28/11/2013 Look East - East

Louise, thank you. That's all from the BBC

Hello, and welcome to Look East. In the programme tonight. Cleared of

threatening to blow up a plane. After a trial lasting more than two

weeks, the judge rules there is no case to answer. This case is

collapsed after it became clear that the witnesses had not told the

truth. A new director of nursing for the hospital where it's claimed

staff were bullied into changing cancer waiting times. Now we know

the issues we can move forward and really develop the care for our

patients in Colchester. The plan to create 65,000 new jobs and make sure

training is right to prepare young people for the world of work. And we

catch up with Laura Banks ` four months after a transplant changed

her life. First tonight, after more than two

weeks, a trial in the Crown Court is stopped because a key witness for

the prosecution was not telling the truth. Tayyab Subhani and Mohammed

Safdar were arrested in May after a plane heading from Pakistan to

Manchester was forced to make an emergency landing at Stansted. The

court had heard that they had made threats to blow up the aircraft. But

after new information came to light, the judge today ordered the jury to

clear the men. Our Chief reporter Kim Riley is at the airport now.

Stanstead is a designated airport for the reception of planes that

have been hijacked or are facing some kind of emergency. They're

taken to the other side of the airfield, well away from the

terminal, allowing normal operations to continue. That is just what

happened on this occasion, but there remained a lot of confusion over

just what had sparked the emergency. It was an emergency in which nobody

was injured. Amidst the big security operation, all passenger and crew

were taken off the Pakistani airlines plane. A detailed search of

the aircraft revealed nothing significant. One of the allegedly

was put into a forensics suit. He was held in custody for 73 days. The

airline did not disclose the findings of their internal

investigation to the British authorities until ordered to by the

court. The prosecution claimed that the accused had made threats to kill

passengers and crew and block the plane but during the trial a

different picture emerged. One passenger called a trivial incident.

The prosecutor said together with the police and the Crown Prosecution

Service, they had considered whether it was appropriate to resist an

application of no case to answer. In the light of some of the evidence,

they said the decision was made not to seek convictions in this case.

The judge said some of the evidence before the jury against the two men

had been tenuous and peppered with inconsistencies. He instructed them

to return verdicts of not guilty on both men. Outside court, solicitors

for the pair are read short statements. On the half of Mr

Safdar, he is relieved that his ordeal is over. The UK was put to

considerable expense. Mr Safdar was only vilified as a terrorist based

on false information. This is a victory for Mr Safdar, his loved

ones and those who knew he was innocent. The case has collapsed

after it became clear that witnesses against him had not told the truth.

It is also clear that had internal enquiry documents held by the

airlines disclosed to the prostitution at the outset then

these two men would never have faced this protracted ordeal. Can you say

something to us? Thank you. The defence said there were gaping holes

in the evidence against the men who had endured months of stress whilst

being falsely branded as terror suspects. A statement from the Crown

Prosecution Service says, during the course of the trial, fresh

information had come in, revealing inconsistencies with the witnesses.

It said they are satisfied with the result in the face of a very serious

allegation. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn has

announced plans to recruit 120 extra nurses. It was put into special

measures last month after a highly critical report by the Care Quality

Commission. Now health unions say some patient services are being put

out to private providers which will undermine the hospital even more.

One day after her operation, Jenny is in a lot of pain. She cannot wait

to be discharged. I did not get what I wanted. The nurses were very busy

and could not spend enough time with any patients. It seemed manic. The

hospital says it is putting that right, it has recruited an extra 93

nurses like you go from Portugal. Another 30 will be taken on next

year. Can you give as much care to patients as you would like to? We

are getting there but we are not there yet. Last year, the CTC

criticised the hospital. Experts from successive hospitals were

parachuted in. At County Hall, councillors were updated on how the

hospital is being turned around. Our priority is the staffing and making

sure that everything we do looks at the patient experience, so every

single time that any member of staff has any type of interaction with a

patient, we are thinking about what impact that has on the patient's

experience. More is being spent on the NHS than ever but it still does

not meet the increasing demands of an ageing population which is a

particular issue here. Protesting in King's Lynn, health unions say more

patients are being transferred to major hospitals for treatment and

that undermines the Queen Elizabeth. People want services locally, not to

visit a hospital 40 miles away. Isn't better treatment to be had at

that hospital? It is if you don't fund this hospital. And nurse told

me privately, this place runs on goodwill. But an action plan is in

place and it has to work. Meanwhile, a new director of nursing at

Colchester Hospital has promised to be a champion for patients.

