06/01/2014 North West Tonight

Good evening. Welcome to North West Tonight, with Annabel Tiffin and

Roger Johnson. Our top story. Accused of rape and kidnap. A court

is told a Chester man attacked his victim just two days after being

released from prison. It's claimed Peter Watton subjected the woman to

a nine`hour ordeal. Also tonight.

Police search an anti`fracking campsite after claims a flare was

fired at the force helicopter. The former alcoholic Lancashire

woman who's dog chewed off part of her face. She says it saved her

life. I am happy to be alive, I am happy

to know I am going to live. And, the story of Sir Philip Craven,

one of the most important people in the world of sport.

A court has heard that a man kidnapped and raped a woman just two

days after being released from prison. Peter Watton was halfway

through a six`year sentence for kidnap and robbery. Mr Watton, who's

from Chester, denies 12 offences. What are the basic details of the

alleged attack? Six tall and muscle`bound, that is

how the prosecution described the man in the dock, he is 37 years old,

Peter Watton, from Chester, and it is their case that in June last year

he lay in wait for a lone female on a footpath not far from here, on the

outskirts of Chester. His alleged victim was out jogging with her dog

when he is said to have pushed her into bushes and, armed with a knife,

subjected her to a nine`hour ordeal of sexual degradation. At the end of

it, she broke free and ran to a house and raised the alarm. Peter

Watton's case is there was no life and that this was a chance encounter

followed by consensual sex over a much shorter period of time. He

denies 12 charges, including rape and kidnap. This is said to have

happened days after his release from prison. How was Peter Watton

arrested? Just two days after he had been released from prison after

serving half of a six`year sentence for kidnap and robbery. Another

detail given to the jury about his past, in 1999, the admitted

attempting financially to abduct another woman while he was dressed

as a policeman. He was finally arrested in June near a railway line

on the Welsh border after a chase, after he had been spotted by an

off`duty special constable. The police have decided they wanted to

question him quickly, within three and a half hours of the alarm being

raised. They knocked on his door, he was not there. It was after a

manhunt that he was finally arrested. Tomorrow, is alleged

victim will give evidence. Police have been searching the

campsite set up by anti`fracking protestors at Eccles in Greater

Manchester. It follows claims that a flare was fired from the camp

towards a police helicopter as it came in to land at a nearby

airfield. The protestors deny the claims. Today, they chained

themselves together to block the road leading to the site.

Power to the people! The protestors have a right to protest. The police

have a duty to ensure it's done lawfully. Today, Greater Manchester

Police revealed that's cost ?33 ,000 Police revealed that's cost ?33 ,000

since the protest camp was established here in Eccles.

The company IGas says it wants to establish whether fracking for shale

gas would be feasible here. In the bigger picture, more fossil fuels

being burned, contributing to climate change, so we are trying to

stop that. This morning, three women manacled themselves to a complex

system of tubes and concrete blocks to barricade the access road.

Specialist teams are attempting to cut them free from the pipes and

concrete. If their aim was to cause disruption to traffic flow in and

out of the site here, judging by the backlog of the road, it seems they

have had some success. The lane was also clogged by large numbers of

police, who'd arrived to search the protest camp. The pilot of a police

helicopter had reported that a flare was fired from here as his aircraft

came in to land at the adjoining airfield. Demonstrators denied any

involvement. They said they would not sanction such a move. Nobody

would look to in danger anybody's life, it is a silly action. Would

you turn in the person who fired the flare? Yes, if we found out who the

person was. The police found a small quantity of cannabis, but no flares

or flare gun. IGas say they'll continue their explorations here.

The protestors say they'll continue trying to disrupt them.

The financial regulator has launched an investigation into the

Manchester`based Co`operative Bank. The review will consider the role of

former senior managers at the Co`op, which underwent a rescue last year

after a ?1.5 billion black hole was discovered in its finances. The

Treasury has already announced an independent review into the lender's

troubles. An inquiry into a helicopter crash

in the North Sea in which 16 people died, including a man from

Merseyside, has been told the aircraft fell like a torpedo. A

seaman who saw the crash off the Aberdeenshire coast nearly five

years ago said its rotor blades broke away from the fuselage. James

Edwards from Fazakerley was among those killed.

Police investigating claims of historic sex abuse at two Manchester

music schools are considering extradition proceedings against a

former violin teacher living in the United States. 56`year`old Chris

Ling is wanted for questioning as part of their investigation into

allegations at Chetham's School of Music and the Royal Northern College

of Music. Detectives say an Oldham Athletic

fan who was stabbed after yesterday's FA Cup game at Liverpool

is refusing to talk to them. The man, who's 35, flagged down a

passing ambulance in the Anfield area after a disturbance at around

5pm. His injuries are not life`threatening.

