:00:00. > :00:00.That's all from the BBC News at Six, so it's goodbye from me and on
:00:00. > :00:10.BBC Welcome to Look North.
:00:11. > :00:14.Coming up tonight... Tidal power. The multi`million pound
:00:15. > :00:18.bill to pay for the damage caused by December's devastating surge.
:00:19. > :00:22.Waiting for a verdict. The jury in the trial of Anne Lakey, the head
:00:23. > :00:24.teacher accused of having sex with a 13`year`old, is sent home.
:00:25. > :00:28.Marching on the mountain. Supporters of the bid to keep Blencathra for
:00:29. > :00:30.the community stage a show of strength.
:00:31. > :00:33.And find out why some of these could prove to be a better investment than
:00:34. > :00:36.a savings account. In sport, England come calling for
:00:37. > :00:40.one of the region's most promising young cricketers.
:00:41. > :00:43.There's a third summer signing for Newcastle United.
:00:44. > :00:45.And why the Hartlepool manager has gone back to the future in a bid to
:00:46. > :01:07.fashion a promotion`winning squad. The experts say it was a once in 60
:01:08. > :01:10.year event and it left behind a trail of wreckage and misery. In
:01:11. > :01:13.December last year, a devastating tidal surge battered the east and
:01:14. > :01:16.west coasts, flooding homes, closing businesses and wrecking sea
:01:17. > :01:20.defences. Now it's emerged the cost to the taxpayer so far is more than
:01:21. > :01:23.?5 million. And that's in the North East alone. Those affected are still
:01:24. > :01:26.feeling the impact. Our Correspondent Peter Harris is live
:01:27. > :01:33.now with one couple forced to abandon their home. Peter.
:01:34. > :01:37.You can see the attraction of living right on the river, and also see
:01:38. > :01:42.where the water is tonight, but seven months ago, that tidal surge
:01:43. > :01:47.meant the water rose up through the side of the house, through the
:01:48. > :01:52.floorboards and wrecked it. We will look around to see how things are
:01:53. > :01:57.now. Worst of all, that tidal surge was very expensive for our region.
:01:58. > :02:04.We hadn't seen the likes of this since the 1950s. Giant waves
:02:05. > :02:08.battered Cumbria. And in the east, the tidal surge of water swelled the
:02:09. > :02:13.rivers flooding for miles inland. And the cost has run into millions.
:02:14. > :02:18.Repairs which in some cases were urgent. The River Tees burst through
:02:19. > :02:21.its banks, crashing through its defences here. And flooding this
:02:22. > :02:28.important wildlife habitat behind us. But not just that. It was also
:02:29. > :02:32.threatening those vital Teeside industries in the distance. We
:02:33. > :02:36.needed to think quickly, not just for the wildlife. But especially for
:02:37. > :02:39.the businesses behind it. A lot of business in Teeside. We are in the
:02:40. > :02:43.business of protecting these from flood risk. I have never experienced
:02:44. > :02:46.anything like it in my career working for the Environment Agency.
:02:47. > :02:51.It is 60 years since we had something like this. 1953 was the
:02:52. > :02:55.last big event. Government help was provided to pay for the damage.
:02:56. > :03:00.In the North East alone, the Environment Agency has funded more
:03:01. > :03:03.than ?4 million of work and councils almost one million more on top.
:03:04. > :03:08.Project included 320, 000 in Sunderland on South Bents sea wall.
:03:09. > :03:11.400,000 at Skinningrove in East Cleveland. A similar sum in South
:03:12. > :03:21.Tyneside. And 107,000 at Saltburn. There Grant Seldon runs an amusement
:03:22. > :03:26.arcade on the pier. Flooded by the rising tide, it's still shut seven
:03:27. > :03:37.months on. Total carnage. Everything upside down. Saturated with water.
:03:38. > :03:40.About one year before we are back on our feet. Somewhere around there.
:03:41. > :03:44.The summer season has gone. But nothing you can do. These things
:03:45. > :03:47.happen. People and staff we had to pay off, all unemployed at the
:03:48. > :03:52.moment. The biggest concern for me and my family is to stop it
:03:53. > :03:55.happening again. With average luck, we won't see another tidal surge
:03:56. > :03:59.like last year in most of our lifetimes. The defences put in will
:04:00. > :04:06.at least some protection if the waters rise again.
