17/02/2012 BBC Points West

Good evening and welcome to Points West. Our headlines tonight...

A moving service of remembrance. People in Thornbury meet tonight to

remember the vicar who was murdered at St Mary's.

A snap inspection at a youth prison reveals serious concerns about

safety and violence. The young swimmers training every

day to make a splash at the Olympics.

And a penny for your thoughts - would you open your loo to the

public? We pay high business rates. And if they would have come to us

and said, we will give you a discount by providing this for

people, we would have said yes, no problem. But not free public toilet

and free public toilet attendant. Good evening. A special service

will begin in the next hour to remember the Reverend John Suddards,

the vicar stabbed to death at his home in Thornbury. The vicarage and

church are still sealed off by the police, who today have made a

renewed appeal for help in the murder investigation. They've been

given more time to question the man arrested on suspicion of the murder.

Tonight thoughts turn to the town's loss. A violent act in the heart of

a peaceful community. John Maguire is in Thornbury for us.

This sudden and violent nature of the deaf would have made it

difficult for those who knew him, wash up with him all loved him. --

the death. Tonight, people come to the church to reconcile with their

favour and questioned why he passed. -- their faith.

For four days now, this town has been the focus of attention like

never before. It all started with the discovery of a man's body on

Tuesday morning. Builders arrived to find him in the hall of the

vicarage. He had suffered multiple stab wounds. Word spread in

Thornbury that the victim was John Suddards, the town's vicar. He had

only arrived in the summer, having worked in Essex for more than 20

years. Two communities felt his loss. Like many in the parish, we

are in shock, really, not knowing something like this would happen.

When people live alone, they are vulnerable and it is a terrible

shock and many people are in shock. Very, very sad. It was a shock, he

was such a nice man. Tuesday night also saw the arrest of a 43-year-

old-man. Detectives have continued to hold him for questioning.

Meanwhile, their colleagues have been searching the area near St

Mary's Church looking for anything that may help them to discover what

happened here this week. And today, a new appeal for information about

a man seen sitting on the pavement near the church between 6pm and 8

pm on Monday evening. That was the night before Reverend Suddards'

body was found. St Mary's remains sealed off. And his friends,

colleagues and parishioners will gather here tonight in the nearby

Baptist church. The service is to remember John and the Bishop of

Gloucester is coming down to lead the service, a time for the

community to come together and share a sense of grief and loss we

all feel. And as they recall his life, the hope is that detectives

can determine exactly how this popular local vicar met his death.

We can hear from the Bishop of Gloucester now. You had a statement

for us. It is to be days now since the people of Thornbury learn --

learned of the sudden and tragic death of John Suddards. Perhaps the

QT has moved from its first sense of being utterly stunned and silent

into wanting to come together now to encourage one another, Shia with

one another, grieved together and try to Unite and express the unity

of this community here in Tom Brake. Three days on, that is the stage

that people have probably reached. -- here in Thornbury. We come

tonight in the Baptist Church, with the Cait Pearce of that as we do

not have access to the parish church of St Mary's, where John was

Becker, coming together in shock and grief to support one another

and a firm of this town as a good place to be, I could community,

despite this tragic news. I am pleased to have come here tonight

as the chief pastor of the Anglicans in Thornbury and in the

parishes of which John was the vicar. I am pleased to come

together with the people, as I share their grief and sorrow. John

Suddards was a good man and a fine priest. We gather tonight to

remember him, as well as to have our own thoughts and prayers about

what this means in this community. There will not be a great many

words. We are not at the stage where our won words will help us.

But the words of Christian worship, the words of the scriptures will

carry us through when our own words fail. We will light candles, grass

one another's hands, embracing one another, sharing in the bread and

wine of Holy Communion. When words fail, actions serve us much better.

So tonight, we are a shocked community. But we are a United 1.

There will be other opportunities later to celebrate John's life and

ministry. Tonight, we hold together and remember them quietly in our

hearts. Thank you very much indeed. That statement ahead of the service

taking place in around 20 minutes. It is worth reiterating what the

senior investigating officers stressed earlier in the week that

any fragment of information from anyone in this community or without

that can help them in their investigations. The police would be

very keen to have that information and hear from people as soon as is

possible. Back to the studio. An unannounced inspection at a

young offenders' institution near Pucklechurch in Bristol has raised

serious concerns about safety. 300 teenagers are held in Ashfield.

