05/12/2013 BBC Wales Today

6pm. It's goodbye from me and on BBC One, we join our teams where you

Welcome. Our top story: Hundreds of homes flooded.

Families are forced to be as high tides and gale force winds sweep

across North Wales. I could see the carpets were rising

and it was coming in everywhere. Obviously, it has come up through

the floorboards. Many families were rescued by life

boat cruise. We are live this evening where the

rescue operation is still in full swing.

You have to wait longer before picking up your state pension.

Claims that the Chancellor park-mack plans will hit us hard than the rest

of the UK. And helping save seriously ill

babies as new kit has been paid for by a special donation to the air

ambulance. Good evening. Storms have forced

hundreds of people to leave their homes across North Wales coast. High

tides and strong winds caused flooding and major disruption

tonight. One of the worst affected areas is Rhyl. RNLI crews have had

to rescue people from their own homes. Cars have been stuck in

flooded streets and rose tab been -- roads have been closed. At one

point, there were two severe flood warnings in place, suggesting lives

were in danger. Experts say some of these types are the highest in ten

years. The next is expected after midnight. Let's get our latest ROM a

reporter in ten macro -- from our reporter in Rhyl.

The rescue operation is ongoing. The RNLI are still going door to door,

knocking to see if anybody is still inside. The houses find me have been

affected by severe flooding. 400 people from this area are currently

seeking shelter at the local leisure centre. It has been a testing day

for the authorities. Streets became rivers as the storm

surge left its mark on Rhyl. Less than ten weeks before Christmas, it

is heartache for hundreds. We were trying to mop it up as it

came into the conservatory and I went to go through there and I could

see the carpet were rising. It was coming in everywhere.

Some couldn't even get into their homes.

Devastation, isn't it? I and 70. I have gone through this price. When I

first came, I stripped the bungalow and rebuilt it. In 1990, the floods

came, and now we've got it again. All across the North Wales coast,

the sea became a boiling broth, spitting is usually in land. This

was the scene in North run -- North Wales where is he more heartache. I

came down when the high water was here. The whales -- waves were

crashing in over the shelter. This was a promenade. It is going to take

a lot of digging out. The roads were closed and a village was evacuated

as the tidal surge threatened the defences. This warning, the water

knocked on the door and asked me to go around the park and ask all the

old people, warned them to be ready to be evacuated. We were told by

text to evacuate. My husband is a float or done so he got the

information. We went out into the village and later all the people

went around and knocked on the doors. We didn't know whether the

people had got anything by phone or whether they knew anything. Further

inland the wind was strong enough to rip the roof off this supermarket.

From two West, people came to see the surge and took photos. But it is

Rhyl that has felt the full brunt. Those who could not be moved had to

be helped. The NFL I was called. -- the RNLI. This is not the start to

December anybody in Rhyl wanted, all major agencies have combined to try

to minimise the act. -- impact. The door-to-door Ginty news this

evening. In the last five minutes a woman and her dog have been rescued

from their property. I am joined from Jeremy Hunt from North Wales

Police. You have had a easy day. Emergency services have been working

very hard to make sure our distant -- response has been the right one,

to make sure we get to the people at the right time. We have our ongoing

efforts, to continue to make sure people are safe. You have a specific

appeal this evening. The most important message this evening is

notwithstanding people need to take care in travel, it is around phoning

an incident room. We have a telephone number available. You can

see people behind me checking properties, but some people will

have left, some people will have been on holiday, some will have left

on their own accord so it is important that if those people

around there and they are watching a search of their home, they contact

us. It is imported people listen to the message and telephone is so"

innate who is safe. Making sure everybody is accounted for. Join me

again before the end of the programme.

Derek is with me. What caused this? It was down to a combination of

factors. Strong onshore, gale force winds right on the north coast

earlier today. Had a deep area of low pressure brush past close to

North East Scotland. That has helped to raise the sea level especially in

the north Sea that also in the Irish Sea. We had some pretty high spring

tides as well. The combination of those three things created a storm

surge. Causing real problems. So how great is this? It is not unusual to

have stormy weather in winter but it is rarer to have a storm surge with

high spring tides onshore winds occur at the same time. You may

remember this did happen back in February 1990 when the north Coast

was devastated by floods. That was extreme. Thankfully, the worst is

over tonight. Things are calming down and water levels are beginning

to drop. We will be back with you later on.

