07/05/2014 Look East - West

Good evening and welcome to the BBC News at Six, so it's

Good evening and welcome to Wednesday's Look East. Coming up in

the next 30 minutes: Dropped while being loaded into an ambulance.

91`year`old Ernest Harper died of his injuries. Today, a coroner says

it must never happen again. A dramatic twist in the trial of a

gang accused of sexual abuse in Peterborough. Two men walk free.

We'll be here later in the programme as the Women's Tour of Britain gears

up in the east. As stage one rolled into Northampton, we'll speak to the

best placed Brit, live. And a new nest for a television

favourite. Springwatch migrates to Suffolk.

Good evening. First tonight ` the tragic death of an elderly man who

fell as he was being helped into an ambulance. Today, the Bedfordshire

coroner called on Bedford Borough Council to make public its inquiry

into his death. This report from Neil Bradford.

And just begun a new life. The 70 rolled from Luton had been remarried

for six weeks. She was stabbed to death by her brother`in`law John

Evans. He attacked as she sat in a car on Trent Road. Passers by red

just `` rushed to help but were unable to save her. Evans, who has a

history of mental illness claims to have little recollection of that

day. He also pleaded guilty to trying to kill his mother.

He has never explained exactly why he has done it.

I'm sorry, that was not the story about 91`year`old Ernest Harper. We

will try to return to that later. The ongoing trial of a gang accused

of sexually abusing five young girls in Peterborough took a new turn

today after two of the defendants walked free from court. Three others

are still facing allegations that vulnerable girls were targeted on

social networking sites and used for sex. Our reporter Louise Hubball was

at Cambridge Crown Court today. Louise, this is a long and

complicated trial. What happened today?

It is complex and the youngest victim was just 13 at the time of

the alleged offences. Today, two of the men walked free from court on

direction from the judge, the jury found an 18`year`old not guilty of

one count of sexual assault and two of trafficking. A 24`year`old was

acquitted of two sexual offences. Others still face charges. There

remain three defendants who are facing a total of 18 sexual counts.

The defence case started today. Yes, we heard from a 22`year`old who

still faces five charges of rape. He was described by the prosecution as

the principal offender. Their cases that the men drove the girl is

around and flash cars and make them think they in loving relationships

and that's you was known to some of the girls as Mr Base. `` nice. He

said he would be embarrassed to hang around with a girl under 16 because

she would still be a child. The trial continues.

One in three of us over the age of 65 will develop dementia. And today

a national campaign was launched to try and get more of us to understand

the disease. Peterborough is backing it and a special Dementia Resource

Centre is due to open in the city in the summer. To give you an idea of

numbers, there are currently 1,675 people living with the disease in

Peterborough alone but that's expected to increase by 20% over the

next seven years. Big names fronting it old campaign.

A song that is all about friends and in this case, dementia friends. From

helping someone get on the right bus to simply raising awareness on

social media. This lady is in her 60s and was diagnosed four years

ago. Her daughter says it is like her mother is gradually

disappearing. She is now a Dementia Friend.

This campaign has taught me lots of things. So to the general person

outside of the dementia circle it is a great start for information on how

you can get involved or just understand what it is like.

There are thousands of participants but they need more numbers.

We want to see businesses taking on the responsibility but there is more

work to do. Peterborough is one area of the UK

looking to become dementia friendly. This specialist resource centre will

become the first in the region. This is tremendously important to

the council which is why we have invested money in this facility and

we think it will be an excellent resource.

Dementia is the biggest health issue of modern times. The message is, if

we all do our bit, everyone can live well.

And if you'd like more information on how to become a Dementia Friend,

just log on to the Alzheimer's Society website ` that's

alzheimer's.org.uk ` to find out more.

Talks have broken down between the owners of the Silverstone circuit

and a new potential investor. They had hoped to sell off the investment

land but it has been announced that no deal has been struck. The BR DCE

has already completed a separate deal for the industrial estate and

is surrounding development land. When Siobhan Meade moved to

Stevenage last November she was looking forward to a new life with

her fiance and a new job. Instead her life became a misery. She was

targeted by gangs of teenagers who tormented her for being blind. The

abuse got so bad she ended up filming it and reporting it to the

police as a hate crime. Siobhan Meade is fiercely

independent. Line 1016, she gets around to help of her guide dog. But

he couldn't protect her when she was abused by teenagers.

It ranges from being sworn it in the street because I am blind, being

intimidated by young people, circling me, deliberately walking

into lamp posts, making my life really uncomfortable. The worst one

was when I was nearly marked for being blind.

Siobhan now gives talks to the polls in school. It is to get the class

and ideal of what it is like to be blind.

