:00:00. > :00:00.Hello and welcome to Friday's Look North.
:00:00. > :00:08.I thought I was going to did. A school bus driver re`lives
:00:09. > :00:24.I was trapped in the cab had nowhere to go.
:00:25. > :00:27.Six months on from the devastating floods on Teesside, why somd are
:00:28. > :00:30.What now for the North East Ambulance Servicd?
:00:31. > :00:33.Your reaction and the response from the authorities followhng
:00:34. > :00:38.our week`long investigation into what's gone wrong.
:00:39. > :00:44.A couple tie the knot on thd stage of Newcastle's Theatre Royal.
:00:45. > :00:48.In sport, Newcastle United lake their first signing of the summer.
:00:49. > :00:51.And the fight hasn't started but they're already having to be
:00:52. > :00:54.kept apart `we look ahead to tomorrow's World Bantamweight title
:00:55. > :01:11.fight between Darlington's Stuart Hall and Merseyside's Paul Butler.
:01:12. > :01:15.It was the moment he thought he was going to die. Paul Stephenson, the
:01:16. > :01:18.double`decker driver left trapped in the wreckage of the Stanley
:01:19. > :01:22.school bus crash, has been re`living what happened for Look North.
:01:23. > :01:24.Paul, who's 54, is just out of hospital.
:01:25. > :01:28.He's been praised for putting the safety of his passengers first,
:01:29. > :01:32.even though he was inches from being killed in Tuesday's crash
:01:33. > :01:36.Paul's been talking to our Chief Reporter Chris Stewart.
:01:37. > :01:40.I've got a big cut on my right knee because I had
:01:41. > :01:48.I've got fracture ribs, grazes on my hands and elbows.
:01:49. > :01:52.On the top of my head, I've got stitches where a big gash w`s.
:01:53. > :01:56.And it could, perhaps should, have been much worse.
:01:57. > :02:02.I thought, I'm lucky to be `live, basically.
:02:03. > :02:06.I shouted out to the kids, we're going to hit something,
:02:07. > :02:11.The bus was coming through the screen, everything shattered,
:02:12. > :02:17.I was leaning back, but obvhously I was trapped in the cab.
:02:18. > :02:25.Then it stopped and it was, like, six inches off my face,
:02:26. > :02:34.Then there was an eerie sildnce and the kids just went, "Aaaaaa`argh!"
:02:35. > :02:39.They all came rushing to thd front, but they couldn't get off
:02:40. > :02:43.the front, so I had to tell them, you need to go up the back of the
:02:44. > :02:48.bus and get off the back of the bus as quickly and safely as yot can.
:02:49. > :02:52.I was covered in blood becatse of the cut on my head.
:02:53. > :02:58.And this young lassie came `nd looked at me and she just started
:02:59. > :03:08.The first night I was in thd hospital I had the vision of the bus
:03:09. > :03:16.You've got to think positivd about things.
:03:17. > :03:19.And odd twist is that the children on your bus were
:03:20. > :03:22.from St Bede's of Lanchester, which is your old school.
:03:23. > :03:32.30 victims altogether and a 12`year`old boy still in hospital.
:03:33. > :03:36.The invistagation by Durham police into just what went
:03:37. > :03:49.Two people were treated in hospital after
:03:50. > :03:54.It happened at a recycling plant on McMullen Road.
:03:55. > :03:57.They went to the town's Memorial Hospital suffering skin irrhtation
:03:58. > :04:03.The hospital was closed to `ll but emergency cases while
:04:04. > :04:08.It's thought they'd spilt the substance on themselves.
:04:09. > :04:14.The injuries were not seriots and the hospital has now reopened.
:04:15. > :04:17.It was the highest tide Teesside had seen in 150 years
:04:18. > :04:23.Six months ago today the cldar up operation was beginning in Port
:04:24. > :04:26.Clarence after hundreds of people were forced to leave their homes.
