27/06/2011 BBC Points West

Good evening and welcome to BBC Points West.

Our headlines tonight: More military manoeuvres - as West

Country soldiers build bridges in Afghanistan, defence workers face a

big shake-up back home. A footnote from the Glastonbury

Festival - all that's left now is a mountain of used wellies.

Fears on the Mendips that a 5000- year-old earth circle has been

destroyed. And they are flaming young! The

children carrying their version of The Defence Secretary Liam Fox has

said he wants to make radical changes and reduce waste. His

announcement today was watched with intense interest by the 8,000

people who work at the Ministry of Defence at Abbey Wood, near Bristol.

We already know 2000 posts are likely to go but a trade union

today told Points West the number of job losses could be as many as

3,000. Of the �37 billion the Ministry of

Defence spends each year, �16 billion is controlled at Abbey Wood

near Bristol. So when the politician who runs the department

pledges "root-and-branch reform" and talks of redundancies and cost-

cutting, it makes for anxious times. In terms of the 25,000 cut in the

Civil Service, I regret we are having to make reductions of that

size, but we recognise that we have to do it to deal with the financial

legacy that we inherited from the previous government, but believe we

can do so whilst maintaining our for function. I invited Jim Riglar

from the trade union Prospect to watch Dr Fox's statement. It was

light on detail, but he says workers are poised for tough times

ahead. We have already been told that, of the 8,000 people who work

at Abbey Wood, at least 2,000 posts could go. But the unions are

predicting more. At Abbey Wood, for instance, we believe there could be

3,000 civilian jobs to go over the next two to three years, and that

will be part of a wider cut in civilian staff of 25,000 across the

whole of the MoD. Liam Fox's reforms are based on an independent

report by Lord Levene. It calls for a greater focus on affordability,

and uses terms such as enhanced budgetary discipline and cost-

conscious mentality. All of which means fundamental reform of the way

the MoD does business, and the loss of thousands of jobs from Abbey

Wood and the local economy that surrounds it.

The BBC's Crimewatch Roadshow programme is broadcasting from

Gloucestershire all this week, hoping to crack some of the

unsolved crimes in the county. This morning they appealed for help

in catching whoever carried out a vicious attack on an 83-year-old

man. Despite going through a terrible ordeal, John Astman was

brave enough to appear in his own reconstruction.

Our Gloucestershire reporter Steve Knibbs, who is working on the

programme, takes up the story. His report contains graphic images of

Mr Astman's injuries. John Astman has lived alone since

his partner died a year ago. He likes the quiet, simple life and

keep some sad acted by walking his dog every day. -- keeps himself

active. It was one of those walks in January when John met a man who

would change his life forever. is very cold, could I couldn't for

-- could I come in for a cup of tea? Back home, as he was trying to

find the number for the police, the man walked into his house. He said,

I want to talk to you. I said, I don't want to talk to you, go back

the way you have come in. Give us some money! He opened a drawer,

there was nothing in there. I want some money! He said, I have a go in

here, I am going to shoot you. I told you, I haven't got any money.

So I put my hand around and grasped his hand, and it fell on the floor.

A letter opener, shaped like a sword. I tried to get out through

the door, but I had bolted and locked it. There was a bread knife.

He put it to my throat and said, I will cut your throat if you do that

again. And that was the last I remember. John was left with

terrible injuries, and to make things worse, after getting home

from hospital he found that jewellery belonging to his mother

and late partner was missing. engagement ring, he had taken out.

That was 28th January, and he took her ring. 20th January was my

mother's birthday, and when she died in hospital they gave me her

ring, and it was a treasured possession. An e-fit has been

issued of John's attack and on today's Crimewatch Roadshow

programme police revealed new information about the case.

Astman, since the attack, thinks he has seen the attack that on more

than one occasion. The last time he saw this person there was a very

distinctive description of him. The defender, the person we believe to

be the offender, was wearing a white hooded top with the number 86

on the back and riding a red mountain bike. Of course, if you

have any information about the attack on John Astman, you can call

the Crimewatch Roadshow team. And you can see how well the appeal

for information has gone on tomorrow's Crimewatch Roadshow,

which will be live in Frampton on Severn. That is at 9.15am, here on

BBC One. It would be good to catch the

person who did that. The Prime Minister has paid tribute

in the House of Commons to his constituency chairman Christopher

Shale, who was found dead at the Glastonbury Festival at the weekend.

