15/08/2013 South Today

In tonight's programme: Summoned to work and told they're sacked — 180

people lose their jobs at Thomson Local Directory.

Are families being kept apart? What effect recent immigration laws are

having on those working here. Southampton's latest international

makes up for lost time with his first touch of the ball.

And we find out how this scientific glass—maker's latest design has been

conceived. Losing your job is never easy but

for 180 people at the Thomson Local Directory company, redundancy has

been particularly harrowing. Staff were summoned to the Farnborough

headquarters to be told the company was in administration. It's since

found a buyer, saving the majority of jobs. But 180 staff were sacked

on the spot and those with company cars were told to hand over their

vehicles and use public transport to get home. Ben Moore reports from

Farnborough. From blue hook to balancing the

book, the reason that Thomson Local Directory has gone into

administration is not the popularity of its directory but rather that the

parent firm has gone bankrupt in Italy. But by yesterday evening, a

buyer had been found — Corporate Media Partners. The firm says 340

jobs, 65 descent of the workforce, have been saved. But 180 jobs are to

go, mainly sales records. Obviously, people are still nervous. None of

the people we let go yesterday were let go because of performance. It

was purely the financials of the company and the purchaser deciding

which divisions to take. Thomson Local Directory staff have been told

not to talk to the media at just over the road is this pub and this

is where many of the staff gathered yesterday. There are reports that

emotions are running high and we've been told that staff were divided

into two groups, one going to the second floor, the other to the

fourth. Staff on the second floor were told they no longer had a job

and also we have been told that some staff drove here in company cars,

only to be told they had to hand them over. With staff not being any

longer part of Thomson Local Directory, the cars were no longer

insured. It's as simple as that. We plan to reimburse staff. Staff went

stranded. The message from the company is that it has survived and

is moving on. It says it will retain a strong online presence and the

blue directory will continue to be printed.

It's been a long wait, probably a few sleepless nights, but today tens

of thousands of students got their A level results. For those going on to

university, their grades will have either confirmed long—standing

arrangements or prompted a bit of a scramble to come up with a plan B.

The issue of tuition fees still looms large — but colleges are also

doing more to financially tempt students who get the best grades.

Dani Sinha reports. Like most students picking up their

A—level results, it was an anxious time for paper. More so for her

because she was one of the arts students whose unmarked coursework

was destroyed in a fire at a school in Dorset at Christmas. Teachers

gave her predicted grades to compensate. Good news for paper, who

got higher grades than she needed to do an industrial design course at

Loughborough University. But like a lot of students we talked to, they

are willing to pay the higher tuition fees of £9,000 if it needs

going to a better university. I just think I'm going to be in so much

debt anyway, I might as well go for it. I know it's an awful lot but I'm

just not thinking about it. I do think it's worth it in the end if I

get a good education. I was pretty dead Seas and deeps and I have come

out with an A. I can go to uni and get a £2000 scholarship. And that's

just it — those students who did better than expected may be offered

the chance to change their scores or get a scholarship. It's known as the

adjustment rosettes and is one of two systems in place to help

students. Universities can now take as many students as they want with

grades of AAB or above. Southampton, Surrey and Sussex

universities are now offering scholarships of up to £3000 to

attract these are students. With all their clearance places filled,

Southampton University have set up a call centres are trying to woo the

brightest students. We will lose some students to adjustment and gain

some two adjustment. We are here to attract the best possible students.

The traditional clearing system still exists, however, for students

who did not do as well as expected. Bournemouth had up to 150 vacancies

to fill. Solent University set up a clearance call centre last night.

They received two calls at midnight as some students started to receive

results via the internet. By 7am, they had dealt with many enquiries.

What is happening today is hundreds of thousands of students getting a

guaranteed place at university. In fact it looks as if we're going to

achieve more students getting their first choice university—based than

ever before and that's great news for them. For some, life after

A—levels will mean leaving the academic world and joining an

apprenticeship scheme. Students have more choice and

therefore more decisions to make than ever before.

