:00:08. > :00:11.Hi, I'm Elaine Dunkley, and welcome to Inside Out.
:00:12. > :00:13.Over the next few weeks, we will be bringing you in-depth
:00:14. > :00:16.reports on some of the best stories from around England.
:00:17. > :00:19.Coming up: What happened when a town lost
:00:20. > :00:27.Our team has been to Cheddar Gorge in Somerset, where drivers
:00:28. > :00:33.are street drifting and it is against the law.
:00:34. > :00:35.And, David Whiteley discovers how a city disappeared
:00:36. > :00:51.Britain's lost Atlantis gives up some of its secrets.
:00:52. > :00:53.The UK was once famous for its thriving coal mining
:00:54. > :00:56.communities but they faced massive change since the closure
:00:57. > :01:04.Amongst them, a small town of Shirebrook in Derbyshire.
:01:05. > :01:07.For ten years it has been the home of Sports Direct,
:01:08. > :01:09.and as a result it has seen an increase
:01:10. > :01:11.in the number of people from Eastern Europe
:01:12. > :01:29.When Shirebrook lost its pit, the town lost its soul.
:01:30. > :01:31.There's nothing in Shirebrook now, nothing at all.
:01:32. > :01:40.When the pit was open, on a Sunday night, it was absolutely
:01:41. > :01:51.?40 million of taxpayers' money was spent
:01:52. > :01:57.transforming the old colliery site into a giant business park.
:01:58. > :01:59.Sports Direct moved in, along with thousands of migrant
:02:00. > :02:07.A big change for a small town in one of the most
:02:08. > :02:13.Since we have had a massive influx of
:02:14. > :02:15.people coming in, Shirebrook wasn't prepared for it.
:02:16. > :02:20.In a tale of modern Britain, what can we learn from
:02:21. > :02:34.Last summer, a small group of residents
:02:35. > :02:39.Troy Kissane is a local plumber and the man
:02:40. > :02:42.The last four years has gone downhill drastically.
:02:43. > :02:47.People are getting disillusioned, even coming to these meetings now
:02:48. > :02:52.I assure you we are working very hard.
:02:53. > :03:07.Believe you me, something will be done.
:03:08. > :03:09.It is pressure on housing which is one
:03:10. > :03:11.of the reasons Troy says people are protesting.
:03:12. > :03:20.They are concerned some new arrivals don't have anywhere to live.
:03:21. > :03:23.One of the problems we have had, we have had rough sleeping.
:03:24. > :03:25.In the summer last year, I found two tents in this area.
:03:26. > :03:28.I reported it to the police and the police tracked them down,
:03:29. > :03:33.found out they were two foreign nationals.
:03:34. > :03:40.When you say quite bad, how many people did you find?
:03:41. > :03:45.I have heard other people have found tents
:03:46. > :03:52.Bolsover District Council told us it does not know
:03:53. > :03:55.exactly how many people in Shirebrook are homeless
:03:56. > :04:00.It estimates that, over the last four years,
:04:01. > :04:02.about 1500 people have moved to the town.
:04:03. > :04:05.Many of them rent rooms in houses once built for miners,
:04:06. > :04:14.ironically called the New Model Village.
:04:15. > :04:17.Steve Cathcart used to be a miner at the pit, so he has
:04:18. > :04:24.Today, as a police community support officer, it is his job to know
:04:25. > :04:26.what is going on, sometimes with the help of a volunteer
:04:27. > :04:34.When you walk round there now, there is a lot of influx of Eastern
:04:35. > :04:39.The landlords that own the houses, obviously, are carving these houses
:04:40. > :04:44.What you see is a dividing partition in the front room
:04:45. > :04:50.The young guy just moved in has been here two days,
:04:51. > :04:55.I've asked him, are there any fire doors?
:04:56. > :04:57.He's said, not at this moment in time.
:04:58. > :04:59.Our concern is the fire risk, the safety to
:05:00. > :05:06.In ten years, housing complaints to the
:05:07. > :05:11.district council, like overcrowding, have almost tripled.
