:00:08. > :00:13.Hello and welcome to the programme. The headlines: The first free school
:00:14. > :00:20.in country with space for 400 children, but just 20 have enrolled.
:00:21. > :00:25.At full capacity, it will be 420, and I feel confident we will reach
:00:26. > :00:32.that. We'll ask the local MP if free schools really work. Also:
:00:33. > :00:37.Kidderminster Harriers reach out for glory in the FA Cup.
:00:38. > :00:40.It's an area that has suffered greatly over the last few years and
:00:41. > :00:44.if we can help those people, that makes me feel very proud.
:00:45. > :00:48.The secret tunnel that helped burglars get away with a series of
:00:49. > :00:51.raids on a charity shop. Bull's`eye for Telford as it lands
:00:52. > :00:56.firmly on the international sporting map.
:00:57. > :00:59.And all signs point to something a little colder and more wintry next
:01:00. > :01:02.week but first, brollies at the ready for a soggy weekend. The full
:01:03. > :01:16.forecast coming up later. Good evening. The first free school
:01:17. > :01:19.in the Black Country officially opened today but the school, which
:01:20. > :01:23.can teach more than 400 pupils, has only 20 children registered so far.
:01:24. > :01:27.Free schools are state funded but they're independent of local
:01:28. > :01:30.authority control. In the West Midlands, there are now 14 free
:01:31. > :01:34.schools ` nine for secondary`age pupils and five primaries. But as
:01:35. > :01:41.the number increases, are they going to come out top of the class? Bob
:01:42. > :01:47.Hockenhull has been investigating. Welcome to Anand Primary. It's
:01:48. > :01:52.Wolverhampton's first free school and, with just 20 pupils, almost
:01:53. > :01:59.certainly the city's smallest. You concerned that there are only 20
:02:00. > :02:03.pupils? No, I'm happy because they get individual attention, which
:02:04. > :02:07.makes it a bit better. It's a sentiment echoed outside on this
:02:08. > :02:11.poster. This school is brilliant is the quote from one parent but with
:02:12. > :02:15.so much being spent on so few pupils, is it really value for
:02:16. > :02:19.money? Wolverhampton's mayor officially opened the school today
:02:20. > :02:22.and admitted that if it was under local authority control, it would
:02:23. > :02:26.have to close with such a small intake. There's no doubt ` in the
:02:27. > :02:32.current climate, you couldn't survive with 20 children. But we
:02:33. > :02:38.have to work under the government's policies and guidance. Free schools
:02:39. > :02:43.are funded by taxpayers. The government says they create more
:02:44. > :02:48.competition and drive up standards. Here at Anand Primary, workers about
:02:49. > :02:52.to start on a ?1.6 million extension in anticipation of the day when the
:02:53. > :03:06.school, which promotes seek values, which is its capacity of 420 values
:03:07. > :03:11.`` pupils. `` Sikh pupils. This icky yellow it is the capacity of 420 and
:03:12. > :03:16.when you put it in that light, it is value for money. But some say this
:03:17. > :03:21.is preferential funding and local authority schools are losing out.
:03:22. > :03:25.You've got schools that are badly funded which cost broadly the same
:03:26. > :03:31.but you can't find places for pupils unless you want to send them to a
:03:32. > :03:33.free school. That said, there is no doubting the enthusiasm and
:03:34. > :03:37.commitment around free schools. At this Birmingham school, parents have
:03:38. > :03:43.helped to convert this warehouse into what will soon become the
:03:44. > :03:47.children's sports hall. With us now is the Conservative MP
:03:48. > :04:02.for Wolverhampton South West, Paul apple. Free schools are very much a
:04:03. > :04:10.fried crisp `` Paul Uppal. This is a first step and there will be
:04:11. > :04:13.capacity for 420 pupils. We have had issues around education in
:04:14. > :04:18.Wolverhampton and I hope this can be a beacon for educational excellence.
:04:19. > :04:22.I think it will make up the numbers eventually. People are bit reticent.
:04:23. > :04:27.Most of the children who go to that school are not actually tempt two.
