0:00:02 > 0:00:04This is the toughest time of year.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09But it can also be the most spectacular season
0:00:09 > 0:00:10in the entire calendar.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Winter is upon us.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21It's a time when days are short and temperatures can plunge.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25But there are still plenty of ways
0:00:25 > 0:00:27growers can make the most of the season.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33It's the time when the British weather throws everything it's got at us.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36And while some animals are hibernating,
0:00:36 > 0:00:39others are bringing new life into the world.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44All this week, we're travelling the length and breadth of the UK...
0:00:44 > 0:00:47And what a great space! It's huge.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50..bringing the very best seasonal stories that matter to you.
0:00:51 > 0:00:52Right, you lead the way.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59THEY GASP AND LAUGH
0:01:02 > 0:01:07The very warmest of welcomes. This is Countryfile Winter Diaries.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15And this is what we've got coming up on today's programme.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Jules is on the trail of a woodland menace
0:01:18 > 0:01:21that's causing thousands of pounds' worth of damage.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24They weigh more than you do, can run faster than you.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27I'd get rid of all of them if I could.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31Keeley finds out how orphaned seal pups survive the extremes of winter.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35She's really piled on the pounds in the last few weeks.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Has she made the grade?
0:01:37 > 0:01:40And I'm showing you how you can grow some of your five a day
0:01:40 > 0:01:42with some of this smelly stuff.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52We're spending all this week in Scotland,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54in the wonderful surroundings of Loch Lomond
0:01:54 > 0:01:56and the Trossachs National Park.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04It's got 720 square miles of coastline, mountains,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06lochs, of course,
0:02:06 > 0:02:08and the odd waterfall.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17Like wildlife all over Britain, animals here in Scotland face
0:02:17 > 0:02:20an uphill struggle at this, our harshest time of year.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27There aren't many creatures brave enough to have their young
0:02:27 > 0:02:30in winter time. Grey seals do, but how do they cope with
0:02:30 > 0:02:34sea temperatures as low as six degrees Celsius?
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Keeley has a new angle on their story.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Grey seal watching has gone sci-fi,
0:02:42 > 0:02:43and sky-high.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Using the tracking tool of the future...
0:02:48 > 0:02:50drones.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59An incredible 38% of the world's grey seal population lives
0:02:59 > 0:03:01in the UK's chilly waters.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05As winter bites, these giants of the sea come ashore to give birth
0:03:05 > 0:03:06and nurture their young.
0:03:07 > 0:03:12So can aerial surveys really help us understand them better?
0:03:12 > 0:03:15On windswept beaches and inlets across the British Isles,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17vulnerable grey seal pups are taking
0:03:17 > 0:03:20their first tentative steps into the world.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25South Walney Nature Reserve in Cumbria boasts probably the newest
0:03:25 > 0:03:27breeding colony in the UK,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30so it's a really exciting time for the monitoring team,
0:03:30 > 0:03:34including trainee conservation officer Jade Chenery.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38So how long have the seals been here, then?
0:03:38 > 0:03:41In the scheme of things they're quite a new population,
0:03:41 > 0:03:45so the first records of seals around South Walney were in the '80s,
0:03:45 > 0:03:46but this was just the odd one or two
0:03:46 > 0:03:49and was mostly by visitors and people walking around the reserve.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Why do you think they've chosen this spot?
0:03:52 > 0:03:55I think because the beach itself where they haul out is
0:03:55 > 0:03:58inaccessible to the public, so they have a real minimum disturbance,
0:03:58 > 0:04:00and they have Morecambe Bay on their doorstep,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03so when the tide comes in they obviously go out and feed.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Female seals spend the summer
0:04:07 > 0:04:11fattening up in preparation for giving birth in early winter.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13Sensitive creatures at the best of times,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16they're easily disturbed during pupping season.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19It's important for humans to keep their distance,
0:04:19 > 0:04:22so monitoring them from ground level is tricky.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24The solution - getting airborne.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36It does tickle me that something
0:04:36 > 0:04:39so hi-tech and science-fiction looking is monitoring nature.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42Yeah, so, back in February of 2016,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45a drone was bought and trialled over the seals,
0:04:45 > 0:04:50and from the count, we had over 235 seals
0:04:50 > 0:04:52and that is way more than we've ever counted before through
0:04:52 > 0:04:54our kind of traditional surveys.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58'Operators like Jade are trained to fly the drone
0:04:58 > 0:05:02'without disturbing the seals, and from their new vantage point,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05'they've captured some pretty special moments.'
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Beforehand we just thought we were a non-breeding population and then
0:05:09 > 0:05:12last year we had two pups born and then this year we've had five.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15And have you picked them all up by using the drone?
0:05:15 > 0:05:18We've been able to monitor them, obviously, with the use of the drone
0:05:18 > 0:05:20but actually the birth of number five was picked up
0:05:20 > 0:05:22from the images using the drone.
0:05:22 > 0:05:23Wow! That's incredible.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41'With the drone at its survey altitude of around 400 feet,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44'we might just spot that newest pup.'
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Let's just angle that camera.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52So that is kind of an overview of the seal colony.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54How on earth do you count all them?
0:05:54 > 0:05:56They're tiny little grains of sand there.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00All I do is take a screenshot and just apply dots to them.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02And once you've taken a screenshot, can you then zoom in
0:06:02 > 0:06:05and get a bit more information from those pictures?
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Yeah, so the males tend to be a little bit larger than the females.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11There is quite a few there.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14- I thought that one was moving. That's a bird.- That's a bird.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16- Seals don't move that fast. - No, that's a bird.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19'OK, so my seal spotting skills need work,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22'but I really hope we can find the newest addition.'
0:06:22 > 0:06:24So let's see if we can...
