26/11/2013 BBC Oxford News

That is all from BBC News At Six, I will be back with more

Hello and welcome to South Today from Oxford. Tonight, serious

concerns over legal highs. A coroner has asked the Home Secretary to

consider making one type illegal after the death of a man in Swindon.

And in the firing line, police spend more than half ?1 million of

taxpayers' money on gun licences. Later in the programme, the

Southampton snowboarder setting his sights on Olympic gold.

Good evening. A coroner is to write to the Government asking for a ban

on a drug sold openly in shops and on the internet across the country.

It is perfectly legal and known as AMT. But today it was linked to the

death of a 23`year`old man in Swindon. Christopher Scott took the

tablets on a night out. Five days later, he was dead.

Christopher Scott took two small green tablets during a night out in

July. Three days later, he collapsed, convulsing, twitching,

burning up, and he died in hospital. An inquest into his death today

heard the drug taken was AMT. It is one of many so`called legal highs,

available easily by the internet. The term legal highs is very

misleading. Once you start saying it is a legal thing you assume it has

been tested, it is fine to use, and they get the misconception that it

is an OK thing. The coroner will write to the Home Secretary with his

concerns about this and at least one other death involving AMT. She has

56 days to reply. Last year, there were 52 UK deaths

linked to legal highs. Christopher's dad had this warning

to others considering taking them. Just don't. I understand you want to

have a good time. These legal highs are not worth that risk. It is like

Russian roulette. On Thursday, Christopher's family will meet their

MP and hope the impetus for a ban will stream the unstoppable. `` will

soon be unstoppable. Five people have been taken to hospital after a

crash on the A34 this morning, which caused hours of delays.

A lorry collided with a roadworks vehicle between the Milton and

Marcham interchange, just before 4:30am. If I brigade cut the Lavery

dries out. `` the fire brigade cut the lorry driver out. A man has been

charged by police in connection with a raid on Oxford's Cowley Road in

2011. Mustafa Ahmed of London was arrested

on Saturday night. He has been charged with one count of rape. He

will appear in court on the 2nd of December. Campaigners angry at plans

to scrap some free transport to schools in Oxfordshire has formally

requested the council drops its consultation into the scheme.

Officials are currently asking for people 's' views but the council

looks to save ?1 million a year. It is thought cutting transport would

force some pupils to leave schools. Legal representation has been hired

to challenge the scheme. We have learned that Thames Valley Police

spend ?600,000 subsidising gun licences last year.

In all, 9000 were given out, but critics say too much public money is

being spent on issuing the licences and the system needs to be changed.

Shooting, once the past time of the aristocracy and landowners. Now

people like Doug, who runs the Oxford Gun Company, say it is for

everyone. Across Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire,

there were 9000 applications for gun licences last year alone. This is a

Browning shotgun. Now virtually anyone can buy one of these, but you

will need a licence. That costs ?50. But all those ?50 licences do not

come close to covering the full cost of the administration involved. Now

critics say the fact that it only raises a third of ?1 million, the

other ?600,000 coming from Thames Valley Police, simply is not good

enough. I am appalled. That is a considerable amount of money coming

out of the police budget where as we have had cuts for some years now.

The money should not eat spent so that gun holders can have what is a

very cheap licence. It should be spent on putting more officers on

the beat. Doug insists the cost of licences is about right but the

costs may be too high because of an inefficient system. He also points

out his is not the only sport that the state of having to subsidise.

Rugby, football and cycling cost the taxpayer a fortune. That is in the

NHS. Shooting costs the taxpayer nothing. The Government says...

So it seems for protesters of taxpayers has mapped subsidy, the

situation remains a smoking gun. `` taxpayers' subsidy.

His Mrs at Oxford Airport say their profits are soaring.

It is thought more international business customers are choosing to

use jets that can travel on longer journeys without fuelling. ``

businesses at Oxford Airport says there profits are soaring. Bubbly,

plush upholstery and plenty of legroom.

Chartered flights might not be the norm for most of us but at Oxford

Airport, private jets are commonplace. The company can get

eight recorded profits of more than ?80 million this year. `` Hangar8.

