23/12/2013 Midlands Today

Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight: Six months'

jail for a company boss who defied orders to remove a mountain of

rubbish towering over homes. This is the view that we wake up to

each day. It is horrendous. Is getting worse.

Also tonight, all eyes on the dismal holiday weather that's drenched the

region for much of the day. Rain and high winds have brought disruption

to Christmas travel plans. We'll have the latest.

I'm live at the Birmingham Christmas shelter, where 3,500 meals will be

served to homeless people over five years.

Birmingham rockers Black Sabbath on stage back home ` and don't their

fans love it! And will these storms ever subside

in time for Christmas? There's a lot to get through over the next day or

so ` winds, rain and even some snow. Join me later for all the details.

Good evening. A Black Country businessman's been jailed for six

months for failing to clear a giant pile of rubbish. Robert McNaughton

repeatedly ignored court orders to move hundreds of tonnes of waste

from his yard in Brierley Hill. For four years, residents have had to

put up with the eyesore towering over their homes. At its peak, it

reached a height of 13m ` around 40ft. The cost of clearing it up

could be as much as ?750,000. But when that will happen is still

uncertain. Giles Latcham was in court.

A last taste of freedom for Robert McNaughton, who will now spend

Christmas behind bars. In his yard at Brierley Hill, hundreds of tonnes

of household waste and soil piled up to 13m high. For locals, a stinking

and ugly blot on their skyline. This is the view we wake up to each

day. It's horrendous. It's getting worse, not better.

??BLUE He had the opportunity over the last four years to have moved

that stuff of his own speed, and he's made a number of promises, none

of which have been kept. The Environment Agency have now got to

the stage where they've got to do something about it, because it's

just gone on for far too long. Robert McNaughton's licence to

operate this site has been revoked. He says the landlord has locked him

out. During a break in the hearing at court, he agreed for the first

time to be interviewed. I asked him about the misery he has caused for

the people living around here. I am liable. I intend to get it

moved. If the judge decides to take my liberty away, I will have to

serve my punishment. If I keep my liberty, I will continue to try and

move it ` my best endeavours. But deprived of his liberty he was.

The judge ordered that a six`month sentence for contempt of court

should now be served. We are obviously very pleased that

the court has supported us in this action. The local residents have put

up with a lot, and they are frustrated. Our intention has always

been to get the site cleared, and the judge was very clear today he

wants that too. The issue from the residents' point

of view is the fact that we've still got a massive amount of waste that's

got to be cleared, and I think that is going to be a separate issue and

saga altogether. Saga is right. The clear`up could

cost ?750,000. Another court case is planned to try to get the landlord

to stump up. What price this pile of rubbish is still here next

Christmas? Giles Latcham, BBC. Coming up later in the programme:

hopes that a third liver transplant can give Kate the chance to live a

life she's only been able to dream of.

Severe stormy weather sweeping up from the south has been causing

problems on road and rail today. There's been a number of train

cancellations already. We can go over live to Snow Hill Station in

Birmingham now, and our reporter Bob Hockenhull.

Lots of trouble, I'm afraid on the railways, Nick. There are some power

line problems at Watford, which means that trains in and out of

Houston have been significantly reduced. Also, from seven o'clock

tonight, there will be a 50 mph speed limit on network rail's entire

network, so that means, of course, because of the bad weather. As well

as trains, planes have been struggling today, and a lot of lanes

at Birmingham Airport have been struggling to land in the high

winds. I gather there has been concern about flooding. That's

right, Nick. There are three flood `` 33 flood alerts. Not only our car

users having to watch out, but pedestrians are as well. Many have

been battling with their umbrellas today. The winds gusted up to 50 or

60 mph. In Stafford, they have had their Christmas celebrations

disrupted. A few weeks ago, we filmed the lovely Christmas tree in

Market Square. If you go back there today, it has been taking down

because they felt it was unsafe to live it up. Less Christmas cheer in

Stafford. The messages for all travellers, look at your local

travel websites and if you do have to go out, travel on public

transport, be careful. Thank you.

People who are homeless are always very much in the spotlight at this

time of year. Mary Rhodes is at a shelter in Birmingham right now. I

should think it's looking pretty busy there. It certainly is. Thank

you. They started serving dinner at 6pm here at the Birmingham Christmas

shelter, so it is very busy at the moment. The shelter opened its doors

today and will stay open around the clock for the next five days. The

majority of people in this shelter are homeless, but they also people

who were just lost or lonely. In a moment, I'll be talking to the chef

and to some of the people who are using the shelter, but first, Ben

Godfrey reports on the financial pressure on places like this `

especially those which rely on public funding.

