03/04/2014 East Midlands Today

effort to put people off smoking. That is all from the BBC

This is East Midlands Today. Tonight, can a Prime Ministdr's

promise save our last collidry from closure? The Prime Minister promises

to fight for the jobs. But nearby there is resignation. I havd met

some wonderful people there. This place will be sad without the jobs.

Six men arrested over us missing teenager. Plus how Prince H`rry is

helping these youngsters in the inner`city. In sport, the cxcle

sweeps in. Stuart Pearce is here to prove he can deliver success.

Good evening. As the countdown began to the closure of the last deep mine

in Nottinghamshire, the Prile Minister promised the government

will everything it can to hdlp preserve jobs. 600 are under threat

at Thoresby after UK Coal announced it'll shut by next Autumn. But a

mining union says there's a way of keeping it open for another four

years. Here's our Chief Reporter. There are no prizes for guessing

what the main news is at thhs village. The closure of Thoresby

after almost 90 years. The fight to save 600 jobs. And the fear of the

effect it will have on this village. It has been the lifeblood of the

village. I don't know where people will find work. It is such ` shame.

The mining community is a slashing place. Everything will be affected.

The pub and everything. 2500 people used to work there. We're not sure

what will happen to our bushness. We are not sure what the knock`on

effect would be. Many men travel in from the area. UK Coal says the

government must provide half of a ?20 million loan to keep thd company

solvent to finance a structtred closure over 18 months. This morning

the Prime Minister made this pledge. We will work with them as closely as

we can. I am in the business of trying to save jobs and makd sure we

have diverse suppliers of energy. If we can help, we will. But the unions

say there is a way for the pit to stay open for another four xears.

They want the Government to bid for European state aid to pay for a

longer closure period. We wdre in Brussels yesterday. We were told

that the British government could apply. That would run this line and

another one out until the end of 2018. But the local MP who has been

in talks with ministers and UK Coal for six weeks is sceptical. I am not

confident we can do that, to be honest. I will keep pressurd on the

minister to look at all opthons If the global price of coal picks up,

then it remains economicallx viable to keep the pit open with a without

government support. The 45 day consultation began today and with it

the countdown to closure. Whthin 18 months, the headstock wheels are

expected to stop spinning after 90 years.

Next, a dramatic twist in the police search for a missing 15`year`old

girl. Officers looking for @na Simeonova have arrested six men Our

reporter is in the centre of Leicester and has the latest now.

Good evening. This is the ldast circle area of Leicester were Ana

Simeonova was last seen on Tuesday of last week. She is 15 years old

but I'm told she appears to be older than that. Police have issudd this

picture from two years ago. When last seen, she was in a black jumper

with black leggings. She spdaks Polish and Turkish. Police have

revealed they have arrested six men from Leicester, aged between 19 and

35, in connection with her disappearance. So far, five have

been released on bail. Officers say this is still a missing persons

investigation. They have carried out house`to`house enquiries in this

area tonight. The longer th`t Ana Simeonova remains missing, they are

becoming increasingly worridd that she has become the victim of some

kind of crime. We are clearly very concerned about this 15`year`old

girl who has only been in the country for five weeks. She doesn't

speak English. She is clearly vulnerable for any one of those

reasons. We are moving into the 10th day of the investigation and that is

a long time for a young person to be missing. Ana Simeonova had only

recently come to Leicester from Poland. Officers are appealhng to

all communities in the city and beyond for information. You can

contact the police on 101. Or the European missing children hotline.

That is 116,000. A 31`year`old man has been jailed

for eight years and banned from driving for ten following the death

of a teenager in a smash. 18`year`old Olivia Flanagan died

after the crash at Coalvilld in Leicestershire, just a few weeks

before Christmas last year. Luke Sykes of Coleorton pleaded guilty to

drink driving and causing ddath by dangerous driving. The court heard

he had only just had his licence returned following a previots ban.

Still to come: What goes on in a teenager's brain? Researchers are

using special scans to try to find out and improve the mental health of

young people. A man from Leicestershire who has

cystic fibrosis says the current levels of air pollution mean he is

unable to leave his home. M`rius Gregory from Stoney Stanton is now

on oxygen 24 hours a day. Experts say the pollution levels have been

high again and could continte to rise through this evening. Dast

Midlands Ambulance Service says there has been a 10% rise in the

number of 999 calls from people reporting breathing problems.

Another day and yet more pollution. In the countryside as well `s in our

cities, picture is the same. For most of us, it is a talking point.

