05/12/2013 East Midlands Today

That's all from the BBC's news at 6pm. It's goodbye from me and on BBC

One, we join our teams This is East Midlands Today with

Anne Davies and me, Dominic Heale. Tonight ` high winds wreak havoc

across the region. The Winter storm toppled trees and broad masonry

crashing down. Thousands of homes without power. Also, charity that

help smash a paedophile gang faces closure because of funding cuts.

Plus civil rights leader Jesse Jackson draws a crowd in Leicester

with a message of hope. Violence hurts and destroys. Nonviolent

generates hope and 0 hurts and destroys. Nonviolent

generates hope and healing. And we get a sneak preview of how the ?50

million revamp of Nottingham station is taking shape.

Welcome to the programme. Fierce winds and driving rain have caused

major disruption throughout the East Midlands. In north Nottinghamshire,

a man was killed when he was struck by a falling tree. Thousands of

homes are without power this evening and traffic on the M1 was brought to

a standstill after a number of lorries were blown over. Many

country parks and tourist attractions were closed for safety

reasons. Our reporter Geeta Pendse is outside Nottingham Castle. Good

evening. The gates here Nottingham Castle have been firmly closed today

stop as have the grounds of several country parks, mainly because of the

risk of falling trees. As you mentioned, there have been major

travel disruptions and power cuts as gusts of up to 60 mph swept through

our region. Several trees fell around the area as the winds peaked

earlier this afternoon. We have been complaining about the tree for ten

years, the state it's in, we wanted it 0

years, the state it's in, we wanted it cutting back and we have been

fobbed off, saying it's protected. It was just going to happen sooner

or later. I went to the garden to clear the toys away, I was looking

around the trees and soulless one creaking and all of a sudden it went

down, bang. This tree behind us came crashing down with the wind, is just

bent them all over and next minute, that one snapped. It was a similar

picture across the region with falling trees blocking the roads.

Derby City Council's highway teams work to 0 0

Derby City Council's highway teams work to clear the roads while in

Derby city centre, this area was cordoned off after falling masonry.

There were major disruptions on the M1 northbound between junctions 27

and 29 after a lorry overturned. A country park was one of several to

close as a precaution. We would like to make sure that visitors who come

here are safe, that's our top priority, so we had to close the

parts of people are not in danger of falling trees, we have 0

parts of people are not in danger of falling trees, we have a lot of

debris in the park at the moment that our Rangers are working to

clear up. In Derbyshire, police say they have received over 305th the

weather related calls and as the daylight diminished, work

continued. It wasn't just the roads today. The railway lines were also

affected, in particular East Coast mainline. Passengers are advised to

travel only if this area. We also understand around 11,000 homes

experienced power cuts. The power companies say they are working to

bring electricity back to those homes. Obviously, we'll be getting a

full forecast later but Anna's here now. Anna, has the worst of it

passed now? Thankfully so. The winds were peaking around lunchtime today,

when we had widespread gusts of between 60 and 70 mph. I have been

decreasing since and thankfully they will ease during the night. Now, all

eyes on the coast? Definitely, as the winds are subsiding we are at

increased risk of coastal flooding. The Environment Agency are warning

of a possible storm surge. This is in addition to high tides. We are

focusing our attention on the Lincolnshire coast. Still to come `

the crowds come out to 0 Lincolnshire coast. Still to come `

the crowds come out to greet a hero of the US civil rights movement. The

reverend Jesse Jackson was in Leicester, unveiling a plaque to a

young football coach who was stabbed to death in the street.

A charity that helped to smash a paedophile ring 0

A charity that helped to smash a paedophile ring says it could now be

forced to close ` because of council cuts. The police have said it's

"vital" that Derby`based Safe and Sound continues to receive funding.

Simon Hare can tell us more. Someone much older hurts me physically and

mentally. A youngster who was helped by Safe and Sound. This poem and

others now being used to train health care professionals. Derby has

ever looked a nationwide reputation for combating sexual exploitation

but now Safe and Sound's own future is far from secure. It could lose a

fifth of its funding currently comes from the City Council. It will

directly in affect how we can support children and 0

directly in affect how we can support children and young people.

