:00:00. > :00:00.the News of the World. That's all from the News at Six.
:00:00. > :00:08.Good evening and welcome to Thursday's Look North. On the
:00:09. > :00:10.programme tonight: A scheme to ease traffic congestion on the M1 in
:00:11. > :00:19.Yorkshire starts earlier than planned, despite claims it's
:00:20. > :00:23.dangerous. What I don't understand and many other people don't
:00:24. > :00:28.understand, is why there is any need to use the hard shoulder outside of
:00:29. > :00:31.peak times. It does not make sense and it is not safe. We'll hear from
:00:32. > :00:34.the Highways Agency, who defend the decision. Also tonight, closing
:00:35. > :00:37.after 60 years ` Sheffield's Remploy factory, which provided work for
:00:38. > :00:42.people with disabilities, is one of the final three to shut up shop. And
:00:43. > :00:49.Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds provides the perfect backdrop for a Halloween
:00:50. > :00:56.film show. And these were the fairly cloudy
:00:57. > :01:00.skies this afternoon. Breezy, too. I am back later with your full
:01:01. > :01:07.forecast. I will try not to make it too scary.
:01:08. > :01:13.Work on a scheme to allow traffic to use the hard shoulder of the M1 in
:01:14. > :01:16.Yorkshire at all times is to start early, despite safety concerns.
:01:17. > :01:19.Plans for the six mile stretch near Wakefield have been controversial,
:01:20. > :01:24.with the police warning it will put lives at risk. Construction is now
:01:25. > :01:28.due to get underway in less than a fortnight ` months earlier than
:01:29. > :01:31.planned. The Highways Agency says it will be safe and follows a
:01:32. > :01:41.successful scheme on the M62, which opened a month ago. Ian White has
:01:42. > :01:46.the details. The M62 has gone high`tech. They are
:01:47. > :01:52.now calling it a smart motor away. It has been running for exactly a
:01:53. > :02:01.month. Highways Agency patrolman Steve Strong took me for a drive in
:02:02. > :02:06.this morning's rush hour. There is a lot more technology than ever. The
:02:07. > :02:10.Highways Agency is hailing the new system, which makes use of the hard
:02:11. > :02:17.shoulder at busy times, a success. Motorists had next feelings. More
:02:18. > :02:24.often than not it is set to 60 and they dropped to 40. There is nothing
:02:25. > :02:30.wrong at all. No real logic. I think now it is not as congested like it
:02:31. > :02:34.used to be. Motorists will soon see changes to the M1 as well.
:02:35. > :02:42.Construction is being brought forward. It will begin in two weeks.
:02:43. > :02:48.This is the busy interchange where the M62 meets the M1. It is reckoned
:02:49. > :02:56.around 113,000 people `` vehicles use this road every day. But this
:02:57. > :02:58.section and another near Sheffield to be built later, would effectively
:02:59. > :03:05.lose their hard shoulder permanently, with them becoming a
:03:06. > :03:11.full`time additional lane. That has prompted concerns from emergency
:03:12. > :03:14.services and local MP. I don't understand why there is any need to
:03:15. > :03:19.use the hard shoulder outside of peak times. It doesn't make sense
:03:20. > :03:24.and it is not safe. The man in charge of the Highways Agency says
:03:25. > :03:29.construction has not been brought forward to silence critics. We
:03:30. > :03:34.involved all of the politicians. The health and safety executive. So that
:03:35. > :03:37.we can demonstrate that the motorway and we provide tomorrow would be
:03:38. > :03:42.safer than the one we have got today. The public will get to see
:03:43. > :03:47.how the new M1 will look when plans go on display on the eighth and 9th
:03:48. > :03:55.of November. Well, I'm joined now by Simon
:03:56. > :04:00.Williams from the RAC. We saw that the M62 project. Those changes have
:04:01. > :04:06.been running since September. Early data suggests it is working. Fewer
:04:07. > :04:10.collisions, faster journeys, less congestion? That is a very good
:04:11. > :04:17.scheme. It was based on the M 42 scheme. It proved extremely safe and
:04:18. > :04:22.good at easing congestion. The situation with the new scheme on the
:04:23. > :04:26.M1 is a very different beast. It is being called a smart model where but
:04:27. > :04:37.we do not think it is a smart idea. The emergency refuge area is going
:04:38. > :04:48.to be further apart. On the M62 they are between 500 metres and 1000
