13/08/2013 East Midlands Today

This is East Midlands Today with Dominic Heale and me, Anne Davies.

Tonight: Police question 11 people over the death of an elderly woman.

The 11 people were arrested today are being held on suspicion of

manslaughter. The Transport Secretary in Nottingham justifying

the big rail fare rises. We are seeing huge investments in the

railways. In Nottingham, a million pounds. Are we going to see more of

these going up outside homes in the East Midlands? Eli McReddie athlete

who came from nowhere to win gold at the Paralympic world championship 's

-- the athlete who came from nowhere.

Welcome to Tuesday's programme. First tonight: 11 people have been

arrested on suspicion of causing the death of a Nottingham care home

resident. Ivy Atkin died shortly after the

closure of Autumn Grange in Sherwood Rise last year. Our social affairs

correspondent Jeremy Ball is there for us this evening. Jeremy, what

more can you tell us about these arrests?

The people were arrested this morning. The police say the

investigation was prompted by the death of Ivy Atkin. She was a

resident here rat Autumn Grange and she died shortly after the home shut

down last November. New line macro what happened at the home today?

building is currently being converted into flats. A police van

arrived here this afternoon. It was only a short visit and they work

accompanied by a senior detective. I understand the 11 people arrested

earlier are all linked to the Autumn Grange care home and their ages

range from 19 up to 77. Why was the care home closed down? There had

been worries about the quality of care for well over a year. A number

of inspections were carried out by the Care Quality Commission. There

were concerns raised about cleanliness, record keeping.

Nottingham City Council were so worried they sent in their own team.

A few days later, the private owners of the home decided to shut it down.

Ivy Atkin was one of the people who had to be given emergency transfers

to other care homes. Has there been a reaction from the authorities?

Nottingham City Council say that autumn hash macro Autumn Grange was

in breach of its contact. -- contract. A safeguarding

investigation is currently being carried out to see whether any

lessons can be learned from the death of Ivy Atkin.

The multi-million pound revamp of Nottingham Railway Station is just

one reason why big increases in rail fares are inevitable and justified.

That's the view of Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin who was

in the city today. Commuters will face an average

increase of just over 4% from next year. Union leaders say it'll make

rail travel too expensive for ordinary people. Here's our

political editor John Hess. The next London bound train leaving

from here is just under a fortnight away. Nottingham station has been

closed to most services while Merck on improvements press ahead -- while

work. The Transport Secretary used the transformation as a backdrop to

defend above inflation increases in train fares from January. We are

seeing huge investments in the railways. The Nottingham, over �130

million on Nottingham station. Birmingham station, �600 million.

That is despite all the work going on on the tracks and signalling

which people never see. It will mean that a ticket that now costs �180

will increase by �7 38 from January. They want to get the people on

public transport. They will not do it if they keep putting the fares

up. They are quite a lot already. The trade union has its own solution

to rising ticket fares. �1.2 billion the year is leaking out of the

railway system through privatisation. If we had a publicly

owned railway, it could be put to immediate use and lead to an 18% cut

in rail fares. The Transport Secretary is returning in a week to

see the progress of the construction work. A sure sign that this

particular project is on time and budget. It will lead to a better

service for commuters and passengers in Nottingham in the future. Rail

users may agree but another increase in fares from January, the 11th

consecutive year of rises, will be far more difficult to sell.

Still to come: In sport, a special studio guest. Yes, Aggers is here to

talk about the Ashes and Stuart Broad.

And building the tram extension, one of the biggest challenges is moving

this huge bridge across the A52. Poor exam results mean lifelong

career failure or can they be overcome? With its results due in

days, it is a question occupying many people right now. New research

by the Princes trust youth charity shows that nearly one in five

youngsters here in the East Midlands expect to end up on benefits. Bad

enough, you might think, but that figure rises to more than a third

among those who did badly in exams. Nearly one in ten believe that

failure in exams will always hold them back. 37% of the young people

surveyed in the region say that those who fell Berwick sounds will

struggle to find work in the future. -- those who fail Derek Sands. Our

reporter has today been visiting someone who has managed to keep one

step ahead of her exam grades. Putting her best foot forward.

