21/07/2014 Look East - East

Here's John Hammond. That's all from

Hello and welcome to a new week on Look East with Susie and me.

The headlines tonight from Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex:

Thunderstorms, lightning strike and flash floods leave a trail

We tell the story with your pictures:

Three of those were grand ads, that is 20 years old. I know it's silly,

people think they're just fhsh. The Suffolk MP facing fresh calls

to stand down after his police A new Lakenheath, as tension mounts

in the world's troublespots. And from Colchester school

boy to pop pioneer. Stay with us for a Latitude

special with Damon Albarn. First tonight, after the weekend

storms, the big clean`up opdration. Hundreds of homes and businesses

were flooded as parts of thd region Forecasters had warned

of severe electrical storms, two families were left homeless

after lightning strikes. In just a few hours, from three

o'clock yesterday afternoon, Norfolk Torrential rain caused

flash`flooding in parts of Norwich, By contrast Suffolk fire

service received 43 callls. Only 5 were flood`related as much of

the county escaped the downpours. The worst affected area was

Canvey Island in Essex. As water levels there rose,

the county's fire crews received So, let's start in Canvey Island,

where the pumping and rescue operations were still going on into

the early hours of this morning Lets go live to

our Essex reporter Gareth George. I'm on the sea wall here, that is

the Thames estuary. The isl`nd is about the same level as the water,

that is why the wall was buhlt. In that is why the wall was built. In

this direction, you can see how flat Canvey Island is. That was one of

the problems yesterday, the water collected in effectively a huge

bowl. What about the problel worse is that the trains weren't working.

There was little shelter from this storm. These pictures show the

deluge at its most intense. Two inches of rain in one hour. This man

was carrying his mother's wdt inches of rain in one hour. This man

was carrying his mother's wet carpet outside. I was crying, I cotld see

all the water coming into the house, I was terrified. How much

damage done? I have lost evdrything. Lined up on a patio at nearby,

?50,000 of Cory Carper. They suffocated when sewage clogged the

pool. `` koi carp. A lifetile of pool. `` koi carp. A lifetile of

college `` koi carp has been wiped out. Some of these fish have

college `` koi carp has been wiped out. Some of these fish havd been

with me growing up. When my father with me growing up. When my father

passed away, we took responsibility for them, now they have all gone.

This is one of the pumping stations here, authorities say the ptmps

This is one of the pumping stations here, authorities say the pumps were

here, authorities say the ptmps were working, although they were out for

12 minutes after a lightning strike on the power supply. The pumps

on the power supply. The pulps taking the water out to sea weren't

the problem. It was the agehng the problem. It was the ageing

drains taking the water to the pumps, they couldn't cope. The

island's MP says they need renewing before there is more building here.

We have to stop building hotses We have to stop building houses

without the infrastructure. If this doesn't make it clear, nothhng will.

doesn't make it clear, nothing will. On a sea wall, a sea wall, `miable,

On a sea wall, a sea wall, amiable, showing the tragic story of floods

in the past. `` amiable. Here is a mural, what happened today is not

comparable to 1953, but it has brought flooding back into view.

Essex County Council told us that the library was flooded here, and it

is still close. Late this afternoon I spoke to

Dr Charles Beardall from the Environment Agency

and started by asking if the pumps could have coped if

there had not been a power failure. This was very heavy rainfall that

completely overwhelmed the surface Canvey Island is surrounded

by a sea wall, all the water that falls on the ground has to be pumped

over the sea wall into the sea. We have five very large pumps that

do that, the issue is getting This was a huge downfall

in a very short space of tile. It overwhelmed the

the surface water system, which The power outage itself was only

for a short period of time. As soon as the power came back,

our pumps kicked in and did What you are saying is that you

don't have enough pumps for this weather? No, the issue is that when

the rain falls onto roads and pavements, it takes a while to get

through the drainage system into the main river, which we operatd. Then

from the river into the big pub is on the outside of the island. `` the

big pumps. We are working with the local authorities to find ott

big pumps. We are working whth the local authorities to find out how

big pumps. We are working with the local authorities to find ott how to

improve the system, to make sure that when the waterfalls, it gets to

the main system quicker. In the past, we have said that these events

are very rare, but they seel past, we have said that these events

are very rare, but they seem to be becoming more common, we nedd to

find an answer quickly. Yes, we do, they are becoming more common. We

are working hard to see how we can improve the system. We spent ?5

million upgrading these pumps in 2006, they are very large capacity

2006, they are very large c`pacity pumps that can move a lot of water.

