29/07/2011 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today. Tonight's top stories.

How treatment for a Maidstone man brought home in a coma from

Indonesia could have been scuppered by a row with the NHS. It is like

one step forward, two steps back. All the time it is changing. One

minute we are happy, we are happy that he is here getting treatment.

The body parts of six people are discovered in police freezers,

believed to have been there for up to 20 years.

And it is a festival Friday, we are live at Broadstairs Folk Week with

We are enjoying the festival atmosphere, listening to some

fantastic musicians, and enjoying the eccentric history of folk. We

are also looking at the role that Broadstairs plays in the vibrant

Efforts to bring a Maidstone man back home for life-saving treatment

after a motorbike crash in Bali were almost scuppered after a row

with the NHS. Richard Plummer has been in a coma since the accident a

month ago. He'd decided not to renew his travel insurance. But at

one point this week it looked like his chances of assistance in the UK

were over, when the local Primary Care Trust said Richard was

probably not eligible for care because of how long he had lived in

Indonesia. Chrissie Reidy reports. It cost �80,000 to fly Richard

Plummer back to the UK by air ambulance. Just days after he

arrived home his family received a letter from a primary care trust

saying he was not eligible for treatment. It was only when the

local MP Helen Grant stepped in with the primary care trust admit

they had made a mistake. Our only hope was to get him back to the UK

and we had to spend a lot of money on an air ambulance. If there was

no place for him in the UK, the air ambulance would not have even taken

him. Richard was injured in a motorbike incidents -- accident in

Bali, but his travel insurance lapsed. A mystery businessman

learnt the family money, but they have only 55 days left to pay back

the money before they have to auction their home. His friends are

doing a fund-raising by cried this weekend. It was alone, so they need

the money more now than ever. -- it was a lone. We are trying to make

as much money to pay off the loan it now. He came back with numerous

infections, and his condition had deteriorated in the last few days.

Only yesterday they were told he had contracted MRSA. What is it

like going forward for you and your family? We have got to keep hoping,

keep our fingers crossed. He has fought the journey all the way, he

has fought in the Bali ambulance, he fought in the air ambulance

journey and we are hoping he can fight this last leg.

Part of the M25 is expected to be closed for at least six hours

following a serious collision involving a lorry at the start of

this evening's rush-hour. It's understood that one person has been

killed. Both carriageways of the motorway have been shut between

junctions 6 and 8 in Surrey after the lorry crossed the central

reservation. BBC Radio Kent and BBC Surrey will have extra travel

bulletins this evening. Medics saved the life of a Kent

girl today after a hole she was digging on a beach collapsed on her.

East of England Ambulance Service said a 7ft hole that the 15-year-

old girl was digging on the beach at Caister, near Great Yarmouth in

Norfolk, caved in. She was very lucky. I was actually the person

who pulled her three in the end. Then they got her on a stretcher.

Literally, she was so tight in the sand, even up to her waist, you

could not pull her up. Holidaymakers whose plans were

wrecked when a Brighton-based tour firm collapsed may have to wait up

to eight months for compensation. Holidays 4 UK specialised in

package deals to Turkey. It went into administration on Wednesday

forcing the cancellation of 20,000 holidays but the firm was covered

by ATOL, which means customers should get their money back.

The body parts of six people are believed to have been stored in

police administered freezers around Sussex for up to 20 years. Sussex

Police has trawled its evidence stores for six months as part of a

nationwide review of human remains kept by police forces. Joining us

from Brighton is our reporter Bhavani Vadde. What more can you

tell us about this? Samples from bodies... Post-mortem

Apologies about the quality of the line there from Brighton.

In a moment: As Brighton prepare for life in the Championship, we

look back at the Goldstone glory Now, today marks the start of our

special Festival Friday series. Every Friday this month, Polly and

Rob are taking South East Today on the road and today they're at the

seaside in Thanet for the start of Broadstairs Folk Week. How's the

Festival atmosphere there this evening?

It is absolutely marvellous. Welcome to Broadstairs Folk Week,

this is the first of our festival Friday programmes. We are bathed in

glorious sunshine, it has been a lovely day today. It is not just

for the older folks, there are lot of youngsters here, lapping up the

atmosphere. We have seen kids as young as two and three with I --

with I Love folk Week T-shirt on. 500 performers will be taking part

here, and some of the big names you will have heard of, like Barbro --

Barbara Dickson, and others, like Elbow Jane, you might not have

heard of but you will the hero of them soon! -- you will have heard

of them soon! Music and sunshine, a perfect

combination. No wonder Broadstairs are cracks groups from far afield

as Canada to play at folk Week -- attracts groups. It is gorgeous.

