06/01/2017 South Today

Pilots say pointing them at planes is like using them as weapons.

It really scares me, the fact he could be flying an aircraft at any

moment, and your pilots are temporarily blinded.

A royal return for the Dutch master at Old Trafford but will his team

He was a world-class player but going back to old Trafford, you will

get an unbelievable reception. Derelict and forlorn, the building

transformed into an outdoor And the colourful life

of Britain's oldest man. At 108, he has some

wise things to say. I do not think you will find

happiness by looking for it. Happiness comes as a surprise.

There are calls tonight for tougher laws to crack down on laser pens

following a spate of incidents close to Southampton Airport.

Four aircraft were targeted by green laser pointers in separate incidents

The flights continued as planned but, with laser

incidents on the increase, the Pilots Association

says the devices are being used as weapons.

Let's join Anjana Gadgil, who is live at the airport.

Take-off and landing are the most crucial times for pilots,

But it's also when they are most susceptible to laser beams

Here in Southampton, there were 11 incidents last month

In the first, a laser was shone into the flight path of a plane

Three days later, a laser was focused

The next night, a plane was targeted as it took off over the M27 motorway

and then another inbound aircraft with the light beamed

We're talking about High-powered green lasers, which can be

PC Andy Sparshott from Hampshire Police showed me

how clearly they work, even in daytime, and said he was in

a cockpit of a police plane when it was targeted on take-off.

We thought the engine was on fire. There was a lot of brilliant white

light flickering on the underside of the wing. The pilot took action,

looking at the instruments, making sure everything was OK, and then he

was satisfied it was not on fire. So what effect can

the lasers have on a pilot? Public Health England say

they are extremely dangerous. Last February, a Virgin flight had

to return to Heathrow after take-off after a laser was shone

at the cockpit, causing a medical As of 2010, it's illegal to shine

a light to dazzle a pilot. But the police and the Pilots

Association want to make it an offence to be in possession

of a laser pen. The police are prosecuting but

the problem is their hands are tied because they don't have the correct

powers at the moment. We are expecting to see

some laser-specific legislation coming

out relatively soon. We need police to have

the power so they can stop the people who are shining

lasers and arrest them and get them to justice and get them in prison

because it's a really Police say there's always a spike

of activity around Christmas as people receive laser pens

as presents but they stress that they're not toys

and the Pilots Association describes Luckily, in the recent cases,

the planes have all been able The marine industry on the south

coast is calling for the Government to push ahead with leaving the EU

after business picked up 2016 was a strong year

for the sector, thanks largely to marine tourism benefiting

from more people Our Business correspondent,

Alastair Fee, reports from the opening day

of the London Boat Show. This company teaches a range of

water-based sports and 2016 was a boom year. What we saw was a lot of

new people to the sport as well as a lot of returners who had a taste of

it the year before, decided to come back, get involved again. This

sector is the latest to be reporting a strong performance despite Brexit.

We have the market what we are good at, good design, good quality

innovation. We have got to be get at getting our message open about what

the British leisure industry has to offer. There is plenty of positivity

here but much of that is of the back of the boost exports. But the sector

fears political uncertainty. Despite those negotiations, the festival

will host the first and very possibly last European marathon time

day conference in the UK in May. There is an irony there. But I do

not think it makes a great deal of difference. We would be 100%

committed to it anyway. We are putting 100% of our effort into it.

Further evidence of a buoyant Maritime holiday industry, beds on

board this company. But the home stays on boats. I strategic effort

is more on UK outbound. A two-hour flight to the UK makes up 80-90%

about bookings to date. Tens of thousands of members, thousands of

boat owners. As well as a reputation for design and quality, businesses

are now can boast good value for money. Britain builds good boats,

building confidence will be the big challenge of the months ahead.

Now, this time next year, you could be swimming in a heated

outdoor pool with snow gently falling on the water.

A Reading landmark that was left derelict for decades

is on track to reopen as a completely

The Edwardian swimming baths at Kings Meadow

are being painstaking restored and transformed into an upmarket

We are leaving the restaurant and heading out into the pool area.

