23/12/2013 BBC Points West


23/12/2013

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Welcome to BBC Points West with Sabet Choudhury and Alex Lovell Our

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main story tonight ` putting the brakes on the christmas getaway

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Delays on the roads and disruption across the West. Problems on the

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railways and planes as well ` as heavy rain and strong winds batter

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the region. We'll bring you the latest on the bad weather. Fears of

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flooding and grow. Also on tonight's programme: The growing number of

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cannabis farms in the West. Why is this region such a hotspot? The

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Bristol pensioner conned out of thousands of pounds by a friend But

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rescued by the kindness of strangers. And not left to be lonely

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this Christmas, the Somerset seven year old inviting everyone to help

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the elderly. I think that every child should have an elderly friend.

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Good evening. Strong winds and heavy rain are disrupting thousands of

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people's holiday plans tonight, on one of the busiest travel days of

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the year. As people try to get home for Christmas, rail passengers have

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faced long delays and standing water is making driving treacherous. 00

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people in Somerset are also without power. Alice Bouverie reports. We

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are sorry to announce... The Christmas getaway is turning into a

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Christmas delay`away. About half the trains we saw at Bristol Temple

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Meads this afternoon were late. It's been a frustrating time for people

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travelling. Awful! Absolutely awful. I have got to get back to

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Nottingham, and I have mist my connections. So, I have to get to

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Birmingham to find a way home. We might be here for a while and it

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looks like my train has disappeared off the list, and I do not know

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where it is gone. It is frustrating but it is Christmas so we put up

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with it. It's mainly because of the winds. They're gusting up to 70

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miles an hour which means Network Rail has imposed speed restrictions

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on trains. The railway line near Taunton was briefly closed because

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of flooding. And from five o'clock this evening First Great Western

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reduced services to and from London to one an hour. We are really lucky

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because this day, in most years it is the most busiest in the year

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Because of where Christmas falls this year, most people have

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travelled at the weekend. The trains are certainly still busy. Taking the

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car rather than the train has been little easier. There's standing

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water on many roads as the drains struggle to cope. The rain even

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forced the closure of one lane of the M5 between Taunton and

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Wellington for a while. Planes have been affected too. At Bristol

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Airport, ten flights have been cancelled and another nine diverted.

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The emergency services across the West have been at full stretch

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throughout the day. Gloucestershire police had 350 phone calls this

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morning due to incidents related to the weather. Somerset fire and

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rescue had 60 calls, including one to Bridgwater, where a roof had

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become unsafe. Elsewhere in the county, trees were brought down

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trees, blocking roads. The storm is now moving north. But river levels

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are rising. And tonight, there are several flood warnings in place

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Well, the bad weather has meant there have been problems on the

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roads with some difficult driving conditions. Sarah Rice from the RAC

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joins us from their tower on the motorway interchange at Almondsbury.

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Sarah, how bad have things been today? You are absolutely right it

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is incredibly difficult and challenging conditions still. This

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morning, we saw the worst of it with strong winds. Having said that,

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motorists have coped admirably well. We have seen a little less traffic

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on the roads as people replan their journeys. People are heeding the

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driving advice that is given, planning routes and giving

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themselves lots of times, as well as adjusting their driving for the

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weather. Are you bracing yourself for tomorrow? We are expecting to

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see more traffic on the roads tomorrow. I think the better weather

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conditions that are forecast will benefit motorists. People will,

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clearly, still be getting their last`minute Christmas shopping and

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going to see family and friends but we are seeing little `` fewer

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incidents on the roads. Clearly it's been a very difficult day for

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many people. Jemma ` It seems to have been raining constantly since

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this morning. Indeed. It was a strong high`pressure system from the

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Atlantic. If we take a look at the radar picture that came in from 7am

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this morning, you can see fragments of the system but as the day

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progressed, the flashes of colour their, they indicate the heavy

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bursts. There was a respite around 5pm, but for the bulk of the day, it

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was really coming down. There is that fragmentation at the end of the

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day but do not be fooled, there is more to come tonight. It has been an

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unusually deep low. There is still more to come. It has been

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torrential. We will hear from you later. It's been revealed that

