22/08/2014 BBC Points West


22/08/2014

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Welcome to BBC Points West, with Sabet Choudhury and Amanda Parr.

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the Americans in the running to take over an MOD Site ` leaving

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New management's being brought in to control the ?15 billion annual

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Will we buy all American in the future? Nobody knows.

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We'll asses what impact it might have for the 10,000 staff.

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flocking from far and wide ` the region becomes a magnet

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The preparations being made to welcome

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the Indian cricket team to Bristol ` but will the weather be kind?

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And what lurks under the surface ` the major scientific study

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of the life forms under the Bristol Channel.

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First this evening ` two American companies are believed to be about

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to take over the running of the Ministry of Defence procurement

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agency at Abbey Wood near Bristol. A union official has told us that

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American experts are to be brought in to manage the MoD's ?15 billion

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annual budget, which pays for everything from fork lift trucks to

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nuclear submarines. Up to 200 senior managers at the Bristol site may

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face redundancy. This report by our home affairs correspondent.

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More than 10,000 people work here buying military equipment for the

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MOD. Now, two American companies are being brought in to oversee their

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work. The Government says it wants billions of pounds spent on planes

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and ships and weapons to be done more efficiently. But the Union

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which represents scientists and engineers at Abbey Wood says it is

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concerned about what this will mean for the workforce. There are fears

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throughout about what the importing of effectively a senior management

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tier for the organisation might mean. That has invitations for our

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members amongst management because they may find themselves replaced.

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It also has implications for others. Potentially, it cuts off career

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development opportunities. Under the contract, the US company Bechtel

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will look after the Navy and RAF, while CH2M Hill is in charge of

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procurement. Half of the management here are military offers at the has

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been much criticism of contracts coming in late and massively

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overbudget. The American companies are said to want to bring in up to

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200 of their own experts to manage the MOD contracts. It is a

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staggering decision taken by somebody, God knows who, I've only

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learned about it in the last 12 hours, like many people. It poses a

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huge number of questions. Not only are we asking who they will remove

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and why, also, how many of the actual staff at Abbey Wood will be

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affected further down the line? Mac the MOD declined to be interviewed

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about the claims and said it was inappropriate to comment at this

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stage because the contracts will be announced next month.

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The Home Office has taken over an investigation into how fifteen

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illegal immigrants were able to travel to Somerset on board a lorry.

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The group, which included a 15`year`old boy, was discovered

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earlier this week near Ilminster. Avon and Somerset Police arrested

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and bailed a 50`year`old man. They've now handed the case over to

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Detectives in Bristol have released CCTV footage of a man they'd like to

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speak to in connection with a sexual assault. A 20`year`old woman was

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attacked in the early hours of Sunday morning near Park Row.

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Officers want anyone who was in the area at the time or recognises the

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Our region saw the biggest increase in foreign visitors in the whole of

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Britain last year, according to figures out today. Tourists from

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America, Australia and Germany make up the majority of holidaymakers

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coming here ` with more than half a million coming in the summer of last

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year alone. Andrew Plant takes up the story.

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Some of the sites in the South West are increasingly tempting to

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overseas tourists. From Glastonbury two Bath's rich Roman history. This

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is the South West's most visited city. Last summer here, tourist

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numbers almost doubled from the same time in 2012. Bath does not sit back

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and let tourists rolling. Tourism bosses here are proactive, flying

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out to other countries to persuade them this is a good place to visit.

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Some of the top tourists are from surprisingly far afield. The United

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States, Germany, Australia, France and Spain. International visitors

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spend more and stay longer. They state twice as long and spend twice

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as much as domestic visitors. It is good for jobs and the economy. When

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Mac on average, overseas visitors stay for 5.3 nights as opposed to

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2.7. And they spend ?330 each as opposed to ?185 for a UK tourist.

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The people are very helpful and kind. So, I love it here. It is

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really nice. There are many picturesque spots. It is beautiful.

