24/02/2017 North West Tonight

Welcome to NorthWest Tonight with Roger Johnson

Police Taser a blind man as his white stick is mistaken for a gun at

a Manchester Railway Station. An investigation has begun.

Jail for the fly-tippers caught on camera as they dumped asbestos

And a little TLC for the tiny squirel found injured

This place in spy of the formation of the National Trust and now, after

more than 120 years, the Trust finally owns it.

An investigation has been launched after a blind man was tasered at a

railway station. Officers were called to the scene when his white

stick was mistaken for a gun. An investigation has begun. What do we

know about what happened? Around this time last night with the light

fading, police surrounded a man who they thought was dangerous and

carrying a weapon. That weapon turned out to be a walking stick and

a full investigation is now under way. This shopkeeper described a dog

barking and armed officers shouting to a man to lie down outside

Levenshulme station. The blind man was tasered after police mistakenly

took his folding came for a gun. The shopkeeper said the man was

distressed. He was in a confused state. It was a bit dark but I could

make out he was probably quite worried, in a state of panic, sort

of thing. What were the officers around him trying to do? They were

trying to calm him down. They had realised... From about ten or 15

metres I could make out it was a mistaken identity course. One

officer went into the shop to buy a drink that was given to the man.

Police were originally called following reports of a man with a

gun. Police said today... In 2012, a blind man was tasered in

Lancashire after his white stick was mistaken for a sword. He was walking

in Chorley town centre on the way to meet friends. Police say that this

latest incident will be referred to Greater Manchester Police's

professional standards Branch for a full investigation. Within the last

half hour, police have released a few more details. They say to

witnesses and firearms officers felt the man they tackled was agitated

and acting in an agitated manner, as a result they deployed that Taser.

Officers have visited the man today and apologised. He has accepted that

apology and no formal complement has been made.

There was reassurance for workers at Vauxhall's

Ellesmere Port plant today - after the boss of French firm

Peugeot told officials here that he's not in the business

Carlos Tavares has been in London - as his firm moved closer

to a takeover of Vauxhall from General Motors.

He met union leaders and government ministers.

Earlier the BBC's Business Correspondent John Moylan told me

This was the first meeting between Mr McCluskey and Mr Tavares.

Len McCluskey, perhaps, Britain's most important,

powerful union leader and Mr Tavares will be very

aware that the unions up at Ellesmere Port have a track

record of being really important stakeholders in the plant.

Mr McCluskey himself came out and certainly seemed,

at least confident that they had established

I'm pleased about some of the assurances that we've been

given about honouring existing agreements and that

means our products in Ellesmere Port and Luton.

Although still a lot of issues and technical

Interestingly, Mr McCluskey also said the Peugeot boss

talked in terms of not being here to shut plants.

That's not a firm commitment but it's the kind of language

We know that Greg Clark, the Business Secretary

Theresa May has even spoken to the Peugeot boss on the phone.

What are the government having to say, though?

I think there's been lots of activity at a government

You've had a statement from the Department of business

saying it was a constructive meeting where they made the case of how

They also discussed Peugeot's approach to increased market share

and the Secretary of State says that he was assured that commitments

to the plants would be honoured but also there was recognition that

members of the Vauxhall pension fund would be no worse off.

I think that's important assurances for workers at Vauxhall, as well.

Police have confirmed that human remains found on a Greek island

are those of a Cheshire man, who went missing

Steven Cook, who was 20 and from Sandbach, was on holiday

when he disappeared on the island of Crete in 2005.

Following a forensic examination, Greek authorities confirmed

the remains found in a well in Malia were his.

The former Conservative Home Secretary and long-serving

Lancashire MP David Waddington has died at the age of 87.

Lord Waddington - who was born in Burnley -

represented three Lancashire constituencies as an MP

the Prime Minister Theresa May said he would be sadly missed.

And the Prime Minister visited Cumbria today -

after the Conservatives won a surprise victory in

Theresa May joined the new MP Trudy Harrison in Millom -

in the southern-most tip of the constituency.

