:00:00. > :00:08.pressure for change. That's all from us. Now on
:00:09. > :00:13.Good evening. Our top story tonight is about
:00:14. > :00:15.modern day slavery. A Home Office Minister has been in Oxford,
:00:16. > :00:19.promising tougher action for the perpetrators of people trafficking.
:00:20. > :00:23.Last year, seven men were jailed for their involvement in a child sex
:00:24. > :00:26.ring in Oxford. This evening, the Minister, Karen Bradley, told a
:00:27. > :00:31.conference that new legislation is on the way. Jeremy Stern reports.
:00:32. > :00:35.Karen Bradley is the Minister for Modern Slavery and Organised Crime.
:00:36. > :00:38.She says the very fact such a title exists shows how seriously the
:00:39. > :00:44.issues are taken at the highest level.
:00:45. > :00:48.One of the things I am doing today while I'm in Oxford is a round table
:00:49. > :00:51.discussion to meet those authorities involved in all aspects of helping
:00:52. > :00:54.victims of human trafficking and exploitation. I'm really interested
:00:55. > :00:57.to learn from them where they think there might have been problems, and
:00:58. > :01:05.what we can do as a government to meet those gaps. The MP spoke at
:01:06. > :01:08.Regent's Park College, where there was also an exhibition on historic
:01:09. > :01:13.slavery. Our understanding of what the word 'slavery' means is
:01:14. > :01:17.changing. These days it's not about men in chains being sold to the
:01:18. > :01:21.highest bidder, it is more likely to happen in secret. Here in East
:01:22. > :01:27.Oxford, dozens of young girls were exploited by a gang of older men `
:01:28. > :01:30.and that's a form of modern slavery. Last year, seven men, including
:01:31. > :01:36.Akhtar Dogar and his brother Anjum Dogar, were sentenced to a total of
:01:37. > :01:40.95 years. Human rights campaigners in Oxford have called for stronger
:01:41. > :01:42.deterrents. A crime just doesn't disappear overnight, particularly
:01:43. > :01:46.such a highly organised crime as trafficking. You've just got to be
:01:47. > :01:49.on your guard that it's happening all the time. I think the Government
:01:50. > :01:53.taking it seriously encourages everyone else to take it seriously,
:01:54. > :01:56.as well. Tougher sentences and tighter controls on those who
:01:57. > :01:59.enslave others could become law as part of the Modern Slavery Bill,
:02:00. > :02:04.which goes before Parliament later this year.
:02:05. > :02:10.DNA testing has confirmed that a human bone found in a Cotswold
:02:11. > :02:12.beauty spot is part of the body of a murdered Swindon woman, whose
:02:13. > :02:15.remains were found nearby in 2011. Wiltshire Police reopened the case
:02:16. > :02:19.of Becky Godden`Edwards three weeks ago, when the bone was recovered.
:02:20. > :02:22.The rest of her body was found in a shallow grave. Detectives had been
:02:23. > :02:25.led to the scene by Swindon cab driver Christopher Halliwell, who
:02:26. > :02:36.was jailed for the murder of another local woman, Sian O'Callaghan.
:02:37. > :02:40.An inquest in Oxford has heard how a university student found dead in a
:02:41. > :02:44.tent on Port Meadow took his own life by inhaling a poisonous gas.
:02:45. > :02:47.Andrew Kirkman's body was found by a passer`by in early December. The
:02:48. > :02:50.area was initially cordoned off as it was thought his death might have
:02:51. > :02:53.been due to a chemical leak. The Balliol College student had recently
:02:54. > :02:57.been diagnosed with depression. Andrew's parents and college paid
:02:58. > :03:01.tribute to "an amazing young man." Last month, we heard that Crossrail
:03:02. > :03:04.was being extended to Reading. But what will it mean in reality for
:03:05. > :03:07.commuters travelling to and from our region? Our transport correspondent,
:03:08. > :03:12.Paul Clifton, has been to see progress on the route beneath the
:03:13. > :03:15.capital. Going underground ` this is where
:03:16. > :03:18.Crossrail services from Reading will disappear beneath West London. For a
:03:19. > :03:25.decade, it seemed Reading people would be denied direct services
:03:26. > :03:32.through this tunnel. Suddenly, last month, there was a change of heart.