:04:49. > :04:50.metres apart. That is a big difference. If you were to break
:04:51. > :04:53.down in a live running lane, you would have nowhere to go to. The
:04:54. > :05:00.Highways Agency would argue that if breakdowns do occur, that is where
:05:01. > :05:05.this smart technology comes in. Clear instructions to keep people
:05:06. > :05:10.safe? Yes, we are very aware of the technology. We have been making our
:05:11. > :05:14.point very clear to the Highways Agency and the Government, that we
:05:15. > :05:20.don't think the emergency refuge areas are close enough. The
:05:21. > :05:24.technology is good. The CCTV coverage is not 100% as it is on the
:05:25. > :05:28.act of traffic management or management motorway schemes. There
:05:29. > :05:33.is room for improvement. People are right to be concerned. We asked
:05:34. > :05:38.people what they thought about the hard shoulder. 82% of people said it
:05:39. > :05:45.was important in a breakdown situation. The evidence from the M62
:05:46. > :05:49.and other schemes show this is the right way to go, that accidents
:05:50. > :05:57.average used since the 42 became a smart motorway? Motorways only
:05:58. > :06:02.account for 4% of accidents. We should be making to look them safer
:06:03. > :06:06.in a breakdown situation rather than more dangerous by having these
:06:07. > :06:10.emergency refuge areas further apart. Thank you very much.
:06:11. > :06:14.The parents of a pizza delivery driver who was murdered in Sheffield
:06:15. > :06:17.have paid tribute to their son. Sri Lankan`born Thavisha Lakindu Peiris
:06:18. > :06:20.was stabbed to death on his last ever shift on Sunday. Detectives
:06:21. > :06:24.have spent the day searching a house near to where he died. Dan Johnson
:06:25. > :06:33.joins us now from the police incident room. Dan, talk us through
:06:34. > :06:41.today's developments. This is where officers are leading the hunt for
:06:42. > :06:46.whoever killed Thavisha Peiris. Today we heard from his family, who
:06:47. > :06:51.are still in Sri Lanka. We heard he was very much a family man and he
:06:52. > :06:54.called home every day to speak to his mother, his father or his
:06:55. > :06:59.brother. Today a statement from them in which they said he was one of the
:07:00. > :07:16.most caring and loving sons a parent could have.
:07:17. > :07:22.His parents and brother are due to travel to Sheffield in the next day
:07:23. > :07:28.or two to support the appeal to find his killers. Tonight we have learned
:07:29. > :07:34.that Domino's pizzas, his employers, are to fund the cost of the trip.
:07:35. > :07:40.What has been the focus of the police investigation today? We have
:07:41. > :07:47.seen a lot of activity from the police in Sheffield today,
:07:48. > :07:51.particularly around the area were the stabbing occurred. We have seen
:07:52. > :07:56.forensics officers and dog handlers searching properties around the
:07:57. > :08:02.area. Officers do not want to say too much about what has drawn them
:08:03. > :08:06.to the area. They say they are following different lines of
:08:07. > :08:14.inquiry. They say they do need more intelligence. Anybody who saw my
:08:15. > :08:19.granny thing out of the ordinary, they want to hear from anybody. ``
:08:20. > :08:23.Annie thing out of the ordinary. We had a little bit of a technical
:08:24. > :08:27.problem there. But we got the gist of that very important story. Later
:08:28. > :08:30.on Look North, it's the night for superstitions. But is that the
:08:31. > :08:34.reason why black cats are our least favourite moggy? More are left in
:08:35. > :08:36.animal centres than any other type! West Yorkshire Police have been
:08:37. > :08:39.asked to re`investigate the financial management of Kings
:08:40. > :08:42.Science Academy in Bradford. It follows a critical Government report
:08:43. > :08:45.about the school, which was visited by the Prime Minister after being
:08:46. > :08:51.opened under the free school programme. It was asked to repay
:08:52. > :08:55.almost ?77,000 after part of a grant wasn't used for its intended
:08:56. > :09:07.purpose. The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau has referred the
:09:08. > :09:12.case back to police. MPs have approved a bill which will
:09:13. > :09:23.enable the Government to spend money on HS to. `` high speed rail link.
