16/04/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Korean ferry capsized. That's all from

Their 40 residents will have to move. They already made their mind

up. They decided that the die was cast, as they call it.

Offshore ` just. The region's newest wind farm opens off the North East

coast. And food for thought. Breeding flies

on an industrial scale, to provide a greener feed for livestock.

In sport, Sunderland are re`united with their League Cup final

conquerors Manchester City for one of the toughest games of their

troubled season. And what will the revamped Super

League do for women's football, as our two clubs prepare to go head to

head? If you own a car, a camera or a

digital watch ` you'll have one. And the chances are you'll have quite a

few of them. Button batteries. But there's a warning today about just

how dangerous they can be to children. Once swallowed, they'll

send an electrical current that, believe it or not, is enough to burn

through a child's windpipe. The Royal Society for the Prevention of

Accidents says what happened to a little girl from Boldon Colliery, in

South Tyneside, shows quick medical help can be the difference between

life and death. Our Chief Reporter, Chris Stewart, has the story.

16 months old and lucky to be here. Amari, the latest toddler to fall

victim to a button battery. Taken from a childminder's house to South

Tyneside General, she was then collected by a specialist team of

medics and rushed to be operated on at Newcastle's Royal Infirmary. I

just thought the worst. I thought we were going to lose her or in fact

had lost her when I received the call. You go through so many

emotions. It is just panic, really. What Mum didn't initially realise

was that the battery had already started to cause damage and was

about to burn through Amari's gullet. It was when the specialist

team from the RVI came to collect Amari, that was when it was

mentioned, the fact that we have got to get a move on here. This button

battery to a child is like a sweet. They will see it and put it in their

mouth. The problem is that the size of a child's oesophagus is about the

size of my finger. So if she swallowed it, it would go in and

just get stuck. It is when the battery has stuck, that is when it

becomes dangerous. A current forms between the negative side of the

battery and the lining of the bowel, which will then form a hole in the

oesophagus if it is not got out in time. And that time limit can be as

little as one hour. I could not thank them more. They all acted

really quickly and she got the best care possible, obviously that is

shown here today. There are no official statistics on the number of

accidents caused by these batteries. Their use in key fobs, watches, even

greetings cards means there are countless millions in our homes and

every one can kill. There's been another fall in

unemployment in the North East and Cumbria. There were 10,000 fewer

people out of work in the North East in the last quarter. The figure now

stands at 124,000 ` but the jobless rate of 9.3% is still the highest in

the UK. In Cumbria there are now just over 6,500 claiming

job`seeker's allowance ` a drop year`on`year of more than 2,300. The

figures came as Employment Minister, Esther McVey, visited Newcastle to

meet some of those who've found work. And following her was our

Political Editor Richard Moss. Jamie Barker is one man who's left

the dole queue behind. A government`training scheme has

helped get a job in event management. Recently he's roadied

for Rihanna. So meeting a minister was probably no big deal to him `

but earning a living certainly is. When I get paid at the end of the

month, I pay my bills and I whole always have extra to go and spend on

my partner and my girls. It makes us feel more of a man. And the minister

believes the economic mood music in the north is becoming more positive.

