06/11/2013 South East Today

from the west That is all from the

Welcome to South East Today. I'm Rob Smith.

And I'm Bryony MacKenzie. Tonight's top stories: It wasn't suicide `

the Kent family of a man found hanged in Zimbabwe offer a reward

after suspecting foul play. It is important to find out what happened.

We don't believe he committed suicide. We believe he was murdered.

Foolish not to frack ` the US energy expert visiting Balcombe and

addressing Parliament on the controversial process.

Also: A huge jump in the number of Kent children being put up for a

adoption and a plea for more potential parents to come forward.

We're live in Maidstone with the details.

A very special tribute for the man who created the Battle of Britain

Museum, Mike Llewellyn MBE. And, it's the country's biggest

fireworks spectacular ` we celebrate an evening of organised

chaos at the Lewes Bonfire. Good evening. The Kent family of a

former SAS soldier who was running a goldmine in Zimbabwe say they're

convinced he was murdered for money. Robert Wood was found hanged at the

home he rented with his mistress. A coroner hearing the case in

Surrey here has said some of the evidence about the death is very

suspicious, but there is insufficient detail to draw any

firm conclusions. Wood's brother in Dover is offering a ?15,000 reward

for information. Simon Jones reports.

With his essay s training, Robert would's family say he was used to

dealing with tough situation and had everything to sift `` live

fought `` robert macro's family. We believe he was murdered.

You want to get some final closure on it. If it is left open there is

still the niggling question in the back of your mind. So it is very

important we push forward with this, try and get the Zimbabwe

authorities to do something about it. He was running a gold mind ``

mind in Bulawayo. He was found hanged and a pathologist concluded

he had taken his own life. But at an inquest this week, his brother

said he uncovered evidence to say ` ` show his will had been forged. It

is a very important to find out how someone you love has died. Everyone

is trying to stay strong. The coroner said that some of what he

had heard seemed odd and very suspicious. But he had to recognise

that what has been said, much of it is speculation and there is

insufficient evidence to determine probably how he came by his death

and he recorded an open verdict. The brother Trafford from Dover to

Zimbabwe where he died and `` travelled from Dover. He said many

people are unwilling to talk about what happened but he said that the

reward made proved fruitful. Surrey police, which reviewed the

circumstances of his death, have told the family they found no

evidence to indicate third party involvement but they did carry out

a formal investigation. We can cross to a BBC reporter in

South Africa. Milton, this reward put up by the family for

information about robert Roberts deaf is that being followed

in Zimbabwe? `` Robert's death. Some people on the ground to I

spoke to today in Zimbabwe are aware of the reward but it is worth

25 US dollars which is a lot of money here. I think the police hope

that the money might actually encourage people to come forward

and the family are looking forward to here more about those who know

more about this story. This happened in South Zimbabwe and this

mine is in the south of Bulawayo, about 25 kilometres and not far

from where Cecil John Rhodes was buried. The Lady Hook is called

into question here was in their house with Robert at the time of

his death. `` the lady who was in the House. She is now involved in a

long legal battle to get control of the mind again.

The UK would be foolish not to for lack `` flack for gas according to

an expert to appeared in the parliament today. He says we need

to put aside our fears and exploit the windfall.

This morning he has been in Sussex to see for himself the

controversial process there. Test drilling at Balkan and most

protesters gone. Today a visit by a man from the US who they call the

"flack master". We'd do it in or Texas where I live and the

universities and underneath homes and buildings. At least here there

is a nice wide open area. There has been no fracking in Sussex yet but

does the idea brought out protesters in the summer. Top of

their concerns was water contamination. The key thing is the

contamination of the water supply. You have to wonder whether

conditions are therefore safe fracking. Wales have been drilled

in the United States `` Wells. If the process was flawed there would

be massive issues in the United States coast`to`coast. The but

Quadrille has already you run into problems with earth tremors. We are

not talking about a big earthquake but a micro seismic event. And did

they make a mistake by doing it near Blackpool? I think they

admitted they had made a mistake near fault areas. Surely that will

not be good enough it will contaminate people's water?

Mistakes can happen anywhere. The reality is that if you look at the

Wells we have looked `` done in the US, we drilled down 3,000 or 4,000

metres. Fracking contaminates thwarting `` water every time is

foolish. The people here aren't convinced. They say it is shallower

here then in the US and the rocks might not be stable if fracking

takes place. Here we have three major faults which could be used as

conduits to bring up gases from the bottom up to the surface and it

would be very unhealthy. There are risks but against, he believes, are

too large to lose. It is a natural resource and that is shale gas. In

Blackpool alone, if 10% were extracted it would be 50 years were

for the UK. The investigations into a

devastating fire in Tenterden. The number of new cases of children

needing to be adopted in Kent has increased over the last year. It

has prompted the county council to ask for more would`be parents to

come forward. Lastly, the figure jumped to almost 200. The council

says that over the same period it has doubled the say it ` might

number of children adopted to 143. There is a challenge in finding the

right house holds for vulnerable children in our care but we have

tightened up our act and has seen a dramatic improvement in the number

of children placed with adoptive families. But I would make an

appeal to anyone thinking about adopting to get in touch because we

would welcome you with open arms. Why are so many more children

needing to be adopted? Since the number of high`profile abuse cases,

are the number of children taken into care nationally has steadily

increased. Last year, the government announced an overhaul of

the adoption process to make it easier and simpler to adopt but

there are concerns it is too long still. This couple from north Kent

say it was a long haul but worth the wait. The council looking to

every individual case to see if there are medical grounds...

