:00:00. > 3:59:59connection with a murdering Belfast back in the 1970s. That is all from
:00:00. > :00:10.Welcome to Points West. the BBC
:00:11. > :00:14.Welcome to Points West. Our main story tonight. Jail for the
:00:15. > :00:19.gang who kept Gloucestershire on drugs.
:00:20. > :00:23.They made a small fortune from supplying cocaine with a street
:00:24. > :00:27.value of over ?1 million. Our guess is this gang distributed large
:00:28. > :00:29.amounts of cocaine within the county, possibly beyond.
:00:30. > :00:32.We'll be asking if the jailing of the gang will make any difference to
:00:33. > :01:04.the supply of the drugs in Gloucestershire.
:01:05. > :01:08.I never know quite who I am. I'm not sure what I'm doing myself but I
:01:09. > :01:16.have to tell people what to do. The veteran of pantomime, Chris Harris
:01:17. > :01:21.dies leaving his family and fellow performers in mourning. It's a huge
:01:22. > :01:30.loss to theatre and audiences around the West Country and beyond. Good
:01:31. > :01:34.evening. Nine members of a drugs gang responsible for the supply of
:01:35. > :01:38.cocaine into Gloucestershire have been sent to prison. The gang were
:01:39. > :01:48.tracked down been aundercover team of detectives during a year`long
:01:49. > :01:53.investigation. Pf Large amounts of benzocaine seized
:01:54. > :01:56.as part of Operation Bonn. It represents well over ?1 million of
:01:57. > :01:59.cocaine on the streets of Gloucestershire. The true value
:02:00. > :02:04.could be much higher. The mastermind was this man, Rodney Brissett. Wa we
:02:05. > :02:09.have been able to do is not only take out the entire structure of how
:02:10. > :02:12.Rodney Brissett was dealing in Gloucester, but take out all the
:02:13. > :02:15.people working for him and we have disrupted outside the force a
:02:16. > :02:19.substantial supply route into the county. His empire collapsed when he
:02:20. > :02:23.was arrested when he cycled to Carlton Road in March last year to
:02:24. > :02:29.collect a kilo of cocaine. Inside the delivery van, police found
:02:30. > :02:34.?43,000 in a shoe box. This is just one of the places on the outskirts
:02:35. > :02:37.of Gloucester used by drugs boss Rodney Brits stoat meet foal low
:02:38. > :02:42.gang members when they travelled down from Leicester. They had no
:02:43. > :02:46.idea they were being Taggarted by `` targeted by undercover officers.
:02:47. > :02:51.Another dominant figure was Mohammed Tagari from Gloucester. He was the
:02:52. > :02:56.go`between for Brissett and Skender Gashi, the supplier. When arrested,
:02:57. > :03:00.Brissett claimed he was a courier, but testing kits for cocaine gave
:03:01. > :03:06.him away. When we searched addresses connected to him, we found exhibits.
:03:07. > :03:09.One of the key ones was the cocaine testing kits which you can use to
:03:10. > :03:13.make sure what you are buying is what you think it is. Can you buy
:03:14. > :03:20.these in the shops? On the Internet and in the shops, yes.
:03:21. > :03:24.Rodney Brissett was handed eight years and six months, Mohammed
:03:25. > :03:28.Tagari was jailed for 13 and a half year, and Skender Gashi will serve a
:03:29. > :03:36.seven and a half year sentence. Jailing the nine men from a total of
:03:37. > :03:39.more than 50 year, the judge told them the profits are high but you
:03:40. > :03:42.will know the stakes are high too. The judge added that drugs cause
:03:43. > :03:50.misery both to users and the community.
