02/06/2014 Midlands Today

Welcome to Midlands today. New wet and chilly day.

Welcome to Midlands today. New governors tried but failed to get

into run and Islamic faith school as parents protest. Speak ill of the

education authority is coming down without the consent of the parents

or consulting the parents. Also tonight, a month until the

Commonwealth Games, the Queen's Baton arrives in Birmingham after

travelling around the world. If we can inspire people, to take up

sport, we have done our job. His quest is to be the man with

perfect looks, but should we be paying for it?

A cliff hanger between England and Sri Lanka at Edgbaston tomorrow.

But will they get much play? Even though we're now in June

and after a weekend with scenes like this,

we just can't shake those showers. There will be some sunny spells this

week, but it's looking rather wet too.

I'll have all the details later. There's a standoff

tonight at an Islamic faith school which has been accused

of failing pupils. A team from Birmingham City Council

arrived this afternoon to take over the school,

but they were denied entry. This morning, parents protested

in support of Al Hirjah school. It's reportedly at least ?400,000

in the red. Ofsted inspectors found some

teaching was There was also criticism that plans

to improve were Giles Latcham has been

following today's developments. Protesting parents at Al Hijrah

in Bordesley Green, awaiting the arrival of new governors expected to

take over the running of the school. This group told us they're

not wanted or needed. The LEA and the education authority

are coming in without the consent of the parents,

without consulting the parents and trying to take over, which is

a major concern for our children. The school is not a failing school,

it is an outstanding school, It's an Islamic faith school

which boasts exam results far But Ofsted have put it

in special measures,criticising But Ofsted have put it

in special measures, criticising If a new board's to come in, the

current Chairman of Governors wants a three`week delay

until exams are over. With the local authority,

I hope they have come around the table and agreed a smoother

and more professional handover. normal, there are nearly 750 pupils

here. And some of them are Of course every school has

its ups and downs, I'm not going to deny that, but

overall, it is a positive school and I love it here, otherwise I wouldn't

be here in the first place. The interim executive board, that is

the new governors, did arrive at twenty to two this

afternoon after all the cameramen and

reporters had left. They were refused entry

by the existing governors, And the parents who have

come back to the school are I was really disappointed that the

IAB, the Board of Governors, which I've actually got concerns

about the board not being balanced. And there's anger too about city

council figures suggesting the school may be in debt by as much as

a million pounds. Obviously,

there are two sides to the story but at the end of the day, we know we

are not in deficit by that amount. If the city council is the holder

of the cheque`books, then it is the city council to be

blamed at the end. Pupils are sitting exams this week

that will help shape their future. The future for their school is far

from certain. Well, Giles is outside the school

right now. It is a bit of a stand`off, what happens now?

