01/05/2012 Look East - East

A second night in emergency accommodation after a flooded river

means a huge caravan park remains evacuated. Hello and welcome to

Look East on another day dominated by the weather.

It's been raining in this region for 30 consecutive days. The result,

roads that are flooded, schools closed and swollen rivers.

Also in tonight's programme, caught on camera. The jade raiders at the

Fitzwilliam. And what happens now? The highs and

Hello. First tonight, heavy rain has been causing rain across the

region and the forecasters say After two winters of below average

rainfall, we are of course still in drought. A reminder that these are

the areas where a hosepipe ban is still in force. But after 30 days

of consecutive rain, we have eight flood warnings in place, too. By

far the most serious impact has been at Billing Aquadrome, a

caravan site on the outskirts of Northampton. There, more than 1000

people were told they had to leave Jo Black reports from a leisure

centre nearby, where more than 100 people have been given emergency

accommodation. Here we are in the sports hall,

football she's or bat and Indians should be going on here. --

football his or badminton games. Not tonight, because people I hear.

Almost 100 people stay tonight for a second night. There is lots of

Dunkirk spirit, but it is simple. People want to go home.

Panic or precaution, 24 hours after evacuating Billing Aquadrome, the

park remains closed. Environment Agency officials order went -- the

Environment Agency ordered the bosses to get everyone off,

displacing thousands, many spending the night at the local sports

centre. I am hoping it has not flooded and we will go back to what

we've had left. We are very lucky we have a pent up -- we are very

lucky, we have a penthouse and we can look after next door's dog. We

have bent over backwards, the staff and council. Whilst praise for the

agencies helping out, many feel the air has been an information

blackout. We have not seen any of the bosses, I went down this

morning to find out at no one could tell me anything.

And it was not quite the birth date this girl had been planned. There

was a birthday card from the staff. And we got her a birthday cake. At

breakfast, she was wish a happy birthday. She was quite surprised a.

No one knows how long this will go on for. If it goes on, we hoped to

find alternative accommodation. We cannot make people sleep on camp

beds on a week, so we will look to rehouse them in bed and breakfasts

and hotels. The irony about this is that Billing Aquadrome is not

flooded, but the River Nene which runs alongside it is at risk of

rising. Tonight, 90 people will sleep here again. A home from home

it is not. Like I said and that report, we do

not know how much longer this will go on for. You can see people are

here, sitting around all day, some getting on with their neat in --

netting. There has been a shout for fresh pizza, the Salvation Army are

cooking a hot meal tonight. The next update will come from the

park's managers and the Environment Agency tomorrow at ten o'clock.

Thank you very much. It was not just Billing which has been

affected by the flooding. We will have a round-up of the impact on

the rest of the region later in the programme.

Andy Wilkinson is with the Environment Agency. He joins us now

from its offices in Kettering. Mr Wilkinson, first the situation at

Billing Aquadrome. Was a panic or precaution? -- was it? Very much

precaution. We took the decision yesterday afternoon that it was

better to evacuate during daylight than risk at last -- risk a flood

during the evening and have a Kuwait during the hours of darkness.

It is difficult for those evacuated. Do you have any idea when people

can return? The forecast is still for some rain. You can see it is

still raining at the moment. We will review that in the morning

with the police, fire and rescue, local authority and other partners,

including the partners of Billing Aquadrome. We will review the

following 24 hours and keep the communities and the people up to

date with what is going on. There are other flood warnings in place

across the region. Is this purely down to the volume of rain? There

has been a lot. Has it also been affected by the fact there was dry

ground before? You are right. We have had something like three times

the amount of rain we would normally have for the whole month

of April in a couple of days. That has landed on ground which, because

of the drought conditions over the previous 18 months, was very hard,

helping the rivers fill up quickly. What is your advice for people who

may be in our region that could flat? -- flood. The key thing is to

be saved, check the Environment Agency website, helpline, Facebook,

Twitter. Keep up-to-date with what is going on in Yuri Anne and

register for flood warnings. Thank you very much. -- what is going on

in your region. Detectives investigating the theft

of change treasures from the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge

have just released fresh CCTV footage. It shows three of the gang

involved in the raid in which items worth more than �18 million were

taken. The case will be featured on the BBC's Crimewatch programme

tonight on BBC One. One expert told us that he believes the items could

still be in this country. Police are hoping the release of

these new images captured on security cameras will help yield

fresh clues. They show four men walking from Grove Lane to the rear

of the museum at the time of the multi-million pound raid.