:04:27. > :04:28.The Environment Agency is now working on
:04:29. > :04:31.a ?9 million flood defence scheme for the area and 50 residents
:04:32. > :04:34.and businesses are being helped to apply for government grants.
:04:35. > :04:41.This was Port Clarence last December.
:04:42. > :04:44.Record flooding, hundreds forced to leave their homes.
:04:45. > :04:55.It's awful living like this. The smell is disgusting. It's not nice.
:04:56. > :04:57.I feel like crying. Stephen showed up
:04:58. > :05:08.his mums shaking floor. You walking across and it lhterally
:05:09. > :05:11.just rakes. You fall through. It leaves holes in the carpet.
:05:12. > :05:14.We spoke to Billy six months ago as he trudged back to
:05:15. > :05:19.Today his property and garddns have been repaired, but he's now nervous
:05:20. > :05:23.when he hears there's going to be a another high tide.
:05:24. > :05:33.You just keep praying and hope it's going to hold. You think I couldn't
:05:34. > :05:37.do that again. Around 50 families and businesses
:05:38. > :05:40.are now being helped to apply for a ?5,000 government grant to
:05:41. > :05:57.protect them from future flooding. People expert Mary and sing some
:05:58. > :06:11.types of flooding might not be able to claim. It is very restricted
:06:12. > :06:16.Work is expected to start ndxt March. Some here are sceptical. They
:06:17. > :06:21.say they have heard of thesd promises before and nothing has
:06:22. > :06:23.happened. They say they'll only believe it's going to happen when
:06:24. > :06:36.work on the scheme actually starts. All this week we've brought you
:06:37. > :06:39.a series of exclusive reports on the problems facing the
:06:40. > :06:41.North East Ambulance Servicd. Tonight, the reaction from xou and
:06:42. > :06:44.the response from the authorities. The service maintains it's
:06:45. > :06:47.the country's quickest at rdaching life`threatened patients,
:06:48. > :06:49.but we've learnt that thous`nds We've heard a call for help
:06:50. > :06:53.from the head of the servicd, who fears patients will continue to
:06:54. > :06:57.wait unless he gets more cash. Tonight, the Government responds `
:06:58. > :06:59.not with money ` but a warning that patients have
:07:00. > :07:02.a right to urgent care. And we reveal that the trust's risk
:07:03. > :07:06.rating, which determines how well it Our health reporter,
:07:07. > :07:09.Sharon Barbour joins me now. We heard from patients waithng hours
:07:10. > :07:14.for an ambulance, one woman with a broken hip and a man recovering
:07:15. > :07:17.from major heart surgery who woke We saw the pressure
:07:18. > :07:22.on the paramedics as we joined them And the stress in the control room
:07:23. > :07:27.where staff answer around 1,700 999 calls a day, and often don't
:07:28. > :07:32.have any ambulances to send. And we learned how busy par`medics
:07:33. > :07:37.and their patients can be stuck for hours at A departments, unable to
:07:38. > :07:41.transfer them into hospital beds. What kind of feedback have xou
:07:42. > :07:54.been getting from viewers? We have had an amazing response on
:07:55. > :08:37.Facebook. Here are some of the examples.
:08:38. > :08:41.The two`year`old Mark is referring to here is his daughter Kayd.
:08:42. > :08:47.He says they waited 35 minutes for a rapid response vehicld
:08:48. > :08:56.My father waited until they?d got to the RVI to ring me.
:08:57. > :08:59.Obviously, because of the uncertainty, he wantdd to
:09:00. > :09:02.know what was happening first rather than panic us when we were `way
:09:03. > :09:06.When he told me how long it took even for a rapid response p`ramedic
:09:07. > :09:15.Having had medical training myself I know that on a call that thdy class
:09:16. > :09:19.as a red call, be it red ond or red two, they have eight minutes to
:09:20. > :09:24.respond and 50 minutes is a long way off and eight`minute response time,
:09:25. > :09:30.especially when it?s a two`year`old child not brdathing.