can do it. You don't even particularly have to have a job and

you can be single. You have to give love and care and time. It is

totally worth it. People get put off by the time, the intrusion

under no stone unturned... It is intrusive but for a good reason and

it makes you reflect on what you're doing and understand what you

really want. You have to remember that the social workers try to

understand who we are to make sure it is Dave and to make sure that it

is a right match `` to make sure it is safe. We are there forever mummy

and daddy and for that to go wrong because someone didn't do their

homework would be twice as bad as if it didn't happen at all. You can

also understand why people do not want the intrusion. I would say to

people, it is a child's life and the alternative is to leave them in

the system. Everyone is vocal about complaining about the youth of

today and it is not surprising when people do not give kids a chance.

Rebecca, what does the council say it spigots barriers are? They say

their main issue is finding a wide mix and variety of families willing

to adopt for stay they say it is hardest to home children from

ethnic minority backgrounds, children with disabilities and

those who are perhaps older with siblings but they say they always

actively recruit. There seems to be a popular misconception that if you

are over a certain age, are overweight or below a certain

income it might be difficult to be successful in the adoption process.

Today, the British Association of adopting and fostering says that is

a myth NT could be preventing hundreds of children in the south`

east from finding homes `` and it could be preventing.

The council says it is doing all it can to speed up the process and

asks all would`be family's to contact them.

A 40 you will `` A 40 year jail term given to a convicted murderer

from Sussex is being referred to the Court of Appeal as "unduly

lenient". Ian McLoughlin killed 66` year`old Graham Buck on his very

first day of temporary release from prison. He had previously been

convicted of killing two other men. He was given a minimum 40`year jail

term last month at the Old Bailey. Newhaven was the only exception of

South East beaches to pass the water quality tests. From 2015, the

water quality at Britain's beaches will be measured against stricter

levels. One of two nuclear reactors at

Dungeness B has been reconnected today after it had to be shut down

after last week's storms. EDF Energy says it is working on

reconnecting the second plant. It supplies plants for 1.5 million

homes. A male prostitute beat a man to

death and left his body to rot in his basement flat in Brighton, a

court has heard. Ricardo Pisano is accused of murdering Michael

Polding at the end of May last year. Police found Mr Polding's badly

decomposed body at his flat in Kemp Town two months later. Piers

Hopkirk has been following the case at Lewes Crown Court and is in Kemp

Town, where Mr Polding lived. Piers what happened in court today?

The prosecution has begun its case. It is heard that he was a male

prostitute who got into a relationship with Michael Polding.

They moved into a flat here in Brighton on St Georges Road. The

court heard that at the end of May the relationship turned to violence

and the prosecution alleges that Ricardo Pisano attacked Mr Polding

and beat him to death. He then wrapped his body in bed linen and

left him on the bed. He wasn't discovered for some two months. The

pathologist who carried out the post`mortem found he suffered a 26

separate fractures. The prosecuting `` prosecutors said the he had been

bled financially before his body was left to rot.

What else was the jury told about the man accused?

Ricardo Pisano is 36 from South Africa and he acted as a male

prostitute. He denies murder and a separate count of causing grievous

bodily harm. He claims to police that he discovered that Mr Polding

has in fact `` had, in fact, committed suicide and the case

continues. A huge fire has destroyed one of

the oldest family run businesses in Kent. The blaze ripped through

Webbs of Tenterden just after six last night.

Ten fire engines were called to the scene, and at its height more than

50 firecrew were battling to bring it under control. Chrissie Reidy

has been speaking to the current owner of the business about their

devastating loss. It was a bit like going to Bonfire

Night with people standing around and watching. The police and fire

brigade were here and we just had to watch it in slow motion really

fear stopped it is a bonfire night the couple say they will never

forget. Just after 7 o'clock last night, and fired ripped through

their ironmonger shop in the heart of the town. I have had better

bonfire nights. It was like waking up from a nightmare thinking it

will be all right but it is not an coming to terms with what is left.

Fire crews had a mammoth task on their hand. Here, a lot of

buildings are old with a lot of timber and many buildings are joint.

Fire crews had to work quickly to get the fire under control.

Emergency services were called to the High Street as Bonfire

celebrations elsewhere got under way. More than 60 firefighters

tackled the flames. Until we can don't the building in the Rif area

up to `` the roof area at and to get water through that was our main

concern. The couple has a long history in Tenterden. We have lost

so much. Paintings from window displays. I was walking through the

high street and somebody gave me a bunch of roses. It is unclear how

the fire started. Forensics will sift through the rugby will and a

forensic investigation will begin. `` and a

will begin after they have sifted through the rubble.