:04:28. > :04:34.It's open to everybody and will stretch the kids in all sorts of
:04:35. > :04:42.ways. The parents love it there. Are free schools as a concept working?
:04:43. > :04:44.It's going to take a bit of time. We've had real issues around
:04:45. > :04:49.educational underachievement in Wolverhampton. If our children are
:04:50. > :05:03.going to make their way in the 21st century, we've got given the best
:05:04. > :05:05.opportunity. There will always be those who are sceptical but I
:05:06. > :05:11.wouldn't be an MP if I wasn't inspired by a teacher. I'm a local
:05:12. > :05:18.lad and went to local schools and colleges. That changed my life
:05:19. > :05:24.completely. I enjoy going into schools, saying, "if I can be an MP
:05:25. > :05:31.there is no limit to what you can do" . They do say that free schools
:05:32. > :05:35.train from other state schools. I think they add to the pool of
:05:36. > :05:39.education. They will challenge assumptions that other teachers may
:05:40. > :05:43.have but overall, I think it will be better for the city and the country
:05:44. > :05:49.as a whole. Coming up: Living with multiple
:05:50. > :05:56.sclerosis ` his family accused the council of turning its back on him.
:05:57. > :05:59.Three years ago, Kidderminster Harriers were just hours away from
:06:00. > :06:02.administration ` but tomorrow they face Premier League Sunderland in
:06:03. > :06:07.one of the glamour ties of the FA Cup fourth Round. It's a game which
:06:08. > :06:11.will leave lasting memories for the fans and give the football club a
:06:12. > :06:13.massive financial boost. Nick Clitheroe reports.
:06:14. > :06:15.Press conferences aren't normally this crowded at Kidderminster
:06:16. > :06:19.Harriers. But as the only non`league club left in the FA Cup, they've
:06:20. > :06:23.suddenly found themselves at the centre of national attention. For
:06:24. > :06:30.players who've spent years at this level it's a moment to treasure.
:06:31. > :06:36.It's going to be a great occasion for everyone involved ` families,
:06:37. > :06:42.friends, the town. It's massive. Everyone wants to talk to you. It's
:06:43. > :06:45.good. It's given the town a lift. It's not just about the mass of
:06:46. > :06:56.media interest. There was also a massive financial windfall. If there
:06:57. > :07:00.is a gate of around 30,000 out of `` at Sunderland on Saturday, that will
:07:01. > :07:03.be a massive windfall. In February 2011 the club was on the brink of
:07:04. > :07:06.administration and the fans rallied round to save them. Chairman Mark
:07:07. > :07:09.Serrell says tomorrow's game is a reward for everyone who fought so
:07:10. > :07:13.hard for the Harriers. It's giving something back to the people of
:07:14. > :07:16.Kidderminster. It's an area that's suffered greatly over the last few
:07:17. > :07:20.years and if we can give those people something to be proud, makes
:07:21. > :07:23.me very proud. Around 4,000 fans will follow the team to the North
:07:24. > :07:27.East but exactly how strong is cup fever in Kidderminster? It may have
:07:28. > :07:31.been market day but the signs were still there that this match has
:07:32. > :07:39.gripped the town. Come on, Kidderminster Harriers! I think
:07:40. > :07:43.they'll win 2 `1. No`one will give Kidderminster much chance on the
:07:44. > :07:46.pitch but if the players want inspiration they just have to look
:07:47. > :07:50.at the manager. 26 years ago, Andy Thorn was part of the Wimbledon team
:07:51. > :07:53.who pulled off one of the biggest Cup final shocks of all. He'll hope
:07:54. > :08:00.to be the giant`killer again tomorrow.
:08:01. > :08:03.Ian Winter's here to look ahead to our fourth round ties. What are the
:08:04. > :08:09.chances of Kidderminster toppling another giant? Sunderland are the
:08:10. > :08:12.odds`on favourites tomorrow. But they're sure to make changes after
:08:13. > :08:15.that gruelling midweek win over Manchester United. So Harriers are
:08:16. > :08:19.12`1 to win. Last night, we featured Coventry City. If you fancy them to
:08:20. > :08:25.pull off a shock away win to Arsenal this evening, the Sky Blues are a
:08:26. > :08:35.whopping 28`1. As difficult as it's going to be, we know it's going to
:08:36. > :08:38.be difficult. We've got to believe we can go down there and get
:08:39. > :08:41.something out of the game. What about Birmingham City and Port Vale?
