06/01/2014 East Midlands Today

This is East Midlands Today with Geeta Pendse and me, Dominic Heale.

Tonight, a breakthrough in treating high blood pressure. We speak to the

first patients to benefit. It made my life a lot better. It is going

down. Also denied: New delays and diversions for motorists on the big

return to work. Plus the day the wheels of justice grind to a halt.

For the first time in history, barristers and solicitors across

England and Wales, who care about justice, are refusing to go to

court. And ladies and gentlemen, this may be the only functioning

Victorian music saloon outside of London but now, the amazing

revelations beneath my feet, about what they want to do with the

ancient floors below. Good evening. Welcome to Monday's

programme. First tonight: breakthrough surgery for high blood

pressure has been performed for the first time, in the East Midlands.

Linval Henry from Nottingham underwent the procedure because

medication wasn't adequately controlling his condition.

The experimental technique involves burning nerves around the main

artery supplying the kidneys. As Our health correspondent Rob Sissons

reports, doctors in Nottingham now hope more patients will benefit.

The procedure is called... It is offering hope to patients for whom

medication hasn't really brought down their blood pressure enough. In

Nottingham, they are hoping to come one of 12 centres across the UK

doing more of the work. This man is proud to be a first patient to have

it done in the East Midlands. A few weeks on and his blood pressure is

down from sky`high levels. I feel a lot better in myself. I am not in

pain any more. The technique uses a catheter. This tip burns the nerves

surrounding the main artery to the kidneys. The labs where the

procedure was done were busy with different cases today but they hope

to do more patients here like him. There is a communication process

between the brain and kidney which is to do with how the body sets the

blood pressure and how it regulates the blood pressure. It seems to be

that if you interrupt the communication, mainly in what course

of the Vatican nerves, you reduce the signals which are driving blood

pressure up. At home, he was on 12 different medications a day to

control blood pressure. Now it is five. His father died young because

of hypertension. He had always feared a similar fate. Everything is

going the way the doctor wants it to go. I am not really too worried. At

Nottingham City Hospital, they want to do more of these procedures. But

there are lifestyle changes they stress people can make to bring down

blood pressure, just as `` such as giving up smoking, reducing salt,

taking more exercise and losing weight.

Well, a little earlier I spoke to Simon Cooke from The Stroke

Association who told me the procedure could help save the lives

of people who are not benefiting from medication. It is great that

any new procedure is coming which helps reduce the risk of stroke,

particularly for this group of patients. It will save lives. That

is hugely welcome. We would hope that more money could be put into

research to further the development. How big is the risk of

stroke for those who have high blood pressure? It is estimated that

around 54% of people who have a stroke have high blood pressure is a

contributing factor. It is hugely significant. You welcome new

treatments but do you think people are doing enough to reduce the risk

of strokes in terms of their own lifestyle? There are always things

if we can do to help reduce risk. I think the first and most important

is to get along to your GP or health practice and have your blood

pressure checked regularly, at least once a year. BP is a situation where

you cannot necessarily experience symptoms so you need to have a

cheque. Lifestyle factors also come into play. Cutting out smoking,

reducing alcohol intake, reducing salt intake and taking regular

exercise will all help. Still to come: better news on the

weather. Are the storms running out of steam? And we'll take a look at a

mammoth art display inside a shopping centre.

Each one is a work of art. Here to help, elephants like this one. She

lost part of her leg to a landmine. 13 people have appeared in court

accused of taking part in a Leicester`based immigration scam.

They're all suspected of involvement in sham marriages. Our Social

Affairs Correspondent, Jeremy Ball, was in court and joins us now. What

happened today? Eight men and five women appeared

here today. Between them, we heard that they're facing a long list of

immigration charges. They're all Nigerian, Cameroonian or Portugese

nationals. And they're all accused of organising or taking part in sham

marriages over more than a decade. Now they were all arrested back in

May last year. Several at addresses here in Leicester. Others around

London and Peterborough. Among them, Antonio Semedo. He's a Portuguese

national. Today he denied marrying a Nigerian woman to deceive the

immigration authorities. Some of the others are facing criminal charges.

One of those other people who appeared today has been charged with

possessing a number of fake documents. We will hear more about

these allegations when the case comes to the Crown Court later this

year. This is a real priority for the immigration authorities. Because

sham marriages are organised purely to get round the British residency

rules. Essentially to help non`European nationals con their way

into getting permission to settle here and work here.

Police are still waiting to question a woman who was arrested after a

baby was born at a sports warehouse in Derbyshire. Officers were called

to Sports Direct in Shirebrook on New Years Day, where the baby boy

was found, having been born in what they've called unusual

circumstances. A 28`year`old woman has been arrested on suspicion of

wilful neglect. Both the mother and her baby are being treated at the

Leicester Royal Infirmary. The baby is said to be making good progress.

