:00:00. > :00:00.And that is all from us. There is more throughout the evening on
:00:00. > :00:13.He gets the operation which could help him walk, after an anonymous
:00:14. > :00:30.For someone to do that, just after seeing it on the programme, it is
:00:31. > :00:32.fantastic. We will find out how
:00:33. > :00:34.his operation went Clamping down on khat, the plant
:00:35. > :00:40.recently banned as a Class C drug, Helping
:00:41. > :00:44.the jobless become more employable, And although this weekend's weather
:00:45. > :00:53.may not exactly be music to your ears, there will still be some
:00:54. > :01:00.pleasant spells Your full forecast
:01:01. > :01:20.is coming up later. A 10`year`old boy has today
:01:21. > :01:25.undergone a potentially life`changing spinal
:01:26. > :01:27.operation, thanks to the generosity The specialist operation is used
:01:28. > :01:32.on some cerebral palsy patidnts to Ben Baddesley, from Newcastle under
:01:33. > :01:36.Lyme, was due to have the operation in February, but it was cancelled
:01:37. > :01:39.after the hospital realised it was Health Correspondent Micheld Paduano
:01:40. > :02:03.has spent the day with Ben If an a to J Rudolph, yet traded. If
:02:04. > :02:14.the operation goes all, he could be paralysed. I am glad you ard here
:02:15. > :02:22.and I am really pleased that the nation has helped others. Hd was due
:02:23. > :02:29.to have the operation on thd NHS, but then they'd found out that they
:02:30. > :02:38.will no longer being funded. An anonymous donor saw the feature we
:02:39. > :02:56.did on the story. What sort of things would you like to do? Raid on
:02:57. > :03:01.a skateboard. They were verx touched and they want to remain anonymous.
:03:02. > :03:16.For someone to do that, it was amazing. This operation onlx works
:03:17. > :03:29.on certain cerebral palsy p`tients. All the parents can do is w`it. As
:03:30. > :03:34.soon as he walked up, it was getting something to eat. So we are just
:03:35. > :03:40.having to twiddle our thumbs at the moment. It could be up to one year
:03:41. > :03:47.until we are fully aware of the nature of the progress. The
:03:48. > :03:59.treatment must looked at 2000 are believed to be effective. Hhs
:04:00. > :04:06.parents are already convincdd. If there's a cure, she should be able
:04:07. > :04:13.to it. It takes the pain aw`y and gives him a better quality of life.
:04:14. > :04:16.Because the operation no longer run by the NHS, they have to rahse a
:04:17. > :04:23.further ?10,000. And tomorrow, Ben begins
:04:24. > :04:26.his physiotherapy at hospit`l. And we will keep you updated
:04:27. > :04:28.as he makes progress. Police in Birmingham are stdpping up
:04:29. > :04:49.patrols in some parts of the city following the n`tionwide
:04:50. > :04:52.ban on the sale of khat. The plant,
:04:53. > :04:54.which is traditionally chewdd by members of the Somalian `nd
:04:55. > :04:57.Yemini communities, was reclassified People found with khat
:04:58. > :05:04.for their personal use can now be fined ?60, while suppliers face up
:05:05. > :05:06.to 14`years in jail. Officers are now trying to `lert
:05:07. > :05:09.users to those penalties, amid fears that an illegal trade
:05:10. > :05:16.in the drug is already emerging This is khat,
:05:17. > :05:18.an African plant which, when chewed, Filmed here before the ban ht has
:05:19. > :05:23.been proved to damage health. It can cause depression,
:05:24. > :05:25.heart problems and increases On patrol in Sparkbrook
:05:26. > :05:34.in Birmingham, the police are spreading the word about thdse
:05:35. > :05:57.dangers, but also reminding In a can. It has been a gre`t
:05:58. > :05:59.nuisance. It can also lead to disorder.
:06:00. > :06:02.For some users, khat is part and parcel of everyday life.
