30/09/2013 Look North (Yorkshire)

Good evening and welcome to Monday's Look North. Our top stories tonight.

Nearly 900 schools across Yorkshire brace themselves for a walk—out by

teachers tomorrow in a dispute over pay and conditions. We are all going

to be led. At the same time, we've got sympathy because teachers, like

everybody else, are being squeezed. Things are not good for anyone in

the country. Also tonight, they're the champions

all right. The Sheffield Eagles make history in the Grand Final but they

still don't know if they've got a home to go to.

This is Jerry, star of warhorse and in Bradford. Find out why later in

the programme. Cloudy skies earlier this afternoon near the River rare

on the outskirts of Leeds. What the next few days looking like? Join me

to find out. Thank you for joining us.

First tonight, Look North has discovered that 900 schools in

Yorkshire will be affected by strike action tomorrow. They're having to

either shut down completely or close to some groups of pupils because of

a one day walk—out by teachers in our region. The strike has been

called because of a dispute about pay,

conditions. Our reporter Emma Glasbey is here with more details.

Tomorrow's strike will have a big impact on children and parents

across the region. The majority of schools will be affected. The total

number is still not clear yet but we know that in West Yorkshire, at

least 445 schools will be either closed or partially closed. In South

Yorkshire, that figure is 302 and in North Yorkshire at least 149 schools

will be affected. So, why the strike? Well, unions say teachers

are taking action because of workload pressures and changes to

pay and pensions. The government has condemned the walk—out. Teachers

work every day with students, we dedicate our working lives for the

education of students. We carp rates and collaborate with parents every

day. We don't wish to alienate anyone but we are waiting for the

Secretary of State come to the negotiating table to stop being so

recklessly dismissive, and to listen to teachers. The education of

students depends upon it. I can't believe that parents will be coming

home having spent a hard day at work, to hear that they've got to

look after their children because teachers are complaining about pay

and conditions, when, as we know, in terms of pensions, they've got one

of the best in the country. Tomorrow's strike will mean many

parents having to take a day off work to take care of their children.

So, what do they think about the walk—out? We are all going to feel

it but, at the same time, we have sympathy because teachers like

everyone else are being squeezed and things are not good for almost

everyone in the country. I feel sorry for them, in a way, but it

impacts everybody else, taking time out of work. The strike tomorrow

will affect the Midlands and the East of England as well as

Yorkshire. There is the possibility of a national walk—out before

Christmas. A coroner's criticised the American

engineers who'd supposedly cleared a dirt track where a Doncaster soldier

died. Father of two Sergeant Lee Davidson was killed by a roadside

bomb in Afghanistan in Sept 2012 while serving with the Light

Dragoons. At an inquest in Doncaster today, his family heard how the

soldiers travelling in the patrol vehicle thought it was safe to

travel the route, but the US troops failed to provide proper risk

advice. Dan Johnson reports. Sergeant Lee Davidson, a soldier for

more than 14 years who lost his life enough can storm. He was commanding

an armoured vehicle in a convoy along a dirt track when roadside

bomb exploded, flipping the vehicle onto its roof. Sergeant Davidson was

flown to camp bastion for treatment but his life could not be saved. 500

people rack is funeral on the edge of Doncaster. Today, his family came

to find out how he died. Sergeant Davidson's widow was able to

directly questioned the officer in charge of the operation. " Why did

you choose that route? the inquest was told that the area

was known for a high number of improvised explosive devices so a US

team of engineers had been ordered to check the route and sweep it for

bombs. They'd completed their checks just an hour before Sergeant

Davidson's convoy passed and had declared its say. A British Army

bomb expert today said the Americans had a different attitude towards

risk. He said their advice and assessment was inappropriate, and

they had underestimated the threat. The coroner agreed. He said of

proper advice had been given, a different route could have been

chosen, or more careful checks could have been made. Alternately, his

death was due to the insurgents who had detonated the bomb. She recorded

death of unlawful killing, welcomed by the family, in a statement read

by their family remains an officer. —— family liaison officer. We are

satisfied everything was done to save Lee's life. We miss him and

also very proud of him. He lives on in his family, and especially in his

three children. Thank you. One of those children will never know her

father. She was born soon after Lee Davidson died. Now his widow at

least has some answers about how he lost his life.

Later on Look North. bus. It's the last call for the

North York Moors bus service as it falls prey to budget cuts.

