:00:12. > :00:19.Tonight the shocking figures which reveal the extent of excessive
:00:20. > :00:21.drinking across the South West. Good evening. In Devon alone 40,000
:00:22. > :00:24.people are totally dependent on alcohol. We'll hear from one
:00:25. > :00:33.recovering alcoholic about the effects of drinking a bottle of
:00:34. > :00:40.vodka a day. Rock bottom, I could not see any way of getting out, I
:00:41. > :00:45.lost my job, my licence and my girl. Also tonight at the cyclist at the
:00:46. > :00:51.centre of the doping investigation. Team Sky's Jonathan Tiernan`Locke
:00:52. > :00:55.could face disciplinary action. As our economy starts to pick up, the
:00:56. > :01:01.prediction that there be not be enough skilled workers. Figures
:01:02. > :01:04.obtained by BBC South West show that there are more than 40 thousand
:01:05. > :01:07.people in the region who are totally dependent on alcohol. There are also
:01:08. > :01:10.more than two hundred thousand people in Devon who are 'high risk
:01:11. > :01:14.drinkers' and are consuming more alcohol than is recommended. Kirk
:01:15. > :01:22.England has been taking a look at the figures and hearing from one
:01:23. > :01:30.recovering alcoholic. Now, it is tea, but it used to be vulgar, a
:01:31. > :01:37.bottle a day. I cannot think of anything worse `` vodka. You are
:01:38. > :01:41.completely alone, with no money with nowhere to turn. Nowhere. You
:01:42. > :01:46.desperately need a drink, it is an awful feeling. The impact of
:01:47. > :01:53.drinking to excess can be immense. Rock bottom, I could not see any way
:01:54. > :01:58.of getting out, I lost my job, my licence and my girl. Local authority
:01:59. > :02:01.figures obtained by the programme highlight how many people are
:02:02. > :02:16.drinking more than the government recommends. In Devon, it is 140,
:02:17. > :02:18.50,000 in Plymouth, 21,000 in Torbay and 76,000 in Cornwall and the Isles
:02:19. > :02:20.of Scilly. Across those areas, nearly 40,000 people are totally
:02:21. > :02:24.dependent on alcohol. Hospital treatment can be needed in the worst
:02:25. > :02:28.cases, but many people can reduce the amount they drink with
:02:29. > :02:36.professional help. Everybody can change, we believe that. Some people
:02:37. > :02:42.want to be abstinent, others want to be able to get back to how they used
:02:43. > :02:48.to be, to control their usage. It is possible, some people can do it on
:02:49. > :02:54.their own. Others will need some more structured support and it may
:02:55. > :03:00.be a long`term plan of reduction or perhaps medically inpatient detox.
:03:01. > :03:04.Local authorities are responsible for public health. The County
:03:05. > :03:13.Council is urging people to go dry in January and stop drinking to help
:03:14. > :03:17.bring the problem under control. Joining me from our Barnstaple
:03:18. > :03:22.studio is a counsellor with responsibility for health and
:03:23. > :03:26.well`being in Devon. When I heard the figures, I was shocked. Nearly a
:03:27. > :03:31.quarter of the population of Devon are drinking more than the
:03:32. > :03:35.government recommends. What can be done to encourage people to rethink
:03:36. > :03:45.their drinking habits? We are asking people to look at how much they
:03:46. > :03:50.drink. We are suggesting that people have a dry January. We should all
:03:51. > :03:54.give up drinking for 31 days. You say we all know the recommended
:03:55. > :04:05.limits, but these figures suggest otherwise. In Devon, we are going
:04:06. > :04:10.out and talking about the limits. What we are saying is give up
:04:11. > :04:16.alcohol for a month and see how much better you feel. What about the help
:04:17. > :04:26.and support for people who are totally dependent on alcohol? We
:04:27. > :04:30.know there are 27,000 people in Devon who are addicted to alcohol
:04:31. > :04:35.and what we are saying is please go and see your GP, there is help out
:04:36. > :04:41.there, it is available and there is a supportive mechanism for actually
:04:42. > :04:45.being able to give up alcohol. The worrying thing is not only the
:04:46. > :04:52.effect on health, but also the cost to the NHS, the councils. This is a
:04:53. > :04:57.huge burden on society. We are talking about many billions of
:04:58. > :05:01.pounds nationally. Yes, it is a time bomb which is waiting to happen,
:05:02. > :05:06.because as we all get older, world we have had decades of drinking too
:05:07. > :05:11.much, that means there will be a larger burden on the NHS. Thank you.