When Steve's relationship ended, he was made homeless. He went from

living in a five`bedroom home in Malvern to a room at the YMCA.

I'm going to college. Got myself medication, stopped the drinking.

Helping me to move on and get a flat. Help me because I can't read

that well. The YMCA is facing an anxious wait

as Worcestershire County Council consults over cuts to supported

accommodation. The charity could lose a third of ?1 million, putting

immense pressure on services and the 150 beds it has in Worcester and

Redditch. It would be very difficult to keep

the place safe. I believe it will take someone losing their life

before people really and actually realise what the impact would be.

In Birmingham, tough decisions have been taken at this drop`in centre.

It's struggling with its energy bills and donations. From next

month, it will no longer offer breakfast to some of the 2,500

people it supports each year. But others have been more fortunate.

Last year, more than 400 adults, including ex`offenders and

recovering drug addicts, were warned they'd be out on the streets of

Birmingham. The company managing 40 hostels in the city was stripped of

much of its local authority funding. Now a charity has taken over as

registered social landlord, and it's become less reliant on council

money. It eases the pressure on the city,

which is in a very difficult position financially. We'll be able

to take on more staff and offer more support to move people forward, help

them with drug addiction, counselling, alcohol support.

The reason more than 70 turkey dinners are being served today is

because these people have earnt it. They spent hours packing supermarket

carrier bags over the last few weeks for those whose Christmas lunches

are guaranteed. It's good to have a community and

good to feel that you're welcome. Look at the food. I didn't think I'd

have that much on my plate, but it's great.

Today, charities say they have been pressured into doing more for less,

but they are determined to survive. BBC Midlands Today, Birmingham. It

is without doubt, the busiest time here. We are at the height of their

dinner service. And with the head chef. It's a bit busy at the moment.

We're doing chicken and a three bean hotpot. Were sitting around 100, so

we have two do with more than expected. We're just a bit busy. We

were hearing in the report about the financial pressures that centres

like this are not. You are a charity, so where does your money

and support comes from? Feeding this many people does not come cheap.

I've been working hard to get sponsorship from catering

companies, and they have given me the food for free. It's fantastic.

Costs around for a half thousand pounds to look after everybody over

Christmas over five days, and I can't believe the generosity of the

companies. It is amazing. The money you get into your charity, where

does it go? We work on other services as well, so we have lots of

things to maintain for the charity. We're always looking for

entertainment. We are always looking for entertainment. We're buying

things like TVs so that we can show films and things like that. There

are lots of things we need it for. Running a charity on its own. Della

mac lets have a chat with Andy. Why do you come here? You do have a roof

over your head now, so when you come now? Yellow socialisation. Meet new

people. Catch up with old friends you only see every year. Another

good thing when you live on your own is getting out and meeting new

people, access services that sometimes you would never know were

there. You were telling me you suffered a lot with mental health

issues. Is that a common theme with people coming here? Yes. It is a

common theme with the alcohol and drugs and mental health. I would say

that is over 60% of homelessness. How important is it having somewhere

like this to come over Christmas? Really important. It sucks that

loneliness and boredom. `` stops that loneliness. Thank you. Coming

back to you, the volunteers that you rely on here. How important are

they? Very important. We would be up to do this shelter work. We have

about 45 volunteers each session. We induct about 500, so it is

absolutely amazing, and we have our rowing team leaders as well. I will

let you get back to work. Thank you very much. Join me later when I will

speak to the volunteers who are working here over Christmas.

A bowling alley has been destroyed by fire in Wolverhampton. At its

height, more than a hundred fire`fighters were dealing with the

blaze at Strykers on Shaw Road. Crews were pulled out at one point

over fears it would collapse. One fire`fighter was injured. An

investigation is underway into the cause of the fire.

Birmingham rockers Black Sabbath celebrated the climax of their world

tour at the weekend with two homecoming gigs. They played hits

from their 45`year career to more than 26,000 fans. Ben Sidwell went

to meet the band and their fans, who travelled from around the world for

a moment of rock music history. Even by Black Sabbath's standards,

it has been an incredible year. I don't think we knew what to expect,

really. The whole tour has been great. It's been fantastic.