Plans to raise the State Pension Age will hit people here harder than

many other parts of the UK. That's one claim tonight from Plaid Cymru

after the Chancellor's Autumn Statement. George Osborne set out

the best economic forecast since the recession but also confirmed plans

to increase the pension age to 68 for those under 50. Plaid says it'll

impact on poorer areas where life expectancy can be as low as 75. More

now from our political editor, Nick Servini.

The rise in the state pension age will affect everyone. None more so

than in Wales, according to Plaid Cymru. Latest figures show that life

expectancy for the man in Blaenau Gwent is 75 and its areas with high

levels of deprivation will be the ones hardest hit. There is no bright

side. You have to work longer. It is going to be an uphill struggle. It

is unfair but at the same time, the country has to raise many. More

people are living longer. I think if people are living longer they should

work longer. The Chancellor said he thought the average retirement

should be about a third of people 's lives. If he raises 270, the life

expectancy is 75, that is five years. This couple run a business

supplying fruit machines. They have been doing well for years? You need

the ?1 coin machines to start. The economy is picking up. These are the

first forecast to have improved since the financial crisis began. It

means for Wales exactly what it means for the country as a whole. It

shows the government commitments to long plan to a sustained economy for

the -- recovery for the economy. The economy is turning a corner, we are

returning to growth. Even with this improved economic outlook the

opposition be looking to exploit what they call a cost of living

crisis. George Osborne needs to show to people that with this better

economy, people will have more cash in their pockets. Are they winners

or losers in Wales? The Welsh Government is going to get an extra

?100 million over the next two years at a time when other Whitehall

budgets are being cut. Ministers of Cardiff they say that doesn't change

much. Overall, its budget has been cut in 1-point billion pounds in

real terms since 2010. Three school meals are being introduced for

infant school children in England and business rates are being captain

England as well. Opposition parties at the Assembly are calling on the

government to do the same. It said no decisions have been made yet. If

we followed as the UK Government is proposing in this statement, that

would take up a large proportion of the revenue increase that has come

to Wales. It is now forming as finance minister to look very

carefully at what has come through in terms of the many, the finances,

and then it will be for the government and the Assembly to

reflect on priorities. There were no jackpot giveaways in this mini

bridges, the recovery is underway but it appears there a while to go

yet until it pays out. Our economics correspondent Sarah

Dickins is here. George Osborne says the recovery is underway. We feeling

it in Wales but like those figures that George Osborne use today were

averages across the UK. We also know that the south-east of England and

London in particular is very hot. There is a lot of business activity

going on there. That is skewing the figures across the UK. What we do

know is looking at the figures up until now and we will get an update

next week, up until now the value of the goods and services you and I and

everyone else create in Wales per person is only 75% of the UK

average. That makes us the weakest part of the UK. Next week we will

know them all recites figures. Really, what we need to know is what

is happening in Wales not the UK average before we can feel

optimistic. He said the pain had to continue for a while. His message

is, this is working but we need to do more. We know that a 4000 more

people working in Wales now than there was a year ago. That is good

but at the same time we know that benefits are only going to go up I

want percent whereas inflation is 2%. Half the rate of inflation. In

Wales we have a lot of people who are claiming benefits or a tax cut.

One in five of us are. That is going to be felt in communities. In

England, they had the big cuts in local authorities councils but we

have still got that to come. We don't know how that is going to

impact on jobs and spending in our communities. Thank you very much.

You're watching Wales Today, a reminder of our top story. Caught up

in the floods. A storm hits the North Wales coast causing major

disruption. Derek will have the latest forecast for you later.

Life-saving incubators are being installed across the Wales Air

Ambulance fleet for the first time, making sure seriously ill infants

get the critical care they need by air. The portable babypods have been

added to the kit after a donation from one family in Aberystwyth

who've had to rely on the service. Our reporter Charlotte Dubenskij has

been to meet them. Three-year-old Elain is no stranger

to flying in the skies. She was 12 weeks old when she was first flown

to Cardiff from emergency treatment. At the time she had to be carried in

her mother 's arms. Now, thanks to fundraising by her family, Wales air

ambulance service has been able to buy a babypod to carry sick infants.

