:00:02. > :00:07.This is East Midlands Today with Dominic Heale and me, Anne Davies.
:00:07. > :00:15.Our top story tonight: The road resurfacing work that is a heavy
:00:15. > :00:20.burden for hauliers. Disruption and diversions as one of the region's
:00:20. > :00:25.most notorious roads closes overnight for an entire month.
:00:25. > :00:29.A former police firearms officer accused of assault has his
:00:29. > :00:33.conviction overturned. Plus, on the day the blockbuster
:00:33. > :00:39.movie comes out, I have been discovering the tale of the real
:00:39. > :00:43.great for Warhorse that is still buried right beneath my feet.
:00:43. > :00:53.And they say Friday you 13th is unlucky for some but I am meeting a
:00:53. > :00:56.
:00:56. > :00:59.couple who say that today is a Good evening. Welcome to Friday's
:00:59. > :01:02.programme. First tonight, the Highways Agency has defended its
:01:02. > :01:08.decision to spend more than �1.5 million re-surfacing a road that is
:01:08. > :01:11.due to be widened in just three years' time.
:01:11. > :01:14.Road haulage firms say the night- time closure of the main route
:01:14. > :01:21.between Nottingham and the M1 will cause major disruption for their
:01:21. > :01:30.industry and for nearby villages. Mike O'Sullivan is by the A453
:01:30. > :01:35.which will be shut overnight for a month from next weekend. That is
:01:35. > :01:40.right. Darkness as fallen here on the A453, a very busy road, used by
:01:40. > :01:47.more than 30,000 vehicles a day. From later this month, it will be a
:01:47. > :01:54.lot quieter at night. After 8pm, it will be closed completely for a
:01:54. > :01:59.month, between Nottingham and the M1 as major roadworks go-ahead.
:01:59. > :02:03.The main artery between Nottingham, the M1 and the East Midlands
:02:03. > :02:06.Airport. It will be closed for four weeks at night for resurfacing work.
:02:06. > :02:10.Warriors and other road users facing long diversion is to get
:02:10. > :02:16.onto the motorway. This company in Nottingham says it will have a big
:02:16. > :02:20.impact. The cost could be, if every day a call was delayed, the cost of
:02:20. > :02:27.overnight parking, the increase in diesel because of the round trips,
:02:27. > :02:34.the increase in wages, it could be a cost of around �50 per vehicle.
:02:34. > :02:39.We have got seven vehicles, so �350, per day. This is how the roadworks
:02:39. > :02:45.will affect the A453. A six-mile stretch will be closed at night for
:02:45. > :02:51.four weeks from January 22nd. Sometimes, as early as 8:00pm.
:02:51. > :02:55.Lorry-drivers to and from the power station will be faced with an 80
:02:55. > :02:59.mile diversion through villages. In Nottingham, there will be a 50 mile
:02:59. > :03:02.diversion to reach the motorway. This was the reaction in one of the
:03:02. > :03:08.village is included on the diversion route. The widening of
:03:08. > :03:11.the A453 I think would be a benefit for everybody. But this is
:03:11. > :03:16.resurfacing ahead of the widening? What a complete waste of money!
:03:16. > :03:20.They could have done both things at once to save the can -- to say the
:03:20. > :03:24.contestants. The Highways Agency says it is essential ahead of a
:03:24. > :03:28.road-widening scheme in around three years' time. It is not a
:03:28. > :03:31.waste of time. The A453 is already showing signs of the heavy traffic
:03:31. > :03:35.that it gets every day in and out of Nottingham. We need to give the
:03:35. > :03:40.road in a safe and serviceable condition for the next three years
:03:40. > :03:44.until the new road is opened. years, campaigners were calling for
:03:44. > :03:50.the A453 to be up graded. Now they are getting two schemes within a
:03:50. > :03:55.few years. Road hauliers say that all of this will add to their cost
:03:55. > :04:00.at a time when diesel is costing around one ton-40 Ali Carter. That
:04:00. > :04:04.does have a word with Frank Taylor from the Road Haulage Association.
