29/09/2014 BBC Points West

Hello and welcome to BBC Pohnts West with Alex Lovell and Will Glennon.

Taking action on the 20 year flood plan Work starts to protect villages

on the Somerset Levels and stop them from being cut`off again.

Essential flood prevention work is underway.

But local people are asking, will it actually work?

And we'll be asking a government MP whether enough is being dond.

Remembered in a rainbow of colour ` hundreds of Sam Amin's friends and

No`one had a bad word to sax about him, ever.

New hope for youngsters ` a treatment for childhood c`ncer

And the dream that survived advdrsity `

the Bath ballet dancer back on one of the world's biggest stagds after

An international search is on for a Somali teenager from Bristol

who's left home and is known to be heading to Syria.

Avon and Somerset Police sax there are indications from that

the 15`year`old girl has bedn radicalised and that she might be

Officers say they're doing everything they can to stop

Our reporter Scott Ellis joins us now.

What do we know about the disappearance of this ghrl?

We know a last week a 15`ye`r`old girl left Bristol heading for Syria

` and that she was living hdre and was at school in the city.

The police in Bristol have confirmed that the girl has travelled as far

as Istanbul in Turkey ` and is attempting to travel on to Syria.

Of course she may have gone purely for humanitarian reasons ` to help

But given the involvement of the police both here in Bristol in

London and internationally, there is the risk that the teenage ghrl may

And Avon and Somerset Policd have said there are indicathons

You've been speaking to the Somalis today ` what have they been saying

This is a very serious issud for the Somali community in Bristol

` perhaps one of the most sdrious in a decade.

People are worried about thd safety of the teenage girl ` could she be

But also Somali parents havd asking, was she brain washed or radhcalised

` if indeed ISIS was her motive for going.

Was it by a person in the Somali community in this country `

Certainly a matter of deep concern for Somali's living in Bristol `

Tonight the police have said they're supporting the girl's familx `

and are trying to find her before she crosses the border into Syria.

Work has begun to protect vhllages on the Somerset Levels

Two main roads will close for up to 11 weeks to hopeftlly

It's all part of the 20 year Somerset Flood Action

Plan, which was developed after last winter's unprecedented floods.

Here our Somerset Correspondent Clinton Rogers.

The main road through Somerset is closed for 11 weeks.

Yet for once, local people are pretty happy..

Because all of this signals the start of major flood prdvention

work, part of a package of leasures adding up to ?10 million.

This amount of work in such a short time is unprecedentdd.

Somerset has attracted millhons of pounds historically, but never has

They're trying to prevent a repeat of this ` the worst floods on the

Thousands of acres of land underwater,

The national publicity that attracted prompted the government

They're raising the level of the road by six inches,

they hope that'll put it above future flooding.

But they're also widening the drainage channels,

so that water that does fall on the moorlands behind me can flow

There's no silver bullet th`t will stop all of the flooding

However, a number of key schemes will alleviate parts of the county

Nine months from the flooding, this man is still waiting to get

Small wonder he's cautious ` though optimistic ` about the flood

But they need to keep going, upgrading.

They're also raising one of the roads leading to Muchelney,

a community cut off for two months during the last floods.

All eyes will doubtless be on Muchelney next year to sde

Or if the village boat is pressed to service again.

Will that be out again? As xou here, we are investigating, to do with

some of this. The transport links are very welcome. We need a series

of measures, that come together to make these communities safer. Some

people still think you are not doing enough? We have got together with a

local councils, representathves to bring this plan. You have hdlp from

the local. I had the chance to talk to him. We are getting on. We cannot

promise that we will not have these extreme weather conditions `gain,

but we can promise the impact.. But you can plan for what may h`ppen

again? Absolutely. We're looking at the transport links. Many pdople

were also cut off even if they weren't direct flooded. The measures

announced today are good stdp forward. We are making progress with

the partners. Thank you. The centre

of Bath came to a standstill today as friends and family gathered

for the funeral of a young student. Around 700 people came to B`th Abbey

to hear eighteen year old S`m Amin described as a dream student,

who was full of charm. His body was found in the Rhver Avon

in Bath earlier this month. He'd disappeared

after a night out with friends. Imogen Sellers was

at today's service. The family of Sam Amin,

led by the cadet band, Inside hundreds of friends

and family ` from all over Bath all over the world `

came to remember him. His teachers spoke

of a boy who was a dream to teach. Sam's father spoke in his n`tive

language, calling his son bx his His closest friends describdd Sam

as so popular and so cool hd could Best guy I knew. Best kid in Bath.

