:00:00. > :00:00.forces and protestors. That is all from BBC News. It is goodbye from
:00:00. > :00:14.me. Hello, welcome to South Today. I did
:00:15. > :00:22.not believe her. The boss of the Royal Military Police has denied
:00:23. > :00:28.allegations in a coroner's court. What can be done to protect
:00:29. > :00:38.coastline from storm damage? It is a good few years as I was last here. I
:00:39. > :00:41.am surprised by the growth here. The community taking a flooded residents
:00:42. > :00:48.to lunch after being trapped in her house for most of the month. It
:00:49. > :00:56.cannot go on for ever, can it? A century on, we look back to the
:00:57. > :01:05.vital role played during World War I. A platoon commander in the Royal
:01:06. > :01:11.Military Police has denied bullying a corporal who was found hanged in
:01:12. > :01:14.barracks in Bulford in Wiltshire. Anne Marie Ellement died in October
:01:15. > :01:17.2011 two years after she'd accused two fellow soldiers of raping her.
:01:18. > :01:20.Today final witnesses appeared at the second inquest into her death.
:01:21. > :01:26.James Ingham reports from Salisbury Coroner's Court. Throughout this
:01:27. > :01:29.inquest, witnesses have said Corporal Anne Marie Ellement felt
:01:30. > :01:32.bullied by colleagues following her allegation that she'd been raped on
:01:33. > :01:44.a base in Germany. That included claims that her immediate boss had
:01:45. > :01:49.openly criticised her. Staff Sergeant Julian Clarke said he
:01:50. > :01:56.regretted every single day writing a Facebook status updates that might
:01:57. > :02:04.have hurt Annemarie. It was put to him that he incited a horrendous
:02:05. > :02:07.debate with insulting behaviour. He refuted this, saying that in 23
:02:08. > :02:13.years of service with the Army, he had never been accused of bullying.
:02:14. > :02:20.In an emotional exchange, Anne Marie Ellement's mother said, why did you
:02:21. > :02:25.single out my daughter? I did not, I liked her and respected her, he
:02:26. > :02:28.said. Anne Marie's family maintain that the Army let her down ` failing
:02:29. > :02:33.to properly investigate her rape allegation. They say she was
:02:34. > :02:40.overworked, under stress and had no one to turn to. It is unusual to
:02:41. > :02:47.have a second inquest. It was ordered by the High Court. This was
:02:48. > :02:50.after Anne Marie Ellement's sisters sought a judicial review. After
:02:51. > :02:56.three weeks of evidence, the coroner here will give his decision on
:02:57. > :02:59.Monday. Investigators from a police watchdog are in Berkshire tonight in
:03:00. > :03:02.an attempt to find more witnesses to a crash in which two cyclists were
:03:03. > :03:05.killed. The Independent Police Complaints Commission has not
:03:06. > :03:08.commented on reports that officers from Thames Valley Police may have
:03:09. > :03:12.been pursuing the car which hit the cyclists a week ago. Nikki Mitchell
:03:13. > :03:15.is in our studio in Reading for us. What do we know so far? This
:03:16. > :03:23.accident happened last Thursday around nine o'clock in the evening
:03:24. > :03:31.on the A329 at Purley`on`Thames. The two cyclists were 39`year`old Kris
:03:32. > :03:35.Jarvis and John Moorland who was 30. They'd been out on a training ride
:03:36. > :03:41.together when they were hit by a black BMW convertible. They both
:03:42. > :03:45.died at the scene. What the IPCC has said today is that officers from the
:03:46. > :03:48.Thames Valley force were in a marked police 4x4 in Pangbourne just before
:03:49. > :03:51.the accident, when they noticed the black BMW which was connected to an
:03:52. > :03:54.earlier incident. Thames Valley Police said previously they'd been
:03:55. > :03:57.responding to a domestic situation in which there were worries about
:03:58. > :04:00.someone's safety. Now the IPCC have told us its job is to investigate
:04:01. > :04:03.how the police officers responded during the two minutes between
:04:04. > :04:12.spotting the BMW and the fatal collision. And it'll consider what
:04:13. > :04:16.effect ` if any ` the actions of the police had on the events and crash
:04:17. > :04:21.which followed. What exactly will the watchdog investigators hope to
:04:22. > :04:24.achieve tonight? The watchdog's investigators are trying to find
:04:25. > :04:38.more witnesses in Pangbourne and Purley. So, exactly a week after the
:04:39. > :04:41.crash, they'll be knocking on doors, talking to local people and asking
:04:42. > :04:46.any passersbys if they saw anything. Did anyone see the accident itself?