:05:12. > :05:14.Plymouth's professional cyclist Jonathan Tiernan`Locke is at the
:05:15. > :05:17.centre of a doping investigation today. The 28`year`old, who's
:05:18. > :05:20.contracted to Team Sky, could face disciplinary proceedings after the
:05:21. > :05:30.results of a drugs test were questioned by cycling's governing
:05:31. > :05:34.body. Dave Gibbons is with us to discuss the implications. How did
:05:35. > :05:41.the allegation come about? It came about from the union which is the
:05:42. > :05:47.sport's international governing body and they have asked British cycling
:05:48. > :05:52.to instigate proceedings against Jonathan Tiernan`Locke. They insist
:05:53. > :05:56.on regulatory anti`doping test, but they were not happy with a
:05:57. > :06:03.particular reading taken before he signed for his current team. What is
:06:04. > :06:09.Jonathan saying about it? He issued a statement denying the charges. He
:06:10. > :06:18.signed a two`year deal with Team Sky in 2012, after winning the tour of
:06:19. > :06:23.Britain. That included a leg of the King of the Mountains in Devon. You
:06:24. > :06:28.can see him there in the orange jersey. He was very successful in
:06:29. > :06:36.that year. Before he signed for a Team Sky, he won three major
:06:37. > :06:41.titles. What happens now? There is? Against his career with Team Sky. He
:06:42. > :06:49.is not going to ride for them at the moment. A decision will have to be
:06:50. > :06:55.made. He will go all out to try and clear his name. Thank you. A
:06:56. > :06:57.freelance presenter for BBC Radio Cornwall has appeared before
:06:58. > :07:00.magistrates accused of sexual assault. Sixty`two`year`old Freddy
:07:01. > :07:03.Zapp from Redruth is accused of one count of assault by beating a female
:07:04. > :07:07.and one count of sexual assault against a female over the age of 16.
:07:08. > :07:11.Mr Zapp who has hosted a programme on BBC Radio Cornwall since 1992 is
:07:12. > :07:18.now due to appear before Truro Crown Court in January. The BBC says he's
:07:19. > :07:20.currently not on air. Dorset's Police and Crime Commissioner,
:07:21. > :07:24.Martyn Underhill, is proposing to increase the amount people pay for
:07:25. > :07:27.policing in Dorset next year by 1.95%. The money will be used to
:07:28. > :07:31.recruit new officers and invest in new technology. The increase is
:07:32. > :07:38.equivalent to a rise of seven pence a week per household. A 17th Century
:07:39. > :07:41.cottage which a local council deemed too bright is being repainted. The
:07:42. > :07:44.owners of Lantern Cottage in Kennford, near Exeter, had argued it
:07:45. > :07:47.was the building's original colour. But Teignbridge council disagreed
:07:48. > :07:56.and ordered them to tone it down to something slightly softer. Coming up
:07:57. > :08:00.later in the programme... A new chapter for pubs in Cornwall taking
:08:01. > :08:15.on a novel use and we discover the true beginnings of the Nine Lessons
:08:16. > :08:18.and Carols. More than a hundred vacancies for apprentices are going
:08:19. > :08:21.unfilled at companies across the region. There are concerns the lack
:08:22. > :08:24.of trainee workers will get worse in the new year as the recovery picks
:08:25. > :08:28.up. In particular, big construction projects such as the new towns of
:08:29. > :08:30.Cranbrook and Sherford may struggle to find enough workers. Our business
:08:31. > :08:42.correspondent Neil Gallacher reports. Construction could be one
:08:43. > :08:46.of the biggest industries had to buy a skills shortage predicted by one
:08:47. > :08:51.of the region's training providers. A company called Skills Group is
:08:52. > :08:56.trying to fill vacancies for apprentices in a range of
:08:57. > :09:01.industries. It is unusual at this stage of the year and the boss
:09:02. > :09:06.thinks it reflects growth in the local economy. Before Christmas it
:09:07. > :09:09.is usually quiet and now we have more opportunities than we can fill
:09:10. > :09:15.and it will get busier and January. With building planned for a
:09:16. > :09:19.Sherford, a shortage of training construction workers could become a
:09:20. > :09:26.pressing issue. There is a big project next year, we will struggle
:09:27. > :09:29.to cope with it if we do not have apprentices. Apprentices are paid by
:09:30. > :09:33.the firm, but the state plays for all of the job training for
:09:34. > :09:43.apprentices aged up to 18. The minimum wage is just ?2 68, but for
:09:44. > :09:47.under 18 's, it is 372 and the main adult minimum wage is ?6 31.