:09:31. > :09:33.The North East Ambulance Service has told us that overall,
:09:34. > :09:36.it has the best response tiles in England when it comes to re`ching
:09:37. > :09:43.What's been the response from the authorities,
:09:44. > :09:46.The health watchdog, The Care Quality Commission says:
:09:47. > :09:49."All registered providers h`ve a responsibility to make sure they are
:09:50. > :09:52.meeting essential standards of quality and safety.
:09:53. > :09:53.It is important that hospit`ls, commissioners
:09:54. > :10:09.and ambulance services work together to reduce turnaround times
:10:10. > :10:14.We need to hear where they stand on this.
:10:15. > :10:17.Well we've been knocking on the door of number 10 Downing Street.
:10:18. > :10:20.We asked to speak to the Prime Minister himself
:10:21. > :10:22.because we know he has promhsed to look into response times.
:10:23. > :10:25.He wasn't available, so then we asked to speak to
:10:26. > :10:31.In fact, no health ministers could talk to Look North.
:10:32. > :10:35.So we were given a statement by the Department of Health
:10:36. > :10:38.which said patients have a right to high quality care and they dxpect
:10:39. > :10:43.They said decisions about albulance services are a local matter and they
:10:44. > :11:00.expect them to work with thdir local Clinical Commissioning Groups.
:11:01. > :11:03.The Department of Health also told us that the health service regulator
:11:04. > :11:06.Monitor is reviewing the service's risk rating ` how it?s
:11:07. > :11:10.managed ` and they will work with it to resolve the concerns raised
:11:11. > :11:21.What next for the North East Ambulance Servicd?
:11:22. > :11:24.This week has shown us the devastating impact delaxed
:11:25. > :11:30.As are the serious delays and diversions from busy Accident
:11:31. > :11:33.and Emergency departments, which means paramedics can't respond
:11:34. > :11:39.The boss of the worst offending hosphtal came
:11:40. > :11:43.into the studio last night `nd promised action, but the ambulance
:11:44. > :11:46.service's own call for help appears to be being answered with more
:11:47. > :11:52.scrutiny rather than the money it seems to so desperately need.
:11:53. > :11:59.Thank you, Sharon, for your reports this week.
:12:00. > :12:02.We'll keep you up to date whth any developments with this story.
:12:03. > :12:06.And you can catch up with Sharon's reports online on the BBC Txne
:12:07. > :12:10.And the problems of the North East Ambulance Service will be dhscussed
:12:11. > :12:22.That's on Sunday morning from 11.00am here on BBC Ond.
:12:23. > :12:24.As the D`Day commemorations continue,
:12:25. > :12:28.it's perhaps a good time to remind ourselves that the only soldier to
:12:29. > :12:32.be awarded the Victoria Cross on that day came from Middlesbrough.
:12:33. > :12:35.Company Sergeant Major Stan Hollis of the Green Howards is a hdro
:12:36. > :12:39.in France but largely forgotten in his home town.
:12:40. > :12:43.Here's Mike Parr with the sdcond of his special reports into thd bravery
:12:44. > :12:52.of one man who had a huge ilpact on what's often called the Longest Day.
:12:53. > :12:56.By the afternoon of June 6th 19 4, British forces had advanced a few
:12:57. > :12:59.miles into the villages and the fields of the Normandy countryside.
:13:00. > :13:03.The carnage of the beaches was barely behind them, but now Stan
:13:04. > :13:07.Hollis and the Green Howards had to move from house to house cldaring
:13:08. > :13:12.the area of the German soldhers hiding around every corner.
:13:13. > :13:16.We are now at the village of Crepon, about three miles from the beaches,
:13:17. > :13:20.Stan has been given command of the 16th Platoon.
:13:21. > :13:24.He is given the task of cle`ring this farmyard behind us.
:13:25. > :13:27.The first people he encountdred were the family in the farmhouse,
:13:28. > :13:31.which included a boy called Serge, who was about 10 or 11, and he
:13:32. > :13:40.On the morning of June 6th, he saw a group of British soldiers
:13:41. > :13:45.coming in and one of them stepped in front of his mother
:13:46. > :13:59.So, after his encounter with Serge and the family, what happendd next?
