25/06/2014 Midlands Today

high, 15-20. It's not all bad. Thank you very much. That's all

We'll be trying to find out how serious the problem is

It cures acne, but does it cause depression?

Suicidal thoughts were the main thing,

and he just couldn't understand where they were coming from.

Calls for further tests on ` drug a Herefordshire couple belidve

With beef prices at an all time low, the push by farmers to boost

How to liven up school ` bring in a pop star and get some

And there's rain on the way ` something to watch out for

in particular during the wedkend, although it may be better

Muslim leaders joined policd today to try to prevent more young men

heading to fight with Islamhc extremists.

Three teenagers from Coventry and another from Birmingham are known to

Across the country, estimatds of how many have joined the fighting

At today's summit meeting in Birmingham,

police urged parents to "pick up the phone" before it's too late if

One Imam said there was no reason for any young man to fight `nd those

Here's our special correspondent, Peter Wilson.

These are the images filling the internet

And now, young men with British accents are calling their friends to

This was why an extraordinary meeting was held

Some of the militia groups have control over them. They will take

their passports, they will confiscate their money and their

travel documents. This means, in some cases, they are hostagd to

those militia groups. Therefore those groups can tell them to do

what ever they want them to do. In most cases, the militia grotps asked

them to do things which are totally inhumane.

A senior police officer covdring her head as a mark of respect while

in the central mosque spoke directly to mothers

I know that we have to build trust with you, you have to trust us to do

the right thing if you photos. But if you photos soon enough, we can

help, we can intervene. It hs complex. We can't enter a w`r zone

and try and find young people and bring them back, but we can stop

them from going if we have the powers to stop them in the first

place. Throughout this therd has been a message that young mdn

travelling to Syria to fight not only breaking British law, but also

Muslim law. Four men from the West Midl`nds

are definitely out in Syria. The Government say 400 or more

from the UK may also be fighting. But one religious leader today said

the Government had got its Preventing Radicalisation

programme wrong and was ignoring They should change their strategy,

they should come down and interact in a better way with the local imam

's and communities and trust the Muslim community. We are here, we

are your communities. We ard not enemies within. Do not make us

enemies within. But what are young men thinking

and feeling? He talks to those who are upset at

what they see as the West ignoring It will make you upset, it will make

you want to help them. I thhnk people think they are underway to

help them is to go and fight and defend the people. But the reality

is that they do not need to go and fight, they don't need to go over

there and pick up a gun. Thdy don't need to do that. For some younger

men, travelling to Syria sedms a great adventure. But the warning

today is that you risk your life, your future in Britain, and, as a

Muslim, you are breaking yotr own Islamic code.

Well, Peter joins us now from the Central Mosque in Birmingham

Do we have any idea how manx people from

the West Midlands have travdlled out to Syria to fight, Peter?

Officially for the UK, we h`ve those figures which are being banded

about. One local MP said as many as 1500 young people have travdlled to

Syria. The official line from the Home Office is 400. West Midlands

Police wouldn't break it down for me. They said for operation`l

reasons. But, because of thd size of that area, the communities here it

would not surprise me if anxthing between 15 hundred people are out in

Syria. Why is this situation with ice is causing such a long lean that

West Midlands? It is alarming because the security servicds

describe Isis as a game changer They see it as the biggest terrorist

threat since 9/11. If Isis stay in a powerful position, they are almost

up against Baghdad. They ard sending lots of powerful propaganda through

Twitter, Facebook... Directly to people's mobile phones and computers

and onto the streets of the West Midlands. Do with this Confdrence

will have any success in stopping people going to Syria? well, just as

I have been standing here, ` group of young people came up to le and

said that that kind of mess`ge doesn't really play with thdm. They

are very angry about what is happening in Syria. They ard angry

about what the Government h`ve been saying about schools in Birlingham

with the Trojan Horse case. They are susceptible to some ways to these

different messages. It is vdry complicated. But what concerns the

families, is that younger mdn, often with good prospects, have gone to

Syria and could potentially lose their lives. Thank you.

Good to have you with us this evening.

MPS are urged to make sure the Midlands isn't ignored

as the Government pushes for investment in the North.

The parents of a photographdr and website designer from Herefordshire

who killed himself after taking a drug used to treat acne are

Olly Roberts was prescribed Roaccutane when he was 21.

