:00:07. > :00:10.An unwelcome. In tonight's programme. The South's Liberal
:00:10. > :00:17.Democrats take stock as their big hitter Chris Huhne leaves the
:00:18. > :00:20.cabinet. I am surprised that the decision of the Crown Prosecution
:00:20. > :00:22.Service. More uncertainty for the South's
:00:22. > :00:32.cruise industry as Liverpool steams ahead.
:00:32. > :00:41.The best of times, the worst of times. Why we still love still
:00:41. > :00:46.Dickens 200 years on. And the Met Office have a warning
:00:46. > :00:49.for weather conditions I will have more details later in the programme.
:00:49. > :00:52.The Liberal Democrats in the South have been dealt a major blow today
:00:52. > :00:56.with the news that the Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne has left the Cabinet in
:00:56. > :00:59.the face of criminal charges. Mr Huhne narrowly missed out on
:00:59. > :01:01.leading the Liberal Democrat party and, after helping negotiate the
:01:01. > :01:11.coalition agreement, has been the most influential of the region's
:01:11. > :01:11.
:01:11. > :01:16.Lib Dems. With me now is our political editor Peter Henley. This
:01:16. > :01:21.comes from a speeding case. He now faces more serious charges.
:01:21. > :01:24.His simple flash from a speed camera and three points on a
:01:24. > :01:29.licence has come back to haunt Chris Huhne with a vengeance,
:01:29. > :01:32.because of an allegation made by his former wife in a newspaper
:01:32. > :01:37.interview at the time of their marriage break-up. She claimed he
:01:37. > :01:42.tried to avoid a driving ban by getting her to say she was driving
:01:43. > :01:47.on this road in Essex, leading from Stansted airport. He denies this.
:01:47. > :01:52.He is charged with the serious offence of perverting the course of
:01:53. > :01:58.justice. In order, he says, to mount a robust defence, he is
:01:58. > :02:03.resigning from Cabinet. How has the local party reacted?
:02:03. > :02:07.There is shot in Hampshire. Chris Huhne said he welcomed the
:02:07. > :02:11.investigation to clear his name -- they shot in Hampshire. This is the
:02:11. > :02:15.reaction from the chairman of the constituency.
:02:15. > :02:20.I am surprised at the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service. He
:02:20. > :02:28.would not do that, I am sure he is innocent. I am happy to stand by
:02:28. > :02:33.him. What about support for the Liberal Democrats in Eastleigh?
:02:33. > :02:38.will ask questions, but anybody who knows his reputation will know he
:02:38. > :02:42.is an excellent constituency MP. Even when he has been secretary of
:02:42. > :02:46.state he has always held surgeries on Friday night. Some people will
:02:47. > :02:56.ask questions. He no longer has a place in the
:02:56. > :03:01.Cabinet. He does not stop being MP in Eastleigh?
:03:01. > :03:06.No. He said he chose to go. Should he have gone?
:03:06. > :03:13.It is premature to step down. He should be waiting until he is
:03:13. > :03:18.proven guilty or not. It is probably the right thing under the
:03:18. > :03:25.circumstances. The what do people think of him? I do not think he has
:03:25. > :03:30.a very high profile since he had his Cabinet position. If he resigns
:03:30. > :03:38.because he is under investigation, does it mean we would all have to
:03:38. > :03:42.if we were accused of something? you are charged, you must resign.
:03:42. > :03:49.How does this leave the Liberal Democrat support in the South?
:03:49. > :03:53.Chris Huhne was a favourite of the grass roots. He stood up against
:03:53. > :03:57.Conservatives in the Coalition. There will also be anger. When they
:03:57. > :04:01.finally have a chance to be the party of government, they have
:04:01. > :04:06.these personal problems. Will there be more on this on your
:04:06. > :04:11.Sunday programme? You yes, we will discuss this,
:04:11. > :04:15.whether he can come back. The bookmakers say they think it would
:04:15. > :04:22.be 3-1 to come back before the next election, but 10-one to be the next
:04:22. > :04:25.leader of the Liberal Democrats. Some breaking news. There is an
:04:25. > :04:32.emregency evacuation of homes under way in Portsmouth after a gas leak
:04:32. > :04:37.in a residential street. It happened when a gas main was
:04:37. > :04:42.damaged. It is affecting people trying to get home.
