:00:10. > :00:13.Good evening. Our top story tonight: Are the safety lapses at a
:00:13. > :00:17.house where four children died in a fire.
:00:17. > :00:24.An inquest hears there was no garden front of an open fire, and
:00:24. > :00:27.no working smoke detector us. Also tonight: A couple's lucky
:00:27. > :00:37.escape after a gas blast rips through their home.
:00:37. > :00:43.Plus, no compensation for Reigate hit businesses because the riots
:00:43. > :00:53.were not riots. And the decorations that have stood
:00:53. > :00:56.
:00:56. > :01:00.Good evening. Welcome. An inquest was opened into the death of four
:01:00. > :01:05.small children and a house fire. The children's mother Rachel Henson
:01:05. > :01:09.was the only survivor of the blaze at Hulland Ward in Derbyshire.
:01:09. > :01:15.Today the court heard there were two types of smoke alarms in a
:01:15. > :01:22.house, but none were working. There was no garden front of an open fire.
:01:22. > :01:32.-- no guard. Tommy was nine, Alisha 6, Apollonia
:01:32. > :01:38.two, and drop goal was for. -- Rocco was four. All of them died.
:01:38. > :01:42.Today, Rachel, the mother, arrived at court with her partner. A fire
:01:42. > :01:45.investigation officer said it was an extreme blaze, with high
:01:45. > :01:49.temperatures and zero visibility. He said there was a battery
:01:49. > :01:57.operated smoke alarm in the hallway that was not working, and a hard-
:01:57. > :02:02.wired system, but none of the censors have been fitted. Chris
:02:02. > :02:06.Smith also said they contained a lot of -- the locks on the fire
:02:06. > :02:12.contained moisture, which was the likely cause of the blaze, as they
:02:12. > :02:16.spit out embers. Rachel's partner was asked if he was concerned there
:02:16. > :02:22.was no fire guard, and he said it was not a top priority, and he did
:02:22. > :02:27.not believe it was a life-or-death matter.
:02:27. > :02:30.What can you tell us about the cause of the fire? As well as the
:02:30. > :02:35.fire officer you heard mentioned, the inquest heard from a chimney
:02:35. > :02:40.Engineer today. Matthew Ramsden said moisture tests carried out on
:02:40. > :02:46.the wood used at the family home showed it was well over the normal
:02:46. > :02:51.moisture levels, and he said that wet wood jumps out of the fire. He
:02:51. > :02:57.said if there was a fire guard, it could have prevented the blaze.
:02:57. > :03:00.Who else was speaking today? also heard from neighbours, and
:03:00. > :03:05.their next door neighbour said she heard screaming. She went outside
:03:05. > :03:08.and saw Rachel sitting on the pavement. She said she shook her,
:03:08. > :03:12.and asked where the children were. Other neighbours tried to get into
:03:12. > :03:16.the house. We heard that they got a ladder and tried to break a
:03:16. > :03:22.bathroom window, but it was just too hot. One of them described that
:03:22. > :03:27.the downstairs of the house was a big fireball. What about the mother,
:03:27. > :03:31.will she be giving evidence? was in the court today, but she did
:03:31. > :03:35.not give evidence. She left in tears as the post-mortem reports
:03:35. > :03:39.were read out. She will be giving evidence tomorrow morning. In
:03:39. > :03:44.conclusion, the coroner said he wanted to mention the quality of
:03:44. > :03:47.citizenship of the community of the people of Hulland Ward. He said
:03:47. > :03:50.neighbours pick their own lives at risk, and I should not go one
:03:50. > :03:54.noticed. Thank you.
:03:54. > :03:59.-- they picked their own lives at risk and it should not go unnoticed.
:03:59. > :04:05.Were due shopper drunk driver? Would a �1,000 reward make your
:04:05. > :04:13.decision easier? Police are hoping the fear of not
:04:13. > :04:18.knowing who would phone-in against them will prevent drunk-driving.
