27/01/2014 Inside Out East Midlands

Hello from Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. Tonight: They might

be legal but are they safe? We investigate the mind altering drugs

you can buy over 0 investigate the mind altering drugs

you can buy over the internet. The scientists warn you don't know what

you're buying. But will that stop users looking for a good time? Your

mind is just full of imagination. It is so awesome I cannot explain.

Unfortunately, we are seeing these cases too light, when the patient

has already died. Also tonight, the amazing canine partners who offer a

lifeline to people with disabilities. Now that I have got

him, people take a lot less notice of the chair and see me as a person

who happens to be walking a dog. And burlesque is back with a bang

I'm 0 0 And burlesque is back with a bang

I'm Marie Ashby and this is Inside Out East Midlands They're called

LEGAL highs, but just because you're not breaking the law when you take

them, doesn't mean they're safe. They are called legal highs. But

because you are not breaking the law does not mean they are safe. In fact

the most recent figures show deaths related to these synthetic drugs

have almost doubled. But plenty of people are still prepared to take

the risk. Some even share their experiences online. We take more

legal highs in the UK than anywhere else in Europe. I know the dangers

and the risks. You can buy it online. It is my kind of fun. You

can smoke it, injected, swallow it. Deaths have risen dramatically. I

know lots of people who have taken them. Not just youngsters, older

people, middle`aged people. You cannot stop it. It will not go away.

So, me and legal highs. I don't do them all the time... Coran Wright is

20 and from Derbyshire. She records herself and other people smoking

legal highs. Then posts them on the internet. Exodus. I bought it today

and already wrecked. This man thinks he's sat in a tree with a bear. He

decides to escape the bear. Here Coran is lighting up with Clockwork

Orange. But other people don't find it so funny.

I lost three friends. It was a big wake`up call. A chemical reaction

ended up with ruptured bowels. A friend committed suicide. John

Marriott believes legal highs killed three friends. One of the substances

they used, mephedrone is now banned. John says he became a legal high

addict, sleeping rough in the park in Sutton in Ashfield. I was

selling, I wouldn't care, I would sell anything. I lost my hearing

over it. I ended up with cancer of the neck. I don't know of that was

caused by it. It might be legal, but you don't know what is in it. There

are concerns the very phrase legal high, to describe a mind altering

synthetic chemical, is giving out the wrong message. The experts

prefer the term, new or novel psychoactive substances. Or, NPS.

