:00:03. > :00:07.Hello, welcome to Midlands Today with Suzanne Virdee and Nick Owen.
:00:07. > :00:11.The headlines tonight: A judge gives gypsies illegally
:00:11. > :00:15.camped on greenbelt land a year to move off, leaving residents fuming.
:00:15. > :00:20.They should've only been given a certain amount of time, like six to
:00:20. > :00:27.eight weeks. You've been given a year, what do
:00:27. > :00:29.you think? Elated, brilliant. That's what we think, brilliant.
:00:29. > :00:33.Petrol stations here are worried over impending tanker driver
:00:33. > :00:36.strikes and whether the army can step in. We'll have to be certain
:00:36. > :00:39.that they're trained, otherwise we can't let them on our site.
:00:39. > :00:43.He's tipped for Olympic glory, but he's still found time to go back
:00:43. > :00:46.and inspire youngsters at his old school.
:00:46. > :00:56.And they're taking over our homes and gardens - the invasion of the
:00:56. > :01:02.
:01:02. > :01:05.Good evening and welcome to Tuesday's Midlands Today. Tonight,
:01:05. > :01:11.a just and pragmatic solution - that's how a judge has summed up a
:01:11. > :01:15.ruling which will force gypsies off greenbelt land in Meriden. But his
:01:15. > :01:20.decision to give them a year to leave the site has left campaigners,
:01:20. > :01:24.desperate to move them, furious. They wanted a quicker end to what's
:01:24. > :01:30.already been a two-year legal battle. The unauthorised gypsy camp
:01:30. > :01:35.was first set up in Meriden on 30th April 2010. The next day, residents
:01:35. > :01:37.started a 24-hour vigil outside the camp. On 7th July 2010, Solihull
:01:37. > :01:43.Council rejected an application by travellers to develop the greenbelt
:01:43. > :01:46.site in Meriden. More than a year later, the gypsies lost their
:01:46. > :01:52.appeal for retrospective planning permission in a ruling by Secretary
:01:52. > :01:55.of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles. At the
:01:55. > :02:01.start of February this year, the residents were told they'd have to
:02:01. > :02:11.remove their camp which has kept that daily 24-hour vigil since 2010.
:02:11. > :02:16.
:02:16. > :02:20.Sarah Falkland reports on today's SINGING. The euphoria did not last.
:02:20. > :02:24.There may have been cheers as a High Court judge threw out the
:02:24. > :02:27.gypsies' latest appeal backing the Secretary of State's ruling that
:02:27. > :02:31.the development in Meriden was harmful to the green belt but a few
:02:31. > :02:34.hours later, the same judge granted an injunction put forward by
:02:34. > :02:39.Solihull Council which meant the gypsies could now stay for another
:02:39. > :02:44.year. Elated, brilliant. That is what we think. Brilliant. Now we
:02:44. > :02:47.can work with the council even closer about finding a suitable
:02:47. > :02:51.site and hopefully they will come up with something. The gypsies
:02:51. > :02:54.health needs and their children's schooling were key factor in the
:02:54. > :02:58.injunction. The residents said they should have been moved on more
:02:58. > :03:06.quickly. I am upset about it because I think it is too long.
:03:06. > :03:10.feel bitterly disappointed. It is not in total with the views of the
:03:10. > :03:14.residents but what we have achieved today is a definitive end to the
:03:14. > :03:20.dispute. Solihull Council say they are pleased to put an end to a
:03:20. > :03:26.period of uncertainty. Today's agreement gives a firm date for the
:03:26. > :03:30.families living on the land to make an ordered vacation of the site and
:03:30. > :03:34.also assures a speedy restoration of the land to its previous
:03:34. > :03:38.condition. There may now be a finite end to this but the dispute
:03:38. > :03:46.has taken its toll on both sides. One of the gypsies has cerebral
:03:46. > :03:50.palsy. It has affected everything., our leads socially. This is not the
:03:50. > :03:59.best situation in the world -- our lives socially. At least we are not
:03:59. > :04:02.facing eviction in 28 days and giving us hope and time. The judge
:04:02. > :04:07.described this as pragmatic which he hoped would give peace of mind
:04:07. > :04:17.to both sides. The gypsies have until 4pm on 31st March to leave
:04:17. > :04:17.
