:00:06. > :00:10.Welcome to South East Today. I'm Polly Evans.
:00:10. > :00:19.A I'm Rob Smith's. Three sisters lose the battle with their
:00:19. > :00:23.stepmother after their father lost her �4 million and then nothing.
:00:23. > :00:26.Victory for the former politician suing his replacement over false
:00:26. > :00:30.skeins he was an "expenses scandal MP".
:00:30. > :00:37.I have had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the High Court
:00:37. > :00:41.to hear a judge described what he did as if unjustifiable.
:00:41. > :00:45.Operation Whirlwind - a pre- Christmas crackdown on criminals as
:00:45. > :00:50.Kent police launch raids across the county.
:00:50. > :00:56.Good news for Seabrook fans - after last year's famine you a ring for a
:00:56. > :01:02.feast. It was burned and bitter. Are you
:01:02. > :01:07.dissing East Grinstead's coffee? Yes!
:01:07. > :01:17.And find out why people are going Insania over Peter Andre's latest
:01:17. > :01:22.caffeine fuelled venture. Good evening. Three sisters who
:01:22. > :01:26.went to court to challenge their father's �4 million will have lost
:01:26. > :01:29.their battle in a case which the judge described as a family at war
:01:29. > :01:33.with itself. George Wharton married his long-
:01:33. > :01:39.term partner three days before his death at the age of 78 and left his
:01:39. > :01:44.entire fortune to his widow. His daughters claimed he -- she had
:01:44. > :01:49.pressured him to exclude them. Today a high court judge ruled the
:01:49. > :01:53.will is valid. Three days after their wedding to
:01:53. > :01:56.George Wharton died of cancer and his wife was accused of
:01:57. > :02:00.pressurising him to leave nothing to his daughters.
:02:00. > :02:07.I have not had a chance to grieve for my husband because I have had
:02:07. > :02:12.so much going on with the case. I am so pleased that this result has
:02:12. > :02:20.come because at least now I can get on with my life and grieve for him
:02:20. > :02:25.and go to the grave in peace. I need to go to the grave in peace,
:02:25. > :02:28.knowing the girls are not causing so much trouble for me.
:02:28. > :02:31.It was George's daughters, Victoria Wharton, Gina Fagan and Amanda
:02:31. > :02:39.Wharton, who challenged the old will and the High Court heard that
:02:39. > :02:43.George and Maureen had been together for 30 years. Mr Justice
:02:43. > :02:47.Norris said a deathbed will and the absence of any provision figure
:02:47. > :02:51.shook may be expected to heighten family tension and provoke
:02:51. > :02:55.indignation at a sense of unfairness, but he concluded, I do
:02:55. > :03:05.not regarded as suspicion that they have -- her husband should leave
:03:05. > :03:06.
:03:06. > :03:10.his wife the entirety of his estate. We knew the doctors who were
:03:10. > :03:16.treating the - retreating George and it was clear to us that his
:03:16. > :03:22.state of mind was perfectly sound. George Wharton built up his fortune
:03:22. > :03:26.from his caravan park. His wife said he hardly ever saw his
:03:26. > :03:31.daughters. They are upset at the ruling.
:03:31. > :03:38.He loves us very much and his granddaughters and he promised to
:03:38. > :03:44.pay for their university fees. I have health problems, I am a single
:03:44. > :03:47.parent and this whole situation has split the whole family up.
:03:47. > :03:54.Maureen says she now wants time to remember.
:03:54. > :04:00.Simon Jones joins us live from George Wharton's caravan park. The
:04:00. > :04:06.judge was very clear in his ruling. This was an extremely complex legal
:04:06. > :04:09.case involving over 40 witnesses. A family at war with itself, but the
:04:09. > :04:15.judge said there was nothing suspicious about the death bed
:04:15. > :04:21.marriage and said that he accepted that the marriage was part of a way
:04:21. > :04:26.to get around the inheritance tax problem which the couple had built
:04:26. > :04:29.in over 30 years, and he also said this was our way they could be
:04:29. > :04:35.United before the death. The sisters say they are considering
:04:35. > :04:39.appealing against the verdict. A former Sussex MP who was defeated
:04:39. > :04:44.at the general election has won his claim for libel against the man who
:04:44. > :04:47.replaced him. Conservative Nigel Waterson was described by his Lib
:04:47. > :04:51.Dem rival Stephen Lloyd as an "expenses scandal MP" in election
:04:51. > :04:56.leaflets produced during the 2010 campaign in Eastbourne.