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The architecture is nice to see. Business has been boosted. Bath's

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Aqua Glass is particularly popular with German tourists. We're seeing a

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lot more European, Japanese, Chinese visitors. Russians were here last

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year but not so much this year. A lot of Germans. It is tourists from

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the far east who could one day overtake those top five and perhaps

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become the biggest spenders to. The Environment Agency's told the

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BBC its dredging operation on the Somerset Levels is on schedule ` and

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past the half way mark. It brings reassurance for flood victims ` who

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want the work finished before the winter. But many worry how dredging

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will be paid for in future. Millions of tonnes of earth are

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being excavated... On the Somerset Levels they have been digging for

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years, but major dredging stopped in the mid`60s.

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After two years of serious floods ` the dredgers are back.

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The likes of David Broster shifting 600 tons of silt a day from the Tone

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When they said I was coming here, I am proud to help the community.

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The Environment Agency says dredging of an 8 km stretch of rivers

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80,000 tons of silt has been dug up ` and spread on nearby fields.

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A ?6 million operation ` demanded by flood victims.

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It is marvellous to see it. We have had 20 years of neglect. The silt

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coming out of the river, I am enjoying every bucket.

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The dredgers are using computers to return the river to

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We have been given the 1960s profile and are able to profile data into

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our equipment. What you say to someone who says it is not as good

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as the old days? It will be the same as the old days when we're finished.

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Before dredging each section ` checks are made to protect wildlife

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It's meant a few surprises for water voles.

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They are a protected species. We have a license to trap them and move

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them to new areas. They are going to capture and Cornwall.

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Maintaining the river will cost ?100,000 a year ` according to

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No one's sure yet where that money will come from.

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Thanks for joining us ahead of your bank holiday weekend.

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preparing the ground for East to meet West, as India's

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And the amazing footage capturing 24 hours of Bristol life.

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A decade ago, only one in 4 of Bristol's state`educated children

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were getting five or more good GCSE's. In the national rankings,

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the city was near rock bottom. But after yesterday's GCSE results, it's

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been confirmed the figures have improved for nine out of the last

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ten years. In a moment we'll be speaking to a head teacher, but

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first Chris Brierley has been looking back at the dire state of

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A decade ago, this was the story... A special report revealed that

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Bristol's schools are bottom of the class. Just 26% of the schools got

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five more good GCSEs. 2005, still at the bottom of the pile. Truancy was

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rife and the city had more suspended pupils than anywhere else. But a

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plan was being drawn up. Millions were poured into the building of new

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schools. In 2007, new buildings like this one. ?36 million to build this.

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It would herald a new dawn. But the figures were still poor. 2009, 40%

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now getting good grades. 2010, a change in Government. More

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academies. But still not above 50%. In 2012, finally, over 50%. This

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year, the trend is once again on the up. The city is still way behind the

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national average. Could it catch up? Joining us now is Sally Apps, the

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Principal at Bristol Metropolitan Academy. So, that same question to

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you. Will it continue? Absolutely. We have raised results

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faster than the national average. The best is yet to come and it is

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down to collaboration. It is down to working between different schools,

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different headteachers, and I am part of a federation who have

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schools in Bristol and in other areas and we have been working

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together to ensure we can improve far faster than I can learn on my

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own. Many schools have become academies. You think that pulling

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away from local authority control has had anything to do with it? It

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has played a part, although I would say we have worked closely with the

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local authorities to improve schools right across Bristol. It has allowed

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schools more freedom. This has allowed pupils to get a fresh start.

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It has given schools new buildings. It is about the quality of teaching

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and there are no short cuts. Historically, many parents have

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chosen to send their children to schools in areas outside Bristol.

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Will these changes ring parents back to Bristol? I think we're already

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seeing that. I passionately believe we should all be able to go to a

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good local school. That is no more the case than it ever has been in

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Bristol. We are seeing students returning to Bristol schools. You

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mentioned we're below national average. There is a lot of

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aspiration for changing that. What needs to happen? Well, we need to

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celebrate the fact we have no schools in special measures in

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Bristol. We have had a few tries. The key now is talented

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headteachers, senior leaders, school teachers working together across the

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city to collaborate and share ideas. Our federation is a teaching school

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so we have people arriving to learn how to do it. We learn first. We

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share ideas with other headteachers. Learning together means we can do it

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faster. Great to hear such a positive story.

