:00:01. > :00:04.Hello, I'm Sally Taylor. Welcome to South Today. In tonight's
:00:04. > :00:07.programme: The massive cannabis factories set
:00:07. > :00:12.up in luxury houses in leafy suburbs - a gang faces its
:00:12. > :00:16.punishment in court. Cleared to fly - the Red Arrow Hawk
:00:16. > :00:19.jets preparing for a sad journey home.
:00:19. > :00:24.Fighting for compensation - the former servicemen hoping victory is
:00:24. > :00:27.near in their atomic bomb campaign. And bundles of joy - the snow
:00:27. > :00:36.leopard cubs venturing out for their first taste of a British
:00:36. > :00:46.summer. An they are now 12 weeks old today, and this is their first
:00:46. > :00:56.
:00:56. > :01:01.Four men are beginning prison Investigating the death of The
:01:01. > :01:04.coroner asked the police to look at the case. The patient is said to
:01:04. > :01:07.have died during an operation on the same day as a power cut. Our
:01:07. > :01:10.reporter Danielle Glavin has more from Guildford. In little is known
:01:10. > :01:14.about the patient whose death has started this inquiry.
:01:14. > :01:19.I have asked for more information, but very few details have been
:01:19. > :01:23.released. It is not known what the patient was being treated for, but
:01:23. > :01:27.a hospital spokesperson had told the BBC that the death occurred in
:01:27. > :01:37.an operating theatre. Today, they would not discuss the case further
:01:37. > :01:44.
:01:44. > :01:48.On the day in question, there was a power cut in the area. Homes and
:01:48. > :01:52.businesses lost electricity in the afternoon. A damaged cable caused
:01:52. > :01:57.the outage. Most properties had their supply restored by 3pm. It is
:01:57. > :02:01.not known if the two incidents are connected. Surrey Police are
:02:02. > :02:06.investigating. They say no arrests have been made. At the hospital, no
:02:06. > :02:09.staff have been suspended. Their health watchdog, the Care Quality
:02:09. > :02:13.Commission, has told me the case has been referred on to them and
:02:13. > :02:18.they are waiting for the outcome of the investigations before deciding
:02:18. > :02:21.if any action is needed. Schools across the south have been
:02:21. > :02:25.reporting another record breaking year for GCSE results. For many
:02:25. > :02:28.pupils, today's results will allow them to study A-levels. For others,
:02:28. > :02:34.they will take them into the world of work. But some critics say
:02:34. > :02:41.that's a world they're not prepared for. Charlotte McCathie reports.
:02:41. > :02:45.For these pupils, the weight is finally over. Congratulations.
:02:45. > :02:55.the waiting is finally over. GCSE results they, and most had reason
:02:55. > :02:56.
:02:56. > :03:01.to celebrate. I got an A snow N drama, and a star in the Peak --
:03:01. > :03:11.physical education. I am relieved, because I had to wait so long.
:03:11. > :03:21.it wasn't just the pupils who were relieved. I am very proud. It is
:03:21. > :03:21.
:03:21. > :03:24.relief. I am very proud. She is a diamond. This here's group achieved
:03:24. > :03:28.the school's best ever result and others had record-breaking
:03:28. > :03:38.achievements -- this yearPosmac. At this school in Reading, every one
:03:38. > :03:40.
:03:40. > :03:45.of the 50 years -- 51 girls achieved grades of A or a bar.
:03:45. > :03:49.truly is a team effort. Staff, students and parents, and together,
:03:49. > :03:52.it has all come together and we are delighted to date. It is just
:03:52. > :03:57.fantastic for the students who have performed so well -- today.
:03:57. > :04:01.some critics say the rest -- exams have become easier and do not
:04:01. > :04:05.prepare the pupils for the world of work. We have to retrain and so
:04:05. > :04:10.their skills are more relevant to the business world. This goes as
:04:10. > :04:13.far as working as an ordinary shop assistant. Communication there is
:04:13. > :04:17.absolutely bit -- vital. Whether they are going straight into work
:04:17. > :04:23.or further education, to date is the day they will always remember.
