07/01/2014 BBC Channel Islands News

Authorities across the Channel Islands are assessing the cost of

clearing up after days of stormy weather, with both bailiwicks having

to repair sea defences and infrastructure. In Guernsey, the

main areas affected have been along the west coast, with Perelle and

Portelet hit hard. But Saints Bay and Fermain Bay in the south have

also taken a battering. Battered and broken, much of

Guernsey's coastline has borne the brunt of the storms. Here at

Portelet, slipways have been damaged and holes punched through the sea

defences. And someone will have to pay to repair them. Overall, I would

estimate, from what we have seen, between ten and ?15,000, but we will

probably find extra work which needs doing to rock armour which has

moved, and there will be things that have popped out of walls and

jetties, so that will have to be added to it. Alderney has also

suffered flooding, with Longis Common becoming a victim of the

storm surge. Things are beginning to settle down now. Here at Perelle,

the coast road is soon to reopen. And while the storms may've moved on

for now, many homes and businesses are counting the cost and claiming

on their insurance policies. Our claims team is very busy, it is hard

to speak to them at the moment. We have noticed there is a huge number

of increased claims compare to this time last year. So, while many are

grateful for the calm after the storm, paying for the damage means

costs are likely to surge higher. Meanwhile in Jersey, freight

operations in and out of the Island were suspended while repairs were

made to the linkspan bridge in the harbour. It's been estimated the

cost of fixing the sea walls around the island has reached ?25,000 These

emergency repairs began last night. Huge sea swells caused one of these

fenders to come loose. They come in at 17 tonnes a piece, and it toppled

over 220 degrees and stayed there. We were able to secure it. The

series will be was it could have gone all the way over and fallen

underneath the ship, which would have been extremely dangerous. And

with no other way of getting it to shore, no freight made it onto

Jersey today. Shops reported being out of stock of some products this

afternoon. But everything should be back to normal by tomorrow. The

harbour wasn't the only place where crews were out in force. The

coastline here was battered by waves. Roads, homes and shops were

flooded. Drains have been unblocked and debris cleared, but the biggest

cost has been repairing sea walls. It adds up to a fairly big lump of

money, ?25,000 at the moment. But we have got that element in our

budget, we anticipate the storms and that level of repair on an annual

basis. But the aftermath of the latest storm continues, with the

clear`up expected to take another six weeks.

It's been revealed that eight men who were arrested in Jersey in

connection with alleged child sex abuse were released without charge

following an investigation last summer. The men, aged between 17 and

20, were arrested in June on charges of grooming and engaging in underage

sexual intercourse. 12 alleged victims were identified by police,

but charges were dropped after they refused to give evidence against the

men. Jersey Police are appealing for

information after a major fire at the former Pontins holiday camp at

Plemont. Fire`fighters were called to the derelict site on the north

coast on Saturday morning. Police believe Saturday's fire was started

by someone, but are now investigating whether it was a

deliberate act or accidental. The number of young people in Jersey

needing hospital treatment after taking so`called legal highs has

prompted the health department to update a drugs guide for worried

parents. The death of 16`year`old Max Blandin last month has also been

linked by his parents to drug use. The updated guide for parents

includes information about a drug called magic crystals, which has now

been made illegal in Jersey. There is no doubt that the young

people of this island are talking about the effect of these

substances, most people know somebody who has been harmed by

them, and it is a good time for the parents to say, what do you think

about this? It is not always an easy subject. It is important to have the

open conversation in an unthreatening way.

You are watching the BBC. Still to come, more victims of the

bad weather. The baby seals separated from their mothers by the

storms. Now, this might sound out of this

world, but a Guernsey man could be amongst the first people ever to

live on Mars. Ben De Jersey`Moore has beaten hundreds of thousands of

applicants to make the short list for a one`way space adventure. The

privately`funded Mars One project aims to establish a human settlement

on the planet in 2025. These are tense and rheumatic moment

as the lunar module came in to land. We've made it this far, and made

history doing it. This was the moment, as it had never been seen

before. But there's another planet mankind's got its sights on. Mars.

