:00:12. > :00:15.Good evening. The head of the European Transport Committee is
:00:15. > :00:21.backing a dramatic bid to reopen the debate on who runs the West
:00:21. > :00:23.Coast mainline. First Group won the contract two weeks ago, but Virgin
:00:23. > :00:26.Trains boss Sir Richard Branson has offered to temporarily run the
:00:26. > :00:29.service for free to give the Government time to review the
:00:29. > :00:38.contract. North West MEP Brian Simpson says he wants Parliament to
:00:38. > :00:42.have time to discuss it. Nazia Mogra reports. It seems like after
:00:42. > :00:48.15 years, Sir Richard Branson can't quite let go of the West Coast
:00:49. > :00:51.Mainline. He's a billionaire with an empire, and the news 2 weeks ago
:00:51. > :00:57.that Virgin trains had lost the West Coast Mainline franchise to
:00:57. > :01:01.First Group, was a blow to the company. And now he's offering to
:01:01. > :01:04.run the line from the North West to London for free, so Parliament can
:01:04. > :01:12.look at the First Group bid. He wants the government to delay
:01:12. > :01:18.signing the 13-year contract with his rival. Let the select committee
:01:18. > :01:25.of Transport examine the facts, let the House of Commons debate that
:01:25. > :01:27.before they rush a signature out tomorrow. Some want the matter
:01:27. > :01:33.discussed in parliament. I suspect the Government will say the
:01:33. > :01:42.decision has been made so we need to go ahead with it. It is only in
:01:42. > :01:45.four year's time that we will know if this bid was over done or not.
:01:46. > :01:48.First Group in a statement today said: Our bid is deliverable and it
:01:48. > :01:52.provides the best deal for taxpayers, for passengers and for
:01:52. > :01:55.staff on the West Coast Mainline. They go on to say: We won the bid
:01:55. > :01:57.fair and square and we are pleased that the Department For Transport
:01:58. > :02:00.sees no reason to revisit the process. First has promised major
:02:01. > :02:04.service improvements, new trains, extra seats and a cut in fares as
:02:04. > :02:07.part of the �5.5 billion deal which will be sealed when pen is put to
:02:08. > :02:10.paper tomorrow. Thousands of music fans have been left disappointed
:02:10. > :02:15.this afternoon, after much of Liverpool's Mathew Street Music
:02:15. > :02:17.Festival was cancelled because of high winds and rain. Organisers
:02:17. > :02:24.took the decision this morning after advice from police and safety
:02:24. > :02:29.experts. But indoor events have gone ahead, as Andy Gill reports.
:02:29. > :02:34.There should have been thousands of people enjoying live music here.
:02:35. > :02:37.Instead, technicians dismantle the stage and sound system. Music on
:02:37. > :02:46.all five of the Mathew Street Festival's outdoor stages was
:02:46. > :02:51.cancelled because of predicted high winds and rain. We have got a lot
:02:51. > :02:59.of temporary barriers and temper ready street signs, sharp winds
:02:59. > :03:03.could blow them off into the crowds. When the crowd tried to disperse
:03:04. > :03:08.there is the rest of people slipping on the wet floor and being
:03:08. > :03:18.crushed or injured in that way. organisers say they were hugely
:03:18. > :03:18.
:03:18. > :03:23.disappointed. But say they had no option. This is at free Festival
:03:23. > :03:33.but people from all over the world spend money getting to Liverpool
:03:33. > :03:34.
:03:34. > :03:42.for it. We spoke to fans from as far away as Norway. I am angry, we
:03:42. > :03:51.have come a long way. We will be going inside, we will not miss it.
:03:51. > :03:55.We have come from Leicester, we are very disappointed. I am quite upset,
:03:56. > :03:58.it is a thing we look forward to every year. It was a let down for
:03:58. > :04:08.performers too. Mathew Street itself was busy, as fans flocked to
:04:08. > :04:13.
:04:13. > :04:16.indoor events. A man has appeared in court today charged with the
:04:16. > :04:19.murder of David Short, who was killed in a gun and grenade attack
:04:19. > :04:21.at his home in Clayton. Manchester magistrates remanded 24-year-old
:04:21. > :04:23.Jermaine Anton Ward in custody. He'll appear again on Wednesday.
:04:23. > :04:26.Meanwhile Greater Manchester Police have doubled to �50,000 their
:04:26. > :04:29.reward for two men wanted in connection with Mr Short's death.
:04:29. > :04:31.Officers are searching for Dale Cregan from Droylsden and Anthony
:04:31. > :04:39.Wilkinson from Beswick. The reward is the largest ever offered by
:04:39. > :04:43.Greater Manchester Police. Police in Blackburn are appealing for help
:04:43. > :04:45.to trace a man who's been missing since Friday. 23-year-old David
:04:45. > :04:55.Noble was last seen at the town's railway station wearing a khaki
:04:55. > :04:57.
:04:57. > :05:00.hooded top and black jogging pants. It's thought he may have travelled
:05:00. > :05:02.to Salford. Police describe him as vulnerable and say he can be
:05:02. > :05:05.unpredictable and potentially violent. Anyone who sees him is
:05:05. > :05:13.asked to ring them on 999. Blackpool promenade will be closed
:05:13. > :05:16.this evening to cars for the annual Ride The Lights event. Sport now,
:05:16. > :05:18.and Manchester City manager, Roberto Mancini, admits he needs to
:05:18. > :05:21.bring players in following yesterday's draw with Liverpool.
:05:21. > :05:24.Football's transfer window closes on Friday with City just one of our
:05:24. > :05:26.clubs desperate to add to their squad. Stuart Pollitt reports. This
:05:26. > :05:29.late mistake from Martin Skrtel helped Manchester City to a 2-2
:05:29. > :05:32.draw at Anfield yesterday. Now City's manager is after a financial
:05:32. > :05:35.gift this week in the form of some new signings. Liverpool were far
:05:35. > :05:44.from 100% in their opening day defeat. But their new boss was
:05:44. > :05:52.encouraged by this performance. Every field -- every player on the
:05:52. > :05:57.field was fighting to their potential. That is all you can hope
:05:57. > :06:00.for as a player. At the moment that's this club but their manager
:06:00. > :06:04.is warning that the next five days, before the transfer window closes,
:06:04. > :06:07.are vital if City want to stay at the top. Scott Sinclair could be
:06:07. > :06:10.the first new arrival after a fee was agreed with Swansea. And the
:06:10. > :06:14.Italian isn't the only manager in the region planning for a busy week.
:06:14. > :06:17.David Moyes says he need some new faces at Everton despite making it
:06:17. > :06:20.two wins from two in style at Aston Villa. Wigan, who saw off
:06:20. > :06:23.Southampton 2-0, have money to spend after selling Victor Moses to
:06:23. > :06:26.Chelsea. The only man who says he's happy with his squad is Sir Alex.
:06:26. > :06:33.Content after victory over Fulham, that he has the players to bring
:06:33. > :06:38.the title back across Manchester. Here's Eno with your weather. Four
:06:38. > :06:44.of the week ahead the weather looks to be fairly and decided, it is on
:06:44. > :06:48.and then it is off and back again. Tuesday should be drier and
:06:48. > :06:53.brighter, more rain on Wednesday and on Thursday it will be
:06:53. > :06:59.unsettled but with bright spells. Today we still have the weather
:06:59. > :07:04.warning for rain, this is valid until midnight tonight. The rain
:07:04. > :07:10.continues through this evening but on the other side of midnight it
:07:10. > :07:15.should be dry. Temperatures will remain end double figures. Tomorrow