It's the first by-election gain by a sitting government in 35 years.

Two men have been sent to prison after Liverpool Council began

They were caught repeatedly dumping rubbish, including bags of asbestos,

Flytipping costs Liverpool more than a million pounds a year

and the town hall recently announced a cut in council tax for anyone

George Parry and David Smith ran a man and fan service collecting

sofas, building materials, household rubbish and dumped it here in a back

street in Norris screen. They didn't know they were being filmed. We

identified the vehicle used and stopped it on a number of occasions.

From that we identified the driver and front seat passenger which

subsequently turned out to be the two that were prosecuted for the

offence. They are not the only offenders. The shopkeepers whose

buildings back onto the street have watched helplessly as it has been

used as a tip for a long time. We've had beds, 3-piece suites, fridge

freezers, just general bags of rubbish and waste. The rats out

there sometimes have been terrible. Parry and Smith from West Derby in

Liverpool, both unemployed, pleaded guilty to four charges each. More

evidence of fly-tipping in the very street used by Parry and Smith. The

cross the city, fly-tipping costs cancel taxpayers more than ?1

million per year. Liverpool Council is determined to stamp it out. Two

teams in the north and two teams in the south to remove rubbish keeping

it as clean as possible. Enforcement teams will be going through the

rubbish to find out where it comes from so we can go after the people

dumping it. And incentives for people in forming an fly-tippers. If

you provide information that leads to successful prosecution we will be

looking at council tax rebates and other incentives. The council deal

with 55 fly-tipping incidents per day. Shopkeepers were surprised to

learn that somebody had actually been sent to prison for fly-tipping

in their back street. The council hopes it will serve as a warning to

others. Now - finding it difficult

to get to see a doctor? A ?41 million pound scheme to give

patients greater access has been approved

for Greater Manchester today. Already in some areas surgeries

are banding together to offer evening and weekend appointments

at a central hub. Now that's going to extended

across the whole area. Our Health Correspondent

Gill Dummigan reports. It's constantly busy in here -

from 06.45 am to 6.30PM, But given a chance, patients

would like to be here even longer. It would be easier because I

wouldn't have to make time up at work and rearrange all my calendar

to come and be seen. It's hard to come in when you are working during

normal opening times. Longer opening is a good idea. It gives people the

opportunity to get appointments outside working hours and also when

they have not got childcare. to a limited weekend morning service

in central Bolton. They say more of that would free

them up to be more effective. It would help in terms of relieving

some of the workload for is and it would be good for patients as well,

if they are working or caring for others when they find it difficult

to see us during the week. GP surgeries group together

and send patients to one central hub for evening

and weekend appointments. There are already around 40 of these

in Greater Manchester, This will increase those hours

and bring that up to more than 60. This extention of GP opening hours

was central to Greater Manchester's case for health devolution

getting control of its own

six billion pound budget. They argue that debtor access to

primary care use people healthier and away from hospital.

But at 41 million pounds some think the money

could be better spent on core services

We need to invest any money available in the area where it will

reach the most people. The backers say this will bring more support.

Bringing in chemists and people like musculoskeletal people.

A busy week after all that stuff on social care earlier in the week.

Still to come on North West Tonight -

Join me later in the unlikely new home of rugby league.

The National Trust takes over one of the most recognisable

A new museum telling the story of the British Music industry

opens in Liverpool in a couple of weeks' time.

The music promoter Harvey Goldsmith is behind it and it

after the city beat 11 other bids to host it.

The icons of North West's musical heritage need no introduction

and they're all among the stars showcased in the British

We go from 1945 up to the present day and show our visitors what

amazing talent the UK has produced. The museum was searching

for a permanent home after five years in London

when Harvey Goldsmith got a surprise invitation

from the City Council to Walked in the door and I said yes.

Not knowing what it was they wanted to do. It is the most spectacular

room. They said we'd love you to bring your rock 'n' roll museum up

here. Liverpool is actually the home of British music, actually. This is

the core of the museum, our tribute to live music. We have this stage

set up underneath the amazing skylight of the Cunard building.