:04:07. > :04:14.A lot of homes were affected, Port Clarence on Teeside badly hurt, and
:04:15. > :04:21.North students, `` and it was doing as worst here in North Shields. A
:04:22. > :04:26.lot to do, it is not good? It is not, a long and hard process, but
:04:27. > :04:29.with the support of family, friends, neighbours, and the
:04:30. > :04:36.insurance company have kept us informed of everything, even a base,
:04:37. > :04:43.and a lot of time to research flood prevention measures. Which we will
:04:44. > :04:51.take from now. So there have been + saw it taking so long. But difficult
:04:52. > :04:58.to find positives? And you had a dream of water coming in and it did?
:04:59. > :05:03.It was a shock to the system, and it took several days for it to sink in,
:05:04. > :05:08.and the magnitude of losing everything, all your furniture, that
:05:09. > :05:16.Andy acted fast and got most of our sentimental things out, but it has
:05:17. > :05:20.taken its toll. And I remember that for long Christmas tree! Any idea
:05:21. > :05:31.when you will get back? Hopefully September. Fingers crossed. And
:05:32. > :05:37.hopefully before Christmas. And it is a long job clearing out after a
:05:38. > :05:41.flood? Absolutely, it took days to clear the place, Christmas Eve when
:05:42. > :05:47.the last few bits were put on the skip, but we have taken what we can
:05:48. > :05:52.and move forward in the New Year, we could be measurable or accept and
:05:53. > :05:58.get on. Take the best of it, which is what we are trying to do. Let's
:05:59. > :06:01.do a deal and hopefully we can see you at Christmas with the Christmas
:06:02. > :06:06.tree. On average, we should not see another one like this in our
:06:07. > :06:12.lifetime. You have said it now, Peter! Thank
:06:13. > :06:16.you. The jury in the trial of the County
:06:17. > :06:18.Durham head teacher accused of a sexual relationship with a
:06:19. > :06:24.13`year`old boy have been sent home for the night after failing to reach
:06:25. > :06:27.a verdict so far. Anne Lakey, who's Chief Executive of the Durham
:06:28. > :06:34.Federation of Schools, is accused of a number of offences of indecent
:06:35. > :06:37.assault during the late 1980s. Anne Lakey, her husband David by her
:06:38. > :06:46.side, leaves court tonight. Her future still unclear. Mrs Lakey, who
:06:47. > :06:50.is 54, is accused of grooming and indecently assaulting the boy at 13
:06:51. > :06:54.and 14 years old over several months in 1988. It is claimed she had sex
:06:55. > :06:57.with the teenager, who was not one of her pupils, on a number of
:06:58. > :07:01.occasions at her home in Stanley. Mrs Lakey says no abuse took place
:07:02. > :07:06.and denies all the charges against her. The jury retired to consider
:07:07. > :07:09.its verdict at lunchtime. After hearing the judge ordered them that
:07:10. > :07:13.they must consider in turn six allegations of indecent assault.
:07:14. > :07:16.Judge Christopher Prince told the jury that, because the alleged
:07:17. > :07:19.sexual relationship had happened 26 years ago, much of the evidence that
:07:20. > :07:23.might have helped them reach a verdict had long since disappeared.
:07:24. > :07:27.They were he said in some senses in a factual vacuum. In this case,
:07:28. > :07:32.either Mrs Lakey or her accuser were telling lies. It was their job to
:07:33. > :07:35.decide which one. After 2.5 hours of deliberations,
:07:36. > :07:40.the jury has still to reach its verdict. The case was adjourned for
:07:41. > :07:41.the night and the jury sent home to resume considering its decision in
:07:42. > :07:57.the morning. 800 jobs could be created if plans
:07:58. > :08:05.to build a designer retail outlet close to the A66 get the go ahead.