Such a good friend. So happx. We're young, stupid, compared to him. It

was great. I fell in a bog, up to my shoulder. Sam reached in and pulled

me out. He didn't think abott himself.

The congregation were asked to wear bright colours and light a candle

for the 18`year`old, who should have been starting university thhs week.

It was just over two weeks `go that Sam had gone out to say goodbye to

Days later his body was found in the River Avon.

Sam was one of our sons. We must honour his memory as we work

together to prevent any othdr family share this sufferings. Six len have

lost their lives. We must ndver reach seven. Sam's family nhckname

meant cloud. That cloud has drifted. But his spirit will remain. A very

warm welcome to Points West at the start of your week. We've still got

plenty more to bring you, including the weather with Jemma. We've had a

lovely September. Drier, brhghter and warmer than average. Will those

conditions continue in October? Join me to find out.

People are still counting the cost of a burst water main, which left

24,000 homes without water and damaged around 20 properties.

Water supplies have been restored to the homes in Kingswood near Bristol

` but for those whose homes were flooded, the clean`up operation is

Almost exactly four days on since the pipe burst, things are still a

The water is gone, and the water supply is back on

but for those whose homes wdre flooded, they're still trying to get

Earlier I spoke to one lady who lives here, and she was too upset

to appear on camera, but shd was keen to tell us her story.

All of a sudden, they ran up to me, and told me to have a look.

I phoned 999 and that's when they said they can't come down ydt.

They said they were worried about a gas explosion.

They were scared the water was going to come up higher.

I thought we were going to die so I text my brother

and I said tell mum and dad I love them in case anything happens.

I wanted us to be safe but H couldn't do anything.

It seemed to take ages before anyone came to rescud us

That was Beverley talking to us earlier about her experiencds

Over the weekend, the local MP for the area called for compensation

Bristol Water today confirmdd those who had lost their supply wouldn't

be compensated because the supply was back on within 48 hours, but in

a statement they said they `re talks with those people whose homds were

flooded, and they are offerhng them all the assistance thex can.

A scandal and a defection ` hardly the headlines the

Conservatives were hoping for at the start of their last party conference

But there was a glimmer of good news for the Tories from the West country

with a new poll suggesting the party would gain seats across Somdrset.

Robin Markwell reports from the Conservative Party

This had been the message the Conservatives wanted to prolote

Instead, the start of this conference became the stuff of

nightmares ` another MP defdcted to UKIP, and inside delegates pondered

Keen to swear allegiance to his leader is this Somerset MP.

He denies rumours in the prdss that he might be about to switch sides.

I think Nigel Farage is a very capable of leading UKIP.

He is a very charismatic politician, and he has managed to set

He's also keeping the suspense going, with

Today the Conservatives tridd to regain the initiative.

Crowds gathered to hear the Chancellor announcing new policy.

And cheery news for Conserv`tives in the West Country.

A poll by Lord Ashcroft suggested the Conservatives would ste`l

These places would all switch from yellow to blue.

The survey was welcomed by fresh faces of the party.

The coalition marriage now slipping to divorce?

It's clear that what's being offered after the next general election is

a very different message about how this country could be

The Lib Dems are saying thex'll tax your family home,

The Conservatives stand for something different.

The mood music in Westminster is changing.

Two parties ` once friends ` now in full`on battle mode, both knowing in

A new childhood cancer treatment, which has been a big success

in America, is coming to Brhstol for its UK trial.

One hospital in the States said previously none of its patidnts

survived when they had a relapse of the cancer neuroblastoma.

With the new treatment, three quarters of them survhved

In a moment we'll speak to the Bristol doctor who'll bd running

First Andy Howard reports on one little girl who's benefited

She's four years old and generally a happy littld soul.

But the fact she's alive is a miracle.

As a baby, she had cancer, called neuroblastoma.

Three years ago, doctors told her parents there was nothing

You can see how veined her stomach was.

She was completely covered in floating tumours.

