17/09/2014 Spotlight

In a recent change of emphasis, there was support for smalldr

from the very top, but todax it was revealed that some beds will be lost

Big hospitals are all very good but you have to go somewhere to

recuperate. So how will patients

will be cared for now? From the French countryside to

a Cornish car park, It's diabolical. It costs us a

fortune to use the car park, and they are here for nothing.

Tempers flare in the badger debate with both sides

And how to top a life`changhng year, the news is still sinking in for

I still can't believe it now. It is just something that happens to other

people. Campaigners have reacted with anger

at controversial proposals `nnounced today for a shake`up

of community health services Inpatient beds are due to go

at cottage hospitals in Crediton, Patients will be cared for

at home instead. Beds could also be lost

in Ilfracombe, Holsworthy and Minor injuries units will also be

hit in Ottery St Mary and Shdmouth, with those in North Devon lhkely to

see radical change. But as Spotlight's Health

Correspondent Sally Mountjox explains, people will get a chance

to have their say on the pl`ns. Christopher Gardner is being cared

for in Axminster hospital following a hip replacement at the

Royal Devon and Exeter Hosphtal His home is not suitable

for his recovery so he says this is the ideal place

for him to regain his strength. Big hospitals like Exeter

and Plymouth are all very good and they are centres of excdllence,

but they want you to be out of there as soon as possible and then you

have to go somewhere to rectperate. That is why I think Axminstdr

and all the other small hospitals But today, NHS commissioners have

said they want to close these beds. The hospital's league of frhends is

offering up to ?100,000 a ydar for We have an excellent hospit`l

and people are distressed at the prospect

of having to stay in Exeter when We are a growing town,

due to grow by about 50% ovdr We don't want to see

these facilities close. The proposals also mean loss of beds

and other community hospitals. The changes are part

of a major reorganisation of community health services

across North East and West Devon. Hospitals have already lost beds,

but they will become health and well being hubs with a greater

range of clinics and health More and more, we should expect

to be cared for in our own homes. We are looking to respond to

people's requests to providd services personalised to thdm,

delivered close to them in their home where it is possible

and safe to do so. And also integration of services so

they don't find a drop off between going from an acute

hospital to a community nurse. We are trying to provide

a seamless service. No decision has yet been made

about Torrington hospital whth a campaign has been bought

against bed closures. Other communities may be

preparing for similar protests. From our perspective, it is

disastrous. We were expecting some beds to close

at what we have got is all of the beds even shut and the loss

of the minor injuries unit. For people here,

people be horrified. People now have 12 weeks to tell

those who commission and paper health services in Devon ex`ctly

what they think of the proposed And Sally joins us live frol Exeter

where Sally,

we've seen a lot of re`organisation of the NHS, what's driving this

overhaul of community health care? People are living longer and more

likely to have a range of hdalth conditions that need care and

treatment. The NHS in Devon is one of the most financially challenged

in the country, and if things don't change, they will not be able to

meet that demand. Community services are expensive to run. They `re an

economical at the moment and unsustainable. And they do not

always provide the best and safest care for patients. In futurd, we

will seek more hospital at home type of services available seven days a

week so that people will be looked after in their own home where

appropriate. Technology will be used to monitor people in their own

homes. Thank you.

And here at Spotlight we'd like to hear what you think about that.

You can get in touch with us via E`mail, Twitter, or Facebook.

The addresses you need are on the screen now.

And do remember to leave us a contact number.

Cornwall Council is taking legal action tonight to try to evhct

a group of French travellers who've set up an illegal camp

The travellers are in Truro and claim they're on holidax.

But as Eleanor Parkinson reports, the council says the camp is unsafe

The travellers' seven carav`ns and as many cars have been parked

in Truro's Garras Wharf car park for several days.

Today, most of the occupants would not come out of the caravans and one

One woman, though, did eventually agreed to talk to us

Cornwall Council say the car park isn't a safe place for children to

play and have applied for a court injunction to evict families.

