:00:11. > :00:18.Homes evacuated in Crediton as fire rips through row of thatched
:00:18. > :00:21.cottages. Good evening. More than 100 firefighters have
:00:21. > :00:23.been tackling the blaze which is still a light tonight. We will be
:00:23. > :00:25.live at the scene. Also on spotlight tonight, accused
:00:25. > :00:33.of trivialising rape. A student website linked to Plymouth
:00:33. > :00:37.University is closed following offensive remarks. I think it is
:00:37. > :00:43.disgusting. I know that rates have happened around here and I am now
:00:43. > :00:45.scared to walk in certain areas. Dealing with life's difficulties
:00:45. > :00:48.without legal aid. Charities have warned that the most vulnerable
:00:48. > :00:58.will lose out. And lured by the bright light of
:00:58. > :00:59.
:00:59. > :01:03.the big city. The new residents in Firefighters are tonight still
:01:03. > :01:08.tackling a big fire in a row of historic thatched cottages it of
:01:08. > :01:12.Crediton. Up to 100 firefighters and 20 fire engines were involved
:01:12. > :01:16.in the operation. Roads in the area was sealed off and fire crews are
:01:16. > :01:26.expected to be there for some time. Jon Henderson is live at the scene
:01:26. > :01:30.
:01:30. > :01:34.Apologies for that. We have lost of the link. Let's get this report
:01:34. > :01:39.from the scene from earlier in the day.
:01:39. > :01:45.History up in flames. The fire in a row of thatched cottages took hold
:01:45. > :01:49.just after 1230. I panicked because of my mum because she lives in this
:01:49. > :01:55.area. I have been brought up here for many years. By contacted her
:01:55. > :01:58.straight away to make sure that she was OK. She was fine. Up to 100
:01:58. > :02:04.firefighters from across Devon tackle the fire. They had to deal
:02:04. > :02:07.with thick smoke and used foam to kill the flames. Foam is a really
:02:07. > :02:13.effective fire-fighting agent for keeping the fire down and stopping
:02:13. > :02:17.it stretch -- it spreading. It gives us time to salvage and get
:02:17. > :02:22.resources in place to stop the fire spreading. There were no reports of
:02:22. > :02:27.injuries. Those whose homes were affected were initially given help
:02:27. > :02:33.at a nearby church hall. Absolute shock. No one expects an house to
:02:33. > :02:37.go up and when it is your neighbour's house it is really
:02:37. > :02:42.devastating. The cottages are believed to be in excess of 300
:02:42. > :02:47.years old. Roads were sealed off and people stood in shock. It was a
:02:47. > :02:53.sad day for one woman who had renovated at cottage with her late
:02:53. > :02:58.husband 30 years ago. I think it is sad. A very sad. But my husband
:02:58. > :03:02.died two years ago and he would have been devastated to see that. I
:03:03. > :03:09.do not know how much of it has been burnt down. Do you know?
:03:10. > :03:14.difficult question to answer. But this was a ferocious fire.
:03:14. > :03:24.We can go back live to Jon Henderson now. This buyer has been
:03:24. > :03:28.going on for some time. What is the It is action stations. Firefighters
:03:28. > :03:34.have been busy all day and they are still at it. They are tackling the
:03:34. > :03:40.fire. There are some guys on of the roof over there. This roof here has
:03:40. > :03:44.been bursting into flames every now and again. You can see the smoke
:03:44. > :03:49.rising off the building. This is proving a tough nut to crack. They
:03:49. > :03:55.have 10 engines here at the moment. 60 firefighters are not going to
:03:55. > :04:00.leave until this fire is out. Thank you. We will have another
:04:00. > :04:05.live update from John in our late news.
:04:05. > :04:15.A website accused of condoning and trivialising rate has attracted a
:04:15. > :04:22.chorus of angry condemnation from students and a charity. Uni Lad
:04:22. > :04:28.suggested the odds of getting away with rate were good. It has now
:04:28. > :04:38.issued an extensive apology. The Uni Lad has been suspended and
:04:38. > :04:39.
