28/06/2012 North West Tonight

Good evening. Welcome to North West Tonight with Roger Johnson and

Annabel Tiffin. Our top story... A book of condolence is opened for

the victim of the Oldham explosion as more details emerge about the

man arrested in connection with the blast. In the face of such a huge,

huge sense of loss and pain, people want to do something.

Police say they are pursuing several lines of inquiry. Also

tonight... Battening down the hatches. Homes and businesses in

South Cumbria are hit by floods after a day of heavy rain.

The Isle of Man cyclist going for Olympic gold. And it is not Mark

Cavendish. And he's cute, but maybe not cuddly.

We will be telling you why he is It is just over 48 hours now since

the devastating gas explosion, which flattened terraced houses in

the Shaw area of Oldham. 6the investigation into what

happened is gathering pace with every passing hour. Detectives said

today that the arrest of a 32-year- old man on suspicion of

manslaughter is only one of a number of lines of inquiry. A book

of condolence has opened in the local church for two-year-old Jamie

Heaton who died in the blast. People are leaving more and more

tributes to Jamie Heaton, the two- year-old who died in Tuesday's

explosion. Among those paying their respects today, a family friend,

who spoke to Jamie's mum Michelle this morning. I do not think

Michelle is in any sort of state to talk about anything. All she wants

at the moment is her little boy. That is all that is on her mind.

Indications from the police are that it could be weeks before of

they know exactly why the explosion happened. But they have arrested a

32-year-old man in London, because they believe he may have been to

one of the properties in relation to the upkeep of a boiler. This

afternoon, a 32-year-old man was arrested on the offence of

manslaughter, is currently being transported to Manchester, and will

be subjected to rigorous interview today. I would not like you to

speculate in relation to that line of investigation, but would say it

is one line of investigation. Police say the man is from Shaw,

but not from Buckley Street. They will not say whether he has any

connection to Andrew Partington, the man injured on Tuesday's

explosion. Police still want to question Mr Partington when he

regains consciousness. Earlier, a book of condolence was opened at

the. People also lit candles. The bishops spoke of the importance of

community togetherness. -- opened at the church. With huge sense of

loss and pain, people want to do something and the opportunity to

come in and light a candle and sign the boot of condolence, express

support and care, that is hugely support -- that is hugely

importance. -- book of condolence. People may be able to return home

soon, company by Menges of the emergency services. -- accompanied

by members of the emergency service. Those whose homes are stronger --

are more destroyed will not be allowed home at all.

Investigations into the gas explosion have meant continued

disruption for people who live within the police cordon. Today,

some residents of Shaw were allowed back to collect their belongings.

But others are still being kept away.

Nicola Cooney was at home with her daughter Holly when the house three

doors away exploded. I moved away from the door, I do not know why,

but then the door blew in, there was massive bang. The pictures and

mirrors came off the walls. left without money or belongings.

She is staying with her mother who is off work to help. Is the sea

first thing you have found it busy? It has been engaged before.

easy is it to find out what is going on? Quite difficult and

frustrating. Today, three year-old Holly went to nursery. Has there

been difficult to carry on as normal? Yes, just going up to the

school and dragging her around different places. The school is now

a refuge centre. Donations are piling up. They are thankful, but

there is little else to go on. are looking to see which houses are

safe. And you get back there? So she is staying with you? Yes.

You have to allow for that? It is tragic circumstances, with that

little boy, but you have to make the best of it. The community has

pulled together. Some people returned to their homes this

afternoon to keep their belongings. But she will have to wait until

tomorrow. I just want to get back home and back to normal. It will be

some time yet before she returns for good.

Next tonight, torrential rain is causing flooding in parts of the

South Lakes. A number of homes and businesses have been affected in

Kendal. The West Coast Main Line is currently suspended. There have

been landslides on the line. We will have an update in just a

moment. First, we can go to our correspondent Colin Sykes.

I am right in the centre of kindled by the river. Between 1 and two

o'clock this afternoon, we had 33 millimetres of rain in just one

hour. That is extraordinary by any standards. This river has been

prone to flooding before. People send pictures of cars being stuck

as water came down the high street. Some properties flooded, one shop

flooded, the what are now going down, but still residual problems

caused by flash flooding. -- the water has now gone down. There have

been problems with cranes being stuck around Lancaster or -- run

Lancashire and Carlisle. We had our reporter who sent this clip.

It is absolute chaos. People going off, they have been told there have

been problems going north and south. The main track has been blocked.

You are from Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, a busy afternoon?

