12/04/2012 South Today

Hello, I'm Sally Taylor. Welcome to South Today. In tonight's

programme: Hundreds pay their respects to a

Royal Marine - a fantastic husband and an incredible father. LEA any

the greatest bits for anyone could ever wish all, -- he gave me the

greatest gift so that anyone could ever wish for.

Life in prison for three men who conspired to murder a taxi driver

over a property dispute. 100 years since the Royal Flying

Corps was formed - we pay tribute to those magnificent men.

And a final wash and brush up - we meet the Grand National dark horse

in the running to make the ultimate tribute. I did not achieve or

winning the Grand National as a jockey and it would be fantastic if

I can do it as a trainer. I am sure this year we are getting a bit of

"He was a fantastic husband and an incredible father." Just one of the

tributes paid to Sergeant Luke Taylor from Bournemouth who was

killed in Afghanistan last month. The Royal Marine's funeral took

place in Christchurch today. Before the service, the funeral cortege

passed through the High Street, allowing the public to pay their

respects. Roger Finn was there. As the coffin came down

Christchurch High Street, so too did a wave of applause. Sergeant

Luke Taylor was just 33 years old when he was killed. He had been a

Royal Marine for 50 years, part of that working in intelligence. -- 15

years. He had been fighting in Afghanistan just four weeks when a

rogue Afghan army soldier shot him dead at the gates into the British

base at Lashkar Gah. Hundreds came to this morning's funeral service,

filling Christchurch Priory. Amongst them many colleagues from

the Royal Marines. And, following the coffin in, Luke Taylor's widow,

Nikki, holding the hand of their four year-old son, Roan. Sergeant

Tyler was quite a remarkable character. He was full of energy, a

great drive, great passion in all that he did and he was very much a

family man, devoted to his wife, Nikki, and certainly to his son. A

fantastic father. The congregation heard colleagues describe Luke as

bursting with enthusiasm, brave, loyal, passionate and great to have

around. And then his widow stepped up to make her tribute. Luke was

and always will be the love of my life, my best friend. My soul mate.

He gave me the greatest gifts that anyone could ever wish for - his

love, his devotion, his laughter, and our beautiful son, who he doted

on completely. After the service, a guard of 12 Royal Marines performed

a traditional honour for a fallen It has been described as nothing

less than attempted execution -- attempted execution, described by a

judge who handed down life sentences to three men who murdered

a taxi driver. One man higher at two are others to murder him.

A quiet residential street where his father of three was gunned down

and left for dead. His three would- be killers, these three men, are

tonight starting live attendances. Mr Hussein would like to find

everyone who has supported himself and his family through this

horrific event. The family is pleased to see that justice has

been done. The attempt on Mr Hussein's live came after a

protracted feud between farmers in Pakistan, and an argument over a

house had already left for one of Mr Hussein's relatives dead and Mr

Hughes said's nephew in jail. It was an autumn night when Mr Hussain

came home from work. He walked towards the front door and was shot

three times. He told the court that he heard a noise like fireworks and

felt a burning in his chest. As he fell to the ground, he looked up

and saw a figure in dark clothing, pointing a handgun at him. After

the shooting, the two men torched their stolen car but the attempt to

cover their tracks failed. There was lots of circumstantial evidence.

We had a numberplates that had been traced to a manufacturer in

Birmingham and that led us on to the two men. When we looked at the

phone records, they lead us back to the family dispute. The Hussain

family did not want to appear on camera. Police still fear they

could be reprisals. In sentencing, all three defendants to live in

prison and with a ten-and-a-half year minimum sentence, the judge

said that this was nothing less than an attempted execution. As one

man was led from the dock, he shouted, thank you very much.

A Southampton court had to be clear this morning during a hearing over

the alleged murder of 22 year-old Jamie Dack. His badly burned body

was found by fire crews on Easter Sunday in an industrial bin. Three

men and one woman are charged with murder, false imprisonment and

conspiracy to rob. Catharina Moh has the story.

Appearing at Southampton Magistrates' today, Ryan Woodmansey,

Andrew Dwyer-Skeats, Lee Nicholls and Donna Chalk, all aged between

20 and 31 years old, charged with the murder of Jamie Dack. The 22

year-old's body was found on Sunday after fire crews were called to the

Empress Road Industrial Estate. As Donna Chalk and Ryan Woodmansey

were led into court, they waved at the public gallery, which remained

silent. The defendants spoke only to confirm their names, addresses

and dates of birth. The prosecution told the hearing Mr Dack was

kidnapped, held at an address in Southampton and attacked with a

baseball bat. The next day he was stabbed to death, put in a bin and

set on fire. As the defendants were led out, a member of the public

shouted at one set of them and the court's public gallery was

immediately cleared. The three men face an additional count of causing

grievous bodily harm. All four have been remanded in custody to appear

at Winchester Crown Court on Monday. Police are appealing for help to

trace a man suspected of being involved in a fight on a street in

Waterlooville, which led to a man's death. Police were called to Dove

Close at 5:30am this morning. A 20 year-old man was taken to hospital

where he was pronounced dead. Forensic examinations of the scene

are taking place and police are trying to track down a suspect.

