:00:00. > :00:00.The surgeons who think they could be close to finding
:00:00. > :00:11.This man was paralysed from the chest down.
:00:12. > :00:12.A cell transplant repaired his spinal chord,
:00:13. > :00:17.a technique surgeons want to try on others.
:00:18. > :00:19.This will be history, this will change history.
:00:20. > :00:24.If we succeed, we will find a cure for paralysis.
:00:25. > :00:27.We'll be looking at the long term implications this research
:00:28. > :00:29.could have for three million people who are paralysed.
:00:30. > :00:35.Facebook is set to pay millions more in tax in the UK from next year
:00:36. > :00:42.a bomb disposal robot is sent in after a device explodes
:00:43. > :00:49.Treacherous roads and travel chaos, as snow brings a wintery start
:00:50. > :00:53.to spring across parts of Northern England.
:00:54. > :00:55.And the world's most expensive station opens in New York
:00:56. > :01:03.Britain's Davis Cup defence is underway.
:01:04. > :01:05.Andy Murray wins the first rubber against Japan,
:01:06. > :01:30.beating Taro Daniel in straight sets in Birmingham.
:01:31. > :01:32.Good evening and welcome to the BBC News at Six.
:01:33. > :01:36.It sounds like an extraordinary claim, but surgeons in Poland say
:01:37. > :01:41.they think they are on the brink of finding a cure for paralysis.
:01:42. > :01:44.Two years ago the team announced that this man,
:01:45. > :01:46.a former fireman who was completely paralysed from the chest down,
:01:47. > :01:48.could walk again after a cell transplant
:01:49. > :01:52.which had repaired his spinal cord.
:01:53. > :01:53.Now they're launching a worldwide search
:01:54. > :01:57.for two people whose spinal cords have been completely severed.
:01:58. > :02:00.They say if they can reverse paralysis in such extreme cases,
:02:01. > :02:04.they're confident the pioneering technique could help many others
:02:05. > :02:12.Fergus Walsh has this exclusive story.
:02:13. > :02:16.He is the paralysed man who walked again.
:02:17. > :02:20.This is Darek Fidyka in 2014, after his regenerative cell
:02:21. > :02:25.transplant, documented by the BBC's Panorama.
:02:26. > :02:29.Now, a bigger test, to ride this tricycle.
:02:30. > :02:34.Remember, this is a man who had been completely
:02:35. > :02:36.paralysed below his chest after being stabbed.
:02:37. > :02:38.Now, he is relearning how to control his legs,
:02:39. > :02:40.sending commands from his brain down to his muscles,
:02:41. > :02:43.and receiving sensations back, all flowing through his
:02:44. > :02:54.The effort is as much mental as physical.
:02:55. > :02:59.TRANSLATION: If I really think, I can feel each muscle,
:03:00. > :03:03.The brain is very important and I appreciate it
:03:04. > :03:15.lays a crucial role in cycling, or any other exercise I do.
:03:16. > :03:18.The big question now is whether Darek's extraordinary
:03:19. > :03:22.achievements can be repeated in other patients.
:03:23. > :03:24.Only a clinical trial can show whether or not the cell transplant
:03:25. > :03:28.does indeed represent a revolution in the treatment of paralysis,
:03:29. > :03:30.which would make it one of the greatest
:03:31. > :03:37.That's why his surgeon is launching a worldwide search,
:03:38. > :03:40.via a website, for two patients with highly unusual injuries.
:03:41. > :03:42.Their spinal-cord must be completely severed,
:03:43. > :03:53.Help them, and it will silence any doubters.
:03:54. > :03:58.We can prove once and forever that we can repair
:03:59. > :04:03.There would be no speculation if we succeed to reconstruct.
:04:04. > :04:05.This would be history, this will change history.
:04:06. > :04:09.If we succeed, we'll find a cure for paralysis.
:04:10. > :04:11.The patients will have one of their olfactory bulbs,
:04:12. > :04:16.at the base of the brain, shown in green, removed.
:04:17. > :04:19.It processes the sense of smell, and is
:04:20. > :04:23.the only part of the nervous system which constantly regenerates.
:04:24. > :04:31.In a second operation, cells from the
:04:32. > :04:33.bulb will be transplanted into the spinal cord to provide
:04:34. > :04:35.a pathway for nerve fibres to grow back.
