23/12/2011 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today. I am Rob Smith. I am Polly Evans.

Tonight's top stories: They tricked a 91-year-old war veteran into

paying out thousands of pounds. A suspended sentence for two Kent

conmen. A last chance to save Hastings Pier. The owners are

ordered to begin repairs or have it taken out of their hands. Also

tonight: The miracle dog. It is the season to eat chips, the

businessman giving away free meals to the homeless and lonely on

Christmas Day. We will have the story live from Mr Cod. It's the

busiest, most stressful shopping day of the year, we follow one man

on his dash against the clock. Good evening. Two men have been

sentenced for conning a 91-year-old former prisoner of war out of more

than �3,000. They tricked John Gale into paying for unnecessary house

repairs after cold-calling at his Maidstone home.

The judge described their actions as appalling and despicable,

ordering them to repay the money, and do 275 hours of unpaid work, as

well as a suspended jail sentence. Fiona Irving reports.

Conmen who harassed and coerced a vulnerable 91-year-old into

spending thousands from repairs that weren't needed. John Bryan and

John Hamley persuaded the war veteran that it was essential the

work was done. They're robbers, aren't they? They prefer not to be

a member of society, a proper member of society. Mr Gale

repeatedly told the men he couldn't afford the work to his roof but

they kept on piling on the pressure, telling him that if he didn't get

it done, his guttering might fall, kill someone and then he would be

liable. The two men quoted �2,400 to replace his guttering and PVC.

When they came for some money Mr Gale offered them a cheque. They

wanted cash. So they drove him to a cashpoint, because it was too icy

for the pensioner to get out, he gave them his cash card and pin

number. Here on the CCTV pictures you can see John Hanley examining

the receipt. When he saw that Mr Gale had �6,000 in his account, his

life savings, the quote for the work more than doubled. This is as

bad as it gets. This is an elderly man living in his home, he's

actually a real character. For these people to target him is truly

despicable. I can't believe there are people around who will target a

gentleman like this. Most people will be most annoyed and, you know,

want to get hold of them, but if you think about it what I went

through back in the 40s, I could be eaten up now with resentment and

hatred against those people. But hatred only eats one inside, it

doesn't do you any good at all. Have you anything to say to Mr

Gale? Today the judge called their actions des despicable and

appalling. They've been told to pay Mr Gale all the money they they

stole from him. The owners of fire-ravaged Hastings

Pier have been given a last chance by council bosses to start repair

work, or risk it being taken out of their control.

The grade II listed structure has stood as a burnt-out eyesore since

it was almost destroyed in an arson attack in October 2010. Our

reporter Ian Palmer joins us live from the Pier.

Ian, I understand that the council has tied a repair notice to the

struck staour? Yes, it's a short message of intent warning and

reminding the owner of its responsibilities. Hastings Pier had

an uncertain future of late, but perhaps, just perhaps, a new era in

its history is about to begin. Time is running out for the owner

of Hastings Pier. This notice means the company responsible for the

19th century structure has two months to put forward a plan of

renovation. If it doesn't, it will become the property of Hastings

Borough Council. They wouldn't have to complete the work in two months,

that wouldn't be possible, but I think it's unlikely we will see

anything from them any way F they did put in an appearance they would

face prosecution for not maintaining a listed building

properly, for not carrying out emergency works after the pier, the

council would have a lot of money to claim back for the work that we

have had to do on it and money we have had to spend. It's unlikely

they'll put in any appearance at all. The letter has also been sent

to Offices in Panama in south America. How did we get here?

Hastings Pier was closed in 2006 due to safety concerns. Four years

later, an arson attack saw it all but destroyed by fire.

In 2011 a Trust set up to save the pier won a herage lottery grant.

Trust members say work to restore the structure is well under way.

