31/03/2017 North West Tonight

and on BBC One we now join the BBC's news teams where you are.

Welcome to North West Tonight with Annabel Tiffin...

Devastated - families return to the Wirral blast site and see

My front bedroom window, the small window, I had just gone to bed and

the whole window just came out. One man injured in the blast remains

in a critical condition. Jail for the waste-company

boss whose over-filled We reveal the dangers

of unlicensed taxis - and the councils giving permits

to convicted sex offenders. It is a ticking time bomb. Somebody

soon is going to get seriously hurt or sexually assaulted.

They are all there, these Ramblers, to all and short, some in casual,

some in their Sunday best. -- tall and short.

How times have changed for fell walkers.

Amanda Knox and her mother, Margeret, were enjoying a quiet

evening in last Saturday when an explosion ripped

through their home and sent them fleeing for their lives.

Nearly a week after the suspected gas blast in Wirral they're

homeless and critical of the local council's response.

Today Stuart Flinders took them back to see the damaged property

in New Ferry for the first time since the evacuation.

With the outer cord and lifted today the full extent of the damage could

be seen up close. -- cord. Amanda and her mum Margaret last saw their

homes as they ran from the explosion. Today I took them back.

It is my house. Which one? Right next to the shop. Oh...

My front bedroom window, the small window, I had just gone to bed and

the whole window just came out. And landed on me bed. That I was just

about to get into. When you look at it now you are lucky you survived.

We are. We got out, didn't we, the kids got out. That is my house. They

have lost everything, including their cat, and they are living in a

hotel. They are not impressed with the council's response. We have been

left basically defined our own way. Our insurance company did speak to

us and told us to find ourselves somewhere else to live. Have you

been able to do that? No.

Wirral Council says it has been in touch with all those badly affected.

They said they would be contacting Amanda and Margaret as soon as

possible to have them all the help they needed. One man badly injured

was named as 21-year-old Lewis Jones, currently in a critical

condition. His family have thanked friends for their support. Those

living near the area have rallied around. At this primary school in

afternoon of fundraising events, an idea not of staff but the children

themselves. We thought we would help the families. How much do you think

you will raise? Over ?175, I believe. I will raise over ?200. An

investigation into the cause is going on and the decision will have

to be made about how many of these properties can be saved.

You might remember a huge fire in Stockport in 2013 which forced

A year later another blaze broke out in Salford

Both began at recycling plants owned by Barry Kilroe.

was jailed for 15 months, after admitting failing

He also ran a third site in Warrington, which was illegal.

There are hundreds of whales of rotting waste here and it has been

abandoned. -- bails. Barry Kilroe's company noted here, it is thought --

he brought it here to export to Europe but he didn't have a license

and some of it has been here for four years.

Tonne upon tonne of abandoned rotting waste.

It's been here so long, trees are sprouting out of it.

The company, Asset and Land, only had a licence to

Today the owner, Barry Kilroe, was jailed

for 15 months, after admitting ten charges relating to waste handling

This was significantly bad in terms of the

What Mr Kilroe did by taking out leases onto

other people's land and then filling it with illegal activities and

illegal waste has left them with a legacy

running into millions for

the clean-up and unfortunately those landlords will have to take that.

In the summer of 2013 a huge fire forced parts of the M60 to close.

It had broken out at J25, a recycling plant in Bredbury.

This time at Recovered Fuels in Salford.

The smoke was so thick, Network Rail suspended its services to Liverpool.

Both companies were owned by Barry Kilroe.

This was a significant environmental damage as well as damage to

infrastructure and the communities around the sites where Mr Kilroe

chose to undertake a criminal activity.

In the space of a year Environment Agency officers visited all three

On each occasion they found problems.

Waste should be stored securely indoors.

At every site the amount of waste exceeded the limit allowed and was

They issued notices, they were ignored.

People would say it is an inefficient system.

The court service has to be fair to all and everybody is innocent until

proven guilty. Finding the evidence has taken a while because of Mr

Kilroe's own defence but we got there in the end.

It cost ?3 million to clean up the Salford and Stockport sites.

The site here in Warrington will cost the owner much more.

There is no insurance here so the landowners will have to foot the

bill to clear it. The Environment Agency say they were pleased that

Barry Kilroe got a custodial sentence. They say this kind of

crime is becoming more common because it is very lucrative and

they say they hope this sentence will give an example.

A Manchester man's been sentenced after being convicted

of murdering his sister by setting her on fire.

Stephen Archer poured petrol over Julie Archer

in her Newton Heath living room in February 2016.

She never regained consciousness and died three days later

He was given life imprisonment, to serve a minimum of 27 years.

A utility firm's been fined nearly ?1 million,

of a health-and-safety offence following the death of a worker.

John Flowers died after falling from an electricity pole

Electricity North West was convicted of contravening work-at-height

regulations by failing to ensure the work was supervised.

Councillors in Liverpool have approved a financial plan

which could see Everton Football Club build a new stadium

The authority won't itself be providing any funding

for the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock,

The Green party's candidate to be Metro Meta Liverpool launched his

manifesto today. He outlined his policies and said sustainable

transport will be a key focus if he is elected. -- Metro Mayor.