It was Safe and Sound who alerted authorities to a paedophile gang

grooming young girls in Derby, often cruising around the city, looking

for vulnerable youngsters. I wish I could say that isn't the same

situation now, but my working reality is I know it happened last

week and will potentially happen again this week. The council is

currently asking for views on how it should cut its budget. There will

definitely still be a need for support for these young children. We

need to work out how that should look in the 0

need to work out how that should look in the future, 0

need to work out how that should look in the future, going forward,

working with Safe and Sound and others. The police have described

the charity is the vital partner in their work to combat the sexual

exploitation of children. In a statement:

The American civil rights activist Jesse Jackson has been paying

tribute 0 Jesse Jackson has been paying

tribute to a young football coach who was stabbed to death in the

street in Leicester. The world renowned campaigner

planted a tree at Nirvana Football Club in memory of Antoin Akpom. The

20`year old father had been a player and coach there before he died.

Eleanor Garnier reports. It is a tribute to a local young man, but it

carries a message to the world. The international civil rights

campaigner Jesse Jackson turned an act of remembrance into a global

call for peace and an end to violence. 20`year`old Antoin Akpom

died after 0 violence. 20`year`old Antoin Akpom

died after being 0 violence. 20`year`old Antoin Akpom

died after being stabbed in the street in September. Trees have a

kind of eternal life. You plant a tree to say, he lives. You see the

young people here today whose hearts are still heavy yet they are coming

together in love and not in hate and hurt. That says much about the

extended life of Antoin. It shows that 0

extended life of Antoin. It shows that one person 0

extended life of Antoin. It shows that one person can make a

difference. The amount of people he has brought together, Jesse Jackson

all the way from America, in honour of his name. Not a lot of people

could say that. That just shows the work that Antoin put in. This isn't

the first on the Reverend Jesse Jackson has been to Leicester. A

couple of years ago he was given an honorary degree from the Montfort

University. Earlier today he was making his mark on another local

spot. The new Jesse Jackson Park was opened in front of hundreds of

schoolchildren. Back at nirvana FC, Jesse Jackson's daughter added her

voice to the tributes to 20`year`old Antoin.

The family of a Leicestershire woman who was shot dead are asking anyone

with information about her death to come forward. 30`year old Hayley

Pointon died from a single gunshot wound at a house at Hinckley in

February. Her family say bringing the killer to justice would ease

their pain. Police have so far arrested 21 people as part of their

murder inquiry. Nine are on bail. So far no one's been charged.

The new chair of Nottingham's biggest hospital trust says smoking

may be allowed in controlled areas. The health regulator NICE has said

that lighting up should be banned in all hospital premises. There've been

particular problems in Nottingham at the Queens Medical Centre and at the

Maternity Unit at the City Hospital. The Trust's new chair Louise Scull

says a compromise may be possible. Derby City Council wants to bring in

attacks on supermarkets to help deal with budget cuts. It says it's

hoping to spearhead an national campaign. The council says taxing

large stalls could bring in around 1 million per year locally. They say

they are planning to put pressure on Westminster. The tax already exists

in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Next, dementia. It'll be the subject

under discussion next week at a special G8 summit in London. That's

because international experts forecast that dementia cases will

triple worldwide by 2050. But what about closer to home? Well, in our

part 0 0 about closer to home? Well, in our

part of the world diagnosis rates vary depending on where you live.

Campaigners say as well as being under`diagnosed dementia is under

researched and often misunderstood. Our Health Correspondent Rob Sissons

reports. It's about giving people an

understanding of dementia. The future of dementia care started.

These volunteers have not diagnosed with it but are willing to become

what is called dementia friends, supporting patients and families. We

want to encourage numbers of the general public just to become aware

of dementia, how it might feel to have dementia. The picture of

diagnosis rates is varied. The Nottingham West commissioning group

has the highest rate. I think as soon as you might have a

possibility, so you can organise your life and get them sorted. They

are in England's top ten in Nottingham West for picking up

cases. This woman, it is one of the best phase. I have seen too many

people just lose their marbles, lose all their pressure in living and

being quite incapable of being able to look after themselves. I don't

want that to happen to me. I would rather jump off a cliff. Front line

GPs say both they and 0 rather jump off a cliff. Front line

GPs say both they and thus need to get better at spotting the symptoms.

