28/03/2012 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today. Tonight's top stories: Five are

sent off in disgraceful scenes as Crawley and Bradford players brawl

at the end of their match last night.

We'll have the latest from Crawley tonight.

Protests against live animal exports at Ramsgate - and the RSPCA

resume inspections at the port for the first time in a decade.

Also in tonight's programme, courting controversy - Kent MP

Roger Gale defends his statement that marriage is unique to the

union of a man and a woman. She was known as the heroine of

Dunkirk, but has the fight to save the Medway Queen been lost?

And Darwin on holiday - the great, great granddaughter of the great

naturalist unveils a blue plaque in Ramsgate where he took his

Good evening. The Football Association has launched an

investigation into what have been described as disgraceful scenes at

the end of Crawley's football match against Bradford last night, which

saw a mass brawl break out on the pitch. Five players, including two

from Crawley, were red carded in the dressing room after the match,

the most sendings off in a league game for 15 years. Steve Gaisford

reports. It should have been a night for

Crawley tant to celebrate, a 4th straight win and a significant step

towards promotion. It has got really nasty. The ugly scenes at

Valley Parade send shockwaves through the game. It was not very

nice. I did not see all that. I will see more this morning looking

at the TV pictures. Not very good. It does take away some of the

glamour and some of the positiveness about the performance

and the result. The referee and his assistants were unable to control

the players. Police stepped in to break up the brawl. Absolutely

disgusting. We do not need to see something like this in football. It

shows the bad side of it. I do not know what went on in the game.

There is no excuse. Five players were summoned to the referee's

dressing room where they were shown at the red card. You cannot let

you're temper get the best of you. Throwing punches. You'll get banned.

Claude Davis, Andrew Davies... would not be able to do that and my

job. I would be straight off the site, came over. It is not showing

a good example. They should be ashamed of themselves. If they

cannot play football without fighting, they should pack it in.

Their manager is now focusing on the promotion run-in. It remains to

be seen what impact the suspensions will have. To lose two players is a

blow, but we have players who can, crying. We will get on with it.

Crawley moved back into the automatic promotion places with a

win. But he is the scenes that followed the victory that will stay

long in the memory. Steve Gaisford joins me from

Crawley. Crawley players have already received bans. That is not

the end of the matter, is it? For both clubs involved in this

horrible situation it could be far from over. It is likely the

Football Association will study further video evidence and reach a

conclusion. They have a number of powers at their disposal. They can

find individual players, they can find the clubs. I spoke to Steve

Evans earlier and he told the club would hold their own investigation

and could hand out heavy fines. They are away at Burton Albion on

Saturday. In two weeks they will be at home took Crewe. They will hope

the matter is laid to rest by then. RSPCA investigators have been at

the Port of Ramsgate for the first time in more than a decade to

ensure that live animal exports meet welfare standards. Thousands

of calves and sheep have been shipped to the continent from

Ramsgate since May last year. The RSPCA opposes the shipments but, as

they're legal, is powerless to stop them. For the latest in our food

chain series, Environment Correspondent Yvette Austin has

been to Ramsgate as a live shipment Angry scenes as lorries carrying

sheep and calves enter Ramsgate. The protesters against live animal

exports out in force, wanting to stop the lorry is making it on to

the private a ship bound for the Continent. We could see them. They

were squashed like sardines. Let's hope the RSPCA turn them back and

end this dreadful trade. It is almost a year since Live exports

began adult Ramsgate. Britain started the practice again in 2006

after a decade long ban. Before that, public outrage was focused on

the small port of Shoreham in Sussex, where protesters clashed

with police. The Larry's are just loading onto the ship now. The

RSPCA would have done at their cheques. This has to happen within

two hours. The boat leaves for Calais. Warnings have been issued

by the RSPCA and the Government. Some cooling fans were not working.

All the animals were fit to travel. They meet the current requirements.

However, the RSPCA would want to see an end to the trade of

transporting live animals great distances. There is no need for it.

