13/09/2011 Midlands Today

Welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight. The ten-year-old

who started back at school as a girl, after finishing the summer

term as a boy. This is a child, and you live with it, and you accept

your child. No matter what. Shining new cars of the future. Jaguar Land

Rover storm the Frankfurt Motor Show. This will attract new younger

buyers, this is making Jaguar desirable again. Jail for causing

untold grief to bereaved families by posting sickening abuse on the

internet about dead teenagers. And hailing a hero. Mark Cavendish

pulls in the crowds and the Tour of Good evening. Welcome to Midlands

Today from the BBC. Tonight, a ten- year-old child who was born a boy

has started the new school term as a girl. The child whose identity be

have agree frodtect has gender dysphoria, where a person feels

trapped within the body of the wrong sex. Her mother says becoming

a girl is not a phase or a choice but who her daughter really is.

More now from our reporter. would always choose the stereo

typical girls toys. So if you put a truck in front of her, she wouldn't

want to play with that. She would want to play with the Bar by.

Saffron, not her real name describes how from two-and-a-half

her child acted like a girl. Throughout the interview she

referred to ten-year-old Libby, not her real name, as her daughter

which is how the family have regarded her for years. It was Nat.

She grew up, through the years, and just we just new knew that this was

the way she was. Mum was buying my boys clothes, so, but whenever I

wept over my friends' house I used to dress up in her clothes and get

her make up on and stuff. It was, it was nice. Libby has gender

dysphoria. Physically she is a boy, but in every other way feels female.

Now she is batting with what the family call a media circus. After

news leaked she returned to school at the start of term, dressed for

the first time as a girl. I was scared what was going to happen,

but I was really excited. For me going back as me. Is it too young

to have made this decision? No. has been our daughter from age two-

and-a-half, really. Saffron says staff and other parns have been

supportive but a minority aren't. She was being called a freak long

before she went back to school as a girl. They will never understand, I

don't expect them to. I don't want them do I don't want them calling

her a freak. The family hope this will help others. This is is a

child and you live with it and you accept your child. No matter what.

Libby will take hormone blockers when she is 12. Beyond that the

family is take one day at a time. Jaguar Land Rover has been the

undisputed star of this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, unveiling not

one but three new concept cars, all designed here in the Midlands.

Yesterday, it was a modern version of the classic E-type Jag. Today

the DC 100 car, successor to the Land Rover Defender, the favourite

of farmers the world over. Our correspondent has been in Frankfurt

and sent this report. The undoubted star of this year's show, the CX16,

two seater forts car, described as the successor to the E-type. It is

the car many Jaguar fans have been waiting for. The E-type is such an

iconic car. To reproduce that could be a mistake. It has worked well

for brands like mini. But I think the pressure is on Jaguar to

reinvent itself and to be more modern. But Land Rover was doing

its best to steal the show with another iconic model. This time the

DC 100 concept. The defender has a successful 63 year ris -- history.

It is the model that gave Land Rover its name. Jaguar Land Rover

has announced that production of the Defender at its factory will

end in 2015, this DC 100 or something similar to this will

replace it. For the company's design director refreshing the

Defender hasn't been easy. It is about recognising that heritage,

the uniqueness of that vehicle, but it needs to be looking forward.

There are things that we couldn't do today, that were done back then,

particularly in terms of legislation. Although it was well

received it is clear ha the DC 100 and its sportier sister unveiled

today, are taking Land Rover in a new direction. There is a lot of

new Land Rover owners, and if you remember the press conference they

were talking about staggering Newmarket, they are looking at

China, rush, South America. The market is moving on. We are not

just talking about Warwickshire farmers here. For the Indian owners

Tata it was a big day and the chairman on hand to witness the

unveiling's talked to Midlands Today. It is a lot of promise. A

lot of excitement in what we have in new products. Coming from the

company. I think this is just a teaser, if I might say so. Having

survived one of the toughest recessions in their collective

history, Jaguar and Land Rover are powering ahead. Today's unveiling

showed how quickly that is happening. Exciting day there. We

hope to be talking to Peter live in Frankfurt in a few moments from now.

Well, still to come tonight. Changing the boundaries. While the

West Midlands could lose five MPs under changes to constituencies.

