06/01/2012 Midlands Today

Hello and welcome to Midlands Today with Nick Owen and Suzanne Virdee.

The headlines tonight: With a Government decision due next week,

the final big push to get the go- ahead for a High Speed Rail link.

But for some, a new railway line could spell disaster for their

lifestyle and livelihood. In other news: the elderly woman

stabbed to death in her remote cottage near the River Severn -

police describe the circumstances as tragic.

"No one would listen" says the surgeon who highlighted the breast

implant scandal 18 months ago. And a fanfare for Tamworth as they

prepare for an FA Cup day to remember.

ALL CHANT: Two, four, six, eight, Good evening and welcome to

Friday's Midlands Today from the BBC. Tonight: one last push from

the campaigners fighting to bring High Speed Two trains to the region.

Business leaders, union bosses and economists today urged the

Government to press ahead with plans for the controversial line

between London and Birmingham. A decision could come as soon as

Tuesday, but opponents of the �32 billion scheme maintain there's no

economic or environmental case for HS2. In a moment we'll be talking

to both sides, but first here's Ben Godfrey. Just days before the

Government could decide the future of High Speed Rail, this

controversial, charged debate was taken to the letter pages of three

national newspapers. The message from business leaders was clear -

the UK's transport infrastructure is a major obstacle to growth.

Peter Mathews was one of them. His metal recycling business in the

Black Country survives on exports. He says without High Speed Rail,

his business won't grow, and he can't create jobs. It wouldn't be

as effective as it should be, bandages and at the moment. The

more people that can come and see us, the better for us. We need to

establish ourselves more by having that kind of facility.

If the Transport Secretary gives HS2 the green light, possibly next

week, passengers could see journey times between London and Birmingham

cut to around 45 minutes. Supporters argue it could create up

to 8,000 and pump �2.5 billion into the economy. -- up to 8,000 jobs.

You can see the wires going across the field here to that hedge.

Farmer Derek Hiatt questions these figures. The proposed route skirts

his family's farm in Ufton in Warwickshire. He says the business

argument fails to acknowledge that many longstanding farming

businesses will be blighted. I have worked very hard all my life. We

finally had the chance to buy this farm 14 years ago and handing it

over to my daughters were the train track going through it, it will be

worth a lot less. For two years, debates have been

taking place in village halls and business forums around the region.

Transport secretaries have come and gone. At a time of national

austerity, this is a line that will cost �17 billion pounds to build,

and extensions further north could see that figure double. This is

Offchurch near Leamington Spa, one of many villages that have raised

thousands of pounds to fight against HS two. For both sides, the

wait for the Government's decision is almost over.

Joe is an anti- high-speed rail campaigner. It's all over, isn't

it? The Government have always insited they want it. Now business

is supporting with these big ads. The know, it is not all over. Those

who are lobbying for it have an interest, they stand to profit from

it. Don't we need it at a time when the economy is struggling? There

won't be any jobs for 10 or 20 years, and you can deliver more

benefits to more people more quickly with the same money by

investing in the existing transport infrastructure. But it is good to

invest long term for a more prosperous future. Investing in the

current infrastructure would be long-term, and it would deliver

benefits all across the country. HS two will serve a very narrow

corridor. You don't to leave on at the actual road, you're against it

for the reasons you have said. But a lot of the people who are against

it to have homes on the line. It's not a time for nimbyism. It is not

just that. People have read the documents, and what you find with

any project but this is there is local opposition, but the reason

the opposition to this is so strong is it because the case for it is so

rubbish. So why does the government wanted? Are all these business

leaders wrong? It has been touted as a solution looking for a problem.

Lord Adonis said to the Department of Transport said that we want to

are the fastest and most expensive railway line in the world, and

tried to justify it. But you have to look at what is best for the

company as a whole -- the country as a whole. We think there might be

a decision on Tuesday. If it goes against you, what can you do?

are lots of avenues open. There is the chance of judicial review. The

environmental impact analysis still has to happen, and besides finding

out what the true damage will be, that will raise the cost. There

will be a single coming out on Sunday, re-releasing it from

Christmas, as a campaign against it. Thank you for joining us. One place

that could benefit greatly from High Speed Rail is the NEC, with

journey times from London being cut to just over half an hour. Since

1976 it's generated billions of pounds for the local economy and

tens of thousands of jobs. So what impact would HS2 have if it does go

ahead? Ben Sidwell's been investigating. And a warning - his

report contains flashing images. The nation has at last acquired an

exhibition centre that can bear comparison with the best of what

the rest of the world has to offer. I have great pleasure in declaring

the National Exhibition Centre open. When the Queen officially opened

the NEC in 1976, no one really knew whether the idea would actually

work. Today there's no doubt about it. 2.1 million people visit the

NEC every year, generating �1.8 billion for the West Midlands

economy and creating 25,000 jobs. It is not bad for something that

was seen as a white elephant when it opened 35 years ago. When you

look back in the Sixties, when Birmingham politicians came up with

the idea of building an exhibition centre in Solihull, I think a lot

of people looked at them as if they were mad. But actually, out of what

can appear sometimes very brave, original ideas comes a phenomenal

success. Part of the NEC's appeal is it

location and travel links. 75% of the UK's entire population are

within a three-hour drive. We have come from Liverpool, and it has

taken about two-and-a-half hours. Peterborough, it took me two hours.

