:00:00. > :00:11.On the verge of a breakthrotgh in detecting early signs of Parkinson's
:00:12. > :00:15.disease. Lucy Norman was di`gnosed in her 30s and says tremors are now
:00:16. > :00:18.part of her life. Also tonight:
:00:19. > :00:23.It's being called a "fatberg". How work to remove congealed grdase in a
:00:24. > :00:27.sewer has led to traffic ch`os. An experiment in green power. The
:00:28. > :00:31.council that's decided to fht solar panels onto some of its properties.
:00:32. > :00:34.And later on: He put the pooch in Puccini. We
:00:35. > :00:49.catch up with the opera star dog after making his bow wow.
:00:50. > :00:55.Good evening. Researchers in Oxford say they may be on the vergd of a
:00:56. > :00:57.breakthrough in detecting the early signs of Parkinson's Diseasd.
:00:58. > :01:01.There's no cure for Parkinson's and, at the moment, there isn't dven a
:01:02. > :01:04.definitive test to diagnose whether people have it. Early detection
:01:05. > :01:08.could be the key to develophng more effective treatments. And starting
:01:09. > :01:11.medication much earlier offdrs the additional hope of slowing down the
:01:12. > :01:14.progress of the disease. In a moment, we'll hear more abott the
:01:15. > :01:17.new research. But first, Adhna Campbell went to meet Lucy Norman
:01:18. > :01:22.from North Oxfordshire, who found out she had Parkinson's in her 0s.
:01:23. > :01:26.I noticed something wasn't right. I was a PA, I was having problems
:01:27. > :01:29.writing, taking minutes. I went to the doctor, because I thought I
:01:30. > :01:35.might have RSI and he thought exactly the same. It was mahnly the
:01:36. > :01:39.handwriting and also my spedch, I started to trip over my words a
:01:40. > :01:43.little more and was maybe more slurred if I was stressed at work. I
:01:44. > :01:47.said to the neurologist who gave me the diagnosis, "I can't havd it "
:01:48. > :01:50.because I was only 38. It w`s all very surreal. It wasn't what I was
:01:51. > :01:53.expecting at all. We hadn't even thought about Parkinson's. H
:01:54. > :01:55.actually thought it was maybe a trapped nerve. So Parkinson's was
:01:56. > :02:01.beyond shock, absolutely devastating. The everyday t`sks that
:02:02. > :02:10.I took for granted years ago, preparing vegetables, food, typing,
:02:11. > :02:14.writing, everyday things. When you are peeling, your hand seizds up and
:02:15. > :02:18.then your hand will tighten onto the knife and you sort of have to unhook
:02:19. > :02:21.it. Also down my right hand side, where my Parkinson's is, whdn I am
:02:22. > :02:26.concentrating on a task, my legs tense up and my toes curl, so it is
:02:27. > :02:31.quite painful and I have to do a rocking motion to loosen it. You
:02:32. > :02:35.have those moments when you think, "Oh, well, I'm only 41 and possibly
:02:36. > :02:39.me and Parkinson's have got a long road ahead of us together", so there
:02:40. > :02:52.are times when it just hits me, but I don't think too much of the
:02:53. > :02:56.future. Our reporter has bedn finding out about the new rdsearch
:02:57. > :02:59.and some encouraging findings. One person in every 500 has
:03:00. > :03:03.Parkinson's. That works out as 127,000 people across the UK. And
:03:04. > :03:07.around 5,000 of those are hdre in the South Today region.
:03:08. > :03:10.As you saw a moment ago, Lucy was in her late 30s when she was dhagnosed.
:03:11. > :03:18.But Parkinson's is usually associated with older peopld. The
:03:19. > :03:29.symptoms tend to appear when people reach their 60s. But the latest
:03:30. > :03:33.figures show that one in 20 with the condition is under the age of 4 .
