:00:00. > :00:00.The headlines tonight: That's all from the BBC News at
:00:07. > :00:08.Bowls with benefits ` the National Championships bringing
:00:09. > :00:29.The vision of the Council is to have the whole area buzzing.
:00:30. > :00:31.We'll look at how our region is gaining a
:00:32. > :00:34.reputation for staging major sports events ` and the economic benefits.
:00:35. > :00:36.Also tonight, the Banksy artwork defaced by vandals ` just days after
:00:37. > :00:41.Jazmin's jump for joy ` another medal for the Midlands to be
:00:42. > :00:51.I woke up this morning, rolled over and saw the medal on my bedside
:00:52. > :00:59.table and I gasped. The doubly thankful villages `
:01:00. > :01:02.our two unusual communities with no And we've certainly had some
:01:03. > :01:04.beautiful weather recently ` I'm afraid it's wellies
:01:05. > :01:07.and brollies at the ready for the start of this weekend `
:01:08. > :01:10.but a return to something a little Good evening,
:01:11. > :01:24.the Midlands is playing host to another major sporting competition `
:01:25. > :01:27.as the region gains a reputation The National Bowls Championships
:01:28. > :01:30.start in Leamington Spa tomorrow, the month long event is worth around
:01:31. > :01:35.?1.5 million to the town's economy. In 2012, when Coventry hosted
:01:36. > :01:38.Olympic football at the Ricoh Arena, it's estimated spectators spent
:01:39. > :01:45.around ?4 million in the local area. And last year,
:01:46. > :01:47.the five Champions Trophy matches at Edgbaston brought nearly ?16
:01:48. > :01:50.million to the Birmingham economy. Our reporter Sarah Falkland is
:01:51. > :01:53.in Leamington this evening. So this really is a big event
:01:54. > :02:07.for them? It is a big event. The town has a
:02:08. > :02:10.long history with all. We have had the women's National Championships
:02:11. > :02:15.here for the last 30 years, but this year, it is the first year we have
:02:16. > :02:21.had the men's championship. They have been working on the greens for
:02:22. > :02:27.three months. They are so perfect, you could almost each or supper of
:02:28. > :02:37.them. Earlier, some of the locals had a chance to play here. For such
:02:38. > :02:44.a sedate sport, it is strangely compelling. In 24 hours time, the
:02:45. > :02:51.carefully tended Greens will caused the country's top players. The town
:02:52. > :03:02.has become the balding capital of England, with some people moving
:03:03. > :03:06.here from Sussex. The central location is fantastic. It was fit
:03:07. > :03:13.for purpose. Around 20,000 people are expected here during the course
:03:14. > :03:18.of the championships and it is all people add ?1.5 million to the local
:03:19. > :03:28.economy. The Regency town is on a roll. We have got masses of new
:03:29. > :03:30.businesses coming in, we have a major furniture supplier coming into
:03:31. > :03:36.the town and having their headquarters here. The vision of the
:03:37. > :03:40.council is to bring people in and make the whole area bars. To have
:03:41. > :03:49.the bowling here is icing on the cake. Leamington's historical parade
:03:50. > :03:59.is just a few moments from the bowling green. It is good for trade,
:04:00. > :04:06.good for business. It will bring far more people into the time. The whole
:04:07. > :04:11.area comes alive. Just people passing by, maybe popping in to see
:04:12. > :04:14.what we do. Come tomorrow, the professionals will be here and it is
:04:15. > :04:19.not just the crowd who will be applauding. We didn't see quite how
:04:20. > :04:30.far she got to the jack there. Good news for the economy there
:04:31. > :04:33.in Leamington ` but what about elsewhere, how does our region
:04:34. > :04:36.rate for hosting sports events? Well, starting with Edgbaston
:04:37. > :04:38.cricket ground, it's hosting two one day international matches
:04:39. > :04:40.against India in September and will The NIA
