i want to take it to edinburgh airport. that is going to be food for the uk's only giant pandas, soon to be not the uk is any more, they have left edinburgh zoo, returning home to china. there they are, in those boxes they are, just a few moments ago. as there are being loaded onto the aircraft carrier they are, this is a boring 777 cargo plane, carrying them on the journey home. they have been here in the uk for 12 years now. our main attraction at edinburgh zoo. tens of thousands of people flocking to see them. and in the last few days they had their last chance to see them, and they have also been watching them via the panda cam which is keeping a close eye on them. they will be travelling in these bespoke metal crates. 0nce in these bespoke metal crates. once they are on board there will be some zookeepers there keeping a close eye on them as they travel for a 13 hour flight from edinburgh zoo, with lots of food for lunch, dinner, breakfast, whatever they are going to need. heading home after a 12 year stay at edinburgh

edinburgh airport has already embarked on a project to bring in solar power.like to harness wind power, too, but conventional wind turbines present a big problem. air traffic control look at itl and think it's an aeroplane. so what we've had to do is try and find a wind - turbine that doesn't turn. actually, the opportunity- there is it actually supplements and complements to what we're doing i with solar, because during the day, i the sun shines, but the wind blows all the time. - for the airport, wind could account for 25% of their energy needs. so this space is an 800m stretch all along the fence line. - airside, of course, - so very good for security. and that's effectively - where we would like to put the katrick wind turbines. you think about it, 70% of the time lthe wind is going in this direction, | and therefore that's perfect for those turbines. - you've placed an order for 300 of something that doesn't actually quite exist yet. you must be confident it will work. i'm very confidentj in the technology. it is a soft order at the moment. we would obvio

, morag kinniburgh, is at edinburgh airport and joins me now. the departure of the pandas here at this lunchtime. they are on board the china southern plane. tian tian and yang guang safely into their creates this morning, purpose—built metal crates come out with bamboo and carrots to persuade their men. they have gone through several customs and security checks, making sure all the formalities are correct, before loading onto their plane, and 12 or 13 hours on the flight from here to china. halfway through that flight the keeper from china. halfway through that flight the keeperfrom edinburgh zoo china. halfway through that flight the keeper from edinburgh zoo will hand over the keys to the panda cage to his chinese counterpart. that will officially mark the end of the royal geological society of scotland's responsibility for these two giant pandas. remember, they came here 12 years ago with much fanfare and enthusiasm, part of an international panda breeding programme. but, despite several mating attempts there were no carbs. critics said pand

our correspondent morag kinniburgh joins us from edinburgh airport now.ot left yet. tian tian and yang guang are safely and the cargo plane behind me. maybe they love this weather and thought they love this weather and thought they would stay here a little bit longer! but this morning, they were tented out of their enclosures into the crates with some bamboo and carrots. the crates were locked up and shipped from edinburgh zoo to the airport here. they have gone through various different customs and other security checks, and official formalities, and other security checks, and officialformalities, getting ready for their 12 hourflight officialformalities, getting ready for their 12 hour flight used to the sichuan province of china. there, they will have a few days in quarantine before they are put out to a china panda centre. as alexandra said, they were brought out to an international breeding programme. no carbs, and critics that they should not really be kept in zoos any more, but those zoo have said they feel the £14 million cost for the 12 years has

edinburgh airport has already embarked on a project to bring in solar power., too, but conventional wind turbines present a big problem. air traffic control look at itl and think it's an aeroplane. so what we've had to do is try and find a wind - turbine that doesn't turn. actually, the opportunity- there is it actually supplements and complements to what we're doing i with solar, because during the day, i the sun shines, but the wind blows all the time. - for the airport, wind could account for 25% of their energy needs. so this space is an 800m stretch all along the fence line. - airside, of course, - so very good for security. and that's effectively - where we would like to put the katrick wind turbines. you think about it, 70% of the time lthe wind is going in this direction, | and therefore that's perfect for those turbines. - you've placed an order for 300 of something that doesn't actually quite exist yet. you must be confident it will work. i'm very confidentj in the technology. it is a soft order at the moment. we would obviously like to make it a har

well, there it is on the move on the move at edinburgh airport, taking our.we're to see it fly? we i think we're going i we're going to going to i think we're going to see this plane and there's going to i think we're going to see tia; plane and there's going to i think we're going to see tia helpful and there's going to i think we're going to see tia helpful suggestionre's going to i think we're going to see tia helpful suggestion ,e's going to i think we're going to see tia helpful suggestion , i; been a helpful suggestion, i think, coming in from john, who has suggested that this might be a solution to our illegal migration woes. emily he says if we dress up all the illegal immigrants in panda suits, we could send them all to china and simply say that we'd had success with the panda breeding program. >> that's quite a good one. but. al right. | >> that's quite a good one. but. al right. i don't know if you mentioned this one. i don't think you did, he says. it's quite bamboozled that we've had to send pandas back to to send our pandas back to china. it's t