0:06:25 > 0:06:29..see any pups that are potentially away from the main colony.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Pup number five is about three weeks old, so he'll be a little bit white
0:06:32 > 0:06:37but he'll be moulting now, but he should still be pretty obvious.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40So we've got... We had a couple of seals in the water there.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43- It's hard to tell what's... - What's that one there?
0:06:43 > 0:06:45That might be driftwood. I think that's driftwood.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48- Could be baby, could be driftwood. - Could be baby, could be driftwood.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50We've had a couple of false alarms.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53'Counting seals is clearly a tricky business,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55'even with cutting-edge tech on your side,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58'so Jade also uses more traditional monitoring methods.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00'Time to pack up the new toy
0:07:00 > 0:07:03'and get up close and personal to the colony.'
0:07:04 > 0:07:06- Yeah!- Let's go.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10'Tracking the seals at close quarters makes monitoring
0:07:10 > 0:07:14'more accurate because information collected from on high
0:07:14 > 0:07:17'can be cross-referenced with the data from ground level.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20'But it's crucial that we don't disturb them,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23'so that means lying down out of sight.'
0:07:23 > 0:07:25So a few of them are looking round at us.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27Are they OK with us being here?
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Yeah, I mean, they're aware we're here.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32They can probably hear us, they can probably smell us,
0:07:32 > 0:07:34but the key is, it's only a couple of them
0:07:34 > 0:07:36and if they were really alarmed by us,
0:07:36 > 0:07:38they would begin to move into the water.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40I can see why you use the drone.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43- It's impossible to see how many there is.- Yeah.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45So, earlier in the season,
0:07:45 > 0:07:49they were not in these numbers at all and it was fairly easy to count,
0:07:49 > 0:07:52and now it's becoming more apparent that, you know,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55the drone is needed to get a very accurate number.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01'Let's hope we're not rumbled before we get the newest pup in our sights.'
0:08:03 > 0:08:05That one's scratching his tummy.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07I can't obviously see it at the minute.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10- I've come all this way to see babies...- I know!- To see pups.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13I was hoping we were going to have another one born,
0:08:13 > 0:08:15but that's not how it goes.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18'But just when we'd given up on our baby seal...'
0:08:25 > 0:08:26(Got our first pup.)
0:08:26 > 0:08:28JADE LAUGHS
0:08:29 > 0:08:32I can't believe we've been laid there, looking for it all that time
0:08:32 > 0:08:35and it's in there. That is typical.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37But it does look different to the others.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Yeah, so it's just shedding that sort of white coat
0:08:39 > 0:08:40and beginning to moult,
0:08:40 > 0:08:43but it is obviously quite smaller than anything else
0:08:43 > 0:08:47and it would make sense for that to be potentially pup number five.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54'This little fella is just one of a growing number of new additions
0:08:54 > 0:08:55'to the colony here.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59'Jade's drone footage showed a record 259 on the beach,
0:08:59 > 0:09:03'so it looks like the seals of South Walney are flying high.'
0:09:05 > 0:09:08You know what, I'm really chuffed that I got to see one of the pups
0:09:08 > 0:09:10today, and the fact that they're now being born here
0:09:10 > 0:09:13just shows what an ideal environment South Walney is.
0:09:17 > 0:09:22Later, we'll be finding out just how hard life can be for baby seals.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27And it's make or break for two rescued pups as they return
0:09:27 > 0:09:29to life in the open sea.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38Great to see that such a new colony is doing so well.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46The landscape here is truly breathtaking,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49and now that we're in the depths of winter,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52there's also a hint of romance to the snow-capped peaks.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Today, of course, is St Valentine's Day,
0:09:56 > 0:10:00one of the highlights of the year for the romantics amongst us,
0:10:00 > 0:10:04but sadly, divorce is rising amongst older people
0:10:04 > 0:10:09and for the younger ones, is true romance getting harder to find?
0:10:09 > 0:10:14Well, Cupid's arrow can strike in the most surprising of settings,
0:10:14 > 0:10:16as Margherita has been finding out.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23According to a survey by the Office for National Statistics,
0:10:23 > 0:10:27we Britons are a lonely bunch, with over half of us being single.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33And with the shops full of lovey-dovey gifts for
0:10:33 > 0:10:37the happily hitched, St Valentine's Day can feel particularly lonely
0:10:37 > 0:10:39if you're looking for love.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Small wonder, then, that in the midst of our busy lives,
0:10:42 > 0:10:45so many of us go online in search of the one.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Oh. "Tall, dark, handsome, good sense of humour,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51"would like to meet nice lady for a bright future."
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Sounds good, but I don't know about you, I still like to meet someone
0:10:54 > 0:10:57the old-fashioned way, which is why I've teamed up with
0:10:57 > 0:11:00a group of people who might have just found the answer
0:11:00 > 0:11:04to that age-old question - how do you meet that special someone?
0:11:06 > 0:11:11I've got a hot date in the Chilterns with the Metropolitan Walkers.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13- Hi. Morning.- ALL: Morning!
0:11:13 > 0:11:17On this beautiful bright morning, where are we off to today?
0:11:17 > 0:11:19'This hardy bunch has discovered
0:11:19 > 0:11:22'that rambling and romance make perfect bedfellows.'
0:11:22 > 0:11:24Smiling through the sleet and snow!
0:11:24 > 0:11:25LAUGHTER
0:11:26 > 0:11:31'Group organiser and accidental matchmaker Gemma Butchart
0:11:31 > 0:11:33'is keeping me company.'
0:11:33 > 0:11:34You walk in all weathers?
0:11:34 > 0:11:38We do walk in all weathers, as we can prove today!
0:11:38 > 0:11:41This time of year we do try and plan it where there might be a pub,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44but if it's raining no-one wants to leave the pub again.
