23/01/2014 South East Today

shaking your head. That is horrible. That is all from the

They said I had to have an operation. It is scary.

Also in tonight's programme. Ten years jail for the Gatwick baggage

handler who helped a gang try to smuggle cocaine into the cotntry.

A rare honour from the French for a Kent couple who have dedicated their

lives to helping people learn about the First World War.

A rare honour from And meet the sopranos ` for the

first time in 900 years, Canterbury Cathedral admits female choristers.

Good evening. Fracking will not happen in the West Sussex vhllage of

Balcombe now or in the future. That promise has been made by thd energy

company Cuadrilla, which carried out test drilling for oil there last

year. However, the company hasn t ruled out extracting oil from the

site, where hundreds of protesters camped out over the summer. It led

to a policing bill of almost ?4 million. Our Environment

Correspondent Yvette Austin has been getting reaction from the vhllage.

Confrontational scenes betwden anti`fracking protesters and police

back in the summer. Or, in the national news for the lengthy

demonstration against Cuadrhlla test drilling for oil. Today there was a

new worry, another planning application from Cuadrilla hs with

West Sussex county council. I am terrified for the children. The air

happen. As long as it is safe and happen. As long as it is safe and

passes all the safety recommendations then it is fine I

would rather get everything from here rather than rely on thd Middle

East and Russia for the fuel. I East and Russia for the fuel. I

think they have been very good. Cuadrilla want to carry out tests to

see at what rate the oil it has found may flow to the surface. In a

letter to residents and tells them, the main testing operation would

last from three to five weeks. And it confirmed that the target rock

was naturally frag `` fracttred So no fracking necessary. The puestion

is whether the oil is there and then whether there are the connect did

hold in the rock or cracks that allow it to come out if you drill.

So the company has found th`t in this area the rock is already

fractured by natural processes and therefore it is not approprhate to

use fracking. In the summer the parish council came under fhre for

not consulting residents on Cuadrilla's plans. Not wanthng to

make the same mistake again, a survey will be carried out of local

residents. We want to give dveryone a say on how they want as to react

to this planning application. So there will be a poll going

door`to`door by post. What hs immediately clear is that there is

relief that fracking has bedn ruled out here. Yvette joins us lhve from

Balcombe. So what happens ndxt with Cuadrilla's plans there? Thd

planning application will bd published on the west Sussex county

council website very soon. But it could be the summer before

councillors make a final decision. There are concerns, whether the site

would become an industrial zone or whether it could lead to more wells

being drilled in nearby countryside. A Kent schoolgirl fears she's been

left partially blinded after a boy threw a pencil at her during a maths

lesson. Kodie Cooper from Ashford says it went into her eye lhke a

dart. She had to spend almost a week in hospital. Kent Police have

confirmed they're investigating an alleged assault at the John Wallis

Academy. The school say it was an unfortunate accident. Simon Jones

reports. Finally released from hospital after a maths lesson that

could have a profound effect on the rest of her life. He threw ` pencil

and it pierced my pupil so now I have got scars there and it

basically blinded me. I do not know if they will be able to sort it out

completely. But they said that I have to have an operation and that

is scary. The police are now examining what happened herd. Kodie

Cooper's mother says there should have been more discipline. She could

have long`term damage because of this. She has already spent six days

in hospital being medicated every hour. It has been a scary

experience. And what do you think about going back to school? She is

not going to go back. There is no safeguarding for the childrdn. The

principle of the John Wallis Academy told us that what happened was a

genuine accident. He said for pupils were sitting around the samd table

in the maths class. One of the boys finished early and playfullx through

the pencil. He said it was not done aggressively and that the boy is

distraught. I do not know if I will get my eyesight back fully. Setting

jobs I will not be able to have The treatment continues at home and the

school says it will offer the family all the support it needs. Shmon

Jones is outside the school in Ashford. What more do we know about

the boy who apparently threw the pencil? I understand that the boy

was temporarily excluded whhlst the school carried out an investigation

into what happened. That has now concluded, finding that this was an

accident. The boy will be free to return though I understand he has

not done so yet and has been working from home. The police investigation

is continuing. They have spoken to Kodie Cooper earlier this wdek

whilst she was in hospital `nd will speak to her again later thhs week.

They say the enquiry is verx much on going.

In a moment, a learning curve ` the secondary school which has seen a

dramatic improvement in its pupils' performance.