This talk will help people respect deaf, blind or people in

wheelchairs. We heard her harrowing it could be

and how it ruins peoples lives. Abusing someone with disabilities is

a hate crime but many incidents go unreported. Lined people can feel

intimidated. You feel angry and embarrassed. I

know myself I have actually spelt I don't want to stand and be in

conflict with somebody so you just leave.

We all have to live in society so why not make it better. The majority

of young people on their own are probably really decent people. It is

when they get into groups, peer pressure gets the better of them.

Viking get the message across there will be a better understanding.

Siobhan tracked her offenders by winning a body camera and handing it

to police. Ambulance crews had increased

amounts of calls over the bank holiday. Mainly for false. Others

include road collisions, cardiac arrests and allergic reactions.

EasyJet carried more than 5.5 million passengers last month alone,

an increase of 10% on last April. Ryanair's passenger numbers rose by

5.7% 7.8 million for the same period. EasyJet carried more than 62

million. Easyjet is developing flying robots

to help with the maintenance of its aircraft. The drones will be used to

scan and assess planes and report damage back to engineers. Easyjet

says it could save them millions and halve the number of flight delays.

It would normally take engineers more than a day to find any

problems. The drones can take 3D images in a matter of minutes. The

technology is being developed by a team that includes experts from the

University of Bristol. Those are your top stories tonight.

Now it's over to David and Susie for Still to come. It is not looking

good for the weekend. We have the forecast. Springwatch rolls into

self work. `` Suffolk. The Women's Tour got under way today

` five stages held over five days. And all of them in the East. It is

the first international women's race of its kind. And the organisers hope

that in the years to come it will become the Tour de France of women's

racing. Today they raced through Northamptonshire. James Burridge has

been with them. And he's in Kettering now, James.

Welcome to Kettering. We have had fantastic access. Right in the heart

of the truck behind me is where they have their crucial team meetings

before the riders go wild. This really is the nerve centre. Copy

machines crucial of course. We will show you the lie of the line.

Showers for the team after they finish. To my right this is all the

engine room. The small bits and pieces. Here are the extra

supplements the team needs an vital small bits of details they can go

through as a unit, and once racers finished they can watch look East.

It has been a fascinating day to see so many people come out and watch

this inaugural women's race. They expected a crowd but not one quite

like this. Across the Channel big crowds are standard but here this

was new ground. Over 5000 people crammed into a picturesque market

town for a moment of sporting history. The inaugural women's tour

of Britain. For Britain to put this on is amazing. There are so many

people, I can't believe it. It is hugely important and as a British

rider I am proud. As the clock struck 11/100 of the world's best

riders hit the road, a wave of noise rolling down the streets `` struck

11, 100 of the world's. I liked it when the cyclists went past. I fell

off my bike. Women's sport receives less than 1% of sports sponsorship.

Names were made and a market was born, making events like this

possible. The tour is incredible because it sets a positive tone, not

just about sport but encouraging young girls and boys to think about

cycling as an option. We habited in France, but having something `` have

the tour De France, but were about 2012 we would not have this. One of

a number of villages struck by the law of the tour. It swept through

the landscape. Police on hand to sort the traffic. You have close

roads and towns. It causes a bit of disruption and not every councillor

or member of a town council is that of the doing it. But the ones who

are brave enough to say, come on get on with it see the benefits of it.

In just over two hours they crossed the line. The winner was from

Sweden. Day one turn and it definitely delivered `` day one .

What was it like? It was fantastic. It was unbelievable. I suppose you

can never have expected that support? I knew the organisers were

nervous about people turning up. They can rest and know they put on a

good event. We still have four more days ago. What is your next

challenge? I go back to America and have four more days ago. What is

your next challenge? I go back to America and having few races Trott

and it seems women's cycling has taken off? It was definitely the

best events. Everyone realised that and they put the time and effort in

to make it better. This week was great. Best of luck. Let us give you

a understanding of the tour because it starts in South Leicestershire,

but it makes its way through Northamptonshire and it finishes in

Bedfordshire tomorrow evening. It has been a fascinating day, a Gray

Davis cycling and thousands have come out to watch. `` a great day.

