25/11/2011 Look East - East

Hello. Welcome to Look East. On the programme tonight, Network Rail in

the dock over the deaths of two girls at a level crossing in Essex.

As the case heads for the courts, I talk to the families of the victims.

The horrible emptiness left by the absence of our daughters doesn't

change, and we miss them as desperately now as we ever did.

Also tonight, too much Christmas spirit, say the experts, as are

high-strength lager goes on sale for 50p a can.

And are disappearing wilderness on top of the world. The Cambridge

research at sea change -- looking Hello. Bosses of Britain's railway

tracks are to be taken to court following the death of two teenage

girls at a level crossing in Essex. Families of the girls welcomed the

move, saying it was right Network Rail was brought to account.

Charlotte Thompson and Olivia Bazlinton were killed on the level

crossing almost exactly six years ago. Following an investigation the

next year, it was described, the risk assessment was described

before the accident as substantially flawed. In August

2006, safety at the station was improved, with a pedestrian gate

which would lock. In March this year, the regulator reopened the

inquiry. Today, it confirmed it was taking Network Rail to court. Let's

go to Elsenham and Kim Riley. Perhaps, for people looking in who

don't know the area, let's show you where we are. Elsenham is a village

quite close to Stansted airport and there are rail links directly into

the airport from here to Liverpool Street and up to Cambridge. It is

hard for me to believe that it was six years ago I was standing in

almost this very spot, talking about a tragedy which had removed

people, and it wasn't until developments earlier this year that

the family's actually felt they were beginning to get to the truth.

They were two vivacious young girls with everything to live for, 13-

year-old Charlotte Thompson and her 14-year-old friend, Olivia

Bazlinton. On the crossing, red lights were flashing and the alarm

sounding as a train pulled in. The girls wanted to catch it. They

opened the gate and began to cross the line, not seeing a Stansted

bound train hurtling towards them at 70 mph. After the coroner and an

inquest jury visited the level crossing in January 2007, a verdict

of accidental death was returned, but it is now clear that the jury

and previous inquiries had been denied access to key documents

including a report from a level crossing standards manager in 2001,

which O'Rourke -- which warned that the risk of disaster was real,

recommending that Railtrack built a tunnel or footbridge to avoid

catastrophe. These days, the pedestrian gates lock when a train

is approaching. Other improvements had been made, including a

pedestrian bridge over the line. But it is all too late for Olivia

and Charlotte. Today, the Office of Rail

Regulation said, after studying these reports, which had not been

revealed earlier, it had concluded there was enough evidence to bring

criminal proceedings against Network Rail for serious breaches

of health and safety law, and it believed that was in the public

interest. In a statement, Sir David Higgins, chief executive of Network

Rail, said, since the tragedy, it has updated assessment of its 7000

crossings, improved safety management and safety itself and

closed 500 crossings altogether. He says, when it comes to safety, we

will never be complacent. Legal papers were lodged today with

Chelmsford magistrates and we expect the first hearing to be held

at the end of January. This afternoon, I went to Elsenham

to speak to the families of the two girls. Olivia's parents, Tina and

Chris, and Reg Thompson, who still finds it difficult cross this track.

Six years after the crash, the scars are still raw.

My wife doesn't come here at all. And the passage of time... I don't

know. One gets used to it, but the horrible emptiness left by the

absence of our daughters doesn't change, and we miss them as

desperately now as we ever did. Tina, it is one thing having this

legal action but, actually, it doesn't bring your daughter back,

does it? No, nothing will ever bring her back, but what we can do

is hopefully try and get Network Rail to change the way that they

managed risk at crossings, which will avoid this sort of thing

happening to other families. When it gets to court, what do you want

Network Rail to do? I want them to plead guilty. I don't want any more

of their posturing and pretending that it was unintentional that

documents were withheld, defending an indefensible case against the

civil case that we took against them, when all along they knew how

risky the crossing was at Elsenham. They wasted huge amounts of money,

hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money defending the case,

and I would rather that money was spent on making improvements to

level crossings. The Chris, do you believe that somebody, somewhere,

made a conscious decision to cover up the recommendations that were

made before your daughter was killed? Before she was killed? I'm

not sure about that. I think there probably was incompetence, that the

concerns didn't get through to the right people, but I think, after

the event, I'm pretty sure it was covered up. I can't prove it, but

the evidence seems overwhelming. Why did the two most important

documents go missing and they have only just come out? I believe there

was a cover-up after the event. Since the accident, Network Rail

has stated publicly that Olivia and Charlie were responsible for their

own deaths, but it was their irresponsible actions that led to

this tragedy, and now it will be proven beyond any reasonable doubt

that it was the fault of Network Rail, their negligence and

incompetence and inability to act upon their own advice, which was

given time and again since 1999. I want them to say publicly that the

girls were not responsible. You were nodding as he said that.

