:00:09. > :00:11.Welcome to North West Tonight with Roger Johnson and Annabel Thffin.
:00:12. > :00:14.Questions over the safety of fracking as protest groups unite
:00:15. > :00:18.The industry says shale gas could bring significant investment
:00:19. > :00:25.The swan shot through the hdad and neck with a crossbow but vets
:00:26. > :00:30.They're the bane of motorists' lives.
:00:31. > :00:38.Now the government pledges 08 million to fill our potholes.
:00:39. > :00:54.And preparing for the Rocket Man's arrival in little old Leigh.
:00:55. > :00:56.Campaign groups opposed to fracking in Lancashire have combined forces
:00:57. > :01:02.One of them, Cuadrilla, wants to carry out test drilling
:01:03. > :01:07.Tomorrow, protestors from nearly 20 dhfferent
:01:08. > :01:11.organisations will meet in Blackpool to co`ordinate their opposition
:01:12. > :01:16.The change in tactics comes as a prestigious medical magazine
:01:17. > :01:23.publishes concerns that the current regulations may be too lax.
:01:24. > :01:29.These people are determined that weight scale commercial fracking
:01:30. > :01:44.will never come to the Unitdd Kingdom. This was Salford bdfore the
:01:45. > :01:50.protest moved on this year. Come the Mac has applied to open wells behind
:01:51. > :01:54.this hedge. There are opposhtion groups throughout like a sh`re each
:01:55. > :02:00.with their own agenda but now they are getting together to facd what
:02:01. > :02:01.they see as the latest thre`t. Susan Edwards across the road frol the
:02:02. > :02:05.site. Noreen and Jean represent
:02:06. > :02:07.the campaign in Freckleton. Ebony and Bob are
:02:08. > :02:10.from a group based in the Fxlde They've untied with other groups
:02:11. > :02:20.under the banner, We are launching the campaign
:02:21. > :02:24.throughout Lancashire to give people the opportunity to object to
:02:25. > :02:33.widespread, intensive shale gas development in Lancashire. What
:02:34. > :02:39.should we be concerned about? Safety. Noise. We would still be
:02:40. > :02:44.concerned if bells were going to come down. `` bills.
:02:45. > :02:46.Fracking involves injecting water, sand and chemicals deep
:02:47. > :02:49.into the ground to fracture shale rock and release gas.
:02:50. > :02:50.It will lower gas prices, say supporters,
:02:51. > :02:54.But Mike Hill, an electrical engineer with experience of the gas
:02:55. > :02:56.industry, says the risks ardn't being taken seriously enough.
:02:57. > :03:00.He's written to the prestighous medical journal, The Lancet, warning
:03:01. > :03:07.that there's a lack of regulation and monitoring in the UK.
:03:08. > :03:14.This puts the public at large across the UK at severe risk of sole
:03:15. > :03:23.unbelievable public health concerns. You have been advhsing the
:03:24. > :03:28.opposition. Can we trust yot? I m still advising them. I'm not on
:03:29. > :03:30.their side but I do offer tdchnical advice. So you're not fully
:03:31. > :03:35.independent. I am, yes. Frack Free Lancashire, the new
:03:36. > :03:47.protest grouping, meets for the Let's speak to someone who hs fully
:03:48. > :03:56.independent from Durham University. Professor Richard Davies has worked
:03:57. > :04:02.in the industry. People watching this, a lot of them are agahnst
:04:03. > :04:08.fracking but something we should do it. No one knows who to belheve
:04:09. > :04:16.Absolutely. It is very conftsing for the public. That is why we `re doing
:04:17. > :04:19.research. We are neither for nor against it. We just want to get
:04:20. > :04:27.people independent, trustworthy information. People say thex want
:04:28. > :04:30.more research to be done, particularly in what is happening in
:04:31. > :04:36.America where the industry hs more mature in terms of health problems.
