15/11/2013 BBC Points West

Commonwealth Summit in Sri Lanka. That is all from the BBC News at

Good evening and welcome to BBC Points West. Our headlines tonight:

Another setback for Bristol Rovers. Did fans celebrate too soon? Their

new stadium faces more delays. Why the number of dangerous dogs

seized by police almost doubled in a year.

600 tonnes and travelling at four miles an hour. The wide load heading

to a village near you. And it's Children In Need night and

we'll be live at the Roman Baths. Good evening, and welcome to the

beautiful city of Bath. It is looking stunning here tonight, and

this is our venue for the BBC Children In Need appeal 2013, the

Roman Baths. For thousands of years, people have come here to take the

water just to throw coins into Bath of the Roman goddess, Minerva.

Tonight is all about the NATO to those people who really need it ``

donating two. We do need your cash. We will be telling you how to donate

later on, and we have lots of fun activities lined up throughout the

evening. The `` but first, today's news stories. It started with

celebrations, but tonight there s disappointment for Bristol Rovers

fans, as plans for their new stadium face another setback. Their current

ground, the Memorial Stadium, was to be turned into a supermarket. But

now a High Court judge has ruled that that decision should be

reviewed. So where does it leave the future of the new stadium? Alistair

Durden is there now. They were celebrating back in

January. It unlocked the money Rovers needed to fund menu home But

the same `` but the Sainsbury's scheme faced local opposition from

residents and traders. They asked for a review on how the council made

its decision. Today, a High Court judge agreed to scrutinise it more

closely, on the grounds of the financial impact it would have. This

is a fundamental part of democracy, that we can challenge decisions made

by those in power. It is important that we can look properly and again

at this decision. We want the `` we want Rovers to have their new

stadium, but not at the expense of the traffic and the Gloucester Road

shops. This evening, the council said it was disappointed, but it

would consider the grounds of challenge and would respond in order

to ensure that the redevelopment can go ahead. Bristol Rovers called the

review a waste of time and money. The council wants this. Bristol

monsters. The majority of people want this. It is a shoot waste of

money, which is going `` it is a huge waste of money, which could be

going to local people. The legitimacy of the review was also

questioned in the House of Commons last week. One local lawyer says now

it is going ahead, it will be costly for both parties. I anticipate it

will be involved planning Council, highly qualified planning

barristers, QCs, and a lot of work. And I suppose the costs might be

anything between ?30,000 and ?60,000. Now it is a question of

when and where the injectors and the council will do battle again. This

time, in front of a High Court judge.

The number of dangerous dogs seized by Avon and Somerset police has

almost doubled in just one year Officers say it's because of the

trend for owning bull`type breeds ` some of which are illegal. Some of

the dogs are so vicious they have to be destroyed. Scott Ellis reports.

It is still upsetting. Postal worker Lena Gane. Attacked by a

Staffordshire bull terrier delivering mail in Longwell Green in

May last year. Lena is still traumatised. It was the most

terrifying thing I have ever been through. I didn't think I was going

to die. I went down. I still have nightmares about it now. For her own

safety, she now delivers by van Her employer, Royal Mail, says dog

attacks in Bristol remain unacceptably high. And new figures

seizures of dangerous dogs by Avon and Somerset police rose 80% last

year, in line with a rise in the number of bull breeds. Bull types of

dogs have become a fashionable item. They have become a status

symbol for sign young people. Unfortunately, in the wrong hands,

brought up incorrectly, they have become a problem. They are easy to

buy. Many people are breeding in the back streets and selling them very

cheaply. The police want bull breed owners to have their pets properly

trained. Those with guide dogs support that. On average, ten are

attacked by other dogs each month in the UK. Including Zim, bitten

recently guiding his owner in Bristol City Centre. The thought

that he could have been injured and I could've not had a guide dog for a

while because he would've had to recover, it is really terrifying. It

away your independence. Next year, new laws will make attacks on

assistance dogs a criminal offence. So too dog attacks on people on

private property. Lena took her case to court ` but the case was thrown

as it happened on the owners' doorstep. There's no repercussions

for that dog. It has more rights than I do. Something with four legs.

It is absolutely ludicrous in this day and age. The police say not all

seized dogs are destroyed. Most are eventually returned to their owner,

if they agree to rules such as using a muzzle and having their pet

microchipped. The full impact of Flybe's proposed

job cuts on the south`west has been revealed today. The airline has

announced it's consulting on 11 redundancies at Exeter airport, the

largest number of job losses in any of its bases. The company is

proposing 500 redundancies across the country.

