14/11/2013 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today, I'm Chrissie Reidy. And I'm Rob Smith.

Tonight's top stories. Disbelief and anger from the Kent dad locked in a

police cell and accused of fraud ` after buying an iPad that turned out

to be a lump of clay. Everything just went from being

happy just down to being absolutely shocked.

Two South East doctors lead the UK's effort to help 11.5 million people

affected by the Philippines typhoon calamity.

Also tonight. Living with multiple sclerosis, a new programme

highlights how the disease is affecting the young.

Why battling the crush on the High Street this year could be good for

you this Christmas. And while horses were sent into

conflict during the great war, how elephants stepped in and gave

farmers a helping hand. Good evening. A Kent man says he's

angry and is demanding an apology from the supermarket Tesco, after

paying ?470 for an iPad, only to find the box contained a slab of

clay ` and then be treated as a criminal, accused of fraud and held

in a police cell for hours. Colin Marsh's case has come to light after

police forces worldwide investigate a scam run by organised gangs that

buy computers with cash, replace them with clay, and then return the

resealed boxes to the shop for a refund. Piers Hopkirk reports.

The Marsh family finally have an iPad but this gift came at a high

price. When dad Colin brought home the 400 and ?80 original as a

surprise gift, the surprise was on all of them. The box contained

little more than an of clay. I opened it and started going through

the packaging. Is it under their? What is going on? Just disbelief.

Everything just went from being happy just down to being absolutely

shocked. Worse was to follow. When Colin attempted to get a refund from

Tesco he found himself arrested by police, accused of fraud. I knew

that all I had got was a lump of clay. So I then had to

police that I would not do a thing like that. The family where big

teams of packaging fraud that has exposed in Canada. Fraudsters by

iPads, remove them and replace them with an exact weight of clay. There

may be sealed box and return it for a full refund. With Christmas coming

up it is especially important that people the alert to the fact that

this can happen. So they should buy from authentic sources so they do

have some right. That is the key lesson to take away. The police have

cleared Colin Marsh of any wrongdoing. While Tesco said today

in a statement, we were disappointed to learn of the product was sold to

Mr Marsh had been tampered with. We of course would never have knowingly

sold it to Mr Marsh and we apologise sincerely for the problems this has

caused him. I need a public apology from a senior member of Tesco. To

explain why every time I go there I feel bitter and angry.

For the Marsh family this is one tablet that has proved a bitter

pill. A 12`strong UK medical team led by

two South East doctors has flown out to the Philippines where 11.5

million people have been affected by one of the region's worst ever

typhoons. Dr Amy Hughes who worked for Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air

Ambulance and Dr Andrew Taylor, a consultant anaesthetist from

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, say their team arrived this

afternoon and will start work right away. Ellie Price reports.

It is thought to be one of the worst storms to ever hit land. The Typhoon

lead to total devastation in many areas. The UN says some 11 million

people have been perfect it. This morning a team of British medics

including two from the south`east prepared to fly out to play their

part in the rescue effort. We have got surgeons, and this is, general

practitioners and emergency nurses. Those people together can bring a

number of services to the community. Amy Hughes says she will draw on her

experience in emergency medicine in the south`east. The team also

includes Andrew Taylor whose day job is in Maidstone. The hospital is

very proud of Doctor Taylor. He is an excellent colleague. He is very

experienced. He predominately works in oncology but also within the

trauma department as well. I think his expertise will be invaluable in

this dire situation in the Philippines. The team arrived in

Manila a few hours ago. They will get some sleep and then head south

west to the battered city of Tacloban early tomorrow morning.

Their arrival comes as an appeal by UK charities raised more than ?23

million in just two days. There are likely to be the first of a number

of British medics using home`grown skills to help people in the most

need. Well let's cross live to the

hospital where Dr Andrew Taylor works. Yvette, this is quite an

operation he's undertaking? Absolutely. Doctor Taylor and his

team will have had specialist training in working in appalling

conditions and some of his team will have worked in disaster zones

before, these will no doubt be some of the most challenging conditions

they will ever face. The first edition medics to arrive at the

scene, before they can do anything else they will assess the situation,

looking at how they can help transfer the skills that they use

here in these high`tech hospitals to the very basic conditions they will

have there. They will stay for around two weeks and after that it

is expected there will be a relay of British medics going out there. Many

no doubt from the South East. The government wants a list of 400

medics fully trained up to help ease the suffering.

