24/02/2014 Midlands Today

so it's goodbye from me, and on BBC One, we now join the BBC's news

teams Hello and welcome to Midlands Today

with Mary Rhodes and Nick Owen. The headlines tonight: A moment in

history at Birmingham Airport: The world's last passenger DC`10 makes

its final flight. And as the longer runway prepares

for take`off, we'll be hearing it could help create thousands of jobs.

Also tonight: A Birmingham school's under investigation over allegations

that non`Muslim staff are being sidelined.

Vivid memories from 103`year`old Edna of a Zeppelin as it hovered

menacingly over the Black Country at the start of the Great War. Went

over it was just very very noisy. Like a grinding noise.

No chance they'll get carried away, but it's a victory for the

footballers of Tunstall for the first time since 2007.

And it seemed almost spring`like today for some parts of the country

with some of the highest temperatures so far this year. But

will it last? All the details coming up later.

Good evening. It was the end of an era as the world's last ever

passenger flight of a commercial DC`10 took place at Birmingham

Airport today. The DC`10, which has three engines,

made its first appearance in Birmingham in a demonstration flight

in 1972. Biman Bangladesh Airlines have been operating the plane, but

they'll now switch to a Boeing 777 to take advantage of the airport's

longer runway when it opens later this year. It's thought that the

runway extension could create more than 240,000 jobs across the

Midlands. Our business correspondent Peter Plisner is at the airport

tonight, so a significant moment for the airport, Peter? Yes, very

significant. The DC`10 type of plane has been the work course in the

industry for the last few years. Some will be sad to see it go but it

is a new time for Birmingham Airport because the plane that took it will

be one of the first to use the extended runway that today was still

under construction. Construction continuing today `

already investment here has meant a new control tower. Next to open ` a

new longer runway. From his office, the man in charge of the airport has

a bird's`eye view of the work. He maintains that the ?40 million

project is long overdue. I think the runway with has held us back for the

last 30 years. When the airport was moved here in 1944, they should have

extended the runway then. Other airports around about us did that,

we did not. This is what you get for ?40 million. It at 450 metres to the

existing one. That then becomes 3000 metres long which gives the aircraft

taking off from here and extra range of 2000 nautical miles.

And that means passengers will be able to fly direct to places like

China to the East and the West Coast of America. Good news too for the

region's businesses. For this Birmingham firm, which

exports machine tools all over the world, being able to fly direct will

save both time and money. I've got to engineers in Houston, Texas, they

have just returned also from Islamabad. They could benefit. It

could mean more regular services, rather than going to London.

And according to economists, ultimately that could mean thousands

of new jobs across the Midlands. It is estimated that the impact of the

extension of this runway could add another 3000 jobs board within the

airport footprint but also within the Midlands economy over the next

five years. But will airlines want to fly a long

distance from Birmingham? Aviation experts say it's an ideal time to

persuade them. If people have an excuse to go to London, they will

fly to Heathrow and continue to go to the south`east. This gives us a

reason for people to travel directly to your and it is up to us to make

sure they stay and invest here. Ironically, the first airline to

make use of the extended runway is the same one that today retired the

DC`10. From June, Biman Bangladesh Airlines will fly direct to Dhaka.

Well, we have seen what it looks like outside, let us look at the

inside. Very 1980s decoration inside. It was one of the last

become for the production line. 350 seats on`board this claim. It is

about 25 years old and we believe it has carried four and three quarters

passengers `` four and a quarter million passengers in that time.

Have you ever flown on a DC`10? Yes, on my very first business trip. They

offered me a beer, a Budweiser and I had never heard of it! Will this

extended runway make much of a difference to Birmingham Airport? We

are a huge manufacturing region. 3 million business trips I made

unnecessarily from London airports. 38 billion and exports, the

government is trying to travel exports, this is the airline and

airport to do it from. The government can certainly help us by

making bombing an important regional airport, talking about the portions

of this airport and being in May and high`speed rail as well, that is

coming, that could give us another economical opportunity. All of the

cards are falling in our favour. It was ten years ago that the last

Concorde flight took off from Birmingham Airport, ten years on and

we have seen the last flight of the DC`10.

There's more information about the DC`10 and its final commercial

flight on the BBC Birmingham website.

And later in the programme: We'll be meeting this former DC`10 air

hostess who's now more familiar on the airwaves.

A Birmingham school is to be investigated after being accused of

sidelining non`Muslim staff and excluding female pupils from some

sports. The Department for Education says it's looking into concerns

surrounding Park View Academy in Alum Rock. Our reporter Bob

Hockenhull is with me now. What exactly is being alleged?

