20/12/2013 South East Today


20/12/2013

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In April and again in May, this programme highlighted the issue of

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fixed odds betting terminals. They have fuelled a boom in betting shops

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on high streets. Takings from the machines account for half of the the

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makers and your profits, and it was an issue highlighted again today by

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the Labour leader. `` the big bookmakers annual profits. It is a

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magnet for crime and anti`social behaviour, so the Labour government

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would give local communities the right to pull the plug on this fixed

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odds betting machines. At least two councils are keen to stop the

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numbers of these machines. Medway took their campaign to Parliament

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when MPs voted to retain the ?100 stake on fixed odds machines. I have

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had people breaking down in tears in my office with examples of what has

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happened to them, they have lost their families and homes, their

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jobs. These machines destroy communities. Despite the concern of

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councillors, bookmakers continue to install up to the maximum of four

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machines in each of their shops. If there are to be better powers for

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local authorities that there's dialogue that we can have, and a

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number of authorities have gone down a specific route where they can get

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additional powers to restrict shops and they might well be successful in

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that. But, for Rovinder, gambling has cost him his marriage, and his

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job. This is why I am here. Otherwise I would be living with my

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wife. For the time being, high`stakes gabbling machines will

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continue to be an attraction on our high streets. There is another side

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to this argument. With the rise of online gambling the end of three

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says they need to keep people coming into shops to keep people employed

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and they say there was no evidence that gamblers gamble more when these

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machines are in shops, so that the time being, they are going to remain

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on the high Street. `` for the time being. All Brighton and Hove

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councillors are to receive equality training after one said she thought

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golliwogs were nostalgic, rather than racist. At a hearing behind

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closed doors yesterday, Councillor Dawn Barnett was found to have

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brought the council into disrepute for breaching its code of conduct.

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The city council says it has highlighted a training need. John

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Young's been following developments. To some, this is all about than

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image that might at one have `` at one time have been much loved, but

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now causes great offence. To others it is about the rights of

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councillors to express their opinions. This councillor told a

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local newspaper she did not think golliwogs were offensive and she has

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been told she has broken city council rules. We got no freedom of

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speech. It is no good saying you can have of speech as long as you say

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what we want you to say. Three months ago, the local paper asked

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Dawn Barnett what she thought of some place mats being sold in a city

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centre then, an official at the council

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informed they would be investigating her because they had had complaints.

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Yesterday, the councillor was told that she had breached the council

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could of conduct, and today, the council confirmed that she and all

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other members would be trained in equality issues. In the city this

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afternoon, these views on the training... It is a good idea. You

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have to understand how it affects people and what connotations it has.

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In the councillor's own ward, these views on the hearing. I do not agree

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with it. It is heavy`handed. I do not necessarily agree with that, but

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the world that we live in at the moment, it is par for the course,

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and maybe Cussler needs to think about that. No interviews from the

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council, but one man widely praised for his council funded work said

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this. It is a brave move. They have won an award for their equality, and

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I think they would have to follow up on that. It is an issue that to

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many, these are now called golly dolls. It is an issue that

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councillors will learn much more about. We want to know what you

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think. You have been contacting us. Roger Thompson and Canterbury says,

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it is believed that council is imposing its perverted view of

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diversity on others. Too many people look for excuses to be offended and

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we ought to rail against this pervasive censorship. We want to

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know what you think. Is it a waste of taxpayers money, or are such

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views unacceptable? You can get in touch with us.

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Coming up, with more gales and heavy rain forecast, the Met Office warns

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of the possibility of more flooding. It was the only Christmas present he

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really needed. Now a father from Sussex says the bond with his son is

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now stronger than ever after he gave him one of his kidneys in a bid to

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save his life. William Balestrini from Crawley was born with an

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extremely rare condition which causes chronic kidney disease and

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effects just one in 20,000 babies. Juliette Parkin reports. Playing

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just like any other three`year`old, and being the Big Brother that his

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parents feared he might not survive to be. Just after William was born

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it was clear something was very wrong. He went blue. He was shaking.

