20/12/2016 South Today - Oxford

BBC website. That's all from the BBC News at Six. It's goodbye from me.

On BBC One And later on: Hanging

by their fingertips - the rise and rise in climbing,

which will be a new A coroner's heard how a man thought

to be suffering from paranoid schizophrenia died a day

after he was sent to Woodhill 52-year-old Jason Basalat

was found hanging from a bed Six other prisoners there have

taken their lives this year. The prison has the highest rate

of inmate suicide in the country. Woodhill Prison officers attended

the inquest into Jason. He was a man with mental health

issues who was sent to jail at the weekend ahead of

an appearance in court over a charge Prison officers had reported

Jason Basalat for his bizarre behaviour, and within 24 hours

of being put inside Woodhill Prison, One prisoner among so many

to end their lives behind bars here. So far this year, seven prisoners

have died at Woodhill Prison, that's more per head of prison

population than any other Jason Basalat was sent

to Woodhill on December 10th. He was known to mental

health services. On December the 11th he was seen

by an officer at 7:15am, He had been found

hanged in his cell. Northamptonshire Police say

Jason Basalat was arrested He had been a passenger on a bus

when he grabbed the steering wheel, A paranoid schizophrenic,

police described him Various officials have repeatedly

spoken out about their concerns that the recommendations made following

deaths are simply not being implemented right Woodhill Prison.

The fact that death after death happens at Woodhill Prison, in very

similar circumstances, suggests that things are fatally wrong. Kevin

Scarlet had mental health problems when he killed themselves at

Woodhill Prison in 2013. Staff had missed the warning signs. His

self-harming, his previous suicide attempts, his stepbrother says no

lessons are being learned. It is shocking, especially when you think

that the highest rate of self harm and suicide in prison is within the

first three days. If he is showing bizarre behaviour anyway, why is he

not being monitored a bit more? Why is he being put in a position where

he can take his own life? White are the safer cells not being utilise?

The inquest has been adjourned until next June. It has happened in the

middle of legal action being taken by relatives of prisoners who have

died, they have called for a judicial review calling for action

to enforce safety procedures at the prison.

In a statement, the Ministry of Justice told us they take mental

health in custody extremely seriously, and there are a range

of measures in place to support prisoners,

They say they have invested in specialist mental health training

for prison officers and launched a suicide and self harm

The funeral has been held for one of the men who died when part

of Didcot Power Station collapsed in February.

Christopher Huxtable from Swansea was one of four men who was killed.

His coffin was carried on a truck by the local recycling firm

An investigation into the cause of his death is ongoing.

More than 140 motorists have been arrested for drink and drug driving

offences in the Thames Valley this December.

Officers arrested 117 drivers for suspected drink offences

in the first 15 days of their Christmas crackdown.

88 people have been charged for being under the influence

An Oxfordshire cat breeder has been banned from keeping animals

for three years after neglecting more than 60 cats in her care.

The RSPCA found 64 Bengal cats at Elizabeth Watson's home in Bix.

She's been given a suspended prison sentence.

Seven of the cats had to be put down.

Groups trying to save Oxfordshire's children's centres will get 12

months of help with their rent, it has been decided today.

County councillors voted last month for rents to be waived,

Campaigners say the help for the centres is a small victory

for those who've been battling to keep them open.

Our political reporter Bethan Phillips has

Councillors today were urged to give children's centres an early

Christmas present and eventually they

This whole issue has come about because the county council's

stopping funding for the majority of centres,

and wants community groups to step in and help.

But in eight cases it would be charging rent

in some cases charging ?30,000 a year.

Last month, the whole council voted in favour of waiving rents

But the final decision on that had to be made by the cabinet,

and it had been recommended they agree to only

It was clear that time limit was going to split the cabinet -

cabinet member Nick Carter described it as draconian.

Campaigners agreed, warning six months of help wouldn't be enough

So, instead of six months, today the cabinet agreed to give

up to 12 months of rent relief for centres.

That was described to me by campaigners as a "small victory"

Next: Building new homes, and the row that's broken out

in Aylesbury over which areas of the green belt

The leader of Aylesbury Vale Council has accused Buckinghamshire County

Council of interfering in plans put forward by two councils

But, what will it mean for those looking for a home,

or those trying to protect the countryside from development?

Mix politics and planning and passions will run high.

The heart of the issue is about which of Buckinghamshire's

green belt areas should be used for housing.