They put their success down to the use of jets that can travel 9000

kilometres without refuelling. There are things in the global economy

that are improving. Diversification has been a huge plus for us. We have

expanded the market place is that other people have been nervous about

going to. In the last year, the number of business aircraft

departures across the region have been going down that Oxford has seen

a doubling of activity. We have increased our opening hours,

improved navigation facilities we have here. So pilots find it much

easier to come into this airport. In addition, we provide hassle`free,

easy services. It is not just business clients using charter

planes. Oxford Airport is also home to AirMed, who provide repatriations

services for people who become ill abroad. It saw an increase in its

revenue in the six months to October. We are not too far from

Birmingham and hospitals that exist in cities like that. In the 1960s

Oxford Airport was a hub for pilot training with the busiest runway in

the world at the time. Perhaps this surge in business departures will

put the airport back on the map. More than ?3 million is to be spent

on temporary car parking while the Westgate Centre in Oxford is

redeveloped. City council officials say 619

spaces will be created, to be used for three years on the shopping ``

while the shopping complex is built. A legal challenge to the

Government's controversial cull of badgers in Gloucestershire has

begun. Lawyers acting for the Queen guitarist and animal rights

campaigner Brian May today launched papers at a High Court. They are

challenging the decision to grant an eight week section to the coal ``

extension to the cult which is supposed to hold bovine TB. Puma

helicopters have been in the skies since the 1970s and have played

their role in warfare abroad. Now the fleet at RAF Benson is

undergoing a huge upgrade. The helicopters are getting new engines

and state`of`the`art equipment. Our personnel are now undergoing

training to get to grips with the changes. `` air personnel. A chip

off the old block but this new Puma is faster, will go faster and

further and will carry more. We are currently flying at 160 mph

above Oxford and as you can hear, it is extremely noisy. That is because

the two engines that power this Puma are directly above our heads. It is

an upgraded version of the Puma which has been based at RAF Benson

for more than ten years. It is used to take troops and equipment into

battle around the world. Instead of going out of service like the

Merlin, millions of pounds has been spent to extend its life. Upgrading

is far cheaper than buying new helicopters. It has given us a very

good aircraft that will endure. The new aircraft can respond within

hours to humanitarian or combat operations. Its extra power means

its performance will remain the same in the hottest or coldest

conditions. We have much more powerful engines now, which can lift

more and go further. We have a digital autopilot, so the pilot has

capacity to look at other things going on. It makes it safer. At the

moment, crews are just training on seven of the new Pumas had come

2015, 24 will be in use from RAF Anson. `` .com 201524 will be in use

from RAF Benson. Back later with the football.

Police say the misconduct wasn't related directly to the financial

responsibilities that went with his job, and didn't involve leaks to the

media. Stay with us. Still to come in this

evening's South Today: breathtaking. The Southampton snowboarder on a

roll for the Olympics. Figures released to the BBC show

that, in one month alone, the South Western Ambulance Service which

serves Wiltshire and Dorset raised concerns about families with young

children about 80 times. In the majority of cases they were alarmed

by parents drinking or taking drugs. It's left them worried about the

ability of some adults to look after youngsters who've injured

themselves. Children have died in some of the most serious cases seen

in Dorset. Simon Clemison has this exclusive report.

With a bottle or glass of something at home fast catching up on a night

in the pub, this is a 19 you might recognise. But what if you are the

parent of a young child who needs your help. One mother says she is

never touching a drop of alcohol again. Telling a journalist her

story directly was too much, but through e`mails, she has answered

some of my questions. In one of the most extreme cases, she began

drinking at lunchtime, and had eventually had 14 cans of cider,

falling asleep on the sofa. Meanwhile, her baby had stopped

breathing. When she was told he was dead, she said she couldn't stop

crying and screaming, urging other parents not to end up empty and

lost. She says she believed if she hadn't been drunk, she might have

noticed her young son was not well, and might have been able to get help

sooner. Alcohol will dull the senses, and you might miss things

happening around you. The child might be doing their normal things,

but the parent might not notice that they have had a fall, or wandered

off out of the house. Figures I have been given showed that on 81

occasions in June alone, paramedics raised concerns about families with

young children, where in the majority of cases, parent in their

view had had too much to drink or had taken drugs. In 46 of those

cases, the youngsters were aged under five, and of those, 21 were

less than one`year`old. They parents dialling 999 may not be able to

follow instructions given over the phone. A nurse helping in the

campaign says that she has seen 24 cases of a parent dying where a

mother or father has been incapable. We are trying to make people think

about the level of alcohol. One or two glasses might be OK, but if they

are drinking the whole bottle or started drinking at lunchtime, that

will have a cumulative effect on their ability to parent. Whether

staying in stead of going out drinking makes someone a more

responsible parent is now open to question.

A trial has begun of a man accused of assisting an offender after a

27`year` old father was stabbed at a party in Hampshire. Simon Warton

died from his injuries in the Dove Close area of Waterlooville after a

disturbance at a party in the early hours of April 12th last year. In

December Sean Bailey was jailed for life for his murder. Today the jury

at Winchester Crown Court heard how Cahill, who is charged with

assisting an offender, hid Bailey in his flat and bought him food and

clothing to avoid his arrest. Cahill denies the charge.