:04:41. > :04:44.in Birmingham regularly hosts world class indoor athletics and the All
:04:45. > :04:46.England Open Badminton Championships Next year Kingsholm Rugby ground
:04:47. > :04:50.in Gloucester will host four Rugby World cup matches featuring
:04:51. > :04:53.Argentina and Scotland, while Villa Park has two games `
:04:54. > :04:57.you'll be able to catch South Africa Meanwhile this August bank holiday `
:04:58. > :05:01.around 48,000 people are expected to attend
:05:02. > :05:19.the Evesham fishing festival . Good to have you with us this Friday
:05:20. > :05:21.evening ` The old library of Birmingham `
:05:22. > :05:24.a carbuncle or We meet the man who finds beauty
:05:25. > :05:31.in the concrete construction. A Banksy artwork painted
:05:32. > :05:34.on the wall of a house in Cheltenham Earlier this week it was announced a
:05:35. > :05:38.deal was almost secure to keep Spy Booth in the town, after campaigners
:05:39. > :05:41.raised the money to buy it. Cheltenham's Banksy, eavesdropping
:05:42. > :05:46.on this telephone box, these undercover spies are now covered
:05:47. > :05:51.up after an overnight attack. People here had been proud
:05:52. > :05:59.of their Banksy and were angry this morning as news
:06:00. > :06:03.of the new graffiti got round. I don't understand why people
:06:04. > :06:08.have to do this any more. This is what it looked like
:06:09. > :06:10.in April. A few weeks
:06:11. > :06:12.after Spy Booth was painted, there was talk of selling it to a
:06:13. > :06:15.collector, but a local businessman pledged hundreds of thousands
:06:16. > :06:20.of pounds to save the piece. If the graffiti cannot be removed,
:06:21. > :06:24.are you still going to buy it? Obviously, it is something that
:06:25. > :06:34.the people in this town love This is what people here are
:06:35. > :06:39.hoping might just save the Banksy. This is three layers of
:06:40. > :06:41.anti`graffiti paint and that is a If they are quick enough
:06:42. > :06:45.and use the right chemicals, they might be able to take
:06:46. > :06:48.off that top layer of new graffiti This one in Bristol was hit
:06:49. > :06:55.by blue paint balls. Others like this one have been
:06:56. > :06:59.quickly removed, preserved, Mobile Lovers, like much of Banksy's
:07:00. > :07:07.street art, will eventually be sold. Some believe it is just part of
:07:08. > :07:12.the life cycle of street graffiti. For others though, these Banksys are
:07:13. > :07:15.precious and should be preserved. Andrew Plant, BBC Midlands Today,
:07:16. > :07:24.in Cheltenham. Police investigating a fire
:07:25. > :07:26.at the former Cadbury family mansion in Birmingham have arrested three
:07:27. > :07:30.schoolboys on suspicion of arson. The boys aged 12, 14 and 15,
:07:31. > :07:33.were questioned yesterday evening and later released on bail
:07:34. > :07:37.while investigations continue. Crews spent most
:07:38. > :07:39.of yesterday damping down at Northfield Manor ` after the fire
:07:40. > :07:44.was started on Wednesday night. A West Midlands Police Community
:07:45. > :07:47.Support Officer has been jailed for leaking confidential information
:07:48. > :07:49.to a convicted drug dealer. 43`year`old Andrew Thompson,
:07:50. > :07:53.from Tipton, admitted downloading intelligence from police computers
:07:54. > :08:01.and was jailed for two years. Fire fighters were called to rescue
:08:02. > :08:03.a horse from The animal was found neck deep
:08:04. > :08:07.in water at Walbrook Bridge, It had apparently fallen in
:08:08. > :08:10.after being left tethered close to A rescue team eventually managed
:08:11. > :08:13.to pull the horse to safety. The RSPCA says it's now
:08:14. > :08:15.in relatively good health and is appealing
:08:16. > :08:26.for the owners to come forward. Three weeks from today,
:08:27. > :08:28.we'll know who'll succeed Bob Jones as West Midlands Police and
:08:29. > :08:30.Crime Commissioner. Mr Jones died last month,
:08:31. > :08:32.just 20 months after the first PCC elections, in which only 12 percent
