02/09/2014 BBC Wales Today

degrees. Thursday, more of the same. Is that is all from us. Now on

Welcome to Wales Today - our top story:

Joshua fell from a bridge after being chased by bullies who targeted

Doctors say he'll never walk again - tonight we talk to his parents.

He is a young boy and doesn't deserve what has happened to him. I

wish I could take it away for him. The helicopters and warships are

in place for the summit - Welsh defence companies set out

their shop window to showcase to world leaders what they make

in Wales. Those winter storms smashing

our coast - why we should think twice about

restoring our disappearing beaches. And the movie of the unlikely bond

between striking miners and Gay The place was packed and there was a

lot of curiosity. We were overprotective to start with but

they fitted in and it was a brilliant evening.

A teenager has been told he will never walk again after falling

from a bridge while he was being chased by bullies.

Joshua Davies from Pontypridd has Asperger's

Syndrome, and was fleeing from boys who were throwing stones at him.

He fell 50 feet into the River Taff, breaking his spine in four places.

His mother believes he was bullied because of his disability.

Described by his mother as a boy with a positive attitude,

Joshua Davies is now facing months of intensive treatment

after the accident which almost cost him his life.

Joshua was crossing this bridge in Pontypridd when a group

He climbed onto the outside of the railings to escape under the bridge

Today his stepfather and mother were back at the scene.

They say he'd been bullied several times by the same gang

of boys because he has a form of autism called Asperger's Syndrome.

I feel terrible. I don't want him to be there. I want to take it all away

for him. He is a young boy and doesn't deserve what he has been

left with. I Jewish -- I just wish I could take it all away. I know he

has been bullied and there are other boys that have been ballroom --

bullet. As much as he pretends everything is OK, if you are being

bullied, you need to tell someone, so someone can help you. His brother

and sister are very upset. My daughter broke down in tears because

she didn't like to see her brother in that situation.

Autism, and the charity which supports people with autism

So many people are affected by this situation. In relation to Strasbourg

syndrome, 90% of parents reported there would be a problem or has been

a problem bullying. Police say they've investigated

three allegations of assault against They're say there's no obvious

link with this latest incident. Three boys have been arrested

and released on police bail. Delegates have started arriving,

the navy has docked, There are warnings

of traffic disruption, roads between the Celtic Manor resort in Newport

and Cardiff - most likely affected. Our political correspondent

Daniel Davies has been If you needed a reminder that Wales

was going to be hosting some important guests, look behind me.

British warship HMS Duncan arriving in Cardiff Bay this afternoon.

It is here to provide protection and it will -- I have been finding out

what the Wales summit means for the region.

Months of preparations - now Nato is here.

British warship HMS Duncan arriving in Cardiff Bay this afternoon.

On shore and in the skies there's a huge police and military presence.

It is a big ship. There is .7 of a meter either side. Here she is and

many preparations are going on for a busy programme. From Thursday

evening, when the defence ministers have dinner on board in the hangar

where we are already starting to make preparations.

After the Second World War, and at the start of the cold war, 12

European and north American allies banded together for mutual defence.

By the time of its last summit in Chicago two years ago,

So with no cold war to fight, what is NATO's role?

Under its founding Washington Treaty NATO members agreed that an armed

attack on one of them is considered an attack against them all.

65 years later, NATO now has 28 members.

It's expanded eastwards into former communist territory - Albania and

Croatia are the newest members, with more nations knocking on the door.

60 heads of state and governments will be at the Celtic Manor.