:03:34. > :03:36.In terms of the symptoms, the main ones include body shakes, rhgidity
:03:37. > :03:39.and slow movements. At the loment, doctors still haven't found a cure
:03:40. > :03:42.for Parkinson's Disease. But there's a major research project underway at
:03:43. > :03:45.Oxford University which could provide some answers. In 2000, the
:03:46. > :03:48.Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre was given ?5 million to carry out
:03:49. > :03:52.in`depth studies over a fivd`year period. Since then, they've analysed
:03:53. > :03:56.evidence from hundreds of pdople with early signs of Parkinson's
:03:57. > :04:07.Researchers now believe MRI scans could be a vital tool in helping
:04:08. > :04:10.future diagnosis. MRI, or brain scanning, which traditionally has
:04:11. > :04:15.not been of any use in tellhng whether you have Parkinson's or
:04:16. > :04:18.not, in our hands, using a functional MRI sequence may predict
:04:19. > :04:23.Parkinson's and for many people it's not unusual that they `re aware
:04:24. > :04:25.retrospectively that they h`ve had symptoms going back two to three
:04:26. > :04:28.years. And according to this research, spotting the signs quickly
:04:29. > :04:30.could eventually lead to spdedier and better treatments, helphng
:04:31. > :04:38.people manage the condition more effectively as it develops. Oxford
:04:39. > :04:44.has a fantastic strength in MRI imaging of the brain. At our
:04:45. > :04:47.Parkinson Centre, we can pltg into that expertise. The key to treatment
:04:48. > :04:51.in the future is to identifx those who are likely to develop the
:04:52. > :04:54.disease and before they devdlop severe symptoms, being able to stop
:04:55. > :04:58.the disease progressing and that will require us to be able to
:04:59. > :05:01.identify those who are likely to suffer and using preventative
:05:02. > :05:03.therapies to stop the disorder happening. Currently, Parkinson s is
:05:04. > :05:13.usually diagnosed through what's known as a DAT scan. That process
:05:14. > :05:16.costs about ?1,000. It's also a lengthy process, taking arotnd five
:05:17. > :05:20.hours. By contrast, MRI scans are much cheaper, around a fifth of the
:05:21. > :05:25.cost. The scan process usually takes less than ten minutes. New research
:05:26. > :05:30.is due to be revealed in thd next few weeks.
:05:31. > :05:33.As part of Parkinson's Awardness Week, tomorrow we'll meet the Vicar
:05:34. > :05:37.of Dibley writer Paul Mayhew Archer, who's using his sense of hulour to
:05:38. > :05:40.help people with the condithon look on the bright side of life. And
:05:41. > :05:42.we'll be seeing how exercisd is helping those with Parkinson's stay
:05:43. > :05:45.active. Work's underway in the centre of
:05:46. > :05:48.Oxford to repair a sewer th`t's collapsing under the weight of
:05:49. > :05:51.congealed fat. Cooking oil poured into sinks and drains is to blame
:05:52. > :05:58.for a major blockage that Thames Water is calling a "fatberg". The
:05:59. > :06:02.company says the emergency clearance and repair work will take up to two
:06:03. > :06:05.weeks. But, as Victoria Cook reports, the disruption has led to
:06:06. > :06:08.the roads being as clogged `s the drains.
:06:09. > :06:10.This is a fatberg. Fat mixed with nappies, sanitary towels and baby
:06:11. > :06:18.wipes, all things that shouldn't go into the sewer, causing one giant,
:06:19. > :06:24.disgusting blockage. This f`tberg is in Surrey. The one in Oxford is
:06:25. > :06:30.thought to be as bad. Removhng it is urgent. It is already so he`vy, the
:06:31. > :06:33.sewer in Oxford has collapsdd. And that is why these roads havd been
:06:34. > :06:38.partially closed, because of the emergency repairs taking pl`ce. Now
:06:39. > :06:41.although all this has been scheduled around the Easter holidays `nd this
:06:42. > :06:44.monitoring station here is keeping an eye on the city centre traffic,
:06:45. > :06:47.Oxford has been brought to ` standstill today. A simple
:06:48. > :06:56.ten`minute journey taking some more than two hours. It is usually, this
:06:57. > :07:00.run, a good 20 minutes. So H think a good few extra hours by the time we
:07:01. > :07:04.get there. Twenty past four, I left Banbury Road, it is five to five
:07:05. > :07:12.now, and it normally takes `bout 25 minutes. We have been going two
:07:13. > :07:17.hours, we expected it to be about half an hour at this time of the
:07:18. > :07:24.day. How has it affected yotr day? Pretty much ruined it, but we'll get
:07:25. > :07:26.there. But the work is crithcal to save homes and businesses in Oxford.
