28/10/2013 BBC London News

power cuts to thousands of homes. Now we can join the news

On BBC London News. The storm leaves its mark on the capital. Tonight

commuters struggle to get home with rail services still suspended. 0

rail services still suspended. 50 trees had fallen overnight across

the network. So, the very beginning of the day we were not able to run a

single train on any our lines. I will have the latest on the travel

situation for this evening and tomorrow morning. Also tonight.

Protests as the Government goes to court to try to push through plans

to downgrade Lewisham Hospital. Sent back to Romania. So why do the

beggars insist on returning to Marble Arch? We'll have an exclusive

report. From Rock and Roll to the Blues

Ronnie Wood changes direction as he takes to the stage at the Royal

Albert Hall. Good evening and welcome to the

programme. We were warned of the impact the storm would have on the

morning commute, but tonight, it's still a struggle to get home with

much of the capital's transport network crippled with delays and

suspensions. Rail and tube users are facing cancelled services despite

tireless efforts to clear debris and fallen trees from the tracks. And

for those who had to stay at home, even more problems, as thousands of

properties have been left without power. Our reporter Katharine

Carpenter has been following the story. She is at Victoria station

for us now. Victoria is as busy as usual this evening. Commuters

seemingly undeterred by today's and events. Many will be hoping for a

much easier journey home than they experience this morning but while

the storms may have caused frustration for some, they also had

tragic consequences in parts of the capital. In Watford, one man was

killed when a tree fell on his car and I have spent the day in Hounslow

where last night's storms wreaked havoc on a residential street. Three

homes destroyed at the roof of one torn off and dumped in a tree across

the road. Emergency crews arrived just before 7:45am after neighbours

were woken by the blast. A huge explosion and everybody woke up and

I could hear noises outside. I looked out of the window, and the

house was gone. The roof was gone. Smoke coming out. It was very, very

scary. We had a small child who started crying and was very panicky.

We looked out and saw debris flying everywhere. It's thought a tree

brought down by last night's storms ruptured gas main cause explosion.

The smell of gas lingered as rescue queues sifted through the rubble for

two people missing. At noon, the body of a man in his 40s was

discovered. A short time later, a woman was also found dead.

Unfortunately, we did locate two deceased persons on the first floor

of the building and our thoughts are with their loved ones, friends and

family. Three other residents were taken to hospital with cuts and

burns. One is being treated tonight. 25 others were evacuated

from their homes. In Hertfordshire, the storm claimed another life when

a tree fell on a car in Watford this morning. 51`year`old Donald Rowe and

died at the wheel. This evening, his family described him as the best

husband and father anybody could wish for. Passers`by who rushed to

help say they have been left horrified by what they saw. The fire

crew had hydraulic equipment to get the doors open. But the biggest

problem was the biggest part of the tree was on top of the car and

completely flattened the car. Investigators have removed the tree.