And if you would like to find out how to donate to the Typhoon relief

appeal you can log onto the disasters emergency committee

website. In a moment, the Sussex architect

behind some of the greatest designs in the world tells us about his

doubts over Boris Island. Charlotte Ealham from Ashford was

just 24 when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She has now been

living with the disease for 18 years. She says she's still shocked

more people don't know enough about it. That's why she's decided to take

part in TV appeal with personality Jack Osbourne, son of the X Factor

judge Sharon Osbourne. Multiple sclerosis affects the central

nervous system. The coating of the nerves become damaged, resulting in

a variety of symptoms including vision, speech and balance problems.

This means that MS is different for everyone, with some going into long

periods of remission. Ian Palmer has tonight's special report.

Charlotte Ealham was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 24.

When she gets an attack, the symptoms are severe. It feels as

though you are really drunk. Complete the paralysed. ``

completely. I need help getting out of bed, getting to the bathroom. At

times I have had to be fed. Even for a cup to be lifted to my mouth. I

need 24 hour care which people just do not understand.

The mother`of`three helped set up a support group for young MS

sufferers. On Sunday, she'll tell the country about her condition on

national television. The MS helpline is excellent. I could phone that

number, off load, have a few tears and a rant. Put the phone down and

feel better. There are 100,000 people in the UK

diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Most of those living with the

condition are in their 20s and 30s. The debilitating nerve condition

affects almost three times as many women as men.

The appeal is presented by the personality Jack Osbourne, who

speaks about being diagnosed with MS as a young father.

I think the scariest moment in my life is when I was diagnosed with

multiple sclerosis. It was a real shock to my family. I hope people

will watch the appeal on Sunday and perhaps donate some money towards a

possible cure because there still isn't one. You can see the film on

BBC One at five minutes past five on Sunday afternoon.

A 61`year`old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman

was found dead in Hastings. Police found the woman's body in the

communal area of flats in George Street last night. Sussex Police

said the man and the woman, who has not yet been named, were known to

each other. The Wilton MP has written to the

Health Secretary to try to get management of programme birthing

centre transferred from Sussex to Tunbridge Wells. He is backing calls

from campaigners for the unit to stay open following recent short

term closures. They have the power to set policing

priorities and force budgets. They also hire and fire chief constables

` and today marks the first year of Police and Crime Commissioners. But

they were elected on a turnout of only just over 15%, and today a BBC

poll has found 38% of adults who live in regions with Police and

Crime Commissioners do not know they have them in their area. Ministers

are now hoping to boost innovation in the role with ?20 million of

extra funding. I think the fact that two thirds of adults know about

police and crime in addition it `` Police and Crime Commissioners is

progress. There are 41 Police and Crime

Commissioners across England and Wales. Surrey and Kent have Kevin

Hurley and Ann Barnes, who are both independent Commissioners. Sussex

has Katy Bourne, who's a Conservative. The government says

PCCs give people more control over policing, but opponents claim the

changes are politicising the service.

We are one year into the term. They have two and a half years left

before they go up for the election. They need to demonstrate that they

are actually delivering. Making a real difference. There is no

evidence so far that they are making a substantial positive difference.

Our Political Editor Louise Stewart joins me now. Louise, lots of

challenges for our Commissioners this year, not least getting

recognised at all. Many people simply don't know they exist.