:09:48. > :09:50.Typically apprentices live at home and at least they are earning,
:09:51. > :09:57.unlike many of their friends from school. What else might you have
:09:58. > :10:02.done? Stayed in college, not earned any money, I would rather earn
:10:03. > :10:08.money. How soon do you imagine you will be a qualified bricklayer?
:10:09. > :10:15.Hopefully next summer. It is fairly quick. At least on this building
:10:16. > :10:18.site there were signs of clear interest from at least one young
:10:19. > :10:25.person keeping an eye on industry developments. Exeter is leading the
:10:26. > :10:28.South West's way out of the economic downturn, according to a new survey.
:10:29. > :10:31.The city's Chamber of Commerce found sales increasing at their fastest
:10:32. > :10:34.rate in ten years, and many businesses looking to increase
:10:35. > :10:46.investment and take on new staff. Our correspondent Simon Hall is in
:10:47. > :10:51.Exeter. This is the Exeter Christmas market, it has brought thousands of
:10:52. > :10:54.visitors into the city, not perhaps that Exeter really need them,
:10:55. > :11:03.judging by the survey, the city seems to be doing very nicely. Saks
:11:04. > :11:07.Hair is a success story. The salon has seen trade double in two years
:11:08. > :11:13.since it opened. Business is going so well that next year they are
:11:14. > :11:17.looking to take on another to staff. We believe the economy is buoyant
:11:18. > :11:25.and there is a lot to look forward to `` two staff. I think the reports
:11:26. > :11:29.will show you that it is expanding and doing better each quarter. A new
:11:30. > :11:34.survey by the chamber of commerce has found that many other businesses
:11:35. > :11:40.in the city are thriving. More than 60% of firms have seen an increased
:11:41. > :11:46.`` an increase in sales in the last quarter. One third expect to recruit
:11:47. > :11:53.new staff. More than 80% plan to give staff pay rises that after
:11:54. > :11:57.years of wage freezes. I think Exeter is leading the way out of the
:11:58. > :12:03.recession. We did quite well during the recession and now things are
:12:04. > :12:09.moving. It is looking much better than it was a year ago, things are
:12:10. > :12:13.looking good. As for the vital Christmas period, the picture is
:12:14. > :12:17.more mixed. Exeter city centre report an increase in shoppers, but
:12:18. > :12:23.some retailers are concerned about patchy trade. It is not yet clear
:12:24. > :12:35.whether it will be a merry Christmas for the region's High Street. The
:12:36. > :12:40.fair tonight is hosting an event for people and businesses who get
:12:41. > :12:46.together on Twitter to meet up in real life. Tonight it is business
:12:47. > :12:51.orientated, it is based around Devon Hour, a community for businesses in
:12:52. > :12:57.Devon. The founder joins us now. How important is social media? It is
:12:58. > :13:02.becoming really important. A lot of people are using social media
:13:03. > :13:07.everyday. More and more businesses in Devon are signing up to it
:13:08. > :13:14.everyday. It is really important. You have 7000 members. How are you
:13:15. > :13:20.helping business? We have a pop`up gallery, a group of artists who came
:13:21. > :13:26.together on Devon Hour and they set up a pop`up gallery. They have got
:13:27. > :13:34.one in Exeter at the moment. Some fantastic artist. Good for artists
:13:35. > :13:40.and good for the cafe. There are so many people involved. How important
:13:41. > :13:46.do you think social media will be in the future? I think it will be
:13:47. > :13:51.really important. People need to remember that the younger generation
:13:52. > :13:58.are always on social media. If they are looking for products they will
:13:59. > :14:06.look for it online. Thank you. If you're interested in Devon Hour, it
:14:07. > :14:09.on Twitter. So we've seen a mixed picture of the economy, with signs
:14:10. > :14:12.of recovery there in Exeter, but a battle to find enough apprentices to
:14:13. > :14:16.fill vacancies. Meanwhile there are calls for more young people in the
:14:17. > :14:18.South West to take up career opportunities in the Agricultural
:14:19. > :14:22.and food industries. A three day farming course is being run for
:14:23. > :14:25.teenagers who are not in education, employment or training so they can
:14:26. > :14:32.get a taste of what the Agricultural industry has to offer. Johnny
:14:33. > :14:37.Rutherford reports. Learning how to get stuck in and get your hands
:14:38. > :14:44.dirty. These teenagers are experiencing farm life as part of a
:14:45. > :14:49.course at this farm. These young people who are not in employment or
:14:50. > :14:52.education sometimes can be going around feeling down and dismal
:14:53. > :14:57.feeling they do not have much hope, and what I hope is that we will be
:14:58. > :15:02.able to give them a taste of the things available in the role
:15:03. > :15:05.professions and also inspire them. They may not have had the best art
:15:06. > :15:15.and life, but that does not mean they are doomed to failure. He said
:15:16. > :15:18.he started farming after leaving school without qualifications and
:15:19. > :15:23.today was inspiring youngsters that it is about having a positive
:15:24. > :15:28.attitude. The idea is to give them experience in the industry. These
:15:29. > :15:36.are booming industries, very important to the economy. It is
:15:37. > :15:43.giving them a chance to get involved in this sector. As part of the
:15:44. > :15:49.experience, this jury at `` the students will gain a qualification.
