28/07/2014 South East Today

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

Freak weather leaves parts of the south east in chaos as hail,

thunder and flash flooding affects the transport system

A mass brawl involving around 50 people in Crawley

the starting gun for fracking is fired, as companies are invited to

bid for licenses ` but extra restrictions are put in place for

Dartford sprint hero Adam Gemili qualifies for the semi finals

of the 100 metres at the Commonwealth Games.

And we meet the teenager who wrote a novel just for fun `

Thunderstorms, hail and flash flooding have thrown parts

The Met Office issued a severe weather warning as more

than half a month's worth of rain fell in an hour in some places.A

lightning strike sparked disruption for rail passengers

during the morning rush hour, while firefighters rescued people

This was the wake`up call for Monday morning.

A waterfall gushing into basement flats.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service has been pumping out properties

after violent storms caused flash flooding.

The water was up to waist level up there.

It pushed the front door open so I had to push the front door shut and

I had to grab everything I could, all the duvets and everything,

just to try to block it from coming in which was obviously pointless.

Thunderstorms roared across parts of the South East.

There were extraordinary scenes during the deluge as well

as torrential rain, hail stones all swept along the street

We had to bring in fire engines from the local towns.

the storm built and grew throughout the morning.

After the dry, heavy heat of high summer, a freak storm.

Rail services were disrupted of the coastal line from Brighton to Hove.

Lightening hit an electricity station causing a power cut.

It has not been too brilliant really.

I just got here and was told there was no trains

It has been really stormy and I've been waiting for about an hour.

I could not get out my flat this morning.

The underpass at the railway station was submerged

People are now trying to clear up after the torrential rain.

The storms were severe and sudden with a month's worth

of rain falling in parts of Sussex in just two hours this morning.

The hope is it will not be of the same scale and intensity.

The emergency services have responded to hundreds

of calls today, with many homes and business flooded, commuters left

let cross live to Jon Hunt who's in Brighton.

Jon the freak weather has seen many people having to abandon

Indeed. I have been speaking to some of the seafront who woke up in the

confusion to find a water entering their property. They thought there

was a scenario and they were terrified. I saw 4`mac properties in

the same stretch that had all had their basement flats completely

destroyed. I work cameras filmed floodwater affecting many areas. An

extraordinary scene. The fact that extraordinary scene. The fact that

they do not clean the drains causes problems. We end up with this.

Thunderstorms brought rivers of hail and rain sweeping through the

streets. The floodwaters receded quickly once a drains had been

cleared. But it was not quick enough to stop the damage. Carpets, wooden

floors and furniture had been ruined in this basement flat when the water

overflowed from the street above. It came through the house at such a

rate and went through the ground floor. I moved the TV and everything

electrical but it became apparent there was no stopping it. He says he

and his two Mac children had to escape through the window. It was

coming down there like a tidal wave. When the boys and I escaped we could

not what got there we had to climb quiet over this wall and my youngest

was screaming. He thought it was the end of the world. One business bed

the day clearing up after water flood their cafe. I came here from

the kitchen and I saw all the water. Everyone out. All the cars

blocked and everything. It was a disaster. In the middle of summer

the south coast did not expect to see this. The council says it has

set up a rest centre for families affected by the flooding. A few

residents I have been hearing from say they are angry that the drains

did not work properly and were not capable of dealing with that amount

of water. Had they been able to, the Stanley said, their homes and

businesses would not have been flooded.

There have been those on social media who've been calling today's

For a more reason and scientific explanation we're joined by our

It started last week. It was all this hot, humid weather. There was

this area of low pressure on the continent. It energised these

thunderstorms so that is the reason for the downpours, lightning and

hail. It is not unusual to have a lot of rain in July but this

morning, in some parts of Sussex, there was nearly a month's weather

vane in one hour. There was not enough wind to move though shower

was on so they were stuck in one place and that is why they were

particularly damaging in some places. There are more showers

predicted but they are not expected to be so severe.

And you can see more photos and video of the dramatic scenes from

today on our facebook page and also on the website ` bbc.co.uk/sussex.

If you have any you'd like to share with us you can also tweet us

Has life on the ocean wave lost its appeal?

The Chatham marina owner who claims he hasn't been able to

Baseball bats, stones and a car were believed to

have been used as weapons during a mass brawl involving around

At least seven people were arrested and a number

of others were taken to hospital following the fight in Crawley.

Officers received more than 20 calls about the disorder,

which is believed to have erupted between two rival factions.

Our News Correspondent Mark Norman has more.

A small parade of shops, a new community centre, and a park.

By eight o'clock last night this children's play area was

the scene of a vicious fight between rival groups of teenagers.

By the time officers arrived they found 50 people engaged

The fighting spread over from the children's playground to the shops.

The police swamped the area with officers and cars

My nine`year`old and my twelve`year`old,

and my nine`year`old's friend were over in the park.

It started with a little fire and then they all started kicking

I saw loads of police out the window and it is always the same kids.

There were police cars at the shop, round the back of the community

centre, all up to the new housing estate and down to the roundabout.

Police say no one was stabbed last night and it was not linked to

a stabbing earlier in the week but they are aware of tensions

in the area and are working to keep the community calm.