Things like taking medication can become more difficult, more context

tasks like preparing a meal, they might be repeating themselves quite

frequently asking the same question repeatedly. Dementia is a huge

priority. More of us are likely to get it. 20 to keep the G8 summit

busy. `` plentiful stop ``. The 0

busy. `` plentiful stop ``. The scaffolding has been up for so

long, you might have forgotten what Nottingham station looks like, and

the ?50 million redevelopment is still some way off from being

completed. It's not to be confused with the recent resignalling work

which closed the station for five weeks. This is a much longer`term

project which we're promised will establish the station as the Gateway

to Nottingham. Quentin Rayner has been to see how things are taking

shape. Gone are the days when the front of the station was full of

throbbing taxis, open to the elements. From next spring it will

be covered, pedestrianised and hoping to attract more than just

travellers. We are trying to create a destination station, like we have

in St Pancras, people can shop, catch a train wherever they are

going. The 6.5 million passengers who use the station every year will

also enjoy a new ticket office and refurbished platforms. This new

station is all about creating an integrated hub. In future you will

be able to park your car in the multistorey car park, audit of a

tram here, and then through this brand`new concourse, 0

tram here, and then through this brand`new concourse, be able to

travel down into the main station to catch a train. ?50 million as part

of a wider investment here, truly well spent. People will see where

the money has gone and what the advantages of the work we're doing

here are. As a listed building, much has to be preserved. When a

suspended ceiling was removed in a cafe, early 20th`century friezes of

cherubs chasing each other were revealed. Maintaining the heritage

as important as it adds to the character of the station, taking

anything away would devalue it. This is the refurbished booking hall

which has been restored to its former glory. The original stonework

and tiles have been restored by the same Nottingham company that appear

in the first place in 1903. The new concourses will be opened by next

April but you will have to wait another year before the hub is fully

operational. It does look fabulous. Still to come ` the little girl

lighting up an entire town. Two`year`old Iris was asked to

switch on the Christmas lights in Southwell. Find out why, later.

A programme on BBC One tonight will shine a spotlight on some of the

East Midlands crumbling heritage. Presented by Selina Scott, Restoring

England's Heritage features ` among others ` the Taylors Bell Foundry In

Loughborough ` one of only two working bell foundries in England.

The roof's leaking and the building needs three million pounds 0

The roof's leaking and the building needs three million pounds to

restore it. In a moment we'll hear from Ben Robinson of English

Heritage but first here's a clip from the programme.

Loud and proud, the workers here often spend their lunch hour ringing

their own bills. This is a focus for bell`ringing and Bell manufacture in

the country. It is almost unique, and that must stay, it simply must,

can't let it go. But this cavernous Victorian foundry is leaking like a

sieve. And unless there is urgent action, this historic site could

close. It 0 action, this historic site could

close. It looked fine, but obviously it is leaking. There is an urgency

for it to be repaired, then? A lot of buildings have hidden problems

and it's not until you start probing a way that you realise how

vulnerable they are. How significant is the foundry? Fantastically so,

it's unique, a purpose`built foundry that is still in use, after 150

years. You can't see this anywhere else. How did it get into this

state? A lot of owners struggle to keep up with maintenance, they

focused on their main business and maybe 0 0

focused on their main business and maybe the structure of the building

isn't foremost in their minds all the time. So everyone requires a bit

of help every so often to get those things sorted. Some of these

problems are quite specialist, difficult to sort 0

problems are quite specialist, difficult to sort out. 0

problems are quite specialist, difficult to sort out. Is this

indicative of buildings across the region, things get to a point and

then they have problems like this? Sometimes you do 0

then they have problems like this? Sometimes you do with catastrophes,

a storm or a fire will create a show out of a perfectly good holding,

disaster will happen. Otherwise, a slow decay or neglectful set in and

buildings will reach that tipping point where it becomes incredibly

difficult to get back to productive use. We are talking about vast sums,

?3 million to save this building. Times are hard in terms of the

economy. It can 0 Times are hard in terms of the

economy. It can be a lot of money, there are things you can do to

prevent the decay and slow it down without going the whole hog. But the

longer you leave things, the more expensive they get. Part of our job

is to try and catch things before they go on our risk register. How

can people get involved they would like to help? We publish and at risk

register, which shines a spotlight on our most important and vulnerable

heritage. 0 on our most important and vulnerable

heritage. We need to know what's out there, what's vulnerable to decay or

loss and we needed to galvanise our heritage. 0

loss and we needed to galvanise our heritage. Once they are gone, they

are gone forever. You can find out more about that on our programme

later. At 7:30pm on BBC One. First, talking about crumbling heritage.

First, they left it late, they admit it 0 0

First, they left it late, they admit it was a poor performance ` but

nobody really cares about that at Derby County? Victory over

Middlesbrough lifts them up to fourth in the Championship table. No

wonder expectations are high at Pride Park. Angela has more. They

can't do nothing wrong since McLaren came. I will take the play`offs, or

else, top two! We get excited to come because we know we can win!

McLaren's march up the table is gathering pace. Middlesbrough were

trying to put a stop to it but they were up against a Rams team in form.

