14/02/2012 North West Tonight

Good evening. Our top story: That Catherine the Great crowd pleaser.

Liverpool turns out to welcome the Duchess of Cambridge.

She made the solo Valentines visit to the city and one little boy got

the scoop ahead of the media. Also tonight: Long-distance love,

the woman who has to do a 340 mile trip to visit her autistic son.

And worldwide success with its Facebook challengers. Wasting all

that money on games, it is not very good. And the taste of love. The

factory where the sweet romance We will be hearing from some of you

about those games on Facebook and what you think about them.

First, a court has been hearing how a deaf girl allegedly beaten and

abused at a house in Salford from the age of 10 was stabbed with a

kitchen knife. In her early twenties now, she was brought to

the UK from Pakistan and claimed she was locked in a dark cellar

every night for nearly a decade. In Es and Tallat Ashar deny false

improvement, human trafficking, sexual offences and benefit fraud.

-- Ilyas. The third day of the trial and they

watched a police interview of the woman. Speaking through an

interpreter, she describes her routine where she lived with 66

year-old Tallat Ashar and her husband, Ilyas. She was forced to

wash, cook and clean and tell her ankles were sore, she said. Mrs

Asher would tell her to get up and carry on cleaning. She said Mrs

Asher was cutting onions in the kitchen when he smiled at the girl.

She smiled back but this made her mad and she stabbed the girl in the

abdomen with a knife. It was three days before she was taken to the

doctor for feeling unwell but she wasn't a showman or told about the

in jury. -- injury. She was forced to sleep in a locked a seller here

and during the night, she said she had to bang on their door to go to

the toilet and would be pushed back downstairs afterwards. She says she

was raped by a Ilyas and sexually assaulted by his wife. The case is

being translated into Urdu for the couple.

Next, making your debut in a major away fixture can be a daunting

prospect but the woman who used to be Kate Middleton, now Catherine,

the Duchess of Cambridge, left the city as a win as crowds turned out

to welcome her on her first solo engagement.

A royal observers say she carried out the visit in some style. With

Prince William away on duty in the Falklands, was left to an eight

year-old boy to present the Duchess with a Valentine's Day red roses.

Kate may have gone but the bunting here remains. A reminder of a

special day here Liverpool. It is difficult to believe that this was

just her first major solo outing, such was her ease. Royal visits are

always carefully planned but today, she overran at every single point

because she stopped to speak to so many people. By the time she left

Alder Hey, she was over an hour late but she left behind many happy

faces. A Valentine's gift for the gestures.

Red roses from one of her many admirers. She was friendly, nice

and beautiful. It was here that she began her day out in Liverpool. It

is an alcohol-free bar helping people recover from their

conditions from drink and drugs. is amazing. I am so proud. My

children are so proud this morning. They are so excited. It is like a

dream come true. I am pinching myself because it is unbelievable.

It was then on to Alder Hey Hospital and the warmest of

welcomes. Patients braved the cold and there were many more are

arriving and the Duchess spoke to as many as she could. Really

excited because it is a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity to see Kate

Middleton. Ishi very beautiful? It was up to Amy, treated at Alder

Hey, to welcome her officially. More flowers and a curtsy. She was

very pretty and she was very nice. On one of the cancer wards, more

presence and cards for Kate. Tell me about meeting Kate. It was a bit

nerve-racking but it was really nice talking to her. She has had a

rough year so it gives us a boost. She sat down and spoke to every

child on the ward. Boucher as beautiful as you thought she was

going to be? -- were she as beautiful? No, she was more

beautiful. Elliott also got a scoop of his own because he told me the

Duchess of Cambridge told me of the -- told him the name of the dark

that they had got each other for Christmas. He kept his lips sealed!

How fabulous. Parents in south Cumbria are

joining forces to get a better deal for their autistic youngsters. They

say the county has a lack of provision that is suitable for

children with autism. One woman has had to put her child

into residential care 150 miles from home because there's nothing

suitable to where she lives that is nearer.

