:00:08. > :00:12.Hello and welcome to South Today. The top stories: HSBC staff are
:00:12. > :00:15.taken to a football stadium to hear about job losses as the bank
:00:15. > :00:21.becomes the latest firm to cut could -- posts.
:00:21. > :00:26.The harsh reality of tough times. A food Banks sees a four fold
:00:26. > :00:30.increase in demand. I am struggling and just about keeping my head
:00:30. > :00:34.above water. If 50 years since Britain's first
:00:34. > :00:37.human powered flight, pedal-powered takes one man to the skies again -
:00:37. > :00:41.just. And the girl with the pearl
:00:41. > :00:48.earrings - our treasures belonging to a boil mistress fetched a king's
:00:48. > :00:58.ransom. We were told it was far more beautiful than any of the last
:00:58. > :01:01.
:01:01. > :01:06.ones. -- eight royal mistress. The 4th set of job losses to hit
:01:06. > :01:11.the South in as many days was announced today. HSBC is to shed up
:01:11. > :01:16.to 200 jobs across the region. It was on Monday that British Gas
:01:16. > :01:22.announced plans to cut 550 jobs at its call centre in the city. The
:01:22. > :01:26.following day, Aldershot IT company EU Plants Ltd -- CSC said it was
:01:26. > :01:32.cutting 640 jobs. Yesterday, the insurance firm Zurich said it was
:01:32. > :01:36.shedding almost 180 jobs in Hampshire, at Whitely and
:01:36. > :01:43.Farnborough. But there were gains, with 200 call-centre jobs with
:01:43. > :01:47.Southern Electric at Havant. Steve is at an HSBC branch for us.
:01:47. > :01:52.It has been one of the worst weeks on record for job losses across the
:01:52. > :01:56.South, with nearly 1000 job cuts being announced in recent days.
:01:56. > :02:01.HSBC's announcement will affect office staff and financial advisers
:02:01. > :02:06.in its branches across the country. HSBC says it is about streamlining
:02:06. > :02:14.systems and cutting costs, but the unions say they are outraged that a
:02:14. > :02:18.bank making big profits is cutting staff. One of the workers arriving
:02:18. > :02:23.for this morning's meeting at Southampton's football stadium said
:02:23. > :02:26.staff had been at respecting -- expecting news about restructuring.
:02:26. > :02:30.As they returned to their office block in the city, but none of the
:02:30. > :02:38.staff wanted to talk about the job cuts they had been told about.
:02:38. > :02:44.Argue able to say anything? comment. But the unions were
:02:44. > :02:48.commenting very forcefully about the announcement. -- are you able.
:02:48. > :02:51.A outrage and disgust at. We believe the job cuts are necessary
:02:51. > :02:57.and in appropriate to a company that it has made billions of pounds
:02:57. > :03:01.of profit. 200 HSBC jobs are at risk across the South. Along with
:03:01. > :03:04.financial advisers' posts in some branches, around 80 jobs are
:03:04. > :03:09.expected to go in the bank's offices in Southampton and
:03:09. > :03:13.Eastleigh. HSBC says some of those affected could be redeployed
:03:13. > :03:19.elsewhere in the bank. One of Southampton's MPs says those being
:03:19. > :03:22.made redundant face a tough struggle to find new jobs.
:03:22. > :03:26.problem in our economy today is not just that people are losing their
:03:26. > :03:30.jobs, but that nothing is being done to create new jobs to replace
:03:30. > :03:36.them. That is why people know that if they lose their jobs at British
:03:36. > :03:40.Gas, HSBC or anywhere else, it is pretty difficult to get a new one.
:03:40. > :03:46.At a job spec in Reading today, the Employment Minister said he
:03:46. > :03:51.believes there are opportunities for people losing their jobs. -- a
:03:51. > :03:55.job there. Any redundancy is painful and difficult. There are
:03:55. > :03:58.opportunities there and you will come through and find a job. You
:03:58. > :04:04.will get into something different or something the same. There is
:04:04. > :04:07.good support. Today's news means four big organisations in the South
:04:08. > :04:14.have announced job losses within four days. These are very tough
:04:14. > :04:18.times for the workers involved and their families.