The Trust, the Trustees and people of Hastings who have supported them

over the last several years have had a tremendous Christmas present,

because this is really a reward for their determination and courage in

making sure something gets done about the pier. So it's the first

step, but it's a very important step because this is the step that

really starts a process that will inevitably lead to the pier,

something being done about the pier. �100,000 of Heritage Lottery

Funding has already been spent to ensure the legs are strong enough

to keep her upright, but for how long? The clock may be ticking, but

it's also ticking for the pier, too. The owners of the pier, council and

the heritage -- if it were to come out of the shadow it is would be

very expensive indeed, if they don't make any claims then the

compulsory purchase order could go through in a couple of months. If

they do, the only winners will be the lawyers.

Coming up in a moment: A new generation of ancient apples, why

they're replanting all 2,200 varieties at the National Fruit

Collection in Kent. A greyhound-cross dog, hit by a car

after being dumped at the side of the road in Kent is lucky to be

alive, says the vet who has taken her in. Amazingly, Evie didn't

suffer any broken bones but did sustain serious internal injuries

including a collapsed lung. Animal charities are warning that

with the tough economic circumstances they are already

seeing increasing numbers of animals being abandoned. Alex beard

reports. Abandoned at Christmas, three-year-

old Evie was rescued from the middle of the road after she was

dumped from her owner's car and hit by another. We took an X-ray of her

chest and it was her right side had a collapsed lung and on her right

side a lot of blood into her chest. The chances of her surviving were

pretty slim, to be fair. A member of the public rang the vets after

witnessing the sad sequence of events. It was Tuesday lunchtime

when it was thought a car pulled into this lay-buy here and dumped

EVie out. Evie chased after it and was hit. The extensive medical care

required to save Evie cost over �1,000. With no owners to foot the

bill, the vets have decided to continue, regardless of the price.

Tragic really that people feel so desperate that they can't see

another way of dealing with this situation where if people have a

pet that they can't cope with with any more, there are things they can

do. Go to a rescue centre. Contact an animal charity. Evie will spend

Christmas with the vets who rescued her but in the new year she will be

looking for new owners who want a new dog.

A 24-year-old man has been arrested, after 15 sheep were found dead and

injured in a field in Kent earlier this week. The animals were

discovered in a field off the A20 London Road at Wrotham. The man,

who is from the St Pauls Cray in south-east London, is being held in

police custody on suspicion of criminal damage.

A baby boy who was admitted to hospital after being injured in

Gravesend is recovering and making good progress according to Kent

Police. A 35-year-old man and a 33- year-old woman arrested on

suspicion of assault are on bail. New figures reveal council housing

waiting lists in Kent have increased by nearly 60% over the

past ten years. Research by BBC Radio Kent shows there were more

than 45,000 people on waiting lists across the county, compared to

under 29,000 in 2001. Only Ashford and Sevenoaks have seen a reduction

in the number of people waiting for social housing over the past decade.

It's been described as best resourced college in the country,

but today it's emerged the principal of Sussex Coast College

in Hastings has stepped down ahead of an Ofsted report that is

expected to rate it as inadequate. Janak Patel has left after just a

year in charge. In September, he welcomed new students telling them

we will provide you with excellent skills and education. Our news

correspondent Mark Norman reports. Welcome, I believe, in fact, I know,

this is probably the best resourced college in the country. This was

Janak, Patel welcoming new students in September. But being the best

resourced college wasn't enough. Nor was the �120 million invested

in the college. The Ofsted report, due to be published next month, is

expected to rate the college as inadequate. When the governors of

the college had the initial findings of the Ofsted report they

held a meeting at which it was decided that Mr Patel would leave

with immediate effect for personal reasons. But education was supposed

to be at the forefront of this town's plans for regeneration, and

this will be a significant blow to those plans. I am not that

surprised. I had heard that the Ofsted report was disappointing. I

think the college is an incredibly important part of Hastings. It is

also a symbol of the social mobility that we hope to achieve in

the town. Something these students at the college were hoping to take

advantage of. Are you disappointed he is gone? Yeah, I feel little bit

worried about it. It was better than the woman before. But to be

honest I don't really know. didn't even know who it was, there

was no connection really between it, so that might have been why.

college told us Mr Patel had made a valuable contribution, and shown

great passion and ambition for the college. They say a new principal

will be appointed next year. The Ofsted report is expected to be

published in January. Our top story: Two men have been

given a suspended jail sentence for conning a 91-year-old former

prisoner of war out of more than �3,000. John Brian and John Hanley

tricked John Gale into paying for unnecessary house repairs. They

even offered to go to the cashpoint for him and doubled their bill when

they saw his full bank account. Also tonight: Never mind the Turkey,

the businessman giving away fish and chips to the homeless and the

lonely on Christmas Day. After a wet and windy afternoon I

will have all of the details on the Christmas weekend weather.

