:00:00. > :00:00.Payback time - a judge orders this man to stump up thousands of pounds
:00:07. > :00:12.Going to the polls - the people of Copeland
:00:13. > :00:15.in West Cumbria choose their next MP.
:00:16. > :00:18.Ten years on from the Grayrigg disaster - we return to the crash
:00:19. > :00:26.The incredible story of a legendary oarsman is told
:00:27. > :00:36.In sport, another major tournament announcement for the region's most
:00:37. > :00:40.finally subsided - what sort of challenge
:00:41. > :00:54.will the flying Falcons face in the West Country this weekend?
:00:55. > :00:58.First tonight, a court has heard how a man from County Durham -
:00:59. > :01:01.who operated two waste tips without a licence -
:01:02. > :01:04.made almost a million pounds from his illegal enterprise.
:01:05. > :01:07.Raymond Shepherd has already received an 18-month prison
:01:08. > :01:11.sentence, and is now living on benefits.
:01:12. > :01:16.Today, a judge at Teesside Crown Court ordered him to pay back just
:01:17. > :01:18.14,000 pounds in a proceeds of crime hearing.
:01:19. > :01:24.This warehouse was one of the two waste sites in Darlington where
:01:25. > :01:26.Raymond Shepherd ran his illegal business.
:01:27. > :01:33.He had no licence and no regard for health and safety.
:01:34. > :01:35.Today Teesside Crown Court heard how his
:01:36. > :01:46.operation had earned him almost ?1 million.
:01:47. > :01:49.The profit made by charging customers to remove their waste and
:01:50. > :01:52.He was making a lot of money from this.
:01:53. > :01:54.That meant that he disregarded the law.
:01:55. > :01:56.He disregarded the communities that were around his site
:01:57. > :02:01.Despite earning ?1 million from his illegal business,
:02:02. > :02:06.Raymond Shepherd was today ordered to pay back just ?14,000.
:02:07. > :02:10.After serving a prison sentence, the court
:02:11. > :02:16.heard he was now living on benefits and had no hidden assets.
:02:17. > :02:22.If his financial situation changes, the
:02:23. > :02:25.money he made me still have to be paid in full.
:02:26. > :02:27.Outside court, Mr Shepherd insisted he has done
:02:28. > :02:33.?14,000 is neither hear nor there but it is about
:02:34. > :02:36.being found guilty when I have done nothing wrong.
:02:37. > :02:40.When the local authority prosecuted, they
:02:41. > :02:46.We hope the judgment sends out the message that crime does not
:02:47. > :02:51.Mr Shepherd now has a debt for life, if he makes any money, we will
:02:52. > :03:02.Raymond Shepherd now has three months to pay back his proceeds of
:03:03. > :03:21.crime or face a further spell in prison.
:03:22. > :03:33.A coroner has ruled that a Darlington soldier who was suffering
:03:34. > :03:39.from post is -- took his own life. Last October, at the age of 26 he
:03:40. > :03:42.hanged himself. His family say he was suffering from PTSD and they are
:03:43. > :03:47.now raising money to help other soldiers. His stepfather said today
:03:48. > :03:52.His stepfather said today he was lovely, determined and loyal.
:03:53. > :03:53.The fiance of the Northumberland-born children's
:03:54. > :03:56.author, Helen Bailey, has been jailed for a minimum of 34
:03:57. > :03:59.Her body was found in a cesspit at the home
:04:00. > :04:02.The court was told 56-year-old Ian Stuart spent weeks
:04:03. > :04:04.poisoning her with prescription sedatives, before smothering her
:04:05. > :04:11.Storm Doris has brought chaos to large parts of the country today,
:04:12. > :04:14.with winds of more than 90 miles an hour in some areas.
:04:15. > :04:16.Our region escaped the worst of it - though some rail journeys
:04:17. > :04:22.were affected on both the East and West coast mainlines.
:04:23. > :04:24.But spare a thought for a group of schoolchildren
:04:25. > :04:26.who were on their way back from a trip to Iceland.
:04:27. > :04:29.The party, from Newcastle High School, was on board
:04:30. > :04:30.an Icelandair flight, which tried to land
:04:31. > :04:32.at Manchester Airport - but had to abort.
:04:33. > :04:34.It then attempted to put down at Liverpool -
:04:35. > :04:36.before returning to Manchester where it finally
:04:37. > :04:43.Some of those on board described the experience.
:04:44. > :04:47.It was a bit was like, when you go over a bump in the car and your
:04:48. > :04:50.tummy goes, it was just like that but a huge one.
