20/04/2017 Midlands Today

100 firefighters tackle a major incident at a warehouse

on an industrial estate in Worcester.

I've never seen so much smoke in my whole life.

No one in the Worcester area can have missed the huge fire here

today. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Targetting the tippers,

a series of raids across to find those responsible

for illegally dumping waste. Looking at the evidence, really

looking for financial records, other information that will further our

own investigation and really make sure that we can hold

these people to account. Join me in Birmingham as the city

honours the bravest of the brave. One man's mission to track

and record the snakes which are disappearing

from our countryside. And the cloud

hasn't hampered temperatures today but the northwesterly wind

will by the weekend. Who would have thought

it was spring? But some of you could with some rain

- all the details later. A major fire has

destroyed a delivery company's Black smoke could be seen billowing,

as far as away as Malvern. More than 100 firefighters

were needed to bring the blaze under control,

luckily no one was injured. Sarah Bishop has been

speaking to those affected. The smoke was unreal, thick, black

smoke. It was towering high in the sky. Never seen that much smoke in

my whole life. Pretty scared. It could be seen from 30 miles away. A

warehouse is the size of four football pitches up in smoke. When a

fire crews arrived at 8:30am, they knew they had a fight on their

hands. The first challenge was getting close to the building. With

the amount of heat. We have had to rotate crews working in these

arduous conditions. A member of staff initially spotted the

beginnings of the fire and tried to but it -- put it out with a fire

extinguisher. 150 staff were clear sorting and delivering bulky

furniture. The only thing that matters is that there has been no

loss of life. Stock can be replaced. Operations can resume. There is no

loss of life. With the estate evacuated, the fire was the talk of

Worcester. I could see flames from where I was. I got a bit of video on

my phone. Shortly after, I saw a gas bottle explode and shoot into the

sky. I wondered if we were going to get close down temporarily while

they put the fire out. There are no immediate clues as to what caused

the fire, an investigation is underway.

And Sarah is at the warehouse this evening, so, Sarah,

Things have scaled back quite a lot in the last few hours. Still quite a

lot of activity with police and fire crews. Into the warehouse, you can

see the tangled mass of steel. It buckles at 600 Celsius. It's still

likely to be a couple of hundred degrees Celsius inside the warehouse

tonight. Richard Jordan Watts, what will be happening tonight? We had a

very severe fire and operations are now scaled back but crews will stay

back damping down small pockets of fire to make sure the building is

fully extinguished. What about the investigation. You've had

investigators in today. How'd you go about finding the cause of the fire?

It's a very competitive process because much of the building has

been destroyed by fire. We will be talking to witnesses and looking at

CCTV to establish the cause. Will take several days to establish what

has happened today. A major incident. 150 staff safely evacuated

and over 100 Hereford and Worcester firefighters safe tonight. Sarah,

thank you for the update. More than

40 police officers and officials from the environment agency,

have carried out a series of raids - targeting people suspected

of dumping waste illegally. Three addresses

were searched in Staffordshire and another in Herefordshire,

where a man was arrested. In the past twelve months,

there's been a steep increase in illegal dumping in old factories

and warehouses in the West Midlands - leading to big clean up costs

and health hazards for locals. On an industrial estate

in Staffordshire months of investigation lead

to a swoop on a haulage yard. Police looking at the site, it seems

as though there is nobody here at the moment. We are forcing entry to

get in and seize evidence. This one of

two raids on the Moorlands, there was a third in Stoke-on-Trent

and a fourth in Ledbury in Herefordshire

where a man was taken into custody. Today's raids are connected to

illegal dumping of waste at 20 sites, waste amounting to in excess

of 25,000 tonnes. Part of an operation

intended to protect people and the places where they live

from an increasingly common crime. It is a blight on the landscape. We

are working closely with other agencies to limit it and manage

ongoing sites to make sure any risks are mitigated. I can understand how

the public feel, it is not nice to have near you. We are working with

the Environment Agency to get on top of it as quickly as we can.

Bales of rubbish wrapped in plastic lifted into place by unscrupulous

gangs, paid by individuals or businesses,

simply to get rid - no questions asked.

