15/11/2011 Look East - East

In Look East tonight: The villagers caught in the crossfire as the

battle against the cable thieves intensifies. It's cost us a lot of

money. How much? About �1,200 last week.

Hello and welcome to Look East. Also tonight: The rising cost of

filling up - the MP calling for action. It's the end of the line

for the country's first inland lifeboat station. And where your

money went from Children in Need last year - the story of one

First tonight, the true cost to all of us of the rising tide of metal

thefts. The latest estimate puts the cost to the country at an

incredible �770 million. We have heard a lot about the railways, but

tonight the focus is on phone cables. Attacks on the BT network

are up by 12% on last year. The problems for one village in Essex

have been particularly bad. More on that in a moment, and from the head

of security at BT. But first, our chief reporter, Kim Riley.

Yes, it really is a big deal. And this is what it is all about.

Here we have about a metre of telephone cable, the sort that lies

beneath many of our streets and carries our phone calls and

broadband, the sort of heavy-duty cable that the thieves are

increasingly targeting. The outer coating is plastic, there is a foil

sheath and paper shield inside that, but it is the copper that the

thieves are after. Let's go to the other end. We have stripped back

the cable. Here we are. There are 1000 plastic-coated copper wires,

enough to carry 500 phone lines. Now, the reason the thefts are

soaring all comes down to soaring prices. In the last two years, the

price of copper has trebled. I am told that makes this short piece of

cable worth about �10. The thieves strip off the outer plastic then

the whole thing is melted down. BT is losing millions of pounds a year

through metal theft. This piece of cable has actually come from an

Essex village targeted twice in the space of a week, as Jozef Hall

reports. Do to people in this village, once

was bad enough, but when thieves returned to steal the same cable

days later, they could scarcely believe it. It does not just mean

there is no phone, it means that business comes to a halt.

Everything is done on the Internet for us. We were left with nothing

at all. By Friday, BT had replaced the cable and the service was back

on. By Sunday, the service was down again. More thefts, more disruption.

We tell them they cannot use the machine and it loses as custom. We

lost about 1,200 pounds last week, and it will be around the same this

week. It is this copper that the thieves

are after. By returning to the scene of the crime, just a few

hundred yards from the police station, it seems they are more

keen than ever to get their hands on it. This is the second time

these BT workmen have been here in seven days. I asked how they could

have got away with being here in the middle of the night without

people seeing something. They said, they would have been seen but

people would have assumed they were 90-year-old Les lives in sheltered

accommodation, each room equipped with one of these, quite literally

a lifeline. 11 occasion it was fairly urgent because I had heart

trouble. Within an hour... How do you feel knowing that you

panic cord will not work? I feel worried about it. I am a bit

apprehensive. The youth feel exposed? -- do you feel exposed?

do, and I feel a bit stranded. Lines have been restored and BT say

they are working hard to improve security but they want the public's

help to combat the situation. Meanwhile, the issue was debated in

the House of Commons today, for the second time in a week. The Labour

MP Graham Jones wants to see a licensing scheme for scrap metal

dealers, a ban on cash sales, too, and greater search powers for the

police. This is what he told the House earlier today. Between June

2009 and June 2011, according to the ENA, metal theft rose by 700%.

Organised crime has been involved in scaling the tallest electricity

pylons and cutting down heavy cable from the top of 275,000 volt towers.

And earlier I spoke to the head of security for BT, Luke Beeson. With

cable theft such a major problem for the company, I started by

asking what is being done to try to stop it.

It is a huge problem and it is costing millions of pounds but we

are investing millions to combat it. It is a big issue for our customers.

Customer reported faults are up 20% as a result of cable theft. What

are you actually doing to try to stop these these? We have over 40

people working as part of a dedicated metal theft taskforce. We

are working with law enforcement agencies to bring people to do --

to justice. We are working with the scrap Industry to let them know

what BT cables look like and to instruct them not to accept them.

Could you use at different form of cable that is not so attractive to

metal thieves? There are alternatives and we are investing

�2.5 billion in rolling out fibre across our network. It is a phased

programme. It will take five years. We need copper for the moment so we

must protect it and make sure it is not stolen. We know that MPs are

discussing the problem. What would you like to see the politicians do?