:04:47. > :04:50.The black BMW car? Or the police four x four which was in the area at
:04:51. > :04:53.the time? Did anyone hear any sirens perhaps? A 31`year`old man, from
:04:54. > :04:56.Purley`on`Thames, has been charged with causing death by dangerous
:04:57. > :04:58.driving in connection with the crash ` and three other motoring offences.
:04:59. > :05:01.Thank you. Train passenger numbers have reached record levels. The
:05:02. > :05:04.fastest growth has been recorded on commuter services into London.
:05:05. > :05:07.Research by the Rail Regulator also shows that income from fares is
:05:08. > :05:10.growing faster than passenger numbers. Revenue rose by seven per
:05:11. > :05:13.cent last autumn compared with the previous year, with London and south
:05:14. > :05:18.east operators collecting more than a billion pounds in the three`month
:05:19. > :05:22.period. Eric Pickles, the man once dubbed the "seaside minister", was
:05:23. > :05:25.in the South Today to see homes threatened by flooding from the sea.
:05:26. > :05:28.A large shingle bank has grown on the seafront at Pagham near Bognor
:05:29. > :05:32.altering the currents and eroding the beach. Residents want more done
:05:33. > :05:34.to sort out the problem. Today Mr Pickles, the Local Government
:05:35. > :05:44.Secretary, said he wanted an urgent examination of all the possible
:05:45. > :05:50.solutions. Sean Killick reports. Eric Pickles seeing for himself the
:05:51. > :05:57.problems. He has visited here before as of the watcher and was shocked at
:05:58. > :06:05.how it has changed full it is a good few years since I was last here. ``
:06:06. > :06:11.bird`watcher. The shingle has grown half a mile in ten years. All the
:06:12. > :06:16.water flowing into the harbour runs in a channel parallel to the beach.
:06:17. > :06:20.The district council has built a wall to protect the homes but admits
:06:21. > :06:27.it is not a long`term solution. Today on the seafront, Eric Pickles
:06:28. > :06:33.was sandwiched between the parish council chairman and the local MP.
:06:34. > :06:38.We are getting people on the phone to me, they are crying, they are
:06:39. > :06:49.upset stop I do not have the control to do this. Many residents were
:06:50. > :06:54.advocating to cut a channel through the shingle. That is probably the
:06:55. > :07:01.answer that it is expensive and needs permission from Natural
:07:02. > :07:05.England. The view now is that this solution is not working and we need
:07:06. > :07:13.to find an alternative, that is why you are here. Mr pickles said he
:07:14. > :07:20.would need assurances that cutting through here would not cause
:07:21. > :07:26.flooding elsewhere. I do not think there was a straightforward answer
:07:27. > :07:32.to this. Whatever is done will involve a degree of risk. The last
:07:33. > :07:41.thing we want to do is cause problems for other people. The next
:07:42. > :07:46.spring tide is due in just a fortnight's time and as one of the
:07:47. > :07:52.residents said to me today, Time and tide waits for no man. Recent
:07:53. > :07:54.flooding has made it harder for staff at cemeteries and churches in
:07:55. > :07:58.Berkshire to hold burials. St Michael's Church in Tilehurst is
:07:59. > :08:01.among a number which have had to postpone funerals because their
:08:02. > :08:04.grave yards are so water logged. One funeral director in Reading told the
:08:05. > :08:11.BBC it's had to advise some families not to stand too close to open
:08:12. > :08:15.graves in case the sides cave in. For many people in flooded areas
:08:16. > :08:18.getting out and about has become extremely difficult. And for some
:08:19. > :08:21.it's meant not being able to leave their homes at all. In the village
:08:22. > :08:24.of Hambledon, flooding has meant many older residents have been
:08:25. > :08:28.advised to stay indoors. Frankie Peck went to meet a lady who has
:08:29. > :08:40.been virtually house bound since the floods began. I have been out twice
:08:41. > :08:46.in four weeks. Normally, Eve Foster enjoyed an active social life. A
:08:47. > :08:50.painting club in the village hall and family close by keep her busy.
