15/05/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

missing. That's all from the BBC News at Six - so it's goodbye from

Welcome to Look North. In the programme tonight...

An inquest opens into the three men who died.

The mother of Claudia runs speaks of her shock five years after her

disappearance. The strain is so difficult.

On`street parking charges are given the green light in Cumbria.

Traders fear it'll hit their businesses hard.

And two top national tourism awards

for Seahouses on the Northumberland coast.

But what's given the former fishing village the golden touch?

In sport, it's a family affair for Harper and Son

Durham Jets prepare to blast off in cricket's T20.

The inquest into the death of three men, who were trying to kayak

down the River Tyne, was opened and adjourned this morning and was

told all three were "relatively inexperienced" at the sport.

Two brothers and their cousin died as they tried to paddle through

Their bodies were recovered the next day.

Our Chief Reporter Chris Stewart has the story.

Three days after the emergency services

pulled the bodies of the men from the water,

and now the formal enquiry into their deaths begins.

Brothers Darren and Mark Thorpe were aged 41 and 39

and were from South Shields. They had gone on the kayaking trip

with their cousin, Gavin Bradley, 36, also from South Shields.

He is pictured here with his wife Louise and daughters Molly

and Gracie. The police say the men had planned to paddle

from Hexham to Wylam along waters swollen by heavy rain.

They were found on a stretch of the River Tyne

between Corbridge and Riding Mill.

The Coroners Court, here in North Shields, this

afternoon heard all three men had only recently taken up the sport.

The British Canoe Union says more than a million people take to

the water in canoes and kayaks in this country every year.

And while it might seem inevitable that this hearing will eventually

find that the men died as a result of an accident, that is not

The coroner will want to examine al the evidence to see

if there is something there which might just prevent similar

The full hearing is scheduled for July.

Joan Lawrence, the mother of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence,

has spoken of the emotional turmoil she's been thrown into

Police investigating the case have been continuing

their forensic examinations at two houses in York and North Shields.

Both properties are linked to 59`year`old Michael Snelling,

who was arrested on Tuesday and released on police bail last night.

Mrs Lawrence says the arrest came out of the blue

after five years of seemingly fruitless investigation.

The house remains the focus of police activity and searches today

three days after the arrest of a 59`year`old man on the suspicion of

murder. He has been released on conditional bail as enquiries

continue. The houses have a mile from Claudia Lawrence's home. She

disappeared without trace in March 2009. Her family have campaigned

tirelessly for the last five years to keep her disappearance in the

public eye. And hoping for a breakthrough in a case that seem to

have stalled. This morning, her mother said it has taken an

emotional toll. This is the first time there has been an arrest in

five years. This has come totally out of the blow. I had absolutely no

warning, not even an inkling, that this was going to happen. It was

like shell shock. And Tuesday morning, when the police walked in

and informed me quite early in the morning that this was going to take

place. I am glad they did in for me before it went out on the media. And

I could not believe it. While the arrest on Tuesday might feel like a

breakthrough, it is worth stressing no one has been charged and Mrs

Lawrence is wary of people jumping to conclusions. I just need to sit

and think about it, say my prayers and get through the rest of the

days. But at the bottom of all this, I am concerned about this person,

because this person might be totally innocent and I am concerned, both my

daughter and I are concerned that all this publicity, what Hammett

could do to another family. Meanwhile, North Yorkshire Police a

further arrest could be made as their enquiries progress.

The search for 19`year`old Luke Pearce is now entering

Luke went missing at the weekend after a night out in Durham.

He hasn't been seen since the early hours of Sunday morning, when he

left his friends after visiting the Jimmy Allen's nightclub.

He was last seen heading in the direction of Maiden Castle.

Depending on where you live, and on whether you drive, you either

Northumberland recently dropped its car park

But Cumbria County Council has just approved the introduction of charges

The council's cabinet has agreed to charges in the city of Carlisle,

and towns including Penrith, Workington, Whitehaven, Maryport,

It says the scheme should mean "a greater turnover of vehicles in

But traders are worried it'll drive shoppers away.

