Hello,
I remember going on my first holiday without my parents: my excitement and their attempts not to appear too worried. It's the sort of scene that must have played out in the Brennan household when 18 year old Daniel left for his first holiday abroad with his friends. But what started as a boys' holiday has ended as a family vigil. Daniel is fighting for his life in a hospital in Kos - his parents at his bedside. He was given a quad bike way too powerful for him to manage - and it crashed with devastating consequences. Ronke Phillips spoke to young Daniel's family at Gatwick airport before they boarded their flight.
Another tragedy - this time in Essex makes it into our programme tonight. A mother who buried her daughter in Basildon last year has been told she must chop her plot in half, because its size breaks health and safety laws. A shock and an outrage you may think, but the cemetery says "rules is rules" and the elderly and disabled visitors to the graveyard should get the same rights as the rest.
Lewis Vaughan Jones will have a tough time representing both sides - but objectively he will do just that. And then we'll be asking you what you think!
And just when you thought councils couldn't get any worse - check this one out! A councillor from Kentish Town who's swanned off to Arizona (that's the American state next to Nevada, you know with line dancing and cacti (is that the plural of cactus)... Anyway, he's still claiming hundreds of pounds every month in expenses for his job back here! Glen says "Oh No You Don't!" at six.
But we say "Oh Yes You Do" to Theo Walcott. Arsenal's bright hope put himself well and truly on the England map last night in Zagreb. Of course, us seasoned Londoners with an eye on the Premiership have known for some time that young Theo was a talent just waiting to emerge... Now we've been proven right, we've sent dedicated Gooner Marcus Powell to wax lyrical on the delights of the new Number 7!
We'll play Spy Games on Waterloo Bridge, and Star Games at the Mobo's...
And then the moment Alastair and I have been waiting for. We're both so excited to meet Terry Pratchett - a man with an extraordinary brain for storytelling, now struggling to come to terms with the prospect of the cruel and destructive force of Alzheimer's. He's got TWO brilliant books coming out, and we're chatting to him in the studio.
I was going to say there was more... But I feel if that's not enough for you... I'd be wasting my time!
See you at six.
Salma and Alastair