:03:51. > :03:54.Steve is here now. Presumably the police are pleased with this. Is it
:03:55. > :03:58.going to make a difference to the supply of drugs in Gloucester? A
:03:59. > :04:01.they are and it will because it's very unusual to take out an
:04:02. > :04:04.organised crime gang almost in its entirety, both in Gloucester and up
:04:05. > :04:09.in Leicester. Secondly, it's very important to
:04:10. > :04:12.realise that they took something up very near the top. The man in
:04:13. > :04:18.Leicester was very near the top of this organisation. He's the man who
:04:19. > :04:23.takes the cocaine, brings it into the country. It was 73% pure, not
:04:24. > :04:27.cut very often, so that means again near the top. Secondly, the police
:04:28. > :04:30.will now be going after the convicted members of this gang with
:04:31. > :04:35.the proceeds of crime hearing, so when they come out of prison, they
:04:36. > :04:42.won't have any assets, so they've done their time but unfortunately no
:04:43. > :04:46.profits. It's very important to realise also that it's a message to
:04:47. > :04:51.the organised crime gangs in the west that the police are obviously
:04:52. > :04:55.very well skilled, they are getting very good information. This just
:04:56. > :05:00.doesn't happen, so all round, the police have done rather well. They
:05:01. > :05:04.have. Thank you very much. It's been confirmed that a bone dug
:05:05. > :05:10.up by police in a Cotswold field belongs to the murder victim Becky
:05:11. > :05:13.Godden. Wiltshire police say other items have been discovered at the
:05:14. > :05:18.site where her remains were found in 2011. Officers had been taken to the
:05:19. > :05:23.spot by Christopher Halliwell, later convicted of the murder of Sian
:05:24. > :05:26.O'Callaghan. The charge over Becky's murder was dropped because
:05:27. > :05:28.investigative procedures were breached. Police have re`opened the
:05:29. > :05:34.investigation. A further four people have been charged over the murder of
:05:35. > :05:39.a young man in Bristol. Nicholas Rob inson was found with stab wounds in
:05:40. > :05:43.the communal area of some Flats in Jamaica Street in March. Four people
:05:44. > :05:46.have been charged with assisting an offender. It brings to eight the
:05:47. > :05:50.number of people now charged over the death.
:05:51. > :05:54.The head teacher of one of Bath's top performing secondary schools,
:05:55. > :05:58.Oldfield, has resigned following criticism. Kim Sparling has stepped
:05:59. > :06:03.down after her leadership was called into question by some parents and
:06:04. > :06:06.government officials. Pupils and parents were told about her
:06:07. > :06:10.resignation in a letter this afternoon.
:06:11. > :06:14.Tributes are being paid to one of the west's best`loved actors,
:06:15. > :06:20.writers and directors, Chris Harris, who died yesterday. He was 71.
:06:21. > :06:24.For many year, he starred in and co`wrote pantomimes at Bristol's Old
:06:25. > :06:32.Vic before moving to Bath where he took to the stage at the Theatre
:06:33. > :06:36.Royal. Guest stars came and went, but Chris
:06:37. > :06:41.Harris was always the beating heart of the pantomime in Bath and he
:06:42. > :06:47.entertained generations. He loved the audiences. They loved him. He
:06:48. > :06:52.was best`loved for his role as the pantomime. He was a serious actor
:06:53. > :06:55.also with the Royal Shakespeare company at the Bristol Old Vic. He
:06:56. > :07:00.was a talented writer and director. He said he was usually happiest when
:07:01. > :07:06.he was right here at the Theatre Royal in Bath. I love panto. It's
:07:07. > :07:21.the way I know it's Christmas, like my sons do. In the last decade, his
:07:22. > :07:28.comedy side kick has been alongside him. What was he like as a friend?
:07:29. > :07:36.Warm, caring. Encouraging. Always there. He always said when directing
:07:37. > :07:41.pantomime that when performing it you had to be larger than life and
:07:42. > :07:47.twice as real and that's how I will remember Chris. I t the it sums him
:07:48. > :07:55.up, larger than life, twice as real. People will miss him immesurably. He
:07:56. > :07:58.did 15 pantos for us, 13 in a row, which must be some kind of record I
:07:59. > :08:03.think. Devastated, we all are, that theatre
:08:04. > :08:08.has been inundated with calls of sympathy and regret. It's Sa sad
:08:09. > :08:14.day. Born in Bridgwater, he studied mime in Paris and had a stint on the
:08:15. > :08:20.Moscow state circus. One act shows followed and a few TV
:08:21. > :08:26.roll roll roles. Concentrate on curing me. He always came back to
:08:27. > :08:30.the West Country. Home was in Portishead and for years he was in
:08:31. > :08:35.panto in Bristol before moving to Bath. He was a regular on radio
:08:36. > :08:39.Bristol and Points West. Recognise this chap? I didn't break that at
:08:40. > :08:44.all. Of course you did, it cost a fortune. Don't you start with me.