We should have better bus ticketing and integration of services but I

want to go further and reallocate a significant amount of road space to

walking, cycling and public transport.

We have been hearing from all of the candidates as they launch their

manifestos. You can see more on our website.

An investigation by the BBC has revealed that the number of

unlicensed taxi drivers has grown but also some councils are handing

out licences to convicted criminals. Right now we are going

through a very busy, bohemian part of Manchester,

the Northern Quarter. But it is also a hotbed for touting

and illegal private hire activities. This is where round about 2am

it is literally like the Wild West. Bob Azam has been a black-cab

driver for 15 years. He is concerned about cars that

haven't been licensed in the city. It is in my view just a matter

of time, it's a ticking time bomb. Somebody soon is going

to get seriously hurt We found out that across the region

one in five drivers applying to the disclosure and barring

service had previous convictions. Nevertheless, through a Freedom

of Information request we found out that six councils in the North West

had approved some of these licenses. These were Blackpool, Burnley,

Cheshire East, Eden, The offences ranged from indecent

exposure and indecent assault to sexual-offence charges,

including one driver We asked all of the councils how

the drivers had passed the fit Licensed drivers like Bob are now

using instant-messaging groups as alerts if they spot

so-called pirate drivers. Members of the public are being put

at risk on a daily basis And you can see more on that story -

including an interview with the mother of Rachel Thacker,

who was murdered by a bogus taxi driver -

in tonight's Inside Out North West, Still to come on North

West Tonight... These are Ramblers. Please don't

call them hikers, they don't like it.

We take a ramble through the history of fell walking.

And we are in Liverpool to travel back in time 100 years to find out

how they dealt with food poverty during World War I.

Anyone who grew up in Manchester right up to the 1980s might've

struggled to believe it would one day become a global city,

with a booming population and a growing tourism industry.

It's fair to say the city's been transformed,

and Sir Howard Bernstein has been a key part of the change.

Today Sir Howard leaves the Town Hall for the last

time after 46 years, and he's been talking to our

It was 1971 when a young Howard Bernstein from Cheetham Hill

entered Manchester Town Hall to do the washing-up.

He describes Manchester then as a city with soul that had

lost its way and he wanted to make a difference.

My role was able to shape Manchester in the future.

Opportunities are sometimes disguised in grotesque form

and Howard's came on the 15th of June 1996.

Some people say it was the best thing to ever happen to Manchester

but it doesn't feel like that at the time, did it?

It was an appalling period, certainly in my life,

and I think most Mancunians' lives as well because we saw

But Manchester sprung out of the rubble, defiantly transformed

National Architecture Awards followed and Howard

from Cheetham Hill became Sir Howard.

How does it make you feel to think, I was a big part of that?

I am enormously proud and, you know, when you look at the challenges

we have had over the last 20 years and you see how the city

has changed, of course, I feel privileged to have been able

How did it feel when you sat and watched the opening ceremony

Truthfully, "When is this going to finish?"

I couldn't enjoy it, no, the whole period leading up

to the Commonwealth Games was sheer agony for me.

One good thing that came out of them, his beloved Manchester City

was be able to move house. Did you declare a personal interest that

point? It was written on my wrist. After 46 years of walking

through these doors, it is time to say goodbye,

but never to Manchester. We haven't seen the last of you? You

certainly haven't. And Nina will be looking

at how metro mayors will continue the regeneration

of Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region,

and discussing Brexit, What are you having

for your tea tonight? And could you make a three-course

meal for under three quid? You could, if you follow the example

of a team of historians and food They've recreated a World

War I National Kitchen. The Government set them up 100 years

ago to tackle food shortages But could they be relevant

to how we use food today? Our Merseyside reporter,

Andy Gill, has the answers. This is a recreation

of a National Kitchen. A government initiative aimed

at tackling problems of food shortages towards the end

of the First World War. The idea was that anyone could eat

here well and cheaply. We are recruiting that model

from the First World War, which is feeding people

cheaply and nutritionally. These are state-sponsored but local

initiatives and adhere to a price structure and consist

of healthy food. It's a hundred years since the first

National Kitchen opened. The Government wanted

to avoid the social stigma But the event is not

just about the past, the organisers think that these

National Kitchens have important lessons for the future,

about how we deal with food poverty All the food tonight

was saved from going to waste All of the food that we use

has been intercepted, so from large supermarkets,

bakeries, anywhere around the city that would throw food away

because of sell-by dates We will intercept that and cook it

up and feed it to people. It is great to recreate something

that might be long forgotten for most people and also

to emphasise the not wasting food. It is a wonderful idea. I have been

aware of the junk food project for quite some time and it is doing a

wonderful job. Social events can also bring people together.

Tonight's prices are pitched at the 1917 equivalent.

And you pay what you feel - cash or helping wash up.

More National Kitchens will pop up across the country

It looks very convivial, doesn't it? Lots of rumbling tummy is here now.

Richard's here now with a look ahead to the weekend's

sporting highlights, and not much debate

Yes, the 228th Merseyside derby at Anfield tomorrow lunchtime.