0:11:44 > 0:11:45THEY LAUGH
0:11:45 > 0:11:49'The group has more than 800 members of all walking abilities,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53'with an average of 25 showing up for hikes, but are they motivated
0:11:53 > 0:11:57'by something more than a virtuous love of the countryside?'
0:11:57 > 0:12:00What is it about being part of the group that people love?
0:12:00 > 0:12:02They very much like the social aspect of it.
0:12:02 > 0:12:07I think people who enjoy walking have similar interests in...
0:12:07 > 0:12:10There's a lot of other activities that I've got involved in
0:12:10 > 0:12:14due to people I've met through the group, so I've been sailing,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17skiing, kayaking.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20And is it also about meeting a partner on these walks too?
0:12:20 > 0:12:25Various... There have been lots of examples of people meeting partners
0:12:25 > 0:12:27through the Metropolitan Walkers.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31Very close, I went to my very first ever Met Walker wedding this year.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37In fact, more than one pair of loved-up ramblers has found that
0:12:37 > 0:12:41a bracing hike is the perfect prelude to a trip down the aisle.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45And one of those happy couples is here today.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49- Sarah, Sean, you met...- We did. - On a Metropolitan Walkers walk.
0:12:49 > 0:12:50Yeah, and are now married?
0:12:50 > 0:12:53- We are married. We have two children.- Wow.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Life is slightly different, yeah.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58And did you join the club in order to meet someone?
0:12:58 > 0:13:01I'm never going to say that that was the intention but it was
0:13:01 > 0:13:04certainly in the back of my mind as a nice possibility, shall we say.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07I hadn't at the time but I just thought of doing it
0:13:07 > 0:13:09- because it's a fun thing to do. - And how did romance blossom?
0:13:09 > 0:13:13I think, I actually met Sean on my second ever walk
0:13:13 > 0:13:15and then over the course of the next few months,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18we bumped into each other on walks and we got talking
0:13:18 > 0:13:20and what are we now? Six, seven years later, here we are.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23It's a really easy way to meet people because you're side-by-side,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26- you're not having to...- There's no pressure when you're doing it
0:13:26 > 0:13:30- so it's really nice.- Yeah, and also, you turn up dressed like this,
0:13:30 > 0:13:33there's no... There's no image here, like, you're very much,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36"Take me as you find me. This is who I am and what I actually look like."
0:13:39 > 0:13:42'I can see how a brisk walk might well get the pulse racing in
0:13:42 > 0:13:47'more ways than one, but the group's habit of holing up in a cosy pub
0:13:47 > 0:13:51'afterwards must surely have helped one or two budding romances.'
0:13:53 > 0:13:56And have you all dated people you've met? If I can ask that?
0:13:56 > 0:13:58LAUGHTER
0:13:58 > 0:14:01That you can tell me about?
0:14:01 > 0:14:03- My girlfriend and I joined the club together.- OK.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05We've got a joint membership.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07In our world, that is the ultimate commitment,
0:14:07 > 0:14:09when you move from single membership to joint membership.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12LAUGHTER
0:14:12 > 0:14:15- For better, for worse, and for joint membership.- Yeah.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17So how many weddings have there been in the group?
0:14:17 > 0:14:20We know of at least a good half a dozen weddings.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22We were bridesmaids for one, actually.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Right before Christmas, actually, the three of us.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28And the cake was made by a fellow Met Walker.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31- It was made by the mum of a fellow Met Walker.- There you go.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35So this is a real family affair in terms of not only people
0:14:35 > 0:14:38getting together but then being part of each other's weddings,
0:14:38 > 0:14:39and how many babies from the group?
0:14:39 > 0:14:43There's at least a dozen that we know of. And the thing is,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46you don't know who's doing what behind closed doors.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Whether or not you're on the lookout for the love of your life
0:14:51 > 0:14:53or just fancy getting out in the fresh air,
0:14:53 > 0:14:55walking is a great way to meet new people,
0:14:55 > 0:15:00and if it does all end in hearts and flowers, well, all the better.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02WEDDING MARCH PLAYS
0:15:10 > 0:15:13What a lovely St Valentine's Day story to warm the heart,
0:15:13 > 0:15:15even here in wintry Scotland.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Let's move swiftly now from love to a kind of war -
0:15:21 > 0:15:24to the battle against that fearsome creature of the forest,
0:15:24 > 0:15:25the wild boar.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33Unlike some of our other native species, the boar is thriving,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36and it certainly makes its presence felt,
0:15:36 > 0:15:40so who is going to win the struggle between man and boar?
0:15:40 > 0:15:44Jules is on the front line in Gloucestershire.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46MUSIC: The Wild Boys by Duran Duran
0:15:46 > 0:15:48I'd get rid of all of them if I could.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50The impact and damage has been profound.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54People's gardens have been just ripped to pieces by these animals.
0:15:54 > 0:16:00The 200 square miles of the Forest of Dean is home to 1,500 wild boar.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03And they've been causing a lot of trouble.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07They do charge at you and I've been charged three or four times.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09They weigh more than you do, can run faster than you.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15For some, the boars are proving to be the neighbours from hell,
0:16:15 > 0:16:17and this winter, locals are bracing themselves
0:16:17 > 0:16:20for more encounters than ever.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23I'm hoping Kevin Stannard from the Forestry Commission
0:16:23 > 0:16:24can tell me what's going on.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27This is some evidence of the boar we've got here at the moment.
0:16:27 > 0:16:28Look at that, there's a print.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30There's a print. All the way through here
0:16:30 > 0:16:33you can see the ground's been disturbed by the boar.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36I mean, it looks as if an army of boar have been through here.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40'Wild boar dig up the ground to forage for roots, worms and insects,
0:16:40 > 0:16:42'and with food scarcer over winter,
0:16:42 > 0:16:44'they're increasingly coming out of the forest
0:16:44 > 0:16:46'and into the local villages.'
