06/01/2017 East Midlands Today

It is an illegal blood sport but the law is being flouted and landowners

feel under siege. They came at me because my vehicle was blocking

their exit. And they immediately started to throw rocks at me with me

in the vehicle. He's the BBC's unsung hero and was named in the New

Year's Honours List but now the boxing club he founded is in

jeopardy. Also tonight, audiences 20,000 strong. Could e-sports help

this theatre? More more people want to watch the event not just online.

Megan the mountain dog prepares to take things a little easier after 12

years. Welcome to Friday's

programme with Anne Davies Farmers in Lincolnshire say they're

having to take the law into their own hands,

to stop hare coursing. They claim criminal gangs

are trespassing on their land almost daily to take part

in the illegal blood sport. Police say dealing with

the activity, which sees dogs chasing hares through fields,

is at the top of their agenda. Our correspondent Paul Murphy has

this report, which contains images Very sorry, we have some problems

with the audio on that report. Well, we're being told that illegal

hare coursing is happening in other We put that question

to the police in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire,

three counties with a proud heritage But hare coursing is unlawful and,

as we saw in Paul Murphy's All three police forces tell us

they've received reports in the last 18 months from members

of the public, who suspect this And they all have what are known

as "wildlife officers" whose job it is to specifically investigate

this type of crime, Nottinghamshire has

been able to provide us It says that last year, 2016,

acting on information largely from farmers and landowners,

at least eight hare coursing But several more investigations

are on-going and could also Consequently, the police

in Nottinghamshire tell us that tackling hare coursing has become

a greater crime-fighting priority And officers are increasingly making

full use of appropriate powers which enables them to seize

vehicles, phones and cash. And key to all of this,

say the police, is closer collaboration with landowners,

farmers and game-keepers. But the public can also

play a crucial role Officers say anyone who suspects

it's taking place should call 101. Thank you. Police say they are

dealing with this and it is at the top of their priority list. Our

correspondent Paul Murphy has this report. Some of these images might

be distressing. Chasing hares with dogs has been banned for 13 years.

But you wouldn't know it from looking at social media. It is awash

with footage of those who continue to break the law. What is changing,

though, is the level of violence. Hare courses meet out to those who

try to stop them. They came at me because my vehicle was blocking

their exit and immediately started to throw rocks at me with me in the

vehicle. And hammered the side of my vehicle so they could get passed and

escape. These courses escaped leaving their vehicle behind. They

came back later to set it alight, possibly to destroy any evidence

linking the car to them. These actions are creating fear in this

community. This woman would only talk if we didn't show her face.

They have become aggressive, nasty, uncontrollable... And intimidating.

There are people who are afraid to leave their own home. We know as a

police service we have to up our game and make best use of our

resources. But the farming community needs to work with us, it needs to

keep itself safe and it needs to assist proactively when we can

prosecute. This is a stinger. We put it in a gateway. This farmer says

he's done with relying on the police. He is making police style

stingers to puncture the tyres of trespassing vehicles. Other

landowners are using drones to monitor their fields. This farmer

could only watch as two Cars Drive through a newly sown crop. Fields

across this area shows signs of car damage. They'd care less if they

could, that sort of things. They have no scruples. They've no respect

for anybody. Being temptation is to intervene. We like to help the

police catch the culprits but the police are very reluctant to talk to

us and to work with us. It was in this same community that

Lincolnshire police launched its anti-hair coursing strategy last

September. But the hare courses, like the ones seen here speeding

through a farm shop car park are continuing to blight local life.

Still to come this evening, health bosses in Nottinghamshire

identify a number of services they're considering moving out

Also, Mr's Haymarket Theatre closed ten years ago but now there are

plans to reopen it with music, drama and the global Spectator funnel that

is e-sports. -- phenomenon that is e-sports.

An award-winning boxing coach from Nottingham says the future

of his club is in jeopardy after being forced to leave his gym.

Marcellus Baz, who was named in the New Year's Honours list

and is the BBC's national Unsung Hero is a former gang member

Now, he's hoping to find a permanent home in the City so he can continue

working with some of Nottingham's most vulnerable young people.

This was the moment just a few weeks ago when Marcellus Baz,

the founder of the Nottingham School of boxing, became

Just days later, as he was awarded the British Empire medal

in the New Year 's Honours, he says he was evicted from his gym.

