30/09/2013 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today, I'm Rob Smith. And I'm Natalie Graham.

Tonight's top stories. Passengers could have died — our exclusive

interview with the whistle—blower highlighting safety failures that

led to the collapse of a Sussex tunnel. We're live in Brighton with

the details. Criticism of the Conservative minister who told a

victim of abuse in a Kent care home to "adjust her medication". He has

not shown any sign of remorse for what he said to me or the impact it

had on me as a person. Also in tonight's programme. Deal or no

deal? The Chancellor rejects any idea of a pact with UKIP at the next

election — while UKIPs leader claims a couple of dozen Tory MPs are

interested. Up from the depths, but the mystery deepens — the unexpected

secrets of the world's last Dornier 17. And slip sliding away — how the

art scene in Thanet really is changing the entire look of the

place. Good evening. Rail passengers could

have died when a Victorian railway tunnel collapsed in Sussex. That's

the view of a whistle—blower who's given an exclusive interview to BBC

South East Today — highlighting years of Network Rail safety

failures. The Balcombe Tunnel near Crawley, which is part of the main

London to Brighton commuter line, collapsed two years ago, when three

steel girders came loose. Mark Norman has the details.

When part of the Balcombe Tunnel roof collapsed two years ago,

engineers shut it down. They discovered huge steel girders

hanging inches above passing trains. And Network Rail engineer who wants

to remain anonymous has told us that if one girder had had to train

passengers could have died. You are looking at a fatality. That steel

bar would have in spinning around. Two trains would have been spinning

around. It would have gone through windows, ripped the train. They

would have been fatalities. So what happened? We have recreated the

situation in 2011. This false roof is managed to water that constantly

dripped into the tunnel. It is supposed to have been checked and

maintained regularly but it was not. Three of the steel girders that

support the roof had partially collapsed. They were left hanging

just 11 inches above the top of the train. When safety staff went into

the tunnel they found more than a dozen bulbs were missing. These are

pictures taken by those safety engineers of the girders and the

lease vaults. Worryingly, the report tells us that as far back as 2008,

engineers were telling the company that things were going wrong. But

for three years what is described as inadequate reporting meant the

problems were not fixed and bolts were replaced. The company

acknowledged that things were not working properly at the time and

that staff were not being given right support. Communication was not

appropriate and our processes were not in place in a manner that

allowed our staff to report failures of that nature in the right place at

the right time to make sure they were recovered and repaired. Perhaps

most damning of all is the fact that we are told the engineer responsible

for 120 tunnels including Balcombe was not suitably qualified and was

not given the rights of thought. The tunnel should we expected more often

and with competent, knowledgeable people, not someone who has just

come out of university of college withers agree on one hand and talked

in another. But the company and insisted that things are better and

that the Balcombe Tunnel is safe. Arson just today were shocked the

findings. It is abysmal. Health and safety, something as dangerous as

that, should never happen. It is scary, to be honest. I do not travel

on rail very often but when you hear stories like that it put you off. It

is safety first test be repaired as soon as possible. The rail regulator

has told us they will be closely monitoring the company to ensure

they are delivering a safe and efficient railway. Mark is outside

Brighton station tonight. Mark, Network Rail say they have improved

their systems since 2011? They will tell you they are spending

more money than before and have an imprint ship scheme and communicate

better with their staff. This document has been published by the

office for rail regulation of the up the situation today and in the late

highlight potential problems planned maintenance on the tracks

here in Sussex. 74 million people in Germany this made line and they need

to know that Network Rail against do a good job and that we have a safe

railway system. The Communities Secretary, Eric

Pickles, has been criticised for telling a woman who suffered abuse

at a Gravesend care home to "adjust her medication", when she accused

him of failing to help her. Teresa Cooper is one of several women who

say they were kept sedated as teenagers at Kendall House and then

went on to have children with birth defects. She says she's spent the

last 20 years trying to expose what happened. Tonight she's described

the MP's response as disgusting. Simon Jones reports.