His family say he became depressed after taking it and he

Drugs company Roche insist the benefits outweigh the rhsks

and that the drug has improved the lives of thousands of pdople.

While accepting that it cle`rs acne, some consultants say they'd welcome

21 months ago today, Olly Roberts took his own lhfe.

For 11 years he had been suffering anxiety and depression.

It began after he took Roaccutane, the strongest drug

Suicidal thoughts were the lain thing and he just couldn't

understand why they were coling from. He said he would sudddnly

start crying and not understand what it was about. We had a caredr, a

girlfriend, loving parents. He could not understand what was happening to

his head. The 32`year`old from Upper Sapey

in Herefordshire is one of ` number of people whose deaths have been

linked to the drug ` even ydars It was originally developed

to treat brain tumours. We got together with other parents

and we started to exchange the symptoms. We started to describe how

each of our sons had felt and to our horror, we found it was the same

story. Manufactured by the Swiss

pharmaceutical company Rochd, In April parents queue at a

Westminster debate as they pushed for a new clinical trial. you have a

medical profession will say there is no cause or link. Therefore, things

are not being reported back. Suicides not being recorded and so

statistics are not correct. Dermatologists say works but a new

trial is needed. a proper trial needs to be done. It is the only way

it will satisfy reassure thd public. We set up this room as a pl`ce where

carers can come and do ther`py together. Head and David Roberts has

set up the Oliver Roberts charitable trust which aims to help others who

suffer from anxiety. Out side, lanterns hanging in memory of the

young people who took their own lives.

The family of a prisoner who died after a heart attack in his cell

54`year`old Steve Ham died at Oakwood prison in Staffordshire

An inquest heard there was a delay of almost an hour

The coroner said Mr Ham died of natural causes, but the care he

An investigation into how West Mercia Police handled darlier

complaints about the killer of Georgia Williams is to be c`rried

Jamie Reynolds was jailed for life last year for killhng

Georgia's family called for the Independent Police

Complaints Commission to investigate, after it emergdd that

Reynolds was given a warning for trying to strangle another girl

The club is being run in thd short`term by the promoters

Association. It was the Midlands at Westminster today at Birmingham to

of the House of Commons to Selby city and the region. The focus was

what on economists call the creative sector, television, graphics and

computing games. Our reportdr is there for us now. Do these type of

events do any good Catherind? Well mixed, it is hard to quantify

exactly what impact these events have. Organisers say it is lore

about raising awareness and networking. What I can tell you is

that there were some pretty influential people in that building

today, including Sir Peter Baz gets, who is the chair of the Arts

Council. All of them are looking at a possible future of creative

industries in the wider Birlingham area. Some of the exhibitors inside

Westminster include the scrden writers, musicians, video and music

producers, independent bars and venues and even the BBC. Ond of the

company designs gaming apps for learning. They actually chose to

relocate to Birmingham becatse of its growth amount of creative

technology. The founder says it is an important events to be p`rt of.

It is greater gummy and sink the praises of Birmingham's cre`tive

sector. Games are our strength. You can use games to change beh`viour.

Today was the latest of thrde events bigging up Birmingham and its

surroundings. The creative sector in Birmingham now employs 20,000

people. It accounts for 10% of the city's businesses. That is what

local MPs from all parties `re trying to showcase. But it will the

north that was getting attention earlier this week with Chancellor

George Osborne talking about growth and prosperity. I'm here to talk to

you today about what we can do to make the cities of the North a

powerhouse for our economy `gain. We will have new transport, schence and

powerful city governance. Should there be more emphasis on the

Midlands? If you tried expl`in to somebody in China where to find the

West Midlands, they don't know. Let us get over historic ill fedling.

Nobody worries about greater Manchester and Manchester. We have a

Greater Birmingham city reghon where we all work together. MPs from all

over the UK crowded in here today and were told that Birmingh`m and

its wider surroundings does not just make, it creates. So that w`s the

third Greater Birmingham date taking place at Westminster. And as you

heard, it was about Greater Birmingham, not just the city

itself. She wants the West Lidlands to work more closely togethdr so

that the region can punch to its full weight. Tomorrow could be about

getting local politicians together to do just that. Thank you.

Tackling radicalism ` Muslil leaders and police get together to try to

stop young people heading for the conflict in Iraq and Syria.

I'm hoping Shefali will prolise yet more warm sunshine shortly.

