26/08/2011 South Today

Welcome to self today. In the programme tonight: farewell to

Horatio. Tributes by family and friends to the teenager killed by a

polar bear in at No way. The war veteran who was not the hero he

claimed to be. Music, camping and preparing for the weather.

Thousands of festival-goers descend on Reading. And a dream date with

The Doctor for children from Basingstoke.

He was kind, helpful, funny, handsome, confident and loving. A

mother's tribute to her son Horatio Chapple at his funeral today.

Almost a thousand mourners attended Salisbury Cathedral to say goodbye

to the 17-year-old who died on what should have been the adventure of a

lifetime. The Wiltshire teenager was one of a group of youngsters

camped on a remote Norweigan Island when they were attacked by a polar

bear. The rain could not dampen the

spirit of a life well lived. Men in 1,000 came to celebrate a

magnificent young man who died so terribly, thousands of miles from

home. I get the impression of a young man he was full of life and

fun and adventure. I'd really get a sense of him as a young man with

his future before him, who had a lot of get up and go it and an

instinct for friendship. In side the cathedral, the focus was on

Horatio's white coffin. The service is now under way. Horatio's family

and friends at the centre of celebrating his life, especially

his brothers. One of them has written a song especially for the

service. In it is the line, you taught me everything I know.

Horatio, who wanted to be a doctor, was described as a fun-loving. He

was a seasoned traveller and had been to no port and climb the Alps.

Horatio lived a fault life. He stepped forward boldly and he would

have made that choice over and over again, to go and explore the world.

But the 17-year-old never returned from his most ambitious adventures.

He was killed by a polar bear on 5th August. There was some in the

congregation to day he worked with him on that final trip. After the

service, the clouds part it as Horatio and his family came out

into the sun. He had this ability to make friends. He was very loyal.

He was obviously a very quiet and calm person and people gravitated

towards him. I think that is why people are feeling his last so

terribly. Horatio's mother wrote a letter to the congregation saying

that she was bursting with pride over his Arctic expedition. She

said he was ready for his future life.

Within the last few minutes we've just heard about a significant

incident at Loddon Battery recycling factory in Lasham. It's

being being described as a large emergency and around 60

firefighters are at the scene. Eye witnesses has described thick black

smoke coming from the site and a series of possible explosions. We

understand a number of residents in the area have been evacuated. We'll

bring you more information as soon as we get it and in our late

bulletin at 10.25pm. Three people from Reading involved

in running a major cannabis-growing operation from rented houses across

Berkshire and Surrey have been jailed. Their activities involved

7,000 cannabis plants spread across more than 20 houses. Police said

the operation was valued at �20 million a year. Ajaz Asghar,

described as the kingpin of the business, was jailed for nine years

this lunchtime. His brother Fiyaz Asghar was given four years and

Hayley Ellison 18 months. A military historian from Berkshire

who faked an illustrious army career has been jailed for three

years after a court heard he suffered a disorder preventing him

telling fact from fiction. For decades John Livesey, known as Jack,

told friends, colleagues and his closest family that he had served

with distinction in the Parachute Regiment. He even claimed on his

website that he had advised production crews working on the

films Saving Private Ryan and Band Jack Leigh-on-Sea built himself a

false life and a false persona. That is the view of his own defence

team. He said that he had taught in Northern Ireland and fought in the

Falklands. He said he even took part in a veteran's Day at Oxford.

It's is very difficult because you have got lots of happy memories and

sad memories. It is a day to come to terms with that particular war,

that incident in my life. But in fact he had served two years in the

catering corps and left in 1974. He's lies began to unravel 30 years

later when he was convicted of benefit fraud. At this time his

military friends provided character references for him. However,

subsequent investigations revealed the truth and John Livesey was

sentenced for perverting the course of justice. The judge said it was a

serious offence and he had no option but to impose a custodial

sentence. This should serve as a deterrent and heavily proper

legislation will now be set up. The memories of soldiers had been

disgraced and it is clearly an insult to their efforts. He is

belittling the memory of the 255 who lost their lives 29 years ago.

Hopefully we will have no-one attempt to do this next year on our

30th anniversary. Tonight, John Livesey is beginning his jail term

and his once proud military reputation now lies in tatters.

The Isle of Wight MP is asking for clarification to put only sex

offenders in prison on the island. What impact could it have?

