11/07/2014 Midlands Today

And that is all from us. There is more throughout the evening on

He gets the operation which could help him walk, after an anonymous

For someone to do that, just after seeing it on the programme, it is

fantastic. We will find out how

his operation went Clamping down on khat, the plant

recently banned as a Class C drug, Helping

the jobless become more employable, And although this weekend's weather

may not exactly be music to your ears, there will still be some

pleasant spells Your full forecast

is coming up later. A 10`year`old boy has today

undergone a potentially life`changing spinal

operation, thanks to the generosity The specialist operation is used

on some cerebral palsy patidnts to Ben Baddesley, from Newcastle under

Lyme, was due to have the operation in February, but it was cancelled

after the hospital realised it was Health Correspondent Micheld Paduano

has spent the day with Ben If an a to J Rudolph, yet traded. If

the operation goes all, he could be paralysed. I am glad you ard here

and I am really pleased that the nation has helped others. Hd was due

to have the operation on thd NHS, but then they'd found out that they

will no longer being funded. An anonymous donor saw the feature we

did on the story. What sort of things would you like to do? Raid on

a skateboard. They were verx touched and they want to remain anonymous.

For someone to do that, it was amazing. This operation onlx works

on certain cerebral palsy p`tients. All the parents can do is w`it. As

soon as he walked up, it was getting something to eat. So we are just

having to twiddle our thumbs at the moment. It could be up to one year

until we are fully aware of the nature of the progress. The

treatment must looked at 2000 are believed to be effective. Hhs

parents are already convincdd. If there's a cure, she should be able

to it. It takes the pain aw`y and gives him a better quality of life.

Because the operation no longer run by the NHS, they have to rahse a

further ?10,000. And tomorrow, Ben begins

his physiotherapy at hospit`l. And we will keep you updated

as he makes progress. Police in Birmingham are stdpping up

patrols in some parts of the city following the n`tionwide

ban on the sale of khat. The plant,

which is traditionally chewdd by members of the Somalian `nd

Yemini communities, was reclassified People found with khat

for their personal use can now be fined ?60, while suppliers face up

to 14`years in jail. Officers are now trying to `lert

users to those penalties, amid fears that an illegal trade

in the drug is already emerging This is khat,

an African plant which, when chewed, Filmed here before the ban ht has

been proved to damage health. It can cause depression,

heart problems and increases On patrol in Sparkbrook

in Birmingham, the police are spreading the word about thdse

dangers, but also reminding In a can. It has been a gre`t

nuisance. It can also lead to disorder.

For some users, khat is part and parcel of everyday life.

In the countries where they are from, the tradition dates b`ck

thousands of years, which makes breaking the habit of a

It is no surprise then that there is anger amongst some former users

This is one of our traditions. We never harmed anybody. For ydars it

has been coming into this country. But there is broad support

for the ban. Felsan Egal's husband used

to sell it from their shop. She is happy it has all stopped

and says she is already witnessing The ones who give it up, thdy are

more occupied and more we are more occupied and Maura Weir of things.

They are looking for the future Meanwhile,

there are concerns amongst community workers that a new drugs underworld

is already being created Senior Police officers realhse the

cultural difficulties, but suppling or using khat is now illegal

and future prosecutions are likely. I am joined now by Mohammed Ashfaq

from KIKIT, a community drug It could be dangerous when `bused.

There are some people who h`ve taken all the laser that has not `ffected

them. There are other peopld who get addicted to it. They cannot get a

job, cannot get out and abott in the community, and they suffer from

health problems. Do about this in place, what is the best way to get

that message out? I think information programmes need to be

rolled out across the region. You saw in the film at a number of

people are angry about this. They are seeing it has been used for

hundreds of years. Do you understand that anger? Yes, of course H do A

lot of people used to come to buy it and they no longer come to the

region to do that because it is banned. What can people do who want

to get off the drug? We offdr services any time of the dax and we

do say col and social interventions. We will also have one`to`ond

counselling. A leading barrhster has warned that an enquiry into

historical child abuse problems may not get to the root of the problem.

It has to take as long as it will take to get clarity. We havd seen a

spate of stories in the last year of which have been very damaging. There

of public sector strikes on the of public sector strikes on the

Sunday politics at 11 o'clock on Sunday.

A teenage mother accused of failing to protect her b`by is to

Jessica Wiggins left Worcester Crown Court today after

The 19`year`old was accused of causing or allowing the death of

12`week`old Isabella Vallance at her home in Redditch in December 20 2.

Yesterday, she was cleared of a charge of cruelty

60 beds are going to be takdn out of Stafford Hospital.

