17/11/2011 South Today

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

programme: Important research into childhood

allergies is under threat as not enough volunteers come forward.

No parent would want an untested drug given to their child.

Can the South lead the way out of the economic slump? We hear from

the Shadow Chancellor. Saying farewell at last to the

servicemen who died as D-Day landing craft sank in the Solent.

And the daunting task of finishing one of Mozart's great works.

I decided that I would continue very much as if I were picking up

the pen and continuing in 7091, in the same sort of style. -- said in

A medical trial which could potentially help millions of

children with allergies may have to close. The study in Southampton is

under threat not from lack of funds, but a lack of volunteers. So far,

only 31 children are involved. They need almost three times that many.

The youngsters are given an extract of dust mites to see if it helps

prevent them developing asthma, eczema, and other allergies. Our

health correspondent David Fenton has been assessing the issue and is

here to tell us more. This trial is looking at a problem

that affects many, many children. Sometimes almost from the moment

they are born. That problem is allergies. About one in four people

have an allergy and about half of those are children. Dust mites that

we all breathed in can trigger many of the most common allergic

reactions, like asthma. This today, the first of its kind in Europe,

hopes to stop those allergies from developing.

Selina is about to take a dose of dust mites. It is a special extract

in a sugary solution. She will take this twice a day for the next year.

I have got lots of friends that had eczema when they were children and

I thought it was a good idea if we could find a cure for or prevention

to stop it. Tiny drops of milk, grass and peanut solution are put

on to her skin. If she reacts, there will be a red mark. There is

not. We hope the immune system will actually recognise the house dust

mite as not being harmful. If they become tolerant to the dust mite,

it will prevent them from having hay fever or asthma, for example.

Everyone breathes in dust mites, they are a major cause of allergic

reactions, but many parents are reluctant to take part in medical

trials. I think it is trying something new and children, it is

not that good. We refused it because we did not want experiments

on our child. If it helps one person it has to be a good thing so

I don't see a problem. Selfishly, people are busy and think it will

be time consuming with small children, when time, you feel you

are busy anyway. The results of this allergy study are still being

collected, but it could close without more volunteers. It is a

common problem for research trials. Without really conducting the

studies properly so that we can understand the deceit and the new

medicines in children, we cannot, as doctors, use those medicines

because we might cause more harm. No parent would want an untested

drug given to a child. Every year, 8,000 children like Selina take

part in clinical trials, unpaid and often unnoticed.

I am joined by a doctor from the medicine for children research

network which supports clinical trials in children. Professionals

clearly want more trials on children. Persuading parents is

clearly difficult. It must be a conundrum for you, so how do you

solve it? When families come to us with a child who is unwell, many

families ask what new treatments are available, what research is

being done in the condition? Will the outlook be better for my child?

Although one its concerned to hear that families are reluctant to take

part in research, the evidence is that many families who encounter

doctors with sick children are then very keen to hear about research.

But it is a voluntary act to take part, there is no compulsion, and

each family needs to make an individual choice on the

information they are given and what is right for their child. Indeed. I

suppose if a trial cannot go ahead, what does it mean for the future of

medicine and treatments for children? It is important that

everyone recognises that, until very recently, we had no way of

improving medicines for children. Around half the medicines we use in

children are not tested to the same standards as adult medicines, but

with the development of a network and changes in legislation many new

agents are coming through, many new medicines are being tested in

children in really good facilities and with experienced, trained staff,

so unless we all contribute to the trials we will not be able to

improve health care for children as fast as we would all want it.

you so much for joining us this evening.

David, talking about the Southampton trial with the dust

mites, how realistic is it that the trial continues? They are going to

carry on with the 31 children already on it and I'm sure the

information will be useful. The problem is that it is not a large

enough number to be statistically valid, which is hugely important

when it comes to deciding, basically, does it work? Can they

get more funding to turn the research into treatment? The

interesting thing about this steady if it is not about a drug or

medicine, it is a preventative measure using something we all

breathed in any rate. Let's hope they can maybe get a few more

volunteers. If you are interested in being part of the trial all want

more information, please call this A speedway rider has appeared

before magistrates in Bournemouth charged with sexually assaulting a

teenage girl. Poole Pirates's Darcy Ward, who is 19, is accused of

assaulting the 17-year-old at a hotel in Poole in August. He was

bailed to appear at the town's Crown Court next week alongside a

17-year-old man, who cannot be named because of his age. He has

been charged with rape and three counts of sexual assault.

