01/03/2017 South Today

tonight. Their arch -- there are plans for children as young as four

to be taught about healthy We are going to have to come

together and work something out. Stealing from the

vulnerable: The care worker caught taking money

from an elderly man in his own home. It was a complete betrayal of trust

everyone involved. What method you go to for someone you love. -- what

lengths would you go to? And off to the operating

theatre in style...The made to measure Roller

delighting young patients. For almost two decades arguments

have raged about whether a bypass for Chichester should pass

to the north or south of the city. The one thing most people did agree

on was that improvements Today came the shock announcement

the scheme has been scrapped. The first big viability study

was carried out in 2000. Four years later the scheme

was included in the government's A consultation was

carried out last year. Five schemes - all developing

the existing road to the south - Then as the consultation came

to an end in September, West Sussex councillors said

they wanted a northern Tonight it looks as though it

won't happen at all. Let's join Steve Humphrey who's

by the A27 in Chichester tonight. There's no underestimating

the importance of the A27 - Lots of ideas have been put forward

to improve the road. Today the Department for Transport

said it is scrapping an improvement scheme because there was no clear

agreement about the straight way forward.

The battle to get agreement on how the A27 should be improved has

proved as frustrating as driving along the road in the rush-hour.

With no local consensus on the best option -

the Transport Secretary delivered today's bombshell news.

I am absolutely dismayed by the news that the Chichester improvement has

This is a consequence of political manoeuvring which saw a

campaign for an unfeasible northern route that was never intended and

Highways England had been consulting on five

different schemes - to improve the A27

But proposals for two possible - more expensive - routes to the north

around Goodwood were not included - generating protests -

and creating the North south divide in opinions.

It is very difficult and it is divided Chichester North and south.

Some campaigners believe a local forum should be set up

Some of the interested parties today could be brought together and work

together to create something that could be booted to the local

community. -- put to the community. The County Council leader

said she was shocked by today's announcement -

but believes there is a way forward. I'm quite hopeful that if we could

all pull together we could find the right solution for Chichester and

then present the Government. We do need to find a solution with

limitations set by the Secretary of State and given the fact he is not

going to consider a northern route. So it's back to the drawing board -

and the hope that the Transport Secretary might be persuaded to come

up with the cash for improvements on the A27

IF consensus can be reached. No quick end in sight for drivers

faced to use this route and Jessica. But what is going to go ahead on the

A27 R and all bypass as planned. -- Arundel.

Well let's get more on this now - our Political Editor, Peter Henley

Peter, what political forces are behind this?

After the Southern Rail strike the people of Sussex might be

forgiven for thinking the Transport Secretary Chris

Grayling has it in for them, He was put in a very difficult

position when councils and 5000 responses to

But there is also a sense here that they've had enough of conservative

councillors complaining about their own government -

over schools funding, over social care -

Some of them have elections this year and that is understood but

with Brexit Theresa May knows her government has

a rough ride ahead - and the Transport Secretary has made

If someone can knock heads together, and say this is the clear road ahead

but it does look like that is going to happen. -- does not look like.

A care worker from West Sussex has been found guilty of stealing

from the vulnerable pensioner she was looking after.

Theresa Stratton who's 39 and from Littlehampton -

took money from the wallet of David Skerritt.

The theft was captured on a CCTV camera which had been installed

Briony Leyland reports from Chichester Crown Court.

Are a trusted carer in what the jury heard was an act of betrayal.

This footage shows Theresa Stratton taking

money from the wallet of 74-year-old David Skerritt.

The footage given to the BBC by his family

comes from a CCTV camera they

set up in his living room to monitor any falls.

They checked after he said his wallet was empty.

When we went down there where to look through the

CCTV and that is what we find which was we couldn't believe it.

It was almost too shocking to me she was

the court heard Theresa Stratton still ?130 on our second

visit to David Skerritt 's home in Littlehampton.

