:00:14. > :00:19.Welcome to South Today. Hope for the young homeless.
:00:19. > :00:24.Had helped me get closer back with my mum.
:00:24. > :00:28.A pre-Christmas sweetener for hard- pressed commuters. Thousands of
:00:28. > :00:32.extra seats on some of the busiest train routes.
:00:32. > :00:37.The great Chris Christmas get away is on in the South.
:00:37. > :00:42.The teddy bears bringing comfort to absent soldiers children.
:00:42. > :00:52.Last week I sent over 50 bears around the the world to Germany,
:00:52. > :00:59.
:00:59. > :01:01.sip Cyprus and Afghanistan and Homeless at Christmas. It's a
:01:01. > :01:05.desperate prospect and yet homeless charities across the South have
:01:05. > :01:15.reported a big rise in the number of people they're helping this year.
:01:15. > :01:15.
:01:15. > :01:18.Many of those needing support have recently lost their jobs. And with
:01:18. > :01:21.a record number of 16 to 24-year- olds out of work, that's increasing
:01:21. > :01:25.the pressure on services which help young adults. David Allard's been
:01:25. > :01:29.to one project in Aldershot that's Homeless and help turn lives around.
:01:29. > :01:34.It is a world away from the lives they knew. These young people are
:01:34. > :01:37.here because they are homeless. I just really wasn't getting on
:01:37. > :01:42.with my family that was because I liked the drugs and that.
:01:42. > :01:49.I was was getting into fights at school and my mum couldn't handle
:01:49. > :01:54.it. On my 16th birthday she was like, "On I would like you to find
:01:54. > :01:57.somewhere else to live." We are trying to get them to move from
:01:57. > :02:02.difficult situations and aspire to better future.
:02:02. > :02:07.Step by steps new �3.7 million building is at the heart of that
:02:07. > :02:11.wrong. That work. Before the Government cuts kicked in, we had
:02:11. > :02:15.contributions from seven different local authorities, from the homes
:02:15. > :02:20.and communities agency and fund- raising contributions from the
:02:20. > :02:24.local local chunet local community. These young people
:02:24. > :02:29.know they are happy to have the support. Figure from Crisis show
:02:29. > :02:33.homeless people in England die 30 years younger than the national
:02:33. > :02:39.average. The Government announced new funding to help single homeless
:02:39. > :02:44.people. But Step By Step is transforming lives.
:02:44. > :02:49.It made me appreciate things that people have taken for granted. It
:02:49. > :02:55.helped me out of issues that I have had and helped me get closer with
:02:55. > :03:00.my mum. It helped me start a new life.
:03:00. > :03:05.I'm hoping to join the Army in March. I'm looking forward to it..
:03:05. > :03:10.They are positive messages, but with youth unemployment at a record
:03:10. > :03:14.high and a big rise in the number of homeless, people here know the
:03:14. > :03:18.demand for their services are Three people have been arrested
:03:18. > :03:20.after a spate of armed robberies in the Southampton area yesterday.
:03:20. > :03:24.Three shops were targeted in Southampton and one in Bishopstoke
:03:24. > :03:27.near Eastleigh. Staff were threatened with a gun. A man from
:03:27. > :03:31.Gosport and two women from Southampton are being questioned by
:03:31. > :03:34.police. Rail commuters on some of the
:03:34. > :03:38.busiest routes in the South got what you might call a pre-Christmas
:03:38. > :03:41.sweetener today. After the pain of seeing average fares rise by nearly
:03:41. > :03:46.6% earlier this week, there's the prospect of thousands of extra
:03:46. > :03:49.seats on their crowded journeys. There'll be extra carriages on
:03:49. > :03:54.South West Train services into London Waterloo from stations like
:03:54. > :03:58.Southampton, Portsmouth and Alton. And there'll be extra trains from
:03:58. > :04:07.Reading to Waterloo. Chris Coneybeer is at Southampton Central
:04:07. > :04:12.Well, the last of the pre-Christmas commuters are on their way home now,
:04:12. > :04:16.Laura or should be and I should think all the people who travel
:04:16. > :04:19.between stations like this and London will be delighted to hear
:04:19. > :04:24.there are going to be extra spaces on the services soon. What is
:04:24. > :04:28.planned? Well, there will be 60 additional coaches on existing
:04:28. > :04:34.trains. There will be some additional services too on the
:04:34. > :04:36.Reading to Waterloo line and the the stations in between and at
:04:36. > :04:40.Waterloo International will be brought back into use as well.