:04:36. > :04:37.The patients selected for the trial will
:04:38. > :04:39.undergo intensive physiotherapy, both before and especially
:04:40. > :04:45.In all, they will have to commit to spending three years
:04:46. > :04:50.living at this rehabilitation centre in Poland.
:04:51. > :04:56.The research will be independently assessed by this team
:04:57. > :05:03.They will use equipment like this magnetic stimulator
:05:04. > :05:06.to monitor the patients' neurological pathways
:05:07. > :05:12.As a proof of principle, I'm very excited, because
:05:13. > :05:18.this is a novel treatment that holds a great deal of promise.
:05:19. > :05:22.This would open up hope that an alternative
:05:23. > :05:31.But it is going to take some years to refine it.
:05:32. > :05:35.The treatment will cost ?250,000 per patient,
:05:36. > :05:39.and is being funded by a small British charity set up by a chef,
:05:40. > :05:45.David Nichols, whose son was paralysed in a swimming accident.
:05:46. > :05:51.If the trial is successful, it might mean patients
:05:52. > :05:57.For Darek, the return of muscle control and sensation has brought
:05:58. > :06:03.other improvements, like bladder control and sexual function,
:06:04. > :06:08.which he says are just as crucial to his growing sense of independence.
:06:09. > :06:17.This technique could be life changing for many people.
:06:18. > :06:23.How long before surgeons know if it works?
:06:24. > :06:33.It is going to take around a year, I think, to search for and select
:06:34. > :06:36.these very unusual patients who have had a complete severing of their
:06:37. > :06:44.spinal-cord, and then another couple of years after that. But then we
:06:45. > :06:48.will no for sure whether or not spinal-cord injury, paralysis, can
:06:49. > :06:50.be reversed. That is an extraordinary statement, something
:06:51. > :06:56.scientists thought for decades was impossible. How many people might it
:06:57. > :07:01.help if it succeeds? I think the numbers will be limited. It is
:07:02. > :07:06.expensive, the patients undergo two operations and they have to be very
:07:07. > :07:11.dedicated. Darek Fidyka is now nearly four years post transplant.
:07:12. > :07:16.He still undergoes five hours of intensive physiotherapy every day.
:07:17. > :07:21.He has not made a full recovery, but even a partial recovery, those
:07:22. > :07:22.pictures will give hope to millions. That's why this research is so
:07:23. > :07:24.important and promising. Facebook is set to pay millions
:07:25. > :07:28.of pounds more in tax in the UK The company, which makes ?1 billion
:07:29. > :07:32.profit globally every three months, faced heavy criticism
:07:33. > :07:35.after it was revealed it only paid just over ?4000 in UK
:07:36. > :07:42.corporation tax in 2014. The move is likely to put more
:07:43. > :07:44.pressure on the way other multinationals, like Google,
:07:45. > :08:01.Amazon and Starbucks, They like to portray themselves as
:08:02. > :08:05.the cuddly social media site, but of course, Facebook is a very serious
:08:06. > :08:10.and very profitable business. It makes money out of the millions who
:08:11. > :08:15.use it every day, because we are valuable customers of the major
:08:16. > :08:19.businesses that spend millions of pounds advertising on Facebook,
:08:20. > :08:23.household names we all know. Facebook have chosen of their own
:08:24. > :08:26.volition to change their tax arrangements, which shows it is
:08:27. > :08:30.possible for any company. To have companies appear in front of our
:08:31. > :08:34.committee bleating that it is not their fault but it is just
:08:35. > :08:39.international tax law, that is not the case. They can choose how to set
:08:40. > :08:44.up tax arrangements. Facebook is one of only a number of controversial,
:08:45. > :08:49.often American, multinationals. Google and Apple have also faced
:08:50. > :08:53.criticism for their tax affairs. So what has Facebook changed? At
:08:54. > :08:56.present, it routes most of its UK sales through Ireland, where
:08:57. > :09:03.business taxes are lower. Corporation tax there is 12.5%,
:09:04. > :09:06.compared with 20% here. For a global company, that makes a significant
:09:07. > :09:15.difference. The company pays a very low amount of tax in the UK, just
:09:16. > :09:21.?4327 in 2014. That is less than many people pay in income tax. For a