:08:33. > :08:38.of voters turned out. Our Political Editor Patrick Burns
:08:39. > :08:42.is here. If the turnout was embarrassingly
:08:43. > :08:45.low then, it could be even lower this time ` in the middle
:08:46. > :08:49.of the summer holidays. Yes, if you wanted to demonstrate
:08:50. > :08:51.just how low turnouts can go, Many council employees who'd
:08:52. > :08:56.normally staff elections, So not all polling stations will
:08:57. > :09:04.be the ones we're used to. Do check the polling cards, which
:09:05. > :09:07.have gone out to the two million eligible voters in Coventry,
:09:08. > :09:19.Birmingham and the Black Country. There wasn't exactly a stampede,
:09:20. > :09:29.I'm told, but the four main parties Labour's David Jamieson is
:09:30. > :09:32.a former transport minister, The Conservative Les Jones is
:09:33. > :09:35.the former Dudley Council leader. The Liberal Democrat Ayoub Khan is
:09:36. > :09:37.a barrister and former Birmingham And UKIP's Keith Rowe is
:09:38. > :09:40.prominent on Birmingham's But this is as much a referendum
:09:41. > :09:49.on the role of the PCC itself. We put that to the research
:09:50. > :09:52.organisation who pushed for these They say recent polls suggest
:09:53. > :09:57.the PCCs are recognised by ten times as many people
:09:58. > :09:59.as the "invisible and unelected" police authorities they replaced,
:10:00. > :10:22.so let's not get a possible low The timing of this means people will
:10:23. > :10:32.be looking at the turnout as a test for the future of this role. What is
:10:33. > :10:35.important is that the people of the West Midlands will be appointing
:10:36. > :10:40.their new Commissioner. And with that in mind, a Labour
:10:41. > :10:43.policy commission has recommended But Policy Exchange say some Labour
:10:44. > :10:46.commissioners who were sceptical when they were elected,
:10:47. > :10:48.have since changed their minds. Which could explain why
:10:49. > :10:51.the party has yet to commit itself And you can read more about the PCC
:10:52. > :10:55.elections on Patrick's blog, Campaigners trying to save
:10:56. > :11:04.Birmingham's old Library are asking Friends
:11:05. > :11:08.of Central Library say the building has architectural significance ` and
:11:09. > :11:11.not enough has been done to come up Work on a new development
:11:12. > :11:35.of Paradise Circus is due to begin And historic building that should be
:11:36. > :11:40.preserved or just an eyesore. It is a conversation that campaigners have
:11:41. > :11:44.had before and lost, but they're not easily put off. It is a shame to
:11:45. > :11:49.lose the building, it is only 40 years old. Even back in the 1970s,
:11:50. > :12:00.the new concrete skyline was controversial. How do you feel
:12:01. > :12:04.affection? Where is the warmth? Now the old library is going to be
:12:05. > :12:09.knocked down for eight new development starting in 2015. There
:12:10. > :12:14.will be nothing like it when it is not down. What will replace it will
:12:15. > :12:18.be good, but it would be outstanding, it would be special, it
:12:19. > :12:23.will be like many other city centres around the world. 90% of people in a
:12:24. > :12:35.consultation voted to get rid of this building. Developers say it is
:12:36. > :12:40.a no`brainer. Developers say they are building will fit in with the
:12:41. > :12:45.new look of Birmingham, but if you are coming up from the new station,
:12:46. > :12:51.walking through Victoria Square, heading for the bars and restaurants
:12:52. > :12:57.or at the new library, you don't want to see this on your way
:12:58. > :13:01.through. What do the public thing? The old buildings look good. That
:13:02. > :13:05.doesn't look nice at all. I think it would be sad to knock it down,
:13:06. > :13:11.because it is part of Birmingham's yesterday. They have a new one much
:13:12. > :13:17.better than that. Birmingham City Council says it is a done deal.