Back in Hounslow, the emergency services are still trying to

establish exactly what happened to cause such devastation. This

evening, the leader of Hounslow Council has said he sent his

condolences to the families of those who died. They are trying to find

temporary accommodation for those evacuated from their homes and still

haven't been allowed back in. It has a similar picture across the

capital, with councils involved in quite a heavy clean`up in some

parts. Alex has been following the day's events. London awoke to what

the storm left behind. And for most of us, it was the commute to work

that revealed what had happened. of us, it was the commute to work

that revealed what had happened Upturned rubbish bins, the least of

our problems. Gusting wind met wobbly cranes, and one came crashing

down in Whitehall. Another in Oxford Street threaten to. Offices were

investigated and safety measures were taken. If that goes, it could

reach down to here so we have closed off for now. The problem is falling

trees across London. The council here have had 40 reports of

incidents like this. It's causing a problem for pedestrians and cyclists

about, elsewhere, it's brought parts of the transport network to a

standstill. At King's Cross, the rush hour came and passed without a

train leaving the station. Many travellers were stranded. We came

for a long weekend to see my grandson. Every time it blows,

England cancelled everything. It was the same story across the network as

the train company battled to re`establish services. Given the

situation this morning, with 50 trees on the track across a network,

when we were not able to run a single train on any lines, we would

do the same. It was right that we put on a contingency timetable and

it was right that we told people yesterday to prepare for disruption

because that's what we face this morning. The Underground struggle as

Tube lines were suspended and stations closed. The only thing

moving here, commuters filing out as Tube lines were suspended and

stations closed. The only thing moving here, commuters filing out

other platforms were evacuated. When you want to get to work and have to

do over time because you're late it's pretty galling. I'm not happy.

Nor were worshippers at this temple. Using a cameras, a clear picture has

emerged of falling trees. In Hertfordshire, 10,000 homes lost

power. On Hamsterley, 100 trees came down and across the city, all the

royal parks were closed. For the Mayor, a sense of relief it wasn't

worth. This was one of the severest storms since 1987. In the end,

perhaps, not as bad as some people had feared. And I think on the

whole, the capital has very well indeed. Saint Jude's storm has

passed and the councils are left to do what they can to return the city

to working order. The transport system has buckled under the strain

of 70 mph wind. It is still a mixed picture across the transport network

this evening. A short time ago, I went into Victoria Station and the

information boards were showing cancellations and delays. The advice

is to track what's happening on the websites. Let's look at the Stansted

express, which remained suspended for the rest of the evening. Also

Greater Anglia mainline services to and from Liverpool Street. Greater

Anglia sayyid tickets not use today will be valid tomorrow. SC2c will

not operate until Wednesday. It is better news for South Eastern and

Southern with a resume service on the majority of lines. In London,

though, trains are not stopping at Battersea Park. There's a

replacement bus service between Watford Junction and Saint Alden 's

and there's no London Overground running between Camden Road and

Richmond or Clapham Junction. All other routes operating again but do

expect delays to your journey. The advice through the rest of the

evening and tomorrow morning is to tune into your local radio station

for the very latest on what is going on. Back to you, Chris. Thank you.

Lots more to come including. A rare glimpse into one of the oldest

buildings in the capital as the Charterhouse opens its doors to the

public. The Government has been in court to

try to push through plans to downgrade parts of Lewisham

Hospital. Back in the summer, a judge ruled that the Health

Secretary Jeremy Hunt acted outside his powers when he decided the A

and maternity units should be cut back. Our political correspondent

Karl Mercer was in court. CHANCING. They are familiar chants

at a familiar location. Campaigners for Lewisham Hospital back at the

High Court today. It was a year ago tomorrow that their campaign to save

their local A and maternity units started. Kicked off when this man

announced his plans for the local area. Matthew Kershaw had been sent

in by the Government to sort out problems at the neighbouring South

London health care Trust which runs Queen Elizabeth Hospital in

woolwich, the Princess Royal in Bromley and Queen Mary's in Sidcup.

He decided the only way he could rescue them was to downgrade some

services at Lewisham. After some tweaks, the Health Secretary agreed.

I respect and recognise the sense of unfairness that people feel because

their hospital has been caught up in the financial problems. That upset

turned to joy in July when Lewisham campaigners won a High Court appeal

against the Health Secretary's decision. But now the Government has

appealed. In many ways the argument is simple. Did the administrators

sent in to sort out the problems of South London health care trust, have

the right to make decisions which affected the future of another? In

court, the government argued it did. Their QC, Rory Phillips, said

when one part of a machine works properly, it has a knock`on

elsewhere. It's not an argument that won many friends with todays

protestors. It's a year tomorrow that they shocked the community in

Lewisham. It's a very well thought of hospital and there was outrage

then and outraged all the way through until we won a court order

on July 31. We feel aggrieved the government decided to appeal but we

are taking on the appeal now. Our case is just as strong as it ever

was. The Court of Appeal hearing continues tomorrow. Investigators

say vessels used for tours are resolved. That be rescued on the

Thames. The Marine accident investigation runs says was

fortunate there was no loss of life. This was the dramatic scene when 30

children and adults jumped into the Thames after their London vehicle

caught fire recently. The investigation into the accident

found this was because of foam. Today's report says the foam was

packed too tightly around the machinery. It caused friction

overheated and, in turn, caused the fire. They have nine amphibious

vehicles which usually tore the capital on roads and on the river.

