:00:03. > :00:10.Hello, welcome to Midlands Today with Suzanne Virdee and Nick Owen.
:00:10. > :00:17.The headines tonight: Automotive firms create 1,500 new jobs in the
:00:17. > :00:24.last year and there's a prospect of more on the way. We have created
:00:24. > :00:27.and the last 12 months 57 new jobs, after to 2% increase. How a
:00:27. > :00:30.university graduate's taking the government to court over what she
:00:30. > :00:38.calls enforced and pointless labour. Stacking shelves, cleaning, just
:00:38. > :00:42.basic jobs that were not giving us in a valuable experience. The joys
:00:42. > :00:45.of football as Tamworth land a big one: away to Everton in the FA Cup.
:00:45. > :00:51.And back home celebrating 30 years of success around the world: Duran
:00:51. > :01:01.Duran thrill their fans in the Midlands. We certainly were not
:01:01. > :01:13.
:01:13. > :01:17.thinking about after 30 years. We Good evening, welcome to Monday's
:01:17. > :01:20.Midlands Today from the BBC. Tonight: stepping up a gear. New
:01:20. > :01:23.figures from the automotive industry suggest an increase in car
:01:23. > :01:26.exports from firms in this region has helped create more than 1,500
:01:26. > :01:29.new jobs this year. The posts have been created in companies which
:01:29. > :01:32.supply components for firms such as Jaguar LandRover, Aston Martin and
:01:32. > :01:37.the Morgan Motor company in Malvern. And firms say they're optimistic
:01:37. > :01:41.the boom will continue next year. Two car component firms. Two
:01:41. > :01:48.success stories for the West Midlands. Winston Duncan was taken
:01:48. > :01:53.on recently at Machined Component systems in Redditch. I have been
:01:53. > :01:58.doing engineering for 30 odd years. And the years ago when the were a
:01:58. > :02:03.lot of redundancies and police as closing down I came out of the
:02:03. > :02:08.industry. What is it like being back in? It is something I know,
:02:08. > :02:11.and I am glad to be back in. He's one of ten new workers, including
:02:11. > :02:16.two apprentices. The company's had its highest turnover ever. Three
:02:16. > :02:22.years ago it was cutting jobs. investment has been dramatic,
:02:22. > :02:27.something in the region of �650,000 in equipment and in people,
:02:27. > :02:32.allowing them to have training on new machines. At Cabauto in Tipton
:02:32. > :02:37.similar stories of investment, growth and recruitment. Significant
:02:37. > :02:42.investment, �2 million worth of equipment coming into the factory,
:02:42. > :02:51.ready for orders that we have one already. We have created 57 new
:02:51. > :02:54.jobs, after to 3% increase in the size of the business. These two
:02:54. > :02:57.success stories aren't alone and what makes it remarkable at a time
:02:57. > :03:02.of national austerity is that car component firms across the West
:03:02. > :03:06.Midlands are reporting increasing confidence. Now that there is a
:03:06. > :03:11.level of confidence across the UK and across the world, people are
:03:11. > :03:16.beginning to buy cars, but quietly, behind the scenes, development of
:03:16. > :03:22.new models has been taking place and that has been a real boon for
:03:22. > :03:24.manufacturing. And there's been a commitment to support the component
:03:24. > :03:29.supply chain from UK-based car makers like Jaguar Landrover where
:03:29. > :03:33.sales are up 16%. One other major customers his Jaguar Land-Rover and
:03:33. > :03:39.they have been doing particularly well, so that volume is feeding
:03:39. > :03:43.into a business directly. There are still serious issues that need
:03:43. > :03:50.addressing like the skills shortage - but these two firms are hoping to
:03:50. > :03:52.keep expanding and take on more staff next year. The Manufacturing
:03:52. > :03:55.Advice Service has been holding a networking event for company
:03:55. > :04:00.directors this afternoon in the centre of Birmingham, where our
:04:00. > :04:03.Business Correspondent Peter Plisner is now. So a pretty upbeat
:04:03. > :04:09.mood there, I should think, Peter, as the car component sector seems
:04:09. > :04:13.to be beating the economic gloom? Indeed it is. Talking to company
