21/02/2017 Midlands Today

Good evening. for the news where you are.

Organised gangs of fly-tippers are using professional spotters

to scour the countryside for places to dump their waste.

That's according to the Environment Agency, who say the problem

is on the rise across the West Midlands.

No fewer than 12 cases are currently being investigated -

the latest involving more than a hundred fridges dumped

Laura May McMullan has been to two sites in Staffordshire which will

A steaming, stinking pile dumped along the A50 near Uttoxeter.

The farmer who owns the land says around

40 tonnes of household waste was dumped here around a week ago

and he's told me that it's going to cost him personally

It's a similar sight 12 miles away near Yoxall.

Domestic waste including children's toys, bedding and nappies

We're absolutely disgusted, we're in shock.

we are sad because this area is so beautiful

and some individual has chosen to spoil it.

The Environment Agency says it's because the waste removal can

They say fly-tippers are organised and some

even using professional spotters to seek out dumping grounds.

People can now get an unlimited fine

For this type of activity, and we also will follow

through proceeds of crime or anything to ensure

we get the money back.

In just the last few weeks, there have been other incidents.

Ten foot-high blocks of rubbish were discovered in Staffordshire

Moorlands, and the next day mounds of medical waste found at Madeley

And the latest, just last night,

110 fridges dumped in Birmingham.

What we will be looking to do is get them

forensically examined, it's one of the things

that we now do to try and build up a database of

who's doing this, and hopefully, eventually,

if they aren't already on the register,

they will be caught for this.

The Environment Agency says it's everyone's job to tackle

this kind of crime because it affects every taxpayer.

Eight years ago it was criticised by health inspectors

for not having enough beds, operating theatres

or trained staff - today Birmingham Children's Hospital

become the first of its kind to be rated outstanding.

The news came as the hospital opened a new ?1 million centre designed

for and by families and children facing life changing news.

Gayle Routeledge's son Lewis was cared for at

Birmingham Childrens' Hospital but sadly he died from a rare form

of cancer when he was just two years old.

As you can see it's just a beautiful large space for us.

Gayle understands the importance of a quiet place for children

and families facing the worst of times.

We had a lot of difficult conversations over those two years,

decisions we needed to make about treatment and most of

those discussions were in offices or in little rooms and that is

difficult, when you are trying to process information and understand

Gayle joined a network of bereaved families who played a key part

So we have here the sitting room that we are in now, there is a

children's area in the corner as well.

There is a beautiful outdoor area, so fresh air, again, you can

see the sky, you have light which is lovely.

Magnolia house is the first centre in the uk designed specifically

to cater for families facing life changing news.

It cost a million pounds to build and it was funded

Three quarters of the money was raised by Birmingham

The remainder came from local fundraising.

On a day that the hospital was praised for its good work

For around 120 children and young people a year,

And it is so important for families that the way that news

is shared with them is done in the most

appropriate way that there is lots of time and space.

With the centre now officially opened it's hoped it will it

will provide a sanctuary for children and families

Police have cordoned off an area of water in Edgbaston in Birmingham

this evening following the discovery of a man's body.

Officers were called to a lake in Edgbaston Park Road just

The body remains at the scene while enquiries are ongoing -

it's not been formally identified at this stage.

It's the end of day one of the National Farmers Union

Conference in Birmingham - and a key moment as the industry

prepares for Brexit and a future outside

the Common Agricultural Policy.

Our reporter Sian Grzeszczyk is at the ICC.

What's the mood been like amongst farmers there today?

Well, suddenly the farmers we've been speaking to have been very

upbeat. Brexit as you say has been top of the agenda here, lots of

delegates in fact still here at the place tonight. Here is the director

of the NFU, here's an insight to what farmers have been saying.