:04:17. > :04:23.You can read more about the argument over the development of
:04:23. > :04:27.the site on the BBC Birmingham website.
:04:27. > :04:29.Thanks for joining us. Later in the programme, smuggling on the rise as
:04:29. > :04:39.hundreds of thousands of illegal cigarettes are seized in one county
:04:39. > :04:40.
:04:40. > :04:42.alone in the last year and a half. The Independent Police Complaints
:04:42. > :04:45.Commission have confirmed that they're aware of the disappearance
:04:45. > :04:48.of a substantial amount of cash seized as evidence by Warwickshire
:04:48. > :04:51.Police. The BBC has learned that the cash had been stored in former
:04:51. > :04:57.wine cellars at the force's mansion headquarters in Leek Wootton. Joan
:04:57. > :05:01.Cummins joins us now from our Coventry studio. Warwickshire
:05:01. > :05:08.Police have announced they are conducting a criminal investigation
:05:08. > :05:13.into the disappearance of �113,000. The cash was, according to the
:05:13. > :05:17.police, held in a secured storage area. I understand this was in a
:05:17. > :05:24.box in the cellars of the building. The cash had been seized under the
:05:24. > :05:28.proceeds of crime Act in 2009. In 2010, three individuals were
:05:28. > :05:33.subsequently convicted for a variety of offences. But the
:05:33. > :05:38.disappearing cash did not come to light until 20th September 11. The
:05:38. > :05:42.Chief Constable at the time of Keith Bristow and is now the head
:05:42. > :05:44.of the National crime agency. The matter was referred to the
:05:44. > :05:48.Independent Police Complaints Commission who decided that the
:05:48. > :05:52.matter can be conferred -- investigated locally and that is
:05:52. > :06:00.being investigated by the anti- corruption unit of the force. The
:06:00. > :06:04.police authority have refused to comment on the matter and others
:06:04. > :06:07.regard the incident as extremely serious and want the reassurances
:06:08. > :06:12.that it will be investigated fully pulls up what has been the reaction
:06:12. > :06:19.of the pause? You can imagine that this has caused a lot of
:06:19. > :06:23.embarrassment -- what has been the They said basically this was part
:06:23. > :06:28.of the investigation and that they want to spread the news across the
:06:28. > :06:34.force and also arcing people to contact Crimestoppers if they have
:06:34. > :06:38.information -- also asking people. A report into last summer's rioting
:06:38. > :06:41.in the West Midlands and across the UK says that a lack of support and
:06:41. > :06:43.opportunity for young people was one of the reasons for them
:06:43. > :06:46.starting. The Riots, Communities and Victims Panel also cited poor
:06:46. > :06:48.parenting, too much emphasis on materialism and a lack of
:06:49. > :06:51.confidence in the police. In the Midlands there were 770 arrests,
:06:51. > :07:00.but fewer than 300 people were actually charged in connection with
:07:00. > :07:03.the riots. The whole incident cost West Midlands Police �12 million.
:07:03. > :07:06.Joanne Writtle has been gathering reaction from some of the people
:07:06. > :07:11.caught up in last August's problems. Rioting raged for three nights last
:07:11. > :07:16.August in Birmingham, West Bromwich, Cape Hill and Wolverhampton. These
:07:16. > :07:22.the scenes at a coffee shop in Birmingham. Ransacked and left with
:07:22. > :07:25.�15,000 in damage. The owner later received royal visitors. Today he
:07:25. > :07:28.was outspoken about the report from the Riots, Communities and Victims
:07:28. > :07:38.Panel, in its comments about poor parenting and issues facing young
:07:38. > :07:41.
:07:41. > :07:47.people. There's not even one line mentioned about the families of the
:07:47. > :07:52.people affected in the riots. Those people whose shops were looted.
:07:52. > :07:54.What is the plan and what is the Government planning to do for those
:07:54. > :07:58.people? Brothers Shahzad Ali and Abdul
:07:58. > :08:01.Musavir and Haroon Jahan were hit by a car in Winson Green. A floral
:08:01. > :08:11.shrine quickly built up. Eight people have denied murder and go on
:08:11. > :08:15.trial next month. Seven months on, it is business as usual here. The
:08:15. > :08:22.flowers may have long gone but memories remain.
