07/03/2014 South East Today

away. That's all from the BBC News at Six. On BBC One, we now join the

Welcome to South East Today, I'm BBC's

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

Tonight's top stories: I want out of Europe, the Sussex Conservative MP

who says he no longer wants to be in the EU.

Police start searching the river Medway in Tonbridge, looking for a

man missing for almost a wedk. Some specialist cancer surgdry is

cancelled at Maidstone Hosphtal following the deaths of fivd people

through complications. Also in tonight 's programme: policd start

searching the river Ed Drakd searching for a man who has been

missing for almost a week. His family fear the worst. H think

we will fight and dead, thing that is the outcome, the more thd days go

on. Going on the pull at Gatwick. Gary

Lineker takes the strain for Sport Relief.

And one week after fainting on live television, X Factor star Rdbecca

Ferguson embarks on a tour which brings her to Kent and Sussdx.

A Sussex Conservative MP has revealed that he will vote to leave

the European Union if his p`rty win the next General Election and hold a

subsequent referendum. Henrx Smith who represents Crawley has said that

if people voted UKIP at the next election it would split the vote

leading to a Labour Governmdnt. It comes just days after Rochester MP

Mark Reckless launched his own referendum in his constituency on

membership of the EU. Our Political Editor Louise Stewart has this

exclusive report. Earlier this week the Liberal Democrat leader, Nick

Clegg, agreed to go head to go head`to`head with Nigel Far`ge in a

TV debate on the UK in Europe ahead of the European elections. David

Cameron declined to take part in the debate but has pledged a referendum

in 2017 if the Tories win the next election. That is not enough to

satisfy even some loosely loyal MPs within his own party. Even hf there

is a Conservative win in thd next election in 2017 then there will be

a referendum and I would vote to leave. I think we should be an

independent country. His fellow MP Mark reckless would also like to

launch the EE. He has launched `` leave the EU. He has launchdd his

own referendum. Critics are worried about the UKIP ability to attract

votes, particularly in the south`east. National polling has

showed that we are number two with Labour in Folkestone and hide in

South Thanet and we say votd Tory, gets Labour. David Cameron hopes

that by negotiating a new ddal with the EU he will be able to whn a new

deal with the EU he will be able to win around your wrist kept ht MPs

and voters but his plans were dealt a blow when Angela Merkel s`id that

those who want fundamental reform... I am afraid they `re in

for a disappointment. Henry Crawley's constituency has been a

prime target for UKIP and is likely to be again. He hopes that by

speaking out on your pecan dissipate their threat. `` by speaking out on

Europe, he can dissipate th`t threat.

And Louise is with us now. Louise, is today's news from Henry Smith an

attempt to take on UKIP dirdctly on Europe? He is taking the fight

directly to them. He wants their tanks of his lawn. He is aw`re that

they targeted Crawley in thd local elections and fielded candidates in

all awards. He is also facing a squeeze from Labour because it is a

key Labour target and Ed Miliband has been to Crawley to visit. He

only has a 6000 majority and he has to step up and take the fight to

them. And you can see a longer debate on

how political parties in thd South East view Europe on Sunday Politics,

this Sunday at 11.00am on BBC One. Some specialist cancer oper`tions

have been suspended at Maidstone Hospital following the death of five

patients. All five died frol potentially avoidable complhcations

within a year of having stolach or throat surgery.

Patients now needing upper gastro intestinal surgery are being sent to

St Thomas's Hospital in London. One family has already launched a

criminal negligence claim. Our News Correspondent Mark Norman rdports.

The facts are pretty blunt. Five people died from complications

following cancer surgery at Maidstone Hospital. We know that

those deaths were avoidable. As a result specialist keyhole strgery

for our pie gastrointestinal cancer has been suspended and the hospital

is apologising. `` upper gastrointestinal. It appears there

have been complications to the keyhole surgery. Some patients have

died, five, and we believe complications could have contributed

to their deaths. Is it the fault the staff, the procedure or the

hospital? We believe it is due to the keyhole approach to the surgery,

it is the surgery itself th`t has led to the complication. Thhs

surgery can include procedures on anything including the stom`ch up to

the oesophagus. It was carrhed out as keyhole surgery which involves

making a number of small incisions on the right`hand side of the body

before tubes are inserted into the patient so that surgeons can cut

away any cancerous growths. Despite the complications of that operation

we know that five people didd from the surgery from what are ddscribed

as avoidable complications. Now the family one of those patients is

pursuing the trust for a crhminal negligence case. Our role is to help

our clients get to the bottom of this story. What exactly happened?

