26/07/2011 North West Tonight

Good evening. Welcome to North West Tonight with Gordon Burns.

And Ranvir Singh Our top story, why ringing your GP could cause you

financial pain. And the Apprentice judge who could face a grilling

over it. We ask Lancashire businessman

Matthew Riley why some patients are still being overcharged. Also:

Alzheimer's breakthrough - Manchester scientists say they can

detect onset of the disease sooner than ever before.

Jetting off for pioneering surgery, how five-year-old Kieran's charm

helped raise the cash. What are you most excited about? Walking!

And football finances, we reveal how the region's clubs score with

And Colin Sykes is out in Cheshire where they've just won a top award

for a green space. There are few nicer places to be on

a night like tonight. At this Park, all is not what it seems to be

there. And look who is back! Diane is back

First: you probably saw Nelson businessman, Matthew Riley in the

Apprentice final. He grilled the contestants on their business plans

and now he's being quizzed about a business of his own.

One of the companies he owns is called Surgeryline. It handles

telephone calls for one in five GP surgeries. But the Department of

Health said its pricing policy is unlawful. Here's Jayne Barrett.

It's monday morning and you feel terrible. You call your GP. Instead

of the receptionist telling you ofcourse your doctor can see you

It's something patients hate. So this is something GPs have done in

response. Sign up to companies like Surgeryline. Their 084 telephone

numbers queue calls, instead of hitting the engaged tone. But call

from a mobile, as these patients do in Manchester, and you'll pay a

premium. I don't see why. Especially as it is the NHS. Most

people just have mobiles these days. Surgeryline is owned by Mathew

Riley in Nelson. Just as he quizzed these finalists about their

business plans on the Apprentice, so he is being quizzed about his.

Since April this year GPs have not been allowed to use a number that

charges patients more than the cost of an equivicle geographical call.

That statement questioned the lawfulness of his business. We only

charge a local rate call but the mobile operators charge more than

that. He was saying it is something they should pick up with them

operators, not you. It is the way that the industry works that moment.

To some people, we are talking about an extra 41p a minute. This

is the NHS. The NHS is all about not paying your provider for

services. We know of one Primary Care Trust which last week advised

GPs to ditch the 084 number. The BMA this week issued fresh guidance.

Existing contracts with firms like Mathew Riley's are legal, for now.

New contracts, will have to ditch the two tier charges. Mathew

Riley's business plan, not quite up to scratch.

Researchers at Manchester University say they think they've

made a breakthrough which could help detect Alzheimer's earlier

than ever before. Half a million people in the UK suffer from the

disease and it's hoped this discovery will revolutionise

preventative treatment. Nina Warhurst reports.

It begins with symptoms like slight memory loss and ends with sufferers

unable to live independently. Experts believe that Alzheimer's is

caused by an abnormal protein called amyloid, which sticks to

parts of the brain. Now a team at University of Manchester has found

a way of identifying it through brain scans. In this part of the

brain, there is always -- already some dysfunction. Look at this

patient's brain. At 67 he is suffering from minor memory loss.

The red represents traces of amyloid. Two years later and look

how it's spread. He'll be unable to construct complex sentences and is

heavily dependent on a carer. But being able to spot means drug

trials can start at a much earlier stage, making them much more

effective. There are drugs out there that can remove this...

team says it's crucial that people understand that Alzheimer's is

treatable and even preventable. The more people who take part in the

trial, the greater the number of drugs that can be thoroughly tested.

The team here means that for many patients, Alzheimer's will be

stopped in its tracks. This won't mean an overnight cure for

alzheimers but what it will mean is a more focused and thorough way of

attacking the disease. Police in Liverpool are

investigating a shooting in a house that had two children inside at the

time. A 25-year-old man was shot in the elbow at his home in Garston.

It's thought he'd been in an argument with three men before the

gun was fired. A 27-year-old man has been arrested.

More than 400 jobs have been saved at Merseyside retailer TJ Hughes

after Lewis's Home Retail bought four shops, including the flagship

in Liverpool. More than 3,500 employees are still waiting to hear

whether administrators will sell off 53 other stores.