A Hampshire businessman has given a graphic account of how he found his

mother's body in her country cottage. Georgina Edmonds had been

stabbed and then struck with a rolling pin. Her son Harry was

giving evidence on the second day of the trial of Matthew Hamlen,

from Bishopstoke, who denies murdering Mrs Edmonds. You may find

some of the details in Steve Humphrey's report upsetting.

Just before he started giving evidence, Harry Edmonds turned

towards the dock and looked at Matthew Hamlen, the man accused of

murdering his mother. Georgina Edmonds, who was 77, was repeatedly

stabbed before being struck with a marble rolling pin. She lived at

this cottage in the grounds of Kingfisher Lodge, where her son

legs. Harry Edmonds described coming home on a dark Friday

evening. After seeing no lights on, he called his mother on the

telephone. And with the doors locked and no response, he climbed

through a window and found his mother's body in the kitchen. Two

estate workers arrived after being called by Mr Edmonds. Mr Edmonds

told the jury his mother was lying on the ground, flat on her face. He

said there was evidence she had received a blow to the head. He

told the emergency services, I think there has been a murder. He

also told the jury, you see so many crime dramas, you know in these

circumstances not to touch anything. Earlier, he described his mother as

a lively character who still lived an active life despite several hip

replacement operations. Matthew Hamlen, a 33-year-old Ehlich

treasurer, denies murdering Georgina Edmonds and the trial

continues. -- a 33-year-old and attrition.

Security is to be improved at Butlin's in Bognor Regis following

a fight at an adult weekend that ended with 12 arrests on suspicion

of GBH and violent disorder. Six staff were taken to hospital

following the incident at the Swinging 60s night earlier this

month. The resort will make closer scrutiny of block bookings, review

CCTV cameras, and have more safety staff on duty.

Southampton General Hospital's new helipad opened this morning. And

within half an hour of entering service, it was already in action,

receiving a patient from the Isle of Wight. It has cost �1 million to

build, but doctors say it will make a huge difference to patients.

Previously, patients have had to land and be transferred by land

ambulance. Landing here means they are within two minutes of the

emergency department and that saving of time will save lives and

improve outcomes. I think it is going to be amazing, because it is

going to cut down the time it takes to get into hospital, and it will

be saving lives every day. You don't get more important than that,

do you? Stay with us, we are looking ahead

to Children In Need. How did Team Scoop and Team Wafer get on in the

Pudsey challenge? Gatwick airport's extended and

modernised North Terminal officially opened today in

anticipation of a rise in passenger numbers and business growth in the

South East. The work to improve facilities has cost �73 million. It

is part of a half billion pound investment programme. So what do

passengers make of the new look? A LCT 427 improvement to what it

was before. I think it is money well spent -- a huge improvement.

It was fairly dilapidated, but it looks very good now. There seems to

be a lot more space, not as crowded as it was before.

The official opening of the modernised North Terminal was

performed by former Conservative Chancellor and Prime Minister Sir

John Major. It was during his premiership that the British

economy weathered the recession of the early 1990s. Today, he said the

hundreds of millions of pounds being invested in the North

Terminal is contributing to economic growth in the region and

across the United Kingdom. Here at Gatwick, they are

fashioning a gateway to the United Kingdom that will help Britain

extend its reach far around the world and far into the future.

So just how are we positioned across the South when it comes to

pushing the country forwards towards growth? Within the last

hour, our political editor Peter Henley has been exploring that

question with the Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls.

He has been visiting Southampton. Is there anything about the word

austerity that you like? deficit has got to come down, that

means tough decisions for families, businesses, we will see taxes go up

and have to tighten public spending. But austerity meaning cut faster

and faster, it is not working. If unemployment goes up, confidence

falls, and you end up with a higher borrowing than planned. That is

what George Osborne is discovering, so a more balanced approach than

just simple plain austerity, which does not were. You are suggesting a

tax break in the South East that would mean less money for the

government? It would encourage a few businesses but frighten the

markets. Isn't confidence the most important thing? The most important

thing is more people in work, paying tax, rather than unemployed

and on benefits. In his constituency in Southampton there

has been a 133% rise in long-term youth unemployment since the

beginning of the year, so getting people to work will get the deficit

down and one idea is a National Insurance cut for every small firm

taking on new employees. George Osborne had a plan like that but it

excluded the south-east entirely from the tax break, that is madness.

The unemployment level was so low, 6.3%, and the help when you were in

government went to other regions. Unemployment is up, confidence is

down, if businesses in the south- east are not creating jobs, the

whole country suffers. You cannot rely on the south-east to be the

engine of growth, it needs to be supported, which means doing more.