:08:45. > :08:49.Tributes have been pouring in all day for Chris Harris, calling him
:08:50. > :08:54.the King of panto, a legend and a lovely man. They say there's nothing
:08:55. > :09:02.like a Dame and there was certainly no`one quite like Chris Harris.
:09:03. > :09:08.Chris Harris whose death has been announced today. He was a wonderful
:09:09. > :09:13.performer and a master of his trade and I count myself lucky to have
:09:14. > :09:18.known him. It is Thursday on Points West and
:09:19. > :09:22.it's good to have you with us. Coming up later in the programme:
:09:23. > :09:34.Queen of the Bake Off. Mary Berry joins us live as we celebrate the
:09:35. > :09:39.best of the west's farming and food. A tribute evening is starting in the
:09:40. > :09:42.next few minutes in memory of Tony Benn, the former Bristol MP who died
:09:43. > :09:48.earlier this year. He served as the Labour MP for Bristol South East
:09:49. > :09:52.from 1950 until 1983, remaining a champion of socialism all his life.
:09:53. > :09:58.A funeral was held for him in London last month, but tonight, it's the
:09:59. > :10:01.turn of Bristolians to share their memories with the event being held
:10:02. > :10:06.at the New Room in Broadmead. Alice is there for us now.
:10:07. > :10:11.Good evening. It's no coincidence that this time and this place has
:10:12. > :10:15.been chosen for the City of Bristol to remember Tony Benn, such a dearly
:10:16. > :10:19.loved friend to many but also a controversial MP. The day is
:10:20. > :10:24.important, May 1st, May Day obviously, internationally
:10:25. > :10:29.celebrated across the world as a Labour Day. John Wesley's Chappell
:10:30. > :10:34.was a home really of the spiritual heritage of Bristol which Tony Benn
:10:35. > :10:40.so took inspiration from. This place is beginning to fill up. The space
:10:41. > :10:44.is for 400 people. It's a ticketed event and there'll be only standing
:10:45. > :10:49.room at the back. Speakers from across the political city, Trade
:10:50. > :10:53.Union leaders here will attend. People of Bristol will also have
:10:54. > :10:57.their say. Kerry McCarthy, how important is it that the City is
:10:58. > :11:01.able to have this evening for Tony Benn? It was really important. As
:11:02. > :11:05.soon as people heard of his death, there were people who wanted to have
:11:06. > :11:11.an occasion in Bristol, they said, to mark the contribution he gave to
:11:12. > :11:16.the City. Many people still remember him and also his political legacy as
:11:17. > :11:20.a towering national figure too. What is your favourite story about him
:11:21. > :11:23.and how he'll be remembered here? People in the constituency remember
:11:24. > :11:28.him being driven round the streets of east Bristol in an arm chair
:11:29. > :11:32.perched on top of an old car with his flask and megaphone. He never
:11:33. > :11:38.went anywhere without his tea. I was on a stage with him at Glastonbury
:11:39. > :11:41.last year and he took about ten minutes to get going because he got
:11:42. > :11:44.a standing ovation from everybody there.
:11:45. > :11:49.Thank you very much indeed. Stories like that will be in abundance this
:11:50. > :11:52.evening. We'll have them all at 10. 25 tonight.
:11:53. > :11:56.Thank you very much. The work of Tony Benn's party continues and
:11:57. > :11:59.tomorrow they'll launch their campaign for up coming euro
:12:00. > :12:03.elections. Last time in this part of the world they were beaten by the
:12:04. > :12:13.greens and they too have set out their stall to win seats here in the
:12:14. > :12:23.south`west. Set up with European Union money, a centre is
:12:24. > :12:28.specialising in new energy. Bicton College teaches Agirretxe but has
:12:29. > :12:36.branched out. `` agriculture but has branched out.
