06/03/2014 Spotlight

Yard's handling of the case. That's all from the BBC News at Six, so

it's A multi`million pound investment in

Devonport to allow the refudlling of nuclear submarines to continue. Good

evening. It should help to safeguard jobs at the yard, but anti nuclear

campaigners have raised fears over safety. Babcocks will be rubbing

their hands together. It is lots of money for them. People in the area

will be worried, because it is another hazard for us. And the

mother of a teenage girl who took her life after allegations of

bullying is targeted by cybdrtrolls. Police are investigating after Izzy

Dix's mum complained of being bullied on Facebook. And frde school

meals for the under`eights ` one MP asks if the multi million pound cost

is value for money. One of Plymouth's biggest employers `

Devonport Dockyard ` is to get 150 million worth of investment to

enable the future refuelling of Britain's nuclear submarine fleet.

The announcement was made bx the Defence Secretary after a f`ult was

found in a nuclear submarind test reactor in Scotland. Philip Hammond

said as a result Britain's oldest nuclear submarine, HMS Vangtard

would will refuelled at Devonport when it undergoes maintenance next

year. But as John Henderson reports the announcement has alarmed

anti`nuclear campaigners. HLS Vanguard entering Devonport in 002.

Now, Britain's first Ba llistic submarine will be tack, bec`use a

reactor in Scotland developdded a microfracture that indicated the

life of vanguard is not as long as expected. The advice we havd

received throughout from thd regulators and the experts hs that

there are no safety issues `rising. That this incident scores as a level

zero event on the international atomic agency's scale and an event

which requires no action and presents no risk. Millions have been

spent at Devonport, the onlx place in the country where nuclear

submarines can be refitted `nd refuelled. Thousands of people are

involved in the work which takes years. The additional cost of

refuelling Vanguard has been put at ?120 million. Devonport can expect a

chunk of the ?150 million sdt aside to allow the future refuellhng of

the submarine fleet. But not even welcomes the news of more investment

at Devonport. No new jobs, ht will be existing staff that are doing it.

Babcocks will be rubbing thdir hands together, because there will be lots

of money. People in the are` will be worried, because it ills another

hazard. The refuelling of HLS Vanguard will take place during a

three and a half year progr`mme starting in 2015. Well our Political

Editor Martyn Oates joins md now. Is is good news for if yard? Not if you

take the view that the presdnce of nuclear submarines is not ndeded.

But as John said, this refudlling will take place during a lengthy

period of deep maintenance work which had already been bookdd in to

start next year. Now, both this government and the last comlitted

all the navy's deep enance work to Devenport. The refuelling m`kes a

big job bigger and the investment means the facilities are thdre.

Could it have other implications for Plymouth? The city's MPs ard keen

for the city to be home to the Government's so`called nucldar

college to provide training not just for defence engineering, but for

power stations. One said thhs could possibly help to strengthen

Plymouth's case. Now here is Natalie. The mother of a tednage

girl who took her own life following claims of cyber`bullying saxs she is

being targeted by internet trolls. The police have confirmed they're

investigating claims of intdrnet abuse. Gabbi Dix, the mother of

schoolgirl Izzy, has described the behaviour as incomprehensible. Our

South Devon reporter John Axres is in Brixham now. Yes, this story

starts with schoolgirl Izzy Dix Friend claim she was being

cyberbullied. The inquest into her death said she did take her own

life. But there was no eviddnce of cyberbullying. This verdict

infuriated her family and friends and now it appears internet trolls

are attacking her mother, G`bbi This tier has been taken down ``

material has been taken down, but it is horrible. It is not the sort of

thing that we could show yot on the television. Earlier I spoke to Gabbi

Dix. She said that to attack a grieving mother is incomprehensible.

Where is the respect for my beautiful daughter's life and

memory? I spoke to one of G`bbi s friends and she said this. Not only

have their targeted a dead girl And a grieving mother. They havd

targeted lots and lots ` hundreds of other teens across the bay. I would

like this person identified, prosecuted and foregoodness sake

they need serious psychiatrhc help. The police say the force internet

crime investigation team ard investigating allegations of

trolling. They say due to the nature of the crime, the inquiry could

prove to be protracted. To date no arrests have been made. Thank you. A

Devon MP is questioning whether government plans to give frde school

meals to all children under eight at a cost of ?600 million a ye`r is

value for money. The Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon Sir Nick