:09:22. > :09:26.company that globally makes over ?1 billion of profit every three
:09:27. > :09:30.months, that has caused controversy. From April, Facebook will abandon
:09:31. > :09:35.that structure and start accounting for sales activity in the UK. That
:09:36. > :09:40.is set to increase its tax bill by several million pounds. With the
:09:41. > :09:47.first payment made to the Treasury in 2017. That could cheer up this
:09:48. > :09:52.man, George Osborne, who has said he wants global multinationals to pay
:09:53. > :09:56.more tax. While we offer some of the lowest business taxes in the world,
:09:57. > :10:02.we expect those taxes to be paid, not avoided. Political pressure was
:10:03. > :10:05.growing on Facebook and the tax rules are changing. There is also
:10:06. > :10:11.the small matter of its often young audience. They may have received
:10:12. > :10:16.some criticism, they may have just internally reviewed it and said,
:10:17. > :10:21.given our position with millennial 's and Centennial 's, and younger
:10:22. > :10:25.people generally, given our purpose as a company, this is something we
:10:26. > :10:31.should do. I think they should be congratulated for having made that
:10:32. > :10:35.correction. Facebook is not out of the woods and the tax authority,
:10:36. > :10:42.HMRC, is investigating its tax affairs. Put November 2017 in your
:10:43. > :10:46.diary, when Facebook will announce its first payment under the new
:10:47. > :10:47.structure. Will it be large enough to finally put this tax controversy
:10:48. > :10:49.to bed? A prison officer has been seriously
:10:50. > :10:52.hurt after a bomb exploded He's being treated in hospital,
:10:53. > :10:56.but his injuries are not said Police say they're worried
:10:57. > :11:00.the attack was part of an upsurge in violence, in the run up
:11:01. > :11:02.to the hundredth anniversary of the Republican rebellion
:11:03. > :11:16.against British rule. Along with condemnation from
:11:17. > :11:20.politicians there is a genuine concern that there could be further
:11:21. > :11:25.attacks like this. That is because there is a fear among the police
:11:26. > :11:28.that dissident republicans will try to overshadow commemorations for the
:11:29. > :11:33.100th anniversary of the Easter rising in the most sinister way
:11:34. > :11:36.possible, by trying to kill a soldier, police officer or prison
:11:37. > :11:39.officer. This report contains flashing images.
:11:40. > :11:42.If 1916 was a year of rebellion, dissident republicans want to make
:11:43. > :11:46.This morning they planted a bomb that exploded under this van,
:11:47. > :11:50.seriously injuring the prison officer who was driving it.
:11:51. > :11:53.The police say it was an attempt to murder and they are fearful
:11:54. > :11:56.that this is just the start of a campaign to kill,
:11:57. > :12:00.to coincide with the centenary of Ireland's Easter Rising.
:12:01. > :12:04.When I say I'm deeply concerned, I mean I'm deeply concerned.
:12:05. > :12:06.I believe that there are people within dissident republican
:12:07. > :12:10.groupings who want to mark the centenary by killing police
:12:11. > :12:16.officers, prison officers or soldiers.
:12:17. > :12:18.The Easter Rising was an attempt in Ireland to break away
:12:19. > :12:21.from British rule and is being marked by official events
:12:22. > :12:26.And Irish republicans are amongst those concerned that dissidents
:12:27. > :12:30.will try to steal attention away from the commemorations
:12:31. > :12:35.There can be no justification for anybody going out with a gun
:12:36. > :12:38.or a bomb against the backdrop of the massive transformation that
:12:39. > :12:43.has taken place in our society over the last 20 years.
:12:44. > :12:46.It is just over three years since another prison officer,
:12:47. > :12:48.David Black, was shot dead as he drove to work,
:12:49. > :12:53.by a group calling itself the New IRA.
:12:54. > :12:56.And there is an ongoing dispute between the prison authorities
:12:57. > :12:59.and dissident republican prisoners at Maghaberry,
:13:00. > :13:03.Northern Ireland's high security prison.
:13:04. > :13:06.We've lost 30 officers in the past through these attacks.
:13:07. > :13:09.It did not change anything within the prisons and this is not
:13:10. > :13:13.going to change anything, attacking prison officers.
