21/10/2013 BBC Oxford News

Hello and welcome to South Today from Oxford. In tonight's programme:

The cancer patient who says cuts to his benefits will leave him

struggling to cope. Paul Marlow is about to lose ?200 a

month and says he won't be able to buy food or heat his house.

Also tonight: Patricia Goodband's murder ` the court hears the man on

trial may have lied, but that didn't mean he killed her.

And later on: On target to win ` how Matt Skelhon is hoping to add

European glory to his Paralympic success.

A man living with cancer says a reduction in his disability living

allowance has forced him to register with a local food bank ` because he

can no longer afford to feed himself properly. Paul Marlow from Barton

finds it difficult to walk far. But he's now been told he'll lose more

than two hundred pounds a month, because his needs have been

re`assessed. Victoria Cook reports. Paul Marlow found out his bladder

cancer had come back this year. He's had it for a decade. Now he faces

his 38th operation. He says walking is tough, and working impossible.

Now he faces paying ever`increasing bills with even less money because

the government says he isn't entitled to Disability living

allowance. He's now appealing the decision.

He's called in the help of his local MP and councillors.

Suzy Drohan is the manager of the Oxfordshire Welfare rights centre.

She's taken on Paul's case. The team here have more than a

ninety per cent success rate in appealing benefit cut decisions.

The Department for Work and Pensions says it gives DLA to those who

struggle to walk ` it makes its decision on whether to give that

benefit based on medical evidence. It says if people aren't happy with

its decision they can appeal. Now Paul will have to wait to hear the

results of his, but he's been told it may take more than two months to

be processed. The jury's begun considering its

verdict in the trial of an Aylesbury man accused of murdering another man

with a crossbow bolt. Darrell Farnham was had been shot on the

chest. He was found on the doorstep of his home in Belgrave Road back in

June. Russell Gill from Lavendar Walk has admitted manslaughter. He

claimed the crossbow had gone off by accident when he was attacked by Mr

Farnham's dog. Reading Crown Court heard that the victim was a drug

dealer, and that the men had argued over an unpaid debt.

A former school governor from Abingdon has gone on trial accused

of sexual offences against young girls. Paul Townsend of Hadland Road

has since resigned from his post at Dunmore Pre`School board of

governors, and as president of Abingdon's chamber of commerce. He's

standing trial for a number of offences, including sexual activity

with a girl under 13. None of the allegations relate to children at

the pre`school. He told a lie ` but that doesn't

mean he's guilty of murder. The words today of the defence barrister

representing Christopher Symons, who's on trial for the killing of

his business partner Patricia Goodband. Her body was found at her

home near Aylesbury last December. Reading Crown Court was told that

too much weight had been placed on the defendant's earlier claim to

have dropped the victim at a train station ` something later proved to

be untrue. Angela Walker reports. For 15 years Godfrey was at the

scene of 999 calls before paramedics. But his much loved

volunteering came to an emergency stop after he drove at 33 miles per

hour in a 20 zone. He said he hadn't realised the speed limit. Godfrey

appealed the decision and came to meet the chief executive at the

ambulance headquarters here in Bicester. The trust still maintains

Godfrey committed serious traffic offences. But it's now said in

recognition of the way he's served his local community and the trust

for so many years, it has reviewed the dismissal and agreed to retrain

and reassess him. By Phil thrilled that the ambulance

service had reviewed the case, given me the opportunity to take a driving

reassessment and thereafter give me the chance to be reinstated and come

back to Farringdon to do the thing I've been doing, serving the

community as a responder. When local plummer David had a major heart

attack it was Godfrey who saved his life.

You can't survive in this sort of community without this facility.

Yes, a mistake appears to have been made, but through no reason apart

from potentially trying to save somebody's life will stop.

His hard work in Faringdon hadn't gone unnoticed ` locals started a

campaign to get him re`instated. So, how will he thank them?

