25/04/2012 Look East - East


25/04/2012

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Back in recession - we look at three different sections of the

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economy and ask employers what it means for them. Hello and welcome

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to Look East. Also tonight, what's going on at Lotus? Now the local MP

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wades in. My concern is to make sure that if Lotus is sold that the

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owners, HICOM, only allow it to be sold to a buyer committed to

:00:24.:00:34.
:00:34.:00:35.

keeping the business and its entirety in the UK and in Norfolk.

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A woman is fighting for her life after her car collided with an

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ambulance on a blue light call. And what a difference a few weeks make

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- we've been getting wet at Welney First, the economy is back in the

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spotlight tonight, after Britain's first double dip recession since

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the 1970s. It might not be as deep a drop as in 2008 and 2009. But

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once again, Britain's economic performance has got worse over two

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successive three-month periods. But what does that mean for us here in

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the East? More people work in the service industry in this region

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than anything else. It covers everything from shopping to local

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government. 82% of our workforce is in this sector. Let's break that

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down. 16.5% in retail, 11.6% in health and social work, just under

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9% in admin and support, with science and technical not far

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behind. These are the other most important sectors - manufacturing,

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construction and agriculture. And of course some parts of the economy

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can be booming, while others struggle. So tonight, we are

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looking at services and construction. But Richard Bond

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starts with manufacturing in Stevenage.

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Recession, what recession? It is what the workers here might as well

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be saying. Their factory in Stevenage is rushed off its feet.

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They make satellite. There are six satellites under construction here

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at the moment. We are inundated with work. We are busy building

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communication satellites and satellites for the European Space

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Agency. We are also in printing. the past year manufacturing

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employment in the east has increased from 235,000 to two

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London 42,000. -- tattoo on and In got services is one of thousands

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of small firms which make up the sector. It cleans out kitchen

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extractors in hotels and restaurants. In the last six months

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it has taken on at 10 new staff. The boss says the media should stop

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obsessing about whether we're in recession. It is very easy to be

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talked into a depression. It does not necessarily mean that everybody

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is walking around depressed and there is no business. Fit

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businesses will succeed whether or not there is a recession. Overall,

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services were pretty static last quarter. It was a slump in

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construction which pulled the economy into recession. The this

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housebuilder is trying to stay optimistic. The housing sector is

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OK. It is troubled by the lack of finance and the lack of mortgages.

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But I do believe we're working out where I do this. The economy in the

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region is doing better than most. But it is still very tough out

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there. As we heard, a big fall in construction work is being blamed

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for us going back into recession. UCATT is the union which represents

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construction workers. The regional secretary is Brian Rye. Is it as

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bad in this region as in other parts of the country? Other regions

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are worse. That does not mean to say this region is escaping it.

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What does it mean for people working in the industry? The latest

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figures show a 3% downturn on the back of four years of companies

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going into redundancy. Is it because banks are not lending money,

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or is it another reason? It is partly due to that. The prime

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movers are the Government and private developers. The Government

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seemed to be abandoning construction. The lack of

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construction in housing is adding to the lack of confidence the

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private sector needs from lenders and private developers.

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Predominantly, housing is a private sector area. Is it because people

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cannot get mortgages? That is partly true. The housing sector

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does need help. Social housing would go some way to help private

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constructors. Work on roads, will that ease the situation? It will

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help when it happens. That is part of the problem. All major projects,

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they do not in themselves creating of unemployment -- employment

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opportunities. Are you finding people still want to come into the

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industry? Young people do want to come into the industry. But there

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is no work. Companies are laying people off. A considerable number

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of companies find work delayed, deferred or cancelled. Then they

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are asked to take on an apprentice. The Government can make a positive

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contribution. The construction sector is a private sector. They

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are not looking for a bail out, they want investment.

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Fears are growing today that Lotus cars could be sold, putting 1200

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jobs at risk at its factory in Norfolk. The local MP says it wants

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the Government to make sure that "credible guarantees for the future

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of the business" are in place. Today the company said it couldn't

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comment. Mike Liggins can tell us more.

