25/02/2014 BBC Oxford News

sunshine and showers continuing. And that is all from the BBC News at

six. It is Hello and welcome to South Today

from Oxford. In tonight's programme: His death was preventable. An

independent review into the death of Connor Sparrowhawk outlines failings

at the mental health unit where he was sectioned.

Also, elderly and alone ` a new report says tackling loniness should

be a top priority. And, how was this crater created in a South

Oxfordshire village? We look into it.

Later on: The extraordinary story of the Oxford scientist whose

self`tested invention was a life saver for World War One troops.

He was recruited to help with the experiments, most famously Jack was

continuously used as a guinea pig, his son.

Good evening. The death of an Oxfordshire teenager who was being

cared for at Slade House in Headington was "preventable". That's

the finding of an independent report into his care. 18`year`old Connor

Sparrowhawk died after being found unconscious in the bath at Slade

House last July. His mother says it has been a long and distressing

fight to get the facts out in the open. Adina Campbell reports.

Connor had autism and epilepsy, which meant he often suffered with

seizures and also had problems learning. He was initially admitted

to Slade House as an emergency case, but was later sectioned under the

Mental Health Act. On one occasion when his mother went to visit him at

the unit, she thought he'd had a seizure. From then on, his night

time checks were increased. In June last year, though, his team agreed

that hourly checks were enough because Connor was showing no signs

of having a seizure. But a few weeks later, on July fourth, Connor was

found dead. 15 minutes after he'd been checked by staff, he was found

submerged in the bath. He died later the same day. The findings of this

new report outline the staff's poor decisions around his care, in

particular the agreement to make 15`minute observations of his baths.

It also found the level of observations failed to safeguard

Connor. There were concerns, too, about the lack of somebody having

overall responsibility for his care. The report also discovered that

Connor's parents were not spoken to enough by staff. This isn't the

first time Slade House has been in the spotlight. A report last autumn

criticised its facilities, saying there were dirty toilets, outdated

equipment and medicines weren't given out safely. An emergency team

has been brought in to run the unit after that inspection by the Care

Quality Commission. Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust says they are

deeply sorry that Connor died whilst in their care, and they failed to

undertake the necessary actions required to keep him safe. They say

they are wholly committed to learning from this tragedy in order

to prevent it from happening again. Well, Helen McCormack is from

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust. I asked her what lessons have

been learnt. We want to be able to use the

findings of this report to improve our services right across the trust

so that we can be confident that we learn from this, not only in that

unit, but for all of our services. The review happened, as I understand

it, eight weeks after Conor's death. Wasn't his death are not for you to

put some of these procedures into place? Yes, and we have asked

ourselves that question too, why was it that the report found things in

our services that we should have found ourselves? One of the issues

around Connor Sparrowhawk's death was that what we did in the

immediate period was to report the incident to the police, and we then

waited for a period of time while the police decided whether they

needed to proceed with any enquiries. I think what that did was

to put in a delay which meant that we had waited for that before

starting on our investigations. With hindsight there were things we

should have addressed straightaway, and those were the things that the

review highlighted. Conor's mother says she has had a fight to get this

far. Do you think that is right or fair? I can sympathise with her

position. This is a very distressing situation for which we are deeply

sorry, but also that this process has been so protracted. We have

commissioned an independent investigation to rickshaw that for

her she feels we have looked at this thoroughly and that we have not put

any bias into place. I do understand that has been a very protracted

process and I can see it is distressing for her. We want to do

anything we can to try and move forward and to help her to move on.

Thank you for joining us. A 48`year`old Didcot woman has been

arrested this morning in connection with the Jayden Parkinson murder

investigation. The 17`year`old teenager's body was found in a grave

at All Saints Church in the town in December. Police say the woman has

been detained on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

Two people have already been charged in connection with the case.

Police are again appealing for witnesses to a fatal accident on the

A34 in which a lorry driver died. The incident happened between

Abingdon and Marcham just before 3am last Friday, as officers had been

trying to clear a dead badger from the carriageway. Two lorries were

involved in the crash. The driver of one of them, a 61`year`old man from

Bedford, died from his injuries in hospital.