:04:40. > :04:45.Those who travelled regularly on the early morning and evening rush
:04:45. > :04:50.hour trains know just how busy it can get. The Transport Secretary
:04:50. > :04:54.today described conditions as sardine can like on many peak time
:04:54. > :04:56.services. All the predictions show the
:04:56. > :05:02.Government and the train companies need to invest more in more trains
:05:02. > :05:05.because we want to use the railways. We want to travel around more,
:05:05. > :05:09.that's great, but it has to be a long-term investment and this is a
:05:09. > :05:13.step in the right direction. Some trains will be lengthened by
:05:13. > :05:18.up to another four coaches. There will be two additional trains from
:05:19. > :05:22.the Reading to Waterloo Bridge and extra services nearer to London
:05:22. > :05:28.using refurbished former Gatwick Express trains and those new
:05:28. > :05:31.services will use one of the platforms at the former Waterloo
:05:31. > :05:34.International terminal which was used by Eurostar services until a
:05:34. > :05:38.few years ago. The number of services we operate
:05:38. > :05:41.at the moment are defined by the Department for Transport under our
:05:41. > :05:45.franchise agreement and we will be exploring ways together with them
:05:45. > :05:51.for how we can further increase capacity for passengers.
:05:51. > :05:54.What do the passengers think? Earlier we spoke to some at
:05:54. > :05:59.Southampton Airport Parkway. It is a good idea. Anything that
:05:59. > :06:02.gets you homepm I'm going home. It is Christmas and I have had enough.
:06:02. > :06:04.Generally you are standing up and you can't get a seat. It is a good
:06:04. > :06:08.idea. I think more train companies should
:06:08. > :06:13.do it really. Well, those extra carriages should
:06:13. > :06:16.start arriving by next May and south-west trains say the
:06:16. > :06:21.additional services should be in place by July 2014 and all that
:06:21. > :06:31.should bring much needed relieve. - - relief.
:06:31. > :06:33.
:06:33. > :06:39.Preparations are complete for the demolition of a railway bridge in
:06:39. > :06:45.Reading. Work on the demolition is scheduled to begin at 5am tomorrow.
:06:45. > :06:52.It is part of an �850 million regeneration of Reading Station to
:06:52. > :06:57.increase capacity. Thames Valley Police are selling
:06:57. > :07:00.off 42 police houses to raise �12 million. The force says the
:07:00. > :07:04.properties are not required. The Police Federation warned with a
:07:04. > :07:14.Government review approaching officers pay maybe cut and the need
:07:14. > :07:18.
:07:18. > :07:23.If you joined the police a house came with the job. Officers were
:07:23. > :07:28.entitled to free accommodation or a housing allowance. Today, policing
:07:28. > :07:32.is very different. Forces are no longer required to provide housing
:07:32. > :07:35.for staff, so Thames Valley Police is selling off much of its housing
:07:35. > :07:39.stock. The police officers who have been
:07:39. > :07:42.in those police houses are coming up for retirement. We don't have
:07:42. > :07:45.the same requirement because police officers are no longer eligible for
:07:45. > :07:49.the police houses and so over the last few years the police authority
:07:49. > :07:53.has taken the decision to sell off some of the housing stock and to
:07:53. > :07:56.use the capital receipts for other things.
:07:56. > :08:00.42 properties are being sold off by Thames Valley Police, eleven in
:08:00. > :08:05.Berkshire. The force is hoping to raise about �12 million from the
:08:05. > :08:09.sales and it says some of the money will go towards updating its older
:08:09. > :08:13.police stations or refurbishing custody suites.
:08:13. > :08:17.But the Police Federation has warned that if officers pay is cut
:08:17. > :08:22.as a result of the Government's upcoming Windsor Review, the need
:08:22. > :08:28.for police housing could increase. The future of the police officers
:08:28. > :08:32.and their pay and conditions, they could suffer quite a pay cut in the
:08:32. > :08:34.years to come and they need to retain housing stock as a bolt hole
:08:34. > :08:38.for police officers who get into financial difficulties.
:08:38. > :08:44.The force intends to continue selling off its properties, but
:08:44. > :08:54.says if in future police pay cuts make it harder to retain staff it
:08:54. > :08:59.
:08:59. > :09:03.may bring back a scheme to help officers buy their own homes.