:13:18. > :13:21.Permission to knock it down was granted in 2013, but campaigners say
:13:22. > :13:24.they will continue the fight to make sure this particular concrete
:13:25. > :13:33.remains. John Grindrod has written a book
:13:34. > :13:36.about the rebuilding of post`war Convince us ` why shouldn't
:13:37. > :13:52.the old Library be demolished? It is a unique building and it
:13:53. > :13:58.represents a time in history when there was a unique optimism. A lot
:13:59. > :14:04.of our viewers may get the unique part but not the fantastic park.
:14:05. > :14:10.Partly, it is this shape, it is an upside`down pyramid. Nobody thought
:14:11. > :14:16.that was possible. Also, the wait is constructed, it is fascinating
:14:17. > :14:23.inside with the huge atrium. It is a lovely building to walk round. But
:14:24. > :14:29.90% of people asked said get rid of it. Though at the moment, it really
:14:30. > :14:35.needs to be washed and looked after, it hasn't had a lot of care
:14:36. > :14:39.for many years. It is surrounded by weird additions of shops that
:14:40. > :14:46.weren't there in the first place. If it were spruced up, I am sure a lot
:14:47. > :14:48.of people would like it. We can look beyond Birmingham for many examples
:14:49. > :14:55.of buildings that people are not sure, but you have followed in love
:14:56. > :15:05.with them. Have a look at this. This is a tower block in Coventry. Love
:15:06. > :15:11.it or loathe it? I do like it. There is a school of architecture that it
:15:12. > :15:17.represents, that glass curtain wall. Again, that building hasn't
:15:18. > :15:21.been looked after, so it looks tired and tatty. This next one might even
:15:22. > :15:27.test your love for all things concrete. It is in Kidderminster,
:15:28. > :15:32.apologies to residents, but I have relations with live there and
:15:33. > :15:38.they're not terribly fond of it. What do you think of it? It is the
:15:39. > :15:45.post office? Yes, that really never was a great design. Have I found a
:15:46. > :15:49.little chink in your armour? I am quite happy to admit that there are
:15:50. > :15:55.good and bad buildings in that post`war period. That is what is
:15:56. > :15:59.great about the library is it is a fantastic building, it is not a
:16:00. > :16:04.boarding building, it is really memorable. People always remember it
:16:05. > :16:10.because of its unusual shape. Thanks very much.
:16:11. > :16:13.Bowls with benefits ` the National Championships bringing
:16:14. > :16:17.Rebecca's standing by with the weather for the weekend.
:16:18. > :16:20.The vault with a fault ` but Christian Thomas still picks up
:16:21. > :16:27.And we visit the two communities who have reasons
:16:28. > :16:39.to be doubly thankful when it comes to remembering the war dead.
:16:40. > :16:47.Well, that's what Gavin Sanford from Selly Oak is planning to do.
:16:48. > :16:50.He's going to start at John O'Groats, but rather than take
:16:51. > :16:52.the shortest route to Lands End, he'll run around 1200 miles taking
:16:53. > :16:58.in cities such as Edinburgh, London and Cardiff along the way.
:16:59. > :17:01.The former soldier, who now works for the NHS, is raising money for
:17:02. > :17:09.Here's our Health correspondent, Michele Paduano.
:17:10. > :17:11.Everything Gavin Sandford needs for his ordeal has to fit
:17:12. > :17:15.For the past three months, for three hours each morning he has
:17:16. > :17:20.The ex`infantryman, who works in hospital theatres, is on a mission.
