25/10/2012 Midlands Today


25/10/2012

Similar Content

Browse content similar to 25/10/2012. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines: The family of a BBC

:00:20.:00:23.

germ -- journalist want an investigation into his apparent

:00:23.:00:28.

suicide. Retailers say they are still suffering from falling sales

:00:29.:00:32.

despite the Colonia Pat Kikkoman out of recession. And battling the

:00:32.:00:36.

rising whooping cough - one mother's story. It was touch-and-go,

:00:36.:00:43.

so we do feel lucky that she is here. And flying high - the

:00:43.:00:53.
:00:53.:00:56.

windsurfing champion from Good evening. The family of a BBC

:00:56.:00:58.

journalist who apparently committed suicide want an inquiry into the

:00:59.:01:01.

way management handled allegations that he was being harassed by a

:01:01.:01:07.

former female colleague. Russell Joslin worked as a reporter for BBC

:01:07.:01:11.

Coventry and Warwickshire. His father, Peter Joslin, who's a

:01:11.:01:13.

former chief constable of Warwickshire Police, said that his

:01:13.:01:17.

son had been let down by management. The BBC says the family's concerns

:01:17.:01:27.
:01:27.:01:29.

will be vigorously addressed. On the steps of the technical

:01:29.:01:35.

college here... Russell Jocelyn conducting a face-

:01:35.:01:39.

to-face interview. This is what he did. Russell Joslin first worked

:01:39.:01:42.

for the BBC in the mid '90s. Later, at BBC Coventry and Warwickshire,

:01:42.:01:45.

he became a correspondent. Over the past six months, his

:01:45.:01:47.

family say he'd suffered mental health problems. The 50-year-old

:01:47.:01:51.

died on Monday after being admitted to St Michael's Hospital in Warwick.

:01:51.:01:54.

Two days earlier, he'd walked in front of a bus in Keniliworth, in

:01:54.:01:59.

an apparent suicide attempt. An inquest was opened today at

:01:59.:02:09.

Warwickshire Justice Centre in Leamington Spa. The hearing lasted

:02:09.:02:13.

two minutes. The court heard there has been a post mortem examination

:02:13.:02:17.

and preliminary tests showed it he died from asphyxiation with a

:02:17.:02:22.

plastic bag blocking his their way. The coroner, Sean McGovern, offered

:02:22.:02:26.

his condolences to the Russell family, and adjourned the inquest.

:02:26.:02:30.

In an interview with a news agency, his father Peter Joslin alleges the

:02:30.:02:32.

BBC failed to support him, with managers missing opportunities to

:02:32.:02:35.

intervene over an allegation he was being harassed by a former female

:02:35.:02:42.

colleague. He said the situation had become "intolerable" and said

:02:42.:02:52.
:02:52.:03:13.

there had been "failures of Peter Joslin says St Micahel's

:03:13.:03:19.

Hospital in Warwick also has questions to answer. The NHS Trust

:03:19.:03:29.
:03:29.:03:31.

Friends and former colleagues have tonight been paying tribute to the

:03:31.:03:40.

reporter. He seemed to be a great character, full of life himself and

:03:40.:03:44.

full of interest in other people. Russell Joslin's funeral will take

:03:44.:03:52.

place next wednesday. Ben Godfrey, BBC Midlands Today.

:03:52.:03:56.

And we hope to have a statement from the family later in the

:03:56.:04:01.

programme. Coming up: The Olympic legacy. How

:04:01.:04:10.

long will the game's feel-good factor be felt in the Midlands? As

:04:10.:04:13.

you may have seen, the latest figures show that the UK economy

:04:13.:04:16.

grew by 1% over the last three months. But the news on the High

:04:16.:04:19.

