08/04/2014 East Midlands Today

London. If you want more details, you can head to our website. Now on

BBC One All This is East Midlands Today with

Anne Davies and me, Dominic Heale. Of the. Also tonight, the

self`assembly treadmill that comes with hidden dangers. What is the

future of our county councils? And after seven years in the dark, this

Nottinghamshire Theatre is about to reopen with help of some famous

friends. Good evening and welcome to tonight's programme. First, the

family of a man who died after serious mistakes were made while he

was in hospital say he'd still be alive if lessons had been learnt

from other deaths on the same ward. An inquest into the death of Stewart

Maltby heard evidence that the lives of two other patients on ward D57 at

the Queens Medical Centre were lost in the same way. The catalogue of

errors in Mr Maltby's care began when an ambulance took six hours to

ferry him from his home to hospital. Jo Healey reports. He was a

character who made us laugh with his mischievous sense of humour. He

spent a lot of time caring for others, often to his own detriment.

After 18 months he is still very much missed by us all. It has been

hard for Katie hearing how badly her dad was let down in the hours before

his death. At mix`up in the ambulance cultural room `` control

room meant it took six hours to get into hospital and he did not get the

fluidity needed until 14 hours after the call. He died two days later

from kidney failure and other problems. The coroner outlined a

series of mistakes, errors and missed opportunities. She said there

were serious, repeated and systemic failures as he deteriorated and

those caring for him were oblivious to that. We have learnt that Stewart

Maltby was not the first patient to die on this board as a result of

exasperating way similar to a management and lack of action at the

time. The inquest heard many measures and improvements are in

place on the water to stop it happening again and from the

Ambulance Service that came an apology to the family and

reassurances that they have made crucial changes. All the family of

Stewart Maltby hope for now is that no one else will have to suffer

this. What will the family do know in response to these findings? It

used to be a simple verdict from the coroner but now they have much

lengthier conclusion and the family will take that away with them and

digestive and look at the findings with their solicitor and he told me

that it is highly likely that they will take some form of legal action

against the medical centre. No amount of compensation will bring

Stewart Maltby back but they want to make absolutely sure as they can

that this does not happen to anyone else. Still to come: A chance for

Leicester City fans to cheer the squad that's won them promotion.

Next season, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester

City will be here. Tonight we will be at the promotion party as the

fans get their first chance to celebrate. Also how Triumph is on

the road to success here in Brazil. Before that, a teenager who is

accused of murdering the football coach Antoin Akpom has told a court

that he ran for his life after being confronted by him on a Leicester

street. 19`year`old Abdul Hakim described how Mr Akpom had

challenged him about being in his area and later came back with a

group of men and swung a dumb`bell at his head. The teenager said he

feared he'd be seriously injured. From Stafford Crown Court, here's

our chief news reporter Quentin Rayner. The jury was told that Abdul

Hakim and another man shared a cell at a young offenders institution.

Abdul Hakim has three convictions for carrying knives and sharp

implements. He said that he had never had any trouble with Antoin

Akpom before. He said that the football coach pulled up in a car

and very aggressively challenged them by shouting at him a question

as to why he was in his area. Abdul Hakim said some men had covered

their faces and Antoin Akpom had swung a dumbbell at his head. He was

scared for his life. He later noticed that the other man had blood

on his jacket and he told him that he had stabbed Antoin Akpom because

he feared he was being attacked. Abdul Hakim denied them at `` that

the knife says and that he got rid of it. When he had that four members

of one family had been killed in an attack he said that he thought at

first it was his house and they had picked the wrong post for a revenge

attack. That is when he decided to go to the police. He denied that he

was part of a team who were involved in murdering Antoin Akpom. The

Energy Secretary says that the future of Thoresby Colliery may be

decided within the next two days. 600 jobs could be lost if the last

deep mine in Nottinghamshire closes. Michael Fallon says that the

government is considering whether it can help to fund a managed closure.

Mining unions have been meeting bosses at UK Coal today. Tree

experts are considering what action to take over huge conifers which are

damaging homes in a Leicester street. Pine Tree Avenue, in

Humberstone, is home to about two dozen giant redwoods. But in the 150

years since they were planted, many have grown so large that their roots

are now damaging the foundations of nearby houses and distorting

driveways and pavements. Leave them alone. They are absolutely gorgeous.

When the snow comes, it is like a picture postcard. It is more likely

that more houses will suffer further damage. 36 smaller libraries which

cannot be supported by the community in Leicestershire may be closed.

That is the warning from the County Council which is looking to save

money from the Budget for the libraries and is looking to continue

funding 16 libraries that are asking volunteers to fund the rest. A blue

plaque has been unveiled in honour of a Victorian who coined the phrase

"survival of the fittest" and invented something still used in

offices today. Herbert Spencer, was born on Exeter Street in Derby in

1820 and became a respected philosopher and political theorist.

He also found time to design what he called a binding pin, which over

time was modified into what we now use as a paper clip. Next tonight,

the treadmill that sliced off the top of a man's finger as he tried to

assemble it. The company that supplied the machine was today fined

?30,000. Worryingly, Nottinghamshire Trading Standards fear hundreds of

machines of the same design have been sold to unsuspecting customers.