:04:18. > :04:24.It is the second time in three years that HSBC has announced job
:04:24. > :04:28.cuts. In 2009, 200 jobs went in Southampton. Yesterday's GDP
:04:28. > :04:32.figures showed the UK economy had slipped back into recession but
:04:32. > :04:36.interestingly, those figures are questioned by some economists and
:04:36. > :04:42.business organisations, who say there are some signs the UK economy
:04:42. > :04:45.may well start to grow slowly over the coming months.
:04:45. > :04:49.Around 1800 people were looking for jobs at a recruitment fair in
:04:49. > :04:53.Reading today. The town has weathered the recession better than
:04:53. > :04:57.many places in the region, which is seen as highly important in leading
:04:58. > :05:04.the recovery. There opportunities but also challenges for people
:05:04. > :05:11.looking for work, as Benn reports. I am being made redundant in eight
:05:11. > :05:16.a weeks' time. Basically, I feel lost. That is the truth.
:05:16. > :05:20.hunting is a new and daunting experience for 56-year-old John.
:05:20. > :05:28.I feel a bit intimidated, really. The last eight years, I have done
:05:28. > :05:36.where housework. A you going to take the plunge? -- I have worked
:05:36. > :05:40.in warehouses. They call events like this job speed-skating.
:05:40. > :05:47.We have a warehouse there so we will send the application form out
:05:47. > :05:50.to you. One employee it is using the fare to actively recruit, as it
:05:50. > :05:57.is three months into a �36 million redevelopment of Reading's rail
:05:57. > :06:00.depot. We have a full spectrum of jobs we are looking to recruit four,
:06:00. > :06:05.all the way from entry-level positions to fully qualified site
:06:05. > :06:09.engineers. I was really surprised with the quality of the candidate
:06:09. > :06:14.so I was meeting today. Hopefully we should be able to get some
:06:14. > :06:18.people started. The new train depot is just one example of the big
:06:18. > :06:21.engineering projects that are under way or in the pipeline for the town.
:06:22. > :06:28.It is projects like this that give it a reputation as being recession-
:06:28. > :06:35.proof. But figures from the National Office of Statistics say
:06:35. > :06:39.that 70% of people in the town are unemployed. -- 17%. That means more
:06:39. > :06:44.than 6,000 people are currently out of work here, so is it really a
:06:44. > :06:48.shining example? I don't think any way is recession-proof but there is
:06:48. > :06:58.no doubt the economy here in the Thames Valley, door and the
:06:58. > :06:59.
:06:59. > :07:04.proximity to great transport links makes a difference. -- corridor.
:07:04. > :07:08.The government wants to see more job fairs to help people like John
:07:08. > :07:13.but at least he lives in the right place, statistically. There are
:07:13. > :07:16.thousands of people like me. Hopefully as we have paid enough
:07:16. > :07:20.into the government, they will pay us some back.
:07:20. > :07:23.A new figures released by the charity The Trussell Trust showed
:07:23. > :07:29.twice as many people I using food banks compared to the same time
:07:29. > :07:33.last year. -- are using. They rely on donations from the public and
:07:33. > :07:37.supermarkets to provide for people in Severe hardship. One in
:07:37. > :07:40.Eastleigh says it has seen more people asking for food donations
:07:40. > :07:49.because of benefit delays or because they are in eligible for a
:07:49. > :07:52.crisis loan. Craig has come here to feed his family. His wife died
:07:52. > :07:58.suddenly one year ago and he gave up work to look after his three
:07:58. > :08:03.children. People struggle and that is what has happened. I am
:08:03. > :08:07.struggling and just about keeping my head above water. Volunteers say
:08:07. > :08:15.it takes a lot of courage to go to the feedback and ask for help, but
:08:15. > :08:21.more and more people are having to do it. -- goat to the food bank.
:08:21. > :08:25.This food bank at speeds between 15 and 20 families a day. This room
:08:25. > :08:29.will be empty in two weeks. Volunteers say people need to come
:08:30. > :08:36.here because they are not receiving benefits fast enough. We have had
:08:36. > :08:42.people who have had to wait between six and 13 weeks to get benefits,
:08:42. > :08:46.and you cannot live without any money coming in. People come from
:08:46. > :08:50.all walks of life. People who just don't know where to turn.
:08:50. > :09:00.Especially those who have not been on the benefits system before.
:09:00. > :09:11.
