17/07/2014 BBC Oxford News

Hello and welcome to South Today from Oxford.

The footballer fined again for criminal damage.

Swindon Town's Nile Ranger `dmits repeatedly kicking a commun`l door

The Queen opens the redeveloped station 25 years after she was

Playing to aid their recovery ` the computer games helping stroke

And later on ` taking a punt on returning to history, thd

A former England under`19 footballer has been found guilty of catsing

Nile Ranger, a striker for Swindon Town `t the

time of the offence, was catght on CCTV kicking in the door to a lift.

The CCTV, taken in the small hours of the 13th of April, also `ppears

to show him hitting a femald companion three times in thd face.

He was arrested and held on suspicion of common assatlt,

Nile Ranger, filmed by CCTV in April this year. He is locked out of his

apartment building and launches several kicks to the doors of the

lift. A few moments before, this is what those cameras captured. The

foot wall appears to slap hhs female companion twice in the face, and

then seemingly punches her third time. Ranger arrived for trhal at

Swindon magistrates court this morning facing a single charge of

criminal damage. He pleaded guilty and his punishment today was a fine

of just over ?3000 for damage to the lift door. But many have already

questioned why there were no other charges regarding what seemdd to be

an assault scene in the samd video. Today, the Crown Prosecution Service

they had never been asked to consider a charge of assault against

Nile Ranger, only one of crhminal damage. So, we spoke to the police,

and they told us the evidence against Nile Ranger did not meet the

threshold needed for a crimhnal conviction. Ranger has playdd for

the England under`19 squad hn the past. Played in the Premiership for

Newcastle before he joined Swindon last year. But in May of thhs year

his contract was terminated with immediate effect. He is now a free

agent. Do you have anything to say to us? No, nothing. In that CCTV,

are you seen hitting a woman... Leaving court today, he had nothing

to say about the CCTV. Camp`igners have expressed their concerns that

there will be no criminal investigation into what appdars to

be a violent assault on a fdmale companion.

A former police constable from Wiltshire has been jailed for

18 months after being found guilty of offering to sell a story to

Darren Jennings faced chargds of misconduct in a public office.

The 41`year`old had denied `sking the Sun to pay ?10,000 for ` story

The story ` which was never published `

came to light following the investigation into phone hacking.

The Queen has officially reopened Reading Station.

The five`year project to tr`nsform the Great Western Railway through

the Thames Valley is the region s biggest engineering project,

It is 25 years since the Queen last visited the station.

Here's our transport correspondent, Paul Clifton.

Arriving by train, the Queen met the great and good of the railw`y.

Outside, the people in orange jackets waited for their turn. Her

Majesty looked around the station, named an engineering training and

unveiled a plaque. Then she came outside. Very moving. A good

milestone for us. We have bden working on this job for the best

part of four years. I think we are done. It is the culmination of a lot

of hard work for a lot of pdople. The whole thing took just over half

an hour. It is the second thme the Queen has opened a redevelopment of

Reading Station. The last thme was 25 years ago. Half a mile wdst of

Reading Station, this ?950 lillion, five year project is very mtch still

in progress. Pouring in the final concrete on top of the viadtct. It

is more than a mile long, through this will add four trains e`ch

hour, every day. Every day, use it for several minutes outside the

station, waiting for trains to cross in front. This structure takes away

that bottleneck. The viaduct will unlock the full capacity of Reading

Station. The first trains whll cross this viaduct on the 4th of January.

The track towards Southampton will be finished at Easter. Ahold five

year project will be wrapped up next summer.

Meanwhile, a hydropower schdme designed to generate green

electricity at Blenheim Pal`ce has now been officially switched on

The project involved installing an Archimedean screw

It is designed to reduce the Palace's electricity bill

and help make Blenheim one of Britain's greenest stately homes.

With tomorrow shaping up to be the hottest day of the year so far,

the tourist industry is reporting that the first few months of 20 4

Visit Britain says that vishtor numbers at Easter were up 4$

on last year ` mainly due to Easter being later and better weather.

The way we take holidays has changed in the last five years, with 13

more holiday trips in England ` the "staycation" ` than in 2008

Katharine Da Costa reports from Wallingford, which was badly

With temperatures soaring to 27 degrees in neighbouring Benson,

what better way to cool off than a dip in the Wallingford splash park?

Some slapped on the suncreal, others stuck to the shade as parents

tried to protect their little ones from the glaring midday sun.

She has two sleep in just a nappy, because at night she is really

unsettled. I am worried that she will get dehydrated. It is nice that

they have got places like this to come to.

Health officials are advising people to take extra care, particularly

Drinking plenty of cold drinks, and avoiding tea, coffee and alcohol.

Wearing loose, cool clothing, and a hat if you go outdoors.

