02/04/2012 Look East - East

Good evening. Coming up, a narrow escape for people in the street

after a gas explosion shatters the buildings. It is amazing that there

was not anybody fatally killed in this incident. The people who came

from the top floor have been very lucky. It is the driest spell for

100 years. A hosepipe ban comes into force this street but who will

pay it? Well people observed it? think they will. How can you police

it? The detective who led the Suffolk murders inquiry reveals

that he spent five hours a day briefing the media.

And 30 years after the war, Lord Tebbit says he is doubtful but

Britain could regain the Falklands again. -- that Britain.

Fire crews in Essex said today it was a miracle that no one was

killed when a gas explosion shattered a three-storey house in

Clacton. It happened at 2:30am this morning.

One of the people inside said it sounded like the house had been hit

by a plane. The building is divided into three flats and amazingly all

six people inside survived. 60 other people who lived nearby had

to leave their homes. Emergency services are praising a sniffer dog

who found one man buried under rubble.

Countless people have come pass to look at the aftermath. All of them

staggered that no one was killed, especially when you hear that two

young children were involved. You can still see some of their toys

hanging on the bedroom wall. It is clear that this could have been

worse. A building torn apart in a split-second. This was how the

property looked before the blast. By this morning, all that was

standing was a shell. And only just. Richard is a tenant next door, and

he was woken by the explosion. heard them screaming for help. I

heard a child in there. There were people who wanted to help but we

could not because of the gas. force of the gas explosion, it is

immense. The pressure built up will push the windows out. The house was

divided into three flats. This man was in one of them with his

pregnant wife and their children. He said they were woken by a bang

and then everything was sent flying. My wife was on the bed, with

timbers on her. I tried to pull her out and move the family to the

safety of my neighbours. I thought a plane had crashed. I did not know

what had happened. They were rescued from a rooftop and taken to

hospital with two other tenants, one a woman in her eighties who was

badly burned and subsequently transferred to the burns unit.

Another tenant was trapped under rubble for 90 minutes, and

eventually found by this rescue dog. Amazingly, this was Kirby's first

dog -- first job. It brought a lump to my throat to see him the chief.

-- see him achieve. It can be ups and downs. It is highs and lows. It

is masses of training and it was lovely to see it come together.

Late this afternoon, with demolition work underway, the

operator of this mighty digger had to demonstrate a delicate touch as

another survivor emerged. The pet hamster, retrieved from the

wreckage shaken but otherwise unhurt.

To update due, the man you saw in that report is OK and his wife has

been released from hospital. The baby is fine and their two children

are in hospital but said to be stable. The man trapped under

rubble is stable and the woman who was badly burned is being treated

in hospital. Retailers are reporting a big

increase in the sales of water butts as gardeners get ready to

dash for the hosepipe ban. The restrictions come into place this

Thursday. Other companies could still follow suit. That would mean

that darkness across the region will be going into Easter in

drought conditions. I will be talking to Anglian Water after this.

It is something we have taken for granted but in three days, many of

us will have to turn off our hosepipes for some time. Will

people flout the ban? Yes, probably. What should happen? I think it will

happen. How could you police it? It is very difficult. We have water

butts, but you have to prove you were using a hose. I do not think I

would police it. Will people observed it? He yes. I think they

will. This company sells water butts. Sales have gone through the

roof, they say. Sales have increased dramatically. Now that

the hosepipe ban is imminent, people are realising that they need

water butts. Gardens with less water mean worrying times for what

life organisations. The drought is worrying. Wild birds need water in

the countryside and in the garden. Garden birds need water to drink

and they then, and the water provide their food. -- provides

their food. It also waters the plants and attracts interest --

attract insects. The Easter holidays, a time where we start

thinking about our gardens, but will we obey the rules? What will

happen if we do not? Many questions. Kieran Nelson is

from Anglian Water. What happens if you get caught using your hosepipe?

