05/09/2011 North West Tonight

Good evening. Welcome to North-West Tonight with Ranvir Singh and Tony

Livesey. Our top story: Freed from a living

hell, now Stepping Hill nurse Rebecca Leighton says she wants to

clear her name professionally. And why Greater Manchester's police

chief is backing calls for those accused of crimes not to be named.

Also tonight: The politically incorrect job advert which

suggested equal opportunities are a load of rubbish!

Climb every mountain - a 10-year- old scales 283 of Scotland's

highest peaks and enjoys almost every minute of it.

Can cure a member? That was when I didn't want to see a mountain again.

The show must go on - the theatre that has hosted Stan Laurel,

Charlie Chaplin, and Ken Dodd celebrates its centenary. We will

have more on those centenary celebrations later, but we want to

know the best act you've ever seen live on stage. Contact us by email,

Facebook and Twitter and we'll read The nurse who was arrested during

the investigation into the deaths of patients at Stepping Hill

Hospital in Stockport says she now wants to clear her name

professionally. Rebecca Leighton was released from custody on Friday

after charges against her were dropped. Meanwhile, the Chief

Constable of Greater Manchester Police has backed a call for

anonymity for people accused of crimes. Our health correspondent,

Laura Yates, is at Stepping Hill hospital for us now. Laura, what

more do we know about Rebecca Leighton's plans? It has been a

three-day since Rebecca Leighton was released. She is considering

what to do next. We know that there has been no decision yet from her

solicitor whether she will sue the police for wrongful arrest. She is

now wanting to cure herself professionally. At the moment she

is still suspended from nursing. There has been a lot of talk about

whether suspects should remain anonymous... There has been a lot

of talk in the wake of this case about whether suspects should

remain anonymous, and today the Chief Constable of Greater

Manchester Police has backed these calls, hasn't he? there has been a

lot of debate on that issue. Should a suspect's been named and they are

arrested, charged or if there case goes to trial? It that it happen,

we would never have known the name of Rebecca Leighton. It is really

difficult when you see senior detectives agonising over to make -

- over whether to make an arrest or not and they have to think about

this, about whether somebody's name could be completely ruined. If you

think about the case in Bristol, then it landlord got horribly

treated so because his name come out to the press. I don't think any

name should be released until they are charged. The police

investigation continues here. They are looking at 40 cases of

contaminated saline and they have a list of 700 people took see and

they are not even have quit through that list.

More from the North-West now and a mother from Manchester has become

the first to be successfully prosecuted for fraud for claiming

child maintenance for her son who wasn't living with her. Victoria

Hitchen, from Irlam, told the Child Support Agency she was the boy's

main carer when she was living in Spain. She passed the payments to

her parents, who the child lived with, but the judge said she had

brought the prosecution on herself by not being honest.

A legal challenge to plans by Lancashire County Council to reduce

its care budget has failed in the High Court. The challenge was

backed by various disability organisations but a judge ruled

that the authority had not acted improperly in making savings.

A man who was murdered in Bury yesterday has been named as Brian

Gavigan. The 48-year-old was found at his home on Merton Road in

Prestwich with multiple injuries to his head and body. A 27-year-old

man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

A hospital in Merseyside has had to hurriedly remove a job advert from

its website. The posting referred to what it called, the usual

rubbish about equal opportunities. The hospital trust immediately

replaced it with a politically correct version. But a local MEP,

who discovered the mistake, says they should have stuck with the

original, describing equal opportunities legislation as a

waste of time and money. Stuart Flinders reports. Town halls,

hospitals and other public bodies go to great lengths to make sure

they don't discriminate on the grounds of race, creed or religion.

So how did this happen? Instead of declaring itself an equal

opportunities employer, the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen Hospitals

Trust referred to "the usual rubbish about equal opportunities"

when advertising for an anaesthetist. A new advert replaced

the offending words with,"We are committed to promoting equality and

diversity". The mistake was discovered by Paul Nuttal,

Merseysidee MEP for the UK Independence Party. It has been an

oversight by the hospital, but I think they're right in many ways

because this equality legislation, much of which are driven from the

European Union, is absolute nonsense. It is about insuring that

you have a certain number of people of certain types in various roles.

