:00:12. > :00:15.Good evening from BBC Points West. A postmistress, a stockbroker and
:00:16. > :00:19.the founder of the world's largest hot air balloon manufacturer were
:00:20. > :00:23.among those in the West named in the Queen's New Years Honours List
:00:24. > :00:28.today. With more details, here's Michelle Ruminski.
:00:29. > :00:32.Flying high today, Don Cameron, the father of modern ballooning and
:00:33. > :00:36.founder of Cameron balloons. He s been awarded an MBE. Also given the
:00:37. > :00:38.same honour David Gibbings, an archivist for the Yeovil`based
:00:39. > :00:41.helicopter company AgustaWestland. He was head of the Flight Test
:00:42. > :00:44.Engineering team, which set a new world helicopter speed record that
:00:45. > :00:47.still stands today. And there's a CBE for Bristol stockbroker, Peter
:00:48. > :00:49.Hargreaves. It was great fun being the first in the field, it wasn t
:00:50. > :00:53.really a career decision straightaway. It seemed an idea to
:00:54. > :00:57.make some balloons for other people as a part`time business, it got too
:00:58. > :01:19.busy so I gave up work. And there is a CBE for Bristol
:01:20. > :01:22.stockbroker, Peter Kyle Greaves Ashby to Hargreaves. After trading
:01:23. > :01:25.from his bedroom in the eighties, he's now the Co`founder of
:01:26. > :01:28.Hargreaves Lansdown, one of the biggest financial services companies
:01:29. > :01:31.in the UK. From big to small business, and Dr Solomon Fubara has
:01:32. > :01:34.been commended for helping others. He's been supporting black, minority
:01:35. > :01:37.and ethnic communities to set up small businesses that can even trade
:01:38. > :01:43.abroad. I never expected that this sort of
:01:44. > :01:49.thing would come to me. I am quite happy that people I have helped
:01:50. > :01:58.actually recognise the help and have put my name forward. This meant the
:01:59. > :02:01.world to me. But it's not just some of the West's well known names
:02:02. > :02:04.who're recognised, today's list also honours some of the region's unsung
:02:05. > :02:07.heroes like Postmistress Di Bell. She opened Nettleton Stores in
:02:08. > :02:11.Wiltshire more than 30 years ago, when the parish Post Office closed.
:02:12. > :02:18.But opening a royal envelope was something she never expected. I
:02:19. > :02:24.opened the letter in front of my husband and I just sat, oh, oh, oh
:02:25. > :02:28.and he said what ever is the matter? I was rendered speechless.
:02:29. > :02:31.But she says she's just as proud of her other title, postmistress, a job
:02:32. > :02:34.she wouldn't swap for any other Michelle Ruminski, BBC Points West.
:02:35. > :02:37.Firefighters across the West have just begun taking further industrial
:02:38. > :02:43.action in an ongoing dispute over pensions. Members of the Fire
:02:44. > :02:47.Brigades Union walked out about 15 minutes ago and will be on strike
:02:48. > :02:50.until half past midnight. Fire services say contingency plans are
:02:51. > :02:55.in place to ensure emergency calls are responded to. It's the latest in
:02:56. > :03:00.a series of protests over government plans to raise the pension age from
:03:01. > :03:04.55 to 60. Ministers say despite the change, the pensions would remain
:03:05. > :03:07.generous. Flood warnings remain in place for
:03:08. > :03:10.parts of Somerset and Gloucestershire tonight with more
:03:11. > :03:13.rain forecast. The Environment Agency has issued two warnings for
:03:14. > :03:17.the Somerset Levels and one in Gloucestershire for the River Severn
:03:18. > :03:20.in Tewkesbury. Flood alerts are also in force across the region,
:03:21. > :03:24.including areas around the River Tone and River Parrett.
:03:25. > :03:27.Bristol City's match at Leyton Orient tomorrow has been postponed
:03:28. > :03:32.due to structural damage at the Matchroom Stadium. The floodlights
:03:33. > :03:38.were damaged by the weather over Christmas and need repairing before
:03:39. > :03:40.the ground is safe for public use. And there's concern about Bristol
:03:41. > :03:44.Rovers match with Cheltenham tomorrow. There'll be a pitch
:03:45. > :03:49.inspection at ten o'clock at the Memorial Stadium. BBC Radio Bristol
:03:50. > :03:52.will have the latest news once a decision's been taken. And Jemma
:03:53. > :03:55.will be here with the latest forecast very shortly.
