:00:00. > :00:00.and on BBC one we now join the BBC's news teams where you are.
:00:00. > :00:00.Good evening, welcome to North West Tonight
:00:00. > :00:00.with Annabel Tiffin and Roger Johnson.
:00:07. > :00:12.A growing number of schools ask parents to give them money
:00:13. > :00:15.to compensate for cuts in their budgets.
:00:16. > :00:18.It's so unusual to ask parents to fund the school when we're
:00:19. > :00:22.A lot of parents couldn't do that, and it's not
:00:23. > :00:32.We'll be hearing from one school which has been asking for help.
:00:33. > :00:36.Three rail fare rises in nine months for passengers
:00:37. > :00:37.in Greater Manchester, but advance tickets
:00:38. > :00:41.A pub burglar is caught by people who respond more quickly
:00:42. > :00:44.to a Facebook appeal than police to an emergency call.
:00:45. > :00:47.You get a quicker response than what you would ringing 999.
:00:48. > :00:52.I've been looking at an inspirational project in Everton,
:00:53. > :01:08.under the banner of one of football's most famous names.
:01:09. > :01:10.An increasing number of North West schools are asking parents to give
:01:11. > :01:13.them money to make up for cuts in their budgets.
:01:14. > :01:16.The latest to send out a letter asking for donations
:01:17. > :01:20.is a high school in the Conservative flagship council of Trafford.
:01:21. > :01:23.The news comes as the major political parties argue over
:01:24. > :01:27.Labour's general election pledge to spend billions more on education
:01:28. > :01:34.Our reporter Phil McCann is outside Sale High School now.
:01:35. > :01:37.What have you got to do, are you writing an essay?
:01:38. > :01:40.Mrs Nicholls has been head of Sale High for eight years,
:01:41. > :01:43.but never has she had to ask parents if they can help to plug gaps
:01:44. > :01:48.For me, running a school, I've seen the budget disappearing
:01:49. > :01:53.And yet numbers of children coming through our growing.
:01:54. > :01:57.We've been very good at housekeeping and ensuring that front-line service
:01:58. > :02:04.So when you see funding having a direct impact on possibly class
:02:05. > :02:08.sizes or interventions you might put in place, then your outcomes
:02:09. > :02:12.You're going to struggle to get the same outcomes.
:02:13. > :02:15.So beyond the school gates, the call has gone out for extra cash
:02:16. > :02:18.that could be spent on equipment, or voluntary help from parents
:02:19. > :02:25.It seems a bit unusual to ask parents to fund the school
:02:26. > :02:27.when we're already paying in our taxes.
:02:28. > :02:30.You want the best education for your kids, and if you're asking
:02:31. > :02:33.for money, then personally, I don't see anything wrong with it.
:02:34. > :02:36.We're in a very diverse area here, and there are a lot
:02:37. > :02:41.And it's not really fair to ask them, because they might feel
:02:42. > :02:45.The problem for Sale High is that it has a much higher percentage
:02:46. > :02:47.of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, whose families
:02:48. > :02:51.are less able to afford to give their school cash.
:02:52. > :02:54.The problem's been made worse by the fact that many pupils
:02:55. > :02:57.from more affluent areas are in local grammars instead.
:02:58. > :02:59.But a growing number of schools are doing the same.
:03:00. > :03:01.One teachers union reports some are even asking
:03:02. > :03:06.parents to set up direct debits for up to ?400 a year.
:03:07. > :03:09.I think it's a shame that schools are in a position where they feel
:03:10. > :03:13.they have to ask parents to make contributions in order to cover
:03:14. > :03:17.the curriculum resources, which should be part
:03:18. > :03:33.But with a new formula on the way which could cut funding
:03:34. > :03:35.further in some areas, schools like this don't
:03:36. > :03:45.think the signs look good for their balance sheets.
:03:46. > :03:52.Phil is here. Today's general election campaigning, dominated by
:03:53. > :03:56.spending on education. What are the main parties been saying? Labour and
:03:57. > :03:59.Lib Democrats be making announcements today. Multi-million
:04:00. > :04:05.pound funding pledges. Labour said they would raise corporation tax.