A decision to close 18 children s centres in Somerset has been

delayed. Dozens of campaigners were at County Hall this morning, as

councillors discussed plans to remodel the service. The council

wants to cut the amount spent on buildings, but says it'll also

increase funding for front`line staff. But the public response

persuaded the councillor in charge to postpone the announcement planned

for Monday. A woman from Somerset has been

banned from keeping horses for five years and given a suspended jail

term after admitting causing suffering to two animals. Samantha

Knight's horses were in such a bad state they had to be put down. One

horse charity says cases of neglect have increased by 50% in a year as

people struggle to meet the costs. Sally Challoner's report contains

images of how the horses were found. These are the lucky ones. Louis and

Archie were worth `` were rescued from a field, where some at the

night kept a total of seven horses. They are being cared `` they're

being cared for at a charity in Bristol. Ray and Hope were not so

lucky. When an RSPCA inspector was called by neighbours, this is what

she found. A court heard they were emaciated and in pain. They were put

down on the spot. The vet in this case said in 29 years he had never

experienced a worse case of horse neglect. The judge told Ms Knight

that she had caused significant suffering to the animals over a

significant period of time. Charities say this isn't an isolated

case. Neglect and abandonment is on the increase, as costs continue to

soar. It is mind`boggling, the way that the value of the horse has come

down. They are so cheap to buy, but they are so expensive to keep.

During the winter, you could easily spend ?100 a week keeping a horse.

Those financial factors, clearly, have a part to play in the current

and ongoing crisis. They warn another cold, wet winter could put

thousands more at risk. People should think very carefully before

taking on a horse. If someone gets in a position where they can't cope,

please ask someone for help. There are horse rescue places and charity

that can help you. It could have been avoided, with correct feeding

and veterinary care. Princess Anne, president of another horse charity,

said today they would receive better care if their meat was allowed onto

supermarket shelves. There is no shortage of care here at Horse

World, but as long as unscrupulous buyers and owners feed the number of

unwanted horses, the rescue centres will need to lend a helping hand.

It's a year since our police forces underwent a major upheaval. Police

and Crime Commissioners were elected to replace the old police

authorities. Have they delivered on their promises? In his second

report, our home affairs correspondent, Steve Brodie, has

been assessing their impact. Out on the beat, the Police and Crime

Commissioner in Wiltshire finding out what his officers deal with

every day. Afterwards, the man in charge want some feedback. I'm Angus

MacPherson, the Police and Crime Commissioner. I'm the guy that holds

the chief constable to account for policing in the county on your

behalf. I just wanted to make sure that you felt you'd been dealt with

fairly well by the officer. Yes If you have mobile body cams...

Commissioners were elected to engage more with the public. In Dorset

Martin Underhill holds regular meetings. So how has his first year

gone? The interaction with the public has been amazing. Tens of

thousands of people have interacted with me face`to`face, or by e`mail

or letter. We have seen changes where I have challenged the chief

constable over things like vehicle crime, over the nonemergency police

number 101. This wouldn't have happened before. It is working. The

commissioners listen and reflect on what the public wants in policy and

policing priorities. There's nothing like a bit of ownership and peer

pressure to say, don't graffiti my wall. No surprise in rural

Wiltshire. Anti`social behaviour tops the list. Whenever we talk to

the public, it is very interesting. What is the problem in your area?

Drugs? Speeding? Right at the top is always kids hanging around. Nothing

for kids to do, they say, is worth about the area. Because they have

control of a budget, commissioners can fund services to cut crime as

they see fit, like this community club which helps youngsters. There

has been a rise in gang related incidents. There are young kids who

are affiliated with gangs. This centre gives us the scope to be able

to work with these kids and try to steer them away from getting

involved in these activities. Martin Searle was elected to the new role

of crime commission here in Gloucestershire at a time of up evil

during the senior ranks. How did he do? `` a time of upheaval. Old and

young had turned up in force. There will be more of a challenge when

commissioners face three election in a few years' time. They will be

fighting on their records, not just their promises. I think I have

brought stability and purpose and clarity to the organisation, so

everyone here knows what is expected of them. I am supportive of them,

but not at any cost, and we will be sailing a steady course in the next

few years. Focusing on the priorities of anti`social

behaviour, violence against women and giving a voice to victims. That

has now been embedded in the police service, and we are beginning to see

signs of change. So the transformation of how our forces are

directed is under way, and at least according to a recent poll, 70% of

the population have now heard of their commissioners.

