06/01/2012 BBC Points West

Welcome to BBC Points West. The headlines: How help for a cancer

patient has come too late. A mother says delays in getting a new

procedure have taken away her only chance of life.

Jailed for two years - the wife who caused a car crash that killed her

husband. Also tonight: More than 40 years on,

the family of a Gloucestershire teenager feared murdered by Fred

West are still searching for the truth.

Putting skaters in a spin - the news that Bristol's ice rink is to

close. I find it awful. We have only just bought ice skates to go

here. I love it. It is awful that A woman from North Somerset says

delays and Government bureaucracy have cost her her only chance of

life. Kerry Dunn has cancer. She was recommended for a pioneering

new treatment which she believes could have saved her life. By the

time the 46-year-old persuaded the NHS to fund it, it was already too

late. Kerry Dunn has cancer of the colon.

Her tumour lies next to her pancreas in a very inaccessible

place which is why her consultant wanted to send her to London to

Mount Vernon. It is one of only three NHS hospitals in the country

to use a new radiotherapy treatment called a cyberknife. It was

developed in places like Honda in Swindon. It moves with a patient's

breathing, so doctors can target tumours more accurately and there

is less damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. The majority of

tumours can be treated using other equipment. For some patients, the

cyberknife is the only chance. Her Primary Care Trust turned down her

request for special funding. It was only with the help of her friend,

the MP Tessa Munt, that she believes persuaded them to change

their mind. The tumour has grown too much. Do you think had you had

it two months before, it would have been viable? Yes. It was viable in

October. To be offered like a lifeline, a cure, and then have it

taken away from you, and then another lifeline comes along, yes,

you can have the treatment and it is taken away again, I don't know

what my future holds now. Tessa Munt is lobbying the Government for

cyberknife technology to be available on the NHS automatically.

They have decided they will set a price tag to this treatment, which

isn't 2012, they will do it in 2014. I am very cross about the fact

there are any number of people who could benefit from this. The

treatment exists. It is available in London. Or you can go to Turkey.

It seems ludicrous we have to go across the world. NHS North

Somerset declined our request for an interview. In a statement, they

say they adhered to guidelines surrounding these cases including

over timescale. They also say that a funding decision was made within

24 hours of new clinical and social evidence coming to light. Kerry

Dunn is the main carer for her daughter, who still has ongoing

health problems. Ruby Dunn was one of the smallest babies ever born in

Britain. Her mother's greatest sadness now? She won't live to see

her daughter grow up. We have had a statement from the

Health Minister who says similar radiotherapy treatment is available

on the NHS in over a quarter of all radiotherapy centres in England.

Clinicians need to make decisions locally about whether their

patients are suitable for the treatment.

A woman who killed her husband in a car crash after she grabbed the

handbrake at nearly 60mph has been jailed for two years. Caroline

Meeking and her husband, Alan, were on their way home and had been

having a drunken row at the time. A sudden, drunken act that had so

many serious consequences. Alan Meeking died almost immediately

when the car he was driving with his wife by his side spun across

the road and smashed into an oncoming vehicle. The couple were

driving home after a day's drinking when they started to argue. She

pulled on the handbrake and caused her husband's death. The court

repeatedly heard that this was a highly unusual case. The judge said

he accepted Caroline Meeking had not intended to cause any harm, or

any injury, but he described her actions as plainly dangerous and

grossly irresponsible. He sent her to jail for two years. Caroline

Meeking in the yellow jacket had arrived at Bristol Crown Court

knowing she may face jail after her manslaughter trial at the end of

last year. The court was told she loved and adored her husband and

was genuinely remorseful. But Mr Meeking's four children from a

previous marriage disagreed. years is never enough. The family

are glad the custodial sentence has been imposed. Caroline's behaviour

has been shocking, never any contact or the word "sorry". We

loved our dad very much and he will be missed by his children, brothers

and many friends. We would have liked a bit more time. It is not

going to bring him back. At least it's a custodial sentence. Both

Alan and Caroline supporters were in court sitting a few feet away

from each other. Families once brought together but now so cruelly

torn apart. Another attempt to rescue the

propofol in Weston-super-Mare from democrat demolition has failed. --

at attempt to rescue the Tropicana in Weston-super-Mare from

demolition has failed. The brother of a Gloucestershire

teenager thought to have been murdered by Fred West more than

four decades ago says he may never know the truth about what happened

to her. 15-year-old Mary Bastholm vanished from the city in January

1968. The serial killer reportedly confessed to her killing, but there

is no evidence and her body has never been found.