An 18`year`old man has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his

closest friend who was found dead in his burnt out car last July. Ryan

Morrell had fallen asleep in the car after attending the Fristock

festival near Melton Mowbray. Jack Buckley accidentally dropped his

lighter while searching for his possessions in the dark. He didn't

know anyone was in the car but failed to raise the alarm after the

fire started. Sentencing has been adjourned.

Next tonight: a new year and a new series of major roadworks across the

East Midlands. Millions of pounds is being spent improving key junctions

across the region. Inevitably, there'll be congestion.

Chaos even, according to some. Sarah Teale has been taking a look at

what's happening. Sarah, these road improvements seem to be

never`ending. They do don't they and that's

because there's been a lot going on across the East Midlands over the

last few months. Major roadworks still ongoing of course on the A453

into Nottingham. Beeston's got major tramworks and improvements are being

made around the Fosse Park roundabout in leicester. And now

there's more roadworks starting. Over in Derbyshire work has begun to

widen and improve safety at two roundabouts on the A38 in

Derbyshire. It's all part of a ?317 million improvement programme to

reduced congestion and boost the local economy. So until June

there'll be lane closures and speed restrictions at the Little Eaton and

Markeaton roundabouts. Work will take place outside of rushhour

between 9.30 and three, and again at night to try and keep disruption to

a minimum. Moving further south, into Leicestershire, the busy

Catthhorpe Interchange of the M1 at junction 19 is to undergo major

roadworks. It's going to take a massive three years to complete and

the Highways Agency says over all of that time people should allow extra

time for their journeys. Complete overnight motorway closures start

tonight and continue all week so if you do travel that route its worth

checking the Highways Agency website for detailed information. Into

Loughborough and there's been huge disruption while the inner relief

road is being built. Work has entered the last major phase with

improvements now taking place at the junctions of Leicester and

Southfield Road and High Street and Woodgate. When that's finished at

the end of March work will move to the Epinal way/Forest Road junction.

Work on the whole scheme isn't due to finish until this autumn. So why

is all of this work happening at once? I asked Andy Butterfield from

the Highways Agency. Although it may not seem it, those works have been

carefully planned and coordinated with all those partners to try to

make sure there is as little disruption as possible. Most of the

work is happening at night or between the rush hours. We have to

accept that there will be some short`term pain for the long`term

gain that the works will deliver. The government is consulting on

plans to set up a 60mph speed limit for a 32`mile stretch of the M1 from

junction 28 Matlock all the way up to junction 35. That would be 7am to

7pm every day and why? In a bid to cut pollution. So all in all not the

best new years news for motorists. Still to come: in sport, Forest club

Captain Andy Reid looks back on a good day at the office.

Reidy scored yesterday's fifth and final goal against West Ham in the

FA cup and signed a new contract at the City Ground.

The Chancellor, George Osborne, warned today that 2014 will see

further significant cuts to public spending. And it seems the

continuing austerity will affect everyone, even barristers.

They're already up in arms over proposals by the Ministry of Justice

to cut the legal aid budget. This morning they made their feelings

known by bringing many of our Crown Courts to a virtual standstill.

Today is a momentous day. For the first time in history, barristers

and solicitors across England and Wales, who care about justice, are

refusing to go to court. Criminal solicitors and barristers from

Leicester and Nottingham gathered outside the Galleries of Justice as

part of a national mourning of protest. Our system of justice is

the envy of the world but gradually, over time, it has become starved of

resources. The Ministry of Justice says further cuts are essential as

the local... If these cuts come into effect, the advocacy in the Crown

Court could be affected because we will not be able to recruit and keep

the very best people to do the job. Some of these cases are very complex

and have a special needs, especially for victims and witnesses. They

argue the profession is in crisis and most barristers are not paid fat

cat amounts. The real figures for 25% of the criminal bar is that 25%

of them take gross ?25,000 a year or less. The mystery of justice says

these cuts will save ?220 million a year and still leave us with one of

the most generous legal aid system is in the world. But barristers

argue these figures are misleading and that the cuts will degrade the

criminal justice system irreparably. The parents of a Nottinghamshire

teenager with anorexia say they're having to travel to Yorkshire just

so she can get the care she needs. There's currently no in`patient

facility for anorexia in Nottinghamshire, despite an internal

review highlighting the need for a specialist service. The local NHS

Trust says it doesn't want to take children away from their families.

