11/05/2017 East Midlands Today

Tonight: the public inquiry into child sex abuse

opens its investigation into Nottinghamshire's care system.

Welcome to Thursday's programme with Dominic Heale

France Bisto is the Legion d'Honneur 99-year-old veteran Don Sutton. They

gave me there highest award, which I think is fantastic. And eight ?1000

reward is offered to find Bella and Blake. The search continues for a

missing lime and her border collie companion.

Welcome to Thursday's programme with Dominic Heale

The public inquiry into child sex abuse has unveiled

the scale of its investigation into Nottinghamshire's care system.

Today, local survivors' groups joined more than 30 lawyers

Among them, was a woman who's told this

programme that she reported abuse in children's homes to people

Our social affairs correspondent, Jeremy Ball, was at today's hearing.

What really happened in Nottinghamshire's children's homes

The police had been investigating for a number

of years, but today, a new chapter in the quest for truth,

Today, a preliminary hearing is being

We have heard it's going to look at the extent of

institutional failings in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and whether

councils failed to protect children in care from sexual abuse and

The enquiry is chaired by Professor Alexis Jay, who wrote a

damning report on the extent of child abuse in Rotherham.

Today, campaigners from Nottingham were in

We hoped to get a public enquiry, but we actually forced the enquiry

to come to Nottingham, and you know

Survivors are finally being heard and are going to be hard.

And that's what they've always wanted, just

And hopefully, past failings won't haunt us in the future.

There too, a former Nottingham children's home resident,

It just continued, despite the reporting it,

Even as I reported it to be highest level.

These days, Nottinghamshire's children's homes are a world away

from the institutions of the past, but the public enquiry wants to make

sure that all the lessons have been learned.

Well, Jeremy Ball's just come from the hearing

Eventually we're going to hear some heart-wrenching personal stories.

Today it emerged that almost seventy complainants,

as they're being described, have now been given what's known

But first, the inquiry team's got to plough

Tens of thousands of pages of things like police reports,

We also heard that they're looking at 57 different children's homes,

Clearly a moment many people have waited for.

What kind of legal outcomes does the inquiry allow for?

It's about learning lessons from the past,

They want to know the scale of any abuse and

If they made complaints, were they simply moved somewhere else?

And was there a "culture" that stopped investigations?

Today we heard this inquiry's going to be broadcast publically.

Complainants can choose whether to be identified.

And Alexis Jay said she'll consider a request to move the whole

The very word is enough to start a row.

And today, an energy company has served notice that it's

about to begin seismic surveys in our region that could,

potentially, lead to hydraulic fracturing, as it's properly known.

And the survey will be across a big area.

It covers very nearly 100 square miles,

taking in large parts of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

But some places have been excluded - notably part of Sherwood Forest

and some other sensitive areas, where critics of the process

Well, our reporter James Roberson is in one of the communities that's

Yes, I'm actually in Edwin Stowe, the former mining village in

Nottinghamshire. It's the area around the village, not here in the

centre, that will be subject to the survey. As well also the role areas

west of here. And the whole area north, through north Derbyshire,

north Nottinghamshire and injures out your torture. Today in deed into

South Yorkshire, the fracking company is holding a public meeting

and it shows the area and its jollity, which has already yielded

oil for decades. The company will use these machines to send sound

waves to map the rock underground and the suspect or a low gas is

present, they will seek planning permission to drill test boring.

Become Penny says it's simply not known yet whether they'll actually

find any oil or gas. We couldn't possibly say. At this point we are

just testing. It is possible you might not do any fracking you're at

all? Yes, we are very hopeful of the shale gas industry in this country.

We will hope it would be a really strong price for the UK and there

are clear benefits. In Edwin Stowe, the mere mention of a possible

survey into possible fracking in the future is enough to alarm, the ball.

It's a lot to be a bad thing, hasn't it? To be honest. It's not very good

for the environment as much as I know. I'm not really up on it, but

it can't be any good to be honest. Why are you worried? Because of all

the damage it can do. I've heard such a lot from people around here

that have been telling us all about it and it doesn't sound very good.