But whenever one is banned, the manufacturers just create another

one, very similar, still legal. The science is moving faster than the

law. But temporary bans are put in place while tests are carried out on

substances causing concern. These packets all say, not fit for human

consumption. It is that there only use? Yes. It is an irrelevance, but

is it a get out clause, because the manufacturers say, you do so at your

own risk. Fiona Coope and her team of forensic scientists based near

Burton on Trent try to find out what's in a new psychoactive

substance. Police send them for analysis when they're linked to a

death or serious illness. Like the two incidents in Lincoln where four

people were found unconscious on the street. It's not unusual to find

illegal substances in a legal high product. In this case it has got a

large amount of 0 product. In this case it has got a

large amount of care to mine. `` ketamine. That is a horse

anaesthetic. We bought our own legal highs then asked Fiona's lab team to

test them. We found the packaging may be different but the contents

can be exactly the same. Like these three. Modern marketing, ?10 a

packet. But you just don't know what's inside. There are things that

we have never seen before. We have not got a way of easily identifying

them. We had to work out what they are. Not only are they knew to us,

but nobody knows what effect they will have. The 0

but nobody knows what effect they will have. The green stuff, it is

just plants. The chemical sprayed on it, that is just something so you

have got something to smoke with it, isn't it? So what happened when

Coran took it for the first time? 30 seconds later... My mind was just

full of imagination that I could not get rid of for 20 minutes. And she's

taken it plenty more since. I would love to draw when I am on legal

highs. The imagination that comes from my head onto the paper, wow! I

take full responsibility, if anything bad happens, I blame

myself. But Coran's warned her internet audience it can go wrong. I

learned my lesson at the weekend. I had no tobacco and I rolled a pure

spliff. To be honest, I was... BLEEP. I had one bad experience and

thought I was going to die. You cannot think of anything, you are

zoning out. Used air of something, but you cannot think of anything

will stop `` you stay at something. Paul Smith is a forensic

toxicologist at the Leicester Royal Infirmary who tries to uncover

exactly what patients have taken when patients turn up at A We had

a 0 when patients turn up at A We had

a case of five friends who had all taken the same psychoactive

substance. Only one of them had a seizure and cardiac arrest,

unfortunately, he did. Died. Back in 2007 forensic toxicologists at the

LRI didn't find any new psychoactive substances during postmortem

examinations. Five years later there were nine deaths involving NPS. If

we don't know what the compounds are just difficult to give the correct

treatment. Unfortunately, in forensic toxicology we are seeing

these cases too late. The patient has already died. Matthew

Hilton`Turner is one of the lucky ones. He was just fourteen when he

was rushed to hospital. He'd taken legal highs for the first time, with

friends, in the centre of Chesterfield. He told his Dad never

again. Matthew was one of five young people found collapsed 0

again. Matthew was one of five young people found collapsed in this area

in one week after taking legal highs. I could not breathe. I just

could not move at all. I couldn't even see my arms or legs. I felt

like I was going to die. Even if this gets banned, they just add

another ingredient and call it something else. That will take its

place. Matthew's Dad has learned a lot since 0

place. Matthew's Dad has learned a lot since he thought he might lose

his son. He's been left confused and frustrated that the legal high trade

is able to operate. I am 55 and I cannot buy more than two packets of

paracetamol 0 cannot buy more than two packets of

paracetamol from my local supermarket. It is a mess. The

police must sort this out. It is available online and my son could

have died. It is legal, but why? Basically we're playing catch up.

Toxicologists are plain catch up with the producers. The government

will announce in the Spring how it plans to deal with the trade in new

psychoactive substances. Sold not just on the internet, but in places

like so called headshops, in a town near you. My family are not happy

with me doing this. They cannot stop me. It 0

with me doing this. They cannot stop me. It is what 0

with me doing this. They cannot stop me. It is what I like to do for fun.

There will be a time when I will just stop everything. In the

meantime, I have nothing to do, I am trying to find a job, trying my

best. I won't be doing it 0 trying to find a job, trying my

best. I won't be doing it all my life. 0

best. I won't be doing it all my life. The trouble is no one can tell

Coran if her life, her mental or physical health, has already been

damaged beyond repair. I used to be, not addicted, but I would smoke at

all the time. I don't miss it. I really don't miss it.

This sculpture of a German Shepherd in Melton celebrates the courage and

dedication of military dogs. They train at the Defence Animal Centre

just down the road from here, to work in war zones around the world.

Well now there's another training centre recently opened near here

which trains puppies to help in battles much closer to home. These

dogs can transform the lives of people with disabilities. Rob

Whitehouse reports on the extraordinary skills of these canine

partners. If you thought this film was going

to be all about cute dogs doing clever tricks, then you would be

right. These animals can open doors, go shopping, find keys, help with

dressing and even be there when short of cash. But the real trick is

the way they are changing lives. Now that I have him, people take a lot

less notice of the chair and see me as a person. It brings tears to my

eyes to see the quality of life the dog 0

eyes to see the quality of life the dog will give to 0

eyes to see the quality of life the dog will give to somebody. She makes

me smile. It has changed everything. In Leicestershire at these future

life changers are put through their paces by Canine Partners, a charity

established 24 years ago. When they watch you, they look at your eyes.

It is important you play with your poppies because it 0

It is important you play with your poppies because it is a bonding

time. They have to be puppies and we then develop with them. Playing with

them is important because they bond with people. They will then want to

do things for you. At the moment, Canine Partners placed 70 assistant

dogs with disabled people every year but have plans for growth. Thereon

1.2 million people 0 but have plans for growth. Thereon

1.2 million people in the UK who use wheelchairs. Drama student Rachel

Ross from Nottingham was born with cerebral palsy. Her canine partner

is Chudeigh. He was an instant hit. He jumped straight on my lap and was

licking me to death the first time I met him. I was aware that he was a

bundle of energy and I really liked that about him. Fellow students at

Coventry University have got used to seeing Chudeigh chilling out while

Rachel studies. Give. Good boy. If I drop my keys on the floor, he is

there to pick them up. I do not have to ring anybody. It 0

there to pick them up. I do not have to ring anybody. It is 0

there to pick them up. I do not have to ring anybody. It is all the

little things. All of that has given Rachel more independence on campus

and around her student flat which means a lot to her parents. It is

reassuring to know she has Chudeigh with her. He is her bodyguard when

she goes out and about. You can see a good relationship, a good bond

between 0 a good relationship, a good bond

between them now and it has helped Rachel. People realise that a dog

can unload a washing machine or open and close a door, but that is only

part of the picture. Dogs being dogs are able to work on your psychology,

make you feel better, give you a routine. They bring out nurturing

instincts instead of just sitting back being cared for, you are now

responsible for another animal. That is a powerful motivation. Canine

partners train every dog to meet the individual needs of their clients.