:13:14. > :13:17.The police say they have already started to increase security ahead
:13:18. > :13:21.of Easter, a necessary precaution against this rising threat.
:13:22. > :13:29.Police in Los Angeles are testing a knife recovered on a property once
:13:30. > :13:33.owned by the former American football star, OJ Simpson.
:13:34. > :13:36.Reports in the US media say the knife may be the weapon that
:13:37. > :13:39.Simpson was alleged to have used to kill his former wife
:13:40. > :13:46.In 1995, Simpson was acquitted of the murders.
:13:47. > :13:49.Two men have been jailed in Turkey in connection with the death
:13:50. > :13:52.of a three-year-old Syrian boy who drowned while trying to reach
:13:53. > :13:56.A photograph of his body on a Turkish beach last September
:13:57. > :13:59.came to symbolise the plight of refugees making
:14:00. > :14:04.But despite the huge risks, people are not being deterred.
:14:05. > :14:07.The latest figures show a record number of migrants and refugees
:14:08. > :14:12.entered Europe last year, almost all of them by sea.
:14:13. > :14:15.More than 1.25 million arrived, twice as many as the year before.
:14:16. > :14:19.There were 363,000 Syrians, the largest group,
:14:20. > :14:29.Mark Lowen's report contains flash photography.
:14:30. > :14:31.Convicted for the trading people's lives.
:14:32. > :14:34.Two Syrians, jail today for over four years,
:14:35. > :14:38.for smuggling Aylan Kurdi and his family.
:14:39. > :14:41.But they were cleared of deliberately causing their deaths.
:14:42. > :14:45.It was the most potent image of the refugee crisis.
:14:46. > :14:47.Little Aylan washing-up near Bodrum last autumn sparking sympathy
:14:48. > :14:51.It also put pressure on Turkey to tackle the smugglers.
:14:52. > :14:56.The migration crisis again topped the agenda
:14:57. > :15:04.Chancellor Merkel visiting President Hollande in Paris.
:15:05. > :15:07.TRANSLATION: We, Germany and France, entirely agreed that we must
:15:08. > :15:10.protect our external borders to defend freedom of movement
:15:11. > :15:11.within Europe but also for security reasons,
:15:12. > :15:16.we have to know who arrives in Europe.
:15:17. > :15:19.And they are still arriving, at a huge rate.
:15:20. > :15:21.More gathered in Izmir, putting their faith in life jackets,
:15:22. > :15:31.The crowds are refugees and migrants who used to be camped out in places
:15:32. > :15:33.like this in central Izmir have mostly been chased away by police.
:15:34. > :15:35.But it doesn't mean the numbers have dwindled.
:15:36. > :15:44.You still see them here, for example, at food hand-outs.
:15:45. > :15:46.Turkey has been told by the EU to reduce those
:15:47. > :15:49.arriving on the Greek island every day from 2,000 to 1,000.
:15:50. > :15:52.When, for those fleeing war, the hope of Europe
:15:53. > :15:55.One way, says the head of the European Council,
:15:56. > :15:57.visiting Istanbul today, is for Turkey to take
:15:58. > :16:05.There is hope it can be agreed upon at a summit next week.
:16:06. > :16:07.But along the journey to Europe the bottlenecks are growing.
:16:08. > :16:09.Macedonia has shut its border with Greece and 11,000 people
:16:10. > :16:13.As Europe scrambles for unity, individual states close their doors,
:16:14. > :16:24.but that still won't kill the dreams of the desperate.
:16:25. > :16:35.Surgeons say they could be close to finding a cure for paralysis.
:16:36. > :16:41.And I will be live at Southampton Airport where exactly 80 years ago
:16:42. > :16:42.the very first Spitfire took to the air.
:16:43. > :16:44.Coming up in Sportsday on BBC News, Mauricio Pochettino
:16:45. > :16:46.and Arsene Wenger look ahead to what has
:16:47. > :16:49.been billed as the biggest north London derby ever as second placed
:16:50. > :17:01.Tottenham take on third placed Arsenal in the Premier League.
:17:02. > :17:03.This is the most expensive station in the world.
:17:04. > :17:08.It cost $4 billion and it's years behind schedule.