Sex offenders could make up the Isle of Wight's entire prison

population. It is an idea being discussed by officials. HMP Isle of

Wight holds 1,700 inmates, spread across three sites. Having the

whole population opt sex offenders is causing concern. Now the Isle of

Wight MP Andrew Turner is calling for more information. We had been

in touch with the Minister. We are hoping for a response very shortly,

and we arranged a meeting with the governor at the Isle of Wight

prison. People have come to my surgery and had been expressing

their concern. We are trying to explain what is happening, in so

far as we have no knowledge of it. The inmates here are made up of

about 50 % sex offenders. HMP Isle of Wight is being discussed as a

whole, but they're run no firm plans for the inmates just to be

sex offenders. The Isle of Wight prisons are noted for their sex

offender treatment programmes. They do help offenders come to terms

with their behaviour. It benefits the Isle of Wight to keep three

prisons open because it is a big employer. One of the problems of

putting sex offenders together is that they shared stories,

techniques and reinforce each other's twisted thinking about

children. In seems to be a topic many of the islanders are talking

about. A lady in McDonald's was talking about it. It is horrible.

It is fine, as long as they don't let them out here. It is not a good

idea. We have got a lot of children on the island. I am not happy about

it. It remains would not believe from a category B prison straight

into the community. However, these early discussions are already

proving controversial. The Red Arrows are due to fly back

to their base at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire tomorrow. The team

were due to fly back today, but bad weather has hampered the journey.

They are still at Bournemouth Airport after the fatal crash at

last Saturday's air show. And around 6,000 people have now

signed the six books of condolence for Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging,

the Red Arrows pilot who died after the air display. 500 people have

signed the book at Bournemouth Town Hall. The period in which people

can leave their messages has been extended until the end of next week.

Hundreds of floral tributes have also been left in the town centre.

Still to come this evening: it is a feeding frenzy for Alexis.

I hope this does not put you off your dinner. Find out later in the

programme what I have been up to. Drivers are being warned of traffic

disruption over the bank holiday weekend as a 75 tonne steam

locomotive convoy started it's journey from Horsham to Tarrant

Hinton in Dorset this morning. The vehicles will be travelling at

around five miles per hour and expected to reach the Great Dorset

Steam Fair on Sunday. Routes affected are the A27, A36 and A354.

A team of explorers, two from Hampshire, have become the first

people to row to the magnetic North Pole using a special boat built by

a Dorset company. Rob Sleep and British Army officer Captain David

Man took just under four weeks to travel 450 miles, leaving Canada in

July. The group completed the trip to highlight the effects of climate

change on the polar ice cap. Daleks, cybermen, weeping angels

and zygons all do battle with the Doctor, who is back tomorrow night

in another adventure. Well now, young time lords from a Basingstoke

school have come face-to-face with Doctor Who after winning a BBC

competition to write a short episode for the series. It must

have been a dream come true for pupils from Oakley Junior School

who were given a secret glimpse inside the Tardis when they went on

set and met actor Matt Smith. It is the adventure of a lifetime

only The Doctor can prescribe. would like you to write a story

about me! These young Time Lords showed they were up to the

challenge. They were tasked with writing a three minute episode and

could only use one monster. The youngsters took part in a BBC

competition encouraging schools to come up with their own script.

have won the competition. If that was not enough, they came face-to-

face with the doctor himself, actor Matt Smith. Well done. Are you the

guys who have written it? This episode will be shown shortly, so

the children do not have long to wait.

I bet that was the biggest day in their lives so far and they loved

every moment of it. It will be on tomorrow on BBC One at 7:10pm. Tony

is here now what the sport. Hampshire are the defending

Twenty20 champions after winning finals day last year on home soil.

Tomorrow they're up against Somerset in the second semi final.

The winners will move on to the final against either Leicestershire

or Lancashire in the evening. Tomorrow's atmosphere in Birmingham

is likely to be quite different to today's near deserted Rose Bowl on

a wet day in the Championship. are confident. All we need to do is

play well and we have a good chance. There is pressure, but I always

enjoy playing under pressure. So what makes the perfect Twenty20

cricketer and what are the keys to winning for Hampshire tomorrow?

I've been finding out. Twenty20 cricket is the fastest form of the

Games. It helps if you have got some all-round skills. We are at

the crease with Kevin James. Batting wise, what are the keys

early on? I need to hit a cross the line and the mid-wicket. And need

to find gaps for scoring my runs. Bowlers can get a hammering with

all that big shots around. How are you going to take on the batsman?

will make sure I do not get smacked out of the park. I what makes my

pace. Iron will ball slow and quicker balls so that he cannot set

Meanwhile, Hampshire are facing relegation from the first division

in the county championship. Play finally resumed against

Worcestershire on the final day. Hampshire's batsman did enough to

thwart the Worcestershire bowlers and the match was declared a draw.

