10/05/2017 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Welcome to Wednesday's Look North. news teams where you are.

Tonight: Jailed for six months - the tipper truck driver who put

the lives of his own colleagues in danger, and drove the wrong way

One man dead and another in hospital, after an early-morning

The great north air ambulance reaches a new milestone.

Room with a pew - how camping out in church

In sport: We're talking about fan ownership of football clubs

A decision is made on Rafael Benitez's future.

We're talking about fan ownership of football clubs

and the team that just can't stop winning trophies has unveiled

A lorry driver who drove his tipper truck towards police cars

and put his own colleagues in danger has been jailed for six months.

Patrick Denman, who's 36 and from Ashington

in Northumberland, led police on a 12-mile journey

around Cramlington before he was eventually stopped.

Dramatic police helicopter pictures of the event were captured

Gerry Jackson is live for us at Newcastle Crown Court.

Patrick Denman wept in the dock today as the judge asked what she

said was the shortest sentence she could. After a row with his boss

over wages a couple of months ago, Patrick Denman quit and effectively

stalled as regular truck and led the police on a lumbering but

potentially lethal journey. The prosecution alleged he was going to

drive the vehicle into the home of his ex-wife. He said that wasn't

true, but today waylaid and said it was no proof of that, she said she

believed one of the prosecution's version than his.

Morning rush hour and the man behind the wheel is that the sexual Patrick

Denman will stop in his own words, in the middle of a nervous breakdown

-- 36-year-old Patrick Denman. He had resigned but then jumped into

his cab and drove out of the yard. His boss and colleagues tried to

stop him but were forced to jump aside. That was just the start will

stop tracked by a police helicopter, he's seen driving erratically

towards the town centre. Here, he goes across the central reservation,

with nurses and drive the wrong way back up the carriageway,

deliberately swerving towards a police car. After driving through a

red light, he eventually grinds to a halt in a muddy patch of grass, just

200 metres from the home of his ex-wife. In court today, he said his

intention had been to escape, but the Crown portage to his acrimonious

relationship with the former wife who he admitted he hated -- the

Crown pointed to it. The judge said, he decided to go out with a bang and

crash into her house. No, said Patrick Denman, I did want to hurt

anyone, I wanted to go to work and go home. He had already pleaded

guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving. Today,

despite his remorse, Judge Amanda Rippon said there was only one

appropriate sentence. She told him, I had no doubt Google Duke of

Edinburgh tending to harass and intimidate you ex-wife. As you said,

you hated her, making you all the more dangerous behind the wheel of a

vehicle that size. He was given a six-month sentence. The judge said

he will serve half that with the rest on licence. He was banned from

driving and given a five-year restraining order from contacting or

going near his former wife. A man's been arrested

in connection with a death Emergency services were called

to Joan Street in the Benwell area of the city early this morning,

after reports that two One was pronounced dead

at the scene, a second Stuart Whincup's live

for us at the scene. Within the last few minutes, the

cord and has been taken down on this street and the streets around and

the friendly tent has been taken away. There is still quite a big

police presence here and the officers are still going

door-to-door speaking to neighbours to see if they have seen anything

that happened last night on in the early hours. What we know is that

the emergency services were called just before 5:30am and that came

from another of the public who was walking along the street and became

concerned about the welfare of two men. When paramedics arrived, they

found one man who was dead at the scene, another man who was

unconscious. At this stage, they are treating the death as unexplained.

The second man was taken to hospital and is a stable condition and police

are appealing to with information to get in touch. Northumbria police

said it had arrested a 29-year-old man in connection with this incident

and that it's inquiries are continuing and that over the next

few days it has promised regular patrols around here in an attempt to

reassure people living here. 12 people have been arrested

on suspicion of trafficking people The arrests came after police

carried out targeted raids at eight addresses in the west

end of Newcastle. Northumbria Police said 12 people

had been arrested and seven of them The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has

told party supporters in York this afternoon that schools are facing

a financial squeeze. Mr Corbyn's visit came only a day

after Prime Minister Theresa May addressed Tory activists

in the city. The York Central constituency has

a Labour majority of 6,000. Mr Corbyn was speaking after Labour

unveiled proposals to protect school This is the 21st-century

in the sixth richest Should our schools be

going through a funding crisis or should we be

supporting our schools, our teachers, our teaching

assistants and the whole team that An urgent call has gone out for more

volunteers to help young people facing homelessness

in the Harrogate area. The charity Safe And Sound Homes -

or Sash - is looking for people to host 16 to 25-year-olds who find

themselves without a permanent One woman in the town has helped

more than 50 young people, At 17, Harry suddenly found his life

turned upside down after a series of events meant he could no longer live

with his mum and dad. Now thanks to a network of killing volunteers,

charity workers on the county council, he's living independently.