She said she'd taken ?10 of the clans permission

In sentencing for reports, the judge warned Theresa

Stratton that she would almost certainly face a prison sentence.

He said there had been a high degree of

And justice for anybody who works with honourable people of whatever

David Skerritt died in September of last year.

Stratton has been dismissed and will provided the company

Stratton has been dismissed and will be sentenced in March. I assume.

The case raises questions about how assume.

to make sure vulnerable people aren't taken advantage of.

Earlier I spoke to Stephen McCarthy from the charity Action

on Elder Abuse and asked how common cases like this are.

A tiny amount of make-up to court. It is partly to do at the society

not taking these situations as seriously as they might. Through the

criminal justice system there are various barriers there. Firstly the

police sometimes might want to take a case for what but they might be

concerned about the welfare of the older person. The Crown Prosecution

Service and the other side will take a view on whether it is considered

to be in the public interest to proceed with the case. Often they do

not. Often these cases just go completely unreported so they don't

get to the police anyway. What was Chris crucial in the successful

conviction was CCTV. Do you think we should see more of that in people's

homes and care homes? It is a judgment call I thank for whoever

will be protected. By those cameras. It is sadly becoming more common and

more unaffordable to install CCTV. I think in someone's home the seminar

went for it if they think will keep them safe. I would also make sure

that the other person's view was taken into consideration. Care homes

is a bit trickier because they generally have a lot of public

spaces and you have too mindful of violating other residence rights.

But we still think there is a place for cameras in care homes as well.

We often hear about cuts to frontline policing.

But two of our forces are actively trying new initiatives to attract

The Thames Valley force has lowered the academic standards required

to join as a police officer - while Hampshire police

is offering a bonus to those who want to become detectives.

Ben Moore has been looking into it and asking why it's needed.

Thames Valley Police is the largest force outside of a big city.

And it's looking to recruit 200 new officers.

Before you needed two A levels at grade A-C along

with a certificate called Knowledge of Policing.

Now, that's been lowered to just

a pass for A Levels - anything above an E grade.

Those who represent officers say it's

welcome as it will mean will be able to relate better to

It enables us to recruit people who have not had agreed a education but

still are intelligent and able to do policing. Policing is more about

doing the right thing at the right time for the right reason. And it is

important the police officers have the right characteristics like the

ability to get the job done. I've been on patrol with Sergeant

Gassan Shaladan from Reading. He used to be a quantity

surveyor...but now he's more All too often I think about the days

when I was my freelance career. I was bounced my desk and it was

uneventful compared to what we will do today. -- boned.

-- Bound. It is great to get new people into the job and get new

ideas and perspectives. And see people who want to join.

In Hampshire, they need to recruit more detectives.

To do that, they're proposing to offer a bonus of ?2000 to those

Overall it's going to cost the force ?660,000.

It's about maintaining current levels of the thin blue line.

The principal of a troubled Dorset academy has resigned

The Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy was put

into special measures in January after the school inspectors

No reason for the resignation has been given.

Dorset County Council, which co-sponsors the school,

says it's committed to supporting the academy

Later, concern for a charity helping amputees -

and why useful equipment may have to be dumped.

The train drivers' union ASLEF has resumed talks

They're discussing the ongoing dispute over

A previous deal between union bosses and the rail company was rejected

Yesterday, the conductors union - the RMT - announced it

will stage another 24-hour walkout next month.

Now for some good news about a story we've been following.

When May Brown from Weymouth was diagnosed with Leukaemia

she explored all avenues to find a stem cell donor who

It seemed hopeless, until she found out her sister was a match.

But then her sister - Martha - was refused permission to travel

A petition signed by 60,000 people helped to get the decision

reversed and tonight we can tell you that the procedure has taken

Our reporter James Ingham is with the sisters in Weymouth.

The stem cell transplant has taken place and a couple weeks later it

seems to be a success. May, how you feeling? I'm feeling great. I feel

really fine from the last time I was very ill. How do you feel about

which assisted that view? -- about what your sister did for you? What

can you say to somebody who saved your life? I'm feeling very happy I

was able to help save my sister 's life and that it is accomplished.

