25/08/2011 Spotlight

The teenager killed while riding her bike - her mother says she

can't move on from what's happened. I cannot think ahead about life any

more, it is literally one day at a time. Claimed -- trying to come to

terms with it. Good evening. A second person has

appeared in court today charged with causing death by dangerous

driving. Also tonight, the former Beirut hostage, Terry Waite, tells

us how he wants to help Cornwall's homeless. People do not recognise

that there are deep problems of on employment and homelessness within

Cornwall. And they've made the grade, but are

pupils avoiding tougher subjects to secure good GCSEs?

A second person has appeared in court today charged in connection

with the death of 13-year-old Amy Hofmeister. The Taunton teenager

was killed when a car went out of control and careered into her on a

cyclepath. The driver of that car has already appeared in court. But

now a woman who was at the wheel of a second car is also being

prosecuted. Clinton Rogers reports. Every day since it happened, Amy's

mother visits the scene of her daughter's death. The grief is

still raw and so is the desire for justice. She is my first thought

when I wake up and my last when I go to sleep. Beatty's all-consuming,

I cannot think ahead any more. Glitch lead one day at a time.

Trying to come to terms with it. We miss her so much. Amy was 13 when

she died, cycling home one June evening. The driver of the car that

hitter has already pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous

driving. He will be sentenced later. He was driving at more than twice

the legal limit apparently when his car hit the pavement and hit a me

right here. It is understood it was racing another car when it happened.

Today 20 year-old Leanne Burnell appeared at Taunton magistrates

court also to face a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

The Crown Prosecution Service took the decision to charge her last

week. Having reviewed the evidence provided by the police I concluded

that there was a realistic prospect of conviction for joined the

charging her in relation to causing the death of Amy. And that it was

in the public interest to do so. Leanne Burnell Atta family had

nothing to say as they left the hearing today. She will now face

trial at Crown Court. Her legal team say she will be pleading not

guilty. The condition of her belt issue does not drive until this

case is over. -- her bail. A 30-year-old man arrested in

connection with the murder of six people in Jersey, including three

children, has been released from hospital into police custody.

Damian Rzeszowski had been recovering from his own injuries

following the incident in St Helier earlier this month. Post-mortem

examinations carried out on the six Polish victims confirmed they all

died from stab wounds. Hundreds of mourners turned out

today to pay their respects to Lieutenant Daniel Clack, who died

in Afghanistan. He was serving with First Battalion the Rifles when he

was killed by an IED earlier this month. Up to 150 of Lieutenant

Clack's comrades were present at the service in Essex. It was his

battalion's fourth loss on their current tour of duty.

The North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple has been told to

improve its wound care following concerns about the treatment of

five vulnerable patients. The Care Quality Commission identified a

failure to keep proper treatment records.

Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha spent this

morning at the Royal Cornwall Hospital where they met the team

who delivered their daughter Florence almost a year ago. They

spent three quarters of an hour with doctors and nurses at the

maternity unit along with Baby Florence.

Terry Waite, the former special envoy to the Archbishop of

Canterbury who was taken hostage in Beirut, has been talking to

Spotlight about his plans to help homeless people in Cornwall.

As president of the organisation Emmaus, he's planning a new

community which will offer accommodation and work for those

who have nowhere else to go, and will potentially save the local

authority thousands. He outlined his hopes and aims to me earlier in

a special interview. This was a project foundered after

World War Two in France. Founded by a remarkable man. He formed the

community. It is not a religious organisation, it is secular. It

came to this country 21 years ago when I opened the first community

in Cambridge. The concept is quite simple. But very effective. Namely,

a person will come into a community, will get a good room and there are

certain requirements that they must come off state support. Secondly

they must agree to work according to their capacity. And work is

provided with goods donated from the public, selling these items,

renovating furniture and white goods. And eventually the community

itself becomes self-supporting. And the individuals begin to get new

skills and get back on their feet. I'm interested in what you said

earlier about not just putting growth over someone's head but also

building up their self-esteem again. That is the critical point - to

enable people to have a sense of self-worth. So they recognise that

given the structure, they can make it. And you'll all pull people know

very much how that feels. I have had a number of experiences in life.

I spent almost five years chained to the wall in a dark room. With no

books or papers, no one to speak with, blindfolded when anyone came

into the room. And the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert

Runcie, was the first president of the organisation and when I came

out he said, I think you will be interested in this movement.

Because you know what it is like to be at the bottom of the pile and to

be kicked around. Having been through that experience, I knew in

my heart what it was like. I think people here in Cornwall and the

West Country to feel isolated from the rest of the country, almost

like the poor relations. Cornwall, from outside is seen to be a

wonderful place, a lovely holiday destination. But people do not

recognise that within Cornwall Bird deep problems of unemployment and

homelessness. And it is a serious issue. So we're going to make a

difference with this project. Not the government in London, this is

going to be really Cornish and really good. And in five years'

time it will be the best in the country. I think that is possible

and I will put my back into it to make sure it happens. We hope to

talk to you again when that happens. Head teachers in the south west

have tonight denied claims that GCSE students are being pushed

towards so-called soft subjects to boost their rankings in the school

league tables. It comes as pupils in the region are celebrating their

best ever results. Spotlight's Simon Alexander reports.

