:00:00. > :00:00.chilly. That's all from the BBC News at six
:00:00. > :00:00.so Welcome to North West Tonight with
:00:00. > :00:07.Annabel Tiffin ` and Roger Johnson. MPs are unconvinced ` as Pfizer
:00:08. > :00:13.refuses to safeguard jobs here ` We'll talk live to the
:00:14. > :00:18.Macclesfield MP ` The flight from Manchester forced
:00:19. > :00:26.into an emergency landing after the Thieves steal a protected swan and
:00:27. > :00:33.its eggs from a Cheshire village And three Blackpool Tower `` we are
:00:34. > :00:58.behind`the`scenes. More than 5,000 people are employed
:00:59. > :01:01.by AstraZeneca here in the That single firm is responsible for
:01:02. > :01:05.a big chunk of the regional economy. But tonight, as it is considered
:01:06. > :01:08.for what could be the biggest ever British take`over, we ask if there's
:01:09. > :01:12.anything to be feared from Pfizer? Today the US firm was grilled by MPs
:01:13. > :01:18.over it's intentions for what many In a moment we'll speak to
:01:19. > :01:23.David Rutley MP for Macclesfield who This is the value
:01:24. > :01:32.of Astra Zeneca to the North West. Today Pfizer chiefs arrived
:01:33. > :01:53.at Westminster to face a grilling. No wonder there's fierce interest
:01:54. > :01:55.in this. Pfizer want what would be
:01:56. > :01:59.the biggest buy out in UK history. MPs today wanted assurances that UK
:02:00. > :02:07.jobs would be safe. I can't tell you how many people
:02:08. > :03:45.will be here. and ?63 billion. The boss says he
:03:46. > :03:50.hasn't heard the books. Do you believe him? I'm sure he has seen
:03:51. > :03:55.annual report. He has a good idea of the jobs here. You're been talking
:03:56. > :04:00.about it and we have for a long time now. I wanted to set the record
:04:01. > :04:07.straight. What is their commitment in terms of jobs? Is he going to
:04:08. > :04:12.stick with 2000 jobs in Macclesfield? I was disappointed
:04:13. > :04:17.that he sidestepped the issue. He said there would be a substantial
:04:18. > :04:26.presence in Macclesfield. He did say that. That again you heard on the KP
:04:27. > :04:34.wasn't clear as to what that meant. `` clip. If you are spending ?63
:04:35. > :04:40.billion deal you need a better idea of your workforce. And how many will
:04:41. > :04:44.be based in the second largest site in the UK. You talk about needing
:04:45. > :04:48.concrete reassurance. Vince cable said it could be difficult for the
:04:49. > :04:53.government to block this deal. Should David Cameron come out and
:04:54. > :05:00.put pressure on Pfizer? He already is. He is working hard on that. We
:05:01. > :05:06.need to find out what the commitments will be, make them
:05:07. > :05:09.specific. They need to have a clear`cut commitment as to what
:05:10. > :05:16.they're doing in Cambridge. We have to make these things enforceable, as
:05:17. > :05:18.if there are tax breaks, if they don't follow through on their
:05:19. > :05:23.commitments there is benefit should be clawed back. We need to be
:05:24. > :05:29.looking at that clearly and Asians, because Pfizer have such a big deal
:05:30. > :05:34.and a big interest in this which is vital to our economy. Over 2% of UK
:05:35. > :05:39.exports are being manufactured from Macclesfield. Flank you for your
:05:40. > :05:42.time. A plane bound
:05:43. > :05:44.for Manchester has made an emergency The Boeing 737, with 114 people
:05:45. > :05:49.on board, was diverted after the pilot reported an electrical
:05:50. > :06:09.fault and fumes in the cockpit. This plane parked on its stand after
:06:10. > :06:13.passengers were evacuated. The pilot reported a fault and the smaller
:06:14. > :06:19.fumes. It triggered a full`scale emergency plan. The aircraft lands
:06:20. > :06:24.and they tried to get permission for them to escort it back to stand as a
:06:25. > :06:33.precaution. The aircraft landed safely. It taxied normally and the
:06:34. > :06:39.passengers left normally. After the landing engineers opted to fly home
:06:40. > :06:43.to Manchester rather than journey on. When the door was opened you
:06:44. > :06:58.could deftly smell smoke. It was more noticeable after it had landed.
:06:59. > :07:04.CU worried `` so you were worried? Yes. They were fantastic. No panic
:07:05. > :07:10.at all. It is just when you see the fire engines, that is nerve
:07:11. > :07:19.wracking. I was asked if I smell the smoke. I said I was fine. I didn't
:07:20. > :07:24.smell it. There was no panic? Engineers have been checking over
:07:25. > :07:38.the plane. Arrangements have been made the most passages to go on to
:07:39. > :07:42.Amsterdam on other flights. Stuart Hall has been described as a rapist.