Here we are in the 1990s. We look at Britpop, the boy bands, the girl

bands. Take that, the Spice Girls. We go back further and look at the

Manchester scene. It will be run by age to build trust to run workshops

to get children into music. but how will it fit

with the existing Beatles story museum and exhibitions already

in the city? You can't have too many musically

based institutions. I think it will be an added attraction.

The value of Liverpools tourism industry has grown by nearly

ten percent with visitor numbers up year on year.

The City Council will be hoping this latest attract helps

It will be popular. We should go. A team they are out.

And Manchester United are building up to the League

It could be Jose Mourinho's first trophy with United.

No United manager has won a major trophy in their first year.

Mourinho's team take on Southampton on Sunday at Wembley.

And as you know the Reds are fighting on several

As well as the Premier League they're still in the FA Cup

Today they were drawn against the Russian side FC Rostov

But as for the League Cup Mourinho says he wants to win it and he wants

Let's try to win another one this season.

Plus, the quality and dimension of our football is very

Now to Blackburn Rovers and new manager Tony Mowbray has

the chance to get up and running in his first match in charge.

Mowbray has replaced Owen Coyle who left the club this week.

Second bottom Rovers face Burton Albion who are just

a couple of places above them in the Championship table.

And Mowbray says he's determined to turn the team's

If we can get the players facing in the right direction,

winning games, enjoying each other's company,

respecting the gaffer and his thoughts and ideas of how to play,

then I hope that the people who support this club will respect that

the lads on the pitch are giving everything for this club.

Rovers then have a new manager and in speedway the famous

It secures the club's future after a series of setbacks.

Under the previous owner the Aces had their license taken away.

A new group has now been given permission to take charge

of the historic club, which means the Aces will be

able to carry on racing at Manchester's National Stadium.

Wigan Warriors are to be investigated by the Rugby Football

League after they called off their Super League home game

The game has been switched to the home of the Vikings, which is an

all-weather pitch. The RFL say they'll be

looking into the matter. Elsewhere tonight Leigh host

St Helens , Warrington Castleford All the best coverage of course

on your BBC local radio station. Staying with rugby league

and what about this As you'll know, despite repeated

attempts to grow the game, rugby league remains a sport

dominated by Northern England. Now, its newest club

Toronto Wolfpack has become the first Trans-Atlantic team

in world sport. Ahead of the Wolfpack's first

competitive game tomorrow, Stuart Pollitt has this exclusive

report on the North American team For decades rugby league

has tried to expand beyond the M62 corridor

with mixed results. They are Kent Invicta

and are based at the The biggest change in Rugby League

for 100 years took place in Paris The first time that Wales

has ever had a club Now the sport's crossing the pond

and breaking new ground. What will this look

like in a few months' time? The Toronto Wolfpack

is the brainchild of this man. It's a pioneering project that

will take not only Rugby League to another level, another stratosphere,

it'll also change the way world sport is done on a

professional level. Despite starting in

the third and bottom tier, there's a record

sponsorship deal and Wolfpack season ticket sales have

hit a promising 4,000. The artificial pitch

here is kept on the cover Because of the weather,

the Wolfpack won't play any home

games here until May. the team is training on the other

side of the Atlantic and ex-Leigh Centurions

head coach Paul Rowley. Unique, interesting, challenging.

Bit of everything, really. Imagine the first

conversations to recruit Saying, you know,

there's a new team in Toronto. One of those who said yes

is the former Saints Some of the clubs have been

around a hundred years. We've all bought into

this bit of a dream. are Barrow Raiders

who make the seven-hour The Wolfpack cover travel

and accommodation but the trip could still be costly the club

and its part-time players. It may be that clubs take weaker

squads because players can't get It's an unfortunate position

where these guys probably It gives that element

of travel, experience. A sport long criticised

for failed expansion could now become the blueprint used by others

across the globe. Fascinating idea. You can see the

wolf pack in the Challenge Cup live tomorrow. More about how the club

came about an Inside Out next week. It is a heck of a commute. They will

fly over all the teams they are playing and their accommodation.