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We've already been hearing about how attractive the South West is for

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tourists, but if anyone were to pay a visit to the West Country

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coastline this summer, I wonder if they'd give much thought to what

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lies beneath the surface of the Bristol Channel? Well the biggest

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scientific study in 30 years has been undertaken off Porlock Bay to

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try to find out just that. Nick Quraishi has been taking a look at

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Delving deep to reveal the Somerset coast. Professional divers embark on

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their mission. They recorded stalked jellyfish ` an important species,

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which may need increased protection. And never recorded along the coast

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before ` squat lobsters were found hiding in crevices. The lobster here

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` long clawed. Sunstar starfish occupy the sea too. And sea hares `

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described as exotic looking marine molluscs. It's taken three decades

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to study these creatures. Previous challenges were aborted due to poor

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visibility. Things haven't been much better on these dives ` visibility

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down to one and a half metres ` with strong currents. Well worth it

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We did not know what we would find. We had a suspicion we might just be

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able to see Matt and have a limited number of creatures. The sheer

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diversity, over 70 species, is really quite fascinating.

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despite the frustrations of murky water, poor visibility and fast

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moving tidal currents, the study proves there's a fantastically

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diverse marine environment off the Somerset coast, which has been

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somewhat underappreciated in the past.

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and Bath have spotted a new toilet ` with a difference. This Doctor

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Who`inspired Tardis has appeared along the route, outside a cafe in

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Warmley. With the new series starting this weekend, it's already

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been turning a few heads. The most common question apparently ` are the

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facilities inside, really much bigger than they appear from the

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England and India will be doing battle in Bristol this bank holiday

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monday. 16,000 fans will pack into Gloucestershire's County Ground for

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the one`day international between the two sides. The weather's going

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to have to play ball mind you ` Alistair Durden is there now to see

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The weather is the only thing they cannot control. The rest of the

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preparation has been done. About 10,000 temporary seats have been

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installed. Every single ticket has been sold. The two teams, England

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and India, will be here on Sunday to practice and then on Monday for the

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big match. We're promised a flavour of the East. We have a local bhangra

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band to entertain the crowd. When crowds arrive, they will see a

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special mural that has been painted to commemorate the occasion.

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They're calling it East meets the West Country. When the India team

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arrive in Bristol, they should feel right at home.

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My dad was born in India. I recently found some fabrics that my

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grandmother had. The same colours. For those living in the West, a

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chance to see superstars up close. It is rate on my doorstep. Just ten

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minutes to walk there. The cricket stars are coming to Bristol, which

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is the first time for me. We have some of the T`shirts here... Local

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traders are onside too, with the game estimated to be worth around ?1

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million. We want the whole of Gloucester Road to enjoy the

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economic benefits. People have been wearing brightly coloured T`shirts.

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Window displays, discounts, all about raising the profile of the

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game. The whole world will watch this game. It is good for Gloucester

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Road, for Bristol, for the UK. This will be the first international in

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Bristol for three years. With a bidding process for future matches

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under way, Gloucestershire are keen to show their redeveloped home

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should be part of England's plans. Let's pick up on that point with the

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Chief Executive for Gloucestershire. Are you under the spotlight from the

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ECB little bit? They have had an interest in the match. What is

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riding on this? It is the future that is the point. Monday will be a

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great day. This is about what comes next. This is about major

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international between 2017 and 2019. That includes three major world

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events. That will put us in the spotlight. What could it be worth

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financially? Each match brings in quarter of ?1 million. To the city,

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it is worth ?1.25 million per day. How competitive is the bidding

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process? Very competitive. Many counties are looking for cricket. We

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are the sixth largest city in England. We are a unique and

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multicultural city. Great female and male players. Best of luck. I hope

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you get the weather. Let's take a look at tomorrow's

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football. Keiran Agard could make his Bristol City debut at Rochdale

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after signing yesterday. In terms of the other games, Yeovil will come up

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against their former striker Paddy Madden, who returns to Huish Park

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with his current club Scunthorpe. Monday's West derby between Forest

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Green Rovers and Bristol Rovers is heading for a sell`out. Just under

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4,000 will be there ` a record for a league game at the New Lawn.

