:00:00. > :00:00.and on BBC One we now join the BBC's news teams where you are.
:00:07. > :00:09.Welcome to North West Tonight with Annabel Tiffin...
:00:10. > :00:19.Devastated - families return to the Wirral blast site and see
:00:20. > :00:28.My front bedroom window, the small window, I had just gone to bed and
:00:29. > :00:31.the whole window just came out. One man injured in the blast remains
:00:32. > :00:33.in a critical condition. Jail for the waste-company
:00:34. > :00:37.boss whose over-filled We reveal the dangers
:00:38. > :00:41.of unlicensed taxis - and the councils giving permits
:00:42. > :00:54.to convicted sex offenders. It is a ticking time bomb. Somebody
:00:55. > :01:01.soon is going to get seriously hurt or sexually assaulted.
:01:02. > :01:11.They are all there, these Ramblers, to all and short, some in casual,
:01:12. > :01:17.some in their Sunday best. -- tall and short.
:01:18. > :01:21.How times have changed for fell walkers.
:01:22. > :01:23.Amanda Knox and her mother, Margeret, were enjoying a quiet
:01:24. > :01:26.evening in last Saturday when an explosion ripped
:01:27. > :01:28.through their home and sent them fleeing for their lives.
:01:29. > :01:31.Nearly a week after the suspected gas blast in Wirral they're
:01:32. > :01:34.homeless and critical of the local council's response.
:01:35. > :01:37.Today Stuart Flinders took them back to see the damaged property
:01:38. > :01:44.in New Ferry for the first time since the evacuation.
:01:45. > :01:54.With the outer cord and lifted today the full extent of the damage could
:01:55. > :01:58.be seen up close. -- cord. Amanda and her mum Margaret last saw their
:01:59. > :02:05.homes as they ran from the explosion. Today I took them back.
:02:06. > :02:16.It is my house. Which one? Right next to the shop. Oh...
:02:17. > :02:22.My front bedroom window, the small window, I had just gone to bed and
:02:23. > :02:30.the whole window just came out. And landed on me bed. That I was just
:02:31. > :02:37.about to get into. When you look at it now you are lucky you survived.
:02:38. > :02:45.We are. We got out, didn't we, the kids got out. That is my house. They
:02:46. > :02:50.have lost everything, including their cat, and they are living in a
:02:51. > :02:57.hotel. They are not impressed with the council's response. We have been
:02:58. > :03:02.left basically defined our own way. Our insurance company did speak to
:03:03. > :03:05.us and told us to find ourselves somewhere else to live. Have you
:03:06. > :03:09.been able to do that? No.
:03:10. > :03:17.Wirral Council says it has been in touch with all those badly affected.
:03:18. > :03:20.They said they would be contacting Amanda and Margaret as soon as
:03:21. > :03:24.possible to have them all the help they needed. One man badly injured
:03:25. > :03:30.was named as 21-year-old Lewis Jones, currently in a critical
:03:31. > :03:35.condition. His family have thanked friends for their support. Those
:03:36. > :03:39.living near the area have rallied around. At this primary school in
:03:40. > :03:45.afternoon of fundraising events, an idea not of staff but the children
:03:46. > :03:51.themselves. We thought we would help the families. How much do you think
:03:52. > :03:59.you will raise? Over ?175, I believe. I will raise over ?200. An
:04:00. > :04:03.investigation into the cause is going on and the decision will have
:04:04. > :04:07.to be made about how many of these properties can be saved.
:04:08. > :04:09.You might remember a huge fire in Stockport in 2013 which forced
:04:10. > :04:14.A year later another blaze broke out in Salford
:04:15. > :04:20.Both began at recycling plants owned by Barry Kilroe.
:04:21. > :04:25.was jailed for 15 months, after admitting failing
:04:26. > :04:33.He also ran a third site in Warrington, which was illegal.
:04:34. > :04:51.There are hundreds of whales of rotting waste here and it has been
:04:52. > :04:58.abandoned. -- bails. Barry Kilroe's company noted here, it is thought --
:04:59. > :05:03.he brought it here to export to Europe but he didn't have a license
:05:04. > :05:05.and some of it has been here for four years.
