:00:03. > :00:06.Welcome to Wales Today. Our top story tonight. Warren Gatland at
:00:06. > :00:09.the beach home in New Zealand where he fell from a ladder. Concerns
:00:09. > :00:13.about his recovery in time for Wales' summer tour. He'll need
:00:13. > :00:19.surgery next week after shattering bones in both heels. It's a very
:00:19. > :00:23.strong bone when it's intact. It's like an egg. As soon as there's a
:00:23. > :00:33.break in it, it's like a Crunchie chocolate bar inside. Also in the
:00:33. > :00:34.
:00:34. > :00:44.programme. Parents and children are camping out tonight in a protest to
:00:44. > :00:45.
:00:45. > :00:48.save this dry ski slope from closing.
:00:48. > :00:55.Campaigning from the classroom, as Nick Clegg defends a big drop in
:00:55. > :00:57.the number of Lib Dem candidates for the local elections.
:00:58. > :01:02.Preserving a rare wetland. The campaign to raise �300,000 to save
:01:02. > :01:06.it from developers. And the remains of Swansea's once
:01:06. > :01:15.great copper industry. Now new research to find out more about
:01:15. > :01:18.Copperopolis. Good evening. Wales coach Warren
:01:18. > :01:21.Gatland is to undergo surgery after falling from a ladder at his beach
:01:22. > :01:26.home in New Zealand. The 48-year- old is in leg casts after
:01:26. > :01:31.shattering both his heels. There are concerns about his recovery in
:01:31. > :01:34.time for Wales' summer tour. Claire's here. What more do we
:01:34. > :01:37.know? Warren Gatland fell whilst cleaning
:01:38. > :01:41.windows on Easter Monday when he lost his balance and fell 10 feet
:01:41. > :01:46.onto concrete. Doctors have told him he needs urgent surgery to
:01:46. > :01:49.reconstruct his right heel. Back home, the Welsh Rugby Union say
:01:49. > :01:52.they are confident he will have recovered in time to take charge of
:01:52. > :01:56.Wales' three Test tour to Australia in June, but Rob Howley will take
:01:56. > :02:06.day to day charge of the coaching team during his absence. Ashleigh
:02:06. > :02:12.
:02:12. > :02:16.Crowter has the story. The warren Gatland seaside family treat --
:02:17. > :02:22.retreat in New Zealand is the perfect place to enjoy a quality
:02:22. > :02:25.time. The Wales coach relaxed there with his wife and two children do
:02:26. > :02:31.in the World Cup last October and he was back fair over Easter. It
:02:31. > :02:34.turned into a weekend he will never forget. He fell off a ladder while
:02:34. > :02:40.cleaning windows on Easter Monday, dropping three metres on to
:02:40. > :02:44.concrete. It is certainly a serious injury.
:02:44. > :02:49.The bone in his right foot will need to be reconstructed after it
:02:49. > :02:53.broke in three places. About three- quarters of these have injuries
:02:53. > :02:58.happen in middle-aged men. They either have a car accident or four
:02:58. > :03:03.-- fall from a ladder. It is a classical scenario for this injury.
:03:03. > :03:08.It is a very strong bone when it is intact. It is like an egg, very
:03:08. > :03:13.protective. As well as there is a break, it is like a chocolate bar
:03:13. > :03:17.inside. It just collapses in on itself. If both heels are injured,
:03:17. > :03:22.even if it does not require surgery, it means not putting any weight on
:03:22. > :03:27.it for six weeks. In his absence, the Welsh Rugby Union have asked
:03:27. > :03:31.Robert Howley to lead the coaching team. He and other staff will be
:03:31. > :03:34.liaising with him during his recuperation. He spends a lot of
:03:34. > :03:39.time in New Zealand and he has a team of coaches in Wales keeping an
:03:39. > :03:43.eye on all the players. It is not just be coaches, there are the
:03:43. > :03:47.physios and the video analysis guys. Everyone will be working behind the
:03:47. > :03:51.scenes as usual and it will not disrupt preparations too much.
:03:51. > :04:01.statement, Roger Lewis said he had spoken to Gatland on a number of
:04:01. > :04:02.