:04:06. > :04:09.The tax on businesses' profits, to keep up with the rising costs and
:04:10. > :04:11.schools. The Olson said it want to make sure no schools with that when
:04:12. > :04:17.funding is reorganised later this year. Liberal Democrats say they are
:04:18. > :04:22.investing billions more in schools and colleges. Ukip, something they
:04:23. > :04:26.have called for previously, single increase grammar school provision
:04:27. > :04:30.and encourage vocational education. The Conservatives have criticised
:04:31. > :04:35.the other parties today saying they are making unfunded, made up
:04:36. > :04:41.promises, they say. Proposals about job cuts in higher education, what
:04:42. > :04:45.can you tell us about that? At the University of Manchester 170 jobs
:04:46. > :04:49.are going to go there. The University is a it's about making
:04:50. > :04:54.cost savings and ensuring its financial sustainability. The
:04:55. > :04:59.University and College union say that 926 staff goods, with a long
:05:00. > :05:04.time, be affected. They are saying Brexit and Government policy or the
:05:05. > :05:09.two reasons behind the decision. They target star that have been at
:05:10. > :05:12.the University for many, many years. Senior lecturers, professors who
:05:13. > :05:20.have world-class reputations in terms of their academics subjects.
:05:21. > :05:23.It could potentially the academic vandalism for people put so much
:05:24. > :05:29.time and effort into their academic field for so many years. Has the
:05:30. > :05:32.university said anything? They have said it is about ensuring the
:05:33. > :05:38.financial state ability of the University. They also said there
:05:39. > :05:39.will be opening a voluntary redundancy scheme to try and avoid
:05:40. > :05:40.compulsory redundancies. A teenager has been seriously
:05:41. > :05:43.injured falling from a balcony The 18-year-old fell
:05:44. > :05:46.at the New Charter Academy in Ashton-under-Lyne
:05:47. > :05:48.at 9:10am this morning. Police say he was taken
:05:49. > :06:07.to Manchester Royal Infirmary The Crown Prosecution Service says
:06:08. > :06:14.it won't be prosecuting three Conservative MPs over allegations
:06:15. > :06:17.about their training expenses. The letter commission said spending
:06:18. > :06:18.rules had been per can, but the CPS said there was insufficient evidence
:06:19. > :06:20.to proceed. The planned Shakespeare North
:06:21. > :06:22.Playhouse at Prescot on Merseyside moved a step closer today
:06:23. > :06:24.with confirmation that the Arts Council is to put
:06:25. > :06:26.?5 million into the project. Construction of the theatre
:06:27. > :06:31.and college - close to where an Elizabethan theatre once stood -
:06:32. > :06:34.could start early next year. Rail unions have accused
:06:35. > :06:37.Northern Rail of ripping off passengers in Greater Manchester,
:06:38. > :06:40.after the company announced its But the company says it's to bring
:06:41. > :06:46.prices in line with other areas, and there'll be reduced rates
:06:47. > :06:49.for some advanced tickets. Our transport correspondent
:06:50. > :07:02.Judy Hobson reports. No-one wants to hear prices going
:07:03. > :07:05.up, but three times in less than a yet? That's the reality for Northern
:07:06. > :07:10.Rail passengers in Greater Manchester. The company is due to
:07:11. > :07:16.increase the cost of many of the day return fares by up to 50p. So, a
:07:17. > :07:22.return ticket to Manchester will soon cost ?5. And a return fare from
:07:23. > :07:27.Ramallah willing crucify pounds 90p. So how is that gone down with
:07:28. > :07:32.off-peak travel travellers at Victoria Station? It's unacceptable.
:07:33. > :07:36.The travelling public in Manchester can't afford it. The price rises
:07:37. > :07:41.have been relentless. I don't think it's fair that it goes up, got a
:07:42. > :07:45.majority of time they are delayed. Bus prices are much higher, so it's
:07:46. > :07:53.much better for me to get the train into Manchester than the bus. Arriva
:07:54. > :07:57.took over the operation of LAUGHTER Northern last year, but over the
:07:58. > :08:02.past ten years, the Government has said it once the Government to pay
:08:03. > :08:06.more for the services and take the burden of the taxpayer.