What surgical procedures were carried out on that day? Whx weren't

they given the choice of different or more conventional and safer

procedures? For the next 12 months patients will still be treated at

Maidstone but their surgery will happen in London. The hospital here

are making what they describe as necessary improvements.

Mark joins us from Maidstond Hospital now. Mark, how big a

problem is this for the hospital? It is clearly a serious issue. First

and foremost it is a tragedx for the families who would want the best

outcome for their loved ones. The hospital told us today that the

mortality rate for patients with this kind of cancer falls whthin

national levels. They told le that the surgery is well established and

the general outcomes for patients are falling within national levels.

It is a big issue and they have tried to act quickly and give

themselves 12 months to sort out the problem. Thank you.

In a moment: It's a burning issue in Redhill.

Desperate attempts are made to stop the stench from a landfill site

The family of a Kent man who's been missing for almost a week s`y they

fear he will be found dead. Keiron Knowlden was last seen in the early

hours of Saturday morning in Tonbridge. Today specialist police

began a search of the River Medway. The 25`year`old father of one hasn't

been seen since he left a b`r after a night out with friends and family.

Charlie Rose reports. As the search for Kieren

intensifies, his family say that they fear the worst. He would not

stay away this long with no contact. He would not be sitting herd and

letting my mum hurt as much as what she is not tell us where he is. What

do you think has happened to him? Personally, I think we are going to

find him dead, I do think that is the outcome, the more the d`ys go on

and the longer it goes, I do think he is dead and it is awful for me to

say. Kiran Nolton was reported missing last Saturday evening. He

was last seen leaving this bar. Other members of his family believe

he could still be alive and may even have been taken. What is yotr gut

feeling? Yes, if you had asked me that question yesterday I would have

said he was in the river. If you asked me this morning then H think

he is alive and they know where he is and they still have got him. I

cannot even sleep in my bed any more. Just stupid things like that,

like my kids have started to notice. His disappearance is completely out

of character and the police are extremely concerned for his

well`being as are his familx. The river search will continue over the

weekend. He is a son and a brother and a dad and an uncle, we `ll need

him. We need him home and wd need him home safe. I really can't do

this any more! I just need him home. Somebody out there must know. They

need to tell us, they need to tell us what they have done with him We

just need him home. Very emotional scenes there. Charlie has bden

following the search in Tonbridge all day and he joins us now.

Charlie, where do the policd plan to do now?

Charlie, where do the policd plan Police have been searching this

stretch of river all afternoon. They are trying to continue to sdarch

tomorrow and they are using a form of water radar to find out what is

at the bottom of the river. When they find something the polhce

divers then dive in but thex cannot see anything, that is the problem,

it is cloudy and murky survdy to touch and feel what is at the bottom

of the river. The investigation is intensifying and CCTV is behng

reviewed and enquiries are being carried out. The family are doing

their own work, putting up these posters as they desperately try to

find out what has happened. Following weeks of terrible smells

coming from a landfill site near Redhill, the company running it

Biffa, have been forced to hnstall a gas burning chimney on the site

today. The flare stack will burn off excess methane and hydrogen sulphide

gas. Biffa say the smell, while

unpleasant, is harmless, and that they're is spending almost half a

million pounds on measures to get rid of it. The smell's appe`rance

coincided with the winter's heavy rainfall. Our Environment

Correspondent Yvette Austin reports. Rubbish from across the south`east,

one of the last remaining l`ndfill sites in the region. A lot of the

time it is unnoticed, like we like our rubbish to be. In the rdcent

months the smell has been coming back to want the people of Redhill.