Thank you very much. A memorial service has been held

for the servicemen who died when a World War II landing craft sank in

the Solent. Landing craft LCT 427 collided on its return to

Portsmouth from Normandy in June 1944. All 13 crew died. The

Southsea Sub-Aqua Club recently discovered the wreck and began a

search for relatives or comrades of the crew, as Mark Sanders explains.

At just 19, Margaret lost the man she was going to marry, one of 13

men killed when their landing craft sank in Portsmouth harbour. Kenneth

was quite a religious person, a really frivolous man. He loved

dancing, which we boasted a lot. He was a lovely person, really lovely.

Magritte and others have lost someone dear today travelled to the

spot where LCT 427 sank. The craft was part of the D-Day armada and

successfully landed her cargo of tanks in Normandy and was returning

to Portsmouth when disaster struck. In the early hours of June 7th,

1944, just four miles from shore, she collided with a British

battleship. The landing craft was sliced in two. The wreck was

identified by Southsea Sub-Aqua Club, who organised the memorial

service at sea and traced the relatives of those who died.

never really expected to have such a fabulous response, and to finally

be here pain our last respects is just wonderful. Relatives laid

wreaths where LCT 427 went down. Gladys lost her brother. I was just

very sad, I just said goodbye to him and God bless. What was going

through your mind when you put the race on the water? -- the wreath.

Really sad, really sad. You think of all of those lives that were

lost. Today was an act of remembrance to ensure that the loss

of one landing craft crew was not forgotten in the sweep of history.

An important day for the relatives and comrades who waited so long to

pay their respects. More than 200 years after the

original piece was written, a composer from Southampton has

completed Mozart's Requiem. Michael Finnissy, Professor of Composition

at Southampton University, wrote the new parts in just six weeks.

Over the last couple of centuries, many attempts have been made to

finish the piece. Sarah Holmes The opening to Mozart's Requiem,

and iconic piece of music. But one that Mozart never finished. Over

the last couple of centuries, many attempts have been made to finish

the piece, most imagining what Mozart would have done. But Michael

Finnissy decided to try something different. Supposing Mozart was

alive now and was looking back at himself in its 7091, what would he

have to take account of, musically, in a different musical period? It

starts more-or-less in the style I wanted to make the relationship

with Mozart, so it would not have been much good grovelling at his

feet, that would not be terribly impressive, so I decided he was a

friend and we were going to talk about the writing of Requiems, how

music can affect people, how it can elevate the human spirit. The piece

will be premiered on Sunday at St Michael's Church in Southampton.

A daunting task to a finish that. The completed Requiem is on Sunday

at 7pm at St Michael's Church in Southampton. And it is online

bbc.co.uk/hampshire. Tony is here, starting with

football? The bank which is part-owned by one

of Portsmouth's main backers has gone into temporary administration.

Vladimir Antonov owns 68% of Bankas Snoras. An administrator has been

appointed to assess its financial position and look at restructuring,

amid reports that assets totalling around �247 million pounds may be

unaccounted for. Antonov is the Chairman and founder of Convers

Sports Initiatives, which owns Portsmouth. The club have made no

comment. Meanwhile, Portsmouth's new manager

has been reflecting on his first week in the role. Michael Appleton

leads Pompey in his opening game as a full-time manager on Saturday at

Watford. He has had a week to work with those players who have not

been away on international duty, and he is eager for the game to

come round. I am obviously desperately looking

forward to it, it is an opportunity for myself to have a feel for the

championship once again. I have spent a lot of time playing in the

championship, coaching in the championship, being an assistant to

people in that level, and there is a lot I know about the championship

and the players and hopefully I can give that advice and experience to

the players. Gosport sailor Alex Thomson may

have to settle for second place in the Transat race. Thomson and co-

skipper Guillarmo Altadill remain 128 miles behind the leaders in the

challenge, which started in northern France at the beginning of

the month and should arrive in Costa Rica tomorrow. Southampton's

Mike Golding is still at the back of the 9 boat class.

After five consecutive defeats to start the British basketball season,

the Guildford Heat are turning to some American talent They have

signed experienced point guard Drew Lasker. He has played for Plymouth

and Newcastle and averages over 15 points a game. Lasker should make

his debut in a friendly on Sunday at Surrey Sports Park.

