22/07/2011 Spotlight

A warning from the past. A man whose newphew drowned 20 years ago

speaks out over plans to close coastguard stations.

The closure of Hartland and now Swansea, and the subsequent loss of

local knowledge, I fear will lead to more deaths.

Good evening and welcome to Spotlight.

The loss of local knowledge has become a familiar argument but

officials say responses will be faster in the future. We'll assess

both sides of the argument. Also tonight. Having trouble

finding a dentist? Meet the class of 2011. A new training school set

up to drive more people into the local profession produces its first

graduates. Forget the mud and rock - this is a

festival of words and music in the grounds of a stately home. But do

you still need your wellies? A man whose nephew drowned

following the controversial closure of a coastguard station in North

Devon more than 20 years ago fears the latest planned cuts will lead

to more lives being lost. John Smith believes a lack of local

knowledge when the Hartland service closed contributed to the death of

Mark Woodward. The government is planning to close

Brixham, Portland and Swansea completely, while Falmouth will

still provide 24 hour cover. In 1989, North Devon fishermen were

voicing concerns about the closure of heart and coastguard station. --

Hartland. They have let us down. It is all down to saving money.

The concern at the time was that by moving operations to Swansea, lives

would be lost. Then, tragedy struck. 13-year-old Mark Woodward drowned.

Two decades on, his uncle, John Smith, says he is worried that the

current plans to close more stations will put lives on the line.

It was a day he finds impossible to forget.

The chap who ran the golf course There was a 20-minute delay before

they got there. Holidaymakers were scrambling down the cliff to try

and get to him. Sadly, the helicopter was too late.

At the time, the Coastguard Service accepted that mistakes were made in

how the emergency calls were handled. Only a few hundred metres

away, a lifeboat, which had not arrived in time to save Mark

Woodward. A verdict of accidental death by drowning was recorded at

the inquest which followed. The family still believe the loss of

local knowledge when the station closed was a significant factor in

what happened. 22 years on, John Smith says he is concerned that the

impact of the current changes on the coastguard services. These

closures and the subsequent loss of local knowledge, I fear will lead

to more deaths. Brixham and Swansea stations are

being closed as part of a modernisation programme, to improve

her the service works. We are talking about making sense

of the current coastguard layout we have. It needs desperately to be

modernised. We are not making the best of our technology or the

capability of our people. We are seeking to make the best of local

knowledge and networking technologies. Actually, our

responses will be more accurate and faster, in terms of rescue co-

ordination. There will be one main maritime

centre near Southampton, a back-up facility in Dover, and 824 hour

subs centres. Eight centres which will be over -- Open 24 hours.

I am confident that what we have put in place will be better. We

will not gamble with safety. These changes should make our

coastline the safer. Two men have appeared in court charged with

murder after the discovery of two bodies on a remote farm in

Cornwall.Thomas Haigh and Ross Stone appeared before Truro Crown

Court today. Mr Haigh appeared via a live video link from police

custody. Both men made no plea. Detectives investigating the

disappearance of David Griffiths and Brett Flournoy, a former boxer,

have found the remains of two bodies on a farm near St Austell.

Using excavating equipment, they also found a burnt out car. The

families of the missing men were at Truro Crown Court for today's

hearing and left the building visibly upset.

The man who is hoping to buy Plymouth Argyle appeared in court

today to face a fraud charge. Peter Ridsdale is also accused of

breaching consumer protection regulations in 2009. The charges

result from the sale of Cardiff City season tickets. Mr Ridsdale

has promised to fight them. The case was adjourned until September.

The search for a missing diver in Weymouth Bay has been called off.

The man was reported missing after a dive boat earlier today.

Householders are being offered money to reduce their carbon

emissions. It is thought the amount of renewable energy produced here

in the south-west could rise sevenfold over the next decade. At

the moment, there are 4,000 renewable installations, but that

could beat a hundred and 40,000 by Twenty20. -- 2020.