Revisiting the home she was sent to as a teenager in the 1980s remains

difficult, even though it is now closed down. It is hard. That is my

nightmare. The BBC investigation into pass on the ninth and to reach

the keeper was given drugs more than 1200 times in 13 months. She

received substantial damages from the Church of England, which ran the

home, although the church did not accept responsibility. When she saw

her local MP at a public eventually approached him, and unhappy with his

first months, began recording. He has not shown any sign of remorse

for what he said to me or the impact it has on me as a person, given what

I have already been through. And then he was using my mental health

against me? That is just absurd. Mental health campaigners say such

comments are stigmatising. Just last week, as diet apologised and with

fewer Halloween costume. For someone so senior to come out with such

language, history meant the offensive, it was made as a put

down, it is deeply disappointing. Eric Pickles told us it was never

his intention to insult Teresa Cooper, he was simply giving her a

franc piece of advice in private. But he has written to her saying he

wants to make it clear that he is willing to help her. He insisted he

had taken E repeatedly in the past but other ministers had rejected

calls for an enquiry. In a moment. How a hospital governor

is calling for the contract with a private company to transport

patients in the south east should be torn up.

The Chancellor, George Osborne, has rejected the idea of fielding joint

Conservative/ UKIP candidates at the next General Election. It follows

warnings from some within the party that growing UKIP support could

split the right—wing vote and help labour win. But the UKIP leader and

South East MEP Nigel Farage claims "a couple of dozen" Tory MPs would

be interested in an electoral pact even if the majority would refuse to

do a deal. They do not want to talk to us, they despise us, we

understand that. We're pretty good I did a challenge on policy issues.

That on the ground, we are seeing this in some labour areas and some

Tory areas, there are sitting labour MPs —— sitting Tory MPs with UKIP

sympathies. The growing threat UKIP pose the Tories here in the South

East became clear in the County Council elections in May, when the

party won a string of seats. In East Sussex, there are now seven UKIP

councillors. And there are 17 in Kent, including several in Thanet,

Sheppey and Swale. Piers Hopkirk joins us live from Sittingbourne —

and Piers, Sittingbourne and Sheppey is just the kind of seat that the

Conservatives could struggle to hold at the next election. Now rightly

point out that this has been fertile ground for me. In Swale they've won

three seats bringing the total on Kent County Council to 17. The

standing MP has pity help the majority that some of his colleagues

with smaller majorities might be getting a little bit twitchy about

the impact of UKIP and the danger of splitting the right—wing vote. Nigel

Fry Chas ruled out a formal pact but he has that there could be

discussions or agreements likely —— Nigel Farage arch. That would mean

you could not put up seats where it meant the standing MP was obviously

Eurosceptic or it might mean that the P and Conservatives could run on

a joint ticket. It would be nice to see a different party get into

power. It is the same old rubbish and you get fed up with that. It

would nice to see her new party get involved. But don't think they're

going to get anywhere on their own because everyone votes for the same

parties all the time. If UKIP team up with someone, songs give their

policies, it might be a good thing. For UKIP might be the best option

they have got and for the Tories it might get those back for them. We

interviewed the Prime Minister on Friday, and he admitted his party

has a lot of work to do to hold onto votes in the South East.

Absolutely. He has made no secret of the fact that he needs to lure back

the traditional conservative voters who might be tempted to vote for

UKIP. But the Chancellor was perhaps more robust today in denying any

talk of a packed with me. He said, the only candidates that will stand

for the Conservative Party in the election Conservative candidates.

A convicted killer who claims he was wrongly jailed for 25 years because

of a Government cover—up has received a setback in the legal

battle to prove his innocence. Cleeland, from Folkestone, was sent

to prison in 1972 for murdering gangland leader Terry Clarke. The

Criminal Cases Review Commission has decided NOT to consider his

application for the case to be referred to the Court of Appeal. His

lawyers are seeking a judicial review of the decision. Bus and rail

passengers in Kent and Medway could be using a travel smart card for

their journeys in the future. It would be similar to London's Oyster

card scheme with the aim of making it easier to travel by public

transport. Lucinda Adam joins us from Chatham. How would this scheme

work, Lucinda? Ten years ago, Oyster card

revolutionised the way people paid for public transport in the capital.

You pay for it online or at home or at the ticket office and then just

touching each time you make your journey. Kent councillors are

touching each time you make your meeting this week to discuss a

potential scheme in Maidstone. If it is successful it could be rolled out

countywide including here in the Medway.

