19/08/2011 East Midlands Today

In is East Midlands Today. Tonight, the airport and airlines no longer

flying high. Yes, passenger numbers and profitings plummet as East

Midlands Airport as the recession continues to bite P Also could

relying on ready made baby foods during weaning affect a child's

eating habits? Plus the campaign to save the pub. I think there won't

be a community in longer in the village. I thought Mr Cameron

wanted to keep communities alive. And I'm in Leicestershire finding

out why these cows have benefited with pedometers. -- benefited. Good

evening. Welcome to Friday's programme. First tonight, East

Midlands Airport's passenger numbers and profits have dropped

again. With management saying it is because the recession has continued

to unwind. That is right. 400,000 fewer passengers used the airport

last year but there are signs of an upturn. Good evening. Yes, a busy

day here at East Midlands Airport, 100 passenger and 100 cargo planes

in and out of the airport, but over the course of the last financial

year, East Midlands Airport no different to other UK airports,

there has been a downturn. The view from East Midlands Airport subpoena

that it is still being buffeted by economic turbulence. Accuse coring

to airport manager, the recession continued to unwind in the last

financial year. Redicing passenger numbers. In tough times, it is

understandable that some people are choosing not to fly within the UK,

or abroad. We went for a week in Devon this year, just because we

couldn't afford to go away this year. We had a cost cutting budget

one, compared to going abroad. year I took my little boy, I had to

take him to Butlins because it is cheaper. East Midlands Airport is

part of the Manchester airport group. And its annual report shows

how it is doing. In the 2011 financial year, passenger numbers

were down by 400,000, to 4.1 million. The third consecutive year

that passenger numbers have dropped. Profits have been hit. This year,

profit was down by 2.6 million, to 7.1 million. Half of what it was

two years ago. The ash cloud in April 2010 didn't help either.

Costing the airport round �600,000. Other income streams have been

important. Retail and car parking revenue have exceeded expectations.

This independent travel agent based in Leicestershire says some people

may be considering crewss rather than flying. You are looking at

departing from Southampton, Dover, etc, on a seven, 14 night cruise

down med and back again. It is more popular, there is more beds on the

sea than there is on land on some occasions. The airport says there

has been an increase in passenger numbers in the early part of 2011.

They are hoping that will continue. Well, the airport told us in a

statement a bit more about that upturn. They say from March to July

passenger numbers are 4% above the UK market average, which they say

is flat. So a bitle bit of improvement. I spoke to the

Association of British Travel Agents as well. What they would

like to see is the scrapping of the airport passenger duty, there are

different levels on that, but they say every time you fly from

somewhere like East Midland the Europe, that will cost you �13.

Thank you. Next tonight police say they expect more arrests in

connection with the murder of a man from Derby. 43-year-old Johnny

Assani was assaulted in the city last Sunday afternoon. He died in

the Queen's medical centre on Sunday. Three men have appeared in

court, officers say they still want more people to come forward with

information. Police are investigating another arson attack

on hay bales at Nottinghamshire farm. The Fire Service 200 tonnes

of hay were set alight. They will burn for a couple of days yet.

Yesterday arsonists targeted Fife farms. The farmers affected say

they have lost all of their animals' winter feed. Trading

Standards officers in Derby have scene seized 900 bottles of bootleg

vodka and 150 pacts of counterfeit tobacco. They were discovered in

two separate stings on the same day. The City Council has warned the

products can cause serious illnesses. It says counterfeiting

is on the increase because of tough economic conditions. We have seen

the deaths in Boston at the factory there, and more recently in

Leicestershire, 100 thousand bottles of ill it is alcohol were

seized in a factory. That is why in Derby the Trading Standards team

are declaring war on ill it is tobacco and alcohol. We are build

uper up for a heck of a weekend with sporting action. Including

Leicester City taking on Nottingham Forest. On the road to success, the

young people who have decided to get an apprenticeship instead of a

degree. And I'm here to find out what these children are up to

Before all that though, a health expert is warning parents not to

rely on prepackaged baby foods food during weaning. Research from De

Monfort University suggests that babies who are fed processed foods

can develop unhealthy eating habits when they are over. The

manufacturers say ready made food can play an important role, as this

report says It smell like an apple. A class in healthy eating. These

children are enjoying their food. However, new research from De

Monfort University suggests parents who rely on ready made food while

weaning their baby could have an impact on the way they eat later in

life. In a survey doctor Helen could thard found babies who were

given more home cooked fruit and veg at six months were more likely

to eating it at seven years. She says parents shouldn't rely on

ready made food. The reason why these jar foods aren't as good as

home-made foods is they are a product, so they rl always the same

texture, they are the same taste, whereas if you make your own carrot

puree or apple puree you will cook it differently each time and be

different varieties of apple. You will mash it up differently, so it

will taste different. Of course, baby food is a huge industry, and

with strict nutritional guidelines to comply with many manufacturers

say using prepackaged food can be a healthy part of the weaning process.