Well, from September, some students in the South will have the option of

choosing to pursue A levels at one of the new University Technical

Colleges. These are schools for 14—to—18—year—olds with a technical

focus. Wiltshire's new college was due to open in Salisbury next year

in what's currently the main police station. But the opening's been

postponed until 2015 because the police say they need more time to

relocate. Nikki Mitchell has more. The police were due to move out of

this building in November but that would have not taken prisoners ——

meant taking prisoners usually locked up here 18 miles away for up

to 18 months. We would have had some teams based at the County premises

and we would have had to use the custody nemesis elsewhere. We could

have made that work but I couldn't guarantee the same level of service

to the public. The 12 month delay does mean that Salisbury will get

its own purpose—built operational police station and custody suite in

the city centre but the new classrooms, workshops and science

labs to be created inside this grade two listed building now want to be

finished until 2015. We were surprised and disappointed,

particularly on behalf of the students because a lot of students

had expressed an interest and we had to let them know that the project

was going to be delayed. We fully understand the position the Chief

Constable finds himself in. I'm disappointed but I understand and

accept the judgement of the Chief Constable. The UTC will happen in

Salisbury in 2015 and it will be a great asset to the city and the

surrounding region. In Berkshire, Reading's new University Technical

Colleges is soon to be finished and will open next month. It's backed by

big employers like Microsoft, whose struggle to find recruits with the

right hi—tech computer and engineering skills. In South

Wiltshire, it's the army and employers from the local defence and

scientific sector who are going to have to wait a bit longer for the

UTC they're backing in hopes of addressing the skills shortage here

to open. Police are questioning two brothers

in connection with the murder of a man in his 50s who was stabbed to

death in Guildford. The brothers, aged 22 and 14, walked in to a

police station last night following the discovery of the man's body at a

house in the Bellfields area of the town. He's not yet been identified.

A husband says he's shattered and bewildered at the closure of a

mental health facility which cares for his wife. Brian Payne's wife is

being cared for at Regnum Cottages in Chichester. He first learnt about

NHS plans to close the unit in the local paper. Mark Sanders reports.

Cheryl Payne has schizophrenia and the place where she is being cared

for is closing. Her husband is anxious about what will happen to

her. He learned about plans to shut the facility at Regnum Cottages in

Chichester after seeing the news in the local paper. Bewildered is one

thing. Shattered. It came so suddenly. I read it in the paper

before I was notified. I can't afford for it to make me ill. It's

very distressing. Regnum Cottages RL is of a new, having opened at the

end of the 1990s. They were built on the grounds of the old hospital. ——

Regnum Cottages are relatively new. The Sussex partnership NHS

foundation trust gave us a statement about why the cottages are closing.

As for how Brian Payne learned about the closure plans in the paper, the

trust says it would have been inappropriate to begin those

discussions without the approval of the West Sussex health and social

care select committee. Ryan Payne loves his garden but it's no

distraction from his worries about where his wife will end up. ——

Brian. Still to come in this evening's

South Today: Tony Husband has been enjoying a game of cricket. The

Ashes with a difference. England against Australia over 70s. The

first match in a three—game series. I'll tell you who came out on top in

a moment. The Bournemouth group of Surfers

Against Sewage are meeting now with the developers of proposed offshore

wind farm at Navitus Bay. The proposed wind farm would have more

than 200 turbines some 12 miles off Bournemouth's shoreline. The surfers

want to discuss how that could affect sea conditions including the

swell. Figures out today reveal there's

been a big jump in the number of Romanians and Bulgarians working in

the UK. Many nationalities still want to come here and the

Government's focus is on trying to control the numbers arriving from

outside the EU. A year ago it introduced new rules so workers can

only bring a husband or wife into the UK if they earn more than

£18,000. Only one other major Western country has a higher limit

and campaigners say it's unfairly keeping families apart. James Ingham

reports. After a decade in the UK, Inodeen

Naizai has the same rights as every other Briton. But his low pay is

stopping him living with his wife, who he married in Pakistan.

Immigration rule changes mean he's unable to sponsor her visa. Is too

much for my wife, for me. Life is no good for me and my wife. Anyone in

this country wishing to be joined by their husband or wife from outside

the EU must prove they earn £18,600 a year — more if they have children.

The Government says that ensures couples won't become reliant on the

taxpayer for financial support. The community is very worried. Leaders

from communities across Southampton — representing Sikhs, Muslims and

Christians — are campaigning to get that threshold reduced. It's causing

the family is anxiety, depression. They're getting mentally disturbed,

it's causing family arguments, ripping them apart, keeping them

away from loved ones. The income threshold has been criticised by a

group of MPs looking at migration. A High Court judge has also described

them as onerous and unjustified. The government says it will review the

impact of the rules are having and in the meantime has put all

applications that don't meet the minimum requirement on hold while it

appeals against the court ruling. The threshold is well above the

minimum wage of around £13,000 a year. Nearly half of all working

people would be unable to sponsor a partner based on their earnings.