:04:39. > :04:48.all that remains is an apology for the article. The article concluded
:04:48. > :04:51.that Uni Lad does not condone this action. It is disgusting. I know
:04:51. > :04:58.that this kind of thing has happened around here and I am now
:04:58. > :05:02.scared to walk in these areas. It is ridiculous. People will think
:05:02. > :05:06.about pushing it further and further. It might seem OK for a
:05:06. > :05:10.group of lads but when you what one ought two girls on your own face
:05:10. > :05:16.with a group of lads it can be very threatening. I am completely
:05:16. > :05:22.against it. Plymouth University is beginning an investigation. In a
:05:22. > :05:26.statement it said that it was appalled to hear of the content of
:05:27. > :05:33.the website and disappointed to here for that one of its students
:05:33. > :05:41.was involved. Any student activity that brings the university into
:05:41. > :05:46.disrepute is a disciplinary matter. They will take appropriate action.
:05:46. > :05:51.Managers of a crisis line also attacked the article. People do not
:05:51. > :05:54.take rate seriously in this country. There is a slightly improved
:05:55. > :06:00.reporting rate and a slightly improved situation, but we still do
:06:00. > :06:07.not take it seriously enough. There were jokes all over the place.
:06:07. > :06:14.one from Uni Lad would be interviewed. The statement on the
:06:14. > :06:18.website said that they would like to make a public apology. The
:06:18. > :06:26.article has attracted hundreds of comments on line. The vast majority
:06:26. > :06:30.are scathing and many, in language which is simply an reportable.
:06:30. > :06:36.An inquest has heard that a Royal Marine from Devon-based 42 Commando
:06:36. > :06:40.was killed in Afghanistan or Bob providing cover for his colleagues.
:06:40. > :06:45.Lance Corporal Martin Gill was shot in the head and neck in June last
:06:45. > :06:50.year. Nottingham Coroner's Court was told that the 22 year old was
:06:50. > :06:54.hit in areas that his armour could not protect.
:06:55. > :07:03.The trawler, Girl Rona, will not be moved until next week at the
:07:03. > :07:05.earliest. Recovery plans need to be approved after local efforts failed.
:07:05. > :07:10.Charities are warning that thousands of the most vulnerable
:07:10. > :07:12.people in the south-west face losing vital help in legal-aid. The
:07:12. > :07:17.government says it cannot afford the legal-aid system which cost
:07:17. > :07:20.more than �2 billion a year. The Citizen's Advice Bureaux says that
:07:21. > :07:26.plans to slash the funding come just as they are seeing an
:07:26. > :07:30.explosion in the number of people needing help.
:07:31. > :07:34.In her 23 years, Hester has become used to dealing with life's
:07:34. > :07:39.difficulties. She was born with a range of health conditions and is
:07:39. > :07:44.partially sighted. Now she is getting used to a new set of
:07:44. > :07:49.challenges. This form does not address the real issues for me.
:07:49. > :07:53.December, she won a tribunal to get employment and support allowance.
:07:53. > :07:57.Even with specialist help from the Citizen's Advice Bureau, funded by
:07:57. > :08:04.legal aid, it still took nearly dear. A couple of weeks later, she
:08:04. > :08:10.got a letter telling her it was time to be reassessed. I feel like
:08:10. > :08:18.I am taking one step back and three backwards. If you're trying to grow
:08:18. > :08:24.up and get out of the past, it is extremely unhelpful. What Hester
:08:24. > :08:30.wanted was to get help into work. She wants to work. She has now had
:08:30. > :08:35.a deal of having no help whatsoever in to work. This is a really
:08:35. > :08:41.difficult process where she has had to go to people and explain her
:08:41. > :08:46.condition over and over. I think it is very, very stressful for her.
:08:47. > :08:52.Last year, the cab in the south- west help people with 211,000
:08:53. > :08:57.problems concerning benefits. In the same period be dealt with more
:08:57. > :09:02.than 181 debt problems. Some of these end up in court in tribunals.
:09:02. > :09:05.It can be a complicated process. The Citizens Advice Bureaux says it
:09:05. > :09:08.has seen a huge increase in the number of people coming to courts
:09:08. > :09:15.like this up and down the south- west to appeal against their
:09:15. > :09:20.benefits. The Government's welfare reforms are starting to bite. Their
:09:20. > :09:23.legal aid funding could be about to go as well. There has been an
:09:23. > :09:30.explosion in the number of appeals that are going through the
:09:30. > :09:35.tribunals and courts here. It has become a really significant problem.