:04:42. > :04:47.This has taken place in the last hour. There was a gas leak in an
:04:47. > :04:52.area of Portsmouth, the Tangier Road area. 17 of properties are
:04:52. > :04:59.affected. People who live there have been asked to stay with family
:04:59. > :05:07.and friends. Failing that, in nearby rest centre has been set up.
:05:07. > :05:16.Also, commuters have been affected. The leak we have been told
:05:16. > :05:22.originated from a building site close to the railway station. The
:05:22. > :05:28.latest information is that gas levels are running low. It poses a
:05:28. > :05:33.low risk. But, night repairs are likely to take place. We will have
:05:33. > :05:39.more developments in the late bulletin.
:05:39. > :05:43.Seven men have been sentenced for their part in a raid on a stalk in
:05:43. > :05:53.Berkshire during the London riots. They were parked on a group who
:05:53. > :05:54.
:05:54. > :05:58.broke into the shop last year. We are joined by Our reporter.
:05:58. > :06:04.Seven of the people who appeared in the dock, four received custodial
:06:04. > :06:11.sentences. By far the longest was handed down to this 19-year-old. He
:06:11. > :06:20.was given five years. That was four separate drugs offences and violent
:06:20. > :06:25.disorder and burglary of the macro store last year. Also, a 40-year-
:06:25. > :06:33.old got 14 months. And two others, he got eight months each. This
:06:33. > :06:39.footage, it includes some of the defendants as they broke into the
:06:39. > :06:47.store. They were part of a group of 40 who stole almost �14,000 of
:06:47. > :06:52.goods. It is a live investigation. We appeal to the public for
:06:52. > :06:59.information in relation to the outstanding offenders. There were
:06:59. > :07:05.up to 40 people involved. We would appeal for any further information.
:07:05. > :07:10.Either to Thames Valley police or to Crimestoppers. The judge in this
:07:10. > :07:15.case was keen to link the disturbance in Reading to the wider
:07:15. > :07:21.UK riots. He said what happened in Reading in comparison to elsewhere
:07:21. > :07:27.was to a lower degree of intensity. But he added that sentences must
:07:27. > :07:34.punish and deter others from engaging in this sort of behaviour.
:07:34. > :07:38.Two defendants were sentenced for handling stolen goods. They
:07:38. > :07:43.received suspended sentences and were ordered to complete community
:07:43. > :07:47.service. A 17-year-old was placed under the care of the youth
:07:48. > :07:52.offending team. The police say this case is not close. They have to
:07:52. > :07:58.track down 33 other people who were in the store. They are determined
:07:58. > :08:02.to bring them to justice. A man accused of harassing his
:08:02. > :08:07.former fiancee and setting fire to her mother's home admitted sending
:08:07. > :08:12.e-mails and letters to her. Al Amine Dhalla, who lived in Brighton
:08:12. > :08:15.with Alison Hewitt, said he was trying to win her back. He told the
:08:16. > :08:20.court he sent a letter to her employer alleging misconduct and
:08:20. > :08:24.regretted that decision. Sussex Police were right to shoot
:08:24. > :08:28.dead a convicted armed robber in broad daylight in Brighton
:08:28. > :08:33.according to an inquest jury. They returned a verdict of lawful
:08:33. > :08:40.killing after Michael Fitzpatrick was shot dead in the street. He had
:08:40. > :08:45.been pointing a replica -- replica gun at officers.