You have caused untold grief and suffering to already grieving

families. The words of a magistrate passing sentence on a man who

created abusive internet material about dead girls. Sean Duffy was

convicted of what is known as traling. Writing offensive message,

taking over a dead person's cyber identity, and posting macabre

videos. Three families have this region who have lost teenage girls

were among Duffy's victims. Lauren Drew was just 14 when she died from

a suspected epileptic fit at home in Gloucester. Her parents' brief

was made worse by what appeared on her Facebook tribute page. There

was a video made, horrific, horror music and open graves, and bodies

with maggots, saying this is what I look like now. It was the work of

Sean Duffy, from Reading. The unemployed 25-year-old Asperger

Syndrome sufferer was described as loner, and a victim of bullying. He

was sentenced today to 18 weeks in jail and banned from social

networking sites for five years. Duffy posted offensive material

about Staffordshire schoolgirl Hayley baits who died in a car

crash in autumn of last year. And 15-year-old Natasha McBryde, who

threw herself in front of a train in Bromsgrove. Natasha's father

said it made him feel physically sick. My feelings towards him, is

one of anger, really. Initially. That he and other people in society

have to, or are able to or feel they need to stoop to such depths.

There are website communities dedicated to creating taunting

images and videos. The content is typically racist, and sexually

explicit and some so call trolls admit to thriving on other people's

pain. You can't imagine anyone's motivation for doing something to a

child who has just died. But it was frustrating because we didn't know

who did it, and we thought is it someone we know, and I am glad it

isn't. This is the UK's first trolling conviction. Union members

have voted in favour of strike action at Shropshire council. It is

over plans to cut their pay by 5%. As well as changes to their

conditions. The council insists pay cuts are necessary to avoid making

up to 500 redundancies. It is urging Unison to continue

negotiations. A 14-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of

causing death by dangerous driving in Wolverhampton, after a stolen

motorbike crashed, killing another teenager. He died tat scene in Penn

Fields. Police say the motorbike was ridden with a pill I don't know

passenger when it left the road. At the age of 91, Teresa Jones hoped

to live out her days in the dimension -- diMensa centre. Her

needs have been reassessed an her family have been told she can't

stay there any longer. Her family have accused the NHS of putting

cost before care. It wasn't possible to visit Teresa Jones. The

care home didn't think it was in her best interest. She has dementia.

She sometimes recognises us but reare not sure she d does.

Sometimes we go and we get nothing at all. Three years ago her family

who live in Shropshire says they were made to put her into a

specialist care home. Now, she is being reassessed. She is not really

asked for much from from the country, and it just seems to me

that it is wrong to, to turn round at what is approaching the end of

her life, and say "We can move you like a, like a piece of furniture,

to somewhere that is cheaper." I hope they will say it is not to do

with funding, but it is. They are doing it because they want to save

money. At this care home the family say that Teresa gets constant

supervision. They say the NHS is passing responsibility for her care

to Social Services. This year NHS Telford is spending �2.75 million

less on continuing care. Nobody was available for interview so they

couldn't comment on individual cases. All decisions are based on

assessment, and cost isn't taken into consideration. Decisions are

taken in partnership where the Local Authority, and the family.

Three years down the line the dementia has got worse. They said

she can go into a residential unit which is unbelievable. Just don't

understand it at all. Tina Dene says they are appealing. It is

giving her sleepless nights but he will do all she can. Her mother is

still her mother after all. Much more ahead in the programme.

Including the priceless collection of Wedgwood from the Potteries and

why it could be lost forever. Could the gales return or is that it for

this week? All the details coming A computer trader, fears this, his

could be the first business to fail because of last month's riots. Sham

Sharma lost �50,000 of stock and wants to put up security shutters

as protect snun the future. But he needs to wait for planning

permission. The delay could prove fate toll the business. Like bees

round a honey pot A YouTube video captures the moment looters move in

on this computer shop in Broad Street. Inside the owner was held

by the neck, as round �50,000 worth of stock was stolen. Today the shop

is closed and stand empty. The proprietor says he is afraid to

restock until he can make his premises secure with metal

shuttering. But for that he needs planning permission, by the time he

gets it he fears it could be too late. The result of me not being

able to open the business again, it is put a pressure on the three jobs.