The place is trying to attr`ct tourists and people coming to wheat

in restaurants and it is not very nice. My friend came through on the

train and said she could smdll it as she came through from Brighton so it

is having an impact! It is bad that 500 people have complex. Whdn the

smell hits you and it is at its worst you can taste it at the back

of your throat. It really m`kes you want to shut all the windows and

pick the phone up very quickly. The problem the operators say is the

weather. The rain has rotted their waste quicker than predicted causing

hydrogen sulphide to begin `n off before the systems were in place to

deal with it. Now the company is playing catch up. Among the

emergency works, a temporarx gas flare has been installed. It is

burning 300 cubic metres of gas and hour. All around me there is another

deodorising system. You can see it here. It is effectively grabbing the

odour molecules and grounding them. There is a distinct smell of

lavender in the air which is being pumped out. This is normal but there

was also a temporary deodorhsing system there and it is all to try

and stop the smell reaching the homes. The Environment Agency has

launched an investigation. Hf if they do not keep the gas within the

site and they are breaching their environmental permit then wd will

consider formal action against them for breaching the permit. The MP

says the residents should bd compensated. I think they h`ve a

reasonable case about what they are doing but they are explaining things

that are unacceptable in terms of the lack of infrastructure so they

were not ready for the rain. The company is apologising to the

residents and say there is no risk to their health.

Police investigating the murder of 20`year`old man in Folkestone want

to speak to 22`year`old Timothy Keith Avril to help them with their

inquiries. He is five feet nine slim build and speaks with ` London

accent. A 38`year`old man and a 37`year old woman have been arrested

and bailed pending further enquiries.

Two 53`year`old Italian men have been jailed for a total of 24 years

for attempting to smuggle cocaine with a street value of ?13 lillion

through the port of Dover. 63 kilos of the drug were discovered in

carrier bags in the cab of ` Swiss registered lorry. The men wdre each

sentenced to 12 years. A woman from Ken said she considered

taking her own life after a holiday on a cruise ship better with a

debilitating condition. She says she now has a permanent feeling of sea

sickness since the trip in 2012 She has been diagnosed with a

neurological syndrome that causes a constant feeling of swaying.

It was meant to be the trip of a lifetime, a luxury cruise to Norway.

18 months after arriving back on dry land, Diane Morley feels as if she

is still at sea. Inside I al swaying, I bob, sometimes mx head

gets heavy. When I walk it hs like walking on a trampoline. Should he

was eventually diagnosed with a balanced disorder which is brought

on by exposure to motion, most commonly by journeys by sea or air.

It can go on for weeks or months or even years but the cause is unclear.

Recent research into brain `ctivity has shed some light. What is

happening is that there is `bnormal high activity or high metabolism in

specific parts of the brain and these parts deal with speci`l memory

`` spatial memory and also interpretation of movement. When she

fell down a couple of stairs a guy picked up and asked if she was all

right. She said she was and he thought she had been drinking. Diane

is undergoing physiotherapy to retrain the brain to balancd again.

Feeling all at sea is something she accepts she may have to learn to

live with. It opened with an investment of ?120

million but in its first ye`r things couldn't have gone much worse at

Sussex Coast College in Hastings. A damning Ofsted report branddd it

inadequate and the principal left within months. But under a new

management team, the situathon has dramatically improved. The latest

inspection found the Collegd is now good overall and even outst`nding in

some areas. Piers Hopkirk rdports. With its ?120 million price tag

Sussex Coast College was once in danger of being dismissed as a

expensive failure. For the 7400 pupils and staff today marks the

resignation `` recognition of a transformation. What goes on in the

classroom makes a real diffdrence to the success of a student and by

focusing on learning, assessment and teaching, every student is working

to their maximum and feeling inspired in the classroom to learn.

Ofsted inspectors described the changes here as a dramatic

improvement. Three years ago they painted a rather different picture.

In November 2011 the collegd was rated as inadequate and the

principal stepped down a short time later. In March 2012 Clive Cook took

over and today the college was ranked as good, with outstanding

leadership. The teaching has really improved and you can really feel the

difference. I had friends who were here before and they are je`lous of

me that I have come here and it is better than our was for thel. There

is a lot of emphasis on better teaching and subsequently bdtter

exam results as well. You would not want to say you went to Hastings

College because people look down at you. How do you feel today to be a

student here? I am proud! This girl left school with no GCSEs btt the

college gave her a place and now she is taking three A`levels. I have

gone from nothing to the best I can possibly be and I think this college

delivers `` deserves a lot of recognition. The pressure now for

the college is to stay on the up. And Piers joins us from Hastings

now, so how confident are they that they can not only maintain the

standards but improve even further? They are really bullish. Thdre is a

real sense of optimism and confidence at the college. Having

been there today, the one thing you really notice emanating frol the

staff and pupils is a sense of pride. They talk about being proud

to study there and proud to work there and I suspect that fedling has

been missing for a little while now. When I spoke to the principle he

said that the journey does not finish here. We want to be

outstanding in everything wd do and we are still on target. Thank you

very much. This is our top story tonight:

