:00:10. > :00:14.Good evening and welcome to BBC Points West. Our headlines tonight:
:00:14. > :00:18.Major developments in the Thornbury stabbing. In the last few hours,
:00:18. > :00:23.this man is charged with the murder of the vicar and another pensioner.
:00:23. > :00:27.London's got it's Boris, should Bristol have an elected mayor?
:00:27. > :00:35.Councillors discuss it tonight. What a result! The new treatments
:00:36. > :00:39.that have taken this boy from his wheelchair to the football pitch.
:00:39. > :00:41.And at least they're singing in harmony. The Englishmen and
:00:41. > :00:51.Welshmen from Swindon who are performing at Saturday's big rugby
:00:51. > :00:53.
:00:54. > :00:57.Good evening and welcome to Points West. A dramatic turn of events as
:00:57. > :01:00.a man has tonight been charged with the murder of John Suddards, the
:01:00. > :01:04.reverend of Thornbury. Stephen Farrow, a 47-year-old man
:01:04. > :01:14.of no fixed address was arrested in Folkestone in Kent early on Sunday
:01:14. > :01:15.
:01:15. > :01:18.morning. Sabet Choudhury reports from Thornbury, Sabet?
:01:18. > :01:21.Tonight the flowers outside the entrance to the vicarage, as well
:01:21. > :01:26.as the constant police presence, is a stark reminder to this community
:01:26. > :01:28.in Thornbury about what happened to their vicar, Rev John Suddards.
:01:28. > :01:31.Tonight Police have charged 47- year-old Stephen Farrow with his
:01:31. > :01:38.murder as well as the murder of a retired school teacher from
:01:38. > :01:41.Worcestershire. The Rev John Suddards role as the
:01:41. > :01:45.vicar of Thornbury ended in tragedy when he was found with stab wounds
:01:45. > :01:50.in the hallway of his vicarage on Tuesday. The 59-year-old had moved
:01:50. > :01:54.to his parish just six months ago from Witham in Essex. A popular
:01:55. > :01:57.vicar in this rural and largely peaceful town. On Saturday, police
:01:57. > :02:05.launched a nationwide man hunt to locate this man 47-year-old Stephen
:02:05. > :02:08.Farrow. A day later he was arrested in Folkstone in Kent. Over the next
:02:08. > :02:10.few days, Farrow was also questioned about the death of 77-
:02:10. > :02:17.year-old retired Worcestershire schoolteacher Betty Yeates., who
:02:17. > :02:22.was found at her Bewdley home in January this year. Detectives say
:02:22. > :02:25.they were examining similarities between the two killings. Tonight,
:02:25. > :02:33.Stephen Farrow is charged with both their murders including one count
:02:33. > :02:38.of burglary relating to Rev Stephen Farrow will appear before
:02:39. > :02:44.magistrates to answer those charges. As for this community here in
:02:44. > :02:47.Thornbury, they're still trying to come to terms with the tragedy.
:02:47. > :02:51.Just a few nights ago they held a late night vigil in the church just
:02:51. > :03:01.across the road where Rev Suddards held his services to remember a man
:03:01. > :03:01.
:03:01. > :03:04.who touched so many hearts in his short term as their vicar.
:03:04. > :03:07.Hundreds of people are gathering in Bristol this evening to debate if
:03:07. > :03:11.the City should have a directly elected mayor. People living in
:03:11. > :03:16.Bristol will vote in a referendum on the issue in May, and if the
:03:16. > :03:19.outcome is yes. The city will chose its first Mayor later in the year.
:03:19. > :03:22.It will be the biggest change to how Bristol's governed for
:03:22. > :03:26.generations and already there are fierce divisions. Sarah Jane Bungay
:03:26. > :03:29.reports. Ten weeks and counting until
:03:29. > :03:39.Bristol's residents are asked to cast their vote for or against a
:03:39. > :03:40.
:03:40. > :03:47.directly elected Mayor. 4th 317,000 electors out there and only a
:03:47. > :03:52.handful of them only have a sale of here is the leader. If we have a
:03:52. > :03:58.problem in terms of how they are being led, it won't be solved by
:03:58. > :04:03.the him planting of a personality over a very quick decision. We know
:04:03. > :04:10.the man at the top is in favour. I do support having elected mayors
:04:10. > :04:12.in our cities. It is for our cities to control this. But on a grey
:04:12. > :04:22.Wednesday afternoon in Bedminster, does the prospect of May's
:04:22. > :04:24.