Meanwhile, a new Director of Nursing at Colchester Hospital has promised

to be a champion for patients. Claims that waiting time figures for

cancer patients had been falsified. And earlier this week, police

launched a criminal investigation. I asked Dee Hackett whether the

problems facing the Trust had made her think twice about taking the

job. When I applied I knew about the report that was already published,

and once I had come for the interview and got the post I was

told about the C QC, it'd make me feel like I did not want to come?

Not at all. Now we know what the issues are we can move forward and

develop the care for our patients. One of the issues that has come out

in the last few weeks if the allegation that there is a culture

of bullying, and dozens of nurses have no complaint that they have

been bullied. What do you think about that? None of the staff has

put those allegations to me personally but if bullying happens I

would like to see it stopped. My culture is open and honest and

people can come and talk to me. I personally do not want a bullying

culture. Do use the you represent the nurses or the management? `` do

you feel you represent. I have a foot in both. I qualified as a nurse

in 1984. I spent long years in accident and emergency. I am a nurse

at heart but I am in a management position so it is maybe a foot in

both courts. Nursing is what I am here for, to care for those who care

for others. The trouble for the hospital facing these problems, and

allegations, is that it must have a major effect on morale among the

staff. Is that what you're hearing? It is obviously a difficult time for

the staff and we need to support them. I was walking around the wards

and what I saw is motivated staff delivering care to patients on a

daily basis, and we need to support them even if their morale is low,

which I have not got much evidence that the moment. We must improve

that. I have been really impressed with what I have seen so far in the

organisation. Howdy you think that trust can be restored from a patient

point of view? `` how do you think? We need to identify the plans from

the C QC and show them that we are developing safe care. We can do that

by printing `` by doing what they have suggested and maybe auditing

and working with our client groups and patients and families and making

sure that we are delivering the best care that we can. Thank you.

Campaigners against a plan to build a toll road on the A14 believe they

are winning the argument. MPs and business leaders from Suffolk have

been meeting the transport secretary this afternoon. They told him the

new road ` which would be north of Cambridge ` would stunt the economy

of the region. A decision on whether or not to go ahead with the scheme

could be taken as early as next week. Another day, another chance to

lobby against the toll road. MPs and business leaders in London this

afternoon with a clear message for the transport Secretary. If this is

imposed that will be damaging on the Suffolk economy and on the economy

of the country has all `` as a whole. Some businesses are talking

about leaving for other counties. This threat is hanging over the

county. Everybody is agreed that this road needs to be improved but

it is the plan to demolish the viaduct at Huntingdon and close the

old road treating lifers leaving drivers to use the toll road which

has upset so many people. The opposition in Suffolk has been

particularly strong with fears that they will be discouraging hauliers.

