09/05/2014 Spotlight

one of his daughter's friends. That's all from the BBC News at Six,

so it's goodbye from Good evening. The storms earlier

this year caused the damage, but now there's a dispute over who should

fix it. Somebody owns it. They all need

their heads banged together and they need to say, somebody somewhere has

got to take responsibility. Also tonight, record numbers of

children going into care ` an urgent call for more foster parents as one

council struggles to cope with the situation.

To be quite honest, I was heading to jail. Simple. If I'd carried on the

way I was going, I would probably be in jail by now.

And thousands of youngsters gather on Dartmoor ready for the Ten Tors

Challenge, but there's a weather warning.

We're ready for whatever Dartmoor can throw at us!

The owners of around 50 properties on a damaged sea wall in Devon are

furious because no`one will accept responsibility for fixing it. The

storms at the start of the year punched a hole in the wall at

Ilfracombe, but a row over who owns it means that, so far, no repairs

have been carried out. Spotlight's North Devon reporter, Andrea Ormsby,

has this exclusive report. Since the storm on February the 2nd,

the people in these houses feel a lot less safe. Here is why. There

was a tremendous ways and it took out the fence between the two of us.

And then pulled the wall out. It is terrifying because if we get a storm

or a north`easterly wind, it is going to take it out and erode the

property. Getting the wall fixed has proved difficult. It all comes down

to who owns it. Residents believe it must belong to a public body. But

they all disagree and say the wall is the responsibility of the

property owners. Private residences should not be the custodian of sea

defences. The Environment Agency have a lot of extra money. I think

this is a priority because of the danger to property and lives. I have

been trying to get to the bottom of this. Def says it is the

responsibility of the Environment Agency. The Environment Agency says

it does not have any responsibility. Devon County Council says they do

not have any ownership of the wall and no involvement. To the best of

their knowledge, the wall falls under the responsibility of North

Devon Council. From North Devon Council, they say they have no

responsibility. It belongs to the householders, they said. I think it

is absolutely and totally ridiculous. I have got fed up with

these stupid letters from people saying it is not us. Somebody owns

it. Somewhere it has got lost. They all need their heads banged together

and somebody, somewhere has got to take responsibility. For now, nobody

is taking responsibility. Until somebody goes, there will be no

solution to this potentially dangerous problem.

Record numbers of children are going in to care in Plymouth, leaving

current foster carers unable to cope with demand. The City Council says

it's experiencing the highest number of referrals in the last five years,

with 408 young people in care. At least another 40 more fostering

families are needed to offer children a stable home, in and

around the city. Clare Casson reports.

Colleen was 13 when she was faced with Pam Dale family in Plymouth. ``

placed. For me, she was my first. Even though I have other teenagers

now, Colleen was our guinea pig. Yes! We had to be very careful that

we didn't let her think that is what we were doing. I was very troubled.

I was being kicked out of schools. I had nine different homes before

settling with Pam. It was a struggle. When you are fostering,

you are dealing with other people's children, sometimes very damaged.

You are dealing with the birth families as well. They are the

challenges. The rewards are watching your kids turn their lives around.

That is the difference a stable home life can make. Plymouth City

Council, like other authorities across the south`west, needs more

foster carers. Referrals have been rising in the last five years due to

high profile cases such as baby P, increasing awareness of abuse and

intellect. It is really urgent. We have seen over the past 12 months,

an increase in the number of children coming into care. At the

moment we have approximately 480 children in care. And in terms of

current foster carers, we cannot meet demand. So more people like Pam

are needed. I was heading to jail are simple. If I'd carried on the

way I was going and I was not placed with Pam, I would be in jail. She is

a great mum. She has gone on to do great things. She chooses her

friends a bit more wisely now. She has got aspirations. To know that

she is going back to college is great, with an aspiration to go to

university. And we have the same hopes for the other girls we have

got in placement. It is the same thing. It is a thread. What we

learned with Colleen, we have passed on to some of the others who are

still doing as well as Colleen. It didn't put you off? Definitely not!