:05:06. > :05:10.Tonne upon tonne of abandoned rotting waste.
:05:11. > :05:15.It's been here so long, trees are sprouting out of it.
:05:16. > :05:17.The company, Asset and Land, only had a licence to
:05:18. > :05:23.Today the owner, Barry Kilroe, was jailed
:05:24. > :05:26.for 15 months, after admitting ten charges relating to waste handling
:05:27. > :05:30.This was significantly bad in terms of the
:05:31. > :05:38.What Mr Kilroe did by taking out leases onto
:05:39. > :05:42.other people's land and then filling it with illegal activities and
:05:43. > :05:44.illegal waste has left them with a legacy
:05:45. > :05:45.running into millions for
:05:46. > :05:55.the clean-up and unfortunately those landlords will have to take that.
:05:56. > :05:58.In the summer of 2013 a huge fire forced parts of the M60 to close.
:05:59. > :06:01.It had broken out at J25, a recycling plant in Bredbury.
:06:02. > :06:08.This time at Recovered Fuels in Salford.
:06:09. > :06:11.The smoke was so thick, Network Rail suspended its services to Liverpool.
:06:12. > :06:15.Both companies were owned by Barry Kilroe.
:06:16. > :06:18.This was a significant environmental damage as well as damage to
:06:19. > :06:21.infrastructure and the communities around the sites where Mr Kilroe
:06:22. > :06:28.chose to undertake a criminal activity.
:06:29. > :06:31.In the space of a year Environment Agency officers visited all three
:06:32. > :06:34.On each occasion they found problems.
:06:35. > :06:35.Waste should be stored securely indoors.
:06:36. > :06:39.At every site the amount of waste exceeded the limit allowed and was
:06:40. > :06:43.They issued notices, they were ignored.
:06:44. > :06:49.People would say it is an inefficient system.
:06:50. > :07:00.The court service has to be fair to all and everybody is innocent until
:07:01. > :07:06.proven guilty. Finding the evidence has taken a while because of Mr
:07:07. > :07:08.Kilroe's own defence but we got there in the end.
:07:09. > :07:11.It cost ?3 million to clean up the Salford and Stockport sites.
:07:12. > :07:23.The site here in Warrington will cost the owner much more.
:07:24. > :07:29.There is no insurance here so the landowners will have to foot the
:07:30. > :07:35.bill to clear it. The Environment Agency say they were pleased that
:07:36. > :07:38.Barry Kilroe got a custodial sentence. They say this kind of
:07:39. > :07:47.crime is becoming more common because it is very lucrative and
:07:48. > :07:50.they say they hope this sentence will give an example.
:07:51. > :07:52.A Manchester man's been sentenced after being convicted
:07:53. > :07:54.of murdering his sister by setting her on fire.
:07:55. > :07:56.Stephen Archer poured petrol over Julie Archer
:07:57. > :07:58.in her Newton Heath living room in February 2016.
:07:59. > :08:00.She never regained consciousness and died three days later
:08:01. > :08:06.He was given life imprisonment, to serve a minimum of 27 years.
:08:07. > :08:08.A utility firm's been fined nearly ?1 million,
:08:09. > :08:12.of a health-and-safety offence following the death of a worker.
:08:13. > :08:14.John Flowers died after falling from an electricity pole
:08:15. > :08:18.Electricity North West was convicted of contravening work-at-height
:08:19. > :08:22.regulations by failing to ensure the work was supervised.
:08:23. > :08:24.Councillors in Liverpool have approved a financial plan
:08:25. > :08:31.which could see Everton Football Club build a new stadium
:08:32. > :08:35.The authority won't itself be providing any funding
:08:36. > :08:37.for the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock,
:08:38. > :08:50.The Green party's candidate to be Metro Meta Liverpool launched his
:08:51. > :08:54.manifesto today. He outlined his policies and said sustainable
:08:55. > :09:01.transport will be a key focus if he is elected. -- Metro Mayor.
