this is bbc news. the latest headlines... commonwealth leaders agree that prince charles will one day succeed the queen as head of the organisation. it follows a meeting of more than 50 leaders who have been considering the future direction of the commonwealth. after nearly 22 years in charge, arsene wenger will step down as arsenal manager at the end of the season. former rival sir alex ferguson says he was one of the greatest premier league managers. the clearer than salisbury continues as government scientists warn that the decontamination of nine hotspots could take months. the hot weather looks likely to last into the weekend, people running the london marathon on sunday are warned to ta ke marathon on sunday are warned to take extra precautions. ina in a moment, time for sportsday. first, a look at what else is coming up first, a look at what else is coming up this evening bbc news. following the news that the clean—up of up to

nine hotspots in salisbury could ta ke nine hotspots in salisbury could take months, we will be finding out from a toxicologist what is involved in the decontamination and why it will take so long. the new head of the national trust says the charity needs to be more radical. we will be looking at what she means and her plans for the future of our heritage sites. at 8.45, in the film review, mark kermodejoins sites. at 8.45, in the film review, mark kermode joins jane hill to talk about this week's cinema and dvd releases, including every day, let the sunshine in, and the guernsey literary society. welcome to sportsday. the main headlines... the end of an era — arsenal manager arsene wenger will step down from the role after nearly 22 years in charge. he's credited with changing the way football in england was played and inspiring a new generation of player. ever since i have known about

arsenal, arsene has been there. i'm sad, a little bit disappointed that we could not give him the season that he wanted. the question now is who is next? wenger‘s former captain patrick vieira is amongst the names being touted. also coming up in the programme... we'll look ahead to the weekend's footballing action, as well as the start of this year's world snooker championship in sheffield as mark selby steels himself to defend his title. he says he would love to meet ronnie o'sullivan in the final. mo farah will be amongst 40,000 runners in sunday's london marathon but can he take his track success to the road? hello and welcome to sportsday. good evening. 11 names —jens lehmann,

lauren, sol campell, kolo toure, ashley cole, freddie ljungberg, patrick vieira, gilberto silva, robert pires, dennis bergkamp, and thierry henry. better know as the invincibles. arsenal's invincibles, but most importantly his invincibles. frenchman arsene wenger astounded british football over more than two decades as arsenal manager, in which he won three premier league titles with seven fa cup triumphs. however today he announced he would leave the club at the end of the season. in a statement on their website wenger said... well after his arrival from coaching injapan back in 1996, there have been some great highs for wenger in north london. but there have also been lows of late with the club struggling in the premier league. joe lynskey reflects on arsene‘s tenure. for so long, history has been arsene

wenger‘s fallback. in a first decade in charge, his achievements set the bar. but his arsenal career has spanned a generation and sentiment is lost on a new wave of fans. this sport moves on fast, and good times get forgotten. the without equal, without doubt, the best team in the land is arsenal. when arsenal won the title in 2004, they did it without losing all season. the premier league's invincible is, with abe premier league's invincible is, with a be his last champions? since then, domestic disappointment has seen them fall behind. they have been left in the shadows of the premier league's new powers, chelsea and manchester city have brought new riches, new standards and a new wave of coaches have built on his foundations. a huge personality like

arsene, there are not too many. the premier league thanks him for what he has done since he arrived. he was and is an influence in football. he has a fantastic career, and outstanding personality. just a really big player in the business. arsenal in front once more, aaron ramsey scores for the gunners! when arsenal's descent down the table, success arsenal's descent down the table, success has come in fa cup triumphs. but even three trophies in four yea rs has but even three trophies in four years has not felt like enough. in january they went out to second—tier opposition. the start of a deer were arsenal have lost every away league match. it is the worst record in all four divisions. this is a's hopes now rest on continental competition. winning the europa league is his last chance to end on a high. winning the europa league is his last chance to end on a highli winning the europa league is his last chance to end on a high. i am responsible for all of the results. when the results are not as good as