Street isn't so good. A survey of independent retailers released

:04:19.:04:23.

today shows falling confidence and shrinking sales. In fact in this

:04:23.:04:25.

region, small shopkeepers have been hit harder than anywhere else in

:04:25.:04:29.

the country. Our business correspondent Peter Plisner has

:04:29.:04:31.

been in the small Warwickshire town of Shipston-on-Stour to see how

:04:31.:04:38.

shopkeepers there are coping. Not much comfort here for pet owners or

:04:38.:04:43.

shop owners. Rising prices and declining sales arn't good for

:04:43.:04:47.

anyone. Here shoppers are being much more cautious about how they

:04:48.:04:56.

pamper their pets. The last three months, we have definitely noticed

:04:56.:05:02.

a difference. Customers don't go for the luxury items any more. The

:05:02.:05:05.

top five Browns have always sold well, but they are going down a

:05:06.:05:09.

brand. Across the road, although trade has picked up recently, for

:05:09.:05:15.

this clothing and footwear store it's been bad summer. We have been

:05:15.:05:20.

very whether driven. The Olympics have had a big impact. But even

:05:20.:05:24.

amongst those who were there today the watchword was, well, caution.

:05:24.:05:28.

You have to think what you are going to get, and plan ahead.

:05:28.:05:33.

Generally, not spending money unless we have to. Profits are

:05:33.:05:37.

being boosted by hollowing product, but it is frightening here in the

:05:37.:05:47.
:05:47.:05:47.

high street. Sales are down 7%, that is quite scary. And the same

:05:47.:05:50.

survey found that 64% of those questioned said sales had declined

:05:50.:05:53.

in the last three months, while 51% of shopkeepers said they were

:05:53.:05:56.

anxious about the year ahead. Those behind the survey say things

:05:56.:06:05.

clearly aren't getting any better. Confidence lags. People need a

:06:05.:06:09.

while to get used to the idea that things are getting better. They are

:06:09.:06:12.

keeping money in their pockets until they are confident they can

:06:12.:06:16.

start to spend again. But will it happen in the run up to Christmas?

:06:16.:06:22.

At Shipston's Post Office and gift shop, they don't think so. How

:06:22.:06:28.

cautious are people being? Very cautious, I think. We are finding

:06:28.:06:33.

that we are selling the cheaper end of the things, stocking-fillers

:06:33.:06:39.

rather than major presence. Many stores bank on Christmas to boost

:06:39.:06:44.

their profits, and it's hoped that today's better than expected

:06:44.:06:47.

economic news will persuade more people to go down the High Street

:06:47.:06:51.

and part with their cash. Joining me now in the studio is Beverley

:06:51.:06:53.

Neilsen from Birmingham City University and author of a report

:06:53.:07:03.
:07:03.:07:05.

called Looking for Growth. A mixed picture today. Clearly it is a very

:07:05.:07:08.

challenging picture at the moment, and for some people it really is

:07:08.:07:15.

very tough. Companies where design and innovation is integrated into

:07:15.:07:20.

their whole approach, they are really doing incredibly much better,

:07:20.:07:24.

outperforming the economy significantly, and that is across

:07:24.:07:28.

all fronts. There are growing faster, selling more, exporting

:07:28.:07:31.

more, and taking on people, so it is a very positive picture for

:07:31.:07:38.

those businesses. A big problem in the West Midlands with unemployment.

:07:38.:07:42.

When will this growth see tangible jobs for people? It is enormously

:07:42.:07:47.

tough for people out there, especially if you have lost a job.

:07:47.:07:52.

62% of the sample that I looked at were taking on people, and they are

:07:52.:07:55.

businesses where they have a very specialist focus, they might be

:07:55.:08:02.

Brand led. That is giving them protection. They are also investing

:08:02.:08:06.

more for the future. So it was encouraging to see that where

:08:06.:08:10.

businesses are able to take those lessons on board, they are able to

:08:10.:08:15.

outperform the economy and even grow jobs. If design, innovation,

:08:15.:08:19.

which is what the West Midlands were famous for the first place.

:08:19.:08:23.

Indeed, and it is something these businesses value very much in

:08:23.:08:33.
:08:33.:08:35.

giving the money you make of the city -- unique authenticity.

:08:35.:08:45.
:08:45.:08:48.

Basically growing from what we have got. Beverley, thank you. And later

:08:49.:08:51.

in the programme we'll be looking at the economic health of

:08:51.:08:53.

Staffordshire's pottery industry. Thousands of jobs have been shed,

:08:53.:08:56.

but has it found a route to recovery at last?

:08:56.:08:59.