Opposition politicians agree with the need to limit immigration, but

question the figure chosen. Obviously, the Conservatives have

picked out a figure so that poor people can't reach it. What we say

is, as long as you work, as long as you contribute, no figure really

matters, as long as you are contributing to the country and not

expecting the country to look after you. Inodeen talks regularly to his

wife. If the rules remain the same, this is the only contact he'll have

with her here. On to sport and Tony tends to pick

his moments to get out of the TV studio very carefully. Two reasons

tonight — particularly good. One is the weather and the other is to

watch his favourite pastime, the cricket. I can see the sun is

beaming down on you! Yes, it's glorious. We are at one of

the most picturesque grounds in Hampshire. It has hosted the first

test match between England and Australia. I'll have a bit more

about that. But you mentioned that I've got a beaming smile and the sun

is beaming down. Now, they say good things come to

those who wait. Southampton striker Rickie Lambert waited a long time

for his England debut. But he made the most of his big chance last

night. It took the 31—year—old just two minutes and 47 seconds to score

on his debut. His goal proved to be the winner in England's 3—2 defeat

of Scotland. King of the back pages — and the

headline writers' darling. Rickie Lambert's achievement last night

spread delight around the world of football. It also sparked an

explosion of ecstatic tweets in Twitter feeds across the South. The

former beetroot factory worker's call—up at 31 had come late — but an

hour into the match he came off the bench to replace fellow Scouser

Wayne Rooney. But how's this for making up for lost time, after just

under three minutes on the Wembley pitch?

Lambert's header proved to be the decisive moment in the game and —

but for a bobble off the turf and the width of a post — he very nearly

bagged another. He could have scored three! I had the post. A little nick

took it off my foot a little bit but I'm thankful to have scored a goal.

For the fans at one Southampton pub today, the Lambert glow showed no

sign of fading. It went absolutely mad in here. When he hit the post

later, it went mad again. It was all about Lambert last night, not

England. When Lambert came on, he was there for three minutes, scored

a brilliant goal. Excellent game. Back training with Saints today,

Lambert's smile said it all! How are you feeling? I'm all right,

OK. Lambert was not doing interviews

today but one of his Southampton team mates was more forthcoming.

Everyone was very happy for him, everyone was buzzing. We said

congratulations to him but it wasn't really a surprise for us because we

knew that if he played more than 30 minutes, he would score goals. Most

pundits thought Lambert's selection for England was as a stopgap. But

with his appetite for goal, who knows? At 31, maybe international

life is just beginning for St Rickie. Fantastic. A full

Southampton Premier League preview is coming up tomorrow.

A Hampshire golfer is into the last 16 of the US Amateur championship

after two wins in the match play part of the competition. Neil

Raymond has just gone onto the course in his match against

Australia's Nathan Holman. You may remember Neil, who plays at

Corhampton Golf Club, topped the stroke play leaderboard at the event

at Brookline. He is going very well indeed. That is one England—is truly

a battle. How about another one? It's the first test match of a

three—year match series in the England and Australia over 70s. Is

truly were bowled out short time ago. This is the first of a three

match series. —— Australia were bowled out. Let's talk to the two

captains. Hugh Miller and Gordon Ives. Tell us about these matches,

how they've come about. Senior figures involved over the years

thought it was a logical move that when the Australians were coming

over and invited us to pay test cricket we would take them up on the

challenge. —— played test cricket. Gordon, great to have you over

here. A big travelling contingent? There's 17 in the squad, plus

ladies. We thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality. It's been so fantastic

every game we've played. A good one today but unfortunately, one to

England and zero to us at the moment but it's going to change in the

test, hopefully. Two more test matches to go. We'll turn the

tables. We lost the toss. I was going to bat today but it was fair

enough. It's a good batting wicket. They would be expecting 250 to get

out today. They only got 160 so we're in there for sure! It's been

an English summer so far for the Ashes! I have to stop you because we

could go on all night. We'll go to the bar in a second. England won the

first one, they go to Crawley for the second. I harbour hopes that

maybe one day I will play cricket for my country still!

There is a future for you but the immediate future is behind you!

