15/11/2011 Midlands Today

Welcome to Inside Out. The headlines: detectives questioned

three men on suspicion of kidnap after a 10-year-old boy was

allegedly found shackled. I saw a little boy in the window.

My decor breakthrough, a mum to be gets cancer but is successfully

treated. -- medical breakthrough. had to do it for him. I needed to

survive. Four men are being held in connection with an alleged

terrorist plot. And the grieving parents who lost

their son in Afghanistan set up a Good evening. Tonight, help me, I

have been kidnapped, a little boy's bleak as he desperately tried to

summon help. A relieved neighbour said she spotted him looking out of

a window. His arms were bound and she immediately called the police.

He had vanished while on a trip to the shops on Sunday. This evening,

detectives are questioning three men on suspicion of kidnap.

A block of flats in Oldbury, a window from which police plucked a

10-year-old boy to safety, allegedly the victim of a

kidnapping. A bizarre and alarming incident, especially for those with

children. Everyone is anxious and not very happy about that place the

end there. It is very worrying that we do not know who is in the area.

It began on Sunday morning. The boy walked to these shops near his home

to buy a drink. He would have crossed the road here and taken off

in that direction but somehow the ended up at flats owned by a

housing association 50 yards up the road. How and why he got there is

now the subject of a major police investigation.

Jean Massi's son plays with the boy. She joined the search and it was

she who spotted him in the flats. think he had a white T-shirt and

something wrapped round Thames. I do not think he had access to his

hands, maybe they were tied up. he called out to you? Yes. He said,

can you help me, I have been kidnapped. What is going through

your mind at that point? I wanted to go and help him but I said, her

weight, I will call the police. That is what I did. The policemen

lifted him out of the window. That was a relief. He looked at me and

you could see, not a smile, but a joy on his face. The property

belongs to the Adullam Housing Association. It is an organisation

that supports vulnerable people, among them, ex-offenders. The

police stress it is not a bail hostel or a halfway house. Last

night, a grip of residents staged a protest outside. Nothing has been

proven about what happened. Tonight, three local men in their 30s and

40s remain in police custody. Strong feelings there tonight?

There is anxiety. You have seen a little of that. Among those

involved in the two hour search for the boy, some of those are still

quite shaken. Not forgetting the 10-year-old boy in the middle of

this. He and his family have left the neighbourhood. He is said to be

extremely upset by the incident. There is indignation here and I

think that is due to that -- that is due to the fact that some people

think the building should not have been put to the use it has. It is

important to say that there are lots of rumours and precious hard

facts. The has been a statement from the Housing Association,

hasn't there? The Adullam Housing Association put out a statement

saying that they treat community safety as a paramount concern and I

are working with the police. Typically, they say that they

residents work to positively improve the environments in which

they live. The local councillor was due to meet housing association

officials this afternoon and I think police were party to those

discussions. There is talk of another protest Laity in the week.

-- later in the week. It is hoped that it will be a committee meeting

to allay concerns. Still to come, we meet the

community groups trying to show teenagers that there is another way

after the August riots. A Warwickshire woman is believed to

be one of the first in Britain to be treated for mouth cancer while

pregnant and then go on took give birth to rate healthy boy. Sarah

Best went into labour while having have final day of radiotherapy. She

had already undergone a surgical procedure and had six weeks of

chemotherapy. Sarah Best is the picture of health

today but a recurring mouth ulcer for the 30-year-old from Leamington

Spa was to prove potentially life threatening. When she was four

months pregnant, she was told she had mouth cancer and would have to

undergo pioneering surgery as well as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

It was an emotional day for me. But I had to do it for him. I wanted to

survive. And I have done. She had a cancer on the right aspect of the

tongue... Part of Sarah's tongue was removed

at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire. Radiotherapy had to

be administered through a protective shield to minimise the

risk to the unborn baby. She is the only person we know of in the UK

who has been pregnant and required chemotherapy and radiotherapy for

mouth cancer. The baby was at risk because of having to be supported

during the operation and particularly at risk in terms of

the systemic effects of giving chemotherapy to a patient. Cancer

treatment and constant monitoring became a Sarah's experience of

pregnancy. Five weeks early, Jake decided to make his arrival even

though his mum was undergoing her final radiotherapy treatment.

went from the media therapy suite to the labour ward -- radiotherapy

sweet. About five hours later, I gave birth. With no drugs? No gas

or air or nothing. Now, six-man song, although Jake is still

refusing to sleep through the night, he is happy to have -- happy and

healthy. She also believes her eternal optimism has helped. I did

not want to be negative in any way because that would not have got me

where I am to date. I needed to state positive. I have always

wanted to be a mum. Sarah and Jake face years of check-ups and

monitoring but remain determined to enjoy every day together.