:14:00. > :14:05.Stan then came round to the back of the farmhouse here and
:14:06. > :14:09.along this alleyway, keeping his head down going along this wall
:14:10. > :14:12.He wanted to find out what was behind.
:14:13. > :14:17.There was a field there and he kept going right down to the end, here.
:14:18. > :14:22.As he came up to the corner, he poked his head
:14:23. > :14:27.around to look into this fidld and a bullet struck right hdre.
:14:28. > :14:31.Peering around the corner again Stan spotted a German gun in a field
:14:32. > :14:37.Stan went back to the road and got hold
:14:38. > :14:42.of seven or eight riflemen, two Bren gunners and, for himself, hd got
:14:43. > :14:49.He came back into the field ` and if you remember, it was
:14:50. > :14:53.a rhubarb patch then ` and told the riflemen to give him covering fire.
:14:54. > :14:58.Unfortunately, they all got hit but Stan, with the Bren gunners
:14:59. > :15:02.crawled through this rhubarb patch towards the German field gun.
:15:03. > :15:05.Stan fired his gun but missed the target.
:15:06. > :15:08.The German field gun then started firing at him, so hd
:15:09. > :15:14.However, when he got back to the road he realised the two Bren
:15:15. > :15:19.So he said to himself, well, I took them in, I'd better get thel out.
:15:20. > :15:24.He grabbed the Bren gun, went back into the rhubarb patch and, firing
:15:25. > :15:31.from the hip, charged at thd German field gun and shouted to thd two
:15:32. > :15:41.Once again, showing no regard for his own safety, he saved thdir lives
:15:42. > :15:47.In the weeks and months following D`Day,
:15:48. > :15:53.Today, a large part of the luseum near Crepon is given over to
:15:54. > :15:58.his story and the curator rdmembers how, as a boy, all the local people
:15:59. > :16:02.began to talk about the British soldier who had done so much.
:16:03. > :16:06.When they had discovered the story of Stanley Hollis, it was
:16:07. > :16:11.a moving story and they werd very grateful to him because he saved
:16:12. > :16:16.the situation and he partichpated in the liberation of France.
:16:17. > :16:19.Stan Hollis' granddaughter, Mandy, has been
:16:20. > :16:24.on an emotional journey retracing her grandfather's footsteps.
:16:25. > :16:28.I knew he had made the beaches accessible but I didn't realise
:16:29. > :16:35.How much of a turning point it was on that day.
:16:36. > :16:38.He was a clear example of how, in the pendulum of battle,
:16:39. > :16:42.one man's actions can changd the whole course of a battld.
:16:43. > :16:45.What I've found during an emotional two days here hs that
:16:46. > :16:51.In fact, people have been coming up to Amanda and thanking hdr
:16:52. > :16:54.personally for everthing th`t her grandfather has done for Fr`nce
:16:55. > :16:57.So, the irony is, Stan Hollhs is more famous here than he is
:16:58. > :17:04.I think Teeside should be reminded of his tremendous
:17:05. > :17:10.He was the only Victoria Cross winner.
:17:11. > :17:13.He was a tremendously proud Green Howard and when peopld used to
:17:14. > :17:17.ask him how did he behave so bravely he always said, ht was
:17:18. > :17:34.Well those who've been busy raising funds for a permanent
:17:35. > :17:36.and prominent memorial to Stan Hollis will be delightdd when
:17:37. > :17:40.they can finally pay their respects at a statue to their local hero
:17:41. > :17:46.After November, after the usual November celebrathons
:17:47. > :17:51.commemorating the dead of the First and Second World Wars, we whll begin
:17:52. > :17:56.the basic infrastructure whdre the statue is going to be.
:17:57. > :18:00.We will hang fire until after November.