Certainly, it is an impasse. We hoped to speak to the leader of the

cancelled tonight, he didn't want to appear on television. On the radio

this morning, he said the situation here was out of control and it

cannot be allowed to continue. The interim Board of Governors a

statement in which they said parents had been informed of the changes and

their appointment is crucial to the rapid improvement space they need to

be affected here. They say as to regards today's events, they were

refused entry and have been to consider their options. The OFSTED

report came out in February and this is taking an embarrassingly long

time to sort out. We have heard about concern surrounding some

Birmingham schools, particularly the Trojan horse plot to infiltrate

schools with Muslim activists. What is happening there? It is important

to point out that Al Hirjah forms no part of that, it is a Muslim faith

school and the Trojan horse is about secular schools that it is suggested

could be run on religious principles. The OFSTED report

focuses on 20 but the remedial report says Sikh schools could be

put into special measures as a confidence that smash Sikh schools

could be put into special measures. Already seeing allegations and

counter allegations about what schools did not do about it. ``6

schools. `year`old Plenty more to come this evening, including

celebrating the birth of the bard, and a royal welcome for Prince

Charles in Stratford. The Queen's Baton arrived in Birmingham today

after visiting 68 countries. It is heading to Glasgow for the beginning

of the Commonwealth Games. It has arrived in centenary square and

Holly Lewis is there. Is everything running to schedule? Absolutely, the

bat on arrived here about 20 minutes ago. You can't quite see it but it

is currently going around the sporting stands you can see behind

me and it is being greeted by an impedance and Paralympian is who are

in courage and people to have a go at sports they have not tried before

`` Olympians and Paralympians who are encouraging people. Amy Cole has

been watching the progress today. This is the moment the Queen's Baton

came to Birmingham. Carried by the city's former Olympic

swimmer Adam Ruckwood. He then handed it over to

Pritesh Pattni, a man who has dedicated the past 25 years to

helping young people take up sport. We represent the community and also

sport in this city and by holding this baton, I have got to say,

it is still really sinking in at the moment, but if we can inspire

people, especially young people, to take up sport, then we

have done our job really today. I went to three Commonwealth Games

and was lucky enough to win three medals, one of them being gold,

so being asked to carry the baton The baton arrived in England

on Saturday and has been delighting It'll travel to major cities over

the next two weeks before reaching Scotland,

with Glasgow its final destination. Back in Birmingham and for Adam and

Pritesh, there was no time to stop ` hundreds of local schoolchildren

were waiting to meet them at Sunset Park, thrilled to be

part of it. Everyone's just excited and happy

about this, wealth games, and people Everyone's just excited and happy

about this Commonwealth Games, and Excited and, like ,

my heart was pumping fast. is a great opportunity to see the

baton. It is so much fun. And she wasn't the only one having

a good time. who's already had a lot

of success in her chosen field. This is a big day

for the young athlete. Laura Samuel is currently

showing off her baton. She is a British junior triple jump

champion and she trains I got involved through my school

and getting involved in sport and I think it is really important for

children to be pushed towards sport. And at Centenary Square, there are

plenty of sporting activities When you have

a look at the variety of different sports that are here, it makes it

more real for the kids, I think. We are from Glasgow and we thought

we would watch it and then bring And thousands more are

expected to do the same. What happens to the baton tonight? I

have someone with me who can answer that, Andrew Foster from

Commonwealth Games England. Does it go on tonight? It moves to Bristol

and then to Plymouth and then to Kent and then to London. The great

thing about being in Birmingham today is Birmingham took the baton

to the people, in the parks, hundreds of kids got behind the

baton and the Games. Now tonight, people are getting a chance to

participate, giving it a try. What we want people to do is to get

behind the England team for the games. They have done it today, we

want everybody behind, the biggest and best prepared 450 people who go

to Glasgow when it starts on the 23rd of July. And do you think this

kind of thing inspires the Commonwealth Games champions of the

future? Definitely, the baton, seeing stars of the past and stars

of the future is the thing that inspires kids to give it a try and

get behind it and see if they can do it. As you heard, the baton

continues around Britain and it will be in Scotland for the home run

until the games start on the 23rd. Speechwriter specialist firefighters

being called in after much of a detached house collapsed in

Birmingham this afternoon `` specialist. Nobody was hurt when the

house in Kings Norton came down at around four p.m.. West Midlands Fire

service has cordoned off the area and people next door have been

evacuated for their own safety. We will have an update on our late news

at 10:25pm. Prince Charles will be brushing up

on his Shakespeare tonight after being guest of honour at the

Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford`upon`Avon.

He's spent the day in Warwickshire, looking at the county's connections

with our greatest playwright, as well as making several other visits.

There is some flash photography in this report.

Shakespeare had a lot to say about princes and royalty and today, the

prince who will one day be cliff visited the RSC to celebrate the

playwright's 450th birthday year. We were over there and we got told to

come over here. It was great to see him. We don't have a printer

recurring figure back home, so it is a great experience. Students from

across the country went on to entertain his Royal Highness with

their favourite Shakespearean one`liners. If you start with

Shakespeare before you have hit cynical, as young teenagers tend to

do, if you are grabbed by this story is, by the language, the characters,

you a passport through your life and I think Prince Charles understands

that very well. At King Edward VI School, where the young William

Shakespeare was a pupil, Prince Charles relived the Bard's

Schooldays. They weren't paying attention to the teacher. Opening a

special unit at the Shakespeare Hospice, Prince Charles paid tribute

to everyone who supports hospice care. We owed the huge deal of

gratitude to the people who make the hospices in this country such a

wonderful feature and offer the palliative crap. And `` palliative

care. It is the children helped by the care that the Prince is most

interested in. Has it made a difference? To Rubin and myself,

yes. It has made a lot. Speak `` I was very nervous then and I'm very

nervous now. He was much nicer than I expected, and I expected him to

just say, I am Prince Charles, that is it, goodbye. But he was

interested in what we had to say. At Warwick School, 1100 pupils gave a

roar to the Prince for celebrating their 100th anniversary.

The top story tonight: As parents protest, new governors try and fail

to move in to run a Birmingham Islamic faith school.

Rebecca is here soon with the detailed weather forecast, including

details for the cricket tomorrow. Also tonight... Meet my friend, who

has been trained to help us search for a wild animal that is so great,

we actually thought it is extinct. And the story of two police ``

peaceloving brothers from the Cadbury family who chose very

different paths in World War I. Perfection is his stated aim and

Sam Barton isn't done yet. He's paid for most

of the plastic surgery he's had out of his own pocket, although the NHS

has picked up some of the bill. Ben Sidwell has been to meet

the retail worker who doesn't object to being described as Britain's

vainest man. Sam Barton's a man who likes to

stand out from the crowd. I think everyone's has their own

idea of perfection and I'm just trying to achieve mine. So when I

finally feel comfortable and I look in the mirror and I think, you look

all right, that is when all stop. Until then, I'll keep going.