I can thank them by coming back into the community with a smile on my

face. Tonight sees the third in a series

of public meetings to discuss Oxfordshire County Council's need to

make millions of pounds in savings, by cutting back on some services it

currently provides. The aim is to gauge local opinion ahead of any

decisions being taken. The meeting's being held in Wantage at the Civic

Hall, and is being chaired by BBC South Today's Emma Vardy. The leader

of the council and senior council managers will be taking questions

from the floor. Two further meetings are also planned. The County Council

is grappling with the need to save ?61 million on top of cuts that had

already been agreed. ?61 million on top of

On Friday, we ran a report about an armed stand`off with police in

Kidlington near Oxford. The report contained a photograph of the wrong

man ` which had been given to us by the police. We used that picture in

good faith, and we'd like to apologise sincerely to the man in

question, Daniel Rodriguez`Lay. The football action from Oxford

United, Swindon and the MK Dons is coming up in a few minutes. I would

like at eight o'clock and 10:25pm. That's all from me for the moment,

here's Sally that it says has helped more

teenagers get vocational qualifications.

Still to come in this evening's South Today: Aiming high ` the

Paralympic gold medallist shooting for gold again this week in Spain.

Plans to demolish a clubhouse used by anglers in Weymouth have been

rejected by councillors. The lease on the current clubhouse expires

next year. The council wants to knock it down and build a car park

in order to generate more money. Members of the Harbour Management

Board voted 4`1 to keep the club on the site. One year after the

collapse of the company that installed Bournemouth's artificial

surf reef, and its owner still can't be traced.

Nick Behunin ran New Zealand`based ASR Limited which built the ?3.2m

Boscombe Reef in 2009 but the company went into liquidation last

September. Bournemouth Council is owed almost ?15,000 and other local

contractors involved in the reef's construction four years ago are

still owed as much as ?34,000. Parents in Dorset have vowed to

fight a decision to close day nurseries which are run by the

County Council. The facilities in Blandford and Shaftesbury, which

include an out of school club, are used by 250 children. The council

says the loss of Government grants means it can no longer afford to

keep them open, but parents fear finding suitable alternatives may be

impossible. It's the weekend and playtime at

Lola's house. But during the week the children gathered here spend

time playing away from their homes. They go to Shaftsbury Nursery, which

is run by Dorset County Council. The news that it's to close has

devastated the parents who depend upon it. It was a complete shock and

a bolt out of the blue. It caused panic, because I thought, there are

going to be all of these children, looking for other nursery places in

a very small town. It is so good there, I can't see how they can

justify closing somewhere that would give our children the best start in

life. Dorset County Council say the loss of the Government's Early Years

Foundation grant means that its two nurseries, at Sure Start centres in

Shaftsbury and Blandford, as well as an out of school club there, are

losing around ?130,000 a year and are no longer financially

Viable. It is unusual for councils to directly operated nurseries for

children. It becomes increasingly difficult, when there is a deficit

budget, to keep those sorts of facilities open. It is with a heavy

heart we are having to take this decision. Parents have until the end

of March to find somewhere else for their children to go, and are being

offered support. These mums says Shaftsbury's only other nursery and

pre`school are full. They're working together to try and to persuade the

council to rethink a decision they find hard to accept.

Claims of poor pay and zero hour contracts for cleaners working on

First Great Western trains have resulted in further strike action

this Friday. Members of rail union RMT, working for sub`contractors

Mitie, will take industrial action for 24 hours from Friday morning.

The union say it's a fight for a living wage and workplace justice.

First Great Western said negotiations are ongoing and accused

the RMT of playing political games rather than resolving the issues.

Smart card tickets for commuters travelling into London will be

rolled out to more stations in West Sussex today. Southern Rail is

extending usage of its Key smart card to enable commuters to buy

tickets into London. The company says the scheme marks the first step

towards abandoning paper tickets all together.

On to sport. Saints did very well? They certainly did. Pre`season, I

spoke to the Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino and said, how

high can the team go? He said, there is no real limit. He's not going to

set a limit on what his team can do. They are a surprise package.

Saints were fourth for about two hours on Saturday night, before wins

for Manchester City and Tottenham over the weekend knocked them back

to sixth, they've lost just once in their opening eight fixtures. A

great result for them on Saturday. Mauricio Pochettino so far seems an

inspired choice by the man who calls the shots, Nicola Cortese. An early

chance for Saints, but Pablo Osvaldo could have done better. United in

front, Januzai's pass, Boruc with a good save but Van Persie with the

follow up. It is always tough when you are behind at Old Trafford.

