:00:25. > :00:27.In Points West tonight: How I nailed the killer. We meet
:00:27. > :00:37.the retired detective who secured the conviction of the farmer who
:00:37. > :00:42.
:00:42. > :00:46.buried his wife. And getting ready for the big
:00:46. > :00:56.Christmas show. We join the cast and crew of the Bristol Old Vic.
:00:56. > :01:10.
:01:10. > :01:12.The curtain goes up here at 6:30pm. Hello. Six weeks after a river wall
:01:12. > :01:16.partially collapsed in Bridgwater, people are being allowed back into
:01:16. > :01:19.their homes, but at their own risk. The local council says the wall is
:01:19. > :01:21.still unsafe and it can't guarantee their safety. Meanwhile, a meeting
:01:21. > :01:25.has been called next week to discuss the way forward amid
:01:25. > :01:27.growing anger at the time it's taking for repair work to be done.
:01:27. > :01:37.Our Somerset Correspondent reports on the latest developments in a
:01:37. > :01:40.long-running saga. Going home in spite of the risks.
:01:40. > :01:49.After six weeks living in a hostel, John Allen is just happy to have
:01:49. > :01:57.his own view back. Even if it is a giant hole in the ground. So happy.
:01:57. > :02:03.I feel like I have won the pools. I am not budging. If this place falls
:02:03. > :02:05.into the river, I will put my swimming trunks on. Ever since this
:02:05. > :02:09.wall partially collapsed into the River Parrett the council have told
:02:09. > :02:11.those living and working nearby by to stay away. Their concern was if
:02:11. > :02:16.the wall went, so might the properties For weeks now they've
:02:16. > :02:21.been monitoring the movement of the wall. Looking for even the
:02:21. > :02:31.slightest shift. They've discovered it is now still. So they've relaxed
:02:31. > :02:35.the restrictions. We can't say it is completely safe. We're saying we
:02:36. > :02:40.don't recommend that people go back. If you do, take suitable
:02:40. > :02:45.precautions that you can evacuate the building and make anyone
:02:45. > :02:47.visiting the buildings as safe as possible. At the same time, the
:02:47. > :02:50.physical barriers have been moved back, offering a few more
:02:50. > :02:57.businesses the chance to reopen. This restaurant owner didn't need
:02:57. > :03:02.asking twice. Very happy. Getting back to business. Even if it is a
:03:02. > :03:06.bit late. This is the busiest period of the year. But we're
:03:06. > :03:09.getting on with that now. Conversely, the owner of the shop
:03:09. > :03:12.next door said he didn't want to take the risk. Even though he's
:03:12. > :03:18.losing money, trading from a temporary shop. I wouldn't want to
:03:18. > :03:24.put my life or my customers' lives at risk. They can come elsewhere
:03:24. > :03:26.for now. It is clear from all those who today met their local ward
:03:26. > :03:31.councillor that there remains unhappiness at the way the
:03:31. > :03:33.situation has been handled. Of course, the 6 million dollar
:03:33. > :03:41.question remains. When will a permanent solution be found to
:03:41. > :03:50.this? When will that all been knocked down and rebuilt? Right now,
:03:50. > :03:54.no one is saying. -- that wall. But there is a meeting next week. Maybe
:03:54. > :04:00.this situation will be clearer then. Shopkeepers across the West are
:04:00. > :04:03.struggling to make money, according to a new survey for Points West.
:04:03. > :04:06.Three quarters of our local shops are either losing money or just
:04:06. > :04:14.breaking even. The news comes on the day the latest official figures
:04:14. > :04:17.show there's been a fall in retail sales. Our Business Correspondent
:04:17. > :04:19.is at the West's largest out of town shopping complex, Cribbs
:04:19. > :04:26.Causeway near Bristol. It looks busy enough there?
:04:26. > :04:32.It does. The band have just struck up. The Christmas-tree a sparkling.