:08:45. > :08:53.Almost a year ago, a convicted armed robber about to raise an
:08:53. > :08:59.unloaded weapon down at police before being shot dead himself. --
:08:59. > :09:05.replica weapon. Was there no alternative? What the inquest has
:09:05. > :09:11.gone through this week in detail has shown that the tactics they use,
:09:11. > :09:14.the approach they used, the plan they had, was the right one in the
:09:14. > :09:18.circumstances, tragic though the outcome is. Michael Fitzpatrick was
:09:18. > :09:24.a dangerous man who had been convicted of armed robbery and
:09:24. > :09:33.hostage taking and admitted conspiracy to murder of desire and
:09:33. > :09:37.Goldsmith, who vanished -- Diana Goldsmith. The police suspected him
:09:37. > :09:44.of several armed robberies, three at this post office and others in
:09:45. > :09:49.Sussex. On the day he died, the police officer said the coroner,
:09:49. > :09:52.had seconds to respond. The Independent Police Complaints
:09:52. > :09:58.Commission investigated and concluded that police had done
:09:58. > :10:03.everything pretty much right. She went on to tell the jury that she
:10:03. > :10:08.would not accept a verdict of unlawful killing. The verdict they
:10:08. > :10:14.returned was lawful killing. Police had been on standby, medic who
:10:14. > :10:22.trained, to try to save his life. He died within minutes. The jury
:10:22. > :10:27.asked if they could send condolences to his family.
:10:27. > :10:31.It was the coldest night of the winter. It could be colder tonight.
:10:31. > :10:37.There is a risk of snow this weekend. I will have the details
:10:37. > :10:42.shortly. There is a new twist in the bitter
:10:42. > :10:46.battle between the cruise ports of Southampton and Liverpool. Under
:10:46. > :10:50.fair competition rules, state- funded Liverpool has not been
:10:50. > :10:54.allowed to compete against privately-funded Southampton for
:10:54. > :11:00.the lucrative business of turnaround calls. But Liverpool
:11:00. > :11:06.could have its first customer in three months. Southampton is
:11:06. > :11:13.protesting. This story has more twists and
:11:13. > :11:16.turns than a John Le Carre novel. Liverpool built its Chris Huhne
:11:16. > :11:22.terminal with the state subsidy and wants to compete with Southampton,
:11:22. > :11:28.which was built with private investment. That is not allowed. It
:11:28. > :11:33.is unfair competition. Last year, Liverpool offered to repay some of
:11:33. > :11:39.the taxpayers funding over the next 15 years. In return, it wanted the
:11:39. > :11:45.rules changed. The Government held an inquiry and said no, �5 million
:11:45. > :11:55.was not fair competition. Today, Liverpool said it will repay the UK
:11:55. > :11:56.
:11:56. > :12:04.government subsidy and put in a planning application. We want to
:12:04. > :12:09.get on with bringing cruises to the city. It is a boost to the economy.
:12:09. > :12:14.And to the tourism industry and the visit to economy. Southampton says
:12:14. > :12:19.it is still not fair. Because half the state money to build
:12:19. > :12:24.Liverpool's terminal came from the European Union. Liverpool has no
:12:24. > :12:27.intention of paying that back. And the UK taxpayer subsidy that is
:12:27. > :12:34.being repaid will come from Liverpool City Council, in other
:12:34. > :12:38.words, one set of taxpayers would pay back another set of taxpayers.
:12:39. > :12:44.We have seen dramatic growth in the cruise industry. Everybody realises
:12:44. > :12:48.the growth will not continue at that pace. We imagine we would lose
:12:48. > :12:58.business. It is difficult to quantify what it is. We ask for A-
:12:58. > :13:03.level -- level playing field. Although they are saying they will
:13:03. > :13:09.pay back the allocation, it does not mean this is done and dusted.
:13:09. > :13:15.What happens next? Each cruise ship brings �2 million in business each
:13:15. > :13:25.time it calls. Jobs are at stake at both ports. It is clear Southampton
:13:25. > :13:26.
