17/05/2017 Midlands Today

The headlines tonight: news teams where you are.

Businesses assessing the damage and counting the cost

after a wartime bomb was blown up in Birmingham.

Live machine not working, if machine fall down or anything, that would be

a big loss. Contractors are due back this evening to start is the clear

up and try to get things back to normal.

Also tonight, victims of sexual abuse decades ago

at a Worcestershire school fear they'll never get justice.

I was frightened every day. You couldn't close your eyes at night

because you didn't know who would jump into your bed.

They only elected their MP 12 weeks ago: so how do voters in Stoke feel

about going to the polls again so soon?

Back in working order thanks to dedicated volunteers,

a fourteenth century water mill that's been derelict for years.

And if this is what you get for putting up with today's

incessant rain then it will have been worth it.

Almost an inch of rainfall over 12 hours but improving tomorrow.

Good evening, businesses in Birmingham have been assessing

the damage caused by the controlled explosion of a wartime

One owner says he's losing thousands of pounds a day and doesn't know

when it'll be safe to go back inside his building.

The 500l device was discovered on Monday morning,

and was judged to be too dangerous to be moved.

Well, here in the shadows of the Aston Express Way,

we've been able to see for the first time today exactly where the bomb

was found after all these years, and the huge cavity left

after the controlled explosion yesterday.

It's caused major damage for some businesses on this

industrial estate and speaking to one owner here today he says he's

worried he could lose A lot of trade.

The full impact of yesterday's controlled explosion

is still being felt by a number of businesses on the Priory

Today, they're dealing with the aftermath.

Zakir Husain's warehouse is just yards

from where the bomb was found, and took the full force.

He says he's now lost three days of production and it's costing him.

worried I'll lose customers because of this.

He's not sure whether or not it's structurally safe

His neighbour next door though says he couldn't wait any longer.

of production and I need to get deliveries out.

Are you convinced it is safe to return to work? Yes, I checked, and

looked for breakages and leaks and anything. I found it was OK to

operate. had lay undiscovered here for more

than 70 years and is one of the biggest devices of its kind

to be found on British soil. Fred Groves was just

a lad at the time. Still living round the corner now,

he lived through the bombings They were dropping all around. The

only thing you remember is the noise and the explosions. Because my

parents would keep the confined to the air raid shelter. I could stick

my head out sometimes. Looking at the searchlights was quite a novelty

for a bad of my age. -- a lad. It could be days before Mr Husain's

business is back to normal. He says the priority now should be

to clear the roads, so suppliers can So, Laura, what has the council had

to say about the clear up operation? Well, we've been told

that the contractors are due here tonight to start clearing up

this sand and that needs to happen first so they can assess

any long-lasting damage. When the Army were carrying out

the controlled explosion yesterday 250 tonnes of sand was brought

in on 13 trucks - to take the full force of the blast -

so it's going to take Has to take place. Thankfully, the

controlled explosion was successful because the situation could have

been a lot worse. Police investigating the sexual

abuse of boys at a school in Worcestershire decades ago say

they've sent a file It comes more than 2.5 years

after the BBC uncovered allegations against Catholic monks

who ran St Gilberts. No-one's been charged though

and some of the victims fear 50 years on, Paul Sprason

is still looking for peace. In the 1960s, aged 13, he was packed

off to a Catholic-run approved school full of delinquents

and runaways from Birmingham. He went on to spend 30 years

in a series of jails - but he says that school

and the abuse he suffered Not just by one person. Two or three

holding you down, sexually assaulting you. It was rape.

St Gilberts at Hartlebury near Kidderminster was run

by the De La Salle Order of Christian Brothers

It's thought as many as 30 former pupils have come forward to tell

police of horrendous abuse at the hands of school staff.

