05/04/2012 South Today

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

programme: Conserving water - the hosepipe ban

is enforced, affecting many households across the south,

Coping with bereavement - the teenager raising money for the

charity that helped her after she lost her parents. Isolated and

lonely. I didn't talk to many people.

And heroes below deck - the impact on Southampton families after the

sinking of the Titanic. They didn't really stand a chance to get off.

They were there and they let others We've been warned it was coming,

but for many parts of the South the hosepipe ban is now a reality.

Depending on where you live, there's now wide-ranging

restrictions on how you can use water. In the Thames Valley, Thames

Water and South East Water have a hosepipe ban in force.

If you live in Sussex and get your water supply from Southern Water,

you'll also face a ban. But Southern Water customers in

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth Water customers don't

face the same restrictions. Our reporter Rachael Canter has

spent the day Littlehampton, a town on the edge of the bans.

This is little Hampton, surrounded by water and probably one of the

last places in the country that you would expect a hosepipe ban and it

has left many people bemused. -- Little Hampton. This woman can no

longer use a hose to water her garden. I think it is a waste of

time. They could save more if they mended a quarter of the leaks. It

is going to take me a lot more time to keep the garden going. It will

be hard work. And doing this is also banned. As an avid car cleaner,

it is a disaster for me because cars don't work unless they are

clean. And this woman will not be able to fill a paddling pool for

her young son, but friends living a mile away do not have the band.

Jacob is going to school up the road in September and he will have

friends who can use their paddling balls because they do not have the

hosepipe ban. It seems mad. We have introduced a ban that we think will

give big dividends. It will encourage people to think about how

they used water. -- used water. Breaking the ban could lead to a

fine of �1,000, so agree with it or not, one thing for sure is this

hosepipe is staying firmly shut away.

It is not just households affected by the prolonged spell of dry

weather. Farmers are also struggling with the drought.

The drought is having a big impact on farmers. If we look at how

bright the soil is here at this farm, you can see it is almost

turning to dust. In this part of the world, rainfall has been below

average in 20 of the past 25 months. Problems are stacking up for

farmers? The a certainly are. It has not come as a surprise. They

really need rain to establish their crops. Sir farmers with livestock

and growing arable crops, they are all been affected? Yes. From a

livestock point of view, a lack of rain affects the grass, so they

need an alternative means the two feet the cattle. Also, with crops

which had been planted recently, they need moisture to get them

going. They do. The plant needs to be established so that its yield

will be up to scratch. Thank you. So what farmers want is a long

period of gentle rain. A freight train fire near

Winchester is causing big disruption on trains between London

and Southampton. The line at Micheldever has been closed. Buses

are replacing trains between Basingstoke and Eastleigh and

trains between Waterloo and Weymouth are being diverted via

Havant. Passengers leaving London are reporting delays of more than

three quarters of an hour. 40 firefighters are tackling a

blaze at an industrial estate in Weymouth. It started at a property

on Grandby Industrial Estate and has spread to two other units. It's

not yet known how it started. Ignorance of the law is no defence.

That is what a judge told a Southampton woman who admitted

illegal loan sharking. Marylou Gonzales charged a higher levels of

interest. Entering Southampton Crown Court

this morning, Marylou Gonzales is not what you would call your

typical loan shark, but earlier this week she pleaded guilty to

carrying on a business without a licence, admitting to be illegal

money-lending. Today, the judge sentenced the 43-year-old to 150

hours of community service. He told her that ignorance of the law

presents you with no defence. However, he did accept she did not

know her actions were illegal. There was no evidence whatsoever of

any indication of any violence, intimidation or any criminal

activity. Marylou Gonzales was arrested last August after

documentary evidence was found at her home. Whilst the extent of her

home is unclear, trading standards believe she had up to 60 borrowers

and records suggest that since 2005 up until 2011 when she was arrested

she had lent out up to �50,000 and collected �130,000 with added

interest. The judge heard that some borrowers within the Filipino

community were grateful, but she offered no paperwork and people

were and Claire as to how much they owed. Apparently, it is normal

practice in the Philippines. Back home, people tend to turned to him

for more lenders. Marylou Gonzales leaves here today with a criminal

record and no chance of recovering the �70,000 back that she is still

owed. A nurse from Reading has been given

a special award for his pioneering work to combat Hepatitis C. Dean

Linzey has developed a programme to target hard to reach communities.

