:00:02. > :00:04.Welcome to South East Today. I'm Polly Evans.
:00:04. > :00:07.And I'm Rob Smith. Tonight's top stories.
:00:07. > :00:16.A �10,000 reward to catch the callous thugs who beat up a 78-
:00:16. > :00:20.year-old woman in her own home. of them said, "We're going to kill
:00:20. > :00:23.you. Where's your money?" The Archbishop of Canterbury sets
:00:23. > :00:26.up a new inquiry into child protection following Church
:00:26. > :00:29.failures that allowed paedophile priests to abuse boys in Sussex.
:00:29. > :00:32.Also in tonight's programme. Against all the odds. The premature
:00:33. > :00:38.twins given less than a 1% chance of survival are at home in Kent for
:00:38. > :00:43.Christmas. It's the trip of a lifetime! The
:00:43. > :00:46.Sussex tour operator offering the spectacular sights of the M25.
:00:46. > :00:48.And they know how to celebrate Christmas in Westfield. Quite
:00:48. > :00:58.possibly the most festive village in the South East. Our
:00:58. > :01:03.
:01:03. > :01:05.illuminations correspondent is there tonight.
:01:05. > :01:09.Good evening. A pensioner who was savagely beaten
:01:09. > :01:13.by a gang of young men in her own home has described the moment the
:01:13. > :01:16.robbers burst in and threatened to kill her. 78-year-old Jean Thomas
:01:17. > :01:19.was attacked by three men in Staplehurst, near Maidstone.
:01:19. > :01:29.Tonight, a local property tycoon has offered a �10,000 pound reward
:01:29. > :01:31.
:01:31. > :01:40.to help catch them. Alex Beard reports. One of them are said, "we
:01:41. > :01:45.are going to kill you, where is your money?". The she woke to find
:01:45. > :01:50.a three man at her bedside. The Ace said it was my money they were
:01:50. > :01:55.after. -- they said. They punched and punched and punched me back on
:01:55. > :02:00.the bed. They are men could not find money and fled when Jean tried
:02:00. > :02:10.to escape from the window and they left her pleading and bruised.
:02:10. > :02:11.
:02:11. > :02:16.head hacked to be stitched. My face was black almost. They sat on my
:02:16. > :02:26.hands. I could not move. It was bruised all the way here. Police
:02:26. > :02:30.have revealed CCTV footage. We are looking for information from the
:02:30. > :02:35.public in relation to this offence to help with inquiries.
:02:35. > :02:43.brutality of the attack prompted this local property tycoon to offer
:02:43. > :02:50.an award -- reward for information leading to an arrest. Initially, I
:02:50. > :02:56.put up �1,000. Somebody else put up �500. I've then increased it to
:02:57. > :03:05.5000 and I have now increased it to 10,000. Christmas is coming. I am
:03:05. > :03:09.sure that Jean Thomas would like to see an end to this. Jean Thomas has
:03:09. > :03:13.increased security at her home. She said the attack has left her
:03:13. > :03:15.emotionally scarred. The Archbishop of Canterbury has
:03:16. > :03:20.set up a new inquiry into child protection policies within the
:03:20. > :03:23.Church of England in Sussex. It follows our exclusive reports into
:03:23. > :03:27.serious failures that allowed two paedophile priests to sexually
:03:27. > :03:33.abuse boys in Eastbourne in the 1970s and 80s. Our home affairs
:03:33. > :03:38.correspondent Colin Campbell reports.
:03:38. > :03:44.It is the first time in over 100 years that such an inquiry has been
:03:44. > :03:49.ordered by the Archbishop of Canterbury in. It is in response to
:03:49. > :03:54.concerns about safeguarding children, and paedophile priests,
:03:54. > :03:59.something the BBC has been investigating for over a year.
:03:59. > :04:09.Martley encouraged that the Archbishop of Canterbury --
:04:09. > :04:16.
:04:16. > :04:26.I am encouraged he is taking this move. But it is now investigating
:04:26. > :04:27.
