24/01/2017 South Today - Oxford

The dawn raids to tackle organised gangs dealing

Also: the motorist who was using his mobile phone

when he killed another driver on the A34.

Glasses for classes. A new route for teaching at the textbook's thrown

out. Police have arrested

22 people in a major operation to tackle organised drug

dealing in Oxfordshire. In a series of dawn raids police

targeted almost 40 homes in Oxford, Operation Stronghold,

as it's called, is aiming to stop drugs coming into the county

from the capital. Organised policing

tackling organised crime. This Oxford address

is one of 37 raided by Thames Valley Police in Oxford,

Abingdon and London this morning. 180 officers were involved

in what the force is calling The start of a campaign to stop

the flow of Class A drugs We've made some really good arrests

today. That'll have a deterrent impact on the people dealing drugs

in the city. One of the things we'll look at is working with partners to

protect vulnerable people. We want to target key locations any future

that we know these groups have operated in. We want to make it very

difficult for them to come back. Detectives say gangs

from the capital come to the county These locations, the police say,

are often the homes We have criminal that often operates

through the London area who send runners out into the counties,

dealing drugs in our area. These operations are very organised and

they target vulnerable people, probably the most honourable people

in our DVDs. An obviously a real threat to local policing of the

area. -- communities. Police are continuing

to patrol in the areas where the raids took place this

morning in an effort The force says there will be similar

operations in the future to stop drugs gangs operating in the Thames

Valley. Two men and a 17-year-old boy have

been charged with the murder of a Canadian man whose body has

been found in Milton Keynes. Police were called to

Great Linford early on Saturday morning where the body of 32-year

old Suren Sivananthan was found. The three have appeared before

magistrates this morning. A 23-year-old man is

still in police custody. Thames Valley Police's response

to the death has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints

Commission. A motorist from Oxford has pleaded

guilty to causing death by dangerous driving after he was distracted

by using his mobile phone. Lewis Stratford veered

across the central reservation near East Ilsley last

summer killing 28-year-old Gavin Today, Reading Crown Court heard

how he'd made several It was in the late in the evening

of Saturday 11th of June when Lewis Stratford seen

here entering court today was going southbound

on the A34 near East Ilsley. Over a 35-minute period, he was said

to be speeding and to have made It was on the third of these

that he lost control of his car and crashed through the central

reservation That car was being driven by

28-year-old Australian Gavin Roberts He was on his way to

work for Network Rail. Mr Roberts was taken

to the John Radcliffe Hospital but died of his injuries

four days later. Following his death,

Gavin's girlfriend Meg I was due to wake him up at home on

Sunday morning and I just wanted to turn back the clock. I wanted to

stop him from going to work on Saturday night. It genuinely didn't

feel real, sitting at his bedside. As much as the machines were keeping

him alive, he was still warm and he still looked like Gavin because,

head to terror, all you looked like was just a bruise and on his right

eye and the rest of him is perfect. -- all it looked like.

The defence argued that Stratford had not been holding his phone

They it was in a cradle attached to his dashboard but admitted it

Representatives from Thames Valley Police

were also in court today, with the force keen to stress

When we do a live at these scenes, people expect you have mobile phones

seized if we believe they have been utilised at the time immediately

preceding a collision. We seize the fans and download the information

kept on that phone to try and interpret whether it was in use and

Rusev been a factor in time of the collision. -- and acute higher bean.