But a ?4 billion project could see the first people not just land

there, but live there. And, this man could be one of them. How does it

feel, watching this video, knowing you are closer to going there? It

adds to the impact, now I have got to start asking myself how I am

going to deal with separation from family and friends and everything I

love on earth. I do not dislike home, that is not why I am hoping to

leave. It is because I want to go to Mars. Being able to inspire possibly

billions of people if I am successful is quite humbling. Out of

200,000 applicants, Ben's made it to the short list of 1,000 that could

be part of Mars One. The aim of the project is to establish the first

colony here by 2023. With 20 people living self`sufficiently. But if Ben

makes the cut, he also has to face cutting all ties with home, and the

reality it's a one`way ticket. We can send video messages and stuff.

It is not like we have died or anything, hopefully! . It is a risky

project. A rigorous selection process of medicals and simulation

will take another year. When Ben will find out if he's one step

closer to his new home, around 40 million miles away.

Wrestling has long been popular entertainment in America, but now it

seems there's a growing interest in people masking up and getting into

the ring right here in the Channel Islands. Set up by a group of

friends four years ago, Channel Island Wrestling now perform for

hundreds of people. And they're on the lookout for more people to

grapple with. It pulls in millions of viewers and

billions of dollars in America, and now wrestling entertainment has

leapt into the public arena in Jersey.

This is one of the first live shows by Channel Island Wrestling. But

they've been practicing hard behind closed doors for years. And from

small beginnings, they've grown in numbers and skill. I went training

in the UK, as there wasn't anything over here after years of looking,

nothing over here, I went and trained, came back, spoke to a few

friends, we bought a ring and it's gone from there. I trained them,

other people have come, we've trained each other, and so on. And

it's a labour of love. All 14 members have day jobs, so training

here in St Clement takes place after work, under the watchful eye of the

parish constable. It's an art form, and takes so much training

physically as well as techniques, skills, stamina, and you're trying

to be safe when you're doing it, so that's why there's so much training

involved. One, two, three! The club is now on

the hunt for more male and female members. And the criteria are

simple. You must be aged over 16, with a passion for performing.

Anyone can bring something. We've got a collection of talents. We're

not professionals, we're amateurs. No`one can't help. They may be

amateurs, but they pride themselves on offering entertainment,

excitement and live action. And with more members, they're hoping to

thrill even more crowds next year. We do have some heavy showers for a

time this evening, the risk of pale and thunder mixed in. Tomorrow, a

dry start. Some bright spells. It clouds over later in the day, rain

arrives as we had towards tomorrow evening. For the moment, this

intense showery rain. It will clear as we go through the first part of

the night. Tomorrow morning, we have a dry start, but this weather system

pushes in from the south and west through the day, so it will cloud

over. The rain should clear, and on Thursday, a temporary ridge of high

pressure. On Friday, another weather front starting to push on from the

West. For the moment, intense rain for a time, but it clears fairly

quickly. For the rest of the night, it is dry with clear skies. It is

not as windy through the night either. For tomorrow morning, some

sunshine, a dry and bright start, not too windy through the morning

either. For the afternoon, the cloud starts to increase, and we will see

a few spots of rain after dark. Out at sea tomorrow, the wind coming

from the south or Southeast, mainly fair conditions.

Slightly smaller waves for the surface. Cleaner in the shelter. The

south or southeasterly breeze. Fairly unsettled conditions, but

sunshine, it is looking generally dry as well on Saturday.

I am back at 8pm and during the news at 10pm.

week's Inside Out. That's here on BBC One on Monday at 7:30pm.

Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg has

described the cutting of the force's budget next year by a further ?2.5

million as disappointing. In 2010, the Government imposed budget cuts

of ?51 million up to next year, which has resulted in the loss of

400 police officers' jobs and a similar number of civilian posts.

The money from these latest cuts will be used to fund major national

policing projects. Later in the programme, we'll meet a

man preparing for a challenge. Hello, everybody. The new manager of

Torquay United says he's confident he'll get them out of the relegation

zone. And more victims of the weather `

the baby seals separated from their mothers by the storms.

