13/01/2014 Inside Out West

Hello from the Somerset Levels, where we are investigating whether

the Environment Agency broke a promise to try and stop all this

happening again. A year ago, this businessman was led

to believe the dredging of the rivers around him would take place

as soon as possible. Where have the Environment Agency

been in all this? In an office somewhere. You haven't seen them?

No, not at all. Also tonight, a scheme to bring

together warring neighbours. We have had many times when victims and

offenders have shaken hands, have not realised how their behaviour

affected other people. And the woman from Somerset trying

to win back her 10th World Darts Championship. I would like to make

it ten, that would be fantastic I think there might be a few tears if

I did that. I'm Alastair McKee and this is

Inside Out West. Here on the Somerset Levels, they're

used to flooding. But after the exceptional floods of a year ago,

described at the time as a one in 100 year event, those living and

working here were promised real help. But just over 12 months later,

here we are again. So what's happened?

Rein and storm force winds caused widespread disruption. Homes and

businesses are flooded. The floods are back. Thousands of acres of

farmland, roads and livelihoods are under water, again. A combination of

heavy rain and high tides have devastated great swathes of the West

Country. Somerset has been particularly badly hit. We've been

here before, so why has it happened again? And could all this have been

prevented? Historically, the Somerset Levels have always flooded.

It's not surprising, seeing as most of the area is not much higher than

sea level. But it's always been managed. Most farms have drainage

systems around them, which the farmer is responsible for

maintaining. Those drains lead into larger channels and all that water

ends up in larger channels, such as the River Parrett or Tone, but take

a look at this. Something's obviously not working. This field is

normally full of hay. James Winslade's family have been farming

this land for 150 years. This is the third flood they've experienced here

in living memory. And all of these have happened since 2000.

Which bits are your land? My land is over there, most of the farm is

flooded, but this is where the Tone meets the Parrett. But as the Tone

and that is the Parrett, it is like a motorway. When you have it going

down to one lane, you get a pile`up. This is where you have all the

traffic, flowing out over the side because it can't get away. But on

your land, but what needs to be gone within the next couple of weeks ``

the water needs. Then it will be like last year all over again and

there is no compensation. How much did you use `` blues last year? ``

over 100,000. Historically the rivers have been dredged to maintain

their capacity. The problem is, large stretches have been left to

silt up by the Environment Agency, which has responsibility for their

maintenance. Just over a year ago Chris Smith, the Chairman of the

Environment Agency, made a commitment to James to change that,

to start dredging again. What we need to do is find out here where

the best places to dredge are going to be and then we can get on and do

it. That will be as soon as possible. When? I would certainly be

very disappointed if we were not seeing some improvement happening in

the course of the next six months. 12 months on, how do you feel about

things? Nothing has changed. We are back in the same situation, if not

worse. Chris Smith, Lord Smith, said something would happen within six

months. It was like the broadcaster BBC, nothing has happened. They did

a so`called pilot dredge, if they're going to do it, they have to do it

properly. In October, this digger was brought in to do a pilot dredge

of parts of the rivers Tone and Parrett to see if it improved their

capacities. The problem is, no one's really seen it do much. I don't

think they really put enough effort into it. We have had the driest

summer for years, know what in the river, the ideal time to get on and

do it. They studied at the end of October, just when the rains

started, they said they couldn't do it because the water was too high.

And yet the Environment Agency knows dredging the rivers will have a

significant impact on flooding. We've seen their own calculations in

a report by the local drainage board. They say dredging the Parrett

and Tone would "significantly reduce the duration and depth of flooding

in the Curry, Hay, Salt and North Moors areas of the Levels." So why

haven't they dredged the rivers Well, they say it's down to cost.

