17/12/2013 South Today

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

programme: Killed in Syria ` the Hampshire man who left the UK to

fight with rebel forces. A new dawn: After controversy and

delay, the visitors centre at Stonehenge is finally opened.

On the march ` Prison officers leave Dorchester as the prison closes down

and Young Sports Personality of the Year, but the 16`year`old shooter

had just one thing on her mind. I was more scared of getting down

the stairs, you don't want to fall over.

The family of a man from Hampshire who has been fighting with a rebel

group in Syria has confirmed he's been killed. Ifthekar Jaman, who was

23 and from Portsmouth, is believed to have left the UK in the spring.

Our Home Affairs Correspondent Alex Forsyth is with me now. Alex, what

do we know? Ifthekar Jaman was born in

Portsmouth and raised there. He spoke to BBC's Newsnight explaining

he had gone there to join the forces because in his white it was his duty

because Muslims were being slaughtered. This is what he told

Newsnight. The family of Ifthekar Jaman

confirmed that he has died. They did not want to talk about it any

further. There are few details about his death, the Foreign and

Commonwealth Office said they are aware of reports that say it is

difficult to get any confirmation of deaths or injuries as they have no

representation in the country. Mike Hancock set in the local community

in Portsmouth there is sadness. He has been talking to families of

other men who have travelled from Portsmouth to join the conflict. I

think all of the families concerned were hoping that their sons would

return home safely, albeit not at complete peace with the authorities

here, but at least they would return home safely. The lesson we have to

learn is to try and dissuade any further young men following this

example. Today, the chairman of's's Interfaith Forum said that trustees

have been committed on both sides. He said a political solution is

needed. `` atrocities. The family of missing Oxford

teenager Jayden Parkinson are said to be "living a nightmare" by the

detective leading the investigation. The 17`year`old, who police believe

has been murdered, was last seen at Didcot railway station two weeks ago

today. Jayden's ex`boyfriend Ben Blakeley from Reading has been

charged with her murder. The police have re`appealed for anyone with any

information to come forward. A Guildford man has pleaded guilty

to the manslaughter of a 22`year`old who was crushed by a train at

Guildford station. Ryan Harrison, who was from Woking, died in March

after falling from the platform following an altercation at the

station. Today, Joshua Elphick, who's 20, pleaded guilty to

manslaughter. He'll be sentenced in the New Year.

After decades of debate, the new Stonehenge visitor centre was

finally unveiled today. It's cost ?27 million and has some

state`of`the`art exhibits. It replaces facilities built in the

1960s that were branded a "national disgrace". The new centre is more

than a mile from the World Heritage Site and as part of the project, the

main road past the stone circle has been dug up. For visitors, there is

a sting in the tail: The entry fee almost doubles, from ?8 to ?15. Paul

Clifton is there for us this evening.

Take a look around. This is Dawn at Stonehenge, what it feels like to be

in the centre of the stone circle, at different points in its history.

Something tourists have not been able to do for real since the

1970s. It will walk here, we have a timeline of how Stonehenge and its

people involved. This is a bit short on words, long on pictures as many

of the people coming here, 1 million people a year, will be from

overseas. One of the most controversial exhibits, a skeleton

found at Stonehenge, some local Druids feel it should have been

reburied instead. You can see a reconstruction of what his face may

have looked like, one of the earliest people to live and work and

perhaps worship here. This centre was due to be opened in time for the

Olympics, that deadline was missed. After decades of debate and delay

and dissent, tomorrow it finally opens.

The new gateway to Stonehenge is more than one mile from the ancient

monument. Although it cannot be seen from the Stones, it stands out

across Salisbury plain. This high`tech presentation are standing

in the stones is something that people will respond to, I hope,

it'll give them an emotional feeling. A shop will catch in on the

heritage experience with 700 Stonehenge and products. Things such

as T`shirts and pottery. The old facilities be beside the stones will

be list. The decade of planning, at a cost of ?43 million and stop

talking about its cost more than building is. The bill is only ?27

million. The road past the stones has been dug up and covered over,

only the milestone remains. The tarmac to decay around the ancient

monument has been partly removed. the closure of the road has been on

the cards for 30 years. An undertaking was given by the

Government in 1986. We know it is a big change for everybody. But it is

a huge improvement for the setting of the monument. This new roundabout

has been built close to the visitor centre to help traffic. It is almost

the same size as Stonehenge, a modern monuments to the motor car. A

campaign group claims the changes have created rat runs through local

villagers. This morning, if your local people drove past in protest.

