02/05/2014 Spotlight

The owner says it was a terrifying ordeal. I wish I could turn the

clock back and it's never happened but it has. Materialism has never

been a key part of our lives that emphasises that people are far more

important. Also tonight: Staff at one of the

region's most highly valued employers prepare to go on strike.

Workers at the Land Registry in Plymouth and Weymouth will walk out

later this month. And a boost for the economy as

thousands flock to the Isles of Scilly for the World Gig

Championships. A Paignton Jeweller whose shop was

raided by armed robbers has been describing his ordeal. Alan Boydell

suffered injuries to his arm as he tried to stop three masked men

stealing ?7,000 worth of stock in the raid last week. Our South Devon

reporter John Ayres has more. These are slowed down CCTV images of

Alan trying to protect his premises. The masked men ran into his shop,

not the shop assistant to the ground and started taking Julie. I picked

up the chair to defend myself and draw them away from Shirley, and

driving away from the main sales area and towards me. They ran

straight at me into the arcade. All this time Julia spilling out of

their jackets and pockets. One man was detained by witnesses. Two

others got away in a car. Allen suffered an arm injury but he and

his wife will not allow this to affect their business. We knew if we

did not open straightaway it would be more difficult the longer we left

it. We had to get in straightaway. And surely Jeffrey, bless her, she

came back the next day and it wasn't easy, but we did. Police say the

CCTV footage showed the men were wearing hooded tops of our weight

painter and decorator style overalls. They hope that by showing

the footage they will jog people 's memories and we are talking to DIY

store to see if anyone remembers people coming in and buying three of

these overalls. Alan and his wife have been overwhelmed by their

support. It is a different perspective. Materialism has never

been a big part of our lives but it emphasises that people are far more

important. One man, who is 21 from party, has been charged with robbery

and possession of an offensive weapon. `` 21 from Torquay.

A strike has been called at the Land Registry, which employs nearly 900

staff in Devon and Dorset. Unions are concerned about plans for the

privatisation of the service, which is an offshoot of the government's

Department for Business. Our correspondent Neil Gallacher joins

me now. What exactly does the land Registry do? It keeps track of

property ownership and valuations. It runs this enormous database and

it is hugely valued locally as an employer. Both on the edge of

Weymouth where it employs 250 people and in Plymouth the final 650

people. This strike has been called for the 14th and 15th, what is the

reason? The government wants to bring in a new status for the land

Registry, and the key idea is to set up a new company which would still

be under government oversight by the functions of the land registry would

be transferred into it. The main union at the land Registry say they

have been pressing for assurances that they have received.

We've been looking for reassurance from Land Registry Management that

there will be no compulsory redundancies, no office closures and

no major outsourcings of our work. We have asked for that several times

since June, management refused to give us those assurances and as such

we can only think that they are planning to do some or all of those

things. Is this action likely to have the major impact? There are few

weeks left of clocks. The land Registry tool is today that it will

continue to engage with the unions this year they can prevents the

industrial action. They say we will endeavour to ensure there is minimal

disruption to the services that we offer to professional customers and

the public. There are warnings that mine shafts

up to 100 feet deep on Dartmoor have been weakened by severe weather and

could collapse. The National Park Authority says it's aware of some

incidents where wood and stone used to cover the shafts have been

weakened and fallen in. Chris Ellis reports.

Dartmoor was mined for generations and capped tin mines hidden beneath

the surface are what is left behind. This hole appeared last week and has

since been fenced off to keep people and livestock away. Hundreds of

covered mine shafts are thought to be scattered across the moor. This

map shows the extent of the mining which has built up over generations.

For ramblers there are some key signs to look out for. A mine shaft

is like a well, so typically there will be a surface depression, very

often surrounded by, if it is not fenced, surrounded by the remains of

a low wallm a little bit like a doughnut shape. `` the remains of a

low wall. You will often see a waste mound beside it. Just don't go down

these hollows. The National Park Authority says there is no need to

panic. Just the word mining means potential danger, and there are

risks attached to everything. The important thing here is to come out

with your map, look at your map and when you see the word mining or

shaft just take extra care. The Duchy of Cornwall which owns about

one third of the land on the moor says that the main shaft areas are

inspected and fenced off. It added collapses are rare and when they

happen the Duchy act immediately. In the last ten years the Park

Authority said up to 15 mine shafts have collapsed and been fenced off.

In the past ponies and she had been rescued from the shafts. Chris Ellis

BBC Spotlight. And you can read more about that

story on the BBC Devon news website. Conservationists claim rare fish may

have been damaged by dredging around Devonport Dockyard. Experts are

worried that conservation areas are not being properly enforced.

Spotlight's Environment Correspondent Adrian Campbell

reports. This small fish it at the centre of

a big dispute. Smelt are rare and they are found within an area of the

dockyard in Plymouth that is protected by a new marine

conservation zone and what is known as a Special Area of Conservation.

