:00:00. > :00:00.Hello and welcome to Friday's Look North.
:00:00. > :00:15.Fresh calls for better warnhng signs on the River Tyne
:00:16. > :00:20.15,000 children have their say on what it's really
:00:21. > :00:26.And why this tiny new arriv`l has caused a bit of a headache
:00:27. > :00:32.In sport, we'll look ahead to another big weekend of football
:00:33. > :00:35.And as the basketball season prepares to tip`off tonight, we cast
:00:36. > :00:56.First tonight, a Newcastle family are being
:00:57. > :00:58.consoled by Police Welfare officers after their three year`old son
:00:59. > :01:03.It happened yesterday evening at a house on Elswick Road,
:01:04. > :01:09.Police have described it as a tragic incident.
:01:10. > :01:11.They say toddler Callum Grednwood was playing in the garden
:01:12. > :01:15.when it appears he tripped and fell into the pond.
:01:16. > :01:21.From early this morning, visitors laid flowers
:01:22. > :01:24.at the garden gate of where this tragedy happened, the shock of it
:01:25. > :01:29.It was very frightening and awful for us to witness what was
:01:30. > :01:40.The police were called to this property after 7:00pm last night
:01:41. > :01:48.A number of officers quicklx came down and started a search.
:01:49. > :01:50.After just ten minutes, they found Callum in the pond.
:01:51. > :01:55.He was taken very quickly to the RVI Hospital but they couldn't save him.
:01:56. > :01:59.His family are said to be absolutely devastated and are being consoled
:02:00. > :02:11.They were a nice family but I've never thought something
:02:12. > :02:16.Obviously they're absolutely devastated now.
:02:17. > :02:19.Yeah, well, I just want to give all of them my
:02:20. > :02:30.Police say their enquiries will be continuing and a report will
:02:31. > :02:41.Northumbrian Water says it wants to explore what more can be done to
:02:42. > :02:46.prevent any further tragedids on the River Tyne
:02:47. > :02:52.As we reported yesterday, a coroner is to write to the company `fter the
:02:53. > :02:55.deaths of brothers Mark and Darren Thorpe and their cousin Gavhn
:02:56. > :03:00.Their families say warning signs should be improved.
:03:01. > :03:03.Peter Harris is live for us at Tyne Green in Hexham where the men
:03:04. > :03:15.Peter, what further developlents have there been today?
:03:16. > :03:20.If yesterday was about the hnquest and about how these men met their
:03:21. > :03:27.deaths, today we have been `sking what can be done to stop tr`gedies
:03:28. > :03:31.like this in future. First of all, but they are from a family friend we
:03:32. > :03:38.spoke to yesterday, who raised a particular issue.
:03:39. > :03:41.If anything at all can come out of it, we would like to makd sure
:03:42. > :03:44.nobody ends up in this position again and that signage is ilproved
:03:45. > :03:47.for a much further distance back from the weir, and it convexs the
:03:48. > :04:03.Better signage, because the coroner is writing to Northumbrian Water.
:04:04. > :04:06.There is no blame, but it is simply to raise the question of wh`t can be
:04:07. > :04:18.done. The company are receptive of that. They will look seriously at
:04:19. > :04:20.the coroner was by letter. The questionnaires, with more shgns have
:04:21. > :04:36.helped these men? Educating them? Of course, because these men went
:04:37. > :04:37.reckless. They thought they had done the right thing but they were caught
:04:38. > :04:43.out. It was a tragic mistake
:04:44. > :04:53.in that they've presumably gone on to the river
:04:54. > :04:58.when they certainly shouldn't be. They should have been
:04:59. > :05:04.in closed kayaks. But even then with their experience,
:05:05. > :05:06.they shouldn't have entered Would improved signage make
:05:07. > :05:09.a distance? A sign saying 'Danger: Weir' would
:05:10. > :05:29.definitely improve the situ`tion. The final word, then, on thhs
:05:30. > :05:34.tragedy. Possibly improved signage in future and the need for better
:05:35. > :05:41.education for kayakers and canoeists. This is a rising sport
:05:42. > :05:44.and increasing pastime. This peaceful rubber can quickly become a
:05:45. > :05:48.killer. A convicted arsonist, who sdt fire
:05:49. > :05:50.to his neighbours' homes, h`s failed John Brown, who's 48, startdd fires
:05:51. > :05:56.in seven houses in Keswick, including five which were occupied
:05:57. > :06:00.and a number in his own strdet. He was jailed for life at C`rlisle
:06:01. > :06:04.Crown Court in February last year. He appealed to the Court of Appeal
:06:05. > :06:08.to have his minimum nine`ye`r sentence reduced, but today
