17/11/2011 Look North (Yorkshire)

Good evening. Welcome to Look North. Targeting the metal thieves, police

in Sheffield Braid dozens of homes in a clampdown on the crime that

blights every day life. Also, the last resort. How

thousands of people in Yorkshire are paying sky-high interest on

loans taken out from doorstep sellers.

And it green and pleasant, but where are the trees? Why people are

being urged to plant more trees in the Yorkshire Dales.

The skies were clear earlier today but will be sunshine last? Join me

later to find out. We start the programme with news

that metal theft is a growing problem across Yorkshire and the

disruption caused is increasingly affecting our daily lives. Now

police are hitting back. They have mounted a series of raids

on houses and lock-up us in South Yorkshire and arrested more than 20

suspected thieves and are recovering thousands of pounds-

worth of Stonham Aspal. -- stolen metal.

A normally quiet street, suddenly busy with police. Outside the house,

a tell-tale sign. The remains of a fire, used to remove copper from

stone and cable. This is not the kind of thing you would get in your

house. It is something from a factory. It is too big to have been

in the house. We need to speak to them about where this has come from,

why they have got this burnt side. It is a rest number 22 in this

week-long operation. We are going to have to arrest you on suspicion

of theft of this metal. Across town, there is an amazing discovery. A

backyard scrapyard, metal of all crimes, almost certainly all stolen.

What has been found here, stolen roadsides, beer kegs, cutting the

air and over in the corner, a smelting pot, a basic foundry. And

this is the end product -- product, aluminium. A I have never seen such

a set-up. We work on metal theft day to day and I have never seen

anyone with a home-made foundry like this. This is a decent fined

for us. The owner says he can explain anything but he will have

to do it at the police station. is not a victimless crime. It

affects rail travel, street lights, electricity supply, broadband and

all ends up as higher bills. It is off to address number three. I am

here with a search warrant. metal this time, but they have

still struck gold. 27 cannabis plants, around �20,000 worth.

Criminals apparently diversified. That offers no protection. I want

the criminals in Rotherham to note that we know who you are, we have

Next tonight, there are warnings that 40,000 people living in

Sheffield attract -- are trapped in poverty and are forced to borrow

money at exorbitant rates of interest. These figures have been

released by the Citybus by university. If you borrow �500 from

a doorstep lender, you could pay another �500 in interest. That is

compared with around �80 interest if you borrowed it from a credit

union. Or just �50 interest from a bank loan.

In a moment we will be talking to an economics expert who has

investigated the issue. First, we have been to meet one woman who

found herself trapped in debt. She was a struggling single mum

when she borrowed money from door- to-door salesman in Sheffield. When

it came to Christmas, the loans felt like something she could not

refuse. Now, looking back, she wishes she had turned them away.

is not just the money-lending and the amount that they charge, it is

the fact that you have someone knocking on your door. It is not

very nice. How were they would you? When I could afford to pay, they

were fine. But if money was tight, they would be a little bit, you

know, not intimidating, but they would badger you a bit. She borrows

money from licensed doorstep salesmen. I have been speaking to

some of the company's selling these loans and they say they are heavily

regulated by the Office of Fair Trading. They told me they have a

complaints procedure and strict lending criteria. They also say

they are flexible when it comes to paying money back. That is very

different from the illegal loan sharks. Sheffield credit unions.

the Sheffield credit union office, loan sharks are something they know

well. People often come in for help because they have run up debts with

illegal lenders. And there they are worried about what could happen

next. People are scared, they are waiting for them outside schools.

With how the current climate is, they will turn to these people.

Laura is now a qualified nurse and her career helped her get her

finances back on track. She understands why many people across

the city are still tempted to borrow money on their doorstep.

It is a major problem. Let us talk to Professor Paul Mosley from

Sheffield University has just -- who has just published a book. You

are a director of the Sheffield credit union but central to your

book has been the community development financial institutions.

That is nothing to do with your credit union, it is important to

make that clear. What are they and why are they so important? They are

organisations which lend a almost entirely to the lowest income

groups of up because of that, the risk of lending is higher and they

have to charge higher interest rate spent the credit union, typically.

