:00:00. > :00:20.MPs call on the Government to deal That's all from the
:00:21. > :00:23.MPs call on the Government to deal with that strike action that is
:00:24. > :00:24.upcoming and Southern Rail. Tributes are paid to a Kent father
:00:25. > :00:28.who died after falling from a pram We're live in Sutton
:00:29. > :00:31.Valence with reaction. MPs call on the Government
:00:32. > :00:34.to settle the Southern rail crisis ahead of further strike
:00:35. > :00:35.action next week. And less than two years
:00:36. > :00:38.after he joined Gillingham, a home defeat seals his fate
:00:39. > :00:40.as Justin Edinburgh Sussex MPs are calling
:00:41. > :00:47.on the Government to announce its plan to end the bitter
:00:48. > :00:49.Southern Rail dispute. Commuters returning to work this
:00:50. > :00:52.morning after the Christmas break faced delays and disruption
:00:53. > :00:53.on Southern services, which the operator is blaming
:00:54. > :01:05.on the overtime ban by drivers There was an encouraging meeting
:01:06. > :01:09.with the Prime Minister just before the Christmas break, and we were
:01:10. > :01:13.told that plans would be in place if the strikes had not been resolved. I
:01:14. > :01:15.have not had any details of what those plans are, and I will be
:01:16. > :01:23.pushing ministers and the Secretary of State for more information for my
:01:24. > :01:24.constituents. What is the plan to help my constituents get about their
:01:25. > :01:27.daily lives? Well, I'm joined now from Lewes
:01:28. > :01:29.by our reporter, Natalie Graham. but it wasn't a smooth start
:01:30. > :01:42.to the new year, was it? No, miserable beginning to 2017 for
:01:43. > :01:48.rail passengers in Sussex. Many of them beginning the New Year as they
:01:49. > :01:53.ended the last year, and rail replacement buses, operating as
:01:54. > :01:58.normal now, even though this is not a strike day. The 72 hour strike
:01:59. > :02:01.that began on New Year's Day has ended, but there was widespread
:02:02. > :02:10.destruction this morning. -- disruption. That is because of an
:02:11. > :02:12.overtime ban from union members. They had this meeting before
:02:13. > :02:16.Christmas, they believe there has been activity behind-the-scenes at
:02:17. > :02:19.the Department of Transport and number ten over Christmas, but they
:02:20. > :02:24.were hoping to have something to report to their constituents by now,
:02:25. > :02:28.a plan of action to show that this will not go on for ever. Passengers
:02:29. > :02:32.this morning on the Brighton line had a miserable start to the week.
:02:33. > :02:39.The Government should stop the fare increase until they have sorted out
:02:40. > :02:48.what is going on here with Southern Rail. It has gone on for too long.
:02:49. > :02:56.It is ridiculous. The increases are out of keeping with salary increases
:02:57. > :02:58.and all the rest. It is a pretty awful situation altogether.
:02:59. > :03:05.And, Natalie, all this on a day that the rail fares increase?
:03:06. > :03:15.Indeed. They have risen by an average of over 2%. For Southern
:03:16. > :03:18.passages in particular, especially those affected by the disruption
:03:19. > :03:24.today, that feels like insult to injury. The Government says it is
:03:25. > :03:27.necessary to carry out its programme of modernisation, but that is the
:03:28. > :03:31.modernising process or as the units would have it, changes that are
:03:32. > :03:33.endangering passenger safety, but are the heart of this dispute. Thank
:03:34. > :03:37.you. And a reminder that we're hosting
:03:38. > :03:40.a special Question Time-style debate about the ongoing crisis on
:03:41. > :03:42.Southern rail services this Sunday, If you live or work in the south
:03:43. > :03:47.east and want to be in the audience, send an email
:03:48. > :03:48.to bbcraildebate@bbc.co.uk with your details
:03:49. > :03:58.and how you've been affected. A man who died after falling
:03:59. > :04:01.from a flat in St Leonards-on-Sea has been named locally
:04:02. > :04:03.as 25-year-old Dan Dawson. It's thought he fell from four
:04:04. > :04:06.storeys up after an incident in the early hours
:04:07. > :04:08.of New Year's Day. Two men and two women
:04:09. > :04:11.from St Leonards have been bailed until March after being arrested
:04:12. > :04:13.on suspicion of murder. Another man from Hertfordshire
:04:14. > :04:16.has also been bailed. BBC South East has discovered
:04:17. > :04:19.websites selling fake degrees for universities in the south east,
:04:20. > :04:22.despite a major crackdown. The Government has shut down more
:04:23. > :04:26.than 40 sites in 18 months. But a number of sites in the Far
:04:27. > :04:31.East are still offering certificates for institutions including
:04:32. > :04:35.the Universities of Sussex, Tributes have been paid
:04:36. > :04:42.to a Kent man who died during a charity pram
:04:43. > :04:44.race on New Year's Day. 52-year-old Francis O'Sullivan,
:04:45. > :04:47.known as Titch, suffered a head
:04:48. > :04:50.injury after he fell from a pram at the event in Sutton Valence
:04:51. > :04:53.near Maidstone His sister has described him
:04:54. > :05:01.as a great brother, dad and uncle. Our reporter, Chrissie Reidy,
:05:02. > :05:05.is in Sutton Valence now. What's been the reaction
:05:06. > :05:21.from people you've spoken to? This village is in mourning today.
:05:22. > :05:25.People have been coming this morning and yesterday, laying flowers to pay
:05:26. > :05:30.their respects. But it is still very raw and for those residents I spoke
:05:31. > :05:34.to this morning, this tragedy still is sinking in.
