25/02/2014 BBC Points West

sunshine and showers continuing And that is all from the BBC News at

six. It Welcome to BBC Points West with Alex

Lovell and David Garmston. Our main story tonight: A government

hand`out. Farmers in Somerset will get an

instant cash gift from the government. The farming minister

tells them how much. Provide support for those farms that' there will be

an immediate response fund grants of up to ?5,000. We'll be asking if the

money will make any difference. Into the arms of her parents. Bath's

Lizzy Yarnold brings her gold medal safely back home. How Bristol's zoo

played its part for the war, and even one of the animals got signed

up. The Royal Highness is where

impressed by your comments and you certainly made a good case for your

skill being the ideal place for Prince George.

And find out what Kate and William said the pupils who want Prince

George to come to the school. The farming minister George Eustice

has set out more details of a ? 0 million scheme to help farms here

which have been affected by flooding. He's told the NFU

conference in Birmingham that a farming recovery scheme will assist

in four key areas and offer support with uninsured losses. Fiona Lamdin

has spent the day at the conference. Hundreds of farms on the levels are

still under water. Today some of those farmers travelled 150 miles to

hear what help is at hand. For those farms have been flooded

there will be an immediate response fund with grants of up to ?5,00 . A

commitment to dredge, more money for flood defences and grants for

water`logged farms. And it was our farmers who were first on their feet

to question him. When can we see an end to this and a more cooperative

approach to all flood prevention on the Somerset Levels? Becky. `` thank

you. You asked when we would listen. I

would say, no. `` Now. . Following the news that the prime minster is

giving a fresh ?10 million to help flooded farms, today we got some

details into how that being spent from Friday farms will be able to

apply for ?5,000 to help them with re`seeding, drainage and rebuilding

roads, and it's a hand out they won't have to pay back.

Last year we had the same problem, the ground was flooded and we all

had to go and get money wherever we could, banks or out of other

businesses. This year the government has acknowledged the fact that there

is a problem and they are prepared to help us reach seed and is very

welcome news. The money will fix a quarter of John's fields ` the rest

he will have to pay for. Is this fair?

At the moment it is prudent to start off with that ?5,000 cap to ensure

we don't exhaust the funds to quickly. Today's money will help

towards the re`generation, but until this water starts to shift, the

seeds of hope little can be done or grown here.

So what kind of pressures are farmers in Somerset facing? 28, 00

acres of land is underwater, after the wettest winter on record. And

there are still two severe flood warnings in place. Most of

Somerset's agriculture is livestock ` beef and dairy. The land should be

producing food for them for the rest of the year. But the grass is dead,

which means the cattle are having to be kept and fed inside, leading to

more expense for farmers. The rural insurer NFU Mutual estimates the

damage could cost more than ?6 million in claims. One farmer who's

already lost money is Heather Venn, a beef farmer from Stoke St Gregory.

It's a huge problem. It's not like people whose houses have gone, it is

a longer term problems on that, I know it is devastating for them but

this will be years of recovery. After two months underwater, she is

already counting the cost to our business.

New equipment's being introduced on our ambulances after a catalogue of

failings ahead of the death of a baby. Lacey`Marie Poton was four

months old when she suffered a cardiac arrest at home. The

ambulance crew who took her to hospital didn't use blue lights

they failed to warn the hospital they were on their way and didn t

have equipment on board which could have helped save her life. Our

Health Correspondent Matthew Hill reports.

Emma Norley is still struggling to come get to terms with the death her

baby. Lacey`Marie Poton suffered a cardiac arrest, shortly after being

sent home from the Bristol Children's Hospital following a

heart operation last July. When her mother dialled 999 she expected an

emergency response. She stopped breathing, so I had to

do CPR. I call the ambience, but when they got to the house it seemed

they were really concerned. I was a little shocked, as a student took

the lead on most of it. He was only a student, he didn't really know

what he was doing. And once she arrived at the heart unit in Bristol

there was a delay of 45 minutes for a cardiologist to attend because no

advanced warning had been received from the ambulance crew.