:08:42. > :08:47.Both at home, against teams from a higher division? Yes, the Blues are
:08:48. > :08:50.bidding to repeat their League Cup win over Swansea back in September.
:08:51. > :08:53.Lee Clarke says his players are excited by the FA Cup. And
:08:54. > :08:56.Birmingham will have new striker Albert Rusnak available after
:08:57. > :08:59.joining on loan from Manchester City. Port Vale, currently eighth in
:09:00. > :09:01.League One, might fancy their chances of an upset against
:09:02. > :09:06.Brighton, currently seventh in the Championship. And Stoke City face a
:09:07. > :09:09.tough trip to Chelsea. Yes, striker Kenwyn Jones and
:09:10. > :09:14.goalkeeper Azmir Begovic could return for Stoke. Chelsea are
:09:15. > :09:18.without the injured Fernando Torres. The fourth round kicks`off tonight.
:09:19. > :09:22.BBC Coventry Warwickshire are live from the Emirates. Tomorrow, the
:09:23. > :09:25.Blues are live on BBC WM. Kidderminster Harriers' game is on
:09:26. > :09:28.BBC Hereford Worcester And BBC Radio Stoke is the place to follow
:09:29. > :09:39.Port Vale tomorrow, and Stoke City on Sunday. What a weekend!
:09:40. > :09:43.A charity shop says it could go out of business after being targeted in
:09:44. > :09:47.a series of burglaries. But workers at the Re`Use Centre in Foleshill in
:09:48. > :09:51.Coventry were left baffled ` at first ` as to how the thefts took
:09:52. > :09:58.place Liz Copper has been finding out more.
:09:59. > :10:02.For the charity workers at the furniture shop in Coventry, it was a
:10:03. > :10:07.mystery how thieves were breaking in. As they replenished stock, a
:10:08. > :10:14.series of burglaries left them puzzled. We had four or five
:10:15. > :10:18.weekends in fairly quick succession. There was no damage to the outside
:10:19. > :10:22.of the building, no broken windows, no forced the doors, but it was
:10:23. > :10:26.obvious someone had been an because of ceiling damage and debris on the
:10:27. > :10:31.floor. We had no idea how they were getting into the building. But when
:10:32. > :10:36.police began investigations, they discovered this tunnel opening on
:10:37. > :10:42.the piece of land opposite the charity shop. It runs all the way
:10:43. > :10:47.underground right inside. We discovered this end of the tunnel is
:10:48. > :10:52.inside the shop. It's sunk 12 or 15 feet down and leads directly into
:10:53. > :10:56.the shop premises. It would give them easy access to everything we
:10:57. > :11:01.have in the building. The shops on the site of this old factory and
:11:02. > :11:06.it's thought the passageway was used in the manufacturing process. The
:11:07. > :11:09.charity is now looking for new premises but, in the meantime, as
:11:10. > :11:13.customers browse for bargains, security has been stepped up and the
:11:14. > :11:23.secret underground tunnel into the shop has been sealed.
:11:24. > :11:26.A round`up of other news now: 90 people have been made redundant from
:11:27. > :11:28.a foundry in Smethwick, after it went into administration.
:11:29. > :11:31.Incanite Foundries Limited, which was established in 1920, employed
:11:32. > :11:34.just over 100 staff when it ceased trading last month.