More needs to be done to tackle loneliness amongst rural communities

in our region. That's the finding of a new study in the Cotswolds, which

claims better transport and better access to services are needed to

help an aging population. The Cotswolds area has a larger than

average older population, which is growing every year. Charlotte Stacey

reports. Audrey is 87. She lost her husband

two years ago, and now lives on her own. She is still active and says

she makes effort to have something to do each day. I think you can get

very depressed if you're not careful. Everyone said to me when I

lost my husband, you must now get on with your life. It sounds terrible,

but it is true. You can't just sit at home. I still go to the WRI and

things like that. But it is not so easy for everyone. In rural areas

like the Cotswolds, getting around and socialising can be a real

problem. Audrey uses a local volunteer group, who offer

befriending and transport services to help her get to appointments.

There is an transport for a lot of people. It is just impossible. Some

people can't drive, and some who could drive now can't. There are all

sorts of reasons why they would use our service. It is a lifeline to

people, quite honestly. There are more than 24,000 people past

retirement age in the Cotswolds. That is nearly one third of the

local population. The area has an older population with a longer life

span than the national average. GPs to say people are coming to them

when there are not ill, but they are lonely and then need to talk to

family about their problems. The visit costs ?25. If we send in a

befriending, it is ?5. The person doesn't pay that, but we have some

fun thing to do that. For very little cost, it has huge benefits.

Loneliness has been shown to be worse for your health than smoking

15 cigarettes a day, said tackling it makes financial sense. With an

older population growing year by year, the council is now looking at

ways to combat loneliness in the long`term.

More than ?1 million is to be spent resurfacing one of the major routes

into Oxford. The work on London Road in Headington will take place

between the Green Road roundabout and Wharton Road this summer. It

will include new measures to give priority to buses. The council is

warning the improvements will cause delays to motorists and disruption

to local businesses while they are carried out.

A large hole has opened up in South Oxfordshire, most likely due to the

high volume of water going into the ground through flooding since

Christmas. It's thought the crater in Nettlebed has been caused by

centuries`old abandoned chalk mines beneath it collapsing. We asked

expert Dr Clive Edmonds to tell us more.

Basically, we are looking at a hole that has appeared in this forested

area during the last week or so. It has opened up probably fairly slow

to start with, and then rapidly gained in size as it developed.

Probably initially as a matter of minutes, and then taken further

hours to develop. You can see pieces of soil falling in as we speak. It

is continuing to increase in size. In this area we have a fracture in

the ground. This area is ready to move in as well if more rain

continues to fall. They are a rare event. You might only see one of

these every ten or 20 years, this size of hole in an area like this.

Looking at the edge of the whole, there are pieces of brick and tile,

and also chalk and sound. It shows it is a man`made soil `R. ``

profile. This is a Crown hole rather than a sinkhole.

A crocodile, seized by police in Sweden, has been given a new home in

Oxfordshire. It arrived from Heathrow at the Crocodiles of the

World Zoo last night. The 2.5 metre reptile was found by police in a

greenhouse in Sweden during a raid. Police in the country had been

trying to find it a home for months before settling on Oxfordshire. At

the moment it's being held in quarantine in Witney, but will

eventually be moved to the attraction at Brize

rescue crocodiles don't come up that often, and this is the first one we

have ever received. She is in good condition with nice big day. She is

in good health. Now, more of today's stories with Sally Taylor.

University academic, is accused of assisting an offender and conspiring

to supply drugs. Still to come in this evening's

South Today: The young gymnast heading for the top after a tough

start and just 18 months in the sport.

When did you last buy a new car or household appliance? Across the

South garages and some retailers say we're spending more ` with a marked

increase in luxury, high`end items. Consumer spending accounts for

nearly two`thirds of the UK's economic activity. We've been told

the downturn is over, but some are warning that this latest increase

isn't the recovery the country needs. Our Business Correspondent

Alastair Fee has been finding out more.