These kind of concerns have been raised at other schools in the

country, haven't they? Yes, Nick, as you say, the

complaints come from a former employee. They claim non`Muslim

staff have been discriminated against at the school. It's also

alleged the academy has introduced Islamic studies even though it is

not a faith`based state school. And concerns have also been raised that

female pupils were excluded from after`school tennis lessons because

these were taken by a male tutor. So what has the school had to say about

this? I spoke to the head teacher, Lindsey

Clark, earlier today. She said there had been some faith classes taught

after school hours in the past, although they weren't any more. The

reason they were set up, she said, was because of general concerns for

children's safety when they were attending similar classes in the

community. The school's also defended its PE

policy on its website. It says, "In common with the majority of

secondary schools, PE at Park View secondary schools, PE at Park View

is taught in single gender groups and by same gender staff." There

have been similar concerns and other parts of the country, is that

correct? Yes, the Al`Madinah in Derby has

been ordered to close its secondary school following a series of

damaging allegations. These have included claims it forced non`Muslim

teachers to wear the Islamic headscarf. However, Park View in

Alum Rock says it considers itself to be a completely different case.

It points out it's been described as being outstanding by Ofsted after it

was turned around from being a failing school. With regard to its

investigations, the Department for Education says all state schools

must comply with equality regulations and firm action will be

taken if these requirements aren't met.

A school girl was killed and a woman and a young boy critically injured

after a car was in an accident with a school coach.

The accident happened in Bloxwich early this morning. The woman and

the boy, both from the same car, were flown to hospital. Their

injuries are tonight described as critical. Residents claim the road

has seen a number of previous accidents and a petition has

previously been organised demanding speed humps.

The Lib Dem MP for Yardley, John Hemming, has told the House of

Commons that some parents are facing a six`fold increase in the price of

foreign travel during school holidays, compared to during term

time. More than 167,000 people have signed a petition calling for a

"cap" on charges. A team of special police officers

are working across the West Midlands to help track down criminals through

technology. It's after a murder case in Stoke`on`Trent was solved by

analysing text messages. In 2009, Amanda Birks was killed in a fire at

her home. Her husband Christopher had sent messages from her phone to

make her family and friends think it was an accident. But experts matched

his writing style to the texts and determined he'd planned the attack.

And you can see more on this on Inside Out West Midlands on BBC One

tonight at 7:30pm. These are not crossword puzzles that

we are dealing with, there will be devastated families behind a lot of

these cases and you must be aware of that, that these are human stories.

And you can see more on this on Inside Out West Midlands on BBC One

tonight at 7:30pm. As part of our First World War

commemorations, the BBC have teamed up with the Imperial War Museum to

tell the story of the war at home. With the last Tommy now gone, our

only link with the First World War is through the people who were

children at the time. Edna Smith's first memory, back in 1916, is more

powerful than most. She's been talking to our reporter Cath Mackie.

Edna Smith is 103 and can remember the day the Great War came to

Walsall. 31st January 1916 ` the night of the Zeppelin raid. We saw

it in the sky, my mother and myself. As it went over, it was just very

noisy, like a grinding noise. It must have appeared enormous. Yes, it

did. It filled the sky completely. We did not know where it had gone

to, but we didn't learn about it the next day that it had bombed the

church. The Wednesbury Road Congregational

Church was hit. A passer`by, Thomas Merrylees, was killed. He was a

28`year`old template maker. I am sure that he started to hurry back

that day, he would have been running and he was in the wrong place at the

wrong time. The entire roof was damaged. They had the table and on

that they had quite a few books that they were selling. Also a Babel. And

my mother bought the Babel for me. It took off across the Channel and

it was to come and lined `` inland for the first time. Two of them

ended up in the Midlands. A number of people were killed as

the bombs were dropped across the Black Country. The congregational

church was near a railway line which may have been a target. But bombing

equipment was rudimentary, it was mainly done by eye. Pilot Chris

Gills followed for us the route the Zeppelins would have taken. We are

just heading towards Walsall, it is a possibility that they thought this

was Liverpool and made a mistake. Remarkably, the casing of one of the

bombs survived. It's held in storage by Walsall Museum.

This is the head of the bomb and it's really heavy. It would have

been attached like that. This German incendiary bomb is very rare. It's

the only one of its kind that we know of in any British museum.

A fragment of leaded light was also saved from the church. As was a

stained`glass window which was fitted into a new church built on

the site which survived into the 1970s. That church was demolished

and we decided that he ought to bring something with us. As this was

going to be built as a church and the community centre, we thought it

would be appropriate to bring the window and put a good Samaritan on

it. But for Edna the story didn't end

there. As a teenager she contracted diphtheria and to prevent the

infection spreading, her belongings ` including the books in her bedroom

` were destroyed. One of them was the Bible from the bombed`out

church. My mother was so upset that we had to destroy it. She told my

grandmother and my grandmother gave me a new Babel. `` Babel.