:04:32. > :04:42.But don't be fooled. Management you tell me that trade is down. Not a
:04:42. > :04:46.lot, just a couple of percentage points. We have done a survey of
:04:46. > :04:56.independent retailers. We spoke to 200 of them. This is what they told
:04:56. > :05:06.
:05:06. > :05:12.At Christmas time, who would be a shopkeeper?
:05:12. > :05:17.This man can fix beautiful things. But is lovely shop is beyond repair.
:05:17. > :05:22.At Christmas, this jewellery shop will cause for the last time.
:05:22. > :05:27.will be lucky if I can leave without any debts. I have been
:05:27. > :05:33.working flat out for five years with no game. And just keeping the
:05:33. > :05:43.shop going. We have been sliding slowly into debt. And keeping on
:05:43. > :05:43.
:05:43. > :05:47.top of that has been difficult. Christmas is crunch time. The main
:05:47. > :05:52.competitor is also closing down. Jewellery is too much of a luxury
:05:53. > :05:57.it seems in discount Britain. Retail experts will tell us that
:05:57. > :06:05.our shopping habits have changed dramatically. Sale events are
:06:05. > :06:11.happening very early. But consumers are being very careful and really
:06:11. > :06:20.considering purchases before making them. Our thrift is hitting
:06:20. > :06:26.shopkeepers. In our survey, average turnover dropped by nearly 3%. But
:06:26. > :06:32.retailers are resilient and many can find a silver lining. There are
:06:32. > :06:37.rent-free periods with vacant shops. It might have been a lifelong dream
:06:37. > :06:42.and now you have a redundancy pay out. But people are opening more
:06:43. > :06:48.and more shops. Business is going well despite the recession. This
:06:48. > :06:54.woman opened in February. She has now taken on staff. She has
:06:55. > :06:59.customers, fashion savvy and confidence. Some people were
:06:59. > :07:04.getting really enthusiastic about a new and fresh shock. This is
:07:04. > :07:11.different to other shops. Isn't it great to hear some
:07:11. > :07:20.optimism? All week, some terrible numbers. Prices up, wages down,
:07:20. > :07:23.unemployment up. So what is it like to take a setback? What would an
:07:23. > :07:28.organisation for the whole of the West Country be like? Well, I have
:07:28. > :07:33.been speaking to at the chief economist at our Regional
:07:33. > :07:40.Development Agency. Household budgets are under
:07:40. > :07:44.pressure. We have heard about the Government's across Europe. When
:07:44. > :07:50.everyone is reducing budgets, there is a problem for demand. People
:07:50. > :07:53.don't feel confident to go out and spend money. Not really Christmas
:07:53. > :08:01.cheer. What do you see in your crystal ball? Will next year get
:08:01. > :08:05.better? It once start strong. Some surveys say the first quarter will
:08:05. > :08:11.stay exactly the same with the economy flat lining or worse.
:08:11. > :08:18.Hopefully next year you will get some boost to confidence. Era --
:08:18. > :08:28.there are some signs that the American, -- the American economy
:08:28. > :08:30.
:08:30. > :08:37.is starting to improve. But the growth forecast is not strong.
:08:37. > :08:41.There are some bright sparks in our region, are in there? We have some
:08:41. > :08:51.strong industries. Era space is very important. The civil market is
:08:51. > :08:53.
:08:53. > :08:57.quite strong. They are still able to get markets. They are being
:08:57. > :09:06.helped by the 20% fall in the pound we saw at the start of the
:09:06. > :09:12.recession. How does it feel personally to be part of the
:09:12. > :09:18.unemployment statistics now? little daunting. I am setting up my
:09:18. > :09:21.own business and hoping to find work that way. Others have changed
:09:21. > :09:29.career. Some are making lifestyle choices. It is a difficult year
:09:29. > :09:34.ahead, not just for my colleagues but for everyone. And that is about
:09:34. > :09:40.as close as you'll get to a Happy Christmas greeting from an
:09:40. > :09:50.economist. I have come outside to the one part of the shopping-centre
:09:50. > :09:55.that is doing well. Well, you have to have things that you cannot get
:09:55. > :10:04.on the internet. You can't have been there or court ice-skating on
:10:04. > :10:06.you're computer. Time to do my bit for our economy. Skates on!
