23/02/2014 BBC Points West

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for Good evening from Points West. The

Environment Agency says its latest strategy to clear floodwater from

the Somerset Levels is well underway. A sluice gate to divert

water out of the River Parrett's been opened further, allowing pumps

to start work clearing water off Currymoor but some areas may have to

wait longer for the water to go Scott Ellis has spent the day in

Muchelney. No way through, except for the

highest of vehicles. Muchelney's been an island for the last 50 days,

the visting vicar reliant on a firefighter's boat to get him to the

church on time. Horrified to see it as it is. It's beyond description.

The resilience of the people here you can't but stand back and admire.

Anita Vaughan`Johnson's one of those resilient islanders. Like most, her

home's close to the floodwater but it is dry. It's just that flooded

roads make her feel trapped. It s very trying because we can't do

anything other than exist. We occasionally see the odd friend who

is brave enough to come and take us out. Five miles downriver from

Muchelney the work to clear floodwater is progressing. A sluice

gate opened yesterday has been raised to a metre, diverting water

out of the Parrett and reducing levels on it and the river Tone

That's meant the Currymoor pumping station's restarted. Good news for

residents in flooded areas such as East Lyng, Moorland and Fordgate.

When it comes to pumping the water of the moors and levels, the

priority is to remove the risk to lives then the risk to properties

and deal with the flooded roads Given much of this problem is these

flooded access roads, it's clear life would get back to normal here

for many more weeks yet. Water levels are dropping at Muchelney and

villagers hope a short temporary bridge can be set up on this road,

allowing them to drive in and out in their cars once again.

A teacher has been charged with four sexual offences against a teenager

while in post in a North Somerset school. 26`year`old Kelly Ann`Marie

Burgess will appear at North Somerset Magistrates Court in Worle

next month. The incidents are alleged to have happened between

January and late August last year and involved a boy aged between 13

and 17 years old. It was so close, but Trowbridge

bobsleigh driver John Jackson has missed out on a medal at the Winter

Olympics by just over tenth of a second. John's partner, Paula

Walker, was in the crowd to cheer him on while his sponsors were

watching closely back here in the West.

Steve Cook's family butchers in Devizes has been sponsoring John

Jackson and his partner, Paula Walker, for the last six months but

today, the shop was shut as they were at home, gathered around the TV

to see if John could win a medal. Going into their final run, they

were sixth but just two tenths of a second off a bronze medal. They

produced their fastest run yet, putting them in first, but there

were six more crews go. And agonisingly, they finished just

outside the top three. Sometimes, just being involved in such a great

race like this makes it worthwhile. Fantastic. Top five. You see the

countries they beat and did on a shoestring budget. At 36, John says

this is likely to be his last Olympics. Both he and Paula, who

competed in the two`man event, may have to return to their careers in

the Armed Forces. It looks like the weather remains

unsettled for the week ahead. Tonight, drier weather around and

clearer spells as well. Breezy through the night but that keeps it

mild and frost free. We do have a band of rain arriving from the

West. We will see that the time and then that players for drier and

brighter weather. The winds tomorrow lighter compared to today.

Temperatures milder. For the week ahead, further wet weather at times.

The rain overnight clears for sunshine and showers but remains

windy. The showers easing later when we will see further wet weather

overnight into Thursday. Hello, there has been a lot of rain

this weekend in western Scotland. River levels have been rising. We

have got more rain on the way. It has been wet in the Lake District

and it is still raining here. The rain pushes into Wales and the South

West later. Brisk southerly winds that will ease, apart from the far

north-west, nowhere cold. Tomorrow, many places will see an improvement.

It won't be as windy and that rain band will peter out. We start with a

broad band of rain. As it tracks eastwards the rain becomes light and

patchy and following that. We get sunshine and maybe some showers For

a while there could be some sharp showers in Scotland, but with

lighter winds it shouldn't feel too bad. We will see showers in Northern

Ireland. Especially later in the day. A few lighter showers across

the Irish Sea and at three in the afternoon this is all that is left

of the rain. Some rain in the London area. After that, sunny spells and a

few showers. It