14/02/2012 East Midlands Today

This is East Midlands Today with Dominic Heale and me, Anne Davies.

Our top story tonight - the towns and cities fighting for every last

job. So Evan hundred jobs were lost your last summoned. There is the

possibility of hundreds more. also open for business, the message

from the town where it is more difficult For jobseeker's to find

work than anywhere in the East Midlands. Plus this boy's amazing

legacy. His campaign for bone marrow donors lives on. And higher

up an age a - the Web cam keeping... At is wonderful to have such close-

up views of the birds. It is wonderful.

Good evening. First tonight, the uphill task facing job-seekers. In

a moment we will hear how in some parts of the region there are six

unemployed people chasing every ante-post. But there has been some

good news on the jobs front. It is hoped to call centre in Derby could

eventually employ double the number of people who work there before. To

tell us more, Simon Hare can join us now.

Good evening. Welcome to the late shift at HEROtsc. That stands for

telecom service centre if you have ever wondered. This site has always

been a call centre. Of course the internet back Egg used to be here.

It was the founding firms on Pride Park but last year 700 people lost

their jobs. Today it is much better news.

From HEROtsc, I knew major employer has emerged. 200 staff so far come

up by the summer - 800 people were work here. The HEROtsc answers

queries from satellite TV customers. You don't get very many good

contact centres from day one. So the people we are finding was

important, the infrastructure was important. But the people we have

employed early on, the greatest majority of them were new to the

sector. Abigail was the first person to be appointed. She had

been job-hunting for two years. confidence completely goes away.

You feel you are not worth anything and the amount of time you came out

of work the harder the jobs were to come by. The cause I have never

done call-centre before it was a shock. You cannot see the person

you're speaking to. N the current economic climate, it is not easy to

magic up new jobs. But the City Council has promised to cover half

the building's least she should HEROtsc struggle to find another

client. They would not have come and they acknowledge that. We have

used a fund to stimulate the local economy and bring new jobs again.

So if HEROtsc can find another client, a further 800 jobs will be

created here and that will double the number of people the work in

this building. As you can see, at the moment they certainly seem to

have the space for them. So, is there cause to be more

optimistic about the region's economy? Not according to one

think-tank. The Institute for Public Policy Research once that

unemployment will continue to rise. -- warns. John has has been looking

through his findings Forest. What sort of picture is emerging? Their

rapport makes for some sober reading. To start of its as

unemployment is going to be in excess of 2 million for the next

three years. What has done and its findings is that us compare the

number of jobs to gos in the East Midlands with the number of

vacancies that are available towards the end of last year. Derby

had 8,000 jobseeker's chasing 1800 vacancies. That is a reissue of 4

in 1. But Mansfield has a different picture. 2,700 job-seekers and just

446 vacancies. That is six to one. According to the Institute for

Public Policy Research, that makes Mansfield the most difficult area

in the region to find a job. Today Mansfield's Meir Tory Eddington

used the latest figures to press the Government to include as a

gaffe of Central Nottinghamshire in the next wave of enterprise zones.

And without an enterprise zone? will see a get even worse. What

have families, what chance have they got of getting a job? What are

those chances? Will this as tell us it is bad. We cannot let that go

worse. A latest figures are released

tomorrow. For most of last year, their East Midlands but the

national trend. The rate of unemployment was fairly static. But

not any more. If the latest figures want include the latest round of

public sector losses. The DVLC a -- DVLA announced today plans to close

regional offices. Staff collected signatures and protest. The DVLA

wants to centralise its operation to its Swansea H Q by the end of

this year. The DVLA are kissing goodbye to public service were

there are plans to close local offices. That will oblige our

customers to deal directly with Swansea and it is goodbye to our

jobs with all the come nomack knock-on so flat. Another worrying

statistic is that a third of job- seekers have been unemployed for

more than one year. It is around this group that the Government is

designing its new job creation programme, its apprenticeship

schemes to get the young and those with skills, will fly back into

work. Still to come on the programme: Big

in America. Tall Paul Sturgess from Leicestershire and he has just

joined the Harlem Globetrotters. In other news: A man has been

killed in three vehicle accident on one of Leicestershire's busiest

roads. It has just been partially reopened after it closed all day

between the A six turn-off and there roundabout. Two men aged

between 21 and 24 have been released on bail after being

arrested in connection with the incident.