Spuds have been on the menu on this street corner in Penrith

But Tim is worried about plans to charge for parking on the road

Especially when half of his customers drive in from out

Those guys won't want to come into town and have to pay for

on street parking when they want to quickly nip in, get a potato

I think it will be a detrimental effect to my business and it will be

Finding a parking space in this busy market town can be

But at the moment, when you do, you simply stick your disc

What businesses are worried about is if people have to start to

pay to park to pop to the shops for a bite to eat or paper, they

The county council has decided to introduce parking charges to

cover cost of traffic wardens and painting yellow lines.

But district councils will be asked to help shape how it works.

It is important that we still retain some elements of free

Even if it is a shorter amount of time.

The ability to stop in a market town, pick something up

from the corner shop , newsagents, whatever, it is vital.

If we lose that altogether, then you are playing

into the hands of the bigger stores and supermarkets which all

You won't be able to take that choice away from people.

Not everything can be got in a supermarket.

You can't buy ranges of clothes or do business with

So I think this is not going to be a detrimental effect on business

I'd probably just go somewhere like Morrison's where I wouldn't

There's too many small shops going to the wall anyway.

But it would just cause a bit of an inconvenience.

The parking charges should be in place before Christmas.

Cumbria County Council's also approved plans

to spend more than ?7.5 million on LED lights,

which will reduce the council's energy bills.

For a trial period lights will be dimmed, or switched off,

Where ever we consider this, it will be first through public consultation

with residents, secondly impact assessments done, quality impact

assessments and rules safety assessments done. And we're it is

not advisable and not safe to do so, these measures will not be

introduced. Where are those are introduced, it will be a 12 month

period, with consultation with residents and would users on going.

`` and road users. They're regularly described

as tourism's Oscars and the small Northumberland village

of Seahouses has won two of them. The tourist body, Visit England,

judged a B and a holiday village there to be

the best of their kind in England. Our Business Correspondent,

Ian Reeve, is in Seahouses now. Those boards really reflect the

importance of tourism here. It has variously been things like tourism

and fishing port, but the pound helps keep things afloat. A tiny

village on the Northumberland coast. Boats, handmade, on the spot. This

is what used to happen on Seahouses, boat building, and tourism has taken

its place rather successfully. This B has been judged the best in

England and its high profile could strengthen yet more the local

tourist industry. There is a lot of seasonal part`time employment and we

are trying to grow that visitor economy so that visitors have

something to come and celebrate the whole year round. Incredibly, in the

same small village, this caravan park has also been called best in

its class, and this is a real economic driver. Various surveys

have been done suggesting there is in excess of ?3.5 million going into

the local economy as a result of tourism. As far as numbers that we

employ, it is in excess of 50 people in the height of season, nearly all

of those local people. Michael first worked on the holiday village site

as a 60 new gold. 26 years on, the transformation, with gymnasium and

swimming pool, she was how many more people are coming to Seahouses. ``

first worked on the site as a 16`year`old. The day`trippers you

would associate with the west of the country normally. The nature of

Seahouses tourism might be changing, bringing more affluent visitors,

chipping in more of the ?7.5 million that the wider county sees spent by

tourists every year. So tourism is big business, worth

?700 million, but could be worth more? It could, Northumberland

county council has a plan of that 700 million and wants to see 15%

more spent within the next five years, particularly targeting

Scandinavian and Baltic States tourists, but that is it from

Seahouses, I will now make my particular contribution to the

Northumberland economy, so back to you. Yes, we did spot that! Thank

you. Seahouses is doing well. Where are your favourite places in the

region? Tell us we are and why on our Facebook page. Coming up next,

could a resurgent Gateshead Football Club lead to greater things for the

town? And some light reading, the chance to see one of the big Bibles

written by one of giant scholars written in the eighth century. And

join me later for all the where the detail and a look ahead at the

weekend. `` all the weather detail. Less than three days to go now

until Gateshead Football Club's The first team squad boarded

the coach this morning at Ramside Hall near Durham, ahead of Sunday's

Conference Play`Off Final against For the players and fans, the prize

of a return to the Football League Promotion is actually reckoned to be

worth ?1 million a year to the club. But can the town of Gateshead

cash`in, if its team does make it to With tonight's Look North Report,

here's Andrew Hartley. Town in transition, destroying the

past and rebuilding. If that club returns to the football league, it

would send out a powerful message. Dates head means business. ``

Gateshead. I think it will help the area immensely.