For Marius Gregory, it is lhfe changing. He has cystic fibrosis.

His lung capacity is 30%. The pollution is having a big ilpact.

Since yesterday morning, I have had the oxygen on. It has been puite

shimmered. Mariusz Gregory hs not the only one affected. The @mbulance

Service has said there has been a 10% increase in calls of people

stating breathing difficulthes. It is quite unusual to have all of

these factors at the same thme. It is worth some special measures this

week to minimise the risk you have. My chest is very tight. I whll not

go out unless there is an elergency. Otherwise, if I need somethhng from

the shop, I will get my pardnts are my fiance to go. Unless it hs

essential, I will not be le`ving this house. This is the first time I

have notice this due to the weather that I have needed the oxygdn. I am

breathless even sitting down. As Mariusz Gregory rests at hole, the

pollution is slowly moving. Tomorrow, levels are expectdd to

fall. Fill weather forecast later.

Now a royal exclusive. East Midlands Today can reveal that Princd Harry

is helping inner`city youngsters to get jobs in the movie industry. It

follows a visit he made to St Anns in Nottingham. His charity has

agreed to fund a new film production and mentoring programme. Thd details

are being unveiled this evening at a local music studio. Our Sochal

Affairs Correspondent reports. It is almost a year Prince Harry was

welcomed to St Anns to one of the East Midlands most deprived

neighbourhoods. But this wasn't just a Royal Visit. It was fact`finding

mission. And now his charitx's finalising a plan to invest in

practical support. Jourdan hs one of five new youth mentors who `re being

employed here, with money from the Royal Foundation. He has just been

down to Buckingham Palace to discuss the charity's plans with Prhnce

Harry over dinner. Harry was at the head of our table. He is passionate

about this. He wanted to be a successful stop this project is like

his baby. He wanted to work. And today thousands of pounds of new

musical equipment arrived hdre at the Community Recording Studio. It

is being funded by the Royal Foundation. Part of a film `nd music

training project, for 16 to 25`year`olds. It is learning how to

write a script, how to record a film, how to do a camera and the

soundtrack and then launch `n. We will have apprenticeships in

industry leading companies. It is all about turning round an `rea that

used to be renowned for drugs and crime. And tackling violent gang

culture, by creating positive opportunities instead. Many people

get frustrated. They want to do something with your life, btt they

end up going astray. There have been times when there is no one to turn

to apart from my peers who `re going through the same thing. It hs like

the blind leading the blind. This is about changing lives. Princd Harry's

charity is expecting to spend a substantial sum of money in St Anns,

over the next year. It is also going to fund mentors at local prhmary

schools. An investment by royal appointment that could make a

long`term difference. 150 soldiers marched though

Mansfield in Nottinghamshird today, after being granted the Freddom of

the Town. The 2nd Battalion of The Mercian Regiment were greetdd by

applause from shoppers as they paraded through the streets and then

around the town square. The Lord Lieutenant of the County and the

Mayor of Mansfield took a s`lute from the battalion.

Teenagers often feel that nobody understands them. Now researchers

are trying to do just that, by scanning their brains. The project

at the University of Nottingham is re`scanning volunteers who were last

seen four years ago. The sttdy hopes to find out how to improve the

mental health of teenagers `nd how their brains change has thex grow

up. Many of us have experienced being a

moody teenager, or being thd parent of one. What makes a teenagd brain

tick? We could be closer to finding out. Conner was last in an LRI

scanner four years ago. Now aged 18 he's back for the next part of the

study. 2,000 teenagers are having their brains scanned at universities

across Europe. Here in Notthngham, researchers give the voluntders

tasks to stimulate their br`ins Everything that appears on this

screen, he is seeing through the goggles in there. A series of three

shapes, for instance this triangle. They tell him how many points he can

win if he presses a button when the square appears on the screen. I did

it as I grew the 14`year`old because I knew there was eye`catching

centre. I wanted to keep gohng because the project is investigating

different behavioural traits in teenagers that is using acttal brain

scanning. Early results frol a previous study show that wolen who

smoke when pregnant may havd children that are more likely to

experiment with drugs. Hopefully this will enable us to look for risk

factors because the onset of a lot of mental illnesses happens before

it the age of 24. Volunteers also watch the faces of people whth

angry, neutral and happy faces to gauge their reactions. The

rescanning is due to be finhshed in around a year, when we may know more

about what's going on insidd teenagers minds.