0:16:46 > 0:16:50The Forest of Dean has a history of boar going back to the medieval period,
0:16:50 > 0:16:52after which time they were then hunted to extinction,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55so what brought them back here relatively recently?
0:16:55 > 0:16:57There were certainly some accidentally released from
0:16:57 > 0:16:59a wild boar farm near Ross-on-Wye,
0:16:59 > 0:17:03but more recently there were around 50 to 60 animals around a decade ago
0:17:03 > 0:17:07dumped on a public highway near Staunton above the Wye Valley.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10Now, the population is famously on the rise.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13I mean, the numbers are staggering, from that initial 50 or 60 that
0:17:13 > 0:17:14you talk about a decade ago,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17we're now up to, what - 1,500, is that right?
0:17:17 > 0:17:21That's right, and the population growth now is very significant,
0:17:21 > 0:17:26so in the last year we had another 400 to 500 animals on the forest.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31Next year, if we don't get on top of the problem, it could be even more.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35With no natural predators to keep them in check, in another ten years,
0:17:35 > 0:17:38there could be 10,000 of these bristly troublemakers
0:17:38 > 0:17:43roaming the forest and clashing with the locals, so what's the solution?
0:17:43 > 0:17:46It must be very difficult to cull any number of boar here,
0:17:46 > 0:17:49simply because of the area that you've got
0:17:49 > 0:17:50and the way the animals behave.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54Yes, we use professional wildlife rangers but even so, it's not just
0:17:54 > 0:17:59a case of going out with a gun and bringing back a truckload of boar.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02It's a skill to know where the boar are likely to be.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07Last year the Forestry Commission culled almost 550 of them,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10but their numbers are still growing.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13But it's not just a case of saying, "Increase the cull"
0:18:13 > 0:18:17because they're shooting pretty much at capacity at the moment.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21Despite their increasing numbers and menacing reputation,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24I still haven't managed to spot a single boar.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27But I've heard they've been causing trouble down the local pub.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30Look at what's happened to the ground underneath my feet!
0:18:30 > 0:18:33It's been absolutely devastated by wild boar.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35That can't be good for business.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37So let's see what the owners make of it.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40'Landlady Nicky Roach has been doing battle with the boar
0:18:40 > 0:18:42'for the last four years.'
0:18:42 > 0:18:44- Hello, Nicky.- Hello.- How are you?
0:18:44 > 0:18:46- I'm very well, thank you. - Oh, that's a welcome thing.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49- There you go.- It's absolutely freezing out there.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Now, it is perfectly obvious to anybody walking into your pub
0:18:52 > 0:18:55just how much devastation those boar have caused you.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Yes, around where people are sitting and trying to eat or drink,
0:18:58 > 0:19:02then we have to obviously repair and keep repairing and keep repairing
0:19:02 > 0:19:04and get that back to pristine again.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Does your heart sink in the morning when you go out there and think,
0:19:07 > 0:19:09- "Oh, no"?- Yeah. - "They've been again."- Yeah.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Very often.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15But despite the thousands of pounds' worth of damage they've caused,
0:19:15 > 0:19:19Nicky admits to a sneaking fondness for these snub-nosed vandals.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23It's quite a controversial issue locally because you have got
0:19:23 > 0:19:25both sides of the fence. A lot of people love them
0:19:25 > 0:19:28and love seeing them, and me included. I think...
0:19:28 > 0:19:31I think it's lovely to be out in the forest and see the deer,
0:19:31 > 0:19:33the boar, the sheep. It's a wonderful...
0:19:33 > 0:19:36We're very lucky, but I know there are too many of them now.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39- So, wild boar on the menu?- Maybe.
0:19:39 > 0:19:40Maybe!
0:19:42 > 0:19:45However, local farmer Alistair Fraser is hoping
0:19:45 > 0:19:49he may have come up with an answer to their increasing numbers,
0:19:49 > 0:19:53and at last, I get a chance to see the scallywags close up.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57Alistair, it's a terrific treat to see some wild boar up close today.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59They are enormous animals, aren't they?
0:19:59 > 0:20:01They are quite big and they're very heavy.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04- You wouldn't want to try and stop them.- You couldn't.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07They're highly intelligent and they're very, very fast.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10With help from vet John Horlock, Alistair has been trialling
0:20:10 > 0:20:13a vaccine which switches off the hormones
0:20:13 > 0:20:15controlling the breeding cycle.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18But does it risk putting wild boar off the British menu?
0:20:18 > 0:20:24There's no fear of us eating wild boar that's been injected with that?
0:20:24 > 0:20:27There's no problem with the food chain, it is a vaccine
0:20:27 > 0:20:30and therefore we have antibodies, we haven't got chemicals.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34And it is remarkably potent and remarkably effective.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36It sounds like a winner.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39But how do you give a contraceptive to a wild boar?
0:20:39 > 0:20:43Enter Phil Yorke, who's an expert with a dart gun.
0:20:43 > 0:20:48So, it's as simple as that. In the butt, and then you're good to go.
0:20:48 > 0:20:49OK.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51I'm going to fire away from them,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54but you'll note that they pretty much don't move.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58As you can see, it's very, very quiet.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00The boar took no notice.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02I think in a lot of cases they simply think
0:21:02 > 0:21:06that another one had bitten them and they carry on eating.
0:21:06 > 0:21:11Now, since these animals have all been given contraceptive,
0:21:11 > 0:21:12has it worked?
0:21:12 > 0:21:14It most certainly has.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17They were darted last year and we haven't had any young.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19And we should have had if it hadn't worked.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Has it altered their behaviour in any way?
0:21:22 > 0:21:26I think it quietens the males down. It did quieten them down a bit.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29And the same with the females that have been done.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32And how long does a dose of that last for?