:08:51. > :08:58.She finds it hard to get around because she has severe arthritis. I
:08:59. > :09:04.have a three wheeled being that I have not been able to get out of the
:09:05. > :09:11.house `` but I have not been able to get out of the house for however
:09:12. > :09:14.long this has been going on. The sun was shining today and with a bit of
:09:15. > :09:18.help she was able to escape the house. This is where she came, the
:09:19. > :09:27.local church for lunch. She was guest of honour. Lots of neighbours
:09:28. > :09:32.have been popping in and visited her. She always comes and it is
:09:33. > :09:36.important to how to share time with other people outside of her own
:09:37. > :09:41.living room. It is a regular event here. They are usually fund raising
:09:42. > :09:47.for charity but today it is about the villagers themselves. There is
:09:48. > :09:53.cabin fever and it is dreadful if you are old or disabled. It is a
:09:54. > :09:59.great opportunity to get out and enjoy yourselves. It was great to
:10:00. > :10:06.see lots of friends, it was lovely. It was time to relax. Outside the
:10:07. > :10:10.noise of the pumps continued. The severe ground water flooding cannot
:10:11. > :10:17.drain away quick enough. It is flowing at seven miles per hour and
:10:18. > :10:23.can not view off your feet. We have had a lot of people falling over.
:10:24. > :10:27.There are also holes on the road and you can fall down them stop it is
:10:28. > :10:31.difficult to stop despite the dangers, people are so used to
:10:32. > :10:38.dealing with the flood that it is part of everyday life. Eve is
:10:39. > :10:43.optimistic. I think the worst is over, probably. Thank you. The
:10:44. > :10:45.Solent ferry operator Wightlink has agreed a five year pay deal which
:10:46. > :10:53.guarantees above`inflation increases for all staff. The deal with the RMT
:10:54. > :10:57.and Nautilus unions, means workers will get slightly more than
:10:58. > :11:00.inflation every year until 2019. There'll be a minimum rise each year
:11:01. > :11:02.of around five hundred pounds to benefit lower`paid employees.
:11:03. > :11:13.Wightlink employs 400 permanent staff, which rises to 600 during the
:11:14. > :11:21.summer. Still to come: Taking to the ice... Well, nearly. I will leave it
:11:22. > :11:25.to the experts down there. Another day of celebrations for Team GB in
:11:26. > :11:38.Sochi. We are staying on the ice as Alexis tries her hand at speed
:11:39. > :11:40.skating. Dry me later. Lyndhurst has become home to the first
:11:41. > :11:43.dementia`friendly high`street in the New Forest. Businesses will display
:11:44. > :11:47.stickers in their windows to show that staff can cater to the needs of
:11:48. > :11:49.customers with dementia. There are more than 18,000 people with
:11:50. > :11:52.dementia living in Hampshire, with that figure predicted to rise. The
:11:53. > :11:55.government's awarded ?600,000 to West Sussex councils towards
:11:56. > :11:58.developing a transit site for travellers. We are trying to
:11:59. > :12:03.encourage people with dementia to live in the community for longer and
:12:04. > :12:07.use the services. If a business understands people with dementia and
:12:08. > :12:17.their needs, they can better service those people and welcome them into
:12:18. > :12:19.their businesses. The government's awarded ?600,000 to West Sussex
:12:20. > :12:22.councils towards developing a transit site for travellers. Transit
:12:23. > :12:25.sites give police the power to move on travellers who are camped
:12:26. > :12:28.illegally. The proposed pitches would be on land that's currently
:12:29. > :12:30.part of a Chichester District Council depot at Westhampnett.
:12:31. > :12:36.Planning permission's being sought to change the use of the land.
:12:37. > :12:39.Trying to breed New Forest ponies responsibly has led to such a
:12:40. > :12:42.reduction in numbers that they've now been classified as a rare breed.
