19/01/2017 South Today

Martin McGuinness is stepping down from politics for

Ablaze in the Solent - an Isle of Wight ferry catches fire

A chap just a few feet from me said, um, "That's a bit weird -

"the ferry seems to be on fire." I said, "No, you're joking?"

It started quite small, but within seconds, it suddenly got

The Good Samaritan boss trying to help the homeless after finding

How can this be? Not in the 21st century.

My stomach isn't strong enough to step over these people.

Making up Jane - Basingstoke's pride as the town prepares to mark

the 200th anniversary of the author's death.

She was a headstrong woman of her time, but is relevant for us

And the end of a dream - the winner crosses the line

in the Vendee Globe race, but it isn't Alex Thomson.

An Isle of Wight ferry carrying more than 50 passengers caught fire

Nobody was injured and the fire was put out, but the Wightlink

vessel sailing from Portsmouth was evacuated

Allen Sinclair has been following the story.

He's live in Portsmouth for us now. Allen, what happened here?

Sally, it's here behind me, parked up and going nowhere for a while.

We understand the fire broke out in the upper deck in what is thought to

be the air conditioning unit, showing clouds of black smoke up

into what was the clear blue sky, it was visible from many miles away,

thousands saw it. Wightlink described it as a small fire, it

certainly looked pretty dramatic. These images show the intensity

of the flames and the urgency of staff trying to deal

with the emergency aboard the ferry halfway across the Solent heading

from Portsmouth toward Fishbourne. Witnesses on dry land could only

imagine what was happening as black The fire was in an area not

accessible to passengers, but as these images show,

still worryingly close. I didn't see it actually

start, but soon after, And then, within just a few seconds,

there was 18 feet flames and huge black billowing smoke

going straight up into the air. The Coastguard took a number

of calls, but had already been alerted by the ferry crew itself

and told that the fire had been Lifeboats were scrambled

and the Isle of Wight Fire Service called to the ferry port

as a precaution. Well, it was just really gathering

the information initially and just ascertaining that the vessel

was content with their situation. We monitored that situation really

closely and we were prepared Potentially, it could have

been worse, absolutely, but we prepare

for this type of incident. We work closely with the ferry

companies and this incident As the St Faith pulled

into Fishbourne, Wightlink was already playing down

the significance The incident broke out and was dealt

with by the crew that are trained to deal with these scenarios

and passengers were taken care of. They were taken care of in the

lounge areas. The situation was taken care of very quickly and the

vessel was disembarked of passengers and vehicles normally. St Faith is

back in Portsmouth and the investigation underway but a real

sense of relief because this could have been far more serious.

One other thing worth noting, it was a quiet crossing at a quiet time of

year. Just 52 passengers, 13 members of staff. Nobody injured, Wightlink

apologise for any alarm caused to passengers but they were back on the

normal timetable by lunchtime. Thank you very much.

The Conservatives have taken control of the Isle of Wight Council,

following the resignation of the Independent leader

Jonathan Bacon and Steve Stubbings stepped down in protest

at the impact of government cuts saying "politics and ego

"were being put before the concerns of Island people".

Last night, Tory councillor Dave Stewart was voted

in as the new leader, ahead of another

A family's being supported by specialist officers

after an 11-year-old girl was approached by two men

The incident happened near Caversham Primary School

A letter sent to parents at the school today says the girl's

movements after this are unclear. It's believed she was unhurt.

Extra patrols are being carried out in the area.

The boss of a company in Newbury is urging business leaders to do

more for the homeless after he says he was ashamed to find one

of the people working for him was sleeping rough.

Adrian Smith, who runs a successful logistics firm,

is meeting his local MP to get political backing for a scheme

where companies take on homeless workers and offer guarantees

to landlords who will house them. Joe Campbell takes up the story.

For Joe, this is a trip back to what, for three

This is where I used to live. It's a World War II pillbox.

I was just having a wander one day, as you do, from this place.

I was just having a wander one day, -- as you do, found this place.

I think someone lived in here before.

They obviously got found out and they tried to bury it.

You do what you have to do to survive, I suppose.

What makes this home of last resort all the more shocking is that,

for much of the time Joe was here, he was holding down a job.

It certainly came as a shock to his boss, but it was also

a discovery the man who runs this multi-million pound business

I always thought he was a little bit scruffy, but nothing, you know,

he was working in the warehouse, picking and packing.

Um, I just... It was shame.

And then, upset, really, I guess was the underlying emotion.

Um, how can this be? Not in the 21st century.

Joe's tent is still pitched inside the bunker.

But he is now in a hotel, paid for by his boss,

while he sorts out the deposit for somewhere more permanent.

He jokes that the pillbox here is just a short distance

"I've never liked a long commute," he says, but make no mistake,

that gallows humour is putting the bravest of faces

on what was undoubtedly a squalid existence.