They will come over here and play their away games in a block of four

weeks, as well. That's amazing. And expensive! They have a very rich

backer. That is how they do it. Back in 1893, a Cumbrian clergy are

logged out over beautiful Grasmere Island and lamented that the public

could never visit it because like much of the Lake District at the

time, it was privately owned. He was so outraged that he decided to do

something about it and along with the tricks but he helped to form the

National Trust. And recently, finally, the National Trust has

their hands-on Grasmere Island. Small but beautifully formed.

Grasmere Island is at the heart of the Lake District. Wordsworth is

said to have picnic here recently. Recently, the island came up for

sale but the thought of it becoming private property deeply outraged

canon Walmsley. Loew he had an affinity for natural beauty. The

journey to the island is added to lick experience. The new owner made

a few new additions that didn't go well with the public. He planted

shrubbery that caused indignation. A letter was sent asking him to

reconsider his changes. The reply was blunt. If you are so concerned

about the island, you were perfectly competent to come and buy it. That

is the issue. Bits of the Lake District being sold off to the

highest bidder. He was passionate that ordinary people had access to

natural beauty and nature. The loss of the island to public use proved

the catalyst for him to become a founding father of the National

Trust. Only now as the island been able to take control of it. The

island has been bequeathed to the National Trust. Will it be overrun

with hundreds of people coming to visit? While we never prevent people

from coming, physical access to the island is difficult which makes it a

refuge for nature. As a conservation charity, that's really important

tours. Quite an oak tree you have here. It is. A wonderful oak tree. A

veteran. Who knows how many hundreds of years old. The Canon spent his

last days within view of the island. Now, at last, the island is part of

the trust's portfolio to be preserved for everyone to view for

ever. Lovely. Who is this an impression of? He can't do his own

growing. I love Grasmere. I fancy a visit. You might spot some of these

in that neck of the woods. A baby red squirrel,

just one month old. He has quite an appetite,

but wasn't always so bright He was rescued by

volunteers in Ainsdale. He had fallen from a tree and had

been on the ground for some time. He had a bloody nosed and covered in

lice was very cold. Merseyside has long been active

in the protection of red squirrels, with Formby one of the last

remaining strong holds Sebastian's rescue coincides

with a national campaign urging more people to volunteer to help these

rare animals For now Rachel has to provide

round the clock care for Sebastian. So how does it feel looking

after this unusual newborn? He takes a lot of my time and

obviously is quite a conversation piece. It's really important not to

handle him in too much. He needs to have minimal contact. Only hold him

at feeding time. It's hoped Sebastian will be ready

for release by early summer. Juliet Phillips

BBC North West Tonight. It doesn't get much cuter than that.

Apart from Di! I can be just as vicious, if you are not careful.

Take a look at this glorious picture. Absolutely beautiful over

the North West. It has been cold. It will be windy but mild. These

weather fronts are trailing across as. Next week, we cooled down and

see the return of sunshine. This afternoon has all been about wet

weather. Over the next couple of hours, we're expecting showers. For

the most part, it is relatively settled right now. Temperature is

lowest in the first part of the night and will rise as the weather

comes in, the wet stuff I have been talking about. Initially

temperatures down to around three, as you start the day, four, five, 6

degrees. Tomorrow, the rain is never far away. A warning for heavy rain

in Cumbria. Through the afternoon, many places will be really quite

wet. No brightness at all. Temperatures are pretty good. The

rain keeps coming through the night. Petering out towards Sunday morning.

Sunday, the reverse. The best of the weather first thing. Wind and rain

to come later on. The message is, it's wet. It's hardly news, is it?

The Museum of British music opens in the Cunard building on the 9th of

March. Have a great weekend. Enjoy it.

Cake-a-bake? Yeah. What is that?

It's like bake a cake, but we flipped it.

Oh, my God, we love flipping. Cake-a-bake. Cake-a-baking.

I love it. I so love it when this happens.