21/12/2016 South East Today

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

Caught on CCTV - the thief who lured a 72-year-old woman out

of her car with an offer of help, before stealing it.

The Church of England is institutionally racist -

the claim tonight from the Bishop of Rochester.

There must have been bias in the application process in recent years,

there is no doubt. Also in tonight's programme:

It could be the last picture you ever take -

the stark warning for people taking And on the longest night

of the year, Brighton prepares for its spectacular burning

of the clocks to celebrate Sussex Police are tonight

hunting a carjacker, who lured a seventy two-year-old

woman out of her vehicle before The shocking moment -

which happened at a supermarket The man had offered to help

the woman after telling her that something was leaking

from the vehicle. When she got out to

investigate he drove away, 10:30am in a quiet market

town in East Sussex. This 72-year-old woman

is about to set off for home after some shopping when she is stopped by

a man purporting to be a mechanic. He persuades her out of the car,

saying her bonnet is leaking. Next thing she knows,

he's driving off with it, leaving her

bruised and shaken. Thankfully, she was physically

relatively unhurt. It is obviously, like you say,

very callous and she has taken this chap on his best intentions

that he was trying to help her and has been conned and had her car

stolen as a result. The pensioner was not badly

physically hurt but left shocked and frightened and people

in Heathfield who we showed the footage to today

were horrified that this could have

happened here in broad daylight. I think that's cheeky,

that he's got the... I think that's terrible, isn't it,

in this day and age? I suppose, now that we know,

it's trying not to get caught Nothing ever happens

in Heathfield, fortunately. But according to the AA, this

is just the latest in a spate of The kind of episode that happened

here with this woman is the kind of thing that another car might

sometimes bump into the back of your car, you then get out of the car

and the criminals It is worth being alert and if you

are suspicious at all The man was described by the victim

as being in his mid-40s and stocky. Her car was found a few days later

abandoned seven miles away Sussex Police hope this CCTV

will prompt someone to come forward with information and

are advising people to be careful about not getting out

of their cars without their keys. Ellie, what more do we know

about the victim - how she is now? We don't know a huge amount about

the victim. We know that she is 72 and a local lady but very little

else because she doesn't want her identity being publicised. I have

been told by police that she is pleased that we are covering the

story. That this CCTV footage is getting out in the domain and in the

hope that someone will come forward with information. Physically, she is

well and not needing hospital treatment but emotionally she is

shaken up. The Bishop of Rochester has claimed

there is clear evidence that the Church of England

is institutionally racist. The Right Reverend James Langstaff

says there are not enough members of the clergy from ethnic minorities

who make it to senior levels. That's despite, he says,

some congregations in his diocese being made up of a majority

of black people. Christmas, a time for reflection,

and this year some soul-searching in the Church of England about just how

representative fitters. With the Bishop of Rochester not afraid to

talk about institutional racism. In my own diocese, we have majority

black congregations which is very exciting. There have been issues

about development, people being given opportunities to take on those

stepping stone posts to senior appointments. I think there must

have been some kind of bias in senior appointments in recent years.

The proportion of non-white clergy nationally is just over 3%. It

stands at 0% in Rochester. This man has been the vicar of Saint

Aidan 's Church in Gravesend for four years.

I think it is a terrible statement on who we are as a church that we

are unable to value the gifts of God 's people respect both of their

ethnicity. The 106 Bishop of Rochester was the

first non-white bishop of the diocese in the Church of England.

This week, the first black bishop was appointed in 20 years. Proof

that things are changing, some say, but others say much more is still to

be done. It does play a part in humanity.

So the church should be more representative? Yes.

I do think it represents modern day society.

The church is set up a working group to look at the issue.

The Bishop there has identified the problem -

I think the fact there were so many senior people speaking out is

significant. Senior Anglicans recently wrote a letter to the

church Times and said the fact you can fit all the ethnic minority

bishops into a single black cab is a source of shame. There were just

five of them. They are going to look at the make up of panels but

everybody agrees there is a lot of work to be done.

In a moment, feeling tonnes better - celebrations in St Paul's Cray

as the huge illegal rubbish mountain is finally taken away.

The NHS Trust responsible for hospitals in East Kent

is to come out of special measures after nearly three years,

following an inspection by the health watchdog.

The East Kent Hospitals Trust has made improvements in areas including

accident and emergency, maternity, safety and staffing -

it means the trust no longer has any areas rated as inadequate.

But the Care Quality Commission said it still requires improvement.

Our Health Correspondent Mark Norman reports.

Joyce has had an MRI scan and is getting

and she is an example of new systems introduced

by the hospital trust and highlighted by

inspectors which allows the hospital to give patient

care more quickly and get them home rather than admit them to a ward.

They've seen decision makers, reviewing these patients at the

front door, assessing the clinical needs and often trying to help

manage their conditions without the need to be admitted

In the past, hospital inspectors have also

strongly criticised the trust

for not coordinating their three Acute Hospital sites.

This is how the trust use technology.

These are the three hospitals in East Kent.