So, if I carry on much longer, like this. I might not be able to open

again. Other shops in Wolverhampton and many more across the rest of

the was wids were damaged by the rioters, if their insurance doesn't

provide enough cover they can apply for compensation from the police an

is there is a separate pot of Government money specifically set

aside to help businesses get back on their feet. None of that would

appear to help Sham Sharma and his planning problem. The City Council

suggested he goes for internal shuttering which could be fitted

immediately but they say for what he wants there are rules. It is

clear while the riots may be fading in many people's memories for

businesses like this the impact is still very real and still very

damaging. A Wolverhampton council told us that financial help with

business rates and to improve security would be available to Sham

Sharma. The riots of last month brought into focus the relationship

between police and young people. Police see improving relations as

one o their top priorities. Let us go live to Joan Cummings. There is

lots of smiles here tonight. This is the young celebration, which is

basically a consultation process, with West Midlands authority. There

has been cheers here-with the young people celebrating themselves and

why not? But of course last month we did see some very distressing

scenes out on the streets, and tonight the youngsters themselves

are going to be asked what did they think caused it. Tom, what is your

answer? What do you think caused the riots? I believe it was a

minority of people who wanted an excuse to rebel, and they kind of

did that, in a way that was violent and not very nice. It is a minority

of people. It doesn't display young people portraying them how we

should be. Kirby, you involved with getting a space for people in

Coventry. Why bother? Does it work. I think it does. If young people

start working with the police and like the council at a younger age,

it gives a longer time to work together and make things bet for

people who are here and just better opportunities for everyone all

round, and a better understanding of each other. This isn't really

working, these are the good kids what about the rest? One has to

accept that in any community there are those children who are greatly

challenged, but we still cannot afford give up on those children,

they are human being, they have a life. As a community and society,

we have got to find a way of working to enhance all our

communities to be good citizens of the West Midlands. I have to say we

have already heard tonight, that the views of the youngsters here

tonight, will be taken into account, we have the Chief Constable coming

later, we have the chairman of the police authority, they going to

listen and they say they will make a difference. Now back to you in

the studio. West Midlands will lose five MPs as part of a plan to cut

the cost of Parliament by reducing the number of Parliamentary seats

by 50. At the moment, the West Midlands has 63 MEPs of Parliament.

That could down to 58 in any election after 2013. Big city

losers could include Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent. Loud low and

Leominster which return two MPs could merge, leave Philip Dunn and

Bill Wiggin to fight it out for a single seat. Why is this happening?

Is it about saving money? That is part of it. The other big point ant

this, is that at the moment, some constituencies have as few as

55,000 voters, others have as many as t 0 thousand so the big idea is

to standardise them round about 76,000. Some MP also lose their

seats. They won't be thrilled about that. There are predictions of

internal warfare. A challenge nor the whips. Imagine the potential

fall out between three Black Country civet MP, mar Joe James,

James Morris and Chris Kelly who could find themselves competing for

two seats. A similar situation in grum. The other way round for two

Labour shadow minister, who may find their constituencies merge

into one. Then you have this extraordinary situation with two

Conservative MPs on collision courses, if their constituencies

are merged into one seat, would you believe it straddling the

Shropshire Herefordshire border. will be helpful for each party to

work out selection rules so it is clear the basis on which colleagues

can stand for their existing seats or neighbours seats. It is

difficult and when you lose your constituents which some people will

have, that is a painful process, because these are people you work

for, you become deeply found of, proud of. I love my constituency

and I don't want to lose any of it. There will be winners and loser, so

which parties will win and which will lose out? Well funny thing it

seems the boundary reviews are to the advantage of whoever is in

Government at the time. In this case in our region Labour might

expect to lose the most seat, the Conservatives the fewest, which

would improve the Tories's position against the others by two or three

seats. Thank you P The Wedgwood museum has been recognised by the

run yun has been of international significance. Yet the future of

what is arguably the finest vam Micks collection in the world hangs

in the balance. It hangs on the result of a high court case. This

museum is dedicated to the people who have made objects of great

beauty from the soils of Staffordshire: But this world

renowned collection could be put up for sale. To the dismay of the

Wedgwood family. People come from all over the world, from America,

and all over Europe, and Japan, they dom Stoke-on-Trent and they

look at this collection and they say, wow, this is amazing. So, it

would be absolutely ridiculous for this to be scattered across the

globe. This is our history. This case reinvolves round pensions.

There was a pot paid into my members of the company pension

scheme. A separate pot was established for the museum, into

which significant donations were made. The problem came, when the

company collapsed into administration, with debts. Five

workers who I had into this scheme worked for the museum. The question

is, whether money from this pot can be used to pay the pension funds

deficit. If a Jung decides the answer is yes, the museum's

treasure s could go under the hammer. Stoke-on-Trent is the

Potteries. Testify founded on the ceramics industry. We are proud of

that connection and that connection to Wedgwood, so to have this

collection ripped away from us on an obscure legal technicality would

be a cultural crime. The future of this collection is expected to be

decided by the end of the year. The master potter yosh ya Wedgwood's

legacy lies in the hands of a high court judge. Staying in the

Potteries, stage three of the tour o Britain has taken place in and

round Stoke-on-Trent. It is the fourth time the event has gone to

the Potteries. It covered 87 miles. Riders wound their way to Uttoxeter

and the Staffordshire moorlands before finishing in the city

centre: It hasn't seen the like. It is popular but today's crowd was

different. They were here to see a true global superstar. Cyclist Mark

Cavendish, winner of the green Jersey at the Tour de France. They

waited for 45 minutes for him to emerge from his team bus, etch

Cavendish's bike was worth a photo. There will be more support here,

more general British support here than there is in the tour detrans.

