21/04/2017 East Midlands Today

and on BBC One we now join the BBC's news teams where you are.

It's almost 6.30 - you're watching East Midlands Today.

Our top story tonight - the father who says he's been

battling to make sense of his son's death overseas.

Kona Gamble died in Cyprus. His inquest has taken almost three and a

half years. 12 or 13 times it was adjourned, and it is just... It has

been really hard. Plus, the crematorium raising money

for children by recycling any metals we leave behind.

Also tonight, we are on the campaign trail with the Conservatives,

looking to bowl over voters here in Nottinghamshire, one of only two

Labour controlled county councils in the country.

And the shock announcement two days before the season starts that Notts

County Ladies will fold. It is heartbreaking seeing her mates,

people you might not see again who you have lived with for years.

Welcome to Friday's programme, with Anne Davies

First tonight - years of unbearable waiting,

That's the nightmare that's engulfed the family of a Leicester man

Kona Gamble fell from a hotel roof in Cyprus.

But almost three and a half years later, his family say

they still don't know how he got there or who they blame.

21-year-old Kona Gamble from Leicester died while on holiday

in Ayia Napa in Cyprus with a group of friends in August 2013.

After a dozen adjournments, the inquest there has only

It's every day, you think about it every day.

12 times, 13 times it was adjourned, and it's just...

It has been really hard, because you think about it every day.

CCTV from his hotel passed to the Gamble family

by the Leicester coroner shows Kona returning alone from

The Gamble family lawyer in Cyprus told me the inquest found that Kona

got onto the flat roof of the hotel and tried to jump onto his own

balcony, where he was found badly injured at an air conditioning unit.

But he said the judge raised questions about whether the hotel

took all necessary measures to prevent guests

The lawyer said the judge concluded that there was evidence

Even though the hotel denies it, the police believe that he must

have fallen onto a door that was unlocked, and the judge

accepted the police's view on the matter, that one of two doors

were left open and he managed to get on the roof.

Thomas Cook, which organised the holiday, said they were deeply

saddened and were continuing to work closely on the highest standards

The hotel said it was sorry for the family's loss,

Many of Kona's organs were donated in Nicosia.

One recipient thanked the family via social media.

It was just great, just for one person, and maybe Kona helped

eight or nine people, you know, that day, but for just one person

Yeah, and we speak on Facebook, regular.

Dorian Gamble has tattoos to remember Kona.

A full inquest will now be held in Leicester,

giving the family the chance to hear all of the evidence,

as they could not get to the hearings in Cyprus.

Mike O'Sullivan, BBC East Midlands Today, Leicester.

Next, a crematorium in Leicester is raising thousands of pounds for

charity through recycling metal reclaimed from cremation. The

crematorium has raised 43rd -- ?47,000, much of it has gone to a

children's hospice. From steel hip and knee joints, the

coffin screws. This is what is recovered from crematorium passions.

This metal has been collected at Gill rose in Leicester since October

for recycling. It will be smelted, refined and sold. We have been

committing at Gilrose for 100 years, which has produced a lot of metal

and before, it would have been buried somewhere in the grounds. As

environmental awareness is grown, people are more concerned about the

environment impact of cremation, the legislation has changed, this has

led us to look at alternative means. Gilroes is part of a national scheme

to recycle metal like this, with profits going to charity. Families

choose to give their consent to it when applying for cremation. Here,

almost all do. Around 2500 commissions are carried out here at

Gilroes every year. -- cremations. Raising thousands of pounds for its

chosen parity dullard charity, Rainbows children's hospice. So far

this year, it has received ?5,000. -- its chosen charity. It is a way

of turning what is a very sad, tragic in many cases time for

families into one that has a positive outcome. As well as raising

money for Jordan, the material will be used to manufacture modern

orthopaedic implants or turned into a raft of products. -- raising money

for children. Giving new life to the metals we leave behind.

He would never think there would be so much metal! -- you would never

think. Plenty to get you thinking tonight,

and there's lots more ahead. Including - the owner

of Notts County Ladies, who's coming in to explain

what's gone on. We meet the new wave

of poets making their mark. And something else making its mark,

the cooler weather on the way next week.

Part of the A38 in Derbyshire has been closed

At one stage there were said to be three miles of queues.

One car overturned on the southbound carriageway near Alfreton,

Earlier, a section of the the A52 in Nottinghamshire was closed

It happened just past the Wheatcroft Island near Edwalton.

