:00:00. > :00:00.general election to be held on June eight. And that is
:00:00. > :00:00.Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight:
:00:00. > :00:09.Opening up about the tragic events that changed their lives forever,
:00:10. > :00:13.when a mother and son were stabbed to death in their own home.
:00:14. > :00:16.The brutality of the attack and the ferocity, I think,
:00:17. > :00:21.Peter Wilkinson, who was severely injured in the attack,
:00:22. > :00:23.and his daughter Lydia say they're determined to stay positive.
:00:24. > :00:28.With a snap general election on the cards,
:00:29. > :00:36.who are the likely winners and losers here in the Midlands?
:00:37. > :00:47.Just hours after the resignation of Zola, Birmingham city have appointed
:00:48. > :00:48.Harry Redknapp as their new manager. But can he save them from relegation
:00:49. > :00:50.at last? Honoured at last, thousands
:00:51. > :00:52.of munitions workers who played a crucial and potentially dangerous
:00:53. > :00:54.role in two World Wars. And a mostly dry week,
:00:55. > :00:57.with some warmer weather to come, which is great news for some,
:00:58. > :01:00.but not if you've got And there are some frosty nights
:01:01. > :01:03.to watch out for, too. Good evening and welcome
:01:04. > :01:14.to Midlands Today from our temporary studio overlooking
:01:15. > :01:17.the Birmingham canals. "The brutality of the attack
:01:18. > :01:20.and the ferocity left everyone stunned", the words
:01:21. > :01:23.of Peter Wilkinson who's been paying tribute to his wife and son
:01:24. > :01:26.who were killed at their home Peter was critically injured after
:01:27. > :01:33.being stabbed a number of times. He described his wife Tracey
:01:34. > :01:36.as "an angel" and 13-year-old son Peter and his daughter Lydia have
:01:37. > :01:42.been talking to our Peter and his daughter
:01:43. > :01:48.Lydia Wilkinson are being Last Sunday, their first outing
:01:49. > :01:54.since Peter came out of surgery, was to the West Bromwich Albion
:01:55. > :01:57.Liverpool game. The teams and thousands of fans
:01:58. > :02:01.paying tribute to Tracey We just poured our
:02:02. > :02:09.hearts out, didn't we? And we all went
:02:10. > :02:21.there together a lot. And to go back without them
:02:22. > :02:25.was extremely difficult. Lydia, you've been to the house
:02:26. > :02:28.and seen the enormous amount It was just a huge amount of grief,
:02:29. > :02:36.but then to see the amount of support and how many lives
:02:37. > :02:40.that my mum and brother touched She was a wonderful
:02:41. > :02:48.wife, a wonderful mum. Lydia wasn't at the house
:02:49. > :02:55.when her mother and brother Her father has two
:02:56. > :03:00.punctured lungs, bowel and I was in intensive care
:03:01. > :03:09.for six days, in hospital Obviously, the emotional
:03:10. > :03:20.pain will take forever. When were you told that you'd
:03:21. > :03:24.lost Tracey and Pierce? Personally, I didn't find out
:03:25. > :03:28.until I woke up in intensive care, Which is devastating,
:03:29. > :03:36.absolutely devastating. Today, the family home in
:03:37. > :03:40.Stourbridge remains a crime scene. The father and daughter
:03:41. > :03:43.may never move back. It's a large family home,
:03:44. > :03:48.now it's just the two of them. That day, after the white-suited
:03:49. > :03:51.forensic officers had done their work, I watched as this
:03:52. > :03:55.big burly West Midlands Police officer carried something
:03:56. > :03:58.out of the house. You couldn't see what was inside,
:03:59. > :04:03.but he was carrying it as though it was the most precious thing
:04:04. > :04:08.in the world. And at Christmas, he was delighted
:04:09. > :04:16.when he got these hamsters. Like any teenager,
:04:17. > :04:20.we thought he never would, Clearly, you're looking
:04:21. > :04:25.after your dad. I'm just so glad I actually
:04:26. > :04:27.have my dad to look after because when I found out
:04:28. > :04:32.he was still in theatre, and we didn't know if he was going
:04:33. > :04:36.to survive, so to be able to just look after him and sort out his
:04:37. > :04:51.medication is just a massive relief. 23-year-old Aaron Barley has been
:04:52. > :04:55.charged with two counts of murder He's expected to go
:04:56. > :04:58.on trial later this year. With any number of swing seats
:04:59. > :05:01.and closely fought marginals, today's announcement of a snap
:05:02. > :05:04.general election means here in the Midlands we're
:05:05. > :05:07.in for some big political battles. So which are likely to be
:05:08. > :05:10.the hottest contests? Elizabeth Glinka joins me now
:05:11. > :05:13.to talk us through it. We're not the first to say it,
:05:14. > :05:26.but today's announcement does come It seems to have taken absolutely
:05:27. > :05:32.everybody by surprise, not least members of Mrs May's own party. She
:05:33. > :05:37.was saying recently what we need is stability, not more collections.
