03/05/2012 Spotlight

Sort it out. A call for fees for elderly care to be simplified after

a long financial battle. Good evening and welcome to

Spotlight. The request comes after one family paid thousands in fees

that they shouldn't have had to. More in a moment.

Also tonight: A farmer's shock and anger. Three young cows are killed

in a series of hammer attacks in Cornwall. Jailed - the woman who

stole a hundred thousand pounds from an animal charity.

There are calls tonight for the elderly care funding system to be

made simpler after a family from Cornwall finally claimed back

thousands of pounds worth of care home fees from the NHS, they

Their calls tonight for the elderly care funding system to be made

simpler. Cynthia Bunt's elderly mother had

Alzheimers. Cynthia had to spend years fighting for a refund.

Phyllis Blachford already had dementia when she suffered a stroke

in 2006. She needed round-the-clock nursing care. Under government

guidelines, she should have been eligible to have all of it paid for

but until it was finally decided, to cover the cost the family sold

the House. She was so poorly. She didn't know anything really. It was

difficult because you are going through enough distress through the

death without having to worry about the financial side of things.

family are just one of many across the region who found themselves in

a complicated process of trying to get funding for their loved ones

care. One difficulty is to try and prove their relatives is so poorly

that they are entitled to funding for all their care from the NHS.

The assessments the primary care trust under takes must be simpler.

There must be easy access to funding as well because it is clear

that we will continue having these problems. Be Cornwall and Isles of

Any new claim for funding must be made before the end of September.

After years frantic -- fighting her mother's case, since the a punt

finally got a full refund but she hopes others don't have to wait as

long -- Cynthia Bunt. How many families in our region are

battling in this sort of situation? They could be thousands out there.

At the moment, there are only 3500 people in the south-west to qualify

for continuing care. The numbers of people with dementia alone he was

severely and critically ill, those numbers alone are 5000. Immediately

we see beat GATT of 1500 people struggling and we believe it is the

tip of the iceberg and there needs to be more support for those who

are vulnerable -- we see a big gap. Why it is it such a big struggle

for some people to get care paid for? There is no excuse for people

who need the support and who aren't getting it. People aren't told that

continuing care funding is available and they should have for

like - might apply. They are tough economic times and councils often

find there is pressure not to give continuing care when it is often

deserved. That is unacceptable. People are facing debts and putting

their homes up for sale. They are already going through a huge

physical and emotional burden so this is too much for people to bear.

We need to sort out the system and make sure people get what they

deserve. What do you advise families coming to in this

situation to do? People who have gone through this can help and

share advise. Briefly, if you need advice, take lots of notes to make

sure you get copies of documents and that keep -- you keep the paper

trail going. So then you can show where there are gaps and prove your

case and make sure you get your much-needed money.

Thank you very much indeed. Senior doctors from the Royal

Hospitals Trust have been explaining their circumstances

surrounding the man who waited for five hours for treatment. 64 year-

old Michael Poad died on his own on a trolley from a heart attack

caused by an aneurysm. One senior doctor said he wasn't displaying

typical symptoms. Michael Poad was taken to hospital

by ambulance after collapsing at his home in St Austell. A paramedic

suggested a number of conditions. He was given morphine in the

ambulance but when he arrived at hospital, his condition appeared to

have improved and he was not treated as an emergency. He was put

on a trolley in a day. Nursing staff have told the inquest that

they were exceptionally busy that night and duty doctors were

occupied with critically ill patients. Mister macro was found

dead by a health care assistant working in the trolley Bank --

Tolley Bay. He had a rare form of aneurysm. At no time was he seen by

a doctor. Today, the inquest heard from the departments lead

consultant who said he wasn't displaying typical symptoms.

Normally a patient would have severe pain in their upper back

which does not respond to pain relief and they may lose

consciousness. He said it was regrettable that Michael Poad had

not been seen by a doctor but that even if he had, the outcome would

probably be seen - might be the same. Mall information from an

expert witness was needed. The inquiry made severable -- severable

recommendations. They were asked to improve staffing during heavy

periods and that, the hospital said, was already being put into practice.

A farmer has spoken of his shock and anger after three of his young

cows were killed in a series of attacks with a hammer. He is now

offering a �2,000 reward in the attempt to catch the attacker.

