:00:09. > :00:13.Welcome to North West Tonight with Roger Johnson and Annabel Tiffin.
:00:13. > :00:18.Our top story: A doctor is suspended amid claims she illegally
:00:18. > :00:28.arranged sex selection abortions at this private clinic in Manchester.
:00:28. > :00:32.The clinic involved has stopped all further abortions. Also tonight:
:00:32. > :00:36.this region desperately-needed so jobs but we ask tonight if
:00:36. > :00:42.government money is taking too long to arrive.
:00:42. > :00:45.Security personnel are on their way. Leave now. Thou shalt not steal. A
:00:45. > :00:50.warning from the church to deter metal thieves. A Liverpudlian is an
:00:50. > :00:53.Irishman who can swim! It's quieter down here now. God help them up
:00:53. > :01:02.there! Frank Carson's family lead the tributes to the comedian who's
:01:02. > :01:05.died at his Blackpool home. can't think about Frank without
:01:05. > :01:08.smiling because he gave you a feel- good factor.
:01:08. > :01:18.And, Princess Anne opens probably the most famous garden on
:01:18. > :01:30.
:01:30. > :01:35.Can Manchester United to make it into the last 16 of the Europa
:01:35. > :01:41.League. I saw the visitors in the competition that no doubt would
:01:41. > :01:49.have been at the top of Sir Alex Ferguson's list -- would not have
:01:49. > :01:52.been. I shall be live later. Thank you. A doctor has been
:01:52. > :01:55.suspended by a private medical clinic in Manchester following
:01:55. > :01:57.allegations she was willing to carry out an illegal abortion
:01:57. > :02:00.purely based on the sex of the unborn child.
:02:00. > :02:03.Because of the allegations made in a national newspaper, the
:02:03. > :02:06.Department of Health has launched an investigation. It is believed
:02:07. > :02:13.the case has now been reported to the General Medical Council and the
:02:13. > :02:17.Police. Nina Warhurst reports. A woman with an undercover reporter
:02:17. > :02:23.walks into a Manchester clinic and tells her doctor she wishes to
:02:24. > :02:29.terminate her pregnancy. His wife. There's a chance we are having a
:02:29. > :02:34.girl and it is not appropriate for us now. The doctor asks for dock --
:02:34. > :02:40.documents but the patient does not have any. I don't ask questions. If
:02:40. > :02:47.you want a termination, you want a termination. Those are my reasons.
:02:47. > :02:53.I don't ask questions. Today, the Health Secretary said it was not
:02:53. > :02:58.just immoral but illegal. The Daily Telegraph claims that undercover
:02:58. > :03:04.reporters took nine pregnant women in to clinics and in three cases,
:03:04. > :03:11.doctors agreed to arrange terminations purely on the sex of
:03:11. > :03:17.the unborn child. The doctor has been suspended. The Medical Defence
:03:17. > :03:20.Union, speaking on her behalf, says she can't comment because of
:03:20. > :03:25.patient confidentiality. Deliberately falsifying reports
:03:25. > :03:30.accompanying it at termination is a shocking thing to have happened and
:03:30. > :03:34.we will follow it up urgently. surgery where she works stresses
:03:34. > :03:44.the allegation refers to the individual doctor and not be clinic
:03:44. > :03:51.
:03:51. > :03:56.A the doctor is also believed to work at North Manchester General
:03:56. > :04:02.Hospital but today they said her work in this case is at a private
:04:02. > :04:07.clinic. The right of a woman to abort an unborn child remains one
:04:07. > :04:14.of society's most divisive issues and these developments are sure to
:04:14. > :04:18.The figures are impressive. Thirty- five firms awarded cash to create
:04:18. > :04:20.55,000 much needed jobs right here in the North West. In fact, only a
:04:20. > :04:23.fraction of those jobs are a reality.
:04:23. > :04:28.That's because out of those 35 firms promised Regional Growth Fund
:04:28. > :04:38.investment to date, only four have received the cash. Good enough?
:04:38. > :04:43.Here's our Economics Correspondent, The North West needs jobs. The
:04:43. > :04:47.region with the biggest rise in unemployment last year. The answer?
