11/11/2013 Look East - East

Did Hello. First tonight: the council goes on trial. It follows a

grandmother being killed by a runaway horse at the community fear.

Aiming high and fighting back, Olympian Goldie Sayers wins her

appeal for funding. And I am in Shanghai for a report on the close

links between the Eastern counties and the far east. Anger as

communities are still cut off two weeks after a storm hit the region.

Look East has been contacted by homes and businesses who are still

without phones and Internet connections. The say they've been

given no information about when they are likely to be reconnected. Simon

Newton is in Drinkstone in Suffolk now. This telephone tells its own

story. They are without phone lines or broadband. First let us hear from

another villager who wants answers from British Telecom. This man is 74

and lost his wife in February. An invalid, key depends on the

telephone to keep in touch with his daughters. Two weeks on from the

storm his phone is still dead. I have got no contact with anyone. My

daughters, the doctors. The phone is dead. Key and 17 of his neighbours

have now been without telephone or broadband connection for 14 days.

This is the problem. The phone line which should connect them to the

rest of the world lies in the hedge. The ends are covered with lasting

bags. This man works from home and has also been cut off. What

infuriates him and others in the village is the inaction of British

Telecom. It is appalling behaviour in terms of customer service. We

have tried to contact the call centres in India and elsewhere, we

received the same information that the engineers are investigating the

problem. It has been two weeks now and nothing has happened. In a

statement, British Telecom apologised and said they hoped to

have 18 homes here back in service by the weekend. We heard that there

are concerns BT are failing to meet their targets. So far this man has

not had a reply to his e`mail. His phone and that of his neighbours is

silent. There is a bit of an update this evening. This evening I

telephoned BT and there was a report that the latest entry is that they

need to assess tree management and traffic control before they can

begin work. The fault there no logged and the say it has been

caused by forces beyond their control. Which is the weather? Well

BT have now given the word that the homes here will be reconnected by

the weekend. A council has been accused in court of failing to keep

visitors safe at a country fair where a woman was killed by a

runaway horse. The animal and its cart hit Carole Bullet two years ago

at Nowton Park in recent Edmunds. Today, the council which organised

the event went on trial. It denies putting people at risk. This was the

scene in June 2011. For the family of the 57`year`old grandmother, a D

I turned to tragedy. Today, two years on, the council when accused

of failing in their duty to safety. On the half of the Health and Safety

Executive the jury where Sean dramatic and upsetting photographs

of the aftermath. The horse had been like a missile, startled and

charging. Even when the horse came to the rest child was found trapped

underneath. A safety document produced after the accident was

woeful and holy inadequate. The council relied on trust, assumption

and hope. It did not we are the risks. There were catastrophic

consequences. The danger could have been shut out with controls put in

place. An expert in horses fed those under six years old should not be

used on carriage rights. They are like stroppy teenagers and can react

badly, especially if tired and hungry. The trial is expected to

last two weeks. Plans for an east`west rail link have moved a

step closer today. It would transform journeys from Stansted,

Ipswich and Norwich, through to Oxford. The latest piece of funding

has now been confirmed. It is a small but important step. This

evening, representatives of seven councils promised to pay a total of

seven 5p to reopen the line. `` 7.5 million. Hopefully we will manage to

go further afield and the project will generate 12,000 jobs. For the

last 30 years there has been talk about the direct line from the east

coast to Oxford. Today's news means the best to Bletchley line will be

open as soon as 2017. The last part will be all that remains. The local

MP told the conference today that plans are so advanced, it is only a

matter of time. Once we have the business case there will be the

money to make that happen. Everybody can see the advantage of having that

East West connection. Any east`west rail link is still 15 years away but

with so much political support both locally and nationally, there is a

real sense of momentum now behind this project. What had seemed to be

an impossible dream a few years ago is now becoming a reality.

Enforcement action against Basildon Hospital has now been lifted. It has

been under the spotlight for over one year since damaging reports.

Good progress has been found. This follows the Keogh Review into high

death rates. Basildon emerged as having one of the highest.

Children's services have improved. There are still shortages in

administration. A professional cyclist says bad drivers are

endangering lives. He says training for cyclists has become dangerous

and he is backing an Essex Police campaign to make the roads safer.