:09:03. > :09:06.A man has been charged with arson after a fire was started at a
:09:06. > :09:10.church in Carisbrooke on the Isle of Wight. The altar was set on fire
:09:10. > :09:13.and two crucifixes were stolen from St Mary the Virgin Church. It was
:09:13. > :09:16.the third attack there in the last few months. 23-year-old Kevin Lee
:09:16. > :09:18.Williams will appear in court in January. Two other people have been
:09:18. > :09:20.released on police bail. Still to come in this evening's
:09:20. > :09:26.South Today: Find out how these home-made bears
:09:26. > :09:29.are making a world of difference. With the big Christmas break almost
:09:29. > :09:31.upon us, the race was on for thousands across the region today
:09:32. > :09:37.either to reach their holiday destination, or to finish that last
:09:37. > :09:39.minute Christmas shopping. Today was Gatwick Airport's busiest day
:09:39. > :09:42.of the year and shopping centres across the South are reporting
:09:42. > :09:49.record numbers through their doors. Sarah Holmes joined the last minute
:09:49. > :09:53.rush. More and more people are choosing to spend the holidays
:09:53. > :09:57.abroad. With 100,000 people passing through Gatwick Airport today on
:09:57. > :10:01.the busiest day of the year, but the queues failed to dampen most
:10:01. > :10:05.people's Christmas spirit. The atmosphere has been great. One
:10:05. > :10:13.of the things I noticed while queuing all the children were good
:10:13. > :10:17.and excited and not noisy or bother Somme. Everybody seemed contented.
:10:17. > :10:23.Even though it is busy, it is moving and moving fast.
:10:23. > :10:27.We were lucky in the fact that we got electronic passports so we got
:10:27. > :10:31.through quickly. However our two friends queued for 20 minutes just
:10:31. > :10:34.to get into the country which was annoying.
:10:34. > :10:38.Despite the economic gloom, people people can't stay away from the
:10:38. > :10:45.shops. Shopping centres, managers are reporting an increase in foot
:10:46. > :10:51.fall compared to last year. West quay in Southampton is up by 8.5%.
:10:51. > :10:54.Cascade shopping centre has seen an increase of 4%pm. -- 4%.
:10:54. > :11:00.I have got to get another couple of things
:11:00. > :11:04.The only only snag is that it is not snowing. I don't want a repeat
:11:04. > :11:12.of last year's winter. It is my little girl's first
:11:12. > :11:16.Christmas so I'm really excited. The wait for Santa in cap cas
:11:16. > :11:20.said's -- Cas said's was around an hour today.
:11:20. > :11:23.REPORTER: Are you looking forward to see Santa? Yes. Do you think you
:11:23. > :11:27.have been a good girl this year? little bit.
:11:27. > :11:30.The last minute Christmas rush is almost over, but there is no time
:11:30. > :11:38.to rest as shopping centres get ready for the start of the sales on
:11:38. > :11:41.Now earlier in the week we told you about Libby Pardoe, a Hampshire
:11:41. > :11:45.teenager who's swimming 340 miles in her local pool to raise money
:11:45. > :11:48.for a military charity and there are two pieces of good news to give
:11:48. > :11:52.you about her. Libby is raising money for the Princess of Wales's
:11:52. > :11:55.Royal Regiment, swimming a mile a day at Lymington Leisure Centre.
:11:55. > :11:58.The good news is that New Forest District Council has now waived her
:11:58. > :12:06.swimming fees for the duration of her challenge and she's already
:12:06. > :12:09.exceeded her original target of �1,000.
:12:09. > :12:12.Great news there. It's always a tough time for the
:12:12. > :12:15.families of servicemen and women when their loved ones are away -
:12:15. > :12:18.especially at Christmas. And for children it can be a particularly
:12:18. > :12:24.worrying time. So one mum from Tidworth in Wiltshire, came up with
:12:24. > :12:32.an ingenious idea to comfort her little ones. And now it has really
:12:32. > :12:36.Find out more. Bedtimes are always hard for George and nat talia when
:12:36. > :12:40.dad Simon is in Afghanistan, but a bear made out of his old combat
:12:40. > :12:48.trousers seemed to do the trick. A little piece of him to cuddle at
:12:48. > :12:53.night. Little did mum know that she hit on an idea that would catch on.
:12:53. > :12:57.Are you surprised that this has caught on? Really, really surprised.
:12:57. > :13:00.It is the most simple idea. I am surprised that people hadn't
:13:00. > :13:06.thought of it before. It was crazy. Last week I sent over 50 bears
:13:06. > :13:13.around the world, Germany, Cyprus, Afghanistan, and within the UK.
:13:13. > :13:20.I thought it was a really good idea. REPORTER: Did it help you? Yeah,
:13:20. > :13:25.when Simon went away, mum made a bear and she sprayed his aftershave
:13:25. > :13:28.so we could remember remember. The requests came pouring in, so
:13:29. > :13:33.much so that her much, Sara had to help out.
:13:33. > :13:37.She was overrun with the demand and she had so many orders at Christmas
:13:37. > :13:41.and I felt I would help her because we didn't want to let people down.