:04:18. > :04:23.This Christmas card as from this man's cousin Margaret, the only
:04:23. > :04:29.survivor of a road crash that left her parents and sister dead. The
:04:29. > :04:34.car was hit by a drunk driver that spun out of control.
:04:34. > :04:41.Seeing their coffins, it hit me as to what an awful waste of talented
:04:41. > :04:44.lives this was, through a responsibility. Along with
:04:44. > :04:50.Darbyshire Road Safety Partnership, the police are backing the campaign
:04:51. > :04:55.to encourage people to shop those they suspect to be drink-driving.
:04:55. > :04:59.Their reward could be �1,000 a deadly still can diction. Drink-
:04:59. > :05:03.drivers should be under no illusion that people will phone us, whether
:05:03. > :05:08.it is for moral reasons or a cash reward, it is a big incentives.
:05:08. > :05:13.In Long Eaton, the idea was supported. I think you should shop
:05:13. > :05:20.them anyway. It doesn't matter about the money for. It is a good
:05:20. > :05:28.incentive. It should reduce deaths on the road. It is too risky,
:05:28. > :05:34.especially around here, because everyone knows everyone. Recorder
:05:35. > :05:38.no reward, it should not make a difference. -- reward or no reward.
:05:38. > :05:41.We are should get this message across.
:05:41. > :05:51.The idolising cannot be done randomly, there has to be a valid
:05:51. > :05:51.
:05:51. > :06:00.reason. It is hoped that the incentive will encourage this.
:06:00. > :06:03.A Christmas visitation that we are all keen to have -- keen to avoid.
:06:03. > :06:06.It is winter flu season, but lots of people eligible for the
:06:06. > :06:16.vaccination had no a habit. And if you're taking your bicycle
:06:16. > :06:16.
:06:17. > :06:20.to work tomorrow, the good news is Before all that, a lucky escape for
:06:20. > :06:25.a couple whose house was destroyed in a gas explosion.
:06:25. > :06:32.They were in the house, in Bilborough, in Nottingham, at the
:06:32. > :06:38.time of the blast. Nearby properties had to be evacuated, too.
:06:38. > :06:44.It was allowed bang that brought residents out onto the street at
:06:44. > :06:48.1130 p -- 11:30am this morning. This is what they saw. Burnt out
:06:48. > :06:51.windows and the inside destroyed. The two people living here were
:06:51. > :06:54.home at the time, but managed to escape before the fire service
:06:54. > :07:00.arrived. It was a big shock to see
:07:00. > :07:08.everything, all these firemen and police cars. Have you been told
:07:08. > :07:13.anything? No, the only thing I know, I asked about the people who live
:07:13. > :07:16.there, they said they were all right. You buy houses had to be
:07:16. > :07:22.evacuated. Neighbours said they were terrified when they heard the
:07:22. > :07:31.noise. I thought my conservatory had caved in, are something. But I
:07:31. > :07:34.saw it was all right, I saw someone on the street, and saw fire. Most
:07:34. > :07:41.of the afternoon was spent cutting the supply of to the property,
:07:41. > :07:47.making sure the area was safe. It is now up to the fire investigators
:07:47. > :07:51.to find out why it happened. In other news: A Nottingham women
:07:51. > :07:56.who, along with others, claims to have had a relationship with the
:07:56. > :08:01.undercover officer Mark Kennedy, is suing the Metropolitan Police for
:08:01. > :08:05.emotional trauma. Marc Kennedy infiltrated a group of climate
:08:05. > :08:13.change protesters who planned to target their Ratcliffe on Soar per
:08:13. > :08:18.station. -- power-station. Fares and East Midlands Trains are
:08:18. > :08:23.to rise by 5.7%, above the current rate of inflation, but lower than
:08:23. > :08:30.the national rise of 5.9%. East Midlands Trains says it is freezing
:08:30. > :08:33.the cost of parking at a several stations in the region.