Many of the 30 or so people getting breakfast from this

charity in the town could tell similar stories.

The man who helped Joe out says nobody should think they're immune

and is urging other bosses to do their part.

My stomach isn't strong enough to step over these

people, and that's it. Um, I...

I'm no Boy Scout. But I've...I've...I've...

In my early years, when I was 16, 17, I spent a good few months

sleeping on people's floors and sofas, because

I fell out with my parents, because I knew everything

and they knew nothing. We've all been there.

He's neither a pariah, nor somebody to be pitied,

but his boss would say just a person making their way in the world.

Joe Campbell, BBC South Today, Newbury.

Well, often, it seems that initiatives to help the homeless

come from charities, and individuals like Adrian Smith,

But in Basingstoke, the council has taken the initiative,

working with volunteers and other agencies to try to reduce

And it's just won government funding for specialist psychologists

to work with homeless people to try to turn their lives around.

Pete has been sleeping rough in Basingstoke for as long as he can

remember. Why do you sleep rough? No problems. Things have gone wrong in

my life. -- because I got problems. Tonight, he will use the emergency

Night Light Shelter provided by volunteers from the area's churches.

It is getting the rough sleepers in, offering them a bed, nice hot meal,

just encouraging them. Crowdfunding helped raise ?14,000 to open the

night shelter five days a week. For the volunteers it is obvious many

rough sleepers have mental health problems. We can focus on the mental

health, getting that sorted, then that in able is them and equips them

to move on. The government has awarded Basingstoke ?250,000 for

specialist psychologists to work with homeless people over three

years. To get someone to the point where they can live independently

support is needed and we know there are real issues around mental health

support at the moment, so they need that dedicated support and help. If

that was offered, with you take it? Yes, I probably would. I will not

see I would, I would say properly. Yeah. Some rough sleepers and move

on, with help. James slept rough, then got into an attack in which his

leg was broken. It is worse you're there, you can get yourself sorted,

get yourself on the ladder, then onto a flat or some sort of more

permanent accommodation. So things are looking better? Yes, definitely.

Figures so that the number of rough sleepers rose in Basingstoke from 20

to 26, but the council, and volunteers are desperate to help,

despite financial pressures they are facing.

Over 150 drivers have been stopped for being distracted behind

across Hampshire and the Thames Valley.

Officers used the high vantage point of an unmarked lorry to film drivers

on several of the region's major roads and motorways.

Most were caught using mobile phones held below the steering wheel.

But one man was seen eating a bowl of cereal

And an HGV driver was spotted shaving.

That moment's inattention, looking down to look

at a phone for a text, playing with the stereo,

brushing your teeth, you know, putting your make-up on,

putting lipstick on, and bringing the mirror down,

which we've seen people doing - all these sort of things are

momentarily distracting you from the road ahead,

and that's where something can happen and a collision occur.

A strike by conductors on Southern Railway will

The RMT claims it has been wrongly excluded from negotiations

between the company and the drivers' union, Aslef.

The drivers have suspended their industrial action

and talks have continued for the last two days.

But the RMT continues to protest about the transferring

of responsibility for operating the doors.

Southern says four out of five trains will run

Stay with us, later in the programme...

Saints knock out the Canaries with a last gasp goal.

Councils across the South will be setting their budgets

for the coming financial year in the next few weeks.

And for many, there are tough choices ahead.

In Surrey, there'll be a referendum on putting up council tax by 15%.

If passed, it would take the average council tax bill to around ?1,500.

The council says cuts to its annual grant from central government

of ?170 million a year since 2010 has left it with no choice as costs

of adult social care and providing enough school places are spiralling.

Well, Surrey isn't the only authority with problems.

County councillors in West Sussex have been trying to decide how

to close a ?41 million hole in next year's budget.

The plan is to raise council tax by nearly 4% and cut spending

by almost ?17 million, though the council says

many of the cuts are being offset by other measures.

Sean Killick is outside County Hall in Chichester.

Sean, this sounds like a very difficult balancing act?

Good evening, familiar story, rising costs but a drop in income. There's

been a big reduction in the money the council receives from central

government but 5 million extra pounds is needed because more adults

require social care, and a minimum wage rise 40 staff and nearly ?2

million is needed for the new apprenticeship V. This is what the

council proposes... A 3.95% rise in council tax -

which means an extra ?47.70 a year ?16 million of savings,

for example stop providing ending a youth travel discount card;

and re-procuring a waste contract. But there will be extra spending

in some areas, for example more than a million extra

for Child Disability Services and ?300,000 extra

on accommodation for unaccompanied The council says it carried out

a survey asking how big a council Two thirds of the residents surveyed

said they would accept a 3.75 increase, because they understood

the challenges that are before us We're just 0.25 over that

and we know costs are increasing, we know petrol prices are going up,

we know food prices are going up, but also the demands on this council

and the lack of central funding is also putting

huge pressures on us too. Some opposition councillors warn

that some of the social care reductions could cause problems in

future years. And despite this tens of millions more savings needed, the

budget proposal will be discussed at the full council meeting in the

middle of next month. Sally. Thanks very much.

