04/01/2017 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today, I'm Polly Evans.

Following serious injuries when a balcony collapsed in Sussex,

warnings about the safety of holiday flats being rented out online.

A Kent MPs plans for an EU visitor tax to raise ?250 million

We'll be live in Dover with the details.

A mother who died after giving birth at a Kent hospital had lost

four pints of blood, an inquest hears.

A veteran of bomber command and Britain's last

surviving Olympian - should Bill Lucas have received

And the changing landscapes that aren't quite what they seem to be.

The boom in private holiday letting has led to a warning tonight that

what should be a relaxing getaway can turn into a disaster - if proper

It comes after four people suffered serious injuries when a balcony

collapsed at an Airbnb flat in Brighton last year.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue is urging anyone involved

in short-term holiday lets and party accommodation to make sure that

safety measures are taken before guests arrive.

Our special correspondent Colin Campbell reports.

Four people are hospitalised, left seriously injured, one in peeled and

an iron railing. It was the collapse of the balcony at this flat last

summer that has prompted east Sussex Fire and rescue to issue this safety

warning. It is aimed at making sure people use the premises safely. They

might be dangerous for a weekend break, people they might not know

that well, turn up to the property late. The last thing they're

thinking about is fire. The people that own these properties and rent

the might need to be aware of the responsibilities and make sure the

properties are saved and the first thing they need to do is carry out a

fire assessment. The flat for the sustained injury was booked through

an online site. Got fractures my pelvis and my back and I was worried

that I'd heard my back more seriously and it was broken. Holiday

rental agencies have been around for awhile but growth of online

platforms like Airbnb has fuelled huge growth in people letting it

rooms for first time. The blue was founded in San Francisco in 2008. It

is a website which allows independent posts to offer

short-term lets, there are more than 2 million listings online currently

around the world. More than 60 Minikin million people have used to

find somewhere to stay. More than 300 of those properties are

Brighton. The Fire Service's safety image is aimed at all who rent out

party accommodation in Brighton but some traditional letting agents

believed it has developed into an uneven playing field. We are losing

business because these other platforms don't insist on the safety

checks that we insist on. Therefore, that pits us at a disadvantage.

Brighton's short-term holiday letting market is booming. East

Sussex Fire and rescue hope their intervention will prevent further

series injury or tragedy. Our reporter Jon Hunt has been

following this story and he joins us now from Brighton,

where the balcony collapse happened. What is the Fire Service doing to

help ensure these legends save? Last summer the issued a warning to

landlords and residents to explain that balconies like this one here

very popular in the city can sometimes be just designed for

decorative purposes only and are not strong enough to carry the weight of

people standing or sitting on them. Since then, they have been

researching the number of party homes and property lets in the city

and have started visiting them to make sure that they are safe and

comply with the law and tell me that some of the property they visited in

the last few months have been found to be so dangerous that they had to

shut them down immediately. Thanks, John.

The Government must increase the budget for the UK Border Force

by ?250 million to crack down on illegal immigration.

That's the view of Dover and Deal MP Charlie Elphicke who says the money

is needed to tackle "lorry drops" where migrants pay to be

smuggled into the country in the back of trucks

and those landing undetected on our beaches.

His report cites BBC South East's exclusive investigation revealing

how illegal migrants are offered Channel crossings in the back

of Lidl supermarket lorries for thousands of pounds.

Our political editor Helen Catt reports.

They don't take the chaplain of the vehicles. Cot on camera, an agent

for a gang of people smugglers offers to give an interview for our

underserved -- undercover researcher. This should people

smuggling across the channel is still a lucrative business. There is

a lot of money there, an enormous amount and if you've got the right

people, the amount of money available, you could get anyone into

the UK by C. The Government's adviser on terrorism law has now

warned that remote beaches could even be used by returning fighters

from Syria trying to avoid border checks. Dover's MP wants action.

It's important we make sure we secure the English Channel so

beaches like this here, we make sure we have action to stop people

getting smuggled into Britain on lorries and to invest in the

intelligence that we can go after people traffickers in the evil trade

of modern slavery. He thinks Brexit to be an opportunity to find a

crackdown. Under a Visa waiver scheme he wants to introduce, EU

visitors would have to be ?10 and fill any form to the UK. Charlie

estimates that could raise ?250,000 which could be used on enforcement.

It's not a bad idea. It's helping out. If you can't help out our own

people. I've lived in America for a while and I know the system works

really well. I'm on board with that. It is right to make sure that the

people living here are contributing to this country. I'm all for

stopping the immigrants if it's at all possible -- possible. I feel

very sorry for them. I think the country has enough immigrants at the

moment. People can enter the UK legally and overstate that the user.

Again, that the day different operation to what is being proposed

here but certainly in large proportion of people who are

illegally resident from the UK have come into the UK perfectly legally.