:17:21. > :17:22.Having seen horrific injuries, he believes better physiotherapy
:17:23. > :17:24.equipment would lead to better outcomes for soldiers
:17:25. > :17:43.I need to dig deep into some of the things I have seen. Even I have to
:17:44. > :17:47.crawl over by the skin of my teeth, I will see it.
:17:48. > :17:50.And these are the children that Gavin is determined to help.
:17:51. > :17:52.Mohammed Nahib has a muscle waiting disease.
:17:53. > :17:54.This is the furthest the five`year`old has ever walked.
:17:55. > :17:56.Four`year`old Seb Whatton is recovering from leukaemia.
:17:57. > :18:00.The exercises here are to strengthen his arms and legs.
:18:01. > :18:10.I need something I can slide on. This is what it is about. This is
:18:11. > :18:13.why I am putting myself through this thing. I will get the money to get
:18:14. > :18:15.these children the equipment they need to get them to a better place
:18:16. > :18:26.as fast as possible. The cash will be shared between the
:18:27. > :18:41.Birmingham Queen Elizabeth Hospital To see somebody do this in 45
:18:42. > :18:45.marathons, it is the craziest thing I have ever seen done for the
:18:46. > :18:51.hospital. We are amazed by him and what he is doing.
:18:52. > :18:52.His test of endurance begins on Tuesday.
:18:53. > :18:59.And it's been another great 24 hours for Midlanders at the Commonwealth
:19:00. > :19:35.Kristian Thomas won a silver today, he has three in total. South Africa
:19:36. > :19:37.squad their way back into the match at the end, it went to sudden death
:19:38. > :19:41.and they lost. The highlight last night was
:19:42. > :19:43.20`year`old Jazmin Sawyers Jazmin, who's from Stoke,
:19:44. > :19:46.was winning her first medal I spoke to her a little earlier
:19:47. > :19:49.from Glasgow. And I began by asking if her
:19:50. > :20:05.success had started to sink in. I think it will take awhile. I woke
:20:06. > :20:10.up this morning and saw the medal on my bedside table and gasped to
:20:11. > :20:15.myself. I still can't believe it. Talk us through being on the podium,
:20:16. > :20:25.because you have these was a picture. I could hear the crowds and
:20:26. > :20:30.my friend told me to go out there. A lot of people had left by then, but
:20:31. > :20:34.unbelievable. Everyone was screaming unbelievable. Everyone was screaming
:20:35. > :20:40.and cheering and I was just so proud. I couldn't believe it. You
:20:41. > :20:45.will all two centimetres off the gold. Have you thought about that
:20:46. > :20:52.today? Today, I have. Yesterday, it didn't register. But I am over the
:20:53. > :20:58.moon with the silver and I feel I have many years to grab that gold.
:20:59. > :21:03.Let's say you're a silver medal clearly. This is just the start of
:21:04. > :21:09.your career. Do you think you'll get into the European Championships now?
:21:10. > :21:16.I don't think so, I don't have the qualifying standard for this year.
:21:17. > :21:21.There isn't time, so not for me, but I am just so over the moon with the
:21:22. > :21:27.can now take it forward to training can now take it forward to training
:21:28. > :21:35.and work on it. 20 to look forward to. Q1 the silver medal in the youth
:21:36. > :21:41.Olympics in 2012. During a singer songwriter, studying for a law
:21:42. > :21:51.degree. Is there anything you can't do? Plenty, I just don't do it. It
:21:52. > :21:59.has been a great week for the Midlands. How many medals to we
:22:00. > :22:05.have? The latest for the Debenhams is 12 medals in total. If the West
:22:06. > :22:10.Midlands was a country, we would be eight. There would be a campaign for
:22:11. > :22:19.independence for the West Midlands them.
