14/07/2011 North West Tonight

Good evening. Welcome to NorthWest Tonight with Gordon Burns and

Ranvir Singh our top story. Liverpool's coastguard station will

shut, but are lives being put at risk? We'll be reporting live from

Crosby. Also tonight, crime falls across

the North West - we'll be asking Manchester's Chief Constable

whether cuts will threaten the figures.

Join me in the Wirral where a whole school has gone on the run for

charity. And Gorilla Video Diary - the

Derbyshire company helping this ape The emergency staff who patrol the

North West Coast line saved today's decision to close the Liverpool

coastguard station will put lives at risk. The announcement was made

by the government after a national review of cover. The Liverpool

coastguard at Crosby currently protects our waters from the Point

of Ayr from the point of their -- to the Mull of Galloway. It is it a

thought that this area will now be split between the coastguard at

Holyhead and those that Belfast. We join Our reporter Stuart Flinders

who is at Crosby now. Ironman -- I am one, the beach, you may see the

famous Anthony Gormley statue behind me. You can see the North

Wales coast. That is the Mersey estuary. It is all been protected

by a dealer Paul coastguard -- the Liverpool coastguard.

Tonight at the Liverpool coastguard it is looking after 2000 miles of

water. They work closely with the RNLI. Future operations will not be

co-operated at Liverpool. Today the gap -- the government announced a

streamlining of the coastguard service. They insisted safety would

not be compromised. We will be able to give people better career

prospects, better career progression and better pay. The

service will be more resilient, more effective, better and safer.

Not everybody is so sure, this man guided ships into the Mersey for 40

years. It is to do with access to local knowledge. This coastguard

looks up -- looks up the coastline up to Scotland, that is not local?

They have ways to interpret local things. It is not efficient, not

effective, it is not quick. This centre has been a threatened before.

A planned closure in 1999 was fought off. Today's announcement

sees a scaling back the proposals that were condemned as unsafe. They

insist safety is not being jeopardised.

Does today's decision put lives at risk? Is will do. Why? We are

closing one coastguard station. It is a huge area, it will be covered

by Holyhead, they have their own area. You can ask him to cover both

areas. It is a larger risk. You're not just using our eyes and ears,

you're using technical equipment which can be used from Holyhead?

That is correct, new technology comes on line all the time. Co-

ordination in search and rescue is not just about technology, it

involves people making decisions. You can have as much technology as

you like, but you need people when you're in trouble. He looks like he

lost out to Holyhead, one of the reasons is the Welsh language. That

is a strange statement by Philip Hammond. He said that the language

was a problem. Someone found Holyhead that this afternoon and

spoke in Welsh, there were didn't seem to be anyone there who

understood what they were saying. There are typical place-names, the

same thing applies around our stretch of coast. Cumbria,

Lancashire, it is the same thing. Thank you very much for joining us.

The deaths of two patients at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport

is being investigated after contaminated saline was discovered.

Our correspondent a Laura Yates is that Stepping Hill Hospital now.

How do they find out that this Saline had been interfered with?

was on Monday that a nurse working on one of these wards notice that a

higher number of patients were suffering from low blood sugar. She

wondered why, and when the hospital that internet they found that a

number of small bottles of saline solution had been interfered with.

The police were called, an investigation began. They found a

number of bottles of saline. They are stressing that their

investigation is at an early stage. They had specifically said they are

looking into the deaths of two patients there, what do we know

about that? Very little at the moment. The police are

investigating the deaths of a 44- year-old woman, and a 71-year-old

man. We do not know when they died. We do not know much more about that.

It is a worrying time many patients there. What have the police, or the

hospital said about that? Very much so. The police and the hospital had

said that relatives and patients should not be unduly concerned.

They said they have a number of other measures in place to

safeguard patients. They are currently getting in touch with

patients and their relatives, the police also echoed that message

saying. Bass said the deal have to be unduly concerned, and they said

please get in touch with the police. Thank you very much.

Police investigating the murder of a boxer from Merseyside say they

have made is another good discovery on farmland. It is thought that

Brett Flournoy and his friend were heading to Newquay last Thursday

but they have not been seen since. 820 -- a 28-year-old man is being

held on suspicion of murder. An electrician habit -- electrician

has been found guilty of manslaughter in Fiji. Luke Molnar

died after touching metal washing- line five years ago.

A next the latest crime figures for the north-west. They show that

crime is on down -- is going down by 6%. The greater sport is in

Greater Manchester and Merseyside. Lancashire and Cheshire has seen

drops of five %. All crime fell by four %. It is not all good news. On

Merseyside the number of sexual offences has risen by 22 %, and in

Cumbria robbery has shot up by 40 %. Whilst that sounds like Deloitte,

it is only an increase of 19 robberies, that is a reflection of

how low the figures were in the first place. In Greater Manchester,

burglaries down by 7%. The police say that is down to targeting known

hotspots. We have been out of losses on one such operation.