everybody wanted, people ask that question. but i cannot master that, ican question. but i cannot master that, i can only master my commitment, the quality of my work. ever ever since i have known about arsenal, he has been there. i am sad, a little bit disappointed that we could not give him the season that we wanted. but we still have the chance to win something and he can leave on a high. the man who once made arsenal at unbeatable and whose innovation took the premier league to new heights. arsene wenger departs under a cloud, but his ideas shaped his team and his sport. clearly, one of the premier league rates for his achievement‘s. let's join our sports correspondent david 0rnstein who is outside the emirates stadium. i guess most people expected this was going to come soon enough. but why now? well, it will come as a bit

ofa why now? well, it will come as a bit of a shock to some people, especially with the timing. as you say, this day had to arrive at some point. for more than 20 years now, two decades, arsenal and arsene wenger have been inextricably linked. joe mentioned the innovations he revolutionised english football with new training methods, dietary changes, and arsenal football club has never seen the like of him before. he will have such an incredible legacy here when the dust settles on what has been a fairly turbulent more recent era for his reign. this stadium is another tribute to him, he spearheaded the building and move to the emirates stadium. a gold bust was made of him to commemorate him here. there is a good chance we could be seeing something like a statue in the near future, that is what arsene wenger means to this club, and to british football. let's hear now from the

arsenal tv executive, who paid tribute to arsene wenger a short time ago. he changed the game, he set a totally new standard. a new ambition. and ambition notjust to win, but to win while achieving perfection, to make art out of football. he was always brave enough to be true to that extraordinary ambition. incredibly, he achieved it with arsenal's invincible season. well, david, you have been down in north london throughout the day was what have the fans had to say about this? on the whole, there is a feeling that this is the right decision. although there is some nostalgia and some sadness, i think people can now reflect on his era and his reign at arsenal in a fond way, despite what has come more

recently. in that context, you have noticed recently there have been many empty seats, and fans have been voting with their feet. in the final matches of arsene wenger‘s rain, we will see a lot of respect and a short time ago i caught robbie lyle from arsenal fan tv. he is not going by being handed out by the fans, even though i think fans have been voting with their feet over the past few games. —— hounded. ithink voting with their feet over the past few games. —— hounded. i think he voting with their feet over the past few games. —— hounded. ithink he is going to get a good sendoff. i think the fan base are looking at this and saying it is the right decision, a change was needed, and it has been donein change was needed, and it has been done ina change was needed, and it has been done in a way where he has not... well, it doesn't appear he has been sacked and removed unceremoniously. i think everybody at the moment, people i've spoken to, are happy about the decision. welcome he does not think he has been sacked, but

what has been made of the timing? you could have gone at the end of the season with the fa cup triumph and he still had one year left on his deal? that is right, what is the difference between now and a year ago? it's my understanding that although he have gone then, he felt that arsenal didn't have the structure in place behind—the—scenes to appoint a successor. he didn't feel they were ready, and he didn't feel, more importantly from his perspective, that he ready. he decided to stay on. fast forward a year, and arsenal do have that structure in place, they have appointed a new head of football relations from barcelona, vastly experienced, the number of appointments under his belt, and somebody from borussia dortmund as the hangover equipment, a head of contracts and negotiations. that structure is in place now. i think with what was happening on the pitch for arsenal, in the stands with the empty seats, and also at a political

level, the hierarchy, their relationship with arsene wenger was not at its finest a year ago. it still isn't now. the board will split over whether he should have stayed as manager, they were split over whether he should continue now full stop he and they have decided that this is the right time to part, despite there being a little time left in the season. i think that gives them a crucial period where they can plan for life after wenger, who will be the new manager? they can take their time over the appointment and do it properly, without being seen to go behind the back of arsene wenger. 0ne without being seen to go behind the back of arsene wenger. one of his strongest supporters, a former staff member of his, was bob wilson, the former goalkeeping coach. member of his, was bob wilson, the former goalkeeping coachm member of his, was bob wilson, the former goalkeeping coach. if you we re former goalkeeping coach. if you were lucky enough to have 30 or 40 minutes in arsene wenger's company, you would be shaking head, saying, is this really a football manager? you learn so much from him. he has an incredible intellect. he is truly an incredible intellect. he is truly an amazing individual who has somehow managed to remain very

