03/02/2014 Midlands Today

Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight...

125 years of history comes to the end of the road. Dunlop Motorsport's

Birmingham factory to close, with the loss of more than 240 jobs.

Absolutely dismayed. Goodyear Dunlop are treating the city and country

with contempt. Local MP Jack Dromey tells us it's a

disgrace and the company has gone back on its word.

Also tonight... More rain on the way ` are we

sacrificing farmers to save our towns and cities from flooding? This

is their business. They work to maintain it and they have one

chance, generally, to get a crop off the land.

Wolverhampton says a final goodbye to Steve Evans, who inspired

thousands with his battle with stomach cancer.

A first league win over Manchester United in 30 years means a happy

Monday in the Potteries. Couldn't believe it. Thoroughly deserved it.

Amazing. Both my sons are over the moon.

And yesterday, this was the first sign of any real sunshine we've had

for days, but by the looks of things, I doubt it'll last. As

though we need reminding ` there's more rain on the way. Full details

for you later. Good evening. 125 years of tyre

production by Dunlop in Birmingham is coming to an end, with the

closure of the company's motorsports plant. It had been hoped a deal

could have been struck to save the factory and more than 240 jobs.

Workers believed they were safe until September at least, but today

the US`owned tyre maker said it was pulling out of the City. Here's Bob

Hockenhull. A famous manufacturing name leaves

the West Midlands after a proud history in the region. And it's a

case of what a difference five years makes. This was what Dunlop

Motorsport had to say about its factory in Erdington in 2009. The

factory is full to capacity. With new business and new championships

around the world, and new teams in car and motorcycle racing, it is a

good news story for the automotive industry. That demand for good

quality motor sport tyres continues, but Dunlop is ending its long

association with Birmingham. Its American owners, Goodyear Tire and

Rubber Company, will switch the work to existing sites in France and

Germany. The company's Birmingham factory had been leased from a

commercial property company. That lease ends in September. And the 11

acre site has already been sold to Jaguar Land Rover, who want to

expand their neighbouring factory. The unions say workers have been let

down. They've accused the company of not being genuine in the search for

an alternative site. It was not a case of what was wrong with the

existing site, it was a case of we have two factories within the group

that have capacity and capability to make motorsport hires and in the

timescale we had, we were not able to build a new factory. Despite

personal intervention by Business Secretary Vince Cable, it seems

Dunlop is adamant it will leave Birmingham.

Earlier this afternoon I spoke to Jack Dromey, the MP for Birmingham

Erdington. He gave me his reaction to the news of the closure.

It is outrageous. Goodyear Dunlop is treating our city and our country

with contempt. For days ago, they agreed they would examine all

options for the future to remain in Birmingham. Four days later, they

have torn up the pledge they made. It is absolutely wrong that a

decision made 3600 miles away in a high old `` in Ojai office

threatening Birmingham workers with redundancy. A lot say they have

worked closely with local authorities and agencies to identify

a local site but unfortunately, no other site was available. Is that

your understanding? Not true. Six months ago, an alternative site was

identified three miles away. Dunlop said at the time it is a good side.

They have been offered financial assistance to relocate to that

site. They said that they would seriously examined dooming it ``

doing it for days ago. Now they want to work away from Birmingham. Is it

a done deal, is there any chance the jobs could be kept in Birmingham? We

will not allow Goodyear Dunlop to terror up the pledge `` to terror up

the pledge they made four days ago. It would be trade the pledge they

made but also the commitment they made two generations of Birmingham

workers who have built the success of the motor sport business. They

deserve better now. What can be done? It sounds as though the

company has made its mind up and the jobs will be transferred to Europe,

which suggests they feel the jobs would be more effectively carried

out in Europe? The company has a history of closing factories here in

Britain and moving production to continent. We intend to step

pressure up on Dunlop over the coming weeks and months. We're not

going to allow them to walk away from the city. They owe Birmingham a

commitment, because it was Birmingham workers that built the

success of the business. Well our business correspondent

Peter Plisner is outside the Dunlop factory now. Peter what's been the

reaction there today? There is anger here as well. Unions and workers are

devastated. The unions have accused Dunlop of walking away from its

obligations. They have accused the company of not being honest. They

have referred to the meeting last night between Vince Cable `` last

week between Vince Cable and the company. They say that they gave a

commitment to look more seriously at sites in Birmingham and four days

later, they decided to announce the closure. They seem to have capacity

elsewhere in the network, in France and Germany. The factory site will

be redeveloped pretty quickly, within? That is certainly the

understanding. I spoke to Jaguar Land Rover. They said there are

plans for the site are under development and that there are a

number of options being considered. They are expanding in all directions

from the Castle Bromwich factory. They have taken over the side of the

cinema, a cat had `` and a car park is being developed. New models are

coming out all the times of the capacity is needed. What are the

prospects for the Dunlop workers who will lose their jobs? It seems

unlikely that many will transfer to Germany or France. Some may be

redeployed within the Dunlop factories in the UK. There will be a

three`month consultation period, which point some options may be

available. I think the majority face a redundancy, it has to be said.