The introduction of these will make a difference. We fry something like

400 children a year, possibly about 10% of those eligible to fly in the

babypod. Up until now a lot of sick children had to go in a Sea King

helicopter or by road. This babypod is fit with shock absorbers. There

is a thermal pad to keep the info is warm and transparent lid allows

paramedics to the child during the flight. They can be fitted within

minutes. Saving vital time in an emergency. Elain's family have

raised ?75,000 for a number of good causes. But they say the Wales air

ambulance service remains close to their Hearts. It is vital that

continues in these areas. There are a lot of rule areas in Wales, often

inaccessible. Especially when it is bad weather and the roads are not

great. I just think they rely solely on donations. They say they will

continue with their effort to keep helping others sick children in

Wales. More screening is to be offered at a

Llanelli school after a member of staff and three pupils were

diagnosed with tuberculosis. A total of 224 pupils and 80 staff at Ysgol

y Strade comprehensive are to be offered the TB testing. Public

Health Wales say they don't believe there's any ongoing risk at the

school. The former chief executive of the

All Wales Ethnic Minority Association, AWEMA, has pleaded not

guilty to three charges of fraud. Naz Malik is accused of claiming

more than ?16,000 from the now defunct charity. He'll appear again

before Swansea Crown Court later this month.

Gwent Police say two of the people who were arrested in relation to the

Kyle Vaughan murder investigation, have been released with no further

action. 24-year-old Kyle Vaughan from Newbridge disappeared just

before New Year's Eve last year. Two men, from Blackwood, who were

arrested on suspicion of murder, have now had their bail extended

until April next year. Back now to the Chancellor's Autumn

Statement and what it means for us in Wales. A little more money for

the Welsh Government and big changes to pensions. Our parliamentary

correspondent, David Cornock, is in Westminster.

Let's start on those pension changes. With me at two MPs, one of

whom has discovered he will have to work until he is 68 and another one

who is already beyond that age. Glyn Davies, you have chosen to work

until you are 69 that they will be some of your constituents who don't

want to work that long before they get a basic pension. If we live

longer and we are doing, it is inevitable that if we add to keep

some control of the economy we have to raise the retirement age, the

pension age in line with the extent to which life expectancy is

raising. With the Labour government support these changes and raise the

increase? You started after all. We did and we had to recognise we are

all living longer and we have to recognise that pensions have to be

affordable. But we have to do this fairly, we often make sure people

have got notice on these changes. We have also got to, as a is closer to

the point at which we do this, we are to be mindful of the fact some

people won't be able to work that long. People who are doing and some

people will need to have other provision for them. We need to look

at it very carefully. I have got some concerns about it and we need

to see how the conservatives implemented. Let's look at the wider

economy. The Chancellor is saying things are going very well, the

economy is growing but in parts of Wales it does feel like that. In

parts of Britain it is tough going. We had the statement today that is

better than we expected. It is a lot better. The Chancellor's message

was, steady as she goes. We have got a lot of work to do, many tough

decisions to be taken. More cuts to come? Yes, unfortunately. The

Chancellor has told as it is born of the same to stop it is great we have

more growth in the economy but it is about 2.5%. The Chancellor told as

it was going to be 8%. America is growing at 6%, Germany is growing at

4.5%. Thank you both very much indeed. That is how it is looking in

Westminster tonight. The chairman of Cardiff City says

there's currently no-one on the club's board with a "football

brain". Mehmet Dalman, who's an investment banker from London, told

a conference that he's looking for someone with football credentials to

become a director. Dalman's already introduced changes to the way the

club is governed in a bid to reassure manager Malky Mackay after

his Head of Recruitment was dismissed by Malaysian owner,

Vincent Tan. If you look at our board today, it would be nice body

who understood football. Can you imagine the board of a bank or did

not understand finance? We have a board that does not have a foot ball

brain. We need to find somebody. We are going to be talking about

finance going forward. We need to find some body with a financial

background the path for myself because we needed independent

financial advice. The board should be that and each person will look

way beyond the next 12 months. The club. We will support the manager

wholeheartedly in establishing the best team we can. Within the last

half an hour, English clubs have three confirmed they won't take part

in the next season 's Heineken Cup. The unions of Wales, France,

Ireland, Scotland and Italy have said they are committed to a joint

competition. The Welsh regions have previously said they would prefer to

join English clubs in a new tool at. -- tournament.