Detectives say anyone who knows who they are should come forward. It's

the latest development in the case, which is being watched closely by

Dick Ellis. He lives in Suffolk and knows more than most what it takes

to crack this kind of crime. In 1989, he set up the art squad at

Scotland Yard and led it for ten years. So what does he make of the

raid on the Fitzwilliam? I think we have seen a pattern. Whether it is

the same group of criminals is difficult to tell. Those people are

targeting Chinese jade and Chinese ceramics, because those have

increased in value in the art market and criminals recognise that

potentially there are rich pickings. Rich pickings stolen in just ten

minutes. 18 items in total, including six pieces from the Ming

dynasty. This was the van police believe the gang used. Dick Ellis

now works as a director of what's called the Art Management Group.

They run investigations usually on behalf of insurers and private

clients. He says extensive publicity and police alerting

dealers means the Fitzwilliam haul has already become extremely hot to

handle. That suggests it could still be in this country for now.

Some years ago, we recovered a lot to geed stolen in London. I

recovered it in Switzerland. -- jade. It was going through the

Swiss auction market. Capturing it is by showing internationally it

has been stolen. What are the chances of catching the gang?

chances are good. They have very easily identify all -- identifiable

property. I believe the police can arrest them. A 25-strong police

team is working on the case. Detectives are appealing for anyone

who may have potential clues to come forward.

A court in Cambridge has heard harrowing evidence about the

moments leading up to the death of a five-year-old boy in Peterborough.

Tyler Whelan died in March last year. His mother and her former

boyfriend are standing trial. Mike Cartwright is in our Cambridge

newsroom. You may find some of the details in this case disturbing.

This is a picture of Tyler -- Tyler Whelan, who suffered a catalogue of

abuse in the months leading up to his death. Today, the events began

and the man on trial for the murder of Tyler took to the stand. He was

in what was said to be a volatile relationship with Tyler's debt.

Tyler was injured in a fall. -- F. There were plans to take into a

doctor, but they did not. The man said he went looking for Tyler and

found him crouching behind an armchair. I picked him up by his

right arm, he said, I was really annoyed. He was asked what he did

then. I grabbed his leg and build it up. He was asked what Tyler did.

He tried to pull away. I tried to grab him, he was on all fours. He

was asked what he did then. He said, I kicked him. I was angry at the

time, his left side hit the door. I knew he was injured, because he was

gasping. I did not mean to hurt him. Throughout all the evidence,

Tyler's mother was crying. That got louder until she was led away. She

is on trial following the death of a child. Tyler died after severe

injuries to his head and abdomen. The two deny the charges and the

Boy Friend for continue his evidence tomorrow.

Thank you. Later in the programme, the ups and

downs of Lotus over the years. And Alex has more on all that rain.

Yes, after the second wettest April on record here in the East, I will

be looking back at rainfall figures for the month. And looking ahead to

what is coming next. The full The son of a man found murdered in

a village near Cambridge has made another plea for information.

Llewellyn Thomas, who was a retired farmer, was found dead at his home

in Chittering in December last year. The case will feature on tonight's

BBC Crimewatch. 76-year-old Llewelyn Thomas died

from injuries to his face and head. Despite its high profile, the crime

remains unsolved. It Is believed he had watched the final of Strictly

Come Dancing on December 18th before answering the door to his

killers. -- it is thought. The police, who are offering a �50,000

reward for information, believe his property may have been targeted

because of its mansion-like appearance. His son is also

appealing for the public's help. They may have done it before. They

may do it again. And if neither of those is true, then they just need

to see what they have done to one gentle old boy. After four months,

there is nothing to suggest that violent crime took here at -- took

place here at all. But locals are still very much aware of that

December evening. Elements of feeling insecure, because it seems

to be a botched burglary, apparently. So where will they

break into next time? It tends to go into the background, then comes

back. Today, there are memories of it with you coming back. He was

such a nice man. The attackers made off in a silver Rover 75 estate. It

was stolen from the drive. The police are still keen to hear about

the movements of this vehicle before it was later found abandoned

here in nearby Milton. And Crimewatch is tonight on BBC One at

9 o'clock. Two men from Wisbech have been

arrested in connection with the murder of a young woman, whose body

was found on the Sandringham Estate. The remains of Alisa Dmitrijeva

were found by a dog walker in a copse at Anmer on New Year's Day.