:04:51. > :04:54.They tried to go to Liverpool and Leeds.
:04:55. > :04:56.Everyone around us had been sick and fainting.
:04:57. > :05:03.I literally thought I was going to die at one point.
:05:04. > :05:11.When you finally landed, how did it feel?
:05:12. > :05:16.Some people started crying because everybody
:05:17. > :05:17.thought something bad was going to happen.
:05:18. > :05:21.You really thought your number might be up?
:05:22. > :05:36.Voting is under way in the Copeland by-election, in west Cumbria.
:05:37. > :05:38.The election was called after the resignation
:05:39. > :05:41.Let's cross live to Whitehaven sports centre where the count
:05:42. > :05:53.Good evening. I am a bit lonely hearing the sports centre as you
:05:54. > :05:58.concede but in a few hours, this column will be school and all eyes
:05:59. > :06:03.will be focused on the counting tables behind me. The polls opened
:06:04. > :06:09.at seven o'clock and people ventured out in the rain and winds, thanks to
:06:10. > :06:14.Storm Doris, to cast their votes. The polling stations are open until
:06:15. > :06:18.ten o'clock. Many will close and accounting will start. The
:06:19. > :06:24.by-election was triggered after the resignation of Jamie Reed who
:06:25. > :06:32.resigned in December last year. In 2015, he had a majority of over 2500
:06:33. > :06:36.votes. Seven candidates competing for the seat tonight. We expect the
:06:37. > :06:42.result I read about four o'clock this -- four o'clock tomorrow
:06:43. > :06:46.morning. Updates on BBC website. Our political editor will give us an
:06:47. > :06:49.update after the polls close. Thank you for that.
:06:50. > :06:52.They cut the grass, look after bus shelters,
:06:53. > :06:55.run community centres and play parks - and do much much more besides.
:06:56. > :06:58.Town and Parish Councils are the bedrock of many communities -
:06:59. > :07:00.but they're also charging residents MORE for their services -
:07:01. > :07:04.Analysis by the BBC shows this lowest layer of local
:07:05. > :07:08.government has, in many cases, significantly increased its share
:07:09. > :07:11.of the council tax - known as the precept.
:07:12. > :07:16.Fergus Hewison has this exclusive report.
:07:17. > :07:19.Berwick-upon-Tweed, a place once used to strife.
:07:20. > :07:21.In recent years, it has been the town council that has
:07:22. > :07:30.Two official reports painted a picture
:07:31. > :07:38.Despite this the town council's precept went up by 35%
:07:39. > :07:42.There was no due diligence or risk assessment.
:07:43. > :07:44.Anyone who tried to ask any questions or scrutinise,
:07:45. > :07:48.which is what we are meant to do, was shut down.
:07:49. > :07:51.Berwick town council says that the issues raised by the report
:07:52. > :07:53.are being addressed and others agree that the council has changed.
:07:54. > :07:57.We have a set of accounts now that are transparent and clear.
:07:58. > :08:07.We don't have secret groups taking decisions about due process,
:08:08. > :08:13.-- without due process, we are on the mend.
:08:14. > :08:15.Despite this the town council's precept went up by 35%
:08:16. > :08:21.But, Berwick is not the only place where the precept has gone up.
:08:22. > :08:23.Over the last four years the largest increase by any town
:08:24. > :08:25.or Parish Council in Northumberland was in Cramlington.
:08:26. > :08:29.In County Durham, it was increased by 268% in this period.
:08:30. > :08:34.In North Yorkshire, the largest increase was...
:08:35. > :08:49.But, towns and Parish councils argued the increases
:08:50. > :08:58.England's 10,000 Parish councils are being asked to do a lot more,
:08:59. > :09:00.they are being asked to do a lot more by the residents,
:09:01. > :09:04.by government, and indeed by other larger councils that increasingly
:09:05. > :09:13.can't afford to run services that they previously provided.
:09:14. > :09:21.An example of that is West Bedlington in Northumberland where
:09:22. > :09:26.the parish precept has increased by 93% to be for much-needed services.
:09:27. > :09:33.We do the very local services, things like play areas, bus
:09:34. > :09:38.shelters, all that sort, the basic town infrastructure. We have tried
:09:39. > :09:42.to get them the best shape that we possibly can. The scope of town and
:09:43. > :09:49.parish councils has grown as has their budgets but with that has come
:09:50. > :09:52.even greater scrutiny. Fergus is with me now.