And to check up on elderly or vulnerable relatives and nehghbours.

Over the bridge at this car`van park in Crowmarsh, they are getthng ready

for a busy weekend and the start of the school holidays.

It is a welcome boost after flooding closed the shte for

Early in the season, we had less visitors from overseas. Even when

the flood water receded, people were still under the impression that

England was underwater. But it is now picking up. I think we `re

recovering because it has bden a better summer than we have had

recently. Andrew says bookings are up and the

trend for staycations continues There is no need to go abro`d when

the weather is like this. When you get nice weather, anywhere hs nice.

England, you have got nice places to go.

But with thunderstorms forecast for Saturday, these campers are making

People in South Oxfordshire suffering from a brain injury

and receiving treatment at the Royal Berkshire Hosphtal

could soon be playing on computer games, specific`lly

The hospital has teamed up with computer scientists,

Helen and Paul both suffer with brain injuries `

and have for years come herd to the Royal Berkshire Hospital to receive

Conditions which affect not only their mind, but their body.

More recently, playing on games consoles h`s formed

The Xbox helps with my dextdrity, because I force myself to play with

my disabled arm, so it is m`king use of that arm. Apart from that, it

just stands there to make up the numbers.

But there's a problem ` doctors say measuring the p`tients'

progress is tricky if all you have to rely on is whether they can win

We need the games which can enable us to assess their condition against

other members of the population We might want to know how far xou can

reach or how fast you can do something and to compare our

patients to those values. So now medics have teamed up with

computer scientists at the University of Reading

and Oxfordshire students to see if they can develop new gamds

which could provide more detailed It is about making the game

personalised to a particular patient, making it engaging and

providing enough data to thd therapist, so that they can see how

well a person is progressing. Upon completion, the new software

will not replace more traditional treatments, which therapists

insist still have their place. Games like these are used as part of

a package of treatment at the hospital to help patients ilprove

flexibility, movement and coordination. And they are puite

good fun as well. I'll have the headlines at dight

and a full bulletin at 10.24. that Nick Clegg made his

announcement that ?154 millhon is to be spent on long`term research and

development. The Deputy Prime Minister s`ys that

benefits will be svelte way of play. `` will be felt widely.

I was talking to researchers from the University of Southampton doing

cutting`edge research on how to make aircraft of the future are luch

quieter by placing the engines on top of the aircraft, not under the

wings. Things like that are exciting innovations that are happenhng, not

only in Britain, but in the south, as well.

Farnborough is already big business. Planes really are bought and sold

here. 496 aircraft are on order or

commitment this week, so it is one of the best air show's we h`ve ever

had. It keeps the factories busy. The overall aim of today's

investment is to make things faster, quieter and more environmentally

friendly. It is something Britain 's oldest engineering company with a

number of factories in the south is taking the lead in.

Almost a third of the money and institute a will help GKN work out

how to make heavy aircraft parts much lighter and without as much

waste. It could revolutionise manufacturing

methods at GKN's plant on the Isle of Wight for instance, in s`y 1

years time. HMS Queen Elizabeth has been floated

for the first time at docks The giant aircraft carrier was

released from a dry dock The ship is the largest warship ever

built for the Royal Navy and was formally named by the Queen

in a ceremony earlier this lonth. The ship will remain in Rosxth until

it is handed over to the Ministry of Defence in 2016 ahead of being

put into service in Portsmotth. The Reading Conservative MP Rob

Wilson has revealed he turndd down an invitation from the

Prime Minister to become a linister The MP says he was unable to accept

the offer because he is about to publish a book, and this

would not have been compatible with He has also resigned

as an assistant to Chancellor George Osborne and says he will be

concentrating on constituency work When the Chichester Festival Theatre

was built in 1962 it was But times change and half

a century later it needed updating. After two years of work costing

?22 million, the work is colplete. The building has been repaired

and given a whole host of improvements including more seating

and re`vamped entrance halls. Next week the theatre reopens with

a performance of Amadeus. To theatre`goers it is a buhlding

instantly recognisable. A daring experiment in concrete

which made its architects f`mous and thrust a quiet country town into the

spotlight. Its opening in 1862 with `` was no less than a national event

worthy of royalty. Even Sir Laurence Olivier took up a post here as

director. I think, mainly, the reason I took

it on was because it was such an very gallant little venture.

This seems to me the sort of architect...

This local man, the former Layor, made it all happen. Leslie Dvershed

Martin like a theatre he had been to in Canada. I felt, surely, this is

an idea that could help British but could happen right here in

Chichester, which ought to be a very fine home for the arts.

Now the UK had its first evdr thrust stage, jutting right out into the

audience. But by the turn`of`the`century this pl`ce was

in trouble. Audiences were hn decline and the building, thrown up

in a hurry and on a budget, was showing its age. A radical rethink

was needed. Enter the Ree new project.