:17:09. > :17:11.But it's finally opened to the public in New York.
:17:12. > :17:15.It's been built close to where the Twin Towers stood.
:17:16. > :17:18.More than 200,000 commuters are expected to use it
:17:19. > :17:24.The architect who designed the huge steel and glass hall has called it
:17:25. > :17:30.A bird in flight, a Phoenix rising from the ashes,
:17:31. > :17:36.New York's latest landmark is a station that doubles
:17:37. > :17:41.as a symbol, of renewal, of hope, of life.
:17:42. > :17:44.Almost 15 years on from the attacks of 9/11, this new transportation hub
:17:45. > :17:47.at Ground Zero has finally opened its doors.
:17:48. > :17:52.For survivors it's a highly charged moment.
:17:53. > :17:56.Charles DeAndrea lost 176 colleagues that day and has watched this
:17:57. > :18:03.Really kind of proud of New York City, being able
:18:04. > :18:08.It's just absolutely remarkable, the way we have come back from this.
:18:09. > :18:15.And then, to see this today, it's quite amazing.
:18:16. > :18:18.It's staggeringly beautiful, but staggeringly costly.
:18:19. > :18:22.The project has been plagued by cost blowouts and delays.
:18:23. > :18:24.Originally, the plan was to have a transportation hub
:18:25. > :18:30.And the price tag of $4 billion is double the estimate.
:18:31. > :18:36.It's made this the most expensive station in the world.
:18:37. > :18:39.The design, its inspiration was a bird in flight.
:18:40. > :18:42.So the tourist trail has a new addition, but the symbolism
:18:43. > :18:47.It's been likened to a turkey carcass the day after
:18:48. > :18:51.Like a bird, right? Seagull?
:18:52. > :18:55.I don't know, I don't really see a bird.
:18:56. > :18:59.It just looks like a series of Nike ticks being repeated.
:19:00. > :19:02.I know it's supposed to look like, represent a bird, but,
:19:03. > :19:08.But to others it's become instantly iconic, and perfectly complements
:19:09. > :19:15.I think it's a fantastic way for the city and visitors to always
:19:16. > :19:19.look up and be inspired instead of feeling drugged down
:19:20. > :19:26.In lower Manhattan, the skyline has been repaired,
:19:27. > :19:30.the subway system has a cathedral-like new home.
:19:31. > :19:33.But it's still hard to see a plane in the skies without remembering
:19:34. > :19:35.the monuments that stood here before.
:19:36. > :19:42.A pregnant woman is fighting for her life after being stabbed
:19:43. > :19:48.The 40-year-old was taken away from the scene by air
:19:49. > :19:56.Two members of the public - both men - suffered minor injuries
:19:57. > :20:00.after intervening and are also being treated.
:20:01. > :20:05.Katheryn Stanczyszyn is there for us now.
:20:06. > :20:11.A police cordon is still in place behind me on Trinity Hill in the
:20:12. > :20:16.centre of Sutton Coldfield tonight. It's about 100 yards or so from main
:20:17. > :20:21.shops and restaurants in the town centre. Scene of crime officers are
:20:22. > :20:26.still working behind me. Police were alerted to this incident at around
:20:27. > :20:30.3:15pm this afternoon. They found a heavily pregnant woman had been
:20:31. > :20:35.stabbed and a short time afterwards she was airlifted to hospital. They
:20:36. > :20:39.say a 41-year-old man was arrested immediately at the scene. In it
:20:40. > :20:43.press conference tonight West Midlands Police have given a few
:20:44. > :20:48.more details, saying the woman was 40 years old, and the pair were
:20:49. > :20:52.known to each other. We also know that two members of the public
:20:53. > :20:59.stepped in to try to help, two men, who were both hurt, but received
:21:00. > :21:02.minor injuries only. Police say it was a busy area at this time of day
:21:03. > :21:04.and they are appealing for witnesses.
:21:05. > :21:10.A brief look at some of the day's other other news stories...
:21:11. > :21:12.David Cameron has told the Scottish Conservative conference
:21:13. > :21:15.that only the Tories can challenge the SNP in May's Holyrood elections.
:21:16. > :21:17.He said the collapse of Labour's support in Scotland meant
:21:18. > :21:22.the country was "in danger of becoming a one-party state".