A corrupt Gatwick Airport b`ggage handler who helped a gang try to

smuggle millions of pounds worth of cocaine into the UK has been jailed

for ten years. David Fox from Portslade admitted agreeing to

intercept the drugs, which were hidden inside a suitcase, when they

arrived on a flight from thd Caribbean. Chrissie Reidy joins us

live from the Old Bailey. How did this drug`smuggling ring opdrate,

Chrissie? David Fox was part of this drugs

gang smuggling drugs into the UK from the Caribbean. His rold as

baggage handler at Gatwick was to intercept marked luggage as it came

into Gatwick remove the drugs and get it out of airport. Therd were

two main calls, coming in from a flight from Antigua, ?2 million

worth of cocaine in terms of the street value. Then there was a

flight from St Lucia carrying five kilos. David Fox managed to get the

drugs out of the airport right by this time he was under survdillance

and was later arrested by police. David Fox has been sentenced to ten

years in prison. What did the judge have to say? He was sentencdd to ten

years along with his co`defdndant Gabriela France's who was sdntenced

to nine years. The judge sahd she recognised that David Fox w`s not

the ringleader but said that his role had been inevitable `` pivotal.

A 23`year`old man is due before magistrates today charged whth the

murder of a Portuguese man hn Crawley. 45`year`old Joao Esteves

was found with serious head injuries in the early hours of Sundax morning

in an alleyway off Haslett @venue East. Daniel Palmer from St`tion

Hill in the town has been charged with murder.

More than 250 Gurkha soldiers based in Kent face redundancy as ` result

of Army cuts announced todax. The Defence Secretary Philip Halmond

said 246 posts would be lost from the Royal Gurkha Rifles who are

based at Shorncliffe Barracks in Folkestone. 28 are to go from the

Maidstone`based Queen's Gurkha Engineers.

48 Albanian stowaways have been found in the back of a lorrx heading

to Kent. They were discoverdd last night during routine checks in

France, as the truck waited to board a shuttle to Folkestone, and have

been handed over to the French authorities. The Romanian lorry

driver has been arrested. A Kent school which was one of the

worst in the country four ydars ago is celebrating a huge improvement.

Last summer 71% of pupils g`ined at least five good GCSEs at Wilmington

Enterprise College, near Dartford. In 2010 that figure was just 11 ,

and the school was in speci`l measures. It's now one of the

best`performing nonselectivd schools in the South East, and Ellid Price

is there for us. Ellie, the head teacher says they could do dven

better if they didn't have to compete with local grammar schools.

The head teacher should know. She says her school is surrounddd by

grammar schools which by thdir very nature take the most academhcally

gifted children from the arda. She said that it is therefore dhfficult

for her school to get the good results and it has a negative effect

on pupils who did not managd to do so well in their 11 plus. Only one

in ten students came away whth five good GCSEs. Four years later, things

are different. When I first came here at the pass rate was horrific.

But now all of the teachers are enthusiastic and that has rtbbed off

on the students. I was not the best behaved student. But they still

wanted me to get good grades. There has been a lot of good infltence

from the teachers. The facilities may have changed, the students have

not. The academy takes pupils of all abilities, which the head tdacher

admits present challenges. Tnselect good schools get pupils who are

below the national average `t the starting point and the expectation

is that they will be of the National is that they will be of the National

average or above. That is dhfficult. If you scrapped grammar schools

would it make life easier for head teachers in schools like thhs?

Certainly failing schools, there may be a lot less of them espechally in

Kent if they did not give some schools a mountain to climb. It is

an argument that has not convinced everyone. Grammar school pl`ces are

oversubscribed because they do consistently over perform. @nd this

year they have done proporthonately better again with these restlts But

you also have academies into the mix now. They are outside the control of

the local education authority and national curriculum. Critics say

when things start to go wrong with the academies it is difficult to

point the finger of Lane and therefore difficult to improve

things. So how have the rest of our schools

performed in this year's GCSE league tables? `` the finger of nale.

63% of pupils in Kent and 62% in Brighton and Hove, have achheved at

least five good GCSE passes, including English and Maths. In East

and West Sussex that figure's around 60%. And the figure in Medw`y is

61%, better than the nation`l average of 60.6, even though the

local education authority h`s been rated one of the worst in the

country for primary school performance.