:04:27. > :04:35.itself. The inquiry is known as an archiepiscopal visitation. Lambeth
:04:35. > :04:41.They will examine current child- protection arrangements and make
:04:41. > :04:46.recommendations for the future. A report was highly critical of
:04:46. > :04:54.senior clergy men in the diocese, including this bishop who allowed
:04:54. > :04:58.the paedophile priest, Roy cotton, to remain in position. In July, our
:04:58. > :05:03.investigations showed that he had given inaccurate information to the
:05:03. > :05:08.review. One of the victims called for the findings of the inquiry to
:05:08. > :05:13.be open and transparent. I wanted to get to the truth. It needs to
:05:13. > :05:19.look at the real issues, not just safeguarding. It needs to look at
:05:19. > :05:24.the mistakes from the past. And why so many people have been allowed to
:05:24. > :05:31.carry on working. The Archbishop of Canterbury's investigators have
:05:31. > :05:37.started their work and will report back by the end of February. Colin
:05:37. > :05:41.Campbell joins me. Has there been any response? The Bishop of
:05:41. > :05:49.Chichester has issued a statement saying he gives the inquiry his
:05:49. > :05:59.support. He will however retire in April next year. We understand this
:05:59. > :05:59.
:05:59. > :06:07.is the 4th inquiry looking at paedophile priests and looking at
:06:07. > :06:11.this. They say it is the start of a legal process that has been kick-
:06:11. > :06:17.started by Canon Law. Victims hope that it will be open and
:06:17. > :06:24.transparent. They want the findings to be made public.
:06:24. > :06:28.In a moment, the campaign over live animal exports. 1 million signed up
:06:28. > :06:31.for a ban in Europe. A man who led a campaign of arson
:06:31. > :06:36.attacks across Kent wrote on his laptop that he was planning to
:06:36. > :06:38.commit murder and thought daily about burning people alive. Neil
:06:38. > :06:43.Clark and his teenage accomplice Marc Hitchcock daubed numbers at
:06:43. > :06:46.the scene of each fire they started. They were caught after being traced
:06:46. > :06:52.through e-mails they sent to a newspaper, complaining about the
:06:52. > :07:00.way their crimes were being reported. Both were jailed at
:07:00. > :07:08.Maidstone Crown Court. The blackened remains of an
:07:08. > :07:14.ironmonger. A business 30 years and the building ruined. The Office of
:07:14. > :07:18.the local MP was gutted. The arsonists were Neil Clark and
:07:18. > :07:23.teenager Marc Hitchcock. This was the first of five fires, each
:07:23. > :07:30.marked by a number painted in yellow. No biddy was hurt. That was
:07:30. > :07:35.only good fortune. -- nobody was hurt. It was only a matter of time
:07:35. > :07:41.before they were. This caused economic loss to businesses in the
:07:41. > :07:47.area. The fires were started over a four-month period within an eight-
:07:47. > :07:51.mile radius. Targets included a bathroom shop and newsagent's store
:07:51. > :07:56.and petrol station. The two were traced through e-mail messages sent
:07:56. > :08:04.to the Kent Messenger offices, threatening to firebomb the
:08:04. > :08:14.newspaper and the officer leading the inquiry. On arrest, they found
:08:14. > :08:15.
:08:15. > :08:20.messages on the lap top of Neil Also on the computer, his next
:08:20. > :08:24.intended target, this time a shop surrounded by family homes. The
:08:24. > :08:30.judge told Neil Clark he was devious and manipulative and he
:08:30. > :08:34.told Marc Hitchcock he had been a willing accomplice. Neil Clark was
:08:34. > :08:42.sentenced to ten years and Marc Hitchcock four-and-a-half years in
:08:42. > :08:45.a young defender's institution. -- offenders.