:06:03. > :06:05.In the countries where they are from, the tradition dates b`ck
:06:06. > :06:07.thousands of years, which makes breaking the habit of a
:06:08. > :06:19.It is no surprise then that there is anger amongst some former users
:06:20. > :06:25.This is one of our traditions. We never harmed anybody. For ydars it
:06:26. > :06:30.has been coming into this country. But there is broad support
:06:31. > :06:32.for the ban. Felsan Egal's husband used
:06:33. > :06:34.to sell it from their shop. She is happy it has all stopped
:06:35. > :06:49.and says she is already witnessing The ones who give it up, thdy are
:06:50. > :06:52.more occupied and more we are more occupied and Maura Weir of things.
:06:53. > :06:55.They are looking for the future Meanwhile,
:06:56. > :06:58.there are concerns amongst community workers that a new drugs underworld
:06:59. > :07:01.is already being created Senior Police officers realhse the
:07:02. > :07:12.cultural difficulties, but suppling or using khat is now illegal
:07:13. > :07:21.and future prosecutions are likely. I am joined now by Mohammed Ashfaq
:07:22. > :07:47.from KIKIT, a community drug It could be dangerous when `bused.
:07:48. > :07:53.There are some people who h`ve taken all the laser that has not `ffected
:07:54. > :08:01.them. There are other peopld who get addicted to it. They cannot get a
:08:02. > :08:15.job, cannot get out and abott in the community, and they suffer from
:08:16. > :08:21.health problems. Do about this in place, what is the best way to get
:08:22. > :08:28.that message out? I think information programmes need to be
:08:29. > :08:32.rolled out across the region. You saw in the film at a number of
:08:33. > :08:37.people are angry about this. They are seeing it has been used for
:08:38. > :08:50.hundreds of years. Do you understand that anger? Yes, of course H do A
:08:51. > :08:53.lot of people used to come to buy it and they no longer come to the
:08:54. > :09:02.region to do that because it is banned. What can people do who want
:09:03. > :09:11.to get off the drug? We offdr services any time of the dax and we
:09:12. > :09:24.do say col and social interventions. We will also have one`to`ond
:09:25. > :09:33.counselling. A leading barrhster has warned that an enquiry into
:09:34. > :09:42.historical child abuse problems may not get to the root of the problem.
:09:43. > :09:49.It has to take as long as it will take to get clarity. We havd seen a
:09:50. > :09:58.spate of stories in the last year of which have been very damaging. There
:09:59. > :10:01.of public sector strikes on the of public sector strikes on the
:10:02. > :10:03.Sunday politics at 11 o'clock on Sunday.
:10:04. > :10:07.A teenage mother accused of failing to protect her b`by is to
:10:08. > :10:12.Jessica Wiggins left Worcester Crown Court today after
:10:13. > :10:16.The 19`year`old was accused of causing or allowing the death of
:10:17. > :10:19.12`week`old Isabella Vallance at her home in Redditch in December 20 2.
:10:20. > :10:21.Yesterday, she was cleared of a charge of cruelty
:10:22. > :10:30.60 beds are going to be takdn out of Stafford Hospital.
:10:31. > :10:33.It is partly down to staffing shortages, although some were only
:10:34. > :10:36.It is one`fifth of the complex's 300 beds.
:10:37. > :10:38.Nurses have already been recruited from the University Hospital
:10:39. > :10:48.of North Staffordshire to e`se pressure.
:10:49. > :10:50.More details have emerged about a woman who was killed
:10:51. > :10:52.while working in a mental health unit in Glotcester.
:10:53. > :10:54.53`year`old Sharon Wall has been described as dedicated
:10:55. > :10:58.The police are continuing to question a 60`year`old man
:10:59. > :11:18.Tributes to the health care assistant to date this week. She was
:11:19. > :11:23.a worker here at the hospit`l which cares for people with acute mental
:11:24. > :11:28.health problems. As she finhshed a makeshift on Wednesday mornhng, she
:11:29. > :11:33.was fatally stabbed and died shortly afterwards and died shortly
:11:34. > :11:39.afterwards in her employer gave this tribute. It is an extremely sad
:11:40. > :11:47.event which led to the death of a highly compassionate and dedicated
:11:48. > :11:51.worker. Sharon Wall Was a well`respected health care `ssistant
:11:52. > :11:57.and everyone who knew her w`s struck by her warmth, keeping nature and
:11:58. > :12:05.good sense of humour. It is not clear whether the attack took place
:12:06. > :12:10.for weapon was used. It has space for 88 patients. On one hand,
:12:11. > :12:17.patients can come and go as they please. On the other, it is a low
:12:18. > :12:22.security unit. A man is still being questioned by police, he is believed
:12:23. > :12:28.to be a patient at the hosphtal He has yet to be charged, but has been
:12:29. > :12:34.arrested on suspicion of his mother. `` murder. The family Sharon Wall of
:12:35. > :12:36.Avenue is to be left alone while the goodies.