Despite this protection it is being claimed that dredging carried out

earlier this year by this ship, the MV Causeway, may have disrupted the

smelt when they were spawning. Julie Elworthy is a local environmental

campaigner. It is a very important issue. The smelt is a protected

species but it is not being protected in our estuary. Devonport

acts as a Channel for smelt that are thought to spawn around February and

March but some studies have shown dredging and poor water quality can

act as a barrier to the fish. They are very sensitive to pollution, for

example in the Thames estuary they were one of the most common fish in

the 19th century and everyone was eating them and catching them, but

as soon as the pollution problem started within the system then they

disappeared quite quickly. Devon wildlife trust says the special area

of conservation in Plymouth needs to be enforced. Areas like this one

enjoyed a great deal of legal protection. It has taken us a long

time to get to this stage. That protection must have teeth and these

places must be monitored and we must make sure that this protection is

meaningful. Natural England advises about the impact of dredging on

smell. It changed its advice about when dredging could take place. It

said its understanding improved after meeting the dredging company

and learning more about the way it would work. It says it also received

further advice from an expert that smelt were likely to be north of the

dredging area at the time. The Ministry of defence told us it

acknowledges the findings of the investigation. It says it is

satisfied its contractors acted appropriately as soon as the issues

became apparent and have cooperated fully with the investigation.

Dredging around Devonport remains controversial, Adrian joined me in

the studio earlier to discuss some new developments around the issue.

The machine management organisation is the body that regulates what goes

on at sea. It follows that there were two breaches of licences to the

dredging company. One involved a safety at sea, they did not get

enough notice to other shipping in the area at a McCain and dredging

and the other one which is significant is there should have

been no disposal at the disposal site for hours before high tide. Why

is that significant? Because silk, it had come from the dockyard, make

a dent on the table and spread the Marine conservation zone in the area

and that would have been bad for conservation.

As anything happened as a result of this?

The marine management organisation could have had this before the

courts and ask them to do something about it. There could have been a

fine of up to ?50,000 or imprisonment. In the end they sent

this letter to the dredging company, a formal warning telling them not to

do this again. The conservationists have said this is not enough. This

issue has become incredibly controversial, hasn't it?

Yes, it is controversial in the conservationists say that we have

the zones of protected areas at sea, if we want to put that we care about

these things and we must enforce them.

Since the 1990's more than a billion pounds has come to Cornwall from the

European Union. But has that money been spent wisely and would the

county have received the same level of help from the British Government?

Well in the run up to the European Elections, our Political Editor has

been in Strasbourg to take a closer look at the EU's finances and how it

spends its money. The EU's budget is often assumed to be as monumental as

its official buildings. Until last year it certainly had a tendency to

keep going up. Now it is actually coming down for the first time in

its history, thanks to pressure from countries including Britain. Even

with the 6% reduction, the EU's budget for this year is around ?118

billion, less than one sixth of the UK's annual expenditure. When you

look at the money that comes back to member states there are two major

areas of expenditure. One huge area of spending is agriculture and rural

development. That means payments to farmers. And in case you hadn't

noticed, there's a farmer or two in the south west. The EU is also a big

spender when it comes to economic development. Devon and Somerset have

both done well out of that, but the EU has really rolled out the red

carpet for Cornwall. The Eden Project received ?16 million, about

?70 million has been invested in a university for Cornwall and ?53

million has gone towards rolling out superfast broadband. In total

Cornwall has received around ?1 billion since the late 90s. It has

secured another half ?1 billion between now and 2020. So a fair

amount of money in anybody's book, but not everybody agrees that this

is all blue skies and starlight. First of all the projects for which

they are, for which the European funding goes to must be approved at

the European Union level and secondly the funding has to be. ``

had to be matched. So it is very restricted, it is not a wonderful

sort of, there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Actually, a

lot of the money that is spent through those sort of funds goes in

the directions of things we don't consider positive development, so

recently ?44 million was spent building a second airport for

Walsall, using European money. As Greens we question of whether those

large`scale infrastructure development actually make sense when

you buy a whole is trying to reduce its carbon emissions. The Tories'

