0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to Wales Today. Tonight's headlines:
0:00:03 > 0:00:06Over 1,000 jobs could go over the next four years
0:00:06 > 0:00:09at Ford in Bridgend.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Unions say they'll fight "with all their might".
0:00:11 > 0:00:14And two-year-old Sol lost his arm when he was a baby.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18Now he has a new one, designed by his dad.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33Good evening.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36Unions say they'll fight plans to cut more than 1,000 jobs
0:00:36 > 0:00:40at the Ford engine plant in Bridgend "with all their might".
0:00:40 > 0:00:44The plant currently employs 1,760 workers, but a leaked document seen
0:00:44 > 0:00:49by BBC Wales says this could be cut to 600.
0:00:49 > 0:00:55Here's our Business Correspondent, Brian Meechan.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Workers arrived for the afternoon shift at Ford's Bridgend plant
0:00:58 > 0:01:01to hear details of what the future could look like just as others left
0:01:01 > 0:01:06from the morning shift having heard the news from unions.
0:01:06 > 0:01:07Very disappointing.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10A lot of people are down.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Obviously people with a couple of years service and that.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14But we are not hearing anything from management,
0:01:14 > 0:01:18only these leaked documents and nobody knows what's going on.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20What do you think is going to happen?
0:01:20 > 0:01:23A lot of men are going to finish.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26And they will keep it to the bare minimum and I think Ford will then
0:01:26 > 0:01:29run it down and shut the plant.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32The Ford Bridgend plant opened in 1980 and has fought fierce
0:01:32 > 0:01:36global competition to win investment over decades.
0:01:36 > 0:01:41It currently makes 655,000 engines but those contracts are coming
0:01:41 > 0:01:45to an end and there is only guaranteed work for
0:01:45 > 0:01:48125,000 in future.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52The union Unite says it will continue to fight to win work.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55I am making a clear call to this company, stop attacking my members
0:01:55 > 0:01:59and the workers here at Bridgend.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01They are not responsible for what's going on here.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05It's the company and the management who have controlled
0:02:05 > 0:02:08this for many years.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10Our determination now and we are in the process
0:02:10 > 0:02:13of consulting with our members about what options we've got,
0:02:13 > 0:02:17but our determination is to make certain we keep this plant open.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20Ford argues more work will only be won if the plant
0:02:20 > 0:02:22becomes more efficient.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25The leaked document says this plant is underperforming in comparison
0:02:25 > 0:02:28to other similar sites such as Ford Dagenham.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32Over time, levels are more than double what they are at Dagenham
0:02:32 > 0:02:39and that adds 6% to the cost of the engines produced.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42The company blames absence, nonperformance and unusual work
0:02:42 > 0:02:45practices including paying staff allowances they are not entitled to.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49The First Minister, who is also the local Assembly Member,
0:02:49 > 0:02:53voiced his concerns during a trip to Washington.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56What's been outlined is a scenario that is the worst case scenario.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59What would happen if no further projects came into Bridgend by 2021.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03So what we need to do is work with Ford and the union to make sure
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Bridgend does attract those new projects to make sure those jobs
0:03:06 > 0:03:09are kept in Bridgend.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12There are calls for the UK Government to do more and the future
0:03:12 > 0:03:15of Ford in Bridgend came up in Prime Minister's questions.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Can I have an assurance from the Prime Minister
0:03:18 > 0:03:21that she will arrange for her ministers to meet with Ford
0:03:21 > 0:03:24and the union to see what can be done to support Ford to ensure
0:03:24 > 0:03:31continuity of engine production in the Bridgend Ford plant.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33We have had dialogue with Ford.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36We will continue to have regular dialogue with Ford about the ways
0:03:36 > 0:03:40in which government can help to make sure this success continues.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44This plant has provided the Bridgend community and beyond with well-paid
0:03:44 > 0:03:46stable jobs for almost 40 years.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50The company, unions and workers have problems that need to be fixed
0:03:50 > 0:03:55if it's to do the same for 40 more.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Staying with manufacturing and Wales has been chosen by GE Aviation
0:03:58 > 0:04:01to provide maintenance and repairs for the world's largest and most
0:04:01 > 0:04:05fuel-efficient jet-engine, the GE9X.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08The work will take place at the firm's Nantgarw site,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11which already employs 1,400 people,
0:04:11 > 0:04:17with extra jobs likely to be created.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19An inquiry into plans for a ?1 billion M4 relief road
0:04:19 > 0:04:23around Newport has heard rush-hour traffic around the city can slow
0:04:23 > 0:04:26to as low as 20 miles per hour.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29The inquiry will consider up to 22 different proposals
0:04:29 > 0:04:32to ease congestion around the Brynglas Tunnels,
0:04:32 > 0:04:38including one of the world's longest underground road-tunnels.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Work has begun to dismantle part of Colwyn Bay's damaged pier.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44More of the Grade II listed Victoria pier collapsed
0:04:44 > 0:04:48into the sea last week, following Storm Doris.
0:04:48 > 0:04:54It's thought the work will take around three weeks.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Nearly three-quarters of Welsh voters think only EU citizens
0:04:57 > 0:05:01with the right skills should live and work in the UK after Brexit.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04That's according to BBC Wales' St David's day poll.