:04:02. > :04:08.Wales were already planning for Gatland to take a sabbatical next
:04:08. > :04:12.season if he has -- is appointed as the next British Lions coach. Their
:04:12. > :04:16.contingency plans may now be needed early. I do not think he will come
:04:16. > :04:21.back to Wales in between. It will obviously disrupt the Welsh
:04:21. > :04:24.preparations. Having said that, it also gives great and valuable
:04:24. > :04:28.experience to Robert Howley and Robin McBryde and Neil Jenkins.
:04:28. > :04:35.Next year, the likelihood is they will be on their own in the Six
:04:35. > :04:41.Nations Championship. Wales play the Barbarians in a warm-up game in
:04:41. > :04:45.Cardiff on 2nd June. That is just seven weeks away. For once, it is
:04:45. > :04:49.the coach not just the players who will be struggling to get fit in
:04:49. > :04:53.time. So surgery next Thursday for the Wales coach, and we'll keep you
:04:53. > :04:56.up to date with his recovery. I'll be back with the rest of the day's
:04:56. > :05:00.sports news a little later. A group of children and parents are
:05:00. > :05:03.preparing for their second night camping out at a dry ski slope in
:05:03. > :05:08.Capel Curig in protest at plans to close it. The slope at Plas Y
:05:08. > :05:11.Brenin was due to close at the end of this month. But it's been shut
:05:11. > :05:21.early because it's been damaged. Roger Pinney is there for us this
:05:21. > :05:21.
:05:21. > :05:31.evening. Yes, this is the Welshpool occupied
:05:31. > :05:34.
:05:34. > :05:40.protest. You can see the tents and the youngsters -- two mac.
:05:40. > :05:45.Generations of locals have learned to ski here. One or two
:05:45. > :05:49.international skiers have cut their teeth on this will pass well. But
:05:50. > :05:58.now they say it is the end of its natural life. It will be too
:05:58. > :06:06.expensive to replace it. You were here last night. Was it
:06:06. > :06:10.called? It was a little bit cold. There were some squirrels as well.
:06:10. > :06:16.Generations of our families have learnt to ski here. We come here at
:06:16. > :06:24.least three times a week. We reveal of the ski slope. -- really love
:06:24. > :06:29.her. You are one of the mothers involved
:06:29. > :06:33.in this protest. They are saying it is too expensive to replace. It is
:06:33. > :06:38.expensive to replace but we have done our own research. He had some
:06:38. > :06:43.funds available and we believe it can be viable. It has not been
:06:43. > :06:46.promoted in the right way. Sales have dropped. We believe we have
:06:46. > :06:51.information that says if we advertise correctly, a lot of
:06:51. > :06:58.people will use it and we can maintain it. The whole thing needs
:06:58. > :07:06.to be replaced. It just. -- it does. We have people with the ability to
:07:06. > :07:12.help us free of charge. We are prepared to use them. Let's get the
:07:12. > :07:22.word from the boss. By a quirk of the devolution settlement, this is
:07:22. > :07:26.owned by Sport England. They say it is viable if you marketed it.
:07:26. > :07:29.great to in -- invite everyone to Snowdonia on a lovely evening. We
:07:29. > :07:33.have tried to promote the ski slopes over a number of years but
:07:33. > :07:37.we have seen a decline in its use over a great many years.
:07:37. > :07:43.Unfortunately, it is the kind of surface that has got a declining
:07:43. > :07:46.appeal. We have been able to run the slow but we have now reached a
:07:46. > :07:49.stage where it needs a complete replacement. When we look at the
:07:49. > :07:52.cost of replacing it, and we compare that with the income we
:07:52. > :08:00.will generate in the future, we just know that we will never get a
:08:00. > :08:03.return. The suggestion is you have lost interest in skiing. We have
:08:03. > :08:09.not lost interest in skiing but unfortunately you reach a stage
:08:09. > :08:12.where promoting things is not cost- effective. We are about promoting
:08:12. > :08:20.sport and participation and getting people involved in sport.
:08:20. > :08:26.Unfortunately, this particular activity, dry Scopes fleeing -- dry
:08:26. > :08:32.slope skiing is on the decline. We are doing our best to promote areas
:08:32. > :08:38.such as mountain biking where there is real growth. The protesters say
:08:38. > :08:40.they will keep going but they have some cold weather ahead. Almost
:08:40. > :08:45.2,000 drivers and passengers were stopped for not wearing a seatbelt
:08:45. > :08:48.in just two weeks here. Police forces across Wales carried out
:08:48. > :08:51.targeted patrols to stop those not wearing a belt, as part of a new
:08:51. > :08:53.awareness campaign. Dyfed Powys Police recorded the highest number,
:08:53. > :08:57.with 843 people stopped over the two week period.