Their estimates are between ?3 million and ?4 million to do the

job. Money they say needs to come from the Government. But the

Drainage Board has put the cost to the region of last year's floods at

nearly ?10 million. We asked the Environment Agency for an interview

and they agreed. They were due to meet us here today. But at the last

minute, they contacted to programme to cancel. We're told this was an

order that came from the top of the organisation. Finally, they provided

a statement which says... The people here are becoming

increasingly angry and fed up. They feel abandoned and ignored by the

Environment Agency. And local businessman Neil Craddock's not

prepared to wait for them to act. I met him at Burrowbridge and he took

me along this stretch of the A3 1. Believe it or not, there's a road

under here. My goodness, we have just arrived here on a tractor. What

have you had to do here to keep the business going? At the moment, we

are cutting down trees to enable us to increase the height of the bank

to keep the water at the. The Poms are going. Last year we were wiped

out. This year, we are intent on staying in business, that is why we

have cut `` don't do all these links. Where is the Environment

Agency and all this? In an office somewhere. Have you seen them two

no, no. I had a text message from them last week, the sake they

anticipate floods in this area. Although today they did help, they

brought some sandbags. They used to dredge the rivers and this problem

was not here. Twice in two consecutive years. You can't

continue like this. They have to dredge the river. The Environment

Agency has told us it hasn't got the money to dredge the rivers. So is it

time for another organisation to step in? The Royal Bath and West

Society has a plan. I met with its former Chairman, Edwin White to find

out more. So, Edwin, your organisation has been involved in

the drainage of this area for quite some time? It has. Over 200 years

ago, the society was organising the drainage and drying up the schemes

at that time. What are you make of the situation at the moment? It is a

shambles. There isn't impasse, because the Government are not

coming forward with money. So the society has come along with an

honest broker to say, shall we raise money for the fighting fund to

actually dredge the rivers and sort this out? For years, the people

living and working on the Levels have been calling for the rivers to

be dredged. The Environment Agency has admitted it would reduce

flooding, but can't afford to do it. But for those living here who've

lost millions, it would be a small price to pay if it helps to stop all

this happening again. And BBC Somerset will be on the

Levels tomorrow with a day of live programmes from Muchelney.

Coming up... We're on the oche with the Somerset woman trying to win her

10th World Darts title. 180! Next tonight, what happens when you

fall out with the people next door? Evidence shows that unresolved

disputes can leave you miserable, in fear and even lead to mental health

problems. In Wiltshire, a new initiative has been launched to

bring together warring neighbours. But will it work?

As counties go, Wiltshire would appear a fairly peaceful place. Over

the last decade, Wiltshire Police has issued a quarter of the

anti`social behaviour orders that Avon and Somerset has. But Inside

Out has uncovered some incidents that threaten Wiltshire's reputation

for good neighbourliness. There were times when my son was lying in bed

crying because of all the noise A recent report found Wiltshire Police

has made little progress tackling anti`social behaviour, leaving

victims at risk. We investigate how the failings have impacted on

people's lives... You don't feel safe in your own nest. And if you

don't feel safe in your own nest, then you're not safe anywhere. And

ask whether a new initiative in the county can finally help warring

neighbours. 14`year`old Teresa Vertannes, from Swindon, is in the

middle of a dispute. She says she was walking her dog in a local park,

when a girl in her neighbourhood threatened her with racist language.

