11/01/2012 Spotlight

Horse owners on their guard after the mutilation of a stallion.

Police say the killing could have been ritualistic.

Good evening. The police are following a number of lines of

enquiry as other horse owners come forward with similar stories.

Also on Spotlight tonight, one job at a time - Warnings that cutbacks

could hamper big police investigations such as the M5 crash.

Following it to the letter - the TB technical hitch confusing farmers

and restricting the movement of animals. It is a shambles.

Thousands of cattle are staying on farms that should not be there and

farmers have to foot the bill. And the row over the Olympic rings

and calls for a change of plan. Detectives investigating the

mutilation of a horse in Cornwall say they are not ruling out the

possibility of a ritualistic killing. The attack has left many

horse owners in the south west shocked and worried about their

animals. One Spotlight viewer has contacted the programme to say that

one of her horses was killed in similar circumstances at around the

same time of the year five years ago. The police say they are

following a number of lines of enquiry and insist they are taking

the case seriously. The killing of a Rigby stallion has

caused a wave of revulsion from horse owners and the wider

community. The two-year-old was drugged, and mutilated and knifed

to death on Sunday night. His wings were far from random and there are

concerns they could have been caused by some kind of ritualistic

attack. There are people out there who have these believes and that is

a strong possibility. But there are other Leeds and possibilities and

motives we have got. We are following them all up. The injuries

suffered by Eric sounded familiar to Rosemary. Five years ago, her

Shetland pony was killed in a similar fashion. In change the

management of my horses. I have put fences up and I bring them in at

night. Cases like these are thankfully unusual, but talk

amongst horse lovers is how best to keep the animals saved. They are

talking about adding security to the stables, padlocks, making more

regular checks out to them. Taking registration numbers of vehicles

acting suspiciously. Anyway they can identify anything suspicious.

Police detectives say the best chance of catching the gang

responsible for this comes from the public, either someone who spotted

something suspicious that night, or someone close to the attackers.

Planned cuts to the numbers of crime scene investigators will

leave Avon and Somerset Police unable to carry out more than one

big investigation at a time. That's the claim this evening by unions

representing police civilian staff who are facing the axe. They say

that if the police were faced with a big investigation such as the M5

crash and a high profile murder at the same time, they couldn't cope.

Senior officers have been told to cut civilian police staff by 20 %,

in line with bought million-pound budget cuts handed down by the

police authority. But. The BBC that its ability to deal with several

major incident at the same time will not be affected. A claim

strongly rejected by the union. That is quite a naive stance to

take. If you are going to cut the number of police staff roles, then

in some way or another that is going to have a fundamental effect

on the number of frontline officers out on the streets, and police

forces come into criticism all the time because police officers are

not visible. The force will tell you that crime has fallen, but it

has fallen because these types of posts are there and the part they

have to play in making sure crime is detected and we find out with

the criminals are. That is why crime has fallen.

Unlike their civilian colleagues, police officers cannot be made

redundant. The force is recruiting up to 24 U officers every year, but

with old officers retiring, police numbers are falling. If you take

400 plus police officers out of a constabulary, it has to have an

effect somewhere. People say it be won't, but the taxpayers of Avon

and Somerset want to know where the tax money has been going. More than

�40 million worth of savings has to be found, on top of the anticipated

20 million de force expects to lose each year. -- the force.

One of the south west's biggest companies says it has a strong

future, despite a dramatic fall in the value of the business. Devon

based Flybe has seen its shares drop by 80% in the last year. The

company employs 1,100 people in Exeter. Last January, shares cost

342 pence. By April they were down to 225, a month later they were at

172 and by October they had fallen to less than a pound. Tonight they

have closed at 57 pence. Our Correspondent joins us from

Flybe headquarters. Should staff be worried?

Well, Flybe says they shouldn't. No-one would comment, but they did

release a statement. They say they are pursuing a number of business

opportunities. The statement adds that the overall business strategy

is intact and Flybe have a strong future in the medium to long-term.

But there is one area that will concern employees and that his many

our shareholders, having taken up share options. They will be looking

at lower returns than they hoped for.

Why do you think the share price has fallen so dramatically. --

dramatically? The passenger numbers have been

falling, so Flybe have not had the Revenue paid have hoped for. Also,

fuel prices have gone up. We spoke to a spokesperson from the aviation

industry and they said that Flybe has a bright future.

Briefly, will passengers be effected?

Again, Flybe say they will not. They are running 200 routes and

there are no plans to cut back on those.

The Prime Minister is asking the Transport Secretary to look into

plans to close the earch and rescue helicopter based on Portland. The

base is due to close in 2017, but there are fears lives could be put

at risk. A delegation took the case to David Cameron earlier today. In

a moment we'll hear from our Political Editor Martyn Oates about

the Prime Minister's reaction, but first this report from Chloe Axford.

