:00:00. > :00:10.chilly old week, George. Rais thank you. That's all from the BBC
:00:11. > :00:17.We are victims of a witchhunt, says a governor over claims his school
:00:18. > :00:24.has been infiltrated by Muslim radicals. This is a completdly
:00:25. > :00:30.anonymous document which maligns my good work and my good name. The
:00:31. > :00:34.chair of governors speaks to us exclusively after the alleg`tions
:00:35. > :00:38.earlier this month. Under trial in Birmingham, ` new
:00:39. > :00:44.prosthetic limb that could transform the lives of thousands of alputees.
:00:45. > :00:51.Although I was active beford, I am even more active now. All aboard the
:00:52. > :00:56.heritage railway clocking up record numbers across the Cotswolds.
:00:57. > :01:01.It is the biggest game in the club's history. Join me livd at
:01:02. > :01:13.Saint Andrews, where Birmingham city ladies play in a Champions League
:01:14. > :01:28.clash. And all of the weather detahls for
:01:29. > :01:32.you later. Good evening. A school governor says
:01:33. > :01:35.allegations that he is behind a radical Muslim plot aimed at making
:01:36. > :01:38.schools work to more Islamic principles are a witchhunt.
:01:39. > :01:41.Birmingham City Council is currently investigating a letter which claims
:01:42. > :01:43.the plan, known as Operation Trojan Horse, has already affected
:01:44. > :01:48.leadership at four schools. The letter names Tahir Alam, ch`irman of
:01:49. > :01:50.governors at Park View Acaddmy. Officials from the Department for
:01:51. > :01:53.Education are currently at school, saying they are monitoring serious
:01:54. > :01:56.allegations. School watchdog Ofsted is also carrying out an inspection.
:01:57. > :02:05.Our special correspondent Pdter Wilson has this exclusive rdport.
:02:06. > :02:10.Business as usual at Park vhew, the start of a new school week, but
:02:11. > :02:16.every weekend stories in thd national papers full of alldgations
:02:17. > :02:20.and accusations. But teachers, although polite, were making no
:02:21. > :02:24.comment. I am sure if you make an appointment
:02:25. > :02:28.they will be happy to talk to you. An unsigned letter known as the
:02:29. > :02:31.Trojan Horse plot prompted ` series of investigations. It may bd a hoax
:02:32. > :02:34.but it includes a five`point plan to install radical Muslim governors.
:02:35. > :02:40.One of the few names mentioned is Tahir Alam. Today he spoke out for
:02:41. > :02:47.the first time. This document is an signed, undated,
:02:48. > :02:51.completely anonymous and it maligns my good name and my good work that I
:02:52. > :02:56.have done in education for lany many years. I do not subscrhbe to
:02:57. > :03:03.the strategy outlined in thdre so I reject that totally. Are yot an
:03:04. > :03:08.extremist? That is how you have been painted in some parts of thd media.
:03:09. > :03:12.I am far from that. I find that amusing because I have a tr`ck
:03:13. > :03:16.record of working with lots of different organisations and we are
:03:17. > :03:20.very open and transparent in the way that we do things. If the
:03:21. > :03:27.authorities were to force you out, what would be lost? It is an
:03:28. > :03:30.example, it is a trend making institution in that it is a very
:03:31. > :03:35.deprived area and we have ghven these children hope and opportunity.
:03:36. > :03:39.The exam results a decade ago where amongst the worst in the cotntry.
:03:40. > :03:43.Now they are one of the best in the city, with a pass rate of 70%. But
:03:44. > :03:46.Ofsted are looking closely `t the management of the school, and one MP
:03:47. > :03:56.believes the authorities should be lifting the lid on how the school is
:03:57. > :04:01.run. I think we have to wait for the
:04:02. > :04:04.enquiry, the inspection to take but there are serious concerns that need
:04:05. > :04:08.to be dealt with before we love forward.
:04:09. > :04:11.Alum Rock is one of the most deprived areas in Britain. Three
:04:12. > :04:14.quarters of the pupils recehve free school meals. So what do thd parents
:04:15. > :04:21.make of the controversy surrounding their children's school?
:04:22. > :04:25.A lot of kids coming out of this school am aware they are ending up
:04:26. > :04:29.now, colleges, universities, into decent jobs, compared to whdre they
:04:30. > :04:36.were before, I think they should lay off the school. Three of us have
:04:37. > :04:39.been here, it is brilliant `nd I don't believe any of it.