:04:04. > :04:10.I'll road hauliers going to absorb the costs of pass them on -- pass
:04:10. > :04:13.them on? The larger companies will look to absorb the cost for their
:04:13. > :04:17.major customers. The smaller operator is going to have to raise
:04:17. > :04:23.a surcharge and passes on to its customers. How many miles a gallon
:04:23. > :04:28.do you get from a big HTB? On an average road, you will get about 80
:04:28. > :04:34.miles to the gallon. Going through the urban roots, that will drop to
:04:34. > :04:40.around 4.5. What do you think of the spending, the resurfacing of
:04:40. > :04:44.the A453 so close to the widening scheme? We feel that it could be
:04:44. > :04:50.better spent elsewhere in the county. If they were to bring the
:04:50. > :04:55.widening forward. Thank you very much. Business leaders have said
:04:55. > :04:58.that improving the A453 was the top priority, the top transport
:04:58. > :05:02.priority for the region. It is certainly getting plenty of
:05:02. > :05:05.attention now. It certainly is. A former Nottinghamshire police
:05:05. > :05:08.officer has won an appeal against his conviction for assaulting a
:05:08. > :05:12.suspect. Timothy Allatt was sentenced to
:05:12. > :05:19.eight weeks in jail after being found guilty last summer. But today
:05:19. > :05:24.his conviction was quashed. Tom Brown was at Nottingham Crown Court.
:05:24. > :05:27.The hearing lasted two days. The ordeal lasted more than a year-and-
:05:28. > :05:32.a-half. Five months after being found guilty of assaulting a
:05:32. > :05:38.suspect while on duty in Nottingham, today Timothy Allatt left court,
:05:38. > :05:44.his conviction overturned. Timothy Allatt wishes to express his thanks
:05:44. > :05:47.to his family and friends, including his police colleagues and
:05:47. > :05:52.the Police Federation who have been a considerable support to him and
:05:52. > :05:59.his wife during a very difficult times. My client has always stayed
:05:59. > :06:03.Farsley asserted his innocence -- stead Farsley. The allegation arose
:06:03. > :06:09.while he was carrying out his duties as a police officer. He now
:06:09. > :06:14.feels vindicated as his appeal has been vindicated. He was sentenced
:06:14. > :06:19.to eight weeks what allegedly assaulting a car thief. He was
:06:19. > :06:24.accused of using excessive forced - - false when making the arrest. The
:06:24. > :06:28.judge said there were two key issues. Firstly, where that Timothy
:06:28. > :06:32.Allatt believed that force was necessary. Secondly, whether the
:06:32. > :06:35.force he used was justified. Timothy Allatt made clear that he
:06:35. > :06:39.felt that the man was a threat and he took the appropriate action to
:06:39. > :06:43.arrest them. The judge said that that the prosecution did not do
:06:43. > :06:46.enough to disprove this and ultimately a group -- ruled in
:06:46. > :06:49.favour of Timothy Allatt. Nottinghamshire Police said it
:06:49. > :06:52.acknowledges and supports the court decision but that he was dismissed
:06:52. > :06:58.over a separate and unrelated assault on a member of the public
:06:58. > :07:07.and will not reap returning to be false. -- will not be returning to
:07:07. > :07:13.the farce. For Timothy Allatt, today was about clearing his name.
:07:13. > :07:18.Still to come on the programme, Sally with the weekend weather.
:07:18. > :07:28.have got a bitterly cold weekend to come, starting with tonight. You
:07:28. > :07:28.
:07:28. > :07:33.A campaign to reconnect a town to the region's rail network appears
:07:33. > :07:35.to be picking up speed. Ilkeston in Derbyshire used to have
:07:36. > :07:45.four railway stations but now it doesn't have any. Simon Hare
:07:45. > :07:50.reports. Look closely and there are signs of
:07:50. > :07:54.a railway heritage here. But this road no longer lives up to its name.
