15/02/2014 South Today

Hello. Good evening. I'm Dani Sinha. A clear`up operation is underway

after a storm surge wrecked cars and badly damaged a restaurant in

Milford on Sea last night. More than 30 diners had to be rescued after

windows were shattered and the sea flooded the restaurant. David Fenton

reports. Flooded, buffeted by 80 mph winds and shards of flying grass, it

was a Valentines Day to remember. These diners spend two hours trapped

in a beach`side restaurant, all but destroyed by the storm. It was not

safe for anyone, there was glass being thrown. It felt bad. It was a

bit like the Titanic! Eyewitnesses described rocks the size of cannon

balls flying off the beach. It was very scary, the windows were

smashing one at a time. It started on the ground floor and went up to

the first floor. When the army rescue trucks emerged, the ferocity

of the storm became clear. A windscreen shattered by flying

stones. Even the protective sides were pierced through. The same this

morning, utter devastation. It was widespread. It was really scary at

first. We knew that high tide was at 11 but this was kicking off at nine.

I was pleased that people made the effort to come out that it was

heartbreaking to see their cars strewn over the road. It was a

memorable Valentines evening but for the wrong reasons. For the emergency

services, the rescue may be over but the work goes on. We are working

with the district council. Be clear up has now begun but could take

days, if not weeks. Meanwhile, last night's gale force winds and heavy

rain caused havoc across the region. Environment Agency workers and

firefighters were out for much of the night in the worst hit parts of

Hampshire and Sussex. Ben Moore reports. As storms savaged the

South, Hants Fire crews dealt with 100 incidents. Floodwater seeped

into homes in Chichester. One home was under one foot of water. In

Basingstoke, a woman was rescued as were residents of 60 bungalows. In

Winchester, the battle to save the city continues. The Army dropped

hundreds of gravel bags into the channel. We are not increasing flood

risks to any properties in the area. This work is similar to what we did

upstream by the M3some days ago. It had some impact on the river flow

and reduces the river flow. The army were scrambled to shore up flood

defences. Firefighters and the Army used sandbags and a super`strength

pump to try and stop water breaching defences. As the storm passes and

debris lines the south coast, thoughts can turn, at last, towards

the clean`up. People here in Milford on Sea said they have never seen

anything like this, and it is testament to the power of the

storm. These were once the beach huts on the front, made of concrete.

They are torn up, ripped apart and smashed on the seafront. Onto

football and disappointment for Southampton ` they were knocked out

of the FA Cup following a one`nil defeat at Sunderland. Meanwhile, the

FA trophy semifinal between Gosport and Havant and Waterlooville was

postponed. In the football league, Bournemouth drew against Burnley.

The MK Dons beat Oldham. And in League Two there were also good

winds for Oxford and Portsmouth. Let's get that all`important weather

forecast with Holly Green. Good morning. We have frost forming and a

Met Office weather warning. A quiet nights, clear spells and lows to the

single figures. We starts tomorrow on a cold but bright note but with

plenty of sunny spells. Much lighter winds than we have seen.

Temperatures of eight or nine. Thereafter we see outbreaks of rain

tomorrow night and they remain with us through Monday. Have a lovely

evening. That's all from us for now. Your BBC Local Radio station will

have the latest on the flooding and weather situation where you are.

Hello, good evening, finally some quieter weather on the way for the

British Isles for the remainder of this weekend, also somewhat for the

week ahead. More on that in a moment. Tonight, the biggest story

is the winds continuing to ease Into the small hours of Sunday, the

winds will be light. Late showers for Scotland, Northern Ireland and

northern England. A lot of groundwater around elsewhere with a

wide spread rural frost predicted we are looking at the prospect of

patches of ice on Sunday. There is a lot of sunshine to come throughout

the day. With light winds it will feel pleasant. Highs to Scotland and

Northern Ireland of six or seven. To the south, eight, nine or ten in the

south-east of England. To the west, showers will brush into Northern

Ireland through the afternoon. High pressure, as we move from Sunday

into Monday, gives way to an area of low pressure couldn't coming in from

the Atlantic. This is nothing like the bull's-eye