:10:06. > :10:10.Ten members of staff who worked at the Winterbourne View private
:10:10. > :10:13.hospital near Bristol have appeared before magistrates today. They were
:10:13. > :10:15.charged with offences of ill treatment and neglect. It's the
:10:15. > :10:18.first time they've appeared. These are the three former carers
:10:18. > :10:26.facing the most charges at Winterbourne View Wayne Rogers,
:10:26. > :10:28.Graham Doyle and Allison Dove in the grey hoody. This is the private
:10:28. > :10:31.hospital where they worked. Winterbourne View. Today in the
:10:31. > :10:35.sunshine. This afternoon, what's alleged to have happened to
:10:35. > :10:43.vulnerable adults here came before the courts for the first time. Ten
:10:43. > :10:45.people are charged with 40 offences. They all concern five patients.
:10:45. > :10:49.Also before the magistrates today were from the top left, Charlotte
:10:49. > :10:51.Cotterell, Michael Ezenagu and Cotterell, Michael Ezenagu and
:10:51. > :10:55.Sookalingum Appoo. And from the bottom left, Danny Brake, Holly
:10:55. > :10:58.Draper, Jason Gardiner and Kelvin Draper, Jason Gardiner and Kelvin
:10:58. > :11:04.Fore. The charges follow secret filming by the BBC Panorama
:11:04. > :11:06.programme earlier this year. The defendants sat quietly through
:11:06. > :11:13.today's proceedings, speaking only to confirm their names, addresses
:11:13. > :11:16.and date of births. No pleas were entered here today and the
:11:16. > :11:24.magistrate decided the cases should now go before a crown court in
:11:24. > :11:31.early February. The ten remain on police bail until then. The
:11:31. > :11:34.condition being they don't seek work with vulnerable people.
:11:34. > :11:37.It seems there is some pretty horrible weather heading our way
:11:37. > :11:40.this evening, which could make driving very dangerous in the early
:11:40. > :11:50.hours and in the rush hour tomorrow. What are the main headlines
:11:50. > :11:51.
:11:51. > :11:57.tonight? Well, it has been annexed series of
:11:57. > :12:03.potential threat. Wind will not be an issue any more. Heavy rain will
:12:03. > :12:07.be in the south. And also some snow. There are some parts of the West
:12:07. > :12:16.Country which are more prone to have disruptive snow than others.
:12:16. > :12:20.During rush-hour, there could be some snort in this part here.
:12:20. > :12:24.Exactly how far it will settle, there is some doubt. More details
:12:24. > :12:27.are later. We will have a full forecast
:12:27. > :12:30.looking at those headlines in detail at the end of the programme.
:12:30. > :12:35.A church youth club leader from Saltford faces jail tonight after
:12:35. > :12:42.being convicted of sex offences with young girls. Philip Barlow is
:12:42. > :12:45.the son of the pastor at Grace Bible Church near Keynsham. He was
:12:45. > :12:51.found guilty on 14 charges, including sexual assault on a child
:12:51. > :12:53.under 13. He'll be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court tomorrow.
:12:53. > :12:56.The retired detective who led one of Gloucestershire's most high
:12:57. > :13:01.profile murder inquiries has spoken for the first time since Kate Prout
:13:01. > :13:06.was found. Adrian Prout was convicted following the
:13:06. > :13:09.investigation by Neil Kelly, but he could never locate her body. Last
:13:09. > :13:13.month, Prout confessed and took police to the place where he buried
:13:13. > :13:23.his wife. Today the former officer has been back to Redmarley with our
:13:23. > :13:25.