A place of hell. Fear. You was frightened every day, you could not

close your eyes at night because you did not know who would jump into

your bed. Operation Quail was launched

over 2.5 years ago to investigate allegations of abuse

at St Gilberts from 1945 to 1975. In September last year,

a file was sent to the Crown Prosecution Service

and four suspects have been interviewed under caution -

but to date no charges Brother Roderick is an alleged

abuser. He is now dead along with other suspects. They have written to

all the victims to tell them what is going on but the unresolved nature

of the enquiry is making their psychological condition worse. When

we asked if every, the police said two suspects had been released from

a bail conditions but were cooperating voluntarily. Today, they

said matters were at a delicate stage. What do you want from the

police enquiry? Bring it forward. Some will say, 50 years, let bygones

be bygones. I don't want any gain out of it, I just want the truth to

come out. It is taking too long. The order has apologised to Paul and

others but for him, time is running out and the wouldn't have not

healed. And you can hear more about this

case on BBC Hereford and Worcester's breakfast show with Elliott and Toni

from seven tomorrow morning. The post mortem's taken place

on Evha Jannath who died after she fell from a water ride

at Drayton Manor Park It found the 11-year-old had died

from chest injuries. An inquest into her death was opened

and adjourned this afternoon, but there's no confirmed date

for a full hearing. The Royal College of Surgeons has

called for a review of the way private hospitals are regulated

following the case of Ian Paterson. The cancer surgeon is due to be

sentenced at the end of this month after being convicted of unlawfully

wounding ten patients, by carrying out "needless"

operations at private clinics A Warwick district councillor

who posted an offensive tweet during the Eurovision Song

contest, has resigned. Nick Harrington has represented

the Stoneleigh and Cubbington Ward He's now apologised to the traveller

community and those of Irish origin, as well to his constituents

and the wider public, The latest official figures show

that unemployment has fallen again across the whole of the

West Midlands. The figures for January

to March this year, show 161,000 were out of work -

a drop of 5,000. That takes the official

jobless rate in the region to 5.7%, which is still

above the national When the snap election

was called last month, voters in Stoke on Trent might've

been forgiven for thinking Oh That's because just a few weeks

before, they'd had a by-election following the resignation

of the Labour MP Tristram Hunt. Our Staffordshire reporter

Liz Copper's been to Stoke to see how voters are feeling

at the moment, as they go back In the heart of Stoke-on-Trent

Central, this is Parliament Row. It's just three months since voters

here chose their MP. At the top of the street, serving

traditional fayre, is Oatie Mostons. What do they make of an election

coming around again so soon I was just surprised. Oh, not again.

Because we had had a local election. After the recent by-election -

one challenge could be Scotty 2 Hotty totally fed up, one

after another, not ready for it. Confused as to who to vote for. And

think people have lost interest. But I think you should vote.

Most people did not vote, and it was 38% previously. But that the EU

referendum last year, a different story, and 65% came out to test

their vote in the city. So can this election

enthuse the voters There are students around here. Some

of my friends, they annoy me when they do not vote. Oh, not again.

Not everyone's so sceptical about politics, though.

At this pottery firm, they make memorabelia

featuring party leaders - politicians make them profits.

Great, bring it on. It is great for business.

In just over three weeks' time, we'll know who'll be

the next Prime Minister - and also whether they have the

Liz Copper, BBC Midlands Today, Stoke on Trent.

And you can find out more about the candidates standing

in Stoke on Trent and everywhere else in the Midlands

Thanks for joining us on Midlands Today.

After a dank and dismal day today, I'm banking on Shefali

It was not fit for a man nor beast today. Full details later.

Also in tonight's programme West Brom's dire run goes on,

but still a good season, says manager Tony Pulis.

And followers of the county cricket club, no doubt,

but why's a trail of bears about to descend on Birmingham?

Around 850,000 people are living with dementia in the UK.

Someone develops the condition every three minutes and more than 40,000

Hannah Morris is one of those people - she was diagnosed

She has good days and bad days, but she's found that going to craft

workshops helps her feel involved in her local community in Hereford.