A man has been arrested after a 90 some year-old woman at the rings

pulled from her fingers after two men who got into our home in South

Derbyshire. Winifred Bloor was at home last Wednesday when the men

took her rings, a gold necklace and cash. And 19-year-old man from

Derby was arrested on suspicion of robbery and released on boil -- on

bail while the investigation continue as.

If we can exclusively reveal that Nottinghamshire's Chief Constable

has agreed a compensation settlement after being sued by her

former deputy. Howard Roberts went to an employment tribunal after

losing his job last year. This all stems from an acrimonious

row between Howard Roberts and his form his boss, Julia Hodson. At the

time the Nottinghamshire force was under fire over its performance

under the shake-up he was replaced as deputy Chief Constable. But he

did not go quietly. He went to an employment tribunal in Nottingham

to suit both their Chief Constable and her police and authority. The

his main claim was being victimised for blowing the whistle on Julia

Hodson's behaviour and that his allegations would have been very

damaging. But now we will not hear the details are whether there

denied by Nottinghamshire Police. That is because the settlement

means the case will not be aired in public. Why has he settled?

matter -- he is likely to be getting a substantial compensation

pay-out. We have not been given any details. Howard Roberts cannot make

a comment. I have spoken to a former chairman of

Nottinghamshire's police other two, John Clarke. He will be expects a

Mr Robert's compensation payment to run to six figures.

Work has started to clear the route to the next phase of Nottingham's

farm system. About 40 trees are to the shot down in the Meadows. But

there are hopes that many more will escape the axe as the project

develops. They are clearing the way for phase

two. These trees along Queen's Walk in the meadows are being felled to

make way for Nottingham's new tram route. Initially 42 trees will be

removed and the fate of a further 48 trees will be decided later.

Some residents are not please, although others were more pragmatic.

The loss of the trees of these mature trees and what is a

promenade to, a linear park planned, is just for the community and

Nottingham, it is a great loss. This is progress. You can stand in

front of progress if you want to but this what has changed many

times. We have in place plans for turning the trees into wood

carvings and also benches, a simple play equipment for children. That

will have to do for now. The council says they will not remove

any more trees. But the tram is here to stay.

The Under-Secretary of State for justice Crispin Blunt officially

opened a new victim Support Centre in Leicester today. Each year

Leicestershire Police refer 30,000 people to victim Support. This new

building is in the heart of the city, on Bishop Street, and is the

first centre to have such a high profile high street location.

He has been called an inspiration - a lively six-year-old boy who

cheerily called for more bone marrow donors even when he was too

ill to benefit from one. Since his death from leukaemia, thousands of

volunteers have come forward across Nottinghamshire in a campaign the

charity Anthony Nolan Trust Nolan - - has called amazing. In our CVs

Life after Loss we look at the lights being held following the

loss of a loved one. For tonight the story of Joel Picker Spence.

Because somebody is giving me a bone marrow I can do other things

like swimming and playing with my brother. I will not be here if this

does not work. But he never got his operation. He died in November 2008.

We did get a transplant for him but he was not well enough for it. That

is the only reason, if not for the fact that we did not get a donor

because he did. And it was that fact that inspired this woman to

keep trying for others. He helped out while he could even naming his

campaign join full job. So-far in the four years we have had 5,000

potential donors. One locally and so it is just amazing. Together

that many matches from that group of people is also extraordinary. We

would normally expect to go one match for every 1000 people on the

register and thus the passes that. So his legacy is outstanding.

part of that legacy as Alan from Nottingham, one of the eight

matches found. He is on standby to be a new bone-marrow marriage --

new bone marrow donor. You do not know who that person is. It could

be anybody in the world. It is brilliant. A few days a slight

inconvenience for me as some deals is a second chance of life, what

better thing could there be to do really? What else inspires me to go

on? He's the aspects of life that no one will see again. Every day he

would make a funny comments are he would smile with his eyes. He saw

the best of everything. We are all in this together and from his point

of view to have only look for six years and to have inspired myself

and so many other people to do something that will help other

people, what a great way to be Now, you may remember the story of

two peregrine falcons who raised their brood on a lofty rooftop in

Nottingham. Last year the Nottingham Trent

University webcam that filmed them got almost a quarter of a million

hits. This year, they and their chicks, which are due to hatch in

April, will be filmed in high definition. Tom Brown reports.

