13/04/2017 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Tonight - still waiting for answers. had then we would not them.

Families of loved ones who's organs were kept for years

after their deaths say they still don't know.

I'm going to raise it directly with the Prime Minister. After all, she

was Home Secretary at the time that this happened. Somebody needs to

take accountability and say there were few and take responsibility for

it. A council defends its decision

to invest millions of pounds of council tax payers money

in a hotel. North Yorkshire Police target

dangerous drier on our rural roads. Charlie and Bandit finish their

charity walk along Hadrian's Wall. In football, there's

an important weekend ahead Especially Hartlepool and Carlisle,

whose Good Friday derby is make A North East MP says authorities had

three chances to avoid A number of relatives

across the region have discovered their loved ones organs

and tissues were stored at South Tyneside Hospital for years

without their knowledge. But South Shields MP

Emma Lewell Buck says three national tissue audits over 20 years

accidentally missed South Tyneside. Here's our news

correspondent Mark Denten. November 1995, a young man has been

found murdered close to the gates outside the Tyne Bridge. He had been

on a night out. When he grew up, he was just a normal teenager. He was

not overly good by any means, he enjoyed a can of lager and a type of

thing and going out with his friends, but he was a kind-hearted

boy. He would do anything for anybody. Elderly man was convicted

of his murder, his mother is now going to the tragedy over again. He

found out that his brain and windpipe were removed and kept a

Tyneside hospital. At the latest case to emerge from an audit of

missing body tissue. I think the lies that we have been told are

horrendous. I just want now justice for my son. And also for people to

be aware of what has happened. There are still families out there who

haven't even been told. Today, a new development. The said Shields MP

says she has been told by senior managers at south Tyneside hospital

but three previous national tissue and Oregon audits have been carried

out and didn't include south Tyneside hospital. There was an

original inspection nationally. Though is another national

inspection in 2006 when the tuning tissue act came into force. My

understanding is there was another national audit in 2012 and it was in

2014 under a routine Home Office inspection that this got picked up.

These national audits missed out south Tyneside Hospital every time.

The police say this is a live investigation with enquiries still

very much active. Nobody at the hospital or the Home Office were

A brilliant bold move or a complete waste of money?

The differing views over Stockton Council's decision

to borrow ?17 million to build a new Hampton by Hilton hotel clouds

Final approval has now been granted on the development.

The company will run the hotel and pay the council back

Built on a scrappy car-park, the council believes the hotel

And it's part of wider plans to regenerate the town centre.

But critics point to the empty Swallow Hotel,

They say it's become a physical symbol

of failure and one which towers over the High Street.

It's a massive amount of money and it's

going to take us 35 years to pay it back.

If it was a really good deal, if it was a sound business case, I'm

sure that a business would be running along to do it.

But actually, I think this is a risk.

It's a risk with a pot of money that pays for

schools, it pays for the care for our elderly.

I think councillors shouldn't be risking public money.

Stockton Council says it's delighted a world-renowned company

It says industry experts say there is a real shortage

of hotels in the area, so it is needed.

I understand people's concerns, but this money is not coming

It's not coming out of the money that we spend on

We can only spend it on projects like this.

But as the profits come through from this hotel,

which they will do, we

believe they will do, that money can then be recycled.

The deal with Hilton Hotel will, it says, make the council a quarter

of a million pounds profit a year and create 100 jobs.

Building work will start here on site in the

summer and the hotel is due to open by the end of 2018.

It says the Hilton would have to be one of the worst

performing hotels in Teesside to not make a profit out of the deal.

A man's been sent to prison for causing the death by dangerous

Brandon Morris was a passenger in a Ford Focus, which crashed

while being followed by police in Middlesbrough last month.

29-year-old Lee Harvey was sentenced to seven years eight months.

An investigation has begun after one person died in a house

Fire crews were called to the house on Gregson Terrace

Officers say the blaze is not suspicious.

A former priest's been jailed for 17 years after being found guilty

of sexually abusing a pupil at a Catholic boarding

Father Michael Higginbottom, who's 74 and from West Farm Road

in Newcastle, denied subjecting a teenage boy to repeated

sexual abuse while he was a teacher in Lancashire.

Workers on Virgin Trains East Coast are planning to stage a 48-hour

strike later this month in a row about the role of guards.