This nearly didn't happen when the Home Office said your sister

couldn't travel to the UK. Had did that make you feel at the time? I

felt very upset that they couldn't better in the UK. This is somebody

who could help save my life. This was your only chance really. Yes,

the doctor said if I did not have that stem cell I would not see

Christmas, I would die. So I felt really upset and scared at the same

time. Then there was a campaign to try to get the decision reversed.

60,000 people signed it. I felt overwhelmed and grateful that people

could actually come out, members of the public, and show so much love to

somebody had not met and signed a position to help save my life. We

wish you well for your continued company and master after you return

home to Nigeria. -- Martha, for your return home to Nigeria.

A charity which supports amputees by recycling walking aids

and prosthetic limbs is facing closure - after losing

Limbcare, which is based in Camberley - sends

the old items around the world, helping those in need

But it fears if it doesn't find somewhere else to keep the items -

I became a quad amputee in 1987 at the age of 32.

I thought there's no charity that really does what I need

to do to get help and support for myself and the family.

Ray Edwards is the UK's longest surviving quadruple amputee.

He has met the Queen, Princess Anne and endured

the struggle of learning to walk again, but now Ray has

These were in our old storage which we had to get out of.

If we didn't have this space, this type of item or all these items

Limbcare gets calls every week from right around the country

offering mobility aids and even whilst we were filming,

volunteer Tony arrived with more wheelchairs.

But storage is not the only problem facing the chairty,

Not only have they been told they have to give up their storage

facility they've been told they have to move from their Head office too.

Unfortunately the landlord has decided to sell the property

which of course was lovely free of charge offices.

Not only do we need storage for storing the stuff,

Many of the wheelchairs and mobility scooters

are repaired and re distributed through the charitys

Down the road in Farnborugh we meet Kenneth.

His mobility scooter was saved from being dumped,

I love going out in the sun to Aldershot and back again.

As the donations keep on coming its getting

It's hoped more storage and a new home for limbacre will be

found soon so the charity can keep on moving.

And now the sport with Lewis Coombes.

It was a night of what could have been for Brighton. Newcastle and

Brighton head-to-head in the chance for Brighton to lay a marker down

and try to win the title and get promotion.

For the winners, it was billed as 'a huge step towards promotion' -

for the losers a case of opportunity missed.

Brighton went in to their top-of-the table clash with Newcastle knowing

victory would take them nine points clear of third in the race

They ended the night looking over their shoulder.

The Championship's best home record against its best away performer.

Two titans of this year's title race both aiming for top spot.

Ciarran Clark judged to have hauled Glenn Murray to the floor early on.

Murray himself tuned in - to make the Toon pay.

The most critical penalty of the season so far. The keeper could do

little about a freaky equaliser with nine minutes to go.

Mo Diame's heel...knew little about its decisive touch.

As comical, as it was pivitol....You'd laugh if the goal

Now fuelled by momentum...Subsitute Perez punished Albion further

...Leaving the Geordies to laud it at the top of the Championship.

Brighton now have the Terriers of Huddersfield biting at their heels.

Only six points behind with a game in hand.

It was good in the first half but then Newcastle really came back in

the second half. Disappointed. Can you say? Where do they go from here?