:04:23. > :04:25.-- Today. Four men are beginning prison
:04:25. > :04:28.sentences this evening after a major drugs bust by police
:04:28. > :04:33.uncovered a highly organised criminal gangs supplying high-
:04:33. > :04:36.strength cannabis are too much of the south. Around 7,000 plans were
:04:36. > :04:41.seized from houses across Surrey, Berkshire and Oxfordshire, with a
:04:41. > :04:45.street value of around �20 million. The houses, all of them large homes
:04:45. > :04:50.in desirable areas, have been converted into sophisticated
:04:50. > :04:54.factories which were farmed by Vietnamese immigrants. Joe Campbell
:04:54. > :04:59.is outside Reading Crown Court tonight.
:04:59. > :05:04.Sadly, the sentences handed down today are between 21 and 30 months
:05:04. > :05:08.-- Sally. This is to the so-called gardeners who run the factories,
:05:08. > :05:12.but belied the scale of the operation. They were the lowest
:05:12. > :05:17.rung on the ladder, all but one, who had been expelled from the
:05:17. > :05:21.country and returned to Reading to run this far larger operation.
:05:21. > :05:26.This was drug production on an industrial scale. At the time
:05:26. > :05:30.police shut the operation down, the gang was using this and two other
:05:30. > :05:35.large detached houses in Surrey, and several other homes across
:05:35. > :05:40.Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Inside the properties were 7,000 cannabis
:05:40. > :05:43.plants. It all added up to �20 million per year of business.
:05:43. > :05:47.could have run the operation for longer and had we chosen to do that,
:05:47. > :05:51.no doubt be would have gone further and found more. The organised crime
:05:52. > :05:56.group that were behind us were not going to stop and say, we have had
:05:56. > :06:01.enough now, because they are making a significant event of money. So at
:06:01. > :06:05.the. We chose to intervene, we got what we got, but we are under no
:06:05. > :06:08.illusion that that was the end of it -- at the point. Again chose to
:06:08. > :06:15.use houses like these because they offered more space to grow the
:06:15. > :06:19.drugs -- the gang chose. They had all the other and from earlier
:06:19. > :06:24.mistakes after earlier houses was stumbled upon by neighbours. One he
:06:24. > :06:27.then had the added protection of being in a gated community -- even.
:06:27. > :06:31.When the police raided, they found they were operated by a Vietnamese
:06:31. > :06:37.nationals who had been people trafficked into Britain. Four of
:06:37. > :06:41.them were jailed today. A police hope for more substantial sentences
:06:41. > :06:48.tomorrow, when the people who helped run the operation, and
:06:48. > :06:54.especially in the case of one of the men, who was also arrested in
:06:54. > :06:57.connection with the smuggling illegal immigrants into France.
:06:57. > :07:01.The involvement in people trafficking is significant, given
:07:01. > :07:04.the fact that these factories could not be run without the Vietnamese
:07:04. > :07:08.immigrants who were brought into this country illegally, so the
:07:08. > :07:12.police will be looking for a substantial sentence when those
:07:13. > :07:18.behind this huge keen to are dealt with at the court tomorrow. -- huge
:07:18. > :07:24.scheme. The RAF has given the type of
:07:24. > :07:29.planes used by the Red Arrows clearance to fly again. A Hawk jet
:07:29. > :07:34.was involved in the crash at Bournemouth air show on Saturday.
:07:34. > :07:39.But today's decision does not mean the team can display again just yet.