None of this will be a lot of consolation for people who live on

Canvey Island. Of course, flooding in any circumstances awful. Our

sympathy does go out to those properties that would flood them. We

are working as hard as we can properties that would flood them. We

are working as hard as we c`n to improve the system, with our

partners. This was a very extreme amount of rain to fall in a very

short period of time. The w`ter in short period of time. The w`ter in

the main river, the main drain, went the main river, the main drain, went

up by one and a half metres in 15 minutes. It was an extreme dvent,

up by one and a half metres in 5 minutes. It was an extreme event, we

won't ever manage to get th`t minutes. It was an extreme dvent, we

won't ever manage to get that amount won't ever manage to get th`t amount

of water off quickly, irrespective of the amount of money we invest.

Thank you very much. The warmer it is, the more moisture air can hold.

These thunderstorms can grow to thousands of feet high in the

atmosphere, that means a lot of water can be held up in the air.

That'll all come down as thd That'll all come down as thd

happens. That'll end up in flooding. There was hardly any wind ydsterday,

There was hardly any wind yesterday, so the storms are barely moved at

all. I will show you a radar image later.

And we'll have more on the storms later,

New attractions have been added to next month's Clacton Air Show.

They include a World War Two Spitfire fighter, an aerobatic

They'll be joining the Red @rrows and the Battle

The Air Show is seen as a major boost to the loc`l

economy, it brings an estim`ted ?4 million into the district.

Despite an increasing number of calls for him to stand down,

the MP for Bury St Edmunds has been keeping a very low profile today.

Today a senior figure in thd church and a charity which deals with

domestic violence joined in, saying David Ruffley should stand down.

It follows a police caution following

It has been four months since he received a police caution, but still

no comment or explanation. It is no comment or explanation. It is

widely reported that an incident involved an ex`girlfriend. Today at

a meeting of Sussex domestic violence partnership, his c`ution

was on the agenda. He is a part of a government which has stood firmly

against domestic abuse. Under government which has stood firmly

against domestic abuse. Unddr those against domestic abuse. Under those

circumstances, he really must consider his position. The Dean of

Saint Edmunds, has written to him to ask him to consider his position.

Last week, the Conservative Association said the matter had been

dealt with. He declined to comment and the Conservative Association

hasn't returned our calls. A meeting has been brought forward to July 31,

it is expected he will answdr questions about what happened

it is expected he will answer questions about what happendd then.

questions about what happened then. The lack of science has prolpted

questions about what happendd then. The lack of science has prompted the

former chairman of the association to speak out. He has been given

former chairman of the association to speak out. He has been ghven a

caution which he accepted, but nothing has been said after that. I

think that is not only sad, but it places a considerable onus onto him.

In Bury Saint Edmunds today, some of Ruffley's constituents were asking

questions. It puts him in a difficult situation, I think he

should stand down. He is a public figure, it is in the public interest

to know where he stands. Th`t is figure, it is in the public interest

to know where he stands. That is the to know where he stands. Th`t is the

frustration, no one knows when David Ruffley stands on the issue of his

caution. Still to come tonight,

gymnast Louis Smith on his hopes Plus we catch up with Damon Albarn

at Latitude. For lots of us in this region

the American F15 fighter jets has They have been based at

RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk for more than 20 years and have

played an important role in Now, as the political tension mounts

in Ukraine, 48 Fighter Wing is once again on

a 'heightened state of awardness'. Today it welcomed a new commander.

Robert Novotny told Look East that his aircrews provide 'striking

power and defence capabilitx' and if the call comes they'll bd

prepared. At 9:36am today, this fightdr pilot

takes command of the unit. Looking on, military top brass and locals

dignitaries. As a poet of the job, Robert Lovotny also get a

personalised number plate. His wife will dine out on that one. @s they

will dine out on that one. As they salute the Star Spangled Banner

Robert Lovotny surveys the troops and helicopters which will be under

his command. This is my absolutely number one choice. It is a great

leap forward, there is a lot of great things going on. I am thrilled

to death to be chosen. RAF Lakenheath may be cocooned hn the

countryside, but it is at the forefront of action is all over the

world. Its troops are still in Afghanistan. This is RAF

Lakenheath's chief asset. Ahr Lakenheath's chief asset. Ahr

superiority. With tensions running high in Ukraine, the unit is on a

heightened sense of awareness. As Afghanistan winds down, thex

heightened sense of awareness. As Afghanistan winds down, they are

focusing on Eastern Europe. This is the point in a exercise in Dastern

the point in a exercise in Eastern Europe. I know that we are watching

that, I know that all of our national allies are watching that,

if the call comes, we will be prepared. As Washington cuts in

defence spending, a recent report cast doubts over RAF Lakenhdath

future. This post is relevant because we provide the striking

power and defence capabilitx. because we provide the striking

power and defence capability. All power and defence capabilitx. All

the other bases are phenomenal, but this is where the striking power

comes from. After a singalong, the outgoing colonel and his wife, head

to Heathrow. His successor and outgoing colonel and his wife, head

to Heathrow. His successor `nd wife to Heathrow. His successor and wife

head indoors to unpack. Let's continue our look ahead to the

Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, which start on Wednesday. Tonight,

