03/11/2011 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today. Tonight's top stories: Bishop of

Lewes could face disciplinary proceedings over criticism after an

inquiry into two paedophile priests. It could be anything from a rebuke

for a discharge right up to a lifelong prohibition -- in other

words, he is defrocked. So new CCTV of people police want

to speak to over their Canterbury bomb hoax. We are live tonight with

the details. The Crawley Town footballer and the

homophobic tweet. The FA say they are investigating.

He used to show off children's paintings, now Neil Buchanan is

showing off his own paintings of children.

And they dug for victory. The Sussex family of a former

Australian gold miner watch as archaeologists explore the tunnels

carved under the battlefields of BBC South East Today has discovered

that Bishop Wallace Benn, the Bishop of Lewes, may face

disciplinary proceedings for alleged serious and his conduct. It

comes three months after we revealed that he had provided

significantly inaccurate information to an inquiry into two

paedophile priests. Colin Campbell has the story.

Bishop Wallace Benn was criticised in this report, for being negligent.

He allowed the defile priest's Colin Pritchard and Roy Cotton to

continue to work in churches when they posed a significant risk to

children. We have now discovered that a detailed letter has been

sent to Lambeth Palace, stating the intention of making a formal

complaint against the bishop under the clergy discipline measure.

clergyman is found guilty of this conduct, they have the power,

anything from a rebuke, at this charge, right up to a lifelong

prohibition - in other words, he is defrocked. For the bishop was

unavailable for interview. He is currently in Jerusalem. I have

discovered that a formal complaint which is being put together against

Bishop Wallace Benn is being compiled by the diocese of

Chichester's own safeguarding Advisory Group, an independent

group of people which is responsible for scrutinising the

safeguarding policies and measures within the diocese of Chichester.

Bishop Wallace Benn was heavily criticised in a review conducted by

a former High Court judge in May. In June, he issued a joint apology

for mistakes which may have let children vulnerable to paedophile

priests. A month later, we revealed that he had repeatedly provided

significantly inaccurate information to the report. Bishop

Wallace Benn said Boycott and was in a nursing home in 1999, when in

fact he continued working in churches for a further four years.

He also allowed Colin Pritchard to continue in the ministry in 2007.

At that time, he was subject to a police investigation. Phil Johnson

was abused by both men. I am generally pleased and hopeful that

after all of this time, a serious investigation into these matters is

finally taking place all stop and I hope that it will be open and

transparent and inclusive, and look at all the evidence. And actually

go some way to get into the truth and justice. In a statement, Bishop

Wallace Benn told us he is not aware of any formal complaint being

laid. Anyone intending to make a complaint or any suggested basis

for a complaint. Colin Campbell joins us in the

studio now. What is the next stage of the process? That diocese of

Chichester's safeguarding advisory group will next week send forward

their formal complaint. We understand it is a dossier of

information. The clergy discipline Mehta is taken very seriously

within the Anglican Church. If it goes through all the full stages it

can take well over a year. Alternatively, the Archbishop of

Canterbury could get site of the complaint and dismiss it. There is

one other very big decision that the Archbishop of Canterbury will

have to make. At will be triggered when the formal complaint arrives.

He will have to decide whether or not to suspend the LEC -- Bishop

Wallace Benn. Detectives investigating an

elaborate bomb hoax that brought chaos to Canterbury say they fear

those responsible could strike again. The discovery of two 6th --

suspicious packages brought the city to a standstill. Officers say

there is still no clear motive. Today, they have released new

pictures in the hunt for clues. Simon Jones is in Canterbury. Other

police convinced this was the work of an organised group? They believe

this was not some lone man sitting in their exit plotting this. They

believe it was organised by a highly sophisticated Greek. After a

device was discovered, the whole area was cordoned off. The Red

Cross turned up to give blankets to people who could not get home. The

police say that the most surprising thing is that no one has contacted

them to claim responsibility. The first picture of one of the two

devices planted on the night. And new image of the man police want to

trace. And an appeal, do you recognise these three women?

Detectives say they both fought its three mobile phones from a shop in

the West End of London, they were used in the execution of the hoaxes.

Only activated the day before. But the motive remains a mystery.

type of crime is very rare, but when it happens, it is often done

by someone who has a particular issue with an employer, for example.