The visitors soon found themselves a man down. It was down to Martin to

break the deadlock for Martin. `` for Derby. Their lead lasted until

the second half, when Middlesbrough equalised through Whitehead. It

looked likely to end honours even, until late in the day, up popped,

salmon. When it is 1`1, pushing for a goal,

you always have that optimism that you can make the difference and get

yourself into the right area. Thankfully tonight, it's gone well

for me. 0 Thankfully tonight, it's gone well

for me. We know we need to be better on Saturday. Four wins on the trot.

The rise of the Rams goes on. Defender Andre Wisdom at Derby has

been a key part of the team's success and was today among four

players in the mix for the Championship player of the month

award. Leicester City winger Lloyd Dyer has

also been nominated for the same award. Nigel Pearson has too been

short listed too for manager of the month. The old cliche is the award

is often a curse, so not everyone wants Nigel to win it. I don't get

why we are still doing well! But obviously, what we do on the pitch,

for him 0 obviously, what we do on the pitch,

for him and for us, it's for him. Speaking to both the league is

obviously why he has been nominated and deserves it. Elsewhere,

Leicester Tigers are gearing up for two Games that could define their

season. They play Montpelier twice in a daze. The result will decide

whether they have any hope of going through to the European knockout

stages. The first of those matches on Sunday is at home, that could be

crucial. The crowd will be a massive

influence on what goes on. The attitude of how the friend turn up

and want to play, or don't, will be a massive impact on the result ``

the French turn up. We will put them into our poky dressing room, only

about four of them will probably fit in there! Hopefully, we will show

them how English proficient rugby is played. `` premiership rugby.

Hopefully we will combat their physicality with our relentlessness.

In France, I think they grind you out a bit more. You think you have

broken the back of it after 50 minutes, the neighbouring three or

four players on to keep the physical battle going. We're not looking too

far ahead, we have just got to get the win here. I think we're good

enough to win home and away, I don't see why we can't. These two Games

will be the deciding factors in finishing top or not. We probably

need to have at least five points out of the two Games if not more.

You can hear how they get on on the radio. Not to be mist!

A little girl from Nottinghamshire had a big task on her hands this

evening. Iris Jaworski, who's two, and suffers from muscular dystrophy,

was asked to switch on Southwell's Xmas lights. Her family say they're

delighted that she's been asked to do the honours and hope the event

will also help raise money for research into her condition.

Angelina Socci reports. It's an exciting day for Iris, not only is

she responsible for decorating this Christmas tree at her home, she also

has another big job ahead of her. She has been asked to switch on the

town's Christmas lights. RS is a very local little girl, we are

always in the town, people have got to know her and her story, I think

it has really touched them. She is a very endearing little girl, and I

think they felt it would be a lovely thing to do. Iris was diagnosed with

muscular dystrophy a year ago. Her family hope that as was bringing the

community together, this will help raise vital funds for charity. The

funds will go to two special charities, you must muscular

dystrophy campaign, there is real hope there will be a cure. The other

one is the school 0 hope there will be a cure. The other

one is the school for parents, a fantastic organisation who have

helped them immensely over the six to eight months. Not to be out

done, her big sister will also be picking the raffle tickets tonight.

Says it is an important time for the whole family. It's a lovely,

positive thing, that's how we live our lives, planning for the worst

but hoping for the best full stop that's what we will continue to do.

The community is now hoping that tonight 's event will be just a

sparkly as her new shoes. I'm sure it will be. She will be doing the

honours in about five minutes! Time for the weather.

We really have had a gusty day today, the winds picked up

lunchtime, we are now focusing our attention on the storm surge across

the Lincolnshire coast. If you live or work out that way, here is the

first line number. It was this Atlantic storm which started to

track east during the early hours of this morning. The I suppose ``

isobars tightened, behind that, the introduction of much colder air. The

good news is things will be calmer tomorrow, much lighter winds, but

you will notice it feeling really quite chilly. With that in mind and

a few showers around, we have a Met Office warning in force with a risk

of ice. Be careful if you are heading out on the roads. Generally

clear skies at the moment, more cloud towards the West. A few

showers moving south as we go through the night stop they could be

wintry across higher ground but it then gets drier towards the morning

with the good swathes of blue, which means a widespread frost. If you

wake up with the sunshine, the best of it is across the East throughout

the day, we start to see more cloud across the West, one or two showers

possible into the Derbyshire Peak District. On the whole, calmer day,

lighter winds, a good deal of dry weather but look at those

temperatures. Very cold tomorrow. A quick look at the outlook: Not

feeling too bad into the new week. Positively balmy by the new week!

Lates news later. See you then full