20/05/2014 East Midlands Today

This is East Midlands Today with Dominic Heale and

me, Anne Davies.

11th`hour election push in Derbyshire.

Ed Miliband makes an impromptu walkabout in Nottingham.

Also, a man accused of starting a fatal house fire in Leicester denies

even being there. Plus, how University accidentally

released the details of thousands of job applicants.

And battling brain cancer, Colin Bloomfield says he is determined to

stay positive. There are now just 48 hours to go

until the European Today, Labour leader Ed Miliband had

planned to visit one of the key battleground councils

of the East Midlands. But the trip to Heanor in Derbyshire

had to be abandoned after his train Instead Mr Miliband performed an

unscheduled walkabout in Nottingham city centre, much to the surprise

of shoppers and office workers. Here's our political editor

John Hess. On the hoof and off the cuff, Ed

Miliband extends his hand to a young man in Nottingham on a hastily

arranged walkabout. For any political leader, there is a sense

of jeopardy and it does not always go to script, especially when a

voter like Jason wants to speak his mind. I was made redundant. I have

been on benefits due to mental health. This country used to be

great and now it is not. We have had loads of interesting in Nottingham

and it has all gone. In recent opinion polls, the mood music for Ed

Miliband has not been easy on the ear. These elections must count for

the Labour Party, especially with a year to go until the next general

election. Ed Miliband has been offered the Euro agenda and has been

talking about domestic issues which he thinks are the priority. We have

got to deliver fair funding for councils... A more formal setting. A

televised question and answer session with party supporters at the

University of Nottingham. But his impromptu walkabout among shoppers

had made an impression. Talking to someone in the man centre `` town

centre, he is doing all of the right things, cannot make ends meet

because he is on the minimum way. We have got to do something about that,

make the link between hard work and building a future for your family.

The Labour leader had also ventured to wear Nigel Farage less than three

weeks ago was hit by an egg. No need to dock today. `` duck.

The man accused of starting a fire which killed a family of four

A mother and her three children died in the blaze, said to have been

Tristan Richards told a murder trial jury he was

at his girlfriend?s house and didn't become aware of the arson

Sarah Teale was at Nottingham Crown Court.

Eight defendants are on trial accused of being part of the arson

attack on the house at Wood Hill in Leicester last September.

Last week, one of the defendants, Kemo Porter, told the jury

22`year`old Tristan Richards was the one who poured petrol over the

It is alleged it was a botched revenge attack

on the family home of a man they believed to be involved in

Today father of one Tristan Richards took the stand in his defence and

Richards said he was at his girlfriend's house

Richards? barrister then asked him a series of questions.

He was then asked about two convictions for drug dealing,

one in 2009 and the second in 2012 when he was sentenced to 30 months

in prison for possessing with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

Under robust and at times heated cross`examination,

Porter's barrister said that case showed Richards was a proven liar.

He asked him, did you tell the jury you were not guilty?

The barrister said, you lied then to escape

responsibility, all the more reason now you are facing a murder charge.

Richards and the seven other defendants all deny

four charges of murdering Shehnila Taufiq and her three children.

The trial at Nottingham Crown Court continues.

Celebrating 25 years of cochlear implants.

Little Jack is one of the latest recipients of the implant which

Conservationists have begun vaccinating badgers in Derbyshire

The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has raised ?50,000 to fund the project,

The first vaccinations, which included badger cubs,

have been carried out at one of the trust's nature reserves.

Shoppers and traders in Leicester say the supply of Alphonso mangoes

is starting to dry up. It follows an EU ban on the fruit.

The restriction came into force after fruit flies were

Business owners are meeting with the Government tomorrow to discuss

a way forward after several claimed the ban will cost them thousands

A new dementia research centre in Nottingham is aiming to transform

It's based in the University of Nottingham's Institute of

It aims to bring together groups who research dementia or

They hope to work directly with patients and

their families to find out how they can improve their quality of life.

The University of Nottingham has issued an unreserved apology

after the details of thousands of job applicants were emailed

The emails included information on whether people had been

The university is carrying out an urgent inquiry and has notified

Over the weekend, an attachment dropped

into the inboxes of thousands of people who have applied for jobs at

the University of Nottingham or are interested in future opportunities.

It included the details of over 4,700 people who received

job updates or were registered on the database of applicants.

Apart from their names and gender, the attachment details what job

people had applied for or could qualify for.

And on the far right of the spreadsheet,

two columns detailing whether applicants had been successful or

been shortlisted or offered a position at the university.

In a statement, the university said...

The university has contacted all recipients asking them to delete

the original e`mail and requesting them not to forward it.

But because they included the recipients in the CC line, this has

generated even more e`mail traffic for those on the database from those

One applicant who did not want to be named told the BBC the data

breach was worrying and they were shocked that a large organisation

Two couples say their wedding plans are

in ruins after a leading hotel was suddenly closed down and sold off.

The administrators have described the Lace Market Hotel as one

The former owners have offered another of their venues instead.

