:00:08. > :00:12.This is East Midlands Today. Our top story, another record-
:00:12. > :00:17.breaking year for GCSE results. Once, this school was considered to
:00:17. > :00:20.be failing. Now it is time to celebrate success. It there are
:00:20. > :00:27.children who have come to us from other countries who could not speak
:00:28. > :00:31.English. Within three years, they are getting A*s.
:00:31. > :00:35.The former police officer accused of punching and kicking a suspected
:00:35. > :00:39.burglar. Plus, will a city council repent
:00:39. > :00:44.over controversial plans to injured Rick -- introduce street parking
:00:44. > :00:54.charges on a Sunday. And from this to this. How our
:00:54. > :01:00.
:01:00. > :01:04.foods are becoming the fashion of Good evening, and welcome to
:01:04. > :01:12.Thursday's programme, on a day when it was the turn of the 16-year-olds
:01:12. > :01:16.to steal the educational headlines. G is you see results were released
:01:16. > :01:20.this morning, and records were being broken. In the key
:01:20. > :01:23.performance area of five grades above C including English and maths,
:01:23. > :01:27.all our schools increased their pass rate.
:01:27. > :01:33.The biggest rise was 6% in Nottinghamshire. Figures from
:01:33. > :01:38.Rutland were not available today. We have two reports. The first is
:01:38. > :01:45.from Helen Astle. For thousands of students across
:01:45. > :01:50.the East Midlands, the wait was finally over.
:01:50. > :01:55.Yes! For many of the students at
:01:55. > :02:01.Paddington Community College, today's results secures their
:02:01. > :02:05.future. I can see that this will help me get what I want. It means a
:02:05. > :02:10.lot because the college courses I have chosen, I would not have been
:02:10. > :02:14.able to do them if I did not pass. It is good to know I can do what I
:02:14. > :02:20.want to. I did not know much English when I came to this school,
:02:20. > :02:26.and now I do. I worked very hard to get my GCSEs, and I want to go
:02:26. > :02:36.higher and higher to get work and jobs. What does it mean to you?
:02:36. > :02:37.
:02:37. > :02:47.lot, really. The same old story, this boy was a
:02:47. > :02:52.bit naughty, but luckily we had a change of ex-mistress, and he got
:02:52. > :02:57.down to work. The teachers are very supportive.
:02:58. > :03:03.Just three years ago, 22% of students he got five GCSEs at grade
:03:03. > :03:08.C and above. Today, that figure is 39%.
:03:08. > :03:11.There are some children who come to us who have low levels of literacy.
:03:11. > :03:17.There are children who come from other countries who could not speak
:03:17. > :03:25.English when they have arrived, who within three years have gained five
:03:25. > :03:32.GCSEs above C. The this girl -- this boy is one of several students
:03:33. > :03:36.getting an apprenticeship or job. I will be focusing on that.
:03:36. > :03:43.The there will be celebrations in Leicester today, but what is the
:03:43. > :03:52.situation in Nottinghamshire? I was panicking and nervous, and
:03:52. > :03:58.then I opened it, and gone are... That is the overall feeling. For
:03:58. > :04:08.the third year, the results have been extremely good.
:04:08. > :04:09.
:04:09. > :04:15.100% of our students have got five grades above C. 45% have got five
:04:15. > :04:23.A*s or As. Boys have dominated the results
:04:23. > :04:29.here. A in maths, A in physics, I am
:04:29. > :04:36.pretty happy with that! Up I was expecting an A* in maths, but I did
:04:36. > :04:43.not get it. The it is still good. But I am slightly gutted. I got
:04:43. > :04:49.three A*s and seven As. I was hoping not to drop below and A, so
:04:49. > :04:57.I am happy. But many of the students are staying on to colour -
:04:57. > :05:05.- study A-levels. Not everyone got what they wanted.
:05:05. > :05:11.With us now is Amy Bloor, a careers adviser. If these young people have
:05:11. > :05:21.not got the grades they need to do A-levels, what are the options?
:05:21. > :05:21.
:05:21. > :05:26.There are other options. For A levels you need five grades at A-C.