Saints left it late, but the goal is being credited to Dejan Lovren. What

a signing he has been. 1`1. Sunni TRANSLATION: We pressed high

up the pitch, we pressed a lot. I want to congratulate them, it is

difficult to come to a ground like Old Trafford and get a result. We

were deciding just to play, to see what we could do. And we took the

one point. Going very well indeed. next year. The council wants to

knock it down and build a car rather than by back into it with two

headers. The second a classic own goal. There was great composure to

find a winner two minutes from time. They lost the composure as he

celebrated with a mass bundle and was even joined by their own

goalkeeper. Nothing to celebrate in the two. Oxford maintained their

unbeaten away record, but they could not score a goal

9000 more than the next biggest attendance in the division.

Portsmouth climb to mid`table. In ice hockey's Premier League it

was a good weekend for Basingstoke bison. They beat the table topping

Manchester Phoenix 4`2 on Saturday night. They trailed twice. Miroslav

Vantroba with the second equaliser to make it 2`2. Bison took control

in the third period, the comeback capped by Zac Sullivan with his

first league goal. Guildford stay second after the weekend, Bison

third, Milton Keynes and Swindon are just below them. On Friday night you

may have seen us live at the launch of this year's Rallye sun`seeker. 83

cars were tearing through the heathland between Bournemouth and

Poole, many taking part in what was also the final round of the British

Rally Championship. And it was the man who took Alexis for a spin last

week, Jukka Korhonen, who won the title finishing third in the rally

itself, which was won by Oshan Pryce. The champagne flowed on

Saturday. London Irish rugby club scored nine tries for the second

successive week. They continue their good start to the equivalent of

football's Europa League. The club, who play home games at Reading's

Stadium, beat their Portuguese opponents. 67`6 victory, well done

to them. This week sees the European Disability Shooting Championships

take place in Alicante in Spain. London 2012 double medallist Matt

Skelhon goes into the contest as one of the favourites. The 28`year`old

first started shooting at the 2006 Spinal Games in Stoke Mandeville

before going on to win gold at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing. He won

a silver and a bronze at London 2012. Brennan Nicholls has been to

see his final preparations. It is a sport where you do battle as

much with yourself as others. Shooting requires supreme

concentration, as well as an obvious steady hand. Matt Skelhon proved his

when he won gold in 2008. When he's in his own, he's hard to beat. I am

just worried about the way I am shooting, really. I'm not bothered

who is shooting well. As long as I can shoot how I should in training,

that is enough. My biggest enemies myself, keeping my head on the game.

If I can do that, nobody is going to beat me at the moment. It took a

world record to deny him gold at London 2012, but he secured a silver

and bronze for Paralympics GB. Since London, the sport has changed the

scoring system. Decimal points come into play and the final is a

straight shoot off. But that hasn't stopped him setting new world

records at the World Cup events in Stoke Mandeville and Turkey. Away

from the range, he has been attracted to pass times which again

require technique and technology. In the run`up to London 2012, it was

remote`controlled helicopters. But fishing is his new hobby of choice.

I've been doing it since I was little, my grandad took me years ago

and I've been doing it ever since. It's nice and relaxing, a lot of

places you can get down to the water 's edge, get your stuff out, it's

nice and relaxing. Then there is a big adrenaline rush when you get a

nice fish on the end. No time for that at the World Championships.

Matt is keen to land one of disability shooting's biggest prizes

on his road to the Paralympics in 2016.

A very good shot. We wish him good luck with that. Coming up tomorrow,

we have a Caribbean feel to the sport Former Hampshire and West

Indies batting legend Gordon Greenidge is back in the region and

he had a chat with me after opening a new study support centre at the

Ageas Bowl, Hampshire are also marking Black History Month with a

exhibition marking the contribution of some of their Caribbean talents

who have played for the county. And what a contribution some of them

have made. I met him when he was playing here, just at the end for

Hampshire, about 87. Such a lovely man. What a batsmen. Quiet,

really... He's not changed, he looks like he should still be out there.

Shall we talk weather? We will have the full cast in a moment. But the

weekend weather has been making the headlines. Residents on Hayling

Island in Hampshire have been assessing the damage after a freak

tornado struck there yesterday morning, affecting around 100 homes.