:08:57. > :08:59.A jury at Caernarfon Crown Court heard today how a woman who was
:08:59. > :09:03.allegedly raped by two footballers told police she couldn't remember
:09:03. > :09:05.the attack and suspected her drink had been spiked. 23-year-old Wales
:09:05. > :09:09.and Sheffield United striker Ched Evans, seen here in the middle,
:09:09. > :09:16.denies the attack on the 19-year- old woman last May, as does Port
:09:16. > :09:19.Vale defender Clayton McDonald, seen here on the right. An
:09:19. > :09:22.investigation is underway after the body of a woman, thought to be in
:09:22. > :09:27.her seventies, was discovered in Caban Coch Reservoir in the Elan
:09:27. > :09:30.Valley. The body was found by a passer by this morning.
:09:30. > :09:34.Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has been back to the classroom on
:09:34. > :09:37.the campaign trail in Wales today. He stopped off at Oystermouth
:09:37. > :09:39.Primary in Swansea, where he defended his party's campaign in
:09:39. > :09:49.the local elections, despite a major drop in the number of
:09:49. > :09:54.
:09:54. > :09:57.candidates the party is fielding in Wales. I think it is perfectly
:09:57. > :10:02.normal but if you consider the changing circumstances compared to
:10:02. > :10:06.the last elections, when we were not in government, we were not
:10:06. > :10:10.having to face these difficult decisions on public spending and so
:10:10. > :10:14.on. We are fighting these elections in different circumstances. Of
:10:14. > :10:20.course, it is tougher. We are taking difficult decisions and
:10:20. > :10:26.taking responsibility in a way that Labour never did. Is it damage
:10:27. > :10:30.limitation? As a political party, as circumstances change, you focus
:10:30. > :10:34.your resources and your candidates at your time and your energy where
:10:34. > :10:42.you have a strong presence on the ground. As we do win places like
:10:42. > :10:46.Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham and so on. In other areas, where we might
:10:46. > :10:56.be on the back foot, we do not have as many candidates last -- as much
:10:56. > :10:56.
:10:56. > :11:00.as we had last time. You cut your cloth to suit your circumstances of
:11:00. > :11:05.the time. When people come to vote, they were not vote based on how
:11:05. > :11:09.many candidates the party has put up across the country. We are
:11:09. > :11:13.investing more in schools, delivering fairer taxes, delivering
:11:13. > :11:17.the largest cash increase in pensions ever, more apprenticeships
:11:17. > :11:21.than have ever been delivered. People cannot vote for candidates
:11:21. > :11:29.if they are not standing. We are standing hundreds of candidates. We
:11:29. > :11:37.are doing so ferry proudly. We are very proud of our record naturally.
:11:37. > :11:42.We have stepped up to the plate to clear up the mess left by Labour.
:11:42. > :11:46.We are delivering. One issue playing on the doorsteps is the
:11:47. > :11:49.question of regional pay. Vince Cable says it will not happen. The
:11:49. > :11:53.Conservatives in the coalition to seen to be sending out a different
:11:53. > :11:58.sort of message. What is your message -- the position? There has
:11:58. > :12:03.been some ludicrous scaremongering from the trade unions and Labour.
:12:03. > :12:07.It is important that people understand this. This is not new.