we turn to gymnastics. Two names dominate the sport

Louis Smith from Huntingdon and Max Whitlock from Essex.

Over the last ten years they have I love training, I love competing,

I love doing what I'm doing. My first senior competition was

the Commonwealth Games in Ddlhi 2010, that was

a massive experience for me. Lewis and Max, history makers,

ready for their next assignment You have to remember,

when you are at the Commonwealth Games, at a multisport

event, you are there to do ` job. As much

as it is great to socialise and catch up, we are there to do a job,

which is hopefully beat the Scots. Comebacks can go either way, but

the smart money is on Lewis to medal But there is the small matter

of Max, Whitlock, who, in Lewis's two`year absence rode a

stormer, he is now the man to beat. Hopefully, I will make the final,

I'm hoping for everyone to go out Lewis and Max's horse back battle is

one of the highlights of the Commonwealth Games, but first

things first, the team competition. The old enemy,

featuring Huntington's Danidl It'll be a fun competition

in Scotland. A bit of pressure, a bit of banter

rights coming away from this. Two years ago in London,

Max and Lewis helped Britain win their first Olympic team medal

in a hundred years. For Max, the pressure was off,

but Lewis had the weight The poster boy had to deliver,

and he did. The competition for Lewis and Max

starts a week today. England versus Scotland,

Max versus Lewis. The main feature, the subplot,

the Commonwealth is watching. When you think about the

First World War, as we are this year, you tend to think about

the trenches on the Western Front. But 100 years ago things were

changing, a full`scale war was More than 50,000 planes werd made

in Britain during the war. Only ten are still flying, and five

of those are based in our rdgion. They're at the Shuttleworth

Collection in Bedfordshire, It's the biggest collection

of airworthy World War I aircraft These are the planes that

the ace pilots used to win It has just been discovered that

this one, the SE5a, shot down a German plane over Belgium

on the very last day of the war Early in the war, planes were mainly

used for reconnaissance, When the German Fokke planes started

to get the upper hand, it w`s time I think more significant was just

how raw the pilots were To demonstrate their abilitx, they

just had to do a couple of figure The SE5, Scout Experimental Five,

gave us a little turn over Bedfordshire, to prove it can still

cut it in a dogfight. It is one of the better First World

War aeroplanes, it is stabld and has a 200 horespower engine,

so its rate of climb is good. It is a straightforward aeroplane,

anybody who has flown a Tigdr Moth The pilots who flew these planes

were pioneers, brave men, no parachutes,

just a pistol to shoot themseleves This plane, along with

its hangar mate, the Sopwith Camel, gave the skies to the Allies

in the last 18 months of the war. Today, it is more than 100 years

old, but it was still as nilble The Latitude crowds have been making

their way home today after `nother festival at Henham Park in Suffolk.

Lily Allen topped the bill on Friday and on Saturday, Damon Albarn

took to the stage. The former Blur front man grew up in

Colchester. He has been touring Europe and will be heading off to

Japan and Australia later this year. He spoke to our entertainment

reporter, Dawn Gerber, about why he chose Latitude for his first solo

performance in the UK: He's a front man of worth, then came

the gorillas, followed by the good, the bad and the Queen. Now he is

going it alone with his first solo album. He has chosen latitude to be

his first UK festival to perform it. They offered me the slot I've got

based on me playing my record. I thought that was very brave

of them, so, you know, But for a festival,

it is quite a risky thing to play. But Latitude is the kind

of festival... I'm not just playing that rdcord,

but that is why I chose it. This is a local good really. Would

you say it is a homecoming? If they had this when I was a kid, H would

had this when I was a kid, I would definitely have been here. H

definitely have been here. I would've got the up to Ipswhch and

would've got the up to Ipswich and then I would have cycled. Would you

say this is a very personal, revealing album? You touch on your

childhood in Leytonstone and in Essex as well. It starts in 197 ,

Essex as well. It starts in 1976, comes up to East Anglia in 0979

comes up to East Anglia in 1979, leaves again in 1986 and just goes

all over the place. It is very specific to experiences I h`ve had.

specific to experiences I have had. Everything but is written about

happened. `` everything that is written about. Even if it was, the

listener always has their own take, determined by their feeling and

where they were at a moment. It is autobiographical. It is an eclectic

autobiographical. It is an dclectic sound this album, you have steel

pans, gospel music, string sections, was it important to bring those

influences to the album? Thdy are actually here, the London city

actually here, the London chty Mission choir are here. It's the

biggest thing they have ever done. And Will we see him back fronting

blur? I'm sure one day I will. He also said he grew up watching this

show, it was an accolade. Any time Damon.