humble and has a great humanity about him. after months of speculation and a really divisive atmosphere here at arsenal, this stadium is likely to be full on sunday as west ham visit in what is arsene wenger's penultimate league game in charge of arsenal. then comes the big one, the europa league semifinals against atletico madrid. arsene wenger's chance to end on a high, as we heard earlier, pick up a piece of silverware and return arsenal to the champions league. that would be quite some legacy, to capa 22 that would be quite some legacy, to cap a 22 year reign that will live long in the memory. indeed, david 0rnstein, thank you very much. lots of reaction coming in from players past and present. two synonymous with different sides, robert pires and iain wright, they both gave their memories of working with the outgoing arsenal boss. both gave their memories of working with the outgoing arsenal bossm made me think about football in such

a meticulous way that every single thing i was doing that wasn't right is harming me. and everything i was doing that was the right thing to do, in respect of sleep, drinking water, training, resting, that was benefiting me. i genuinely believed that, he made me think that. i thought like that until the end of my career. bergkamp has gone to the right, cent fredrik ljungberg, perez! it's difficult to win the premier league because you have to fight against manchester city, manchester united, chelsea, liverpool, tottenham. when he he won the title and beaten, —— unbeaten, it is an unbelievable trophy. so thatis it is an unbelievable trophy. so that is why, i have a lot of great memories with arsenal, and of course

with the teacher, arsene wenger.“ big change on the way for arsenal, and things will soon be working differently to what they once were. we asked our manjohn bennett to examine the options as well as some more of the kind tributes given about wenger. reading through social media today, you really get a sense of how much ofan you really get a sense of how much of an influence arsene wenger was on a huge amount of players during his 22 years at arsenal. let's look at some of the messages, starting with the current chelsea player, former arsenal player, joined arsenal in 2003, cesc fabregas. he had a great career 2003, cesc fabregas. he had a great career at the emirates stadium before leaving for barcelona. he says, i will never forget his guidance and his support. he had faith in me from day one. i know him a lot, he was like a father figure to me. the fatherfigure a lot, he was like a father figure to me. the father figure theme comes up to me. the father figure theme comes up quitea to me. the father figure theme comes up quite a lot in the messages. look at this from robin van persie. he says, i will always see you as my footballing father. from two players that arsene wenger signed, to a

player that was there in 1996 when he joined. player that was there in 1996 when hejoined. david player that was there in 1996 when he joined. david seaman player that was there in 1996 when hejoined. david seaman says, it is a sad day for arsenal. this is interesting, can we now give him the sendoff and respect he deserves? 0bviously sendoff and respect he deserves? obviously not happy about the way arsene wenger has been treated in the last few years. david seaman, he won two premier league titles and arsene wenger. lauren was part of the invincible side. he says he took english football to a different level and push me to become the player i never thought i'd be. not only a former arsenal players talking about him. former rivals as well. remember the great rivalry between arsenal and manchester united? gary neville has tweeted, a really nice tribute, arsene wenger built the best teams i played against in english football. the biggest government is that he played football that made us change the way we played against them. some titanic matches between arsenal and manchester united in the late 90s and early 2000's. where do arsenal

go from here? this is what bookmakers are saying. here are some other names in the frame. yogi love, in charge of germany. mikel arteta, in the coaching staff at myjustice day. carlo ancelotti is out of work after being sacked by bayern munich. what about thomas tuchel? he is the favourite to take over. we'll arsenal try to gazump paris st germain by getting thomas tuchel? he knows the head of recruitment at arsenal, because they were both together at borussia dortmund. there are rumours that they don't get on too well. i'm not quite sure if thomas tuchel will be the next man at the emirates stadium. here are four other contenders, you have brendan rodgers and maxell agree. dennis bergkamp, arsenal legend, lost hisjob at