We have had for burglaries on this estate.

This is Longsight, an area of Manchester, this woman has been

broken to three times in four years. They were holding bricks, they

asked where my money was? Where are your valuables? The police have

been proactive. You can see the alleyway that people used to

getting houses. We are making sure no one is hanging around.

neighbourhood is regularly patrolled, local people are stopped

and spoken to, houses of known offenders are visited. Have you

been here all day? The police say they have brought burglary down by

31 % in the last year. There are still problems, this house was

broken in two earlier this week. call the police, it must have been

a skinny person to break-in this window. It lets them know we are

aware of what they're up to. They get used to seeing us, who we are,

and we know who they are. We are trying to recondition them to stop

them offending. This initiative has been running for 10 months now.

Police will continue to patrol these neighbourhoods every evening

in the future. Earlier Greater Manchester Chief

Constable Peter far they came into the studio. I asked him what are

the reasons for this improvement? We have made a big investment into

local policing. We are trying to get to know the local areas, the

local criminals, and get better intelligence. There is a real day-

to-day focus on the latest intelligence, who has been arrested,

the latest crime trends. There is a focus on tarting our effort will

make the biggest impact. -- targeting our effort. The trend is

in the right direction, that the theories that funding will be cut.

You have to say �134 million? more complex than the number of

police officers. There is a concern, what is happening in the wider

economy will affect us. Other agencies will also withdraw their

services that will affect us. That is not our mindset. I have been

really pleased that we have had difficult news about cuts, our

pensions, but all the staff have been focused on making outstanding

arrests, some great convictions in the courts, and I know all the

staff are determined to make sure that the criminals do not get time

after this. You cannot run a more effective police force of less

people surely? We are trying to get rid of a lot of bureaucracy and red

tape. We are trying to make big decisions. We are closing some

stations to release cast. We are putting pressure on the

Government's to stop getting us to collect statistics. Closing police

stations and front offices, there are the things -- they are the

things that people are concerned about. That will mean crime going

up? No not at all. The officers working they are spending more time

on the streets. It is not affecting the level of crime. It is a huge

industry, that has been generated around bureaucracy, collecting

statistics. It is looking at innovative ways of using new

technology, working closely at other agencies. It is very

difficult, we are fearful. It is hugely disruptive row staff. We are

the mind set that will not lead to increasing crime. Still to come.

Thanking the Prince's Trust. The top youngsters turning successful

businessmen. And a year for now the eyes of the sporting world will be

here at Royal Lytham. The When it teenager Matthew Cullen was

diagnosed with leukaemia, his classmates at Calday Grange Grammar

School decided they wanted to show their support in a practical way.

They set about raising money for cancer research. They have notched

up a staggering one London �25,000, but they are not content with that.

-- �125,000. Today, they reached home territory, and our chief

reporter caught up with them. The pupils of Calday Grange Grammar

School on the run. Their goal is clear: To make it from Land's End

to John o'Groats, and their inspiration is this young man.

Matthew was diagnosed with leukaemia two-and-half years ago.

Matthew was facing an enormous challenge with enormous courage, so

we asked Matthew what we should do. Matthew came up with the idea of

children's Cancer Research. The race is a relay. Every time I

go up a Poughill, it is for someone and for a good cause.

Matthew was in Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital. The drugs

and his positive outlook appear to be defeating the illness, and he is

amazed how classmates have taken up the challenge for raising money.

�125,000 so far, and climbing. whole score has got behind it, and

it has been a team effort. Everyone is raising money.

Today's have been runners-up money were boosted when they reached home

turf. Tomorrow, the runners embark on the Liverpool leg of their

journey, and they will be calling here. Matthew will be joining them

on the last half-mile of the trip. Then the, the team have moved on

and up went to Scotland. Eventually they arrive at John o' Groats on

July 23rd. For the ultimate rags-to-riches

story. When brothers Graham and Mark Ray could not get jobs, they

started buying old clothes from charity shops. They did it with the

help of a grant from the Prince's Trust. They have turned up that

grant into a multi-million pound company, and recently met Prince

Charles to thank him. They are here with us now. Graham, what were your

prospects in your early days? prospects in Toxteth at the time

were quite poor. We had no opportunities at all. Where did

this idea come from, of buying clothes from charity shops and

selling them on? It is an old- fashioned industry. 100 years ago,

ships used to have used rags, now they use disposables. It was the

embers of a traditional industry. You got �3,000 from the Prince's

Trust to help you set up his company. What did you do that

money? We bought a fan for �500. -- a van. We also bought some

stationery as well. Did you ever envisage he would become this huge

success? Prince Charles came to your business, did he? He did.

is due meeting him on Friday. Bedewed anticipate becoming

millionaires through this? No. It was a job. It got bigger and bigger.

