05/08/2013 East Midlands Today

Dominic Heale and Anne Davies. First tonight - a crime wave in the

countryside. Farmers say they face a huge

problem. This tractor with �70,000 was stolen and used to ram raid a

cashpoint. And the woman stripped and

handcuffed by police when she was seven months pregnant. It was

degrading, humiliating, I felt violated.

Plus, from Richard to poorer. The brides to be battling to get their

wedding money back. I'm going to have to postpone my wedding for

somebody that is selfish and has done this to many different brides.

And deep under Derbyshire, a long Good evening and welcome to Monday's

programme. First tonight, new figures suggest that rural crime is

falling - but try telling that to farmers. According to an annual

rural crime survey, there's been a 20% drop from last year. But the

farming community say thefts are as bad as ever - it's just that people

don't bother reporting them to the police. Our chief news reporter

Quentin Rayner is at a farm in Nottinghamshire which has been

targeted by countryside criminals. Yes, good evening. I can report it

is a very wet Nottinghamshire countryside that I'm reporting from.

But let me tell you, this is the sort of thing that these are after -

diesel and fuel from farmyards. But at this farm, they are no strangers

to rural crime. This �70,000 raptor of theirs made the headlines last

year when it was used in an audacious raid. -- tractor. In the

top left-hand corner, you'll see a tractor smashing into a building.

That is a banking Bing and the tractor was used to rip out a cash

machine. This is the tractor in question now returned to the arable

farm it was stolen from. It was stolen by a gang specialising in

taking agricultural vehicles to target cashpoints. If we had lost

this machine, we would have lost �70,000. We've also lost toppers,

the engines of machines and a lot of ancillary equipment like chainsaws.

The survey has found that most rural crime is planned. Across the East

Midlands last year, the cost was more than �2 million. Top of the

thieves' wish list was machinery and fuel like heating oil and read

diesel. However, the survey has recorded a slight increase in

livestock thefts. This tallies with James's experienced - a beef farmer

with 200 acres. We've been targeted on three separate occasions and in

one hit, they took over 12 cattle straight out of the yard. So that's

ten to �12,000 worth of couple. -- cattle. It is a significant problem.

Overall, rural crime is said to be down but it's not an impression

shared by farmers because they often don't report it. The police don't

come. We've had to machine stolen. They never came out to see us or

asked is serial numbers. Do you think it's pointless? It's totally

pointless in my opinion. We never see the same police officer twice.

It is a city -based police and we often get someone out of the city

who knows nothing about rural crime at all. Chris's family has farmed

for four generations. He says his is the first to experience rural crime

on such a scale. So, have the police had anything to say about farmers

claiming they just don't do enough to tackle rural Quine?

In a statement, they told us that they have set up what they call a

rural crime working group to help improve prevention and also the

detection of rural crime. They link up more with farmers and local

businesses and say they are going to be holding another rural crime

summit in November, building on last year's successful event. But NFU

Mutual, who came up with this survey, say that things like CCTV,

tracker devices and decent locks are better deterrent than a greater

police presence in the countryside. Go and get dry, Quentin! Thank you.

A mother who was handcuffed for 11 hours while she was heavily pregnant

has told us that the police officers concerned should have been sacked.

Lynnette Wallace's baby was born prematurely. And today the police

watchdog's confirmed that it's investigating whether that was

linked to the way she was treated. Three Nottinghamshire officers have

already been found guilty of gross misconduct. Our social affairs

correspondent Jeremy Ball reports. Shana's full of energy but still

struggles with her speech and two years ago she was on life-support

after being born prematurely. The in dependent police complaint

commission is investigating whether that would be to do with what

happened two years earlier when her mother was arrested. They stripped

my clothes off and I was handcuffed behind by back with some big

handcuffs. When you're seven and a half months pregnant, it is really

difficult, uncomfortable, painful. How do you feel about the way you

were treated? It was degrading, humiliating. The most distressing

was being taken away from my children. I felt violated. Lynette

was taken to Nottingham's Bridewell custody suite on suspicion of arson

and witness intimidation, allegations which did not lead to a

criminal conviction. Three police supervisors have received formal

written warnings. The force said it deals with thousands of people in

good enough. I believe they should be sacked. They can't go around

stripping women naked and throwing people in prison and saying, sorry

we made a mistake. I think they should be sacked. And it has

received a formal apology from the Nottinghamshire force for what

happened but the police complaints commission is now investigating

whether to refer her treatment to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Still to come: You might have stayed dry earlier, but there's not much

chance you'll escape the rain overnight.