A jury has been told that a man accused of killing his ex-partner

and their daughter in Braintree sent hundreds of text messages to

her in the weeks before the deaths. David Oakes denies murdering

Chrissie Chambers and two-year-old Shania in June last year.

The owner of a seal rescue centre has gone on trial accused of

mistreating animals in his care. 85-year-old Harold Nickerson ran

the hospital at Winterton on the Norfolk coast for more than 15

years. He was charged after two visits from the RSPCA. Nikki Fox

was at Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court and is in our newsroom now.

Mr Nickerson is charged with causing unnecessary suffering to

three seals and keeping five seals in an unsuitable environment. He

and volunteers ran a hospital for more than 15 years, covering around

100 miles of the Norfolk and Suffolk coast line between them. As

you can see from footage from 1995, it is quite small that relies

entirely on donations. According to its website, it has now closed.

What was said in court today? a vet and RSPCA officers gave

evidence, finding out-of-date medicines. One had an expiry date

of March 2005 and was intended to treat cattle. Seals lived in what

The described as dirty and stagnant. -- live in water. And there was a

scale of the animals, one being the worst, some were graded as either

one or 1.5. There were also concerned the seals did not have

space to get out of the water, which won a veterinary surgeon said

could cause hypothermia. I know Mr Nickerson denies the charges. What

did the defence say? The defence said the conditions were no worse

than at a commercial farm, saying it was small and should not be

compared to big commercial rescue centres like this Sea Life Centre,

which has more funding. Mr Nickerson's solaces they described

it as a piece of midden -- solicitors described it as a piece

of Middle England rescuing animals. The trial continues for two days.

Detectives working on a cold case review are appealing to former crew

members of a Lowestoft trawler to get in touch. In 1981, the Boston

Sea Stallion reported recovering a body from the North Sea. The police

believe it may have been that of a person who went missing in Norfolk

earlier that year. The first selection of 100 records

from John Peel's collection have been published online. The Radio 1

DJ from Suffolk died eight years ago, leaving a library of tens of

thousands of albums and singles. Rail passengers have faced severe

disruption today because of a strike by drivers. East Midlands

Trains, part of Stagecoach, run services from Norwich through Ely

to Peterborough and the North West. There were no East Midland trains

running from Norwich today after 90% of its drivers stopped working.

It was in protest about changes to their pensions. Some passengers

were able to use that the services. The drivers a striking because

Stagecoach want West to be paid into pension funds. The company

will also contribute less. Stagecoach said an independent

valuer said this will have no impact on final benefits. But the

union, ASLEF, disagrees. company will save around they point

to �0.1 million at the end of the franchise. The impact for the

membership will be that, going forward, the pension scheme may

very well find itself in deficit. - - the company will save over �2

million. The train company insists the pension review was carried out

independently. This is an evaluation on the pension section,

so we have to go in line with advice, whether that means

increasing or reducing contributions. Another strike is

planned for Thursday, with further disruption scheduled for dates

There is still no word on whether the new owner of Lotus intends to

sell the company. Current owners DRB-Hicom is considering whether to

dispose of the car maker, which employs 1200 people in Norfolk.

This is not the first time Lotus has been in trouble. It has often

been a roller-coaster ride for employees. Richard Bond has been

looking back. You expect thrills and spills with

a sports car company. When it comes to its own history, Lotus has never

disappointed. The early days were bathed in glory, with Grand Prix

success for its founder and growing demand for sports cars for the Open

road built in Norfolk. But money was always tight. The company

mainly catered for the enthusiast rather than the mass market. Motor

is always reminds me of a football club, glamourous, praised his dues

to owned but hardly ever making money. -- prestigious to own. There

has been many owners, all funding losses, but failing to provide much

management stability. One man has watched the company for many years.

