05/09/2011 BBC Points West

Good evening. In the programme tonight:

Were they putting lives at risk? #The hunt captured on camera on a

railway line - police say they will investigate.

The car baffling walkers in Wales. Why a man from Cheltenham decided

to drive up a mountain. Back open to the public - the

library now being run by volunteers in Wiltshire.

And he swam the English Channel, now comedian David Walliams takes

on the Thames for Sport Relief. is 120 miles longer, that is the

scary thing. It is all right to be full of bravado today, but this is

The police have promised an investigation after hounds from a

Somerset hunt followed a fox on to a mainline railway track. The BBC

has been handed film of the incident taken by anti-hunt

protestors. They say it could have caused a serious accident, a view

backed by the train drivers union ASLEF. The Countryside Alliance,

which represents hunts across the country, say it was an isolated

case, but it too has promised an investigation. Clinton Rogers has

this exclusive report. The mainline from Exeter to

Waterloo in London suddenly has an unwanted traveller. The fox is

running to escape hounds from the Seavington Hunt in Somerset, which

appear on the track less than two minutes later. The whole incident

was filmed by a member of the International Fund for Animal

Welfare, an anti-hunt group. He has asked not to be identified. I have

seen a lot of things over the years I have been filming. This was

completely irresponsible. This is a mainline railway. I don't know what

would have happened if they had hit a hounds on that line. Trains pass

this spot at Clapton on the Somerset-Dorset border at more than

80 miles an hour. It would take the driver a mile to stop in an

emergency. On Saturday morning, these hounds spent around two

minutes on the track. It is clear that when hunt members see what is

going on they try to get the hounds back. Police, please. But the

person taking the film is angry enough to make a 999 call. Avon and

Somerset Police have announced they are investigating and are seeing

whether this amounted to illegal hunting. But as for dogs on the

track, they say that is a matter for the British Transport Police

and say that, as no people walked on to railway property, no offence

was committed. This afternoon, the Countryside Alliance insisted the

hunt was not acting illegally. But they say they will investigate what

happened. We need to investigate why of the Hounds went on there.

They were there for less than two minutes. They acted professionally

in calling them off the line as quickly as possible. We showed the

footage to an official from train drivers' union ASLEF. He was

dismayed at what he saw. It is shocking. The amount of dogs on the

line is considerable. There were around a dozen dogs there at one

point, a considerable threat to the train pulls to Network Rail,

responsible for the safety of the railways, has asked to see the

footage. After months of campaigning, a

group of parents in Bristol have today successfully opened England's

largest secondary free school. With just over half of the places filled,

the school is starting with one year of 11-year-olds and plans to

add a year each September until it is full. John Maguire reports.

It is the end of the first day at a new school, and it doesn't get much

newer than this. The Bristol Free School is up and running, set up

from scratch by parents and staff. So, how was day one? I quite

enjoyed the maths, learning about spirals, and our tutor groups.

was surprised, because the Science Laboratory was quite big and we did

things with Bunsen burners. We have campaigned for it for years, so it

is good that it has gone ahead. It has been up and down over the last

six months but it is brilliant and the support has been superb.

uniforms look great, we are hoping they will be successful and enjoyed

the score. They have got a lot to prove, and hopefully will step up

to the mark. You are confident they will? Yes! Although the plan is to

enlarge the school year by year, it is already the largest of its kind

in the country. And for those who have worked so hard, it is the

realisation of a dream. At certain points we thought it would never

come, but it is here, and it is a great day and a fantastic

experience to see their children walking through the gate this

morning in their uniforms. I am overwhelmed by the fate that people

have demonstrated. It is a leap of faith, and 83 from a possible 150

pupils are taking it. The original plan was to spend a year at these

former Government buildings and then move to the site of St

Ursula's, once a private school just down the road. But there is

now a primary here, so there may not be enough space for the free

school too. All options are being explored. The Government's flagship

policy where parents and not councils run these schools has its

opponents, who argue that only some will benefit. A lot of the free

schools are opening in areas where the proximity will only have

certain types of children, so children outside of that area do

not have the opportunity to go to that type of school. Also, the

danger is that there are certain types of children who will get

places in schools that other children will not. But the parents

here say they are being inclusive and want to attract children from a

wide range of backgrounds. Setting up a school is far from easy, with

challenges at every turn - political as well as practical.

Opening the doors is just the start. It was good. I would like to come

back. And tomorrow John will be reporting

on the West's newest academy schools.

There has been a warning that next year will bring yet more cuts.

North Somerset Council today went public with its plans to save

millions more pounds. The authority blames further

reductions in Government funding, and warns jobs and services will be

affected. Paul Barltrop joins us from the town hall in Weston-super-

Mare. How bad does it look? Prepare for some pretty big figures.