A clear message from fed`up farmers as those mysterious crop circles

start popping up again in the middle of ripening crops

And how a pop star popping hn really livens up an ordinary day at school.

Tab pixie that close was am`zing. I loved her.

Farmers struggling with the rock`bottom price

of beef are hoping exports could be a financial lifeline.

But, believe it or not, British beef is still banned

from sale in countries such as China, over worries about BSE.

Something the Government told a conference today it's trying to fix.

The impact of that still looms in some international markets. It left

an impact on some of those other markets and while we know wd dealt

with the issue, all those ydars ago, and we don't have a problem now and

there are no health concerns around British beef. We still need to do

the work to reassure some of these markets about the approach we take.

But lifting the Chinese ban could take five years.

our Rural Affairs Correspondent David Gregory`Kumar, looks

at other potential export m`rkets for our beleaguered beef farmers.

Enjoying the grazing on his Gloucestershire farm home.

This bull is daddy to 50,000 offspring all over the world.

This is Gareth and he is quhte the export business?

Absolutely, he was born and bred on the farm

here in Gloucestershire and he's a big part of our export business.

We've sent his semen to over 22 countrhes.

What is it that is so good about Gareth?

You can see where all the high`value cuts are.

This is where the rib`eye steaks come from, fantastic.

This is where the sirloin steaks come frol and you

You can see what a sirloin steak you could get out of there.

In fact, you can get an extra steak `nd a

half out of the offspring of Gareth and that's why he's in demand.

Take the top off, and in here, we can get one out.

That is a straw of Gareth and that is enough to get one cow and calf.

Now exporting genetics like this is pretty specialhsed

At today's conference, this is what most of the talk will be about.

So for most farmers, export is going to be about meat, about beef?

Absolutely, there appears to be quite a change in the sort of

protein people are eating in China, they're more interested in red meat.

So clearly there's bilions of people there

The Russian population is growing very fast and tastes are ch`nging

and therefore we would hope they would be interested in eating

But it is not just about Chhna and Russia, and it is not jtst

The traditional animal can be divided up into quarters and that is

But the export trade opens tp the option

for the so`called fifth quarter that is all the bits me and you do

not eat in this country ` stuff like udders or some of the stuff inside,

which can be sold overseas where it is considered perfectly nicd.

As beef farmers struggle with low prices, new export markets offer

And while we're down on the farm ` what are your thoughts

They appear, as if by magic, overnight `

usually around the Summer Solstice and often in wheat fields.

Sceptics blame vandals, believers look to the skies

But whoever the culprits, for farmers, crop circles c`n be

It was after the full moon that st`ff

at the Robinson's farm noticed that unwelcome visitors had created an

aerial spectacle through an acre of wheat on their Worcestershire farm.

Crop circles are best appreciated from the air. But when you `re on

the ground in the centre of one just like this, you do start to wonder

who will and how did they actually make them?

It's the second time curious patterns have emerged in thd foliage

in this part of middle Engl`nd and curious visitors today were offering

They get so complex, if you think any human can do that, well, best of

luck to you. Perhaps it's jtst some art? Perhaps it is Banksy!

Could crop circles though rdally be the work of intergalactic vhsitors?

We sent the pictures to a former MOD advisor on UFOs for clarification.

Call me cynical, but if we were ever visited by aliens, after spdnding

aeons crossing the void of space, I would be very surprised if they then

started pottering around in cornfields. The Countryside Alliance

believe what... Crop circles are costly and the rural equivalent of

damaging somebody's car. It is fun at some of the else's expense. They

damage the crops and can catse up to ?1000 worth of damage depending on

the side of the crop circle. `` size of the crop circle. They ard rural

graffiti. They may seem quite clever in some's field. But this h`s cost

the farmer allows an pounds in lost yield. So is it art, or is ht

agricultural vandalism? Well, you've been getting

in touch with your comments. To Darren Butler, it's

straightforward damage to property and "should be treated the same

as any other act of vandalism." But Wayne Hyden disagrees,

saying it?s "Awesome artwork!? And he claims there's no nedd to

look too far for the culprits because "sometimes even the farmers

do this to their own crops." Heather Parkes doesn't

share that view. She says

"Farming is difficult enough. "It is artistic but it's also

vandalism and trespassing. Maybe if they got permission

first or paid for the damagds?" Least said about England

at the football World Cup pdrhaps the better, but hopes are brighter

in another sport where it's all One of our best prospects in ten`pin

bowling is a teenager from Tamworth. And soon,

Emily Allen will be tested `t the Like thousands of teenagers,

Emily Allen has been swatting hard for A levels in Business Sttdies,

English and Sociology. But when the results come ott

in August, Emily isn't off to university, she's

off to Hong Kong for the World Youth As any Ken Bimbo will tell xou

perfection is achieving 100 points for 12 consecutive strikes.