What happened to Mary Bastholm is as much as a mystery today as it

was in 1968. Her disappearance prompted the biggest search

Gloucestershire Police had ever mounted. Her brother told me today

how he heard the news. I always remember it - sister Mary missing,

parents distressed. That's the first time I knew of anything at

all. It wasn't until 1994 when the young women murdered by Fred and

Rose West were found that the Bastholm case was re-opened. Graham

Gardner was the journalist who covered the West trial for the BBC.

The police followed it up. They interviewed more than 100 people.

Still, there was nothing to substantiate that confession.

Fred's son said that he too was told that he killed Mary. Again,

without any firm evidence, what could the police do? 44 years on,

Peter Bastholm believes his sister was a victim of Fred West's but

fears he will never find out the truth. I would like to find out.

Both my parents died not knowing what happened to their daughter. So

it would be nice to find out exactly what went on. An internet

petition is calling on police to search the cafe again, but in

response, detectives say they would only do that if new evidence came

to light. The case file into Mary Bastholm's disappearance is still

open, but her family fear after all this time, it will never be closed.

It's Will and Alex here with Friday's Points West. There is

plenty more news and sport to come. Stay with us. We will be finding

out about the fear of the beer belly. Why more than a third of men

would give up a year of their life for the perfect body.

Plus: We love you Cheltenham, we Ploughing their way to White Hart

Lane, the Cheltenham fans gearing up for one of their biggest FA Cup

ties ever. All the the sport coming up shortly.

The parents of a seriously ill boy from North Somerset say they are

facing a difficult decision about his treatment. Five-year-old Harvey

Hext is thought to be the only person in the world with Down's

syndrome and a rare form of cancer. The cancer hasn't responded to

treatment. His parents believe taking him overseas could be an

option but it is expensive and risky.

Playing at home with their mum and their sister, Harvey and Spencer

are two happy boys. As well as Down's syndrome, Harvey suffers

from another very serious and very rare problem. He has neuroblastoma,

a cancer that caused a tumour the size of an orange to grow in his

stomach. We have tried everything we can try. There's still plenty of

options for him. They come at a cost and we have to raise that

money to take him to somewhere elsewhere we can get treatment.

That somewhere may be Germany or the United States. It will be very

expensive, costing up to �300,000. For Harvey, his treatment started

here, at Bristol Children's Hospital. Most children who are

presented with it, we used to be able to offer more than a 25%

chance of cure. That has improved significantly. We are looking at

over 50%. Even so, Harvey's cancer hasn't responded well to therapy.

It is a year since he endured a 14- hour operation to remove a tumour.

Since then, he's received many hours of chemotherapy but still the

cancer remains. His treatment in Bristol is due to end in May. After

that, his parents face a difficult choice. Wait and see if the drugs

kill the cancer or take him overseas for more potentially risky

surgery. Users of Bristol's ice rink are

devastated at the news that it is to close later this year. The rink

is home to the Pitbulls' ice hockey team. Since it opened in 1966,

thousands of youngsters have learnt to skate there including the

Olympic gold medallist Robin Cousins. Sarah-Jane Bungay is there

now. Why is it closing? Well, the company which has Owened this

building for the last ten years thinks it will be put to better use

as student accommodation. They point to the growing numbers of

students attending the city's two universities. Of course, those who

use this rink, some of them behind me now, say it's a vital leisure

facility for them here in the city. We come here four times a week on a

holiday. It is a good place to come. I find it awful. We have only just

bought ice skates to go here. It is brilliant. I love it. It's a place

to socialise, to exercise, to try and stay upright. An icy playground

for children and adults alike. kept thousands of kids off the

streets and it's kept them positive. It is what Bristol needs.

Generations of families have learned to skate at this rink. It

was the training ground for Robin Cousins. Time and time again today,

I have heard how beneficial this rink is for all ages, all abilities.

