17/01/2014 Spotlight

The bizarre accident which claimed the life of a photographer who was

taking pictures of whirlpools. An inquest heard that Jacob Cockle

was a risk taker, but a good swimmer. Tonight we'll hear from one

of the witnesses. I think that he was doing what he

wanted to do and, on that occasion, it did not work out. I don't think

he would want it any other way. Also tonight: A city deal for

Plymouth which should lead an economic boost for marine industries

right across the South West. And coming a cropper ` farmers are

the latest to bear the brunt of the wet weather.

A young photographer drowned after he was sucked into a whirlpool while

trying to take pictures of it. Jacob Cockle was pulled under the water at

Hayle Harbour, where there are signs warning people not to swim. At an

inquest today, a witness described how Jacob had been swimming

confidently just before the accident last May, then disappeared. It also

emerged he had traces of the drug ketamine in his system. The coroner

said the tragic events should be a warning to anyone else thinking of

swimming in the area. This is Jacob Cockle filming a

whirlpool in Hayle Harbour. He was excited about photography, and used

to get photographs swimming near whirlpools. On the day that he

died, he asked his friend to film him wearing a horse head in the

whirlpools. He then took some underwater pictures.

It was then that he was dragged into the whirlpools, and dragged

underwater to a neighbouring Paul. He was pulled from that place, but

did not survive. He had a small camera on a long

pole, and maybe he got stuck with that or there was extra drag on

that. We don't know what it is like in the tunnels will stop they go

round at 90 degrees inside the tunnel.

Toxicology reports later found traces of the illegal drug ketamine

in his body. His friends and family said that he was a risk taker, but

he would assess the risk stop he knew what he was doing.

He was very capable. Some people might see it as a risk, but it was

not to him, because most the time he knew what he could handle. This

stretch of Hayle Harbour is known for whirlpools.

Because of that, it is fenced off and there are signs warning people

not to swim. The coroner said that it was an accidental switch ``

accidental death, and that it should be a warning for anyone planning to

swim there. A long`awaited government

announcement has signalled what should be an economic boost for

Plymouth and the wider South West. A scheme called City Deal will put

money, effort and also land into developing the region's key

industrial strength of marine engineering and research. The scheme

centres on Devonport, but reaches out across Cornwall, Devon and

Somerset. High`tech new arena engineering. ``

Marine engineering. It happens in more places than you would think.

This area of Cornwall is far way from the sea, but they are doing it

here. This component is being sold to this company in Devon, who are

experts in providing specialist marine services to industries. There

is a strong maritime heritage here. Lots of businesses could benefit

from a funding that would develop and become better at what they do.

It has got to be a great idea for the south`west. The past few years

have been very difficult for businesses here. Things are picking

up now, this year has been fantastical ready. Any investment

can only be a good thing. The City Deal scheme should see many

millions of pounds invested into businesses and employees in the

area. Some going to better training and business advice, some be spent

on fiscal developments in one area of waterfront that the Ministry of

Defence plans to release, South Yard in Devonport.

Plymouth has struggled to keep up in the economic league table. One

measure shows that Plymouth was around 83% of the national average

for ten years from 1997 the stop a relatively low ranking compared to

many other places. Then it plummeted to 75%, before picking back up to

89% in 2012. It is difficult to think of any

other obvious way to boost the economy in this region than by

putting money into Marine areas. But it is modest. It is a few tens of

thousands of pounds, compared to an economy which is billions of

pounds. Success may not be obvious, but people will be looking to see

whether or not Plymouth is moving up the rankings.

Well, the Cities Minister is Greg Clark. I asked him what the City

Deal would mean for Plymouth and the surrounding area.

Watch the local businesses and the local authorities are saying is that

good jobs, not just to this city of Plymouth, but the whole of the

south`west peninsula. It is investing in a growing industry

internationally which is Marine engineering.

We have seen these initiatives before, and they are often with a

great fanfare, but we do not hear about them afterwards was out in two

years time, what practical difference would you expect to see

in the south`west as a result of this?

