28/07/2011 North West Tonight

Good evening, and welcome to North West Tonight, with Gordon Burns and

Ranvir Singh. Our top story: Going through the roof - the huge

surge in metal thefts, as one street is raided eight times in

three days. With scrap metal prices soaring,

police and business leaders tell us what they're doing to tackle the

problem. Also in the programme, wishing

Kieran well. A mum's anxious wait as her son undergoes pioneering

treatment for cerebral palsy. was smiling all the way through to

the surgery doors. And we're talking to Jessica Ennis,

the face of the Olympics, as she puts a smile on these children's

faces. And polish up your pasodoble, work

on your waltz, because the Strictly Come Dancing final is coming to

Stripped roofs, missing statues and stolen church bells. Just some of

the recent losses to metal theft across the region. Today,

Manchester Police announced plans for a new crackdown after revealing

that the force has dealt with more than 3,000 incidents in the last

six months alone. And in just three days last week, thieves targeted

one street in the north of the city eight times. Abbie Jones is here,

and it's on the rise, isn't it? and today's figures from Greater

Manchester Police really drive that home. In the 12 months ending in

March last year, there was a massive 76% increase on the year

before, that jump partly due to rocketing metal prices. Take copper.

Two years ago it was just under �900 a tonne. In March this year,

it's over �1,400. So thieves are going to even greater, more daring

lengths. I have got a flat roof and the lead is going missing there as

well. In the dead of night, thieves

scaled the roof of Theo Samuels' house three times. I am a bit

worried because it is starting to rain. Almost every house on one

side of Pennel Street, in Clayton, has been targeted. It was so

annoying. Why would you do that knowing children are living there.

The scrap value of metal has shot up because of huge demand in India

and China. The problem is is significantly growing. It did so

last year and is doing so is this year. Some of the thefts will be

very covert but some will be very visible. It seems nobody or know

where is safe from these metal fees. Railway lines, stations, parks.

Last year, more than 250 metal memorial plaques were stolen from a

Salford cemetery. One of the country's oldest church bells was

taken in broad daylight in Cheshire. Even this Blackburn police station

was targeted. In Blackpool's Stanley Park, thieves stole three

historic statues. Today the council said it had no option but to remove

the last remaining figure. We were not prepared to sit by and let the

last one Gopal stop these statues are worth in the region of �40,000

each, so we have taken it away place where we can think about what

to do in the future. Metal theft costs UK industry over �770 million

a year. Theo and other residents now face a bill of around �160 each

after their late-night visits. A short time ago, I asked Ian

Hetherington from the British Metals Recycling Association who

the thieves where selling their stolen metals to. There is an

outlet for stolen metal to two outlets. One is illegal dealers and

the other is people who are stealing to order and that material

is directly exported. It does not hit the UK trade at all. But those

who buy stolen metal would know it is stolen. Is that what you're

saying? Some of the material would be easily identifiable. At other

levels, they are very difficult to identify, for example, refurbished

manhole covers. If it was normally replaced, it looks very similar to

a stole a manhole cover which has been deliberately damaged or stop

the two look very similar and it is difficult for a responsible dealer

to identify between them. Last year you have launched a code of conduct

for your members. How does that help? We have agreed with the

police that the primary purpose is to identify the cellar. In other

words, if there is still no material in circulation, our

members should know about it and we endeavoured to make sure they do,

and secondly, the seller, if there is stolen metal purchased by a

member, they can be readily identified. Will that be enough,

because the figures suggest metal theft is on the rise and it. 70 fit

-- and it. 76% last year. Metal prices have increased and we

probably will not be able to eliminate the theft completely. But

we believe if they have a crackdown, we can go a long way towards

eradicating this problem. Thank you for joining us.