The Robinsons say their daughter Amelia needs better support closer

to home. And on Inside Out East Midlands this

evening you can hear from other local families affected by Anorexia,

that's on BBC One from 7.30. It's been described as one of the

East Midlands historic and architectural gems. Now even more of

its hidden past is about to be revealed.

We're talking about the Malt Cross, the only surviving saloon music hall

outside London. As James Roberson reports, it's just won nearly ?1.4

million from the Lottery to open three floors, including the 11th

century caves, below the existing Victorian building.

Tucked away on Saint James's Street just off the old Market Square, the

exterior belies its spectacular interior. Built in 1877, it is now

the only functioning saloon music hall outside the capital but it is

not the spark that has changed, it is what lies beneath. In the 80s and

90s, the two floors below were used as an Indian restaurant but the

partly hidden Victorian colours reveal that this was originally a

very different space. Here we are on the lower ground floor. Got to

imagine that the ceiling wasn't there and around the top here would

have been a balcony. Just like in the top. Just like the top. This

flaw would have been a Victorian roller`skating rink. It says on the

blueprints. It was also used as a billiards room. Perhaps the most

extraordinary area is the third floor down. This cave was from the

old monastery that stood on the side from 1100. The monks would have

brought up water to make wine and beer and cider. They would have

stored it along these prints here, along with meat, so that you

couldn't see the rat bites in it or the mould. Here is the boiler that

would have heated the building in Victorian times. ?1.38 million from

the Heritage lottery fund will transform all of these three

currently hidden levels. The idea that we gave them they thought were

really exciting, to engage with tourism, artists and musicians and

Heritage craft that would have been associated with the music Hall at

the time. It was cute too good an offer to turn down. Heritage is an

important part of tourism and this is fantastic news for the city. It

will bring people from all over the UK and hopefully all over the world.

The trust hope to open the three floors this coming September.

Well I never. Fascinating. It's time now for sport.

First tonight the club captain of Nottingham Forest has been in our

new look studio this afternoon after signing a new contract at the City

Ground. His new deal was announced yesterday after Forest thrashed West

Ham of the Premier League by 5`0, in the FA cup. Andy scored the fifth

and final goal of the game to take his team into the fourth round in

style! Shortly after the club released the news that he'd extended

his contract by two and a half years. Earlier Reidy popped in to

chat to us and told me how he now wants to go and lead his team into

the Premier League. It is a relief. It is something that I suppose plays

on your mind sometimes and now that it is sorted, it's great. I'm

absolutely delighted. The club have been good to me and I think I've

been good to them. It was the right thing to get it done. The timing is

pretty good as well, I suppose, on the back of a win yesterday. And

what a result in the cup for you yesterday. We've got some footage of

the goals. The first one, a penalty by... He is not shy, is it?

Obviously not. Would he have been in trouble as captain if this had not

have gone on? Yes, of course. If you are going to do something like that,

there are risks that come with it. He got away with it yesterday but I

wouldn't be keen on him doing that again. Your heart must have been in

your mouth. Listen, it went in, so that is the main thing. I thought

Henry was going to take it because he scored the last one that he took.

Jamal looked like he really fancy that. He is not too shy so he ended

up taking it and luckily enough, it went in. In the second half, the

hat`trick, which we can see, he is an extraordinary talent. What is

special about him? He was fantastic yesterday. He has done well since he

has come in. It has been a start`up for him and he has a bit to learn.

He is another lad in our squad who isn't shy. We all like him. He has

been threatening to do this for awhile. He's been a little bit

unlucky and yesterday, things went well for him. If he keeps his feet

on the ground, has a fantastic feature again `` ahead of him. The

third goal was a fantastic goal. You also got on the fourth `` scoresheet

yourself. What would it mean for you to have a good season in the

championship? Things are going really well at the moment. I've

scored a couple of goals and that always helps. I was absolutely

delighted to get on the scoresheet yesterday. I made a late run. My

legs were a little bit tired after all the games that we've played. It

was nice to round the day off with a goal and then get the contract

sorted, and of him that goes with it. It turned out to be a fantastic

day for me and for the club and everybody involved. A special day.

Thanks for coming in. Now onto Derby, where it's not just

Rams fans hoping to see them in the Premier League next season. Jose

Mourinho's is rooting for them too. His Chelsea side beat them 2`0 in

the cup but it was a performance Derby could be proud of.

The magic of the FA Cup was well and truly alive at Derby, a sell`out

crowd, hopes high for an upset. This Chelsea side are real contenders for

the Premier league title. If Derby are going to make it nine wins out

of 11, they are going to have to be at their very best.

We are going to have you, Chelsea. They will rise to the occasion and

hopefully upset the special one. No lack of respect for the cup from

Jose Mourinho. Some changes to his team but still packed full of stars.