:04:13. > :04:18.directors, you would not believe there are still many economic
:04:19. > :04:24.worries around. Those companies in that film you saw are booming. But
:04:24. > :04:29.there are concerns about 2012 and I am joined by Simon do this of the
:04:29. > :04:37.manufacturing advisory service. Can it continue? 2011 has been a great
:04:37. > :04:42.year with �1 billion of investment in automotive industries.. We
:04:42. > :04:50.estimate 1500 jobs across the region and growth of 30% of experts,
:04:50. > :04:57.-- exports, so it has been really good. Automotive is doing well, but
:04:57. > :05:01.other sectors, not so well, so it is a mixed picture. Absolutely. We
:05:01. > :05:06.are hearing about issues in Europe with some volumes flattering of or
:05:06. > :05:11.reducing slightly, so there are concerns outside of the automotive
:05:11. > :05:15.industry. And what can be done about the skills shortage? There is
:05:15. > :05:18.some good work happening on apprenticeships. Companies
:05:18. > :05:25.recognise they have to invest in youngsters, and that is good news
:05:25. > :05:29.for the future. The annual report would suggest 2011 was a good year,
:05:29. > :05:39.but there are still many concerns about what the next year, 2012,
:05:39. > :05:40.
:05:40. > :05:43.actually holes. -- holds. Thanks for being with us this evening.
:05:43. > :05:49.Later in the programme: It's all very traditional but do cities
:05:49. > :05:54.really need a Lord Mayor? In Stoke on Trent, many don't think so. The
:05:54. > :05:57.court has heard that a soldier serving with the British Army to
:05:57. > :06:01.look at the set fire to a mosque in Stoke-on-Trent last year. It is
:06:01. > :06:04.claimed he and an accomplice connected a gas pipe into the
:06:04. > :06:11.building and started a fire that could have resulted in a serious
:06:11. > :06:15.explosion. Simon Peach, senior at an hour their court appearance, was
:06:15. > :06:20.a soldier based at backs in Preston at the time of the arson attack. He
:06:20. > :06:24.is accused, along with Gareth Foster, are setting alight the city
:06:24. > :06:29.centre mosque. The mosque at Hanley in Stoke-on-Trent was still under
:06:29. > :06:33.construction when a fire was started here in December last year.
:06:33. > :06:36.Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that a paper was connected from a
:06:36. > :06:41.gas mean act and neighbouring property and when along an alleyway
:06:41. > :06:47.for a distance of 150 metres. It was then fed into the mosque, up
:06:47. > :06:50.the stairs to the first floor. Damage following the fire total to
:06:50. > :06:55.�50,000. The prosecution claimed, had it not been for a poor
:06:55. > :06:59.connection with the Pike, the reality that have been an explosion.
:06:59. > :07:03.The jury was told snow was lying on the ground at the time of the
:07:03. > :07:07.attack and stroke Prince lying in the snow matched those of trainers
:07:08. > :07:13.worn by Gareth Foster. When detectives searched his flat they
:07:13. > :07:18.found two balaclavas, one containing fragments of glass from
:07:18. > :07:21.the mosque and the DNA of Mr Beech. Detectives analysed comments in
:07:21. > :07:31.which he had agreed on a social networking site, Facebook,
:07:31. > :07:34.
:07:34. > :07:41.including the phrase, nuke all mosques" and when we said, they
:07:41. > :07:47.bomb our poppies, we burn their place. Both defendants deny arson.
:07:47. > :07:50.The trial is expected to last three days. The owners of Daw Mill
:07:50. > :07:54.Colliery in North Warwickshire say it could be shut down, putting 800
:07:54. > :07:56.jobs at risk. UK Coal is carrying out a review of the pit because of
:07:56. > :07:59.falling production levels. The company says rising labour costs
:07:59. > :08:06.and an inflexible workforce are partly to blame, but denies it is
:08:06. > :08:10.scaremongering. We are having to review everything, from the worst
:08:10. > :08:15.case being closure and being mothballed, we will look at
:08:15. > :08:22.absolutely everything. We will not brushed it. We will do it in a
:08:22. > :08:26.considered way, but by springtime next year we should have an idea.