It has cost ?22 million and been years in the planning.

The original concrete hexagon which is so recognisable is still in

place. Everything else has been stripped away. Audiences have a new

folly and cafe areas. Actors have an extension at the back and inside,

the auditorium was looking ` little different, too.

Single micro`play about Moz`rt gets the new season underway.

Your father will never give us consent!

It is thrilling to see the theatre come back to life with such a

spectacular production as Aladeus. Audiences will see a transformed

theatre. It will look very familiar, but the folly are much biggdr, much

area and lighter. The way wd operate the whole building has improved

many more bars and cafes and twice as many lose, which are alw`ys

important. The aim has been to accentuate the 1960s vision even

further, not try and hide it. Steve, this is not a building

everybody loves, is it? I do not know, we certainly add or

it. It is such an optimistic, heroic building coming from a time when

people were prepared to expdriment and take risks. `` we certahnly

adore it. It is all the mord remarkable because it appears in

this relatively small, seashde town, not some bread you wotld

expect to find an iconic milestone of British Modernism, yet hdre it

is. `` not somewhere you would dxpect.

Ditching the concrete was not an option.

The concrete is as beautiful as marble. It has a texture, it's

colours are the same commit weather is on a beautiful way, so wd

actually adore it. You are a fan of concrete?

I am a total fan of concretd, I confess.

After ticket sales dropped to an all`time low in 2005, more recent

productions are back at nearly full capacity. The next test it to see

whether audiences both locally and from further afield will kedp coming

back for more. Best of luck for opening night.

Now onto sport and Tony husband is here.

Disappointing news for one of our Commonwealth hopefuls.

Yes, you imagine elite sports men and women these days that are so

much focus on the mental and physical, when you prepare for big

events and the Commonwealth Games is the biggest event for many `thletes

in their careers. The bad news for the brother and

sister company should we met in one of our profiles every of thhs

month, Ben Fletcher, becausd he will miss the Commonwealth Games after

suffering an injury in training Ben, who is a member of the Pinewood

club in berkshire was due to compete in the under 100 kilo class.

Last week he suffered a kned injury while on a training camp in Spain.

He'll now sit out the Games but will no doubt be cheering

on his elder sister, Megan, who competes in the women's event.

Justin Rose has made a solid, if unspectacular start, to his Open

Championship campaign today. The inform world number thrde who

has won is last to tournaments made a birdie on the eighth but struggled

on the back nine and a short time ago dropped a couple of shots to go

back to level par, tied for 48 after 15 holes, six shots off the lead

currently held by Rory McIlroy. Great Britain's rowing coaches have

rewarded their Caversham based team for a successful regatta se`son with

a largely unchanged team for the Southampton rower James Foad will go

in the Men's pair alongside The duo won silver at the

weekend's Lucerne World cup event. Southampton's Caragh McMurtry

is included in the Women's 8. Surrey's Kevin Pietersen helped

the county move up to second in the south group table last night

with his top score Pietersen, sacked by England earlier

this year, made 39 from 28 balls as the hosts successfully chasdd down

the target of 137 set by Solerset. A flurry of wickets led to

a close finish, but Zafar Ansari scored the winning runs at the Oval

in front of a buoyant crowd on a And, indeed, the fireworks.

I'd we did earlier we were going to have a Kevin Pietersen seasons best

in the sport, and he came b`ck to me saying, please do not big it up as

it was only 39. He did not want to make too much of

it, so, Kevin, we will not, but well done.

It is nice that he is watchhng us. Absolutely, quite right, too.

There's never a better time for going out

If you're near a river or a canal there's

always the sort of craft yot expect to see from barges to rowing boats.

But a punt is a little bit rarer and in Salisbury one

Well, Tony, it is harder th`n it looks. We are in the tranquhl

setting on the River Avon in Salisbury. Punting here is not

something you would normallx see but for young entrepreneurs, 19`year`old

boys, have set up a business where they are taking punting down the

river. I am joined by two of them, feel and Cameron. How did this all

come about? My dad initially thought of the idea

because he saw in the archives of the library some older studdnts

punting and rowing in front of the Salisbury Cathedral. At first I did

not think it would work but a friend of mine and I were trying to think

of some venture is and we rdalise the potential of this to thd area.

We are in a brand`new boat, that must have set you back?

Yes, it is a lovely 21 foot bot handmade in Cambridge. We split the

investment between family and friends.

Obviously you are punting for visitors, can they use your boat and

hunt for themselves? we are only doing chauffeurdd tours

at the moment because the Rhver Avon is quite a strong current compared

to Cambridge and Oxford. It is only touring we are doing, and wd can go

down to the Rose and Crown. Lovely setting, perfect setting

Yes, we have a perfect view looking over the Cathedral.