At this farm, the very latest in wood chipping technology makes

short work of some long trees. This chipper costs about �60,000. There

are five in Devon at the moment. To meet our targets for, we will need

about 50. All of this woodchip has been

sourced within 20 miles. This contains enough to power the court

down the road for a whole week. Visitors here may not realise it,

but much of the heating comes from wood chips. The only tell-tale sign

is the sweet smelling aroma of burning wood from a new boiler near

by. All kinds of crops can be burnt to produce heat. Not surprisingly,

the Forestry Commission favours trees.

There are various types in the region we can use. We need to look

at the best way to use them all. Certainly, there are opportunities

to use Grace's as well as wood. That will become used increasingly

in future. -- grass. Trees and grass will soon power

whole communities. We are excited about these developments providing

over 7,000 homes with heating. In Sweden, there is an equivalent city

with 65,000 homes he did this way. Wood and other forms of biomass

have been an under-used resource in the south-west. That is all about

to change. The first group of students trained

at the Peninsula Dental School in the region graduated today. More

than half have chosen to stay in the south-west.

Caroline musket with her family in 2007. Already a trained nurse, she

was one of the first to enrol at peninsula Dental School. Four years

on, after passing the course, she is looking forward to working in

the community. I am delighted. I am going to be

spending a year at the local hospital, and then I have one year

in an NHS family practice. I could not be happier.

Her family are also happy at having a dentist in the family, though

there are drawbacks. It is cool but we are not allowed fizzy drinks or

sweets! The students have access to state-

of-the-art facilities at the University of Plymouth. Dental

School clinics also enable trainees to practise in communities around

the region. This may be why so many have chosen to stay.

We make a lot of effort to help them understand the local community,

we believe it makes them better clinicians. They have liked the

people they have worked with. They want to stay and help them improve

their health. I used to come down here a lot,

before the School was here, because there was difficulty in accessing

NHS dentistry. That is greatly improved.

For Caroline, the hard work has paid off. It makes you reflect on

the whole four years. It is a time of the motion. Ceremony over and

careers ahead of them. But how much we pay for their services in the

future? That depends on whether they choose to work as NHS dentists.

An extra 120 jobs are being created in Exeter with the opening of a

bigger-than-planned John Lewis department store. The company is

taking over the former Debenhams site in Sidwell Street and will

create a total of 300 jobs. The firm originally planned to limit

the new store to electricals and home furnishings. But now it Is

going for a full-scale department store. We have a variety of

positions from management to the selling floor. We will be looking

for local employment, working with the council and local bodies,

dementia we are pushing John Lewis jobs for the community.

New research has found that school leavers in the Camborne and Redruth

area are three times more likely than others in Cornwall to have no

educational qualifications. A study shows that one in five aged

between 18 and 64 in this area has no qualifications. By comparison,

that figure is only one in 17 in St Ives. Bus companies in Cornwall say

routes will be axed if the council does not find a way of funding the

shortfall for concessionary bus fares. The authority says it has

had to make cuts because government grants have been reduced. The bus

operators have been told the cuts will be backdated to April.

All the sport still ahead in the programme. Top class - the Cornish

fencing club that is one of the best in Britain.

Join me at Port Eliot festival where literature and music blend

effortlessly. North Devon is being promised a

major economic boost over the next week. Some of the best kyakers,

surfers and rowers from across Europe are taking part in the

Atlantic Watersports Games. Organisers, who have faced a race

against time to get the games on, say it will be worth millions to

the area. They are still working to get ready

for Sunday's opening ceremony, but North Devon is delivering. Five

months ago, these games would have been held in Wales, but Wales ran

out of money. It have been done in five rather

than 18 months. I cannot emphasise enough how much work has been done,

and how the whole community has come together. I am really looking

forward to delivering a top event. These are some of the souvenirs

that competitors from five countries will receive as memories

of North Devon. A local holiday camp and outdoors centre will

become the holiday -- athlete's village. An estimated �40 million

will come into the local economy. We are anticipating between 40 and

60,000 visitors. That will include athletes, their entourage and

family, and also day visitors from the UK.

