27/01/2014 BBC Channel Islands News

colder. It could be short lived. That is all from the BBC's

Homes lost electricity, traffic lights stopped working and

businesses had problems serving customers during a power cut which

hit the whole of Jersey and parts of Guernsey today. It's thought

lightning storms in Normandy caused the loss of power from the French

grid which supplies the Channel Islands. Emma Chambers reports.

Hazardous road conditions and businesses unable to trade this

morning. And it's all because of this. The purple and red pixels show

a thunderstorm moving over the Channel Islands to France. The radar

animation stops just at the point a lighting strike hit the French

network which supplies us with electricity, causing a power cut

across the whole of Jersey. It has happened before. It is quite

unusual. We do monitor the weather activity in France. It is prone to

thunderstorms in Normandy. It is something we generally look out for.

But it is extremely difficult to predict a lightning strike. While

all of Jersey lost power for a time, only half of Guernsey electricity

customers were affected. If we were fully connected to the French grid,

we would have had a complete power cut. But we had generation on the

island running at time. Jersey's fire service had an unprecedented

number of calls during the black out. We had over 21 calls received.

We attended ten of those. Two were automatic fire alarms and eight

would lift incidents, people trapped in lifts. We released five people

and one dog from the lists. `` from the lifts. Fiona was one of those

unlucky enough to get caught in a lift. Luckily, her neighbours were

on hand to help her out. A minute earlier or later and we would have

been fine. I will not forget it in a hurry. He jogged and the darkness I

think will stay with me for a long time. `` the jolt. It comes as

Jersey Electricity is carrying out a survey of the sea bed for the third

cable between the island and France. But the company says although it

would give us more security, it wouldn't have prevented this

morning's power cut. An overreliance on the goodwill of

staff and a lack of leadership has hampered Guernsey's bowel cancer

screening programme. That's according to a report released

today. The service has been at the centre of a political row which lead

to a vote of no confidence in the health board. Earlier, our reporter

Penny Elderfield told me more. There's been a lot of interest in

this since it emerged last year Health hadn't spent all of its

budget for bowel cancer screening and this latest review's flagged up

several problems. Firstly, staffing. Without a permanent team dedicated

to the service, there's a reliance on temporary staff and goodwill to

keep it going. That actually may have brought down costs, but it s

not a long`term solution. It also says a lack of leadership is

hampering plans for developing and expanding the programme. So, did the

underspend mean people missed out on screening? Apparently not. Take up

is as expected, so the department's happy with that side of it. It says

the problems come down to the fact it was introduced as a pilot scheme

and in some ways is still being run as one. Unfortunately, it was

rushed. We know, for example, from the breast screening programme what

the proper staffing should be and what the various levels of

management should be to deliver a good service. We need to do the same

for bowel cancer screening. That is what we aim to do. And we can expect

more reports looking to the future. For example, whether more should be

targeted and when people should be re`screened. So, will all this fuel

debate on the vote of no confidence this week? The focus of that is

actually more to do with the Health Minister giving the States

misleading information on the screening programme. But it will no

doubt give them more to talk about. The deputy viscount of Jersey will

be writing to a bicycle pedal manufacturer following the inquest

of cyclist Neil Blood. The 42`year`old died from severe chest

injuries after he fell from his bike and under a van last summer,

according to the inquest. Its chairman, Deputy Viscount Mark

Harris, heard that Mr Blood had trouble releasing his shoes from the

new clip`less pedals he had bought, meaning he couldn't steady himself

before falling. Deputy Viscount Harris wants to make the

manufacturer aware of the incident. Guernsey Police are investigating

after a man's body was found outside Guernsey Prison. The body was found

yesterday morning on the nature trail between the prison and Belle

Greve. Police say it's not suspicious, but are asking anyone

with information to come forward. Tourism used to be one of the main

industries for Guernsey, but visitor numbers have been in a steady

decline, down 3% last year alone. The island recently appointed a new

director of tourism, but many people are now questioning if the right

government department is in control. It's currently in the hands of

Commerce and Employment, but today the Culture and Leisure Minister has

argued it should come under his remit. Mike Wilkins reports.

