09/08/2013 BBC Oxford News

from Oxford. In tonight's programme: New

proposals for a massive airport in Oxfordshire. Could these fields

become an airfield with four runways?

Also, secret shoppers - a recruitment drive to help put

retailers to the test. And later on, the power of yoga -

how the exercise is helping to heal both body and mind for servicemen

Good evening. It's being presented as a serious plan, to provide a

much-needed increase in airport capacity. Detailed proposals for a

four runway mega airport, to be built in the Oxfordshire countryside

near Abingdon, will now be considered alongside the so-called

Boris Island and other equally ambitious schemes. Those behind the

LOX project claim it's the best of the options on the table for the

environment, that few people would be displaced because it's a largely

rural location, and the site is easily accessible - making it an

airport for the country, not just London and the South East. But

there's already a groundswell of people against the idea. Angie

Walker reports. We would be in the middle of one of

four runways and you would see four passenger terminals stretching for

over a mile. The plans are ridiculous. An airport has been

talked about for a number of years and never come to anything. But the

scale and resizing of this are immense, we are talking about a four

runway airport. The chocolate box village of East Hani is currently

home to fewer than 1000 people. But if these proposals by the airports

commission were accepted, it could become the side of Britain's biggest

airport, handling 125 million passengers a year by 2014. It would

make everything noisy and bring all the traffic in. It would be a

disaster. We would rather have a railway station. People would hate

it. I certainly would. The airport would be between East Hani to the

south and march to the North and the Department of Transport says the

proposals is one of a range which will be considered, although a

decision is not due until after the next general election. Here they are

already gearing up for a fight. Our transport correspondent Paul Clifton

is here. Is this a viable? Yes, the area is large, flat. You could put

an airport twice the size of Heathrow there. There will be huge

opposition. Yes, there are three problems - thirst this is not about

just where you put a runway. The airport will employ tens of

thousands people, where will they live? Level their children go to

school? Abingdon is nowhere near Central London. Third, there is no

good way to get 125 million people in a year. Any new airport would

have to take most passengers by train, the great Western train line

is alongside but it is already busy. Surely any new airport west of

London would have to be collected to a high-speed two. What happens to

these proposals? This is one of 50 plans. Expanding Heathrow, Gatwick

or Stansted is the obvious solution but the Mayor of London wants a new

airport east of London and that is further than where most passengers

need to go. The decision will be made by positive shuns and can you

really see them voting to cover our lot of rural Oxfordshire in

concrete? -- politicians. Oxford Rugby Club's paid tribute to

one of its coaches who died suddenly last week after being stung by

wasps. 43-year-old Will Lay suffered a major allergic reaction and later

passed away in hospital. The rugby club's described him as a popular

and hardworking coach who will be greatly missed.

The Chief Fire Officer of Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes is

suggesting a brand new tax is needed to fund the fire service. At the

moment, government grants and part of our council tax pays for

fire-fighters. But Mark Jones says the money isn't enough and if there

was a separate tax the public might be more supportive of a rise.

year the government grant diminishes and each council taxes are

constrained. At some future time, I am concerned public services will go

to a point where public safety levels are affected. We should

hypothesise and emergency services taxation so people know where the

money goes to. A team of volunteers is being

recruited in Buckinghamshire to be the eyes and ears of trading

standards. They'll work as secret shoppers, spot problems on farms in

rural areas, and help vulnerable people in their local communities.

Jessica Cooper has spent the day with some new recruits. Secret

shopping in Aylesbury. Today just a practice. Trading standards watch

what happens when volunteer Craig tries to buy alcohol with a tiny

hidden camera on his T-shirt. need to engage more closely with

communities, communities are more aware of their consumer protection

needs that we can be. It is a big county, we have got few offices and

we need to spread our engagement right out into the community.

is not just about mystery shopping. There are more than 1000 farms in

and trading standards get weekly calls about welfare problems. In

future that is something volunteers can help with. This saves the

trading standards team shuffling about everywhere. We are the eyes on

the ground. It is so much more efficient. This pensioner is

inundated with junk mail. These letters came in the last two days.

And he gets nuisance calls, sometimes one every ten minutes. His

local training standards volunteer spotted the problem. I caught him

early enough to point it out, but there is a lot of people who have

not got good mental states and they are very vulnerable and could lose

their homes. More than 20 volunteers have already signed up. They will be

given training before being sent out to make sure trading standards are

up to scratch in Buckinghamshire. Shooting a major feature film in

Oxfordshire is worth �32,000 a DAY to the local economy. That's

according to the TV and film agency Creative England. It's thought a

prime time television drama could bring in more than �1.5 million over

the duration of the shoot. And the benefits can last long afterwards,

by putting film locations on the tourist trail. Victoria Cook

reports. Blenheim Palace, a favourite with

the tourists and with the film-makers. Almost everywhere you

look there is another famous scene. The courtyard transformed for

Hamlet. It was almost unrecognisable for Gulliver 's travels and if you

are a Harry Potter fan, do you recognise this tree? Antonia Keany

has been running tours on all the films shot here. I think our

visitors love it. With so many film crews and celebrities staying

nearby, it is good news for local businesses. Many state at The

Feathers Hotel. Michael Caine was spotted eating here while filming

Sherlock Holmes. They are very starstruck. You try not to stare.

Just carry on as normal. Oxford city centre has been the backdrop of

dozens of films and TV dramas over the years. Each one brings a boost

for the local economy. Creative England estimates that is an average

film production will spend �19,000 a day. It creates jobs, growth and

culturally and from the tourism aspect, there are good benefits to

filming. Alastair hosts walking tours in Oxford city centre. He's

used to being asked about all the famous locations. They loved going

to Exeter College where Paul Morse has a heart attack having come out

of the chapel. Can show them the exact spot where he collapses.