Charlotte with a group of youngsters at a class. The 23 -year-old is busy

teaching dance to 120 children each week. It all could have been very

different. She struggled with some exams at school and nearly gave up

on her dream of becoming a dance teacher. With the help of a charity,

she set up her own business. academic side is weaker but they

gave me a mental to support me setting up. Charlotte's story is not

unique and now the charity that gave her support and carried out today's

survey is calling for more vocational help from the

government. Politicians have not really focused enough on the 50% who

do not go to university and who therefore need support to get into

vocational training. Charlotte also believes you can still be a success

without going down the Puma league academic route. -- the pew early

academic route. You can find different ways. Having a teacher who

does not shout is nice. With exam results out soon, it is hoped that

youngsters do not give up on career A 26-year-old man from Leicester has

appeared before magistrates charged with the attempted murder of a Sikh

spiritual leader. Harjit Toor from Oadby in Leicester was arrested

after an incident in the early hours of Sunday morning at the Gurdwara

Namdhari Temple in Leicester. Sri Satguru Uday Singh Gee was treated

in hospital for injuries but was later discharged.

A Derbyshire company says it could save the struggling NHS at last �30

million a year. Not by cutting staff, but simply by recycling old

hospital equipment. It's begun a trial with Nottingham's

two main hospitals who say the idea could transform the way the health

service operates. Carolyn Moses reports.

It is known as the trolley Hospital, a place for hospital

equipment to be brought back to life. It is hoping to revive the

finances of the NHS. We want to reject a throwaway society. We want

to reuse equipment. We bring it back and strip it back to steal and

repair anything damaged and powder coat the equipment and put it back

into service as new. Here are some they made earlier. Recycled and

handed back to Nottingham's hospitals. The trial has run for

several months and managers say they have already seen equipment costs

plummet. Historically, what would happen is that they would be

scrapped. Then you have the cost of scrapping and replacing them and the

time for it to come back. The solution we have got is a piece of

equipment will last ten years and save you a third of the price. It is

by one, get two or three free. Hospitals estimate that if they

recycled simple things like this oxygen trolley it could save the NHS

more than �30 million a year. If the NHS recycled more complex items like

patient trolleys or wheelchairs, it could save billions. It is very

simple. Very effective. If we can make this national, we could bring

much bigger savings to the community. It is a feel-good factor.

The Department of Health says it welcomes innovative ideas and will

study the results of the trial. If it proves successful, pieces of

equipment could make their own recovery too.

Excellent idea. The engineers building Nottingham's

tram extension are facing one of their biggest challenges.

Next month, a huge bridge built on site at the Queen's Medical Centre

will be moved into position over a dual carriageway. Meanwhile, the

head of the extension project claims attitudes towards the tram are

changing and have become more positive.

Mike O'Sullivan reports. This is what gives Nottingham's tram

extension the wow factor. Waiting to be lifted into place, a 60 metre

long bridge built on-site at Queen's Medical Centre. This bridge weighing

about 1000 tonnes is due to be lifted up and put into position over

the A52. They say they can do the job in one weekend at the end of

September. The bridge is part of a long viaduct through the hospital

grounds. The Queen's Medical Centre will have its own tram stop linking

the hospital to the city centre, the University and one of the suburbs.

In Beeston, there are mixed views. It will be a great benefit. We need

something like this. The convenience of it will be very good for people.

We do not need it. We have got fabulous buses. We have also got the

train only five minutes down the road. Whatever the arguments for

these two civil engineers, building the tram is a landmark in their

lives. You can see what you have done and you can come back in 50

years time and say, this is what I did when I was younger. You can be

proud. For the city to achieve what it has and putting up with difficult

scenarios that times. It is costing �517 million. It is beginning to

change the streets of Nottingham and it is claimed attitudes as well.

lot of the time people's negativity to projects is the unknown. Now they

have something to relate to. Over the last few months, people's

response has been more positive. region's biggest infrastructure

project is taking shape. It should be completed next summer.

Still to come: Sunshine in a bottle from Derbyshire.