:08:33. > :08:37.Businesses in Leicester and Nottingham, which suffered damage
:08:37. > :08:39.during the stuff -- the summer's disturbances, have been told they
:08:39. > :08:44.will not receive compensation under the riot act.
:08:44. > :08:47.The decision affects dozens of businesses, and means they will not
:08:47. > :08:57.be entitled to claim damages above and beyond what their insurers will
:08:57. > :09:03.Not much Christmas cheer for businesses in Leicester. The ones
:09:03. > :09:07.affected by the disturbances particularly. In August, damaged
:09:08. > :09:11.windows cost �800 to appear in this restaurant. But Leicestershire
:09:11. > :09:17.Police authority has decided they are not eligible for compensation
:09:17. > :09:21.under the right attack. Absolutely furious. -- the Riot Act.
:09:21. > :09:25.We're going to be out of pocket, and it is something should not have
:09:25. > :09:35.happened, and hopefully will not happen again. And the businessmen
:09:35. > :09:38.
:09:38. > :09:45.his -- are left to pick up the pieces. This has come to the small
:09:45. > :09:48.business is picking up the pieces. Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire
:09:48. > :09:57.police authorities have decided the disorder did not meet the lawful
:09:57. > :10:05.definition of a riot. There needed to be more consistent numbers than
:10:05. > :10:10.12 people at each incident. And they need to be supporting each
:10:10. > :10:18.other, in terms of a common name for looting from shops, and they
:10:18. > :10:24.clearly were not. We were promised compensation, which we have not. It
:10:24. > :10:30.has cost me �1,000 and repair damage, and that is 20 hours a fire
:10:31. > :10:33.was on the minimum wage. Claims by business is not insured will now be
:10:33. > :10:38.separately considered by the National claims Bureau. The rest
:10:38. > :10:44.will have to pay any insurance excess and face the prospect of
:10:44. > :10:48.higher premiums next year. One of the stories that has
:10:48. > :10:54.dominated the news has been the failure of the Derby train maker
:10:54. > :10:59.Bombardier to win the major order. This failure has placed doubts over
:10:59. > :11:03.its survival in the city. Some staff belong to a group which is
:11:03. > :11:13.little or no redundancy. The public are being asked to contribute to a
:11:13. > :11:16.
:11:16. > :11:20.Andrew has been forced to find his own window of opportunity. A former
:11:20. > :11:25.builder, he has been doing odd jobs to keep money coming in after he
:11:25. > :11:29.was laid off by Bombardier last month. He just had a few minutes'
:11:29. > :11:34.notice. Piggott told 10 minutes prior to leaving the site. There
:11:34. > :11:42.were a lot of people with long faces the stock that must have been
:11:42. > :11:46.terrible. It was terrible. Andrew was one of 600 Agency staff to
:11:46. > :11:55.leave Bombardier in recent weeks. As they were on short-term
:11:55. > :12:01.contracts, they are not entitled to redundancy money. Now the Unite
:12:01. > :12:09.union is asking for people to contribute to a larger fund. There
:12:09. > :12:12.are no jobs, no redundancy pay, and we wondered how we could help.
:12:12. > :12:17.Other hardship funds have been set up in the past, in the West
:12:17. > :12:26.Midlands, so we thought we would do this to help. Do you think you will
:12:26. > :12:31.make an application to the fund? will make an application to them.
:12:31. > :12:35.When you have got bills piling up, it might just help us out. A lot of
:12:36. > :12:39.people are worse off than I am. Lot of people have not got a trade.
:12:39. > :12:48.Andrew knows he will need full-time work decidua his long-term
:12:48. > :12:53.People coming into the middle of Nottingham to worship on Christmas
:12:53. > :12:56.Day will not have to pay to park. Four weeks ago the city council
:12:56. > :13:00.brought in charges to park in the streets on Sundays. It was a
:13:00. > :13:04.controversial move that upset shoppers and worshippers. Christmas
:13:04. > :13:08.Day falls on a Sunday, but the council tells us charges will be
:13:08. > :13:11.suspended because enforcement staff will not be working for.