The Chief Executive's office for a while was once said to have a

revolving door with the new one dare each time you went. It has had

too many owners not giving it direction, too little stability,

against which the operation can function properly. The current

Chief Executive has a plan to turn Lotus around with a range of new

models. But it is still unclear whether its new owner, DRB-Hicom,

will keep the company or sell it on. Porsche sold 100 times more cars in

the UK than Lotus and selling them for more money. Notice needs an

owner who believes in the brand, believes in the amazing

competencies and actually wall say, over ten years, we will take this

company to beat Bentley, Ferrari, but it needs money. It will

probably be weeks before lotus knows what the future will be and

whether its owner has enough money to put it in the fast lane. --

Lotus. Back now to our lead story and the

impact of flooding across the region. We have already heard how

more than a thousand people had to leave a caravan park near

Northampton. Across the region, drives -- drivers faced problems

and one school had to close. Colchester this morning, Essex

Police and urging drivers to slow down and used it headlines to be

seen. -- dipped headlights to be seen in the service sprayed. Across

the county, police said they had dealt with more than 30 weather-

related incidents. This was the Mersea Road at Peldon. Some drivers

found themselves marooned in deep water on minor roads and country

lanes. In Chelmsford, children from Melbourne Park Primary and Nursery

had the day off thanks to a leaking roof. In the Cambridgeshire Fens,

the scene at Nepal. Hundreds of acres of flood plain, often used to

graze cattle, under deep water today. Rivers and drainage channels

running high. At St Ives, a solitary car was left in the

submerged car park of the Dolphin Hotel. Unfortunately, we have a

vehicle that has not heeded the warning about the car park being

closed. The owner paddled into the water and was on his way moments

later. A boating festival planned for this weekend at Becket's Park,

Northampton, has been postponed for safety reasons due to too much

water. The river has been flooding for a few days, we have done red

flag indicating the Environment Agency has advised that is not safe

to travel on the river. A lot of people were coming up the river,

including myself, having to cancel because it is far too dangerous.

One nature reserve was open, but affected. It is having an effect on

visitors to see the forecast Anne's choose to stay away. -- see the

forecast and people choose to stay awake. But we're still open. There

is a great indoor area. I have been in the office seen people coming in

with children. I have a match and then being desperate to come out

somewhere. You have been sending us your pictures. Hardwater Crossing

at Wollaston, Northamptonshire. The Cosgrove Holiday Park. 250 caravans

were moved off site on Saturday. The local recreation ground at

Olney in Buckinghamshire. A runaway barge ripped from its moorings at

Roxton. And a bowling club at Clacton. And Avenue Road in with

them. In Bedfordshire, high up river levels have led to the

closure of some roads and bridges. The showers have gradually faded,

but the wettest drought on record looks set to go on.

Thank you to everybody who send in photographs. If you film anything

you think could be newsworthy, we would love to hear from you. The

phone number is 08457 630 630. And our e-mail address is

[email protected]. Of course, there is Facebook and Twitter as

well. She always does a good phone number.

This was the second wettest April on record what double average

rainfall for many. If we look at the league table, the stamp the six

wettest locations. -- these are. The averages 45 millimetres of

April. Many get well over double. It looks like that wet weather will

continue. One more statistic from April. Santon Downham recorded both

the highest temperature yesterday and also the coldest location on

6th April. The unsettled weather continues. Driven by low pressure.

A weather front has moved northwards today. You can see where

the rainfall fell. It clear it quickly, but some hefty showers

formed in this area. Those are still affecting parts of southern

Cambridgeshire and Essex. Those have produced some thunder.

Foremost, a dry and cloudy night with mist patches forming overnight.

It will stay pretty mild. Overall, low temperatures expected of 7

Celsius in a light north-westerly. Tomorrow, low pressure still the

name of the game. We have a weather front that lingers through the day.

When it moves southwards, bringing ahead the pulse of rain, but not

until overnight tomorrow night. For much of tomorrow, cloudy with the

chance of patchy, light rain, some places getting away with a dry

morning. In drier spots, temperatures climbing took their

teens. If you get some sunshine, it might be even higher. Winds will

pick up through the day, more of a moderate northerly breeze and the

chance of patchy rain through tomorrow afternoon. It is over

night that it becomes more heavy and persistent, quite widespread

across the region, lingering in to Thursday. A damp start to Thursday.