24/02/2014 BBC Channel Islands News

One, we now join the BBC's news teams where

Good evening. Coming up tonight Delays at the airport as transport

bosses battle heritage campaigners to knock down the old Arrivals hall.

A new deal for older people in Guernsey who can now keep property

assets and get extra care. Plus, 100 years on, we hear a

Guernsey soldier's memories of World War One.

And he's got the voice but will he get the votes? We join a Jerseyman's

journey to pop stardom. Plans to demolish Jerzy's airport

arrivals building will have to be rethought after a decision on the

matter was delayed by the planning Minister. It port bosses want to

knock down the 1937 terminal as they say it is too close to the runway.

Deputy Duhamel wants to come up with alternatives, including moving the

runway instead. Four years after originally asking

to demolish Jersey Airport Arrivals hall, it's still standing. And looks

like it will be for a while longer yet. At a planning meeting this

morning the Minister Deputy Robert Duhamel delayed his decision. Jersey

Airport's arguments have remained the same throughout this.. The

building's too high and as such is a safety risk, and if it remains, the

Civil Aviation Authority will be forced to impose flying restrictions

that will "severely impact business". But the Minister, who

only listed the building last month, also has to consider the heritage

argument, and so today delayed his decision to explore an alternative

to knocking down the hall. But some officials believe that alternative

isn't realistic". He has asked for a review of the possibility of what

the impact, the financial impact and environmental impact, would be

shifting the runway by however many metres required so that it would

take the 1937 building out of the equation in terms of being an

obstacle for that runway. I think it is going to be pretty obvious that

this will not be a solution. Airport bosses say while they respect the

minister's decision to delay an outcome, it could take months to get

the runway plans together. And they're worried about the impact of

moving the runway closer to the heart of St Peter. We already know

that if they move the runway towards the north there will be significant

impact on Saint Peter, not only in the North but also on approaches,

other buildings will have to be demolished. That significantly

outweighs the removal of this one building. But the decision to delay

spells good news for heritage campaigners. Everyone acknowledges

that it is a building of national importance, British national

importance. It is the last remaining, I believe, building of

that vintage existing in the whole of the United Kingdom now. Jersey

Airport hopes to start work on a new arrivals hall that meets modern

safety standards by 2017. But this latest twist could see those plans

struggle to get off the ground on time.

Meanwhile a decision on whether a five`storey, glass`fronted office

complex should be built on Jersey's seafront has also been deferred

Deputy Duhamel refused the original scheme next to the Grand hotel last

year, but the developer Dandara has since changed the design.

Guernsey's Chief Minister could be asked to step down after an article

in this month's Private Eye magazine. It focused Deputy Peter

Harwood's involvement in the Channel Island Stock Exchange, whilst he was

also chairman of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission. It's

led to calls for him to resign, even if it's just temporary. The issue

was due to be discussed this afternoon after concerns about the

potential damage to the island's reputation.

For the first time, people in Guernsey will be able to buy flats

at the States new Extra Care housing developments. The old Maison

Maritaine and Longue Rue residential homes are both being replaced ` and

the new buildings are set to include a number of apartments to be sold on

a 'partial ownership' basis. Penny Elderfield reports.

Kathryn will be 101 when she moves in here. A big change from the one

bedroom she lives in had her current residential home. It is so different

to have so much space around after living in one small room, and we

have got two or three rooms to walk through. It will really be quite

different, very pleasant. Allowing people to live more independently,

with the extra help they need on site, is really the way state care

homes are going. We have got wider doorways, lower light switches and

higher sockets as well. It has been designed for wheelchair turning

circles. One of two new developments, this should be

finished by the summer. And for the first time some of these flats will

also be available to buy. We know there is a lot of demand. We have

got 100 plus people already expressing an interest. Partial

ownership will and able people to own a property and to access these

schemes, just like people who want to rent here. But with just ten

flats available for partial ownership across the two sites ` and

plans for another seven, demand is likely to outstrip supply. This is

only a small number of flats, but we have got to start somewhere, and it

is useful to ascertain the demand. If there is a big demand, we will

look to try to do more in the future. But the reality of living

here is just months away for Kathryn ` and it's something she's looking

forward to. This year marks the 100th

anniversary of the beginning of the First World War. More than 2.5

million men volunteered to serve in the British Army ` among them,

thousands of Channel Islanders. 18`year`old Edmund Lenfestey was

just one of the many Guernsey men who volunteered to serve. When he

returned to the island in 1919, he wrote about his experiences at some

of the bloodiest battles in history. Mike Wilkins reports.