:12:43. > :12:45.That's according to research conducted by The New Forest Pony
:12:46. > :12:49.Breeding and Cattle Society. Over the last ten years the number of
:12:50. > :12:53.ponies born has been reduced because fewer people want to buy them. Only
:12:54. > :12:56.423 foals were born last year. Five years ago more than a thousand were
:12:57. > :13:00.registered. Next week on South Today we begin a landmark series of films
:13:01. > :13:04.taking an in`depth look at how the First World War changed the lives of
:13:05. > :13:07.people on the home front. We'll be discovering how children kept the
:13:08. > :13:09.Navy's big guns firing ` looking at advances in medicine and
:13:10. > :13:12.investigating some of the technological breakthroughs. But
:13:13. > :13:16.what was life like for people here in the south on the eve of war 100
:13:17. > :13:37.years ago? And how well prepared were our armed forces? Tonight Steve
:13:38. > :13:42.Humphrey rewinds to 1914. People enjoying an evening at the pictures
:13:43. > :13:45.in the early summer of 1914 could have been forgiven for thinking the
:13:46. > :13:53.south of England was rather a good place to live. There was still a
:13:54. > :14:00.yawning gap between the haves and have`nots, but things were changing.
:14:01. > :14:06.There were steps being taken to improve the quality of life but
:14:07. > :14:09.inequality was still rampant in Edwardian Britain. The City of
:14:10. > :14:14.London is expanding, the financial sector is booming. The middle
:14:15. > :14:19.classes are expanding into a new financial sector. This is the era of
:14:20. > :14:25.the rise of the suburbs and the commuters. The big issues were
:14:26. > :14:32.industrial strife and votes for women. When war came, it was a big
:14:33. > :14:41.surprise for many. It happened very quickly and in the five`week on the
:14:42. > :14:46.build`up to World War I, nothing happened and then everybody started
:14:47. > :14:49.declaring war on each other. Much of the military strength was in the
:14:50. > :14:56.south of England. Portsmouth was home for the Royal Navy. The British
:14:57. > :14:59.army were based in Aldershot and on Salisbury Plain, the fledgling Royal
:15:00. > :15:07.flying Corps was getting off the ground. In military terms, the Royal
:15:08. > :15:13.Navy was colossal, the biggest in the world with 185 warships, more
:15:14. > :15:19.than Germany and France combined. It was viewed as the nation's first and
:15:20. > :15:23.only line of defence, and is not just of the home islands but the
:15:24. > :15:29.global trading network that the UK was the centre of. Britain had won
:15:30. > :15:33.the naval arms race with Germany and had been reinvigorated with the
:15:34. > :15:42.first launch of the dreadnought in 1906. Royal Navy was very strong and
:15:43. > :15:48.a massive deterrent to it enemies. Britain could certainly rule the
:15:49. > :15:52.waves in 1914, but on dry land it was a different story. In the
:15:53. > :15:57.British Army, horses were still a crucial form of transport. The very
:15:58. > :16:03.best troops were based here in the South. The major concentration was
:16:04. > :16:10.in the south of England, around Aldershot. The two top divisions
:16:11. > :16:15.were based in Aldershot and they were better trained than others. The
:16:16. > :16:20.British Army was small in 1914, compared to the two million`plus
:16:21. > :16:26.soldiers that Germany could mobilise. Britain had 250,000
:16:27. > :16:30.regulars and a considerable number of those were dotted around the
:16:31. > :16:37.Empire. There was a territorial Force, 260,000. A similar number of
:16:38. > :16:45.reservists as well, many of whom were only semi`train at best. When
:16:46. > :16:51.war was declared, the army marched into action. They were sharpening
:16:52. > :16:58.swords and marching from the south of England to Southampton, and then
:16:59. > :17:07.down to France stop there was one wing of the army that almost did not
:17:08. > :17:11.take off in time, the flying Corps. The British were quite slow to see
:17:12. > :17:15.the potential, certainly at official levels, and at one point they
:17:16. > :17:20.decreed that they were not going to invest in any more money for
:17:21. > :17:26.military planes because they considered them to be an expensive
:17:27. > :17:34.fad. Bertrand Dixon changed the course of history. He was a flying
:17:35. > :17:38.pioneer. As he flew over military manoeuvres on Salisbury Plain in
:17:39. > :17:46.1910, he drew this map to prove his point. There was some opposition to
:17:47. > :17:51.this because it was bought that the aircraft was scared of horses. They
:17:52. > :17:54.fed information back to troops on the ground and gave vital
:17:55. > :18:03.information about what was going on with enemy forces. The Royal flying
:18:04. > :18:10.Corps said up a number of airfields on Salisbury Plain and when the war
:18:11. > :18:14.started it had 180 aircraft. Drawing the war, the South of England played
:18:15. > :18:19.a key role, training troops and getting supplies to the front line.