The family of the teenage girl who was shot by the Taliban flew into

:08:59.:09:02.

Birmingham this afternoon. Malala Yousafzai is being treated at the

:09:02.:09:05.

Queen Elizabeth hospital in the city. Doctors say she's making

:09:05.:09:07.

steady progress. The 15-year-old was targeted by the Taliban because

:09:07.:09:10.

she campaigned for girls' education. A mother's urging pregnant women to

:09:10.:09:12.

get vaccinated against whooping cough after her baby daughter

:09:12.:09:15.

became ill shortly after being born. Today the Health Protection Agency

:09:15.:09:18.

reported that the numbers are still increasing, with more than 400

:09:18.:09:20.

cases of the potentially fatal disease in the region so far this

:09:20.:09:28.

year. Here's our health At just ten weeks old, Aila Boycott

:09:28.:09:33.

had bouts of uncontrollable coughing. You can hear the

:09:33.:09:36.

characteristic whoop which gives whooping cough its name. Thankfully,

:09:36.:09:39.

the toddler from Bloxwich has no long-term damage, and wants to show

:09:39.:09:42.

this video to pregnant mums so they know how about whooping cough

:09:42.:09:50.

really is. It is frightening, and you can't do anything at all for

:09:50.:09:53.

them. You can't breathe for them. You can't put her in a position to

:09:53.:09:57.

make the coughing any easier, you just had to let her cough, which

:09:57.:10:00.

was really horrific. It was a really nasty cough. And ring the

:10:00.:10:01.

emergency services when you needed them.

:10:02.:10:06.

Here, Aila couldn't catch her breath. So far, she's one of 40

:10:06.:10:10.

babies who caught the disease across the West Midlands this year.

:10:10.:10:14.

In 2010, there were just four. Protection from vaccination wears

:10:14.:10:17.

off in time, so the amount of whooping cough in the community

:10:17.:10:20.

goes up and down. But nobody really understands why at the moment there

:10:20.:10:25.

is so much of it about. So they're vaccinating mums-to-be. It is most

:10:25.:10:29.

effective between 28 and 32 weeks, but can be given up to 38 weeks

:10:29.:10:36.

pregnant. They can develop pneumonia from it. They can develop

:10:36.:10:40.

brain damage from it. The cough itself, once it is treated, if it

:10:40.:10:43.

is caught and treated with antibiotics, can last for many

:10:43.:10:51.

months afterwards. Some mums-to-be have refused the jab. When you

:10:51.:10:54.

first have your baby, it is such hard work, and sleep deprivation

:10:54.:10:57.

and everything else, and getting over feeding and sleeping, I think

:10:57.:11:00.

it is one less thing to worry about. The last thing you want is your

:11:00.:11:02.

baby poorly. Eleanor hopes her experience can

:11:02.:11:06.

ensure that another baby doesn't die this year.

:11:06.:11:09.

It was touch-and-go, so we do feel lucky that she is here and doing

:11:09.:11:15.

really well now, but things could have turned out quite differently.

:11:15.:11:18.

Michele Paduano, BBC Midlands Today. Well, Michele joins me now in the

:11:18.:11:22.

studio. The numbers of cases are rising fast. So how worrying is

:11:22.:11:32.

this? It is a concern. In our region, the

:11:32.:11:38.

numbers have risen by 25% in one month. It may be that the virus has

:11:38.:11:42.

mutated, and levels and the Community have gone down so low

:11:42.:11:46.

that we don't have an amenity for it. What is the risk to pregnant

:11:46.:11:52.

women and their babies? There is no risk to the mother, but

:11:52.:11:56.

to the baby, in the first two months of life, their immune system

:11:56.:12:02.

is too weak to be able to vaccinate them. Today, a tenth baby has died,

:12:02.:12:08.

but that is out of 350 cases across England. But even one baby dying is

:12:08.:12:10.

too many. Thank you.

:12:10.:12:13.

Another 50 trains will be cancelled in and around the Birmingham area

:12:13.:12:18.

tomorrow by rail operator London Midland. It's due to a shortage of

:12:18.:12:22.

drivers. The rail company says it's recruiting and hopes to be able to

:12:22.:12:25.

run a full service - but not until mid-December.