:04:24. > :04:30.referendum spark any interest? be elected by the local people, he
:04:30. > :04:34.will represent the local people better. It will give people the
:04:34. > :04:36.right to choose who they want as mayor of the city. Democratic
:04:36. > :04:39.opinion. So what are the similarities and differences
:04:39. > :04:41.between the council leader and a City Mayor? The council leader,
:04:41. > :04:45.currently Barbara Janke, is elected by other councillors. The Mayor
:04:45. > :04:48.would be directly chosen by the people of Bristol. Once in post,
:04:48. > :04:52.both choose a Cabinet, and can decide on which decision are taken
:04:52. > :04:55.by themselves, or delegated to their cabinet members. The council
:04:55. > :04:58.leader holds their post for up to four years, but can be removed by a
:04:58. > :05:07.single majority of councillors. The single majority of councillors. The
:05:07. > :05:10.Mayor stays in post for four years, Mayor stays in post for four years,
:05:10. > :05:15.but crucially can't be removed. There is also strong tactical
:05:15. > :05:18.reason for having an elected mayor which is that central government
:05:18. > :05:25.seems to favour cities with elected mayors and is prepared to throw a
:05:25. > :05:33.lot of money at them. An expensive space experiment? That
:05:33. > :05:37.is for those who live in Bristol to decide, if anyone turns up, that is.
:05:37. > :05:44.Well, joining me now is Councillor Tim Kent who is against the idea of
:05:44. > :05:50.an elected Mayor and Jason Budd who's firmly in the yes camp.
:05:50. > :05:55.Jason, if it is not broken, why fix it? To improve the situation
:05:56. > :05:59.generally. It would help in terms of gaining visibility for the city
:06:00. > :06:05.both nationally and internally to allow people to have a directly
:06:05. > :06:09.elected voice. We have a leader. have, but I'm not sure how many
:06:09. > :06:14.members of the public could name that leader. Electing that leader
:06:14. > :06:19.would provide a mandate. Looking at the council, it has been like a
:06:19. > :06:24.revolving door in the leader's office. No clear voice, it could be
:06:24. > :06:29.said. How can you possibly object to one person speaking loud and
:06:29. > :06:34.clear for Bristol? Do I would suggest that we do have clear
:06:34. > :06:41.leadership already. Barbara Janke has pretty much lead their council
:06:41. > :06:45.since 2005. If she recognised? think she is. A lot of my residents
:06:45. > :06:51.recognise her. She is as recognisable as any member of
:06:51. > :06:57.parliament. For that game, are you willing to cast yourself in your
:06:57. > :07:04.pocket, the actual cost of running these elections are high. Also are
:07:04. > :07:08.we willing to sacrifice democracy and add to bureaucracy? To counter
:07:08. > :07:12.those points, the cost of the elections is an investment in
:07:12. > :07:17.democracy for the city. It is a referendum for people to make
:07:17. > :07:22.choice. How can you say it is not democracy when the mayor would be
:07:22. > :07:25.elected by everybody? You get one say every four years and then they
:07:25. > :07:31.are unaccountable to year. Councillors will not be able to
:07:31. > :07:36.sack them nor will the public. they are put in there by the public.
:07:36. > :07:40.At the moment, you can get rid of the leader of the council. If the
:07:40. > :07:45.council says you are not doing your job, they have to leave. You cannot
:07:46. > :07:48.do that with a mayor. We have to leave it there. You're watching BBC
:07:49. > :07:53.Points West. Still to come on the programme: We meet Britain's most
:07:53. > :08:00.successful international team with their eyes on the Olympics.
:08:00. > :08:02.And what it's like to be at the top for two of our football teams?
:08:02. > :08:08.Before that, how long should roadside memorials be allowed to
:08:08. > :08:11.stay at the scene of fatal accidents? It's nearly four months
:08:11. > :08:16.since the crash which killed seven people on the M5 in Somerset and
:08:16. > :08:19.there are still floral tributes on a motorway overhead bridge. While
:08:19. > :08:22.some say tributes like this are a distraction to motorists, one
:08:22. > :08:28.mother in Somerset has defended her right to set up a permanent
:08:28. > :08:32.memorial to her daughter, killed last year by a speeding driver.