This was him at the Commonwealth Games, he trains 25 hours per week

but he says it is dangerous. Every day, hour and minute out there I am

putting my life in the hands of drivers. They need to be aware that

we are vulnerable, we do not have a big metal shell surrounding us. The

statistics are worrying, so far this year 25 cyclists have been in severe

accidents, five of those where deaths. Cycling is more popular than

ever of which means more cyclists on the road. It brings an element of

risk. Our campaign is about mutual respect and shared responsibility

between drivers and cyclists. Say the key thing at this time of year

is to make sure cyclists have lights that work effectively, to Wear

reflective clothing and a helmet. And on wacky autumn days drivers are

urged to give cyclists more space when overtaking. The family of this

cyclist are worried, his mother was also a cyclist until she had an

accident. I was driven off the road and had to have a week in hospital,

had to have my shoulder rebuilt. Given the amount of time Alex spends

on the road training he really hopes the safety message can get through.

Still to come, the weather for the week ahead and Goldie Sayers on

winning back her funding. This week, we are exploring the links

between the East and the far east. China is one of the Legion's biggest

export market is worth over ?700 million. `` one of the region's.

This is Shanghai, a truly remarkable city. It is the place where modern

communism and consumerism live side`by`side. A place of big ideas

and big buildings. Here they do not will out, the build up. If you do

not like people, you probably will not like Shanghai. Officially 23

million people live here, and officially it is probably 30

million. We are looking at the close ties between the East of England and

the far east. Everything from business to education. Tonight it is

to do them. Many come to our region, to college and hunting. They also

come to visit something most of us have never heard of. Another tour

taking in the sights. For Chinese visitors kings and punting is a

must. This student here showed me what is at the very top of their

list. Just over this bridge, a piece of Chinese cultural history. It

means gently I am living just like gently I came. It is a poorly to

every child in China written by this modernist poet from the 1920s who

went on to become a Chinese icon. Harbour or Princeton would be just a

good university but coming here to Cambridge is like a dream come true

because of the podium. The numbers of Chinese visitors have swelled. ``

one. They know the importance of the poet. I had to be able to say his

name properly. They learn to say it and the excitement they have when

they the bridge. It is the most boring one on the River but the

excitement they have at seeing it is beautiful. And on the rainy day in

November, people from China filled every punt. We know the history. We

want to see and experience it. The Chinese market is growing. Around

350,000 Chinese visitors Carmen to getting each year currently. That is

expected to go up to 1 million x 2015. Cambridge is a big stop of on

the grand Chinese tour. This poem is about how hard it is to leave year.

That is all from Shanghai for this evening but tomorrow we will be at

the busiest container port in the world and looking at the close links

between that and Felixstowe. That is tomorrow night in Look East. The

Royal British Legion says awareness of Armistice Day is increasing among

young people. Children across the region observed a two`minute

silence. There was a special school assembly in a six. Bringing together

those who have grown old and those who are still young. Every pupil at

this academy in Braintree today welcomed local veterans. From

conflicts as distant as Singapore to the current campaign in Afghanistan.

I thought our love would last forever, I was wrong. This is my way

of remembering my grandad. I never knew him personally. The veterans

sheared lunch and history with the pupils. They find them attentive.

They appreciate what we do. Boys and girls of tenure is old put money

in, that is very nice. `` of Ken years old. The observed the silence.

Any are too young to take on the enormity of the sacrifice paid by

those in war. It is quite the poignant service. For them to

appreciate people who have lost their lives in the world wars and

conflicts thereafter, I think it is very important that we understand

the sacrifice made on their behalf. Today they remembered and

Northamptonshire lad awarded the highest honour for valour, the VC.