:04:47. > :04:52.The Regional Growth Fund. Today they were keen to shout about the
:04:52. > :04:58.latest round of funding in Bristol. They defy projects have been
:04:58. > :05:03.promised cash since last April to create 55,000 jobs. But any Ford
:05:03. > :05:10.projects have been paid. Instead of boasting about a new set of money,
:05:10. > :05:19.they ought to get the money that was promised 10 months ago. This is
:05:19. > :05:23.one company still making -- waiting. Their bit has just gone to due
:05:23. > :05:30.diligence where the auditors make think - make makes sure the whole
:05:30. > :05:36.thing stacks up. We want to create new jobs but if they are not
:05:37. > :05:43.created here in the UK they will go potentially abroad. We could get
:05:43. > :05:47.$35,000 per job created in America. Understandably, many companies do
:05:47. > :05:57.not want to share their concerns on the record at a crucial time as
:05:57. > :06:03.
:06:03. > :06:08.this, but off the record, here is a To be fair, the companies have to
:06:08. > :06:14.do a lot of paperwork and legal stuff and it doesn't happen in a
:06:14. > :06:21.millisecond. Next month, the North West Development Agency closes its
:06:21. > :06:28.dog -- doors for good. Its replacement is a cash machine that
:06:28. > :06:32.has so far not turned out the cash. Elsewhere today: Unions have
:06:32. > :06:37.welcomed an employment tribunal decision to overturn a decision by
:06:37. > :06:43.a a trust to cut the pay of staff who took time off sick. The
:06:43. > :06:47.decision was challenged that any employee on four or more occasions
:06:47. > :06:53.in a year or for more than 18 days a year would lose their incremental
:06:53. > :06:56.pay rise. Unions had launched tribunal cases on behalf of scores
:06:56. > :07:01.of staff who did not get their pay rise and today they heard they had
:07:01. > :07:06.won. A Thames side MP is edging the
:07:06. > :07:13.government to step in to stop an English defence leak March taking
:07:13. > :07:19.place. It follows an attack on two white teenagers in the town. This
:07:19. > :07:24.Saturday, members of the English Defence League intend to hold an
:07:24. > :07:28.March despite the fact they have no connection to the cup -- issues
:07:28. > :07:32.they are purporting to march in support of. Should not decent law-
:07:32. > :07:36.abiding citizens be protected from this and necessary and unwanted
:07:36. > :07:39.activity? A railway guard has appeared in
:07:39. > :07:46.court charged with manslaughter of the teenager in Wirral who died
:07:46. > :07:56.when she fell under a train. Torch mac Bashar Al-Assad Georgia Varley
:07:56. > :07:56.
:07:56. > :08:02.was 16 when she fell under the Our reporter was in court.
:08:02. > :08:06.Christopher James McGee made a brief appearance at Liverpool
:08:06. > :08:11.magistrates' court this morning. He spoke only to confirm his name, his
:08:11. > :08:17.address and date of birth. He is charged with manslaughter through
:08:17. > :08:22.gross negligence of Georgia Varley in October last year. Also from
:08:22. > :08:25.Wallasey, she was 16 when she died in an instant at Dame Street
:08:25. > :08:28.station in Liverpool. It is thought she and a group of friends were
:08:28. > :08:34.travelling to Liverpool when she fell between the platform and a
:08:34. > :08:39.carriage. Mr McGee did not enter a plea but his lawyer said he will
:08:39. > :08:44.contest the case fully. The lawyer also said that, as this is the
:08:44. > :08:48.first public hearing, Mr McGee wanted to it sincerely express his
:08:48. > :08:54.condolences to the parents, family and friends for the loss of their
:08:54. > :09:01.daughter and friend. Mr McGee was bailed to appear at the Crown Court
:09:01. > :09:05.on March 8th. It is one of the biggest problems
:09:05. > :09:10.facing churches across our region. Over the last five years, metal
:09:10. > :09:16.theft has cost Manchester churches �1 million.
:09:16. > :09:21.Today, a high-tech solution was unveiled. Our reporter is at
:09:21. > :09:26.Manchester Cathedral. It is interesting that the cathedral was
:09:26. > :09:31.thick -- hit only last month, wasn't it? That's right. It has
:09:31. > :09:37.been a place of worship dating back to medieval times, but last month,
:09:37. > :09:41.thieves stole a 2 ft silver cross which had been bolted down. Little
:09:41. > :09:51.wonder that church as a whole is turning to technology to protect
:09:51. > :09:51.
