:00:08. > :00:13.In tonight's headlines: Guardians of children or vigilantes?
:00:14. > :00:15.We meet the paedophile hunters who claim they've caught dozens
:00:16. > :00:17.of would-be sex offenders while staying on the
:00:18. > :00:24.A West Cumbrian council pledges to shake off the title of fattest
:00:25. > :00:30.Our political editor heads to a record shop of all places
:00:31. > :00:34.to explain why our region is a key Election battle ground.
:00:35. > :00:38.The plaques to recognise the contributions of
:00:39. > :00:49.I retired 11 years ago and never expected anything like this.
:00:50. > :00:55.I never expected to be remembered, really.
:00:56. > :00:57.In sport, Middlesbrough have begun planning for life
:00:58. > :01:00.And will the Eagles be celebrating trophy number 25
:01:01. > :01:11.after their Play-Off final showdown at the 02?
:01:12. > :01:15.They call themselves "paedophile hunters."
:01:16. > :01:19.Their mission: to snare child abusers and have them jailed.
:01:20. > :01:25.But it's getting results and it's going to continue.
:01:26. > :01:30.Because last month in a landmark case at Newcastle Crown Court,
:01:31. > :01:33.a judge ruled this type of evidence is acceptable to gain a conviction.
:01:34. > :01:34.That's delighted two of the country's leading paedophile
:01:35. > :01:37.hunter organisations who are based in the north-east.
:01:38. > :01:39.For this exclusive report, Andrew Hartley's been to meet
:01:40. > :01:48.Don't start turning on the tears with me...
:01:49. > :01:52.Because if there was a real child to meet you here tonight,
:01:53. > :02:00.Darren Heywood from Stockton had thought he was meeting
:02:01. > :02:04.For 16 days he had been grooming her and another girl
:02:05. > :02:09.He had really been talking to this man.
:02:10. > :02:11.What we are doing is making a difference.
:02:12. > :02:21.Joe Jones is a full-time activist with Guardians of the North.
:02:22. > :02:24.Joe claims his crew of undercover volunteers has caught more than 80
:02:25. > :02:27.would-be sex offenders in the year since the group was set up.
:02:28. > :02:30.We have got people serving prison sentences.
:02:31. > :02:39.Carly, not her real name, is also a member.
:02:40. > :02:43.We have agreed to hide her identity because of fears for her safety.
:02:44. > :02:48.Today she has agreed to show me how they operate on Facebook.
:02:49. > :02:59.Within minutes, Carly has five adults chatting on line.
:03:00. > :03:05.Oh, they are nice clothes that you've got on.
:03:06. > :03:08.Children will think that this person is just being nice and friendly.
:03:09. > :03:13.This one that's talking at the minute, he is putting,
:03:14. > :03:17.Obviouslly, I have told him the area I am from.
:03:18. > :03:24.Another chat gets much more sinister.
:03:25. > :03:31.To say it was graphic, was a bit of an understatement.
:03:32. > :03:34.Some people say what you are doing is entrapment.
:03:35. > :03:37.It's not because we give them every opportunity
:03:38. > :03:44.Are you, as some people allege, vigilantes?
:03:45. > :03:47.No, because a vigilante takes the law into their own hands.
:03:48. > :03:49.Whereas we gather the evidence and everything we gather
:03:50. > :03:58.That evidence includes videos like these.
:03:59. > :04:03.We have been sitting here waiting for you since five o'clcok.
:04:04. > :04:06.Once cornered, the police are called.
:04:07. > :04:08.The would-be paedophile arrested and evidence
:04:09. > :04:14.Many of those caught by Guardians of the North end up here,
:04:15. > :04:16.Newcastle Crown Court and are jailed.
:04:17. > :04:18.You would think the police would appreciate their work.
:04:19. > :04:25.The body that represents the country's top police officers
:04:26. > :04:28.says the activities of groups such as Guardians of the North can put
:04:29. > :04:34.And in a statement, Northumbria Police urged members
:04:35. > :04:40.of the public not to take the law into their own hands.