I'm not too concerned about fracking, because I think the

country needs the energy and providing it doesn't impact on the

environment too much, I think it will be a good thing. We need all

the energy we can get. You are an ex-miner? I am an ex-miner, but you

need something to replace the call. The survey will begin in June, but

it will be October or November before it is here and the areas

around here. Any actual fracking if it happens could be years away.

Thank you, James. Today's the day all the candidates

who are standing in the general election had to put their money

where their mouths are and pay Registration closed a couple

of hours ago, so we now know which politicians are standing

where in those key Our political editor Tony Roe has

been looking at the key seats. Let's start with how

the East Midlands political map This is 20 years ago, that landslide

1997 general election, and as you can see the dominant

colour is red. There's a blue blob in Derbyshire,

that's West Derbyshire now mostly In '97, it was surrounded by a red

sea extending over the border And in Nottinghamshire too,

it's almost solidly red. Fast forward to the general election

in 2015, and you can They have won and consolidated

in marginal seats. Now there are Labour

islands in a sea of blue. Normally after seven years

of Conservative Prime Ministers, you would expect the Government

of the day to be on the defensive. That would mean having

a Labour hit list. Seats like Derby North

where there is only a 41 majority. A seat which tends to

go to the Government. And places like Amber Valley,

Erewash, Broxtowe and over here in Sherwood would

normally be targets. But the opinion polls consistently

show these are not normal times. Instead, those red islands

are having to hold back the tide. North East Derbyshire,

with only an 1,800 majority, Labour keep holding on to Gedling

against the odds, but will it this time be swept away in a wave

of Conservative support? Then there's Mansfield

where what happens to the Ukip vote from 2015 will help

decide this seat. And look over here

in Leicester West. That Red Leicester

heartland for Labour. If it's a really bad

night for Labour, Now 2015 Ukip played a big part

in the general election, At the Green party would be standing

against Labour, because labour is against fracking. That's another 300

votes in Mansfield, where the Labour majority is only 5000.

Now 2015 Ukip played a big part in the general election,

I gather they're not standing in so many seats this time?

Know, the reason I keep going on about Ukip and I'm probably boring

you really about how it what happens Ukip boat is important, they pulled

300,000 or more votes. 15% of people in the East Midlands voted Ukip, so

what happens to those worlds is very important. They have decided to not

stand in seats where there is a pro-EU you leave candidate standing.

If you look around the East Midlands, I would like to claim

credit for this, but is from our local radio station, they are not

sent in places like Amber Valley, South Derbyshire, North West

Leicestershire and Bassetlaw, because they are the candidates

wanting to leave the EU. What happens to that vote for the

candidates who are standing is still going to be fascinating, especially

in the thread isn't much of a majority for the sitting candidate.

More tactical stuff, thank you very much indeed.

A school in Leicester re-opened today after the death

of an 11-year-old pupil at a theme park.

Evha Jannath fell from the Splash Canyon

She was on a school trip with the Jameah Girls Academy.

Pupils are being given extra support to help them come

The theme park, in Staffordshire, will be closed again tomorrow

An inquest has opened into the death of a Derby born woman

who died from crush injuries in France.

Stephanie Turtle was found underneath a car.

She had moved to live in a village, north of Toulouse.

Derbyshire Police say her husband has been charged with her murder.

The hearing at Derby Coroner's Court has been adjourned

Next tonight a GP surgery in Leicestershire is the first

in the East Midlands to offer in-house kidney dialysis.

Carl Bicknelll used to face a round trip of two hours or more

Now it's being provided much closer to home.

The hope now is that more surgeries will follow suit -

as our health correspondent Rob Sissons reports.