:08:45. > :08:47.Sussex Police have launched a two- week campaign to try to reduce
:08:47. > :08:50.domestic violence over Christmas. The crime tends to increase over
:08:50. > :08:52.the festive period. But a team of dedicated officers will use cameras
:08:52. > :08:55.attached to their uniforms to gather evidence. Last year,
:08:55. > :08:57.officers in Sussex were called to more than 750 incidents of domestic
:08:57. > :09:00.abuse between the 23rd December and 2nd January.
:09:00. > :09:04.South East Water has been given permission to take water from the
:09:04. > :09:07.River Ouse in Sussex to maintain supplies to its customers. The
:09:07. > :09:11.Department for the Environment agreed to the request in order to
:09:11. > :09:16.protect the Ardingly Reservoir after a period of low rainfall.
:09:16. > :09:18.A major airline is axing its services from Manston Airport.
:09:18. > :09:28.Flybe will stop operating flights between Kent International and
:09:28. > :09:32.
:09:32. > :09:35.Edinburgh from the end of March. -- also to Orkney. The company says it
:09:35. > :09:38.has taken the decision because of poor ticket sales. It is another
:09:38. > :09:39.major blow for Manston, which for several years has attempted to
:09:39. > :09:43.attract large airlines to provide passenger services.
:09:43. > :09:46.They were so premature at birth that doctors gave them less than a
:09:46. > :09:49.one per cent chance of survival. Twins Kai and Tien Smith were born
:09:49. > :09:52.at just 26 weeks and spent several months receiving specialist care in
:09:52. > :09:55.hospital. They defied the odds, and are now thriving at home in Ashford,
:09:55. > :10:00.where their proud parents are preparing for their first proper
:10:00. > :10:05.family Christmas. Lynda Hardy went to meet them.
:10:05. > :10:11.Christmas time in this household means frosty the Snowman for the
:10:12. > :10:17.twins and the best Christmas their parents have ever had. They weighed
:10:17. > :10:22.just 1 kilogram when they came into the world. They were 14 weeks
:10:22. > :10:28.premature. It meant their first Christmas was spent in hospital.
:10:28. > :10:36.This time last year, I did not think I would bring them home. To
:10:36. > :10:45.actually have them home, Christmas is all about children. They have
:10:45. > :10:51.just made our family. It is really difficult for any baby who is born
:10:51. > :10:55.to the edge of viability. They have a poor chance at this stage but as
:10:55. > :11:01.they get older their chances improve. They have to fight to get
:11:02. > :11:07.to where they are today. Their parents hope to raise money online
:11:07. > :11:14.with a few extra lights on the house to give back to the neonatal
:11:14. > :11:20.unit in Ashford helping other tiny babies like this one. The staff,
:11:20. > :11:30.really, and to show how much we appreciate it. Anything we can give
:11:30. > :11:34.to help other people who are as lucky as ours, who are -- or who
:11:35. > :11:39.are not. That is all we can do. We did not put like sour last year,
:11:39. > :11:46.and I saved my electric bill then! And we have put a few more up this
:11:46. > :11:52.year and put a little box outside. What seemed like a dream last
:11:52. > :11:56.Christmas now sees two additions to the Smith family celebrations.
:11:56. > :11:59.Our top story. A pensioner who was beaten by a gang of robbers has
:11:59. > :12:03.described the moment they burst in and threatened to kill her. 78-
:12:03. > :12:07.year-old Jean Thomas was attacked in her own home in Staplehurst.
:12:07. > :12:10.Kent Police have released an image of a man they want to question, and
:12:10. > :12:14.a local property tycoon has offered a ten-thousand pound reward.
:12:14. > :12:19.Also in tonight's programme. Forget Paris, New York, Rome. The
:12:19. > :12:22.tour operator offering the spectacular sights of the M25.
:12:22. > :12:25.Campaigners opposed to live animal exports across the Channel through
:12:25. > :12:35.Kent are hoping to force the European Union to end the trade by
:12:35. > :12:52.
:12:52. > :13:00.calling for an eight-hour time limit on the transport of livestock.
:13:00. > :13:02.It would effectively prevent exports from Ports like Ramsgate.