:05:38. > :05:40.Just a three weeks ago, side stature MP and Chief Whip Gavin Williamson
:05:41. > :05:41.talking about the prospect of an election.
:05:42. > :05:43.I don't think this country can afford to take three,
:05:44. > :05:46.four months out in order to have a general election.
:05:47. > :05:48.The British people, people in the West Midlands,
:05:49. > :05:50.people in South Staffordshire, want us to be focused
:05:51. > :05:53.So quite an about face, but now it's happening,
:05:54. > :06:05.This region has long been a bit of a political, for the rest of the
:06:06. > :06:10.country because we have got lots of seats that swing between Tory and
:06:11. > :06:14.Labour. For Labour, their big target at places like North Warwickshire,
:06:15. > :06:19.Telford, for the Conservatives they are targeting places like Newcastle
:06:20. > :06:23.and Staffordshire, Walsall Norris and places like Wolverhampton South
:06:24. > :06:25.West where Labour have a majority, just a hundred after the last
:06:26. > :06:27.general election. Here's what people were saying there today.
:06:28. > :06:31.I think she had to make the decision pretty quickly.
:06:32. > :06:35.I've been a Labour supporter all my life, until this morning, actually.
:06:36. > :06:38.So I think we're going to get absolutely annihilated.
:06:39. > :06:42.I think it's going to put an end to all the bickering and things,
:06:43. > :06:45.and at least we'll, by the end of it, we'll at least have focus
:06:46. > :06:52.and concentrate what we want to do in the long run.
:06:53. > :06:55.The Labour MP for that area told me earlier this afternoon he is ready
:06:56. > :06:56.for a tough battle. And what about the Lib Dems,
:06:57. > :07:04.is this an opportunity for them? Absolutely. The art chomping at the
:07:05. > :07:09.bit, particularly in areas like Cheltenham for the last and last
:07:10. > :07:12.time. Very keen to try and capitalise on the dissatisfaction of
:07:13. > :07:12.remainders who lost out in the referendum.
:07:13. > :07:15.I think it's a good time to do it for Conservatives.
:07:16. > :07:18.Labour are at their weakest, there's not much competition for them,
:07:19. > :07:22.She's a very smart person, but as to the move, I'm not sure,
:07:23. > :07:25.I don't think it's a smart one, no, because it just causes more
:07:26. > :07:29.It definitely needs to happen, at least, just to get a better idea
:07:30. > :07:35.of what the country actually is looking for.
:07:36. > :07:42.All very much to play for now and just seven weeks to go. Look forward
:07:43. > :07:43.to every minute of it, Elizabeth, thank you.
:07:44. > :07:46.The much travelled Harry Rednapp has been appointed as the new manager
:07:47. > :07:48.of Birmingham City, less than 24 hours after
:07:49. > :07:52.Blues are teetering on the brink of relegation after a disastrous run
:07:53. > :07:56.of results, and the club are hoping that such an experienced manager
:07:57. > :07:58.will be able to keep them in the Championship.
:07:59. > :08:00.Our sports reporter Dan Pallett is outside
:08:01. > :08:11.save Birmingham from the drop to League One?