Far from finished, but the man in charge

says his vision for this building is coming together.

That piece of glass just slides sideways now.

The Kings Meadow Pool opened in 1902.

It was ladies only and fed by the nearby River Thames.

It's been boarded up since the early 70s and gradually fell

into such poor repair at Reading Council announced plans

to pull it down and sell the land to developers.

That sparked a campaign to have the building listed.

A decade later, it was finally sold to someone

Albeit as a very different venue to the one older Reading

It is totally preserved as it was, but now it is protected

Behind the glass wall is the old setup, the old layout.

It is in my interest that every part is preserved.

The newly renamed Thames Lido will be a ?3 million destination -

The colder the weather, the nice it is to be in a hot pool, particularly

if it is snowing. That is really exciting. But it will cost more

because it does not pay for itself. There is not one swimming pool that

pays its own way. They are very expensive things to run.

There's no fixed opening date as yet.

Arne says it's like a theatre and, after fading for 40 years,

Excitement is mounting as thousands of Reading fans head north this

weekend for what many have hailed a dream FA Cup tie

In his first season in management, former United defender Jaap Stam has

pushed Reading up to third in the Championship.

He's likely to get a great reception at Old Trafford.

But, as Nikki Mitchell reports, when the whistle blows,

In the same year he helped Manchester United win the FA Cup, he

helped earn the trouble and now he is going back at the helm of the

Reading side to be reckoned with. He spent three seasons at Manchester

United, he is a legend. He won three Premier League titles, a

championship trophy. Very ambitious as a manager. He was a world-class

player but going back to Old Trafford, you will

get an unbelievable reception. But despite acknowledging how good his

time there was, he says this third-round tie is not about him. It

is about what the Royals can do against big opponents. Everybody

wants to play these games. Eventually, everybody wants to get

up there to that level. It is one where they can show themselves and

how far they are individually but also as a team. It will not be easy

but we have nothing to lose. Most fans are too young to remember the

last time we beat the Giants. We have never beaten Manchester United

for 90 years. David Downes has a souvenir biscuit tin from 1927. Like

many fans, he has faith. Any sentiment shown towards him once the

game kicks off but a lot of players who can do it. He has been an

inspiring manager. He has done a great job for us so far. He set us

up in the right way. It means we can go there and be not afraid. I am

excited. It will be a really good game, we have a lot of potential to

go forward, and why can we not when it? Win or lose, fans are hoping for

a thriller of the sort delivered in 2007. Sadly, this five goal

nailbiter ended in defeat for the Royals.

Still to come: Meet the man of many millions.

The Gosport man honoured for his charity fundraising.

Residents in a village near Basingstoke are fighting plans

for new homes on a field which they say regularly floods.

It once again highlights the dilemma of where to put new homes that

On the other side of Basingstoke, there are plans for 10,000 new homes

built as a garden town, which the Government hopes is one

way to get local people on board with new developments.

Ena Miller starts her report in Cliddesden.

This community is worried about the future of their village. An

application has been applied to build 40 homes. Locals oppose this.