The running of Manchester's Metrolink will be taken over by the

company which runs the Paris Metro. The RATP Group says its experience

running tram systems across Europe will benefit the city.

A woman who's fight against alcoholism featured on BBC Panorama

last night says she wants her story told to prevent other young people

becoming addicted to booze. Vicky White was drinking four or

five bottles of wine a day when she was admitted to the Royal Liverpool

Hospital. She's now recovering at home. Our Merseyside Reporter, Andy

Gill, went to meet her. Vicky White at her mum's home in

Liverpool. She still looks very poorly. But her appearance, at just

35 years old, is nothing like as shocking as it was on the Panorama

programme. Some people go their separate ways from alcohol, I

didn't. I just carried on with it. Vicky was admitted to the Royal

Liverpool Hospital in May. She started drinking heavily in her

teens. She managed to give up for four years before starting again

last Christmas. Last Christmas, I started drinking really badly again

and I was drinking up to five bottles of wine a day. By would

start at 6 o'clock in the morning when I would wake up. I would need

a drink at that point. I would feel normal, like you would every

morning. I would feel normal after a couple but I would just carry on.

At first Vicky's liver didn't respond to treatment. We might see

some improvement in the kidneys but I'm very concerned about her this

time. Here's Vicky before the drink took hold. She has a teenage son

and a young daughter and she wants her addiction to be a warning to

everyone. People are starting at a very young age and I want other

people to see what I've done and how you can end up. It is not fair

on for families. It is not only you that is being put through it, your

family are being put through it as well.

A powerful story. Still to come in North West Tonight: Going to the

match, which of our premiership teams are the most expensive, and

the the cheapest, to watch? And find out whether aware Olympic

hopefuls are on track for Olympic glory. I obviously want to be out

partying because and 17 but this year, I need to dedicate my life to

Five-year-old Kieran Forde-Thain has cerebal palsy and just eight

weeks ago he made an emotional plea on the internet to raise money for

an operation in America and it worked. Elaine Dunkley's been

following Kieran's progress as he and his family prepare to fly to

Missouri for pioneering treatment. Five-year-old Kieran Loves getting

into mischief and playing football. But unlike most five year olds he's

become an internet sensation. Eight weeks ago he made a heartfelt plea

on YouTube and he's now managed to raise �55,000 to fly to America to

have a life changing operation. Help me to get to America, help me

to see a doctor, help me you walk and run. Kieran was born with a

form cerebal palsy which greatly restricts his movements and once a

week attends a wheelchair class. Kieran struggles with getting in

and out of the car, the Bath, dressing and walking, even down to

play in. He can only really play on of the floor. He cannot balance and

play. If we can improve a small aspect of that, it should help him

and us in everyday life, really. And this is where Kieran will have

his operation - St Louis's Children's hospital in Missouri.

Specialist surgeon Dr Park has been performing what's known as

selective dorsal rhizotomy for over 20 years. After these two surgeries,

we are expecting to be able to walk in one environments, inside and

outside. He should be up to participate in recreational sports.

What should we take with us in this rucksack? And Kieran's got one more

message for all the people who donated money to make it possible.

Thank you very much for my many. -- money. So with every thing packed

it's of to America for four weeks with mum and dad. We never dreamed

this was possible but it has always -- it has gone very quickly now.

What will you most excited about? To be able to walk again. A are you

excited Red being able to play as well? How long are we going to be

on the plane for? 8 1/2 hours. you going to be a good boy? Will we

have to tickle you if you are not? Find out tomorrow about Kieran is

very warm welcome in Missouri. And his party trick which surprises the

medical experts. I do urge you to stay with this

story this week. He is a terrific child. He was comforting his own

mother as he was going into surgery!

Football, it's a big money business and not just for the people who run

the game, but for the fans shelling out to support it. Tickets,

refreshments, programmes - going to the match can soon add up. But

which club provides the best value for money?

Well, a survey by BBC Sport produced a league table of premier

league clubs and here in the North West it seems we're both top and

bottom of the table. Kate Simms has more.

