14/09/2011 South Today

Hello, I'm Sally Taylor. Welcome to South Today. In tonight's

programme: Under attack - a call for more

prosecutions of those who assault ambulance staff. We walked past and

the mother shouted as at us and threw a brick at me.

Those magnificent men in their very fast flying machines who impressed

one 15-year-old boy 80 years ago. They were little gods. We looked at

them as a real heroes of. The race has started.

And previously unseen footage of a bygone era in the world of motor

racing. There were no safety belts, look at the circuit. There was

nothing stopping the car's going They're in the front line of the

emergency services, caring for those in need, but ambulance staff

in the south have found themselves coming under physical attack, staff

have reported. But it's only in a small number of cases that the

perpetrators are held to account for their actions. Now bosses at

the South Central Ambulance Service want to change that, and are

calling for more people to be prosecuted. Emma Vardy has this

report. When it crews are called out, they

can be put at risk. Paramedic Cherry was assaulted in Reading

while looking up a patient. We got called to an alleged overdose, in

19-year-old had given the information. We were making our way

and outside the front door, as we walked past, the mother shouted at

us and threw a brick at me which bounced off my back. Since April

last year, there have been 90 assaults reported. Hampshire has

had the highest number with 55 cases recorded there. Between 2010

and 2011, the service saw violent attacks rise by 22 %. Verbal abuse

is common, says staff. You dialled 999. This is the number fought an

emergency service. I don't want an ambulance. I will have to hang up

on you. Most new ambulances have these cc TV cameras fitted inside

and outside the vehicles and the footage they record can be later

used as evidence. Managers of precedent for more incidents to be

followed up with the police. This is very concerning for us. The

staff are trying to help people and they are turned on, hit, and some

have even been shot out. We will pursue it with the police and look

forward to a prosecution. Only a small number and result in legal

action and managers want that to change.

A little earlier, I spoke to Alan Weir from South Central Ambulance

Service. With only about one in six attacks resulting in some sort of

action being taken, I asked him why there are so few prosecutions.

There are a number of things that get in the way. Getting evidence

has always proven difficult. It is the word of the assailant verses

the crew. A lot of incidents involve drugs and alcohol and that

makes it difficult to get good statements. We are moving on with

CCTV to provide better support for our staff. They report the

incidents, but sadly a number of folk in their services begin this

is part of the Daily routine. talk about CCTV, but is there

anything we can do to protect staff are? We have introduced hand-held

radios for all staff and vehicles that have panic buttons on them and

give direct record a communication to the emergency control centres.

It is a very difficult environment to work in. We go into people's

homes and workplaces and it is impossible to control every

environment we going to, unfortunately. In general, how is

this impacting on staff? They are trying to do an important job.

is demoralising. Our staff go out there to help members of the

community in the areas in which they work and to go out and the

abused, and possibly spat at all sworn at, or punch, what you're

doing your daily business gets you down. At what is the root of the

problem? While they attacking ambulance staff when they are

trying to help? That is a difficult question. There are lots of reasons

behind the assaults. Sometimes we are seen as a point of authority. A

lot of incidents involved alcohol and drugs, alcohol being cheaply

available in certain stores and a lot of incidents involve --

involving assaults usually include Al Gore.

It's something not many of us look forward to, but for one woman from

Brighton a trip to the dentist cost her her life. Sacha Rumaner was

having a check up after a recent extraction. It's believed she had a

severe allergic reaction to the mouthwash. Ben Moore was at the

inquest into her death in Brighton. It was a simple every day procedure

at the dentist, but it killed a 30- year-old woman who was described as

friendly and departed. The family of Sacha Rumaner arrived here at

Brampton County Court to find out how she died. She was there to have

a recent extraction check them had been given mouthwash to rinse the

cavity. Sasha had learning difficulties and was schizophrenic.

Her social worker was with her at her appointment and described what

happened. She said within seconds, Sasha complained of being hot and

slumped in the chair. She went pale, her lips went blue, and she was

frothing at the mouth. Staff immediately began in the agency at

treatment, but within minutes, she had stopped breathing. The dentist

also took the stand and was asked by the coroner why, despite what is

laid out in national guidelines committee did not immediately think

Sacha's sit there and so were anaphylactic shock. The dentist

said she assumed Sasha was joking while having a heart attack. We

also heard from a pathologist and an allergy expert, both of whom

said Sasha had died from a severe allergic reaction to a compound of.

It is an antiseptic commonly found in dentist surgeries, especially in

mouthwash. A verdict is expected he up on Friday.