Harvey has raised the issue in Westminster today. Some schools say

they need to buy new kitchen and dining equipment and that they'll

struggle to be ready for thd scheme when it starts in September. Jenny

Kumah reports. Rich poor, all children under eight in England will

be entitled to a free school meal from September. The Deputy Prime

Minister made the announcemdnt at his party conference last ydar. My

ambition is to provide free school meals for all primary

school`children. Another re`son we want to get into government again

next time round. Parents quhte like the idea, but for some schools it's

proving a bit of a headache. This school in Newton Abbot is expecting

to have to provide an extra 100 meals per day. At the moment, they

haven't got enough space in their hall to fit all the diners hn. We

asked the council whether it is possible to have to have an

extension on our hall which would allow us to have another 20 seats,

but we don't know whether or not we have got that. The school whll also

need a new dishwasher, more fridge freezer space and a new oven. The

Government has given Devon County Council ?1.2 million to help the

school pay for things like this But there is concern about just how far

that cash can go with potentially 300 schools bidding for cash from

the pot. In total the Government is setting aside more than ?1 billion

to help all English schools cover the cost of this. Ministers say it

will be worth it, because phlots show it can improve academic

performance, but some peopld feel the money would be better spent on

helping the poorest children throughout their school lifd. This

doesn't seem to me necessarhly the way I would have gone about trying

to close the educational gap if I had got ?600 million at my disposal.

But that is in a sense by the by, it's what the Government has decided

to do, Parliament has approved it and that's what's happening. It

seems there may not be such a thing as a free lunch after all. Well

you've been getting in touch with your views on this on Facebook.

Angela says: "With most pardnts working and packed lunches not being

healthy, we owe it to children to give them at least one good meal a

day." And Ronald e`mailed us to point out that while some children

are getting free school meals, meals on wheels for elderly peopld have

gone up! He says: "I wonder where the priorities are today, as we get

older society does not want to know." On our Facebook page Vanessa

says: "Parents should be responsible for feeding their own children.

Thanks for all your comments. Detectives investigating thd

discovery of a body on a Cornish beach have identified the m`n. Alan

Jeal from Wadebridge was captured on this CCTV image in the town centre

last Monday. It's the last known sighting of the 64`year`old. His

naked body was found at Perranporth the day after. His death is being

treated as suspicious. Fishdrmen affected by the recent storls are to

get extra help from the govdrnment to replace lost or damaged

equipment. They'll be able to get 60% of the cost of replacing kit.

Many fishermen were unable to go to sea during the storms and stffered

extensive damage to their gdar. Drinkers who become violent, or

commit other crimes, could be stopped from buying large qtantities

of alcohol from supermarkets under plans being considered by Ddvon and

Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner. Tony Hogg says

drink`related disorder is bdcoming an unacceptable burden on the police

and society. He's been holdhng talks with supermarkets about how to

tackle it. He also says he'll consider limiting opening thmes for

pubs and clubs. We have got to Ged ahead of the problem I have a

strategy which starts with better communication, better targeting and

ends up in proposing with the agreement of people of this area, to

limit the sale of alcohol bx time, ie cutting off the sales at two or

three in the morning, which is what I think the public want. . Still

ahead in the programme this evening: Pond owners get together to find out

more about the viruses that are killing frogs, toads and newts. And

one of the National Trusts biggest ever repair projects gets underway

at Castle Drogo. An extra ?00 million has been promised to

Somerset by the Government on the day the county delivered its 20`year

flood action plan to Downing Street. But Somerset's flooding wish list

will cost ?100 million and that s just for starters. Will the full

amount ever be raised? Scott Ellis has been finding out. After the

floods in Somerset, the fin`l 20`year action plan deliverdd to

Downing Street today. In thd final report, we have learned Somdrset

wants the tidal barrier near Bridgwater built in the next ten

years. Quicker than previously thought. The estimated cost is 30

million. Part of an initial package totalling ?100. We asked if

Government is to pay the full amount. DEFRA, we put in ?10 million

to get cracking on the dredging as soon as it is safe. We have in DEFRA

put in two pots of ?10 millhon to help farmers. The Department of

Transport is putting in mondy and local government has put in half a

million to help local counchls with the recovery. So all that is a good

start. So the Government won't pay the full ?100 million, leavhng

summer `` Somerset to raise much of the cash itself. One is a local tax

to play for flood protection. Pre`95 when there was dredging there was a

levy and that was spent on keeping the levels as they are. So we are

going to have to raise monex and people will understand it whll be

spent on maintaining Somersdt. And Somerset will have to attract

investment. So it is an attraction that the areas are an area of

special scientific interest. Nature will be part of solution and it will

attract investment. Already farmers are getting significant amotnts to

manage their land in a wildlife friendly way. We believe thhs place

can trade on the quality of the natural environment. It will be a

County`wide effort. But in the long run it may work out cheaper than

annual flooding and the cost of each disaster. These pumps use 6,000

litres of diesel each day. H'm told unofficially that the total cost of

the response to far this ye`r is ?6 million. There are wider costs to

Somerset's flood victims and businesses. James, back at his farm

today, where losses could rdach hundreds of thousands of potnds He

wants any money raised spent on preventing floods, rather than

resilience. Why not put mondy into helping the clean the river and you

wouldn't have to raise the road Somerset was told by the Prhme

Minister that money was no object. That was a short`term promise, fund

gt for the next 20 years will have to be hard`won by Somerset htself.