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police in the West have found almost two cannabis farms every day in the

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last four years. The highest number was found in the Avon and Somerset

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police area. It's a hotspot and the force ranks as one of the top five

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in the country for the number found. Dickon Hooper reports. There are

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five rooms in total... In a quiet house in a normal Bristol street,

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this is what police found. More than a thousand cannabis plants ` big

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business for those involved. This is major organised crime and they are

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doing this. We have recovered this from the house, and that does not

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include what they have already produced and sold on, which is two

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or three crops. Anyone growing more than 25 plants faces up to five

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years in prison. And the force here has a dedicated team targeting the

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farms. In the last four years they've raided almost two and a half

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thousand ` in Gloucestershire just a few hundred, with a focus on the

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Forest of Dean. In Wiltshire, police say cannabis production is not a

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major issue or a priority ` reflected in the number of raids.

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say cannabis production is not a major issue or a priority For some

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though, this is all just sound and fury.

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major issue or a priority For some though, this Police resources they

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say, could be better used with a different approach altogether. We

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have done the same with heroin and cocaine. It is a demand led

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commodity markets, and that is given away to organise criminals. The

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obvious solution is to bring it under the control of the government.

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At Police know dismantling these farms is just a short`term solution.

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But their number is increasing and cannabis the most widely used

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illegal drug. So targeting its production remains a priority.

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There's been a huge Christmas present for campaigners trying to

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re`open an arts centre in Gloucestershire. A mystery person

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has come forward with what's being described as a hugely generous

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donation in excess of at least half a million pounds. The Axiom closed

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13 years ago and was put on the market earlier this year. Here's our

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Gloucestershire reporter, Steve Knibbs. What was a Corn Merchant in

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1899 became the Axiom Arts Centre in the 1980's. But it closed in 20 0

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following a police fraud investigation. Now, two local

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benefactors, who were Axiom customers, say they'll buy it for

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campaigners. We have been realistic about what needs to be done to

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sustain a building like this in the current economic climate. The first

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thing that gets cut is arts, music and culture when it comes to

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government spending. We are aware of that and the success will lie with

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people who have supported the project. As these recent photos from

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inside show, there is a lot of work to do, as John Redfearn knows. He

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reopened the Axiom 20 years ago You have two have strong aims, strong

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vision and strong leadership, as well as control of the various fact

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is that are involved in the structure of the arts centre. You

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have lots of departments, including the theatre, the workshops, and the

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cinema. The council sold the Axiom in 2000 because it wasn't

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commercially viable. The chief executive welcomes today's news but

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warns the risks of making the Axiom sustainable haven't gone away. Will

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The Axiom be able to make a profit? Obviously, the council found it

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difficult and that is why we closed it 13 years ago. Maybe things have

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changed, I do not know. The benefactors will need deep pockets.

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I understand the asking price is ?500,000. Add to that, the cost of

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refurbishment and restoration. This could be an early Christmas present

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for those who have campaigned to see The Axiom reopen in the town.

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There're just two sleeps to go now till the big day! And to get you in

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the festive spirit, we've got some very special Christmas music.

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# It is the most wonderful time of the year!

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# It is the most wonderful time of the year!

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# It is the happiest season of all. # With holiday greetings and happy

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meetings, it is the happiest season of all! You will have to wait for

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the rest of that but it is gorgeous, is it not? Amazing. Christmas was

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looking bleak for a Bristol pensioner, who was defrauded by a

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trusted friend. But now his faith in human nature has been restored after

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neighbours rallied round and dropped off a Christmas card ` containing

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?100,000. Zoe Gough reports. Norman Cornish says he's always happy to

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help a friend. But when his life`savings of ?6,000 were taken by

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a neighbour, he says he lost all trust in others. Karen Whittaker

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offered to help Norman with his shopping after his wife died. It was

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only when his bank got in touch he realised she was helping herself to

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his cash. She cleared my bank out. Even the overdraft was gone as well,

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?500. Norman is well known in his Henbury street and his neighbours

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regularly drop by. But one visitor gave him quite a shock when she left

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a Christmas card filled with ?1 000. It restored his confidence in people

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and respect for people. That is all Norman has ever done. He has always

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thought of other people and he is very friendly, we love him to bits.