A firm that's contracted and part- funded by Portsmouth City Council

to operate the Pyramids Centre used a company credit card in a lap-

dancing club. It's led to calls by two local councillors for action to

be taken. Portsmouth City Council's told Southsea Community Leisure

Limited that the �200 spend is "inappropriate". The firm says it

hasn't been given the opportunity to respond to the allegations.

Roisin Gauson has the story. The Pyramids Centre, two years ago

it was a chain around the neck of Portsmouth City Council, failing

and losing money. Southsea Community Leisure Limited took it

over with promises of investment and upgrades at no cost to the

public. However, it has agreed a cost with the council worth

millions of taxpayers' money. don't know where this money is

going or how it will be spent. I don't know what the councillors

knew, but we were left in the dark. Several issues have been raised

since the -- of the management of the lesser centre. Among them, a

receipt for services at a local lap-dancing club in the name of

corporate entertainment. They have come to the city council to ask for

public handouts and I do not believe that public money, my

council tax and your council tax, should be spent on visiting lap-

dancing clubs. Southsea Community Leisure Limited, which runs

Pyramids Centre, says it is aware of the rumours, but says they have

been made on the basis of interpretation of confidential

information. The management is disappointed not to have had the

chance to meet with the council to put its side of the story across

prior to the councillors going public.

Pressure is building on the council to stop the funding and find a new

operator for the Pyramids Centre. But council leaders are refusing to

budge. There is a contract to keep the Pyramids Centre Open and I hope

the people will view the fact that it is open as the right thing. I

think the company shouldn't spend that money. I heard the directors

who spent it will pay that �200 back. A meeting has been called for

Friday. The �200 bill will not be the only matter discussed as the

council have guaranteed a loan of up to �2.2 million to secure the

future of Southsea Community Leisure Limited.

17 men suspected of possessing indecent images of children have

been arrested across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. A team of

officers made the arrests on Monday and Tuesday at ten different towns

and cities. Those questioned are between the ages of 20 and 69.

Police say 21 children were safeguarded from potential direct

harm as a result. Computers, cameras and memory sticks were also

seized during the arrests. We are making arrests every day for people

downloading images of children. People who commit these serious

crimes think they can do so in the comfort of their own homes and no

one will find out. That is not the case, this is not an anonymous

crime. It is easy for us to identify these people.

Still to come in this evening's South Today:

Previously unseen footage of a bygone era from the world of Grand

The beauty company Wella is leaving Basingstoke after 44 years. Around

100 people are employed at the site in Wella Road. All staff have been

given the opportunity to move with their jobs but there will be some

voluntary redundancies. A company spokesman said they were sad to

leave Basingstoke. Some staff staying on will move to sites in

Bournemouth and Weybridge in Surrey. A proposal to graze cattle

alongside a riverbank in Dorset has attracted bitter opposition from

dog walkers and others who say the plan will stop their enjoyment of

the area. They say 700 people have now signed their petition. The plan

would affect several small areas of grassland next to the River Stour

near Bournemouth where countryside officials say grazing would improve

the habitat for plants and wild animals. Chris Coneybeer reports.

Shetland cattle, one of our rarest breeds. The grazing keeps the scrub

down. It also leaves tasks used by birds and their areas where plants

can flourish. If we left it, it would be scrub and eventually

woodland. It is in great, but compared to that these are the

habitat, it is common and that is what we are keen to maintain our

valuable habitats of. Not far away on the banks of the River Stour,

there are plans to do something similar. Grazing here it is claimed

would dramatically benefit plants and wild creatures. The protesters

say it would limit that. It will bring different kinds of birds to

the area, butterflies, insect, but were not there before. But they are

taking away 90 % of this land for six cattle. There would be a fence

to keep the cattle in, but with gaps and gates for dogs and people.

We have got an amazing biodiversity. It is superb. We know, from our

experience, that by a grazing that, we will have a positive impact on

the wildlife and by the honesty of that site. But the campaigners are

not persuaded. People are stressed, they can come down here and they

can just relax. Their minds can relax and they can enjoy a a small

bit of countryside that we have got., they do that next to a field

of cows? They can't wander when they wanted. There will be more

talks before a final decision is made.