The family of a former SAS soldier who was running a gold mine in

South Africa say they are convinced he was murdered for money. His

brother in Dover is now offering a ?15,000 reward for information.

Also: Some 30,000 descended on Lewes for an evening of fun and

fire and we will take a look at the best images.

The weather may not be looking its best at the moment but I will be

bringing you the best prospects at the end of the programme.

Mike Llewellyn MBE celebrated for creating the largest collection of

artefacts from the Battle of Britain and creating it in a

dedicated museum in Hawkinge. Sadly, he recently died after a long

illness. The British met the challenge by

throwing in everything they had... Of Churchill named it the Battle of

Britain and it was the turning point of World War II. That summer

of 1940 fascinated Mike Llewellyn and when his brother told him about

the wreck of the Spitfire he wanted to search for more. I saw it. He

never saw the Battle of Britain. On Christmas Eve, with a bird in the

oven, I got a phone call, "I found one!" after that it got bigger and

bigger. Recovering them. Then the engines were salvaged and coming in.

It just got bigger and bigger. Mike and a group of like`minded

enthusiasts went on to find over 700 aircraft's and matched them

with photographs of the men from both sides who flew them. He sold

his home and bought a site at the Hawkinge aerodrome to house his

collection. Very few men have the opportunity to do something good

with their lives and he chose to put his money and career Online to

do it and everything here is due to him. To the history of the Battle

of Britain will go on for many generations thanks to him and his

input. David Brocklehurst began volunteering for Mike when he was

10. Today, he drove the 1937 fire engine carrying his coffin. He was

a very nice and modest individual so he would hate this publicity but

his story needs to be told. Without him, there would not be the museum.

Obviously, it at the Battle of Britain pilots to give us the

subject but it takes men like Mike to commemorate and remember them.

His ashes will be scattered from a skip `` spit fire over the White

Cliffs of Dover. The Crawley Town boss has blamed

individual errors by his players after two late goals led to the

Sussex side's 4th defeat in a row against Brittle's `` Bristol City

last night. The deadlock was broken in the 80th minute. Then it was

make 2`0 to City with just two minutes on the clock.

30,000 people Crown `` crammed onto the streets in a small Sussex town

dragging barrels of fire. It is spectacular and it is the Lewes

Bonfire. There were remarkably few serious

interest `` incidents. Week to go looked back at the country's

biggest November 5th celebrations. The modern world melts away in

Hawkinge for one night a year. `` Lewes. On 5th November the town

loses itself in the past. The tradition here runs deeper than the

gunpowder Plot and also marks `` marks the Protestant martyrs burnt

at the stake here in the 16th century. It is a huge event and

among the crowds last night, 86 people were injured although none

seriously. Sussex police say it is an improvement. A couple of years

ago we saw a number of serious injuries and that gave everybody

the opportunity to say it can't ever happen again. We saw the

indiscriminate use of rock scare is being thrown to the ground and we

drew a line in the sand. We have seen far fewer injuries and I am

truly delighted with that. The fireworks have fizzled out and

the clean`up has begun. Around 30,000 people crammed into Lewes

last night and the town is slowly returning to normal. The best`ever

bonfire yet? Always. The best one is next year. Firework night in

Lewis `` Lewes is well`known Babylon `` beyond the boundaries of

Sussex. When the bonfire societies march through the town next year,

thousands will be drawn to the flames once again.

It is an extraordinary thing to go to. You have to experience it to

know what it is really like. Lots of you have been there before and

plenty of you have sent in photos. Here are some of our favourites.

That was from Ben Stanley. This is another from a Brighton fewer. One

viewer from Brighton also says it was an amazing night.

And he's a shops are from the front of the procession.

I am glad it didn't rain and it wasn't too windy. It went pretty

well. It wouldn't stop the people of

Lewes, would it? It wouldn't. Now the weather.

It is that time of year when it gets darker early and the weather

is becoming gloomy. The next few days that really unsettled. Tonight

will be wet and windy. Most of us thought a fair bit of rain or

showers today and a lot of cloud cover around. Through the night,

even if things dried up, chances are it will get pretty wet. Rain is

heading our way with up to 10 mm falling for some of us.

Temperatures drop to about nine Celsius and it could be even cooler

than that for some. Tomorrow morning gradually the rain will

start to clear away and by the time most of us are away kit should be a

dry picture. Wet`weather will remain on coastal spots. The odd

glimmer of sunshine later but a cloudy start for many of us. A bit

less windy then today but the temperatures will be down a couple

of degrees. The wet weather is never far away so towards Dover

they could be heavy showers tomorrow afternoon. By tomorrow

night, the wet weather will be back. It looks like it will be a wet

night again so most of the rain will happen while where sleet. In

the daytime on Friday, a fair bit of wet`weather just to the south of

us. So the odd shower with sunny spells mixed in. That is what we

are seeing in the next few days, a mixture.

Thank you. Before we go, the BBC's children In Need appeal 2013 is

taking place on Friday and we are planning something

special. Join us on Friday November 15th at

the Bluebell Railway for this year's children in need when you

can get the chance to ride the Pudsey express.

If you would like to join us, E Meyer last.

Tickets will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

We will see later. Bye`bye.