lead candidate like UKIP says ideally this funding should not have

been the gift of the EU at all. Brussels take a lot of money from

Britain and hand back some of it and says to Cornwall and other parts of

the United Kingdom, you should be grateful to the EU. We are only

getting back part of what we get. I think it would be much better if we

get. I think it would be much better in regional policy was repatriated

to the member states, so in other words the parliament in Westminster

decides how much we spend on those things. But while the money has

undoubtedly slowed down to Cornwall from the EU, with the British

government of any complexion knew we have matched the EU 's largess? I

actually don't believe that it is likely Cornwall would get that

money. That same level of support from a national government. The

investments that Cornwall gets is very specific to the issue is that

there are in Cornwall and I think that actually is where the European

Union has a vital role to play. I think people know that we would get

far less support if we were left under national governments than we

do from the European Union. Particularly in Cornwall because

Cornwall has an average per capita income of less than three quarters

of the European Union average so qualifies for just about every guy

in the book. Poorer countries joining the EU should theoretically

threaten Cornwall's claim to this money. However, it is testimony to

just how poor Cornwall is that alongside Sicily and Transylvania

has seen off most of southern and eastern Europe in the poverty

stakes. Firefighters in the south west are

back on duty this evening after a national strike. Members of the Fire

Brigades' Union walked out from 12 noon till five. It's the latest

action in an ongoing dispute over pensions. The government says

firefighters have one of the most generous schemes in the public

sector. Further strikes are planned over the weekend.

Efforts to restore a 5,000 year old Cornish monument reached a crucial

phase today. Carwynnen Quoit near Camborne collapsed in the 1960s. But

work to lift and place granite stones in to position means it's

almost back to its former glory. John Danks sent this report. This is

what it takes today to shift the huge granite stones that formed the

likes of Carwynnen Quoit. It is hard to imagine the effort required in

the Neolithic times. It is heavy work but needs to be precise. It is

going well, we are relying heavily on our expert team of structural

engineers and the guys who are moving the stones and it seems to be

going very well to plan. We are using some of the ancient

photographs, the all photographs we have the guide us to make the

monumental work as authentic as possible. One of those watching

today was Paul Williams. He took this picture of Carwynnen Quoit in

1955 when he was 11 years old. It is quite impressive to have gone up,

when my father told me it had fallen down in 1967I thought it would never

go up again. I am quite pleased that it has gone up again. These sort of

monuments car in various parts of the country. We can assume that in

the Neolithic period this was put up several thousand years ago. Probably

to contain burial or at least mark a very important part of the

landscape. Escalation of the site and sit in the area has unearthed

artefacts including flint arrows in the stone pestle. The monument which

was once used as a gathering point for the community is starting to

fulfil that role again. Is the only one in the area. We have plenty in

West can rest but this area has lost so much with the organisation that

are doing something with this are doing something with this

ancient monument. May be the operator imposition of VAT needs to

happen next is for this name and a half`time capstone to be placed on

top. And that will happen on the 21st of June.

Onto the sport and speedway in Plymouth may close if attendance

figures don't improve soon. That's the warning the Plymouth Devils

promoters are sending out as crowds have dropped alarmingly. Well,

Dave's at the St Boniface Arena for us this evening. Hello. Sorry for

the noise. I do not know why I am apologising, this is part of

speedway. There are worries all round by the promoters and the

riders and staff alike of dwindling attendances. They have dropped

substantially since the be opened here eight years ago. Joining me is

the team manager and the team captain. First of all, when it

reopened here it was in excess a wave. You are getting thousands to

the gate. Why have been dropped off so much? Obviously I guess the

support is waning because the interest has gone but I don't see

why the interest should go. It is a great sport and it is the only

professional sport in the summer months in Plymouth. Everybody who

sees it I am sure will come back to it. How do you get them back to the

gate? Just by getting advertising. TV will help. We will get on the

radio and get everyone out there and just tell people that Plymouth

speedway is here and once they see it I am sure they will, watch it.

Returning to Cornwall, Ben Barker, you are very highly thought of. You

are back here at Plymouth. At the local boy has a surprise to the

attendances have dropped? Definitely. We don't have a track in

Cornwall so I was hoping to bring supporters up from there. I know

some do, but it is not enough. It is a sport we want to keep in Plymouth

and we need more support. We used to have Exeter Falcons Raid ready rugby

team used to play. They were infected and did not find a suitable

site to race again. This is the only speedway team in Devon and Cornwall.

That is what I'm saying. There is no Cornwall or anything else in

Crawley, so it is a shame that the people have not come here. I hope

they are wanting to and can relate their fire and passion for the

sport. What is your even attendance figure? We are in the 650 or 700

mark. We are currently about 200 people sure of that. When people

come down and see what an exciting race we have here, it is a very good

product that we deliver. How long can you see speedway surviving? We

will be here for the duration of the season and for years to come. We are

working as much as we can believe we will still in Plymouth in the

receiving future. Thank you. Best of luck, then. Racing starts at 7:15pm.

If Exeter Chiefs don't beat Harlequins in their final

Premiership rugby match of the season at Sandy Park on Sunday, and

if Wasps beat Newcastle Falcons, their chances of reaching a play`off

qualifier for next seasons European Cup will disintegrate. Conversely,

Quins still have eyes on the top four and a consequent play`off for

the Premiership title. Chiefs finish their campaign at Newcastle next

Saturday. The final day of the Football League

season tomorrow sees nothing at stake for the South West teams.