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Contrasting fortunes for the two teams so far ` Forest Green have won

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3 from 3, but Bristol Rovers are Nobody is more disappointed than me.

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The players have not gotten off to a good start. But there are 43 league

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games to go. We have to learn. That is key for me, that we progress and

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learn from our mistakes. We are confident about taking on teams but

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this will be a great game. We have a sell`out crowd. Great atmosphere,

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great local derby. That is the international wicket they will be

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using on Monday. All we need is good weather. Thank you.

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Now, have a look at this stunning image. It was taken in a

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photographic competition started last year to capture what Bristol

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looks like over the course of one day. 20,000 images were sent in, the

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winning one was taken by Andy Coffin. He's here now, along with

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the event organiser Mike Porter. Welcome. You're doing it all again

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Mike, what is this competition about? This is the Domesday book of

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Bristol. It is an unusual competition. Photographers are

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allocated one hour in which they take a photographic 88 photographic

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a 24`hour period. We get a complete range of the city in all its glory.

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It was successful last year because so many people entered into the

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competition. This is Andy's picture. competition. This is Andy's picture.

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It is very evocative. What made you head for the station? I had

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previously entered the competition and been around Bristol at the hour

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my photo was supposed to be taken. I was trying to find the busiest

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places because I thought action is what would help. I discovered temple

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me was the busiest place. My slot was between 7am and ATM. I took a

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few other photographs at the station. When it went on to the

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platform, there are plenty people there. Suddenly, I turned around and

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saw the bicycles and they looked far more interesting. It reminded me

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that Bristol is the bicycle capital. Brilliant. What would Brunel think

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about his great place becoming a bike schedule at it starts at midday

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tomorrow. The sponsors will be in Millennium Square, opposite the big

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screen. There will be a countdown. They will all be running off in

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different directions at midday. Where you amazed at how creative

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people have been? It is unbelievable. I've never had the

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city to do it or the equipment. Now with digital cameras, and with the

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internet, we're able to do something like this instantly. And anyone can

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take part. Thank you. We look forward to the results. Let's get

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the weather. A decent evening developing, if a rather cool one.

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things. We will see things pick up things. We will see things pick up

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towards the bank holiday. But that is when we see the most inclement

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conditions developing. Saturday will be a bright day for the most part.

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Sunday the same. A chilly start, turning increasingly cloudy. Rain

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likely in the evening and then we get into Monday, which is a bit of a

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dog's dinner. Blustery with showers. At the moment, showers remain clear

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of us. They will do that tomorrow as well. A pretty bright outlook for

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Saturday. But the overnight period into Sunday could be record`breaking

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in terms of how chilly it will get. Perhaps the Celsius. `` three

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Celsius. Temperatures tonight, down to 7 degrees. Closer to double

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figures for urban areas. One or two showers in the extreme south,

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Somerset, Dorset. A good deal of dry weather. Moderately breezy. Very

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little change through towards the evening. Temperatures down on

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today. About 17 Celsius. Moving onto Monday. The first of those weather

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fronts bringing rain in by late Sunday into Monday. Then further

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rain waiting in the wings. All of that will have implications for the

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cricket in Bristol on Monday. Details of that yet to be

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established. Do not write it off yet! It will be a day of

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interruptions, if not more. Here is the summary. Enjoy your weekend.

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Thank you. Decent weather tomorrow then, if

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you're planning on taking part in 24 hours in Bristol ` and if you were

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wondering what the last 24 hours in the city looked like, here they

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are... Phoebe Rundle is the girl for you.

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But how will I know when it's real? Go back to the factory

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and I'll sort out the rest. If you don't then you're

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on your own.

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