:18:01. > :18:03.Another veteran of the D` D`y landings who should have bedn
:18:04. > :18:06.in Normandy today was guest of honour at a memorial event
:18:07. > :18:10.Jim Peakes couldn't join his former comrades
:18:11. > :18:13.at the commemoration servicd in France because his name was misspelt
:18:14. > :18:20.However, the Sedgefield Village Veterans stepped
:18:21. > :18:27.in to make Jim welcome at their own, somewhat smaller, celebrations.
:18:28. > :18:33.Now, in it's 177`year history there have been many big romances played
:18:34. > :18:36.out on the stage of the Theatre Royal in Newcastle.
:18:37. > :18:43.Heart strings have famously been tugged left, right, and centre.
:18:44. > :18:47.But today, for the first tile ever, the hallowed boards echoed to the
:18:48. > :18:50.sounds of its first real rolance, as Louise and Darren chose to tie
:18:51. > :19:00.Jim Knight joined family and friends in the stalls.
:19:01. > :19:05.Even the blushing bride herself confessed, I know it's all
:19:06. > :19:09.a bit Phantom of the Opera`dsque, but it's exactly what I wanted.
:19:10. > :19:11.Louise, an amateur thespian, has performed
:19:12. > :19:15.in many productions on stagd before but no amount of rehdarsing
:19:16. > :19:20.could prepare her for this leading role in her own real life drama
:19:21. > :19:25.I didn?t get stage fright, I don?t think.
:19:26. > :19:29.No, I?ve just embraced it and just enjoyed it.
:19:30. > :19:33.And during the vows, Darren couldn?t resist playing to the crowd.
:19:34. > :19:36.The whole halving everything seems a bit difficult now...
:19:37. > :19:46.You?ve got to try and entertain haven?t you?
:19:47. > :19:50.And this Theatre really has been a major part in Darren and Louise?s
:19:51. > :19:56.It was in this very seat, where Darren, sitting here, and
:19:57. > :20:00.Louise there, he suddenly dropped on one knee, whipped out thd ring
:20:01. > :20:17.I?m just merely a supporting act but I enjoyed it very much.
:20:18. > :20:28.Shakespeare ` ever the romantic ` would surely have approved.
:20:29. > :20:31."My bounty is as boundless `s the sea.
:20:32. > :20:49.My love as deep, the more I give to thee."
:20:50. > :20:53.Sport now and a bit of a cotp for the Great North Run?
:20:54. > :20:55.Yes, World and Olympic Marathon Champion
:20:56. > :20:59.Stephen Kiprotich from Uganda has become the first big name to be
:21:00. > :21:03.He's actually going to try to do the double, taking part in
:21:04. > :21:11.Now a huge weekend for Darlhngton boxer Stuart Hall as puts hhs
:21:12. > :21:14.IBF World Bantamweight titld on the line for the second time
:21:15. > :21:20.The 34`year`old fights Mersdyside's Paul Butler at the Newcastld Arena.
:21:21. > :21:26.This was the weigh`in at thd Metro Centre just a few hours ago `
:21:27. > :21:31.Hall knows he faces the fight of his life to hold onto
:21:32. > :21:36.I must warn you there's flash photography from the beginnhng
:21:37. > :21:50.The crowd will want us to gdt it on. Dewar to all who retained hhs belt
:21:51. > :22:02.he said he's ready to rumbld. It's just a fight in my eyes. I know
:22:03. > :22:05.it's going to be tough. He's very confident but I'm going to knock
:22:06. > :22:15.that confident out of him. H'm looking at my body. I think were
:22:16. > :22:23.going to get a repeat of th`t on Saturday night. Paul Butler is nine
:22:24. > :22:28.years Hall's junior. The yotng pretender from Ellesmere Port is a
:22:29. > :22:35.big favourite Saturday. He says he has the utmost respect for his
:22:36. > :22:40.opponent. There is no quitthng from him.
:22:41. > :22:49.He's got a nice jab but if that s not quick I'll be getting around it.
:22:50. > :22:58.I'll definitely be walking out of the winner on Saturday.
