06/08/2013 South East Today

Smith. And I'm Bryony MacKenzie. Tonight's

top stories. Critically injured in a speedboat

accident in Greece - a desperate family appeal to get a Sussex woman

home. Financially it is a worry, because to get my sister back,

repatriated to the UK, is going to be a problem.

A cautious backing for fracking from the MP for the village at the centre

of protests. We're live in Balcombe with the latest.

Also in tonight's programme: Getting away scot-free - how foreign drivers

are racking up huge parking fines, but our councils can't afford to

track them down. The artist who's creating a real

buzz in Hastings. And not always Strictly ballroom -

the Sussex sisters who've been Good evening. The family of a woman

who's fighting for her life in a Greek hospital after she was hit by

a speedboat say they need to raise �30,000 to bring her home. Holly-Ann

Schofield, who's from Brighton, moved out to Rhodes 18 months ago.

She has medical cover - but her family want her to be cared for in

the UK. Speaking exclusively from Athens to the BBC, Holly-Ann's

sister Joanna says she has suffered significant injuries and may now

have to have her spleen removed. Rebecca Williams reports.

Left fighting for her life in a Greek hospital, Holly-Ann Schofield

has been in a coma for a week after being hit by a speedboat. Her sister

is now raising money for her care. It has come as a complete shock,

because my sister did not have any complete travel insurance, so the EU

have been great paying for the operations, but the travel to

repatriate my sister, that is where the insurance, it does not cover

it. Holly had to be flown to Athens for immediate -- emergency surgery.

Her family have set up this Facebook page to raise money for her care.

They have raised �5,000, but say the total cost is likely to be �30,000.

If you choose to live abroad, I know of no travel insurance policy that

will say, if you need to come home because of a medical emergency, we

will bring you back. If you are living abroad it is different from

being on holiday. Holly-Ann moved to Greece 18 months ago. Her family say

her injuries were so severe, that her friends in the country had to

donate several pints of blood. has now got an artery problem in her

arm, because it has swollen up. Her spleen is still ruptured, so they

are trying to see if that will stabilise because they do not really

want to remove that. And now, over the next few days they are

withdrawing the drug that has been keeping her under sedation.

