The Journal from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England • 7

Auaust 24, they haven't even attempted fibn." urgent inquest in Whitehall is now into how a central plank of the ivatisation programme has suffered fate. eral Democrat transport sman Paul; Tyler said: "The West main line is the classic example of eed for long term, sustained investin signal and track upgrading. sort-term private interests simply st deliver the goods" Minister John Watts denied derailed the whole privatisa- told BBCI's Nine O'Clock News: not a deadly blow at all. What not make sense would be to try to the franchise when it was not possimake it available to bidders, so it go off halfcocked." Noma Pim Barrymore tells radio fans: I'm gay Coming out was the best if did BRITAIN'S favourite funnyman Michael Barrymore finally ended speculation about his private life and confirmed "Yes, I am gay." In an extraordinary late-night interview on a gay radio programme, the comic superstar said that revealing his homosexuality was "the best thing I've ever Subdued but still wisecracking. 43- year-old Barrymore said he realised the disclosure could end his career but quietly added that also believed it could have saved his life.

He told Jeremy Joseph, the host of GAY (Good As You) on London's Spectrum Radio: "I came from nothing If I end up back there, if my career's going so go, then it will have to be, won't it? I'll have to start again. I'm not By JACIUE SWOON and ROB SCULLY a campaigner, but perhaps some good will come out of it" The amazing 2am confession was the culmination of an astonishing and bizarre week of mounting stories and rumours about one of Britain's bestloved entertainers After weeks of tabloid stories, the lanky television star "came out" at a gay pub The White Hart in London's End. He leapt on stage and sang: "Start spreading the news. I'm gay today," and threw his wedding ring on the ground. As the story hit the headlines, a solicitors' statement disclosed that his 19- year marriage to Cheryl, the woman who is also his manager.

was over. Barrymore has also asked the organisers of the first National Television Awards next week if he could make a personal statement. He will be given time to speak even if he wins nothing, the organisers confirmed yesterday. Millions are expected to watch Wednesday's screening of the ceremony and it has been widely presumed he wants to tell his fans about his sexuality. But his disclosure to the late-night audience of minority London station Spectrum Radio has pre-empted all that.

Last night Michael Barrymore was nowhere to be seen at his home in London's Lancaster Gate. extra quiz man sion. If detectives want to carry on their questioning beyond dawn today they will have to apply to a magistrate for a further 24-hour extension. It is understood forensic experts are still examining a car recovered at the same time the man was arrested. Louise, of Chesacre Drive, vanished on August 13, after leaving friends at a bus stop to walk the 400 yards to her home.

Her fully-clothed body was found next day in a field at Little Woods, Billinge. Police check alibi of suspect DETECTIVES from the Rachel Nickell murder team were yesterday believed to be checking on the-alibi and other information given by a man interviewed in New Zealand as the focus of the inquiry switched back to Britain. The 31-year-old man a former barman spent twoand-a-half hours on Wednesday morning, New Zealand time, at a police station talking to Scotland Yard detectives 'Who flew 12,000 miles to see him. The officers who went to Nevi Zealand, Detective Chief Inspector Allan Jude and Detective Constable Russ Norval, were expected to interview the man's girlfriend today. The two detectives had no immediate plans to return to Britain, but would remain in New Zealand while inquiries were made in London and might then need to speak to the man again, said a spokeswoman at Scotland Yard in London.

Miss Nickell was murdered in July, 1992. She was stabbed 50 times while out walking with her young son on the common at Wimbledon, south-west London. the little boy was found clinging to her body and crying "Get up Appeal for find snatch By JOHN ASTON THE High Court has asked the public to help track down an ex-lover accused of tormenting a mother in a game of "hide and seek" after snatching their toddler son. The ordeal began for Jacqueline McDermott, 25, when 28-month-old son Brendan was snatched nearly a month ago from her family home in Eire and brought to England by father Brendan Murphy, who has lived for many years in the Luton, Beds, area. A judge said Murphy, 52, was now travelling with the child and a woman companion in England and had made spurious telephone calls, giving appointments which he never intended to keep.

It was "an obvious way of increasing the mother's distress and said Mr Justice Singer. The judge said he was lifting the veil of confidentiality which normally surrounded court cases involving children to enlist Press and public help in finding baby Brendan and Mr Murphy. The father, wh works as a THE owner of a major ticket agency has disappeared leaving hundreds of disappointed Take That tans without tickets for the group's concerts. Police are trying to Owe Anckew Scott, who ran the Concert and Theatre ticket agency in Glasshouse Street, Nottingham and his colleague Kevtrt Brown. Trading standards officials said several thousand poundr worth of tickets were missing.

A spokesman said the company's offices have been empty for two weeks, and added "The appears to have gone out of business and we want to talk to the two men about it." The agency was handing ticket sales for a Take That concert at Eats' Court in London this weekend. help to toddler labourer and car mechanic, is in breach of three English court orders made during the mother's bid to obtain the return of her son. She has enlisted the help of the English courts under the Hague Convention on international child abduction. Aliton Hayes, solicitor for the mother, said: "Jacqueline is absolutely distraught." Murphy had been ringing her family home in Clodert, Ballinafole, Co Galway, to say that baby Brendan would be taken to America and the mother would never see him again. Murphy had also accused her of abusing the child.

The mother had been given addresses, including one in Cricklew(x)d, northwest London, where she was told Murphy could be found but when the addresses were checked Murphy had already moved on. On Sunday Murphy telephoned her family home to say he had seen Jacqueline and her mother during their search and taunted: "I was actually watching you. hut you could not see Miss Hayes said: "This is a deliberate game of cat-andmouse or hide-and-seek." The judge requested anyone who sees Murphy or baby Brendan to contact the police. 6 0 431 2 4t it I stro or so di id Adaditailicc Michael Barrymore with Spectrum Radio DJ Jeremy Joseph. Otk Theourna 4 195 i The best A-L eve r.

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