-- could have been. Stratford has been

disqualified from driving He will be sentenced next month

and has been told a custodial A group of mothers campaigning

to save a family drop in centre in Oxford have held a protest

outside Oxfordshire Donnington Doorstep says it's

had to cut its sessions from six days a week to just one

after the council ended its contract and ?60,000 a year

funding last year. The county council says it's putting

in place a brand new children's service based around a network

of Children and Family Centres in Blackbird Leys,

Barton and Rosehill. Meanwhile the meeting

inside approved plans to stop funding all but eight of Oxfordshire

county council's day care centres. The council currently runs 22

centres for older people and those with learning disabilities -

the change will help save more There's been opposition to the plans

but the council says it will still support those

who need it. Bethan Phillips was

at today's meeting. Bethan, once again,

this is all about trying with rising demand and shrinking

pots of money from The plan voted through today

will mean funding's withdrawn from 14 centres for older people

and those with learning disabilities - leaving eight,

based in our bigger towns. There was a lot of concern expressed

about that at the meeting today - a Lib Dem councillor described

it as "chipping away" There were also worries

about rural areas missing out. So, is this just about

the council-run day centres? No, this will also affect things

like lunch clubs and other volunteer-run services that get some

county council funding. Overall, those grants are being

reduced by more than half by 2020 - raising fears some services

will face an uncertain future. The county council says three

quarters of those voluntary services And it has invested an extra

?875,000 to help charities But while services are being cut,

we also had a tax rise That's right - the budget

was voted through cabinet. That includes a rise of almost

5% in council tax - A big chunk of that increase

will specifically be set aside One of the councillors said

at the meeting today that was the cost of half a cup

of Costa Coffee per week for the average household -

he said it was worth it, when the council's got the job

of looking after vulnerable people. Drivers at Oxford Bus Company

are being balloted over The Unite union says

there is a complete breakdown in industrial relations -

they are in dispute with the company about pay, disciplinary procedures

and a proposed new holiday policy. Oxford Bus Company says it's seeking

to reach a resolution and is willing Staff and students at

Oxford Brookes University are hoping to benefit from a government

pledge to invest an extra ?2 billion a year into

research and development. They showed off their work

in the robotics laboratory to the chair of the MP's Science

and Technology Committee. Robot Tai Chi - just one display

on show for MP Stephen Metcalfe on his tour of Oxford Brookes

University. This was a chance for

the chair of the Science and Technology Committee to see some

of tomorrow's technology today... It's really important that

universities and particularly scientists in universities have good

connection with Government, which will open the way for future

development and funding sources. to racing in the University's

purpose-built engineering facility. Students here hope they'll benefit

from an extra ?2 billion a year of Government funding

for research and development. Oxford Brookes is in the perfect

location, write any heart of the Valley, teaching hands on experience

with the theory to back it up. It's a good development stage. It takes

you through all the steps. students are taught about artificial

intelligence, a robots ability Hello. Hello. You'll like what

experience will you be taking away with you today? Apart from having

the opportunity to sit in a Formula 1 car, I will take some information

back to Parliament about where this technology is heading.

The Robotics team has now applied for funding

for its next project, and now have all eyes

on the Government to help fund many more.

This week, we're looking at the life saving work carried out

at the Oxford Children's Hospital as it marks its ten-year anniversary.

Tonight, we meet four-year-old Alan, from Banbury.

Last year, Alan was diagnosed with blood cancer.

But after two months in hospital, including several rounds

of chemotherapy, he is now back at nursery.

A chance to play with his friends and enjoying himself.

Up until last September, he was a healthy,

But when Alan's stomach swelled up and he had trouble

breathing, his parents took him to the doctor in Banbury.

Within days, Alan was in intensive care at the children's hospital.

He made no fuss about anything that was done to him, which is amazing

considering some of the things he went through. Some of the side

effect of the first two rounds of chemotherapy for him were

horrendous. I think a grown adult would probably drive and blue

stations at some of them but no, he didn't. -- would probably cry and

lose patience. As Alan fought for his life,

family life was turned upside down for his parents and older brother,

David. The worst thing is that we didn't

spend any time as a family for much of that time, he spent nine weeks in

hospital and one of us was with informative that time. -- with him

for most of. His mum has no doubt

the commitment of staff at the children's hospital went

a long way towards saving her son. Friends and parents at Alan's

nursery group in Banbury also Alan is one of ours. He is part of

the nursery family, said a lot of the families here now Alan and his

family. It was really important for them to feel like they were doing

something to help. It's wonderful to have him back. We are really pleased

to see him do what a four-year old should be doing. It our wills, isn't

it? Allen is still here when asked and back to normal. We did see that,

quite early in the treatment that he was coming back. -- world. -- Alan.

There are periods where he was unrecognisable what we are hoping

there is only good times to come. Alan's mother ending that

report by Jeremy Stern. 50 years old and still growing -

Milton Keynes is one of the fastest But what will it look

like in another 50 years? In the second of our reports,

Stuart Ratcliffe looks Milton Keynes disguised as

Metropolis. Its futuristic building selected to double as Clark Kent's

home city. 30 years on from Superman's flying visit and Milton

Keynes has grown into its own mini metropolis. But in the next day STS,

how will that continue? The discussion is that Milton Keynes has

a wonderful pattern of grid squares. -- next 30 years. Well that keep

growing on to redraw the stops and have some other towns a little

different now a? -- do we draw borders. I think Milton Keynes has

spread far and off. We should have thought it sounds. -- daughter

towns. These areas could follow. The main thing is transport. An idea

supported by many Milton Keynes businesses. Crucially, the growth

continues hair and is accelerated. I think there is a challenge in

accelerating the pace of building new housing. There are site

allocated but it's been a building that housing and making that

affordable for the local population. Across town and a very different

business. We are here -- where here they have the Milton Keynes' future

is far higher education. One of our games and is the shortage of

semiskilled labour. -- one of our concerns. We need access to a good

rule of trained people. There is a concern living/ they still get

access to that. Because of its success in your last 50 years,

expectations about how it grows is understandably high. The question

is, how will it deliver? I'll have the headlines at 8pm

and a full bulletin at 10.30pm. Now, more of today's

stories with Sally Taylor. Later tonight, riding the rough

ground ? it's cross country on two wheels as we discover

the sport of cyclocross. It is often said that you can't

learn everything from a textbook, yet bringing learning to live is a

challenge for every teacher in every subject in every school.