Sports include kite surfing, rowing, surfing and the games have been

going for 17 years. This is the first time they have come to Devon

the accommodations, entertainments, ceremonies...

It is perfect. We are really impressed.

A special day is being held on Sunday to mark the start of the

games. The highlight will be at 5:00pm, when the competitors will

march to the town centre. The sport starts then, on Monday.

Dave is here with the rest of the sport.

Truro is said to be well represented at the 2012 Olympic

Games in London. The city has what is regarded as the best fencing

club in Great Britain, boasting some of the top fencers in the

country. I have been to see what makes the club so special. Truro

fencing Club uphold its tradition of producing the best. Katherine

Kemp and Sophy Williams are two Great Britain fencers who are I

think next year's London Olympics. -- eyeing.

My former club-mate will not thank me for saying this but I love the

set-up and the coaches down here. There are more girls draining down

here so it allows you to train with more variety than they would be, if

you are just fencing one or two girls.

All of the athletes are mentored by a fastidious head coach, who has

helped the club grow into the best in the land.

Sometimes, the membership dropped its to a very low level. In recent

years, since the compete nationally, team spirit has helped us survive

and grow. -- we compete nationally. We are now a powerhouse of British

fencing and people in Cornwall are aware of our success.

As you can see, Katharine Kent and Sophy Williams from the Truro

fencing Club, behind me. They are just part of an eight strong

women's fencing team. The men's number one is also from this club.

That is why they are regarded as the best in the country.

They are becoming the envy of all other clubs.

On to cricket and Somerset posted a good first innings total of 480 on

the second day of their County Championship match against leaders

Durham at Taunton. Alfonso Thomas and Murali Kartik put on 83 for the

8th wicket, to help the Somerset tail wag. In reply, Durham around

135 per to. -- for 2. Helen Glover, currently the top

role in the South West, is preparing for the next stage of the

World Championships in Slovenia. Having won gold last week in

Switzerland, she is looking for a repeat at Lake Bled next month.

Helen only started rowing three years ago after replying to an

advert in a newspaper. Now representing Great Britain, the 25

year old from Penzance believes her success is down to dedication.

It sounds easy but it is a lot of hard work. I had to decide, this is

what I am going to do. I had to sacrifice a lot to train as much as

I can. I was working part-time as AP teacher. You have to get the

best that it yourself every day. -- a PE teacher.

The new football season starts in two weeks. Tomorrow's friendlies

see Torquay United try to maintain their unbeaten pre-season against

Championship team Burnley at Plainmoor. There should be a decent

crowd at Huish Park as Yeovil Town welcome Bristol City and Neil

Warnock's Queens Park Rangers visit Conference South club Truro City.

Finally in speedway, Plymouth Devils aim to exact revenge tonight

at the St Boniface Arena against Redcar Bears, who trounced them 62-

30 in Cleveland last night. Go The RNLI on the Lizard is saying

goodbye to its old lifeboat tomorrow. After 22 years of service

and countless rescues, she is being replaced. A brand new modern

lifeboat named Rose has taken over the service and as Johnny

Rutherford reports, the station itself is undergoing massive

changes. This is the new Lizard lifeboat

station, under construction, it will be completed by October. It is

being built to house the new lifeboat which came into service

this week. She is called Rose, and is now the

20th of her type built in Plymouth for the RNLI. She has been visiting

the Isles of Scilly on the final day of tests. And this is what she

is replacing, it really is the beginnings of a new era for the

station. Amazing. We have been waiting for

this for years, longer than I can remember. Our current boat, moored

over there, is 22 years old. The new will be the biggest, fastest,

and safest we have ever had. She is powered by twin engines

giving a top speed of 25 knots. is a very different boat. It is

like going from a Maurice Minor to a Rolls-Royce. The old boat was a

faithful servant and a lovely sea boat but this has modern technology.

