17/05/2012 BBC Points West

Good evening. Here are the headlines: Heartbreak of the

families losing their homes. Neighbouring houses are demolished

following aghast explosion. The surgery that saved and man's life.

A I saw the photographs after the surgery. It was glory. Ivy on their

way to Wembley? Cheltenham have their big-match tonight.

The saucy his sculpture in that the West. Mark Foster.

Families living near the scene of a gas explosion had their homes

pulled down today. They could not bear to watch as the two houses in

Rosehill Street were destroyed. Many people are still living in

hotels and rented accommodation after the blast which happened one

week ago. Now my neighbours are coming together to raise money for

those who have lost everything. -- now neighbours.

Once again the peace was shattered. This time the demolition is

deliberate. With cracks widening by the day at least two houses either

side of the explosion half to come down.

The property was assessed as beyond repair. The council push through

legislation quickly. Every day since the explosion last week the

residents of these homes have come back, the EC to come home. Today

there is nothing here. Inside these homes are family

possessions. Where they can the demolition teams have been savaging

belongings. It may not be much, but to the families it is a small

reminder of what was once their home. Paint a moustache on the

teacher. In complete contrast, that annual charity funding. This year

it has added meaning. Throwing wet sponges at the teachers is a

welcome distraction. It is her house it is being pulled down today.

This event will help raise money to replace Clause and bombings that

have been lost. Because something has happened to a member of the

school it makes it all the more urgent to help.

As the demolition continues here we get a sense of the community spirit.

There is a sign on this date here. -- assign it here.

Everybody has been touched by what has happened. It was a terrible

shock when it happened. Lee Wallace Street, scared and frightened. --

we were all on the street. You're raising money and you also plan a

street party. Absolutely. After the explosion we decided we need to go

ahead with this. We need to celebrate the fact that nobody was

seriously hurt. We have a website to raise money to go towards a

firefighters charity. We are also were to send out letters to local

businesses over the next week to see how they can help and if they

have got anything they can donate to us and we can give to the people

who have been moved out of their houses. There is a sense that this

committee is pulling together. -- this community.

Two men are still being held on suspicion of terrorism offences in

Cheltenham. 100 homes were evacuated and the 200 metre cordon

put in place in Buttermere Close at the weekend. The two men it who are

related are being held under the anti-terrorism Act.

Their health protection agency is investigating four possible cases

of lung illness which causes stomach upset. So far too much

people in south Gloucestershire have been diagnosed with

cryptosporidiosis. A further two awaiting test results. The disease

is water-borne and as a precaution swimmers are be reminded to shower

before using pools, and not have to swallow Pool water.

A man from Bristol has had part of his body rebuilt using concrete.

Marek Barden had a tumour the size of a melon. When a specialist

removed it they also had to take out some of his ribs. They found an

innovative way of replacing them. Back on his feet and almost 1.5

kilograms lighter. Marek Bardon thought a lump in his chest was

linked to a bike crash. In fact it was the tip of a tumour.

Having the accident brought it to my notice. These X-rays show what

doctors discovered. A rare form of cancer had grown to the size of a

melon and was already pushing against his internal organs.

stuck out of the body. It had taken four or five ribs with it and was

pushing the internal organs out of the way. Removing the tuner created

a very specific problem. -- that tuner. They had to remove six of

his robes. It ended up using a concrete panel. 25 centimetres

square and a few millimetres thick, it was the final piece of a six

hour operation. If you tap that it sounds different to that side. He

has already been back at work for several weeks and is getting used

to his concrete ribcage, gratefully says that a motorbike accident that

he thought had broken his rare but ended up saving his life. -- has

read. Still to come - far from home, we

hear from the West Country workers who have started a new life in the

Falklands. First the fate of youth services in

north Somerset is to be decided in the High Court. The council wants

to close down it dedicated service. That has prompted protests by young

people. Now a judge has ordered the should be a full judicial review.

-- their mac should. Today this 21-year-old with

learning difficulties stood alongside his mother smiling.

riding, skateboarding. You liked the food is well. He used to be so

happy coming here. Everybody knew him. There are change came as the

council put through large cuts. % less money for the dedicated

youth club. We did not come here to destroy services. Even as the Fotis

for ending calls were being made to specialist lawyers. I wanted there

to help us. I try to make my son understand. He wanted to do it. The

legality of what has happened here will be decided by a judge.

This case is likely the expensive and challenging. There is no

guarantee of success. The council will have to defend its actions

within weeks at the High Court. A decision is expected later this

evening on who will take charge of Stroud District Council. The ruling

Tories lost seats to Labour at the local elections two weeks ago. It

made the Conservatives are the largest party, but they cannot take

overall charge about another group's backing. A possible rainbow

Coalition has been discussed which could see Labour, the Lib Dems, and

the Green Party working together. The number of accidents caused by

speeding on Somerset's roads dropped by almost one-third last

year despite speed cameras being switched off. More fixed cameras

were switched off. On the mobile once had been used. Figures from

Avon and Somerset police show that there were 15 fewer accidents last

year that for the same period the year before.