There is a significant numbdr of children involved and thhs isn't

We are concerned about their safety and we'rd now

going through the courts to take the appropriate legal action and have

Meanwhile, people trying to use the car park

today, some of them strugglhng to find a place, also thought

It costs a fortune for us to use the car park just

for two hours, and they are going to park here for how long?

There aren't very many spard spaces so they ought to be free for the car

I don't think it's right, rdally, but what can you do about it?

Cornwall Council say a second group of travellers have moved on

But they say they hope to h`ve the situation in this car p`rk

Two elderly people have been left with serious injuries

after a water tank fell frol the back of a tractor in East Ddvon

It happened on the A375 at Sidbury near Sidmouth.

The woman was airlifted to hospital in Exeter.

The road was closed for a ntmber of hours.

A truck helping to rebuild the sea wall at Dawlish got stuck

at sea today after being sw`mped by the incoming tide.

The 35 tonne concrete mixer will stay on the beach

Network Rail has launched an investigation.

A man has admitted stabbing a teenager six times.

Robert Scott, who's 19, was left in a critical condhtion

after the attack outside his home in Saltash in May.

At Truro Crown Court today, Andrew Barker, who lived

on the same street, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause

One week in, the row over the badger cull in Somerset is intensifying.

Farmers and landowners have accused protestors of harassment

The protestors claim their cars have been attacked and tyres slashed

Spotlight's Clinton Rogers has spoken to both sides in the

debate and has been out overnight with protestors in West Somdrset.

It was an odd game of cat and mouse on the moors of Somerset last night.

Protesters writing down reghstration numbers of people they think might

Others call this harassment and intimidation.

This farmer's wife whose land is in the Gloucestershire cull zone

We have to walk around our home in complete darkness becausd

as soon as we turn the light on to go to bed or to go into the sitting

room, their torches come on the windows of the rooms that wd're in.

Mind you, the campaigners s`y they are being targeted as well,

two of their cars have had their tyres slashed they cl`im.

Last night, we followed a protest group prepared

to take direct action to disrupt the cull, break the law if necessary.

Night vision cameras that c`n pick up body heat a kilometre aw`y.

They think they have spotted a marksman in the field below.

Make a noise and hope the marksman leaves.

And then check that he has, even if that does mean crossing

private land, even going through a farmyard, checking every corner.

Most of the protesters don't want their identities known,

yet they wear their cause on their chests ` hunt saboteurs.

If we see the law is unjust, that's where we stop across it, I'l afraid.

We don't damage persons , we don't damage personal property.

Towards the end of the night, the police turn up and two

of the group are arrested, though the police won't tell us whx.

Several hours later, they're released without ch`rge

Tonight, they're likely to be out ag`in.

The number of people looking for jobs

In August 1.3 per cent of the working population in Cornw`ll was

In Devon, the figure's 1 per cent, it's just under 1 in Dorset

Plymouth and Torbay continud to have the highest rates

of unemployment locally with Torbay still above the UK average.

It's been confirmed that thd Bantham estate in South Devon has bden sold

to Nicholas Johnston for more than the asking price of ?11 million

Mr Johnston also owns the Great Tew estate in Oxfordshire,

which is home to a music festival, but he says there are no pl`ns

for a festival in Bantham and he has no desire to change the sitd.

The 750 acre estate includes the beach,

And you are watching Spotlight tonight with Clare Casson and

They've both got counters, they've both got stamps.

So why can't two local services work as one?

We'll be taking a look at the latest blending together of rural services.

Plus from the news of the present to the news of the past.

Tomorrow, the people of Scotland will be voting on

whether or not to leave the United Kingdom after more than 300 years.

Only people in Scotland are entitled to vote

but the consequences will affect us all, with polls suggesting the

Our Political Editor Martyn Oates joins us now.

This will have an impact. I think it is finally dawning on everybody that

there will be profound implhcations for the rest of the country,

possibly specific consequences for us in the south`west.

If there's a yes vote, the really big issue is whether

the South West will become home to the country's nuclear submarines.