We have been working with other industries that are affected and we

have been working with Graham Jones MP who is putting forward a Private

Member's Bill today. It closely aligns with our desires to see the

current scrap-metal legislation, which was written in 19 -- in 1964

and is out of date, we are asking Government to do that.

What would your message be to people affected by it? It is

another clear example of the clear impact of this theft. We would ask

customers to be extra vigilant. We have a partnership with

Crimestoppers. If people do see any suspicious activity, please do

reported and we will do everything we can to act on it.

Thank you very much. And if you have had a problem with metal theft

we would love to hear from you. You can call us on 0845 7630630. Our

address is [email protected]. And then there is Facebook, where you

need to search for bbclookeast. And do remember to leave a contact

telephone number. The soaring cost of putting fuel in

your car is the subject of a debate in the Commons tonight. One other

MPs is warning of growing unrest in country areas unless the price

comes down. The debate comes after more than 100,000 people signed an

online petition set up by the MP for Harlow. The details now from

Andrew Sinclair at Westminster. More than 111,000 people signed the

petition, more than 100 MPs, many from our region, have signed --

have taken part in the debate. The increase in fuel duty is due in

January. Mr Hull font told the House that in many places, not

least in Harlow, many people are now spending 10% of their income

filling up their car. The high price of fuel is affecting everyone,

and its threatening some people's livelihoods. Peter Webb is a

driving instructor in Bishop's Stortford. Two years ago it would

cost �40 to fill his car. It now costs �55. He is reluctant to pass

on the increase to his students. the last two years it has become a

lot harder to make a living. If fuel prices continue to rise at the

same rate, we will see the industry shrink because instructors will not

be able to afford to do the job. For the lasts six months, the MP

for Harlow has been at the forefront of the campaign to reduce

fuel duty. His main argument is that the high

price of petrol and diesel is damaging the economic recovery.

Small businesses cannot afford to grow while individuals and families

have less money to spend. The staff to none, Mr Chalfont

opened his debate, saying it was essential for duty to come down. --

this afternoon. Let us be at least honest about who actually pays this

tax. Plenty of MPs from the region have

signed today's motion, plenty wanted to speak. All agreed that,

in rural parts of Britain, where public transport is limited, cars

are run as a City. It is a tax on the economy and it is at tax that

will provoke a serious revolt in rural communities.

An Essex MP said she wanted to see greater transparency in the way

that petrol is priced. Labour- supporting this and they say that

reducing VAT would go a long way to helping.

On the hall, the main parties are behind this motion and want to see

a cut in fuel duty. The MP for South West Bedfordshire has said in

the last few minutes that he is worried about the growing disparity

between the cost of diesel and unleaded petrol. Another has

pointed out that there is a 10p difference in the price of fuel in

haver Hill and by recent Edmans. The only argument we have not heard

is the environmental one. The expectation is that, because

everyone is in agreement, there will not be a vote when the debate

finishes. That is a relief for the Government, which did not want a

vote. The hope here tonight from MPs is that the government has

certainly taken notice of the strength of feeling.

Later in the programme: Where your money went from last year's

Children in Need. And forget wind turbines - how about underwater

turbines harvesting energy from the turbines harvesting energy from the

A new device to help midwives and doctors saved the lives of unborn

babies has been developed in Colchester. It is called Electronic

Foetal Monitoring, and it could help reduce the number of babies

born with brain damage. Emily's baby boy is due to be

delivered next week. Her baby's heartbeat and her contractions

during labour will be monitored by this machine. Midwives and doctors

use it to detect early warning signs of stress or possible oxygen

deprivation will stop until now, training staff to interpret these

lines and squiggles has had a problem. When we're trying to train

staff, this is purely just one case, and, of course, learning on one

case is one case only and we need to train them on lots of cases.