Davina Sweet has been the owner of this guest house for almost two

years, after helping run it for more than a decade. She's tried

advertising through the Government's promotional agency Visit Guernsey,

but it's had little effect and now most of her business comes from

bookings promoted by agencies abroad. Even now, the Guernsey side

of advertising is not really that good. The brochure did not work for

me at all. It did not reach the market I needed. Now I go with

agencies abroad who reach worldwide and it has worked for me. This is

why I do not do a lot of advertising in Guernsey anymore and I think it

is a shame. The Commerce and Employment Department is responsible

for tourism and some Government ministers feel it's done a poor job

over recent years. 2008 to 2012 it was completely forgotten. Commerce

and employment went a particular way and tourism was neglected big`time.

For four years, so much frustration from my department. So, while some

feel Guernsey's tourist industry has been neglected, others are convinced

things will improve if Government departments work closer together.

From an operational perspective it is very important that we roll out

robust plans across industry are working closely with culture and

leisure for the coming year. That is where my focus is. So, no signs of

handing control over to another department just yet. But regardless

of who ends up pulling the tourism purse strings, Davina is just hoping

they can help bring the tourists back.

You're watching the BBC in the Channel Islands. Later in Spotlight

with Natalie and Simon: The charity calling for a ban on the strongest

forms of rat poison because it says they are threatening the future of

barn owls and kestrels. Stay tuned for that.

When newsreels broadcast this footage of the brutal reality of

life inside concentration camps it revealed the true extent of the

horrors being committed by the Nazi Third Reich. Millions of people were

killed during the regime, including Channel Islanders. Three Jewish

women from Guernsey died in Auschwitz, while 21 islanders from

Jersey also lost their lives in camps. Today is Holocaust Memorial

Day and people came together to remember those who died. Jen Smith

reports. On behalf of the families of the 21 Jersey victims of the

Holocaust... This is the first time Dr Kevin

White's been able to pay tribute to his grandfather. The historian has

only recently discovered his familiy's connection with the

holocaust. We knew roughly that he had died in Germany, but we did not

know he was one of the Jersey 2 , that he had stood up in a court and

stood up for himself as a patriotically management against the

Nazis and had a terribly long sentence. Dr White's grandfather

Frederick Page was sent to a prison camp for failing to give up a radio.

He's one of Jersey's 21, the men and women who died at the hands of the

Nazis. This service remembers them. As if it had never existed, such was

the magnitude of the Holocaust. Every year on this day islanders and

dignitaries gather at the New North Quay to think about those who died

in the concentration camps. These people never lived those natural

life spans and the world as a whole, not just the people who lost their

lives and their relatives, the world lost the benefit of the lives of

these people. The service may be new to Dr White, but his grandfather's

long been included in it. It's just now his story has more colour to it.

A poignant day there. And a wet and windy day. David is with us now An

interesting day weather`wise. Lightning storms in France affecting

the weather today. I cannot rule out more heavy showers

overnight. Hopefully not too much lightning. Very unsettled and

colder. Last week, we could cope quite well because it was relatively

mild. This week, temperatures way down. Easterly winds by Wednesday

and Thursday, still showery, some sunshine and drier spells that these

at times, but turning colder. `` at the start times. Eventually, the low

pressure will move out of the way, but drawing in January of low

pressure, giving us easterly winds, pulling in cold air from Scandinavia

`` drawing in another area of low pressure. We will probably keep the

showers overnight. One or two could be heavy. The risk of thunder run

flash of lightning. Four or five degrees. Tomorrow, almost the same

sort of day. Lines of showers coming and going throughout the day.

Briefly, sunshine and between them. Short lived. The showers are quite

extensive and they will probably stay until the end of the day.

Slightly less windy come the end of the afternoon as the winds

eventually back southerly. Here is the outlook. Wednesday a

self is colder with the winds from the East `` Wednesday itself. In the

afternoon, it becomes drier. Cold into Thursday. Thursday largely fine

but also cold. Time to get the thermals out, I

think. That is it for now. I am back with your headlines at 8pm. So now,

we will hand you over to Simon and Natalie with more from spotlight.