:08:06. > :08:08.Scotch Corner LLP hopes to develop a greenfield site which will house 90
:08:09. > :08:11.stores at Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire. The company says it
:08:12. > :08:15.believes the road links will bring visitors to the park, and that there
:08:16. > :08:19.will be enough demand in the area. Cumbria Police have seized nearly ?1
:08:20. > :08:24.million worth of illegal drugs in the last two months. The operation
:08:25. > :08:28.was in relation to a large cannabis farm that was discovered near
:08:29. > :08:32.Penrith nearly two years ago. As well as local hauls, the force has
:08:33. > :08:34.also taken part in a nationwide crackdown on the supply of
:08:35. > :08:40.amphetamines, heroin and a large quantity of harvested cannabis. Five
:08:41. > :08:47.people have been arrested. Today was D`Day for one of Britain's
:08:48. > :08:53.most famous mountains. Sealed bids from those wanting to buy Blencathra
:08:54. > :08:58.had to be in by midday. The mountain was put up for sale by the Earl of
:08:59. > :09:02.Lonsdale in May to help pay a hefty tax bill, with a price tag of ?1.75
:09:03. > :09:05.million. But locals have been fighting to buy it themselves. And
:09:06. > :09:08.today, around 150 people took part in a mass walk to celebrate handing
:09:09. > :09:18.in their bid. Stephanie Cleasby was there.
:09:19. > :09:26.Best of luck to the friends of Blencathra, off we go! CHEERING.
:09:27. > :09:29.On the march for Blencathra. In just a couple of months, Friends of
:09:30. > :09:33.Blencathra has won the support of thousands. Today ` thanks to some
:09:34. > :09:38.substantial donations ` the group placed a bid to try and keep the
:09:39. > :09:42.mountain in public ownership. To mark the milestone, members ` plus
:09:43. > :09:46.special guest Sir Chris Bonington ` put their walking boots on and
:09:47. > :09:50.headed towards the iconic peak. We organised it as a celebration, all
:09:51. > :09:55.working hard for seven weeks and it was an opportunity to take a deep
:09:56. > :09:59.breath, nothing we can do today, get together and say thank you to the
:10:00. > :10:05.people who worked so hard, it has been a real team effort, and move on
:10:06. > :10:10.and see where we go. They say this is not a protest, more walking
:10:11. > :10:15.celebration, which they hope will be successful, and also about showing
:10:16. > :10:22.the honour, Lord Lonsdale, that they mean business. `` the owner.
:10:23. > :10:25.Blencathra is one of the most renowned landmarks in the Lake
:10:26. > :10:29.District. So what do tourists think of the mountain going on the market?
:10:30. > :10:34.Not a good thing to have part of our heritage going to private ownership.
:10:35. > :10:37.If someone is willing to pay more, the worry is what they would do with
:10:38. > :10:42.it when they get it. Two hours later, they reach the foot of their
:10:43. > :10:48.beloved mountain. Blencathra to me and a lot of other people is very
:10:49. > :10:51.special. I would much rather it stayed with local people, and if it
:10:52. > :10:57.goes into the hands of a private buyer, that they cannot spoil it,
:10:58. > :11:02.because they cannot do anything on it without permission from the
:11:03. > :11:07.National Park, and in fact, we have the right to roam on it, but how
:11:08. > :11:12.much better if it is actually commune Illy owned, by local people,
:11:13. > :11:19.and people who love the beauty of the Lake District, ``, newly owned.
:11:20. > :11:22.And will have that in perpetuity and look after it. Here in Threlkeld,
:11:23. > :11:27.there's optimism the fundraising has worked. Everyone has been coming
:11:28. > :11:33.into the pub, leaving money and checks, all wanting it to belong to
:11:34. > :11:36.lots of people. The agents selling the mountain on behalf of Lord
:11:37. > :11:39.Lonsdale say they've received "a number of offers" for Blencathra
:11:40. > :11:45.which are currently being reviewed. Stephanie Cleasby, BBC Look North,
:11:46. > :11:48.The Lake District. Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley
:11:49. > :11:51.looks set to receive a share of a bonus scheme worth ?200 million from
:11:52. > :11:54.his company Sports Direct, after shareholders approved a plan which
:11:55. > :11:59.had been criticised by the Institute of Directors. They claimed the
:12:00. > :12:02.scheme was too generous. But Sports Direct say over 60% of the
:12:03. > :12:06.shareholders voted in favour of the proposal at a meeting this morning.