Helicopters will now be able to land at Portsmouth's Queen

Alexandra hospital 24 hours a day for emergency cases. The city

council has lifted a planning restriction which prevented night-

time landings. Some residents living near the helipad had opposed

the change, saying it would affect their sleep and the value of their

homes. But the hospital's Chief of Medicine says the decision will

It was a British triumph, and led to the development of airplanes

which helped win the Second World War. Back in 1931, the coveted

Schneider Trophy was won for the last time by Britain. The

technology which built the seaplanes also helped develop

planes such as the Hurricane and the Spitfire. 80 years ago, the

route took the planes between West Wittering in West Sussex, and Cowes

and Ryde on the Isle of Wight. Today, the route was similar with

seaplanes taking off from Lee on the Solent. Our reporter Steve

Humphrey was on the shoreline to witness the event.

There is something magical about aeroplanes that land and take a

from the water. Today, A-Team aircraft staged a tribute to the

aviation pioneers who competed here in the is between the two world

wars. The big prize 80 years ago was the Schneider Trophy. One man

who was watching in 1931 was in the crowd again today. It was

tremendous leading up to it. There was this tremendous roar. What was

your view of the pilots who were flying these ultra-modern, in those

days, flying machines? They were little gods. We looked at them as

real heroes. Groups of people gathered in Southsea and on the

Isle of Wight to watch today's aircraft fire past.

What is it like to take off and land on the water. It is a

fantastic challenge, you have you read the water so you have to be a

sailor. You're a pilot and a sailor. The Schneider Trophy was about the

quest for speed. This machine does about 120 miles an hour. The winner

back in 1931 achieved a speed of the 340 miles an hour.

The aircraft that won the trophy in 1931 was the Super Marine designed

by RJ Mitchell. He went on to use many of the features in the

development of the spit fire. important to remember the fact that

if they had not done the work they had done to improve high-speed

flight, we would not have had the fighters. Even in 1931, the

Schneider Trophy sleet plane was the key -- twice as fast as the

aircraft that are coming into If you enjoyed seeing the old

footage of the Schneider Trophy, stay with us because we will be

looking at some high-speed crumb Prix racing.

Let's start with cricket now, with the season coming to an end now.

The inevitable happened for Hampshire.

Hampshire made it to the penultimate day of the season

before they finally bowed to what was inevitable. James Tomlinson's

was the final wicket to fall in the Hampshire first innings against

Warwickshire at The Rose Bowl. It meant Hampshire couldn't get the

maximum batting points they needed to keep the fight alive into the

final day and are relegated. Their place in the top flight will be

taken by Surrey. They wrapped up victory over Derbyshire by an

innings and 126 runs at The Oval earlier this afternoon.

Sussex will also be in the top flight next year. Their final match

of the season has nothing riding on it for either side. Notts all out

for 311 in their first innings following on they're 103 for 4,

still 74 behind Sussex's first innings total at Nottingham.

One bit of good news for Hampshire. Their young spinner Danny Briggs

has been called into the England Twenty20 squad to play the West

Indies. Some small creditors of Portsmouth

Football Club are still waiting for their money despite a pledge made

by the club's former owners that the debts would be paid in full.

Balram Chainrai made the gesture last year to those who are owed up

to �2,500 after Pompey exited Administration. Chainrai has since

sold the club and liability for the debt is unclear. One creditor made

his point at BBC Radio Solent's Supporter's Forum last night.

When will we be paid? There wasn't any deadline imposed on when that

would happen, but we are keen that happens as soon as possible. There

are a number of legacy issues we have inherited. This is one that we

have got to keep knocking on the head and get rid of the issues as

quickly as we can. The fans' forum at Bournemouth a

couple of weeks ago started a saga between The Cherries Chairman and

the fans. Which has taken another twist today. Eddie Mitchell has

listed all the expenditure made by the club in recent times in

response to a direct e-mail from a supporter. It includes a �1.8

million to pay-off debts, �800,000 in transfer fees and �40,000 on

renovating the home dressing room and an ice bath so the players

didn't have to use wheelie bins. The total is �3.25 million.

A lot of the pressure on Eddie Mitchell has come because of

Bournemouth's poor start to the season. The chapter could be coming

to an end - he's declared all the finances - and the team is winning

again. Here's Tony Husband with last night's goals.

Bournemouth did their talking on the pitch. The new signing went

down in the box, penalty awarded down in the box, penalty awarded

and a fine finish. That gave them the lead. Orient levelled. But the

turning point came with his red card for Ibrox or -- a reckless

challenge. Playing against 10 men, the cherries to control. Thomas had

the follow-up after Sean Cooper's efforts went off the bar.

Paolo Di Canio was wearing shades because he is in the limelight

after an event will start. His side were victorious against a Crawley

Team suffering a reality check to life in the higher league. But the

game was Ali really settled in the final 10 minutes as injury-hit

Crawley faded. This goal sealed the win.