The plan was to get rid of rats but this owl has been the latest victim

of poison. It fed on a rat which had been baited and now it has lost its

life. There blood gets thinner and thinner until they have a

haemorrhage and bleed. They bleed through their beak or their bottom

end. They are sick for a long period leading up to their death. 30 years

ago, 5% of owls had a rat poison in their system and now it is more than

80%. They want dating to prevent rats moving to an area band. For

poisons to be used as a last resort and for better labelling of poison

to make people realise it isn't just rats who will be affected. Rats take

a long time today after eating the bait. Some of them are caught by

birds of prey and some of them die as a result. The poisons are eaten

by wood mice and smaller mammals and some of those are eaten by

predators. There is two roots of contamination. Darren Smith is

dealing with a growing number of rats. The heavy rain has flushed

many of them off. He says you need to cut off their food supply and

find out where they are living. It is very hard to trap and adult rat.

If you put a snap trap down, they are unlikely to go into that. Dead

rats should be buried 18 inches underground to stop passing ``

poison harming other creatures. South West`based airline Flybe says

it will start a new route from Newquay airport which was previously

run by Easyjet. Flybe says the flights from Cornwall to Southend

will operate three times a week from May to September. The airline

already flies from Newquay to Gatwick but says that will stop if

the government doesn't agree to subsidise it.

New figures show the south west coast path generates millions of

pounds towards the local economy. In 2012, 630 miles of the region's

coastline brought in ?436 million. You can find out more about that in

BBC Radio Devon's breakfast programme tomorrow from 6.30.

For the first time since 1986, a new leader of thousands of Catholics

across the South West will be ordained at Plymouth Cathedral.

Tomorrow's ceremony in which Mark O'Toole will officially succeed

Christopher Budd after nearly 30 years will be attended by the past

and present heads of the catholic church in England and Wales.

Plymouth may help the cathedral but tomorrow this man would lead to

Catholics not only in Devon but in Cornwall, Dorset and the Isles of

Scilly also. The cathedral for Catholics is the heart of the life

of faith. The place where I will be celebrating a lot of the services of

the community. As preparations are made, I asked Mark about the days

after the ceremony when the work to appeal to people who have moved away

from the church begins. We have been bolstered by the migrant communities

and the Philippines. We want to reach out to those who were once

Catholic and now the message no longer resonates. We have to meet

people where they are. That is one of the things that Pope Francis

talks about. We have to be willing to take risks. How are you going to

get in amongst people? One is a thing called night Fever which I

have seen work in other cities. You simply open the church on a Friday

night and you go out onto the streets and invite anybody who might

be going out for the night. Will you do that in Plymouth? They are

invited to come in and light a candle and think about people who

are important in their lives. These are the new people the Bishop is

wanting to reach out to. Once you grow up, you stop. I don't go

preaching the Bible to everyone, I have just read it. Did you ever go

to church? I did, yes. Why not now? Time.

Around 100 families have been welcoming home the crew of HMS

Talent which has returned to its home base of Devonport. The nuclear

submarine has been on deployment in the Mediterranean and the Gulf for

the last five months. Spotlight's John Ayres was there to see her

homecoming. The families lined the quayside to give their loved ones a

warm welcome. The Plymouth weather wasn't that welcoming. Many of them

had to take shelter in a dockyard cafe as they waited. When the crew

were able to come to shore, it was that special moment. I wanted to

come back for Christmas but I couldn't. Hopefully I will get time

at home now. How do you feel? It is great. Glad to have him home with

us. Long periods under the sea coupled with the military

sensitivities around their work means they can often go sometime

without being able to communicate with friends and family. We get

e`mails once a week maybe but it depends where we are at and what we

are doing. It can be understand that they understand. That lack of

day`to`day communication can be tough and for the younger sailors,

back home they are used to constant contact. They have to commit a lot

to the Royal Navy. Their families commit and we couldn't do their job

without them. Our families play a vital part in this. For now, this

areas are having that special time with their families. To the sport

now and Yeovil Town's 2`0 FA Cup exit at Premier League Southampton

was maybe a little harsh, but now they have to concentrate solely on

staying in the Championship, starting at Derby County tomorrow

night. They gave away a needless penalty when Jamie McAllister

handled unnecessarily from a corner to give the Saints the lead from the

penalty spot. They scored what proved to be the decisive goal 20

minutes from the end. Always proud of our club. I am sure

the directors were proud of their club. We have to go to Derby and put

on that first half performance of two halves. Exeter City's dramatic

slide down League Two continues following a 2`1 reverse at AFC

Wimbledon. City actually led in South London after only four minutes

through an own goal, but the Dons turned that round to send Exeter

down to 16th and to their fifth defeat in six games.