:05:12. > :05:13.The police have told me they are concerned about more
:05:14. > :05:20.Over the past four years, Carl Reid from the district council
:05:21. > :05:22.has been responsible first for housing
:05:23. > :05:29.We have seen one particular property in the New Model
:05:30. > :05:32.Village where there is a partition, straight down the middle
:05:33. > :05:35.Are you concerned about safety and housing conditions?
:05:36. > :05:41.We are concerned about that and that will be investigated.
:05:42. > :05:44.We get a lot of anecdotal information we are asking people
:05:45. > :05:50.We are building, as a district, social housing.
:05:51. > :05:53.We are one of the few that are doing it at the moment.
:05:54. > :05:55.People say you just weren't ready for the change.
:05:56. > :06:01.I think that is where people may have got it wrong.
:06:02. > :06:08.Troy and the residents group are also worried
:06:09. > :06:12.about crime but crime rates are down.
:06:13. > :06:17.It may be down but we are getting serious crimes now.
:06:18. > :06:20.We have had a nasty incident on Market Square where a guy got
:06:21. > :06:24.stabbed and also a guy just over here, who followed his mum
:06:25. > :06:34.He has just got seven years and will be deported after that.
:06:35. > :06:36.There have been two major incidents lately.
:06:37. > :06:45.If it was 2004, we would probably have had 15, 20 a week.
:06:46. > :06:51.More concern for the public is around housing,
:06:52. > :06:58.There is also defecating and urinating in trees.
:06:59. > :07:05.The council is in the process of closing this footpath
:07:06. > :07:07.because of anti-social behaviour, including
:07:08. > :07:16.After complaints about drinking and urinating in the street,
:07:17. > :07:19.since November there is a new type of ban.
:07:20. > :07:22.20 fines have been handed out, all except one were for drinking.
:07:23. > :07:30.Over at the doctor's surgery, the council is so worried
:07:31. > :07:33.that the practice is bursting at the seams, it has asked
:07:34. > :07:39.It has been told NHS England is responsible.
:07:40. > :07:41.The Hardwick Clinical Commissioning Group,
:07:42. > :07:45.which decides all local health priorities, has told me it
:07:46. > :07:49.will review all health facilities here in Shirebrook.
:07:50. > :07:53.It will then bid for funding from NHS England to try to get
:07:54. > :08:22.Shirebrook is now a town and everyone in it has to get on.
:08:23. > :08:31.I am working here locally in Sports Direct.
:08:32. > :08:38.She has come in on her own back and spending a lot of time with us,
:08:39. > :08:39.translating, to create community cohesion.
:08:40. > :08:42.I was a soldier for 16 years, in the Polish military.
:08:43. > :08:51.A group called Shirebrook Forward may be part of the solution.
:08:52. > :08:54.Many organisations working together, including Sports Direct
:08:55. > :08:59.and the residents' group, to improve the town.
:09:00. > :09:04.They meet every few months at the Sports Direct HQ.
:09:05. > :09:07.The district council invite us along.
:09:08. > :09:14.For those that don't, I am Mandy Chambers.
:09:15. > :09:16.I work for public health at Derbyshire County Council.
:09:17. > :09:21.Last autumn, when we investigated the company's warehouse
:09:22. > :09:23.agency working practices, we were not allowed on site
:09:24. > :09:30.The council told us it is believed to be
:09:31. > :09:33.the first time a news camera has ever been allowed access to the HQ.
:09:34. > :09:42.Over the last six months, they have come
:09:43. > :09:46.The problem is, they do not like the publicity.
:09:47. > :09:50.We are saying to them, you need to look at the positives.
:09:51. > :09:53.Sports Direct have chosen not to take part with the programme,
:09:54. > :09:58.Over the last year, we have introduced a community cohesion
:09:59. > :10:02.officer, who is working with us and our partners and people
:10:03. > :10:09.We are investing in play facilities, we are investing in the town centre
:10:10. > :10:24.Hopefully the penny has dropped and they are listening.
:10:25. > :10:26.It is dangerous, it is illegal, and it
:10:27. > :10:31.It happens late at night on the hairpin bends
:10:32. > :10:43.Who are the Cheddar drifters and why do they do it?