:08:22. > :08:30.This man is a mechanic close by. And this is his view on the report.
:08:30. > :08:34.I still say it is for the parents, they have the most responsibility
:08:34. > :08:37.for the children. Before the Government stepped in.
:08:37. > :08:41.The independent report's due out tomorrow. Recommendations are wide-
:08:41. > :08:44.ranging, including more help to get young people into work. A point
:08:44. > :08:50.pertinent to the West Midlands, where one in five youngsters is
:08:50. > :08:55.And there'll be more reaction to the Riot Panel report here on BBC
:08:55. > :09:00.Midlands Today tomorrow, when we hear from local MPs.
:09:00. > :09:03.Two men who died in a crash on the M5 on Saturday have been named.
:09:03. > :09:07.Liaquat Ali who was 35 and from Smethwick was a passenger on the
:09:07. > :09:12.bus and died at the scene. 65-year- old lorry driver William Mapstone
:09:12. > :09:14.from Somerset died in hospital. It happened when his lorry hit a
:09:14. > :09:18.single-decker bus on the southbound carriageway close to junction three
:09:18. > :09:23.at Frankley. The driver of the bus, a 49-year-old Birmingham man,
:09:23. > :09:26.remains on bail in connection with the incident.
:09:26. > :09:31.The Government will publish its plans for the second phase of the
:09:31. > :09:34.HS2 high-speed rail project in the autumn. The second phase envisages
:09:34. > :09:36.a Y-shaped line continuing north of Birmingham through Staffordshire to
:09:36. > :09:46.Manchester and Leeds with connections further north and into
:09:46. > :09:48.Scotland. It would be completed around 2032/33.
:09:48. > :09:52.Petrol retailers say they're concerned about the army being
:09:52. > :09:55.brought in to deliver fuel if there's strike by tanker drivers.
:09:55. > :09:59.Their trade association, RMI Petrol, says although no date has been
:09:59. > :10:02.announced for the action, the army has yet to be properly trained.
:10:02. > :10:11.Drivers have voted unanimously in favour of strike in a dispute over
:10:11. > :10:14.pay and conditions. Our transport New pump technology on display at a
:10:14. > :10:17.trade show in the Midlands. But refurbishing forecourts was the
:10:17. > :10:27.last thing on people's minds today with the threat of a tanker
:10:27. > :10:27.
:10:27. > :10:32.It is just escalating and it is benefiting nobody. I am not
:10:32. > :10:35.bothered. I have to use my automobile to make a living and it
:10:35. > :10:38.makes life difficult. If it is something they have to do, I think
:10:38. > :10:40.they need support. And the trade association which
:10:40. > :10:47.represents petrol retailers is concerned that delivering problems
:10:47. > :10:54.could force even more forecourts out of business. This is ramping up
:10:54. > :11:01.the wholesale price. A big tanker is �55,000, but is a lot of money
:11:01. > :11:05.for a retainer to find in a daze. - - in eight days. Historically
:11:05. > :11:08.stocking West, blocking cash flows. It's all reminiscent of the fuel
:11:08. > :11:10.blockades of the year 2000. Within days, many filling stations ran out
:11:10. > :11:13.of fuel and rationing was introduced.
:11:13. > :11:15.And if there is a strike, things could be worse than in 2000.
:11:15. > :11:18.Because there are fewer petrol stations around and therefore fewer
:11:18. > :11:23.places to store fuel. In 1998 there were 14,500 petrol retailers.
:11:23. > :11:31.That's dropped to 8,500 today. Putting a potential squeeze on what
:11:31. > :11:37.remains. The big question is how well Pascal stations like this be
:11:38. > :11:41.affected if and when a strike is called? -- the big question is how
:11:41. > :11:44.well petrol stations like this. They could run out of fuel fairly
:11:44. > :11:50.quickly. And there are also concerns about
:11:50. > :11:53.what happens if the Government calls in the army to deliver fuel.
:11:53. > :11:56.Week as retailers will be responsible and must make sure they
:11:56. > :12:00.are trained otherwise we cannot allow them on our side.