:07:39. > :07:43.Chris is with me with more on this. Just to remind you, the Red Arrows
:07:43. > :07:48.we using Bournemouth airport as their base for the display. BBC
:07:48. > :07:52.South cameras were at the airfield on Saturday and we saw them
:07:52. > :07:57.preparing to take off. These are the same type of aircraft that the
:07:57. > :08:00.RAF use to train their fast jet pilots. We had already filmed them
:08:00. > :08:04.on the seafront the previous day, tens of thousands people were
:08:04. > :08:09.watching and they did a repeat performance on Saturday -- of
:08:09. > :08:14.people. But on Saturday, as they came bar, and -- came back, Red
:08:14. > :08:18.Four failed to complete the manoeuvre, and plunged into the
:08:18. > :08:24.ground. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, was killed
:08:24. > :08:26.and the entire fleet of the Hawk jets were grounded as they tried
:08:26. > :08:30.and found out what was wrong. So what does the announcement today
:08:30. > :08:33.mean? It means that the planes will fly
:08:33. > :08:37.again and the Red Arrows will take off and fly out of Bournemouth
:08:37. > :08:40.tomorrow. All of this suggests that the preliminary enquiry has
:08:40. > :08:45.suggested the planes are safe to fly but what we still don't know is
:08:45. > :08:48.what caused the crash of Red Four. It could have been mechanical
:08:48. > :08:51.failure or maybe a bird strike. It is likely to be some months before
:08:51. > :08:54.we know. And will the Red Arrows perform
:08:54. > :08:58.again? They will perform again. It is not
:08:58. > :09:01.clear if they will do so before the end of this year, but if they do
:09:01. > :09:07.perform again before the end of the summer, it will be as a team of
:09:07. > :09:10.eight, not nine. Chris, thank you for that. If you
:09:10. > :09:20.are there tomorrow and happened to catch the moment the Red Arrows
:09:20. > :09:25.
:09:25. > :09:28.We would like to hear from you. The Trussell Trust charity
:09:28. > :09:31.headquarters near Salisbury has been targeted by burglars for the
:09:31. > :09:35.second time in just a few weeks. The Trust works with local
:09:35. > :09:40.communities to help combat poverty. The break-in happened last Monday
:09:40. > :09:43.night and the petty cash box was taken. This was after �1,500 was
:09:44. > :09:48.stolen in July. The charity says it will have to pay for the damage
:09:48. > :09:50.caused. We have been based here for six years and we have a wonderful
:09:51. > :09:54.relationship with the local community. We are extremely
:09:54. > :09:57.disappointed we have been broken into twice in the last six weeks.
:09:58. > :10:01.The police have helped us and we have taken extra security measures.
:10:01. > :10:05.We are asking the local community that if they know anything, could
:10:05. > :10:09.they contact the police. Still to come this evening: are
:10:09. > :10:16.checking the coast is clear. A tentative look from snow leopard
:10:16. > :10:21.mum and her cubs. People living in Hampshire are
:10:21. > :10:24.claiming victory after a planning inspector rejected a proposal to
:10:25. > :10:29.build a large-scale anaerobic digest that right beside the
:10:29. > :10:34.Selborne brickworks. The plan had been to use the digest that to
:10:34. > :10:38.create gas that would fuel the brickworks. -- digest all.
:10:38. > :10:43.Selborne brickworks went bust two years ago. Their tone it blamed the
:10:43. > :10:51.rising cost of fuel, accounting for 70% of the cost of making a brick.
:10:51. > :10:56.He suggested a giant anaerobic digest that that would turn all of
:10:56. > :10:59.these ways products into gas. The county council rejected the
:11:00. > :11:04.proposal, the owner appealed and in July, there was a local hearing.
:11:04. > :11:10.Many residents turned out to object. Now the local planning inspector
:11:10. > :11:14.has dismissed the appeal, but agreed it had some advantages in
:11:14. > :11:18.supplying renewable energy, but said there was insufficient
:11:18. > :11:21.evidence that the brickworks would be viable. And that the arguments
:11:21. > :11:27.were not strong enough to justify building in a sensitive area of
:11:27. > :11:30.countryside. The New Forest National Park
:11:30. > :11:33.Authority says it has drawn a line under criticisms made by the
:11:33. > :11:38.National Audit Commission over the appointment of an interim chief
:11:38. > :11:40.executive at the cost of �1,000 per day. The Audit Commission said the
:11:40. > :11:44.authority had failed to follow proper procedure in making the
:11:44. > :11:48.appointment. But the park authority says new people and correct
:11:48. > :11:52.procedures are now in place. I am satisfied that we are doing things
:11:52. > :11:56.in the right way. We have a new chief executive here, many new
:11:56. > :12:01.faces and many of them are different to the two years ago.
:12:01. > :12:04.They are committed to the forest and to the authority.
