30/03/2017 South Today - Oxford

Hello and welcome to South Today. so it's goodbye from me -

In tonight's programme, a couple from Buckinghamshire

are among five people are killed in a helicopter crash.

It's thought the aircraft had taken off from businessman

Also, told he's dying from motor neurone disease,

but Allan's family believe it's another illness, Lyme disease,

All I'm asking is the NHS to give him treatment instead of leaving him

to die. And later on, a love

of rallying, speed and fun. The 72-year-old reunited

with her old car sets her sights A couple from Buckinghamshire

are believed to be among five members of the same family to have

died in a helicopter It's thought it had taken off

from the home of Kevin and Ruth Burke in Hulcote

near Milton Keynes. The wreckage was discovered by

Mountain Rescue teams in Snowdonia. Narrowing the search to South

Snowdonia and out the concentration of efforts, the military joining

civilian voluntary teams. It must have felt like looking for a needle

in a haystack. Mid-morning, they found the crash site and the five

bodies. The news was given at a police press conference. Poor

weather has been hampering the search, some horrendous conditions

reducing visibility to less than ten metres at times. I can sadly confirm

a crash site has been located and five people have lost their lives

during this incident. I'm sure you'll appreciate this is an

agonising time for the families and friends of all involved and our

thoughts are with them at this time. The helicopter is a twin Squirrel

manufactured by Airbus. It has a range of 500 miles. It took off from

Luton yesterday afternoon to make a journey to Dublin. At some stage, it

disappeared from the radar. The helicopter was owned by Ruth and

Kevin Burke, they are among those who died. Mrs Burke is originally

thought to come from Dublin, Mr Burke from Manchester. Conditions

improved marginally through the day and the investigation will have

already begun. The wreckage and bodies yet need to be recovered.

Ten men have been charged with nearly 60 offences linked

Thames Valley Police carried out a series of raids

Six more suspects were arrested in Oxford today.

The ten men charged, seven from Banbury, one

from Birmingham and two of no fixed abode, are accused of rape

Three girls and are alleged to have been assaulted

These are child exploitation offences where we think...

Where vulnerable people are preyed upon, vulnerable children

What I can tell you is, as this shows today,

we will relentlessly pursue those offenders that are involved

The family of a paralysed man from Aylesbury say that "he's

been send home to die" without proper treatment.

Allen Shepperd was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.

But his family believe it's Lyme disease, caused by ticks.

His family have paid for private blood tests

to prove it's Lyme disease, and are battling for him to be

A month after falling into a coma in 2014,

Allen Sheppard from Aylesbury was diagnosed with Motor Neurone

Disease, a debilitating neurological condition.

I couldn't talk and I couldn't move. It was devastating and we didn't

know what to think. It didn't add up, none of it, that someone could

walk into hospital and then be paralysed and then on a ventilator.

Then Allen developed a bulls eye shaped rash on his leg,

and a few months later their pet dog died from Lyme disease.

She picked it up from our garden because she had tix on her. All

these pieces came together that it was Lyme disease. The doctors didn't

really know about Lyme disease in the ICU. They did a test and it was

negative. Lyme disease is passed on from ticks which can be treated by

antibiotics if caught early but if treatment is delayed label Tana

tit-mac the diseases misdiagnosed, it can lead to long-term problems.

Simone and her mum spent ?2000 on private blood test in Germany. The

results came back positive for wine disease.

