24/03/2014 South East Today

chilly old week, George. Rais thank you. That's all from the

This country is not enough, we have to go to England.

The Prime Minister reacts to our footage, saying the Governmdnt is

tightening border controls. We are strengthening our borders, we are

returning more people who gdt here illegally.

The arrest of Brighton's Grden MP Caroline Lucas, during fracking

protests in Sussex, is shown in court. She denies obstructing a

highway. Also in tonight's programme:

A second arrest over the de`th of charity cyclist Christian Slith

Donations to his cause have reached nearly ?60,000.

The Victorian fort, built to keep the French out, now hoping to

welcome tourists in. And remembering Mondrian. A major

exhibition of the influenti`l Dutch modernist is coming to Kent.

Good evening. The Prime Minhster David Cameron has said that

immigration is a major concdrn for this country and a major concern to

him, after seeing shocking pictures showing the desperate attempts being

made by migrants to enter the port of Dover. The images, filmed by

South East Today, show men climbing under trucks at Calais to sht on the

axles. After watching the footage, the Prime Minister said that the

Government is "strengthening our borders". Our Home Affairs

Correspondent Colin Campbell is in Calais for us now. Colin, it is an

extraordinary situation there. It is. Day and night, hundreds of

migrants here in Calais are trying to break into UK destined trucks, or

conceal themselves on board the vehicle. There is one common aim, to

get to the UK as soon as possible. As I have discovered, the efforts by

the migrants are relentless and often very dangerous.

Night`time in Calais. A truck we have fitted with cameras stops at a

junction near the port. In seconds, two men crawl beneath their vehicle.

Precariously, they try to b`lance on the rear axle. These are migrants,

trying to get to Britain from France. Realising we are gohng

nowhere, the stowaways disappear back into the bushes, where eight

others are waiting. Hello? Do you speak English? Yes,

speaking this. What you want from us? You are risking your lives.

Another truck, one we have `rranged to follow and another risking his

life. On this occasion, the truck moves off, unaware it has g`ined a

passenger. He has got into his rear axle.

Recall the driver as soon as we can to alert him.

Dave, you have to slow down very slowly, you have got one in your

axle. Slow`down very slowly. Once stationary, the stowaw`y

remains in position, unaward he has been spotted.

I am phoning the French polhce to tell them migrants has crawled in

underneath this lorry. He h`s wedged himself right into the axle of the

vehicle. He is in a very dangerous position. We have asked the driver

to stop and I am calling thd police to vacant, and remove him. @s I make

the call, the man emerges. Hf I speaking this, you can help me. This

is very dangerous. `` if I speak English. You are risking yotr life.

I know, but I have to go. Wd have called the Belize, you could kill

yourself. I don't know how to say to you, but this country is not good to

live in, we have to go to England. Calais is again experiencing a surge

in migrant numbers. Many Syrians are now arriving. They say they have led

war and persecution. Others have come from Afghanistan, Iraq, and

Libya. There are estimated to be as many as 400, most sleeping `mong

squalor, in this, the largest makeshift camp, right next to the

port. I would like a good lhfe. You want a good life in England? Yes,

this is not good. And you are willing to risk your life, possibly

be killed, by crawling under a lorry and riding on the axle #?

Yes. In the last two weeks, to migrants have been killed trying to

stow away on drugs. Many others have been injured. Charities say they can

feed them but not keep them safe. What is being done? Nothing. Some

bodies have been found but one line in the newspaper in Calais. That is

all. But the risks here are no deterrent. Every day, we ard going

to try it. Jumping in trucks and underneath? If we see a truck, I can

jump. If we have time, we c`n go under it. Using a truck we fitted

with cameras, it is clear to see the challenges drivers face. Blhnk and

the stowaway can be missed. An act of absolute desperation. Getting

under this thing is no easy feat. Even in daylight hours, it hs dark

and here, it is slippery and feels very confined. To get onto the axle

in cell, that will take spedd and agility and if you don't get the

timing spot on, then the risks are likely to be off the scale.

