:00:00. > :00:08.Welcome to South East Today, I'm Rob Smith.
:00:09. > :00:12.Freak weather leaves parts of the south east in chaos as hail,
:00:13. > :00:14.thunder and flash flooding affects the transport system
:00:15. > :00:29.A mass brawl involving around 50 people in Crawley
:00:30. > :00:44.the starting gun for fracking is fired, as companies are invited to
:00:45. > :00:47.bid for licenses ` but extra restrictions are put in place for
:00:48. > :00:51.Dartford sprint hero Adam Gemili qualifies for the semi finals
:00:52. > :00:53.of the 100 metres at the Commonwealth Games.
:00:54. > :00:56.And we meet the teenager who wrote a novel just for fun `
:00:57. > :01:14.Thunderstorms, hail and flash flooding have thrown parts
:01:15. > :01:20.The Met Office issued a severe weather warning as more
:01:21. > :01:24.than half a month's worth of rain fell in an hour in some places.A
:01:25. > :01:26.lightning strike sparked disruption for rail passengers
:01:27. > :01:28.during the morning rush hour, while firefighters rescued people
:01:29. > :01:43.This was the wake`up call for Monday morning.
:01:44. > :01:46.A waterfall gushing into basement flats.
:01:47. > :01:51.East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service has been pumping out properties
:01:52. > :01:55.after violent storms caused flash flooding.
:01:56. > :02:04.The water was up to waist level up there.
:02:05. > :02:08.It pushed the front door open so I had to push the front door shut and
:02:09. > :02:11.I had to grab everything I could, all the duvets and everything,
:02:12. > :02:14.just to try to block it from coming in which was obviously pointless.
:02:15. > :02:16.Thunderstorms roared across parts of the South East.
:02:17. > :02:25.There were extraordinary scenes during the deluge as well
:02:26. > :02:28.as torrential rain, hail stones all swept along the street
:02:29. > :02:44.We had to bring in fire engines from the local towns.
:02:45. > :02:50.the storm built and grew throughout the morning.
:02:51. > :02:53.After the dry, heavy heat of high summer, a freak storm.
:02:54. > :02:57.Rail services were disrupted of the coastal line from Brighton to Hove.
:02:58. > :03:04.Lightening hit an electricity station causing a power cut.
:03:05. > :03:05.It has not been too brilliant really.
:03:06. > :03:08.I just got here and was told there was no trains
:03:09. > :03:17.It has been really stormy and I've been waiting for about an hour.
:03:18. > :03:26.I could not get out my flat this morning.
:03:27. > :03:36.The underpass at the railway station was submerged
:03:37. > :03:43.People are now trying to clear up after the torrential rain.
:03:44. > :03:46.The storms were severe and sudden with a month's worth
:03:47. > :03:49.of rain falling in parts of Sussex in just two hours this morning.
:03:50. > :04:04.The hope is it will not be of the same scale and intensity.
:04:05. > :04:06.The emergency services have responded to hundreds
:04:07. > :04:10.of calls today, with many homes and business flooded, commuters left
:04:11. > :04:13.let cross live to Jon Hunt who's in Brighton.
:04:14. > :04:16.Jon the freak weather has seen many people having to abandon
:04:17. > :04:33.Indeed. I have been speaking to some of the seafront who woke up in the
:04:34. > :04:38.confusion to find a water entering their property. They thought there
:04:39. > :04:44.was a scenario and they were terrified. I saw 4`mac properties in
:04:45. > :04:50.the same stretch that had all had their basement flats completely
:04:51. > :04:58.destroyed. I work cameras filmed floodwater affecting many areas. An
:04:59. > :05:08.extraordinary scene. The fact that extraordinary scene. The fact that
:05:09. > :05:21.they do not clean the drains causes problems. We end up with this.