At this college in Exeter pupils are celebrating a record GCSE

results. I got a good grade in English. I only cared about

mathematics. I have got six A grades. I have got eight A grades.

A number of pupils achieving five or more A to C grades has risen by

14%, and that has been mirrored across the region. Official figures

showing a decline in the number of pupils studying traditional

academic subjects has been rejected. The government is encouraging us to

keep the focus on English and mathematics. We will carry on the

same route. At another school in Truro people have also celebrated

strong GCSE results. I got an A grade in mathematics! I got an A

grade in English. I'm very happy. The school says it is encourages

students not to turn their backs on core academic subjects. Absolutely

thrilled, they have worked so hard and they have got the results that

they have worked hard for. So it is brilliant. English, maths, science,

the traditional subjects were subject that we wanted not to

promote, but not to devalue in other ways, and we have not. A away

from the classroom, on the shop floor, this south-west company says

that students are still taking the right kind of subjects that makes

them valuable employees. operatives come to us and need a

good understanding of English and mathematics. And a hard work ethic.

But there is concern especially amongst unions that the current

exam system is leaving youngsters lost in an education and employment

Maze. Joining me now is Richard Smith,

the director of Plymouth Chamber of Commerce. As an employer, what you

make of the qualifications that young people are coming tea with

that the moment? I think it has been acknowledged for some time

that there was a shortfall in what is expected by employers. Digby

Jones some time ago spoke about reading, writing and arithmetic and

it is essential that those core skills are there. And to think

there catch the missing? Yes I do. Yet the head teachers are saying

there is still and advises on those core subjects. What you make of the

way that schools are equipping young people for the workplace?

is their duty to prepare them for life after school but employers are

continually saying that there is a short fault and they cannot all be

wrong. There's more competition now for every vacancy than ever before

so a lot of sifting is done at the level of the CD. If that is not

well written and they will fall at the first hurdle. You are one of

the people trying to drive the economy here before would. What

kind of qualifications which you think would equip youngsters for

the modern workplace? Is English, mathematics, history or geography,

a science and a language. We are working out in a global market so

of foreign language is very valuable. There's often criticism

that the GCSE exams are too easy. But that does take away from the

undoubted hard work that young people have put into them. Some

certainly do and I do not myself entirely understand the grades, I'm

not so aware of GCSEs. The thank you very much.

We get many emails on Spotlight telling us that David Braine is the

best dressed man in the south west. Well later tonight, we'll be

getting up close and personal with male fashions of the 1960s. See if

you can notice a difference. And join me as we steamed along the

river. It was a big occasion, but it

wasn't to be for Exeter City. A packed St James Park saw the world

famous names of Liverpool knock City out of the Football League Cup

last night. The Premiership club won three-one to end the Grecians'

hopes of reaching round three. Spotlight's Dave Gibbins was there.

City fans were hoping Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish would feel

the strong team for the second world - their second round cup-tie.

They were not disappointed. Seven first-team players were appointed.

It was a night to savour the skills of the Uruguay striker Luis Suarez.

He scored the first goal in the first half and also set up the

Argentine winner for a second and then forward, Andy Carroll brought

in a third. All over bar the shouting, and the shouting came

from City. We didn't get the result we wanted but I'm more than happy

with how we played on the pitch and how we looked as a club. I suppose

when you are drawn away from home with the team in a lower division

them yourself people are looking for a banana-skin. But it was

commendable. Despite the result, East Devon soul singer Joss Stone

enjoyed herself along with others who had a lucky vantage point.

Plymouth Argyle are losing the services of another player.

Defender Stephane Zubar is leaving Home Park for what's been classed

as "personal reasons". But it's thought the Guadeloupe

international is departing because he's unhappy at not being paid his

full wages. The 23-year-old, who re-signed for Argyle in the summer,

has played in every match this season.

Meanwhile, Plymouth Argyle fans fighting to save the club are

camping out at Home Park in a round-the-clock vigil. Around 30

people marched from the city centre to Home Park last night. The

preferred bidder has been given until midnight on Friday to find

around �6 million to buy the club. Fans are taking turns to man the

candlelit vigil until Saturday. We were told that this is the last

deadline. And we just want to know that the deadline will be met. The

fans are just brilliant, they keep going whatever happens. We will not

let this lie. Now, how's your dress sense? And

what fashions do you have in your wardrobe at home? Tonight, as part

of our look back through the Spotlight archives, we return to

1967 and the summer of love. Yes, it was the year of flower

power, hippies and the peace movement. And for a while it seemed

that Plymouth might be something big in the fashion world of the

time. Spotlight's reporter, Angela Rippon, brought us the details 44

For a number of skiers British designers have been drawn from a

small part the country. But this year there's something of a minor

West Country invasion of the This is Plymouth where according to

a London fashion promoter, the men are much more fashion-conscious

than the women. That is a pretty dangerous remark to make that comes

from Michael Whitaker, who later this year is producing the fashion

show for the City's annual Trades Fair. He has been described as top

dog in his particular field so I suppose he should know what he's

talking about. D'you think men in Plymouth are more fashion-conscious

than women? No, I think the girls are very smart and some of the men

are very dowdy. I would not say more fashion conscious, but more

than they used to be. I think my sister's more conscious of dress

than I am. From what I see, they look a lot more fashion conscious

than the women will stop City is about time that the men got in on

the act! I think men are most definitely are not smarter than

women. I love to look back at those old

films. I'm sure those old fashioned will all come round again.