:07:27. > :07:30.If the fatberg wasn't removdd, sewage would back up and catse
:07:31. > :07:35.flooding. Although it is necessary, Thames Water says it would rather it
:07:36. > :07:39.didn't happen in the first place. We don't want to be here causing
:07:40. > :07:42.disruption. We know this tr`ffic has been horrendous today the pdople,
:07:43. > :07:52.but this is a completely avoidable situation. If people do listen to
:07:53. > :07:56.the message, bin it, don't block it. The only thing going down the toilet
:07:57. > :08:02.should be human waste and toilet paper, that is it. It is hoped the
:08:03. > :08:07.roads will be closed for around two weeks but until the teams dhg under
:08:08. > :08:15.the road and see how big thd fatberg is, the size of repairs rem`ins
:08:16. > :08:17.unknown. Train passengers between
:08:18. > :08:20.Gloucestershire and Swindon are being warned to expect servhce
:08:21. > :08:23.alterations due to engineerhng works on the line. Construction of a
:08:24. > :08:26.second line of track between Kemble and Swindon is nearing completion,
:08:27. > :08:29.and will double capacity on the stretch. But passengers havd been
:08:30. > :08:32.told that replacement bus sdrvices will operate instead of trahns at
:08:33. > :08:39.various times over the coming days. The ?45 million project is scheduled
:08:40. > :08:42.to finish over the Easter wdekend. Next tonight, a small step towards a
:08:43. > :08:47.greener future for council tenants in part of Oxford. Solar panels have
:08:48. > :08:51.been installed on a handful of homes in an effort to reduce residents'
:08:52. > :08:54.energy bills, while at the same time generating income for the chty
:08:55. > :08:57.council. If judged successftl, the pilot project will be expanded.
:08:58. > :08:59.Sinead Carroll's been to medt one couple now reaping the rewards from
:09:00. > :09:03.the technology on their roof. Starting the day with a switch.
:09:04. > :09:07.Valerie Parrott and her husband spend ?10 a week on electricity Now
:09:08. > :09:11.her council home has been fhtted with solar panels, so they should
:09:12. > :09:16.see their bills lower. It is going to be cheaper electricity for us in
:09:17. > :09:20.the summer. I know in the stmmer, we don't use so much electricity as
:09:21. > :09:23.what we do in the winter, btt we still use electricity in thd summer.
:09:24. > :09:26.And if it's going to cost nothing, fair enough, because my husband and
:09:27. > :09:31.I are pensioners. You are qtite safe, it's all boarded now. This
:09:32. > :09:35.electricity cannot be stored. It is used as it is generated, whhch means
:09:36. > :09:41.the Parrotts will still pay for appliances they use at night and on
:09:42. > :09:45.overcast days. They may waste electricity on very sunny d`ys. It
:09:46. > :09:48.is important we look to the future, isn't it? And people are re`lly
:09:49. > :09:52.struggling hard with their dnergy bills and that is why we can afford
:09:53. > :09:55.this, because as the electrhcity is generated by the solar panels, it
:09:56. > :10:01.pays off the money that the council is putting in. Oxford City Council
:10:02. > :10:09.spent ?25,000 on the scheme. They hope to recoup the cost in 02 years.
:10:10. > :10:12.This is the first time that solar panels have been installed on
:10:13. > :10:15.existing council homes in Oxford. The city council have already put
:10:16. > :10:19.solar panels up on some comlunal properties, like the leisurd centre
:10:20. > :10:22.in Barton, but it is hoped that if these do work and residents are able
:10:23. > :10:32.to save between ?250 and ?300 a year, then the scheme could be
:10:33. > :10:35.rolled out across the city. Councillors considering plans for a
:10:36. > :10:39.huge solar farm in West Oxfordshire have deferred making any decision
:10:40. > :10:43.until they've been able to see the site in person. If built, the
:10:44. > :10:46.facility near Charlbury would be among the biggest of its kind in the
:10:47. > :10:50.country. The community group behind the scheme say that selling the
:10:51. > :10:53.power back to the National Grid would generate up to ?100,000, which
:10:54. > :11:08.would then be put back into the local area. A ruling on the proposal
:11:09. > :11:11.is now expected next month. 2,000 jobs could be created in
:11:12. > :11:14.Swindon if a new employment park is approved as part of the eastern
:11:15. > :11:17.expansion area. A planning application has been submitted for
:11:18. > :11:21.what's known as the Hub to create office, warehouse and driver jobs on
:11:22. > :11:24.the A420 at Marston Farm. 6,000 homes, new schools and changes to
:11:25. > :11:27.the road network are also planned for the nearby area.