The RMT union says the walk out will begin on Friday the 28th of April -

the same day as workers on Arriva Rail North stage

a 24-hour strike in a row about new driver-only trains.

The Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police has

questioned the effectiveness of fixed speed cameras,

as the force prepares to roll out a new weapon in the battle

against motorists who drive too fast on rural roads.

It's investing in a fleet of micro camera vans that will allow police

to catch more people speeding through villages.

A quiet street on the edge of Harrogate and the chosen spot to

catch speeding motorists from new smaller vans.

The police are here because of pressure from residents

who say drivers are regularly breaking the 30 mph limit.

Within minutes of arriving, local concerns

The driver will receive a ?100 fine and three

penalty points or the option of going on a speed awareness course.

We are outside a park, sports centre down

the road, there are children coming out of the houses

Six of the new micro safety bands will join North Yorkshire's fleet.

There will be a of 12 vehicles patrolling

the County's network of

North Yorkshire Police cameras have been on the county's roads

catching motorists doing up to 80 miles an hour.

This is about changing focus to suburban and rural areas

where motorists might not expect to see a police officer and

Fixed cameras are not something that will likely change soon.

Fixed cameras are not as effective as people think.

They slow down before and speed up afterwards.

This method of employing fans in the we can make people constantly aware

of the speed that they are going and the impact that they have on the

road. The camera can see 800

metres down the road, which makes these units a

very useful safety tool Now, it's a decision

traders say is deterring Anyone who's driven

to the North Yorkshire town of Richmond will know you can park

for two hours free of charge After that, you've got to move

or risk being fined. Now businesses are calling

on the county council It's an historic town that bosts

independent shops and with a display But Heather Jones,

who owns a dress shop in Richmond, believes

two hours is too short. A time limit which she says

is deterring shoppers. They want time to look

and suddenly, they are looking at their watches again

and ssaying, "Oh, I'm really sorry. So, I've got dresses left out

and I have lost a sale. Independent businesses cannot

afford to lose sales. Like in many towns and

cities, parking here has There's not many places,

though, that still But does that limit

what people can and can't do? There are a lot of lovely

things here to see, but if you've only got two hours, I don't

think it really gives us Especially visitors, you know,

when the signs aren't clear. I've spoken to a lot that

have come out for the day and had the day spoiled, really,

by getting a ticket. In a statement, North Yorkshire

County Council said the two hour limit accommodates

general requirements, while generating a sufficient

turnover of spaces. Those wanting to make

extended stays can park in This town centre tattoo

parlour says it's We've spent a good couple of hours

setting them at ease, going through designs, and then they are off

to their car, to move the car. They are going to the big urban

castles of the retail For the record, to film our story

took an hour and 52 minutes. With no time for shopping, though,

or a trip to the castle. Phil Connell, BBC

Look North, Richmond. You're watching Thursday's Look

North, plenty more coming up. The Chihuahua,

weighing just a pound, who was rescued from a puppy farm

by a Durham woman. Weather-wise call on the Easter

weekend is not looking as warm as last weekend, but there will be some

rain and sunshine. Join me later for the full story.

Now, local elections are coming up on the 4th of May

and if you haven't registered to vote, you can still do

it on the Government website until midnight.

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be taking a look

at the elections across all parts of our region.

And tonight, we're looking at the battle for control

Trudy Lynn Harrison is duly elected as Member of Parliament for the

Labour is already on the back foot in Cumbria

after a disappointing by-election defeat in Copeland.

It's the largest party here on the county council,

but is the leader worried about its position?

Obviously, I am aware of the National opinion polls and we

have recently lost a by-election in Copeland of course.

So, obviously, that does concern me, but we will do

the best we can and hope that people will continue to support us.

Despite their high poll ratings, the party has

inflicted major cuts on councils while in Government.

There was a lot of fat at the county council, there

was a lot of wastage, there is still in a lot of wastage.

was a lot of wastage, there is still a lot of wastage.

This is public money, so, I think, you know...

I think the people of Cumbria want to

get the message out there that a Conservative-led administration

will spend their hard earned council tax wisely, will deliver good

The Lib Dems are currently in coalition with

Labour on the council and could end up as kingmakers once again.

The important thing is to consider which

party can we work with to get the best deal for the residents of

So, it won't just be, "Oh, yes, we will join with you."