What we are seeing now is that these trends are falling, they are

reaching to all parts of the country, falling unemployment,

long`term unemployment is coming down, youth unemployment is coming

down, so all of that has to be positive news. Next stop, a new city

centre restaurant to meet assistant host Laura. She's delighted to have

found work here. Critics have suggested too many of the North's

new jobs have been short`term and part`time. But could that be

changing too? Today's figures for the North East suggest that over the

last year there has been a 13% drop in the number of people in temporary

jobs. A 2% fall of those in part`time work. A 2% increase in the

people in full`time jobs. And a 5% increase in the number of people

employed in manufacturing. But Labour believe there's no cause for

big celebrations. We have had zero hours contracts they have tripled

under this government, more people still are in part`time work and

there was a year ago. Bearing in mind because we seen this morning,

that there is nearly 1 million people now on food banks, it is not

time to get the bunting out yet. And at this Newcastle jobs fair, there

are people who still feel left behind. 21`year`old Daniel is here

looking for his first jobs since leaving college last summer. It has

been quite difficult since I left college. Most places don't even get

back to you. It doesn't have that human element to it, it is just

machines. But while some are still searching, it does seem others in

the North are reaping the benefits of a growing economy. Richard joins

me now. Food banks were mentioned by Labour, and figures do suggest that

despite lower unemployment, more people are using them? We heard the

national figures. The north`east has seen the biggest rise in food bank

use in the country. One bank has jumped from 10,500 a few years ago

to almost 60,000 people using them in the last 12 months. Evidence that

although there are good growth figures, some people are being left

behind. Something is very wrong when you have that number of people who

are struggling to feed themselves and in many cases to feed their

families. We have to say that is not right. Something needs to be done

and we have to accept that this is not the sort of country in which we

want to live if that is the way things are good to be. To find out

who is using the food banks, we went to one in Durham. They have seen a

number double in the past year. We spoke to a user of the food bag for

the first time. I felt properly upset, to be honest. It is not

right. Shouldn't be doing it these days. I should have a full`time job

but I can't find one. I feel depressed, basically. We sold you

met the Employment Minister. Did she have anything to say about food

banks? They say increased publicity is part of the reason why there has

been a surge in interest in food banks. You have to be referred by a

GP or the Jobcentre. The minister said the rise of blood banks did not

start under the coalition. Food banks started in 2000, 2002, and

there was a tenfold increase by 2010. So we totally agree, it has

been a tough time for a lot of people for a long time. `` the rise

of food banks. And that is what you are seeing here. That we have slowly

turned around the country but it was a massive thing to do. Interesting.

Thank you very much for coming in. Councillors in Durham have been

accused of being puppets after deciding to close all their elderly

care homes in the county. The council says the homes in Belmont,

Ferryhill, Chester`Le`Street, Peterlee and Stanhope aren't value

for money. But protesters say moving elderly vulnerable people could kill

them. Our Political Correspondent Mark Denten is outside one of the

homes now. Yes, this is Newton house and I went down that drive there, at

the moment a council run care home. Residents range in age from their

70s right up until 100. All of them, everything one, will have to move

because the council is closing all five of its council run local

authority elderly people is care homes. Today was decision day. It

was an emotional one. People chained to railings, protest

banners, unusual scenes perhaps near the peace and quiet of a care home

but over the last few months, Durham council's proposal to close its five

remaining elderly care homes has created campaigners that of unlikely

people. Today, this man and his 83 dear old dad are two of them.

Donald, a teacher for 20 years, about his year whether his former

employers are now closing the care home. I worked for this county. And

the payback is what is happening. You have had it. He has done all of

that service for the County Council. No luck this time when he needs that

bit of support, it is going to be pulled out from under his feet, the

cockpit. Intake this building, councillors spoke of sleepless

nights, of the need to save money, of an emotional decision. Just after

1120 comedy made the decision to shut all the homes, hopes a reprieve

of last. When we make our priorities, surely we should think

about people who have worked and put into the community all of their

lives. And are now just needing a little bit of help. We have lost

that today. The already made their end. And if they did. The die was

cast, and they call it. Wail today's decision means all five of the

councils are remaining elderly people's care homes will close,

there is most concerned here in Weardale, worries that closing the

council's oh down there in stand`up will lead this rural area even more

isolated. I would accuse the Labour councillors of being puppets to the

chief officers because they make the decisions recommended by officers.

In an X number of weeks, somebody will die in there because of this.

`` in the next number of weeks. Other jobs have gone as well. It is

a sad day. As you may have seen on that piece, this woman chained

herself to the railings behind us. You campaigned against the closure

of this particular care home. How right you feeling? I share the

feelings of the whole community. It is a sad and disappointing day. What

can you do about it? There is nothing more we could have done.

There is a real sense of feeling let down by the council. This community

relies upon this homes year. It is a vital part of this community. It is

so isolated here and the questions that have been asked and answered by

the community, it feels as if it has not really been taken seriously. I

actually think it is wrong that every home has been closed. Thank

you very much for that. Let's get a response from the County Council,

the leader of the council is this man. The financial position, as we

know, is very difficult for local authorities, it continues to be

difficult. We have had to make ?130 million of savings, another ?90

million is to come so we are having to make decisions that we don't want

to meet. And one of these is, unfortunately, the decision we have

had to make to close all of our remaining in`house County Council

run residential long`term care homes. You had a three`month

consultation and the clear message coming out of that consultation was

particularly for one of the homes, the one in Stanhope, do not close

it. Why have a consultation and then ignore it? It is not unusual for

consultations to come back with response ECM, please don't close

this facility and we have had a lot of experience that in recent years.

Clearly nobody wanted facility that they used to be closed and that is

very understandable. But unfortunately, the position we are

in is that the council moving forward will be smaller. There will

be less buildings, not just in terms of residential care homes but all of

our facility. Did a decision leaves Durham with no

council run care homes, there are none in Middlesbrough and Newcastle

either. Cumbria council tell us they still have 29 but they are the

exception rather than the rule. Thank you.