With the European elections just a fortnight away, one leading think

tank is predicting that more people than ever will vote for parties that

are against the whole idea of the European Union. In this region, most

people will vote in the east of England constituency where last time

two of the seven seats went to the UK Independence Party. UKIP's always

done well in Euro elections because they use the proportional

representation system. Now their success has encouraged other parties

with similar views. This from our political correspondent Andrew

Sinclair. Students of history will know it was

in the village here where the peasant revolt of 1381 began and so

it was here that the English Democrats launch their call for an

English revolt. The party wants us to have our own parliament and spent

our taxes only here in England. It is the UK structure which we think

is operating against our interests. The only have to think that in

Scotland and Wales there are free prescriptions of everybody. In

England, hours have gone up. Deciding how we want to be governed

is a key theme of the minor parties at this election. The alliance which

has had minor success in local elections once bring a Christian

focus to European politics. We are standing for traditional marriage.

We also stand for withdrawing from the EU because money is wasted

there. The European Parliament is littered with former UKIP members

who have fallen out with Nigel Farage. This man has set up what he

calls the true UKIP. I can tell you there's nothing happening in there

which should concern us. We leave Europe. Westminster should make our

laws. Whilst those in the trade union movement has set up their own

party. Those at the moment are cutting worker's standards, lowering

the minimum wage, allowing people to work in other countries on the basis

of their country's minimum wage. Not wanting to be left out, the BNP,

worried about the influence of Europe. Free movement sees me they

will come this way. We don't move the other way. Everyone is coming

here and it is because of the European Union. Those of the

mainstream parties are supportive of EU membership to a greater or lesser

extent, but the recent success of UKIP has given these parties hope

they're tapping into a new wave. According to the think tank as many

as a third of the seats here could be held by empty EU parties after

these elections. Finally tonight, Springwatch is migrating to Suffolk

after three years broadcasting from a nature reserve in Wales. The

programme will be based at the RSPB reserve at Minsmere, on the coast

between Aldeburgh and Southwold. Three weeks of live wildlife

coverage kicks off on Monday May 26th. Shaun Peel has been for a look

around. The world famous Minsmere nature

reserve in Suffolk. Home to more than 5000 species, over wetlands and

woodlands, heathlands and grasslands, sand dunes and shingle.

And now for the next three years, home to the BBC's Springwatch. Wow,

so this is it, this is the studio? Absolutely. This is the structure

they're going to use, where the show will be broadcast from. What an

absolutely stunning view. We just don't know what might turn

up. We have just had a flock of cranes drift across the reserve, a

really rare bird here despite the common name. It's really difficult

to be certain what we will be able to showcase but we are certain that

whatever we do show will be fantastic. Yes, hello and welcome to

the final programme of Springwatch 2013. For the last three years

Springwatch has been embedded in Wales but they have always coveted

Minsmere. It is the jewel in the RSPB's crown and now this corner of

Suffolk will be British nature's shop window. Cameras have been

installed around the site of the first three weeks of broadcasting at

the end of May. The reserve will still be open and bosses here are

hoping that TV cameras will inspire people to visit. The excitement is

building. It is fantastic to be able to show people what fantastic

wildlife we have here. Particularly here at Minsmere. It is one of the

best places to watch wildlife in the UK. The BBC's first ever live bird

watch was from Minsmere 25 years ago, and now the live cameras are

back, back from the west coast of Wales to the east coast of England.

The stage is set now for the real stars of Minsmere to put on a show.

And BBC Radio Suffolk will have more on Springwatch on their breakfast

programme tomorrow morning. Etholle George will be talking to presenter

Chris Packham at 7.10am. We know it'll get worse because you rain

there. More wet and windy weather to come. We had a number of showers

across the region today. Here is a satellite picture from today. Some

sunshine this morning but those showers come in words. Some of those

showers are quite heavy. They will fade away now and a lot of dry

weather developing this evening. Taking a look at the bigger picture

you can see this next area of cloud developing. Tomorrow there will be

some wet weather to come. A lot of dry weather tonight, quite a bit

cloud though, especially later on tonight and we will keep that

moderate wind. Tomorrow is all about these weather fronts coming in from

the south`west. A warm front bringing patchy rain and this more

active cold front bringing rain. For much of Thursday a lot of cloud,

outbreaks of rain, intermittent no. `` though. The winds tomorrow or

lights and temperatures at best about 14 or 15 degrees. But as they

say, later afternoon there could be some heavy, possibly thundery

outbreaks of rain. For Friday low`pressure comes in, so quite a

blustery day, with some heavy showers as well. Then we get this

cold front developing on Friday night. That should hopefully clear

by the afternoon so is laid into Sunday, but the low is still weather

is on Sunday and the winds are turning around. It will turn cooler

towards the end of the weekend. Overall it does stay unsettled. Some

sunshine in between the showers, but with all that it should stay weather

to be mild at night. with all that it should stay weather

to be mild at That is all from us. See you tomorrow.

'This is the story of Nick Clegg - a man entrusted by a nation

'to act upon the policies he proposed.