:00:00. > :00:12.Through Sunday and inch or two inches of rain, gales are possible
:00:13. > :00:21.Tonight we're at the Bristol Balloon Fiesta
:00:22. > :00:25.as thousands from across thd west prepare for a party in the skies.
:00:26. > :00:29.Our headlines from the fiesta tonight.
:00:30. > :00:33.The remarkable journey of the fiesta and how it?s lade
:00:34. > :00:36.the west of England the ballooning capital of the world.
:00:37. > :00:39.On a wing and a prayer ` what happened when a special shape
:00:40. > :00:44.And we will remember them ` the fiesta pauses to reflect
:00:45. > :01:01.Hello ` the balloon fiesta soared off to a spectacular start this
:01:02. > :01:08.morning with one of the most impressive mass lift offs in years.
:01:09. > :01:10.We are hoping for a repeat performance tonight ` but
:01:11. > :01:24.Many of the balloons are inflating behind us but we have been huddling
:01:25. > :01:29.under a umbrella or though ht was meant to be 0% chance of rahn. The
:01:30. > :01:31.balloons we understand are going to take off and they are heading
:01:32. > :01:36.towards Kingswood. The event has become one of
:01:37. > :01:39.the most important in the west country calendar ` with
:01:40. > :01:42.world wide coverage worth mhllions We'll be finding out how thd
:01:43. > :01:45.organisers have learnt a few tricks from the
:01:46. > :01:48.Glastonbury Festival to propel the But first ` that mass ascent
:01:49. > :02:04.early this morning. Cooking bacon in the open ahr, a hot
:02:05. > :02:09.cup of coffee. A breathtaking view. It is an adventure, waking tp in the
:02:10. > :02:14.dark, wearing pyjamas. We have been coming since wd were
:02:15. > :02:19.their rage. As balloons only fly at dawn and
:02:20. > :02:23.dusk, pilots are used to early starts and many have travelled a
:02:24. > :02:31.long way to be here. Very very big meeting, yes. 130
:02:32. > :02:37.balloons, in Belgium, the m`ximum is 30.
:02:38. > :02:42.The fiesta is months in the planning. This production company is
:02:43. > :02:47.the team behind events incltding Glastonbury and the summer solstice.
:02:48. > :02:52.This is their purpose`built office at Ashton Court. We have evdrything,
:02:53. > :02:58.Wi`Fi, telephones, photocophers everything you need to run ` fully
:02:59. > :03:03.fledged office. A team of 50 is in charge of keeping
:03:04. > :03:07.the site litter free. People in Bristol have been using
:03:08. > :03:18.these bins for years. They have got used to it. Back at the year 20 0 it
:03:19. > :03:24.was a new idea. Now, people use them properly.
:03:25. > :03:27.The cans are full of Cannes. It is all about the balloons. With
:03:28. > :03:30.near`perfect weather this morning, many enjoyed their first evdr
:03:31. > :03:37.flight. I am amazed how many balloons in
:03:38. > :03:43.such a small space. Hopefully that isn't one of them! It was the gun to
:03:44. > :04:04.say the pilots can take off. Out over Bristol. What a wax to
:04:05. > :04:09.start the day. We have liftoff! This place is like Heathrow Airport for
:04:10. > :04:11.balloons. Very very busy. It looks so straightforward and easy and
:04:12. > :04:13.peaceful. Not always. There
:04:14. > :04:16.was dramatic landing for ond of the hot air balloons which was hnvolved
:04:17. > :04:19.in last night's mass ascent. It came down in South
:04:20. > :04:33.Gloucestershire hitting a l`mp post. That was more of a dangle at the
:04:34. > :04:39.end. It looks frightening. @mazing pictures. Imaging is out and about
:04:40. > :04:44.someone in the crowds. Did xou jump out of your skin?
:04:45. > :04:47.Yes, you join me here on He`ven Hill. Heavenly because of the
:04:48. > :04:51.wonderful view it gives us of the arena. The heavens have almost
:04:52. > :05:05.opened but they have stopped for now. It has been a fantastic day.
:05:06. > :05:10.TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WITH SOUND There was a problem with thd camera.
:05:11. > :05:21.Unfortunately we would go b`ck to imaging later. For now, we have an
:05:22. > :05:26.extra treat. Look behind us. You can see the air is filled with hot air
:05:27. > :05:30.balloons at the moment. It hs a hive of activity. When I spoke to a
:05:31. > :05:37.balloonist earlier, I asked about the weather, he said it was tasty.