Today had there and Debbie are getting acquainted with their new

best friends. `` Heather 0 getting acquainted with their new

best friends. `` Heather and Debbie. There is Carter a giant golden

doodle who has been matched with Heather. He is lovely. Carter was

selected for his size. Heather has problems with her balanced and he

has been changed to give her support. That will be huge, it will

give me the confidence to go out and do things. 0

give me the confidence to go out and do things. It is amazing. I cannot

explain how much that will help me. Opening doors for Debbie is any. It

is incredible what they can do. She is fantastic. We have bonded well.

Debbie and Heather will spend two weeks living with their new

companions to forge a new relationship that will hopefully

last a lifetime. The partners often showered the dogs with so much love

that the bond happens fairly quickly over those two weeks. Back in

Coventry, Rachel entertains some of her 0

Coventry, Rachel entertains some of her fellow students with C's latest

tricks. He makes it a lot easier for people to approach me because they

see a dog owner as opposed to a wheelchair user. He changed how

life. He made such a difference not just with the tasks that he does for

her. He broke the ice. Rachel cannot go down in 0 0

her. He broke the ice. Rachel cannot go down in town without people

saying hello and stopping and talking to her, so it breaks that

barrier. Debbie is now back home in Cardiff with any but it has not been

plain sailing. It is difficult. I was quite anxious and rightly so

because things did not go to plan, she 0

because things did not go to plan, she was testing me and she was

relearning everything because from the environment she was in,

everything changed. But Debbie has persevered and it has paid staff.

Every day the bond has grown and you can see it. We just enjoy each

other's company. It is wonderful. She is helping me with doors,

lettuce and door buttons. She pays for the cashier and she is starting

to help me at the ATM, taking out the card and the money. She senses

my moods, she makes efforts to cheer me up, she gives me hugs regularly.

Every day she is responding to me that little bit more and it is like

we have 0 that little bit more and it is like

we have been together for much longer. She is very precious.

Weren't they amazing? Now our political editor is used to

dealing with controversial subjects, which is just as well because he

certainly found some strong opinions when he set out to make a film about

burlesque. 0 when he set out to make a film about

burlesque. Some of Britain's top performers in this somewhat risque

form of entertainment come from the East Midlands. But one council has

banned a burlesque show and some people are asking whether this style

of performance is demeaning women or liberating 0

of performance is demeaning women or liberating them. John Hess has been

backstage. The finishing touches before a show.

But for some, this type of entertainment crosses a line.

Burlesque is sexual entertainment and I do think it's regressive. I

would say it's totalling empowering. There are those who think it's very

raunchy, like striptease. Rubbish. It's not just about stripping.

Burlesque is booming. More classes are being set up, training would`be

performers in the art of the tease. The question is ` does the new

burlesque empower or demean women in 21st century Britain? In the heart

of Leicester, shop assistant Emma Knight tempts a customer. Within

hours, she'll offering a different exotic mix. Outside a Leicester

night club, the former De Montford University student is transformed

into her stage personality ` Eliza De Lite, a rising international star

of modern British burlesque. The thing to overcome about burlesque is

that it's not about the nudity. It's about what you are not showing and

teasing the audience with fabric and costumes. Eliza is one of an

increasing number of burlesque performers in a thriving East

Midlands scene. A lot of burlesque performers are coming off a stage

wearing more than you would see on a beach. In Nottingham, burlesque with

pens and felt tips. Artists on stage and sketched by artists 0

pens and felt tips. Artists on stage and sketched by artists in the

audience. On stage, there's no traffic to stop for performer Heidi

Bang Tidy. But the new burlesque revival almost shuddered to a halt

when a council banned her show. As soon as somebody tries to tell me

what I choose to do with my time, and what is a genuine passion in my

life, I'm going to fight for that. The Hebden 0

life, I'm going to fight for that. The Hebden Bridge Picture House in

West Yorkshire, where burlesque was banned. They're rather lot of

concerns by a number in the community. I went to see Susan

Press, the chair 0 0 community. I went to see Susan

Press, the chair of the town's Picture House Committee. Her

politics were forged in the heat of 1970s feminism. I do see it as a

sexual form of entertainment and it's regressive and it's something

we fought against a generation against in the '70s and it's

sexually orientated. The ban was gold`dust for radio phone`in hosts.