If he was still here they would have stayed at my dads but he moved to

Spain swear was at my mum's and everything ended up in arguments. It

was one time too many. Most of the areas be working, we have coverage

but Harrogate is a particular area where we really could do with some

more people to come forward. 80% of the people don't know whether --

where they're going to sleep on the Napier referred to it means they

could be end up sleeping rough -- it means they could end up sleeping

rough and that brings up more problems. The other alternative is

you can find an alternative future and that's why it makes such a big

difference. Yvonne is one volunteer making a big difference, having

given 50 young people a roof over their heads. A young man has

sustained with me for three weeks and she put a card my door which was

very nice saying how much he appreciated the space he had been

able to get himself together. I just wanted to allow my sincere gratitude

for allowing me into your home. He invited me including a rather

difficult time in my life. I wish you and your family a kind and

prosperous life in the years ahead. People like you deserve it. the

future for me now is a lot better than it was. -- the future. Doing my

college staff, hopefully next year I go to uni to study ceramics at

Sunderland University. It's helped around 16,000 people

since it started flying through our skies in 2002

and its three helicopters make sure casualties are never more

than a 15-minute flight The Great North Air Ambulance has

reached its 15th year as an independent charity,

and today former patients met crew A familiar sight in our skies

for the last 15 years, getting casualties to hospital

quickly and increasing Something Scarlet and her

mum fully understand. Scarlet first met the air ambulance

team when she was just 18 months old, she'd stopped breathing

while on holiday in Bamburgh Everyone said how lucky she is to be

here and I do believe if it wasn't for the job that they do,

she wouldn't be here today, cos we couldn't have got

to the hospital as quick Since the charity began

the treatment the paramedics and on board doctors can offer has

progressed year on year, allowing them to deal

with the most severe trauma. Mark was hit by a car after a night

out in Bishop Auckland, he suffered a severe brain

injury and a broken neck. Mark's injuries were classed

as unsurvivable and it's only because of these medics that you're

getting on board, voluntary, Today's a birthday celebration

and a chance to chat to the crews who turn out

in difficult circumstances. I think it's very rewarding

and when you see some of the patients we have treated

and a great outcome, This charity relies heavily

on volunteers, not just medics who give their time for free,

since every rescue costs around It's thanks to the thousands

of people who support us and develop it that really we've

achieved what we have today. So happy birthday to a well-loved

service, one many people chose to support but hope they never

need to use. Still to come on Wednesday's Look

North: Camping out in church - the trendy new way to book

an overnight stay. We hang on the drive, fine

conditions in the short-term. Join me for the weather forecast and news

on the winning April weather picture.

It's called champing and, put simply, it means

Old St Stephen's Church at Fylingdales near Robin Hood's Bay

in North Yorkshire is leading the way, with campers already

But, as Carla Fowler reports, not everyone thinks it's a good idea.

How would you like to wake up like this, under a pulpit,

It's thought the Old Church of Saint Stephen in Fylingdales

has its origins in the 11th century, but this is 21st-century holidaying.

Sarah has travelled from Michigan in the United States to stay here.

It's her first trip to England and she chose Yorkshire

because she saw that this unique church was available to camp in.

It's beautiful here and I wanted to visit Yorkshire and when I open

the door, I'd seen pictures of it online, but it was just, you know,

it felt like this is my church, at least for a night or two,

this is mine and so I felt really excited to be able

to see all that history, a place so full of stories.

Old St Stephens belongs to the charge's conservation trust.

They protect hundreds of historic and at risk churches.

They came up with champing two years ago and it is

new life into old buildings and new funds.

