23/07/2014 BBC Oxford News

between a band of heavy and thundery showers and it will be notably

fresher Hello and welcome to South Today

from Oxford. Tonight: A teenage boy drowns in a river. His

friends are devastated. He'd been trying to retrieve a ball from this

stretch of the Thames. No one had a bad word to say about

him. He will be truly missed. Also tonight: the health and safety

mistakes that led the death of a construction worker ` the company

Costain is fined ?500,000. And later on:

Popping up everywhere ` Bracknell's tribute to those who

fought in the First World War. Good evening. A teenage boy has

drowned in the River Thames in Buckinghamshire after playing with

friends near the water. It's thought Kyrece Marshall`Francis was

retrieving a ball when he was swept into deep water. Police are warning

people to beware of going into rivers. Last year, 45 people were

killed from swimming or jumping into rivers, lakes and quarries. Adina

Campbell reports. A tragic start to their summer

holiday ` these friends today paying their respects to a boy described as

charming, friendly and sociable. Kyrece Marshall`Francis had only

been a pupil here at Great Marlow School for nine months. But

he'd made a wide circle of friends. I was one of the first to know. It

was such a shock to us. I have been closed to Kyrece. He was always

really nice. He was a fun loving guy, always smiling. I was

gobsmacked. One of my best friends has gone and I don't see him again.

One of Kyrece's friends then called the emergency services for help `

his body was later found by local search rescue teams.

At this time of year as tempting as it may be, there are unseen hazard

in rivers, especially following floods this year. There is a lot of

dairy on the river. They can be dangerous places, unfortunately.

Earlier, those who knew Kyrece's went on a special group walk to the

area where he died. His school say the teenager's death has left the

A former headteacher who now lives in Oxford has denied a number of

sexual assaults on a school pupil forty years ago. David Tuohy is

accused of assaulting the boy who was a pupil at the old Eccles Hall

School in Norfolk in the mid`seventies when he was the

headmaster. It's alleged the attacks started when the boy was ten or

eleven years old. Mr Tuohy is expected to face a trial in

A new machine has hit the roads in Wiltshire. It's mission? To help

fill in some of the county's 5,000 potholes. It's called the Velocity

Patcher, and as the name suggests, it can patch up the holes at a much

higher speed than traditional methods. Will Glennon has the story.

If potholes are the problem, then how about this for a solution?

Velocity by name and by nature too. It makes swift work of holes and

cracks in the tarmac thanks to a high powered jet hose. It blasts the

rubbish out then blasts in the mix of chippings and tarmac to make the

repair. It's fast, efficient and it's cheaper too. While an average

pothole repair costs up to ?55, a velocity repair is a third of that

at just ?18. The road doesn't need to be closed as the machine is

mobile and repairs which are ready straight away are actually designed

It is capable of taking 40 tonne lorries within seconds of being

late. I am able to lean on it here today.

The Velocity isn't the complete solution though. It's only designed

for rural roads.Main roads like A and B roads need different types of

repair. And at the moment this machine is still on trial.

our job is to repair them as quickly our job is to repair them as quickly

as we can and this gives us the tool in our armoury so we can wage war

against them. This is the first year of using them. We will evaluate the

impact after a few weeks. It is looking good so far.

Wiltshire has over 2,700 miles of roads. The cost to completely

resurface them would run into the hundreds of millions. But with

systems like the Velocity ` the council at least hopes to stay on

top of pothole repairs and keep road users moving safely on.

People in Banbury are being offered cheaper rent if they do some of the

work to renovate derelict houses. These four storey properties on

Broughton Road had been empty for several years. But the housing

project run by Cherwell District Council ` has led to their

refurbishment. The scheme is part of their wider plans to provide more

It gives people a chance who cannot afford to go into private, so it is

a good way of supplying houses for our residents. I am on low`wage, so

this is good for me. We are very happy.