And there's an opera due to be staged later this year in

Wolverhampton, called Zeppelin Dreams. They're rehearsing this

evening and Cath Mackie is with them. Tell us more, Cath.

They are being incredibly quiet at the moment because we are in a small

rehearsal room but we will hear from them in a few moments' time. 200

local people volunteered to be part of this opera and this man can tell

me more. You are directing this project, tell me about it. We wanted

to create something spectacular and wonderful and thinking about the

timing of this, suddenly it came about that we wanted to do something

to commemorate the anniversary of the First World War and be

discovered this extraordinary story that not many people know about, the

Zeppelin raid that happened although she was ago. It has all the operatic

weekly games that you could want for a show. `` operatic ingredients. 100

of those volunteers are schoolchildren, Hannah, you are one

of them. What an experience. That is right, it is really nice to do

something different, I am enjoying it. The best of luck to you all. You

can see Zeppelin Dreams at the grand Theatre in Wolverhampton next month.

Go on their website and check the dates. We will let these performers

sing us out. Our top story tonight: A moment in

history at Birmingham Airport ` the world's last passenger DC`10 makes

its final flight. Shefali will be here later with your detailed

weather forecast. Also ahead: The scene of a remarkable footballing

victory...7 years in the making! Ian's here with tonight's sport. And

these are anxious times if you support Villa, Albion or Stoke?

Yes, it was a winless weekend for all three. Two defeats and a draw,

and relegation is far too close for comfort! A most frustrating result `

Aston Villa's last`minute defeat at Newcastle. A defensive calamity

proved costly. Villa remain on 28 points, the same as Norwich who come

to Villa Park on Sunday. The most predictable result was

Stoke's 1`0 defeat at Manchester City. Yaya Toure got the winner 20

minutes from time. Stoke have 27 points. They're at home to Arsenal

on Saturday. The most infuriating result was

Albion's 1`1 draw against Fulham. Matej Vydra's late equaliser leaves

them on 25 points. Their next game is against Man United, a week on

Saturday. At least, there was good news

elsewhere, not least for Shrewsbury Town's new boss Mike Jackson.

Saturday. At least, there was good news A

winning start to his new career. 29 English clubs have changed managers

this season. And not many survive in the job longer than two years. Nick

Clitheroe reports. There was a look of steely

determination on the face of the Wolves manager Kenny Jackett as he

stepped off the team bus at Brentford on Saturday. First against

third in League One ` it wouldn't decide promotion, but the winners

would strike a psychological blow. And it was Wolves who proved the

masters. James Henry put them in front before Michael Jacobs rammed

home their domination with two late goals. This sixth straight win moves

them level on points at the top of the division.

goals. There is a point between the clubs,

Leyton Orient and ourselves and Brentford and Preston North End are

only seven points behind us with a game in hand. It is a fantastic pace

that is being set at the top of the league. It is very competitive.

It had been a tough week for Birmingham City boss Lee Clark.

Highly critical of his team last Saturday, he then parted ways with

two of his backroom staff. So when Blackpool went in front it

threatened to be another gloomy Saturday night in the Clark

household. But Lee Novak scored twice as the Blues fought back for a

win that could be critical for Championship survival.

household. But Lee Novak scored twice as the Absolutely delighted

with the response from my players. Especially when you go down a goal

and you are way from home. The insured great courage.

The newest manager in the Football League is Mike Jackson at

Shrewsbury. insured great courage.

The newest manager He was only given the job full`time on Friday and is

only guaranteed it until the end of the season. But he celebrated with a

win on Saturday at Notts County that moves them to within three points of

safety. moves them to

At the other end of the scale is Mark Yates.

moves them to At the other end of the scale Five

seasons in charge at Cheltenham make him the third longest`serving

manager in English football and he won again at Newport County on

Saturday. Nick Clitheroe, BBC Midlands Today.

manager in English If it's true that "you only sing

when you're winning" then Tunstall Town haven't heard that catchy

little tune for more than six and a half years.

But after 171 games without a victory in the Staffordshire County

League, a football miracle happened on Saturday. And 12 fans were there

to see it, as Ben Sidwell reports. 2007. The year Rihanna dominated the

charts, Gordon Brown stepped into Tony Blair's shoes and the bank

Northern Rock collapsed. In Stoke`on`Trent, little did one club

know, it would also be the year that the most unwelcome run in football

began. On the 29th of September, 2007,

Tunstall Town one that day. But it then took them several years to get

another victory. That is over 3 million minutes between victories.

For me it was better than winning the World Cup. Better than winning

the Champions League, Premier League or FA Cup all rolled into one. The

euphoria you get from such a victory as fantastic, but when you have to

make six and a half years, it becomes legendary.

When Tunstall Town last won a league game, Adam Rose wasn't even a

teenager. On Saturday, the 17`year`old scored the winner and

re`wrote the club's history books. Winning the game after a gap of six

and a half years, it is very special.