This Dorset diver is concerned about what the closure of Portland

search and rescue base will mean. He has first-hand experience of how

vital the service can be. A dye that suffering from decompression

sickness, it depends on time. A quick response is necessary. On one

occasion I had a young lady who was a losing her sight and could not

move her legs. The helicopter was held within five minutes. South

coast club there will be supplied from a Lee-on-Solent Wendy Portland

base closes. The intention is to spread search and rescue bases, due

to be privatised in 2013, evenly around the coast. But campaigners

say the helicopter should be based where they are most needed. The

Portman one foot to 200 incidents last year. A quarter of all

helicopter rescues in 2011 took place between Lee-on-Solent and

Brixham. I'm joined now by our Political

Editor Martyn Oates. Martyn, the South Dorset MP Richard Drax led

today's delegation to Downing Street. What is he realistically

hoping to achieve? That is a good question. We have had lengthy

consultations over the past year. Everything is up for grabs in that

period and it is clear the government may change their mind.

This was rather different. There was no consultation, unlike the

process into possibly closing coastguard stations. The government

simply announced that it would close to search and rescue bases,

one of which is Portland. But after the meeting with the Prime Minister

today, they could be a reprieve. I was not expecting the Prime

Minister to say the base is safe. I was expecting him to say he will

speak to the secretary of state and you can make your points to her and

she will make a final decision. closure of the Coast Guard stations

is also causing concern. Yes. It has been a bad year because

Portland is also facing the loss of its coastguard station. The

government say these changes will not jeopardise safety, it will make

it more resilient. However, campaigners disagree. The local MP

wanted be co-starred national control centre in Poland as well,

but that along with the search and rescue helicopters will be based

further up the coast. Police say a sex offender who went

missing from hospital in Taunton has been found. 75-year-old David

Marker disappeared on Monday morning and has now been located in

Penzance. He's been detained since committing an offence against a

child in 1965. An inquest into the death of a baby

boy has heard claims his mother was delayed on arrival at Derriford

Hospital because the midwife on duty "was rushed off her feet." Kye

Stevens died in November 2010 after being starved of oxygen before he

was born. The Plymouth coroner today recorded a verdict of death

by natural causes and said nothing more could be done to save the baby

after he'd been delivered. The hospital said staffing levels were

entirely safe. Later in the programme, find out

why there's been a ding dong over plans to ring church bells at the

start of the Olympics. Plus Is it a bridge too far? The race to

finish repairs at this well known tourist attraction.

And building a replica Cornish lugger - we'll meet the couple

who've sold their house to make it possible.

South West farmers are angry after being bombarded with inaccurate

letters about TB testing. They are now concerned the mistake could

lead to delays in removing infected animals from farms. As our

Environment Correspondent Adrian Campbell reports, one farmer

received 14 letters when only two were needed.

David Partridge farms near Tiverton in Devon and like many South West

Farmers, his cattle have been in and out of Bovine TB restriction

over the last few years. David said he was waiting for letters to

arrive before Christmas telling him when he can start the next tests,

but he was surprised to receive letters from the Animal Health

Agency. I had six letters, or identical, saying I could stop on

24th January, which is incorrect. It should have been 10th January. I

then e-mailed and explain some frustrations I had got with other

matters as well. So then I get another six letters, which are

meant to cancel the first six, but they have still come up with the

wrong dates in there, which is 24th January, and then I had another one,

finally they got it right saying I could start on 10th January.

agency wrote to Mr Partridge about his cattle to say the right level

of service had not been delivered, but apologised and blamed ongoing

problems with a new computer system. Now the agency has told us that TB

test results have been affected by delays. It says it has been

restructuring administrative teams with the closure of an office in

Taunton. It is a shambles. It is a three-way hit a poor farmers. They

have taken out experienced admin staff and reorganised offices or at

the same time. Cattle be staying on farms -- cattle are staying on the

farms and they should not be there. Its meant to be the way that we

welcome the Olympic Games. In just 198 days, London 2012 will get

underway and on the day the games begin, organisers want people in

the south west to help simultaneously ring every bell in

the country for three minutes at 8 o'clock in the morning. But as

Scott Bingham reports, hundreds of bells in churches around the region

will be staying silent. Weymouth and Portland - home of the

Olympic sailing, but even here at 8 o'clock the bells are bought stay

silent. We do not drink before 9 o'clock. The logistics of bringing

for three minutes is not practical and bells only had one of Odiham

and one speed. This is what artist Martin Creed hopes Were 177 will

sound like. -- Work 177. It needs a lot of people to do it. It relies

on people to make it happen. It is all part of the London Festival, a

nationwide celebration of the art of running alongside the Olympic

Games. A lot of churches have signed up and we hope that if

churches have any concerns they will contact us and we can work

through any issues they have and make sure they can all join in the

fund, because it will be great fun. And the bells will ring at 8

o'clock. People are being asked to sign up and take part. There is

hope of a compromise in Dorset. Heavily as many churches as

possible will ring their bells during the course of the day and at

that time they feel is appropriate. Football now, and Johnson's second

spell in charge of Yeovil Town got off to the worst possible start

last night. Johnson took charge of the Glovers as they crashed by 4-1

at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane. They were 2-0 down by half time and

rarely posed much of a threat to their opponents who climb to second

place in League One. It leaves Yeovil in one of the four

relegation places, two points away from safety.

