05/12/2011 Spotlight

Monitoring patients at home, a revolution in health care which has

cut death rates. Your blood pressure is 83 over 57.

Good evening. The trial in Cornwall was so

successful the idea will now be used across the country.

Also tonight: A split second decision. A medic

describes the dramatic moment she had to shoot dead a Taliban fighter

to save the lives of her team. And with a starring role for Devon,

War Horse the movie receives its worldwide premiere in New York.

A Cornish scheme that monitors patients' health in their own homes,

has reduced death rates by 45%, the Prime Minister has announced today.

David Cameron said the telehealth trial by NHS Cornwall, the largest

in the world, has been so successful, it will be rolled out

across the whole country. Here's our health correspondent, Sally

Mountjoy. It is part of his daily routine,

checking his vital signs like a pulse, temperature and blood

pressure. Joe has several long-term illnesses, including heart failure,

diabetes and a long condition. When he sends his readings down a phone

line from his home, they are monitored by nurses in a control

centre. Any variation from his usual results raises the alarm. At

the scheme has prevented many visits to the GP and to a hospital.

The aim of the scheme is to keep me out of hospital. Happy days. I

would recommend this to other people like myself with long-term

conditions. The results of three trials including Cornwall's, where

announced today. They announce a 45% reduction in death-rate in a

25% reduction in admissions to hospital. Today, David Cameron said

this meant that it would be extended across the country.

have done a trial which has been issue success and they be will roll

it out nationwide, with an aim to improve 3 million lives over the

next five years with this technology. At the NHS -- NHS

Cornwall has been running the pilot for two years. In these times of

austerity, it is saving not only laid spot money also. For these

patients, we are spending less money on crisis intervention and on

going into hospital, which in turn it releases more money to be able

to spend on preventative programmes, on earlier detection of people at

risk of developing long-term conditions. Cornwall has shown that

the schemes are saving lives. Now millions more will get that

lifeline. A former army medic from Devon has

described a dramatic incident in which she shot dead a Taliban

fighter while she was serving in Afghanistan. Chantelle Taylor is

believed to be one of the first female British soldiers to have

killed a member of the enemy during combat. She has spoken to Spotlight

by phone from the Middle East, where she now works. Chloe Axford

reports. She was serving as a combat medic

in Helmand province when her convoy was ambushed by Taliban fighters.

The 35-year-old said she quickly realised that one of the gunman was

shooting directly at her vehicle. She says that as a medic, she does

not feel good about the death of the Taliban fighter, but it was a

There are a woman serving in a number frontline roles in

Afghanistan, but she is believed to be one of the first to have killed

an enemy fighter in combat. That is because women are currently banned

from roles where they might be required to kill the enemy face to

The shooting happened in 2008. She has since left the forces and is

currently working as a security adviser in the Middle East.

A new warfare training facility costing more than �100 million has

been unveiled today at Devonport Naval Base. The Navy describes the

new computer-based system as the most radical change in training for

the last 40 years and says it is the most advanced system in the

world. Spotlight's Ali Chitty reports.

The matting composite trading system in action at Devonport, part

of a multi-million pound package described by the Navy as a training

revolution. All bought simulations are not new to the Navy, this new

programme allows entire crews to work together with those at other

locations and even members of foreign navies. Today they are

working on a simulation of their share's run, dealing with the

threat of air attack. This would cost tens of thousands of Pounds if

it were done at sea. We're going to have to train in a different way.

This is absolutely how we will do it. We will take individuals in his

small teams, work them up, get their drills right, just like

Nelson dead in his day and then finally send them to see. So far,

the crew have been unsuccessful in its seeing off that the attack.

Trainers are increasing the pressure at every moment. There is

no extra cost. State of-the-art micelles to be sent against the

crew without anyone having to pay for them and this means that when

the hit a real-life training situations, they are up to speed

with 10 hit -- with how to deal with the modern threat. They may

not have actually worked together to counter the threat. We can bring

the men here and they will learn their role and how to interact with

each other. Work is already in hand to use the new system to trained

sailors for the new Queen Elizabeth class carriers, still under

construction. It means the crews can be ready before the ships.

An inquest has been told a Royal Marine serving with Taunton-based

40 Commando in Afghanistan may have been killed after an insurgent

detonated an explosive device close to where he was patrolling. The

inquest heard Marine Richard Hollington was injured in the blast

in the Sangin district on June 12 last year but died from his wounds

eight days later. A new waste treatment plant at Lee

Moor near Plymouth has been given the go ahead by Devon County

Council. Building work on the facility at the old china clay

works will start early next year and is expected to create more than

22 jobs. Local people opposed to the plans are worried about

increased traffic and emissions. Work is underway on a flood relief

scheme for Teignmouth in South Devon. The Environment Agency's �4

million project includes defence walls and flood gates to protect

the back beach, town centre and more than 400 homes.

Councils across the South West are pushing for thousands of empty

homes in the region to be redeveloped and made available for

affordable housing. It is national Empty Property Week, and local

authorities are planning to use government money to improve

privately owned vacant properties, and bring them back into use.