At the end of the day, everything we do is about sustaining

the life of the buildings that have been at the heart of their community

for hundreds of years and it is new uses for old churches

and the funds that we raise are helping to pay for their

But some locals are shocked at the new use for this building,

especially those with generations of relatives and ancestors

A very strong community here, we are very attached to the church

so I think it has got to be very much supervised before you can

This picture tweeted by one recent champer here shows him

Can you imagine that happening in Rosslyn Chapel?

I know that sounds a bit weird in this advanced, secular society,

but how can you pray among a load of sleeping bags and

Several locals have complained, but CCT say surprising

activities have taken place inside churches throughout history.

The chance to sleep in a setting as unique as this has already

generated hundreds of bookings, but whether champing will be

Old Saint Stephen's new saviour is still up for debate.

Now it's a traditional hardware store which opened just

after the end of the Second World War.

Thorpe's, in the Newcastle suburb of Gosforth, has been run

They sell pretty much everything you can imagine and plenty of things

you probably never knew existed, but now the brothers running

the store are retiring and, as Mark Denten reports,

they're selling up and looking for a buyer.

In 1947, Edward Thorpe had a van and opened a shop.

70 years later, his grandsons also have a van and guess what?

It's a hardware store, but that doesn't really do it justice.

This is an Aladdin's Cave - if Aladdin had asked the genie

for everything from dog toys to sink plungers.

It's not rocket science really, it's just a matter of listening

I've been here since I was in nappies more or less,

but officially when I was about ten, 11, 12 as a Saturday boy.

I don't know what I'd have done without this shop.

33 years I've been here, especially on your own, women.

We run across here, the answer everything!

We run across here, they answer everything!

That's not for sale, but you can buy pretty

So there is a lot of stuff in there, but there is a question we need

to ask and it is based on a stock availability report of Colbert

We are conscious of the fact there is not another

Well the business is healthy and fit and healthy,

it's a good time to do it and get it organised properly so it continues

Now they are hoping a buyer can be found for this little bit

Time for sport, and Mike Ashley has been meeting Rafa Benitez?

Well, the big question, Jeff, was whether Rafa Benitez would stay

or go after guiding Newcastle to promotion at the first attempt.

And the good news for Magpies' fans in the last hour

is that the Spaniard has pretty much committed his future to the club

after positive talks with the owner Mike Ashley and MD Lee Charnley.

In the club's statement regarding the summer transfer kitty,

"Rafa and Lee can have every last penny that the club

generates through promotion, player sales and other means

For his part an upbeat Benitez wishes the fans

Following the club's relegation last weekend,

Hartlepool United hope to have a new manager in place

A statement from Chief Executive Pam Duxbury says everyone at the club

is devastated at losing Football League status and she's

Talks have already been held with the supporters trust

about increasing their involvement in the club.

The club is ?1.2 million worth of debt and Gary Cox of the German won

The club is ?1.2 million worth of debt and Gary Cox

?600,000 for his share to leave the club so there is an element

of dead there is a yes financial help is obviously needed.

Fan ownership, it's early days for that at Hartlepool and first

intention was all to get players on the board and have a say

in running the club and it looks like that's a bit closer

The man, who was Chairman of Darlington when it went

into administration five years ago is in surprise talks about investing

an initial ?40,000 in the playing budget of the fan-owned club.

Teesside businessman Raj Singh's return as an investor would have

But it would be controversial as he presided over a demise

which saw the Quakers relegated four divisions and effectively have

to start again as a new club in the Northern League.

Manager Martin Gray is among those calling for private investment

as Darlington were denied the chance of a fourth promotion in five

seasons because their new ground doesn't have enough covered seats.

Now, like Darlington, South Shields were once

a Football League club - only that was back in the 1920s!

After two promotions in as many years, the Mariners are moving

And ahead of next week's FA Vase final at Wembley,

they've unveiled ambitious plans for the future,

With three trophies already in the bag, a fourth at Wembley

in 11 days' time would crown an outstanding season's

But now they're laying the foundations for

From August, while the first team are moving up

from the Northern League to the Evo-Stick First

Division North, Shields will introduce an academy.

It'll be run by joint-managers Lee Picton and Graham Fenton,

who'll work at the club full-time along with former Sunderland

There's also an educational link to Sunderland College.