:09:24. > :09:26.Evening and weekend parking charges will be introduced in Leeds before
:09:27. > :09:31.Christmas. Motorists will have to pay ?2 at night and ?4 for a full
:09:32. > :09:34.day on a Sunday from the 18th of November. The council says the
:09:35. > :09:37.charges are set at a fair level. But they've been widely opposed by local
:09:38. > :09:42.businesses, and were rejected by a public consultation.
:09:43. > :09:45.Hundreds of soldiers based at Catterick Garrison in North
:09:46. > :09:49.Yorkshire have been honoured at a ceremony. The troops ` from five
:09:50. > :09:52.Medical Regiment ` have just returned from a six`month tour in
:09:53. > :09:55.Helmand Province. They were presented with their operational
:09:56. > :09:58.medals during a homecoming parade. Some staff at universities across
:09:59. > :10:03.Yorkshire are on strike today, in a row over pay. Lecturers marched
:10:04. > :10:16.through Sheffield this morning. Technicians, lab assistants and
:10:17. > :10:24.admin staff are also involved. The universities Association say only 5%
:10:25. > :10:29.of staff supported the action. They refused to discuss the gender pay
:10:30. > :10:33.gap. You might imagine that universities would be liberal,
:10:34. > :10:38.humane and mortar and employers. Absolutely the opposite is the case.
:10:39. > :10:41.Yorkshire's final Remploy factory offering work to disabled people in
:10:42. > :10:45.Sheffield has closed after more than 60 years. 90 people have lost their
:10:46. > :10:48.jobs. Five years ago, there were nine Remploy factories in our
:10:49. > :10:52.region, employing more than 420 disabled people. Then the closures
:10:53. > :10:59.began. 370 jobs have been lost in total. Less than half of those made
:11:00. > :11:02.redundant have found new jobs. We've been given exclusive access inside
:11:03. > :11:09.the branch in Sheffield as they marked the end of an era. Here's
:11:10. > :11:13.Mark Ansell. Christmas has come early and Remploy
:11:14. > :11:18.in Sheffield. But for all the wrong reasons. Staff at the plant are
:11:19. > :11:24.having to hold their festive party early. The Government is closing the
:11:25. > :11:26.factories because it says the subsidy can be better spent
:11:27. > :11:32.supporting disabled people into mainstream work. I think it is
:11:33. > :11:37.disgusting. They should keep it open. It keeps people who are
:11:38. > :11:43.disabled in employment. It gives them an environment to work in. I
:11:44. > :11:50.will regret to see it go. I have worked for the company for 35 years.
:11:51. > :11:54.I feel more so for a lot of people who have not got family and
:11:55. > :12:05.basically come to work just for people to talk to.
:12:06. > :12:10.Subsidised by the state since 1946, profit was not a motive for Remploy.
:12:11. > :12:13.It was a way of giving a future to the thousands of servicemen and
:12:14. > :12:19.servicewomen injured in the war. In Sheffield, while than 60 years of
:12:20. > :12:23.history ends today. The last of nine factories in our region that at one
:12:24. > :12:27.time employed 420 disabled people. Here they made school furniture. The
:12:28. > :12:33.remaining stock is waiting to be sold off. Remploy has its own
:12:34. > :12:38.recruitment branches to give advice to disabled people and how to get a
:12:39. > :12:43.job. Its centre in Sheffield now has to take on board the workers from
:12:44. > :12:47.its own factory. I am sure we will be able to support them in getting
:12:48. > :12:51.another job, because they are already in work and they are very
:12:52. > :12:55.committed workers. They have transferable skills and are very
:12:56. > :12:59.employable. Trade unions are nowhere near as confident. They have fought
:13:00. > :13:05.for years to keep the company open and are laying a wreath for the
:13:06. > :13:10.human cost of losing the battle. A lot of employers will want a fit
:13:11. > :13:14.person rather than disabled. It is a sad day for the workers in
:13:15. > :13:23.Sheffield. How many of these disabled people will find new jobs?