:12:07. > :12:12.The Pet Shop Boys have announced a second date at the Sage Gateshead as
:12:13. > :12:15.part of their 2014 Electric tour. The date was added due to what's
:12:16. > :12:19.being described as "phenomenal public demand", and will see the duo
:12:20. > :12:22.play two nights in a row on the second and 3rd of September. The
:12:23. > :12:24.original date became one of the fastest`selling concerts in the
:12:25. > :12:35.venue's ten year history. Tickets for the new show will go on sale on
:12:36. > :12:39.Friday 4th of July. Got that? You will note interest rates have
:12:40. > :12:43.been a low single figures for a long time. It has led to other people to
:12:44. > :12:48.look at alternative investments Everything from fine wines to
:12:49. > :12:52.furniture. And all can go up or down. So is it a good idea and what
:12:53. > :12:55.are the risks? For tonight's Look North report, Colin Briggs has been
:12:56. > :13:00.attempting to follow the money. Well,
:13:01. > :13:08.mouthwatering stuff. Not just the contents, but a promise
:13:09. > :13:12.of a ten or even 15% return. And that is on wine kept in a cellar far
:13:13. > :13:16.from your home that you never touch or even see. But can they deliver
:13:17. > :13:21.those returns? In exceptional circumstances, yes. The top wines.
:13:22. > :13:27.Chateau Lafite. Chateau Latour, for example. The top five guys. They
:13:28. > :13:32.were ?5,000 box. ?5,000 for 12 bottles of wine. Which was a lot of
:13:33. > :13:35.money, I felt, considering that, a couple of years before, it had been
:13:36. > :13:40.sort of certainly half, three quarters of that. I reckon, within a
:13:41. > :13:43.year, you could have got between ?8000`?9,000. So there was a
:13:44. > :13:49.tremendous return to be hand. But that was a decade ago. Far East
:13:50. > :13:54.demand is cooling fast. So what is the advice? To me, the most
:13:55. > :13:59.important thing is the enjoyment that you have when you open a bottle
:14:00. > :14:04.with friends. And you remember that for a long, long time. Some art
:14:05. > :14:09.galleries boast 7.5% returns. Bargain Hunt stalwart and Barnett
:14:10. > :14:13.Castle dealer, David Harper. The investor that has lots of cash
:14:14. > :14:16.earning no money whatsoever. And they are ringing and asking for
:14:17. > :14:23.advice. What do you buy? What can we invest in? But the nice side of this
:14:24. > :14:27.is that most of them are investing in objects that they can use. But of
:14:28. > :14:32.course, it is not easy. Markets go down. The furniture market has
:14:33. > :14:35.collapsed in the last ten years. So I am advising clients to furnish
:14:36. > :14:41.their homes with fantastic Georgian and Victorian furniture. And watch
:14:42. > :14:46.it increase in value as they sleep. Because it has never been cheaper
:14:47. > :14:48.than it is today, ever. Wensleydale auctioneers, Tennants,
:14:49. > :14:56.sell locally, but increasingly worldwide online. 9000 for a
:14:57. > :15:06.Victorian corkscrew to Australia. 2.5 million for an Imperial Chinese
:15:07. > :15:10.vase. But it is not all big money. If they go to a sale, and they see
:15:11. > :15:13.something making... It is worth ?200`?300, or will make ?200`?300,
:15:14. > :15:17.then they probably have that cash spare to invest. And yes, if they
:15:18. > :15:21.were getting huge interest on the money, then all that money would go
:15:22. > :15:24.into the banks. So this very low interest rate, without doubt, has
:15:25. > :15:29.helped us a little over the last few years. But the consistent big`money
:15:30. > :15:36.ticket is top end cars. MGs are steady. Triumphs, well, triumph. But
:15:37. > :15:42.Aston Martins? How about a fivefold increase in ten years? But there is
:15:43. > :15:46.a catch. The higher numbers buy the more rarer cars. And the rare cars
:15:47. > :15:51.seem to become the most sought after as time goes by. And that forces the
:15:52. > :15:54.price up. Because there is only small quantities made, possibly 100
:15:55. > :16:02.or something like that. Convertibles, for instance. 150 DB4
:16:03. > :16:06.GTs cars, very rare ones like that. They are all rare, of course. They
:16:07. > :16:10.only made a handful of thousands of the whole of the eras right from the
:16:11. > :16:15.'50s right to the '80s. Those are the collectable models. And so, a
:16:16. > :16:20.cautionary tale. David Harper was offered an Aston Martin for 35,000
:16:21. > :16:25.in 1996. Too much, he said! Its value today? ?600,000.