And I'm meeting the couple who love the legend of Robin Hood so much

they travelled 3000 miles for some medieval merrymaking.

A man from Nottinghamshire has been arrested following a stabbing at a

caravan park. 28-year-old Adam Stirrup was found dead at the Stud

Farm Holiday Park in Heysham in Lancashire yesterday morning. His

partner, who'd also been stabbed, is critically ill in hospital. A

26-year-old man, who's originally from Sutton-in-Ashfield, is being

questioned on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

Three prisoners, including a violent burglar, have absconded from an open

prison in Derbyshire. Daniel Taylor and Sean Kavanagh, both from

Birmingham, failed to return to Sudbury Prison on Saturday. The

third man, Stephen McElvaney from the Meadows in Nottingham, was

branded a dangerous man when handed an indeterminate prison sentence in

2008. He attacked a shop worker with a crowbar.

A pub landlady's stepped in to try to save the day for dozens of brides

whose wedding celebrations are now at risk because of the collapse of

an events company. Jay Lewis says up to 60 brides have contacted her

already. James Roberson reports. Last Friday evening at the Charnwood

Arms hotel in Coalville near Leicestershire, this function room

should be transformed into somewhere fit for a bride. It at that moment,

and she was wondering whether her reception would happen at all. A

company called ASD Special Occasions was supposed to be dressing room but

last week they stopped taking calls. Mortified. Mortified. It ruined what

I thought was go to the best day of my life. Luckily, another wedding

planning firm stepped in to help out. We're a new business but I

really want to try and help as much as I can. I felt absolutely gutted

when I found out about this yesterday. Today a man who was among

a group of planners and brides brought together by J Lewis stepped

in to help. Some of them have spent all their money with this company

and there's nothing left. The weddings are within a couple of

days, some within a couple of weeks. But the companies have been

brilliant and a lot of them have done it for free and it has meant

the world for these bright to get out of the situation they've been

put in. Now planners have been able to help the brides, some of whom

fear they've lost thousands of pounds. I've had a lovely kind offer

from Amanda and she's doing the whole room for me, to be honest.

It's amazing. What we're doing is openly restoring faith in humanity.

We're there to help. We've got the stock and it's not being used on a

particular day, so it might as well be put to good use. Help has worked

so far. This is what Amanda did for Angie's reception room at Coalville

on Saturday. Now the other women hope their venues will now be

stressed the way they dreamt. -- dressed.

We have tried to contact ASD Special Occasions for their comment but so

far, without success. Plans to revamp Lincolnshire's

entire library system may lead to 170 job losses. If approved, two

thirds of the county's libraries could close and many villages would

lose their mobile library services. Victoria Norris reports.

A mobile library service has been coming to this village in South

Lincolnshire for more than 40 years but now the county council needs to

cut �2 million from its library budget. 32 out of the 47 permanent

libraries could close and 11 villages, including Gretford, will

lose their mobile service completely. I do think that the

rural communities do lose out on county council funds and I think

it's another way of us being marginalised. For the elderly, the

mobile service is something they look forward to. It's so helpful and

they're so friendly and we all have a chat together while we're on

there, which breaks the monotony of the morning. At the council says

usage is declining. In villages like Gretford, only seven people on

average use the mobile service every four weeks and 82% of the population

of Lincolnshire doesn't use any library service at all, making the

present system unsustainable. Lifestyles are changing and our

current service is designed for the 1960s. What we're saying to any

community is that if they want to set up a library service in the

village hall, we will help them do that and help them stop it. We won't

be able to man it. The consultation runs until the end of September,

with a final decision made before the end of the year.

Now, it's going to be a busy time in Leicester over the next few months

as the city bids to become the next UK City of Culture. Those behind the

bid say the title would showcase the city, help stimulate the economy and

leave a legacy. Well, our arts reporter Geeta Pendse is going to be

following the campaign closely and exploring the city's cultural

make-up. Geeta is with us here in the studio. You're going to be

rather busy. Yes, very busy. We all remember that jubilant moment

when those behind the bid found out they'd been short listed. They're

now working a detailed vision of what would happen if Leicester were

to win. The final decision is in November. So we are going to be

following the process itself and asking whether the title City of

Culture is worth fighting for. But we're also trying to build a picture

of what makes up Leicester's cultural DNA. We want to build a

footprint of what is going on in Leicester now. From the story behind

the makings of those intricate costumes at the Caribbean Carnival

to iconic buildings in and around Leicester, the idea is to explore

what's going on in the city culturally. And we want to build a

picture using your experiences and stories at home. Is there an arts

group or maybe a person you know who's had a major impact on

Leicester's arts scene? You can get in contact with us via e-mail - the

address is [email protected]. You can also get in contact through Facebook

and Twitter. And we'll be showcasing some of those stories over the next

few months - so watch this space. You're watching East Midlands Today,

and can you believe it? The new football season has just started.