I think you can see the site behind me, in Devonport. We already have a

very successful yacht business, who were looking to expand. They need

the land with access to the deep water to do that, and to attract

their suppliers. So this land which has previously been used by the

Ministry of Defence, we are negotiating to release and to

attract these new businesses to expand and create jobs. How you

judge whether this is a success? What you looking for with the

criteria? In two years time, how many jobs would have been created?

That depends on the pace of the remediation. What needs to happen is

that the land needs to be made fit for purpose for companies to vacate

will stop but was that happens, another part of the City Deal is to

invest in the schools locally, especially the young unemployed. To

make sure that they have the skills to access the jobs available already

in this part of the world through companies like Princes yachts, but

also to see that the expanding number of jobs and the local

councils think that 10,000 jobs could be created when that site is

fully operational, to make sure that the schools being provided now.

Almost a third of local councils in the South West may be at risk of

either bankruptcy or failure to deliver key services before the next

financial year, according to figures obtained by the BBC. A report by

auditors Grant Thornton also reveals that the South West has more at risk

authorities than anywhere else in the country.

It is the doomsday scenario that all councils fear. But how likely is it

that key services like bin collections could be in jeopardy? A

study of local authorities in England has identified that 30% of

councils in the south`west could be at risk at reaching a tipping point

for the next financial year. They may not be able to meet their

statutory duties to services, or they may become bankrupt. Although

the auditors did not mention the councils by name, it gives an

indication of the pressures as the funding by the government is cut. We

are a poor area, with some of the lowest wages in the UK. We have

three times more distance to travel for many people when we collect

refuge and services. Thankfully, scenes like this in Exeter RF stop

in this circumstance, it was due to bad weather. `` are rare.

In 2015 and beyond, it will be a pinch. We need to make more drastic

changes. We are looking at our way service. At the moment, we collect

garden waste every fortnight. Maybe in 2015, something will have to

change that. Local authorities are being squeezed

like never before. Some may have to raise council tax or restructure in

order to survive will stop Our Political Editor Martyn Oates is

with us. This report makes grim reading.

Yes, and it feeds into the debate between councils and the government

about what the councils get the funding to do their job. The report

says that other authorities take a more radical approach to trying to

solve the problems, but many in the South West believe that they have

made all the savings they can and there is nowhere else to go stop the

tipping point could mean many things. It could mean that the local

authority cannot set a balanced budget. It could mean many small

failures which amount up to be critical. It could mean the

inability to deliver statutory services, which would be

catastrophic. Grant Thornton says that the fact

that many of these authorities or roll is key. `` are in the

countryside. Many places in the countryside as saying that their

councils are getting a difficult deal, and MPs will vote on the

settlement there. One other thing that comes up is that size matters.

The authorities that come out well and beat Cornwall, and the small

ones, out badly. Some tiny district councils. The Conservative MP who is

concerned about his own district councils says that the government

needs to decide if they want to district councils at all. And former

Deputy Prime Minister Lord Heseltine has recommended that we go across to

a unitary system stop A quick sketch given as a thank you note by Damien

Hirst has sold for five times more than its estimated value.

A female telephone bidder paid ?2,700 for the artwork. It was

originally drawn for Lord Coleridge's housekeeper. She brought

the artist breakfast in bed after a night of watching the famous Ottery

St Mary tar barrels in 2001. Waterlogged fields are causing major

problems for some vegetable farmers across the region. Crops such as

cauliflower and swede are worst affected with reports of increased

leaf disease. The wet soil is also having an impact on harvesting.

Three weeks ago, this crop was free of disease. Now the leaves look like

this. These black spots is what is affecting the crops. It is due to

the amount of rain that we have had will stop it is not just the purple

sprouting broccoli that is affected by the black spot.

The cauliflowers have also been affected.

The worst`case scenario would be whole crops being written off, which

will have a financial effect on us. We hope it won't come to that, but

if it continues, we will have quite severe problems. It is really

worrying. Sometimes we have to write complete fields off and it can get

very upsetting. Another issue facing farmers is the

practicality of getting in and out of the fields to harvest crops. Some

say that they are ten or 15% down to what they should be. The ground is

now saturated and there is significant erosion. The fields are

unable to absorb the moisture and it is running off this this `` of this

surface and running down the fields. When the fields are glistening with

water, that have a serious effect on the land stop Somerset is the worst

hit region, with in some form is 90% of land and water.