:05:35. > :05:41.There have been known incidents in There have been known incidents in
:05:42. > :05:45.the past. -- no incidents. It is a joy, and it was a shock to everyone.
:05:46. > :05:54.Everyone is in mourning for this chap. We are very, very sad to hear
:05:55. > :05:57.the news and shocked. It started off as a day of fun, really, and it was
:05:58. > :05:59.something look forward to buy the whole village.
:06:00. > :06:02.Chrissie, this annual event has been held there for more than 30 years.
:06:03. > :06:08.What response has there been from the organisers?
:06:09. > :06:17.They haven't said anything yet but, as you said, it has been going for
:06:18. > :06:19.more than 30 years. A well-established charity fundraiser,
:06:20. > :06:23.they have raised thousands of pounds over the years. One woman who did
:06:24. > :06:29.not want to appear on camera said it is a very well marshalled event,
:06:30. > :06:32.safety has always been a priority, there are bales of hay around the
:06:33. > :06:39.course. She also said she did see him and his crew dressed in RAF
:06:40. > :06:43.costumes, they saluted as they went past. In her words, they were going
:06:44. > :06:48.very fast but they looked happy. Of course, he was airlifted to hospital
:06:49. > :06:51.having suffered a serious head injury. It was confirmed he died at
:06:52. > :06:56.about 1am this morning. Thank you.
:06:57. > :06:58.Gillingham have sacked their manager, Justin Edinburgh,
:06:59. > :07:00.after just under two years with the League One side.
:07:01. > :07:02.Yesterday's 1-0 defeat at home to Oxford was described
:07:03. > :07:04.by club chairman Paul Scally as "the final straw".
:07:05. > :07:08.The Gills have lost 11 of their 25 league matches this season
:07:09. > :07:15.Meanwhile, there were impressive wins for Brighton, Charlton
:07:16. > :07:18.and Crawley yesterday, with the Seagulls' victory at Fulham
:07:19. > :07:21.sending them two points clear at the top of the Championship.
:07:22. > :07:26.Brighton continued their impressive form in the Championship
:07:27. > :07:28.is they beat Fulham 2-1 away from home.
:07:29. > :07:33.and were awarded an early penalty in the 15th minute.
:07:34. > :07:38.That was saved by the Seagulls' keeper, David Stockdale.
:07:39. > :07:40.With their tails up, Fulham opened the scoring.
:07:41. > :07:42.However, the game turned when their opponents levelled
:07:43. > :07:49.Lewis Dunk then scored Brighton's winner two minutes later.
:07:50. > :07:51.Charlton Athletic came from behind to beat Bristol Rovers 4-1
:07:52. > :07:55.Jermaine Easter was handed a 15th-minute opener
:07:56. > :08:00.Striker Josh Magennis was the star of the show for the Addicks,
:08:01. > :08:05.Just after it, Jorge Teixeira made it 3-1 for Charlton
:08:06. > :08:09.who scored his first hat-trick of his career.
:08:10. > :08:13.And Crawley claimed revenge for their 5-0 thrashing at Yeovil
:08:14. > :08:16.a month ago with a comfortable home victory over the Glovers.
:08:17. > :08:18.First half goals came from defender Josh Yorwerth
:08:19. > :08:21.and striker James Collins from the penalty spot,
:08:22. > :08:30.which gave the hosts their first points of the festive season.
:08:31. > :08:38.Well, we are certainly finishing the day on a much cloudier note
:08:39. > :08:41.It was cold, it was frosty, it was icy,
:08:42. > :08:44.and some beautiful sunrises as well, as captured
:08:45. > :08:47.by our weather watcher Kentclouds in Gravesend this morning.
:08:48. > :08:49.So thank you very much for posting that.
:08:50. > :08:51.As we head into the afternoon, though,
:08:52. > :08:57.Some of us have still got a few bright hours ahead of us.
:08:58. > :09:01.and that will make quite a big difference to temperatures,
:09:02. > :09:03.getting up to about five or six Celsius.
:09:04. > :09:06.As we head through tonight, we are holding onto that cloud.
:09:07. > :09:11.so it's not going to be quite as cold as it was last night.
:09:12. > :09:13.But with the north-westerly breeze also picking up,
:09:14. > :09:15.and that will be quite fresh, temperatures getting down
:09:16. > :09:19.to about two or three degrees Celsius tonight.
:09:20. > :09:23.For tomorrow, some of that cloud is going to be with us first thing.
:09:24. > :09:25.We will also see a few outbreaks of rain.
:09:26. > :09:27.Not for everyone, and it should be fairly light,
:09:28. > :09:30.but that cloud should break up fairly early on in the day,
:09:31. > :09:33.and then we have some beautiful winter sunshine on offer.
:09:34. > :09:36.So a largely fine and dry day for many of us,
:09:37. > :09:39.with highs or six or seven degrees Celsius.
:09:40. > :09:42.Thursday morning, though, we can expect a widespread frost.
:09:43. > :09:45.A very cold start to the day, perhaps some fog patches,
:09:46. > :09:51.But some beautiful sunshine later on.
:09:52. > :09:53.Friday, not so much - a bit more cloud around
:09:54. > :09:56.as a band of rain pushes southwards later on in the day
:09:57. > :09:59.But that clears in time for the weekend.
:10:00. > :10:04.So a largely cloudy weekend with still a little chill in the air.
:10:05. > :10:13.We're back with the evening news from 6:30pm.