:08:26. > :08:28.Concrete blocks have been dropped from a bridge onto a main road in
:08:28. > :08:31.Shrewsbury. Two motorists called the police at 2am yesterday morning
:08:31. > :08:34.after seeing breeze blocks smashed on Robertson Way. Last week, a
:08:34. > :08:41.woman's car was hit by a concrete block dropped from a footbridge in
:08:41. > :08:44.Essex. A University of Birmingham graduate is taking legal action
:08:44. > :08:49.against the government for forcing her to do unpaid work at a
:08:49. > :08:53.Poundland store for two weeks, or risk losing her benefits. 22 year-
:08:53. > :08:57.old Cait Reilly had been put on one of the new "Sector based work
:08:57. > :08:59.academy" schemes while she received Job-seeker's Allowance. That scheme
:08:59. > :09:02.provides pre-employment training, a work placement and a guaranteed
:09:02. > :09:12.interview. It's meant to improve the job seeker's employability. Ben
:09:12. > :09:17.
:09:17. > :09:20.Godfrey reports. This is one up -- 1 other biggest pieces. While Cait
:09:20. > :09:23.Reilly's looking for full-time work, she volunteers at Birmingham's Pen
:09:23. > :09:25.Room. Passionate about museums, this graduate of geology is on a
:09:25. > :09:29.rocky road to employment. You can see they all have different letters
:09:29. > :09:34.on them. She receives Jobseekers Allowance and was placed in the
:09:34. > :09:36.Sector-based work academy. She says a job centre sent her for a
:09:36. > :09:41.fortnight's unpaid work in Poundland - and told her that
:09:41. > :09:46.failure to attend would result in reduced benefits. You asked-you are
:09:46. > :09:51.doing basic jobs, stacking shelves, cleaning, that were not giving us
:09:51. > :09:58.valuable experience. Maybe we could choose work experience placements
:09:58. > :10:01.that could benefit eyes, the most. How England said it has had a
:10:01. > :10:05.positive experience of the work placement programme, adding that
:10:05. > :10:12.that is comprehensive, and that it offers on the job training to those
:10:12. > :10:14.looking to take retail as a career opportunity. With more than a
:10:14. > :10:18.million young people out of work, the Government believes placements
:10:18. > :10:20.can help get Britain back to work. But accusations that graduates are
:10:20. > :10:24.spending weeks stacking shelves, brought a robust defence in the
:10:24. > :10:28.Commons last week from the Employment Minister. Few months ago,
:10:28. > :10:35.I met a man who was given a job with the major supermarket, and
:10:35. > :10:37.with a few months had graduated to running a department of 20. A law
:10:37. > :10:42.firm's calling for a judicial review of Jobseeker Allowance
:10:42. > :10:45.regulations, arguing they lead to forced labour. There does not seem
:10:45. > :10:49.to have been much consultation about these schemes, very little
:10:49. > :10:54.tailoring to the needs of those subjects, and that affect a very
:10:54. > :10:57.large number of people. Government has said work experience
:10:57. > :11:00.isn't mandatory but if job seekers agree to take part, they're
:11:00. > :11:03.expected to turn up and work without pay. There will be some
:11:03. > :11:08.people that say you are claiming state benefit, surely you should
:11:08. > :11:12.just take the experience, whatever it is. I have no problem with
:11:12. > :11:17.working. I do my own experience within the museum. I was just
:11:17. > :11:21.unhappy about the fact that I was taken away from that and put it
:11:21. > :11:25.into a world that had nothing to do with the job that I wanted to get
:11:25. > :11:33.into. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is due to respond
:11:33. > :11:36.to Cait Reilly's allegations next week. A final decision on whether
:11:36. > :11:39.to go ahead with the controversial HS2 high-speed rail line between
:11:39. > :11:41.London and Birmingham is being delayed until the New Year. The
:11:41. > :11:44.Transport Secretary Justine Greening is understood to be
:11:44. > :11:47.considering whether a �500 million tunnel should be bored to minimise