:11:28. > :11:32.Oxford University rowers have been celebrating their biggest Boat Race
:11:33. > :11:35.win for more than 40 years. It was the Dark Blues' fifth win in seven
:11:36. > :11:37.contests. The Cambridge boat was damaged when the crews oars
:11:38. > :11:41.collided, knocking the Cambridge crew off their stride. The dstimated
:11:42. > :11:49.global TV audience was 400 lillion viewers.
:11:50. > :11:52.The action from the weekend's football matches is coming tp in a
:11:53. > :11:54.few minutes. I'll have the headlines at 8pm. With more of today's
:11:55. > :12:01.stories, here's Tom Hepworth. 16`year`old girl had made the claim
:12:02. > :12:20.for sexual assault. Still to come in this evening's
:12:21. > :12:26.South Today: We catch up with an opera star of the canine variety.
:12:27. > :12:31.An elderly cancer patient claims he was forced to dial 999 from his
:12:32. > :12:34.hospital bed, after staff ignored his calls for help. Peter Thzzard,
:12:35. > :12:37.who's 73, was at Dorset County Hospital when he made the c`ll. He
:12:38. > :12:39.said he had experienced sevdre pain, and hadn't received assistance in
:12:40. > :13:00.the ward. An increasing number of bushnesses
:13:01. > :13:03.in Dorset have agreed to pax their staff the so`called living wage It
:13:04. > :13:06.comes, despite warnings frol some in industry that the move would be
:13:07. > :13:09.unaffordable. The hourly rate is above the nationally set minimum
:13:10. > :13:13.wage enforced by law. Simon Clemison reports.
:13:14. > :13:18.Government adverts from 15 xears ago may not seem dated, but look closely
:13:19. > :13:23.at the rate the minimum which was set AT when it was first introduced.
:13:24. > :13:26.`` was set at. Brought in bx Labour, the floor above which almost all
:13:27. > :13:32.workers must be played is now getting on for double what ht was.
:13:33. > :13:40.It is currently more than ?6 for over`21s. In October, it will rate
:13:41. > :13:48.rise by another 90 pence, an increase ministers are proud of
:13:49. > :13:51.Even those who created the original benchmark think it is a blunt
:13:52. > :14:07.instrument. And they say sole employers couldn't afford more.
:14:08. > :14:11.There are businesses where ?7.6 is the norm, which is said to better
:14:12. > :14:14.reflect the cost of living. Some businesses are now choosing to give
:14:15. > :14:20.all staff at least the highdr amount. This property maintdnance
:14:21. > :14:24.company based in Dorset says it wanted to treat its workers well and
:14:25. > :14:27.not drive up its prices as ` result. We are in a difficult market,
:14:28. > :14:31.maintenance, repairs, we nedd to compete, but we are confident we can
:14:32. > :14:34.do that and pay the minimum wage to our employees. Gardeners working for
:14:35. > :14:37.Dorchester Council get the same deal, but there were fears the
:14:38. > :14:41.commercial world could not `fford the price. An argument camp`igners
:14:42. > :14:44.say is familiar. A lot of pdople say if the national minimum wagd comes
:14:45. > :14:48.in, there will be an absorbdnt and job losses. It wasn't true, and it
:14:49. > :14:51.is not true for the living wage You can do the right thing. Somd
:14:52. > :14:55.businesses are still struggling in terms of cash flow. Certainly, the
:14:56. > :14:59.situation is improving. Thrde roads onto an island. No place in the
:15:00. > :15:02.South has more of a challenge coping with traffic, than Portsmouth.
:15:03. > :15:05.Today, the city took a signhficant step towards tackling its problems.
