09/01/2017 South Today

In tonight's programme: Bird flu in Dorset -

cases in the county - but it's feared dozens more swans

It's a very serious condition for the birds and it strikes the young

ones particularly very hard. I cannot get over the fact that

grown adults cannot sit around a table and actually come to some kind

of compromise. Miserable is the word. You're being held to ransom

effectively. As commuters face another

strike the both sides in the Southern Rail dispute go head

to head in a televised debate. His boat may be damaged but could

Hampshire's Alex Thomson now win And the Wiltshire couple

boldly going where no When the opportunity presents

itself, you just say yes. An outbreak of bird flu has been

confirmed at the famous Abbotsbury Swannery

near Weymouth in Dorset. Nine swans have tested positive

for the H5N8 strain of the disease. Last month, the government

ordered poultry farmers to take precautions -

to try to stop the spread of the virus from wild birds

to commercial and domestic flocks. One Dorset egg farm says

the restrictions are having an impact on the welfare

of their chickens, Reporter Steve Humphrey is at

Abbotsbury Swannery this evening. But the new discovery of the virus

here isn't totally unexpected. There've been cases across Europe,

and it arrived here last month, with outbreaks in Wales

and Scotland, and a number of English counties,

including Gloucestershire, where the wetland reserve

at Slimbridge was affected. Since New Year, there've been

further cases in Devon and Wales, but the outbreak here

is the biggest so far. Confirmation of the presence of the

bird flu virus here that Abbotsbury 's winery came after ten dead swans

were sent for tests. Nine tested positive for the H5N8 strain of the

disease. Very concerned for the birds. It's not a threat to our

staff or humans generally, that's been confirmed by the health

agencies, so that's the good thing, but it is a very serious condition

for the birds down there and it doesn't strike the young ones

particularly very hard. So far this winter, around 80 swans have been

found dead, double the usual number for the winter period. Back in 2008,

the area was hit by the more valuable -- gent hey-mac strain but

precautions were put in place. It was a different strain which they

thought might be harmful to humans. We lost less birds then then we have

this time. At the start of December, the Government ordered poultry farms

to bring free range hens in doors and to take precautions in a bid to

stop the virus spreading. They say they are disappointed that death

Defra didn't tell them about the presence of the virus at Abbotsbury.

You want more information? Yes, I feel it isn't good enough. Keeping

hens indoors has led to a substantial cut in production. 20%

of what we normally get so for us financially, it's quite a big

impact, really. the motion was -- the measures imposed to help

restrict the spread of bird flu will be in place until February 28.

Abbotsbury is closed at the moment. People are hoping the bird flu virus

runs its course by the time it is reopened on March 18.

A little earlier I spoke to England's Chief Veterinary

Officer, Nigel Gibbens, he gave me his reaction

We've seen the disease spread through wild birds throughout Europe

There is little that can be done because these are wild birds but it

does show the level of infection that is present

How worried are you that this might spread from there?

There's a constant threat from different wild birds.

The important thing is we prevent it getting into kept birds,

like commercial birds and birds people keep in their backyards.

We are keen to advise people to do everything they can to keep birds

Public Health England have looked carefully at this and confirmed

This is a bird flu that is affecting only birds and hasn't affected

people and the Food Standards Agency has said the food

Just how concerned are you this year?

This is a very serious disease of birds.

It is highly infectious and causes diseases,

especially in chickens and turkeys, but also potentially swans and geese

so it is a particularly serious disease in birds but the good thing

is that it's not causing any harm to humans so we need people to keep

this disease out of their kept birds, whether it's

in their backyard or a commercial poultry farm.

Another strike by drivers on Southern Railway

The company says no trains will run tomorrow, on Wednesday or Friday.

Meanwhile, a strike on London Underground has been

causing major disruption for all commuters that was due

A BBC news special to be broadcast this evening debates

the Southern Rail issues, and hears from passengers.

Our transport correspondent Paul Clifton reports.