It is sometimes hard to digest all of this but the councils say that

over a five-year period the amount of money they have to spend will be

cut by a third. The number for next year in terms of savings, �14

million. How will they do that? Jobs are already going, 120 posts

currently going at the authority and in the next year or two another

160 could go. It is about streamlining. This is the old town

hall which the council is based at but we have the new building behind.

We can see it is a bit of a building site at the moment because

they are doing a refurbishment. The idea is you spend a lot of money,

millions of pounds, and then move staff a year from across North

Somerset, reducing the amount of offices from 18 to two, which

should save a lot of money. But services will be affected and today

the council leader conceded the public will notice a difference.

They will be upset, quite understandably, at not having the

same level of services that they have been used to, whether it is

flowerbeds and things you can see that will disappear, like standing

out, roadsides not being maintained as much as they were before, those

sorts of things which we have come to expect and think is what should

be happening, bows may suffer over the next few years. And the council

is encouraging others to takeover running it services?

Not just running but paying for, that is the crucial one. Just up

the red there is a village library which used to be run by the council

and is now run by locals, which is happening across the country. In

the village of Purton today, volunteers took over the running of

the library from world she council who said they could not afford to

run it. -- Wiltshire council. Open for business, but under new

management. Until last week, this library was run entirely by

Wiltshire Council employees. Now, it is in the hands of these

volunteers. You press the Finish button, it says you have returned

three items... Getting to grips with the library's computers. They

and more than 40 like them have saved this place from closure.

is a centre of the community, it is an important facility for people

who do not have transport to get to one of the other local libraries,

particularly older people and importantly for young children,

families with young children. is music to the local council's

ears. In March, it announced that ten libraries were at risk. It sees

volunteers like these as a big part of the county's future. Across all

of our said Mrs we invest over �28 million in the voluntary sector --

all of our services, and they're helping deliver services for us and

a think that will be more of a pattern. A pattern that the council

believes plays a big part in life in Wiltshire. People here say they

are passionate about their library. These volunteers will be hoping the

village's love for literature is an enduring one.

We have heard a bit today about how two of our authorities, North

Somerset and Wiltshire, are coping with the financial difficulties in

which they find themselves, but believe you me there will be more

difficult financial situations for the other councils that we will

hear it in the weeks and months to come.

Thank you. It is Alex and Andrew we did this

Monday evening. Coming up tonight: Nothing to love

and are not worth cherishing, we meet the couple whose official

wedding photographs were only fit for the been forced stop and as the

children go back to school for the autumn term, it definitely feels

like autumn. Ian it is here with a miserable

A man from Cheltenham who drove his car up Snowdon has revealed to the

BBC why he did it. Craig Williams' 4x4 was found near the railway line

on Saturday about 1000 metres up the mountain. He has been charged

with a driving offence and will appear before magistrates in Wales

next week. The car is still there, much to the continued disbelief of

walkers. Roger Pinney reports. It seemed like a good idea at the

time. But it has left an enormous headache and a so far answered

question - how to get it down. I found the driver, Craig Williams,

at the bottom of the mountain, pondering his options. He told me

it took him nine hours to get his 4x4 up Snowdon. But why? Out of a

list of 50 things to do before you die, this was one of them, and if

you can consider that it is on the top of the list, the other 49 will

not be able to be done because my backside will be sued from here to

kingdom come! If you look at some publicity stunts, that was not the

intention. It was done as an impulsive act, spoke of the moment.

People are saying you have been irresponsible. I appreciate that,

they say it is a selfish act, and I can relate to that as well. I know

other people have said, you need to be in a men's Oct -- Mental

Institute, you are crazy, and others are saying, thumbs-up, fair

play. I guess that is as far as I can explain. Well, the best thing

that can be said about it is that it is neatly parked and it does

give walkers something to look at when the cloud is down as low as it

is today. Getting it up here was a challenge. Getting it down again is

going to be a challenge as well. Options include driving at off,

flying it out, or bringing it down on a mountain railway and there are

problems with all of them. In terms of where the vehicle is and where

it needs to get to, somebody will have to get behind the wheel of the

vehicle and I cannot indemnify my own staff to do that. Craig

Williams says give him his keys back and he will drive it, but he

is facing prosecution for taking his 4x4 where vehicles are banned.

So, for now, it is not going anywhere, at least until the

weather changes and someone comes up with a plan.

He has swum the English Channel, and Gibraltar to Morocco. Today,

Little Britain comedian David Walliams plunged into the cold

waters of the River Thames at Lechlade in Gloucestershire for his

next adventure. He is swimming 140 miles to Big Ben

in London. It is all in aid of Sport Relief, and he rates this

challenge tougher than any other. Scott Ellis reports.