:04:40. > :04:42.The Education Secretary was in Birmingham last week. It is thought
:04:43. > :04:45.that the pressure on the City Council and Ofsted to investigate
:04:46. > :04:50.Park View has come from concerns within his office.
:04:51. > :04:53.I think it is probably best if we talk about Birmingham on another
:04:54. > :05:00.occasion because there are inevitable sensitivities about it.
:05:01. > :05:04.Ofsted won't comment on the latest reports that the school could be
:05:05. > :05:07.taken over. In a statement the school say they are cooperating
:05:08. > :05:18.fully with the ongoing investigations but they say they are
:05:19. > :05:21.disappointed that any detailed purporting to be part of those
:05:22. > :05:25.investigations is reaching the public before the report is
:05:26. > :05:34.published. The school says ht will not comment any further.
:05:35. > :05:38.In another statement, the ldader of Birmingham City Council say they are
:05:39. > :05:41.reviewing the way schools are run in the city after the anonymous Trojan
:05:42. > :05:45.horse letter. You are watching Midlands Today from
:05:46. > :05:49.the BBC. Good to have you whth us this evening. Still ahead, we are
:05:50. > :05:57.off to the theatre. From Stratford to the west dnd, the
:05:58. > :06:11.1000th performance of Matilda in insurers the success of the RSC ``
:06:12. > :06:14.ensures. And we will be looking at some of
:06:15. > :06:16.the captivating scenes from thousands of pictures of Birmingham
:06:17. > :06:19.taken by you. A Birmingham professor is tdsting a
:06:20. > :06:23.revolutionary new implant for patients who have had an amputation
:06:24. > :06:25.above the knee. If it works and they can control infections, it hs
:06:26. > :06:28.believed it could help amputee soldiers. Here is our health
:06:29. > :06:30.correspondent, Michele Padu`no. Nestled near Kington on the
:06:31. > :06:33.Herefordshire border with W`les there is not much in the wax of
:06:34. > :06:36.disabled access, particularly when you have your own smallholdhng.
:06:37. > :06:40.Michael Lloyd had his leg alputated due to bone cancer at just 21. Given
:06:41. > :06:43.the chance to test a new attachment for an artificial leg, he ldapt at
:06:44. > :06:45.the chance. It is fabulous. It has changed my
:06:46. > :06:50.life completely, it is much easier to do even small, everyday tasks. I
:06:51. > :06:53.can walk as far as I want over hilly ground, nothing stops me.
:06:54. > :06:56.His thighbone was shortened by three quarters of an inch here at
:06:57. > :06:59.Birmingham's Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and the attachment grafted
:07:00. > :07:06.into the bone. Mr Lloyd has antibiotics for infection, but
:07:07. > :07:10.surgeons see real potential. One of the things about people with
:07:11. > :07:14.amputations is that they test their limbs to the limit and I wotld not
:07:15. > :07:18.be surprised if one of thesd did not get into the Paralympics.
:07:19. > :07:20.Since Mr Lloyd's operation, silver technology has been used to reduce
:07:21. > :07:24.infection. Professor Grimer believes in future that this type of implant
:07:25. > :07:32.could combine with limbs th`t move electronically.
:07:33. > :07:38.This is a standard prosthethc leg. It would fit completely over the
:07:39. > :07:42.thigh and suction holds it hn place. Patients say they get chafing,
:07:43. > :07:45.sometimes even pressure sords, and can't wear them for several days.
:07:46. > :07:51.Michael's now has enough sensation to drive with a clutch.
:07:52. > :08:00.The first time for 34 years I have driven a manual vehicle and I can
:08:01. > :08:03.feel the clutch biting. 1960, Massey Ferguson. Almost as old as le but
:08:04. > :08:06.not quite as good condition. But, never mind horsepower, the
:08:07. > :08:14.greatest benefit will always be Shanks's pony.
:08:15. > :08:17.And Michele joins me now. This has clearly helped Michael immensity `
:08:18. > :08:23.how likely is this to becomd available?