:09:02. > :09:07.We should have better bus ticketing and integration of services but I
:09:08. > :09:10.want to go further and reallocate a significant amount of road space to
:09:11. > :09:16.walking, cycling and public transport.
:09:17. > :09:23.We have been hearing from all of the candidates as they launch their
:09:24. > :09:35.manifestos. You can see more on our website.
:09:36. > :09:49.An investigation by the BBC has revealed that the number of
:09:50. > :09:51.unlicensed taxi drivers has grown but also some councils are handing
:09:52. > :09:55.out licences to convicted criminals. Right now we are going
:09:56. > :09:58.through a very busy, bohemian part of Manchester,
:09:59. > :09:59.the Northern Quarter. But it is also a hotbed for touting
:10:00. > :10:08.and illegal private hire activities. This is where round about 2am
:10:09. > :10:11.it is literally like the Wild West. Bob Azam has been a black-cab
:10:12. > :10:14.driver for 15 years. He is concerned about cars that
:10:15. > :10:18.haven't been licensed in the city. It is in my view just a matter
:10:19. > :10:22.of time, it's a ticking time bomb. Somebody soon is going
:10:23. > :10:24.to get seriously hurt We found out that across the region
:10:25. > :10:31.one in five drivers applying to the disclosure and barring
:10:32. > :10:34.service had previous convictions. Nevertheless, through a Freedom
:10:35. > :10:46.of Information request we found out that six councils in the North West
:10:47. > :10:49.had approved some of these licenses. These were Blackpool, Burnley,
:10:50. > :10:51.Cheshire East, Eden, The offences ranged from indecent
:10:52. > :10:54.exposure and indecent assault to sexual-offence charges,
:10:55. > :10:55.including one driver We asked all of the councils how
:10:56. > :11:02.the drivers had passed the fit Licensed drivers like Bob are now
:11:03. > :11:22.using instant-messaging groups as alerts if they spot
:11:23. > :11:24.so-called pirate drivers. Members of the public are being put
:11:25. > :11:27.at risk on a daily basis And you can see more on that story -
:11:28. > :11:40.including an interview with the mother of Rachel Thacker,
:11:41. > :11:46.who was murdered by a bogus taxi driver -
:11:47. > :11:49.in tonight's Inside Out North West, Still to come on North
:11:50. > :12:14.West Tonight... These are Ramblers. Please don't
:12:15. > :12:22.call them hikers, they don't like it.
:12:23. > :12:25.We take a ramble through the history of fell walking.
:12:26. > :12:28.And we are in Liverpool to travel back in time 100 years to find out
:12:29. > :12:31.how they dealt with food poverty during World War I.
:12:32. > :12:34.Anyone who grew up in Manchester right up to the 1980s might've
:12:35. > :12:37.struggled to believe it would one day become a global city,
:12:38. > :12:39.with a booming population and a growing tourism industry.
:12:40. > :12:44.It's fair to say the city's been transformed,
:12:45. > :12:48.and Sir Howard Bernstein has been a key part of the change.
:12:49. > :12:51.Today Sir Howard leaves the Town Hall for the last
:12:52. > :12:53.time after 46 years, and he's been talking to our
:12:54. > :12:58.It was 1971 when a young Howard Bernstein from Cheetham Hill
:12:59. > :13:03.entered Manchester Town Hall to do the washing-up.
:13:04. > :13:06.He describes Manchester then as a city with soul that had
:13:07. > :13:12.lost its way and he wanted to make a difference.
:13:13. > :13:21.My role was able to shape Manchester in the future.
:13:22. > :13:26.Opportunities are sometimes disguised in grotesque form
:13:27. > :13:33.and Howard's came on the 15th of June 1996.
:13:34. > :13:39.Some people say it was the best thing to ever happen to Manchester
:13:40. > :13:43.but it doesn't feel like that at the time, did it?