Absolutely stunning. We just rolled in, we're getting our bearings, it

is beautiful. Oh ye, O ye, O ye! Folk weeks starts today!

Now in its 46th year, it is an amalgamation of our love affair

with the seaside and folk traditions set in the midst of time.

Here you gear up for the festival by going to the beach. You can sit

back and relax, and children can play safely. One their art lots of

Morris dancers around, I do not care how corny it is, it is fun.

Everyone gets together, big groups at night, it is a good social thing

pulled of the festival prides itself for having something for

everyone. If you want a break for music, there is the historical

Village tours in St Peter's. she ask for money, ladies and

gentlemen? No! You gave her money, what you think she would spend it

The thing about folk Week is the venues are spread throughout the

town, so where you go in Broadstairs, you can hear the music

and feel a part of that unique a festival atmosphere. Just one word

of caution, look out for the mysterious wooden horses. If they

get cross, they will cause mayhem. They might even give you a bike! --

Those strange horses are very old creatures, they are traditional

part of the festival. Someone who can tell us is bought Kenwood, a

stalwart of the folk scene in Kent. So, they are strange, what are

these horses about? You have got a wooden head, sometimes it has got

teeth. You can see these already -- all over Thanet in days gone bad.

But why? What are they for? Why are they so intimidating? They bring

you good luck. If you treat a wooden horse well, it will be very

well behaved. It usually has a Waggoner, and it works well with

that. If anybody tries to ride it or treat it badly, mayhem results.

We could have an emu moment! If we are not careful! How do you treat a

wooden horse well? When it comes round to your door, you can give it

some cakes or money. Cakes and money, that generally works! Did a

have a deepened -- deeper meaning? Where they used to two bring in the

festival of Christmas? May be in days gone by, but now it is now

just fun. I think I am being nibbled by the horse! You have been

involved in Focal the long time, it has it ever be as vibrant? It is

building up to date. There are a lot of folk clubs, it is not just

about concert. There are things going on all over the county. It is

wonderful to see. Thank you very much for being with us. Poli,

Broadstairs Folk Week is getting bigger and bigger every week, --

every year, they have been tapping into the traditional thing for a

long time. It has indeed, this is the 46th

year of the festival, and Byrne joined by the organiser.

Congratulations! It is a long tradition, and is it something that

means a lot to Broadstairs. Yes, it does. It has grown over the years.

It did not begin like this, it was a small affair, it was a dance

festival when it first started in Pierremont Park and it has grown

and grown. There is an interesting story about the guy who decided to

set it up. That's right, Jack Hamilton wanted to start a festival

in the South East and caught on a train in London, and his first stop

was Broadstairs, he got off and thought, this will do! That was

that! Over recent years, we will be looking at it in detail later on,

there has been a folk revival. Folk is back in the chart. Are you

tapping into that? Definitely. 10 years ago, English folk music since,

young musicians, or were thin on the ground. In the last five years,

there has been a huge resurgence. Hopes that you are going to see

another 46 years with the Festival! I hope so, if we last that long!

has been an absolutely marvellous atmosphere today. So far. We will

be back here later on, as I said, looking into why exactly it is that

folk has had a renewal of popularity.

Tomorrow afternoon, Brighton and Hove Albion kick off their

Championship campaign in the new Amex stadium. The visitors are

Doncaster Rovers who were the Seagulls' last opponents at the old

Goldstone Ground. That game ended in a pitch invasion, but fans will

be hoping Brighton can recapture the magic of the 1970s and '80s,

when the club won promotion and a place in the FA Cup Final. South

East Today producer, and Brighton fan, Alan Webber has more.

Some people on the pitch. They Think It's All Over. And it was.

The sea gulls were homeless. Today it is a retail park, but for 95

years, this was the home of Brighton and Hulme -- Brighton and

Hove Albion, the Goldstone ground. It ended in tears, but there were

glory days as well. A tremendous shot! It was just a great time of

my life. Enjoying football, there also was a great place to play. We

used to get 30,000, a lot, most of the home games, that here. -- that

year. It is one of those things, you are glad you were there when it

was happening. He has done well, turned the other way. What a goal!

