12/01/2017 Spotlight

Tonight, gritters are out across the south west as wintry

There's already a covering of snow on high ground with a warning

of further wintry showers and ice to come.

There are also flood alerts in force in Cornwall.

We'll have updates from our reporters across the region.

Also tonight - the football match turned blame game.

Argyle is criticised over a ticket debacle with some fans unhappy,

A sunny outlook - we'll reveal why there's growing optimism

And a life for a lifeboat - the family story behind

the funding and dedication of Exmouth's new vessel.

I just wish that he had lived to see what I've done

with the money that he and my mother earned together.

Snow is affecting parts of the south west tonight and the Met Office has

issued a yellow warning that the wintry conditions

Gritting lorries are already out on major routes across the region.

Some drivers have reported difficult conditions on high ground.

Elsewhere, there are flood alerts in place for some coastal areas.

Tonight we'll report on the conditions right

In moment the latest from Cornwall, but first to Devon.

John Danks is at the County Council control room and John Henderson

Yes, Victoria, our first snow of the winter, I can confirm, it is

bitterly cold in Princetown this evening. I came up about an hour and

a half ago and saw white fields, blessed with snow, very cold indeed.

What are the conditions like on the road? My colleague is at the Devon

county control room near Exeter. It is nice and warm in here but look at

the chart behind me, this has got all the details of the road

temperatures and if you look, the ones in red, -1.1 degrees, -2.2

degrees here. In the last hour, the numbers have been plunging. There

are 58 gritters that the County Council has on the roads and they

have been out gritting 2000 miles of the road network. Primary and

secondary routes and temperatures due to drop to as low as minus three

degrees this evening. Elsewhere in terms of travel, no reported

problems at Exeter Airport and no problems on the rail but here in the

operations room, for Devon County Council, they are most concerned

about the state of the roads. The gritters began their work

around midday today. These vehicles coming back

to be restocked with salt The wet weather combined

with falling temperatures is making things difficult

for the gritting teams. We have got 58 gritters out

at the moment around doing the county networks and even

secondary route so we're doing They have been treating

this afternoon. You would have seen some

of them out in the rain. And that has to be done when rain

precedes snow so we get some salt down and then they are loaded up

and go out again. At Devon County Council's highways

operations centre, this map indicates Winrow temperatures are

below 1 degrees. The picture is constantly being updated with travel

cameras showing the snowfall on Dartmoor. Their advice is to avoid

overnight travel unless absolutely essential. Temperatures could fall

to as low as minus three degrees in some parts of the county and the

local authority says it is closely monitoring the state of the roads.

That is the picture in Devon, now, my colleague Alan Parkinson can

bring you the latest in Cornwall. -- Eleanor.

Yes, it's been raining here, all afternoon in Cornwall

and as the temperatures fall this evening, this is expected

to turn to sleet and snow, on higher ground especially.

Cornwall Council say the gritters will be out all night.

Those gritters will have snowploughs.

There will be 31 machines in all, across 25 routes.

But they said the biggest problem they anticipate is for drivers early

in the morning because of the ice when the temperatures

The wind and the rain have also been having an effect all along

the North Cornwall coast and there is now a flood warning

and for areas around the Upper Tamar and North Cornwall's rivers.

You can hear the wind and the waves behind me here in Newquay.

The weather has also been affecting flights coming in and out

Two flights to London were cancelled altogether and flights to the Isles

But the main warnings are for motorists to look out for standing

The snow is settling and lots of people will of course want to come

out and enjoy it. I am joined by someone from the parish Council on

Dartmoor forest. You have some advice for people. It is lovely when

it snows, come and throw snowballs by all means but we would say, avoid

climbing over gates and fences, farmers would much appreciate that.

Park sensibly on the road, to one side so emergency services can get

through if possible. And come out and play in the snow safely. Have

they been problems in the past? Yes, because we don't get a lot of snow

and everyone likes to bring the children out and that is fine. But

it is not good if... It is not good when it interferes with farming

practice and people that live here every day. Are there other places,

if you see your field and people want to get the sledgers outlined

want to it, is that the problem? We would prefer you to avoid the

fields, there's a more land out there. Are private. Not great if the

snow is compacted so the stock cannot find grass underneath. --

fields are private. They need to be left quiet. Thank you. They are just

saying, if you come out and enjoy the snow, be responsible.

And we'll have the latest forecast from David later.

There's also be a further update on how the weather

is affecting our region in our late news at 10.30pm.

And if you need to be out and about tomorrow morning your BBC

local radio station will have travel and weather updates.