:09:53. > :09:54.Fergus, some really big rises there - what does
:09:55. > :09:57.As we've been hearing this week larger councils -
:09:58. > :10:00.county and district councils for instance - are capped -
:10:01. > :10:03.they can't put up council tax by more than 2 per cent
:10:04. > :10:05.UNLESS they hold a referendum and that referendum
:10:06. > :10:08.But Parish and Town councils aren't capped -
:10:09. > :10:11.so can put the precept up by what they choose to.
:10:12. > :10:13.The Government did consider capping parish and town
:10:14. > :10:15.councils but has decided not to - for now.
:10:16. > :10:18.It told us though it expects them to show "restraint" when they set
:10:19. > :10:26.People living in areas with parish and town councils will soon discover
:10:27. > :10:28.if the councils have heeded that call for restraint
:10:29. > :10:31.when council tax bills - with the precept on them -
:10:32. > :10:35.arrive through letter boxes in the weeks to come.
:10:36. > :10:40.Interesting, thank you very much. More news now.
:10:41. > :10:44.The parents of Bradley Lowry have revealed he's
:10:45. > :10:47.The five year-old Sunderland football fan, who has neuroblastoma,
:10:48. > :10:50.recently underwent further treatment in an effort to prolong his life.
:10:51. > :10:53.However, last night his devastated parents said scans showed a tumour
:10:54. > :10:59.had developed at the base of his back.
:11:00. > :11:02.Stockton Council's plans to borrow ?17 million for a new Riverside
:11:03. > :11:07.The Hampton-by-Hilton will be part of the North Shore
:11:08. > :11:11.The council says it'll be good for the town's prosperity.
:11:12. > :11:14.But those who opposed it say if the investment goes wrong,
:11:15. > :11:18.Former Newcastle United captain Alan Shearer
:11:19. > :11:21.is to present a BBC documentary, examining the link between
:11:22. > :11:25.The programme will be broadcast later this year.
:11:26. > :11:27.He says he's watched previous footballing "greats" succumb
:11:28. > :11:34.It's ten years today since the Grayrigg rail crash,
:11:35. > :11:37.when a Virgin Pendolino Train came off the West Coast Mainline
:11:38. > :11:40.in Cumbria, killing one person and injuring dozens more.
:11:41. > :11:42.To mark the anniversary, three people who were
:11:43. > :11:45.connected with the crash - the driver, the track
:11:46. > :11:48.maintenance manager, and the son of the woman who died -
:11:49. > :11:50.have all returned to the place where it happened for the first
:11:51. > :11:59.It was one of the most shocking disasters in Cumbria's history.
:12:00. > :12:03.The twisted wreckage of the train became one
:12:04. > :12:08.The investigation revealed that it was caused by points failure.
:12:09. > :12:11.The man whose job it was to inspect them had
:12:12. > :12:14.been openly critical of the state of the tracks for 18 months.
:12:15. > :12:17.Ironically, it was he who failed to inspect them just five
:12:18. > :12:20.days before the crash, although he was
:12:21. > :12:27.The impact of the accident on his life is clear to see.
:12:28. > :12:39.This is my first time back here in the ten years since the accident.
:12:40. > :12:46.This is where the rear of the train was, I walked up year and looked
:12:47. > :12:49.I vividly remember the helicopters circling above and landing
:12:50. > :12:55.I remember standing there thinking, "Heck!"
:12:56. > :12:58.You can't really imagine anything like it.
:12:59. > :13:01.Just to stand here, you have got a 300-odd ton train
:13:02. > :13:20.The driver of the train, Iain Black, was seriously injured and given
:13:21. > :13:24.For him keeping the memory of the crash alive is his way
:13:25. > :13:33.When I was in the field, I was just in
:13:34. > :13:37.the scene but now I can look down, I can take the whole aspect of where
:13:38. > :13:41.Like I say, I do not want to forget about it,
:13:42. > :13:44.so coming here today is again, helping me remember what happened
:13:45. > :13:49.to me and at the same time smooth my way on in life.
:13:50. > :14:01.Although 30 people were hurt, there was only one fatality.
:14:02. > :14:04.One too many but this surprised some people and was thought to be due
:14:05. > :14:10.to the structural integrity of the pendelino train.
:14:11. > :14:12.The woman who died was 84-year-old Margaret Masson and
:14:13. > :14:15.today her son said he did not believe all the lessons
:14:16. > :14:19.Whether they have implemented the changes or
:14:20. > :14:22.whether they are going to do it is pretty doubtful.
:14:23. > :14:27.As far as I am concerned, they have got the
:14:28. > :14:31.manpower but they will not spend the money to improve things.