:11:47. > :11:50.impact on the Chiltern Hills. Inside Out has a special programme
:11:50. > :11:55.looking at the HS2 proposals tonight and Mary Rhodes is here to
:11:55. > :12:00.tell us more, so Mary, why the delay? It is all to do with
:12:00. > :12:02.proposed alterations to the plans. The decision has been pushed back
:12:02. > :12:06.once already. It has now been pushed back to January. The
:12:06. > :12:13.committee needs more time and more information so we have to wait
:12:13. > :12:17.another month to see whether it goes ahead. We will be looking at
:12:17. > :12:22.for and against arguments tonight. Yes, we have given both sides of
:12:22. > :12:28.the argument a cameraman, producer and editor and asked them to
:12:28. > :12:34.produce a nine-minute film, each. Those who are in favour of the
:12:34. > :12:41.scheme say it will bring huge benefits to the region. High-speed
:12:41. > :12:46.rail can put down 22,000 jobs for this region. It can add �1.5
:12:46. > :12:49.billion to the economy. What right have we, to turn that aside, to say
:12:49. > :12:55.to future generations, we have the chance to create thousands of jobs
:12:55. > :12:58.but we did not take it? In the opposite corner, those who say that
:12:58. > :13:05.it would be an economic disaster for the country, including Coventry
:13:05. > :13:11.West MP Geoffrey Robinson. It has got to be effective and this is
:13:11. > :13:14.anything but effective. We cannot just invest in a narrow stretch of
:13:14. > :13:21.high-speed motorway between two premium points that does not help
:13:21. > :13:25.the rest of the country, at all. And you will be looking into the
:13:25. > :13:31.history of high-speed travel. I made a visit to the National
:13:31. > :13:36.Railway Museum in York, and looking at inventions in the past on the
:13:36. > :13:46.way to high-speed rail, including one which did not work, which made
:13:46. > :13:48.
:13:48. > :13:52.passengers feel sick, which was dubbed the queasy Rider! And you
:13:52. > :13:55.can see the High Speed 2 special on Inside Out here on BBC 1, at 7:30pm.
:13:55. > :13:58.Thanks for joining us this Monday evening, coming up30 years after it
:13:58. > :14:04.all began in Birmingham, the "wild boys" of pop return home. And we
:14:04. > :14:11.have the seasonal trappings of ice, and frost and a chilly wind, and
:14:11. > :14:17.more details coming up in the weather forecast, shortly. It's a
:14:17. > :14:20.nice privilege but not a necessity. That's the view of Stoke-on-Trent
:14:20. > :14:22.city council about whether or not to relinquish the duties of its
:14:22. > :14:25.Lord Mayor.The role isn't being scrapped completely, but the
:14:25. > :14:28.council believes it can save �130,000 by axing the ceremonial
:14:28. > :14:31.duties. It's all part of plans to save �24 million next year. A group
:14:31. > :14:36.of former mayors have started a petition. They say it's vital to
:14:36. > :14:39.have an ambassador for the city. Laura May McMullan reports. There
:14:39. > :14:44.are currently 30 lord mayors across the country. They're seen as a
:14:44. > :14:51.great british tradition. But at Stoke-on-Trent city council, the
:14:51. > :15:00.Lord Mayor's ceremonial duties could be scrapped. We visit schools,
:15:00. > :15:02.factories, everything to do with the city, you represent the city.
:15:02. > :15:05.The position currently costs the council �130,000 a year, with the
:15:05. > :15:14.car, chauffeur and allowances for attending events. During the next
:15:14. > :15:17.three years it would be reduced to just chairing meetings. The Lord
:15:17. > :15:20.Mayor's role is just one in a whole series of cuts. Stoke-on-Trent city
:15:20. > :15:27.council has to save �24 million next year. That's on top of the �36
:15:27. > :15:31.million this financial year. We're facing unprecedented Government
:15:31. > :15:33.cuts in Stoke-on-Trent. In every department within the council
:15:33. > :15:41.they're having to look at making savings. This is part of that
:15:41. > :15:44.process. A group of former Lord Mayors have now started a petition.