I must honestly mention that I have never sang hymns and prayed so much

as I did in this area. It was absolutely playing with life and

death. A Guernseyman's memories of life on the front line. Edmund

Lenfesty served in the seventh Division of the Royal Field

Artillery and saw action at the Somme, Ypres and Passchendaele.

Extracts from his memoirs also tell of us of the lucky escape at

Passchendaele as he ran along duckboards just as the German

artillery spotted him. So I ran like I never had done before and luckily

for me I caught my toe on an overlapping board and fell plumb on

my face which stunned me for a bit. A shell exploded just in front and I

only had the dirt. And his wartime experiences were still vivid 70

years later when he spoke to the Imperial War Museum. It was

horrible, but there you are, you had to go. You never thought about

yourself. But all the same, it was a frightening experience. Almost 00

years on and Edmund's shell case still stands proud in his grandson's

living room. Edmund often mentioned the hand of God in his memoirs but

avoided mentioning it when he rewrote them later in life as his

grandson Shane told me. He was very religious person. I found

interesting that in his first rat in 1919, he attributes his survival to

divine providence. But when he came to rewrite his memoir is years

later, he left all of that out. It is almost as if he realised, it was

presumptuous to assume that it was divine providence. I think he

realised it was really just luck that saw him through. Edmund was a

modest man and his family say he was just one of many who did their duty,

and not all of them came back. And it's sobering when you read the

names carved onto our war memorials. Around 5000 people left Guernsey to

go and fight, and there are almost a thousand people listed on here is

killed in action. Just looking at the Guernsey example, on December

one, 1917, nearly 100 Guernsey men were killed in that one day. If that

happens nowadays, it would make international, let alone national

news. There is nothing like that on that sort of scale, thankfully,

happening nowadays. 100 years is a long time ` but when almost all of

us have a direct connection to the First World War, its impact still

lives on. And World War One At Home continues

this week on BBC Radio Guernsey and BBC Radio Jersey ` and here on BBC

Channel Islands News. A singer from Jersey has made it

through to the second stage of the BBC programme The Voice. Jamie

Lovatt, who went to Hautlieu School, appeared in the singing show on

Saturday night, performing Everybody's Free in front of the

likes of Kylie Minogue answer Tom Jones. `` Sir Tom Jones.

To be successful in all I do, that is all that matters. I am from

Jersey. It is an amazing place, beautiful.

Taking to the stage in front of an audience of millions but for

24`year`old Jamie from Jersey this isn't any music contest. This

competition works by the contestants singing and then the panel,

including artists like well I am and Kylie Minogue, turning around if

they like the sound of the contestants' voice. And for Jamie

Day did. Having the contestants `` judges' Baxter you helps. `` backs

to you. I really wanted Ricky and Kylie to turn around. Ricky being a

front man, and having a similar background to me, made it easier to

go with them. I am going to go with you, Ricky. It was Ricky Wilson that

Jamie decided to choose as his mentor. I am over the moon. Jamie

moved to London from Jersey when he was 18 to focus on his music, but he

says his roots definitely lie here in the Channel Islands. I am the

first contestant to go on a show like this from the Channel Islands,

point`blank. For Guernsey as well, if this encourages more people from

the islands to try stuff like this, from both islands, and the rest of

the little islands we have got amongst us as the channel, I think

that is a really positive thing Jamie will be back on our screens

here on BBC One on Saturday the 7th of March as he continues in his

quest to land that all important record deal and be named The Voice

UK. Good luck, Jamie. Just before the

weather, UK archaeologists are in Jersey at the moment assessing

damage after the recent storms. Evidence of Neanderthal man and

woolly mammoths have been found in the past, and some of the best

archaeology in northern Europe. But winter storms have eroded some of

the ground which has protected those remains for years. The recent storms

have removed some of the sediment and some of the boulders that would

previously have protected the sediment from further erosion. We

have got the challenge of coming up with an understanding of how this

process is taking place and developing a plan for the site's

future management. Let's get the weather.

We are expecting things to turn wet and windy tonight. Strong winds and

heavy rain, gale force winds at times, and potentially 20 to 30

millilitres of rain, as a band of rain pushes and from the West. But

it will be a dry start the night, especially across parts of Jersey.