:12:37. > :12:39.Europe sets the framework within which we decide how to farm and
:12:40. > :12:43.produce our energy. I want to be there in Europe making sure we have
:12:44. > :12:47.mandatory targets for renewable energy generation and that the money
:12:48. > :12:49.we give to farmers in subsidies requires them to farm in a
:12:50. > :12:53.sustainable way. They hope to show that going green
:12:54. > :12:58.can help, not harm the economy. Their leader is spending four days
:12:59. > :13:02.campaigning in the region where they narrowly missed winning a seat last
:13:03. > :13:07.time. On her way, the election posters she's mostly noticed have
:13:08. > :13:11.been for UKIP. I think we are seeing strong UKIP votes in this elections,
:13:12. > :13:14.that's true, but also a strong reaction against UKIP. What we are
:13:15. > :13:17.seeing is a lot of people saying they'll vote green because we are
:13:18. > :13:21.the people standing up to UKIP. They want to stay in the EU but only
:13:22. > :13:24.after reforming it and holding a referendum.
:13:25. > :13:29.The green leaders tour follows hot on the heels by a visit by the
:13:30. > :13:32.leader of UKIP. Tomorrow there'll be visits by the leaders of Labour and
:13:33. > :13:35.the Liberal Democrats. They have good reason to be here. Next week,
:13:36. > :13:37.postal votes will be sent out, marking the start of voting in the
:13:38. > :13:45.European and local elections 2014. And the Sunday Politics is back this
:13:46. > :13:49.weekend. You don't want to miss that.
:13:50. > :13:52.Now some breaking news. It's been announced that the new Bishop of
:13:53. > :13:56.Bath and Wells will live at the Bishop's Palace after controversial
:13:57. > :13:59.plan force him to live elsewhere were overturned. The incoming Bishop
:14:00. > :14:03.was due to break with tradition and move to a house in a nearby village,
:14:04. > :14:07.but there was opposition to those plans and a special committee was
:14:08. > :14:12.brought in to try to resolve the row. Let's speak to the Bishop of
:14:13. > :14:16.Taunton now who joins us from Taunton. What is your reaction to
:14:17. > :14:21.this? Good evening. My reaction is, I'm
:14:22. > :14:25.very pleased with the decision that the Archbishop's council have made.
:14:26. > :14:36.I'm struck tolling hear you over the bells because I'm doing a
:14:37. > :14:42.confirmation tonight. Nothing we can do about the bells really, but in
:14:43. > :14:47.Rome, I hope it's decided not to live in the papal apartments, but a
:14:48. > :14:54.guest house. Is there a move, do you think, for top clergy not to live in
:14:55. > :14:57.grand surroundings? I think you have to understand that
:14:58. > :15:03.when we talk about the palace in terms of Bishop's apartments, it's a
:15:04. > :15:10.modest plan. The issue for us was much more about how can the new
:15:11. > :15:17.Bishop minister work effectively, the position always was that we felt
:15:18. > :15:21.retaining him in the palace he'd be closely together with the staff,
:15:22. > :15:24.that would be the best option and we are pleased the independent panel
:15:25. > :15:28.who've come down have agreed with our point of view.
:15:29. > :15:32.Thank you so much. Thank you for battling against the
:15:33. > :15:37.bells! That's all right. The bells are in celebration, but there we
:15:38. > :15:40.are. Thank you. He did that well! The streets of
:15:41. > :15:46.Bath have been getting in a knot today all for a good cause. The
:15:47. > :15:52.World Heritage Site is being yarn`bombed. Covered in knitting to
:15:53. > :15:56.raise money for kids company. It's a national charity now running
:15:57. > :16:03.through a Centre for Disadvantaged young people in Bristol.
:16:04. > :16:08.Starting the day with little help. These young people in Bristol visit
:16:09. > :16:12.the kids company centre here regularly for all types of support.
:16:13. > :16:17.Legal advice, housing advice, food parcels or just someone to listen. I
:16:18. > :16:20.think if you weren't here, a lot of people would be lost and wouldn't
:16:21. > :16:26.know where to turn to to get the right access to the right services.
:16:27. > :16:32.This facility is just us standing shoulder to shoulder with young
:16:33. > :16:37.people. The founder believes Bristol provides people with a wide range of
:16:38. > :16:40.culture choices and focuses on day`to`day support for the most
:16:41. > :16:45.vulnerable. People have thought about young people in terms of
:16:46. > :16:52.delivering the art arts and thinking about their personal development but
:16:53. > :16:57.I'm not sure there's been the leadership around the issue of
:16:58. > :17:02.really vulnerable young people. This year's Bath in Fashion event
:17:03. > :17:10.have chosen to support the charity, so these knitters have been
:17:11. > :17:14.preparing pieces to put all over the city.