:05:26. > :05:33.You can look at apprenticeships, or vocational courses in that business
:05:33. > :05:40.studies or catering, things like that. You can move on after a year
:05:40. > :05:46.to go back to A levels. The you could a resit your GCSEs, if you
:05:46. > :05:51.are absolutely desperate to do A- levels or need them to have -- for
:05:51. > :05:56.the career you want. If you have got a problem, have you
:05:56. > :06:01.got its -- got to get it sorted quickly?
:06:01. > :06:04.Yes, because you do not want to be missing start date at colleges.
:06:04. > :06:09.There will be a point where colleges will not take you because
:06:09. > :06:15.you have missed too much. They are only 16, and we are seeing
:06:15. > :06:20.-- saying it is crucial. I know, and it is a big decision.
:06:20. > :06:26.People don't promote A-levels because it keeps it open, but there
:06:26. > :06:30.are lots of a vocational options, and you have to make more long-term
:06:30. > :06:35.decisions, because you have to decide upon an actual job he wants
:06:35. > :06:39.to go into rather than an A-level subject. If there are lots of
:06:39. > :06:46.people sitting at schools tonight. It does not seem the same as GCSEs,
:06:46. > :06:51.if you have not got it, where do you go?
:06:51. > :06:56.Every young person has a PA, and they can contact them. They would
:06:56. > :07:02.have known from their school, we have a drop in centre, and that is
:07:02. > :07:08.the same for other areas. There are websites, we have some which you
:07:08. > :07:13.can go on to to get all the options. If the message is, do not panic,
:07:13. > :07:19.but do not do nothing. Note. Do not bury your head in the sand or you
:07:19. > :07:25.may be doing nothing for a year. Still to come, should dog-walkers
:07:25. > :07:29.get more warnings? This is after one pet owner -- this
:07:29. > :07:37.is a warning from one pet owner after the mysterious death of 10
:07:37. > :07:41.dogs in Nottinghamshire. A former police officer has been
:07:41. > :07:47.giving evidence in his own trial in which he is accused of beating up a
:07:47. > :07:51.suspected burglar while he arrested him. 23-year-old Timothy Allatt is
:07:51. > :07:58.accused of kicking and punching Jake Bramley during an arrest in
:07:58. > :08:02.Nottingham. Mr Alex denies the charges. James, tell us about the
:08:02. > :08:09.circumstances of this case. -- Mr Allatt.
:08:09. > :08:15.It goes back to July, when he was arresting a man of running away
:08:15. > :08:21.from police. He had been with Nottinghamshire Police for 11 years,
:08:21. > :08:28.and he met and colleagues responded at 1am to a call about a suspected
:08:28. > :08:32.stolen car. Jake Bramley jumped out of the car and ran off, and Mr
:08:32. > :08:40.Allatt chased him. The case is all about what happened when he caught
:08:40. > :08:43.him. What happens there? happened in the Sneinton area, as
:08:43. > :08:48.the prosecution say that he punched him in the face and kicked him in
:08:48. > :08:53.the ribs. The court heard another police officer witnessed the attack.
:08:53. > :08:56.The incident was investigated by the independent Police Complaints
:08:56. > :09:01.Commission and by Nottinghamshire Police, who dismissed Timothy
:09:01. > :09:05.Allatt for this alleged assault, and also because he had allegedly
:09:05. > :09:11.used excessive force during another arrest. If that is the prosecution.
