14/11/2011 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today, I'm Neil Bell. And I'm Polly Evans.

Tonight's top stories: Calls for an investigation into

claims thousands of coach passengers were allowed into the UK

through Dover without proper checks for four years. We're live in the

town with the details. A controversial doctor dubbed Dr

Death gives the South East's first suicide seminar in Sussex.

Also in tonight's programme: The Kent family with grave concerns

about plans for a neighbour to be buried in her back garden.

A Kent teenager is one of hundreds in the south east to benefit,

thanks to last years Children in Need appeal.

Now chickens get the pampered pet treatment as the first hen hotel

Good evening. Members of Parliament are calling

for an investigation into claims that millions of coach passengers

were allowed into the UK through the Port of Dover without being

properly checked at busy times for four years. A national newspaper

claims that immigration checks were relaxed as part of a policy to

reduce queues in 2007, but ministers were never told. Well,

let's cross to the port and our reporter Simon Jones. Could Dover

have been the port of entry if for criminals? Relaxing our border

controls is not good news for security. We do not know if the

country has put in danger. That is part of the problem. Those cheques

should have been carried out. The this is what should have happened -

coach passengers heading for Dover asked to get up at Dover to get

their passports and. -- scanned. It is feared that only their past but

we looked at -- passports were looked at. The should be doing

their job properly. God knows why they relax the Czechs. It is very

worrying indeed. I think security should be upgrade it. By Bill Smith,

who worked at the docks in Dover, is surprised. It is beaky to see

when they start tipping out cars and lorries and all that. It is

just something that has been blown out of all proportion. I agree you

could do with more immigration officers and border force agency

workers there, but the guys who work there are doing a fantastic

job. The Home Office say investigations are continuing.

immigration is the key issue than the public need to have confidence

of the border is secured. whilst investigations continue,

coach companies with nothing to hide can expect longer, but a more

thorough checks. Pressure on the Home Office will

increase, won't it? Yes. Brodie Clark, the former head

of the UK Border Agency who quit last week, will be speaking

tomorrow. What happens here though it dates back four years to the

previous government. So the key A controversial doctor has held a

press seminar in Eastbourne. He was detained in 2009 when he flew in

for as speech in Brighton. Dozens turned up today to hear him speak.

The controversial doctor. Dr Nitchke says he know how -- knows

how people can kill themselves without pain. EU get to the stage

where you are desperate for a peaceful death and you crave a

peaceful death, if you are in a position to take that step and you

have everything in place, you can take that step and had the peaceful

death here in England -- have the peaceful death here in England, but

you have to know what you are doing. It has been a journey of obstacles

for Dr Nitchke. In 2009, seminars were cancelled after the venues

cancelled. He was detained by immigration in May 2009. In

February this year at two venues in Eastbourne cancelled the seminars.

This woman says people in Eastbourne have a right to be

informed. I think it is all for four people who just can't work it

out. What often happens is people take a lot of pills. You don't know

how many to take because you do not have the right information. Then

they end up with damaged organs. Why asked assisted suicide is

against the law, suicide is not. -- whilst assisted suicide. I am sure

he is taking care to stay within the law because I'm sure he is

aware that if he encourages someone to commit assisted suicide, he is

at risk of prosecution. The law is undoubtedly flawed. We need

guidelines over assisted suicide. But given people information out of

context is irresponsible. A after the meeting, those gathered gave

their reaction. A vivid is about time people had the right to have

this information available to rent. -- I think it is about time.

father died from lung cancer and he suffered greatly. He was a strong

man and I don't think I could suffer as he did. Reaction about

the workshops were mixed. If you were going to put down a cat or dog,

you would be it was right to end their life and a pink it is the

same thing with humans really. is probably safer as a blanket

argument to say that is not a good idea. I would not like people to go

to jail because they have help someone he is dying. In the past,

news of the doctor's presence has led to demonstrations. The

Australian quietly arrived and then he quite the left again.

Did anyone object to him being there?