Just last year, these plastic penguins helped children with

disabilities find their feet on the ice. Well done. We are looking at

around 23 to 25 of my staff, on top of that we have the coaches who

work independently from the rink, but for the rink. We have six of

those. It is not a small amount. Also, the suppliers to the rink and

those people are affected. It is a sad day. Unite, the company which

owns the building, wants to turn it into student flats. Time is running

out for the ice hockey team, set up three years ago to raise the

profile of the game in the city. started three years ago, we are up

to four teams. We will try and put a women's team in next year. We

have numerous amounts of programmes, charity work. I am gutted for

everyone that's been a part or helped us to be what we are today.

For now, the hopes of a new rink remain frozen. Well, an online

petition has started. Paula says, "My children will be devastated if

they had to stop coming here. I can't afford to go to Swindon or

Cardiff." Many people calling now on Bristol City Council to refuse

the planning permission for the student accommodation here. The

arguments will rumble on over the next months and we will bring you

the latest on Points West. Thank you. It's been open for so

long! It may come as a surprise, but a new study has found that more

than a third of men would sacrifice a year of their life for the

perfect body. Would you? I think it would take two years! Well,

researchers from UWE have found most men are unhappy with their

physiques and it is their tummies in particular!

That's not me, that is Olympic rower Peter Reed. Calm down,

ladies! Olympic medallist, Mark Foster. No beer bellies, no

manboobs, no way most blokes look like them! Most do talk about body

shape. That is being caused Body Talk. The latest scientific term

defined as conversations that reinforce and fund realistic male

body ideals. The trouble is, that most of us mere mortals aren't all

that. According to a survey, us ordinary blokes, we are not that

happy with our ordinary bodies. Two-thirds of men said they weren't

satisfied with how muscley they are. More than half said that just

listening to general Body Talk affected them in a negative way. A

third of man who replied said they would be happy to live one year

less if they could achieve their ideal body shape. There's been a

growing number of studies in Australia and the United States,

and in the UK we are starting to see more research coming out. I

think this study is showing that over 80% of men talk about their

bodies in a way that fits in with traditional beauty ideals, gives us

some sense that it is an issue for most men. It is more an open-topic

for discussion. These days, men are more self-conscious about

appearance, the media has a lot to do with that. Not everyone is going

to look like a model, male or female. While Phillippa and her

team say it is a good sign that men are talking about their bodies and

health, obsessing about falling short of some perceived ideal can

lead to more serious issues. Very interesting. The vast majority

of my friends are saying they ate too much over Christmas and they

are going to hit the gym! We need different shapes and sizes.

To sport now, it is an exciting weekend ahead, the third round of

the FA Cup has produced some classic ties for their sides. Three

face Premier League opposition and with more, here is David.

Yes, we have the complete range of cup classics for you. Bristol

Rovers are hoping for a bit of giant-killing at home to Aston

Villa. As are Swindon who face Wigan. The opposite of that is

Bristol City who are the senior side trying to avoid an upset at

Crawley. The most glamorous tie of the round involves Cheltenham. They

travel to White Hart Lane to face Spurs who are third in the Premier

League. More than 5,000 fans will travel to London and some have

chosen an unconventional means of transport.

It's certainly not the quickest way to travel, but it is the most eye-

catching. Come on, Cheltenham! Tomorrow, this tractor will be

decked in red-and-white balloons and rather noisily will lead a

convoy of over 50 supporters' coachers out of Cheltenham to

London. # We all come from Cheltenham Town.

We have the tractor song. It is very famous. What better than

leading all the coaches with a tractor. It is phenomenal to see

League Two opposition playing such a high standard. Cheltenham, they

are the Cheltenham, but to play somewhere so good will be

phenomenal. The players' preparations included their now

traditional meal out together. It's become something of a lucky ritual

before cup ties. Everyone enjoys it. It is good. Have you done this

every round? Yes. The superstitions don't end there. Their ability to

stop Spurs will depend on crucial routines. I put my left glove on

twice and take it off. It's a great opportunity. You look at Tottenham,

they are flying in the Premier League. We know what a daunting

task it will be. We could scare each other to death if we listed

their strengths. We don't want to get a thumping. I truly believe we

won't. Win, lose or draw, the team are flying to Portugal on Sunday -

reward for their season so far. First, Tottenham, and London you

have been warned. The boys from the country are on their way.