:13:41. > :13:44.Families are so proud of their loved ones overseas that we didn't
:13:44. > :13:48.want to let any families down at all.
:13:48. > :13:56.Dad Simon is at the home at the moment, he arrived back in time for
:13:56. > :14:03.the birth of baby Florrie. She told me she got a few offers to
:14:03. > :14:05.make the bears and I was like I will ask the blokes and 15
:14:06. > :14:08.straightaway. They wanted them to go to their children and keep for
:14:08. > :14:14.themselves. In the New Year, he will have to
:14:14. > :14:24.say goodbye once again, but wherever he is, the family have
:14:24. > :14:25.
:14:25. > :14:29.their bears to cuddle and to help What a brilliant idea.
:14:29. > :14:33.On to sport and Tony is here for a look at the sport as we head into
:14:33. > :14:37.Christmas, but for our sports team this is a busy time of year, isn't
:14:37. > :14:45.it? Yes. It provides the entertainment for a lot of people
:14:45. > :14:51.over the festive period. It will be busy. Lots of training
:14:51. > :14:55.for our teams and all the football clubs will play three times. All
:14:55. > :14:58.our clubs will play three times over the festive period. And a look
:14:58. > :15:00.at the championship table shows that 2012 could be a big year for
:15:00. > :15:03.Reading, Brighton and the leaders Southampton. Reading and Brighton
:15:03. > :15:07.meet at the Madejski Stadium on Boxing Day. Portsmouth are at
:15:07. > :15:10.Millwall - they're 17th heading into Christmas. In League Two,
:15:10. > :15:13.Crawley are chasing promotion for the second year running They go
:15:13. > :15:23.into Christmas with a four point lead and host Gillingham on boxing
:15:23. > :15:29.
:15:29. > :15:31.Aldershot are 16th. In League One, a boost for Bournemouth heading
:15:32. > :15:34.into 2012, they've agreed to sign midfielder Scott Malone on a
:15:34. > :15:37.permanent deal from Premier League Wolves. Malone has been at the
:15:37. > :15:44.Cherries since August on loan, and has impressed with his performances
:15:44. > :15:51.including three goals. He'll sign a three and a half year contract on
:15:51. > :15:55.1st January in a deal thought to be worth around �150,000. Away from
:15:55. > :15:59.football this Christmas, Boxing Day is, of course, a big day in the
:15:59. > :16:04.racing calendar. Berkshire based trainer, Nicky Henderson sends Gold
:16:05. > :16:07.Cup winner Long Run into the King George VI Chase. The horse is going
:16:08. > :16:13.for consecutive wins in the race at Kempton but faces competition from
:16:13. > :16:15.four time winner Kauto Star. So let's get an assessment from one
:16:15. > :16:19.well- known horse racing expert Fontwell Park is expecting its
:16:19. > :16:22.Decade at the annual boxing day meeting Last year temperatures of -
:16:22. > :16:25.9 led to the meeting being postponed despite the track
:16:25. > :16:35.bringing in frost covers. Kauto Star, it will be the fifth time he
:16:35. > :16:40.
:16:40. > :16:50.At Kempton. Fontwell Park is expecting its biggest crowd. Last
:16:50. > :17:00.year temperatures of minus 9 Celsius led to the track closure.
:17:00. > :17:07.
:17:07. > :17:11.They are showing the King Gorge from Kempton.
:17:11. > :17:21.Here are a few of those abiding shots of sport in the region during
:17:21. > :17:21.
:17:21. > :19:00.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 99 seconds
:19:00. > :19:03.To go up the way we did, absolutely We will be seeing those images and
:19:03. > :19:07.some great images of what we have seen this year.
:19:07. > :19:12.It will be a really memorable year, 2012.
:19:12. > :19:16.Exciting stuff and just around the corner.
:19:16. > :19:20.This is the last full programme before 2012 and to get us into the
:19:20. > :19:26.festive spirit we thought we would share some of the moments with you
:19:27. > :19:36.that didn't go to plan! This will bring back memories for
:19:37. > :19:43.
:19:43. > :19:53.Oops, I knocked the water over then. The water park has been opened 57
:19:53. > :19:58.
:19:58. > :20:08.years, make that 54. The boat show provides an
:20:08. > :20:10.
:20:10. > :20:19.opportunity... For goodness sake. # It started with a kiss #
:20:19. > :20:27.You may have noticed we weren't able to hear from Dorset Fire and
:20:27. > :20:33.Rescue Service, we now can. I am afraid we can't.
:20:33. > :20:39.SCREAMING Hello and welcome to South Today. The main lorries...