If anyone does a revised the glory day, it was this man. His 36 goals

in one season set a club record which stands to this day, and

played a huge part in the club's march up the league table. In 19 Z

D seven, they were promoted to the old second division. Two years

later, they made it to Division One. And in 1983, they reached the FA

Cup final. A touch for Stephen's! It was unbelievable, really. I had

been supporting the club since 1965, and I never dreamt that my little

club Brighton and Hove Albion would one day be playing in the FA Cup

final. It was beyond comprehension. Or even in the First Division.

Brighton enjoyed his seven years with plenty of excitement. Only his

second goal of the season, but it sent the Goldstone Ground into

raptures. The years that followed grew every -- ever more lean. The

anger of the fans crew as they lost their beloved Goldstone Ground and

avoided dropping out of the Football League. Now there is a new

stadium, and as old heroes play homage to the new order, fresh hope

that the glory days could be back. BBC Sussex are live at the Amex

That's it from me in the studio, but there's plenty more to come now

from Rob and Polly at Broadstairs Folk Week for the first of our

Festival Friday series. Thank you very much. Welcome back

here to Broadstairs where there is a lot of a very excitable people

here this evening! Are you having a good time? Es!

they are! It is the first night of the 46th folk festival here. Over

the course of the next week, 100,000 people will descend on the

town and they will be spending literally millions of pounds. The

town will be cashing in on this folk revival.

It is a force that has been gathering pace on the music scene

for some time. The likes of Laura Marlin, Mumford and Sons, Fleet

Foxes, getting folk back into the charts and picking up some Brit

Awards along the way. I wanted to find out what exactly it it is

about folk which is so popular, so I went to the Cambridge folk

The Web sisters from Sevenoaks playing to a packed tents in the

Cambridge folk Festival, part of a new generation of artists drawing

on ancient focuses -- folk I think perfect -- the thing that

attracted us to folk is the heartbeat of the music. It is very

rhythmic. Obviously, the harmonies in folk music are incredible.

? We grew up in a musical family, our dad is a drummer and our

brothers are both drummers. And I think, it is about a shared

experience. It is an appeal which draws increasing numbers of fans to

folk festivals across the UK every year. This is the UK's biggest folk

Festival. You can tell by the size of it how much it has grown over

the last 10 to 15 years. It is not all about beards, warm ale and

sandals any more by any means! has become a major again, Mumford

and sounds are kicking off. The youngsters here, it has become cool.

Laura Marlin, before Glastonbury, they are chance for bought from

here to the mainstream. It has become more like that. It makes our

hearts go boom! It makes us want to All of this can be broken...

The mainstream act mention their Laura Marlin along with Mumford and

sons are at the vanguard of the folk revival. Then there is the

queen of the scene, she of the The main thing for me that really

gave us a boost into the mainstream was when I was nominated for McRae

music award. That was back in 2000, or 1999. -- the Mercury Music Prize.

That, because we were involved in that, the mainstream press had to

include us in what they were talking about, even if it was,

saying, the underdog this year is this Kate from Barnsley, who the

heck is she? I think there is a new generation coming along which has

taken for it to its heart and realises that people's music has

depth, sincerity, emotion, it has wonderful tunes as well and great

words. They are sick of all the pap in the pop world. Folk also comes

with a sense of humour. Take the spooky men, this is them trying to

scare me with their base sandwich! Their more traditional choral sound

will be on show at the Broadstairs Festival. One hour, can I go to

sleep now? The absurdities remain, regardless, regardless of which

area you are in. The general sort of... Appreciation of nice singing,

if you like, or strong male singing, is a universal human need. Maybe it

is straitened times which makes the simplicity of the music appeal. The

need to tap into more sup -- the need to tap into something more

truthful and heartfelt. Whatever it is, there is nothing as cool as

folk at the moment. I am afraid to say, the spooky men

are so popular here at Broadstairs Folk Week, they did has already

sold out. Let's chat to a band called Elbow Jane, we can hear them

behind me. Why did you get into Fred? Q Why are part of a new

generation of folk artists. father ran a folk club for about 30

years. As did Richard's dad. We dragged the other guys in to it and

educated them into the world of folk. They are coming round slowly

but surely. Have you noticed there has been a resurgence in popularity

over the last decade? Absolutely, specialist music of any genre is a

lot more popular, because it is so much easier to get music. We are

coming back, basically. Do you think also, it is straitened times,

there is a simplicity to the Lyric, craftsmanship to the way that

people perform. Us that tap into something that people appreciate?