Someone who has a great interest in law enforcement responses. To have

nobody respond in any way, nobody capitalise on the risk they have

taken is very unusual. How worrying is it, that they could try again?

That is the concern. It is difficult for me to assess the

motivation because I do not know who has done it or why. I cannot

rule out that there will be future incidents, that is quite it is such

a priority. It was at 4:20pm on the afternoon of 26th August that

police received a call saying there was a suspicious package on the

railway line. At 5:15pm, a second device was found in Marks & Spencer.

It was not until just before 3am the next day at the city centre was

given the all-clear. At 10 weeks on, still no arrests. Canterbury has

always been a high-profile area, it has the cathedral, barracks, it is

close to the Channel tunnel. We basically have to keep calm and

carry on. But people need to be vigilant. After the events of that

night, it remains a concern. It is quite worrying, if they still do

not know who did it. I find it concerning, I have a family.

message from the police is that if you recognise these people, you

should get in touch. You may recall that a couple of weeks after the

devices were discovered there was another package found near a school.

The police believe that incident was innocent. But after what

happened here, they believe the people responsible may well be from

outside of Kent. Tonight, they are going to make a national appeal for

information. The hunt for the Canterbury bomb

hoaxers is going to be featured on Crimewatch tonight. That is at 9pm

on BBC One. In a moment... If the gift of speech for account hit-and-

run victim. Rose Brown finds her The Football Association says it is

looking into the circumstances surrounding a homophobic message

that was posted on the Twitter account of a Crawley Town football

player. Hope Akpan says a younger member of his family used to his

phone to send the message. The club is backing him tonight, but as John

Young reports, it highlights wider problems in this board.

He is a star who only joined the club in June. Six at great start

with a first goal on Saturday turned into an embarrassment on

turned into an embarrassment on Sunday. Here is the message that

appeared on his account, visible to the 1,100 people who have chosen to

read what he has to say about When the row broke, he explained a

younger member of his family had sent the message without him

knowing. He wrote this follow-up message. It comes in the very week

that a campaign group highlighted the homophobic taunts that Brighton

fans often face. We cannot repeat the rest, it is too offensive.

individual comments, most people can shuck them off. It is just a

symptom, it makes it difficult if not impossible for gay players to

come out if they want to. It makes it difficult for gay people to go

to football grounds and to really be involved in the game, if they

think they will face this kind of prejudice. We hope that any kind of

homophobia in football will have some consequences, as what races

and, for example. So races and is still an issue as well. After Ed de

tweets offensive tweet sent to this Newcastle player, two men were

arrested. The BBC expressed regret when this was not immediately

apologised for when it went out on match on the day. No interviews

this evening, but a statement from the manager saying he spoke at

length to Hope Akpan about his explanation and he believes them.

Irritating for people who feel that football players should have to

explain themselves. But reassuring for anyone who may feel that

questions the need to be asked. I am joined now by Padraig Reidy

from Index on Censorship, an organisation that campaigns for

freedom of speech. You are in favour of freedom of speech. But

how should we react to people if they do publish homophobic or

racist or hateful comments on social media? The great thing about

social media such as Facebook and twitcher is that it is a continuing

conversation. So that when people tweet homophobic or racist comments,

they are open to challenge immediately via a vast range of

people who may be following them and may be alerted to it. What we

say is that speech should be met with more speech. Do not people who

are like Hope Akpan who are role models have a greater

responsibility? Absolutely. I do actually believe... It is a common

thing to hijack somebody's account. But of course, we all have

responsibility, not just footballers. Everyone has

responsibility to speak properly. But I am generally not in favour of

laws preventing people from speaking. They are some things that

are truly offensive to the vast majority of people. Are there not

some opinions so offensive they should be treated as a criminal

offence? Not opinions, no. People have a right to hold opinions.

Where I would draw the line is the best and incitement to violence,.

Schools in the South East had been given a financial boost with the

announcement they are to receive more than �32 million in extra

funding to increase the number of places available. Michael Gove has

also announced that councils including Kent will be able to

claim back costs incurred as a result of pulling out of contracts

because of the scrapping of the Building Schools for the Future

scheme. Four the former Deputy manager of

the St Leonards care homes has admitted his failure to try and

resuscitate an 80-year-old patient who choked to death on a piece of

food. Patrick Wilson-Canning was accused of failing to follow

instructions from an ambulance However, according to the study by

the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery, Sussex is in the bottom

five for offering surgery to patients.