A document's been accidentally posted online revealing

Thames Valley Police is proposing redeveloping its traffic

base into a replacement for Reading Police Station.

The proposal for the Three Mile Cross site appeared

The document was written by the Berkshire Property Partnership -

a consortium that consists of the local NHS Trusts,

Thames Valley Police, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue,

and all of the Royal Counties' councils.

Crews from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service have taken part

in training for how they'd respond to a terror attack

Actors were used in the exercises at Gibraltar Barracks in Yately,

The scenarios included a chlorine gas attack at a leisure centre

and an unidentified white powder being spilt.

The training looked at how crew would cope in the vital minutes

of one of Britain's most celebrated authors.

Jane Austen was a Hampshire girl, born and bred.

And her anniversary will be marked with a number

of events at Chawton, near Alton,

where she lived for many years, and in Winchester, where she died.

And as Ben Moore can tell us now, she's also getting a permanent

just a few miles from where she was born.

We can join him tonight at Farleigh House and he can tell us more.

Thanks very much, Sally, I am in the library, the octagonal room, and

quite a crowd has gathered, here to see this, the model of what we

believe will be the first public statue of Jane Austen in the world.

As you mentioned there, 20 of places lay claim to this author, -- plenty

of places. But it is Basingstoke where she was born.

"How quick come the reasons for approving what we like?"

wrote Jane Austen in her novel Persuasion and it's hoped the town

of Basingstoke will echo that sentiment

over a bronze of the world renounced Hampshire author.

The vision I have with the piece is that she is walking in the square

and it's as though someone's just said, "Good morning, Jane,"

and she says, "Morning," back. I mean, she was a real person.

She was a headstrong woman of her time, and living in her time,

but is relevant for us today walking past her,

The statue's certainly taken shape from Adam's early sketches,

but finding a real likeness of Jane Austen has historically been

a problem, as only two portraits were ever done.

I have to go back to study from life, so I have

to read between the lines of what was written

about her and I have to pull together a real face.

Jane Austen was born just a few miles outside

The house is long gone, but 200 years later,

She even attended social gatherings at the old Assembly Halls

that stood here, in Market Square, where her statue will go.

It was all such a great influence on her that, while she was here,

she wrote the first draft to Pride and Prejudice.

To be honest, many other places have been far better at trying

to claim Jane Austen, so, on the 200th anniversary

of her death, we want to have here a permanent memorial to the fact

that she is our most famous of residents.

The final, brother in delicate work has started.

-- The final rather in delicate work on the main statue has now begun.

It'll be cast in April, leaving this town with a sense

And the statue will be unveiled in July. Basingstoke says it is

re-claiming its favourite daughter and armour as Jane Austen herself

wrote in Emma, there is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.

Back to you, Sally. Thanks very much.

He was one of country's greatest pilots.

Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown holds the world record for the most

aircraft carrier take-offs, as well being the first pilot ever

to take off and land a jet aircraft on a sea carrier.

The West Sussex flyer died last year aged 97.

And now his logbooks and medals have been

saved for posterity - thanks, in part, to the efforts

He launched a letter writing campaign after striking up

I thought he would never write back, but luckily, he did, so I thought I

could exchange letters to him, I could write to him and he'd write

back and then I'd write to him and he would write back. What kind of

stuff was he saying in his letters? He said, I see you want to be a test

pilot. Now onto sport, and Tony Husband is

here, the battle on the water at the Von de globe is over, Alex Thompson

putting up such a fight. He did indeed. And the man who won

is giving a live conference. Armel Le Cleach delivering the victory, he

was the favourite, speaking to the media now, on dry land. But if we

look at the pictures is often finishing this afternoon, this

happened after he completed the voyage into western France. What

pictures there, approaching the finish line, this is 3.35 UK time.

And after 74 days, 35 minutes and 46 seconds at sea, he said he faced a

formidable rival in Alex Thompson. Very happy for him,

because he did a very good race. It was very, very

difficult with him. I'm very happy to win

and it's the best... Let's talk live to Natalie Pirks

who is in Les Sables now, Natalie a remarkable welcome

for the French winner? We've had fireworks, music, tears.