Responding to the report, the Home Office told us it is committed to

ensuring border phrase has the necessary resources to keep the UK

safe from a range of threats. Helen Catt joins us

now live from Dover. How realistic is this as an idea's?

It all depends on the deal that the UK strike with the EU on Brexit. If

it is as many people think outside of the single market, no freedom of

movement, the sort of scheme may well be the sort of thing the

Government looks at. Will it do what Charlie Elphick hopes, you heard the

professor say that acts of the larger source of illegal emigration

the country isn't illegal entry, it is people overstaying. Also, there

are concerns about the cost. The US system at $14 ahead just covers its

own costs. There are questions as to whether 10p will be enough create --

to create a surplus. The battle for Britain's pubs -

campaigners angry over the demolition of a Kent public

house fight for greater protection. A doctor involved in the emergency

care of a woman from Kent who suffered a fatal haemorrhage

after giving birth by Caesarean section, has told an inquest

into her death about the "alarming" levels of acid and carbon

dioxide in her blood. It can happen because of blood

loss and in certain 30-year-old Frances Cappuccini died

at Tunbridge Wells hospital in 2012. Today the inquest heard how

she lost four pints of blood At the coroner's court

for the inquest into Frances Cappuccini's death,

the family were here Mrs Cappuccini died after

an emergency Caeserean section. Today, the inquest heard how

she lost 2.3 litres of blood. Dr Gabriella Grey, a registrar

obstetrician involved in her emergency care,

says she managed to finally stop the bleeding once a piece

of placenta, left behind in the patient's uterus,

had been removed. Frances Cappuccini died in 2012

and in April 2015, two doctors The following year,

a doctor and hospital trust were cleared of manslaughter,

following the collapse And, soon after, charges

against another doctor were dropped. Today, details emerged

of the time leading up The court heard how problems

developed with her breathing. Dr Gabriella Grey said the high

levels of Mrs Cappuccini's blood Later, she was asked

by the family's legal counsel I had never seen a patient with such

acidosis and c02 levels. Frances Cappuccini went

on to have a cardiac arrest. Charlie Rose joins us now

from Gravesend where Charlie, Frances Cappuccini's

family have waited a long Yes, the inquest was due to take

place in 2014 but it was postponed because of those criminal charges

which ended up being dropped. The family lawyer says the family have

had to wait for and a half years of this inquest. They have waited with

great patience. He also told the court this inquest is not just to

find out why Frances Cappuccini died but what circumstances. This inquest

is due to last for another nine days, during which time it will hear

from another 20 for experts and witnesses thanks, Charlie.

The South East Coast Ambulance Service has a new Chief Executive.

Daren Mochrie - who has almost 30 years' experience of working

in the NHS in Scotland - has been appointed.

The former Chief Executive left his post last year after it

emerged the trust ran a secret and controversial pilot

which delayed sending help for some calls.

A six-day strike by drivers on Southern rail next week has

been cut to three days, but the Aslef union says

there will be more industrial action later this month.

Members of Aslef were due to walk out for six days from Monday.

The strike will now be held over three days next week -

And today the Aslef union has announced three new strike days

However, Southern says the union's actions are merely "a cynical ploy",

to minimise the impact on drivers' pay and maximise

Shameful action being taken by the union leaders here.

This is disproportionate and unreasonable for the changes

We're making these changes to improve the quality of service

that we can offer to our passengers that they so desperately need

Our reporter Sara Smith is at Crawley station tonight.

Sara, has the union said why it's decided to change

They said today that they were taking a longer term view of this

dispute, that's why the split those days between next week and the last

weekend, last week in January. They say they can't guarantee there would

be more strikes. The accused Southern of posturing rather than

negotiating properly. Southern Xavier showing pure content for the

passengers. The language shows how better this dispute remains. Stuck

in the middle as always as the passengers. I've got to go back to

university next week and is not getting get ill at night because I

wouldn't have got back in time if I had to get the train. I work at

Gatwick Airport meeting is cancelled every day. I'm always late and you

run out of excuses. I heard it's because somebody doesn't want to

have to open doors as part of their job but I think people should just

be thankful they have a job. This dispute has been going on for a long

time. It's not just the Aslef drivers who are involved. Next week

12 members of the R M T who are also train drivers will be going on

strike, there will be no services on the trains. The booklet on 200 buses

to help people to get to other stations where they can pick up

other services which are running. Those buses would have nearly enough

capacity to deal with 2000 train services a day that they will be

replacing. Zero, thank you. A Kent school has defended

its decision to turn away girls wearing skirts that it deemed

'innappropriately short' on the first day of term,

saying parents are welcome to have Around a dozen girls were sent home

from Ebbsfleet Academy, prompting parents to take to social

media complaining that the school's But the school says the rules

need to be enforced. Our education correspondent

Bryony Mackenzie has more. How short is too short? The rule for

skirt length here is by centimetres -- five centimetres above the knee.