0:21:32 > 0:21:37We've shown that in the female boar, it is effective for up to six years.
0:21:37 > 0:21:38- One shot.- Six years?
0:21:38 > 0:21:40That would certainly put a dent in the numbers.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43It would take, I think, probably four years to get them
0:21:43 > 0:21:46- down to the numbers we want. - Very interesting, guys.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48I'm quite proud of our little herd here
0:21:48 > 0:21:51because I think that they could be the solution.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52There's still a way to go
0:21:52 > 0:21:57before this plan is given the green light nationally or even locally.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59But in the meantime, Kevin's got a few pointers
0:21:59 > 0:22:03to help man and beast rub along more harmoniously.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07If you've got a dog, put it on a lead because we have had many dogs
0:22:07 > 0:22:09injured by the feral wild boar.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12If a wild boar has stopped in the track ahead of you,
0:22:12 > 0:22:14and he's got quite an aggressive pose,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18you might be better off retreating back down the way you've come.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20The other key message we want to give people is
0:22:20 > 0:22:22absolutely do not feed the boar.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25- They're not cute and cuddly. - No, absolutely not.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27The larger animals, the larger females,
0:22:27 > 0:22:32the larger males, are very big, very strong animals.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35But for all the issues that surround the wild boar, Kevin,
0:22:35 > 0:22:38I suppose for anybody lucky enough to see one,
0:22:38 > 0:22:41- it's still a treat you should take home and cherish.- Absolutely.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44The wild boar, like any wild animal in its native habitat,
0:22:44 > 0:22:47native surroundings, is a joy to behold.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51We just don't want quite as many of them as we've got at the moment.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01Like many of our more photogenic creatures,
0:23:01 > 0:23:04the boar's charm does hide an aggressive nature.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10And for all the austere winter beauty on display here,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13this season has a darker side too.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21Who can forget the devastation wrought on Dawlish in Devon in 2014?
0:23:21 > 0:23:25Anita went back there to see how well the town has recovered.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30February the 4th, 2014 began like any other morning.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32People getting ready for work,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36kids going to school and trains on this rural stretch of rail network
0:23:36 > 0:23:38were business as usual.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42And then, within 24 hours, everything had changed.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45Countryfile film crews had been scattered
0:23:45 > 0:23:48across the south of the country covering the impact of the weather.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51One of our cameramen, Dawlish resident Steve Briers,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54had been filming the floods with Tom Heap in Somerset,
0:23:54 > 0:23:58completely unaware of what was about to hit his idyllic seaside home.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01You couldn't be much closer to the sea here, could you?
0:24:01 > 0:24:03I mean this is - house, railway line, sea.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05You are in the line of fire.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Yes, very much so.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09By the time Steve got home from his shoot,
0:24:09 > 0:24:14winds of up to 91mph were creating 9-metre-high waves
0:24:14 > 0:24:17heading straight for land and Steve's house.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21The waves were just landing, literally dumping themselves
0:24:21 > 0:24:24on top of the car. The car would sit down on its springs,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28you obviously had to stop, the wipers were doing ten to the dozen
0:24:28 > 0:24:32and it's just like being in a washing machine on a really fast spin.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35The dramatic footage that Steve filmed the next day
0:24:35 > 0:24:39shows the aftermath of just what he was experiencing.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42At that point I knew it was something exceptional happening.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45And obviously, being a cameraman, I was slightly aware
0:24:45 > 0:24:49that I really should be trying to record it and get some pictures.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52So I went to set up a light, of all things, to actually point down
0:24:52 > 0:24:55into what I now knew was a whole developing in front of the house.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59- Yes.- Literally put the light stand up, bang! The power went.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02- And that's when you dialled 999. - Yeah. That's when I hit 999.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06- 'Caller, go ahead.- We're at Riviera Terrace in Dawlish.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09'It's been washed away into the sea.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11'The sea wall is gone
0:25:11 > 0:25:12'and there's no sea defences.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15'The railway line is suspended in the air.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20'They're in the air by about, I'd imagine, about 10 or 15 feet.
0:25:20 > 0:25:21'Deary me!'
0:25:22 > 0:25:26I realise that my utilities had gone out into the English Channel.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31My gas main had split, I didn't have any water, no electricity.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34And at that point it really was getting quite exciting down here.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Then there was a knock at the door.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40Yeah, shortly after that, there was a knock at the door.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Obviously pitch blackness.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45A torch shone in my eyes
0:25:45 > 0:25:50and a chap in full rescue kit, hard hat and the rest of it,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53just literally said, "You've got two minutes.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55"This is a life-or-death situation.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58"You've got two minutes, you've got to get out."
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Were you scared?
0:26:00 > 0:26:03I don't think there was time to be scared really.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05I was certainly confused.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10The amazing thing through all of this is that no-one was injured.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15OK, Steve, back to the day job. Are you ready?
0:26:16 > 0:26:20The next day, Dawlish was thrown into chaos.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22This railway line is vital,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25as it connects the south-west to the rest of the country.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28So something had to be done, and fast.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32A 300-strong fleet of engineers swept into action.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34Operated by Network Rail,
0:26:34 > 0:26:37they became known locally as the Orange Army.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42Within two months, the railway line was rebuilt and back in action.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46But it wasn't the only part of the town affected.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Mike Gallop is from Network Rail
0:26:48 > 0:26:51and has been involved in the work here since day one.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55So, tell me what you're doing now to reinforce these walls.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57We're improving and raising the height of the wall
0:26:57 > 0:27:01over a 300-metre stretch, and we're raising it by about four metres.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05What we're doing is we're putting in foundations that you can see
0:27:05 > 0:27:06stretching all the way along there.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09Then we're putting in some big concrete blocks,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12and behind those, we're going to fill it all with mass concrete,
0:27:12 > 0:27:14so effectively you're going to have
0:27:14 > 0:27:19a 300-metre-long block of concrete to keep the sea back.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25The sea wall wasn't the only part of the town affected.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30Dawlish Station was also battered by the February storms.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33This platform had practically been destroyed.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35But thanks to a group of passionate locals,
0:27:35 > 0:27:37it's back to looking its best.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39I'm meeting Margaret Swift,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42who's a member of the Friends of Dawlish Station.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Don't think I need my hard hat for this type of work.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50- Hello, Margaret.- Hello, Anita, nice to see you.- You too.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53- I come bearing gifts.- What a beautiful plant! That's wonderful.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Yes, I think it's called a Cordyline "Torbay red".