:14:32. > :14:35.They say they have but I have not seen it.
:14:36. > :14:38.Network Rail was fined over ?5 million for failing to maintain
:14:39. > :14:44.The people affected have got on with their
:14:45. > :14:47.lives but one decade on it is clear the crash still casts a
:14:48. > :14:57.You're watching Thursday's Look North.
:14:58. > :14:59.Still to come: tonight's sports news with Mark Tulip.
:15:00. > :15:02.The incredible story of how legendary oarsman
:15:03. > :15:05.Harry Clasper rose to fame, is told in a new play
:15:06. > :15:16.Storm Doris is on her way, more wet and windy weather to come. Join me
:15:17. > :15:23.for the forecast. Around 500 teenage
:15:24. > :15:24.cadets, graduated - or passed out as it's known -
:15:25. > :15:27.from the army's only junior training The Army Foundation College
:15:28. > :15:31.is the only place in the country that trains 16 and 17-year-olds
:15:32. > :15:34.as members of the military. Now they've completed
:15:35. > :15:36.their training, the junior soldiers have committed to serving four years
:15:37. > :15:42.in the regular army. It has been a long time
:15:43. > :15:46.coming, 11 months. I have enjoyed my time here,
:15:47. > :15:55.a lot of great people, I am kind of We build up their
:15:56. > :16:01.leadership and initiative training, the education and sports
:16:02. > :16:04.and skills in addition to basic When they get to this point,
:16:05. > :16:08.they have developed as an individual It was a surprise TV hit on BBC Four
:16:09. > :16:20.last year: A two-hour journey on board the Dalesbus -
:16:21. > :16:22.shown in real-time. It was part of the channel's 'Slow
:16:23. > :16:26.TV' series, as a relaxed alternative At weekends the service can be
:16:27. > :16:31.the only way for many people from urban areas like Teesside
:16:32. > :16:33.to get to the Dales, Now passengers are
:16:34. > :16:58.helping to save it. Funding cuts mean real passengers
:16:59. > :17:03.are helping keep the service goal. We were amazed when BBC Four decided
:17:04. > :17:09.to make a documentary of the bus journeys. We listened because 1
:17:10. > :17:15.million people were watching it, we would get funding this year but when
:17:16. > :17:19.they approached the North Yorkshire Park authority, the Tilden was now
:17:20. > :17:23.way they could funded this year. The park authority initially suggested
:17:24. > :17:28.the crowdfunding campaign and said their aim is to help kick-start
:17:29. > :17:34.projects in the National Park. The national park authority is not in a
:17:35. > :17:40.position to fund transport projects on an ongoing basis. Many of its
:17:41. > :17:44.older passengers with free bus passes are even paying for the
:17:45. > :17:48.service when they do not have to. We have contributions from people who
:17:49. > :17:54.say they enjoy free travel but like to put something back so by donating
:17:55. > :17:59.to the just giving fund, it is helping or even expand one or two of
:18:00. > :18:05.the services. These are very difficult and tough times. The idea
:18:06. > :18:10.of coming on a bus, you don't have to worry about parking or cars. You
:18:11. > :18:15.can relax and enjoy the scenery and there is nothing like it anywhere
:18:16. > :18:23.else. It is wonderful. It is a lovely day out. Everything is lovely
:18:24. > :18:27.about it. BBC Four's programme proved as popular as the service
:18:28. > :18:34.itself. Now the crowdfunding site may be the only way to save it. It
:18:35. > :18:35.makes you think of postman Pat. Just ahead of the sports.
:18:36. > :18:41.The name Harry Clasper might not mean much to a lot of people.
:18:42. > :18:45.But the legendary oarsman invented the sport of rowing as we know it.
:18:46. > :18:47.He was such a hero in Victorian times, the Geordie anthem
:18:48. > :18:49.Blaydon Races was written for his testimonial!
:18:50. > :18:51.The incredible story of his rise to fame has
:18:52. > :18:54.been turned into a play, which opens at Newcastle Theatre
:18:55. > :18:57.Here's our arts reporter, Sharuna Sagar.
:18:58. > :19:04.Iliterate Durham miner turned world champion rower.
:19:05. > :19:05.Harry Clasper is a long lost sporting legend.
:19:06. > :19:17.But now his legacy's been brought back to life.
