22/03/2017 East Midlands Today

And now the news for the East Midlands, I'm Dominic Heale.

First tonight, the terror attack in London.

An extensive police operation's still underway after those events

on Westminster Bridge and at the Palace of Westminster.

Some of our MPs were close by when the deadly

I was walking with lots of other MPs from Portcullis House

towards the main building, the House of Commons

chamber, and suddenly heard the shots ring out.

You know, there was lots of yelling, people

shouting to get on the floor, to go back.

Yes, a very, very shocking incident and thoughts are with those

People can attack this building, but this building

In the end, freedom and democracy will win, and I think that is

Lots of people vote for me, but lots of

people don't vote for me, and that is the beauty of democracy.

We will never let people like this defeat us

Well, afterwards, police kept everyone

Houses of Parliament while they checked credentials.

One of those caught up in all of this was our

political editor, Tony Roe, who joins us now.

Tony, what was happening during the five hours that

you were effectively trapped inside the building?

We heard shouting from the entrance to Portcullis House,

which is where the MPs have their offices.

It is the big, new glass building and I was sitting there,

There was a panic near the entrance and what

sounded like somebody shouting very loudly on a megaphone.

We thought there was somebody trying to get

into the building at first, but then you could see people

in the street running away from Westminster Bridge

And people were coming into the building as well.

One person said to me that he was going through security at the time,

he was a visitor to Parliament and he said he was ushered through

quickly before he had his checks completed.

And as we were ushered in, we were told to get to the back

of the building, as far away from the road as we could

and at that point, police came out of the back of the

The police were running into something they probably

didn't know anything about and we have seen

And when we were escorted from the building

after nearly five hours, were taken out of a side entrance

of the House of Commons and the road Those same police

who lost one of their Next, an exclusive interview

with the head of the Independent Alexis Jay has confirmed

that her investigation into Nottinghamshire children's

homes will be underway within days. The inquiry's setting up an office

in the East Midlands, It's also looking at allegations

against the former Leicester Here's our Social Affairs

Correspondent, Jeremy Ball. CCTV captures a Derby grooming gang,

luring girls as young as 12 A former Leicester MP who died

after being charged with a catalogue of child sex offences,

and a Nottingham children's home where a police investigation

has prompted hundreds Visiting that city today,

the professor who is leading the vast inquiry into child sexual

abuse is about to formally open her own investigation

into homes in Nottinghamshire. We do want to make a difference

to the victims, but the other aspect of our objectives in the inquiry

are to make recommendations We are going to set up a local

arrangement for people to come forward

to The Truth Project. They will be treated

in a confidential manner with support if they do come forward

to talk to us. I do know something about

the behaviour of institutions... It is important to hear

their story, their experiences The one thing that we have to do

is we have to create a society The independent inquiry has

already heard from a former Nottingham social worker,

Margaret Humphreys, who traced children in care who were shipped

across the British Empire but, after so many years, what can

the abuse inquiry really achieve? Many people who have been

abused in Nottingham and elsewhere can come forward

and share their experiences with us. It is not intended to be

therapeutic, but it For the survivors of child sexual

abuse, the memories won't fade, and the professor's independent

inquiry won't bring back The hope is that it can at least

protect future generations. Nottingham's been awarded nearly

one million pounds to help The Government cash will be spent

installing more than 30 charging points around the city for private

hire cars and Hackney cabs. The City Council wants

all hire cars and cabs to be It already owns the UK's largest

fleet of electric buses. The owners of a Derbyshire caravan

site have been threatened with jail if they cut down any

more protected trees. Amber Valley Borough Council has

served an injunction on Haytop Country Park

in Whatstandwell after trees were chopped down last week,

in the face of Last month the owners,

Countrywide Park Homes, evicted dozens of people living

at the site, citing safety concerns. The company won't comment

on the injunction. A retired teacher went on trial

today accused of sex offences Christopher Metcalfe denied

indecently assaulting two girls and raping a third at several

locations near Mansfield It is claimed he took advantage

of three underage girls. The allegations date

back to the 1970s, the first when he was

a newly qualified teacher. It was heard he sexually

touched a girl during story time, and then

after a swimming lesson. He is also charged with

indecently assaulting another girl aged nine or ten years old,

and of raping a third girl, She was in care here

at a Christopher Metcalfe

was teaching rural studies here. She says he took her

back to his home and raped her in his front room,

saying he would get her if Prosecuting Sarah Knight said

Christopher Metcalfe took advantage of his position

of trust and authority. She said the women had not

colluded, they don't know each other, and their

complaints are quite separate, she said,

and she Christopher Metcalfe, seen

here at an earlier court appearance, The trial is due to

last around two weeks. Part of the A38 in Derbyshire has

been closed again tonight to allow The operation's being carried out

by Amber Valley Borough Council. It aims to clear the busy trunk

road of litter scattered along miles of embankment

and the central reservation. James Roberson's been watching

the work taking place. I'm above the age of 38 and if we

look over the bowler straight here, we can see some of the litter bag

others along this major route to the East Midlands. With me is Simon from

Amber Valley Borough Council. Simon, this is a big problem and the third

night you've had your litter picker uppers out? Yes, it is a major

operation. We have to do road closures and we have three gangs

working along the road to get as much of the litter up as possible.

Is it a growing problem? Do you have to do it every year? Yes, and it

varies from year to year. It's better this year and we have the

message is getting through now. And also to make sure commercial weights

is properly collected, too. But it's dangerous to do this? Whether or

yes, everything is in place in terms of operative safety never would

rather be at home of course, that all tea picking up litter. --

burn-out tea picking up litter. I give up.

And that's all from me, so I'll say goodbye.

But with your weather forecast now, here's Lucy.

Quite heavy outbreaks of rain, but as we move into tomorrow,

it does mean we will see an improving picture.

After a fairly damp start, things will start to

brighten up and we will see some sunny spells developing.

Temperatures slightly up on today as well.

Here is what is going on in the bigger picture.

This secluded front has come up from the South

West, pivoted around, and then it will make its way back out towards

the south west as we move through the night.

That means we are looking at more rain on the way as we move

That band of rain has made its way over

to the east and is now coming back toward the West courtesy of that

There will be some clear spells through the night, and we could see

one or two patches of mist and fog developing.

Temperatures falling to an overnight low of four Celsius

in towns and cities, slightly cooler out in the countryside.

A chilly start tomorrow and a

Quite quickly, that rain clears out and behind that, we will see

bright intervals developing and sunny spells.

Largely dry and temperatures reaching a maximum of

11 Celsius, so slightly up on today and add in that North easterly

Into Friday then and high-pressure mainly in charge of

It does look like it will be quite settled.

Some bright intervals developing and temperatures reaching

That is how we stay as we move through the weekend.