We can find people up to �1,000 but we're confident that based on the

water efficient behaviour of our customers we will not need to reach

for that Leaver. We know our customers have embraced water takes

-- embraced water-saving methods. 90,000 of them have had water

efficient devices fitted. But the sanction need to be there because

the most important thing we can do is save water. We have not had rain

and so we need to do what we can. How are you going to catch them?

have 4000 staff working in and around our region. They will be

working, going about, doing their jobs. We talk to thousands of

customers on a regular basis and we will be reminding them why we are

having a hosepipe ban. And why we have reached the stage, how the

drought has affected us. Sorry to interrupt, but we heard you would

be pumping water from the places with a hosepipe ban in two places

that do not have a hosepipe ban. That seems to fly in the face of

logic. That is an environment agency scheme, not our scheme.

Bowater they're talking about his water that would otherwise go into

the sea and be unusable. We have taken out of the river all the

water that we can either. Get to that stage. At that point, it is

appropriate for the water to be re- used in other parts of the country.

Why don't you take it out before it goes? We take what we are licensed

to take. We take that to reservoirs. We have been doing that

successfully over the winter thanks to the drought orders. Ciaran

Nelson, thank you very much. Nelson, thank you very much.

So what we need is rain. Any on the way?

The good news is that yes, there is. And some snow, possibly, too. I

will have all the details later. Plus some interesting facts and

Some newspaper coverage of the Suffolk murders has been criticised

today for being unhelpful and sensationalist. The remarks were

made by Stewart Gull, a former senior officer with the police in

Suffolk. He told the Leveson Inquiry that some reports raise the

level of fear in the community. For six weeks, it's which was at

the centre of one of Britain's biggest manhunts. Five women

working as prostitutes taken from the streets and killed by Steve

Wright, who was jailed for life in 2008. Stewart Gull led the

investigation and reveals to the Leveson Inquiry house

sensationalist headlines wasted valuable police time. "Suffered

gripper rampages, he kills them and stores them, dumping them in the

dark." It was an unnecessary distraction. I had to spend

considerable time correcting the media, telling them that I was not

interested in a blue BMW. Local newspapers started a somebody's

daughter campaign, but the tabloid approach was something else.

witness some appalling journalism. -- I witnessed. Including

journalists barging into a centre and try to take photographs of

women we were helping get off the streets. There was a bidding

process with some newspapers, the women were saying they could get

�1,000 of them, or �500 off them. It was difficult at that time

because we were trying to get women of drugs. He describes tabloid

journalists as morally corrupt but this journalist says it is too easy

for the Leveson Inquiry to absorb evidence and forget the context. He

says the investigation was sensational and so the coverage was

sensational. During one media conference, the word went around

that another body had been found, which was bound to lead to picket

lines. -- big headlines. Suffix Fire and

Rescue have demonstrated their new breathing apparatus. The kit has

cost �3,000 -- �300,000 and uses the latest technology.

This is a training exercise in Ipswich. There is a building full

smock and two people are unaccounted for. Blue watch and

using new breathing apparatus. have the ability that it is future-

proof, so we can add telemetry and monitor remotely the conditions

that our firefighters are experiencing, and also their

breeding rates and how much air they have left. For �300,000, but

it is not cheap. -- the kit. It is important we make sure we spend our

money on the most important things. Making sure firefighters have fresh

air available to them when they are in burning buildings, it does not

get much more important than that. Firefighters can find themselves

working in smoke-filled, pitch black buildings at temperatures of

up to 600 Celsius. You hearing is reduced,... I cannot see a thing.

Your vision is impaired because of the darkness. You rely on your

other senses. The training exercise was a success and for firefighters,

breathing apparatus is vitally important. Suffolk Fire and rescue

think they now have the best money can buy.

The union which represents baggage handlers at Stansted airport says

it will attend talks this week aimed at averting a potential

Strycova Easter. The GMB union is going to ACAS about its dispute

with its employer over pay. -- potential strike over Easter.

Unions have voted overwhelmingly for strike action.

Sport, and the next weekend for our teams.