:13:44. > :13:45.It was an appalling period, certainly in my life,
:13:46. > :13:47.and I think most Mancunians' lives as well because we saw
:13:48. > :13:54.But Manchester sprung out of the rubble, defiantly transformed
:13:55. > :13:59.National Architecture Awards followed and Howard
:14:00. > :14:04.from Cheetham Hill became Sir Howard.
:14:05. > :14:11.How does it make you feel to think, I was a big part of that?
:14:12. > :14:14.I am enormously proud and, you know, when you look at the challenges
:14:15. > :14:18.we have had over the last 20 years and you see how the city
:14:19. > :14:20.has changed, of course, I feel privileged to have been able
:14:21. > :14:25.How did it feel when you sat and watched the opening ceremony
:14:26. > :14:31.Truthfully, "When is this going to finish?"
:14:32. > :14:37.I couldn't enjoy it, no, the whole period leading up
:14:38. > :14:40.to the Commonwealth Games was sheer agony for me.
:14:41. > :14:57.One good thing that came out of them, his beloved Manchester City
:14:58. > :14:59.was be able to move house. Did you declare a personal interest that
:15:00. > :15:07.point? It was written on my wrist. After 46 years of walking
:15:08. > :15:09.through these doors, it is time to say goodbye,
:15:10. > :15:14.but never to Manchester. We haven't seen the last of you? You
:15:15. > :15:24.certainly haven't. And Nina will be looking
:15:25. > :15:26.at how metro mayors will continue the regeneration
:15:27. > :15:29.of Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region,
:15:30. > :15:33.and discussing Brexit, What are you having
:15:34. > :15:51.for your tea tonight? And could you make a three-course
:15:52. > :15:55.meal for under three quid? You could, if you follow the example
:15:56. > :15:58.of a team of historians and food They've recreated a World
:15:59. > :16:01.War I National Kitchen. The Government set them up 100 years
:16:02. > :16:04.ago to tackle food shortages But could they be relevant
:16:05. > :16:12.to how we use food today? Our Merseyside reporter,
:16:13. > :16:14.Andy Gill, has the answers. This is a recreation
:16:15. > :16:23.of a National Kitchen. A government initiative aimed
:16:24. > :16:25.at tackling problems of food shortages towards the end
:16:26. > :16:29.of the First World War. The idea was that anyone could eat
:16:30. > :16:31.here well and cheaply. We are recruiting that model
:16:32. > :16:34.from the First World War, which is feeding people
:16:35. > :16:42.cheaply and nutritionally. These are state-sponsored but local
:16:43. > :16:44.initiatives and adhere to a price structure and consist
:16:45. > :16:46.of healthy food. It's a hundred years since the first
:16:47. > :16:48.National Kitchen opened. The Government wanted
:16:49. > :16:50.to avoid the social stigma But the event is not
:16:51. > :17:01.just about the past, the organisers think that these
:17:02. > :17:03.National Kitchens have important lessons for the future,
:17:04. > :17:06.about how we deal with food poverty All the food tonight
:17:07. > :17:11.was saved from going to waste All of the food that we use
:17:12. > :17:19.has been intercepted, so from large supermarkets,
:17:20. > :17:24.bakeries, anywhere around the city that would throw food away
:17:25. > :17:26.because of sell-by dates We will intercept that and cook it
:17:27. > :17:36.up and feed it to people. It is great to recreate something
:17:37. > :17:39.that might be long forgotten for most people and also
:17:40. > :17:50.to emphasise the not wasting food. It is a wonderful idea. I have been
:17:51. > :17:55.aware of the junk food project for quite some time and it is doing a
:17:56. > :17:58.wonderful job. Social events can also bring people together.
:17:59. > :18:00.Tonight's prices are pitched at the 1917 equivalent.
:18:01. > :18:03.And you pay what you feel - cash or helping wash up.
:18:04. > :18:05.More National Kitchens will pop up across the country
:18:06. > :18:21.It looks very convivial, doesn't it? Lots of rumbling tummy is here now.
:18:22. > :18:23.Richard's here now with a look ahead to the weekend's
:18:24. > :18:24.sporting highlights, and not much debate
:18:25. > :18:29.Yes, the 228th Merseyside derby at Anfield tomorrow lunchtime.