Saints and Brighton made on Saturday, amongst Children In Need,

we will preview that. It is Children In Need tomorrow night,

and as most of us are gearing up for a big fundraising night, some

race enthusiasts in Chandlers Ford are preparing for a 24-hour

marathon. And tonight they are on a practise run. Laura Trant is there.

It is all very exciting at the race centre in Chandlers Ford. Here is

Nathan, he has won four times before. What are your tips? A lot

of concentration, hardly any sleep, and a lot of luck. We had better

leave you to it. Let's talk to David, what is going on tomorrow?

We have the 24 hour race, starting at 1pm and going through until

Saturday at 1pm. We also have an auction, so everyone can join in.

We have gifts from Martin Brundle, lots of stuff, lots for people to

bid on. How much have you raised so far? It is the 50th, so far over

�35,000. Nasty was �8,000, we hope we can achieve that again -- it is

the 5th year, and last year was �8,000. Our very own Sarah Farmer

is here. How is it going? I have crashed several times, but I am

getting there, getting the hang of it. It is like the real thing, you

can feel the vibrations and when you come off the track, you know

about it! You can join a Sidon for a girls' night out tomorrow at the

National Motor Museum, and there will be a bit of a casting because

there will be a Formula One tyre Bob challenge as well.

She said all of the girls, but you are there tomorrow as well!

already know what they are doing, they are one step ahead!

It is day two of the Pudsey Challenge. We split eight of our

presenters and reporters into two teams and gave them a task, rather

in the style of The Apprentice. Selling and making ice cream for

Children In Need. It might seem an easy task, but there are some dirty

tricks taking place as the competition starts to hot up.

Two teams and one bear. To make and sell ice-cream. The rules are

simple. Whichever team sows the Team Wafer Habana early appointment

with BBC Radio Solent. We have been busy making sticky toffee Pudsey.

Elsewhere... The ice-cream is there, we have to get it in here and then

hit the row. It is very expensive. Three pounds 50 for a tub of ice-

cream?! As least I have changed my top! Fresh plants, fresh socks!

Friendly rivalry... Can you help, please? This is really nice ice-

cream. And dirty tricks. Theirs is bright yellow and looks disgusting.

Look at that. Tom has got a mean, devious trick. If you would like to

move your Karl Ley! With the roadblocks lifted, both teams are

Team Wafer divide in two, with Sarah heading to Southampton and

Tom going to Portsmouth. Pool stick together and set up shop at the

keys in Portsmouth. Do we have a phone number for the ice-cream

people? Are you worried about it Martin? I want to make sure!

The team leaders return from Portsmouth. With just one hour to

go, both teams made a final push. Alexis has come down to help.

metres up, your chance to eat high altitude ice-cream! I don't know

how you can stay so calm. Both teams must return to the boardroom

by a strict 4pm deadline. We have got to go. Why don't you start

selling and stop arguing? It feels like we shifted nearly all of our

ice-cream. We won by a wafer! Tomorrow, all eight Apprentices

face Sally in the boardroom, but who will become Pudsey's

Apprentice? You are fired!

It was so exciting to do that! But it was not nice to be horrible to

them because they did so well, and I will tell you all about it

tomorrow. I hope she has finished crashing

her car, because Sarah Farmer has now got to get to grips with the

weather! Luckily the track was drying here

otherwise I would have spun off the road several more times! Today, we

We did have quite a bit of blue sky ahead, some cloud at times, but a

band of cloud moving into the West, which is trying to head into us

overnight. We start to see the cloud thickening from the north-

west through the course of this evening. I don't think it will

bring too much in the way of wet weather but it may be damp and

drizzly at times. Eastern parts perhaps seeing some mist, which

could be with us into tomorrow morning. The start of tomorrow

looks like it will be damned in the West, but just first thing. We may

see some mist to the far east of the region, but as the day

progresses, some decent writer breaks developing and we should see

some more sunshine, probably more cloud than we saw today, but some

nice sunny spells. The breeze is a little bit of a feature, but not

too windy. Another mild day for November for Children In Need day.

Children In Need night, it will stay predominantly dry once again,

thickening cloud through the course of the night, not ruling out the

chance of some mist and fog again, but we should see temperatures in

double figures for most parts, so not doing too badly for the weekend.

More brightness, sunny intervals through the day on Saturday,

possibly a touch of frost in two Sunday. Sunday itself looks to be a

bit cloudy, maybe with some rain, but for the most part some good,

sunny spells. Some uncertainty into the working week, but it starts on

a decent note. Thank you very much.

Children In Need tomorrow night, they are at the National Motor

Museum. You are there as well. If you are doing something tomorrow,