After delivering the victory, Tunstall's manager was back at his

day job, still reliving that magical moment. The referee found eight

minutes of injury time, I was on edge, the longest eight minutes of

my life. And now they've got the winning

feeling, their next opponents Longton better watch out.

Well done Tunstall Town. Could they really make it two`in`a`row on

Saturday? Excitement is mounting in the Staffordshire County Senior

League Division Two, Nick. The final passenger flight of the

DC`10 above the skies of Birmingham was a moment in history that many

aviation enthusiasts didn't want to miss. Our reporter Ben Godfrey has

spent day with one fan of the DC`10. As a boy, Gordon stretch lived under

the flight path of Birmingham Airport and became a plain

photographer. Lovely spray, look at that. Reverse thrust deployed. A

historic Douglas DC`10 operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines lands at

Birmingham ahead of its final flight. The next generation aircraft

are so quiet you can hardly hear them take off. And the early 1970s,

the DC`10 revolutionised air travel. The era of no thrills flying began

with this workhorse of disguise. It's wider body enabled the first UK

budget flights operated by the budget airline. It gives me a

competitive way of dealing with mine arch rivals. This is the last ever

DC`10 passenger flight. It is going on a scenic tour with 216 people on

board. It is headed to Scotland and back to Birmingham.

The DC`10 has its admirers but for a time had a catastrophic safety

record. In 1974 a Turkish airlines jet crash near Paris killing all 345

people on board, many of them British. The plane has been retired

because of its age. Today's trip was a required taste for the passengers,

just like the decor! They were 24,000 feet in the air. What they

make of this flight? The power of the take`off was fantastic. It is a

great aircraft, great take`off, super flight. Earlier there was a

clamour for merchandise, T`shirts, model planes and, yes, even a sick

bag, yours for ?1. One hour later, we were back on the ground, the

DC`10 was greeted by a celebratory water cannon. This plane is destined

not for a museum, but for Bangladesh, where it will be broken

up, sold to the highest bidder. Ben Godfrey, BBC Midlands Today,

Birmingham Airport. Joining us now from the airport is

someone who worked as an air hostess on DC`10s before moving into

broadcasting. She made her name nationally on Radio 1 and on Top of

the Pops and currently has a show on EBC Radio 2, good evening, Janice

Long. Great to talk to you. It was absolutely fantastic, I joined in

1974, I was 18 years old but I had never been abroad, so was very

excited to learn about this fabulous plane. This spot was very important

for me because this is where I used to put the movie on. Before all of

that, you would stand here, help the passengers, all of that, get them

settled and after take`off, we would set up all of the stuff here. Here

are the ovens, we used to get the temperatures, ready to cook all of

the meals. All of the other bits and pieces, glasses and cutlery would be

in here. We would start of the fight with aid rings service and I would

pull that the trolley and we'll get there in the cabin. Ask people what

they want. We have got a great picture of it. We just have a

picture of you win back several years! I am still as smart and

demure! It was a wonderful experience. Incredibly hard work,

you were on your feet for most of the time. You cannot please the

public all of the time and they would be cutting their fingers or

asking me to fashion stuff out of a sick bag! Thank you for talking to

us, Janet. It hasn't been a bad day at all,

once the rain cleared away, it opened up quite nicely. A definite

hint of spring in the air. Highs of 12 Celsius and the likes of

Staffordshire. The Southeast had even one at 14 Celsius. That is

generally how the week is looking, much more milder weather to come.

The winds will also pick up and take a shine off of the temperatures. It

will also be much more unsettled. There will be a mixture of rain and

showers, but nothing like the extent we have seen recently. It is looking

busy, nonetheless, especially on the pressure chart. You can see those

isobars tightening up. That is going to replicate during the week from

time to time, bringing in that quick succession of rain. At this stage

the only dry the looks to be Wednesday. But back to this evening

and overnight and we saw this morning's rain cleared out of the

way, a few showers about. Next we have this other band of rain pushing

and quick quickly from the West. There will be an narrowband with

heavy bursts. It is moving quite quickly so it will be out of the way

by the early hours. Much clearer skies taking temperatures down to a

minimum of five or six Celsius. Through to make those winds will

pack up and we are looking at blustery and squally showers

developing tomorrow. They could be heavy at times but we are looking at

gusts of up to 50 mph over the exposed areas, particularly to the

North and across the hills. Some brightness in between but generally

quite a cloudy day. Temperature still quite mild at ten or 11

Celsius. A cold night tomorrow night. The showers will dig out but

this will prepare us for some sunshine and decent dry spells on

Wednesday. The headlines: Trapped by the war in

Syria, more than 20,000 people with no help, food or be out.

Birmingham Airport, the world was my last passenger DC`10 makes its last

flight. Goodbye.