11/04/2014 BBC Points West

Good evening. There's been `n first look at

Good evening. There's been `n alarming rise in the number of

children catching scarlet fdver in the west. The disease had almost

died out in this country, btt now the highest number of infections in

30 years have been recorded here. Phoenix Coles is now a bundle of

energy just three weeks aftdr being diagnosed with scarlet fever.

Antibiotics have cleared thd bacteria from her system. At first,

her parents thought her sord throat was tonsilitis. It did surprise us a

little bit. I did not know `nything about it, but after about tdn days

or so on the medication, shd stopped and then literally within 24 hours

she was poorly again. So we then had to put her on another ten d`ys worth

of medication because the infection hadn't cleared up. The introduction

of antibiotic 60 years ago was key in fighting the disease.

Scarlet fever is a highly infectious disease causing a rash. It can also

cause a high temperature, sore throat and a headache. Young

children are the worst affected although adults can also develop it.

Most cases are mild, but it can become more serious if the hnfection

gets into the blood stream. But that's incredibly rare.

Public Health England have recorded 181 cases in the west in thd first

131 weeks of this year. That's more than double the 73 reported during

the same period last year. The Bristol area has one of the

highest rates of infection hn the country. So why is this happening?

Well, no`one really knows, but it comes in cycles. It could bd because

of the recent milder weather, or that immunity to scarlet fever in

children has been reduced bdcause it has not been that common ovdr the

last decade. Or that the strain of this bug is slightly differdnt.

The advice is that children should stay at home for 24 hours after

starting antibiotics...and to avoid sharing cutlery. It's hoped that

with the weather turning, this outbreak will soon come to `n end.

Well, a little earlier we spoke to Consultant in Public Health Dr

Bharat Pankhania and asked how worried people should be about the

increase in cases. Scarlet Feaver is relatively mild today. It is

predominantly confined to the back of the throat and the tongud. It

will make you feel unwell, but it is self`limiting. Treatment with

antibiotic `` with antibiothcs is effective. It's not as drastic as it

was 50, 60 years ago whether toxin produced by the bacteria cotld harm

your heart and that sort of thing. We are not seeing this in this

current scarlet fever upsurge across the country.

A former mayor of Cheltenhal has apologised for equating the

inevitability of the building of new houses with rape. Conservathve

councillor Barbara Driver used the phrase during a debate to ddscribe

how powerless planners are to control housing development. She's

since apologised saying she used a term she had heard years ago without

thinking. Network Rail says it will work

harder to avoid disruption caused by the Great Western line

electrification project. Ovdr the past few weeks, several roads and

bridges have been closed off in Wiltshire, causing delays for

motorists. This one at Dauntsey Lock, near Lyneham, will be shut for

at least five months to allow works to take place. The company has

offered Wiltshire Council a liaison officer to ensure people ard better

informed. Van drivers pulled over in ` police

operation this week have bedn told many of their vehicles aren't

roadworthy. Avon and Somersdt Police found many didn't have tax, were

carrying illegal waste, or tsing red diesel, which is only meant for

agricultural vehicles. Police pulling over vans and small

trucks in Bristol earlier this week. They know from previous roadside

checks just how much crime they ll uncover. We found drugs, we have

seized vehicles because thex have had no insurance or dangerots. We

have had prisoners, people wanted on warrants, people who have absconded

from jail. One of 68 vans checked for faults.

In all, 15 were found to have faults and drivers told they need hmmediate

repairs. There or a number of their calls out there that aren't safe on

the road. If you have someone with bald tyres, especially when it is

wet like this, they can skid and called accidents.

Another check was for licenses to carry waste. This driver didn't have

one. So where would it have gone? Anywhere.

Diesel was also syphoned out of every fuel tank and checked for

traces of diesel that's dyed red ` meant mostly for tractors.

Drivers using red diesel illegally are fined. A third offence `nd the

van's sold and the money given to the Treasury. In all three vehicles

had traces of red diesel, 17 drivers are being investigated over tax and

?1,700 worth of fines handed out. So, does white van man mind? If it

clears the roads of rogue vdhicles, I'm happy to sit every ten linutes.

It is good, but that for us because we want to work and earn sole money.

The police carried out similar checks in Shepton Mallet and south

Gloucestershire and say gendrally drivers welcome checks, espdcially

if it catches waste carriers who are working without a licence. That is

all from the late team. Newsnight is about to begin on BBC Two, but let's

have a look at the weekend weather. There was a lot of new sky `round

when this photograph was taken. Tomorrow though it will be `

different story. More cloud around, but it will be dry. A littld bit of

power she `` a little bit of patchy rain in the afternoon. The skies are

clearing tonight. Temperatures down to three or four Celsius, so there

could be some frost in the countryside. The best of thd

sunshine on Saturday squeezdd into the morning. A few brighter spells

remaining and a moderately breezy day. Temperatures will be down on

today, around 11 or 12 Celshus. More sunshine on Sunday, a very pleasant

afternoon on offer. Similar weather as we head

UK, Alex Deakin has the National forecast for you. Good night.

Good evening. This weekend should be a little brighter than last weekend.

Most of us will see spells of sunshine. Across northern Britain as

well as any sunshine there will be a brisk breeze developing some rain.

In the south, generally it should stay dry with spells of sunshine. In

the South at the moment we have largely clear skies. Hence another

cold night. Further north, the wind is increasing and the cloud bringing

persistent rain across western Scotland. The breeze, rain and cloud

keeping it miles. In the south again, five - six, in towns and

cities. In rural areas, not far off freezing. A chilly start to the

weekend. Generally sunny across the south. It will cloud over through

the day but we should hang on to sunny spells across East Anglia and

the south-east. The sun has got some power in it, it will start to lift

the temperatures. By 9am the cloud is thickening across North Wales and

north-west England. Rain