Now, it's not been a normal school day for pupils at one

They've been taking part in a virtual reality trial

with Google which could change the way some lessons are taught.

Today rather than studying pictures and diagrams youngsters took a

journey inside the human body. Sofia Seth report. It is a lesson like no

other. The pupils at Hayling College and normally allowed to use

smartphones on cars but this is different. They're using them to

tour the heart and circularity system. Teachers contacted Google

provided the phones, headsets and free learning apps for a date. This

allows them to leave the clash and go somewhere they would not get the

opportunity to at this stage of their school career. We can ask them

what didn't feel like and pussy like and get debate and analysis and a

conversation from that -- it is the same every lesson and sometimes you

start to concentrate, but when you are doing this, it is much easier.

It helped me because I could see it and actually look at different

things and the comparison between the two things and I think it is

really clever and easy to understand. Other lessons include

history and eight tour of the virtual World War I trench as well

as a spectacular view of the Northern lights. While virtual

reality doesn't mean the end of the school trip its capacity to take

lessons of the classroom could certainly be a useful tool.

I think it would have been somewhat better at biology if I had the

opportunity to do that. But better than those diagrams! On to sport.

Big football matches tonight. I always love this time, I get to all

the team news and we get pictures and things, via several social media

platforms as we look towards the football tonight.

Both the region's Championship sides go for crucial points in the race

Reading can go third if they win a game which was abandoned at half

We'll be at the Mad Stad in a moment.

Meanwhile Brighton could reclaim top spot if they beat Cardiff.

Johnny Cantor is watching at the Amex.

Johnny, Brighton had a great win against Sheffield

Wednesday on Friday night - are Albion fans really

Yes, with certainly Albion and Newcastle playing a game of Caesar

at the top of the championship but the most important gap is between

Britain and third place which could grow from eight points to 11

tonight. It won't be easy. Cardiff have won all three of their league

games in 2017 and they are without top scorer Glenn Murray who is

suspended. From automatic promotion

contenders in Brighton The Royals have lost their last two

games and face a big match tonight against a Fulham side four points

below them in the table. Former Reading captain

and BBC Radio Berkshire sports presenter Ady Williams

is at the Madejski stadium. Ady, is the promotion

charge stalling? I hope not. As you rightly say, two

defeats on the bounce, last time that happened was back in August.

Big for both teams. Full am looking to get into the top six and if they

win they close the gap and if Reading get the victory tonight, it

increases the gap. A little blip in the season but it has been great for

Reading. Yup stand in charge. Fingers crossed a home win tonight.

TI go should make his home debut but will there be other new faces and we

still don't know what is going on behind the scenes there. He played

at the weekend, but a perfect debut conceding three goals at Derby but

we expect him to start tonight. Not long left niqabs Rwanda. We have

been trying at racetrack. Gareth McLeary is the top scorer. Eight

league goals. And the other has got seven. Hopefully before the window

closes we will bring a striker in. Full live commentary this evening

and news from both grounds at 10:30pm tonight.

A new year brings new resolutions and, let's be honest,

Here's a sport for those of you who like to get out

on your bike, but maybe don't want to hit the roads.