:12:04. > :12:08.The Royal Navy's newest destroyer began preparations for its journey
:12:08. > :12:15.to Portsmouth today. Page ms Strachan will be based on the south
:12:15. > :12:20.coast with its sister ships. -- H AMs dragon. Each of them have cost
:12:20. > :12:24.�1 billion each. The bow section of the ship was built in the City's
:12:25. > :12:28.shipyards. Veterans who were exposed to
:12:28. > :12:32.nuclear radiation during atomic bomb tests in the 1950s are now
:12:32. > :12:35.hoping their long fight for compensation is coming to an end.
:12:35. > :12:40.More than 1,000 are part of a legal action that will be heard by the
:12:40. > :12:45.Supreme Court in November. Roger Finn has been to meet one of the
:12:45. > :12:48.veterans, Raymond Atkinson in Gosport. He was 19 when the RAF
:12:48. > :12:52.sent him to Christmas Island in the Pacific.
:12:52. > :12:57.I quite enjoyed it, actually. The work wasn't very hard and you got
:12:57. > :13:02.half a day off. That was too hot to work in the afternoon, so you got
:13:02. > :13:10.most of the afternoon off. Plenty of swimming and games like that. A
:13:10. > :13:13.cinema. We were well catered for. I quite enjoyed it. The Raymond
:13:13. > :13:17.Atkinson was sent to Christmas Island in 1958 that Raymond
:13:17. > :13:22.Atkinson. He was there to see the last of the A-bomb tests. They said
:13:22. > :13:27.to look away from where the bomb was going off and just but straight
:13:27. > :13:33.ahead. We just had short and a hat on. -- look straight ahead. We
:13:33. > :13:37.suddenly heard a mighty crash and you felt the heat on your back as
:13:37. > :13:41.it went off. We had to stand like that for about five minutes and
:13:41. > :13:46.they said if you want to have a look, you can turn around now and
:13:46. > :13:50.there was a big mushroom. Very frightening at the time. That is
:13:50. > :13:54.how it happened. For the last five years, veterans have been trying to
:13:54. > :13:57.prove that this experience caused a host of medical problems and the
:13:57. > :14:02.Government should pay them compensation. Raymond Atkinson met
:14:02. > :14:06.his wife soon after his exposure. She suffered two miscarriages and
:14:06. > :14:10.Raymond has had a long history of skin rashes. The MoD has always
:14:10. > :14:15.denied a link between exposure and the illness, and they are backed by
:14:15. > :14:19.at least one major scientific study, but the veterans have some expert
:14:19. > :14:22.support. Perhaps the biggest tragedy is that most other
:14:22. > :14:26.countries, the United States and France and various others, have
:14:26. > :14:32.just paid out compensation. Not a future bad, but they have paid it
:14:32. > :14:35.out. Britain has decided not to -- not a huge event. The compensation
:14:35. > :14:41.claim has already been rejected by the Court of Appeal. Now everything
:14:41. > :14:44.hangs on a decision by the Supreme Court, due in November. It has been
:14:44. > :14:49.proved by other countries that this has affected other people,
:14:49. > :14:52.handicapped children and stillbirths and all sorts of things,
:14:52. > :14:58.because of the atomic bombs. Our government does seem to realise
:14:58. > :15:01.this and are trying to get out of it all the time.
:15:01. > :15:05.The go-ahead has finally been given for a London high-style Ferris
:15:05. > :15:12.wheel on Brighton seafront. -- London Eye. Paramount attractions
:15:12. > :15:14.have been given permission to build on Madeira Drive. The owner of the
:15:14. > :15:18."Brighton O" says it will now open in the autumn.
:15:18. > :15:21.There are a lot of these coming on the south coast. We will have to
:15:21. > :15:26.have a lookout. You can go along the south coast just trying each
:15:26. > :15:31.one out. I don't fancy it too much.
:15:31. > :15:35.Shall we start with cricket? Yes, the home of cricket. Not many
:15:35. > :15:39.below the professional game actually get the opportunity to
:15:39. > :15:43.play at Lord's, so for Berkshire, it is safe -- has been a big day.