We were taken to an office, told to take some pictures, make thd best

I sat on my stairs and I screamed, "I'll research it on the internet

And granny's laptop found a hospital in America.

It was offering a trial of a new drug.

Treatment would cost more than ?1 million.

But it was raised entirely by charity.

But getting every sick child to America for the treatment

So the plan now is for the drug which is designed to teach

the body to destroy cancer, to come to the UK for the first timd.

Bristol Children's Hospital will run a trial,

She might be struggling with drawing big circles,

It's hoped this trial in Brhstol, which will be started by thd end

of the year, can help many more like her.

Dr Stephen Lowis is involved in the trial in Bristol. No question it's

worth it and the risk should be with the families. Does more pressure

need to be put on drug comp`nies to test their drugs for rare conditions

` and be less profit driven? Why is it paid for by a charity? It may be

effective but we just do not know at the moment. Does more presstre on me

to be put on these drug companies? Yes and no. Companies have started

to produce lots of new drugs. That has been a stick and carrot

approach. This has benefited. Why Bristol? We are one of ten centres

that do these research ideologies. Granny went on the internet and

found this herself ` should the NHS inform people about possibilities

elsewhere in the world? That is what I do. I encourage people to find

these things. Families can do just that. Thank you. It's been confirmed

that Bristol Rovers' chaplahn, Dave Jeal, will conduct the funeral of

lifelong Bristol City fan M`rk Saunders. Mark, who was 54, passed

away on Saturday after losing his battle with lung cancer. Back in

March he was invited into the City dressing room to give a pre`match

talk to the players ` inspiring them to a victory. Three years after a

young ballet dancer from Bath was mugged and left for dead ` he's

danced on one of the world's most famous stages. Jack Widdowson was 19

when he was attacked on a nhght out in Cardiff and left with a broken

neck. Our reporter Ali Vowlds was allowed exclusive access behind the

scenes at London's Sadlers Wells as he made his return.

Two o' clock and Jack's on stage, going through his routine.

Rehearsals have begun for the charity spectacular.

It's hard to believe this young man was so critically ill

Jack's recovery is so compldte that he's now got a full dance contract

And coming to this famous London stage means everything.

To be back performing, it's inspiring.

But in tonight's performancd Jack is not alone.

Ballet Black is just one of the UK Dance Companies all keen to give

Away from the glamour, 14`year`old Emily is being treated

for her injuries at the new specialist NHS dancd clinic

It's being funded by the Dance Again Foundation ` set up

by Jack's parents, who discovered to their cost that there was little

Back at Sadlers Wells and the nerves are building.

This VIP schmoozing is important fundraising time.

The long term aim of Jack's parents is to fund specialist treatlent

How lucky were we? That's the motivation. He's fine, thank

heavens. It's also a chance for Jack to catch

up with old school friends ` and the So finally,

curtain up and MC for the nhght is ex rugby man David Flatman `

just one of the willing voltnteers. And so began a glorious night

of dance from the UK's finest. Jack is getting into the zone `

even though he's got me It has been a fantastic evening But

all eyes are on the final act. Jack, the boy they never believed could

dance again. Although just at the start of his

professional ballet career, Jack's performance has definitely been one

of the highlights of the evdning. It's a remarkable story of courage

and determination ` and certainly I am very pleased. Wobbly, but it

was OK! In tradable. `` Incredible. Time now

for the weather. We have some cloud today. Also,

patchy drizzle. Some very nhce temperatures. The seasonal `verage

is 16 Celsius but today it was 0. It is going to be settled. Certainly

some sunshine. Certainly, until Friday, feeling warm. For the rest

of the evening, the cloned will thicken. `` cloud. Overnight, lows

of ten to 13. Patchy drizzld. Tuesday is a good story. We are

looking at some dry, preconditions. `` bright conditions. We max even

see 21 Celsius. Tomorrow, wd will see this weak frontal systel. I

would not get too concerned. It will not amount to a great deal. As the

system pushes, for the remahnder of Wednesday, we are talking about a

settled story. We will be sdeing these temperatures generallx holding

up. By Friday afternoon, windy. Saturday, wet and windy. Th`nk you.

That was freakishly good! That will be her moniker now! Goodbye.

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But there's one thing that's easy to do when you move -

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