:04:41. > :04:47.What would you say to the claim that your activity is actually
:04:48. > :04:49.hindering the police investigation, that you actually do not know
:04:50. > :04:53.If we knew that was the case, we would not carry
:04:54. > :05:02.We would tell the police what was going on.
:05:03. > :05:05.We inevitably know if there's an investigation going on or not.
:05:06. > :05:07.Meanwhile, at Durham Crown Court, it is time for Darren
:05:08. > :05:12.There too is Joe who is hoping Haywood will go to prison.
:05:13. > :05:14.Heywood admits a charge of inciting a child to sexual activity
:05:15. > :05:20.We are glad this man is off the streets.
:05:21. > :05:28.Child abuse has dominated the headlines in recent years
:05:29. > :05:33.and many now believe there is a need for urgent action.
:05:34. > :05:35.Guardians of the North say it's simply acting on that demand.
:05:36. > :05:39.We saw Guardians of the North in action there -
:05:40. > :05:41.but they're not the only group of so-called paedophile hunters
:05:42. > :05:45.The other group - perhaps the better known -
:05:46. > :05:52.And it was the evidence of Dark Justice that was the centre
:05:53. > :06:00.of the landmark ruling you mentioned in the introduction to my report.
:06:01. > :06:04.Defence lawyers at Newcastle Crown Court argued that cases against two
:06:05. > :06:08.men "caught" by the group should be dropped due to the way the evidence
:06:09. > :06:26.Had he decided that I am going to rule against Dark Justice than
:06:27. > :06:32.similar cases around the country would have collapsed. Instead, what
:06:33. > :06:37.has happened is that Dark Justice, Guardians of the North and other
:06:38. > :06:41.like-minded groups are free to continue their activities. Guardians
:06:42. > :06:46.of the North tell me tonight that in the last fortnight alone, no less
:06:47. > :06:52.than four people have gone to jail as a direct result of the evidence
:06:53. > :06:57.that they have brought. So, like their methods or not, be simple fact
:06:58. > :07:02.is they are getting results. Andrew, thank you very much.
:07:03. > :07:04.Police have named a man found dead in Newcastle.
:07:05. > :07:07.Officers were called to Joan Street in Benwell early
:07:08. > :07:09.yesterday after reports of concern for the welfare of two men.
:07:10. > :07:11.The man who died was 21-year-old Paul Brettwood.
:07:12. > :07:20.A 29-year-old man who was arrested has since been released.
:07:21. > :07:23.A man has died after a crash between a taxi and a bus in Gateshead.
:07:24. > :07:25.It happened on the Redheugh Bridge last night.
:07:26. > :07:27.A 36-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.
:07:28. > :07:30.The driver of the second vehicle, a 53-year-old man, was taken
:07:31. > :07:36.His condition is serious but not life-threatening.
:07:37. > :07:39.The Mayor of Copeland, the West Cumbrian district once
:07:40. > :07:42.dubbed 'the fattest in England,' says the council is doing
:07:43. > :07:49.In 2014, more than three quarters of those who lived
:07:50. > :07:52.Although that figure has dropped, the borough has signed up
:07:53. > :07:55.to a county wide programme to improve fitness and well being.
:07:56. > :08:02.Whitehaven, the main town in Copeland, enjoys
:08:03. > :08:09.But in 2014, it's idyllic facade hid an embarassing secret.
:08:10. > :08:15.Too many people here were overweight or obese.
:08:16. > :08:17.For mayor of copeland Mike Starkie, tackling poor
:08:18. > :08:27.We are getting out into the primary schools and talking about healthy
:08:28. > :08:33.eating. I think just by highlighting the issue and making people aware of
:08:34. > :08:37.some of the things that caused the issue and some of the things that
:08:38. > :08:40.can possibly solve it, will go a long way to improving matters.
:08:41. > :08:43.It's easy to eat on the move here, convenience is everywhere.
:08:44. > :08:48.These people think that plays a part in poor diet.
:08:49. > :08:54.People my age have all the time in the world but the young ones do not
:08:55. > :08:59.have the time. There are a lot of restaurants in Whitehaven. We did
:09:00. > :09:00.not have taken with. Fish and chips was all we could get.
