26/04/2012 East Midlands Today

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

Our top story tonight - hundreds of soldiers return from Afghanistan.

An emotional homecoming for the Mercians after months of gun

battles with the Taliban. We were getting three or four a-day F1

stage. And I'm live at 200 metre exclusion

zone because of fears of gas cylinders in a house behind me

could explode. We may be in recession but we are

reporting on this famous Leicestershire company where

business is booming. And I'm here Carsington Water to

spot one of the only wildlife species where the parents looked

nothing like their kids. That is it the sun decides to shine!

Good evening. Welcome to Thursday's programme. First tonight - hundreds

of soldiers from the East Midlands' largest army regiment have returned

from Afghanistan. The Mercians Second battalion fought several

hundred gun battles during their six month tour of duty, but

commanders say they've made huge progress. The final contingent of

troops have arrived at their barracks in Belfast. Our Social

Affairs Correspondent, Jeremy Ball, was there.

Together again after six long months. It was always going to be

emotional. Very relieved. This is my job done because they just want

their father! These soldiers first spoke to us before the tour started.

They took cameras and came back with powerful video footage. The

troops fought more than 130 gun battles to drive the Taliban out of

a small part of Helmand that the Afghan government did not control.

There were crazy contacts every day, just coming under fire, we took

casualties straight away. Before the first round comes over your

head you're not a soldier, you're just a normal bloke. But then when

they start flying, you're just a businessman. In the first four

months we had a lot of engagements with the enemy. After that we just

secured the road and cleared it of explosives. We literally drove the

Taliban out of there. Generally I think people are happy. But two of

their comrades lost their lives. Private Matthew hassled and died

when his patrol came under in five. -- under gunfire. You walk away and

say it does not affect you but of course it does. If you had seen

what the potential that country has, how much the British Army has

achieved, then absolutely, everything we have done has been

worth it. This is the official end of the

battalion's force deployment de Helmand province and soon there

will be providing Security much closer to home for the Olympic

Games. But for now they're just looking forward to spending time

with their families. And tomorrow, why one

Nottinghamshire soldier left the army, and took his family to live

in Afghanistan. Police have set up an exclusion

zone and evacuated dozens of houses in a Derbyshire village, because of

fears of an explosion. A house caught fire at Willington and the

emergency services say there are dangerous cylinders inside. Fire

crews were called to Willington earlier this afternoon and began

moving out families close to the scene. Our reporter Jo Healey is

there and can tell us more. I am at Willington Community Centre,

a special centre of which has been set up for people living inside

that exclusion zone for cannot go home. The house caught fire at

lunchtime today. How serious was it? Well when we arrived we found

that the fire involved a much of Michael by the side of the house.

Does - a motor vehicle. We were able to quickly extinguished the

fire but in the vicinity was an acetylene cylinder which had been

exposed to the heat. You are now calling those cylinders? We have a

policy that when such a cylinder it is involved in the fire it becomes

an explosive risk. So we can pull it for 24 hours. About an hour or

so ago people were coming home only to be told by police what was

happening. And earlier today children at Willington Primary

School were kept indoors. Here at the community centre people allowed

deciding what they're going to be doing overnight. What happened to

you? I was at work and got a phone call from my son. What are you

going to be doing tonight? We might be staying with friends, I'm not

quite sure. Basically I came home from shopping and I had just been

to pick up my youngest child. I came home to disruption, the area

was all cordoned off by fire engines and police cars. I did not

know what was happening. You are staying with family tonight? And

you're certainly not alone. Derbyshire County Council are co-

ordinating this. Tell me what exactly is the council doing?

have opened this centre for people who have been evacuated. Quite a

few are still returning home from work so we're trying to get contact

details. Quite a few are going to stay with friends and relatives so

we need to get details to be able to update them. People are coming

here to get advice and this could yet go on for a few more hours. It

may not all be over until lunchtime tomorrow.

