13/06/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Hundreds of people are here to catch sight of the symbol

One of the two Russian students under

How a new life could be planned for Tyneside's rather sorry looking

And a World Cup win for England s golden oldies `

they're hoping the "Juniors" can repeat their success in Brazil.

Good evening from Alnwick C`stle in Northumberland.

Look North is here live ` as Alnwick celebrates the arrival

of the Queen's Baton Relay ` as it travels towards Glasgow

Yes ` the World Cup may be tnderway coverage of Spain v the Netherlands

starts in just under an hour on BBC1 but here in Alnwick ` they're

looking ahead to July 23 and what's shaping up to be a fantastic 11 days

of competition with some of the world's finest athletes.

And I'll be talking to couple of the region's former Commonwealth medal

So , we're inside the inner bailey of the Castle where hundreds of

people have turned out to w`tch a fantastic, and somewhat noisy, show

marking the baton's journey around the world, through 70 nations and

Alnwick is the last stop in England for the baton before it's h`nded

over to the host nation tomorrow, so it's quite an honour for thd town.

It began the day early, thotgh, in Gateshead.

All part of the run up to the Commonwealth Games which st`rt in

I think the games will be a wonderful occasion.

They have come up with everything they have asked for.

Putting a temporary track in the stadium already in Hamddn Park.

Congratulations to them and the people

of England who will be supporting the Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

This is the first of four places the baton is visiting on Tyneside today.

Next stop is the International Stadium.

After that it is the Millennium Bridge.

There two former Commonwealth gold medallist met.

Jonathan Edwards 12 years ago when the games were held in Manchester.

I'm an adopted Geordie. To represent Newcastle on a day like this

and to receive the Queen's baton from Brendan, a beautiful phece

Great anticipation for the Commonwealth Games.

Ironically once site of the city's only 400 metrd running

track, ripped out two years ago because of underuse.

But this baton came with a message for athletes of all ages.

It inspires me because I want to know what kind of

I am excited because there `re sport I've never heard of

Tyneside had seized its chance to play its part in the

Here I am joined by the chidf executive of the Commonwealth games

England. Also the person who has staged the event tonight. Adam, a

fantastic journey so far. What has the response from the public being?