A memorial service has taken place near Bristol to remember those from

that and services who were lost in action. Baulk and Hawthorne

saplings were plaited two years ago to create outdoor memorial. Almost

50 names of servicemen and women from the West have died since the

millennium and their names were read out. One of the young lads was

remembered today for the first time. Having this parade helps other

people to remember. The site was created to give valleys and friends

an alternative place for remembering their loved ones.

Syrians living here in the West Country have told BBC they are

increasingly worried about friends and family in Syria. The fighting

is continuing between government forces and pro-democracy forces.

Many of those who have come here say they have lost contact with

their relatives. We are used to the shaky pictures

Collett of Syria. Violence on a daily basis engulfed the country as

pro-democracy protesters clashed with government sources. This has

an effect on Syrians living in the West. This man has family in Syria.

He spoke to me on account of anonymity -- on the basis of

anonymity. I have lost contact with a friend. I do not know how many

friends have taken their family's out. You cannot do that for every

single one you know. I am starting to worry. Some can speak it more

openly. Many march through Bristol recently in protest at the Syrian

government. The organiser told us public pressure here was important.

We would like people to contact their MP, it is very easy. You see

something on the news and remarked on how awful it is.

But according to a leading academic pressure from the UK will not be

enough. We need to get something which is

regional pressure which is dealing with the Arab countries. We are

talking about Egypt, Tunisia, other countries. They have to be involved.

It is not the West coming to save the country. All this man can do is

awaits news of his family and One lucky person in the West could

be sitting on a prize of more than �850,000! The National Lottery says

a ticket bought in Gloucester for the draw on Wednesday, 2nd May

matched all the winning numbers. They were 18, 22, 25, 35, 39, 41

and the bonus ball was 31. If you think it could be you, you have til

October to claim your prize. The Bristol graffiti artist Banksy

seems to have contributed to the country's Diamond Jubilee

celebrations. He's believed to have painted this image on the wall of a

Poundland store in London. It shows a boy hunched over a sewing machine

with real union flag bunting. A spokesman for the store said it

enjoyed Banksy's work and all its suppliers met ethical guidelines.

We have been looking at the role played by the West Country in

reclaiming the Falkland Islands. We have heard first-hand accounts of

those involved in the war. But tonight, have we speak to the ex

pats her left their homes here to There are more penguins than people

on the Falklands. Together, the islands are about half the size of

Wales, and yet the population is only around 2,500. The Falklands

are more English than England. Littered with West Country expats,

like Tom Hill, who is head of the infant and junior school here. Tom

had been head of an infant school in Trowbridge before deciding to

move thousands of miles to the Falklands a year ago. I wanted a

bit of a change. It seemed like an exciting opportunity too good to a

very different part of the world. It did not take him long to

discover the Falkland Islanders are fiercely British and conspicuously

grateful to those, who 30 years ago, helped them to stay that way.

School children are taught about the war, but how worried are the

locals here about history repeating itself? Living here, you do not

notice any of those things. Life carries on. There has been no

impact whatsoever on the people on the Falkland Islands themselves.

The islands like this man. Steve Pointing comes from Somerset. He

has been in the Falklands for 14 years. He believes the anniversary

of the war has heightened tensions here. I am very much hoping that

wants the 30th anniversary celebrations have been and gone,

that everything will quieten down and we will go back to the

situation we have been more like for the last for five years, when

it is there and the background, but it is not in the news day-in day

out. But even when it is not in the news, the physical reminders of

what I still there. And they are hard to ignore.

Cheltenham Town could win themselves a place at Wembley

tonight if they can get past Torquay. They have a two-goal lead

after Sunday's first leg, making them favourites to reach the final.

Alastair Durden it is at Plainmoor for tonight's's gable stop they

would do it, when they? You know I love a statistic - here is one. In

the 26 years that the players have been going, only four teams have

only ever turned a two-goal deficit. That is why they are the heavy

favourites. If they get the first goal, it is hard to see Torquay

coming back from that. That is the scenario the Tottenham fans are

hoping for the. Up to 1,000 of them will be in the ground. They left on

the supporters' coaches at 3pm, and they have arrived here a little bit

cautious about this second leg. will be a long, hard game tonight.