Absolutely. Some have been more successful in raising their profile

by others. Ann Barnes has hit the headlines several times not always

for the right reason. She made front`page news in April when they

use commissioner she appointed had to resign after just one week. In

the Sussex Katy Bourne has had to deal with a huge cost of the

anti`fracking protest. And in Surrey there have been questions over the

deputy appointed without any due process. But they now have another

three years to prove that they are making a difference to policing and

bringing down crying. `` crime. If you'd like to see all the results

from the BBC survey on Police and Crime Commissioners, then log on to

our website, bbc.co.uk/politics. A Hungarian woman forced to work as

a prostitute has told the court that she had built up evidence. Rebecca

Williams was in court. Today the court heard how one member of the

group threatened a young woman when she wanted to return to hungry. A

witness said she built up evidence against the gang to escape working

in Brussels in Eastbourne and London. She said that her family had

I%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% been London. She said that her family had

been threatened. She said she pretended to fall in love so she

could record conversations that she could later use. But in court the

barrister put it to her that by making herself out to be a bit of

trafficking, she knew she would be entitled to extra funding and

support. He said is there any benefits you are entitled to that

you did not claim by making out your controlled and trafficked? She said

I felt I needed a little amount of money to keep me going and make me

who I am today. I pay national insurance and tax. It means I will

not go back into the work I was in before. He said everything you did I

suggest you engaged in voluntarily to get as much benefit as you could.

I deny this, she replied. All five defendants are alleged to have

trafficked women into a and within the UK. The case continues.

This is our top story tonight. Kent man is demanding an apology from the

supermarket chain Tesco after paying for an iPad only to find that the

box contained a slab of clay. Colin Marsh said he was then treated like

a criminal, and held in a police cell accused of fraud.

Also in tonight's programme. How elephants stepped in to give farmers

a helping hand during the war. And they have been rumours of wintry

showers. Find out if they will make it into the South East.

One of the Britain today, Hove`born Sir

Nicholas Grimshaw, now has a major London practice designing buildings

for international clients. His most famous work is probably the Eden

Project in Cornwall. His firm has also designed railway stations and

airports around the world. But there's one Kent project he's pretty

convinced won't get off the ground, despite consistent and heavy backing

from as big a political figure as the mayor of London. Sara Smith has

tonight's Special Report. From the instantly recognisable Eden

Project to a new glass sea for the Cutty Sark to float upon, the

influence of Sir Nicholas Grimshaw reaches across the world. Many of

his works are glass and steel struck trees and he makes no apology for

that. I would rather see a completely contemporary

well`designed building than something trying to ape the past

rather poorly. Without the elegance and finesse of the detail of the

original buildings. With his practice of more than 100

architects, transport hubs are something as a speciality. But there

is one thing he is not convinced has a future `` Boris Island or the

Thames estuary airport. I think it is probably pretty unlikely to

happen just because of the vast infrastructure costs. The other

thing is the long period it would take to get anything like that up

and running. The Turner contemporary in Margate meanwhile is an example

of how architecture can draw people in. But whatever the project, those

who use it or dip near it must be involved. Maybe a building has to

appeal to the local population. You cannot just ignore them in any way.

You have to try to take people with you. But equally if people come down

from London to Margate to go to the show and they go to cafes and

things, that is also good for the town. So there should be a mixture

of appeal between people coming from outside and local people really

liking it. After more than 40 years in the business, Sir Nicholas says

he and his team still feel their buildings as their children and

there nothing more satisfying than seeing other people love them as

much as they do. For some, Christmas shopping is

nothing more than a headache. Battling with crowds of shoppers,

standing in lengthy queues, it's not everyone's idea of fun. But

according to psychologists from the University of Sussex, getting caught

up in crowds of Christmas shoppers can be good for you. Mark Sanders

reports. He has spent the day in Brighton.

Well this study by the University of Sussex suggests that in certain

circumstances people can actually enjoy being stuck in a busy crowd.

We put that theory to the test here in Brighton today with some shoppers

and a former hermit. As we hurtle towards Christmas with its crush of

consumers, there is research suggesting that some actually get

pleasure from being in a crowd. Maybe there is a balance, a vibe

going on. It messes up your head a little bit. Some research suggests

some people like being in crowds. I think they are just confused! It is

all part of the fun being with other people and seeing what they are

buying. You are very jolly! I have reached that age, I do not care! A

study of people at a concert in Brighton found that the more people

define themselves as part of the crowd, the less likely they were to

report feeling too crowded. The key seems to be identifying with others

in the crowd. This has led to a family of theories that crowds or

automatically as bursa. But many people do enjoy them and want to go

there. It is amazing and you bump into in a crowd. This is Neal Ansell

who were turned to Brighton after living in Wales as a hammock. He

wrote about living for five years in total isolation. No phone, nothing.