It is wrong. The hospital has given us a statement saying that the

advert in no way reflects the views of the trust on equal-opportunities,

to which we are fully committed. Paual Keaveney, a lecturer in PR

and leader of Liverpool council's Lib Dems, says the mistake could

damage the Trust's reputation. is an institution where we expect

precision. If you're going to have an operation you want things to

cope properly, don't you? Not good for an organisation like that to

show a level of carelessness. an embarrassment for the Trust,

which has won an award as a diversity champion.

Liverpool's busiest train station will shut for four months next year

as part of a �40 million overhaul of the city's underground stops.

Merseyrail has announced �20 million will be spent on Central

Station, adding another lift, fitting new escalators, and

improving the platforms and toilets. A further �20 million will be

invested in four other stations. Work will begin next month and

passengers say they are looking forward to seeing the improvements.

A rare church organ has been silenced after thieves stripped

lead from the roof above it. Water poured through the ceiling at St

Thomas' Church in Leigh causing around �200,000-worth of damage.

It's the latest in a wave of attacks on historic buildings in

the North West as the price of metal continues to attract thieves.

The church says the organ is irreplaceable. Our environment

correspondent, Colin Sykes, reports. It has been described as the Rolls-

Royce of church organs, and probably worth about three-quarters

of a million pounds. But, this organ is silent today because

thieves have stolen the lead from up there. There was heavy rain

which poured straight down here into the pipe chamber. It has

caused terrible damage and will cost up to �200,000 to put rice.

Dashed to put right. Water has seeped into the wood and electrics

of the handmade organ which has been played by nearly every

cathedral organist in the country. It will have to be rebuilt from

scratch, if the church can raise the money. It is heartbreaking to

think that idiots can steal a bit of lead that they will not get much

for it, maybe 80 or �90, but for the community it is devastating.

While the organ is out of action the congregation are having to rely

on recordings of it for services. Ecclesiatical insurance will only

cover a fraction of the repairs. This is just heartbreaking to think

that we have got such a massive amount of money to try and find.

Historic buildings are offering rich pickings for lead thieves.

Elizabeth Gaskell's home in Manchester was the latest to be

stripped. St Thomas' roof is being recovered with mineralised felt,

which doesn't have the same value as lead. The church is calling for

new rules to make it harder for thieves to dispose of stolen metal.

Still to come in North West Tonight: Ben the Conquerer - the

10-year-old who has climbed over 283 of Scotland's highest peaks.

100 years of theatre greats - Crewe Lyceum raises the curtain on its

centenary celebrations. It was a place for people to meet, make

friends, and there is no were left for young actors to learn their

craft. Now, all this week we are looking

at autism. It is a lifelong developmental disability which

effects how a person communicates and relates to the world around

them. 70,000 people here in the North West live with the condition.

But, as Kate Simms has been finding out, getting a diagnosis can be

much harder than you would think. Eight this is Callum on a good day.

The meticulous order of this football cards is a classic example

of his disorder. This is Callum on a bad day. His mum says he can get

much worse. A living with him can be quite difficult. It is like

living with Jekyll and Hyde sometimes. He can be quite violent

acts one minutes, and then what you would class as a normal child, I

suppose. He gets quite violent. Sometimes it is like having a top

dollar. Three years ago as Callum's family was told that he could have

Asperger's syndrome. They say they are still waiting for any support.

We're on the waiting list, which is at three or four year waiting-list.

Trying to get access to things if he doesn't have the statement or

proper diagnosis can be very difficult as well. Without a

diagnosis or a statement his family said that accessing any support at

home or at school is a struggle. But his case is far from isolated.

Dylan's family had a five-year wait for a diagnosis for Asperger's

syndrome. You fight to get on to the waiting list for, then you wait

on the waiting list. While all that is going on you have of people

perceive to be a really naughty child. Once he got a diagnosis,

Dylan's family say like begin very different. We once you get the

diagnosis, I would like to say it opens a whole level of support, but

this support is very limited. But because you can do what you're

dealing with, you can start doing your research into how you deal

with that. Callum's family are still waiting. A spokesperson for

Despite that reassurance, Callum's family say that the future without

as statement or diagnosis is very daunting. Without a statement or a

fully - - a full diagnosis, we are very scared about what high school

would be for him. I probably wouldn't send him.