It has been a fantastic 30 days The public have got behind it in a

number of ways. We have madd us an opportunity for people to try out

sports and they have Bernard in their droves. It gives us a darker

and awareness of sports `` have done it. It is to raise awareness of

Glasgow 2014 which is so close. We put a great team together and we

have a high ambitions. It dhdn't go through Cumbria though? We hammered

by a mere 13 days and have to take it the width and breadth of a big

country in England, so unforced humour can take it everywhere. We

have taken it to a fantastic range of places. Councillor David, you

must be proud? Very proud for the Council and Northumberland `s a

whole. It has been great thdy have managed to bring the baton here I

would like the bank the Dukd and Duchess of Windsor humble and

government does is venue. This is government does is venue. This is

the final leg of this journdy `` Northumberland. We have somd very

good athlete and other sports people across the county. It has jtst

enhanced things for us. I hope the rest of it goes well tonight. Jim

Knight was here to welcome the baton. It arrived just before

lunchtime. The weather was better. The final leg of the town to back

row `` baton. Children were on hand to add their own enthusiasthc

support. Very proud. I can't compete in the games but I got to hold the

baton. Another honorary baton bearer was this girl. This was a

recognition of her 400 hours of voluntary work promoting sport in

her local community. I was overwhelmed. I couldn't belheve

someone like me from a small town has done is in as big as thhs, to

represent my county. Tonight's ceremony ball once again put the

little market town of Alnwick on the sporting map and perhaps yot can see

why. What a fantastic setting. It is almost like a film set. Thex have

done one, haven't they? This event isn't about promoting Glasgow 2 14,

it is also about encouraging people, particularly young people, to get

involved in sport. I think ht is really fun because instead of

sitting at school doing work, it is doing something fun. I think we have

some budding young sporting stars behind us. Hello. Not dampened by

the rain. It is wet here. That is it from us for now. Back to yot for a

round`up of today's news. A Russian student arrested

as part of an explosives aldrt at Newcastle University has been

released on bail. It follows the discovery

of explosives in a room Another student,

arrested separately under the Our correspondent Peter Harris

has been following events. Does this investigation still

involve the counter terrorism unit? It does. This stems from thd

evacuation of part of the c`mpus twice this week after the police

found what we know were explosives in a room. We had to Russian

students held but under different laws, one under the explosives act

but that is not the terrorism act. The police can only hope th`t person

for 48 hours in custody without charge. Then they have to ddcide

today whether to charge or release him. They have released him on bail.

The other student is being held in London under the terror law which is

stripped and the police can hold people for longer. They havd seven

more days to hold him in custody without charge. We don't know that

much about these people but we have been speaking to one student today.

He said he knows them both but we can't verify what he says that he

claims this is all an over reaction. I can tell you one thing. They

didn't have any dangerous intentions. It was just a stupid

action, careless. It is ridhculous. It is no terrorism. It is all wrong.

The county terrorism unit is leading the investigation. What do we know?

We haven't had many dealings with them. They were set up in 2007 and a

give specialist back`up to the police in investigations like this.

They are based in Leeds but they will continue to work alongside

Northumbria police as this investigation continues.

A man accused of starting a fire on a ferry from North Shields to

Amsterdam has failed in his attempt to argue that a British court has no

Six people were winched off the DFDS ferry by an RAF helicopter

after fire broke out in one of the cabins on December the 2 th.

Boden George Hughes, who's from Sunderland,

It was washed out in 2012, but last summer's better weather saw a

dramatic turnaround in the fortunes of Cumbria's tourism industry.

Latest figures indicate that one in five people in the countx work

in tourism and it's now worth a whopping ?2.25 billion a xear

There was a sharp improvement which analysts put

down to the better summer ` visitor numbers up four and a half per cent

Primary schools across the region are preparing to

deliver more than 35,000 extra free school meals this September.

Children aged between five `nd seven will be entitled to a free hot meal

at school under a new government policy that begins this auttmn.

But in Cumbria, some schools don't even have a kitchen ` and others are

considering staggering mealtimes to cope with the extra demand.

Like so many initiatives th`t come into schools where head teachers

have to do a professional job of implementing them, this particular

one does feel rushed, it dods feel not only schools, but the local

authorities have to hotfoot it to work out where to employ thd

And there's more on that story on Sunday Politics `

Now, for five years it's been considered

The world's last surviving steam turbine ferry, better known to many

though as the floating nightclub the Tuxedo Royale.

Now the man leading a ?14 mhllion campaign to restore the ship back

to her best says he's received backing for his plans and is now

Slouched by the river bank, the party goers are long gone.

The only visitors now are the vandals.

Despite all this ` some still believe there's hope

Terry Owens wants to make this a training centre for young ship

And he says the Prince's Trtst, Middelsbrough Council

and Middlesbrough College are all supporting the plan.

We see it as a massive training opportunity for a number of young

people. They'll get jobs out of it while it is being worked on and get

skills they can take on to better jobs in the future.

This is all along way from the glory days, when thousands on Tyndsside

partied on the Tuxedo Royald and its sister ship the Princess.

The problem now ` is the Roxale s owners went into administration and

So it's been left at Able Uk's port on the Tees So a North East company

We have lost a lot of money because this is a commercial key and it is

stuck there was something which is not paying anything. The problem is

much deeper than that. In tdrms of reputation as far as Middlesbrough

is concerned it is not doing the town any good. It is a hazard to the

environment agency, so everxbody wants shot of it but nobody is

prepared to put their hand hn the pocket. Despite its sorry state

enthusiasts say the last surviving ferry has an important part to play

but images have the future the group needs to raise to none ?50,000 to

take it to a dry dock of thd River. `` up the river.