dennis bergkamp, arsenal legend, lost his job at ajax. and patrick vieira, and arsenal legend. we'll arsenal take the gamble by appointing the former captain of their football club? the fans love him, currently in charge of new york city fc in the mls. they are top of the eastern conference and he's doing a really good job. would it be a gamble to take him to the premier league, when he will be under all sorts of pressure at the emirates stadium? the fans would like to see him back. those are the contenders to ta ke him back. those are the contenders to take over at arsenal. the club say they want to make an appointment as soon say they want to make an appointment as soon as say they want to make an appointment as soon as possible. well arsenal won't be successfully defending their fa cup title this season as they didn't make it anywhere near this weekend's semi—finals. butjose mourinho and mauricio pochettino must be sniffing an opportunity for silverware. their respective manchester united and spurs sides meet at wembley tomorrow. sunday sees chelsea aim for a second straight cup final when they face southampton.

this weekend's semis are at wembley of course, where spurs have spent the season playing all of their home games. i played one cup final, in rome's stadium, against roma. and i won. and i played a cup final in my stadium, and! and i played a cup final in my stadium, and i lost. so i think when you go to these big moments, with these big decisions, semi—final, final, i don't think it is an advantage. i don't think it is an advantage. i don't think it is an advantage at all. manchester united have the experience to play, and i don't think it is an advantage for

us. don't think it is an advantage for us. i don't think it is a disadvantage for them. i think this will be a game that is typical of the fa cup, cup game, at wembley. half tottenham, half manchester united. i don't believe we will have an advantage. away from football, the world snooker championship is back tomorrow. ronnie 0'sullivan will take the early headlines as he looks to become the first player to win six ranking titles in one season. but it won't be made easy for him, as jamie broughton discovered. this report has flash photography from the start. there will‘s top players are here, and ready for the drama to begin on snooker‘s greater stage. the defending champion, mark selby, is trying to win a fourth world title and would love to play ronnie 0'sullivan in the final. world title and would love to play ronnie o'sullivan in the final. to play ronnie in any final is always a massive match. to play him at the chris wall, the pinnacle of the sport, is stuff you dream of. —— the

crucible. playing on the bigger stage in the world, on the biggest occasion. if that is the case, i will relish it. no surprise ronnie o'sullivan is the bookies' favourite to win, he has won a record equalling five ranking events this season, but insists it doesn't give him any extra belief coming into the crucible. i don't really rely on confidence, i believe in your belief and ability in again, if it is good enoughin and ability in again, if it is good enough in the day, so be it, if not, go home, watch it on tv and watch the other guys sweating it out. the tournament lasts 17 long and gruelling days, but the winner will not be complaining if they get their hands on this special trophy. now, those of you taking part in this weekend's london marathon please do heed warnings regarding the heat it could well be the hottest on record. and it won't just affect the amateurs, even elite runners such as sir mo farah will have to quell their expectations slightly. although asjo wilson reports, sir mo, will be ready for the sun. the big names of marathon running

have been gathering here, and what are they expecting? paula ratcliffe said she's expecting a serious attack yet on her record, from tirunesh dibaba. she also has a fascinating perspective on mo farah, who has attracted a lot of interest. he has been training for london in ethiopian. remember, he has not been coached any more by the court official alberto salazar, but by paula radcliffe's husband, who used to coach here as well. this is her perspective on his chances in london on sunday. he knows that, realistically, people don't need to expect him to be right up there, leading the london marathon. it is a big ask for somebody that is world class at 1500 metres, best in the world that 5000 and 10,000 metres,

to dominate at the marathon. that is not going to happen. but he can be competitive. it depends how the race pans out. i don't think he is coming in expecting to get a world record. but if he can grow in the race, stay with it, the closer it gets to the end, and he still in contact, the more confidence it gives him and the bigger boost it gives him. he is going in wanting to run a personal best, like many of us do in the marathon. maybe with his sights set on steve jones marathon. maybe with his sights set on stevejones as a british record. what else should be lookout for? weir renewing his rivalry on the london streets. and women's wheelchair, jadejones, so successful in the connacht games, will carry british hopes. the heat? the advice from the organisers has been the same all week, hydrate, think twice about fancy dress and maybe slowdown. that applies to thousands in sunday's event, but not to mo farah. so that's it from sportsday but i think we must reflect on our top story, the end of an era for arsene wenger after more than