We are trying to work out what led to this event playing out

as it did so we can resolve this and reduce tensions.

It is not nice to see dozens and dozens of youths out

All we can do is pledge that we will work incredibly hard to make sure

these kind of incidents don't happen.

This afternoon the playground was being used as it

was intended and the police have increased the number of patrols

A Kent police officer has been seriously injured while attempting

It happened on Saturday evening at about quarter to seven on London

Road in Larkfield, near Maidstone. The local constable, based at

Tonbridge is being treated in a London hospital. A 27`year`old man

from Rochester has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

The final member of a multi`million pound drugs ring has been jailed.

31 year`old Astrit Suli from Maidstone has been sentenced to

eight and a half years for his part in the supply of almost ?2.5 million

The other 12 gang members who are mainly from Kent were jailed

Vast swaths of Kent and Sussex could be open to fracking after the

Supporters hope exploiting shale oil and gas will reduce the UK's

The Government says there are restrictions in place to protect

According to the new restrictions planning permission should be

refused in these areas except in exceptional circumstances or if it

can be proved that they're in the public interest, and applicants will

also have to provide a detailed assessment showing they understand

the impact test drilling could have on the local environment.

We need to take advantage but of course we have to do that in a

sensitive way to make sure the natural environment is protected.

So where in the South East could Fracking take place?

Well in some parts of the region, licenses have already been granted

for energy companies to carry out test drilling if they're given

planning permission by local authorities and we already know that

geologists believe the Weald Basin in particular is likely to contain

shale oil, but from today the rest of Kent, Sussex and Surrey is now

available for energy companies to apply for a license to drill.

Well, we're joined now by Professor Paul Stevens fellow at Chatham House

for Energy, Environment and Resources, as well as working as a

consultant for oil companies. How attractive are these licences, given

How attractive are these licenses? It is difficult to judge how

attractive they are because the object of the exercise is to

actually do some exploration because we do not know what is underneath

her feet and until it has been drilled we will not have much of an

idea. Obviously there are attractions. If it is oil it will be

worth a zero more than if it is cast. So I think there will be

interest but interest `` gas. It looks as though the major oil

companies are not interested. Why is that? The large companies are not

seriously looking at their capital spending. The second reason is that

they really do not want to damage their brand image by getting

involved in these sorts of scenes we saw last year and would rather stay

away from it until that sort of thing sorted out. Do you think that

those protests have had a significant impact on the future of

fracking in this country? It was a very significant events because it

was not just local opposition but there was a great deal of national

support for the opposition. The result of this now is that anyone

who tries to drill anything is going to be faced with huge local protests

which in many cases may make the whole operation untenable. Do you

think that these restrictions announced by the government today

have been designed to assuage people in these parts of the world? Is the

sort of people who might have protested. Yes. I am not sure it is

going to make much difference to be perfectly honest. It is rather weak

in the way it is expressed and if you look at the sort of last bit of

the sentence it says if we decide we want to do it we will go ahead and

do it. Well in a recent poll by the

University of Nottingham, less than half of those questioned favoured

fracking for shale gas in the UK. 49.8 percent supported the process `

the lowest number since the university started

its poll on the issue in 2012. Storms and flash flooding across

the south east have caused chaos after a month's worth of rain fell

in just two hours this morning. The south coast in Sussex was

hardest hit, with disruption for commuters and residents driven

from their homes after they were So is the only game in town for this

girl who has landed a book deal. We take a look at some of your pictures

of today's weather. For centuries

the Medway towns have been at the heart of the nations ship building `

from Nelson's Victory to the But times have changed to such

an extent that some local marine businesses say its now almost

impossible to employ young people. Seemingly, working as a boat handler

or skipper just isn't seen as a "fashionable" job option these days

` and one marina owner has told us he can't find anyone under the age

of 40 willing to take on the role ` Chrissie Reidy is in Rochester `

is this a problem? It certainly seems that way. Just to

clarify, we all know the marine industry is huge, this is just one

small section of the marine industry which has been experienced by marine

owners here. The business owner I spoke to today said that in a

month's weather advertising, 99% of the responses were from people 35 or

over. You might think working as a skipper is an idyllic life. But

attracting youngsters has become a big challenge. We are approaching a

crisis point because we do not have the young people coming into the

industry to take over from the older people. We are becoming an industry

of old people. To find people who are young who have a passion for the

industry is very hard to find. He recently employed three new staff

all over the age of 40. John is retraining as a marine operator.

That involves some boat maintenance today. I'm surprised young people do

not want to come into this industry. not want to come into this industry.