Farmers say there is a need. Moving sheep is a regular occurrence which

does not harm them. The sheep have travelled quite happily. There is

plenty of room on a vehicle like this. We need the export. The

market in Europe is higher value. There is no problem with animals

travelling. It is a short distance across the Channel. They need to

get there as quickly as possible. They are fine. The protesters say

they will continue their campaign. In a moment, more than half the

cases of the potentially deadly Schmallenberg virus affecting sheep

and cattle in the UK, have been A Kent MP who caused controversy

with his comments about gay marriage, is defending his remarks,

saying he believes that the meaning of the word "marriage" is unique to

the union between a man and a woman. Sir Roger Gale wrote an article

saying he is opposed to the Coalition's current proposal to

legalise gay marriage. Louise Stewart reports.

Sir Roger Gale admits his article criticising Government proposals

his outspoken. He says he believes marriage describes the union in

church or out of it between one man and one woman. He says removing

husband or wife from official documents brings it into a

Stalinist realm. He says he understands why some people want to

change the rules but he does not agree. I have had a union with

Susie for a long time indeed. Well of 30 years. And we cannot get

married in church. Because the Church of England says that her

divorce may not remarry in church in the sight of God. I have no

cause for complaint. I do not want to rewrite the rules. Those are the

rules. Thanet District Council is to become one of the first in the

country to vote on the issue of gay marriage. We are talking about

civil marriage. I am proud to be moving this motion so that people

from the Lesbian, Gay and Trans gender community can get married.

People enjoying sunshine in Margate had mixed feelings. I cannot see a

problem. That is my opinion. I think toss cid mack just as

entitled as anybody else. It should be between a man and woman. I have

a son who is gay. If they want to get married, I am perfectly happy.

The Government has launched a 12 week consultation on the issue. All

three main party leaders want to see a law which allows same-sex

marriages before the next general election.

We can speak now to Dr Keith Sharpe, who chairs a group called Changing

Attitudes Sussex, which campaigns for gay rights within the Anglican

Church. What's your reaction to Roger Gale's position? I am

surprised really that he has written what he has written. Quite

frankly, his arguments are laughable. Of all the things that

you could say, to defend the opposition of gay marriage, to say

that Shakespeare will have to be rewritten, seems to me quite

risible. Nobody has suggested it would be necessary to rewrite

Shakespeare or we write Milton or the Holy Bible. What about

rewriting the names that you give to the people taking part? He says

it is almost Stalinist in its political correctness. I don't

think there is a question of imposition. Roger Gale uses emotion

at -- emotive than pejorative language. He talks about the

building pushed through by militant homosexuals. All three major

political parties and their leaders are in favour of this. Surveys

consistently show that a majority of people are in favour of gay

marriage. You have just had somebody on in the -- you're in did

you spoke about his son being gay. People know gay people. They know

that all the stories of the past which demonised gay people are

wrong. We must have equality for everybody in the future. Love

between a gay couple committed to each other for life is just the

same as that between a heterosexual couple. Well, we want to know what

you think. Do you agree with Roger Gale that marriage should be a

union between a man and a woman? Or do you think that language and

institutions should alter with The relatives of thousands of

people who died of an asbestos related cancer won a record

settlement. The Supreme Court today ruled that insurance liability is

triggered at the point when workers were exposed to asbestos dust, not

when the cancer emerged decades later. The Government is to ban a

so-called legal high drug known as Mexxy, which was found in the

bodies of two young men who died in Canterbury earlier this year. Hugo

Wenn and Daniel Lloyd were found in a pond in Canterbury in January.

They had both taken methoxetamine. It's to be made illegal for a year

while drugs advisors decide whether it should be controlled permanently.

More than half of the reported cases of Schmallenberg virus - a

disease that can cause serious deformities or death in sheep and

cattle - are here in the South East. There are more farms affected in

Kent than anywhere else in the country, with 41 known cases. The

second highest figure is in West Sussex, with 37 farms affected. And

in East Sussex, the number is 36. But sheep farmers in the region say

they're confident they're over the worst of it. Ian Palmer reports.

He's lost four lambs to the Schmallenberg virus and has two

more being tested. Hugh Skinner is both a farmer and a vet on the

front line of the disease. nights ago I had to do a Caesarean

to get the Lahm out. And managed to get it out OK. The lamb was dead on

arrival. The Schmallenberg virus is carried by a midge. The disease was

first detected in Germany in 2011. It's believed animals here in the

south east became infected last It is a real concern for farmers.