Aldershot won a way as well. It was game over in the second half thanks

to this off-balance header from the Just to clarify, wheelie bins, they

have got a proper ice bath because previously, football clubs fill

wheelie bins with ice so that footballers can relax the muscles.

I'm sure you knew that, because Sally didn't!

Championship leaders Brighton get a real chance to measure their

progress next week when they play Liverpool in the third round of the

Carling Cup. And tickets for Wednesday's match at The Amex

Stadium are proving to be the hottest tickets in town. Albion

fans queued to snap up the final few seats this morning - and the

game is now sold out. BBC Sussex will have commentary with Johnny

Cantor for those not lucky enough to be going.

Last night we told you about the ticket drive ahead of next year's

Paralympics. Just to clarify the ticket process, you have until 26th

September to apply and the address As Goodwood prepares to host one of

the world's biggest motor sport events this weekend, we've got

something rather special to show you. Long before Grand Prix racing

was shown on television, a handful of people filmed it for use on

cinema newsreels. And a former cameraman from

Wiltshire has got some footage that has never been seen on television

before, showing the great stars of the day, like Stirling Moss. In the

first of two reports, Paul Clifton gets a little help from Murray

Beat Monaco Grand Prix, 1955. Practice day has arrived and so

have the cars. The top drivers of the day get ready to race. And here

is the man from Great Britain. is Britain's first world champion.

Mike Hawthorn came from Surrey. The pictures come from the late David

Clark, a talented driver turned film-maker. He was friends with

Stirling Moss, at this point early in his career.

When the tyres were put up after practice, he was one of the names

others were looking for. This man was one of the camera men. They

were often the only films of Grand Prix racing. We, as cameraman,

would be able to stand on the track to get the shots that we wanted.

The base has started! -- the race. Alberto Askari was one of the

greatest drivers of his time, but in the days before safety barriers,

it all went wrong. But tremendous excitement, Alberta Askari has

overshot it. Frogmen standing by died in to rescue him. He starts to

swing to one of the arts. A few days later, he was dead, killed

testing a new car. I showed at the thought it to Murray Walker, the

veteran motor racing commentator. It wasn't so long after the end of

the most dreadful war in the history of mankind when millions of

people had been killed and the attitudes to death were very

different in those days. Look how close spectators get to the cars.

The drivers themselves have almost no protection: No seat belt, No 5

rip seats. There wasn't the attitude towards death and the

concern about life that there is now. Yes, four or five people used

to get killed every season. These are pictures of an era far

removed from today's motor-racing. There goes the chequered flag.

Tomorrow, we will uncover footage never seen in the public before of

one of the great from Prix drivers. Look forward to that. There was a

sharp intake of breath at the studio when he drove into the water,

we could not believe it! I think a lot of people would have

So the weather is good today, the tomorrow, but then downhill.

It's been a blustery week so far. Murray Marshall from West Grimstead

captured the windfall in his garden. The sun was out for the hungry

squirrel in Chris Castle's garden in Fleet in Hampshire.'s And Phil

North captured the clear blue skies over a sunflower in Bicester today.

Late-evening sunshine on offer, but Late-evening sunshine on offer, but

tonight it turns Bury chilly. Temperatures will be below their

seasonal average. It means there is the risk of a touch of grass frost

first thing tomorrow morning. Clearing skies overnight tonight

with that lack of cloud cover holding in the warmth. Temperatures

will plunge into a single figures. There is a risk of mist and fog.

Fog in the usual prone areas and valleys. Expect loads of nine

degrees. These are the lows in our towns and cities, lower in the

countryside. Blue skies tomorrow, chilly start, sunshine first thing,

then increasing clad in the afternoon, turning the sunshine

hazy. In the sun, expect a higher at 19 or 20. Winds will be a lot

lighter than they have been for the start of the week. Tomorrow night,

a few clear spells, maybe some mist and fog, the temperatures will hold

up in double figures. Expect a low of around 11 or 14 degrees. For

Friday morning, it is an East West split. There is a risk of a few

showers from this weather system for the West. Eastern areas holding

on to the sunshine and the dry weather for the rest of the day.

Then on Saturday, the weekend turns unsettled. The winds pick up speed,

low pressure is over the country and there will be blustery showers

at times. On Sunday, a similar situation, you can see the squeeze

on the isobars. The winds will feel chilly if you're out. There will be

showers on and off throughout the weekend. Not to say there will not

be some sunny spells, and the winds will be brisk. Here is your summary.

Enjoy the sunshine tomorrow. For the East on Friday, chance of

showers in the West. The winds pick up speed towards the weekend as