:08:24. > :08:26.It is early days. They have only treated 60 patients worldwide with
:08:27. > :08:30.this and clearly at the beghnning it was not working properly. They have
:08:31. > :08:34.found this new silver technhque which seems to be promising from now
:08:35. > :08:40.on but the trial will take `nother year to 18 months to finish and only
:08:41. > :08:48.at that point will the comp`ny, Stanmore implants, know whether they
:08:49. > :08:51.can take it forward. It could revolutionise the lives of xoung
:08:52. > :08:57.servicemen and women? Clearly the younger the patient is, the more
:08:58. > :09:01.they are going to get out of it I believe one of the earliest people
:09:02. > :09:05.treated was a Falklands war veteran. There is also the possibility that
:09:06. > :09:09.Paralympians like Oscar Pistorius could use this in future.
:09:10. > :09:13.It survived two landslides which cost more than ?1.5 million to
:09:14. > :09:15.repair, but today one of our heritage railways is celebr`ting,
:09:16. > :09:18.with a record`breaking year for passengers. 86,000 people travelled
:09:19. > :09:21.on the Gloucestershire Warwhckshire Railway last year, and todax Railway
:09:22. > :09:35.staff stepped up their camp`ign to attract even more visitors. Bob
:09:36. > :09:39.Hockenhull reports. This steam train will represent a
:09:40. > :09:41.renaissance in Cotswold tourism if all goes to plan. The
:09:42. > :09:48.Gloucestershire Warwickshird Railway has been run by volunteers since the
:09:49. > :09:53.line closed in 1979. The tr`ck currently runs 12 miles between
:09:54. > :09:57.Lavant and Cheltenham but today delegates for the tourist industry
:09:58. > :10:02.heard about ambitious plans to extend the line a further two miles
:10:03. > :10:06.to Broadway. We are lucky in that the rahlway
:10:07. > :10:12.corridor has largely been preserved. That is great not just
:10:13. > :10:16.for the community but for local transport links and for bushnesses
:10:17. > :10:21.as a whole. Shares in the lhne are being offered to the public to help
:10:22. > :10:26.pay for the extension. The bridges to Broadway appeal aims to raise
:10:27. > :10:34.half ?1 million by October. It has already raised ?340,000. It will be
:10:35. > :10:39.three years before the railway pulls into Broadway station for the first
:10:40. > :10:45.time since 1960. Before then there is a full schedule is `` of repairs
:10:46. > :10:50.planned, to be carried out by professionals and volunteers. The
:10:51. > :10:56.Heritage line has had its sdtbacks, two landslides led to its p`rtial
:10:57. > :11:01.closure but ?2 million was donated by the public and when it rdopened
:11:02. > :11:05.last year it carried a record 8 ,000 passengers. It is hoped that opening
:11:06. > :11:14.the Rhine to roadway will boost the whole area. `` the line. A steam
:11:15. > :11:18.railway will attract a lot of people and when you get people looking
:11:19. > :11:26.around and travelling on thd line, it will bring business to the
:11:27. > :11:33.villages. Once Broadway is reached, the railway enthusiasts hopd they
:11:34. > :11:36.can extend further to Stratford and then it really will be the
:11:37. > :11:41.Gloucestershire Warwickshird Railway.
:11:42. > :11:46.We are victims of a rare `` a witchhunt says a governor over some
:11:47. > :11:49.claims his school is being infiltrated by Muslim radic`ls.
:11:50. > :11:52.Shefali will be here shortlx with your detailed weather forec`st. And
:11:53. > :11:55.also in tonight's program... A big European night at St @ndrew's,
:11:56. > :12:03.as Birmingham City Ladies t`ke on Arsenal in the Champions Le`gue We
:12:04. > :12:06.are there live. It is the children's story of an
:12:07. > :12:09.extraordinary girl with nasty parents that has now become a
:12:10. > :12:12.massive hit on the West End and Broadway. Matilda the music`l has
:12:13. > :12:14.just celebrated its 1000 performance with sell`out audiences, but it
:12:15. > :12:17.began life in Stratford`upon`Avon and its Midlands origins ard now
:12:18. > :12:27.guaranteeing the success of new projects with the Royal Shakespeare
:12:28. > :12:30.Company. Here is Joan Cummins. Matilda, the adaptation of ` Roald
:12:31. > :12:32.Dahl classic by the Royal Shakespeare Company, is plahn to
:12:33. > :12:36.sell`out audiences across the world and has plans to open in Australia
:12:37. > :12:46.next year, but the musical journey began in the Midlands.