:08:07. > :08:11.Because of subsidies, passengers are paid less in Manchester than other
:08:12. > :08:16.parts of the North West. The company says it didn't want to make one big
:08:17. > :08:20.price rises, so it's made three smaller ones over nine months. I
:08:21. > :08:23.think it's fair if you look at the viewpoint of people outside Greater
:08:24. > :08:28.Manchester who have been paying these higher fares the years. But
:08:29. > :08:33.it's not fair on the people of Greater Manchester who suddenly get
:08:34. > :08:37.increases all the time. Northern says some journeys will be cheaper,
:08:38. > :08:42.and you'll be able to buy some reduced-fair advance tickets up to
:08:43. > :08:48.15 minutes before travel. That's been welcomed by passengers, but a
:08:49. > :08:50.spokesperson for the RMT union says the increases I read both, and
:08:51. > :09:00.says... But Northern Rail says any profits
:09:01. > :09:05.will be used in preserves as an replace old trains. Good news for
:09:06. > :09:10.passengers, but many want to be happy that because of it will be
:09:11. > :09:13.shifted onto them. -- at the cost for it will be shifted.
:09:14. > :09:16.A woman from Cheshire whose husband was beaten to death has started
:09:17. > :09:18.a campaign to have his killer kept under supervision by
:09:19. > :09:21.Stuart Pickett murdered Helen Hill's husband Dave just
:09:22. > :09:26.Mr Pickett was released from jail after serving ten years.
:09:27. > :09:28.But now Helen's been told his regular supervision
:09:29. > :09:33.And that's left her nervous and angry, as Andy Gill reports.
:09:34. > :09:37.At home in Hale, near Widnes, Helen Hill remembers her husband, Dave.
:09:38. > :09:39.When Stuart Pickett murdered him, he broke nearly every
:09:40. > :09:45.Dave died a few days after the attack, when his
:09:46. > :09:50.Helen says Pickett returned to live in the Widnes area
:09:51. > :09:53.when he was released from jail on licence.
:09:54. > :09:57.The prospect of him no longer having to report to probation
:09:58. > :10:04.It's like if my daughter goes out, for example,
:10:05. > :10:13.You feel that you're actually the one who has committed the crime,
:10:14. > :10:16.because your area becomes a very small.
:10:17. > :10:22.You avoid going to certain areas, because you could run into him.
:10:23. > :10:24.Helen says the probation service told her that Pickett's
:10:25. > :10:28.supervision would end because of his good behaviour.
:10:29. > :10:31.There are people who would say that if somebody's served their sentence,
:10:32. > :10:38.They have paid their debt to society and they should be able to move on.
:10:39. > :10:46.However, for me, he is a murderer at the end of the day.
:10:47. > :10:50.He savagely and brutally took my husband's life.
:10:51. > :10:53.Her husband - with whom she had a now grown-up daughter -
:10:54. > :10:58.Helen started a petition calling for all convicted murderers released
:10:59. > :11:02.on licence to be under supervision for life.
:11:03. > :11:05.I'd like the Justice Minister and the parole board to really
:11:06. > :11:09.look at this policy, to amend it.
:11:10. > :11:11.Because, not just for me, from victims' families,
:11:12. > :11:47.In a statement, the Ministery of Justice said...
:11:48. > :11:54.We meet the award-winning nurse who refused to let her own battle
:11:55. > :11:57.against cancer prevent her caring for sick children.
:11:58. > :12:01.I can play with the children, I can talk to their
:12:02. > :12:04.families, I can allow them to go for a break.
:12:05. > :12:12.You might know that your father and I married in India...