Plymouth Argyle has defended the way it's handled ticket sales for the FA

The club has come in for criticism from some supporters

but the Chief Executive argues it's a case of supply and demand

and that the club has simply tried to find the fairest way

Andy Birkett has been at Home Park today.

With the final whistle, they all knew what was coming.

Members have the first chance and then fans who had booked

at least five tickets since the beginning of last season.

They are good problems to have in a sense but we could probably

sell this game three times over, to be honest.

And clearly, some people are going to be disappointed

Whatever we do, there are going to be people

with different opinions and what we're trying to do is be

I'm not sure we could have done it much differently.

Yesterday afternoon, supporters were turned away

And to make sure tickets were still available,

For some, this process had become a little confusing.

Communication is the thing that has let this whole operation down.

Yes. Yes.

I was at work yesterday, it was my first opportunity to come up here.

And I thought I would get served easily, to be honest,

but it has not been the case and I have been bitterly

disappointed with the experience I have had today.

Some were happy... Yes, I have got

sympathy for the club. It is not easy.

I have had people round at my door, saying, can you get me tickets?

And they've never been to Argyle in their life

but they want to see Liverpool. I think it's better this way,

at least mostly Argyle fans will get a ticket.

The idea of missing out is just too much.

I will just go and have a cry somewhere in the corner.

It was just such a fantastic game last week and I just have to be

Last week was also not so fantastic for one fan,

who was refused entry into Anfield and had to pay again,

despite buying her original to get through the Argyle box office.

We were pulled aside and actually told that our

The only solution was for us to buy some more tickets.

I have been waiting every day for somebody to get back

to me as they assured me they would and the response was,

they would refund me the original ticket money

Nothing else will be offered to me and I thought perhaps a little bit

of compensation would have been required for a long trip.

Numerous attempts were made to contact the club this

afternoon but no one was available for comment.

Many people queueing in the rain today for tickets.

Now the weather today might have us thinking about our summer holidays

and according to industry watchers tourism in the south west is growing

more strongly than at any time since the year 2000.

Well one of the reasons for that growth is fears about terrorism

in parts of the Mediterranean and big cities like London.

Visit England has been asking British people if they're more

likely to holiday in the UK and 18% said they are,

with some of them citing fears about security abroad.

More from our business correspondent Neil Gallacher.

Midwinter murk at Newquay Airport, but behind the scenes,

Flybe have just announced an expansion of summer routes,

including the return of Stansted-Newquay.

Ryanair will have some new routes, too, because people increasingly

Certainly, a staycation, over the last few years and going

into the future, will continue. The Poldark effect as it is called.

Manchester will grow to over 80,000 passengers this year,

that is 10,000 more passengers they had at the height

In Torquay, a slick new development on the site of the derelict former

Palm Court Hotel is a good example of the strong current

People are very happy to say, "I am taking my holidays in England

and the UK," whereas previously, what was fashionable was always

Research shows it is not the case any more.

There is a sense of pride and I think that pride

Hospitality businesses are investing to take advantage.

Matt and Claudia Forward have just put ?100,000

into their new cocktail bar in Torquay.

How much money did you sink into this place?

Enough! About 100,000.

That's quite a gamble, to invest that much.

But if I hadn't done it, someone else would have

Up the coast in Dorset, it is a similar picture.

Investment-wise, we are probably spending across Dorset,

over ?1 million in facilities, enhancements.

Bookings for 2017 are 11% up on where they were last year

The labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says more money needs to be pumped into