Five Merseyside police officers have been sacked for gross

misconduct. They were members of an elite unit caught clowning around

when they were supposed to be conducting a search of a house. The

force's deputy chief constable says he hopes the actions of this small

minority will not have damaged public trust. Our chief reporter,

Dave Guest, is at Merseyside Police Headquarters now. So, Dave, what

did they do? These were officers who had a very serious job to do -

getting guns and gangs off the streets of Merseyside. But it seems

they did not take their job very seriously. They posed for 80

photograph and they were seen with household goods. This was not quite

the image they wanted for their crack team. They have actually been

very successful in getting guns off the streets of Merseyside and there

has been a great reduction in gun crime. So this photo has the

potential to undo a lot of work. How were they found out?

investigation began following indications they have been using it

eBay after their investigations. That was to his cell off things

from the houses they investigated. Clearly this is all very

embarrassing for Merseyside Police?$$YELLOW We expect the

highest standards from our officers and these officers fell far short

of that expectation. The deputy said he hoped he -- this would not

undermine confidence in the teens. A woman from Cumbria is among three

people killed in a minibus crash in Jamaica. Kathleen Rawlinson, from

Windermere, was travelling between Kingston and Montego Bay in the

early hours of Sunday morning when her vehicle collided with a pick-up

truck. Her ex-partner and his 17- year-old daughter also died in the

accident. Fire crews have spent the day

dealing with a fire on a �50 million building development in

Salford. Up to 50 fire fighters tackled the blaze at its peak on

the Radclyffe Park Site in Ordsall. There have been no reported

casualties but an investigation into the cause of the fire is being

launched. The administrators of discount

store TJ Hughes have announced 22 stores will close and 1,000 staff

made redundant within the next fortnight. All stores not affected

by the closures announced today are expected to remain open. Earlier

this week, the flagship store in Liverpool and three other stores

were sold, saving around 440 jobs. A second brother of a man stabbed

to death during an attempted burglary at a Manchester florists

has been charged with robbery. 24- year-old Joseph Mullings, from

Liverpool, was remanded in custody at Trafford Magistrates today. His

brother Kyle was remanded on the same charge on Monday. Shopkeeper

Cecil Coley remains on bail on suspicion of murdering their

brother, Gary Mullings. Dozens of customers of a car centre

in Warrington say vehicles they've bought or paid deposits for have

vanished, along with the company's owners. One man said he'd given the

Car Planet on Farrell Street more than �180,000 for four luxury

vehicles, but when he came to collect them, there was no trace. A

Japanese trader also said she's waiting on �300,000 worth of stock

which has been paid for. Police inquiries continue.

The house of business tycoon Trevor Baines was open for viewings today

on the Isle of Man, ahead of an auction of its contents tomorrow.

Baines was jailed two years ago for money laundering, and the Isle of

Man coroner has now ordered the sale of his household contents.

There are over 500 items available, all with no reserve price. I would

hope to sell at about one each minute. A bit slower for the art,

but if I average that, that is 500 minutes. My maths is and brilliant

but it is between seven and eight hours, so I would hope to get away

at about 8pm tomorrow night. All this week on BBC North West

Tonight, we've been following the progress of a remarkable five-year-

old from Urmston. Kieran Forde- Thain was born with a form of

cerebral palsy and he had one simple wish. To run and walk like

his friends. The treatment he needs is not available in the UK but many

of you helped raise �55,000 for him to go to Missouri in America to

have a life-changing operation. And tonight, in the final part of our

series, Elaine Dunkley goes into the operating theatre with Kieran,

as he undergoes pioneering surgery. Just to warn you, there are scenes

of the operation. It is five am, the day of Kieran's

operation. Are you excited? I am excited for you as well. This is a

really good day for you. These children's hospital has a

specialist team of consultants. They will perform a procedure

called selective dorsal rhizotomy. In the past year, they have treated

50 children from the UK and now it is Kieran's turned. Here we go. I

think mum wants a hug and a kiss. A big smile. Kieran's operation

should last around three hours. After that committee will be taken

to intensive care, and after three days, hopefully we should see some

results. The procedure is invasive and irreversible. Nerves in the

spinal cord are cut in order to increase muscle tone. It will be

followed by months of intensive physiotherapy. I am so glad he was

relaxed. He was smiling all the way through to the surgery doors.

will be able to walk by himself without support, and that will

improve the quality of his life and the quality of his family as well,

because he will not need any special care. The following day,

after a stress on night, Kieran is slowly getting back to his usual

self. -- after a stress all night. It is important people do know that

we are grateful for everything people have done. He is going to be

a long way ahead but we could not have done it without everyone's

help. Are you OK? Well done for us stop a day after the operation, he

is up and about on a short trip to Look at those beautiful flowers.