But one couple we've spoken to say they've lost trust in them.

Anne and Denise planned to have their wedding and reception

at the Lace Market Hotel in Nottingham in November, with many of

But they told me they found out the hotel closed down yesterday

She said, the Lace Market has closed its doors this morning.

The Lace Market Hotel, a grade II listed building, has closed down

with the loss of 42 jobs and has now been sold to a private investor.

In a statement, the administrator said...

Another couple due to hold their wedding reception

at the hotel this weekend were told of the closure by voicemail.

Yesterday when we found out, we have been fighting mode,

But it is obviously just causing a lot of stress

and it is quite stressful organising a wedding anyway.

The former owners of the Lace Market have offered their hotel in Derby

We feel unsure because we do not want to go for that and then in a

Anne and Denise say they have written off their ?200 deposit.

Let us hope both couples can sort something out in time.

Coming later: Kaye's looking to the future.

I will be looking at a new forecasting system. And of course, I

will have the short range forecast as well.

When he was three, Michael Batt became the first person in Britain

Fitted by surgeons at Nottingham's Queen?s Medical Centre,

funded by The Ear Foundation, it meant he was no longer deaf.

That was 25 years ago and since then thousands more children

have been fitted with the implants across the country.

As the foundation in Nottingham celebrates its quarter century,

Jo Healey caught up with one of its latest success stories.

Stand back! Jack was born profoundly deaf. At ten months, he was fitted

with cochlear implants. When you take them off, I cannot hear them.

What happens when you put it on again? I can hear again. There is a

microphone on the sand. `` on the side. There is a magnet on his head.

It sends the sensation of sound and our brain is clever enough to turn

it into sound so Jack can adapt to normal speech and language. They

have been supported all the way by the Ear Foundation we speak to other

parents and get advice. There are few speech therapists and we get

advice from them. The first`ever implants were 25 years ago. The man

who had the first implants is now a high`flying businessmen and married

a woman he met at the foundation. In 25 years, it has helped 10,000

children and families. It helps 1500 adults with hearing loss each year

and it has delivered 1000 training courses across the globe. The

technology is constantly updating. The potential is up here and the

reality is down here. The foundation is about bridging the gap and making

sure we can reach the potential in learning to listen and to speak at

home, school and work. To celebrate the anniversary, they are expanding.

Golding began today on a new extension to double its size. ``

building began today. They are going to build a tall building in the

clouds. Talking of clouds, the foundation gave him and others like

him a life that they would never have been done.

I think he must be one of the best interviewees we have had!

Next night, a special story. Next, Derby County fans are planning

to stage a minute's applause at this weekend's Championship

play`off final at Wembley. It's to show support for this man,

a BBC colleague of ours here Radio Derby Breakfast presenter

Colin Bloomfield says he's been overwhelmed with the messages

of encouragement he's received after revealing that his cancer has

now spread to his brain. At his home in Derby, Colin told me

he feels as fit as a fiddle. But last June and for the second time in

his life, he discovered he had skin cancer. It was advanced melanoma. He

shared details of his condition with the radio Derby listeners. Today he

told them to Ms have been found on his brain. `` he told them that

tumours have been found. The doctors Tommy was likely to be months not

years which is completely shocking. I did not expect it. Also, I have

this real sense of hope and belief that there is a drug out there,

there is a miracle that will save my life and preserve my life. I have so

much to live for. Days after getting the news, Colin also lost his

father. He knew he was going to die and he was leaving me in a position

where I was being faced with this horrible disease, but also my mum

faces the prospect of losing her husband and her son within the space

of a few months which does not bear thinking about. But my dad died

knowing that me and my mum would be strong together and we will be and

I'm determined to fight this, not just for myself, but more so for her

because she been an absolute rock. Somehow, we are coping. Somehow.

Colin used to commentate on Derby County and on Saturday he will be at

Wembley as a guest of the club. The fans are planning a minute's

applause to show their support. What I would say is that if people are

going to do it, brilliant, but remember other people going through

this as well. Cancer does not disconnect against anybody. It is

something that affects so many people and unfortunately devastates

people's lives, not just the person directly affected, but other people

as well. It means a lot to know people are on my side and if there

is such a thing as positive energy reaping rewards, hopefully it might

do me a few favours in the not too distant future. We send all the

positive energy possible and all of the... `` and miracles do happen.

There will be a huge wave of support on Saturday.

That is an amazing gesture from the Derby fans.

And tonight we'll continue our build up to the big day with

You saw Colin there with the stuffed toys and things.

An extra batch of tickets sold out quickly today,

with fans queuing overnight to make sure they got hold of one.

Kirsty Edwards now has our latest piece in the countdown to Wembley.

If you needed any proof of just what Saturday means to the Derby fans,

just take a look at this. They queued for hours, desperate to

get their hands on the hottest ticket in town, some arrived

yesterday afternoon. I think 3pm was one the first people pulled up just

outside the ticket office. Got the coffee trolley out early this

morning. Keeping spirits up. We really value their support. I want

to be at Wembley. We have been supporting Derby since we were born.