2013 has seen the band's first album of new material for 35 years top the

chart all over the world. They were a constant sell`out wherever they

played. We realise now that we're not going to live forever, so while

we can still do it, we will do it. It is a God`given thing to us, and

we're all still really good at what we do, so may as well do it. Some

fans queued for over 12 hours before the two homecoming gigs in

Birmingham, desperate to see the band who have been credited with

creating heavy metal music. Don't know how long the Sabbath will be

around anymore, so gotta see them while we can and get good spots.

Unbelievable. A dream for 20`odd years. At last I've done it. The

city where metal music began and where Black Sabbath began is

special, so I've been looking forward to this day all year. But it

wasn't just fans from England who have made the trip to see Ozzy

Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler perform in the city where it

all started for them back in 1968. Just wanted to see Black Sabbath in

their hometown. I mean, it is nothing like seeing them in Italy. I

saw them in Melbourne, and they were playing in my hometown, so thought

I'd come over to see them in their hometown. This is the most

nerve`wracking gig in the world. We can play everywhere and we end up

back in Birmingham. No`one, not even the band, know what the future

holds. Fans are just hoping this will not be the last time they see

Black Sabbath take to the stage in their home city. Ben Sidwell, BBC

Midlands Today, Birmingham. I was lucky enough to see them. It was

sensational. This is our top story tonight: A

businessman's jailed for defying court orders to clear a giant

rubbish tip. Your detailed weather forecast to

come shortly from Shefali`` if you're brave enough to listen. Also

in tonight's programme: Strictly speaking, a weekend hard to beat.

Abi ends as the surprise winner on the dance floor while husband Peter

nets the winner for Stoke City. And join me at the Birmingham

Christmas Shelter, where I'll be talking to volunteers who are giving

up their time to help the homeless. Kate Treveener is able to look

forward to 2014 after a marathon search to find the replacement liver

she so desperately needed. She had her first transplant in 2010 when

the donor liver had to be rescued from a burning plane, but it wasn't

a success. Another followed and now a third ` and with it the news she's

been hoping for. Holly Lewis reports.

Kate knows all about planning for a big day. But for her, it has always

been about finding a perfect match on the organ donor list. Kate, who

is 21, is planning a career in the wedding industry after tests show

her body has accepted her third new liver.

It all goes so quick that it's not until now I've sat back and looked

at it all and realise how much I've been through. When you're in the

moment, you're just going with it, so you don't think about what's

really going on. In 2010, Kate was already in surgery

when a plane carrying her donor liver crashed. The pilot survived

and the organ was rescued by a fire`fighter. The transplant went

ahead, although the liver later failed.

People in the ward were actually bringing me newspapers, and you

would see people walking down the ward and they were pointing at the

bed, because everybody on the ward knew it was me. My mum and dad sat

me down and told me about it. It was like, "OK, then".

Kate had all three of her transplants at the Queen Elizabeth

Hospital in Birmingham. So far this year, 204 liver transplants have

been carried out here, putting Birmingham on course to be the

biggest liver transplant centre in Europe. But Kate's surgeon says she

is an exceptional patient. Third liver transplant is a

technically challenging operation, and also from the patient's point of

view, they need stamina to recover from such a transplant operation.

Kate says this Christmas will be a real celebration, but her thoughts

will be with the donor families who made her surgery possible. BBC

Midlands Today, Birmingham. Happy Christmas.

It's almost here. Christmas means church services, presents under the

tree, tinsel, turkey and carols, of course. BBC local radio stations

across the region have been playing their part by organising a special

series of carol concerts. And don't worry if you missed them ` there's

another chance to hear them on air over Christmas. Rebecca Wood has the

details. In Birmingham, there was Christmas

spirit and plenty as hundreds of people packed into the city's

Cathedral with BBC's presenters also playing their part. BBC Radio

Shropshire hosted Carroll's where the congregation was in fine voice.

In Stoke`on`Trent, St Peter's Academy accompanied the 900 people

attending the traditional carol service. The worst Male voice choir

`` the Worcestershire Male voice choir.

And this weekend, hundreds packed into the Coventry Cathedral fall the

annual concert. There will be back tomorrow and again on Christmas Day.

It's been a weekend to remember for the Stoke City striker Peter Crouch,

and his wife Abbey Clancey. First, Peter scored the winning goal to

beat Aston Villa in the Premier league. Then Abi won the final of

Strictly Come Dancing. Ian Winter reports.

Santa looked out in the cold as if killing time at the match before the

main event on the dance floor. But inside the Brit, there was a real

festive flavour. And the perfect gifts arrived four days early for

Peter Crouch. Before kick`off, he clearly, had lots on his mind.

