:00:00. > :00:18.The festive shopping frenzy the BBC's news teams where you are.
:00:19. > :00:21.The festive shopping frenzy continues with calls to close shops
:00:22. > :00:27.on Boxing Day. Don't overdo it, the call to those
:00:28. > :00:37.heading out tonight. How plans to demolish this building
:00:38. > :00:44.have divided opinion. And the mums in Durham choir bring
:00:45. > :00:52.the final full-length programme of the year to a close.
:00:53. > :00:57.We talk to Rafa Benitez about his player's five match ban for racial
:00:58. > :01:05.abuse and find out what fans want from Santa Claus this Christmas.
:01:06. > :01:09.Last minute Christmas shoppers have been making their final dash around
:01:10. > :01:11.the North's stores ahead of the holiday weekend.
:01:12. > :01:13.Hundreds of thousands of people hit the shops today
:01:14. > :01:19.Some stores are hoping to cash in by staying open until nine
:01:20. > :01:25.But when the tills finally fall silent tomorrow,
:01:26. > :01:29.it'll be a only brief respite - as many will re-open at dawn
:01:30. > :01:41.Peter Harris is live at a shopping centre in Middlesbrough for us now.
:01:42. > :01:49.It is nice and calm here know. It was horrendous earlier. Although
:01:50. > :01:54.that is a matter of opinion because some people were here who were not
:01:55. > :01:55.shopping but just came down because they loved the atmosphere.
:01:56. > :02:09.Horrendous! He has been working until yesterday
:02:10. > :02:17.saw it as last minute. It is hard with the little one.
:02:18. > :02:25.It makes me think I should do shopping online or call earlier.
:02:26. > :02:30.Do it earlier lake we do. We just came down to watch the queues.
:02:31. > :02:41.I'm not doing it this late next year because it is too busy.
:02:42. > :02:48.People laughing, I love it. If Christmas Day offers some respite
:02:49. > :02:51.it would be for long because some shops are due open on Boxing Day
:02:52. > :02:52.morning. Some think the commercialism
:02:53. > :03:05.is just too much. I always look down for road and see
:03:06. > :03:10.how many people are smiling at this time of year and it is not many. I
:03:11. > :03:16.know we have to shop but why do they have to be open on 6am on Boxing
:03:17. > :03:18.Day? Why is it necessary to open so early? Why not 10am?
:03:19. > :03:40.But there'll only be a short Christmas break for shop staff
:03:41. > :03:43.who'll have to get ready tomorrow for the sales on Boxing Day.
:03:44. > :03:45.The shop workers union USDAW says it's an unnecessary
:03:46. > :03:49.There's nothing quite like leaving it to the last minute.
:03:50. > :03:51.At The Bridges Shopping Centre in Sunderland, people
:03:52. > :03:55.were grabbing their final gifts on what was set to be the busiest
:03:56. > :04:01.A couple more things to get then I'm completely done.
:04:02. > :04:05.The car parks are full but, you know, everyone's just
:04:06. > :04:10.You used to have to wait till January for the sales but nowadays
:04:11. > :04:12.you can get bargains throughout December.
:04:13. > :04:17.But the next big shopping day is Boxing Day.
:04:18. > :04:20.I think once customers have spent one day away
:04:21. > :04:23.from shopping they actually really love to come out on Boxing Day.
:04:24. > :04:27.We'll expect around 90,000 people through
:04:28. > :04:30.the doors today and probably between 70,000 and 80,000 on Boxing Day.
:04:31. > :04:33.Unions argue opening the day before and after Christmas
:04:34. > :04:40.People are physically exhausted come Christmas Day so on the day they
:04:41. > :04:44.are supposed to be spending with family and friends
:04:45. > :04:47.they are recuperating for going to work the next day.
:04:48. > :04:49.Sometimes Boxing Day is their Christmas Day to see their
:04:50. > :04:52.children and because they haven't come out to work they are missing
:04:53. > :04:58.The shoppers seemed to already know though if they'd be
:04:59. > :05:03.This is the only time I shop, this time of year, and I'll not be
:05:04. > :05:10.It's pandemonium, isn't it, Boxing Day?