:13:24. > :13:28.Political editor Len Tingle is here. What has the Government had to say?
:13:29. > :13:32.They point out that all they are doing is following a policy set up
:13:33. > :13:38.in 2008 by the Labour government. At that stage there were nine Remploy
:13:39. > :13:42.factories across Yorkshire. By the time the new government came in,
:13:43. > :13:46.there were four. They say it is not about money. They say it is better
:13:47. > :13:50.to spend the subsidy for each worker on getting them into mainstream
:13:51. > :13:57.work. There is an ?8 million project out there that employs 200 personal
:13:58. > :14:01.caseworkers across the country. Of the 1600 former Remploy workers on
:14:02. > :14:06.that project, around a third have already got work. A third room
:14:07. > :14:11.full`time employment. As far as the Government is concerned, it is a
:14:12. > :14:17.positive policy and is working. These closures are controversial,
:14:18. > :14:21.even among disability campaigners? It has been bitterly disputed. In
:14:22. > :14:30.2010, the coalition government put together a review. It was led by the
:14:31. > :14:35.then chief executive of the disability rights group. The report,
:14:36. > :14:40.published last year, basically said it's better to close down the run ``
:14:41. > :14:46.the Remploy factories. There are still many would say that maybe OK,
:14:47. > :14:50.but for others, the protection, safety and comfort of a Remploy job,
:14:51. > :14:56.is really the way forward for them. Not for all.
:14:57. > :15:00.North Yorkshire has been named as the worst hit area in the country
:15:01. > :15:03.when it comes to depression and stress among farmers. One charity
:15:04. > :15:06.says the number of calls to its helpline has doubled this year. The
:15:07. > :15:09.new research also shows farmers' wives are under extra pressure as
:15:10. > :15:15.they try to balance household budgets. Phil Connell reports.
:15:16. > :15:24.An idyllic place to live or bleak isolation? Here on the North York
:15:25. > :15:28.Moors, a former's life can be very different to what most of us
:15:29. > :15:34.imagine. In April of this year, snowdrifts 15 feet high broad
:15:35. > :15:38.desperate scenes like this. For Rob, feeding his sheep and cattle in
:15:39. > :15:43.the cold snap has meant an unexpected bill of ?15,000. It can
:15:44. > :15:49.make the difference between profit and loss. If we are not profitable,
:15:50. > :15:53.we struggle to feed the family. A lot of farmers are isolated. All
:15:54. > :15:58.they have is their farm and the family on the farm. If they are
:15:59. > :16:04.short of money, they are very proud people and they will bottle it up
:16:05. > :16:09.and struggle with it. Across our region, farmers requesting help this
:16:10. > :16:14.year has risen significantly. Calls to one helpline of increased by
:16:15. > :16:20.100%. As a county, North Yorks as the biggest problems in the country.
:16:21. > :16:27.A recent foodbank has opened in Malton. There are folk in the Dales
:16:28. > :16:30.communities who are depending on that kind of food support for
:16:31. > :16:38.themselves and their family. Although it looks lovely, there are
:16:39. > :16:45.problems. Growing concerns are also being raised for the welfare of
:16:46. > :16:50.farming wives, with many taking on more responsibility for the farm's
:16:51. > :16:52.financial survival. You are protecting your husband from the
:16:53. > :16:57.financial stress. You keep it to yourself because you do not want to
:16:58. > :17:01.worry him, because very often he is out there worrying about his animals
:17:02. > :17:07.and his crops. Charities believe the recent increase in calls from
:17:08. > :17:10.farmers seeking help, could be the tip of the iceberg.