The 22`year`old from Sutton Coldfield was so unhappy with his

The value of his cosmetic treatments so far is ?50,000.

Does it become addictive? Yes. There was a point where I would probably

go without food to make sure I had my Botox and if I didn't have a tan,

I would feel ill. I wouldn't want to leave the house. It sounds so

stupid, I know, but it does become so addictive. Anything can be

addictive, I suppose. Labelled the Venice man in Britain, Sam has paid

the most of the work himself. Botox, teeth, fillers and eyebrows,

although his corrective nose job was on the NHS. It seems that Sam is not

alone, it seems that as men are becoming more vain and turning to

treatment like Botox and cosmetic surgery.

Also based in Sutton Coldfield, this aesthetic clinic have seen

plenty of young men like Sam come through the door recently.

As time is gone by and we have got more experienced and learned more

about the various techniques, we can do things for both sexes and I am

finding that whereas ten years ago, 5% of my patients were men, it is

close to 25% now. If there wasn't a cost to surgery, I don't think there

would be a stopping point, where I would say that is enough. I would

always find something else. But unfortunately, there is a cost to

surgery and there will be a point where I have to stop but as long as

I can carry on, I will carry on. Ben is hoping one day he will be happy

with his luck. Until then, all his money will go on trying to make him

perfect. We have a few of your comments here.

Just one word comment from Catherine Louise Ward. And this one says...

Thanks to all of you who got in touch.

A century ago, two members of Birmingham's chocolate`making

Cadbury family faced a daunting dilemma in World War One.

As Quakers, they fundamentally opposed war and killing.

But while Laurence Cadbury opted to save lives in an ambulance unit,

his brother Egbert decided to fight and became a pilot.

The BBC has been given access to private letters

and has shown them to descendants of the two men for the first time.

Laurence and Egbert Cadbury's family were famous for making chocolate

and as pacifist Quakers, for being against war.

This was a problem for two young brothers who were keen

to do their bit for the country in World War One.

How could they without being at odds with their faith?

He was a rebel, set apart to be different.

Justin Cadbury's grandfather Egbert volunteered to become a Royal Navy

Along with his gunner Bob Leckie, Bertie shot down the last Zeppelin

He spoke to the BBC about it after the war. Bob Leckey gave a burst of

tracer bullets and within seconds, flames started shooting about, her

nose dropped and she went down in a mass of flames.

has heard this story as his never spoke to him about it.

`` his grandfather. I can't say any words to compare with what I just

heard, it is extraordinary. Bertie's elder brother Laurence was

at the front within months Instead he was there to

save lives as a founding member He wouldn't be put off by any of the

things he saw. He had a strong stomach. It is not a story his son

knows either, but the BBC has been given access to the brothers' War

letters and, using actors, have brought them to lie. They were

smashed and bleeding, choking, making awful noises in their

throats. We then learned for the first time of the asphyxiating

fumes. The private papers show Lawrence almost joined the Army and

spoke at his shame of being a noncombatant. He, as a volunteer,

would have found it difficult, I think, to come to terms with the

fact that he was seen in any way to be ducking his responsibilities. And

that was not him. At the same time, the letters show Bertie questioned

his own decision to fight, but both were decorated for their bravery and

returned home to help run the family firm, now famous around the world.

It is fascinating. You can see the full story tonight as part of the

BBC's World War I at home series. Your BBC local radio station will

have more from where you live all this week at 8:15 a.m..

Cricket and England play Sri Lanka in a series`deciding

one`day international at Edgbaston tomorrow.

It's a vital match for England as they look to rebuild after

And it's also important for Edgbaston `

a ground deprived of Test cricket for a second consecutive summer.

England are back in town, but can they put Edgbaston back on the map.

Warwickshire will host just three days of international cricket this

summer will stop the fact that this game will decide the series is a

bonus. It has been a really topsy`turvy series and both sides,

when they are playing well, are very attractive teams to watch, so

hopefully, both get them playing well at the same time with a good

crowd and good atmosphere cheering England home. There are two

Warwickshire players in the squad. Ian Bell has played in every game.

Chris Woakes is still waiting for his chance. And it will be hard to

break into a team after Saturday's dramatic game at Lord's. A stunning

century from Joss Butler nearly pushed England to the target of

301, but they fell seven runs short, leaving the series at 2`2. We would

love to win, it would be great. We would love it but if you're go into

any contest, you have to accept that if they play well, you take it on

the chin. A crowd of 15,000 is expected but tickets remain on sale.