This screen is asking us to identify if when there is initially

a problem. And that is where? This is the solution. They call it

Electronic Foetal Monitoring. It can run a myriad of scenarios,

helping staff to make the right, possibly life-saving, decisions in

time. It is very good. It is good that you can do it at home or at

work. You can interact with it, so you can do it for short periods or

long ones. It has been developed by the team

at Colchester General Hospital. It has now been rolled out nationally

and internationally. We're hoping that midwives and doctors will feel

more confident in interpreting the heart rate patterns of babies when

women are in labour so that they will feel confident and will know

what action to take. They will also feel confident in challenging when

things are perhaps not running according to plan and they will

know what actions to follow. families that means less chance of

things going wrong. It gives added reassurance for all mothers to be.

The family of a man killed by a locum doctor from Germany are a

step closer to winning tighter rules for foreign medics. Dr Daniel

Ubani was on his first shift in Britain when he gave David Gray

from Cambridgeshire an overdose. The European Parliament has voted

to force countries to share information on medical staff who

have been disciplined or struck off. The Royal National Lifeboat

Institution has closed the inshore lifeboat station at Oulton Broad

near Lowestoft. It has been operating from the site for the

last 10 years. The RNLI says the Broads will be better served by

improving the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston station.

South Broads was Britain's first RNLI the Inland life boat station.

Since then the volunteers have save two lives, carried out 194 rescues,

covered an area of 120 nautical miles, but as of last night it has

been closed. Well, we will have to accept it. We did not have any

option. It was not given to us. is very important, there would be

have done. There are tremendous team. I am sad to see them go.

The station was started in 2001 as a trial. Many of the volunteers

have seen it through from the start. Following a recent review, their

equipment and responsibilities will now be taken over by Great Yarmouth

and Gorleston. It concludes a larger area of the Broads can be

served if the lifeboat is placed in a different location. It is a

decision that the institution does not take lightly. We appreciate the

time that volunteers put in, providing a fantastic service to

the boating public. The volunteers have been stood down

and the site it leases will be redeveloped. The RNLI says this is

only the second lifeboat station closure in 25 years.

In football, the Norwich City striker Chris Martin has been

signed on loan by Crystal Palace. He has only been in the starting

line-up for Norwich three times this season, and hasn't scored

since this goal against Derby County in December. He will be on

loan at Palace until January. The Newmarket trainer Henry Cecil has

received his knighthood from the Queen today. Sir Henry has trained

four derby winners and a total of 25 Classic winners, including

Frankel in the 2000 Guineas this year. He has also trained 70

winners at Royal Ascot. The knighthood came in the Birthday

Honours this year, for services to the racing industry. He first took

out a trainer's licence in 1969 and has been champion trainer 10 times.

An 89-year-old woman has been told she cannot live with her son

because it is not safe. Violet Eccleston was removed from the

house at Tilney All Saints near King's Lynn by social services. She

was put in a care home but takes the bus back to Tilney every day.

Her neighbours say if she were allowed to stay it would save

taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds. Visiting her son at the

home where she lived for 40 years, Violet Eccleston is barred from

staying here, forced into residential care by social services

because the house was deemed unsafe. Despite that, she still makes a

daily 40 mile round trip home by bus. I just have to make the best

of it. Providing I can get back every day us up I do not think I

could be there all day. I do not think they could have done us any

worse. Violet or wants to go home but the borough council says the

house is not fit to live in. They found evidence of rats, this is

thought to be a nest. The hot water was switched off after the bathroom

flooded. 11 Skips full of belongings were taken away.

definitely would not want to see my parents living in a place like that.

It is a sad situation. Obviously, we would like to see Mr Eccleston

being back in her home. We just need to know that the work has been

completed and the Houses fit for her to live in.

Today there are no rats. The water is back on and the house has been

cleared. The electricity board say that the electrics are unsafe and

the house needs rewire. In the meantime, the county council is

paying the cost of her care. It is costing the taxpayer

thousands of pounds for no reason at all. It does not make any sense.

Neighbours have taken up the case. They say that Violet has been

denied the right to family life and they're going to the European Court

of Human Rights. She has been kept away from her son.

They claim that the property is unsafe. If that is the case, why

could she be here during the daylight hours?

Violet says she will continue to fight for the right to live at home.

