26/05/2017 South East Today

And it wouldn't be a bank holiday weekend without a weather warning. I

will have the full forecast later in the programme.

A major fire which broke out at a recycling centre in baize last night

and was fought at its height by 11 fund times as this lunchtime just

been put out. A thick black plume of smoke

could be seen for almost 20 miles across Sussex after 200 tonnes

of scrap metal caught fire just Part of the A27 had to be

closed Our environment correspondent, Yvette Austin,

is at the Light Brothers Yvette, why did the fire

cause so much smoke? You are right about the amount of

smoke. It was a huge plume that could be seen for miles. People were

told to keep their doors and windows told to keep their doors and windows

closed and the A27 was closed. One of the things they do here is

recycle electrical goods, things like vacuum cleaners, microwaves and

toasters. So there are things like plastic, rubber and metal and the

pile where the fire was was about ten metres high, said that's what

caused the smoke. An enormous quantity to be pulled

out, damped down and moved off, so that's why it's taking so long

and that's why there Do we have any idea

of what the cause of It's to early to say yet. The

company put on its website that the fire was spotted by CCTV at 7:20pm.

The Fire and Rescue Service will Robbie turn up later on today to

start the investigation, which will turn on for a few days because there

is so much burnt material to go through and the Environment Agency

will probably carry out an investigation. This is a registered

waste site so there will be rules and regulations they have too abide

by and the Environment Agency will want to make sure that it was doing

everything it should. From today Ministry

of Defence Police officers will be supporting Kent Police as part

of on-going increased security following the attack

in Manchester on Monday. Highly-visible firearms officers

are already patrolling key locations The national threat level remains

at critical and members of the public are asked

to remain alert. There has been disruption

for thousands of passengers at Gatwick Airport this morning

with some flights departing without luggage due to problems

with the baggage handling system. It's one of the busiest days

for the airport with people trying to get away for the bank holiday

and school half term. Our reporter Jon Hunt

is outside the airport Jon, what exactly

happened this morning? Well, it was a breakdown of the

baggage conveyor sorting system. Around 430 AM this morning, this is

the system that sends your suitcases from the check-in gate where the

aircraft is part. It was affecting both terminal so many airlines were

affected but EasyJet passengers were worst hit. The problem meant that

bags could not be processed in time for some of the flights and bags

started accumulating in the terminal areas. There were long queues for

passengers as well. The airport says 3000 bags did not make their flights

so thousands of holiday-makers and business goers are arriving at their

destination without their belongings today. Have the problem been

resolved? Well, Gatwick Airport says the problem was resolved at 9am this

morning. They would not let our cameras into the airport but I was

able to get in and speak to passengers and they were

encountering difficulties that 11am this morning. Claire Fox is 31 weeks

pregnant, travelling with two children to Greece for a week, they

were at the airport at 4am and she says the queue was out of the door.

It took them an hour and a half to get through check in and security

was round. They got to the gate and the plane had left without them.

They were still looking for their bags at 11am this morning. Jamie

Hall from Manchester had been training since January for a

sporting competition, a world sporting competition. He says that

his flight was mist as well and all that training is down the pan.

Gatwick has apologised and said it is working with its partners to

forward on bags to passengers who do not have them today.

With record temperatures predicted for this weekend,

there's a warning that popular routes in the South East,

like parts of the M25, could take four times

More than 15 million cars are expected on the UK's roads over

the bank holiday with this afternoon expected to be the busiest period.

But there is some good news - Highways England say they've lifted

80 miles of roadworks in the South East to

And, stay with us for a full weather forecast for the Bank Holiday

Margate's Dreamland will re-open this weekend after a multi-million

pound revamp including new rides and a music stage.

The amusement park was placed in administration less than a year

after its re-launch in June 2015 but has since received ?25 million

Vintage dodgems and teacups have been added to the ride

line-up and they'll also be some live events.

What happened subsequent to the opening in 2015 was we had

a good range of rides at the park but the financing wasn't quite

there to make the overall park, the look and feel of the place

and the reliability of the rides and quality of the food quite

what it needed to be to give people that great day out and for them

to want to come back again and to bring their friends down

again, so that's what we've been doing.

Now for that all-important bank holiday weather forecast.

Lots of sunshine right across the South East at the moment

Here's a nice picture of the seaside.

A little bit cooler towards the coast with wind coming

in from the sea and the wind has picked up a little

But is the heat and the sunshine going to last over

Well, we think it is going to be quite warm although Monday could

There will be lots of sunshine around at times but also the chance

All the details in just a little bit.

The rest of this afternoon the sunshine is likely to continue.

Temperature-wise we'll be up to 26, 20 seven Celsius inland but cooler

than that towards the coast with the wind coming

Overnight tonight it is going to feel quite muggy.

Some late sunshine this evening and we will keep the clear skies.

It will stay dry and temperatures will not drop very far either.

We will start the day off tomorrow on around 16,

maybe 17 Celsius but you can see the showers behind me.

They are likely to push through tomorrow morning and some

of them could turn out to be heavy and even thundery but some places

won't see them at all and it will just be sunny all day.

A lot of sunshine around tomorrow afternoon.

Just towards coastal areas there is the risk that we could see

some coastal fog onshore at times so do watch out for that.

The highest of the temperatures will again be inland up

into the mid-20s in Celsius once more.

Now, we have had a weather warning issued by the Met Office for Sunday.

This starts at mid-day on Sunday lasted until midday on Monday,

we think there could be the risk of some heavy, thundery downpours,

quite lot of rain falling in a short space of time.

I think for much of the daytime on Sunday it will be dry.

The risk of the showers through the afternoon into the evening

By Monday, mostly dry, a few showers at times.

Before we go, here's Natalie Graham with the details of our special

It's a political battle over security, trade and immigration.

It's a battle over the future of the National Health Service.

And it's a battle over how to fund and run our schools.

Politicians from the main five parties will be fighting it out

here in St Leonards on bank holiday Monday, May 29th, and we would

If you live or work in the South East, and you'd

like to be in the audience, send an email to:

We'd like to hear from you view have a story you think we should be

covering. Natalie and John will be here at

6:30pm have a very good afternoon. In Japan, art and life are

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the skin of Japan's landscapes, cities and traditions

in The Art Of Japanese Life. ..as part of Japan Season

on BBC Four. Step in the arena,

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