:05:11. > :05:16.But some at The Bridges seemed relaxed even
:05:17. > :05:22.Have you done all your Christmas shopping?
:05:23. > :05:24.Well, the wife is doing all the Christmas shopping.
:05:25. > :05:41.This shopping centre closes at 9pm. The Metrocentre closes at 10pm. Bags
:05:42. > :05:44.of time. Don't overdo it if you're out
:05:45. > :05:48.on the town tonight enjoying That's the message from
:05:49. > :05:50.the emergency services The North East Ambulance Service
:05:51. > :06:00.has attended nearly 800 incidents today - and in many
:06:01. > :06:02.cases they've responded to people hurting themselves
:06:03. > :06:04.after drinking too much. Here's our News
:06:05. > :06:06.Correspondent Mark Denten. You could call it the calm
:06:07. > :06:08.before the storm. Keeping early revellers
:06:09. > :06:13.away from the city centre. Ten days of partying
:06:14. > :06:18.for some people. More than 10% of the North East
:06:19. > :06:21.Ambulance Services calls And those figures
:06:22. > :06:25.are expected to rise. So, this year, ambulance crews
:06:26. > :06:46.and police have a new way Operation Ginger is a joint
:06:47. > :06:51.operation with the police officer and paramedic in a vehicle together
:06:52. > :06:52.to provide that swift early intervention and treatment to anyone
:06:53. > :06:54.who made to come to harm. designed to be a place
:06:55. > :06:58.where people who are worse for wear and vulnerable
:06:59. > :06:59.can get help. Newcastle's street pastors
:07:00. > :07:11.will also play a vital role. You may get a call from police
:07:12. > :07:14.officers for someone in a vulnerable state, especially as the night goes
:07:15. > :07:20.on, vulnerable females and they just want us to be a presence. We will
:07:21. > :07:26.often go there and relieve the other services. Last year we gave first
:07:27. > :07:29.aid to over 400 people and often people are in a vulnerable state and
:07:30. > :07:38.can save getting an ambulance because we will get them back on
:07:39. > :07:39.their feet. This mobile medical unit will also
:07:40. > :07:42.be in the Bigg Market over the holiday period
:07:43. > :07:44.to treat minor injuries. But the ambulence service
:07:45. > :07:46.could do without some From a drunk person stuck
:07:47. > :07:50.in a hole in roadworks. asking whether he was
:07:51. > :07:53.breathing or not. And a patient pulling
:07:54. > :08:05.a garden gate on themselves. As Christmas is ongoing, we are
:08:06. > :08:09.responding to the usual calls as well so off we have to attend a
:08:10. > :08:15.trivial matter or alcohol induced matter, that is an ambulance getting
:08:16. > :08:15.diverted away from someone with a more serious life-threatening
:08:16. > :08:17.condition. but remember the people working
:08:18. > :08:20.to keep you that way. Pupils from remote parts
:08:21. > :08:23.of Northumberland who stay overnight at a local school rather than face
:08:24. > :08:26.long commutes say the possible closure of the boarding department
:08:27. > :08:29.could damage their education. Haydon Bridge High is currently one
:08:30. > :08:32.of the few state schools in the region to provide a free
:08:33. > :08:35.residential facility at Ridley Hall. But there are growing fears
:08:36. > :08:38.the impending transfer of the school from Northumberland County Council
:08:39. > :08:42.to academy sponsor Bright Tribe Our political correspondent
:08:43. > :08:46.Luke Walton reports. For 14-year-old Harrison,
:08:47. > :08:48.Christmas holidays means a chance to relax and mess
:08:49. > :08:52.around on the computer. In term-time life's
:08:53. > :08:56.a lot more complicated. To avoid a circuitous hour
:08:57. > :08:59.and a half bus ride from his home to Haydon Bridge High School,
:09:00. > :09:04.he's one of 25 pupils who stay weeknights at the school's rather
:09:05. > :09:09.grand boarding department which for 40 years has been the
