16/09/2014 BBC Oxford News

Hello and welcome to South Today from Oxford.

A "vital resource" being lost in this

region ` are the police strtggling to keep volunteer constables?

Also, radical new ideas to build more homes in Oxfordshire `

the report that eyes up farlers land in the green belt.

The recycling plant in Swindon on fire for the entire summer ` crews

And later on ` recovering from a ram raid `

two months on the Berkshire diner that's battled back to business

They've been described by the chief constable as a

"vital resource" but now figures suggest more volunteer workdrs are

Critics claim it?s down to ` lack of support and job satisfaction

The force is trying to recrtit more special constables, who are unpaid

Special constables ` they look the same, and have the same powers

People become specials to gdt out there on the front line.

They go to all different kinds of what we call commitments, which

might mean burglaries through to car accidents and also even in lurder

Andy Hubble now runs a fireworks company.

He stopped volunteering as an Aylesbury special constable

The role of the special constable moved

from the front line policing over to more community`based policing.

So doing things like crime prevention, getting out doing talks,

going to special events, recruiting and fetes and fares.

The number of special const`bles in the Thames Valley has risen

Recently though there's been a drop, but some volunteer more hours than

In a statement Thames Vallex Police say special constables are ` vital,

There was a restructuring l`st year so some specials choose to leave.

Adding that a third of special constables go

The Police Federation support the volunteers as long as they `re in

You have got to do a lot more with less.

And if you have volunteers who have a positive view about polichng,

Thames Valley Police want to recruit more special constables

and are offering better trahning to improve retention rates.

A man charged with child sex offences

37`year`old Mohammed Imran from Bradford is one of a total of 1 men

now facing charges over child exploitation between 2007 and 2 09.

Police in Buckinghamshire c`rried out a series of raids

10 other men have already appeared at court in Milton Keynes.

They've all been remanded in custody.

No action is to be taken ag`inst South Central Ambulance Service

after the personal data of staff was accidentally published online.

The ethnicity, sexuality, rdligion and age of nearly 3,000 staff

members were posted on the service's website in October last year.

The Information Commissioner's Office said it was satisfied

at measures taken to make stre the same error couldn't happen `gain.

A man who died in a house fhre in Kidlington earlier this lonth

55`year`old Christopher Butler died in the blaze at his home on Wilsdon

It?s thought the fire startdd in the roof.

An inquest is due to be opened tomorrow.

A new report suggests the thousands of new homes Oxfordshire is said to

need should be built on gredn belt land around places like Bicdster,

The authors also suggest farmers should sell the land to devdlopers

at a fraction of the price they currently do to help pay for roads,

Where in Oxfordshire do we build the 100,000 homes planners say we need?

A new report suggests the m`jority should be built on the green fields

that surround places like Oxford, Bicester and Witney, creating what

The problem is when you build houses you also need to build roads,

The authors say they have the answer.

They say the average price of agricultural land in the UK is

around ?15,000 per hectare, but as soon as that land is granted

planning permission to build on its value leaps to more than ?2 million.

The authors claim we should change the law and force farmers to sell

at the lower price allowing us to spend the difference on things like

The government has got no money so the only way to get money is by

development. At the moment `ll money being accrued from developmdnt is

going to landowners or going to developers.

Oxford City Council is backhng the idea of extending large towns and

But it's leader and the National Farmers Union says it?s not

possible to expect farmers to sell off their land at a cheaper rate to

It is a bit fanciful to go down that track at the moment. We are working

in existing arrangements to use a land value in a more effecthve way.

The report has been well received by some and it recently won

an economic award, but it sdems it may not make easy reading for all.

Police in Aylesbury are investigathng

whether there's a link betwden an escaped prisoner and an hncident

in which a terrified driver found a man hiding in the back of hdr car.

43` year`old Michael Rotherx absconded from Spring Hill prison

Hours later a woman in Pitstone had driven a mile before realishng

He managed to escape after she pulled over.

Police say they are following several lines of hnquiry.

A campaign group in South Oxfordshire says plans for ` new

gravel pit and concrete processing plant near Abingdon will le`d to

Waste disposal company, Hills, wants to extract nearly five millhon

tonnes of minerals over 25 xears from the site in Clifton Halpden.

The firm says it will assess any impact on the environment bdfore

submitting a formal application but says more sand and gravel is needed

Nobody wants this sort of thing on their doorstep.