:18:20. > :18:26.There was a constant reminder of the horrors of war, with a steadily
:18:27. > :18:29.rising death toll and a stream of injured men coming back through the
:18:30. > :18:36.ports. Cities, towns and villages were left to count the cost.
:18:37. > :18:40.Steve Humphrey with that look back at life in the south a hundred years
:18:41. > :18:43.ago. There's lots more about World War One at the BBC's special website
:18:44. > :18:49.` you'll find films, articles and links to all the BBC's coverage of
:18:50. > :18:53.the anniversary of the war. And all next week on South Today, we have a
:18:54. > :18:57.series of special features looking at some of the effects of World War
:18:58. > :19:07.One on life at home, and some of those people who had a profound
:19:08. > :19:12.influence on the war. We are doing well in the curling in Saatchi. The
:19:13. > :19:17.British women have taken bronze and tomorrow, the men compete in the
:19:18. > :19:25.final, so what better place to have sports tonight than on the ice at
:19:26. > :19:43.Basingstoke. I say on the ice, but I was expecting you in skates and in
:19:44. > :19:50.lycra! I thought I would save my ankles. I have had a few injuries in
:19:51. > :19:55.my time. One of the reasons I am not on the ice is because of these
:19:56. > :20:03.girls, Ice Sensation, a synchronised Skating team. This is one of their
:20:04. > :20:09.training routines tonight. They are hard at work here in Basingstoke and
:20:10. > :20:19.doing well. Ice Sensation provide the backdrop for us tonight.
:20:20. > :20:22.Portland based Olympic sailor Luke Patience has confirmed Elliot Willis
:20:23. > :20:26.will be his new crew in a bid to become Britain's first 470 gold
:20:27. > :20:29.medal winners at the Rio 2016 Games. It follows Joe Glanfield's decision
:20:30. > :20:32.to call time on his Olympic career last week. Patience and Willis will
:20:33. > :20:36.head to Majorca next week for training ahead of their first event,
:20:37. > :20:39.which will be the ISAF Sailing World Cup event in Palma from 31 March`5
:20:40. > :20:42.April. Reading boss Nigel Adkins admits the play offs will be his
:20:43. > :20:46.side's best chance of promotion but he's not ruled out a late run for
:20:47. > :20:49.automatic promotion. Adkins sat down with South Today for an interview
:20:50. > :20:59.which we'll show you more of tomorrow night. He's said events off
:21:00. > :21:03.the field at the Madesjski stadium, the club is up for sale, won't
:21:04. > :21:08.overshadow his side's promotion push. I know the owner feels a lot
:21:09. > :21:12.about the frog or club. They have been getting on with dealing with
:21:13. > :21:20.this situation to keep the stability and future of the football club
:21:21. > :21:24.right. We are not looking at that, we are focusing a lot on the team
:21:25. > :21:38.and getting things together, and we have done that. If you've been
:21:39. > :21:42.inspired by the four medals Team GB has won at Sochi you might want to
:21:43. > :21:47.have a go at an Olympic sport yourself here in the south. Last
:21:48. > :21:56.week, Alexis tried Slopestyle skiing this week she heads to Gosport to
:21:57. > :22:05.learn the art of speed skating. I will get the hang of it eventually!
:22:06. > :22:11.Claire is a speed skating coat. `` coach. Try not to let the shoulders
:22:12. > :22:19.go from side to side, then the knees. I am nervous, although I have
:22:20. > :22:32.reprinted the ice rink at Christmas. This is new territory. ``
:22:33. > :22:37.frequented. In my day we did 30 mph but these days it is 40 mph. There
:22:38. > :22:43.are normally for five people on the track at once stop we go altogether
:22:44. > :22:47.and it is the first man over the line that winds the race. A little
:22:48. > :22:53.bit faster, we are using one hand which is normally the right hand.