Ditto digs are not everything. There are different challenges and these

all have to be taken into account. All of the schools are workhng

together to achieve the verx best for our young people.

Many of the grammar schools in Kent and Medway have achieved outstanding

results, and are ranked among the best performing schools in the

country, but there are imprdssive GCSE`level results among

nonselective schools in the South East this year. 72% of pupils at

Dorothy Stringer in Brighton achieved five or more A`star to C

grades, including English and Maths. At Heathfield Community College in

East Sussex, that figure was 74 . While 78% of students at Willingdon

Community School, on the edge of Eastbourne, made the grade. And you

can find out how your local schools have performed by logging onto our

websites. Today the jury heard that a man

fired eight gunshots at a group of Albanian men in the street hn Hove

street and then shouted, I'l going to kill you all. Edmund Nel` is on

trial for the murder of scaffolder Xhem Krasniqi last May. Our Home

Affairs Reporter Rebecca Williams has the details. Edmund Nella opened

fire on a group of Albanian men that he knew last summer. He is `lleged

to have murdered scaffolder Xhem Krasniqi who had been living with

his family in Kent. Today the court heard the defendant fired ehght

shots at the three Albanian men as they got out of their car. The jury

was told he shouted, I am going to kill you all. As the fatal shot was

fired at a group of people gathered around to comfort the man who later

died. In court today his brother who was at the scene has been ghven

evidence. `` giving evidencd. He said, he finished all the btllets in

a revolver and then I saw hhm put more in. My brother was on the

floor. I held him, I was trxing to talk to him but he would not talk

any more. The defence claim that Edmund Nela and the family of the

man who died had had a numbdr of 30 disagreements in the past. They

suggest that Xhem Krasniqi `nd some of his family went out aren't on

that fateful evening to track down Edmund Nela. The case continues

This is our top story tonight. The residents of Balcombe in West Sussex

have been told that fracking will not be carried out there. The energy

company Cuadrilla, which was at the centre of huge protests last summer,

says it's ruled out the controversial process of sh`le gas

extraction because of the gdology of the area. The company will continue

trying to extract oil at its site by other means.

Also in tonight's programme. The Canterbury Cathedral girls

repairing to end 900 years of male only quires. And it is turnhng wet

and windy tomorrow. Join me later for the full forecast. `` choirs.

They pioneered guided tours of the battlefields of Northern Fr`nce

educating thousands of people about the horrors of the Western Front.

Now Tonie and Valmai Holt, from Sandwich in Kent, have been honoured

for their work by the French authorities. They've become the

first British citizens to rdceive the World War One Centenary Medal,

alongside some of the world's leading academics. Peter Whhttlesea

has been to the Somme for tonight's special report. The first d`y of the

Battle of the Somme recorded the most casualties in the entire war.

The French authorities praised historians who uncovered thd real

story of the battle. That contribution started more than 5

years ago. They took veterans back to the battlefields. The eydwitness

accounts help them plot maps and write guidebooks. We have ndver done

what we do to be recognised or honoured in any shape or form. But

we have put our hearts and souls into this area. It is very

emotional, yes. I am hanging onto it for the moment like a true Brit

This song was written by Harry Lauder after he lost his son at the

farm. It is one of the personal stories research by the couple.

Harry Lauder was devastated by the death of his son. He was his pride

and joy. He landed and made the pilgrimage, stopping at the

encampments along the way and entertaining the troops, often under

fire. According to the French regional tourist chiefs, thdir maps

and books have become essential reading. They are important to show

the reality of the World War I battlefields. They make it

accessible to people. And that has helped families understand what part

their relatives played in this battle.

There is change in the air `t Canterbury Cathedral. For 900 years

the choir at Canterbury Cathedral has been male`only. But that

tradition is about to changd. This weekend the Cathedral's first ever

girls' choir will perform at an evensong service. John Maguhre has

been to see them in rehears`l for their big debut.

Paste this way, please. Thex have only been together since November

but just listen to this. The girls are just two days away

from their first public performance in Canterbury Cathedral, two days

away from making history. I think it is a good opportunity and a really

special choir. That is why ht is scary, being the first. There are

high expectations for us. It is going to be really exciting but

there is a lot of pressure. And the male choir has to sing everx day.

The girls were not quite have that level of commit and that if they are

in any doubt about their responsibilities, just look at this.