Pam Daley ending that report. And on Monday on BBC Radio Devon, at the

start of Fostering Fortnight there'll be an in depth look at

foster caring in the county. Identical twins from Devon have been

rescued by helicopter in the middle of the polar ice cap following a

severe Arctic storm. Ross and Hugo Turner from Christow wanted to trek

340 miles to raise cash for spinal research, after Hugo broke his neck

in an accident. But Hugo suffered leg and back injuries during the

expedition. They say they're devastated to call off the trek.

All eyes will be on what to add impact UKIP make on the forthcoming

European and local elections. The Lib Dems have not been represented

at the City Council for a decade. This time the party is up four

candidates. It is one of Plymouth's most iconic

features. People have travelled far and wide to scale the 137 steps of

Devonport's column. This is the reward. Great views of the city. On

the streets, there is another prize in the offing. Local elections and

power. Labour ruled the roost in Plymouth with 32 of the 57 seats.

The Conservatives have 24 seats. There is one independent

councillor. The Lib Dems are not represented at all. This time

around, 19 seats are up for grabs. A lot has been achieved in Devonport.

Guildhall... Social enterprise company has helped with the

Renaissance. But there are still challenges. There are more social

problems in Devonport and the east of the city. Lower life expectancy,

more health problems, greater unemployment. Labour have three of

the councillors in the ward. The one up for election says despite

hundreds of new homes, the party is not complacent. The people I

represent still have challenges with poverty, fuel poverty,

unemployment. The promise that the Labour government will be making to

freeze fuel bills, the work the Labour councillors already doing on

jobs, is absolutely vital. Labour has history. But UKIP could make a

name for itself. Two years ago the party came second in Devonport. Its

candidate, a former merchant Navy Seaman, says immigration is not a

problem. People are generally welcoming and quite pleased to have

an alternative idea to vote for, some of you is not a professional

politician, someone trying to help the local people. One man did chase

me away with a broom and said we should all be shot. But in general

everybody has been polite. The Lib Dems are fielding four candidates

across the city, including one in Devonport. He was not available for

interview. But the party's Plymouth chairman is hopeful they can reveal.

Think if there is a shilling from the other parties, maybe the overall

majority is not high. We anticipate there could be some disruption on

the council. We would hope to be able to go in and achieve some

names. The Conservative 's manifesto says they can fix potholes and

freeze council tax rates. In Devonport, they are fielding a

21`year`old politics student preparing for an MA in International

relations. Obviously to a lot of people, they will look at me and

say, why is he bothering? Although I am young, I will not let the biggest

thing stop me. I want to represent. I want to make sure the people of

Devonport are represented. The local election takes place on May 22.

Here we have the full list of candidates.

We are live on Dartmoor next. And there is music still to come.

The folk song written to celebrate Devon's tin mining heritage. And it

spectacular arrival for the new Exmouth lifeboat. Thousands of

teenagers are on Dartmoor this evening getting ready for the Ten

Tors challenge. The army have been forced to close the car park to

spectators tomorrow where the event starts. There is a further warning

in the forecast for the weekend. Scott Bingham is there. Yes,

Natalie. These are some of the 400 teams of six which will be taking

part in the event over the weekend. This queue has been here for most of

the day. I am told they will be here for another few hours yet. The

reason they are all waiting to get into this building where they are

scrutineers. Some of these people will have done the routes before.

35, 45 or 55 miles. For some, it will be the first time. It will be

the first time for everybody on a new route.

2500 young people under canvas on Dartmoor. The Ten Tors expedition is

in its... The route has been changed, primarily for safety

reasons. There are a series of safety control points. That is

mainly to make it safer for the Army to get their personnel there and not

to be relying on helicopters. Also, it mitigates the risk of teams

crossing rivers. It is a huge and costly logistical exercise for the

Army to organise the event. The new route has been designed to reduce

the necessity for helicopters. You are right to talk about the reduced

helicopter hours. It is just to reassure both the teams and the team

managers that, should there be problems, we have contingencies in

place. Many of the teams have been able to train on the new routes.