They provide well balanced foods. Very often we find people using

them for convenience when they are out or for parents to give to

somebody who is minding a child during the day. The powder in the

jars are good for when you are weaning them, if you haven't got

time to blend all the food. If I have the time I prefer to give my

own food at home. The aim of weaning is for the baby to eat the

same food as the rest of the family. The research suggests home-made

food skrould a bearing. Next tonight, the alternative to

university. As a record number of students chase every degree course

available, it seems that many are also opting to skip higher

education all together. Some ployers say they prefer to take

young people straight from school, and there are all sorts of

opportunities available. Tears of joy as making the grade but not all

of the students have their sights set on university. Choosing will to

stay on in further education can be a difficult decision, for some not

going to university turned out to be the right choice. Ross left

school at 16, and started a three year apprenticeship at this

accident repair centre in Leicester. Because I had good GCSEs when I

left school it was an option for me to do my A-levels but I wanted to

get a skill behind me, because once I have that skill, I kl always

improvement and -- improvement. I wanted to earn money as well. Bl it

is a view shared by Andrew, two years ago he decided not go

university, and has no regrets It has been amazing. It has flown by,

but no worrys in my life. The only worry is passing the next exam. I

am not going to worry about money. I can drive. I have money if I want

to go out. One of his managers says there are many benefits for

trainees who haven't chosen the academic route. We can mould them

in the way the firm wants them to operate. They are young, they are

enthusiastic, full of energy, and usually a very keen to learn. We

feed off that. With tuition fees increasing next year, some

employers believe that more and more students will look at alten --

alternative ways to get on their chosen career path. To the other

news and detectives investigating three indecent assaults are

following up a number of new leads. A man attacked three women in

different parts of Leicester. The oldest was 74. Police have been

working with the victims to identify a potential suspect.

Officers want people with information about the man to come

forward. Nearly a quarter of blood donors in Derby aren't turning up

for their appointments. Hospitals are missing out on as many as 30

units of blood from each session. The department says it could be

down to the number of people away on holiday at the moment. The

Government's awarded researchs money to develop new medical

treatments. The hospital also use the money to help combat digestive

diseases and hearing problems. One patient speaks very highly of the

departments. It had made me realise I did have a problem, and that the

training, it seems to have improved things and following that, having

identified the loss of hearing, I was eventually kitted out with a

nice hearing aid system, which benefited me no end. You are

watching East Midlands Today. Regulars at a village's last

remaining pub are fighting plans to redevelop the site it is on. The

owners Greene King have applied to build seven house tons lands and

the villagers aren't happy about it. We went to meet the campaigners

determined not to have last orders called on their local. Records show

that there has been an ale house on this site since 1881. For the

people of this village it is the only pub left in the village. Which

is why they rup in arms over plans to demolish the Foresters Arms.

is a community pub and we had Christenings, weddings and funerals

and we did a lot for charity, it was the centre of the village.

come in winter for darts and dom nose. Summer, we have a game of

bingo and it is lovely everybody is so friendly. The owners Greene King

say they have been reviewing the pub's future because of a drop in

trade. They hope to build seven houses on the site The village has

been the butchers and the Forester's Arms. It will be sad to

see it go. The pub is one DH Lawrence would have known as a boy.

Villagers say it would rip the heart out of the community. If this

pub we won't go anywhere else. don't know see why the pubs can't

survive. There is the Hay Loft. I can't walk Cowen there If the plans

are turned down by the council, the villagers plan to celebrate.