When he was born, Robert appeared to be a normal, healthy child. It

wasn't long before his mum realised there was something wrong. He was a

very difficult baby. Robert was diagnosed with autism. I was told

that it would be unlikely that there would be able to meet

Robert's needs at home. Now Robert lives in South Yorkshire, 150 miles

from his family. His mum says, such is the shortage of provision for

autistic children in Cumbria, Yorkshire was the closest place to

offer suitable, supported accommodation. Sam is also autistic.

He has 24 hours are bought at a Home Office home in Barrow, not far

from his dad. His dad had to think creatively to arrange all of this.

It required that I set up what is in effect a care agency with one

single client. I now have a team of seven full-time staff who support

his needs vary radically -- adequately. It was my choice to do

it this way. He is close to home, surrounded by his friends and

family. Robert's mum has joined forces with other parents to see if

there is a way of pooling resources to create their own tailor-made

facility for autistic young adults in south Cumbria. I know he is not

going to be a lawyer but I still have aspirations for him. Cumbria

County Council said they had made significant investment in provision

for autistic people in recent years, including opening a residential

In other news, drug dealer has been jailed for life for murdering and

burying the body of a boxer from Wirral. The body of 31 year-old

Brett, was found at a body -- at a farm. He had been shot, burnt and

buried. Thomas Haigh was found guilty at Truro Crown Court and

will serve that five years. Again of these have been caught on

CCTV smashing their way into the back room of a luck -- off-licence.

They used a lump hammer to make a hole in the wall and then climbed

through but said the alarm of a soul ran away empty handed.

The funeral of the four siblings who died in a house fire in

Freckleton will take place on Thursday. 19 year-old Reece Smith,

his four year old twin sisters, Holly and Ella, and two year-old

brother, Jordan, died when a fire started at their bungalow last

month. Retailers in part of the main

shopping street in the Isle of Man's capital have set up an action

group to encourage more investors. Many shops in Douglas have shut

down and the ones left say they are being neglected.

Phase halls in the pavement out there, the drains dip in the middle.

-- There is holes in the pavement. They seemed to look after the

English multiples rather than the local people. Jaguar Land Rover has

announced a an increase in profits following the rise in sales of

their Evoque model. 32,000 were sold in the last quarter of 2011, a

32% rise. China is the biggest market for Jaguar and Rover cars.

For this order by definition is a tough fighter, expected to be brave

in the face of the enemy. -- a soldier. An increasing number of

men and women are suffering the effects of war when they are back

at home and some say they can't cope at all.

Post-traumatic stress disorder means solders can't talk about

their memories and some will even try to kill themselves. As a film

is released, Peter Coulter went to meet when you -- went to meet one

young man who can't talk about what he has witnessed.

For life as a soldier is tough. full-scale invasion of Iraq is

Eddie Edwards served in the Army for 11 years. In Iraq, he lost a

number of his close friends. The horrific images of war still haunt

him. Back home in Preston, he found it hard to adjust to everyday life.