:13:11. > :13:21.School pupils in Leicestershire could be taking a subsidised train
:13:21. > :13:26.to classes instead of a Boston. There was whose children have -- a
:13:26. > :13:28.attend a high school have been complaining about the bus services.
:13:28. > :13:34.Children having to spend a week before Christmas in hospital were
:13:34. > :13:37.given a festive treat today. The charity Starlight put on a panto
:13:37. > :13:42.for the children. More than 100 children are receiving treatment
:13:42. > :13:52.there. Today many got the chance to get into the spirit of Christmas,
:13:52. > :13:56.
:13:56. > :14:01.and see a special performance of It was so funny. I like jasmine and
:14:01. > :14:11.Aladdin and I like them when they dance. Princess Jasmine, she looked
:14:11. > :14:17.
:14:17. > :14:22.NHS bosses are warning people not to forget their flu jab, saying the
:14:22. > :14:28.worst of the winter may still be to come. This year take up rates have
:14:28. > :14:34.been as strong among the over 65s but many younger people still have
:14:34. > :14:38.not had their injection. Health correspondent Rob Sissons reports
:14:38. > :14:43.from Nottinghamshire where public health experts are now based.
:14:43. > :14:49.It is almost here, but the weather is not that seasonal. It has been a
:14:49. > :14:54.mild winter and one reason why some people have not been thinking about
:14:54. > :14:59.the seasonal flu vaccine. Last year, all that snow we had in the big
:14:59. > :15:05.freeze, the coldest December for over 100 years, there was a lot
:15:05. > :15:11.more flu around then and more people in hospital, some fighting
:15:11. > :15:17.for their lives with swine flu. Take up rates, they are not much
:15:17. > :15:23.down on last year but they could be better. The over 65s 70 % have
:15:23. > :15:29.taken up the offer of the flu jab. Younger people with underlying
:15:29. > :15:33.health problems, diabetes and heart disease, the figure is 46 %.
:15:33. > :15:39.Worryingly, there are only 25 % of pregnant women who have taken up
:15:39. > :15:44.the offer of the vaccine. Dr Chris Kenny is the Director of Public
:15:44. > :15:49.Health for the County. Pregnant women not taking up this offer,
:15:49. > :15:55.that must worry you? We know some pregnant women who developed
:15:55. > :16:00.influenza can have a serious condition. Why are some saying no?
:16:00. > :16:04.It is hard to say. The we saw a pre-Christmas rush for jabs last
:16:04. > :16:09.year, particularly some pregnant women fighting for their lives.
:16:09. > :16:14.That is true and when we had the swine flu it was some of -- of this
:16:14. > :16:20.some pregnant women got the disease more aggressively than others.
:16:20. > :16:26.is not too late for people to have a jab if they are entitled to one.
:16:26. > :16:35.Exactly. In the new year, we may get more cases of flu in the
:16:35. > :16:38.community. Can we dream of a white Christmas? Later, Sally will be
:16:38. > :16:44.along with the forecast and hints of what it will be like for the
:16:44. > :16:49.Christmas weekend. A thoroughly modern tale but with
:16:49. > :16:54.echoes of the Christmas story. It maybe 2011 but there is still no
:16:54. > :16:58.room at the inn. The inn in question is a former hotel called
:16:58. > :17:03.the Carpenter's Arms. It provides food for homeless people and people
:17:03. > :17:13.on low income to, but demand for food parcels has rocketed in the
:17:13. > :17:15.