:08:33. > :08:36.Clinton Rogers has been assessing the arguments.
:08:36. > :08:42.Terri White lays new flowers today on a bridge overlooking the M5 in
:08:42. > :08:47.Somerset. It was here nearly four months ago that her grandparents
:08:47. > :08:50.died in a horrific crash which claimed the lives of seven people.
:08:50. > :08:55.Tony and Pamela Adams had been visiting their family in Somerset
:08:55. > :08:57.and were heading home to Wales. These flowers are for Terri's
:08:57. > :09:07.grandmother who would have celebrated her birthday this
:09:07. > :09:07.
:09:07. > :09:13.weekend. It is important to us because the
:09:13. > :09:21.motorway was their last place. We have not made their ashes to rest
:09:21. > :09:26.just yet. In we are in Taunton and their ashes are in Paris, so every
:09:26. > :09:31.time we want to celebrate or would see them, we put flowers on the
:09:31. > :09:35.bridge rather than driving to Wales. Roadside memorials across the West
:09:35. > :09:38.come in all shapes and sizes. This marks the spot of a fatal accident
:09:38. > :09:41.near Yeovil. And this ghost bicycle, as its known, was placed at the
:09:42. > :09:44.roadside where a cyclist was killed near Bristol. But there is a debate
:09:45. > :09:54.now on whether such memorials are a distraction to drivers, or whether
:09:55. > :09:55.
:09:55. > :09:59.conversely they act as a warning to motorists of possible dangers.
:09:59. > :10:04.Local authorities decide when tribute should be moved and the
:10:04. > :10:08.walls vary from county to county. In Somerset the policy is they are
:10:08. > :10:14.moved after one month. The council accepts that in tragic
:10:14. > :10:20.circumstances like this, having hard-and-fast rules is not easy.
:10:20. > :10:24.The last thing we want is to appear hard-hearted. Our concerns are
:10:24. > :10:34.about where it is dangerous for road users and people trying to put
:10:34. > :10:37.flowers down. The mother and grandparents of teenager Amy
:10:37. > :10:40.Hofmeister, knocked down and killed by a speeding driver in Taunton
:10:40. > :10:43.more than six months ago, have set up what they hope will be a
:10:43. > :10:50.permanent roadside memorial. They say its not a distraction, but a
:10:50. > :10:54.road safety message. I want to think and to be
:10:54. > :10:58.responsible for their actions and to think of the consequences.
:10:58. > :11:02.Therefore, if they have something to remind them, that might help
:11:02. > :11:05.them do that. Each memorial clearly marks a painful personal tragedy.
:11:05. > :11:14.But how long these demonstration of grief should be allowed to stay in
:11:14. > :11:21.place isn't a question which is So how long should roadside
:11:21. > :11:23.memorials be allowed to stay at the scene of fatal accidents? Let us
:11:24. > :11:33.know your thoughts by sending an email to pointswest@bbc.co.uk or
:11:34. > :11:37.
:11:37. > :11:42.leave a message on our Facebook page - BBC Points West. It can be
:11:42. > :11:45.sad and moving to see them. A seven year old boy who seemed
:11:45. > :11:48.certain to spend his life in a wheelchair is playing football with
:11:48. > :11:51.his local team in Norton Radstock. Henry Ford's parents raised
:11:51. > :11:54.thousands of pounds for him to have an operation in America, but more
:11:54. > :11:58.recently they say he has benefited from a new so called 'spider
:11:58. > :12:02.therapy' that makes the most of his movement.
:12:02. > :12:06.Our Health correspondent Matthew Hill has been to see it.
:12:06. > :12:10.Standing on his own two feet- with a little Spider help. Henry Ford
:12:10. > :12:13.suffers from a form of cerebral palsy which affects his leg muscles.