Work to build a new link road connecting Heysham to the M6

motorway is finally under way. Last month, objectors lost their final

legal challenge to stop the ?12 million project.

It was the most brutal of wake`up calls, but Wendy Hamriding says her

dog biting off part of her face was one of the best things that ever

happened to her. Wendy was an alcoholic and says drink would have

killed her had she not suffered the horrific injuries inflicted by her

pet. Now, surgeons have rebuilt her face, and she hopes to work with

recovering alcoholics. I should warn you, you may find this

report distressing. She entails strangers' stays and

constant pain, but Wendy Hamriding says the day she woke up to find her

dog had written off half her face is the day she stopped being controlled

by alcohol and began to live again. I was a chronic alcoholic, there was

no when the left. I wanted her back. When this happened, she came back.

Would you say this has saved your life? Yes, my dog saved her life ``

saved my life. She was drunk, had fallen down the stairs and had

passed out. She knew immediately she would never touch and a big drop.

People will say, how can you be pleased that this has happened? I

would be dead otherwise. I am no good to anybody dead, I am no good

to Mike kids or grandkids dead. Incredibly, specialists teamed up

with a surgeon in Brighton who took part of her tooth and moulded it to

create a protective layer for a new fake I, and for the first time in

two years, she can see again. How happy are you now? Really happy. I

enjoy waking up in the morning, giving the birds sing, and all I

does today was shot at them because I had a hangover. I am happy. `

shout at them. I'm happy to know I am going live.

It is courageous of her to tell her story, and he very much.

Many coastal roads on the Isle of Man were closed as rain and gale

force winds moved in. Many residents spent yesterday putting sandbags

outside their houses in preparation for more flooding this afternoon. A

red flood warning was issued and gusts reached up to 60 miles an

hour. The town promenade this afternoon,

the road turned into a river. High tide and strong winds and a bad

combination. Over 10,000 sandbags have been handed out over the

weekend, some people have fled their homes. This is my parents' house,

but because they are elderly, they are staying in the hotel. They are

staying there until Saturday, till we can get downstairs emptied and

cleared and dry. With the cooker on `` on blogs, she did all she could.

We got the fridge freezer out of the kitchen, we put it up on breeze

blocks to see if we could lift it out of the water. It came in so

fast, we could not do it quick enough. Today, numerous roads were

closed, to keep people away. After Friday's storm, it took hours to

clear away the debris. There were hundreds of tonnes of silt on the

road, we were using excavators to clear it before we could sweep it.

Forecasters say it could be years before we see whether this severe

again. It is a fairly rare event. We saw a flood event like this on

Friday, but the last one was in 2002, so 12 years ago. It is a one

in ten to 15 year event. These narrow streets and again covered in

water today, residents and volunteers are clearing out what is

destroyed so they can move back home.

Let's hope there is no more rain and wind to come. We will have the

weather at the end of the programme. Still to come on North West Tonight.

From London to Rio. We meet the local man masterminding

some the world's biggest sporting events.

The Chancellor's confirmed today billions of pounds more will be cut

after the next general election. billions of pounds more will be cut

after the next general election And after the next general election. And

that means the squeeze on our councils will continue. Over the

next few weeks, many councils are publishing their budgets for this

coming year. But what does it mean in practice for those affected?

There's no doubt councils have been hit hardest by the Government's

cuts. Local Government has already lost about a quarter of its budget.

But today, the Chancellor reminded people that he's trying to balance

the books and defended the need for another ?25 billion of cuts after

the next election. When it comes to the choices we

make, I want to go on creating a welfare system that is fair to those

who need it, making sure it protect those who need it, but also fair to

those who pay for it. Take Salford City Council. It says

it's lost ?97 million over the last three years. Government funding is

being cut by ?16 million next financial year. But with increasing

costs taken into account, Salford says it will actually need to save

?25 million. So, it's stopping free social`care support for people

classed as having moderate needs, people like Betty Morris.

I have paid for a cleaner to come and clean for me. Now, that has been

cancelled. How can I add my age to my own cleaning?

Salford was the last council in Greater Manchester to still meet

moderate need. But in a statement, it said, we spend 22% of our annual

net budget of ?60 million on adult social care, yet have had to make

?25 million cuts to this over the past three years. This shows the

real, human impact of the savage cuts Salford City Council is being

forced to make. 1,000 people on moderate care are being reviewed. It

should save about ?1 million, though that's costly for those like Betty

who lose out. Tomorrow, Salford will publish its annual budget, they will

tell us who else will lose out as well.