0:27:55 > 0:27:58- So very appropriate. We've got just the spot for it.- Perfect.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00Come with me.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04How did everyone feel when it happened
0:28:04 > 0:28:06and the disaster that took place
0:28:06 > 0:28:08and the fact that you just didn't have this line to commute?
0:28:08 > 0:28:11It was devastating. It was devastating for the town,
0:28:11 > 0:28:13it was devastating for the whole south-west,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16for the economy, for businesses, for everything.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20I know that the railway line is a lifeline for the community.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22- Yes, it is, absolutely. - What's so special?
0:28:22 > 0:28:25When the wind's blowing in the right direction and you get that whistle
0:28:25 > 0:28:28blowing through the town, I don't think you could find
0:28:28 > 0:28:30a better place to live, to be honest with you.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37Thanks to the Orange Army, Margaret and her team,
0:28:37 > 0:28:41hundreds of thousands of passengers living in rural communities
0:28:41 > 0:28:44in the south-west have got their lives back on track.
0:28:44 > 0:28:48And Steve, well, he's got his road back.
0:28:51 > 0:28:56Well, that's an experience that Steve will certainly never forget.
0:28:56 > 0:29:00Thankfully, such severe weather events are relatively rare.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07But there's no way of avoiding those short, sharp winter days,
0:29:07 > 0:29:09especially here in Scotland.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13One consequence is that British-grown produce is
0:29:13 > 0:29:15in short supply at this time of year
0:29:15 > 0:29:18and a significant proportion of the veg we eat is imported.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23Paul has been looking at some ingenious solutions
0:29:23 > 0:29:26in his ongoing quest to live the good life.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36Well, it's the middle of winter and there's not a lot going on
0:29:36 > 0:29:38in my vegetable patch, as you can see.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40That's looking very sorry for itself.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44No cauliflowers, no carrots, not even any Brussels.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48Like Tom and Barbara, I'm struggling to live the good life.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52But, unlike Tom and Barbara,
0:29:52 > 0:29:55I've got a neighbour who's not sniffy about growing your own.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01- Hiya, Kate.- Hiya, Paul, how are you doing?- You're working hard. I'm all right, thank you.
0:30:01 > 0:30:06'Kate Collins runs a thriving market garden not far from me in Wiltshire.'
0:30:06 > 0:30:08It started off just with a small plot
0:30:08 > 0:30:10with a couple of polytunnels and a small field, and then,
0:30:10 > 0:30:13over the last few years we've been gradually building it,
0:30:13 > 0:30:15adding more tunnels and more space,
0:30:15 > 0:30:18so now in total it's about 3½ acres.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21What does grow well outside this time of the year?
0:30:21 > 0:30:23I can see you're surrounded by leeks.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26- Leeks are my least favourite vegetable.- Everything but leeks.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28- Everything but leeks.- Yeah.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30But is it a good time of year to put anything in the garden?
0:30:30 > 0:30:32Maybe a few rooty things.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34New potatoes and broad beans, that kind of thing.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38But nothing leafy really, cos the cold will just explode the leaves.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40- Frost.- Exactly. - So I need a polytunnel.
0:30:40 > 0:30:44Yes, and you can make them yourself or you can buy the frames.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46- I'll make my own.- Yeah, you can do a bit of recycling as well.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50- Can we go inside one and have a look? - Yeah, let's have a look around.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53Kate has seven polytunnels of various sizes.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56The huge ones cost more than £1,000,
0:30:56 > 0:31:01but she's also built smaller versions for as little as £200.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03And I can't wait to see inside.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06- This is one of the... - It's a lot warmer in here.- Yes.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08And what a great space. It's huge.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10It feels a bit bigger inside, actually.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12It's about 15 degrees in here,
0:31:12 > 0:31:14whereas it's only about six or seven outside.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17So it's ten degrees warmer and out of the wind, more importantly.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19Positively balmy. Talk me through. What have we got over there?
0:31:19 > 0:31:22This is all Oriental salads. So there's mibuna,
0:31:22 > 0:31:26- which is slightly spicy. Some mustard.- Can I have a taste?
0:31:26 > 0:31:28Yes, come and have a little piece.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30This is called "Red Frills" mustard.
0:31:30 > 0:31:31It's just a little bit of pepper.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34And then this one is a little bit stronger.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37That's delicious, that's really warm, isn't it?
0:31:37 > 0:31:40- Yeah. That warms you up on a cold day.- I'm loving it.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43This is the good life, isn't it? I mean, it really is.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47I'm determined to make my own polytunnel.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49But it's a job for the spring.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52In the meantime, Kate's got an idea
0:31:52 > 0:31:55that could help keep my veg patch productive over winter.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59- I don't know if you've heard of hot beds before.- No.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01So, it's a bed that's hot.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04- So they've got this frame made from old pallets.- Yeah.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07At the least a metre cubed, ideally. Fill it with fresh horse manure,
0:32:07 > 0:32:10lots of straw and bedding and pack it down nice and wet.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12And then, as that breaks down, because it's fresh,
0:32:12 > 0:32:14you'll get a lot of heat released.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18You can then either cover the manure and straw mixture
0:32:18 > 0:32:20with compost or put a lid on the box.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22After about three days,
0:32:22 > 0:32:25you'll get temperatures of up to about 70 degrees C.