:13:26. > :13:31.Now we all like a freebie, and if you live in Southampton, you're
:13:31. > :13:34.going be given a free ticket to the new SeaCity museum. It opens in
:13:34. > :13:37.April, marking 100 years since the Titanic set sail on her ill-fated
:13:37. > :13:43.maiden voyage. But not everyone thinks this big give-away is a good
:13:43. > :13:47.idea. There is still some work to go
:13:47. > :13:51.before Southampton's �15 million museum opens its doors. When it
:13:51. > :13:56.does, the people Southampton will be able to go around for free.
:13:56. > :14:00.a good idea to have free tickets but I wouldn't ever pay. I've lived
:14:00. > :14:06.in Southampton all my life, why should I pay? Would you go if you
:14:06. > :14:10.had to pay? No. It doesn't interest me Be fit -- but if it's free, I
:14:10. > :14:15.will go. The council wants to connect residents with their
:14:15. > :14:20.maritime past. At its heart is the Titanic and a tribute to the 538
:14:20. > :14:24.local lives lost on board. He family ticket will cost up to �25
:14:24. > :14:28.and the council thinks it will miss out on �80,000 by giving tickets
:14:28. > :14:32.away. Although the project still need to find �5 million, those in
:14:32. > :14:37.charge believe it is the right thing to do. We want to say you can
:14:37. > :14:40.come and sit for the first time ever in Southampton. It will be
:14:40. > :14:43.state of the art and the best in the country. For Southampton people
:14:43. > :14:47.who are mostly affected, you can come for free. The council still
:14:47. > :14:50.needs to make cuts and something that is the wrong decision.
:14:50. > :14:54.museum has a wonderful thing in terms of the heritage of the city
:14:54. > :14:59.but at a time when we are really struggling and people are suffering,
:14:59. > :15:03.jobs are going and people's incomes are dropping significantly, think
:15:03. > :15:08.my priority would be with the vulnerable and Tel Aviv. The museum
:15:08. > :15:14.is the emerging from its Chrysalis of scaffolding while Southampton
:15:14. > :15:19.did in life continues around it. It will open on April 10th, 100 years
:15:19. > :15:22.to the day since Titanic left Southampton docks.
:15:23. > :15:31.A I am looking forward to going to a new museum.
:15:31. > :15:35.It yeah, definitely. It will be cold this weekend as we know, and
:15:35. > :15:39.if you postponements. It is also the first weekend of the Six
:15:39. > :15:42.Nations rugby so rare great event getting under way on a BBC this
:15:42. > :15:52.weekend. London Irish prop Alex Corbiseiro will be in the England
:15:52. > :15:55.starting line up tomorrow for their defence of the Calcutta cup.
:15:55. > :15:57.Meanwhile his club team mates face a crucial game in the Anglo-Welsh
:15:57. > :16:01.Cup. Irish host Gloucester at the Madejski stadium in Reading having
:16:01. > :16:03.lost two of their three group games in the competition. Last week they
:16:03. > :16:06.were beaten by Scarletts. So tomorrow Irish and their stars need
:16:06. > :16:09.a result to settle the ship. Gloucester are a good team and they
:16:09. > :16:12.will try to qualify for the semis and so lorry. It is important to
:16:12. > :16:15.bounce back not only for this weekend but going back into the
:16:15. > :16:20.Premiership and the next couple of weeks. It will be a massive game.
:16:20. > :16:23.We will approach the game as a must-win game. We need to get a win
:16:23. > :16:27.and start building momentum with a view to getting back into the
:16:27. > :16:30.Premiership. Irish kick off at three o'clock.
:16:30. > :16:32.And a reminder that there's exclusive live coverage of the Six
:16:32. > :16:37.Nations on BBC television, including Alex Corbisero and
:16:37. > :16:39.England facing Scotland tomorrow, that one kicks off at 5 o'clock.
:16:39. > :16:41.Two goals from Reading's Alex Danson helped Great Britain beat
:16:41. > :16:48.South Korea 4-1 to reach the Champions Trophy semi-finals.
:16:48. > :16:51.Danson's brace, including this stunning strike, put Britain on top.
:16:51. > :16:54.In all, six players from Reading were involved in the game including
:16:54. > :16:58.captain Kate Walsh and Helen Richardson who scored GB's fourth
:16:58. > :17:03.goal. Britain will face Germany on Saturday for a place in the final.
