18/04/2013 Spotlight

One of Britain's worst water poisoning incidents - 25 years on a

new report has prompted claims of a cover up.

Good evening. The report says the Camelford poisoning is unlikely to

cause any long-term health effects, but that's angered campaigners.

Also tonight: An inquest hears how a mother

drowned trying to save her son. Alison Tooby died at Northcott

Mouth, near Bude. Both of her sons survived.

And a bed shortage means South West mental health patients have to

travel hundreds of miles for treatment.

An inquest today heard about frantic efforts made to try to save

a woman who drowned whilst trying to rescue one of her sons from a

rip current in Cornwall. 52-year- old Alison Tooby from Wellington

died at Northcott Mouth beach, near Bude, last September. Her sons were

still on school holidays, but lifeguard cover had stopped at the

beach the previous day. The coroner described the only way to describe

what happened on September 3rd last year as tragic. Alison Tooby knew

the beach well. She had taken her sons there to enjoy some of the

good weather, but the strong will rip currents claimed her life.

Northcott Mouth is popular in high season, but with local schools back,

there were only around 15 people on it last September. Alison Tooby

went into the water after one of her son's got into trouble. The bit

tight track her 100 metres out to sea. A series of witness statements

were read to the inquest telling of the difficult situation. A woman

said that even the lifeguards was struggling in the water. One man

said he was exhausted as he tried to rescue Alison, who was face down

in the water. Lifeguards from another beach eventually brought

Alison out of the water. She was airlifted to hospital, but died

from drowning. Lifeguard bosses say the number of people are using

beaches are keep in deciding the level of cover. We provide

lifeguard services based on local schools. We cannot cover all

eventualities. The school holidays in Scotland are different from here

in Cornwall. We have to provide a service based on a local need and I

think we have got that right. Alison's family thanked those who

went into the water, saying there were very brave. On returning a

verdict of accidental death, the coroner said it was due to a set of

unfortunate circumstances and reminded people they needed to

respect the sea and be cautious on beaches that are not patrolled by

lifeguards. Campaigners wanting answers to

Britain's worst water poisoning incident say they're still

convinced there's been a cover-up. 25 years after the Camelford

poisoning and after numerous reports and inquires, a Government

committee has concluded that it's unlikely to have caused long term

effects. However, it wants more research into the development of

babies at the time. Tonight the report has been slammed by

campaigners, who say it's worthless. This treatment works in come off it

today. Little son of the huge impact of the water pollution

incidents 25 years ago. A tanker accidentally dumped aluminum

sulphate into the wrong tank. It entered the water supply to 20,000

local residents. Since then there have been concerns over the

potential health problems. To date, an independent committee of experts

published its review into the incident. In general, it is

unlikely that there were any long- term health effects, but there were

certain areas with the information was strong enough to suggest that

further investigation should be carried out. Those key areas focus

Last year a coroner said there was a very real possibility it was a

factor into the death of 59-year- old Carroll crossed his brain

contained high levels of aluminium. Hurt we do were recently resigned

from the committee behind the report today. It is useless. It has

just collected information from people as to how they felt at the

time. People wanted their records looked out and they refused to do

it. They recommendation for further research will go to the government

to decide whether or not it goes ahead.

Families of people who are mentally ill say too many have to travel

hundreds of miles for treatment because of a shortage of beds close

to home. Patients from Devon and Cornwall may be sent as far away as

Southampton and Hertfordshire. Mental health trusts say they try

to treat people close to home, but it's not always possible.

This woman says her son is too far away for her and her husband, who

both have disabilities, to visit. He was in a Devon psychiatric

hospital, but became unwell and is now in the unit in Stevenage. We

have changed her name and voiced to protect her son's privacy. If we

don't see him, he thinks we don't care. That is not the case. It is a

460 mile trip which is too much for us. My son is totally isolated

there. Devon has no psychiatric intensive care unit and at any one

time around eight people are in unit outside of the area. Often

just over the border, but sometimes further afield. We understand it is

distressing for them, their families and carers, for them to be

treated away from home. We do everything we can to treat people

as locally as possible. Over the last couple of years we have half

the number of people who need to receive treatment away from home.

She points out that trusts cannot provide all mental health needs

locally, but Devon does have eating disorder units ants other units

that some regions do not have. John contacted BBC Radio Cornwall when

his wife was sent to Southampton recently. I was gutted for my wife

and for myself and my daughter. We cannot go and see her unless I take

special time off from work. I want my wife treated in Cornwall and

given the best care. Cornwall Partnership Trust said it was

funded for 52 acute beds and when they will fall, it found the next

available bed out of county. It said it recognised it could be

difficult for families and carers and the patient is always brought

back to Cornwall as soon as possible. Other solutions are now

being looked out. The mother of a teenager swept to

her death during training for the Ten Tors will go without a penny in

compensation, despite a judge's ruling that a teacher negligently

got lost on the way to a checkpoint. Charlotte Shaw died in March 2007

while trying to cross a swollen brook on Dartmoor. Her mother has

been fighting for compensation from her daughter's school, but today

suffered final defeat at the Court of Appeal.