:12:07. > :12:12.Last autumn, it was announced that independent pay review bodies would
:12:12. > :12:17.look at this. If he will not going to do it, why look at it? This has
:12:17. > :12:24.been going on for years. The Labour government introduced it in the
:12:24. > :12:30.Court Service. We are not going to impose it from above but it is
:12:30. > :12:33.being done incrementally. All the Chancellor said was that the
:12:33. > :12:38.independent pay review bodies would look at it. No decision by the
:12:38. > :12:44.government has been made. There is no question of us in polls in this
:12:44. > :12:49.on Wales or imposing this on departments across Whitehall. --
:12:49. > :12:51.imposing this. Well, Mr Clegg has been in Wrexham tonight, where
:12:51. > :12:55.around 50 workers and supporters from the threatened Remploy factory
:12:55. > :12:59.in the town lobbied him as he arrived for a meeting with the
:13:00. > :13:02.local Lib Dem party. The future of the Remploy factory is currently
:13:02. > :13:04.subject to consultation. Meanwhile, the Welsh Conservatives
:13:04. > :13:07.have launched their campaign for the local elections, insisting
:13:07. > :13:10.they're the party best placed to challenge Labour. They're promising
:13:10. > :13:18.more local accountability and a freeze on council tax. Here's our
:13:18. > :13:24.Political Editor, Betsan Powys. It was a launch on home ground for
:13:24. > :13:34.the Conservatives. In Newport, they eat the local council. They know
:13:34. > :13:35.
:13:35. > :13:39.that Labour up out to recapture it. The Welsh Conservatives know that
:13:40. > :13:43.the battle lines are drawn. The Welsh Conservatives deliver
:13:43. > :13:46.when they are given a chance in local government. We want to make
:13:46. > :13:56.sure we capitalise on that could work that has been undertaken over
:13:56. > :14:01.
:14:01. > :14:11.There is a pledge to tackle littering, Dad if -- dog fouling
:14:11. > :14:13.
:14:13. > :14:19.The emphasis in Monmouth was on cutting edge technology and local
:14:19. > :14:23.knowledge. Party workers admit that the
:14:23. > :14:30.national picture is never far away. The unpopularity of the Granny Tax
:14:30. > :14:36.rock --, it worries about public spending cuts. But they say the
:14:36. > :14:40.main concern is about Labour's track record in Wales.
:14:40. > :14:44.We have not been standing still in Wales for many years. We have been
:14:44. > :14:47.making gains and this time again, we will be on the doorstep,
:14:47. > :14:53.fighting for every vote, to keep on delivering that better option,
:14:53. > :14:56.those Jose's -- choices for the people of Wales. With more
:14:56. > :15:02.candidates than before, the Conservatives want to hang on to
:15:02. > :15:11.what they have got. Still to come, remains of
:15:11. > :15:14.Copperopolis. More research to reveal more of its past. The Gwent
:15:14. > :15:18.Wildlife Trust is trying to raise �300,000 to buy some rare,
:15:18. > :15:21.preserved wetland on the edge of Magor Marsh. The area goes to
:15:21. > :15:31.auction at the end of the month. Our Newport reporter, Jordan Davies,
:15:31. > :15:35.
:15:35. > :15:40.is there now. Take a look at that landscape.
:15:40. > :15:44.Those marshlands go for miles up to Newport and beyond and contain some
:15:44. > :15:49.pretty were rare wildlife. The trust wants to buy some more land
:15:49. > :15:56.and it says it is unique in the area.
:15:56. > :16:02.90 acres of lush green wetland. The village macro Marsh reserve is part
:16:02. > :16:08.of the Gwent Levels. It is part -- it is of special scientific
:16:08. > :16:13.interest. The Wildlife Trust wants to extend its reserve by the
:16:13. > :16:17.equivalent of 49 football pitches. The Trust is hoping to buy 11
:16:17. > :16:21.fields surrounding this area but it says they have been untouched for
:16:21. > :16:29.the last 50 years and contain some of the rarest habitats on the Gwent
:16:29. > :16:38.Levels. It is particularly known for its rare flowers. This is
:16:38. > :16:43.called a cuckoo flower. This woman says it his key they
:16:43. > :16:48.secured the new work land. If we continued to lose these species
:16:48. > :16:53.rich sites, there is nowhere for them to move to. Some of the
:16:53. > :16:58.features, like the network of drainage ditches date back to the
:16:58. > :17:08.14th century. The 49 acres of-- land will be sold at auction at the
:17:08. > :17:09.
:17:09. > :17:12.end of the man. -- month. It is not the best time in economic
:17:12. > :17:18.history to be asking people these questions but I also think it will
:17:18. > :17:21.be easy because we are looking at a future that is more than five years.
:17:21. > :17:27.We are looking long-term to secure this landscape for future
:17:27. > :17:37.generations. The trust is relying on its 10,000 members to dig deep
:17:37. > :17:40.