Teesside's offshore wind farm was officially opened today. Off the

coast at Redcar, it's claimed the scheme will be able to generate

enough energy to heat and light 40,000 homes for a year. It's our

third offshore wind development, joining the large`scale Robin Rigg

farm in the Solway, and the more modest turbines at Blyth in

Northumberland. Our Business Correspondent, Ian Reeve, reports

from Redcar. The North East's first large`scale

offshore wind farm. 27 turbines that have taken more than a decade of

planning and wrangling to become operational. Of course, they are

undoubtedly impressive as they would be at 80 metres tall. But there is

still a nagging question. Does it matter that the wind farm is

French`owned and operated, and that the turbines are built by Siemens of

Germany and a Dutch company? On dry land, the Energy Minister,

officially opening the wind farm, said not. A lot of the jobs are

here. There are jobs in assembling them, installing the turbines, in

servicing the turbines, the maintenance. There is plenty of work

for wind farms like this. So what about how they look? Harry and Tommy

watched daily as the turbines went up, changing the view from Redcar

forever. I think they are great. It is the difference between a blackout

and electricity. One thing in particular, it is clean. I think

they are better out there than being on land. On land, they are an

eyesore. It must be, for people who live in the area, the noise and the

fact that they are there, it must be disturbing. But when they are out at

sea, I don't think people take a lot of notice when they have been there

a while. That is just as well. Government policy now encourages

offshore schemes more than onshore ones, cutting subsidies to the

latter. That policy, says the government, pays offshore companies

?155 per megawatt hour. A megawatt hour equals roughly the amount of

electricity used by 330 homes during one hour. The money paid is way

above the market rate. And we all pay for it through a levy in our

energy bills. above the market rate. And we all

pay But it's meant to encourage investment and see renewable energy

targets met. The Government is doing the right thing to encourage

investment. In a way which, at the end, delivers secure, clean and

affordable energy. Redcar will now play its party in the energy mix `

supplying, it's claimed, the annual need of 40,000 homes.

Apologies in advance for this one. Most of us think flies are nothing

more than a nuisance. But in North Yorkshire, millions are being bred

deliberately. Because researchers say fly maggots can be turned into

highly`nutritious food for livestock. Phil Connell has

tonight's Look North Report. And if you don't like maggots, well, you've

been warned. It is the kind of job that requires

a strong constitution and a poor sense of smell. In this farmer is

shared, millions of flies are being specially bred. And all in the name

of science. On the outskirts of York, at the food and environment

research agency, scientists have discovered hidden qualities to these

normally annoying pests. How long have these been in for? As part of

the research project, they are turning their maggots produced by

flies into high`protein food for pigs and chickens. When you look at

animal feed currently, we are using a lot of lamb to produce soya and

fishmeal, which is not as sustainable as we would like it to

be. The potential, I believe, for exploiting flies, as I say, normally

considered a pest, for the benefit of society is huge. Inside, it is

estimated there are 2 million flies. Each one laying hundreds of eggs. It

is not the kind of place you want to spend a lot of time but if this

project does take off, fly farms like this could spring up all over

the country. The maggots laid by flies are dried in machines before

being ground into animal feed. It is a process that takes around five

days. At the moment, most pig farmers rely on soya to feed their

stock. It can take up to three months to grow. It is imported and

expensive. Researchers say flies could save the industry millions of

pounds. Maggots are even being converted into diesel. They could

help develop a new industry in the UK. Not only can we extract protein

or use insect meal in animal feed, there are other potential uses. In

countries like China, maggots are widely used to feed livestock, in

Britain, their use in animal feed is presently banned under European

regulations. At the laboratory 's new York, the regulations are being

looked at and with tests being carried out to check the long`term

safety of maggots, entering the food chain. Animal feed regulation is

stricter than food. It is imperative that we carry out a lot of

analytical techniques to be able to cover the amount of contaminants

that could end up in the final product. This is our number one aim,

to make sure that it is safe for the consumer. Is said the state could

take several years to establish the importance of flies and maggots

belay. The annoying pests with emerging qualities that could change

the way we live. It is safe to watch again now.

Now here's one for the Crimestoppers files. A mystery car vandal in the

Cumbrian town of Brampton has been captured ` on camera. For more than

six months, some residents have been plagued by punctures to their car

tyres. So they resorted to rigging up a CCTV system, which revealed the

culprit ` Jess, a border collie with a serious attitude to tyres. Her

owner's promised to keep her away from cars in future. Must have been

barking! Sorry. Bookmakers across the country have

slashed the odds on Gus Poyet leaving Sunderland before the end of

the season ` that's despite newspaper reports that the

Uruguayan's said he won't quit. Sounds like there are issues to sort

out with the club's American owner, Ellis Short. All this ahead of one

of their toughest games of the season.

It is hard to believe just how far Sunderland have fallen since the

match Manchester City for long periods of the classic Capital One

Cup final. Even the boss can't quite explain why this season's been one

of massive highs ` and depressing lows. It is incredible. I think that

in a season that looks very dark, we had great moments, we had miserable

days. We go to a final, we had a dream for 45 minutes. There is

plenty of things that were magnificent. There is still

something in there that is not working. It is too heavy to be taken

away that we have been carrying the whole season. Seven red cards and

just as many own goals haven't helped, of course. And it's hard to

shake the impression that some players have given up since that

Wembley disappointment. There is so many things that happened during the

season, it is scary. There is something wrong. The only thing we

can do is to keep being professional, working hard, giving

your maximum. The fans deserve that. Trying to go to the end.