The Midge comes in, bite the animal in the early stages. It is not

until you have the Cath or Lamiraud, that you know you have a problem.

Suspected cases of the virus like this one are sent for testing. This

dead lamb will go to the animal health and veterinary laboratories

agency. Two weeks ago, the agency's driver had more than 20 dead

animals in his van. Today, he had two. Experts say the worst of the

disease in sheep at least may be over. Hugh Skinner says despite his

relatively few losses the virus will still cost him around �1,000.

The effect this disease has had on the farming industry may not be

Our top story, the Football Association has launched an

investigation into the mass brawl which broke out at the end of

Crawley's football match against Bradford last night. Five players,

including two from Crawley, were red carded in the dressing room

after the match, the most sendings off in a league game for 15 years.

Also in tonight's programme, could the fight to save the Medway Queen

have been scuppered? And don't expected to stay like

this for the weekend. It will feel A Sussex business claims they are

enjoying improved profitability, and have cut costs, by giving staff

extra lessons in reading and writing. It's estimated more than

five million adults in the UK lack basic levels of literacy. And it's

thought that improving these skills could have a positive effect on

earnings and employment opportunities. But so far, research

hasn't found a direct link to economic impact. However, City

Clean in Brighton are convinced that literacy classes are making a

difference. Mark Norman has more. Workers to struggle with their

reading and writing skills can be paid less, have fewer opportunities

for promotion and often lack confidence. Getting through those

barriers is not easy. I did not consider myself academic. I did not

consider I would be able to pursue anything to do with academia. I am

good at manual work. That is my sphere. I just thought, it all

stops when you get to adulthood. is hard to imagine not being able

to read that a lot -- the most basic instructions or signs. More

than 5 million adults have a reading age of nine or lower.

Workers with difficulties and 11% less than colleagues and her 16%

less likely to go for promotion. The statistics could be worse.

do not know a lot about the workplace. That is the problem.

Literacy and numeracy often goes hidden. People in the workplace

tend to adopt working -- coping skills and do not always ask for

help. The extent that the problem is not always known. Some of our

students do not even know the order of the alphabet, cannot fill in

their own name. Brighton Council have offered work place lessons for

staff for more than a decade. Customer satisfaction has leapt 82%.

We have taken at �1.7 million out of the service. There is a direct

benefit longer term. The scheme is now being regarded as a potential

for others -- potential model for others around the country. And if

you would like to improve your reading and writing skills, call

the free BBC Helpline on 08000 150 950. Give them your postcode and

they'll find the nearest class to She became known as the Heroine of

Dunkirk - the Medway Queen was the paddle steamer that rescued some

7,000 troops from the beaches of northern France in 1940. But a long

running project to restore her could be scuppered by the

suspension of a European funding grant - which also threatens nine

apprenticeships at the Gillingham workshop. Sara Smith reports.

For these apprentices, working on the Medway Queen is a chance to

restore part of the town's heritage and to gain skills which would set

them up for the future. Now the project is in danger. It is a

brilliant opportunity to work here, given the history that is involved.

It is really frustrating and worrying. If it all goes down, I do

not have a job apprenticeship. I will not be able to find something

like this again. If this is closed down, it has completely ruined it.

Billed as a pleasure steamer in the Twenties, the Medway Queen was

converted to one minesweeper in the war. It made seven rescue trips to

Dunkirk. She has now been restored in a project part funded by the

European Commission grant. When auditors found irregularities on

two or other projects, with no connection to this one, they

suspended funding. It is not just a try heritage or history project, it

is a real opportunity to do real good work with these people.

Without the money, that is it. It is finished. If the apprentices get

to complete their training, they will be qualified to work on

projects across the world. If not, they will be back searching for

work in an increasingly difficult market in that way. -- made way.

The pressures on the Government to sort out the administrative errors.

I expect the minister to make a special case now that this project

can go a head, so we can get the funding. The project should learn

if its funding has been restored by the end of this week.