The prospect of High Speed Rail would see the centre's catchment

area increased and the journey time for many reduced, with travel from

London to the National Exhibition Centre being cut to just over half

an hour. For the NEC's Managing Director, that's a very exciting

prospect. When you look at the NEC site, it is a unique site in Europe

in terms of the amount of land, the connectivity and detachment. So if

you build high-speed rail into that, I believe we have a real cocktail

of success on our doorstep here. December, 125,000 people from all

over the country visited the Clothes Show, which is in its 23rd

consecutive year at the NEC. The man behind that show, and many

others such as Gardeners' World and the Good Food Show, believes the

location and travel links help set it apart from many other exhibition

We get people travelling from as far as Cornwall and Scotland to

come to our shows. You don't get that if you have an exhibition in

London. The facilities within the NEC, at the heart of the country

with excellent rail and air links, it means you can really create a

true international event. It may have been a risk back in

1976, but with the sort of money it now brings in, the NEC has become

something the West Midlands economy simply couldn't do without. Whether

High Speed Rail would have a similar effect on the region is

And you can read both sides of the High Speed 2 argument on the BBC

News website. Thanks for joining us this evening

here on Midlands Today. Later, police are warning youngsters to be

on the lookout for gangs targeting their new high-tech Christmas

Police have revealed an elderly woman murdered at her remote

country cottage was stabbed to death. Betty Yates, who was 77, was

found at her home near Bewdley after friends raised the alarm when

she failed to turn up for a walk at her rambling club. Cath Mackie is

in Bewdley for us now. Cath, more details are now emerging. Yes,

there are. You can probably see the police car behind me, guarding the

entrance to a track to her house which is about a mile down there.

This whole area is under police cordon as they continued the hunt

for the killer or killers of the 77-year-old retired school teacher.

They had said she was subjected to a violent attack, stabbed with a

knife in her home which she shared with her husband until his death

seven years ago. The house stands in an isolated

spot on the Bank of the River Severn near Bewdley. It is in this

apparently idyllic place at that she was murdered. Dozens of police

officers are searching for clues as to who murdered her and why.

Surrounding fields and footpaths are being scoured for the evidence

that will lead to her killers. The alarm was raised on Wednesday

morning by a neighbour after Mrs Yeates failed to turn up for a

morning walk. Shortly after that, her body was discovered. She ran a

local reading group for the University of the Third Age, an

activity and educational organisation for older people.

was a very active member of the Third Age, and had been since 2006.

She was a much respected and loved by many. As news of the murder

spread, the mayor said it was a sad day for the town. It is a tragic

and horrific event. It is obviously going to affect the town quite

considerably. We are a close-knit community, and pretty friendly down

here, and something like this must upset everybody that comes to hear

about it. Police say a knife has been recovered from the scene and

is undergoing forensic examination. They said they are determined to

catch the people responsible. This evening, a small memorial of

flowers is beginning to grow in her memory.

And I imagine more flowers will arrive, because Mrs Yeates was very

active in this community. She volunteer helping children to read

at St Bartholomew's Primary school in Stockport, and teachers there

held a minute's silence today in her memory. She was someone who

dedicated her life to education. She had two children of her own, a

son and daughter who don't live locally. Police have repeated their

appeal to the public tonight to help solve this awful crime.

Kath, thank you. A Midlands surgeon says he highlighted the dangers

surrounding breast implants made by a French firm more than 18 months

ago. His revelation comes after the Government said tonight there was

no evidence to recommend the routine removal of 40,000 PIP

implants from women in the UK. Meanwhile, a Staffordshire woman

has been telling Sarah Falkland about the trauma caused by her

faulty implants. Looking good is Zoe Talbot's

business. The 36-year-old mother of two is a beautician from Tamworth.