:15:44. > :15:48.They believe it's a vital tradition. If the monarch believes we are good
:15:48. > :15:53.enough to be a city, where there is a city, there is a lot mayor. That
:15:53. > :16:03.is why it is important that we have to keep this going, for our
:16:03. > :16:05.
:16:05. > :16:08.heritage, history and people. city has had a Lord Mayor since
:16:08. > :16:10.1928. A position that recognises them as the first citizen of the
:16:10. > :16:20.city. But during such tough financial times - the council says
:16:20. > :16:30.it has to cut it cloth accordingly Sports news now. The magic of the
:16:30. > :16:34.
:16:34. > :16:37.FA Cup continues, but sadly, not for Starr Bridge. -- Stourbridge.
:16:37. > :16:40.Tamworth are looking forward to the biggest game of their lives after
:16:40. > :16:44.drawing Everton in the FA Cup. They beat Gateshead on Saturday and
:16:44. > :16:47.their prize was a trip to Goodison Park in round 3. It's the stuff of
:16:47. > :16:50.boyhood dreams for the non-leaguers. I doubt there was a happier place
:16:50. > :16:53.in the country this morning. Forget Monday morning blues - Tamworth's
:16:53. > :16:56.players are on a permanent high. On Saturday they were thrilled to
:16:56. > :17:05.reach the third round of the cup but yesterday it got even better.
:17:05. > :17:08.Good cup pedigree as well. Number 59. You have pulled out Tamworth.
:17:08. > :17:18.When I got called out it was unbelievable. Everyone was jumping
:17:18. > :17:20.
:17:20. > :17:27.up and down. It was Kyle Paterson's goal which put them in the draw.
:17:27. > :17:31.Francino Francis gave them a half- time lead. But it was 1-1 when
:17:31. > :17:34.Paterson struck in the final minute. A couple of years ago he was
:17:34. > :17:38.playing with David Beckham at LA Galaxy. Now it's the Cup with is
:17:38. > :17:41.attracting the cameras. For the next five weeks the main job for
:17:41. > :17:44.manager Marcus Law will be keeping the players focused on the league.
:17:44. > :17:52.Tomorrow night they're at Forest Green. Life goes on at Conference
:17:52. > :17:56.level. The capacity is only 4,000 here, and an average crowd of 1,000.
:17:56. > :18:01.It could not be any more different from going to Goodison Park and
:18:01. > :18:11.Everton. I am not going along just to be part of the party. It is not
:18:11. > :18:13.
:18:13. > :18:19.in my nature. I will be going there, trying to prove a point.
:18:19. > :18:21.Stourbridge were also showing their colours on Saturday. But sadly that
:18:21. > :18:24.wasn't enough against league one Stevenage who won 3-0. But
:18:25. > :18:28.Cheltenham Town are through to round 3. They won a thriller 4-2 at
:18:28. > :18:30.Luton on Saturday. And they've been rewarded with a trip to Premier
:18:30. > :18:33.League Tottenham Hotspur. Shrewsbury are also through. They
:18:33. > :18:36.came from behind to beat League Two rivals 2-1. And Walsall were made
:18:36. > :18:40.to do it all again by Dagenham and Redbridge. The Saddlers went in
:18:40. > :18:43.front through Claude Gnapka with just 16 minutes left. But Jon
:18:43. > :18:49.Nurse's fine equaliser means they'll have to do it all again in
:18:49. > :18:54.a replay next week. No such problems for Tamworth through.