:09:01. > :09:04.it's not about intervening in the market, but encouraging
:09:05. > :09:14.You cannot play God. You cannot make choices for people and the reality
:09:15. > :09:18.is the types of foods that are sold in these fast food outlets, you can
:09:19. > :09:21.go into the supermarkets and by those foods much cheaper out of the
:09:22. > :09:24.freezer. It is about education. It believes it can encourage
:09:25. > :09:32.a leaner, fitter future. Some good news now for a young
:09:33. > :09:35.Northumberland woman bedridden with a potentially fatal condition
:09:36. > :09:40.who we've featured on Look North. 27-year-old Melanie
:09:41. > :09:42.Hartshorn has EDS - a rare degenerative syndrome -
:09:43. > :09:47.which means that if she moves She's been desperately trying
:09:48. > :09:55.to raise the ?80,000 needed to pay for life
:09:56. > :09:56.saving treatment. Well, in the last few hours, she's
:09:57. > :09:59.managed to achieve her target - just in time to have urgent surgery
:10:00. > :10:02.booked by her specialist An investigation's underway
:10:03. > :10:09.after Whitby's swing A gate was crushed as
:10:10. > :10:13.the bridge swung open to let harbour traffic
:10:14. > :10:14.through last night. It's likely to be closed to road
:10:15. > :10:17.traffic until Saturday Well, if you fancied
:10:18. > :10:22.standing in the General Nominations closed at four
:10:23. > :10:26.o'clock this afternoon And Cumbria and the north-east
:10:27. > :10:30.will be one of the biggest battle grounds this time -
:10:31. > :10:33.more tightly contested than it Here's our Political Editor Richard
:10:34. > :10:36.Moss with a run-down Amazingly back in fashion,
:10:37. > :10:47.after being written A bit indeed like the Conservatives
:10:48. > :11:05.in the region after But it seems the Tories seem to be
:11:06. > :11:09.staging a revival. Seats are in play that have not been contested since
:11:10. > :11:15.these records were first flying off the shelves 20 or 30 years ago. It
:11:16. > :11:19.is time for a countdown of our top ten contest. Sedgefield.
:11:20. > :11:21.Blair's lair of course and Labour since the 30s.
:11:22. > :11:34.Last election's tightest fight, now looks a long shot for Labour.
:11:35. > :11:38.Mellow Yellow Lib Dem for decades but got the blues in 2015.
:11:39. > :11:40.And they may yet linger a little longer.
:11:41. > :11:45.But the Conservatives could pogo into pole position this time.
:11:46. > :11:52.The 78 was the format of the future when Labour last
:11:53. > :11:57.A Tory win here and it looks like a landslide.
:11:58. > :12:00.We have reached the top five. At five, Darlington.
:12:01. > :12:12.They hang monkeys, but they? At four, it is Hartlepool.
:12:13. > :12:22.The mouthful that is Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.
:12:23. > :12:24.Now though Ukip are gunning for Labour's.
:12:25. > :12:29.Don't count out the Conservatives though.
:12:30. > :12:39.And it is Copland. Next voters might wonder why it they are back at the
:12:40. > :12:47.ballot box. Find out whether the Conservative revival matches the
:12:48. > :12:48.vinyl on June the 8th. How about a comeback for shaking Stevens? No?
:12:49. > :12:53.Suit yourself. Richard "Fluff Freeman"
:12:54. > :12:55.Moss is with me now. You ran through your top
:12:56. > :13:05.ten, but are there more That Conservative revival does mean
:13:06. > :13:09.there are some seats you would not have thought we'd been in play a
:13:10. > :13:15.couple of years ago. Outside that top ten there is Tynemouth. A Labour
:13:16. > :13:24.majority there of 8240. Stockton norms. That GE 's mayoral event last
:13:25. > :13:30.week a week up. Seats like North West Durham which has a majority of
:13:31. > :13:35.10000 and Newcastle law to back north. The Conservatives might have
:13:36. > :13:41.a sneaking chance because Ukip votes might slip down but also they think
:13:42. > :13:46.Theresa May is quite popular. There are some not standing, are at there?