Simon Hare reports. Something as simple as a handshake is still too

painful for this man from Nottinghamshire. He lost the top of

his right`hand ring finger 12 months ago while assembling a treadmill

with his wife. The arm of the treadmill sprung open. It was very

unexpected as we were unpackaging it. As the running arm came up it

severed the tip of my finger which was at the base. When County Trading

Standards office tested similar machines from the same company they

found similar breaches of safety. Treadmills are imported for China ``

from China and have been sold for several years. Five product safety

breaches have been admitted by the company which sells and no says that

their products now meet the standards required. Meanwhile James

still suffers from pain. He has had five operations. Every time you

touch it it impacts on life in every feasible way. As camps `` we want

consumers to know that everything has been tested and that they will

be as safe as possible. James is waiting to hear how much

compensation he will receive through the company 's insurers. Still to

come: The tiny theatre with a big following. Nottinghamshire's Robin

Hood theatre was closed down seven years ago. But now, thanks to the

tireless support of volunteers, it's curtains`up once more. Time now for

the second of our special series on trade links with Brazil. And

tonight, how the Leicestershire motorcycle manufacturer Triumph is

winning new orders over there. The company only started up in South

America 15 months ago, but it already has its eyes on capturing

10% of the Brazilian big bike market. Mike O'Sullivan reports. A

Triumph motorcycle at a dealership in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It's one of

ten dealerships that have been opened in the country. The head of

the Triumph in Brazil tells me the company hopes to win ten or 12% of

the market for big bikes in another year or so. So, who is buying them?

We have some commuters, but the majority are people who work harder

in the week, and on the weekends they prefer to go out ` to go to the

mountains, to go to the beaches, and they enjoy the ride. Triumph started

in Brazil in November 2012, and an assembly plant has been set up in

the World Cup city of Manaus ` employing around 50 people. The

factory and sales staff have been trained at the parent factory site

in Hinckley. And in Leicestershire technicians have been out to Brazil

as well. The city is huge and you cannot compare that to hear. With

the Cup manager, Craig Bunton to Juergen Klinsmann. It turns out that

it is not too hot to play football. Triumph, which employs 450 people in

Hinckley, says its plan to Brazil and other factory in Thailand are

helping to create jobs in the UK. Absolutely, it creates jobs here,

and the one thing that is important to us is that all of our RNDs are

retained in the UK. Back in Sao Paulo, there is an upmarket feel to

the dealership, and the brand name is getting better known. Now that we

see that our bikes are on the streets, people are talking more

about Triumph. Brazil has helped Triumph extend its global reach `

India, Indonesia and China are now the next markets on their road trip.

Now let's celebrate a birthday. And this one is pretty special. 125

years`old, and not even a card from the Queen. The candles on the cake

on this occasion are to mark the 125th anniversary of our county

councils. But in this age of austerity and Budget cuts, is there

much to celebrate? Here's our Political Editor John Hess. Here's a

date for you. April one, 1889. Queen Victoria was on the throne. That's

when the Local Government Act of 1888 came into force, creating our

county councils. In Nottinghamshire, its annual Budget then was ?43,000.

This year ` even after recent Budget cuts` it'll spend half a billion

pounds. Then, the council was responsible for 372 miles of roads.