:18:54. > :19:02.They're bound for Everton. Whether their screeching minibus will make
:19:02. > :19:06.it there is another matter! I am delighted for Cheltenham to get
:19:06. > :19:14.such a great draw. Those are the memories that you talk about for
:19:14. > :19:19.years to come, the big cup games at those big grounds. Cheltenham were
:19:19. > :19:27.excellent, it was a terrific game, it could have gone either way. A
:19:27. > :19:30.couple of good results in the Premier League. It could have been
:19:30. > :19:33.a defeat which left Wolves fans demoralised but a dramatic comeback
:19:33. > :19:35.has left them feeling much happier ahead of the Christmas
:19:35. > :19:40.programme.And Stoke supporters are also feeling jubilant after ending
:19:40. > :19:43.their Europa League jinx.Nick Clitheroe reports. Wolves fans were
:19:43. > :19:46.clearly hoping Christmas might come early, but there was also reason to
:19:46. > :19:50.be nervous. New managers often inspire struggling teams and Martin
:19:50. > :19:52.O'Neill's presence in the stands promised that effect on Sunderland.
:19:52. > :20:01.Those fears were seemingly realised when Kieran Richardson put the
:20:01. > :20:08.visitors in front at Molineux. But the game turned in a dramatic 90
:20:08. > :20:11.seconds. First Sunderland won a penalty despite replays suggesting
:20:11. > :20:15.Larsson had dived to get it. It seemed like justice had been done
:20:15. > :20:18.when his kick was saved but that wasn't the half of it. Wolves went
:20:18. > :20:22.straight down the other end for Steven Fletcher to draw them level.
:20:22. > :20:25.Nine minutes from time Fletcher made it two and it was O'Neill who
:20:25. > :20:28.was left to worry and Mick McCarthy to celebrate three points which saw
:20:28. > :20:31.their teams swap places in the table. That is the easy thing to
:20:31. > :20:34.say when you are getting beat, that the manager has lost the dressing
:20:34. > :20:41.room or there is a lack of spirit of the matter not fight any more.
:20:41. > :20:44.Well, watch that again, and see. Since reaching the group stages of
:20:44. > :20:47.the Europa League Stoke City have lost the following league game
:20:47. > :20:50.after every Thursday night European adventure. So it was a huge relief
:20:50. > :20:57.for all in red and white when Robert Huth's goal gave them three
:20:57. > :21:01.points at Everton. Birmingham City have decided not to appeal against
:21:01. > :21:03.the red card shown to Curtis Davies in their 1-0 defeat at Cardiff City
:21:03. > :21:06.yesterday. Davies was sent off for denying a clear goalscoring
:21:06. > :21:09.opportunity when he brought down Kenny Miller. Minutes later Miller
:21:09. > :21:15.pounced on a clearance by Davies' replacement Pablo to score the only
:21:15. > :21:23.goal. Tomorrow, we'll meet one of the best-loved sportsmen in the
:21:23. > :21:25.region. Bert Williams, MBE, the former Wolves and England
:21:25. > :21:28.goalkeeper has just officially opened the new Leisure Centre in
:21:28. > :21:31.his home town of Bilston, near Wolverhampton. It's cost �18
:21:31. > :21:35.million. It's been named in Bert's honour, and it's fantastic inside,
:21:35. > :21:41.as you'll see when Bert gives us a guided tour of the centre tomorrow
:21:41. > :21:49.evening. Bert will be 92 next month, and he's in great form. He's a
:21:49. > :21:52.lovely man as well. Duran Duran are one of the biggest bands ever to
:21:52. > :21:55.have come out of the Midlands, with more than 80 million albums sold
:21:55. > :21:58.and number ones across the world. This weekend they were back where
:21:58. > :22:01.it all began, in Birmingham, to celebrate their 30th anniversary.
:22:01. > :22:09.Ben Sidwell went along to meet them. A warning his report does contain
:22:09. > :22:19.some flashing images. The band has had an amazing career spanned,
:22:19. > :22:20.
:22:20. > :22:30.which I would never have expected in a million years. We were the
:22:30. > :22:30.
