Last updated 10:55, Friday, 15 February 2008

ONE OF Cumbria’s best known businessmen is putting his weight behind efforts to save ITV Border’s nightly news show Lookaround.

Eddie Stobart chief executive Andrew Tinkler, whose company WA Development International owns Carlisle Airport, said it was vital to Cumbria’s economy and cultural life.

He has added his voice to the growing chorus of disapproval from those opposed to merging Border’s news operations with those of Tyne Tees.

Mr Tinkler has agreed to take a delegation from ITV Border to the Isle of Man on February 22, flying them from Carlisle Airport in his company jet so they can lobby Chief Minister Tony Brown.

Critics of the merger say that Cumbria and the Isle of Man are likely to lose out, and risk becoming marginalised if their news regions are swallowed by up by news operations based in distant cities. Mr Tinkler said: “ITV Border’s news programmes are importantfor the local economy. It would be a real shame if they were moved away. I just don’t think this area would get the news coverage that we need.

“Border helps to promote businesses, and the station also creates jobs. I want to put my name behind trying to save Lookaround because we need to keep it here.

“We have to put pressure on ITV to keep it here.”

Mr Tinkler’s involvement in the battle to save Lookaround comes days after the National Union of Journalists at the station accused ITV bosses of trying to kill off the station, rejecting a £12m bid for the station from a business consortium.

ITV bosses last week confirmed that the new merged news service would contain at least 12 minutes of Border regional news.