:15:50. > :15:54.I applied for an apprenticeship, what better chance to get first`hand
:15:55. > :16:00.experience? I do not want to be behind a desk, I want to be out and
:16:01. > :16:05.doing something. It is hoped this taster will point them towards a
:16:06. > :16:09.career in farming. The pub and the library have been at the heart of
:16:10. > :16:12.community life in the South West for generations, but both have had to
:16:13. > :16:16.struggle for survival in recent years. Well in Cornwall the two are
:16:17. > :16:19.joining forces Yes two pubs in the county are offering customers the
:16:20. > :16:22.chance to borrow a book alongside their favourite tipple. Spotlight's
:16:23. > :16:34.David George has been to one of them near Redruth. Starr is a cosy and
:16:35. > :16:38.comfortable pub with a good of ales and authors. Pubs have been
:16:39. > :16:42.diversifying as restaurants and post offices for years, but this is the
:16:43. > :16:55.first time a full library service has been offered with the wines and
:16:56. > :17:02.beers. This is a famous author. It is a brilliant idea. The nearest
:17:03. > :17:08.main library is in Redruth, which is two or three miles away. The local
:17:09. > :17:12.bus service has been cut back dramatically and it does not work as
:17:13. > :17:17.well as it used to, so it is much better for your `` for local people
:17:18. > :17:22.to come here. It is a new chapter and the landlord says the longer
:17:23. > :17:27.opening hours make it ideal. It is picking up every day. People think
:17:28. > :17:36.it is a good idea. We have signed up new members. We have lent out more
:17:37. > :17:51.books. There is not a mad rush, but it is starting to get used. It
:17:52. > :17:55.speaks volumes. This may not be everyone's joys of reading, but
:17:56. > :17:59.locals here can choose what ever books they like and they will be
:18:00. > :18:04.delivered here by the library service straight to the pub in a few
:18:05. > :18:07.days. Cornwall has not yet closed any libraries but budget cuts mean
:18:08. > :18:13.that the service is under review. The council says the scheme is
:18:14. > :18:20.simply a way to make books more accessible to more people. It's a
:18:21. > :18:22.tradition thousands of us sit down to enjoy every Christmas Eve `
:18:23. > :18:25.Carols from King's College Cambridge. The service is based on
:18:26. > :18:29.the traditional Nine Lessons and Carols ` which tells the story of
:18:30. > :18:32.Jesus's birth. Most people assume it had its origins in the University
:18:33. > :18:36.College, but in fact, it was created in Cornwall and as Nick Beake
:18:37. > :18:53.reports it's being staged once again tonight at Truro Cathedral. The eyes
:18:54. > :18:58.of millions are on the soloist who has the nerve wracking honour of
:18:59. > :19:04.starting at off. The choir here have made this festive spectacle their
:19:05. > :19:09.own, but it was Cornwall in 1880 that started this most British
:19:10. > :19:12.Christmas tradition and today's choir at Truro Cathedral are
:19:13. > :19:30.bringing the first service back to life. This is one of the orders of
:19:31. > :19:42.service from 1880. It is a curious mix, some pieces are more like
:19:43. > :19:48.musicals. I know from reading articles from the press that this
:19:49. > :19:56.type of singing was not distinguished in churches in
:19:57. > :20:06.Cornwall at the time. Let us see what happens. They may not have
:20:07. > :20:12.recognised this vocal warm up back in 1880, but probably this one. They
:20:13. > :20:16.practised 12 hours awake and learning these old pieces has been
:20:17. > :20:25.rewarding and challenging. `` a week. We have to pronounce things
:20:26. > :20:33.properly and there are odd gaps in the words. I have got a solo. For
:20:34. > :20:38.others, this is not a time for pulling out all the stops, in fact
:20:39. > :20:44.he is raining it in for a more accurate but Tory and sound. That
:20:45. > :21:02.will be authentic. It is a bit like having a souped up car. `` Victorian
:21:03. > :21:06.sound. From the house of beer to the house of God, but research suggests
:21:07. > :21:10.that the service was a bit like a Christmas present to some very
:21:11. > :21:14.disgruntled local people who had had their houses knocked down to make
:21:15. > :21:20.way for the new cathedral. They will be hoping there is no rebellion in
:21:21. > :21:23.the air tonight with up to 1000 people expected here to celebrate
:21:24. > :21:37.this often forgotten Cornish invention.