:15:06. > :15:09.It built the first new motorway junction in the south, in more than
:15:10. > :15:11.20 years, and attached to it, Portsmouth's first park`and`ride
:15:12. > :15:14.scheme. More from our transport correspondent Paul Clifton.
:15:15. > :15:18.Rush`hour on the busiest ro`d into Portsmouth. But there is no queue to
:15:19. > :15:21.get in to the new park`and`ride site. Today is the first wedkday it
:15:22. > :15:25.has been open. A handful of commuters gave it a try. It is 2,
:15:26. > :15:29.and it is easier to get into Portsmouth. It can be reallx hard to
:15:30. > :15:33.park. Parking in the centre of the city is nigh`on impossible. It is
:15:34. > :15:38.cheap and convenient. It is going to save me a lot of money and ` lot of
:15:39. > :15:42.time. It takes an hour to gdt out of the car park in Gun Wharf. This is
:15:43. > :15:48.Portsmouth's only park`and`ride site. The city has a strongdr case
:15:49. > :15:51.for it than places like Winchester and Salisbury, which have h`d
:15:52. > :15:55.park`and`ride for years. As an island, there are only thred roads
:15:56. > :16:00.in and out. The city is verx densely populated. To find a site which has
:16:01. > :16:04.the right ingredients to make it attractive, I think it will be great
:16:05. > :16:07.for economic growth, and prove to be a really good asset to the city
:16:08. > :16:11.Tipner is the south's first new motorway junction since the M3 was
:16:12. > :16:18.built through Twyford Down hn the 1990s.. But this was almost built in
:16:19. > :16:22.the 1970s. The bridges for ` roundabout were completed and space
:16:23. > :16:31.left for slip roads. This h`s been on the cards for almost half a
:16:32. > :16:35.century. 664 car parking spaces, takhng those
:16:36. > :16:40.cars off the roads going into the city. And it will free the city up a
:16:41. > :16:43.bit. The ground was badly contaminated. Old military hardware
:16:44. > :16:47.and ships used to be dismantled here. But soon, work will start on a
:16:48. > :16:51.new housing estate. Britain's newest motorway junction currently only
:16:52. > :16:53.leads to a car park. Within a few years, it will lead to 600 homes as
:16:54. > :17:14.well. Now, it's happened to many of us,
:17:15. > :17:17.you come back from a holidax and discover a huge mobile phond bill
:17:18. > :17:21.because of data roaming. But, spare a thought for those living `long the
:17:22. > :17:23.Purbeck coast in Dorset. Sole have found their phones switching to a
:17:24. > :17:36.network Time now for the sport. Somd
:17:37. > :17:39.breaking news. There has bedn an injury to Rodriguez, the news from
:17:40. > :17:45.Southampton in the last few minutes is not good, it has been revealed in
:17:46. > :17:51.the last ten minutes, he is likely to be out to six months aftdr
:17:52. > :17:58.rupturing his anterior cruchate ligament. It means his World Cup
:17:59. > :18:02.dreams are over. He landed `wkwardly in the first half, when tryhng to
:18:03. > :18:09.control a high ball. That rtles him out for the rest of the season. The
:18:10. > :18:15.World Cup is gone to him and he is likely only to be back in October.
:18:16. > :18:30.He had hopes of going to Br`zil with England. He is up to six months
:18:31. > :18:36.They normally play in front of just over 100 people in the ninth tier of
:18:37. > :18:39.English football. But now, Sholing are heading to Wembley! The Wessex
:18:40. > :18:42.League side are through to the FA Vase final, after beating E`stbourne
:18:43. > :18:46.4`2 in their semifinal second leg. Nick Watts scored three minttes from
:18:47. > :18:49.time, to seal the 6`4 aggregate win. A Wembley appearance will bring a
:18:50. > :18:52.much`needed cash boost for the Boatmen who will now face Wdst
:18:53. > :19:01.Auckland Town from County Dtrham in May. Unbelievable, great sttff.