It is partly down to staffing shortages, although some were only

It is one`fifth of the complex's 300 beds.

Nurses have already been recruited from the University Hospital

of North Staffordshire to e`se pressure.

More details have emerged about a woman who was killed

while working in a mental health unit in Glotcester.

53`year`old Sharon Wall has been described as dedicated

The police are continuing to question a 60`year`old man

Tributes to the health care assistant to date this week. She was

a worker here at the hospit`l which cares for people with acute mental

health problems. As she finhshed a makeshift on Wednesday mornhng, she

was fatally stabbed and died shortly afterwards and died shortly

afterwards in her employer gave this tribute. It is an extremely sad

event which led to the death of a highly compassionate and dedicated

worker. Sharon Wall Was a well`respected health care `ssistant

and everyone who knew her w`s struck by her warmth, keeping nature and

good sense of humour. It is not clear whether the attack took place

for weapon was used. It has space for 88 patients. On one hand,

patients can come and go as they please. On the other, it is a low

security unit. A man is still being questioned by police, he is believed

to be a patient at the hosphtal He has yet to be charged, but has been

arrested on suspicion of his mother. `` murder. The family Sharon Wall of

Avenue is to be left alone while the goodies.

Our top story tonight ` new hope for Ben.

He gets the operation which could help him walk, after an anonymous

Your detailed weather forec`st to come shortly and,

also in tonight's programme ? he has broken his collarbone six thmes

It is all part of what's made Tai Woffinden world speedway ch`mpion.

We will hear from him ahead of the British Grand Prix And they

The ukelele players who will be fundraising

Unemployed people are being recruited to help to care

for the countryside and learn traditional rural skills.

They have been working at the Churnet Valley

The work is unpaid, but the project organisers hope it will help make

Consall Forge in the Churnet Valley, once an area of heavy industry,

Conservation work is needed to preserve this beauty.

The young jobless have been recruited to help.

Our new levelling much? We `re learning loads. We're getting a lot

of advice. These teenagers are among 100

young people who will work hn this Getting out in the countryshde

instead of sitting at home The work includes improving

footpaths, mending fences and, today, they are clearing

Himalayan Balsam, an invasive plant Do you enjoy it? Yes, it is nice

getting out into the countrxside and making things look better.

The project, the Churnet Valley Living L`ndscape

Partnership, is partly funddd by the Heritage Lottery.

The youngsters are not paid, but will get a qualification.

Some people may see this as simply being underpaid labour? I c`n see

how people might say that, but that is not what it is about.

Some of the recruits hope to eventually

For one, coming to the Churnet Valley has helped encourage

It is something I can do th`t has me think a lot more about other jobs.

So, if nothing else, getting out into the countryside will hopefully

foster an appreciation of our rich rural heritage.

The horrors and the heroism of war are being brought to life

The BBC's World War One at Home Roadshow has rolled

into Wolverhampton and Sarah Falkland is there.

And BBC WM will be broadcasting live from the show from midday tomorrow.

This is very much a hands`on table show. You can have a go at plotting

are looking at infection and disease, you can also have fewer

children yelled at by a real Sergeant Major! With me is the

professor from Worcester Unhversity. It was really horrendous at times?

Yes, when you think just after the battle, for both the nurses and the

other staff, many of whom h`d not had very much training before they

went out, they were seen thd injured and people suffering from all sorts

of diseases. There would've been a lot of horrendous facial injuries

and other issues. It would've been quite traumatic to deal with. This

meal in places like that must've been to? Of course, the CK was the

train keep everything clean and limit the amount of trauma. Gangrene

was a lot of a problem, which could lead to amputations. They also had

to content with relatives? Xes, many of the wealthy would come over and

some of the pooler women wotld have charities pay for them to come out

to nurse their loved ones bdcause they were maybe dying. We h`ve got

Pete Waterman coming tomorrow to show the trains used in the great

War. And BBC WM will be broadcasting live

from the show from midday tomorrow. He has broken his collarbond six

times and his arm twice but it has Last year,

he fulfilled his dream of bdcoming This weekend,

he will attempt to win the British Grand Prix in Cardiff and

move closer to retaining thd title. Tai Woffinden is the centre

of attention at Wolverhampton The 23`year`old became the first

British rider for more than a decade It means that, everywhere hd goes,

the crowds turn out to watch. It is not really sunk in th`t they

do not think it ever will. No, I just want to see how many tdams I

can win it. On Monday,

against the Coventry Bees, the man in the red helmet was in sttnning

form again at Monmore Green. The fallacy of Frankie has something

special. He simply refuses to give up. He gives absolutely 100$. He has

a very good ambassador for the sport as well. I think it is the no fear

factor. That's why he will ride a w`ve

of support from a crowd The British Grand Prix is

the next step towards retaining that They are going to be over 40,00

people react, so the atmosphere will be electric. But I am going to make

sure they do not get carried away with it all.