A company in Cambridge has developed a new way of producing

electricity using an underwater turbine which could revolutionise

the industry across the world. They propose two types - one the size of

a tumble dryer for rivers, and larger ones, bigger than a double-

decker bus, for oceans. In the east, they are on the land, off shore,

and soon they could be under the sea. This is a model in the test

tank. In the oceans, the turbines would be bigger than a double-

decker bus. Its designers say it would be more efficient than wind

power above the waves. It is very predictable power delivery so,

unlike wind turbines, you can set your clock on the frequency of the

tides. You know exactly what energy you will get when.

The turbines would float in pairs deep under the sea. We have at

tidal in float coming into the turbine. We have a generator in the

hub which generate power. This is roughly how fast they turn.

There is no harm to marine life, they say. In the developing world,

there would be smaller river turbines.

The average UK household uses power at one kilowatt. In the developing

world, where there is not such a huge demand, you could be talking

about enough for a small community. The devices designed to be modular.

As demand grows in the as communities, you can put another

turbine in the river and build it up into a mini grid.

The Brazilian government has already shown real interest. Now

the company hoped that momentum for their turbines will pick up.

Now to the second of our films looking at where your money went

from last year's Children in Need. Caring for sick parents is tough

for any young person, but caring for parents with addictions poses

even more problems. Over the last two years, the addiction charity,

NORCAS, which is based in Norwich, has been given �60,000 from

Children in Need. They have used it to help support children like 15-

year-old Zoe. This is her story in I love with my mum and I also care

for my dad. My mum has several health issues, like epilepsy. My

dad used to be an alcoholic. This summer, my mum had five fits in a

day. She broke her wrist. I had to do everything for her. That was

really hard. That was scary, to be honest. With my dad, his mood

swings, for the children to be able to brought up, it is not fair on

them. When I went to school, I used to be late because of how my mum is.

The school did not understand that. They gave me detentions because of

my caring routine with my mum. I met my best friend, Ricky, through

the young carers' for them. -- forearm. He is the best person for

me to talk to. We have a laugh. We talk about General Staff that kids

do. I used to be stressed all the time. Since I have been to the

group I have got things out of my head and been able to talk to

people. It has been so much easier and I am so much happier.

Zoe's story. Tomorrow, how the teenager has turned his life around

thanks to the extreme sport parcour. And if you want to give money to

BBC Children In Need, you can call this number, or visit the website.

Let's return to Westminster and the debate on the high price of fuel.

Many MPs from this region have been calling for a reduction in petrol

and diesel duty. The Government's answer is coming tonight from its

newest and youngest minister. Let's rejoin Andrew Sinclair.

That Minister is Chloe Smith, MP for Norwich North and now economic

Secretary to the Treasury. This is her first big debate and it is

really quite a hard one for her, really. The Government did not want

this debate to take place because it is technically critical of

Government policy. She has started summing up, let us give you an idea

of what she has been saying. This Government has listened to

people's concerns and will continue to do so. At the beginning of this

I said that this is not the day to try to change tax. That is for

budget. But today is to listen. The very interesting there. The

Government message is, we hear you and we feel your pain. Bear with us

and we will do something. The Autumn Statement is in two weeks'

time when the chancellor outlines his spending plans. The feeling

here tonight is that there's something to -- they might be

something then. -- there might be something then.

It has been a fine day with lots of sunshine. With clear skies we could

be in for a chilly night. At the moment we have high pressure

centred over Scandinavia. It is blocking the low pressure systems

that are trying to bring wet weather from the West. We have

clear skies across much of the reason. -- region. There is an area

of cloud moving into the south of the region. Some misty low cloud a

possible tonight. Temperatures could potentially get to it as low

as two Celsius. Five or six Celsius in other areas. There could be a

sharp frost tonight. Amnesty, cloudy start to the day tomorrow.

That will break up and thin. -- in misty. We are expecting an overall

high of about 12 Celsius. The winds will be south-easterly indirection

and light in strength. It could be cloudy towards the end of the day.

It will not be so cold tomorrow night. These weather systems begin

to move in from the West. These weather fronts stay to the West. It

may be a little cloudier on Thursday. That is the most

significant impact we will see. The next five days a pretty fine. It

will be a case of sunny spells and pines where it becomes a little bit

cloudy. We will have a light southerly winds. Temperatures are a

few degrees above average for this time of year by day. The overnight

lows are a few degrees above average. Apart from tonight, we're