:09:11. > :09:15.What has been said in his defence? Timothy Allatt says he has struck
:09:15. > :09:20.him in the face, but using a recognised arrest technique,
:09:20. > :09:24.because he believed Mr Bramley was a threat to him. He denied punching
:09:24. > :09:29.throwing or kicking him. He also denies the other officer's version
:09:29. > :09:33.of events. He is appealing against his dismissal and his ruling over
:09:34. > :09:37.the previous arrest. He has four police commendations, and was going
:09:37. > :09:43.to get another before he was dismissed. A judgment is expected
:09:43. > :09:47.next week. In other news, pallets of copper
:09:47. > :09:52.worth �20,000 have been stolen from a lorry in Nottinghamshire. These
:09:52. > :09:56.pictures were taken by an eyewitness, he claims to have seen
:09:56. > :10:02.a lorry crashing into two cars as it was driven down Polperro Way in
:10:02. > :10:06.hot goal last night. The lorry was abandoned in a local pub, and no
:10:06. > :10:10.arrests have been made. Police in Leicestershire have
:10:10. > :10:15.started a crackdown on burglaries in the Charnwood area. Earlier this
:10:15. > :10:20.week, Lisa Waring was arrested at her home in Loughborough. She was
:10:20. > :10:23.stabbed as she thought she would die. There were flop -- 47
:10:23. > :10:27.burglaries in Charnwood last month, more than double the figure from
:10:27. > :10:31.last year. The a new proposal has been
:10:31. > :10:36.submitted to try and save Stamford Museum. It has closed in June,
:10:36. > :10:41.after Lincolnshire County Council withdrew its funding. The Stamford
:10:41. > :10:44.Heritage Trust's first bid has been rejected. They say the town
:10:44. > :10:51.deserves a place to show its heritage. The council says a
:10:51. > :10:55.decision will be made in due course. Plans to introduce charges for
:10:55. > :11:00.street parking in an East Midlands city on Sundays have infuriated
:11:00. > :11:07.Church leaders. They have warned it could cost regular worshippers up
:11:07. > :11:13.to 1000 year -- �1,000 per year. The council says it needs the cash,
:11:13. > :11:18.and dismissed claims that the charges are a tax on worship.
:11:18. > :11:23.The cost it -- the cost of parking is getting pricey, and in
:11:23. > :11:30.Nottingham on Sunday it will not be free. You will need a parking
:11:30. > :11:35.ticket, �3 for two hours. That is unfair, says this priest.
:11:35. > :11:40.For the city centre shops do not open till 11 am, as they close at
:11:40. > :11:46.5pm. I cannot understand why we here, our parishioners and
:11:47. > :11:52.worshippers, are being asked to pay to come to Mass on a Sunday morning
:11:52. > :11:57.and on a Sunday evening. The parking generates �7 million for
:11:57. > :12:00.the city, Sunday charges will bring in a much needed extra cash, and
:12:00. > :12:06.less the Church's pull off a minor miracle.
:12:06. > :12:12.It is not any more a tax on its shopping than worship. It is
:12:12. > :12:17.something we feel we have to do it. There are some shopkeepers who sate
:12:17. > :12:23.some days there are people blocking the spaces, so there is no turnover.
:12:23. > :12:28.Also, the council does need money. A new evening parking chances --
:12:28. > :12:32.charges will also need Africa will also affect audiences.
:12:32. > :12:37.I thought they were try to encourage people into the City,
:12:37. > :12:41.during the day and that night. This will drive them out. I am not sure
:12:41. > :12:46.it will be terribly good. I think people will see it as a kick in the
:12:46. > :12:50.face. I think it will make life very difficult indeed for
:12:50. > :12:54.churchgoers. The Nottingham is not the only council that has angered
:12:54. > :12:59.the churches by considering introducing street parking charges
:12:59. > :13:04.on the Sabbath. It says it will go to consultation, but on this issue,
:13:04. > :13:14.the politicians may wants to consult higher. Without divine
:13:14. > :13:14.
:13:14. > :13:17.intervention, the changes come into A dog owner whose pact nearly died
:13:18. > :13:21.twice after walking in woods in Nottinghamshire says there should
:13:21. > :13:26.be more warnings about the risks of a visiting such areas.
:13:26. > :13:31.This comes after at least 10 dogs have died after walking in woodland.
:13:31. > :13:37.Further research has been promised but one mother says action must be
:13:37. > :13:41.far reaching to protect families as well.