We'll have all the action from the weekend's matches, including the

goal that secured a win for A 68-year search for deposits of a

rare stone in the Peak District has finally come to an end. The lost

vein of Blue John stone was reported by a miner working underground near

Castleton in 1945 - but he died before passing on the exact

location. Now the semi-precious metal - which is used to make

ornaments and jewellery - has been rediscovered. Danny Carpenter

reports. They are minors, these three. Mine

is not of coal or some industrial mineral but of Blue John. Of what,

you ask? 50 years ago, this is how they got Blue John from this cavern.

50 years ago, they were searching for a missing seem. The scene was

described to Peter Harrison by the previous owner, John Royce. He found

it but died before he could tell anyone where it was. For the next 70

years, the precious scene stated. And if you're wondering how

something so sought after could remain so hidden for so long, there

are two reasons. The first is, it's not exactly access a ball. And the

second is, the man who made the original discovery made absolutely

sure that nobody else is stealing his find. John Royce had a ritual of

hiding his vain and hiding his work at the end of the day. So I couldn't

sneak up on the idyll of the night and hack his vain out and sell it in

the village for ale. It was used as currency in the pubs! We did find a

new iron bars, some would and a carpet concealing the vein itself.

We found a bigger rocks on top of that. John is now mining this seam.

With a bit of luck, he'll find it before it's his turn to retire.

looked for it for hundreds of years and when John stumbled across it

under the old carpet, I was amazed. Absolutely amazed. And it produces

some very nice moonshine. It's such good quality that Peter is hopeful

it can be worked into the coveted larger items, like cupboards and

vases, which have not been produced for many long years.

Coming up: A spectacular crash - again - for biker Leon Haslam. But

first, the football season is back. Coming up: Behind the scenes with

Forest's owner and the Derby player being watched by Premier League

clubs. But the result of the weekend was Leicester's 2-1 win away to

Middlesbrough. In the first half, Leicester were

not very good. They were battling just not to go behind. But Apple was

lost when a player put through his own net. Stiff half-time team talk

worked. Another beautifully taken goal followed with Jamie Nugent

supplying the perfect pass to his colleague. A flying start for

Leicester and it could have been more with Middlesbrough struggling

to hang on. Certainly in the second half we played with a better tempo,

made a lot more positive decisions in possession and we looked a

dangerous side. Good to get off to a winning start. Early days but a very

promising start. At Nottingham Forest, Kuwati owner

and chairman Fawaz Al-Hasawi has spent �500,000 on part one of a plan

to redevelop the stadium. He's been backing manager Billy Davies on the

field too - with eight new contracts for players during the summer. Well,

on Saturday, Natalie was behind the scenes as Forest got off to a

With the QA to flag flying over the ground, the owner flew in on opening

day to be greeted by fans. I want to feel what they feel. I am one of

them and I feel what they feel. I wanted to make them happy this

season. It is his full -- first full campaign as manager. Ever since he

has come in, the amount of work he has done and what he is shown to us

as supporters is fantastic. He seems to have a good heart. I think is the

person we've been waiting for a long time. We can't waste all our money.

He spent it on good players and that's what we need in order to win

the league. They've renamed the boardroom after his son here and

spent �500,000 on new players. The Al-Hasawi family hope this will be

their season. And on the pitch, three debutants were used. It wasn't

the best first half but in the second, man of the match and new

captain Chris Cohen set up Henry Lansbury to give Forest a good

start. Its great credit to the chairman and the family for what

they're trying to do to this football club and that's what many

of the fans should appreciate - what is being done not only on the pitch

but off the pitch which is very important. He is not only my manager

but my friend and my brother. is how much I love you. He even got

his name on the shirt! You can't beat that, can you?

Derby County's manager Nigel Clough says it would take an extremely big

offer to tempt them to sell teenage midfielder Will Hughes. Hughes once

again caught the eye of the Premier League scouts in Derby's one-all

draw with Blackburn. Yesterday's game was part of the Football

League's anniversary celebrations. And Mark Shardlow was at Pride Park.