A trip to the terraces didn't used to cost the earth but the beautiful

game has changed. Players, wages, merchandise - it all costs more and

so do the tickets. So, if you're you're looking for the best value

day out in the premier league, where should you go? BBC Sport

asked every club in the league what they charged for tickets,

Liverpool point out that at �48 for their most expensive ticket they're

still cheaper than many of their rivals. What do their fans think of

a day out? It is too dear, especially when you've got a family.

For someone like me who has not got a season ticket, paying a little

Man City only revealed the cost of a ticket and programme, a total of

�28. Where can you have a Premiership experience at the

lowest price? Yes, topping the table for the north west and the UK

Blackbutrn Rovers, just �17.50 all in. Much to the pride of fans there

today. They've been doing this over the last two or three seasons. They

give football to their fans. Blackburn lead the way in many

things. That is just one. We call upon the FA to look at ticket

pricing, engage with the supporters because of supporters stopped

turning up week in week out, football clubs wouldn't exist and

neither would the Premier League. Professor Tom Cannon is a football

finance expert. Why is there such disparity on cost of seeing a top

flight game in this region? If you are paying players �200,000 a week,

it is not surprising that tickets cost more. To be fair to United,

tickets might be an obscure parts of the grand but their tickets are

quite cheap at �28. What is the difference between here and Europe?

It is cheaper in Europe, why is that? Germany is the reference

point. Partly that is because the clubs are owned by the fans. The

Football Association's own the clubs. If you go to Munich, you

will pay �10 for a ticket. For the big clubs in Germany... Even at

Real Madrid and Barcelona, bearing in mind their debts, the cheapest

seats are actually a lot cheaper than most other big clubs here.

When you get to the top end and they get very, very pricey.

football in this country prising out the ordinary fan? You put your

finger on a big issue. It is not just the average farm, it is the

average family. You're talking about a man or woman who wants to

take their son or daughter to Anfield for example, and you're

talking �100. As soon as you have to get to the ground and park or

public transport, it is... It is the next generation that will be

had. In the league table for League One, Preston and Rochdale are the

cheaper set of the whole of that league. In the championship, it is

not much cheaper than the Premier League. That surprised me as well,

that there is only a �5 difference. You are quite right, in the First

Division, our clubs did particularly well. The North West

generally, those clubs like Rochdale and Wigan, they are

working very hard. There is lots of imagination going in.

The countdown to London 2012 is on and athletes all over the country

are chasing their Olympic dreams. But what about our hopefuls? Last

year we introduced you to five of the region's best. Stuart Pollitt's

been to see whether their training It has been an event for 12 months

for our hopefuls. For some of them, that has meant medals but for

others, it has meant injury and misery. For this swimmer, it has

meant a little bit of both. He won a bronze at the Commonwealth Games

and has been battling injury ever since. It has given my body a

chance to recover and given it a break. It could be a blessing in

disguise. The last two years, I've been thinking towards 2012. Laura

is hoping that is true after winning silver in the world

championships. She is currently recovering from a serious track --

crash at a race in Spain. It was a big impact. The pilot, Fiona,

broken collar bone. Laura just had so much scrapes and bombs. It will

set their preparations for the World Championships back but

nothing too much, we hope. despite a year of tough fights,

Natasha has avoided injury and picked up European and British

titles. I will be at the top of my game... An Olympic boxer is the

greatest accolade. The Olympics is so special, especially with it

being in London in 2012. Pentire fleet Stephen is just happy to be

back in training. He has missed months thanks to four knee

operations. Whenever you get over the barrier of being injured, you

need to push yourself through it. Before you get through the barrier,

I always think what if it comes back? I've got over that now.

gymnast has been balancing Olympic preparation and A-levels. And 17, I

want to be out. If you think about it, you can do it at any time of

life. This year, I've got to dedicate my life to this. This will

be the biggest of months of their lives. The prize, a place or even a

medal at the Olympic Games. As well those five, your local

radio stations have picked their own five athletes to follow. Radio

Manchester will be featuring swimmer Keri-Anne Payne, Radio

Merseyside, boxer Tom Stalker and Radio Lancashire, athlete Helen

Clitheroe. We'll also be hearing from those three on North West

Tonight soon. Lanka should trail Warwickshire by

63 runs. Lancashire, who made 189 in their first innings were 28

without loss. Earlier, they dismissed Warwickshire for 280 in

Green flag awards are normally reserved for public parks and

beautifully open spaces. But tonight, Sandbach is celebrating

winning one for a surprising part of town.

