22/12/2016 South Today

Welcome to South Today. so it's goodbye from me,

Hope for Greg - the frontman of Southampton band Delays reveals

he has cancer as his family fundraises for his treatment.

Cancer has such an aura of fear around it and to be honest with you

I'm still trying to process it. It was the worst moment of my life

having to hear Greg asking how long he had to live. Also tonight, we

have the latest on the big getaway. the foodbanks setting up at fire

stations for those facing And small is beautiful -

the intimate gig in a front room becomes a showcase for up

and coming singers. Greg Gilbert is most well

known as the lead singer He's also a talented artist

and a father of two. But, at the age of 39

he's been diagnosed Doctors say the cancer has spread

and all they can offer him But his family is determined

to raise at least ?100,000 to get him alternative

treatment, which is not Greg and Stacey are all smiles

with their two young daughters and their countdown

to Christmas continues. But this young family is facing

hugely emotional and practical challenges as they fight to find

a way to keep Greg alive Cancer is, I mean, the world has got

such an aura of fear around it and to be

honest with you I'm still trying to process it

and talking to you about

it today is surreal. We were told that on our

daughter's first birthday. We should have been

at her birthday party but we were told that

instead, and it's... To have to hear Greg have to ask how

long he had to live. Greg is well known

as a singer and guitarist from Delays, an indie band

that have performed at numerous festivals

After being admitted to hospital, Greg was

diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer which had spread to his

You find yourself saying, how long have I got?

And all of a sudden you are living in a drama that is

The cancer had spread to his lungs and because of the extent

of that, they would offer him chemotherapy but he wasn't a

candidate for surgery to have any of it removed.

And they were very sorry but they didn't think there was

Along with his music, Greg is also a talented artist.

He has now started chemotherapy and is full of praise

From the beginning all the way through they have been

absolutely sensational and this whole situation is really brought

home to us the value for everybody, you know, the community.

But treating Greg has become a big challenge.

He is genetically incompatible with drugs offered by

the NHS so they are looking at medicines they have to pay for or

I started to realise that we need options and

options cost money, which is why I set up the campaign.

So far over ?75,000 has been donated.

There aren't any words to describe what

I think it would take me two lifetimes to express the

I knew we had wonderful family and friends but I

have been absolutely overwhelmed by it.

They've been together for ten years and they are determined to do

all they can to find a way to beat Greg's cancer.

He has a determination with things that he

sets his mind to that I've never seen in anyone else.

And for our girls, our girls, we're doing this for our girls.

Greg Gilbert and his family sharing their story with Steve Humphrey.

And, if you want to know more about the symptoms and treatment

options for bowel cancer, you can visit the NHS

The family of a young woman who died after being assaulted in Bournemouth

Hayley Wall, who was 25, was found with serious injuries

outside a supermarket in Charminster last Tuesday.

In a tribute, her family said she'd be sorely missed.

A murder investigation is underway and a man has been charged

Latest figures show that only 56% of Southern services

arrived on time over the last five weeks.

That's the worst performance for any train operator for a decade.

The period covers strikes by both drivers and conductors.

Southern has written to its drivers, saying it will never

be able to secure union agreement to modernise its working practices,

The drivers' union, Aslef, claims that drivers operating train

The railway's safety organisation says the opposite is true.

The annual nightmare journey as commuting,

last minute shopping and trips to join the family all pile up

together on the last couple of days before the break.

Add to that, the prospect of even more rail closures than usual,

industrial action by train crews and the possibility of a strike

Let's join our transport correspondent Paul Clifton

If this was a panto production, we would all shout back,

The people who monitor traffic jams can't decide whether tomorrow

is the worst day to travel, or whether it will be Christmas Eve.

On the railways, at least we know exactly what will happen.

There will be no Great Western trains at all

into Paddington station for several days.

It shuts from eight o'clock tomorrow night.

GWR suggests passengers switch trains to Marylebone or to Waterloo.

Waterloo is Britain's busiest station.

And it shuts at eight o'clock on Christmas Eve.

It reopens partly from the 27th, but with amended services

Industrial action on Southern will affect services every day.

The vast majority of railway lines stay open, but journeys will take

much longer and you may not follow the normal route.