:04:56. > :05:01.He was cleared of any wrongdoing over his expenses and will now seek
:05:01. > :05:08.substantial damages. For Natalie, Nigel Waterson is now calling for
:05:08. > :05:13.Stephen Lloyd to stand down, isn't he? Yes, he said his successor
:05:13. > :05:17.should consider his position. We are used to angry words on the
:05:17. > :05:22.election trail but the legal battle between these politicians has been
:05:22. > :05:24.extremely bitter. Nigel Waterson took exception to be -- be
:05:24. > :05:29.described as an "expenses scandal MP" and the judge not only agreed
:05:29. > :05:33.but said he had no hesitation in doing so.
:05:33. > :05:39.He might have lost his seat to Stephen Lloyd but today Nigel
:05:39. > :05:46.Waterson enjoyed illegal victory over his Lib Dem opponent.
:05:46. > :05:50.He gave Mr Lloyd every opportunity to apologise but they consistently
:05:50. > :05:56.refused and had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the High
:05:56. > :05:58.Court to hear a judge say that what they did was unjustifiable and
:05:58. > :06:02.indefensible. The judge ruled that leaflets
:06:02. > :06:06.produced by Stephen Lloyd and his agent during the 2010 election
:06:06. > :06:10.campaign were libellous because they suggested Nigel Waterson had
:06:10. > :06:14.abused the expenses system by claiming for a second home in
:06:14. > :06:22.London. In fact, the former MP's claims were found to be within the
:06:22. > :06:28.rules of Parliament. My client wishes to appeal the
:06:28. > :06:36.decision and wants to consider further options. He remains
:06:36. > :06:40.dedicated to representing and helping his constituents.
:06:40. > :06:44.Nigel Waterson is not seeking to challenge last year's election
:06:44. > :06:48.result but says, now he has cleared his name, he will decide whether to
:06:48. > :06:53.seek selection again as a Conservative candidate for
:06:53. > :06:58.Eastbourne. He will be seeking substantial damages from Stephen
:06:59. > :07:02.Lloyd and his agent. They have until January 11th to lodge their
:07:02. > :07:08.repeal at the court of appeal. If that fails, the next hearing will
:07:08. > :07:12.be the amount of damages owed to Mr Waterstone.
:07:12. > :07:21.In a moment, holding a torch for the Olympics - the South East finds
:07:21. > :07:24.out who will be carrying the flame through Kent and Sussex.
:07:24. > :07:28.Kent police say they have launched a Christmas crime crackdown
:07:28. > :07:38.carrying out a rest for burglary, theft and violence in a series of
:07:38. > :07:40.
:07:40. > :07:50.co-ordinated dawn raids -- arrests. The car ordinated county-wide raids
:07:50. > :07:52.
:07:52. > :07:59.started at 6 am in -- in Swanley, offensive weapons, cannabis plants.
:07:59. > :08:03.They are having an impact on the local crime and we will take steps
:08:03. > :08:11.to progress the investigations to disrupt these individuals.
:08:11. > :08:16.Search warrants took place in Sevenoaks and Ashford. More money
:08:16. > :08:20.and drugs seized. Police say that Operation Whirlwind is part of a
:08:20. > :08:26.month-long campaign to disrupt criminals across the county. The
:08:26. > :08:30.road checks are rare crackdown on drink-driving. Also dangerous
:08:30. > :08:34.vehicles and theft. The operation has netted 12 arrests for drug
:08:34. > :08:38.offences and 12 people have been detained for other crimes and a
:08:38. > :08:43.number of fixed penalty notices have been issued. To the Blitz
:08:43. > :08:50.coincide with significant police cuts.
:08:50. > :08:54.Can you do more with fewer people? That is our intention. The aim is
:08:54. > :08:59.to continue to reduce crime. The Christmas message police want
:08:59. > :09:04.to give across his, commit crime and they will come knocking.