:12:00. > :12:06.But not every fuel depot will be affected. At this facility in
:12:07. > :12:10.Birmingham, drivers won't be taking part in any strike. It is a family
:12:10. > :12:13.business, why would we want to go on strike when we have got bills to
:12:13. > :12:16.pay? At the oil depot at Kingsbury in
:12:16. > :12:18.Warwickshire it was business as usual today because so far no dates
:12:18. > :12:23.have been announced. If the situation can't be resolved, then
:12:23. > :12:26.it's most likely that drivers will walk out sometime around Easter.
:12:26. > :12:33.And Peter's at a filling station in Birmingham tonight. What are the
:12:33. > :12:39.companies that employ the driver saying about the threat of strikes?
:12:39. > :12:42.Apart the largest inland depot for the storage of fuel, Kingsbury, the
:12:42. > :12:45.biggest company is Wincanton and they say that it is disappointing
:12:45. > :12:48.to see that some of our drivers have voted in favour of industrial
:12:48. > :12:52.action which we believe is wholly unnecessary, that is their
:12:52. > :12:57.statement. They say the exact reason for the dispute remains
:12:57. > :13:02.unclear and they say they are committed to a dialogue with
:13:02. > :13:06.workers. They say their drivers are among the best rewarded in the
:13:06. > :13:12.industry and they say they are defiant that there should be no
:13:12. > :13:15.reason for the strike. Could talks stop these strikes going ahead?
:13:15. > :13:18.Which will represent does have been meeting in London to discuss
:13:18. > :13:22.basically the results of the overwhelming strike ballot and they
:13:22. > :13:26.say that no talks are planned with employers at the moment and that
:13:26. > :13:30.indicates a wide gap between the two which normal circumstances
:13:30. > :13:35.would mean that strike action is inevitable. We could see some
:13:35. > :13:38.strike dates announced as early as tomorrow if the meeting goes ahead.
:13:38. > :13:41.If they want to hold strikes over Easter, then they must have
:13:41. > :13:51.announced by Thursday because legally unions have to give seven
:13:51. > :13:53.
:13:53. > :13:56.If you're a smoker, a packet of 20 cigarettes can now set you back
:13:56. > :13:59.over �8. With alcohol prices set to rise as well, it maybe no surprise
:13:59. > :14:02.that the smuggling trade appears to be booming. Hundreds of thousands
:14:02. > :14:04.of illegal cigarettes have been seized in the Midlands. One MP
:14:04. > :14:06.believes that's just the tip of the iceberg.
:14:06. > :14:15.A small fraction of the illegal cigarettes seized by Trading
:14:15. > :14:18.Standards in Herefordshire in recent months. We have received
:14:18. > :14:23.around a third of a million cigarettes or hand-rolling tobacco
:14:23. > :14:26.products. Most of it is coming from Eastern Europe. But certainly some
:14:26. > :14:33.stuff is produced in China. it's legitimate retailers like
:14:33. > :14:36.Stephen Beddards who are paying the price. I know there are quite a few
:14:36. > :14:42.shops within Hereford where under the counter at cigarettes are
:14:42. > :14:49.readily available at more or less half the price that I am selling
:14:49. > :14:54.mine for. So around four pounds. What impact does it have on your
:14:54. > :14:57.business? What impact do you think? They are spending money elsewhere.
:14:57. > :15:03.With illegal alcohol also a problem, in the Commons the local MP called
:15:03. > :15:06.for harsher punishments for the smugglers. It is not enough just to
:15:06. > :15:11.seize goods and impose these relatively modest fines, they must
:15:11. > :15:14.be able to close down promises for significant periods of time where
:15:14. > :15:20.there have been repeated violations of the law. But the Treasury
:15:20. > :15:26.Minister insisted the Government is tackling the problem. Substantial
:15:26. > :15:29.enforcement activity is already carried out and those involved in
:15:29. > :15:32.the fraud are already penalised. all know that smoking is bad for
:15:32. > :15:35.you but when you smell cigarettes you at least expect to smell
:15:35. > :15:38.tobacco. Smell in here and it's absolutely disgusting. Other fake
:15:38. > :15:41.cigarettes have been found to contain rat poison, rat faeces and
:15:41. > :15:47.even arsenic. But as we discovered, people are still willing to take
:15:47. > :15:51.the risk. Why did you buy illegal cigarettes? Because they were
:15:51. > :15:55.cheaper. It does it worry you what is in them? Not really, they are
:15:55. > :15:57.all bad for you anywhere. This nationwide problem is costing
:15:57. > :16:00.the country millions of pounds in lost revenue. The National
:16:00. > :16:10.Federation of Retailers says it now wants to see more funding given to
:16:10. > :16:11.