The body of Mr Shale was discovered in a toilet cubicle yesterday

morning. An inquest into his death was opened in Wells this afternoon.

Let's go straight to the site and our reporter, Clinton Rogers. What

is being said there today? We had a press conference here

today, which the police held, and the latest information they have is

that they are still not sure about the exact cause of death. The

problem is there was a post-mortem examination which proved

inconclusive, but while the police -- what the police have moved

quickly to do is dispel myths going around the site this weekend that

this was a suicide. Not, they say, the case. Mr Shale was the subject

of a post-mortem yesterday, and even though it proved inconclusive,

we are working on a theory that it is natural causes, and we are not

treating it as suspicious, as we said yesterday. It is an

unexplained death, but we are working with the coroner, who will

have privacy and working with the family as to what the conclusion

will be once the tests have come through.

Away from that sad development, what is going on down there now?

Has everyone left? Most people have left. 180,000

people had to leave the side today. You can see it is clearing, most

people have gone. There are a few hundred people here, they are on

what is known as Glastonbury time, they will lead eventually, but most

have gone, leaving behind, as I'm sure you can see, a mountain of

mess. A monument to another muddy

Glastonbury. But it is more than just when Esat get abandoned as

180,000 people head home -- it is more than just Wellington boots

that get abandoned. Is this your tent? You are leaving it? We have

no energy left to take it. Definitely not. Not happening.

While the festival tries to recycle what it can, the truth is most of

these tends and everything inside will be bulldozed and sent to

landfill. Some of these are worth a lot of money, and they just leave

them. Pretty shocked by it. As with every year, Monday is the day an

army of 300 litter pickers get to work trying to make Worthy Farm a

farm again. It is likely to be at least a month before these cows see

their field again. At least the other animals have

left now. The Wombles, refusing to stay behind for the Glastonbury

clean-up in protest of the organiser saying it was a mistake

No mistake with the headline act. Beyonce did not really need those

fireworks to set the Festival alight.

What a night. Well, what they can remember of it, anyway. I can't

remember any of it! What just happened?! It was amazing! Best

festival we have been too, it was so good! Now we have a long trek

home. Thousands headed home by train after getting a free when the

wash. It is the one-day that the station is busier than Paddington -

- getting a free Wellington boot wash. For many, it will be a long,

sad trek home. I was nearly in tears out there, I don't want to go

home! I love my wife and kids to bits, but I have to go back to

reality. At least someone had a bit of energy left for the journey.

What about the girl who said, what just happened?! I will tell you, it

has started to rain again. We started with rain five days ago, we

had scorching sunshine yesterday to a point where the ice-cream sellers

had run out of ice-cream, and now the rain is back. Anyway, I will be

back later in the programme to give you a real flavour of Glastonbury

2011. Wasn't Beyonce great?

She was fantastic. Let's hope the girl who can't

remember anything is watching later to enjoy the highlights.

He should pick up some litter between now and when we go back to

him in 10 minutes! You are watching Monday's Points

West with David and Alex. Coming up in tonight's programme:

Hoping it won't be Slippery When Wet - we're at Ashton Gate as fans

The funeral has been held for a Taunton schoolgirl who died in a

crash earlier this month. 13-year- old Amy Hofmeister was riding her

bike home from Bishop Fox's Community School when she was

knocked over on Blackbrook Way. A 41-year-old man has been charged

with causing her death by dangerous driving.

Two senior members of staff at a care home in North Somerset found

guilty of conspiring to neglect a man in their care have both been

given community orders. 75-year-old Colin Lewis, from Weston-super-Mare,

fell out of bed while having his sheets changed at the Penlee

Nursing Home. He broke his hip and his foot, but a senior nurse and a

senior care assistant colluded in a cover-up. He died 12 days later.

Today Euphemia Ntintili, seen here on the right, was told to serve 140

hours of unpaid work, and Alfug Andom was sentenced to 100 hours.

An investigation has found that a fire at a Bristol nail bar over the

weekend was probably started accidentally. The family-owned

business was destroyed in a matter of minutes, most probably as a

result of an electrical fault. The birth of one of the West's

biggest festivals was celebrated today. Every year, a quarter of a

million people gather for the Harbourside Festival in Bristol.

But, 40 years ago today, it started as something very different - a

protest to stop the city's floating harbour from being concreted over.