Right, let's go back to the weather and the storms this weekend.

Lots of people have spent the day mopping up.

The spectacular lightning strikes prompted many of you to capture

Chris Bell is here with this week's weather in a moment.

Before that, Debbie Tubby looks back at a weekend

Mother nature started showing its full force on Friday night with

a lightning strike. Leaving a house destroyed

and the family homeless. The mother and daughter escaped

The mother and daughter esc`ped in their pyjamas,

the father looked on in disbelief. It has made me petrified th`t

It has made me petrified that if we have another storm,

it could happen again. It shows the strength of nature.

They say lightning never strikes twice, but it did.

Six hours later, another hole Six hours later, another home

destroyed, another family homeless. I didn't know what to think, I got

up, shot out of bed and as soon as I saw that fire, my first thought was

saw that fire, my first thotght was get everybody out the house.

This footage was taken over Bedfordshire on Friday night.

You have sent us your photos of the lightning,

seen in most parts of the rdgion. This BBC weather map shows

the storms as they moved across the East.

On Saturday night, Gavin Simmons On Saturday night, Gavin Silmons

filmed this over Colchester. Dramatic shots,

thankfully no drastic damagd. It was the calm before the storm.

This is Sunday afternoon, the heavens opened, within minutes,

there was chaos. Carol and her son became stranded

in Norwich. It was torrential, it is wh`t I

It was torrential, it is what I imagine a monsoon is like.

You couldn't get out of the car to do your shop.

As fast as it arrived, the rain water disappeared.

The resuscitation unit at Southend Hospital's A department

had to close after it was flooded with two inches of water. I think

All rail lines between Southend Victoria and London were

blocked as the lightning damaged blocked as the lightning dalaged

the signalling system. We had to close a school for today,

it was ankle`deep at 8pm last night. It wasn't looking like we would get

cleaned up for today. Dramatic to see, devastating to be affected.

This house will now be demolished. As always, thank you for your

As always, thank you for yotr pictures. Let's get the weather now

with Chris. After thunderstorms, with Chris. After thunderstorms

thankfully, some better weather I want to show you the radar from

yesterday. Pay attention to Canvey Island, you can see the

thunderstorms over that same Island, you can see the

thunderstorms over that same area for a long time. It gave us several

inches of rain. Rain fall so far in July is quite interesting. Showing

the showery and sundry nature. Norwich Airport has reported 95

millilitres of rain `` millhmetres. millilitres of rain `` millimetres.

The average for this kind of year is about 52. Extremes all around. For

the rest of the evening, one or about 52. Extremes all around. For

the rest of the evening, ond or two the rest of the evening, ond or two

showers for Essex, drifting to the south, not torrential, fairly light.

It should be dry for the rest of the evening. Cloud will move in from the

north`east, it will turn mystique on the coast. It will be humid tonight,

at temperatures between 14 and 16 at temperatures between 14 `nd 6

Celsius. Tomorrow, a slow start to day in the east, with missed near

the coast, cloudy weather as well, the weather will be best in the west

of the region. We will make it up to 25 Celsius in the West, feeling

cooler on the north Norfolk coast. It stays dry it's Tuesday evening,

we will see more cloud on the coast in Tuesday night. With high pressure

to north`east, we will stay dry on Wednesday, longer spells of

sunshine, it will feel quite warm. By Thursday, the high presstre

sunshine, it will feel quitd warm. By Thursday, the high pressure to

By Thursday, the high presstre to north`east, we will stay dry on

north`east, we will stay drx on Wednesday, longer spells of

sunshine, it will feel quite warm. sunshine, it will feel quitd warm.

By Thursday, the into our region on By Thursday, the into our rdgion on

Friday. Thunderstorms toward the weekend. You can see that on the

outlook, 26, climbing to 28. A risk of thunderstorms on Friday. That's

it for the weather. Thank you Chris. The message is, if you are thinking

of camping, Hampton Hall is the place to go.