24/09/2012 North West Tonight

The region goes on flood alert again as a month's worth of rain's

predicted in 24 hours. Dale Cregan appears in court

charged with the murders of two Greater Manchester Police officers.

Between 11 o'clock this morning and 11 tomorrow the North West is set

to be hit by a month's worth of rain. Tonight, for the third time

this year, many places in the region are steeling themselves for

flooding. In a moment, we'll be going to one place already hit, but

first let's have a look at the situation around the region. There

is one flood warning in and around Ellesmere Port down through Stoak,

Picton and Mickle where flooding's expected in the next few hours and

immediate action's required. But there are 36 flood alerts where

flooding's possible and they're urging people to be prepared.

Levels on many rivers, lakes and tributaries are rising because of

persistent rain which is forecast to continue throughout the evening

and tomorrow. Problems could get worse in the next 24 hours.

There's been widespread travel disruption. Train services in the

disruption. Train services in the region have been badly affected.

Merseyrail services to and from Chester and Ellesmere Port are the

worst affected. Trains are suspended between Rock Ferry and

Chester and Ellesmere Port. There are no trains between Wigan

Wallgate and Southport and Kirkby. There are no trains from Blackburn

to Clitheroe. Services between Liverpool Lime Street, Crewe and

London are also severely affected. Colin Sykes is at one of the worst

affected areas in Great Sutton just This is where we have the flood

warning for the region. This book are behind me is normally about 2

ft deep, it has been 72 deep at some times today. We have had four

inches of rain since yesterday. If you look over here on the road to

the water has spilled out from the Brook,, over the grass, flooded the

road, and cars can get three but it has been causing problems. We spoke

to some local people. The water rises very quickly when you get

very heavy rain like today. It has been non-stop. It can rise within

an hour, it to a point when you start getting worried. Today, it is

about 7 ft deep. We only live a couple of feet away from that

quarter. In the past we have had a water within about half-an-inch of

coming into the house. The pavings collapsed round the porch and I'm

worried it is seeping into the foundations. Whenever we get a

heavy rainfall, once a year, it is all to do with a grid not being

maintained, basically. They have been numerous problems in

this area. About an hour ago we were in a location where the road

was flooded and the police had to help a woman from her car. There

have been problems at the Canal in St Helens were the canal has burst

its banks. I have a representative from the Environment Agency. How

difficult has it been? It has been difficult. Most parts of the north-

west are experiencing persistent rain, the Environment Agency has

issued 36 flood alert and one flood warning. The Environment Agency has

mobilised its operational field teams to keep rivers free of

blockages, operate flood defences and monitor river levels. The big

question is with all these alerts next 24 hours? We are anticipating

more rain later on tonight and into tomorrow morning, really important

people remain tuned to local broadcasts, avoid a necessary

travel and the Environment Agency website is a wealth of information.

The advice for people is keep checking that. Absolutely. Keep

tuned into local radio and TV weather broadcasts, the Environment

Agency website has got lots of information on how to stay safe and

information about what the weather is doing in people's localities.

Thank you very much. Just while we have been on air I have heard the

number of flood warnings has actually gone up to six.

As you heard from Mark there there will be more rain tonight. You can

get the latest on the late bulletin tonight. In the meantime you can

get up-to-the-minute information And we will have the forecast late

in the programme. The man charged with murders of two

police officers in Tameside last Tuesday, has appeared before

Manchester Crown Court. Dale Cregan is charged with four murders,

including those of PC's Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes.

Dale Cregan appeared at Manchester Crown Court via videolink this

morning, and was remanded in custody, to next appear in court on

the 5th of November. The judge, unhappy at some of the reporting of

the case, ordered there be no further reporting of court

proceedings until the start of any future trial. It's now six days

since the deaths of WPCs Fiona Bone and PC Nicola Hughes in Mottram.