:13:47. > :13:51.We have had nominations coming through. Ukip have decided to stand
:13:52. > :13:57.aside in Tynemouth, Berwick, Liverpool south and Bishop Auckland,
:13:58. > :14:01.to pave the way for Tories who are up against Labour in those seats.
:14:02. > :14:07.The Green Party are also standing down in five seats now. They are not
:14:08. > :14:11.standing candidates in Bishop Auckland, Workington, Carlisle and
:14:12. > :14:17.also in Hartlepool. They want to help remain supporting Labour MPs
:14:18. > :14:20.hang on when those seats back. There is no progressive alliance between
:14:21. > :14:29.Labour and the Liberal Democrats. They will stand in all seats in two
:14:30. > :14:48.against each other. Thank you. Interesting times.
:14:49. > :14:58.It has been home to some of the world's best musicians. From Bowery
:14:59. > :15:06.to with this. But now at Middlesbrough's town hall is being
:15:07. > :15:17.transformed. All this will become this. New buyers, coffee shops and
:15:18. > :15:22.restaurants. Improvements it is claimed will make this the jewel in
:15:23. > :15:25.Middlesbrough's town. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It
:15:26. > :15:33.is the biggest music venue in the area. It has nearly 130 years of
:15:34. > :15:38.history of gigs. Fantastic comedy shows, live music, classical music,
:15:39. > :15:46.going all the way back to the 1890s. The building's past hidden from
:15:47. > :15:49.public view will also be restored, including the old court room and the
:15:50. > :15:57.police station, along with its cells. Complete with the original
:15:58. > :16:03.graffiti scrawled on the doors. A lot of it has been hidden away.
:16:04. > :16:08.People have seen it on behind the scenes tours in the past. Now we're
:16:09. > :16:16.going to open it up coolly for the public to appreciate the heritage of
:16:17. > :16:18.Middlesbrough town hall. It is hoped the transformed town hall will
:16:19. > :16:29.reopen next April. If it's good enough for Hollyrood,
:16:30. > :16:31.It's good enough for Four more plaques honouring "local
:16:32. > :16:34.heroes" from Tyneside have been unveiled in a burgeoning 'Walk
:16:35. > :16:37.of Fame' along the Tyne riversides. And today most of the latest
:16:38. > :16:40.nominations for hero status were on hand to see their names
:16:41. > :16:44.revealed in bronze. Gerry Jackson is
:16:45. > :16:45.on the Quayside now. So where do we look
:16:46. > :16:58.for the plaques, Gerry? Just as in Hollyrood, the on the
:16:59. > :17:02.ground. A lot of these plaques are down on buildings. As of today,
:17:03. > :17:06.there are 33 of these plaques spread between both sides of the river
:17:07. > :17:13.between the swing Bridge and the millennium edge. Robson Green is an
:17:14. > :17:17.established Hall of Fame member. Let's find out who the new ones are.
:17:18. > :17:20.Time was you lived, you died and if you had been especially
:17:21. > :17:22.memorable they might put up a plaque to remind people who
:17:23. > :17:27.Now here, if you fit the bill, they will create a plaque, as they
:17:28. > :17:32.For the last four years, Gateshead and Newcastle have
:17:33. > :17:33.set these bronze plaques into pavements around
:17:34. > :17:40.Today the actor Tim Healey, broadcaster Mike Neville, former
:17:41. > :17:44.AC/DC front man Brian Johnson, and historian John Grundy were the
:17:45. > :17:52.I am very lucky because this is just my hobby.
:17:53. > :17:57.If you find a hobby that you get paid for and you never have to go to
:17:58. > :18:03.Across the river, practically under the Tyne Bridge, one symbol of the
:18:04. > :18:17.I never expected anything like this. I never expected to be remembered,
:18:18. > :18:25.really. Even I started calling myself... To get an award like this.