Now, as the Dartmouth Regatta gets underway, we continue with our

series travelling from the source of the River Dart on Dartmoor to

the sea. In the final part of the series,

our South Devon reporter, John Ayres, has been steaming along the

river, and taking a look at its connection with the crime writer,

What better way to complete a journey along the River Dart than

in a boat, and a particular type of boat as well? With the great finds

behind us we had a long the River Dart towards Dartmouth. Ireland on

the left is Greenway House, the holiday home of crime writer,

Agatha Christie. It was here she wrote many of her books and we did

you like this, you can see how it portrait in the right frame of mind.

These days it is cared for by the National Trust. The his room is

known as the inner hall and it is where the family entered. You get a

flavour of the collections all round the house. Family photographs,

the tapestries from another branch of the family. Lots of modern art

and local pottery. Now we come into the library which is a very

interesting room. You can see that we have this fantastic freeze on

the wall. The house was wreckage Missen -- requisitioned during the

Second World War by the army. And this charge -- charts the entire

journey of one major-generals through the whole of the war. We

move now into the bedroom. Agatha Christie's bedroom is really nice.

We still have her original quotes in the wardrobe. And at the moment

we have on display one of the items which she actually eat more to the

opening of the Mousetrap. -- she actually war. This might be a

shrine to all things Agatha Christie but it is also home to

contemporary art. The festival held here in the summer showcases the

hidden talent in Devon. We have an installation by an artist called

David Greenaway witches things excavated from the River Dart.

Along the river would gold, a flotilla of steamboats head towards

Dartmouth. The steamboats have been coming today Royal Dartmouth

Regatta for 20 years and this Saturday will take part in a parade

of Classic ads. With all the different types of vessels up there,

of what is it about the steamboats that makes them so special? They're

so much quieter than any internal combustion engine. So in terms of

wildlife, you can get much closer. The bird life is wonderful. And

another thing is you never get a rest from it, you're working hard

all the time and keeping an eye on the other boat users, watching the

engine and the water level. You're always busy which is all part of

the challenge of running at Steamboat. Finally we arrive in

King's we're on Dartmouth, an area steeped in maritime history, home

to Royal Navy officer training. Come home again those blue boats,

to the fires warm. Yellow figures bright as light. Bring them home

again tonight, those blue birds. Our journey along the River Dart

has come to an end and we have arrived at that time of year when

it stages one of its most prestigious occasions - the port of

Dartmouth Royal Regatta. And after that wonderful gentle

journey down the river Dart, another treat as we take your life

to a rather splendid garden and some barely signs of autumn, it

seems. David is there. Welcome to a rose more garden in

north Devon. I'm here because lots of people have been asking us, has

bottom, little bit early? No better person to talk to them Radio

Devon's Sarah Chester's. Has it come early? It has. There is a riot

of colour at the moment which is more or less normal but if you go

into your own garden or drive into the country lanes, it you will see

that autumn is coming earlier. Some of the leaves are already coming

off and the branches are changing colour. We would normally expect

that because of the decreasing length of day but that is not

happening enough that this time of year. So what is making it happen

this time is the dry spring. What about the Winter's? We have had

some severe winters now, does that make a difference to the Garden's?

It often gives you a superb spring flowering and can also help to

ripen the wood for good autumn colour. People are picking apples

earlier, believes are changing colour that little bit earlier. It

is happening about four weeks earlier. We did have a lot of rain

this summer but we still have not made up the deficit from the spring.

We have had some rainfall today. It came in the form of showers and

some of them really have been quite heavy. It does feel like autumn and

it will not change much overnight tonight and through the day

tomorrow. Some frequent showers are slightly. -- likely. Tomorrow we

should have some sunshine but equally some showers. Let's start

with the satellite picture. Things quite unsettled across the Atlantic.

On Saturday the area of low pressure moves away from us. This

evening at low pressure beginning to move in and over much of the

south of Britain by tomorrow lunchtime. But by Saturday

lunchtime it is beginning to move away which is the good news as we

move into the weekend. It is improving just in time for the bank

holiday weekend. Not necessarily a huge amount of sunshine, but much

better in terms of avoiding the showers we have seen so far this

week. This evening we continue to see some showers right through

until the end of the night. Wind coming mainly from the West or the

south-west but becoming variable for a time. Tomorrow morning,

showers quickly developing. Probably more widespread than we

have seen today and slower moving. They continue through to the

afternoon. And they could even be in thundery in places. And we also

have a change in the wind direction tomorrow making it feel chillier

along the coast. The Isles of Scilly is seen showers in the

morning and becoming more isolated On to the Alps look, and this is

where it does get better. Quite a few showers around on Saturday

which stayed during the afternoon. Sunday is bright and dry with some