They can now take advantage of a little-known swab test which gives

results in a matter of minutes. He's now working with community

leaders in the area, as Joe Campbell reports.

Jules Fox has no medical qualifications, but she's uncovered

several cases of the so-called hidden disease of hepatatis C here

in Reading. It's all thanks to a simple test that can tell if

someone has the condition in just 20 minutes. It is very easy. You do

not need a clinical area. There is no mess or any blood. It is easy to

do and the results are delivered there and then.

Jules was trained by Dean Linzey. He brought the scheme to Reading

after years working overseas. His time in Africa showed that often it

was best to get tribal elders to carry out screening for blood borne

diseases among people who would otherwise have to travel for days

to the nearest clinic. I would love to go back to some of the villages

I have worked in and talk to some of the elders who are probably by

now sitting on a lock it in a clearing same, the word you have

done is been well down in the developed world. -- is being rolled

out in the developed world. This time the swab shows it's an

all-clear. But the success in revealing cases among drug users

means a new trial is underway. Now a group of women from the Pakistani

community are learning how to take the test to fellow members of

another group with higher than average infection rates from the

disease. Bournemouth Airport after the nose

of a navy jet collapsed on the runway. The Sea Vixen's

undercarriage is reported to have collapsed and the plane is tilted

to one side. Bournemouth Airport say passengers do not need to

change their travel arrangements as operations have not been disrupted.

It's 30 years to the day since the military taskforce left Portsmouth

to head to the Falkland Islands. Tonight, more than 250 senior

commanders from the campaign are gathering at Pangbourne College in

Berkshire to mark the anniversary. Our Defence Correspondent Caroline

Wyatt is there for us now. It is a remarkable gathering. More

than 250 senior commanders from the Falklands 30 years on. We are here

at the Memorial Chapel. Many veterans had been going there to

look at the war memorials. I and joined by one of the bike

commanders. What do you remember about it? I was surprised and to be

able to go and do that and succeed is wonderful. When you look back at

the images and the ferocity of some of the land battles, in must have

been frightening? War Kent quickly to us and to see the efforts to try

and rescue the ship's -- ships was unbelievable. You now living

Portsmouth. Have you stayed in touch with other veterans? Yes. We

have reunions. We have one coming up in June and there are a lot of

all friends here tonight. Otherwise, it is when you bump into people

more than keeping things going. Thank you. We will let you go to

the dinner and now back to the studio.

A sailor whose vessel ran aground in high seas off Dorset had to be

rescued by helicopter because he was too weak and cold to walk more

than a few steps. The RNLI and coastguard were call to the scene

at Chesil Beach in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Rescue teams

tried to drag the vessel off the beach without success. The cold and

exhausted man was airlifted to Dorset County Hospital.

Plans for a new Ikea store in Reading have been approved. West

Berkshire councillors voted in favour of the plans for a store

near Junction 12 of the M4 at a meeting last night. Some residents

and businesses oppose a new store, saying it could cause serious

congestion on surrounding roads. Anyone reporting anti-social

behaviour should receive a better response in future, according to

Sussex Police. It is working on a report to recommend improvements

for when police deal with reports of anti-social behaviour. Coming up

- a woman who paid thousands of dollars to make sure an Olympic

torch is returned to her family. A teenager from Sussex, who was

orphaned at just eight-years-old, is training for a charity walk to

help other children who have lost their parents. Chloe Willis's

father was killed in a motorbike crash when she was just four. Her

mother died four years later. About 24,000 children lose a parent every

year - that's one every 22 minutes. Every Saturday for three away as

Chloe and Amanda go walking. Not for fun, but for training. You're a

enjoy it and you can talk about stuff. It is bad when you slip over.