:11:35. > :11:37.Three men have been arrested on suspicion of the attempted abduction
:11:38. > :11:40.of a teenager near a school in Birmingham. Police were called after
:11:41. > :11:43.reports of a white van acting suspiciously close to Perry Beeches
:11:44. > :11:47.School in Great Barr. A16`year`old girl was waiting at a bus stop when
:11:48. > :11:52.she was approached. The men, aged between 22 and 41, remain in police
:11:53. > :11:55.custody. Police are investigating a car crash
:11:56. > :12:01.in Coventry in which a 27`year`old man died. Two cars collided on the
:12:02. > :12:05.Ansty Road last night. One of the drivers later died in hospital ` the
:12:06. > :12:07.other's been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous
:12:08. > :12:19.driving. Nearby homes were damaged by flying debris. I've just moved
:12:20. > :12:30.and I sat down in the settee. The wife said, " Christ" ! The window
:12:31. > :12:36.had just exploded. The cyclist bounced out and it just missed him
:12:37. > :12:39.and hit my window. I was right behind it so I think someone was
:12:40. > :12:41.looking out for me! Hereford United Football Club have
:12:42. > :12:45.avoided a winding`up order after raising the money to pay their tax
:12:46. > :12:49.arrears. The club were due to appear in the Companies Court in London on
:12:50. > :12:52.Monday over a bill of ?35,000. The board say they've now paid that
:12:53. > :12:56.money. However, the club are asking the fans to help raise an extra
:12:57. > :13:00.?10,000 a month for the rest of the season.
:13:01. > :13:03.The family of a man with advanced multiple sclerosis say his life's
:13:04. > :13:07.being put at risk because the council's refusing to pay for
:13:08. > :13:11.round`the`clock care. Billy Bryan is 42, but his MS means he can't feed
:13:12. > :13:16.or wash himself. Coventry City Council sends in carers four times a
:13:17. > :13:19.day. But his family have been keeping a record of how the care
:13:20. > :13:31.plan is affecting him, as Sarah Falkland reports.
:13:32. > :13:35.I've had a call`out from my brother and this is the state he is in. He
:13:36. > :13:37.can't move his legs and he's wet through.
:13:38. > :13:43.Mobile phone footage that Diane Bryan felt compelled to record. I
:13:44. > :13:48.felt a bit callous videoing it, to be fair, because I felt I should be
:13:49. > :13:53.helping him rather than doing this. But at the same time, I wanted
:13:54. > :13:56.people to see exactly what he is going through and what we're having
:13:57. > :14:01.to deal with. Her brother Billy is 42. He was
:14:02. > :14:04.diagnosed with MS three years ago. Coventry City Council send round
:14:05. > :14:09.carers to his flat in Radford four times a day. His mum and sister do
:14:10. > :14:12.as much as they can but say he's a danger to himself when he's on his
:14:13. > :14:18.own. He's been admitted to hospital more than half a dozen times over
:14:19. > :14:26.the past 12 months. You to be prosecuted if you let him die but to
:14:27. > :14:30.live like that... I worry about him at night because I know myself, if
:14:31. > :14:36.you're lying awake and worried about something... I'm sorry. Billy says
:14:37. > :14:47.he feels isolated and lost when's he's at home on his own. It does
:14:48. > :14:52.make me a bit sad, because I'm a damaged person. Coventry City
:14:53. > :14:58.Council say now Billy's case has been brought to their attention they
:14:59. > :15:02.will take action. If we have fallen short, as a local authority, as a
:15:03. > :15:08.city council, we apologise unreservedly. But what I'm concerned
:15:09. > :15:11.about is not an inquest into past failings but how we can help him and
:15:12. > :15:15.his family in the future and that means that his needs are reassessed
:15:16. > :15:18.and a package of support is put in which makes his life a bit more
:15:19. > :15:21.tolerable. Billy had always wanted to travel. His family realise that's
:15:22. > :15:25.unlikely to happen now. But they're determined to make sure he's
:15:26. > :15:37.comfortable at home for what time he has left.
:15:38. > :15:42.The top story tonight: The first free school in the Black Country
:15:43. > :15:47.officially opened today, with the space of 400 children ` but just 20
:15:48. > :15:50.have enrolled so far. Rebecca is ready with your detailed
:15:51. > :15:57.weather forecast, and also tonight: Science comes alive for youngsters
:15:58. > :16:02.at a local school as they create a car that can go at 1000 mph.