:16:26. > :16:33.Colin Briggs, BBC Look North, Redrow, County Durham.
:16:34. > :16:38.Hmm, I wonder how much you have to keep the wine for appreciation. It
:16:39. > :16:41.would be doomed in our house! Coming up next, the community
:16:42. > :16:45.project that proves there can be life after council cuts.
:16:46. > :16:48.And it's the French connection. They're getting ready to party in
:16:49. > :16:50.the only French village in the country, as the countdown to Le
:16:51. > :16:55.Grand Depart continues. And some warm weather across much of
:16:56. > :17:00.the region, but what does the rest of the week old? I will be back soon
:17:01. > :17:07.with a full weather forecast. `` but what does the rest of the week hold?
:17:08. > :17:10.Spending cuts in recent years have seen the closure of sports centres,
:17:11. > :17:13.theatres and even libraries in our region. But one community project
:17:14. > :17:16.says it's fighting fit, despite being earmarked for closure two
:17:17. > :17:19.years ago. A year after a charity took over Bill Quay Community Farm
:17:20. > :17:25.from Gateshead Council, its immediate future is now said to be
:17:26. > :17:29.secure. Martin Forster reports. Bill Quay Farm is a tiny well of
:17:30. > :17:34.rural quiet hidden away on the banks of the Tyne. It is free to visit and
:17:35. > :17:39.provides training and education for a whole range of people. We came
:17:40. > :17:43.about 25 years ago with the children. And now we are bringing
:17:44. > :17:50.the grandchildren. We come from South Shields. So it is not far to
:17:51. > :17:57.come. It is a beautiful spot. But that costs money. A lot of money.
:17:58. > :18:01.And that is why two years ago Gateshead Council said it could no
:18:02. > :18:06.longer afford the ?300,000 per year required to keep it going at its
:18:07. > :18:08.peak. That was when a local community group, Bill Quay Farm
:18:09. > :18:12.Association, asked the council not to close the site. But to give it
:18:13. > :18:21.the least to the site. The group established itself as a charity. And
:18:22. > :18:25.one year on, they are cautiously optimistic that the farm is saved.
:18:26. > :18:29.We have applied for a lot of project funding. But like a lot of funding
:18:30. > :18:31.from a whole host of sources, really. We have also established
:18:32. > :18:35.some strong links with education providers in the region. One college
:18:36. > :18:38.in Durham, with whom we now offer full`time education courses in
:18:39. > :18:42.animal care. They are one of our partners. And a lot of schools as
:18:43. > :18:45.well coming on board and bringing young people here. And finding out
:18:46. > :18:49.about farming, agriculture, livestock. That is what the farm is
:18:50. > :18:58.about. It is about educating people. This facility receives around 25,000
:18:59. > :19:02.visitors per year. So the key to securing its future in the longer
:19:03. > :19:05.term may not be about attracting people as attracting money.
:19:06. > :19:10.The biggest thing ever to happen to North Yorkshire. That's how one of
:19:11. > :19:13.the county's oldest family dynasties describes Le Tour de France, which
:19:14. > :19:15.passes through their village this weekend. The Ingilby family has
:19:16. > :19:18.occupied Ripley Castle since medieval times. And Sir Thomas and
:19:19. > :19:22.Lady Emma Ingilby are the current incumbents. They and the village are
:19:23. > :19:26.about to host the biggest party ever seen there. And to top it all,
:19:27. > :19:29.Ripley is close to the final spectacular sprint to the end of
:19:30. > :19:36.Stage one on Saturday. Phil Chapman has been with the Ingilbys for the
:19:37. > :19:41.final countdown. The excitement about the Tour de
:19:42. > :19:47.France coming to Ripley has been growing here in more ways than one.
:19:48. > :19:50.In fact, for the Inglibys, who have occupied Ripley Castle just north of
:19:51. > :19:53.Harrogate for 700 years, the opportunity to host the ultimate
:19:54. > :20:01.French event just before the sprint finish could not be more fitting.