:05:22. > :05:25.Thunderstorms brought rivers of hail and rain sweeping through the
:05:26. > :05:31.streets. The floodwaters receded quickly once a drains had been
:05:32. > :05:37.cleared. But it was not quick enough to stop the damage. Carpets, wooden
:05:38. > :05:42.floors and furniture had been ruined in this basement flat when the water
:05:43. > :05:45.overflowed from the street above. It came through the house at such a
:05:46. > :05:52.rate and went through the ground floor. I moved the TV and everything
:05:53. > :05:58.electrical but it became apparent there was no stopping it. He says he
:05:59. > :06:06.and his two Mac children had to escape through the window. It was
:06:07. > :06:11.coming down there like a tidal wave. When the boys and I escaped we could
:06:12. > :06:16.not what got there we had to climb quiet over this wall and my youngest
:06:17. > :06:22.was screaming. He thought it was the end of the world. One business bed
:06:23. > :06:27.the day clearing up after water flood their cafe. I came here from
:06:28. > :06:34.the kitchen and I saw all the water. Everyone out. All the cars
:06:35. > :06:39.blocked and everything. It was a disaster. In the middle of summer
:06:40. > :06:46.the south coast did not expect to see this. The council says it has
:06:47. > :06:52.set up a rest centre for families affected by the flooding. A few
:06:53. > :06:57.residents I have been hearing from say they are angry that the drains
:06:58. > :07:02.did not work properly and were not capable of dealing with that amount
:07:03. > :07:05.of water. Had they been able to, the Stanley said, their homes and
:07:06. > :07:12.businesses would not have been flooded.
:07:13. > :07:14.There have been those on social media who've been calling today's
:07:15. > :07:18.For a more reason and scientific explanation we're joined by our
:07:19. > :07:35.It started last week. It was all this hot, humid weather. There was
:07:36. > :07:42.this area of low pressure on the continent. It energised these
:07:43. > :07:46.thunderstorms so that is the reason for the downpours, lightning and
:07:47. > :07:50.hail. It is not unusual to have a lot of rain in July but this
:07:51. > :07:59.morning, in some parts of Sussex, there was nearly a month's weather
:08:00. > :08:03.vane in one hour. There was not enough wind to move though shower
:08:04. > :08:07.was on so they were stuck in one place and that is why they were
:08:08. > :08:11.particularly damaging in some places. There are more showers
:08:12. > :08:20.predicted but they are not expected to be so severe.
:08:21. > :08:23.And you can see more photos and video of the dramatic scenes from
:08:24. > :08:26.today on our facebook page and also on the website ` bbc.co.uk/sussex.
:08:27. > :08:29.If you have any you'd like to share with us you can also tweet us
:08:30. > :08:34.Has life on the ocean wave lost its appeal?
:08:35. > :08:36.The Chatham marina owner who claims he hasn't been able to
:08:37. > :08:49.Baseball bats, stones and a car were believed to
:08:50. > :08:52.have been used as weapons during a mass brawl involving around
:08:53. > :08:55.At least seven people were arrested and a number
:08:56. > :09:00.of others were taken to hospital following the fight in Crawley.
:09:01. > :09:03.Officers received more than 20 calls about the disorder,
:09:04. > :09:07.which is believed to have erupted between two rival factions.
:09:08. > :09:10.Our News Correspondent Mark Norman has more.
:09:11. > :09:16.A small parade of shops, a new community centre, and a park.
:09:17. > :09:18.By eight o'clock last night this children's play area was
:09:19. > :09:21.the scene of a vicious fight between rival groups of teenagers.
:09:22. > :09:24.By the time officers arrived they found 50 people engaged
:09:25. > :09:38.The fighting spread over from the children's playground to the shops.
:09:39. > :09:40.The police swamped the area with officers and cars
:09:41. > :09:49.My nine`year`old and my twelve`year`old,
:09:50. > :09:52.and my nine`year`old's friend were over in the park.
:09:53. > :09:55.It started with a little fire and then they all started kicking
:09:56. > :09:59.I saw loads of police out the window and it is always the same kids.
:10:00. > :10:02.There were police cars at the shop, round the back of the community
:10:03. > :10:09.centre, all up to the new housing estate and down to the roundabout.
