31/10/2013 East Midlands Today

the News of the World. That's all from the News at

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

Tonight ` high speed rail. Still on track ` for now. The government wins

a key vote on hate shift to but which of our MPs are on`board? The

bodies in the back garden `2`macro people are under arrest.

Plus they're rock walls for bonfire events to be postponed tomorrow

night when firefighters walk out on strike.

And in the studio, actress Felicity Kendall on being busy, staying happy

and keeping fit. Good evening.

First tonight, the government may have won today's vote on building

HS2, but is a high speed rail link to the East Midlands any nearer

tonight? The Transport Secretary, the Derbyshire Dales MP Patrick

McLoughlin, had to face`down Tory backbench critics. And in turn, East

Midland Labour MPs were challenged to get off the fence and publicly

back the project. Our Political Editor John Hess has been following

today's developments in Westminster. From the air, this is the route that

high`speed trains will take from the East Midlands heading north that is

if HS2 phase two is completed. Waiting to speak on a Parliamentary

platform, and HS2 Tory critic. How can she explained that the

government are on the fifth revision of the business case and is this the

last or will there be another 25 to justify this case? I cannot believe

it. The project has gone up by the ?10 billion. This is the biggest

work of fiction! The shape of rail travel to come. This is Italy and

this week the government claims similar high`speed trains will

deliver huge economic benefits to cities like Nottingham and Derby, an

extra ?2.2 billion a year but back in the Commons, would ordinarily

well users afford to use it? We cannot afford the new rail line to

become a rich man's toy. It is absolutely clear that the new

network must be available to everyone. It has become a political

route map for the transport Secretary, a line he maintains that

will spread economic wealth from London. This is the point when the

debate moves from if two when. I hope it will do so again this

evening. The government way may have won two days vote but the

controversy is far from over. Our Political Editor John Hess joins

us from our Leicester studio. John, across the first hurdle but did HS2

fly over or limp over? I am in the one Midlands city that will not see

the tangible economic benefits that were promised in the report.

Watching today's debate, I was struck at the serious lack of

cheerleaders for this project. I think there may be a coup here

because we learn the shadow transport secretary has seen plans

of phase two of the route that goes through Birmingham into the East

Midlands, that includes a serious number of tunnelling that will have

to take place and there is a price tag on that, ?150 million a mile and

that is why we're hearing from labour they will not blank cheques.

Police investigating the discovery of human remains in the garden of a

house in Mansfield have arrested two people on suspicion of murder.

Police say they're confident the bodies they found are those of the

home's former owners William and Patricia Wycherley. They haven't

been seen since the 1990s. Carolyn Moses reports.

Giving up its secrets. This is the garden were earlier this month

police discovered two sets of human remains and what they described as a

grave. They were found in the back garden of a house here in Forest

town. Police brought in the bone experts to try to age the remains.

They identified them as those from an elderly man and a woman a little

younger. William and Patricia Wycherley who used to live here

would now be aged 100 years old and 79 years respectively. There has

been no trace of them alive or dead since 1998. The couple first moved

into number two in 1987. Neighbours say they kept to themselves so when

they vanished in 1998, it was assumed they emigrated. Then this

month, detectives received an tip`off shortly before discovering

the remains but what happened to the couple still remains a mystery? Last

night a development. Two people were arrested, and man aged 57 and a

woman aged 55 in London. They have been brought to Nottinghamshire for

questioning on suspicion of carrying out two murders in 1998. How did

this home then come to be sold years later?

Still to come: a first glimpse inside the East Midlands newest

sporting venue. We look round the velodrome being built in Derby in

the company of British cycling's Performance Director Sir Dave

Brailsford. The family of a woman who died after

being given penicillin by a hospital, despite warnings she was

allergic to it, say they're still seeking justice. Susan Hammond from

Nottinghamshire died four years ago at Lincoln County Hospital. This

week at the inquest into her death, the coroner called on the family to,

"draw a line under it". Quentin Rayner reports.