However we cannot fight on dmotion, we have to fight with facts

And as the contractor forward with their facts

and figures then it's our job to try and give an alternative view.

A fire that's been burning `t a recycling plant in Swindon for over

Firefighters have spent the last 57 days tacking thd blaze

But whilst the flames may fhnally have been extinguished,

questions about how this was allowed to happen are gathering momdntum.

With the flames now out, it's clear to see why has bden such

Thousands and thousands of tonnes of rubbish piled on top

of each other with no way of stopping the flames from spreading.

Today, nearly two months after it started, everything

in the area has been left coated in thick dust and the acrid smell

It is still not clear what happened here in July and how this fhre

started. An investigation is underway and we expect to gdt the

results in a few weeks. But it is clear this fire was one of the most

complex and long`lasting thd Fire Service here has had to deal with.

The site had been licensed to store 5,000 tonnes of waste materhal but

according to investigators, far more was being kept there, which made the

The challenges we faced was a constricted site and a largd amount

of waste. It was difficult for others to fight the fire because it

was deep`seated within the stack. That is why we needed help from the

Environment Agency to dig ott the fire so we could extinguish it.

No`one from Averies was willing to discuss

this with us today but one local councillor, himself an environmental

policy specialist, says this should never have been allowed to happen.

We need to get to the bottol of those questions as to why this site

was allowed to get into the state it was. And why the Environment Agency

and other agencies did not `ct sooner.

An inquiry into the fire will now be proposed

An Oxford cancer unit is among those to benefit

from money raised by teenagd cancer sufferer, Stephen Sutton.

The 19`year`old died in May after launching an appeal in aid

?60,000 is to be given to the Churchill Hospital.

It comes from the ?5 million donated to the

I'll have the headlines at 8:00pm and a full bulletin at 10.24pm.

Now more of today's stories with Tony Husband.

was posted on the service's website in October. The Information

Commissioner's Office said ht was satisfied at measures taken to make

sure the same error couldn't happen again.

More artefacts are being undarthed that are helping to tell thd story

of this villa in the Dorset countryside.

People and businesses in a small west`Sussex village say thex've been

let down by the mobile phond company EE ` formerly known as Orange. The

company provided the only shgnal that people can get in the village

of Cocking. But at the start of August the signal was lost

completely and the residents have struggled ever since. James Ingham

Nothing is coming through. That s been the same for two months. These

villagers are becoming incrdasingly frustrated by the loss of their

mobile signal and the silence from EE. Surely they could let us all

know that they care and thex're doing something about it. Wd have

not been struck by lightning. Whatever has happened to it, involve

us in this. Please do your best to restore a signal, because wd do need

it. Frances has tried calling, emailing, Facebooking and writing to

EE, all without success. We hope to answer your call within 20 linutes.

For businesses, the impact hs worse. Richard Marks farms fields `longside

the faulty mast. Phones are dead. The farm shop, we have a card

machine and for the past cotple of machine and for the past cotple of

months we have not had any signal so we've not been able to take card

payments, so lost custom because we rely on passing trade because we are

on the South Downs Way. EE hasn t on the South Downs Way. EE hasn t

answered our questions about the quality of customer service or fully

explained the problem. It only told us:

What may have happened is that as more and more residents havd

complained, more and more pdople within the mobile network h`ve got

involved, so they've needed someone with more authority to respond and

that's what has taken quite so much time in this case. This isste may be

with senior levels of managdment, but that's little comfort to Richard

and others, who feel badly let down by EE.

that almost shut an unusual small business. The American`themdd diner

Nelson's at Kingsclere nearly closed this summer after thieves r`m raided

it in the dead of night. Thd perpetrators have never been caught

but the owner says support from locals inspired her to rebuhld. Ben

Moore reports on how the Yankee Spirit was far from crushed.

A bustling, swinging 1950's hot spot in the heart of Hampshire. But over

the summer, this American dream was shattered. Utter devastation, I

think, would be the best description. Basically, the

perpetrators had driven through the garden and driven into the diner

through the end wall and drove a metal stake at speed through the

whole diner, so anything th`t came into contact with it was colpletely

obliterated. ?50,000 worth of damage was caused in this audacious

drive`through robbery. Desphte a high`profile campaign, thred months

on, no`one's dog the Jailhotse Rock for the crime. But the experience

has proved the diner is nothing without loyal customers. People were

if they could do something. They if they could do something. They

were not charging. And I thhnk that was a real driver for us, bdcause

when you are faced with somdthing like that your heart and sotl has

been ripped apart effectively. Shelley's team re`opened within four

days of the raid, albeit with a minutal menu. `` minutal menu. ``

minimal menu. Most people come and help out when it's struggling after

a major event like this, thd better. To see it like this, which hs

completely wonderful and it looks amazing. It's one of my favourite

places. Security has now bedn improved here at Nelson's Dhner and

they're looking to open another restaurant in Newbury. It sdems the

bright neon light have not been dimmed by a bit of bad luck.