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His is a Lotus car. Not terribly easy to get out of. Which I but now

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demonstrate. A new one will cost you �37,000. They are still

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desirable cars. That is why the future of Lotus matters to people

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It is one of the most famous car names in the world. For more than

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40 years, Lotus cars have been designed and made in Norfolk. For

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how much longer? Last night Richard Bacon MP led a Commons debate about

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loaders, and he revealed an accountancy firm is thought to be

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involved. -- Lotus. KPMG has been appointed to find a buyer in China.

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That is very worrying because of the other things that have been

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going on. Started by the late Colin Chapman in the Fifties, an adult

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has made its name in grand prix racing. -- Lotus. The can macro

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factory is in Hethel. -- car. are no jobs about now. You have got

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1200 people working at Loders. They need a living. It is like an

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institution in a way. It would be ashamed to use it. An institution

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which these days is doing some pioneering work on fuel efficient

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cars. Does the honourable member agree that if Lotus were to leave

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Norfolk and leave the UK, they risk losing access to skills and

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expertise? This will damage their ability in the Loch Carnan

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technologies. Suppliers are watching developments closely. They

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are keen to avoid making at comment which may not help matters. We are

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keeping our fingers crossed that Lotus is here a long term.

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concern is to make sure that if Lotus is sold, and that is not

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clear, that the owners, Rikuzentakata, Olly allow it to be

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sold to a buyer committed to keeping the company in Norfolk.

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chance the Lotus cars chief executive is in China this week at

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the Beijing motor show. He has not commented today. According to the

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video, the cars are more Lotus than ever. How much longer they will be

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made in Norfolk is not clear. have had a statement from Lotus. It

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says, "Atomic mack disappointed that lot of the facts presented to

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the House of Commons were inaccurate. -- we are. We will sort

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this with Mr Bacon directly." son of Colin Chapman, the founder

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of Lotus, says the uncertainty is both concerning and frustrating.

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Clive Chapman says it's extremely important the business is based in

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Norfolk, and he is confident the new owners won't abandon the base

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at Hethel. Lotus cars owes its existence to Colin Chapman. He

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started the company in 1952. With a reputation for lightweight sports

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cars, production doubled in the Seventies. With racing driver Jim

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Clark at the wheel, Team Lotus was almost unbeatable. It really helped

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establish England as being the centre of Formula One. We always

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:11:01.:11:01.

see Lotus's around the place. Japan, Australia etc. You think, that is

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made in Norfolk. The company was sold to General Motors in 1986, and

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recently sold again. There has been concern locally. It is frustrating

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because the company wants to get on with an exciting future. It is in

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hiatus at the moment. It needs some positive action. What do you think

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we knew this speculation that Lotus could be sold? The heritages so

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much tied up with Hethel, that if the company was moved, you would be

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shooting yourself and the fort to some extent. I am quietly confident

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Lotus will remain in Hethel. Clive Chapman now runs Classic Team Lotus.

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They still use the test track at Later in the programme, from

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drought to deluge - but will it make a difference?

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And why the big political names are all heading for Harlow - the first

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Eight people, including a family of five, have been left homeless after

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a fire in Southend. Firefighters were called to the building in

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Hastings Road just before one o'clock this morning. One man was

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taken to hospital. The house had been divided into flats.

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Two Essex slaughtermen caught on camera stubbing cigarettes out on

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pigs' faces and hitting them with a baton, have been jailed. Piotr

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Waisuta was sentenced to six weeks in prison, and Kelly Smith four

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weeks, for cruelty at Cheale Meats, near Brentwood. Their crimes were

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filmed by undercover investigators from Animal Aid.

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An elderly woman is critically ill in hospital after a road crash

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involving an ambulance and a car. The ambulance was on its way to an

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emergency when it collided with the pensioner's Jaguar on the A131 at

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Sudbury in Suffolk. The accident is being investigated by the police.

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Amateur footage of the air ambulance. On the road, an

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ambulance and the car have collided. The car driver needs urgent

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hospital treatment. The footage was captured by E Jane would roll.