We have gained 10 knots of speed. It will be a few months until it

can be housed and ready to launch out of the new station.

It seems this weekend sees the start of a summer of festivals and

fairs across the South West. There's Chagstock at Chagford in

Devon. And across the Tamar in Cornwall is the Port Elliot

festival. It is held at a beautiful stately home in St Germans and has

built up quite a following. It all looks very civilised?

Good evening. What a glorious evening! Earlier, a woman passed me

with a huge jug of sangria. This is billed as one of the UK's most

original and inspirational, downright decadent garden parties.

It has everything from poetry to rock-and-roll. There is wild

swimming, boutique camping, and I have had a thorough look around. It

is really an eclectic mix. As with any festival, there has to

be live music. Here is Port Eliot's answer to Mumford and Sons.

recommend it very much. Temptation all around! But this is

not a frenetic Festival, you can relax with a book, or knitter scarf,

or go shopping. Mind you, it could be worse.

Also getting a few laughs was a I thought this was supposed to be a

calming Festival! We have been swimming in the river,

painting, dancing, drinking... It has everything. Every part of life

you could want. I have eaten. What I could do with

is a poem. Hello! I am looking for a poem? Not about love or loss,

what about one about being better a festival? I think we can do that

for you. Great! I will pick it up later.

I cannot wait for my order to arrive.

More of that in a minute. First, I am joined by Matthew, the organiser.

This attracts so many people at that it has been a good year for us.

More people than ever before. We have a wide and varied programme.

We have a new outdoor cinema which Martin Scorsese has programmed.

Some well-known faces. Certainly. We pride ourselves on being

eclectic, it is the only festival in the country where you would find

Christopher Biggins anded British C Pallor on the same bill. -- British

Sea Power. We are creating an ongoing exhibition. Every day, we

put up new pictures. It revolves every day. You are not short of

people to film? Know. People are always interesting and quirky. I go

everywhere from the shower due to the disco at the end of the night.

I have a delivery! Thank you. This is the poem I organised earlier.

The sun is out, it never rains. The food is cheaper, the food is

nice. The camping ground is soft and flat.

The couple with the baby have a decent pretence.

The toilets are like an aromatherapy zone.

There is a poet on the lawn, lowering the tone.

I'll tell you what, I have not had a drink! They might be in a few

It all looks very upmarket and civilised, and the weather looks

gorgeous. You said it would clear I did and it has. A fine evening

for a barbecue. This weekend looks promising, too. A slight chance of

showers tomorrow in the east. For the rest of us, mainly dry with

sunny spells and it will feel warmer also. There is a lot of

cloud at the moment being held at bay by a thin area of high pressure

stretching from the Faeroe Islands down Britain. That will keep us dry

right through Saturday and Sunday. This is Saturday lunchtime, these

weather fronts are closer but they make little progress. In two Sunday,

they are a little closer but do not produce much in terms of rain. The

weekend is dry, this evening there are sharp showers left behind. This

was earlier today, we had plenty of sunshine. When the weather is like

this, do hour ports and harbours not look absolutely spectacular?

Hardly a breath of wind on the South coast -- coast and that

weather will be back tomorrow. Through the day tomorrow, we will

have similar scenes, just a little more in the way of cloud. That will

happen overnight tonight. Many areas will be clear for the first

half of the night, perhaps just a finger of cloud over Cornwall and

Devon. Other than that, it is dry and fine. It is also unusually

chilly with loans of six or seven degrees. -- Los. Tim borrow --

tomorrow will start nicely with the risk of light showers in the

afternoon. Sunshine and patchy cloud is the order of the day,

temperatures possibly reaching 20 degrees but more usually around 18.

For the Isles of Scilly, a little more in the way of cloud. Times of

high water, South coast at Plymouth, on the screen now. The waves are

not big but there will be usable serve, a little on the chubby side.

-- surf. The winds for the weekend will be north-westerly and

occasionally reaching forced three. Into next week, Sunday will feature

more cloud after Ray bright start. Monday, that cloud will produce a