Kieran core have to undergo another operation, followed by a period of

recovery. -- Kieron will have to undergo. We did as much as we could

for him. We have made it the best we could. I do not think we could

have answered him honestly if we had not done this. Could you

imagine in 20 years' time, when he says, could it have been better?

And we say, yeah, but we were scared or we were not sure. There

is no regrets now. We have done it. Elaine's spoken to the family, who

are still out in America and who say Kieran's now able able to

wiggle his toes for the first time and he's having lots of physio.

He's now due to have a second operation on 11th August, and after

that we'll hopefully have him in He is an incredible trialled. We

wish him the best. -- an incredible child.

Still to come in North West Tonight, with two days to kick-off, we look

at our teams' chances of going up, or down, from League One.

And strictly coming to a ballroom near you. Bruce and Tess, and this

year's final in Blackpool. Hopefully 40 million people will

see this in 3D, so the knock-on effect is good for the resort as a

whole. Last week we reported on the

closure of libraries across the region. But when people living on

an isolated estate in Stalybridge lost their mobile service, they

decided to take the matter into their own hands. They managed to

acquire an old portacabin, and now they've set up their own library,

complete with more than 3,000 books. Colin Sykes has been thumbing

It operates like a council library. It issues its own tickets. But all

the helpers are volunteers, and the books have been donated. I am

reading this. The library is in a portacabin at Carrbrook. When the

council pulled its mobile library, residents banded together and

persuaded landowners to donate some wasteland. Another company donated

the portacabin and the books have come from local people. Hi, all

right? Congratulations. It's the brainchild of retired chef Terry

Drabble. We are providing a service for the young children, and not

only that, it is free of charge. All we ask for is that there is no

damage to the books and now with 3,500 books, we have only had one

damaged. Because the books have been donated, we have quite an

unusual collection. We have Dick Francis and the books of the very

youngest of readers. I have loads of books to interest me. I like to

read True stories because it interests me in the True Adventures

of what happened to young children when they were little. I feel more

confident now in Reading because I did not used to read as much but

now I read more than I used to. library committee's turned the rest

of the site into a garden and veg plot. But it is books it really

wants, to continue to grow the minds of its lenders.

That looks like a good place to live. Everybody falling together. -

- everybody pulling together. She's the golden girl of British

athletics, but just a few weeks before defending her heptathlon

world title, Jessica Ennis was in the region to coach rather than

compete. Jessica, who is the face of next year's Olympics, was

dishing out advice to young athletes in Stockport, and they got

the chance to ask her a few personal questions, as Stuart

Pollitt reports. The long jumps weren't as long as

she's used to. The shortened javelins weren't thrown quite as

far as Jessica manages. But luckily for these youngsters, they had the

ideal coach. The goal from the city of steel came to Berlin, hunting

for gold, and she has done it. the goal. She gave me a lot of

encouragement for the javelin and showed me how to do it. Do you

think you can get to her standard? I don't think we will be that good

but I loved it. As you can see, we have got half the club committee

here taking the day off work, so everybody is chaffed. It is amazing.

What size with you in your shoes when you first started? That is

such a hard question! I honestly cannot remember. What was your

favourite subject at school? PE was definitely one of my favourites and

I also enjoyed English. How many gold medals in next year's

Olympics? Well, if I am honest, I would love to get one. That is more

than enough for me. Jessica began her athletics career at one of

these sessions. 16 years later, her visit is helping to inspire the

The countdown to the new Football League season now reads just 25

hours, with Blackpool kicking things off away to Hull City

tomorrow night. The full-back in Burnley has had a serious injury,

so some bad news to begin with. We'll preview the Championship

campaign tomorrow night, but this evening, Tony Livesey is focusing

on the prospects for the North West's five League One teams.