:13:25. > :13:35.Gloucestershire Reporter. On the first day, we didn't know what we
:13:35. > :13:44.
:13:44. > :13:47.were dealing with. But soon Neil Kelly's suspicions changed. After
:13:47. > :13:49.seeing this police interview, where Prout showed no concern for his
:13:49. > :13:57.wife. With no body and just circumstantial evidence, Adrian
:13:57. > :14:01.Prout was found guilty of murder. The family's reaction was the most
:14:01. > :14:08.telling. They were delighted with the result. Ultimately, that
:14:08. > :14:11.matters to most. After the trial, Neil became an enemy of those who
:14:11. > :14:14.were convinced of Adrian Prout's family and hundreds of supporters
:14:14. > :14:19.who claimed he was innocent. They did not have a greater insight into
:14:19. > :14:25.what had gone on. In a sense, it is understandable that close friends
:14:25. > :14:34.and family will stand by Adrian. At the same time, they will now
:14:34. > :14:37.realise how they were effectively corned. -- conned. Dramatically,
:14:37. > :14:40.last month, Prout finally confessed and told police where he had buried
:14:40. > :14:47.his wife. In a corner of the farmland police had spent weeks
:14:48. > :14:51.searching. It was impossible to excavate the entire site. It was
:14:52. > :14:56.always a possibility that our search strategy might have missed a
:14:56. > :15:01.body lying under ground. We were satisfied she was not somehow
:15:01. > :15:05.visible. Neil Kelly came back to Redmarley to see Kate Prout's body
:15:05. > :15:10.recovered, to see for himself the end of the job he'd started. It was
:15:10. > :15:18.satisfying to be here at the end, to see the body found and to return
:15:18. > :15:21.her with some dignity to her family. Four years after it started, the
:15:21. > :15:26.investigation has now closed into the murder of Kate Prout. Our
:15:27. > :15:33.report has been sent to the coroner who is expected to release the body
:15:33. > :15:43.to the family early in the new year so they can finally holed the
:15:43. > :15:45.
:15:45. > :15:48.funeral. -- hold. The council says the damage caused
:15:48. > :15:51.by the protesters to Bristol's historic College Green will cost
:15:51. > :15:54.around �100,000 to fix. The camp was set up in front of the
:15:54. > :15:57.cathedral in October. But after the recent bad weather, the state of
:15:57. > :16:00.the site has deteriorated. In the shadow of the cathedral, the
:16:00. > :16:04.Occupy Bristol camp is now a familiar sight. It started with a
:16:04. > :16:07.few tents in October and soon grew to a small community. But it's come
:16:07. > :16:10.at a cost. The green - a centrepiece of the city - has been
:16:10. > :16:17.damaged. Damage which the council say will cost around �100,000 to
:16:17. > :16:21.fix. Recently, the council had put the figure to fix the green at
:16:21. > :16:27.around �13,000. But they say as time has gone on that figure has
:16:27. > :16:35.risen. Although the protesters argue the new sum is massively
:16:35. > :16:39.overestimated. It is rubbish. They know full well oil would not cost
:16:39. > :16:43.that. We have made it clear that when we have finished here we will
:16:43. > :16:48.fix it. We don't expect the taxpayer to fit the bill for this.
:16:48. > :16:53.We have paid -- we have made that clear from the start. Why should
:16:53. > :16:58.anyone listen to it? The protestors have now contacted the city council
:16:58. > :17:01.wanting to know how they've reached the �100,000 figure. Responsibility
:17:01. > :17:03.for the green is shared between the city council and Bristol Cathedral.
:17:04. > :17:13.And initially the diocese were sympathetic to Occupy Bristol's
:17:14. > :17:15.