:06:09. > :06:11.the court dismissed his appdal. Councillors
:06:12. > :06:15.in York have approved proposals to The decision was made
:06:16. > :06:18.at a meeting last night. There'll now be
:06:19. > :06:20.a public consultation on the city's local plan, and ` final
:06:21. > :06:25.decision will be made next xear Newcastle City Council's johned
:06:26. > :06:27.forces with seven other loc`l authorities to demand
:06:28. > :06:30.a meeting with the Prime Minister to Following the No vote
:06:31. > :06:37.in last week's Scottish refdrendum, the councils have written to
:06:38. > :06:39.William Hague, who's been charged with delivering devolution
:06:40. > :06:41.and constitutional change. They've asked to meet him and
:06:42. > :06:44.David Cameron stating they'll not accept 'delays' or 'half me`sures'
:06:45. > :06:48.when it comes to giving mord powers Durham MP Kevan Jones has s`id
:06:49. > :06:54.Virgin Money boss Sir Richard Branson 'should hang his
:06:55. > :06:57.head in shame' after the region s biggest charity, the Northern Rock
:06:58. > :07:01.Foundation, announced it was to close
:07:02. > :07:03.after donating ?220 million to good Sir Richard told the Foundation
:07:04. > :07:11.in May to find ?3 million pdr year from local donors
:07:12. > :07:14.for every ?1 million that Vhrgin would give to good causes btt that's
:07:15. > :07:18.proved an impossible task. It comes at a really diffictlt time
:07:19. > :07:21.for charities in the North Dast particularly with the loss
:07:22. > :07:26.of public sector funding. The cuts that affected local
:07:27. > :07:27.authorities and public sector bodies have had
:07:28. > :07:30.a knock`on effect because they've been less able to support charities
:07:31. > :07:33.and voluntary sector organisations. Looking forward, Virgin Mondy
:07:34. > :07:35.announced they would be givhng 1 million to the charities in the
:07:36. > :07:44.North East and I hope we can work with Virgin Money to make stre that
:07:45. > :07:47.kind of commitment continues into Just recently we've seen yotng
:07:48. > :07:59.people north of the border having their say in a big way, with 16`
:08:00. > :08:02.and 17`year`olds getting a vote Well, even younger people are
:08:03. > :08:10.getting a say in North Yorkshire. A new three`year plan called 'Young
:08:11. > :08:12.and Yorkshire' has been launched. It aims to listen to the concerns
:08:13. > :08:15.of primary and secondary school children on issues like education,
:08:16. > :08:18.bullying, road safety, even obesity. Up to 15,000 children
:08:19. > :08:20.and young people across They wrote the foreword to the Young
:08:21. > :08:32.and Yorkshire plan from their tiny school on the edge of
:08:33. > :08:36.the North York Moors Nation`l Park. It seems
:08:37. > :08:38.their voices have been heard. We, the children of North Yorkshire
:08:39. > :08:43.would like you to make sure that we are healthy, sporty, happy, clean,
:08:44. > :08:53.eco`friendly, inspired, clever, too cool for school, given our say, to
:08:54. > :08:57.be heard, to be supported, to have a place in the crowd
:08:58. > :09:03.and to be loved. As children, they have a refreshingly straightforward
:09:04. > :09:06.approach to regional politics. I think it is good that young people
:09:07. > :09:09.get a say as well as adults It is better than just
:09:10. > :09:22.an adult's idea. At 16, Olivia has taken her
:09:23. > :09:25.involvement in regional polhtics to the next level as part of the
:09:26. > :09:28.Youth Council of North Yorkshire. We have a lot more support
:09:29. > :09:31.in schools through the three aims of this projdct,
:09:32. > :09:36.better schools, better support for families and healthier children
:09:37. > :09:41.both physically and emotion`lly It's part of our culture th`t we
:09:42. > :09:47.include children and young people, even to devise priorities that have
:09:48. > :09:50.no realities for young people. So that is a huge consultathon
:09:51. > :09:57.with young people. For Grace, to achieve her albitions,
:09:58. > :10:01.she is wise enough to know she will need the support
:10:02. > :10:03.of the people running her county. I'd like to be a vet becausd I
:10:04. > :10:12.like caring for animals. I would probably stay in
:10:13. > :10:17.North Yorkshire because it has a nice landscape
:10:18. > :10:23.and lots of wildlife, good schools. I'd need quite a lot of help
:10:24. > :10:35.but I'll get there. Plans for a 'mansion tax' won't work
:10:36. > :10:38.in the North East, according to The Labour leader Ed Miliband has
:10:39. > :10:44.unveiled plans to levy the tax on properties worth more th`n ?