:12:13. > :12:23.But after three weeks of intensive physiotherapy using this special
:12:23. > :12:28.apparatus he's coming on in leaps and bounds. Before the spider
:12:28. > :12:34.therapy he was weak. He had a good range of motion, but not the
:12:34. > :12:39.strength. Since coming here, he is able to transition a lot better. He
:12:39. > :12:44.can get in and out of the car and play football with his friends. His
:12:44. > :12:48.whole demeanour is better. Look at this family video. You can see how
:12:48. > :12:51.much of a struggle he had getting around with his brain sending out
:12:51. > :12:53.the wrong signals to his legs. But then his parents raised thousands
:12:53. > :12:56.of pounds for an operation in America which involved severing
:12:56. > :13:01.some of the nerves in his spine- stopping the muscles contracting to
:13:01. > :13:04.let him move more freely. Since then, the same procedure has been
:13:04. > :13:08.introduced at Frenchay Hospital for patients like Peter now after the
:13:08. > :13:11.surgery. The Spider therapy was developed in Poland - this charity
:13:11. > :13:20.in Oxfordshire pays the �2,000 for the three week course for families
:13:20. > :13:25.who cannot afford it. It is very important that after the
:13:25. > :13:29.surgery, children come here so that the corrective surgery can be put
:13:29. > :13:32.to use and the child can exercise in the correct way. Henry is even
:13:32. > :13:35.joining in football practices with his local team, but still needs a
:13:35. > :13:44.walking frame. But his family hope he will stand unaided this year and
:13:44. > :13:48.then look forward to taking his first independent steps.
:13:48. > :13:53.So far there has not been an independent study evaluating this
:13:53. > :13:58.type of spider therapy, but talking to parents, they are convinced that
:13:58. > :14:02.it works. With more and more youngsters having these operations,
:14:02. > :14:10.it seems likely that demand for this service will only continue to
:14:10. > :14:14.rise. I remember meeting Henry a couple
:14:14. > :14:17.of years ago. Nice to see he is coming along so well.
:14:17. > :14:20.Police believe a large fire at a disused warehouse in Gloucester may
:14:20. > :14:23.have been started deliberately. Thirty homes had to be evacuated
:14:23. > :14:26.because of the blaze at a derelict factory in Tredworth. At its height
:14:26. > :14:36.flames could be seen from Painswick beacon. Some roads in the area
:14:36. > :14:40.remained closed off for much of the day.
:14:40. > :14:45.Teenagers in Dorset are being given an account of what it is like to
:14:45. > :14:48.experience domestic violence. The charity, save Partnership, says
:14:48. > :14:54.three-quarters of a million children witnessed domestic
:14:54. > :14:58.violence each year. I remember my first lap, I remember
:14:58. > :15:03.my last punch. A victim of domestic violence for
:15:03. > :15:07.15 years, Sharon shares her experience with schoolchildren.
:15:07. > :15:11.He used to play a game at the dinner table where I would put my
:15:11. > :15:16.hand down and he would stab between my fingers. What is going to happen
:15:16. > :15:21.to mum? Later, Sharon's real life story
:15:21. > :15:26.inspires a domestic drama. The students explore what makes
:15:27. > :15:32.good and bad relationships. What if Dad gets angry again?
:15:32. > :15:36.As well as possibly witnessing violence at home, the charity says
:15:36. > :15:40.that 16-24 year-olds are the most at risk of abusive relationships.
:15:40. > :15:44.The workshop looks at support and hopes to show how abuse can start
:15:44. > :15:50.in subtle ways. Somebody talking to about what you
:15:50. > :15:55.can wear, of way you can go, he can be friends with, looking at jawbone,
:15:55. > :16:01.it looking at your internet use. That is where it starts.
:16:01. > :16:09.The workshop also experiments with music and art.
:16:09. > :16:14.In five years' time, if they think this is not right, who can I go to
:16:14. > :16:24.and who can I get help from, it will be worth it.
:16:24. > :16:27.After success in Dorset, the hope is to spread awareness nationwide.
:16:27. > :16:31.Britain's most successful international team have been
:16:31. > :16:36.training in Gloucestershire. The para-dressage have won more medals
:16:36. > :16:40.for Great Britain than any other sport in 25 years.
:16:40. > :16:46.Two riders of from the West Country. Despite both winning gold
:16:46. > :16:52.previously, they face tough competition to make it to London.