Everyone here is British. They will be cheering on the Brits so that is

nice. Love Cavendish. I like watching him in the Tour de France.

This was no one man race. Geraint Thomas was among the field, along

with the current World Champion. It has at thracted a host of world

class stars but which one will win? Today's 87 mile stage was hilly and

windswept. There was an early break away of three riders but they were

caught after gun hill. It all came down to a dramatic bunch finish.

is looking like... The Dutchman spoiled the British party. Thomas

was third. Cavendish fifth. Boom took the leader's gold Jersey

of people, a lot of people come out to cheer us, and that, that is

really nice of course. They are cheering you even you were beaten.

Yes they do. Stoke's reputation as a cycling city continues to grow

and today the likes of Mark Cavendish gave the city that extra

What a great atmosphere. Quick word about cricket. The County

Championships coming to the boil. Two days to go. Warwickshire have a

first innings lead against Hampshire who will resume on 57

without loss but wust sire are almost safe from relegation despite

losing Fife wickets for five runs against Durham. To a long running

mystery that has been solved in the Cotswold. It involves a writing

desk, a telegram from Noel Coward and Agatha Christie's knickers.

This bureau had lain in a store room for five years. His client

bought it from one of Agatha Christie's former homes. Clive took

it apart and something fell out when he was working on it. This is

what he found. A folded piece of paper. When he opened it he

couldn't believe what he was reading. It was a telegram sent in

1957 from Noel coward. Dear Agatha Christie I must congratulate you on

the Mousetrap breaking the long run record. All my good wishes Noel

Coward. So this is an amazing piece of history. The Mousetrap opened in

1952 and clocked up nearly 2,000 performance, Noel Coward would have

felt pain because the play had taken the record from his play

Blyth Spirit You think a. If I have found anything of this ilk again, I

should be very lucky. Seen here at the 21st an versery of the

Mousetrap Agatha Christie never made any money from her play. She

signed the rights over to her grandson before it opened. She was

an mieder -- admirer of Noel Coward's, to have an

acknowledgement of, you know, her - - achievement would have pleased

her very much. It wasn't though just the telegram that Clive found.

Crammed into the inside of the bureau was a receipt from a

lingerie and night wear company for �24 in the name of ago that city's

married name. It is the telegram that stand out. Written with an

honesty that people who knew Noel Coward would have come to expect. I

don't claim to be an expect, that was a lot of money. �24. Should

have gone Marx and Spencers or anywhere es of that ilk. There are

anywhere es of that ilk. There are many stores like that. We will get

into trouble. Well, the wind were tamer today but you can breathe a

sigh of relief because I think it will stay that way for the rest of

the week. Just a few slight variations however. But, we can

take a look at the isobars at the moment. We are on in the back end

of the vicious isobars from yesterday, but our attention turns

to that front that moves down the the north and the high pressure

that sweeps in from the south-west. As it pulls away, that opens the

door to a couple of more fronts, so, let us take a look at tonight, and

we can see that there is a bit of cloud round the region, but it is

clearer towards the south and because of that temperatures

tonight will drop a bit lower, to about 10C. Elsewhere lows round 11

or 12. Row can see the effects of that front that is heading down

from the north later on. Silt a decaying feature so it will only

produce a fou showers for that part of the region and there is more

cloud as wellment so for tomorrow it is a fairly pleasant day, I

think for the start of the north of the region, I think it could be

cloudier there, with some dribs and drabs of rain. That dies away and

we start to see the sunshine breaking through during the

afternoon. So that will take the temperatures up to 17 or 18

tomorrow. Slightly warmer than today, and more so because the

winds will be lighter than that westerly direction, just a brisk

breeze of round 10-13mph. For Thursday, has the high pressure

positions itself over us, the winds are slack, so it is much calmer day,

temperatures may be a little lower at 17C, that is because we have a

at 17C, that is because we have a lot of cloud that may produce rain.

Let us look at the main headlines. The cost of living rises again as

inflation gets close to a three year high. And here, a mother tells