:05:38. > :05:39.I don't know what he meant. Windy on the ground.
:05:40. > :05:46.It is such a community. They all help each other out. It is
:05:47. > :05:49.lovely. This is a special edition of Points West to mark an event that is
:05:50. > :05:53.important for Bristol and the entire West Country. News and sport a
:05:54. > :05:57.little late in the programmd. Just a reminder that this is
:05:58. > :06:00.a special edition of Points West ` to mark an event that has bdcome
:06:01. > :06:03.important not just for Bristol First ` the fiesta is supporting
:06:04. > :06:07.a west country charity this year called Above and Beyond,
:06:08. > :06:09.which raises money for hosphtals. The 40`year`old charity has
:06:10. > :06:13.a brand new balloon to boost it s Over a hundred volunteers h`ve the
:06:14. > :06:16.full support of the fiesta to raise The balloon fiesta is such
:06:17. > :06:20.a passionate event and it so mirrors the passion I see every day
:06:21. > :06:23.in hospital from doctors and nurses so I think the relationship between
:06:24. > :06:27.the fiesta and us is so pertinent at this point because it is gohng to
:06:28. > :06:29.change health care services The appeal is already helping
:06:30. > :06:35.patients at the Bristol Haelatology Providing the first specialhst
:06:36. > :06:40.bone marrow transplant unit. Until now patients had to
:06:41. > :06:44.travel between three hospit`ls. It was very tough going to London
:06:45. > :06:48.every two weeks for two years Equally here being treated
:06:49. > :06:54.in two hospitals you had And it would be great to be treated
:06:55. > :07:00.under one roof where you get to know the staff and have a relationship
:07:01. > :07:05.with them throughout your treatment. The unit is already being used
:07:06. > :07:08.by patients, now they can have their famhlies
:07:09. > :07:12.spend time and support them during The patients will be in potdntial
:07:13. > :07:19.life`threatening situations where they need urgent treatment that they
:07:20. > :07:24.will have to come in as emergency. That can be frightening but now we
:07:25. > :07:27.are doing it under one roof so we will get to know the patients
:07:28. > :07:30.and their families and see them Patients here at the Bristol Royal
:07:31. > :07:39.Infirmary will also benefit from a new state of the art intensive
:07:40. > :07:42.care unit provided by the appeal as well as many other projects to give
:07:43. > :07:55.patients more privacy and dhgnity. More from the balloon fiest` very
:07:56. > :08:02.shortly ` but first some of today's A no`fly zone is being put
:08:03. > :08:07.in place over Bristol for three days The event will see world
:08:08. > :08:14.leaders descend upon Celtic Manor, Many of the delegates are expected
:08:15. > :08:19.to stay in Bristol for the summit, and light aircraft won't be allowed
:08:20. > :08:24.above the city. The man who stabbed
:08:25. > :08:27.his ex`girlfriend to death as she worked in
:08:28. > :08:32.a Gloucester hair salon has launched Asher Maslin was jailed for
:08:33. > :08:35.life last month for murdering twenty He was told it will be 24 ydars
:08:36. > :08:40.before he's considered for release. The former Liberal Democrat leader
:08:41. > :08:42.of Bristol City Council, Barbara The appointment of 22 new mdmbers
:08:43. > :08:54.of the House of Lords was confirmed The former teacher says she sees it
:08:55. > :08:58.as a chance to wave the flag The football season returns
:08:59. > :09:01.tomorrow, and we're looking After their one`year adventtre
:09:02. > :09:17.in the Championship, Despite finishing bottom of the
:09:18. > :09:22.championship, the manager G`ry Johnson has rebuilt the squ`d after
:09:23. > :09:32.a sum of departures. There `re ten new faces. And a new signing. As to
:09:33. > :09:35.their chances of returning to the championship, the bookies expect
:09:36. > :09:41.them to be challenging for the play`offs, 6`1 to go up. We asked a
:09:42. > :09:44.supporter who has been going for 50 years to make his assessment.
:09:45. > :09:48.My name is Rich and I am a massive Yeovil Town fan.
:09:49. > :09:50.I've been coming here since the '60s, a massive fan since then.
:09:51. > :09:52.This is me against Swindon Town 1962.
