05/09/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

More than 100 workers are f`cing redundancy after a County Dtrham

factory making a famous brand of crisps was earmarked for closure.

Unions say the proposed loss of the KP plant in Consett `

which makes Phileas Fogg sn`cks ` is devastating.

But the company says it plans to expand its Teesside base.

Our correspondent Peter Harris reports.

Pay attention, Phileas Fogg authentic snacks made in Consett.

It's a factory famous for its advert as well as the crisps it produces.

KP's Phileas Fogg plant helped put Consett on the map.

Everyone remembers the advert where the plane comes down the ro`d.

It's devastating for the whole Consett area.

At the moment the company is stating it is just proposals,

but as you can appreciate, this is a big employer within the area.

People are devastated for themselves, for the famhly

The factory employs more than 100 people.

It is thought the bad news here could be tempered

by expansion at KP's centres at Stanley and Billingham on Tdeside.

KP Snacks is now owned by a German company.

It's carried out a rationalisation programme.

It says this factory is underutilised

The closure of the crisp f`ctory will be a poignant blow for Consett

though, because this factorx was the firstinvestment in the town after

Some of those who work here are couples.

The local authority is award of the potential damage of the job losses.

Our first thoughts are trying to support those 100 people who will

lose their jobs and help thdm to get back into employment or whatever

Workers were told to say nothing today.

If confirmed, the factory is set to close early next year.

A man who died after falling on a B oil platform in the North Sda has

been named as Sean Anderson, from the Tyne and Wear area.

The 43`year`old was working on the Unity rig,

97 miles off Aberdeen, when the incident happened just after 4: 0am

He was carrying out routine maintenance at the time.

Police Scotland is carrying out a joint investigation with

A drink`driver who crashed his car ` killing one passenger

and injuring two others ` has been jailed for five ye`rs.

Dominic Loftus, who was 22, died when the car driven by

Ryan Glendinning came off the road near Penrith last xear

The court heard that Ryan Glendinning had been drinking

in the evening on the fateftl night that Dominic Loftus dhed.

The court was told he'd drunk five pints of lager and two glasses

He said he was determined to drive that night and was driving from

the pub to the village of Greystoke when the accident happened.

Dominic Loftus had not been drinking, but working in thd pub

The car came off the road on the way to Greystoke,

crashing through a hedge and a stone wall before coming to rest

Two other passengers were seriously injured.

Cumbria Police said they wotld not tolerate drink`driving.

Once you hold a driving licence that is a highly

You must remember that at all times drink`driving and drug`drivhng, even

when it seems a moment of ftn, can lead to absolute tragic consequences

and the message is that drink and drug driving will not be tolerated

and it does have devastating effects, as we have seen today.

Sentencing Ryan Glendinning to five years in prison, the judge said

the sentence would seem wholly inadequate to a grieving falily

He told Glendinning that through your actions you have left

a close`knit family inconsolable and totally bereft.

The North's reservists are helping to fill the gap left by Govdrnment

cuts to the regular army ` but there are fears there won't be

20,000 personnel are being `xed and they're supposed to be replaced

Damian O'Neil has been with a North East Army Reserve reghment,

For the last fortnight, 5th Battalion Royal Regiment

of Fusiliers have been training for war in Europe alongside

These volunteers are in the main impossible to disthnguish

from full`time soldiers, most of whom say they'd be happy to

We've both been to Afghan whth reserves, so we've had reserves

Once they are up and running they are just as good

But while few would question the skill and commitment of the

individual Army reserve soldiers, there are not enough of thel.

Like most regiments the 5th Fusiliers faced major

I've been in the reserve forces and the regular forces and

the last time I was in with the TA, we had a fully recruited colpany.

I think this time around I'l finding there are far fewer people here

and it has been a challenge to try to get the numbers into

The Ministry of Defence needs 30,000 trahned

In the year to April 2014, the total figure rose from 19,230, to 19, 00.

But between April and July, the figure fell to 19,290.

But there are hopeful signs beginning to emerge,

In the year to the end of Fdbruary, they took on 24 new recruits,

But in the last six months or so they've already taken on more of

We have a good number of recruits, more

And they are attending and passing the courses that we require.

If you're taking part in thd Great North Run, best of luck.

You'll be hoping for decent weather, so let's see what Paul Moondy can

Cloud and rain feature for lost of us overnight tonight. One or two

heavy bursts. Temperatures stay in double figures, with a light

northerly breeze. Tomorrow lorning, the remnants of the rain will clear

away south and east. Things start to dry up and brighten up. Bright or

sunny spells. One or two afternoon showers, especially in the West

Temperatures fresher. 17 Celsius is about the best tomorrow aftdrnoon.

Cooler than that if you are in the breeze. On Sunday and into Londay,

for most of us it is a dry, bright picture. The fresher feel to things

continues. The National weather forecast shortly, but first the

route for the Great North Rtn and how the weather is shaping tp on

Sunday. Dry, bright Hello. I am sure you cannot wait to

find