:10:10. > :10:12.Police say no one was stabbed last night and it was not linked to
:10:13. > :10:15.a stabbing earlier in the week but they are aware of tensions
:10:16. > :10:20.in the area and are working to keep the community calm.
:10:21. > :10:24.We are trying to work out what led to this event playing out
:10:25. > :10:28.as it did so we can resolve this and reduce tensions.
:10:29. > :10:31.It is not nice to see dozens and dozens of youths out
:10:32. > :10:36.All we can do is pledge that we will work incredibly hard to make sure
:10:37. > :10:37.these kind of incidents don't happen.
:10:38. > :10:40.This afternoon the playground was being used as it
:10:41. > :10:43.was intended and the police have increased the number of patrols
:10:44. > :11:32.A Kent police officer has been seriously injured while attempting
:11:33. > :11:36.It happened on Saturday evening at about quarter to seven on London
:11:37. > :11:39.Road in Larkfield, near Maidstone. The local constable, based at
:11:40. > :11:41.Tonbridge is being treated in a London hospital. A 27`year`old man
:11:42. > :11:46.from Rochester has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
:11:47. > :11:49.The final member of a multi`million pound drugs ring has been jailed.
:11:50. > :11:52.31 year`old Astrit Suli from Maidstone has been sentenced to
:11:53. > :11:55.eight and a half years for his part in the supply of almost ?2.5 million
:11:56. > :12:00.The other 12 gang members who are mainly from Kent were jailed
:12:01. > :12:05.Vast swaths of Kent and Sussex could be open to fracking after the
:12:06. > :12:15.Supporters hope exploiting shale oil and gas will reduce the UK's
:12:16. > :12:19.The Government says there are restrictions in place to protect
:12:20. > :12:23.According to the new restrictions planning permission should be
:12:24. > :12:26.refused in these areas except in exceptional circumstances or if it
:12:27. > :12:28.can be proved that they're in the public interest, and applicants will
:12:29. > :12:31.also have to provide a detailed assessment showing they understand
:12:32. > :12:56.the impact test drilling could have on the local environment.
:12:57. > :13:03.We need to take advantage but of course we have to do that in a
:13:04. > :13:11.sensitive way to make sure the natural environment is protected.
:13:12. > :13:13.So where in the South East could Fracking take place?
:13:14. > :13:16.Well in some parts of the region, licenses have already been granted
:13:17. > :13:19.for energy companies to carry out test drilling if they're given
:13:20. > :13:21.planning permission by local authorities and we already know that
:13:22. > :13:24.geologists believe the Weald Basin in particular is likely to contain
:13:25. > :13:27.shale oil, but from today the rest of Kent, Sussex and Surrey is now
:13:28. > :13:30.available for energy companies to apply for a license to drill.
:13:31. > :13:33.Well, we're joined now by Professor Paul Stevens fellow at Chatham House
:13:34. > :13:35.for Energy, Environment and Resources, as well as working as a
:13:36. > :13:38.consultant for oil companies. How attractive are these licences, given
:13:39. > :13:56.How attractive are these licenses? It is difficult to judge how
:13:57. > :14:01.attractive they are because the object of the exercise is to
:14:02. > :14:06.actually do some exploration because we do not know what is underneath
:14:07. > :14:10.her feet and until it has been drilled we will not have much of an
:14:11. > :14:18.idea. Obviously there are attractions. If it is oil it will be
:14:19. > :14:25.worth a zero more than if it is cast. So I think there will be
:14:26. > :14:29.interest but interest `` gas. It looks as though the major oil
:14:30. > :14:34.companies are not interested. Why is that? The large companies are not
:14:35. > :14:41.seriously looking at their capital spending. The second reason is that