:20:02. > :20:04.The eccentric Sir William Ingilby, who demolished the entire village
:20:05. > :20:08.and rebuilt it inspired by his visits to France, would have been
:20:09. > :20:12.proud. One of the reasons we can embrace it so much is because the
:20:13. > :20:15.village of Ripley was actually built in the French style. So it is a copy
:20:16. > :20:19.of a village from Alsace`Lorraine. So in fact, we are the only French
:20:20. > :20:24.village I think in the country. We have a Hotel de Ville instead of a
:20:25. > :20:27.town hall. They are putting on a concert and some music and some
:20:28. > :20:30.films after the tour. We don't nowhere whether we are going to
:20:31. > :20:33.expect 5000 people or 20,000 people here. And that is a huge difference
:20:34. > :20:37.logistically. So we are just planning for what we hope is going
:20:38. > :20:41.to happen and what we think is going to happen. It is probably the
:20:42. > :20:44.biggest event that has ever come to Ripley. Or indeed this part of
:20:45. > :20:48.Yorkshire. And it is a lovely irony. Because we have been here for 700
:20:49. > :20:51.years. And for most of those centuries, we have spent the time
:20:52. > :20:55.terrified that the French would invade. And mustering troops to
:20:56. > :20:58.prevent a French invasion. Now they are coming, we are raising a troop
:20:59. > :21:01.of employees to actually welcome them. And the French connections
:21:02. > :21:05.don't stop at Ripley. We have got loads. We have got French
:21:06. > :21:13.connections in Middleham, which are twinned with Agincourt in France. So
:21:14. > :21:18.it is really a lot of Frances here in North Yorkshire. And Ripley
:21:19. > :21:21.resident, Jane Buchler, has brought a very important piece of France to
:21:22. > :21:31.North Yorkshire. Her granddaughter from Paris. SHE SPEAKS FRENCH.
:21:32. > :21:33.This week, Lois has been joining other children from Ripley's primary
:21:34. > :21:40.school. Making the village church even more floral, ready for le big
:21:41. > :21:44.weekend. Our oldest son is in France, and has five children. Lois
:21:45. > :21:51.is the fourth child and she has come to the school just to perfect her
:21:52. > :21:55.English. I am excited for the Tour de France. Because we've got such a
:21:56. > :21:59.lovely big council, Courtyard, that is what we are filling with assault
:22:00. > :22:03.courses for children and activities. And of course a bouncy castle. The
:22:04. > :22:06.Ingilby family motto is, my right, and after all these centuries, they
:22:07. > :22:10.have certainly earned the right to host the biggest party ever seen
:22:11. > :22:18.here this weekend. And our colours are pure coincidence
:22:19. > :22:24.tonight! Absolutely! Some cricket news first. And our
:22:25. > :22:29.region can boast four members of the England squad named today for the
:22:30. > :22:32.first test match against India. Joining Yorkshire's Joe Root, Gary
:22:33. > :22:36.Ballance and Liam Plunkett is the Durham all`rounder Ben Stokes who at
:22:37. > :22:38.23 is in line for his fifth England test at Trent Bridge starting a week
:22:39. > :22:41.today. Newcastle United have completed the
:22:42. > :22:44.signing on a six year deal of the Holland international Seem De Jong
:22:45. > :22:50.from Dutch giants Ajax. He's the Magpies' third summer recruit. De
:22:51. > :22:53.Jong, whose brother Luuk had a loan spell at St James's Park in the
:22:54. > :22:56.second half of last season, is a 25`year`old attacking midfielder.
:22:57. > :22:58.He's been capped six times by his country, but isn't in the World Cup
:22:59. > :23:01.squad. Hartlepool boss Colin Cooper has
:23:02. > :23:06.used his Middlesbrough connections to strengthen his squad for next
:23:07. > :23:09.season. Boro old boys Stuart Parnaby and Matthew Bates have both dropped
:23:10. > :23:12.divisions to play for their former team`mate as they aim for promotion
:23:13. > :23:19.back to League One. Back in preseason training with some
:23:20. > :23:21.new but familiar faces. Following the departure of long serving
:23:22. > :23:25.players like Andy Monkhouse and Antony Sweeney, Colin Cooper has
:23:26. > :23:29.turned to two men he knows well to add experience to his young squad. I
:23:30. > :23:33.know them inside out, so I know they are going to be a huge asset to this
:23:34. > :23:36.football club. Their technical spec is high. That is something I want.