Chiltern and South Bucks councils have proposed 15 sites,

but Buckinghamshire County Council has raised concerns

This has led to fears by the council leader in Aylesbury that nearly

3,000 more homes will be forced on the town.

The county council has not objected to that green belt use by Wycombe,

but it has objected to green belt used by Chilton and South

Buckinghamshire, and yes, the leader of Buckinghamshire County Council

happens to live in the Chilton South Buckinghamshire area,

so I suppose I put two and two together and maybe I made five,

I don't respond to these personal attacks and personal comments.

I can only assume that this person was briefed by his officers

and when he knows the full facts I'm sure he will be reassured.

Martin Tett went on to say district councils alone make the final

decision about changes to green belt areas,

and the County Council was just responding to views being sought

We commented on issues such as highways access to proposed sites.

We commented about flooding, impact on the adjoining areas

of outstanding natural beauty, and whether in fact

we are effectivley sprawling between different towns.

So that's what we've done at the moment, nothing more.

Any final decision of what happens to the green belt land is expected

Buses are due to be stopped from using Oxford's Queen Street

when the new Westgate shopping centre opens.

Council officers raised safety concerns about allowing buses

when the shopping centre opens, saying the number of pedestrians

They've voted in favour of pedestrianising the street

Fundraising in memory of four-year-old Barnaby Cork,

who was knocked down and killed in Thame, has passed

His family have set up a Justgiving website in aid

Around 1,000 people have pledged donations.

Barnaby was knocked down outside the sports centre on Oxford Road,

If you want to get fit in the New Year and are looking

for inspiration, you could follow in the footsteps, or ice-skates,

Nigel decided to take up ice-skating when he was 50.

That was 32 years ago, and he's still going to Oxford's

He visits Oxford's ice rink every Tuesday and Thursday to practice.

I've been skating for 32 years, and I started when I was 50.

One ended in marriage, and the other ended in the hospital.

The first programme I ever skated to was to a piece of music called

This is the T-shirt that my wife made for me.

I must say, it was a mistake using Chain Reaction

because it was lickety-split all the way through

and my tongue was hanging out at the end!

I went to a learn to dance class and I met her.

She likes to ice dance because she likes to hang onto somebody.

I don't like hanging on to somebody so I don't like ice dance.

If you get the chance to catch Nigel in action,

it's likely you'll see his signature move.

I'd like to skate until I fall into my grave, you know.

I'll have the headlines at 8pm, and a full bulletin at 10:30pm.

Now, more of today's stories with Sally Taylor.

And if you'd like more information, log onto

Details on the screen. Later on, Barbara is on her way, here is a

Lexus. Storm Barbara will affect the north

of the country. Gusts of 50 mph, with a significant wind-chill.

Dozens of people are gathering in Portsmouth this evening to show

solidarity with refugees who've left the war-ravaged Syrian

They're also gathering aid supplies that can be sent to those whose

lives have been shattered by the conflict.

The event's being organised by the grassroots charity

'Don't Hate, Donate' and Steve Humphrey is there.

Sally, this is absolutely amazing. This massive pile of relief supplies

in the square in Portsmouth has been growing rapidly over the past hour

or so. People are riding all the time, with things like bedding,

clothes, food, toys, essentials of life for the people over in Syria.

There is a huge queue of cars waiting to off-load more supplies.

It really is absolutely amazing. As you mentioned, this has been

organised by the grassroots charity Don't Hate, Donate. This is

incredible? It really is. Portsmouth is

fantastic. How important is it to get these aid

supplies over to Syria? It is essential, this is life-saving

essential aid. We have got lots of medicine, food, clothing,

everything. This is desperately needed. How long

will it take to get the people that you're collecting these things for?

Between 2-3 weeks to get it inside Syria.

Do you have a network to deliver it once it is in Syria?

Yes, we have sent tonnes of aid already. The path to get it

distributed inside Syria is well-established.

Thank you, people have got until 8pm this evening 's get more supplies to

the square here in Portsmouth. There is going to be a minute's silence at

7pm to show solidarity for all those people who have been displaced by

the Civil War. Back to you. Thank you very much.

Reverend Andrew Ashdown is a former Anglican priest

He's currently studying Christian-Muslim relations in Syria

where he was travelling independently.

He went to listen to stories from both sides of the conflict

and told me about what he has seen and heard.