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The card gave little clue as to the identity of those responsible. But

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Norman would like to thank each and every one of them for transforming

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his Christmas. I feel a lot better now. I am going to enjoy Christmas.

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I will have a few drinks with my son. Although Karen Whittaker

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admitted her crime in court, Norman says she has yet to apologise.

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Thanks to the kindness of his other neighbours, his trust is being

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slowly rebuilt. It is, according to the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, a

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source of "national shame". He was talking about the hundreds of

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thousands of people in England who say they are chronically lonely `

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something which is felt even more keenly at Christmas. Well, it was

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hearing that story which spurred on one seven year old from Somerset to

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get a letter published in her local paper, a letter which led to a whole

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new friendship. Sarah`Jane Bungay takes up the story. Hello! It is the

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warmest of welcomes. But Sonya and the Rowntree family have only known

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each other a couple of months.. It began when seven year old Lana saw a

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news report on lonlieness. Soon pen was put to paper. She said she had a

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happy family and did any old people want to be her friend, she said I

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was very moved. This was a girl and her family where, basically, they

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were interested in someone like me, who was elderly, and yes, elderly at

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times. Now there is a friendship which embraces the 66 year age gap.

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I think every child should have an elderly friend. She is like a really

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nice, gentle lady. She likes it because I come round and I am a bit

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younger. In Yatton, Sonya isn't facing a lonely 2014. Instead it'll

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be one filled with making new memories with new friends. Although

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I have not got children, I love it. I love the noise and I love the fact

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we have great fun, and I do feel that the family I have met,

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certainly, have made my life richer. She should be very proud of herself,

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that is lovely. Lovely. While many of us are looking forward to a bit

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of time off over Christmas, the region's footballers are getting

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busier. Alistair Durden and Geoff Twentyman are going to have a look

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at the fixtures for us. Ali is outside the Radio Bristol studios

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right now. We are here at BBC Radio Bristol. Jeff is doing his show at

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the moment. Good evening, Jeff. Thank you for having us. It is great

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to have you. Christmas is a big`time for footballers. Discipline and self

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control. Yes, you have to forget what is going on around you. It is

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quite difficult with the family eating and drinking around you. They

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do not want sympathy, though. They have got to be totally professional.

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We are going to have a look at our teams. Yeovil. Where are their

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points coming from over Christmas? They won 3`0 recently at Watford.

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Their manager is a motivator and they can get a result. They will get

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something over Christmas. Swindon's home form is keeping them in the

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League One playoff hunt. Eight winds from 11 at the County Ground.

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Another good one on Saturday against Coventry, but they're finding it

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tough away. Tough games away at Brentford and Bradford as well. It

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is symptomatic of having a young side. They need a better mindset.

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That is some trouble that they need to sort out. Bristol City won't be

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sorry to see the back of 2013, looking at their Christmas fixtures

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they've got to take advantage of two home games. I am not great on

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statistics but in 2013, Bristol City 17 league matches. That tells you

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what it is all about. Things must improve. Two home games give them

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the chance to do so. Great for Louis Carey to equal the club's appearance

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record on Saturday. Today he was putting in another appearance,

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playing Santa on the children's ward at Frenchay hospital. In this

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situation, does he have a bigger role to play now, do you think?

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Absolutely. He is still fit. He has not played many games lately. He

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still has the fitness and extra energy in his tanks so I think he

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will play a significant part. It depends what Steve Cotterell does in

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the January window. 646 will be the magic number, the new record.

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Celebrations, at the moment, are on hold. Four years in charge for Mark

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Yates ` impressive how he keeps rebuilding that team. They're

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heading into their Christmas fixtures on a ten match unbeaten

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run, an impressive win at Fleetwood at the weekend ` one of the

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promotion favourites. I have a soft spot for Cheltenham. Historically,

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they have always been near the top, and they have not made it. I sense

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that they could be getting it on schedule. Bristol Rovers? Picking

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up? John Ward was brave. Great stuff, thank you for having us here.

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All the football will be covered on local radio over the festive period.