It will be, "Actually, these are the things

And let's come to a negotiated agreement on those things."

So, what about the parties looking to get their first county council?

Yes, we have a really excellent local

I think we've lost our unique selling point in Brexit.

But, like I say, we have a wonderful manifesto and I think our new unique

selling point on a local basis is that we advocate local

And the Greens are fielding more candidates than either

We have seen what one Green party MP can do

in Parliament and what a difference that makes, so one Green county

A woman from County Durham has travelled hundreds of miles to Wales

to rescue a Chihuahua from certain death at the hands of

Brie the Chi had outlived her usefulness and was destined

for a horrible end in a slurry pit, but now she has a new life in some

more favourable company, as Damian O'Neil reports.

Like many other owners of this breed, Claire

She spotted Brie on an animal charity's website shortly

after the dog had been saved from a sticky end and drove straight

She was raised in a puppy farm in Wales where she had two litters by

caesarean section because she is very small.

The last litter she had, the vet actually spayed her without

She was classed as useless, basically.

What were they planning to do with her?

When the dogs are classed as useless, they

They literally just throw them in the slurry pit on the farm.

He sent me messages saying he wants to

adopt her but he has to choose another dog.

Here's the reason why I got them in the first

You can feel her trembling all the time.

It is hard to imagine anything more vulnerable and

defenceless and the idea of flinging her into

a slurry pit to drown is

It makes you wonder if she realises just how lucky

She looks really settled in now. Settled in for the sport as well.

First tonight, news that Sunderland midfielder Sebastian Larsson has

lost his appeal against the red card he picked up against

The Swede was sent off for this tackle on United's Ander Herrera.

He'll now miss the next three games, starting

Better news for goalkeeper Jordan Pickford -

nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year.

And for former Sunderland Ladies' stars Lucy Bronze and Jill Scott,

who're in the running to be Women's Footballer of the Year.

It could be a very happy Easter and happy birthday for Newcastle

boss Rafa Benitez, who's 57 on Sunday.

If the Magpies beat Leeds tomorrow and Ipswich on Monday,

and other results go their way, they could effectively be promoted

Striker Dwight Gayle won't play over the weekend.

But Benitez isn't ruling him out for the rest of the campaign -

The Spaniard wasn't a happy man after last week's defeat

to Sheffield Wednesday, which should should serve

as a warning to any players who think the job's already done.

Like Wednesday, Gary Monk's Leeds are also fighting for promotion.

We know that it is one game at a time. We know that I like the

competition between players. Nobody can say I will play, because I was

good. No, you have to keep being good, because if not, maybe someone

will take possession. We have to give everything and try to win this

It doesn't matter the name of the team.

There's another big game in the region tomorrow,

at the Northern Gas and Power Stadium,

Hartlepool United against Carlisle United,

north-east against north-west, but the closest either side will get

And for both clubs, such a lot at stake.

They both could do with a bit of help from above right now.

Because it's hard to know which side is in greater need of the points.

Pools - fighting for their League lives, and hoping to somehow stay

Or Carlisle - up at the top for so long, but now scrambling

Defeat for either side could just tip them over the edge.

No one is going to deny it's a big game, but as I said, every game we

play is a big one, because what's at stake. The club has big plans and we

need to be safe and to implement them, we need to be in the league.

Everybody is going to be trying their best to achieve that. We look

at how we started the season. We are disappointed that we haven't kicked

on after Christmas. We lost key players at key times and lost a lot

of goals in the January window. It was disappointing, but again, if we

just make sure we get in the play-off, after that, it's who plays

Carlisle's slump since New Year has been dramatic -

from automatic promotion contenders to play-off hopefuls.

And while Dave Jones only took charge of Pools in January,

he's hoping his players' experience of the relegation battle

A lot of them had been in the situation before around the club.

The last 67 years have been the same situation. They know it, they

probably know it better than the coaches, really. We rely on them to

be. They know what's at stake and I'm sure there isn't one person in

this football club that won't be giving everything to maintain out.

Its life changing now at the bottom end of the Football League. The

Derby will bring a lot of the hamstring Son them. You can follow

that patch on BBC Two BBC Cumbria. -- match.

Confirmation today that Darlington will not be allowed to take part

in the National League North play-offs - even if they hold

their current position and finish in the top five.