This is the moment it struck. It caused an estimated ?100,000 worth

of damage as it swept through the yard, leaving a trail of

devastation. This footage shows how boats were thrown around and left

badly damaged, with mast snapped off. It really was dreadful. It also

uprooted trees, knocked over walls and four tiles from roofs. There is

a fully, nobody was injured but a big clean`up was underway today.

The clear and Patrick was continuing today on Hayling Island. About 100

properties are believed to have been damaged. Local roofer Paul Croft has

already worked on repairing many of them. Today about five, yesterday

about six. We have had another three or four calls today. Quite busy. How

badly damaged? It was mostly tiles flying off, hitting cars or

next`door's windows. It's caused quite a bit of damage, namely this

road and Blackthorn Drive on the end. Fairly localised? Yes. This was

the scene yesterday. As well as damaged roofs, several trees were

blown down, causing damage to houses and cars. It was just after 7am when

it struck. We heard and felt this big, strong, howling wind. My

husband described it as a ball of wind that came through the house.

The house shock, like there was an earthquake. It felt like the roof

was going to come through the house, the windows rattled and the

roof rattled. Then it was gone in a blast. The seafront border brunt of

the tornado hit. This beach hut had the roofs blown off. This one lost

most of the felt. This one was blown from its base by the sheer force of

the wind. The high wind also brought down trees elsewhere in the south,

including in this garden in West Sussex. At Finchampstead, near

Woking, lightning struck a house, causing serious damage. We heard an

almighty bang, that sounded just like a bomb. It took a few seconds

to sink in, what was it? We came out the front and we looked cross the

road to see there was a massive hole in the roof of the property

opposite. High wind continued to buffet part of the South today.

Next, the threat of heavy rain. Quite frightening when something

like that happens. Is it a tornado? I have spoken to The Met office and

they have been looking at their radar, which is effectively the

radar that occurred during that time between seven o'clock and eight

o'clock in the morning. They can confirm there was a storm rotation,

what you would see with a twist, a circulating tornado. With the

defined damaged track that the storm tuck, and the eyewitness reports,

all evidence points to it being a tornado but they cannot confirm it.

This is, what, the tracking? Between six o'clock and eight o'clock. You

can see the storm moving over Hayling Island. That intense burst

of rain. It moves and tracks northwards. We have had three

lightning strikes as well. And we have rough weather to come? It's

going to be unsettled, not the best of pictures. But this fallen leaf is

pretty pretty. This fallen leaf was captured by Tim Lias in the rain in

Bournemouth today. Dan Marshall took this picture of a hawk resting on

his pergola in Grendon Underwood, Buckinghamshire. And Philip Pratley

took this picture of the wild weather at West Wittering beach in

West Sussex. There will be spells of rain and

thunder, turning quite windy at times. Very mild for the time of

year. Temperatures three or four degrees above the seasonal average.

We can expect more rainfall, with strong, gusty wind. Gusts of 30 or

40 mph along coastal structures. The rain is more likely for western

areas. The Met office have issued a yellow weather warning for Dorset

and Wiltshire until midnight tonight. Elsewhere, slightly drier,

with temperatures falling to about 12 or 15 Celsius. A mild start, a

dry start for eastern areas. Very quickly, the rain will engulf much

of the reason. `` region. It will hit most of us by about 12 o'clock.

Still mild temperatures, despite strong wind and heavy rainfall. The

rain may become intense tomorrow afternoon. You can see the green and

blue as it tracks northwards. Dry conditions to follow, but Worrall

two thundery downpours over the course of the morning. Wednesday

daytime a start on a wet note, but it will be an improving picture. A

slight ridge of high pressure building from the south. It tends

more settled towards the end of the day and overnight into Thursday

morning. Maybe turning chilly as well. We still have the wind, the

mild wind coming from the west and south`west. An improving picture on

Wednesday afternoon. Here it is the outlook for the rest of the week.

There will be some rain about tomorrow. It could turn heavy, in

particular the middle part of the afternoon. Strong, bluster ``

blustery wind. The showers will fade away, but the wind stays breast from

the south`west. The wind stays brisk all weekend.

Whatever you are doing, take care and make sure your weather pictures

keep coming in, or any video of things that might be occurring. And

tomorrow we will have how to be the perfect ball boy or ball girl. That

is it from us, good night.