29/01/2017 Points West

Good evening.

A mother from Cheltenham is campaigning for a change in the laws

surrounding organ donation,

after her daughter had a liver transplant.

Kerry Smith says it made her realise there was a shortage of donors.

She wants England to adopt the Welsh system,

where it's assumed everyone has given consent, unless they opt out.

Scott Ellis reports.

15-year-old Megan Carson from Cheltenham fell ill last year

with autoimmune hepatitis.

Luckily, she had a liver transplant within two months.

But that anxious wait made her family aware

of a shortage of donors, one they think would be improved

if England adopted the Welsh system of presumed consent.

Well, one person can donate several organs,

and I think that presumed consent can help so much more

than just opting in, because not enough people opt in.

Presumed consent would enable everybody

to make their wishes known.

I still believe they should have the choice and they can

opt out if they need to, but it would ease the decisions

that their upset relatives need to make at that time.

Kerry Smith is canvassing politicians for a change

to the Welsh system.

In its first year, it has led to an increase in transplants.

People we spoke to here are in favour.

If we did, like, adapt to it, then it should be more advertised

on the fact that you can opt out if you want to.

I wouldn't mind my organs going, but I just don't have a donor card.

There are those, though, who worry about presumed consent -

the thought the state in some way owns your organs, and might death be

hastened if an organ was needed by someone else?

But a leading medical philosopher in the West says it is worth

remembering that you are more likely to need an organ than be a donor.

We emphasise the donor's perspective, another equally

important question is, would you want to have an organ

available to you if you were in a situation where you needed one,

and the alternative was death?

The Department of Health in England says it has no plans

to introduce an opt-out system, but it is watching developments

in Wales, where the UK as a whole has one of the lowest rates

of consent in Europe.

Scott Ellis, BBC Points West.

A device believed to be from World War II has been found

on a beach near Weston-Super-Mare.

It is thought it may have been a spigot mortar.

It was blown up in a controlled explosion this afternoon

by the Royal Navy Bomb Disposal Unit.

Because of its size, a 1,500 metre exclusion zone was put

in place and residents were advised to stay indoors.

The final beams were put into place today for

a new bridge for MetroBus, going over the Portbury

freight line near Winterstoke Road in South Bristol.

Completion of the bridge has been called a milestone -

it'll mean the Metrobus can avoid congestion on the Winterstoke Road

and Cumberland Basin.

The scheme, which has been criticised for the intensive

roadworks needed and the amount it has cost,

is due to open in the autumn.

In football, Bristol City's woes continue this weekend.

They are out of the FA Cup, beaten 2-0 at Premier League Burnley.

Here's a round-up.

Once Burnley went ahead in the final seconds of the first half,

City never really looked like getting back into the game.

Then Steven Defour sealed it on 68 minutes from the edge of the box.

Over in League One, a West Country derby.

Billy Bodin's 29th-minute effort earned Bristol Rovers

victory over Swindon.

The shot went in via both posts.

Rovers now in touch with the play-off places,

Swindon are skirting near the drop zone.

Cheltenham held on for a goalless draw at Crewe, thanks in part

to the goalkeeping heroics of Scott Brown.

Yeovil were beaten 3-0 at home by promotion favourites Doncaster.

Two from John Marquis sealing Yeovil's fate.

And Forest Green closed the gap at the top of the National League,

as Emmanuel Monthe's late winner helped see off Barrow

at Holker Street.

Staff caring for an injured swan that was shot with a crossbow

have told us they're pleased with his progress this weekend.

George was found on Cheltenham's Pittville Lake

with a bolt in his neck last Monday.

But these recent pictures show, he's already standing on his own.

Vale Wildlife Hospital is watching his recovery closely

before attempting to operate on his eye.

And around 500 amateur singers and musicians pulled off

an amazing feat today.

The challenge was to learn a concert full of music

sent to them in advance, then this morning, they all met

for the first time to rehearse, and there was a full performance

at the end of the day.

The audience made donations to Cancer Research UK.

Now in its eighth year, the Scratch Orchestra Challenge

has raised tens of thousands for the charity.

Time for a weather check now, here's Emily Wood.

Hello. We have seen some very wet weather today.

Remaining unsettled for the week ahead as well.

Still some rain for a time this evening.

It does ease as we go through tonight, but leaves

behind a lot of cloud, some drizzle and also some mist

and fog to watch out for.

Not too cold tonight, though, lows of between six and nine Celsius.

So, a grey and murky start to Monday morning with mist and fog,

and further outbreaks of rain spreading through the West

tomorrow afternoon.

It does remain mild, though, we could see highs of up to

11 or 12 Celsius tomorrow.

Tuesday looks similar, cloudy and mild with outbreaks of rain.

Some drier and brighter weather for a time, though, on Wednesday.

And that's it.

We are back later in the Ten O'Clock News.

Enjoy your evening, goodbye for now.