A Sussex care home where 19 people died had no consistent manager, an

inquest has heard. Giving evidence, the regional manager blamed failures

in the care of residents at Orchid View in Copthorne on staffing

issues. Sarah O'Mara also denied claims that she pushed all

responsibility for the problems there onto other members of her

team. Rebecca Williams reports. Margaret Tucker was one of 19 people

who died in unexplained circumstances at Orchid View care

home. It was run by Southern Cross and close down into thousand and 11.

The area manager deny claims that she did not make enough visits to

the home. The aim best heard how there was a lack of staff at Orchid

View with a carer sometimes looking after 17 residents. Staff said they

believed there was a policy of having no agency workers but that

was claimed that the regional director tonight, though she posted

on an online CV that she had maintained to zero agency staff

across all sites. The coroner said to Sarah O'Mara, I have not heard

you take responsibility at all. She replied, I was their manager. I

supported whenever I was needed and went to the homes when needed. When

asked who was responsible she said, the people who knew was failing.

Also giving evidence today was that Boots pharmacist who said she was

physically sick after carrying out checks at Orchid View. She said one

resident had not had medication in four days. The inquest continues.

This is our top story tonight. A whistle—blower from Network Rail has

told us passengers could have died when a Victorian railway tunnel

collapsed on the main London to Brighton line. In an exclusive

interview, the engineer highlighted safety failures that led to steel

girders coming loose in the Balcombe Tunnel, near Crawley. Also in

tonight's programme. The sculpture that's bringing the house down in

Kent — the artist who's bringing his work to the street. It does look

like the building has slipped down. It is a focal point and something

for people to talk about. It is a briskly week with risk of heavy rain

later in the week. Join me later for the forecast.

Ever since the private company NSL took on responsibility for

transporting patients to and from Kent hospitals, we've reported

growing numbers of complaints from people who say they have been left

stranded. Tonight, one Kent hospital governor is calling for the contract

to be put back out to tender — claiming the company is not capable

of delivering the service it promised when it took over in July.

Colin Campbell has tonight's Story Update.

Cancer patients Malcolm Allcorn was supposed to attend a vital checkup

at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead last Thursday. NSL

were supposed to get in there East Grinstead last Thursday. NSL

failed to turn up. The company event in the percentage rule they will

send a taxi to his home. They did not turn up and I missed my

appointment. With all the hospitals being strict on people not turning

up, it is not fair on people that are trying to get there. NSL was

awarded the contract for transporting Kent patients and

started operating on July the 1st. Days later we reported that a

disabled patient was left waiting 24 hours to be taken home. Today the

company have revealed that they have received hundred 42 complaints. In

July the company blamed teething problems but this east Kent hospital

Governor believes NSL is not up to the job. You have got a contract,

you are now in breach of contract. NHS bosses say they are not

proposing to cancel the contract, although patients are still being

failed, but the company insists that it serviced is improving. The German

Second World War bomber that we were privileged to see be raised live on

this programme from the Goodwin Sands off Ramsgate in June is

beginning to reveal the secrets of its final mission. The dramatic lift

took place in a bid to rescue and preserve the last Dornier 17

anywhere in the world. It crash landed off the Kent coast during the

Battle of Britain in 1940. It will now spend two years in a cleansing

shower spray at RAF Cosford in Shropshire, before it can be fully

conserved. Newly discovered bullet holes have only added to the mystery

of its final flight, as Robin Gibson explains.