Criminals can fill a warehouse just like this in a matter of days, even

hours, with this type of waste. It's one of the biggest challenges

facing the environment agency, they've described waste

crime as the new narcotics and one they're urging all of us

to play a part in tackling. Any business that produces waste,

you need to know where it's going. Any landowner that is being

approached to rent land, if it seems too good to be true, it almost

certainly is. Take your responsibilities seriously. Culprits

face a jail term of five years. Rewards can be lucrative but

investigators say they will follow the money and where they can recover

it. A jury's been sent out to consider

verdicts in the trial accused of carrying out

"completely unnecessary" operations, Ian Paterson denies 20 counts

of wounding with intent - against nine women and one man -

between 1997 and 2011. The trial heard his alleged

motive might have been Gerard Coyne, who's challenging

Len McCluskey to lead Unite, as the union's

West Midlands Regional Secretary. It's understood an email

was sent to Unite members and staff informing them

of Mr Coyne's suspension. The move comes as counting

is about to get under way, DNA results have confirmed

that a body found in woods, who went missing

from near Bridgnorth last year. The 33-year-old

was last seen leaving his home A man's body was discovered

in woodland area, by a member An inquest into his death

will open on Monday. The train company, London Midland,

has been forced to lay on buses - after experiencing overcrowding

on some services at Bromsgrove The company maintains that the

bus service is a temporary measure, because of increased off-peak travel

during the Easter holiday - but passengers using

the new multi-million pound station I suppose, you come to a train

station expecting a service that you're going to be getting

on the train. We've got a fantastic

new station and no trains. I mean, they are very

short trains, at that. To be fair, it's been

going a long time. We've got a lovely station

but we don't appear people living in seven areas

of the West Midlands will go to the polls, to select

the West Midlands metro mayor. There's no gold chain and it's not

about opening school fetes. This mayor will be

a directly elected politician making decisions

that impact the lives Think Giuliani, think BoJo,

this person will represent us to the rest of the country

and even the rest of the world. And you can watch Elizabeth Glinka's

special report in full, on our Facebook page -

facebook.com/midlandstoday But this afternoon

all six candidates - actual size, have been

facing our Political Editor, Patrick Burns, in a special debate

programme, and Patrick joins me now. I know you don't want to give too

much away but what can you tell us about it? A unique event. All six

contenders are therefore it. The only televised debate of this kind

coming at a unique moment even the backdrop of Brexit and all that

follows and the general election as well. Inevitably, the candidates for

the two biggest parties in this contest were vying with each other

from the start over which of them is best placed to lead through this

period of leaving the European Union.

The government are looking particularly at areas like this that

have got a manufacturing future and were thinking with them...

That might be what they tell you that, if you read

what they are doing, it's all about defending financial

services, they don't say a word about manufacturing.

They've invested in the London taxi company.

They've invested in electric vehicles they're investing

It's the Lib Dems who have made a signature issue of Brexit, or

anti-Brexit, they have a clear anti-Brexit message. Their candidate

who has staged a number of expositions at manufacturing parts

of the country said she would be keen to give strong and clear

leadership during this period. It isn't just about Birmingham

alone, it's about the whole of the West Midlands,

how, by coming together, we are Yeah, we've got lots of nice, glitzy

stores and statues in the city centre but the districts,

the outlying districts Plenty of subjects to cover but one

of the mayor's major responsibilities is transport. What

have they said about that? One of the main subjects is whether the M6

toll road should be brought into public ownership. That is the policy

of the cob unit candidate and the Labour candidate. But many have said

that you cannot do that without considerable cost.

For example, there's 115 kilometres of railway lines disused

Bluntly speaking, round about the peak times,

90-95% of HGVs already use the M6 toll.

It will have a unfit but it is not going to solve

I asked about voter fatigue but they said, we come first. What about

political editor fatty? No rest for the wicked.

And you can watch the full debate in a special programme

A Mayor For The Midlands at 10.45 tonight, here on BBC1.

Thanks for joining us on BBC Midlands Today.

Also in tonight's programme - a chip off the old block,

preparing for the European judo championships -

coached by his Dad, a former Olympic medallist.

We're tracking adders at a secret location

in Herefordshire and this is the first one we found.

A Midlands Air Ambulance aircrew, who saved the life of a pregnant

woman after she'd been stabbed, are to receive a special award.