She could have been sedated earlier. She suffered for awhile

before someone got their. And the heart scan could have been done

quicker. Lacey`Marie never recovered

consciousness and died here in the early hours of the next morning

This internal report found the ambulance sent to her home in

Bristol should have used a blue light, failed to warn the hospital

to get ready for their arrival, and did not carrying vital paediatric

monitoring equipment, leaving the crew unable to work out how severe

her condition was. The process of auditing and making

sure we equip our ambulances was ongoing and the time this incident

happened. Unfortunately, the particular ambulance at the

particular time was yet to be fitted with that equipment. Ambulances

throughout the region now carry monitoring equipment for babies and

small children like Lacey`Marie Emma Norley still has further

questions about her daughter's death ` she hopes an inquest will get to

the bottom of why the Bristol Children's Hospital discharged Lacey

Marie one day after heart surgery when she felt her daughter was still

ill. A Bristol man has been spared a

prison sentence despite making his children live in filthy home

conditions. This was the scene the police found when they raided the

house in the Knowle West area of Bristol. Three children, all under

12, were living surrounded by rotting food, dog mess and broken

glass. Their father, who can't be named, told officers his partner had

left him and it was her job to clean the house. He was given a suspended

one year sentence The number of rough sleepers in Bristol more than

quadrupled between 2012 and 201 . The figure rose from nine to forty

one, according to figures from the Government. In comparison, it's

estimated that there are 27 people sleeping rough in Swindon,

Gloucester, Cheltenham and Taunton combined. On Friday, the Mayor of

Bristol will be sleeping outside a church in the city to raise

awareness of the issue. You're watching BBC Points West

Still to come: Winning smiles all round, we celebrate a successful

Sochi with the skeleton named after Lizzy Yarnold and athletes from

TeamGB. The judge in the trial of a Bristol

lorry driver accused of causing death by careless driving has

directed the jury to find him not guilty. Teacher Jake Thompson died

of head injuries after being hit by the truck at the Three lamps

junction on the A4 at Totterdown three years ago. The trial had heard

how Mr Thomson had stepped out into the path of Paul Vowles' lorry. The

not guilty instruction followed an application by the defence at the

close of the prosecution case. A Bristol Somali teenager who's

trying to prevent young girls from becoming victims of mutilating

surgery, has met with the Education Secretary today. 17`year`old Farma

Mohamed presented Michael Gove with a petition containing more than

two`hundred thousand signatures She wants Mr Gove to write to schools

about the dangers of female genital mutilation. Despite being illegal,

its estimated 20,000 British girls are at risk every year.

About it of accidental death has been reached with the story of a

couple whose car was buried in a landslide. The couple were found

several days after a wall of mud and trees crashed onto their vehicle

close to the tunnel. Relatives and friends of the couple

were actively's inquest to hear the verdict. The coroner said,

unfortunately it was a pure accident, and like so many, 30

seconds later it may not have happened. He accepted that the

primary cause of the landslip was severe flooding, adding, " it was at

a time of exceptionally heavy rainfall which occurs once in every

100 years. Despite a search by fire crews using thermal imaging

equipment, there was no sign that anyone was trapped under the

mudslide. " and was nine days later after the couple had been reported

missing that their vehicle was eventually found. A police

investigation into the incident found there were no grounds for

criminal charges, and the coroner today recorded verdicts of

accidental death on both victims. Protests by young people in

Wiltshire have successfully convinced the council to reduce

their proposed cuts to youth services by half. The decision

followed weeks of campaigning, culminating in a presentation to

councillors this morning as they met to set their budget for the next

year. Here's our political editor Paul Barltrop.

It's just one of 24 places where the council run youth services in

Wiltshire, but those who use Grosvenor House in Salisbury were

determined not to lose it. Today they took their campaign direct to

councillors ` at stake: proposed cuts of half ?1 million. Behind the

scenes there had been talks. In the meeting the opposition leader put

forward a way to reinstate ?250 000, and it was accepted by the ruling

conservatives. The value of our youth service is

something I am incredibly passionate about, so we decided we would do

everything we could to try to protect that service.

Be pleased? I am delighted, and I give credit to

the administration. So, for these novices, a successful foray into

politics. I figured greater roomie progress

and they are keeping it open. It is a fantastic step forward, I've never

known the council backtrack. To begin proving, it's not what we

wanted, but it is a compromise, and I think it's wonderful. Youth

services still face cuts and big changes. The council leader wants

them better used. I don't regret it, I think what it

has done is mean that we have had really good conversations. We

continue to that, especially with young people in the county to see

how, instead of 8% of people going into youth centres, we can engage

with more young people in the county. Wiltshire's ?333 million

budget was voted through. Councillors were told they're making

?25 million of savings ` with more to come. The root cause of the cuts

is the ongoing reduction in funding that will chew get from central

government, but there is one thing for which the council is determined

to get more money, damage from flooding thought to run to several

million pounds. Potholed roads are already the biggest issue for many

voters. As the falling waters reveal their worst, a big repair bill is

being prepared for government. Poll is with us in the studio. It is that

time of year, have all the councils set their budgets?