If you have a story you think we should be covering we would love to

Experts at the National Fruit Collection near Faversham are

embarking on a task that hasn't happened for more than 30 years.

They're replanting all 2,200 varieties of apple to ensure the

continuing health of the largest living apple tree collection in the

world. Each variety is planted twice. Our environment

correspondent Yvette Austin has the Each variety going into these. For

some chained it is their only chance of survival. The current

collection is nearing the end of its life. This is the old

collection, nearly 36 years old. We are replacing it because some of

the trees have got quite weak and they have a disease in the trunk.

This tree will just go backwards now and eventually died. You are

replanting the whole orchard? in two stages. We are planting in

this orchard, around 1,500 trees. The colony cooking apples will be

planted in another stage. This will be in about two years' time.

there in order to this? Yes. We have planted them in the order of

flowering. We had two varieties of age. You can see here what you have

the label, and these two batteries are of this variety and the next

two are of another variety. We need to be in case one dies. It is down

to the manager to be in charge of the planting. It is all done by

hand in true traditional style. firm that and if there is a debt,

you level it out. Otherwise it will fill up with water. The collection

was brought together in the 1950s. Some of the apple varieties date

back hundreds of years, many are not useful now, but are being kept

alive because one day they may be. We need to preserve them it to

maintain the Jeanette -- genetic diversity of apples. If new

varieties are needed to combat the effects of climate change. This

stage of plan team will finish in January. It will help to preserve

the light of their collection for at least another quarter of the

century. The festive spirit is alive and

well in the Faversham this year as a fish and chip shop in the town

will be opening its doors on Christmas Day to get out free food

to those in need. Budget B will welcome homeless people, the

elderly and the lonely and our reporter Peter Whittall c is there

now and Peter, the owner had had the idea after years of inviting an

elderly neighbour to Christmas dinner? That is right. When you run

the local chippie the 10 to know which pensioners by a third on

their own and tend to be lonely. He also runs the local newsagents and

he chats to people and they tell him how lonely they feel. For that

reason, he has decided to open on Christmas and give a free food to

those who need it. Every day he works more than 12 hours in his

newsagents and chippy. You could imagine he cannot wait to Christmas

Day to put his feet up. Not at all. Instead of taking a day of he is

opening at lunchtime on Christmas Day to give free food to the needy.

On Christmas Day, the food will often be chicken, spicy beans,

sausages Jepps, tandoori chicken, if and fish. Why are you doing

this? To give something back to the community. Five years ago, he

invited an elderly pensioner to spend Christmas with him and his

family. Since then, he has got there must be others in the same

situation. He cannot invite every pensioner in the area to dinner,

but he can feed them from his takeaway. Customers say this act of

kindness is typical of him. It is brilliant for the community. He is

a very generous bloke. Here has always up for a laugh. You always

get a bit of banter in here. does he make the effort? I feel

good inside. Instead of just sitting around and opening presents.

He says that two hours he is open on Christmas it are personally

rewarding, living proof that giving is what Christmas is all about. He

says at Christmas there is a great atmosphere here. It is a family

affair, the owner's wife, brother and other family members will be

helping out. After they close, they will sit down to their own family

meal. I am tempted to say look behind you

there! There is a busy programme of fixtures over the festive period

for our football teams, 11 matches will be played over a days. After

both were sent off last weekend, bright and's Romain Vincelot and

Ashley Barnes will miss the Boxing Day trip to Reading. Bus Gus Poyet

it is boosted by the return of defender Marcos Painter. After two

draws in a row, Charlton will be keen to return to winning ways at

at Yeovil Town on Monday. The Addicks have not lost since the

middle of October and will hope to end 2011 at the top of the table.

