09/08/2014 South East Today

The family of a Bexhill soldier who died in Afghanistan have bedn left

angry and upset after counchllors failed to name the new Bexhhll to

Hastings link road after hil, despite the fact it was the

Robert Wood, who was 28, was killed on Valentines Day in 201 .

Rother District Council invhted people to vote on a shortlist of 6

names but opted for Combe V`lley Way, one of the least popul`r.

Precious moments spent with his son Noah just before Private Rob Wood's

life tragically ended, in a fire at Camp Bastion three years ago

His family thought naming the new Bexhill to Hastings Link Ro`d after

him would be the perfect trhbute ` but although Robert Wood Wax proved

the most popular choice in ` council consultation, it wasn't seldcted.

It's like dangling a carrot ` you give them the option,

but they're going to take it away from you anyway.

What is the point of freedol of speech if you get

the chance to say what you want but they're not going to do it?

Rother District Council told us they chose Combe Valley Way becatse the

road crosses the Combe Valldy and although residents? views wdre taken

into account, they also had to consider the need for names to be

easily recognised by the emergency services. In Bexhill

there was disappointment thd council hadn't gone with the majority.

I think it would?ve been quite touching, wouldn?t it?

But I?m not sure anyone?s got any control over what the counchl say.

I think the council should listen to the local people, don?t xou?

I can see the advantage of it being named after Rob Wood,

but it?s not the only road that could be named after him.

Private Wood's family are determined not to give up.

We?ve decided we?d like to fight on and still get it named

after Rob, which we think is the right thing to do.

Meanwhile Rother District Council say that names that weren't selected

may be considered for new developments around

A charity which was affectdd by the Eastbourne Pier fire has st`rted

Military Heroes Trust ` which raises funds for injured soldiers `nd

bereaved military families ` has found a temporary home in the town.

A Kent man with a terminal illness that has left him

virtually unable to move has been backed by the band Coldplay

as he tries to raise ?25,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Assochation.

Jody Duff from Chatham held his latest charity event today,

This next song we're going to dedicate to a young man called Jody.

This is the lead singer of Coldplay dedicating the last song

of the night, Fix You, to a man from Chatham who h`s

He had met the band the previous evening.

A few days later, the story got even better.

I got a phone call from his PA to say that they were so touchdd

by the story and my determination that they wanted to donate ?10, 00.

The money is being put with whatever is raised from today's charhty walk

to help people in mid`Kent who are living with Motor Neurone Dhsease.

We?ve got over ?21,000 now on the page so we've raised over

what we had to give with wh`t was donated by Chris Martin.

Jody?s Motor Neurone Diseasd set in nine years ago.

It's a rare condition where parts of the nervous system become d`maged.

But Jody is keen to raise its profile in any way he c`n.

Onto football now and the new season kicked off today

In the Championship Charlton Athletic drew one`all away

at Brentford while Brighton and Hove Albion lost one`nil

And in League One, Crawley Town won one`nil aw`y

at Barnsley and Gillingham lost four`two also away at MK Dons.

the moment, as we watch the storm formerly known as Bertha approaching

our shores. It means a Met Office weather warning for tomorrow right

across the region for the r`in. It's a triple threat storm as thhs area

of low pressure comes in, spueezing these isobars, suggesting that the

wind will also pick up. We `re also having some high tides so wd are

looking at coastal waves too. Tomorrow morning, we?ve got the rain

already. It is spinning off towards the north`east as we go through the

day. It will start to dry ott by the afternoon with some sunshind coming

through. Before that, up to an inch of rain is possible. 21 to 22

Celsius behind that rain. The wind will pick up as we go through

tomorrow evening. Combined with some high tides, we're looking at large

Good evening. Conditions in the next 24 hours may not match those of the

big storms of autumn and winter but they will make for an unpleasant

summer staples of already some unpleasant conditions here, wet and

very windy, but it is this low tide on to what once was hurricane

Bertha, which has now set its track for the UK as we go through Sunday.

Arriving to some southern and western areas as we start the day,

but let's concentrate on the southern half of the country for

tomorrow, this is where the wettest and windiest conditions will be to

begin with. Rain spreading across some parts, some of which will be

heavy. Strong winds across the South coast and then another surge which

could cause some damage pushing in from the west later. The most

persistent rain will be in Wales and the Midlands, many will turn dry and

brighter through the afternoon. For the middle half of the country, just

one or two showers to start off but signs we could see some persistent

heavy rain to the east of Northern Ireland and more especially northern

England,