:13:41. > :13:45.6-year-old dog is full of energy now but last week she nearly died
:13:45. > :13:49.after a family trip to Sherwood Forest. Her own that had not taken
:13:49. > :13:55.her there for years because the last time she did, exactly the same
:13:55. > :14:00.thing had happened. She just began to have difficulty breathing and
:14:00. > :14:04.she collapsed and stopped breathing. Had tongue turned black. We were
:14:04. > :14:09.screaming and it was such a horrific moment and people came to
:14:09. > :14:13.arrested. There was a veterinary nurse who helped us revive have. We
:14:13. > :14:17.had left it three years before we visited again. They deja-vu moment,
:14:17. > :14:22.at exactly the same happened. She believes her dogs are by up price
:14:22. > :14:26.because there was immediate medical treatment to hand. The advice to
:14:26. > :14:30.dog-walkers it is to keep your animal under control way you can
:14:30. > :14:37.see them and monitor them if their health deteriorates and get help
:14:37. > :14:42.quickly. Here they are testing for a cause of the illness, blue-green
:14:42. > :14:50.algae in water. There is not enough here to do any harm. Even so, they
:14:50. > :14:56.are cautious. The overall cause of these incidents is a mystery. But
:14:56. > :15:02.we have posted notices advising people of the potential harm
:15:03. > :15:09.associated with blue-green algae. Warnings like this are what some
:15:09. > :15:12.people want in areas affected by the mysterious dog illness. They
:15:12. > :15:16.need to look to see if there are other links. My worry is that
:15:16. > :15:20.something might happen to a child and then we will start to
:15:20. > :15:30.investigate. I think we need to be more proactive. Until there are
:15:30. > :15:32.
:15:32. > :15:35.some answers, they intend to stay Coming up, we will have sports.
:15:35. > :15:41.Leicestershire wicketkeeper Paul Nixon prepares to hang up his
:15:41. > :15:45.gloves after 24 years in the Games. A I have got Mike helmet on and my
:15:45. > :15:55.bike at the ready, because Sally Goes Wild expedition there is a
:15:55. > :15:55.
:15:55. > :16:00.wild with a little bit of pedal A college student from Leicester
:16:00. > :16:05.has come up with a new fashion idea which she is hoping will be worth a
:16:05. > :16:15.packet or two. Rebekah Kirkland has designed a
:16:15. > :16:18.
:16:18. > :16:21.How about this for a fashion statement? This striking press made
:16:21. > :16:27.from crisp bags is turning heads in the centre of Leicester. Amazing
:16:27. > :16:33.fast up I have never seen anything like it. Really unique. I think it
:16:33. > :16:37.is unique. I think it shows initiative. They are nice bright
:16:37. > :16:42.colours. As there are a girl wearing a chocolate packed the
:16:42. > :16:46.other day! Had did it come about? Things that you use every day by
:16:46. > :16:51.you would throw away, we can use them and make something completely
:16:51. > :16:58.different. It does not have to be thrown away. Does she smell of
:16:58. > :17:02.crisps? No, she does not. They were all washed with washing up liquid.
:17:02. > :17:07.Her efforts were so impressive she won the college's sustainable
:17:07. > :17:11.design award for 2011. Anything can be used within fashion. We would
:17:11. > :17:16.probably take his objects from grunted and throw it away. You can
:17:16. > :17:21.look at other things that probably have more used than just being a
:17:21. > :17:27.vehicle to eat something out of and then get rid of. I am pleased and I
:17:27. > :17:31.was not expecting to win. It is very interesting. I like the
:17:31. > :17:34.textures and the pattern. It is different, very unique. If I saw
:17:34. > :17:40.that on their women, I would want to taste every single flavour on
:17:40. > :17:46.her! Rebekah Kirkland's taste in fashion and crisps could be turning
:17:46. > :17:50.more heads in the High Street in future.
:17:50. > :17:54.You could call it a prawn cocktail dress!
:17:54. > :18:01.It took me a minute but I got it in the end.
:18:01. > :18:07.Now the sport. Coming up, who is coming and going
:18:07. > :18:11.at the Foxes? We start with cricket. It is the Twenty20 finals and
:18:11. > :18:16.Leicestershire have booked their place in the season's finale. Of
:18:16. > :18:20.one player it will be an emotional few days. After an incredible 24
:18:20. > :18:23.year playing career, Paul Nixon is finally retiring and the fans'
:18:23. > :18:28.favourite is determined to bow out in style.