The Academy is a long-term investment, really, cos the idea

is we can create something that's quite unique for young 16 to

19-year-olds so they get both great football training but also

You hear stories about young, talented boys of premiership clubs

who haven't got the pathway to break into the first team

The level of football we are currently playing,

we can hopefully improve over the next two or three years.

I think we'll produce a lot of good, talented footballers.

The current crop have been doing pretty well this year.

And they'll have plenty of support for that Vase final

We have 12,000 at the minute, hopefully that will rise in the next

We're just looking forward to putting on a show for them,

almost like a thank-you for what they've

Can they seriously dream of a return to the Football League?

You look at the likes of Fleetwood Town and Burton Albion and clubs

like that who probably have a smaller population

than what South Shields have and, yeah, we have got history

within the Football League in years gone by.

Our ambition is a very high and it's a case of why not?

Former Newcastle Falcons and England fly-half Toby Flood is returning

The 31-year-old who came through the Falcons Academy

made his Newcastle debut in 2005 and played 71 games

He went on to win three Premiership titles with Leicester before

spending the last three seasons at French giants Toulouse.

Flood is the club's tenth new signing for next season.

I can't wait to see him back! Now let's see what's in store for the

weather. The weather picture competition gets

us around the region. So far this year we've had winning shots from

Cumbria, County Durham and Northumberland and to meet the

person choosing our winning April picture, we ought to pen -- we're

going to Penrith. I'm an artist, I'm from Cumbria,

born in Penrith, and I was the first ever artist in residence

at Everest base camp. I spent the whole climbing season,

April, May 2016 there I wanted to find out

why people were there. I asked climbers and trekkers

and cooks and doctors what they were doing

there and what the But after Everest, do our

April weather pictures There are always parallels

between places that are beautiful, slightly more extreme and a little

bit more snow. What an amazing choice of villages,

I'm bowled over by them all! One of my runners-up is the image

of Hadrian's Wall by Chris Boundey. I walked the wall in 2011 as part

of an arts residency so that My other is the Seaton Carew

image by Neil McKee. The sky and the colours, I used

to go to Seaton Carew as a student and we'd get there in the dark

and watch the sun come up with a beer, but it brought

back all the memories. My winning image

is by Dale McConnell. I'm a Cumbrian so I'm

possibly slightly biased! I looked at the image

and I was blown away by it. It's got subtle April,

Cumbrian colours, the yellows, the gorse, the bracken,

everything is just about to start to come to life and that light

is incredible and is I was at that place the other

day, on that little bit of land with the island at the end,

looking across at the raw beauty. I was there with my dog and my

girlfriend at exactly that spot, so it brought it back in a flash,

but it is a stunning picture. Weather-wise, we hang onto this dry

weather in the short term tomorrow. It looks like a dry, sunny day for

many of us, quite warm in places but there is a change under way. This

evening, it is dry was largely clear skies into the night and with light

winds it will be another fairly chilly night. Also watch out for you

mist or four patch forming in low-lying areas to the early hours

of the morning, temperatures down to 45 Celsius in towns and cities, --

four or five Celsius so cold enough for a ground frost. It stays dry

throughout the day tomorrow. Any mist will clear. Maybe a patch of

cloud but plenty of blue sky, plenty of sunshine. The southeasterly

breeze and that'll start afresh in the day so it will feel cooler well

you are exposed to that wind. Temperatures in parts of Cumbria

could hit 20 Celsius tomorrow afternoon. We'd been saying things

are set to turn more unsettled and it still looks as if we will see

this cloud and rain sped up from the south as we head towards the end of

the week. It's quite humid air as well so some of the showers make the

heavy, perhaps thundery, and the unsettled team continues as we head

into the weekend. It's not going to rain all the time but it will be a

welcome sight, some of that rain for farmers, maybe not the cricket

players! The showery rain comes up through the afternoon and into the

evening, and easterly breeze but temperatures are still decent and

that went coming up from the southwest is quite mild, 18 Celsius.

Saturday, still the odd shower but there will be some bright spells,

southwesterly winds so it is used in areas that will see higher

temperatures at sunny spells and the job for Sunday.

We are back at the same time tomorrow. Join us then.