:18:30. > :18:32.Liverpool, in fourth, are just six points clear of their neighbours
:18:33. > :18:35.and Everton will be desperate to try and close that gap.
:18:36. > :18:37.The Blues haven't won across the park since 1999.
:18:38. > :18:40.And as always ahead of the derby, there was only one topic
:18:41. > :18:51.And for the fans fraught with tension.
:18:52. > :18:58.For a real supporter it is the be all and end all. You have to be in
:18:59. > :19:07.the city to realise what a big deal it is. In the Merseyside derby
:19:08. > :19:10.bragging rights are always at stake but the Liverpool this time it is
:19:11. > :19:19.also about cementing their place in the top four. Don't win, no top
:19:20. > :19:27.four. Everton will be closing in on you as well. No chance, they are not
:19:28. > :19:35.finishing above us. Got butterflies, on edge, but really confident this
:19:36. > :19:44.time. If the blues can win at Anfield for the first time since
:19:45. > :19:50.1999, a top four finish them is on the cards. With shirts on 11 monkeys
:19:51. > :20:02.could normally beat us. But hopefully tomorrow we will win. --
:20:03. > :20:07.with red shirts. We need to do the right things in the right moments,
:20:08. > :20:09.be aggressive but not too aggressive, be hard but especially
:20:10. > :20:14.against yourself, fight for everything. Try everything to make
:20:15. > :20:16.your own supporters happy. Jurgen Klopp's team will certainly
:20:17. > :20:18.miss the injured Adam Lallana. But it's Everton who are really
:20:19. > :20:21.having to reshuffle, and influential midfielder
:20:22. > :20:39.Morgan Schneiderlin all missing. I think we still have a strong team
:20:40. > :20:50.tomorrow and once again... And his in-form
:20:51. > :20:52.side know just how big Liverpool have lost just one
:20:53. > :21:07.of the last 20 Merseyside derbies Should be a cracker as always. You
:21:08. > :21:08.can get reaction from Anfield on BBC Radio Merseyside.
:21:09. > :21:11.Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says defenders
:21:12. > :21:13.Chris Smalling and Phil Jones could be facing long lay-offs,
:21:14. > :21:15.after they picked up knocks on England duty,
:21:16. > :21:17.with some reports claiming they injured each other
:21:18. > :21:21.Meanwhile, the Old Trafford boss has admitted that he didn't treat
:21:22. > :21:23.Bastian Schweinsteiger well before his move to the USA
:21:24. > :21:31.He is in the category of players that I feel sorry
:21:32. > :21:37.It was the last thing I told him before he left.
:21:38. > :22:14.Manchester City Women need the challenge of their Champions
:22:15. > :22:16.League semifinal opponents Lyon to gauge their progress
:22:17. > :22:18.as a team, so says manager Nick Cushing after last night's
:22:19. > :22:32.A Lucy Bronze header was enough for a 1-0 win on the night and a 2-0
:22:33. > :22:33.victory on aggregate over Danish side Fortuna Hyorring
:22:34. > :22:38.They now meet reigning champions Lyon over two legs for a place
:22:39. > :22:46.Salford Red Devils' impressive start to the Super League season continues
:22:47. > :22:48.after victory over St Helens moved them temporarily joint top
:22:49. > :22:53.Michael Dobson scored two tries, this one pretty much sealing the win
:22:54. > :22:57.The Red Devils have won four of their past five games and move up
:22:58. > :23:02.And there's Super League action on BBC Radio Manchester tonight,
:23:03. > :23:06.It's a pleasure so many of us take for granted -
:23:07. > :23:08.freely across vast tracts of beautiful countryside.
:23:09. > :23:11.But the right to roam was earned through the efforts
:23:12. > :23:15.Their efforts and the joys of walking in the Lake District
:23:16. > :23:18.are celebrated in a new exhibition at Kendal's Museum of Lakeland Life.
:23:19. > :23:22.Dave Guest has spent the day strolling up there.