:17:03. > :17:05.We worked so hard to get into this position and a semi-final is a game
:17:05. > :17:10.you want to play. We are going to recover really well, do our
:17:10. > :17:14.homework and come out fighting. Who will prepare in the same way as we
:17:14. > :17:21.do for every game. We'll do our analysis on Germany and we will
:17:21. > :17:26.cover as best as a cancer when we come out, we are set to run.
:17:26. > :17:29.-- and when we come out. So to tomorrow's football, some of
:17:29. > :17:32.which has been affected by the cold snap and stay tuned to bbc local
:17:32. > :17:35.radio tomorrow for any late news. Already Bournemouth and Aldershot's
:17:35. > :17:38.games have been postponed. Southampton face the Championships
:17:38. > :17:41.in form side Birmingham City, they've won their last four in the
:17:41. > :17:44.league scoring 15 goals in the process. Saints remain second after
:17:44. > :17:53.Tuesday night's draw with Cardiff. Billy Sharp could make his debut
:17:53. > :17:56.for the club after his signing from Doncaster.
:17:56. > :17:59.Reading dropped to 8th without playing in midweek, so tomorrow
:17:59. > :18:01.they travel to Doncaster looking for a seventh win in nine games.
:18:01. > :18:05.Loan signing Matthew Connolly is available. Portsmouth will hope to
:18:05. > :18:07.beat the weather and bring in some much needed finance to the Fratton
:18:07. > :18:11.park coffers. Fans have organised an initiative called Pack the Park
:18:11. > :18:16.in an attempt to show support for the club, which is in financial
:18:16. > :18:19.danger again. On the field the team hope to carry on from where they
:18:19. > :18:24.left off last week. No major departures. Michael Appleton is
:18:24. > :18:27.still without the suspended David Norris against Hull.
:18:27. > :18:30.Brighton are unbeaten in their last four championship games. They host
:18:30. > :18:35.Leicester tomorrow at the Amex. Loan signings Joe Mattock and Jarra
:18:35. > :18:38.Reyes are in contention. Crawley dropped to fourth last week due to
:18:38. > :18:42.their FA cup exploits but they have a game in hand on their promotion
:18:42. > :18:44.rivals as they go to Bradford City. Crawley have drawn their last three
:18:44. > :18:49.games including this one against Oxford.
:18:49. > :18:52.Plenty going on this weekend but keep your eye out for postponements.
:18:52. > :18:57.Paul Smith at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning, every chance that will be
:18:57. > :19:00.dicey but they really hope to get a good crowd tomorrow morning. --
:19:00. > :19:04.Portsmouth at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.
:19:04. > :19:06.Now, snow is almost certainly on the way for many of us over the
:19:06. > :19:10.weekend. Last night, temperatures plunged
:19:10. > :19:12.down towards minus ten in several areas. We're several degrees colder
:19:12. > :19:14.than the usual February temperatures, which always
:19:14. > :19:17.increases concern for the elderly and those sleeping rough.
:19:17. > :19:20.We'll have a specially extended weather forecast for you very
:19:20. > :19:29.shortly. But before that, Roger Finn is live for us at a homeless
:19:29. > :19:31.shelter. A it is not a night to be homeless.
:19:31. > :19:37.Across southern England at hostels for the homeless like this, they
:19:37. > :19:42.are putting in emergency extra beds. That is the story in Basingstoke,
:19:42. > :19:45.Reading, Winchester and Chichester. We are in the garden of a hostel is
:19:45. > :19:48.a fountain that is won by the Society of St James. Let's take you
:19:49. > :19:53.into the lounge at the moment. There are something like 30 people
:19:53. > :20:00.sleeping here and they have put in for extra beds. At me introduce you
:20:00. > :20:04.to Terry. I know you are resident here. -- let me introduce you.