A warm welcome to BBC Points West on this chilly Friday night. Ian will

be here later with news of a cold week to come. But first, it can t

have escaped your notice that it's Children In Need night. So many of

you have been doing your bit and raising money, ahead of tonight s

big fundraiser here on BBC One. David and Alex have been roaming

around Bath for us. They are in the magical setting of the Roman Baths

for this evening's programme. Hello! Thank you, and welcome back to Bath.

This really is such a beautiful and sacred place. Behind us, we have the

great Bath, and here, some time ago they drained the Sacred Spring

during the renovations. When they did, they found 12,000 Roman coins.

They offered those up to the Roman goddess of Minerva in return for

their healing powers. That is a lot of cash. If the Romans can do it, we

can too. You are looking lovely tonight. Thank you! I was talking to

Pudsey, actually. You have been brilliant, as you always are raising

funds for Children In Need. We know that times are hard, but that hasn't

stopped you going out and about today to raise money.

# It's a beautiful day. # The sun is up, the music is

playing. # You will not hear this boy

complaining. # I'm glad that you are the one who

got away. # It's a beautiful day.

# It's a beautiful day, the sun is up.

# Music is playing. # And if it started raining, you

wouldn't hear this boy complaining. # I'm glad that you're the one who

got away. # It's a beautiful day #.

Fantastic. You always go the extra mile. This is such a remarkable

place. Behind us, you can probably see this team is rising. It is very

atmospheric. You might think it is freezing cold. You feel a bit of

warmth coming off the water. It comes off at 46 degrees. I am

freezing! Back in the 70s, you could have a swim in the water. You can't

now. It might have been tempting to one guy from Cheltenham, whose name

is Sean Conway. We have been covering him over the autumn because

he has been swimming from Land's End to John O'Groats. During that

process, he got a bit, shall we say, hairy. He sent this message for

Children In Need. I am Sean Conway, and I have just swum the length of

Britain. During my swim, I grew this beard toward off jellyfish. I pledge

this `` I pledge to shape this beard off tonight, live on TV, but only if

you pledge enough money for Children In Need. Just behind us, you might

see these little figures. This is our very special choir. Hello,

choir! The whole country is going to see them soon. They will be starring

here on BBC One during Children In Need evening. They have been

rehearsing like crazy. We will tell you more about that later in the

programme. Now back to the studio. One of the biggest loads ever

transported on Britain's roads is about to make its way through our

region. The giant electrical transformer is 330 feet long. That's

about the length of ten buses. It means problems in parts of

Wiltshire, Somerset and South Gloucestershire this weekend, as it

slowly navigates one of the only routes that can take it's colossal

weight. Here's Andrew Plant. It s as long as a football pitch, wider than

two cars side`by`side, and weighs a whopping 640 tonnes. This is one of

three transformers travelling from Oxfordshire to Avonmouth, a Goliath

on a mammoth journey. It is travelling 80 miles, and it will

take a full three days, travelling at walking speed, just four miles an

hour. Slower still on even the smallest hill. We do create a lot of

congestion. At four miles an hour, we take up two lanes of the

carriageway. On a motorway, that creates a lot of problems. The

direct route is out of bounds, because the motorway simply cannot

take this weight all the way. So surprisingly, perhaps, it is the far

smaller a road that will do the heavy lifting. It will stop

overnight on Saturday at Tog Hill, and then went its way to Week. ``

Week. It will arrive in South Gloucestershire at around 11am on

Sunday. They will have to pause and lay steel plates on this bridge to

make its done enough to carry the load. Sunday will mean a road

closure from the Bromley Heath roundabout, all the way to the M 32,

where this mega load will meet the motorway once more, aiming for

Avonmouth early on Sunday evening. It's the international break so

Yeovil Town are the only one of our football teams not in action this

weekend. In League One, Bristol City head to Tranmere Rovers with renewed

confidence, having won three and drawn one of their last four games.

Swindon take on Colchester United. In League Two, Bristol Rovers play

Bury at the Mem, while Cheltenham travel to Wycombe Wanderers.