:09:11. > :09:16.We have fresh veggies... The food is donated by individuals,
:09:16. > :09:21.supermarkets and schools. Badgers are given out by organisations like
:09:21. > :09:27.the Citizens Advice Bureau. Craig was referred by his son's school. -
:09:27. > :09:32.- of vouchers are given out. I can now give my children a proper diet
:09:32. > :09:37.instead of junk food and it lightens the load of the day to
:09:37. > :09:42.date bills. Craig expects to be back next week. He hopes this is a
:09:42. > :09:48.short-term solution, but they need all this food bank shows no sign of
:09:48. > :09:53.ending. Plans to put a tunnels on five
:09:53. > :09:57.acres of Berkshire farm and have been a crew to buy a bombers. EU
:09:57. > :10:05.Plants Ltd wanted to use the tunnels at Manor Farm in
:10:05. > :10:09.Finchampstead to grow plants. -- have been approved.
:10:09. > :10:13.Fed up with the rain? Find out what is in store with LX is.
:10:13. > :10:23.Tomorrow will be another day of sunshine and showers but all eyes
:10:23. > :10:23.
:10:23. > :10:27.are looking to the weekend. Wet and windy conditions. -- with Alexis.
:10:27. > :10:32.Plans for a funeral parlour in a residential street in Portsmouth
:10:32. > :10:37.have been rejected by the city council. Southern Co-operative
:10:37. > :10:40.wanted to build a chapel of rest at Tangier Road in Copnor. Planners
:10:40. > :10:44.rejected the application on the grounds it would affect people
:10:45. > :10:47.nearby. The company says it is disappointed.
:10:47. > :10:52.Thames Valley Police are searching for a 15-year-old girl who has gone
:10:52. > :10:56.missing. Stacie Richardson was last seen at her home on Monday 19th
:10:56. > :11:03.April. Police say their parents are extremely worried. She has links to
:11:03. > :11:06.Dorset and Surrey. If you have seen her, contact Thames Valley Police
:11:06. > :11:11.on 101. More than 10,000 people have
:11:11. > :11:15.visited Southampton's new Sea City Museum in less than two weeks. 1000
:11:15. > :11:20.of those were city residents with free tickets for the attraction,
:11:20. > :11:24.which cost �15 million to build. Researchers at the University of
:11:24. > :11:28.Reading say they have discovered for the first time how blood clots
:11:28. > :11:33.form. They say this new knowledge has the potential to lead to
:11:33. > :11:37.breakthroughs in the treatment of some of the world's biggest killers
:11:37. > :11:41.like heart attacks and strokes. Language schools are warning that
:11:41. > :11:45.the region's economy could lose millions of pounds per year because
:11:45. > :11:51.of a government crackdown on student visas. They say new rules
:11:51. > :11:58.make it more expensive for students outside the EU to X -- to obtain
:11:58. > :12:01.visas and it has already led to a significant drop in numbers.
:12:01. > :12:06.This woman is studying five A- levels and hopes to study economics
:12:06. > :12:09.in the UK. Her visa will allow her to do that but changes to long-term
:12:09. > :12:15.student visas are making it harder for international students to
:12:15. > :12:21.follow in her footsteps. For most of them, they run not even the
:12:22. > :12:25.opportunities to come to the UK and study. The government crackdown on
:12:25. > :12:29.student visas has led to a reduction in applications but
:12:29. > :12:34.according to new research, that could impact on the British economy.
:12:34. > :12:39.According to figures supplied by English UK, foreign language
:12:39. > :12:46.students generate �122 million to the economy of Brighton and Hove
:12:46. > :12:50.each year. In Sussex, the figure is �74.6 million. It is not as the
:12:50. > :12:57.tuition fees but the living costs. They have to live, eat, they spend
:12:57. > :13:01.money extensively on all the things that young students do. But not all
:13:01. > :13:05.language schools are as a reputable. A BBC investigation discovered this
:13:05. > :13:11.man was running a bogus language school in Brighton, helping people
:13:11. > :13:15.to get into the UK using a student visa. It is situations like these
:13:15. > :13:20.that the govern want to clamp down on. One of the big immigration
:13:20. > :13:24.streams his students. -- government want to. If you let them stay on
:13:24. > :13:28.regardless, we would not hit our targets and that is why we are
:13:28. > :13:31.bringing in these restrictions. Language schools say that these
:13:31. > :13:38.reforms are simply turning away good business in a time of
:13:38. > :13:41.It's the dream of dozens of inventors every year who take part
:13:41. > :13:43.in the Bognor and Worthing Birdman events - human powered flight. Of
:13:43. > :13:47.course many of these contraptions never stand a serious chance of
:13:47. > :13:49.making it very far - but now, on the 50th anniversary of Britain's
:13:49. > :13:59.first human powered flight, one engineer is trying to recapture the
:13:59. > :14:04.magic. Tim Muffett caught up with him at the University of Sussex.