One company is this shirt company, based here but trading around the

world. It is important that we as a local company in Gateshead sponsor

the football team and put something back into the community and it gives

a feel`good factor not only to us as a company but the area. The company

do not expect increased sales because their name is on the shop,

but the owner of this local pub says Gateshead's pub is making a

difference. When they play at home, as they have the last couple of

games, it attracts 8500 people and made a phenomenal difference to us.

There is an opportunity for the people of Gateshead to grab this and

bring new people to the town and see how great it is. Swansea made ?50

million as a city out of it coming up into the Premier League. It will

not be that for a Gateshead, but could be ?50,000, half a million, so

it is what Gateshead and the Northeast make of it. But if the

town is to turn more cash, the club needs more fans, but there is a

problem. And you get a sense appear what that problem is. Right on the

doorstep of the stadium are two massive Premier League sides. To the

east, Sunderland, about seven miles away the Stadium of Light. And

across the river, three miles away, Saint James is Park, home of

Newcastle United. Newcastle attracted an average of more than

50,000 to each league `` Matt, just under 42,004 Sunderland. And with

some league matches, watched by and 604 Gateshead. We would like to

double it. That is definitely possible. If we can attract 1500 `

2000 bands, that could make a difference. It could be an

alternative to Newcastle and Sunderland fans. There is an

opportunity to say to Newcastle and some Berlin `` Sunderland fans map

look at us. But they need to be smart with ticket pricing and in a

position where they can play at the different time to either or both of

those clubs. If the tone is going to score financially, it's football

club will have to demolish some old allegiances along the way.

And in tomorrow night's programme, we look back at the history of

Gateshead Football Club ahead of this big game at the weekend. And

the attendance figures. We have heard they have sold 7000 tickets

for Wembley. I thought it might be more. Possibly, but you can get more

tickets tomorrow and on Saturday, so they could have more than that.

Newcastle and Sunderland fans fancying a weekend away? Especially

Newcastle fans not having been to Wembley this season.

It's 15 years since Steve Harper played in goal for Newcastle in the

FA Cup final defeat by Manchester United at the old Wembley.

He's hoping to feature at the new stadium for current club

Hull City on Saturday when they take on favourites Arsenal.

But this isn't the only cup final playing on

Family and football are pretty closely entwined for Steve Harper.

You will find out in the next day or so whether he will be in goal for

Hull City or sitting on the bench at Wembley. But he has another big

game, the junior team he coaches at Newcastle School for boys, which

includes his older son James, has reached a final for ten to

12`year`olds, taking place at the training ground for Aston Villa, but

will there be a clash of dates? Fortunately, they are one week

apart. He is coming to watch our game. They will have to wait and see

selections, as would I. A double would be nice, but the important

thing for the lads is to go down and enjoy testing themselves on a

national level against similar schools. The family who cheered

Steve on at the Wembley semifinal will hope he does not lose his place

to Allan McGregor. Really nervous. I do not think I will be able to watch

the whole match without closing my eyes. And if it goes to penalties, I

might not watch. I did not see James playing in goal? He is a centre

forward, he has more sense, I told him there was no future in

goalkeeping. I am struggling to get my message through to my

three`year`old as well. Steve is not surprised his old boss held onto his

job, but there is work to be done. The football club know they need to

become active in the transfer market sooner rather than later. That will

go full to getting the fans back on board who are not happy.

And Dan Gosling is expected to leave Newcastle after four years on

Tyneside. He has been linked to a move to Bournemouth.

It's the start of cricket's T20 season tomorrow night.

The big hitting form of the game has a new sponsor, a new

Forget the Dynamos ` from now on it's the Jets and

they're hoping for a perfect take off against Worcestershire Rapids.