-- A next weekend. Paul Lambert has have betted it was a slow start for

Fulham. -- has admitted. Damien Duff made it two shortly after this

goal from Dempsey. It was six Nell seven years ago, a result that

relegated the Canaries. Wilbraham got a consolation goal in the

second half. -- 6-Nell seven years ago.

Saturday's game will be resent -- remembered for celebrations to mark

the 50th anniversary of a championship-winning side. Six

members of the team were there and the stand was renamed in honour of

their legendary manager. The view from the touchline was altered. Sir

Bobby Robson has been to the left for some time but Sir Alf has come

to join them. The new stand represents a wonderful period of

the team's history. I was looking for the right opportunity. I could

not think of anyone better than the group of 1961 and 1962 to actually

fulfil the honour on behalf of the club, renaming it after their

manager. I have engaged with Sir Alf Ramsey's widow, and she has

been very happy that her husband has been recognised. For those who

remember what he did for the club, Saturday's unveiling was about time.

It is a long time coming. It has been bandied about for many years.

It has finally arrived. Good timing. Six members of that winning team

were present on Saturday for Ipswich's game with Barnsley. An

appreciative crowd applauded them across the pitch. When they took to

their seats, the Ipswich players showed their respect with a gesture

of their own. The day was rounded off by a win for Ipswich Town. It

was not the prettiest of spectacles but the 1-0 win insured a good

start to Sir Alf's view. In League One, A6 draw in seven

seems to have ended Colchester's play-off hopes. An own goal lead

and 10 for the table. Southend are two points of the promotion spot.

Goals from Ferdinand, and Freddie Eastwood's first since rejoining

the club. The Blues and a much- needed win.

Late Kick Off returns to its regular time of 11 or 5:00pm

tonight on BBC One. There is a special report of how clubs in the

region are fighting to fill stadiums during tough economic

times. In golf, Charlie Hall from Wogan

has been picked for a tournament which sees the top amateurs from

Britain and Ireland take on American counterparts. She was

initially left out of the team but she has now been included in the

matches in June. Labour has become the first main

political party to launch its campaign for the local elections

this year. Ed Miliband told supporters that only Labour is in

touch with the real concerns of people.

Polling day is May 3rd but this year voting is taking place in 19

other local councils. -- 19 of our local councils. Most

parts of the region will not be voting but there could be some

interesting battles. This is where elections are being held. Cambridge

is the only Liberal Democrat run council left in the region and Mike

lose it this time. The Labour authorities of Ipswich and

Stevenage, in Norwich, Colchester and Milton Keynes, all in no

overall control but they could change colour. And then there are

all these Conservative councils, most of them with big Tory

majorities. Harlow was worth watching, that is where Labour

chose to launch their regional election campaign. The rosettes are

back. The door knocking his back. And so are the photo-opportunities.

Today, Liam Byrne, Shadow Work and Pensions Minister, who famously

left a note saying there was no money left in the Treasury, dropped

into a house meeting of Labour activists and residence in his home

town. Ed Miliband is talking about how we need to protect frontline

policing. Labour wants to focus his campaign on the impact that the

Government's policies are having a local communities. Today, it

claimed to 1000 frontline police officers will be lost in the region

by 2015. If you have anti-social behaviour or vandalism in the

community, that is not a national issue, that is something outside

your front door. The Government is proposing a step in the wrong

direction. Where would you cut instead? We have said that

efficiencies have got to be made but that we agree with the her

Majesty's -- with her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary that

if you make cuts of 12%, you can protect the front line. They are

just one seat behind the Conservatives in Harlow. Norwich

and Cambridge are also major targets. The party is taking

nothing for granted. It took control of Ipswich last year but

did not win as many sheets in the region as it had hoped. -- win as

many seats. Last time these seats were up for

grabs, it was 2008 and Gordon Brown was Prime Minister. We were about

to go into recession and Labour did badly. In theory, this should be a

good year but in politics, there is never any guarantee.