They're brought there from all over the country. Tonight, the Prison

Inspector tells us young people don't feel safe there. A former

prison officer gives a disturbing account of life inside. But the

prison governor defends improvements at the institution.

10 years ago, this was the UK's most violent jail. A riot broke out

and staff lost control. Since then, there have been significant

improvements. And some glowing inspections. But the authors of

today's report are worried. We are very concerned about safety. Young

people say they are feeling much less safe in Ashfield and what was

happening was a lot of violence between young people. Staff were,

we thought, too readily resorting to force themselves to exercise

control. The BBC has also been contacted by a former member of

staff. He'd left before the most recent inspection, but told me

violence in the prison was rife. was pretty much every day, you

could have seriously bad ones when you would have up to four fights on

the wing. It was part of the course. What about violence towards

officers? That was quite common. How much does gang culture

contribute to levels of violence? It is massive problem, all in their

little groups, and with the opportunity to get someone in other

gangs, they will teacup that opportunity. I put all these

concerns to the man in charge. is a challenging environment,

safety at the forefront of endeavours. When we have young

people, predominantly new people, coming in all the time, we need to

understand that young person. For a period, there will be challenges

around safety and we will work hard to address that. The jail was also

praised today for tackling bullying. And around education, training and

how prisoners are prepared for release. This organisation works

with offenders in their last months inside. My experience, and we have

32 referrals this year from young people from Sutton-in-Ashfield, is

we do not hear complaints about Ashfield. People have been positive.

My staff walking around the prison and with young people coming at out

have not raise any concerns. Ashfield remains an institution

perhaps caught between a rock and hard place when it comes to shaking

A criminal who ran an international drugs ring based in Wiltshire has

been told to hand over �2.65 million or face an extra eight

years in jail. David Barnes is already serving a 12-year sentence

for smuggling drugs into Britain. He and seven other gang members

were caught after police raided farm buildings at Wanborough near

Swindon and found ten tonnes of cannabis. He has been ordered to

give up the money under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Wiltshire

Police say it will be reinvested. You're watching BBC Points West,

and you're very welcome. Please forgive my croaking tonight.

Honestly, I feel a lot better than I sound! Still to come in the

programme... They're neck and neck in the league table. There's plenty

at stake as Bath Rugby take on Gloucester at the Rec. And some

changes in the way for the wetter, turning wet and windy on Saturday,

colder after that. Chilly but brighter on Sunday. I have all the

details towards the end of the programme.

If more than 10% of your income goes on gas and electricity, then

you're classified as being in fuel poverty. You're not alone. Half a

million people here in the West are in exactly that position. Luke

Hanrahan reports on the stark choices that many are faced with

when it comes to paying for light and warmth.

Weston-super-Mare. The Somewhere To Go soup kitchen. For regulars Jason,

Carl and Leo, this winter has meant making the choice between paying

for fuel or paying for food. Heating has to go on, because my

partner is pregnant. She comes first, so I have to make sure she

is better and I do without food. �55 every fortnight goes on gas and

electricity, which affected me badly. I have about �20 a fortnight

to spend on food. I wrapped myself up in my bed as I do when I leave.