:18:26. > :18:28.It is a wonderful thing to happen. Just yards on, Brian Johnson
:18:29. > :18:33.couldn't make it today but his family dead. We are really proud and
:18:34. > :18:36.dad is really proud and thrilled. We are really happy we could come and
:18:37. > :18:41.be here today on his path. Thank you. I bet he has told you some
:18:42. > :18:46.stories about growing up around here. Yes, none I could repeat. Back
:18:47. > :18:51.to the Newcastle side and a fitting end to our circuit with the man who
:18:52. > :18:52.knows every inch of it. You have commentated on the architecture
:18:53. > :19:07.around here and now you're literally part of it. This area and
:19:08. > :19:10.this place is the heart of the city and the city is right in my heart as
:19:11. > :19:12.well. It is a place of historic significance and tremendous beauty.
:19:13. > :19:15.I really do feel so lucky to be a permanent part of it now. Now, you
:19:16. > :19:21.might think this is the great and the good backslapping. Not
:19:22. > :19:25.necessarily so, because all of these people were nominated by us. If you
:19:26. > :19:31.go to the website on your screen now you can see the whole of the Hall of
:19:32. > :19:37.Fame on the walk of Fame and you can find out later this year who you
:19:38. > :19:40.might be able to nominate for 2018. Right be second time. Well done.
:19:41. > :19:43.Time for sport and news from Sunderland.
:19:44. > :19:46.The Sunderland manager David Moyes has requested a personal
:19:47. > :19:48.hearing after responding to a Football Association charge
:19:49. > :19:50.over his post-match "slap" comment to a female BBC
:19:51. > :19:54.The Scot, who's 54, had been given an extra week
:19:55. > :19:58.He'll now attend a hearing at which he can explain his remarks.
:19:59. > :20:00.Middlesbrough, like Sunderland, have already been relegated
:20:01. > :20:02.from the Premier League with matches to spare.
:20:03. > :20:06.The club's been taking stock of a hugely disappointing season
:20:07. > :20:09.with big lessons to learn after an all too brief return
:20:10. > :20:22.We have to be more creative and we have to take more risks and create
:20:23. > :20:29.more chances and score more goals. Understanding your playing at the
:20:30. > :20:35.level of opposition that are better defenders from the wiki came from.
:20:36. > :20:40.Yes, we must be better and we must continue as a club to think we have
:20:41. > :20:43.one aim next season and that is to move back very, very quickly to the
:20:44. > :20:49.leak that we have just put in all season.
:20:50. > :20:53.Work on a new three-thousand seat arena for the Newcastle Eagles
:20:54. > :20:56.basketball team will start this summer.
:20:57. > :20:59.The ?6 million stadium is expected to open in the west
:21:00. > :21:02.of the city at the start of the 2018-19 season,
:21:03. > :21:05.But first, there's the small matter of this Sunday's BBL Play-Off final
:21:06. > :21:07.against league winners Leicester Riders at
:21:08. > :21:10.A Newcastle win would mean two trophies apiece
:21:11. > :21:13.It's British basketball's showpiece occasion.
:21:14. > :21:16.A trophy last won by the Eagles in their clean-sweep season of 2015.
:21:17. > :21:19.A record crowd of more than fifteen thousand is expected
:21:20. > :21:21.to watch the showdown between the country's top two.
:21:22. > :21:25.Newcastle struggled to get past Worcester to book
:21:26. > :21:27.their place in the final Leicester have lost just
:21:28. > :21:41.I would like to say we're underdogs because we do well as underdogs.
:21:42. > :21:46.Leicester are on a roll. Let's go in under the radar. That is the best
:21:47. > :21:51.way. I do not care what he thinks or says at this point. I do not know or
:21:52. > :21:56.care what anybody thinks. We are in the final and that is all that
:21:57. > :22:00.matters. It is a one off game and anything can happen. It is going to
:22:01. > :22:05.be tough and physical. I do not know about points being scored but you do
:22:06. > :22:06.not know what will happen in a final, especially these two teams.