:22:30. > :22:34.right band, at the right time in the video moment. Was that the with
:22:34. > :22:42.the decades? It is extraordinary to me because it feels like it was
:22:42. > :22:49.yesterday. The March 1981, and the band make their first live TV
:22:49. > :22:52.appearance. Back then no one could foresee that this five piece band
:22:52. > :22:58.from Birmingham were about to become one of the biggest groups on
:22:58. > :23:02.the planet. I remember playing at Birmingham Polytechnic. Going
:23:02. > :23:12.upstairs and testing my tape- recorder and my synthesiser before
:23:12. > :23:16.going on. Living with my parents in Castle Bromwich, one month, then in
:23:16. > :23:22.New York playing Madison Square Garden, the next. There was a huge
:23:23. > :23:32.turnaround in our fortunes, from zero to hero, in a day, almost. It
:23:33. > :23:34.
:23:34. > :23:37.was amazing. The band had the looks and the songs, but it was the
:23:37. > :23:45.videos that went with them which helped turn Duran Duran into global
:23:45. > :23:49.superstars. Right away, we got how significant this medium was that we
:23:49. > :23:55.would not have to go and perform, we could just send out this did
:23:55. > :24:05.your, there was this language that was invented around the deal. And
:24:05. > :24:05.
:24:05. > :24:09.we were there to exploit it. -- a rand video. Almost 30 years after
:24:09. > :24:11.Rio, the band's latest video is just as big and ambitious. A nine
:24:11. > :24:15.minute film for their song Girl Panic, featuring five of the
:24:15. > :24:19.world's top super models. The great thing is that it has got humour.
:24:19. > :24:24.All of the great Duran Duran videos have got a little bit of Shearer in
:24:24. > :24:33.them. We have never taken ourselves that seriously, -- a little bit of
:24:33. > :24:39.humour in them. And so, yes, it came together, and it turned out to
:24:39. > :24:44.be something very special. In 1981 when Duran Duran were playing tiny
:24:44. > :24:49.venues around Birmingham, they could never have imagined that they
:24:49. > :24:54.would be performing the same songs, and front of thousands and
:24:54. > :25:00.thousands of people. I travelled the world to go and see them.
:25:00. > :25:10.are seriously hot! There isn't a one is as good as anything they
:25:10. > :25:10.
:25:10. > :25:15.have ever done. I get excited every time I see them. We have kept
:25:15. > :25:25.working, and we have never quit. could not complain about anything.
:25:25. > :25:31.
:25:31. > :25:41.We have had a very interesting I would love to be called
:25:41. > :25:43.
:25:43. > :25:49."Seriously Hot"! Not the answer I was looking for a! Fantastic. They
:25:49. > :25:59.looked so good, very well preserved, as you put it! Time now for the
:25:59. > :25:59.
:25:59. > :26:05.We have had some wintry flurries and those of when to continue. The
:26:05. > :26:13.emphasis will be on cold weather, and the wind chill. Other than that,
:26:13. > :26:18.this week, we have got some showers around. The period to keep an eye
:26:18. > :26:24.on his Wednesday night through into Thursday, when we have got some wet
:26:24. > :26:32.and windy weather on the way. That warm front should raised
:26:32. > :26:40.temperatures on To stick, but for one day only. -- on Thursday. We
:26:40. > :26:45.have a cap in the cloud across as right now. -- and gaps in the cloud
:26:45. > :26:49.across us right now. Overnight, zero degrees, that is going to lead
:26:49. > :26:54.to a widespread frost with icy patches where we have had those
:26:54. > :27:02.showers through the day. Moving onto tomorrow morning, and it is a
:27:03. > :27:09.frosty start. Dry and clear in the knot of the region. -- the north of
:27:09. > :27:15.the region. Good spells of sunshine developing in the afternoon. It
:27:15. > :27:24.will not be quite as windy as today. Tomorrow night, showers starting to
:27:24. > :27:29.die away, but more cloud moving in from the West. Then having that
:27:30. > :27:33.rain going into Thursday. headlines. France and Germany
:27:33. > :27:39.called for a new treaty to deal with the eurozone crisis which they