They are appealing for any information that will help them

locate 28 year-old Sean Thomas How much can you tell about a

person in five minutes? Is it enough time to decide if they are

worth voting for? Well, that is exactly what a specially selected

group of people have been finding out for a political speed-dating

event. Our political editor Peter Politicians want us to love them.

At election time especially, they need our boats. But the Southampton

residents at City College today were not going to be lulled by

suites serenades. This was speed- dating. With just five minutes to

get answers to tough questions. Karen wanted to impress on these

politicians that they cuts are affecting disadvantaged young

people. They do not understand how serious the issue is out there.

bat is a sad situation? Yes. At the other end up the scale, this woman

was pressing this MP. We cannot ignore the issues that will be

facing us as a society for older people generally. The money has to

be found somewhere or there has to be another strategy. It is not just

the main parties. Here in Southampton, trade unions

Socialists and the UK Independence Party who are also trying to win

brakes on May 3rd. Some thought there simply is not enough time to

decide. I could have done with ten minutes, really. Five minutes is

pushing it. What is the most depressing thing small businesses

need? We want to get involved in projects like the developments that

has been announced in the next 20 years. Survey have had their five

minutes. There is three weeks until we fed at the local election, so

plenty of time to ponder the answers.

Still to come, the Mayday messages from Titanic which helped to save

hundreds of lives. One of two young Nigerian girls who

went missing from Worthing has been tracked down in Spain after what

police think may have been a case of human trafficking. The two girls,

both aged 15, met when they arrived in the UK unaccompanied. They went

missing on Good Friday afternoon, after saying they were going to

church. The two girls later appeared in Valencia, having

travelled there on false passports. One was stopped by border control

but the other got through and is Now, as well as the centenary of

the sinking of the Titanic, 100 years ago this week an organisation

was formed which would change our armed forces and fundamentally

change the way wars were fought. The Royal Flying Corps came into

being on 13th April 1912 in Farnborough. It eventually became

the Royal Air Force. Today a ceremony was held in Hampshire to

The dawn of British military aviation, and Farnborough was right

at the heart of it. Back then, this was an everyday sight in this

corner of Hampshire. Today a replica biplane flew in to recreate

that image. It was one of Britain's first purpose built military

aircraft. And here it is in front of refurbished aircraft hangars.

From 36 airplanes in 1912 to 32,000 by 1918, the Royal Flying Corps

week proved its worth in the First World War. If you imagine the army

stepped in trench warfare, you could have an aeroplane flying a

few 1000 feet above, or taking safety -- safely taking photos of

the enemy positions. It changed the whole nature of warfare. Today an

exhibition opened to those magnificent men and women who built

and flew Farnborough's fabulous but flimsy flying machines. Men like

this lieutenant. Proud for my dad and me to see family members

involved. The Royal Flying Corps was any in existence for six years.

In 1918 it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service to form the RAF,

and this is the office of the man who made -- happen, Lord from

charge. Vanbrugh -- a fan barrette has been at the forefront.

marvellous day to reflect on the things that have not changed. The

ambition of the people and the courage of those that serve.

history encapsulated in today's fly past. With the modern-day Apache

100 years of the rial -- Royal Flying Corps tomorrow.

Sport and we are looking ahead to Saturday's Grand National. A great

event. Talk about tradition and history. A great story to talk

about tonight. It involves a little bit of history. When the trainers

gathered together at Aintree this year many will remember Josh

Gifford who died this year. The famous who won the race back in

1981. Now one of his protege's will be hoping to follow in his

footsteps with victory in one of the toughest races of will.

It is 31 years since this caused overcame serious injury and his

jockey beat cancer her to win the Grand National. Since the death of

trainer Josh Gifford two months ago, there is one man who would

particularly like to win the race in memory of his former boss. When

the champion retired as deferred's main jockey, this map took over. A

victory at Aintree would be an emotional achievement. By a road

all the Nazi -- I wrote that horse. I did not win the Grand National as

a jockey. It would be wonderful to As the final touches are applied,

the tension is building. I am feeling the nerves coming are now.

Very excited about it. He is feeling so well. He is probably the

best he has ever felt so he can only be excited. Can't wait for the

big day. The horse's moved to Sussex has paid off. We are very

lucky here. There are two miles of bridleways and fantastic scenery

and hill walking. It was starting from scratch with the jumping.

Right back to basics. We built him up gradually and fortunately it did

the trick. The arts are 66-1 for Tatenen to win the Grand National.

Just think what a change of scenery A little extra to mention in this

story, Tatenen's jockey will be Andrew Thornton, not only likely to

be the oldest racer in the race at 39, but also the only one wearing

contact lenses. Thunderstorms, lightning, not

exactly cricketing weather but this was the scene a short time ago.

Look at the Screen on the left-hand side by these floodlight. Ben Dando

ironing. This was Hampshire's first County Championship game of

December against Gloucester. They stayed on at the bit a bit longer.

And tomorrow night, we are at St Mary's. It is the biggest game in

the season so far, Southampton versus Redding.