At Home Park, Plymouth Argyle had to thank Luke Young's late free`kick

which earned them a point in a 1`1 draw with Cheltenham Town and the

honeymoon is over for Torquay United's Chris Hargreaves. Oxford

beat them by a single goal at the Kassam Stadium to ruin his second

match as manager. They remain next`to`the`bottom of the table.

Exeter Chiefs can still qualify for the semi`finals of rugby's

Anglo`Welsh Cup after their 36`22 win over Ospreys at Sandy Park. They

out`scored the Welsh side by five tries to four, including two from

England under`20 hooker Luke Cowan`Dickie. If pool leaders Sale

Sharks fail to pick up a bonus point win at Ospreys on Friday night, and

the Chiefs manage to record one at Worcester the day after, they'll go

through. The Cornish Pirates head coach Ian

Davies has been promoted to Director of Rugby. Davies, who's 40, has

developed the Pirates into a strong Championship team which is currently

lying sixth in the table. Meanwhile, the Pirates have been drawn against

Pontypridd at home in the quarterfinals of the British and

Irish Cup. Plymouth Albion face a tough away tie at Leeds.

Truro Golf Club's Sarah`Jane Boyd represents England this week in the

Portuguese International Ladies' Amateur Championship. The

22`year`old reigning English amateur champion also hopes to make her mark

in the Nations' Cup, which is part of the event. It starts on Wednesday

and goes through until Saturday. Now, an urgent plea's going out to

the people of the South West tonight for...wait for it...metronomes! If

you're musical you'll know what that is, but if not, it's a device

musicians can use to keep their timing accurate. Well a group in

Totnes needs 100 of them by Friday, where they won't be helping with the

music but making it instead. Spotlight's Andrea Ormsby has the

story. Practising for the pub. It might not

sounds like pub music that this is a new thing. We are trying to make

classical music happen in a place other than expensive concert halls.

Not everyone can get there. Not everyone can afford it. We really

think this music has a life outside of the concert hall. There is that

implication that it is a little bit unbuttoned. This is how the night

will start. The sound of just seven metronomes but on Friday night, they

are hoping to have 100. Imagine sitting with your point and you set

them off and listen to these crazy metronomes going. Is this musical? I

think it is, yes. I am finding the way they are coming in and out of

being in line with each other, the sound. At times it can sound like an

army marching and then as if they are marching out of sync with each

other. There they are coming back into sync with each other. There

will be a whole range of music played. I don't know what to say

about that. Time now for the weather forecast. There is a couple of

weather warnings on the way. Good evening to you. We have more

rain in the forecast, mainly in the form of some heavy showers. Every

time the shower turns up, the rainfall adds up over the space of a

day. It is showery this week and much colder and breezy. Late in the

week, those wins will drop. For tonight and tomorrow, we still have

weather warnings of further rain in the form of those heavy showers.

They keep on coming and they won't die away overnight. They would be

around for much of the day tomorrow. There is an area of low pressure and

the main line of cloud is gradually moving southwards over the next 24

hours. It will lie over us by the middle of the day tomorrow. We will

see plenty of showers associated with that. We draw in easterly winds

but there is colder air heading our way. You can see how these strands

of rain have peppered the region. Our cameraman got the glimpse of

that weather. Every now and then we did get some sunshine today. We will

have a similar weather pattern tonight. We have clear skies and

they will drop the temperatures later on tonight. We have some

lovely glimpses of cloud on the back end of the day. We have one or two

showers with us and one or two of them can be heavy. Overnight

temperatures dipping to three Celsius. Probably not quite as cold

as last night but still cold enough in a few places for a touch of

frost. A windy day tomorrow. The showers are coming and going through

to the afternoon. Becoming more isolated the further west you are.

Temperatures around eight Celsius. With the wind chill, it will feel

colder than that. For the Isles of Scilly, we will have showers in the

morning but it will improve in the afternoon. It is a blustery day here

along the rest of our coastline. Plenty of showers are dotted around

and we have showers on Wednesday. Feeling colder on Thursday.

That is it. Natalie will be back with the late news at 1020 5p.

Goodbye. `` 10:25pm.