300 games as player, 500 as manager and a legend at Oldham Athletic.

His first full season as manager, I think consolidation going around.

If they keep Andy Bishop fit, I do not think they will have any

problems. Tranmere - disappointing last season and I know of Les Parry

is targeting the promotion play- offs. Dale Jennings has gone off

took buy Munich. If we look after the 40 odd games we have, we can

see where they finish. Rochdale, a fantastic season last season. A lot

of the players were in potential and they have gone now, though. It

is going to be difficult for them but I think with the new manager

and his assistant, I think they will guide them through and have a

pretty successful season. But don't expect the same.

Pretty disappointing to be relegated. And the problems that

come with that. I think Phil Brown's men are still going to be

there or thereabouts. I think they will be the big riders in Division

One this season and they might be my tipped for promotion.

I have got to say good things about a Oldham! Great that they are

staying at the park. The fans will be really pleased about that. If

the manager can keep his squad fit and focused, and maybe not get as

many injuries as last season, they just might be the surprise package

in Division One for me. We will see. Football legend Eric Cantona says

he's glad to be back in Manchester, despite some of today's stars

saying they're unhappy in the city. Cantona, who's in the North West

with Pele and the New York Cosmos ahead of Paul Scholes' testimonial

tomorrow night, was asked about City players Carlos Tevez and Mario

Balotelli criticising Manchester. Where they come from! If they come

from Milan, maybe. I have a great time in the City but the most

important thing to me was to play with the best player in the world.

That was Manchester. I love the city and the people here and I have

had a great time. He knows what is say! Fantastic.

Lancashire's cricketers have come up short of victory. So close! That

was in their county championship match against Liverpool. They were

deprived of vital time and they needed to bowl Warwickshire out.

The game was drawn in the end. And it was the weather's fault, but we

cannot blame Diana for that! Here Don't you think things have

improved since I arrived? It has been very mixed through the day. If

you want to know what is happening through the weekend, not too much

better, I'm afraid. Unsettled conditions and much cooler than we

have had. There will be some showers and even some rain from

time to time. We had a bad start to the day and that has lasted until

about 2pm. The Isle of Man had a very nice day, however, and imparts

of Merseyside and Cumbria, as well. -- and in parts. The skyline in

Manchester does not look wonderful, but there is room for improvement

and eventually it will become dry and warm. In between, we have a

fairly settled night. The cloud cover will be increasing. It has

been warm and humid overnight recently, and no changed tonight,

but coming into dawn, things will go down. The cloud fins and Briggs

very nicely in the morning and lovely spells of sunshine for the

Blackpool is celebrating news that it's to hit the ballroom dancing

big time. The final of this year's Strictly Come Dancing programme

will be held in the resort's famous towel ballroom. The show attracts

millions of viewers and will showcase the unique qualities

Blackpool has to offer, as Peter On Blackpool Tower Ballroom's well-

sprung dance floor, they are well chuffed. What do you think about

the final being held here? That is fabulous news. We wanted to be here

because it is the best-placed to have something like that. This ploy

is to be appreciated like a world- class dance floor. -- this a floor.

This is a lovely ball room. What do you think? Wonderful. Good for

dancing. Let's keep-ball run going forever. In such a beautiful venue.

Thank you very much. Welcome to the ballroom echo of the North, of

Blackpool. It last stage the final in 2004, so why has it won the

honour again? It's so original. There's nothing like this in the UK.

You would be hard-pressed to find something like this around the

world, to be honest. It gets under your skin. Last year's final was

watched by more than 40 million people. It is a chance for

Blackpool to show itself off to a massive audience. It is worth

publicity that could bring millions. It will bring visitors to the

resort and the Tower, so the knock- on effect is good for the resort as

a whole. It is nice to see you, to see you... Nice! Brucie and his

friends will return to Blackpool in December and the final will be

broadcast on the first time in 3D. What a scary thought! You will have