14/02/2014 Spotlight

to British coastlines, with winds of up to 80 mph. That's all from the

The third Atlantic storm in two weeks ` tonight the South West is on

alert again. Good evening. Welcome to Spotlight.

In the last half`an`hour yet another weather warning has come into force.

A night of very strong winds is on the cards once more with the coast

facing a fresh battering. I'm hearing Kingsand as Cornwell takes

another battering from stormy seas. Dash`macro here in.

Also tonight ` another wet day on the Somerset Levels. Police help

residents salvage prize possessions And braving the elements ` the

tourist industry says most half`term visitors aren't being put off by the

weather. It's become a familiar story, but

conditions tonight are as serious as ever. After a day of rain across the

South West the wind has been strengthening once again ` a third

Atlantic storm in two weeks beckons. Earlier, part of the village of

Colebrook, near Plymouth was flooded, trees were uprooted at

Ashburton and the water rose up at Clyst near Exeter, too. Roads across

the South West, including here at Ugborough in South Devon were

inundated. Tonight more than 3,000 homes are without power. An amber

warning from The Met Office has been issued as gusts of up to 80 miles an

hour are expected to whip up large waves on the south coast. A number

of severe flood warnings are in place in Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.

Spotlight's John Henderson reports on preparations in Looe. Macro bags

of help cash sum of the 4000 sandbags finally being offered for

free. For many they arrived just in time. A lot of businesses have

suffered. Some offices are flooding as the tide rises. Years ago,

sandbags were free, then they stopped all of that equals at the

lack of funding and we had to buy our own. But now, thank goodness Mr

Cameron has stepped in at last to help the people of Cornwall. But the

limit of ten sandbags per person inferior it others, like this man,

who has five businesses. Should you be limited to only ten bags when you

have five properties. It should be ten bags per property. When I pay

business rates of ?3000 a month, what am I paying for? But with

Cornwall facing a storm repair bill of ?20 million and rising, but

counsel said they could only give out we sandbags when the government

said they will underwrite the entire cast. There was a last`minute change

of heart. We don't want people to deprive others. We need to make sure

everyone has their access. If one person has more than one property

that needs protect thing, we are here to help them. And when it came

to sandbags, village macro wasn't alone. They were distributed in

other areas. John is in the Cornwall village of Kingsand. The sea is

coming at regular intervals. It is for water and it is running down the

Main Street. Earlier today it was taking a fearful pounding from the

waves. There was real concern that it might be further damaged. It was

very badly damaged last week and is being propped up by some

scaffolding. Just a minute or so ago I heard a terrible crash of that

scaffolding. I think the high tide is upon us and the next half an hour

will be critical. Lots of roads around here are closed and people

are congregating to see what is going on. There is real concern and

fear about what this storm could do and it really is quite worrying. It

is edgy because when I arrived here a couple of hours ago, there was

concern that the water was getting into the building and that would

break up a very important stained`glass window that could hit

passers`by. We are really in it. It is really wild and everyone has

their fingers crossed. All next week John will be travelling around the

South West visiting places that have suffered from weeks of bad weather.

If you have a story to tell, do get in contact with us. We are on

Facebook, Twitter and e`mail. You can get the latest as the storm

takes hold tonight on BBC Radio Devon and BBC Radio Cornwall. They

will be on air with special programmes, keeping you up to date.

David will be here later in the programme with a fall weather

forecast. The Somerset Levels have seen another terrible day. Villagers

can only watch as the water climbs higher. Macro the waters are still

rising. Most residents left more than a week ago, some return today

to check their homes. How was it? It is not great? The police can access

the flooded homes of Morland to retrieve objects for residents

forced to live elsewhere. If you can go in and get one thing, for

instance I bought out a bottle of wine that some friends sent one of

the residents from Canada. The Marines are now here helping to

sandbags the rest of the dry homes. The mud banks have been built up. It

is weathering away with the water, so we are trying to make it more

substantial. How pleased were you to see the Royal Marines? At long

last! We were missed them and yesterday they came and looked but

could not guaranteed because they said they could be posted elsewhere.