:17:15. > :17:21.It's hugely appreciated by those who need help. They helped me search for
:17:22. > :17:24.advice and gave me with the advice that I needed. At the moment, I'm
:17:25. > :17:30.not good with food, they are helping me with that every Tuesday.
:17:31. > :17:36.Without this system, I'd be lost because they just help with
:17:37. > :17:40.everything. If ever I'm stuck with anything, they are always there
:17:41. > :17:45.helping me. I don't know who I'd turn to.
:17:46. > :17:56.This is more than just pleasing on the eye. It's helping shape lives.
:17:57. > :18:00.The biggest food festival ever held in Bristol opens tonight with an
:18:01. > :18:05.awards ceremony honouring Britain's top chefs, farmers and Brucers. The
:18:06. > :18:09.food connections event is on for 11 days in venues across the city and
:18:10. > :18:13.includes a free festival this Bank Holiday weekend.
:18:14. > :18:17.Sally who always knows when there's free food around, has been checking
:18:18. > :18:22.out what we can expect and she joins us from the food and Farming Awards
:18:23. > :18:28.at St George's Concert Hall in Bristol. Hello, Sally. Hello. Jamie
:18:29. > :18:32.Oliver is just around the corner there. I'll grab him in a minute. If
:18:33. > :18:37.you want to know anything about food or cooking tonight, this is
:18:38. > :18:43.definitely the place to be. Some of the nation's top chefs, producers
:18:44. > :18:47.and writers are here. The winner of the Bake Off is here. It's the place
:18:48. > :18:52.to be. It's the first time the awards have been Nelson Mandela
:18:53. > :18:54.Bristol, it's to coincide with Food Connections, normally held in London
:18:55. > :18:59.or Birmingham. What makes Bristol so special? What has attracted all the
:19:00. > :19:05.foodies here? I've been finding out? I would like to order
:19:06. > :19:09.Jamaica`seasoned meals, and have them delivered to my house.
:19:10. > :19:16.Some people love the food scene here so much write poems about it.
:19:17. > :19:19.Bristol is known for its vibrant street food with hundreds of stalls
:19:20. > :19:23.across the city. Green chicken. Yellow chicken and
:19:24. > :19:34.spicy pork. Free range meat, all of it. We started life as a business
:19:35. > :19:38.over in Brighton. We moved the business here because there's a buzz
:19:39. > :19:42.about food and everyone's so createdive and passionate. We go to
:19:43. > :19:46.London to do markets there as well on a Saturday and Bristol is just as
:19:47. > :19:52.busy and big for the food side of it. It's not just street food. The
:19:53. > :19:56.City Council says there are 3,000 restaurants, cafes, food hubs and
:19:57. > :20:00.take aways here, that's up 150 in just four years. Nearly 10% of all
:20:01. > :20:06.jobs in the city are related to food and drink.
:20:07. > :20:08.A grass roots revolution is also taking place in the very soil of
:20:09. > :20:14.Bristol. People wanting to grow fruit and veg
:20:15. > :20:21.on every available piece of land. Our aim is to cover Bristol in
:20:22. > :20:25.edible plants, be they in schools, doctors surgeries, hospitals,
:20:26. > :20:30.community gardens, people's gardens, anywhere everywhere, empty spaces of
:20:31. > :20:35.land, and to supports community groups. It's estimated 5,000 unused
:20:36. > :20:39.acres could potentially be cultivated here. This scrap of land
:20:40. > :20:43.is being transformed. Local people invited to plant, grow and eat what
:20:44. > :20:47.comes up. What's really exciting about this
:20:48. > :20:53.concept is that it's getting amongst these areas which traditionally
:20:54. > :20:57.bureaucracy has stopped anything happening and just getting on and
:20:58. > :21:01.doing it. They call it gorilla gardening and they want Bristol to
:21:02. > :21:05.be an edible City. Now that's food for thought.