Yesterday prayers were said at the Church of St James the Great in

Hattersley, while a remembrance service of reflection took place at

St Michaels Church in Mottram. At Manchester City's Premier League

match at home to Arsenal, the officers were remembered with a

minute's applause prior to kick off. Today the Greater Manchester Police

Federation has announced plans to sell wristbands featuring the

collar numbers of the officers and the date they died, with proceeds

going to their families. Meanwhile a vigil organised by police for

officers and the public, will take place at the scene of the shootings

You do often feel helpless so praying for the dead officers, for

their families, becomes your reaction, your expression of hope

A 57-year-old man's been arrested on suspicion of murder after

another man was stabbed in Manchester. Radoslaw Waclawiak was

taken to hospital but died later from a fatal knife wound to the

chest. The family of 14-year-old killed in

a crash in Salford at the weekend have paid tribute to him. Cameron

Cash from Swinton was hit by a car on the East Lancs Road. A man was

questioned on suspicion of dangerous driving but later

released without charge. A consultation on major changes to

the fire service in Cheshire begins today. The Fire Authority needs to

save �5 million over the next four years. Plans being put forward

include some stations losing a fire engine and more on-call, rather

than full-time, staff. The brother and friend of a woman

Are running a marathon every day Anthony Grainger died during a

police operation in the Cheshire village of Culcheth. Officers

believed he and two others in the vehicle were about to mount an

armed robbery. It all happened on this car park in Culcheth last

March. A search of the car failed to find any weapons. Grainger's

family have been campaigning since then to have the officer who fired

the fatal shot charged with his murder. On Friday two men who'd

been in the car with Grainger and who were arrested at the scene and

a third who was picked up later were found not guilty of conspiracy

to rob by a jury in Manchester. Fantastic news. I knew it would

come to that because he wasn't doing anything wrong. But he did

have a criminal record and was in a stolen car at the time. He could

have bought it like that, we don't know and we will never know. Only

he will know that. Would you would ultimately? I would the police

officer charged with his murder. The verdict on Friday was an

important landmark for his family in the fight for justice. All I can

say is it will make us even more determined to pursue it to his

rival conclusions. The events that unfolded are being investigated by

the independent Police Complaints Commission. It has submitted its

initial findings to the Crown Prosecution Service and its final

report should be ready some time next month. It will be bent for the

CPS to decide whether there is sufficient evidence for any

criminal charges to be laid against Thousands of jobs are under threat

tonight after the Wigan-based sports retailer JJB announced it's

gone into administration. The store has failed to find a buyer after

years of financial difficulty and up to 180 stores could close.

Elaine Dunkley has the details. This was once a giant on the high

street. But in these tough times even the mighty can fall. Thousands

of workers now have an uncertain future but today's news of

administration came as no surprise to retail analysts. I don't think

it is a surprise if anybody tells us they are struggling, but if

something occurs that I have been looking at the company over the

last few years, they are not particularly strong in their own

branded, brands they control themselves. That is where retailers

tend to make the margin. In the 1990s bands like East 17 helped

JJBs push the sports cas look to teenagers across the land. In 1990s

there were over 400 stores and the company was worth nearly 1 billion

on the stock market. Very sad. It is a very black day for the people

of Wigan. Dave Whelan opened the store in the 1970s and sold it in

2007 when he became too ill to take care of business. I will look at a

few of the stores, I know the ins and outs, and a few more people in

the sports industry will be looking and hopefully we will get a few of

the back in action. Things are no doubt gloomy on the

high street but a combination of tough competition and weak

management decisions has lead to administration. It is a great shock,

been around for ages, does all the brands, football shirts, it is

great, so it is. Where the economic situation in the country is going

it doesn't surprise me it all established brands are taking the

hit. Recession, hard to get money, shop. In a statement JJB said it

would continue to trade through all its retail outlets pending

completion of the sales and Vauxhall has closed its Ellesmere

Port car plant in Cheshire for the next week. The firm says it's

because of sluggish sales across Europe. All the workers will still

get paid but nothing will roll off the production lines. The company

and the unions say it's just a short-term problem. But with the

eurozone economy still in trouble, what does the long term hold for

Ellesmere Port? Driving rain outside, and only a

couple of hundred workers inside, carrying out maintenance on the

assembly line. Normally 2000 people work here. But falling car sales in

Europe have led Vauxhall to show at Ellesmere Port for a week to avoid

build-up of stock. Four fifths of cars made here are exported. The

company and the unions say the plant has a bright future in the

long term. Recently we were taken on as one of those who will build

the new generation Astra, that hasn't changed. We are looking

forward to shift working, and taking on a number of new members

for a union. The workers are getting paid this week, the company

can call on them for extra work in the future. The company and the

unions say this shutdown is a short-term issue. But one expert

says carmakers like Vauxhall may be facing trouble in the long term if

they -- if their sales are squeezed between upmarket brands like BMW,

and cheaper mass-produced cars from Asia. It is being squeezed in the

middle of the market by the German premium brands like BMW coming down

and the value brands like Haydn died coming up. It is a very

uncomfortable future for the brand. Upmarket Land Rover are doing well

at Halewood. A car parts maker in a them saying Europe is worried and

factories must look elsewhere for growth. We have dramatically

increased our exports, directly into Asia and indirectly as well.