Pedometers are often used by walkers and people wanting to lose

right but farmers are fitting them to their cows. The more walking a

cow does the more likely she is to be ready to get pregnant. Didn't

know that! Computers built-in to milks systems can be used to

analyse the data. Sigh Monday -- Simon Ward has the been to find out

more. Cows walking through a field in Leicestershire. Nothing

remarkable in that, but thetz cows are being monitored every step of

the way. These. Pedometers count how far they whack. Walking less

could mean the cow has gone lame. Every time they come back to be

milked it counts how many steps she has done and if she is on heat we

will put her in a separation pen or I can hon ter her. The 120

Friesians are being trained to return to the farm for milking,

they are linked to a new system the cows are getting used to. They feel

relief after being milk and they get extra food after going through

the system. In the farm building the cows wait for their turn to be

milked and this is where all the data is collected. Lacers position

the milking equipment. But it is not just about milk. Health

information is picked gip system as well. The theory is it should help

reduce the vets' bills. You will have earlier indication of any

health problem, be it energy shortage because the protein and

fat levels become imbalanced in the milk. And masti tis is the bigger

issue. It should flag up any signs earlier, you can treat them earlier

and you need less antibiotics. the cows on the farm were born

through artificial insemination. The next generation will be grow up

and be used to having a pedometer fitted and being milked bay robot.

So that is what they are. I thought they had got ASBOs. I thought you

carried a pink rose if you were going for a date! There is a huge

weekend of sport ahead including that local Derby between Leicester

City and Nottingham Forest. A game that will see two former England

managers clash. More on that in a moment, as well as the weekend

forecast from Fog horn Sal. Attention ladies and gentlemen, the

weather tomorrow will bring rain and Sunday we will see the sunshine

again. I assure you on the television I am a bit quieter than

She really does not need that! He is not quieter. Now, when was the

last time you heard a kuebg coo? I think I might have heard one this

summer or maybe seen a turtledove. I don't think I have seen one of

those. Experts of the British bird watching fair are warning of a fall

in the numbers of migrating birds over the last few years. This year

money from the fair will fund projects from Africa, through

Europe, to Britain, to find out what is going wrong. Africa

features highly in the bird fair as do other countries which lie along

migration routes into the UK. Experts are concerned some of our

birds are missing. Many of these are familiar. The swallows that

nest in garages and barns or kuebgkoo, turtledoves but many are

in serious trouble. We have lost two thirds of the cue -- cuckoos in

Britain. The turtledove has declined 80%. Simon has seen the

decline first hard. Cuckoo. Nightingale. I used to hear

turtledoves regularly. Now? If I hear them in Italy I am lucky, so

something is happening. Is it us? Climate change? We can't answer the

questions a without research and that takes funding. So ticket sales

are going towards that research, into why some of our visiting birds

haven't been turning up in the spring. We all of us, where ever we

live have a responsibility to look after our neighbour, our natural

neighbour, be their bids birds, other wild creatures. It is getting

serious, if we continue do something, the birds will disappear

completely. The bird fair is on until Sunday and organisers hope

the ticket sales will raise �250,000. From birds of a feathered

variety to sport of a weekend variety! Yes, first it is the tale

of two former England managers at the city ground tomorrow. Steve

McClaren's November face Sven-Goran Eriksson's Leicester City. Five

years after Steve replaced Sven as England boss they come up against

each other. For years they were friends.

# Just the two of us # We can make it if we try

# Just the two of us. # Comrades for England and allys they

are buddys. On and off the field he is a gentleman. We are good friends.

We had five, six year, great years. During those year, Sven was manager,

Steve his coach, they took England to a World Cup quarterfinal, this

last time they were on the touchline together. Yes, the years

go fast, very fast. Yeah, but that is 2006. World Cup. Is that right?

That is different tomorrow, when I'm about 20 yards away from him,

not sat next to him. It will be the first time they meet as opposing

managers. Two ex-England manager, it is not every day that happens in

the Championship. It's a big game, an important game, but I'm just

looking at Nottingham Forest, making sure that we perform better,

and get the result. Both now are rebuilding their reputation, at big

expectant clubs so it won't be easy and in the last five fixtures

between the two teams there has been plenty -- 20 goals. Travelling

with over 4,000 fan, which is fantastic. It is a big game. Always

a big game against Leicester. Big for the fans. Between them, they

have won major trophys in swede, Italy, Portugal, England and

Holland but who will be the king of the East Midlands tomorrow night?

There is a lot resting on it. hope he will offer me a nice glass

of red wine. And he will. We said after this game we will go out for

dinner and whoever loses will pay! Well there is another clash of the

Titans this weekend. Remember when these two worked together? Martin

Allen, he faces his old boss Milan Mandarich tomorrow. Martin, versus

Milan will play out at Hillsborough. Milan Mandarich owns Sheffield

Wednesday but he sacked Allen after four gamings, when they were at

Leicester. Who will come out on top? Well, my money is on mad dog.