:14:42. > :14:45.they really do not want to damage their brand image by getting
:14:46. > :14:50.involved in these sorts of scenes we saw last year and would rather stay
:14:51. > :14:56.away from it until that sort of thing sorted out. Do you think that
:14:57. > :15:04.those protests have had a significant impact on the future of
:15:05. > :15:08.fracking in this country? It was a very significant events because it
:15:09. > :15:12.was not just local opposition but there was a great deal of national
:15:13. > :15:19.support for the opposition. The result of this now is that anyone
:15:20. > :15:26.who tries to drill anything is going to be faced with huge local protests
:15:27. > :15:29.which in many cases may make the whole operation untenable. Do you
:15:30. > :15:33.think that these restrictions announced by the government today
:15:34. > :15:39.have been designed to assuage people in these parts of the world? Is the
:15:40. > :15:44.sort of people who might have protested. Yes. I am not sure it is
:15:45. > :15:54.going to make much difference to be perfectly honest. It is rather weak
:15:55. > :16:00.in the way it is expressed and if you look at the sort of last bit of
:16:01. > :16:03.the sentence it says if we decide we want to do it we will go ahead and
:16:04. > :16:06.do it. Well in a recent poll by the
:16:07. > :16:09.University of Nottingham, less than half of those questioned favoured
:16:10. > :16:12.fracking for shale gas in the UK. 49.8 percent supported the process `
:16:13. > :16:14.the lowest number since the university started
:16:15. > :16:17.its poll on the issue in 2012. Storms and flash flooding across
:16:18. > :16:21.the south east have caused chaos after a month's worth of rain fell
:16:22. > :16:24.in just two hours this morning. The south coast in Sussex was
:16:25. > :16:27.hardest hit, with disruption for commuters and residents driven
:16:28. > :16:48.from their homes after they were So is the only game in town for this
:16:49. > :16:52.girl who has landed a book deal. We take a look at some of your pictures
:16:53. > :17:10.of today's weather. For centuries
:17:11. > :17:13.the Medway towns have been at the heart of the nations ship building `
:17:14. > :17:16.from Nelson's Victory to the But times have changed to such
:17:17. > :17:22.an extent that some local marine businesses say its now almost
:17:23. > :17:25.impossible to employ young people. Seemingly, working as a boat handler
:17:26. > :17:29.or skipper just isn't seen as a "fashionable" job option these days
:17:30. > :17:33.` and one marina owner has told us he can't find anyone under the age
:17:34. > :17:37.of 40 willing to take on the role ` Chrissie Reidy is in Rochester `
:17:38. > :17:55.is this a problem? It certainly seems that way. Just to
:17:56. > :18:01.clarify, we all know the marine industry is huge, this is just one
:18:02. > :18:07.small section of the marine industry which has been experienced by marine
:18:08. > :18:13.owners here. The business owner I spoke to today said that in a
:18:14. > :18:20.month's weather advertising, 99% of the responses were from people 35 or
:18:21. > :18:25.over. You might think working as a skipper is an idyllic life. But
:18:26. > :18:32.attracting youngsters has become a big challenge. We are approaching a
:18:33. > :18:36.crisis point because we do not have the young people coming into the
:18:37. > :18:41.industry to take over from the older people. We are becoming an industry
:18:42. > :18:46.of old people. To find people who are young who have a passion for the
:18:47. > :18:57.industry is very hard to find. He recently employed three new staff
:18:58. > :19:01.all over the age of 40. John is retraining as a marine operator.
:19:02. > :19:11.That involves some boat maintenance today. I'm surprised young people do
:19:12. > :19:12.not want to come into this industry. not want to come into this industry.