:09:35. > :09:38.What we fear when these legal aid reforms go through is that people
:09:39. > :09:44.will be left floundering. government says that at more than
:09:44. > :09:51.�2 billion a year we have most of - - one of the most expensive legal
:09:51. > :09:55.aid systems in the world. We cannot continue to afford this. It is
:09:55. > :10:05.pledging Legal Aid For only the most serious plays -- cases. For
:10:05. > :10:10.
:10:10. > :10:17.We would like to hear your views on that story. You can send your e-
:10:17. > :10:19.mails to the usual address. Tests are being carried out on an
:10:19. > :10:29.important muscle fishery in Cornwall amid fears that oil
:10:29. > :10:32.
:10:32. > :10:35.pollution may have left the Pollution experts have been brought
:10:35. > :10:41.in to try and clear the oil which has washed up on the eastern shore
:10:41. > :10:46.of this river. The oil slick was first contained by a boom. It is
:10:46. > :10:51.now being served up using specialist equipment. This is an
:10:51. > :10:56.oil absorbent pad which absorbs the oil and propels the water. This was
:10:56. > :10:59.brought in on the first phase to mop up the oil on the beach. We are
:10:59. > :11:05.awaiting instruction to go to the next phase which could possibly
:11:05. > :11:12.mean rinsing the beach. This area of the river is very important for
:11:12. > :11:15.a shellfish fishery. The fishermen have been told that they cannot
:11:15. > :11:25.harvest their shellfish until tests have been carried out to prove they
:11:25. > :11:28.have not been contaminated. We have Gav third -- gathered some samples
:11:28. > :11:32.to go off to a scientific laboratory. Additionally, we have
:11:32. > :11:37.collected water samples from the surface and a metre below the
:11:37. > :11:42.surface to also have that analysed. We will see if any contaminants are
:11:42. > :11:46.in the water body. The oil around 90 gallons of it came from a ship
:11:46. > :11:53.moored close to the King Harry Ferry. The ship's master has
:11:53. > :11:57.already described it as an operational incident. I am still
:11:57. > :12:03.conducting an investigation. We will be speaking to the mast of the
:12:03. > :12:06.vessel again. I cannot say any more than that it is under investigation.
:12:06. > :12:13.Those operating this fishery will have to wait several days before
:12:13. > :12:16.they know what they can start to harvest the shellfish again.
:12:16. > :12:22.There are growing calls for more of the region's power lines to be
:12:22. > :12:26.buried. We will find out more. A plus, taking up a new sport, the
:12:26. > :12:36.youngsters already been inspired by the Olympic Games.
:12:36. > :12:37.
:12:37. > :12:40.And the canine crime fighters being Have they said that the solar gold
:12:40. > :12:46.rush was dead, but a last-minute scramble to a secure subsidy
:12:46. > :12:49.payments is under way. It has been triggered by a court ruling last
:12:49. > :12:57.week which prolongs generous incentives for solar panels for one
:12:57. > :13:01.more month. Our business correspondent reports.
:13:01. > :13:06.This property in Torquay is being readied for Solar. He is clear
:13:06. > :13:11.enough about the reasons why. way that we can help the burden on
:13:11. > :13:21.the planet is good. And more importantly, there are incentives
:13:21. > :13:25.on my pocket! He could earn 43p each unit he generates. The
:13:25. > :13:31.payments come ultimately from every one's bills. The government tried
:13:31. > :13:34.to cut these payments by half quite suddenly. The court ruling gives
:13:34. > :13:38.the investor has one more month to try to tap into that full subsidy.
:13:38. > :13:43.Investors are now gambling, though, because if the government
:13:43. > :13:49.successfully appeals they will get half the returns they wanted.
:13:49. > :13:57.can get it I would certainly like to. If I cannot, 21p will still be
:13:57. > :14:02.me. The solar gold rush back on in Plymouth today. These installers
:14:02. > :14:05.had been laid off just a few weeks back. Now they are in work again.
:14:05. > :14:10.We have had a huge increase in business since the announcement
:14:10. > :14:14.last week. We have taken on a lot of the people that we made
:14:14. > :14:18.redundant in December. It is good for them and it is good for us.