:12:13. > :12:16.Add a famous face takes to the stage, Shobna Gulati returns to her
:12:17. > :12:24.roots for a new play in Oldham. You've managed to trap
:12:25. > :12:26.a burglar in your pub. You've called the police
:12:27. > :12:29.and they've not appeared. Andrew Forster put out
:12:30. > :12:37.the SOS on social media and within minutes,
:12:38. > :12:43.help was at hand. It was an hour before the police
:12:44. > :12:56.arrived. This is the moment an intruder walks
:12:57. > :13:01.into the bar and goes up through the private entrance. We were just
:13:02. > :13:06.outside, holding the door shut, trying to keep her inside. Shot in
:13:07. > :13:12.the ring, the intruder then starts playing loud music, while Andrew
:13:13. > :13:18.wonders what to do. I just thought, medium, I need some help here. I ran
:13:19. > :13:24.downstairs to get some help from the staff and asked them to call the
:13:25. > :13:27.police. It was a burglary in a public house with people downstairs,
:13:28. > :13:33.I thought it would be a urgency response. But as police officers
:13:34. > :13:38.failed to write, you started making other plans. She tried to get
:13:39. > :13:42.through the park to escape, I thought people might be in harm's
:13:43. > :13:45.way. I thought, what can I do? Sergei jumped onto Facebook and put
:13:46. > :13:50.a post out there to see then one could offer help or advice will stop
:13:51. > :13:55.people turned up at the pub and had a crowd of other art managers who
:13:56. > :14:03.had seen it and came down. Steve answered the SOS and was close by. I
:14:04. > :14:07.saw it on the Facebook page, there are about five or six people
:14:08. > :14:12.involved in keeping her locked in the room and told the police came. I
:14:13. > :14:17.didn't think it would be that long before they came, but it was quite a
:14:18. > :14:20.long time. One hour 50 minutes later, the police arrived and
:14:21. > :14:32.arrested the woman. In a statement, Lancashire Police say...
:14:33. > :14:39.I know that they're stretched. I know that there's been budget cuts
:14:40. > :14:47.and whatnot, but a quick response on social media than ringing emergency,
:14:48. > :14:53.it seems anyway. Andrew says he will now take extra security measures.
:14:54. > :14:55.Was white what a strange story! Difficult to argue that you are
:14:56. > :14:58.looking for the lose, I suppose. A year ago, nurse Joanna
:14:59. > :15:00.O'Toole was diagnosed But she refused to let her
:15:01. > :15:03.condition stop the most rewarding part of her life -
:15:04. > :15:06.caring for seriously ill youngsters at the Royal Manchester
:15:07. > :15:07.Children's Hospital. Joanna returned to her work and,even
:15:08. > :15:10.though she's now too ill for full-time duties,
:15:11. > :15:12.she still volunteers Her dedication has won her
:15:13. > :15:17.the Royal College of Nursing's most prestigious honour -
:15:18. > :15:19.the Patients' Award. Earlier, I spoke to Joanna
:15:20. > :15:22.and the mother of a young I'd worked for nearly
:15:23. > :15:29.39 years in the NHS, and I can honestly say,
:15:30. > :15:32.hand on heart, that every job I've I'd worked with lovely
:15:33. > :15:39.families and children. I've had a lot of
:15:40. > :15:43.support from my family. And I can't say
:15:44. > :15:47.anything else, really. It sounds like, and we'll talk
:15:48. > :15:50.to Lesley in a moment, it sounds like you bring an awful
:15:51. > :15:53.lot to the children, but it sounds like they bring
:15:54. > :15:56.an awful lot to you as well? And I suppose I've been very lucky
:15:57. > :16:00.that I've had two children that But when you look at the families
:16:01. > :16:04.with children with complex needs, and the struggle that they have
:16:05. > :16:08.to go through day in and day out, it's very difficult,
:16:09. > :16:11.and they need somebody on their side to help them do some
:16:12. > :16:15.of the battling. Lesley, you have seen what work Jo
:16:16. > :16:20.does with the children at first hand, with your daughter,
:16:21. > :16:23.Amelie. She looks at the whole family
:16:24. > :16:28.holistically, all of us. Amelie's sisters, it's not
:16:29. > :16:32.just about the care for Jo reads into that and she cares
:16:33. > :16:41.about the girls, what they're up to. So she makes me feel
:16:42. > :16:44.that she cares about us all. For some of these patients,
:16:45. > :16:49.their lives are not that easy. How does Jo make it
:16:50. > :16:53.different for them? There's things about her that you'll
:16:54. > :17:00.see, like skipping along, I think Jo understands that
:17:01. > :17:03.Amelie's sensory-impaired, And she's partially sighted,
:17:04. > :17:08.so when she starts to misbehave while she's doing her treatment