My close pal into an? Well, Paddington at the moment is the area

where we have to do a significant part of work for the Crossrail

project and to get the electrification project up and

running in the area and that will allow us to run faster services from

next year. Two years ago, the work overran,

contractors didn't tell Network Rail who didn't tell you and you couldn't

tell passengers and thousands were stranded.

A lot has happened since then and we are in a very different situation

with Network Rail. We haven't seen an overrun since then of that sort

of magnitude and we are hopeful that will be the same this year.

Why Christmas? We do do it at other times of the year but Christmas

offers a unique opportunity where we are expecting the quietist number of

people on our trains but also big bank holidays close together were

Network Rail can get the bulk of the work done.

On the roads, tomorrow will be terrible. One of the Saturn have

operators is calling it Carmageddon because there will be a third more

cars on the road than normal. 12 million vehicles. I hate to be the

harbinger of doom and gloom and Christmas, but you have been warned.

Foodbanks in the south are expecting a surge in demand this Christmas,

Today, the Salisbury based Trussell Trust which provides

emergency food and supplies to those most in need, sent food parcels

The building, which will remain open during the festive period,

will act as a collection point for those who need help

Vicky Charles and her daughter Samaire are looking forward

to celebrating a first Christmas in their new home.

But four years ago when Samaire was a baby and Vicky was struggling

to make ends meet on maternity pay, Christmas was looking bleak.

She was eight months old. She won't know it's Christmas day. I can have

beans on toast and it won't matter...

Vicky was helped by the Trussell Trust -

which delivered a box of Christmas food.

It even had a foil pan to cook the turkey in and some gravy and I think

there was even chocolate in there. Looking back I have some good

memories of her first Christmas, my first Christmas as a mother, rather

than sitting in a flat on my own. This year, the Trussell Trust

will be delivering more than 200 of those special Christmas hampers

to people in need in We have seven single boxes and seven

family boxes... emergency food boxes will be

available here 24/7 - for anyone who is in need

when the foodbank is closed. Crisis can hit at any time. It is

unpredictable and many people can't access agencies for support because

they are closed so we want to be able to be there for them at one

minutes notice. We understand there are people out there struggling to

ends meet. They need all the help they can get from us and other

organisations, which is why I'm happy to help them. There is a big

jump of the number of people using food banks in December. Vicky is now

a successful writer but she hasn't forgotten the food bank that saved

their first Christmas together. Once again, they are trying to make sure

nobody goes hungry this Christmas. Jo Kent, BBC South

Today in Salisbury. Millions of pounds are spent every

year cleaning our sewers because people dump items that

shouldn't be there. And, as we approach Christmas Day

we're being asked to dispose Across the UK over ?80 million

is spent each year clearing A high percentage of these are fat

related blockages and that Thames Water says fat from cooking

has caused nearly 40,000 blockages across their area so far

this year, and the problem Ben Moore has been to

Thames Water's treatment plant in Reading and,

a little warning - due to the nature of the story,

there may be some images Whilst we hope this raw sewage

doesn't put you off your Christmas dinner, it's turkey and all

the trimmings that's caused this At Thames Water they are glad it

isn't Christmas every day as at this time of year there

is festive filth in the filters. And do you notice

a difference as we get It just builds up and

sticks to everything, makes everything ten times

harder to work with. Wet wipes and nappies have always

been problematic for pipes, yet more and more are flushed

this time of year along with more This is the raw sewer inlet

and believe me, you can tell Over the Christmas period

they start to pull more Chief amongst them is Lego,

half eaten food, especially, of course, Brussels sprouts

and sadly over the Christmas period, But the big nightmare

before Christmas is fat. As people cook their dinners,

many drain fat down the sink. It then congeals deep

underground and forms We ask everyone right

across the country, Three Ps only down

the toilet at Christmas - Please put your fat in a jar, put it

in the bin and that would really Fatbergs clog the 44,000 miles

of sewers that serve Thames Water's It costs ?1 million

a month to clear blockages But our festive

feasting is doing some The methane produced

generates electricity. Across the Thames Water region

we make enough energy to power The power could go to TVs

on Christmas Day to Absolutely, and it will be cooking

thousands of turkeys and you just won't know about it

on Christmas day. So give yourself an extra helping

and pile on the pounds but Later on: Why the Hollywood actor

James Mason opened a new shop in the 1970s.