:07:54. > :08:01.Ilkeston has the dubious honour of being Britain's biggest town
:08:01. > :08:04.without a train station. It is hoped a station could boost the job
:08:05. > :08:10.prospects of residents by making it easier to commute to neighbouring
:08:10. > :08:18.cities. As well as bring in more visitors to ton itself. Do you
:08:18. > :08:28.think Ilkeston suffers without one? We have good bus links. Does it
:08:28. > :08:28.
:08:28. > :08:33.warrant it? Yes. The local MP says it is worth spending �5 million on
:08:33. > :08:37.a new station. This is a relatively modest sum of money compared to the
:08:37. > :08:46.longer term benefits that this would bring to Ilkeston and the
:08:47. > :08:53.wider area more. The train goes past but never stops! We want to be
:08:53. > :08:59.trained to stop! Mansfield used to have the largest station this town
:08:59. > :09:05.claim to fame. The trains do now stop here. The Robin Hood line
:09:05. > :09:09.replaced what was axed. Accessibility is improved. I still
:09:09. > :09:14.think it is undervalued. For Ilkeston I think it would be
:09:14. > :09:18.critical. Their positioning between Nottingham and Derbyshire, it is in
:09:18. > :09:22.steamy important that they battle for the rail link. -- it is
:09:22. > :09:27.extremely important. Mansfield is also getting a new bus station.
:09:27. > :09:33.Back in Ilkeston, they will be ready to raise a toast should it
:09:33. > :09:37.get reconnected to the railway map. Our political editor John Hess is
:09:37. > :09:41.with us. So what are the chances of Ilkeston getting its own railway
:09:41. > :09:43.station again? The first stop on this journey is to get the new
:09:43. > :09:53.Transport Secretary on board. Justine Greening may be supportive
:09:53. > :09:56.but it is the Chancellor George Osborn who has got the cash. Now
:09:56. > :10:06.money may be tight, but actually the government has been looking
:10:06. > :10:06.
:10:06. > :10:12.around for smaller scale infrastructure projects to fund.
:10:12. > :10:17.That is why the duelling of the A453 was given the go-ahead. I
:10:17. > :10:22.think also there are some other intriguing redevelopment news. In
:10:22. > :10:27.Mansfield, the leader of Nottinghamshire County Council has
:10:27. > :10:32.suggested that Mansfield should be the location for the government's
:10:32. > :10:37.new enterprise zone. They are making a strong case for Mansfield.
:10:37. > :10:41.There are areas that need some investment in Mansfield. The
:10:41. > :10:46.brewery site, for example. In need some real effort to get together
:10:46. > :10:50.with all interested parties. I know the city has been very well-funded
:10:50. > :10:54.compared with the counties but the deprivation can be just the same.
:10:54. > :11:02.Mansfield is a town of about 100,000 people and I think higher
:11:02. > :11:12.profile. These enterprise zone is give huge incentives. We have to in
:11:12. > :11:18.
:11:18. > :11:21.the East Midlands already. Put Mansfield be next in line?
:11:21. > :11:24.The English Defence League says it wants to march through Leicester
:11:24. > :11:27.next month, 18 months after it staged a major rally in the city.
:11:27. > :11:30.The group was forced to hold a static demonstration in 2010, but
:11:30. > :11:34.it descended into violence. 36 people were arrested. Policing it
:11:34. > :11:36.cost an estimated �850,000. The group wants to return on 4th
:11:36. > :11:38.February. The city council is discussing the request.
:11:38. > :11:43.Police investigating an armed robbery where a shop assistant was
:11:43. > :11:45.threatened with a stun-device are questioning a 22-year-old man. It
:11:45. > :11:49.follows an attack at the Sainsbury's store at Newhall in
:11:49. > :11:52.Derbyshire yesterday morning. Police say a woman who worked there
:11:52. > :11:56.needed treatment after an electrical device was held to her
:11:56. > :12:01.neck. Cash was taken. A man from Midway near Swadlincote was
:12:01. > :12:04.arrested this morning. A builder says hundreds of
:12:04. > :12:10.construction jobs are likely to go in the East Midlands, unless the
:12:10. > :12:13.government reduces the rate of VAT on house extensions and conversions.