Cyclocross is an off-road version of cycle racing,

This winter's Wessex League competition is about to

reach its conclusion, so maybe this will whet your

More pedal power than park run, these cyclo-cross events are for

those aged seven to 70. The Wessex league season concludes this month

and this was one of 12 races in the series. There is a competitive edge,

but for many it is a recreational pursuit. The easiest cyclist sport

to get into, because it is off-road and it is great fun. It is from half

an hour to an hour, the lovers around the circuit, woodland,

grassland, mud, banking is, but obstacles. It is great fun. Pretty

intense. This year the series has visited Reading, Oxford, Swindon and

this event in Southampton. Each club is really friendly so there are lots

of wives and kids and families and it is a nice day out when the sun is

out. My dad was persuading me and they said they didn't really want to

do it because I was thinking I don't have the right clothes or bike but

is now a realise that is a bit silly. My brother wanted to do it,

so then I followed with him. He did well. He came off twice,

first lap, and then quite a long way back up so it was all right. I came

off as well. A great sense of achievement to see so many people

with smiles on their faces enjoying the outdoors as families and being

active. Well done to everyone who has taken part this year. That looks

good. Corhampton Golf Club's Scott Gregory

has been named in the Great Britain and Ireland squad for

the Walker Cup, the amateur The 22-year-old, who played in

the Australian Amateur Championship, last week is the British champion

and, having played at the Open Championship in 2016,

will also compete in this year's US The Walker Cup is in

Los Angeles in September. Very well done to Scott. Another

great achievement for him. Ever felt you want to give it up and do

something different? Seven years ago, Clive

and Lisa Orchard quit the rat race to take over a modest bed

and breakfast in Dorset. Their only aim was to make sure

their guests enjoyed their stay. Well, they're certainly

doing something right - because for the second

time their B in West Lulworth has been named the best,

not just in Dorset, not just in England - but the best

in the world by guests who've posted That puts them ahead of B

in Florida and Italy. David Allard's been

to find out their secret. It is a bitterly cold day in Dorset

but this place is the warmest welcome in the world. And that is

official. There are quite a few e-mails coming in. Clive and Lisa

orchards say they are amazed to have been named the best

bed-and-breakfast on the planet for the second time. It means a lot. It

means our guests have thanked us for their state. We were very shocked

but very happy obviously. What we're both doing before you decided to

move down to Dorset and open a B? We had a surf shop and I was the

shop girl at the beginning of that. I was working in datacoms up near

Reading and we sold the shop and the datacoms business and we chose a

bed-and-breakfast as being a nice lifestyle. This room is the Thomas

Hardy Rim... From the reviews on the TripAdvisor it is clear this B

offers more than just clean sheets and a full English. We think Dorset

is beautiful so it is not difficult to show that was people. When I was

six or seven my eldest sister Cynthia taught me to swim in this

area, so we went for that reason and I think that makes it really

personal. So you won the award in 2014 and now 2017, two years in

between, what went wrong? We relaxed! We genuinely just think of

the bed and breakfast as an extension of ourselves anyway. That

was our commitment when we started, just to be ourselves and welcome

people to share the area. Whatever their secret it has sent them to the

top of the world's favourite B destinations.

Congratulations to them. They will be inundated. Onto the weather. Fog,

fog, Chris Proudfoot photographed

the morning frost in the New Forest. Maureen Coles took this picture of

the fog in Portsmouth from Gosport. And Martin Dolan captured a fog bow

near Corfe Castle in Dorset. Fog formed in a very similar way to

rainbows with tiny water droplets. Overnight tonight we expect further

mistimed freezing fog patches again and the risk of ice which is why the

Met Office has issued a fog and ice warning during the early hours and

up until lunchtime tomorrow. Possible disruption to travel. Dense

fog patches will form in the usual spots and temperatures tonight will

follow way to around minus four Celsius in the countryside is. These

are in our towns and cities dropping down to minus one in some areas.

Misty and foggy start to the day tomorrow. Widespread frost. Freezing

fog patches may linger throughout the morning which is why the Met

Office warning is in place. Ice is a risk and untreated services.

Tomorrow a good deal of cloud, the best of the sun shine through parts

of Dorset and West Wiltshire with temperatures tomorrow reaching a

high of 5-7 C. Further clubs tomorrow night but where there are

clear skies and the chance of a widespread frost first thing on

Thursday morning and maybe one or two freezing fog patches but they

won't be as widespread as last night and tonight. Temperatures tomorrow

night around minus one Celsius. A frosty start on Thursday. That

starts fairly cloudy but we are expecting some drier and clear air

to move in from the near continent bringing some sunshine through the

afternoon after a frosty start. Temperatures on Thursday will reach

a height of four or five Celsius but with the strength of the very cold

south-easterly wind it will feel more like freezing with the wind

chill. A cold day on Thursday and a cold day also on Friday although

earning less cold through Friday and into the weekend. A lot of cloud

over the next few days. Cloud breaking up on Thursday. Cloudy on

Friday with patchy rain and of the weekend mainly cloudy but one or two

bright spells. That is it from us. Kris Temple is at Anfield for the

Saints match tomorrow night. Good luck Oxford against Bradford as well

in the lower League Cup competition. More at 8pm and 10:30pm, good night.

You might get the impression that history is just a record

Very often, the line between fact and fiction

In this series, I'm exploring how three turning points in our history

have been manipulated to become our greatest historical legends.

I want to be entertained. Entertain me.

It's the last chance to impress the judges.