:16:11. > :16:15.Trading Standards to tackle the Quite horrifying, the contents of
:16:15. > :16:18.those fake cigarettes. Still to come this evening: the
:16:18. > :16:21.downside of the warm weather, as our own much-loved ladybirds are
:16:21. > :16:24.under threat from their oversized continental cousins. But of course
:16:24. > :16:27.the upside of the weather is the chance to enjoy this wonderful
:16:27. > :16:37.sunshine. And if you thought today was warm... Well, just wait until
:16:37. > :16:39.
:16:39. > :16:41.tomorrow. The full forecast is Campaigners are calling for a
:16:41. > :16:49.public inquiry over plans to redesign the road layout in their
:16:49. > :16:53.town. The �5 million plans for the centre of Leek in Staffordshire
:16:53. > :16:57.would see the introduction of a so- called "shared space" at a busy A-
:16:57. > :17:00.road junction. Kevin Reide reports. Campaigners vent their frustrations
:17:00. > :17:05.outside Staffordshire Moorlands District Council in Leek last week
:17:05. > :17:08.over plans to redesign the town centre's roads. They're
:17:08. > :17:10.particularly unhappy at the removal of an iconic traffic island and the
:17:10. > :17:19.creation of a so-called "shared space" where pedestrians and
:17:19. > :17:26.traffic use the same area. The so- called shared space would be
:17:26. > :17:28.created here behind me opposite the town's Nickleson Memorial. It would
:17:28. > :17:30.involve the removal of this roundabout and there are real
:17:30. > :17:34.concerns amongst the protesters today particularly about their
:17:34. > :17:42.safety. Rick Martin Bacon has 60% normal vision and is particularly
:17:42. > :17:47.worried. I am being discriminated against. The simple reason - I have
:17:47. > :17:52.partial sight. They do not have the right to do this. But they seem
:17:52. > :17:57.hell-bent on doing it. I want these people to stop. People love this
:17:58. > :18:03.roundabout. It is the iconic kicked way to Leek. It is iconic and we
:18:03. > :18:06.love it. -- it is the iconic gateway to Leek.
:18:06. > :18:09.The council says the town is in danger of gridlock and the changes
:18:09. > :18:12.have been needed for decades. They've been prompted now because
:18:12. > :18:18.millions of pounds is being offered by Sainsburys as part of a deal for
:18:18. > :18:21.this new supermarket. The authority also says safety will be a priority.
:18:21. > :18:25.People are working very hard to make sure that every safety aspect
:18:25. > :18:28.is looked at and considered. Work is set to start soon but the
:18:28. > :18:32.protesters are hoping to bring it to a halt and have written to the
:18:32. > :18:35.Government demanding a public inquiry.
:18:35. > :18:38.Cricket now and Ian Bell's performance with the bat was a rare
:18:38. > :18:41.high point for England in the first test against Sri Lanka today.
:18:41. > :18:45.Bell's been under pressure after struggling in the series defeat
:18:45. > :18:51.against Pakistan. But today in Galle he was England's top scorer
:18:51. > :18:55.in the first innings with 52. But England slumped to 193 all out. Sri
:18:55. > :18:57.Lanka lead by 209 runs with five second innings wickets left.
:18:57. > :19:01.Port Vale supporters are being warned not to travel without a
:19:01. > :19:04.ticket for tonight's important League Two game at Shrewsbury Town.
:19:04. > :19:07.A big police operation's in place for the match which is vital to
:19:07. > :19:13.Shrewsbury's chances of automatic promotion. A win could lift them
:19:13. > :19:16.six points clear of the play-off places, with just seven games to go.
:19:16. > :19:26.And there's full commentary on that game on both BBC Radio Shropshire
:19:26. > :19:29.