:10:44. > :10:46.Cheddar Gorge, nestled in the Mendip Hills.
:10:47. > :10:49.It has been named as the second best national wonder in Britain
:10:50. > :10:55.Formed by meltwater floods running through here for over a million
:10:56. > :10:59.years, it is a beautiful and tranquil place.
:11:00. > :11:19.They use it as their playground, pushing their cars to the limit.
:11:20. > :11:23.You put yourself at risk, you put other people at risk,
:11:24. > :11:36.I'll be finding out from a pro, and asking
:11:37. > :11:39.what it would take to get these street drifters off the road
:11:40. > :11:52.I have been involved in the motorsport
:11:53. > :11:55.world for years, competing in the Formula Women Championships.
:11:56. > :11:57.Drifting is all about sliding your car sideways,
:11:58. > :12:03.from corner to corner, whilst maintaining control.
:12:04. > :12:13.Doing it on a road like this seems insane, and highly dangerous.
:12:14. > :12:16.These roads aren't designed for that type
:12:17. > :12:21.You have sheer rock faces that border onto the road
:12:22. > :12:26.Although we have not had any fatalities yet,
:12:27. > :12:28.they could easily end up with a serious injury.
:12:29. > :12:33.What offences are they committing by drifting on public roads?
:12:34. > :12:41.The most common would be driving without due care and attention,
:12:42. > :12:43.or dangerous driving, to which you could end up
:12:44. > :12:46.That is a substantial risk to life and their liberty.
:12:47. > :12:54.I am meeting Trent, he knows all about the secret world
:12:55. > :12:57.They are a group who have never before spoken openly.
:12:58. > :13:00.Trent is a university graduate and has a good job as a computer
:13:01. > :13:04.He spends most of his spare time working on his car in here.
:13:05. > :13:06.Drifting on public roads is dangerous.
:13:07. > :13:09.It puts your life at risk and it puts other people's lives at risk.
:13:10. > :13:15.In the past, when I have been drifting, we used to set alarms
:13:16. > :13:30.and we would deliberately go and find roads and places
:13:31. > :13:33.in the middle of nowhere, with more or less know one
:13:34. > :13:36.Surely that will irritate the residents?
:13:37. > :13:38.In the past, there have been a lot of complaints.
:13:39. > :13:41.What would get street drifters off the road and onto a track?
:13:42. > :13:43.There are not many places to go drifting.
:13:44. > :13:47.As soon as the word drifting is mentioned,
:13:48. > :13:52.Is the lack of available tracks the problem then?
:13:53. > :13:54.I want to find out more about the people who
:13:55. > :14:03.It is late at night and I have come back to Cheddar.
:14:04. > :14:06.I am on my way to meet Trent and his friends.
:14:07. > :14:08.They are somewhere in the Gorge in a car park.
:14:09. > :14:12.I am feeling a little bit apprehensive.
:14:13. > :14:25.How do the residents of Cheddar see you guys?
:14:26. > :14:27.Well, I guess, there is a small minority who know
:14:28. > :14:30.what is going on, sort of half, roughly, in the village.
:14:31. > :14:33.A large amount of people see it as dangerous
:14:34. > :14:37.Would you say that is a fair comment?
:14:38. > :14:43.They don't really see it from our side of the situation,
:14:44. > :14:46.sort of thing, and all the safety precautions we go through.
:14:47. > :14:50.We work all year round and meet most nights
:14:51. > :14:55.of the week, building, preparing the cars and putting money
:14:56. > :14:59.We don't really build them just to smash them
:15:00. > :15:04.up and try to harm other people, obviously.
:15:05. > :15:16.We have people up and down and people signalling and things.
:15:17. > :15:38.I won't get into a car if I feel at risk or unsafe.
:15:39. > :15:43.I will only get into a car if I feel safe and know I am OK.
:15:44. > :15:46.Is it's scary when you are sitting beside someone who is going sideways
:15:47. > :15:53.Just another way to let steam off after work.
:15:54. > :15:58.We are told to find somewhere to park in the Gorge and wait.