It's a place many residents will eventually visit but most hope

it'll be a long time before they sample its attractions. Our

Environment Correspondent Colin Sykes can explain all.

What a lovely place to be on a warm, summer's evening, away from the

traffic. It is a place of relaxation. Around the corner, you

will see it is not all as it appears to be. We are in a cemetery,

sand batch cemetery, which was established in the 1930s. It has

just won an award which is normally given to parks and other urban

spaces. -- open spaces. What did you do to have to get there so

what? We spent months in hard work, planning and preparation. This is

not just from our staff but also from the local community. He must

be quite proud of this award. A we are extremely proud. We already

have six awards and other green spaces around the candidate having

the first in Cheshire, for a cemetery, is really a high

achievement. Were you surprised that somewhere like this would get

an award which is basically reserved for parts? No, not really.

We have the local community actively involved. There is a high,

active friends croup and we have a local town council. -- Group. They

have all been very helpful. Royle said, this is a very peaceful

place to be. Now most English pupils study

Shakespeare or Chaucer but Harry Potter would probably be Ben Proos'

I would just like to say, I've not been in prison! Three months in

prison is what the cameraman said. It is nice to come back during

August when you can expect some sunshine. Tomorrow will be a nice

day but a bit of a fly in the ointment, one or two showers will

pop up from time to time. After that, it gets much colder so if the

warm temperatures are not what you enjoy, but at the tail-end of the

week. It will cool down and it will be showery. First thing in the

morning, we had a huge band of rain. Through the afternoon, these

showers have marched away across the region. They are heading

towards the Pennines and Fifa had some heavy downpours from time to

time. This is our laces picture. -- latest picture. Through the night,

it will be warm and humid. Temperatures will be between 13 and

16 degrees. Very warm. Into tomorrow morning, quite a bit of

clout around but it will not take long for that to start too thin and

break. Patchy cloud and sunny spells. Temperatures will shoot up.

We could say a high of 25 degrees. When that happens, sparking off one

of two showers. This means 77 in Fahrenheit. It is going to be a hot

Now most English pupils study Shakespeare or Chaucer but Harry

Potter would probably be Ben Proos' book of choice.

The 16-year-old has just been awarded the coveted title of the

Magic Circles' Young Magician of the Year and he's got his english

teacher to thank for that. Ben and Brian are here now. Have you got

some tricks up your sleeve? Most magicians make predictions and

I've put one on this piece of paper. It got a prediction. Inside there

is a card which has been folded into quarters. We will come back to

that in a minute. First, and come and to get you to select a card.

This is a normal DEC. To make the card unique, I'll ask you to sign

it across the front. Don't show me. Place the card back in the deck of

cards. I am also going to get you to pick a card. That one. Sign your

name on that side of the card. Place that one back there. I feel a

bit nervous! Now we will go with you first. At the beginning, we

made a prediction which has been here the whole time. Would you do

me a favour and take a prediction, Territt, so the card falls onto the

That has been there the whole time. We should have they can't... That

is my signature! That is unbelievable. And yours is the one

I kept safe. That is amazing. is bonkers, that, isn't it?

We said at the beginning it all began because of your teacher. You

have a conjuring club there. We do, yes. By the end of the year, we end

up with about six pupils left to rot very interested in it. This is

a huge tidal, Young magician of the year. Hope they can start doing

theatres in Britain and then I could go to theatres in Europe.

you think he could go to the top? Yes. Some other magicians, who do

big shows, he was in the final a few years ago but didn't win it.

have our own little bright spark. Is it nice to be back? It is a bit

confusing on your first day. That has now blown my mind as well.

was it like in jail them? I shall write my book and you can all buy