:19:02. > :19:05.Great second`half comeback by them, but our lads really dug in, and
:19:06. > :19:26.deserved to get the result. It was absolutely fantastic. It is history
:19:27. > :19:29.in the making. First time ever. Gary Waddock was introduced to the
:19:30. > :19:32.Oxford fans for the first thme before kick`off but the smiles were
:19:33. > :19:35.wiped off the faces by Fleetwood once the game began. The visitors
:19:36. > :19:39.were rarely troubled in thehr 2`0 victory and after two defeats on the
:19:40. > :19:40.road, Waddock's start to his tenure at the Kassam Stadium reads played
:19:41. > :19:41.three, lost three. before kick`off but the smiles were
:19:42. > :19:47.wiped off the faces by Fleetwood We were deflated, you know, we lost
:19:48. > :19:52.confidence. It was draining out of us. But we have to be mentally
:19:53. > :19:56.stronger, we have to deal whth that and we have to do it very qtickly,
:19:57. > :20:00.now. We have to win a footb`ll match, it is as simple as that, to
:20:01. > :20:04.get some confidence back into the squad of players but at the moment,
:20:05. > :20:09.it is tough. It is a habit. Winning or losing is a habit and, at the
:20:10. > :20:12.moment, we have got a habit I don't like. Oxford have fallen beneath the
:20:13. > :20:16.League Two play`off places for the first time this season and hn League
:20:17. > :20:19.One, Swindon are also just off where they need to be. Town's prolotion
:20:20. > :20:21.push dented at Carlisle. A long journey home to reflect on what went
:20:22. > :20:25.wrong. MK Dons were able to go above Town
:20:26. > :20:28.in the table into seventh. They probably wouldn't have minddd a
:20:29. > :20:31.longer journey. Coventry ard playing their home matches in North`mpton
:20:32. > :20:34.this season after a row with their landlords. After Dele Alli `nd Carl
:20:35. > :20:38.Baker had exchanged goals, substitute Izale McLeod was the hero
:20:39. > :20:46.for the Dons. He came off the bench to score the winner in 2`1 victory.
:20:47. > :20:53.Late Kick Off returns tonight. As well as all the goals and t`lking
:20:54. > :20:56.points from our football le`gue clubs, we'll find out why ex`Pompey
:20:57. > :21:01.defender Arjen De Zeeuw now carries a gun for a living! BBC One.
:21:02. > :21:12.11.25pm. Britain's sailors have made a
:21:13. > :21:20.winning start. Helena Lucas has one in the 2.4 metres class.
:21:21. > :21:24.In their Silver Jubilee year, Basingstoke Bisons, have won their
:21:25. > :21:28.second piece of silverware. After lifting the Ice Hockey Leagte Cup
:21:29. > :21:30.last month, the Bison can now add the English Ice Hockey Premher
:21:31. > :21:33.League title to their trophx cabinet. They beat Manchestdr
:21:34. > :21:41.Phoenix 5`3 in the playoff final yesterday. Great scenes of
:21:42. > :21:44.celebration at the end. The first weekend of the cricket county season
:21:45. > :21:51.has been decimated because of the weather.
:21:52. > :22:02.Basingstoke bison, those medals are like buses. `` Bison.
:22:03. > :22:07.This week, the weather is more settled. A lot of dry weathdr, more
:22:08. > :22:17.about that in a second. This picture of a heron was taken in
:22:18. > :22:21.Bracknell by John Cook. Sue Cowell captured raindrops on a
:22:22. > :22:23.tulip in her garden in Iping, West Sussex.
:22:24. > :22:28.And David McLeod took this photo of a pigeon shaking off the rahn in
:22:29. > :22:34.Wokingham. We still have a band of rain making its way east. There
:22:35. > :22:39.could be some heavy bursts. The rain will eventually clear and it will
:22:40. > :22:45.turn a lot cooler than last night. Yesterday, it went down to 01
:22:46. > :22:51.Celsius which is what temperatures should be during the daytimd.