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Thank you. Now, I don't know how many people you'll have round for

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Christmas dinner or how big your turkey will be. But spare a thought

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for Anita Simmons who'll be cooking a 42 pound bird. The biggest family

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turkey dinner in the Points West area? Well maybe..... Clinton Rogers

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has been along to the family's home in Kingston Seymour in North

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Somerset to see how preparations are going. Now that is one fact words,

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but it has a lot of mouths to feed. `` big bird. A ?42 turkey will take

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at least ten and a half hours to cook. Will that fit in the oven I

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have no idea! I have not thought about it! What will you do if it

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does not? Well, I suppose... We could have a barbecue! Somehow, I do

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not think it will be barbecue weather. They are already preparing

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the vegetables. Half a hundredweight of potatoes, about 50 carats and

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more brussels than you can count. Enough to make a young girl cry

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There will be for generations of the family and a few friends around the

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table on Christmas Day. For this great grandmother, this one is easy.

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Olive, who is 84, cooked in her own home for pensioners in the village.

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I have got a table that sits 20 You do that in your own home? Yes. In

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honour of this story, I wore this tide. However, Anita pointed out

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that I am wearing geese! It is the thought that counts. Here it is 42

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pounds. It is the biggest Christmas turkey in the Points West area. .

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LSU no differently. `` unless. I am watching the e`mails carefully. Now

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let's get the weather. Thank you. What a way to kick off the Christmas

:22:35.:22:39.

week. A deep area of low pressure from the Atlantic. It has spread in

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and it will spread in over the rest of the night. It clears away

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tomorrow, and the Christmas period is relatively settled until the end

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of the week when we do it all again. This is the radar picture from this

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morning. Some strong winds, touching 60 mph in much of the region.

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Weather warning still in force for the wind and rain. The winds have

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almost touch 60 mph in our patch. `` touched 60 mph. Tomorrow morning

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could be problematic but things calm down for Christmas Eve. Some heavy

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showers to follow but Atacama picture than Monday's story. `` a

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calmer picture. Another half an inch of rain tomorrow and we could see

:23:38.:23:42.

trees down. 20 of standing water and spray to take is into Christmas eve

:23:43.:23:48.

morning. Christmas Eve is brighter after that. Heavy and blustery

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showers, some wintry on certain levels. In between that, we see

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bright and sunny weather. Under heavy showers, we see further

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saturation. Chillier tomorrow with temperatures between six and eight

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Celsius. A bit of a breeze and it feels more wintry. Tomorrow night,

:24:11.:24:15.

those showers persist. Wintry weather on higher ground. Christmas

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Day, and Boxing Day, broadly similar to Christmas eve. Dry and bright,

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showers persisting. On Friday. Wet weather comes back with another low

:24:30.:24:34.

from the South West. We end the week where we started. The Christmas week

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should be more settled. Thank you. Now time for today's Advent

:24:47.:24:55.

calendar. Thank you to Charles Kinsey who sent us this stunning

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image of the Clifton Suspension Bridge. A big thank you to him, and

:24:59.:25:02.

everyone else who's taken the time to send in these wonderful winter

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scenes. Well, that's about it from us on our last long programme until

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January second. Of course we'll have bulletins between now and then. And

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listen to your local radio station for all the latest on the weather

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over the next few days. But now as promised, we leave you with some

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special festive music from the Great Western Chorus. They're a Barber

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Shop choir featuring more than 0 unaccompanied male voices ` and

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they've won the British Association of Barbershop Singers' Championships

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a record eight times. Have a very Happy Christmas.

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a record eight times. Have a very # Bells are ringing, children are

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singing. # Christmas time is here.

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# Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

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# Let your heart be like. # From now on, our troubles will be

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out of sight. # Have yourself a Merry Little

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Christmas. # Make the Yuletide Gay.

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# From now on, our troubles will be miles away.

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# Here we are as in olden days. # Happy golden days of yore.

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# Faithful friends who are dear to us.

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# Gather near to us once more. # From now on, we all will be

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together. # If the fates allow, Hank is

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shining star upon the highest Bal. # And have yourself a Merry Little

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Christmas now.

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