:14:04. > :14:10.Ever since the Legend Of Icarus, people have been captivated by
:14:10. > :14:16.human powered flight. Only a handful have achieved it. The first
:14:16. > :14:22.was 50 years ago and to mark the anniversary the BBC have decided to
:14:22. > :14:29.join a handful of people who have successfully taken off due to pedal
:14:29. > :14:39.power alone. Congratulations, it is looking half-built. Let's have a
:14:39. > :14:52.
:14:52. > :15:00.quick look at how you got on when Fairly successful although a brief
:15:00. > :15:06.flight. For decades Human powered flight, despite the attempt in 61,
:15:06. > :15:11.is between cartoons and reality. We thought how difficult is impossible
:15:11. > :15:16.and if we can do it with limited time and resources, know the others
:15:16. > :15:22.will say it is not that bad at more people will fly. When I learned
:15:22. > :15:25.what to do what to do in the air, I think we will fly it for longer.
:15:25. > :15:31.People in aviation think it is great and hopefully we have lowered
:15:31. > :15:37.the barrier for entry. Maybe I will take you up on the offer! The
:15:37. > :15:45.University of Sussex have lent them the hall to recreate this and
:15:45. > :15:51.hopefully it will take to this guy is one day.
:15:51. > :15:54.They were brilliant. Let's go on it to the sport.
:15:54. > :15:57.A bigger creditors meeting at Portsmouth. No buyer, soon, no
:15:57. > :16:01.money. Creditors were clinging onto hope at Fratton Park today as they
:16:01. > :16:04.gathered for the second time in two years to hear the latest assessment
:16:04. > :16:07.of the club's woes. I was inside the meeting, along with a colourful
:16:07. > :16:15.cast which represented the club's past- and in all likelihood, it's
:16:15. > :16:19.future too. Two years on from Portsmouth's last meltdown, many of
:16:19. > :16:24.the Senate creditors were at Fratton Park again to see how much
:16:24. > :16:34.more money they would lease. Much of the debt will never be recovered.
:16:34. > :16:43.
:16:43. > :16:48.Faced with the doomsday scenario, the former owner and creditor is
:16:48. > :16:54.ready to step in again through his company, but according to
:16:54. > :16:58.representatives. His brother was there but would not comment. They
:16:58. > :17:04.are the only people with the funding to take the club forward
:17:04. > :17:08.into next season. Unless someone else comes out of the wings it does
:17:08. > :17:14.seem they are the front-runners. am only interested in the club
:17:14. > :17:19.being saved but if he comes back, so be it. I would like us to start
:17:19. > :17:25.the season not going too much money. The former chief executive spoke to
:17:25. > :17:30.the meeting acknowledging at no time since 2010 and the birth of
:17:30. > :17:32.the new club had Pompey been self- sustaining. It relies on outside
:17:33. > :17:37.investment which dried up when the last owners went into
:17:37. > :17:42.administration. The bills are rising and the administrators are
:17:42. > :17:48.owed thousands for their work so far. The PFA representing the
:17:48. > :17:52.players have a claim for 26 million for past and future payment.