Behind the ring of steel they'll discuss

the future of Afghanistan, where NATO troops are preparing to pull

One man whose been on the inside in the past, is the UK's former

It is not for show, it is very serious. They have been working on

big issues but the key questions on what is going to happen in

Afghanistan after the withdrawal, NATO forces, what will happen to the

Ukraine, they are big issues and it will require heads to offer clear

opinions. The last time the UK hosted a NATO

summit was in 1990. The Berlin Wall had come down, and

reaching out to Russia was the goal. Thanks to the Ukraine crisis,

NATO is once again figuring out how Russia has acted very aggressively

and it has become a big concern to many of the Allies. That is not the

only concern. It is stability in North Africa and in the Middle East

which is a big concern for allies and they need to grapple with those

challenges as well. NATO's mission used to be so simple,

in the old days - Now, with complicated conflicts

smouldering on its borders, today's alliance is coming to Wales

to decide its modern mission. Some

of the biggest defence companies operating in Wales, including

General Dynamics and Airbus, will be showcasing their products for world

leaders at the NATO summit. The industry here employs thousands

of people here and it's hoping to use the event to

generate more business. Here's our business correspondent,

Brian Meechan. Defence is a significant industry

providing highly paid jobs. 5000 people are employed here in Wales

and the businesses involved generate ?1 billion in income according to a

trade group. Here, they are working on the British Army's next

generation of armoured vehicle. A prototype will be on display at the

summit. We supplied to the UK but also other NATO members. Having the

opportunity to showcase our technologies and expertise to that

group is fantastic for us. For production will begin in the next

three years and the company believes once it is in use by the British

Army, it will lead to demand from other countries boosting jobs in

South Wales. Kevin Connell says it is about ensuring maximum support

the troops in the field. When you think about the battlefield, it is

about information superiority. Trips like the 1st Battalion The Royal

Welsh, Britain's rapid reaction force which is likely to form part

of the discussion at the summit. The industry faces tough times as

countries around the world have cut their defence budgets. This is one

company operating in the country. Thousands of jobs are in South

Wales. The reason a military testing centre also in Wales. The summit has

already seen protests against the military is of NATO. We live in a

democracy and we have to look at the debate. What the facilities enable

us to do is to defend their freedom and democracy. This summit will hear

the increase in defence spending. Higher defence budgets means

potentially more contracts and jobs here in Wales if the Newport summit

can be capitalised on. Elsewhere in Cardiff and Newport, we know the

NATO summit is causing some disruption for travellers. There are

no plans to close the M4 between here and Cardiff and the Celtic

Manor isn't out in the summit. The authorities are hoping the worst of

the disruption will be concentrated to a fuel pinch points but the

message they are giving out to everyone driving in the region is

allow extra time and be ready for delays.

A soldier from Wrexham was killed during an attack by insurgents on

an army check point in Afghanistan in 2012 an inquest has heard.

Grenadier Guardsman Jamie Shadrake who was 20,

The coroner said, he was satisfied that the army had since

We believed in Jamie and what he was doing in Afghanistan. His selfless

sacrifice has helped the people of Afghanistan and I am so proud of my

son and what he has achieved in his short life. As a family, we are

grateful to the help and support that we have received from the

Grenadier Guards through this difficult time.

A Welsh country and western singer, who hosts a programme on

BBC Radio Cymru, has apologised for posting a comment

on Twitter, which was offensive about the Pakistani community.

John Jones later deleted the comment, which said there were

"too many of THEM in this country" and apologised.

BBC Wales said the original tweet was totally unacceptable.

It has written to him formally, outlining the high standards it

The mother of 12-year-old Isaac Nash, who was swept out to sea

off Anglesey on Friday, has thanked rescue teams

Isaac, from Huddersfield in Yorkshire, was on holiday with his

family when he got into difficulty in the water near Aberffraw.

The number of estranged couples having to represent themselves

in family courts because they have no solicitor has

Tonight it's claimed, it could result in a generation

A former family court judge, has told this programme -

the emotional, mental and psychological wellbeing of children

This mother is fighting to see her children. Her ex-husband denies her

access. It is devastating and a shocked that someone can do this to

your kids. One minute the perfect relationship and then nothing at

all. I feel emotionally drained. No self-esteem, no-confidence, how such

a person can do this. There is nothing on paper to say why I can't

see my kids. Her ex-husband has breached a court order which says

she can have access to them. She has two represent herself but her

husband can afford one. Before you go to court, you can't sleep, I have

panic attacks and can't eat. You walk in there and I have no

confidence at all. I don't know much about the legal side of things, all

the words that they use and it is difficult to stand there and it is

difficult to stand there knowing his corner and I stood there on my own.

In April,, legal cover was halted unless prove you are a domestic

violence victim. 58% didn't have solicitors when fighting for a

residence orders or access to their children. Some say there could be

extremely damaging for the children involved. The welfare of the child

is paramount in these cases and that is a given. It also says that delay

is the enemy of a child's best interests. The resolution takes

longer and it must therefore be damaging to the child. Legal aid

costs taxpayers ?2 billion every year but Crispin insists money

should not have been cut from cases that involve children. A number of

ink -- organisations agree. It can't be in the child's best interests and

only time they tell that we have a generation of children who, through

no fault of their own, have not been well served by the system and their

best interests haven't been taken account of. The Ministry of Justice

says it has introduced major reforms to reduce delays and keep family

dispute out of court. Mediation doesn't work for everyone

as this mother knows. She says she will do all she came to see her

children again. Much more to come

before 7 o'clock Founded in the 1920s, to help improve the lives

of ex-servicemen, now the Royal British Legion is undergoing its

biggest transformation in 93 years. And the movie of the unlikely bond

between striking miners and gay Many of our beaches suffered

a decade's erosion in just a few weeks in the battering

of the storms last winter. The National Trust says up to 60% of

its beaches lost significant amounts of sand, but the organisation is

warning against what it calls hard We should let nature repair

the damage it says. Some of the damage was apparent that

there was a temptation to dwell on those things we had put them in the

first place. Here, a wrecked promenade and coastal defence. In

Aberystwyth, a public shelter that has been rebuilt. What about the

beaches? I lost 40 tonnes of sand. I have been coming here 37 years. I

have never known it this bad. Here, there is plenty of sand left on the

beach even if the steps have got a bit steep at this year. What about

the temptation to do something about this emotion? There should be

resisted according to some. The cliffs here have eroded and

according to The National Trust, there has been damaged to the beach.

