0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to Look North.
0:00:03 > 0:00:05The headlines this Wednesday lunchtime:
0:00:05 > 0:00:06People power.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09The launch of a new type of political campaign
0:00:09 > 0:00:12aimed at changing lives.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14And nearly ten years after work started,
0:00:14 > 0:00:16the painstaking project to re-install York Minster's Great
0:00:16 > 0:00:19East Window gets under way.
0:00:32 > 0:00:33Good afternoon.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37More than 1,000 people have signed up to take part in a new type
0:00:37 > 0:00:39of political campaign aimed at changing lives
0:00:39 > 0:00:41across the North East.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Tyne and Wear Citizens is looking to use people power to tackle
0:00:44 > 0:00:48issues like poverty, racism and mental health.
0:00:48 > 0:00:53But it wants to avoid party politics and won't contest any elections.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55It held its first big meeting last night, and our political editor
0:00:55 > 0:01:01Richard Moss was there.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04More than 1,000 people packed into Newcastle's Tyne Theatre,
0:01:04 > 0:01:08not for a band or a comedian, but to talk politics.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10This was the launch of Tyne and Wear Citizens.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13People here want to see change in their community.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15But they're not looking for politicians to do it.
0:01:15 > 0:01:16They want to do it themselves.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19People are saying we haven't got time to wait for another election
0:01:19 > 0:01:23or to wait and see what's going to happen with devolution.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25Things are too important in our communities right now.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27People are going hungry right now.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30People are struggling day-to-day right now and so the energies
0:01:30 > 0:01:32around people saying, "Right, OK, let's see
0:01:32 > 0:01:35what we can do, let's do something about it now."
0:01:35 > 0:01:36This is a very personal politics too.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Less about stats and more about the experiences of those
0:01:39 > 0:01:42affected, whether by racism or the shortcomings
0:01:42 > 0:01:44of mental health services.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Hopping onto a bus to the town may seem like nothing to most
0:01:47 > 0:01:50of you in the audience today, but to myself, my family,
0:01:50 > 0:01:52my friends and other Muslim women in particular,
0:01:52 > 0:01:55tasks like these seem like mammoth decisions to make.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Is it worth the risk of being harassed or racially abused today?
0:01:59 > 0:02:02I'm here to speak about how some young people with poor mental health
0:02:02 > 0:02:08have had to fight way too hard to get the treatment they deserve.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10And, for a start, Tyne and Wear Citizens will campaign
0:02:10 > 0:02:13on mental health, hate crime and poverty.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16It's an approach that's already made a difference in other countries
0:02:16 > 0:02:17and other parts of Britain.
0:02:17 > 0:02:22But those behind it say it also taps into traditions we've forgotten.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25This area used to be volatile, full of public meetings
0:02:25 > 0:02:28going on about anti-slavery and so on, and we are
0:02:29 > 0:02:30reviving that tradition.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33But did the audience feel enthused?
0:02:33 > 0:02:35Incredible seeing so many people come together
0:02:35 > 0:02:40of different faiths, generations, yeah, and background.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42It was quite emotional.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44I thought was excellent.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Very inspiring, very well-organised.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49And really shows that people in the north-east are committed
0:02:49 > 0:02:51to making some change in the area.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54It's a positive hopeful message and it's what we need to hear.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56There's no doubting the enthusiasm of 1,000 people who came
0:02:56 > 0:02:59here tonight as they head home, and perhaps it's not surprising that
0:02:59 > 0:03:02people are seeking an alternative to the kind of politics that's
0:03:02 > 0:03:05going on in westminster at the moment.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09Richard Moss, BBC Look North in Newcastle.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11The leader of Sunderland City Council, Paul Watson,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14has died at the age of 63.
0:03:14 > 0:03:15He had cancer.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Councillor Watson was from Pallion in the city and served
0:03:18 > 0:03:21as the Pallion ward councillor for more than 20 years and as leader
0:03:21 > 0:03:24of the City Council since 2008.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27He turned to politics after starting out as apprentice on the shipyards.
0:03:27 > 0:03:37Colleagues have paid tribute saying he was a man of many talents.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47A bus has been destroyed after it went up in flames.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49The fire happened just after nine o'clock this morning
0:03:49 > 0:03:51on the A693 in County Durham between Consett and Stanley,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54near East Castle and Pontop Pike, causing the road to be closed.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57The bus was not in service at the time and nobody was injured.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Around 9,000 people in Hartlepool are thought to be caring
0:03:59 > 0:04:02for their family members and loved ones without receiving proper
0:04:02 > 0:04:03support from the authorities.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06And so an event is taking place in the town to try
0:04:06 > 0:04:08and encourage more people to become registered carers.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10Shelley's daugher Evie has cerebral palsy, but she says she never
0:04:10 > 0:04:18realised there was help and support out there.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22I felt like that I was the only person out there and it was quite
0:04:22 > 0:04:28hard and difficult. Within 20 47, I could not find the time to go out
0:04:28 > 0:04:35and meet other people, because it was always Evie who came first.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Designs for a new, permanent Pooley Bridge
0:04:37 > 0:04:38are being discussed today.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41A temporary crossing opened in March last year after the original bridge
0:04:41 > 0:04:43was washed away by flooding in winter 2015.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45At a meeting this evening three possible designs will be discussed.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Organisers hope the new bridge will reflect feedback given
0:04:47 > 0:04:51by people living in the village.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53Strikes taking place on rail services across the region mean some
0:04:53 > 0:04:57trains are cancelled or being replaced by buses today.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Members of the RMT union at Northern Rail have walked out
0:05:00 > 0:05:04for 24 hours in a long-running row over driver-only trains.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Now, this isn't your average window repair job.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Centuries-old stained glass panels have been cleaned
0:05:09 > 0:05:11and restored, and are now being put
0:05:11 > 0:05:15back into the Great East Window at York Minster.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17It's part of a multi-million pound project to restore
0:05:17 > 0:05:18the vast medieval window.