:09:53. > :09:55.Last season it was a fantastic experience in the championship
:09:56. > :11:32.Best of luck to the teams. Back to and it is up to these lads to do
:11:33. > :11:40.Best of luck to the teams. Back to the balloon fiesta now. Alex and
:11:41. > :11:43.David. You are missing out hn the dreary old studio! We are on our
:11:44. > :11:52.holidays at the Bristol Balloon Fiesta. It is the largest annual
:11:53. > :11:56.balloon fiesta. One of the biggest anywhere in the world. Quitd an
:11:57. > :12:05.achievement. The first fiesta only had a few balloons.
:12:06. > :12:09.So, how did it go from its small beginnings to something so big?
:12:10. > :12:11.Scott Ellis has been looking back on the history of the
:12:12. > :12:24.Ballooning as a hobby was ndw in Europe and a Glaswegian
:12:25. > :12:29.aeronautical engineer from Bristol was the pioneer.
:12:30. > :12:36.It would worry me in case the fabric caught fire in this roaring flame.
:12:37. > :12:49.The hobby grew into Cameron?s balloons
:12:50. > :12:54.Don gave a talk to the Junior Chamber of Commerce
:12:55. > :13:00.about a transatlantic balloon race he had competed in 1978.
:13:01. > :13:03.After that, they had drinks in Clifton and decided Bristol needed
:13:04. > :13:15.It was completely open to the public.
:13:16. > :13:26.The Fiesta grew doubling as Bristol?s summer show and
:13:27. > :13:30.The not`for`profit event could remain free to enter.
:13:31. > :13:36.These days the show pulls daily crowds of 100,000.
:13:37. > :13:43.And Cameron's is the world's biggest balloon manufacturer.
:13:44. > :13:45.Don's daughter is also part of the business.
:13:46. > :13:49.I can remember if I had to find my dad I would come to the balloon
:13:50. > :13:57.So, yes, it is something th`t is growing much part of our lives.
:13:58. > :14:06.Making it happen is obviously in the genes ` thousands have helped
:14:07. > :14:08.build Bristol's ballooning reputation but it all startdd with
:14:09. > :14:25.a softly spoken Scot whose hobby became a hallmark for a citx.
:14:26. > :14:34.It is lovely seeing that. It is a shame it is cloudy after all of the
:14:35. > :14:41.summer days we have had. It has been growing year after year. Thdy expect
:14:42. > :14:49.500,000 people this weekend. It will be really busy. Some people come
:14:50. > :14:53.from all over the world, we will try to return to imaging, hopeftlly she
:14:54. > :15:00.is with some of those peopld. Sorry you lost me earlier. H have
:15:01. > :15:04.some facts and figures. There are nine different countries taking part
:15:05. > :15:11.in the fiesta. Countries include Thailand, USA and the Seychdlles. I
:15:12. > :15:16.am joined by two pilots who have travelled from Belgium. Thex are
:15:17. > :15:21.mother and daughter. Elizabdth, thank you for joining us. Why do you
:15:22. > :15:27.come to Bristol every year? Firstly it is the biggest event in
:15:28. > :15:36.Europe. It is a must come as a pilot to come and see.
:15:37. > :15:41.TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WITH SOUND You have your own fiesta back in
:15:42. > :15:51.Belgium. Tell me more. Well, it started in 1947 with gas
:15:52. > :16:07.ballooning to commemorate the end of the Second World War. And it was gas
:16:08. > :16:33.gas balloons, 44 hot`air balloons ballooning and then there w`s
:16:34. > :16:33.gas balloons, 44 hot`air balloons and 16 special shapes balloons.
:16:34. > :16:34.for four generations. How dhd you there are
:16:35. > :16:37.get involved? It was my grandfather and friends decided to take off in a
:16:38. > :16:38.gas balloon in Belgium. How many in your family? My mother, my
:16:39. > :16:42.father... My brothers... My children!
:16:43. > :16:45.Brother`in`law. Ladies, enjoy your weekend here in Bristol. Th`nk you
:16:46. > :16:51.for joining us. Lots more happening all weekend I
:16:52. > :16:56.will be back tomorrow so I hope you can join me then. Back to D`vid and
:16:57. > :17:03.Alex. We have a few cameras dotted around
:17:04. > :17:10.but also there is one looking at some of the shots you can sde now of
:17:11. > :17:17.the balloons inflating. You can see them still squished in waithng for
:17:18. > :17:22.the moment. This is live from a balloon. Anthony is zooming in. We
:17:23. > :17:27.are down there somewhere, lhke a are down there somewhere, lhke a
:17:28. > :17:37.Lego person, matchstick men Back with me on terra firma.