:12:37. > :12:38.Our top story tonight ` new hope for Ben.
:12:39. > :12:41.He gets the operation which could help him walk, after an anonymous
:12:42. > :12:45.Your detailed weather forec`st to come shortly and,
:12:46. > :12:48.also in tonight's programme ? he has broken his collarbone six thmes
:12:49. > :12:51.It is all part of what's made Tai Woffinden world speedway ch`mpion.
:12:52. > :12:55.We will hear from him ahead of the British Grand Prix And they
:12:56. > :12:57.The ukelele players who will be fundraising
:12:58. > :13:11.Unemployed people are being recruited to help to care
:13:12. > :13:14.for the countryside and learn traditional rural skills.
:13:15. > :13:16.They have been working at the Churnet Valley
:13:17. > :13:21.The work is unpaid, but the project organisers hope it will help make
:13:22. > :13:29.Consall Forge in the Churnet Valley, once an area of heavy industry,
:13:30. > :13:35.Conservation work is needed to preserve this beauty.
:13:36. > :13:46.The young jobless have been recruited to help.
:13:47. > :13:51.Our new levelling much? We `re learning loads. We're getting a lot
:13:52. > :13:53.of advice. These teenagers are among 100
:13:54. > :13:56.young people who will work hn this Getting out in the countryshde
:13:57. > :14:05.instead of sitting at home The work includes improving
:14:06. > :14:08.footpaths, mending fences and, today, they are clearing
:14:09. > :14:22.Himalayan Balsam, an invasive plant Do you enjoy it? Yes, it is nice
:14:23. > :14:27.getting out into the countrxside and making things look better.
:14:28. > :14:28.The project, the Churnet Valley Living L`ndscape
:14:29. > :14:30.Partnership, is partly funddd by the Heritage Lottery.
:14:31. > :14:38.The youngsters are not paid, but will get a qualification.
:14:39. > :14:47.Some people may see this as simply being underpaid labour? I c`n see
:14:48. > :14:51.how people might say that, but that is not what it is about.
:14:52. > :14:53.Some of the recruits hope to eventually
:14:54. > :14:57.For one, coming to the Churnet Valley has helped encourage
:14:58. > :15:12.It is something I can do th`t has me think a lot more about other jobs.
:15:13. > :15:14.So, if nothing else, getting out into the countryside will hopefully
:15:15. > :15:34.foster an appreciation of our rich rural heritage.
:15:35. > :15:37.The horrors and the heroism of war are being brought to life
:15:38. > :15:41.The BBC's World War One at Home Roadshow has rolled
:15:42. > :15:43.into Wolverhampton and Sarah Falkland is there.
:15:44. > :15:54.And BBC WM will be broadcasting live from the show from midday tomorrow.
:15:55. > :16:04.This is very much a hands`on table show. You can have a go at plotting
:16:05. > :16:09.are looking at infection and disease, you can also have fewer
:16:10. > :16:17.children yelled at by a real Sergeant Major! With me is the
:16:18. > :16:22.professor from Worcester Unhversity. It was really horrendous at times?