:09:04. > :09:09.A predatory rapist who attacked two women in Brighton and sexually
:09:09. > :09:11.assaulted a 67-year-old woman in Kent has been jailed for 18 years.
:09:11. > :09:17.Michal Tejkowski from Maidstone was described by the judge at Lewes
:09:17. > :09:22.Crown Court as a very dangerous man. Make no mistake, Michal Tejkowski
:09:22. > :09:26.is an extremely dangerous man. Over a few months he has raped two women,
:09:26. > :09:31.sexually assaulted another, and we are delighted to have caught him in
:09:31. > :09:35.the period we did to ensure that he stops offended -- offending and is
:09:35. > :09:40.now behind bars. Kent County Council's chief
:09:40. > :09:47.executive will leave at the end of last year. Catherine Arthur --
:09:47. > :09:49.Katharine Kerr well joined at the end of last year. Councils are
:09:49. > :09:55.considering not replacing her to save money.
:09:55. > :10:03.The man convicted of bludgeoning Lin and Megan Russell to death in
:10:03. > :10:06.Chillenden La -- 15 years ago has failed in his appeal. He hopes to
:10:06. > :10:10.make a fresh application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
:10:10. > :10:13.The future of sheep farming in the South East is in danger because
:10:13. > :10:19.young people no longer want to enter the business. Between 2009
:10:19. > :10:25.and 2010 the number of sheep farms in Kent fell by 37,000, a drop of
:10:25. > :10:32.11 %. In East Sussex, sheep numbers were down by 17,500, a drop of 9 %.
:10:32. > :10:37.The average age of a sheep farmer is now 59, leaving many close to
:10:37. > :10:47.retirement. Yvette Austin has the latest in our Food Chain series.
:10:47. > :10:49.
:10:49. > :10:53.For a Howard is the 7th generation sheep farmer. -- Howard is. But his
:10:53. > :11:00.two daughters and one son in their twenties show no sign in wanting to
:11:01. > :11:05.follow in his so -- footsteps. Does it make you sad? No, I want my
:11:05. > :11:09.children to do what makes them happy in their lives. What does
:11:09. > :11:15.make me a bit sad and quite concerned is that as farmers we are
:11:15. > :11:20.not passing on our livestock skills to the next generation. It would be
:11:20. > :11:28.nice to have an apprentice shepherd working for me so I could pass on
:11:28. > :11:32.skills I have learnt but there is not the profit to pay them.
:11:32. > :11:36.Sheep farmers are at a pivotal stage. Three years they struggled
:11:36. > :11:40.to make ends meet and many have pulled out but now as a result
:11:40. > :11:45.prices for lamb have increased and that, coupled with higher demand
:11:45. > :11:50.from abroad, means that new young shepherds are needed to ensure
:11:50. > :11:56.better times ahead. The average people -- average age
:11:56. > :12:01.of people involved in the industry is 59 and rising. Those people are
:12:01. > :12:05.thinking seriously about retiring and very quickly we will approach a
:12:05. > :12:14.crunch point. If there are no youngsters to come into the
:12:14. > :12:17.industry, D sheep industry will go into decline. -- the sheep industry.
:12:17. > :12:24.At this Performing Arts College near Hythe, young teenagers are
:12:24. > :12:33.learning the art of sheep farming. Will they stick with it? Are really
:12:33. > :12:38.want to go into sheep-farming. are want. I would like to work in a
:12:38. > :12:44.zoo. I don't want to produce animals for meat. You have to go
:12:44. > :12:50.outside in the rain. The problem is particularly hard in the South East,
:12:50. > :12:55.with London during so many away. The industry needs a recruitment
:12:55. > :13:00.drive. -- and during. It is an opportunity that has not
:13:00. > :13:05.been available since 1948 so that people who found out today but it
:13:05. > :13:09.will be -- they will be torch bearers, for them it is the
:13:09. > :13:15.opportunity of a lifetime. The torch will spend five days in
:13:15. > :13:18.Kent before it goes too sorry. It will travel through Tunbridge Wells.