:18:28. > :18:34.He is one of the great characters of the game and his career has
:18:34. > :18:39.featured 2020 Cup wins and a call up to the England team. He still
:18:40. > :18:45.seems to love the game. Why do? always said that if I could not
:18:45. > :18:52.keep getting better, it is time to retire. I would rather have people
:18:52. > :18:55.said to me, why retire? I have had a great Dennis. It is time for the
:18:55. > :19:00.young ones now and there are a plethora of great youngsters coming
:19:00. > :19:06.through and if I can play a part in their development...
:19:06. > :19:10.Leicestershire are triumphant in their 4th Twenty20 appearance,
:19:10. > :19:15.expected to be moving. The sadness comes when you have a moment, it
:19:15. > :19:22.flicks a switch and you think this is the last time I am walking on
:19:22. > :19:25.and the last time you are going to do it. But you get your cricket
:19:25. > :19:30.head on and enjoy it. There is time for everything. It is making sure
:19:30. > :19:34.that you put things in the right place. As we sit watching the
:19:34. > :19:40.younger lads play, he says the future will be sharing what he has
:19:40. > :19:46.learnt of. I have seen their development and I know I am getting
:19:46. > :19:52.to cold. I held up hour as opening batsmen are about six hours after
:19:52. > :19:56.he was born. Make sure your head is over your front for it! They may be
:19:56. > :20:00.plenty of time left in the games for Paul Nixon.
:20:00. > :20:05.A lovely man. One of those Leicestershire youngsters made his
:20:05. > :20:11.debut -- England debut today. England beat Ireland but it was not
:20:12. > :20:16.one of the easiest start spot James Taylor.
:20:16. > :20:20.In football, Sven-Goran Eriksson says that striker Martyn Waghorn
:20:20. > :20:25.can leave the club. He wants at because of the lack of opportunity
:20:25. > :20:29.and it is well known that Derby County would like to sign him. Will
:20:29. > :20:35.Waggy be joining the Rams? Today Leicester City manager Sven-
:20:35. > :20:41.Goran Eriksson was clear about the future of Martyn Waghorn. If the
:20:41. > :20:47.youngster I tell can find a new club, he can go. He needs to play
:20:47. > :20:51.football, for his career, he is young and he is playing little with
:20:51. > :20:58.us at the moment. There is speculation that he could be used
:20:58. > :21:03.as bait as part of an improved offer from Bristol City striker. It
:21:03. > :21:09.is that Leicester will make a 4th bed for the player would �6 million.
:21:09. > :21:17.Call spend would say today is that he does want another striker -- or
:21:17. > :21:21.Sven-Goran Eriksson would say. will see. Martyn Waghorn cost less
:21:21. > :21:30.debt �2 million from Sunderland last summer. Can Derby meet
:21:30. > :21:35.Leicester's valuation? What we know just now is that it is nothing...
:21:35. > :21:39.From what we understand. Southampton are also interested in
:21:39. > :21:46.signing Martyn Waghorn and they play Leicester at the King Power
:21:46. > :21:53.Stadium on Saturday. Comings and goings at Notts County
:21:53. > :21:57.too. Martin Allen has signed the tumour -- former QPR midfielder
:21:57. > :22:00.Gavin Marn. Craig Westcarr is being linked with a move to Chesterfield.
:22:00. > :22:06.He has treated that the Magpies have accepted a bid and will now
:22:06. > :22:10.discuss terms with the club. Cricket scores. Derbyshire are in
:22:10. > :22:17.the lead in their game against Essex and it is all over at Grace
:22:17. > :22:21.Road. Surrey beat best -- Surrey beat Leicestershire by 10 wickets.
:22:21. > :22:26.Earlier this year, you may remember experts were predicting that this
:22:26. > :22:31.summer could be the best in a generation's for butterflies.