:17:40. > :17:44.and preserve the for more of this rare habitat for future generations.
:17:44. > :17:49.I am joined by Roger James, the President of the Wildlife Trust.
:17:49. > :17:55.You must have some great memories of this blaze. Yes, going back 26
:17:55. > :17:58.years. I have seen a lot of changes. A lot of changes for the good. If
:17:58. > :18:06.we could purchase this land, it will be even more important. What
:18:06. > :18:13.is so special about this land? has a wonderful selection of
:18:13. > :18:18.lowland wetland flowers. There is also the great risk of being
:18:18. > :18:24.developed. We are hearing things about things on the motorway and
:18:24. > :18:30.the more we can save our rich heritage, the better. It will be a
:18:30. > :18:34.challenge to raise �300,000 by the end of the month. It will be. But
:18:34. > :18:38.you have to be an optimist in the green movement. We have done it
:18:38. > :18:47.before. We have a limited amount of time to tour. I am quite confident
:18:47. > :18:52.that we can do it. What do you say to the people that would like to
:18:52. > :18:54.see the land developed? There is room for both of us. As well as
:18:54. > :19:01.religion and politics and things like this, you have got to take the
:19:01. > :19:05.fact that people want to see different land uses. I am aware
:19:05. > :19:09.there is a housing shortage but I am sure there is a place for both.
:19:10. > :19:13.We await to see the outcome of the auction at the end of the month.
:19:13. > :19:16.The rest of the day's sports news now and it's four defeats on the
:19:16. > :19:18.bounce for Swansea City in the Premier League. Manager Brendan
:19:18. > :19:22.Rodgers says his side's performances just haven't been good
:19:22. > :19:25.enough in their last four games. The Swans have conceded 10 goals
:19:25. > :19:29.and scored just one, in four straight defeats. After losing at
:19:29. > :19:37.QPR 3-0 last night, Rodgers says they still need one more win to be
:19:37. > :19:42.safe from relegation. We need to get over the line. We are still not
:19:42. > :19:46.there. We are on 39 points. We have five games to go. We need to make
:19:46. > :19:50.sure we finish off the season. Up until now, it has been terrific. It
:19:50. > :19:58.has been a disappointing night but we need to regroup and refocus
:19:58. > :20:08.again. Get that concentration in. Cricket and the weather has played
:20:08. > :20:15.
:20:15. > :20:21.its part in Glamorgan's first home Rain and thunder really disrupted
:20:21. > :20:24.things this afternoon. Rugby and Scarlets coach Nigel Davies has
:20:24. > :20:27.today paid tribute to fly-half Stephen Jones, who is leaving the
:20:27. > :20:31.club to join English side Wasps. The 34-year-old is Wales's most
:20:31. > :20:34.capped player and says this is the right time in his career for change.
:20:34. > :20:42.He's signed a two year contract and his former coach says a new
:20:42. > :20:48.challenge is exactly what he needs. He will want to prove himself in
:20:48. > :20:53.that league. I am sure that he will do that. In many ways, he has
:20:53. > :21:03.helped define the modern No. 10. In terms of tackle awareness, strength
:21:03. > :21:09.of character, and also physicality. You must not underestimate that. He
:21:09. > :21:13.is the epitome of the modern-day Number 10. In the heat of the
:21:13. > :21:16.industrial revolution, it was copper that put Swansea on the map.
:21:16. > :21:18.Today academics from all over the globe have been gathering there to
:21:18. > :21:27.learn more about the city they nicknamed Copperopolis. Rhodri
:21:27. > :21:30.Lewis reports. A peaceful site today. It's difficult to imagine
:21:30. > :21:35.the Hafod copper works in Swansea were once at the centre of a
:21:35. > :21:40.worldwide industry. At one point 90% of the globe's smelted copper
:21:40. > :21:44.was produced here. 200 years ago this would have been the scene of
:21:44. > :21:47.great activity with heavy industry right in the heart of Swansea.
:21:47. > :21:51.Copper ore and coal were brought in to create the smelted copper
:21:51. > :21:57.Swansea was famous for. Ore from Anglesey and coal coming down the
:21:57. > :22:02.valley. The ore was even brought here from as far afield as Chile
:22:02. > :22:05.and Australia to be finished before being exported around the world.