But first, West Yorkshire Police are investigating the death of a four

month old baby girl after her body was found in a house in the Scholes

area of Cleckheaton. A 19—year—old woman and a 21—year—old man are in

custody after being arrested in connection with her death. Danny

Carpenter is at the scene. Police were called to this normally

quiet residential street at about 5:30am, following concerns from

neighbours about the welfare of a little girl. This street, many of

the houses here are divided into two. It was on the top floor flat of

house behind me that police found dead —month—old baby girl.

Neighbours have spoken today of their shock. Everybody's got kicks

around here —— kids around here. I've got no chain on my gate.

Everybody protects the kids. Everybody protects each other's

kids. That's what we do down here. We all look after the kids. For this

to have happened, it's just... It's awful. Horrible. They say they were

a quiet couple, they kept themselves to themselves and they hadn't been

here for very long. Perhaps only since the birth of the baby. Tonight

a 19—year—old woman and a custody.

A 26—year—old man has been arrested in connection with two serious

sexual assaults in Rotherham. The first incident happened on Friday

night when a 27—year—old woman was attacked on Moorgate Road. A few

hours later, two women were seriously assaulted during a

break—in at a house a few streets away. A local man was arrested this

morning. A West Yorkshire man who killed his

girlfriend and buried her body in a shallow grave has been jailed for 18

years. Adrian Muir, from Halifax, met Pamela Jackson on a dating

website. About a year later, the 55—year—old's body was found on

remote moorland near Muir's home in Halifax. He was found guilty of

manslaughter. The inquests into the deaths of

victims of the Hillsborough disaster will be held in Warrington, the

coroner announced today. 96 fans were crushed to death at the stadium

in Sheffield in 1989. New inquests were ordered after a report last

year said South Yorkshire Police had orchestrated a cover—up. The

inquests are due to start next March.

Eurostar have announced they're bidding to run the East Coast

mainline when the franchise is relaunched in 2015. The

international high speed train company would be working alongside

French company Keolis, who already run four UK services, including the

Trans—Pennine Express. East Coast was handed back to the government by

National Express in 2009 because the company couldn't make the service

work. It now makes a large profit. The Environment Agency says there

are no visible signs of diesel pollution from a houseboat that was

destroyed by fire in York. properties were evacuated on

Saturday night while around thirty five firefighters tackled the blaze

near Kings Staithe. No one was injured.

Work to dismantle York's big wheel has begun after it closed at the

weekend. Half a million people have been on the wheel since it opened in

the grounds of the Royal York Hotel in 2011. The company running it were

advised by City of York council that any planning extension would

probably be turned down. Yorkshire Euro MP Godfrey Bloom say

he's looking forward to a new career as a celebrity. The MEP no longer

represents the UK Independence Party in Europe after being reprimanded

for making a joke about party members being "shuts". He says he's

been asked to take part in Strictly Come Dancing and Have I Got News For

You. Now, ask parents what the hardest

thing about having a newborn is and most will say the lack of sleep. Of

course, it doesn't last forever but for the carers of very sick children

there is no respite as the child gets older. Martin House Children's

Hospice in Boston Spa has launched a campaign highlighting the issue. It

offers parents the chance to stay over and get some rest, as Anna

Crossley reports. Nine—year—old Alex looks forward to

his visits to Martin house. And so does his mum. Especially since they

get to stay over because it means she and her husband can catch up on

some much—needed sleep. The children are actually in bedrooms downstairs

and if you wish to stay with your child, you can do that but they also

have parents rooms upstairs which most of them are ensuite, unless

there is a medical problem, you will not be disturbed. Even if there is a

medical problem, the people love trained to deal with it. So, you

know, you will get a good eight hours all the way through which

doesn't happen very often. Like Alex, four—year—old Beatrice needs

round—the—clock care. She has spinal muscular atrophy and when she's very

poorly, her dad Andrew doesn't get more than two hours sleep. At other

times, he sleeps with one ear open. He rarely gets a proper nights rest.

One of the things that my house gives us is sleep. —— Martin House.

Proper sleep. Knowing you can go to sleep and that you don't have

anything to worry about. Giving parents that break, even if it is

for a few nights, is hugely beneficial. If Martin House is to

continue supporting families in North Yorkshire, it needs to raise

£120,000. Hospice care is not always about medical care or complex at

ease. It is sometimes as simple as making sure that the families can

have a good nights sleep and that they can do that because we can take

on some of the burden of caring for the child.

Words aren't adequate. For what they do for us. I'd be lost without them.

They perform some amazing work. And BBC Radio York are backing

Martin House Children's Hospice's appeal. You can get more details on

the Radio York website. A Sunday bus service that takes

passengers around the North York Moors National Park will end next

month. The Moors Bus service has been carrying passengers for the

last thirty years, but it's fallen victim to budget cuts. Campaigners

say the park authority is making a big mistake. It says it has no

choice. David Tracz has sent this report from Helmsley.