:17:09. > :17:11.and behaving silly, she brings out a fun factor for Amelie which really
:17:12. > :17:14.gets her going. Those are the little things do a mum
:17:15. > :17:17.and dad that really make you think, she's trying so hard
:17:18. > :17:21.to interact with Amelie. Jo, there must have been times -
:17:22. > :17:29.and no-one would begrudge you it - during your own illness
:17:30. > :17:31.and treatment where it was hard I've always taught the children -
:17:32. > :17:37.because I've looked after respiratory patients,
:17:38. > :17:40.whether they've got cystic fibrosis or just general
:17:41. > :17:43.respiratory problems - I've encouraged them
:17:44. > :17:45.to get up in the morning, get dressed and live their lives
:17:46. > :17:48.to the full. And if I can teach the children
:17:49. > :17:51.to do that, and I've been reinforcing that for many years now,
:17:52. > :17:58.if I can't practice what I preach And Lesley, it's exactly for reasons
:17:59. > :18:06.like that that you wanted to nominate a Jo for this
:18:07. > :18:10.award, wasn't it? I wanted to do something to get
:18:11. > :18:13.the message out about Jo's 39 years, dedicated to the children
:18:14. > :18:15.and the families. And I wanted her family,
:18:16. > :18:18.when Jo dies, to know It sounds like it's very
:18:19. > :18:26.well-deserved, and thank you so much, both of you,
:18:27. > :18:39.for coming in to tell us about it. Enormous thanks to both of them for
:18:40. > :18:43.coming in. She's astonishing. Doesn't matter how ill she's
:18:44. > :18:49.killing, she goes in and volunteers and looks out of these children. I
:18:50. > :18:51.spent a little time visiting the Manchester Children's Hospital over
:18:52. > :18:53.Christmas, wonderful, wonderful people.
:18:54. > :18:56.Everton have had some great names linked to them over the years,
:18:57. > :18:58.and now they have a connection with one of the greatest
:18:59. > :19:00.players of all time - the late Johan Cruyff.
:19:01. > :19:03.The Cruyff Foundation helps to set up and fund projects around
:19:04. > :19:05.the world aimed at promoting health and personal development.
:19:06. > :19:08.For their latest venture, they chose the Blue half of Liverpool.
:19:09. > :19:11.And as Richard Askam reports, it was a particularly proud day
:19:12. > :19:26.They must for its links with the community, Everton's latest venture
:19:27. > :19:28.launched with a spot kick from the manager, is tied into one of the
:19:29. > :19:38.most famous names in football. Johann. Johann and passed away last
:19:39. > :19:46.year, but the foundation in his name continues to fund budgets around the
:19:47. > :19:49.world. Built around ?200,000, Cruyff Court Everton is part of the big
:19:50. > :19:56.committee club, a stone's throw from the club's ground. It is an amazing
:19:57. > :20:05.combination, and this is what we want, happy Joplin playing on a
:20:06. > :20:09.Cruyff Court Ronald Koeman played under Johann Cruyff aren't I access
:20:10. > :20:14.and Barcelona, where Cruyff had a huge influence on his fellow
:20:15. > :20:19.Dutchman. He was our best football player, and one of the best coaches.
:20:20. > :20:25.I had that experience with him at Barcelona. For the people going to
:20:26. > :20:30.use this facility, it is hoped it will not only encourage them to keep
:20:31. > :20:37.active, but hopefully it was dark the youngsters' old lies. It helps
:20:38. > :20:41.us train and learn. It is fun, because I have seen Ronald Koeman
:20:42. > :20:47.and present. Watching people play on this makes you want to join in. What
:20:48. > :20:56.would he make of this facility, what Everton are doing here? He knows,
:20:57. > :20:59.because maybe it was one year ago we spoke about Everton, and he knew
:21:00. > :21:05.that Everton double North West Today is really doing a lot to the
:21:06. > :21:10.community's spirit. An endorsement from one of the big names of the
:21:11. > :21:12.past to a club that continues to map out its future at the heart of the
:21:13. > :21:15.community. In cricket, Lancashire have enjoyed
:21:16. > :21:17.a comprehensive victory in their latest One Day Cup match,
:21:18. > :21:20.romping to a 152-run win Dane Villas scored an unbeaten
:21:21. > :21:27.century and Jordan Clark 79 not out as Lancs posted 313-5
:21:28. > :21:30.from their 50 overs. Clark then took four wickets
:21:31. > :21:46.as the visitors were dismissed A spoken word theatre show, full of
:21:47. > :21:52.stories from south Asian women will start a national tour in Oldham
:21:53. > :21:56.tomorrow. Mother Tongues From Father Lands features Coronation Street
:21:57. > :21:59.actor Shobna Gulati. The production is looking at the roles of strong
:22:00. > :22:04.women and has been written by a stand-up comedian.