:21:23. > :21:24.The leader of Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood, has criticised
:21:25. > :21:27.the government for deciding to hold the EU referendum so close
:21:28. > :21:29.to the Welsh Assembly elections in May.
:21:30. > :21:31.She was speaking at the party's annual spring conference -
:21:32. > :21:36.and said she supported Britain's membership of the EU.
:21:37. > :21:38.Heavy snow has caused chaos across parts of northern England.
:21:39. > :21:40.Yorkshire and Lancashire have been worst affected -
:21:41. > :21:43.with more than a hundred schools closed.
:21:44. > :21:46.Leeds-Bradford Airport was forced to suspend all flights earlier this
:21:47. > :21:51.Many roads were closed - or described as hazardous -
:21:52. > :21:54.and forecasters are warning of more cold weather to come.
:21:55. > :22:00.Which ever way you came at the hills this morning,
:22:01. > :22:02.Some trans-Pennine routes were blocked.
:22:03. > :22:10.Cars needed a scrape, so did roads and pavements.
:22:11. > :22:17.We are going to spar but we have got stuck on the roads. We don't know
:22:18. > :22:20.which direction to take. It has been horrible,
:22:21. > :22:23.you can see the cars trying to get up there and there is a bit
:22:24. > :22:26.of a spot for people trying to get This is a result of one early
:22:27. > :22:32.morning mishap out in the snow. The driver of this car had to be
:22:33. > :22:35.rescued after flipping over. Even though the gritters have been
:22:36. > :22:38.out and cleared most of the main roads, this shows you how dangerous
:22:39. > :22:42.some of those side roads can be. The driver was lucky
:22:43. > :22:43.to escape without injury. Leeds-Bradford Airport was closed
:22:44. > :22:47.earlier, and there are delays this Passengers say planes have been held
:22:48. > :22:53.up for hours because of a shortage But at Salford Quays,
:22:54. > :22:59.the weather wasn't allowed to interrupt the sport Relief five
:23:00. > :23:02.a side marathon football match. The Pennine landscape
:23:03. > :23:04.was given an Alpine coating. Up to ten centimetres
:23:05. > :23:07.of snow in places. It meant many schools
:23:08. > :23:14.across Lancashire and Yorkshire were closed, but high up
:23:15. > :23:16.at Scapegoat Hill primary on the edge of Huddersfield,
:23:17. > :23:19.there were no excuses today. We will make sure we stay
:23:20. > :23:22.open as long as we can. A lot of them have walked to school
:23:23. > :23:29.this morning instead of coming It's a real privilege for them
:23:30. > :23:33.to get out and have some fun in it. All of us have got to school,
:23:34. > :23:37.either in a car or walking, but it's Were you disappointed to find
:23:38. > :23:41.out school was open? It was like, no, it's the end
:23:42. > :23:44.of the world! I didn't really want to come
:23:45. > :23:46.to school today. I stayed in bed, but then I had
:23:47. > :23:49.to get up. Yeah!
:23:50. > :23:51.Who threw that?! And as well as a snowball
:23:52. > :23:54.to the face, there is always the risk of slipping over,
:23:55. > :23:56.even for BBC cameramen. Dan Johnson, BBC News,
:23:57. > :24:00.near Huddersfield. The Spitfire - it's the most iconic
:24:01. > :24:04.British aircraft ever made. And this is the very first
:24:05. > :24:08.one, produced in 1936. 80 years ago tomorrow,
:24:09. > :24:13.this protoype took to the skies 80 years ago tomorrow,
:24:14. > :24:16.this prototype took to the skies Just a few years later,
:24:17. > :24:19.thousands had been made. And the Spitfire went on to help win
:24:20. > :24:22.the Battle of Britain Duncan Kennedy is at Eastleigh
:24:23. > :24:35.Airport where it all began. There really is no aircraft like it,
:24:36. > :24:40.the look of it, the sound of it, and the part it played in the Battle of
:24:41. > :24:45.Britain. It really is the Spitfire. 80 years ago, the very first
:24:46. > :24:48.prototype took off from this exact same airfield. Today, the
:24:49. > :24:50.celebrations began for this iconic aircraft.