Lord Tebbit told Look East a day that he doubted whether Britain

could mount another Falklands style military campaign. He was speaking

at his home in Suffolk on the 30th anniversary of the conflict. The

anniversary today has brought memories flooding back for

everybody who was there including many servicemen and women from this

region. Fighting with a net, with jet

aircraft flying over. -- fighting with Dale nets. The word I used to

is that I was absolutely petrified. Mark recently returned to the

Falklands to retrace his first trek across the island as a paratrooper

30 years ago. It looks very benign now. There are sheep wandering

around. It was quite so real. It was fantastic to go back. -- quite

surreal. It is hard to picture that that was the same place. The Battle

of Goose Green was one of the fiercest of the conflict. One of

these Argentinian complex has become a memento of war. --

Argentinian helmets. I picked this up on the hill. A Chris was pens to

the ground in one point. His 30 men against 350 Argentinians. -- at one

point Chris was pinned to the ground. I said, if you get out of

this, I will believe in You forever more. They had attacked us, and we

shot them to bits. But they did come for an attack and kudos to

them. Do you still have faith? Because of that? Yes.

turnaround was extraordinary. From his home in Suffolk, former Essex

MP Lord Tebbit says that defence cuts have curtailed our ability to

mount a similar campaign. defences -- the consensus is that

if the islands were to now be taken, we would not have the ability to

take them back from the invaders. We lack the aircraft and the

surface fleet to do so. Weakness invites aggression. Week people do

not pick fights with big, strong people. Big, strong people pick

fights with little guys. We must not get ourselves into the position

of being a little guy. For now, the islands are secure. One veteran

told me that the Falklands may well have been Britain's last Imperial

War. For many, it will be hard to

believe it was 30 years ago. Did you take part in any way? If you

you take part in any way? If you did, we would love to hear from you.

First, congratulations to everybody that took part in the Olympic Park

run at the weekend. Some of you describe it as the best day of your

lives. Some of our presenters to part. And some famous Olympic Games

from our region including Sally It is all about having fun and

enjoyment. Two miles left. Only one mile to go. Come on, Jonathan!

it. -- let's do it. This man was such a motivation. I kept seeing

his legs in front of me, sparing me on. Did we win? Absolutely stunning.

I cannot believe I was able to run around the track with a top

athletes. That really makes me feel athletes. That really makes me feel

good. It is the taking part that counts, Jonathan! What an amazing

experience. And it was the last day of March. Looking back, March was

very warm. In fact, maximum daytime temperatures were three degrees

above where they should be for the time of year, above the average.

The highest temperature recorded on Wednesday. But some chilly nights

reminded us that we were still in the month of March. On Monday the

19th, Andrews field in Essex went down to nearly-five. -- nearly five

below. below.

Quite a lot of rain in some regions. Further south, not even half an

inch. A hosepipe ban comes into inch. A hosepipe ban comes into

force for some of us later in the week and the good news is there is

rain on the way. But not this evening. It looks like it is going

to stay dry overnight. Some clear intervals but generally, a lot of

cloud. I think we will have patchy mist developing as well. The wind

will be on the light side, with close around three Celsius. It will

be a tricky situation tomorrow, with low pressure building over the

top of us. This was a front will be pushing down from the north-west.

It looks like we'll be getting off to a dry start with brightness.

Temperatures will be near normal for this time of year. Into double

figures, with light West to south- westerly winds. Into the afternoon,

further showers. Into the evening, the chance of longer spells of rain.

It looks like tomorrow's rainfall will not turn wintry but Wednesday,

it is a tricky one to call, but outbreaks of rain could turn to

sleet, possibly even wet snow. Last Wednesday, the highs were 21. This

Wednesday, we will be lucky if we get up to five. Thursday, the wind

will ease, but Friday and Saturday, it looks like a cloudy high will

take over, becoming drier. But we are not expecting huge amount of

sunshine at the moment. Those are the overnight lows. Ice could be a

the overnight lows. Ice could be a problem on Thursday. The my