We have been in the same place for two and a half years,

them kids that have a regular structure of coming here

and engaging in positive activities which were keeping them out

of trouble are no longer here, and that's why it's important

for is to start functioning as fast as possible in the new place.

The Renewal Trust, which owns Baz's former gym, says it's a matter

between him and the landlord and they hoped it would be

But the community are determined the boxing club

The children and the adults and the mums, we rely on him.

It's somewhere for us to go, it's somewhere where

We get referrals from different organisations to come to us

If he was honoured at Buckingham Palace,

he ought to be honoured here in Nottingham.

And we've got to find him a proper place.

Since the club started, Marcellus has worked

I was excluded from school quite a few times.

And he's helped me with life a lot better than what I would have done

So the club had to move and this basement is where they came to.

Over Christmas, they've painted and have even ripped down walls

in the hope that it may become their permanent home.

Whilst Marcellus remains anxious if they can raise ?450,000,

there's a chance this building could become their permanent home.

In the meantime, it's tools at the ready to get the club

Police in Derby want to speak to a cyclist following a stabbing

The 43-year-old victim was attacked on the doorstep of his home

on Webster Street at around 5pm on the 8th of December.

He's now left hospital after being treated for his injuries.

Detectives say they'd like to speak to a man seen riding an orange bike,

The RSPB is urging the government to rule out Sherwood Forest

Chemicals giant Ineos wants to survey part of the forest

to see if it's suitable for shale gas exploration.

The Forestry Commission, which owns some of the land,

But the RSPB says the surveys could disturb breeding birds,

while owners the Thoresby Estate says it won't agree to tests

The Ministry of Justice says it will publish more information

about the redevelopment of a Leicestershire

There are plans to double the capacity at Glen Parva Young

But local councillors say they're being kept

The government says no final decisions have been made yet

Health bosses in Nottinghamshire have identified a number of services

they're considering moving out of hospital and into the community.

They include brain injury and pain management.

Stroke rehabilitation will definitely be transferred.

The Clinical Commissioning Group says it will reduce costs

But those affected say they are deeply worried

they won't receive the same standard of care.

24-year-old Heather Peacock lost control of her car 18 months ago

She suffered a severe brain injury and was in a coma for eight weeks.

She's been receiving outpatient therapy at the city

hospital for a year and has made considerable progress.

She's convinced services will suffer if they are transferred

I don't think the facilities will be as good if they are transferred

to the homing environment because the facilities are so much

They've got a gym, treadmills, stuff like that.

They are willing to help you and support you through your recovery.

The Nottingham North and East Clinical Commissioning Group has

identified seven services currently delivered by Nottingham University

hospitals which it wants to transferred to reduce costs.

These services include ongoing therapy for those

with brain injuries, neurology assessments,

pain management, and home visiting for those with no

Research has moved on and there are better ways to do things.

An example would be stroke care where patients,

if they are cared for at home, have better outcomes.

The engagement we've done that patients are told us

that they would prefer services to be delivered at home.

Consultation has been extended into early next month but an online

petition started by Heather's family one week ago opposing the plans

has already attracted almost 700 signatures.

After 16 weeks of physio after you've been discharged,

they'll let you go, and that's not really fair because at 16 weeks

The most important thing for us is that patients receive the best

And where that needs more than 16 weeks then, of course,

A leaked memo indicates the CCG is ultimately

considering transferring a total of 13 services.

Heather intends to return to university in September to write

Still to come, the cuddles that cross continents.

The reaction of children in Uganda, when they were given hundreds

of teddies collected by a Nottinghamshire school.

Leicester's Haymarket Theatre could re-open by the end of the year.

It'll return with a mix of music and drama, but the big box office

draw will be e-sports, where audiences watch professionals

The consortium behind the venue's re-development says that

multi-player video game tournaments, now make more money

We sent Carol Hinds to find out more.