I hope that they are not going to say elsewhere is more important than

here. Altogether, 50 residents remain here, they are holding back

the water with sandbags. If we can get through tonight then hopefully

Sunday we will either be under or still here. They are by now

exhausted, physically and emotionally, but they say it is

worth it because by being here they've feel the authorities will

not abandon the village altogether. Now, as schools break up for

half`term, tonight is often the night we look ahead to the sort of

visitor numbers our huge tourism industry can can expect over the

coming week. But, of course, the weather is providing more of a twist

than normal. Some holiday`makers are cancelling their trips, but the

majority are braving the elements as hoteliers hope the message gets out

that the region is open for business. This hotel should have

been opened its half term but storm damage means it will stay closed

until Easter whilst major repairs are carried out. This cafe was also

hoping to be opened this week, but the storm has destroyed the reef,

lighting and furniture. These are just some of the images those

running attractions via my key people away. But that this hotel

they say that although a small number of people have cancelled,

most people have braved the journey. Bookings are still quite

good because we booked up early for half term, but some people have been

concerned in terms of getting down here. The overall picture is not too

bad at the moment. We are quite encouraged and a lot of the poor

holidaying on the short break in the south`west have made the effort. I

came down from Worthing. It was very windy and I travelled through three

hailstorms to come here. However, I could not stay away. This actor had

to travel because he is appearing in a show in which a row. We had to be

picked up from Waterloo in a minibus. Most people coming here

have phone that to check. Ironically, the very conditions that

might be putting some people off from coming down on proving a real

attraction when they get here and some businesses are feeling the

benefit. This beach restaurant has lots of customers. It is too early

yet to know whether the storms have affected bookings. There is more

information about the weather online and on your local radio station.

Groups and services which help vulnerable people could be facing

closure after Torbay Council agreed to make ?22 million worth of cuts

over the next two years. It's come about because of a drop in funding

from central Government. But opponents claim the council has its

priorities all wrong and should me making its cuts elsewhere. Our South

Devon reporter John Ayres was at last night's Budget meeting. This is

a campaign video encouraging the council not to cut their budget.

It's about what best suits you. This charity helps people with autism and

physical disabilities find work. It is losing all its funding. We are

disappointed because it will affect the most vulnerable group of

job`seekers in the bay. It will have a significant impact on the

employers and economy of the area. Many charities have been hit hard.

Some such as this centre have had a slight reprieve with money from

reserves, but others haven't. At a time when we are looking to get

preventative care with other organisations, it is being stopped.

It is ridiculous. This centre was built in the 1980s and is still

being subsidised. People feel that the council have their priorities

wrong. If you contrast the new services and the blank cheque

attitude for supporting the Riviera Centre, I find that absolutely

ridiculous. Over this dash`macro that it's term of office, this

administration will have had to save for dash`macro ?45 million. We need

to create jobs. It will lift families out of poverty. It is about

wealth creation and that is what we are trying to do. There were

difficult decisions to be made by Torbay Council. Some Conservative

councils expressed regret over certain decisions. However, the

council still have to find another 3.8 and impounded web of savings.

It's been announced that a prison in Dorset which will help offenders

reintegrate into the community won't be taking any prisoners from the

county. The Young Offenders Institution on Portland is becoming

a resettlement jail and will instead house adults from Gloucestershire,

Wiltshire and Somerset. Martyn joins me now. It sounds like an odd

scenario. How has it come about. In July the local dash`macro in July

the Justice Secretary said that people could receive prisoners from

other areas. Gloucs isn't at the other end of the country from

Dorset, but it is a couple of counties away and hardly local. This

is a setback and a disappointment to not only the communities of Dorset,

but the staff and organisations that are looking to work with the

offenders prior to their release back to Dorset. The Ministry of

Justice said it had reviewed the resettlement of the network to make

sure prisoners in every area would benefit from the reforms. It has

also confirmed that the prisons for Dorset and Gloucs would be local.

I'll have more information on Sunday Politics.

There's concern tonight that vulnerable people in Cornwall will

be put at increasing risk because many charities can no longer afford

to help them. The Drop In and Share Centre in Camborne provides support

for 9,000 street homeless and vulnerable people and costs ?40,000

a year to run. Its breakfast club will continue, but it is ending its

support and rehabilitation services because charitable funding is being

cut. It's going to affect a lot of people in a massive way. It will

have a massive impact on the community. That is what we are

essentially, a community. Engineers say Newbridge at

Gunnislake, which was closed when a van drove through the wall and into

the River Tamar two weeks ago, should reopen by the end of next

week. The bridge is a key commuting route between Devon and Cornwall. It

has been a good day for team GB in the Winter Olympics.

Away from the Winter Olympics there's concern about the loss of

funding for some sports in the summer Olympics. Basketball is one

of them ` it's now got a ?1.6 million shortfall in its finances.

So what sort of impact will that have on the South West's top club?

Spotlight's Dave Gibbins has been with the Plymouth Raiders.

Basketball is one of four sports that has had its elite programme cut

by UK sport. Although the Plymouth Raiders is predominantly made up of

American and European players, there is home`grown talent. Nicholas

George and Lewis Sayers are both top players. With funding, basketball

has come a long way. It makes it really difficult for me to get to

the Olympics now. We have a lot of talent in the UK. We need to put

them out there and have those skies experience what they would

experience if they went to America. UK sport has said:

at College Road primary School, the Plymouth Raiders are spreading the

word that basketball is the sport to take up, but how difficult will that

be now? It does not queue in terms of what we are trying to build. We

have the Academy and University. There are lots dash`macro of

positives. Did you get lots of tips? I did. What makes it special

for you? You get to be with your friends and you get to be healthy

for life. Is it is a good sport? Yes!