:08:12. > :08:15.He can, but he hasn't got long to turn things around.
:08:16. > :08:24.He is an ideal candidate. When Zola took over in December, any talk
:08:25. > :08:25.about relegation would have seemed ridiculous.
:08:26. > :08:28.The Blues sit just three points above the Championship relegation
:08:29. > :08:31.A warning though, my report contains some
:08:32. > :08:34.The cavalry is coming, but is it too late?
:08:35. > :08:36.Harry Redknapp agreed to join Birmingham City last night, just
:08:37. > :08:38.hours after the resignation of Gianfranco Zola.
:08:39. > :08:51.He takes over tomorrow, but said this today.
:08:52. > :08:56.He's a good man manager, which I think the players need now.
:08:57. > :08:59.Tactically, he's very aware, and I think he, with the back room
:09:00. > :09:01.staff he's bringing in, I think Steve Cotterill's
:09:02. > :09:04.coming with him now, so he's aware of the Championship
:09:05. > :09:08.in what it needs and what it takes to get three points.
:09:09. > :09:11.It's only four months since Gianfranco Zola
:09:12. > :09:14.was controversially appointed in place of Gary Rowett.
:09:15. > :09:18.The Blues' demise has been swift and spectacular.
:09:19. > :09:21.When he took over, they were seventh in the Championship and just
:09:22. > :09:28.Zola's record of just two wins in 22 league games leaves them three
:09:29. > :09:36.The latest set-back came yesterday losing 2-0 in a crucial relegation
:09:37. > :09:41.Zola's reaction at full-time suggested he'd had enough.
:09:42. > :09:45.He resigned within an hour and then held a press conference.
:09:46. > :09:51.I am sorry because obviously I came here with huge expectations
:09:52. > :09:54.and there were a lot of expectations from the people,
:09:55. > :09:57.there were from the club, for myself, and the results,
:09:58. > :10:06.It's a dignified way of resigning, but we have to move on.
:10:07. > :10:08.Which I was shocked when I heard Harry Redknapp this morning,
:10:09. > :10:13.I don't feel we should have got rid of Gary Rowett,
:10:14. > :10:17.As for bringing in Harry Redknapp now, fantastic idea.
:10:18. > :10:19.So now it's all down to Harry Redknapp.
:10:20. > :10:24.He has just three games to save their season.
:10:25. > :10:26.Obviously a brilliant win for Burton yesterday putting them
:10:27. > :10:30.above Birmingham City, but with hindsight the sacking
:10:31. > :10:42.of Gary Rowett and bringing Zola in really was a disastrous decision?
:10:43. > :10:51.It was absolutely. The fans will tell you that they didn't think it
:10:52. > :10:57.would go quite as badly. What does Harry Redknapp need to do? What does
:10:58. > :11:02.he need to change? Above all, he needs to restore confidence and self
:11:03. > :11:06.belief. The players looked nervous yesterday. The bulk of this squad
:11:07. > :11:11.and players were chasing for at least a place in the play-offs not
:11:12. > :11:14.so long ago. He will be more tactically minded. The last few
:11:15. > :11:19.games we have been desperate for wins. Zola played with five
:11:20. > :11:22.defenders and Redknapp will be more adventurous than that. His very
:11:23. > :11:27.first game is away at Aston Villa Sunday lunchtime, he has got two
:11:28. > :11:30.games after that. One thing is certain, the last few weeks of
:11:31. > :11:35.Birmingham city's season will be a very interesting prospect. Sunday
:11:36. > :11:42.should be quite something against Aston Villa.
:11:43. > :11:44.And we'll have the rest of the sports news
:11:45. > :11:47.The BBC has learnt that Gloucestershire Airport
:11:48. > :11:49.is in financial difficulty and asking shareholders
:11:50. > :11:51.The airport at Staverton is part-owned
:11:52. > :11:53.by Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucester City Council.