The beauty of this surgery is it's just a ten minute Drive from Carl's

home. He used to have to make a two hour round trip three times a week

for his four a la dialysis sessions in Loughborough. Is a huge

difference in travel, time. Having to go to Loughborough was such a big

inconvenience. APPLAUSE

Carl is a single parent and six-year-old Kerry may did the

honours today opening the new dialysis centre. In means you will

see her dad more. When I first met Carl, history was very heart-warming

and the way that we normally deliver dialysis for patients in hospital

didn't fit of life at all. Most patients still have dialysis in

hospital. This is Michael at Kingsmill. Around two dozen patients

in the East Midlands have dialysis this way. The big machine does the

work of a small kidney, removing toxins from the East Midlands, more

may follow is it. I don't think every practice could offer this, but

there are plenty of practices now that work at a larger scale that

could offer something along these lines. Carl is the first patient to

use the facility which is at the Heath Lane surgery. They reckon up

to 20 more people with kidney failure could also use it. The next

one is to get one fitted at home. That would be even better, to be

honest. But what they have done the Avenue has been brilliant, it really

A Derby man who raised tens of thousands of pounds to pay

for cancer treatment in Germany has lost his fight against

Dominic Bergin was just 34 and had been diagnosed

He was determined to try revolutionary treatment abroad,

Friends and family raised over ?100,000

through his Do It For Dom fundraising appeal.

He passed away just two weeks after marrying his partner Robyn.

Organisers of Leicester Pride say they're thrilled they've now got

funding for this years event to go ahead.

There were fears the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender festival

would be cancelled due to a lack of money.

But De Montfort University has put forward ?10,000 to make

A 99-year-old war veteran has been presented with

Don Sutton received the Legion d'Honneur to mark his part

in the liberation of France in the Summer of 1944.

Don was presented with the medal by the French Consul

in the East Midlands at a presentation ceremony earlier today.

I was there too and Don told me it was an incredibly

He already has an impressive collection of medals to mark his

Today, 99-year-old Don Sutton was awarded

We would not be in this room if it was not for your courage,

He received the highest distinction France can

In a special ceremony at Gedling Civic Centre, the French

consul to the East Midlands made the

Don, what does this honour mean to you today?

It means that France has appreciated what we did for them at the time.

I was so proud to serve male country and helped

to liberate France, which

I think that's an understatement, Don, yes.

Don, who celebrated his 99th birthday last

Friday, volunteered to have entered the Army in 1937.

He served in the North Somerset Yeomanry and is

probably one of the last few who fought on horseback in World War II.

Don fought back tears as the speakers described

how he served across Europe and Africa.

And how he and his unit were part of the D-Day landings.

We would not be here if it was not for the sacrifice of him and

The Legion d'Honneur, in a summary, is a thank you.

It's an expression of gratitude of the French people and

all our generation for what Don has done.

It's been a very emotional day for you today.

It was a moving ceremony with a simple sentiment. You are a living

witness to the history you wrote on our soil that we will not forget.

Thank you. It has been a very emotional day for you today.

Not the sort of story we usually cover.

And as a 99-year-old, not a young chicken any more!

Not the sort of story we usually cover.

But this is different, because this sheepdog has disappeared

with her constant companion - an orphaned lamb called Bella.

Do you have anything that can trump that? I might do, the crickets.

On the way, one of the most successful sports teams we have

But let's round up the news first starting with Leicester City And

the Foxes are facing a bit of an injury crisis -

midfielder Danny Drinkwater will be out for the last three games

of the season, and defender Wes Morgan is also struggling

and will miss their game against Manchester City at the weekend.

And a new contract for Nottingham Forest Captain Chris Cohen.

He's fought his way back from injury, scored one of the goals

that kept Forest in the Championship and is now staying for another year.

Now one of the East Midlands most successful sports teams head

to London's famous o2 Arena this weekend but here's the thing -

you might not have even heard of them!

They're the Nottingham Wildcats and are the best women's

Charlie Slater caught up with them before Sunday's big game.

# And you can hit 'em low, hit 'em low.#

With the league title already sewn up and a second

straight final at the O2 arena ahead of them,

Nottingham Wildcats are having a ball.

When you go there for the first time, you're so in awe of

everything that's going on around you that you almost forget to enjoy

So this time, I'm really excited just to go there, to take

everything in, just to enjoy the moment.

So this is where the Wildcats call home, but there's

going to be a big difference between playing in front of a couple of

hundred here and a few thousand at the O2 Arena on Sunday.