The trust as a total looks at patients

coming into accident and emergency, admitted

into patient care, the number of patients

in a bed who needn't be, who could be transferred out,

and it is updated minute by minute

and used by staff throughout all three hospitals to try and make

sure the trust is working as efficiently as possible.

So, yes, inspectors recognise these improvements and even recommended

East Kent comes out of special measures.

Low staffing levels, patients waiting too long for cancer

There is still a long way to go for the trust

and we made the trust aware that there are areas in maternity,

notably, in terms of their staffing levels,

and also with the end-of-life Care Pathway which is still

Really the hard work has been done by thousands of staff right across

the organisation and that work will carry on.

It has been a huge amount of work so far but there is a lot

more work to do and that work will absolutely carry on so we can

provide even better services to patients right across East Kent.

Late this afternoon, I witness more new ways of working.

On-the-ward meetings with various organisations

including social care, physios, doctors, and all led by

And you wanted to say about the care you had today...

Mark joins us now from the QEQM Hospital in Margate -

despite this news today a final decision on the Trust won't be

Yes, in February. I expected to come out of special measures. There is

still this issue around winter pressures. The AMD is still

ridiculously busy, I saw that for myself. One of them had 60 people in

their AMD and that is becoming the new normal according to the chief

executive. The doctors said this was a fantastic day and will help them

recruit more staff. We should recognise this as a good day but

there is more work to be done. A jury at the Old Bailey has started

deliberating its verdicts in the case of two men charged

with smuggling cocaine worth two. Four million pounds

through Rochester Airport. John Buwalda is said to have flown

22 kilograms of the drug from Holland in a light

aircraft in June. Jan Polak is accused of acting

as the courier when they arrived. Brighton is being given

more than ?350,000 of government money to tackle rough

sleeping in the city. The funds will be used to help

the newly homeless and people dealing with both substance misuse

and mental health issues. Brighton and Hove council says more

than a thousand people sleep rough Warning after warning has been made

urging thrill seeking visitors to stay away from the edge of cliffs

at beauty spots in Sussex. But another batch of

photographs has emerged - this time showing a group

of students from Korea posing After recent huge cliff falls,

tonight the coastguard has warned again of the danger of standing

so close to the unstable cliff edge - saying it could be the last

picture you ever take. It's the social media

craze that could kill. These pictures taken last

weekend are believed to be Local people couldn't

understand why anyone would put their life in danger

to take a photograph. I suppose you can't really do

anything about people who just don't The weather was like this,

very strong winds. The Seven Sisters are known

for their majesty, beauty People come from all over

the world to see them. But there is a sinister

side as well. Pictures from the dramatic

cliff fall here at Birling Gap were relayed right

across the world so it is unfathomable to the authorities here

as to why anybody would want to take unnecessary risks

near the cliff edge. We really would urge people just

to take that one step back inshore. You will still get

the same photo, you'll still get the scenery

and amazing memories. But if you do stand on that cliff

edge and it gives away, it could be the last

photo you ever take and that is the last thing

that any of us want. The National Trust see visitors

should stay at least five metres That safety message

was repeated again today but then and know the power of social

media appears to be too great. The moment a thief stole

a 72-year-old woman's car after offering to help her has

been captured on CCTV - The man approached the woman

in a Heathfield car park - luring her out of the vehicle

by telling her it had a leak, Also in tonight's programme -

we chat with Jools Holland. Today has been a fairly miserable

and wet day but the sunshine is back tomorrow. I will have the forecast

later. For the last five years people

on Cornwall Drive in St Pauls Cray have been blighted by an enormous

pile of illegally stacked rubbish. Gathered from across Kent,

it stood 40 foot tall, inflicting the constant threat

of spontaneous fires, foul smells, But after a long running legal

battle, work to remove the rubbish They've already removed 13,000

tonnes - and people in the area say getting rid of the rubbish feels

like Christmas has come early. Our Environment Correspondent Yvette

Austin has tonight's story update. The mound is finally moving. Up to

30 lorry-loads a day are being taken away. It is the legacy of waste for

fuel, recycling company that failed to do what the Environment Agency

ordered and went into liquidation. After living with the blade from

than five years, local residents are relieved.

A lot of dust are still coming up and the smell can be really bad

Sundays. But we are happy it is going, that is the main thing.

Christmas has come early this year. At its worst, the pile was 40 feet

high and 60 feet wide. The orders were taking money for rubbish

arriving but not bearing the cost of its recycling and removal. Locals

campaigned for its removal. He suffered from breathing problems and

says rats have spread. They got in the cupboards and in the

toilet. It will be a relief when it is gone.

We will be so happy. Originally, the pile was estimated to be 20,000

tonnes of rubbish but knowing what it looked like and how much has gone

and is still to go, there could be nearer to 30,000 tonnes. It has

taken months of negotiation to remove the rubbish. The Environment

Agency is paying 90% of the ?2.7 million clean-up cost. Attention is

turning to what will happen today and, -- to the land, which is green

belt land near a wildlife conservation area.

We have the lakes of special scientific interest. I would like to

work with a budget that -- I would like to work within nature -based

charity. Some kind of its centre of excellence.