They haven't taken to the water since the accident. The

investigations want that to continue for now. Any accident like this has

the potential to result in a serious injury. As far as the water is

concerned, we recommend didn't that they should cease until such time as

a satisfactory solution can be achieved which ensures the boats are

buoyant and also that they won't catch fire. You can imagine, as

winter comes on, the water goes cold, and we don't want to see

people in the River Thames. The company says it will now work with

the Maritime and coastguard agency to undertake the necessary seaboard

modifications required. It also says that in independent inspections

before and after the accident, the vehicles were found to be in

excellent condition. It says it will continue to work to prevent scenes

like this from happening again. In recent years Marble Arch has become

notorious. Not as a meeting place for tourists but as a meeting place

for Roma beggars and rough sleepers. Last July dozens accepted a free

trip home at taxpayers' expense BBC trip home at taxpayers' expense BBC

London has tracked down several of the rough sleepers who accepted

flights back to Romania, and all say they have no choice but to return.

Gareth Furby reports. The police are making arrests. And Westminster

Council is constantly moving people on. Listen, guys, you are going to

need your move your stuff from here. They may not like it or our cameras

but the authorities insist it's an issue which has to be sorted out

urgently. Here, council workers clean pavement which was used as a

toilet. And all this, despite a new tactic which the police and the

border agency tried out in July If border agency tried out in July. If

you want to think about going home today,

you want to think about going home offer of a free coach trip home.

you want to think about going home offer of a free coach trip home 40

offer of a free coach trip home. 40 people decided to take up this

offer. But has the tactic worked? We decided to go to Romania to find

out. This is the road to a Roma community about 100 miles from

Bucharest, and here we found people we had filmed sleeping in Marble

Arch. TRANSLATION: It is true, I went to England and begged. EZ he

had no choice to feed and clothe his family. We do not have a bathroom or

electricity. All I want is for you to help you with a place to work,

take me to England. All I have is ?40 per month in benefits for my

children. Many of the other children are his mother's, and we also filmed

Daniella in Marble Arch before she was flown out. TRANSLATION: It was

ten times being better in London, I used to work odd jobs for money at I

would sent home. We never went hungry. Have mercy, people of

England, take me with my children so they can live in a better world. In

they can live in a better world In every Roma community we visited,

they can live in a better world. In every Roma community we visited it

was a similar story. People who had left London now hoping to return.

Sonia, who we filmed in Marble Arch, was flown out. TRANSLATION:

With all my heart, I would like to go in two weeks, but I don't want to

be sent back home. Her mother has already tried to go back but was

stopped at the border. TRANSLATION: Right there at the Customs in

Calais! I will try again, of course, we are dying of hunger year. In

another Roma community right on the edge of Europe, on the border with

Moldova, we met a man who was running out of money only a few

weeks after being flown home from London. His supply of clothes to

sell in the local market was drying up, clothes he had found in London

dustbins and sent home on the bus. I get 50 lay for this, that is ?10. I

make up to ?800. When is he going to go back? Next week. If they take me

back, what do I do? A few weeks later, there he was, back in Marble

Arch. Was there any problem when he came to the border with Britain?

came to the border with Britain Initially they said we were sent

back by plane and should not have come back, but then they saw that I

had no problems with the authorities here, the police, so they let us

in. Within a day, he was back to searching for old clothes, and you

may not be the only one making a return journey.

