:00:14. > :00:17.She was battered, bruised and left with 29 broken bonds.
:00:18. > :00:20.A vet thought this young dog had been run over by a car
:00:21. > :00:28.And it was just one example highlighting the region's shocking
:00:29. > :00:31.Figures released today put Durham second in the top ten
:00:32. > :00:34.for animal cruelty convictions in England and Wales with 100 cases.
:00:35. > :00:40.It's closely followed by North Yorkshire
:00:41. > :00:44.in 7th place with 64 convictions and Tyne and Wear in 9th place with 42.
:00:45. > :00:50.Maggie, a Shih Tzu, was kicked against a wall like a footb`ll.
:00:51. > :00:54.She was repeatedly beaten and suffered 29 broken bones.
:00:55. > :00:59.One vet thought she'd been run over by a car.
:01:00. > :01:02.Eight months on and today Maggie has a new life
:01:03. > :01:04.She's been rehomed with new owners and they still can't believd
:01:05. > :01:15.I have kept the press cuttings and what he did to that little dog
:01:16. > :01:21.Sometimes I will sit and look at her and I will think,
:01:22. > :01:26.These attacks are very disttrbing, but are rare.
:01:27. > :01:29.The majority of convictions are through neglect like thhs.
:01:30. > :01:32.These two Shih Tzus are barely recognisable.
:01:33. > :01:36.The RSPCA says too often people buy pets, but then have no interest
:01:37. > :01:42.But why is our region always at the top of the league
:01:43. > :01:50.We receive a lot of complaints because we are the region that does
:01:51. > :01:53.care about animals and people bother to pick up the phone and report it
:01:54. > :02:02.to the police or the RSPCA when they are concerned about an anim`l.
:02:03. > :02:05.But there are so many more people who are appalled by this
:02:06. > :02:09.Maggie arrived here frightened, timid and nervous.
:02:10. > :02:13.But she's now enjoying her new home and new life.
:02:14. > :02:32.She's just 36 years old, but she's now disabled
:02:33. > :02:36.for life because an ambulance took an hour and a half to reach her
:02:37. > :02:39.Caren Paterson, who was a scientist, was left brain damaged
:02:40. > :02:44.The ambulance delay caused such serious brain injuries she will need
:02:45. > :02:46.24 hour care for the rest of her life.
:02:47. > :02:48.Caren, from Northumberland, has been awarded ?5 million compensation
:02:49. > :02:55.An ambulance was called for Caren Paterson after she collapsed in the
:02:56. > :03:01.But because the address was mistakenly classed as high risk
:03:02. > :03:06.the ambulance waited round the corner for a police escort.
:03:07. > :03:09.It was more than 100 minutes before paramedics finally reached her.
:03:10. > :03:13.By then she'd suffered a cardiac arrest.
:03:14. > :03:16.Seven years after the inciddnt, Caren's been awarded ?5 million
:03:17. > :03:22.after the London Ambulance Service admitted a catalogue of errors.
:03:23. > :03:25.We have made significant ch`nges and improvements
:03:26. > :03:32.So I accept, at the time, there were some failings.
:03:33. > :03:40.We have accepted that and we apologise.
:03:41. > :03:42.We have made significant changes to make sure that wd
:03:43. > :03:48.The delay left Caren, who w`s working as a genetic scienthst,
:03:49. > :03:55.Her family has welcomed the compensation payout.
:03:56. > :03:58.It was a catastrophic series of missed opportunities,
:03:59. > :04:05.It will buy, for Caren, the reassurance for her and her family
:04:06. > :04:08.that she will be looked aftdr properly for the rest of her life.
:04:09. > :04:12.It sounds like a lot of mondy, but it is not, it is only enough to
:04:13. > :04:14.make sure that Caren gets the care and rehabilitation
:04:15. > :04:23.Caren will never work again and will need 24`hour care
:04:24. > :04:29.Her mother says all of Caren's ambitions have been taken away
:04:30. > :04:37.The police are trying to tr`ce a financial advisor they want to
:04:38. > :04:42.speak to over a suspected ?1 million swindle.