The biggest product is grass, and if grass is underwater, you have a big

problem for the perceivable future. What will the animals eat? But with

the cauliflower harvest on the way, it is hoped that a letter in the

rain could save the cauliflower from further disease.

Unfortunately no letup tomorrow. Also still to come, a look at the

sport, including a skeleton bob rider from Devon who is looking for

Olympic glory. And singing for survival, male voice choirs in

Cornwall reach out to younger singers in hope of a harmonious

future. A type of grass found in parts of

Devon and Cornwall could hold the key to solving many of our flooding

problems. New research by the University of Exeter and the Devon

Wildlife Trust has discovered that culm grass could be more effective

than costly man made flood defences. That is a good sign. It is storing

water stop could this squelchy ground provide an answer to our

flooding problems? According to research is at the Devon wildlife

trust, it could. What is important is, as this is

decomposing, they are building up this organic matter in the soil and

that is what is boring the water. `` storing. The water is being stored

above the rest level. The grass is found in these areas.

Two areas immediately next to each other have been seen for a year and

a half. The culm grass area has been storing more water. The professor is

monitoring six sites in the culm grass areas, with sensors giving a

detailed picture of what is happening. We can teach people to

manage their landscapes at the culm grass is there, and we could be

storing the water in the landscape stop Simon Berry, who farms here,

says that even he is surprised at how well culm grass soaks up rain

will stop if you look at the old way of farming, the water tended to soak

away more naturally. As you can see, the cattle are not

going into the ground after two days of rain stop using culm grass seems

to offer an attractive way of storing water.

Time for the sport and Dave's here with a possible debut for a South

West man in the Winter Olympics. Torquay United's new manager Chris

Hargreaves could take the Gulls out of the bottom two relegation places

in League Two. That's if they beat the team immediately below them,

Northampton Town, at Plainmoor tomorrow and if other results go

their way. Winger Jason Banton returns for Plymouth Argyle at

Rochdale after he was ineligible for the midweek FA Cup replay. The

Pilgrims are unbeaten in five league games. Exeter City have won only

twice in the league in their last 13 outings, as Morecambe visit St James

Park and Championship strugglers Yeovil Town go for their first win

in seven league meetings at Birmingham City.

Exeter Chiefs have one last crack at sneaking into rugby's European

Challenge Cup. They go to Cardiff Blues knowing only a bonus point win

and their opponents failing to pick up any points at all could push them

into Europe's second top competition.

Also, other results have got to go in head coach Rob Baxter's favour if

that's to happen. He brings back five first team players, including

goal` kicker Gareth Steenson and the captain, lock forward Dean Mumm.

A Devon man is hoping to be included in the Great Britain skeleton team

for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, which starts in three weeks time.

It'll be 29`year`old David Swift's debut in the Games after four years

of hard work and preparation all over the globe.

He will travel. David goes everywhere with his prized

possession, this board costing ?10,000. He is back home in Newton

Abbot after competing in salt lake city. Its stage the 2002 Olympics.

Just one part of his build`up to Russia. He will know next Wednesday

whether he has made the team in his discipline, the skeleton.

Four years ago, I was very inexperienced and was a outsider.

Push start wise, I am in the top three in the world. But my driving

has moved on tremendously. So, I have put all the pieces in place to

be in the best position I am now. He is a former student at Torquay

Grammar School. Now he is a full`time skeleton driver,

travelling at 90 mph offers top speed is the outcome, and if you

have done everything, knowing your way down the track and being relaxed

and aerodynamically relaxed, then the speed will come.

It is a combination of all of those things stop if he does make the

Olympic team, he will be very ploughed `` proud to do what he can.

Winter sports are picking up and they are moving on. It is not a

wait. It is a motivation and a drive for every winter sport.