Yes, across the county, about 60 calls. In this area alone, about 30

calls. Many to affected flooded properties. We managed to send

appliances and officers, particularly important friar

control staff, giving advice over the telephone. -- fire control

staff. It was important around Highgate. Thank you. And you are

the Chief Executive of the local council. What can you do for

people? We have had a number of people that obviously need

somewhere to sleep, because their houses have been flooded. We are

dealing with houses and social services, but also safety in terms

of electrical appliances in businesses and homes, also food and

how people can prepare themselves, mother of businesses can open

tomorrow or not. -- whether businesses can open. Thank you.

River levels have been going down, but the river is still swollen for

this time of year. Back to the studio.

Thank you. Let us get more on the situation in some of the worst

Dianne is here. Because of how the showers have

developed, it can be difficult to keep track. The Isle of Man,

Merseyside and the Wirral was affected. The Cumbria have really

been at the heaviest they are. -- the showers have really been at

their heaviest in Cumbria. Almost 30 millimetres of rain in just one

hour. From three o'clock, the showers moved up over the Pennines,

heavy ones across Lancashire, but those are leaving, and the picture

does get better after that, thanks Beauly -- thankfully.

Thank you and we have a full A court has heard how the gunman

who shot dead an Indian student in Salford messaged friends as he

watched the crime scene from a hotel window just metres away. A

witness also said how it Kiaran Stapleton watched the events on

television. He admits shooting Anuj Bidve early on Boxing Day, but

denies his murder. It was Kiaran Stapleton who pulled

the trigger. It was Kiaran Stapleton who ended Anuj Bidve's

life. The question for the jury... Was Kiaran Stapleton fully

responsible for his actions? The day after, Stapleton checked in to

a hotel just metres away from where Anuj Bidve had died. The court was

shown to CCTV footage of Kiaran Stapleton looking outside from the

hotel. At one point, he became distracted by the TV news reporting

on a hunt for a gunman in Salford. The court heard a string of

messages between Stapleton and his friend Ryan Holden. He was with him

on the night and became Ryan Holden will later testify

against his friend. The weapon has never been recovered. But today, a

forensic expert said it was likely a semi-automatic handgun had been

used. And that Anuj was shot at close range. The manager of the

tattoo parlour, where Stapleton asked for a teardrop below his eye,

told the court his behaviour had been excitable. When told a

teardrop can represent a murder, he told the manager, does killing my

goldfish count? You will be seeing me on Crimewatch. Kiaran Stapleton

initially denied the shooting, saying, you are bringing everyone

from the area, I have a job. He later confessed after being charged.

At the time he pulled the trigger, experts are expected to say he was

not fully responsible for his actions. The trial continues.

Some of the day's other stories. People in the North West are most

at risk of having their home repossessed. That is according to

new research by housing charity Shelter. Knowsley is second in the

survey and five of the top ten places at risk in the country are

in this region. The charity says more people are struggling to meet

mortgage repayments. We know that housing nowadays is so expensive

that just a couple of lost hours, or perhaps the loss of a job, can

tip a family into being at risk of being repossessed.

The MP for Liverpool Riverside, Louise Ellman, is urging the

Government to give more cash for the Northern Hub project. It is set

to transform rail links across the North of England. The Chancellor

has already pledged �130 million towards the scheme, providing

better links between cities including Liverpool and Manchester

Detectives investigating a fire at a pub in Liverpool say they want to

speak to a second man in connection with the blaze. The fire at the

Punch and Judy pub on Bolton Street started in the early hours of this

morning. A 41-year-old man from Kirkby is being questioned on

suspicion of arson. 6000 metres of overhead electricity

lines have been stolen from the Ribble Valley in the past two

months. Residents are being urged to be vigilant and report if their

electricity goes off between midnight and 4am.

Next tonight, the family of a Merseyside man who died as a result

of injuries after a single punch to the head whilst trying to separate

an argument say they want they want tougher sentences for this sort of

crime. Joe McDermott died in January this year, just over three

months after he was hit. His family are now campaigning for a review.

A picture of the last family holiday with the nieces who adored

him. Joe was 52 years old when he died as a result of injuries from

one punch to the head. We go to bed at night now and it is on your mind.