:19:29. > :19:36.and BBC Radio Stoke this evening It is four months exactly to the
:19:36. > :19:42.opening ceremony of London 2012 and a doctor is getting ready to treat
:19:42. > :19:49.the athletes. For I will check to see if there are fluids in your
:19:49. > :19:52.knee. This is Dr Leon Creaney's day job.
:19:52. > :19:55.Helen Smith landed badly during a Premier League netball match and
:19:55. > :19:57.has damaged her knee. It's his skill as a sports specialist which
:19:57. > :20:00.has landed him the greatest job in the world.
:20:01. > :20:07.Dr Creaney will be one of just four doctors to go trackside and treat
:20:07. > :20:12.the world's premier athletes during the nine days of the Olympic Games.
:20:12. > :20:14.Me and my colleagues have worked towards this. We have a speciality
:20:14. > :20:18.in the United Kingdom. Last week, he picked up bronze
:20:18. > :20:25.himself in the 200 metres at the British Masters, but he is looking
:20:25. > :20:28.forward to seeing the greats of sprinting. A big draw are some of
:20:28. > :20:31.the Jamaican sprinter is, people like Usain Bolt.
:20:31. > :20:39.Footballer Fabrice Muamba's cardiac arrest ten days ago brings into
:20:39. > :20:41.focus just how vital medical staff can be. We are fully trained in
:20:41. > :20:45.dealing with emergencies, whether they beat heart problems,
:20:45. > :20:50.respiratory problems or traumatic injuries. People can break their
:20:50. > :20:56.legs. That has happened in track- and-field and indoor races. People
:20:56. > :21:03.cannot fall right off the vault and we must be prepared for any
:21:03. > :21:07.eventuality. One of the great legacies of the Olympic Games will
:21:07. > :21:17.they will be able to treat patients long after the Games are over. And
:21:17. > :21:17.
:21:17. > :21:20.hopefully more people will lead a Today one Olympic hopeful was
:21:20. > :21:22.looking backwards instead of forwards. High jumper Tom Parsons
:21:22. > :21:30.visited his old school in Birmingham to reminisce and do some
:21:30. > :21:38.coaching, as Dan Pallett found out. Once he was a pupil here. Today Tom
:21:38. > :21:45.Parsons returned to his old school teaching the high jump. A bit scary,
:21:45. > :21:48.this is where it all began for me. I will try to coach some of these
:21:49. > :21:53.kids. I like coming in the sports hall and having a go at the high
:21:53. > :21:56.jump. Pupils at King Edward VI Five Ways School at Bartley Green in
:21:56. > :22:03.Birmingham were delighted to have top class. His old teachers were
:22:03. > :22:10.just pleased to see him. He was fun and studious but could also be
:22:10. > :22:13.cheeky. He was also a very nice lad. He is now passing on his knowledge
:22:13. > :22:17.to the next generation. And they were also treated to
:22:17. > :22:20.seeing Tom in action, albeit at a much lower height than he's capable
:22:20. > :22:30.of. Tom was eighth at the Beijing Olympics. He's now 27 and must jump
:22:30. > :22:34.to his personal best of 2.31 metres just to qualify for London 2012. I
:22:34. > :22:39.had an operation on my ankle in November and since Christmas it has
:22:39. > :22:43.been going well. I have got a new coaching set-up. I am in as good a
:22:44. > :22:52.shape if not better than ever. By a pretty confident to get in the team.
:22:53. > :22:57.And then once I know I am in the And today he showed a talent for
:22:57. > :22:59.coaching when his jumping days are over.
:22:59. > :23:03.Chances are with all this magnificent weather we've been
:23:03. > :23:06.having, you've probably spent some time outside. You may also have
:23:06. > :23:09.noticed the odd ladybird or two. Sadly, one of England's most
:23:09. > :23:16.recognisable insects is under threat, from a foreign invader. Ben
:23:16. > :23:19.Sidwell has been to see the good They're one of the first signs of
:23:19. > :23:24.spring and instantly recognisable. But the little ladybirds we've
:23:24. > :23:26.grown up with are facing a threat from their own kind. A bigger and
:23:26. > :23:36.more ferocious ladybird, called the Harlequin, which has invaded our
:23:36. > :23:37.