:17:38. > :17:39.Ordinarily, when it's not the balloon fhesta,
:17:40. > :17:43.It's just west of Bristol and 100 years ago during thd
:17:44. > :17:45.First World War, its mansion house was used as a Military Hosphtal
:17:46. > :17:49.As part of this year's commdmoration of the Great War the BBC World War I
:17:50. > :17:52.At Home tour has picked the fiesta as one of its locations.
:17:53. > :17:57.And earlier David went to h`ve a look around its impressive display.
:17:58. > :18:11.I have come to another part of the site. We are reflecting, thhs is the
:18:12. > :18:17.World War I at home website, there is a series of events over the
:18:18. > :18:31.weekend to remind us of what happened 100 years ago would Britain
:18:32. > :18:43.declared war on Germany and the lights went out all over Europe A
:18:44. > :18:49.few celebrities dropping by including Larry Lamb. From
:18:50. > :18:52.EastEnders and the one show. A lifetime at the BBC!
:18:53. > :18:53.I am asking questions and answer my own question is about local
:18:54. > :18:53.historians and specialists, Kate historians and specialists,
:18:54. > :18:54.Adie is here this weekend, the BBC Adie is here this weekend, the BBC
:18:55. > :18:55.will correspond and to find out about the effect of the war had on
:18:56. > :18:57.with the efforts in World W`r I with the efforts in World W`r I
:18:58. > :19:00.Why is it important people remember?
:19:01. > :19:06.Because it is getting so far away from youngsters now that thdy have
:19:07. > :19:12.no idea. Frankly, you might as well talk about the Norman conqudst as
:19:13. > :19:20.World War I. 100 years ago far back to connect. I ask people how many of
:19:21. > :19:24.them actually knew somebody or was related to someone and it is very
:19:25. > :19:27.few now. The stories are very poignant.
:19:28. > :19:31.Absolutely. They are. This is a way for
:19:32. > :19:38.youngsters and all age groups really to get a sense of the changd and
:19:39. > :19:44.what it was like. Things so rudimentary and so simple.
:19:45. > :20:04.Larry, great to see you. Th`nk you for coming to us from the e`st end!
:20:05. > :20:13.Every soul scene in these phctures has long departed this earth. Lost
:20:14. > :20:17.in the mists of time. But 100 years after this film was shot, the
:20:18. > :20:22.extraordinary story of the wartime railways can be told. Their role
:20:23. > :20:28.taking the boys to war is wdll documented. But they had another
:20:29. > :20:40.duty. Which is less well`known. To bring them home.
:20:41. > :20:50.Today's expresses hurtle along the lines that Brunel built for GWR the
:20:51. > :20:59.same tracks that led to war. In 1914, the railways answered the
:21:00. > :21:00.nations call to arms and for the next four years, the great Western
:21:01. > :21:02.was linked to the great war in life was linked to the great war in life
:21:03. > :21:07.and death struggle which took the company to the brink of exh`ustion
:21:08. > :21:13.collapse. We are in a steam Museum in Swindon housed in the buhldings
:21:14. > :21:19.1914. It would have been a high of 1914. It would have been a high of
:21:20. > :21:24.industry literally. There would have been people busying themselves, a
:21:25. > :21:32.lot of the workers here would be going off to war and so the company
:21:33. > :21:43.would be busying itself transporting troops and also trying to work out
:21:44. > :21:54.how they will replace the mdn that were going off to war. The war
:21:55. > :22:03.changed the course of history in many `` and many books have been
:22:04. > :22:13.written but there is a small innovation that has never h`d any
:22:14. > :22:19.publicity even though it helped save many lives. It is all down to a man
:22:20. > :22:20.who worked here are a middld manager called Frank. Frank is one of the
:22:21. > :22:21.unsung heroes of the conflict. He worked on the ambulance trahn
:22:22. > :22:22.project transporting sick and injured troops. This book of old
:22:23. > :22:23.photographs show Frank?s idda in action. He redesigned the inside of
:22:24. > :22:25.beds on top of each other m`king the beds on top of each other m`king the
:22:26. > :22:25.middle bunk foldable so you can put middle bunk foldable so you can put
:22:26. > :22:28.the bed below increasing capacity. the bed below increasing capacity.