We've been to two vineyards that are enjoying a bit of a vintage year,

all thanks to the recent hot spell. Estate agents are claiming that the

East Midlands' housing market appears to have finally turned a

corner. Buyers have returned to the market in their biggest numbers for

four years. The latest survey by the Royal

Institution of Chartered Surveyors says last month the biggest number

of new buyers entered the market since the summer of 2009. James

Roberson reports. In the early 19th century

farmhouse, this lady shows round an estate agent. She has been thinking

of selling for over three years but has been put off by the state of the

market. Now she can see it is picking up. You see the sold signs

going out. The prices seem to be moving up. For me, it seems the time

is now right. Her house is now for sale. A survey says two fifths of

estate agents in the East Midlands report an increase in demand.

have seen false starts in the past. This has legs because of the

government initiatives, for new housing and others due to come in

for second home housing. If you thought the housing market was in

the doldrums, come to this high street. In Westbridge road, there

are at least ten different estate agents. Some also advertise on the

Internet. We have been in the property doldrums for the last five

or six years and now people are saying that perhaps prices are

rising, wider signs of an economic recovery. That gives them the

confidence to look at a greater financial commitment and look to buy

a house for the first time or trade up. What do the public think?House

prices have been low for some time and interest rates have been low as

well and I think it is a good sign. Probably a good thing for me. No,

probably not good for the economy as a whole. It is good if you own a

house. At the end of the day, people are struggling to pay mortgages each

month. It is not going to improve the situation if house prices

continue to rise. Thank goodness we are turning a corner, hopefully.

It is not good for everyone. Time for the sport.

First, the cricketing world is talking about Nottinghamshire's

Stuart Broad today after he was the star of the show in last night's

sensational Ashes victory. England won their third straight Ashes

series, beating Australia by 74 runs in Durham. Broad who enjoyed a

devastating spell took six quick wickets to catapult England to

victory. Earlier, the BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew popped

in to see us, on his way back from the North East. We started our

interview by talking about how Broad has been right at the heart of the

drama in this series since he refused to walk in that first Test

at Trent Bridge. It seems a long time ago when he stood there for the

obvious catch. A lot was made of that. The England team supported him

for not having walked. A crucial innings in the end. Those of us who

have been around a while, we thought that there are limits in cricket as

to where you draw the line and where you walk. A lot of people do not

walk at all. Anyone who plays club cricket would understand that there

is a line. It has been feisty over the last few weeks. Messaging and so

on. I have known Stuart since he was a kid. I have kept a fatherly eye on

him. He is a brilliant cricketer. He is very competitive. Sometimes, that

can spill over a little bit. Positively, obviously, like

yesterday as well. You interviewed him last night. After what he

achieved yesterday and the dramatic way he took those wickets, that has

outshone what happened at Trent Bridge. Definitely. He is paid to

bowl and win matches. That game yesterday was nip and tuck. It was

120 41. It looked as if England for the second time in the game could

lose -- it was 120-1. I was talking to the coach today. When Stuart

Broad is on a roll, he can blow teams apart. He has done it before.

Last night, he bowled quickly, 90 miles an hour plus which he does not

always do, but it is something that he has, this competitive streak that

drives him on. I hope one day, this is why I keep an eye on him, I would

like him to be seriously considered for the next England captain. He

will probably be in his early 30s and I think he would be a brilliant

captain. At times, if he wants to be, perhaps he does not want to be,

but he has to keep a little eye on what he is up to. He is a beautiful

batsmen. He has been likened to very good batsmen. Part of the aggro has

been him not having the confidence of his place in the side but there

is no question of that any more. you think England are going to have

a 4-0 win? We go to Australia this winter and we start all over again.

Bear in mind, I have watched seven Ashes series now in which England

have barely won a match let alone a series. If people are expecting me

to show sympathy towards Australia, they will not find it coming from

me. Thank you.My pleasure. Staying with cricket and a big night

in the YB40 competition. Nottinghamshire could secure their

place in the semi-finals with a win against Worcestershire at Trent

Bridge. But the visitors are batting first and putting on a decent total.