Coming up later in the programme... The legal drug guaranteed to burn

fat, but it raises the body temperature so much it can have

fatal consequences. There are 23 flood warnings and two

severe flood warnings across the region tonight. And today there was

a stark warning that we could be forced to choose between protecting

the countryside or protecting towns. Farmers say that could cost them

dear. Our reporter Cath Mackie is in Worcester for us tonight. Cath, how

concerned are farmers you've talked to today?

I spoke to one earlier whose land has been underwater since before

Christmas, so he is very concerned. There is a pilot scheme in

Shropshire between farmers and the Environment Agency, looking at the

best way of maintaining waterways across farmland. It is hoped it will

offer a national solution. Steven Watkins drives through

floodwater at his farm at Severn Stoke in Worcestershire. A quarter

of his land, 400 acres, is underwater. The boat on the horizon

is sitting on top of the swollen River Severn. The farmland is

protected by a man`made flood defence. It was put in in the 1960s

to protect the villages along this stretch of the river. At that time,

the river was dredged frequently to allow the tankers to get up. 20

years ago, we had no more maintenance and no more dredging of

the river and we are seeing the effects. We spend a reasonable

amount every year on dredging but a lot of this is the responsibility of

the owners of the rivers themselves. We have tried to make it easier for

them to carry out the work themselves. This is a field of

Swedes that were destined for the supermarket, but it is not going

anywhere. It's completely waterlogged. Now, it's not the first

time this field has been flooded, it is after all by the river, but what

the problem is now is it's happening more often and the water is hanging

around far longer than it used to. As it is in Somerset, where people

trapped by floodwater are being helped by amphibious vehicles sent

by a Staffordshire firm. But back at Sheepcote Farm, a gauge alerts the

locals to any threat of flooding. So, the Red Line is danger?

Absolutely. So what's the answer? The head of the Environment Agency

says a stark choice may be needed between protecting the town or the

country, prompting calls for more co`operation. Members do not want to

see householders flooded. They do not want to see their farmland

flooded. This is their business, they work to maintain it. They have

one chance to get a crop off the land. It is about working together.

In the meantime, it's an anxious wait. At Minsterworth in

Gloucestershire, the flood banks have been breached three times in

three days. But there's some respite ` in Ironbridge, the flood barriers

have been taken down. Tonight along the River Severn, in Shrewsbury the

barriers are in place. In Bewdley, they are staying put. The

Environment Agency say they will review it in the mooring. The flood

barriers at Ironbridge maybe up before the end of the week.

We will have the full forecast later.

Road tunnels will shut again this summer in Birmingham, it has been

confirmed. The A38 tunnels will be shut from 10pm on Friday the 18th

July until 6am on Monday the first September. The city council says

it's to allow the second phase of essential repairs to take place.

A Staffordshire MP has described a newspaper article about him as

despicable journalism. Aidan Burley, seen here at a Nazi`themed stag

party, was last month found by his party to be stupid, but not

anti`semitic," for his role in the evening. The Cannock Chase MP made

the comments after a Mail on Sunday article suggested he hadn't faced

fair scrutiny from the Conservative Party.

The online retailer Amazon says 330 workers at its Rugeley distribution

centre have been switched from temporary to permanent contracts

since October. The company has created almost 1,000 permanent jobs

across the country in the last three months.

Visiting restrictions are in place at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital

and Alexandra Hospital in Redditch following an outbreak of norovirus

over the weekend. Anyone who's had sickness or diarrhoea in the last 48

hours is being asked not to visit patients.

The family of a student who died after taking a fat`burning drug want

tougher action from the government. DNP raises the body temperature so

much it can be fatal. Telford's former world champion boxer Richie

Woodhall knows a lot about keeping his weight down and keeping fit. For

tonight's Inside Out, he's been looking at the use of DNP by

slimmers, but also by body`builders in the Midlands.