She paid �4,000 to have PIP implants at a London clinic in 2009,

but by early last year she discovered a lump in one breast.

though the worst. I thought I had cancer, which is what I'm sure

anybody would think. It didn't even enter my head that it could

possibly be the implant, because they were relatively new. In fact,

silicone had leaked into her breast tissue, and she had to undergo a

second operation to have them removed. This is the kind of

transplant that Zoe should have had. Instead, they had an industrial

silicon, the sort that you find in a bed matches. Vik Vijh is a

consultant plastic surgeon. He sees women like Zoe, and has to repair

the damage. But he says he and other professional bodies raised

the alarm about PIP 18 months ago. I am not going to comment on why it

has been ignored. I am not going to even Croad the Health Minister, who

has not made an error, but mentioned that a large company

involving cosmetic surgery had released new data that did not

agree with their old data, but couldn't explain why. That is

exceedingly diplomatic, and I'm very impressed that he managed to

keep his cool. I wouldn't have been able to. Zoe now has fresh implants,

but she worries that the silicon from the French one is still inside

her. I do get aches and pains under my armpits, and they don't even

know yet what the silicon is exactly, or what long-term problems

that can cause. Tonight, the Government said it would replace

for free any implants are putting on the NHS, and it expects private

clinics to offer the same deal. And there's more information about

the breast implant scandal on the It's believed a house fire which

killed a man was an accident. Firefighters were called to a home

in Cramp Hill in Darlaston in the Black Country early this morning.

An 80-year-old woman escaped, but an 82-year-old man couldn't be

saved. A 35-year-old man's been arrested

on suspicion of murder after a homeless man was attacked at a bus

stop. Richard Williams was sitting at the bus stop in Dudley Road in

Birmingham last month when he was attacked. He died of head injuries.

Families have been allowed back into their homes after an armed

siege which lasted two days. Firearms officers and negotiators

had been surrounding a house in Stoke-on-Trent since Wednesday. The

stand-off ended peacefully this lunchtime, and a 66-year-old man

has been arrested. Our Staffordshire reporter Liz Copper

Families heading for home after three days of drama and disruption.

This was the scene as armed officers cordoned off Guildford

Street in the Shelton area of Stoke-on-Trent. They'd been called

here on Wednesday lunchtime after concerns were raised over a 66-

year-old man. This lunchtime a man was arrested for a firearms offence.

He'll be assessed and treated by healthcare workers. I completely

understand that people would be distressed by this type of incident

happening in their neighbourhood. The police officers who have been

here have been there to keep people safe, and we have had a peaceful

and successful conclusion to the incident.

30 houses were evacuated during that operation. Most familes stayed

with relatives or friends. Many more found themselves trapped in

their homes within the police cordon. They could only watch from

windows as marksmen patrolled outside. For 48 hours the focus was

on one mid-terraced home. Quite anxious when they first turned up

and you road is closed off, and you can't leave the house and the telly

to stand away from the windows. lot of people started to get a

little anxious, mostly because they wanted to get back into their homes,

and they were fed up with having to go through police are cordons all

the time. Trained negotiators had worked through two nights to help

bring the siege to an end. Police have thanked all those whose lives

were disrupted for their patience. The cordons have been lifted, and

life can return to normal. The main priority for the police is that

this situation was resolved police -- peacefully.

It's estimated that 150,000 people across the region will call the gas

emergency service line this winter because of badly-fitted appliances

or gas leaks. National Grid says following the severity of last

winter they've learnt a lot of lessons. They're now better

prepared to deal with a high volume of call-outs. This time last year,

we probably had 360 people, but only to London 20 were trained to

take emergency calls. Now almost -- 220 were told -- trained to take

emergency called. Now almost all our staff can take emergency calls.

Thanks for your company this Friday evening. A rousing send-off for the

Tamworth squad as they head for their dream cup tie on Merseyside.

And it's been a stormy start to January, but now we can breathe a

sigh of relief as we head towards a much quieter weekend. I'll be here

with all the details in a few minutes.

But first: Pupils have been chaperoned from school by police in

some areas to protect them from muggers out to steal valuable

Christmas presents such as smartphones and iPods. Police say

thieves particularly target children at this time of year and

they're warning youngsters and parents to be on their guard. Bob

Hockenhull reports. Boxing Day, and on the Number 60

bus in Birmingham, a gang of three muggers approach young passengers

and steal their mobile phones. West Midlands police believe they're

responsible for a raft of similar crimes. They've launched Operation

Hay to catch the robbers and warn school pupils of the dangers of

flaunting expensive gadgets, particularly on public transport.

Wear with my friends, I feel secure, so I will bring my phone out, but

when I'm on my end, my phone stays in my pocket. I suppose I used it a

lot on the bus, because I don't think it will happen to me. But it

is dangers that will always be there. It is the new found, kids

perhaps not being aware that there are other guys out there, people

not aware of what is going on. Kids are excited by then you presence,

but they need to be aware that other people might be looking with

other motives. They are also targeting popular

transport hubs such as More Street station here. Yesterday they

investigated one man, who is now being investigated on suspicion of

committing about six robberies. A team of 40 officers have been

handing out leaflets giving advice on how to protect belongings.

