08/08/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Through Sunday and inch or two inches of rain, gales are possible

a life prolonging cancer drug trial in our region is not available on

the NHS. They make these decisions without asking patients.

Confirmation from the Malaysia authorities that the killers of two

Newcastle University medical students were high on drugs.

The fundraising efforts are stepped up in the hope of finding a cure for

the cruel condition affecting this seven`year old.

And he is the most tiptop Top Cat. Nelson is crowned Cat Of Thd

And he is the most tiptop Top Cat. Nelson is crowned Cat Of The Year.

Nelson is crowned Cat Of Thd Year. In sport, the big kick`off

approaches for Football League clubs. And Sunderland's midfield may

have lost one Jac Davies summer clubs. And Sunderland's midfield may

have lost one Jac Davies sulmer but have lost one Jac Davies sulmer but

this Jack in the box told us why he chose Wearside to kick`start his

career. `` lost one Jack thhs career. `` lost one Jack this

summer. life to some patients but today it

has been announced that Kadcyla will not be offered on the NHS. The

woman who has benefited the drug woman who has benefited

It looks insignificant says that decision is disgr`ceful.

precious for patients with `dvanced breast cancer.

Newcastle health care worker Michelle Robson's life has been

transformed since she startdd taking it six months ago.

After the first month, my cough was gone.

I work full time, I run a house have two children.

The other drugs I've been on make you feel absolutely horrendous.

This one, I can leave work, go get it,

Kadcyla makes such a huge advance because it delivers

toxins straight into the cancer cell, meaning thdy don't

spread around the body and produce the debilitating side`effects

But a year's treatment costs ?90,00 .

Those in charge of NHS medicines say that is too expensive to

The NHS has to recognise it has to provide for all diseases and

so it has to balance the benefits that a new treatment brings with

We have a standard approach to that ` extra flexibility

for cancer drugs but even whth that, the price is simply far too great to

For Michelle and her consultant though,

Michelle is a young woman, she's working, she has young children, and

I do not think you can put ` price on the next Christmas or the next

Those are the memories that those kids will carry with them

It's about people's lives and their value in society.

These suits sit behind a desk and make these decisions without getting

out there and asking patients, seeing the difference that it makes.

Could they sit and to my family, sorry, can't afford this.

For now, doctors will still be able to apply to a special fund to

But as that pot of money runs out in 2016 there is

a huge question mark over treatment that is not yet curing patients

but is giving patients up to six extra month of extra qualitx life

`` an average of an extra shx months.

It's emerged that three men, arrested in Borneo over the killing

of two Newcastle University medical students have tested positive

for the drug crystal meth. Neil Dalton and Aidan Brungdr,

Neil Dalton and Aidan Brunger, who were both 22, were stabbed

in the city of Kuching. Here's our Correspondent,

Mark Denten. Paying tribute today

to two colleagues. Medical staff at

Sarawack General Hospital mourning the loss of two young men ` Neil

Dalton and Aidan Brunger ` who came to Malaysia to save lives, only to

have their's cut tragically short. They were heading back to their

hostel when they were attacked. Malaysian police have arrested four

men and say they've admitted In a preliminary report seen

by the BBC, Malaysian police say three of the

suspects have tested positive for the drug crystal meth, known locally

as syabu and reportedly available Meanwhile,

Newcastle University staff are They are part of our Newcastle

family and the wider family of medicine. I have to say the grief

and sadness is shared not only by all the medical staff that they have

come into touch with and thd hospitals, but also the general

hospitals, but also the gendral population of Kuching. Local people

coming to light candles, le`ve flowers, and reads from just about

every organisation of subst`nce here. Everybody here in this society

is stunned and shocked. Tributes have also been paid by tourists

is stunned and shocked. Tributes have also been paid by tourhsts in

the area. They were in the same bar as us earlier on in the evening and

as us earlier on in the evening, and everyone just seemed to be having a

good time. Everyone having a everyone just seemed to be having a

good time. Everyone having a drink like you do.