Introducing this without an alternative might undermine support

for the sensible concept of road pricing. MPs have regularly raised

the issue in Parliament whilst senior ministers have faced

questioning. In the last few weeks their language has very subtly

changed. Listen to what the Chancellor told us earlier this

month. I hear loud and clear there is a lot of people here worried

about the tolls. I will take that very seriously. I am here to listen

to people. All of this is giving campaigners hope. We are making

headway. We have put together a very articulate rationale on why this is

the wrong thing to do for the Suffolk economy. We are reminding

ministers that we should not be restricting our growth areas by

arbitrary tolls. There is a growing feeling that the plans for this road

are about to change. The big question is whether it will be

enough to satisfy the campaigners. We can now join Andrew at

Westminster. As the government really changed its mind? I have to

be honest and say I don't really know, but the feeling of campaigners

is that things are moving their way. This has become a big issue down

here. There have been meetings with the Prime Minister, the Chancellor,

Transport Minister is. My experience of these things is that this the

government was not going to do anything these MPs would have been

taken to one side and told very quietly, please pipe down, on top of

that, we have this language coming from ministers about listening and

understanding, so there is a feeling that we might be about to see some

change soon, perhaps in the autumn statement next week. What sort of

alternatives are being talked about? Remember toll road Sarath Key part

of government policy. `` toll roads are a part of. We are told the

economy is improving, perhaps the Chancellor has found some extra

money so it can be done without it. Perhaps he will put some money

towards keeping open the a 14 some people have a choice. This is only

speculation at the moment. I feel we will not be speculating for much

longer. Colchester zoo says five will switch escape from their

exposure `` five wolves which escaped from their enclosure escaped

themselves. Management say they are struggling to understand how they

got through the fence. Still to come: The UK Snooker

Championship. We speak to the world number one. The extraordinary bond

between a mother and daughter. Four months after a transplant changed

both their lives. Here's the problem ` our workforce

is getting older, we lose lots of skilled people to jobs outside our

region and training courses for young people don't prepare them

fully for the world of work. But what is the solution? According to

the New Anglia local Enterprise Partnership, one solution is to get

businesses, schools and colleges talking to each other to make sure

courses are tailored to provide the right training. It wants to create

65,000 more jobs across Norfolk and Suffolk by 2025, where more than 60%

of the population is of working age and more than a quarter of those

have a degree of some kind. They have been welding, bricklaying, even

operating a bigger. Organised by Norfolk county council, this event

was designed to give students some ideas and to get the firms involved

with people they need for the future. It is good to see the

opportunities around this area. Lots of stuff to look at. What advice

have people been giving you? It is a good thing to choose when you leave

school. It can get your lot of money. 1200 schoolchildren, 70

exhibitors. Among them is this man who started his company 24 years

ago. They made a robot for the take that tour. He says it needs to be

much easier for small businesses to employ young people. They need to

support and engage with them more. The colleges and providers are not

delivering what the businesses need. That is the problem and today

in Ipswich the start of the solution. The new partnership

launched what it calls a skills manifesto. We need to do more to get

business and educators working together. That way, the educators

understand that business is required, businesses understand the

challenges that educators face. Talking to companies here, it is

clear that more needs to be done with youth unemployment. More help

from government, more coordination, less red tape. Get all that right

and the future is good. This afternoon, I spoke to the skills

Minister Matthew Hancock. He believes in better education and

giving young people what he calls get up and go. Is that something you

can teach? You can teach those sort of character traits. It is about

making sure they know what it takes, lots of it comes from doing work

experience, making sure people know what it is like in the workplace.

The big complaint we are hearing is there is too much red tape. I

understand that concern. I was in small business before I came into

politics. That point was raised. We have made it easier. You cannot be

taken to a tribunal for two years rather than one year, which helps,

and we are simplifying those rules by making the insurance clearer and

the guidance simpler and removing some of the regulations. I

completely accept that there is more to do, and it is my job to do it. I

listen to business because I want to make sure life is easier for them.

Ultimately, it is small businesses who create prosperity. You have been

in power for three years. Why have you not done it? This is a

never`ending process. We have done a lot. We have also made sure it is

easier to comply with health and safety regulations, so as long as

you are not negligent you cannot be done for health and safety. It is an

important change that only came into force six months ago. Communicating

to small businesses that as long as you behave reasonably you will get

through, they will not hold you back. You accept that business and

education do not work together as well as they should. How do you

solve that? There is a number of things you can do. The first is

making sure colleges and schools interact with the local business

community so there is more work experience, but one very direct way

is through the growth of apprenticeships. They are training

and job. There is a series of ways we can do it, and I am very keen to

make sure that we do. It has benefits on both sides of the fence,

motivating kids in schools, making sure when they leave they are ready

to take on the jobs that are available. Thank you. The UK Snooker

Championship is underway. The sport's undergone a period of

radical change and it's also had to deal with a match fixing scandal

which led to one of the top players being banned. Two players who have

not let all of that spoil their form are Neil Robertson and Joe Perry.

They're good friends and practice together in Cambridge. Tom Williams

has been to meet them. A final few frames. They are friends in practice

and rivals in games. There are more tournament, more travelling, and

more opportunities, but both have claimed titles, demonstrating change

has not snookered them. We did at the start of the season... It is

probably the first time in a few seasons that we have started off the

season really well together. I think it is great for the snooker clubs to

have both of us doing really well. Fully can continue. You help each

other? We picked little bones out of each other's stuff. I have all was

been critical of his preparation but this season I am learning from him.