:17:11. > :17:14.Before seven o'clock, we're trying to do you justice. Hundreds of you
:17:15. > :17:22.responded to our request for shots of your pumpkins, so we'll be
:17:23. > :17:26.showing them in a few minutes. And I will be live in Kirkstall
:17:27. > :17:35.Abbey as Hallowe'en gets underway with the start of a Gothic film
:17:36. > :17:38.Festival. He certainly frightens me! Some good
:17:39. > :17:40.news from the world of athletics. Sheffield's Olympic Heptathlon
:17:41. > :17:43.Champion Jessica Ennis`Hill is back in training after an injury`plagued
:17:44. > :17:46.season. Jess has set herself a target ` to compete in the
:17:47. > :17:50.pentathlon at the World Indoor Championships in Poland next March.
:17:51. > :17:59.She won silver at the same event in Istanbul last year.
:18:00. > :18:02.I am still having to take it week by week. I have just started jogging
:18:03. > :18:08.again this week. Time creeps up on you so quickly. It is just seeing
:18:09. > :18:11.out the next few weeks go and seeing if I have got enough time to get
:18:12. > :18:14.ready. Now, what better subject for
:18:15. > :18:17.Halloween than black cats? Are they a witch's evil partner or a lucky
:18:18. > :18:21.charm? Well, apparently they're so unloved, a campaign has been
:18:22. > :18:24.launched to make us like them more. The charity Cat's Protection says
:18:25. > :18:27.they're the very last to be chosen for a new home, because cat lovers
:18:28. > :18:31.prefer other colours. Kate Bradbrook has gone to their new centre in
:18:32. > :18:41.Guildersome near Leeds to investigate.
:18:42. > :18:46.These mischievous moggies at the new protection Centre all need new
:18:47. > :18:51.homes. But despite it being Hallowe'en, Black Caps, it seems,
:18:52. > :19:00.are not on many people's wish list. They take on average a week longer
:19:01. > :19:05.to rehouse and other cats. People prefer a coloured cat. People do not
:19:06. > :19:10.want black cats because they associate them with superstition.
:19:11. > :19:18.This is Tom. He is about 12 months old. He is a stray and he was picked
:19:19. > :19:22.up in a house in the Leeds area. Cats like Tom are finding it harder
:19:23. > :19:28.than others to find new homes. Through history, Black Cats have
:19:29. > :19:34.been known as the witch's site `` sidekick. Films like these have not
:19:35. > :19:40.helped their cause. Their reputation may not be deserved. Black cats were
:19:41. > :19:45.used in the days when sailors were going out to sea and their wives
:19:46. > :19:55.were at home. They would have a black cat so the sailors would
:19:56. > :20:00.return home. This new centre opens its doors to the public tomorrow. It
:20:01. > :20:03.is already full to capacity. Around half of being cared for her either
:20:04. > :20:21.black or black and white. I think Keely has had a hand in some
:20:22. > :20:28.of this. We said no more cats this week. Kirkstall Abbey has been
:20:29. > :20:31.transformed into one of Yorkshire's most haunted places tonight.
:20:32. > :20:34.Hundreds of people have gathered at the ruined monastery to watch
:20:35. > :20:40.Nosferatu, a silent horror movie from the 1920s. There's also plenty
:20:41. > :20:52.of other spooky goings on to mark Halloween. Joe Inwood was lucky
:20:53. > :20:58.enough to get an invite as well. It is a silent film, but it is not
:20:59. > :21:01.silent here. The live soundtrack is going on behind me. More on that in
:21:02. > :21:09.a moment. What other place would you want to be for Halloween, than
:21:10. > :21:13.Kirkstall Abbey? It is the start of the Gothic film Festival. A unique
:21:14. > :21:18.event taking place here across the weekend. Some real horror classics.
:21:19. > :21:23.There are about 400 people currently watching, one of which we live
:21:24. > :21:28.soundtrack. They jet `` dressed up for the occasion. It is such an
:21:29. > :21:37.unusual setting, a Gothic setting. All the lights. It is fantastic.
:21:38. > :21:49.Gritty, terrifying costume. What have you, as? Pretty spooky! My
:21:50. > :21:58.girlfriend is always taking the Mickey out of me. This loft seemed
:21:59. > :22:05.quite fitting. I am a raven. I have got no wings. Some people dressed up
:22:06. > :22:11.and having fun. One of the men behind the festival is Tony
:22:12. > :22:16.Earnshaw. For people who do not know what we are seeing, what are we
:22:17. > :22:20.getting this weekend? Eight films running through from tonight until
:22:21. > :22:25.Sunday. Everything from Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, Vincent
:22:26. > :22:32.Price, Nosferatu. Some hammer horror. Everything a Gothic film fan
:22:33. > :22:38.needs. It is not quite a film festival. How would you describe it?