:09:51. > :09:56.Flashing, pipe works and memorial plaques. It is little other --
:09:56. > :10:01.wonder they are at the end of their tether. Here, they have had to
:10:01. > :10:07.spell it out to thieves. The sign says there is no lead left. Adding,
:10:07. > :10:12.of course, got bless. Over at St Peter's Church in Blakeley they are
:10:12. > :10:20.trying something more hi-tech. One of these alarms has been fitted and
:10:20. > :10:25.motion sensors issue this morning. Security personnel are on their way.
:10:25. > :10:29.The roof has been stripped of lead six times in three years. Damage
:10:29. > :10:38.caused a huge piece of masonry to fall inside the church. The alarm
:10:38. > :10:43.is a last resort. It was a choice between the boiler or an alarm.
:10:43. > :10:48.That is how important it was? Absolutely. We needed to secure the
:10:48. > :10:54.building. It has cost Manchester churches �1 million in the last
:10:54. > :10:58.five years. In 2010, the Manchester diocese was the worst hit in the
:10:58. > :11:02.country. Claims are so common that church insurance companies have
:11:02. > :11:08.introduced a cat. Manchester Cathedral has been told it has
:11:08. > :11:13.exhausted its claims. We have to bear the costs ourselves all the
:11:13. > :11:19.congregation or the people who give us �1. But church funds can only
:11:19. > :11:23.goes so far so now churches are looking to the skyline for help.
:11:23. > :11:27.These alarms are expensive. You heard the vicar at St Peter's
:11:27. > :11:31.saying they had to choose between heating and an alarm. For many
:11:31. > :11:40.churches, it is a prize they say they have to pay.
:11:40. > :11:43.Thank you. Still to come: Kicking off - how
:11:43. > :11:47.these flat mates could have to fight each other for a place at the
:11:47. > :11:55.Olympics. The royal seal of approval -
:11:55. > :11:59.Princess and opens probably the People of Blackpool have been
:11:59. > :12:05.paying tribute to one of their famous adopted sons. The resort was
:12:05. > :12:08.home to comedian Frank Carson for many years. Yesterday, he lost a
:12:08. > :12:18.battle with cancer and his passing is being mourned by many in the
:12:18. > :12:30.
:12:30. > :12:36.Lancashire town. Our chief reporter Was it something I said? Frank
:12:36. > :12:43.Carson was a comedian's comedian. He will not be forgotten. All of
:12:43. > :12:48.the comedians love Thames. His fans thought equally highly of him.
:12:48. > :12:53.Everyone felt they knew him even though they had probably never met
:12:53. > :12:58.him. This man worked with Frank many times but also knew him as a
:12:58. > :13:03.friend. I have travelled thousands of miles with him and I never saw
:13:03. > :13:09.him down. When you retired, he lifted you up. He had so much
:13:09. > :13:12.energy. -- when you were tired. Frank Carson was born in Northern
:13:12. > :13:16.Ireland but Blackpool was more than happy to consider him an adopted
:13:16. > :13:22.son. He made his home in the resort for many years. He is remembered
:13:22. > :13:30.from this new comedy carpet on the promenade. It features some of his
:13:30. > :13:33.best-known catchphrases including... This lady used to answer telephone
:13:33. > :13:40.inquiry calls at the Blackpool telephone exchange. She said that
:13:40. > :13:44.Frank Carson was one of her regular callers. He would say something
:13:44. > :13:51.funny right away so you knew it was him. He would make you laugh. You
:13:51. > :13:56.could hardly do your job! Frank had a spiritual side too. This is the
:13:56. > :14:00.Bank -- bench where Frank and his wife used to sit... He worshipped
:14:00. > :14:06.at this church for many years. The Father was with him in his final
:14:06. > :14:10.days. He was trying to keep his spirits up. He passed away while we
:14:10. > :14:13.were have a mass here on Wednesday morning. I went round just
:14:13. > :14:18.afterwards to bless the body and say prayers with the family who
:14:18. > :14:27.were gathered round. Frank Carson will be missed by his many fans and
:14:27. > :14:31.by the people of his adopted home town full -- his adopted home town.
:14:31. > :14:34.Lovely tributes. Real warmth and fondness.