Alice Bouverie reports. Remember the loud bangs from the

Royal Marines? Oh, yes! Remembering back to 1971. The very

first harbour festival cost �800 to put on. The programmes cost 10p.

When you look around, it is an amazing job we did, and it was your

idea. Without Fred Blampeid, Bristol could have been a very

different place. 40 years ago, the city council wanted to close the

docks and put a motorway through the floating harbour. As we were

passing the warehouse, it is amazing to think that would have

gone with a road system right across it. Fred argued that the

water could be used for leisure and organised a festival. This film is

from 1972. The working life of the docks is nearly over, but the

Floating Harbour remains a delight to the eye and a source of joy for

the people of Bristol. It was a huge success, and helped change the

council's mind. Fortunately, the work had to be done within four

years and the county council came along, did not do the work, and the

whole thing lapsed, so it is still here. There it is, what more could

you want? In many ways, 40 years on, little has changed. The festival is

still free. It is still held around the harbourside. But this July, as

well as the usual music and dance, the festival is going back to its

original vision. We have gone back to trying to get more people to use

the water. Water Week starts on July 25th. It is about local and

regional people coming to enjoy shanty singing, barbecues that some

of that local pubs up-and-down the reach, there will be canoeing and

sailing competitions, so it is about getting people we engaged

with the water. Back in 1971, there were only a few thousand visitors.

From humble beginnings, the Harbourside Festival now attracts a

quarter of a million. English Heritage say they could yet

bring a criminal prosecution to damage -- over damage to one of the

West's most ancient monuments. It has suffered serious damage and

archaeologists are investigating how much of the monument has been

destroyed. They are more than 5,000 years old.

The neolithic circles have long been thought of as Somerset's most

important ancient site. When you on the ground, the circles are harder

to make out, and there is not normally public access, but we have

been given permission to give you a close-up look. This is circle

number two, you can see the sweet as it comes around. It is about 190

metres wide. There has been some research Denyer, suggesting the

henge construction predate any other henge in the UK, so the four

circles here along with some in that direction are thought to make

up one of the most important prehistoric site in all of Europe.

Just east of the village, the circles are Scheduled Ancient

Monuments, and enigmatic ones. We don't know why they were built or

how they were used, but now they will be harder to find out as a

section of circle one, the southernmost henge, has been

destroyed. When you're on the ground, you can clearly see the

line of the henge as it sweeps around, following the trees. Once

you go over to the other side of the fence, it is gone. There is

evidence of recent earth movement and planting, damage that English

Heritage is investigating. They told us that it is a criminal

offence to carry out works on a scheduled monument without consent,

and they told us it is a criminal offence to destroy or damage any

scheduled monument. English Heritage will now be surveying the

side and could yet bring criminal proceedings over the damage.

The Olympic torch came to Bath today. Not the real torch, you

understand, but a replica designed and made by the boys at Culverhay

School. Pupils then relayed it to lots of

different schools and venues to get other children involved in the

excitement of the day. Our Bath reporter Ali Vowles put on her

training shoes and joined them for some of the action.

Here we are on Monday morning, not my usual word gear. We are talking

Olympics. I would love to hold the Olympic flame, and this morning, in

Bath, we are getting the chance to do our very own flame and involve

1,000 schoolchildren, including these here from Culverhay School.

Come on, lads! And we were off, with cheers in our

ears to get us on our way. First stop, Southdown juniors and infants,

who are regular visitors to Culverhay. There was no shortage of

enthusiasm. It gets you fit. Who is looking forward to the Olympics?

Me! The aim of today was to reflect the Olympic values,

including friendship, determination and excellence. For a year, we have

adopted the Olympic and Paralympic values and today is trying to get

the enthusiasm and get children to enjoy the activity -- physical

activity. Another value needed by me his courage, to keep up with the

younger runners. No need to guess my age! Come on! All morning we

criss-crossed our way across the south of the city, visiting schools

across Whiteway, Southdown and Twerton. And everyone seemed

pleased to take up the chance of running with Bath's special Olympic

There were visits to places where the school has partnerships, from

this slightly more sedate stroll at the bowling club... A chance to

catch our breath. To the unbridled enthusiasm of these young gymnasts.

When you see the kids, or they say, wow! It is really big to them. All

of the kids, they love that, they feel like an elite at it when they

are carrying it, you see their faces light up. It was a great

start to Culverhay's sports week, and an unusual way of inspiring

these young people to enjoy sport for life.