The next generation of Raiders fans ending that report by Dave Gibbins.

And the big advantage for basketball in this weather is that's not

affected by it, so their match against Glasgow Rocks will go ahead

tomorrow night at the Pavilions. Now the weather may not be a

gardener's delight at the moment, but you may be surprised to hear

that hundreds of flowers are already in bloom. Every year gardeners at

National Trust properties count up the number of blooms and compare

them to the previous year. Both Saltram ,near Plymouth and

Trelissick near Truro have seen increases in the number in flower

this February, but there's been a decline at Cothele in Cornwall.

Although as Spotlight's Janine Jansen has been finding out, it's

still a beautiful early spring garden. It is a romantic time of

year and a time to think of flowers. Every year The National Trust sends

out its gardeners to record how many event types of flowers are blooming.

Here at Cothele, many are blooming, but the numbers are down. We have

noticed in the last few days, certainly since Monday, the crocuses

were coming through, showing a little bit of colour. When the sun

does come out, it is actually really warm. Talking to some of the other

head gardeners, they are saying the same thing. The flower count is down

on last year, but there is a lot on this showing around the gardens.

They have been just three frosts, but sunlight levels have been low

and the ground is saturated and certainly Cothele has not escaped

the storms. We have lost three or four relatively large trees that

have been fairly significant. This has been flowering well for several

weeks. The worry is that if we have the frost, they will be damaged.

That's why we are watching the oncoming weather, but there are

flowers to calm dash`macro to come. There is a survey being carried out

on social media to find out the most popular flower. First is the dream

rose, secondly the daffodil and is the snowdrop is third. The National

Trust opens its gardens to the public tomorrow.

Well it's Valentine's Day today and Janine mentioned flowers, romance

and the weather in her report there. So put it all together and you get

our next story. Yes, as the wind picked up and the rain came down on

this day dedicated to love, a bride braved the great outdoors and took

off for her wedding. Call sounds, no stranger to storms. Dash`macro Orson

's. The storms make it a little bit more romantic. We are happy and we

want to get married. The weather just adds a bit of adventure to the

day. The weather did not stop the bride`to`be waking the short walk to

the church. Whilst the couple tied the knot, the wind and waves were

loud enough to drown out any wedding bells. The bride and groom emerged

happily married. Memorable, adventurous. It was brilliant. It is

a day everyone will remember. A really good day. There will be no

wedding photographs on the beach today. As for the honeymoon, they

are going to wait until the summer. Our top story tonight is of course

the weather and an amber alert for wind is in place as well as severe

flood warnings. There are no trains in or out of Cornwall to night. That

is because of flood damage. And these pictures of Polish workers

sent by our cameraman. The seas are very, very high. Conditions are very

rough tonight. Let's get the forecast. Those pictures speak

volumes about how strong the winds are and how well this season. I have

been monitoring the boys that are out of seeing. The one off Brittany

had waves at nine o'clock this morning of around 20 feet. At the

moment they are above 45 feet. Perhaps not as large as that through

the English Channel, but with a southerly winds coming through, it

is possible. The highest gusts of wind we have seen so far as being

just under 80 mph. There will be further showers tonight. The wind

and shall activity will ease down. Let us go to the Isles of Scilly and

here in the old town beach, these ways that have been coming on shore

have been crashing over the houses. Expect more of the same. We still

have an ample warning, as we have just said, about the wind. Slowly

though, they will is later tonight. The culprit is an area of low

pressure that has been whipping up the wind. The arrows will change

direction during the night and will become a bit more westerly. There

are several severe flood warnings as well as multiple flood warnings

along the coastline and inland. There is the number you need to

call. That us look at the detail in the broader perspective because with

the area of low pressure across southern island, it will move

steadily during the night. It will move up towards the Northey and the

winds will drop. As we move through tomorrow night and into Sunday, we

have a ridge of high pressure coming other way. If anything, a quiet

night on Saturday and the winds could be light enough for a touch of

frost. This area of the low pressure is not the same animal. The winds

will not be as heavy and next week the low pressure will not be as

vicious. The showers to night are lively and the winds are gusty.

Bearing more westerly as the night progresses. Overnight temperatures

five or six degrees for most of us. Tomorrow morning clear spells in

between the showers and we should get some sunshine. There may be the

odd shower. By the time we get to the end of the day, look at that

dash no rain, largely clear skies, lighter winds and actually quite a

pleasant evening and a calm night,. Those are the temperatures we can

see generally. We might get to 10 degrees. As we move out to sea, the

forecast is quite lively. Across the answer silly we will have sales to

start with and the winds will drop. For those worried about the

coastline, these are the important times of high water. And some big

waves around as well. Dangerous conditions at sea. Quick look at the

coastal waters. To take care and have a good evening. It is a grim

picture out there tonight. Don't forget BBC Radio Devon and BBC Radio

Cornwall are on air tonight from seven o'clock with a special

programme. Have a great weekend.