Still to come on the programme - flood alerts in the middle of a

drought. After a very wet April and in spite of drought restrictions,

we have five flood alerts in force. All the details and your full

forecast later. Police say the scourge of dangerous

driving in the East Midlands has reached unprecedented levels.

A crackdown in Nottinghamshire resulted in 300 prosecutions in

just one week. And today police calculated that every three minutes,

drivers were being stopped for using mobile phones or not wearing

seatbelts. Carolyn Moses reports. Rush hour for drivers and a rush

for police keeping up with those of flouting the rules of the road.

Incredibly today on this road in Nottingham, at least 40 cars and

lorries were stopped in two hours. That is one every three minutes.

This is one road coming into Nottingham and how many roads are

their? It tells you the scale of the problem. It is sad to see it,

drivers being given fixed penalties, but this is about stopping road

deaths and casualties. And there is pressure on the police. Last year

saw the number of people killed or Sisley injured on the roads here go

up by almost 10%. So now after years of warnings, officers are

dropping the softly-softly approach. Drivers are going to be pulled over

at roadside checks and you can see the kind of numbers we're dealing

with. But it is the only way to get the message across. People use

their phones, they do not wear their seatbelts, that his habitual

behaviour. I think it is a good idea and is making the roads safer.

I should not be using my mobile phones sold McFerran a. If it helps

to cut down on accidents it is a good thing. -- so fair enough.

puts into perspective. We knew where it from now on? Yes. Police

say there will now be regular crackdowns across the county to

make sure that drivers do get the message, one way or another.

Portuguese police have refused to reopen the inquiry into the

disappearance of Madeleine McCann from Rothley in Leicestershire.

It comes after Scotland Yard released a new "age-progressed"

image showing what she might look like as a nine-year-old. It's now

almost five years since Madeleine disappeared and British detectives

believe she could still be alive. Portuguese police insist there is

no evidence to justify relaunching the search.

The Nottingham-based bike maker, Raleigh, has been sold to a Dutch

rival in a deal worth more than �60 million. The 125-year-old company

started life in a workshop on Raleigh Street. Last year the firm

sold 850,000 bikes worldwide. Raleigh bikes are still designed in

Nottingham although manufacturing has moved to the Far East.

This is 100% good news for the company, the brand and the

employees. There will be no job losses as a result of his

acquisition. And in fact we will be recruiting to aid our expansion

plans. The owners of a sheep farm in

Leicestershire say they've been left devastated after a dog killed

nine of their new lambs. The attack happened in a field near

Lutterworth. The lambs that were attacked were all rare breeds and

would have been exhibited in shows over the summer. Tom Brown has this

report, and you may find some of the images distressing.

The sight of a dead lamb is something no sheep farmer wants to

see. But this farm or recently found nine of her lambs slaughtered

in one of her field. Initially I just felt sick. That was just

inside the field gate, Al-Ahram dead with its guts out and it was

the most horrific sight. -- at Lamb. Caffrey runs the farm with her

father-in-law, Brian. He brought the first she appeared more than 20

years ago but has never seen a killing spree as bad as this.

are used to life and death as farmers but to have something like

this reduce preventable, which is just something that comes out of

the balloon, totally unexpected, it is quite devastating. This is one

of more than 400 lambs on this farm but the line but were killed last

week for sadly some of the best. These are the show stop and to have

lost nine of them from Championship animals that have won numerous

prizes, the impact of losing those particular animals is even greater

than it would be. I do not blame the dog because it's instinct took

over, it is the people who will not control their animals. And his dog

cost more than �1,000 to farmers. The police are investigating but

the damage to this blog has already been done. -- this clock.

Two men will appear in court this week, charged in connection with

the stabbing of a man in Nottingham City Centre before Christmas. The

35-year-old was seriously injured after being attacked on Pilchergate

on the 18th of December last year. 30-year-old Mujo Lamaj from

Nottingham, and 32-year-old Haleem Saeed from Bramcote, are both

charged with the attempted murder. The owners of a pub restaurant have

been fined after inspectors found filthy conditions in the kitchen.