:10:45. > :10:46.million if he becomes He argues it'll raise more than
:10:47. > :10:51.?1.5 billion for the NHS. According to estimates, there are
:10:52. > :10:54.only around 200 properties hn the North East that might incur the
:10:55. > :10:58.mansion tax but one critic says it wouldn't be a good way of r`ising
:10:59. > :11:02.money for the health servicd. They've obviously costed it so they
:11:03. > :11:07.think they can raise quite ` lot of money, but it's going to take some
:11:08. > :11:10.time for that money to come through We're very much in favour
:11:11. > :11:16.of having a temporary rise in income tax and then focusing
:11:17. > :11:20.on where you can really savd money in the NHS, which is to abolish
:11:21. > :11:23.the market system in the NHS. That could save up to
:11:24. > :11:26.?5 billion per year. And Middlesbrough's Labour LP Andy
:11:27. > :11:28.McDonald will be among thosd discussing his party's new NHS
:11:29. > :11:31.policy on Sunday Politics at 11 00pm The world's greatest cyclists are
:11:32. > :11:42.returning to our region next year, A deal worth millions
:11:43. > :11:45.of pounds has been signed for either the main Tour of Britain
:11:46. > :11:49.or its smaller sister race to come And over in another county,
:11:50. > :11:54.the provisionally`titled Totr de Seen as a lasting legacy
:11:55. > :11:58.from the Tour de France, it'll run People in Northumberland ard
:11:59. > :12:07.being loaned motor scooters The scheme has the backing
:12:08. > :12:11.of the former MP Alan Milburn, who now leads the
:12:12. > :12:13.Government's Social Mobilitx In six months, more than 850 people
:12:14. > :12:20.have used the Wheels 2 Work scheme. Scooters can be taken on lo`n
:12:21. > :12:25.for ?20 a week. The aim is to help people who are
:12:26. > :12:29.struggling to get to work or who may have turned down jobs
:12:30. > :12:31.because they couldn't get there What it's doing is helping people
:12:32. > :12:35.get into a job, stay in a job and make a real difference
:12:36. > :12:38.for themselves and their falilies. I don't drive or anything,
:12:39. > :12:41.I tried that, but I just cotldn t I got my pushbike but, of course,
:12:42. > :12:48.poorly knees! It's a new lease of life for me
:12:49. > :12:55.I just love it. Jeff Brown joins me shortly for a
:12:56. > :13:00.look ahead to the weekend's sport. Also coming up,
:13:01. > :13:02.the surprise new arrival at I'll be back shortly with a full
:13:03. > :13:19.weather forecast. A tractor and trailer
:13:20. > :13:22.as a hearse and a jazz band to accompany motrners
:13:23. > :13:26.may not be the obvious choice for a funeral but it seems that more and
:13:27. > :13:29.more people are looking at novel According to a new survey,
:13:30. > :13:35.less than 25% of people in the North East would choose
:13:36. > :13:38.a traditional church funeral and Each fire work is filled with
:13:39. > :14:01.gunpowder and the ashes a Txneside woman who wanted to go out with
:14:02. > :14:10.a bang. The man responsible
:14:11. > :14:12.for the event is Carl Marlow, He says more and more peopld are
:14:13. > :14:18.opting for wicker and cardboard An alternative funeral is jtst
:14:19. > :14:25.reflecting the individual, depending You don't have to spend
:14:26. > :14:32.a lot to have a good funeral, it's So have we turned our backs on
:14:33. > :14:38.the traditional church funeral with According to a survey by thd
:14:39. > :14:48.Co`operative funeral care, 33% would like a humanist or non religious
:14:49. > :14:51.ceremony whereas only 22% of people in the North East want a tr`ditional
:14:52. > :14:54.church service for their send`off. The rest were either undecided
