11/04/2017 South East Today

The threat of legal action against a Kent council leader

by the company wanting to reopen Manston Airport.

Is the NHS prejudiced against obese people?

We hear from the Sussex woman who says she was

forced to go private for life-saving weight-loss surgery.

I was bloated out with water retention and it was causing my

other organs to fail. The driver of a lorry that brought

down a bridge on the M20 And the man in the mummy -

how 21st-century technology is unlocking 3,000-year-old

mysteries at a castle in Kent. South-east politicians have called

tonight for migrants in northern France to be relocated far

from the Port of Calais after a huge fire destroyed a camp housing 1,500

people near Dunkirk. Wooden huts were reduced to ashes

after the fire last night, which followed a large-scale fight

between Afghan and Kurdish migrants. Riot police were called in and at

least 10 people have been hurt. There had been concern that this

camp was becoming increasingly unstable and ruled by people

traffickers from The authorities had

planned to shut it down. The flames might well have

done that job for them. Big trouble happened

with the Afghan people and Kurdish. Afghan people, first time,

attacked Kurdish with a knife. Well, it is an eerie atmosphere

here in the camp today. The fires are now out,

but you can still smell What people used to call home is now

largely reduced to ashes. The police ushered out any migrants

who turned up today. Hundreds of migrants have been

given temporary shelter But charities are warning

that many have already What they were doing

here, which was trying Do you think it is

going to get worse? You know, I mean, it

was bad here anyway. The closure of the Calais Jungle

camp last October cost the numbers In February, we discovered migrants

from Dunkirk where making nightly attempts to smuggle themselves

into Kent using public And last month, five migrants

were injured in clashes at Dunkirk. What this does is it puts

more than 1000 migrants, all of them desperate,

on the streets, around That means danger

for our lorry drivers. The French authorities say

that they are now trying to persuade the migrants to go

to secure shelters. We need to round them

up and get them back I think it is in the interests

of Dover and Calais that we work together to ensure that the

Dover-Calais trade route is And charities point out

that the people who lived here have Lawyers for RiverOak -

the company that's hoping to reopen Manston Airport in East Kent -

are threatening legal action against the leader

of Thanet District Council, It follows an e-mail he sent

to fellow councillors claiming that Belize,

where one of RiverOak's key investors is based,

is a "major money-laundering country" linked to the illegal drugs

trade and human trafficking. Peter Whittlesea has

our exclusive story. It might have closed by the company

RiverOak, that plans to reopen Manston Airport, is threatening to

sue the leader of Thanet District Council following comments he made

regarding the company's financial interest in Central America. In an

e-mail to a local resident and copy to 35 members of panic counsel,

Chris Wells Road, Belize is one of 14 Caribbean nations named by the US

as a money-laundering country, with transactions from international Mac

to traffic in. And it is a shipment point for marijuana, cocaine and

human trafficking is a concern. Campaigners say that they are

shocked and reputable company trying to create employment in Thanet has

been written about in this way. The allegations that RiverOak have

something to do with unobscured country in South America is an

extraordinary thing to say about apparently respectable organisation

that has been trying hard for years to get a fair hearing. RiverOak's

legal team have written to Chris Wells to demand an unqualified

withdrawal of the allegations and an apology. Confirmation that you will

recuse yourself from the involvement of any decision of Thanet District

Council relating to the Manston Airport site. And payment of a

significant sum in damages for the damage to the company's reputation.

No, no comment at all. That was Chris Wells' response today. When

elected as Ukip's first council leader, G promise to keep Thanet

council out of the headlines. We will see what happens when we adopt

a more calm approach and doing things, and we could find that

Thanet council becomes less the object of people's attention and

more the object of admiration because they simply get on with the

job. But critics say that when it comes to Manston Airport, the

council has not got the job done. We can cross live to

Peter Whittlesea who's in Manston. Peter, what have RiverOak

had to say today? RiverOak said that they gave Chris

Wells a deadline of 5pm this evening to meet the demands he would face

legal action. They have said he has not tonight corrected these

libellous allegations but he has asked for extra time. The

interesting thing is what happens next. Chris Wells does not defend

this, then what his political opponents say is he will become a

lame duck council leader because he will not be able to make crucial

decisions when it comes to Manston Airport. If he does defend it, I

understand these claims against him personally, not the council, so that

the question is, does he have enough cash to fight a legal battle against

a big company? Because we all know that legal battles can be expensive.