:17:52. > :17:55.Football at Fratton Park next season? Probably but after have the
:17:55. > :17:57.prize. Trevor Birch also cast doubt on the Portsmouth Supporter's
:17:57. > :18:00.trusts efforts to save the club alone, unless they receive
:18:00. > :18:03.significant backing from wealthy individuals, but they had a boost
:18:03. > :18:06.to their fund raising today Three of Pompey players became signed up
:18:06. > :18:09.members of the trust. From left to right, goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown was
:18:09. > :18:15.joined by Joel Ward and David Norris in joining the scheme which
:18:15. > :18:19.is aimed at producing a community buy out of the club. Bournemouth
:18:19. > :18:22.have announced profits for the year of �1.1 million. Although the
:18:22. > :18:25.league one club revealed a 1.2 million operating loss. That was
:18:25. > :18:30.offset by player sales amounting to 2.3 million. The figures are for
:18:30. > :18:34.the period to June 2011. Just 22 days until the Olympic
:18:34. > :18:38.Torch Relay begins but GB Hockey have already hit the road. The
:18:38. > :18:40.men's and women's squads are based at Bisham Abbey near Marlow. To
:18:40. > :18:43.help promote the sport ahead of London 2012 they're spending
:18:43. > :18:48.eighteen days on the road with "The Big Dribble." It's a chance for
:18:48. > :18:53.fans to meet some of the stars of the game and try out the sport.
:18:53. > :18:56.Yesterday they were in Southampton, and Ed Sherry went along. It's not
:18:56. > :19:03.everyday you can wonder into your local shopping centre and play
:19:03. > :19:13.alongside one of the stars of British sport. We have covered 40
:19:13. > :19:17.cities and are aiming to do 2012, the biggest year for sport. 212
:19:17. > :19:21.kilometres dribbling for hockey. Many people are having a go and it
:19:21. > :19:24.shows how brilliant the event is. They were out in force in
:19:24. > :19:29.Southampton clocking more laps than any other stop on the Big Dribble
:19:29. > :19:35.and a taste of what life could be like after the Olympics. It is a
:19:35. > :19:38.very strange, not something... I find it strange that a hockey
:19:38. > :19:41.family is an incredible sport. This is what's made Alex such an
:19:41. > :19:44.inspiration in the hockey family. GB hasn't official selected the
:19:44. > :19:47.squad for London 2012 yet, but the Reading player's place is virtually
:19:47. > :19:50.assured. The GB women are in good form - coming second in a major
:19:50. > :20:00.international tournament in January. And the sport is looking to
:20:00. > :20:00.
:20:00. > :20:05.capitalise on the Olympic publicity. London 2012 is not a moment in time.
:20:05. > :20:11.We do not want to miss the opportunity to miss participation.
:20:11. > :20:16.Young and old alike were certainly inspired. It is an ideal chance to
:20:16. > :20:23.pick up the stick and may be joined in later with a club. It is fun and
:20:23. > :20:29.you get to learn a lot. You get to play against other teams.
:20:29. > :20:33.encourages the children to play. Next year, it will be evident there
:20:33. > :20:36.will be more children wanting to come to the club. The Big Dribble
:20:36. > :20:41.is about creating a legacy for the sport by the time it reaches
:20:41. > :20:44.Trafalgar Square in May the Hockey family will be that much bigger.
:20:44. > :20:50.And tomorrow morning the Big Dribble starts at the Surrey Sports
:20:50. > :20:53.Park in Guildford. It also visits, Reading, Oxford on May 1st.
:20:53. > :20:56.Onto cricket, and batsmen have been moaning about the lack of runs in a
:20:56. > :21:00.very early start to the season. But Warwickshire's batsmen cashed in at
:21:00. > :21:02.Hove today. Centuries for Varun Chopra and Jonathan Trott have
:21:02. > :21:12.helped the visitors at the Ageas Bowl, Hampshire have found wickets
:21:12. > :21:22.
:21:22. > :21:31.I have the day off tomorrow. Do I want to know that? Make us feel
:21:31. > :21:35.good. The big build-up for Saints on Saturday.
:21:35. > :21:41.On to the weather, it is not looking good. I have some charity
:21:41. > :21:46.walks over the weekend. It will be touch and go on Sunday. Gale force
:21:46. > :21:52.wind and heavy rain. It is coming from the Bay of Biscay. Wellington
:21:53. > :21:58.boots. Or put on some waders! Warwick captured flooding from the
:21:58. > :22:01.River Stour in Blandford. Part of the supermarket car park was
:22:01. > :22:04.submerged under water. The rough sea at East Preston beach in West
:22:04. > :22:07.Sussex created foam on the shore. This photo was taken by Susie
:22:07. > :22:17.Strand. And Christian Penfold decided to head home after coming
:22:17. > :22:17.