Helmsley town centre on a Sunday morning, the main starting point for

people using the Moors bus service. Over the last few years, the

timetables have been reduced at the National Park authority tries to cut

costs. Currently, it is any run on Sundays but by the end of next

month, they've. For good. Helen uses this service and has been

campaigning for the park authority to think twice about ending it. I

think it is tragic. It's wrong. The National Park receive £4.8 million

of public money to look after the countryside and also to enable

people to get into the countryside. And stopping people coming in is

what this will do. I think that's wrong. On Sundays last year, 13,000

people travelled to the North York Moors on a bus service but each

journey is subsidised and the park authority says it costs them £10 for

every passenger that travels. The park authority says reducing the

number of days the buses operated isn't enough and that the decision

to end the service was taken after a lot of public consultation. For

these passengers, their trips are numbered. It means we are getting

around. It will discourage people from coming over here at all, or it

will put more cars back onto the road. I could have driven here but

I've chosen to come by bus. If I drive, and, you know, tens of

thousands of people drive, it will put a lot more pressure on the

environment. The park authority's put aside £100,000 to help

underrepresented groups to access the National Park. It is still

deciding how that money will be spent. For those who have used this

service for years, they will be sad to see it go.

Don't be going anywhere. Before seven o'clock, they're

hanging on in there. But with the sacking season under way, who'd be a

football manager in Barnsley or Sheffield?

And no strings attached. Joey the war horse makes his Bradford

Alhambra debut. Time for a bit of sport. Mark Aston

game with Sheffield yesterday. Junkie has a habit of twitching his

finger when he gets nervous. —— John Key.

Sheffield Eagles made rugby league history last night by becoming the

first team to retain the Championship title. They came from

behind to win a gripping all—Yorkshire Grand Final against

the Batley Bulldogs. For Sheffield, victory was doubly important as they

continue to fight for their future in the Steel City. Our reporter Ian

Bucknell was at Leigh Sports Village.

Batley Bulldogs Sheffield Eagles fans gathered in the sunshine and in

good spirits. They reached the final from different starting points.

Sheffield as league winners and Batley were the underdogs. I am

quite happy we've got here because I never expected this. As long as they

put their best in, we will come away and we will be happy. We've a great

team and we've played some very good games this season, especially

against Batley. I'm sorry to say, Batley is going to win. Batley was

on top and the pressure became a lot. A great touchline conversion

from Gareth Moore who also kicked three penalties made it 12—0 to the

Bulldogs at half—time. The turning point came when this happened. They

didn't wasted. Scott Turner with didn't wasted. Scott Turner with the

try—mac Warner. From that point on, it was all Sheffield. Yere got

through, then a flying catch the turn of his second. Then they broke

through the defence and it was all over. 19—12 the score. The Eagles

had landed their second championship title in a row. We go under the

radar as a team. We don't get the respect we deserve but we showed a

lot of people and we opened a lot of eyes. What a fantastic talent! What

a great team! Champions, second year in a row, get in! We just need the

ground now. That was the consistent message from Sheffield Eagles fans.

Their team's success has come at a crucial time because they are

homeless after that closure of their stadium. We are immensely proud to

be from Sheffield and the last thing I need to do now is have a home. We

are working hard, the council are supporting us, and we are looking at

lots of things to make sure that come February, we are based in

Sheffield. And we are trying to get the hat—trick! The players have done

their bit. With that —— will their title victory be enough to stay in

Sheffield? Well done to them.

Doncaster Rovers say that the club will remain in the hands of the

current board. They had been considering a proposed £40 million

investment from the Irish consortium, Sequentia, and

they are. With the sacking season well and

truly under way in football, there must be a couple of our managers

looking over their shoulders. We highlighted the problems of the two

Sheffield clubs and Barnsley last week. Things didn't improve for them

this week. We'll start with the South Yorkshire derby between

Sheffield Wednesday and Doncaster. Here's what you could have had, this

play was in talks about a loan move, going to Don Koster. He scored

three goals in two games. And this is the decisive goal here. Rovers

got the vital win. Barnsley showed fighting spirit to come back from

two goals down. This was headed in from close range and they were

denied an equaliser. But they're going to need that fighting spirit

as they sit bottom of the championship. Maybe the manager in

the most immediate danger is David Weir, Sheffield United sit bottom

after Wolves won with them 2—0. It's very difficult to win games. We've

had some opportunities. We didn't quite capitalise on our chances. So,

to the better news. Bradford city's start continues —— good start

continues. They won 2—1. city picked up their first win since

the opening day of the season. Fletcher gave them an early lead

against Portsmouth, and the visiting goalkeeper's Gaff provided this

gift. Then it was 3—1. Before a second from a lecture which led to a

slightly bizarre goal celebration. It finished 4—2.