Clear skies for a time. Rain makes its way in from the west. The wind

direction, southerly featured, that changes to a south`westerly feature,

he'll force winds at times. Wind speed, about 20`30 mph. Overnight

lows of seven or eight Celsius, it will not be a cold night. These

temperatures are above average. A fairly dry start tomorrow, showers

make their way across from the West, heavy at times across parts of

Guernsey, and strong winds at times tomorrow, adding to that unsettled

field. Sunny spells as well, temperatures reaching ten, maybe 11

Celsius. Above average, yet again. Coastal waters forecast, the sea

temperature will be about nine or 10 Celsius. Wind speed is fairly

strong, these are times of high waters tomorrow. Quite large waves

expected because of those strong winds. Quite a choppy and messy

condition out on the sea. Strong winds because of this area of low

pressure north of the UK. A brief respite on Wednesday before another

band of rain mixed with towards us. Introducing further bands of heavy

rain and heavy showers behind that. Hopefully, some sunny spells as

well. It is not all bad news over the next few days. The winds will

remain fairly strong at times, top ten gritters reaching ten or 11

Celsius. `` top temperatures. That's all from me. Coverage from

the First World War continue on BBC Radio Kent Guernsey and radio

Jersey. they went through. This is up for

consultation `` National Parks. Still to come in Spotlight tonight:

The first in a special series 100 years on. How this landscape was

changed by the start of the First world war. And Plymouth's BRIT

award`winning drummer turns his hand to football commentary. Time for the

sport and a BRIT Award winner was the lucky mascot for Plymouth Argyle

at the weekend, Dave. He was banging the drum for Plymouth Argyle. It's

now seven defeats from the last eight for Exeter Chiefs in rugby's

Premiership. It follows their 23`10 loss at second`placed Saracens. They

actually led by seven points to nil through Ian Whitten's try, but

Sarries managed to go into the interval on level terms. Gareth

Steenson's penalty put Chiefs 10`7 ahead, but that was the end of

Exeter's scoring as Saracens showed what they're capable of with another

touchdown. The weekend's football saw pick`me`ups for Yeovil Town and

Plymouth Argyle, with the drummer of pop band Bastille providing the

commentary on the Pilgrims. For Exeter City and Torquay United, it

isn't good reading after home defeats, leaving the Gulls in dire

straits in League Two. Instead of people talking about as being bottom

of the league, we can say we are unbeaten in three. It is a bit more

of a positive. Doncaster and Millwall still to come. That was

even more reason why that was important. He hits the crossbar!