What do you think of an organisation that can do something

like that to grieving families and parents? I don't think they really

care too much. I mean, there are people in there who care very, very

much but, corporately, I don't think they care. I would go along

with that, too. It is really difficult to sort of imagine how

people can behave like that, but they have done. There have been

people in there who, you know, whose attitude seems to be, well,

it was in the past, it is one of those things, things went wrong.

Even the trade press has been like that, the rail trade press. I think

it is appalling. Of course, what went wrong cost you your daughter.

Absolutely, yeah, and it mustn't ever happen again.

The parents of Charlotte Thompson and Olivia Bazlinton, speaking to

me earlier today. A still to come, the supermarket

under fire for its cut-price drinks offer.

And I will be telling you how the weekend is going to shake up. Do we

get any rain or do we get sunshine? -- how the weekend is going to

shape up. Parents across the region still

don't know what is happening next week during the public sector

strike. We know many schools will close, but which ones? Victoria

Cook has been checking. In Essex and Suffolk, local

authorities still don't know which schools will close. They are

waiting for confirmation but they don't expect to get it until Monday.

In Norfolk, it is different. There are 430 schools in the county. They

have only heard from 28 that they are definitely going to close. They

think that number could increase to two thirds of the schools, over 300

schools in the county closed. Earlier, I spoke to in Norfolk

mother who is facing an unusual situation. I have two daughters in

the county school. One of them has got to go to school and the other

hasn't, although it is the same school. It is a difficult position

for me. I have taken the day off work. I think it is madness.

What to the unions say? I spoke to the NUT earlier. Even

they are not sure what -- which of their members are going to strike

next week. This will have a big impact on businesses. If children

can't go to school, parents will have to take the day off. I spoke

to Arriva Buses. They say, if they don't get their employees into work,

they will have to have a reduced service. We will find out more

about how it will affect everyone next week. We will keep everybody

up-to-date on this programme and on our BBC local radio services, who

always to an important job during something like this.

A 22-year-old man has been convicted of raping an Essex

University student three years ago. Lawrence Button, a former care from

Colchester, didn't know his victim. He was caught after his DNA was

flagged on a national database. The James Paget Hospital in

Gorleston has been issued with another formal warning over record

keeping and people work. The inspection by the Care Quality

Commission found that systems had been put in place to tackle a

previous problem with nutrition but those systems were not working as

well as they should be. Earlier, I asked Francis Carey from the CQC to

explain what they found. Despite putting on additional staff

to help at mealtimes, some of those staff didn't seem to know what they

were there for or what their role was. Some award lists were

inaccurate. Without the additional assessments which were inaccurate.

We observed a patient who had Emile placed in front of them and removed

90 minutes later, untouched. -- who had a meal. The effort hasn't led

to the desired consequence. could say it was pointless. As it

addressed the nutritional problems you're identified? We certainly saw

some improvement. On one of the wards, we observed very good

practice. The systems of practice have put in place have worked on

one ward. The question is, why hasn't put been followed on the

other two wards and why didn't they pick that up themselves? This is

not the first or second a warning that the hospital has had. You have

to wonder whether these warnings are effective. Certainly, the trust

had responded to the initial warning notice. The second warning

is on a different element, obviously still related to

nutrition, because that is where it started... From the public's point

of view, they look at the Care Quality Commission as the body that

will make sure they hospital is saved and addressing everything

they need as a patient. How much longer will you let the hospital go

on receiving warnings? We have enforcement powers but we have to

balance the risk. If we decided to remove the capacity to admit new

patients to that board until it was sorted out, we have to balance the

risk of reducing bed capacity. -- to that award. We have tried to bid

for shirt but we certainly do have teeth.