I was beginning to get very anxious very quickly, argumentative,

violent, I didn't want to be around people, I wanted to lock myself

away. I couldn't handle crowds, talking to people I didn't know, I

wanted to be on my own. Although he was suffering, his family was also

struggling to cope with his condition. When I first had my son,

it was difficult. He then tried to commit suicide. I had to keep

strong and I did keep strong and kept him going there since I have

had Poppy, I have got depression now. In the north-west, combat

stress is treating 520 solders. They say on average, it takes a

veteran 13 years to seek help. A new film hopes to break their

stigma. The one thing I found interesting

was sold his didn't want to get help. That is why it has become

such an epidemic. The soldier training works against a soldier

getting help. Eddie's family hoped the film will encourage others to

Still to come on North West Tonight, It's That man Again, Carlos Tevez

is back on Manchester City soil, but he just cannot help getting

into trouble with the boss. And it is written on their hearts,

the couples grew could not help fall in love across the production

line. I love that story! Now love it or

hate it, Facebook has quickly become the world's largest online

social networking site. If you are not on it, you probably know

someone who is. This is our Page. Thousands of you look at it and it

is a great way for us to talk to you about the stories we are

covering and for you to tell us what you think of them. We will be

reading some of your comments on this story in a few moments. Of

course, businesses know Facebook is a great way to interact with people

and make money. And gaming companies have been getting in on

the act. One company in Cheshire has made millions in the last two

years. It says shops old gaming offers a sense of committee. But

some people say face begins can be particularly addictive. -- face but

games. Just two decades ago, this was

gaming. One player, a fixed computer screen. Now you can play

on your phone, iPad, laptop, anywhere, against anyone. You end

up copying her friends and it is just a community side of it. It is

more social. And it's not just teenagers who play - women in their

30s are this Wilmslow games company's biggest users. We found

one of our players like to escape from the world. And you were the

master of your own destiny. It is very much about growing and making

things. Gourmet Ranch is Paul Gouge's great gaming success story,

played only through Facebook. Players farm virtual vegetables and

animals on their ranch, then cook and sell them. It's free to play,

but Paul's company makes its money by charging real cash to unlock

things like ingredients. It's cooked up huge profits. 600,000

people now play the game a month, generating �7 million. Paul himself

was a millionnaire before the age of 30. The key, he says, is

Facebook. Gamers used to play against a computer or one or two

friends. With social games on Facebook, you play against defence.

It does not matter where in the world your friends are. I'm in

Australia. This is a new frontier for gaming and Facebook represents

an exciting platform. You have the opportunity to target your product

to be people like it most. But for some gamers, it can be hard to walk

away. I think people can get addicted to them. Kids wasting all

the money on games on social media. But Playdemic's story has impressed

many, including MP Ed Vaizey, shown around today. The great thing is

that even from an office in Wilmslow, you can reach the world.

It is a tough business. And literally the world is your oyster.

A philosophy this company has embraced. Have you ever played?

No, I am working too hard. This is our Facebook pace. If you have your

comments. It takes me three hours to feed my fish on Happy Aquarium.

Angela says, diamond - can get very addictive. Sue says, I used to play

a lot but I block most of them now. You are going without sleep because

you do not want to miss out on a fire sale. Gareth says he blocks

everything. I love Bejewelled Blitz, the only problem is it is so

addictive but I do not have a clue why. If I play just before bedtime,

I cannot move for exploding bright coloured gems and my head. Jonas

says, I used to play Farmville, but blocked it because it was taking

over all of my time. It started getting silly so I cancelled it. I

now block all game requests. Michael says, I would rather read a

book. Any time for any more? One more. Phase begins are not games,

they are distractions. -- face that games. Alexander says, I do not use

any apps, they are a nuisance. I never cook and anything, I just do

what I need to do on it. Ireland had to school there. -- I learned

to scroll. Now, he's assured of a warm welcome,

but not necessarily a friendly one. Carlos Tevez arrived back in

England this afternoon, three months after flying home to

Argentina without Manchester City's permission. City manager Roberto

Mancini had said in September that the striker would never play for

the club again after accusing him of refusing to come on as a

substitute. Before he flew back, Tevez claimed his boss had "treated

him like a dog". Andy Johnson reports.

A police guard was perhaps not the welcome he would have wanted.

Carlos Tevez may have little time to sleep off the jetlag - he's

still got to face his manager. There had be some signs his

relationship with the man has -- the manager has been flowing out,

whether that is the case today after his comments and a television

interview is another matter. They treated me in a way that no players

deserves. It worries me that my image in the press is bad

everywhere, in England, in Argentina, as far away as China.

the same interview, Tevez claimed his manager "treated him like a

dog" after Roberto Mancini accused his striker of refusing to come on

as a sub in the Champions League tie against Bayern Munich last

September. When that happened, Mancini claimed Tevez would never

play for City again. The following day, he was suspended. In October,

he was fined for breach of contract and in early November, he left for

Argentina without permission. Just before Christmas, Tevez was fined

�1.2 million for gross misconduct, and possible moves to AC, Inter

Milan or PSG all fell through before January's transfer window

Carlos Tevez is expected to report to City's training ground at

Carrington for fitness tests while the rest of the squad fly out to

face Porto in the Europa League on Thursday. Whether he ever plays for

the first team again is anyone's guess. Hours sucking you about what

kind of welcome use of. Manchester City fans, most that I have spoken

to just want him to apologise. They think he has disrespected the club

ban unless he makes an apology, I think he has to say sorry, he has

to, to say sorry to the fans. He has just got to start, I am sure we

will be covering up for the next three months.