Plymouth Argyle score! A dream start. You cannot swear or shout at

the referee. He also asked me to try and contain myself if they scored. I

was biting my fist when we scored. It was a great experience. Everyone

here has been welcoming. I had a great day. 2`1! What a cross! The

referee played his part, at a river could advantage. The throw and is

taken, good save and it is in the net. A good save! Lovely turn, still

in possession on the edge of the 18 yard box. He has scored with ten

minutes to go for Accrington Stanley! Teignmouth Paralympian

James Bevis has won gold at the British Shooting Championships in

Bisley to add to his bronze medal from the 2012 Paralympics. He won

the British title in the indoor rifle 10m prone event. James now

concentrates on the World Championships in Germany later this

year. Finally, BBC Radio Devon and the BBC sport website will be across

Tuesday night's League Two football for Plymouth Argyle at Fleetwood

Town, Exeter City at home to Wycombe Wanderers and Torquay United's home

clash with Burton Albion. Justin. 2014 marks one hundred years since

the outbreak of the First World War. The conflict changed lives right

across the South West and this week on Spotlight we'll be looking at the

impact of World War One at home. We've unearthed some remarkable

stories showing the region and its people at war, from the Exeter nurse

on the Front line to the lace factory that made munitions. The

series starts tonight in West Cornwall, where I've been finding

out about the role of the airships stationed there. 100 years ago, the

site of enormous airships in the skies above Cornwall, when few

Cornish people had seen an aeroplane, must have increased the

sense of fear and foreboding. When Germany declared a submarine

blockade of Britain in 1915, the airships were given the job of

spotting them. 100 years on, this is all that is left, these concrete

blocks would have held massive hangar doors and to give you an idea

of the scale of the hangar, it would have been 80 feet high. The airships

themselves would have come out through the doors, either side there

would have been windbreaks allowing them a clear take off over the

English Channel. Local historian Peter London has studied the role of

the airships and how strategically important they were. It was vital,

sinkings had increased to almost catastrophic proportions. This was

one of the busiest stations, patrolling from dawn until dusk,

seven days a week. It was almost regardless of the weather. What sort

of impact did the base have? : so. `` it was massive. The hangers were

large. One was the size of Wembley football pitch. They were nearly 80

feet high in the area. Local people would never have seen anything like

it. To see an airship would have been like something out of classic

literature for local people. The memories of one of the pilots who

took off from this site were recorded for the archives of the

Imperial War Museum in 1972. He was stationed here from 1917. We would

keep a watch on fishing fleets, because there were recorded cases of

submarines coming up to the surface and shelling the fishing fleets. The

modern`day anti`submarine fleet at RAF cold rows is based in line of

sight of the old air Station. The role undertaken by helicopters is

substantially the same, but conditions on board are very

different. With respect to the airship, it is a small, contained

environment, five guys living in that condition, very cold, open to

the elements. Working in that environment for upwards of 15 to 20

hours, it was the longest patrol time, we are more comfortable, we

are still airborne for up to three hours with the right conditions, but

we are heated and a lot more comfortable. I would be happier

flying in this than 100 years ago. Do you look back at that time and

think of the sacrifices they were making and the pioneering spirit

that they had which led to the Royal Navy of today? Yes. The guys then

did an incredible job under massive stress. That has led to the ethos

that the Navy has taken on and we are very proud. As well as naval

tradition being built on the work of airships pilots, the technology they

developed helped form the basis for a modern`day anti`submarine

warfare. They pioneered some of the things we use today like Hydra

phonics. There were the acoustics and sounds we use as well. Having

researched the story, when you look across there are, what goes through

your mind? We have flown for up to three hours, and that can be

arduous, but 12 hours in an aircraft, looking for something, it

is quite emotional. We have a lot to thank them for. It is not just the

ethos that lives on, a physical legacy from the old air station is

still at the heart of one of the communities. At the end of the First

World War, when soldiers were coming back home, they called a meeting in

the school in 1919, and suggested that they put their demob money

towards buying this building. How did it physically end up here? From

farmlands. It was brought down here and rebuilt. It is amazing to think

we have this wonderful legacy out of something which was so horrific. It

is wonderful. Originally it was a YMCA building. They were the

trustees for some years. Then the village took it over. A good place.

On the ground and in the air, the work of those early aviators lives

on. Tomorrow the series continues when we reveal how a Devon factory

found itself on a war footing. If you want to know more about World

War I At Home, a partnership between the BBC and Imperial War Museum, go

to bbc.co.uk/ww1, and you can hear more on your local BBC radio station

tomorrow morning at 8:15am. It's time for the weather now and

tonight Owen Wyn`Evans has all the details for us.

Some fairly settled weather, but it has been breezy with some sunny

spells. The story will change tonight, we are expecting heavy rain

and the story for this week is further bands of heavy rain and

showers, very windy at times, gale`force winds on the coast, but

it is still fairly mild. This is the satellite image from earlier, you

can see the cloud in the Atlantic. This is a deep area of low pressure

and this is what will make things unsettled for us over the next few

days. You can see what is likely to happen. Rain moving into the East,

these isobars, close together, which means strong winds. Tuesday into

Wednesday, as the low pressure moves away, a brief respite before this

low pressure system introduces another band of rain and heavy

showers and strong winds. The radar image from earlier, we can see the

rain creeping into some parts of the South West. That will continue on

its journey into the East over the next few hours. We will take a

closer look from. That rain could get heavier at times. Behind it,

plenty of showers. Some parts of Cornwall will dry up, but further

east, the showers will turn heavier for a time. The winds will

strengthen and change direction, but temperatures tonight are quite mild.

We are looking at six or seven degrees. Tomorrow morning, it will

not be as pleasant as this morning, but some sunny spells, especially in

parts of Somerset and plenty of heavy showers making their way

across the South West. You can see the wind direction, we are expecting

some gales along the coast. Temperatures tomorrow are not very

disappointing, ten or 11 degrees. Those strong winds will take the

edge off those temperatures. For the Isles of Scilly, temperatures around

ten or 11 degrees, strong winds, high water at 13 .04. These are the

times of high water. Quite windy and blustery conditions, so the surf

conditions are quite choppy. The coastal waters forecast... Quite a

rough sea and the gale`force winds will add to that unsettled field.

Over the next three days, it is not all bad news, we will see sunny

spells and on Wednesday, between this area of low pressure and the

next, a defect `` a brief respite. Looking forward to the weekend, more

in the way of strong winds and heavy rain. There is more information on

the weather website.