:22:05. > :22:08.Now academics from all over the world are gathering in Swansea
:22:08. > :22:10.university to talk about how the city earned its nickname of
:22:10. > :22:20.Copperopolis and how the industry became an early example of
:22:20. > :22:22.
:22:22. > :22:27.globalisation. What we have got his national discussions which are not
:22:27. > :22:35.interact at all. We want to get a more interactive global view of how
:22:35. > :22:38.it operated. And what a Swansea 19 individual places, South Australia.
:22:38. > :22:41.Mel Davies is originally from Cwmavon, but has spent the past 40
:22:41. > :22:43.years in Australia studying how the relationship between Wales and that
:22:43. > :22:52.country developed when its good quality copper was brought here to
:22:52. > :23:02.be smelted. The percentage was quite amazing. You were looking at
:23:02. > :23:03.
:23:03. > :23:07.some times 35 % copper. Today, it would be about 1% or less. It was -
:23:07. > :23:10.- it made South Australia. Though the works have long since closed,
:23:10. > :23:14.the hope is the new study will uncover more about the global
:23:14. > :23:22.impact of a key part of Wales' industrial heritage. Derek's on the
:23:22. > :23:26.Gwent Levels this evening, an area Yes, I filmed here for Weatherman
:23:26. > :23:30.Walking a couple of years ago. Just down the road from Goldcliff to
:23:30. > :23:36.Redwick. It's an interesting part of the country and well worth a
:23:36. > :23:39.visit. The weather today has been very mixed across Wales. Most
:23:39. > :23:44.places dry and sunny but some showers as well. Most of the
:23:44. > :23:48.showers in Mid Wales and the south. Heavy downpours in places this
:23:48. > :23:58.afternoon with hail and thunder. This evening showers in the South
:23:58. > :24:02.
:24:02. > :24:04.East will die down. And with a clear sky it will turn quite cold.
:24:04. > :24:11.Lowest temperatures around 1 Celsius with a widespread ground
:24:11. > :24:15.frost. Colder in rural areas with a slight air frost. Tomorrow's chart
:24:15. > :24:22.shows a slack weather pattern over the UK. Low pressure, so the
:24:22. > :24:26.weather there very unsettled. So tomorrow mixed fortunes. A dry and
:24:26. > :24:34.sunny start for most of us with a few showers in the north. During
:24:34. > :24:37.the day, more showers will break out. If you catch one, it could be
:24:37. > :24:40.heavy with hail and thunder. Some places, though, will miss them and
:24:41. > :24:45.stay dry. The north coast and Anglesey becoming sunny during the
:24:45. > :24:49.afternoon. Top temperatures 9 to 12 Celsius. The wind becoming gusty
:24:49. > :24:59.near any showers and storms. In Newport tomorrow, a dry and sunny
:24:59. > :25:00.
:25:00. > :25:03.start. Clouds will build. I wouldn't rule out a heavy shower in
:25:03. > :25:07.the afternoon. Temperatures in Nash rising to 11 Celsius. Tomorrow
:25:07. > :25:10.evening, most of the showers will fade away to leave a dry night.
:25:10. > :25:14.Another cold night too. A widespread ground frost. A slight
:25:14. > :25:17.air frost in mid Wales and the north. Saturday a chilly, breezy
:25:18. > :25:22.day. A few showers around. These wintry on high ground but some dry
:25:22. > :25:27.weather as well. A few sunny intervals. Most of the sun on
:25:27. > :25:30.Anglesey and the west coast. Sunday a better day. Dry with sunny spells.
:25:30. > :25:37.The wind easing as well. Temperatures below average and if
:25:37. > :25:40.you're gardener watch out for frost. So sunshine and showers again
:25:41. > :25:50.tomorrow. Colder over the weekend with some frost. Sunday the best
:25:51. > :25:53.
:25:53. > :25:56.The main news again from the BBC. A fragile ceasefire in Syria seems to
:25:57. > :26:02.be holding more than 12 hours after it came into force. Reports suggest
:26:02. > :26:08.there has been a drop in violence, despite both sides reporting
:26:08. > :26:12.violations of the truce during the day. Warren Gatland fell 10 feet
:26:12. > :26:15.while cleaning windows at his family beach home in New Zealand.