:16:03. > :16:06.And the screenwriter behind the spectacular London 2012 opening
:16:07. > :16:07.ceremony ` find out why he's become patron of a Shropshire literary
:16:08. > :16:15.festival. On this week's Sunday Politics, the
:16:16. > :16:19.leader of Coventry City Council has said that she doesn't think there's
:16:20. > :16:22.likely to be a solution to the ongoing stand`off between Coventry
:16:23. > :16:27.City Football Club and the owners of the Ricoh arena very quickly. The
:16:28. > :16:31.ongoing dispute about where the club should play in future was just one
:16:32. > :16:33.of the topics to be debated on this week's programme, which is presented
:16:34. > :16:37.by David Gregory Kumar. Thanks, Nick, and there was in fact
:16:38. > :16:41.a bit of a footballing theme running through this week. Also under the
:16:42. > :16:44.spotlight was the importance of watching what you do and say in
:16:45. > :16:47.public life. This came up in connection with the ongoing row
:16:48. > :16:52.about Nicolas Anelka's controversial gesture following his goal against
:16:53. > :16:55.West Ham United last month. As we know Anelka denies the "quenelle" is
:16:56. > :16:59.anti`Semitic and plans to put his case to the FA. Sponsors Zoopla
:17:00. > :17:04.decided not to continue their sponsorship of West Bromwich Albion.
:17:05. > :17:07.Andrew Webb tweeted the Sunday Politics to say he thinks it's the
:17:08. > :17:13.media attention which has made it offensive. "Funny how there wasn't
:17:14. > :17:16.much coverage when Anelka did it". While Lee Westwood got in touch on
:17:17. > :17:20.Facebook to say even if one person was offended, that would be enough
:17:21. > :17:23.for Anelka to face a penalty, "as would anybody else making a racial
:17:24. > :17:31.gesture in public," which prompted our politicians to give us a timely
:17:32. > :17:37.warning. It's very true ` if you're in the public eye, no matter what
:17:38. > :17:41.job you do, you have to think very carefully about your actions and
:17:42. > :17:46.reactions because this has caused a huge few raw. If you are an average
:17:47. > :17:59.person on the street, that's nobody would take any notice. `` a huge
:18:00. > :18:02.furore. We also heard from our guest about fracking. You can see the
:18:03. > :18:06.whole thing from 11am on Sunday morning.
:18:07. > :18:10.Well, this sounds like one of the highlights of the school term to me.
:18:11. > :18:13.The team bidding to break the land speed record by reaching an
:18:14. > :18:15.astonishing 1,000 miles an hour took time out to inspire the next
:18:16. > :18:17.generation of aspiring engineers. They've been holding special
:18:18. > :18:22.workshops in Herefordshire for school children, as Ben Sidwell's
:18:23. > :18:25.been finding out. These children might not know it,
:18:26. > :18:37.but they're currently learning about science and maths. Way more fun than
:18:38. > :18:40.having ordinary science lessons. We got to make stuff and then
:18:41. > :18:42.experiment it so it's more fun. More than 1,400 primary school
:18:43. > :18:46.children from across Herefordshire are taking part in the workshops,
:18:47. > :18:56.run by people who know a thing or two about speed. The team teaching
:18:57. > :18:59.the children are part of the Bloodhound Project, a group
:19:00. > :19:05.attempting to be the first in the world to set an one`thousand`mile an
:19:06. > :19:09.hour Land Speed Record. Everything we're doing relates to science,
:19:10. > :19:13.technology, engineering and maths and we have a terrible shortage in
:19:14. > :19:18.this country and globally of engineers and scientists for the
:19:19. > :19:21.future. So by showing this and getting the kids really interested
:19:22. > :19:25.in what we're doing, they can follow the project from beginning to end.
:19:26. > :19:28.Everything's going to be online and these are hopefully our engineers of
:19:29. > :19:35.the future. And for those that excel, the chance to see what 1,000
:19:36. > :19:41.mph is like. It's really cool to have the experience and it's just
:19:42. > :19:44.awesome. We have some fantastic companies in Herefordshire, in
:19:45. > :19:47.engineering and manufacturing, and they are doing very well but they
:19:48. > :19:51.need high`level skills and enthusiastic young people to take on
:19:52. > :19:55.apprenticeship programmes. Something like this is so exciting and I'm
:19:56. > :19:58.hoping this will really inspire them to think again about the kind of
:19:59. > :20:02.jobs and careers they go into. And for the best budding young engineers
:20:03. > :20:12.` their names will be put on the tail of the actual Bloodhound car.