If she is continuing to grow, currently, and long may that

continue. Vauxhall says they did build cars and wait for buyers,

they make them to order. Still to come on North West

Tonight: Tangerines tipped for the top,

could this be their big chance to head the championship?

And we've seen what the weather's caused today, but what's in store

More rain. The Liberal Democrat conference is

underway in Brighton, with announcements today on reviving the

economy. But what about the party's own fortunes in the North West?

Well, it's been a pretty miserable picture ever since the party

entered government two years ago. Our political editor Arif Ansari

has been analysing the Liberal Democrats' performance.

Well this map tells part of the story. Before the general election

the Liberal Democrats were running 11 of our 36 councils. But look at

it now, they are left running just two, Stockport and South Lakeland.

And that means loads of councillors have lost their seats. They had

about 400 when they entered government in 2010. But tough

decisions meant difficult times. Last year they lost more than 100

councillors. And this year was almost as bad with the number again

falling to about 230. Locally the Liberal Democrats have suffered. We

saw in the local elections in 2011 the party been virtually decimated

in more or less every place where it stood. 2012, it was almost as

bad. What the Liberal Democrats will hope is that the local story

can make some sort of recovery for them, despite the national picture

but that is a real talent. So what about those MPs who are already

worrying about the next general election? The Lib Dems have six

seats in the region. But they are vulnerable. Even a small 3% swing

would see three of those seats, Manchester, Withington, Burnley and

Cheadle changing hands. There is danger on both the local and

national fronts but good to see the swingometer in action. I spoke to

the Lib Dem president Tim Farron and asked how the party could

regain ground here? The obvious thing is to recognise

the main concern that effect most people, the economy, the ability to

pay the rent, pay the mortgage, to be able to afford to live, have

basic necessaries -- necessities and a few luxuries. If you have

lost your dog pit is a massive issue. Are you succeeding in

helping people on this incomes, in danger of losing their jobs,

cutting the public budget? There are many cuts and savings I find

pretty hard to swallow but you have got to ask yourself what another

party have made it any better? No. You would have lost control of a

number of councils in this part of the world, are you confident he can

win those back and get back in local government? South Lakeland

District Council has a bigger Liberal Democrat majority any year

ago, so don't read this as a pattern everywhere. They are

gaining seats in many parts of the north-west. Another part we have

lost seats and the reality is really good hard-working

councillors who did not deserve to lose, good Liberal Democrats, who

serve their communities, lost because of the national situation

and we have got to take the rap. The one area where they retain

trust is in our relationship with our community, people know we serve

them better than the other parties, we immerse ourselves in the places

Well time for sport now and, Tony, we were all hoping that Sunday's

meeting between Liverpool and Manchester United would be a

fitting tribute to the 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster. Yes,

bitter rivals for years, both clubs came together yesterday to mark

something far more important than any football match. As we can see

here, players from both sides wore tracksuits with 96 on the back.

Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez shook hands after their fallout in the

past. United legend Bobby Charlton presented Ian Rush with flowers for

the Hillsborough memorial and fans from both sides listened to their

managers and common sense and acted with dignity. The fans at Anfield a

credit to their club but not everybody behaved. 99.9% did. A

couple took to put it to take issue with the referee who has made a

complete to the police. That shouldn't detract there from a day

that brought out the best from the vast majority of fans across the

field and an enthralling 90 minutes on it.

Sir Alex Ferguson always understood the need for respect. But he was

never in doubt about the need for three points yesterday either. "Our

rivalry with Liverpool, he told his fans, is based on a determination

to come out on top." Jonjo Shelvey didn't help the home side with a

lunge on Jonny Evans. Ref Mark Halsey might have punished both

players but the red card was reserved for the Reds. As it was

Liverpool took the lead when skipper Steven Gerrard slotted home.

His celebration spoke volumes. He lost his cousin at Hillsborough.

United were level within five minutes as full-back Rafael

produced a Brazilian masterpiece. Despite being outnumbered Liverpool

dominated the second half, only for Glen Johnson's clumsiness with

Valencia giving the referee another chance to break the Kops hearts.

Robin Van Persie just about won it. Were United lucky? We were very

poor today. The post half, Liverpool dominated. In the second

half we were better statistics in terms of possession.

performance level right up until the 65, 70 minutes was outstanding.