Our Arts reporter Satnam Rana has the details.

She is there in body. But that is it.

Dementia is a life changing condition, whatever your age.

Hannah Morris from Peter Church near Hereford is 44, and she is living

We were shopping once and I said, what about

Since then, her condition has worsened.

I was very bubbly before. I am more withdrawn.

My word finding is much more difficult.

Spelling, even simple words, is hard.

Today, she has come along to the Courtyards arts venue

in Hereford to raise awareness of the condition

It is a place of sanctuary for many living with dementia.

We are able to come and we are in a safe environment.

They understand what is wrong. They are very helpful.

We get to do different activities that we wouldn't normally

Since 2010, the Courtyard has seen 40,000

people with dementia come through its doors.

People live with dementia, they don't die with

I think it is key that the arts plays a very important part in

We wanted to make sure that the Courtyard was a real hub

The Courtyard arts venue has been a dementia-friendly space

And it is classes like this one that have

given many of those living with the condition a lifeline

And for people like Hannah, who are living with dementia, the

The number of English cities rivalling Birmingham to host

the 2022 Commonwealth Games has been reduced to just one.

Birmingham has officially confirmed it would like to take over

the staging of the games from Durban.

The South African city was stripped of the right earlier this year.

Manchester and London have now dropped out,

leaving Liverpool as the only other competitor in England.

The West Bromwich Albion head coach Tony Pulis says it's been

a fantastic season for the Baggies, despite their current

Last night's defeat at Manchester City means

it's now just one win in their last 11 matches.

When you haven't won in two months and haven't scored in eight

of your last ten games, then a trip to Champions League-chasing

Manchester City isn't the most comfortable of prospects.

For 25 minutes, West Bromwich Albion kept the home side at bay.

But when the breakthrough finally arrived, the Baggies

First, Kevin De Bruyne set up Gabriel Jesus for the opening goal,

and then two minutes later the Belgian proved he was

In a flash, the game was over as a competition.

Shortly after half-time, Yaya Toure thumped home a third to ensure

Albion would now be eight games without a win.

There was consolation of sorts a few minutes from the end

when Hal Robson-Kanu scored for the visitors, but this

Defeat saw them slip to ninth, and they could still

But that doesn't dismay Tony Pulis, who's been shortlisted

people must recognise what you have to work with, finances and

everything else. We were on top of there, and all in all, where we are,

what we have spent, it has been a fantastic season and they have kept

going all the way. Pulis will fly out to China

next Monday for a meeting Top of his priorities will be

the transfer funds needed to push Do you remember the Big Hoot which

came to Birmingham two years ago? It was a trail of giant owl

sculptures dotted around the city to raise money for the Children's

Hospital. Now, the idea of a sculpture trail

is back - but this time it's They're being created in a special

painting area right now, and our reporter Joanne Writtle has

been to see how it's all going. They're hibernating right now,

but in July people are being invited to go on a bear hunt

in and around BEARmingham. More than 200 of them

will form a tourist trail to raise money for Birmingham

Children's Hospital. The theme is the beautiful son

there. --. Birmingham is the city of 1 million trees. And people are

visiting to see parts of the city they have never seen before.

Artists like Gayani Ariyaratne have been

But her bear tells the tale of her idyllic childhood many miles away.