Now, if you thought it seemed to get dark rather quickly today,

that's because it's the shortest day of the year.

And to mark the winter solstice a huge event

The Burning the Clocks ceremony was launched in 1993 to bring

2000 people are parading with handmade lanterns.

They'll be burnt on a huge bonfire on the beach in front

Chrissie Reidy is in Brighton for us now, it looks quite a spectacle.

Take a look. It really is something to behold. There is probably around

2000 people taking part in this unique event in heart of Brighton.

These lanterns have been individually made and all represent

something personal to people. Let's chat with a vow.

When did you start making allantoin? This morning.

So you have done a good job in a short space of time. What is it

about. It is a clock snowing and the

snowflakes are numbers. Not only are thousands of people are

involved but there are many more in the streets. Suzanne, you are from

Brighton and come every year. What do you like about it?

It is such a Brighton thing. It is exciting for the children and a good

lead up to Christmas. What do you like about the parade?

It's really colourful and represents everything.

They will be heading down to the beach and then all the lanterns will

get put on to a massive bonfire and then they are burned, which

signifies the end of the year. All the noise and spectacle, it is

marvellous. Charlton Athletic can

move into the top ten in League One with victory

at Millwall this evening. Karl Robinson's team has failed

to win any of their last five league and cup games,

and the Addicks manager says he's looking to bring in players

during the January transfer window that will give the club a better

chance of promotion. I back myself as a coach,

as a manager, I back my staff and once I get more players in and get

more players fit, I back this team

to compete massively. We're not even halfway

through the season and some people are almost

disregarding us. Jools Holland first found

fame with Squeeze - then created a whole new genre of TV

when he was the host of irreverent His New Year s Eve Hootenanny

is an institution. But at the heart of everything

he does has always been the piano. His new album is called, simply,

Piano and it celebrates his One of the tracks features

a recording of a duet with wild And of course, he lives

in Cooling Castle near Rochester. Brenda Emmanus has

been to meet him. Jools Holland plays an impressive

duet with actor Hugh Laurie. For decades he has been a champion of a

broad range of music stars and now his own music offering to fans is an

album celebrating his panache passion but piano.

When did you fall in love with the piano?

That is the right way to look at it and the only way to do it, to fall

in love with it. I remember my grandmother 's piano was blackened

in charge from a bomb going off in the war and she opened it and it was

all nice. She played a bit and then my uncle played. I thought that was

great, I've got to learn that, what is that?

The new album features a number of compilations interpreting the work

of composers the jewels love. -- that Jools Holland loves.

It is a piece of me. It is getting to the root of what I am and what I

have been playing all my life. Jools has been touring with his

orchestra and has been Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Kent for many years.

Played a surprise session at St Pancras International station on a

piano donated by Elton John. We've got some lovely concert pianos

but also some lovely bashed up pianos. They can send lovely as

well. I'm not saying Elton's was bashed up. But we got the ambience

would be great. How about this for a great the Black

Here's the latest in our celebrity Christmas messages.

Starting with Hi-di-Hi legend Su Pollard.

Hello and happy Christmas to everybody that is viewing

Hi, I am Martin Fry from ABC and I'd like to wish you

Hello there, this is mid-level comedian Ed Byrne, wishing

all the BBC South East viewers a very Merry Christmas.

Good news ahead of Christmas. It will be winded but should be mild

and mostly dry. We did see some rain today, not initially heavy but

intensifying through the afternoon. It is actually quite mild. That rain

will be intensifying this evening if anything. But it does clear through

and from about 2am or 3am we start to see clear skies developing. We

are going to sea fog and mist. It will be a settled picture. We have

got a ridge of high pressure. What a contrast to today. We are going to

see some decent spells of sunshine. Very pleasant feel to the day. As we

head through from Thursday and Friday with clearer skies and

lighter winds, we're going to be seeing some mist and fog around and

quite chilly picture. Temperatures dropping to two or three degrees. My

other on the coast. As we head through the day on Friday, the winds

are going to be picking up. We have got starring Barbara around. That is

going to be staying well to the north and the west of us as we go

through Friday. We might see some of that rain in the latter part of

Friday but it would be heavy and will pass through quickly due to the

strength of the winds. Looking towards the Christmas weekend, we're

going to see that band of rain passing through. Actually is a

mostly dry picture but looking when day. On Christmas Day heavy rain

into Monday. As we move into the new week this area of high pressure

builds so once again settled and fresher conditions. It is very windy

and mild but fingers crossed mostly dry.

Exasperated commuters, unhealthily packed trains

and companies forced out of business - Britain's worst strike in 20 years

has meant misery for hundreds of thousands of people.

BBC South East Today is hosting a special Question Time style debate

about the ongoing crisis on Southern's rail services

If you live or work in the south east and want to be in the audience,

send an email to [email protected]

with your name, address, daytime phone number and how you've

been affected and you could be part of the debate.

I will be back at 8pm and 10:30pm. Goodbye.

The roads we walk have demons beneath them...

..and yours have been waiting for a very long time.