:19:13. > :19:17.They should. It is growing rapidly and there are not enough youngsters
:19:18. > :19:22.coming into it. You go out on the birds and enjoy it. It has always
:19:23. > :19:23.been a major source of employment. It is well`known for its naval
:19:24. > :19:41.connections in the docks but they connections in the docks but they
:19:42. > :19:45.closed in 1984. These days are much of the employment is from the
:19:46. > :19:49.leisure industry but experts recognise that there's still a
:19:50. > :19:54.problem attracting young people. We have just put in place a careers
:19:55. > :19:58.ambassador screen which works with those who are already working in the
:19:59. > :20:02.industry locally to go into schools and work with youth groups to
:20:03. > :20:07.actually demonstrate the opportunities and career path that
:20:08. > :20:11.are available. It is hoped the steps taken will attract the younger
:20:12. > :20:15.generation to this section of the maritime industry. In the meantime,
:20:16. > :20:22.he says he will continue to advertise. So the general consensus
:20:23. > :20:26.is that this part of the marine industry is just not seen as
:20:27. > :20:32.fashionable enough. The maritime industry said it in part could be
:20:33. > :20:36.down to them because during the recession they could have promoted
:20:37. > :20:37.this part of the industry more. Let us hope the changes they implement
:20:38. > :20:51.will make a difference. It is day five of the
:20:52. > :20:53.Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and after the euphoria of two golds
:20:54. > :20:56.for south east competitors yesterday, Kent athlete Adam Gemili
:20:57. > :20:58.takes centre stage this evening. The Dartford sprinter qualified
:20:59. > :21:01.quickest for this evenings 100 Our sports reporter Neil Bell joins
:21:02. > :21:04.us from Glasgow, Neil this is In the absence of Olympic Golden boy
:21:05. > :21:11.Usain Bolt, Adam Gemili has become the man to beat in what
:21:12. > :21:19.for many is one of the Games most He didn't disappont yesterday
:21:20. > :21:21.evening with a very smooth performance in the heats, indeed
:21:22. > :21:24.despite easing off he finished in 10.15 seconds, the quickest time of
:21:25. > :21:27.the night and just like the Olympics was delighted by the reception
:21:28. > :21:31.he received from a packed crowd. It was absolutely amazing to
:21:32. > :21:33.come out here and the cheer It makes you just want to push that
:21:34. > :21:38.little bit harder and do well, so I am truly grateful for
:21:39. > :21:45.the reception that I did receive. He can expect something similar this
:21:46. > :21:53.evening ` Adam goes in the of the semi finals and if all goes well
:21:54. > :21:56.will line up in the final at 9.50 looking for his first Games medal `
:21:57. > :22:00.he should get the chance to run against Usain Bolt in
:22:01. > :22:02.the relay later this week. Yesterday was super Sunday for Sussex shooters
:22:03. > :22:05.Charlotte Kerwood and Steve Scott ` today Charlotte narrowly missed out
:22:06. > :22:08.on the final of the Trap. But in a memorable couple
:22:09. > :22:10.of hours on the range yesterday Charlotte won the Double Trap
:22:11. > :22:13.for the third time and shortly after her good friend Steve Scott from
:22:14. > :22:16.Battle matched her with the mens Both were delighted and Charlotte
:22:17. > :22:34.amazed by her margin of victory. I did not know obviously that I was
:22:35. > :22:37.that far ahead until you are told you are five ahead. And you think oh
:22:38. > :22:41.my god. I feel great. The much anticipated show down
:22:42. > :22:44.in the women's hockey this afternoon saw the England womens
:22:45. > :22:47.team with six players from Both teams went
:22:48. > :22:50.into the game undefeated but it was the Aussies who came out
:22:51. > :22:53.on top winning 3`0, but victory in their final game should see England
:22:54. > :22:58.progress to the semi finals. There have been or will be a number
:22:59. > :23:12.of other competitors from the south east in action today ` Kent's Delhi
:23:13. > :23:15.bronze medal winner Martin Brockman is half way through the Decathlon `
:23:16. > :23:18.five more events for him tomorrow. This evening, throwers Scott Rider
:23:19. > :23:21.goes in the shot put while Shaunagh Brown is in the final
