22/05/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

We are pleased the coroner's conclusion reflects the Army's

incompetence in not carrying out the correct procedures to ensure our

Dean's safety. A young father fights a Home Office

order to leave the UK. I might have to leave my kids. It is

heartbreaking. How patients ` with conditions made

worse by the cold ` And how group singalongs are helping

people with dementia deal with In sport, England's young

footballers win their European Championship with help from

a couple of north east players. And we meet the

North Yorkshire`based jockey who's beaten the odds to recover

from life`threatening injuries ` but First tonight,

a coroner has criticised the Ministry of Defence for

a series of failures that led to the Private Dean Hutchinson from

Spennymoor died in a fire which engulfed his tent as he slept at

Camp Bastion in Afghanistan in 2011. His family has also hit out `

accusing the army of incompetence. He was just 23. A driver with seven

years' service. Dean Hutchinson was killed when fire swept through a

logistical centre at Camp Bastion in Helmand province in the early hours

of fibrillar 40s, 2011. He and the victim, 28`year`old Private Rob

Wood, were sleeping in a tented office so they could respond more

quickly when supplies arrived. The inquest heard the fire started

because of an electrical fault. The two men were eventually were

identified by their dental records. After a ten day inquest the

Wiltshire and Swindon coroner recorded a narrative conclusion and

listed eight areas where he said the ministry of defence was guilty of

serious health and safety failures. David Ridley said the smoke detector

in the tent was not in working order at the time of the fire. He found

that the tent in which the men were sleeping only had one effected ``

effective exit. Dean was a soldier and we will always be immensely

proud of him and the fact he served his country. But we feel he should

never have lost his life in the way that he did out there in

Afghanistan. We are pleased that the coroner's conclusion reflects the

Army's incompetence in not carrying out the correct procedures to ensure

Dean's safety. Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of

Private Robert Wood and Private Dean Hutchinson at this difficult time.

Their loss continues to be felt within the regiments and within the

wider community. Both men were widely dedicated and professional

sand proud to serve their country. `` highly dedicated. The Ministry of

Defence has 56 days to respond to the coroner in writing.

He made a simple mistake on his visa application.

But it means Jason Nish is now facing deportation to his native

South Africa, even though he's lived here for the last ten years.

Jason ` a young father from Carlisle fears he'll have to leave

his partner and children behind with no guarantee that he'll

In his own words`words "heartbreaking"

Jason is now hoping an appeal against the decision

of the Home Office to deport him, will find in his favour.

Jason Nish has lived and worked in Carlisle for ten years

since arriving with his family ` some of whom are originally

But he made a simple mistake on his visa application.

I incorrectly ticked a box which was are you from a majority

I assumed I was, because I spoke English, went to school but it's not

Although English is his only language he's supposed to

For that he faces being taken back to a country he last saw

as a child and where he has no family or friends.

I have settled down, got a partner, hopefully one day get married.

I might have to leave the country, leave the kids.

There's no guarantee I'll be able to come back.

I was at work when I got a message off him, ring me.

I thought it was something with the children.

When he told me I could not believe it.

The couple must now rely on just one income, putting them

Technically if I was working I would be working here illegally.

They have helped us out so much with the situation, all the legal,

Since his plight became public, friends family

and even strangers have been rallying round, offering support.

It is not just the prospect of having his family forcibly

broken apart that annoys Jason and his partner, but the fact that

should his appeal fail he'll be sent back to a country he last saw 15

The couple are now hoping that the thousands of people who are

signing the petition to prevent his deportation will be successful.

Today is the deadline for Jason's appeal.

It will be six weeks before he finds out the answer.

Mark McAlindon is in our Carlisle newsroom. The Home Office deals with

these cases. If it is a mistake, what have they had to say about it?

I will explain, Jason Nish made this mistake because he grew up in Cape

Town as a child, went to an image speaking school and in the

Parliament of South Africa, English is the language used, which is why

he thought English was the language used. The Home Office says our

immigration rules clearly state that individuals applying for

indefinitely to remain, as Mr Nish is, who are not from

English`speaking countries, must provide evidence of having an

approved English language qualification. That, it says, is

fair to applicants and the wider public. Mr Nish's application was

refused, they say, because he failed to provide evidence he had passed a

language qualification. He has the right to appeal the decision. We

should know the outcome of the appeal in six weeks. Once we have

the news we will bring it to you. Thanks very much.

