:00:11. > :00:13.Good evening. David Cameron has described the
:00:14. > :00:20.flooding in Somerset as "difficult and depressing." The Prime Minister
:00:21. > :00:24.came to the Levels again today ` his third visit to the county since the
:00:25. > :00:28.crisis began. He also predicted that it would take at least six weeks to
:00:29. > :00:31.clear the excess water away. Scott Ellis reports.
:00:32. > :00:35.The Prime Minister visiting the Dutch pumping operation at Beer Wall
:00:36. > :00:40.today. They're not on full`time This was a test run. Like everyone,
:00:41. > :00:44.David Cameron is wondering how soon before the water is gone. Very
:00:45. > :00:52.little has changed since his last visit. It is very difficult and
:00:53. > :00:55.depressing. I said then it was a long haul, and I said then things
:00:56. > :00:59.would probably get worse before they get better. What has improved, and
:01:00. > :01:03.we now have a pumping strategy in place, a new pump and strategy with
:01:04. > :01:06.more pumps, and are trying to get the amount of water pumped off the
:01:07. > :01:10.Levels from three million tonnes a day to five million tonnes a days.
:01:11. > :01:13.That will help, but the problem is, even with that, and that is the
:01:14. > :01:17.maximum capacity, we are still looking at something like six weeks
:01:18. > :01:20.to get the Levels dry. The Prime Minister has pledged to spend as
:01:21. > :01:24.much money as is needed to clear up the floods, but less clear is
:01:25. > :01:26.funding for the longer term solutions. These Dutch government
:01:27. > :01:31.engineers have been in Somerset all week with the Environment Agency.
:01:32. > :01:40.Holland spends 1 euro billion a year on flood defence. What is their
:01:41. > :01:44.advice for us? What happened now is an extreme event. You have to make a
:01:45. > :01:48.choice whether you want to be ready for these types of events, or if you
:01:49. > :01:51.will accept these extreme events but be prepared for events a little less
:01:52. > :01:54.extreme. You have to make that choice. Personally, I think you
:01:55. > :02:00.shouldn't look for quick win, because a quick win now might be a
:02:01. > :02:04.mistake for the future. It is highly unlikely we will ever spend anything
:02:05. > :02:12.like the Dutch do on flood defence. 60% of their land mass is below sea
:02:13. > :02:16.level. Here, it is not the same and we need to think about how we spend
:02:17. > :02:20.money for the best benefit costs in this area. We will do that and take
:02:21. > :02:23.on board the recommendations they make. The Environment Agency says we
:02:24. > :02:27.can learn a great deal from the Dutch. They have after all learned
:02:28. > :02:33.to live with water, rather than fight it. With the water so slow to
:02:34. > :02:36.shift, there are now these weekly surgeries being held at The
:02:37. > :02:39.Canalside in Bridgwater. These offer support to victims, who are
:02:40. > :02:45.desperate to find out what help they can get and what the future holds.
:02:46. > :02:49.We are a displaced community. All these guys live next door to each
:02:50. > :02:53.other and go next door to have a chat. This is a great opportunity
:02:54. > :02:57.for them to get together and discuss what is going on in their lives We
:02:58. > :03:01.are displaced, aren't we? We have also learned today that if the Dutch
:03:02. > :03:04.pumping operation is up to speed, then the Sluice Gate on the River
:03:05. > :03:07.Parrett could be raised this weekend. That will let water out of
:03:08. > :03:15.the Parrett and ease pressure there, but it may also threaten homes
:03:16. > :03:18.around Aller. Police in Gloucestershire have been
:03:19. > :03:21.given until tomorrow afternoon to question a man arrested on suspicion
:03:22. > :03:24.of murdering his ex`girlfriend. 20`year`old Hollie Gazzard was
:03:25. > :03:29.stabbed in the hairdressers where she worked just before 6pm yesterday
:03:30. > :03:34.evening. She was rushed to hospital, but doctors were unable to save her
:03:35. > :03:38.life. Andrew Plant reports. A busy shopping street in the centre
:03:39. > :03:44.of Gloucester, taped off as forensic teams searched the area. Police were
:03:45. > :03:46.called just before 6pm they said, to reports of a woman being attacked
:03:47. > :03:55.inside the Fringe Benefits hair salon. There was police cars, and
:03:56. > :03:59.later on I heard this evening that someone had been stabbed. When
:04:00. > :04:04.police arrived here they found 20`year`old stylist Hollie Gazzard
:04:05. > :04:07.seriously injured. She was rushed to Gloucestershire Royal Infirmary
:04:08. > :04:13.just a few minutes away, but died soon afterwards from the stab wounds
:04:14. > :04:17.she received. Hollie lived locally and also worked at this pub a few
:04:18. > :04:22.miles away. Today, her family asked to be allowed to grieve in peace,
:04:23. > :04:25.but released a statement, saying: "Everybody she came in contact with
:04:26. > :04:38.loved her, enjoyed her company, her happy nature and her sense of fun.