0:05:04 > 0:05:0719% think nothing should change at all.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11But with some sectors like hospitality and agriculture
0:05:11 > 0:05:15relying heavily on unskilled European workers,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18there are concerns.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21There is no point in saying that these people are coming
0:05:21 > 0:05:24in and taking jobs from other people because there aren't many other
0:05:24 > 0:05:27people, local people, that want these jobs.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30So if the jobs are hear that other people don't want,
0:05:30 > 0:05:34why not let some Eastern Europeans come over and take them on and let
0:05:34 > 0:05:40us survive and prosper.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Two-year-old Sol Ryan from Anglesey lost his arm in an operation just
0:05:43 > 0:05:46days after he was born.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49To help him live as full a life as possible, his father Ben designed
0:05:49 > 0:05:52an innovative prosthetic arm for him
0:05:52 > 0:05:55and now he hopes other children can benefit too.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58George Herd has been to meet them.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00It's every parent's nightmare, being told your baby needs
0:06:00 > 0:06:03life changing surgery.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06At just ten days old young Sol Ryan from Anglesey had his left arm
0:06:06 > 0:06:11amputated just below the elbow after developing a blood clot.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16But today Sol is playing like any ordinary young
0:06:16 > 0:06:19toddler after his father, Ben, took the extraordinary step
0:06:19 > 0:06:27and built his son a new arm.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30With the help of Bangor University's new innovation lab, he was able
0:06:30 > 0:06:33to use the latest 3-D technology to come up with a ground-breaking
0:06:33 > 0:06:39new design that can be made in days rather than months.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42When I started to talk to Ben, and he is a likeable person as well,
0:06:42 > 0:06:46about what he wanted to do and why he wanted to come here,
0:06:46 > 0:06:50I was quite humbled really to be honest and I thought what better way
0:06:50 > 0:06:55to put this new equipment that we have just moved into this
0:06:55 > 0:07:00building to use than to help Ben with his project.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Ben has now quit his job as a psychology teacher and set
0:07:03 > 0:07:09up his own company to develop the arm full-time.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Everybody I speak to just shows passion.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13They can see it coming through from me and they're
0:07:13 > 0:07:16passionate about the story with Sol.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18The technology itself is cool as well.
0:07:18 > 0:07:203-D printing, hydraulics, supple components.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24If you can help someone you are morally obliged to do
0:07:24 > 0:07:27so and I can't think of a better way of spending my working career
0:07:27 > 0:07:30than developing and distributing these to the kids that need them.
0:07:30 > 0:07:31That is a reward in itself.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34It's really cool.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Today Ben and his backers are launching a crowdfunding
0:07:37 > 0:07:41campaign to raise ?150,000 to win medical approval for the new arms.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45It will mean children around the world could soon benefit
0:07:45 > 0:07:48from what the doting dad hopes will be a revolution
0:07:48 > 0:07:56in childhood prosthetics.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Time for a look at the weather now. Sue Charles has the details.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Good evening.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05The 1st of March, Saint Davids Day, also the start of meteorological
0:08:05 > 0:08:08spring, but we're not quite done with winter yet with strong winds,
0:08:08 > 0:08:11outbreaks of rain, even some snow over higher ground overnight.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14The rain will continue to spread in from the west.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17As it hits the cold air across North and Mid Wales it
0:08:17 > 0:08:20will fall as snow for some, mainly on high ground,
0:08:20 > 0:08:22but even some lower levels.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Drier in the South but increasingly windy.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Gale force westerly winds along the coast.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Temperatures between 1C and 5C.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32Tomorrow, a cold windy start with rain and hill snow clearing
0:08:32 > 0:08:35further north to leave drier and brighter conditions.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39Across the UK that weakening band of wintry showers
0:08:39 > 0:08:43moving from West to East, otherwise drier than recent days
0:08:43 > 0:08:47and brighter with sunny spells and remaining very blustery
0:08:47 > 0:08:51and starting to cloud over from the Southwest again later.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Highs of 6C in north-east Scotland and 11C in south-east England.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59Across Wales, thicker cloud later.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Still a few bright spells.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04But a few spots of patchy rain spilling in from the west.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Brisk westerly winds will eventually ease.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Highs of 7C in Gwynedd, 10C in Newport.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14And it deteriorates later Thursday as this occlusion arrives
0:09:14 > 0:09:17overnight into Friday, bringing further wet
0:09:17 > 0:09:20and windy weather at times.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23So outbreaks of rain on Friday spreading out from the south,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26moving northwards, heavy bursts at times, brisk winds,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29highs of 6C to 9C.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32And we keep this mobile westerly flow for the end of the week
0:09:32 > 0:09:35into the weekend with fronts coming in off the Atlantic,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38bringing unsettled weather at times.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40So March is coming in like a lion.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Strong winds, heavy rain on Friday, some dry spells over the weekend,
0:09:43 > 0:09:48but with rain at times too.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50And that's Wales Today.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52We'll be back in Breakfast from 6:25am tomorrow morning.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Until then, from all of us on the late team, good night.