We did a big feature on our best performing team. The Rams host

Doncaster and if they win, it will be the first time they have won

four on the trot at the start of the season since 1905. Now, over

the past six years on East Midlands Today we followed the remarkable

story of Matt Hampson. He is a Leicester Tigers player wheeze

career came to an end after a training ground injury. He has been

an inspiration to others and he has told his story in a book. Five

years ago, Sunday Times journalist Paul interviewed Matt Hampson and

they became friends and Matt persuaded him to write his

autobiography. Engage, the last words he heard before he went down

in a scrum. He ended up in Stoke Mandeville. The trials and

tribulations I have been through since my accident, unbelievable. I

wanted to tell people how it is and how it was in hospital. I was at

that stage 20 years a sports writer, and I had never been as nervous

interviewing anybody as I was the day I walked into Matt. I went in

and within five minutes he had me at ease, he has a tremendousable to

make people feel relaxed, and good and particularly good about

themselves. He called himself the ghostwriter. He is the brains

behind the project. I'm, I'm just a prop forward. It might not sound

like a funny book but it is packed with humour, around the characters

in the spinal unit. He said the guys in there you could make a TV

series out of that. The humour among the guys in there. It was

really very interesting, and enlightening. It is an amazing

story about an amazing person. Matt says his injury has made him a

better person. When I was lying in hospital I thought why me?

Eventually, it hit me one day, why not me? It could have happened to

anyone and I was lucky I was doing, doing something I enjoy and loved.

Well done Matt. In rugby the Leicester Tigers face the French

super14 side Leon in a preseason match. On to cricket and the rain

interrupted game at Taunton. Derbyshire needed to win their game

at Chesterfield against north hapbts but the visitors declared on

416 for nine and in Wales it is closer after Leicestershire

declared on 309 for seven. Glamorgan are 126 for four, and

that is all your sport. Thank you Natalie. Doesn't she read well! My

mothers youed to say you're never too young to read and mothers are

right. I wish my children would remember that. That is why children

across the East Midlands are being encouraged to curl up with a book.

Thousands of children are taking part and we went to see some of our

young readers. Here is a novel idea. Take one child, six books, and one

summer holiday. The result? An enthusiastic reader with lots of

favourite books. Anne Frank. Why is that? Because she had to hide in

the attic because the Germans were tried to find her. The magic far

away tree. Snow White. Why? Because it has Princess in it. The scheme

is part of a national campaign. 12,000 -- 12745 children have taken

part in the reading challenge across Leicestershire. 1358

children have joined a library, just to take part in the challenge.

And six book, that is the number each child has to read to complete

the challenge. Schools report there is a summer holiday reading dip and

it takes a few weeks to get them back to that level. The challenge

keeps them at that level. When they go back to school it is not hard to

pick it up again. My children have done it for a few years. It is

hoped children here will be off to a flying start as they open a new

chapter of their school lives in the next few weeks. They are lovely

aren't they. They are sweet. They are not like our Foghorn Sal.

Sunday there is a charity fun run to raise funds for a much-needed

brand-new x-ray machine. I will be there to start the race off. So a

there to start the race off. So a need a megaphone. We will tell you

there may be a chance over the next, the coming days of sightings of the

International Space Station, would you believe. You will be able to

see it from where you are, in the East Midlands, what you need to do

is look to a west to south-westerly direction, at round about six

minute past ten tonight. Hopefully the clear skies will stay with us,

you will see it crossing from west to east. You will be able to see it

with binoculars. If you want to see more check out the NASA website.

Let us look at the weather forecast. We can see we have this system that

is starting to move in from the west. For us, we are hopeful we are

going to stay dry but we are seeing that cloud spreading its way in, as

we go through the next few hours. We should hopefully keep hold of

clear spells as we go through the evening. They will be few and far

between. The sightings maybe a bit shortlived. Generally staying dry

in the East Midlands and the temperatures on the humid side. 13C

as your minimum temperature. So we start off Saturday morning, on a

warmer note compared to the past couple of mornings. Dry and bright

to started, the cloud starts to build in and we see this

fragmenting front work up from the south. So it turns patchy and light

in nature. Any rain we do see into tomorrow evening. The temperatures

21C your high. A much better second half to the weekend. Sunday looks