British Transport Police have joined the operation as train

passengers are also deemed to be vulnerable. Some individual

deliberately target at a bus network or the train network, and

we have seen instances where people will bordered one stop, commit an

offence and disembark, and then poured another train for exactly

the same reason. Similar patrols in previous winters

have seen a reduction in muggings on schoolchildren, and the police

say they're determined to ensure youngsters can travel without fear

of being targeted. Bob Hockenhull, BBC Midlands Today, Birmingham.

Time for sport with Dan, and one of the biggest dates in the football

calendar, the FA Cup third round, is nearly upon us.

It is my favourite weekend of the season, have to say. It will be one

of the greatest shocks in FA Cup history if they win, but that's not

stopping the people of Tamworth believing a giant-killing is

possible. The non-leaguers are at Premier League Everton tomorrow,

and as Nick Clitheroe reports, they'll have the whole town behind

them. 2, 4, 6, 8, who do we appreciate?

Go, Tamworth! Try telling these young fans that

the magic of the FA Cup is gone. Tamworth's third-round tie at

Everton has captured the imagination of the town and around

500 children from local schools turned out to send the team off in

style this morning. I have never seen so many kids before in my life,

cheering us on. Absolutely brilliant. Who is going to win on

Saturday, kids? All caps all: It's been an amazing week for

players unused to being the centre of attention. On Wednesday they got

their hands on the FA Cup. And yesterday they were off to

Wolverhampton racecourse where the Conference's sponsors had named a

race in honour of the team. The Good Luck to Tamworth stakes was a

bit of fun for the players, a chance to judge the best turned-out

horse, to have a flutter on the outcome and to present the trophy

to the winning trainer. But what are the chances of them actually

winning? Well, the bookies make them 25-1 outsiders. I have had a

few dreams of scoring the winner, or a last ditch tackle. It would be

more for my family, plus you have a chance to show the whole world what

we have got and what Tamworth football club has got. We have

scored a few in the last minute, so if you would say to me that my

goalkeeper can make a number of saves, the back for can clear the

ball a few times, we will let them a hit the bar a few times, and we

will steal it from them in the 93rd minute. That would make me happy!

And you'd certainly be a fool to tell these fans or the travelling

supporters heading for Goodison tomorrow that Tamworth will fall

short on the big day. I have never seen anything like

this. What a week of razzmatazz it Absolutely wonderful. It is

terrific, and there are also Cheltenham playing Spurs, and loads

of other stuff on. Bristol Rovers against Aston Villa really grabs my

attention. 19th in League 2. 8 games without a win. Sacked manager

Paul Buckle on Tuesday. Assistant Shaun North now in charge. It would

be great for Bristol if they could win. Wolves fan will be really

pleased about their winger is back in the set-up. I can't wait for

tomorrow afternoon. BBC local radio I just love the third-round weekend.

There will be a shock somewhere, and let's just hope it is one of

After a stormy week, what's the weekend weather got in store? Ben

Good evening. After a stormy start to January, it looks like a quiet

weekend to come. We have had some pretty strong wind, and several

flood warnings this week, but to this weekend will be breezy, but

not particularly windy, and mostly dry. It will be a much quieter

weekend ahead. The reason for that is this ridge of high pressure here

slowly trying to exert its influence up from the south. These

whether France provide a little fly in the ointment, some damp drizzly

weather at times. So it will stay quite cloudy through tonight. We

could see a little drizzle here and there. Temperatures dropped to

around five or six Celsius, and it will be breezy but nothing like as

windy as it has been. Tomorrow, quite a bright start to the day.

There may be just one or two like showers drifting across through the

afternoon. The north-westerly breeze will be noticeable, but

again nothing like it has been, temperatures around 89 Celsius. You

will notice the breeze if you are off to some of the FA Cup matches

tomorrow. It could be very breezy around Merseyside. Aston Villa's

match should be fine and dry. We are generally gain to see an

increase in cloud as we go through tomorrow evening and tomorrow night.

As we go into a Sunday, it looks like quite a cloudy day generally.

The further east you are, the wetter it will be. Temperatures on

Sunday up to ten Celsius. Into next week, nothing much changes. It

stays mostly dry, often quite cloudy, not much in the way of

sunshine, but temperatures mild and wins lighter. After a stormy start

It has been keeping everybody awake, including me! A look at tonight's

main headlines: The Government's just announced it will not give in

to the mounting pressure over sub- standard breast implants. A review

has concluded there's no evidence to recommend their routine removal

from about 40,000 women in the UK. And counting down to the verdict

for the controversial high-speed rail link for the UK. That's from

6.30 on BBC One. We will be visiting the library which is

overtaken by community volunteers. And you were going to tell us

tonight what you thought of the Horse Whisperer. It was amazing. I