09/09/2011 BBC Channel Islands News

Good evening. Coming up: Fog-bound and stranded - airports struggle to

house hundreds of passengers. And why this building has caused a

row at the heart of government and the resignation of a top civil

servant. And Proms on the cheap - how you

can see a world-class orchestra for Hundreds of passengers have been

left stranded at Charline at -- Channel Island airports because of

extensive fog and bad weather. Bosses in Guernsey and Jersey

issued an urgent appeal to help house those passengers whose

flights had been cancelled. This morning the fox showed no sign of

disappearing. -- the fog. Friday lunchtime at

Guernsey airport. As passengers tried to look -- to rebook, many

were left wondering us airplanes stayed on the tarmac. With no

flights in a road, hundreds were Stan -- stranded with nowhere to

stay. My hips are bad. People are just coming past. It has been a

very busy week for the island. Where we would normally have some

capacity, we were struggling to get that.

The fog beat Jersey, too. Flights here were grounded and passengers

were stuck. We were booked on the ten o'clock flight to Gatwick to

joined a package holiday that was leaving at 4pm. It looks like we

are going to lose our package holiday. We will get our money back

from the insurance. Bosses at Jersey airport had to appeal for

help with many who had come for the washed out here shows. We are

grateful to the people who helped us out with accommodation last

night. Tonight there is still a potential problem, so we really

would like people to help us again by offering accommodation.

One flight did manage to get in when we were at Guernsey Airport

this lunchtime, but for others it was still waiting game. People are

still arriving here to check-in for their flights. We're being told

that the fox should lift, but airports a sip -- insisting that,

if it does not, contingency plans are in place to ensure that

passengers are not left stranded. The former head of Jersey Property

Holdings has criticised jersey's Treasury minister over the failed

bid for a new police station site. David Flowers said the minister

took a foolish gamble and lost. Mr Flowers resigned this week and gave

evidence today to a scrutiny investigation into the States'

failure to buy Lime Grove House. Our correspondent was at the

hearing. What is Lime Grove House and where is it? It is a big office

building on the Green Street roundabout. It was built ten years

ago. Jersey's, affairs department wanted to buy it corroborate

million pounds to use as a new police station. They thought they

had secured a deal but they found out that a finance company had be

done to it. There is now a scrutiny investigation to find out why.

There has been a review of the purchase of Lime Grove House and

exactly what went wrong. It was announced in the States that it was

going ahead and then suddenly it wasn't, so we felt that we should,

perhaps, be looking at it. Senator Ferguson and her team today heard

from David Flowers. He said they made an offer for the building at

�8.75 million. Then he said that Philip Ozuof Cup that offered by a

�500,000, before the deal fell apart. He told the panel that

Philip Ozuof was badly advised and that he had made a foolish gamble

and loss. He said that the loss of the purchase was bad news for the

island. Philip Ozuof told me later on this afternoon that he stands by

his decision. I have save taxpayers millions of pounds. We can do

better than the original business case that was presented to me on

Lime Grove House. I am going to work to find an alternative site

that will be more efficient. There were inefficiencies in the site

itself. There clearly are cracks between States departments, Jersey

Property Holdings and the Treasury. Members and the public alike will

wait the outcome of the investigation.

Jersey rugby player Michael Le Bourgeois has been banned from

driving and fined. The 21-year-old appeared in the magistrates' court

today where he was charged with driving over the alcohol limit,

having no licence, no insurance and taking a car without the order's

consent. He was banned for 23 months and fined �1,600. He says he

regrets his actions. Obviously, I am sorry to have let down so many

people. It has affected a lot of the youngsters to do look up to me

as a role model. I would like to apologise to them and try to make

it right, try to help them out with coaching and start helping people

out as much as I can. I hope I can eventually be a role model again.

He will be a be back -- he will be back in jersey's squad for their

trip to Blackheath tomorrow. There will be extensive coverage of the

match in Saturday sport seen on BBC Radio Jersey.

The Jersey International Air Display has secured a main sponsor

for next year, despite this year's event being cancelled. Robert

Haines Cooper, who lives in the Seychelles, says he will support

the display for the 15th time. It costs �270,000 to put on and will

need more sponsors. Yesterday's display fell victim to the weather,

the first time it had been cancelled in 35 years.

Jersey post as apologised for refusing to deliver recordings of

the Bible paid for by church groups. An employee classified the

recordings as offensive material and would not deliver them. The

Switch On campaign is meant to celebrate the 400th anniversary of

the King James Bible. The recordings will now be delivered by

volunteers. The Chief Executive of Jersey Post told us it was a big

mistake. It was wrong and we apologise profusely for it. My

colleague made a mistake in refusing delivery of it. I do not

think it really matters what that judgment was. It was completely

wrong. We are really sorry and we have offered to distribute that CD

free of charge. It is the least we can do.

Now it is Free Friday time, when we show you what you can do that is

free or costs very little. This week, the music of the Albert Hall

comes to Guernsey's alba peeler -- Albert peer. You can watch the last

night of the Proms from your seat by the sea.

It is starting to brighten up here. Hopefully the rain will stay away

for tomorrow night when a little bit of London comes to Guernsey.

The organiser is with me. What is happening tomorrow evening? We are

all set to go, I do. The action starts at 7:15pm on Albert Pier. At

9pm we will go live to the Royal Albert Hall for the second half of

last night of the Proms. You have three lovely gentleman with you as

well. Can you explain why they are here? These men will be down here

tomorrow, shaking their buckets to help raise money for an appeal.

After the disaster of yesterday, hopefully we're going to get more

money. Are you looking forward to tomorrow

evening? Yes. A sunny disposition is no match for a rainy day.

Everyone, please come on out. We have some good-looking guys. We are

trying to help the Royal Air Force Association, but also foster our

association with the States. Please support us. It all starts tomorrow

at 6pm. Make sure you come along, bring a picnic, bring a brolly just

in case, and make sure you definitely bring your flag.

We should see if you will be the Quite warm weather for the time

being. By lunchtime tomorrow the cold weather front starts to move

through. That will bring some rain through the middle of the day.

Fresher conditions follow-on behind. By lunchtime on Sunday, yet another

weather front heading towards us. Fairly quiet weather for the first

part of the night. Generally rather cloudy. Some mist and sea fog. It

will be exceptionally mild for a September night, with temperatures

at around 16 Celsius. It will be a warm start to the day tomorrow, but

rather misty and marquee. -- murky. The breeze will start to pick up