:22:52. > :22:56.Tonight, down to five Celsits. The winds are changing direction. The
:22:57. > :23:04.risk of isolated showers. Tomorrow morning, we start on a drying note,
:23:05. > :23:08.a few showers in the morning. With the winds changing direction, it
:23:09. > :23:15.will feel fresher than todax. Today, 14 Celsius, tomorrow, 12
:23:16. > :23:21.degrees. That north`westerlx wind will make it feel fresher. Tomorrow
:23:22. > :23:27.night, a quiet night, high pressure is building in. It will stax
:23:28. > :23:32.settled. The odd shower is possible. And the risk of mist and fog
:23:33. > :23:39.patches. Some frost in the countryside. Down to five ddgrees. A
:23:40. > :23:44.predominantly dry start to the day on Wednesday. High pressure starts
:23:45. > :23:50.building even further. The winds stay fairly light. Some clotd
:23:51. > :23:58.associated with high pressure. Staying with us through Thursday.
:23:59. > :24:02.Thursday daytime, mainly drx, with this weather front creeping south.
:24:03. > :24:09.Some drizzle by the end of the day. A fairly quiet week with drher
:24:10. > :24:13.weather at times. A decent day tomorrow, probably the best day in
:24:14. > :24:18.terms of sunshine. Increasing cloud through Wednesday with the chance of
:24:19. > :24:23.a shower. Light rain and cloud on Thursday, sunny spells and scattered
:24:24. > :24:33.showers on Friday. This week, light winds with overnight frost.
:24:34. > :24:37.Now, you may remember, we rdcently reported that the King's Thdatre in
:24:38. > :24:41.Southsea was auditioning for a rather unusual role in the opera, La
:24:42. > :24:45.Boheme. It was for a small dog. Well, Tex the Jack Russell was
:24:46. > :24:51.chosen. And last night was his first night. Katy Austin has been to find
:24:52. > :24:54.out how the pooch got on with Puccini.
:24:55. > :24:58.It was the night that this dog had his day.
:24:59. > :25:01.OPERA SINGING. Tex auditioned against other
:25:02. > :25:08.talented canines to win a p`rt in Puccini's La Boheme. He plaxed the
:25:09. > :25:10.strong and thankfully silent type, as he stepped into the limelight at
:25:11. > :25:14.King's Theatre, Southsea. He has been brilliant, absolutely
:25:15. > :25:18.amazing. I'm so proud of hil. He has done so well. He wasn't at `ll fazed
:25:19. > :25:22.by any of the music, or the sounds. He was quite happy and waggdd his
:25:23. > :25:27.tail. Waved his paws. He was really good.
:25:28. > :25:30.Tex is now home after his fhrst opera experience, and it went so
:25:31. > :25:37.well, his owner is considerhng entering him for other auditions.
:25:38. > :25:46.Lynne got the chance to go on stage with her Puccini pooch.
:25:47. > :25:50.They told us, depending on how good he was, that would be the thme we
:25:51. > :25:54.could stay on stage. If he was happy, they would leave us on stage
:25:55. > :25:59.for the whole lot of the section we were in. He was fine, so we stayed
:26:00. > :26:03.for the whole bit. Tex has already been successful in
:26:04. > :26:07.dog shows. Now, it looks like a new career could beckon.
:26:08. > :26:07.Tex, do you kill fame has changed you?
:26:08. > :26:25.Not much, it seems. And he joins us now, along with his
:26:26. > :26:33.owner. It helps when you have a pocket full of mints! I am really
:26:34. > :26:39.proud of him. He exceeded all of our expectations. He was really well
:26:40. > :26:45.behaved last night. And you had to tread the boards, as a chapdrone.
:26:46. > :26:57.Yes, I was the maid. I followed onto the stage. And he was brought back
:26:58. > :27:04.to me. Can he sing? He hasn't opened his mouth at all during the
:27:05. > :27:11.performance. He only barks hf my other dog sets him off. Did you have
:27:12. > :27:18.any concerns before the performance? No, because he is really lahd back,
:27:19. > :27:23.he was so good when he came here. He has been amazingly well`beh`ved He
:27:24. > :27:28.loves the camera. He is getting used to this. Are you getting agdnts
:27:29. > :27:34.bringing up? Someone suggested he should have an agent, so maxbe we
:27:35. > :27:36.will think about it. And Sandra at the theatre said she would like to
:27:37. > :27:39.have him back. That's the latest. Thanks for being
:27:40. > :27:43.there. We will be back with bulletins at 8pm and 10.25pl. Hope
:27:44. > :27:45.you can join us then. From `ll the team here, a very good night.
:27:46. > :27:46.Bye`bye.