I've been very much in a city at war. It is a city divided, West

Aleppo, the government-controlled area, where most of the citizens

live, and life is pretty normal that apart from the war has been

constantly bombarded from the rebels on the East. Then you have East

Aleppo, I have been travelling to several districts that have just

been liberated by the Syrian Army. The scenery around there is

shocking, the districts are utterly devastated. These are some of the

pictures that we are seeing on television here. There is a mixture,

L bombarded, and most of the devastation is actually on street to

street battles. Why did you go out there?

I went to see what is really happening on the ground, to meet the

people and to hear voices. They are coming with horrific stories of what

has been going on in East Aleppo, what they have experienced at the

hands of the rebels... Do they still have hope?

They have hopeful stop you see in the eyes of the people who have come

out, they are delighted to be out and say. In the reception centres

they are being given free food, free medical care and accommodation, they

are saying, thank God they are out of that situation. Even what is

remarkable, even in some of these destroyed streets, you are seeing

bulldozers already clearing away the rubble, some of the families want to

go back to their homes and start living within them.

So even though the chaos are still going on, there is becoming some

order, and he would say that this is a city and a people trying to

recover? Yes, this huge trauma. And yet the

people are determined to recover. It has been remarkable and inspiring to

see. Even now, people are saying we want to go back to our homes. Even

the shelves but we have there. We want to go and try and make rebuild

the city. There is a hope for the end to the violence, and that is the

most important thing people are really keen to have.

Thank you very much indeed. Let's move on to sport. We are going

to look ahead to Tokyo 2020, aren't we? A new sport?

You know how you're seeing sports presenters drive you up the wall?

I don't say that! Climbing, you are going to be

fantastic! At the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo

a new sport will be on show. Climbing is a sport gaining

in popularity, with training centres popping up across the South

for all ages. One of them - the Climbing Project

in Poole - has been celebrating its third birthday and invited

new recruits for taster sessions. The Climbing Project is a hidden

gem, based in an old sports centre that went bust nine years ago,

it has been transformed There are sessions to learn

parkour, circus skills, and taekwondo, but the main hall

is devoted to climbing. The climbing has been

sort of word-of-mouth, we have now got a big base of people

who have never climbed before, and they have heard about it

through friends, and then they have And now they use it

as their alternative to a gym, because it is a bit more sociable,

it is a bit more fun, A myriad of different hand and foot

holds give the climber at every Climbing is a co-ordinated sport,

but it's also a sport that Celebrating their third birthday,

professional climber Leah Crane has come to give

a masterclass in bouldering. I think that bouldering is probably

the easiest inlet to climbing that somebody who is completely

new to the sport can have. You essentially walk in a room full

of very friendly people that are all trying to do the same thing,

which is to get to the top of the wall, and everybody

is there to help each other, and it is just a really nice vibe

within bouldering walls. Climbing is definitely a very

male dominant sport. My motto in climbing is try to be

a strong as a but climb like a girl, and in that I mean that as long

as you can have a really good technique, which, generalising,

women do more than men because they are weaker,

so they have to find different ways to get up the wall than just pulling

themselves up with their arms. And if you can have the best of both

worlds, you're really It is the best training

facility in the area, so when it is cold and wet outside,

it provides the ideal facility. I think it's brilliant,

because it enables my daughter to just have a play and see

if she likes it or not. The future looks good

for the Climbing Project. With the addition of climbing

into the 2020 Olympics, sites like this should

see their numbers grow. Hopefully, with its going to be

in the 2020 Olympics, it will mean that climbing actually

get more funding, more support. Climbing walls like this might get

more support in terms of getting more children on there,

kids programmes, and so that there is definitely more options

and opportunities for people to really progress in their climbing

and get the support they need. Hampshire sailor Alex Thomson says

he's entering a critical period of the Vendee Globe

with regard to his own safety. Thomson is currently in second

place in the round the world race, and is expected to pass Cape Horn

in South America on Christmas Eve... At the moment he's just over

500 miles behind the leader, For me, and from a safety point

of view, I feel more isolated You know, he's never going to be

able to come to me now, and the guys behind me are three

or four days behind me, so it's a bit weird, but now

is the time where I need to be the most careful and make sure

nothing happens to me, because help is as far away from me

as it's ever been. Hampshire all-rounder Liam Dawson

was out for a duck as England collapsed to an innings defeat

in the fifth test against India. Dawson, who scored an unbeaten 66

in the first innings and took two wickets on his Test match debut,

was one of six wickets to fall for just 15 runs,

as India wrapped up a dominant All right for Dawson, but it could

have got better if had had a result. Do you know what ever Biddy keeps

asking, have you done any Christmas shopping -- did you get that?