Chris took DNP, Sarah was losing weight. Now their families are

living life without them. Luke is a Midlands teenager and fitness

fanatic. He has been using DNP behind his parents' back. After the

first few days my temperature really went up. I started sweating

constantly. Your breathing is rapid. You can't sleep because you

are constantly sweating. The Food Standards Agency has already been

talking tough. It can't prosecute anyone selling DNP to burn fat. We

still managed to get hold of DNP. Is the law working? We have closed or

altered 40 websites around the world to stop this industrial chemical

coming in and being used by people. Jeff and Jean Houston said that is

not enough. Their daughter died after taking DNP and likely's

parents, they did not know she was taking it. We found out after she

died. The police found the pills in her room. It was only about three

months later that we found out they were DNP capsules. We realised that

there was nothing they could do to help in hospital. Once you taking it

`` once you have taken it, it is irreversible, there is nowhere to

go. It is horrendous. It is what killed our daughter. We loved her

very much. They want the Home Secretary to listen. It raises the

metabolic rate and is incredibly dangerous and therefore, should be a

controlled substance. While changes to the law will take time, the

meeting with Luke has made a difference. I will stay away with

it. It seems Luke has learned his lesson. They users have not been so

lucky. `` other users. Also on tonight's Inside Out

programme, I'm asked to down a large glass of wine and then get behind

the wheel. With nearly half of drivers admitting to being

distracted by their phone, we tested whether I was safer driving after a

drink, or with a phone in my hand. It was a simulator, not a car on the

road. You can find out how I got on tonight at 7.30 here on BBC One `

the results might surprise you. Our top story tonight...

125 years of history comes to the end of the road. Dunlop Motorsport's

Birmingham factory is to close, with the loss of more than 240 jobs.

Your detailed weather forecast to come shortly with Shefali. Also in

tonight's programme... The future of professional

basketball in Birmingham is on a knife edge, the Knights desperate to

end a run of 19 defeats. And Wolverhampton says its final

goodbye to Steve Evans, who shared his fight with cancer with thousands

online. We always knew he was who he was, how he acted and how he

played, that was him. If you have a story you think we

should be covering on Midlands Today, we'd like to hear from you.

We are also on Facebook and Twitter. Let's turn to sport. Stoke City fans

still basking in the afterglow of victory ` not just any old win.

Good things come to those who wait. For 29 years, Stoke City have waited

patiently for this moment. The moment they finally won a League

game against Manchester United. Two goals from Charlie Adam clinched

their famous victory. So it was no surprise to learn the Potteries were

still buzzing with excitement today, as Ian Winter reports For the past

seven years, Ann Johnson has been selling the Sentinel in the centre

of Stoke. Red hair, red scarf, red Herring! How happy does the score

make you feel? not very happy. You never are! I am a man United fan.

She supports Man United. Charlie Adam scored two goals. His first

might have been deflected but his second was the perfect stride. It

left Stoke celebrating a league win over United for the first time since

Boxing Day, 1984, when Mark was 21 and a striker with the red Devils.

There comes a point when we expect Charlie to score goals like that. I

see it in training every day. He has got a clean strike. I am pleased

that Stoke one. I like to see the little guy come out on top. What did

you make a? Amazing. My husband and my sons are over the moon. Really

thrilled. Villa were taking the lead at

Garrison Park, but the first`half goal was not good enough. Edison

Park. As for West Brom, they seized on a howler to win a draw against

Liverpool. Back in Hanley, Sir Stanley smiled.

29 years they have waited. He would have been the proudest man in the

Potteries on Saturday afternoon. Away from the Premier League, there

was a fans' protest at Birmingham City against the current owner.

The fans have lost patience with the current regime and the lack of money

at the club. The Blues Trust held a banner at Saturday's game which

read, "Delay no more." Their ultimate aim is for the current

owners to sell the club. And it's a big month for the club with an EGM

on Wednesday and the verdict in Yeung's trial on the 28th. On the

pitch, they were losing 3`1 to Derby but it finished 3`3 on Saturday.

The former Warwickshire director of cricket Ashley Giles is a leading

contender to take over as head coach of the England Test team. Giles is

already in charge of the one day and Twenty20 sides. He says he would be

"very interested" in replacing Andy Flower who resigned from the test

side after the Ashes. And today the chairman of the ECB confirmed Giles

was a "strong candidate" for the role.

Basketball, and the director of the Birmingham Knights says they'll fold

unless attendances rise. The club was formed last summer and is half

way through a first season in the top flight. But it's proving

tough... 19 defeats and no victories. So could they turn that

around against bottom club Surrey? I went along on Saturday night to find

out. These are nervous times for the

Birmingham Knights. They've yet to win a game this season. And the

finances are creaking. The message to basketball fans is clear. Back

them, or lose them. We really do need the city and local businesses

and new fans to start coming along and supporting us, or we won't be

here next season. We should be devastated for Birmingham. We've got

professional basketball back. The venue has been the biggest problem.

The Knights are based at North Solihull Sports Centre. It's in

Chelmsley Wood, and being away from the city centre makes it hard to

attract crowds. But those who do go are passionate ` especially when

they've got two sons in the side. They are competing, and that is all

we want. The fact that in the second quarter there was a good points

tally, that is nice in any sport. I am a huge fan of Birmingham Bullets

and I was disappointed when they disappeared so I was pleased when

basketball came back. Saturday's game against Surrey gave the Knights

a great chance of their first win of the season. But the Knights lost

again 89`80. Their coach is still optimistic about the future. The

results have not gone the way we wanted it to but when you have been

looking at the schools and universities, that is all positive.