E British Titanic Society -- the British Titanic Society has been

around today to lay memorials in Southampton. Members of the society

braved the weather to place their tributes to the musicians, who also

received a wreath from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. And

a service of remembrance will be held in Godalming in Sunday -- in

Surrey this sundeck. It was home to Jack Phillips, one of 1,500 people

who died in the disaster. He was the wireless operator whose SOS

messages saved many of those who survived.

We are at Charterhouse in Godalming where amateur radio enthusiasts

have set up their own station in honour of Jack Phillips. They have

even got Titanic's call sign. They have made contact with thousands of

people around the world. They are on to Arizona and Easter Bush at

the moment. They have also contacted Peru and India. For Jack

Phillips the scent distress messages. It fell out of favour

after the Titanic sank and was replaced by SOS. But that message

nevertheless helped to replace -- save hundreds of lives.

Jack Phillips learnt Morse code at the Post Office and went on to work

on several liners after being employed by Marconi. The night's

big Titanic sank, Jack and his colleague were busy sending a

backlog of passengers messages. They received another warning, this

time from the issue closes to them, the SS Californian. Dacre plight,

keep out. You are damning might An hour later and Titanic was in

trouble. Jack cent distress manages which were picked up by his old

friend on another ship, which steams to the rescue. Freezing

water began lapping at their ankles in the radio room. Jack doggedly

continued to transmit. At one point, a stoker burst in and try to take

it off him. The stoker try to take his life jacket. He would have had

a life jacket in his locker anyway. Jack sent a message to the other

ship, come as quickly as possible, old man. The engine room is filling

That was the last anyone heard from Jack Phillips. He made it on to an

upturned collapsible lifeboat but died and his body was never found.

For two years later, the lodges memorial to one person lost on the

Titanic was opened in got will ring. As you can see in this rare footage,

hundreds turned up. Among the great and the good, Jack's father, on the

right. Four women suffragists collected the money and they wanted

something beautiful and something of use, something people could

enjoy in future generations. Work to repair vandalism was completed

with a lottery grant of more than �300,000, but she's not the only

memorial. The one which hunk in the Post Office where he worked had

been missing for years until very recently. A woman walked into the

Post Office with this and donated it to the museum. Because we have

been doing the research for the exhibition I knew right away what

it was and I was absolutely amazed. It was made by Jack's old

headmaster. It is very much in the Arts and Crafts tradition of their

British -- Arts and Crafts tradition of a rounded education,

been able to work with your hands. And Jack's headmaster said he was

not very academic but did work well with his hands and had a good sense

of duty. There was a Jack Phillips a day up until the 1950s. There was

a poor rate and the flak was blown. Art has to read of recently and --

that has died off recently but I hope we can revive it. They are

trying to persuade a new pub chain to name its pubs the Jack Phillips.

As you can see, technology has moved on since 1912. The only time

most of us will hear more scope nowadays is when you get a text

message on your mobile phone. That is actually remorse for a house

arrests. -- that is actually more scope for S N S. You can come and

see these men here on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

We invited relatives with stories are the Titanic to shed their

stories with us. This woman's mother was on board.

She heard a crash and then a shudder and a shiver through the

ship. Then it went backwards and forwards to all three times and

then the ship stopped. They are lots of stories like that one about

relatives on board the Titanic. So many that we do not attack to show

the more on Saturday. We have compiled them all online so they

you can browse them at your leisure. Just go to the website. You can

also catch up with the films we have had on side today in case you

missed any of them. -- on South Today. The weather. Thunderstorms

right across the South? Yes, that lightning at the cricket. And right

across the South we have hap thunderstorms, lightning, hailed.

People do really enjoy it thunderstorms but we have dramatic

That was just after lightning struck and the telegraph pole

caught fire, but it has now been restored. The family of this house

were not hurt but they were left shaken.

That the ban mining throughout much of the day. The hailstones as well,

but glad to see these guys are gradually clearing through the

weekend -- through the night. Will the next couple of hours, perhaps a

few more storms, perhaps with hail and thunder. Gradually those

showers ease away and we are left with clearing skies, temperatures

as a result dipping down to freezing in some of our towns and

cities. Cooler in the countryside. You can see a bit of frost to take

this into first thing tomorrow morning. So mist and murk around in

parts as well. But generally tomorrow, shaping up to be a bit of

a crisp and bright start to the day. We will see their showers returning

but for tomorrow, not quite as happy and not as many of them as we

have seen today. So we will see some good sunny intervals and in

those places temperatures are rock to around 14 degrees. Through to

Brownite, a bit of a -- through to tomorrow night, a bit of a repeat

performance. Damp into the early hours taking us into a bit of a

slow start for Saturday morning. Another she won. A touch of frost.

As we look ahead to the weekend, we can see these isobars coming from a

northerly direction. That will bring as much cooler air. We have

had some relatively mild conditions but starting to feel much fresh air

through the weekend. Generally quite a cloudy picture. One or two

showers. But few of them and there will be some brighter skies at

times. In the overnight period we will start to see those