It is spectacular. Did you have to go to punting school to do this type

of thing? Initially we had only reallx punted

a little bit in the River C`m, but obviously it is a whole new

experience with the River Avon. We had a bit of a crash course but we

are beginning to get a little bit confident.

Where can people find you? We can find `` we can be fotnd at

the legacy Rose and Crown Hotel just 100 metres down the stream and

another Hotel, who have both been very supportive of our venttre.

Well, for young entrepreneurs trying to take a punt into a new c`reer.

Alexis, thank you, I know I would have fallen in the water.

I am surprised she did not have a go!

She is a good swimmer! We've had some glorious

weather recently ` it's good It's part of their natural

reproduction process and thdy've been doing it over the past couple

of months, making new homes But one seemingly unlikely place has

suddenly become very popular with Sean Killick has been

finding out more. Each year here they handle

about a million containers, but it is this little one that has

created a big buzz. This small wooden box contahns

thousands of bees making a home in a quiet storage area next to

the River Test. It is one of half a dozen swans

here this year, the most evdr. They have been collected

by the terminal's safety officer, Conveniently,

he is also a beekeeper. He has put some of them

in this small nucleus beehive. So what is the attraction of this

apparently inhospitable envhronment? There is really very little

vegetation on the terminal, let There are

a few weeds coming through the concrete, but up the side wd have

the foreshore, which has thhngs like brambles and other wild flowers and

we have the same on the othdr side. Most of the swarms have been

re`homed with local beekeepdrs and they have even had a little

honey that they have put into their Some of the girls have had ht

on toast, they seem to think it is really nice, there is a slight

betterment or spearmint taste. This colony

of bees will be leaving herd in a week or two, they will be t`ken to a

family member, beekeeper in Wales. The way things are going thhs year,

it is likely they will be placing more bees transiting through the

port here in the next few wdeks Southampton docks buzzing whth

activity. Now back to Alexis back to the River `` by the River Avon and

we all wanted to know how long this gorgeous weather will last.

Well, for another day, unfortunately, then the bre`kdown

occurs on Saturday. Let's look at the satellite picture from darlier.

Barely a cloud in the sky, lovely sunny conditions today after a

cloudy start. Today temperatures reached 28 Celsius, 82 Fahrdnheit.

Through tonight there was a possibility of one or two

thunderstorms. Maybe the odd shower, but you will see more lightning and

the odd rumble of thunder than you will see rain. Temperatures will be

very mild, dropping to 15 Cdlsius, up to 20 in some parts, so really

quite humid. Tomorrow morning, first thing at 8am, temperatures will be

around 18 Celsius, up to 21 Celsius in some parts under cloudy start for

a lot of places, but it will be on improving picture. Dorset and

Wiltshire may hold onto the cloud until late morning, but durhng the

afternoon it will be pleasantly warm. Temperatures may be hhgher

than today reaching, potenthally, 30 Celsius. That is 86 Fahrenhdit.

Through tomorrow afternoon we will have some lovely late evening

looking ahead to the potenthal of looking ahead to the potenthal of

some really quite treacherots thunderstorms with hailstorls, as

well, very large hailstorms, wind well, very large hailstorms, wind

gusts through the early hours of the morning on Friday and into Saturday

and Saturday daytime. Lowest tomorrow) to 20 Celsius, so quite a

tomorrow could reach around 30 tomorrow could reach around 30

Celsius, 86 Fahrenheit. Then on Saturday that is when The Mdt office

quite torrential downpours that quite torrential downpours that

could lead to localised flooding. Do is stay tuned to the weather

forecast for the latest information. Things can change but it is looking

likely we will see those thunderstorms on Saturday.

In terms of events, lots sthcking place in the South over the next few

days. The Newport Jazz Festhval on the Isle of Wight starts today and

is not until Sunday. The second event is the Darlington Village show

and a vehicle gathering in Wiltshire.

Our very own Polk lifting is opening that.

Now, spare a thought for prdvious `` BBC Breakfast's Carol Kirkwood.

She was at West wittering bdach this morning for a live broadcast.

This was what happened behind her. It will not be quite as hot and

humid as it will be in the next few days.

God looked behind you! `` don't look behind you! Upstaged

by a dog, the story of my lhfe! Yes, something like that!

Lets not... Move on! Oh dear, I think that is more than

marking its territory. I think the tide was coming in!

It doesn't bear thinking about! I will be back with a new stmmary at

It doesn't bear thinking about! I will be back with a new stmmary at

8pm and again at 1020 5p. H`ve a wonderful evening.

Good night. It took less than 90 seconds for the

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the true cost of fashion. It took less than 90 seconds for the

eight-storey building to collapse.