Signings for Portsmouth and Bournemouth today ahead of the

weekend's football. Portsmouth have brought in Hungarian striker Marco

Futach. The 6 ft 5 front man is available for tomorrow's home game

against Cardiff. Bournemouth have paid a six figure fee thought to be

around �100,000 for Swansea city striker Shaun MacDonald. He could

feature against Walsall tomorrow. A group of Southampton football

club legends are coming together to aid Help for Heroes in a special

charity match next month. Saints stars of the '90s Matthew Le

Tissier and Francis Benali will be among the players helping to raise

money for injured servicemen by playing against the Combined Forces

football team at Eastleigh's ground next month. Le Tissier's also given

his opinion on his old club's impressive start to the

championship season. They have won four out of four to go top of the

table. So far it has been a wonderful start. We are breaking

all sorts of records as a team and hopefully we can go on to achieve

an all-time record. It will be fabulous. Good luck to all our

teams. Sunday 20 bit of September for that match. Follow up the

football and cricket on the BBC over the weekend.

A I hope the weather will be good. -- I hope. We have had a lot of

rain. Where do you send your weather presenter on a day like

today? Alexis de is in a rainforest. That is a huge lily pad. Have you

found your frog prince? I haven't. This is the living

rainforest and it is one of the largest water lily leaves in the

world. It grows up to 8, 9 ft in diameter. It is not the only thing

to look at. I checked out earlier This does feel like we are actually

in the rain forest. Tell me about it and what you are all about?

are a sustainable charity. The idea about this is we are a visitors'

attraction to educate people about what is going on in the rain forest.

If you would like to feed them, you are welcome. These are live

locusts? Yes. In the rain forest, these monkeys are found in pockets

of the forest because of deforestation. The He's frocks are

in a breeding programme and others like the tarantula and Python only

come out for educational purposes. It tarantula can live up to 50

years. We have seen as a lot of different plants -- a lot of

different plants. You cannot deny the plant life it is pretty

impressive. The humidity is kept between 50 and 70 %. The plants do

not like it it it goes below that. We collect water from the reef of

the building to water the plants. - - wreath and other building. --

roof of the building. What is in store for the Bank Holiday weather?

I will have a for four cars later. -- a fall forecast.

Reading is preparing for a busy weekend as thousands of party-goers

head to the festival. 30% more staff have been drafted in at

Reading Train Station to help during the event which starts today.

Last August Bank Holiday 22,000 extra passengers passed through the

town's station - most of them music fans. Joe Campbell met up with

festival goers hoping for a dry weekend. A trip to a music festival,

it Bank Holiday weekend. It is a recipe for marked. Very wet and

muddy. Everyone is really friendly. It is going to rain in a minute.

But nobody was raining on this band's parade. The Sussex-based

musicians kick of the best of all. We are a bunch of kids from

Brighton. This is pretty cool. It is a dream come true. It is crazy

for us. Pretty well to walk out and see so many people, especially when

the weather is so bad. My main fear was slipping on stage. The weather

may not be a friend to rock-star hair star of -- hair stars, but

other visitors were making what demands. We have a badger sett on

site. We have had to fence them in it and feed them -- and feed them.

They are not unwelcome, but week have had to go and be further to

make sure they are OK. It looks as if it will be a great festival,

rain or shine. Let us go back to Alexis to get the weather forecast.

It is now time to release these butterflies so they can get out and

about, but if you are stuck for something to do it this Bank

Holiday and over the next few days, he is something you can get up to.

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 56 seconds

It certainly has been humid in the Rain Forest today. 70-80 % humidity.

A different picture elsewhere in the south. Let us look at the

satellite picture from earlier on. A lot of cloud that brought us some

hefty showers. They were tracked their way northwards. It was an

improving picture for some of us. We did see some sunny spells, but

temperatures were not as warm as they were yesterday. Overnight,

temperatures will drop into single figures, especially in the

countryside. A dry and sunny start to the day tomorrow. Maybe some

missed and fog patches. A few showers dotted around. The breeze

will be brisk. Some areas could stay dry up altogether.

Temperatures will peak at 19 Celsius. A wet start to their

evening tomorrow, although some late evening sunshine on offer. You

can expect the crowd to disperse as we progress through the night. Here

is your outlook for the next few days. One or to showers dotted

around. Sunday, quite cloudy. Most places should stay dry. Bank

Holiday Monday is looking pleasant. The winds will die down and Tuesday

is looking all right as well. That is all from me here. Back to the

studio. We will return to that breaking

news story that we had at the beginning of the programme at the

recycling factory in Lasham. Around 60 firefighters are at the scene.

We can now join our reporter who is there. What can you tell us at this

stage? Huge plumes of smoke have been rising and we have heard a

series of explosions. We had also just been another at 12 fire

appliances a right at the scene. The fire started at around 4pm.

This fire is in an area where factories are recycled and there is

up there is that there are gas cylinders on site. Are people from

nearby houses been moved to safety? Roads are closed in the area. A

resident told us half-a-dozen houses had been evacuated. There

are now two hydraulic platforms at the scene and they are pouring

water of right into the heart of this inferno. There is also a

police helicopter flying overhead. Thank you. There is more