They are doing six miles today. They need to do 12 to raise money

for bereaved children. We are doing the walk for a charity because they

help me when I was younger when I lost my parents. Chloe lost her

mother and father within a few years of each other. She found it

impossible to talk to people about it. I was isolated and nobody knew

how I felt. By up a visit to a camp for bereaved children changed all

that. The centre run by a West Sussex charity encourages children

to open up about their feelings. When the children meet other

children and young people, they can say how it really is. On Saturday,

Chloe and Amanda will be doing their bit for the 24,000 children

who lose a parent every year. So far they have raised �116. Good

luck to the girls. Hopefully they will raise a lot of money. Now the

sport. Team GB are doing well in the cycling.

It does bode well for the Olympics. The Great Britain women's cycling

team, which includes Southampton's Dani King, has won gold at the

world championships in Melbourne. King, along with Joanna Rowsell and

Laura Trott in the team, broke the world record in the semi-final and

then again in the final, beating Australia. King is a former Barton

Peverell student. Another big weekend of Football

League action coming up over Easter. Two rounds of games, Brighton are

at Burnley tomorrow, aiming to stay in the play off picture and Reading

will hope to take advantage of Southampton's inactivity by leaping

to the top of the table when they play Leeds. Here's boss Brian

McDermott. We have to enjoy it. This is what it is about at this

stage of the season, enjoying the gains and live in each moment

because we have put ourselves and a good position. -- in a good

position. This weekend also sees one of

football's fiercest and most passionate rivalries with the two

clubs involved at a crossroads in their proud histories. Southampton

host Portsmouth, Saints on the brink of promotion back to the

Premier League. Portsmouth in administration, facing question

marks over their future and in danger of being relegated. Quite a

lot at stake for fans of both clubs, but actually, they quite like

having each other around. To enable city's 17 miles apart and when

Southampton and Portsmouth made on the football pitch, it is one of

the most passionate derby games of all. They have not had the -- you

want to get one over on your Opposition. This student wanted to

understand more about the rivalry, so he made a film. In doing so, he

bought old rivals together. He has got blue blood in him. Portsmouth,

home of the Royal Navy. Southampton, or one of the largest merchant navy

ports. No matter where the teams are in the leap, neither

Southampton or Portsmouth fans want to see their rivals go out of

business simply because the rivalry is so important. These men agreed

on a lot when they came together. Both passionate fans and keen to

point out that no matter how fierce the rivalry, it is only a game.

On Saturday night, the South Coast Derby is one of the featured games

on the Football League Show. That's at 11.50pm. All the goals from

Monday's games will be on the show at 11.3pm, also on BBC One. The BBC

website has extended highlights of every game and, of course, BBC

local radio has commentary on them all across the weekend. Due to our

Titanic special on tuesday night, we'll run through the highlights of

the games on Tuesday lunchtime's programme at 1.30pm. On the first

day of the new cricket season, How far would you go to get back a

family heirloom? Kenneth Duncan was a distinguished athlete and key

member of the British Olympic Association during the 1948 London

Games. He was given an Olympic Torch in recognition for his work.

Later, he passed it to a friend in America. Now, his grandaughter

Isabelle has just returned from the US after buying his torch back.

Isabelle joins us now. Thank you for coming in with the torch. It is

fantastic. Why does it so important to get it back? It has huge

sentimental value. My grandfather had it for most of his life, from

1948 and will he died in 2005. I felt with the Olympics coming up,

but talk should be in the country. So, I brought it back. At a cost.

Yes. I negotiated for about six months and eventually agreed on a

price. A bit more than I hoped for. $18,000, which is about �12,000.

have to say, I did get an Olympic Order for that as well. He had a

long history with a torch. In 1948, a major involvement in that? Yes.