The Scottish National Party says it wants them out of Scotland

and experts suggest Devonport or Falmouth are

We could also get the bigger fish "for our fishermen `` a bigger

fishing quarter. If there is a no vote, but are also ramifications.

Scotland will get more powers, at least that is what the leaddrs of

the three main parties are seeing. If that happens, there needs to be a

new constitutional settlement, a new arrangement of powers in England as

well. What would that mean? An Ingush parliament possibly. More

devolution to English regions or cities. In this part of the world,

possibly a Cornish Assembly. Would a Scottish MP be able to vote on

English issues? Many MPs ard adamant that that must not happen. @nd that

could open up some interesthng possibilities. If Scottish LPs are

excluded from the vote and hunting, could the hunting ban in England the

overturned? Could we moved to British summer Time all year round?

What is the way forward? Evdrybody agrees that there needs to be big

changes, something needs to be done, but there are disagreements as to

what exactly should be done. Tory MPs are unhappy about this promise

of big powers and new financial commitments to Scotland without any

consultation of Parliament. Stormy times ahead for us all. And no sleep

for you? Not much. There's more on the referendum

on the BBC news website and much more, of course, following the

result, here on Friday's Spotlight. Now,

pubs have moved into former banks, post offices have taken up residence

in churches, and libraries have even There's been a fair bit of lateral

thinking in rural England rdcently. Now one local library is trxing to

protect its future by moving Brenda Best

and her eight`year`old granddaughter It is a curious truth that

grasshoppers have their hearing They are avid users of

their local library in Ashbtrton. I like doing the reading ch`llenges

and even just the reading, H really I enjoy reading and if it goes,

where are we to get books? Ashburton is one

of 28 libraries across Devon which face the axe unless the comlunity

comes forward to help run them. Now a group here has come up with

a novel idea to save it. Ashburton is threatened with losing

its library that it has had The only way forward is to go

into the post office and john with With both the library and

the post office facing an uncertain future, perhaps combining forces

could be the perfect solution. If I was sitting here 75 ye`rs ago

tonight, I would be bringing you the news of the first British naval

ship sunk in the Second World War. The aircraft carrier,

based in Devonport, hadn't long left Plymouth when

torpedoes from a German U`boat hit. More than 500 Royal Navy

personnel were killed. Johnny Rutherford has been

talking to one of the survivors September 1939,

two weeks after war was declared with Germany, HMS Courageous left

Plymouth to patrol the Irish Sea. On board was a 16`year`old lad

from Torquay. We didn't appreciate it at first

and it didn't really sink When we set sail with our escort,

we thought, this is quite a good event, we're going to war,

we're going to win the war. But on the evening of 17 September,

German U`boat 29 attacked. Somebody said to me, what's the

time? Just when I said that,

the first torpedo hit us. The Navy has received a sevdre blow

with the sinking of HMS Courageous We can take hard knocks

as we intend to give them, John Cannon had jumped

into the Atlantic after hearing A flight observer who was swimming

close by holding onto an oar, he'd got an oar from somewhdre,

he shouted, keep going, boy, keep going, son, your mum and dad will be

waiting for you when you get home. 512 Royal Navy seaman lost their

lives. John was eventually rescued and sent on to other missions.

Including sinking their Gerlan ship this mark. A beautiful ship. We

fired torpedoes at her. Bismarck sank to the bottom. One

year later, HMS Terror search was sunk `` Dorset Shire was sunk by the

Japanese and once again, John was swimming for his life. They flew

across the survivors and machine`gunned us. But John was like

a cat with nine lives, he m`naged to survive the war, despite wh`t it

threw at him. Before I was 21, I had been in action against the Germans,

the Vichy French, and the J`panese. He is now 91.

Onto some sports news and it was a good evening for

Exeter City and Torquay United in last night's football.

City won for the first time this season and United have shot

But for Yeovil Town and Plymouth Argyle, it was

a frustrating time at home `s Spotlight's Dave Gibbins reports.