:20:13. > :20:17.The speed cameras will get a shot at 1000 mph! `` a shock.
:20:18. > :20:20.Jordanne Whiley from Halesowen has become the first British woman to
:20:21. > :20:23.win a Grand Slam final in wheelchair tennis. The 21`year`old won the
:20:24. > :20:26.doubles title at the Australian Open in Melbourne with her Japanese
:20:27. > :20:29.partner Yui Kamiji. The pair were the beaten finalists in the doubles
:20:30. > :20:32.at Wimbledon last summer. Singapore, Marrakesh, Las Vegas and
:20:33. > :20:35.Telford! They're not four towns and cities you'd normally put in the
:20:36. > :20:38.same sentence but this weekend, Telford is taking its place on the
:20:39. > :20:42.world stage for archery. Hundreds of the top archers have their sights on
:20:43. > :20:48.the town, as the Indoor World Cup is being held at the International
:20:49. > :20:54.Centre. Joanne Writtle reports. Las Vegas may be all neon lights and
:20:55. > :20:58.razzle`dazzle but it's also a major host for archery World Cup events.
:20:59. > :21:07.But before competitors head there next month, they complete a leg here
:21:08. > :21:12.` in Telford! The head of the archery's version of FIFA was full
:21:13. > :21:16.of praise for the town. Every country and every place has its
:21:17. > :21:20.charm. The friendly atmosphere and the fact that we are here with 40
:21:21. > :21:28.countries shows that people like to come here. It's the first time the
:21:29. > :21:32.event has been held in the UK. I am thinking of Jesse Broadwater but
:21:33. > :21:37.other than that, I can't think of a name that is not here. This Olympic
:21:38. > :21:43.silver medallist from Mexico is among the big names here at the
:21:44. > :21:48.centre. I like England because I have a good relationship with
:21:49. > :22:00.archers and cultures and I say, why not? I practised at the
:22:01. > :22:06.high`performance centre. For me, it is my second house. Telford may not
:22:07. > :22:12.have the sunshine of Marrakesh or the bright lights of Las Vegas but
:22:13. > :22:15.here, you could be anywhere! There is no doubt the event is a big boost
:22:16. > :22:21.for the town, with many local hotels and businesses benefiting. You will
:22:22. > :22:28.see archers all over the place. I know many people have already come
:22:29. > :22:32.early and done some tourism. Archery Djourou crowds during London 2012
:22:33. > :22:40.and organisers here claim it is one of the fastest`growing sports. ``
:22:41. > :22:44.archery drew crowds. They hope it will put this ordinary Shropshire
:22:45. > :22:47.town on the map. A literary festival in Shropshire
:22:48. > :22:56.has been given the best possible backing from one of the country's
:22:57. > :23:01.most prominent writers. The island is full of noises, sounds and sweet
:23:02. > :23:03.airs that give delight... Children's author and award winning screen
:23:04. > :23:06.writer Frank Cottrell Boyce famously collaborated with Danny Boyle to
:23:07. > :23:10.script the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Now he's
:23:11. > :23:16.agreed to become the patron of the Oswestry Literary Festival. The
:23:17. > :23:20.festival's launched this evening and our reporter Lindsay Doyle is there
:23:21. > :23:26.now. So what have they got planned? Well, this is the fifth literary
:23:27. > :23:30.festival in Oswestry and it will be a march to coincide with the
:23:31. > :23:47.anniversary of the birth of Wilfred Owen in 1893, here in Oswestry. But
:23:48. > :23:50.this year is particularly special because Frank Cottrell Boyce has
:23:51. > :23:55.agreed to be the patron. What was it like to be involved in the Olympic
:23:56. > :23:59.opening ceremony? An amazing adventure ride and a privilege.