, Guy from Nottingham says it's not as though the women are forced into

burlesque. They make a choice to do it. And a lot of comment went to

that particular point, yes there's an 0

that particular point, yes there's an argument that it's exploitative

and if they want to do it, then that's fine. Look at this audience.

It is mostly female and dressed for the occasion. It is a lot of girls

having a bit of a dress up, having a bit of fun. It boosts your

confidence. The performer Ellie from Derbyshire 0

confidence. The performer Ellie from Derbyshire rejoices in the stage

name of scarlet daggers. She produces her own burlesque show in

Nottingham, the Gilded Merkin. You see amazing questions, women of all

shapes and sizes being extremely confident on stage and that has

inspired a lot of women to be comfortable in their own skin. You

see big women, skinny women and it makes a lot of women feel good about

themselves. Dr Jacki Willson is a Nottingham `based expert on

Britain's new burlesque. A burlesque performer is both a flirt and a

feminist. I think 0 performer is both a flirt and a

feminist. I think that the idea of concealing and revealing and playing

with the gays, it is all about the gays. It is almost quite a

vulnerable thing 0 gays. It is almost quite a

vulnerable thing to do, to get on stage and take your clothes off. If

you can do that, then what cannot you do? But why the revival now?

This phenomenon of burlesque does happen when 0

This phenomenon of burlesque does happen when the economy downturns.

Women then have this DIY approach to wanting to make their own clothes

,earning a bit of cash through cabaret. In the audience at

Scarlett's show, fashion designer Aislinn Ball. She's part of a

flourishing link between the region's creative industries and

burlesque performers. We have to work together to think about how

this dress is going to look. Will it be a show stopper because this dress

is the first thing the audience sees when the performer comes on stage.

But they also have to think about how to get out of the dress. This is

an evening class for burlesque costume designers in Nottingham.

They're reviving dress making skills and finding a market. We are in a

recession. People want something cheerful, that are fun. They're

glamorous. They're sexy. And they want it all on a budget. Burlesque

as a fashion. You see it in independent designers. Corsets are

seen in the high street now. They're adding the final flourishes at Dr

Sketchys, that's inspiring top talent from the computer games

industry. You get costumes you get dynamic posers, narrative and all of

that feeds back into our work. As an illustrator, getting involved in the

burlesque scene was an opportunity to be involved in something that's

very, very vibrant and its very inspiring. It's absolutely

beautiful. Back in Leicester, Eliza is rummaging. The revival in

burlesque coincides with a boom for vintage clothing. They go hand in

glove. So what attracts me to this piece is the crystal detailing and

all the bead work. I had been thinking for a long time to create a

Zeigfeld Follies routine, specifically in homage to Heddi

Lemahr, in the film Zeigfeld Girls. My Ziegfeld girl costume is actually

an original 1950s 0 My Ziegfeld girl costume is actually

an original 1950s dance costume which I found in a vintage shop in

Nottingham. Eliza prepares for her next show.

You do have the issue of costume malfunction. It's happened before,

you'll throw a glove then it'll get stuck in your headdress. Could this

Burlesque revival become stuck or will it go mainstream? I don't now

whether I would want it to be completely mainstream. It would lose

it's edge. As much as we might complain about the talent show

society, it's probably done a lot for the burlesque industry. It's

made people aware of variety again. Subversive, fun, feminist? Whatever

the qualities and debate about New Burlesque. It's certainly not dull.

Certainly an eye opener. And John Hess has written more about

burlesque on his blog. You can find that at www.bbc.co.uk/johnhess.

That's it from us this week. Next week: The King in the car park

and the legal row over his remains that's left his reburial in limbo.

This is not a fight over an object or a tussle. It's about laying to

rest a human being in the most appropriate manner.

Jude Law has given evidence at the phone hacking trial. The court heard

a family member had sold stories about him.