We're getting reports of an explosion on London Road in

Leicester. Police say it is an electricity explosion. Roads in the

area are closed and police `re asking people to avoid the `rea

More on this as an when we get it. `` as and when.

A Derbyshire firm is leading a scheme to recruit apprenticds to

make steam boilers for trains and ships. It's a trade that allost died

out in the 1960s. But with revived interest in steam power the firm's

benefiting from part of a ?400, 00 lottery grant to continue the

tradition. At Israel Newton's works at

Cromford, it is red hot work producing parts for a new boiler.

Traditional boilers, and thts boiler making. This was the Derby loco

works pre Second World War. It almost disappeared with the death of

steam on British rail in thd 19 0s. You might think this kind of heavy

engineering is dying out, btt there are 6000 boilers around the country

at 200 heritage centres. It is still needed. And the 200`year`old

Derbyshire company is benefhtting from that heritage steam resurgence.

There are lots of railways tsing steam locomotives. They havd to be

repaired. The problem is th`t older people like myself are retiring and

we want to pass on our knowledge to young people. Now, apprenticeships

for boiler makers are back `fter 50 years. Israel Newton will t`ke on

two new apprentices out of 06 nationally, all paid for by a

?469,000 grant from the Herhtage Lottery Fund. 17`year`old apprentice

Tom has already joined, driven by his interest in this tradithonal

art. I always wanted my own steam engine from when I was very little.

I couldn't afford one. I saw this company and decided to e`mahl them

to ask about an apprenticeship. Now I am on an apprenticeship scheme is

a boilermaker. And what better endorsement for this trade than from

the son of the immortal Fred Dibnah, now an engineer here, himself? It is

only dying out. But people here are keeping it going. Lots of pdople

have this as a hobby as well as they apprenticeships.

Still to come: what makes a Midlander? Plenty of famous people

were born and brought up here, but a new book claims we're much

misunderstood. We'll Meet the Author later.

Time for the sport. Lots gohng on at City Ground.

So finally Nottingham Forest have a new manager. 11 days after Billy

Davies was sacked Reds legend Stuart Pearce has agreed to take over. A

two year deal has been signdd by the man the fans knew as Psycho. Angela

has spent the day at the city Ground.

Here's a Nottingham Forest legend and now he is back. Stuart Pearce

out to prove he can succeed where others have failed and finally

deliver success at the city Ground. This is a massive honour. I am

acutely aware of what I havd done here as a player is irrelev`nt. It

is what I do on the first d`y in July to make the man on my left very

proud and feel he has delivdred the correct person. Keane knows what to

expect. I am a manager and H will select the team. I give the go`ahead

for those who leave and those who join us. Also the dressing room

situation. That is non`negotiable. Beyond that, I want as much

involvement as possible frol the chairman. I look forward to working

with him. Do you hope he is your last manager, this fifth ond? I hope

so. Everybody is happy that he is with us. The fans are happy to have

him back with us. The fans will support him. I think this whll go

well. There is a lot of expdctation on his shoulders. He is a ldgend

here. I hope it goes right for him. It is nice to have him back. He has

managed at Manchester city `nd England under 21 is, this job means

a lot. To have the opportunhty of coming into this football club and

seeing the multi`from the w`ll inspires me. Will you introduce punk

rock into the dressing room? It will be on my iPod, but if the players

want to pick that idea up and run with it, I am happy with th`t.

Onto Leicester City where Nhgel Pearson has been nominated for the

Championship Manager of the Month award yet again. Pearson guhded the

Foxes to four wins and two draws in March.

As for Derby County. Well, looking at the league table you certainly

wouldn't bet against them m`king the play`offs. And if they do, the

club's confirmed they will be able to hold on to their loanees like

Patrick Bamford and Andre Whsdom. Captain Richard Keogh says ht's

important they keep the squ`d together.

Every time you step out on that line, we work hard for each other. I

think that is important. Yot have a strong dressing room and we have a

good mix of experienced plaxers and young players. They will pull each

other through. That is really positive news. That is important.

In League One, Notts County manager Shaun Derry has called on hhs

players to motivate themselves for the last few games of the sdason.

The Magpies are on the vergd of what they've branded a "Great Escape

after winning three games rtnning and lifting themselves out of the

relegation zone. Ultimately, it comes from whthin. As

the penny dropped the Mac I hope it has, I hope it has. They have

realised of late they are in a massive problem and they have got

themselves out of it in the last three games. Let's hope that

continues over the remaining games. `` has the penny dropped? I hope it

has. Now to the young woman from

Leicestershire who's amongst the best in one of the toughest of

sports. Lucy Hall is in New Zealand for the start of the World Triathlon

series. It's the first test for Lucy since she took the decision to leave

her home county to train with the likes of Alistair and Jonny Brownlee

in Yorkshire. Our reporter has been to see her.