:12:47. > :12:50.Mathilde was born in Stratford`upon`Avon. More than
:12:51. > :12:54.80,000 people saw it in its three`month run and it was
:12:55. > :12:59.transferred to the West End and New York and more than 1.75 million
:13:00. > :13:06.people have now seen it, ensuring the success of the RSC.
:13:07. > :13:16.Everything we put on stage hs made in the area around Stratford.
:13:17. > :13:20.And RSC adaptation of Les Mhs was transferred in the 80s before it
:13:21. > :13:27.gained success but the RSC hs determined to hold on to its made in
:13:28. > :13:31.Stratford production of Mathlda with production profits funding
:13:32. > :13:36.community RSC projects. The income lets us do things we have `` we
:13:37. > :13:45.would not be able to do othdrwise, like streaming which had thd second
:13:46. > :13:49.into schools. `` Richard thd second. The 1000 performance was marked with
:13:50. > :13:54.a preshow cake for the cast and praise from the delighted atdience.
:13:55. > :14:00.You cannot watch that and kdep your mouth shut, it is hysterical, I
:14:01. > :14:06.filled up with tears. There is a great mix of adult and youth, it is
:14:07. > :14:09.a great mixture. Best thing I have ever seen.
:14:10. > :14:12.Roald Dahl's widow has watched Matilda's journey and emotionally
:14:13. > :14:20.told us her husband would h`ve been proud of the RSC's version.
:14:21. > :14:27.It is a miracle. I mean, yot know, it was the first interpretation of
:14:28. > :14:36.his works that I think he would be thrilled.
:14:37. > :14:40.Fabulous, and congratulations. Time for sport, and a big nhght for
:14:41. > :14:44.Birmingham City Ladies. Dan Pallett is live for us now at St Andrew s.
:14:45. > :14:50.Yes, European football is b`ck at the home of the Blues. Birmhngham
:14:51. > :14:56.City Ladies are taking on Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions
:14:57. > :15:00.League quarterfinal. You can see the girls warming up here. Kick`off is
:15:01. > :15:03.at 7pm. It is the second tile they have played at St Andrew's `nd
:15:04. > :15:05.reflects the rising profile of the women's game. Nick Clitherod
:15:06. > :15:08.reports. It is their moment in the St
:15:09. > :15:11.Andrew's spotlight, and Birlingham City Ladies are determined to seize
:15:12. > :15:16.it. Because tonight's game `gainst Arsenal is the biggest the club has
:15:17. > :15:20.ever faced. I don't think I can explain it. Up
:15:21. > :15:24.to now it is the furthest wd have got in this competition and to go
:15:25. > :15:27.further would just be a dre`m come true for people.
:15:28. > :15:30.Back in November they celebrated their first ever game at St Andrew's
:15:31. > :15:37.with victory against Zorky Krasnogorsk from Russia. It was a
:15:38. > :15:41.wonderful night for the plaxers But in the months since Birmingham city
:15:42. > :15:46.have lost some of their top players to other clubs, while Arsen`l have
:15:47. > :15:49.brought in other players from Japan. Blues have even lost goalkedper Mary
:15:50. > :15:53.Earps, who was only modelling their new kit last month. At least Karen
:15:54. > :15:58.Carney, who joined the club at 1, is still with the Blues. Shd may
:15:59. > :16:00.have won 85 England caps but right now nothing would give her lore
:16:01. > :16:06.satisfaction than beating Arsenal, over two legs.
:16:07. > :16:10.We are not a high spending team but we produce young players and when we
:16:11. > :16:14.do produce we don't half produce. The team we have got, the
:16:15. > :16:19.youngsters, in a couple of xears or even one year, the big teams will be
:16:20. > :16:22.trying to tap them because H know they are that good.
:16:23. > :16:26.So tonight in true Blues tr`dition Karen and Emily will be aimhng to
:16:27. > :16:29.keep right on to the end of the road, a road which ends with the
:16:30. > :16:40.Champions League final in Lhsbon in May.
:16:41. > :16:49.Let's speak to the proud cltb chair chairman `` chairman. It dods not
:16:50. > :16:55.get much bigger than this. @re the girls confident? I think we are the
:16:56. > :17:02.underdogs obviously but over the last three years the top two clubs
:17:03. > :17:06.are Arsenal and Birmingham. There have been some changes in the
:17:07. > :17:12.playing staff but we are confident. The first test is tonight. @ few
:17:13. > :17:15.scores to settle, they just beat you to the league title a coupld of