A post mortem examination h`s been carried out on the bodies

Five other Newcastle University medical staff who were working with

them in Borneo are expected back in the UK tomorrow.

More news now, and hundreds of jobs could be at risk at South Tyneside

could be at risk at South Txneside Council. The council has announced

it is starting formal discussions with unions over a possible 350 job

losses. It has to make additional savings of at least ?22 million in

addition to 100 million alrdady saved, but says it will try to avoid

compulsory redundancies. Martin Callan, the former

Conservative MP for the North East, has been made Lord. He lost his seat

at Euro elections in May. He has been made Lord. He lost his seat

at Euro elections in May. Hd is at Euro elections in May. Hd is

among 23 working peers announced by Downing Street. She was born with a

rare eye condition and earlier Downing Street. She was born with a

rare eye condition and earlher this rare eye condition and earlier this

year, her parents received the news they had dreaded, their

seven`year`old daughter is now blind. But now she's making

progress, and this weekend there is a big event to raise money for

research into her condition. Losing her sight was always a risk,

but when it happened, the impact was particularly severe bec`use Ella

is classed as deaf`blind. Struggling to hear and now blind as

well meant relearning everything. It really brought it home to us how

entirely different life was, going from having some navigation`l vision

to bumping into everything, walking into things, becoming very

distressed, very upset. Ella has had to learn again

from scratch, She's risen to it,

as she does with everything. Ella was born with aniridia, a rare

eye condition. Numerous operations

failed to save her sight. She couldn't come to me and say,

it failed today, I'm having a bad time, I can't see,

it is really getting to me. But now she has interpreters

and guides, the interveners, and is The family meanwhile continte

their fundraising for research. This weekend her dad will t`ckle

the gruelling 100 mile Prudential Ride London, raising money

for a study into her condition We have a group of 21 guys

and girls who will be riding with us Last year we had a fantastic weather

but this year we are in for It is hoped the bike ride will raise

?12,000 to add to the ?100,000 they have alre`dy

raised, also for research that might Fingers crossed,

the funding will eventually help Ella, and until that point we will

just keep her eyes as healthy as we can, and hope in the future that

she will have some sight restored. We wish her all the very best.

Another story from the World War I home front coming up, and the man

who made a nature reserve act of a who made a nature reserve act of a

potential nuclear dump. And the details of Ex`Sarah Kane

Bertha. `` Hurricane Bertha. What connects these two people?

Belgrade, the Prime Minister, and Lady Sybil Gray. During the First

World War she ran one of many hospitals. `` Earl Grey, the

World War she ran one of many hospitals. `` Earl Grey, thd Prime

Minister. In the latest of our series marking the centenarx

Minister. In the latest of our series marking the centenary of

Minister. In the latest of our series marking the centenarx of the

Great War, we look at these real Great War, we look at these real

life echo of a down to a big storyline, and how people remember

storyline, and how people rdmember Lady Sybil today.