:04:43. > :04:46.Kole Lulgjuraj was arrested over thefts in the Darlington and Barnard
:04:47. > :04:48.Castle areas of County Durh`m, but after being granted bail,
:04:49. > :04:51.officers think he fled the country in 2012 before he could be charged.
:04:52. > :05:08.He's originally from Montendgro but could now be in the United States.
:05:09. > :05:11.A motorcyclist killed in a road accident in North Tyneside
:05:12. > :05:12.has been named as 49`year`old Michael Lewthwaite.
:05:13. > :05:15.It happened at East Howdon near the entrance to the pedestrian
:05:16. > :05:18.Mr Lewthwaite's motorbike collided with a Royal Mail van.
:05:19. > :05:21.Three of the region's hospital trusts are in the red.
:05:22. > :05:24.The South Tyneside Trust has a deficit of more than ?1.5 mhllion.
:05:25. > :05:26.At South Tees, the figure is nearly ?7.5 mhllion.
:05:27. > :05:28.But the worst financial performance comes from the North
:05:29. > :05:34.Cumbria University Hospitals which is nearly ?24 million in debt.
:05:35. > :05:38.The re`routing of three rivdrs in Cumbria could be used to show
:05:39. > :05:41.the rest of the country how river management can help prevent flooding
:05:42. > :05:45.Today, the River Leith near Penrith was allowed to flow
:05:46. > :05:49.along its natural route for the first time in 170 ydars
:05:50. > :05:52.It was forced into a straight route to feed a lill
:05:53. > :05:58.Now as part of a wider, ?1 lillion project, rivers such as the Whitbeck
:05:59. > :06:01.in the Lorton Valley will bd more like their natural state, mdandering
:06:02. > :06:14.We are interested in what is happening higher up
:06:15. > :06:17.the water courses, because when the rains come down it can be
:06:18. > :06:20.It is important that we share the lessons learnt in Cumbrha with
:06:21. > :06:23.other areas, across the whole of the UK and perhaps even Durope.
:06:24. > :06:26.Making sure that we have got multi functional rivers that are producing
:06:27. > :06:30.different benefits, areas for wildlife, for farling
:06:31. > :06:33.People need to understand that and not have the preception that it
:06:34. > :06:56.25 Celsius in the sunshine `nd parts of Cumbria and Northumberland this
:06:57. > :07:01.afternoon. But increasing clout as we head into the night. That cloud
:07:02. > :07:07.will bring a few spots of r`in here and there, but stop the temperatures
:07:08. > :07:11.from dropping below 12 Celshus. A lot of cloud around first thing
:07:12. > :07:18.tomorrow, but any patchy rahn should die away. Not as much sunshhne as
:07:19. > :07:25.today, and cooler air on thd northerly breeze. Highs of 21
:07:26. > :07:30.Celsius in Penrith, cooler on the north`east coast. For the wdekend,
:07:31. > :07:33.mostly dry, a lot of cloud `t times and temperatures in the high teens.
:07:34. > :07:41.Celsius. The outlook for the weekend is looking pretty good.
:07:42. > :07:48.If you have outdoor plans, plenty of fine weather, warm nest the south.
:07:49. > :07:53.Is today, warm nest the north. Normally Perth Australia is renowned
:07:54. > :07:59.for its heat, but today Perth in Scotland, 27 degrees. Tomorrow not
:08:00. > :08:03.as warm, but still pleasant enough. High teens, low 20s. That cooler
:08:04. > :08:06.fresher air behind a cold front Fresh breeze from the north-west.
:08:07. > :08:11.That the will push the front southwards. A band of cloud and the
:08:12. > :08:17.odd spot of rain into parts of north-east England later. Otherwise
:08:18. > :08:21.most places dry. Not desperately cold. Temperatures holding in double
:08:22. > :08:26.figures. Tomorrow the front will move south.
:08:27. > :08:31.The odd shower in parts of the Midlands, eastern England and the
:08:32. > :08:34.south-east later. Plenty of fine weather with increasing amounts of
:08:35. > :08:39.sunshine. The best of that around coastal areas. The fresher breeze
:08:40. > :08:42.means its won't be as warm in northern and central areas, but it
:08:43. > :08:43.will feel pleasant.