It's a phrase you may not have heard before ` fly`grazing. That's when

horses are dumped in fields without the landowner's permission and left

to fend for themselves. And today it's been debated in Westminster. 46

horses were rescued in Alton earlier this year. Now the RSPCA and the

East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds are calling for tougher rules to allow

localauthorities to remove fly`grazing horses. Caroline

Richardson reports. Tinker and Murray were abandoned

when they were far to young to fend for themselves. Murray was found

tethered next to his mother who had died. Cally had been beaten. She was

bald, riddled wtih lice and pregnant. She was rescued just in

time and gave birth to a healthy foal at this RSPCA sanctuary in

Surrey. We are finding large fields of horses that have been left

fly`grazing and are not receiving proper care. The grass at this time

of year doesn't have the nutrition in it, and they need supplementary

feeding. Sometimes the field can have hazardous plants or bad fences.

Two months ago, 46 horses were rescued from a field near Alton.

Charities can only rescue animals which are seriously neglected. Local

authorities lack the power to act swiftly before their welfare becomes

a concern. Most importantly, I believe we need to make enforcement

less odorous. That is the most critical immediate challenge,

especially across`the`board in Wales.

The RSPCA is currently caring for 1800 rescued horses. 600 of those

are currently in private stables. The charity is fast running out of

space and resources to care for any more. Caroline Richardson, BBC South

Today, Chobham. After three days without gas, the

Dorset village of Lytchett Matravers has now had its supply fully

restored. More than 650 properties were affected when the gas pressure

dropped on Sunday. Southern Gas Networks set up a help point in the

village hall. Customers will get an automatic credit on their gas bill

as compensation for loss of supply. Helicopter crews from the

Portsmouth`based carrier HMS Illustrious are now flying sorties

to identify which villages in the western Philippines are in most need

of aid supplies. Some communities are still waiting for help to reach

them more than a fortnight after they were battered by Typhoon

Haiyan. It's also been an anxious wait here for families with

relatives in some of the worst`hit areas. Jo Kent reports.

Help arrives at last. A team of Royal Engineers from HMS Illustrious

receive a hero's welcome. They've brought tools and materials needed

to rebuild this destroyed school. There are two strands to what you

can provide, the first being aided and food that can feed the

population. The second is the rebuilding project, helping them get

their fishing boats back, and so on. The plight of the island of

Calagnaan was spotted yesterday on one of the ship's helicopter

reconnaissance missions. HMS Illustrious has taken over from

another Portsmouth`based ship, the destroyer HMS Daring, which was

first to arrive in this remote area of the Western Phillippines. We have

been able to really visit some of the outlying islands, the smaller

communities, where some of the most needed things such as food and water

have not been able to get through. As they fly over, the helicopter

crews spot people on the ground. They've written signs pleading for

help. In the coming days, the helicopters will return to

distribute aid. There is always that doubt in the back of your mind, is

there an eyelid that you have not touched upon? The eyelid communities

are well structured and organised. The islanders do tend to tell us if

there is a more deserving islands near them.

Meanwhile, a family from the New Forest has had news of their

relatives. This is all that is left of Sheila Fitzgerald's family home.

Miraculously those sheltering there, her close family, all survived,

although members of her extended family are now known to have died.

The crew of HMS Illustrious will be here for at least three weeks,

helping to rebuild homes and communities, hoping to restore some

sense of normality. Six`year`old Sophie Rolf from

Totland Bay on the Isle of Wight, who was diagnosed with an inoperable

brain tumour last year, has died. Sophie and her parents appeared on

South Today last month when a team from her KissyPuppy charity ran the

Great South Run to raise funds for children's respite care on the

island. Her father Aaron paid tribute, saying their "beautiful

butterfly" had passed away. All our thoughts go to her parents

on a very sad day. Portsmouth fans are gathering at

Fratton Park tonight for a match against Southend. But it's the

goings`on off the pitch which will dominate their conversation. As we

reported last night, Guy Whittingham was sacked as manager yesterday

afternoon. Despite the current run of four defeats, the move came as a

surprise to many. Sean Killick joins us live from the ground. Sean, it a

shock for everyone, including Guy Whittingham himself?

Yes, and his replacement Andy Orford is currently behind closed doors

here tonight preparing to take his first ever team talk as manager. It

is not something he ever expected to do this evening. He was the club's

academy manager, now he is the caretaker manager. He said it would

be a proud moment to lead out the team, but not what he expected. He

says his thoughts on Guy Whittingham will remain private, but the fans

have been more outspoken. After a few dodgy results, wise decision.