Leicestershire still have hopes of making the last four but could only

make 163 down at Gloucestershire. Derbyshire are hoping to keep their

slim hopes alive at Lancashire. They batted first. They made 190-9 from

their 40 overs. Now there can't have been a more

dramatic rise to fame than Nottinghamshire's Paralympic star

Sophie Hahn. The 16-year-old from Widmerpool has cerebral palsy and

only took up running only last October. But she's just returned

home from becoming the world 100-metres champion and world record

holder. Kirsty Edwards reports. She announced herself on the world

stage in dramatic style and now the Paralympics newest star is back in

training. Good. Well done. Sophie's mum brought her down and said that

her brother thought it was a good idea on the back of the Olympics

because he thought she was quick. We did a taster session. As a coach,

you look and go, if I can sort out this and that, could be something

special here. There certainly was something special there. She picked

up silver and gold at the World Championships. It was amazing.

Fantastic experience. My version of London. Felt like a dream. I was

over the moon. Her medals are privately on display. Her family are

still getting used to her incredible achievement. It was 46 degrees on

the track that day. We were boiling in the crowd. For her to pull that

out, it was phenomenon. As a tot, she had a real determination that

was in her that you could not possibly give to her . I see that

coming through now. She is now way real prospect for the Olympics in

Rio in three years time and her coach says she will get quicker. For

now, they are still enjoying her recent success. To watch her achieve

what she achieved in the short space of time that she has achieved it, it

is incredible. Absolutely incredible. I have him to thank.You

did the running! Modest to the end. Well done, Sophie.

Well, we could see more medal success later at the Paralympic

swimming World Championships this evening. Mansfield's Ollie and Sam

Hynd and Charlotte Henshaw all have finals tonight as does Loughborough

based Ellie Simmonds who took gold yesterday, winning by a whole 20

seconds. This was just me really. It is different. You push yourself. You

push your own abilities. I am looking forward to doing other

events. I have got five more events this week.

And Nottinghamshire's blade runner Richard Whitehead set off on his

incredible challenge today to run 40 marathons in 40 days. He's running

from John O'Groats to Land's End and aiming to raise a million pounds for

two charities. Good luck, Richard. He is a superhuman, isn't he?

A lot of superhumans in the sport to night.

Now, we've had the longest and hottest weeks of sunshine this

summer for many years. It's had huge benefits for two Derbyshire

businesses. They're vineyards and one of them

expects to triple the amount of bottles of wines it'll produce this

year, as Paula Boys-Stones reports. It has been a job to keep the plants

under control this year at this vineyard in South Derbyshire. They

have around 4000 vines planted five years ago producing red and white

wine. The grapes are coming on well and John expects a record harvest

next month. We could produce four or 5000 bottles. Compared with last

year at about 1500. It gives you some idea of the difference in the

year and what it is going to make. Further north, these fines are in

their second year. They were planted in the snow. This summer's hot

weather has meant they are flourishing. We are five or six

weeks behind, but the hot weather meant the plants shot up and we have

had a good flowering season. They will not produce their real crop

until next year with wine being bottled in 2015. They are already

planning to plant more vineyards in the adjacent fields and to provide

local jobs in the micro winery. are looking like we will have a

harvest. John surveys their best ever crop but he for one does not

have ambitions to expand. It would be nice to put more vines in but as

the years roll by, I think probably not. We may have to look for one of

the family members to take it on and probably I will finish up just doing

the wine tasting. The worry for now is keeping on top of the weeding.

They used to produce wine in England for centuries, the Romans. Perhaps

it is coming back. I hope so! It is a lovely thing. They make some

nice champagne in market Harborough but of course you cannot call it

We have had perfect stargazing weather as well in the past few

nights. We had a fantastic view of the Nietzsche a shower. If you

missed out last night, fear not. -- the meteor shower. The skies will

not be quite as clear as last night but still decent clear spells. We

have got showers to get through once again. They have been on the lively

side today, blown through on the westerly winds. They are starting to

ease down again now. They are fading away. A dry evening. The skies

slowly clearing. There will be decent clear spells. Temperatures

quite chilly. The winds will ease. It will slide into single figures,

six or seven degrees by the morning. A bright start for

tomorrow. Cloud will increase Disney afternoon. A couple of showers

around later in the day. -- cloud will increase in the afternoon. The

showers will be very light. The winds tomorrow are starting to come

in from the south-west. Much milder so at last temperatures will again

scrape into the 20s. We will continue to import the mild and

muggy air on Thursday and there is a chance that could spark off heavy

showers which could be on the thundery side. At least temperatures