Birmingham would love to follow the example of the league leaders,

Worcester Wolves. Worcester play at their University's new arena, and

Birmingham have an agreement with their university to move into a new

arena in 2016. But that's still two years away. And if the Knights can't

improve their finances, they won't last that long.

Zac purchase from Tewkesbury, the rower, has announced his retirement

today. He won medals in ageing and London. `` in Beijing.

Steve Evans shared his fight with terminal stomach cancer on radio, TV

and online, always showing "courage, humour and grace". In one of his

final tweets, Steve thanked all his followers saying, "You have helped

us get through some very dark and tricky times". His story touched the

lives of people from all walks of life and all over the world. The

Olympic gold medallist Matthew Pinsent described Steve as "funny

and dignified to the end". Mike Pearson tweeted from America that

Steve's journey was "truly the bravest thing I've ever heard,"

while on Facebook, Louise Ransberry, who attended today's service, said

"what a fabulous send off ` funny, emotional, entertaining." Tributes

at today's service in Wolverhampton were led by the comedian and family

friend, Frank Skinner, as Ben Godfrey reports.

At half past twelve, parts of Wolverhampton city centre fell

silent. 500 mourners gathered to celebrate the life of a man of many

talents. I have followed him through his journey, through sad times. He

was a good guy. I am showing my respect to day. He was

inspirational. Steve Evans touched people with his honesty and humour.

Here was a man revealing the hard truth about life with terminal

stomach cancer. The 52`year`old council building surveyor, part`time

comedian and magician, leaves behind his wife Septina, and their

daughters Meg and Lauren. The only thing we can do, and it does not

have to be a specific thing, is continued living the way he taught

us. If we do that, then his legacy lives on. Steve spent a decade

managing the acts at the Civic Hall. This was the first funeral service

in the venue's history. One of those paying tribute was the comedian,

Frank Skinner, a family friend. He said Steve was an amazing guy, a man

of great intelligence and cleverer than he looked. He added, he was

Wolverhampton through and through, but I forgive him that. Also among

the mourners were former colleagues at Wolverhampton City Council, some

of his 26,000 Twitter followers and those who'd helped Steve to tell his

unique story. There is a familiar play called Death Of A Salesman, and

the lead character judges people by how many turn up to his funeral. If

that is a good assessment of a man's life, this was an incredible

life. Steve asked for donations to be made to Compton Hospice because

of the support given to him at home by its nurses. ?15,000 has been

raised so far. Such a sizeable sum will go a long way to help provide

care in the future for families affected. The furthest away donation

was Zimbabwe. It shows love. Steve Evans called his fight against

cancer "a journey shared by loved ones". Today, it was apparent there

were many more of them than perhaps he realised.

Truly inspirational. Earlier we saw the continuing flooding problem, is

there any respite from the rain on the horizon Shefali?

There is some respite. Any respite is going to be welcome at this

stage, especially to those in flooded areas. We have got drier

days this week. They are interspersed with wetter periods.

For the first half of the week, the wettest and windiest period will be

on Wednesday. That is quite a wild day and there are warnings in force

at the moment for gusts of up to 50 mph. That will cause travel

disruption. There will be rain to come with that and it could amount

to 20 or 30 millimetres, about an inch of rain, on top of what we have

already got. Just to point out that we have numerous flood warnings in

force across the region. We have two severe flood warnings for

Gloucestershire. It is a changing picture so if you want to keep up to

date, the best thing to do is contact this phone number. This is

what is affecting us in the immediate future. There is a cold

front heading in from the west. It does not have the additional baggage

of low pressure, so it will not be as bad as this deep area of low

pressure heading our way on Wednesday. There is a lot of rain

along it. It is a narrowband heading in this evening from the West,

producing rain in some places. It heads off to the east, followed by

showers. We have got dry conditions to end the night and under those

clearer skies, temperatures near freezing in more reward areas and

over higher land. We could see a touch of ice and frost as well. For

towns and cities, temperatures above freezing. Tomorrow is also a day of

respite. Dry weather and showers, and sunshine as well. Temperatures

to about eight Celsius. The rain is going to arrive tomorrow night and

it will be heavy. Tonight's headlines from the BBC...

State schools as good as private ones ` that's the ambition, says the

Education Secretary. 125 years of history comes to the

end of the road ` Dunlop Motorsport's Birmingham factory to

close, with the loss of 240 jobs. Moore at ten o'clock. Goodbye.