:13:18. > :13:27.Chrissie Reidy is there. How have the torch bearers been hearing the
:13:27. > :13:34.Information has been trickling through slowly, but we have a wider
:13:34. > :13:44.range of Torch bearers. Loss of inspirational stories from people,
:13:44. > :13:52.all concerned they will be taking part in the 2012 Olympics fanfare.
:13:52. > :13:56.The flame was carried by relays of Englishmen. It was 1948. A cheering
:13:56. > :14:01.crowd lined the street. Similar crowds are expected next year as it
:14:01. > :14:10.makes its way to the Olympic stadium. A dozen torch bearers will
:14:10. > :14:13.carry the torch on its 70 day relay. Hurrah the lucky ones? When 14-
:14:13. > :14:23.year-old Robbie was diagnosed with a heart condition, it meant he had
:14:23. > :14:31.
:14:31. > :14:36.to stop playing football. Innes is a nephew of the beads are at.
:14:36. > :14:40.Despite his condition, he began coaching other youngsters to fulfil
:14:40. > :14:45.their sporting dream. I give them confidence so they think they are
:14:45. > :14:53.getting better so they do it more often. Absolutely thrilled. Really
:14:53. > :14:57.excited. It was such a shock. have been nominated because I lost
:14:57. > :15:00.my leg through bone cancer when I was 16 and I had some more
:15:00. > :15:05.treatment recently. I have set up my own charity and I do a lot of
:15:05. > :15:10.work in the community, coaching and things like that. I try to help
:15:10. > :15:15.young people get into sport in the way that I can't now. I am
:15:15. > :15:20.completely humbled about being selected. It is still sinking in. I
:15:20. > :15:24.still can't quite believe it. I don't deserve that in many ways.
:15:24. > :15:33.There are so many decent people out there who will be disappointed and
:15:33. > :15:37.they deserve it as well. By will run for them as well. Genuinely a
:15:37. > :15:45.bit blown away at the moment. Still waiting for it to sink in. I need
:15:45. > :15:49.to get down the gym at lunchtime! So, lot of excitement today across
:15:49. > :15:53.the south-east. If you have been nominated and you haven't found out,
:15:53. > :16:00.don't despair because people will still be finding out right up until
:16:00. > :16:03.next March. It is fair to say there is still plenty of time yet.
:16:03. > :16:06.This is our top story tonight: Three sisters who went to court to
:16:06. > :16:08.challenge their father's �4 million will have lost their legal battle.
:16:08. > :16:12.Kent businessman George Wharton married his long time partner just
:16:12. > :16:14.three days before his death at the age of 78 and left his entire
:16:14. > :16:19.fortune to his widow. His daughters claimed she'd pressured him to
:16:19. > :16:29.exclude them. Also in tonight's programme: A glut
:16:29. > :16:30.
:16:30. > :16:39.of sprouts. There is a bumper crop this year. Find out why I am
:16:39. > :16:44.celebrating Christmas earlier than Christmas had this wonderful place.
:16:44. > :16:47.-- at this wonderful place. Three years, fishermen and Hastings
:16:47. > :16:51.had been claiming that quotas are destroying the livelihoods. Today
:16:51. > :16:57.they have been given the chance to put their grievances directly to a
:16:57. > :17:03.parliamentary commission, visiting the town ahead of plans to reform
:17:03. > :17:08.the system. Most of the fleet remained on the beach today due to
:17:08. > :17:13.the weather, but members of the Commons committee for Environment,
:17:14. > :17:18.food and rural affairs braved the weather conditions in Hastings to
:17:18. > :17:23.hear fishermen's concerns over the lack of quotas. We're here to make
:17:23. > :17:30.sure that all the MPs on the committee in understand what the
:17:31. > :17:34.experiences of the fishermen are on the sea. I want to hear how the
:17:34. > :17:39.Fishman thing that can be rectified. They chose Hastings because as the
:17:39. > :17:45.largest fleet of small boats in the country. 341 of the vessels are
:17:45. > :17:50.under 10 metres, supporting the jobs of 602 fishermen and landing
:17:50. > :17:54.over 567,000 tonnes of fish between January and September this year.