Holly-Ann's rope is currently being treated in Athens -- Holly-Ann's is

currently being treated in Athens. As protests against oil exploration

in Sussex continue for a 13th day, the MP for the area, Cabinet

Minister Francis Maude, has given his cautious backing for the

controversial process. While the Chancellor has said it

would be a "tragedy" for this country to miss out on this "energy

revolution", many remain deeply concerned at the environmental

impact intensive oil exploration in the South East might have. I spoke

to Francis Maude about the issue a short while ago. I am in favour of

the lawful right of local people to object and protest, which they are

doing, and I am in favour of the lawful right of the company to

undertake an activity which has been thoroughly regulated, for which they

have proper consent. But that leaves you sat on the fence. Would you

rather see fracking go-ahead in Sussex or not? I would absolutely

think that Britain, which is sitting on considerable energy reserves,

should be exploiting those energy reserves. In Sussex?I am not

willing to say that there are no places in Sussex where this should

happen, but it has to be done in a way that is exhaustively regulated,

with all the consents being obtained, with the voices of local

people being properly heard. Do you think Michael Fallon and George

Osborne will be happy to hear you say that? They are talking about

shale gas as an exciting new development. Or I am saying is that

there are considerations over the need for planning permission, all

the consents needed by the Environment Agency to ensure that

there are no risks to the water supply. Do you think that the people

protesting in bulk at the moment have a point? They have concerns,

and it is right that they should be heard. But there are local people

from the village who have proper concerns, and there are people who

have come in from outside, and as far as I am aware none of the people

who have been arrested at Balcombe are people from the village itself

or the locality. But the issue is really about whether or not the

people protesting have a point with their concerns about the impact on

the environment. They have their concerns which it is perfectly

proper to raise, and as concerns have to be addressed. Everything I

have seen about what is being done with this exploratory borehole shows

that the concerns have been addressed. What people are

protesting about is much less about this exploratory borehole than about

the possibility that it will lead in the future to fracking. As I say,

before that were even able to be contemplated there would have to be

an exhaustive further set of processes and consents to be gone

through and obtained. Francis Maude, MP for Horsham

speaking to me earlier. Well, let's cross live to Balcombe and speak to

our reporter Sara Smith. Sara - what kind of reaction would Francis

Maude's comments get there? Protesters here have said they want

to send a message right back to Francis Maude and the Government

that they are not in favour of fracking here across -- anywhere in

the UK. They are not convinced by any talk of safeguards. They also

wanted to say there is no split between here and the village, they

are all one protest working together towards the same ends. Francis Maude

and Cuadrilla all pointing out that this is not fracking at this stage,

but just exploratory drilling for oil. As far as the protesters are

concerned, they do not seem to have been dropping off over the last few

days. Today it has been noisy but good-natured, and they say wherever

those drills go next, they will be sure to follow.

In a moment: A helping hand to run a marathon. How a decorated blind Kent

soldier is appealing for a companion.

Foreign drivers are escaping parking fines worth hundreds of thousands of

pounds, as it's too expensive for councils here in the South East to

trace them. Campaigners are today calling on the

European Union to standardise the way parking enforcement is dealt

with - and even demanding drivers pay their fines before they leave

the country. Ian Palmer reports. Tourists, the lifeblood to the

scenic heart of South East England. But it seems a large number of

foreign drivers are not paying their penalty charge notices. Some people

don't understand, also I think some people may be just park slightly

over time, don't understand what they are going to do with -- are

supposed to do with the ticket, and I think there are some people but

perceive that nothing is going to happen so they forget about the

parking charge. Around Kent, about 85% of parking tickets issued to

foreign resident drivers went on paid last year. Canterbury issued

the most fines, more than two and a half thousand, -- 2,500 of them. But

only �25,000 has been collected, leaving nearly �100,000 on paid.

Thousands of people come from all over the world to Canterbury every

year. Many of them use this car park next to the cathedral. They bring

with them millions of pounds to the local economy. But what can be

authority do if some tourists refused to pay their car park

charges? This tourist from Germany says parking charges are expensive.

In Germany you can park sometimes for free. If you have -- if you have

to pay for parking, it is not so much as here in Canterbury. I think

it is important that people pay their parking charges. The council

says it welcomes tourists, but urges visitors to do their duty when it

comes to parking charges. Two teenagers have pleaded guilty to

attacking four men in separate incidents on the same night in

Brighton. A 36-year-old man spent several

months in a medically-induced coma after an altercation in St James's

Street in October. Two teenagers initially pleaded not guilty, but

have now changed their pleas and will be sentenced next month.

Three men are being treated in hospital for serious injuries after

two vans collided in West Sussex this morning. The vehicles were

travelling in opposite directions when they crashed on the A273 London

Road between Burgess Hill and Hassocks just before 6:45.

Just four months after introducing a controversial 20 mile an hour speed

limit to central Brighton, the council is planning to more than

double the area covered. But critics say there is no evidence

that it's resulted in lower pollution or fewer accidents - and

that the city is actually being stifled by slow moving traffic. Our

political reporter Ellie Price is there now.

I am standing right on the boundary, and any cars have to slow down to 20

miles an hour, but it is a different story if they are coming from the

side whether restrictions have not come into place just yet. They can

travel 30 miles an hour if they want to. It is this part of the city the

council are looking to consult on. They are looking to extend that zone

right to a wider chunk of the city. It could be in place by spring 2014,

and if that gets the go-ahead, there is a phase three which is a wider

chunk again. Now, last month Sussex police said they would not enforce

the 20 an hour zone, and people they have is -- we have spoken to when

not massively excited about the prospect of id be expanded. It is

not very busy around here traffic wise. I live that side, and it does

not make any difference at all. miles an hour, I have yet to be

convinced. Commuting to and fro my area of week is quite challenging at

20 miles an hour in the morning. seems that politicians are accusing

each other of playing politics. this was part of the Greens pledge,

but the Labour group say this is a box ticking exercise. �1.2 million

is a lot of money when residents are wanting their neighbourhoods to be

traffic calmed. On the other hand is it simply enough to offer them a

scheme that will not be enforced, when they want more practical

measures to slow the traffic? Brighton and cancel save a -- say

that research from elsewhere say it does work. Consultation letters will

start falling through letter boxes from next week.