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was very loud and very scary. I had no idea what happened. It was

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frightening to see an ambulance and an accident. You don't ever expect

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to see it. The ambulance service said that the ambulance was on

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route to a call. It collided with a car. The medics were described as

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shaken but unhurt. They had been on their way to Sudbury to pick up

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someone who had fallen ill and needed to be taken to the West

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Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds. Another ambulance was sent to that

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call. The ambulance service said it was not adversely affected. This

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picture of the aftermath of the crash was taken by another

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eyewitness. The road was closed for six hours. The ambulance had

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avoided this it Jaguar coming out of the drive, hit a lamp-post on

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the other side of the road and bounced back across the road.

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Jaguar driver was airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital. She is in

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critical condition. An accident Four people have been arrested as

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part of an investigation into postal fraud. Parcels with

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fraudulent postmarks were seized. Two men from West left and a woman

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and a man from Canvey were arrested on suspicion of fraud.

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Have physiotherapy Centre in Cambridge chair is the first place

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in the UK to trial a bionics state which helps paralysed people to

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walk again. The technology, which comes from America, uses battery-

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powered motors to help people stand up and use their legs.

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This man is paralysed from at the waist down, he has been a Nuffield

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Chair for 19 years. You have to look up at everybody

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all the time, you feel small and law.

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This was the bike he used to race but an accident broke his back. Now,

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for the first time in nearly two decades, thanks to a bionics eight,

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he can talk. -- he can walk. The more you are in it, the more

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you want to be in it. I want to be in it all day every day now.

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The sit has motors and sensors at - - the suit. It is all controlled

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with the putt and -- with the pitch of a button. At the moment, Andy

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has a two hour drive to come here as it is the only place in the UK

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which has them. It is hoped that soon there will be more places

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which have them. He is using a remarkable piece of

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technology which costs �100,000. still get excited every time I walk

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someone in this it I still get excited doing it. The first time I

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saw it I was just overwhelmed by the technology. This is a fighter

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and sick tool which we will hope we be able to utilise. -- fantastic

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tool. At the moment, this can only be

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used in physiotherapy, but it is hoped that there will be a cheaper

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version which can be used by people at home and the next few years.

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The campaign for this year's local elections is entering its final

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week. Many parts of the region will not be voting next Thursday, but

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where there are elections there could be some interesting outcomes.

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Or over the next few nights we will be looking at some of the key

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battleground. A political Correspondent reports from higher

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law, which is held by the Conservatives with a majority of

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just one -- Harlow. This is Harlow's very popular

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petting zoo and it is facing an uncertain future. The local council

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can no longer afford to keep funding it. They are something like

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115,000 people that there is it every year. It is very much part of

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the local community. Why should the council go on

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funding this, it is not an essential service? It makes a huge

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difference to the community. There was public outcry. The

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council find more money to be pit opened fire now and hope that a

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local trust will take the issue over. -- take the zoo over. The

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council a pair that they had been able to cut costs in the town,

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preserve all services and cut council tax. We have proper

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organisation down to about 1,200 staff. All of those job losses and

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exhausting was necessary? Yes, it was costing the taxpayer money.

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Could there are rather keep the money in people's pockets.

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Labour is making cuts the big issue in this election. The 0.2 local job

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losses in the police and NHS and say it is only a matter of time

:18:38.:18:48.
:18:48.:18:49.

before her other services are hit - - b 0.2.

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You may have a tax cut now, but you will suffer financially for the

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next he years. The Conservatives won control of

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the councillor four years ago, but since then they have been gradually

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losing seats. But the majority of just one, it is no surprise that

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both them and Labour had been sending in the big guns to campaign.

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The Liberal Democrats only have one seat on the council and are also

:19:13.:19:18.

worried about Conservative cuts. is the little things that matter.

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Over the last three budgets the Lib Dems have paid for with a Budget

:19:22.:19:27.

every time which means the least impact on local people and local

:19:27.:19:31.

services. If we are pledging to keep it we have found a way to do

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This will be an interesting test for the Conservatives's popularity.