:14:34. > :14:39.And another came from the Liverpool comedian Ken Dodd who worked with
:14:39. > :14:42.him and was a close friend. I went to Knotty Ash to speak to Ken Dodd
:14:42. > :14:52.this afternoon. I began by asking him whether Frank was the same off-
:14:52. > :15:01.stage as he was on it. Exactly the same. Frank Carson was Frank Carson.
:15:01. > :15:05.They are wonderful, wonderful comedian. And a lovely, warm,
:15:05. > :15:13.friendly man. He must have lots of happy memories of things you have
:15:13. > :15:20.done with him? I met him in 1960 at a job we did in North Wales. I had
:15:20. > :15:27.the pleasure of doing half-a-dozen radio series with him. We used to
:15:27. > :15:32.more less tell stories, Paul stories. They would name a subject
:15:32. > :15:37.and Frank was always first on the buzzer. There was this fellow, he
:15:37. > :15:42.was walking down the road, no, I tell a lie, he was on a bike. He
:15:42. > :15:49.had a lemon in his ear... He would go on. Fantastic, surreal pictures.
:15:49. > :15:55.I would say, is there any end to this? He would say, no. A lovely
:15:55. > :16:01.man. He loved to laugh. He loved life. He loved all of the people in
:16:01. > :16:06.showbusiness, all of his colleagues. He loved being Frank Carson. You
:16:06. > :16:11.cannot really think about Frank without smiling. He gave you that
:16:11. > :16:16.feel-good factor. You knew him very well as a colleague but he had
:16:16. > :16:21.strong family life as well? lived life to the full. You name it,
:16:21. > :16:26.he would do it. And always laughing, always with a smile. He loved his
:16:27. > :16:30.family. He would always tell you about his sons and daughters -- his
:16:30. > :16:35.son and daughter. And their successors. He was very proud of
:16:35. > :16:39.them. The one thing people have said listening to the tributes is
:16:39. > :16:45.the fact that what you saw is what you got. There was no different
:16:45. > :16:51.side to him. He did not do satire, he did not do politics. He did not
:16:51. > :17:01.do sexy jokes. He was a great, great comedian. Grade catchphrases
:17:01. > :17:07.as well. It is the way he tells some! Frank Carson, News at Ten.
:17:07. > :17:14.had to do that! One of the many tributes paid to Frank Carson who
:17:14. > :17:17.sadly died in Blackpool. Frank was a regular on the show the Comedians.
:17:17. > :17:20.And there was some further sad news in the comedy world today. It's
:17:20. > :17:23.been announced that the Manchester- born comic Ken Goodwin who appeared
:17:23. > :17:29.on the hit show The Comedians has also died. The comedian, who had
:17:29. > :17:35.the catch phrase "settle down, settle down", was 78.
:17:35. > :17:38.I do remember it. My ma -- brother used to say that to my mother!
:17:38. > :17:41.Football now and it was all about Manchester City in the Europa
:17:41. > :17:44.League last night. This evening, it's the turn of United to try to
:17:44. > :17:47.make it through to the last 16 against Ajax. Richard Askam is at
:17:47. > :17:57.Old Trafford for us. Richard, there was some crowd trouble in Amsterdam
:17:57. > :17:58.
:17:58. > :18:01.at the first leg, wasn't there? Is there a tense atmosphere?
:18:01. > :18:05.It all seems pretty relaxed. We have seen some fans walking past
:18:05. > :18:08.Tear mixing freely with United supporters. A bit of banter but
:18:08. > :18:12.nothing more than that. If the police are not taking any chances
:18:12. > :18:19.after what happened in the first leg in Amsterdam. There were more
:18:19. > :18:23.than 140 arrests, 15 of their Manchester United supporters. They
:18:23. > :18:27.were given just shy of 4000 tickets for the game tonight. In the run-up
:18:27. > :18:31.to the match, police have been stressing that by and large
:18:31. > :18:36.supporters mixed very well in Holland last week. We should talk
:18:36. > :18:41.about the football, shouldn't we? United are favourites. They have a
:18:41. > :18:45.two goal advantage from the first leg. No Wayne Rooney, he is not fit
:18:45. > :18:50.enough to feature. Tom cleverly is expected to feature after his
:18:50. > :18:53.timely call up to the England squad. He dreamt about that success while
:18:53. > :18:59.apparently he was dreaming of a certain Ryan Giggs in his back
:18:59. > :19:06.garden when he was a youngster. remember pretending to be him in
:19:06. > :19:14.the back garden. Him and Paul Scholes were good for the younger
:19:14. > :19:18.players to have around and learn from. United -- Manchester City are
:19:18. > :19:28.through to the last 16 of the Europa League after the 4-0
:19:28. > :19:37.