It represents the death of the road. It serves the local

communities and prevents the backing up of traffic that we have seen

since the closure. It proved impossible to please everyone.

The old facilities were called a national disgrace 30 years ago. Now,

they are state of the art. All this comes at a price. To get into

Stonehenge today cost ?8, tomorrow it will cost ?15. Why is that? We

have so much more on offer for our visitors. We have a amazing new

exhibition. The cost of building it is paid for by the Heritage Lottery

Fund, you don't have to recover the cost. know, but were to run it.

There's quite a bit of evidence that the changes you make to the roads

have made an already bad situation even worse. The traffic is bad and

we are working with local communities and the Government to

lobby them to see if we can make a positive change. It'll take longer

for people to go around Stonehenge. Do you think that all groups will

come in bigger or smaller numbers? I think people will really enjoy it

and come in bigger numbers for stop we have more facilities and

opportunities to learn. It is a big change to the facilities we are used

to. We are excited about it. The visitor centre will open to the

public for the first time tomorrow morning. From the 6th of January,

they will start to demolish the old facilities that were described

decades ago as a national disgrace. This really is a transformation.

Dorchester prison was formally closed down today amid union claims

that millions of pounds has been spent improving it in recent years.

It's the fourth prison in the South to be shut as part of the

Government's drive to modernise prison accommodation. Briony Leyland

reports. Walking away from institution with a

long history. The current capacity for nearly 300 inmates has been

years since the 1880s, but it is small by modern standards. The

Government is moving towards super prisons. It has been decided that

Dorchester has served its time. Most staff will move to a nearby prison.

Others are taking redundancy, including the union leader who says

the closure is wasting public money. There has been ?27 million invested

here in the last 15 years. I think it is a great shame that that

taxpayers' money will be wasted. This is the way of the future, the

Government says it is bigger and more efficient. Bigger is not always

better. Other prisons of a similar age like Reading and Kingston and

Portsmouth have closed in recent months. The Ministry of Justice says

closing older prisons like Dorchester will save ?500 million by

2015. It says a modern estate is needed with affordable accommodation

in the right places to reduce reoffending.

Public affection for jails may be rare, but in Dorchester where the

prison has been at the heart of the town for centuries, the dawning of

than a new `` the dawning of a new era without it was met with some

regret. The oil company Esso and a

maintenance contractor have been ordered to pay nearly ?250,000 in

fines and costs, after a worker died at a Hampshire refinery. 40`year`old

Juan Romero was crushed to death in 2008 when a large pipe fell on him.

Austin and McLean Ltd were responsible for maintaining

equipment at the Fawley Refinery. An investigation by Hampshire Police

and the Health and Safety Executive found that a critical component had

worn away. Still to come in this evening's

South Today ` a wreath made in Berkshire, but who's door is it

hanging on? As you may have seen, Gatwick has

been short listed in a Government`commissioned report

examining airport expansion in south`east England. It's one of the

options alongside two proposals for Heathrow. The report also suggests

short term measures to boost existing runway capacity. This

includes improving Gatwick train station and building a new rail link

to Heathrow. Mark Norman has been gathering reaction at the West

Sussex airport. Bosses at Gatwick, this is good

news, they have made it onto the airport's commission short list and

while respected and agreements not to build a new runway before 2019,

the airport believe they can provide the additional capacity Sir Howard

Davies we need be. We would love to be constructing... This is how a

second runway might look. A futuristic vision of Gatwick into

the 2020s. Opponents will be living next to any second runway do not

share the vision. You have 30 or 40,000 new people in the area.

Schools, education, hospitals will all be horribly congested as will

the roads. People don't want it. But in Langley Green, where homes and

businesses will be metres from any second runway, opinion is mixed. At

the moment, it is not a good idea as it means they will have to get rid

of some houses and for the residents, it would be good. I think

they should have a second runway. What do you think it would do for

the town? It would do a lot for the town. It could be a good idea as it

will bring more people to the town. But I don't like... It has come near

to me. It is me, I would say no. However, many companies here thrive

on the proximity to the airport. I think that if things are going to

happen, it would be nice to see them happening a lot quicker. I think the

airport is ready for expansion now and has been for some while. The

commission will now do more work on all three options before delivering

what has been described as a robust final recommendation to Government

in the summer of 2015. They are perhaps the modern

equivalent of the Good Samaritan ` Street Pastors. They're Christian

volunteers who are out in many of our town centres in the midst of the

weekend nightlife, helping those who are a little worse for wear to stay

safe. Not surprisingly, the Christmas party season can be one of

their busiest periods. Frankie Peck went along to see the Reading team

in action. We ask for your blessings on this

evening out on the streets. To 10pm on a Saturday night and volunteers

unite in prayer before going on patrol.