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They took him to the special care unit and did blood tests. And

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gradually it started to get worse. It became apparent that he had a

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rare condition. In such cases symptoms might be present before

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birth. Cysts grow on the kidneys causing them to be enlarged, and

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gradually, kidney function deteriorates, sometimes with fatal

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consequences. He was very sick. If he had more than two ounces of

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fluid, he would be sick. He was quite slow to gain weight. He was

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not gaining any hike in the. When we started to wean him it was not easy

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because he did not want to eat. William needed a transplant. His

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father, James, did not think twice, and in October last year they were

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in separate London hospitals recovering from major surgery,

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William with his dad's kidney and his dad, with one less. Giving the

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kidney is the biggest amount of help you can give to your child, and just

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seen how he has recovered from the transplant, and how he is behaving.

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And all the benefits of that. It makes it all worthwhile. Gradually,

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for the first time in his life, William began to eat normally. He is

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on medication, but the family are looking forward to a Christmas

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without hospitals, and to their son finally being able to tuck into some

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festive trees. `` treats. Police have released an e`fit of a man they

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want to speak to after a burglar targeted a 102`year`old man at his

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Eastbourne home. After letting the man in, he allowed him to use the

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bathroom, but shortly after discovered both his wallet and ?200

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were missing. The thief is described as having short dark hair, an

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athletic build and wearing white trainers. Alan Pughsley has been

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confirmed as the new Chief Constable of Kent Police. Mr Pughsley is

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currently the Deputy Chief Constable. He'll start his new role

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on the fourth January. Kent Police And Crime Commissioner Ann Barnes

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backed the Deputy chief for the job, after Ian Learmonth announced he was

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going to retire in January. Patrols by Sussex police dedicated to

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responding to reports of domestic violence over the Christmas and New

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Year period have started today. Officers will have video cameras

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attached to their bodies in order to secure vital evidence. Last year

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police responded to 982 incidents of reported domestic abuse between the

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21st of December and the 2nd of January. That's an increase of over

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a third on the year before. The Environment Agency is warning people

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to prepare for possible flooding this weekend, as the south`east is

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set to be hit by strong winds and heavy rain. Tonight, there are five

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flood alerts in force across Kent and Sussex. They are the Upper River

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Medway area, the Upper Ouse, the Cuckmere River, the River Rother

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area and the River Darent from Westerham to Dartford. People are

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being urged to take precautions to limit the damage flooding might

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cause. Simon Jones is in Ames had for us, one of the areas predict it

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to be affected. `` Eynsford. Add onto that gale force winds and you

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have got problems. You can see water already going across the road. You

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have got rain falling on land that is already saturated. Last week the

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south`east suffered the highest tidal surge in 60 years, which led

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to homes and properties being flooded and we are not out of the

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widget. It is not just going to be wet, it will be extremely windy,

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with winds on Monday and Christmas Eve potentially reaching 80 mph,

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with gusts around the coastline, so they could see was bought as Robson

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and those winds will be strong enough to bring down some tree

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branches. `` we could see some disruption. If you're heading away

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for Christmas, if you are living in an area that is on alert, think

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about moving property. Potentially issues on Monday and Tuesday. Very

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heavy rain forecast. That is when a lot of people are going to be taking

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to the roads. Once again, check before you travel and be warned that

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there may be a lot of disruption on the way. This is our top story

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tonight. The Labour Party says they would give our local councils the

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power to control the number of fixed odds machines on local high streets.

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At the moment, people can lose up to ?18,000 an hour on the machines. In

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Medway there are 31 betting shops housing as many as 124 fixed odds

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betting terminals. Also tonight, the final rush to get things ready for

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Christmas. We look at how the south`east is getting ready. And

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gale force winds and heavy rain in the forecast, I will have more

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details for you later in the programme.

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For many people getting the train every day is at best miserable and

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at worst stressful. But not for Andy Leach from Kent. He has used his

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journey to work to write a book. Inspired by other passengers as they

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slept, he has sold 43,000 copies and charts his observations on the train

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whilst other passengers slept. Goodbye. Like many commuters,

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Andy's morning is based on a strict timetable. From the house to the

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station, a five`minute bash, but unlike many commuters, it is when he

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gets on the train that he starts enjoying himself.

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Being on a train is the best place to write a book. You are forced for

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an hour in the morning and evening. There are so many things you could

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do. 500 hours a year that it will spend commuting, and that time could

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be so bent learning a language, learning to juggle, anything. Most

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people are sleeping. That is why the book is called as they slept. Andy

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writes about the funny side of commuting, and about his life. There

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was a man who went into the toilet for 15 minutes every single commute.