He was technical director of the torch relay, so he helped to co-

ordinate the torch from southern Greece to London. At one point, in

France he was led to Rolls Royce and cruised behind the runners in

his Rolls Royce. Did he compete as well? Yes. It was long jump. He was

a great athlete and he was a very good sprinter as well. He

represented Great Britain on a number of occasions. With 2012,

what is the significance? What does it mean to you to have this

fabulous 1948 torch? It means a lot. My grandfather always said it would

come back to London. I am sad he is not alive to see it. He was

interviewed several times on television about this obviously

wanted it to come back to London. It means a lot to me, very

sentimental. A you go to put it somewhere saved? Definitely. Thank

you for coming in. When the Titanic sank 100 years ago

it had a profound impact on Southampton. Nearly 600 people from

the city never returned. Most of them were working men with children

and families to support. In the third of his special reports on the

Titanic, Tom Hepworth has been to meet one woman from Bitterne whose

family suffered more than most. Four of Angela Scarrott's relatives

died on the Titanic. Behind the smiles of her grandparents wedding

photo, a private tragedy Three of Angela's great-

grandfathers and a great-great uncle worked in the bowels of the

ship. Richard Baines was a greaser, Robert George Roberts was a fireman

and Frank and William Long were Being a tremor was one of the

hottest, hardest and dirtiest jobs on board. Titanic carried 3,500

tonnes of coal. William Anne Frank would deliver it took 60 furnaces

in wheelbarrows. They would also have to move it around in the

bunkers so that it did not destabilise the ship. They are on

forgotten heroes. -- they are unsung heroes. It is really sad.

They knew they were not going to get a place on the lifeboat.

One of Angela's grandfathers, Robert George Roberts, lived here

at Wheelers Court and probably wouldn't have joined the crew if it

weren't for a chance encounter Less than a year after the Titanic

sank, Tom Thorne married Florence. The families left behind were

catered for by the relief fund, but William Long's wife couldnt cope.

The family lived at Marine Terrace, near Bevois valley.

Two years after losing her husband, Eunice Long put her two eldest sons

William and George into the Barnardo's home in Southampton.

have got children myself and the thought that I could not cope, I

could not look after my children, to send them off somewhere, that

must have been awful for her. In 1921, a year after his brother

died, 14-year-old George was put on a ship and sent to live in Canada.

He was one of thousands of disadvantaged children who were

effectively deported under the child migration scheme to provide

what was called good white stock to the colonies. Many suffered

physical and sexual abuse and were told wrongly that their parents had

died. Gordon Brown's apology two years ago came too late for George.

We are truly sorry. They were let down. The FA sorry they were

allowed to be sent away at the time they were most vulnerable. We are

sorry that instead of caring for them, this country turned its back.

Keith Scarrott's still trying to find out what happened to George.

He knows he married in 1927 in London, Ontario. It's unlikely his

mother was there. Another wedding with the parents missing.

On Tuesday we'll have a special South Today live from the new Sea

City Museum in Southampton. Our series of films on the Titanic

continues and Tom Hepworth travels You might guess that is the Olympic

torch. Unfortunately we do not have that clipped, but Tom will be

travelling to Canada and we will have that story for you on Tuesday.

And now for the weather. We have been talking about hosepipe bans.

Is the rain coming? It says. But first, let us have a

There is a promise of rain, but tonight will be dry and cold. Quite

a bit of frost heading away as well. Temperatures taking a sharp drop.

The cloud is dissipating as we speak with clear conditions

arriving as we speak. Temperatures down to freezing point. Widespread

frost, but a bigger. For Good Friday. Lots of sunshine at first.

That cloud comes in from the north later in the day. There will be

patchy rain by the evening, but it will be insignificant. A cloudier

and milder night. Saturday, a grey, dull day. Very few breaks in that

club developing, but it should be predominantly dry. Generally, much

cooler with a north-easterly breeze. Sunday, some rain on and off

throughout the day. Again, it will be quite mild. Monday, we have some

serious rain heading out what way. A cold front coming in which will

give us a wet start. Further rain is heading our way as we head

towards next week. Here is a It is going to be dry tomorrow,

barely dry on Saturday, rain on Sunday, lots of rain up by Monday.