65`year`old Susan Hammond died in July 2009 from a heart attack after

a violent anaphylactic shock. She had been given penicillin prescribed

by a doctor at Lincoln County Hospital. An inquest heard that when

she was admitted, high notes stated she was allergic to the antibiotic

and she was wearing an allergy band. A narrative verdict was recorded and

the coroner called for a line to be drawn under the whole affair. How

can you draw a line when it is your mum and she has been taken from you?

Anyone else would be in prison. Why is it different for a doctor? Upset

that the doctor is still working in the medical profession. In a

statement, the hospital said: We have had no apology, none

whatsoever. We got a letter a week before we came here and it said the

accept liability for Malm's death, that is all we have had in four

years. The family say they are talking to the legal team about what

steps they can now take. A teenager who's accused of plotting

a terrorist attack on targets in Loughborough has told a court he had

an urge to shoot at a children's nursery in the town. A jury at the

Old Bailey heard that the 17`year`old would sometimes walk to

college from his home carrying a knife and, on some occasions, a

pistol. Our reporter Eleanor Garnier is at the Old Bailey. Eleanor, when

exactly did the teenager have this urge to shoot at a nursery? The

defendant who is too young to be named was being asked about a day

last year, December nine ten, when he had been walking in Loughborough

and he told the court he had the urge to shoot at a children's

nursery. Asked if he was targeting children or adults, he said, I do

not know because I would not have done it. The jury heard how he then

told a friend about this urge and in a message she said, I nearly gave in

but fought it. During cross`examination, counsel for the

prosecution asked the defendant, when you get angry, do you feel like

hitting people? What was said in court about the

weapons that the teenager had? The 17`year`old admitted today that he

did sometimes carry a knife and on some occasions a pistol. Earlier it

in the proceedings, the jury was told the teenager had been diagnosed

with asthma is syndrome after he had been arrested. The dependent has

admitted possessing explosives but he has denied using them and other

weapons to carry out terrorist attacks on a number of sites in

Loughborough. Kate and Gerry McCann have refused

to comment on speculation that a leading suspect in the hunt for

their daughter has died. Madeleine McCann, from Rothley, disappeared

six years ago while on holiday with her parents in Portugal. Today, some

national newspapers quote Portuguese press reports saying a former member

of staff at the resort from where the three`year`old was abducted was

a suspect. But he died in a road accident a few years later.

A Derbyshire school has been put into special measures just two years

after it was rated outstanding by Government inspectors. Ofsted says

Heanor Gate Science College has declined since becoming an academy.

It gave the school the lowest possible rating of inadequate in

three of the four categories assessed. The school says a meeting

with parents will be held next month.

Fire chiefs are warning the public not to hold bonfire and firework

events tomorrow night because of the fire`fighters' strike. Members of

the Fire Brigades Union are taking action between 6.30 and 11pm. The

fire service says contingency plans are in place to deal with any

emergencies but they're urging anyone with displays planned to

reschedule. Sarah Teale reports. Last month, thousands of

firefighters walked out over changes to their pensions. They had hoped

the four hour strike was the first and last in their battle with the

government over changes to pensions. But now more industrial action has

been called by the Fire Brigades Union. The first happening tomorrow

night between 6:30pm and 11pm. The union said it had decided against

taking action on November the 5th itself. There will be events

happening on Friday, surely that is dangerous to the public to go one

strike that night? It is but we will do prevention work right up to the

moment we go on strike. Unfortunately we are in the

situation where we have to call the strikes, we hope people will not get

hurt. If people can move the event to Saturday, that would be

beneficial for us and we want to Mena flies the risk. `` minimise.

That advice has been heeded by Boots. It was due to host its annual

bonfire event tomorrow night for thousands of its staff, but bosses

their third in the light of the firefighters strike they had decided

to postpone. Duffield Parish Council has also rearranged its display in

Derbyshire and several schools across the East Midlands are

cancelling their events. Their Iraq until the plans to deal with 999

calls but the level of cover will be significant register. ``

significantly richest. It's emerged today that the East

Midlands gets less money than any other region for arts. A report into

arts funding also highlighted a huge imbalance between London and the

rest of the country. Over the past year, our region got around ?10.5

million of funding from Arts Council England, less than anywhere else. We

got ?2.33 in arts funding per person. London got ?69. But why?