Now, as the England team begin their World Cup campaign in Brazil

tomorrow, another squad of Dngland players are already celebrating

a World Cup victory ` and they won the final on penalties!

The Harrogate Veterans club have just been crowned world chalpions

in a tournament for players in their 30s, 40s and 50s.

And as Phil Connell reports, it was a player from Middlesbrough

When it comes to football skills, age is irrelevant.

Jamie Clark from Middlesbrotgh is proof of that.

At 41, this was his equalishng goal for England at the recent World Cup.

Not the one in Brazil, but the veterans tournament in Thailand

The team whose eldest member is 55 is based on Harrogate

and secured victory in, you guessed it, a penalty shoot out.

A lesson perhaps for their xounger colleagues preparing in Brazil.

We just won a World Cup on penalties.

To everybody saying we don't want penalties, to be fair, penalties are

We have dispelled the myth and that helps the lads in Brazil.

This is the World Cup trophy that the team

It is their second win in five years and the managdr is

confident England can now rdplicate what the veterans achieved.

What a fantastic double that would be for everybody concerned

With the right attitude, passion and desire, who knows?

So the bar has been raised by England's golden oldies,

hopefully inspiring players 30 years younger to a second World Cup

And that's it from me ` timd to go back to Alnwick for the celdbrations

Well, the Queen's baton will reach Celtic Park in Glasgow

for the opening ceremony on July the 23rd, for the start of 11 d`ys of

competition between the 70 nations and territories of the Commonwealth.

Despite the rain we have a lot of people here. How are you enjoying

the night? It is great. Verx wet. It is good fun. I can see somebody who

is not in a good mood. How luch I looking forward to the games?

Looking forward to it. Great stuff. Well, we're bound to find some new

heroes and some great storids ` but I'll bet there'll be nothing to

match what happened in the summer of 1966 ` and I don't mean Dngland

winning the World Cup! It was the Commonwealth Gamds

marathon in Kingston, Jamaica. Just a few days

after winning bronze in the six mile race, Morpeth Harrier

Jim Alder was hitting the road. Just like the England footb`llers

are going to face in the World Cup. The marathon started at 5.30 in the

morning and it was 80 degreds then. They thought that if they started it

during the day, they thought people But Jim was running the racd

of his life. He'd carved out a clear lead

over England Bill Adocks as they approached the stage after lore

than 26 strength sapping miles. What happened next is part

of sporting folklore. The two leaders are approaching

the tunnel. The Duke of Edinburgh is arriving

and he's turning into the ttnnel One

of them has taken the wrong course. Unbeknown to me,

I got the film from Dave Coleman. in the morning and Prince Charles,

Philip and Princess Anne turned up You can imagine

the bedlam it caused. When I got back onto the tr`ck,

Bill was 50 yards in front of me. There was not quite

400 metres to go. Adocks, who was 25 yards behind

and there is Alder who took On any other day I could

have just exploded. I can be quick`tempered,

as my wife will tell you. When you are

on song you do the right thhng. He said, I am a hard little man

from the Midlands. Here he comes now with

about 50 yards left to add a marathon gold medal to

the bronze he won in the six mile. An unbelievable story and the man

himself is with me now, Jim Alder. How did you train in the cold

of Morpeth? It is all the same. The end product

is still the same. To cope with it how did you do it? I trained in full

tracksuit June this summer. It was very sweaty. I had to take salt in

those days `` during the sulmer You are involved in the Queen's Baton

Relay? Yes. I did it in 1970 and 1986 and I am doing it tomorrow I

have to be there at 6am in the morning. Lets hope it is drher.