The developer Costain has been fined more than ?500,000 after the death

of a man from Oxfordshire on one of its building sites. Mark Williams

from Nuneham Courtenay was crushed by a forklift truck which fell on

him three years ago. Earlier this year, Costain, was found guilty of

breaching health and safety regulations. Charlotte Stacey

Last Sunday, family and friends gathered to remember Mark Williams

on the third anniversary of his death. This morning, after a lengthy

trial, the developer of the site he had been working on when he died

were found ?500,000 for health and safety breaches. I just hope it does

not happen to anyone else. The fine to me is irrelevant, really. Because

Mark will never walk through the door again. It is as simple as that.

Mark had been working on the site at this shopping centre in Newbury. In

sentencing today, the judge described Mark Williams as a loving

son, partner and father to two children. He said Costain fell short

of its obligations and that lessons have not been learned from two

previous incidents in the company had been warned about lifting

equipment. She said the amount not reflect the value of Mark

Williams's life, but rather reflected the breaches in health and

safety. We asked the company for a statement but they refused to

comment. We would hope that as the

construction industry continues to improve, that contractors realise

they must manage the risks that go alongside that this hopefully

reinforces that message. The family will not receive any of the money,

it will go to the Treasury. They see that they intend to claim for

compensation for his doctors. `` his daughters.

It was one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the

20th century ` the excavation of the tomb of Tutankhamun. Now a new

exhibition with previously unseen artefacts has opened at Oxford's

Ashmolean museum. It charts the search for the hidden tomb and the

It's 1922, in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor in Egypt. After 16

'tutmania' that followed. Katharine Da Costa reports.

It's 1922, in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor in Egypt. After 16

years of extensive excavation work, Lord Carnarvon and archaeologist

Howard Carter's persistence pays off ` they've just discovered the

undisturbed tomb of the boy king ` Tutankhamun.

When they found the rock steps down to the tomb, they discovered

something that had lain untouched for such a long time and it was a

wind`up great significance. Soon photographs of the tomb and its

spectacular contents appeared around the world. Some of those objects

have been brought together in the Ashmolean's exhibition in Oxford `

including Harry Burton's iconic photographs and Carter's

hand`written diaries. Their discovery caused a sensation

throughout the 1920s, it became known as Tutmania ` there was even a

dance named after him ` the It is wonderful that the museum has

become this exhibition to explain the background of people involved,

my great`grandfather and how it impacted on the world, in fashion,

art and design. The tale of Tutankhamun and the

mystery surrounding his death continues to fascinate both the

public and scholars alike. I'll be here again at around 11:30 `

later because of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. Now more of

today's stories with Sally Taylor. It's hoped

the school will open to year seven Still to come

in this evening's South Today: Let the Games begin `

the region's athletes get ready for a mouth`watering

Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Black pudding, haggis, no deep`fried