It is a very, very popular win here, because of course, he is a Frenchman

and the one other than our Frenchman has ever won this race in its 27

year history. 100,000 people, the organisers estimated, around here

waiting for him to come down the canal but people piled onto vessels

to see him cross the finish line. Very popular winner but didn't Alex

Thompson do well? He gave him a run for his money. And as for Alex, when

do we expect to see him finish? We're expecting him at around 6am UK

time. At times, that gap was a lot closer. At one point yesterday it

was just 34 nautical miles separating the two. Into context,

Alex is only the second British sailor to come second in this race

after Dame Ellen MacArthur of course in 2001. Two people have died trying

to do this race it is 27 years. It is both physically and mentally

draining. And his wife Kate told me earlier she's had to put that to the

back of her mind, really, to try to not think about how dangerous this

is in the three month she hasn't had them around, and he has missed his

son Oscar, his sixth birthday, missing Christmas as well, and she

is very, very looking forward to getting him back here on dry land,

giving him a hug, and he is looking forward to having a hamburger and

much deserved cold beer. I bet he is. Fantastic. Thank you for joining

us live from France. Natalie Perks on the spot but the big story. --

with the big story. Southampton are through to

the fourth round of the FA Cup after what many described as a dire

replay against Norwich last night. It sets up an attractive home tie

with Arsenal in what's become one of the busiest seasons

in the club's history. This wasn't an FA Cup tie

to capture the imagination, particularly with Southampton

so close to the EFL Cup Final. Less than 14,000 were inside

St Mary's as Saints boss, Claude Puel,

rotated his squad again. Southampton had six Academy

graduates in the starting line-up and they enjoyed the bulk

of progression, Championship opposition, Norwich,

whose season is sinking fast, failed to land a blow

on the Saints goal. They didn't manage a shot

on target all evening. On a freezing night,

no-one fancied extra time, but with another half hour looming,

Shane Long bundled home the winner. An ugly goal to settle an ugly game,

but something to celebrate on his 100th appearance

for the club. Just headed it down,

the keeper made a good save, and I think I was in a headlock

as I was trying to kick the ball in and squeeze inside the post,

but we're still in the three competitions, so, you know,

we're in with a shout. Saints face Leicester on Sunday,

then go to Liverpool It's a season which has been

fought on multiple fronts. And a player moving to West Ham, we

will have more on that tomorrow. Hampshire golfer, Scott Gregory,

remains on course for another major amateur victory in a year

which will see him take part in the US Masters and US Open

championships after winning He's progressed through the stroke

play section to reach the last 32 of the match play part

of the tournament. The 22-year-old will now play local

player William Heffernan overnight. Meanwhile, Jack Singh Brar

from Hampshire also It has all been about the end of the

Vendee Globe, and two morrow we hope to speak to Alex Thompson. Sally,

you know how to pick a winner. He is hugely popular in France. There are

more friends fellows in this race than any other nationality. They

love this race in France, it begins and ends in France, and he is hugely

popular. Record-breaker and first time when and keeping that French

domination of the race going. Indeed. And let's get on to the

weather. It is looking chilly. I like this,

bright those guys. And similar conditions tomorrow.

Jan Sutton took this picture of the sunrise in the New Forest.

Steve Regan photographed frosty teasels in Wimborne at sunrise.

And our reporter Edward Sault took this picture of

And blue skies for many places across the South.

A law of minus six Celsius. It could be even colder tonight. Through

tonight, we expect widespread hard frost, freezing fog patches during

BLE Alice, slightly more cloud further north but generally clear

skies for most. -- during BLE Iris. In towns and cities, though

temperatures of minus two. Widespread frost first thing

tomorrow, it will be cold, very like to date, temperatures in some places

struggling to rise to around five or six Celsius. With light wind, lots

of sunshine during the day, patchy cloud for some, Fairweather cloud

building during the afternoon. All in all, much better than thought

earlier this week. More sunshine on offer. Temperatures will drop in

towns and cities going to minus two Celsius, may be down to minus five

or six in the countryside. To start the weekend, each day will have

frost, with some freezing fog patches perhaps. More cloud for so

that western parts on Saturday, further east and north, more

sunshine. Cloud syncing south and East words across the region. Low

pressure starting to swing in from the Atlantic but it will stay

settled over the Atlantic, high pressure halts on through Saturday

and into Sunday. The delay cold start tomorrow, minus figures in

many locations, widespread sharp frost with freezing fog which could

linger throughout the morning until lunchtime. Saturday and Sunday, high

of three Celsius, bitterly cold as well, variable and light wind over

the weekend, more cloud around on Sunday but bright spells. We expect

freezing fog patches on Monday. Gosh, it is getting called! Thanks,

Alexis. We hope to hear from Alex Thompson tomorrow, he should finish

in the early hours. We hope to speak to him after he finishes. Thanks for

watching. Or buy. -- goodbye. When unlocking the secrets of

your past... ..you never know what

the future holds.