An inherited eye condition has resulted in a remarkable reunion for

one Torquay man and the mother who gave him up for adoption. Steve

Darling was adopted in the Midlands, but decades later, a search for his

birth parents ended much closer to home than he expected. Our South

Devon reporter John Ayres takes up the story. Back in the 1960s, Pam

Johnson was 17 when she gave birth to Steve Darling in Birmingham. She

was unmarried and her parents had passed away. She felt giving him up

for adoption was her only option. In those days it seemed the normal

thing that you gave a baby up for adoption if you weren't married.

John, Steve's father, and I were both very young, so I went into an

unmarried mothers' home and Steven was adopted. Steve's adoptive mother

Penny never hid it from him that he was adopted. The family moved to

Torbay in the '70s. 30 years on, Steve had not been looking for his

natural mother until a doctor made a comment about an inherited eye

condition. He found her here in South Devon. Steve is a councillor

on Torbay Council and she was working as a teacher in the board he

represents. That was just the start of the coincidences. We realised

because she taught at Torquay but lived in Kingsteignton, she used to

pass the end of our garden to get to work each day. Steve has also found

a half`sister here in Torbay as well as

If I hadn't had that tipping point, maybe this wouldn't have happened

and I wouldn't have had the positives I am getting out of this

now. Since they have all come together, Steve has become firm

friends with Pam and his extended family.

The new manager of Torquay United has been talking about his plans for

the struggling League Two club. Chris Hargreaves knows he's got an

uphill battle and the odds are stacked against him, as he takes

over as Alan Knill's successor. Dave Gibbins reports from Plainmoor. It

was time for a new manager at Torquay United. Chris Hargreaves

always wanted to start his managerial career at play more. He

is well respected by players and staff after captaining United back

into the Football League five years ago when they won a Wembley

conference play`off final. It was clear he would eventually find a

route back to rejoin the people he knows, including many players. A

warm welcome, then. They took a terribly. No, please! I think they

took it quite well. I know them, they know me, we had some good times

here and they care about the club and don't want to see it go down, so

that gives you hunger from within. The 41`year`old leaves his

first`team coaching job at Bournemouth to join United. The

goals are struggling next to the bottom of the lead and face a

possible return to non`league football, so what is his escape

plan? I'm going to get onto the training field first and foremost

and speak to lots of players about coming in and I will be up for the

challenge, and that is the question, are they up for the challenge? His

assistant will be Lee Hodges, who used to play for Plymouth Argyle and

Torquay before entering as part`time manager for Truro city. After

sacking Alan Knill five days ago, the board has gone in the direction

of recruiting a young partnership. He has recruited Lee Hodges as his

number two who also has managerial experience and that combination of

youth and experience is what will work. This is where the new team

will be sitting a week on Saturday for their first home game. They

start in earnest at Wimbledon this weekend but a week on Saturday it is

against a club Chris Greaves also had talks with about becoming their

new boss, old Hampton town. How ironic will that be?

He looks happy in that the goat. Very at home! `` in that dugout.

This week we're hearing about people who've decided or who've had no

choice to continue working when they reach retirement age. The South West

already has a higher proportion of older workers than the UK average.

Greg Wade has been to meet a professor nearing his 70s, who's

still hard at work. 68`year`old professor Roy samples is

today examining butterfly wings under an electron microscope. A

fellow at the Royal Society, he has won many physics awards. I have been

here at Exeter since 1972 first as lecturer and then stayed on as

senior lecturer. I can't remember the day I got up and the morning and

thought, oh, it's work. It has never been like that. Some consider

academics Lottie because in their profession experience and knowledge

are valued `` lucky. In academics the skills develop as they get up,

and that doesn't want to be lost. Just because you reach a certain age

doesn't mean you. Giving it, and universities are happy to have you

because of your knowledge. It is a resource we do not want to use. That

like blues. But even here you have to retire at some point. At some

point they will say that I have to think dropped away and am keeping

some younger person out of their post. When Roy and eventually

retires, he and many in his profession often come back for sheer

love of the job. Organisers of a European funded

project are calling for more applicants from the South West. The

initiative works with young unemployed people. They're given the

chance to develop new skills while visiting a foreign country for a

month. Johnny Rutherford has been following the story. Something

strange has been going on around the beaches of East Cornwall. It is an

art project called stargazing at sea. Five unemployed Austrian young

people have been on a month's residential artistic course. This is

a European funded programme. The idea is to offer young people a

first cultural experience to live in another European culture `` country.