Already they are being interviewed by the international media. And that

is before singing a note in public. It is just 20 years since the first

women priests in the church of England. So is this long ovdrdue? I

think the sound that we are producing with the boys and a score

of girls, they will be diffdrent. No doubt in the future they will all

things together at times. Btt you can achieve diversity of musical

sounds which we already havd heard developing. The girls have only met

a few times but their director believes they have made hugd

progress. It was no surprisd to find that they sang very well together

indeed. Hopefully they will perform the odd concept and perhaps even a

recording in the future. `` con cert.

Musically the choir will provide a new sound for Canterbury Cathedral.

No mean feat when you consider that choral music here dates back almost

1000 years. A beautiful sound.

The annual Brighton Speed trials event will go ahead this September.

It's been running since 1904 and is thought to be the oldest motor sport

event in the UK. But it was cancelled last year, after the death

of a competitor in 2012. Thousands of people signed a petition to save

the event and this afternoon local councillors have agreed to let it

continue. She's the South East's most

successful Olympian and now Dame Kelly Holmes has thrown her support

behind another Kent athlete who could become our latest Olylpic

hero. Skeleton star Lizzy Y`rnold from West Kingsdown is taking part

in the final World Cup race of the season in the German resort of

Konigssee. Neil Bell is there as she prepares to make her Olympic debut

in Sochi next month. On the left is one of the most

accomplished Olympians great vision has ever reduced. On the right and

Olympic novice about to expdrience her very first game. Lizzie Yarnold

has massive potential but D`me Kelly Holmes knows just what it t`kes As

well as the excitement, if she can get on the Olympic `fest, how

brilliant. But when you get there there is no second chance. Ht is

every four years and that is serious. Lizzie Yarnold is well

aware that the Winter games will provide a different challenge. She

has stood on the podium sevdn times has stood on the podium sevdn times

already this season. But now she wants to be Kent's next Olylpic

champion. Realising that drdam has champion. Realising that drdam has

been a long journey. I never really believed it until the last few

years. Being on the podium has given me so much confidence. Lizzhe's

success is due to talent and hard graft. Countless hours in the gym

and her meticulous attention to detail. Essential in sports where

success and failure is meastred in success and failure is meastred in

fractions of a second. The trick now is to make it all count on the big

occasion. The Olympics is a whole new ball game. The expectathons are

increased, the pressure increases. And then the other competitors

become more competitive bec`use there is something about those

Olympic rings. Lizzie may not yet have tasted that unique Olylpic

experience but rest assured she will be nothing to chance.

Neil joins us live from Konhgssee. Lizzy Yarnold seems very confident

of her chances of success tomorrow? Both Lizzie and her major rhval are

both here. Both should be fresh tomorrow. People think it is a five

second sprint but it is a fhendishly difficult sport. But Lizzie and her

rivals now know that if she can produce her best in all probability

that will be good enough for victory. And that is the drdam for

every competitor. We will be following that vdry

closely. We are also followhng the weather very closely! It is not

looking good for the next fdw days. looking good

Saturday is not too bad but everything else is looking pretty

wet and windy. We had some rain first thing this morning but by the

afternoon we had some sunshhne and it was quite a pleasant aftdrnoon.

The wind eased off a little bit as well. Tonight we do stay drx but

this is what is heading our way by the early hours of tomorrow morning.

Tonight temperatures fall lhke a stone. Some frost possible hn more

rural spots. So initially dry as we start the day tomorrow but turning

wet and staying pretty cold throughout the day as well. Plenty

of cloud around initially btt very quickly we start to see the rain.

Not particularly heavy but just quite persistent. Temperatures

taking their time to rise for much of the day tomorrow. Eventu`lly for

the end of the afternoon thdy rise a little bit to around seven or eight

degrees. For tomorrow night it stays wet and temperatures will bd pretty

mild, dropping to around fotr or five degrees. Some relatively mild

as we start Saturday and actually for Saturday until late aftdrnoon it

is mostly dry. Perhaps not especially bright but temperatures

around eight or nine degrees. But it stays wet into Sunday as well. For

Sunday we expect gale force wind gusting 40 or 50 miles an hour

widely. It turns very wet and windy. Feeling much colder. It rem`ins

unsettled into the next week as well.

We will keep an eye on that. I will be back with the latest news. Hope

you can join us then. Goodbxe.