:12:25.:12:27.

Compensation details have been announced for residents living

:12:27.:12:30.

alongside the proposed route of the High Speed Rail Line between

:12:30.:12:34.

Birmingham and London. The Government has already agreed to

:12:34.:12:40.

buy homes within 60 metres of the track. Now homeowners will also get

:12:40.:12:43.

an additional 10% of the value of their property, with a limit of

:12:43.:12:47.

�47,000. Ministers say those forced to sell their blighted homes are

:12:47.:12:50.

getting a "generous" deal that goes "significantly beyond" what they

:12:50.:12:58.

A 26-year-old man has been charged with assault after a glassing

:12:58.:13:02.

incident in a Birmingham bar. Simon Morris was badly injured during the

:13:02.:13:05.

attack at the Victoria Pub in August. The 32-year-old had

:13:05.:13:08.

titanium plates fitted into his head and more than 60 staples to

:13:08.:13:14.

his head and face. A 24-year-old man has also been charged with

:13:14.:13:16.

assault following a separate incident in the same pub on the

:13:16.:13:22.

Detectives investigating the murder of 16-year-old Ben Morutare in

:13:22.:13:26.

Smethwick have charged a further two people with violent disorder.

:13:26.:13:30.

The teenagers, aged 17 and 18, have been bailed to appear at Sandwell

:13:30.:13:33.

Magistrates on 1 November. It means five people have now been charged

:13:33.:13:36.

in connection with Ben's death. He died after being stabbed in the leg

:13:36.:13:45.

Still to come tonight: on the crest of a wave - what it takes to become

:13:45.:13:51.

a world-class windsurfer. And after what we've had these past few days,

:13:51.:13:55.

a dramatic change in the weather is on its way - a cold snap courtesy

:13:55.:14:04.

More than 100 soldiers from the royal military police returned home

:14:04.:14:07.

to Telford this evening after a six-month tour of duty in

:14:07.:14:11.

Afghanistan. They headed back to base at Donington where family and

:14:11.:14:20.

friends were waiting. Our reporter Cath Mackie is at the barracks now.

:14:20.:14:25.

A very emotional evening in store? Really emotional. These people

:14:25.:14:30.

haven't seen their loved ones the six months. We're expecting the

:14:30.:14:35.

coach to arrive any minute now, but it will be a bittersweet reunion,

:14:35.:14:39.

because one of the soldiers didn't return. Corporal Brent McCarthy was

:14:40.:14:46.

25 and from Telford. I will have a quick chat with a couple of family

:14:46.:14:50.

members who have been waiting. You are waiting for your son Danny. You

:14:50.:14:57.

have been here for hours? I am really excited, and glad he is home.

:14:57.:15:01.

James Gilbert, your wife is also on that coach. How has it been for the

:15:01.:15:06.

family's? It has been a difficult six months, but it is her second

:15:06.:15:13.

tour. It was easier this time around. We look forward to meeting

:15:13.:15:18.

them. You have just got back, you very sensibly came a car. A lot of

:15:18.:15:23.

relief here tonight, but a lot of sadness, as well. Yes, we are

:15:23.:15:29.

delighted to get our boys and girls back to the UK. Lots of highs and

:15:29.:15:33.

some very tragic Lowes, particularly with the loss of sight

:15:33.:15:39.

and McCarthy. One of the jobs you are doing this training the Afghan

:15:39.:15:44.

forces. Just today we have heard two British soldiers killed by an

:15:44.:15:51.

Afghan police officer. It is not easy. It is very complex, it is a

:15:51.:15:55.

hard challenge. We train the guys so that they are as ready for it as

:15:55.:16:00.

they can be. It is not something we are aware of in terms of the last

:16:00.:16:06.

couple of days, because we have been travelling. Well, will come

:16:06.:16:10.

home. There will be Emma North parade on Sunday at the National

:16:10.:16:16.

arboretum, and after that, some will deservedly.

:16:16.:16:19.

Back to the economy, and on top of today's announcement of the largest

:16:19.:16:22.

quarterly rise in economic output for five years, there's also been

:16:22.:16:25.

good news for the ceramics industry. A major conference in the Potteries

:16:25.:16:27.

has been hearing how the industry's seeing improved growth, with

:16:27.:16:30.

increased focus on products which are made in the UK. From Stoke on

:16:30.:16:34.