If you're going to have a uniform, you should enforce it strictly. It's

important for them to look smart. It was commented very positive in our

recent offset when the inspectors talk specifically about students

wearing the uniform with pride. I think it is quite odd to think that

young girls should be walking around wearing skirts that are flashing an

inappropriate amount of leg. Uniform is a contentious issue, especially

with parents who paper it. Last summer, the new head of a school

sent home over 50 students in three days in a row for incorrect uniform.

Ebbsfleet Academy have commented online. The parents. They said the

school was nit-picking over uniform and the skirt came from their own

website. Another we spoke to agreed. Sending them home is just wrong.

They have overreacted. If you've got a big legs or their sheep, it's

going to be hard to get us go to fit you. If I turn up for work without

the steel toe caps, I can't work. I think it's instilling that within

the children at a young age. Brilliant. I think sometimes these

goats were a bit too short for a school uniform. I can remember a

young girls in the 60s wearing ridiculously short skirts. At

school? Yes. The schools rules aren't clear. The rules are easily

broken. Bryony Mackenzie joins us now

from outside the school. Will these pupils be allowed back

in? Those who don't change tomorrow will be taught in isolation. This

row is much about the school's relationship with the parents as

much as the behaviour of the children. Of course, it's not

essential, every school doesn't have to have a uniform although many do.

The school says this is about the rules, their is you'll uniform and

other issues that affect everyday school life. Parents and pupils need

to abide by those rules to have a happy learning environment. Thank

you. The rise of private holiday letting

has led to a warning tonight that a relaxing getaway can turn

into a disaster if safety It comes after four people suffered

serious injuries after a balcony collapsed at an Airbnb flat

in Brighton last year. Paintings that make you look twice.

A Kent artist's work isn't quite what it appears to be. We are

expecting a hard frost as we go into tonight with a crisp cold winter's

day for tomorrow. I will have the details for you in the forecast just

a little later in the programme. Our pubs are closing

at an increasing rate, and in Gravesend -

where there's been an angry reaction to the illegal demolition

of the Battle of Britain pub - they're campaigning to give public

houses greater protection. According to the Campaign

for Real Ale, 27 pubs are closing with two being converted

into supermarkets. saying a pub injects about ?80,000

into the local economy each year. In Gravesend campaigners' plans

to help save their local boozers have been rejected

by the local authority. But as Leanne Rinne explains

for tonight's special report Across the fields of Kent and

Sussex, the Battle of Britain began in which the front line fighters

wear ear men. RAF pilots that served in World War II built the Battle of

Britain pub more than 70 years ago. For decades it was at the heart of

the local community until last year when it was demolished illegally.

Now, campaigners are calling on the council to apply article four to all

the remaining pubs in Greece and which would mean owners would have

to seek planning permission before changing the building use or

knocking pubs all over the country are being knocked down like our

beloved Battle of Britain which was a real historic landmark. I don't

want to see this happen to anyone again. In October last year,

developers wrote to the council asking whether permission was needed

to demolish the pub and agreed not to take any action until a decision

was made. But a week later bulldozers arrived and council

officers were called to decide to try and halt the demolition work.

The next day it continued illegally and the pub was then deemed

structurally unsafe. Greaves Sir Borough Council told me they would

consider using article for on a case-by-case basis but want to be

implementing it across the board for all pubs. Instead, they seat

amenities that devalue a particular building should apply to have that

building listed as a community asset which would give it more protection.