We have been to this situation for the past few

This is our third time being there and we haven't been

So, you know, we are really motivated to make sure that

How are the nerves going into the game on Sunday?

I mean, they're a fine right now, but

I think I will take up my rightful place on the bleachers.

You should have rolled your sleeves up.

So back to the stands for me, but back to

the O2 Arena for Britain's best women's basketball team.

And more Basketball tomorrow, because Leicester's Riders

are the best men's team in the country and they'll be

at the 02 in their play-off final on Sunday too.

We'll be at home with the coach, who's given them

In Cricket, Notts Outlaws are playing Durham in

But, trust me, forget about the score - what you really

But look where it went. as you like six from Alex Hales.

Also clean as you like, straight through the window

of the BBC Radio Nottingham commentary box, where it's scooped

And now, admit it, you want to hear the commentary too.

It's coming into our commentators edition and

Don't throw it back yet, let me get a picture.

I guess you probably do want to know the score too.

Alex Hales 104 and Chris Read's lightning 61 helping

They have got Durham 28-2 just a few months ago off nine overs, but

nothing while top that. Did he have to draw that back? Yes. We are

disappointed he didn't catch it. Good job the window was open.

The search for a missing collie dog and a lamb,

apparently the best of friends, has gone viral on the internet.

The orphaned lamb called Bella, and Blake her sheepdog friend

disappeared from a garden at Perlethorpe in

Their owner's plea for help to find her missing pets has attracted more

than half a million hits to the BBC's news page and an online

appeal's been shared more than 12,000 times.

Theirs is a special friendship. Their like a lamb and Blake, a young

border Collie have been inseparable since the young you arrived at the

family home. We have had Blake since he was a puppy. He is merely one. We

have had their lower than she was two days old, but she is five weeks

now. They had it straightaway and became the best of friends. They

were bid to pull together, it was very nice city. They disappeared

from the garden in Nottinghamshire Monday. 24 hours after they went

missing, the pair were spotted here. Woodlands about one mile from their

dropping about one mile from where dropping about one mile from where

we live now. It was a couple of minutes away from the siting of them

both together, is that is quite positive. The family had turned to

social media for help finding their pets. An online appeal has been

showed more than 12,000 times and the BBC News Paes has had more than

half a million hits. I can't believe how maybe blood pooled together and

liked and share it and got the word out. -- how many people. People

joining up and getting together and forming search parties. They are

also offering a reward of ?1000. They are confident it would be too

long before Bella and Blake returned to them. Oh, hopefully. If ever a

story needed a happy ending. Fingers crossed.

The details of the search for Bella and Blake are on our Facebook page -

If you think you can help find the inseparable

And let's hope they are home again soon.

We have a bit of a change on the way. Today, dry and bright, but on

the way tomorrow and the next few days, more humid. This morning

police actuated in the dry and bright start, but we have seen more

in the way of cloud creeping up from the south as we move through the

day. Bright intervals and sunny spells in there, but a cloudier end

to the day. Tomorrow is where we see this shift to something a bit

worried humid. Sunny spells and one or two potentially thundery showers.

This is why it will be humid. Dragging up there is a from the

south and that will settle in through tomorrow and Saturday.

Putting the detail on the map through this evening and overnight

fairly cloudy. A few clear spells, most of us staying dry. The risk of

one or two isolated showers, temperatures not falling. Tomorrow,

a fairly cloudy start of the day. A band of rain pushing up quite

quickly to the north-east. Quite patchy and heavy. Clothes and

breaking, 102 isolated showers to look out for it through the

afternoon. Don't take the map to literally. It could be thundery.

Temperatures 19 Celsius. Humid with that southerly wind. Saturday will

quilt fight humid, plenty of cloud around. Showers to look out for.

This weather front overnight into Sunday will bring rain and also

introduced a bit of a fresher feel by Sunday. Sony 's bells and one or

two isolated and potentially thundery showers on Sunday. A bit of

a shift on the way as we move through the next few days. Miles and

humid cabbages, but potentially heavy showers to look out for. Thank

you so much.