And you weren't there, were you? Every game I go to, it is a draw or

lose. Maybe you should stay away!

Talking about sports managers, have you ever seen Phil's knees going

during this programme? That is why I am standing up!

The Alhambra Theatre in Bradford celebrates its centenary next year,

so they're already gearing up for year of drama. The highlight will

undoubtedly be the staging of War Horse at the end of May. The multi

award—winning play, based on a book by Michael Morpurgo, is coming to

Yorkshire from London but its star performer was in Bradford today to

get the lie of the land. Cathy Killick went to meet him.

Trotting to the Art Hambro Theatre, the multi—award—winning star of War

Horse. This is Joey. To call him a puppet is insulting. He is so

lifelike. Three human puppeteers breathe life into the leather and

cane contraption that make entirely believable horse. It

extraordinary and looks like hard work. And it takes a lot of time to

rehearse. Two weeks of intense puppetry rehearsals, another seven

or eight weeks after that. He will do what he wants! I can't get him to

do absolutely everything I want but occasionally he will behave himself.

Good boy. It's all these small details that come together to dazzle

our eyes, minds and hearts and give us the impression of life. Onstage,

the horse puppets tell his story. Born on a farm in Devon before the

First World War, he sold to the Army and sent to the front. The play

first stage by the National Theatre in 2007 as been seen by more 4

million people worldwide. It's drawing attention to the wider

forces in World War I. A relic from older battlefields, they were no

match for modern warfare. 8 million were killed in the four years of the

war. It is such an emotional journey for the audience as well as all of

the characters on stage and we're all playing a character, all playing

Joey, and his journey is huge. It takes some time to build up a

string. By the time we've started the show, we've built up certain

horse mussels, I suppose you could call them, to operate the puppet.

When you start the job, you notice horses everywhere. And you look at

them down the street, and you think, oh, that's what they do! And you try

to put that into the show. You are forever noticing horses. Joey is

such a phenomenon, he's gathered famous fans. The Queen is one. He

was given a spot on her Jubilee pageant. The BBC's Countryfile took

him to meet some equine friends, side—by—side, the likeness is

uncanny. Back in Bradford, is causing a stir. He won't be on stage

until May next year. It's a great coup for the Alhambra. Its shares at

ten team three with the First World War, so War Horse is the perfect way

to mark its 100th year. Our director has just said

HORSE—ome. It is an emotional film for an emotional type. Talking of

emotion... Here's Paul! September is almost out, it's not been a bad

month. The statistics are out tomorrow. After a good summer,

September is vice versa, it's very good after a poor summer. But we've

not done too badly. We have had spells of very nice weather.

Downhill from here? I think so. I'm going to show you

some pictures anyway. It was a fantastic week. This looks more like

a Constable painting. Harewood house looking magnificent in the late

September sunshine. This is Chatsworth. Beautiful

colours. Keep your pictures coming in. September draws to an end,

October starts on not too bad a note. We will have quite a bit of

low cloud especially across the Pennines at first. It turns bright.

High—pressure hanging over Scandinavia but eventually these

weather fronts will make north—east with progress and the first one is

Wednesday, and then it turns very wet by the end of Thursday, with an

improvement on Friday. All that cloud has broken up so it's been a

lovely day in Yorkshire and the North Midlands. What we will find

after a clear evening, overnight, we will see low cloud developing over

the hills, where it will turn Misty. Further east, the cloud makes clear

spells variable. Lowest temperatures in the range of 8—11. It will remain

breezy. So, the sun will rise at 7:07am. Next high water times. So,

many of us are off to a great start, across the Pennines summer low cloud

touching the hills. Elsewhere, there will be some sunny breaks, but we

will start on that grey note. That cloud should tend to break up with

some sunshine coming through. Along the coast, there will be a chilly

southeasterly breeze. Top temperatures in Scarborough of

around 13. Inland, average the early October, 15 or 16. With a moderate

southeasterly wind, fresh at times. On Wednesday, it might get off to a

bright start, but it looks unsettled with some patchy rain spreading up

from the south. Thursday with a bright start, some locally heavy

rain later. Friday, sunshine and showers. Next weekend looks mainly

fair again. Great!

We think it is a different pronunciations of Harewood house.

Anyway, we will see you all that 1030 PM. —— we