It's the Anglo Welsh Cup for Bath and Gloucester this weekend, with

the Cherry and Whites at home to Newcastle tomorrow. On Sunday, Bath

host Exeter Chiefs at the Rec, having won eight of their ten

matches so far this season. We are pretty pleased with where we are. If

you had offered as this at the beginning of the season, we would

have snapped your hand off. Looking back now, we were disappointed with

the Sale result when it happened, but we are in a good place at the

moment. In the Championship, third`placed

Bristol take on second`placed Rotherham at the Mem, looking to

bounce back from defeat to London Welsh last weekend.

The Winter Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams has turned her hand to

a new sport. She's making her international debut as a rally

co`driver this weekend. She has spent the last ten weeks getting her

qualifications in order to compete in the final round of the rally

World Championships in Wales. It has been quite cold up there, as you saw

from Alex and David, but getting colder here.

Indeed. That took some pleasure out of David saying he was cold, but at

least he will stay dry, as most of you will throughout much of the

weekend. Saturday will start with some fog for some of you, and frost

as well. There will be a lot of cloud around generally to the north.

That will move southwards through Saturday. Sunday will be mostly

overcast, but largely dry. This is how things are shaping up. This

ridge of high pressure giving quiet conditions. You can see the blue

indicating a chilly night tonight. More cloud syncing its way

southwards through tomorrow, and that sticks around on Sunday. All

eyes on this front, which will slowly sink southwards into Monday.

That will usher in much colder conditions that will be profoundly

felt by Tuesday. Tonight, the winds on light. Where we have had clearer

skies with the best of the sunshine, we will tend to get more

chance of frost. Parts of South Wiltshire could get down to minus

one. Notice fog forming in some areas as well, could be quite dense

by tomorrow morning. We will be seeing a chilly night. Tomorrow it

could take a while for some of that fog to clear away. The fog could

advance its way southwards in the afternoon, so if it starts bright,

it could be squeezed out. Winds will remain light, so perfectly usable

weather. Temperatures should eventually recover to about eight

Celsius. It will not be as cold start on Sunday. A good yield of

dry, if cloudy, weather. That front coming southwards could introduce a

bit of light rain, particularly as we head into Monday. This kink in

the front has been the key to our fortunes in the next week. Down

comes the cold air out of the Arctic Circle, and things will turn

decidedly chilly, as temperatures will reflect that.

Thanks, Ian. It's Children In Need night! Caution and dignity go out

the window tonight! David and Alex are down at the Roman Baths in Bath

with Pudsey. They've got a night full of entertainment, music and, of

course, news of all your fundraising efforts. Who needs dignity?

Welcome back to the Roman Baths We do need a bit of caution, given Bath

we are standing around. The highlight of the night is our choir.

They have been rehearsing for ages. They are from schools across the

area. They have never sung for an audience before, so the first time

they do it will be in front of millions of people. We went along to

their rehearsal. Imagine someone has told you I really, really funny

joke. That's a good one! It is one of the last rehearsals before the

big performance, and for these pupils, it is a big moment. They do

not have a formal choir, so it is the first time many of them have

volunteered for something like this. The more we can encourage them

to step outside their comfort zone and take part in things that are new

to them, the more their confidence grows. Today is the first time they

have seen the Children In Need attire ` special sweatshirts for a

special moment. Back to rehearsals, and the experienced local

choirmaster. This is one of the local schools who will be singing to

the nation on national TV. Not bad for a first performance! Will you do

your best? Yes. I like swimming in front of other people. `` singing in

front of. It is being able to let your voice out and sing without

being embarrassed. I think it is going to be a big experience for

me. So good luck to the children of Southdown and Oldfield Park. I know

you will do us proud, and I don t think there will be a dry eye in the

house! Start song`macro so here 1000 voices

shouting loud... I am joined by the choir Meister,

Grenville Jones. What do you reckoned about the standard? They

are brilliant. They have been smiling nonstop since 2:30pm. They

should go in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest smile. You

are all here. Tell me how you are feeling. Nervous. Why? Because it is

in front of millions of people. But I think that's really brilliant

because all of your friends will be able to see. Have you told

everyone? Yes, and most of my family. What was it like rehearsing?

It got a bit boring after a bit but it was still fun, because I know it

is going to try and help lots of people around. You will be brilliant

tonight. You will be back with us very soon.

The One Show is live tonight from Albert Square and we'll be back here

live from the Roman Baths