Most of the largest arts organisations are based in

Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds. We do not have one of

those major arts centres. The second reason would be that on balance, we

receive a lower number of applications for our funding from

organisations based in the East Midlands than other parts of the

country. Joining us now from the Nottingham

Playhouse is the theatre's Artistic Director, Giles Croft. Giles, London

has a huge number of theatres ` the National Theatre, the opera houses,

galleries ` you name it, it's in London. So it stands to reason much

more money goes there, doesn't it? I do not think anybody would argue

with the fact that there should be a degree of bias towards London. It is

the level of bias that people have found shocking. The figures make

that clear, it is extraordinary the East Midlands is so poorly served.

OK. Well, we get the least amount of money for arts. Arts Council England

says we're not applying for it. Whose fault is that? I can well

believe there are few applications from within the region but I do not

think that accounts for the discrepancy. The person interviewed

also said there are also major art institutions. We work with

individual artists, new companies, emerging companies. There are a lot

of people who require funding. A lot of the issue is people are not sure

how to go about applying. Thank you very much indeed. Now it is time for

us to go to sport. First tonight, a new signing for

Nottingham Forest. The Reds have secured Wales international David

Vaughan on a three`month loan deal from Premier League side Sunderland.

Vaughan is a midfielder and trained for the first time with his new

team`mates today. He brings experience of success in the

Championship to the City Ground, having helped Blackpool get to the

Premier League in 2010. Forest play the Seasiders this weekend and you

can see a full interview with Vaughan ahead of the game with his

old team on the BBC Sports website. So one new face at Forest today, but

there's also been a departure. Midfielder Simon Gillet has gone on

loan to Bristol City where he'll link up with former Reds boss Sean

O'Driscoll. At Leicester they are looking

forward to a quarterfinal tie in the League Cup against Manchester City.

It will be on Tuesday the 7th of December. The draw was last night

and the Foxes are the only Championship side left in the

competition. Onto cycling, and tonight we are

focusing on the sport because tomorrow the world's best track

cyclists take part in the World Cup. The man at the top is Britain's

cycling performance director, Sir David Brailsford. Dave was born in

Derby and lives in Ilkeston. He's the man who inspired historic

victories in the Olympics and the Tour de France and wants the East

Midlands to be the best when it comes to facilities for cycling. At

the back of Derby County's Pride Park, there is a new stadium under

construction. It is costing ?27 million and according to those at

the top of British cycling, this place holds the key to the future of

the sport. I am super excited by it all. I have seen a lot of

velodromes around the world. They are all different. The way this has

been designed and the multipurpose aspect makes it very exciting. Sir

David Brailsford was born in the city and yesterday saw inside the

velodrome for the first time. In the middle you can have badminton,

football, any sport in the centre well people compete in the cycling

on the outside. The scale of the flooring is impressive. If you were

to lead all the wood out for the track here, then two and it would go

from here to Leicester. It is a boom sport with British cycling

membership at record levels. It would be a fantastic original icon

to get more and more people cycling and within a few decades we will

have Olympic and Paralympic champions that would have started

here. The paint around the sides shows the steep track taking shape.

In another year, Derby's belligerence will be complete.

Now, it's not just the velodrome and Dave doing the East Midlands proud

when it comes to cycling. Grantham's Rod Ellingworth may not be quite so

well`known, but he's been credited for much of the sports

transformation. And that's by none other than the former world champion

Mark Cavendish. This is the moment that inspired the

man who trained a generation. In the crowd, a ten`year`old Rod

Ellingworth. 29 years later he was the power behind the Brit at the top

of the world. British cycling is building. I felt that it just needed

somebody to get hold of it, getting people together and believing in one

thing. There was never much doubt about Rod's sport after a childhood

of wrapped up in cycling. When you love the sport like we do it is

huge. Road cycle professionally and he did well but when the injuries

came, so did the decision to give back to his sport. He is key man in

the background of Team Sky's Tour de France triumphs. He pushes super

hard. I totally respect his work ethic. The way he goes around

things, he supports but he is pretty strong. Together they have

transformed British cycling. I am really proud of him. To think he can

get a full`time job out of a sport he likes, it is very good. Knowing

he has come from the same place as me is inspiring and the people he

has met and train, it is just incredible. If this was all in front

of me at 13, I would take this every step of the way. Every step of the

way is there now. Cycling in great shape in the East Midlands and that

velodrome will be something special when it is done.