125 years ago, Barbie and Blackburn were two of the 12 founder members

of a new competition. The football league. -- derby. Derby were then

owned by the football and cricket club but it is now a worldwide

consortium. In Victorian times, players like Will Hughes needed a

second job to make ends meet. Premier League clubs are pondering

bits of around �15 million for the Derby teenager and a salary of

�20,000 a week. Hughes shone as Derby benefited from a clumsy

handball after Blackburn had had the better of the early stages of the

match. Debut boy Johnny Russell got a first goal. Derby, rallied by

Hughes, were looking for a second as for a time they were on top. But

with a minute of normal time remaining, Leon Best, returning from

a career threatening injury, scored his first goal in 19 months. The

wind snatched away. The scouts were here. Is it going to be hardball for

Hughes? If somebody does come it will have to be a huge offer to

tempt the club. 125 years ago, Derby County won the first-ever football

league game 6-3. Today was a bit more frustrating.

In League One, Notts County kicked off their season at Sheffield United

on Friday night. They were soon down to ten men when centre back Gary

Liddle was sent off for this rash challenge. Notts went behind but

equalised with this lovely finish from Enoch Showunmi. I think he

enjoyed that. But Sheffield went on to win by two goals to one.

Meanwhile in League Two, Mansfield, on their return to league football,

went down two-nil at Scunthorpe. Loughborough's Fran Halsall won

Britain's only medal at the World Swimming Championships, which have

come to an end in Barcelona. Halsall, who'd earlier finished

fourth in the 50 metres Butterfly, came third in the Freestyle Sprint.

The bronze medal was a great relief to her - and her team-mates.

Cricket - and congratulations to Derbyshire, who got their first

County Championship Division One win reach, you know. Elsewhere, today's

rain didn't just hit the Ashes match. A torrential downpour at

Taunton meant Notts' game against Somerset was abandoned as a draw.

But the weather couldn't save Leicestershire, who lost by an

innings against Lancashire in innings against Lancashire in

Division Two. Derbyshire's Leon Haslam has had

another injury scare in the World Superbikes at Silverstone. Just look

at this. Remember, Haslam is still recovering from a broken leg.

Incredibly, all he picked up were more bruises. He's got a planned

operation to remove screws from his left leg this week and then a month

off before his next event Two Robin Hood fans have travelled 3,000 miles

from New Jersey to Nottinghamshire to renew their wedding vows in

Sherwood Forest. Today, Joe and Debbie Tencza were

the guests of honour at the opening of this year's Robin Hood Festival.

the 29th Robin Hood Festival word Jo Ann Tebby Tencza from New Jersey in

America. -- Joseph and Debbie. so looking forward to the rest of

the day. They have travelled more than 3000 miles to be here and

yesterday celebrated Debbie overcoming breast cancer and 15

years of marriage by renewing their vows in Sherwood Foresters. It was

magical. The whole night was just amazing. We couldn't have thought of

anything better. It was just great. Yes, it was very welcome warder

mated with the staff and everything was just perfect and beautiful. --

very well coordinated. Today's events have given the Tenczas a few

ideas they would like to share with the organisers back home. I think

they should bring some of the actors. Yeah, and I love the comedy

that they brought out in the opening ceremony. I thought that was

wonderful. They don't quite get the accent down in New York. No, they

don't. They will return to America at the weekend with many happy

memories of a special milestone in their lives. Weather how lovely, and

congratulations. Time for the percentage of us with quite a lot of

heavy rain. There were two weather fronts around today and it's mainly

due to this area of low pressure being quite static for a time and

it's now starting to pull away towards the north-east. In doing so,

we are starting to see the heavy rain working its way across the East

Midlands. But it moves through quite quickly tonight so we will see the

back of it into the early hours of tomorrow morning. With clearer skies

around, temperatures dot ground to a minimum of around 12 but it could

turn quite misty. There was the chance of some fog forming tomorrow.

A fine start once the sun comes up. It is going to cloud over throughout

the afternoon tomorrow and there is a very slim chance of a light shower

with a daytime temperature of 21 Celsius. A decent day in store for

Wednesday. A lot of than three showers coming up from France but

we'll just see the cloud increasing again into the afternoon on

Wednesday. A gentle north-easterly breeze. A set of day again for

Thursday. A pleasant outlook and some good periods of dry weather

throughout the majority of the week. Just the slim chance of a few

showers again by Friday. Very wet out there tonight so careful if