Cameras have been used to improve accountability. Hampshire and Dorset

have introduced similar cameras to their offices.

People in a village in Dorset have been learning to bake bread to feed

The project based in Sutton Poyntz near Weymouth has

attracted dozens of volunteers, who've been turning out loaves to be

handed on to charities helping the hungry in the town.

They've also been selling their produce to raise money

Every month we have at least one day where we each bake loaves in our

own kitchens and then take them down to anywhere else

where homeless people need food and we donate that

40 years ago a small shop in the New Forest received a special

The actor, James Mason, was there to support a local

organisation called Animal Vigilantes.

He became President of the organisation based

in Fordingbridge, and we've discovered an interview with him

recorded at the time as Richard Latto reports.

Atypically traditional new Forest town with shops that have been here

for decades. In 1976 a very famous star of the screen came for a visit.

James Mason, the British actor who became one of the world's biggest

stars in films such as 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. We are and

educational trust and wildlife rescue, and that means we go out to

schools, clubs to talk about the work of animal welfare.

I have had the privilege and pleasure of opening an establishment

called James Mason's House, also the headquarters of Animal Vigilantes.

The charity later changed its name to Animals Voice.

It was so exciting because a long time ago I had actually joined his

fan club and I had my bedroom covered with his photographs.

And on one occasion, James Mason saw a rescue Fox and asked Betty for a

special favour. He said, Betty, do one thing for me? He said, would you

call the new Fox Clarissa? After my wife? Of course, I said yes, of

course I will. I used to send photographs of Clarissa to them.

What is your own interest in Animal Vigilantes or caring about animals?

Nothing, really, other than I am a carer for animals. I care about

other things and other people as well as animals but I feel a

personal obligation I suppose and desire to do what I can for animals.

He raised money for us all over the place and told everybody about us.

He turned up and special occasions. This was one of them, when he bought

this place for us, he came to open it. That was wonderful.

Great memories. Let's move on to sport. Tony is here. Looking forward

to Boxing Day and a great racing spectacular.

Always look forward to it on Boxing Day docked a timely moment over the

festive Herriot. A big day of sport. Also the football. -- festive

period. We will have some football from last night. We might have

swelled the attendance had we gone last night.

Reading are through to the last 16 of the much maligned Checkatrade

Trophy after beating a Southampton Under-21s 11 last night.

The Royals came from behind after Lloyd Isgrove scored a fine

opener to give the home side the lead.

Niall Keown, son of Martin, scored the equaliser which took

With the spectator on the edge of his seat, the Royals triumphed,

keeper Ansii Jaakaola saving two spot kicks before Yakou Meite scored

Over the next three weeks there will be two world

The more lucrative event run by the PDC is on now in London

and Hampshire's James Wade is through to the second round.

The three time semi-finalist, nicknamed The Machine,

had few faults against Dutchman Ronny High-breckts,

beating him, three sets to nil at Alexandra Palace.

The original world championship run by the British darts organisation

One of the highlights of the festive sporting programme is horse

racing's King George the Sixth Chase at Kempton.

It's second only to the Cheltenham Gold Cup in jump racing prestige.

And this year, a Dorset stable will be the centre of attention

on Boxing Day and in particular, two horses as Kris Temple reports.

It the in-house head-to-head that's got tongues wagging. The yard near

Sherborne is preparing the defending champion to go head-to-head with

Thistle Crack. They really race each other before the Cheltenham Festival

in March but with this pair both having different owners, both

parties have decided to take their chance.

They are individual horses with separate owners and they have to be

treated fairly. You can only keep them apart for so long and then you

have to be fair to the horse because there is only one King George a year

and only one gold cup per year. Once you liked him up, he is right there

for you. That certainly helps get it.

Q Card warmed up for this in the bet fair chase. A potential ?1 million

bonus. He is in the form of his life. He

really is brilliant again. He was brilliant all last season, on a par

with that again. Thistle Crack is favourite to win

the Cheltenham cup, despite it being his first season as a steeplechaser.

It will be a furious race. It is no good to say it is an easy three

miles. It is not. They will go flat out and he will be the best was

running, always on the turn. It is a furious race. I would say it is a

more furious gallop than the Gold cup.