Two years ago, Rose Brown was left for dead by a hit and run driver.

She survived but was left unable to move - only able to communicate by

blinking. Now thanks to a new computer system she is finding her

voice again. The 14-year-old from Ashford is now

able to tell her family when she is hungry and thirsty, and she has

revealed that she is a fan of Justin be there.

Hello, everybody. My name is Rose Brown. For those who do not know, I

was injured in an accident two years ago and left unable to walk

and talk. For Rose Brown, being able to speak

again is a dream come true. She was left wheelchair dependent after an

accident two years ago, but in the last few months she has found her

new voice thanks to a computer it did communication device. Her

family say she is now much happier. This is tremendous. We were told

her she was in the hospital, that was it. There was no hope of

anything. So to get as far as we have today is marvellous.

Rose was walking along the road in Ashford when she was hit by a drunk

driver. Two of other people were killed in the accident. I would

like to say a huge thank you took all the team for all their help and

support in getting this communication aid. It is great that

I can talk once again. For the last two months rose has

been back at school, and has made a lot of progress. She operates the

device with her head. She can use the device independent state, and

use it for additional things like controlling her environment. It

means that she can talk to her friends.

Rose is a huge pop music fan, and has programmed the computer to

invite Justin be better has goal. Its 6:45pm. Our top stories.

The issue of Wallace Benn, the Bishop of Lewes may face

disciplinary proceedings for alleged sexual misconduct. It comes

three months after it was revealed that the bishop had provided

inaccurate information to an inquiry into two paedophile priests.

Also tonight - the Sussex Major had led a team of expert miners in

fighting the battle of the Somme on the ground.

And it has been a wet blustery and mild day in the South East. Will it

dry up for tomorrow? Joined the later to find out.

Bosses at a Kent based charity which employs former servicemen and

women as well as people with disabilities have today put their

case for ongoing Government support to a minister. As we approach

Remembrance Day, Royal British Legion Industries says the tough

economic climate is forcing them to look further afield to make

contracts. The RBLI is one of four national access to work providers.

71% of the charities factory workers in the South East a

disabled, and 90% would be unemployed if the RBLI did not

exist. The factory in Aylesford produces poppies for the annual

appeal. It also makes signs for clients like Network Rail and

Gatwick Airport. As the transport minister Mike

Penning, learning the finer points of sign making. The coalition

Government spends millions of pounds each year buying goods and

services. That helps people like Daniel stay in work. He has been

employed by Royal British Legion Industries for eight years. If the

RBLI is to help more like him, it needs to find new clients and win

more contracts. Value-for-money is being delivered here, with social

enterprise. There are a lot of contracts with my own agency. What

they are getting it is a chance to be taken seriously, and that is

what Government should do for them. Steve was injured on the Save

Galahad during the Falklands war. The ship was attacked by

Argentinian fighter planes. It left the former guardsman in constant

pain. With his life in tatters, the RBLI gave him a job and a whole.

The Royal British Legion pick me up off the floor and now I work full-

time here and I enjoy my life here. 350 people work at the factory.

Since May, the charity has helped 84 former servicemen and women.

They are guided by people who have experienced similar trauma.

myself and my team, we take them through a process where they can

get back on track and realise that it is not all come to an end and

there is quite a lot of skills they process.

There RBLI says links with the private and public sector a well

established, but in times of austerity, public bodies like Kent

County Council could do more. Making sure they his inclusion for

people with disabilities into society. Work is a key part of that.

It is part of by strategic objective, and for those caring

companies who want to win in today's competitive business.

many people who work here also live on site.

For them, social enterprise is not a luxury, it is a necessity.

He became famous as the presenter of the children's TV show Art

Attack, making creative staff with poster paint and sticky-backed

plastic. But Neil Buchanan from Sussex had

never exhibited his own paintings until fake rumours of his death

circulated on the internet. It inspired him to create art work

based on his own childhood. Hello there. Good to see you again.

Where do you keep your art work? He spent 15 years bringing art to a

generation of children. But now he has ditched the iconic red jumper

and is venturing into the world of grown up art.

The reason I did my paintings were to prove that I could actually do

it. It was as simple as that. I wanted to prove and should to

everyone actually, yes, I can do a lot of things, not just make papier

mache models. After online rumours spread that he

had died, Neil created a series of images inspired by his childhood in

Liverpool. When the rumour came out, I was up

in the mountains. When I came down ahead 69,000 messages of condolence.