He gave his life for his country, we have got to be respect back. They

are still dying. Different creeds, and nations marked Armistice Day. In

Norfolk today the children look to the future as hundreds of schools

were given poppy seeds to plant in the spring. I feel like I am part of

the people who did because I am doing this for then, I am returning

the favour for them. Saying it kind of shows that we are not forgetting

them. In 12 months we will mark the centenary of the outbreak of the

great war from which Armistice Day was born. This Friday it is BBC

children in need. `` Children in Need. People give up their time to

fundraiser. It helps projects such as Pulse in Luton. It brings young

people together and for some is a lifeline. We meet one young man who

says he would have gone off the rails without it. Saying putting my

trust into a stranger was probably the most difficult bit. He went into

here at 15, his relationship with his father had broken down and his

grandmother was not able to look after him. They are macro I came

here to take my mind off what had happened. It is part of the project

from Saint Mary's church. It is a group under the church with pool and

ping`pong, a safe place for young people to meet, talk and get

guidance. I would take it out on a lot of objects and people, I did not

hit people but I would shout. They would pool me aside and make media

lies that what I was doing was wrong. The thing that unites

everyone here is football. Now, at 18, he is giving something back to

the group as a leader. They are macro I am excited now that I am the

one they are listening to. I could have mist up to be doing drugs and

smoking and having children at the age will stop that is for adults.

They need to get their heads down, go to school, get good careers. We

are here to make sure they are on the right path. Over the past five

years this project has received ?27,000 in Children in Need funding.

Organisers say they could not have done without it. This boy is in no

doubt that it saved him. He wants to the teacher, work at a college or in

football. If someone had told me I would be a success I would have

laughed in their face. I have come a very, very, very long way.

Tomorrow, I will be reporting on the charity that helps victims of the

mystic violence. The big Children in Need event for this region is in

Kettering. `` domestic violence. Goldie Sayers from Cambridgeshire

injured her elbow three weeks before the last Games and came away without

a medal. For the last 15 months she has been through major operations

only to find her funding cut. But she appealed that decision and one.

Olympic Games should be about performing at the peak of your power

but for Goldie Sayers it was not to be. I would like to thank everyone

and hopefully I can do the country proud. The recovery has been

googling. Two operations on her elbow was hard enough but then she

lost her funding from UK athletics. The wind is biting, no`one is here

in Cambridge today but ironically this is what it has been about for

Goldie Sayers. Despite her setbacks she is back throwing the javelin. I

really mist it when I was watching friends and team`mates last summer.

Not that you take competing for your country for granted but if I get

back to grade I was I will take nothing for granted at all. She took

on the funding cuts and won. It is not like you get paid and of lot of

money, probably the minimum wage but more the medical support. If you

have to have a scan to see how ligaments are progressing, you will

not have to shell out ?350 to do that. In terms of representation, if

she can get through this year to re`establish herself then hopefully

by the Commonwealth, may be a top place in the European Championships

as well. It would be a great year to re`establish our on the world stage.

Is life a lot sweeter? I just feel like I have bought a normal elbow

past. I have some cracking scar is but it is amazing what you can do

when you look after it. Now let us get the weather. It has been a

grisly day. It was a beautiful sunrise this morning. I am sure

there were very few of us up at that time. We have some pictures to prove

it. This was the sun coming up at seven o'clock this morning. Next,

this was captured this morning at Ocean leak. And a beautiful double

rainbow at one of the highest points in Norfolk. Thank you so much for

these photographs. Sadly, we have not got time to show all of them. It

did all go downhill. Men will like rain and drizzle. There were a few

heavier bursts. `` mainly light rain. This evening and overnight

some of the rain could turn quite heavy at times. There will be some

fog patches forming for some of us. The temperatures will not do much,

staying where they are now in built up areas, dropping to eight Celsius

in more rural spots. The wind will become the light north`westerly

later in the night. That dream will move erratically to the east. Most

places starting tomorrow cloudy but the rain will push away south`east.

The further north and west you are the more likely you are to see the

best of tomorrow's sunshine. And we finish the day fine and dry with

some further sunshine before it gets dark. Skies will continue to clear

so overnight it will be quite chilly with a frost for some of us by

Wednesday morning. Wednesday will not be too bad at all. The bulk of

the day generally fine and dry. There will be some sunny spells. You

could be a little rain as wet and windy conditions spread down from

the north`west late in the day. That will rattle through leaving a

blustery but bright day on Thursday. Some decent spells of sunshine and a

few showers. That is similar to Friday, for many of us it will be a

dry day but perhaps a few showers around. That is all from us. Good

evening. Goodbye.