:23:22. > :23:24.of the hamer but we are hoping this Now, some writers can spend
:23:25. > :23:34.a lifetime trying to get their novel published, but one
:23:35. > :23:37.student from Kent has managed it Alice Oseman from High Halstow
:23:38. > :23:41.near Rochester wrote 'Solitaire' It's a coming`of`age novel
:23:42. > :23:50.about a schoolgirl who feels increasingly disconnected
:23:51. > :23:53.from her friends, and the book's been the subject of a fierce bidding
:23:54. > :23:55.war between publishers. Charlie Rose has been to see
:23:56. > :24:20.what all the fuss is about. Just 19 years old and this week her
:24:21. > :24:25.first book hits the shelves. It is about a 16`year`old pessimist and
:24:26. > :24:31.then one day several things happen at once. And everything in her life
:24:32. > :24:36.changes and she is forced to reassess who she is, why she is
:24:37. > :24:47.here, what she wants to do in the future. I am aware as I step into
:24:48. > :24:51.the common room that dot`mac it is her honest depiction of her
:24:52. > :24:55.characters that helped win a lucrative publishing deal. I was
:24:56. > :25:02.ridiculously lucky that it happens to me this early. I think I have
:25:03. > :25:07.just been so fortunate. Fortunate and hard`working, too. She wrote it
:25:08. > :25:13.during her A`levels. Towards the end I got really into it, really
:25:14. > :25:19.committed to making it good. I knew at this point I wanted to be a
:25:20. > :25:23.writer so I thought, OK, I think this is good enough, there is no
:25:24. > :25:32.reason why I cant start trying now. We did not realise that in February
:25:33. > :25:38.of her year 13, she sent off the manuscript for the first time. It
:25:39. > :25:46.was quite a shock. A pleasant shock. She had not let on. I've been
:25:47. > :25:49.reliably informed that post Christmas blues dot`mac she is now
:25:50. > :25:53.studying English at the University of Durham. She refuses to let on
:25:54. > :26:03.whether or not there is a solitaire Sequent in the pipeline. `` sequel.
:26:04. > :26:10.It sounds like she deserves it. Let's return now to our top story `
:26:11. > :26:13.the storms which hit Here are some of your pictures sent
:26:14. > :26:18.in to us here at South East Today of the aftermath
:26:19. > :27:10.of the hailstones and torrential Network rail centres those last
:27:11. > :27:15.pictures. `` sent hours. We had lots of shower was only on. A fair amount
:27:16. > :27:23.of cloud at times. It has been feeling quite humid and that does
:27:24. > :27:28.continue into this evening. Some of the shell are going to be quite
:27:29. > :27:31.heavy and thundery and The Met office have a yellow warning in
:27:32. > :27:38.place until nine o'clock this evening. It is only parts of
:27:39. > :27:43.Sussex. However, these are showers could fall just about anywhere and
:27:44. > :27:46.they could be happy but they are not expected to be as slow`moving as the
:27:47. > :27:53.showers earlier on so hopefully not as destructive. A humid nights
:27:54. > :27:57.tonight. Some showers around tonight but we will see the back of them by
:27:58. > :28:03.tomorrow. Tomorrow we will see the back of them by tomorrow. Tomorrow
:28:04. > :28:09.we're we have seen the back of those showers. It starts off on a warm and
:28:10. > :28:13.out and gets hotter. Highs of 25 degrees or 26 degrees. Quite a fine
:28:14. > :28:16.day altogether for much of the week but becoming much more unsettled by
:28:17. > :28:24.the end of the week when we have got more of those thundery showers on
:28:25. > :28:25.the way. That is it for us. Have a lovely evening.
:28:26. > :28:25.more of those thundery showers on the way. That is it for us. Have Buy
:28:26. > :28:26.buy. I just feel like my whole body's
:28:27. > :28:31.been taken over by an alien. She's my age. She's four years
:28:32. > :28:37.younger than you, Mum, Nine of 'em made redundant.
:28:38. > :28:43.What? How long were you going to leave it
:28:44. > :28:45.before you told me? I thought I'd get another job.
:28:46. > :28:48.I was a successful businesswoman before I met you.
:28:49. > :28:50.What have I got now? Nothing! I'm really sorry to do this,
:28:51. > :28:52.but I need you to empty everything in that till
:28:53. > :28:55.into a cash bag and give it to me. She's about to give birth. Get her
:28:56. > :29:01.to hospital as soon as possible.