People across the north`east and Cumbria have been going to the polls

today, in the European elections and some councils have been holding

elections. Richard Moss joins us from one of those councils. .

Hello, this is the centre of Carlisle. Forthcoming attractions

include the Moscow Philemon Ekstrand medium. I have the hot ticket, which

is when votes are counted at 10pm for the Carlisle City Council

elections. Voting has been taking place across the region. Some hardy

souls braving the spring showers in North Tyneside, but also elections

for councils in South Lakeland, Newcastle and Gateshead and South

Tyneside, Sunderland, Hartlepool and in Harrogate in North Yorkshire. In

addition, the European elections have been taking place across the

region. Eight seats up for grabs in the north`west. Six in Yorkshire and

Humber. Three in the north`east. There is time to cast your vote.

Polls close at 10pm. If you are interested in the results, or you

cannot sleep, then there is an election results programme at

11:35pm. David Dimbleby with the team in London and I will be hearing

Carlisle, bringing you a regional perspective on the results and

picking them over with a panel politicians. Not every council is

counting this evening. Tomorrow, there will be counts in places like

Newcastle and Gateshead. The European count does not begin until

Sunday, when the poles have closed across the continent. `` the polls

have closed across the continent. You might expect your doctor to

prescribe you pills or potions, but what about a set of new windows, or

a boiler? Patients in Sunderland with conditions made worse by the

cold are being offered home improvements. All on the NHS. The

scheme is thought to be the first of its kind in Britain. Here is our

correspondent, Mark Denton. The Harris family from Sunderland,

both have severe chest conditions and when winter hits it makes

matters worse. I have an accumulation of illnesses. Even a

slight drop would mean I would have to put extra clothing on. But the

Harris family has a new boiler, windows and doors to help with their

health problems. Home improvements prescribed by the NHS. The health

service paid the bill. The housing company carried out the work. If we

are onto something here, imagine the difference that could make. People

are struggling with energy bills, finding it ethical. If we can prove

there is a link between health and warmer homes we can make a bigger

difference to a bigger group of people. The boiler switches off when

it gets to a certain heat, so you are not using electricity. I am

hoping that he doesn't have to go into hospital this Christmas because

once the bad weather starts he gets these infections, which goes

straight to his kidney. He is hospitalised. Here is the thing. The

fewer hospital visits that Herbie makes, the better for the NHS as

well because every single admission costs around ?2500, compared to a

one`off cost of putting in a new boiler and windows in a house like

this of ?5,000. It kind of makes sense intuitively that if you stop

people getting a bill there is less pressure on hospital services.

Haven't you opened the floodgates? Would you get people asking for

double garages, new wallpaper in their front room, on the NHS because

they say will improve their health? We need to evaluate this to

understand what we get out of it, but we need to have tight criteria.

We will make best use of taxpayers' money. The pilot project will be

assessed next year. It's `` if successful it could be a model for

the future. There are something

like 42,000 people with dementia That figure's predicted to rise

to more than 50,000 by 2021. There's no cure, of course,

but there are ways of delaying the onset ` and helping

those with the early stages of the disease to remain living

at home and lead fulfilling lives. Five months ago, the Alzheimer's

Society in South Tyneside Now they've taken these group

singalongs into one Here ` in their own words ` are

some of those taking part, on why # Bless them all, the long

and the short and the tall #. Music is a great therapy

for everybody in life. It's music they know

from their childhood, because people with memory loss

regress back to their childhood. So it is songs their mums would have

sung to them, or that they would We are all responding to music

in very different ways. Alzheimer's which lands

on you without any expectation, it We have struggled with it over

the last seven years. Events

like this are just really terrific. She seems to be enjoying life

a lot better now. It is helping with

the coordination and memory The campaign is don't bottle it up,

come and talk to us, go and talk to people if you are

worried about your memory. That's all you need

them to say to you. A lovely idea. Still to come,

Thursday's sport. Plus we meet youngsters from a school in

Newcastle who are getting the chance to perform Shakespeare in the West

End. Tomorrow is not the brightest of days, but it should pick up as we

had through the bank holiday weekend. I will be here later with

the full forecast. We have been telling you about this.

Pupils from a special School in Newcastle are to perform Shakespeare

in the West End. There will be representing the north`east onstage

alongside actress Jenny Agutter and King Lear star Simon Russell`Beale.