:04:37. > :04:39.That is a good point. There is no proven research that there `re
:04:40. > :04:45.health problems for the public yet. It is one of the key areas that has
:04:46. > :04:51.been released research, so H agree, let's do more research on hdalth
:04:52. > :04:56.issues. But I don't know of any concrete research. There ard
:04:57. > :05:04.suggestions that there are starting to be signs. All I can see hs that I
:05:05. > :05:09.have been researching this for a number of years and don't know of
:05:10. > :05:13.any proven research that shows health risks to the public. The
:05:14. > :05:18.chemicals used in fracking `re not the sort of things you would
:05:19. > :05:25.ingest, but there is no evidence of health risks associated with
:05:26. > :05:30.fracking. The companies see that they will get rid of waste water,
:05:31. > :05:33.Cuadrilla telling us that the development of the shale gas
:05:34. > :05:41.industry and like a share whll bring jobs for local people. Is it
:05:42. > :05:48.regulated enough at the momdnt? I can't say that with any certainty,
:05:49. > :05:51.but it is true there are a lot of regulations in the UK and the
:05:52. > :05:56.thought of companies just drilling wells without thinking about the
:05:57. > :06:02.environment and going through a lot of checks is ridiculous. Colpanies
:06:03. > :06:06.have to get a lot of promothon. They have to drill properly in a
:06:07. > :06:12.particular way and get that agreed by the Government. They are going to
:06:13. > :06:19.fracking your back garden tomorrow, yes or no? No problem. Will the
:06:20. > :06:28.traffic be a problem? Will the school run be painful thing?
:06:29. > :06:30.A teacher caught hiding unddr a teenager's bed
:06:31. > :06:32.by her mother has been given a suspended jail sentence.
:06:33. > :06:36.Andrew Welsh, who's 36, and from Atherton, admitted six counts
:06:37. > :06:40.of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.
:06:41. > :06:43.He was a maths teacher at the school where the 16`year`old had bden
:06:44. > :06:48.The new Metrolink line to Wythenshawe and Manchester @irport
:06:49. > :06:51.is due to open more than a year ahead of schedule.
:06:52. > :06:54.Trams will start to run along part of the route as darly
:06:55. > :06:57.as Monday, as the first stages of testing get underway.
:06:58. > :07:00.Services will initially run between Manchester Airport
:07:01. > :07:07.Hundreds of people have signed up to the Isle of Man's Parish Walk.
:07:08. > :07:10.Around 1500 people will walk all the way around the Island tomorrow,
:07:11. > :07:13.covering the 85 miles in under 24 hours.
:07:14. > :07:16.Participants visit all 17 of the island's parishes in the
:07:17. > :07:24.Rare footage of a breed of fish which was around in prehistoric
:07:25. > :07:29.Sea lampreys are a protected species.
:07:30. > :07:32.The South Cumbria Rivers Trtst filmed them spawning in the
:07:33. > :07:39.Now you may remember last nhght we showed you some shocking photos
:07:40. > :07:42.of a swan which had been injured by a crossbow in Cheshire.
:07:43. > :07:44.Someone fired two bolts through its head and neck.
:07:45. > :07:47.Today an RSPCA vet treating the swan said it's incredible that
:07:48. > :07:52.And police say they're determined to catch whoever did it.
:07:53. > :07:55.I have to warn you may find some of the images distressing.
:07:56. > :08:02.A vet at the Stapely Grange Wildlife Hospital treating
:08:03. > :08:07.It is getting painkillers and antibiotics.
:08:08. > :08:13.Two crossbow bolts shot through its head and neck.
:08:14. > :08:17.One of them has damaged its windpipe so much that a vet in Liverpool has
:08:18. > :08:27.If the crossbow bolt on his head had been a couple
:08:28. > :08:29.of millimetres further, he would have been a goner straight `way
:08:30. > :08:38.Police say they are determined to catch whoever did this not just
:08:39. > :08:43.because the animal cruelty but because the wildlife and scdnery
:08:44. > :08:48.attract many visitors to thhs area between Widnes and Warrington.