:19:37. > :19:40.demolition last night. 6-1 on aggregate so.
:19:40. > :19:43.United's neighbours City are already through to the last 16 of
:19:43. > :19:46.the Europa League after last night's 4-0 demolition of Porto. It
:19:46. > :19:49.meant the Blues went through 6-1 on aggregate. Sergio Aguerro was the
:19:49. > :19:52.star, scoring the first and then setting up Edin Dzeko for the
:19:52. > :19:55.second. After David Silva had added a third, David Pizarro put the seal
:19:55. > :19:58.on it with a well worked fourth. After the match Roberto Mancini
:19:58. > :20:01.said the controversial striker Carlos Tevez, who's made his peace
:20:01. > :20:04.with the club and his manager, could be back playing in two to
:20:04. > :20:08.three weeks. We know him very well. He is a top striker. I think he
:20:08. > :20:10.would be good. I think you can help us to do a good job in the next two
:20:10. > :20:13.months. Blackburn Rovers fans, unhappy with
:20:13. > :20:16.the club's current owners, are planning what they say will be the
:20:16. > :20:18.largest demonstration in the history of the club. The latest
:20:19. > :20:22.protest against the Indian company Venkys is scheduled for their next
:20:22. > :20:24.home match a week on Saturday. It comes after the launch of a
:20:25. > :20:27.supporters' campaign to try and raise enough money from shares to
:20:27. > :20:30.buy the club. Now, you all know the competition
:20:30. > :20:33.to get into the British team for this year's Olympics is fierce, and
:20:33. > :20:36.never more so than this. Four taekwondo fighters who've been
:20:36. > :20:40.sharing the same flat in Manchester are battling against each other for
:20:40. > :20:45.just one place in the GB team. They all want to compete in the under 68
:20:45. > :20:53.kg category, but three of them are going to be disappointed. Tony
:20:53. > :21:01.Livesey paid them a visit. When four men living the same house,
:21:01. > :21:06.there can always be tensions. Who gets a the honour of switching to
:21:06. > :21:16.North West Tonight? Who is first for the shower? Give us five
:21:16. > :21:19.
:21:19. > :21:25.minutes, boys. And who washes the Pops? -- pots? These Manchester
:21:25. > :21:30.lads have their own unique method of sorting things out. We are all
:21:31. > :21:35.going for one spot. We all know what is at stake -- at stake and we
:21:35. > :21:43.all wanted. What do you have the most arguments about at home?
:21:43. > :21:53.Tidying up. Dishes. People having music on too loud. Here's the
:21:53. > :21:57.grandad. He has got his slippers on. He goes to bed at 8pm! Do you
:21:57. > :22:07.settle things with a quick arm wrestle or flinging each other down
:22:07. > :22:12.the hallway? How are you all going to cope emotionally when one of the
:22:12. > :22:17.walks out of the store with an Olympic tracksuit on? And the other
:22:17. > :22:23.three, looking at what you could have one! How we are going to cope?
:22:23. > :22:32.I think that for me is going to be the hardest thing. There are still
:22:32. > :22:42.The European championships come to Manchester in May. Perhaps then we
:22:42. > :22:43.
:22:43. > :22:46.will know which of these four will finally go for gold.
:22:46. > :22:52.Never a disappointment. United fans won't be resting too
:22:52. > :22:55.easily. Basle of course came back from two goals down at half time
:22:55. > :22:58.here in the Champions League. Fergie has been talking about that
:22:58. > :23:01.in the run up to the game and you can't really imagine the Reds
:23:01. > :23:11.making the same mistake again. Full Commentary of course on BBC Radio
:23:11. > :23:11.
:23:11. > :23:18.Manchester. Kick off is at 8.05pm. It looks like a pleasant evening up
:23:18. > :23:22.there. It was beautiful weather today. It is probably a bit chilly
:23:22. > :23:28.air? It is. I am wearing your jacket!