That is the growing up in Sri Lanka as a child. These are all be happy

things I used to play with and I like. The elephant was in our back

garden. This is a Phoenix rising from the ashes. And there are

businesses are being and supporting each other, it is a place of

regeneration. On a cookery theme, there's

Mary Bary's Soggy Bottom. And for second city dwellers,

there's Gas Street Bearsin. The bears will be dotted

around Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield and Sandwell -

including Bearwood - It'll be called the Big Sleuth

because - in case you didn't know - a sleuth is the collective noun

for a group of bears. An archaeological dig around

a Shropshire church has revealed it could be the earliest known sacred

site still in use in Britain today - Carbon dating of a wooden post,

found at the site of the Church of the Holy Fathers in Oteley Road

in February, has shown it was first placed in the ground in 2033 BC -

a time when the ancient Egyptians The RSPCA is appealing

for information after a dog was abandoned behind an empty

building in Stoke on Trent. The male Staffordshire bull terrier,

which has been named Patch, was found by a member of the public

in Pyenest Street on Monday. The animal charity says

its concerned that he was tied up where he wasn't visible,

so whoever left him might not have You may have heard of the Shelsley

Walsh Hill Climb in Worcestershire, famous for more than a hundred years

for throaty motor sport. Amazingly, in the midst

of the stench of burning fuel and roaring engines,

there's a placid water mill which dates back

to the 14th Century. It's been lying in ruin for decades,

but now it's back in working order. A group of flat-cap wearing

pensioners decided to raise money After five years of blood,

sweat and tears, the wheel's turning And it's thanks to this

group of friends who call themselves the Dibnahs,

after Fred Dibnah, the flat-cap-wearing

steeplejack and TV presenter. Their mutual interest

in mechanical engineering has brought about a painstaking

restoration of a water mill which has been on this

site for over 700 years. the camera is commonly focus. The

satisfaction that you get and the camaraderie and the focus. You never

stop learning. We all learn from each other and that is great.

The Dibnahs - including among them retired

builders, accountants and engineers - are producing flour once again.

We do it as a hobby. We do not charter labour. We buy in woods and

certain parts. It costs us between 15 and 20,000. They are unearthing

treasures. BBC's first live

commentary of the famous Shelsley Walsh Hill

Climb in the 1930s. The Water Mill sits

at the foot of the climb, run by the Midland Automobile Club,

and next to the It has served the city for hundreds

of years. Never fully commercial, just producing animal feed and

grinding up flower for local consumption. A thriving little

community spread over 500 acres. The smallest parish in Worcestershire.

The Watermill is open for guided tours, and with a busy

summer racing schedule, offers visitors a sanctuary from

And if you're fan of the flat cap - you may be at home.

There is an offer I hadn't heard very often!

Ben Godfrey, BBC Midlands Today, Shelsley Walsh.

Went for a walk this morning and got drenched...can't even get out

It's probably ruins your here, too. It was a case of who got what. 10-15

millimetres of rain. But we got just under one inch of rain so far in

some places. We could see double that by the time we get to tomorrow

morning. But in the east of the region, seeing the worst. This is

where the rain is heading. It is all going to the east, and after that a

fairly clear run of it towards the weekend. In summary, this is how the

weekend is shaping up. Reasonably warm, temperatures are to be made

for high teens. Still some rain to get through to this evening and

overnight. Quite heavy particularly century and eastern areas. Some

spray in the roads this evening. Treacherous driving conditions. Past

the midnight hour,... It is much cooler into the morning. A chilly

start of the day. Much different. A transformation with more sunshine,

it is dry and a lovely morning for a walk. Then showers develop, lighter

affairs and well scattered. Predominantly dry and sunny.

Temperatures in the sunshine 16 or 17 Celsius. Reasonably warm but

fresher as it has been stupid this week. A drier and clearer at night

tomorrow. Fairly cool and a drier into the week.

Dog lovers will like this story we're covering

We know dogs use their noses to find many different things....people,

drugs and of course food, but now two dogs in Worcester

are being trained to detect something very

It's to help reduce the large number that are killed every

I'll be back at 10:30 with your late update.

The choice you now face is all about the future.

Whoever wins on the 8th of June will face one overriding task -

to get the best possible deal for this United Kingdom from Brexit,

because making Brexit a success is central to our national interest

and it is central to your own security and prosperity.

Because, while there is enormous opportunity for Britain

if we do not get this right, the consequences will be serious

and they will be felt by ordinary working people across the country.