:15:59. > :16:13.You think they are going to come into you but they seem
:16:14. > :16:23.The smell of it is just making my eyes sting.
:16:24. > :16:35.So, he just spun his car all the way round.
:16:36. > :16:37.The back end nearly went into the rocks.
:16:38. > :16:41.So, somebody was flashing like crazy then, I think to warn the person
:16:42. > :16:46.coming down that somebody was coming.
:16:47. > :16:48.From what I've seen, the system is working but barely.
:16:49. > :16:52.This is not a race track, although right
:16:53. > :16:56.now you would be forgiven for thinking it was.
:16:57. > :16:59.It is a public road, with other users on it.
:17:00. > :17:01.I wouldn't want to be coming the other
:17:02. > :17:06.OK, the flashing light seemed to have
:17:07. > :17:18.There is, of course, a safer way to do this.
:17:19. > :17:24.He makes a living out of drifting, but not on the street,
:17:25. > :17:40.We are using an old airfield at Westonzoyland in Somerset
:17:41. > :17:48.and have invited Trent belong to test his mettle.
:17:49. > :17:56.So, let's see how good a driver Trent is.
:17:57. > :17:59.He will lead and Luke will try to copy his moves.
:18:00. > :18:09.The name of the game is for Luke to get as close as he can
:18:10. > :18:23.It is a good chance for Luke to see how
:18:24. > :18:34.I can appreciate his driving skills, that's where I came from.
:18:35. > :18:40.Three years ago I was in that position.
:18:41. > :18:48.Yeah, it was a bit muddy and slippery to start with that,
:18:49. > :18:56.as we went over it, it has tried out a bit more.
:18:57. > :19:00.How can we get to you guys off the road and onto
:19:01. > :19:05.It all whittles down to we need more places.
:19:06. > :19:10.It is not the fact they don't exist, it is just that landowners,
:19:11. > :19:17.As soon as you mention drift, they are not interested.
:19:18. > :19:24.If the lads are going to come off the road, they need to have some
:19:25. > :19:27.He is a cracking lad and a good driver.
:19:28. > :19:29.It is a shame for him not to be able to
:19:30. > :19:33.There is no doubt that controlling a car as it
:19:34. > :19:35.slides around corners is exhilarating and highly skilful
:19:36. > :19:37.and I am not surprised the drifters I
:19:38. > :19:41.But there is a proper place to do this.
:19:42. > :19:45.Not here, but on a track, away from other road users.
:19:46. > :19:48.They say they are stigmatised and because of that
:19:49. > :19:50.that aren't enough places for them to do it.
:19:51. > :19:55.Have you thought about providing them somewhere safe?
:19:56. > :20:00.For example, an old airfield or private land?
:20:01. > :20:04.We would be very supportive of that and the location for these drivers.
:20:05. > :20:06.We recognise they want to drift with their cars and they look
:20:07. > :20:10.They invest a lot of time and money into them.
:20:11. > :20:17.If there were another location available, we would be
:20:18. > :20:20.So, perhaps, if we are going to control this,
:20:21. > :20:29.the answer may lie in finding that location.
:20:30. > :20:32.The British coast is changing all the time it is hard to imagine
:20:33. > :20:34.what would have been liked hundreds of
:20:35. > :20:37.David Whiteley has been to meet the people exploring beneath
:20:38. > :20:45.the surface to reveal exactly what was there.
:20:46. > :20:57.A beautiful, picturesque village, home to fewer than 200 people.
:20:58. > :21:00.Hundreds of years ago, Dunwich was very different.
:21:01. > :21:06.It was once one of the larger cities in England and,
:21:07. > :21:14.at one point, was in the early, medieval capital of East Anglia.
:21:15. > :21:17.Looking at what's here on the beach today, it is hard to get
:21:18. > :21:19.an idea what it would have been like.
:21:20. > :21:22.Dunwich actually had one of the most significant port on the east coast.
:21:23. > :21:24.As well as that, there were buildings, chapels
:21:25. > :21:27.and churches, as far as the eye can see.
:21:28. > :21:32.Over the centuries, much of the city has disappeared under the sea.