Britain's first rail strike in 20 years has meant misery for hundreds

and thousands of people. the debate generated plenty of heat and

sunlight, too. It is causing unprecedented disruption to working

people. the debate saw the head of Southern's parent company go

head-to-head with the leader of the RMT union. There will be a second

safety trained person. Guaranteed on every train? Let him speak, for

goodness' sake. We will foster a second safety trained person on as

many trains as had them before. He won't say it. A second safety

trained person on as many trains as we had before this started. What's

stopping the settlement of the attitude of the company towards

changing the way that trains operated, backed up by Chris

Grayling and are refusing to come to compromise. It was a chance for

passengers to face the people responsible for ten months of

strikes. July I had quit my job and taking a job closer to home, losing

myself ?7,000 a year but I did it so I could see my son because you could

not get me home on time to do so. Might only -- my journey time is 2.5

hours and led to the break-up of our relationship. How did you sleep at

night? It's complete and utter nonsense. Afterwards, the company

and union had a chat, not formal talks but at least they didn't leave

by separate doors without speaking. The Southern dispute has brought

misery to thousands of commuters on a daily basis over the past 11

months, and every night this week, we're going to be hearing

from someone whose life has Tonight, Joe Campbell has been

talking to a charity worker now facing a commute which takes two

or three times longer Alison wasn't at home today because

of her birthday because orbs of getting to the charity office where

she works had been scuppered by the tube strike. My very first day, my

first week, was when the strike started, so the timing was just

unbelievable. It's what happens, you turn up early and find out your

claim has been cancelled. Even when the trains are running, getting from

Crawley to her office is a nightmare. Alison recorded her

journey on this video diary. Finally at Victoria and this is what you

get. That isn't enough, you then get handed leaflets telling you things

like this. I cannot get over the fact that grown adults cannot sit

around a table and actually come to some sort of compromise, agreement,

something, and that it would take this long. Alison's job means she

can work from home on strike days and she accepts others are in a far

worse situation. She says she isn't prounion or management, instead she

is on the side of her fellow commuters. I pay almost ?4500 for a

season ticket when you don't even get a seat, you get this miserable

service, you're surrounded by people who just want to get to work and

come home like you. It is miserable, that is the word, you're being held

to ransom, effectively. Our transport correspondent

Paul Clifton is here - The company and the unions

are still poles apart. Last week the drivers' union said

they weren't so much on different planets

as occupying separate universes. We've had two separate and very

detailed industry studies by safety experts which show that driver only

operation is safe. And perhaps safer than

operation with a guard. The unions have completely dismissed

those studies, saying train So from midnight the misery

for commuters starts all over again. Tomorrow there will be no trains

on Southern Railway at all. The company will lay on buses

from Chichester and Horsham, but they will carry just a tiny

fraction of the normal passengers. Its advice to passengers

is not to travel, and to Wednesday will follow

the same pattern. Trains will run on Thursday

but be severely disrupted, then on Friday there will again be

no trains at all. And a reminder that you can see

the debate in full this evening There's also a special extended

programme on Radio Sussex and Radio Solent, starting

at seven tonight. A new report has found

Gatwick Airport contributed ?5.3 billion to the UK's

economy last year. The research by Oxford Economics

also shows the facility could support an extra 13,000

new jobs by 2025 with its Stay with us as we chart

the progress of Gosport Could he be on course to win

the Vendee round the world race? A 17-year-old boy has been charged

with attempted murder following a stabbing

on Saturday in Boscombe. Police were called to Ashley Road

in Boscombe, where a man The boy has been remanded

in youth detention to appear at Winchester Crown Court tomorrow

charged with attempted murder and possession of bladed

article in public place. The Prime Minister Theresa May

visited Hampshire to launch her new initiative

on mental health today. The Wellbeing Centre

in Aldershot provides support for people with a wide range

of mental health conditions. It's a charity, but funded

by the local health authority The Prime Minister spent half

an hour talking to users We're very fortunate in Hampshire,

in this area especially, in that we've got funding that has

been put in to deliver They are reasonably inexpensive

and produce such great outcomes, which is obviously what

the Prime Minister has heard today. I thought she would be more stern

but she was really laid-back, quite relaxed, and she seemed

genuinely interested The West Sussex car-maker

Rolls Royce says it will keep its headquarters in the UK,