A your turnover now is worth �5 million. Come up with the right

idea, see it through, and anyone can do what you can do. We are

nothing special. If you go out there, and grasp it and run with it,

it can and does happen. Could you have done it without a grant from

the Prince's Trust? It is not so much the money, it is the men to a

ship. -- mentor. He gave us �3,000, and that is a lot of the trust at

the time. And you also stayed in Toxteth? Yes. The be princes say

well done? He said he was surprised and chuffed. The 25 years, we are

helping other people now. Football, and Manchester City's

Patrick Vieira says it is a sad day for him after announcing the end of

his playing career. The former World Cup winner was Roberto

Mancini's first signing at Eastlands. He scored six goals in

47 appearances for City. Now 35, he is taking up a new role at the club,

helping develop young players and working with the club's community

scheme. Liverpool are close to signing

Stewart Downing from Aston Villa for a fee reported to be �20

million. Kenny Dalglish has been given permission to talk to the

England winger, who needs to agree personal terms and undergo a

medical. It will be Liverpool's third major signing this summer.

They have already bought Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam.

The world's best golfers have been in Kent for the Open Championship.

The Open, which attracts thousands of spectators and generate millions

of pounds, will be played at the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club

for the first time in 11 years. This time next year, it will be

Rory, Lee and tie get teeing it up at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf

Club. We have read so much about it. It is a cause I have always wanted

to play. It is a privilege to be playing with these wonderful

players. Comparing the course is Paul's

responsibility. It is a privilege. It is not without its headaches. It

is a special year, and I am keen to make sure everything is just great.

The course presents two distinct challenges: They have to deal with

the wind, and secondly, they have to stay out of 203 bunkers. Some,

like this one are taller than the players.

Seve Ballesteros, who died earlier this year, won twice on the Royal

Lytham & St Annes Golf Club. It is my favourite place. I like the

place so much, I even name to my house after the golf course: Royal

Lytham & St Annes Golf Club. think there will be some sort of

tribute paid to him. I am sure that the club will do something next

year. Next year, Eddie Birchenough and

the club are hoping today's whether it repeats itself. -- today's

Good evening. Work has started on that one up Lancashire's most

famous lap were landmarks. The Lytham Windmill was damaged in a

storm last winter when two of its sails snapped off. The timber has

come all the way from Canada and the new sails have been handmade by

Funeral director. It has been a glorious day everywhere. Across

Manchester, the same: Are plenty of sunshine to be had. It for all

changed over the next couple of days. Tomorrow, a cloudy affair.

For your weekend, Saturday will be wet and windy. The change in

conditions is because of this low pressure, the centre of it winding

its way up the UK. It will drive a lot of rain from the Atlantic.

Plenty of time this evening to rush out doors and enjoy what is left of

the sunshine. Late sunshine through the evening, and overnight, we hang

on to clear skies. Temperatures, because of the clear skies in rural

areas, will drop down to 5-6 degrees Celsius. Tomorrow morning,

we start of dry and bright. There maybe some fair weather cloud, but

as we head into the afternoon, the cloud will continue to build from

the West. We will hold the rain off until late afternoon. Across parts

of Greater Manchester, we could see highs of 22 Celsius. For your

weekend, compared to today, the weekend will be more cool, wet and

windy up. This is the picture for Saturday. You can see that rain

making its way in from the West. You can see the westerly winds

picking up some heavy and persistent rain. The temperatures

for Saturday and Sunday: Very disappointing. Today we saw highs

of 22 Celsius. Saturday and Sunday: 14-15 Celsius. Very disappointing

When a wildlife park wanted to get eight gorilla to the film itself,

it came up with a problem: Big hands, fiddly controls. Then a

Derbyshire company came up with a solution that enabled the saw Bob

Back To Be Done sudden the picture. -- the Silva back.

They are not the best pictures in the world, but Ya Kwanza is new to

photography. But how did he manage to get the shots? Keepers at the

Durrell Conservation Trust needed a tough case which would not break up

into bite-sized pieces. This case is very strong and indestructible.

It is used across the world by NATO forces. It is used on a wide range

of things, including weapons. case was coated in it odes and

honey and a camera put aside. Bennett it was passed down to Ya

It is very strong. Almost five Simes as strong as us. -- five

times. They have also got bigger canine teeth.

These cases are used for wildlife photography. The one News in Jersey

is guaranteed against everything. Ya Kwanza is not the first animal

to sign up for a photography class. Elephants have also done their own

up filming, and these Lions took a pride in their own at shots. Bucket

Jersey, even the best photographers can get bored with their subject.

Even when it is themselves. It was funny on Facebook, when we

put there will be a gorilla on the programme! Can you give me the name