30 years. 40 years! The kids will be ecstatic. I will be the best dad in

the world. At training today, the mood was relaxed to say the least.

But these players do not need telling what it means to the fans.

Make no mistake, they are desperate to deliver. Their coach is always

stressing just how important the supporters. We have had two

Australians at there who have come to support us. They said we are

going to win 8`0 on Saturday. I thought, that has been a long

flight! They are a bit dazed. That is huge, when people are queueing.

It has ignited the city, the support. Everyone has got a spring

in their step. It is creating a feel`good factor and commentating in

what will be a memorable event on Saturday. Excitement is growing.

Four days and counting. I very much hope you got your ticket

if you wanted one! A little bit more news

from the Rams. Jeff Hendrick, Conor Sammon

and Richard Keogh are all in the latest Republic of Ireland squad

along with Forest's Simon Cox. Speaking of Forest, new manager

Stuart Pearce is bringing in Steve Wigley and Brian Eastick as

coaches. Both worked with and Wigley is a former Forest player

and coach. A rarely familiar face at the city

ground. `` really familiar. Former England international

midfielder Alan Smith has joined Notts County on a one`year deal

as player`coach. He's still just 33,

but has already got a career scoring goals for Leeds, Manchester United

and Newcastle behind him. He arrives from MK Dons

and says he was inspired by We are trying to create an

environment that breeds winning mentality. Towards the end of the

season, I think they really installed that into the group of

players they had. I want to be one of them people that breeds that

mentality as well. Cricket and Nottinghamshire's Harry

Gurney has tonight doubled The national side are playing

Sri Lanka in a Twenty20 He is one

of only two Notts players included One County Championship match today

in division two and it looks like Leicestershire

will have a challenging but possibly gettable target to chase at home to

Hampshire in the final day tomorrow. All our good wishes going to Colin

Bloomfield. More on the Derby build up tomorrow.

Kaye will be here in a moment with the weather forecast.

But on the subject of weather, wouldn't it be nice to know

if summer this year will look like this?

Might need more than positive thought!

And wouldn't it be useful to have a really advanced warning that

Well, experts might just be a step closer with a new long`range

forecast system that's being tried out by the Met Office.

Good news if you like burnt sausages.

In fact, the summer of 2009 turned out to be a monumental washout

and that brought an end to long`range weather forecasts.

Five years on, the Met Office are preparing to

start again but just how accurate will the forecast be this time?

What is new about this system is that, through

increased computing power, we are able to model the atmosphere and

It does not allow us to predict the daily weather many weeks in advance.

What we have done is tested it over 20 past winters

and we find the very exciting result that the ups and downs, cold

and mild winters, are reproduced with a 62% correlation score.

It is not quite 100% yet, but it could help our local

authorities plan for the extreme weather conditions in advance.

We would be certainly interested in more long`range forecasting

We always stock our barns to the full capacity.

But we would like to work with our suppliers to really give them

advance warning of the severe winters so that they can produce

Conflicting headlines like these popping up in the newspapers, would

And get prepared, probably, if it is a flood warning.

Maybe in ten years? time when they have proven themselves.

How can they tell that far ahead? I don't think they can.

It may take some time to rebuild trust.

I saw a headline yesterday, six`week heatwave to come. In the inside, it

said hopes! It sells newspapers. It is something

we always want to see. Absolutely.

We know the next couple of days looking tricky. The last few days

have always been tricky forecasting. It is always the way when

thunderstorms are in the mix. Low pressure taking charge once again. A

lot of unstable air in the atmosphere. Tomorrow, in between

weather fronts. Mostly dry with spells of sunshine and staying

relatively warm. We have had a force field across the East Midlands today

but we are starting to see showers pushing in, some on the heavy side.

Lively downpours in the next couple of hours. It will dry up again

tonight turning misty and murky in places. It is a cooler and fresher

night. Tomorrow morning, we start off dry. Murky to start with with

cloud. Spells of sunshine coming through. Small risk of showers. But

most places staying dry. Temperatures up to 18, 19. Feeling

pleasant with light winds. It is all change. Wednesday night and Thursday

morning, we will see an area of low pressure pushing in and there is

potential for heavy thundery downpours on Thursday morning. It

does not last too long. Drier and brighter in the afternoon. Turning

more unsettled and cooler for the end of the week.

I will go home and throw my seaweed out of the window!

The old ways are the best. I am back with the late news with the super

forecaster. Goodbye. Some people don't think real change

in Europe is possible. Some people don't think real change

is necessary. Some people don't think

it's worth fighting for. But we want to make Europe work

for Britain, and give you the final say

with an in-out referendum in 2017. have made Britain's economy

stronger and more competitive. a record number of people in work.

And we're predicted to be the fastest-growing economy

in the G7 this year. We're working through

our long-term economic plan at home