:22:39. > :22:42.It is a unique event. The fight and the atmosphere is completely unique.
:22:43. > :22:47.There is something about playing live music to a silent film in an
:22:48. > :22:51.atmosphere and environment such as this, but attracts not just horror
:22:52. > :22:58.film fans, but people who have never seen this kind of thing before.
:22:59. > :23:03.We're talking about the man on the street trying something for the
:23:04. > :23:10.first time. Nosferatu people may know. What is the other film? Night
:23:11. > :23:18.of the Demon, 1957 British horror. Very scary. If you want to enjoy
:23:19. > :23:21.Halloween, not just wandering around knocking on doors, but in a unique
:23:22. > :23:29.way, this is the place to be. It should be a great night. He can
:23:30. > :23:39.take that mask off now! Now let's get the weather. Where is Keely?
:23:40. > :23:49.I'm on my way. I just needed to find the accelerator on this thing! Sorry
:23:50. > :24:00.about that. I think I've got a splinter in my bottom. Thank you. I
:24:01. > :24:05.feel windswept now. On with the weather now. If you are out trick or
:24:06. > :24:10.treating, some fine conditions. The odd shower in the short`term. The
:24:11. > :24:14.increased risk of some heavy showers through the evening. Probably not
:24:15. > :24:18.until later on. They would be outbreaks of rain spreading from the
:24:19. > :24:23.south`west. Some could be on the happy side. It will not be
:24:24. > :24:26.particularly windy. `` on behalf of East side. Further systems putting
:24:27. > :24:31.up from the South during the weekend. Saturday could be wet and
:24:32. > :24:38.windy. So far today, quite pleasant. Some spells of sunshine.
:24:39. > :24:49.Clumps of cloud to the north`west. Heavy showers. They will spill south
:24:50. > :24:56.eastwards overnight drive for the second half of the night. `` drive.
:24:57. > :25:00.Temperatures will slip back into single figures. In the countryside
:25:01. > :25:08.it is possible we could get a touch of frost. The sun will rise in the
:25:09. > :25:16.morning just after seven o'clock. Setting out 4:33pm. Tomorrow
:25:17. > :25:22.morning, if you are out and about Airlie, it is a fine start. Cloud
:25:23. > :25:27.sweeps in from the West. Outbreaks of rain pushed in, too. Some of them
:25:28. > :25:38.could be heavy. A miserable affair tomorrow. Not particularly windy but
:25:39. > :25:45.it will be fairly wet. Temperatures struggling. They will start off on a
:25:46. > :25:52.cool note. I suspect some places, particularly over the Pennines, will
:25:53. > :25:56.stay in single figures. After tomorrow's rain, it will clear away
:25:57. > :26:00.into the North Sea. We are looking at a fine start to the day on
:26:01. > :26:05.Saturday. Temperatures cooler than the last couple of nights. We could
:26:06. > :26:11.get down to a couple of degrees in the countryside. It will be a fine
:26:12. > :26:15.morning with sunny spells. Outbreaks of rain in the afternoon spreading
:26:16. > :26:22.from the West. This weather system will be accompanied by strong winds.
:26:23. > :26:26.That system clears away. A windy day on Sunday. Sunny spells and
:26:27. > :26:31.scattered showers. In northerly breeze on Monday, feeling cooler.
:26:32. > :26:40.Can you cast a spell to improve the situation? That suits you! I have
:26:41. > :26:44.always known that look North viewers are a creative bonds. But we have
:26:45. > :26:48.been bowled over by your pumpkin efforts. We have put lots of your
:26:49. > :26:50.pictures on our Facebook page. Here is a taster of our favourites. Good
:26:51. > :28:25.night. Planet Earth - it's unique.
:28:26. > :28:29.It has life. To understand why, we're going to
:28:30. > :28:36.build a planet...up there.