Sussex Conservative MP Henrx Smith has announced he will vote to leave

the European Union if his p`rty leads `` winds the next election and

hold a referendum. He is sahd he is concerned that voting for UKIP could

split the vote and lead to ` Labour government.

Also in tonight's programme: join me to find out what is going on at

Gatwick on Southeast today. After a dry and sunny week we have a

dry and warm weekend. Join le later for the details.

Emily Parker had just finished her second year at university when she

was diagnosed with leukaemi`. She had to endure five months of

chemotherapy to tackle the disease, leading to her losing her h`ir and

dealing with a host of other unpleasant side`effects. But the

21`year old from Uckfield ddcided to keep a fog of her experiencds,

sharing beauty tips and hints as well as detailing her personal

experiences. And she struck a chord, her last entry has been seen by

thousands of people. Sara Slith has been to meet her for tonight's

Special Report. When I was having treatment one

thing that happened to my skin was it became very dry. I have patches

of dry skin... It might seel that hair and make`up tips would be the

last thing on your mind when you have had treatment for cancdr but

for Emily Parker writing her fog helped her to deal with

chemotherapy. It helps a lot for me because when

you are typing you can typing and if I was talking to my parents they

would stop me or change the subject and it would still all be bottling

up. When you are typing you can just keep typing and cry a bit and then

go back to it and carry on going. The fog `` the fog talks about

coping with losing hair and the best products for dry skin and the

essentials for hospital vishts. Emily is taking a make up course

while she waits to return to university in September so there are

general make up tips which `re striking a chord. Her latest post

has had over 7000 visits. When you are diagnosed with something like

cancer that is life or death you want to try and retain as mtch of

yourself as possible becausd it changes you, you lose weight and put

on weight and mentally it is hard to deal with. If you keep as mtch of

your local routine `` normal routine going as possible it helps xou to

get through. Those who professionally look after pdople's

performance are not surprisdd at all that during such difficult times it

still matters. By doing this fog I think she is getting in touch with

her identity again because cancer is not everything about her, she is

very gorgeous, young and lively 21 your old girl who is very p`ssionate

about make up. I think that is a way of her expression. Emily is now in

remission but she will keep going with the blog as long as shd thinks

it will help her and others. She was runner`up in the X Factor,

losing out to Matt Cardle, but it's fair to say that Rebecca Ferguson's

career has gone from strength to strength since then. She's now

embarking on a UK tour, takhng in Margate and Brighton later on this

month. Jane Witherspoon has been to meet her and to find out wh`t really

happened when she passed out last week on live televison.

Those X Factor nerves are a thing of the past for Rebecca Ferguson. She

is about to hit the road on a new tool which starts in Margatd before

heading on to Brighton. She is expecting big things from the

south`east crowd. You can gdt a bit rowdy, actually. It gets rowdy and

everyone has a good time and everyone has a dance. It is funny,

different areas, some peopld will be more subdued and some cities people

will be full on ravers. It is all systems go. She is busy

plugging her new single, not always easy when you feel poorly. She

collapsed on live television last week. It was so dramatic, w`sn't it?

You know what, I needed to collapse mid song but I fought through it.

And then I got to the end and I thought the camera had gone because

I had finished the song so H could go now. So I slowly went to the

floor and the next thing yot knew it was everywhere but I was lahd up in

bed for two days. As a workhng mother of two it is on with the show

although it is not always glamorous. It is hard. I thhnk other

mums make it look more glowdred `` glamour, people like beyond say and

Alicia Keys. They have trainers and dieticians and I am just as scruffy

mother. I am keeping it real in my onesie! Let us hope she has packed

it along with the bucket and spade as she embarks on a tour of the

seaside resorts in the south`east. She is hardly scruffy, is she?

The opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics has taken place in Sochi

this afternoon. And the British team was led out by teenage flag bearer

Millie Knight from Canterbury. The 15`year`old visually impairdd skier

is the youngest member of Paralympics GB. She was joined by

team mates including skier James Whitley, seen here on the ldft, from

Wilmington in East Sussex. Charlton boss Chris Powell says he'd

like his side to make headlhnes this weekend by securing a place in the

FA Cup semi`finals. The famous trophy has been at the Addicks

training ground ahead of Sunday s sixth round tie at Sheffield United.

Despite their lowly league position, Powell says his side are focused on

getting through to a cup selifinal at Wembley. I went on a spyhng

mission to Sheffield United with the assistant manager. It was good to

get a feeling of the place. We have come back and trained reallx well

and obviously it is all gearing up to Sunday.

In the football league games tomorrow Brighton take on Rdading at

the Amex. And there's a south east derby in League One as Gillhngham

welcome Crawley Town to the Priestfield.

Gary Lineker was at Gatwick Airport today to help teams of compdtitors

raise money for sport relief. It was a 50 metre event that made

particular use of the locathon. The teams were racing to pull a huge

passenger jet across the finish line. Ian Palmer went to watch.

This is your British Airways captain not speaking, but pulling an

aircraft. Come on! Come on! Supporting the teams was thd former

England captain Gary Lineker. Terry Hollands is Britain's strongest man

aiming to be the world's strongest in two weeks time. He's 28 stone of

prime English beef. I have pulled numerous vehicles and planes over

the years. The biggest key to it is keeping your centre of Gravhty low.

Especially as a team they nded to work as a team. Even my own I felt

like I was starting to get ht moving. That is a lie! When you said

you would be on the poll today I bet you didn't... Get into it!

The rugby team crossed the line in 47 seconds. Have you practised or

just turned up? Earlier there was a warm up.

The aim of Sport Relief is to get the nation active and raise money to

improve the lives of people both here and abroad. 150 tonnes of steel

being pulled by man and wom`n power alone, all in aid of charitx. Does

it get any wackier than this? The Force is strong in this teal. It is

great to be a of. My first time I would it again.

The plane can carry 280 people and their luggage at 35,000 feet. It's a

wonder it can off the ground, let alone be pulled by human hands.

If you want to get involved in Sport Relief all the information xou need

to join in or donate is on the website.

Shall we keep going with thd good news? Now we have the weathdr and it

is going to be lovely! It will be a bit of a misty start on

Saturday but it brightens up nicely and stays sunny as we go into

Sunday. If anything it will be warmer than Saturday on Sunday.

Ex`week we have high pressure which means it will be staying drx with a

lot of warm sunshine around. Quite frosty at night and chilly starts to

the day. More cloud cover in the morning today but it brightdned up

this afternoon. The temperatures have been mild for the time of year.

Initially the skies were cldarer tonight but then we had lowdr cloud

around with mist and fog and it was a mild night. Temperatures dropped

to five or six degrees. Low cloud to start the weekend then the southerly

breeze is get to work and it will brighten up nicely. By the `fternoon

we could see temperatures of 14 or 15 so it will be real pleas`nt for a

Saturday afternoon. On Saturday and into Sunday it will stay drx and be

quite mild. Temperatures will only drop to five or six degrees. With

clearer skies you might see some list and fog as we start thd day on

Sunday. A lot of sunshine from the word go. At the weekend there is

unsettled weather around but it will stay dry and bright. On Sunday the

temperatures will be up. It could be 17 degrees. In the new week we have

high pressure building. It will be cooler on under a with tempdratures

of 12 or 13 and it will say `` stay settled for most of the week. A lot

of sunshine this weekend so make the most of it.

We do not know ourselves! Wd are enjoying it.

That is it from me. Enjoy the sunbathing at the weekend

and Juliet will have the late news tonight. See you next week. Goodbye.

Tell them what is on the show. OK, musical legend Jeff Lynne is here

and we will be finding out where the food tastes better hot or cold. And

the funny accent thing. I was just getting to that. Alistair McGowan

will find out why everybody