The first Little Britain saw Walliams camping it up. I would

like a lady's swim, play is. Men, women, whatever, it is to �60.

is right, a lady's swim. -- it is �6. And today, time for another

swimming-related joke before taking the plunge. And that despite the

hardships ahead. How is the water? Cold! In fact, the Thames water is

colder than the English Channel. And this swim is the Channel every

day for eight days. I must be a masochist. I wanted to do something

else, I just turned 40 and effort, I don't have much time left because

my body is falling apart. I groan and now when I bend down. I thought

I had better get on and do something before it is too late!

Hundreds turned out to wave him off. These schoolgirls from Fairford

skipped lessons. David Walliams was happy to make a video pleading with

their teacher. Please don't give them a detention! They are lovely

girls, they have come to see my off. Please don't punish them severely,

they don't deserve it. Walliams had asked on The One Show for cakes.

You have not put any poison in, have you? He will need 4,400

calories a day to fuel this endeavour. This one on its own

could get him to London. Butter, icing sugar cake, lots of calories.

He can eat as much as he wants. Lucky thing, I wish I could!

Walliams' wife Lara Stone was on the riverbank. And his mother, who

told us swimming is a family affair. A his father and I met in a

swimming hall. Really? Yes, I swam, my husband swam and played water

polo, so it was always something both of our children were going to

do, to swim. Walliams raised a million for Sport Relief crossing

the Channel. This could be very successful too, because the public

can easily come and watch. Have you got another swim up your sleeve

after this one? Can you let me finish this one first?! The day

after I swam the Channel, people were saying, what are you doing

next, Everest? I think I should hang up my trunks after that!

can follow his moves online. He is very brave, good luck!

They can be among your most treasured possessions, the

photographs that capture the moments and form an album of

memories of your wedding day. And they don't come cheap, either.

You can expect to pay hundreds for a professional to photograph your

big day. So if the finished prints turned out as bad as the ones from

William and Kay Collins' wedding, you might well be as upset about it

they are. Here's Jules Hyam. Whether it is a wedding,

anniversary or just a bad day, many people choose to get a photograph

taken to treasure those meant -- there's memories. If you are

working with a professional, you expect the results to be good,

particularly if you are paying money for it. You would not, for

example, want any of the photographs to come back out of

focus. You would expect them to be properly exposed, for the

composition to be nice. Any decent photographer should be able to

follow the action and get you in the shot. That is not what happened

to one couple from Weston-super- Mare. This is what they got.

Treasured moments that are barely visible. William and Kay Collins

had to fork out �595 for the privilege of having these for the

official wedding photographs. was our wedding day and honeymoon,

the first time we have been married, and we wanted what they offered in

the brochure, the crews of a lifetime, which was supposed to be

unforgettable. It certainly was unforgettable, but for all the

wrong reasons. It was a disaster. They forgot the wedding music,

entrance, the photographs were... Terrible. I think we paid �595 for

them and out of 199 photographs we have about three that we can use.

They are very amateur is. It is not as though we can do it again.

have agreed compensation from P&O ferries but have no wedding album

to show K's parents in New Zealand. -- Kay's.This is the big moment -

And before the sport, news of some runaway sheep! These pictures were

sent in to Points West by a viewer who was at the Glastonbury Wool

Festival today. There was a sheep drive down the road, and some of

them went a little astray, as this bunch "ram-raided" a local chemist.

The staff inside were left a little sheepish by the incident.

Let's draw a line under those puns! To sport, and with the Rugby World

Cup just four days away, it is time to get an expert view. Alistair is

here. Alistair Hignell, the former

England international and much- loved broadcaster, is here. We will

talk about the Rugby World Cup and the opening weekend of the

Premiership, but today has been a busy day for you, launching your

autobiography as well. I would imagine a great pleasure to talk

about your career. What about the battle with MS, was that harder to

write to that? Much harder. Going back, the fantastic memories I had

of playing and broadcasting, that was a joy. Going into the dark days

of the aftermath of being diagnosed and multiple sclerosis was hard, it

was traumatic. It was difficult to get through those days to the point

where I am now accepting about it. It was important, though, to write

down the good things as well as the bat to give a rounded picture of my

my. Many people know you from broadcasting but you played cricket

and rugby. -- a picture of my life. I am a sporting dinosaur! In those

days you were able to because the seasons did not overlap. You could

play both. You could not overlap now because the sports are so

intense and demanding but in those days there was time to play rugby

and cricket and sometimes in September, April and May, you have

to play them in the same week. made your England debut, flew home

and played cricket the next day? Near enough, we ride on the

Thursday morning by tourist class because the England rugby team did

not travel first class in those days, and I got back to my college

jet lag, I was in Cambridge, and got a letter from Gloucestershire

saying, can you play in a Sunday League game in Bristol the Sunday?