:21:38. > :21:47.It is time for the weather. Good evening. We have got some stormy
:21:48. > :21:53.weather with us for tomorrow, more rain, possibly quite torrential,
:21:54. > :21:58.strengthening winds, it will be quite mild tomorrow, but we do have
:21:59. > :22:11.a warning out from 3pm tomorrow for the strength of the wind, gusting up
:22:12. > :22:18.to 60 mph. Earlier on today, you can see that we were in between two lots
:22:19. > :22:23.of cloud, but tonight it does not look too bad. By the time we get to
:22:24. > :22:28.tomorrow, we have a weather front moving in bringing in moderate
:22:29. > :22:35.outbreaks of rain, but this low pressure system will bring
:22:36. > :22:40.torrential rain tomorrow evening. By Thursday lunchtime, that weather
:22:41. > :22:45.front will clear and there will be showers, some cooler conditions as
:22:46. > :22:50.well. Back to today, showery rain continuing for parts of Cornwall and
:22:51. > :22:59.Devon. Some bright weather as well, this is how it looked earlier
:23:00. > :23:02.today. Relatively calm conditions. To make the most of the calm
:23:03. > :23:11.weather, it will turn stormy tomorrow. `` do make the most. If
:23:12. > :23:17.you did see the sunshine, you are lucky. We will all have more cloud
:23:18. > :23:21.tomorrow. For tonight, the last of the showers will clear away and we
:23:22. > :23:26.will have some dry and clear weather. Moving into the early
:23:27. > :23:31.hours, we will see cloud increasing from the West. The winds will
:23:32. > :23:36.increase as well. Temperatures tonight initially will drop away
:23:37. > :23:43.from the coast, but it should feel a bit milder by the time we get to
:23:44. > :23:48.Thursday. We will have rain with us for much of the day and then these
:23:49. > :23:54.winds will pick up during the afternoon. These are the average
:23:55. > :24:00.wind speeds. You concede those fears colours, arrange is looking
:24:01. > :24:11.torrential `` you can see those fears colours. `` strong colours.
:24:12. > :24:15.For the Isles of Scilly, heavy rain, along with the strong to gale
:24:16. > :24:28.force winds. The times of high water... For the surfers, you might
:24:29. > :24:34.find cleaner waves on the north coast, but on the south coast they
:24:35. > :24:49.will be messy. The coastal waters forecast...
:24:50. > :24:56.Once the rain clears by the end of the day tomorrow, Thursday will have
:24:57. > :25:03.breezy conditions, but the winds will not be as strong, there will be
:25:04. > :25:09.showers and cooler air. All change again on Friday, try from much of
:25:10. > :25:16.the day, but by Friday night it will be wet and windy again.
:25:17. > :25:22.Now, before we go, it's time to hear another Christmas carol from our
:25:23. > :25:25.choirs and singers from the four counties of the South West. This
:25:26. > :25:28.evening it's the beautiful Coventry Carol sung by the University of
:25:29. > :25:31.Exeter Chapel Choir recorded in the Mary Harris Chapel on the campus.
:25:32. > :25:38.From all of us on Spotlight, goodnight.