Farmers have been saying that Brexit is going to have a huge impact on

the industry, the food and farming industry is the biggest primer

manufacturing set in the industry of the UK, and this is the place to

come to get answers. We have the secretary of state hairdryer Andrea

Ledsom, and a range of experts to talk about what we should be looking

for and what we might get. What is the wish list when it comes to

farmers, what have you been telling the secretary of state today? The

key issues trade, access to labour and what the future agricultural

policies will look like. Top of that list is trade. If we did a good

trade deal, with continued access the -- European Union and the single

market will be in a good place but if we don't get that it will be

tougher for farmers and we will be much more reliant on the future

agricultural policy. A key moment to make your voice heard, today?

Absolutely, yes, as I say NFU is leading the agenda when it comes to

Brexit negotiations and this is where farmers come to hear from

politicians and industry leaders and this is where they can make their

views known. Thank you very much indeed for joining us. The

conference continues to tomorrow night.

A team of soldiers, including four from the Midlands,

are hoping to become the first all-female group to cross

During a three month expedition, they'll face temperatures

of minus 40 degrees - and they'll be walking in that

for up to nine hours a day during the 1,700 kilometre mission

which will take them to the South Pole and beyond.

Our reporter Phil Mackie joined them at a training camp, in Norway:

The Ice Maiden team is heading out across a frozen

Norwegian lake at the start of its final training exercise.

At the South Pole, conditions will be even more extreme.

In September, these soldiers will begin their historic journey,

hoping they'll succeed and its inspire

One of the leaders is Major Natalie Taylor from Lichfield.

It's not just about five women crossing Antarctica,

it's about encouraging women from across the military but also

civilian life just to get out there and give things ago

and realise there is no ceiling, you can achieve anything.

These are the pods, this is what they are going to have

to pull across the Antarctic with them, carrying everything

they need for that journey, they are going to weigh between 70

to 80 kilos, and that's in most cases more

We're just going to have, oh, hot chocolate with orange today.

Home for the next few weeks and for the 80 days

of the expedition will be a small tent.

It will be the bedroom, living room and kitchen.

The team is determined and brave, and as Major Sandy Hennis,

who is based in Redditch but comes from Cannock, admits

I am concerned that there is a potential we're going to lose

a finger or two so that's in the back of my mind but that's

The only other thing is I'm worried about are more if I do something

wrong that stops the team from achieving its aims.

And one of the hardest things will be maintaining morale as each

Lieutenant Zanna Baker is from Hereford.

There a bit of a song that sticks in my head and I just keep singing

that and plodding along to it and yeah, the hours disappear,

and eventually it is night time and you are inside the tent for 12

hours or what ever it is, and then you wake up in the morning

and you just have to, yes, the worst thing you have to do

all day is get out of the tent and then once that's done...

Two will be reserves, as only five can cross the Antarctic

where they hope to break the ice ceiling, putting them in the history

books alongside explorers like Scott Shackleton and Amundsen.

One football result tonight, in the Championship,

where Burton Albion have picked up another valuable point in their bid

to avoid relegation, thanks to a goalless draw

Thank you very much, Nick. Thankfully it is not as cold as it

is in Norway. In fact it has been mild today, temperatures at 14

Celsius but some stunning skies ending the day, particularly this

one where it looks like it's on fire. It changes on the way though

and that is in the form of storm Doris, winter buying back, a amber

be prepared warning in place much of the Midlands, in place for Thursday.

Gusts of up to 80 miles an hour, and some heavy rain. Breezy out there at

the moment and a weather system trying to work its way in from the

west, bringing some rain across the north Midlands overnights tonight

and we will seek some trips and grabs tomorrow, a mild night again.

Temperatures between a stash 11 Celsius. Above the average for

daytime for this time of year. This weather system traits across for

most of tomorrow, much not much headway being made, staying around

for the day, lots of cloud, quite a grey day, and miserable and breezy

as well, temperatures again pushing back up to 11-12 Celsius, so above

average for the time of year and if we get any breaks in the cloud we

should see them getting a bit higher. This is Doris working its

way in on Thursday, strong winds and heavy rain, or information

the day, particularly up towards the evening rush hour. It calms down on

the Outlook toward the end of the week and then milder again from the

wheel them. More on storm Doris now with Matt Taylor.