:15:43. > :15:47.Be anything better than playing there is winning there. Today has
:15:47. > :15:50.been a day they will say that, as they took on Hertfordshire in the
:15:50. > :15:55.final of the Minor Counties Knockout. But not before the
:15:55. > :15:59.weather had its say. Cricket can be a day of two halves.
:15:59. > :16:05.Berkshire's dream of playing at Lord's was on hold as they downpour
:16:05. > :16:11.continued, but when the covers came off, a 36 over match was agreed.
:16:11. > :16:19.have won the toss, we are going to a ball. It is what we wanted to do.
:16:19. > :16:23.-- ball. The groundsman has done a great job to get this on. Yes, I
:16:23. > :16:26.think the boys will be pretty pleased we are playing some cricket.
:16:26. > :16:31.Winning the toss proved a real advantage after the rain. Berkshire
:16:31. > :16:35.went right into the attack. The first wicket falling after just
:16:35. > :16:40.five minutes, as Lambert tended Hewitt to edge to the keeper. For
:16:40. > :16:45.the travelling fans, it was turning out to be worth it. It is like a
:16:45. > :16:50.dream. I have always wanted to see Berkshire at the Lords. We were in
:16:50. > :16:54.the final about four years ago, and we are optimistic this year. Some
:16:54. > :16:57.of these boys, I have known them since they were seven or eight and
:16:57. > :17:03.I have say that grow up and play youth cricket, so to see them at
:17:03. > :17:07.Lord's is a treat. -- I have seen them. All of the Berkshire's
:17:07. > :17:12.bowlers took a scalpel. Hertfordshire's opened their
:17:12. > :17:17.shoulders towards the end, but perhaps the early rain had dampened
:17:17. > :17:20.their spirits. At tea, Hertfordshire are 140-nine, and
:17:20. > :17:24.they would have hoped for more, as Berkshire are an exceptionally
:17:24. > :17:30.strong batting side. If the weather holds, this could be Berkshire's
:17:30. > :17:33.day. Let's find out if it is, we can go
:17:33. > :17:37.live to Lord's. As predicted, Berkshire have
:17:37. > :17:46.capitalised on that bowling performance. They have won a minor
:17:46. > :17:49.car and -- minor counties Trophy, easily, by six wickets. The opening
:17:49. > :17:55.batsmen performed beyond expectations. Michael Roberts left
:17:55. > :17:59.the field not out, just three short of a ton. There was a stand of 135
:17:59. > :18:05.that had the crowd on their feet. A slight wobble when they lost four
:18:05. > :18:09.wickets for 25 runs as Hertfordshire Rob -- rallied. But
:18:09. > :18:14.moments ago, here at Lord's, Berkshire lifted the trophy for for
:18:14. > :18:19.the second time in their history. And for that performance, they
:18:19. > :18:22.deserve it. Many congratulations to Berkshire.
:18:22. > :18:26.Let's stay with cricket, and Hampshire have a real fight on
:18:26. > :18:29.their hands the state -- save their crucial County Championship game
:18:29. > :18:39.against Worcestershire. The batsmen have again failed to deliver
:18:39. > :18:42.
:18:42. > :18:47.against their closest relegation Bad light stopped play when
:18:47. > :18:49.Hampshire were 84-six in their Hampshire were 84-six in their
:18:49. > :18:59.second innings. Meanwhile, Surrey completed a comprehensive victory
:18:59. > :19:19.
:19:19. > :19:21.out County Ground in Hove, Sussex On to football and it was a
:19:22. > :19:25.memorable night for Aldershot Town as they dumped Championship side
:19:25. > :19:28.as they dumped Championship side West Ham out of the Carling Cup.
:19:28. > :19:32.Trailing by an early goal, the game changed after half-time. Callum
:19:32. > :19:37.McNaughton was sent off for a professional foul on Danny Hylton.
:19:37. > :19:44.On 78 minutes, Alex Rodman's shot was saved but Luke Guttridge
:19:44. > :19:46.pounced to draw Aldershot level. And with a minute left, a fine
:19:46. > :19:50.finish by Danny Hylton and send them into round two. Been
:19:50. > :19:52.Holdsworth described it as the best Holdsworth described it as the best
:19:52. > :19:55.moment of his career -- Dean Holdsworth. Aldershot face Carlisle
:19:55. > :20:01.in the second round, while Southampton go to Swindon after
:20:01. > :20:04.beating Bristol City last night. It was a celebratory sport.