They are patrons of the Shakespeare Schools Festival. It gives young

people the chance to perform his works in professional theatres. His

art arts reporter, Sharuna Sagar. Midsummer nights dream as you've

never seen it before. These children from Hadrian School in Newcastle

have proved that severe learning difficulties are no barrier to the

Bard. What is the story of midsummer nights's dream? It is about falling

in love. Oh, and which part do you play? Puck. Are you like that

yourself? Yes, and I do fairy dancing. And you fight for the

Indian? You have learned your lines, haven't you? Yes. This is the first

time the special needs primary school has attempted so challenging.

We wanted to take on a dramatic piece, classical Shakespearian work,

and see if we could put our twist on it and give us and the children a

challenge. To concentrate for any length of time is hard for them. To

understand the nuances of the text, it is quite subtle, is a big ask. In

terms of getting them to rise to the challenge, they have done amazingly

well. They moved the audience to rise to their feet and applaud when

they first perform their interpretation at the Northern stage

as part of the Shakespeare Schools Festival last autumn. They have now

been chosen with four other schools out of 1000 across the country to

highlight the use charity's work. I was bowled away by what they were

able to do to an audience. Halfway through their show people started

giving a standing ovation because they absolutely understand the

Shakespeare play they are putting on and they perform it and to tell the

story with such imagination, such magic, such charm. They are

wonderful group of pupils and we are delighted to show Kate `` showcase

them as part of the gala. Their abridged version will open and close

on at the Lyric Theatre on London's Shaftesbury Avenue. A

once`in`a`lifetime chance for these young thespians to tread those

hallowed boards. Fantastic! Catch them while you can.

They were given their first big break on screen the teenage drama I

could rove, Ant and Dec went on to become television's high`flyers as

award`winning presenters. They received their latest gong at the

BAFTAs for Saturday night takeaway. They have revealed they once tried

to buy the building where Byker Grove was filmed. Their dream was to

turn it into a performing arts academy to help other youngsters

follow in their footsteps. Julie Smith reports.

Come out here, hang off `` hang around with children from the TV. It

is such a good night. It does not get better than this. The latest

triumph for high`flying have Ant and Dec. Ant and Dec's Saturday Night

Takeaway. In television careers spanning 25 years, they took away

two BAFTAs. Best entertainment programme and entertainment

performance for their show, Saturday Night Takeaway. We do it because we

love it. I am so chuffed that we have got it because everybody put so

much into it. A special night for a special friendship. Well done. We

did all right, didn't we? Thank you so much. Thank you. And that

friendship began here, on the set of the BBC children's drama Byker

Grove, in 1990, where they played the characters PJ and Duncan. This

is where the drama was filmed. Ant and Dec have just revealed that a

few years ago they tried to buy the building to turn into a performing

arts college. But their bid was rejected. We always think that if us

two can do it, two lads from the north`east, from Newcastle, then

there are lots more kids out there who can do it. We were very lucky.

We were given the opportunity at the age of 13. We had parts in Byker

Grove. It started is out. We came from very ordinary backgrounds here

in the north`east. We were not show business families. We were not into

all of that. But we got an opportunity. At some point we would

like to give the opportunity to other people in the north`east. If

we can do it, I am sure a lot of other people can as well. But it

could be awhile before the pair their ambition. We will have to do

it at a point where we can dedicate time to it. We could not do it now.

You want to give 100% to it and do it right. We will definitely keep

looking at the idea for the future. It is an ambition of hours, so watch

this space. Great guys, aren't they? Fantastic.

Let's hope they do it. Let's hope England win the World Cup! That is

probably a bit far`fetched! But good news for the youngsters.

Yes, they are leading the way. The future is looking bright for

England. A couple of young players from the north`east helped the under

17 to beat the Netherlands 4`1 on penalties to we `` to win the

European championship for the second time. Freddie Woodman, son of the

magpies' coach Andy, made a crucial save after the game went to

penalties. Cameron Cook calmly found the back of the net for England, and

did not miss a single penalty `` Callum Cooke. Perhaps the seniors

can take tips from them! Middlesbrough swimmer Aimee Willmott

captained team England to victory in the Battle of SwimBritain. It was a

friendly event against Scotland and team Wales. It included

Hartlepool's Jemma Lowe, head of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Both