:12:13. > :12:20.Kevin Ellis from Leicestershire says his firm's turnover has gone
:12:20. > :12:28.down by 20% since VAT went up last January. And he is warning he may
:12:28. > :12:32.soon have to make redundancies. Carolyn Moses reports.
:12:32. > :12:36.At work on an extension in Leicester, some of the 19 staff
:12:36. > :12:40.employed by a construction company who have recently won master
:12:40. > :12:45.builder of the year. The firm accepts that the recession has hit
:12:45. > :12:48.the construction trade hard but the owner believes that the extra VAT
:12:48. > :12:54.that came in last Enry has made things worse. The number of
:12:55. > :12:58.inquiries we get is down by 90%. In difficult times when people are
:12:58. > :13:04.trying to put money together to have extensions built on their
:13:04. > :13:07.houses, the straw that breaks the camel's back is the extra 2.5%.
:13:07. > :13:13.association, the Federation of Master Builders, believes the VAT
:13:13. > :13:16.rise has meant 10,000 UK building and supply jobs were lost last year
:13:16. > :13:20.but at the Treasury says there is support for the construction
:13:20. > :13:23.industry with no VAT charged on new-build housing and a reduced
:13:23. > :13:27.rate applying to residential conversions and the renovation of
:13:27. > :13:30.certain buildings that have been vacant for at least two years.
:13:30. > :13:36.would like to see the government do something with VAT on extensions
:13:36. > :13:39.because it is the staple diet of the average build up. I think the
:13:39. > :13:43.black economy will have been boosted by the increasing VAT and
:13:43. > :13:46.we come across situations where on the odd occasions when we are
:13:46. > :13:50.quoting somebody else, the prices that are being quoted are
:13:50. > :13:54.outrageously low and could only be done for cash. If VAT is not
:13:54. > :14:04.reduced and there is no upturn in business, he says he may have to
:14:04. > :14:04.
:14:04. > :14:10.The 8th next, the growing demand for foster-parents, because across
:14:10. > :14:15.a region there is a big increase in the number of children coming into
:14:15. > :14:25.local care. In Nottinghamshire it is on -- the emphasis is on all the
:14:25. > :14:28.
:14:28. > :14:31.children. -- older children. This goal is one of 1,800 looked
:14:31. > :14:36.after children in the region. She has been in care since five, she
:14:36. > :14:40.has been ever present foster parents for five years. She says
:14:40. > :14:45.fostering has turned her life around. You sit back and think what
:14:45. > :14:51.would happen if you're not in care. I know for a fact I would not be
:14:51. > :14:56.going to university. My foster carers, they have been really
:14:56. > :15:01.supportive, I class them as my own family. If you give the right kind
:15:01. > :15:07.of nurturing, the children pick that up, and they feel better about
:15:07. > :15:11.themselves. Their self-esteem is a lot better. There has been a 22%
:15:11. > :15:16.increase in the number of children are put into care. It is a similar
:15:16. > :15:21.picture in this region. Over half of the region's children are over
:15:21. > :15:26.the age of 10. Those children can be a lot harder to place where
:15:26. > :15:30.families. The survey says the rewards can be considerable.
:15:30. > :15:38.Watching a shy child coming to your home, someone who doesn't want to
:15:38. > :15:42.spend the time anyone else, sing a song, dance, have friends over 30,
:15:42. > :15:49.it is amazing to watch them grow and flourish. There is no better
:15:49. > :15:53.reward. It is very rewarding, children are very grateful when
:15:53. > :16:00.they get a nice family. fostering service is hoping to
:16:01. > :16:07.recruit an extra 10 family's following an appeal.