A few of the big ones still to go, Gloucester are meeting tomorrow and

for them a big preoccupation with the damage from the floods. The

promise we heard from several Gottman that there would be a full

refund of the expenses they have run up in tackling it.

Has any council decided to put our council tax?

Bristol is the only big authority raising taxpayer and to present

Some of the smaller areas may have rises of 2% as well. Police forces

across the West in one area with a has`been rises. That should only add

around 35p to the average council tax bill.

Winter Olympic gold medallist Lizzy Yarnold has hinted she'll defend her

skeleton title in four years time. 25`year`old Lizzy, who lives and

trains in Bath, arrived home from Sochi last night. Alistair Durden

was at Heathrow Airport to greet her, and as you'd expect there was

plenty of flash photography as Lizzy emerged into the arrivals lounge.

Finally home, as a national hero. Mum and dad were the first to greet

her. Lizzy Yarnold won Britain's only gold of the games, an

achievement that's going to change her life.

It's amazing to be back here in Britain. It's been a really long

season in terms of competitions but has been the best year of my life.

And excited to see everyone, but I'm quite overwhelmed. It will be an

exciting few weeks, I'm not sure what to expect.

She handles the pressure, the media, everything, she manages to cope with

it, and she comes across brilliantly in every sphere. Lizzy admits she's

looking forward to getting back to her flat in Bath as soon as she can,

and see the friends and fellow athletes who were supporting her as

she won her gold. Bath is such a beautiful town, I

love living their. It's a great environment, there are so many

committed athletes that I learned so much from all the time. I can't wait

to get back there and see them. Her achievement will be commemorated in

many ways ` the most unusual so far, Cheltenham General hospital naming

their training skeleton Yarney in her honour.

I'll have to go and meet it! That is fantastic, it's nice to know I have

been reaching out not just to children but also in medical wards.

And the future? She's only 25, so will she defend her title in 20 8?

I'm an athlete through and through. I've been so driven toward Sochi,

and that was my goal. I was so proud that I not only got there but came

back with a gold medal. I have no home, and I will enjoy a few weeks

off, and then be back in the gym soon enough.

Today she was at Downing Street with the other medal winners including

Bristol snowboarder Jenny Jones They had the chance to meet the

Prime Minister. Interviews and appointments are likely to dominate

life for the next few weeks. When Lizzy does finally return to Bath,

the University say they'd like to throw her a big party. I'm glad they

are enjoying the spoils of it. And if you're suffering withdrawal

symptoms from the Winter Olympics there's still plenty more to enjoy

on the BBC website ` including this. Good to see that Team GB, including

Jenny Jones and Lizzy Yarnold, were so happy out in Sochi.

# Because I'm happy #. It's very heavy, and it around my

neck! The although Swindon Town can be

happy. `` let's hope that Swindon Town can be happy.

Swindon Town can close the gap on the League One playoff places to

just four points tonight. They have a home game against Crawley. In

League Two, Cheltenham play leaders Chesterfield, and Bristol Rovers are

away to second`place Scunthorpe A secret plan to train a seal from

Bristol Zoo to sink enemy ships in the First World War has been

uncovered. Records have also revealed how the gardens played host

to injured troops during the conflict. 'World War One At Home'

sees the BBC working in partnership with the Imperial War Museums, and

as part of the series I've been to the zoo to look in the archives

# And when they ask us how dangerous it was #.

When war broke out, lads from villages, towns and cities rushed to

join up, as keen to go abroad as today's students on a gap year. But

all too soon, the excitement vanished, and before long Bristol

became home to many hospitals for the injured. That's where the zoo

found a new wartime role. Bristol Zoo is one of the oldest in the

world. By the time the war broke out in 1914 it had been going for more

than 70 years. Of course, it is still a very popular place to come,

but 100 years ago this place would have been packed with wounded

troops, and imagine what a treat it would have been to come here. Zoo

was a refuge for the wounded in body or mind. Many had experiences so

horrifying because never speak of them. These zoo tea parties were

paid for by women in the munitions factories. There are some

wonderfully evocative photographs here of soldiers arriving for these

tea parties. They put on tea and cakes for the troops. Look at how

neat it all is, china cups and beautiful cake stands with delicious

looking things to eat. It was a very special occasion, I think. The zoo's

mischievous monkeys have long been attraction, and their popularity was

played on to raise money for the troops. Historians have found this

little chap, who allegedly fought alongside British troops, was used

at the zoo to encourage people to donate.