The balance in the team. It's a result that puts United second and

Liverpool in the bottom three with their worst start for over 100

years. No doubt Brendan Rodgers' tenure is a work in progress. But

for both of these historic clubs after a day of high drama and

emotion, thankfully, yesterday was job done.

Premier League champions Manchester City have been urged to improve by

manager Roberto Mancini after they let the lead slip in a 1-1 draw

with Arsenal. City have won just two of their five matches so far

and took the lead against the run of play shortly before half-time

through a Joleon Lescott header. But Arsenal battled back after the

break and equalised nine minutes from time when Lauent Koshellny

beat Joe Hart. City haven't kept a clean sheet all season.

In the Championship, Blackpool could go top tonight if they beat

Huddersfield Town. The club's enjoying its best start to a season

for half a century. So, could it be on course for a repeat of that

historic promotion two years ago? Even the seagulls were grounded by

the weather in Blackpool today. But the football club's flying high. A

6-0 win over Ipswich last month made everybody take notice. And

though key players, Charlie Adam and DJ Campbell no longer feature

in this squad, there's new talent. Tom Ince is the club's top scorer.

Great to be playing football, given the opportunities I have been given,

and performances I have been put in on his great for me and benefited

back Paul as well. It is a team game and we have all been playing

well. The weather has deteriorated since Saturday's training session

but Blackpool haven't made heavy weather of their started the season.

The best start since the 1950s. The names Matthews and Mortensen may

not mean much to this generation of players, but the manager wants them

to look forward not back. Doesn't matter about years ago or what

happened in the past, that is all history. We want to make some use

and get a real good team and we are showing signs we are not bad and I

want to keep that going. Here's one bit of history the fans wouldn't

mind repeating, the club's sensational rise to the Premier

League in 2010. But how does that team compare with the current crop?

The Football they're playing now is unbelievable. Better than when they

were promoted. They are scoring plenty of goals, a little bit of a

lapse in defence on occasions. But the main thing is they are scoring

plenty goals. It will take more than heavy rain to keep these

players from being real challengers this season. I am not sure that was

the Seagull at the start. Wigan will play reigning champions

Leeds in Super League's play-off semi finals on Friday night after

choosing the Rhinos as their opposition in yesterday's Club Call

announcement. Shaun Wane's side could also have chosen Warrington

but the Wolves will now meet St Helens in the other semi final on

Saturday after they booked their place in the final four with a 24-

12 win over Hull FC at the weekend. Finally tonight, some sad news,

former Lancashire batsman Harry Pilling has died at the age of 69.

A stalwart from the county's great one day sides of the 1970's, he

scored almost 20,000 runs in an 18- year-career.

They are obviously tough in Blackpool because the weather is

Probably by Wednesday he will get better. Good evening. It has been a

wet and windy start to the week, some wild weather around today. If

I show you to regard this is what has been happening this morning and

into the afternoon. Had the pulses of rain were the green flashes are

-- we have seen the heaviest rainfall causing a lot of

disruption. 50 mm of rain falls so far in Crosby, that is nearly two

inches of rain, and counting. There is plenty more rain yet to come.

Over the next 36 hours, Woody Billy Beck. As we have been on her I have

spoken to the Environment Agency and the flood warnings have gone up

from one to six flood warnings and we also have 36 flood alerts in

force tonight. That is changing all the time. The reason for the

horrendous weather is this, the steep area of low pressure. You can

see tonight will swivel to the other side of us, swivelling to the

west coast, so for tomorrow we will see some more rain from the habit

had fully by a Wednesday you can see that just easing. Just leaving

you with showers on Wednesday. Let's have a look at tonight.

Plenty more rain to come. We still have an amber warning in force from

the Met Office. This is the second highest level. Plenty more rain

still to come. This warning is valid until 6am tomorrow morning.

Let's have a look at the rate. You can see some heavy palsies still

coming in tonight. Particularly across Lancashire and Cumbria, the

rain just easing off. The wind is also picking up, possibly severe

gales. A lot of rain as well. Underneath, wet, windy and cloudy

skies, the temperatures will hold well above freezing. Tomorrow we

could see up to 80, and even 100 mm of rain fall on high ground.

Localised flooding could be an issue, continues tomorrow. The rain

continues to pile in, and the rain is falling on saturated ground.

Still some heavy pulses as we head into the afternoon. Hope fully the

wind eases attack. Another miserable day to come tomorrow. The

temperature similar to what we had for today. If you're worried about