Snooker has gone a long way to enhancing its appeal. Its reputation

has been tarnished in the worst case of corruption in the sport's

history. Stephen Lee was found guilty of match fixing, and given a

12 year ban. Devastated. Absolutely devastated. I have done nothing

wrong. They said, if you want to fix matches, go against the rules of the

game, you will be suspended and it will cost you a career. Do you think

integrity has been restored? Definitely. It is showing the public

that they are not going to stand for it. Both players want to win.

Jonathan Trott's decision to quit the Ashes tour once again

highlighted the strain on our top sports stars. Other snooker players

have battled depression. We can be away for six weeks. It is tough to

spend time away from your family. There is no middle ground in sport.

You are either really happy when you win really sad when you lose. If you

are missing your family, who knows what is happening? Only one will pop

the winning ball this week. Revamps snooker hopes it will be the major

winner. `` the revamped snooker. Under five months ago I went to meet

a mother and daughter in the centre of the next story. Laura Banks badly

needed a kidney transplant and her mum Felicity was going to be her

donor. We're pleased to report the operation was a success ` now they

are both looking to the future. We sent Mike Cartwright back to see

them. Wishing you all the best. Four months after her transplant, Laura

Banks is healthy, happy and here. That is thanks to her mum, who

brought her into this world and prevented her from leaving it. To

have done what she has done is really amazing. Hopefully life can

carry on as normal because she accompanied me to the hospital with

all my appointments. Hopefully things can change for her as well.

She will be less worried about me. Laura was five when Doctors

discovered kidney problems. 22 years after her first transplant, she

needed another. Her mother was the perfect match. I remember it being a

beautiful summer as I woke up, it was very hot, and I was worried

about getting across to the main building. I was on time, and I got

there, but I felt very calm, which is amazing for me. And I knew that

everything that I was doing was right. I tried not to be too

nervous. There was a lot of waiting around, moments before going to

theatre. I remember being quite worried about those who were waiting

for the news of me. Laura is looking to build a life with her partner and

continue to build her career back in HR. I love being back in work

because I enjoy my job but it also means a sense of normality for me.

It is lovely to see her full of energy and laughing and joking.

Normality, really. That is the thing you forget. You lose track. You go

to hospital appointments, you seem to be at the hospital so much. We

are free of that now. We have normality in our lives. The bond

between most mothers and their daughters is strong. The bond is

unbreakable. It is lovely to see them looking well. Now the weather.

unbreakable. It is lovely to see them looking well. Now the If you

got fed up with the cloud today the good news is the weather is changing

tomorrow and it will be much brighter but will also feel quite a

bit colder. The current situation is we have quite a lot of widespread

mist and fog patches forming, and if anything, visibility is not great.

With this blanket across us, it will not get too cold tonight.

Temperatures overnight anything between four and seven Celsius. The

wind will be south`westerly. They will be coming from the north. By

the end of the night, these light south`westerly winds will see us

with the current conditions. This will bring a brisk north`westerly

wind which will make it feel a lot colder. At the day progresses it

will be brighter. We should see some sunny spells. Quite a different

feel. The mist and fog will clear first thing, showers will be

isolated. They will affect coastal parts of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.

Sunny spells will develop into the day and afternoon and it will be

quite bright. Factoring in the north`westerly wind, it will feel

quite cold. This wind will be particularly gusty around the

coast. Into the afternoon, it is looking largely dry. Perhaps the odd

coastal shower but plenty of sunshine. It will be so windy

overnight that it should be free of frost. This is the pressure pattern

by the end of the weekend. I pressure moves back in. This is what

we have had for the last week. `` high`pressure. By the end of the

weekend it will be cloudy. We will be back to the conditions we have

been experiencing when wind is light. Before then we have some

brighter weather. For Friday and Saturday expect some sunny spells,

expected to the bit colder. It will get lighter in the afternoon and

there is a risk of frost. Cloud will return on Sunday and Monday. Quick

barometer check. Just before we go, time to tell you

about a chance to see a special programme made by the BBC. The

flying archaeologist who's a former policeman from Cambridgeshire has

helped reveal that people lived around Stonehenge 5,000 years

earlier than first thought. You can see the full story tonight in

Stonehenge: The Missing Link at 8:30 on BBC Four.