:17:54. > :18:00.But fishermen here say that because of the way the European Commission
:18:00. > :18:07.allocates the majority of quotas, those with smaller vessels and
:18:07. > :18:12.placings like Hastings are struggling to make a living. There
:18:12. > :18:15.are trends where the under 10 metre food was not necessarily counted in
:18:15. > :18:19.the equation when the quota was allocated. We have a situation
:18:19. > :18:26.develop where they changed the rules that in 2006 but forgot to
:18:26. > :18:30.give us any quotas for the small fleet. We need quota throughout the
:18:30. > :18:36.year for nearly every sort of fish. Not a massive amount of critical
:18:36. > :18:41.but enough to get living on. issue of fish being discarded
:18:41. > :18:51.because of quota restriction was arranged by Hugh Fairlie were to
:18:51. > :18:54.
:18:54. > :18:59.descend. -- Hugh firmly with Kingston. Louise, the MPs have gone
:18:59. > :19:03.back to Westminster this evening, what other fishermen are hoping
:19:03. > :19:12.will happen next? They are hoping that these reforms will be brought
:19:12. > :19:20.in that would ensure that the under 10 metre fleet, the kind of boats
:19:20. > :19:24.that are smaller, would get a larger quota. If the MPs go back
:19:24. > :19:34.and they produce this report, it is hoped they could be brought in by
:19:34. > :19:37.
:19:37. > :19:40.2013, which would be a big relief to fishermen here.
:19:40. > :19:44.We already knew that he could sing, we already knew that he could
:19:44. > :19:51.survive in the jungle, now we know that he can just about ice skate.
:19:51. > :19:54.Pop star Peter Andre was at Bluewater today launching their
:19:54. > :20:01.Christmas in New York exhibition and talking about his latest
:20:01. > :20:06.venture as a Sussex coffee-shop owner. Their hair, the Six Pack,
:20:06. > :20:11.this is how it all started the Peter Andre. Now, two decade on, he
:20:11. > :20:16.lives his life in a gold -- in a goldfish bowl, but he is happy to
:20:16. > :20:20.share it with millions. You get privacy when you go home and shut
:20:20. > :20:30.your door, you put your tracksuit bottoms on, it is like everyone
:20:30. > :20:33.else. Today's job, and ice-skating less than with Olympian Robin
:20:33. > :20:38.Cousins in front of the cameras and yet another adoring crowd of women
:20:38. > :20:41.of all generations. I can't believe it still happens. I am very
:20:41. > :20:49.grateful and still a kid. There are a lot of people in this industry
:20:50. > :20:55.who were there for 15 minutes and I have had a great run. After his
:20:55. > :21:01.pop-star wave of the 90s, Peter relaunched in the jungle, where he
:21:01. > :21:08.eventually met and married Katie Price. This year, he returned to
:21:08. > :21:12.the jungle. You can be happy about certain decisions and you live, I
:21:12. > :21:17.know that everything that has happened has led me to where I am
:21:17. > :21:26.today. I didn't know what I wanted but I knew I had to go back in
:21:26. > :21:29.their. 2012 will see Peter Andre the singer travelling the country
:21:29. > :21:39.and Peter end -- Peter Andre the business than opening a coffee shop
:21:39. > :21:43.in East Grinstead. Are you dissing East Grinstead's coffee? Yes.
:21:43. > :21:51.Expect coffee was in East Grinstead. The gossip magazines are holding
:21:51. > :21:55.the front page. This time last year, we reported bad news for Brussels
:21:55. > :22:01.but spans with the freezing weather leading to a serious shortage, but
:22:01. > :22:04.this year, the mild conditions mean that we are in for a bumper crop.