:22:20. > :22:21.A war memorial is a feature of nearly every village
:22:22. > :22:24.But there are two small communities in our region where
:22:25. > :22:28.Middleton on the Hill in Herefordshire and Upper Slaughter in
:22:29. > :22:30.Gloucestershire are known as Doubly Thankful Villages ` remarkably none
:22:31. > :22:33.of their residents died in either the 1st or 2nd World Wars.
:22:34. > :22:36.Middleton on the Hill near Leominster and Upper Slaughter
:22:37. > :22:39.70 miles apart but they share a common bond.
:22:40. > :22:51.Nobody in either community died in two world wars.
:22:52. > :22:53.They're known as Doubly Thankful villages `
:22:54. > :22:56.there's only 13 in the country and only these two in the Midlands.
:22:57. > :22:59.Tony Collett's father George was one of 60 soldiers who returned
:23:00. > :23:02.He served in both wars and made these plaques, listing
:23:03. > :23:06.Life is a very placid thing in this Cotswold village.
:23:07. > :23:09.As this film made in 1939 just before the outbreak of war shows,
:23:10. > :23:12.But it wasn't the case on February 4th, 1944.
:23:13. > :23:15.Hundreds of incendiary bombs were dropped by the Luftwaffe on Upper
:23:16. > :23:26.We were very fortunate that it didn't go off. It went into timber
:23:27. > :23:34.shades. `` shades. Tony Collett still has one
:23:35. > :23:37.of the shells and is thankful the village's record on war
:23:38. > :23:50.survivors didn't end that night. Soldiers from 16,000 villagers from
:23:51. > :23:56.across the UK fought in the two world wars and to give you an idea
:23:57. > :23:58.of how lucky this village was, 99.92% of those villagers will cost
:23:59. > :24:01.at least one of them men. In the churchyard at Middleton
:24:02. > :24:03.on the Hill, a lantern celebrating the safe return of every soldier is
:24:04. > :24:06.a permanent reminder And now there's another one `
:24:07. > :24:10.this roll of honour was recently found stuffed away in a drawer
:24:11. > :24:13.of the back of the church, the names of all the men who came
:24:14. > :24:27.back recorded in fading pencil. When you think of all the people who
:24:28. > :24:29.got killed in the war, but all of ours came home and it is a minor
:24:30. > :24:39.miracle. And BBC Hereford
:24:40. > :24:41.and Worcester will have more about the thankful villages
:24:42. > :24:44.as part of the World War at Home Let's find out if we're in for a wet
:24:45. > :25:07.weekend ` Rebecca has the forecast. Yes, we are. We have had plenty of
:25:08. > :25:14.showers already and flash flooding. More rain in the forecast, but it
:25:15. > :25:23.will mark be a complete wash`out. But we do have sunshine by the time
:25:24. > :25:30.we get to Sunday. We have had this cloud and rain coming in from the
:25:31. > :25:38.South West, lively downpours in there. Those continue over the next
:25:39. > :25:47.few hours. There will be some breaks in it, but with all that cloud and
:25:48. > :25:57.rain, temperatures will be about 13 Celsius. Tomorrow, fronts moving
:25:58. > :26:02.through right the way through the day and a yellow warning in place
:26:03. > :26:08.for heavy rain. Rain continuing through the mining, but slowly, as
:26:09. > :26:25.the pressure begins to move its way northwards. Temperatures getting up
:26:26. > :26:28.to 22 Celsius. Slowly through the day, it does improve and overnight,
:26:29. > :26:39.the last of the rain will clear the way. Overnight temperatures around
:26:40. > :26:42.13 Celsius. It will mean a pleasant start to Sunday. Good spells of
:26:43. > :26:48.sunshine and definitely the best day of the weekend. Rain picking up and
:26:49. > :26:54.there will be a breeze on Sunday, which will make things fresh air.
:26:55. > :26:56.Into the new working week, we continue with the pattern of
:26:57. > :27:02.sunshine and showers. Tonight 's headlines, and other
:27:03. > :27:15.cease`fire collapses in Gaza.