Allen's doctors agreed to put him on antibiotic

treatment for a fortnight, his family says that's

After they saw he regained movements, they said it is all in

your head, we won't give you any more treatment. They didn't want to

talk about it. They said you've got motor neurone disease and that is

the end of it. Those in charge of Allen's care said

they were unable to comment Simone's still fighting

to get her dad's case re-examined and says she's prepared to raise

thousands of pounds for private The difficulties of identifying Lyme

disease has now been taken up in Parliament,

where a working party has been set Earlier I spoke to our

Political Editor Peter Henley who told me about the pressure

on the government to make changes. There have been some big

campaigns in recent months, including protests outside

Parliament, and the government has The Health Secretary's commissioned

a university study to pull together NICE are drawing up guidelines

on treatments available, and public health England

are running regular workshops for medical practitioners,

so that they can spot the symptoms, And a group of MPs has been putting

on pressure inside parliament, including this question

and Prime Minister 's questions. Awareness of it amongst the public

and GPs is incredibly low. Will my right honourable friend

ensure that her government does all that it can to raise its profile

and resolve the problem around both And this was the Prime

Minister's reply. He's right - we do need to raise

awareness of this issue but we also need to ensure that diagnosis

and treatment is... Early diagnosis and treatment

is there because that is the best way of limiting the complications

from this particular disease. The issue with Lyme is that

it's a very difficult Researchers say it's linked

with conditions ranging Other insect bites might be

spreading it as well. And spreading not just Lyme

but the associated diseases. So, are there a growing

number of cases? Yes, the campaigners say, according

to world health authority figures, a 65% increase every year,

and they say that's been So, it can't just be down to people

getting more exposure, there must be something

going on with the reporting. It is a really

debilitating condition. People can't work, there are knock

on mental health issues. I think the pressure is only

going to grow for answers to it. A major section of the M4

in Berkshire will be closed in both It's part of a series of road works

planned over the next few weekends between junction 12 and 13,

Theale and Newbury. Some local people say they've only

just found out, and the work The traffic's been busy

here all afternoon between junctions 12 and 13 but tomorrow night,

at 9pm, it'll fall silent, there will be no traffic

on there when the work Rosemary Boorstin is a local farmer

and runs a local fishery. What do you think of the way

this has been managed? What I was slightly upset about,

I've been going around the farmyard, and various different people I've

been speaking to say, do you realise the M4 is actually

going to be closed completely They're saying, Rosemary,

you're talking rubbish, it's normal. But, actually, it is going to be

shut or two or three days which is going to have a huge

impact on everybody. There is a major

football match as well. I'm especially worried

about the Leeds-Reading game, which is obviously exit 11,

which is not relevant to exit 12 but, of course,

it's going to back up. When I first found out about this,

I assumed it was going to be some kind of April Fools' Day,

being the 1st of April! But I think it's quite sad too many

people don't know about it. And Dark Lane and Ash Hampstead Road

are both going to be shut for three months,

and people keep coming along, turning around,

going back, they're so cross. There doesn't seem to be any

sort of communication. You think, in this day and age,

it all should be communicated. They go along there,

they come back, and then they're Obviously, it's affecting our

fishery, to a certain extent, because people see the roads

are closed, so there's quite a lot going on that

could be told a bit better. Well, the work will

continue on the road. It'll stay closed day and night

and reopen on Monday morning by 6am. And Highways England says it's doing

everything it can to keep disruption to a minimum and it's been writing

to affected residents and businesses A major rat run in Aylesbury

could be shut for up to a month The bridge over the canal

on Broughton Lane is being checked Several roadworks in the area have

been halted to allow Broughton Lane is used by hundreds

of vehicles daily to avoid A set of public toilets

in Oxfordshire is at the centre Located in Marriott's Walk

Shopping Centre in Witney, it's 20p to use a private cubicle,

but the urinals are free. Some local people claim the charge

is sexist and unfair, saying it primarily affects women

and disabled people. A spokesperson for the Shopping

Centre was unavailable for comment. I think it's wrong that

you accessed the urinals, no charge but if you want

the privacy of a cubicle, If they have enough council tax,

and other stuff like that, As you say, for the disabled,

I think it's not on. Meanwhile, Oxford University has

commissioned 20 portraits to try and show more diversity

with the institution. Broadcaster Dame Esther Rantzen,

novelist Jeanette Winterson, director Ken Loach and newsreader

Rita Chakrabati are among those whose images will go on show

around the university. A tortoise from Aylesbury has become

an internet sensation. Called Bubba, he loves to chase

a ball around him home. A video of him playing football has

had nearly SIXTY million views. His owners have been amazed at how

the footage has gone viral. There's nothing he likes best

than a good runaround. Ever since he joined this

family in Aylesbury, Since he targeted the treat

ball, though, things From Twitter, to Facebook,

to YouTube, Bubba is now a major Internet star with this video

racking up around 60 million views. Making him one of the most famous

tortoise is on the planet. The ball happened

to be on the floor. We got him out, as we usually do,

just to have a runaround and exercise, and he saw this ball

and went for it, which So I thought I'd record it and stick

it up for a bit of fun on Twitter. It's kind of just the fact that it's

a tortoise going so quickly. That's not what people think

tortoise is are like. There's so many videos posted

on your Twitter and Facebook, and this has happened to be this

one that's famous. Bubba's video continues

to draw an audience. The hope is he may even start

earning online royalties. The star, oblivious of his fame,

continues to enjoy time in his His family say what he enjoys

most of all is being out Now he is known by more people

than anyone could have imagined. He's so happy with his ball, it's

ridiculous. I'll have the headlines at 8pm

and a full bulletin at 10:30pm. Now, more of today's

stories with Sally Taylor. Later Tony has the sport and Alexis

is here with the forecast. Today was the warmest day of the

year so far and the warmest day of the week. I will have the rest of

the week's whether for you shortly. -- weather.