despite telling workers last year that Brexit would limit its ability

to plan and budget for the future. Today the Goodwood-based company

reported a 6% rise in sales. Last year, it delivered just over

4,000 cars to customers, the second-highest sales

record in its history. It's consistently voted one

of the best places to live in the hole of the UK,

but over the decades many feel Wokingham Town centre has

been showing its age. Now, after five years of delay,

work is finally starting on the regeneration of the main

shopping area, Peach Street. A completely new public

square will be created, but the council is warning of no

gain without pain, with severe delays expected in one

of the busiest towns in Berkshire. As a main shopping street,

Peach Street has been a bit It's going to be

very Wokinghamesque. It's not going to be this

street you see right now. This redevelopment will cost ?24

million but the busy thoroughfare will be down to just one lane

for 15 weeks. A stone's throw away,

the popular Rose Street car park Congestion in the town

isn't good, but we need Not a lot of character

at the moment, a few shops. I think more independent

shops would be lovely. I work in mental health and I'd

like to see more money Completely redeveloping a main

part of the town centre As well as the destruction caused

to the thoroughfare, we have counted eating into units

and all those shops had As the council bought

all the land in 2010, it says it's in line

to make a profit. They say they're going

to make the money back. We would have kept the car park

and instead of building houses on Rose Street, we would have

created a memorial garden. This is the investment we have

wanted for years and years, to stop The Peach Street project is expected

to finally bear fruit when it Let's move on to sport. We're going

to start with sailing. You don't think of the word exciting when you

hear about a round the world race. I've been watching Alex Thomson over

the Christmas period. When he was passing Cape Horn, now he's so close

to the leader. You slowdown in the doldrums and shall be hoping he can

get some wind. It is an amazing event, the biggest challenge of them

all. We think it's probably got about a week to go.

The gap is just under 100 miles and shortening as Alex Thomson

attempts to make history and become the first Briton to win

The Gosport sailor aboard Hugo Boss has had a terrific few days

as he heads up to the finish in Western France, approaching

an area in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans known for light winds

and when Thomson sent this update, he'd seen his boat

Firmly in the doldrums, had a terrible night last night.

There's been some wind that I wasn't expecting and I'm

There's definitely going to be another slowdown before we get

there, the easterly breeze is going to come in

We'll have more on the race tomorrow night.

The draw for the FA cup fourth round is coming up at 7

o'clock over on BBC2, but only two of the region's sides

On a weekend where there was very little magic sprinkled around

Michael Appleton's men served up a victory against higher

Brighton too, secured their place in the next round.

Brighton and Hove Albion boss Chris Hughton was named Manager

of the Month for December and January started well too.

He made 11 changes to his side, but the gamble paid off.

It took a while for the Albion to put league one Dons away,

but a free header 18 minutes from time means the promotion

chasers are into round four for the seventh time in eight years.

The first one put us very much on the road and gave us

that lift we needed, probably at a period of the game

where MK were pushing to get back as a real threat.

Rotherham are bottom of the Championship so perhaps it

wasn't a shock that Oxford hit the heights at the New York Stadium.

McGuire missed a penalty but before long, Ryan Taylor gave them the lead

Rotherham levelled, but Oxford were on course for a convincing cup

win when Phil Edwards headed in a corner.

Then a dangerous cross made it three.

Rotherham made the finish interesting, but this header

It would be fantastic if we can get a tie against a Premier League side,

to give players and fans a chance to go head-to-head

Southampton were seconds from going through at Norwich.

The not-for-sale Van Dyke volleyed them in front.

The teenage debutant Harry Lewis led to his giving away a penalty,

converted by Steven Whittaker to level the scores.

This super header sent them through and they won't have wanted

a replay with the FA Cup semifinal to come, but that's exactly

what the face after Steven Naismith's injury-time header.

Details of the draw in a moment, but first, the losers this weekend.

Eddie Howe admitted with hindsight he regretted making 11 changes

as a virtual Bournemouth reserve team lost at Millwall.

There weren't too many recognisable figures on the team bus,

but a side that's still valued at 40 million shouldn't have

capitulated so easily against third-tier opponents.

The home side were in front through Steve Morrison before

the break and added two more in the second half

through Shaun Cummings and Shane Ferguson in stoppage time.

Jaap Stam was back at Old Trafford but it was a visit to forget

Wayne Rooney's record equalling goal had United on their way to a 5-0

It was game over pretty quickly for the Royals.