:22:17. > :22:20.across flood water near Purbrook in We had localised flooding, further
:22:20. > :22:26.showers and patchy rain for the first part of the night drifting
:22:26. > :22:32.northwards with clear spells dotted around. Showers further north and
:22:32. > :22:38.west. A longer spell of rain for Wiltshire and Oxfordshire. Very
:22:38. > :22:43.similar temperatures to last night. Tomorrow starts dry, longer spells
:22:43. > :22:51.of rain but showers rolling in from the south with the thunder and
:22:51. > :22:57.slow-moving wind lighter. The odd rumble of thunder. Highs of 12-14.
:22:57. > :23:02.Tomorrow night, we lose the showers in the early hours of the morning.
:23:02. > :23:11.Temperatures cooler than tonight, loans of 68. A dry start on
:23:11. > :23:16.Saturday, all change -- knows of six and eight. Low pressure pushing
:23:16. > :23:22.up from the Continent from the Bay of Biscay, very strong wind, gale-
:23:22. > :23:29.force gusts in places and heavy rainfall. The wind coming from the
:23:29. > :23:34.east, unusual for this time of year. A Met Office weather warning, heavy
:23:34. > :23:41.rain for Saturday night into Sunday. Very strong wind, gale-force gusts
:23:41. > :23:48.of 50 to 60 miles an hour. Some damage in places. Send a, a wet day,
:23:48. > :23:53.the rain ageing northwards, some sunshine and showers later. Monday,
:23:53. > :24:00.a messy picture, hard to predict the showers but they could be heavy.
:24:00. > :24:06.The odd rumble of thunder. Showers on Sunday, high is a 14 tomorrow.
:24:07. > :24:11.The wind lighter than previously, Saturday, showers initially in the
:24:11. > :24:17.morning turning wet later in the day, staying wet overnight into
:24:17. > :24:23.Sunday and windy as well. Diamonds are a girl's best friend,
:24:23. > :24:26.Tony. Let me take a note of that! A pair of pearl and diamond
:24:26. > :24:29.earrings left hidden in a drawer since 1977 went under the hammer
:24:29. > :24:32.today. The jewels were a gift from the exiled Romanian King 'Carol the
:24:32. > :24:36.Second' to his mistress, Alena Lupescu. They were then given to a
:24:36. > :24:46.family who had no idea of their value. So how much did they go for?
:24:46. > :24:49.
:24:49. > :24:55.King Carol comes ashore at Bermuda after a dramatic escape from his
:24:55. > :25:01.own country. They have to the Playboy kill cock -- playboy king,
:25:01. > :25:06.he was more known for his romantic misadventures than Royal leadership.
:25:06. > :25:15.He was King of Romania for a decade from 1930 after which he went into
:25:15. > :25:19.exile. Relinquishing his royal duties, the twice married King
:25:19. > :25:24.Carol visited Europe with his mistress, Elena Lupescu. She was
:25:24. > :25:29.the recipient of these rare pearl and diamond earrings. A love token
:25:29. > :25:32.of from King Carol in the 1930s. Years later, they are on an
:25:32. > :25:38.adventure of their own finding their way to an auction house in
:25:38. > :25:43.Salisbury. A local family brought some pictures -- pieces in. They
:25:43. > :25:48.phoned to say we have a few other bits and they brought them in
:25:48. > :25:55.including the polls. I could not believe it. After Elena Lupescu's
:25:55. > :26:00.death, the jewels were bequeathed to a friend. They were unloved and
:26:00. > :26:04.thought to be of little value. Now, under the watch of a security guard,
:26:05. > :26:08.the earrings are being celebrated for their uniqueness. It is a
:26:08. > :26:14.highlight of my career and I will never see anything like them. It
:26:14. > :26:24.has been a thrill. It's not just the earrings that have links to the
:26:24. > :26:34.south. They are believed to have lived in Poole. A pearl and diamond
:26:34. > :26:37.
:26:37. > :26:41.earring. �1,350,000. The final time! Sold. The new owner is an
:26:41. > :26:47.anonymous buyer on the telephone, a sparkling end to a scintillating
:26:47. > :26:54.affair. I have to be honest I think they
:26:54. > :26:59.are beautiful. They are stunning. It was strange because I saw Tony