:17:15. > :17:20.downturn and space is limited Senna Roger Clarke comes to the
:17:20. > :17:26.Carpenter's Arms to get his book parcels. He is on benefits and has
:17:26. > :17:30.applied for 150 jobs in the past 10 months. The former Potter says for
:17:30. > :17:36.castles have helped make life more easy. They food I get twice a week
:17:36. > :17:42.is really important because it puts a meal on my table. I can have a
:17:42. > :17:46.proper diet to a certain degree and it is a big help. All the food is
:17:46. > :17:52.donated. Three years ago, the charity Help to around 12 people
:17:52. > :17:57.per week now that is up to 160. 12 residents stayed in the old
:17:57. > :18:01.building and can benefit from a drug rehab programme. But it's the
:18:01. > :18:05.food parcels side that these duties the an expansion next year when
:18:05. > :18:09.applications for funding are successful. We can have a separate
:18:09. > :18:14.area where people can pick up clothing and we will have a coffee
:18:14. > :18:17.bar, laundry and showers for homeless people. On the first-floor
:18:17. > :18:27.we are hoping to have a small conference room where people can
:18:27. > :18:27.
:18:27. > :18:31.have meetings. Roger's story has taken a turn for the better. After
:18:31. > :18:36.all those applications, he is working as a volunteer at this
:18:36. > :18:42.charity shop. It is not paid so he will continue to carve -- rely on
:18:42. > :18:46.the food parcels. E it will give me some experience and get me active
:18:46. > :18:55.again and hopefully after six months, something will turn up.
:18:55. > :19:00.Perhaps Roger's next job could be in retail.
:19:00. > :19:05.Still to come: the ancient Christmas decorations that have
:19:05. > :19:15.lost none of their sparkle. Stay tuned for a glittering gallery of
:19:15. > :19:16.
:19:16. > :19:25.antique adornments. Your much-loved decorations of Christmases past.
:19:26. > :19:31.You should be a town crier. Talking of vintage things, time for the
:19:32. > :19:36.sport. It is that time of year,
:19:36. > :19:40.footballers have been visiting hospitals today. It is a busy time
:19:40. > :19:46.but they take time out of their Schedule now to cheer up those who
:19:46. > :19:51.are less fortunate. Every year the players of Leicester
:19:51. > :19:59.City come here. They have come here to ward 27, the Children's Oncology
:19:59. > :20:09.ward. Today it is the foxes and they have brought gifts.
:20:09. > :20:10.
:20:10. > :20:14.elephant! Some books also. It was exciting and she got a lot of
:20:14. > :20:18.presents from the footballers. Coming out of intensive care just
:20:18. > :20:28.think of everything you worry about, it is kind of meaningless when you
:20:28. > :20:30.
:20:30. > :20:34.see those things. The his name is Tom P! Matthew is just five, at
:20:34. > :20:39.back of goodies from the football team is lovely. The players have
:20:39. > :20:43.been superb and the children have been so excited. Christmas is a
:20:43. > :20:48.hard time for children in hospital and when the players come in, it
:20:48. > :20:58.makes everybody smile. Just up the road, Derby County's players were
:20:58. > :21:03.doing their bit. Giving up our time to make sure we visit, is a nice
:21:03. > :21:09.gesture for everybody. Trinity is nice to come and show your face and
:21:09. > :21:14.make a few kids smile. In Leicester it was an emotional return for the
:21:14. > :21:18.fox's captain who was born here. Five I spent six months in
:21:18. > :21:23.intensive care when I was first born. The doctors at one stage told
:21:23. > :21:33.my mum there was a chance of me not making it, so to get the operation
:21:33. > :21:34.
:21:34. > :21:38.I needed and to pull through, I cannot thank people enough.
:21:38. > :21:43.The Leicester Tigers England international Dan Cole says he is
:21:43. > :21:47.hoping to sign a new contract with the club this week. Cole broke into
:21:47. > :21:52.the side in 2010 and he says he is disappointed with the way this year
:21:52. > :22:01.has gone. It has been up and down. Leicester reached Premiership final
:22:01. > :22:11.and lost. You want to when. 31 at six nations but did not win the
:22:11. > :22:13.
:22:13. > :22:17.Grand Slam. It has ben disappointing, but at the same time.
:22:17. > :22:23.In ice hockey, Nottingham Panthers have a hectic Christmas. They are
:22:24. > :22:28.home tonight and face five games between now and 29th December.