the NHS and local councils to ease the crisis in care in local

hospitals. Hospitals in the region face a rise in delayed discharges

and an increase in emergency emissions. Many vulnerable and frail

elderly people spend too long in hospital and can't get out because

there is no care for them. I wouldn't use the word bed blocking

because bike thing that is an unfortunate term. People with

delayed discharges. Should we open the small cottage hospitals? They

help because they can be part of the care system. Because of the

inadequacy of social care, many people actually suffer, give up

jobs, particularly women, lose career opportunities because they

have to look after people the social care system can't. We have to

address this issue. In the south west, there is a disproportionate,

compared to national average, number of elderly people and that has to be

addressed by proper funding of the social care system and our

hospitals. Is it about more money? Money into local government more

than anything else, to help with the social care system but also

recognising that if we don't invest enough in our NHS health service, it

has a knock on effect. If people can't get operations, Ben Coad go to

work. If people wait a long time to get an appointment, it may be

affecting the job opportunities and that has an economic knock-on

effect. An official NHS benefits all of us. Theresa May said the last

thing the NHS needs is a check from Labour that will bounce. I would say

that last weekend, said there was a humanitarian crisis in our health

care in written. Internationally renowned organisation, not given to

over the top statements of any sort, anywhere, said that and I think she

should reflect on that and reflect on all of the pressures she has been

under from all of the royal colleges dealing with varying aspects of

medicine, expressing their concerns about waiting lists, trolleys,

delayed operations and shortage of GPs. Address those issues rather

than blame us. Now a round-up of some

of tonight's other stories Plymouth City Council has suspended

work on its road improvement scheme in Plymouth after more white

phosphorous grenades were found on the site in Tavistock road. Ten

World War II grenade grenades were found and detonated on Tuesday by a

bomb disposal team. An extra 14 grenades were found and removed

today. A court has ordered a psychiatric

assessment on a Devon man charged with possessing an explosive

substance for an unlawful purpose. Timothy Holman, who's 41

and from Osborne Road in Ilfracombe, was arrested after a major police

operation in the town last month. A 31-year-old woman has died

after a crash involving a tractor and trailer near Redruth.

A one-year-old baby in the car survived,

suffering only minor injuries. It happened on the A30 near

the Avers roundabout last night. The road was closed

for around eight hours. Three men had been charged with

murder after a man's body was found in St Austell. 31-year-old Stephen

bowl was found with knife wounds in a part in Truro road yesterday

morning. Three local men all aged in their 20s will appear at Bodmin

Magistrates' Court tomorrow. A couple from North Devon say

they've been struggling to keep warm after a new eco-heating system broke

down 39 times in the last 21 months. Robert Smith's oil-fired system

was removed by social landlords Westward housing group and replaced

by one that uses wood pellets. Filling up the wood pellet

boiler is something He has also got used to it breaking

down time and time and time again. Right from the start,

it's just been a disaster and we are now on the 39th breakdown

in 21 months. As a tenant, I am

relying on the landlord to give me reliable,

adequate heating, which is their job.

Which they have not done. Robert and his partner,

Brian Ridgway, rent their house through social landlord,

Westward Housing Group. Brian is disabled and

has had five strokes. I have to keep warm in whatever room

I am in and it is no good me getting cold because I know I am

going to end up straight This room already had

an electric fire. The couple were also given extra

electric radiators and money I'm very disappointed the way this

has had to drag on for so long. I contacted Westward initially well

before Christmas about this These are two elderly

gentlemen, one is disabled It is highly unsatisfactory the way

they have been treated. Westward Housing Group has

apologised and has promised to reinstall oil fired heating

as soon as possible. It says of 75 similar

systems that were put in, in other properties,

only three have had Manufacturers Warmflow say -

we have established that there have been issues with the whole heating

system in this house, When our wood pellet boiler

is correctly installed, commissioned, properly maintained

and operated by the householder, using the correct fuel,

these issues do not occur. Installers Anesco

declined to comment. But Robert Smith says he has been

using the boiler as instructed, so is he confident things

will finally be sorted out? Until I see engineers here,

putting the new system in, I still have got no confidence

it is going to happen. A new lifeboat's been

launched in Devon today - we'll meet the woman

who paid for it. And after the rain,

sleet and some snow, the main problem for us tonight

is the risk of ice, especially first thing

tomorrow morning. More details from me

later in the programme. A book created and funded by parents

in Cornwall to prepare children for primary school has been

so successful, it's gone global. are being sent to every three-

and four-year-old in the county. You may remember we featured

the picture book on Spotlight last year - it includes children

with Down's Syndrome and it's been so powerful the creators have had

enquiries from as far away Emma Thomasson has been to meet Noah

- one of the stars of the book. And you need to do some windows.

Can you do some windows? Noah sat on Miss Elliott's chair

because no one wanted to pretend to be the teacher.

It felt a bit giggly. He likes running around

and he falls over a lot. And we play on the whiteboard

with him and we take turns. Not one of Noah's classmates

I spoke to talked about him And that is exactly the point

the parents who created the book that he is featured

in want to get across. Instantly, I pick out similarities

rather than differences. Children will say, oh, I read that

book, or we have that at home. Several comments into

the conversation, then it might appear, oh,

that child, why does he look like that?

Why has he got those in his ears? And that is really refreshing for us

and encouraging because we know that children of that age,

they haven't really formed any hard Today, she is working

with Vicky who is another of the volunteers who have produced

and financed the book. It is being sent every

to childminder, nursery and preschool in Cornwall over

the next four years. And news about the book

is spreading around the world, thanks to celebrities turning

to social media. They include the Poldark cast,

Miranda Hart and a whole host And that kind of support

is something they could only have dreamt of when they started

producing the second in the series of books

from their kitchen table office. They are now being distributed

around the world with one of the biggest orders

in North Carolina in the US, where they are being included

in welcome bags to parents They are like any other child

and they should be given the same thing that you when I had

when we were little babies. So, how do you feel about Noah

being in the book and it being seen potentially all around the world?