:20:04. > :20:09.pretty horrendous sleeping out in this. It is bad enough sleeping
:20:09. > :20:14.rough anyway. In the warmer weather, it's horrible. You can never really
:20:14. > :20:17.sweep -- sleep because you are worried about your safety. You fall
:20:17. > :20:21.asleep for maybe an hour and an hour later, you wake up because you
:20:21. > :20:27.are so cold and you end up walking the streets mainly. It is just too
:20:27. > :20:32.cold to sleep. Thanks very much for that. Let me introduce you to Paul
:20:32. > :20:38.Baker, a service manager here. What is your basic advice for anyone who
:20:38. > :20:41.does become homeless? Basic advice is to firstly, go to your local
:20:41. > :20:47.authority homelessness unit and they will put you in the right
:20:47. > :20:50.direction. Also, you have street homeless prevention teams, get down
:20:50. > :20:55.there first thing Monday to see if they can help you. There are extra
:20:55. > :21:00.beds at the moment. Are you worried that if too many people not on your
:21:00. > :21:05.door, you will not be up to cope? We are for now, we cannot take in
:21:05. > :21:08.Iddiols. We can give sleeping bags to people on the streets. Thanks
:21:08. > :21:11.for that. It is not just homeless people who are vulnerable. The
:21:11. > :21:16.other major group that of Honourable are elderly people.
:21:16. > :21:25.Earlier today, I spent the day at a support centre in Dorset.
:21:25. > :21:28.A regular gathering, organised by age UK. Each year, some 26,000
:21:28. > :21:33.deaths are linked to cold weather. What is the advice they are getting
:21:33. > :21:40.here? This close to the cold weather it's difficult to prepare.
:21:40. > :21:43.Keep lots of food in, things like soup. Don't wait until you get cold
:21:43. > :21:48.to turn the heating on. Make sure you keep the house warm enough to
:21:48. > :21:52.move around. The same with clothing. Where enough clothes. Don't wait to
:21:52. > :21:58.get cold before you put more layers on. Try and keep moving. Don't sit
:21:58. > :22:01.in one place for too long. Even do some exercises in your chair.
:22:01. > :22:04.People get very lonely and isolated and the bad weather when they can't
:22:04. > :22:08.get out and about. Pop around to see your neighbour, make sure they
:22:08. > :22:12.got everything they need in the house. A fair moral concerns of
:22:12. > :22:17.soaring cost of fuel may tempt people to wait too long to switch
:22:17. > :22:23.on the heating. -- Verroken real concerns. Don't skimp on your
:22:23. > :22:28.heating. Don't go out and her -- unless you need to. Don't sit down
:22:28. > :22:33.to long, even at home. Get up every hour, walk around. Keep yourself a
:22:33. > :22:40.bit active, even if you are indoors. And one of the fort, the cold is
:22:40. > :22:46.not always to be feared. -- and one of the fort. I love this sort of
:22:46. > :22:50.weather anywhere. The air is fresh, crisp and clean. Lovely!
:22:50. > :22:58.If fresh and lovely, that is one point of view, but how cold is it
:22:58. > :23:04.Freezing temperatures overnight tonight. It could be colder than
:23:04. > :23:08.last night. -11 last night. Let's take a look at the satellite
:23:08. > :23:12.picture. We had a pretty lovely conditions today, despite the
:23:12. > :23:18.sunshine it was bitterly cold though. Temperatures reaching
:23:18. > :23:21.around one or two Celsius. Let's take a closer look at what we can
:23:21. > :23:28.expect to night. A widespread frost will develop and a clearing skies
:23:28. > :23:32.tonight and temperatures will take a plunge into minus figures. These
:23:32. > :23:39.are the values in our towns and cities but in the countryside,
:23:39. > :23:43.perhaps beating last night's -11. At 7:00am tomorrow, there will be a
:23:43. > :23:47.widespread frost. Slippery conditions on pavements. Minus
:23:47. > :23:52.figures to start the day and those temperatures very like today will
:23:52. > :23:55.struggle to rise. You can expect a high during the afternoon in the
:23:55. > :23:59.sunshine of one or two Celsius. You can see a little more cloud edging
:23:59. > :24:03.its way in from the north and west, bringing the risk of snow by later
:24:03. > :24:07.on in the afternoon. A high tomorrow of one or two Celsius. The
:24:07. > :24:11.winds will be fairly light. That rain or snow will move in over the
:24:11. > :24:14.cold air in a country tomorrow night. We could see some
:24:14. > :24:20.significant recriminations. South- western areas seeing more in the
:24:20. > :24:25.way of sleet and rain as a snow tracks its way south and east woods.