:16:23. > :16:29.Yes, when you think just after the battle, for both the nurses and the
:16:30. > :16:34.other staff, many of whom h`d not had very much training before they
:16:35. > :16:40.went out, they were seen thd injured and people suffering from all sorts
:16:41. > :16:45.of diseases. There would've been a lot of horrendous facial injuries
:16:46. > :16:50.and other issues. It would've been quite traumatic to deal with. This
:16:51. > :16:59.meal in places like that must've been to? Of course, the CK was the
:17:00. > :17:06.train keep everything clean and limit the amount of trauma. Gangrene
:17:07. > :17:14.was a lot of a problem, which could lead to amputations. They also had
:17:15. > :17:22.to content with relatives? Xes, many of the wealthy would come over and
:17:23. > :17:27.some of the pooler women wotld have charities pay for them to come out
:17:28. > :17:34.to nurse their loved ones bdcause they were maybe dying. We h`ve got
:17:35. > :17:35.Pete Waterman coming tomorrow to show the trains used in the great
:17:36. > :17:49.War. And BBC WM will be broadcasting live
:17:50. > :17:53.from the show from midday tomorrow. He has broken his collarbond six
:17:54. > :17:56.times and his arm twice but it has Last year,
:17:57. > :18:00.he fulfilled his dream of bdcoming This weekend,
:18:01. > :18:02.he will attempt to win the British Grand Prix in Cardiff and
:18:03. > :18:05.move closer to retaining thd title. Tai Woffinden is the centre
:18:06. > :18:08.of attention at Wolverhampton The 23`year`old became the first
:18:09. > :18:11.British rider for more than a decade It means that, everywhere hd goes,
:18:12. > :18:33.the crowds turn out to watch. It is not really sunk in th`t they
:18:34. > :18:35.do not think it ever will. No, I just want to see how many tdams I
:18:36. > :18:37.can win it. On Monday,
:18:38. > :18:40.against the Coventry Bees, the man in the red helmet was in sttnning
:18:41. > :18:56.form again at Monmore Green. The fallacy of Frankie has something
:18:57. > :19:02.special. He simply refuses to give up. He gives absolutely 100$. He has
:19:03. > :19:09.a very good ambassador for the sport as well. I think it is the no fear
:19:10. > :19:11.factor. That's why he will ride a w`ve
:19:12. > :19:14.of support from a crowd The British Grand Prix is
:19:15. > :19:30.the next step towards retaining that They are going to be over 40,00
:19:31. > :19:37.people react, so the atmosphere will be electric. But I am going to make
:19:38. > :19:38.sure they do not get carried away with it all.
:19:39. > :19:40.But there is more to Tai than speedway.
:19:41. > :19:42.Today, he has cycled into C`rdiff, with the aim
:19:43. > :19:45.of raising ?100,000 for the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.
:19:46. > :19:48.It just adds to his appeal in the sport.
:19:49. > :19:50.Being world champion sounds glamorous,
:19:51. > :19:56.Physically, it is extremely demanding.
:19:57. > :19:58.On top of the injuries we h`ve already mentioned ,
:19:59. > :20:01.Tai has also broken ribs, fingers and numerous other bones.
:20:02. > :20:06.He rides in Poland on a Sunday, for Wolverhampton on Mondays and
:20:07. > :20:21.Moving onto football and Aston Villa have made a signing today.
:20:22. > :20:23.In the last couple of hours, winger Kieran Richardson has signed
:20:24. > :20:25.a two`year deal after being released by Fulham.
:20:26. > :20:28.He is 29 and said he almost joined them, aged 14!
:20:29. > :20:30.They've come here for the wdather ` and the food!
:20:31. > :20:37.And the Indian weightlifting team say their training camp in the
:20:38. > :20:40.West Midlands has them spot on for the Commonwealth Games.
:20:41. > :20:43.They have spent three weeks in Warley and say they are
:20:44. > :20:46.on course to win at least eight medals in Gl`sgow.
:20:47. > :20:52.They are world class, they `re Indian and they are over here.
:20:53. > :20:54.That applies to MS Dhoni and the Indian cricket team, but
:20:55. > :20:58.And India's weightlifters come in many different sizes.
:20:59. > :21:02.Meet Chandrakanth Mali and Sanjita Chanu, the biggest
:21:03. > :21:09.Chandrakanth weighs 94kg, Sanjita 48kg.
:21:10. > :21:12.And they can both lift more than twice their body weight.
:21:13. > :21:13.This was a rest day in West Bromwich.
:21:14. > :21:16.So, that is why he was only lifting 60 kilograms!
:21:17. > :21:31.His personal best is 191 kilograms, just over 30 stone!
:21:32. > :21:37.At the end of to Glasgow to make up the numbers. They really top team in
:21:38. > :21:42.the Commonwealth Games four years ago and home country.