for us? Well, deep in the Dorset countryside they left a villa

teaming with mosaic floors `nd artefacts. It's thought to have

stood from some time around the year 100AD, right up to 500AD, long after

the Romans left Britain. For the past two summers amateur

archaeologists have been uncovering its secrets. Steve Humphrey is

there. Steve, was it a bit of a Roman des res then?

This is the Roman equivalent of one of the massive houses that xou get

down at Sankbanks `` Sandbanks. It had the fantastic floors and they

would have taken a long timd to put together. As you mention, it's

reckoned that the huge vill` was built almost 2,000 years ago.

Archeologists say that the huge Roman Villa that stood on the site

was built for a very healthx `` wealthy family who could afford the

finest luxuries. The remains were hidden for centuries. But over the

excavated by volunteers frol the excavated by volunteers frol the

East Dorset ank kwaRian sochety For East Dorset ank kwaRian sochety For

Lynn it's been a labour of loss It's been great. It's the ddtective

work. Sun and Ian came to vhsit on an open day and decided to get

involved. It's unbelievable all round. You can't quite take it in

on the paper, the work is so fine. on the paper, the work is so fine.

It is quite incredible. It's like a It is quite incredible. It's like a

treasure hunt without too mtch treasure and more rocks and mud

really. It's very enjoyable. The really. It's very enjoyable. The

villa was discovered after ` long alfarmer started ploughing tp Roman

building materials. On the site they've discovered the remahns of

and the beautiful mosaics. The Roman and the beautiful mosaics. The Roman

road is just over the horizon and this house smacks of what I call

Roman bling. It was a familx that was very wealthy and they wore their

Welton their building. This land is wealthy. It can be used to generate

a large amount of profit. And they spent their profit building this

rather night country villa. Further work on the Roman Villa will take

place next year, and after that this very special site will be covered

up. The volunteers here really have been working hard to excavate what

is a pretty enormous site. Ht's just up the road from Puddletown. They

are finding Roman artefacts every day, which are helping to tdll the

story. What we have been `` while we have been here today, a couple of

significant things have been found. We'll look in this basket hdre. With

me is Lillian. This piece of pottery here, if I can lift it up c`refully

and give it to you, that was found by Len a bit earlier on tod`y. What

is that? It's the bottom of a pot. And the top has been chopped off.

It's probably been used for a little bowl. Also, very interesting, a

Roman coin. If we take it ott of the plastic pocket there. You found a

number of these. We have had quite a few. You anticipate finding coins.

It's not unusual. The date of this thing is probably around 350. You

have also found this piece of pottery, which comes from Poole

Harbour. You reckon they made about one million of those? They dxpect

shipped out of the river on shipped out of the river on

Anyeteiual basis `` on an annual basis. Look at that. That looks like

it's fresh out of the packet. I it's fresh out of the packet. I

think in any lady's sewing box today, if they do knitting, they

have a wool needle, which looks just like that. Have you been re`lly

excited by taking part in this? This has been phenomenally excithng.

Every day you come in and you really do not know what is going to come

up. Literally, until just a few years ago, nobody knew this was

here? No. No. Not a clue. What happened next? We have a cotple more

weeks to do some work, to fhnish off the season and we'll be back for a

very short season next year. As I was saying in the film, eventually

the site will are covered up? Unfortunately it will. Unless we can

find a sponsor or donor with millions of pounds, but

unfortunately these days, this is the fact. Thank you very much. It

really has been a day of discoveries on this site. Very fascinathng to

learn about what the Romans were doing nearly 2,000 years ago.

named Sport England's first city of Football. Last week, a team from

Pompey in the Community put on a show to convince the decision`makers

that they should be awarded the title. But, Nottingham pippdd them

to the post and with it givdn ? .6 million to spend on grassroots

Now, to news on the pitch and there's a full fixture list in the

We are disappointed. We would like to thank everybody. The comlunity

and voluntary sect workers `nd it's not really the end, because sport

England is interesting in working with us on the digital part. What

will that involve for Portslouth? Working with social media and

grassroots, trying to interdst 14`25`year`olds to join in some kind

of sport. Now, to news on the pitch and

there's a full fixture list in the We are disappointed. We would like

to thank everybody. The comlunity Fond memories of the last vhsit of

Leeds. They outclassed the team in the Champions League not so long

ago. The Leeds of today lurch from one crisis to the next.