Trent, here's our Staffordshire reporter Liz Copper.

:16:34.:16:37.

This is an industry that's always revolved around changing tastes and

:16:37.:16:42.

fashions. Recently, after tough times, some Potteries have been

:16:42.:16:47.

enjoying a resurgence. At this gathering of some of the world's

:16:47.:16:50.

leading ceramics companies, ware that's made in the UK is taking

:16:50.:17:00.
:17:00.:17:00.

centre stage. I can only use our own company as an example. We have

:17:01.:17:05.

seen exports quadruple in the last three months. It is terribly

:17:05.:17:08.

important that we continue to do this and support further growth in

:17:08.:17:11.

the UK economy. In the 1980s, 30,000 workers were

:17:11.:17:14.

directly employed by potteries in Stoke on Trent. Now that's figure's

:17:14.:17:24.
:17:24.:17:25.

nearer 6,000. The sector as a whole has sales of �1.5 billion a year.

:17:25.:17:27.

Although the Potteries will never employ the same numbers of workers

:17:27.:17:31.

they used to, there is increasing demand from some retailers for

:17:31.:17:36.

British-made pottery. We are finding it is becoming more

:17:36.:17:39.

realistic to source from the UK, so in home where, we are already

:17:39.:17:44.

working with the number of UK manufacturers. We have started re-

:17:44.:17:48.

engaging on the ceramics side, and we are actively looking for more

:17:48.:17:52.

factories that we can work with. Many of the techniques used in the

:17:52.:17:54.

industry are highly skilled. Continued growth will depend on

:17:54.:18:03.

ensuring these skills don't die out. Like a lot of industry and a lot of

:18:03.:18:06.

manufacturing across the UK, we are suffering from an ageing workforce.

:18:06.:18:10.

We need to make sure young people see this as an area of opportunity.

:18:10.:18:13.

The Christmas trading period is always crucial for the ceramics

:18:13.:18:15.

sector. But it seems with some firms reporting strong sales

:18:15.:18:18.

throughout the summer, this could be a vintage year. Liz Copper, BBC

:18:18.:18:26.

Midlands Today, Stoke on Trent. Back now to our main storage the

:18:26.:18:30.

apparent suicide of Russell Jocelyn. He complained he had been harassed

:18:30.:18:34.

at work, and BBC management say they will investigate those claims.

:18:34.:18:40.

In the last hour, his brother in- law read this statement for our

:18:40.:18:44.

correspondent Peter Wilson. We do not think the BBC is solely

:18:44.:18:50.

to blame for Russell's death. This is too simplistic, and factors to

:18:50.:18:53.

explain motives for suicide are usually complex. It is true we

:18:54.:18:57.

believe that there were questions that need answering by the BBC to

:18:57.:19:01.

explain how it could be that Russell formerly expressed

:19:01.:19:04.

significant concerns about several things going on at work, and yet

:19:04.:19:08.

ultimately was not taken seriously, apparently even to the point of

:19:09.:19:11.

recommendations from occupational health professionals not been

:19:12.:19:20.

heeded. Tragically, the stress caused through this, we believe, is

:19:20.:19:23.

a significant contributing factor in understanding what brought

:19:23.:19:27.

Russell to the brink of feeling no other option than to take his own

:19:27.:19:33.

life. We therefore welcome the fact that the BBC are reportedly

:19:33.:19:36.

launching an internal inquiry into these matters, which we will

:19:36.:19:40.

respect, and in due course look forward to their conclusions.

:19:40.:19:44.

That was down Barnard's speaking earlier about the death of his

:19:44.:19:54.
:19:54.:19:55.

brother in-law, Russell jostling for stopped.

:19:55.:19:57.

This summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games were widely

:19:57.:20:01.

regarded as a great success. Two months on and thoughts have turned

:20:01.:20:04.

to the legacy left by London 2012. Today in Coventry, which hosted

:20:04.:20:05.

Olympic football, organisers, athletes, volunteers and businesses

:20:05.:20:09.

met to celebrate the Games' success and decide where we go from here.