:13:02. > :13:11.An international petition has already attracted almost a million
:13:11. > :13:21.signatures. But livestock farmers say that such a time limit would be
:13:21. > :13:28.
:13:28. > :13:34.totally impractical. Katherine Downes has tonight's special report.
:13:34. > :13:40.Ban Live exports! Protesters this morning calling on the council to
:13:40. > :13:46.stop live exports. The council said there is nothing they can do.
:13:46. > :13:51.are doing everything we can to find a way to stop the trade taking
:13:51. > :13:56.place here. It is a gorgeous place and we do not want to be associated
:13:57. > :14:02.with things like this. Can pain as are trying new tactics. They are
:14:02. > :14:07.calling for the length of journeys to be limited by law to eight hours
:14:07. > :14:12.in order to bring the issue to the European Commission under the
:14:12. > :14:18.Citizen's Initiative, it has to be backed by 1 million people, least
:14:18. > :14:23.seven countries. The commission has three months to examine it. We need
:14:23. > :14:27.to clamp down on rogue dealers who have no consideration for animals
:14:27. > :14:34.and who transport them across Europe. A are you saying farmer
:14:34. > :14:40.should not trade with Europe? course not. There is an important
:14:40. > :14:45.trade with Europe. Farmers who do not care about animals do not want
:14:45. > :14:50.to be able to put them into trucks and travel with them for hours and
:14:50. > :14:55.hours. They know it would effectively stop live exports to
:14:55. > :15:00.the Continent because the crossing takes around four hours. Farmers
:15:00. > :15:05.understand the implications and say they will suffer. If you look in
:15:05. > :15:10.the British Isles, animals have to travel further than eight hours. If
:15:10. > :15:16.you look at the islands and Highlands of Scotland, it is over
:15:16. > :15:22.14 hours. We have to be realistic. When they travel, they travel the
:15:22. > :15:29.best way possible. This sailing this morning is the only ship
:15:29. > :15:34.carrying live exports. Campaigners say the only way to stop her is to
:15:34. > :15:37.make it to impractical and expensive to transport them.
:15:37. > :15:46.Katherine Downes joins us live from Dover, where they used to run live
:15:46. > :15:52.animal exports. They say it would be more humane to start it from
:15:52. > :15:56.there. Yes they say they should be
:15:56. > :16:03.lobbying for the animals to travel from Dover because it is a shorter
:16:03. > :16:08.journey. It the MP said the limit was suggested to protect the
:16:08. > :16:12.comfort of animals, but others say it is away to make exporters lives
:16:12. > :16:22.more difficult and that is what they want to do, to stop live
:16:22. > :16:25.exports entirely, be they from Ramsgate all here in Dover. -- or.
:16:25. > :16:30.When you think of the South East's top tourist destinations, what
:16:30. > :16:33.springs to mind? Leeds Castle or the South Downs, perhaps? How about
:16:33. > :16:36.the M25? One tour operator is convinced it's a winner and their
:16:36. > :16:43.flight of fancy tour takes in a range of attractions such as the
:16:43. > :16:46.Dartford Tunnel and Clacket Lane Services. If you love spending
:16:46. > :16:50.hours and hours on the motorway, and who in their right mind doesn't,
:16:50. > :16:57.then Brighton and Hove Buses new luxury coach tour of the M25 is for
:16:57. > :17:04.you. Bryony MacKenzie reports.
:17:04. > :17:14.Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. This is a journey from point aid to
:17:14. > :17:17.
:17:17. > :17:24.point A. The talk shows off Heathrow Airport, Epping Forest and
:17:24. > :17:28.Clacket Lane services from a coach window. Really?! Is it can be
:17:28. > :17:33.perceived as crackers. But there car-parts people do not see or
:17:33. > :17:41.travel from and it would be nice to say that you have travelled on the
:17:41. > :17:47.whole M25. What about sampling the refreshments at one of the only two
:17:47. > :17:53.service stations? You would also hit the Dartford crossing. 150,000
:17:53. > :17:58.vehicles a day cross it. There are also some of the worst traffic jams.
