02/01/2012 South Today

Good evening. I'm Laura Trant with the latest news in the south.

Thames Valley Police have arrested three men on suspicion of the

attempted murder of one of it's officers. Police were called to

Stony Stratford near Milton Keynes yesterday morning. Officers were

investigating reports a black taxi had been stolen. They later found

it in the Hodge Lea Lane area. As one of the policemen went to look

inside, the taxi reversed into him. It is one of our colleagues. This

has shocked people here. He is stable in hospital. But there are

serious injuries. He was out there doing his job. We are treating it

as an attempted murder. Dive enthusiasts who want to turn

HMS Ark Royal into a shipwreck off the Devon coast could be a step

closer to seeing their dream come true. They've secured �6.5 million

of funding from two companies who are backing the idea of making it

into a reef. There are several rival bids on the table, and the

Ministry of Defence is expected to announce who its sell the ship to

in the next few weeks. Conservationists in Dorset are

working to clear former Forestry Commission woodland. The rangers

are felling the trees to return an area near Dorchester to heathland

and create habitat for endangered wildlife. Roger Finn has been to

see the work. This team of Dorset countryside rangers are working

close to Thomas Hardy's Cottage at Higher Bockhampton. It needs

careful managing. It is mainly being turned back into a Heath. It

was a Forestry Commission land. Dartmoor ponies have been brought

in to do their bit by nibbling back the scrub. It is hoped rare

creatures can be attracted back such as sand lizards. Birch and

pine trees have been felled and so have some of the harder woods. That

has created an opportunity for a new enterprise. In the last few

months, Rangers have started selling logs to local residents.

Some have also been delivered to elderly people. It supports the

work that we do and it will support volunteers and work placements. We

can afford the training they need to help us do the job. A wood that

pays his a wood that stays. Football and all of our sides have

been in action this bank holiday afternoon. In the Championship, it

was a lively south coast derby at the Amex Stadium today. Brighton

opening the new year with an emphatic win against Southampton.

But Southampton still remain top of the table on goal difference.

Disappointment for Reading, losing 3-1 away to Cardiff. But a good

home win for Portsmouth, beating Watford 2-0.

In League One, Bournemouth had a good home win, beating Wycombe 2-0.

And it was also a win today for MK Dons, by 1-0 at home to Colchester.

In League Two, it was an edge of the seat draw for top of League Two

Crawley Town, as they equalised in the 89th minute at Oxford United

this afternoon. Aldershot slid further down the table as they lost

1-0 at Gillingham. But it was a good bank holiday win for Swindon,

that saw them beat Wimbledon 2-0. Just a word about this week's South

Today. We'll be featuring three people who have a hidden condition,

Aspergers. It's a high-functioning autism. On tomorrow's programme,

we'll meet Martin Hedley from Dorset, a gifted musician and

charity worker, who's raised �43,000 for community projects. But

for ten years now he's been out of work. Our health correspondent has

spent time with Martin and his family to see how he deals with the

stress, anxiety and creativity of his condition.

Time for us to check how the weather's looking for the rest of

It will be wet and windy by the end of the night. Becoming very windy

and then drain arrives on the scene for many parts by the end of the

night. The yellow warning is in force for wind. Gusts up to 60 or

70 mph. A lot of rain as well for the first part of tomorrow morning.

Easing away from all parts by the afternoon. A pretty pleasant