A Manchester`based charity is warning about the increase in human

trafficking in the North West. Hope For Justice has rescued 142 victims

of modern slavery in the last two years in the UK, and says more needs

to be done to tackle a growing crime.

Last year, a couple from Salford were jailed for trafficking a girl

into the country from Pakistan. The court heard how they had kept the

girl in a cold, damp cellar with no contact with the outside world for

nearly a decade. As shocking as it is, it does not surprise those

working for Hope For Justice. I have dealt with numerous cases of the

most horrific kinds of abuse imaginable. That is always going to

be shocking to me. Predominantly, people are brought into the country

via some kind of deception, for the promises of work or a different life

in this country. We had to work every day, seven days a week, from

morning until evening. We had to live in the same room and sleep on

the same bed. I'd used to think that the UK was a place of freedom. By

setting up the charity, its founders hope they can reach out to more

people who would otherwise remain trapped. There is a strong feeling.

People talk about slavery, they imagine people being locked in

cages. Why put somebody in a physical page when you can put them

in a mental cage? You can see more on the work done by Hope For Justice

tonight at 7:30pm on BBC One. It is an amazing story.

They have got some fantastic access, they went with the police,

looking for the traffickers. It is at 7:30pm.

Diane will be there, and she will return to us next month, after

working on other projects for a while.

Richard is here now with the sport, and we start with a recurring theme,

more misery for Manchester United. Yes, a fifth home defeat of the

season, and this one sees them dumped out of the FA Cup as well.

Swansea won at Old Trafford for the first time in their history thanks

to Wilfried Bony's late, late winner. This after United had been

reduced to ten men following the sending off of Fabio da Silva.

No excuse, we had a very strong team at, just about every player we had

was an international. Nearly every player. It has been a tough start, a

tough opening period. Disappointed that we have not won more games and

played better. But I am sure it will change, I have got no doubt about

that. Manchester United fans have been largely patient after the

team's stuttering start under David Moyes.

Is that still the case, do you think?

It is hard to gauge. There were signs that certain sections of the

support were growing restless. There were boos at Old Trafford at the end

of the match. But I think, as these banners indicate, the support for

David Moyes and the understanding that his rebuilding job will take

time remains pretty solid. It's fair to say, though, that United's

Capital One Cup semifinal against Sunderland tomorrow night has now

taken on added significance. Well, earlier in the weekend, some

of our other sides made it safely through to Round Four. And for one

or two, that old phrase the magic of the FA Cup was spot on.

Rochdale made it into the Fourth Round for the first time in 11 years

in style. Scott Hogan scored the first. Ian Henderson the second an

absolute cracker that capped his man`of`the`match performance. And a

great day for the club. It has snowballed for us over three rounds,

we have got another home game now, with the tail sticking again, it is

fantastic, and it makes such a big difference. Dale could face a

Macclesfield Town side boosted by events on and off the pitch. Talks

about a possible takeover of the Conference club are progressing.

about a possible takeover of the Conference club are progressing And

a battling 1`1 draw earnt Macc a replay at the Championship's

Sheffield Wednesday. Blackburn Rovers very nearly pulled off one of

the shocks of the round, pushing Manchester City all the way at Ewood

Park. Alvaro Negredo fired City in front just before half`time. But

Rovers matched last season's finalists and earnt a replay thanks

to Scott Dann's equalizer. A phenomenal effort, playing against a

world`class team. They have restored some pride in the club today.

Preston North End also have a replay against higher`league opposition.

Kevin Davies' goal enough for PNE to bring Ipswich Town back to Deepdale.

The holders Wigan Athletic had a firm hold on their tie against MK

Dons. Leading 2`0, and then 3`2, thanks to Callum McManaman's goal.

But the Latics let it slip, and will have to do it all again at the Dons.

Bolton's Jermaine Beckford once again showed his remarkable

goal`scoring knack in the competition, this time against

Blackpool. The striker has netted in the Third Round in each of the last

five seasons. And popped up again with the winner against the

Seasiders. Roberto Martinez guided Wigan to Cup

glory last season. And there are signs he just might do the same with

Everton. His side easily dispatched QPR, 4`0. Stevenage, from League

One, will certainly have their work cut out in Round Four.

Well, it all means that five of our teams face replays next week.

Holders Wigan face that tricky trip to MK Dons, Preston host Ipswich and

Macclesfield hope to keep their fairy tale alive at Sheffield

Wednesday on Tuesday. Manchester City and Blackburn renew their

rivalry at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. You can get details of

the Fourth Round draw on the BBC Sport website.