These attacks have caused considerable shock because this is

a quiet corner of the classic Cornish countryside and quite

unused to such crimes. They heard is used to people and trusting

which made it easy for the attacker. A hammer was the West weapon and

the animal's injuries at two or four to describe. Three heifers

were killed and all were under one year-old. We are very upset because

we have been looking after these animals. They are 12 months old and

it has affected us quite badly that somebody would do this to them.

cows were worth a total of about �2,500 but the money is not the

issue for the farmer. He has installed surveillance cameras

night to try to prevent any further attacks. We are treating the attack

seriously. We are very concerned and investigators are looking at

the crimes and we are investigating Leeds. The police believe the

mutilation of a horse in January of this year is connected with the

attacks on the Karas. The farmer is so upset that he is offering a

�2,000 reward for anyone with any information about who carried out

the attacks to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to

contact the police. A Bodmin man has appeared in court

charged with the murder of his baby son. He was 10 months old when he

was taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro. He later died in

hospital in Bristol and. Shane Hawkins faced a charge of murder at

Bodmin magistrates and will be back in court tomorrow in Exeter.

Plans to build 1500 homes on greenfield -- greenfield land has

been approved. A scheme includes a hotel, school, care home, PUP and

community sports facilities. The developers are also behind a plan

for the stadium for Cornwall. The application will be referred to the

Secretary of State. Bathing water onto beaches in Devon

have failed to meet basic standards of cleanliness. When tests were

carried out, high levels of pollution were found at Combe

Martin and one of the beach. Talks are being held with South West

Water about improving water quality. Voters have been going to the polls

in local council elections. Seats are up for grabs in Plymouth,

Exeter and Weymouth and Portland. Polls close at 10 o'clock tonight.

We will have an update at 11:35pm. A buyer has stepped in to take over

lawn a Windows after it went into administration.

Limbering up for the Olympic torch relay but why aren't more people

carrying it through their own community? And, holding back the

water. We will have an update on the couple responsible for this

down. -- dam. A Devon woman who defrauded an

animal charity has been jailed for 14 months. Despite paying the money

back, she was told by a judge that her crimes were so serious he had

no option but to impose a custodial sentence.

All three of the children were in court today. At an earlier hearing,

their mother pleaded guilty to eight charges of fraud and one of

theft. She was granted bail to put her affairs in order before being

sentenced. She is very contrite. She realises what she did was wrong.

What is your reaction to the judgement? We were kind of prepared

because we knew that what mum did was wrong but it is still a shock

to think we she will be for a while. It is not nice. Devon animal

ambulance was swindled out of nearly �100,000. She was treasurer

at the time. It took a huge amount of work and a large amount of

We trusted Jennifer to take care of that so we could use it for the

animals. The judge said that she lived a life of good character up

before this out of character behaviour but the simple case is

that a custodial sentence must be imposed. The breach of trust was so

great, both on the charity and those on -- those who donated money

Half of the staff working at lawn no windows have more encouraging

news now as 40 will be re-employed. Our Business Correspondent joins us.

So, it continues as a business and a brand? Yes, it has been snapped

up by a Britannia windows. They have bought the brand and the order

book and also the building and machinery at Newton Abbot so they

can get going quickly. Before they went into administration, they had

70 employees. As of this afternoon, it doesn't also have their jobs and

that should go up to 40 over the next few weeks. It is an unusually

well known brand name across the region, isn't it? Remarkably well

known for a business which has never employed over 150 people at

its peak and one reason for that is the determined strategy of and have

a -- advertising. They were in their right from the early days of

double glazing in about 1974 and they have a good reputation. There

is no reason why that should not carry on, albeit with a new team at

The Royal Navy has released details for protecting Weymouth and

Portland during the Olympic sailing events. HMS Boer War will be based

of the Dorset coast for the duration of the games -- HMS

Bulwark. They are part of Britain's Olympic ring of steel. In the air

and on the sea, more than 1000 military personnel will support

Dorset Police's security operation during the sailing events. At the

centre of floating fortress, HMS Bulwark, the Navy's flagship. A

highly visible deterrent and the operational command centre for

military and police. The capability that we have, which makes us so

suitable to conduct this operation, is that we have extension --

extensive command and control facilities and the best deployed

that we haven't world-beating, but what we also have has an ability to

launch large numbers of Royal Marines either by landing craft or

helicopter from the ship. They have been training for 12 months. This

week they were on exercise. The police and military working

together to keep 50 square miles of sea safe. For Dorset Police it is a

challenge, a 65 do operation, the biggest they have ever undertaken.