:09:10. > :09:22.grade-2-listed Ridley Hall. If I wasn't staying there I would be
:09:23. > :09:29.travelling to or three hours every day back per tonne for its. It is a
:09:30. > :09:31.good opportunity to meet friends that I probably won't see for quite
:09:32. > :09:33.a while due to distances. Now the future of the
:09:34. > :09:35.tradition is under threat. Academy chain Bright Tribe,
:09:36. > :09:37.which is poised to take control of the school in place
:09:38. > :09:40.of the council, reportedly doesn't want the boarding facility
:09:41. > :09:42.as part of the deal. Dad Steve, whose younger son Conor
:09:43. > :09:45.is also due to start there, says closure would mean a 70 mile
:09:46. > :10:03.round trip Monday to Friday. We have got many B roads and C
:10:04. > :10:04.roads. To ask them to do that journey every day would be
:10:05. > :10:05.disastrous. And the family aren't put off
:10:06. > :10:08.by a recent Ofsted inspection which criticised facilities
:10:09. > :10:19.and staffing levels at Ridley Hall. We have hardly walk around and spoke
:10:20. > :10:20.to the staff. It is a caring environment Andy wants nothing but
:10:21. > :10:22.the best for the children. The questions hanging over this
:10:23. > :10:25.place are part of wider uncertainty around education in this
:10:26. > :10:27.corner of Northumberland. Ever since the Haydon Bridge High
:10:28. > :10:29.was put into special measures by Ofsted, it's been in line
:10:30. > :10:32.for a takeover by academy chain Bright Tribe, but that's not
:10:33. > :10:34.yet complete. us it was "concerned
:10:35. > :10:48.about Ridley Hall's future" and transferring the school
:10:49. > :10:52.without the boarding facility left families "in a very
:10:53. > :10:53.difficult situation". The Department for Education says
:10:54. > :10:55.it's "working with the council to ensure a good sponsor
:10:56. > :10:58.for the school". For the Bright Tribe,
:10:59. > :11:01.it's a row it could do without. The academy trust already
:11:02. > :11:04.faces a potential strike here at its Whitehaven Academy
:11:05. > :11:08.in Cumbria after a damning Ofsted. It'll be eager avoid similar
:11:09. > :11:16.controversy in Northumberland. A 1960s concrete block in Durham -
:11:17. > :11:20.built in an architectural style known as "brutalist" -
:11:21. > :11:22.could be demolished, after the government
:11:23. > :11:24.refused to have it listed. Durham University wants
:11:25. > :11:27.to demolish Dunelm House student's union in New Elvet,
:11:28. > :11:30.and replace it with a performance space that'll also be
:11:31. > :11:32.open to the public. But the move has mobilised fans
:11:33. > :11:35.of the landmark building. They're organising petitions
:11:36. > :11:37.to save what they claim is a distinguished part
:11:38. > :11:40.of Durham's cityscape. Our Business Correspondent,
:11:41. > :11:45.Ian Reeve, reports. Dunelm House beside
:11:46. > :11:48.the River Wear at Durham. It's either a brutalist masterpiece
:11:49. > :11:53.or a concrete carbuncle. That is, if you're either
:11:54. > :11:55.a supporter or an opponent of the building threatened
:11:56. > :11:59.with demolition. Newcastle architect James
:12:00. > :12:02.is a firm supporter. Petitions to save
:12:03. > :12:07.have been drawn up. Academics and students have
:12:08. > :12:21.voiced their opposition. It is a brilliant building in the
:12:22. > :12:26.way it responds to the city and staggers in form. It is very polite
:12:27. > :12:28.for a modernist building. The building has been
:12:29. > :12:29.here since 1966. It belongs to Durham University
:12:30. > :12:32.which would like to demolish it The claim is, it's too
:12:33. > :12:51.costly to refurbish - It is equally expensive to demolish
:12:52. > :12:56.and expose of a building. We did some cost comparisons against
:12:57. > :13:01.similar buildings at the University, new buildings are more expensive per