:17:15. > :17:20.cause. But over time that attitude has changed. In the beginning, I
:17:21. > :17:25.was challenged by this. We met a group of people with important
:17:25. > :17:29.principles and important things to say about the economy. I was really
:17:29. > :17:33.exercised by that and felt that we should be doing a better job to
:17:33. > :17:39.respond. Now what I am challenge by our problems associated with
:17:39. > :17:44.violence, drink and drug abuse, with safety issues on College Green.
:17:44. > :17:48.And that is actually quite disappointing. It is also deeply
:17:48. > :17:50.disturbing that that is the real challenge now. Despite concern from
:17:50. > :17:57.the cathedral, it seems the protestors are intent on staying.
:17:57. > :18:00.Although according to the council it comes at a very high cost.
:18:00. > :18:10.Joining me now from outside the council house is Councillor Gary
:18:10. > :18:25.
:18:25. > :18:28.Hopkins. Where did you get this figure from? It is not just repairs.
:18:28. > :18:38.We have to pitch the green back a mistake to that people will be
:18:38. > :18:42.
:18:42. > :18:49.happy with and so there are clean up costs and the man hours as well.
:18:49. > :18:54.It's going to cost �100,000 to returf Wembley. We're not just
:18:54. > :19:02.looking at the grass, but the total cost of the whole operation. Legal
:19:02. > :19:10.costs, officer time, the work that has to be expended on solving the
:19:10. > :19:15.problem. So the physical damage is less than that? Not yet. But along
:19:15. > :19:19.the goes on, the worse it becomes. We are concerned about that. We are
:19:19. > :19:23.also concerned that people won't have access to this site over a
:19:23. > :19:27.significant time. I was asked about this issue because you might
:19:27. > :19:31.remember that we won the national competition for Britain in Bloom.
:19:31. > :19:39.College Green was an important factor in this. This year, we are
:19:39. > :19:42.taking part in the European competition. It begs the question,
:19:42. > :19:47.if it is costing the taxpayer so much, why haven't you intervened
:19:47. > :19:53.earlier with the cathedral to move them on? Well, I think the
:19:53. > :19:58.situation should be clear. The cathedral on the land. Some parts
:19:58. > :20:03.of it, we have a lease over. Frankly, the cathedral have the
:20:03. > :20:08.controlling interest in the land. But the taxpayers pay the bill?
:20:08. > :20:12.That is unfortunate. Very often it is the case that the taxpayer is at
:20:12. > :20:16.the wrong end of other people's actions. We as a council will have
:20:16. > :20:26.to put all this right and the Bristol taxpayer will have to pay
:20:26. > :20:27.
:20:27. > :20:33.the bill. Thank you. A Wiltshire man has been given an
:20:33. > :20:36.MBE for his work with children with special needs. But the unusual
:20:36. > :20:38.thing about today's ceremony was that the venue wasn't a Royal
:20:38. > :20:43.Palace. It was a school near Devizes.
:20:43. > :20:46.A rousing reception for a very special school governor. He's a
:20:46. > :20:54.very smart person because he came with the charity trust ten years
:20:54. > :21:00.ago and it's been a big success ever since. He's just a really nice
:21:00. > :21:06.man and he does loads of things for the school. Badge proudly pinned to
:21:06. > :21:09.his chest, the new Member of the British Empire took centre stage.
:21:09. > :21:19.The great thing about this school is that the staff and governors are
:21:19. > :21:30.
:21:30. > :21:36.100% cent in tune. As were those joining in with the national anthem.
:21:36. > :21:41.It's 20 years since an honour like this was awarded in Wiltshire. Mike
:21:41. > :21:44.was invited to Buckingham Palace to receive his medal. Instead, he
:21:44. > :21:48.chose to have it presented here at the school he's worked so hard to
:21:48. > :21:52.support. Everything that I have done has been towards Rowdeford
:21:52. > :22:02.School and they have been a lot of fun to work with and the children
:22:02. > :22:02.