:22:28. > :22:32.The promoters of the Canadian box at Lucian Bute have confirmed they
:22:32. > :22:37.are keen on a fight deal with Carl Froch and not in a Boris said they
:22:38. > :22:43.are open to the idea of the home about being held at the city Ground.
:22:43. > :22:47.After being out in Atlantic City supporting Carl Froch, Nottingham
:22:47. > :22:50.jockey Hayley Turner was back in the saddle. The country's top woman
:22:51. > :23:00.sidled -- rider has been out for four months with a broken line
:23:01. > :23:02.
:23:02. > :23:07.calls. -- ankle. A couple of weeks ago we showed you
:23:07. > :23:13.this. It is not just a Christmas fairy, it is and 80-year-old
:23:13. > :23:18.Christmas fairy shared with us by Wendy Sheldon. When the's picture
:23:18. > :23:23.inspired us to ask you to share with us your ageing but much loved
:23:23. > :23:27.Christmas decorations. You have done us proud. Lots of pictures
:23:27. > :23:33.sent in and Peter Snow has been going through them all.
:23:33. > :23:38.It has been in the same family since the 1930s, with the complete
:23:38. > :23:42.cent of original decorations, glass baubles and candles, it is a tree
:23:42. > :23:51.that has seen more than 80 Christmases. The it was my
:23:51. > :23:56.grandmothers serve I could guess you can add 75 years to the age of
:23:56. > :24:02.the tree. It enabled people on lower income has to buy a tree when
:24:02. > :24:07.the real ones were so expensive and not as plentiful. The tree used to
:24:07. > :24:12.fold away for safekeeping. These days it is too delicate. It is
:24:12. > :24:17.small enough that I can put a plastic bag over it and poppet in a
:24:17. > :24:27.cupboard. I do not know why you keep these things but... Margaret
:24:27. > :25:05.
:25:05. > :25:08.is not alone. He is a selection of I do not think my grand mother when
:25:08. > :25:17.they first bought this that her granddaughter would show this to
:25:17. > :25:27.the nation. She would be tickled pink. The hang onto your baubles.
:25:27. > :25:31.I have for some time. I have my grand mother's baubles.
:25:31. > :25:38.No shortage of sparkle with the weather.
:25:38. > :25:44.My mum put a clothes pegs Santa on the Christmas tree that I made when
:25:44. > :25:48.I was in infant school. Weather wise we are getting some milder
:25:48. > :25:50.temperatures as we go through the couple of days which is good news
:25:50. > :25:59.couple of days which is good news because it has been cold over the
:25:59. > :26:03.past few days. Thing is getting much milder which is great. This is
:26:03. > :26:12.Monty the cat who likes climbing up the tree at Ruth's out in
:26:12. > :26:17.Derbyshire. Thank you for your pictures. If we take a look we can
:26:17. > :26:22.see this warmth working its way towards us from the West. Over the
:26:22. > :26:27.next couple of hours we will see those patchy outbreaks coming in.
:26:27. > :26:33.Cloud increasing and from that, we are starting to see the first of
:26:33. > :26:38.those outbreaks of rain. At first patchy but gradually through the
:26:38. > :26:44.evening that rain turning more persistent. You will need an
:26:44. > :26:52.umbrella if you are out tonight. Temperatures milder as that rain
:26:52. > :26:56.spreads in. Temperatures dipping to four or five Celsius. Milder
:26:56. > :27:01.through the course of tomorrow. That rain clearing in most places
:27:01. > :27:06.by the middle of the morning. Cloudy skies for the rest of
:27:06. > :27:15.Wednesday but generally dry. Temperatures in double figures, 12
:27:15. > :27:22.Celsius the maximum. Staying mild as we move into Thursday. A dry
:27:22. > :27:27.picture again, in double figures stealth but cloudy skies. On Friday,
:27:27. > :27:30.a cold front pushes it through with rain during the day. Colder