31/08/2011 Spotlight

A place to show grief - a place to remember. A salute to the town that

welcomed home so many fallen heroes. Good evening. More than 300 service

personnel have been repatriated to Wootton Bassett. Tonight its role

comes to an end. Good evening, also tonight: back in her arms after 70

years. The boy fostered out to Australia who's found his mother

again. Balsam is your word. You us, it was

just unbelievable. And discovered in Cornwall, some of the rarest

trees in Britain. A sunset service will tonight mark

the end of a town's role in honouring servicemen and women,

many from the South West, who have died in conflict. The people of

Wootton Bassett have stood silent 167 times, during four years of

military repatriations. This evening, just before eight, the

union flag will be lowered for the final time before repatriations are

moved to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The first to take

place there is likely to be a South West Royal Marine, from Plymouth's

42 Commando killed yesterday in Afghanistan. Scott Ellis reports on

how Wotton Bassett influenced the way the country remembers those

killed in action. Images that have been seen the

world over, insure in the name Wootton Bassett will resound

through military history. The ceremonies grew from humble

beginnings. Spontaneity was the key. The two world wars and most of the

conflicts we have been involved in were all about the way the

government dictated the way they're dead were commemorated and buried.

Wootton Bassett is a public ownership of grief taking it out of

government hands. Wootton Bassett became a mass movement, neither

political nor a statement one war, but individualise sink each

soldier's death has certainly by those in Whitehall. The sense is

that when there is a ceremony for every single person it looks as if

there is another person dead in the service of the government. It can

have a downside in terms of the public view of the whole operation.

General Sir Mike Jackson has recently retired to Wiltshire and

he says Wootton Bassett has drawn a nation closer to its soldiers.

Wootton Bassett did was to focus, I think, rather more sharply, on what

the armed forces would demean and the risks they were taking. Through

it all, would then Bassett has been about the fallen and their families.

It is a very public place to mourn, but that helps. These are the

parents of Major James Bowman, killed last year. To go through

Wootton Bassett was an amazing experience, and have all those

people who were there to pay their own respects, to people they did

not know, to families, it was without doubt a comfort to us.

think it is could be very difficult to achieve the same sort of thing

elsewhere. We all know that it is moving to Brize Norton. I think

that Wootton Bassett is unique there will be more grief to come,

more fallen to one or, as we ponder the future of repatriations after

Wootton Bassett. To not forget those whose job it is to soldier on.

The Royal British Legion has provided support to the families of

those who have died. Our reporter John Henderson is at the Legion's

Devon offices for us tonight. John. The pull-out here is pawing at half

mast in memory of Sergeant Barry Weston, who was killed by and IED

on Thursday. He was married with two children. -- three children.

His family said they were devastated. Next week it is likely

that he will be the first to come through Brize Norton, not RAF

Lyneham and therefore not Wootton Bassett. Someone who knows all but

Wootton Bassett is Kirianne Curley, whose father was repatriated

through the town last year. What did that mean to you? It was

fantastic to see these huge turnout, shop shut, pubs with their doors

open, and a great representation from the world British Legion, the

world Marines Association, in honour of Stephen and supply the

other two that he came home with him. It was incredible to see that

public support. Heggie you feel about the fact repatriations will

not be come through Wootton Bassett any more? -- Heggie you feel?

me, I would debts the lean towards a more private affair. I was there

to receive my husband's body home alongside his family and by family.

To hear it will be less of a public affair, for me, is a good thing.

But I have had my day, it is about the future families. John Pentreath,

from the Royal British Legion, it reminds us of the sacrifice been

made, didn't it? It did. It became the public focal point of homage to

what is now sadly the 380 service personnel who have died, given

their lives in Afghanistan, and before that there are hundreds of

D9 to give their lives in Iraq. Yes, Wootton Bassett has done us proud.