I can't tell you that, in case my wife is watching!

It is the busiest time of year for mail order shops, who do most of

their business in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

One Dorset company set up by a husband-and-wife has grown so large

it has an annual turnover of ?1.7 million. Tom Hackworth went to have

a look. At this time of year, this company

employs 25 staff. They are pretty busy, the company does 80% of its

business in the four weeks leading up to Christmas. How many parcels do

you pack in a day? Normally it's about over 200, 230.

Allow 28 days for delivery. Yes, mail order catalogues would say

that. People hardly ask when it is going to be delivered, they expected

to arrive the next day. And for us as a Christmas business, the biggest

challenge is about keeping up, and luckily we have managed to do that.

They say the definition of a present is something you would like but

would not necessarily buy. It is pretty hard to get honeycomb in the

shops, which is why this is creating a bit of a buzz. The warehouse is a

hive of activity, they process around 53,000 orders per year. What

started as a one-man business now has an annual turnover of ?1.7

million. They sell more books here than any other product in the

success of The Great British Bake Off means that books about picking

up selling like hotcakes -- baking. A certain amount of diplomacy is

required in the business, and they deal with six T three separate --

106 T three separate suppliers. This board game is one that even the

dog can take part in. Prosser called is a big theme this

year, and you can get anything from lip balm to soap to candles to Bath

balms and even sweets. Let's hope the bubble does not burst. This

Christmas is so last year, the company has got its eye on next

summer. What are you going to be selling lots of in 2017?

Sparkling wine will continue to sell. But we're probably looking at

things with a tropical theme, Flamingoland palm trees, Cactus that

kind of thing. When do you do your shopping?

On Christmas Eve! I would have thought he would have

its own up in October! I try and find something for my

nearest and dearest a little bit different.

Being the BBC, we have two and 40 that other retailers are available,

but this is a local business thriving in a cut-throat

marketplace. Hello! Sprouts and socks? The

ultimate Christmas present. We know what he is wearing

Christmas. We got lovely Christmas cards from you, but this one was

from Captain John Stiles, who has written that he went shopping with

his wife and spotted a young lady Kate -- playing the piano. He joined

this young lady to sing Christmas carols and he has written to say

that those five minutes singing with her were real Christmas bliss for

him, and he wants to thank the young lady. So who is this young lady?

Playing a piano in Southampton, you sang a few cat -- carols. Get in

touch if it is you, or you think you know who it might be. Get in touch,

we would love to talk to you. Fingers crossed.

On to the weather. Not so crisp sea as we look ahead?

A little bit of wind and rain potentially for the Christmas

period. Daphne photographed the cloudy sunrise at this pier.

A festive Robin in Southampton. And the cloudy skies at this beach.

Some sunny spells the northern part of the region, scattered showers

here and there. Overnight, the cloud will gather in many places. There

may be some light rain and drizzle pushing in from the west. Clear

skies for some, temperatures will fall away to 3-4 C, but where we

have the increasing cloud, rain will be spilling in by dawn tomorrow.

Lows in many places of 6-7 C. A wet start tomorrow, that band of rain

will clear tomorrow morning on the breeze. In between it will have some

sunny spells, the next weather front is arriving tomorrow afternoon, and

that will stay with us until the evening, and could be quite heavy at

times. Temperatures tomorrow, 10-11, but with the breeze it will feel

quite chilly. Especially along the coast and around the Isle of Wight.

The rain will eventually clear tomorrow night, and the skies will

clear, allowing temperatures to follow way to freezing. Widespread

frost first thing on Friday -- Thursday morning, and mist and frog

patches with it. -- fog patches. Lows of 2-4 in towns and cities. A

chilly start to Thursday, bitty decent, mainly dry with sunny

spells. The rain we had no clear eastwards, looking at misty and

murky conditions to start the day. The outside chance of a shower, but

the breeze will increase, the squeeze on the isobars, and here is

the next weather system which is going to affect the north of the

country. In the south we will have gusts of 40-50 mph, and that this

storm Barbara, heading our way for Christmas Eve. Over the next few

days, a good deal of cloud tomorrow. Brighter spells during the middle of

the day, rain during the morning, rain during the afternoon, with the

breeze increasing jury because of Thursday. Through Friday afternoon,

evening and overnight into Christmas Eve, we will have some windy

conditions with rain at times. Further blustery showers on

Christmas Day. Thanks remit. -- thanks very much.

The young girl on the channel might be involved with the Southampton

Philharmonic choir?