:17:58. > :18:04.And why not rest at the second serve the station, Clacket Lane
:18:04. > :18:13.services? This is it. This is the highlight of the tour, Clacket Lane
:18:14. > :18:23.services. Mayor, it really is it. - - no. Apparently, there is a lot to
:18:23. > :18:30.see. Would you be up for that? I would not be interested. No. It
:18:30. > :18:39.is horrible. It is hell with wheels! Tell me why that is so
:18:39. > :18:46.funny? It is bad enough driving on the M25! Misery for drivers, but
:18:46. > :18:56.perhaps joy for drivers. -- passengers. This couple celebrated
:18:56. > :18:59.
:18:59. > :19:05.their wedding on the M25. Lucky lady. Now I know what to get you
:19:05. > :19:15.next Christmas! I think travelling the entire M25 is something I can
:19:15. > :19:16.
:19:16. > :19:18.live without. You have not experienced everything life has to
:19:19. > :19:21.offer. It's an early Christmas present for
:19:21. > :19:24.sports clubs across the South East. They are sharing hundreds of
:19:24. > :19:27.thousands of pounds in lottery funding, ahead of next year's
:19:27. > :19:29.London Olympics. The grants are being handed out to try to bring
:19:29. > :19:35.the Olympic spirit into local communities across Kent, Sussex and
:19:35. > :19:41.Surrey. Inspirational moments that the Olympic committee hopes to see
:19:41. > :19:47.more of next summer. But is to is the next generation of sporting
:19:47. > :19:53.stars the money supports. Here, they have �100,000 towards a new
:19:53. > :19:59.pitch. And for footballers pain -- playing on a waterlogged field, it
:19:59. > :20:06.is welcome news. Your boots get very heavy. It is hard to keep
:20:06. > :20:16.running. It is really annoying. With the all-weather pitch, you
:20:16. > :20:22.will be able to play properly. the 1930s, Graves end cricket club
:20:22. > :20:27.hosted internationals. Now they have more than �40,000 of lottery
:20:27. > :20:31.money and hope to restore some of that legacy with me next, which it
:20:31. > :20:37.covers and a bowling machine. We are wanted to create something that
:20:37. > :20:40.was for the future. As a result, with the grant available and the
:20:40. > :20:45.new equipment and coaching behind the scenes, we are creating
:20:45. > :20:50.something to give youngsters the opportunity to fulfil their promise.
:20:50. > :21:00.Thousands of pounds will be spent across the region, breathing life
:21:00. > :21:06.
:21:06. > :21:09.Money spent now that it is hoped will create a Olympic golds of
:21:09. > :21:15.tomorrow. Christmas is traditionally seen as
:21:15. > :21:18.a bad time to be a turkey. But that is not the case for Annabel the
:21:18. > :21:21.turkey, who has become a much-loved family pet. She will spend
:21:21. > :21:24.Christmas Day in the lap of luxury in Chartham, near Canterbury, with
:21:24. > :21:30.her owner Jean Morrison, who lets Annabel snuggle up on the sofa to
:21:30. > :21:40.watch TV. And in case you're wondering, the family will not be
:21:40. > :21:40.
:21:40. > :21:45.serving turkey for Christmas lunch. We will have a normal Christmas Day,
:21:45. > :21:53.apart from are not eating turkey. We will be cooking for the turkey.
:21:53. > :21:59.Annabel will have a lovely dinner, beef Wellington. With my partner.
:21:59. > :22:06.They can join in with some of the activities. Apparently she likes Dr
:22:06. > :22:10.Who. Really? More people should have turkeys as pets.
:22:10. > :22:12.Over the last couple of weeks, we have been taking a look at some of
:22:12. > :22:15.the houses with the most extravagant and lavish Christmas
:22:15. > :22:18.decorations. But tonight we go a step further, to a place where
:22:18. > :22:20.pretty much everyone in the village has gone over the top. Dozens of
:22:20. > :22:23.homeowners in Westfield, near Hastings, are displaying Christmas
:22:23. > :22:25.lights this year, raising thousands of pounds for charity in the
:22:25. > :22:34.process. Our festive illuminations specialist Peter Whittlesea is
:22:34. > :22:44.there for us tonight. It started with a simple community
:22:44. > :22:47.