Their night on the town involves offering help to people who are

overdone their reverie. The doorman in the club said there is a girl

sitting in the bus stop who has been sick six times, so we go over to

have a look at her. What kind of care have you given a girl? We have

given how water and clean her as best as we can. The humble lollipop

is one of secret weapons and stop dozens are given away each night as

an energy boost or an icebreaker. They also offer the plots to

partygoers. `` flip`flops. Thank you so much. The pastors are devout

Christians and that leads to misconceptions about their work.

Until you asked me about preaching, I won't bring in my faith at all. I

don't have a Bible in my pocket. We don't send you an e`mail to say that

you spoke to us and... Registering to help. `` we're just trying to

help. The next call is about a man

collapsed outside a nightclub. He was drunk inside, he was very bad,

so I refused him a drink but he carried on drinking. We escorted him

outside, but he cannot walk. We have to get some help. Where do you live?

We will have a look at your wallets to see if we can find out where you

live, OK? We had a chat with him, we've had a look, we know he lives

in Bracknell. As we sat there, some friends came past and they have

confirmed that he had some petty and anglers. The street pastor was

also smack . The police would not help me. But

the street patrol would help me. Why did they put up with a cold, the

sick and the 3am finishes? We are all Christians from different

churches. It is just about being out on the streets. Just trying to care

and listen and help. I just like to think that if one of my children

were out on the street that somebody would be looking after them. It is

just a good thing to do. It is great just to help people. As we said, the

modern`day good Samaritans. A new unit for young people with

cancer has been opened at Southampton General Hospital. The

Duchess of York officially opened the ?2.4 million unit. We all know

what teenagers are like. Too old to be treated like children, too young

to be treated like adults. But the Teenage Cancer Trust charity is

trying to help them fight their illness in their own individual way.

Ena Miller reports. It is difficult being a teenager, it

is even more difficult if you have cancer. We had the call and they

said come to hospital now, please. The next morning, they took me to

Southampton and I've been here since. This girl is in a special

units designed by teenagers for teenagers. I was on age old and was

my ward for the first three or four days. It quite scary being with

crying and upset children. I was able to come down here and meet

someone with the same diagnosis and to ask questions. I was in a day

with elderly ladies and there was a lady dying next to me. As a

19`year`old, it is quite traumatic. Steph was treated on a conventional

ward, but her experience has helped architects create this space. It is

good to have an area to work out. There is a sofa bed, so you can have

friends and families to stay. The state facilities, but could be money

have been spent on research instead? This this group were being

overlooked. I think this unit is part of a drive of research of

care, of treatment for young people with cancer. My favourite bit would

be the speakers in the shower, I have found myself a couple of days

in dancing in the shower and I thought, this isn't right, I

shouldn't be this happy and feeling this good. But it made a difference.

That is a great ward. Yesterday, we are talking about her

achievement and today we will hear from her.

It is no surprise that Amber Hill won the award. She started the year

as a 15`year`old and she ended it is basically the best rank shooter in

the UK. The results are extraordinary. It has been nice of

us to have a proper catch up with her. We have heard about her

exploits. Amber is back home for Christmas, savouring a year that she

is never going to forget. They are making some room on the

sideboard here. This trophy will take pride of place for now, on

Sunday night and the was centre stage. `` Amber was.

I was more scared of getting down the stairs. You never want to fall

over. For once I was there. I just looked up at the crowd and being

able to speak and accept that award in front of so many people was

incredible. Her price capped an extraordinary year. As a 15`year`old

she won the first World Cup shooting event she had ever happened to ``

had ever entered. I am ranked number one in England and Great Britain and

fifth in the world. It is never been heard of a 16`year`old doing that at

senior level. On Sunday, she rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest

names in world sport and helped shine the spotlight on shooting.