It's amazing. It speaks a thousand words,

the pictures, just details, children going about everyday school life.

And it's very, very... Noah, can you show me

where you are again, in the book? Where you are in the book?

There! I'm not sure if Noah feels quite

the same awe as Mum... He has the more pressing issue

of getting back to play No has got far better things to do!

-- Noah. Lifeboats are a familiar sight

around our coast and today Exmouth took delivery

of a new inshore lifeboat. The current D-class vessel has

reached the end of its busy It's been called out more

than 600 times and rescued Spoligtht's Rebecca Wills

was there to see the end of one era It was out with the old at

Exmouth Lifeboat Station today... The inshore lifeboat,

the George Bearman, taking to the water for the final time

as it was retired after ten years' It's been a decade in which the

D-class vessel has been called out 614 times,

rescued 466 people, 28 Also a D-class vessel

and also bearing George And getting a prime seat

to watch the new inshore lifeboat enter service was George's

granddaughter, Pauline. It was her donation

which provided by the old As they both came in towards

the shore, I was so proud, Sad also, seeing the first

one on its last trip. But hopefully, this one

will give just as good George Bearman was a

coastguard in Norfolk. He was just 38 when he

lost his life at sea in It is that family tragedy

which prompted Pauline to support My father never knew his father

because he was only I just wish that he had

lived to see what I've done with the money

that A fantastic legacy.

Yes, absolutely. The D-class boat is considered

the workhorse of the RNLI, so the The old boat has given ten years

of really good service, hard service here.

It is quite a busy station. So the new boat should

seamlessly take over as it has this morning

and give equally as good service

over the next ten years. It will be officially

named in May when hopefully, champagne, rather

than rain, will cover the bow. Plenty of rain in Exmouth earlier

today, as we have seen on the programme tonight, some of the rain

has turned to snow in places so let's get the latest from David.

Some snow falling, mainly above 300 metres, about 1000 feet. But even at

lower levels, some of the showers and it could feel quite wintry. A

bit of a problem with a risk of ice developing, the temperatures have

fallen and they will continue to fall overnight. You will really need

to wrap up warmly. Probably the coldest feeling day we have had so

far this winter. Some wintry showers dotted around as well. Some quite

heavy. Overnight tonight, all of the rain we have seen on some of the

sleet and snow on higher ground, we have a risk of ice which continues

through the night and for a good part of tomorrow morning. Stay tuned

across BBC local radio for updates. It isn't just the cold. The snow on

the ice and the wintry showers. It is also very windy at the moment and

the strength of wind is also of some concern because we have some pretty

high tides tonight. Some coastal flood alerts in force across the

North Cornwall and Devon coast. Winds straight from the Arctic and

trapped within it, several lines showers which could affect this

during the day tomorrow. Saturday, a little bit less windy. A little

quieter. Still a bit fraught because a weather front is trapped in

amongst all that which could produce some sleet or even some snow over

higher ground. A definite change on Sunday to less cold air. Even the

possibility of some light rain or drizzle. Temperatures will start to

come back up. The wings are bitterly cold. Particularly lively at the

moment, across the more western parts and some really strong gusts.

They stick with us through the day tomorrow and in that flow from the

north-west, leaving Ireland this evening and overnight tonight, some

more wintry showers. Don't expect everything to be clear and cold and

windy overnight, there is a risk of some wintry showers turning up

during the night. Dartmoor, Princetown, there is some snow that

fell earlier today. Not a huge amount but it has left a covering of

snow on the houses and grass and on the mauls and the vehicles. Traffic

moving quite nicely still at the moment but of course it will freeze

overnight tonight so a risk of some ice on untreated roads and

pavements. The main area of rain now moving into south east England is

now giving snow. Even right down to quite low levels. If you are

travelling out of the region, be prepared to run into some snow later

on tonight. A scattering of showers possible through the night. Sleet or

snow mainly over high ground. A bitterly cold north-westerly wind.

The risk of ice existing first thing tomorrow morning. Plenty of winter

sunshine so not all bad news but the risk of a few passing showers

through the day and of us, not very warm. With the wind chill, it will

feel a lot colder. A particularly windy day on the Isles of Scilly.

The times of high water. For our surfers, some pretty lively

condition out at sea. Dangerous along the north coast.

Bulletins at 10:30pm and on your radio station from 6:30am in the

morning when it could be quite tricky. Goodnight.

..and keep telling yourself over and over, "This will end."

Ladies and gentlemen, the bride and groom.

So what if I forgot our poxy anniversary?

Er, I think this year was copper. 14th is poxy.