:14:18. > :14:24.south-west has the second largest number of solar installers in the
:14:24. > :14:29.UK. Most UK counties count their installations by the hundred, here
:14:29. > :14:34.we do it by the 1000. Dorset has just under 3000, Cornwall and
:14:34. > :14:40.Somerset between three to 4000 each and Devon is top with getting on
:14:40. > :14:47.towards 6000. Everyone in the industry accepts that the subsidy
:14:47. > :14:52.is pasta for as the cost of panels falls. The argument is about how
:14:52. > :15:00.abruptly it happens. It just needs to be done in a more gradual and
:15:00. > :15:04.publicised passion, not a knee-jerk reaction. This is an economic base
:15:04. > :15:14.for a region with the problems of low pay mixed with the joys of
:15:14. > :15:15.
:15:15. > :15:19.Meanwhile, a charitable body set up to protect the countryside is
:15:19. > :15:23.calling for more electricity cables to be buried. But according to the
:15:24. > :15:26.National Grid, burying cables is extremely expensive. They say it
:15:27. > :15:30.costs up to �4 million a kilometre for overhead wires but underground
:15:30. > :15:38.cables can cost up to �24 million a kilometre to lay. That's up to six
:15:38. > :15:41.times more expensive. Scott Bingham reports. New sources of energy
:15:41. > :15:46.generation are appearing all over the south-west. Solar-powered is
:15:46. > :15:49.the latest edition took the renewable energy being generated on
:15:49. > :15:53.our doorsteps but all of these sources have to be linked with the
:15:53. > :15:57.grade. The campaign for the Protection of Rural England says it
:15:57. > :16:00.is concerned about the visual impact on the countryside in the
:16:01. > :16:05.future. Dartmoor National Park says it will be difficult to balance the
:16:05. > :16:11.need for energy and protecting the landscape. Obviously, we have a
:16:11. > :16:16.duty to protect the landscape and we would want to see as much as
:16:16. > :16:21.possible of this underground. But there comes the cost issue.
:16:21. > :16:24.cost is important but it also is protecting the environment I'm
:16:24. > :16:30.looking after local community interests. We have a difficult
:16:30. > :16:35.balance. The South West countryside and coast is an important asset to
:16:35. > :16:39.the region but with many more we have and wind farms planned, it is
:16:39. > :16:44.expected we'll make greater demands on the environment. But not
:16:44. > :16:50.everybody living near cables objects. When we first moved here,
:16:50. > :16:54.it did not bother us. We knew they would be here but we just ignore it.
:16:54. > :16:58.It isn't just the National Grid involved in linking power supplies.
:16:58. > :17:02.Western powers says it is obliged to make connections to the network
:17:02. > :17:09.if asked to it and many more local sources of energy are planned in
:17:09. > :17:11.the coming years. The start of the Summer Olympics is only 176 days
:17:11. > :17:18.away and the sporting spectacular is already inspiring young people
:17:18. > :17:20.to take up a new sport. The countdown every day! The word
:17:20. > :17:26.legacy was one of the central themes of the successful Olympic
:17:26. > :17:33.bid. Spotlight's Matt Pengelly has been to see how Cornwall is leading
:17:33. > :17:37.the way. Kayaking on a chilly February day might seem a long way
:17:37. > :17:41.from Olympic glory. But these youngsters from Truro College are
:17:41. > :17:46.genuine examples of the Olympic legacy. They have signed up for
:17:46. > :17:51.expert coaching at a sport they have never done through a scheme
:17:51. > :17:57.called sport of it funded by Sport England. Not only is it healthy but
:17:57. > :18:03.it has built confidence and gets us wider opportunities to go further
:18:03. > :18:06.afield and even global. It helps motivation levels and gives focus
:18:07. > :18:12.and they see people doing this on a professional level so it is
:18:12. > :18:17.something to aspire to. There are a number of young people engaged and
:18:17. > :18:22.and Cornwall, there have been over 500 participants already. And we
:18:22. > :18:27.have another two years. On the water, this club has attracted
:18:27. > :18:32.enough for workers to form a special crew in the upcoming World
:18:32. > :18:40.Championships on the Isles of Scilly. We have quite a high
:18:40. > :18:45.retention rate. With people coming, most often they stay. The funding
:18:45. > :18:49.allows people to take part in a sport that perhaps they had thought
:18:49. > :18:53.about what many had not been able to take part in. Pressed into
:18:53. > :18:57.service in the gig is the former Olympic weightlifter, making a
:18:57. > :19:01.breeze, in the yellow gloves, who will also talk to young people and
:19:01. > :19:06.tell them what it takes to get to the top in sport. Once she has got
:19:06. > :19:10.her breath back. To see youngsters involved in activities that they
:19:10. > :19:14.otherwise would not have had the activity to do, and also youngsters
:19:15. > :19:20.who many are not so keen at sport, to be physically active, that is
:19:20. > :19:23.the message we are putting a cross, to get more people and physical
:19:23. > :19:27.activity. Those who complete the course will have their names
:19:27. > :19:32.entered into a ballot for free Olympic tickets to see how the
:19:32. > :19:38.professionals do it. Some of the region's finest canine crime
:19:38. > :19:44.stoppers have been competing against each other to become top
:19:44. > :19:47.dog. 16 dogs from the MoD and regular police forces came together
:19:47. > :19:57.for the annual trials, which took place at Devonport Naval Base.