:20:39. > :20:45.Time for a look at the weather now, here is Emily Wood. We hope to
:20:45. > :20:50.bring you Emily Emily Wood. What I can tell you, it will be sunshine
:20:50. > :20:54.and showersment here she is, no she is not. That went well, didn't it?
:20:54. > :21:00.I do feel slightly on my own. Are you sure there won't be a ten tonne
:21:01. > :21:03.truck that comes down here and flattens me?
:21:03. > :21:12.They need opportunities to volunteer if of course, they can
:21:12. > :21:17.afford the... This website is even called... Start again.
:21:17. > :21:26.Let's Get on with the weather. It is such a sunny day we may have
:21:26. > :21:29.melted the wires on Alexis's microphone. There was a Christmas
:21:29. > :21:33.tree price crash. That meant a lot of suppliers didn't bother
:21:33. > :21:39.replanting their stock so this year there is a shortage.
:21:39. > :21:43.A good thing that... That meant that a lot of suppliers didn't
:21:43. > :21:53.bother replanting so this year there is a shortage.
:21:53. > :21:53.
:21:54. > :21:59.Ah. This year there is a shortage, lucky I've reserved mine.
:21:59. > :22:06.Oh, that really hurt my hand. You are seeing the reality. It is
:22:06. > :22:12.not fair on us, giving those tricks and secrets away. I lex is, you
:22:12. > :22:17.must -- Alexis you must be pleased to be in a nice, warm studio.
:22:17. > :22:21.It has been really mild. We have a lovely weather picture. Two men and
:22:21. > :22:24.a lady in a boat captured by Christopher Lock from Southampton.
:22:24. > :22:29.Christopher Lock from Southampton. So very mild conditions today.
:22:29. > :22:32.It turns chilly tonight. Let's look ahead to the Christmas weekend. A
:22:32. > :22:37.chilly start. Maybe a touch of frost, but it will turn milder and
:22:37. > :22:40.there will be some gusty winds coming in from the south-west. So
:22:40. > :22:45.clearing skies tonight. Any showers or rain that we saw today will
:22:45. > :22:49.clear off towards the south and east and under the clear skies,
:22:49. > :22:52.temperatures will take a plunge into single figures. These are
:22:52. > :22:56.values in our towns and cities and in the countryside lower than that
:22:56. > :23:01.and there is a breeze so it should keep the frost at bay, but we could
:23:01. > :23:05.have a few frost pockets in sheltered spots. A cold, crisp,
:23:05. > :23:08.sunny start tomorrow, but increasing cloud cloud cover from
:23:08. > :23:12.the West during the afternoon and there is the chance we could have a
:23:12. > :23:17.shower for western areas, Dorset and Wiltshire. Temperatures up to 7
:23:17. > :23:21.or 8 Celsius. Struggling to rise, but the breeze continues to
:23:21. > :23:24.increase through the early hours of Christmas Eve and into Christmas
:23:24. > :23:31.morning. A cloudy night to come Christmas Eve. Temperatures will
:23:31. > :23:34.dip down to 7 or 8 Celsius. Similar to tomorrow's day time temperatures.
:23:34. > :23:37.Turning mild with the breeze. High pressure is not far away on
:23:37. > :23:40.Christmas Day, but it will be cloudy. There is the risk we could
:23:40. > :23:44.have a shower particularly for western areas, but most places will
:23:44. > :23:48.stay dry. We hold on to the cloud cover for Boxing Day. It could be
:23:49. > :23:52.thicker than on Christmas Day. The outside chance of a shower, but
:23:52. > :23:57.most places will stay dry. Despite the area of low pressure pushing in
:23:57. > :24:01.towards us on Tuesday, the isobars will widen, the winds will die down
:24:01. > :24:05.a bit and there will be a lot of cloud around. So generally over the
:24:05. > :24:09.Christmas period, it is a cloudy theme. There will be rain here and
:24:09. > :24:13.there, but most places will stay dry. Breezy with the mild south-
:24:13. > :24:15.westerly breeze coming in. Enjoy the sunshine tomorrow morning, but
:24:15. > :24:21.it will be a chilly start to the day.
:24:21. > :24:26.What a difference a year makes! That's nearly all from us. Just to
:24:27. > :24:30.let you know, we're back tomorrow. We are not here on Christmas Day,
:24:30. > :24:34.but from Boxing Day onwards we have bulletins throughout the festive
:24:34. > :24:38.period and our first South Today will be on Tuesday, 3rd January. In
:24:38. > :24:40.the meantime, to really get you in the festive mood we're going to
:24:40. > :24:50.leave you with some very special music.
:24:50. > :25:03.