Mars bars yet! Bournemouth Council has joined

the chorus of disapproval for It says that if the proposals are

approved, hundreds of thousands of potential visitors will be put

off travelling to the town. The plans are currently being

considered for approval They've received 2,700 interested

representations ` the highest ever But just last week plans for the

Rampion wind farm off the Sussex coast ` one of the world's largest `

were approved with little objection. It was the power

of the sun that attracted people to Bournemouth today, the council wants

to keep it that way. Today,

the cabinet opposed a plan for 194 They say it would devastate the

tourism economy driving away tens of millions of pounds of holiday

spending making businesses bankrupt. It would be a novelty

at first to see it but it isn't I come here because it is a tranquil

area and I hope it stays that way. Some people say it would spoil

the view. Would it put you off? The government gave

the go`ahead to Rampion wind farm, Why does Bournemouth think it

should be treated differently? Brighton and Hove council did not

oppose Rampion because the offer they had to the tourists

is different to what we have here. We have an area

of outstanding natural beauty, we have the only world Heritage

site around the corner, that is why people come here cover the beauty

of the natural environment. People perceive change,

but the reality is different. A case in point is the neighbouring

authority on the Isle of Wight say we are underplaying

the benefits of wind farms. You can see how different regions

and communities are different. Some environmentalists think

the offshore wind farms will be more We believe the impact

of climate change will ever greater negative effect

on Dorset coast this offshore wind farms it has been proven and we have

had erosion and rising sea levels. The decision by Bournemouth council

isn't the end of the matter. The final decision will be taken

by the Secretary of State Keeping up to date with

the latest headlines, being able to post pictures instantly online `

all with a mobile phone. A new study says half

of us access the internet that way. But it's not so easy if you live

in the countryside. While work's under way to improve

signals in rural areas ` Vodafone has begun its own trials `

starting in a Dorset village. In the heart or rural Dorset there's

one sound you don't expect to hear. Cranbourne has never had a

mobile phone signal. It's basically affected my bottom

line where people would choose someone else to stay because I

didn't have a mobile signal. Now, we can promise we have a mobile signal

for Vodafone users for the guests that stay here and as we No, more

and more, people do not like to be out of touch with their loved ones

and friends and colleagues. Cranbourne lies in an area

of outstanding natural beauty The signal comes

from a transmitter that's connected The boxes are part of a new trial,

they work just like a big Wi`Fi box in your home. They turn whole

villages from no spots into hotspots.

The trial is part of a 1 billion pound network upgrade

Cranbourne is one of 12 rural areas testing a scheme

that could bring phone signal to 10,000 people.

Not suitable for everywhere. 10% will not have broadband at all.

This is not suitable for those places but for those that do and

are on Vodafone this is a good really good

If successful the 3G system will stay in place.