Unfortunately, there are three teams that will go down. They will be the

worst three. Last night, a goalless draw at

promotion rivals Braintree kept Gateshead in the Conference play`off

positions. Tomorrow evening, a new era in women's football gets under

way for our leading clubs. Highly`rated Sunderland travel to

New Ferens Park to take on Durham Women in the second division of the

re`vamped Super League. It's a big occasion for the newly`formed home

side. There is two clubs in the region. Two clubs playing at the

highest level and I think that is great for young players and for

girls and women who want to get involved in the game and who may

have went down south to play down there. They can now stay up here and

we can really raise the profile of the game.

On to cricket, and Durham are hoping to complete the signing of the Sri

Lankan wicket`keeper/batsman, Kumar Sangakkarra. The 36`year`old

recently helped his country win the World 20`20 title. The champions

came close to opening their campaign with a win, they were denied by

Northamptonshire's last wicket. And in a high`scoring encounter at

Taunton, Yorkshire's game with Somerset ended in a draw.

There's another big date to look out for, on the region's speedway

calendar ` Berwick Bandits will host one of the qualifying rounds for

next year's world Grand Prix. The sport's governing body asked the

Shielfield Park track to step in, after problems with the Austrian

round of the tournament ` so the meeting's been switched to Berwick,

on the evening of Saturday, June the 7th. By which time the weather will

be better. This time last year, spring hadn't

arrived and parts of Cumbria were still struggling with snow. It was a

difficult time for the tourism industry, which is worth more than

two billion pounds a year to the County. Twelve months on, spring has

sprung ` and there's optimism that the fine weather will help pull in

plenty of visitors. Adam Powell reports.

As indicators go, the sign on the window of this Keswick guesthouse is

a positive one. Like last year, all five rooms here are full this Easter

but this time, the inquiries are up. Martin and Julie Lancaster opened

their guesthouse 14 years ago. They are optimistic 2014 is shaping up to

be a good year. The last few years have been...ve suffered a little

from the downturn in the economy. `` have suffered a little. But Easter

has come a little later this year. The weather is looking good. And I

am very hopeful of a good season. Tourism is Cumbria's third biggest

industry, with 38 million people coming to Cumbria in 2012,

generating ?2.1 billion. We have got good strong advance bookings,

businesses are feeling confident and we are expecting a lot of visitors.

A year ago, parts of Cumbria were in the icy grips of distinctly wintry

weather. What a difference 12 months makes. The sun is out, and so too

are the crowds. I got sun a little bit so it has been wonderful. The

weather is exceptionally good. We come here quite a lot. We got

engaged here. The family has been coming for a long time, it is a

lovely place. It is beautiful when the sun is out. Lots of things to do

whether you are climbing a mountain or in a cafe having some nice coffee

and scones. Anyone who is familiar with Cumbria knows that the weather

can be changeable to say the least. Tourism bosses say that good weather

certainly helps attract visitors, but so too does the county's

undeniable charms. And from there we move seamlessly

onto the weather forecast. And from there we move

There will be some fine weather in Cumbria in the next few days.

Tomorrow we are expecting it to be cooler and cloudier than today, a

change in the weather just for the day. Through this evening, things

stay dry and fine at first but an increasing amount of cloud in the

north and west. Through the early hours of the morning, rain spreading

across our map. It is my other than last night, delete that blanket rain

temperatures probably know Laura than around six or eight Celsius. A

mild start to your morning tomorrow but it is a gloomy one. Further

outbreaks of patchy late rain and everywhere stays pretty overcast

into the afternoon. Let's see how your Thursday afternoon looks. It is

mostly dry across North Yorkshire but only very limited breaks in any

cloud, temperatures generally no higher than around 12 or 13 Celsius,

so down on today when we reached 16. In the West, one or two showers

behind that main band of rain across Cumbria and colour of your, brisk

westerly winds as well over 20 miles per hour in places. That is how

tomorrow looks. Let us look further forward. The big picture, high

pressure will start to dominate again and it reasserts itself over

the long bank holiday weekend. Good news for Good Friday and into holy

Saturday as well. By the time we get to Easter day, he weather system

down to the south`east threatens to bring rain across the North East

Wales Cumbria is likely to stay dry. Look at this. Here is Friday and

Saturday in Cumbria. Here is how it looks in the north`east. Bright blue

skies for the start of Easter. Thank you very much. Tomorrow we are

live from South Shields. Hope you can join us. Goodbye.