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Norman Cornish - Northern artists

Northern scene by artist Norman Cornish

Norman Cornish is one of the North East's most popular living artists.

What makes him different is the unique record he's compiled of the life and times of Spennymoor.

His paintings capture the essence of what's it's like to live up north.

Visit the Norman Cornish Gallery

Early years

Norman grew up in the depression years after the first world war.

He began drawing at the age of four and didn't stop for the next 80 odd years.

He excelled at school - but was destined to follow his father and grandfather into mining.

He signed on at the Dean and Chapter colliery aged 14.

Working class artist

Ironically it's his portrayal of working class life in years gone by that have made Norman a rich man. Sales from his latest exhibition topped a quarter of a million pounds.

Captured on canvas - Northern people c/o Norman Cornish

Norman's success has been hard earned.

He spent 30 years underground suffering a severe back injury, the dangers of gas and stone falls and the daily grind of working in damp, confined conditions.

Norman was still working as miner back in the early 1960s when Melvyn Bragg made this film about him.

And that just what he did - but his new found fame was to bring him into conflict with one of the 20th century's best known artists - LS Lowry.

Despite his fame - Norman was never tempted to leave County Durham and the community that provided his inspiration for the last 80 years.

Inside Out presents a portrait of this fascinating artist and uncovers his feud with LS Lowry.

Visit the Norman Cornish Gallery

Photo Credits - all paintings courtesy of Northumbria University Art Gallery. Copyright Norman Cornish.

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Computer fraudsters

Do you know who is hacking into your computer system?

Inside Out lifts the lid on the virtual burglars who are committing crime and leaving the public to face the consequences.

With new technology these new style burglars can peer right into our homes and rummage right through our personal lives - without us even noticing.

When you leave your house, you lock the door and hope no one is going to get in while you're away.

But Inside Out has discovered that when it comes to people's computers, it's a very different matter.

Some of us are leaving the door wide open, and anyone could be looking through your bank statements and private documents.

Getting connected

Inside Out looks at a street which was the scene of one of these unusual crimes.

Residents noticed a man acting strangely - he was on a laptop.

Eventually the police were called, and he became the first person in the country to be prosecuted and fined for using someone else's broadband,

So how could this happen?

A broadband internet connection is a quick way for people to surf the Internet - it's becoming cheaper too so more people are getting connected.

But companies are now offering something extra - wireless broadband.

A box in the corner sends out a signal to your computer here so you can use the Internet anywhere in the house.

But so can anyone else close by - it's a frightening prospect.

Computer security

Phil Cracknell advises businesses on how to improve their computer security.

Computer crime - are you an unwitting victim?

He demonstrated to Inside Out how easy it is to 'piggy-back' someone else's wireless broadband connection which is unsecure.

In other words an Internet connection which isn't locked can be used by others.

In just half an hour we found more than half the broadband connections we tested were unsecure.

At the very least we could surf the Internet on someone else's connection, but we could also spy on the owners too.

There's also nothing to stop thieves illegally downloading music or even child pornography, and if the police came knocking, it's you they'd think had done it, as the broadband is in your name.

Top tips

So to ward off unwelcome visitors here are three easy steps to protect your broadband:

* Put on a password to make the connection secure.

* Make sure only your computers are allowed to connect to the system.

* Position your wireless box in the middle of the house, not by a window.

And until we take these simple steps, the virtual burglars could be snooping round your neighbourhood.

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Secret garden

Hidden gardens - Durham's secret wilderness

Inside Out investigates a secret garden on Durham's River Wear that was once playground for the City's wealthy gentry.

Away from the bustle of Durham city centre, there's a tranquil spot which few people know about.

It's a strip of land on the banks of the river which has laid dormant for decades, overgrown and untended.

In its heyday in the 18th and 19th Centuries, these gardens provided a retreat for city dwellers in houses on Durham's South Bailey.

They were also a haunt for some colourful characters including Joseph Boruwlaski, the 3ft 3in Polish dwarf.

Today there are plans to bring the area back to life as a tourist attraction with activities, walks and events such as a summer festival.

But 拢6m of Heritage Lottery funding is needed to restore this secret garden to its former glory.

Amongst the undergrowth

Presenter Mike Dilger goes beneath the undergrowth to uncover some hidden gems including a 18th Century Ice House,and a mock Greek temple, known locally as the Count's Palace.

He also travels to Heligan in Cornwall which was also a wilderness 15 years ago to get a glimpse of what the Durham garden could be like with an injection of cash and hard work.

Tim Smith rescued Heligan and offers the following advice to Durham:

"What you need to do is start work. You need a good restoration plan. You've got to be like Attila the Hun and go for it... It will be really sexy if they get it right."

Back in Durham, Mike ponders on what the restored garden might look like with the help of local conservationists.

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