:21:43. > :21:44.They say the secret is hard work, coupled with good funding
:21:45. > :21:49.And they chose the Midlands as a perfect place to acclilatise
:21:50. > :22:15.They swear that are nice food. In Birmingham, the weather is very much
:22:16. > :22:18.the same as it is at home. This training camp could be the
:22:19. > :22:21.start of closer links and an annual championship between Great Britain
:22:22. > :22:24.and India is now being planned. But unless you can do this with 20
:22:25. > :22:27.kilograms on your back, The instrument is surprisingly
:22:28. > :22:46.popular in this country. Tomorrow , 2,500 players
:22:47. > :22:49.and fans are expected to attend the Ben Godfrey has been
:22:50. > :22:57.finding out more. Tomorrow , 2,500 players
:22:58. > :23:00.and fans are expected to attend the Ben Godfrey has been
:23:01. > :23:25.finding out more. Some have been playing for xears,
:23:26. > :23:37.just first few months. But they are winning national acclaim. Tomorrow,
:23:38. > :23:40.a unique celebration takes place of the instrument. You cannot take the
:23:41. > :23:49.instrument up without feeling happy and smiling. Over the whole of the
:23:50. > :24:07.day we had 1500 people and we are expecting even more this ye`r. The
:24:08. > :24:13.name roughly translates as jumping flea, because of the way th`t the
:24:14. > :24:18.fingers move on the fretboard. Here is the legendary George Forlby,
:24:19. > :24:31.singer and comedian, who often played it,. He inspired a ndw taste
:24:32. > :24:40.in music. Today, there is even an orchestra devoted simply to the
:24:41. > :24:43.instrument. Playing in the group brought me on really quicklx, cause
:24:44. > :24:58.there are some fabulously experienced players. The stormers
:24:59. > :25:00.are helping to raise money for a children's hospice in Coventry. The
:25:01. > :25:09.festival begins at midday tomorrow. Temperatures certainly up
:25:10. > :25:11.a notch today, so we have sdnt How is the forecast looking
:25:12. > :25:24.for the weekend? It has not been a bad day today
:25:25. > :25:36.with temperatures getting up to 24 Celsius. The Sun is trying to break
:25:37. > :25:40.through just no, but if you are off to the cricket, it is certahnly
:25:41. > :25:44.looking good beer. But I cannot promise you a lot more sunshine We
:25:45. > :25:59.will have a lot of cloud ovdr the few days. But this is the s`tellite
:26:00. > :26:02.picture as we head into tod`y. Northern parts of the region did
:26:03. > :26:12.manage to get some nice pics of sunshine. Through this evenhng, the
:26:13. > :26:18.cloud is going to thicken, but that does not mean the temperatures are
:26:19. > :26:25.going to drop. A muggy and sticky and eight. All change tomorrow. A
:26:26. > :26:30.weather system will bring us some cloud coming in from the West. The
:26:31. > :26:38.best of the sunshine tomorrow in the eastern part of the region. Through
:26:39. > :26:43.the day, temperatures steadhly climbing, but the cloud comhng in by
:26:44. > :26:49.the afternoon. I temperaturds similar to today. Through S`turday
:26:50. > :26:55.night, we start to see that rain really come into the region, working
:26:56. > :27:06.its way across from the West. But another what my old mate to come. By
:27:07. > :27:12.the time we get to Sunday, that front is beginning to freshdn up. It
:27:13. > :27:19.will be slightly cooler, with temperatures struggling to get into
:27:20. > :27:23.the 20s. But by the end of next week, we could be looking at
:27:24. > :27:31.temperatures getting up into the 30s for the first time this year.
:27:32. > :27:35.There are plans to allow many more obese people to have gastric bands
:27:36. > :27:37.fitted to tackle an epidemic of Type 2 diabetes.
:27:38. > :27:41.He gets the operation which could help him walk, after an anonymous
:27:42. > :27:44.donor saw him on this progr`mme That was the Midlands Today.
:27:45. > :27:47.Dan will be back with the late news at ten o'clock.
:27:48. > :27:57.Make the most of your weekend, wherever you are.
:27:58. > :28:34.Use the BBC Weather App to stay one step ahead of the weather.
:28:35. > :28:38.Imagine if you could talk to the animals.
:28:39. > :28:43.Zoologist Lucy Cooke is going to show us how.