A light aircraft has crashed into the sea off

Emergency services were called shortly before 4pm this afternoon.

Two people are reported to have escaped from the plane.

They swam ashore after it came down quite close to the beach.

I was just surprised. You can't believe that you just see a plane

and you know something is going to happen, it is so quick, it was so

quick if thing was to run the bit to see if there was anything you could

do. On arrival at the scene, a small aircraft was just off the beach

partially submerged full stop two people within the plane have swum

ashore and thankfully would appear to have minor injuries and just in

shock. From the accounts of witnesses that have seen the

incident there is a suggestion the plane has lost power and the pilot

has guided the plane safely onto the water. Our reporter Claudia

Sermbezis is live at the scene. The emergency services are still there?

That is right. Literally in the last few minutes the plane has been

dragged out of the seat and they are pulling it further up onto the beach

and the reason why they want to do that, they want it to get it up

tonight because they didn't want it in the sea overnight, they wanted it

up for the environmental implications. Probably in the

morning they will take it away so they will try get further onto the

beach. It is incredible. The people I spoke to resolve this incident

said this plane suddenly just collided almost slowly, no sound,

the engine sort of spluttered and the next thing they knew it was just

ditched into the sea but they said the pilot really did a textbook

landing and it was absolutely incredible to see these two men walk

away literally unharmed and seeing it like that is incredible. It is

indeed. Thank you very much. A week after Thames Water was given

a record fine for pumping billions of litres of untreated sewage

into the River Thames, a project is underway to raise

awareness of the danger pollution Few people realise that liquids

poured down storm drains often flow directly into local waterways,

without being filtered or treated. So volunteers are putting warning

notices on dozens of drains. Armed with boxes of warning notices,

tubes of heavy glue and leaflets to put through letterboxes,

these volunteers are on a mission. Rainwater only warning stickers

are being put on each and every drain on this Newbury estate,

because everything that goes down them flows directly

into the River Lambourn - a site of special

scientific interest. Most people just don't realise, some

people have something to get rid of and they will shove it down the

drain in the house, let's put it in the drain in the street which is

complete the run. They are not bad people, they just don't know. --

completely wrong. You only need a few people think more carefully

about what they are doing to the rivers and you got somewhere.

Earlier this month, dozens of swans had to be rescued when diesel oil

Absorbent ooms had to be deployed as part of a huge

The consequences of pollution are so great, penalties

Last week Thames Water was fined a record ?20 million for pumping

untreated sewage into the River Thames.

When it comes to pesticides, even the smallest amount

Visually people can see there is pollution until people do kick

sampling and you find the inverter board population has Christ which is

what happened in 2013 on the River Cannock went two teaspoons of

mechanical chemical were put down waste dumping and it caused

devastation for the wildlife. It is so important particularly with storm

drains that they realise whatever goes down eight storm drain goes

untreated straight into the river. And now, thanks to these volunteers,

there're little reminders everywhere Let's get straight on to the sport

and Tony husband is here. We will talk to an athlete on the road to

recovery. It will be one of the sporting

events of the summer at the scene The World Athletics Championships

maybe a farewell to Usain Bolt, but they could be a welcome return

for one of Britain's Isobel Pooley has had to deal

with missing last year s Olympics as she recovers from injury but,

as Andrew Moon found out, It is a daily roller-coaster. They

are in a very vulnerable place when you are an athlete and you're

injured because in a way your identity has been taken from you.

Some days are fantastic and you feel you are on top of the world and

getting back to your old self but some days you feel very dejected and

far from where you want to be and you don't really know what your

purposes. For Isobel Pooley it has been a long hard year. In 2016 with

the other pics on the horizon she was diagnosed with a stress fracture

of her ankle. I was dead on target for selection and totally ready to

go apart from this niggling pain I had been having. A part of me

must've known but it was gutting at the end of the day. This is all

after two great seasons for the athlete which saw her win silver at

the Commonwealth Games and prove herself as Britain's top jumper. I

savour those memories so much of the days that I was jumping national

records and competing for my country. It is a blurred and you

take for granted. Even though you say you want, you kind of do.

Talking about memories now on my heart leaps and I can't wait to get

back there and I hope I can one day. All athletes have to battle back

from injury at some point in their careers. It can be tough and lonely

but it is all part of the dedication needed to reach the top. Now it is a

race against time to be ready for the 20 17th season. We have got the

World Championships in London this summer and that is happening in

August but the qualification period ends in early July so I have to

compete in June saw the clock is ticking.