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It turns out he was eating his breakfast in there. I cannot laugh,

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because it is my job, but when you walk off you think about it and you

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have a laugh to yourself, but there are some funny situations. Sleeping

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is one way to pass the time, but not everybody does. I am just people

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watching, looking out of the window, having a cup of tea, reading the

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newspaper. This is probably the fourth time I have been on a train,

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so I am just taking it all in. I have learned about three words in

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the last 30 minutes. It is a start. Andy only rights when he is on the

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train. After that, the spell is broken.

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So. Only five sleeps to go. Are people in the South East starting to

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get that festive feeling? I should say they are. Mark Sanders has been

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meeting a bunch of people in Brighton who have been enjoying

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their Christmas lunch today. I've been to a street in Tunbridge Wells

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that has been turned into a giant advent calendar. And I've been to

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Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre to see how people are getting on with

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their preparations. No wonder they wish it could be Christmas every

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day. They reckon 200,000 people will walk through these spaces this week.

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We have been sorted for a couple of months. It makes a change. You are

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not here on your own? No, no, no. I am the donkey, you see. She is doing

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the shopping. I am doing the carrying. That is the one. Happy

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Christmas! He was very funny, Santa Claus, it was the highlight of my

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Christmas. And now, boys and girls, what does Father Christmas keep in

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his garden shed? He keeps his hoe hoe hoe. Merry Christmas and a happy

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New Year. Enough of commercial Christmas and

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all of that bashing around. Bring some cheer to your doorstep like

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Neighbours of this road in Tunbridge Wells which turns itself into a

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real`life Advent calendar. Each house has a different number,

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replaces chocolate with real people and says Merry Christmas. It is

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something different. You can hear the children going to school. There

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is number ten. All other. `` or wherever. It is cool, for Christmas.

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This year we have got 24 Advent days involved. This is the latest

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edition. Who is at number 24? Or will be revealed next week. `` all

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will be revealed. The Christmas Cheer starts here, but this

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restaurant in Hove, heaving with people getting into the Christmas

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parade. `` the Christmas spirit. But, spare a thought for those

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working over Christmas like people in hospitality, it is a frenetic

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time in this restaurant over the holidays and they have noticed that

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customers seem to be in more of a Christmassy mood. More than in the

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last few. And now, just a few days left. The presents left under the

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tree. I shall be ready by the day after Boxing Day. Tonight, the

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hustle and bustle in Brighton and Hove continues.

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Mark Sanders reporting there and he joins us live from the centre of

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Brighton now, Mark its expected to get very busy there tonight? We are

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expecting a busy night in their pubs, clubs and restaurants, if the

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weather stays kind. Speaking to the owner of a Brighton pub chain, he

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expects it to be the busiest night of the festive season. He thinks the

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young, transient population of Brighton will be out before slinking

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back to mum and dad I had of back to mum and dad I had of

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Christmas on Wednesday. Sussex police do not want to be Scrooge and

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all of this but they stressed that people should have a happy time but

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should remain safe and sensible. Christmas isn't all about presents

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and mince pies. And slinking back to mum and dad. It's also one of the

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busiest sporting times of the year. Our sports reporter Neil Bell is

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here. It'll be an especially hectic couple of weeks for our top football

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clubs. While many of us are overindulging most teams face five

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games in a fortnight. Gillingham begine their festive football

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programme at Tranmere tonight. Gills boss Peter Taylor will again be

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missing a number of senior players so promising teenagers Bradley Dack

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and Jake Hessenthaler look set to continue in midfield. They have been

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outstanding in training, and in the build`up. I have no problem doing

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it. Brighton and Hove Albion could move into the promotion play off

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places tomorrow with victory at home to Huddersfield. The Albion were

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comfortable winners last season but two years ago Huddersfield were the

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victors in Brighton's final ever game at the Withdean Stadium.

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Charlton Athletic could drop into the bottom three if they lose at

:21:27.:21:29.

Bolton. Addicks skipper Johnnie Jackson misses the game through

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suspension and keeper Ben Hamer is amongst the other absentees. Crawley

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town and without a win in ten games and they travel to leaders, Leyton

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Orient. Gary Alexander will be hoping his late goal last weekend

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will see him keep his place in the side. And there are some big

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non`league games, with Ebbsfleet on course for a ninth successive big

:21:49.:21:54.

three if they beat Sutton United. Canterbury Rugby club is preparing

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for its biggest crowd of the season for what it hopes will be an eighth

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successive home victory. They are currently third in national to South

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and take on Cambridge, who are one point ahead of them on the table.