:13:02. > :13:05.square meeting than the prices quoted by Durham University to
:13:06. > :13:08.refurbish. I would see as an architect we should be reusing and
:13:09. > :13:10.recycling buildings rather than disposing of them because we don't
:13:11. > :13:12.like the way they look. The government has refused
:13:13. > :13:13.to list the building. Although comments are being taken
:13:14. > :13:16.before a final decision on immunity Fans of the building
:13:17. > :13:20.say that it complements That was designed by
:13:21. > :13:27.Newcastle-born Ove Arup. Considered to be one of the greatest
:13:28. > :13:31.engineers of the 20th century, Property agent Craig
:13:32. > :13:39.and his colleagues have a view of the brutalist block
:13:40. > :13:50.from their office. I don't think it is a very
:13:51. > :13:58.attractive building. It is quite ugly. It has got chips, the roof has
:13:59. > :14:04.moss on it. It is not well maintained and not nice to look at,
:14:05. > :14:09.especially with the Cathedral and the castle in the background. Durham
:14:10. > :14:13.is a beautiful city and that does not fit in.
:14:14. > :14:16.Durham University has said that if demolition occurs, the replacement
:14:17. > :14:20.building will be of high quality. A world-class design for this most
:14:21. > :14:35.sensitive location. Steve Harper referred to this not
:14:36. > :14:36.being much of a holiday time for footballers.
:14:37. > :14:39.The fans love it though. Let's start with our
:14:40. > :14:41.Premier League clubs who - after spending part of the week
:14:42. > :14:44.handing out gifts to children in local hospitals -
:14:45. > :14:47.will be hoping NOT to come home empty-handed from their Boxing Day
:14:48. > :14:58.matches in the North West. Young fans at Sunderland's Royal
:14:59. > :15:01.Hospital got an early Plenty of supporters will be asking
:15:02. > :15:06.Santa for at least point on Boxing Day when David Moyes
:15:07. > :15:09.returns to Manchester United, where he replaced Sir Alex Ferguson
:15:10. > :15:27.in 2013 only to be sacked I was definitely unfairly treated. I
:15:28. > :15:30.think you need to look and see that other managers have come and gone
:15:31. > :15:35.and it has been difficult for them as well. It was a great privilege to
:15:36. > :15:38.manage the club so I'm looking forward to going back.
:15:39. > :15:40.Sunderland willl be without midfielder Adnan Janusaj
:15:41. > :15:42.who isn't allowed to play against his parent club
:15:43. > :15:43.and they have several long-term injuries,
:15:44. > :15:46.including Jan Kirchoff who's out for 12 weeks after knee surgery.
:15:47. > :15:49.With the squad looking and thin and the club admitting they've
:15:50. > :15:51.little money to spend in January's transfer window, it's even more
:15:52. > :15:53.vital they keep hold of their best players,
:15:54. > :15:58.including their star striker, who's been linked with West Ham.
:15:59. > :16:05.Jermain Defoe is very valuable to us because of the goals he scores. He
:16:06. > :16:11.would give us our best chance of being a Premier League team, having
:16:12. > :16:13.him and his calls. I would be very, very surprised if there was any
:16:14. > :16:16.business done. Hospital's probably the last place
:16:17. > :16:19.youngsters want to be in the run-up to Christmas but children
:16:20. > :16:22.at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough have something
:16:23. > :16:25.to tell their friends after members of the Boro first team squad spread
:16:26. > :16:28.some festive cheer on the wards. The footballers themselves will get
:16:29. > :16:31.to spend Christmas Day afternoon at home with their families
:16:32. > :16:34.after training and before Preparation time
:16:35. > :16:49.shouldn't be a problem. We have had more days to prepare. We
:16:50. > :16:58.had Christmas dinner. After the last game at home, everything is better.