You can sit here side onto the action for ?38 weight appear for

?80. So it is a good moneyspinner for Warwickshire but not if it

rains. If fewer than ten overs bowled, everybody gets a full

refund. Fewer than 25 and people get half the money back. Today is

sunny, but rain is forecast tomorrow. So far, the focus has been

wronged evidently time, so I hope it is consistent. The forecast is the

forecast. Sri Lanka were in the mood for football this afternoon but both

England and Warwickshire hope everyone is talking about the

cricket come tomorrow night. That have a look at Spring watch now

possible comeback in Ferrera mammal once thought to be extinct in this

region `` and in Shropshire. Tracking down the elusive Pine

Marten, and as our correspondent discovered, using high`tech cameras

and the only Pine Martin sniffer dog in the world.

And here she is. This is lunar, and she is joining us deep into

Shropshire would on the hunt for Pine Martins. We have your cameras,

we have a dog, let's go. Pine Martins members of the stud weasel

family and all around the size of cuts, quite big `` stoat weasel

family and are around the size of cuts. A tale which is approximately

two thirds the length of its body. Pine Martins were thought to be

extinct in the Midlands for more than half a century but a small

population survived over the border in Wales and Stuart thinks they are

coming back. We have had the siting of a dead one, collected by a

Wildlife Trust and proven to be born in Wales, because it was a juvenile,

so there is evidence there is a population big enough in Wales to

actually be breeding. If they then breed the young will have to come

this way in search of territory. So while Luna keeps looking, here is

the other part of the search. High`tech cameras scattered

throughout the world. This is the camera. A brilliant design. The

first mammal in the session, a squirrel, unsurprisingly. Another

squirrel. And that was it. The squirrel has taken it on this one.

Pine Martins are really hard to find and so far, none of the cameras has

caught a glimpse of one, but of course, there is also our furry

detecting friend. Luna is detected to find their faeces. She is coming

today, she will search a large area, and will indicate any scat she

finds. That can vary, it can be lying down. Sometimes she might just

freeze and she will look at me to indicate she has found something.

Compare to the cameras, Luna has been more successful and has found

scat she thinks is Pine Marten. A follow`up DNA tests have been

inconclusive. Stewart, though, isn't downhearted. The chances of seeing a

Pine Marten, even if there were ten here, you wouldn't see one, it is

like looking for a needle in a haystack but I'm not daunted, I will

keep continuing the search. Soave in Shropshire? Luna is going to make

more return visit `` Soave in Shropshire. Although we haven't seen

any today, with their help and with more people helping online, if they

are here, we will find them. And David's blog has details about

how you can help search for the Pine Marten.

I dread to ask this, but such a spine tingling cricket match coming

up at Edgbaston, we do need the sunshine and no rain. Here is

Rebecca. In meteorological terms, we are in

summer, which of course means it is going to rain. We have had a wet

spring and as we head into tomorrow, not much improvement. We will get

some sunny spells through the day but we have got some showers later

in the afternoon. Not at the news you want to hear if you are off to

Edgbaston. It is going to be a day when we get heavy, slow moving

showers, so we could see play interrupted through the afternoon

but there will be a reasonable amount of the Sun plays its part. We

have some cloud over as today. Some showers working their way in from

the West as well. The cloud has broken up a little bit. Through this

evening, some late afternoon sunshine in pockets and those

showers continuing overnight, said temperatures not falling too far.

Quite a mile bike to come. Between 11`13dC `` a mild night. It should

break up a little more than it has today. We should get spells of

sunshine which will be enough to trigger those heavy showers through

the day. They start to come through and by the afternoon, they will be

slow`moving. If you experience one, you will know about it. Certainly

feeling pleasant. Still some sunshine to end the day. Showers

continuing overnight and it is not long before we start to see this

area of heavy rain working its way up from the south, Wednesday not

looking pleasant at all. Heavy rain and temperatures struggling but an

looking pleasant at all. Heavy rain and temperatures struggling but an

improvement by Thursday. The headlines tonight, an

investigation finds sexual abuse victims of the DJ Jimmy Savile could

now number over 500, the youngest being two years old. And parents

protest as you governors try to take over an Islamic faith school. I will

be back with more at 10pm ..then...

..he landed... ..and in a flurry

of feathers, they were gone. But that isn't quite

the end of the story. Perhaps you'll dream

of a great adventure. 'I'm going on an adventure.'

Wow. That is a long way.

Quite a bit of it is on bikes. What are you going to do

about your hair? They told me I had good technique,

I'm quite happy with that.