A lovely story. Remarkable.

Four men are being questioned as the evening by detectives over

their involvement in an alleged terrorism plot. They were arrested

at their homes in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham on suspicion of

travelling to Pakistan to undertake terrorist training and a raised

funds for terrorist purposes. What more can you tell us about the

braids? What are the police saying? These early-morning raids took part

-- were carried out by officers from West Midlands Counter

Terrorism Unit. The officers were an armed and the police are making

clear tonight that the suspects being held and questioned did not

pose any immediate threat to the general public. What do we know

about the four men? Three of them are 19 years old. One is 24. They

are all from the Sparkhill area of Birmingham and it is alleged that

they are in fact being held because they work fund-raising, allegedly,

in the UK and it is said that they also travelled to Pakistan in order

to carry out training exercises in terrorist activities. This is part

of a much wider investigation, a police up operation. Eight people

have so far been charged. One of those, a woman, will appear in

court tomorrow. What happens next? Officers have 48 hours to question

these four young men. Then there are three options. By their they

can charge them, release them or they may ask for further time to

question them. Thank you.

Now a round-up of other news. A man has appeared in court charged with

two counts of attempted murder following a road accident in

Hereford. Simon Brown who is 31 from Bomere Heath near Shrewsbury

was arrested after a crash between a Honda Civic and a tanker lorry on

the A49 in Holmer on Friday evening. He was remanded in custody.

Three weekly newspapers in the region will be published for the

final time this week. Trinity Mirror Midlands has announced it

will be closing down the Chase Post, Stafford Post and Sutton News,

which has been coming out for 141 years. The company which publishes

the Birmingham Mail and Coventry Telegraph is also cutting 66 jobs

across the Midlands. The University of Worcester is to offer a �1,000

discount to students with the best A-level grades. Students who get

two As and one B next summer will get a fee waiver in their first

year. The reduction will bring their bill down to �7,000. The

university is also bringing in a scheme to reward its 100 best

performing students with a 100,000 packed -- �1,000 scholarship.

The number of people arrested following the riots in the Midlands

has passed 700. 15 more people were arrested this morning at 17

addresses. The arrests were mainly for burglary and related to

offences committed at stores in Birmingham city centre.

An unofficial survey by one of the region's biggest housing

associations shows a lack of job prospects was a key factor in the

riots. It comes as the number of young people out of work is

expected to top a million for the first time in almost 20 years when

figures are announced tomorrow. One in 516 to 24 year-olds is coming

the unemployed in the West Midlands -- one in five of 16 to 24 year-

olds. Apprenticeships are being created. It is one of the ideas

coming out of the trouble. We have been looking at how communities are

trying to rebuild after the disturbances.

Rehearsals for Hooked!, a musical production organised by Birmingham

Christian Centre. These teenagers say their reputation has been

tarnished by the riots. They want to project a positive image.

guess a lot of people think, they are the kind of people who started

the riots. There is a bad stereotype but we want to stop that.