:22:07.:22:11.

Former Kent player and coach has been appointed the new coach of the

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Sri Lankan cricket team. He was the Sri Lankan assistant coach when

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there boss was attacked on the way to test match in 2009 in Pakistan.

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Hopefully happier days for him. And on January the 1st, what better time

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to start a job in Sri Lanka? Hopefully that has put you in the

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mood for Christmas. Just five days to go. We thought you would like to

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see these festive good wishes from some of the celebrities we have

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interviewed over the past few months. We are Blue. We wish a very

:22:48.:22:55.

Merry Christmas to BBC South East viewers. I am Damon Hill. Merry

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Christmas. I want to wish all of the viewers are very happy Christmas and

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a happy New Year. I am Mr Maker. it was breezy and cold but it stayed

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right today. In the run`up to Christmas we have got strong winds

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and heavy rain. You are likely to see some travel disruption and it is

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going to be very windy by the time we get your Monday and Tuesday.

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Today, clear blue skies eventually, cloud cover that `` in the

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afternoon. We're going to see some heavy rain tonight. During the day,

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temperatures around 10 Celsius. Wind is strengthening, up to about 20 mph

:23:58.:24:00.

in the afternoon, but a relatively pleasant day. We have a warning from

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the Met Office about this heavy rain. It stays with us throughout

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the day tomorrow. Tonight, initially, plenty of cloud cover

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then we see the rain arriving from midnight. All of us seeing it.

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Temperatures pretty mild, at around eight Celsius. But not feeling

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pleasant, very windy, with the wind picking up to 30 mph, and dost

:24:26.:24:31.

stronger than that. Starting tomorrow particularly wet with their

:24:32.:24:36.

heaviest rain during the morning. Plenty of rain around as you can

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tell from the isobars, it will remain blustery throughout the day.

:24:40.:24:44.

Those south`westerly winds, always stronger along the coast. It is

:24:45.:24:49.

going to be a wash`out. Temperatures not too bad, at around 10 Celsius,

:24:50.:24:55.

but it will feel really cold with the wind and rain. That rain

:24:56.:25:00.

eventually eases tomorrow night, then we have some heavy outbreaks of

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rain behind it, and temperatures not particularly chilly, holding onto

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those strong winds. Hardly changing from daytime values. As we start

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Sunday, plenty of cloud and relatively mild. A much drier story

:25:15.:25:20.

than Saturday. If you have some last`minute shopping to do, Sunday

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is probably the day to do it. With the wind, feeling cooler than that

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10 degrees, and then we have some warnings out for heavy rain and very

:25:32.:25:37.

strong winds. Going from Sunday into Monday, starting the day with gale

:25:38.:25:39.

force winds, strengthening throughout the day. By the

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afternoon, we could see gusts of 70`80 mph, storm force winds, heavy

:25:47.:25:52.

rain falling on to saturated ground, and more of the same as we get into

:25:53.:25:56.

Tuesday. Slightly drier and called on Christmas Day. `` `` drier and

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colder. Back to one of our top stories. Or Brighton and Hove

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councillors are to receive a quality training after one of them said that

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she thought golliwogs were nostalgic rather the races. `` rather than

:26:15.:26:18.

racist. The majority of you have agreed with

:26:19.:26:28.

Patricia, who has e`mailed to say that this politically correct

:26:29.:26:32.

situation has got out of hand. Stop wasting taxpayers money and being

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seen to do the right thing, and move on. There are more serious issues in

:26:37.:26:40.

the world to deal with than this. Another says, it is wrong that the

:26:41.:26:45.

council can force people to think in a certain way. Where is the freedom

:26:46.:26:51.

of speech? But Charlie says in an e`mail, it is an excellent idea for

:26:52.:26:55.

the council to further educate some employees about equality. Equality

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in today's society. Sue from Kent says it is a waste of taxpayers

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money. Don't they have police to recruit, or lonely elderly people

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that need help? I had these toys like this when I was young, as does

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my daughter, and neither of us is racist or this respectful. It is PC

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gone crazy, as usual. Another viewer says, I have had a golly since the

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70s but it does not make me racist. If you want to continue to comment,

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you can do on our Facebook page. We are back on Monday. Goodbye.

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