:16:07. > :16:11.Isn't that great? It has proved a great sensation on
:16:11. > :16:16.the London stage, but the film version of Warhorse could take the
:16:16. > :16:19.story to a whole new level. Detail of the horse that ends up on the
:16:19. > :16:24.front lines of the First World War is actually the story of hundreds
:16:24. > :16:28.of thousands of horses at that time. Sadly, most of them have died in
:16:28. > :16:38.obscurity, but one from Leicestershire lived on to become a
:16:38. > :16:43.legend. We can all watch Warhorse from
:16:43. > :16:49.today, as the story of jelly, the horse that goes to the Great War,
:16:49. > :16:54.goes on general release. Some will be watching more closely than
:16:54. > :16:59.others, among them will be Griff Morgan-Jones, who showed me a
:16:59. > :17:04.remarkable dray. -- grey. Songster was a Leicestershire horse he was
:17:04. > :17:14.mobilised in 1914. He was assigned to Trooper Bert Main, and much like
:17:14. > :17:21.the horse in the film, he face the horrors of war there -- warfare.
:17:21. > :17:28.faced shelling, gun fire, all of the horrors of war. To make it
:17:28. > :17:38.pretty the end, that is quite remarkable. Here at be
:17:38. > :17:41.
:17:41. > :17:48.Leicestershire Yeomanry Museum -- there. They tickets to camp. Appal
:17:48. > :17:53.Descartes into Loughborough market. The owner said he did it just to
:17:53. > :18:01.keep the horse out of trouble. Astonishingly, Songster lived up to
:18:01. > :18:10.1947. The musician or who wrote the songs for the stage play thinks
:18:10. > :18:20.that Steven Spielberg will do the horse is proud -- horses. He's a
:18:20. > :18:21.
:18:21. > :18:28.great storyteller, he has access to child like storytelling qualities.
:18:28. > :18:34.That looks brilliant. The play is good, the film must be good, too.
:18:34. > :18:39.A brand new political programme starts this week.
:18:39. > :18:46.Welcome to the new home of The Sunday Politics, to get it off will
:18:46. > :18:56.be looking at council tax. Why the government is offering to freeze it,
:18:56. > :19:01.and a trap that you may fall into. Join us on Sunday.
:19:01. > :19:07.That looks good. It is on BBC One at Sunday lunchtime.
:19:07. > :19:12.Time Out of the sport. -- time now for the sport.
:19:12. > :19:16.It is January, the minute the transfer window opens, there is a
:19:16. > :19:24.lot of speculation about who is coming or going. It has been slim
:19:24. > :19:31.pickings are so far. We have been taking a look at the state of play.
:19:31. > :19:38.Our clubs have till the end of this month to do their business. The
:19:38. > :19:48.question is, will any of them be taking a gamble? Leicester City
:19:48. > :19:52.
:19:52. > :19:56.have had a bid accepted bodily sharp -- are barely. That has been
:19:56. > :20:03.interest in their defender. They now, he is staying. They say they
:20:03. > :20:11.have cash to spend, but when be silly. To bring people in who don't
:20:11. > :20:18.strengthen your team, that can be to the detriment of the club.
:20:18. > :20:23.Derby County have had inquiries about midfielder Paul Green, they
:20:23. > :20:27.may decide to cash in, his contract is up at the end the season. It is
:20:27. > :20:32.a case of wait and see. We are carrying too many players at the
:20:32. > :20:42.moment. The priorities to work with those. If we have any breathing
:20:42. > :20:43.
:20:43. > :20:47.space we will work with it. Nottingham Forest have so far
:20:47. > :20:51.fought off all interest for their players. They have signed their
:20:51. > :20:56.former striker, but if they want to bring in any other players, some of
:20:56. > :21:02.the current squad will have to go. Manager Steve Cotterill says it
:21:02. > :21:08.makes for a stressful month. This window is a real problem. It is
:21:08. > :21:18.right, smack bang in the middle of your season. Just another 18 days
:21:18. > :21:21.
:21:21. > :21:27.to go, I wonder if any of our side will hit the jackpot? -- sides.
:21:27. > :21:35.Notts County have taken defender Kieron Freeman on a one-month deal.
:21:35. > :21:41.There is a lot of the ball this weekend. Southampton come to Forest,
:21:41. > :21:50.Coventry visit Derby County. In League One, Notts County are away
:21:50. > :21:54.to Bournemouth. Commentary on your local radio stations.