Between 30 and 50%. That compares to the 24% charged by a credit

union. And that is much less by a - - less than doorstep lenders.

of your central points is that we should make more credit facilities

available and publicise them? So that people do not go to the

illegal or illicit loan sharks? Making more facilities available,

certainly. But the most important problem is one of awareness. A lot

of the people who are on low incomes and feel that they are

forced into borrowing from a load trucks or doorstep lenders, in fact,

they do not need to do that because simply by going to a credit union,

they would pay far less and as a consequence have much less risk of

being trapped in debt. The other thing we saw there was even with

the licensed doorstep sellers, the costs are very high. They are

enormous. They vary from city to city. In Sheffield, we found that

they were typically around 250% up to 350% or up to 10 times charged

by a credit union. These are huge amounts. Is there eight open pot of

money with credit unions? We hear reports of queues outside of credit

unions in areas like credit unions. Or two dozen people already in

serious debt. Indeed, there is not an open pot by any means. The

credit unions are very constrained as to what they can lend. On the

other hand, if someone who is in serious financial difficulty will

wait a month or so, then they will be able to pick up a loan and as a

consequence of that, they will be able to avoid the trapped in a debt

spiral. Thank you very much. We will have more on the story at

10:25pm when I will be speaking to a Sheffield MP who is not

complaining -- campaigning for tougher rules on legal money

lenders. Later on this Look North: getting

ready for the big freeze. How the gritters plan to keep our roads

open if the arctic temperatures return this winter.

Now in other news, the body of a volunteer soldier from Barnsley has

been blown back to RAF Brize Norton. Private Matthew Thornton was in the

Territorial Army and died last week while on patrol in Helmand province.

He was serving with the 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment.

His family say he was a dedicated soldier and passionate about the

job. The government has confirmed

residents in four of our biggest cities will get the chance to vote

next May on whether to have an elected mayor. People in Leeds,

Sheffield, Bradford and Wakefield will all go to the polls. There had

been suggestions that only Leeds would get a referendum but that is

not the case. It will gauge public reaction.

Teachers at a West Yorkshire school are striking for a third date in

protest at proposals to turn it into an academy. Prince Henry's

School in Otley says that the move would improve job security but

teachers argue the change would affect their pay and conditions. It

is the third of six days of plan strike action. The pupil will only

be open to pupils in a year's 11 up to 13.

A thousands of people across Yorkshire tomorrow will be helping

to raise money for Children In Need. This week we have been showing you

exactly where your money goes. Today we have been to meet a 11-

year-old Yasser Bouarfa from Sheffield. He looks after his

mother and two siblings. Once a fortnight and in the holidays, he

goes to a group funded by Children He was showing him how to finish

the castle... The castle is now finished. My name is Yasser Bouarfa.

I am 11 years old and I help my mum because she has got problems and

she gets stressed really easily. Not a lot of my friends know that I

am a young terror because I do not think that they really care. --

young carers. I have to help my mum for something like three or four

hours a day. Once I have done my chores, I go to bed and I get two

hours to do the stuff I like to do. He is not just my son, he is my

friend. My life-saver, basically. Sometimes to be honest I feel

guilty. He does not have his child would like other children. He did

not have time to play and enjoy himself as a child. That is why I

contacted the people and they put him in a young carers group. Hello!

Every week, I cannot wait to go to the young carers group. I feel like

I know people who are like me and they do the same stuff as me. It

It has affected my childhood. I want to go to university and I want

to be a pilot because they get lots The Highways Agency has been

showing off the fleet of gritters that will be used to keep Yorkshire

moving if we get bad weather this winter.

I think some people have already forecast it. They were criticised

This is the would head pass. It is dry and sunny and the conditions

are good but a year ago it was very different. The sign said it all.

The road was closed as Yorkshire endured its worst winter for many

years. Temperatures fell as low as -19 degree said Sears. This park

became cut off. The impact on the business was that we lost a lot of

money. Richard has criticised the Highways Agency who said they did

not do enough to keep the road open. I lived in Germany for I'm number

of years and I lived in a snowy park. Everything seemed to move OK.