I said, yes, I well. I had not picked up a bat for 2.5 months, but

something stayed in the memory and I survived. You will not be at the

World Cup in New Zealand, but we have heard today that the England

captain, Bath's Lewis Moody, is not fit for the opening game. How

important is it for England to get him up for the rest of the

tournament? It is important because he is the best find that they have

got. He is a proven player, very important to England's chances, and

I think they know they can get through -- get through the Paul

James so it is important to keep him. We have seen Premiership

squads affected by the call-ups, but a good start for Bath. They did

well, a good start for Gloucester, they could have won that game in

Northampton. I think when the World Cup gets into gear, maybe not this

weekend will by Wales-South Africa will be good, it will show some

great stuff. Great to see you, stay with us while we looked at the rest

of the sport. Cricket, and Somerset have already

sold half of their allocation of 1500 tickets for the CB40 cup final

against Surrey. Yesterday, without three key players including Marcus

Trescothick, they beat Durham in the semi-finals. Incredibly, they

have now made it to all of the last five domestic finals in one-day

cricket, an incredible record. Hopefully this time they can go on

and win the trophy. In football, the Bristol City

winger Albert Adomah will make his international debut this evening

for Ghana. It was performances and goals like this one last season

against Portsmouth that caught the eye. He has been told he will

feature in tonight's friendly against Brazil, which is being

played at Fulham's Craven Cottage. Because of the international break,

there was no game for Bristol City at the weekend. Swindon, though,

ended a turbulent week with a gutsy win over top-of-the-table Rotherham.

And are the players behind Paolo Di Canio? Well, take a look at this.

Matt Ritchie flattening his manager. That love-in went on for some time.

Alan Connell, who has been in and out of the Swindon side since

arriving in the summer, grabbed his chance. Straight off the bench to

score and make it 2-2. And he had the final say as well with the

winner nine minutes from the end. And no sign of Di Canio calming

down. He was off again to celebrate that goal.

Quite a character, no doubt about I don't know if he ever had anyone

like that during your career? were a lot of bonkers people, but

my first international coach was John Burgess, a passing at

Lancastrian who used to greeters on the way into the dressing room -- a

passionate Lancastrian, with a red rose and a dirty great kiss to

encourage you to do well for him! Lovely to see you, best of luck

with the book. Thank you, I think that is the way

things should be! There have been a lot of children

going back to school today, and whereas often it's short sleeves

and shorts weather, definitely not this year.

This is the Downs in Bristol, where there has been a real autumnal feel.

The leaves of the horse chestnuts are changing colour, and there are

masses of conkers already. A lot of weather experts are saying autumn

has come especially early this year because it was such a hot spring.

Abdulmagid Salah Ameri weather man Ian is sampling the weather for us

now. How is it looking? -- our We have some light rain falling in

Bristol here. We will continue to see patchy outbreaks of rain. I can

give you a hint of rush-hour tomorrow, that will be a fairly

typical scene on the M4 because it will be a wet and windy start for

all of us. It will ease through the day and by the afternoon it looks

like a largely dry picture. We have low-pressure up to the north-west,

bringing some autumnal feel to things. You can see a swathe of

rain moving from the south-west through the night, turning heavy

and the winds will be a feature as well. That will move tomorrow to

give a drier spell for most of us into tomorrow afternoon, but the

winds will be a feature tonight. They have been today, gusts of 40-

45 miles an hour in some coastal districts, but from that south-

westerly direction overnight they will pick up further, particularly

after midnight, so we will have gusts of around 50-55 miles an hour

in some coastal districts. Come inland, more like 40, 45 miles an

hour, but either way, with victories in full leaves, it will

be all the more noticeable, possibly a few broken fences. Let's

return to now, some patchy outbreaks of rain to contend with.

For many, though, a largely dry spell through this evening until we

see the rain moving post midnight and it quite quickly spreads to the

north-east, turning heavy as it does so. We could see and insure

more in some districts, so a wet and windy start. For what it's

worth, temperatures down to 13 or 14 tonight. Tomorrow morning's rush

hour will see a lot of surface water and spray. We clear the rain

out of eastern parts of Wiltshire by about 1pm. A good deal of cloud

left behind that some bright as bows as well. Remaining breezy with

the winds shifting to the north- west and I suspect we will see sham

was feeding in from the Bristol Channel to affect North Somerset,

Bristol and Bath, for example. Temperatures in the high teens for

all others. Beyond that, still looking autumnal, a sunshine and

showers set-up on Wednesday, looking like it will turn fairly

but on Thursday, but a lot of uncertainty as to how it will look.

By Friday, it looks like things will start to feel a bit warmer,

which I think will be a feature into the weekend as well, set

fingers crossed there will be an improvement into the weekend, but

anything could happen between now and then!

If you are travelling in the rush- hour tomorrow, tune into your local

BBC radio station for regular traffic update.