:23:38. > :23:42.shores from Europe. The first Harlequin ladybirds were spotted in
:23:42. > :23:48.2004 in the UK and they have mood about 100 kilometres north which
:23:48. > :23:50.means now they are becoming a real pest. White here in the Midlands. -
:23:50. > :23:53.- right here. At Altek Midlands Environmental
:23:53. > :23:55.Services in Frankley they're used to dealing with pests, such as
:23:55. > :24:04.wasps, rats or even bedbugs. Recently the Harlequin ladybird has
:24:04. > :24:08.been added to the list and the number of cases are quickly rising.
:24:08. > :24:14.They are literally eating our native species so they are becoming
:24:14. > :24:16.more prominent and overpowering the normal ladybirds that we just take
:24:16. > :24:18.for granted. While British ladybirds shelter
:24:18. > :24:21.outside during the winter, the Harlequin prefers the warmth of a
:24:21. > :24:30.building. Causing problems like the one at this office in Harborne in
:24:30. > :24:35.Birmingham. These are the ones, huge clusters, rooms. They can take
:24:35. > :24:37.over a whole house, thousands can take over. No harm but huge
:24:37. > :24:40.nuisance factor. For entomologists like Professor
:24:40. > :24:43.Moray Anderson, however, there's a bigger concern than just the pest
:24:43. > :24:53.problem. The Harlequin threatens the very existence of our 46 native
:24:53. > :24:54.
:24:54. > :24:58.ladybird species. The United States, there it has taken over in many
:24:58. > :25:01.areas as being the most predominant lady bird species whereas the
:25:01. > :25:04.native ladybirds have been literally destroyed by it.
:25:04. > :25:07.For the foreign ladybird invaders in this office, it's the end of the
:25:07. > :25:10.line. While the Harlequin may be good news for pest control firms,
:25:10. > :25:20.the hope is it won't mean the disappearance of the British
:25:20. > :25:23.
:25:23. > :25:32.Glorious weather again today, let's find out what is in store for
:25:32. > :25:38.The weather is giving us some great contrast at the moment. Bidets are
:25:38. > :25:46.Sunni and very warm but the nights are a different story. -- the days
:25:46. > :25:50.are very sunny and warm. We got down to minus one Celsius but today
:25:50. > :25:54.all the way up to 18 degrees, a 19 degree difference in the course of
:25:55. > :25:57.one day and we will see similar contrast tonight because after the
:25:57. > :26:03.sunshine of today, be clear skies will allow all that heat to escape
:26:03. > :26:11.into the atmosphere and allowed temperatures to really plans. A
:26:11. > :26:16.touch of frost and the odd isolated patch of four -- to really plunge.
:26:16. > :26:18.Dawn is fine and bright and sunny and tomorrow we will see sunshine
:26:19. > :26:22.from dawn work through until dusk, very little cloud and that sunshine
:26:22. > :26:29.will do wonders for the temperatures. Even warmer than
:26:29. > :26:33.today, highs of 22 Celsius which in an amazing 72 in Fahrenheit. That
:26:33. > :26:37.stands us in good stead compared to other parts of continental Europe.
:26:38. > :26:41.If you were thinking of going to France, Portugal or Spain,
:26:41. > :26:46.temperatures not much better than in the Midlands. One place we
:26:46. > :26:52.cannot compete with at the moment is Tenerife, they will be basking
:26:52. > :26:58.in 29 degrees. Tomorrow is the peak of the warmth, and then the ridge
:26:58. > :27:01.of high pressure dominating our weather drift to the west allowing
:27:01. > :27:05.slightly cooler situations. Only dropping back to where they should
:27:05. > :27:10.be there. Around 11 degrees by Saturday. A bit of a change by the
:27:10. > :27:20.end of the week. If you want to follow our latest thoughts on the
:27:20. > :27:20.
:27:20. > :27:23.weather, for a loss on Twitter. -- A look at tonight's main headlines:
:27:23. > :27:26.Half a million forgotten families, a report says they hold the key to
:27:26. > :27:28.the causes of last year's riots. It blames everything from poor
:27:28. > :27:35.parenting to schools. And a judge gives gypsies illegally