:23:37. > :23:40.And they will definitely make us better, without a doubt. And
:23:41. > :23:44.hopefully over the course of the next month, five weeks, I get the
:23:45. > :23:48.chance to try and bring a bit more quality in and add to what we've
:23:49. > :23:51.got. And it's testament to Cooper that both have been prepared to drop
:23:52. > :23:56.divisions. Bates from League One. And Parnaby from the Championship. I
:23:57. > :24:02.have known him for however long time. And played with him. And
:24:03. > :24:06.watching him work as a coach at Middlesborough. It took me half an
:24:07. > :24:10.hour to decide. The gaffer isn't running it like a League Two team.
:24:11. > :24:13.He wants everything done properly. We are going to Spain next week,
:24:14. > :24:17.which I did not expect to be happening at a League Two club. And
:24:18. > :24:21.the facilities here, second to none, really. It is playing in League Two,
:24:22. > :24:26.but it is not, you know. You know with calling you are not going to
:24:27. > :24:31.get an easy ride? No, no, he is... He is old school and also quite
:24:32. > :24:35.modern in the way he wants to play begin. You know, I am sure this club
:24:36. > :24:38.can go on. Cooper is hoping to announce his new assistant in the
:24:39. > :24:44.next few days. And for everyone, there is only one aim this season.
:24:45. > :24:47.Promotion. Talking of Colin Cooper's old club
:24:48. > :24:50.Middlesbrough, the Spanish head coach Aitor Karanka is urging fans
:24:51. > :24:53.to be patient during the summer transfer window as Boro try to
:24:54. > :24:57.recruit the "right players" to the Riverside. Players not involved in
:24:58. > :25:00.the World Cup are already back in pre`season training. But they could
:25:01. > :25:02.soon be joined by the young Nigerian international defender Kenneth
:25:03. > :25:05.Omeruo. The 20`year`old enjoyed a successful loan spell on Teesside
:25:06. > :25:11.from Chelsea last season and Karanka says he's keen to return.
:25:12. > :25:20.And speaking of returning, look who is back, newly married!
:25:21. > :25:31.Tonight's forecast is looking cloudy and rainy, and this image to cheer
:25:32. > :25:36.us all up, thank you for that. Sunny breaks we are expecting tomorrow,
:25:37. > :25:40.but not tonight, clouding over the region with outbreaks of drizzle
:25:41. > :25:47.late rain, becoming widespread after dark in Cumbria, by dawn,
:25:48. > :25:55.temperatures not falling too much, no more than two around 15 or 16
:25:56. > :26:02.Celsius, so another mild night and start to tomorrow, with the weather
:26:03. > :26:07.system clearing to the site. Some light rain from North Yorkshire and
:26:08. > :26:10.Teeside. The rest of the region, particularly in North Northumberland
:26:11. > :26:16.and the Solway coast, we are expecting it to be sunny. 21 Celsius
:26:17. > :26:22.is about as warm as it has been today, and will be tomorrow, and
:26:23. > :26:32.westwards, very pleasant for much of Cumbria, a touch cooler on the West
:26:33. > :26:37.Coast. Light winds, at sea level, but brisk breezes over the Cumbrian
:26:38. > :26:42.Fells. Further rain tomorrow night. Low pressure dominating. Through
:26:43. > :26:48.Thursday evening, another weather front brings rain across the region,
:26:49. > :26:53.staying with us for Friday, particularly heavy across Cumbria,
:26:54. > :26:56.clearing for Saturday and the weekend looks largely dried before
:26:57. > :27:02.heavy showers move in across the North of England and much of the UK
:27:03. > :27:10.for Sunday. Some sunshine, but heavy showers. What will that mean for the
:27:11. > :27:15.West? We expect Friday to be gloomy, wet weather particularly
:27:16. > :27:22.heavy across Cumbria, brighter and dryer on Saturday, but showers on
:27:23. > :27:27.Sunday possible. And also the risk of rain in the north`east. It will
:27:28. > :27:41.brighten again on Saturday. Come and join us again. You remember
:27:42. > :27:43.how to do it if all `` how to do it all after your time away. That is
:27:44. > :27:49.all for now. Goodbye.