A couple of covers all over me, because the money I get to live on

it is absolutely not enough. It is �67.50 a week. Jobseeker's

Allowance. Leo says it doesn't cover what he has to pay for rent,

water, gas, electricity. I have been here for 7.5 years and have

never seen it as bad as this, people struggling to buy food, pay

their utilities, go to the Post Office to peak for sticks, which is

the highest rate. Over in Bristol, Rachel's spent the past three years

looking for work. But she and her partner aren't eligible for

benefits. I would be waking up at four o'clock in the morning,

thinking gas and electricity, but by this time, it was about �1,000

in total. I was trying to think, will we get cut off? Rachel is not

alone. These files are filled with letters from thousands like her,

all of them asking for help and advice. The numbers, I would say,

have doubled in terms of clients coming to us over the last five

years. We are seeing an increased number in the level of debt for

fuel supply. While record numbers of people are living in fuel

poverty, the energy companies are reporting record profits. The

industry regulator Ofgem may yet be forced to step in to help those who

They were the Victorian symbol of a thoughtful society. But over the

past 30 years, the number of public toilets in our towns and cities has

fallen dramatically. In the past decade alone, Bristol has lost half

its facilities. There are now only 33. And when the council this week

asked shops and cafes to open up their small rooms to the wider

public, not everyone was thrilled at becoming a replacement public

loo. Listen carefully to the sound of

water. Hopefully, you can now understand that, when you need to

go, you need to goal. Wouldn't it be nice if you knew where the

nearest facility was without buying a coffee or asking nicely? That

would be good if it was on a map? At least that's what Bristol City

Council thought when they came up with this. A guide to loos you can

use. In it, the names and locations of businesses that have opted into

the Public Facilities Scheme. Now the council has written to more

smaller businesses asking them to open up their facilities to the

public. We would never turn people away if they are coming in to ask.

But I do not want the council to close all their toilets then expect

us, a small cafe owners, to provide free facilities. Someone has to pay

and we are grateful that some shops and businesses will enter into this.

We started about four years ago when toilets closed and even mouth

when I was a doctor there. Bus drivers have nowhere to go, started

to come into the surgery asking. We said it was dying. We now appear in

the booklet like other organisations. Almost 100 listed in

this guide. You could carry this around with you or take arrest.

Just ask? If you excuse me, I will be right back.

I think she needed that. No time or come from bricks. It is time for

sport. -- no time for company breaks. And the highlight of the

weekend involves the rugby match between those West Country rivals

of Bath and Gloucester. With this and the rest of the sport, here's

David Passmore. These encounters are always among

the top games of the year. Gloucester came out on top last

season and again at home back in September. But both sides go into

tomorrow's derby on good form and full of confidence after wins last

weekend. The fans are the keenest of rivals of course and so are the

players, even though several have played for both clubs over the

years. Close friends and opposing players.

Freddie Burns grew up in Bath and switched to Gloucester. Olly

Barkley has played for both Gloucester and Bath. They shared a

house when both played for Gloucester. Tomorrow, they line up

against each other. Freddie left Bath at the same time as me. We

lived together, so I know him well. He is very talented. It was clear

from his first competitions that he is not fazed By training with the

bigger lads. It will be no surprise to me and that few people that he

stepped up quickly and got his first A Cup this year. Did you

dream of playing for Bath? Yes. My family were all from there. I

wanted to play for them. I remember going down to watch them play

Gloucester with my friends. It is a special place for me. Matches

between Bath and Gloucester are still some of the most eagerly

awaited. Gloucester did the double over Bath last year, including a

convincing win here. But you would bet how matches between these great

rivals will turn out. We had it instilled an us from an early age

that all these Bath stall warts that it is a matter of -- that it

is massive game. The rivalry between fans and players is huge

and it will be great to get down there. Despite... So, despite the

cross-boarder friendships and regular diet of high-intensity

games, there's little doubt that there'll be that extra bit of edge

at the Rec tomorrow. And depending on which side you

support, you have a choice of commentaries. 104.6 on BBC Radio

Bristol's FM Frequencies. And on both the FM and AM frequencies of

BBC Radio Gloucestershire. Now to football and the battle at

the top of League Two continues apace for Swindon and Cheltenham

Town. Swindon are the in-form side, having won six games on the trot.

It included Tuesday's convincing 3- 0 win over promotion rivals Crawley.

In the Championship, Bristol City head for Peterborough having halted

their run of three defeats with a dramatic late comeback to draw 2-2

with Crystal Palace. Brett Pitman scored both the goals and delighted

his team mates. It was immense. The supporters getting behind us.

Normally, when we are losing 1-0, we expect to get booed coming off

the pitch. But it was different. We got cheers, which gave

encouragement to the players. And Brett Pitman coming on made a

difference. He did a massive job for the whole supporters and the

team as well. It is a good boost. Now remember this, nearly four

years ago? Rebecca Adlington set the world alight with her double

Olympic Gold in Beijing. Well, a team of swimmers from Bath are

hoping to join her on the British team aiming for an even better

medal haul in London. They're counting down the days until next

month's trials, when only the fastest two in each event will get

a place. Zoe Gough caught up with them during their final

preparations. It's a long slog getting to the top.