They are back and this time, they are in high-definition. Footage

like this is being broadcast around the world as a two peregrine

falcons build a nest on top of a building at Nottingham Trent

University. We have two cameras, both in age the, one which focuses

on the nest, the other want we can control. Last year, we found that

the chicks were moving around and we were losing them. One of the

things we have this year is a steerable camera which allows us to

zoom in and focus in on the action. This was the view from last year's

standard definition web cam. This is the view now. Experts hope the

high-definition will lead to a better knowledge as well as better

pictures. We have been observing them for a decade, but a lot of

people do not know that the birds are flying over their heads. More

people will know about it now and they can comment on it, what the

life cycle is, what is happening, their quirky behaviour, and give

people the package. I'm pleased with the pictures we have. I don't

think there is any other site that broadcasts in such Heide tell. We

are lucky to have the infrastructure to do that. Last

year, the chicks were born on the day of the royal wedding. This

year's Falcons are expected at a similar time. You can follow their

progress live on the university website.

Who needs to call a midwife! Still to come on the programme.

Roses are red, violets are blue, but guess what's most popular on

Valentines Day? It seems more of are choosing tulips. Not from

Amsterdam, but the flatlands of Lincolnshire.$$NEWLINE Coming up, a

I buy my own tulips, I'm afraid. They do go a bit floppy!

And I wonder how many young boys or girls watching dream of playing

professionally. A decade ago, Callum Ball was at home in

Leicestershire doing just that. And now he's become a regular at Derby

When it Callum Ball scored his first goal for Derby against

Bristol City in December, it moment for him. I started playing for a

local side in Leicester when I was a boy. I started playing little

games and tournaments and then I got a phone call from Derby wanting

me to train with them so I went and trained. Aged nine, can are moved

to Derby County and waited nine more years to make his first

substitute appearance nearly two years ago. Once I got signed, I

always wanted to play professionally. People think it is

is the -- it is easy. But it is hard work. When you are young, you

have to commit to football, not go out. A lot of kids did not want to

do that, but I was willing to do that. He broke into the team in

December and has not looked back. He has a three-year contract and

his only disappointment was when the game was postponed. I was a

disappointed when I heard it was off, but it happens. I'm looking

forward to be in the squad and playing again. He is a young man

playing -- living his dream up. He is looking to hold on to his place

as the more senior strikers return to fitness.

Derby are at home to Reading tonight, and there are games too

for Leicester, Forest and Notts Who can guess where Leicester will

finish at the end of be season, but after a win against Cardiff on

Saturday, they are being asked again, can they finish in the top

six? Yes, I think we can. More importantly, I think the players

Forest 12-0 in their first win of the season. Forest have struggled

since then, that they improve on Saturday. First, we got the

defenders in, we did not have done in so you can see a state -- a

change straight away. This was Notts County's last man.

They have not played since because of the weather, but they have added

a two new loans to their poor of strikers. We cannot keep having

good performances and not scoring, we need goals. There will be common

trees on all of those games on your BBC local radio stations tonight.

They start at 7pm. Results will be in our late

bulletin as well. Leicester Tigers coach Richard

Cockerill says it's all still to play for as they push for a top two

Premiership finish. They lost away to Exeter at the weekend and face a

tough match this Sunday at Saracen's, but today Cockerill has

said they're still in the mix for the play-offs.

We had a poor start to the year for many reasons, we have dragged

ourselves back into the play-off contention spot and we have to

fight for it. Saracens are a tough game at. But that is the game,

sometimes you lose and you have to deal with it.