:11:54. > :11:56.The two authorities have scheduled separate emergency meetings for next
:11:57. > :11:59.week to discuss the loan, which the BBC has been told could be
:12:00. > :12:10.The airport says it's considering a number of options
:12:11. > :12:13.A knife wielding robber who targeted taxi drivers in Birmingham has been
:12:14. > :12:16.19-year-old Mohammed Abdurahman booked cabs using false names
:12:17. > :12:18.He was behind three robberies between October
:12:19. > :12:22.He pleaded guilty to three charges of robbery, two of kidnapping,
:12:23. > :12:26.Roadworks which will last at least two years have started
:12:27. > :12:28.on the Oldbury viaduct of the M5 motorway.
:12:29. > :12:30.The concrete repair and waterproofing project will see
:12:31. > :12:32.alternate sides of the carriageway closed and speed limits reduced
:12:33. > :12:37.The viaduct between junctions one and two carries more than 150,000
:12:38. > :12:47.They risked their lives to supply shells, bombs and bullets
:12:48. > :12:51.for the allied troops in the two World Wars.
:12:52. > :12:54.Hundreds were killed by explosives or suffered from diseases caused
:12:55. > :12:59.Now Britain's munitions workers are finally being honoured
:13:00. > :13:03.at the national memorial arboretum in Staffordshire.
:13:04. > :13:12.Not on the battlefield, but on the factory floor.
:13:13. > :13:14.This is our ROF Swinnerton in Staffordshire, one of the largest
:13:15. > :13:22.The women who worked here became known as the "Roses of Swinnerton".
:13:23. > :13:25.Sheila Glover worked filling detonators.
:13:26. > :13:31.She is now 95 and is one of the last surviving Roses.
:13:32. > :13:40.We also had a lot of blokes on the machines.
:13:41. > :13:46.Arms blown off and that sort of thing.
:13:47. > :13:52.At Swinnerton, there's a rose garden planted in memory
:13:53. > :14:02.Every year, there's a service to mark the contribution of those
:14:03. > :14:05.who braved the work here and there's a campaign for a lasting
:14:06. > :14:11.And it's hoped that tribute can be built at the
:14:12. > :14:14.National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas.
:14:15. > :14:16.Sadly, fewer and fewer of the munitions workers are with us.
:14:17. > :14:21.We've got to get this memorial in place, so that the munitions
:14:22. > :14:24.workers that we've currently got with us are able to see it,
:14:25. > :14:27.but importantly, for future generations just to know
:14:28. > :14:34.It's more than 70 years since these women's courage helped
:14:35. > :14:38.Now the campaign to secure their place in history
:14:39. > :14:48.Ian Winter is here with the rest of today's sport, and a great result
:14:49. > :14:52.Yes, good evening, Nick, they're off to Wembley for the very
:14:53. > :14:55.first time in the Women's FA Cup, after winning a thrilling
:14:56. > :15:01.They were up against a very strong Chelsea team.
:15:02. > :15:04.But in front of their own fans at Solihull Moors, it finished
:15:05. > :15:09.1-1 after extra-time, and Blues won the shoot-out 4-2.
:15:10. > :15:11.No wonder social media was buzzing with excitement.
:15:12. > :15:14.And they'll now play Manchester City in the final
:15:15. > :15:21.Such a privilege to be captain, anyway, let alone to lead
:15:22. > :15:26.I've always dreamed as a little girl, it's the kind
:15:27. > :15:29.You know, playing at Wembley, even FA Cup final.
:15:30. > :15:33.I've always had that belief that they'll have the ability to go
:15:34. > :15:37.They've previously performed and shown that they can get
:15:38. > :15:39.to finals, and now we need to flip that mentality and not
:15:40. > :15:43.just attend a final, we need to go out and try to win
:15:44. > :15:48.the final and show that we have got that ability to beat the top teams.
:15:49. > :15:51.But for their male counterparts, it's trembly.
:15:52. > :15:54.A nail-biting finale, just three points clear
:15:55. > :15:57.of relegation with only three games left, starting on Sunday,
:15:58. > :16:01.with the High Noon showdown at Villa Park.