think so. It is a reaction against a bit of too much pop music, pop

music is great and has its place, but people want an alternative,

something else to listen to with the real people making real music

with real instruments. That is something, they can come here and

see people playing their own instruments. Yes, it is more

intimate. When you listen to something on and -- on a CD player

or, it is nice to see people play, there is no access there. You get a

lot of power from watching live music. It must be lovely to see all

of the children here enjoying themselves. It is really nice. Get

them young! We have not had a single egg thrown at us yet! Good

luck with your date. It is a gorgeous sound, everyone here is

enjoying it. How is it going with you, Rob?

I think it is fair to say that people here are enjoying themselves.

That is the case. Let's have a chat with some people in the crowd. You

are from Broadstairs? I am, I had been from -- I have been here eight

years. What do you make of it? is a good fun week. Everyone takes

the week off. I like the blues element. Everyone enjoys it, don't

they, Archie? Yes! We have got a lot of people here with pink ears

on. What are you doing down here? We have come down to folk week to

bring if community together, we have got a moonlight walk

supporting the Pilgrims Hospice which is on 20th August on -- from

the pavilion, a coastal walk down the coast. We are hoping that loads

of ladies will sign up. You live in Broadstairs, is it a pain having

100,000 people turn up? No, it is a real pleasure. It brings the

community together, you can see their fund that people are having.

It is a fantastic event. Good luck with your walk. Hello, sir, where

have you come from? We have come down from Rochester. Have you done

this before? Yes, the last three years. Why do you come down?

atmosphere, band, we like the music. Have you always been into folk?

folk, I am a rock and roll! But there is enough down here to get

involved in. How about you? I love it, it is lovely, very nice. What

do you like about it? Everything, the emissary, of the people, the

food, the beer. The sunshine, on a day like today. Where have you come

from? We are from Surbiton in Surrey. Are you camping, staying

over? Yes, we a camping just up the road from here. It is a big

festival, the kids are here, do you like being here? Yes! Was delight?

The music. And the camping? Yes. The one thing you need for the

camping is some decent weather. I know someone who will be able to

tell us whether it is going to be a good week for this year -- this lot.

This is a first for me, I had musicians playing, the first time I

had been serenaded during the forecast! More importantly, will it

be fun in the sun, or not so jolly with your brolly? Unfortunately, it

is going to be getting a little bit wonky across the weekend. The

weather is going to be turning a bit more Sharif. -- a little bit

more showery. We should expect some more showers. It will be a bit

breezy as well. For the rest of them evening, we have got beautiful

The best of the weather is right here right now, which is lovely and

lucky for us. For the rest of tonight, we was the patchy cloud,

temperature down to 14 or 15. Reasonable mild temperatures

overnight. Into tomorrow, first of all we will start to see a few

showers coming into the east. From Thanet to Dover, there could be a

few showers first thing. Many places will stay dry. Later on,

more showers Malvern -- cropping up across the south east. A lot of us

will have sunny spells but generally there will be a bit more

cloud and that risk of a few showers here and there. Be expect a

few showers, it is not going to be as gorgeous as today. Where we get

the sunshine, 21 or 22 degrees. It will still be quite breezy tomorrow.

A bit of a breezy day. Into tomorrow evening, eventually be

showers will fade away, but they will take their time. As we go into

Sunday, we have got quite a bit of cloud around and the small child of

a few showers. Maybe some good sunny spells getting through.

Overall, across the weekend, we have got some sunshine at times and

where we get sunshine, we will get 20, 21 degrees, which is about

average for the time of year. It feels pretty gorgeous dummy have

that sunshine. It is not going to be as lovely as it has been three

today. Now it is back to Rob and Polly, unless they have nipped off

I think she did very well not being put off by those forces! They have

been pestering us all day. If you want to see them pestering us

earlier, go to our Facebook page. In the meantime, let's listen to

It's all coming back to me now. It's all coming back to me now, oh,