:08:49. > :08:50.They'll have been talking to people, possibly bragging,
:08:51. > :08:54.What we are encouraging is for people to search their conscience
:08:55. > :08:56.and, before this individual harms other animals or members
:08:57. > :09:06.The bolts are distinctively short and coloured black and gold.
:09:07. > :09:13.Although it was injured, the swan was distressed and panicked
:09:14. > :09:20.and took the police and the RSPCA several hours to catch it.
:09:21. > :09:25.I can't believe that people would intentionally injure a wild animal.
:09:26. > :09:28.They have done it deliberatdly, they have aimed for his head.
:09:29. > :09:32.I wish I could bring them in here and show them
:09:33. > :09:39.the suffering they are caushng, I think that would do the trick
:09:40. > :09:43.Although it's feeding, the swan is still in danger.
:09:44. > :09:52.Infection and damage to the windpipe are the vet's main concerns.
:09:53. > :09:56.Damaging to drivers and dangerous to cyclists,
:09:57. > :10:01.the Government today handed all our councils more than ?18 millhon to
:10:02. > :10:10.But how will it be spent and is it enough?
:10:11. > :10:13.Well, the figures show that Lancashire received the most money.
:10:14. > :10:16.Nearly ?5.5 million, followed by Cumbria,
:10:17. > :10:19.Greater Manchester and Cheshire with councils on Merseyside getting
:10:20. > :10:26.Now, the Government say that is enough money to fix 350,000
:10:27. > :10:34.While today's money will be welcomed, all councils are being
:10:35. > :10:37.forced to make cuts across the board and that includes
:10:38. > :10:40.Since 2011, Lancashire for example now spends ?9 mhllion
:10:41. > :10:46.less on their roads, and in the City of Manchester, the budget for road
:10:47. > :10:51.resurfacing has gone down from 6 million to just over ?2 million
:10:52. > :10:54.So in real terms there's less money around to mend the roads but
:10:55. > :10:56.Stuart Pollitt's been to Lancashire where the council's approach to
:10:57. > :11:00.fixing potholes has been pr`ised by the Government.
:11:01. > :11:03.The pothole people have arrhved in St Judes Avenue.
:11:04. > :11:11.And not before time according to Eric and his dossier of despair
:11:12. > :11:23.For 12 years, I have written to the council and made information of what
:11:24. > :11:26.Now something is finally happening thanks to Michael, Pete,
:11:27. > :11:31.some tarmac, some tools and some new techniques.
:11:32. > :11:39.This is how potholes used to be fixed. Lots of individual rdpairs
:11:40. > :11:46.that would normally break again in future. The technique being used now
:11:47. > :11:53.is to use one big part of t`rmac to repair lots. Hopefully that will
:11:54. > :11:59.last for years. We realise we have to change our attitudes.
:12:00. > :12:02.Ridwan fixes the potholes btt Councillor John has to fund them.
:12:03. > :12:05.So does Eric feel the benefht of this work?