:24:25. > :24:29.A low tomorrow night of minus one or minus two Celsius. There is
:24:29. > :24:33.currently a Met Office amber warning in force for the snow. 1-5
:24:33. > :24:37.centimetres are possible, even at lower levels. And not just snow,
:24:37. > :24:42.there is an ice risk on Sunday morning, once snow has fallen. If
:24:42. > :24:46.you are concerned about the travel destruction, to stay tuned to a
:24:46. > :24:50.local BBC radio station for the latest information. Here is your at
:24:50. > :24:54.luck and summary for the weekend. The snow will arrive later on
:24:54. > :24:59.tomorrow afternoon. Some of us will see it fall as rain, particularly
:24:59. > :25:08.in the Dorset and western parts. Stay tuned to the forecast. Sarah
:25:08. > :25:11.will be here tomorrow just after Next week on South Today we'll be
:25:11. > :25:15.celebrating the life and work of one of the most popular writers
:25:15. > :25:17.this country has ever produced - Charles Dickens.
:25:17. > :25:22.Of course he brought us Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and A
:25:22. > :25:26.Christmas Carol among many others. And even if you've not read his
:25:26. > :25:33.books you've probably seen a film or TV adaptation.
:25:33. > :25:37.David Allard is presenting the series and joins me now. People may
:25:37. > :25:40.not be aware the Dickens story actually begins in Portsmouth.
:25:40. > :25:43.7th February 1812 was the date when Charles John Huffham Dickens was
:25:43. > :25:47.born, son of John and Elisabeth Dickens. The family house is now
:25:47. > :25:51.the Dickens Birthplace Museum. His father worked for the Navy Pay
:25:51. > :25:53.Office, at a time when Britain was still at war with France, just a
:25:53. > :26:03.few years after the Battle of Trafalgar. And Portsmouth was a
:26:03. > :26:05.
:26:05. > :26:09.hugely busy, growing town. We'll be finding out the many ways they're
:26:09. > :26:13.celebrating the bicentenary. Also seeing how youngsters today respond
:26:13. > :26:15.to his characters and stories and finding out how Dickens was a real
:26:15. > :26:20.voice for social reform. He made people laugh and he made people
:26:20. > :26:27.cried, he made people aware of how did -- indignant he was. People of
:26:27. > :26:30.England knew he was on their side. And you've got a guest presenter.
:26:30. > :26:33.Yes, Ian Dickens is the great great grandson of Charles Dickens. He
:26:33. > :26:37.lives in Portsmouth and he's going to be our guide on Monday's film
:26:37. > :26:41.that takes us back to the city in 1812. But he's got a surprising
:26:42. > :26:46.admission. I didn't read my first dickens and lows in the 30s. I
:26:46. > :26:50.thought I would come to it when I'm ready to come to it, but because of
:26:50. > :26:55.any parental pressure or expectation, and are picked one up
:26:55. > :26:58.and left it to bits. What is extraordinary is his books were the
:26:58. > :27:05.Coronation Street of his day. They were told in serial form. At the
:27:05. > :27:11.end of each episode, you would find out what would happen. Events kick
:27:11. > :27:15.off this weekend. There is an event at the City Museum, including an
:27:15. > :27:20.original manuscript. On Monday, there is a ball at the theatre. The
:27:20. > :27:25.big day is Tuesday. We will be there as well Radio Solent.
:27:25. > :27:31.I once heard that lots of authors and journalists are born in