Not really. There was no controversy. That means either Dr

Nitchke flew under the radar or the debate has moved on. But given how

polarised this particular debate is, it's likely to be the former. Dr

Nitchke will move on to the York and then Edinburgh where he is

expecting some controversy and some opposition.

In a moment, the Kent woman who's one of a small band of altruistic

donors giving up organs for complete strangers.

The neighbours of a Kent woman who died last week say they are against

her final wishes to be buried in her garden. Julie Young from Capel-

Le-Ferne claims the garden of a semi-detached bungalow in a

residential street is not a suitable place for someone to be

buried. Julie Young is a keen gardener who

grows her own vegetables. She was alarmed when her next door

neighbour's relatives told her they plan to bury their late mother in

the garden. At first I did not believe it and then it was just

horror as I realised the implications. I'm worried about the

pollution issues because although it is a body, it is still classed

as clinical waste. The thought of having a dead body a few feet away

from us is just horrific. according to natural burial groups,

more and more people are including their final resting places in their

wills. It really isn't that unusual. I'd like to appeal to the

neighbours to say look, this elderly lady was your friend and

this was her dying wish. It is not going to do any harm. The estate

agents say if the person is buried in a garden it has to be written

into the deeds of the property, but it should not affect neighbouring

house prices. I do not think it affects the price. It is down to

personal preference. If you have not got a problem with it, then you

will carry on with the purchase. The family of the late relative

were not available for comment. A care home worker walked free from

court today after the jury failed to reach a verdict about whether

she killed an elderly woman in an arson attack. In 2009, Irene

Herring was rescued from Ancaster Court in Bexhill by firefighters,

but died in hospital the next day. Rebecca Reasbeck, who was 17 at the

time, always denied starting two fires in Mrs Herring's room.

Kent Police are appealing for information after an elderly couple

were attacked in their home. Some viewers may find this picture

upsetting. It shows the injuries that 70-year-old Ann Davis from

Elmsted, near Ashford, suffered on bonfire night. Both she and her 77-

year-old husband Gordon were badly beaten by three intruders, who also

stole the couple's cash. A man with a grudge against the

singer Shakin' Stevens caused a bomb scare at the Kent theatre

where he was performing. 47-year- old Paul Starbuck called the

Assembly Hall in Tunbridge Wells while drunk, claiming he had

planted a device there. He told magistrates he did it because he

didn't like Shakin' Stevens and has been remanded in custody ahead of

sentencing. Plans for a council tax freeze in

England for the second year in succession have been announced

today, but Brighton and Hove's Council is bucking the trend. The

national scheme will see the Government make one-off grants to

local authorities which freeze or reduce council tax bills. The

government has promised to give �3 million if council's keep the tax

at last year's levels. But the ruling Greens in Brighton and Hove

say they can make �4 million by increasing bills by 3.5%. That's an

increase of �39 for the year on an average household in the city. Well,

let's cross to the city and our reporter Paul Siegert. Paul, I

understand this decision hasn't gone down too well with council tax

payers there? The council say they have spent the

last few weeks and months getting the message out there, explaining

to people why this is important. What they are saying is the grant

is only for one year. If it is frozen for only a year, it will

have to increase by twice as much in the second year. The council say

it makes more financial sense to increase by a small amount every

year. A would proposal is to it increase council tax by 3.5 % and

we are going to use that to protect the services that protect the

elderly and vulnerable. The council spent a lot of time getting out

there and explaining to people why this increases necessary. As you

mentioned, for an average Band D property, it will be an extra �39 a

year. If you have a bigger house, council tax could be raised by �100

a year. There will be plenty of people that will not like it.

An investigation is underway after seven people,including three

children, were taken to hospital following a severe fire at a house

in East Sussex. The blaze broke out in Eversley Crescent in St Leonards

around two o'clock yesterday morning and destroyed most of the

ground floor. Fire crews wearing breathing equipment searched the

house for any other occupants before the fire was eventually

There has been a sharp increase in the number of people admitted to

Kent's hospitals for Larkhall related increase -- illnesses. In

2006 there was... Last year there were 29,000 UN missions, for

chronic liver disease and mental health issues related to alcohol

abuse. Many of us like to do a good deed

for others - but some coins in the charity box or take part in a

sponsored run, but how about donating one of your kidneys to a

complete stranger? That is what Helen Marston from

Broadstairs has done so. She is one of just 67 from people in the UK

brewer has undergone what is known as altruistic donation.