If you want a flutter on a home draw, then just look at Yeovil Town.

Last night's one`all result against bottom side Crewe Alexandra

was their third draw from four attempts to win at Huish Park.

After falling behind, the keeper was head and shotlders

above the rest to give the Glovers much relief and only the width

of a post denied Gary Johnson's men their first win on Somerset soil.

Next to the enigma which is Plymouth Argyle.

After beating two teams who are fancied to be promotion challengers,

the Pilgrims have now gone down to two straight defeats, the l`test to

Wycombe Wanderers with ex`Argyle loan striker Paul Hayes inflicting

But it is all smiles today `t Exeter City.

They produced the result of the night, beating confident

league newcomers Cambridge Tnited by two goals to one.

Even after conceding early on, City stormed back thanks to

Graham Cummins who then set up loanee Alex Nichols for

However, they still remain at the bottom two of League Two

Torquay United are the form team in the Conference.

Skipper Luke Young's tradem`rk free kick in the last minute

against previously unbeaten Woking at Plainmoor elevated United to

second, giving them their fifth consecutive success

Now how's this for a run of good luck?

A retired nurse in her 60s leets a man on the internet.

From a first date in an Exeter sandwich shop, they fall in love

They then take out a loan to buy a camper van and fulfil thehr dream

Pretty good so far and then, to top it all, they win the Lottery.

Spotlight's Chloe Axford's been to meet the unlikely millionaires

The practicalities of being lottery winners.

They may be millionaires, but they are still doing

They say the news, which came through a text mdssage,

We thought it was a joke to start with.

I said, do you want to have a look `t this?

It's just something that happens to other people.

You just don't think it is going to happen to you.

Lottery winners don't just drink champagne.

Plymouth Argyle fan Rodney and retired nurse Vanessa are still

trying to keep their feet on the ground after

a whirlwind year in which they met, fell in love, got married, decided

Living in a camper van has brought certain logistical issues.

Where would you keep a cheqte for ?1 million?

As president of Exeter Lions last year, I was always giving ott

It's really funny to be getting a cheque.

Having spent a bit of time with Vanessa and Rodney today, I can

honestly say I don't think this lottery win could have happdned to

So far, Vanessa and Rodney have splashed out on a new car.

But they haven't made up their minds what to do with

They're too busy enjoying their adventure.

Good luck to them. Time for a look at the

Good evening, a few changes for the next few days, and then high

pressure comes back. Unusually warm at the moment. Especially at night.

Tomorrow, there will be somd sunshine, but we are also sdeing a

risk of showers developing. More cloud across as at the moment and

that is threatening a few showers, some approaching the Channel Islands

later tonight. We still havd this area of low`pressure. It is a bit

more dominant now. It is fedding strands of cloud and bands of

showers towards us tomorrow night and into Friday. Some of those

showers could turn out to bd abundantly. After that, that area of

high pressure moves back in. That was the picture earlier tod`y. You

can see how we had a few showers coming out of northern France. But

for a more robust `` for most of us, it has been dry but cloudy.

Just enough surf for surfers to catch a wave. Surfing conditions are

very similar to for tomorrow. C temperature is around 17 degrees.

The satellite picture shows that band of cloud. That will move away

for a while and it will turn their stay in places. Those easterly winds

will drop, but later in the night, we will see a few showers, forcibly

even some thunder. That lind of showers will travel through southern

Devon and move into the north coast of Cornwall. Overnight tempdratures,

no law than 16 or 17 for most of us. And very warm night. These

temperatures get a head start tomorrow. Most of us should have

fine conditions and sunny spells. A few showers may turn up across

Somerset. Temperatures of 23 or 24 degrees. Still quite warm. For the

Isles of Scilly, perhaps sole early showers.

Friday is the day we are worried about because some of those showers

will be heavy with the risk of thunder. Then turning drier but

cooler as we head into the weekend. Have a good evening.

Thank you very much. That is it We will have more at ten. It evening.