Welcome to dressing room one at Leicester's Haymarket Theatre. It

has been dark the ten years. No, there hasn't been any electricity

but it hasn't functioned as a venue for a decade. Above me in the main

auditorium, that is all about to change. We will be doing live music,

live Theatre. We do comedy, corporate events, conferences as one

as Christmas parties. Alongside that, there's also the e-sports. The

theatre will host e-sports events, growing industry where video games

take part in professional competitions. It's a developing

market. Presently, there's millions and millions of people online

watching. As it develops, with football, more people will want to

come and see the event, not just watch it online. Nearly ?3 million

from the city council will be spent redeveloping the theatre, as well as

attracting new audiences, it would also offer jobs and training. The

opportunity to bring young people here and provide training here and

new opportunities for people to enjoy the space, and to develop

their artistic skills, is something that is being offered by this

consortium in a way that is incredibly exciting. The team behind

the refurbishment say the new look Haymarket Theatre will add to the

city's art and entertainment scene. There'd be no point in us trying to

do what The Curve At do. For example, bands that aren't famous

enough to fill out the Montford Hall will look to play here.

Well, the Mayor of Leicester, Sir Peter Soulsby, has also been

speaking about the future of the Fenwick department

The owners of Fenwicks say the business has lost customers over

recent years to shopping centres like Highcross and Fosse Park.

They're expecting to close by the end of March.

Fenwicks have felt that their very much on the edge

And, as a result of that, I think we can expect there will be

shopping in that building but I think it's also likely that

some part of the building, at least, will be used,

as is increasingly the case in the city centre, people wanting

Hundreds of teddy bears collected by a Nottinghamshire school

have arrived in Uganda and are being given

to children who have never received presents before.

Teachers and pupils were inundated with teddies

following an appeal before Christmas.

They say it means the world to them to see how happy it's made

This is the joyful moment dozens of Ugandan children

received their first ever a teddy bear, and for most,

Around 800 bears were collected by pupils here at James Peacock

Primary School in Ruddington and the local community.

Teachers Sally Squires and Jane Henson started the project

Oh, it's amazing, seeing the looks on the children's

How just doing a little thing like sending a teddy out to a child

who has nothing makes a huge difference to their lives,

it's made their Christmasses, for some of these children.

And what do you think the children feel like when they have

They feel special because they have something to cuddle with,

and it's their first time having a present.

I think they feel really joyful about that they have

The village leader in Uganda said the Bears gave the children a

fantastic experience. Thank you for the teddy bears. Thank everybody who

sponsored them. And we hope this link will continue. Money raised

will also provide food for the children for a year and also paying

for a new classroom. For ?250, they can make 10,000

bricks which are actually the walls It's a small amount of money

but a huge difference From a personal point of view, what

does it mean to you? It's been amazing, it had such an impact on a

school year, the community here and equally those children in Uganda and

it just makes me feel so overwhelmed. And, so, the

fundraising efforts will continue this year.

A lovely, lovely story. Great to see children linking up across the

world. Yes, we're here to talk

about the news that's been rumbling away this week,

the pending takeover of Nottingham Forest,

and the silence around it. Well, of course any big deal

like this hangs on a knife edge so it is an anxious time for fans

but as we speak tonight there is no suggestion the American

takeover will fall through. We are in the final, final part of

this long distance race. Football deals like this a very complex.

There's lots of documentation. There is nothing material to get in the

way of this deal. I understand both sides are calling

for calm and they are working together positively and the two

groups are working to get Just remind us who is

American tycoon John Jay Moore's is the man with the money behind

He made his money originally in computer software He ran

the San Diego Padres baseball team for 15 years and bought it

in troubled times but sold it for a huge profit running

into hundreds of millions of dollars.

He is being represented by an influential, well-respected

sports lawyer here who is working with the current owner

if these guys are so competent and organised and if they getting on

well with the current owner, why this delay?

I think fans should be reassured because it certainly seems

like the consortium have the right people working with them

with the knowledge and experience to run a club successfully.

Well I think festive period, maybe a couple of minor details

but essentially the Americans are ready to go and would

like to the deal to be done in the coming days.

And this is just a transition period. I think it will be done in

days. The January transfer window, there

are deals on the table. Yes and notably for

midfielder Henry Lansbury. Derby have made a bid for him

but we believe Villa have made This takeover is key because it is

January to do the deal, to get the takeover to stabilise the club.

Nottingham Forest are in the bottom of the table and they are in

trouble, but they do have some break now.

Well, there is FA Cup action, too, for Leicester and Derby this

weekend, with the Rams relishing the prospect of testing themselves

And I think it's great for the players.

They want to play in the Premier League.