Peter, thank you very much. The World War II scrapbook

revealing what school life Medical experts have accused the NHS

of prejudice against obese patients and even turning some away

for surgery they desperately need. Last year, obesity was a factor

in more than 33,000 hospital admissions in Kent, Surrey

and Sussex - that's a 15% And it's estimated that

obesity-related treatment costs the NHS more than

?5 billion each year. Tonight, as Charlie Rose reports,

one woman from East Sussex, who was forced to pay privately

for weight-loss surgery, has said she would have died

without the treatment. 52-year-old Karen, from Eastbourne,

had her gastric bypass It is where the digestive

system is re-routed past But the numbers of NHS surgeries

are falling and Karen felt that she had no option but to pay

for her treatment herself I was bloated out with water

retention and it was causing my Some view obesity

as a lifestyle issue. Others see it as a disease that

needs specialist treatment. Since April 2013, national policy

stipulates that patients undergo a diet and lifestyle programme

for two years called Tier 3 services Don't think I could have

taken the risk, going I don't think I could

have waited that long. In the UK, severe obesity rates have

trebled over the last three years and type two diabetes has seen

a similar rise. But in the last five years,

the number of bariatric operations in the south-east,

those are procedures such as fitting a gastric band

or performing a gastric bypass, It might be that there is a bit

of prejudice out there. It might be that people

do not feel this sort of treatment is not only

worthwhile, but deserved. Do you think there is any prejudice

within health care professionals? Unfortunately, I have to say,

yes, I think there is. This is surgery to improve

health ? diabetes, blood NHS England says that decisions

are informed by best evidence and national

guidance where appropriate. But there are fears that the number

of operations undertaken You can see the full programme -

Obesity: How Prejudiced is the NHS? - at nine o'clock this

evening on BBC Two. A long-awaited decision

on the location of a new Thames Crossing linking Kent and Essex

is expected tomorrow. Highways England has been

recommending a new tunnel east of Gravesend, but ministers have

also been considering another The decision follows the largest

ever public consultation Gatwick Airport claims its policy

on disruptive passengers is working, with fewer incidents reported

in 2016 compared It comes after a Parliamentary

report said the sale of alcohol to holidaymakers jetting off

on early-morning flights should be restricted

because of an increase in rowdy The airport says it has a strict

policy of not serving alcohol to passengers unable

to prove their age. Police officers attending incidents

in Thanet involving someone experiencing a mental health crisis

could now be accompanied The pilot scheme aims to ensure that

people receive the most A driver of a lorry which brought

down a footbridge over the M20 in Kent last year has denied causing

serious injury by dangerous driving. The incident last August saw 170

tonnes of concrete collapse onto the motorway -

forcing a motorcyclist to throw himself from his bike,

breaking three ribs. Sara Smith reports from

Maidstone Crown Court. Two lorries crushed,

a motorcyclist in hospital and a footbridge destroyed

by the impact. The low-loader carrying a dumper

truck and excavator had been travelling London-bound

when the bridge was struck But the whole motorway had to be

closed while the remaining structure Today, lorry driver Alan Austin

was at Maidstone Crown Court to hear Alan Austin had two counts put

to him today ? dangerous driving and causing serious injury

through dangerous driving. He pleaded not guilty to both

of them and will be back here early The motorcyclist was

Jim Shaw from Thamesmead. He explained from his hospital bed

where he was being treated for broken ribs how

the scene unfolded. The bridge was coming down, almost

like in slow motion to start with. Because it is eating

its way through the lorry, But then it tore away

from the other side. As that came down,

it was a matter of throw the bike The footbridge itself

had been empty. But on the busy bank holiday

weekend, the closure The motorway was closed for a second

time the following weekend for the rest of the bridge

to be removed. South East politicians have called

tonight for migrants in northern France to be relocated far

from the Port of Calais, after a huge fire destroyed a camp

housing 1,500 people near Dunkirk. Also in tonight's programme,

what's in a name? How the latest scanning technology

is revealing 3,000-year-old It has been another dry day with

sunshine, but will be settled weather come to an end?