Do you remember chemistry lessons in school? Getting to grips with Bunsen

burners, test tubes and a pipette! In full scale laboratories there's a

lot of glass equipment and some of it is very specialised. Professor

David Phillips had a unique piece of glassware he used in chemistry

demonstrations and when it broke, he turned to Southampton University for

help. He joined me earlier on the sofa and the first thing was to

reveal what was so special about his glass item. So, this is the item, in

fact, which is the unusual piece of glassware. It's a baby!It is and if

you look carefully, you can see it is a male baby. This is Mike. It's

not the first one you've had, because your accident prone, I

understand. I had one for many years, which was made in

Southampton, also, and he went with me to a big lecture in Berlin just

before Christmas and, alas, did not make it. So we had a funeral in

Berlin. Let's bring in the glass—blower. Have you ever been

asked to make anything as strange as this? Know, without doubt.It's all

hand—blown, isn't it? Is that tricky? Yes. We make each part

separately so we made the arms, the legs, the head all separately and

then put together. It's putting it all together that is the tricky bit.

David, you use it for educating, helping people to understand

science, but have you got to have something like that to make this

more educating and interesting? You don't have to bid if you can engage

your audience with seeing something unusual, it helps. But it does a

real experiments so there is some real science here. And, of course,

they find this very attractive. The adults as well as the children, I

assume? Well, we're all children at heart. The serious side about how

you use this is about jaundice in babies, isn't it? Yes, about ten

percentage babies are born with jaundice and it really needs to be

treated. It was discovered by accident in the mid—1950s that if

you use blue light on a baby, it will convert the yellow substance,

which is a breakdown product of red blood cells, into a water—soluble

form so you can get rid of it in the way that you and I would recognise.

How does that manifest itself in your glass baby? This is just a

separating phenomenon. He might object to it being described as

that. In the legs, I have a fat solution of the authentic material

that is the cause of jaundice in newborn babies. Above I have some

water. You can see that it will not go in the water. If you radiate this

with blue light or ultraviolet light or both, this converts into a form

which will dissolve in water. So I can show you that if you like. I

have to take his dummy out. Here is the light. I have to put it there.

It takes about two minutes so we need to radiate for about that

length of time. So we're going to let that radiate and come back to it

in a second. So, you've been doing that for a couple of minutes. That

should be long enough, I hope. So now what I have to do is see if the

yellow colour will go into the water. I have to mix it. Which you

wouldn't do with a normal baby, of course! Don't do this at home! With

any luck, it has been long enough that some, if not all, of the yellow

colour has gone into the top layer. It has now gone into the water

layer, so now little Mike can do exactly what nature intended and get

rid of it. That is incredible and it really does show exactly what will

happen. I suppose the worrying thing now is, as far as you're concerned,

Lee, you can make the baby but what if he wants an adult? I would kindly

invite him to go somewhere else! It's fabulous to meet you. Professor

David Phillips and Lee Mulholland, thank you. It's fascinating.

I loved Lee's face. It was a picture! We go onto the weather now.

Sarah is here. Gorgeous again. Yes, we have a mixed bag. Many of us

stayed dry. A beautiful butterfly spotted by

Beryl Matthews today at Wakehurst Place Gardens, near Ardingly.

An action shot of a Canada goose coming into land. Taken by Dan Smith

in Midhurst. And a moody feel to this one — taken

at the top of the South Downs by Katarina Hutchings.

We have had some showers and there are still a few in the mix for this

evening. It will fade away, so we'll see dry conditions for a time before

we see more wet weather into the early hours. The showers feed

through the M4 corridor, easing away later, and then we'll see the cloud

building in from the West during the early hours with patchy outbreaks of

rain and perhaps some heavy bursts. We start tomorrow with the grey,

damp feel and perhaps one or two more heavy bursts in the mix. In the

sunshine, feeling pleasant, with highs of 23, but still some showers

later in the day. Tomorrow evening, the rain eventually cleared through

and we are left with some dry conditions overnight. Temperatures

are still muddy and perhaps some mist and Merck. Dry and bright

conditions but a band of weather will bring us some windy conditions.

The wet weather will sweep through during the latter part of Saturday.

Isobars still tightly packed. One or two showers in the mix but still the

wind is pretty strong and gusty. We have weekend events to look forward

to. For the National Feast of Lanterns

on the Somerley Estate in Ringwood it looks like we'll see a dry spell

tomorrow evening, as things get glowing. The event runs right

through this weekend, so expect some rain at times. And for the Rewind

Festival in Henley on Thames, it should be dry for a time on Friday

evening, but wellies at the ready for Saturday! We do have the wet

weather to come. Take a look at your summary for the next few days.

Tomorrow, rain to start, becoming drier into the evening. A bright

start to Saturday but the wet weather sweeps in from the West with

very strong winds at times, particularly along the coast. Sunday

looks blustery with one or two showers in the mix.

Tomorrow night, we look into the future, quite literally, about how a

pair of glasses in an app could help in the developing world.