At one of Yorkshire's busiest gritting depots, a Highways Agency

were keen to demonstrate that they are ready for winter and they do

not take decisions to close major roads lightly. We work with the

police and emergency services. If, for health and safety reasons, we

believe a closure is necessary then it will be closed. That is only a

last resort. 37 gritters will patrol the trunk roads and 35,000

tonnes of salt is ready to be spread of the bad weather comes.

The Highways Agency reckon they'll be ready for winter but what about

us? Is my own car fit for driving on the winter roads? What do you

think? Let us looking your boot. You have your de-icer and your

scraper and a first aid kit which is very good. There is a code for

warmth. We also expect is for you to have a shovel and may be some

bottled water and it may be some food in case you broke down on the

side of the road so you could help yourself until rescue came along.

don't believe there will not be a repeat of these scenes this winter

but at least I am prepared for the worst.

Some people are predicting a really harsh winter so I will ask a poll.

He I am going to Australia so I do not care!

I will be in the middle of it. Before 7.00pm:

Why a bear is beating the bully. We meet the Yorkshire teenagers

pitching their idea to Google after winning a business competition.

And the sweet sound of charity, the young singers tuning up for

Your favourite bit of the world? We are both passionate about the

Dales and the North York Moors. I am more third dales and you are

more the North York Moors. Think of the Yorkshire Dales and

you probably imagine a beautiful rural scene, maybe with a few sheep

and some dry stone walls to complete the picture.

But does the scene contain any trees? The reason we ask is that an

appeal's gone out to plant more trees in Yorkshire, because

apparently we don't have nearly enough.

We are high on the moors above a down on the M60 to. Hard at work

are a view of fallen -- crew of volunteer tree planters. They meet

every Saturday morning in the winter and leave a lasting legacy.

The landscape was quite barren after industry throughout the 90

per century. In the last 30 years we have planted a around 400,000

trees in this ballet and it has made a difference to the landscape.

The evidence is clear. 40 years ago these banks were bare. A

partnership organisation wants to see this type of drugs formation

all over Yorkshire. Does Yorkshire really need more trees? Take a look

around me. This is North Yorkshire. The landowners here are being asked

to spare a corner to give over to trees. That is because this is one

of the most treeless areas in the whole of Europe. It is not that the

trees cannot grow here. Centuries of overgrazing has left very little

tree cover. It is only 2%. It compares with five per day % in

Yorkshire as a whole and the European average is 30%. We need to

think about doubling our tree cover. It helps with climate change and

reduces the risk of flooding. It helps networks because species

migrate due to climate change and may need those connections. We hope

to put trees on to the land. I it is the land that is the crucial

factor. The White Rose Forest has trees and volunteers available but

they need somewhere to go. The land does not even changed ownership but

it just gets planted in a way that is careful to enhance a special

landscape. We are agreed but we are not sure

if there are new trees needed. I quite like the wildness.

I have heard you are a wild thing! Apparently it is a good idea, so

what do we know? Four teenagers from Keighley are

heading to New York this weekend to pitch an anti-bullying device

they've invented to the internet giant Google. The girls created

Bully Bear as part of a business competition. It involves a high-

tech Ted Heath. Have you ever been bullied? Yes.

Have you ever wanted to talk to someone other than a parent orate

teacher? The Bear meets at the children of a primary school and he

is about to cross the Atlantic. These girls created the bare during

a project at their school. It is designed so that children who are

being bullied can go to a quiet corner and tell the bare all about

it. There is a video camera behind its eyes and its arms give hugs.