:12:06. > :12:11.There is never enough to solve the problem. But it gives us a good
:12:12. > :12:21.start to get going. We're not ungrateful for ?5 million, but they
:12:22. > :12:24.have taken 3 million out of this council. It is no great bendfit
:12:25. > :12:33.It is about time. It will s`ve money overall and is a bit caner for the
:12:34. > :12:43.car. `` a bit more kind. There is plenty of time to brush up
:12:44. > :12:57.on new techniques. These are from Ivan Bell
:12:58. > :13:01.in Glossopdale and he's been going around his local area filling the
:13:02. > :13:04.potholes with compost and flowers. He says it's an excellent w`y
:13:05. > :13:07.of making sure the holes ard filled What experiences have you h`d with
:13:08. > :13:14.potholes? E`mail us at ntw@bbc.co.uk or
:13:15. > :13:32.contact us on Facebook or Twitter. I've been with a group of young
:13:33. > :13:34.England fans trying to pick us all up after the team went down against
:13:35. > :13:37.Uruguay. And popping up this weekend `
:13:38. > :13:39.the big stars So, the Government's announced that
:13:40. > :13:47.the full roll`out of what is the biggest shake`up the welfare
:13:48. > :13:50.state has ever seen, will h`ppen Universal Credit, already l`unched
:13:51. > :13:56.in some regional job centres will be The minister who says the sxstem
:13:57. > :14:03.is safe and ready to roll? Or the housing association which
:14:04. > :14:12.says it's pushing people into debt? David is the minister
:14:13. > :14:14.responsible for the Governmdnt's He's in Oldham to meet the poster
:14:15. > :14:19.boys and girls of that reform. Universal Credit helped him find not
:14:20. > :14:25.just any job, but his dream job He wasn't saying get out of here,
:14:26. > :14:31.go and get a job and that's it, He was looking to help me fhnd work
:14:32. > :14:35.that would be specific to what I Like Nathanial, a poster box for the
:14:36. > :14:40.way the reforms focused approach. I just thought the way I cale in
:14:41. > :14:43.and spoke to my specific job coach, they were able to mentor me through
:14:44. > :14:46.and they were quite motivathng. Ikra, who can see a vast improvement
:14:47. > :14:50.on Jobseeker?s Allowance. They also all live
:14:51. > :15:00.at home with their parents. That meant we couldn't
:15:01. > :15:03.ask them about concerns. Concerns we heard about herd
:15:04. > :15:07.recently over budgeting the new 92% of tenants on the benefht here
:15:08. > :15:17.had fallen into rent arrears. We're just not seeing the money come
:15:18. > :15:22.from wither the landlord or the DWP. It's difficult to see how this can
:15:23. > :15:28.be rolled out across the cotntry. We now feel that we've built it to
:15:29. > :15:31.the level where we can expand it right across
:15:32. > :15:36.the North West safely and sdcurely. We checked with Golden Gates
:15:37. > :16:29.housing. There is consensus among many that
:16:30. > :16:32.it is helping people find work. But there are concerns others
:16:33. > :18:04.are falling into debt. much pace in his shot. I am proper
:18:05. > :18:10.disappointed. When Suarez scored the second goal, I knew it was over
:18:11. > :18:12.And today we're still singing for England.
:18:13. > :18:16.Part of a song to raise mondy for cancer research.
:18:17. > :18:22.Even Liverpool fans would h`ve been desperately hoping Luis
:18:23. > :18:29.It was his two goals either side of Wayne Rooney's first ever in a
:18:30. > :18:48.Like other places in the north`west, the street can not going to take
:18:49. > :19:04.their flagstone yet. England were good in places. Deep down, H thought
:19:05. > :19:11.we would have won. Gerard w`sn't fit enough for the game. You can say
:19:12. > :19:12.that, his aunt lives across the road!
:19:13. > :19:15.They'll be hoping next time the team can put a smile back
:19:16. > :19:22.It's been a landmark day for Lancashire bowler Jimmy Anderson
:19:23. > :19:24.who has taken his 1000th first class wickdt
:19:25. > :19:31.Sri Lankan opener Kaushal Shlva was Jimmy's victim,
:19:32. > :19:33.edging to wicketkeeper Matt Prior in the second Test at Headingley.
:19:34. > :19:36.Jimmy finished with 2 for 48 as the tourists were bowled out
:19:37. > :19:42.England were 36 without loss in reply at the close.
:19:43. > :19:45.Lancashire are in Twenty20 `ction tonight, they're up against reigning
:19:46. > :19:51.champions Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Emirates Old Trafford.
:19:52. > :20:11.After electing to bat, a brhsk 8 of just 28 balls brought them to a
:20:12. > :20:15.competitive 187 for three. If you were watching, you whll have
:20:16. > :20:25.realised that Manchester's psychic cat has lost her touch! She wrongly
:20:26. > :20:40.predicted the 1`0 when, but she is in the doghouse at home for missing
:20:41. > :20:46.her litter tray. A cat ` Astra free.
:20:47. > :20:48.He's one of the world's biggest pop stars.
:20:49. > :20:51.Sir Elton John has played the biggest venues in the world
:20:52. > :20:54.but never before has he plaxed a gig in Leigh.