He's getting on for eight foot tall. And he's made his way from school

in Leicestershire to one of the world's greatest sports team. Paul

Sturgess is the latest signing for He is Britain's tallest man. At

seven feet a inches, he is now the Harlem Globetrotters's tallest ever

player, and he ate the he is at one of the world's most tallest --

tallest building. It is great, I loved every moment. I'm at the top

of the Empire State Building. I am having a great time. Need tall Paul

Sturges. We first met him when his name was tall Paul. He was signed

up to play in the States and we met him on that day.

The best we could do. This is a huge opportunity, how does it feel?

I'm over the moon. It is a great opportunity to progress my career

hopefully and be a professional basketball player. Six years and

four into his later, he has reached new heights. According to the

Guinness Book of Records, he is the tallest basketball player in the

world. I guess I made people look tiny one-night stepped on to the

court. The short his play is 5 ft two up so we had a bit of fun with

it. We have had a couple of guys over seven put on our roster before,

none as big as him. He has a great personality and fans love him. It

also takes the pressure off us as well. I'm glad to have him on the

team. Paul will be bringing his side's 21

she is it to the Nottingham there been a with the Globetrotters next

month. I'm sure we will be there to see

Now, you might think, on this the most romantic of days, that roses

would be the number one choice for the lovestruck. But you'd be wrong.

Apparently more of us choose tulips. And you don't have to go to

Amsterdam to get the pick of the bunch. Millions of extra flowers

have been grown in Lincolnshire to meet demand this year. As Siobhan

Robbins discovered on a visit to a tulip farm near Spalding.

It is that time of the year again, giant hearts, cards and flowers. In

the tulip growing capital around Spalding, millions of them have

been planted as they frantically prepare for Valentine's Day.

Lincolnshire alone, I estimate the industry is worth up to �17 million.

Our main request is a red tulips. We will double our production to

accommodate that usually. After picking, tulips are cut and wraps.

On average we spent 36 years -- that is �6 on flowers a year each.

Most of them, we x4 ourselves. Flowers are a multi-billion-pound

industry in the UK and Lincolnshire is at the heart of it. 3 million

extra red tulips have been grown for Valentine's Day alone soak

bouquets like this one did not to say I love you, they are also a

huge boost to the local economy. Roses maybe tradition, but many

florists say that increasingly popular tulips are the real flower

of love. More and more people are going for two lips now because they

are the Dutch flower of laugh. The ones grown in our country are

absolutely beautiful. We are finding that the younger generation

actually prefer it tulips. They are obviously it slightly cheaper than

roses. Once the romance has died down, the work is not over. With

Mother's Day around the corner, the tulip growers are looking towards

their busiest time of the year. Mother's Day!!

It is a never ending. Remember when he sent photos of and

then he waited to get them back? Occasionally be just did not reach

their rightful owners, just what happened to this couple. This film

it was delivered to the wrong address in Derbyshire and has been

in a cupboard ever since and are now all. The recognise anyone in

this wedding film? I do not.

Or perhaps, are you this little boy?

If you recognise anyone, do get in touch with us. It could be a lovely

Valentine's Day surprise for Another Valentine's mystery, the

weather. Were you the man who made this very

romantic gesture at Nottingham bridal shop this morning? A card

surrounded by rose petals was left in the doorway to a Claire Taylor.

But who is she? The staff at the We would love to find out. Staying

with the romance, tonight's weather photo. It was taken on a recent

trip in Newark. Beat Sky trails forming the perfect case in the sky.

And I could not resist this lovely photo.

We have got high pressure sitting out in the west of the UK. This

means we are seeing the milder air staying with us over the next two

days. There is a lot of cloud around. If you had any bright

spells earlier this afternoon or any clear spells now, the cloud

will increase in the evening. It is thick enough to bring a few spots

of rain at times. The cloud will be acting as a blanket and keeping

those temperatures up tonight. Five is your minimum. We do expect a lot

of cloud tomorrow morning, but gradually through the day we will

see it becoming brighter, particularly across Derbyshire and

Leicestershire. Some sunshine and a high temperature of nine degrees.

Breezy with a north-westerly wind. Further ahead, Thursday is staying

cloudy with some broken cloud giving up the odd sunny spells.

Still fairly breezy. Further ahead, you will notice temperatures

continue to get higher, double figures by Friday! But into the