:22:59. > :23:05.It means the world to me. I've travelled the world with thd
:23:06. > :23:15.amateurs. It didn't mean anxthing to me. It meant more fighting hn front
:23:16. > :23:21.of my friends locally. It gdts me up in the morning.
:23:22. > :23:24.And BBC Tees will be ringside for the fight with commentary
:23:25. > :23:27.from Rob Law, Andy Bell and former European champion Billy Hardy.
:23:28. > :23:31.Newcastle United have made their first signing of the summer.
:23:32. > :23:34.Ayoze Perez has completed a long term deal from Tenerhfe.
:23:35. > :23:37.The 20`year`old striker plaxed in Spain's second tier last season
:23:38. > :23:45.The biggest speedway meeting in the region this year will take
:23:46. > :23:47.place at Berwick's Shielfield Park tomorrow night.
:23:48. > :23:50.The Bandits have once again been asked to host one of the
:23:51. > :23:53.World Grand Prix qualifying rounds, having impressed with last xear s
:23:54. > :23:56.staging of the British round of the World under`21 Champhonship.
:23:57. > :24:00.Tomorrow's meeting will feature some top world stars as well as Berwick
:24:01. > :24:03.favourite Matty Kus, riding under the colours of the Czech Republic.
:24:04. > :24:06.Hopefully the weather won't be like it was two years ago, when
:24:07. > :24:13.The Bramham International Horse Trials continue over the wedkend,
:24:14. > :24:15.with two more days of action in North Yorkshire.
:24:16. > :24:18.Among the attractions are world number one, William Fox`Pitt
:24:19. > :24:23.Local hopes rest with Northallerton`based Nicola Wilson,
:24:24. > :24:26.who you might remember was part of the British eventing teal
:24:27. > :24:31.which took silver at the 2012 Olympics in London.
:24:32. > :24:34.Cricket, and in one of those strange coincidencds that
:24:35. > :24:37.often happen in sport, Durh`m are in action against Warwickshire in the
:24:38. > :24:42.Twenty20 years to the day that Brian Lara scored a world record 401 runs
:24:43. > :24:48.The West Indian batsman was famously bowled off a no`ball
:24:49. > :24:52.on 12 then dropped on 18 before going on to make the highest
:24:53. > :24:58.Meanwhile, it's a Roses clash in the Twenty20
:24:59. > :25:00.for Yorkshire, who've announced plans for a ?50 million rev`mp
:25:01. > :25:04.of their Headingley ground hn Leeds to try to secure Test Match status.
:25:05. > :25:07.The 20`year plan includes increasing the ground capacity to 20,000
:25:08. > :25:16.and development a new five`storey pavilion.
:25:17. > :25:27.How's this for impressive. We've had a beautiful day in many parts. It's
:25:28. > :25:41.absolutely lovely hair. It's been a gorgeous day right
:25:42. > :25:52.across the region will stop at look at some of the hotspots.
:25:53. > :25:56.It will mostly stayed dry through the night but the cloud will
:25:57. > :26:10.increase. It's all change tomorrow, though.
:26:11. > :26:15.Many places start to dry but cloud and outbreaks of rain will spread
:26:16. > :26:22.across Cumbria through the lorning. Most of the north`east will see
:26:23. > :26:30.that, too. There will be pockets of heavy rain with thundery outbreaks.
:26:31. > :26:36.Not everybody will see that but worth bearing in mind if yot are out
:26:37. > :26:45.and about. It will be hot and humid. 19 Celsius in Carlisle.
:26:46. > :26:52.You can see the weather front of that is bringing the heavy rain in.
:26:53. > :26:59.That clears away to leave Stnday a more straightforward mix of spells
:27:00. > :27:06.of sunshine and showers. Thd outlook for Sunday and Monday. Sund`y, many
:27:07. > :27:14.places will catch showers. Ht will still be warm. Monday, the showers
:27:15. > :27:18.are more widespread and the sunny spells pure and are between.
:27:19. > :27:56.Temperatures in the high tedns. The average person moves home
:27:57. > :28:02.eight times during their life.