:16:52. > :16:56.Receiving star treatment and rightly so. Britain's success fault
:16:56. > :17:03.para-dressage riders have won team gold at every major competition
:17:03. > :17:09.since its Paralympic debut in 1996. And that Dunham from Hinton has
:17:09. > :17:13.been on every Paralympic team to date.
:17:13. > :17:23.Being considered on a par with everybody else instead of just the
:17:23. > :17:31.Paralympics, it is the pinnacle of what we have achieved so far. We
:17:31. > :17:37.hope to do really well in London. Taunton's Deb started her journey
:17:37. > :17:42.after a motorbike accident. Three goals in Athens was her clowning
:17:42. > :17:47.glory. Dead at Phil she is returning to her best. With only
:17:47. > :17:52.five riders going to London, she faces tough selection.
:17:52. > :17:57.It is very tough at the moment because we are such a tough squad.
:17:57. > :18:05.They could send out any combination of five and could come back with
:18:05. > :18:13.medals. It is really that tight. I am quietly confident. I hope so.
:18:13. > :18:17.Dressage riding must look effortless even when, especially
:18:17. > :18:21.for disabled riders, it is anything but.
:18:21. > :18:26.You can't just do a bit of extra training because you need all the
:18:26. > :18:30.support to get the horse ready and get you up and get you off. I
:18:30. > :18:34.suppose it is more difficult. People say to me it must be more
:18:34. > :18:44.difficult, but it doesn't seem so to me.
:18:44. > :18:50.And and dead have their pinnacle at their usage. They are expecting the
:18:50. > :18:54.best between now and July. In football, two teams have cause
:18:54. > :19:01.for celebration. Swindon and Cheltenham have claimed the top two
:19:01. > :19:07.of spots in League Two. Swindon beat Shrewsbury 2-1.
:19:07. > :19:12.Michelle went to find out how it feels at the top end.
:19:12. > :19:17.Could this be Swindon Town's new victory dance? There was no dancing
:19:17. > :19:23.in the first half and some fans even started booing. The Swindon
:19:23. > :19:32.manager did not like it. There was a moment behind us whether people
:19:32. > :19:39.did prove. -- the people were bearing. What can I tell my
:19:39. > :19:43.players? The support of the players is needed. But how can the fans
:19:43. > :19:50.blame the man that turned them around.
:19:50. > :19:57.The last year was very downbeat and miserable. Paolo has lit up the
:19:57. > :20:00.place this year. It was Paolo Di Canio as decision
:20:00. > :20:07.and to Port Allen on the field in the second half that paid of big-
:20:07. > :20:11.time. 10 minutes later, a rebound shot was snapped in to make it 2-1
:20:11. > :20:18.for Swindon. Now we can look back and say bye-
:20:18. > :20:23.bye and go to Barbados. The fans are hoping for more
:20:23. > :20:28.victory dances now they are top of the league. Cheltenham Town had a
:20:28. > :20:32.frustrating evening as they could only manage a goalless draw at home
:20:33. > :20:35.to AFC Wimbledon. There were few opportunities to take top spot, but
:20:35. > :20:41.it still leaves them second in the league.
:20:41. > :20:46.It is a. Game for me. There are a lot of teams fighting for it and it
:20:46. > :20:51.is getting tighter and tighter. We are up for it and have proved we
:20:51. > :20:56.are a decent side. That will be a good point gain come the end of the
:20:56. > :21:01.season. With a third of the season left to play, it seems every point
:21:01. > :21:05.counts. Now, when England and Wales face
:21:05. > :21:13.each other in the Six Nations at Twickenham it is sure to be fiery.
:21:13. > :21:20.Both sides hope to win. But before the tackle start flying,
:21:20. > :21:25.a choir felt Swindon will take to the pitch to warm up the crowd.
:21:25. > :21:35.It is a rugby match famed for their passion, determination and emotion
:21:35. > :21:36.
:21:36. > :21:41.it brings out in the players. If not the quality of the singing.
:21:41. > :21:44.No bum notes here in Swindon last night as the Wessex male choir
:21:44. > :21:51.warmed-up ahead of performing on the famous Twickenham pitch on
:21:51. > :21:55.Saturday. But look closely and you spot signs
:21:55. > :22:01.that, although they are singing in perfect harmony, this lot may not
:22:01. > :22:07.be pulling in the same direction and once the match kicks off.