:22:47. > :22:52.Christmas tree 35 years ago. Back then, Johnny match this was number
:22:52. > :22:56.one with his Christmas hit. Over time, Westfield has become the
:22:56. > :23:03.capital of Christmas lights in Sussex. It is more than festive
:23:03. > :23:10.cheer. For this man it is an obsession. He cannot wait to switch
:23:10. > :23:16.the lights on. The in the past ten years, all the houses have had no
:23:16. > :23:22.lights bar two. I love people's faces, they talk to you. They say
:23:22. > :23:27.how marvellous it is. People who have not been before, they come
:23:27. > :23:31.around the church and suddenly they see this lot and cannot believe it.
:23:31. > :23:36.No one is forced to put lights on their houses. It has grown
:23:36. > :23:43.organically. Each year, hundreds of people come to see the Westfield
:23:43. > :23:47.lights. It is for a good cause. They have raised �17,500 in the
:23:47. > :23:55.past six years. They will raise up to �3,000 this year. That is a
:23:55. > :24:01.great deal of money. We have to raise �3.5 million a year.
:24:01. > :24:06.light show gets bigger and bigger. And with modern lighting, the costs
:24:06. > :24:11.are kept down. They do not worry about the electricity bill here
:24:11. > :24:18.because they know they are raising money for charity.
:24:18. > :24:22.Peter reporting from Westfield. That was a picture. I know what you
:24:22. > :24:29.are thinking. What does the no ice have to say to the people of the
:24:29. > :24:38.South East this Christmas? Hey, this is then allowed eyes. It
:24:38. > :24:45.is time to say Happy Christmas, man. -- of similar ice. I wish everybody
:24:45. > :24:51.in the South East a happy Christmas. Hello, I am playing the bad fairy
:24:51. > :24:55.in Sleeping Beauty in Tunbridge Wells. Even though this goes
:24:55. > :25:02.against my bad fairy principles, I want to wish you a very merry
:25:02. > :25:12.Christmas. Have a good one. I will put a spell on you. Have a good
:25:12. > :25:14.
:25:14. > :25:17.Christmas. Have a good Christmas, says the bad fairy. I'm not sure I
:25:17. > :25:25.says the bad fairy. I'm not sure I know what they know there ice said.
:25:25. > :25:30.Cloud has been thickening over the afternoon. Tomorrow, dry through
:25:30. > :25:36.the morning, but rain in the afternoon. Today, it has been
:25:36. > :25:43.settled. Decent spells of sunshine, particularly through the morning.
:25:43. > :25:52.The cloud thickened through the afternoon. Westerly winds light for
:25:52. > :25:59.everybody. Temperatures are above the seasonal average. We are
:25:59. > :26:06.holding on to cloud cover tonight. Temperatures will hardly change
:26:06. > :26:15.from their daytime values. It will be a mild start to the day tomorrow.
:26:15. > :26:21.It will be dry through the morning. It will not stay dry for long. We
:26:21. > :26:27.will see rain by the late morning. Mild in the morning. Staying dry
:26:27. > :26:36.initially. South-westerly wind picking up. Temperatures still
:26:36. > :26:43.similar to what we saw today in double figures. The wind will feel
:26:43. > :26:50.cooler. Behind the rain, a different picture. Clear skies and
:26:50. > :26:56.temperatures dropping to two degrees. We will start Christmas
:26:56. > :27:02.Eve with ground frost. The day itself will be cold and bright.
:27:02. > :27:12.Temperatures in single figures. For Christmas Day itself, it will
:27:12. > :27:20.
:27:20. > :27:26.remain settled cloud. We have high pressure in control of things.
:27:26. > :27:33.Tomorrow morning, initially dry and increasingly unsettled. Chris but