For the last ten years, he's been at the forefront of the Paralympic

movement, in charge of spectacular Games like London 2012. So, how did

Bolton`born Sir Philip Craven become one of the most important people in

the world of sport? We have been given exclusive access to the

President of the International Paralympic Committee on a recent

trip to Rio. We are here tonight to celebrate the

opening ceremony of the 2008 Paralympic Games.

The London 2012, the greatest Paralympic Games ever. Sir Philip

Craven has been the head of Paralympic sport for the last

decade, working to transform the Games into a global spectacle.

It's a job which has taken him to some of the most glamorous places

around. But a lot of his work is done from his home near Crewe. Sir

Philip actually grew up in Bolton, but his life changed at 16. I was

rock climbing with some friends in Bolton, I got to the top, I had put

some notes into the cracks, and out it came, down I went, ten metres, I

broke my back. Lying in a hospital bed in Southport, he had another

life`changing experience. It would be about the second or third day, I

saw wheelchair basketball played outside my window, and launched

myself into it. He competed in five Paralympics as a player before going

on to run wheelchair basketball. Paralympics as a player before going

on to run wheelchair basketball Sport at this level is available,

first`class support, on an equal par with able`bodied sport. In 2001, Sir

with able`bodied sport. In 2001 Sir Philip was elected President of the

International Paralympic Committee, presiding over a home Games. It did

not matter what happened at the closing ceremony, these have been

the greatest Paralympic Games ever, but bring gonorrhoea the junior

road! `` bring on Rio! Recently re`elected, he will make regular

chips here as he checks on preparations for the 2016 Paralympic

Games. I am looking for spirit, activity, interest, emotion. I am

going to find it. Tomorrow, we'll see what Sir Philip does find from

his visit to Brazil. I always think he speaks a lot of

sense. More from him through the week.

They'd never seen daylight and were terrified of human contact. But ten

young foals are starting the New Year enjoying the feel of grass

under their hooves for the first time after being rescued from a

research laboratory. The charity that took them in freed the horses

through negotiation rather than direct action, and says it hopes its

approach will see more animals released.

Racing around their paddock, kicking up their heels. But before

Christmas, these young foals had never seen the great outdoors. They

were just hours from slaughter. About to be put down after spending

their short lives being used for medical experiments. They work

absolutely terrified, they would huddle in the corner, in a group.

You could not see them, they could not see you, they were protecting

each other. They had never been handled, apart from to have their

tests on them. It has shocked me, how fast they have come on. At the

laboratory, the foals had only numbers. Now, they've been given

names, the first initials of which spell out the words Will To Live.

They were rescued by Unite To Care, which campaigns to end animal

testing but also wants animals used for research to be re`homed rather

than euthanized. The charity doesn't believe in violent action, but in

quiet negotiation. It reached a deal to free the foals on condition the

laboratory wasn't named. Testing is a legal requirement, so if we took

30 animal out, they would replace them, because the tests have to be

done. The negotiation, it has worked a lot better, because we now have

ten animals out alive that would not have been out alive otherwise. For

now, the foals are being stabled at the Peggy Henderson Animal Sanctuary

in Sale. Two have already been re`homed. The others are still

looking. Until then, they're delighting in their new`found

freedom. Delighting in the mud! We have had

lots of rain lately. Hopefully, improving a tiny little

bit. A disappointing start to the working week, the first working week

of 2014. We have had a lot of rain today, and very strong wind. Very

close to 50 mph recorded in Merseyside. Over that in Cumbria and

the Isle of Man. Still, a yellow weather warning, which is valid

until mid`night, for strong winds, maybe gales around the coasts. For

this evening, we have seen the flood warnings just going down quite a

lot, eight of them at lunchtime, we are now down to three. Call the

flood line number if you are concerned. This evening, we start

with fewer showers than this afternoon, but overnight, the cloud

starts to build, and the strong, starts to build, and the strong,

blustery showers sweeping in from the west. Very strong wind as well

around the coast. The temperatures are not so bad. For tomorrow, pretty

much more of the same. Not quite as windy as it has been today, but

still quite windy. We are going to see some sunshine

through the afternoon, and plenty more showers. Not as many as we have

seen today. It will not feel that warm, once you factor in the wind

and the rain. Over the next two days, Wednesday and Thursday,

hopefully it should be quieter and dryer.

Fingers crossed! A lot of communities will be

relieved, after what we had towards the back end of last week.

High pressure building on Thursday, so hopefully dryer.

We will be here with a full weather forecast at 10:30pm.

We are off home! Have a good night, thank you for watching.

TOM: # And if there's anybody left in here

# That doesn't want to be out there... #