As well as military support they are relying on 27 other police

marine units for surveillance patrols and to help respond to any

threat. How realistic is the prospect of a serious terrorist

attack? In terms of probability, it is a lower end probability, but you

would expect us quite rightly to have contingency is to ensure that

we can attend to that, to prevent it as far as is possible. Despite

the intense security operation the police and military are determined

not to overshadow the event itself. This is a sporting event for which

we are providing security, as opposed to a floating security

event with some inconvenience boards taking place in the middle,

so we have to make sure that a disproportionate and we are keen to

do that. So while the sailing takes the spotlight they will remain in

the background ready to respond if the worst happens.

Organisers of the Olympic Torch Relay are being urged to change

some of their plans to allow more people to carry it through their

own communities. When the really starts in Cornwall later this month

people from London and Devon will be running with the torch in

Helston, while runners from the town will be carrying it elsewhere.

In Devon some people will be running more than 40 miles from

their home. Hamish Marshall reports. In just over two weeks this will

become a familiar sight. This was a rehearsal for the torch relay,

which is billed as the way Rennes and spectators can get close to the

Olympics. -- runners. The bunting is out in Helston, not for the

Olympic torch but for a special day next week. The visit by the Olympic

torch has been tarnished because a few local people are going to be

running with it, in their eyes. According to the official list of

the seven people running here, not live in the town, although one does

community work here. One is from Devon and two are from London, one

is a director of BT, one of the game's' sponsors. Those people,

maybe there would be better suited to run in London where they have

done good work, but they don't mind where they run so they could have

run in Penzance or anywhere and we could have had the people in

Helston in Helston. Those two Helston torch bearers will be

running in Penzance and Ashton. Helston was the principal town, it

should be represented by someone from the town and the use of people

from elsewhere is not on. If it is going through here it should be

people from here, not people from London. Organisers of the torch

relay say it was like doing a massive jigsaw puzzle with no

correct answer. They see the route was decided long before the torch

bearers were and they have tried their best to keep everyone within

an hour of their home. Howard Otton just makes that. He lives in

Plumpton and will be running in Bugle. He is police to have been

selected but would have preferred being closer to home. It is an

honour to get it, you have to take what you are given really. It would

have been really nice to have it in the Plymouth area, especially for

taking my son down there, but I think to be honest it is a great

privilege to be able to given any they get off. The region will be

home to the first three days of the relay. Concerns stretch beyond

Helston. Only one of the 13 people carrying the torch through paint

and lives there, while five of those running through dogmas have

had to travel from Exodus. Organisers say it is too late to

make alterations. -- from Exeter. A opponents to the government's

plans to change the way hot food is taxed, the so-called pasty tax,

have found support from across the Atlantic. People in a town in

Michigan USA are so proud of their Cornish connections they are

throwing their weight behind the Cornish pasty. Matt Pengelly has

more. This is a town in Michigan, USA.

This is Camborne, in the UK. They're not twin towns. In the 19th

century thousands of Cornish miners and their families headed to

Michigan to walk in the copper mines. People over there are very

proud of their Cornish roots, so when a -- so when they heard about

the pasty tax they were out rage, as are people from Camborne. The

Americans started a petition to show support and the Cornish are

pleased to receive both. When the pasty tax came out it was something

we felt like, my goodness, that would be horrible to have, so we

wanted to stand in solidarity with the people in Cornwall and in

particular our twin town, Camborne. This is the mainstay of our diet.

Every time we have relatives or friends coming from a distance the

first thing we do is call the pasty shop and order a dozen pasties for

dinner. They love it. They are still our cause and -- Cornish

comes. I have been to the town when we twinned originally and I know

how much they appreciate the heritage. The government says it is

unfair to tax takeaway foods like fish and chips different little

things like pasties but that is not an argument which find many fans

here. People are very proud of being Cornish and any Cornish roots

and they realise the unfairness of this tax and they want their voice

heard. It is something to be proud of, to realise how far this has

gone. The United States may be the land of the free but it's not the

land of the tax free. States can choose to set the level of their

own sales tax. In Michigan it stands at 6%, a long way below the

20% VAT mark. The Government's consultation on the hot topic of

vat anomalies and has been a couple of weeks. -- end in a couple of

weeks. Just every year ago a young couple

moved in together at a secret location in north Devon. One moved

from Germany, the other one came from the Cotswolds to a home they

have put together on the waterfront. It sounds idyllic, doesn't it? This

summer could bring the patter of tiny feet. Our environment

correspondent Adrian Campbell takes up the story.