:22:54. > :22:59.For sprinting, we use both hands. The ice rink is offering speed
:23:00. > :23:04.skating sessions in February. I have made do with figure skating skates
:23:05. > :23:14.but they could make me fall flat on my face. Speed skating is a fickle
:23:15. > :23:18.sport. One small mishap and everyone's dreams were shattered at
:23:19. > :23:23.the Winter Olympics in 2002 in Salt Lake City. Apart from Australian
:23:24. > :23:28.Stephen Bradley who could not believe his luck. Once I became more
:23:29. > :23:37.comfortable, I had to learn the editor quit of the start. ``
:23:38. > :23:44.etiquette. Step forward once. Ready. Step forward, ready to sprint off?
:23:45. > :23:54.You will hear a gun. Down the straight as fast as you can. A short
:23:55. > :24:16.race, 500 metres. You own the track. Ready... Go! False start! Go! I
:24:17. > :24:24.thought I was going fast until I saw Claire having a go for herself. This
:24:25. > :24:27.is a sport which seems effortless but you need a huge amount of
:24:28. > :24:39.courage, strength and a lot of fitness. Alexis having a go and
:24:40. > :24:42.here's an example of how the Winter Olympics has caught on, particularly
:24:43. > :24:46.curling. The players at Southampton have had a go too, this is the
:24:47. > :24:52.Saints dressing room and here's jack Cork playing the human stone, with
:24:53. > :24:55.Jay Rodriguez doing the sweeping. They are watching the BBC coverage
:24:56. > :25:05.and we should say, do not do that at home! Thank you. I have to say, that
:25:06. > :25:11.speed skating is so elegant. It is so hard! My legs X Mac wrote you did
:25:12. > :25:18.really well. You did better than I could. We do have some lovely
:25:19. > :25:21.weather picked is. `` pictures. Ray Bowler took this photo of the
:25:22. > :25:24.flooding in the Harnham Water Meadows in Salisbury. Martin Offer
:25:25. > :25:29.captured his dog Billy on Trundle Hill overlooking Singleton in West
:25:30. > :25:33.Sussex. There will be some rain at times but there will be increasing
:25:34. > :25:39.winds as well. We will have a bright start on Saturday and the winds will
:25:40. > :25:43.turn brisk on Saturday night and into Sunday. It will turn wet from
:25:44. > :25:49.the West. Not to significant until Sunday night. Clear skies in places
:25:50. > :25:56.overnight and the odd shower still possible. Even the odd rumble of
:25:57. > :25:58.thunder. Clearing skies will allow temperatures to fall away rapidly
:25:59. > :26:05.and we are looking at and bridges down to resell is in some spots. In
:26:06. > :26:09.the countryside, down to freezing. The risk of frost first thing
:26:10. > :26:12.tomorrow morning, and a few showers drifting in from the Bristol
:26:13. > :26:18.Channel. The winds will increase in speed and we may have gusts of 40 to
:26:19. > :26:29.50 mph, and the cloud will increase with it. Scattered and heavy showers
:26:30. > :26:33.and possibly some heavy hail. Today's temperatures reached a high
:26:34. > :26:38.of 12 Celsius in Southampton. Through the course of tomorrow
:26:39. > :26:42.night, the showers will disappear and skies were clear. We may have
:26:43. > :26:48.some showers clipping the south coast and if they drift in the land
:26:49. > :26:52.we may have some thunderstorms. On Saturday morning, temperatures will
:26:53. > :26:57.fall to five Celsius. The risk of frost on Saturday morning. It starts
:26:58. > :27:04.off on a quiet note before we see increasing cloud. It should stay dry
:27:05. > :27:11.until after dark but the winds, you can see the squeeze on the isobars.
:27:12. > :27:18.`` quiet night. Just along the south coast of 65 mph. We have inland
:27:19. > :27:24.gusts of 40 to 50 mph. We are looking at showers and perhaps
:27:25. > :27:29.thunder and hail mixed in on Saturday. Sunday, later in the day
:27:30. > :27:37.there will be rain. That is it from us, more news tonight at 8:30pm and
:27:38. > :27:45.then at 10:25pm. We are back tomorrow at Dick 's 30 PM. From us
:27:46. > :27:48.all, good night. Good night. `` six 30 PM.