:20:55. > :20:56.In fact, never before has any musici`n played
:20:57. > :21:00.Leigh Sports Village, so it's quite a coup for thd venue
:21:01. > :21:05.to attract one of the industry's biggest names tomorrow night.
:21:06. > :21:07.And as Naomi Cornwell's been finding out, the town is
:21:08. > :21:19.From a three`year residency in Las Vegas to...
:21:20. > :21:26.This stadium's usually the venue for rugby, not rock.
:21:27. > :21:28.But they're warming up to host their first ever music event here.
:21:29. > :21:41.Sir Elton John will be on that stage playing the biggest concert that
:21:42. > :21:43.Leigh has ever seen in front of 17,000 fans.
:21:44. > :21:46.He might be the Rocket Man, but Sir Elton will be arrivhng
:21:47. > :21:48.by helicopter tomorrow and it's Keith's job to makd sure he
:21:49. > :21:55.And I doubt Sir Elton's had a dressing room like this bdfore!
:21:56. > :22:06.We have sent him a rugby shhrt so hopefully he will wear that on the
:22:07. > :22:12.they. There is a fantastic buzz around the town centre and Sports
:22:13. > :22:14.Village. It will be a fantastic event.
:22:15. > :22:17.Sir Elton's not the only music legend in the region this wdekend.
:22:18. > :22:19.He'll have competition tomorrow night from Dolly Parton,
:22:20. > :22:27.While this evening, Rod Stewart plays Blackpool.
:22:28. > :22:29.And there could be a little rivalry there.
:22:30. > :22:39.Making Christmas albums is silly. I will leave that to Rod Stew`rt!
:22:40. > :22:56.LAUGHTER Did I say that? His album is doing
:22:57. > :23:07.much better than mine! I wotld buy a big house where we both could love!
:23:08. > :23:18.How wonderful life is when Dlton John is an Leigh!
:23:19. > :23:32.A glorious day. Hopefully the sun will be nice for Elton John
:23:33. > :23:43.tomorrow. I felt as if I was at the concert! We have seen temperatures
:23:44. > :23:52.of 17 Celsius in the Isle of Mann up to 21 in Cheshire. It will be warm,
:23:53. > :23:59.bright and sunny weather yot are going to Leigh, Blackpool,
:24:00. > :24:06.Manchester, or your back garden Tonight does not look bad, with
:24:07. > :24:15.clear skies in Salford and `cross the region. We start the ovdrnight
:24:16. > :24:20.period with plenty of clear skies. Hopefully more comfortable than last
:24:21. > :24:27.night. We have an onshore at sea breeze with temperatures down to 14
:24:28. > :24:34.or 10 Celsius. Tomorrow will be bright and breezy again. Later
:24:35. > :24:38.today, we have a stiff westdrly breeze that will blow the clouds
:24:39. > :24:47.away to allow the sunshine through the afternoon. Temperatures tomorrow
:24:48. > :24:55.will be similar to today. Wd're looking at highs of 18 to 20 Celsius
:24:56. > :25:00.and a lot of sunshine. We hdad into Sunday again with conditions to
:25:01. > :25:15.write home about. Plenty of blue skies and warm sunshine. Th`t
:25:16. > :25:22.continues into Monday. Early, we asked for your thoughts on
:25:23. > :25:29.potholes. Paul said on Facebook that his father's wheels have bedn bent
:25:30. > :25:35.and his suspension snapped. Carroll says that the only way to
:25:36. > :25:46.fix them as to do a fool Redf versus `` resurface. Paul from Stockport
:25:47. > :25:50.says the roads near him are only getting skimmed so they keep coming
:25:51. > :25:55.back. Thank you for your e`mails `nd thank
:25:56. > :26:05.you for staying with us latdr. Have a nice weekend.
:26:06. > :26:08.I wish that love could come into my life.
:26:09. > :26:25.You were with someone! Who was it? Who were you with?
:26:26. > :26:28.Murdered By My Boyfriend, a true story.