Online donors have now given more than ?630,000 to a teenager who had

the lower part of both his legs amputated after a crash

Billy Monger, who's 17, was involved in a collision

with another car which appeared to have stopped on the track.

Formula One drivers have contributed to the fund,

of Billy's Derbyshire-based racing team.

The Derbyshire retailer Sports Direct has entered

the American market by buying 50 shops for nearly ?80 million.

The company, which is based at Shirebrook in Derbyshire,

is taking over stores which sell clothing, sportswear

Shares in Mike Ashley's company, which rose after

The Secretary of State for Local Government and Communities

was in the region today, trying to drum up support

for the Conservatives in the local elections.

The County Council vote is still going ahead as planned,

and will now take place in the middle of

the general election campaign launched earlier this week.

We have the last two shire County Councils in England

still controlled by Labour - Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

So, we're a key battleground in the local fight.

But whoever wins, our County Councils are facing huge changes

in the way they get money to pay for our services.

Laid to one of Nottinghamshire was my most famous landmarks,

communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid was on the

campaign trail at Trent Bridge today. It has been seven years not

out for the Conservative Government, and while they are looking towards

winning another term in the general election, it is all to play for in

the local elections first. Here in Nottinghamshire, 66 seats are being

contested. At the moment the council is made up of 32 Labour members, 21

Conservative and the rest independent and Lib Dems. The

overall majority winning party would have to have 34 members to take

overall control at County Hall. And Sajid Javid's visit was all about

persuading voters that the Labour innings should be over. In

Nottinghamshire we want to make sure the Conservatives can come back into

office, they did a fantastic job and have an excellent track record. The

drug also took in Westbridge library which was an overhaul in 2013.

County councils are responsible for major services like education,

social services, I'm Owais -- highways and the arm. Many are

warning council tax will have to go up to fund the increasing cost of

adult social care. When it comes to tough spending decisions, you can

decide to pass the burden to local people for higher taxes, or as you

will find with most Conservative councils, they try much harder to

look for savings at home first by finding efficiencies. If we have

Conservatives back at the County Council, does that mean we will see

services cut? I think it means the opposite. It means you will see

better services using --, you will see Walcott services, but the lowest

cost for a local people. The local elections take place on the 4th of

May. Well, Derbyshire is the other county

shire still in Labour hands. There, one of the vital services

supported by council funding So, people are looking closely

at what might happen to funding for those services

after the local elections. James Roberson has been

to Derbyshire to talk to a charity which runs community transport

buses, mainly for the elderly - a charity that's wondering what this

election, and future funding It may seem like a rural idyll, but

the reality of living in country towns and villages is that without

private transport, travelling is difficult. John is both driver and

Chairman of the community transport. This September, their support grant

is due to be cut entirely, so they are looking closely at the result of

the forthcoming County Council election. We are hoping that all the

parties that are involved look at the current proposed cuts and

virtually reversed them. The Derbyshire -- but Derbyshire is

facing increasingly difficult financial choices. The revenue

support grant, millions from the Government to support councils, is

ending. So Derbyshire will see its government funding goal from ?44

million this year to zero by 2020. So what might future cuts mean for

transport companies and charities? Unless the local councils themselves

actually step up the funding, I can see transport going down roots that

are not viable financially. The Government hopes a new marriage of

council tax, business rates and new homes bonuses will support councils

in the future. This charity hopes they will not simply be relying on

public generosity. A widower's going to cycle 1,600

miles across Europe to raise awareness of a painful condition

suffered by his late wife. Sandra Watson had lived for several

years with lymphoedema, which causes extremely painful

swellings in the limbs, But she discovered exercise -

particularly cycling - So now her husband's

encouraging others Preparing to cross countries between

the two homes he had shared with his wife. Tomorrow, Jerry Watson and his

friends will leave the cycles to southern Spain. Sandra, his wife,

died from cancer last March but for years she had also had lymphoedema,

swollen legs caused by the body's lymphatic system failing to drain

away fluid. Initially told to rest, she was later given new advice, to

get active. Running was not an option for her, walking was painful,

but she found that cycling was something she could do. The first

time she did it, she got maybe 200 metres of the road and gradually

every day, she expanded her bit and then she was regularly doing after

20 or 30 miles a day. As she did that, her leg condition improved

dramatically. Penny also has lymphoedema, again after cancer

treatment. She also says she can manage your condition with

compression stockings and keeping fit. By having good muscle tone, the

tissues are sandwiched between good muscles in my calves and the

compression stopping outside, therefore it reinforces the movement

of fluid up the leg. So finally, I can make sure I have got I am having

a good day, I can see my ankle bones. If I have a bad day, I know I

had had to exercise more, or that night I need to put my feet up. But

these are cyclists will not be putting theirs. Sandra's bicycle

will also travel the entire route while the novice riders will join

them. Jerry says it is about helping them discover exercise as well.