Next tonight, she's officially a national treasure, loved, in

particular, by men of a certain age, and with an acting career that spans

decades. Felicity Kendall became a familiar face on TV thanks to The

Good Life and Rosemary and Thyme. But her stage career is also one of

the most enduring in British theatre. At the moment she's

performing opposite Simon Callow in Chin Chin at the Theatre Royal in

Nottingham. She came in earlier and we asked her how it was going.

Going really well, wonderful audiences, they are laughing a lot.

They are not getting too shocked by the surprise ending because it goes

deep and dark. It is a great piece and a beautiful theatre. With the

lovely Simon Callow and we love working together. We started years

ago in television. You combined TV and theatre. Had you ever had that

desire to cross the pond and do big movies? I did at one point a long

time ago but I soon realised I would probably have the career I wanted if

I stayed in the theatre and worked solidly in the theatre in England. I

wanted to do new plays more than I wanted to be a film star and I ended

up doing what I wanted to do. Strictly come dancing, how was that?

It was one of the things I did entirely for myself. A lot of people

asked why I was doing it. I said I wanted to do it, I wanted to be part

of that and I have never been so fit, so fatty happy. `` happy.

Without Vincent I cannot put a foot in front of another but it was just

a wonderful experience, life enhancing because you went in not

being able to move but at the end of three months you could do things you

were not able to do before. You were also in Doctor Who? I think that was

three or four years ago now. One of the nation's favourite programmes.

Yes, it has its own little bubble. The people that send photographs

from Doctor Who to side have no interest in the other aspects of my

career. But with other things, you get a combination of programmes. You

were very fit for Strictly Come Dancing but you are generally known

for being fit and keeping trim. What is your secret? Exercise. I do

yoga, waits, structuring, I have to wonderful trainers in yoga and

Pilates. Whatever suits you but you have to do something. It is the

hardest thing and there is always a reason you do not have to do it. You

look fabulous. Thank you so much. I said she was incredibly fit but I

meant, you know what I meant! US smitten! She was the loveliest

person. Now the weather forecast. Lots of tricks but not many treats

with the forecast over the next few days. The weather is very mobile at

the moment. Low pressure after low`pressure system coming through.

Brief windows of dry weather in between the first one heads way

tomorrow. We are back with the rain tomorrow. It will be fairly light

and patchy but it will be on and off and with us through much of the day.

The showers stayed away today. Pleasant afternoon but we will see

showers developing as we have through this evening. Not many, some

places will stay dry, but we keep a lot of cloud and there will be a bit

of mist and fork forming for the early hours of the morning. Seven

and eight degrees the loan. Tomorrow morning will start off drive but the

cloud of the morning. Seven and eight degrees the loan. Tomorrow

morning will start off drive but the cloud will thicken up. Nothing

particularly scary, fairly light and patchy in nature but I would not

rule out the odd heavy blast in northern parts. The rain sticks

around for most of the day. 11 or 12 degrees our top temperature. We get

rid of one weather system on Friday night. But then another weather

system moves in later on Saturday. A dry start to the weekend. The cloud

will thicken up, showery rain later on Saturday. A breezy night on

Saturday. There will be rain around and it will feel quite cool.

Hopefully something little drier and brighter by Sunday. I realise

November is tomorrow! Trick or treat. Have a good one. Goodbye.

Planet Earth - it's unique. It has life.

To understand why, we're going to build a planet...up there.

These were the objects that were making the Earth.

We're now weightless. That's how our planet started.