And now, it looks after 2610 miles, a seven`fold increase. How timeshave

changed. I 'm stepping back into time, to visit a grocer's shop in

the Nottinghamshire town of Kimberley. The grocer is not here

but the man from the council has already arrived. 125 years ago the

regulation of weights and measures was one of the first powers given to

the new county councils. Today we call it Trading Standards. There

were cases in Victorian times of flour being adulterated with chalk

dust, sugar being adulterated with sand. This Victorian`age grocers is

the hobby of the local enthusiasts. A visit from the weights and

measures inspector in Victorian Nottinghamshire was a big deal. And

did they have powers? They certainly did. And people who were found to

have adulterated food or giving short weight, short measure, were

summoned in front of the magistrates and I imagine they were dealt with

very severely. The scales are something of a museum piece but

tracking down rogue traders is still as important now for the County

Council as it was then. Libraries, social services, some schools, the

local economy...our county councils still have enormous influence. And

senior politicians are again talking of devolving more powers to our big

English councils. So what's the view of the current leader of

Nottinghamshire County Council, Labour's Alan Rhodes? I welcome

greater devolution but I think we need to be given greater tax`raising

powers and I think planning should be left entirely to local

government. There are other issues like education and social care where

we know what our local needs are. The way we shop has certainly

changed since 1889. And maybe greater consumer choice is how our

councils will adapt in future, in how they provide us with local

services. Now for sport. That is only one place for Natalie to be

tonight. She is in Leicester. Tonight this place will be a

cauldron of noise. For the first time, Leicester fans get the chance

to celebrate with a team that got them promoted. If the last few

weeks, we have been on the inside. We have had an exclusive look at the

team behind this team that won promotion. The East Midlands and now

has a Premier League team. Leicester have taken the championship by storm

at however they done it? LA one morning, we were given fly on the

wall access to the training ground of the club to show the science and

the secrets behind their success. Immediately after heartbreak at the

play`offs last season, manager Nigel Pearson held the debrief. The major

way we went to the pub. It was fabulous and that was when we went

to members of staff and debriefed the positives from this season and

discussed where we really needed to go in terms of philosophy. Leicester

already had first`class players with tweaks in recruitment and

innovations and sport science have been key. If everybody improves by a

couple of percent it very quickly adds up and I think that is really

what it is about. Each player has special drinks for before, during

and after training and they are pioneers for a special software for

iPad 's. Attention to detail has played a key part throughout the

season. Their style of power and pace is no coincidence. It helps me

in the physio room and helps Nigel and the team selection. We watch

every team at least three times before we play them and analysis is

done on that aspect as well. I think it is just key areas where we feel

we need cover or improvement. They do it for the manager who keeps his

focus by getting away for it all `` getting away from it all. It is a

bit of escapism that it is the kind of thing I enjoy. Before that, he

wants to win the title. They are back with the elite football for the

first time in a decade. Tonight, Leicester play Brighton the next

season the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool

and Arsenal will be walking into the visiting team dressing room. Here I

am in the home dugout. This is where they will be barking all the orders

to the players tonight. Here is the club ambassador. It is going to be a

great and huge atmosphere tonight isn't it? It has been a long hard

season with plenty of attractive football and the next step is overly

going up as champions. To actually get in the Premier League is a

massive achievement and it has been brilliant. Tonight it is all about

sharing that experience with the fans, the first times they have had

to celebrate with the players? I believe it is a sell`out, which is

what you would expect so it will be a special one that Brighton will

make it difficult to we have to be on our toes and we do not want to be

after the Lord Mayo's show. But the mentality that the players have had

this season that will carry them on and there will be a special

atmosphere but there has been a great atmosphere all season. But

tonight it will be fantastic. Tonight Derby County are away at

Blackpool and Nottingham Forest at home to Sheffield Wednesday. Natalie

is back outside the stadium were some very happy fans. It has been

outside the `` it has been about the players this season but also about

the fans. Tonight will be a special evening for them, of course. After

ten years it is about time to query belong in the Premier League and we

will hopefully stay up there. What will the atmosphere be like? It will

be fantastic. I cannot wait, it has been such a long time and happy

days. The T`shirt is cheesy but you do not get promotion every year.

After seven years in the dark, the curtains are about to go up once

more at the Robin Hood Theatre in Nottinghamshire. The venue was

closed suddenly after failing a health and safety inspection. But

volunteers have worked tirelessly to renovate the building with the help

of some famous friends. Our arts reporter Geeta Pendse joined the

company for their final dress rehearsal ahead of their opening

show tonight. He only cares. `` Here he is! It's seven years since these

factors have been able to tread the boards at the Robin Hood Theatre `

closed in 2007 by the County Council because of health and safety issues.

At the time, this was a huge blow for the amateur company, but now

they've raised enough money to reopen. It's appalling. What a waste

of a public facility. You got a beautiful building here. It just

needed a bit of TLC, and a little bit of money on it ` which is what

we've given. We've brought some experience and a lot of hard

learning, and here it is back in operation. It is not the first time

this theatre has been plunged into darkness. In the 1950s at Felling to

disappear and this lady who is now a company director remembers its

relaunch in 1961. I worked backstage as an assistant stained manager so

I'm really thrilled at the now when we reopen that I am directing the

opening play. As well as an army of volunteers, the theatre has also

attracted financial support from famous faces including Dame Judi

Dench and Sir Ian McKellen. Many of whom performed here as newly trained

actors. Everybody has put so many hours in raising money, painting the

set, painting the front of house, blocking the car park out. There is

so much work gone in, from so many people. The opening show tonight is

The Rise and Fall of Little Voice ` a fitting way for a small theatre

that has found its voice once again. Curtain up now on the weather.

This was the weather fronts yesterday which cleared away

yesterday evening with perfect timing. As always, keep your

pictures coming in. Behind the weather front we have seen pressure

starting to build and so it has been much better today with a lot more in

the way of sunshine. Still a brisk and chilly wind in that area of high

pressure will stay put over the next few days. A lot of dry weather to

come over the next few days. Some or cloud will come in tomorrow so we

will lose sunshine but we are staying dry and the winds will be

lighter and it will feel somewhat warmer. There has been plenty

sunshine this afternoon and the showers have been fading away. We

are staying dry with clear spells to start with tonight but the

temperatures will take a tumble this evening and can surely quite

quickly. The clouds will start to increase from the north and the West

which will make the tempter in towns and city centres about five degrees

of six degrees but in rural areas we could get to ground freezing. As we

go through the data model we will see cloud increasing. There will be

more in the way of cloud in the afternoon but it will be warmer and

those of winds are will be lighter. It will be a summer story on Sunday

where we have a fairly weak weather front heading our way. Other than

that it will stay dry for most of the week.