:16:59. > :17:03.We need to keep going. We know how important this period is. We have to
:17:04. > :17:05.know that we are playing Boxing Day. It is an important day but they are
:17:06. > :17:06.another three points. Former promotion rivals Boro
:17:07. > :17:19.and Burnley know each other well. They have won many points on the
:17:20. > :17:23.roads. We have experienced to play there. I played twice. We know it is
:17:24. > :17:24.an important game for us. Karanka will have half an eye,
:17:25. > :17:27.meanwhile, on Sunderland's Boxing Day game as Boro are the next
:17:28. > :17:29.visitors to Old Trafford on New Year's Eve,
:17:30. > :17:31.while the Black Cats Championship leaders
:17:32. > :17:36.Newcastle United have decided NOT to appeal against the five-match ban
:17:37. > :17:39.for racial abuse, handed down The exact details of the case aren't
:17:40. > :17:44.clear, but manager Rafa Benitez says Having suffered from alopecia -
:17:45. > :17:51.losing his hair as a boy - Jonjo Shelvey has no doubt had
:17:52. > :17:54.to take any amount of name-calling on the football
:17:55. > :17:57.field down the years. On this occasion, the FA decided
:17:58. > :18:12.it was Shelvey himself who seriously He knows that he has to be careful
:18:13. > :18:18.in the future and just concentrate on his football. We know that we
:18:19. > :18:23.would have him for the next five games and that is it. I will say
:18:24. > :18:30.again that strange things happen on the pitch and a way that everybody
:18:31. > :18:34.was referring to this issue, we continue to support him because we
:18:35. > :18:41.don't support in the way that he was making a mistake. We know that he
:18:42. > :18:42.made a mistake. It is very confused. We have to move on and think about
:18:43. > :18:43.the future. The immediate future
:18:44. > :18:46.sees Sheffield Wednesday heading to St James' Park
:18:47. > :18:48.on Boxing Day night. And with a place at the top
:18:49. > :18:51.of the Championship and a nine-point cushion keeping the play-off pack
:18:52. > :18:53.at arm's length, even owner Mike Ashley is
:18:54. > :19:03.enjoying life these days. I think he is really happy.
:19:04. > :19:09.Everybody involved with Newcastle United has to be happy. We still
:19:10. > :19:11.have 24 games to play. I want to be sure that the players realise it is
:19:12. > :19:13.not the job done. In League Two, Boxing Day
:19:14. > :19:15.sees Hartlepool United play host to Blackpool,
:19:16. > :19:18.while Carlisle United go to Crewe. And in the National League,
:19:19. > :19:20.Gateshead go to Barrow, But Berwick Rangers are next
:19:21. > :19:26.in action TOMORROW - a one o'clock start for their game
:19:27. > :19:38.at Annan Athletic. The weather is very much in the news
:19:39. > :19:50.particularly for people in the north of the region.
:19:51. > :19:54.Fairly widespread problems due to storm Barbra. There were some power
:19:55. > :20:05.outages in Cumbria, for instance. Wind is the main theme over the next
:20:06. > :20:11.few days. There will be some rain and it will sometimes be heavy but
:20:12. > :20:17.generally it stays mild. Those donkeys are making a return. We
:20:18. > :20:22.still have a Met Office warning out for a gusty winds. Especially for
:20:23. > :20:29.Cumbria, North Upland and parts of County Durham. Remember the black
:20:30. > :20:33.arrows show the expected cost speeds as we head through the evening and
:20:34. > :20:38.overnight as the graphics stuttered their way through the night. He will
:20:39. > :20:42.see some blustery showers with clear spells in between. Temperatures will
:20:43. > :20:51.drop down to a chilly three Celsius in places. It will stay windy so
:20:52. > :20:54.Frost will not form. We will see a scattering of showers tomorrow
:20:55. > :21:02.morning. Some sunshine in between and it stays windy through the day.