But it is the application, it is the people, it is the next of kin,

it is the people like Kirianne Curley who matter. Much the we have

written -- are grateful to Wootton Bassett, we move on. We moved to

Brize Norton, that way due consideration has been given to

planning for this sad inevitability of more repatriations. I'm certain

that Brize Norton and the village where a memorial garden has been

constructed on the cortege route, I am quite certain that the

spontaneous display of public emotion and the emotion of families

will be conducted along the route, in the same sort of way, but not

quite so publicly. So, it will go on, very sadly, because the need,

I'm afraid, is going to be there. It is really a very poignant day

for Wootton Bassett, but also, really, one of devastation for the

family of a Royal Marine. The police are calling on bikers

and motorists to take extra care following a string of incidents in

the region where motorcyclists have been killed. Almost a third of

fatalities on the roads in the South West involve bikers, even

though they make up only a tiny proportion a road users.

Spotlight's John Ayres has more. The most recent fatal incident was

last bulletin Plymouth. There have been a handful of collisions in the

region this summer. All these incidents are being investigated

they did not yet know why there has been a sudden rise in fatalities.

Jill Payne from Brixham has been a biker all her adult life. She is

well aware of how vulnerable she is while writing. Every time she his

of the new incident it makes them more fearful. It frightens me and I

don't really know where we're going with it. It has got to stop. I

think people ought to be more careful, not only the riders

themselves, but car drivers and other road users, because the

standard of driving, I think, is going down. All the last few years,

the overall number of motorcycle fatalities in the region have been

made about the same, but considering that bikers make up

less than 2% of road users, the proportion of debt is high. With

motorcyclists being perhaps the more honourable and and and we need

to focus our retentions in that domain to make sure we are pushing

the right messages and the motorcyclists are understanding

what will cause a problem. police believe education and

enforcement is the way to try to reduce the number of fatalities.

A �100 million addition to the Dorset high street is beginning to

take shape. The company behind the complex of shops and homes in

Dorchester says it's the biggest new development of its kind in the

South West. The local council believes Brewery Square will help

boost the local economy in a difficult climate. Simon Clemison

has been assessing its impact. It is something of an urban skyline

for rural - cranes don't usually tower above trees here. But after a

short setback, as contractors suffered in the downturn, the next

phase of Brewery Square is beginning to emerge from the ground.

Once fully complete, there will be shops, homes, restaurants, hotels,

a cinema and an arts centre where once they brewed beer - it is a

huge redevelopment for Dorchester. It comprises 30 buildings over 11.5

acres. It is quite unusual to find a county town which does not

locking readings there we are putting in in this project. It will

up the town's main square, for example. I think it is very good

for Dorchester, I hope they get on with it. The in be quite nice if we

get things like the New Art Centre as well as the shops. It sink be on

the move and I think it is a positive move for the town. There

had been a brewery on this site since 1880 - Eldrige Pope finally

selling up about 10 years ago - although some of the old buildings

will form part of the new complex. It's already bringing in buyers and

businesses, not only from the local area, but around the globe. But

about the wider economic impact? First, the main high street.

think there is always could be a little bit of concern but compared

to the out of town shopping centre, something which is really part of

Dorchester has to be a good thing. It will bring a lot more large

retail names to talk to staff. Dorset has seen a marked increase

in population in the last 20 years. New people need new places to live,

shop and relax and this development meets those needs. And in one sense

it also fits in with the government's desire to rebalance

the economy. This area has the highest proportion of public sector

workers anywhere in our part of the world. This development will create

675 new jobs. Jobs in big name brands in the private sector,

possibly making up for large scale cuts in the public sector. But what

about the move towards not buying things but making things? In short,

should they be putting up a new factory instead? Business leaders

say while Dorset would have benefited from one of the

Government's new enterprise zones actually the retail sector is what

is needed here. It is hugely important for Dorset. Not only is

it large in terms of the surfaced area in bold, it creates jobs and

housing and brings new shoppers into the area and the economy is

heavily dependent on the hospital tea, legit and tourism sectors.

Retail is an important adjunct to that. The local economy can

sometimes look out on a very different horizon.

Coming up next - the mother and son reunited after more than 70 years.

Plus, The dramatic finale to last night's local derby between Exeter

City and Plymouth Argyle. And the kayaker from Cornwall who is still

aiming for the Olympics despite A woman from Somerset has been re-

united with her son after more than 70 years apart. Madge Covey was a

single mum when she had to give her baby up. Then, when he was ten, she

agreed to him being sent to Australia, where she thought he

would enjoy a better life. Mrs Covey, who's now 88 years old and

living in Wellington, thought she'd never see him again - then this

week she had the shock of her life. Clinton Rogers has been to meet her.