You think of Joe and toss and turn trying to get to sleep and cannot

sleep. The man convicted of his manslaughter, 33-year-old Paul

Richards from Litherland, was on court bail at the time for a

separate offence. He was this week sentenced to four years, eight

months, something which Joe's family say is not long enough.

need 100,000 signatures to get a review of the sentencing tariff

associated with manslaughter us. the moment, sentencing for one

punch can only fall under manslaughter. The degree of

culpability, there is the greatest for this type of offence than any

other offence, so it is difficult if not impossible to categorise the

offences to the extent where you could give definitive guidelines.

The message from the police is that they want people to understand the

damage that can be caused. I would just like to get this message out

of the tragic consequences, devastating consequences, of what

one punch can do. It can ruin people's lives overnight through

one punch. Someone hits the flora and it is just too late. Joe fought

for days before succumbing to his injuries. The hope for his family

is his death will not be in vain. witness said they would not forget

the sound of Joe's head hitting the floor. That is -- the sentences

something we will never forget. I will never forget the sound of his

head hitting the floor, remember that.

60 years ago, five soldiers of the Manchester Regiment were ambushed

and killed in Malaya. It was headline news at the time. But

Cliff Holland from Lancashire, who survived the battle, believes the

sacrifice of his comrades has been forgotten and now he's determined

to put that right. Stuart Flinders has been to meet him.

60 years ago, Malaya was part of the British Empire. Communist

rebels launched guerrilla attacks. Those continued even after the

British left. 13 young men from the Manchester Regiment were ambushed

in 1952, five were killed, Cliff Holland survived. All hell was let

loose. The vehicle I was driving was shot off at the back, the front,

along the side, the machine gun fitted to the top packed up firing

because that was hit. People were shouting, one man was shouting for

his mother. All I can say is all my friends dead all over the floor.

Cliff, who now lives near Blackpool, became a police officer in Salford

and the rest of the country seemed to forget what happened in Malaya.

Is perhaps discomfort from many attacks of this period, because he

assumed the locals United against us. That is not the case with

Malaya. We had a campaign of the Peking -- of defeating the

Communists. The Communists could have created at Malaya that was

under a communist dictatorship. Cliff is determined that those who

died 60 years ago next month are not forgotten. Those of us from the

Manchester Regiment still alive will not allow those people to be

forgotten. Those men may have been killed in Malaya, the unerring

cemeteries on the west coast of Malaya, been there for 60 years. --

They are now in cemeteries. They will never be forgotten. Cliff is

helping the Imperial War Museum in an effort to remember for court and

wards. It might be 60 years ago, but you

can tell the memories are still vivid. Yes, and still so important

to keep that campaign going. Still to come on North West

Tonight... Isle of Man cyclist, Peter Kennaugh,

tells us about his Olympic dreams and his mate Mark Cavendish.

And why the region's keen gardeners are these little hedgehogs' worst

nightmare. A prickly little problem! I would not hold them,

though. Yes. Sport now. Ryan Giggs, Craig

Bellamy and Micah Richards have been picked for the British Olympic

football squad. The BBC understands that they will be named as the

three over-age players... Is that over 35? That is when the squad is

announced next week. David Beckham, who was an ambassador for London's

Olympic bid, has been told he will not be selected.

That is a shame. Anyway, the Olympic dream appears to be over

for Preston athlete Helen Clitheroe. Despite running a season's best

today, the 38-year-old finished 16th in the 5000 metres final at

the European Championships in Helsinki. Helen has been struggling

with a foot injury. Now she believes she won't be selected for

the British athletics squad. It is just really frustrating.

I was in great shape before I had trouble with my foot. I am not the

only athlete with injury problems. I have been lucky in my career with

hardly any time out with injuries. I have been consistent going to

championships. I cannot really complain too much.

Wigan's 800 metre runner Jenny Meadows also suffered a huge blow

to her Olympic hopes today. She pulled out of the Championships in

Helsinki. After nine months out injured, the 31-year-old was hoping

to compete this afternoon. But her torn Achilles reacted badly during

the flight to Finland and she had to withdraw. The former World and

European bronze medallist is desperately hoping the Team GB

selectors will give had a discretionary place. -- give her.

Definitely not heartbreak. I feel very, very positive. Jenny Meadows

will have season this season. It did not start when I wanted it to.

Whether I am selected for the Olympics or not, I am sure I will

be competing this year. I just hope I am on that team and not just

competing at diamond leagues and I am competing at London as well.

The last time the Isle of Man won an Olympic gold medal was in 1912.

But now, 100 years later, it is hoping to win not just one, but two.