:20:04. > :20:08.Berkshire and Aldershot doing very well.
:20:08. > :20:12.Now, something for youngsters, and dare I say, middle-aged men. It
:20:12. > :20:16.depends on your point of view, it is either a highly skilled musical
:20:16. > :20:21.performance, or it is something your children grow out of in their
:20:21. > :20:24.late teens, or perhaps never grow out of. A musician from Brighton is
:20:24. > :20:28.taking it very seriously. We are talking about Guy "The
:20:28. > :20:31.Bandit" Thompson, he was crowned Air guitar champion of the UK at
:20:31. > :20:35.the weekend and is bound for the International Finals in Finland
:20:35. > :20:43.tomorrow. John Young caught up with him as he prepared for his big
:20:43. > :20:49.moment. Take it away.
:20:49. > :20:54.ROCK MUSIC. If you are into air guitar, you
:20:54. > :21:00.will be admiring the power chords, and that hammering. But if like me,
:21:00. > :21:03.you are wondering whether guitarist, there isn't one. Air guitar is all
:21:03. > :21:13.about pretending you have one -- where the guitarist. It is not as
:21:13. > :21:18.easy as it looks. You have got to make sure you have got... It is no
:21:18. > :21:22.good doing all of this. You have to pretend you are playing the guitar.
:21:22. > :21:28.You may have missed it, but the air guitar championships have been
:21:28. > :21:31.around since the late 1990s. The International file and then Finn
:21:31. > :21:36.and well involve Keppoch -- the international final in Finland will
:21:36. > :21:40.involve competitors from around 20 countries. Moving your arm around,
:21:40. > :21:47.looking like you have got a bendy guitar, not hitting the notes,
:21:47. > :21:52.hands in the same position. That will cost them.? I think so.
:21:52. > :22:01.convinced? Neither was this Radio 1 disc jockey, tracked down by an air
:22:01. > :22:05.guitar expert. I just shout at the TV, no! But each to their own.
:22:05. > :22:10.is not going to hold our man back. But there is one obstacle to
:22:10. > :22:16.overcome. I have pulled a muscle in my back so it has been painful, but
:22:16. > :22:20.I'm sure one sad that there, it will be OK. -- once I am out there.
:22:20. > :22:26.And we will all be cheering you on. The prize for the winner? A real
:22:27. > :22:32.guitar, but I'm not sure Guy "The Bandit" Thompson needs it.
:22:32. > :22:39.He is so good. And you are so good. You have done that before. Shall we
:22:39. > :22:43.all do that at the end? She said, no, you do it.
:22:43. > :22:49.What did you do it too? That was status quo.
:22:49. > :22:53.You just do three courts for that. We love Status Quo. On to the
:22:53. > :22:57.weather now. The weather cheered up later on today.
:22:57. > :23:00.It did, and it will be fairly similar tomorrow, although the rain
:23:00. > :23:10.could be heavy at times in the morning. We do have some lovely
:23:10. > :23:14.
:23:14. > :23:16.The rain didn't stop this Squirrel from feeding on the nuts in Chris
:23:16. > :23:19.Castle's garden in Fleet. And two's company. Diana Wilson
:23:19. > :23:21.from Bognor Regis in West Sussex captured two donkeys posing for the
:23:21. > :23:24.camera. So it was an improving picture. A
:23:24. > :23:26.quick look ahead to the weekend and there will be some showers, more so
:23:26. > :23:29.on Saturday, but some decent on Saturday, but some decent
:23:29. > :23:34.sunshine on offer. Tonight, increasing cloud cover and that
:23:34. > :23:37.will bring rain through the early hours of this morning. Initially as
:23:37. > :23:40.showers and then there heavy band of rain. It is all from this heavy
:23:40. > :23:44.band of rain moving up through the Bay of Biscay and through the
:23:44. > :23:47.English Channel. Maybe the odd rumble of thunder and then the main
:23:47. > :23:52.band of rain will arrive through the early hours of the morning, may
:23:52. > :23:55.be affecting eastern areas. You can see the darker blues and greens.