In response, the hospital says, over the past month, it has put a

lot of effort into streamlining its paperwork. They have been

encouraging patients to tell them about any problems.

Last week Arsenal, tomorrow Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League

for Norwich. Another of the newly promoted sides. Despite taking the

blame for Arsenal's winner, Russell Martin should retain his place in

the side. QPR will be without their captain Joey Barton, who's

suspended. Even though we beat them last year drew away, we have to try

and get the have them. They have come on leaps and bounds. They beat

Chelsea not that long ago. It is a really, really hard game. We will

give everything we have got. Ipswich play Reading tomorrow. Town

are currently on their worst run since Paul Jewell became manager,

losing their last four games. It's almost four years since Marcus

Evans became owner of the club. The ambition - a return to the Premier

League. Let's go back to December All round, this is a bright day for

Ipswich football club. We can kick on and realise our dreams about

promotion. Colossal expectation. Inevitably so. Marcus Evans, was,

still is, up one of Britain's richest men. Four years on, are

Ipswich any closer to bring premier-league football back to

Portman Road? Has any progress being made? I think so. Marcus has

said he is in for the long term. We have been particularly talking

about putting the building blocks in place to ensure that we can

achieve promotion to the Premier League at the earliest opportunity.

On the completion of Marcus Evans' champion -- takeover, the team was

six. They are now 16th. They are �34 million worse off. Debts have

doubled to �66 million. The debt is owned by the owner to himself. It

is an inter-company debt. His enthusiasm for this club has not

wavered one iota. That has been devastated in terms of the signings

we have made over the summer. George has won 17 of his 41 against

it in charge. A win percentage of 41 %. That is better than his two

predecessors. He's got a vision like I have, a long-term vision of.

It is easy to change, and it is easy to make rash decisions. But I

don't think he does. I am very comfortable with the relationship

that me and him have. In my opinion, Ipswich Town football club is in a

mess. I feel sorry for Marcus Evans. He would expect to be in the

Premier League by now, as an ambitious businessman. It has not

rely happening. All 24 Championship clubs meet next year it to cut

costs, and hopefully break even. For Ipswich, it is a work-in-

progress. The fans will need to be patient. In League One, an

important game for Colchester tomorrow, and their boss John Ward.

The U's head to Carlisle, off the back of last week's heavy loss to

MK Dons, which led to certain sections of the U's support booing

the manager. For Southend.. The run goes on. Unbeaten in 15 and top of

League Two heading into their game with Bristol Rovers. In Formula 1,

Norfolk-based Team Lotus will compete under their current name

for the last time at the Brazilian Grand Prix this weekend. From next

season they'll be called Caterham after losing a legal battle with

Lotus Renault. That's it .. Plenty more on the website. There's

highlights of all the football, on Saturday night on BBC One. Coverage

as always on your local BBC Radio The Christmas party season is

almost upon us, and some people will be stocking up on their

favourite tipple. But just take a look at this 24 cans of premium

strength lager. The price? �12, which works out at a very merry 50

pence a can. We have only borrowed these, and someone has opened one!

But not everybody is saying cheers. Campaigners say cut price deals

like that will only encourage people to drink heavily, and could

lead to serious illness. This I do not normally buy lager from

the supermarket, but we all like a bargain. This offer to entice

people into their stores is a real bargain. Special purchase. �24 for

-- 24 cans for 12 pounds. I asked shoppers ith Baker guess how much.

One pound 20? Lower? 50 p is the right answer. It should be more. It

is very irresponsible. No one could believe that the price.

Particularly this man, a specialist at the local hospital. People with

liver disease great -- disease are getting younger and younger.

youngest woman I have treated was 19. We regularly see women at their

mid-twenties. It is simply due to her one thing, drinking. If they

can't stop drinking? The outcome is very poor. At this service in

Norfolk, they see the effect alcohol abuse can cause, and they

are horrified by supermarkets selling lager below cost price.

wish people good come and meet some of the clients that we work with

and hear their stories. I think they did change their minds. Stella

Artois is brewed by a Belgian company who have their trading

No one from Tesco was available to comment, but a spokesman did say

that if the company were to take action, then all the other

supermarkets money to the same. Tesco also point out that this is a

matter on which the government needs to take a lead. But who is

going to vote for a party that is going to ban the sale of cheap

If you are watching us in Spain tonight, hola! And if you are

watching in Greenland, Janine has a message for us... In Inuit!