Next, it's Valentine's Day, so we thought we'd head to what we think

is the North West's most romantic place to work. Almost a quarter of

the 550 staff at the Swizzels Matlow factory in Derbyshire are in

loved-up couples, and many of them met on the site. It does of course

produce the nation's most romantic sweet, Love Hearts, and Nina

Warhurst went to see if she'd have any joy on the conveyer belt of

Their eyes met across the conveyer belt as they were packing sweets.

We would send them down the line on the machine we will working on,

little messages. Be My Boy. It was there for both of us. Robert and

Amanda are not the only ones - this Valentine's Day, there are 61

loved-up couples working at this one factory and 30 of them are

married. Sweet or what? The company moved here from the East End of

London during the Blitz and since then generations of families have

worked here. Some say it is that sense of history that adds to the

romance. Let's face it, it is not the uniforms. My family has worked

here for generations. My aunties and uncles. How do you keep a

dramatic when you were to get the? We have been married for 29 years.

We know enough about each other by now. I would not do without her. I

would be lost without her. C, who said manufactured love cannot last?

If you are feeling lonely this Valentine's Day, now you know

exactly where to send your CV. The only thing I would say is if

you can fall in love with someone wearing hairnet, it must be love.

Now, just before we get to the weather, just say a quick sorry to

those people who featured in our story about the royal visit in

Liverpool today. We had a few gremlins in the system and be used

the wrong title for some of them. Sorry about that. Let's go to die

and now. If I had a Love Heart, and now. If I had a Love Heart,

which one would be? Get on with it? Something like that!

If you live along the coast, one of the main features of the weather

today has been the wind. We have some shots at Blackpool, north

westerly wind means the conditions have been quite stormy. The wind

has been over 30 mph at times. Yes, not particularly pretty pictures.

If you live along the coast, I think your pictures will be very

similar tomorrow. The conditions are hardly changing. The wind has

been quite gusty today but another problem has been this cloud cover.

If you were lucky, you may have seen 20 minutes of sunshine every

now and then. That has perked up the day. But the temperatures

compared to what we have Liss time last week, Severn's rates for most

people. During the night, the cloud cover stays with us. I think if you

get a break, it will be around the eastern parts of Lancashire. Around

coastal areas as we head to the early hours of the morning. The

brakes are not very prolonged. They will not be that widespread. Almost

blanket cloud cover so temperatures will hover around three in towns

and cities. Along the coast, around six Celsius on the Isle of Man. The

conditions are hardly different to today on Wednesday. Some cloud

cover. It will pray from time to time. The sun is up earlier and

earlier. A parts of Cumbria and eastern parts of Lancashire, that

is what the best of the cloud breaks will be. The cloud tense to

feed into parts of Merseyside through to parts of Greater

Manchester, in two parts of Cheshire. That wind through the

day-to-day, over 30 mph in gusts. That will be the same story

tomorrow. It will feel fairly raw. Inland, you will still see winds up

to about 50 mph. So it is not feeling wonderful. Temperatures at

degree or so higher than today. Probably around nine or ten Celsius.

Tomorrow night, we hang onto all of that cloud cover but between World

War II and seven degrees. Going into a Thursday, we are looking at

the north-westerly wind continuing. A portion of the day will be dry.

One or two outbreaks of drizzly rain. By the time they get to

Friday with that weather front, and outbreaks of rain from time to time.

For the weekend, they conditions cool back off again. And at least

it did not rain for the royal visit. it did not rain for the royal visit.

She looked amazing. Before we go, we have had an e-mail from Caitlin

and her mother who were in the crowd to welcome the royal visitor

at they have some pictures they to it. Lovely. She is there, chatting

to people. Caitlin says they had a fantastic time. And she thanked the

hospital staff for handing of blankets for the children who were

waiting in the cold. It looked like a brilliant day.

She was not even posing, that is wonderful. But she is away from her