:07:43. > :07:47.The prosecution has been summoned up its case against the man who is
:07:48. > :07:53.charged with rape and indecent assault dating back to the 1970s.
:07:54. > :07:57.The defence say they were in a consensual relationship with him. He
:07:58. > :07:59.admits one can't but denies the others.
:08:00. > :08:02.Dog owners who allow their pets to attack people are to
:08:03. > :08:06.Maximum jail sentences for fatal attacks have increased
:08:07. > :08:10.from two years to 14 years, while the term handed down over injury is
:08:11. > :08:14.There've been a number of dog attack deaths in the region `
:08:15. > :08:17.including that of Jade Anderson in Atherton last year.
:08:18. > :08:20.The writer and comedian Caroline Aherne ` originally from Wythenshawe
:08:21. > :08:23.` has revealed she's battling a genetic form of lung cancer.
:08:24. > :08:25.The actress ` and star of "The Royle Family"
:08:26. > :08:29.She's now encouraging people to speak up about how they think
:08:30. > :08:35.Next Thursday we have a major set of elections across the North West.
:08:36. > :08:37.There are votes for 26 councils ` and also
:08:38. > :08:40.for the European elections which are only held every five years.
:08:41. > :08:43.Yes, last time you might remember the British National Party Leader
:08:44. > :08:46.Nick Griffin became one of our eight Euro MPs.
:08:47. > :08:48.So what's likely to happen this time?
:08:49. > :08:51.Our political editor Arif Ansari can tell us what's at stake.
:08:52. > :08:56.There are 751 Euro MPs in the European Parliament
:08:57. > :09:01.and we select eight of them to represent the entire North West.
:09:02. > :09:08.Last time, the Conservatives won, taking three seats.
:09:09. > :09:15.The UK Independence Party, the Lib Dems and the BNP took one each.
:09:16. > :09:18.But this time, that's going to change.
:09:19. > :09:22.The last time the European election was held here in the North West
:09:23. > :09:27.in 2009 we had a very unpopular Gordon Brown led government.
:09:28. > :09:30.They won one seat at the Conservatives won three seats.
:09:31. > :09:33.That is likely to be reversed and the big factor is UKIP.
:09:34. > :09:37.They won one seat last time and are riding on the crest
:09:38. > :09:40.They will increase their representation, possibly
:09:41. > :09:43.at the expense of the Liberal Democrats, desperately trying to
:09:44. > :09:47.This time the Tories are braced to lose one to Labour.
:09:48. > :09:53.But what about the final eighth seat?
:09:54. > :09:57.The mainstream parties would love to see the BNP lose.
:09:58. > :10:00.But equally the Lib Dems will be struggling to hold on.
:10:01. > :10:05.Maybe the Greens could win or UKIP might take a third seat.
:10:06. > :10:17.An Independence from Europe, the English Democrats, NO2EU,
:10:18. > :10:20.the Pirate Party and the Socialist Equality Party.
:10:21. > :10:23.But if you prefer your politics closer to home,
:10:24. > :10:36.The Tories control two ` Trafford and West Lancashire.
:10:37. > :10:39.The Lib Dems only control South Lakeland.
:10:40. > :10:45.So with hundreds of seats up for grabs, what's likely to change?
:10:46. > :10:48.There are two huge contests in the north`west, Trafford and West
:10:49. > :10:50.Lancashire, which the Conservatives are desperate to defend.
:10:51. > :10:55.Labour are keen to win and if they were to take those two councils
:10:56. > :11:00.Ed Miliband can expect to be Prime Minister at this time next year.
:11:01. > :11:03.Labour also had designs on two councils under no control
:11:04. > :11:06.with a reasonable expectation of taking them.
:11:07. > :11:09.Then you have the issue of the Liberal Democrat meltdown.
:11:10. > :11:12.They have lost almost half their council in the north`west over
:11:13. > :11:19.And after that's all over, settle in for the general election.
:11:20. > :11:34.The people of a village in Cheshire are appealing for help
:11:35. > :11:37.in catching thieves who've stolen a swan from their village pond.
:11:38. > :11:40.The thieves also took a clutch of eggs that were almost ready to
:11:41. > :11:43.But they left behind the swan's mate.
:11:44. > :11:47.Swans are a protected species so if the culprits are found they'll be
:11:48. > :11:51.It's an idyllic spot just outside Warrington.
:11:52. > :11:56.Certainly that is what this pair of swans thought
:11:57. > :11:59.when they chose to nest here and look after their clutch of eggs.
:12:00. > :12:01.They became a big draw for the locals.