Olympians, who normally compete for Team GB, are looking forward to the

summer. Obviously normally we do train

as a team and race together as Great Britain so at

the Commonwealth, we are separated. It's good to race each other

rather than with each other. It's good to start that early

and get the rivalry and I've got Welsh family to

so it's great to represent them once The athletes come together in the

village and stay in the same place. I got a bronze medal

at the last Commonwealth Games, so it will be nice to do it again,

maybe at the two events I'm doing. Good luck to them both. It is the

day he remembers absolutely nothing about. The day in July last year,

when jockey Ryan Toomey suffered life`threatening head injuries after

being thrown off his horse during a race in Scotland. Now ten months on

and after an amazing recovery against all the odds, he has `` he

is weeks away from finding out if he will be allowed to resume his jump

racing career. Mark Tulip has been to meet him. Irish jockey Brian

Toomey, based at Carlton`in`Cleveland near

Stokesley, spent six months in hospitals in Scotland and

Middlesbrough after the horrific fall, which he does occasionally

watch on his mobile phone. It was not expected to survive. Doctors and

surgeons did not think I will pull through. I have had friends who

after it happened, they said to me, it was no hope. I have survived it.

I am quite happy. It was good to firm ground in racing terms. I did

not break anything. My brain swelled up so much. They removed part of my

school to allow it to swell. I would prefer to have broken an arm, but

never mind! Brian cannot thank the medical teams, family, friends and

racing community enough for their support. Well`wishers included Sir

Alex Ferguson. This July, will the British horse racing Authority give

him his licence to race again? After a head or break injury you have to

find out after a year. I have 43 more days to find out. I will have

been to doctors and had MRI scans, my doctor and surgeon are confident

I can get back to it but unfortunately it is not the

decision. It has to be done through the racehorses authority. It will be

tricky. If you are jockey and win a race, it is unbelievable. It is some

feeling. There will be thousands of people watching, loads of people

wishing me well and congratulating you, it is a brilliant game to be

in. Brian, 25, has completed a host of courses in claims he can't resume

his career. He has even bought his own racehorse and would like to be a

trainer one day. What has he taken from this life changing experience?

Life has to go on. It makes me realise it does put things into

perspective. It made me realise what a good life I had and I did not

appreciated enough. It wakes you up a little bit.

All the best to Brian, let's hope he gets the news he wants. Cricket,

rain in the West Country was not enough to help Durham salvage a draw

from the County championship game against Somerset at Taunton. A

century from Marcus Trescothick helped the home side reached their

target with seven wickets to spare. There is rain everywhere, not just

the West Country. Temperature struggled. Low teens was

as much as most of us got temperature wise. Tomorrow, a

similar sort of day in some ways. It will be on the cool side thanks to a

north`easterly wind. A lot of cloud around. Some rain. It will be

intermittent, showery outbreaks for many others. Still some patchy rain

around as we head into this evening. Some heavy bursts for parts of North

Yorkshire. Largely speaking a cloudy, dry picture through the

night. Some more showers get their act together for North Yorkshire

later in the night. Temperature is no lower than seven Celsius. We keep

the North to north`easterly breeze. Tomorrow morning a fairly cloudy

start. Not too many breaks in the cloud tomorrow. Not much in the way

of brightness. Showery outbreaks of rain spreading through the day. Most

of us will see rain at times. The showers more frequent east of the

Pennines. Cumbria has the best of the dryer interludes. Even there,

not a lot in the way of brightness. You may hit 15 Celsius in Malton

tomorrow afternoon. For most places, a couple of degrees of that,

typically low teens because the wind again comes from the cool

north`easterly direction. This flabby area of low pressure to the

South dominates the weather as we head into the bank holiday weekend.

It starts to fill the low`pressure, as we head towards the bank holiday

Monday. Slowly improving picture as we had through Saturday, Sunday and

into bank holiday Monday itself. For Cumbria over the next few days,

Saturday, a fair amount of cloud. Showery outbreaks of rain. Sunday

will not be bone dry, but temperatures creeping up as we head

towards bank holiday Monday. We should have dryer, brighter

weather, albeit with the rest of the odd `` the risk of an odd shower.

For the north`east, similar. Cloud around on Saturday, rain at times.

Showers less frequent as we head into Sunday. Temperatures creeping

into the high teens as we head into the Bank Holiday itself. It should

be a bit drier. That is the way the weather is looking for the next few

days. We will keep you up`to`date on your BBC local radio station.

Thanks for watching. We have an election update at 10:25pm. If you

are in bed by then, we will see you at 6:30am tomorrow. Goodbye.

When the first travellers crossed America, they were faced with this -

from snow-capped mountains to arid plains and thick forests.

The very nature of the American personality was defined.

Ray Mears explores the land behind the Hollywood legend

and discovers the wild that made the west.