:00:00. > :00:00.Welcome to South Today. the news where you are.
:00:00. > :00:00.Coming up: When your life changes in an instant.
:00:00. > :00:08.Jamie Mines has lost a leg and two hands after an accident at work.
:00:09. > :00:11.Also: Packed trains, unhappy passengers -
:00:12. > :00:13.the overcrowding since Chiltern Railways extended
:00:14. > :00:20.And how an audiobook project that started in a garden shed is now
:00:21. > :00:29.a thriving business, reaching people around the world.
:00:30. > :00:33.A scaffolder who was electrocuted while working in Swindon has
:00:34. > :00:37.had his second hand amputated to help him survive.
:00:38. > :00:40.Jamie Mines had a leg amputated after the accident
:00:41. > :00:44.He has five-month-old twin daughters and his friends are fundraising
:00:45. > :00:55.A young father, a talented sportsman, a great character.
:00:56. > :01:00.But life changed for Jamie Mines in an instant and forever.
:01:01. > :01:04.He was working on this industrial estate in Swindon as a scaffolder
:01:05. > :01:08.just days before Christmas when, in a freak accident,
:01:09. > :01:15.He remains in a critical but stable condition in Southmead having now
:01:16. > :01:23.The initial target was ?10,000, which I think was achieved
:01:24. > :01:25.within about 24 hours, which is extraordinary.
:01:26. > :01:27.Friends have set up an internet fundraising page
:01:28. > :01:34.He and his partner have twins aged just five months.
:01:35. > :01:39.The timing of such an incident before Christmas is awful and it's
:01:40. > :01:43.about how it makes people realise that things can change just
:01:44. > :01:50.Jamie is very strong, fit, healthy young man.
:01:51. > :01:53.His life is going to change so we all need to be there for him.
:01:54. > :01:56.Jamie is a strong character and he is a strong guy.
:01:57. > :02:02.If he comes through it, which he will, hoping that he does,
:02:03. > :02:14.his two little girls will keep him strong and to pull through it.
:02:15. > :02:17.The circumstances of the accident here are unclear but the Health and
:02:18. > :02:21.Whatever the cause, the outcome is plainly devastating for a young
:02:22. > :02:27.A man who was critically injured in a fire in Swindon
:02:28. > :02:31.33-year-old Blaise Alvares had been in hospital since the fire.
:02:32. > :02:36.Their families have asked people to pray for the couple's
:02:37. > :02:40.17-month-old daughter, who is still in hospital.
:02:41. > :02:43.An inquest has opened into the death of four-year-old Barnaby Cork,
:02:44. > :02:47.who died after being hit by a car at Thame Leisure Centre last month.
:02:48. > :02:50.He was airlifted to hospital but doctors were unable to save him.
:02:51. > :02:53.An online campaign has raised nearly ?30,000
:02:54. > :02:59.A full inquest will be held in March.
:03:00. > :03:02.A damaged gas main led to long queues near the M4 in Swindon.
:03:03. > :03:06.A 100-metre cordon was put in place around the junction for West Swindon
:03:07. > :03:08.after contractors hit the pipe this morning.
:03:09. > :03:11.Junction 16 was closed to traffic coming on or off the motorway
:03:12. > :03:17.Chiltern Railways admits there's been overcrowding on its trains
:03:18. > :03:20.into London since it extended the service to Oxford.
:03:21. > :03:23.It says passenger numbers have been greater than expected.
:03:24. > :03:26.Concerns were raised that there wouldn't be carriages
:03:27. > :03:29.when the final section of the line between Oxford station and Oxford
:03:30. > :03:37.Customers, customers and more customers.
:03:38. > :03:41.It s a good sign for any business if you can keep them happy.
:03:42. > :03:45.Questions are being asked about how Chiltern Railways
:03:46. > :03:52.For some passengers, it's standing room only.
:03:53. > :03:55.We need to be building a lot more coaches to make
:03:56. > :03:58.longer trains so that, at busy times, everyone
:03:59. > :04:05.We know an enormous number of people commute into Oxford who can't
:04:06. > :04:12.There was what might be called suppressed demand for public
:04:13. > :04:15.transport into Oxford to get to work.
:04:16. > :04:19.The service has been running for a year.
:04:20. > :04:22.Overcrowding has got worse since the line was extended
:04:23. > :04:29.At the launch, Chiltern Railway's bosses said they were monitoring
:04:30. > :04:32.a number of passengers going from Oxford to London
:04:33. > :04:34.and London to Oxford, and they didn't rule
:04:35. > :04:40.Over the past few weeks, we've seen there is high demand,
:04:41. > :04:46.The company is now looking at how it can appease customers
:04:47. > :04:51.I'm sorry if they haven't had the experience that
:04:52. > :04:56.But we are listening we are out there.
:04:57. > :05:00.We want to understand when people are travelling and get
:05:01. > :05:05.Bear with us and we will keep working on it and we will bring that
:05:06. > :05:10.One idea is to make busy trains longer.
:05:11. > :05:13.Extra services could also be brought in.
:05:14. > :05:17.But no time scales have been set for any improvements.
:05:18. > :05:24.The future of 200 jobs at RAF Brize Norton has been secured
:05:25. > :05:26.with a new multi-million pound contract from the
:05:27. > :05:31.The deal with Airbus means the A400M aircraft will continue to be
:05:32. > :05:35.serviced and maintained in West Oxfordshire.
:05:36. > :05:39.Here's our business correspondent, Alastair Fee.