Pretty speedy, isn't she? She is still running!

And don't forget that there is still time to nominate anyone who

you think should be an official Olympic torchbearer as it makes its

way around the country next year. Just go to the London 2012 website

and there you will find all the details of how to nominate someone

who you think has been truly inspirational. But make it quick -

you have only got until this Wednesday. And don't include Alex

somi, Blaise! We cannot run for a boss! -- do not

include Alex all made, please. Bon Jovi will take to the stage at

Ashton Gate Stadium in around half an hour as part of their world tour.

Thousands of fans have packed into the ground for the concert and some

even camped out over the weekend to bag the best spots. Zoe Gough went

along to meet them and ended up on stage!

They came early, and from far and wide, to see the rock legends Bon

Jovi rock. I am from German. I am from New York's it did. The music,

it is my life. And if it is that important, you want to be at the

front. Despite the queues, the concert was not sold out. The club

said they expected a late run on tickets, as they had the last time

the band played. Will you let your hair down later? I think I will be

on duty, but maybe the odd moment of relaxation enjoying the dunes.

Backstage, the hard work also starts early. Making the biggest

stage in Europe come alive. This is his number one guitar, so if you

come this way we will go into the technical world of things. Each

person gets their own mix, John's mixes here, he is the yellow guy.

Everyone gets on stage through the steps, jump up the steps. 45,000

screaming Bon Jovi fans go absolutely crazy. The only task

left - to test the mic. Hello, Bristol!

Outside, the queues have suave and they are getting pretty vocal.

# I play my part and you play your game, you give love a bad name! #.

Perhaps lucky for me, their weight had finally come to an end.

It will be a great night, I think. Let's rock on to the weather

It will be anything of change and continues that way as we head into

tomorrow. You will find it a fresher day than the last two, and

tonight is much more comfortable as well. There will be some outbreaks

of rain through tomorrow afternoon. I will explain what is going on

today, a cold front from the Atlantic and warm air feeding up

from France, which gave us the hot day yesterday, and as it moves

through it destabilise is it all, which is why we get the showers

building up. For us, a different day compared to the current set-up,

which suggests the amount of shares which have been feeding him through

the course of the day, still some more to come. I fancy some of those

to go right over the top of Ashton Gate for the next hour or so, but

then they will fade away. Through the course of the evening, the last

of the showers disappeared to the east and dry conditions start to

prevail for the rest of the night, with clear Spouse as well, and it

won't be a muggy night like we had last night -- clear spells.

Tomorrow, sunny spells about, very able cloud around for the first

part of the morning, but it starts to increase and if you are in

Gloucestershire or the eastern parts of the M5 corridor, you will

find the light, showery outbreaks of rain. The best of the sun across

western parts of Somerset. We will continue with that into the evening,

outbreaks of rain moderately heavy through the evening rush-hour, but

fading away in the night. Temperatures well down on tomorrow,

close to ten Celsius down on Sunday, 18 to 20 Celsius will be fairly

typical. Beyond that, high pressure starts to build again on Wednesday,

Thursday and Friday. Still a chance of showers on Wednesday, but

broadly speaking another dry and settled phase, so the showers we

are likely to catch this evening will be the last significant rain

for the rest of the week as we continue in a similar fashion into

the weekend as well. By that stage, the high pressure has established

itself on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and by the weekend these

were the macrosystems will try to make inroads but I think they will

be weak affairs -- these weather That is just about it from us, but

let's return to the Worthy Farm whether Glastonbury Festival is

over for another year. In 2012 it is taking a break but it will be

back in 2030 in. Clinton Rogers is there. -- 2013.

You have seen plenty of Glastonburys. World 2011 go down as

a vintage year? I don't know. Vintage, no.

Confusing, yes. Wellingtons, sunglasses? I will remember it as

the Glastonbury Festival when you really have not known how to dress

for it. It has been a festival that has had a whole season's weather,

all four seasons in one week. Vintage as far as music is

concerned, that is personal. U2, for me, were disappointing. Beyonce,

if you like that kind of thing, she put on a great show. But the proof

of the pudding for the festival is that 140,000 people buy tickets

before they even know who is on. They have enjoyed it, so I will

leave you with a flavour of the festival this year. From us, but

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 64 seconds