:14:55. > :15:01.or hadn't thought about it. We are celebrating the life that is
:15:02. > :15:04.gone rather than thinking, `s some people do and as we did long ago, of
:15:05. > :15:07.their future destiny and whdre we I'm waiting
:15:08. > :15:17.for a recycling binbag my hdight! You need to be put
:15:18. > :15:20.in a proper coffin, otherwise it's I don't want it to have to
:15:21. > :15:24.be expensive for the family. I've told them
:15:25. > :15:29.a cardboard coffin will do le fine. More and more it seems we'rd
:15:30. > :15:33.choosing to link our life style with death style, selecting a send
:15:34. > :15:46.off that reflects our personality. They're in the process of moving
:15:47. > :15:54.around 1700 animals from a Cumbrian rescue centre but staff havd been
:15:55. > :15:57.held up by a surprise discovery ` The sanctuary at Wetheriggs
:15:58. > :16:00.near Penrith is relocating to But
:16:01. > :16:08.the tiny new arrival means there'll have to be some re`organisation
:16:09. > :16:18.as Mark McAlindon reports. They say never work with chhldren or
:16:19. > :16:35.animals and this tiny baby leerkat has certainly caused Easter here ``
:16:36. > :16:40.a stir. We discover they had had a single baby so we had to put it off
:16:41. > :16:47.for a couple of weeks. It's such a cute little thing. Meerkats are
:16:48. > :16:52.great. Hundreds of animals `re still to make the move to the new home but
:16:53. > :17:01.now the meerkat community whll have to be among the last. They seem to
:17:02. > :17:03.be getting used to the new fame The new arrival has become a media
:17:04. > :17:08.sensation but what is truly remarkable is the behaviour of the
:17:09. > :17:15.mum. She keeps picking the baby up and putting it down for the best
:17:16. > :17:19.possible view. They work hard to raise babies, which is the focal
:17:20. > :17:25.point of any group of meerk`ts. That is all of their jobs. They don't
:17:26. > :17:40.make good pets. That is how we've ended up with a lot of them. The
:17:41. > :17:41.only thing missing now is a name. Surely coming up with something
:17:42. > :17:49.should be simples! We'll kick off with the
:17:50. > :17:56.Premier League. Newcastle will still be bottom of
:17:57. > :17:59.the table after the weekend as they And like the Magpies,
:18:00. > :18:02.Sunderland are still looking But it'll be tough
:18:03. > :18:05.against a high flying Swansda side. It's been a frustrating start to
:18:06. > :18:10.the season for the Sunderland boss. His team could have won
:18:11. > :18:13.the majority of the five le`gue Instead, he's witnessed four draws
:18:14. > :18:18.and a defeat which have left the Black Cats in the bottom fotr but
:18:19. > :18:31.Gus Poyet isn't too concerndd yet. Is if we were losing begins badly,
:18:32. > :18:36.then it would be worrying and we would be searching for changes. I
:18:37. > :18:41.think we're very close. We have one chance. I don't think it's time to
:18:42. > :18:43.worry. And with Swansea just outside the
:18:44. > :18:47.top four, the Black Cats will be An impressive performance from
:18:48. > :18:50.Will Buckley last week means he s likely to play tomorrow and Poyet
:18:51. > :18:53.says he won't hesitate to drop players who aren't performing no
:18:54. > :19:05.matter who they are. They definitely need to raise their
:19:06. > :19:20.game. I do not care what thdir name is or what age they are. I just kill
:19:21. > :19:31.about the team. `` care abott the team. You need to be the best.
:19:32. > :19:37.The most in`form of our six leading clubs is Middlesbrough,
:19:38. > :19:39.fifth in the Championship and a whisker away from knocking Liverpool
:19:40. > :19:42.out of the League Cup after that amazing penalty shoot`out.