0:32:25 > 0:32:26So it can get really hot.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30- Yeah, horse poo is hot. It steams all the time.- Yes, exactly.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33You can imagine all that heat's going to waste at the moment.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36So the idea is to use the heat to get some propagation going.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38But 70 degrees is far too hot,
0:32:38 > 0:32:42so you need to leave the poo and straw to cool down
0:32:42 > 0:32:44for another three to four days.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47By which time it should be around 20 degrees,
0:32:47 > 0:32:50and then you're ready to start growing.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52Once the seed trays are on there, do you cover it?
0:32:52 > 0:32:54Yes, so these little bits of tube,
0:32:54 > 0:32:56you can run a water pipe over the tubes,
0:32:56 > 0:32:59make a little frame and then you can put fleece over the top of that,
0:32:59 > 0:33:03horticultural fleece, and that helps keep the heat in when it gets really cold.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06- So it's like a mini polytunnel. - Exactly.- Yeah.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08- Hey, I CAN get started this winter. - Exactly.- Brilliant.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12- Thank you very much, Kate. - Get stuck in now.- Thank you so much. - No problem.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17Kate has certainly inspired me to make the most of my horse poo.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20Time for some quickfire carpentry.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24I've got some old pallets, that's a good start.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48That is my pallet turned into my first hot bed.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50Now I've just got to fill it full of poo.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57But with the light fading fast, that's a job for another day.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06And believe me, nothing wakes you up
0:34:06 > 0:34:09quite like shovelling barrowloads of horse poo.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14Still, once it's up and running, my hot beds should generate
0:34:14 > 0:34:19enough heat to the keep my plants toasty for three to four weeks.
0:34:20 > 0:34:24I'm ever so proud of this and I can't wait to see it in action.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27Obviously, that's going to be really hot in there.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31Once it drops down to 20, it'll be safe to put my seedlings on.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35And in this cold weather, with the help of this hot horse manure,
0:34:35 > 0:34:38it's going to let them grow strong and healthy.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41And that's what it's all about. Dead chuffed.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46Well, Tom and Barbara WOULD be impressed.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54Now, earlier, Keeley saw how technology is helping to monitor
0:34:54 > 0:34:57a seal colony in Cumbria.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00But with numbers on the rise in our coastal waters,
0:35:00 > 0:35:05keeping the seal population healthy is a bigger challenge than ever.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08Keeley is in Lincolnshire, where,
0:35:08 > 0:35:12for abandoned seal pups on the chilly shore of the North Sea,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15it's a matter of life or death.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22We're in the midst of a seal baby boom.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26The breeding colony at Donna Nook in Lincolnshire has already seen
0:35:26 > 0:35:28around 2,000 pups this season.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32And numbers have doubled in the last ten years.
0:35:35 > 0:35:39Tragically, many of those pups are separated from their mums
0:35:39 > 0:35:41during severe winter weather.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45The consequences can be devastating.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51But, for a lucky few, there's a second chance.
0:35:57 > 0:36:02Every year, between 40 and 50 underweight or injured baby seals
0:36:02 > 0:36:05are rescued by the seal sanctuary in Skegness.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07But with no guarantee the pups will make it
0:36:07 > 0:36:09once released back to the wild,
0:36:09 > 0:36:12caring for them is a delicate job for Richard Yeadon.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16- Hello.- All right, yeah. - Who's this little guy?
0:36:16 > 0:36:20This is a grey seal that we've had in for about two or three weeks now.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23It's been through its initial treatment in the hospital here,
0:36:23 > 0:36:25so we'll try moving it outside today
0:36:25 > 0:36:28for its first taste of life in a bit of water again.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30And how do the seals come in here?
0:36:30 > 0:36:33Members of the public or the coastguard or the police
0:36:33 > 0:36:36report them to us, we'll go down, assess the situation,
0:36:36 > 0:36:39and if necessary, bring them back here.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42They aren't like other baby animals where you can bottle-feed them, are they?
0:36:42 > 0:36:44No, they're not natural sucklers.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46They're not like a lamb, for instance.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49They wouldn't use a teat on a bottle.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51We get them straight on to fish,
0:36:51 > 0:36:54no matter how old they are when they come in.
0:36:54 > 0:36:55Which is what they would be doing
0:36:55 > 0:36:58after about four weeks in the wild anyway.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00- Do they take to that quite easily? - Some easier than others.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04- This one picked it up remarkably quickly.- Well done, you.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06One of the quickest we've ever had.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08I think he's moaning because he's hungry,
0:37:08 > 0:37:11- he's ready for his breakfast. - Shall we try?- Yeah.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14What's this? There you go.
0:37:15 > 0:37:16It's great to see him feeding like that,
0:37:16 > 0:37:19that's a major step in the right direction.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21They don't chew the food, do they?
0:37:22 > 0:37:25Grey and common seals are native to British shores,
0:37:25 > 0:37:28and both species are regular guests at the sanctuary.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32Once they've settled in and mastered the all-important art of eating...
0:37:32 > 0:37:36He looks rather hesitant. Hasn't he been in water before?
0:37:36 > 0:37:38Probably not, they get born on the beaches.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42..pups are slowly acclimatised to water.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46It took some encouragement, but he's really at home in there now.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49He's doing really well now, so that's a great sign.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51I'm sure he will go from strength to strength.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56They then move to a larger pool to fatten up.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00And for two of the sanctuary's chubbiest residents,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03it's time to take the final nerve-racking plunge.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06So, Richard, what are we going to do today?
0:38:06 > 0:38:09Hopefully we're going to release two seals back to the wild.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12We've got Delia and we've got Darryl that we're hoping are up to weight.