Aristocratic England, 1914. Peace seem to be shattered, and hdre

Aristocratic England, 1914. Peace seem to be shattered, and here in

seem to be shattered, and hdre in Northumberland, privileged lives to

be changed forever. Lady Sybil Gray had grown up in one of the nation's

grandest ancestral homes, Howick Hall. You can imagine the life

grandest ancestral homes, Howick Hall. You can imagine the lhfe of

grandest ancestral homes, Howick Hall. You can imagine the life of a

Hall. You can imagine the lhfe of a lady here and how it would have been

totally transparent by the beginning of the First World War. `` totally

transformed. They had a lifd of comfort and I suppose they wondered

what they could offer. Lady Sybil was the worldly wise news of the

Foreign Secretary and the great granddaughter of the great reformer,

Earl Grey. And now she was determined to make her own lark

Earl Grey. And now she was determined to make her own mark. So

determined to make her own lark So as the product of a great Liberal

dynasty, perhaps we should not be dynasty, perhaps we should not be

surprised that Lady Sybil would want to do her bit. 1700 properties

to do her bit. 1700 properthes around Britain were offered to the

Red Cross for hospital facilities, but this was the first in the North

East. Now a visitor 's' tearoom this was a ballroom that Lady

Sybil's father had transformed this was a ballroom that Lady

Sybil's father had transformed into a hospital ward. That was jtst the

a hospital ward. That was just the start, and Lady Sybil would be in

charge. A lot of it came from the family's sense of duty. What could

you do to help? They were cdrtainly you do to help? They were certainly

giving a lot in terms of thdir young giving a lot in terms of thdir young

men, as we now know, the casualties were appalling. And as far as

were appalling. And as far `s the ladies were concerned, nothing

were appalling. And as far as the ladies were concerned, nothhng was

ladies were concerned, nothing was an obvious possibility. 41 patients

arrived at the start, and over the period of the war, they tre`ted

period of the war, they treated over period of the war, they treated over

400 patients. There were rooms upstairs, too. It became quite

crowded and after a big battle, they would get patients that werd not

just convalescing, they would come straight from the battlefield,

because the big hospitals were full, because the big hospitals were full,

and they had to cut the uniforms of some of them. They were comhng

straight from the battlefield. The Sybil was not just content to work

here. She accepted an invitation Sybil was not just content to work

here. She accepted an invit`tion to run a hospital in Petrograd, capital

of Britain's ally Russia. She loved the challenge.

nice to have heard it from her and I think she did a wonderful thing. I'm

think she did a wonderful thing I'm very proud indeed of her. Another

amazing story. He has been praised by the Prime

Minister and honoured by a former American President. One of the men

who helped create and run the RSPB Saltholme nature reserve on Deeside

is to receive a Point Of Light award. These awards were set up by

George W Bush to honour voltnteers George W Bush to honour volunteers

who have made a difference to society. This special report.

It was the most unlikely tourist attraction,

nestled between Teeside's chemical and heavy industry.

The site was once earmarked for nuclear waste dump,

but now it's become a naturd reserve of international importance

and the man who helped make it all happen is now being honoured.

What you see here is 16 years of tireless efforts

and it's a thank you to all the people who have made this happen.

And it's a recognition of volunteers who do this free of charge.

For neighbouring businesses and heavy industries, once sworn

And over the years, some of Britain's more spectacular birds

like these peregrine falcons have flown past Saltholme and made their

nests across the road at thd centre of a huge, noisy chemical works.

The worries that the reserve would bring problems to

the doorstep of the local btsinesses are now long gone.

Industry had concerns, there might be security isstes with

people coming onto an industrial context like this.

Thankfully, none of those concerns have materialised.

We have people, we have indtstry and we have nature conservation.

Managers here say over the last five years, Saltholme has attracted an

Now, of that number, around 17,000 come from outside of the arda,

All of those visitors bring with them money and it is said that this

nature reserve brings about ?1.7 million a year to

Now a huge expansion plan would see the nature reservd grow

Managers are in talks with local businesses, landowners and the

council to buy or take over the necessary land.

We are hoping to have 3000 `cres and we are hoping more importantly

to bring it up to a conservation standard.

Most of the land here is of poor ecological value.

And we want to open it to the public and let them enjoy it.

Work on that huge expansion is expected to start as early

Saltholme looks set to attract the magic figure of 100,000 vishtors

It looks fabulous. Incongruous but amazing.

Time for sport and time for the football season to start. Yds,

Time for sport and time for the football season to start. Yes, but

just hang on for a couple of minutes.

Sunderland have become the latest Premier League club to

delve into the American market by signing a partnership with

The agreement will see the two clubs promoting each other and sharing

Meanwhile, the Wearsiders h`ve been parading their most eye`catching

summer recruit so far ` ex`Manchester City and Everton

Showing off his new colours today at the club's training ground, Jack

Rodwell is just the latest young Englishman to have found hilself

squeezed out of a big`money club by the sheer money number of foreign

stars, but he's not bitter at having to

Yes, it is tough and a challenge, but as youngsters and English

and footballers, you want to be challenged, and that's the way it

so sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't and this is a new

challenge for me now, coming to a team that I don't really know much

It is a new challenge and it's good to be challenged.