They should. It is growing rapidly and there are not enough youngsters

coming into it. You go out on the birds and enjoy it. It has always

been a major source of employment. It is well`known for its naval

connections in the docks but they connections in the docks but they

closed in 1984. These days are much of the employment is from the

leisure industry but experts recognise that there's still a

problem attracting young people. We have just put in place a careers

ambassador screen which works with those who are already working in the

industry locally to go into schools and work with youth groups to

actually demonstrate the opportunities and career path that

are available. It is hoped the steps taken will attract the younger

generation to this section of the maritime industry. In the meantime,

he says he will continue to advertise. So the general consensus

is that this part of the marine industry is just not seen as

fashionable enough. The maritime industry said it in part could be

down to them because during the recession they could have promoted

this part of the industry more. Let us hope the changes they implement

will make a difference. It is day five of the

Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and after the euphoria of two golds

for south east competitors yesterday, Kent athlete Adam Gemili

takes centre stage this evening. The Dartford sprinter qualified

quickest for this evenings 100 Our sports reporter Neil Bell joins

us from Glasgow, Neil this is In the absence of Olympic Golden boy

Usain Bolt, Adam Gemili has become the man to beat in what

for many is one of the Games most He didn't disappont yesterday

evening with a very smooth performance in the heats, indeed

despite easing off he finished in 10.15 seconds, the quickest time of

the night and just like the Olympics was delighted by the reception

he received from a packed crowd. It was absolutely amazing to

come out here and the cheer It makes you just want to push that

little bit harder and do well, so I am truly grateful for

the reception that I did receive. He can expect something similar this

evening ` Adam goes in the of the semi finals and if all goes well

will line up in the final at 9.50 looking for his first Games medal `

he should get the chance to run against Usain Bolt in

the relay later this week. Yesterday was super Sunday for Sussex shooters

Charlotte Kerwood and Steve Scott ` today Charlotte narrowly missed out

on the final of the Trap. But in a memorable couple

of hours on the range yesterday Charlotte won the Double Trap

for the third time and shortly after her good friend Steve Scott from

Battle matched her with the mens Both were delighted and Charlotte

amazed by her margin of victory. I did not know obviously that I was

that far ahead until you are told you are five ahead. And you think oh

my god. I feel great. The much anticipated show down

in the women's hockey this afternoon saw the England womens

team with six players from Both teams went

into the game undefeated but it was the Aussies who came out

on top winning 3`0, but victory in their final game should see England

progress to the semi finals. There have been or will be a number

of other competitors from the south east in action today ` Kent's Delhi

bronze medal winner Martin Brockman is half way through the Decathlon `

five more events for him tomorrow. This evening, throwers Scott Rider

goes in the shot put while Shaunagh Brown is in the final

of the hamer but we are hoping this Now, some writers can spend

a lifetime trying to get their novel published, but one

student from Kent has managed it Alice Oseman from High Halstow

near Rochester wrote 'Solitaire' It's a coming`of`age novel

about a schoolgirl who feels increasingly disconnected

from her friends, and the book's been the subject of a fierce bidding

war between publishers. Charlie Rose has been to see

what all the fuss is about. Just 19 years old and this week her

first book hits the shelves. It is about a 16`year`old pessimist and

then one day several things happen at once. And everything in her life

changes and she is forced to reassess who she is, why she is

here, what she wants to do in the future. I am aware as I step into

the common room that dot`mac it is her honest depiction of her

characters that helped win a lucrative publishing deal. I was

ridiculously lucky that it happens to me this early. I think I have

just been so fortunate. Fortunate and hard`working, too. She wrote it

during her A`levels. Towards the end I got really into it, really

committed to making it good. I knew at this point I wanted to be a

writer so I thought, OK, I think this is good enough, there is no

reason why I cant start trying now. We did not realise that in February

of her year 13, she sent off the manuscript for the first time. It

was quite a shock. A pleasant shock. She had not let on. I've been

reliably informed that post Christmas blues dot`mac she is now

studying English at the University of Durham. She refuses to let on

whether or not there is a solitaire Sequent in the pipeline. `` sequel.

It sounds like she deserves it. Let's return now to our top story `

the storms which hit Here are some of your pictures sent

in to us here at South East Today of the aftermath

of the hailstones and torrential Network rail centres those last

pictures. `` sent hours. We had lots of shower was only on. A fair amount

of cloud at times. It has been feeling quite humid and that does

continue into this evening. Some of the shell are going to be quite

heavy and thundery and The Met office have a yellow warning in

place until nine o'clock this evening. It is only parts of

Sussex. However, these are showers could fall just about anywhere and

they could be happy but they are not expected to be as slow`moving as the

showers earlier on so hopefully not as destructive. A humid nights

tonight. Some showers around tonight but we will see the back of them by

tomorrow. Tomorrow we will see the back of them by tomorrow. Tomorrow

we're we have seen the back of those showers. It starts off on a warm and

out and gets hotter. Highs of 25 degrees or 26 degrees. Quite a fine

day altogether for much of the week but becoming much more unsettled by

the end of the week when we have got more of those thundery showers on

the way. That is it for us. Have a lovely evening.

more of those thundery showers on the way. That is it for us. Have Buy

buy. I just feel like my whole body's

been taken over by an alien. She's my age. She's four years

younger than you, Mum, Nine of 'em made redundant.

What? How long were you going to leave it

before you told me? I thought I'd get another job.

I was a successful businesswoman before I met you.

What have I got now? Nothing! I'm really sorry to do this,

but I need you to empty everything in that till

into a cash bag and give it to me. She's about to give birth. Get her

to hospital as soon as possible.