They keep their confidence and keep on and go for it and they can do

foot. -- they can do it. Elsewhere in the Football League,

Swindon's second win on the bounce helped

their fight against relegation. After falling behind,

three second-half goals, including this from Jon Obika -

moved the Robins to MK Dons twice let the lead

slip away at Bradford. Goals from Stuart O'Keefe

and George William's miss-hit cross While in League Two,

Portsmouth's promotion charge Kal Naismith's 6th of the season

deservedly put Pompey in front, only for former Southampton defender

Lee Molyneux to level Good luck tonight to Oxford

who play at Luton in the Chekatrade Trophy Semi Final -

the U's one win away from Wembley. Kick off at 1945, commenatry

on BBC Radio Oxford. Bournemouth's Polish

goalkeeper Artur Boruc has announced his retirement

from international football. The 37-year-old said in a statement

the time is right to concentrate Sussex cricketers Tymal Mills

and Luke Wright have pulled out of the Pakistan Super League final

in Lahore, citing safety fears. The pair had helped

'Quetta Gladiators' reach the final with all previous rounds held

in the United Arab Emirates. But with the final itself

being held in Pakistan, both announced on social media

they felt with a high threat of terrorism it

"was not worth the risk". A difficult decision on that one.

Newcastle play Huddersfield max. They are inferred soulfully another

chance to get the top that league. -- they are stirred so hopefully

another chance to get to the top of that league. -- third.

Young patients at St Richard's hospital in West Sussex have been

The team at Rolls-Royce have built an electric car for children

to drive between the ward and the operating theatre.

Nurses and parents say it'll help make hospital

Eight-year-old Molly was a way around the theatre. Now she will

travel to the theatre and stealth. I feel rich when I drive it and I feel

really good. This car will give children a lot

more than what they come here. This car at five and a half foot long is

the smallest Rolls-Royce in the world and the detail that has gone

into the design means it is far from being a toy. The laser cut and

engraved in-house badge is on the front and a miniature Rolls-Royce

numberplate on the fact. The car was custom-built to give children the

paediatric wards are left. For this seminal boy it does more. How do you

feel when you drive this car? Happy. -- seven-year-old boy. The nurses

are pleased it does not have horn but are pleased it is a distraction.

The excitement when they come can override their fear of coming into

hospital. The car is already making hospital visits into memories. Who

else keeps a roller for a runaround? Dear Rolls-Royce. My journey home

would be much less daunting if I had a nice electric Rolls-Royce. Do you

think I'll get it? Onto the weather. Alexis, I don't like it. We have a

good day in store for you tomorrow. This the first day of meteorological

spring but in the astronomical characters calendar it falls on the

20th of March. -- calendar. Also a very sunny picture in Lymington in

Hampshire. But a good deal of cloud across much of the region and this

was the scene in Berkshire. Through the course of the night we are

expecting a few clear spells in one of two showers. The main feature

tonight is the winds. All the higher ground and the coastal could have

some deals. Gusts of 40 mph and across the south coast of the Isle

of Wight of 50 mph. A chance of a few showers and temperatures tonight

will fall waited three Celsius to five Celsius. -- will fall away.

Through the course of the morning we will see some lovely sunny

conditions. Slightly more cloud the further north you are here. We may

have the odd shower. Showers are likely almost anywhere tomorrow. The

winds will ease throughout the afternoon. A high tomorrow of 9

degrees to 11 degrees tomorrow. It will be very springlike conditions

tomorrow afternoon. Tomorrow night we will have increasing cloud ahead

of the arrival of a band of rain moving up the south. This will

become quite torrential during the early hours of Friday morning.

Temperatures falling awake to around 4 degrees to seven Celsius. The

winds will be fairly light saw this band of rain will be slow to clear

northwards through Friday morning. We hope it will clear mid to late

morning in most places but falling it will be a few showers. They will

be fairly scattered. Outbreaks of light and patchy rain in the early

afternoon. Low pressure is not far away. That weather will clear during

Friday into the evening. The weekend looks fairly dry during Saturday but

chance of rain showers on Sunday. Tomorrow is a lovely sunny day.

Enjoy the sunshine because through Friday global of rain in the

morning. The breeze coming in from the south. A breezy day on Saturday

that should be mainly dry during daylight hours. The chance of the

odd shower here and there. On Sunday we are looking at a mixture of sunny

spells and scattered showers. We all have the car. -- coughed.

Jane Austen: this year marks 200 years since the author's death

and tomorrow we will be live at the Jane Austen House