Vulnerable people could be put at risk if the NHS does not review

plans to move mental health beds out of Medway according to local

councillors. The Kent and Medway NHS Trust is going to close out of date

inpatient facilities and instead concentrate beds in Dartford,

Maidstone and Canterbury. The Council is calling a meeting to

discuss the matter later this month. Farmers diversifying into

growing more exotic fruits say they are facing mixed results. Experts

report that increasing numbers of farmers are starting to experiment

with apricots and melons as well as apples, pears and plums.

A Kent soldier, who was blinded in Afghanistan and was awarded the

George Medal for his bravery by the Queen, is appealing for help in his

latest challenge - a runner to guide him when he runs a marathon in

America later this year. Rifleman Paul Jacobs from Ramsgate

was injured in a huge Taliban bomb blast while serving in Helmand

province. He says the run will raise thousands for ex-service personnel,

and also help him come to terms with his life-changing injuries. Fiona

Irving reports. He has climbed Kilimanjaro, cycle

from Edinburgh to London and completed a 30,000 foot skydive. Now

Paul Jacobs is taking on the Marines. I got a phone call from a

kernel, and he said would you like to do a marathon? I said, yes, sir.

It is in America, I said, fantastic. I said it sounds like a holiday of a

lifetime. Paul was blinded and lost two friends was on patrol in

Afghanistan in 2009. He had been trying to bring his colleague's body

back when a bomb exploded. Awarded the George Medal for bravery,

showing courage he now puts into his training. I will not give in.

Never, ever give in. Every day I think of those blokes I lost out

there. Every day I think of my son. But the sun is shining, what could

be better? Just because I have no site, what is the difference?

is looking for someone to train with him. You need somebody who is a

dedicated runner. He is quite relentless. It has to be a regular

runner. I have been broken physically and mentally. If you do

come out, you adapt and overcome. You go through, you go under, you go

round, what ever, you get there. Your spirit hasn't been broken?

just my site. After the marathon, his next challenge is to swim the

channel. This is our The family of a woman

fighting for her life in Greece after she was hit by a speedboat say

they need to raise �30,000 to bring her home.

Top story tonight. Holly-Ann Schofield has medical

cover - but her family want her to be cared for in the UK.

Also in tonight's programme: They have been invited people -- inviting

people to come dancing for 60 years, the Sussex sisters celebrating a

ballroom life. And today is settled and fine. Will

it stay this way? Join me later. If you have a story you think we

should be covering on South East should be covering on South East

Today, call e-mail us or contact us Today, call e-mail us or contact us

As more lorries arrive at a controversial oil drilling site in

West Sussex, protesters have been told to stand firm by their

counterparts in the North West. Cuadrilla began fracking in

Lancashire two and a half years ago. But just a few weeks later fracking

was temporarily banned in the UK after it was blamed for two earth

tremors in Blackpool. Now Cuadrilla has applied to frack in Lancashire

again, and says there is enough gas there to supply the UK for more than

40 years. Some say that could bring great economic benefits to the North

West and the South East. For tonight's Special Report, our

Business correspondent Mark Norman has been to Lancashire to

investigate. I was in my front lounge when the

site was in operation. This is what I could see, which was the drilling

rig... Sue became involved in the local

anti-fracking group after an exploration well was dug near her

home. This is where they got 2000 feet down. After two years of

fighting, they have advice for people in Kent and Sussex. For the

people of Balcombe, I would say read what you can, look at websites about

fracking, go to meetings, ask questions, find out as much as you

can. If there is any planning applications go in, get advice, see

if you can find an environmental scientist to work with you. As long

as all the health and safety and environmental issues are addressed,

and everything is met safely and according to the rules and

regulations, then it could create a bonanza for all the areas in regard

to jobs and knock on effect to the supply chain. Protest groups were

galvanised in 2011, after fracking at this site probably caused Earth

tremors in the region. But a rudimentary form of fracking took

place here almost 20 years ago. It released a shale gas supply, and

some believe this is an energy for the future.

So this gives you a sense of scale of one of the sites. It was frack

back in 1993. It is supplying gas through a generator that creates

electricity supply in the national grid. But as we have seen in

Balcombe were only exploratory drilling is taking place, the fear

of fracking is enough to induce protest. The company insist that in

Sussex and Lancashire, they will only frack if they need to do so.

would look whether fracking would improve the rate of flow, make an

assessment. If we decided it would, and we wanted to do it, we would

need to go through a separate planning application process and

complete a full environmental study. Which is something they are doing

here in the North West. But despite the company due process, the

protesters insist they will continue to fight fracking across the UK.