Liverpool, in fourth, are just six points clear of their neighbours

and Everton will be desperate to try and close that gap.

The Blues haven't won across the park since 1999.

And as always ahead of the derby, there was only one topic

And for the fans fraught with tension.

For a real supporter it is the be all and end all. You have to be in

the city to realise what a big deal it is. In the Merseyside derby

bragging rights are always at stake but the Liverpool this time it is

also about cementing their place in the top four. Don't win, no top

four. Everton will be closing in on you as well. No chance, they are not

finishing above us. Got butterflies, on edge, but really confident this

time. If the blues can win at Anfield for the first time since

1999, a top four finish them is on the cards. With shirts on 11 monkeys

could normally beat us. But hopefully tomorrow we will win. --

with red shirts. We need to do the right things in the right moments,

be aggressive but not too aggressive, be hard but especially

against yourself, fight for everything. Try everything to make

your own supporters happy. Jurgen Klopp's team will certainly

miss the injured Adam Lallana. But it's Everton who are really

having to reshuffle, and influential midfielder

Morgan Schneiderlin all missing. I think we still have a strong team

tomorrow and once again... And his in-form

side know just how big Liverpool have lost just one

of the last 20 Merseyside derbies Should be a cracker as always. You

can get reaction from Anfield on BBC Radio Merseyside.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says defenders

Chris Smalling and Phil Jones could be facing long lay-offs,

after they picked up knocks on England duty,

with some reports claiming they injured each other

Meanwhile, the Old Trafford boss has admitted that he didn't treat

Bastian Schweinsteiger well before his move to the USA

He is in the category of players that I feel sorry

It was the last thing I told him before he left.

Manchester City Women need the challenge of their Champions

League semifinal opponents Lyon to gauge their progress

as a team, so says manager Nick Cushing after last night's

A Lucy Bronze header was enough for a 1-0 win on the night and a 2-0

victory on aggregate over Danish side Fortuna Hyorring

They now meet reigning champions Lyon over two legs for a place

Salford Red Devils' impressive start to the Super League season continues

after victory over St Helens moved them temporarily joint top

Michael Dobson scored two tries, this one pretty much sealing the win

The Red Devils have won four of their past five games and move up

And there's Super League action on BBC Radio Manchester tonight,

It's a pleasure so many of us take for granted -

freely across vast tracts of beautiful countryside.

But the right to roam was earned through the efforts

Their efforts and the joys of walking in the Lake District

are celebrated in a new exhibition at Kendal's Museum of Lakeland Life.

Dave Guest has spent the day strolling up there.

Even on an overcast, rather grey March morning,

the majestic beauty of the Lakeland Fells

Mark Scott has been exploring this terrain for as long as he can

remember as a fell walker and rock climber.

It is a great leveller with people, you don't need vast amounts of

money, just a pair of boots, a jacket, a flask and a rucksack. And

I suppose the landscape changes every day. It can change in minutes.

But landscapes such as this have not always

Until the 1930s more than 50% of England was private land where you

couldn't go and work. It was quite a hard political struggle to get

access to foot paths, crags and fells.

But bit by bit more and more land was opened to the public -

and there were plenty of people keen to enjoy it.

They are all there, these Ramblers, tall and short, some in kilts, some

in their Sunday best. Please don't call them hikers, they don't like

it. The joys of walking

and climbing are celebrated in a new exhibition at the Museum

of Lakeland Life in Kendal. We come to the Lake District, we

think it is a lovely relaxing place, we can walk and climb if we want,

but we wouldn't -- wanted to highlight the fight to get access to

those things. This battered canister once sat atop

the imposing Pillar Rock. Victorian adventurers

who made it to the top would leave their calling

cards in it. Nowhere to deposit calling cards

today, just beautiful scenery to enjoy. That is what the place is

about, is to share. That is why I enjoy it.

The Fun on the Fells exhibition runs until October.

Even in the cloud it is beautiful. Dianne, we have some nice weather

coming? Sunday is definitely the better day

of the weekend. Saturday really quite unstable. First thing in the

morning, beautiful sunshine around, blustery out and about but when the

wind drops the sunshine has been really valuable. The picture has

changed through the afternoon, towering clouds coming in, and we

have showers coming our way. If you are out now don't be fooled by the

late sunshine. The showers have been moving through North Wales in the

recent hours and it. To spread. A fairly showery picture for all of

us. Last night it was ridiculously mild. The temperatures tonight are

still good, not quite as mild, but still talking about nine and 10

degrees. On Saturday you have showers to content with one moving

through the region, some fairly lively, and there could be thunder

and hail. Don't be surprised if you see a lightning flash, and stable

through the morning, but as they pull away through the afternoon

there is room for optimism that the sun will come out and buy the tail

end of the day things will settle down. The light by the end of the

day is really valuable to us. The picture will improve by about 3pm

and places will dry up completely by the end of the day. Temperatures are

11 to 13 degrees, showers should be killed off on Sunday through to

Monday. Sunday should be dry and fine, spells of sunshine around.

Your job is safe. Annabel's forecast wasn't quite right, was it?

You have a programme coming up at 7:30pm. What is it called?

Inside Out North West.