It was a good first half for Derby. They had a number of chances. And

they were strong in defence, too, mainly restricting the visitors to

some long`range shots. As the game went on, Chelsea looked more and

more threatening. The player broke the deadlock after 65 minutes. Just

five minutes later, O made sure of the win. There was still time for

Derby to threaten but it wasn't to be. I wish them the best for the

championship. I hope that next season, I can come here, not in the

cup but in the Premier league. The players were doing all the talking

beforehand and they were saying, this is where we want to be, we want

to play like this every week. They have put a lot of responsibility on

themselves. They must feel now, that experiencing that packed stadium,

that they want more of this. Derby and Leicester play each other

this coming Friday. With that in mind Leicester City boss Nigel

Pearson rested five players against Stoke as they lost 2`1 in their cup

game over the weekend. Promotion is the priority so it was

a result which went `` will not hurt too much. Jones gave Stoke a

first`half lead, before of the few highlights in a fairly ordinary

game. This was the strike for Charlie Adam, to make it 2`0. Less

to got a goal back but they couldn't force a replay.

In the league, there was no game for Notts County, but Mansfield Town's

revival continued at Exeter. Lee Stevenson scored just before half

time to make it three games without defeat for the Stags in League Two.

Rugby, and the Leicester Tigers needed a last minute try to prevent

being beaten by old rivals Bath. There was a full house yesterday to

see the Tigers take the lead with this Benjamin try. But they are

missing almost a full team of players with injuries and the

pressure showed. Bath went ahead, scoring the next three tries. With

ten minutes left, this player crept in behind the forwards and crawled

over to give Leicester a chance to get back in the game. They grabbed

that chance in the last minute. It needed the video referee to confirm

that Jamie Gibson had touched down fairly in the corner. So the scores

were level. It left this kick to win it. In the wind and rain, Owen

Williams just push it wide. In ice hockey there was no close

finish at the National Ice Centre. The Panthers had an emphatic win

over Cardiff Devils Nottingham scored five times in the first

period. And they got eight goals in a remarkable 20 minutes to blow away

their Welsh visitors. Two players got hat tricks. First it was Matt

Ryan. And then local boy Rob Lachovitz got his third to complete

a 9`2 thrashing. You may not have herd but there's

been a stampede of elephants through two of our biggest shopping centres.

Don't worry though, they're not real.

In fact, they're rather beautiful and they're here for a very good

reason as Jo Healey discovered. There are 30 of them, here, on a

mission. This is to protect the Indian elephants. Elephants are my

favourite animal. They remind you of India and I am so happy to be here.

There is a message to save elephants. They are so beautiful and

intelligent. Yeah, really good. We want to save them, definitely. And,

Asian elephants are threatened with extinction, partly their habitat

disappearing, son, injured like landmines. And here is the

inspiration behind the whole tour. The reason why we are doing it is to

raise money for the Asian elephant foundation. As well as running shop

and it `` shopping centres, we are passionate about elephant

conservation. Each elephant weighs ten stone, was manoeuvred in here by

a forklift truck and a seam of six people. They finished in the early

hours of this morning but luckily, they are here for another five

weeks. I love elephants. They are very

intelligent, you know. Just like you!

We've had some gorgeous winter sunshine today but we still cannot

get away from those wins at the moment. We have low anchored to the

north and west of the UK. It has been battering us with its wins all

day long. But things are improving over the next few days. We don't see

that area of low pressure starting to fill in and push its way

northwards. We can see the ice bars will open out. We have to keep a

close eye on this cheeky chappie which may come in on Wednesday.

Otherwise, it is looking pretty decent for the next few days. It is

a lot calmer. Winds will be a lot lighter. It will be drier as well.

Those showers will start to diminish and we are staying on the mild side

as well. We've had a little bit of a forcefield around East Midlands so

far today with not too many of these showers pushing in. A couple of them

are trying to creep into the north and west now and these may continue

during the evening of the first part of the night. Generally, it is

drying up to the latter part. We will see temperatures falling away.

Not falling very far at all. Those of seven or eight Celsius. That is

about where we should be for the daytime maximum temperatures for

this time of year. The winds will stay quite strong tonight. They

would be their first thing. A couple of showers around first thing as

well. These should become a lot lighter and they will eventually die

away into the afternoon. Some sunshine to enjoy later in the day.

The winds will ease down as well. It's a lot better in terms of how it

feels with highs of nine or 10 Celsius. In two Wednesday and a

decent day for daylight hours on Wednesday. Perhaps a little bit of

rain creeping in later on but pretty decent.

You like the changes we've made to our studio. Goodbye.

TOM: # And if there's anybody left in here

# That doesn't want to be out there... #