:21:54. > :22:00.This evening, a big match for Leicester Tigers, if they want to
:22:00. > :22:08.get to the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup, their match at Ulster
:22:08. > :22:14.is a must win. The magnitude of tonight's game
:22:14. > :22:21.cannot be underestimated. Leicester are taking on Ulster, to power
:22:21. > :22:28.houses of European rugby. -- two power houses. It is going to be
:22:28. > :22:38.tough for them tonight? It is a big game. They have been in five files,
:22:38. > :22:42.
:22:42. > :22:47.10 quarter-finals, they have beaten Munster. -- five are finals. Both
:22:47. > :22:55.sides could come out on top. It is very exciting. There are lots of
:22:55. > :23:02.clashes, one to 15, the battle will be on the front row. It will be
:23:02. > :23:08.dirty and there? It will be. Everybody has to give 100%.
:23:08. > :23:17.both sides, defeat is not an option. It is a must win. Tigers might rue
:23:17. > :23:23.the day that they did not get that bonus point. If you are not one of
:23:23. > :23:27.the 500 who have come over, do not fair, live commentary on BBC Radio
:23:27. > :23:30.Leicester. All the build up starting at seven o'clock.
:23:30. > :23:39.Just before I go, a reminder that the Football League Show is back
:23:39. > :23:47.tomorrow. Late Kick Off also returns on Monday. It is the first
:23:47. > :23:54.of a new run until the end of the season.
:23:54. > :23:59.It is all happening here at the BBC. Friday the 13th, normally
:23:59. > :24:05.associated with bad luck, but not full one Nottingham couple. Career
:24:05. > :24:11.and Craig White had their first date on that day. They also got
:24:12. > :24:16.married on the day. Wearing something old, new and
:24:16. > :24:23.borrowed. Emma Ward is superstitious about some traditions,
:24:23. > :24:31.but not about the date. Our first date was on Friday the 13th, it is
:24:31. > :24:38.always been a good luck for us. said 13th January, we could not
:24:38. > :24:45.tell anyone it was a Friday. couple met whilst travelling in
:24:45. > :24:52.Australia. They will not make the date bother them -- they will not
:24:52. > :24:57.let the date bother them. I'm not worried. Yesterday, stress started
:24:58. > :25:07.to appear, last-minute details, maybe it is catching up on the? I
:25:08. > :25:10.
:25:10. > :25:18.have no worries about its, whatsoever. -- worries about the
:25:18. > :25:24.day. Usually, it is quite quiet, but couples stay away from it. It
:25:24. > :25:30.is all about making a personal, a celebration for the couple.
:25:30. > :25:34.Friday the 13th may be viewed as unlucky, but not by this couple.
:25:35. > :25:40.is me great pleasure to announce soon as husband-and-wife. They are
:25:40. > :25:48.looking forward to a lifetime of wedded bliss.
:25:48. > :25:51.wedded bliss. I feel a bit eerie now. -- I feel a
:25:51. > :25:58.bit emotional now. Time for the weather.
:25:58. > :26:04.It has been a cold day. It is turning even colder, temperatures
:26:04. > :26:14.plummeting. A widespread frost. Across the weekend we are likely to
:26:14. > :26:17.see a little bit of fog. This is the sun to rise -- this is the sun
:26:17. > :26:24.rise in Leicestershire. Thank you for the pictures, keep them coming
:26:24. > :26:30.in. If we take a closer look, the high pressure is sitting right over
:26:30. > :26:35.the UK. That is keeping conditions settled, dry, but bitterly cold.
:26:36. > :26:43.Tonight is no exception. You can see that blue, that is depicting
:26:43. > :26:53.frost. Most places will wake up to frost tomorrow morning.
:26:53. > :26:54.
:26:54. > :27:03.Temperatures will plummet, minus three. Into minus figures. Tomorrow
:27:03. > :27:13.morning, bitterly cold, frosty, the White Apaches will show fog -- b
:27:13. > :27:14.
:27:15. > :27:22.White Apaches. Tomorrow, up to five Celsius, clear skies in the evening.
:27:22. > :27:26.A rather more widespread fog expected. Sunday, waking up to fog,
:27:26. > :27:31.some sunny spells developing in the afternoon, temperatures continue to