Hoping he'd score a goal to help Stoke beat Villa, and hoping his

wife would score with the judges to win Strictly Come Dancing. Only at

Christmas could such a dream come true. And it did. First, Strictly

Football. With 20 minutes left, Crouch pounced to seal a 2`1

victory. Dancing has never been his forte, but the message was clear.

"Please vote for Abi Clancy, because I'd love my wife to win Strictly. I

will be honest. I'd like to say I've given her tips, but she is miles

better than me. I only have the robot in my locker. Luckily, the

robot dance wasn't part of his wife's repertoire, and Abbey

delivered a stunning performance. Whilst the six million votes were

being counted, she settled down in her deckchair, presumably to watch

her husband on match of the day. At the Hawthorns, West Bromwich Albion

looked to be heading for their fifth straight defeat when Hull City took

a first half lead. Goal...camera...action A ?6,000 bill

for Jake Livermore to replace the shattered lens. And four minutes

before the end, Albion made it 1`1, thanks to Matej Vydra's first goal

for the club, under caretaker coach Keith Downing. If it is a point for

Steve Clark, I think the boys wanted to give him something back for the

fantastic work he had done for 18 months. So Merry Christmas to the

newly crowned winner of Strictly. But whilst she can rest her dancing

feet over the festive period, Peter, her non`dancing husband, is off to

Newcastle on Boxing Day. Time for the weather.

The good news is it won't be. We still have a sticky troublesome

period to get through before then. The strongest guts recorded across

the region today ranged from between 40 to 60 mph. Very windy there, and

unfortunately it will continue for the next four hours. Rainfall more

clear`cut, because of the localised nature. This is what was down to. An

unusually deep area of low pressure situated towards the Atlantic, and

that still has a stranglehold over us. Over the next couple of days,

the gaps between these ice bars will `` isobars will widen. This activity

will die down over the Christmas period. For Christmas Day, this is

how it is looking. It will be cold cock ``, crisper and it may turn out

to be ``. This is how it is looking at the moment. Over the next three

hours, we will see this rain intensified. It will spread

north`eastwards, coupled with those strong winds. Again gusting up to 50

mph. You can see that it has all blown out of the way to the east

after midnight, so it is looking dry up by that stage. The winds are

still with this, however, so those winds will keep those temperatures

above freezing, but will still turn a lot colder. Perhaps just outside

our region, some deposits. Temperatures between two and four

degrees. A chilly start the day tomorrow. It will be quite gusty.

Those winds still strong, it but is a lot drier. We will see some

showers through the region from time to time. Some could be heavy, but

they could be some wintry nests across the highest ground. There

will be some sunshine tomorrow. Temperatures rising to five degrees.

It turns even colder tomorrow night, so the likelihood of some snow

increasing. For Christmas Day, drier. Thank you.

Tonight's headlines from the BBC: Much of the UK has been been hit by

a fierce storm, with heavy rain and winds disrupting Christmas travel

for drivers and rail passengers. It's goodbye and happy Christmas

from me as we return to Mary now, who's at the Birmingham Christmas

Shelter. Thank you. Many people watching will be volunteering over

Christmas. I have two volunteers here. Why did you start volunteering

at this shelter? I have been coming for five years and the first year

was because I had fallen out of love with Christmas, and I wanted to find

something a bit more special about Christmas. I looked on the Internet

and found this place and have never looked back. You clearly enjoy it.

Yes. You haven't been doing it for as long. I've been doing it for

three years. What was the motivation for you? As a Christian, I thought

Christmas was about giving, so I wanted to give something back. I

wanted to give that time back, and help other people. Speaking to some

of the people, not many wanted to go on camera, you are using this

shelter, there are common themes going through of mental issues and

drug abuse. Is that we find? Yes, I spend a lot of time chatting these

people, and a lot of the time, they talk about mental health issues they

have had in the past year and things like that, and they just need that

help. Along with volunteers, there is a bit of a hierarchy here,

because you have been here longer. But you also have services coming

here to help people. It is not just about a hot meal. Yes, the Mrs came

in earlier. We have had a hairdressers, dentists. We had a dog

grimmer last year. And a chiropractor. About half of

everybody keep it uses the shelter, thank you for giving up your time.

That is it from us. This is the last full programme on Midlands today

before Christmas. Under half of all others, to have a very happy

Christmas. I will be back with your next news at ten o'clock with the

latest on the weather, but we leave you with the beautiful voices of

Birmingham's like voices choir.