:19:57. > :20:01.Spotlight's John Danks saw them being put through their paces. They
:20:01. > :20:07.ask no questions, they just do their job. Seven year-old Kite gets
:20:07. > :20:12.her man, the bad guy being played by a police officer. A after many
:20:12. > :20:17.years, you get used to it. But it is still quite intimidating. Some
:20:17. > :20:22.of the dogs are very fast at coming at you and it does take effect on
:20:22. > :20:26.your body. The dolls are assessed on their ability to detect people
:20:26. > :20:32.and retain them and their mark on obedience. The dogs thoroughly
:20:32. > :20:39.enjoy it, far more than we do. They don't go through the same stress
:20:39. > :20:45.and strain. She loves working. This breed generally does. It is great
:20:45. > :20:52.for them. To become the top dog. Just as the dogs need well-groomed,
:20:52. > :21:00.so do the handlers. Smart uniforms only, despite the weather. The cold
:21:00. > :21:07.for the event in the arena, it is difficult. They don't have a lot of
:21:07. > :21:13.clothes on. That's it, it is best operational conditions.
:21:13. > :21:16.regional trials were won by Nicholas Dalrymple. They will go
:21:16. > :21:21.forward to the national police dog assessment in Surrey at the end of
:21:21. > :21:29.April. City dwellers are becoming increasingly used to sharing their
:21:29. > :21:31.neighbourhoods with wildlife, be it foxes, birds or squirrels. Now
:21:31. > :21:34.there's another creature on the block. Otters have taken up
:21:34. > :21:37.residence in Exeter. The Devon Wildlife Trust says they're
:21:37. > :21:39.becoming well established close to the busy city centre and even made
:21:39. > :21:49.an appearance for our cameras. Adrian Campbell has been to see
:21:49. > :21:55.them. It is eating something... rare glimpse in the middle of the
:21:55. > :22:04.day and a species hardly ever seen in a busy city centre. It can die
:22:04. > :22:09.for 20 seconds. It should come up. Yes... -- dive. It'll take them
:22:09. > :22:13.were a him, if it gets a chance. could hardly believe our luck and
:22:13. > :22:19.neither could Stephen from the Devon Wildlife Trust. Get on to the
:22:19. > :22:24.bridge. An otter, right on the doorstep of the headquarters of the
:22:24. > :22:31.trust, chasing its dinner. And further evidence that attempts to
:22:31. > :22:35.coax otters back into the city appeared to be producing results.
:22:35. > :22:39.This mother and couple were caught by infra-red cameras at night,
:22:39. > :22:44.navigating the mortar -- the water mill. The first time we have seen
:22:44. > :22:50.otters breeding, there is a female with the young cub, five months old,
:22:50. > :22:54.really showing the ropes, by the scruff of its neck. Showing it the
:22:54. > :23:02.terrain and were it will live in the future. I am taking you to see
:23:03. > :23:08.what we call the island, perfect habitat for otters. You can see the
:23:08. > :23:14.dense undergrowth, we're cutting back to the stump, we are piling up
:23:14. > :23:18.leaves, this is a great place. what a nice place to spend a day.