12 Pride of Birmingham awards are being given out tonight,

to recognise acts of bravery and compassion in the second city.

There's a glitzy red carpet event at the University of Birmingham -

Plenty to celebrate tonight. There is. Indeed. Plenty of excitable

faces going into the beautiful great Hall at Birmingham University. It's

a box of tissues they need with the courageous, inspiring stories of

people from aged nine up to 80 winning a pride of Birmingham award,

in its fourth year, going from strength to strength. Albee hearing

about some of those inspirational stories celebrated here tonight.

March 2016 and the Midlands air ambulance received a call to visit a

woman who has been repeatedly stabbed.

40-year-old Natalie Querioz, who was eight months pregnant,

was attacked by her partner in Sutton Coldfield.

We suddenly have not one life that was in danger but too.

Thanks to the swift response of the air crew based at Cosford,

The medical team are honoured tonight

I wouldn't be here and my daughter wouldn't be here if it wasn't for

the air ambulance and that's a fact. I ran up to the tunnel and there was

a chap standing in the middle of the road.

For outstanding bravery, great granddad Anthony Mathers

who fended off a car jacking gang armed

with a gun and knife in Acocks Green last November.

I had blood running down my arm. I didn't feel scared at all.

Bradley Addison was a promising footballer,

who played with Aston Villa's youth academy,

But he was diagnosed with the life-limiting condition,

He took up powerchair football and has gone on to raise

tens of thousands of pounds to help other sufferers.

I would like to play for England but I don't know if that will happen. I

would like to win, either a cup or a leak soon. Bradley, you are amazing.

Mummy loves you and you are the best.

Facing fear in whatever guise - but all showing immense

We have noddy Holder, Ross Kemp and others walking the red carpet but it

is really all about people like this man here. Founder of the Langerak

Association here in Birmingham tonight. Unexpected, no doubt? Of

course. One thing you have done is provide 5000 meals a week for

homeless people. That's right. To be honest, I didn't expect it at all.

Absolutely overwhelmed. You looked gobsmacked. Have good awards

ceremony. Let's talk to the editor of the Birmingham mail. Mark, what

is it about this event that makes it so special to people in the eyes of

the city now? It is something that Birmingham doesn't do often enough

which is to celebrate ordinary me is doing extraordinary things. This

year, we've taken the award to the next level Cosby want to do even

more to celebrate those heroes. How on earth do you select the bravest

of the brave? How do you deny someone an award and give someone

another? It is not about denying people awards, it is about telling

stories. These are the very best stories we can find, told in the

best way. In the Birmingham mail we've been telling their stories for

a long time. Thank you very much indeed. Enjoy your evening. The 12

winners will be short listed for the daily Mirror pride of Britain awards

later in the year. Some sad news

from the world of athletics. The Olympic high jump

silver medallist, Germaine Mason, has died in a motorbike

crash in Jamaica. 34-year-old Mason

spent much of his sporting after switching nationality

to represent Great Britain. He was competing for

the Birchfield Harriers club at the time he won the silver

in Beijing in 2008. The Staffordshire swimmer,

Adam Peaty, says he was frustrated as he won the 50 metre breast stroke

title at the British Championships. He finished six hundredths of a

second outside the record in the final. It was his second gold medal

after the 100 metres title on Tuesday.

The British judo team start out on the road to the Olympics

in Tokyo in 2020 this week - as they compete at the European

They've been preparing for the first major tournament

at their performance centre in Walsall.

And for one of the team - it will be a real family affair.

23-year-old Brummie Max Stewart is preparing for his first European

judo championships and he couldn't have a better mentor.

Because his coach is dad Dennis, an Olympic bronze

medallist at the games in Seoul almost 30 years ago.

I don't really look at it like pressure. More of a competition or

challenge. If he has a medal somewhere, I want to do the same or

better. I always believed he could do it. Seeing him getting there is

ticking the box is. I spent him to do it. The other side of me is quite

proud and looking forward to it. British Judo have

high hopes for Max. He's moved up a weight and is

thriving against the bigger men. The 81 kilo category was more

tactical and here there are more throws. It is more suited to my

style. This could be the first real opportunity to see who will be the

big stars of Tokyo 2020. Those promising younger

players include 20-year-old Officially she's still a junior

but impressive performances have seen her given an opportunity

to mix it with the seniors I've done quite a few seniors this

year. Getting up to that level before so I can get a feel for it

and not chucking me into the deep end straightaway.