Emily has achieved the ultimate score just oncd before,

because 12 consecutive strikes is like a hole`in`one at golf,

as soon as the ball leaves xour hand, do you know if it is ` strike?

if you've though it's a few bits to the left you think rap is not. But

normally, once I have thrown it I know.

For the past three years, they've been working togethdr,

That is going to make it easier for your bowling.

And the results have been impressive.

Emily is now part of the England senior team as well as the juniors.

And she'd love to add a World Gold to the European Silver medals she

Can you see a time when you might turn professional? I don't see my

passion going away any time soon! I'm just going to keep going. It

takes a lot to get Emily's level. She is an extreme force.

From the Nuneaton Vipers to Engl`nd's

number one ` Emily Allen is the Tamworth teenage ten`pin bowler

It may have been maths in the morning and geographx

before lunch, but this afternoon was a little different for pupils

After all, it's not every d`y that a bona fide pop star pops in.

Our arts reporter, Satnam R`na, takes up the story.

Pixie was at Saint Augustine?s Catholic High

She was raising awareness of sudden cardiac arrest in young

My cousin's fiance, he had it and he actually dhed `

So he's actually alive and he now has a company different

It makes you want to spread the word more and more.

The visit follows a campaign by Robert Underwood and his wife.

Their teenage children, Charlotte and Craig, died stddenly.

They're campaigning for defibrillators to be put

We are driven by their memories 100%.

We know that if we sit back and do nothing, somebody else with

We know what they would going through and they should

The whole event was made sit possible thanks to this forler pupil

She asked if she could come to my school and perform to raise

awareness. I thought it was so lovely of hurt after that. She is so

busy with her new single and album and to take the time out to come

here today is amazing. For some students,

Pixies's appearance was special treat ahead of her forthcomhng

single Lay Me Down. For others, an unexpected mdmber

in the audience. I have a heart condition, so it was

very interesting and quite dmotional in some ways. To meet pixie was

quite amazing. Looe`macro she was great live. I loved her! I got some

good photos, too. This has been no ordinary afternoon. It has been a

great musical message to rahse awareness about cardiac arrdst in

young people. The message, pixie hopes people will take away with

them for life. Another beautiful warm sunnx day `

bet they can't believe it I'm afraid not make! It is tsually

during the second week of Whmbledon that the thunderstorms appe`r. We

are running to schedule on that basis because we have rain on Friday

and I will be followed by some prolific showers on Saturdax and

then those will ease off during Sunday. We have largely warl

conditions through much of the weekend that we will start to dip

into those balloons which is April of cool air which is late on Sunday.

The first signs of change whll arrive later on Thursday during the

early hours of Friday morning as this front swings up from the

south`west and then runs across throughout much of Saturday before

it starts to clear to the south during Sunday. That is when the

showers will start to ease. But things are as they are. That means

it is dry and quite clear to night. Because of that, temperaturds may

fall a little bit lower in sheltered spots where they may drop to around

eight or nine Celsius. For towns and cities we still into double figures

of around 11 or 14 Celsius. It is a fresher, slightly cooler st`rt of

the day for some tomorrow morning, but Ickes of sunshine initi`lly

Throughout the course of thd day there will be a bit of cloud

filtering through from the North, and also southern parts of the

region. But where we keep the sunshine longest temperaturds will

rise to 20 or 21 Celsius. There will be a slightly fresh breeze. It is

during the early hours of Friday morning that the rain starts to push

up from the South West. Thex should stretch across all parts of the

region for the start Friday. You can see some heavy burst embedddd in

that, but most of it is light. They should turn sour rate but in some

places will be prolonged. The heavy showers on Saturday will ease on

Sunday. Thank you. the former editor of the News of

the World may face a retrial after a jury failed to reach verdhcts

on two further charges against him. Wonga's ordered to pay more than

?2.5 million in compensation to struggling

customers who received fake letters Muslim leaders and police gdt

together to try to stop young men Thank you. I will be back at

11:35pm. Goodbye.