# Cheltenham we love you. # Let's confirm all the weekend's

games on your screen. For those fans who can't get to White Hart

Lane, you can listen to extensive coverage on BBC Radio

Gloucestershire. If you were watching last night, we reported on

the Bristol Rovers tie which kicks off at 5.30. The Memorial Stadium

will be packed. It's a chance for them to take a break from all that

and see if they can produce the shock of the round. Swindon are

expecting their biggest crowd for five years. They face Wigan who are

one place off the bottom of the Premier League. Swindon have lost

just one of their last 13 games. Paolo di Canio is enjoying their

success. Wigan have won two games since August. The manager is

delighted to have such a high- profile tie. I'm very happy for my

players. They did very well. They deserve to play a top side. I'm

very happy for the fans, for the club. So it's a very important game,

obviously. We talk of this as a bonus. Sometimes the dream can come

true. We will try to do everything to make a special day for us, for

the fans, for Swindon Town. More on all those stories on Football Focus

tomorrow on BBC One. There is more on several signings made today by

our clubs on our website. This includes the Aberdeen captain Ricky

Foster who joins Bristol City subject to personal terms.

Finally, in rugby, Bath are unchanged for one of their toughest

games of the season at Saracens. Gloucester confirmed that Leslie

Vainakolo has left to join La Rochelle. Tomorrow they are at

Worcester. Thank you. Now, one woman who knows all about

performing under pressure is Zara Davis from Clevedon. Or should I

say "the Queen of Speed"? She is here with us at the moment with a

subtle trophy(!) Zara has been named the UK Windsurfer of the Year.

Congratulations on this. Thank you. The public voted online and you

beat four men. You must be delighted? Absolutely. It is great

to be nominated. I'm grateful to everybody that voted. It was nice

to have some support. Last year was a phenomenal year for you. It is

only fair you should have the chance to blow your own trumpet?

Yes, it was great. I won everything I entered. It was good. The

European Championship, which had rounds in Sweden, Germany, Belgium

and the final round was the British Championships in Weymouth. I won

them all. I won Weymouth six times now. I am "the Queen of Speed"!

LAUGHTER It is about going as fast as you can in a straight line. You

trained a lot around Clevedon and Burnham-on-Sea. Are the conditions

good? They are great for training, but not so good for speed because

it is quite wavey conditions. People know the coast off here. It

is quite tidal so it is difficult to get wind, water and be off work

at the same time. We do most of our speed sailing training at Weymouth

or on the Wirral. You mentioned work, how hard is it to combine

with your work. What do you do? am an osteopath. It is really tough.

On Tuesday, it was very windy and it was probably one of the best

days ever and I was at work. There was another reason you couldn't...

My poor dog got attacked by a badger on the golf course. They

were in the vets having surgery. I was scuppered. You have enough of a

trophy there to be proud of. Yes. It's been a great year. Thank you

for coming in. We mentioned wind. It's been a bit of a respite today.

Ian is here to give us the weather The respite continues. It's quite a

benign weekend. It is broadly dry. Generally, a good deal of cloud

around. The brighter day will be Saturday. It will be mild. We have

had a warm front come through this evening. The cold front will track

through later tonight. That will be a weak affair. Saturday will be the

brightest day. Then on Sunday we have another warm front on the way.

This area of high pressure starts to build. It will be a dominating

part of the weather season into next week. If we look at how the

air mass responds to this, the blues are the colder air, the

yellows are the milder air, it gives us a good indication of how

temperatures will respond. The jet stream keeps the storms away.

Things may change next weekend. For tonight, patchy outbreaks of light

rain and drizzle. Maybe some areas of hill fog. A moderately breezy

night to come. It will indeed be a mild one as well. Temperatures

somewhere around 7-8 Celsius. Tomorrow morning, that rain will

have slipped to the south. Then, it should brighten up.

Temperatures somewhere around 8-10 Celsius. If you are off to any of

the football matches, they are all looking like decent weather.

Perfect football weather. So, into Sunday, it's going to be the

cloudier of the two days. There might be one or two areas that have

some breaks in it. I wouldn't hold your breath for that. Later on, a

warm front is coming in. That will start to spill some patchy

outbreaks of rain in from that direction. Certainly mild.

Temperatures 9-10 Celsius. The rest of the next working week continues

in a similar fashion - no threat of any frost, very little rain. It

could change next weekend. You always leave us on a