Mari Saeki is from the National Autistic Society. Family say they

can access help about the statements or a diagnosis, yet they

help the did he say you don't need it. Who is right? Interior should

be based on need, not the diagnosis, but in actual fact that diagnosis

is very necessary partly because, as the families were saying, they

need to know what the issues are and they need to have something

they can tell family and friends. As the child grows up, he needs to

understand what his condition is. They have been waiting for years to

get this diagnosis. Is there a reluctance for doctors to put that

label on a child or are there not enough experts? It is a number of

things. Sometimes it can be to delay in parents being believes in

the first place. They may be going to doctors, talking to health

visitors, but at that particular moment they may not be seeing does

very difficult behaviours. What can families do, practically? To get a

diagnosis, one of the things you would advise is to get some

thoughts down on paper about why they might feel that the child has

some difficulties in that area. That is a helpful place to start.

And then request strongly that you want to be referred on to the

diagnostic pathways locally. just society is there are also.

That's right, we are there. There is lots of information on our

website. Tomorrow, Kate will be talking to

parents who say there is not enough education provision for children

with autism. A 10-year-old boy from Cumbria has

become the youngest person to climb every one of the 283 peaks in

Scotland higher than 3,000 feet. With the help of his dad, Ben

Fleetwood from Kendal took just over three years to conquer the

Munro mountains. Peter Marshall went to meet him.

She is a boy who set a blistering pace. At the age of 10 men

Fleetwood has worn out more walking boots than many get three in a

lifetime. The sense of challenge that you get from doing it. I like

climbing on to rocks. It is nights - - nice to get away from the towns.

The Kurdistan hard on his heels, he has just conquered all 283 Munroe

Mountains in little over three years. Was there any time he

regretted what he was doing? Once. We end was that? When I nearly fell

off. That was when I didn't want to see a mountain again. We first met

him when he was just six, shortly after he made came to be the

youngest person to conquer all 214 Lakeland fells in the Wainwright

guides. But his wanderlust begun - - began much earlier. This is in

the age just three. Home video shows that he has always been a

determined walker. What keeps him going? Basically the fact that it

is a mountain and you have to climate. We don't have any choice,

do we? Not really. Also there is a chocolate and sweets every now and

again! It is a bit sad that we have done all of them, because it was

really fun doing them all. There are always more mountainside there,

though. Next stop, the Alps! That kid is Judy six bid to, he has

just won his legs away! - - warned - - warned. -- worn.

Sport now and Graham Liver is here. Let's start with Rugby League and

Warrington completed a Super League double over Wigan to take top spot.

The Wolves brought the Challenge Cup winners down to earth with a

39-12 victory. Wigan fans will be hoping it was just a hangover from

their Wembley final last weekend. The Wolves are now so close to

lifting the League Leader's Shield and finish top of the table for the

first time since 1973. What will this mean for the play-offs? Well,

assuming Warrington finish top and beat Hull this Friday, it leaves

Wigan almost certainly going to play St Helens in a play-off semi-

final. Stuart Pollit has been to

Warrington today. For a game between Super League's top two

sides, this was a very one sided encounter. Wigan's Tomkins brothers

may have been grabbing the headlines, but they were

overshadowed by Warrington's siblings, Joel and Michael Monaghan,

scoring half the Wolves' six tries. The win puts Warrington on the

brink of a first League Winner's Shield. It is a massive goal of

ours and to win it this week. away at Hull would be the first

time Wire have topped the table since the club's glory years in the

1950s. And it would continue a remarkable 2011 for the region's

rugby league teams. Warrington, Wigan and St Helens occupy the top

three spots in Super League and the Warriors have already bagged the

Challenge Cup. On this evidence, few would bet against an all North

West showdown in October's Grand Final.

There are a lot of kids in the area who are loving rugby league at the

moment because they don't have to travel far to watch a successful

team. It is really good for the area. One man desperate for Grand

Final glory is Eddie, the club photographer. It would be nice to

go all out on a high note. So if they win the Grand Final you will

retire? I will retire from active duty, I will say that. Old

photographers don't retire, they just go out of focus. In Rugby

Union, a new look Sale Sharks side let an early lead slip as they lost

their opening match of the Premiership season at promoted

In Rugby Union, a new look Sale Sharks side let an early lead slip

as they lost their opening match of the Premiership season at promoted

Worcester. A penalty and drop-goal from Nick Macleod had given a

Sharks side, featuring seven new faces, a 6-0 advantage, but the

home side hit back and scored two tries in their 17-12 win.

Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook is at the centre of a

row after it's claimed an email was sent from his account to the mother

of City player Nedum Onooha making light of her battle with cancer. Dr

Antonia Onooha, seen here at the North West Sports Awards, says she

is humiliated and devastated about the email, sent from Cook's account,

but meant for City's football administrator, Brian Marwood. The

club have not commented on the claims.

Well, the international fixtures meant an early season break for the

Premier League and Championship, meaning the weekend's focus was on

Leagues One and Two. Rounding up a rather disappointing weekend for

North West teams, here's Howard Booth. Oldham were only a head in

their their game for 10 minutes. Tranmere remain in the early play-

off places despite a low key draw with Yeovil. Ash Taylor with Rovers

best chance. A day to forget for Bury, a 4-0 thrashing at Sheffield

United. The Shakers afternoon summed up by the Blades second goal,

courtesy of Bury keeper Cam Belford. Rochdale also struggled on Saturday.

Gary Jones scored this quality goal to draw them level at Stevenage.

But the home side ran away with things after the break, Dale's day

hitting a low point with this mix up between Jake Kean and Neil

Morecambe top of League Two and they were well placed after Izak

Reid put them ahead. But an equaliser deep into injury time

kept Jim Bentley's boys off top spot. Accrington also earned a

point but will be happier with theirs from Barnet after they ended

the game with nine men - Charlie Barnett and Kevin Long both seeing

red. It was more a case of the blues for Macclesfield who went

down 3-0 at Torquay. Keeper Jose Veiga was their star man, which

kinds of tells the story. And, saving the best until last, a first

home win for Crewe. Shaun Miller got two of their goals as they

Finally from the sports desk, teams from all over the world have been

arriving on the Isle of Man ahead of the Commonwealth Youth Games. 60

athletes making up the team from Canada arrived today to be for the

Games, which start on Thursday. They were met by the event mascot,

Good evening. We are in autumn, and that is what the weather feels.

This week will - - will be cool and windy. This morning we had lines of

showers heading triggers morning. They had thunder in them, as well.

But there has been a glimpse of some sunshine for some. This is our

most recent radar picture. For many places it is raining already. As

this band of rain moves in over the next couple of hours it slows right

down, and never really manages to get over the Pennines until the

early hours of the morning. At very wet night sunlight. The saving

grace for tonight will be get the temperatures are very mild. By

breakfast-time tomorrow there will still be some very heavy rain. It

will linger, but it should manage to move away over the other side of

the Pennines, but behind that their showers will start to form. They

will be fairly heavy from time to time. Through the afternoon, sunny

spells will return, but it is a late improvement and a top

temperature will only be 18 degrees Some of the greatest names in

showbiz have treaded the boards of the Crewe Lyceum. Charlie Chaplin,

Stan Laurel and Ken Dodd to name a few. But now the theatre itself is

taking centre stage. It has raised the curtain on its centenary

celebrations and Eno was invited to join the party.

Rehearsing for a very special a very birthday, the Crewe Lyceum

turns 100 this week. Charlie Chaplin and Stanley Laurel appeared

on stage her in the early 1900s and many other famous faces have graced

the stage since And we've been What the Lyceum meant for me, is

that it was a community. It was a place to meet, make friends, and,

more importantly, there was no were left for young actors to learn

their craft. In 1969 when I was invited to join the company with

Lynda Bellingham. I could not help but get on stage myself. The rake

of this stage is one in 18, which is reckoned to be one of the

steepest in the country. Community drama groups have been strutting

their stuff all we can this fine stage. The children love coming

here. I learnt everything that has to be learnt, as you only can three

being in the company of actors. party continues here all week. And

we've been asking for your favourite live act ever. John Nokes

on Facebook said Roy Chubby Brown was the best. I know a bit rude,

but, God, he's funny live. That's if you're not too easily offended!

Ian Sawyer says Nobody quite like Ken Dodd for value for money and

innuendos, though he does not use a swear word in his act. He is a

legend. Why he has not been knighted? Sir Kenneth Dodd has a

ring to it, eh? And Eric Leach says Freddie Mercury. He would've been