So what do you make of this research saying that people actively seek out

crowds? I do not vertically like crowds although I can now socialise.

When I came back from the mountains it did take me some time to adjust

to being around people. It is a fact of life sometimes that this time of

year. As a shop keeper it is great but as a human being, it sucks. So

perhaps people should learn to embrace the Christmas shopping

experience a bit more. Psychologists told me crowds can tend to come

together when it with something to complain about. So do not forget the

unifying powers of grumpiness! Something else that brings us all

together is Children in Need. Well, tomorrow is the big day for Children

in Need, which last year raised more than ?46million. More than ?50,000

from that has already gone towards a Kent group which runs activities for

young people with learning disabilities to help them develop

skills and confidence to work and live in the community. One such club

is Muddy Wellies, which operates from a farm in Smeeth near Ashford.

We do some digging and planting and harvesting. We found some worms and

we are going to use them for the winery.

I come here just to see the smiles on people 's faces when I am working

with them. It gives them the chance to work on an actual farm and see

how it works. There are is a group with a range of different

disabilities and we just carry on. They help each other and work

together. I get to see my friends and work with them. I like working

as a team to get the job done. It is surprising when a little seed grows

into a big plant. Where there is space they can run and help do the

gardening. It gives them something to do. If they're able to do

gardening, it gives them a helping hand in their later in life. It is

nice to see them all smiling every day.

All the tickets to our party at the Bluebell Railway have now gone, but

do catch the action here on BBC One from 6:30pm tomorrow

thank you to everybody at the Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells

last night for allowing us to hold our comedy night there. I think we

raised about ?2000 which was fantastic. My singing was a unique

moment! Next spring is the centenary of the beginning of the First World

War. A conflict which fundamentally changed the British way of life. Not

least in farming. The military bought up the majority of working

horses for use in the war. So one farmer near Gatwick turned to an

exotic alternative to keep his farm going ``

exotic alternative to keep his farm going ng %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%ng %%%%%%%

going `` elephants. They are at the gentle giants of

nature, used in a time of conflict. Britain 's courses were deployed in

First World War. One circus owner found a unique way of getting the

job done. Lord John Singer was an eccentric die and he owned a lot of

fields. `` eccentric guy. He used his elephants to plough the fields.

He was a regular sight back when the circus was running. These elephants

were not just used for circus tricks. The Indian elephant has been

used for generations because it is easier to train than if African ``

and it's African cousin. Over 1 million horses and mules were used

by the armed forces during the First World War. The pills dashed they

pulled artillery. Mechanised transport was rare and so we went

depending as we had in the Crimea on the horse as the main form of

transport. The dreadful consequence of this was the depletion of horses

on farmland. It was all hands on deck. Pigeons for carrying messages,

horses on the front line, but none stranger sight when elephants

ploughing the fields in Surrey. How is it looking weather`wise for

tomorrow? Well it is getting colder over the

next few days. Today has not exactly been worn in that keen wind. Tonight

the wind begins to drop off. So we have clear skies around, good for

stargazing but certainly a chilly night. We have fog patches also

developing but it is a largely dry night for many. But there is a slim

chance that tomorrow morning we could have some showers in the South

East coast of Kent. Temperatures tomorrow similar to today. But

feeling slightly better because we do not have quite as much wind.

Tomorrow night is a very chilly night all in all. Widespread frost

is on cards. So Saturday morning, a frosty start to the day. Some bright

spells around as well. It does begin to cloud over in the afternoon. But

on Monday we have sun rain joining in. `` some rain. Next week

temperatures really start to drop and we are looking at the

possibility of wintry showers. They may not make it down as far as the

South East. But it is certainly going to be getting colder.

You do not mean snow? It could mean snow but probably not. That is all

from us. Have a good evening.