:19:43. > :19:44.But the Boro boss has a sobering message for fans
:19:45. > :20:01.Middlesbrough may have lost at Anfield but he was brimming with
:20:02. > :20:09.trade afterwords. But after three straight wins, everyone is `lready
:20:10. > :20:16.talking as a promotion is a given. Now we have to keep our feet on the
:20:17. > :20:22.ground. Everybody is enjoying it and I am the first one to do so, but I
:20:23. > :20:28.had to repeat to everybody that the game was amazing for the melories
:20:29. > :20:36.and the future, but now we have to go in tomorrow. Tomorrow's game at
:20:37. > :20:43.Charlton, it might be less glamorous but not any easier. I'm surd it will
:20:44. > :20:56.be a more difficult game th`n Liverpool. It is a team which is
:20:57. > :21:02.unbeaten in seven or eight games. They are doing very well. Hd might
:21:03. > :21:04.make a few changes after assessing tired limbs at a training sdssion at
:21:05. > :21:05.lunch time. Carisle take on Tranmere at
:21:06. > :21:07.Brunton Park tomorrow, when new manager Keith Curle will begin
:21:08. > :21:10.the task of lifting the Cumbrians He didn't pick the team at Lansfield
:21:11. > :21:16.last week, but gave a half`time pep talk which almost saw United sneak
:21:17. > :21:19.a point, after being 3`0 down. In their position, Carlisle will
:21:20. > :21:37.need that sort of fighting spirit. As a player, I would say yes. I m a
:21:38. > :21:42.confident person. I believe in my philosophy and how we want the game
:21:43. > :21:47.played. Have I got an error of aggression? Yes. I don't good tool
:21:48. > :21:49.to talk with people I don't need to, but I will stand my ground when I
:21:50. > :21:51.need to. Even a win won't lift Carlisle
:21:52. > :21:53.from the foot of League Two, because they're four points behind
:21:54. > :21:56.second`bottom Hartlepool, who are at home to Portsmouth, having taken
:21:57. > :21:58.Middlesbrough's under`21 captain York, who are only a couple
:21:59. > :22:02.of points ahead of Pools, And in Scottish League Two,
:22:03. > :22:09.Berwick are away at Queen's Park. And promotion`chasing
:22:10. > :22:11.York City Knights will reach rugby league's Championship One Grand
:22:12. > :22:14.Final if they can beat Gateshead's It's three years since they were
:22:15. > :22:25.the new kids on the block, but The university`based team,
:22:26. > :22:29.with one of the youngest sqtads in the British Basketball Ldague,
:22:30. > :22:31.begin their campaign in Sheffield tonight, with their first home match
:22:32. > :22:45.in Newton Aycliffe on Sundax. They might not be able to boast the
:22:46. > :22:51.trophy halls of Newcastle E`gles, but Durham Wildcats have a success
:22:52. > :22:58.story of their own. They have become play`off contenders. Is a top eight
:22:59. > :23:01.finish realistic this season? We'll do it again and do it better. Last
:23:02. > :23:06.year was the start but it's not where we want to finish. We want to
:23:07. > :23:16.get deeper into the play`offs and the cups every week. The mahnstay in
:23:17. > :23:21.the squad is the 38`year`old captain and assistant coach. You have to
:23:22. > :23:29.take time off in the summer but I try to keep myself in shape. I think
:23:30. > :23:34.I'm in good shape. We want to keep building each season. We have gotten
:23:35. > :23:38.better over the three years and that is our goal this year, to m`ke an
:23:39. > :23:45.improvement over last year `nd get into the play`offs again. Hot off
:23:46. > :23:53.the plane from Texas, is a new signing. He is a little
:23:54. > :23:58.underdressed! I did come with any gear but my team`mates let le borrow
:23:59. > :24:07.their jackets so it was cool! It is called here compared to when I'm
:24:08. > :24:16.used to. John is relishing ` fresh challenge. What brought you to year
:24:17. > :24:23.look `` Europe? A connection through my coaches. That's how I ended up
:24:24. > :24:24.over here. I want to continte playing basketball and conthnue
:24:25. > :24:35.studying. Durham ended their season whth
:24:36. > :24:40.defeat at Warwickshire yestdrday, but they have confirmed that John
:24:41. > :24:51.Hastings will be back next season. Yorkshire just managed to overcome
:24:52. > :25:03.Somerset. They finished top and other were fifth `` Durham.
:25:04. > :25:24.Now let's get the weather. The sun setting over Northumberland. Plenty
:25:25. > :25:28.of sunshine this weekend. There will be a few showers as well. This
:25:29. > :25:33.evening and overnight, it is dry and clear in the north`east. Not a bad
:25:34. > :25:39.night for stargazing. The nhghts are getting longer. Cloudy in the West,
:25:40. > :25:45.possibly with showers in Culbria by dawn. Temperatures don't fall too
:25:46. > :25:48.low, maybe seven or eight Cdlsius. First thing tomorrow, some sunshine
:25:49. > :25:55.for North Yorkshire and the north`east. Scrappy cloud coming and
:25:56. > :26:01.going over Cumbria and the Borders. We could see isolated showers.
:26:02. > :26:11.Through the afternoon, most places are dry and fine at 17 Celshus, not
:26:12. > :26:13.bad for the end of September. There will be generally light, westerly
:26:14. > :27:47.winds.