Well the effects of this winter s storms are still being felt and more

damage is coming to light all the time. In North Cornwall part of a

road into Port Gaverne has collapsed. People living thdre say

they feel cut off and as Eldanor Parkinson reports the road lay not

be repaired until the summer. Like many coastal villages in thd South

West, Port Gaverne was battdred by the storms and during the l`st high

tide the waves washed away part of the road leading into the vhllage.

South West Water engineers have been working to repair a broken sewage

pipe, but people living herd say they have been told it could be June

before the road itself is rdpaired. This little cove is popular with

visitors, in particular day visitors from just up the hill at Port Isaac.

Local businesses here say unless this road is fixed soon it will

affect their summer trade. Richard has just opened a guest house. He

says they feel cut off. To go to the Co`Op, which is a half mile round

trip for me, it's a 12 mile trip and they're closing the road up there on

Monday. So I don't know where we will go then. Do you think this

might affect your visitors? Yeah, I think it will affect here and the

pub, all sorts of things I think. The Port Gaverne Hotel is also open

for business, but they fear some people will be put off by the fences

and closure signs. People that know where we are and know the roads and

they will still find their way here, now we have got the signage right,

but it will make a difference, because a lot of people comd to Port

Isaac firstly and then come down the hill to us. Cornwall Council is also

facing a storm damage bill of more than ?21 million. They say they have

yet to assess this problem `nd come up with a time scale for repairs.

The engineer in charge of s`ving a historic clock tower in Cornwall

which was damaged by last month s storms says it was extremelx close

to coming down. As John Danks reports, the building in Kingsand

needed propping up after waves destroyed some of its found`tions.

Valentine's Day and a huge wave explodes against Kingsand's clock

tower and Institute building. Some feared the already storm`ravaged

structure wouldn't last the night. But survive it did, albeit with

significant damage. One of the interesting things was the `ctual

tower, we recorded it as moving as much as 15 millimetres as a result

of the storm damage! How close was it to coming down do you thhnk?

Extremely close. My first thoughts until I sat down and thought about

it was we are not going to be able to save this one. Almost three weeks

on and not only is the clock tower still standing, the building has

been stabilised and extensive repairs carried out. We havd

gradually built out and reinforced the hole with steel reinforcement,

tying it back into the masonry and then sprayed concrete so we have now

got a full thickness and yot can see it is looking a lot more robust than

it did. To keep it that way there's talk of raising the sea wall at the

base. All the work to save the building has been done with the

blessing of English Heritagd, who visited the site last month. The

cost so far is thought to bd in the region of ?100,000. Pond owners

across Cornwall are being asked to come forward to help research into

two deadly diseases that ard threatening frogs, newts and toads.

A student from Exeter University is conducting experiments to sde if the

diseases are present in the county and, if so, how far they've spread.

Chytrid fungus and ranavirus are already known to be in the TK and

are being blamed for the de`ths of huge numbers of amphibians `round

the world. Andy Birkett went along to see what the researchers

discovered. Look into my pond and you will find all sorts of

creatures. But are our frogs and newts coming under fire frol a new

disease. They are known to cause declines. Ranavirus can imp`ct

populations in other parts of the country and in common frogs. That

will have a knock on effect. We hope it won't be as bad as what we see.

Monitoring it is important. The search begins and we soon spot

something. He may have got `way for now, but we soon had our first

catch. We have got a newt! Hello! Where is he? He is there. They're so

camouflaged. Ally is putting out the message for pond owners to get in

touch. She is collecting salples. It was a link that a friend sent me on

Facebook. It said, told us `bout this study and I thought it looked

interesting so we found out more. Despite my help ` we still couldn't

find that frog. But we were on a roll with the newts. Tlncht is do

there `` There is two there. I have hit the jackpot. You have got five!

It was time to leave Ally t`ke her samples and in true televishon

tradition, she caught the frog after he left. I was warned never work

with children or amphibians He was waiting for him to leave! Sound like

it. One of the National Trust's largest repair projects is tnderway.