He was supposedly a monkey from the front. Supposedly he fought at the

front and was gassed and loss Eto'o. He was put on display with a

sign that give all those details and said, please give me money so I can

send it to our boys who are fighting. During the war food was

scarce and takings were down. The zoo struggled to feel the animals.

So they were delighted when the military took one of them off their

hands for real work. This document tells us that seals

were expensive to feed during the war, between ?2 and ?3 a week, so

the zoo had to get rid of them. One was sent to the Admiralty in London

to be used in experiments, and the zoo hoped they would be used to sink

U`boats. It cost ?2 a week for their

sustenance, silly bundled one after the Admiralty. That's right. Whether

they were actually used to sink U`boats, we don't know.

But it meant didn't have to feed them. Yes, which was a positive

thing for the zoo, with some of the animals to feed they had to cut

expenses. Other zoos went even further ` this

elephant was put to work on an English farm. Button's zoos Dave the

soldiers a release from the pain and sorrow of injury and bereavement.

But look at the faces from Bristol all those years ago, and reflect on

the brave smiles of the lost generation. I look at those faces

and think, that could have been us, it could have been powered

generation. `` it could have been powered generation.

Tomorrow night I'll be reporting on the mules who travelled from South

America to Minehead. BBC Somerset will also be exploring the impact

they had on the community at 8: 5am tomorrow morning.

And some of those stunning photographs are on our Facebook

page. Now, "If you don't ask you don't

get" ` a little lesson in life that I'm sure you've passed on! Well

pupils at a tiny school in Wiltshire decided to put that advice to the

test. The children at Chirton Primary near Devizes did an exercise

testing their powers of persuasion, by writing a letter to a rather

famous couple. And as Ali Vowles has been finding out, they got a

surprising result... There's a slightly regal air to

today's recorder lesson ` not surprising, really, as the children

are celebrating a great result. They wrote to Prince William and Kate

asking if they'd consider sending baby George to their school ` a year

ago it was saved from closure and all 29 pupils who make up Chirton

Primary say he'd love it. And guess what ` the palace wrote back

individual letters to each and every pupil who wrote.

You certainly made a wonderful case for your school with its bright eyed

and bushy tailed staff being the ideal school for Prince George.

The Royal Highness 's were extremely impressed by the quality of your

children's letters, which were certainly very persuasive.

It's a small school, but the big family.

I've never known this response to come to every child personally. What

next? Perhaps the President? So, some very

persuasive letters ` what would Prince George have to look forward

to? Playing and having friends.

He'd have loads of friends to play with.

Why do you think he would like this school?

Because of the slippers. Let's have a look at the slippers.

It is surely the slippers that will clinch it. I know they will give

Prince George a right royal welcome.

Very sweet, and I should think the royal couple will probably now get

some more letters. Miners in the post. Now the weather:

it is a dry story here this evening, and I am expecting that as we head

on into tomorrow many of you should see a good deal of dry weather.

This shot on the Mendips will be a fairly typical sky across the West

Country tomorrow. Although some of you will see some showers. But

generally speaking, less in the way of showers compared to today. As we

had beyond that, we will see that the course of the night sees the

showers fading away towards the East. Although the graphics have

failed. There will be further showers coming back in from the

west. Some generally dry and clear whether about tonight. Temperatures

will drop away, some of you may get as low as two Celsius, and the main

urban areas around four or five Celsius. Tomorrow morning will see

the return of showers in Western districts. I apologise I can show

you these, but they will be their. Body to account for the possibility

that one of two might be heavy. Some hail stones around. But less density

of showers compared to today. The bulk of the showers in the first

half of the day. Through the afternoon there should be a dry

window for us all. In the sunny spot it will be a pleasant day. Wins

touching 25 mph, and consequently it will feel fairly springlike. Ten

bridges between eight and 10 Celsius will be typical. Overnight we can

look out to the West for further rain. The signal will be increasing

cloud through tomorrow afternoon, the sunshine becoming hazy, and late

into the evening tomorrow for the rain will start to arrive from the

west. Some will be heavy, as it crosses over. The rain should be out

of the East of our districts by the rush`hour if not before on Thursday,

leaving open the doors to the blustery day for the rest of

Thursday. Heavy showers around, and a similar day on Friday. The photo

was nice, though, wasn't it? Bad luck with the graphics! Dear

diary, Ian said, " springlike. I'll see you after 10pm, the whole

team is back tomorrow.