We're sorry that viewers in the Channel Islands are not receiving

their usual programme tonight. Its due to a technical fault. We're

working to fix the problem. Here are the main headlines for the

channel islands tonight: The former Jersey Magistrate Ian

Christmas has lost his appeal against his conviction and sentence

for fraud. Christmas is serving 15 months in prison for his part in a

property investment scheme. Last October the former judge was jailed

for defrauding an islander out of �100,000. Three other men were also

convicted and sent to prison - they have all lost their appeals at

Jersey's Magistrates Court. Ten people could lose their jobs at

Jersey's biggest security firm after bosses wrote to staff warning

them of problems. G4S, which employs more than 500 people here,

says two of it's departments have struggled since Jersey's building

industry's shrunk. A spokesperson says G4S is doing all it can to

avoid any jobs losses and is working with staff and unions to

find an alternative. Later in the programme:

The worrying decline in the butterfly population.

Plus eavesdropping on everyday conversations - the new project

recording life in the South West And fundraisers are go! The Fab

Four on a special mission from A Cornish school says it's had to

stop using the leisure centre next door after Cornwall Council asked

it to start paying more than �40,000 a year. The head teacher at

Wadebridge School says it's now being asked for a large sum of

money it just doesn't have. The council though says the school was

made aware of the financial implications when it left the local

authority's control to become an academy. Our Political Editor

Martyn Oates is here. Is it just a local row? That is a good question.

The score says it can make some financial contribution, but what

the council is asking for is too high. The council is making the

general point that the school cannot become an Academy and at the

same time carry on using local authority facilities in the way it

did before. The local MP thinks this is all about the details of

this particular case there. There has to be away for what that

involves the council and the governors sitting down and coming

to an agreement over affair that charge. But I have heard the

council had been slow in getting back to the governors. The council

insists negotiations are ongoing. But academies are one of the

government's headline policies. They are, but Labour think an even

bigger policy could play a role in this. I expect part of the drive

behind this is that the council themselves are seen enormous cuts

from central government and of putting charges on in various areas.

The Conservative MP George used us says this does not represent a

bigger flaw in the Academy programme. Every school that has

become an academy has been given extra funding. Those schools that

have become academies have not wanted to turn back. But

occasionally, there are teething problems.

Theoretically, more Cornish schools could find themselves in this

position because at least half of its secondary schools are academies.

It's potentially fatal, but despite that, experts say epilepsy is a

much misunderstood condition. Now one Devon man who suffered from it

for years without realising it is helping to raise awareness of the

illness in the hope of changing public perceptions. Spotlight's

Carole Madge has been to meet him. Tending his allotment on the edge

of Dartmoor is a therapeutic pastime for David could win. For

two decades he had no idea he had a serious condition, but 10 years ago

he was diagnosed with epilepsy. He lost his job as his health

deteriorated. It feels hideous. Imagine how you feel when you have

a bad dose of flu. Multiply that by 10. You have headaches like you've

never experienced before and you are absolutely shattered. You sleep

a lot afterwards and every muscle in your body aches like mad. It is

incredibly painful. New research has shown there is poor

understanding of the condition and public awareness has not improved

over the last decade. There are still some people who think that

epilepsy is contagious, which it is not. There are also people who

think it is caused by evil spirits which is ridiculous. But these

beliefs are still out there. After undergoing an operation, Dave no

longer suffers from seizures and the hopes that this campaign will

help to make life easier for people like him.

Some of the South West's rarest butterflies are at risk after one

of the wettest years on record. Our region is of particular importance

to some species, such as fritillaries. They bore the brunt

of the bad weather and now face the real threat of extinction in some

parts of the country. Our Environment Correspondent Adrian

Campbell has been meeting those fighting for their survival.

Burning some of the course back at this butterfly reserve in

Dorchester is an effective way of helping the butterfly population.

They need all the help they can get after be worse year on record for

all species, including this Brown spotted fritillary. Our volunteers

have been cutting back the scrub and vegetation. We have finally got

some signs of spring. It has been a very cold spring. What you think

about the issue of climate change? I think it is a real problem.

Evidence is demonstrating that it is happening and for a number of

species and all of our wildlife it is a problem. This chalk grassland

act as an an important habitat for a work butterflies. They help to

pollinate crops and they also provide a thing source for other

species, such as bats. Today there was no sign of butterflies or their

larvae, just this one Riga LEA caterpillar. -- just this one

caterpillar. It has been muddy and wet for months and months. I cannot

remember a lovely day out. Bankster volunteers, efforts are being made

to help our butterflies, but what they really need is a hot summer.