:20:09.:20:19.
:20:19.:20:31.

For anybody, there it was a moment In the West Midlands thousands of

:20:32.:20:34.

people played their part in the success of the Olympic and

:20:34.:20:38.

Paralympic Games. Today in Coventry some of those gathered to mark the

:20:38.:20:48.
:20:48.:20:50.

The purpose of today was to celebrate, but also to hand it back

:20:50.:20:54.

to those people and for them to keep the magic going. And to put it

:20:54.:20:57.

in a different context, but one that is very real.

:20:57.:21:01.

The Olympic and Paralympic Games brought in more than �600 million

:21:01.:21:05.

to the West Midlands economy, and saw almost 30,000 people in this

:21:05.:21:11.

region volunteer. Two months on, the big question now is, is there

:21:11.:21:15.

really a legacy, or is it all just consigned to history?

:21:15.:21:20.

Everybody is doing a good job on the legacy side, and our think as

:21:20.:21:24.

long as games makers and other volunteers can keep pushing that,

:21:24.:21:27.

we'll keep that going. One of the lasting memories of the

:21:27.:21:30.

summer were the 8,000 torch bearers who carried the flame around the

:21:30.:21:33.

county. The man whose company supplied the torch burners believes

:21:33.:21:41.

this a chance businesses just have to take. We have got to do it

:21:41.:21:45.

ourselves, to some extent, and if we can't take hold of this

:21:45.:21:49.

opportunity now, we aren't up to much, are we? As the sporting

:21:50.:21:53.

legacy, you need look no further for inspiration for an hour

:21:54.:21:57.

Midlands Paralympians. opportunities that out there now

:21:57.:22:02.

are for people to grab with both hands, and you really can achieve

:22:02.:22:07.

anything, whether you are able bodied, have a disability. If you

:22:07.:22:14.

really work hard enough, and put in 100% effort, anything is achievable.

:22:14.:22:17.

The games may be over, but for all people who helped make it such a

:22:17.:22:21.

success, the challenge now is to maintain its legacy for generations

:22:21.:22:31.

An opportunity we surely have to build on! Staying with sport, and

:22:31.:22:34.

Ben Proffitt is one of the best wave-riders in the world. That's

:22:34.:22:36.

extreme windsurfing to me and you. Ben, who's from land-locked

:22:36.:22:41.

Shropshire, has had one of his best ever seasons. He's been talking to

:22:41.:22:45.

Ian Winter. Grab your board, catch some rays

:22:45.:22:50.

and wave farewell to the great British winter. Destination Cape

:22:50.:22:53.

Town for many of the world's top windsurfers, and that includes Ben

:22:53.:22:58.

Proffitt, who is on a flying visit back home to landlocked Shropshire.

:22:58.:23:01.

Only a stone's throw from the A49 between Whitchurch and Shrewsbury,

:23:01.:23:03.

Ben and his Polish girlfriend Justyna have just returned from the

:23:03.:23:06.

Inner Hebrides, where Ben won the Tiree Wave Classic for the third

:23:06.:23:15.

year running. It went pretty well. Tiree Wave Classic is one of my

:23:15.:23:19.

favourite events on the British tour. It is probably the pinnacle.

:23:19.:23:23.

This year we are going for the third in a row, and we have had an

:23:23.:23:27.

expression session, and I won that, too. So pretty good for me, yes, it

:23:27.:23:30.

has been a good year. I was very proud of him. It was tough

:23:30.:23:33.

conditions because it was offshore. He made it look really easy, you

:23:33.:23:42.

know? It was great for him to be on top again. Really proud of him.

:23:42.:23:45.

Ben has been riding the waves since he was nine, and 25 years later, it

:23:45.:23:48.

is still the ultimate thrill. You see the gusts coming across the

:23:48.:23:52.

water, and you know it is going to hit, and then you get this increase

:23:52.:23:56.

in power, and you just fly and skim across the water. What you want to

:23:56.:24:00.

do is hit a ramp, that is the adrenaline rush when you are 30 or

:24:00.:24:03.

40ft in the air looking down, and you try to rotate. It is quite a

:24:03.:24:06.

scary feeling, but that is the buzz you want.