:22:02. > :22:05.have got a lot, I think, out of today. They would have got nothing
:22:05. > :22:08.at all had I just gone to Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle.
:22:08. > :22:11.It's that dedication to the children that's made Mike such an
:22:11. > :22:14.asset to this school. In ten years at Rowdeford School, he's raised
:22:14. > :22:24.more than �1 million, paying for this arts building, among other
:22:24. > :22:24.
:22:24. > :22:27.things. A great achievement today rewarded in fitting style.
:22:27. > :22:31.It's a story just right for Christmas - about how the power of
:22:31. > :22:36.human kindness can transform people's lives. The Coram Boy is
:22:36. > :22:39.this year's festive offering from the Bristol Old Vic. Involving
:22:39. > :22:46.local children, singers, musicians as well as some more well known
:22:46. > :22:48.faces. It'll be staged at the Colston Hall while the Old Vic
:22:48. > :22:55.undergoes a revamp and the rehearsal space is rather unusual
:22:55. > :23:01.too. Adaptability is the key requirement
:23:01. > :23:09.of any actor. Those involved in this production have had to adapt
:23:09. > :23:15.considerably. This used to be a sports shop. Now the actors and
:23:15. > :23:25.props Phil the floor. With a substantial cast, rehearsal space
:23:25. > :23:28.
:23:28. > :23:34.is crucial. At least 100 staff. There are singers and chaperones
:23:34. > :23:40.for the children and dressers. It is a one-off event for Bristol.
:23:40. > :23:46.play is a piece of social history, showing a light on a hidden part of
:23:46. > :23:52.the 18th century. Thomas Gorham set up the first home for abandoned
:23:52. > :23:59.children and babies. Some of it is quite dark and scary. Overall, it
:23:59. > :24:06.sends out a message of family unity and the family coming together. And
:24:07. > :24:12.love as well. I am in the musical ensemble. Recreate the atmosphere.
:24:12. > :24:17.If there is a forest, we will be the trees. If there is a church, we
:24:17. > :24:22.are the gargoyles. We keep the whole feeling going. The cast of
:24:22. > :24:26.musicians come from right across the West. Fitting for a story which
:24:26. > :24:30.is set between Bristol and Gloucester. With a myriad of
:24:30. > :24:37.children involved, the direct to must be strict. Our day is a very
:24:37. > :24:46.long because the children have to go to school. There is no playtime
:24:46. > :24:51.at all. Playtime is the rehearsal! Next week, the move to the real
:24:51. > :24:59.venue -- the move the rehearsals to venue -- the move the rehearsals to
:24:59. > :25:03.the performance venue. Miserable will be an understatement
:25:03. > :25:08.first some people in Gloucestershire tomorrow morning.
:25:08. > :25:12.We're expecting snow so there could be significant amounts. Once the
:25:12. > :25:22.snow was out of the way, it will be cold. Some wintry showers in
:25:22. > :25:29.
:25:29. > :25:33.western part. We have been tracking the low pressure at all week. Below
:25:33. > :25:43.countries will suffer some of the potentially damaging not winds, but
:25:43. > :25:45.
:25:45. > :25:51.we will not. We have a Met Office amber alert out for snow.
:25:51. > :26:00.Effectively, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and the M4 corridor. That
:26:00. > :26:10.is for tomorrow morning. If you're travelling anywhere within this
:26:10. > :26:23.
:26:24. > :26:33.general area, from 5pm until 9am, you will need to take care. Here or
:26:34. > :26:42.
:26:42. > :26:52.these no accumulations. -- the snow. This evening, the rain will spread
:26:52. > :26:57.and and some of it will be heavy. - - spread in. Later, the era will
:26:57. > :27:07.rotate. We will start to see snow falling and problems start to
:27:07. > :27:11.
:27:11. > :27:20.develop. The problems are less than as we head down towards Bristol and
:27:20. > :27:30.Bath. In the rest of the morning after the snow has clear, there