounts to produce some spots of rain. There are some isobars on the
:25:35. > :25:41.chart, so that will keep thhngs fairly breezy. There will bd a lot
:25:42. > :25:48.of dry weather to be had. This evening, one weather front loves to
:25:49. > :25:58.the South. Dry and clear for many of us overnight. Some missed and fog
:25:59. > :26:05.patches. It will be chilly. Rural temperatures cold enough for some
:26:06. > :26:12.frost. A chilly start tomorrow. But mostly fine and write a. I couldn't
:26:13. > :26:27.say that there won't be the odd passing shower. A decent enough
:26:28. > :26:34.afternoon. Fairly light westerly breezes. High`pressure keeps fairly
:26:35. > :26:39.brisk westerly wind over Culbria. That will feed in a fair amount of
:26:40. > :26:52.cloud. There will be some brighter spells. The north`east should see
:26:53. > :27:00.the cloud more broken. It whll never feel that warm. 12 or 13 degrees if
:27:01. > :27:04.you are lucky. Having said that there should be some dry we`ther to
:27:05. > :27:09.get out and about. Keeper April weather pictures coming in. Keep an
:27:10. > :27:17.eye on the website. Now for a last look at tonight's
:27:18. > :27:20.headlines: Cleared of rape, sexual ass`ult and
:27:21. > :27:24.indecent assault ` the formdr deputy speaker of the House of Comlons MP
:27:25. > :27:26.Nigel Evans, says he's been through hell.
:27:27. > :27:29.And a jobs boost is promised on Teesside and across the North East,
:27:30. > :27:32.as the government pledges ?47 million from the Regional Growth
:27:33. > :27:36.Fund to help lift the region's economy.
:27:37. > :27:46.We are back at 10:25pm. Enjoy your evening. Goodbye.