:23:23. > :23:24.Even on an overcast, rather grey March morning,
:23:25. > :23:25.the majestic beauty of the Lakeland Fells
:23:26. > :23:31.Mark Scott has been exploring this terrain for as long as he can
:23:32. > :23:33.remember as a fell walker and rock climber.
:23:34. > :23:43.It is a great leveller with people, you don't need vast amounts of
:23:44. > :23:48.money, just a pair of boots, a jacket, a flask and a rucksack. And
:23:49. > :23:51.I suppose the landscape changes every day. It can change in minutes.
:23:52. > :23:53.But landscapes such as this have not always
:23:54. > :24:03.Until the 1930s more than 50% of England was private land where you
:24:04. > :24:06.couldn't go and work. It was quite a hard political struggle to get
:24:07. > :24:10.access to foot paths, crags and fells.
:24:11. > :24:13.But bit by bit more and more land was opened to the public -
:24:14. > :24:16.and there were plenty of people keen to enjoy it.
:24:17. > :24:23.They are all there, these Ramblers, tall and short, some in kilts, some
:24:24. > :24:24.in their Sunday best. Please don't call them hikers, they don't like
:24:25. > :24:25.it. The joys of walking
:24:26. > :24:27.and climbing are celebrated in a new exhibition at the Museum
:24:28. > :24:34.of Lakeland Life in Kendal. We come to the Lake District, we
:24:35. > :24:39.think it is a lovely relaxing place, we can walk and climb if we want,
:24:40. > :24:40.but we wouldn't -- wanted to highlight the fight to get access to
:24:41. > :24:46.those things. This battered canister once sat atop
:24:47. > :24:48.the imposing Pillar Rock. Victorian adventurers
:24:49. > :24:50.who made it to the top would leave their calling
:24:51. > :25:02.cards in it. Nowhere to deposit calling cards
:25:03. > :25:07.today, just beautiful scenery to enjoy. That is what the place is
:25:08. > :25:10.about, is to share. That is why I enjoy it.
:25:11. > :25:18.The Fun on the Fells exhibition runs until October.
:25:19. > :25:26.Even in the cloud it is beautiful. Dianne, we have some nice weather
:25:27. > :25:30.coming? Sunday is definitely the better day
:25:31. > :25:35.of the weekend. Saturday really quite unstable. First thing in the
:25:36. > :25:39.morning, beautiful sunshine around, blustery out and about but when the
:25:40. > :25:42.wind drops the sunshine has been really valuable. The picture has
:25:43. > :25:49.changed through the afternoon, towering clouds coming in, and we
:25:50. > :25:54.have showers coming our way. If you are out now don't be fooled by the
:25:55. > :26:02.late sunshine. The showers have been moving through North Wales in the
:26:03. > :26:09.recent hours and it. To spread. A fairly showery picture for all of
:26:10. > :26:13.us. Last night it was ridiculously mild. The temperatures tonight are
:26:14. > :26:17.still good, not quite as mild, but still talking about nine and 10
:26:18. > :26:23.degrees. On Saturday you have showers to content with one moving
:26:24. > :26:28.through the region, some fairly lively, and there could be thunder
:26:29. > :26:32.and hail. Don't be surprised if you see a lightning flash, and stable
:26:33. > :26:36.through the morning, but as they pull away through the afternoon
:26:37. > :26:39.there is room for optimism that the sun will come out and buy the tail
:26:40. > :26:45.end of the day things will settle down. The light by the end of the
:26:46. > :26:50.day is really valuable to us. The picture will improve by about 3pm
:26:51. > :26:57.and places will dry up completely by the end of the day. Temperatures are
:26:58. > :27:01.11 to 13 degrees, showers should be killed off on Sunday through to
:27:02. > :27:13.Monday. Sunday should be dry and fine, spells of sunshine around.
:27:14. > :27:21.Your job is safe. Annabel's forecast wasn't quite right, was it?
:27:22. > :27:26.You have a programme coming up at 7:30pm. What is it called?
:27:27. > :27:30.Inside Out North West.