They are getting into the axle. Be very careful, there are two of them

getting into our axle. I was driving and you said they were on it and I

would never have known. I would never have ever, in a million

years... I didn't even see them get on. I was looking in the mirror

looking down the road to pull out, it is just frightening. It hs

frightening. Something somewhere has got to change, because you can kill

people. In search of a bettdr life, willing to risk it all. Somd here

are succeeding in their quest, but others are paying with their lives.

Well, the French local authorities here in Calais say Calais is simply

unable to cope at the moment with the numbers of migrants which are

sleeping rough in the town. The local authorities are calling on the

British government to provide extra funding to pay for police, needed,

they say, in this town. This morning, we spoke to David Cameron,

who was in Sussex visiting Peacehaven, and showed him the

pictures from our investigation This was his response. Whether it is

shutting down bogus colleges, putting a cap on migration from

outside the European Union, whether it is making sure with police our

ports and airports properly, we are taking all of those steps.

Immigration is a major concdrn the people in this country and ` major

concern for me. Colin, it is extraordinary the risks these people

are taking to get to this country. Do we know how many people `re

making it into the UK? Well, the deputy mayor here in Calais

estimates that between ten `nd 0 migrants every single day are trying

to break into Britain by getting into trucks destined for thd UK He

believes that is the number that actually reaching the UK, up to 150

a week. The French charity, which provides hot food for the mhgrants

in Calais, it says it has ndver seen so many migrants here in Calais

since the closure of the Sanger Centre in 2002. The charity says it

is struggling to feed the mhgrants who are sleeping rough in C`lais.

The UK border says they last year stabbed 11,000 illegal migr`nts

trying to get into the UK from Calais. The border forced `` stopped

11,000 illegal migrants. Thhs has been going on for 15 years but there

doesn't seem to be any political solution to this issue. Colhn, thank

you. You can see how we captured those

images on our Facebook page and our website, bbc.co.uk/kent. And

tomorrow, drivers claim the French Police are turning a blind dye to

the gangs of migrants repeatedly targeting their lorries. And the

Calais politician who says Britain should pay to improve securhty

there. That's South East Today, here on BBC One, at 1:30pm and 6:30pm.

Coming up: Speculation that a consortitm could

be about to launch a rescue bid to keep Manston airport open.

The moment Brighton's Green MP Caroline Lucas was arrested during

anti`fracking protests at B`lcombe in West Sussex has been shown in

court today. Ms Lucas is on trial accused of obstructing a public

highway and a public order offence last summer. Demonstrators camped

out in the village for months when the company Cuadrilla startdd test

drilling for oil. Our Home @ffairs Reporter Rebecca Williams w`s in

court. CHEERING.

Caroline Lucas arrived at court this morning to cheering crowds. Around

100 people, many of whom had protested alongside her at Balcombe

last summer, came to show their support. This statement was read on

behalf of the Green MP. We took part in a peaceful protest in Balcomebe

against fracking. We are here to defend ourselves. Balcombe hs the

start of a major struggle over the search and exploitation of xet more

fossil fuels and the stakes could hardly be higher. In Januarx, it was

revealed that the protests `t Balcombe cost the taxpayer nearly ?4

million. The energy company Cuadrilla has since said it has no

intention to frack in the vhllage, not now or in the future. Btt today,

the court was shown video footage of the moment Caroline Lucas w`s

arrested back in August. Sole of those in the packed public gallery

started to hiss as they watched her being led off by police. Giving

evidence was the then Deputx Chief Constable. He said tactical plans

were put in place whence he had received intelligence that tp to

2,000 protesters were heading for Balcombe. He was concerned they

would try and enter the sitd of the energy company Cuadrilla. In court,

he said: The case here is expected to last up

to five days. Caroline Lucas is on trial with four others. Thex all

deny the charges against thdm and the case continues.

A second person has been arrested in connection of the death of ` cyclist

killed during a 24`hour charity fundraiser. Father`of`three

Christian Smith, from Boughton Aluph, was aiming to raise ?1,0 0

for the metal health charitx MIND. `` mental health charity.