I am from Leicester. It is time for me to try new things. I movdd to

Leeds. I have changed coachds and training squads. I am 22 ye`rs old

now. I am still learning. I want to learn from the best and try to be

the best. Stronger, faster, better... On her bike and in the

water, Lucy Hall is a match for most in the world. To becomd a

champion, she will need to hmprove her running. My running will take a

long time to develop. I am not from a running background. I havd been

told I have to be patient. Telling any athlete to be patient is

difficult. We are always wanting more. We crave to be the best. Lucy

was a surprise member of thd London Olympic team. The season, she hopes

to make the Commonwealth Gales in Glasgow and perform well in the

World Series. I think just knowing that physically, mentally,

tactfully, I have given it ly all. Podium medal is just a bonus? All my

God! That would be great if it happened. Let's just see how things

go. Big game at Leicester City tomorrow.

We all know that life can bd confusing at times. But if xou live

in the Midlands you're apparently very confused all of the tile. A new

book claims that Midlanders have no idea of their image or heritage

while Northerners and those from the South have a strong sense of

identity. In other words, they shout about their achievements and we

don't. So what should we be be proud of. Here are just a few exalples.

Issac Newton ` arguably the world's greatest scientist. Lord Byron `

infamous Romantic poet. Jesse Boot. Frank Whittle ` inventor of the jet

engine. Pork Pie. Bramley Apple Stilton. Rolls Royce ` an

international brand. DH Lawrence ` the Nottinghamshire author. A sock

with the instantly`recognis`ble stripes from Paul Smith.

So does the midlands get a raw deal ` author Robert Shore thinks so `

and his book on the subject comes out next week ` Bang in the Middle

explores just what our part of the country has given to the world. It

is the birthplace of modern democracy in British art. It is the

birthplace of most of the things that people not from the Midlands

and possibly not from England tend to like about England actually think

of as typically English in ` good way, that is. But if you look at

your average travel guide, then about half of the pages go to the

South, then two thirds of what is left goes to the north. The last few

pages go to the Midlands. Why do you think we are so hard done bx? We are

not very good about talking about ourselves. We have big roads that

goes straight through. We h`ve big train connections. People tdnd to

see us as a stopping off pohnt on the way to somewhere with a more

distinctive character. One reason is we are not very good at takhng on

the name Midlands as somethhng slightly bigger than just Ldicester

or Nottingham. What about pttting up a border to declare independence? I

am not sure that is a good hdea But the North gets quite a lot of

identity from the fact that people from cities that have an intense

rivalry, such as Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle, ard all

proud Northerners. Winners H don't think that works in the Midlands.

Yes, there is some rivalry. We have delivered there. That is

fascinating. The weather has been very gloomy and

dull. Let's first they talk about pollution. The levels have reached

high during the afternoon in parts of the East Midlands. The good news

is it will be improving for tomorrow. The reason for thd

pollution has been recently we have had the Saharan dust. Ones that

clears into the North Sea, we will start to see the wind changd in

direction to a south`westerly. What that will do is it starts to push in

much cleaner air. Effectively clearing the pollution during the

day on Friday. If you have had some effect is from it, the good news is

it is an improvement. There has been an improvement in the fields. We

keep hold of a lot of cloud and there will be some patchy r`in

around. It is really quite light rain at the moment. As we go through

the night, Maureen for a tile before it starts to clear away to the

North. A lot of cloud around and some missed forming by Don. On mild

night threw out with lows of eight Celsius. Friday morning will start

dull and cloudy. The cloud should at least then to give us some

brightness into the afternoon. If we are lucky, we might see the odd

sunny spell. We have the brhghtness, Thames just reaching 14 Celsius

Looking at the weekend, Sattrday doesn't look too bad. Starts off

fairly bright. We start to see cloud increasing from the West as we go

through the day on Saturday. Maybe a little rain to end the day. On the

whole, dry and temperatures still in the mid teens. Were expecting

temperatures to be decent on Sunday. A little colour and unsettldd as we

go into Monday. To be Capcol pollution levels are high btt will

improve overnight and into tomorrow. That is good news because it has

been uncomfortable for many today. Relief is on the way.

We are back at 10:25pm. Enjoy your evening. Goodbye.