It wasn't the waves going up the beach that was the problem, it was

the backwash. They were so big they were scouring away their sand and

taking it far out to sea. What about the temptation to intervene and

putting an engine niche in -- engineering solutions? We are

developing policies which are future proofing our coast using soft

approaches which are more easy to recover so we allow nature to do its

thing but to recover quickly after the storms have happened, then let

those natural processes bring back the sand as time goes by. In places

where property and infrastructure like roads and railway lines need

protecting, they met -- that may not be possible but nature will do its

work. Who looks after our soldiers

when they return from active duty? The Royal British Legion is

undergoing its biggest A new hub, or drop-in centre is

being opened in the capital to make it more accessible for veterans to

get the help they need. This is a charity eager to appeal to

a newer, younger audience. In sharp contrast to the faded pool halls of

the past, the new shop front is a drop-in centre in Cardiff on the

first in Wales. There has always been information available but it

has not been so easy to access and that is the biggest problem. People

here it is out there but where do you go to find it? Who do you speak

to? Who will answer your enquiry. That is what we haven't had before.

Founded in 1921 to improve the lives of ex-service personnel, the British

Legion is best known for its annual Poppy Appeal but it has struggled to

get its message of advice and financial support across to the

Germans from recent conflicts. Its membership of 16,000 is ageing and

declining. Local branches are in danger of folding. Normandy veteran

Gordon prime who we've featured on the 70th anniversary of the D-Day

linings -- landings, is President of one branch. There is no new members

can forward and we try to get hold of ex-service people but they don't

seem interested. We are losing our secretary and we may fold if we

don't get one. New centres are due to open soon in Swansea and Wrexham.

It is practical support that many men and women need. Neal Adams was

given a grant to set up his personal fitness business. I wasn't sure

which avenue to go down. I needed funding as well. The British Legion

put me on track and May Day few phone calls and waved a magic wand.

There are now several charities hope to help ex-service men and women.

They hope to fill the gap. Cricket and at the close on day 3 of

Glamorgan's Championship match with Kent in Canterbury, Glamorgan were

150 for 3 in the second innings. Earlier the home side made 387

in their first innings It was a clash of cultures that

led to an unlikely friendship. In 1984 a group of gay

and lesbian activists from London arrived in the South Wales valleys

to support striking miners. It's a largely forgotten moment

in Welsh history that's inspired Pride, starring Bill Nighy

and Imelda Staunton, has its UK premiere tonight and is being tipped

as the feel good hit of the year. When you are in a battle against the

enemy, find out you have a friend that you never knew existed, that is

the best feeling in the world. Set in Wales chewing the miners strike,

it tells the story of two different communities that form an unexpected

bond. The story of how gay and lesbian activists joined forces with

minors sounds like pure fiction but it actually happened, faxback took

the cast members by surprise. I was amazed that I hadn't known the story

because it is such an amazing story and something that I think every

Welsh person should know about. Much of the film was shot on location and

it was here in the autumn of 84, that the two different cultures met

for the first time. The gay and lesbian movement had been raising

money for the striking miners and they saw them as another group who

were being ostracised by society at the time. They decided to present

their donations in person to the miners of the Dulais Valley but they

were not sure what reception they would get as they told the BBC. 27

years -- we went down and we were nervous and we didn't know what to

expect. Christine Powell was there that night. The place was packed

because there was a lot of curiosity. We were overly protective

but they fitted in and it was a brilliant evening. Real friendships

were formed. Miners put the campaigners are up during this time.

Philip and Marilyn were one couple who did that. They thought we were

victimised like they were. They came to help us and we were helping their

cause as well. In 1985, 70 miners from South Wales forbid their way to

London to take pride in the annual Gay pride march. It was a display of

solidarity fought two unlikely groups that had found common ground.

It is one part that has been recreated in the film, Pride. From

feel-good news to feel good weather. Cloud is increasing overnight and it

could be thick enough to produce the odd spot of drizzle. Temperatures

around 15 Celsius. A cloudy start tomorrow. Fog patches will lift to

leave a dry day. With sunny spells developing, feeling quite warm in

the sunshine with temperatures creeping up into the low 20s. 22

Celsius is possible in Cardiff. Tomorrow evening is clearer for a

time. We have variable cloud over night and not to Chile. A similar

story for Thursday. West should be rest. I pressure is keeping things

settled. These low pressure systems to the south and west try to push in

but the high pressure could hold out and keep them at bay. We have a

greater chance of rain pushing in on Sunday. It could still change. A lot

of dry and unsettled weather to come.

It's coming up to seven o'clock, the main news again.

Joshua Davies has been told he will never walk again after falling

He says he was being chased by bullies who were throwing stones

His mother believes he was bullied because of his disability.

HMS Duncan has arrived in Cardiff Bay ahead of the NATO summit in

Newport and stop delegates will be discussing the crisis in the Ukraine

and Afghanistan's future. Motorists are being warned to expect

disruption while the summit is in Newport. I will have an update at

eight o'clock and at 10:25pm. Thank you for watching. Goodbye.