0:05:18 > 0:05:27Luxmy Gopal has been along to take a look.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29The finishing touches before fitting this 600-year-old glass
0:05:29 > 0:05:32into the biggest medieval stained glass window in the country.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34The panels at York Minster's Great East Window has been restored
0:05:34 > 0:05:41and are finally being returned.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44For those behind the project, it's been a long road to get here,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46starting nearly a decade ago when the stained glass
0:05:46 > 0:05:47panels were removed.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Now the restoration scheme, one of the biggest of its kind
0:05:50 > 0:05:55in Europe, is a step closer to completion.
0:05:55 > 0:05:56Gosh.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59So what do you think, your first glance at it?
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Incredible to see it at such close quarters.
0:06:01 > 0:06:02Yes.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03A view most people have never ever got.
0:06:04 > 0:06:05Absolutely.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07As part of the work, the window has been double glazed
0:06:07 > 0:06:10with a layer of UV-resistant glass put in to protect the stained-glass
0:06:10 > 0:06:13panels from the elements.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15As you can imagine, this is not a job for people
0:06:15 > 0:06:16who are scared of heights.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Each stained-glass panel is carried up by hand up all the flights
0:06:19 > 0:06:21of stairs and then delicately placed in each section.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25It's like a giant jigsaw puzzle 80 feet in the air.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28And the pieces of that jigsaw were meticulously restored
0:06:28 > 0:06:32by specialists taking more than 92,000 man hours
0:06:32 > 0:06:36after an £11 million project helped by lottery funding.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41It was probably one of the most intricate projects that we'll ever
0:06:41 > 0:06:43attempt because we actually dismantled every single panel
0:06:43 > 0:06:46so that we could clean, repair and indeed examine every
0:06:46 > 0:06:50single little fragment of glass, so it was very
0:06:50 > 0:06:53time-consuming, very meticulous.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56And, on the other hand, very rewarding.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Over the next eight weeks, the final panels will be put
0:06:59 > 0:07:04into place so this part of Minster can once again serve its purpose.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08It's a very important space of the Minster, the Lady Chapel,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10where morning prayers take place.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14Prayers haven't happened here for over ten years or so,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17fully cleaned and restored stonework, restored glass
0:07:17 > 0:07:21is going to be very important for worship here and of course
0:07:21 > 0:07:24for visitors coming to look at this magnificent building.
0:07:24 > 0:07:30This window was gazed out onto York for the past 600 years and the work
0:07:30 > 0:07:33This window has gazed out onto York for the past 600 years and the work
0:07:33 > 0:07:36being done will help to keep it stable and safe for hundreds
0:07:36 > 0:07:37more years to come.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42Luxmy Gopal, BBC Look North, York.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44Time now for a look at the weather with Owain.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54Plenty of sunshine on offer across the north-east and Cumbria this
0:07:54 > 0:07:57afternoon. Something a bit more of an east-west split, though. Eastern
0:07:57 > 0:08:02parts hanging on to the Sunshine. Further west, cloudier. We will see
0:08:02 > 0:08:07some rain later on but until then, it is looking pretty good. The
0:08:07 > 0:08:10sunshine turning hazy across Cumbria and this thin veil of cloud will
0:08:10 > 0:08:15then extend southwards and eastwards. Some of the light rain
0:08:15 > 0:08:20and drizzle in parts of Cumbria and Northumberland later, with
0:08:20 > 0:08:24temperatures getting to about eight Celsius. As we look at to this
0:08:24 > 0:08:28evening, a band of rain continues on its journey travelling to the south
0:08:28 > 0:08:33and east. Heavy rain potentially on hills, across parts of Cumbria. It
0:08:33 > 0:08:38will lose its power and fizzle out as it moves to the east. Mist and
0:08:38 > 0:08:41fog patches tonight and temperatures more than likely getting down to
0:08:41 > 0:08:47around 4-5. Because this weather front is lingering, it will be a
0:08:47 > 0:08:51great cloudy start to the day tomorrow. Generally speaking,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54cloudier than today, I think but as it continues to move away, things
0:08:54 > 0:09:02should brighten up. Temperatures tomorrow, 11-12. Breezy at times. We
0:09:02 > 0:09:08do get this cooler air trying to squeeze down towards us. So that
0:09:08 > 0:09:13means it does turn colder as we move towards Friday and Saturday but
0:09:13 > 0:09:17there will be plenty of dry weather around. Sunny spells and showers on
0:09:17 > 0:09:21Friday. Dryer on Saturday. See you soon.
0:09:21 > 0:09:22That's it from us.
0:09:22 > 0:09:23We're back at 6.30.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Until then, have a very good afternoon.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Bye bye.