Mark Cavendish is part of the British team hotly tipped to win

the road race event. And his fellow cyclist, Peter Kennaugh, is a key

member of the British track team. They are confident that they, too,

can take gold. The two men were childhood friends. Isle of Man

reporter Kelly Foran has been talking to Peter about his medal

hopes. Sea is the world champion! -- he is.

So there is the Manx world champion you know all about.

And here is one you may not have heard of yet. Peter Kennaugh

recently set a new world record. The focus now is on becoming

Olympic champion. Everyone would say going to the Olympics is a

major achievement. But it would not really count unless we had one. --

won. He has his share of bad luck, though. This was 2009. Here he was

competing alongside Mark Cavendish. But they are more than team-mates.

They grew up on the Isle of Man and trained together as juniors. When

we lived on the island, we Biddle was trained together. I would train

harder because he was so much better. -- we would always trained

together. Lots of little things that made me, really inspired me,

seeing that he could do it and made me want it even more. So what is it

about the island that produces such strong riders? The roads are sore

heart, that if you do not enjoy cycling, you will not enjoy it. --

the roads are sold tough. It has a bit of everything. Pete comes from

a cycling family as well as a cycling nation. His brother Tim has

competed for Great Britain. Whenever I speak to people, or they

speak to me about Peter, it is all was the Olympics that is mentioned.

I do get nervous. It is such a sort -- it is such assured event,

hopefully they will do well. -- such a short event. And after

already winning one gold medal this year, Peter will be hoping to reach

the top step of the podium again. You can tell there is only 29 days,

two hours to go before the Olympics. Did you know that of the top of

your head? His fellow Manxman, Mark Cavendish,

is used to a starring role at the Tour de France. But this year he

says it is all about helping one of his team-mates to win the famous

yellow jersey. Bradley Wiggins, who lives in Chorley, is favourite to

come out on top in the race which starts on Saturday. Although he has

won 20 stages of the tour, Cavendish says helping his mate to

become the first ever British rider to win the whole thing would be

very special. To be part of that is quite an exciting prospect. Two-

goal with a real opportunity of winning the yellow jersey and bring

it for up a British team. -- to go there with a real opportunity.

we have a full interview with him tomorrow. I went to see him on

Tuesday. He has really interesting things to say.

Now they are prickly, cute and pretty friendly. Hedgehogs! As the

weather's not been good recently, they've been trying to keep warm in

grass. But gardeners are injuring the small creatures when cutting

their lawns. Some of them are getting emergency care.

Meet Harry the hedgehog. At just five weeks old, he is an orphan.

will have to go into an enclosed garden... Harry is one of many

hedgehogs injured with strimmers and lawnmowers. During this weather,

the wet weather, people have not cut their grass. What they are

doing is going in with strimmers or lawnmowers without looking.

Obviously, the hedgehogs are injured. Barbara at Withington

Hedgehog Hospital Trust is nursing back to health 22 hedgehogs left

injured by gardeners. 11 of them are amputees. Her youngest patient

is only a few days old. This is just one of the eight babies that

were brought here, because the mother was injured. She was not

able to feed them, so they have been hand rear. -- reared.

hedgehogs get warm incubators, care and plenty of food. They are eating

dog and cat food, nuts, raisins, biscuits. But these cooked

breakfasts will not last forever. When they are ready, these

hedgehogs will be released back I was enjoying that. I worry for

those who have been amputated. So just checked before cutting the

grass. But will it be dry enough? I would not worry, scrambled eggs

and biscuits? Good evening. You know what we had

through today, belting showers, and we are still under a yellow warning.

This is in place until 9pm. We are airing on the side of caution,

because the worst has gone. We shall watch -- the showers caused

havoc in places. Now they are causing havoc in the North East of

England. The latest picture shows a much better position. Maybe some

showers around the Pennines over the next an hour. The rest is dry.

As the night progresses, the cloud rolls back in, some light and

patchy rain trying to work its way in here and there, managing to get

into the Isle of Man and parts of Cumbria. For most, not that much

within it. Hardly even dampening the ground in southern parts. That

will not help Cumbria, but it should not be significant

thunderstorms or downpours. Temperatures through the night

still in the mid- to high teens, so still mild, but nowhere near as

humid. That humidity reduces and it feels cooler and fresher tomorrow.

Starting tomorrow with cloud around. Patchy rain could turn up anywhere.

But it is not downpours or thunderstorms, just drizzle for

most. The cloud will thin and break with some spells of sunshine here

and there. We got to 23 Celsius today. You will not see that

tomorrow. 18-19 at the very best. Over the next few days, it remains

a changeable. The weather was terrible for some,