If you have a story you think we should be covering

on South East Today, we'd like to hear from you.

You can call us on 0345 300 37 47, or send us an e-mail

We are also on Facebook, or you can tweet us - @bbcsoutheast.

There are just over three weeks to go, until we go to the polls

in county council elections across the South East,

and today the Ukip leader Paul Nuttall said he is expecting

these elections to be the "most difficult" the party

In 2009, there were no Ukip councillors elected

in Kent, Sussex and Surrey But four years later, the party won a total

Enough to make it the second-largest party and official opposition

against the Conservatives. Our political editor Helen Catt

is in Cliftonville, near Margate. Helen, Thanet has come

to be seen as something For Ukip comment yes. In 2013, they

won seven seats here in Thanet. It was wet night of Irish chose to make

his Parliamentary run in 2015, so this area does not have just

political importance but symbolic importance. A lot of trains eyes

will look here. I caught up with the man in charge of that future,

Parliament when he was canvassing today. It was a quieter affair than

the sum of former Ukip readers that it is. Palme d'Or on his first trip

to Thanet chose Broadstairs. They will represent the community and put

the community needs first, and opposed to any building on green

belt across the south-east. The Southeast has a huge problem with

the number of people in the south-east. We need to keep Ukip on

the pitch because we add the guard dogs of Brexit. Ukip gained almost

40 seats across the region in 2013. It went on to win the European

elections the week after, and take control of Thanet District Council.

But in recent months, several power and profile members have quit,

raising questions over the party's future relevance. I do not know what

the future will be and others will speak for themselves, but for my own

part, I wish ex-colleagues well. We have achieved our joint objective of

winning a vote to get out of the EU. On the doorstep this morning, a vote

of confidence. Ukip did get help to get is out of the EE you, but there

are many other things that Ukip can do to help ring Brexit further on.

Do you think there is still a role for them? Very much. These people in

Cliftonville went entirely sure. I think they have achieved what they

set out to and I have not heard any more. Anything Althea wanting to

achieve. I do not think they are as relevant as they were before. There

are other things happening in the world at the moment. If people stick

to their guns and say they will stick with it no matter what, they

should be all right. These will probably be the most difficult local

elections we will face before 2020. There ran no illusions there, we

know where we stand on this, but we are confident we will get Ukip

councillors serving their communities well. By the way, these

elections could be crucial in what comes next for Ukip. It is no

challenge to underestimate for a party to win elections while still

being in transition itself. Paul Nuttall told me the party is there

to make sure to reason it walks the walk on Brexit, but it is not a

single issue party. Trying to get some traction on the policies it has

an social care, rail, that will be a challenge for them, too. We will be

talking to Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats before

polling day. You can find lists of all candidates on the county council

websites. A series of paintings and drawings

by a wartime art teacher is giving pupils at Maidstone Grammar School

for Girls a unique insight into what it was like being

at school under the threat of bombing and surrounded

by military defences. Helen Keen's colourful

World War two scrapbook, showing teachers and pupils in air

raid shelters and trying to work under their desks,

has been given new life in a memoir Pictures of school life

in the midst of war. Here, the paintings and drawings

by art teacher Helen Keen. During World War II,

she recorded life at The echoes of those days

resound loud and clear deep in the air raid shelter,

excavated and preserved Its poignancy is felt most by two

former school pupils who used it Numb down here, I think.