:24:00. > :24:03.Exhausting and graining and tense but fantastic. You're not from
:24:04. > :24:10.Oswestry but you do have a connection ` what is it? The thing
:24:11. > :24:15.is that the thing I enjoyed doing the most was the Olympics opening
:24:16. > :24:18.ceremony and Shropshire gave the Olympics to the world so I am the
:24:19. > :24:23.Olympics' present back to Shropshire! Oswestry library is the
:24:24. > :24:29.best little library in Britain, unquestionably. It's like walking
:24:30. > :24:34.into a cinema and I was really thrilled to be there so I've kept up
:24:35. > :24:40.the link and this is a... And there is a connection with one of your
:24:41. > :24:43.children's books. Yes, when the library was closed they had one of
:24:44. > :24:53.my books as a reading scheme for the town. Framed is about art so they
:24:54. > :24:57.did a sunflower growing competition. It was like stepping into the pages
:24:58. > :25:02.of my own book. It was a completely magical thing. Do you think
:25:03. > :25:07.festivals like this are important to encourage kids to read? Yes, and to
:25:08. > :25:12.meet writers and meet each other and feed on the exciting atmosphere.
:25:13. > :25:16.Thank you for joining us. The festival is in March but for now,
:25:17. > :25:19.back to you, Nick. Another glorious January day ` cold
:25:20. > :25:21.and damp. Any better for the weekend?
:25:22. > :25:27.Well, you've actually summed up our weekend quite well there, Nick. It's
:25:28. > :25:30.certainly going to be damp for the next few days, and it's slowly
:25:31. > :25:34.getting colder. There's already rain coming down tonight ` with more to
:25:35. > :25:37.come. Tomorrow is actually looking a little better than first thought,
:25:38. > :25:41.with much of the day staying dry ` even some sunshine ` but I'm afraid
:25:42. > :25:44.by Sunday we're back to the stormy weather. So that band of rain
:25:45. > :25:49.already sitting across us. At times it will get heavy ` but eventually
:25:50. > :25:53.it will clear away. We're pulling in some milder air, so some patchy mist
:25:54. > :26:02.and hill fog is possible by tomorrow morning. Temperatures not falling
:26:03. > :26:05.away too far, either. So we begin our Saturday with some rather murky
:26:06. > :26:08.and unpleasant conditions, but things will slowly improve with the
:26:09. > :26:12.sun managing to burn through that, and we'll even get some breaks in
:26:13. > :26:18.the cloud to give us some sunny spells. But it won't be too long
:26:19. > :26:23.until heavy spells of rain moving. There could be hale and thunder but
:26:24. > :26:28.temperatures make it up to 11. That is going to be quite a breezy day,
:26:29. > :26:32.though. The showers eventually blow away and we'll start to see things
:26:33. > :26:36.clearing through Saturday night. A cold night, though, with
:26:37. > :26:39.temperatures falling away. We could see a touch of frost developing but
:26:40. > :26:44.not for long because cloud starts to spill in, head of the next weather
:26:45. > :26:48.system coming in on Sunday. There is a deep area of low pressure and
:26:49. > :27:00.around that, winds pick up to 40 mph. 15`25 millimetres of rainfall,
:27:01. > :27:04.as well. It's getting colder and any showers we see through Sunday night
:27:05. > :27:09.could be a more wintry, so into next week things are getting colder. It's
:27:10. > :27:13.possible we could see a few more wintry showers. It all depends on
:27:14. > :27:16.this low pressure. If it slips further south, we'll get colder air
:27:17. > :27:19.from Scandinavia, so temperatures are tumbling at Will we see any
:27:20. > :27:24.snow? Tonight's headlines from the BBC:
:27:25. > :27:28.The Conservatives claim take`home pay has risen faster than inflation
:27:29. > :27:32.in the last year. Labour accuse them of fiddling the figures.
:27:33. > :27:35.And a major incident is declared in part of Somerset after three weeks
:27:36. > :27:39.of flooding and more to come. And the first free school in the
:27:40. > :27:41.Black Country with space for 400 children, but just 20 have enrolled
:27:42. > :27:44.so far. That was Midlands Today. I'll be
:27:45. > :27:47.back at ten o'clock with the result from Coventry City's FA cup match at
:27:48. > :27:48.Arsenal. Have a