:23:55. > :24:01.Some heavy periods by dawn but temperatures will stay mild,
:24:01. > :24:07.despite the cloud cover. Those are the baddies in our time it's --
:24:07. > :24:11.towns and cities, 12-14. But an improving picture, the main band of
:24:11. > :24:14.rain will go north, one or two showers dodging around and
:24:14. > :24:17.temperatures up to around 18 Celsius. The wind will start to
:24:17. > :24:24.pick up speed tomorrow night, disbursing showers and clearing
:24:24. > :24:27.skies. Temperatures not as warm as tonight. One or two showers to
:24:27. > :24:31.start the day on Saturday morning, which could stay with us up until
:24:31. > :24:36.lunchtime, but it is an improving picture facts to this area of high
:24:36. > :24:41.pressure. The shares will come -- the showers will come up from this
:24:41. > :24:48.weather front and move the East. One or two showers dotted around on
:24:48. > :24:53.Sunday, but mostly dry for us. Into the new working week, back Holiday
:24:53. > :24:56.Monday is looking good, one or two showers once again -- bank. Expect
:24:56. > :25:03.heavy rain for tomorrow morning, our very soggy start the day,
:25:03. > :25:06.sunshine on Saturday, but we have an improving picture. Sunday is the
:25:06. > :25:11.best day to get out and about over the weekend at Monday is also
:25:11. > :25:14.looking fairly good. If you want a full five-day forecast, you can go
:25:14. > :25:17.on to the website or pressed the on to the website or pressed the
:25:17. > :25:23.red button. Thank you. Come and join us,
:25:23. > :25:27.because you take part in our last story.
:25:27. > :25:29.This next story will probably make you "oooh" and "aaahh". Three snow
:25:29. > :25:32.leopard cubs took their first steps outside today.
:25:32. > :25:35.They, along with other big cat species, are threatened in the wild.
:25:35. > :25:41.Maintaining a healthy captive population is very important to the
:25:41. > :25:45.global conservation of the species. I went along to see them.
:25:45. > :25:48.There three bundles of joy were unveiled to the public for the
:25:48. > :25:53.first time this morning. This is the latest letter of the breeding
:25:53. > :25:57.programme which has been ongoing for 40 years -- litter. They are 12
:25:57. > :26:00.weeks old today and this is their first day out in the enclosure.
:26:00. > :26:05.They are looking very well, they are all very healthy and a good
:26:05. > :26:10.size. This is the first time they have been allowed to venture out
:26:10. > :26:15.into the open. Two girls and one boy. He is the boys Trust one, he
:26:15. > :26:19.has taken a few footsteps into the open -- boisterous. And he is the
:26:19. > :26:24.one the public can name. Despite being born in captivity, they are
:26:24. > :26:27.vital to the world population of snow leopards. There are around
:26:27. > :26:31.6,000 in the wild but it is hard to ascertain because of their
:26:31. > :26:34.secretive lifestyle. So it is really hard for the global
:26:34. > :26:38.conservation strategy for the species that we maintain these
:26:38. > :26:42.populations. So here, we contribute to European breeding programmes for
:26:42. > :26:46.the snow leopards and that is really what is so exciting about
:26:46. > :26:50.the three cubs at the moment. father, aware that something was
:26:50. > :26:54.going on, was marking his territory Idonia by enclosure. The weather
:26:54. > :26:58.was not perfect for the first few steps into the big wide world, but
:26:58. > :27:02.it did not stop them exploring their new home. In the wild, they
:27:02. > :27:06.can extreme -- survive extreme temperatures in the mountain
:27:06. > :27:10.regions of Asia. Here, they are finding their feet in a slightly
:27:10. > :27:13.warmer climate. Fabulous shot. Really great
:27:13. > :27:19.pictures. And they are going to name the boy.
:27:19. > :27:24.If you go on to the website, the Marwell Zoo website, you can float.
:27:24. > :27:28.They have quite long tails, I didn't realise -- vote.
:27:28. > :27:32.Did you know something about their tails? In the mountains of Asia,