two decades in charge at arsenal. the premier league say he "transformed the english game just when it was needed most" and we may well look back at think ofjust how lucky we've been to have him. goodnight. arsenal, beginning a new life under arsene wenger. the main ambition is to bring success to the team and satisfy the people that love arsenal. what a way to clinch the championship! 2-0! well that 2—0! well that get the double? fantastic career, outstanding personality. you always develop teams, and play wonderfulfootball. iadmired his teams, and play wonderfulfootball. i admired his work always. when he walked through the door, we were saying, arsene who? but he changed the way that we played, the way we

ate, stretching routines, everything changed. nothing but praise for the quy~ changed. nothing but praise for the guy. crew nobody in the history of the game has ever gone and 49 games unbeaten in this country, for all of the achievements of sir alex, you never managed to go through a season unbeaten. he has changed the face of foot ball unbeaten. he has changed the face of football in this country, in a 21 years he has been there. quality against quality, ambition against ambition. what he gave to arsenal, the transition of the club, if he is happy with the decision, i am happy. i hope he does not retire from football. it is up to me to prove i have qualities. if i do well here, people will recognise me. have qualities. if i do well here, people will recognise melj have qualities. if i do well here, people will recognise me. i love the club, i love the potential of the clu b club, i love the potential of the club and! club, i love the potential of the club and i love the spirit of the team. good evening. temperatures have not

been quite as high as yesterday but we have still had plenty of warm sunshine, a very decent day for many. not for all. i'm sunshine, a very decent day for many. not forall. i'm sure sunshine, a very decent day for many. not for all. i'm sure there is a pleasant sea breeze around on the isle of wight, but the sea breeze brought on the mist. generally speaking, the heat that we have had in recent days is starting to recede. a cooler, fresher, westerly atla ntic recede. a cooler, fresher, westerly atlantic breeze will take over by the end of the weekend. this mist and low cloud remains around the irish sea coasts. we could see some developing inland as well through the night, and there could be more around tomorrow morning, for example. hopefully, it will start to clear from the west. a chilly night, three and four mokoena glens and scotla nd three and four mokoena glens and scotland of northern england. tomorrow, this gradual den downward trend will continue. but with the added complication of a risk of a thundery breakdown. so, a lot of fine and dry weather for northern ireland, scotland, northern england. as the day progresses, the chance of some showers started to develop.

initially quite light, after the mist and fog clears, but as the heat builds it could turn quite intense. it will be another very warm day for some parts of the country. 16 or 17, well above average for the time of year, into the 20s, nearly 10 degrees above average still. 0bviously, that would culminate in some nasty, slow—moving thunderstorms as the day wears on. any evening activities could be at risk from disruption because of a deluge. the thundery showers are likely to make their way northwards and eastwards with time. that is a risk through tomorrow evening and overnight in particular. the warm air eventually get swept away by the cold front moving in on sunday. it does look more unsettled from the north and west as the low pressure approaches. eventually, this cooler, fresher weather sweeps eastwards. for much of the day week to keep the same type of air across southern and eastern areas. quite muggy, a lot of dry weather with a little bit of rain mid—afternoon. for scotland and

northern ireland, more unsettled pictures, longer spells of rain as the low—pressure approaches. temperatures will be considerably lower, 5 degrees here in northern england. much of england and wales, as the rain passes through, fine and dry conditions. the talk is that it could be one of the warmest london marathons, so stay tuned to the forecasts. this is bbc news. the headlines at 7.00m: commonwealth leaders agree that prince charles will, one day, succeed the queen as head of the organisation. his royal highness has been a proud supporter of the commonwealth for more than four decades and has spoken passionately about the organisation's unique diversity and it is fitting that one day he will continue the work of his mother, her majesty the queen. after nearly 22 years in charge, arsene wenger will step down as arsenal manager at the end of the season. as the clear—up in salisbury continues, government scientists warn the decontamination of nine hot

spots could take months. also in the news today: the national trust gets radical. the new head of the charity says it needs to come up with innovative