The earthquake which affected parts of Cornwall this weekend has

highlighted fears that the region could be hit by a tsunami. As Sam

Smith reports, researchers believe it has happened before and

campaigners say a planned nuclear power facility at Hinkley Point in

Somerset could be at risk. EDF Energy wants to build a new

power plant at Hinckley Point. Environmental campaigners say they

-- that is misguided. A mass of about the money coming in from the

sea would not get the power supply and knockout the back out

electricity, so the power station would have no electricity. There

would still be a lot of residual heat. That could build up into a

meltdown of the fuel, do it kind of thing that happened in Fukushima in

Japan. Fukushima was swamped by as tsunami that followed an offshore

earthquake in March. An offshore tremor shook the South West at the

weekend. No tsunami fault, but was that the case 400 years ago?

Researchers at mention that a great flood and 16 was seven, -- 16 or

seven. The houses were completely demolished. We have records that

there was a 60 township, fully laden with goods and ready to set

sail which was hoisted into the water and transported onto land, so

we're looking at a significant way fight of seven or eight metres.

flood killed 500 people living close to the site of hoof power

station. -- close to the site of the power station. Oliver analysis

suggests that this is an ideal spot to build it. The planning

application could be decided in about one year from now.

And you can find out more about Hinkley on tonight's edition of

Inside Out in half an hour here on BBC One.

The film War Horse, which was part- filmed on Dartmoor, premiered in

New York last night. It has already been a huge hit on the stage in

London. Now Stephen Spielberg has made Devon author Michael

Morpurgo's book into a movie. Janine Jansen reports.

One man and his horse. This film tells the story of a farmer's son

from Devon and tie he and his horse are plunged into the horror of

World War One in France. I think people see an animal like this, a

magnificent, handsome and a maul, and the sea that and did they

forget about tower animosity and hour attained -- problems with each

other and data under full attention on helping the horse and the sea

the healing that takes place on stage and now in a movie and before

that, in a book. The Devon-based offer was at the premiere. He has

get the integrity of what it is. It is epic, very beautiful, horrifying

and turns. I was very moved, not just because it had anything to do

with me. I lost myself it completely. The acting is wonderful.

It seems that Holyrood cannot get enough of Devon. Another film is

based on this park here. It think we'll be ushered into the red

carpet alongside the Stars. I have never even which the red carpets

ceremony of any sort. If I see that, I turn off. I'll have to look at

clubs that what you actually do. The boos To her struggle to keep

afloat, but this film could be its saviour. A new that when we came

here, it just need a light shining on it so people could see her

fantastic it is and they will come. It did not expect further like to

be quite so big from Hollywood. -- I did not expected the light to be

quite so big. Both films or will open-ended the new year. -- both

films will open in the new year. All the sport coming up in a moment,

plus: We meet a couple of young

entrepreneurs. The two Devon schoolgirls who created a board

game out of sheer boredom. And he did dead at 25 feet Christmas tree

across this River? By canoe, of On to sport now and Yeovil Town is

our only team left in this season's FA Cup after Torquay saw the sharp

end of the Blades at Sheffield United. Meanwhile, in rugby, Exeter

Chiefs are now up to third in the Premiership. Brent Pilnick looks

Fleetwood Town against Blackpool. So, Ian Holloway could be returning

to the West Country if you'll pull can overcome Conference side

Fleetwood. Fleetwood her back after letting in two goals. They managed

to secure a replay with the last minute penalty. Torquay were the

architects of the room downfall at Torquay United. An own goal got the

Blades back into the match. Sheffield doubled their score a

minute later. He soon made it 31. Despite the late consolation from

Danny Stevens, they could not find a way to fly back into the third

grant - - third round. Exeter chiefs are now third in the

Exeter managed to get there seconds successive league win. The Cornish

pirates overcame London Scottish 42 points up to 10. Rob Cook was among

the first have scores with the strike. London Scottish change

their shirts, but it did not change their fortune. Plymouth Albion are

still looking for their first win after they went down 20 points to e

Cornwall's Ben Ainsley has had a great start in the Perth 2011

sailing championships. The five- time Finn World Champion won from

the front in the first race, but had to come from fifth place to

take the second and put himself firmly at the top of the fleet. The

venue in Fremantle, Western Australia, has attracted entries

from 80 countries, with 1,200 athletes, and is billed as the

biggest regatta in the world. It was a good day. I had two first

places, so I am very happy with that. Difficult conditions and good

conditions - - a good result. There was a bit of a delay to get going,

it was a little bit lighter than the breezy with normally expect

here. Tricky conditions. It was a good day for everyone and a great

way to start of the event. Now to two schoolgirls from Devon

who would make Lord Sugar proud. At the ages of 8 and 10, Alice Bailey

and her sister Megan have invented a board game which is now being

professionally produced and sold. They don't have a celebrity backer,

well, not yet anyway! The investment, in fact, came from

their grandmother. Simon Clemison has been to meet the two very young

apprentices near Cullompton. From boredom to board game. Like so

many children, they found themselves how they might fill a

few spell - - spare hours. They decided to make their own fund.