:22:04. > :22:07.Brussels bows were first introduced into England in the 19th century
:22:07. > :22:12.and weight for weight they contain three times for vitamin C than
:22:12. > :22:21.oranges. This year, we Brits are expected to spend �60 million on
:22:21. > :22:25.the little brassicas. So, does the prospect of extra Brussels sprouts
:22:25. > :22:28.and three with a sense of fear and impending dread? If you hate
:22:28. > :22:35.Brussels sprouts, look away now, because this year, there are loads
:22:35. > :22:40.of them. This year, they're sweeter than ever. The reason, favourable
:22:40. > :22:49.weather. If they are grown at their own pace, the flavour will be in
:22:49. > :22:54.them straight away. It is the best brassica you can have. Here in
:22:54. > :22:58.Southfleet, most of the crop will be sold before Christmas. Very
:22:58. > :23:04.different to last year when the cold snap meant shortages in the
:23:04. > :23:09.shops. Over the next three weeks, the board which farm shop will sell
:23:09. > :23:16.around 3,000 bottles but stems just like this one. For many, Christmas
:23:16. > :23:20.just wouldn't be the same without this. For others, of course, it is
:23:20. > :23:26.just not their cup of tea. I don't like them. I'm not sure anyone
:23:26. > :23:34.would like them, really. I have tried them a couple of times. They
:23:34. > :23:40.are really nice. I don't see how people can like them. I think it is
:23:40. > :23:45.great. I really loved them. We don't just wait for Christmas.
:23:45. > :23:51.love them. They are great and they are really good for you. A I love
:23:51. > :23:56.Brussels sprouts, especially cooked with bacon and chestnuts. I didn't
:23:56. > :24:01.like to -- I didn't used to like Brussels but when I was a child but
:24:01. > :24:07.now I love them. A foodies say that when it comes to eating the
:24:07. > :24:14.Brussels sprout, preparation is key. I quite like to pan fry them and
:24:14. > :24:19.add a bit of bacon and then I have got toasted pine nuts to put rhythm.
:24:19. > :24:28.So, maybe you should give them one last try. After all, there are so
:24:28. > :24:35.many this year that it would be a shame to waste them. I love them.
:24:35. > :24:41.Raw with a glass of lemonade! We have had loads of the mouth about
:24:41. > :24:49.Brussels bars. Adrian doesn't like them. He says he doesn't know what
:24:49. > :24:53.is so special about them. Janice says you should parboil them and
:24:53. > :24:59.when ready to use add a knob of butter and reheat with pepper to
:24:59. > :25:07.taste. I know you're thinking, what does Peter Andre think about bows?
:25:07. > :25:15.I love Brussels sprouts. -- What does Peter Andre think about
:25:15. > :25:20.Brussels sprouts? I'm getting hungry thinking about it! He loves
:25:20. > :25:27.them! And Neil says there is only one way to cook them, boil for
:25:27. > :25:35.three hours and to all the colour has gone, fry with some chestnuts
:25:35. > :25:41.and flush them down the loo. day, people will admit it is a joke
:25:41. > :25:48.about liking Brussels bows. They are a waste of the dinner table. --
:25:49. > :25:54.Brussels sprouts. We're not going to be seeing as bad weather as in
:25:54. > :25:57.Scotland. The meanest of it is just arriving now. In the next two or
:25:57. > :26:04.three hours, we will have the strongest of the winds cover the
:26:04. > :26:11.highest gusts and the heaviest about rainfall. By 11 o'clock,
:26:11. > :26:17.everyone will be dry you and we will notice cooler conditions. We
:26:17. > :26:22.will be having stronger winds than we have had through the day. They
:26:22. > :26:27.will get up to 15 half-an-hour around the south coast. It is all
:26:27. > :26:33.coming handed hand with loads of rain. Some places could find around
:26:33. > :26:39.10 mm falling in the space of half an hour. Half an inch of rain in
:26:39. > :26:43.half-an-hour, a lot of wet weather to come. It moves away quickly and
:26:43. > :26:48.then we are left with the cold air behind. It will get down to about
:26:48. > :26:53.one or two degrees, cold enough for if frost. It is currently 12
:26:53. > :26:58.degrees said by the end of the night it will be a good 10 or 11
:26:58. > :27:01.degrees colder than it is now. It will be a cold and frosty start of
:27:01. > :27:07.the day but tomorrow will be holding on to the sunshine all day
:27:07. > :27:11.long. It will be not as windy as it is today. Temperatures below
:27:11. > :27:21.average, but in that sunshine it will be a beautiful thing day.
:27:21. > :27:30.Tomorrow evening with this chilly conditions, we will slowly notice