:22:05. > :22:12.Mum used to say marriage is like having a pet. You don't like it to
:22:13. > :22:18.start with, you might even be allergic to it... An insight into
:22:19. > :22:28.the lives of south Asian women. It all came from harming -- holding a
:22:29. > :22:33.series of workshops in Oldham. This all tell you I don't have a story,
:22:34. > :22:38.but we all have a story, really. I wanted to focus on them and make
:22:39. > :22:42.them the heart of the show. Hats I should have told you all this
:22:43. > :22:49.before. You might know that your father and I married in India. But
:22:50. > :22:57.did you know that I chose Henley? Shobna Gulati, past credits in clued
:22:58. > :23:04.Dinner ladies, was born and bred in Oldham. It's really interesting
:23:05. > :23:09.joining in other people's stories. Have been moved by the stories?
:23:10. > :23:16.Absolutely. I have a lot of responsibility, and it is important
:23:17. > :23:22.to hear the stories. I feel that our community hasn't been represented
:23:23. > :23:26.enough on this stage in Oldham. The performance here is the first four
:23:27. > :23:31.nationwide dates. And that central theme of strong women should appeal
:23:32. > :23:37.to an audience much wider than the community which inspired the
:23:38. > :23:41.stories. We're the same, we cry, we laughed, we fall into and out of
:23:42. > :23:44.love. We married, we die, we divorced -
:23:45. > :23:49.who doesn't? The real stars of the show at the women you don't see.
:23:50. > :23:50.There are plans for them to front their own stories sometime in the
:23:51. > :24:01.future. Wonderful, we love Shobna, don't we?
:24:02. > :24:04.Lots of loose geyser at the programme today, where heading
:24:05. > :24:12.towards rain, aren't we? Heading towards change, three fine days and
:24:13. > :24:16.in a thunderstorm. But we've had a fortnight of really good weather.
:24:17. > :24:20.Some advice to you for tomorrow is grab the good weather with both
:24:21. > :24:25.hands, it will be a beautiful day. Lots of sunshine, but through
:24:26. > :24:30.tomorrow and Friday things change. More mobile weather comes an, the
:24:31. > :24:36.static picture we've had will be a thing of the past. Saturday and
:24:37. > :24:40.Sunday, a risk of showers. They could be thundery. Today was
:24:41. > :24:46.absolutely glorious, hardly a cloud in the sky. A light breeze, very
:24:47. > :24:52.pleasant, three and V8 in many places through the afternoon.
:24:53. > :24:56.Temperatures around 78 degrees. -- three miles per hour in many places.
:24:57. > :25:01.This was a beautiful sunset on offer. There should be a full moon
:25:02. > :25:07.on offer, that should be something you will see very clearly. As we had
:25:08. > :25:11.through the very early hours of the morning, temperatures possibly
:25:12. > :25:14.falling away to three degrees rurally. That is the exception
:25:15. > :25:22.rather than the rule, for most of us the temperatures will not be too
:25:23. > :25:26.bad. Five-10 degrees. Tomorrow morning, this is the start of the
:25:27. > :25:30.day in Southport. Blue sky all the way once again. Times are sunshine
:25:31. > :25:39.on offer. The most of it, because after lunchtime we will see more
:25:40. > :25:42.cloud pushing in. It will make the sunshine weaker and more hazy
:25:43. > :25:46.towards the tail end of the day. Any showers, they will likely stay away.
:25:47. > :25:54.But we can't say that through Thursday night. 20 Celsius a
:25:55. > :26:03.possibility tomorrow. Wow! We're starting a general election road
:26:04. > :26:05.show tomorrow. When does it start? 6:30pm.
:26:06. > :26:08.Just before we go, some rather poignant news to end on.
:26:09. > :26:10.Two tiller girls sitting on Blackpool seafront
:26:11. > :26:14.It became an iconic image of Britain in the 1950s.
:26:15. > :26:17.Sadly the girl in the spotted dress - Pat Stewart -
:26:18. > :26:26.And she asked to be buried in that dress.
:26:27. > :26:33.What a photograph! Iconic. Thanks watching, bye-bye.