It happened, she called me a BLEEP, I turned around and said I was from

England. She spat in my face. Normally, I would be tough and stand

up for myself. But I didn't, because there were too many people crowded

around me. The encounter has really knocked her confidence. You just

don't want to go out and bump into them, if you think you see them you

walk away. Hoping to help Teresa is Simon Evans, who's running a new

scheme to bring together warring neighbours. It is a problem `` if

there is a problem or conflict between neighbours, we sit around a

table and discuss it and see what is the best way of resolving it. The

Ministry of Justice is trying out these Neighbourhood Justice Panels

in regions across the country, and Swindon is one of them. We have had

many, many times when these offenders have shaken hands, even

hugged, have not realised how their behaviour affected other people

Teresa has received the date for her meeting, where she'll be helped to

resolve the dispute. But what about the victims of nightmare neighbours,

who need support but don't get it? Steven King's story starts more than

a decade ago. He's still suffering the emotional scars today. When you

go to bed, you feel stressed every night, because you know that you're

going to wake up in the night, and somehow or other, you are going to

be reliving what happened. Just before Christmas 2000, Steven found

himself homeless with his eight`year`old son. They were put in

a flat in Calne by Westlea Housing Association, now trading as

Greensquare. That's when he encountered his nightmare neighbour,

Robin Brindle. At night there was all sorts of shouting, swearing and

banging going on. My son was petrified, unfortunately. There were

times when my son lay in bed crying because of all the noise that was

going on. There were times, to be honest, when I was lay in bed crying

because of all the noise that was going on. Steven asked to be moved

three times. But reprieve only came when his neighbour was sent to

prison for unrelated offences. Little did he know, that worse was

still to come. While in prison, Brindle said he would murder Steven

on his release. I had a worker come out from Westlea Housing

Association. He said, "I can't believe you're still here. Don't you

know your neighbour's been threatening to kill you when he gets

out of prison?" I said, "No, I don't. I don't know anything about

it." I was very stressed and upset when I found out there had been

death threats. I basically felt very insecure, that I wasn't safe. The

authorities knew about the threats. But Steven still wasn't moved until

after his neighbour was released from prison. Since then, Steven s

discovered other tenants complained about their neighbour before he and

his son moved in. Greensquare says it didn't even know that Steven s

son would be living with him, and that it did eventually move them. It

says it's investigated Steven's allegations with the help of the

Housing Ombudsman, but was unable to conclude matters to Steven's

satisfaction. Even so, he's never recovered, and has been left with

mental health problems. You actually smell the smells that were there,

you hear the voice that was there. You feel the fear. I haven't been

able to work for over 12 years. I have no money, I have no quality of

life. Steven has been diagnosed with post`traumatic stress disorder.

Treating people with this condition is Dr Pat Frankish, who's a

Consultant Clinical Psychologist. She says neighbours faced with

ongoing disputes can be at risk from mental illness. Where there is a

repeated threat from a neighbour, you are powerless to stop it and if

you are powerless to stop it, it attacks your whole sense of who you

are as a competent person. Once you are in that position, you can be

left with post traumatic stress disorder. Steven's lost faith in his

mental health trust, and refuses to be treated by them. He says they

attended meetings where the threat to his life was discussed, but they

didn't warn him. We asked Dr Frankish to review his case. I am

surprised by the information that I've seen. They didn't warm him In

my experience, they tend to be over cautious rather than under cautious.

They may have known something more about the risky person and they may

have thought it wasn't a serious risk, but it seems an odd decision

to have made. Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership says it's

tried to engage with him and has investigated all of the issues he's

raised. It says it's not in the best interest of its service users to

discuss cases in public. Back with Teresa, it's the day of

her Neighbourhood Justice Panel The council hopes mediation will resolve

her neighbour dispute. Hello. My name is Bridget and this is my

colleague. We will be the panel this morning. The girl she says

threatened her has arrived. It would be useful for our background

knowledge how it came about, were you in the field with a group of

friends? Who was in the field with you? My friends. One, too? Five

? Teresa's not here to tell her side of the story, though. She's called

in sick, but had already been feeling dubious about the process. I

didn't go because I didn't want to be around her. I don't think it ll

work. I think she'll get somebody else to start on me. Despite

Teresa's absence, Swindon has successfully run more panels than

any of the other trial cities. The scheme could soon be rolled out

across the country. But what about Steven? Where is he left today?

Wiltshire Police says a panel of professionals decided how best to

manage the death threats. Since then, high`ranking officers have

decided Steven is not a victim of hate crime. The force says it has

clear processes to identify vulnerable victims, which are

continually reviewed. But Steven is still fighting for justice on his

own. I feel that before these organisations can get their act

together, each and every one of them needs to have an acceptance that

they have failed in many ways over the years. For me, I need an

apology, I need to get treatment, and I need compensation for 13 years

of my life. Now, in the world of darts she's

known as the Golden Girl and not without reason: Somerset's Trina

Gulliver has won the World Championship no less than nine

times. But for the past two years, she's been knocked out. Now she s

back and it's her dream to win the title.

Trina Gulliver is aiming for the top she wants to win the Women's World

Darts Championship for the 10th time. She might not have hit double

top yet, but it is a great time to start. The title awaits. It is tens

and it is nine titles for Trina Gulliver. But for the past two years

the player nicknamed the Golden Girl has been beaten in the semifinals by

one Anastasia Dobromyslova ` she's known as From Russia With Love. She

has a dart at 88, for the match to knock out Trina Gulliver in the

semifinals. Trina Gulliver goes out. Trina Gulliver's darts take her all

over the world, but when she is not on her travels she's at home in

Cheddar with her civil partner, Sue, also a top darts player. Mum and dad

used to run a pub and I threw my first dart at the age of two stood

on a stool. At the age of 14, I was spotted in a tournament and at the

age of 18 I moved into the senior side and then I got selected for

England. Trina has won more titles than any other female darts player.