:12:02. > :12:04.We have seven eggs, so we have seven young ones.
:12:05. > :12:07.And everybody comes to see them, loads of people.
:12:08. > :12:12.Someone has stolen the eggs just days before they were
:12:13. > :12:15.due to hatch and they've also taken the male swan too.
:12:16. > :12:18.His mate has been left alone and forlorn.
:12:19. > :12:22.It is hard to believe how someone can do such a horrid thing.
:12:23. > :12:28.We have been coming two or three times to watch the nest
:12:29. > :12:32.and we were excited to see they might have hatched today.
:12:33. > :12:36.It is unfair on the swan and that person whgo has done this
:12:37. > :12:45.know she has sat on the eggs for 30 of 40 days, something like that.
:12:46. > :12:48.He didn't want us to show his face because
:12:49. > :12:52.his job includes catching poachers but he says he's in no doubt the
:12:53. > :12:56.Obviously, nobody has stolen it for a pet.
:12:57. > :13:01.I can understand them taking one egg, but certainly not seven.
:13:02. > :13:05.If they ever find out who took the eggs and the swan, they are likely
:13:06. > :13:09.to face a hefty fine or possibly even a term of imprisonment.
:13:10. > :13:12.But perhaps the saddest part of this story is that swans mate for life.
:13:13. > :13:20.So, the one who is left behind is unlikely to find another soul mate.
:13:21. > :13:31.A "Rolls Royce of a player" ` but no longer on the road to Old Trafford.
:13:32. > :13:33.Rio Ferdinand leaves the club where he's been
:13:34. > :13:41.And the lofty landmark on the eve of a major milestone.
:13:42. > :13:50.We meet the men and women keeping Blackpool Tower going. You always
:13:51. > :14:03.have it in your mind you could fall if you don't look after yourself
:14:04. > :14:05.properly. Some of the pictures are amazing.
:14:06. > :14:09.Now have you ever thought about the effort that goes
:14:10. > :14:13.into restoring a painting? Well visitors to Tatton Park can do
:14:14. > :14:15.just that because of a conservation project that is taking place.
:14:16. > :14:19.It's just one of the schemes that has helped the
:14:20. > :14:20.attraction get a prestigious award. Our reporter Yunus Mulla is at
:14:21. > :14:35.Tatton Park and can tell us more. Tell us more about that. The gardens
:14:36. > :14:41.here are visited by around 800,000 visitors every year and will weather
:14:42. > :15:01.like this you can see why, but it is also halfway through a five`year
:15:02. > :15:08.plan. This is one of the most important paintings here but it is
:15:09. > :15:16.showing its age. You can see areas of flaky paint around here. I
:15:17. > :15:23.removed all the layers of service dirt annual varnishes, taking it
:15:24. > :15:27.back to the original layer. Then I will consolidate these areas of
:15:28. > :15:34.flaking paint and anything that is missing I will fill them in. I will
:15:35. > :15:42.retouch the missing pieces to bring it back together. It picks to
:15:43. > :15:46.members of the family as well as members of the local gentry, so it
:15:47. > :15:55.is an interesting painting from a social perspective. The painting is
:15:56. > :15:59.being preserved in full view of the public, just one of the initiatives
:16:00. > :16:07.that has helped it win a gold award from visit England. We walked into
:16:08. > :16:13.the door and saw what they were doing. I believed we would get told
:16:14. > :16:19.to leave, but it is interesting to see how it is done. The painting is
:16:20. > :16:28.expected to be returned to its original place in the main hall by
:16:29. > :16:32.the end of October. I apologise for those technical problems. I was
:16:33. > :16:37.going to show you this, the Gold award at the park has been given for
:16:38. > :16:42.its range of attractions here, including making the restoration
:16:43. > :16:46.work that is taking place here, available for the public. They are
:16:47. > :16:51.hoping to boost visitor numbers up to around 1 million by 2016 and this
:16:52. > :17:08.is perhaps evidence they are on their way. Flank you very much. ``
:17:09. > :17:11.thank. It's the end of an era
:17:12. > :17:13.for Manchester United. Rio Ferdinand, for so long
:17:14. > :17:17.the rock at the centre of defence, Michael Owen today described him
:17:18. > :17:23.as 'a Rolls Royce player.' But, as Stuart Flinders reports,
:17:24. > :17:33.Ferdinand isn't hanging up Six Premier League titles, the
:17:34. > :17:40.European cup, Rio Ferdinand was a key ingredients in the winning
:17:41. > :17:45.formula. He was in Singapore today as fans worldwide absorb the news of
:17:46. > :17:52.his departure. In his most recent TV interview aired on Saturday, he was