:23:18. > :23:27.Senna, the trust will open a hide so more people can view others
:23:27. > :23:37.going about their business. -- can view the Archers. Justin has the
:23:37. > :23:39.
:23:39. > :23:43.most awful joke. He will not do You don't need me to tell you how
:23:44. > :23:48.cold it is, temperatures as low as minus four degrees and they will
:23:48. > :23:51.get down to minus ten degrees over the fields of Dartmoor and Exmoor.
:23:51. > :23:56.Another bitterly cold night and perhaps a when's dropping but that
:23:56. > :24:02.is little consolation, very cold and the cold has died so far this
:24:02. > :24:05.winter. This cloud to the west of us, that potentially welcome in on
:24:05. > :24:10.Saturday, bringing rain and the risk of sleet and snow as it comes
:24:10. > :24:15.in. The high pressure is across us for tomorrow with light wind,
:24:15. > :24:19.feeling better and still another cold day at three degrees. And then
:24:19. > :24:25.the change on Saturday as this warm weather front runs into the low
:24:25. > :24:30.temperatures. And the potential for snow. More detail... The cloud is
:24:30. > :24:35.almost unbroken over large parts of southern Britain. This was earlier
:24:35. > :24:41.in Brixham and our cameraman was getting this fine view of Torbay.
:24:41. > :24:46.Quite a brisk wind. You can see the chopping us of the sea. This cold
:24:46. > :24:50.wind has featured on the south coast with temperatures of just
:24:50. > :24:55.three degrees and that chilly breeze, feeling much colder. It is
:24:55. > :25:00.a fine end to the day and a sunset. Now the sun has gone rapidly and
:25:00. > :25:03.the temperatures are falling and they will continue overnight.
:25:03. > :25:08.Widespread overnight frost on though you might not seem quite so
:25:08. > :25:14.much of that Frost on the car windscreen and the grass. Very
:25:14. > :25:17.drier so little monster. The blue- collar illustrating that everywhere,
:25:17. > :25:26.temperatures at or below freezing and by the end of the night, these
:25:26. > :25:30.are the figures. Minus five, minus seven and possibly minus ten.
:25:30. > :25:34.Tomorrow, another fine day with someone to sunshine, walked out
:25:34. > :25:38.through the Channel, high-level cloud spelling in from the West to
:25:38. > :25:43.end the day ahead of that when the system coming on Saturday but a dry
:25:43. > :25:46.day and not very warm. Temperatures between one and three degrees, the
:25:46. > :25:51.highest temperatures in the west of Cornwall and around the Isles of
:25:51. > :26:01.Scilly. We will see temperatures here of up to six degrees. But
:26:01. > :26:03.
:26:03. > :26:08.clouding over in the second half. And for the surfing... About two
:26:08. > :26:15.feet and clean on the north and south coast. And the coastal to
:26:15. > :26:23.forecast. Much better, less wind. Very able and becoming suddenly. We
:26:23. > :26:28.will find the wind becoming south- westerly tomorrow evening. This is
:26:28. > :26:32.causing us some worry. It will fall as rain but as a bomb sent to the
:26:32. > :26:37.low temperatures it might fall asleep and snow. Over the high
:26:38. > :26:42.ground of Devon and Cornwall mainly. As it moves into Somerset and
:26:42. > :26:47.Dorset, to quite low levels, there is a possibility of snow on
:26:47. > :26:51.Saturday morning. Into the mild air on Sunday and the possibility of
:26:52. > :26:58.further outbreaks of rain on Monday. But another bitterly cold night
:26:58. > :27:02.tonight. Have a good evening! you. The top story - firefighters
:27:02. > :27:07.are fighting a big blaze in a row of thatched cottages in Crediton
:27:07. > :27:14.and rows have been closed. John Henderson is there for us. The
:27:14. > :27:18.latest? What they're trying to do is desperately put out this fire.
:27:18. > :27:21.You can see the firefighters on the thatched roof, it has been
:27:21. > :27:26.completely burnt out and they're trying to stop it from spreading to
:27:26. > :27:32.neighbouring property. You can see this form, they have been using