:24:06.:24:11.

Bizarrely, Ben's prize for winning in Scotland was this silver sword.

:24:11.:24:15.

Now he is heading for the south- west to the final event of the UK

:24:15.:24:18.

Wave tour this weekend. Next stop, Cornwall. Just a quick pit-stop

:24:18.:24:20.

back in Shropshire, forecast is looking good, easterly winds, could

:24:20.:24:25.

be pretty cold, but I think I can try and win it this year.

:24:25.:24:27.

So, Ben's boards are all on board, and the windsurfer's whistle-stop

:24:27.:24:37.
:24:37.:24:42.

tour is off to Penzance. Ian Winter, Fancied? 30 or 40 ft in the air?

:24:42.:24:48.

As long as the water is warm, I wouldn't mind! And A reminder that

:24:48.:24:51.

time is running out fast for you to submit your nominations for this

:24:51.:24:54.

year's BBC Midlands Sports Unsung Hero Award. For all the details go

:24:54.:24:56.

to bbc.co.uk/sportsunsunghero or the Midlands Today Facebook site

:24:56.:25:02.

and download the form. You can also call 0845 308 8000 and we'll send

:25:02.:25:06.

call 0845 308 8000 and we'll send you one in the post. That closing

:25:06.:25:16.
:25:16.:25:23.

Now for a look at the weather. It won't be weather for windsurfing.

:25:23.:25:26.

We saw a gradual improvement today, but there'll be a more dramatic one

:25:26.:25:29.

by tomorrow. You may have noticed that already it's begun to feel

:25:29.:25:33.

colder. That's because the warm air has now moved off to the south,

:25:33.:25:36.

while we're now lapping up the colder polar air that's flowing in

:25:36.:25:38.

from the north. So the transformation will be to sunnier

:25:38.:25:41.

but colder - much colder conditions over the next couple of days. So

:25:41.:25:45.

we're calling it a cold snap because I don't think it'll be any

:25:45.:25:47.

more prolonged than that. We really see that clearing-up process

:25:47.:25:50.

beginning in earnest tonight - the cold front that's been heading

:25:50.:25:53.

through the region today finally exits from the south later on so

:25:53.:25:57.

there could be some rain for southern counties to begin with.

:25:57.:26:00.

But after that it's looking a lot drier with clearer spells,

:26:00.:26:03.

especially so in the north and temperatures in rural spots of

:26:03.:26:10.

maybe two or three celsius for a touch of frost. But by tomorrow

:26:10.:26:12.

morning we'll see the cloud dissolving quite rapidly under the

:26:12.:26:16.

intensity of sun. A lovely day with blue sky and sparkling sunshine but

:26:16.:26:19.

a wintry feel to the day with temperatures rising no further than

:26:19.:26:21.

seven to eight Celsius, and in brisk north-easterly winds there'll

:26:21.:26:31.
:26:31.:26:32.

be an added wind chill as well. It will fall -- it will feel more like

:26:32.:26:40.

But the temperatures really will plunge overnight tomorrow. In some

:26:40.:26:42.

cases to just below freezing leading to a widespread ground

:26:42.:26:52.
:26:52.:26:52.

frost, even a touch of air frost. Temperatures will dip to just below

:26:52.:27:02.
:27:02.:27:04.

zero. A similar scenario on A look at tonight's main headlines:

:27:04.:27:07.

Signs of growth at last as the economy moves out of recession. And

:27:07.:27:10.

the family of a BBC journalist who apparently committed suicide want

:27:10.:27:12.

an inquiry into whether managers dealt with his concerns.

:27:12.:27:16.

Just before we go, police are are appealing for help to trace a nine-

:27:16.:27:19.

year-old boy who went missing from his home in Aston in Birmingham

:27:19.:27:22.

earlier today. Jahavrie McLenan ran away from his home on Yew Tree Road

:27:22.:27:25.

following a family argument just after 1.30pm. He's described as

:27:25.:27:28.

black, with short dark hair and was last seen wearing a light blue

:27:28.:27:31.

denim jacket, white T-shirt, black tracksuit bottoms with a red stripe

:27:31.:27:38.

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS