15/07/2014 BBC Oxford News

Hello and welcome to South Today from Oxford.

A warning for people camping this sumler.

How a night in a tent led to a fortnight in hospital

Once home to business start`ups why are new firms moving out

A farmer's fears ` he says he's been to hell and back his area bdcomes

A farmer's fears ` he says he's been to hell and back as his are` becomes

David Cameron's cabinet reshuffle ` we look at the local MPs who have

She'll live with the scars for the rest of her life.

Georgina Chalmers from Milton Keynes is warning others about

the dangers of old gas canisters after one she was using exploded

Campaigners are now calling for national television advdrtising

about the risks ` given thousands of people use

similar equipment during thd summer for camping and at festivals.

Some viewers may find the ilages in Peter Cooke's report upsdtting.

A new tent to replace the one destroyed in an acchdent

For Georgina Chalmers and her friends it's a simple task

that brings back terrible mdmories. Speed

This was the 27 year old from Milton Keynes 12 months ago.

She suffered nearly 30% burns to her body after a gas canister exploded

She'd been cooking lunch and pierced the cylinder `

but couldn't secure the att`chment to stop the gas escaping.

106 people have been killed in different types of gas explosions

Georgina will return to Bestival at the end of the month to thank

She's also joining others in campaigning

for people to become more aware of the dangers of such equipment.

So a harsh lesson learnt ` but she's planning to spend more time dancing

A company which runs a water park near Cirencestdr where

a teenager drowned has admitted it breached health and safety rules.15

year old Kajil Devi drowned at the Cotswold Country Park in July 2 10.

She couldn't swim and drowndd after slipping under the water.

W M Active pleaded guilty in court to a charge brought

But the firm denies being responsible for her death.

Three people committed suichde after being held in police custody

in the Thames Valley, in the year leading up to M`rch

That's according to figures released by the Independent

In total seven people died following contact with the police, two of whom

Three people died after contact with police in Wiltshire.

New technology firms from Oxfordshire are shunning

New technology firms from Oxfordshire are shunning thd county

in favour of London. Developing companies looking for money and

support say the Thames Valldy simply isn't geared up to help thel grow.

That means the region's loshng entrepreneurs in increasing numbers.

The technology sector is now fighting to promote Berkshire and

Oxfordshire in a bid to keep companies here. Alastair Fed

speak that the moment this new business is based in Reading went

university and they want to stay local.

It is about having a network. And within that network, facilities But

it is about the resources wd can access, such as lab space. There is

plenty around in the Thames Valley but perhaps just not as well

publicised, not shouted abott enough. Speak Mac this area has

become the place to be. This person has launched a new digital CVE and

attracted a year's funding. Speak Mac even if they exist I thhnk they

are quite hidden. You need to sort out accelerate us

and incubators. If you get lentors, you get money. They can start`up.

Speak Mac from the autumn these events will take place weekly.

Speak Mac mini mentors and funding so that they realise there hs a

sense of community. We need technical initiatives in thd region.

For a lucky few this university is providing the right environlent It

has helped keep the business afloat. One of hundreds of ideas born in the

Thames Valley. The region c`nnot afford to let this slip awax.

A notorious traffic bottlendck in Oxford will be redevelopdd six

years, after plans were first put forward.

Oxford City council will part fund the county council's ?5 million

The site will be converted into a boulevard, with roundabouts

The traffic often gets congdsted. Anything that might use it tp and

make it look nicer seems good to me. I am worried as a cyclist about

roundabout. Sometimes they can be quite hard to get round.

It would help the traffic in this area. I think it would help.

A disease that's killing the dairy and beef industries in Oxfordshire.

That's the verdict from the National Union of Farmers ` after

the number of cows contracthng bovine TB reached its highest level

There are now more cows affdcted by the disease in Oxfordshire,

than Berkshire, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire combined.

Stuart Tinworth has been to Bicester,

to meet a farmer who says hd's been to hell and back, because of TB

Ian's dairy farm has been in the family for a century.

This is the first time it h`s ever been infected with TB Ian's son

had to get two of the animals ready to be taken away and slaughtered.

I went out, the cows didn't even need restraint. We have let them

down. It really hit home to me. Propagated to my eye.

Across Oxfordshire alone More than 230 cows were slaughtered in 20 2.

Last year that number had risen to nearly 670.

And 63 herds were affected hn March 2014 ` that's the highest ntmber

TB was confirmed on the othdr side of the valley 18 months ago. 12

months ago, on a farm to my right. And now straight ahead of md, this

farm. Despite the fact that it is in the area, no local wildlife has been

tested for the disease. It is killing our cattle industry.

We see it here on the front line. It is killing our beef and dairy

industry. To address it in cattle but not other animals is ignoring

the majority of the problem. DEFRA insists it has

a long`term strategy to eradicate the disease ` using vaccines,

cattle controls, and culling. This is our livelihood. A lot of

history. We are looking to dxpand and go forward.

Ian's cows will be subject to further tests ` so all he c`n do is

wait and hope that no more of his animals will be slaughtered.

Crowds have gathered outsidd BBC Oxford's building in

Banbury Road protesting against the corporation's coverage

These live pictures show the Pro`Palestine campaigners

It's one of a series of demonstrations organised around

The protestors say the BBC's reporting of events in the Liddle

A spokesman for the BBC said the coverage of the conflict reflected

I'll have the headlines at 8 and a full bulletin at 10.24.

Now more of today's stories with Sally Taylor.

The city's. Candles could f`ce that is.

Still to come in this evening's South Tod`y:

After cancellation this year, will Rally Dorset ever return?

From the hovercraft to the Spitfire, the South certainly has somd strong

But is it a man's job to create boys' toys?

And when it comes to giving birth, perhaps you'd expect

Today we're looking at our second feature on wh`t it's

like to work in a profession dominated by the opposite sdx.

Seeing a new life being born is a time when my heart flutters

Engineering is a fantastic opportunity to look at and provide

Chris is training to become a midwife.

He's in his second year at Bournemouth University.

She has worked in the construction industry for almost a decadd.

Each of them working in rolds which challenge convention.

I mean, there are definitelx cultural stereotypes and those are

more obvious, actually, out in the construction indtstry.

Barriers do get broken down and you do see more women working

in engineering now than you used to, I think.

There are some cultures and religions that don't allow for

men to see the female body `nd if there is any way that I can overcome

that by providing a female lidwife then that is something I wotld do.

There are 465,000 male engineers in the country.

Just 35,000 female engineers. That is 7%.

But those statistics seem f`vourable compared to the number

There are 105 male midwives in the UK.

That is out of the total of 35, 00. Just 0.3%.

So what difficulties does Fleur face as a woman

I'd say you probably have to have a sense of humour working

on construction sites but generally I've not had `ny

But Chris has encountered discrimination because of hhs sex,

when he was turned away from a female`only breast`fdeding

I was very disheartened bec`use I didn't see myself

as being a male midwife, I saw myself as being a midwife

But, on the whole, health care professionals are very

As a nurse, you can't empathise with everyone who's had maybe cancer

you can't empathise with soleone who's broken a leg. We don't

want to all do those things just so that we can show empathy.

Even though Fleur found her forte as an engineer, she feels it's

important that the next gendration of female scientists is nurtured.

I've been involved going into schools with women into enghneering

programmes and setting challenges to think about how they would plan

I don't think anybody ever really told me to think about

So, what inspires people to break the gender mould?

We've had a lot of infrastrtcture failures due to the extreme rainfall

and flooding, the railway track at Dawlish being washed awax.

Those are exactly the sort of problems and issues I potentially

can work on as a ground enghneer in civil engineering. It re`lly

gives you those opportunitids to make a difference to the world.

I love to see new life coming into the world.

And I love to see the joyous expressions of

a mother and father when thdy meet their baby for the first tile and

People don't question having a male doctor or nurse but do male

We'd love to hear your thoughts Get in touch via our Facebook page.

Some of the South's best known politicians made way for a new

Havant MP David Willitts has resigned as the

He'll also step down at the next election.

There was good news for Portsmouth North MP Penny Mourdant.

She secures her first ministerial role.

A series of other appointments could benefit the city.

Earlier I spoke to our political editor Peter Henley and started

by asking him why the reshuffle was so significant here in the south.

Because so many Conservativd MPs come from the south of Engl`nd. What

might sound like a game of snakes and hot ladders `` snakes and

ladders could make a real ilpact to the lives of their constitudnts

Portsmouth is the most clear example, where the loss of warship

building could make a real difference. They get a triple boost.

Michael Fallon, who was the Minister for Portsmouth, now is Secrdtary of

State for defence. His repl`cement, Mark Hancock, is an ally of George

Osborne, which might unlock some money. And Penny Mourdant h`s been

giving `` given at a ministdrial job at the department that gives money

to councils. Nick Gibb is ghven a second chance. For those behng

sacked today, maybe that is a message. If you stay loyal, you

might be able to come back. For David Willitts... I don't think the

problem has been men losing out to women. I think it is import`nt we

get fairer representation does not when they have the talent and

abilities. David Willitts bowing out. Where is the new blood coming

from? Claire Perry is transport m`ny ``

minister. Will she do something about the A303? A new Attorney

General. Perhaps the Conservatives are trying to help themselvds. Other

new faces were promoted. Ed Vasey, Desmond Swain. Labour is a ` lot of

this is just window dressing. Overall, the picture is rel`tively

small number of women promoted and some rather cosmetic changes. For

example, the Cabinet has ten people who attend the Cabinet, including

the number of women who havd been promoted but I'm actually in the

Cabinet, it is more cosmetic. More names you may not have heard of

unless you live in their constituency but with the election

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has begun an inquiry

into an incident in which a ferry from Portsmouth to the Channel

The owners of the Commodore Clipper have just told us that the damage is

so bad that the ferry needs to go to a dry dock for repairs.

Our transport correspondent Paul Clifton is in Portsmouth.

It is certainly more serious than it was first thought.

The Commodore Clipper appardntly scraped the sea floor

But this evening we've been told the ferry will have to go into dry

The biggest ferry serving the Channel Islands is going to be

out of action for a couple of weeks, and quite possibly longer.

Right at the height of the summer tourist season.

This has been a dramatic dax for Condor,

Yes, Condor has done a deal with the government in Jersey and Gudrnsey

That in turn clears the way for Condor to buy a new, larger

It will replace two smaller fast ferries, which are getting old.

With one ferry instead of two, Condor will no longer need to sail

The new ferry won't fit the berth in Weymouth.

Creating another one would cost ?10 million.

The council which owns the port says it cannot afford that.

However, Condor would face a much higher fuel

68% of our passengers choosd pool but we are looking at both ports. If

it was Weymouth we have madd it clear they would have to make some

changes to the birth to accommodate the new vessel. It is unlikdly we

would work with both ports though we need between now and Easter to

So it's now a beauty contest between Weymouth and Poole.

One port or the other will soon be losing its ferry service to

For many parents, having a child with autism is diffhcult.

But for parents from black, Asian and ethnic backgrounds trying to

access services because of language barriers has proved a big issue

Today a new report has shown many families have been left feeling

isolated from their communities and in need of more support.

Sophia Seth has been to meet a family from Portsmouth who have

It is often described as a hidden disability but the impact on this

man and his family is not hhdden. When he was diagnosed as a baby his

mother says the family found it hard to accept. The wouldn't belheve it

was real and they thought hd would come out of it. She was not accepted

by her local Sri Lankan comlunity which is why she moved to H`mpshire.

It is difficult because thex love gossiping and they always think I

have done something in my p`st and that is the reason we have ` child

like that. Her experience is not unique. In this report, the National

black, ethnic and Asian comlunities black, ethnic and Asian comlunities

highlights language barriers, low highlights language barriers, low

knowledge of autism and famhlies feeling isolated as key problems.

Families and communities have a whole number of different

assumptions or belief systels around what is autism because the behaviour

is manifested in such different ways. The Department for He`lth say

they are aware that people with Susan `` autism from ethnic

backgrounds face more difficulties. Although he can't speak, he has a

good relationship with his family, a relationship as mother hopes he can

develop with the wider commtnity. The Duke

of York has unveiled a new war Hundreds of people gathered

for a ceremony at the memorhal to It's taken three years of planning

and the ?25,000 cost was pahd by Its unveiling was timed to coincide

with the World War I commemorations. The fact that the community

in Woodley have come togethdr to build and commemorate those that

have fallen and those who h`ve gone It is also beautiful to see that

something so simple and yet so elegantly designed can bd

so poignant and meaningful. It's an exciting sport

for spectators I was at the start line of the

Sunseeker Rally in Poole in October And I took a turn

as a passenger last year. It was great fun but I have to say I

am a bit of a back seat driver! But now there's a question lark over

the future of the Rallye Dorset The thrills and spills

of rally car racing. As members of the South Tod`y

team know only too well, thd sport Are you all right?

Yeah, I'm all right. For 14 years, the Sunseeker rally

zipped across the south as part That sponsorship has now cole to

an end and yet another blow has The RAC Motorsport Associathon who

run motorsports in the UK h`ve decided that, in 2015, therd will

not be a British Rally Championship. On the back of that, it means our

event in October, the final round of the 2014 championship, won't happen

because we haven't got the funds. On race day, the start line is

buzzing with the roar of engines It's not just petrol`heads who are

disappointed to hear the news. The event meant good money

for business here. Last year, research by Bournemouth

University showed that ?1.2 million There's all the beds

and hotel rooms and restaur`nts We will lose out,

which is a great shame. The Motorsport Association, which

runs the British Rally Championship, says it is addressing the issue

directly with the clubs concerned. Here, organisers are hopeful that

the event can return to They are part of our sporting

calendar is so we'll wait and see what happens with that. So, the

weather. It is getting warmdr by the day.

Yes, and maybe thunderstorms. The sun was streaming in to

Netley Abbey in Hampshire today Mark Steele photographed

the blue skies over the Olylpic And Shaun Roster took this picture

of Selsey Bill with an incrddibly Lots of sunshine today. Tod`y's

temperatures reached 26 Celsius And 24 at many locations across the

South. Tomorrow could be evdn warmer. We will see clear skies

overnight with the possibilhty of some mist patches but it will stay

warm. It is still going to be fairly humid. 13`14 degrees tonight. Clouds

start to move on from the North and West tomorrow. It is an East West

divide with cloud building hn western areas, becoming dense along

the south coast. There is the risk of the odd shower in Dorset and even

the odd thunderstorm for western areas. Most places having a dry day

and the southeastern corner seemed the best of the sunshine. Bdrkshire

or Oxfordshire might see a high of 27 Celsius. Warmer than tod`y and

main issue for Wednesday night is main issue for Wednesday night is

coastal fog. Temperatures that night quite warm and humid starts to

Thursday. An area of low prdssure will push up from the south`west.

Thursday night into Friday lorning, the potential of thunderstorms

affecting western areas, Dorset and Wiltshire. They moved north and east

through the course of the d`y on Friday but we look ahead to

Saturday. The Met office has issued a yellow weather warming ``

warning. Tomorrow night we have a

Commonwealth Games profile. We meet the clay pigeon shoots headhng to

Glasgow and hoping to get a medal. We'll see you tomorrow.