People who have never been cycling have become inspired to start, and

it is quite extraordinary how it is changing their lives. If you manage

your lymphoedema this way, but also people who do not have it, it has

been a life changing experience. What an incredible reaction, and

good luck! Time for the sport now. We start with the loss of one

of our leading football clubs. Women's Super League side

Notts County Ladies have folded just two days before the start

of their season. It leaves a squad including

four England internationals without jobs and,

in some cases, without homes. In a moment, we'll be talking

to Notts County owner and chairman Alan Hardy about why he's

shut down the Ladypies. But first, I've been talking

to England international goalkeeper Carly Telford about the end

of the club. It is heartbreaking, seeing your

mates and people you know you might not see again, you have lived with

for two or three years, it is depressing. That heartbreak was

visible. This morning as the players left Meadow Lane for the last time.

Simply put, the ladies had huge debts and were spending more than

they were bringing in. Amelie side's bosses are outweighed by the

marketing spin off but Alan Hardy said he could not take nearly ?1

million of hit this season. He did not see it as a feasible business,

but he has probably looked at the numbers and come to the conclusion

that he doesn't want to do it any more. It is pretty heartbreaking. So

we are all left in a boat that is sinking. This was a club that went

to an FA Cup final less than two years ago. Some players were so

angry, they found it safer not to speak today but I was able to ask

Carly Telford what her message was to Alan Hardy. People with no home,

stuff like that, I really would not want to see it again. There is

probably people on the team that would have a lot to seemed to him --

a lot to say to him. You can only talks much -- talks at online. Alan

Hardy has joined us to talk about this.

The first thing I want to pick up on is the timing, the suggestion you

should have sorted the sooner everyone. I did my best. I have left

no stone unturned in trying to rescue the team. As late as Tuesday

night, Wednesday morning, we're still making urgent phone calls and

trying to raise funds, trying to get support for our organisation, to try

and save the club. But at the end of the day, new south -- you have to

say enough is enough. Why did you have to do this? There is a legacy

debt that I inherited of around ?350,000 and the ongoing costs are

?500,000 a year. We have had meetings on Mr Wheatley business,

disabled have to drive costs down and if we can get them down to

?200,000 a year lost they will support it. But it was just not

viable. So how do teams like Manchester City or Arsenal make

these things work? They are earning tens of millions of pounds, so for

them to put ?1 million into the ladies club, they can do it. My

whole pledge is about the community. I am devastated, gutted that we are

having to say goodbye to the Ladypies. But I cannot afford it.

Can you offer them any support or comfort? They may not feel it, but

Jason Turner has been having ongoing conversations with the FA on a daily

basis. No lady player will be evicted from their house. If that

takes a few months, I will personally stand by their houses so

there will be nobody evicted. Already some players have gone to

other clubs. Now, just one question

for Forest fans. Can they avoid

relegation this season? Just look at the table, three games

to go, they are just one point clear So for the supporters,

it will be a nail-biting High hopes at the start of this

season - how did it end like this? Three games left, and relegation

a very real possibility. Keep being told that the team's

too good to be relegated. Some very good teams have gone down,

we have to make sure we do everything in our power

to show the quality that we possess in the

changing room, to give It's a three-game season

now, simple as that. Frustration for the fans -

new manager, new players and talk of a new owner all so far failing

to find the formula for success No player, no staff member

wants it on their CV. This is a tremendous club,

with a lot of very What we have to do is try and keep

the club and maintain status and build from there,

there's no doubt about the damage it Players, too, facing the prospect

of life in League 1 next season. It's a massive challenge,

because the teams on our heels and the teams around us

will all be fighting us. Hopefully, we will show

that we wanted more than them As for the Forest fans,

just one important question, They've got enough quality

in the team to survive this season. They just haven't been

good enough all season. It's going to be hard,

but to be honest with you, it might just be because there's

three worse teams. With the likes of Ben Brereton

upfront and Britt Assombalonga, I'm sure they can pull

it back, absolutely. So, Forest face Reading

here at the City Ground tomorrow, the first of three must win games

that will make or break the season. Angela Rafferty,

BBC East Midlands Today. In other football, Derby County

goalkeeper Scott Carson admitted today their season had

been a disaster. The Rams, who can't make

the play-offs, now have nothing to play and go

to Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow. Meanwhile in League two,