People think or young people are like that and all young people want

to start trouble. That is not the case. As well as organising

activities, the Church is trying to get to the root of some of the

city's social problems. Some of the things we are doing... We are

trying to look at family life, marriage, parenting, allowing young

people to feel that they can respond to different things like

money management and how they can progress from school to a more

adult life. We are looking at different causes. Working at

grassroots level is also a priority for one of the region's biggest

landlords. Midland Heart which owns 38,000 properties across the

Midlands commissioned an informal survey of clients and frontline

staff to consider the causes of the riots and what could be done about

some of the underlying problems. The survey identified one of the

main causes as unemployment. Especially the lack of

opportunities for young people. The company already runs a project to

try to help its tenants back to work, people like 30-year-old Craig

Mannion. I do not think there are that many opportunities for people

like me who have had bad past. Homelessness issues. I find because

I have been out of work for so long, no one is willing to give me a

chance. Now Midland Heart is launching a new scheme aimed at the

people most affected by the experience -- by the riots. It will

involve training in relationships and I skills to re-engage

youngsters. It is targeted at very vulnerable young people in specific

immunity so that we can measure the impact on individuals and on the

community itself. Secondly, it is around integrating all of the types

of support that we have provided in the past. While many young people

are working for a better future, the association hopes its new

scheme will help at least a few of those with a dangerous lack of hope

Still ahead to this Tuesday evening. The Coventry artist is in the

running for one of Britain's biggest art awards. And things do

not look too promising right now, but they could improve before

Friday's Children in Need. The family of a Warwickshire shoulder

who was killed in Afghanistan have launched a fund-raising appeal to

help other soldiers and their families. 22 year-old Conrad Lewis

was shot dead along with another soldier in Helmand Province earlier

this year. Their parents his parents came to raise thousands of

pounds with the launch of merchandise. Conrad Lewis was on

patrol in the Nad Ali district of Afghanistan when he and fellow

comrades came under fire. Along with another soldier, he was shot

dead. For his family, is -- Sandy and Tony, it has been a dramatic --

traumatic time. They are doing something positive in his memory.

They have launched a not-for-profit company with a whole range of

merchandise, branded with a specific number, 353. It is a not-

for-profit organisation in honour of my brother Conrad he was the

353rd soldier to be killed and Afghanistan and it is a way that we

can sell products and raise money for people and the military

community and for other charities like the Afghanistan Trust and Help

for Heroes. They are creating the venture when there is increasing

interest in our servicemen and women. Attendance a remembrance and

thence is increasing. To one of the largest and most recently launched,

Help for Heroes, raised �12 million in his first year, �18 million in

its second and last year �43 million.,'s family do not want

charity status, they want a more flexible approach. Were wanted to

do something different, establish a brand and create products that

people will want to buy a. Maybe they will want to buy before they

realise what it is about and we think it will be long-term

unsustainable. The launch of 353 is taking place this evening and

amongst other things, a video remembering Conrad's live will be

shown to potential investors. And we have been joined by the regional

co-ordinator for Help for Heroes, Dawn Turner. I know you had two

sons in the services. It seems that more and more people are keen to

help servicemen and women and their families who have served in Iraq

and Afghanistan. In my opinion, because of the recent conflicts it

is in the forefront of everyone's mind. Here in the Midlands, it is

always focused here and everyone is very keen to help. If they do not

know anyone in the army are cannot relate, they can empathise. This

seemed to be a growing number of smaller charities and organisations

such as this one. How difficult it is it for them to achieve anything?

This thing is, I cannot imagine what it is like to lose a son.

Thankfully they are still here. Once you have lost a loved one, you

have is growing in need to do something in their memory. They

have set up a charity, which is great. They can raise money to

perhaps get a plaque in memory, but where do they go from there. It is

a case of trying to get through those hard days and weeks, and

months without their loved one been here. How difficult is it being a

mum with sums in the services. Had to cope with that? People asked me

how I cope and I have not known anything different and cannot

compare it to anything else. I am proud and I keep myself busy

through volunteering Help for Heroes. Help for Heroes, I would

advise parents if they find themselves in a situation where

they lose a loved one, instead of setting up a charity, to approach

places like Help for Heroes to see if they can benefit from

volunteering and doing their bit. We supply capped grants to smaller

charities to keep them afloat. Thank you. Let us stocks for now.

Non-League starboard say they are expecting a sell-out crowd of

around 2000 next Tuesday for the FA Cup replay against Plymouth Argyle.

They're putting up temporary grandstands for the game. Tickets

go on sale to season-ticket holders tomorrow leading. They say Plymouth

could be in for a shock. It is a very different atmosphere. It is a

typical non-League ground. A lot of those players are youngsters and it

will be a new experience for them. There has been another high-profile

resignation behind the scenes at Coventry city. Director Leonard

Brody has stood down saying he is too busy because of their business

and stress. He remains a shareholder in the club. His

departure comes a month after chief-executive Paul Clouting also

resigned. A hospice that help severely ill children says it's

vital work can continue partly thanks to funding from BBC Children

in Need. Last year, the Donna Louise Trust Hot 140 children

across Staffordshire as well as gaining bereavement support to

another 68 families. It is costly work and the task of raising

�170,000 per month is a tough one. 11 year-olds Georgette is severely

disabled and today she is being looked after by staff at Treetops.