So the old village phone box may well be worried `

On to the sport. Chris is here. Just over an hour to go. 8pm it kicks

off, Commonwealth Games. We have been meeting many of the

personalities. Over the last few weeks we've been

meeting some of the sporting personalities

from the South, who will be in Well it all starts tonight

in Glasgow with the opening ceremony, with competition getting

underway tomorrow. Here's Hamish Marshall,

with a flavour of what to expect. Ahead of tonight's Opening Ceremony,

the village has been filling up. Each nation making it a home

from home. The athletes are settling

in well and getting It is a huge honour to represent

your country and it has that When you compete you a competitive

but in here it is a wonderful Day after day, different sports

and people have been arriving. It is a real sense

of anticipation which is fantastic. In the village,

meeting best friends. The hub

of the village is the dining hall. Around 4,500 athletes

and the support staff, an estimated 20,000 meals a day will

be served catering for all tastes. We have recipes

and authentic chefs cooking curries Lots of traditional Scottish food,

black pudding and white pudding Team England is the biggest team

here and there's been a huge investment in sport science,

physio and recovery equipment. The athletes are moving towards

the limits of human performance, eeking out marginal gains and this

type of area is what delivers that. It is about making sure

the athlete stay as well If a problem happens,

we treat it early. We can move people from

off the podium onto the podium The athletes are here,

the venues are ready, An estimated 1.5 billion people will

be watching these 20th Hampshire kept alive their outside

chances of a home quarter final They beat Essex by five wickets

at Chelmsford. After Michael Carberry had blazed

the early trail, the headlines went More known for his bowling,

he smashed a fifty from just 18 balls ` the fastest 50

of this season's competition. Hampshire need Surrey to slip up

in their remaining group games to Meanwhile in the

County Championship, on day three at Horsham,

Sussex are looking to post a tough Jonathan Trott had hit a ton

for Warwickshire. Meanwhile at Guildford,

Surrey tumbled to defeat to Kent. Chasing 303 for victory, only

Tillakaratne Dilshan passed 30. A year ago, disabled sailor Natasha

Lambert crossed the English Channel Well Natasha is about to embark

on her next challenge. The 17 year old is due to leave

the Isle of Wight tomorrow, on her She'll sail over a number of days to

Swansea, and will then climb the Several leading names

in sailing came to Cowes today to Meet the missiles,

Natasha and her boat leave Cowes on their 2`part adventure after

sailing around the south`west coast, Natasha will use a walking frame to

climb a peak in the Brecon Beacons. It is the best piece of equipment,

it keeps you fit and healthy. Pushing yourself to new limits,

not just sailing. This will be

a real endurance test for Natasha. Natasha has cerebral palsy

affecting limbs and speech. She controls her boat by sipping and

puffing through a straw, a number of She will be blowing and sipping in

and out of drinks for practice to keep her muscles strong and ready

because it will be a long time. Every day,

she is in her walking frame. In Wales, she will be

in a fit state to climb the hill. Natasha is raising money

for three charities including one She turned up today

to surprise Natasha. She is an inspiration, an incredible

young woman who sets her mind She has challenges in life

and ignores them. She sets herself real goals

and makes them happen. Additionally, she is raising money

for charity which is extraordinary. The first day

of the challenge is to sail from Cowes to Poole with longer daily

stretches more than 60 miles each. Spending 12 hours

on the water is tough. I have followed her progress

for over two years. A lot of planning, preparation,

a lot of work. A tremendous young woman. Good luck,

Natasha. Giant poppies have been springing up

across Bracknell They're the work

of a local business, and they're being made to mark the centenary

of the outbreak of World War I. The town decided that

as their tribute to those who fell, they couldn't better what's been

a symbol of remembrance almost At six feet tall, this is larger

than the poppy worn by generations but the design is identical to the

current version of the flower first chosen as a symbol of remembrance

in the wake of the Great War. An alternative to the jingoistic

emblems that rallied a generation to the flag and led them to the death

and destruction of the trenches. It is a symbol of remembrance

and hope. The poppies were growing

on the battlefield so such destruction and something

beautiful was growing and it was unexpected and that is something we

focus on, the hope things will 25 poppies are going up in prominent

positions around Bracknell. Many on roundabouts or overlooking

a major junction. Everyone uses cars

so everybody goes around the roundabout and will see the

poppy so the message has got home. The poppies have been made by this

local firm ` more used to making models to help firms visualise new

products, this is one design that This one has been

an iconic symbol for a long time so I suppose it is down to us to

recreate it as well as we can. I live in the local area

so I will see them every day! All of the poppies should be in

place for the centenary next month. They will not come down again

until November, the annual And to let you know we have a

special programme planned for August the 4th which is the 100 years to

the day since war was declared. Stay with us on South Today. Let's move

on to the weather. I have been glad to be in the office because of the

air con. Temperatures were higher than yesterday in 14 of The Met

office weather stations, they recorded 28 Celsius.

Annie Jackson, age 10, took this photo of the shells

and pebbles under blues skies at Shell Bay in Studland.

Helen Jellett's Bird of Paradise plant has burst into song because of

And Chris Rose took this photo of a common Blue butterfly taken

in Four Marks in Hampshire on an Ox`Eye Daisy.

The top temperatures were 29 Celsius, 84 Fahrenheit. 28 degrees

in 14 locations so very hot. A similar day tomorrow. Temperatures

rising nicely, humid and dry tonight, very like recent nights,

quite uncomfortable for sleeping. The outside chance of a shower but

dry weather across the board and becoming dry everywhere through the

morning. We expect loads of 16 and 19 Celsius. Quite a humid nights to

come. The wind is light. Tomorrow, a dry note, the bulk of the day will

stay dry. We thought there would be showers tomorrow but that will not

happen. Dry everywhere for much of the region, highs of 28 or 29 or

30. The outside chance of a shower but most places stay dry. Tomorrow,

a quiet night, nothing to talk about. Clear skies, patchy cloud and

very mild temperatures, lows of 16. We start the day on Friday with a

dry note. Friday afternoon, the risk of a shower for eastern areas

pushing in from the near constant. Otherwise, the bulk of the day stays

dry and settled thanks to high pressure into the weekend and next

week. We expect settled weather because of high pressure, tomorrow

we could top 28 or 30 Celsius in some parts. A dry day on Friday, 12

showers for eastern areas, most places escape and the showers are

hit miss. Most places stay dry. Sunday, the risk of showers, for

eastern areas, the West is best in terms of dryness and sunshine.

Temperatures over the weekend, the mid`20s. Dipping slightly. You will

be coming into the office more, if the air con is working. A couple of

days off! More at 8pm. The Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony

is at 8pm. At 11:30pm, more news. Enjoy your evening. Good night.

Goodbye.