17/05/2014 Midlands Today

That's it for now. We're back with the late news at 10. 15pm. Now it's

Good evening. A memorial service has time

Good evening. A memorial service has taken place in Herefordshire for a

serviceman who died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan last month.

Lance Corporal Oliver Thomas, who was 26, grew up and went to school

in Kington. This afternoon, hundreds of mourners turned out to remember

him. Yvonne Brissett reports. Honoured in the town where he spent

his childhood. Those who couldn't get into the packed St Mary's church

in Kington this afternoon listened to the service outside as they

gathered to give thanks for the life of Lance Corporal Oliver Thomas.

Oliver lived his life to the full. There was never a dull moment when

Oliver was around. He was a lovely, kind gentleman. It was clear that

when you spoke to those who came into contact with him how much they

warmed to his presence. Inside the church, moving tributes to the

26`year`old army reservist who'd told his family he was fulfilling

his dreams by serving his country. Lance Corporal Thomas was one of

five servicemen killed in the helicopter crash in Kandahar last

month. Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan from Birmingham also died.

The Ministry of Defence has said it believes the crash was a tragic

accident. His family held a private cremation service yesterday, but

wanted to give the wider community a chance to come together and

celebrate Oliver's life. He was a very caring and genuinely caring

person for everybody. A fitting recognition for a young man

described as "courageous, brave and selfless". Yvonne Brissett, BBC

Midlands Today, Kington in Herefordshire. In football, Burton

Albion are heading for Wembley. The Brewers drew 2`all against Southend

in the second leg of their League Two play`off semifinal this

afternoon. The result gave them a 3`2 aggregate victory. They'll face

Fleetwood in the final on the 26th of this month. Binmen in Birmingham

have been working overtime to collect tonnes of green waste which

has been dumped across the city. Since the council started charging

for garden waste collections, many objectors have left their bags at

the roadside in protest. Earlier, some of the worst eyesores were

cleared. 16 fire engines were called to a fire at a wood recycling plant

in Meriden last night. The blaze involved a huge pile of wood

chippings. Around 70 firefighters helped bring it under control. There

were no reported injuries. A statue of a gorilla made entirely from

spoons has been unveiled in Shropshire. The 12`foot`high beast

took five months to complete and will go to the home of the

entertainer Uri Geller, who says he commissioned the work to help

inspire sick children. Ben Godfrey reports. In the shops shut

sunshine, a pilgrimage of sorts to meet a primate made solely of

spoons. A short Rolls`Royce drive away, a caged gorilla was waiting.

The entertainer Uri Geller along with Prince Michael of Kent, could

wait no longer. I'm stunned. Amazed. I cannot believe what I am seeing. I

have not seen it completed. This is one of a kind. The British ironwork

centre created this in just five months. At first, it will reside in

your regular's garden in Berkshire. It will be used to take to certain

children's hospitals to raise money for charity. It is all for a very

serious purpose. 40,000 spoons were needed. Samantha Maxwell collected

over 700. It was a bit of a job to be honest. we have had it under lock

and key for months. No press, no media. So how will they get this

gorilla into your regular's garden? He says he will hire a helicopter

and winch it into a nets just like in King Kong. It's been a glorious

day. Here's Kaye Forster with the weather.

in King Kong. It's been a glorious day. Here's Kaye Forster with Born

Sunshine to come tomorrow as today. Temperatures will be soaring once

again. A bit of cloud floating in this evening but it is mostly dry

tonight. Temperatures not much lower than ten or 11 Celsius. Tomorrow

morning, a beautiful start once again with lots of lovely sunshine.

There will be a bit more cloud into the afternoon but it is dry, sunny

and very warm with is eyes of 22. That's it from us. Midlands Today is

back tomorrow evening at 6.50pm. Until then, enjoy your weekend in

the sunshine. Bye bye. Good evening. Who needs an expensive

holiday? Today at 24 degrees, Suffolk was warmer than Ibiza and

Crete. There was lots of warm sunshine to be found across England

and Wales. Of course, that hasn't