It is also important to give them professional experience with people

who know what to do and a chance for personal development. The students

are taken from their normal environment to give them a clean

start towards challenges. Here I can make things I like and nobody says

it is wrong or right. I can't be myself after this and go my own way.

I don't know what to do at home but I think I will get more into it.

Projects like this will be available next year for people from the

south`west to travel to other parts of Europe are but not many people

have taken up the offer even when it is free. It seems Europe is not very

popular and tempting to them, and be with invited young people from here

to see what is out there, opportunities of culture but also

work and life experience. After being cheated by local artists, the

Austrians' work is being displayed at a gallery. The chance is to get

individuals into the landscape and to engage in it and to spread the

word of what it has been like here, so it has been a winner. Not all art

lasts for ever, but the young people 's Mike experience certainly well.

Returning to the story that's dominated the news for the past few

days, the huge storm. The weather and rough seas have also been

causing problems for some of our wildlife. The bad weather came

during the grey seals' breeding season, and a large number of baby

seals have been rescued after being separated from their mothers. David

George reports from the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek. Yet and under

huge wave crashes ashore. These are some of the biggest waves seen in

the south`west over the last few days. The lookout tower is around

200 feet above sea level. Hard to believe the grey seals and their

pups can be living under that, but they are. Some don't make it. The

lucky ones are rescued and end up in a seal sanctuary. It is the pups who

were most at risk because they don't know where the best places are. We

have had calls about pups in people's Gardens, on the edges of

beaches and in harbours, so they are turning up all over the place. They

had 25 call outs in the last week, four times the normal number. That

is one of our pups. He was rescued on the 7th of January and was quite

underweight and had a bit of a temperature, so that is why he came

to us and he is doing much better now. This year the baby pups all

have a space theme to their names. There is an Armstrong next year ``

next door. It is not just seals that have been infected by rough seas. ``

affected. Experts say most of our dream life hasn't adapted to deal

with these conditions. Experts say the seals will be returned to the

wild or as close to where the rebound as possible. Most are ready

to go now that they are now waiting for a period of calm weather.

Right on cue, wasn't it? Dear little baby seals. Let's hope there is

better weather on the way for them. We are not quite out of it yet.

Tomorrow we have a dry and bright start for the day but we will see

further rain which could be heavy at times, so we have another weather

warning from midday tomorrow, but even before tomorrow, tonight

eastern parts of the region could see heavy rain, perhaps South East

Devon, Dorset, parts of Somerset. Some heavy, thundery rain will move

through fairly quickly then some drier weather, then this next system

pushes in with some heavy rain tomorrow evening. That clears. There

is day, a temporary ridge of high pressure, temporary calm conditions

and another weather front on Friday. Today we have seen underage showers

and the rest of the day some light showers and sunshine and these winds

have been easing through the day, but here is that area of rain that

might ring somehow heavy conditions later tonight, a dry picture for all

of us with some clear skies and lighter winds. We will be cooler

tonight as well, temperatures dropping to five or six degrees

inland. Tomorrow a dry and bright start, camp with sunshine that this

rain will push in from the south and west into Devon then reaching much

of the region by tomorrow evening's rush`hour with rain and these winds

increasing tomorrow, but still fairly mild, temperatures up to ten

or 11 degrees. For the Isles of Scilly, dry weather in mission eight

at that rain will arrive and turn heavy, winds increasing as we go

through the day. Times of high water for tomorrow, Falmouth at 1029 and

2242, and for the surfers tomorrow there are huge graves finally

starting to ease, so for the north coast it could be clean with better

waves along the south coast are still quite messy and choppy as

these winds increase. Out at sea the south`westerly winds back to wait

south or southeasterly towards the end of the day, and some rain at

times it at sea, visibility decreasing. The outlook, still a

mixture with the weather with heavy rain tomorrow. That clears by

Thursday when we're looking at drier and calmer weather, a few showers

through the day but also sunshine. Thursday night into Friday could be

chilly, a chance of frost in Wirral spots before more rain arrives.

Saturday we should have some sunshine but feeling cooler. Lots of

pictures of the weather on our Facebook page. We will be back at

6:30pm tomorrow. Good night. A tenth of a second

could be the difference