It is a day she never thought would come, but finally she is about to

undergo a kidney transplant so she can donate one of her healthy

kidneys to a complete stranger. have been waiting quite a long time,

and I have been through lots of things to get to this point.

Finally, we are getting to the end of it.

Her husband has had to watch from the sidelines, with just an hour to

go before his wife goes into theatre of the reality is beginning

to sink in. It is still taking a perfectly healthy person and

putting her at risk, and I wish she had not decided to do it, but that

will pass. Here at Guy's Hospital in London

the loss -- operation will be carried out by highly-trained

specialists. There should be some pain, and patients in pain after

such an operation are at risk of complications, especially

developing some sort of chest infection. By Helen will be the

67th person in Britain to become an altruistic don't know.

Those who benefit from donors like Helen say they get their life back.

Having kidney failure and been on a dialysis machine for four years is

not easy. So to get a transplant, to be given, especially an

altruistic one from a live donor, is absolutely amazing.

For Helen it is a pure act of giving, and hoping she can help

someone, she does not even expect a thank you and she will never know

who receives her kidney. For more on that story including

how the operation went, to be into Inside Out at 7:30pm.

It is 6:45pm. Tonight's top stories. Members of parliament are calling

for an investigation into claims that millions of coach passengers

were allowed into the UK from the port of Dover -- through the port

of Dover without being checked at busy times for four years.

Also tonight, Charlton lead the way as all three of the South East's

top teams make it through to the second round of the FA Cup.

All warm welcome for your favourite fowl, a hen hotel opens in Kent for

your chicken's every knees when you are on holiday.

If you think there is a story we Growing pains can be tricky at the

best of times, but navigating your way through life when faced with a

disability can make them even trickier. Thanks to the �14 million

raised from last year's Children In Need, youngsters are receiving help.

�45,000 has been given to Tonbridge Mencap which helps young people

with learning difficulties. 14- year-old Emma Hurrell who has

epilepsy and autism regularly joins the Teenz after-school group. If we

joined her on a day out at the Paddock Wood Hop Farm.

My mum must have found it in a magazine or newspaper, one day when

I came back from school she suggested it to me, and told me all

about what it said in the newspaper and I said it would be fun to join.

So I joined it and they are very caring, funny, and kind to you.

They do not say rude words or anything like that. That is why it

is fun to come here. It makes me really excited, I care

about them and they are really funny, they make me laugh and staff.

They organise really fun activities and they do not do the same each

time. It is always fun. And every single activity I look at, I always

want to do every single one of them. It is quite easy making friends at

Mencap, and I would suggest it to everyone out there. I am usually

happy for everything I do. I am happy at school, happy that I

joined Mencap. I would like to become a chef and work at Jamie

Oliver's cholesterol in London, maybe go out -- restaurant in

London. Maybe go out to town and drive a car. I am sure my mum will

be proud of me when I am older. And on Children In Need on Friday

night we will be live at the Christmas light switch on at

Bluewater in Kent. Our colleagues will be outside Marks & Spencer

ready to direct you to our price Sice location, and you can watch it

on South East Today and throughout the the cage -- throughout the

evening. Football now, and Charlton and

probably have bought had an excellent chance of making this

third round of the FA Cup after victories at the weekend.

Giving him will be hoping to join them after their rousing victory of

the Bournemouth completed a good cup weekend.

Charlton's irrepressible run of form shows no sign of ending. Matt

Taylor's header put them in front shortly before half-time. But they

had to wait for Johnnie Jackson to add No. 2. Their opponents then

wilted, as Danny Hollands scored from close range and Bradley

Pritchard scored his first goal for the club, giving them a home tie

against Carlisle in the second round.

Gillian's Jack Payne scored a goal against Bournemouth, but they were

out of the Cup when the home side scored twice in a minute to go one

up. Danny Jackman's free kick kept them in the game, before Danny

Campbell c's crushing finish set up a brick the plate will be tomorrow.