Right now this is a family with every reason to celebrate. We union

that has been more than seven decades in the making. As a 17th

single mom in the Forties, Madge Covey had little toys but to put

her baby into care. Now aged 88, she has come face-to-face with the

son she thought she would never see again. Just overwhelming. Awesome

is your work. Yes, it was just unbelievable! What on earth was

going through your mind? I do not know. Tears came, I cried, I cried.

After 10 years in a care home, tenure was one of many children in

the 1950s to be shipped to Australia -- Tony. Promised a

better life, in reality many were abused or neglected. It was a

scandal which was eventually to bring a national apology from Prime

Minister Gordon Brown. To each and every one I say today, we are truly

sorry. They were let down. Ran away from home, hid under houses. Tony's

life in Australia were so bad that he eventually fled to New Zealand

where he became a successful businessman, but he was desperate

to find his real mum. Is there a sense that you have had to forgive

your own mum? No, she asked for forgiveness. I said, Look, you have

given me a life. I have found due under want to spend a bit of time

with you. How do you feel now about that? I know now that I'm not going

to regret not knowing, here he is! So now Madge Covey has a little bit

of catching up to do with a long- lost son and grandson she never

knew that she at. -- had.

A cafe run by the charity Sense in Exeter is extending its opening

hours to allow more deafblind people to learn to cook in its

kitchen. The majority of the volunteers who work in Cafe 55 have

a combination of both sight and hearing difficulties. Emma Ruminski

reports. Claudine Alderman is preparing to

become a volunteer at Cafe 55. She's deaf and has impaired vision

but can communicate using sign language. Working at the cafe is a

chance for her to learn catering skills in an accessible environment.

I think it is really good for the deaf community because you can meet

new friends when you come here. of the deafblind volunteers that

work here have sign language interpreters or intervenors with

them to help them communicate with customers and learn new skills.

Basically it means supporting deafblind to give as much

independence as you can. Doing different things, may be going out

for the day. The cafe is the first one that this charity has set up in

the country. From next week it's extending its opening times to

three days a week. Obviously there is the empowerment of having some

work and learning communication Asian skills with the general

public and for the public it is raising the awareness of Sense

because a lot of people do not know a lot about us but they come along

and find out what we do. It is a bright, cheerful, welcoming cafe

and we just want to bring the local community here. The cafe is open to

the whole community, and while Claudine learns waitressing it's

hoped some of the new customers will try sign language for the

first time too. Some sports news now, and in a

penalty shoot out at St James Park last night, Exeter City knocked out

their Devon rivals Plymouth Argyle from the first round of the

Football League Trophy. Torquay United also bowed out of the

competition. Here's Spotlight's Dave Gibbins.

This cup-tie failed to live up to its hype. Fewer than 4,000 turned

out, including 334 from Plymouth. It fell way short of the verve a

derby should bring, except for James Dunne's opener for City near

half-time, and Luke Daley's stunning reply for Argyle. The

ensuing penalty shoot out was clinical in favour of Exeter, and

merciless when it came to Plymouth's turn. The pressure will

be on him to score, and he has missed again! This to win it for

Exeter City. And Exeter City have won it. They have scored three

penalties, Plymouth Argyle have missed all their three. Torquay

United failed to recover from a two-goal deficit at Cheltenham Town.

The Robins produced their first victory over United since the Gulls

came back into the League 2.5 years ago. Lloyd Macklin's reply was as

good as it got for Martin Ling's team.

In cricket, Somerset have had a difficult first day at Taunton as

they look to keep the pressure on the three teams above them in the

County Championship. Somerset were on the ropes against bottom of the

table Hampshire. At lunch, they were 86 for seven. Murali Kartik's

unbeaten 59 helped them to recover and they were eventually dismissed

for 204. At the close, Hampshire were 124-1.