:16:02. > :16:05.Aston Villa had already conceded an early goal away to Fulham,
:16:06. > :16:07.when their star striker Jonathan Kodjia reacted to this
:16:08. > :16:13.The referee decided on a straight red card, but Steve Bruce said
:16:14. > :16:16.it was nothing worse than handbags at dawn and felt both players
:16:17. > :16:22.It means Kodjia will now miss Sunday's vital derby
:16:23. > :16:25.against the Blues, but Jack Grealish will be very keen to start.
:16:26. > :16:28.His super strike made it 1-1, but that wasn't enough
:16:29. > :16:35.Wolves guaranteed their place in the Championship next season.
:16:36. > :16:38.Nouha Dicko got the only goal at Leeds and 1-0 was also enough
:16:39. > :16:41.for Walsall to beat Swindon, thanks to Joe Edwards',
:16:42. > :16:47.But just look at the bottom of League One, where games are fast
:16:48. > :16:51.running out and several teams, including Port Vale and Shrewsbury,
:16:52. > :16:58.Vale must be relieved to have a game in hand after losing 2-0 at Oxford,
:16:59. > :17:01.whilst Matt Sadler salvaged a 1-1 draw for Shrewsbury
:17:02. > :17:06.And the end of the season can't come too quickly for Coventry,
:17:07. > :17:17.They're guaranteed Premiership rugby next season.
:17:18. > :17:18.Yes, a sweet moment for Worcester's director
:17:19. > :17:23.He arrived in January with the target of keeping
:17:24. > :17:27.And he's succeeded, with a rare victory
:17:28. > :17:29.against his former club, Bath.
:17:30. > :17:32.Worcester were trailing 10-6 at the break.
:17:33. > :17:35.But in the second half, they fought back, with great
:17:36. > :17:41.confidence and desire to pull off a surprise win by 25 points to 19.
:17:42. > :17:44.The Sixways crowd loved every minute.
:17:45. > :17:46.And the Warriors Premiership status was confirmed 24
:17:47. > :18:02.hours later when Bristol, the bottom club, lost to Wasps.
:18:03. > :18:05.The Birmingham Big art project is announcing any time now
:18:06. > :18:08.the winning design of a new piece of public art for the city.
:18:09. > :18:10.The ?2 million project will see a new piece of art
:18:11. > :18:13.for the Eastside Park, near the proposed HS2 terminal.
:18:14. > :18:15.Our reporter Ben Godfrey is at he event this evening.
:18:16. > :18:17.So, Ben, what do we know about the winning design?
:18:18. > :18:25.Good evening. In the last half an hour, Birmingham is to get its most
:18:26. > :18:30.expensive clock. Station clock is the new work of art for the Deeside
:18:31. > :18:35.area near the HS2 terminal, not featuring musical chimes on the hour
:18:36. > :18:40.but the voices of people of the city. The artist is Susan Phillips,
:18:41. > :18:44.a firmer -- former Turner prize winner. Earlier on she took some
:18:45. > :18:46.time out with me to talk about her inspiration.
:18:47. > :18:50.I was thinking about the 12 digits of a clock could be the 12 tones
:18:51. > :18:53.of the musical scale, and I think every station has its own clock.
:18:54. > :18:56.So I thought it would be great to have not just an ordinary clock,
:18:57. > :19:01.This is where station clock will be housed.
:19:02. > :19:04.How many voices of people in Birmingham are you going to need
:19:05. > :19:16.Because every hour, we won't be using the same voices.
:19:17. > :19:19.So there are 24 hours in the day and we might change
:19:20. > :19:29.And Station Clock will be positioned to complement the new HS2 terminal.
:19:30. > :19:33.Imagine the rail track, the sound of those HS2 trains coming past.
:19:34. > :19:35.Your beautiful tones on your station clock,
:19:36. > :19:37.won't they get drowned out by all the noise?
:19:38. > :19:42.It's going to be a big station clock.
:19:43. > :19:44.I'm working with the best acoustic engineers and it'll cut
:19:45. > :19:49.How pleased are you to have done this, to get this opportunity?
:19:50. > :19:51.I'm very pleased, I'm really excited.