She has she gets lots of stimulation when she comes and she

is coming on in leaps and bounds. How she response the play that she

gets, she vocalise is everything and Georgia sings back in her own

way. Her eyes light up and it is just lovely. The Donna Louise Trust

helps life-limited children and their families from right across

Staffordshire. The care they provide cost �170,000 per month and

in these hard economic times, money is tight, so donations are down.

The money from Children in Need makes a massive difference. The

funding that we got from Children in Need last year allowed us to pay

for it at play specialist to come and do specialise play therapy with

the children and it has made a massive difference. The play

specialist bond at by Children in Need is Carly Leigh. She works with

life-limited children and the siblings from birth to 19 years old.

Some of it can be for distraction purposes, so for pain management or

it can be providing them with a foreign you experience that they

have not had before. Thanks to your donations, staff at the Donna

Louise Trust can continue helping life-limited children to smile.

Play happens wherever and whenever it can. It can be a one to-one

session or a group session. It is a lot of fun and it is great that we

have that funding. Every penny you raise really does help. �170,000 a

month that they need. Our reporter will be presenting for us on

Children in Need night on Friday. If you are raising lots for Pudsey

then tell us. You can e-mail us or join us on Facebook. If you are

taking photos of your fund raising, a selection of them will be showing

in around up. -- our round-up. If there is one prize in the art world

that provokes debate it is the Turner Prize. Over the recent

decades it is also help to bring contemporary British art to the

forefront. This year, at Coventry artist has made it onto the

shortlist with a work based on where he grew up. Turner Prize

nominee George Shaw's homecoming exhibition at the... In Coventry.

It is not as watercolours a different and a place on the

shortlist, it is these. Paintings of the time Hill estate where he

grew up in the Seventies and Eighties. This is the kind of place

where people from Britain live. Whether people they are put upon,

whether it is by employers or the architecture that they are forced

to live in. A are you making a political statement? I wouldn't

dream of it! Yes around. I have spent most of my chatted and

adolescence been quite frustrated, hearing other people's voices and

speaking for them and it is not a real picture of the way people live.

Today's Tile Hill still bears the concrete structures artistically

transported into George Shaw's paintings. They are off for -- far

cry from the weird and wonderful that has sometimes been associated

with the Turner Prize. The said it was intriguingly on the edge of

tradition. It is a great honour. I know a lot of people in the art

world who know at but the Turner Prize cent know about the Turner

Prize artists. It does what it says on the 10, the Turner Prize, it

encourages a conversation about contemporary art. This exhibition

offers an opportunity to see George's early work before any

formal art education. These paintings and sketches have been

hidden underneath his bed since the 1970s and 1980s. The exhibition,

titled i woz here, runs from Friday until March next year. George Shaw

will find out if he has won the Turner Prize on 5th December. For

Coventry's creative and cultural thing, he is already a winner.

Hidden under his bed for 30 years? Was at an unmade bed, that is what

Things were looking up for a time this afternoon mummy sot a bit of

brightness, but there will be a few rap -- relaxes. Back to receive

nine, we are looking at clear skies right now and that will see

temperatures tumble away to very low values, around three or four

degrees. We will see a bit of mist developing in pockets, but the

cloud is gradually thickening up and that will reintroduce some

drizzle overnight. Temperatures during that period will lift

slightly, but it will still be a cold start tomorrow, and it will be

dark, dank and dreary. We was the big cloud the knout further east

and that one of temperatures to perhaps 11 or 12 degrees. It will

be mild in the sunnier spots. Further north and west, but cloud

will thicken up later in the day, that is because we have a band of

rain arriving later on. The estimated time of arrival will be

around 5:00pm for western parts of the region and that will start to

spill eastwards through tomorrow night and it will become patchier

as it grows. Not particularly heavy rain, but we will see the dregs of

that three Thursday morning. Because of the cloud and rain it

will be milder tomorrow night, but on Thursday morning it will be a

bit grey to begin with, cloud will break up and it will give us a bit

of sunshine and that will help the temperatures to rise. Let us look

at my's main headlines. Backlash against the rise and rise of fuel

prices. MPs backed a public petition backing --, over the tax