:24:51. > :24:59.Eight decades have passed since all three
:25:00. > :25:05.first came together to create aviation history.
:25:06. > :25:07.NEWSREEL: The most amazing machine is the Spitfire,
:25:08. > :25:09.a land version of the famous seaplanes that won the Schneider
:25:10. > :25:13.And this was the first Spitfire, here at Eastleigh Aerodrome 80 years
:25:14. > :25:23.Judy Munger saw the first Spitfire flight.
:25:24. > :25:33.He was part of the design team, with a brief to create a world
:25:34. > :25:39.Started it up and the chocks were pulled away.
:25:40. > :25:52.It flew off into the distance over the railway sheds.
:25:53. > :25:54.Today, 80 years on above those former sheds, there was a special
:25:55. > :25:57.fly-past across the same southern skies.
:25:58. > :26:02.Airborne history to respect and admire.
:26:03. > :26:06.Exactly 80 years on, the Spitfire has lost none
:26:07. > :26:12.Our helicopter is travelling more than 100 miles an hour and can
:26:13. > :26:15.barely keep up with the Spitfire, that can go 300 miles an hour.
:26:16. > :26:18.In the Battle of Britain, it was that speed and
:26:19. > :26:20.manoeuvrability in the hands of courageous pilots that
:26:21. > :26:28.Frank Newman flew 1000 sorties in a Spitfire.
:26:29. > :26:32.He was once summoned before his commanding officer.
:26:33. > :26:35.He said to me, Newman, I would like your opinion
:26:36. > :26:39.of the Spitfire's performance and the Rolls-Royce engine.
:26:40. > :26:46.I said, I'd like to tell you now, Sir, that my life has depended
:26:47. > :26:55.20,000 Spitfires were built, and are still celebrated as a plane
:26:56. > :27:01.ahead of its time that came in our hour of need.
:27:02. > :27:05.Duncan Kennedy, BBC News, Southampton.
:27:06. > :27:08.Time for a look at the weekend weather -
:27:09. > :27:20.Is there more snow to come? Maybe some flurries, but the worst is
:27:21. > :27:24.over, we've had the heaviest snow across the north of Britain. The
:27:25. > :27:29.biggest problem now, it will melt, and the skies were clear but we will
:27:30. > :27:33.have some iciness. It was take cold over the weekend with one or two
:27:34. > :27:37.wintry showers around. We had a band of wintry weather across the north
:27:38. > :27:43.of England, with showers moving south as well. Tonight, where we
:27:44. > :27:48.have had snow, the skies were clear and temperatures will dip away so
:27:49. > :27:53.the slush we have on country routes will start to refreeze. Take it
:27:54. > :27:58.steady in the morning travelling. Other areas of the country will have
:27:59. > :28:02.icy patches as well. Wintry weather will slip further south in the
:28:03. > :28:06.direction of East Anglia and the south-east for tomorrow morning. No
:28:07. > :28:11.real snow, just a bit of rain and sleet. Cold air coming from the
:28:12. > :28:15.Arctic, it's here to stay through the weekend and into Monday. Big
:28:16. > :28:20.contrasts in the weather again tomorrow. East Anglia and the
:28:21. > :28:23.south-east, all the way from Lincolnshire, cold, gloomy, a breeze
:28:24. > :28:30.from the North, rain on and off and sleeved as well. -- and sleet. Could
:28:31. > :28:34.be some showers over Scotland and northern Inwood, but that's pretty
:28:35. > :28:39.much it. Tomorrow will remain cold and grey with on and off rain and
:28:40. > :28:44.possibly sleet across East Anglia and the south-east. Sunday will be
:28:45. > :28:48.better, the chances of sunshine will be greater, not a bad day for most
:28:49. > :28:54.of us. At least the rain and snow will be out the way, even though it
:28:55. > :28:58.stays cold, 4 degrees in Newcastle. Briefly touching nine in London, but
:28:59. > :29:03.that is optimistic. The cold weather is here to stay on Monday. Warmer
:29:04. > :29:04.weather in the Atlantic but it will not reach us until Tuesday or
:29:05. > :29:05.Wednesday. That's all from the BBC News at Six,
:29:06. > :29:09.so it's goodbye from me, and on BBC One, we now join
:29:10. > :29:10.the BBC's news teams where you are.