:05:40. > :05:42.This is the future of troop transport.
:05:43. > :05:45.The A400M Atlas can deploy soldiers by air or land in the most
:05:46. > :05:51.A 200-strong team of engineers and mechanics that keep it flying
:05:52. > :05:56.Today, they were told their jobs were safe.
:05:57. > :06:00.The airbase is one of our key employers here in West Oxfordshire.
:06:01. > :06:05.Further investment is really welcome.
:06:06. > :06:11.There is a high level of out commuting where people work outside.
:06:12. > :06:17.Anything that helps get jobs is very welcome.
:06:18. > :06:21.As well as 200 local jobs, the ?410 million deal with Airbus
:06:22. > :06:25.secures a further 200 positions in companies within the wider
:06:26. > :06:29.supply chain across the south and south-west.
:06:30. > :06:37.We have got a firm basis to support the new aircraft and in particular
:06:38. > :06:40.what it does is that it secures a lot of jobs here
:06:41. > :06:43.and in Oxfordshire, and beyond Oxfordshire down
:06:44. > :06:52.This is the base for air transport for the foreseeable future
:06:53. > :06:55.and we are here to make a long-term investments.
:06:56. > :06:58.The A400M replaces the old Hercules aircraft.
:06:59. > :07:03.While the RAF currently has 14 new planes, the fleet will increase
:07:04. > :07:09.This announcement means the maintenance, upgrade and repair
:07:10. > :07:16.will stay in West Oxfordshire well into the next decade.
:07:17. > :07:19.It started out as a labour of love - two friends, working
:07:20. > :07:21.in a converted shed near Reading, producing audiobooks
:07:22. > :07:24.They're still doing that but the initial idea has morphed
:07:25. > :07:28.They're now producing recordings of stories that,
:07:29. > :07:30.thanks to the internet, are reaching people
:07:31. > :07:37.He slipped his finger to the tail section of the blueprint.
:07:38. > :07:38.In the back would be another smaller...
:07:39. > :07:47.Creating audio books is a lot more involved than simply recording
:07:48. > :07:55.Can we actually have that heaving sigh?
:07:56. > :08:01.You need a soundproof studio, the kit, vocal talent,
:08:02. > :08:07.and an ability to judge pace, passion and pitch in a performance.
:08:08. > :08:10.We don't want that, that's the wrong one.
:08:11. > :08:15.Then a way to get the finished work out there.
:08:16. > :08:17.You'll agree this is certainly interesting.
:08:18. > :08:20.Matt is almost totally blind and set up Living Audio as a social
:08:21. > :08:24.Initially to produce recordings of fan fiction featuring
:08:25. > :08:29.He even got JK Rowling's blessing, because it was
:08:30. > :08:34.They were released, really, to benefit blind and print
:08:35. > :08:39.disabled people, and they've been very popular.
:08:40. > :08:43.And many, many blind and dyslexic people and people with other various
:08:44. > :08:45.disabilities that prevent them from reading have come
:08:46. > :08:49.back and said, you know, these are absolutely amazing.
:08:50. > :08:52.That led the friends to seek out collaborations with other,
:08:53. > :08:58.It was very much working with books that wouldn't normally be
:08:59. > :09:07.Even when we do commercial books, we're producing audio to the best
:09:08. > :09:12.quality that we can do, knowing that blind, print disabled,
:09:13. > :09:15.anybody that can't hold a print book or read it comfortably,
:09:16. > :09:18.will have the best production we can produce.
:09:19. > :09:24.The UK spent ?12 million on digital downloads in 2015.
:09:25. > :09:30.The business is still finding its feet but audio books recorded
:09:31. > :09:32.here in Berkshire are now being downloaded daily
:09:33. > :09:43.- 8 in Benson last night and it's going to be cold again tonight.
:09:44. > :09:45.Alexis is coming up with the details.
:09:46. > :09:57.It will be a very chilly night to come. Not as cold as last night. We
:09:58. > :10:01.to minus six Celsius and there will to minus six Celsius and there will
:10:02. > :10:08.be widespread frost and freezing fog. These are the temperatures in
:10:09. > :10:13.urban areas but in the countryside, down to minus six. Chilly and foggy
:10:14. > :10:18.start. The fog will lift at ten or 11am. The cloud will increase. Some
:10:19. > :10:23.bright and sunny spells to be had. Patchy rain is also a possibility
:10:24. > :10:26.later on in the day. Ahead of a weather front which will arrive
:10:27. > :10:33.after dusk tomorrow. Temperatures tomorrow, higher than today,
:10:34. > :10:37.reaching 4-5 C, but milder air moves in with the band of rain which moves
:10:38. > :10:43.south and eastwards tomorrow evening and overnight into Saturday. On
:10:44. > :10:50.Saturday, a high pressure will build. But it should stay mainly
:10:51. > :10:55.dry. Cloud but one or two bright and sunny spells. Over the weekend, a
:10:56. > :10:57.lot of cloud. High pressure will dominate our weather so a lot of dry
:10:58. > :11:02.weather with light winds. The creeping up by a notch or two, 10,
:11:03. > :11:11.maybe nine Celsius. Here is Louise with the national picture.
:11:12. > :11:17.Won't it cold and frosty this morning? The coldest night of the
:11:18. > :11:24.winter so far in England. Down to minus 8 Celsius. But widely, the
:11:25. > :11:26.temperatures below freezing. Through the night, cloud and rain,