Sunderland have had the upper hand in recent medtings

with City apart from the Capital One Cup final at Wembley, but even that

worked in their favour when it came to sealing this particular deal.

Definitely, I have seen the fans there and the passion

I know Dennis Tueart quite well as well.

He was a great player and did really well for Sunderland.

I know his son as well and he told me about the passion of the club.

For me, they have not done as well as what they could do

With the new manager now, he seems to be really good

and comes across well in my opinion and most of the lads think that as

well, as so we have got a good chance this year to push up the

league. It would certainly help that push if manager Gus Poyet could

persuade Fabio Borini to accept that ?14m move from Liverpool.

The Uruguayan says he is still hopeful.

We've had the World Cup, the Tour de France in Yorkshire

and the Commonwealth Games, so major sporting events have hardly

But most football fans have been counting down the days to

Sunderland and Newcastle have another week to

wait but the new Football League campaign kicks off this weekend

Many believe Middlesbrough will push for a Championship play`off place.

It's five years since they were relegated from the Premier League

but head coach Aitor Karanka has had money to spend, including ndarly

three million on a Spanish striker, and he's been busy networking `

persuading talented young ddfender Kenneth Omeruo to return

One of the main reasons why I'm here, it's easier to go back to the

place where you are loved and where you can feel free to play your

best, and go to a new club `nd you can feel free to play your

best, and go to a new club and have to start over again.

Commentary of Boro's home game tomorrow

against almost`relegated Birmingham City will be on BBC Tees

FM, with League Two Hartlepool kicking off at Stevenage.

Pools boss Colin Cooper has gone back to the future this summer,

I made a conscious effort to recruit some experience. The players I have

brought in, not only are thdre technically good footballers but

they bring a wealth of experience and add an awful lot.

Ex Boro stalwarts Matthew Bates and Stuart Parnaby

have now been joined by midfielder Tommy Miller ` returning to the Vic

Ex Leeds midfielder Michael Woods and Middlesbrough winger

Ryan Brobbel ` a former York loanee ` have also signed up.

After relegation to League Two in May,

Carlisle manager Graham Kavanagh has brought ten new faces to thd club,

the latest ex`Sunderland striker Stephen Elliott, and one more

Promoted Luton will arrive at Brunton Park with

a big following and a big budget but Kavanagh is quietly

We have brought the nucleus of the new team together and I am hoping

that it hits the ground running and that they gel. If we get a good win

I think it will give everybody a boost. In the last stage and

everything has been really positive. It will give us that extra bit of

edge. Full commentary of

that one on BBC Radio Cumbria. Meanwhile, York City under

Nigel Worthington have been busy in the transfer market and, after

reaching the play`offs last season, will relish their first visit

in 20 years to Tranmere Rovdrs, And full commentary of the Xork city

batch on BBC Radio York. In rugby union, Newcastle's Sarah

Hunter will captain England's women in their final World Cup group game

against Canada in Paris tomorrow, with skipper Katy McLean from

South Shields on the bench. Meanwhile, Newcastle Falcons are

in the final of the Premiership rugby 7s tonight at the

Twickenham Stoop after winning And on Sunday,

can Workington make it eight league wins in a row at Doncaster

in rugby league's Championship? Let's hope so.

Indeed. Now, a hard luck story with a happy ending. He lived rough for

15 years on the docks. It is not Paul Mooney, is it? And last in a

fight with his brother... No, it is not Paul.

No, but things are just looking better for Brighton. `` for Nelson.

The 20`year`old multi`has just been named Cat Of The Year. .

This is Nelson, the one eyed former stray cat who is used up a fair

share of his nine lives during the share of his nine lives durhng the

last 20 years. Life hasn't been easy for Nelson from the start. As a

kitten, he and his brothers and sisters were thrown into a bag and

thrown into the water here at sisters were thrown into a bag and

thrown into the water here at Seaham docks. He and his brother strvived,

fished out by a lobster fisherman, and they lived in a tin hat here to

15 years. I first started working around the marina about 2003. Nelson

was being looked after by the fishermen who ran the dock. During

that time at the docks, Nelson lost his eye in a fight with his brother.