You can watch the full report on Inside Out London tonight at 7: 0pm

on BBC One. Still to come here, from rock and

roll to the blues, Ronnie Wood celebrates a change of musical

direction. And this morning's storm is still

raging, now over Denmark, with gusts of up to 115 mph. In the wake of it

here, it is business as usual for the weather, or in the forecast

later. Now, your turn to take a look around

one of the oldest buildings in the city, the Charterhouse is opening

its doors to the public for the first time as it hosts an exhibition

celebrating the role of the land to be in the City of London.

Group has lived at the historic Charterhouse in the city for 11

years, along with 39 other brothers who benefit from an act of

philanthropy by Thomas Sutton more than 400 years ago. Known as the

richest, neck, he is buried in the chapel here. Thomas Sutton did

specify, they discussed its down the ages, that this is not a place for

tramps and beggars, I am quoting from some historic documents now, so

we tend to be people, you know, who are not rich but have rendered some

service to society. For example quite a number of people from the

arts, music, literature, publishing, journalists. We have got some

lawyers, one barrister. One judge has died. For the first time, the

brothers will be sharing their home with the public for an exhibition

celebrating philanthropy in the City through the ages. There is a good

news story in the City, bankers traders, merchants, and the

exhibition shows that they have always cared about their

communities, and that continues today. There are organisations,

businesses and individuals, hundreds and thousands of examples. And one

of them is Allen, still in his 0s of them is Allen, still in his 20s

and enjoying a successful career, he leads a charity providing hundreds

of schoolchildren in London with free breakfasts. I think the City of

London has a long and proud tradition of doing good, not just

doing well, and for a new generation of young philanthropists, it is

important to say that social problems are solved. Recent years

have not been the best of times for the reputation of some City workers,

at the exhibition here reminds us of the millions that have been given by

the wealthiest Londoners to those less fortunate.

Let's have a look at the sport, Arsenal and Chelsea meet in the

League Cup fourth round tomorrow night as the two top teams in

England. Chris Slegg is here with us now, Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho

renewing rivalries, but a good weekend for both.

A bigger London derby tomorrow, they will both rest players in the League

Cup, but the managers did not get on at all well in the past. Arsenal go

into that game too strong for Crystal Palace on Saturday, who are

now bottom of the Premier League, still looking for a new manager

Arsenal played the last 25 minutes with ten men after Mikel Arteta was

sent off after giving them the lead. Asked a lot two points clear at the

top of the table, ahead of Chelsea. `` Arsenal are. Fernando Torres

scored a rather fortuitous last`minute winner, capitalising on

a mistake from Joe Hart. He seems to be enjoying life under his new

manager, Jose Mourinho. Why is the Tottenham manager not so

happy? They got three points yesterday.

An important win for them, back into the top four, a controversial late

penalty gave them the win. Not many people would have thought this was

deliberate handball, but the referee did. Roberto Soldado scored with ten

minutes to go, his third penalty of the season, a very important 1`0 win

the season, a very important 1` win for Tottenham, but Andre Villas`Boas

criticised his own club's fans after the match for a lack of atmosphere

at White Hart Lane. We looks like the away team, playing in a

difficult atmosphere, with almost no support coming. We have a wonderful

set of fans, but I am sure they can do better and they know it. Away

from home, their support has been absolutely amazing, and I think we

need to bring this atmosphere into White Hart Lane. Tottenham play hole

at White Hart Lane on Thursday, this time in the League Cup. `` Hull.

Kyle Walker, the right back, has signed a new contract to keep him at

Tottenham until 2019. There will be many happy with that.

Thank you, Chris. His band, Rolling Stones, won a new generation of fans

when they played Hyde Park earlier this year, but now Ronnie Wood is

taking his music back to its roots, playing a night of blues later this

week, joined by some big names, including some old friends. Emma

North went to the Royal Albert Hall to meet him.