This young couple tend to work night shifts but luckily the Devon

Wildlife Trust which brought them to this highly secret and carefully

controlled location have put up special cameras so we can see them

in action. Doing what beavers do best. Probably the most dramatic

changes the impact on the willow. You can see they have started

coppicing some of the smaller trees. Mark Elliott from the Devon

Wildlife Trust says this experiment to see how Beevers -- to see how

beavers can help improve water quality and the landscape seems to

be working. It is a bit of a quagmire here, isn't it? It is.

Although the beavers -- before the beavers came here, it was not like

this. They have built canals and started to raise the water levels

through building at dam. It has been constructed by the beavers.

This is the standing water as a result of that. The squelchy ground

indicate the beavers are doing their job. You can clearly see how

they have gnawed at the Willow. They have two quite powerful front

teeth which has a iron and the enamel to make them strong. You can

see how they have cut away at the stump. The night-time footage shows

them working well as unpaid river engineers. Beavers use these canals

that they have made us there transport systems. By dragging logs

and branches in these pools it makes it a lot easier for them to

move around the site. We have a lovely tip of a woodcock, which is

a bird that likes these wet, woodland habitats come as this site

is better for woodcock and we have a lovely tip of the Woodcock

fluttering over one of the dams. summer draws near the Wildlife

Trust is hoping to report the recent arrivals will have new

arrivals of their own. Amazing footage of them dragging

those big branches they have been, they have been eager beavers. What

is the weather like? Older? Calder -- colder. The rain looks like it

will be that bit further south than we thought. Damp and misty

overnight tonight. When you look at the satellite picture, it is no

surprise we have had a great day. A lot of cloud covering Britain at

the moment. Several bands of cloud mixed in together. It is going to

be the story tomorrow. Having said that the cloud will break every now

and then both tonight and tomorrow to allow perhaps some mist to form

before it gets light tomorrow morning and to allow some sunshine

tomorrow as well. The real changes this was a feature here, the cold

front coming down from the north. That will sweep across southern

Britain overnight tomorrow night and into Saturday and once it moves

into the English Channel it introduces clearer air but also

cold air, so perhaps a drop in temperatures as we head into the

weekend. A keen easterly breeze setting in. For the championships

on the Isle of Scilly on Saturday and Sunday, it could be breezy with

an easterly wind on Saturday, a bit quieter on Sunday. Let's look at

the here and now. There is rain coming out of the cloud across has

now, just a few showers, but some of them will continue overnight.

Every now and then in between the showers there will be some clear

skies, so some mist and fog hit forming here and there. Overnight

temperatures seven or eight Celsius, not too cold. Tomorrow, quite a

mixture. For many of us there is a lot of cloud. Every now and then

the cloud will break, the sunshine will come out and it will feel warm.

At this time of year the sun has plenty of energy. Into the

afternoon a few showers are possible, difficult to say where

they will be. We have a range of temperatures. If you hold on to

sunshine, 13 or 14 Celsius, although there remained cloudy 11

or 12 Celsius, similar to today. -- although where it remains cloudy.

The winds pick up tomorrow as we move into the evening and for the

Isles of Scilly rather cloudy, possibly a drizzle in the wind,

otherwise mainly dry. Light winds for much of the day tomorrow,

although the winds pick up overnight tomorrow and into

That's the forecast as we move into the weekend. That is much better

picture than perhaps we told you yesterday of the day before. The

main line of rain will come by overnight Friday night and into the

early hours of Saturday morning and move into the English Channel, so

Saturday, after quite a cloudy start, it will brighten up with

sunny spells and the afternoon and it should be a largely dry day.

Easterly winds, so it will feel cold, 14 or 15 Celsius. Sunday, a

risk of one or two showers, but most of us drive. The main threat

of showers will come on Monday. Actually we are moving into a