The company that runs the Toby Carvery at Enderby in Leicester

admitted breaching food safety regulations. Inspectors found raw

meat and dried blood stuck to fridge shelving. They also found

dirty pots and pans on the floor during the visit in 2010.

Still to come on the programme - how crisps survived the credit

crunch. A rare event - our cameras are allowed inside Leicester's

giant Walkers factory, as the firm announces it's taking on over 100

more staff. A graduate returned to his former

university today bearing gifts. In fact, the biggest corporate gift

it's ever received. The chief executive of Glaxo-Smith-Kline

pledged �12 million to help pay for a new chemistry laboratory at the

University of Nottingham. A laboratory that will be the first

of its kind in the world. Quentin Rayner reports.

Today at top chief Executive officer and graduate of the

University of nudging him in front of an important audience set out

his simple aim. I want to make people understand the working in

Science and Industry is a cool thing to do. The company is to pay

much of the cost of the centre of excellence. The carbon neutral

building generates all of its energy from renewable sources.

Where does this put the University of Nottingham globally in terms of

research? The kind of work we are talking about puts Nottingham at

the leading edge. It will be one of the world centres in his critical

field. Glaxo SmithKline takes on more graduates from the University

of Nottingham and from anywhere else. And the company had a

surprise in store, announcing it would also pay for a new Chair of

chemistry. What a rabbit out of the hat at the end to offer up a new

professorship. Just wonderful. Building will start next year and

the low for a tree will open in 2014. -- the Laboratory.

Britain may have officially gone back into recession, but for one

East Midlands company, business is booming. PepsiCo, the firm which

owns Walkers Crisps, is investing millions of pounds in its Leicester

factory which in turn is creating 110 new jobs. Cameras are very

rarely allowed inside the factory which turns out millions of packets

of crisps every single day. But today, ours were. Here's our

reporter, Sarah Teale. Everywhere you look, crisps coming

off the production line. It is like this 24 hours a day, seven days a

week. Henry Walker started making the snacks after the Second World

War when meeting rationing saw his butchery business fall. Now the

site is one of the largest production plants in the world and

it is about to get bigger. PepsiCo which now owns Walkers crisps is

investing more than �15 million in a new production line. It will mean

the creation of 110 jobs. Britain has just gone back into recession,

so how good is the news for the economy? It is very good news.

Walkers has been in the Leicester area at since the 1940s and we have

seen sustained growth. Anything that keeps British production going

has got be great news. The company is supplied by 350 different

British potato farmers. Once a potato or rides are the factory is

peeled, sliced, backed, weighed and boxed up. The process which takes

just 20 minutes from start to finish. This factory gets through

800 tons of potatoes every single day. It is no surprise when you

think that each of these machines reduces 120 packets of crisps every

single minute. The factory has witnessed how technology has

improved production. This worker has been here an astonishing 37

years. I enjoy it here, everyone is friendly. In the last month, 27

people have retired, clocking up between them some 800 years of

service. The company says it hopes the 110 years - it is recruiting

will have similarly long careers. Time now for the sport.

So Nottingham Forest's future in the championship is secure. But

that's about all they know for certain at the city ground just now.

The Club is up for sale and with no word yet on potential buyers, it's

looking like there could be big changes come the summer.

The season began with high hopes. Steve McLaren at the helm and a

handful of new signings. But within months, McLaren was out and the

battle against relegation was on. Those times were tough and that is

when you need the support. Challenge on the pitch, a tragedy

off bid. The club was plunged into mourning and a decision to put the

club up for sale rings their future is far from certain. It has been a

terrible and tragic season. It has caused a lot of change which we are

still coming to terms with. We are aware that fans are eager to hear

what the future holds for the club. A late rally has secured

Championship status. But change is inevitable.