Yeah. Her memories are part of the story

etched in the scrapbook belonging I remember the siren going mostly

during lunchtime or break time, The cook and her helpers

all served lunches down here, running to and fro to put

the potatoes on. Ruth's recollections are woven

into a new book describing a world This shows two teachers resting

in the shelters back-to-back. I think telling the story of the war

from the perspective of schoolchildren and schoolteachers

in paint like this, I don't know We'd started to bring primary school

children down to visit the shelters, and when we really discovered

the book of paintings, we thought it would be lovely to put

these together in some way, partly so the primary school

children could enjoy them and have But actually, also,

so that we could give Miss Keen's paintings a wider audience,

which is what I think they deserve. Her full story remains undiscovered,

but Miss Keen's way of making sense of life during war in a school

in Kent will be cherished forever. Since the 1950s, Chiddingstone

Castle in Kent has been harbouring a mystery dating back over 3,000

years, the lid of an ancient Egyptian coffin, and until now,

no-one has been able to say But thanks to the latest

scanning technology, experts are actually able to reveal

the name of the man It is beautiful, and spellbinding,

in an eerie sort of way. It was made as the last resting

place for an Egyptian man But it is a coffin lid,

something we tend not But say the word "mummy",

and our imagination let's rip. It is a very important object,

and for our visitors, I think it is probably the most

popular object with visitors. You just walk up the stairs,

you do not expect to see something like this,

so beautiful up here. Its exact origins remain

undiscovered, and though it is marked with hieroglyphs,

no-one knew the name That is until a group of visitors

from the British Museum came round. They knew what they were looking

for and they flashed their cameras and they thought that they could see

hieroglyphs that they That is where the name is, yes,

running down that middle plank. The foot of our mummy was scanned

by experts using a technique called It still doesn't look much,

but it seems to have done the trick. The camera, which has a greater

sensitivity than the human eye was able to pick up very fine

remains of pigments that spelled out the hieroglyphs

of this person's name. Irethorru is, in fact,

a relatively common name So here is Irethorru,

the man in the mummy, if you like. And as the ancient Egyptians

believed, to speak the name of the dead person was to give

them life eternal. And that is just what is

happening in this case. A life-after-death story remembered

by people of the future, in a place and a cold climate

he could never have imagined. Robin Gibson, BBC South East

Today, Chiddingstone. Incredible what they can reveal with

technology. We started off today with a

beautiful sunrise at Broadstairs, all calm and lovely with clear

skies. That led to sunshine. Temperatures have climbed to around

14 Celsius inland. It has been a touch cooler around the coast as we

would expect. If we look at the satellite picture, new can see how

much of the country has been enjoying clear skies. Across the

north, there is more clout. These will bring a lot more clout towards

us, but not a huge amount of rain. Qui risk eyes to the night and it

will turn chilly just like last night. We could get down to three

Celsius. For most places, we are starting at around six Celsius. Good

spells of sunshine around the morning. Weather front is moving its

way south, so thickening up the cloud. Later on, there is a small

chance we will catch a shower or two, especially parts of North Kent.

Through the afternoon, is temperatures will be similar. 14, 15

Celsius. You will see it is a cold front. Not a huge amount of rain on

it, but it will bring cloud as it heads across into Thursday night.

Occasional showers, not everyone will see them. Certainly would not

rely on them. As we start Thursday morning, six, seven Celsius. Once

the weather friend has cleared away, we're back to dry weather with good

spells of sunshine. The cold front will introduce some cooler air

throughout Thursday, so even with sunshine, we are looking

temperatures of around 11 Celsius. As far as Easter is concerned,

settled, a little bit on the club decided. Possible showers. Does not

look too bad does it? Thank you very much, Nina.

Before we go, let's recap tonight's top stories.

British calls for additional sanctions against Russia to force

it to withdraw support for Syria's President Assad

have been rejected by G7 foreign ministers.

The High Court has ruled that doctors can withdraw life support

from a baby with a rare genetic condition, against

And south-east politicians have called tonight for migrants

in northern France to be relocated far from the Port of Calais,

after a huge fire destroyed a camp housing 1,500 people near Dunkirk.

We can cross over to Dunkirk now to our reporter. Do we know what is

going to happen to the hundreds of migrants living in the camp there?

1500 migrants call this place their home. The police are still here

tonight stopping any of them returning. I think the authorities

will try to disperse the migrants to centres across France, like when

there was the closure of the Calle jungle. But some may not want to go.

The front runner in the French presidential election has joined the

debate. His team say that France is increasingly acting as bodyguards

for the UK and that many to be discussed during Brexit. That is it

for us from this evening. We will have updates in our late Litton at

10:25pm. There have never been

so many people in work - that's what the Government

keeps telling us. But what's the reality of this

Tory jobs bonanza?