Sara Smith joins us now from Medway. Sara, what can they do to try to

get this money back? All they can do is wait and hope. It is not

their fault the ground has been suspended. There is nothing they

can do in the meantime. The dream was to have the Medway Queen fully

refurbished. In three years, it was planned to sail to Dunkirk to

celebrate the 75th anniversary of the evacuation. Now he is in the

hands of the European Commission. All they can do is wait and hope.

However, in Sussex there's been good news about another of the

Dunkirk Little Ships. The steam tug, Challenge, which is moored in

Shoreham, has been awarded almost a million pounds of Heritage Lottery

funding to return it to active service. The money means that the

Challenge will be able to participate in the 75th anniversary

commemorations of the Dunkirk rescues.

During his life, Charles Darwin travelled to the ends of the Earth.

But once he settled down, he enjoyed nothing more than asset --

spending his holidays in Ramsgate. Today his great-great granddaughter

unveiled a plaque. As a naturalist, Charles Darwin

travelled the world, visiting exotic places. But for a holiday

destination, he chose Ramsgate. is a delight to meet so many people

who were so enthusiastic about Darwen's stay here. It is wonderful

snapshot into her little part of his life. I am happy. I just

watched that programme about him on television will stop it is

interesting to note that they have been somewhere near where he has

been. There is a lovely beach here and another one there. They must

have had lots of fun. He probably studied things in the sea. It is

now more than 150 years since the publication of the origin of the

species. A few years before that work was published, Darwin came to

Ramsgate with his family. Working His incredibly patient observation

of something like barnacles, as a family, as a Jenas which has

evolved, would be central. He would be thinking about it all the time.

He would be on the beach but he would be thinking about it. I am

standing on the balcony Charles Darwin would have used on his

holidays. In a recollection of the trip, his youngest daughter wrote:

we saw Mora of them in a month on holiday than we did at home. Who

would have thought a man who travelled to the hands of the Earth

would have been happy going our holidays in Kent?

Who needs the Galapagos when you have got Ramsgate. There was

another football match last night. Gillingham lost our way to Burton

Albion. The team now have to win six of their remaining seven games

if they are to make the play-offs. Is this the last we are going to

see of the sunshine? We knew it wasn't going to last for

ever. The days are numbered. The cloud Countdown is on. In 48 hours

the cloud will clog up our skies again. Just in time for the weekend.

It is not bringing rain. But temperatures getting up to 20-21,

normal for July, but it will be more like where it should be at

this time of the year, 12-13 degrees. That is what we will have

at the weekend. Through this evening, as soon as the sun sets,

the temperature goes down, down, down. In the next few hours the

temperature in some places will drop by one degree every 20 minutes.

Three degrees an hour. Not surprising by the end there might

some places will be crunchy with frost. It will get down to the

couple of degrees in the countryside by the end of the night.

The temperature does rise sharply tomorrow. -- sharply. A beautiful

day in store yet again. Just the same as we have had for the last

few days. Not a cloud in the sky. Sunshine and blue skies all the way.

Temperatures, 20-21. Into tomorrow evening, the clear skies mean

chilly temperatures. For a Friday, the last day of that sunshine. As

we go into Saturday and the weekend, it will start to feel cooler. Lot

more cloud, probably temperatures of 13 or 14 on Saturday. Two more

days of fun in the sun before the Earlier we told you about Kent MP

Sir Roger Gale, who has defended his remarks saying he believes the

meaning of the word marriage is unique to the union between a man

and a woman. We wanted to know what you think. We have had lots of

replies on for Sport -- Facebook. Yes, the Reverend Chris Lawrence

says that he completely supports Sir Roger Gale's comments. A lot of

the comments on Facebook are against that position. Sarah says,

does it matter if you were the same sex? If you of the other person,

that is all that matters. These people are living in the dark Ages.

Lawrence says marriage is a union between a man and woman. It

confuses children who were taught in schools about the truth in the

Bible with regards to marriage. Adam says that morality is doing

what is right, no matter what you're told, why religion is doing

what you're told the matter what is right. A great many of their

opinions. Lot of people bringing religion into this. Talking about