And Taunton stages its first ever Saturday meeting tomorrow, with

seven races starting at 12:30. But there is a precautionary inspection

of the track at 7:30 in the morning. BBC Radio Cornwall and BBC Radio

Devon have been celebrating their 31st birthdays today. To mark the

occasion in Truro, presenters have been selling off unwanted presents

to raise money for the station's charity appeal. While in Devon, a

time capsule was buried to represent 'life in the county' in 2013.

There is everything here from chocolate is to cuddly toys.

Unwanted gifts are being sold to raise money for local charities.

There will be ?2000 raised today in a short time.

On the other side, this presents buried a time capture all, which

listeners voted was in the centre of the country. There are two points

here locally, and the two owners of the houses have argued about where

is the centre of Devon. But I am told that the spot that we are in is

the centre. The flask was full of recordings of people throughout the

years. It is designed to show the lives of people in 2013. It will be

dug up in years time, and though copy has been given to a museum in

case this one does not last. Male voice choirs are often the

domain of the 'silver singer', but it seems some younger men are

finally being drawn into the world of close harmony singing in

Cornwall. And that's music to the ears of the

county's federation, which wants to see choirs increasing their appeal

to the more youthful vocalists. There are 65 years between the

eldest member of this Male choir and the youngest, but when it comes to

camaraderie, you would not notice the difference. I think it brings

you into a new level of maturity. Singing in a school choir, you are

around your friends and to enjoy it in a different wave stop here, you

are mixing with older people. You develop more as a person. You

grow. The ageing population of Cornwall's

male voice choirs has been on the mind of the official director. We

need to get youngsters into the movement, otherwise we will find

ourselves choirs with holes in them over the next few years. . There are

people going into schools and moving into the movement there, being shown

that singing is enjoyable. The choirs are hoping that the

unique atmosphere will inspire more people to join.

I started at 14 years old, and I enjoy the banter between the

baritones and the tenors. The federation hopes that there will be

a revival in the choirs. And Music Week is on BBC Radio

Cornwall from tomorrow. Now, here is the weather. There is

tomorrow, but it will get better. There is more rain in the forecast,

it is not what we want to hear, but we have to get through it. There

will be dry weather to be had. The rain will clear, it will be called

on Sunday. There could be a frost and some fog patches. But the main

threat to the rain is early tomorrow morning and through the day

tomorrow. By the end of the day, we could have 25 to 30 millimetres of

rain. Now, the cloud that is bringing in that rain is still

capturing across the Bay of Biscay and France at the moment. The

weather will move across slowly overnight, to bring more rain and

cloud and give us a change in the wind direction stop we will see the

winds coming in from the North West. Head of it, quite breezy, especially

tomorrow morning. This highlighted area is where we think the rain will

be the heaviest. It is mainly East Devon, Somerset and Dorset and

southern parts of Wales. At the moment, the showers have faded away,

so for some of tonight it will be dry stop some patchy rain, and it

will be chilly before the cloud and rain moves in. By the end of the

tonight, it will be quite windy with those southerly winds. Those are the

overnight temperatures, five to seven degrees. We should have no

frost. And tomorrow, the rain will be off and on, and it will begin to

clear out in the afternoon most of the area will be clear. Cornwall

could have some sunshine. But rain and temperatures struggling because

of it. Eight or 10 degrees. It will get cooler in the afternoon as the

colder air follows the rain will stop for the Isles of Scilly,

probably some of the best weather. Some fresh winds in the second half

of the day. Here are the times of the high water for the top four hour

service, the waves messed up for the strong winds, but it should be

around four or six feet. For the coastal waters forecast, the

wind will change direction. Rain or showers and visibility occasionally

moderate because of the rainfall. There are still flood warnings in

Somerset and Dorset. If you need more information, you can ring this

number. Of course, you can listen to your local radio tomorrow to find

out where the rain will begin to affect some of our rivers and

streams. Tomorrow `` Sunday will be brighter,

mainly dry on Monday. That is it for this week. We will be

back on Sunday with Sunday Politics. Have a good weekend. Goodbye.