Now they've got an opportunity to step out onto the field and go

toe to toe with the Premier League team that play us.

More a single match or if there is a draw.

And in this moment away we are not but, still.

A little team against a big team who want to do something.

Earlier exits from the FA Cup mean Mansfield and Notts County

Stags at home to Crewe while the Magpies, with Alan Smith

in temporary charge, go to Morecambe.

In rugby, a trip to old rivals Wasps for Leicester Tigers would usually

be a big enough affair by itself, but factor in the state

of the Premiership table with Wasps on top and Leicester not even

in the play off places, and, even more importantly,

Richard Cockerill's sacking and you have quite a clash.

I know as a player at some point I'll have to leave and I don't think

anyone will be looking backwards at me.

And I don't think Cockers would expect the same.

I think he'd expect us to move on and want us to win.

He may be a Leicester man but he is now at Toulon. He's gone to the

French side as a consultant. That has just happened this afternoon.

And Nottingham Panthers warm up for next weekend's European Final

matches with a home game against Braehead tomorrow and a trip

We just worked out I'm going to be able to head over to Italy for those

games, I'm looking forward to that. Oh, really? Has it been passed by

us? Now, if you're 12 years old,

you're not usually considered Unless, of course you're a border

collie and you've had a tough life Well, the dog in question is Megan,

who's now retiring. In a decade of detection

in Derbyshire, she's saved numerous climbers and even helped solve

a high profile murder case. Ultraquiet Derbyshire morning, what

could be more pleasant than a walk with the dogs? Accept these two

border collie is going for a stroll are in fact the veteran and novice.

When the jacket goes on, 12-year-old Megan transfers into a working dog

helping to teach her successor, seven-month-old Griffith, of the

tricks of the trade. What is Megan doing? She's out searching, she's

working across the wind, looking for human scent and when she comes

across that, shall pick it up and follow it to its source and when she

finds whatever it is she's looking for, a person or clothing, she will

come back and bark at me and take me to what she is found. And that is

what you are training Gryff to do? Yes, he's at the very beginning of

his training. With her stamina and hear hearing beginning to fade, Dave

called it a day for her. Gryff will be trained up in her place. He says

Megan has been incredible in challenging conditions especially in

the Peak District in winter. Very soon after she qualified, we were

called out to horrendous conditions. She worked relentlessly through the

storm and found three walkers, cold but alive, and evacuated them very

quickly. She discovered the body of Jah Ashton, a Thornton staff member

who disappeared on her way home from the Somercotes factory in March 20

11. Megan received the chief Constable's commendation for her

work. She'd been covered over after she had been murdered, and there was

no trace of her in that area, and why she had been covered over, it

looks like any piece of clothes. She indicated exactly the place where

she had been found which was incredible. Now she is retired. I

will miss Megan. She's a family dog and I'm working forward to working

with Gryff but I think Megan deserves a rest. She is having a

lovely kit. Lovely Megan. The weather time now.

Chilly today, the dizzy heights of five Celsius. As for the sunshine,

what sunshine? Grey skies for much of today, and early on we even had

some ice around first thing but looking ahead to tomorrow and the

weekend, we are starting to get slightly milder. Quite cloudy still

and occasional showers. This is what's happening on the pressure

charts. Still some fronts around so we are likely to see just a little

bit of rain over the weekend. This was the picture earlier on, lots of

cloud around, and where we can see the showers, quite fragmented, not

an organised band, so it has been coming and going all day. That's the

picture through this evening. Those showers will slowly start to move

out of the way in the early hours. Some hill fog building up in places

as well, with lows of three degrees. Looking at the detail for tomorrow

morning, quite a cloudy, grey day tomorrow with spits and spots of

rain here and there, with brighter spells to the north but fairly

usable weather. Wrap up warm but it will be milder than it was today

with highs of nine. As we have a look ahead to Sunday, it's more of

the same. Quite cloudy, highs of eight, spits and spots of rain so it

isn't too bad over the weekend. Or change next week, with a low

pressure coming towards us. We are expecting wet and windy weather so

enjoy the brief respite over the weekend.

Thank you. I suppose you'll be Nottingham Forest takeover alert?

I think we will wait for a working day doctor-mac we will see!

We are back with all your weekend news and bulletins and we will see

you on Monday. Panorama investigates

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