Are you ever tempted to listen into other peoples conversations? Well

now you can with a new BBC Feature called the Listening Project. This

week, BBC Radio Devon have been playing recorded conversations

about a wide range of topics, all which will end up being part of the

British Library's oral archive. Nicola and her son Jordan agreed to

be recorded as Jordan's great-great grandfather did a similar project

just after being a firefighter in the Second World War. Johnny

Rutherford travelled to Torquay to earwig on a conversation about

joining the army. So tell mum why you have collected this memorabilia.

Because it was used in a real battle. One day I'd like to join

the Army. What you think you like to do in on me? I'd like to be a

sniper. You know it is not a game and you might be asked to take

someone's life. It all comes with it. Do you think you could look

someone in the eye and pulled the trigger? -- and pull the trigger? I

know it is a hard one. It would take some thought, but yes. I know

that you like guns and everything and you go to a gun club. You are

good about being, but when you are just shooting at targets, they go

down and come up. It is not the same with the person. What attracts

you to it then, wanted to go into the forces? I just want to protect

you guys and it's the routine and the lifestyle under opportunity --

and the opportunities it gives you. I'd rather die saving someone's

live and not taking someone's life. I don't know what to say. As a

sniper, that is what you would be doing. I would be saving more lives,

I don't want to say it, but for the greater good. For someone who is

only 13, you have some heavy thoughts. When I was your age, I

was playing with my Barbie dolls. But that is you. Used to watch

Disney every day. Guilty as charged. And you can hear more of Nicola and

Jordan's chat and other people's conversations on various topics on

BBC Radio Devon over the next few weeks. Or if you want to join in on

the listening project the website address is bbc.co.uk/thelistening

project. Now, if you have been out and about

today, you may have spotted a rather distinctive pink Rolls-Royce

making its way from Cornwall through the South West. And inside

four very well-known car enthusiasts - Chris Evans, James

May, Gary Barlow and Professor Brian Cox. They are on their way

from Lands End to John O'Groats to help raise a million pounds for a

cancer charity. Eleanor Parkinson caught up with them just before

they set off. Take for men, a pink Rolls-Royce

and a fabulous number plate and you have the perfect way of raising

money, and attracting a crowd. Chris Evans, James May, Gary Barlow

and Professor Brian Cox are driving the car from Land's End to John

o'Groats in one day. The whole idea has been cooked up by Chris Evans,

whose mother has just been given the all-clear from breast cancer.

People are affected by cancer in different ways. Breast Cancer Care

is not but biggest charity, but they do a lot of work, so we want

to raise their profile. Julian Maurice says the charity is a

lifeline. When I was first diagnosed, I was supported by a

group of nurses at my local hospital, so obviously, terrific

support. They were there at the end of the phone when I needed them.

a radio DJ, a famous singer, a scientist and a car enthusiast -

what will they talk about on their 870 mile journey? Physics. I'm

hoping to get to the last year of an undergraduate degree by John

O'Groats. What will be your main topic? The charts this week.

what about batka? It is a fantastic way to get around the country,

especially if you are going from one end to the other and this

particular charity stunt being is not difficult. It's not going to be

one of the great human achievements - some men drove a car. The Faber

list for set off just after 10 o'clock. They cannot hang about

because a certain Mr Evans has a radio show to do in London tomorrow

morning. Going in a Rolls Royce isn't too bad! Good luck to them.

And now the weather. We have got some good weather to

look forward to for a change. Lighter winds and we will see some

sunshine. There is a big slot of clear sky down to the South West of

ours. It is a big area of high pressure and it is heading away. We

do see this weather system trickled past ask, so don't expect clear

skies all night. They could be some patchy rain. It is moving steadily,

so by the time you get up tomorrow, would have gone. By pressure is

also with us for the weekend. The showers we have seen today have

been lively, but almost all of them have gone and it is a lovely end

two the day. This was Exeter earlier today where there was some

sunshine and shelter from the blustery wind. It is very pleasant

this evening, a quiet end to the day. Even the wind will ease off

overnight. Tonight, here comes the patchy rain I mentioned. It would

disappear soon after dawn and the winds will drop. Temperatures no

lower than eight degrees at the start of the day. For the rest of

the does some long spells of sunshine to enjoy. The winds on

lighter, so it will feel warmer even if the temperatures are not

that much different. 14 degrees the maximum. The overnight showers will

disappear and and make way for -- and make way for sunshine. A good

day in the Isle of Scilly with great visibility and lots of

sunshine. Here are the times of high water. Expect the surf to ease

off. There have been some big waves and the South West will have the

best tomorrow, although it will be quite choppy. And here are the

coastal waters. As we head into the weekend, we have got this area of

high pressure which means settled weather on Saturday. This weather

system will gradually moving during the course of the day on Sunday.

Fairly slow progress on that. Bright and cold on Sunday morning

and then increasingly cloudy with patchy rain, especially for Devon

and Cornwall. Here is the summary. Pleasant weather for the next