A new partly-synthetic pitch could be installed at the Millennium

Stadium in the next 12 months. The playing surface was criticised again

during the recent Autumn Internationals. The Welsh Rugby

Union says they'd like to replace it with a new pitch, similar to those

at Cardiff City and Swansea City, with both grass and artificial

fibres. It will cost more than ?3million to install and could be

used for football as well as rugby. Lions hooker Richard Hibbard is the

latest player who's preparing to leave Wales. He's being linked with

a move to Gloucester in the summer, even though he's got another year

left on his contract with the Ospreys.

There's not long to go until this year's BBC Cymru Wales Sports

Personality of the Year is crowned. It all happens on Monday and your

vote will help decide the winner. There are five candidates to choose

from - Gareth Bale, Leigh Halfpenny, Aled Sion Davies, Becky James and

Non Stanford. We've been taking a close look at them and tonight, it's

the turn of Becky James. Bethan Clement reports.

At the Track World Championships, Becky James came the first Briton to

win four medals at the event. She has got the speed, the world title

at stake. Becky James is going to do it, she is the champion of the

world. She won two golds. She finished the year ranked number one

in the world. To vote for your favourite sports personality.

This year we have text voting as well. You can text the surname of

your choice. And all will be revealed on Monday.

Back to our top story now. Storms have battered parts of Wales.

Derek's back, so how's the next few hours looking?

I think the worst is over. There are no longer any flood warnings in

force just to lower-level alerts, one in Swansea Bay and on the Gower

Peninsula. The highest gust recorded today were 77 mph in Capel Curig. 53

mph at village Mac. The reason for the gales is this deep area of low

pressure which is over Sweden. The next 24-hour, the wind will drop

with much lighter winds tomorrow. A calm evening and night. There will

be a few showers around mainly in the north, parts of mid Wales and

Monmouthshire. Wintry in the higher ground. Otherwise dry and cold

nights, temperatures inland falling close to freezing. That means a

slight frost and also a few icy patches in the east. Here is the

picture for eight o'clock in the morning. Much calmer than today.

Watch out for ice in the north-east. A few showers likely in Deeside.

Elsewhere cold but dry. The sky clear in some places and less cold

in the south-west. A better day to come tomorrow, you might catch a

shower but a Fenerbahce of places will miss those and stay dry. 20 of

cloud, who . On the north coast tomorrow, much calmer than today but

it would not rule out a few showers. Otherwise dry, lighter winds with a

high of seven Celsius in Rhyl. Tomorrow night drive. They will be a

few showers around. As for the weekend, mostly cloudy, a few spot

of light rain and drizzle. Some drier weather as well and turning

milder stop no side of any more storms out goes the next week. Our

picture tonight is the Irish Sea. The wind Easington night with a much

calmer day. -- the wind Easington night.

What is the latest from Rhyl? This part of Rhyl are still plunged into

darkness, the distiller and it just too. I am joined by Tim Jones from

Natural Resources Wales. We know now the tide has receded but we got

another one coming up between midnight and one o'clock in the

morning. We are working closely with the local authorities in this area.

We need to make sure we have looked at any problems they might have in

the coastal defences and to deal with those before we have the next

high tide. We seem to have lost that connection. The wintry weather

playing havoc with our satellite connection. One of the worst

affected areas was Rhyl. 400 people had to be taken to a temporary

shelter. RNLI crews have had to rescue people from their own homes.

Cars have been stuck in flooded streets as we have been seen. Rows

have been closed and rain services cancelled. Don't forget that is

updated at eight o'clock. Would have the latest on those floats and that

extended weather forecast after the BBC News at ten o'clock. Don't

forget our website as well. That is it. Good evening.