After years of having buckets in corridors to catch water from the

leaking roof, ?11 million is being spent on making Castle Drogo at

Drewsteignton watertight. Chris Lyddon has been given an early look

at the scale of the work before the site is open to visitors thhs

weekend. Drilling out 40 miles of mortar inch by inch. Lifting out 3

thousand blocks of granite `nd relaying concrete by the bucketful.

It is the largest project ever undertaken by the National Trust.

The castle hardly recognisable and under a protective roof ` lhke

something out after a James Bond film set. From this weekend, it will

be open to visitors. But whx? We think it is important to sh`re the

whole process. We spend a l`rge amount on repairing our building and

this building. And ultimately we hold these for the benefit of the

nation. So it is important that not only do people experience what is

going on and see the work that has to be done to repair the buhldings,

but see where the money goes really. The walls and parapets abovd the old

leaking roof are all being taken down, stone by stone. To en`ble a

new water tight roof to go on. This is the original waterproofing. So we

have the original concrete `nd the original ash felt and a latdr layer.

The problem with the materi`l is it expands and contracts in thd hot and

cold and then it cracks and the water gets through. It is only when

you get to the top more an 60 foot up you can appreciate the scale of

the operation. The scaffoldhng weighs more than 500 tonnes. If you

laid them together they would reach as far as Cardiff. This is the base

of the tower. We have taken out the bottom two quarters of stondwork, so

bring the membrane across the lower roof and up to make a seal. These

plate and this this structure hold up all the castle above. Me`nwhile

deep down inside the castle... Here in the library the carpets `nd

pictures have been covered to protect them during the work. These

beams taken from the southern part of droe goes have been restored and

`` droe goes have been restored Each of the granite stones has its

own number and bears a yellow dot at its north`facing point to m`ke sure

it goes back in exactly the right place. Let's hope they get ht right.

The work here will go on until 017. What a mammoth project. Makds the

little DIY jobs I have got to do at home seem easier. Now time for the

weather. A little bird tells me summer might arrive this Christmas

This Christmas? What bird h`ve you been talking to. No, th weekend

Don't believe everything yot read. Will bit a white Christmas. Justin,

just get on with your work there! There is no need too switch your

heating on yet. Thank goodndss! Much quieter weather heading our way and

the most important story has to be the fact that there is no rdally

heavy rain in the forecast for the next five days. Some rain around

today and that has been heavier than we thought. Tomorrow it is ` cloudy

start, the mist will clear `nd the sunshine will return. This great

line of cloud is rain`bearing. The heaviest rain is across Ireland and

Scotland. It is sinking south, bringing further patchy rain. As it

does move south, it gets we`ker and waeshg. By the time `` ` we`ker By

the time it is over us therd not much in it. By the time we get to

the afternoon we have a weak ridge of high pressure that will dominate

the weather across the Chang, England and France. The winds coming

from the south mean higher temperatures No as high as xou have

been reading in the newspapdrs. There is the cloud from tod`y. We

have had patchy rain and sole has been quite heavy and a bit lore

widespread than we thought. This was earlier in the Tamar valley, the

skies were leaden and we had rain. But our cameraman Dan, I thhnk he is

a wildlife cameraman. These have been great shots of the moss and the

green ery. The rain fall th`t we will see over the next 24 hours is

very small. So eventually things improve, dry conditions in the

forexas cast for the weekend. But not tonight. Some rain and listy.

Some of it has not lifted. @ mild night at eight or nine degrdes.

Tomorrow rain in the morning. After lunch that does clear. The

visibility improves, the mist goes and the sunshine comes back out with

temperatures of 12 or 13. And much lighter winds too. For the Hsles of

Scilly, some patchy rain cldaring and then fine and dry. If you're

heading out to sea times of high water are:

Expect the surf to be useable, but on the choppy side. Sea temperature

around nine or ten degrees. Here is the coastal waters forecast. The

winds mostly from the west. They will veer north`westerly. And ease

during the day. Some showers and then becoming fair. How abott that

for an outlook? We haven't seen that for three months ` four mainly dry

days and I at the moment, I can t give you a noer cast for `` forecast

for Christmas. Keep us postdd Now tomorrow on the programme wd need

your help to solve a mysterx. These World War One diaries have been

discovered in Plymouth. Thex are a fascinating and graphic record of

life on the frontline experhenced by a South West soldier. Tomorrow we'll

reveal who wrote them and try to find his family so the diarhes can

be returned to them. ! Join us for that tomorrow at 6.30. From all of

us, good night.