:22:31. > :22:40.You are in the predictions business, allegedly false start where they
:22:40. > :22:50.are right? On my latest Sally Goes Wild expedition I thought I would
:22:50. > :22:54.goat hunting for butterflies and In the series so far, we have
:22:54. > :23:01.established there are loads of amazing havens across the East
:23:01. > :23:07.Midlands. Now we will look at a Valley Trail. A keen cyclist and
:23:07. > :23:15.wildlife expert is coming along for the ride. We start our route from
:23:15. > :23:20.the Nature Centre which connects the -- which connects Attenborough
:23:20. > :23:25.and Langley Mill. On the way we will be passing some local
:23:25. > :23:30.landmarks. On a group like this, it is not about the speeding along, it
:23:30. > :23:35.is about the joy of a leisurely walk or bike ride and stopping for
:23:35. > :23:40.a good look around. This is where we start to pick up the Nottingham
:23:40. > :23:45.Canal section of the trail. It is safe havens of dragonflies and
:23:45. > :23:50.damselflies at this time of year. Figure now was disused from about
:23:51. > :23:54.1936 and it is now a major local -- local nature reserve. It is a
:23:54. > :23:57.credit to the quality of the wildlife that you can see. We have
:23:58. > :24:04.been cycling for about an hour-and- a-half. We have seen a little grebe
:24:04. > :24:09.in the pond. A damselfly, which I have never seen before. The now we
:24:09. > :24:14.will meet up with our butterfly expert. So far, we have never been
:24:14. > :24:24.away from civilisation. It but it is amazing what you can senior the
:24:24. > :24:28.
:24:28. > :24:34.roads. This is Redworth -- well caught. The caterpillar it is
:24:34. > :24:41.poisonous to birds. And the plant is poisonous to us as well. At his
:24:41. > :24:43.wild flower meadow, we catch up with the bus and fire expert. He is
:24:43. > :24:50.recounting recorder for Derbyshire's butterflies and tells
:24:50. > :24:53.us why this wildlife corridor is so important. We have had six dishes
:24:53. > :25:00.come into the area and this is one of the main ways they can get here,
:25:00. > :25:05.by these corridors, not just butterflies, wildlife generally. We
:25:05. > :25:10.get just over half of the British species but what we get is good.
:25:10. > :25:16.They are out there for people to enjoy. We that we would take a
:25:16. > :25:21.breather down by the viaduct. We have seen about a quarter of the 30
:25:21. > :25:26.miles circuit of the valley trail. In the course of the trial, we have
:25:26. > :25:30.seen so many fabulous wildlife species. You do not have to do much
:25:30. > :25:34.of the trail to see a lot of wildlife.
:25:34. > :25:38.If you want to find out more about had to attract butterflies into
:25:38. > :25:48.your garden, it you can see the full version of Sally Goes Wild
:25:48. > :25:50.
:25:50. > :25:55.expedition on our website. We are now starting to see one or
:25:55. > :26:00.two showers poking their way in. We have done the best across the UK
:26:00. > :26:07.with the sunny spells. A lovely sunset. Orange sky. It only
:26:07. > :26:11.happened for about 10 minutes. Do keep the photos coming in to us.
:26:11. > :26:19.The low pressure is still lurking, that is creating the showery
:26:19. > :26:22.conditions. It will continue as we go through much of the evening.
:26:22. > :26:27.Taking a closer look, the radar picture shows that we have been
:26:27. > :26:35.missing some of the showers that we are starting to see them work their
:26:35. > :26:39.way in. You may well get away with no showers at all. Generally dry.
:26:39. > :26:45.The rain will work its way in from the south-east. Temperatures
:26:45. > :26:49.overnight dipping down to around 11 degrees. Tomorrow morning, the
:26:49. > :26:55.further east you are, the more likely you will see the outbreaks
:26:55. > :26:59.of rain first thing. To the West, it is dry and cloudy to start. The
:26:59. > :27:02.rain will gradually progressed northwards so it does look like to
:27:02. > :27:07.the West you will see some drier spells although you are likely to
:27:07. > :27:12.feel a bit of damp at times. In the east, you will be under the rain