The filter has already been considered by Basingstoke and Deane

council and was refused because they said it would be overdeveloped in

the village and affect the conservation area. The other thing

is about drainage. The village pond overflows and empties into the

field. Campaigners handed in a petition to Basingstoke Council. In

a statement, the say... . This is not the only field that has

been considered in the area. 15 minutes down the road in that

direction, thousands of homes there are being proposed. After an 18

month public consultation, a revised application for the first phase of

3200 homes will be resubmitted. We need to work through what the right

type of infrastructure, schools and roads, and what is the right type of

community infrastructure. The bigger plans for 10,000 homes as part of

what has been called Basingstoke's garden town. It has already received

?850,000 of government money. You can build primary schools. It is a

cheap thing to do. But where are the surgeries? Hospitals? They are

talking about children and young people. As people get older, what

happens when they get older? There is no planning will fall for the

about what that mixed population will do on that site. There is a

determination to fight for what is best for the future. Open fields or

more housing? In this corner of the world, villagers feel it is the view

that matters. A former senior NHS official has

been jailed for three and a half years at Guildford Crown Court

for accepting ?80,000 in bribes. 57-year-old Peter Lewis

from Windlesham worked He admitted receiving the payments

in return for awarding a computer contract worth ?950,000

in the first year. Surrey Police say they're now

focusing on recovering the money Mr Lewis made from his crime

and returning it to the NHS. Plans to build a 25 megawatt solar

farm in Dorset have been scrapped. Wildlife charities opposed

the development at Rampisham Down near Dorchester, which is a Site

of Special Scientific Interest. The developer, British Solar

Renewables, has decided to shelve the application,

which was approved two years ago but was then subject

to a public inquiry. A smaller farm will be built

on an alternative site nearby. A 108-year-old man living in Alton

is now Britain's oldest man. Bob Weighton inherited

the title when a man He lived in Japan in the run-up

to the Second World War. When Roger Finn went

to see him at his care home, Bob told him what it meant to be

Britain's oldest man. I do not seem to feel any different.

In myself. The everybody else I need to will remind me of the fact. Bob

was born in 1908. He spent his childhood in Hull and was part of a

large family. In the 1930s, he travelled to Taiwan and Japan where

he worked as an English teacher. He married his British sweetheart but

the couple were forced to leave as the political situation worsened.

They and their three young children felt spent the war in Canada where

Bob broadcast propaganda to the Japanese. Throughout his long life,

Bob has held Christian and left-wing principles. The most important thing

I have learnt is that it is far better to make a friend out of the

possible enemy than it is to make an enemy out of a possible friend. What

would you say is the key to finding happiness? I do not think you find

happiness by looking for it. I think happiness comes when you do certain

things. And happiness comes as a surprise. Bob moved to alter and in

1969. His wife died 20 years ago. I have got to ask the cliched

question, what is your secret for having such a long life? I am just

very fortunate. It is nothing I have actually done or a regime I have

followed at all because I have had such a varied from existence. I have

eaten all sorts of things I never thought I would eat and been to

places I never thought I would visit. I have no clear answer to

that question at all. Onto sport and it's FA Cup

third round weekend, which kicks off tonight live

on BBC One. Tony is here to look ahead

to the ties involving our clubs, starting with that date

at Old Trafford. Jaap Stam won three Premier league

titles and an FA Cup during a three-year spell

at Old Trafford. They still sing his name

there on occasion. Tomorrow, the Royals

put their promising league campaign to one side as they attempt to cause

one of the upsets of this year's competition against Jose Mourinho's

in-form United, who have It will make some changes. But our

players are all good players. I trust them all. We played against

very good opponents, I repeat, very good, but I trust my players and, if

we earn the right frame of mind, it will be difficult

but I think we can do it. A chance to contest ourselves and we can play

well in the league this season. It will be an opportunity to go there

and see what stage we are at ourselves.

And Reading's trip to Manchester United features

in a special edition of BBC Radio Berkshire Sport.

Southampton have insisted defender Virgil Van Dijk is not for sale

ahead of their trip to Norwich of the championship.

Bournemouth also face second tier opposition as do Oxford United,

Once again, it's Eastleigh who fly the flag for the non league teams.

They've come through replays at both Swindon and Halifax

to reach round three for the second consecutive season.

Tomorrow boss Martin Allen revisits former club Brentford

The Spitfires are taking their largest away following ever

to a game with 1500 fans travelling to West London.

Going back first time with the team to walk out there in that tunnel

will be special to me but my job is to look after my players and put a

good performance on for our supporters and of course my boss,

good account of ourselves on the pitch. I am not worried about the

reception I will get from the Brentford supporters.

Brighton and Hove Albion's main target is promotion

They're top of the championship so the FA Cup is likely to take

It is quite difficult to sit here and speak about the values of the FA

Cup and your feelings on it. Perhaps, some people might feel, why

are you making changes? Our main focus is the league.

All the goals from the FA Cup will go online shortly after 5

o'clock tomorrow on the BBC Sport website.