But there is more to Tai than speedway.

Today, he has cycled into C`rdiff, with the aim

of raising ?100,000 for the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.

It just adds to his appeal in the sport.

Being world champion sounds glamorous,

Physically, it is extremely demanding.

On top of the injuries we h`ve already mentioned ,

Tai has also broken ribs, fingers and numerous other bones.

He rides in Poland on a Sunday, for Wolverhampton on Mondays and

Moving onto football and Aston Villa have made a signing today.

In the last couple of hours, winger Kieran Richardson has signed

a two`year deal after being released by Fulham.

He is 29 and said he almost joined them, aged 14!

They've come here for the wdather ` and the food!

And the Indian weightlifting team say their training camp in the

West Midlands has them spot on for the Commonwealth Games.

They have spent three weeks in Warley and say they are

on course to win at least eight medals in Gl`sgow.

They are world class, they `re Indian and they are over here.

That applies to MS Dhoni and the Indian cricket team, but

And India's weightlifters come in many different sizes.

Meet Chandrakanth Mali and Sanjita Chanu, the biggest

Chandrakanth weighs 94kg, Sanjita 48kg.

And they can both lift more than twice their body weight.

This was a rest day in West Bromwich.

So, that is why he was only lifting 60 kilograms!

His personal best is 191 kilograms, just over 30 stone!

At the end of to Glasgow to make up the numbers. They really top team in

the Commonwealth Games four years ago and home country.

They say the secret is hard work, coupled with good funding

And they chose the Midlands as a perfect place to acclilatise

They swear that are nice food. In Birmingham, the weather is very much

the same as it is at home. This training camp could be the

start of closer links and an annual championship between Great Britain

and India is now being planned. But unless you can do this with 20

kilograms on your back, The instrument is surprisingly

popular in this country. Tomorrow , 2,500 players

and fans are expected to attend the Ben Godfrey has been

finding out more. Tomorrow , 2,500 players

and fans are expected to attend the Ben Godfrey has been

finding out more. Some have been playing for xears,

just first few months. But they are winning national acclaim. Tomorrow,

a unique celebration takes place of the instrument. You cannot take the

instrument up without feeling happy and smiling. Over the whole of the

day we had 1500 people and we are expecting even more this ye`r. The

name roughly translates as jumping flea, because of the way th`t the

fingers move on the fretboard. Here is the legendary George Forlby,

singer and comedian, who often played it,. He inspired a ndw taste

in music. Today, there is even an orchestra devoted simply to the

instrument. Playing in the group brought me on really quicklx, cause

there are some fabulously experienced players. The stormers

are helping to raise money for a children's hospice in Coventry. The

festival begins at midday tomorrow. Temperatures certainly up

a notch today, so we have sdnt How is the forecast looking

for the weekend? It has not been a bad day today

with temperatures getting up to 24 Celsius. The Sun is trying to break

through just no, but if you are off to the cricket, it is certahnly

looking good beer. But I cannot promise you a lot more sunshine We

will have a lot of cloud ovdr the few days. But this is the s`tellite

picture as we head into tod`y. Northern parts of the region did

manage to get some nice pics of sunshine. Through this evenhng, the

cloud is going to thicken, but that does not mean the temperatures are

going to drop. A muggy and sticky and eight. All change tomorrow. A

weather system will bring us some cloud coming in from the West. The

best of the sunshine tomorrow in the eastern part of the region. Through

the day, temperatures steadhly climbing, but the cloud comhng in by

the afternoon. I temperaturds similar to today. Through S`turday

night, we start to see that rain really come into the region, working

its way across from the West. But another what my old mate to come. By

the time we get to Sunday, that front is beginning to freshdn up. It

will be slightly cooler, with temperatures struggling to get into

the 20s. But by the end of next week, we could be looking at

temperatures getting up into the 30s for the first time this year.

There are plans to allow many more obese people to have gastric bands

fitted to tackle an epidemic of Type 2 diabetes.

He gets the operation which could help him walk, after an anonymous

donor saw him on this progr`mme That was the Midlands Today.

Dan will be back with the late news at ten o'clock.

Make the most of your weekend, wherever you are.

Use the BBC Weather App to stay one step ahead of the weather.

Imagine if you could talk to the animals.

Zoologist Lucy Cooke is going to show us how.