The club says a change in the criteria for promotion

to the top tier of the non-league game wasn't picked up

when their new ground at Blackwell Meadows

The Quakers say they don't have sufficient time or enough money

to install the extra covered seats required, but they

In rugby union, Newcastle Falcons have a difficult game away

And in Rugby League, Workington Town host Whitehaven

Town have already beaten their local rivals twice this season,

but this is the first time the sides have met in League One this year.

Elsewhere tomorrow, York are at home to Doncaster and Newcastle Thunder

Wallsend's Gary Wilson may have achieved his dream of qualifying

for snooker's World Championships for the first time, but he couldn't

Wilson, who beat Michael White in the final round of

qualifying yesterday, will face the Rocket, five-times

World Champion Ronnie O'Sullivan, in the first round at

The two-week tournament starts on Saturday.

Earlier this week, we introduced you to this little creature -

He was walking Hadrian's Wall to help raise money for research

The mum of Bandit's owner, Charlie Hammerton,

This was his way of dealing with the loss and helping others.

Mark McAlindon joined Charlie as he made it to the end

The last few days have been Bandit's big adventure.

The fundraising ferret walking the width of the

My idea was to do this as a way of grieving.

I wanted to get out in the countryside, get out

with my mate Bandit, my ferret, and just enjoy myself.

And I feel, well, why not do this as a fundraiser well?

To help me through the grieving process.

So, that's kind of the way I look at it - this is me

Charlie Hammerton lost his mum to motor

neurone disease just a fortnight ago.

His hike across Hadrian's Wall has touched hearts.

It's remarkable to see people coming out of their

houses and shops to wave me on and wish me luck

It's been great seeing Bandit getting so many fans along the way.

The big skies and fresh winds of spring

have helped Charlie deal with his grief,

Alone on the open road, before finally

making it to the end in the Bowness on Solway.

We've completed everything that we wanted to do in a great time.

I've been on track every single day and

we've raised a lot of money as well, so it's been more than worth it.

Mark McAlindon, BBC Look North on the Solway Firth.

And just glad they made it. It's a nice story.

Grey skies there, probably quite a nice week to walk Hadrian 's Wall.

The Easter weekend approaches and it will be a lot cooler than last

weekend. Blue sky, sunshine was at a premium today, but there were a few

glimpses. Take a look at tonight pot weather picture. Some tulips against

the bright sky at Sunderland area in the day. As we head into the Easter

weekend, it will be cooler than last weekend, that's for sure. There will

be a future spots of rain for many of us, but I think most of us

shouldn't we see some sunshine over the next few days as well. There

hasn't been much sunshine today and there is a lot of cloud

around this evening. Some patchy rain here and there is we had

through the evening. That rain perhaps becoming a bit more

widespread, especially in the west of the head through the second app

of the night. It what MacLeod the last night, keeping that westerly

breeze as well. Temperatures not as cold as last night. Seven Celsius is

mid 40 Fahrenheit. A cloudy start tomorrow, most places will hang on

to the cloud throughout the day. Rain Fearnley will widespread in the

west. Most of seeing a few spots through the day. Late on in the

afternoon, we will start to see some drier and brighter weather getting

into the Scottish Borders, but that will be a slow improvement

throughout the day. Temperatures struggling. Again, quite a brisk

westerly breeze. As we had through the rest of the Easter weekend, we

are stuck in this position but high pressure to the north-east. Cool

westerly winds bringing a few weather fronts. Those will be fairly

weak, so not huge around the lean back and suffering. Eventually it

does brighten up again for the bank holiday Monday. As we head into

Saturday, bright and breezy but, it up. Brisk northwesterly winds,

temperatures is only just into double figures. There will be some

blue sky and sunshine around. Easter Sunday sees that weather front

coming round. The high pressure sees cloud picking up and I will be thick

enough to bring rain at times. Tempered his again just about make

it into double figures. If it's any consolation, the winds will be a bit

later, although skies will be cloudier for a Sunday. Into bank

holiday Monday, bright and breezy. That will be a northerly breeze,

although there will be plenty of blue skies and sunshine, temperature

stuck in single figures. We'll keep you updated on the forecasters we

had through the weekend on BBC local radio. The problem with that weather

is that the case will want to stay indoors and hover in the vicinity of

chocolate eggs. That's all for now. the most that have ever voted for

anything in this country,