They will come at us. We have given ourselves a chance. Anything can

happen. It is still have time. It is very tight. Have you started

dreaming about Wembley yet? I have never been to Wembley to watch a

football match before. I am looking forward to going to watch my team

there. I should imagine that caution is being echoed by the

Cheltenham Town chairman. Do you think the job is done yet? We are

halfway there. We would be bizarre -- delighted with they too had into

result. We have had a fab day so far. We have been done to the beach,

and the players are looking very chilled and relax, as I am. We had

no expectation. The team looked nice and relaxed. Have their own

they achieved at this year? Massively. We got one of the

smallest budgets in the league. We were tipped to be the bookies'

favourites to be relegated, and here we are. Now, good chance of

getting to Wembley. That would be a fantastic turnaround. It has been a

good season of the field money wise, hasn't it? That is the main reason

I am smiling, of course! We had a great season, going to Spurs in the

FA Cup. We have had his season to remember. Whatever happens tonight,

we have had a great season. Hoping goes well for you tonight. BBC

Radio Gloucestershire will have full commentary of this match. I

will have the story of the game in our 10:25pm bulletin. A student

from Bristol is Waiting To hear if she has made it through to the

Olympics. Georgie Twigg will find out if she has qualified for the

women's hockey squad, but it is not the only thing on her mind - she is

also trying to prepare for her final law exams.

Hitting the books for her final exams. Something most students can

relate to. But Georgie Twigg is combining her law studies with

trying to make the Olympics. Earlier this month, she was in the

GB team who beat Argentina. To be in that team would be incredible.

But once you are selected, the next three months are so key in our

preparations for the summer. We want a gold medal. We will not stop

at anything to get it. Since making the national squad, p 21-year-old

has been training full time. She returns to Bristol to lectures and

to play for Clift and ladies. She has seen them from the Pru to

escaping relegation to making the play-offs. They have all been so

supportive of me. They understand if I cannot make a training session.

It is great having them behind me. A few essay extensions and

splitting her find a university you into two has helped it Georgie, but

maintaining a top-level training regime at the same time still takes

dedication. Once I have got my exams are to the way, that can be a

nice relief. But if she can make tomorrow's final team, they

graduation and a gold medal will do just nicely for Georgia.

A former Olympian from Bath have has said body immortalised in stone

- Mark Foster's torso is one of the best known in this country, and a

sculpture was being moved to his home city.

Underneath the wrapping is a pair of perfect pecs. Soon to be a

permanent feature in Bath. As if we could forget them. Seen here in

action on Strictly Come Dancing, Mark Foster's up a body has become

as famous as his Olympic swimming success. It had a year to sculpt

them, and today was a nerve-racking moment for the artist. Carved by

hand in the tradition and origins of the original Olympic sculptors.

That was my journey. It has brought a to this point. We are using

modern technology to install the peace. It is on the track behind me.

Today, we will see it going in. My anxiety level is about as high as

it has ever been! It has been a really local project. The stone was

donated by the Bath stone group and the play and was made by students.

Mark Foster was have caused a local, who now has a permanent reminder of

his past. I literally spent 23 years of my life representing his

country, so might misspent youth gave me a torso. I can remember I

once had a body that looked like that. This will be the start of a

trail of sculptors around Bath. Once it is hoisted onto the plinth,

the grand unveiling will be on Monday. On Monday, we have a very

special edition of the programme. It is the first of three as we take

the whole programme on the road. When your marks for the excitement,

get ready, find a place, go! The Olympic torch is coming to the West.

The three nights, we will be taking the programme on the road as we

followed his every step of the way. You can join us for the evening's

celebrations in Taunton, Bristol and Cheltenham, and by then, this

will be lit. It is all but from Monday. Join us and watch history

and the making. You got back from Athens pretty

quickly! We are looking forward to For the torch relay, the weather is

going in the right direction. It will get warmer, and Monday, little

bit of uncertainty, but largely dry. Tomorrow though, the best of any

bride or dry weather will be a in the morning. By the afternoon, a

good deal of light rain or drizzle about. Developments or taking place

to the south of us. We have had an upper truck moving his way upwards.

Tomorrow, this will start to bring some outbreaks of rain. It is a

fairly flat the area of low pressure. Looks more threatening on

the charts than it really is. The rain was fairly heavy as it eased

up, but it has been losing a lot of that intensity as it comes further

northwards. This is about the position of these troughs. It will

continue his journey further northwards. Clearing eventually put

stop behind that, the skies are showing a tendency to Clare a wave.

We will end up with a quite breezy night, but remaining dry. But no

frost. Temperatures in the range of 6-9 Celsius. Tomorrow, the best of

the bright weather will be in the early part of the morning. Already,

the cloud increasing from the south. Starting to ease up. Moderately

heavy perhaps by midday. Behind that, the cloud was stuck to lower.

Through the afternoon, it will be like rain and drizzle, at low cloud.

Remaining quite breezy. Temperatures someone on a par with

today - 13 or set -- 13 or 14 cells is. The weekend, Friday and

Saturday, some rain overnight. It is all about how that clears away

on Monday, or not. I don't think any weather would put