It is like an ancient employment daddy, exhumed from a grave, and

pond in the crust of seven decades at the bottom of the sea. That is

generally being washed away, revealing the aircraft and its story

to a different generation. The short, violent life of the bomber

should have ended here after it crashed near the Goodwin Sands in

1940, just another enemy bomber which did not return home join the

Battle of Britain. But that was until divers discovered it was

intact, a nine right honourable gentleman: The last Dornier 7. The

RAF Museum mounted rescue operation. Now it is a prisoner of war, time

travel, stubbornly not revealing its story until now. The aircraft is

cleaning itself, really. This morning we found this on the

propeller. You can see where the sea life has washed off and it reveals

what we believe to be a bullet hole. Underneath, you can see the daylight

shining through the deposit where it may well have been hit. That tells

us the aircraft was shot at, and shot up from behind. That could

upset the theory that it was down by an RAF defiant thrown by —— Flame by

pilot Desmond Hughes. Its gun turret faces to the rear, making it

virtually impossible to fire forward. From the record, think it

is ten to three of four aeroplanes. Until we find among the positively

identifies it we are keeping options I have done. Here I am right inside

the ghost of the plane, surrounded by bits of the Goodwin Sands. Each

day more comes off and each day a little bit more of the story is

revealed. They still have not found an identifying number or data plate

which would confirm fondly which plane this is. Some key parts,

machine gun seats, are missing. There is evidence over the years

that divers visit of direct removing souvenirs. There is clear eyed ——

evidence that items have been cut from the rack. Some of the data

plate have levered off with a screwdriver or something. You can

see here, that one clearly has been taken. You can see the corner of the

plate there. That has been hacked sort and cut here. There would have

been something significant, data plate or something of that order,

that the diver has decided would be a nice trophy. It is part detective

story, part jigsaw puzzle. The true riddle of the Sands of Kent, and war

story waiting for it concluding chapter.

And on Inside Out tonight, Robin Gibson meets the specialists gently

uncovering the bomber from a cloak of barnacles. That's at 7.30

tonight. We did briefly mention this on the

programme on Friday — but it looks so extraordinary that we wanted to

take a much closer look. It's the amazing sculpture in Thanet where

the front of an entire house appears to be sliding off. Its been created

by the artist Alex Chinneck, whose amazing installation will be making

people stop and stare in Cliftonville for the next year or

so. Sara Smith reports. At first glance, it looks like any other

house. But this is a building which is getting plenty of double takes.

The whole facade appears to have slipped by several feet, exposing

the top floor and slithering onto the ground in front of it. We

satiate brick as this unit of stability and we trusted and rely on

it. I essentially wanted to turn that stability on its head and rate

something that was seemingly fluid and event inflexible material and

apparent flexibility. The house had been derelict for a ride in 11 years

and was compulsorily purchased by the council two years ago. When Alex

came looking for a location for his work, they were delighted to lend it

to him. I hope people will rediscover Cliftonville for

themselves. This challenges are well documented but its charms are

overlooked. We are surrounded fantastic examples of Georgian and

Victorian architecture. Alex has a track record of large—scale public

works. He likes to appeal not always comfortable going into a

calorie. It is really clever, the way it has been done. It looks like

the building has slipped down. It is a really clever idea. It is art that

actually looks like piece of art and not a piece of rubbish! Very well

done. Slipped house will be here for a year and then work. Making this a

real hope of Margate. Earlier this year, Gillingham were

crowned League Two champions and set a series of new club records,

yet, another disappointing result on Saturday would have matched the

club's worst ever start to the season, Luckily, their convincing

3—0 win at Crewe ended the Gills' poor run and saw them move seven

places up the League One table. With news on that, and the rest of the

weekend's action, here's Neil Bell. Cody McDonald gave them a precious

lead with his third goal of the season. The second goal was to

result of a lot of hard work on the training ground. The inch perfect

free kick from name—12—mac was impressive. Gillingham were forced

to work hard for their first clean sheet of the season, but with their

confidence bolstered, skippered name—13—mac was on hand to score a

third and complete a memorable afternoon not just for the players

but for the fans. It has been a test, after the year that we had

last year. We have trained every day this week. The players first and

foremost of the number one and they deserve all the credit.

encouraging start continued with a narrow victory, courtesy of an early

goal from Joe Walsh. They are unbeaten for five games. Brighton's

impressive six match unbeaten run came to an end at Ipswich. Two goals

from 914 MAC. —— from David McConnell trick. Claims for

Brighton penalty were frustratingly ignored. For me, it was a penalty.

But the person who has two whistle, he did not do it, and we can do

nothing. Charlton will be keen to forget their pork reformers have

early. —— that will performance at Burnley. The rain, I am afraid, is

going to be arriving on Wednesday. At least for tomorrow, another

bright and breezy richer. Temperature is always pretty mild

this week. Temperature was holding up the time of year. A bit cooler

along easterly winds. Tonight, the risk of

the art isolated shower. For the most part it will be staying dry. As

we start the day tomorrow it will be try and write. But low pressure

slowly tracking up from the South West. For tomorrow we stay dry. A

bit more cloud covered by the afternoon. Again, temperatures not

too bad for the time of year. Tomorrow, all of us will be seeing

the rain. It will be a wet start to the day on Wednesday. The rain

cleared eventually and behind it it is not feeling too bad. As we go

into Thursday, there is going to be more heavy rain and strong winds.

The good news is it clears out of the way and we have high