:22:29. > :22:39.It meant more people could be rescued from the front and brought
:22:40. > :22:46.back home for survival. On the front, workers from Swindon helped
:22:47. > :22:51.lead the tracks and the trahns supplied to the British and
:22:52. > :23:03.Americans were a place of pdace Men, horribly injured were tended by
:23:04. > :23:13.their comrades and then entrusted to the care of gentle nurses. @nd the
:23:14. > :23:24.trains took them away from `ll of this, from death to the chance of
:23:25. > :23:27.life. As for Frank, the man who did so much to bring them home, he was
:23:28. > :23:33.awarded both the CBE and OBD and died just after the war. More
:23:34. > :23:35.thoughts on the great War 100 years ago, not that long when you think of
:23:36. > :23:38.it. To put on a free event as bhg
:23:39. > :23:42.as this takes months and months One of the driving forces
:23:43. > :23:46.behind the fiesta is the husband and They've both been involved
:23:47. > :23:50.with the fiesta for a long time and are both very experiencdd
:23:51. > :24:00.balloon pilots. Our Kamran `` cameraman is tp with
:24:01. > :24:06.Clive. Yes, amazing. We can see some of the shots.
:24:07. > :24:13.This is what you can see. I wish I was up there. We are with you.
:24:14. > :24:17.How optimistic argue about the rest of the weekend?
:24:18. > :24:22.It looks good for the morning and we hope for a big ascent to row night.
:24:23. > :24:29.There was also the wonderful night glow. It is a must. You must come
:24:30. > :24:34.down. It is more difficult for the special shapes.
:24:35. > :24:37.The wind has to be light of the special shapes.
:24:38. > :24:42.Some of them are taking off tonight. We hope to write morning thdre will
:24:43. > :24:48.be more. Nice to see. Thank you.
:24:49. > :24:50.Now of course the weather is hugely important for balloonists.
:24:51. > :24:52.So what's it looking like this weekend.
:24:53. > :25:05.The balloons are up and running we are hopeful for tomorrow morning.
:25:06. > :25:12.Let's bring the graphics up. Saturday, there will be a fdw
:25:13. > :25:20.showers developing but they will run through quickly. There will be dry
:25:21. > :25:24.and sunny weather as well. Sunday, a much more inclement day, hurricane
:25:25. > :25:29.Bertha coming our way. A wet day but it is a question of how windy it
:25:30. > :25:36.will be. There is a Met Offhce warning. There is a threat of wind
:25:37. > :25:39.and coastal flooding. It cotld be an issue on Monday and Tuesday.
:25:40. > :25:41.warning. There is a threat of wind and coastal flooding. It cotld be an
:25:42. > :25:48.issue on Monday and Tuesday. We will be keeping an eye on that. Keep
:25:49. > :25:52.up`to`date with the forecast. As we head into tomorrow, the balloons go
:25:53. > :25:56.up at six o'clock. They will follow a similar track to today, ott
:25:57. > :26:00.towards East, Bedminster and towards East, Bedminster and
:26:01. > :26:06.Keynsham. Keep an eye out. @ wider look at the weekend, it is `
:26:07. > :26:10.question of a fair amount of dry weather about despite mediul level
:26:11. > :26:16.cloud. Some showers but as we head into tomorrow you will see some
:26:17. > :26:21.showers coming in from the West By the end of the day, more in the way
:26:22. > :26:26.of outbreaks of rain. Tonight, temperatures will be down to 14 or
:26:27. > :26:31.15 Celsius but to write morning a dry and bright start and a few
:26:32. > :26:39.showers running in from the West. They will push quite quicklx and you
:26:40. > :26:45.will notice some people will avoid the showers, the wind will turn
:26:46. > :26:51.brisker and eventually more sunshine `` showers in the evening pdriod by
:26:52. > :26:58.ten o'clock. That signals the arrival of Bertha. 20, 20 when
:26:59. > :27:03.Celsius to arrive. This is the outlook, it is focused towards
:27:04. > :27:09.Sunday and just how bad conditions will be. There is some uncertainty
:27:10. > :27:17.about that. For sure, on Sunday expect some heavy rain. We will now
:27:18. > :27:22.enjoy the balloons! Some exciting `` excited children behind you. I will
:27:23. > :27:27.be interviewing Kate Adie tomorrow about women in the First World War.
:27:28. > :27:30.There is an update at 10pm `nd we will see one Monday. Have a lovely
:27:31. > :28:05.weekend. Safe flight! Goodbxe.