What do you think of the new name? It is all about entertainment,

ditching the dynamos, in favour of the Jets, linked to their sponsor

Emirates airlines, and embracing the new name. We used to call ourselves

the dominoes, to be honest, but we are the Jets now and hopefully that

sticks well. Fully, their new name might bring more success in a format

they have never fully mastered. `` late. How hard is it to move from

the four`day game to the fast and furious? It is a big shift, but we

are used to it now. One of the big skills as a cricketer has been

shifting from format to format. While this game comes too soon for

Ben Stokes, still recovering from a wrist injury, he is due to be back

in action for Saturday. I am delighted that Ben is back

practising, because he has been an eight bit in the dressing room while

we have been playing. He is probably one of the worst patients I have

ever come across, taking it out on everyone else.

And Yorkshire Vikings take on the current holders at Northamptonshire.

It was the second day of York's prestigious Dante festival,

one of the flagship meetings in the region's flat racing calendar.

The Grey Gatsby won the Dante Stakes, the feature race,

at 9`1, beating the odds`on favourite True Story into third.

For the first time since the original left South Tyneside as

a gift for the Pope in the eighth century, a copy of a bible written

by Bede in his Monkwearmouth`Jarrow Monastery can be seen in our region.

The only full`sized replica of Codex Amiateens is being unveiled at

Julie Smith has been for an early look.

The work and works of Bede for the first time back home, with this

replica. He created the original in 692 as a present for the Pope in

Italy. 260 pages showing of calligraphy and binding from the

period, a book used for celebration and once believed to be lost. It is

a good chance for all that want to study medieval times and

calligraphy, they can come here and learn. So it is a great event and

important. The original was Heinz at a monastery in Italy. `` the

original was housed. It is a place night went with South Shields. We

are working together to promote Cotterell links `` cultural links

and in courage to lose to the two areas. This is said to be one of the

biggest books in the world and each page measures 70 centimetres by 22,

twice the size of the lindens farm gospels. It is what we are about and

having it give us `` gives us that extra gravitas and meaning, so we

are thrilled. The book will be unveiled to the public this Sunday.

It looks fantastic, and so does the weather, I think?

Sunshine was in short supply, but Eason temperatures. Despite a lack

of sunshine, it was warm. `` decent temperatures. We start tonight with

this lovely shot from the Lake District of bluebells. Tomorrow

looks another nice day, repeat performance of today, less cloud,

fine and dry, more sunshine and maybe even warmer than today. The

cloud tried to break, not clearing to date, and still some bits and

pieces around into this evening, tending to break`up, most places

will dry through the night. With clear spells, there could be some

mist patches forming. Temperatures in towns" is. In the countryside,

lows of around seven or 8 degrees. `` temperatures in towns about 10

degrees. Any Apache Meston cloud lifting quickly tomorrow. Some then

and high cloud. `` any patchy cloud lifting quickly tomorrow.

Temperatures up on today, quite a range of temperatures, mid`teens,

other East, possibly 21 Celsius in places like Whitley Bay. High

pressure in charge of things tomorrow, hanging on for Saturday,

and probably keeping control for Sunday as well, but by Monday, this

weather front coming down and bringing cloud and rain. Cumbria

Lodz dry through Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Increasing cloud through

the second part of the weekend. All in all, a fairly quiet spell until

at least the beginning of next week. For the north`east, the cloud more

broken, sunny spells that bit longer, and the sun very strong.

Temperatures into the low 20s and a fair amount of sunshine, keep the

sun cream handy on Friday and Saturday, may be more cloud around

on Sunday, quite breezy but feeling quite pleasant. Keep your pictures

coming and keep up`to`date with the forecast on the three BBC weather

application and we will keep you up dated on local radio.

Thank you. Took off the winter covers this morning, finally! Nobody

likes changing the covers! It takes ages version! `` it takes ages! See

you tomorrow. Goodbye. at the European elections

on May the 22nd. even though that would wreck

the recovery and destroy jobs.