:22:07. > :22:13.The Welsh contingent clearly and in -- unimpressed with the English.
:22:13. > :22:19.Both sides expect to win. We are all a bit nervous, but I think
:22:20. > :22:28.Wales will do it. I'm hoping that we can just about Wayne because if
:22:28. > :22:33.the Welsh win, we will never hear the end of it. So what counts more?
:22:33. > :22:39.Hitting the right notes with the choir or victory for your team?
:22:39. > :22:44.a good performance. I love my rugby, but the choir is what matters for
:22:44. > :22:54.me on Sunday. Yes, a great performance by the choir. Are you
:22:54. > :22:54.
:22:54. > :22:59.sure? Equal. Just don't let this man here that.
:22:59. > :23:03.Rob Eliot set up the quiet 10 years ago. Surely he is focused on
:23:03. > :23:07.performance and nothing else? the choir, it should be about the
:23:07. > :23:11.singing, but as a Welshman it is about their rugby. I'll would
:23:11. > :23:16.rather win by a point and sing badly than lose the game.
:23:16. > :23:21.Just don't tell this lot that. Next time they perform it will be in
:23:21. > :23:31.front of 85,000 fans in the stadium and millions more watching on TV.
:23:31. > :23:37.
:23:37. > :23:43.It is a big day and a big chance to Let's hope they are in good voice
:23:43. > :23:45.for the weekend. We will move on to for the weekend. We will move on to
:23:45. > :23:51.the weather now. Gemma has our forecast.
:23:51. > :23:56.Despite wet and windy weather, it was a mild day. Yes the wind and
:23:56. > :24:00.rain of set the temperature, but we still got into double figures. Rain
:24:00. > :24:05.came in early this morning sweeping southwards. The bulk of it has put
:24:05. > :24:11.to much cleared away. Behind this there is still patchy light rain
:24:11. > :24:17.and drizzle. Eventually, that will clear. In its wake we are looking
:24:17. > :24:21.at a good day tomorrow. It will be a grey and murky start.
:24:21. > :24:26.Temperatures will climb well. We will be looking at the mildest day
:24:26. > :24:32.of the week so far. It is all due to a warm sector that will applaud
:24:32. > :24:38.its way over us nicely tomorrow. A warm sector is where to whether
:24:38. > :24:43.France meet. In between the warm and the colt will be a nice big
:24:43. > :24:49.mass of warm air. There will be a great deal of difference tonight.
:24:49. > :24:56.Double figures pretty much across the board. It will however be quite
:24:56. > :25:01.misty. Out grainy and over cast day to take us into the morning. But
:25:01. > :25:07.with the warm sector, double figures for most of us. A mild
:25:07. > :25:12.start tomorrow misty and murky. The temperature still climbing despite
:25:12. > :25:16.that lack of sunshine. Warm air should allow them to jump to 12 or
:25:16. > :25:22.13 by the afternoon. There is an outside chance we might get breaks
:25:22. > :25:29.in cloud. When that happens, cloud will combine with the mild air to
:25:29. > :25:33.live ties to 13 or 14 maybe 15 in some special parts. There is the
:25:33. > :25:40.start to the day. Visibility is not the best, but temperatures holding
:25:40. > :25:44.up well indeed. The outlook after that remains much of the same. We
:25:44. > :25:51.held on to most of that for the night time. Mist and fog will
:25:51. > :25:57.return, but mild once again on Friday. Temperatures Twelves, their
:25:57. > :26:00.teens. Make the most of that mild weather. The weekend will be
:26:00. > :26:03.fresher with a good deal more sunshine.
:26:03. > :26:08.sunshine. Thank you to our Gemma. We have had
:26:08. > :26:13.a few e-mails in about roadside tributes. Most people supportive,
:26:13. > :26:19.not all though. I think memorial site are annoying
:26:19. > :26:24.and take your attention away from the red. That is from Mrs Talbot.
:26:24. > :26:28.Sadie says she thinks memorials are a nice idea but try not to make
:26:29. > :26:32.them a distraction to drivers. Donna in Yate things roadside
:26:33. > :26:38.memorials are a mark of respect and they should be able to keep them as
:26:38. > :26:42.long as they wish. I have no objection but do wish