Gary is a cash buyer and is here at this West Sussex showroom to pick up

a new family car ` he's driven by need and is helped by a scrappage

scheme that means he'll get ?2,000 for his old vehicle. Things have

been good for us. No complaints. Up and down for a few years, we are

hoping to make a deal today. Sales at this garage near Worthing are up

by nearly 40% compared to this time last year. To manage the rise,

they've increased staffing on site from five to twelve. It has gone

from a steady pattern of sales to stampedes at the weekend. We have

had customer after customer after customer. The atmosphere has been

electric. We could sell 12 cars on a Sunday. We have had people literally

queueing up for a test drive. So some are spending. As the economy

has begun to pick up there's been a sense that people who had kept a

close eye on household budgets are gaining confidence again. I tried to

put a little bit of savings aside but generally treating myself. I

spend quite a lot. Do you feel you can afford it? No! But it doesn't

stop you spending? No. I am not sure it is down to people having more

money in their pocket or businesses know what they are doing. Perhaps a

combination of two. The other key indicator is the sale

of white goods. In Horsham this store is one of eight, all are doing

better trade. People are looking for features and benefits that make

their life easier. So it means models slightly higher up the price

range. But an increase in spending isn't

necessarily a good sign. There are warnings that it could lead to

increased personal debt. It could become a concern. It doesn't have to

be a concern just yet and many people take a benign view that

increased spending will result in increased investment by companies.

That would be a good thing but if it does not follow, we have a problem.

All the new car dealers I spoke to in West Sussex agreed that sales

were better than they have been in years. That's in part because of a

range of finances packages that make it easier for us to buy. For a

sustainable economic recovery the focus on investment and export is

still the Government's long term goal.

And now the sport. Last night we told you of the

absence of Sprinter Sacre from next month's Cheltenham Festival. Well

there's been more bad news for a leading local yard today. Everything

is geared around the Gold cup. Bad news today. Leading Cheltenham Gold

Cup contender Cue Card has been ruled out of the race. Trained by

dairy farmer Colin Tizzard at Milborne Port near Sherborne, the

horse won last year's Ryanair Chase at the Festival. But pulled muscles

have ruled the eight year old out this time.

In tonight's football, Portsmouth are aiming to prove that Saturday's

hammering at Scunthorpe was a one`off. Pompey host Accrington this

evening at Fratton Park. Although down in 21st place, Richie Barker's

side currently have a seven`point buffer above the relegation spots in

League Two. Pompey will be looking for just their third win in eleven

games. Meanwhile in League One tonight, MK

Dons and Swindon are both looking to bounce back from defeats at the

weekend. Dons are at Oldham tonight, while Swindon are at home to

Crawley. There's full commentary on BBC local radio.

Now onto the story of a young gymnast from the South, who's won a

British title despite being a relative newcomer in her sport.

Holly Banks from Hampshire has had a tough route to the top, after a

sudden illness meant she needed a wheelchair for several months. It

also left her with a delay on the left side of her body. But Holly has

astounded her coaches and family with her gymnastic success. It is

hard to imagine that five years ago Holly was left in a wheelchair after

having an anaphylactic shock. My coach took me on is one of her own.

She has made me into the champion I am today. She trains at Southampton

gymnastics club where they raised funds to buy some asymmetric bars to

help her train on, she paid them back by winning the title in 2013.

It is no exaggeration to say the thing is about gymnastics. It is

never going to leave me. I love seeing her happy, achieving, and the

confidence. We are a team, it is great. Holly now has a place on the

British high`performance disability squad. She wants to win every

competition we go to. That is what has driven her. Holly had hoped to

compete at the Special Olympics but her learning disability has been

classified as not severe enough. But other competitions we can for 18 age

who has her eyes on the top tries. `` other competitions are available

for a girl who has her eyes on the top prize.

All this week we're marking the centenary of the outbreak of World

War One. Tonight we bring you the extraordinary story of the Oxford

scientist whose own bravery led to a vital invention on the front line.

John Scott Haldane risked his own life and even that of his family by

experimenting on himself at his home and laboratory in the city. The

result was the first workable gas mask. It was a device that was to

prove essential in saving thousands of lives. Stuart Tinworth has the

story. It became a constant threat every

time they took a breath. By 1915 the shadow of poisonous gas hung over

troops at all times. These original trenches were used

for training and have preserved at RAF Horton near Elsbury. Alongside

barbed wire and machine guns, gas became a game changer in the First

World War. It cut us unawares. Not a gentlemanly way of going to war. The

first usage was in April 1915. Open the canisters, let the prevailing

wind to the rest. `` do. Quickly, the British War office realised it

needed to take steps and called on the help of an Oxford scientist.

When the concept of poison gas was introduced, Lord Kitchener insisted

that the scientist travelled to the front line to identify what was

being used. Gas was increasingly becoming a psychological weapon.

Haldane had a wealth of experience studying the effects of gas in

underground mining disasters. He was a leading expert. Before the war he

and his family lived in this house in Oxford where he conducted early

experiments. Years later his work would lead to the development of the

gas mask. This is the room where he did most of the experiments. There

are stories about how he would absorb a certain amount carbon

monoxide and then check how far he could get up the stairs. The family

was recruited to help out. Most famously, his son, Jack, was

continuously used as a guinea pig. These were calculated risks. It is

just that most people would have been frightened to go anywhere near

it. It proved a turning point for Allied troops. He identified the

gas, in the first instance from the discolouration of the brass buttons

on men's uniforms. He identified it as chlorine and became involved in

developing protective measures, what eventually became the standard gas

mask. When he went home after working in the laboratory, he saw

himself as very much contributing to a war effort. He was fighting in the

laboratory. The work paved the way for apparat is still used today. A

lasting legacy for a man who took drastic risks to help save other

peoples lives. The determination to solve the problem meant

experimenting on yourself and placing yourself at great risk. He

was taking a risk that he equated the rest of the country is taking,

young men were risking their lives, it was no lesser duty for him to so

himself. When Haldane died in 1936 it was after his own battle with

pneumonia. He was treated in an oxygen tent, an invention of his.

After the war, countless soldiers suffered long`term effects of

exposure to gas. But without scientist like Haldane, the death

toll could have been higher. Stuart Tinworth with the remarkable

story of John Scott Haldane. There are hundreds of stories like that in

the World War One At Home series being broadcast on BBC local radio

over the coming months. If you want to discover more, go to

bbc.co.uk/ww1 and follow the links. And our series continues tomorrow.

Our Health Correspondent David Fenton looks at the ingenious ways

wounded troops were brought back from the front, and how this Reading

surgeon discovered a novel way of saving their lives, with bacteria.

Join Radio Berkshire tomorrow at 8.15am, and again at 10.15am. And

we'll have the story on South Today tomorrow evening as well.

Today is not so warm. But we have had lots of pictures.

Wendy Banks captured a pigeon cooling off in a puddle in Reading

in Berkshire. Tara Bowers photographed crocus at Basingstoke's

Eastdrop roundabout. And blue skies in West Wittering. This is the view

towards the Isle of Wight taken by Heather Brooks.

It was a damp start to the day but sunny spells made an appearance. The

showers will fade away overnight. Still the risk of a shower over

Wiltshire and parts of Dorset later on but we are looking at lows two

Celsius. Winds will be light to moderate tomorrow. We expect a few

showers. But few and far between. A lovely dry sunny day for most

places. Temperatures will reach a high of 10 Celsius, similar to what

we saw today. Tomorrow night, a band of rain will move in from the west.

An increasing south`westerly breeze. Clearing western areas by dawn on

Thursday morning. But temperatures very mild. The wind will be fairly

risk. `` brisk. Showers will creep in and set up the theme for the rest

of the week, scattered showers throughout the daytime, a band of

rain tomorrow night may amount to 0.25 of an inch. Nothing significant

but may affect the flooding situation. Thursday, sunny spells,

scattered showers, that could give us that rainfall. You can get all

the details at your fingertips by downloading our app.

Tomorrow night Prince Charles will visit a hospital. `` Museum. We will

be there. Goodbye.