They have been friends for years, and their talents are charmingly

lived in. My name is Ronnie, and I've asked for a living! `` I bust.

But Ronnie Wood and Bobby Womack are about to do something they have

never done before, each man headlining the Royal Albert Hall for

the first time. It is a big surprise for me, and I love a challenge. They

are playing at Bluesfest, where Ronnie will play a tribute night to

Jimmy Reid. A lot of people do not know the

amount of great songs that he made, and I am just paying tribute to try

and play the songs as authentically as possible. It has been a year of

firsts for the rolling stone. After the mud and flags of Glastonbury,

his band returns to Hyde Park where a new generation of fans was won.

What was Hyde Park like? It was great, all the smiling faces, it was

beautiful weather. And the sound was great, the band was never playing

better. Also enjoying a fresh challenges Bobby Womack, who was

presented with a lifetime achievement award today. Decades of

hard living have taken their toll, but there was a new album last year,

and now the Albert hall. There is always someplace you have never

been, so we look forward to it. What you think of it? Well, it is a

pretty big place, and I have heard that the sound is just a nominal.

What made you fall in love with the blues? I think it just gets you

here. It is a toss`up whether it would be called soul blues. `` soul

or blues. Bluesfest runs until Friday.

The bit you have been waiting for, the weather with Wendy Hurrell. Is

it all over now? It was an exceptional spell of

weather, and not one that you get every day. This is it as it worked

its way in on Sunday evening, and it is a well used phrase, but it was

very calm before the storm. This was the rain that moved in with it, and

even during that it was not particularly windy, it was the sting

in the tale that did it. As this low pressure system moved away, it was

the southern flank where the strong winds were, and something we called

the sting jets, basically the upper atmosphere conditions dropping

south. Really, quite considerably strong winds as we went through the

early hours of this morning. 99 mph at the Isle of Wight, and even here

in London 69 was recorded at Heathrow, more than enough to cause

the destruction we saw. You may be pleased to hear that it is going to

calm down, or what is usual for the rest of the week, breezy at as well,

rain from time to time, because we saw some of that this afternoon.

saw some of that this afternoon Quite heavy showers and rumbles of

thunder, and they are in the business of fizzling out as we

speak, and overnight it will be dry with clear skies. Temperatures

getting up to seven or eight Celsius, a bit of a nip in the air.

It will be that much more calm, and there will be some sunshine around

as well. Through the afternoon, we hang onto a lot of that, the chance

of a shower here and there, but fewer than today. Slowly but surely,

the wind will be falling later. Temperatures tomorrow, 11 or 13

Celsius, much lower than they should be at this time of year. We have had

quite a mild spell which ended with today's storm. Through Wednesday,

some sunshine to begin with, turning wet and windy towards the evening,

and there may still be bits and pieces of rain around and cloud as

well, but sunshine on Friday, turning store before the weekend,

more on that later. `` turning stormy for the weekend.

At least four be glad I'd had one of the worst storm... At least four

people have died in one of the worst storms to hit the UK in years.

Hundreds of fallen trees caused widespread rail and road

disruption, commuter services were suspended, and more than 100 flights

were cancelled at Heathrow Airport. And the Health Secretary, Jeremy

Hunt, has gone to the Court of Appeal to challenge the ruling that

he does not have the power to downgrade services at Lewisham

Hospital. He wanted to close its A unit, but the High Court blocks the

plans this summer. That is it for now, we are back during the ten

o'clock news, but for now, from everyone on the team, goodbye and

thanks for watching. This is Malcolm, who owns Iceland.

He's the one that's going to present us with

the ten grand. When we win it. You've just got to make it

as bearable Here we are in the PR nerve centre

of Iceland at the end of 96 hours

of total hell. But we haven't tested

for dog or cat either. Is this the warmest supermarket

around? Iceland Foods -

Life in the Freezer Cabinet.