Meanwhile, there is the South East derby in League Two as Gillingham

travel to Crawley Town on Boxing Day. Crawley are on a 14 match

unbeaten run in the league, while Gillingham have not lost in the

last three away games. We have got Crawley on Boxing Day away. It is a

good time to play football. Everyone is on their holidays and

certainly, financially, it helps. It is a routine for us as managers

and players. Now, today was predicted to be one

of the bigger shopping days of the holiday season with people, should

I say men, is that sex is? Putting a shopping of just before Christmas.

Us blokes are usually painted as being a last minute shoppers and

some people have been calling the last few days before Christmas at

the Manor -. Katherine Downes has spent much of the day shopping with

the last minute man dasher. How was it? I have been living at my own

personal Christmas nightmare today. Last minute shopping in the winds

and rain. You can see some of the last minute shoppers dashing

between shops. I have spent the day with a man on a race against time.

Could cress serve Christmas? This man is a disorganised Christmas

shopper. Or a very time efficient one depending on what we look at it.

I have to get a present for my daughter and something for my mum

and dad and sister, her kids and my best friend and his mum. Chris like

an estimated 80% of men has just hours to do his Christmas shopping.

One down, 112 to go. Am 45 minutes in, two down. Shopkeepers say the

majority of customers in these last few days before Christmas are men

and that certainly appears to be true in Brighton. Why have you left

it to the last minute? I have ended up buying myself some shoes.

haven't even started? No. Yeah it is Christmas Eve the eve, but it is

a tradition. You have done on until today? Correct. One have you left

it so late? I am just not prepared to. There are always some who

disprove that may up and female stereotypes. All done last week. I

had a list and everything. You have let the side down? Every year I

leave it to the last minute. Today is my last chance to get it all

done. Two in one shop. Chris is on a roller. It is all going

wonderfully well. I am feeling much more relieved. Then finally. Yes! I

am finished. With a festive feeling of achievement it is of to the pub.

He if he thought today was busy in Brighton, to borrow his suppose to

be even worse, particularly between it midday and 4pm. Among them, will

be cameraman then who has done none of his shopping. You will be doing

it all tomorrow on your lunch break 1QQ macro I advise you to stay away

if you are saying. I am exhausted watching that. Now, we have Peter

Andre and then and eyes and now it is an Widdecombe to wish us merry

Christmas. Hallow iron and panto at Dartford and I wish you and very

merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year. I cannot tell

you how much pleasure it gives me to wish all viewers in the South

East and very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Merry

Christmas to everyone in the South East. South East Today. BBC South

East Today. If you're watching that have a good Christmas. Eight A if

you're watching another channel, I hope you have a rotten Christmas.

By Phil Festen now. There was no over there now, but no real snow

Christmas Day itself will see a good deal of cloud cover around,

but it will stay dry and mild. Plenty of sunshine and dry weather

initially. This cold front it has been spreading eastwards and there

has been persistent rain and some blustery south-westerly winds. They

have been picking up to 25-30 mph. Temperatures quite mild for the

time of the year, but with the winds and rain it will feel cooler.

That rain will eventually clear and will leave behind quite a different

picture, clear skies with temperatures dropping to freezing

for many of us. They will drop to two or three at least. We start

Christmas Eve with the widespread frost and it will stay settle, a

good amount of sunshine. Those winds will ease of a touch, still

from a westerly direction, but we intend to 50 mph. For Christmas Eve,

it will feel a bit cooler. Temperatures will range between six

and nine degrees. A crisp December day and as we move through to

tomorrow night, very little changes in terms of temperatures, still

ranging between six and nine degrees. Cloud cover will thicken.

For Christmas Day, it will stay dry, a good -- a good deal of cloud

cover around. Temperatures around 10 or 11 degrees. Compared to last

year, it there is a good 10 degree difference. Of course, there was no

last year as well. Boxing Day, could cloud cover around and mostly

dry, highs of around 12 or 13 degrees. It will stay settled for

the rest of the week as well. That very nearly is all we have time for.

We will leave you with the sound of the Life Gospel Choir from the