:17:53. > :17:57.cagey about his future. I want to play on. I still have stuff to
:17:58. > :18:01.offer. He has released a statement thanking the club and the supporters
:18:02. > :18:16.for an unbelievable 12 years. Team plays treated their good
:18:17. > :18:21.wishes. He wasn't brought Old Trafford as a goal`scorer but as
:18:22. > :18:27.winner in the final minute against Liverpool in 2006 is a fond memory
:18:28. > :18:42.for fans. He signed in to browse more than ?29 million, a walled
:18:43. > :18:51.records. `` in 2002 for more. What a player. Not many better England
:18:52. > :18:56.centre halves. He has a future somewhere and in a particular team
:18:57. > :19:01.he can thrive. There have been low points. In 2003 he was fined and
:19:02. > :19:05.banned for eight months for missing a drugs test, but where ever he goes
:19:06. > :19:08.on here he will be remembered for one of the greatest players of the
:19:09. > :19:11.modern game and even be turns up here when an opposition shirt he
:19:12. > :19:19.will get a good reception. Some more sports news now and Wigan
:19:20. > :19:22.missed out on promotion to the Premier League last night
:19:23. > :19:25.after losing 2`1 to QPR. They went to extra time
:19:26. > :19:28.in the second leg of their Charlie Austin quickly scored
:19:29. > :19:31.for QPR, giving them Meanwhile, Fleetwood took a slender
:19:32. > :19:39.one nil advantage in their rescheduled League Two play`off
:19:40. > :19:41.semi`final first leg against York, with Matty Blair scoring
:19:42. > :19:45.against former side, York City. Andrew Flintoff is set to make
:19:46. > :20:10.a comback to cricket in Lancashire. The club's announced they're
:20:11. > :20:13.in talks over a return ahead of "Freddy" Flintoff ` as he's known `
:20:14. > :20:17.hasn't played in nearly five years after bowing
:20:18. > :20:31.out in 2009 ` but has recently been That'll guarantee more bums on
:20:32. > :20:42.seats. We have risk assessments here. It is the same in many big
:20:43. > :20:46.countries. The men who painted lap pool Tower had to be very brave.
:20:47. > :20:48.As Blackpool Tower prepares to celebrate
:20:49. > :20:52.its 120th birthday tomorrow, we've been behind the scenes at one of the
:20:53. > :21:03.The Tower Ballroom is a sight to behold.
:21:04. > :21:06.But John Bowdler only ever sees it in his rear view mirror.
:21:07. > :21:10.After 26 years playing here, he's still happy to have realised
:21:11. > :21:15.It was my ambition to play here from the age of seven or eight.
:21:16. > :21:19.I used to come in on the balcony with my mum and dad and watched
:21:20. > :21:25.The work behind the scenes is non`stop and, altogether with
:21:26. > :21:30.the front of house staff, over 300 people work at the There are quite
:21:31. > :21:34.a number of people who have worked here for a number of years that have
:21:35. > :21:39.They have the animal stories about the one night
:21:40. > :21:43.the lions got out and a night watchman found them, and about
:21:44. > :21:46.elephants and how they were used to stopping people getting into the
:21:47. > :21:52.There are a lot of stories and lots of interesting people.
:21:53. > :21:55.But it hasn't always been a pleasant place to work.
:21:56. > :21:58.Painting the tower is a never`ending job, and those that
:21:59. > :22:06.Over the years, they've faced the toughest conditions.
:22:07. > :22:14.Among them, Joan Butterworth's uncle.
:22:15. > :22:25.They had a tarpaulin which came loose and we understand
:22:26. > :22:29.whipped him off the platform he was stood on and he came straight
:22:30. > :22:32.He didn't even make the front page of the newspaper.
:22:33. > :22:35.Nowadays the safety equipment stretches beyond a flat cap.
:22:36. > :22:39.We have rope access that comes out where we will work off ropes
:22:40. > :22:58.and hang off ropes and abseil down the tower.
:22:59. > :23:13.They were brave. I showed people the picture of the man holding the
:23:14. > :24:51.ladder. He was a brave man. of that and hopefully good spells of
:24:52. > :24:57.sunshine. We could see 16 or 17 Celsius tomorrow, that is not bad.
:24:58. > :25:01.Then, look at this. For Thursday the temperatures are getting higher, 17
:25:02. > :25:07.Celsius. We hang on to the high pressure for Saturday and Sunday.
:25:08. > :25:15.Have a look at this. In Cheshire, we could see temperatures as high as 20
:25:16. > :25:21.Celsius. I can say Cheshire, but not Cumbria. We knew what she meant. A
:25:22. > :25:26.lovely and warm weekend ahead for us. Have a lovely evening. Good
:25:27. > :25:31.night.