. >> anyway, let's head to edinburgh airport, should we?n in training some time for their training for some time for their journey. have you any idea what that means ? that means? >> yeah, absolutely . certainly >> yeah, absolutely. certainly when i was talking to the trainers , i referred to it as trainers, i referred to it as crate training , you know, like crate training, you know, like many people do with with their puppies to get them used to the safe confinement of their kind of crate . now, certainly the of crate. now, certainly the pandas at edinburgh zoo. well, for the last few weeks they've been sleeping in their crates in preparation for this long haul flight. this is going to be a direct flight from here to china . and they are going to be loaded in just behind me at edinburgh airport where they will hopefully be having a nice, restful journey. and certainly the trainers , it's an the trainers, it's an interesting bunch. that's going to be joining them on this. there's going to be some veterinary doctors who have we've overseen

the runway to edinburgh airport, unlike you have seen it before.ure is the biggest issue _ position. time pressure is the biggest issue i _ position. time pressure is the biggest issue i have _ position. time pressure is the biggest issue i have here, - position. time pressure is the biggest issue i have here, as| position. time pressure is the i biggest issue i have here, as we need to hand back the runway at half past five in the morning, otherwise we can't land a plane or take off, so from the minute we start, at midnight, i'm watching the half past five. it’s midnight, i'm watching the half past five. �* , ., , , midnight, i'm watching the half past five. �*, ,, five. it's happening because the runway service _ five. it's happening because the runway service is _ five. it's happening because the runway service is nearing - five. it's happening because the runway service is nearing the i five. it's happening because the i runway service is nearing the end five. it's happening because the - runway service is nearing the end of its lifespan, 15 de

edinburgh and people stood there in the rain and supporting and with the doddie memorabilia. the next leg would push their bodies even further. travelling to dublin would mean sitting around at an airportf these muscles could talk, they would be screaming. but help is at hand. he's pushing himself to the extreme every single day. so your body's natural reaction is to tighten. so obviously the problem is if the muscles tighten, the range of motion reduces, which can affect how we run the next day. so it's very much just trying to keep everything in working order and try to keep the range of motion so we can use the muscles the very next day, really. at croke park, kev met charlie bird, an irish tvjournalist diagnosed with mnd in 2021 and who has raised more than £3 million in the hope that his diagnosis will one day be consigned to history. you are an absolute inspiration. i have cried every day watching you on the bbc. running marathon after marathon to create awareness and funds for mnd. all in the name of your best friend rob. the money you have raised is fantastic. he's a very lucky man to have such a friend like you. i saw the picture of you carrying rob over the finish line of one

edinburgh and glasgow. this plane at birmingham airport struggled to land. it wasn't only the weather which caused issues.station, from where trains run to the midlands, the north west of england and scotland, after a power supply problem. we were en route to scotland back for a wonderful christmas with family and it's chaos here. on top of this, a sudden strike by eurotunnel staff in france over bonus payments brought their vehicle shuttles and dozens of eurostar trains to a halt. the strike ended in the evening, but thousands of people were left looking for alternative plans, and there were long waits for ferries at the port of dover. eurostar says it will run extra trains today. today and in the coming days, millions of people will be travelling to see friends and family. motoring groups expect major roads to get very congested. we're predicting saturday will be the busiest day for travel over the christmas period. if you're planning on driving longer than you usually do, it's always good advice to check your vehicle over before you set off. so check your tyres, make sure they're legal and they're safe

leading airports, probably going to be the busiest week everfor probably going to be the busiest week ever for festive travel. london heathrow, bristol, birmingham, liverpool, glasgow and edinburghd earlier. if you take bottles of stuff to people, do not buy it until you are in duty—free. i used to frisk people at gatwick airport. it was awful when they wrapped up presents beautifully and i would have to break open the wrapping. so do not do the wrapping until you get to your destination. advice to people travelling by train and road? iili advice to people travelling by train and road? , ., advice to people travelling by train and road? i. ., _ and road? if you can get away by thursday. _ and road? if you can get away by thursday. you — and road? if you can get away by thursday, you will _ and road? if you can get away by thursday, you will be _ and road? if you can get away by thursday, you will be very - and road? if you can get away by i thursday, you will be very grateful. both on the railways and roads. friday, saturday and sunday will be tricky and sunday impossible from here and london paddington. check yourjourney and set off here and london paddington. check your journe

edinburgh and the people there were supporting in all of the doddie memorabilia. the next leg would push their bodies even further, travelling to dublin, would mean sitting around at the airport friendship. charlie is the most determined man you never meet. he is still bossy as hell, he can still bother me around. we are here in the car park but he is a determined man and so courageous and we absolutely love him and yeah i'm looking forward to him telling me everything when he comes home this evening. a guard of honour from the guardian met kevin, today running solo, was escorted through every traffic junction. no rest for the committed. i will do an extra mile. a couple more days. cheering and applause we move on to brighton tonight but we will never forget, will we? we will keep fighting mnd. thanks for making such beautiful friends here too. thanks, charlie. dublin done, it was back to britain and on to brighton. day six had a festive feel as they left brighton popping day six had a festive feel as they left brighton's home ground but the penultimate day is a dangerous beast as there is still so far to run, it's not over yet. far from it. this was no day out at the seaside

edinburgh and the people there were supporting in all of the doddie memorabilia. the next leg would push their bodies even further, travelling to dublin, been sitting around at the airportf to the extreme every single day so your body's natural reaction is to tighten so if the muscles tighten the range of motion can reduce so it affects how he runs the next day so it's about keeping everything in working order and keep the range of motion so that the next day his muscles can be ready. kev mcalea barrow creek par, and tv journalist diagnosed with mnd in 2021 and who has raised more than £3 million in the hope that his diagnosis will one day be consigned to history. diagnosis will one day be consigned to histo . ., �* . . , to history. you're an absolute inspiration- — to history. you're an absolute inspiration. i— to history. you're an absolute inspiration. i have _ to history. you're an absolute inspiration. i have cried - to history. you're an absolute inspiration. i have cried everyj to history. you're an absolute - inspiration. i have cried every day watching you on the bbc, running marathon aftermath on to create awareness and funds are mnd, all in the name of your