Jim was born in Glasgow but here's another of Scotland's Commonwealth

My dad is Scottish. I didn't have to think twice when they asked me to do

it. My grandparents were proud of me. It was fantastic. I got the

silver medal in 1988. It was my only individual medal. You are still here

now. The England flight is over your shoulder. You were commentating for

radio five. Looking forward to it? For both teams. Scotland and

England. The teams are very strong. I'm heavily involved in it. It is a

real opportunity to get a mddal here and it will be fantastic. I am

looking forward to watching the final. Back to Carol from md. You

just referred to the England flight. A big cheer from the crowd `s it

passed by. Let me show you. Just before we go to the weather. Here is

a demonstration of what we `re dealing with. With that, let's get

the weather details. A lot of settled weather to come as high

pressure dominates. Not necdssarily sunny but it will be dry thd most of

us for most of the time. If we take a look at the weekend, therd will be

cloud, particularly in central part and it will feel cooler bec`use we

have a breeze from the north. There will be some showers but mostly

focused on the west. There `re some heavy showers at the moment tracking

southwards. They will clear, with Cumbria have the best of thd

conditions overnight. The cloud thickens to produce drizzle in the

north`east so fairly cloudy overnight, temperatures are falling

down to 12 or 13 degrees. So, the weather will be different ddpending

on where you are tomorrow. West will always be brightest but that will

trigger a few showers. Some sunny spells across Cumbria. A lot more

cloud and ease, particularlx the morning and we will tend to see

brightening up here in the afternoon. Showers possible anywhere

during the day. Here is where temperatures will be hires, getting

up to 19 or 20 degrees. I think it will feel noticeably cooler the

further the east you are, particularly on the coast. North

Yorkshire could get up to around 15 degrees. Looking further ahdad

through the course of the wdekend and into next week, high`prdssure

dominates, so a largely settled part of weather. It doesn't necessarily

mean there'll lots of sunshhne and this high`pressure is very cloudy,

ringing in a flow from the north`east, so a lot of clotd

associated. The weather is variable with cloud, particularly in eastern

areas. West is always best the decent spells of sunshine btt the

settled weather looks to continue. In a lot of cloud associated. The

weather is variable with cloud, particularly in eastern are`s. West

is always best the decent spells of sunshine but the settled we`ther

looks to continue. It not a we all hear the athletics team on Londay.

And looking ahead to the Gales ` two more competitors from our rdgion

have just booked their placd in Glasgow ` both from Harrogate, and

both in the England diving team ` that's Oliver Dingley, who's now

based at Southend on Sea, and 19`year`old Jack Laugher, who's in

great form at the moment. L`st weekend Jack took bronze in the

three`metre springboard event at the World Diving Series in Mexico,

having also won a bronze in Russia and a silver in the same series in

You commentating on the whole lot. Just test me on track and fheld A

bit of a delay with the Scottish team being announced as thex go

They have been waiting for `thletes as they qualified. There will be

quite a few North Eastern athlete crossing the border and doing their

bit. They will be acclimatised. Keeping the show together lhve that

the audience is Jonathan from radio Newcastle. He asked in a stdrling

job but he is under a sheltdr as his audience is having to battld the

elements. We have enjoyed this because the flags have been going

around for the 70 nations from the Commonwealth and there been coming

through proudly. What an honour especially because this is the last

stop in England before the baton leads into Scotland. It has a

massive tour of many communhties across the Commonwealth. It is quite

apt we have you here becausd you competed for Scotland. I wore the

blue. I have it here. I am very proud of that. It is the blte of

Scotland. There you go. I'm carrying the baton on the 22nd in Gl`sgow. I

am very excited. It is a fantastic piece of equipment. That baton gets

moved on. It is the only ond, isn't it? This is the only Commonwealth

baton. It has a message frol the Queen inside. I tried to get my

hands on it earlier but that guy carrying it said I was not `llowed.

It is very sacred. What a wdlcome. Nor these people don't care about

the weather. They turn out. `` north`east people. That is just

about it from us in Alnwick. We have enjoyed our time here and wd have

given it a good sendoff. Give it a good sendoff. Good

Make the most of your weekend, wherever you are.

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