It was not good because my mum got to hear that I was dead online.

People were saying, sorry to hear about your son. I thought that was

naff. Being in the public I was always

the dream. But he had hoped it was as a musician.

But presenting Art Attack shaped the rest of his career. With Art

Attack I had done 20 series, and 2000 ideas. One day I sat there and

thought, that is enough. I was not sick of art, I just thought that

formula had come to an end. Maybe I had said everything I wanted.

Neil's first collection of art, goes on show in Brighton this

weekend. I have very fond memories of Art

Attack. Good stuff.

Let us move to the football. Charlton Athletic is offering free

travel to nearly 250 fans for the forthcoming FA Cup first-round tie

at Halifax. Manager Chris Powell Saiz the first team squad

contributing to the first -- offered to thank fans for the

support this season. Archaeologists and historians have

begun to uncover thousands of metres of First World War tunnels

underneath the Somme. Two sisters from Burwash have been watching

their progress with personal interest.

Janet Matthews and Pat Holden- White's father was Major Alexander

Sanderson, one of a team of Australian soldiers who risk their

lives to dig their way behind enemy lines and fight crucial battles

underground. The battlefields of France are

offering up more of their secrets. While the war of attrition waged in

the trenches above, below ground in a maze of tunnels men were

redefining the battle lines. They built these tunnels for miles.

And they had stations in between, big enough for people to sleep in,

which was just amazing. And they pressed on and pressed on and told

they got underneath the German lines.

Janet and Pat's father was a gold miner from Australia. When brought

-- war broke out, his tunnelling skills proved invaluable. He was in

command of the third tunnelling company, but the passages like this

underground in a game of cat and mouse with the enemy. The Germans

were doing the same thing and so you often find two groups of

tunnels meeting underground, and the warfare continued their as well.

After the war, Alexander Sandison continued in Kent where he married

churchwardens daughter. But before the world went to war,

they returned to the UK and his skills would once again come in

useful reinforcing Churchill's wartime cabinet bunker and

restoring order to London's bombed- out streets.

He was like the Chief Engineer if there was a bomb in a road. He

would go and put a bridge up so that the traffic went on and things

like that. Janet and Pat but remember what

their father did during the Second World War, but his bravery during

the First World War is on the becoming clear as the tunnel's he

built in France of rediscovered. We knew he'd had been decorated

many times, and when did because he had the scars from that, but they

never really discussed what happened.

I think that these things do surface, and I am just proud to

have had him as my father. An extraordinary thing to do, to be

trapped underground while there is Not much in the way of good news

today. Today it has been blustery but mild for the time of year.

Tonight we have heavy pulses of rain. Staying mild though as we

move into tomorrow. Increasingly dry but sunshine and showers. Low

pressure much in control of things. Dry for a time through the morning,

then further rain moving up from the near Continent. Blustery south-

easterly wind, around 25 miles an hour, but temperatures actually

above average for the time of year. Highs of 16 degrees, which is 61 in

Fahrenheit. As we move into tonight there will be heavy rain for us all.

About an inch over the next 24 hours. Into the early hours of

tomorrow it will stay mild. Temperatures hardly changing from

their daytime values - 13 and 14 degrees. That gives as a damp start

to the day. As we move through the morning, we have heavy showers.

Into the afternoon, increasingly drive. Does winds do ease off, but

still breezy from a southerly direction. Showers could be locally

heavy, and most of us could be seen one. Still a good deal of cloud

around in the afternoon. Temperatures still mild for the

time of year. Highs of 16 degrees, those southerly wind picking up to

16 miles an hour. If you are planning a fireworks over the

weekend, it is best for Friday night. Temperatures ranging between

ten and 12 degrees on Saturday morning, and then it is not good

news on Saturday. We are going to have heavy rain throughout the day.

In the evening if you are planning for fireworks, bearing in mind it

will be damp and pretty breezy. But mild for the time of year.

Temperatures around 13 or 14 degrees. So a lot of rain a rhyme

for Saturday. On Sunday it will be increasingly dry, feeling cooler.

Very similar story as we move into the new week. So a good deal of

rain a rind. Tomorrow a day of sunshine and showers. As we move

towards the weekend, if you are having fireworks, it will be wet