these are the fixtures. Mansfield Town are still

in that play-off hunt. In cricket, it was Nottinghamshire's

first home game of the season And the day has belonged

to Riki Wessels. Coming in with Notts

in a little trouble, he's battered the Sussex

bowlers, racing to 188 And at Grace Road, Leicestershire

are ticking along nicely too. And we started with some bad

sporting news, so let's end Nottingham gymast Ellie Downie has

gone into the history books by winning the European

All Around title. She's the first British gymnast ever

to win All Around gold And she did it in real style,

crushing the opposition to produce We don't think this will be

the greatest moment in her career. Absolutely extraordinary stuff, she

just keeps going. Thanks, Colin.

From Byron to TS Eliot, poetry has long been

Sometimes provocative, sometimes more genteel.

But is it now undergoing a truly radical transformation?

Over the last few years, there has been an explosion of young

As Nottingham's poetry festival kicks off,

Geeta Pendse's been meeting some of the new stand-up poets.

My smile winks, mischievous, when you've got me...

An Ode to Rio Red Lipstick, a playful poem written by Georgina.

The 25-year-old set up her own poetry press

in response to a thriving scene within Nottingham.

She says the shift towards performance poetry

I think people are much likely to go,

I'm going to go and see what it's about."

Then potentially say, "Oh, shall I buy a poetry book today?"

So, with the performance and the character, you get to see

I'm a natural born leader with the skills of a poet,

you can feel that it's real cos you know it...

In recent years, there have been some high profile poets,

including George the Poet and Kate Tempest,

I hesitated a moment, then braced myself.

But it's not just younger artists who are drawn to the form.

Henry Normal is the man behind hit shows like The Royle Family.

Born in Nottingham, he wrote his first poem

in the Central Library as a teenager.

He has returned to the city as part of the Nottingham Poetry Festival.

Each poet brings a world, and you like some worlds

and you won't like other worlds, and it's finding

At the Poetry Festival, here in Nottingham,

we've got over 100 poets, so I'm sure there is

So, which poems and poets still prove popular?

Got to be the daffodils one, hasn't it?

I had the German measles, I had them very bad.

BOTH: They wrapped me up in blankets and put me in a van.

They see the beauty of everyday life.

The festival will last for ten days, a celebration of both

We were trying to make up a poem! Good evening. A fairly cool period

on the way as we move into next week. More wintry, maybe even some

snow. But first, today was fairly cloudy. You can see on the

satellite, much of the East Midlands Today in cloudy for all day. Some

bright intervals creeping in this evening. Looking at the charts this

weekend, there is a cold front sinking South overnight, but

high-pressure largely in charge so we will not see too much in the way

of rain. That doesn't mean it will be totally dry. As we move through

this evening and overnight, we will see cloud thickening as the cold

front sinks southwards, bringing patchy outbreaks of light rain. But

temperatures not falling too far, overnight lows of seven or eight

Celsius. I cloudy start tomorrow, 12 spits and spots of rain, we will see

some bright intervals developing, the odd sunny spell as we move into

the afternoon. Temperatures not too bad, slightly cooler than today,

highs of 13 Celsius with a light breeze. Sunday, he cool start, we

could see a touch of frost in the countryside first thing. Then the

largely settled day, mainly dry, relic Lodi bright intervals and

sunny spells developing. But it is as we move into next week that we

start to see the shift to something cooler. The cold front sinks

southwards of Monday. Some outbreaks of rain but it starts to drag in

cooler air from the Arctic. By the time we get to Tuesday, highs of

around nine Celsius. We could see some showers with some snow and

sleet mixed in, some showers with some snow and

sleet mixed in, a definite wintry current by midweek.

Snow and sleet! We will need to stay inside from Sunday because Sunday

Politics East Midlands will have all the latest on the general election.

Murray Ashby will be asking which seats could change hands.

And I will be here with your updates over the weekend.

And Lucy and I will be back at 10:20 five. -- 10.2 five.

Why didn't we go to the library today?

Because we don't have a library any more. Why?

The school's had to make big cuts. Cuts like with a knife, miss?

No, it means that the school can't afford to pay for things like

the library any more or shows or books or school visits.

CHILDREN: Awww! No more school visits?