Unfortunately I can't manage that. But I know a man who can. He is a

researcher from Cambridge called Stephen Leonard. He has just spent

a year with a remote Inuit community. His mission was to

preserve their language before it disappeared. Dogs for will

transport, hunter-gatherers. The only ones left living the old way.

In a remote part of green land, a researcher, learning their language.

There is also a lot -- an awful lot of knowledge in these languages.

Most of the languages in the world today are not written languages. A

language dies out once every two weeks. At the same time, we use the

It has been written down. Now Stephen is demonstrating. SPEAKS

INUIT Maybe I can tell you about the time that I met a polar bear.

Before the polar visit, I had never been seen storms this unforgiving.

He has documented their language, but it has two huge threats.

Climate and outside cultures. spoken by 770 people. It is not

widely heard elsewhere in green land. I want to get there before

the sea ice disappears completely. The culture may change as well.

think that is the first time we have that anyone speaking Inuit on

We may have missed Stir-up Sunday last week, but there's still time

to make your own Christmas pudding if you want to. It's not as

difficult as you might think. If you fancy having a go, grab a pen.

Toby Milligan lives at Potton in Bedfordshire. He's 15 years old,

and makes a mean pudding, using a recipe handed down from his

grandmother. And it's being sold in delis across the region. Here he is.

Hello. I Tantobie, and I am going to be showing you the secret of my

Christmas pudding -- puddings. This Christmas pudding -- puddings. This

is the key. To this, we add breadcrumbs. A measure of soft

brown sugars, and some plain flour. The recipe has origins with my

great grandmother. It is a key part of the family at Christmas. An

integral part of the pudding is the spices that go into the pudding.

Now we have added the spices, we are going too quickly mix it in,

and we are going to add the zest of an orange and a lemon. Another key

part of a Chris Massey flavour. We are going too quickly add the eggs

into the all-important barley wine and stout mixture. Here I am mixing

in the stout, barley wines and eggs. The puddings were eventually --

really made for family and friends. This year, I decided to contact two

local shops, and they have been very interested, and they are

actually buying it, and it has been a fantastic success. So I just

added in the wet mixture into the dry now, and the smell is starting

to make me feel Christmas the! It is only November! Now that has been

mixed in, we are going to work in some of the brandy. There does not

matter how much you put in. The more the better! We can tap -- has

the mixtures with the right constituents -- consistency. If it

peels off like that, it is perfect. It is then left to mature overnight

to bring out the Chris Massey flavours. Then, the pudding is then

heaped into a bowl and left for eight hours. Here's one that I

made! I have always wanted to say Talking about Christmas... Liberal

on out of brandy! Are talking about Christmas, we are almost there, not

quite. We had snow this time last year, but today it has been a

glorious day! We like this at the moment. My central heating bills to.

moment. My central heating bills to. It is going to stay mild for a few

days. The weekend is a Liberal staying dry with sunny spells. What

is not like about that? It back the temperatures are higher than normal

because even though that has passed, it will be a westerly wind, because

that -- and it is going to be a good thing, because the tides are

quite high. What happens normally is that the water -- the weather

can help or hinder that problem. It is definitely a benefit, and it

should ease the problem. For the cloud satellite picture, it has

been very fragmented today. Just capable of producing a shower

across Norfolk for a time, but everywhere else, fine and dry this

weekend. Not as cold as it might be. The breeze will stop we getting too

cold. Nearer five or six along the north Norfolk coast. Quite a lot of

bright weather, especially to begin with. A chilly start, of course.

Then something, high cloud. The sunshine will be fairly hazy.

Otherwise, a fairly dry day, and tempers up to 10 or 11 Celsius in

many places. They may just be the hint of rain in thicker, high-level

clout. That will not amount to much. There it all goes, and then it will

be fine weather through the night. Just a patch or two of rain, as

another front comes past, and you can see quite changeable weather

the next few days. Quite windy weather as well. But he does --

helps to keep the temperature up. Patchy cloud on Monday, and then