:21:33. > :21:35.That is why the lost city of Dunwich is
:21:36. > :21:41.And a project to find the lost city has
:21:42. > :21:50.Phil Jenman and has been managing the project.
:21:51. > :21:53.Where we are now has the edge of the old harbour.
:21:54. > :21:57.The cafe would have been this quite high
:21:58. > :21:59.status religious house, called a hospital but we would probably
:22:00. > :22:02.call it more of a hostel these days, where travellers would stop.
:22:03. > :22:06.It is hard to believe, where we are standing,
:22:07. > :22:08.all those years ago, this would have been a thriving,
:22:09. > :22:10.bustling port with ships going in and out all
:22:11. > :22:27.One of the most important ports in East Anglia.
:22:28. > :22:29.Probably one of the top ten cities in England.
:22:30. > :22:32.In the past few hundred years, it has been eroding.
:22:33. > :22:37.There were a series of huge storms in the late 1200, only 1300s.
:22:38. > :22:40.One of them knocked out 400 houses in a single
:22:41. > :22:45.Not only did it take out a lot of the houses,
:22:46. > :22:47.also the shingle bank behind, made it close off the harbour.
:22:48. > :22:50.Suddenly they lost the whole economy they needed to maintain the place.
:22:51. > :22:53.Imagine trying to dig out the harbour mouth out of this bank
:22:54. > :22:56.They tried it and they tried it again.
:22:57. > :22:58.It closed over and the harbour silted up.
:22:59. > :23:00.Steep economic decline and there were not the people
:23:01. > :23:12.Dunwich goes from being a thriving economy to what?
:23:13. > :23:14.It would have been, if you imagine the New Orleans after Katrina,
:23:15. > :23:17.it would have been about economic decline, empty houses,
:23:18. > :23:22.abandoned bit of the city falling down, roofs being stripped of lead.
:23:23. > :23:25.Real almost like becoming a ghost town by the end.
:23:26. > :23:27.The original city started disappearing in the 1200s.
:23:28. > :23:29.These pictures were taken around 100 years ago.
:23:30. > :23:36.They show the last church to topple in the North Sea.
:23:37. > :23:40.In fact, this is the only remaining gravestone of the last remaining
:23:41. > :23:46.church to disappear into the sea in Dunwich in the early 1900.
:23:47. > :23:48.Legend has it, on a stormy night, if you
:23:49. > :23:55.listen very carefully, you can still hear the church bells
:23:56. > :24:04.What is out there has pretty much remained a mystery for hundreds
:24:05. > :24:11.For the first time, a team of researchers from the University
:24:12. > :24:16.of Southampton has used ultrasound to reveal the lost
:24:17. > :24:19.After three years, they have made some exciting, new discoveries.
:24:20. > :24:24.Here you are looking at the ruins of Saint Catherine's Chapel.
:24:25. > :24:36.David is a professor in physical geography at the University. He has
:24:37. > :24:39.been studying and looking for Britain's Atlantis for years. You
:24:40. > :24:44.have to imagine something like ultrasound. In no when you go into
:24:45. > :24:49.hospital and they try to look at a baby, it is giant ultrasound in a
:24:50. > :24:54.way. It is about generating an image of the sea bed. When you died at
:24:55. > :24:59.Dunwich, it is pitch black. We've found the ruins of about four
:25:00. > :25:05.churches. We have also found ruins of the building we think is probably
:25:06. > :25:10.the toll house. Because the site is so dynamic, we have also found
:25:11. > :25:16.shipwrecks. There is a wreck we have found which no one has known before.
:25:17. > :25:21.Thanks to the three-year project we now know much more about the lost
:25:22. > :25:24.city. We know there are settled here in prehistoric times. Scientists
:25:25. > :25:30.have a clear understanding of coastal erosion from hundreds of
:25:31. > :25:35.years ago. The fact that so much of Dunwich is under the water gives it
:25:36. > :25:46.that rich history. It has certainly earned its place in folklore legend.
:25:47. > :25:56.That is it. If you would like to see more stories from your area, join
:25:57. > :25:59.the teams on Monday at 7:30pm on BBC One, or on BBC I player.