Nothing unusual in that, except the game they come up with has gone

commercial and is now selling in some shops and their home county of

Devon. You won a prize at the show, move forward three. Last winter

when it was really cold and horrible we decided to make up a

board game about horses. They could have made up a board game about

cities like a monopoly, but you decided to make it about the

countryside, why? Because there are not many games about the

countryside. Not many children have created a board game and published

its, so we thought we could do that. After months of playing it at home,

their grandmother, who was recently widowed, decided to invest some of

the money she was left. The game was professionally illustrated and

the family got it to market themselves. It is not clear whether

this is the beginning of something or not, but children have been the

inspiration for books and toys in the past. In this case, the whole

idea came for them. Do you want to be based this on Sunday? Yeah us.

Running a factory? Maybe. At bit of It is the time of the year when

Christmas trees are being put up and decorated all over the place.

At Trellisick Gardens near Truro, they have come up with a novel and

challenging way of collecting their tree from the nearby Tregothnan

estate. Spotlight's David George The estate is only about three-

quarters of a mile away from the National Trust garden, the problem

this the river far all lies between the two properties. So, it could

have taken the 17 mile road trip, or even taking did Jian Ferri, but

they chose canoeing. We thought what the quickest route was, we

were thinking about fairies and so on, so we turn to can use instead

and decided that was the best way to get the deer. It wouldn't have

been my first choice, but they manage the whole voyage without any

mishap and the 25 that Norwegian spruce was brought ashore at the

estate. It is quite exciting. It was hard work. There were a few

showers along the way, but we made it a more MPs. It doesn't seem the

obvious mode of transport if you're carrying Christmas trees.

thought it was an unusual way to go down the river. Exciting times,

really. Meanwhile, at the gardens they were finishing of another

spectacular Christmas decoration. Easy does it! So, with the tree in

place it is time to decorate its, all 25 feet. They will be finished

I don't fancy the job of decorating it! Let's see what the weather is

going to be like. It is feeling a bit more wintery.

As after the second warmest November for over a hundred years,

it feels like winter, doesn't it? Good evening. It is a cold breeze

Whilst it warms up temporarily on Thursday, the colt returns on

Friday and into the start of the weekend. Quite a lot going on on

the satellite picture with a lot of cloud to start with. There are some

breaks in the cloud, so there have been some sunshine spells today.

There are some quite frequent showers today. They should become a

little bit more isolated and there will be enough clear skies to let

the temperature kicker - - temperature go close to freezing.

We keep the showers right the way through to Wednesday, although by

the afternoon there should be more in the way of sunshine. Lots of

cloud by giving showers, but there were some holes in that cloud.

These pictures were taken today. The showers have never been too far

away today, but there will be a fair amount of clear sky tonight

and, as a result, the temperatures will plummet fairly rapidly. It is

already quite calls. It will be cold enough for some frost in well

sheltered parts. It has also called enough to give us a few icy

stretches on roads and pavements. So, tomorrow morning, showers from

Don. Some sunshine in between them, and it will be more generally

cloudy in the afternoon with the risk of frequent showers into the

early evening. Temperatures tomorrow will be similar to today.

There will be blustery winds, especially on the coastline. With

the islands of Scilly, a very blustery day with some frequent

The winds will remain strong. West or north westerly force five or six,

occasionally casting seven, showers with moderate disability in those

showers. Onto the forecast all the way through. Do will be quite a few

showers on Wednesday, but by the afternoon they will fade away.

There will be some frost on Wednesday evening, but a weather

front will move in on Wednesday night to bring some more persistent

rain, giving us a milder but cloudier day on Thursday, but still

windy. We are back to the cold air on Friday with widespread frost on

Friday night. We have come to the other end of

Broadcasting House in Plymouth to the studios of BBC Radio Devon,

where a massive final effort has been underway to reach their

�600,000 target towards a new air ambulance for the county. An all

day on-air auction of things money can't normally buy started at

7.00am this morning and is about to come to an end. Spotlight's Andrea

Ormsby reports. Don't forget, on the programme

today you can bid for... this auction has been under close and 7

o'clock this morning. The bidding will finally finish at 7 o'clock

tonight. Listening at home, someone who has a deep personal interest in

raising money for the Air Ambulance Fund. Marie Clarke was taking her

dog out for a walk on Christmas Day when she fell. The air ambulance

came to her rescue. They were brilliant. So kind and caring. I

think we take so many things for granted these days. Marie hopes

everyone who can will do their bit to make sure that Devon gets a new

We came into the studio earlier this afternoon and it was a hive of

activity. The phones were ringing like mad. I think David's Taiwan

for �30! This is the moment we find out if BBC Radio Devon has finally

reached the grand total assets hundred �1,000. You have been so

generous, ladies and gentlemen. We have been fund-raising for months

and months. The aim has been to raise �600,000 to buy a brand-new

helicopter to save lives here in Devon. You have swum across the sea

in Torbay, skydiving, sold more cream teas than anyone has eaten

before. Today a great big auction has raised �4,580 across the day

the auction has raised �17,127. Which takes the air ambulance

appealed total to �602,127! Yes! That is a superb efforts, and well

done to everyone at BBC Radio Devon. Well done to all the listeners.