:23:28. > :23:37.I recognise that. A beautiful day today. We were
:23:37. > :23:41.going for 17 degrees. That is Tomorrow will not be the same. Do
:23:41. > :23:45.not expect a repeat performance. Through this seedling and overnight,
:23:45. > :23:50.it is quiet for many places. Once again for parts of Cumbria and
:23:50. > :23:55.Lancashire, where they have been plagued by rain today, they did not
:23:55. > :24:02.get 17 degrees, that will continue through the night, particularly
:24:02. > :24:08.around hilly areas. Dull damp and drizzly there. For the rest of us,
:24:08. > :24:12.it is a dry picture. It will also be clear. Temperatures will not
:24:12. > :24:16.fall too far. Realistically, nine or ten degrees. You will not need
:24:16. > :24:20.the heating tonight. Tomorrow morning, for Cumbria, Lancashire,
:24:20. > :24:25.the Isle of Man, the drizzly rain will still be around. In more
:24:25. > :24:29.southern parts, it should be dry. But it does not stay that way for
:24:29. > :24:35.long. Rain works its way down across the region. Many places will
:24:35. > :24:39.see it by lunchtime. It will clear over the Isle of Man and Lancashire
:24:39. > :24:44.and Cumbria. There will be good clear spells of sunshine afterwards.
:24:44. > :24:47.Everywhere will look better by around 3pm. But it will mark the
:24:47. > :24:55.boundary, that weather front, between the mild weather of today
:24:55. > :25:02.and crawler, fresh air temperatures. -- cooler, Thresher temperatures.
:25:02. > :25:10.Tonight I am out and about and in the Blue Peter garden. I grew up
:25:11. > :25:13.with Blue Peter. You probably did as well. But the programme's move
:25:14. > :25:16.from London to Salford meant it needed a new one. And this
:25:16. > :25:20.lunchtime, Princess Anne officially opened it here at Media City. She
:25:20. > :25:22.also planted a tree, part of a drive to plant millions to mark the
:25:23. > :25:32.Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Annabel has been looking back at more than
:25:32. > :25:37.Created in 1974 and designed by TV's first celebrity gardener Percy
:25:37. > :25:41.Thrower. The Blue Peter garden has grown with its viewers. It's seen
:25:41. > :25:45.some good times and some not so good. More than 20 pets stretched
:25:45. > :25:50.their legs on its lawns. George the tortoise and two time capsules were
:25:50. > :25:53.buried there. But it was also damaged three times. On one
:25:53. > :26:01.occasion in 1983, it was totally wrecked bringing both Percy and the
:26:01. > :26:05.presenters close to tears. We have got some rather bad news, I'm
:26:06. > :26:11.afraid. We discovered this morning that vandals had broken into the
:26:11. > :26:14.Blue Peter garden over the weekend and caused a lot of damage. Today a
:26:14. > :26:17.new era began. The Princess Royal came to Salford to open a brand new
:26:17. > :26:24.Blue Peter garden outside the BBC's Media City. And for the first time,
:26:24. > :26:30.it'll be open to the public. belongs to the Blue Peter viewers,
:26:30. > :26:34.so come and have a look. It is for people for -- to come and see. For
:26:34. > :26:37.the first time, the public can come to the Blue Peter garden. Princess
:26:38. > :26:40.Anne planted a tree on behalf of the Woodland Trust which wants to
:26:40. > :26:44.plant six million trees to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. This is
:26:44. > :26:52.really important for us today, to get the message out about planting
:26:52. > :26:58.trees. We want all of the children across the country involved. I like
:26:58. > :27:03.all of the flowers and stuff. I think all of the environment is
:27:03. > :27:13.nice. It is unlikely that George the tortoise made the journey to
:27:13. > :27:14.
:27:14. > :27:17.the north-west. But the bust of the programme's first ever dog Petra
:27:17. > :27:20.has pride of place in the new garden. More than 30 years of
:27:20. > :27:23.horticultural history may have been left in London, but the Blue Peter
:27:23. > :27:26.garden continues to blossom. It could not be more accessible. It
:27:26. > :27:28.is right in front of you when you get off the tram. People who came
:27:28. > :27:34.area for the match at Old Trafford, they came to have a look.