Losing four in a row, I don't think is right for the job. Very

disappointed for Guy and his family. But I wish they would have given him

longer. I'm joined now by chief executive Mark Catlin. This club is

run by the fans for the fans, it is a cooperative, so is this typical of

the fans' short`term knee jerk reaction? It was a considered

business decision. Results and performances have not been up to the

level that we expected. The decision was made by the board to dismiss

Guy. He is a legend at the club and will continue to be one. Above all

else, he is a great man, a fantastic coach, a good manager, but these

things happen in football, and the board took the decision in the best

interests of the football club. Victory tonight would have lifted

the club to mid`table, so shouldn't he have been given more time? There

is always that argument, but the tipping point is that we are nearer

to relegation than the play`offs. Through his initial six or seven

months of being in charge, the expectation levels rose, and it is

sad, but there was a clear lack of confidence amongst the players for

the last few games, and the board took the view that the only way of

addressing that was to get a new manager in. Thank you very much.

Kick`off has been delayed here this evening until 8pm due to an accident

on the A3. Thank you very much. And the

Portsmouth game is one of several fixtures for local teams tonight.

The Winter Olympics in Russia is now under three months away, and one

Southampton snowboarder has medals firmly in sight. Billy Morgan is one

of the world's best slope`style snowboarders, and is thought to be

one of the only people ever to pull off three mid`air flips. Tony

Husband has been to meet him. Sometimes, sports men and women can

do something very special. Billie Morgan's triple rodeo is the

stuff of legend among snowboarders. This video has been viewed almost a

million times on YouTube. From the slopes of Colorado two back home in

Southampton, Billy has played the video over almost as many times.

Massive butterflies in my stomach, but once I dropped in to do it, you

don't have time to be scared. So it is mainly before the time most

scared. Billy was one of the world's top snowboarders in a

category known as slope style. He will make his debut if every. He is

at that and skills learned as a childhood gymnast, and has always

had a taste for extreme sports. When I went skiing at school, a friend

said that we should try snowboarding. I reluctantly agreed,

and then I absolutely loved it, and I was addicted to it. And here I am.

This is one of the first places I started doing my 180s and 360s. The

long road to the Olympics began here at the Southampton Alpine Centre.

When he gets to the Aims, he will be a genuine medal contender. I am

working on a few new triples. I am hoping it will go as well as it can,

and I am proud to go, and if I can get on the podium, that will make it

all the better. Billy is recovering from a knee injury, and will step up

his training next month. He knows that success may depend on one

crucial factor. It all depends on whether you land on your feet on the

day, I think. Stay on your feet, and you could be an Olympic legend, too.

A sort of grasp of breath in here when he does that. It is incredible.

Billy, don't worry, I have plenty of ironing back home you can do. Good

luck. Onto the weather. No snow here, she

says hopefully? Thankfully not. But a little bit of

a change. We are looking at some less cold air arriving. Dan Smith

captured a mallard duck coming in to land in Petworth in West Sussex. Tim

Balmer took this photo of a red squirrel in the sun on Brownsea

Island. And Ginny Boxall captured her dog Lois taking in the warmth of

the sun in Alton in Hampshire. We are looking at increasing cloud

through the course of tonight. There could be some hill fog and mist in

places. After midnight, we will start to see the rain arrive.

Temperatures falling to around three Celsius. Definitely not as cold as

last night, but feeling chilly in the rain and cloud. Behind, there

may be some brighter conditions for areas such as Oxfordshire and

Buckinghamshire. Elsewhere, still holding onto a lot of cloud, with

temperatures reaching nine or 10 Celsius. Behind the rain, less cold

than it has been. Tomorrow evening will see similar conditions,

outbreaks of light and patchy rain. Hill fog is a possibility, as is

missed. We hold on to the cloud, but less cold temperatures. A cloudy,

murky, drizzly start to the day, and we hold onto those conditions for

much of the day, despite high pressure being in charge of much of

our weather. A cold front will move its way southwards across the

country. A lot colder as we head towards the weekend, with a squeeze

on the isobars. Through the rest of the week, we're all looking at the

Outlook. Missed, hill fog. There could be some brightness for

Northern areas tomorrow afternoon, and then on Thursday we hold onto

the cloud and drizzle. The mild air disappears as we head towards the

weekend, with the weather front moving through on Friday. Colder for

the weekend with brisk winds. Be with us tomorrow night, because

we have front row tickets for one of the most unusual locations for a

play did you can imagine, a busy commuter Rahway Station, telling a

wartime evacuation story. Be with us for that tomorrow night at 630. Good

night.