We are confident. We have had not a bad record, and I think it is a

great opportunity for us to get ourselves into the next round,

against Leyton Orient away. Craw they remain on course for the

second successive season. They got a home tie against non-league

opposition in round two. More of us keep chickens now than

during the war. The return of the good life is more popular than ever,

but what happens when you go on holiday?

Got a bit of your dog at the kennels or your cap at the category

is par for the course, but what about people who keep chickens?

Julie Smith has opened the South East's first hen hotel.

Here we are... Every morning, Julie Smith gets up

at sunrise to check on her chickens. With 15 of her own she can offer a

room and board to an extra eight. Some people have people stay at

their houses, but it is not as easy people having to give up their own

lives, so I keep the hotel open so they can bring their hens here all

I can collect them. It is the appeal of the good life

and the plight of factory-farmed chickens highlighted by TV chefs

that has led to a rise in the number of people could keeping them.

Any got her chicken's the summer before last, and this is their

second trip to the hen hotel. I first got the chicken's, I had

not really realised how much work they could be, so for all but a

year I had not been a way even for a weekend or an evening! They king

after chicken's is a big commitment. They need to be fed and watered

twice a day. They cannot see in the dark, so they take themselves to

bed at dusk. They are the closest living relative of a Tyrannosaurus

Rex. Sitting in the garden of the summer

with a chicken on your lap having a glass of wine is just bliss!

And there is always the possibility of fresh eggs in the morning.

I think we are in danger of a cute animal outbreak.

You do not often see a family of ducklings in November, but this

family of 13 ducklings plus mum and dad were seen swimming on a duck

Yesterday it was really quite a mild picture. Temperatures up to 17

degrees today the cloud cover and that cooler feeling whether. We

hold on to that cloud as we move into tonight and tomorrow. A dull

start, slowly brightening up, but that cloud cover a bit brighter.

The reason for today's weather - high pressure in control, easterly

breezes dragging in cloud cover from the north. Slightly cooler

temperatures, highs in Dover not much about nine degrees, Brighton

around 12 degrees, 54 in Fahrenheit. So a great picture, and as we move

into tonight we hold on to that cloud cover, widespread rain and

drizzle, some patches of Haile fog. Temperatures as a result, pretty

mild for the time of year. Single figures, raised ranging between six

and eight degrees. Among start today -- tomorrow, we are going to

see those winds staying north- easterly, still fairly light but

adding a cooling feel to the day. It will be a damp start to the day,

some patchy drizzle. As we move into the afternoon, more into the

way of brightness. Black cloud cover will be lifting and it will

be brighter than we have seen today. Temperatures a shade down on today

- highs of a round 11 degrees, 52 Fahrenheit. As we move into

tomorrow night it will be staying Basle, a good deal of cloud cover.

A slightly drier picture, more in the way of clearer skies throughout

the morning, and temperatures a shade down, lows there of a run for

degrees. So for Wednesday, are mostly settled picture. Brightening

up a little, as you can see waiting in the wings we have rain making

its way it towards Friday, and we have got high-pressure slipping

away, no pressure moving in from the West, so things will brighten

up a little, and we will see more in the way of cloud cover and

outbreaks of rain or overnight into Friday. The Clyde back again for

Friday, but the winds suddenly, highs of a round 13 degrees.

Tonight we hold on to that cloud cover - a dull start to the day,

brightening up in the afternoon. The cloud will be staying

throughout the week. The best of any brightness likely on Thursday.

Rain overnight into Friday. Temperatures a little bit milder.

Tonight's top national and local news stories.

The Appeal Court judge, Lord Justice Leveson has opened a public

inquiry into media ethics set up in the wake of the News of the World

phone hacking scandal. The MP for Dover, Charlie Elphick

is calling for an investigation into claims that coach passengers

were allowed into the UK from the town's port without being properly

checked at busy times for forgers. And the controversial doctor Dr Dr

Death has been given a seminar in Eastbourne or over how to take your