Goalkeeper Al Habsi had a moment to forget too,

And Martin Allen said he enjoyed his return to Brentford

but his Eastleigh team from the national league were well

beaten by the Championship side who stormed into a 3-0 lead

Eyeowe Obileye got on the score sheet but the game was over

by the break as Brentford powered their way into a 5-1 lead,

the non-leaguers out in round three for the second successive year.

All the goals are on the BBC website.

The draw is live on BBC2 straight after this programme.

Brighton are ball 9, Southampton are 29 along with Norwich.

The ties are played over the final weekend of January.

Claude Puel says he won't select wantaway captain Jose Fnote

in Wednesday's EFL cup semifinal first leg against Liverpool.

Southampton's Moroccan international Sofianne Boufal is out

of the African Cup of Nations due to a knee injury and Nathan Ake has

been recalled by Chelsea from his loan spell at Bournemouth.

The local derby on the ice between Basingstoke Bison

and Bracknell bees was won by the Bison.

They triumphed 5-2 in the English premier league clash last night It

made it a weekend double for the Bison, who beat

Peterborough Phantoms 6-1 over the weekend.

Slovakian Rene Jarolin got 4 of the 6 goals.

They won 7-1 at Manchester last night.

Some cricket news, and another South African is coming

to the region under the freedom of movement clause known in sport

David Wiese has agreed a three-year deal at Sussex.

The 31-year-old all-rounder has played 20 T20 internationals

He has played for Sussex before, having featured

The move is subject to English cricket board approval.

Would you get into a flap at the prospect of a long trip

I did it between Antarctica and Chile and I was scared.

If not, how about flying more than three-thousand miles

in a microlight over Europe, and the Sahara desert down

Well, one couple from Wiltshire are planning to do just that.

It's never been officially tried in this class of aircraft.

They are often seen in the skies, but how about flying thousands

Julian and Sarah are both qualified pilots.

They want to take on the Paris to Dakar rally route.

It's going to take us to parts of the world

we've never been in, it's going to stretch

Microlights look like small planes but the wings are essentially

The panels are extremely thin and you can lift them with one hand.

The couple will take off from Wiltshire, flying down

through France and Spain across to Africa through

Morocco, Western Sahara and Mauritania to Dakar.

The terrain will be remote and inhospitable

There are miles where the Sahara desert goes into the Atlantic Ocean

We live very long way away from help.

-- They don't have complex instruments.

Bad weather and cloud will force you down.

It's a little cockleshell of a planes so if it gets windy

or if it looks like there might be rain to content with, you have

Julian and Sarah hope to raise money for the charity Water Aid.

Before that, they still need to raise around ?10,000

They hope to set off sometime next spring.

Good luck. Onto the weather. Let's look at the weather pictures.

Dan Mapes photographed the cloudy skies in Mudeford.

Cathy Anning captured a buck at Bolderwood in the New Forest.

And Anthony Morris took this picture of the cloudy skies

A mild started the day and a lot of rain, it has been patchy and

drizzly. We will see sunny spells tomorrow. Before that, a mild

started a week, breezy with some rain for sun but turning colder from

the latter part of Wednesday and more so through Thursday daytime.

Overnight tonight, a few clear spells, so the chance of the odd

shower and a breeze will increase during the early hours of the

morning with the lows of 329 Celsius -- three. Some patchy rain, may be

light and drizzly with the high of seven or 10 Celsius. You please

tomorrow, feeling cooler and fresher -- a breeze. The chance of light

rain or drizzle at times but dry weather as well and temperatures

dropping to seven or eight Celsius. Tomorrow will be a lot milder than

tonight. Wednesday, a damn, drizzly start but it will improve. Still a

lot of cloud through the course of the day. It will feel chilly with

the northwesterly breeze digging in, I of nine to 10 Celsius -- highs.

The rain will set into the course of Thursday, digging into the North,

cold through Thursday daytime, the chance of the odd, isolated wintry

shower and snow or sleet but we're not expecting any accumulations of

snow in any places. Friday, the odd snow showers possible. Sleet and

snow in places and as we look ahead to the weekend, it should be cold

with that northerly wind, wintry showers possible, but there will be

dry weather as well. United scored four goals, not five, apologies.

There'll be a summary at 8pm and we'll be back at 10:30pm.