For all of them the big motivation is the 2020 Olympics.

Japan is the spiritual home of judo and no-one wants to miss

the opportunity to compete in the Tokyo games.

Nick Clitheroe BBC Midlands Today Walsall.

A hoard of gold coins found stashed in a old piano in Shropshire,

has been officially declared as treasure.

The discovery was made before Christmas, when the piano's current

The stash hasn't been valued yet - but it's said to be worth

The tuner who found the hoard and Bishops Castle Community College,

which owns the piano, will share a reward.

I can't say that I was not perturbed. It was only when we got

back to the office and realise there was a very large quantity of gold

that it's sunk in to us all. Oh gosh! What's going on? It's amazing.

If snakes aren't your thing, you might want to look away now!

Because snakes - and more particularly adders -

are an important part of our countryside.

But the population has dwindled to such an extent,

there are none left in many parts of the country,

That's why a reptile ecologist, who adores snakes, is tracking

Joanne Writtle joined him at a secret location in Herefordshire.

In wild Herefordshire countryside reptile ecologist Nigel Hand

and volunteer Nick Saunders search for adders.

This is a male. They are smaller with a lighter coloured body.

We can't say where we are because adder

Nigel's tagging them for a National Trust study.

I've been passionate about them since I was a small boy. They are

important in the countryside. They are predators and they are hunted

themselves. filmed two males fighting over

a female at the start Despite tracking 60 adders

nationally for six years it's the first time they've

seen this behaviour. I'm very proud to see this. It's one

of the top ten wildlife spectacles, in my opinion.

And later we find one of the two males who were fighting

There's still no sign of females though.

But within hours, patience pays dividends...

This is only the third female snake they've managed to tag in this area.

I think she's about 15 years old, they can live till about 30.

Adder numbers are falling due to factors like urbanisation.

But this female is a strong healthy half metre long.

This is significant. This is a breeding female. We know there is a

male in the area as well. Superb. This is a nice finish to the day. He

seems happy in his work. If you've not been with us this

week, you may be wondering why we have a new backdrop -

we're in the process So for the next couple

of weeks Shefali will be on the balcony,

with the forecast. So you'll be hoping

for a dry fortnight. Absolutely, a calm one too -

we've done well so far and that's in spite

of the cloud today - All it took was a bit of blue

sky to raise our hopes We could even see some

sunshine by the weekend - but Saturday's the best day

for that, I reckon. A cooler feel to things

over the weekend as well and the change in wind direction

is all down to this cold front across the north starting

to drift southwards. Not much rain along it,

all because of the high pressure but once it's cleared which won't be

until the end of tomorrow, we'll see temperatures drop

and a touch of frost - a few mist patches into

the start of Saturday. So this evening through

to tonight then - the odd clearer spells

here and there but a predominantly cloudy picture with some

splashes of rain, otherwise dry. And with that blanket of cloud

across trapping the heat, a really mild night with most places

seeing temperatures But a lot of cloud

lingers through tomorrow - a bit of sunshine at times

but generally dull and mostly dry - even less likelihood of rain

than today but as warm in the southwest with a top

temperature of 16 Celsius the winds already beginning to swing

around to the northwest. So this is the outlook

for the next few days then - clearer skies into the start

of Saturday with some sunny spells. Chilly with a touch of frost

and some fog but dry through much of the weekend with more in the way

of cloud through Sunday And on tomorrow's Midlands Today

we'll be talking wine. Rebecca Wood has been

to a local vineyard, to find out about one of the fastest

growing agricultural sectors - and how last year's weather

helped make it a vintage year Some news just reaching us. The

former Ukip Aleida Nigel Farage has said he will not stand in the

general election. That's all from us. We'll be back

NEWSREADER: 'The UK has voted to leave the European Union

'Ukip leader Nigel Farage celebrated the result,

'declaring that dawn was breaking on an independent nation.'

'Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to resign

'The pound fell sharply as the referendum result became apparent,

'and traders are bracing themselves for panic when the markets open.'

'And England are confident of advancing to the next stage