:03:56. > :04:00.A Gloucestershire boy has become the youngest ever British Karting
:04:01. > :04:03.champion. Maximus Hall won the prestigious "O plate" for under
:04:04. > :04:08.eights, and at just six years old, he's already signed up to a leading
:04:09. > :04:16.racing team. Here's Jules Hyam. Today six`year`old Max was getting a
:04:17. > :04:20.few tips from his mechanic. He also happens to be his dad. Max seemed to
:04:21. > :04:28.be enjoying the lesson in caring for his Kart but he does prefer driving
:04:29. > :04:34.it. What is it about go`karting you really like? Going fast. When you
:04:35. > :04:40.are beating other people. Are you competitive? Yes. How important is
:04:41. > :04:49.it to be the winner? Really, really, really important. Just as well he is
:04:50. > :04:53.winning, and winning big. This is Max driving in the race that earned
:04:54. > :04:56.him his first national title, the British Open O Plate for under
:04:57. > :04:59.eights. He was up against more experienced, older drivers in a
:05:00. > :05:02.one`off race, the 20 best young karters, racing at speeds of up to
:05:03. > :05:06.40 miles a hour. Wining's also earned him the backing of race team
:05:07. > :05:09.Soixante, and if you don't know that name they're the karting team who
:05:10. > :05:19.supported Paul Derista, Jason Plato and Lewis Hamilton. Lyon, the
:05:20. > :05:23.owner, noticed Max at a young age of six was considerably quicker than
:05:24. > :05:29.almost everybody out on the track and paid a big interest in him and
:05:30. > :05:32.what he thinks is that Max has definitely got the potential and
:05:33. > :05:34.skill to make it all away to Formula One.
:05:35. > :05:37.Max already has a fine collection of silverware, if he keeps developing
:05:38. > :05:41.the way he has been, there could be much more to come.
:05:42. > :05:47.Now with a look at the weather for the start of 2014, here's Jemma
:05:48. > :05:54.An unsettled end to the year, and unsettled start to the new one.
:05:55. > :05:59.Along the spell of rain tomorrow which could cause problems. It will
:06:00. > :06:06.be settled for the rest of the week will stop heavy rain New Year's Day.
:06:07. > :06:11.It is all due to the system of low pressure. Along the spell of rain on
:06:12. > :06:19.New Year's Day, strong, southerly wind. Up to 60 mph. Unsettled has
:06:20. > :06:25.been the theme of Christmas, it is now the theme of New Year. Weather
:06:26. > :06:28.warnings in force for the rain. 20 millimetres over the next few days
:06:29. > :06:35.but the ground is saturated from recent rainfall. She was for the
:06:36. > :06:44.rest of New Year's Eve up until midnight and beyond, some heavy A
:06:45. > :06:52.blustery south`westerly wind, mild air, not a cold story for New Year's
:06:53. > :06:57.Eve. Those showers, by tomorrow will merge to form along this level
:06:58. > :07:02.of rain. It beds in four New Year's Day, some intense bursts, ground
:07:03. > :07:06.already saturated, strong southerly wind gusting up to 60 mph on the
:07:07. > :07:13.higher ground, enough to reach some trees. That system clears three but
:07:14. > :07:18.we are not out of the woods. Still showers Thursday, Friday. Friday,
:07:19. > :07:20.the wind picks up with some strength.
:07:21. > :07:24.And that's it for this evening and for this year, we're back tomorrow
:07:25. > :07:26.though of course, from all the Points West team, good bye and Happy
:07:27. > :07:42.New Year. Good evening. It looks like mother
:07:43. > :07:46.nature may provide her own pyrotechnics in the run-up to bid
:07:47. > :07:50.night tonight. We have some heavy showers in western parts, starting
:07:51. > :07:56.to ease a bit across Scotland and Northern Ireland. But the showers
:07:57. > :08:00.further south are heavier, with some flashes of lightning as they move
:08:01. > :08:04.eastwards. They do get a bit more hit and miss as we head towards
:08:05. > :08:10.midnight, but a greater chance of getting wet in the south as we move
:08:11. > :08:14.into 2014. Cardiff and London could see heavy downpours. Further north,
:08:15. > :08:15.you could be greeting the New Year on