We continue our series now looking at the lives of South West athletes

who are hoping to take their place at the London Olympic Games. That

dream currently seems a long way off for Cornish kayaker Jenna

Hawkey who, as Phil Tuckett has been finding out, has had a

disappointing summer. Elite sport allows very little

margin for error, as Portreath's Jenna Hawkey found out after a poor

performance at team selection in April led to her falling short of

the cut for this year's Great Britain Kayak Squad. Having missed

out on the world's this year it is a big psychological step back for

me. But the main thing for me now is trying to get over that and

focusing on the way ahead, the next few months and getting my head down

and training. The 25-year-old's sporting talent first emerged on

the beach, where she became one of the stars of her local surf

livesaving club A switch to kayaking followed in 2004 - with

selection for the national squad coming three years later. But with

eight athletes competing for only six Olympic spots in the sprint

kayak, Jenna knows she has it all to do. I am quite mentally tough

when it comes to training, I can put myself through pain and keep

going, but when I'm under pressure, not quite so tough. A key factor

Jenna does have on her side is the strong support of those closest to

her. I can choose one of the most focused people I know. When she has

something in her head of what she wants to do there's not much that

will scare her off course. A clear sense of direction will be key for

Jenna over the next 11 months - but for the Portreath youngsters aiming

to follow in her footsteps, her achievements are already

inspiration enough. A tiny copse containing some of

Britain's rarest trees has been identified near Truro. The woodland

is home to the Plymouth Pear tree which has been dying out. But now a

well-known local artist has taken up its cause and is using his work

to highlight the plight of this historic fruit tree. He took Adrian

Campbell to see them. In a tiny cox at a secret location

in Truro live some rather remarkable Trees. The Plymouth Pear

is a real rarity. No one knows how it made it Cornwall but they are

carefully catalogued. Kurt Jackson is one of Britain's leading artists

and a similar just. You can see these primitive little pairs which

give it the name of the wild Plymouth pear. I want to rechristen

it us the wild draw rope pair because they argue it is

genetically different to the offer location, which is near Plymouth.

The row may be a dozen here. A dozen specimens of this incredibly

rare species of tree. They say that they grow to 4.5 metres high so

that is a mature specimen. It is probably one of the oldest examples

of this species living. Deporting Polly treat teachers in Kurt

Jackson's forthcoming exhibition at Lawro's Gallery. He says we have

already lost too many species. are sandwiched between a field and

a line. If someone decided to widen this plain or with the land owner

decided to extend his field, a few dozen specimens here could be lost,

gone for ever. It is scary, quite terrifying that this one species is

hanging on here like this. cannot identify the man who farms

this land, to protect this location, but he spoke to us. It is nice to

have something that is rare and they are growing in a piece of

ground that is not really usable as such. So they're not hurting me and

I'm not hurting them. It is the last day of August and

some said the last day of summer. I'm hopeful we will get some fine

weather but we may have to wait a while. Sunshine and trying to enjoy

both tomorrow and Friday and feeling a bit warmer. We see

another change into the weekend. The cloud structure on the

satellite picture is complex. We have an area of low pressure in the

Bay of Biscay throwing showers tours the Channel Islands. We have

weather fronts in the Atlantic trying to get in. Between the two

is a ridge of high pressure which has given fine weather today. It

will stay with us until lunchtime tomorrow and by lunchtime on Friday

it is beginning to move out of the way and we are getting squeezed

from both directions. For the next two days I think we are out of the

woods and we see dry and relatively warm air coming our way. Already

there are some good breaks in the cloud and overnight, enough clear

sky to get temperatures down to single figures. This was on the

edge of Dartmoor today. But even today with the sunshine it felt on

the calls are at. 16 or 17 degrees for most of us. With light of wins

tomorrow, and more in the way of so much time in the afternoon,

temperatures will rise. If you are out and about over the next couple

of days make the most of what could be the last taste of summer. But

I'm always hopeful we will get some warm weather in September. It will

turn quite chilly tonight with temperatures well into single

figures and the hint of a few showers come through the English

Channel. Most of them will stay or how but they do introduce cloud off

the coast of Devon. It sought last night, a few places kitting as low

as six or seven overnight. Foremost, a fine start as well. Into the

afternoon, the cloud will break up and as it begins and disappears,

they will be more and more in the way of sunshine by the end of the

day. The temperature should get up to 19, 20 possibly 21 Celsius, 70

in Fahrenheit. The breeze from the east will slowly drop through the

And there has been a lot of talk on the internet about the effects of

horror came I mean bringing large waves on to the coast of South East

England. -- Hurricane Irene. The possibility that they may increase