The word is they had a disagreement over a mouse. But then he befriended

Andrea and the rest, as thex say, over a mouse. But then he bdfriended

Andrea and the rest, as they say, is history. One bitterly cold November

night, he just followed us up to the night, he just followed us tp to the

car park and adopted us, basically, and decided, I'm coming with you.

This years National Cat Of The Year is... Nelson! But it was his

incredible life story that persuaded the Cats protection charity to

choose him as their Cat Of The Year at a ceremony in London last night.

Is a little here! He has brought tears to the eyes! Are you proud of

him? Yes, very much. His owners are thrilled to have found him and

him? Yes, very much. His owners are thrilled to have found him `nd it

looks as though Nelson is pretty content, too.

Thousands of people are expected to visit the Lowther Show near Penrith

Among the attractions will be horse carriage driving trials with some

of Britain's leading competitors taking part.

There'll also be a hound show, a food and beer festival,

gun dog championships and clay pigeon shooting.

And, of course, what they w`nt to know is, what is the weather going

to be like? Is it on Saturday or Sunday?

Saturday. Then that is fant`stic. The weekend turns pretty unsettled

during its second half. Sunny spells tomorrow. Through this evenhng,

tomorrow. Through this evening, those showers still have a lot of

intensity to them. We have had dozens of lightning strikes across

the region and there could be more through the later part of this

evening. After that, though, the showers will start to clear. A much

brighter, better day to comd tomorrow for being out and about.

tomorrow for being out and `bout. Blue skies across the region,

nothing more than one or two light passing showers, very isolated

through the middle of the d`y but as through the middle of the d`y but as

we take a tour through the afternoon, things look great. Very

nice summer's afternoon devdloping. Along the North Yorkshire coast and

the North East coast and thd inside the North East coast and thd inside

and Wearside, and Northumberland also looks fine and dry.

Temperatures peaking around 19 0 Celsius for most parts. Good

visibility as well for most of the Cumbrian fells and just an isolated

shower to the East. Top temperature in Cumbria, 20 Celsius Inland, 17

towards the coast. So we pick up the big picture at the end of S`turday

big picture at the end of Saturday and low pressure takes over through

Saturday into Sunday. What you can Saturday into Sunday. What xou can

see at the South of the UK is the remnants of Hurricane Berth` and she

will track along the coast on Sunday evening printing heavy weather

conditions and strong coastal gusts. conditions and strong coast`l gusts.

Let's look at the details. In Let's look at the details. Hn

Cumbria, we are expecting heavy and persistent showers through luch

Cumbria, we are expecting hdavy and persistent showers through much of

Sunday. A weather warning for potentially up to two inches of

rain. It keeps raining in m`ny parts rain. It keeps raining in many parts

on Monday as well. In the North East, also unsettled on Sunday.

Monday turning just a littld drier in places. Good news for lots of

summer events taking place tomorrow. Saturday looks fine and dry. That is

across much of the region. Great news for these areas and their

news for these areas and thdir offence. More unsettled, though,

news for these areas and their offence. More unsettled, though for

many events around the region on Sunday. `` and their events.

The weekend starts here, unless you are on the late news excavation

market goodbye. Martin Freeman presents a Gaza

Crisis appeal on behalf of the Disasters Emergency Committee.

Over the last month the crisis in Gaza has captured the world's

attention. Military conflict has been taking a

devastating toll on a densely-populated area.

So tens of thousands of people have nowhere to live and nowhere else to

go. The conflict means that the people

of Gaza are in great need. Thousands of exhausted families are

living in temporary shelters ? facing a very uncertain future.

The DEC estimates over a million people don't even have access to

enough clean water. These people desperately need your

help. That's why The Disasters Emergency

Committee or DEC ? an umbrella