Even if they go on to the British shooting website and check it out

and find a local place to do it. I fell in love with the sport. 2014

brings the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Then there is the next

Olympics. That is the ultimate goal. After seeing the London 2012

Olympics which was just... The scale of it puts me on to a achieving and

training harder. Picture men this year. She mentioned

the Commonwealth Games. That is something we will hear. `` a

tremendous year. The future of Speedway on the Isle of Wight is on

the line. The loss making Isle of Wight Islanders have been told to

make significant safety improvements to their stadium in Ryde

Ryde if they're to keep their place in the sport's third tier. An AGM

will decide if the club is to keep riding.

You may remember we featured Ferndown boxer Iain Weaver on the

programme earlier this month. Iain wants to overturn a decision by the

British Boxing Board not to grant him a license due to a cyst on his

brain. Ighting with a Spanish licence, Iain won his latest

professional fight in Spain on Saturday night. He knocked out

Brazilian Edilson Rio. Iain's record stands at five wins from five. A

potential world title shot next year.

You know that phrase, keeping up with the Joneses, never more apt

than this. In Downing Street, it's as much a

tradition as the Christmas tree outside number ten. We're talking

about the wreath hanging on the door of Number 11 Downing Street, home to

the Chancellor George Osborne. The task of finding one this year fell

to Reading MP Rob Wilson, who's the Chancellor's private secretary. And

as David Allard's been finding out the Berkshire MP went local.

This is my workbench. This is a wreath, the basis of it has been

prepared already. Linda Deasy has been making wreaths

at Hare Hatch Sheeplands in Berkshire for eight years. But this

year, one commission took her by surprise. I was asked to make a

wreath for number 11 Downing St. I was quite shocked, but I said it

would be an honour. It is always nice to do things in threes, don't

ever do things in an even number. As she starts to expertly craft another

wreath, Linda recalls that momentous day. We had a chat in the morning to

see what we thought would look good. We stuck with traditional. Just red

and green. She seemed cool, calm and collected. It was a challenge. I

kept looking at it and coming back to its to make sure it looked fine

and then I thought, I thought, I'm not touching it any more. And here

is Linda's handiwork on the door of Number 11. But Linda is modest about

her achievement. This is something we can all do, we can all make one.

I like that, well done, Linda. We should all have one of those. Onto

the weather. Tomorrow afternoon and evening, I'll

tell you about it in a minute. We have some pictures. Chiltern Park

Farm near Brill in Buckinghamshire in the morning mist captured by

Roger Stone. Ken Newberry took this photo of a

peacock butterfly in his wood shed today in Farnham.

We have just been talking about Christmas wreaths. Here are some

Christmas wreaths in Guildford captured by Raymond Slack.

Some persistent rain to come, but it will clear just after midnight.

Expecting the persistent rain to move South and East, some dry

periods will develop during the second part of the night. Where we

have clear spells, the risk of mist and fog patches. Temperatures

falling to four or seven Celsius. A dry, bright start tomorrow, but it

would stay that way. Late morning, we will see the rain creep in from

the West and around lunchtime, the winds will increase. Some heavy

bursts of rain into the evening time, temperatures quite mild, up to

around ten or 11 Celsius. The Met Office are keeping a close eye on

the situation, they have given a yellow warning for the winds, mainly

for the south`west of the region, including the Isle of Wight with

torrential rain movie in after dark which could cause some flooding. The

rain Will Claye quite `` the rain Will Claye quite swiftly. A few

showers dotted about. That will mean there will be a few showers

continuing through the day. Still a breezy day, you can see the squeeze

on the ices. The showers could be heavy, it could be a rumble of

thunder and perhaps some hail mixed in. The showers will continue. You

could catch one a queue up in Berkshire. `` you could catch one if

you are in Berkshire. Torrential rain after dark tomorrow night, with

its gale force winds and gusts of perhaps up to 60 mph on exposed

coasts. The usual prone spots could have a 70 mph gust. Inland, perhaps

up to 50 mph, torrential rain tomorrow night, some writers to be

had, a dry day on Friday, but more wintry conditions on Saturday. Thank

you so much. For the next two evenings, I take a

look back at some of my favourite stories we've covered and this was

one of the most popular films ` London to Brighton squeezed into

just four minutes brought right up to date and I didn't quite bare all

but I did dip my toe in the sea to join endurance swimmer Anna Wardely

who took on an incredible challenge. Do you remember that? That was one

of our best activity stories of the year.

Join us for that tomorrow. Thank you for watching tonight. Good night.