:04:39. > :04:41.The world has lost a treasure." This is very early stages of this
:04:42. > :04:44.investigation and I would urge any members of the community who have
:04:45. > :04:48.witnessed this incident, or wish to come forward, to please contact us
:04:49. > :04:51.on 101. The attack happened just before 6pm yesterday evening when
:04:52. > :04:54.this salon was still open for business. There were still staff and
:04:55. > :04:56.customers inside, and today police have said they will be referring
:04:57. > :04:59.those people to counselling services, because they will be
:05:00. > :05:02.deeply traumatised by what they saw. Police say they arrested a
:05:03. > :05:09.22`year`old man. He's being questioned on suspicion of Hollie's
:05:10. > :05:11.murder. Somerset County Council has
:05:12. > :05:16.announced that its Chief Executive, Sheila Wheeler, has left the Council
:05:17. > :05:18.by mutual agreement. The news follows speculation over Mrs
:05:19. > :05:22.Wheeler's whereabouts, as she hasn't been at work for a couple of months.
:05:23. > :05:26.The Council says that she's brought major changes to the way that the
:05:27. > :05:29.Council is run, and that they wish her well for the future.
:05:30. > :05:33.Councillors have unanimously voted to allow the Bristol Old Vic to
:05:34. > :05:38.press ahead with the latest phase of its multi`million`pound
:05:39. > :05:41.refurbishment. These are the plans for the building on King Street It
:05:42. > :05:47.would cost around ?12 million. The inside of the theatre has already
:05:48. > :05:51.undergone major work. An RSPCA centre in Somerset says
:05:52. > :05:53.it's taken in more than 100 sea birds since the beginning of
:05:54. > :05:58.February, including Guillimots and Puffins. Normally, the birds live
:05:59. > :06:01.out at sea but increasing numbers are being found across the West
:06:02. > :06:07.County hungry, tired and in some cases plastered in oil. The rise in
:06:08. > :06:11.figures is partly because of the stormy weather.
:06:12. > :06:15.There's more news and information on your local BBC Radio stations and
:06:16. > :06:26.the BBC Website. We're back with you tomorrow, but now let's get the
:06:27. > :06:34.latest weather with Ian. The rainfall radar has shown a warm
:06:35. > :06:41.front. You will see some moderately heavy rain starting to push across
:06:42. > :06:47.parts of Wiltshire. Behind that some health and drizzle. It is a
:06:48. > :06:55.mild night tonight. 809 Celsius for many people. Tomorrow morning ``
:06:56. > :07:01.eight or nine Celsius. There will be another cold front coming through.
:07:02. > :07:07.The rest of the day will be brighter and the winds will ease back.
:07:08. > :07:13.There'll be less of a feature tomorrow afternoon, and the showers
:07:14. > :07:19.will die down. Away from the showers, it'll be decent stuff.
:07:20. > :07:26.Thames is of did ten or 11 Celsius. It will feel mild `` temperatures.
:07:27. > :07:28.Saturday is the best day of the weekend. It is wet and windy on
:07:29. > :07:40.Sunday as well. Friday, a fine day. For the weekend,
:07:41. > :07:47.here is the BBC National weather. We have got rain and wind in the
:07:48. > :07:51.forecast, but the good news is that it is not severe. Over the next 24
:07:52. > :07:57.hours, some of us will get rain and the winds will be strengthening Not
:07:58. > :08:01.stormy at this stage. This is the satellite picture, you can see the
:08:02. > :08:04.low pressure in the North Atlantic shunting weather fronts in our
:08:05. > :08:05.direction. It has been raining heavily