:03:33. > :03:36.This is an important part of Crossrail because this is where the
:03:37. > :03:40.trains that all come in from Berkshire enter the tunnels. These
:03:41. > :03:44.are the central sections of the tunnels that take all the trains
:03:45. > :03:48.into Central London. For the Thames Valley, this will mean two Crossrail
:03:49. > :03:52.trains an hour into the heart of London. They will be in addition to
:03:53. > :03:57.First Great Western's stopping services and new intercity trains
:03:58. > :04:02.that will soon be built. It will also help the increasing flow of
:04:03. > :04:06.people the other way. It means that Reading can become a destination in
:04:07. > :04:11.its own right. The residents of Redding and Twyford will have
:04:12. > :04:17.choice. From Reading, Crossrail will take 15 minutes to reach London. The
:04:18. > :04:21.new intercity trains will take half that time. This will be a
:04:22. > :04:24.high`density urban style service, so no toilets, no catering. But, for
:04:25. > :04:25.many, taking one direct train straight to work through here will
:04:26. > :04:41.be very popular. Thousands of people set an early
:04:42. > :04:45.alarm this morning, or didn't go to bed at all, so they could be part of
:04:46. > :04:47.the traditional May Morning celebrations in Oxford. Magdalen
:04:48. > :04:49.Choristers welcomed in the dawn and Morris dancers kept the party going.
:04:50. > :05:04.Tom Turrell joined the party. CHOIR SINGS.
:05:05. > :05:08.6.00am on first May and, on the roof of Magdalen Tower, the college's
:05:09. > :05:12.choir sing to the people below. The spring celebrations are somewhat of
:05:13. > :05:17.a tradition in the city, for both town and gown alike. But, as the
:05:18. > :05:22.singing stops and the bells ring out, the party is far from over.
:05:23. > :05:25.After celebrations finish at Magdalen Tower, revellers head to
:05:26. > :05:29.Broad Street to join in with the Morris dancers. Despite the dreary
:05:30. > :05:32.morning, it is thought around 5,000 people turned out, with businesses
:05:33. > :05:36.opening early to cope with the extra demand. It has gone 8.30am and, for
:05:37. > :05:45.most people, the party is over. But you try telling that to these guys!
:05:46. > :05:48.In been the last few years and not bothered with the dressing up, but
:05:49. > :05:52.this year I thought, why not? I'll go for it! For me, it's about having
:05:53. > :05:56.fun and meeting people and dancing throughout the day. In the past,
:05:57. > :05:59.there have been injuries after people jumped from Magdalen Bridge.
:06:00. > :06:03.This year, safety was a top priority, with those in charge happy
:06:04. > :06:07.with how it has gone. I am really pleased. The atmosphere was lovely.
:06:08. > :06:11.It was a bit damp this morning, but the atmosphere was still there and
:06:12. > :06:15.it's beautiful when the choir starts singing. Whilst dancing to ward off
:06:16. > :06:16.evil spirits was a priority for some, others will be more concerned
:06:17. > :06:21.with warding off the hangover. That's it from us for now. We're
:06:22. > :06:40.back in BBC some breaking news before we go. Sir
:06:41. > :06:48.Roger Bannister has taught us that he is suffering from Parkinson's
:06:49. > :06:50.disease. You can hear the full interview with BBC Radio Oxford from
:06:51. > :06:57.ten o'clock tomorrow morning. Hello and a very good evening to
:06:58. > :07:01.you. After one or two rather hefty downpours today, it will dry out
:07:02. > :07:04.tonight. For many, there will be dry conditions through the night. Just
:07:05. > :07:08.one or two bits and pieces of wet weather to be had. Cloudy with
:07:09. > :07:11.drizzle around, some hill fog and temperatures down to seven or eight
:07:12. > :07:15.degrees. So, a murky start first thing on Friday morning, but we will
:07:16. > :07:18.see quite a bit of cloud, generally a dry day, although one of two
:07:19. > :07:22.showers could crop up, particularly in the afternoon. The cloud will
:07:23. > :07:25.begin to thin and break late in the day, with temperatures around 11 or
:07:26. > :07:28.12 degrees. Taking a look ahead, it's not doing too badly. For the
:07:29. > :07:30.bank holiday weekend, some sunny spells and feeling warm. Now the
:07:31. > :07:41.national weather forecast. will be some sunshine around. More
:07:42. > :07:46.on that in the national forecast. Our weather is taking a turn for the
:07:47. > :07:51.colder. You would be forgiven for thinking that does not bode well for
:07:52. > :07:54.the Bank Holiday Weekend. But as we go through the weekend, temperatures
:07:55. > :07:58.will be performing a U-turn, and recovering, as we will see. England
:07:59. > :08:02.and Wales has borne the brunt of some heavy downpours, with still
:08:03. > :08:10.some lively show is out there at the moment. But they are fading. Clearer
:08:11. > :08:16.skies in Scotland, so here, some spots will get close to freezing if
:08:17. > :08:17.not below tonight. But a better day on the way