:21:03. > :21:06.Those showers will merge into a widespread area with rain coming in
:21:07. > :21:09.from the west. We keep that gusty Westerly went through the day making
:21:10. > :21:16.it feel colder than the numbers might suggest. That is the pressure
:21:17. > :21:21.pattern as we head to tomorrow. Storm Barbra has gone and we are
:21:22. > :21:29.watching out for Connor now. That will bring another spell of bad
:21:30. > :21:35.weather. That is only part of the story, the wind, as we head through
:21:36. > :21:43.Christmas. Showers giving way to more widespread rain. There she
:21:44. > :21:48.goes. Gusty wind throughout the day tomorrow. Another Met Office weather
:21:49. > :21:54.warning through the night-time going into Christmas Day because of that
:21:55. > :21:57.second storm coming in from the Atlantic. That will bring gusty
:21:58. > :22:02.winds and Christmas Day. That is worth bearing in mind if you are out
:22:03. > :22:06.and about on Christmas Day. Dry and very mild on Christmas Day.
:22:07. > :22:15.Temperatures could edge up to the mid teens. As we head towards Boxing
:22:16. > :22:21.Day, it stays windy. A major change in that it will be much drier,
:22:22. > :22:26.brighter and cooler. Chips just stuck firmly in single figures on
:22:27. > :22:32.Boxing Day but again a cost only Western day. The weather starts to
:22:33. > :22:36.settle down as we head through the rest of next week. We will keep you
:22:37. > :22:39.updated on your Christmas forecast on your local radio stations and on
:22:40. > :22:43.the BBC weather app. Now they're known as the Mums
:22:44. > :22:46.in Durham and they've made quite They were chosen to represent
:22:47. > :22:50.the whole of the North AND Scotland Here's a little clip of them
:22:51. > :22:53.competing on the show. # Trust it, use it,
:22:54. > :22:56.prove it, groove it # You're swelling out
:22:57. > :23:06.in the wrong direction # You've got the bug,
:23:07. > :23:10.superstar you've been bitten # Trust it, use it,
:23:11. > :23:13.prove it, groove it Well, the Mums in Durham
:23:14. > :23:21.came into the Look North studio earlier today,
:23:22. > :23:23.on our last full I had a chat with them
:23:24. > :23:40.before they sang for us. Well, I'm delighted to see the mums
:23:41. > :23:44.in Durham are here in Semifinalists of the Gareth Malone
:23:45. > :23:50.Best in Britain competition. Rachel Gibson, you're
:23:51. > :23:53.the lady who brought all these, can I say,
:23:54. > :23:56.ordinary mums in Durham together We couldn't have asked
:23:57. > :24:01.for anything better. It has been such a sensational
:24:02. > :24:04.experience for all of us. Did you ever expect something
:24:05. > :24:08.like this would happen when you got It was literally get
:24:09. > :24:12.some mums out the house. I didn't have the
:24:13. > :24:14.confidence to join a choir so I thought,
:24:15. > :24:16.I will try and start my own, and it just kind
:24:17. > :24:19.of snowballed from there. I got in touch with
:24:20. > :24:21.these lovely ladies and Are you looking for
:24:22. > :24:24.bookings for 2017? We've had all sorts of opportunities
:24:25. > :24:27.put in front of us. Personally, I'd like
:24:28. > :24:33.to do a work-out DVD. We'll concentrate on the singing
:24:34. > :24:35.for no, shall be? From everybody at Look North, this
:24:36. > :24:45.is our last full-length lake north We want to say a very
:24:46. > :24:51.Merry Christmas to you at home and, # It is the night of our
:24:52. > :25:02.dear Savior's birth # Till He appeared and
:25:03. > :25:18.the soul felt its worth # O night
:25:19. > :26:15.O night divine # It is the night of our
:26:16. > :26:31.dear Savior's birth # Till He appeared and
:26:32. > :26:46.the soul felt its worth # O night
:26:47. > :27:43.O night divine Christmas is about family.
:27:44. > :28:08.I'll have that. Let's get this Christmas party
:28:09. > :28:25.started! Oh, my...
:28:26. > :28:50.Dai! Your gays have arrived.