:21:06. > :21:11.I grew that cress myself on a windowsill at home! One of the women
:21:12. > :21:16.credited with the kick start of this here is Mary Berry, a local Bath
:21:17. > :21:21.girl. Thank you. You are giving one of the first awards tonight, aren't
:21:22. > :21:25.you? So I am and it's the Retailer of the Year award. Fantastic. There
:21:26. > :21:31.is this big renaissance in all things food, cooking, growing, and a
:21:32. > :21:35.lot of people say it's a lot to do with you? I don't know about that
:21:36. > :21:40.but I like to know where my food comes from. I love going to farm
:21:41. > :21:45.shops, I like to go to a butcher and if I can find a fishmonger I'm
:21:46. > :21:49.there. I like to have a good display of my cheeses in a proper cheese
:21:50. > :21:53.shop. How important do you think it is that people do now know where
:21:54. > :22:01.their food does come from? I think it's very important. I think more
:22:02. > :22:07.and more people want to buy local and they want to know who produced
:22:08. > :22:12.it and how it was produced. I think if we all know that, we'll enjoy our
:22:13. > :22:17.meals more. Got to ask you about Bake Off, moving away from Somerset?
:22:18. > :22:21.We are, we are, to a very secret location and it's not too far from
:22:22. > :22:26.my home. It's going to be a great show this
:22:27. > :22:30.year. We've already started and I'm very excited about it and it's not
:22:31. > :22:37.going to get more difficult. We are going to be busy, it's going to be
:22:38. > :22:45.just the same and Mel, Sue, Paul and I are seeing it stay that way. Why
:22:46. > :22:50.break up a winning team. We've got three local finalists and we'll let
:22:51. > :22:57.you know how they get on later on. Thank you. I love Mary Berry. Just
:22:58. > :23:03.decided. You always have. Made for each other! Today is May Day and to
:23:04. > :23:08.celebrate, the Morris dancers were out to welcome the dawn on Brandon
:23:09. > :23:13.Hill in Bristol. What more could you want on your local news? Sorry I
:23:14. > :23:26.wasn't up early enough to join them. Now the weather. Here is Ian.
:23:27. > :23:32.Michael Potter has taken this lovely picture of Ring Tom Hill. `` Rington
:23:33. > :23:36.Hill. We are starting to see a change take
:23:37. > :23:41.place through the course of tomorrow into the Bank Holiday weekend. A
:23:42. > :23:46.timely one, as he enter into a dry, settled regime.
:23:47. > :23:54.We will find the temperatures are just that bit down courtesy of a
:23:55. > :23:57.change in the weather. Some showers across the West Country lately.
:23:58. > :24:01.There was a gap but now we are watching this cluster move south
:24:02. > :24:13.through Bristol, Bath and towards the men dins.
:24:14. > :24:19.Much colder air feeds down from polar regions. It will be more the
:24:20. > :24:23.east and north`east of England that will bear the brunt of the coldest
:24:24. > :24:27.weather in terms of the threat of frost. This evening, the showers
:24:28. > :24:33.will take a while to fade, so caution on that note and tonight,
:24:34. > :24:36.thing also dry out. Low cloud around so it will be a
:24:37. > :24:40.cloudy start by tomorrow. Temperatures won't be particularly
:24:41. > :24:45.chilly. Down to about 8`10. Tomorrow, starting with the cloud in
:24:46. > :24:50.situ, so a dull start wherever you happen to be. As the day goes on, a
:24:51. > :24:54.slow process but we'll see breaks developing from the north.
:24:55. > :24:56.Gradually, some of those will creep southwards through the course of the
:24:57. > :25:00.afternoon. It will be a day of light winds and barring the small chance
:25:01. > :25:06.of a light shower, out in the far east of some of the districts, it
:25:07. > :25:09.will be dry for us all. Temperatures typically up to about
:25:10. > :25:16.14. Pressure will rise and it bodes well for the Bank Holiday weekend.
:25:17. > :25:19.The cloud value will vary. Temperature also start to recover
:25:20. > :25:25.back up after a chilly start on Saturday. Good tidings for all!
:25:26. > :25:30.I'm glad, especially for the Bank Holiday weekend and thanks for the
:25:31. > :25:53.bluebells. That is it from us now. See you at 10. Bye.
:25:54. > :25:56.'The last two generations have been robbed of an opportunity
:25:57. > :26:00.'And yet it has greater impact on our everyday lives than anything
:26:01. > :26:04.'We need to put this issue to bed now,
:26:05. > :26:06.'and not leave it for another generation.'
:26:07. > :26:10.I want a Britain that is free to control its own destiny.