Portsmouth Football Club lost almost half a million pounds

The club published their accounts in the last hour showing

It comes as Pompey are a week into an exclusive negotiating period

with American businessman Michael Eisner over a takeover.

The club's wage bill is just shy of ?5 million.

Chairman Iain McInnes says in the accounts,

"The best way to predict the future is to create it, together"

in a thought provoking message to fans as they weigh up

Reading manager Jaap Stam has urged fans to turn out

in force for the run in to the Championship season.

The Royals have exceeded the manager's own public

expectations and are fifth in the table and they face

fourth-placed Leeds at home on Saturday.

But their average crowds are among the lower half of the league.

Stam is calling for passionate support.

You know, we need to have everybody at the stadium.

They need to help you out even in difficult times,

You need to have the fans to back you up to give you a good feeling,

because if they do that they give the opposition a different

The Maronite we will look ahead to the big one with Southampton game at

Southampton. Now the weather. We had 20 Celsius yesterday.

Phil Williams captured the sunrise at Cissbury Ring near Worthing.

Steve Miller took this picture of the sun on the trees

And Keith Brown photographed the flowers outside East Meon Church.

Some of us have some glorious sunshine today, others saw a lot of

cloud. The cloud is increasing all the while through the course of this

evening and overnight tonight and already we are seeing some patchy

rain. Light and patchy, not amounting to too much but overnight

a lot of cloud. Mild temperatures, double figures in most places with

loads of 10-12 C. Tomorrow morning we will see some outbreaks of light

and patchy rain moving from the West and they will start to clear

northwards. Improving. The risk of the shower in the afternoon but the

cloud will break in places for sunny spells. Breezy along the coast. In

line the winds slightly lighter. Temperatures could reach highs are

15 or 16. Late evening sunshine tomorrow. Once again we will see

cloud increase and outbreaks of rain arriving early Saturday morning.

Tomorrow night will be slightly fresher. A change into the weekend

of fresher conditions. Temperatures tomorrow around 8-10 C. It will be a

fresher day. Outbreaks of rain on Saturday. Heavy downpours in amongst

some sunny spells. Rain possible during the morning but the sunshine

will start to break through into the late morning and afternoon. Rumbles

of thunder. The weekend, both days will see some sunny spells. Sunday

is better. Hale and thunder on Saturday and dryer on Sunday but not

everyone will see thundery conditions through Sunday. Tomorrow

we will have some outbreaks of rain at times during the morning but

clearing to better conditions through the afternoon and winds will

be lighter as well especially for inland areas. Breezy along the coast

and also on Saturday but winds will be life generally so if you catch a

downpour they will be slow-moving and quite heavy and places. Monday

will see some sunshine after a cloudy start. Sunday is the better

day. Saturday might have one or two thunderstorms. Thank you.

Next month, Bron Burrell will get behind the wheel of a rally car

and take part in a drive from London to Lisob.

It's not the first time Bron - who lives in Milford-on-Sea -

Back in 1970 she completed the same rally with two of her best friends.

And now she's getting ready to do it all over again, in the same car!

Not before having a chat with me, in that very car.

It's amazing actually, it gets more amazing every time I do it.

I got in the first time and thought, oh, gosh,

But was the height of everything in those days, we are talking

I think they are exactly the same seats.

This is all built specifically for the rally.

At British Leyland at their special Department.

It is almost an aircraft style, but it has got all the dials

you need, all the switches you need, all the fuses are easy to get at.

It is amazing that you found the car again.

When I discovered Tina again in 2013 after all these years

of being not with her, she said the car is still running.

And so she said to come and see the car.

And it was at a show outside Cambridge.

There was a historic vehicle parade, so someone said,

What is it about rallying that you love so much?

I love driving, I do love driving, even on the roads

You love the speed of rallying, don't you?

I don't know quite how to put this, but are you a little bit more

careful in your rallying than you were when

Well, this car is not necessarily what I would call a sideways car.

I used to have an Escort Twin Cam, very powerful, it goes sideways.

Tell me you're not going sideways on this next trip.

But it's front wheel drive, front engine front wheel drive,

which I have never really driven in anger before, so I'm

learning the whole time, getting near a sideways,

The whole point is not to wreck her, so keep her going and

And the thing is to get to the finish.

Tina and me and Serin, who came with me on the Isle of man.

A bit like you starting all over again.

I don't know, but I just wonder, because age sometimes brings

on fear, doesn't it sometimes, but what would you say

You only get one life, you know, just go for it now, you know?

Car karaoke! I notice she has got the three of them in the car, there

is a seat for you, there could be four! That was fun. That was it from

us. Back tomorrow at 6pm. Bye-bye.