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Is the approach to public spending -- cuts to public spending both

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locally and nationally working? I apart from the three main parties

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there is a candidate from the UKIP and an a depend it candidate

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standing. It has been three weeks since the

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hosepipe ban was introduced. Following the driest spell in

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living memory we have had rain, rain, rain ever since. A last time

:20:08.:20:13.

we had to make all the sweat was in 2,000 and there is no sign of a let

:20:13.:20:18.

up to the deluge. So where does that leave the drought?

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Parched - this was their wildlife and deserves to trust in the Fens

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just two months ago. Today it could not be more different. As you can

:20:29.:20:33.

see, we're walking through a nice wet ditch.

:20:33.:20:39.

Be it is so wet we cannot actually cross, it is too deep. These other

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conditions that they require. We are now on a completely different

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end of the spectrum. I do not want to be too fussy, but a bit of rain

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and ensure everybody will appreciate that.

:20:54.:21:00.

There is no sign to the will rain letting up. Manly in April we would

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expect 45-50 mm of rain. Many places RN Target -- many places RN

:21:09.:21:17.

Target to have much more than that. Despite all that rain this Britain

:21:17.:21:23.

temperature is still flowing at only 10 per that rate. This is

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coming on the back of more than 20 Mon-Sun very unusually low rainfall.

:21:28.:21:32.

A big part of the problem is that the water reserves under the ground

:21:32.:21:37.

I not been replenished, so even if we get a wet Samur then grind the

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Water Resources will stay at a historically low level --

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historically low levels. The picture is patchy. This

:21:49.:21:58.

reservoir is still only two-thirds full, yet this reservoir in

:21:58.:22:01.

Cambridgeshire is brimming. This makes the hosepipe ban a nonsense,

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does it not? It is helping us because it is suppressing demand.

:22:06.:22:10.

People do not really need to use a hosepipe, but underlying situation

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remains that delivers -- the rivers are very low. We will be back in a

:22:19.:22:23.

difficult situation again, so take the what a pilot is available but

:22:23.:22:27.

it will not be there for very long. So is the recent deluge welcome?

:22:27.:22:32.

Yes, but the message is, we are still very firmly in doubt even if

:22:32.:22:39.

looks deceive. Tomorrow I am helping to raise

:22:39.:22:44.

money for Park House, which is a hotel for her people with

:22:44.:22:49.

disabilities and their carers. I am hoping for a bright, sunny day.

:22:49.:22:54.

he seen the forecast? That is very he seen the forecast? That is very

:22:54.:23:03.

A number of places in the region have already seen double than

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average rainfall. The current rainfall is down to any area of low

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pressure which has brought us some very wet and windy weather for

:23:13.:23:18.

today. If we look at our radar Charter you will see that there is

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a heavy band of rain which rattled through fairly quickly. Behind it,

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we have had some heavy showers and the assorted merge together. This

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was the scene and I recall, expect further wet and windy weather for

:23:33.:23:40.

this evening. The show was will be quick to clear those not -- slow to

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clear. It will dry out through the night, places fire towards their

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end of the night. Six Celsius Isere expected low tonight. It still

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stays breezy and it will be moderate to freshen strength.

:24:02.:24:06.

Tomorrow, low-pressure is still very much with us. It will be slow

:24:06.:24:10.

to clear away and it means that we have a risk of some scattered

:24:10.:24:13.

showers through tomorrow. The advantage of tomorrow as that with

:24:14.:24:18.

showers there will be some spots which to stay dry. Some heavy

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showers around and they could turn thundery in places. Temperatures

:24:23.:24:29.

into double figures at - 13 Celsius. It is still pretty windy actually,

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south-westerly wind. It will be pretty strong in strength.

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Especially around the coast. The When's well he's, into the evening

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time the show was will fade. Much of the night will be dry. Low-

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pressure is still very much the name of the game. You will see the

:24:50.:24:53.

high pressure towards the north of Britain, but unfortunately for us

:24:53.:24:57.

here in the east it is this area of low-pressure which will come up

:24:58.:25:07.
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