0:38:12 > 0:38:16We're draining the pool now and we'll weigh the seals one last time
0:38:16 > 0:38:19and then, if everything's good,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22we'll transfer them to the release crates and go down onto the beach.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25These were two quite sickly seals, especially Darryl.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28- What went on with her? - Well, Darryl was...
0:38:28 > 0:38:31She must have been separated from her mum at a very, very early age.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34And she was just dehydrated and starving on the beach.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38So she needed very special and very gentle care in hospital.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42So she's taken a lot longer to go through the process, so it's great
0:38:42 > 0:38:46to see her fit and well again and ready to have her second chance.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48This is a big day for both them and you.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51How do you feel when you send little ones back in?
0:38:51 > 0:38:52Well, mixed emotions really.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54Sometimes you get a real little character
0:38:54 > 0:38:57or a special story, like Darryl. So it's great to see her go back.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00We've released over 750 back to the wild now, so it's a good day.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03And look at their little faces. Do they know something's going on?
0:39:03 > 0:39:05- Who knows? - It's a big day for you, girls.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08- Yeah, get your wellies on and let's crack on.- OK.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15On average, baby seals spend three months at the sanctuary,
0:39:15 > 0:39:19but it can take titchy pups up to five months to build up the blubber.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22What a clever girl. There you go.
0:39:24 > 0:39:25This is Darryl, isn't it?
0:39:25 > 0:39:29This is Darryl, the one that came in at only 6.5kg,
0:39:29 > 0:39:32one of the smallest seals we've ever rescued.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34So it's great to see her in this sort of shape,
0:39:34 > 0:39:37she's really piled on the pounds in the last few weeks
0:39:37 > 0:39:39and I'm sure she'll be ready to go.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41Most girls don't like to hear that, Darryl,
0:39:41 > 0:39:43but I think it's probably good news for you.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46Seals need two or three inches of blubber
0:39:46 > 0:39:49to insulate them in our chilly winter seas.
0:39:49 > 0:39:50If Darryl's managed that,
0:39:50 > 0:39:54she should be tipping the scales at around 30 kilos today.
0:39:54 > 0:39:55Fingers crossed.
0:39:59 > 0:40:00'After a technical hitch or two...'
0:40:00 > 0:40:03She's so heavy, you've broken the scales, Darryl.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05'..it's the moment of truth.'
0:40:05 > 0:40:08- Has she made the grade? Is she heavy enough to be released?- Fantastic.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Excellent, well done, you. Well done, you!
0:40:14 > 0:40:17So it's off to the beach with Darryl and her friend Delia.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19Let's hope the water looks inviting.
0:40:24 > 0:40:25It's a lovely day today,
0:40:25 > 0:40:27but I bet you've been down here in all weathers.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29We've seen all sorts down here,
0:40:29 > 0:40:32but we do try to pick a calm day because if it's too rough,
0:40:32 > 0:40:34the seals just don't want to go past the first breakers
0:40:34 > 0:40:37and it defeats the whole object of the exercise, really.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39So today is absolutely ideal.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41They don't know what's about to happen and I don't either.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44What's their journey going to be from here on in?
0:40:44 > 0:40:46Once they're released from here, they'll either
0:40:46 > 0:40:49go and join the seal colony between here and Norfolk.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53But, from their tags, we know that they have gone far and wide.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55They've been up to Scotland, Isle of Wight,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58- across in Holland and Germany.- So they don't stay locally necessarily.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00- Not necessarily. No.- And how do you think they are feeling?
0:41:00 > 0:41:02They look pretty calm, don't they?
0:41:02 > 0:41:03Yeah, they'll be looking out there
0:41:03 > 0:41:07thinking that's the biggest pool I've seen for quite some weeks.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10- But, yeah, I'm sure they'll be OK. - Right, let's get to it then.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13- The big moment.- OK, if you want to lift those up, Keeley.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16- You can stick them on the back of the crates there.- Come on, girls.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20- Hopefully they'll turn round... - There you go.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22..and waddle out to sea. Here we go.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29- Quick.- Come on, girls. - We need to catch it, quick.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31I really thought that we would struggle to capture this
0:41:31 > 0:41:33and they'd be off before we even see it,
0:41:33 > 0:41:36- but they don't seem to be moving at all.- Come on, Darryl, that's it.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39- There you go.- There you go.- Freedom. - Go on, Darryl.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42This isn't quite going as expected.
0:41:42 > 0:41:43- There you go.- There you go.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46Go on, follow your mate.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50- She's off, look.- There we go.
0:41:51 > 0:41:52- Come on, Darryl. - Catch her up.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57Darryl doesn't seem convinced just yet.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59- Oh!- Nearly there.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01Go on, you're nearly in the water.
0:42:03 > 0:42:04Good luck, girls!
0:42:11 > 0:42:15To help release some pups back in the wild has just been fantastic.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18And what an adventure they've got ahead of them.
0:42:19 > 0:42:24Little does Darryl know just how exciting life is about to get.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Seals being released into the wild.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38A really uplifting way to end today's programme.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40And here's what's to come tomorrow.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43Keeley will be down a drain, discovering that our love of
0:42:43 > 0:42:46a Sunday roast could be making winter floods worse.
0:42:48 > 0:42:49I can't smell anything yet.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52There are some bits further down that smell worse than this.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54OK, right, you lead the way.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57Margherita will be seeing how getting stuck in down at the farm
0:42:57 > 0:43:01could help children avoid being excluded from school.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04We believe there are 30,000 children out there
0:43:04 > 0:43:08who could really benefit at this moment in time.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11And I'll be joining in a race against time to investigate
0:43:11 > 0:43:14a now submerged and fragile prehistoric landscape
0:43:14 > 0:43:16that is at the mercy of the sea.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19Until then, goodbye.