Thanks Kris. Also in the Championship tonight, Brighton

travel to Ipswich ` Jake Forster`Caskey and Craig

Mackail`Smith both set to rdturn, while Reading host Millwall at the

Madejski. In League One, MK Dons host Bradford, while Swindon welcome

Oldham, And in League Two, Oxford will hope to get their first win of

the season against Accrington, and Portsmouth take on Dagenham

Redbridge at Fratton Park. Full commentary on your loc`l BBC

Radio Station. In speedway, Poole Pirates have raced to the top of the

Elite League with just one leeting to spare. The 50`40 victory over

Coventry last night means the Pirates have peaked at just the

right time and if they finish top, will get to choose who they meet in

the play`offs. And there's also great news for

Berkshire's Amber Hill, who's made history at the Shooting World

Championships in Spain. The 17`year`old from Bracknell was part

of Great Britain's first`evdr women's skeet team to win gold at

the Championships. Fantastic achievement. In the individtal

event, Hill scored 72 in qu`lifying, but fell at the semi`final shoot`off

stage. Will Smith has extended his contract

with the club untill the end of the 2017 season. The 31`year`old, who

moved from Durham last wintdr, has been rewarded for scoring ndarly a

thousand runs in the Championship ` averaging just under 50 with the bat

this season. How they could do with him now.

Hampshire needing just one lore victory to all but guaranted

Promotion back to division one. They've had a difficult day against

Kent. The visitors amassed the highest score, 507.

It looks like the Promotion race could go down to the final game

Surrey were bowled out for 279, giving Derbyshire the total of 51

to chase for the win and in division one, Sussex reached 391 in their

first innings and Nottinghalshire are 320`3. It will be tense.

Hampshire, it looks like Gl`morgan away is going to be crucial?

Hampshire need 27 points. They only have one bowling point this time

around. Esentepe ex`` Essex look like they've get the victorx. It

will be close. We want to sde Hampshire back with Sussex. The

cricket season continuing towards the end of September. And I think

they got lucky this year, bdcause the weather is looking ought right?

Fairly good, but the odd thtndery shower towards the end of the week.

Peter Tiplady took this photo of the morning mist at Newtown Credk on the

Isle of Wight. It was a misty start to the day in Aylesbury. Thhs

picture was taken by Dan Marshall. And Ginny Boxall took this photo of

Through the course of tonight, it will be fairly warm. There will be a

lot of high cloud feeding in from the north`east and a lot of Low

Cloud. In fact, turning things quite Cloud. In fact, turning things quite

misty and murky in places. Tnder the clear skies, mist and fog, with the

Low Cloud feeding in and th`t will mean visibility will be reldased

first thing this morning. It will be mild overnight. Lows of 11 to 1 . A

tomorrow. Once that mist and fog tomorrow. Once that mist and fog

clears, which will be around late morning, we'll see sunny spdlls

developing. The slam dance of a `` slim chance of a shower. Telperature

could be warming than today. A dry end to the day tomorrow. Thd odd

shower is a possibility, but clearing skies will see mord

A lot of Low Cloud over hill tops, A lot of Low Cloud over hill tops,

with temperature falling to a very with temperature falling to a very

mild 15 to 17. Quite a humid feel tomorrow night. A dry start to the

day on Thursday. An area of low pressure is close by on Thursday.

That means it won't stay fahrly That means it won't stay fahrly

settled throughout the day. We are expecting maybe one or two thundery

showers to drift up. During the afternoon on Thursday and Friday,

that is. There will be sunshine in between. The Met Office havdn't

issued a weather warning, btt there may be one in the next 24 hours A

look ahead: Feeling a little cooler. A good week

ahead. Tomorrow night, have your tablets, pens, phones, whatdver

ready, because we want to tdll you ready, because we want to tdll you

how you can nominate someond to be this year's Sports Unsung Hdro. If

you know somebody out there, whose never had any recognition, give them

a chance to be recognised. We'll have that tomorrow. We'll sde you

then. Goodbye. There's so much more to this story

than I thought. Wow.