You can find out much more about both sides of the argument on

fracking by logging onto the BBC's An atmospheric artist's studio

tucked away in a secret corner of old Hastings opens its doors this

weekend. Its a rare chance to experience the workplace of artists

Jo Redpath and Liz Finch - as part of Hastings Old Town Week they're

inviting you in to see what they get up to. Robin Gibson joins us live

from Hastings now, and Robin, I understand the studio has been a

It is the sort of artist's idyll you might have teamed up for a film,

halfway after -- up a cliff. Finding this studio is an adventure in

itself. You will see bits of Hastings you never knew existed, old

passageways and walkways and finally you are here. I had had an idea of

making a human hive, and so this is what the end result is, and with a

swarm made out of wire... Bees, in the air and on the walls, bees

swarming from human hive is like smoke or breath. Inspiration from

time spent beekeeping in Spain. This must have taken hours. Weeks!

Weeks of absolute... It is just like knitting with wires. It is much

harder on their hands. And all based on a legend? Yes, the

idea is that there is an ancient belief that human souls go to the

heavens in the form of bees. This studio is home to many artists.

Letting the public in is potentially nerve wracking. I don't really like

it when people say, what is behind it? I don't know more than them

really, but I just do things that I like and I do what I like. I cannot

make any intellectual explanation The window on this unusual world is

open all day Saturday and Sunday. But don't be shy, just looking is

fine. They say summer is the best time to come, when draughty wins are

not rattling through the floorboards.

For the last 60 years sisters Jean and Margaret Cantell have been at

the forefront of the ballroom dancing scene in Newhaven and

Seaford. From the foxtrot to the waltz, disco to the merengue -

they've taught them all. In fact their proteges have even

appeared on the telly, on Come Dancing - before it was Strictly -

and Blue Peter no less. Now an exhibition has opened in their

honour to recognise their unique contribution to Sussex life. John

You are on your toes when you are being taught by Jean Ann-Margret.

They are sticklers for detail, -- Jean and Margaret. But judging by

the trophies they have picked up, that is what people love about them.

Jean took a lease on the studio eight years after the Second World

War ended. Now she and her sister teach some of the earliest pupils

grandchildren. We have had children from as tiny as two and a half to

old people, perhaps well into their 80s. There is dense for everyone.

What does dance mean to you? It is our lives. They are two live is now

celebrated at the time's Museum. Memories of how it all began, and

address that has been on national television. Royal Wolverhampton NHS

Trust a dress. -- a dress. Two years earlier, they burst in

front of a younger audience after Things come and go, cause we have

had way back the twist which was so easy, then the bossa nova. All.And

the big thing was the disco. Jean and Margaret have not come and

gone. They bring lots of happiness to New Haven. It is a sanity break

at the end of the week. And they have no plans to disappear yet, they

have no plans to disappear yet, they Today was a lot nicer than

yesterday. A bit more sunshine around, yesterday very cloudy, and

the reason for that was high pressure. Over the next couple of

days it is warm, not hot, and temperatures overnight should be a

little bit more comfortable for sleeping. It is not bone dry, but

the showers are likely to be fairly light. Earlier we had some fair

weather cloud, but clear skies, temperature is about average for the

time of year, 22, 20 three degrees. Very pleasant afternoon indeed.

Through this evening we will be holding onto a lot of that

sunshine, those clearer skies stay with us, then we start to see a

little bit more cloud cover around. You can see some light patchy rain

and drizzle. Temperatures dropping to 13 or 14 degrees, and as you

start the day tomorrow it will be overcast. During the morning there

is the chance you could see some outbreaks of rain. It should clear

however by the afternoon. Lots of cloud in the morning, by the

afternoon the best of any brightness. The wins will now be

from a north-easterly direction, fairly breezy, ten to 15 mph. As you

go through tomorrow evening, you may see the best of any brightness

during the day. Earlier in the -- early on Thursday morning that cloud

breaks. As you start Thursday, those clearer skies mean lots of sunshine.

Probably the brightest part of the day in the morning, by the afternoon

highs of 23 degrees. Settled as we go into Friday and Saturday, but