:19:52. > :20:02.It's my first permanent sound commission in the UK.
:20:03. > :20:11.Caroline Taylor joins me now from Birmingham big art project. No one
:20:12. > :20:15.doubts the ambition here, but is ?2 million the right out of money to
:20:16. > :20:21.spend? Arts and culture drive tourism and create jobs. We know
:20:22. > :20:26.Birmingham need jobs. It helps regenerate areas, it's the sense of
:20:27. > :20:32.identity. How are you going to raise the money? We're going to go out to
:20:33. > :20:36.the community. We are going to go to trusts and foundations. We also note
:20:37. > :20:39.the average Brummie in the street is really proud of Birmingham. They
:20:40. > :20:43.will want to put their money in their pocket, pick your hand in and
:20:44. > :20:49.give us some money. You're asking for donations from the people. Do
:20:50. > :20:53.you think ordinary people will want to pay into this? Versus about the
:20:54. > :20:57.public saying we are proud of Birmingham, this is something that
:20:58. > :21:03.should only happen here, not in London, or Manchester, but here in
:21:04. > :21:07.Birmingham. Thank you, Caroline. The model of station clock is still on
:21:08. > :21:11.display here. You can come and see it till June. It maybe six years or
:21:12. > :21:12.so and this work of art comes to fruition.
:21:13. > :21:15.Our usual studio is being radically revamped, so we're here canal side
:21:16. > :21:18.for a couple of weeks, but on a sunny though rather chilly
:21:19. > :21:33.Thank you, neck. It is feeling a little bit nippy Navy sunshine has
:21:34. > :21:37.faded and losing its strength. After a changeable bank holiday weekend
:21:38. > :21:40.when we saw very little of it, it was appreciated today. The best of
:21:41. > :21:44.the sunshine was across central and southern parts of the region. Some
:21:45. > :21:49.fear whether cloud bubbling up for the vast majority it was dry and
:21:50. > :21:54.settled. That is how the rest of the week is looking, which would be
:21:55. > :21:58.great news, it would bring music to most people's years, but if you are
:21:59. > :22:02.lacking rain and looking for it, we have had very bit of it since the
:22:03. > :22:07.beginning of the month. We've also got some frosty nights to watch out
:22:08. > :22:11.for. This is what is dominating this week. High pressure to south-west,
:22:12. > :22:14.frontal systems coming in from the north-west weakened by the
:22:15. > :22:18.high-pressure, southern parts will hold the best of the brightness and
:22:19. > :22:22.clear skies. For this evening and through the first party tonight,
:22:23. > :22:26.largely clear skies and and it is during that time particularly
:22:27. > :22:30.really, temperatures could be freezing or dropping to slightly
:22:31. > :22:34.below. A fairly widespread sharp frost as we head into tomorrow
:22:35. > :22:39.morning. For towns and cities, those values will hold up nicely. Played
:22:40. > :22:45.as well drifting in from the north, high cloud, some mist or fog patches
:22:46. > :22:49.in the morning. A dry picture as we start the day tomorrow. It frosty
:22:50. > :22:51.and chilly first thing, but the best of the sunshine to Central and
:22:52. > :22:57.southern parts of the region, through Warwickshire and temperature
:22:58. > :23:02.and also Coventry, Gloucestershire will see quite a nice bit of
:23:03. > :23:09.sunshine. Cloud thickening up to the north, the odd spot of rain and
:23:10. > :23:12.temperatures ranging from ten to 13 Southee -- Celsius. We hold onto
:23:13. > :23:16.that cloud tomorrow night. Some clear spells and patchy frost injury
:23:17. > :23:22.started Thursday, but generally dry and cloudy. Temperatures up into the
:23:23. > :23:24.mid-teens and you can see those winds veering around tonight
:23:25. > :23:25.westerlies by the end of the weekend.
:23:26. > :23:28.I'll be back at 10.50 with your late update.
:23:29. > :23:57.Have a good evening. Bye for now.
:23:58. > :24:07.# You shouldn't have to sell your soul
:24:08. > :24:29.# These are the things I could do without