In cricket, Somerset and England wicket keeper Craig Kieswetter has

agreed a new deal which will keep him at the county until the end of

2014. Kieswetter has also decided against taking part in the Indian

Premier League. That means that he will be available to Somerset for

the whole summer, barring any England call ups against the West

Indies and South Africa next season. A south west tourist attraction is

facing a race against time to carry out urgent work so that it can open

in time for the new season. The South Devon Railway, which runs

steam trains from Buckfastleigh to Totnes, needs to repair a 140-year-

old bridge and they have only one It is a tricky job, this. These can

tractors have to work in a water course. This bridge has stood here

for 140 years. An inspection has found it needs work to make sure it

stands for many more. They are working in an area that used to

feed an electric powered mill. They are working in the river, putting

the scaffolding up to cocoon the bridge and then it will be treated.

The South Devon Railway opens for the new season next month. Its

location is stunning, but it is at a charity and many of its up of

volunteers. It needs money from fare-paying passengers to keep it

going day today. Not opening on time is costly. Weather permitting,

work here is due to finish the day before the trains RG2 run. It is a

big sum of money to fight and we have to generate that from ticket

sales and people who visit the well way. Most of the maintenance

carried out on the railway and its trains has done by the railway

stock itself, but this job needed outside contractors. Hopefully it

will open on time. Last year they managed to keep the bridge opened

despite the terrible weather conditions.

A couple in Cornwall have sold their house in order to build a

replica of an 18th century Cornish sailing ship. Made entirely from

locally sourced wood the 63 ft lugger is being built just two

miles away from Cawsand where the original vessel was put together.

Spotlight's John Danks has been to see how they are progressing.

On the banks of this quiet Creek, a team of men are busy building

someone's dream. Five months instead began, this couple conceit

that dream becoming a reality. When built, it will become their

livelihood and home with plans to build traditional -- teach

traditional sailing skills around the world. It is unique. It is

simple, fast and it is linked with Our local Cornish history. They

need �400,000 to complete the project. They have already sold

their house and a boat to help finance it. People have sponsored

some of the nails that will hold the boat together. But are they

concerned about bringing up their baby on the open sea. I think we

will home educating probably until he is about 10 and I think he will

have a very which life in what we are going to be doing, and we will

incorporate his education into a lifestyle. There is a lot to be

learned from a life at sea. It has to be equally incorporated with a

life on land as well. We do not intend to never touch land.

people are helping Marcus to build the lugger. At 63 ft, she is a

smaller version of the original one built in 1776. Marcus has sourced

all the wood from local areas. boat comes from a local estate in

Exeter. The mast comes from Holtby forest and then other would have

been donated, which are reclaimed timbers. Just sanding it produces

about half a ton of sawdust every week. Work is progressing well and

the couple hope to launch the lugger in August.

What a beautiful boat. All the lights will be going out

next Wednesday in the Somerset town of Dulverton as it pays host to

Stargazing Live, a BBC Two programme aimed at encouraging

people to take an interest in the view above their heads. On a cue

from presenter Mark Thompson, the town will plunge itself into

darkness to allow uninterrupted views of the starry sky. It ties in

with the Exmoor Dark Sky Initiative. Something to look forward to next

week. What we need to see the stars is a clear sky. It has been lovely

today. It is a shame the star-gazing is

not happening tonight. We cannot look that far ahead though, so let

us have a look at what is happening tonight and tomorrow. Tonight,

clear and cold and then becoming cloudy. By the morning, all of the

South West will be shrouded in cloud. Promising to day, but

tomorrow will be completely different. There will be some

outbreaks of rain and drizzle here and there. The patchy rain is

coming in towards the western coast of Ireland. The high pressure in

the south is keeping us a fine and clear, at least for the first half

of the night. But it will weaken and it will be pushed out of the

way as this weather front travels down from the north. It will bring

colder air and it will bring a risk of overnight frost. Back to today,

it was quite misty this morning, but that soon clear it and for many

there has been unbroken sunshine A lot of clear sky over most of the

South West. How lovely to see police guys after the recent

weather. Tonight, a lot of clear Skype, as you can see. A few places

will see some frost. -- clear sky. Tomorrow, not as good as today. A

lot of cloud. There will be some patchy drizzle during the course of

the day. The winds from the west or South West, still relatively mild

with temperatures possibly up to 12 degrees. Some bright and as for the

Isles of Scilly, but generally clouding over. -- some brightness.

The surf will be a bit messy tomorrow. We will see up to three

feet. The south coast will be relatively clean, but the waves

will be lower. Here are the coastal Into the weekend's it is much

colder. We have had temperatures unusually high for the month of

January so far. We will notice the drop in this temperatures at the

weekend. On Friday, some fog around first thing in the morning and that

could be quite thick in places. Overnight on Friday into Saturday,

a widespread frost. Saturday will be fine, a bit misty in places.

Temperatures for the weekend around seven degrees. Getting colder, but