:22:07. > :22:10.This afternoon, Rahmon Fletcher was named the league's most valuable
:22:11. > :22:13.player for a second season running - and his presence will be vital
:22:14. > :22:16.if the Eagles are to add to the single trophy they've
:22:17. > :22:20.Victory would give the Eagles their 25th trophy in the last 13 seasons
:22:21. > :22:22.It's the 27th domestic final for these serial cup winners
:22:23. > :22:25.And more than one third of those have been against
:22:26. > :22:30.Newcastle have won one more of those finals than Leicester.
:22:31. > :22:37.Probably - just don't ask Fab Flournoy.
:22:38. > :22:39.Live coverage on the BBC sport website.
:22:40. > :22:42.In cricket finally, a thumping win for Yorkshire in the 50 overs
:22:43. > :22:44.One Day Cup last night with an unbeaten 152
:22:45. > :23:04.In reply to the 297 all out, they are struggling at 16. It broke the
:23:05. > :23:11.box window, nearly hurting our colleague. He lives to live another
:23:12. > :23:15.day. You will dine out on that. It has been perfect Cricket weather
:23:16. > :23:20.today. It has been a gorgeous day but nothing lasts for ever. We have
:23:21. > :23:27.been saying all week the weather is set to change. Let's enjoy the
:23:28. > :23:34.weather while we can. Today's weather pictures. A beautiful shot
:23:35. > :23:39.across the lake district. A lot of hazy sunshine there. Temperature
:23:40. > :23:44.wise, quite a spread. Parts of the north-east hung onto Cloud and an
:23:45. > :23:49.easterly breeze. Just made it into double figures. Carlisle hit 20
:23:50. > :23:55.Celsius. As we head into tomorrow, it is all set to change. More cloud
:23:56. > :24:00.on the whole. Some rain for some of us. It does state mild because it is
:24:01. > :24:06.humid and unsettled weather coming up from the south. That is the start
:24:07. > :24:11.of the unsettled weather today. The showers on the radar chart earlier
:24:12. > :24:16.today further south, while we stayed fine in the north. That is what is
:24:17. > :24:22.heading our way tomorrow. It stays fine and dry this evening. Cloud
:24:23. > :24:28.will spill in to some areas. Largely dry. Milder night than the last few.
:24:29. > :24:35.Temperature is no colder than seven Celsius. A breeze. Tomorrow, on the
:24:36. > :24:40.whole, a lot more cloud around than recently. Not overcast and if few
:24:41. > :24:45.bright spells at first. Outbreaks of rain spreading out from the
:24:46. > :24:50.south-west. It will not rain everywhere all the time but catch
:24:51. > :24:55.some of those showers and there could be the odd rumble of thunder
:24:56. > :25:00.as well. Quite a wide range of temperatures. That north easterly
:25:01. > :25:06.breeze. The 11 Celsius through the afternoon. Whitehaven, sheltered
:25:07. > :25:11.from the north easterly breeze. 20 Celsius. As it turns south easterly
:25:12. > :25:16.further south, we will start to see things turning market across the
:25:17. > :25:21.north Yorkshire coast and mist might spread northwards. That is the way
:25:22. > :25:25.it is looking for tomorrow. Low pressure area and that system
:25:26. > :25:30.bringing as range. It hangs around for a time on Saturday and another
:25:31. > :25:35.front comes through on Saturday night. Leaves behind Sunny spells
:25:36. > :25:38.and scattered showers for Sunday and more wet and windy weather spreads
:25:39. > :25:44.in from the west on Monday. It will not rain everywhere but most of us
:25:45. > :25:48.will see rain at times. The gardeners will welcome that.
:25:49. > :25:54.Saturday sees some showery outbreaks at times. Temperatures into the high
:25:55. > :26:00.teens with a brisk, south-westerly wind for the first part of the
:26:01. > :26:06.weekends. Sunday, the showers fewer between. Highs of 16 or 17 Celsius.
:26:07. > :26:09.Come Monday, the cloud with thicken up and more persistent outbreaks of
:26:10. > :26:15.rain eventually spreading in from the west and use other late wind.
:26:16. > :26:20.Holding the temperature is up in the mid-teens. That is how it is looking
:26:21. > :26:28.in the next few days. Paul and I will be back with the late news but
:26:29. > :26:33.let's enjoy some of the sunshine until then. Goodbye.