Yeovil Town hope to end their year's stint in the Championship, by

beating Middlesbrough at Huish Park. If Wycombe Wanderers fail to beat

Torquay United at Plainmoor, they'll accompany the Gulls in non`league

football next season. Exeter City, now safe from relegation, and

Plymouth Argyle sign off at Hartlepool and Portsmouth

respectively. Finally, if you can hear me! Sends good, but we have to

see every car needed. Finally, there's lots of cricket

going on over the Bank Holiday. On Sunday, Somerset try to maintain

their solid start to the new season against Nottinghamshire at Taunton

in the County Championship. At Truro, Cornwall and Devon lock horns

in the Minor Counties one`day group stages also on Sunday. What did he

say? I did not catch that! Should be do the rest of the sport like that?

The 25th World Pilot Gig Championships are getting underway

on the Isles of Scilly amid serious travel delays. Crews from around

Europe are converging on the islands but fog has created a backlog of

flights. Organisers of the Gig Championships have told us the

veterans races will take place this evening, even if some crews aren't

there to take part. They've told us at least 600 people travelling to

the championships are still stranded on the mainland. Hannah stacey has

sent his report. Originally these wooden boats used

to take pilot at the sailing ship. They were also used as lifeboats but

today it is a very different kind of competition. We are joined by Norma

Edwards from the horrible high with the association. This event started

25 years ago when the Isles of Scilly decided they would invite

people from the mainland to come over and race them and have a

social, basically. There was making boats on the star claimed that they

are that weekend. 25 years later we are the 140 or more boats on the

stifling stop the sport grows and grows that everyone loves coming to

Scilly. University in that first year of the event? Yes, we were

going down and are rolling now. We were one of the founding clubs in

the area. The sport has grown so much, it is amazing to see so many

superb boats rolling here today. One of the main talking point so far has

been the serious travel delays experienced by some of the crews

trying to get over. Flights have been delayed by an entity one half

hours and from Newquay by owned an hour and a half. Now the Isles of

Scilly steamship company has told us they are trying to catch up on these

flights and that it has an extension until around 8pm this evening to do

that. Should the weather deteriorate inmates not be able to get all of

the crew members over here from the mainland.

Thank you very much. The question is, will the naked? Doesn't look any

better, David? `` will they make it?

The cloud has lifted. Good evening. Holiday weekend approaching and the

weather is going to be kind to us. It could be disappointed with cloudy

at pains and that is the story this weekend. We will have real trouble

trying to track down when we will get breaks of the sunshine coming

out. In the meantime rather cloudy and briefly some sunshine. The

sunshine mainly confined to the east. Both these are quite cloudy,

11 and 12 the top temperature. No rough seas and the winds coming from

the South or Southeast and able be around three or four on both days

and so good rolling conditions if you can get there. The cloud around

today has been struggling to break and is still across as for the

moment. That will be a worry into Saturday because we could see it

around for a good part of the day. It is a weather system that does not

want to move away. The cloud is thicker with a spot of Windows Vista

on this evening and overnight tonight. And to tomorrow we have a

strand of patchy rain into the Western Isles of Scilly and by the

time we get into Sunday that will pull away. Hopefully we get some

sunny spells on Sunday as well as bank holiday Monday. By the end of

the day on bank holiday Monday the happy change coming in from the

west. That is a weather front bringing rain on Monday night and

into Tuesday. The detail for this evening and overnight, a lot of

cloud that will be struggling to clear out of the way and it may be

sick enough for the odd bit of drizzle. Expect a cloudy evening, a

mild one and if you do see any credence at all that will be a part

`` cross a part of Somerset and Dorset. Low temperatures of five or

six. As for tomorrow, everywhere will see a lot of cloud at least for

the morning. The patchy drizzle and have in the West will feed and the

best of the sunshine will be east Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the

Channel Islands. It will be relatively mild, temperatures of 213

or 14 degrees. It will be cooler on the coast and for the Isles of

Scilly it will be 13 degrees. Kinds of high water at Maidenhead that'll

be named a.m., Falmouth at 8:31pm in Saint Mary 's at 8:01am. For the

surfers, the server is not huge this weekend, it will pick up next week.

`` the surface is not huge. That is the coastal waters forecast, the

winds mainly from the south or Southeast with occasionally for and

in the Isles of Scilly, there was good usability. The promise of dry

weather for the holiday weekend, as I mentioned a lot of cloud so it

will be tricky to get breaks in the cloud. All in all not too bad. Have

a nice weekend. There will be extensive coverage of the world ten

the Mac Championships. `` world gig Championships. Goodbye.

Men are even less tolerant of women than they were before.