These are just a small collection. I have got hundreds, so these are all

from the Dutch open, various tournaments, singles and pairs.

These are my BBC sports awards. That is Sports Personality of the Year in

the Midlands. This is my 50 caps for England. Could do with a better

photo in that. This is my favourite, won it in 2001, the first women s

World Championship. I won it three times on the trot, so I got to keep

it. It's not only trophies, Trina has been honoured with an MBE for

her contribution to women's darts and for her extensive charity work.

It is a massive honour. I go shortly to get my medal. At Buckingham

Palace. I am really looking forward to that. By 2011, Trina had won the

World Championships nine times. But in the run up to the 2012

competition, her mother Muriel became very ill. Me and my mum were

very close. She was very proud of me, she was always telling me that.

I was due to play at Lakeside, she said wherever I am at that point in

time, you must go and play, you must go and try and defend it or get it

back. You must go. I said, OK, mum. She died on January five, 2012. On

her request, two days after, I was down at Lakeside, trying to play. It

was very difficult. It will be dedicated to her if I get it back.

Trina lost in the semifinals to Anastasia Dobromyslova and then lost

to her again in 2013. Now, Trina is going all out to bring the cup back

home to Somerset. While her partner Sue is busy working at Axbridge Post

Office, Trina is at her local, The Riverside Inn, training relentlessly

to regain the world title. She has been practising pretty well. She has

had a good year. I am quite happy with my form. Nine times world

champion, she will be brilliant she will win. She is here everyday

practising. She has a few games to play before she gets close to the

finals. We think she's got it and we believe she can do it this time

round. Mac I hope to get it back. I hope make it ten. There may be a few

tears if I do that. It's the first day of the World

Championships in Surrey and Trina has learned that she is to play in

the opening match. Nervous. It is good to feel nervous, I would be

more worried if I wasn't. Once I get in and see how I am throwing and

everything it. To come together If you go on rankings, Igor the number

one seed, I am number two seed. And then it's probably Anastasia

Dobromyslova. There is no easy game, they have all earned their place to

be there, it is a very strong field. Practising alongside Trina is her

opponent in the first round Tamara Schurr from the Netherlands who is

making her debut at Lakeside. She's a good player, I will have to play

my game to beat her. I will have to play my best. I have put my lucky

socks on. And my lucky pants. Hopefully, it will all go well.

Let's do it. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the 2014 World Championships

here at the Lakeside. We introduce first the reigning Dutch open

champion, she is five times world Master, nine times Lakeside world

champion, it is the Golden Girl Trina Gulliver.

We now bring a Dutch international, a current European Cup champion and

the reigning French Open champion, it is Tamara Schurr.

Thank you. First leg. Game on. She has been beaten in the semifinals at

2013, but very much comes to Lakeside this year thinking about

the title. He is Sue, Trina's Y I always get nervous and frustrated.

People have often said to me, why don't you smile? It looks like you

are angry. It is not something I do deliberately, it is just my focus

and my concentration. After winning the first leg, and

much to everyone's surprise, Trina's game slips. To darts, a double top.

How about that? She needs this, Trina Gulliver. No finish from

there. Her opponent takes full advantage.

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant How about this? Tops, she needs. Tops

she gets and an upset, then nine times champion has been beaten in

round one, Trina Gulliver is out. I have no excuse. She played better

than me and I played rubbish. It is a real shock, I am absolutely

gutted. We have the Dutch open coming up, then I am off to see the

Queen. That is something to look forward to, but also gutted. There

you go, one of those things. That is just about all we have time

for tonight. Do not forget that you can keep in touch on twitter or if

you would rather send us an e`mail, the address is on the screen. Thank

you for watching. Good night. Next week eight special programme

focusing on energy. We look at the growing problem of power theft and

we take a look at some of the ways you can cut your energy bill. In one

year, I saved ?168. Hello, I'm Ellie Crisell with your

90-second update. The PM has backed fracking. He's

promised councils incentives if they let companies drill for shale gas.

Critics have called the offer a bribe, but the Government claims the

process will give us cheaper energy. More at 10pm.

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