We have two or three vaguely viable parts, if they all stay open, we

will find out that the wash-out. Use it judiciously. Campaigners in do

work supported by Paul Hollywood won their battle to stop this in from

being turned into housing but without article for in place, there

are real fears in Greaves said that other pubs will soon be shut for

good. Frank Franklin is an artist

from Kent who delight's in creating fantastical images that can give

you completely the wrong impression. Take a look at this

image for instance - a Greek warrior stands with a cape

billowing in a sunset, But look at it another way -

and it's clearly a portrait Piers Hopkirk has been to his studio

in Rochester to see him at work. They say all art should

have the power to turn heads, and for Frank Franklin,

that's exactly what makes his There's this face and some

fruit and another bowel Obviously another cat

standing over here. We take it back and it

reveals a face. This is supposed

to be Nicholas Cage. Frank's intricately imagined

pictures within pictures are the product of hours of careful

thought, before they're finally I just looked into the shadows

for as long as I could to try and find images, which didn't really

relate to a face. Eventually, I found

the images I was happy with. In the foreground, you've got

a horse here, it's pulling a chariot in front of a couple

of standing stones. Remarkably, Frank was

never formally trained. Through social media, his paintings

now sell all over the world, from Australia to America and even

China. I'm just glad people

enjoy it, really. I enjoy doing it and for someone

to actually enjoy looking at it. It's even better to

have some feedback. I like it when you see

the little bit of wonder in their eyes where they're like,

Oh, my God, that's what that is. Frank's now planning a full

exhibition of his paintings. He's considering having them

rotating to enhance the effect, creating then, a whole

gallery of turners. Bill Lucas led a life that is by any

standards, extraordinary. He is Britain's oldest

Olympian, who ran the 5,000 During the war, he flew 81 missions

for Bomber command, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross,

and became a squadron leader. Since then, he's been heavily

involved in grass roots athletics, as well as fundraising

for other veterans. Now there are growing calls

for his contributions to be officially recognised

with an honour. Ian Palmer has been

to meet him at his home They carried out bombing missions

over Germany during the Second World War. Bomber Command is credited by

some with helping to bring the conflict to an end. Bill Lucas

standing on the left carried out 81 missions. There are calls for him

who is 99 years old to be officially recognised with an honour. It would

mean quite a lot. Yes. It really would. He was nominated as an honest

candidate two years ago. So far he has been overlooked. His wife says

time is running out. He lost out on the Olympics because of the war.

That would be great. I would like him to receive something. After the

war, Bill Lucas represented Great Britain in the 1948 Olympics, he can

be seen at the back running against... Leading the pack. The man

wearing 213 missed two Olympics because of the war. As I flippantly

say, Hitler deprived me of them so I went and bombed him. Thousands of

people recognised in the New Year, among the most noticeable was Andy

Murray who becomes a night. The comedian Ken Dodd also becomes a

server. The former pop singer Victoria Beckham was given will for

her services fashion. But some say the honours are discredited because

the are given to too many people who don't deserve them. Someone who

would agree if the president of the Belgrave Harriers athletic club

where Bill Lucas has been a member for more than 80 years where he ran

and helped coach youngsters. It's a case of whether you can work the

system and pitted together. Someone like Bill Lucas just wouldn't think

of doing anything like that. Bill Lucas is 100 years old in 12 days.

An honour would be the best bet the present he could receive.

Lots of sunshine for tomorrow but temperatures start the day at around

-3, maybe even minus four. Earlier today by contrast it was much

milder. First thing we had that patchy drizzle and cloud but behind

that we've had clearer skies. This was the picture at sunset at

Ramsgate in Kent. Those clearer skies mean as we head to tonight

temperatures plummet, as low as -34 degrees, lots of sunshine around

tomorrow, temperatures not getting about three or four. This is the

picture as we head through to tonight. We've got clearer skies,

the odd isolated shower at the further east you are. Widely

temperatures below freezing. In more rural spots, potentially as low as

minus two degrees. As we start the day tomorrow, a hard frost first

thing with an pressure, it is the settled crisp if cold day. Lots of

sunshine from the word go. Temperatures are the most part by

the afternoon ranging between three and along the closed five or 6

degrees. A really chilly day. Northerly winds which I quite like,

five to ten mph. Thursday into Friday, more moisture in the air,

potentially some freezing fog and mist patches around. Again,

temperatures dropping below freezing for us all. Minus two degrees in

more rural spots, patches hovering just below freezing. For the most

part it is a frosty start to the day for Friday and misty and murky. That

fog is slow to clear. It is dry initially but it doesn't stay that

way. He was the picture to the afternoon. All of us saying that

rain for a time, heavy bursts, temperatures reaching highs of six

or 7 degrees. Once that rain clears through, it is a warm front. Behind

it as we look towards the weekend, generally it will be milder. Lots of

cloud around, some drizzle, but for the most part as we see there's a

ridge of high pressure, mostly a dry picture, lots of Clyde, temperatures

at seven or 8 degrees. For tomorrow, sunshine but wrap up warm because it

will be called. -- cold. Exasperated commuters,

unhealthily packed trains and companies forced out of business

- Britain's worst strike in 20 years has meant misery for hundreds

of thousands of people and BBC South East is hosting a special

Question Time style debate on the on-going crisis

on our railways. This is not a dispute

with the public. This is a dispute with the

Government and with this company. That it's gone on for

as long as it has. I've tried to empathise

with why they're striking. You pay too much for delays,

cancellations and disruption. I don't think the Prime Minister has

any idea of the level of suffering and pain that rail passengers

and businesses are suffering. There is only one body responsible

for the current strike. This is a strike

from the trade unions. If you live or work in the south

east and want to take part in the debate at

the Chequer Mead Theatre in East Grinstead this Sunday then

send an email to with your name, The programme airs on Monday 9th

January at 7.30pm on BBC1. That's about it for now. We will be

back at eight o'clock and 1030. See you then. Have a good evening.

Goodbye.