:19:18. > :19:22.by his great great nephew, Harry Clasper's place in Geordie
:19:23. > :19:25.history has been immortalised on the banks of the Tyne -
:19:26. > :19:48.When you went into the library to find a book about him, there wasn't
:19:49. > :19:53.anything so we decided to do the research ourselves. We spent many
:19:54. > :19:57.hours in the libraries, going back through the newspaper clippings and
:19:58. > :20:03.so we built up enough information to make a story but I think Harry was
:20:04. > :20:09.the first hero of the North. For me personally, he always will be the
:20:10. > :20:15.greatest hero of the North. Less than a mile away
:20:16. > :20:17.from the Newcastle quayside, Hadaway Harry - a play
:20:18. > :20:19.about his extraordinary life is being staged
:20:20. > :20:30.at the Theatre Royal. Working men will gamble on anything,
:20:31. > :20:39.I cannot say the attraction myself. Grown men.
:20:40. > :20:54.130,000 people lined the streets when he died. Why has he been
:20:55. > :20:58.forgotten? Because history is taught about kings and queens and working
:20:59. > :21:05.class people are airbrushed out of history. He is an incredible
:21:06. > :21:10.character and had an incredible life on and off the river. He had his
:21:11. > :21:18.fair share of success and failure is. He trained world champions, he
:21:19. > :21:23.was an internationally renowned referee and he invented the boats
:21:24. > :21:28.which are used in the Olympics and the Oxford and Cambridge boat race.
:21:29. > :21:33.Just imagine how big he would've been today, we are talking about the
:21:34. > :21:41.big world stars of football is, he is -- he was the Lionel Messi of his
:21:42. > :21:48.time. Time to take on the companies again, the Royal Regatta. We have to
:21:49. > :21:56.get there first. You can go straight down the river Tyne. What a great
:21:57. > :22:04.story. I have a copy of the book. Thank you very much indeed.
:22:05. > :22:07.One of the region's leading golf courses today announced another
:22:08. > :22:09.Close House and resident European Tour professional
:22:10. > :22:11.Lee Westwood have confirmed the Heddon-on-the-Wall complex
:22:12. > :22:14.will stage a Junior Masters on the 26th of September -
:22:15. > :22:16.just before the cream of European golf arrive to compete
:22:17. > :22:19.for the British Masters - the North East's first major
:22:20. > :22:21.Qualifying for the junior tournament will begin
:22:22. > :22:26.Now this season has been a refreshing change for supporters
:22:27. > :22:28.of our leading rugby union club, Newcastle Falcons.
:22:29. > :22:31.Since the days of Jonny Wilkinson, Jamie Noon and Tom May,
:22:32. > :22:33.the Falcons have for too long been looking nervously over
:22:34. > :22:37.their shoulders in a fight against relegation.
:22:38. > :22:40.But that 46 points to 31 victory over Northampton last weekend
:22:41. > :22:45.provided further evidence of a real renaissance.
:22:46. > :22:51.This try from hooker Kyle Cooper who has had injury problems since
:22:52. > :22:54.arriving on Tyneside in the summer was the Falcons's sixth out of seven
:22:55. > :22:57.in an amazing game which saw them recover from a terrible start.
:22:58. > :23:02.The task in hand, we are fighting for
:23:03. > :23:11.There has been one or two games which could have gone our way
:23:12. > :23:13.and we could've been in the top six already.
:23:14. > :23:16.It is definitely a goal for us and we're going to go forward and
:23:17. > :23:21.this week is a stepping stone to get there.
:23:22. > :23:23.The director of rugby is quietly satisfied with his team's
:23:24. > :23:28.Where we finished over the last few years probably hasn't
:23:29. > :23:32.reflected exactly where we are so bit by bit
:23:33. > :23:35.we have improved and start to overtake sides.
:23:36. > :23:41.Third placed Exeter continue to improve but while
:23:42. > :23:45.they have conceded 21 tries, they scored 30 for the other end.
:23:46. > :23:47.Their attacking is pretty good at the moment.
:23:48. > :23:53.We have to make sure of that this week.
:23:54. > :23:56.In that respect, our defence will be a priority this
:23:57. > :23:59.weekend because we know we can score the tries ourselves.
:24:00. > :24:03.Yes, it started today during training and made
:24:04. > :24:10.New for me, 60 kilometre winds and freezing rain.
:24:11. > :24:14.But we did our job and we will come back tomorrow, to do our job
:24:15. > :24:34.More on that in a moment. Tune in for our football preview weekends on
:24:35. > :24:36.look North. Middlesborough travelled to Palace at the Everton old boys
:24:37. > :24:39.reunion. Looking forward to it. Storm Doris, we had escaped the most
:24:40. > :24:51.of it? Yes, the North East