And Nicky Henderson isn't out of the equation. The gloves are off on

Boxing Day for the clash of Tizard's tightens. -- tight ons.

Sussex have signed batsman Laurie Evans from Warwickshire.

The 29-year-old has signed a three year contract at Hove.

Evans has been deployed more as a limited overs player in recent

years but has won trophies in all three formats

It can be difficult for aspiring singers and musicians

to get their break - even to find places to perform.

But an idea called Sofar is changing that.

People open up their homes, offices, cafes and many other unusual

One singer has introduced the global movement to Winchester

and it's growing fast as James Ingham reports.

Josh Savage has racked up dozens of Sofar sessions

Each one unique - but each one intimate, special.

I am playing a living room show in someone's home I've never met

before. Are they completely look after you. That is the biggest

surprise, I find. So it was a natural step

to set up Sofar in his home city Winchester -

this one in his actor you get to see the audience

actually watching you as well and also just the kind of relationship

between the artist and the audience, it is a lot closer and so much more

intimate and quite magical really. You get to see a lot of music you

wouldn't necessarily hear or see. You get to meet nice people and you

don't know who is playing until you come on the night so that is nice.

It is nice not to have a row of smartphones in the front row. It is

nice to hear the band. It's amazing. It is so intimate so they are right

there and you can feel their breath. You come away feeling quite

overwhelmed. It is such a sharing thing. You share something of an

evening. Josh has built audiences and made

friends through Sofar. It was perfect. I would love to have

you here again. In this ever competitive

and difficult industry the sessions are opening new avenues

for musicians and bringing music fans more chances

to appreciate them. It inspires me to go on and find

people who want to listen to my music and carry on with the journey.

Sofar sessions are also held in Southampton, Reading,

And Josh Savage is playing tonight at the Railway Inn in Winchester

and he's launching a new single in London in the new year.

Good luck to him for 2017. On to the weather. It is looking windy and

wet. Is there a storm coming? There is

but not for us. It will affect Scotland and the North. For us in

the south we will have gusty winds over the next 24 hours.

Greg Stretch photographed the sunrise on the River

Martin Dolan captured the sun rising at Durdle Door.

And Ali Lansley took this picture of Father Christmas

Today we saw some lovely sunny conditions. The odd isolated shower

through this evening and overnight tonight we are looking at clear

skies and an initial frost with a strengthening breeze, which should

keep the frost at bay. Under the clear skies temperatures in the

countryside falling away to two or three Celsius with patchy cloud. The

chance of hill fog in some places. A dry start to the day tomorrow.

Through the course of the day sunny spells through the morning,

increasing cloud from the West during the afternoon and the weather

front. Merging its way in during the afternoon and evening. Temperatures

tomorrow will be up to around ten or 11 Celsius but with a strengthening

breeze. There is a Met Office weather warning in place for Dorset.

We could see wind gusts of 50 or 60 mph. Elsewhere, 40 or 50 mph widely.

Gusty conditions, especially with the weather front pushing eastwards

through tomorrow evening. It will clear quickly and once it does the

skies were clear but the breeze will continue and temperatures will fall

to around 4-9 C. Looking ahead to Christmas Eve it will be a mainly

dry day with sunny spells, patchy cloud and the odd isolated shower.

It will feel quite chilly because of the strength of the breeze

continuing to blow in from the West or south west during the day.

Increasing cloud through the latter part of Christmas Eve into the

evening, with this warm front moving through. The air behind it will be

very mild so Christmas Day very mild indeed. The warmest Christmas Day

was back in 1920, where we saw a high of 15.6 Celsius. If we beat

that this Christmas could be the warmest Christmas Day of all time.

Windy with lots of cloud through Christmas Day and the odd spot of

light rain or drizzle. Into Boxing Day high-pressure starts to build

and that may well stay with us.

Remember our appeal to try to find the young lady who played the piano

at West case shopping centre? An elderly gentleman had been singing

with her by chance and wanted to say thank you and wanted us to find. We

have tracked her down and it was within minutes on our Facebook page.

Tomorrow we've got something a bit special for you so make sure you

join us. Our last big programme of Christmas and the New Year so until

then, good night.