The loan players will go back to their parent clubs. Some players

will not be staying. Some by choice, but we just have to wait and see

what the future holds. This has been one of the most dramatic in

turbine seasons they have every year -- ever seen here at the City

Ground. The summer of uncertainty lies ahead.

Ice hockey, and there's been some surprise news from Nottingham

Panthers. They've axed Captain Danny Meyers, despite him leading

them to another cup double this year. Meyers has been at the club

for six years in all, becoming a firm fans' favourite in that time.

Big disappointment for Leicester's world number one snooker player,

Mark Selby. He's been knocked out of the world championships in the

first round. He was beaten 10-3 by qualifier Barry Hawkins. Selby has

a good excuse though, he's had a neck injury that's meant he's

hardly been able to practice for the past month. But it means Selby

is now at risk of losing his number one status. Elite cycling comes to

the East Midlands this weekend with the Rutland to Melton Cycle Classic.

Now in it's eighth year, the 114 mile race around Leicestershire and

Rutland is bigger and better than ever with 34 teams and 162

competitors taking part from around the world. Paul Bradshaw has more.

The cycle race passes through this sleepy village in Leicestershire no

less than six times and locals are looking forward to another vintage

contest. This event along with many other activities are making cycling

and increasingly popular sport and leisure activity. A mixed terrain

on offer makes a good draw for competitors and with 34 teams and

162 riders from around the world taking part, the race is growing in

international stature. Once we get into the small lanes around here

some of the crimes are not long but they, sharp and they take a toll.

What makes this road race a classic is that it features a little

everything, taking road bikes over mad, stones, cobbles and down

narrow lanes. It is the only international race of its kind in

Britain. It is a complex and a gruelling course which doubles back

on itself and covers 114 miles of rough roads around the two counties.

With wind and rain forecast for Sunday, we could be in for a mighty

epic. And finally cricket.

Nottinghamshire at the list was a treasure -- up against

Worcestershire and a decent day before the visitors.

As spring's been a rather grey affair so far, we have sent Sally

in search of something more colourful. So she went to

Carsington Water with the promise of something delicate and bright -

something that says spring has I'm here at Carsington Water in

Derbyshire where I have been told third 24 species of butterflies to

be seen on this site alone. The problem is that butterflies only

come out to play in the sunshine. So will we spot one? Volunteers

walk around Carsington Water each week to record butterflies. Kent is

the Derbyshire butterfly recorder. You have given me my volunteer

butterfly record in sheet. We are walking one of the transit winds

and we hope that when people come here they will see the butterflies

and record what they see. The sun is trying its best to come out.

This is quite a suntrap down here. It is, it is sheltered from the

wind and ideal habitat for many of the butterflies. The orange tip is

that harbinger of spring. We might just be lucky to see one at this

time of year. And in a brief moment of sunshine, we managed to spot one.

It is on a blade of grass, it is really camouflage. I thought it was

a leaf! When it opens its wings is when you see the orange on the tips.

That is the harbinger of spring. That was well spotted! My first one.

Good stuff. Good stuff.

Perseverance pays off. We are staying unsettled for the

rest of the week and right through to the end of the weekend. After

some significant rainfall in the past couple of days we do have

flood alerts in place. The River Trent and a river amber, just parts

of those rivers. You can keep an eye on the Environment Agency

website for any Updates. This evening we are expecting local

heavy downpours in parts of Derbyshire and North

Nottinghamshire which will cause localised flooding. And it is all

down to this area of rain which has been pretty relentless across the

north of the UK today. At the moment, just the scattering of

showers in places but those torrential downpours may give us

some rumbles of thunder for a time. Staying breezing through the night

and we go into Friday with the rain across much of the region.

Temperatures struggling throughout Friday. We will not reach double

figures. And with a north-easterly airflow you will notice it feeling

cooler than what we have been used to. Looking to Saturday, some

bright spells around but also scattered showers. On Sunday,