But when races last just minutes, every day of every year really

count. Stacey Tadd from Radstock was tipped for the top at just 15.

Two career-threatening injuries later, she's eager to realise that

early potential. I have been at quite a high level of a couple of

years. I have done world and the Commonwealth, but want to make the

Olympic team. Tell us about your earrings? I weirdies as a lucky

charm. -- wear these. With such slim margins, shocks do happen.

Teenager Siobhan Marie O'Connor from Bitton surprised everyone by

winning the nationals last year. Her Olympic dreams do clash with

GCSEs, though. I was in Australia on about seven weeks, missing a

whole term, which was a nightmare, but it was worth it. To be thinking

about Olympics this year is unbelievable. I never thought I

would be in this position. Weeks from the event, the hard training

has already finished. Now it comes down to just a moment in March.

There are three of us for two spots. We are close friends. Hopefully, it

will stay that way after the competition. A month from now, the

waiting will be over. Those who make it then start over again in

time for the real thing. And finally, it's just been

announced that 2010 Cheltenham Champion Hurdle winner Binocular,

ridden by Tony McCoy, will be running at Wincanton tomorrow in

the big race of the day the Kingwell Hurdle.

Thank you, David. Now, a 20-year- old Gloucestershire jazz musician

has just put the finishing touches to his debut album. George Montague

got his big break after being spotted at a gig by a mystery

benefactor, who then paid for him to record the album. Our

Gloucestershire reporter Steve Knibbs has spent the day at the

recording studio with George. Rockfield Studios in Wales.

Famously used by the likes of Queen, Oasis and Coldplay. Today, the man

behind the mic is 20-year-old George Montague from Standish.

George caught the song-writing bug in his teens. But his music isn't

easily pigeonholed. He is influenced by the likes of Madness,

Jamie Cullum, Coldplay and Earth Wind and Fire. The music that

sounds live with the brass. And this sort of choral singing with

backing vocalists. I have always loved it. And the falsetto singing

as well, which I often do when I am singing wide. -- live. Like every

good rock and roll story, George got his break at a pub gig in

Cheltenham. He was spotted by Gerry Lane, a local filmmaker. Gerry was

so impressed, he bankrolled the recording of this album. His voice

is very unusual. That is what drew me and I walked away saying, I am

going to support him. As is the way these days, George has also become

a hit on YouTube. His latest video has now been seen there by over

160,00 people. A lot of that is America. American No and loves

YouTube and like hearing new music. And be appreciated. George's new

album is being produced by Matt Taylor, who's worked extensively

with Paul McCartney. And the instruments at Rockfield have

brought a sense of history to the recording. This piano was played by

Chris Martin. He wrote Yellow here. And Freddie mercury wrote a lot of

his songs, including Bohemiam Rhapsody. The album, with a working

title of Have You Met George, is out later this year. And after that,

George seems ready for anything. She is great. I have not met George

yet, but I like the sound of that. -- he is.

We celebrated one of our own at the Royal Television Society Awards for

the West last night. Chris Vacher received his Lifetime Achievement

award. It was in recognition of his outstanding contribution to

television news over 28 years as the anchor of this programme. It

was an ice night and congratulations to the other

Now for the weather. I do not think the weather will

help your throat. Sunday will be the better of the two days. It will

be wet and windy, particularly on the middle of Saturday. Sunday will

be a dry classic winter's day with clear skies. This westerly floor

brings a lot of clout. Then the cold front into tomorrow. -- a lot

of cloud. Temperatures will compound markedly in the north-

westerly wind. -- will come down. In contrast, it will be a fine day

on Sunday. We had sunk all earlier. Some spots of light rain continuing

over night tonight. Drier coming further east. But temperatures

around seven or eight Celsius most places. You will notice outbreaks

of rain early tomorrow by around nine o'clock. Heavier rain follows

by around the middle of the day. Some gusty winds. Should clear

before the Rugby match gets which underway at Bath at 2:00pm. Clear

conditions followed in the afternoon, through a moderate

breeze, but it will feel chilly. A frosty night threw it into Sunday,

down to about minus one or two. Into delight on Sunday, we should

see some crisp winter sunshine, some clouds about, but nothing much

more than that. Temperatures around four or six Celsius. Beyond that,

we get milder Atlantic air into next week. It will turn wetter,