Portsmouth missed out on the chance to close the gap

They lost 3-1 on a freezing night at top of the table Doncaster.

Former Pompey striker John Marquis opened the scoring before

But the home side restored the advantage when Tommy Rowe

blasted in a second approaching the hour.

Then Marquis pounced to settle the game.

Double Olympic rowing champion Alex Gregory has

announced his retirement from the sport.

The 32-year-old, seen here in the bow of the boat,

rowed to gold alongside Pete Reed in the coxless fours in 2012.

Yesterday Reed announced he was returning for Tokyo 2020.

Gregory then took gold last summer in Rio.

British rowing describe him as one of the greatest the sport has

Last week, the New Years Honours list recognised the achievement

of sports people, celebrities and those from other walks of life.

But there's another honour which is also announced this time

of year that you might not have heard of.

The British Citizen Awards recognise ordinary people who work

tirelessly to make a positive impact on society.

60-year-old Les Heyhoe from Gosport is getting one

He's raised almost ?12 million helping dozens of charities.

Earlier he joined me on the sofa to explain his first big fundraising

idea as a sixteen year old Navy recruit.

It was collecting aluminium from tin cans because in those days, they

were ten counts. Aluminium at that time was expensive so I expend to

the wrinkles and came up with the idea to give less a ring. How many

did you collect? 380 million. How much did that raise? ?1.2 million.

So you got a love for it from their? It was a nice feeling. I started

fundraising from then on. Why do you do this? Over the years, you have

raised ?12 million for so many different charities. It is the

sincere thank you. If I receive a sincere thank you, that means

everything. Give me a flavour of the things you have done. I have become

the Tango man, abseiled down the Norwich house. I organised that.

Cycled from Buckingham Palace to Cardiff Castle with a good friend

who was a blind veteran. Close race evenings. So you arrange and

organise events as well? I am the man they call the man who can! Do

you think over the years, the wave fundraising is change? Yes, it

certainly has. In my days, it was a case of doing it because you want to

do it and be part of the community. Now, fundraising is a business. Is

that a business? It is good in some instances but bad in others. When I

say good, everyone gets noticed is out there the community. But it is a

business so some people will say, what is in it for them? The money is

then is persuading people to donate. You clearly have got a knack. What

is the secret? I am a great believing fundraising, so it is the

fun. I am blowing my own trumpet here. But they know they will have

fun first and the money will follow. I think you should blow your own

trumpet because you deserve it. Congratulations on your British

citizens award. You must feel proud. It is a delight to meet you.

Raymond Slack caught some blue skies on camera,

And Robert Bigwood sent us this photo of a deer in the rain

Those outbreaks of rain are still with us. The band of rain is pushing

its way out across the south coast. We will start to see them clearing.

Gloomy conditions the round of the night. That band of rain will come

and go and be patchy in nature and there will be one or two hefty

bursts in the mix. Clearing through as we enter into those early hours

but drizzly spells and hill fog. Temperatures, a stark change. Loads

of three or 4 degrees. A grey and gloomy start. Still some of that

hill fog lingering and patchy outbreaks and is the first thing.

But as the day draws on, things dry out. That cloud could be big enough

to produce rain at times. There may be one or two brighter breaks and

that will be limited. Temperatures ten or 11 degrees. As we take a look

ahead to tomorrow night, a quiet night to come. We will stick with a

fair amount of cloud. Some hill fog and patchy drizzle as possible as

well. Temperatures holding at five or 6 degrees. To round up the

weekend, for Sunday, another quiet day. Staying predominantly dry. We

are still with a fair amount of cloud. Murky conditions at times but

there may just be one or two brighter breaks here and there.

Let's take a look at the summary. Through the weekend, we stay with

cloud. Breaks are possible. Hill fog murkiness at times. But as we go

through the new working week, a breezy affair and a band of rain

arriving. Tuesday, we will finally see more in the way of brightness

before we return to the unsettled theme head into the middle part of

this week. Have a good weekend. Enjoy the FA Cup. Very good luck to

the Royals. Panorama investigates

the deadly terrorist attack and should British tourists

have been warned about the risks?