The idea is that it is easier for children to tell her bare rather

than parents or a teacher. Adults can listen to the footage. I was

bullied him primary school and I didn't want to tell my parents or a

teacher. Wither Or from knowing what people go through and the herd

and the upset that you feel that you just want to talk to someone so

we thought that maybe a bear that everyone loves would help. I like

the way that when you press its little pause, it kind of looks at

you and it can see you and it records your voice so your teachers

can look at it and sort out your problems. The girls won the

national competition earlier this year and the prize was a trip to

New York. They leave on Saturday and may have been invited to pitch

at the Google offices. It is hard to think that we will be there.

will actually be presenting to Google. Nobody ever get this

opportunity is so fast to be doing it is out of this world. The four

girls, two teachers and one there will make their pitch next week.

Well done to those girls. There's concern for the future of

one of Yorkshire's most successful non-league football clubs.

Wakefield FC missed out on promotion to The Conference in 2001.

And under their previous name of Emley FC, they once gave West Ham

United a scare in the FA Cup. But now, Wakefield are playing in front

of barely 100 fans and cash flow problems are threatening the club's

existence. If we stayed as we were at this moment of time and we did

not have an introduction of any fresh blood, whether it's an him

been -- whether it's an individual or a lot of supporters through the

gate then I think there is a grave danger that the club may not

continue. Well, there's just 24 hours to go

until Children In Need and four school choirs in West Yorkshire are

warming up for a very special performance in Pudsey town centre.

What is Plan C doing there? -- what is Pudsey doing there? They're part

of the Children in Need national choir and will sing along with

other groups from across the country live on television tomorrow

night. Amy Garcia has been to their rehearsal. This lot are coming

together for the first time to practise for a thing a long. 2000

pupils and only one rehearsal. Good luck. They will need it because

they are performing at the same time as 15 other choirs from across

the country. Up to 3,000 schoolchildren will sing the same

song at the same time on live TV. your word perfect? Could start.

you know to perfect? Fabulous! you do all the actions? No! Better

practise them. How are you feeling about tomorrow night? Really

excited. A Jew but excited. Really excited. In it is great that we are

doing our part for Children In Need. It feels really good. It is done.

bit nervous but quite excited as well. In 24 hours they will be

performing alongside 14 other choirs across the country. They are

doing really well. I think they will do Yorkshire proud. Pickets

are absolutely fantastic. They are responsive and they have learnt all

the notes and they are enthusiastic and I could not ask for better.

They have been wonderful. Bravo! Don't like to close. Next up at the

town centre for the singalong tomorrow night.

And tomorrow night Amy and Keeley Donovan will be live at Pudsey

Leisure Centre for Look North at 6.30pm and for our special Children

in Need programme from 7.30pm. If you've been fundraising and

would like to bring your cheques along, get in touch. The number and

email address to contact us are on your screen now.

A couple from Yeadon have won nearly two million pounds on the

lottery, but have no plans to move house or quit work. Married for 40

years, Steve and Gwen Poole say they were happy before the win, and

her first purchase will be a new vacuum cleaner! The driving

instructor and dental nurse will share the money with their four

sons. It is a dream come true. It is the only way to describe it. You

keep thinking of things that you can do in the future. I am starting

to believe it. I asked if I could have a new Hoover because my Hoover

has been driving me nuts! I think it is a good idea but I think the

first thing that I would buy a would not be a new Hoover!

If I do my wife a Hove after winning that I think she would

throw it straight back at my head. Three pictures that came in over

. We keep the mild air for the next 24 hours. There will be some sunny

breaks but once again it is mild and breezy. The weather fronts come

in from the West but they are being pushed back by the high pressure

which is very persistent across Europe. It was beautiful this

afternoon. 13 degrees. We are starting to see cloud encroaching

from the West. The cloud will continue to thicken and there will

be some patchy rain. It will be especially over the Pennines and

perhaps further north. To the east it will be generally dry and frost-

free tonight. The sun will rise in the morning. These are your high

water times. Tomorrow there will be variable and large amounts of cloud.

With a fresh South Park to south- westerly wind it though break-up

and be quite cloudy at time but -- sunny breaks are expected. If it

brightens up there maybe temperatures getting up to 14

degrees. We will be back to square one at the weekend. The extensive

cloud will redevelop but on the whole there will be a good deal of

dry weather to come. Not too bad for Children In Need.