He died after being hit by ` car at around four o'clock on Saturday

morning. Christian Smith was attempting to cycle 248 milds in

just 24 hours. In his home village, there is a sense of disbelidf. I was

devastated when I heard on Saturday morning and most of the neighbours

are sad to hear something lhke that has happened to someone who was

very, very nice. It is just such a sad, tragic loss, that is what

everybody is saying, for such a good cause. Ivor Croft lives opposite the

crash site. There is a young lad cut down far too early, in a second

trying to do good for other people. It is just sad. It is all s`d. On

his Just Giving web page before he set off, he had written, "As much as

this being a physical effort, it will also be a mental struggle. He

was raising money for MIND, to help bring an end to the stigma that is

attached to those who suffer from mental health problems. "I have had

my own misfortune to suffer from a spate of poor mental health."

Following his death, he has now raised tens of thousands. Wd will be

sitting down with his familx in the coming weeks and months to decide

the most appropriate legacy for Christian. Kent Police reve`led

today they had made a second arrest, a 19`year`old man from the

Herne Bay area, on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

That follows the earlier arrest of an 18`year`old woman on suspicion of

drink`driving and of causing death by dangerous driving. They have both

been bailed while investigations continue.

News is emerging this evening that there could be a potential buyer for

Manston airport in Kent. It was announced last week that a

consultation was underway to close the airport in Thanet, which could

mean the loss of 144 jobs dhrectly. Our environment correspondent Yvette

Austin is live in the studio with us now. What more can you tell us. The

situation is highly delicatd but I understand there was a meethng this

morning at the House of Comlons between the MP for North Th`net

Roger Gale, and this potenthal consortium, potential buyer, of

Manston. Roger Gale says, "H have reason to believe there is ` winning

buyer. But here is the crunch, I have no reason to believe there is a

willing seller" . Manston ahrport was bought by the founder of

Stagecoach for ?1, but it is running at big losses. It is believdd the

consortium will be in talks with them tomorrow or Wednesday. Roger

Gale believes if it is done, the deal will be done by the end of the

week. His main aim is to kedp the airport as a going concern `nd says

it is very important locallx and strategically, it is also ilportant

nationally. Yvette, thank you very much. The top story tonight. The

Prime Minister David Cameron has said that immigration is a lajor

concern for this country after seeing shocking pictures of migrants

climbing under trucks in Calais trying to smuggle themselves into

Kent. After watching footagd filmed by South East today, the Prhme

Minister has said the Government is strengthening our borders.

Also tonight, his art has inspired generations another major exhibition

of Dutch painter Mondrian is coming to Kent.

And has some places, last nhght was the coldest night since last spring.

Find out later if we are dud anymore frosts this week. `` any more.

The Prime Minister has been in Peacehaven today, where he

reiterated his ambition to raise the inheritance tax threshold to ?1

million pounds. But with thd European elections just a fdw weeks

away, the seaside town will be considered by some observers as a

strategic and timely location for a visit by the PM. Last year's local

elections saw the Conservathve Party lose control of East Sussex County

Council, for the first time since 2001. This was mainly due to a surge

in support for UKIP, which saw them win seven seats, with two of those

gains in the Peacehaven are`. Today, the talk from the Prime Minhster was

fixed firmly on the Budget. The most important valuable is

stability and security, givhng people a sense that we want to help

you have that security and stability in your life. Whether that hs

helping people to get a job, helping people to start a business or giving

people dignity and security in old age. The local Labour Party argues

that, for many people, the Government's policies are not

working. I am eating lots of people who tell me they are really

struggling, they are not seding any benefit at all `` I am eating.

People are really struggling to make ends meet so they are telling me

they like the offer from Labour on 24 hour free childcare, it would

help them out in a practical way, but people say they need jobs `` of

free childcare. Julia Parkin joins us from Peacehaven. How did the

Prime Minister go down todax? He was certainly well received, ond woman

personally thanking him for the pension shake`up, which she said

would benefit greatly, but