Experienced team leaders say the changes are sensible. If you're

going to take on the management of 2500 youngsters, you are trained.

There has to be an element of review on safety. I think we have always

done it that way before. It does not necessarily work as a policy. The

most difficult to rein in Britain are no less challenging. It is a bit

less remote, bit less tricky. But still, equally enjoyable. Harder to

find navigation. Still going to do the same amount of miles, still the

same number of hills. It is a smaller area. The weather is likely

to be challenging, too. The forecast is for another wet night and rain

tomorrow. The teams set off at 7:30am. The weather already having

an impact. That car park spectators is closed. There is a park and ride

in operation from Okehampton college. There are only 200 spaces.

The message for spectators tomorrow morning is to get here early.

Hard to believe the weather is don't change quite so dramatically.

Swimmers and beach`goers are being warned to be on the look out for

barrel jellyfish as the weather begins to warm up. The creatures

have already been spotted off Dorset and South Devon. They can sting, but

are generally harmless to humans. Earlier I spoke to Tom Bell from the

Marine Conservation Society, who told me more about them.

The barrel jellyfish, which is what we have seen recently around the

Solent and Portland, it is an enormous jellyfish. It can be up to

a foot and a half across. It does look quite intimidating. It is

actually quite harmless. They come into our waters, they feed on small

marine life. They are a favourite food for other animals such as

turtles. People should not be too concerned about them? Our advice is

always to stay away. If you see any sort of jellyfish, look but do not

touch. We are very interested if people see jellyfish to get

photographs. If you can identify it, tell us about it. There's lots of

information on our website about the eight different kinds of jellyfish

you find in British waters. If you see one, have a good look at it.

Take some photos but do not touch it.

Tom Bell, thank you. Time for the sport now, and today, Dave's been to

Taunton to mark a huge achievement for the girls of King's College.

It's a year to the day since Andrew Simpson, or Bart to his friends,

died when his catamaran capsized. After a disastrous season for the

football league clubs in the south`east, what about some success

for the region? Here at King's College in Taunton, the girls

underrating team are champions of England, after winning the national

cup. Girls and women football in the south`west is heading in the right

direction. Whilst Yeovil Town ladies averaged the super league for the

first time, here in Taunton, King's College have become the best team in

the country in their age group. It comes from the fact they are at a

school which sees them as whole people, and which educate every

aspect of their characters. So we are not just about getting them to

do well in exams, but we see them in the round. We challenge them to do

as much as they possibly can. The national triumph is a first for the

school, thanks to some outstanding talent which took them all the way

to glory at the Arsenal Ladies ground, where they beat Sevenoaks by

four ` zero. We won the seven aside and 11 aside. We won the south`west

sevens cup every time we've entered. We have been a successful team

throughout. Somebody told me you are a Yeovil Town fan. Does this success

make up for their relegation? Yes, it does. But I'm still very proud of

Yeovil for getting into the championship. That is a wonderful

achievement for them. I don't mind that we're getting relegated. After

a senior men's campaign which saw Yeovil Town and Plymouth dropped a

division, Exeter City almost following suit, it is refreshing to

hail the achievements of King's College in Taunton, the champions.

Exeter Chiefs attempts to end their rugby season with a flourish

tomorrow at Newcastle Falcons in the Premiership. They beat Newcastle

16`3 at Sandy Park before Christmas. They have won only three of their

last 14 outings in the Premiership. Despite their challenge for European

Cup rugby disintegrating, they are keen to finish with a good result.

What I have to be careful of is not to get too comfortable where we

think we are going, and forget about the here and now. That is why we

lost against harlequins. Finally, as the goalkeeper is being

put through their paces, after last night's speedway when at Redcar,

Plymouth Devils have the chance to follow up with another fine display

against Edinburgh monarchs. The Devils want to start their league

season at their home track with a decent crowd for what should be an

entertaining meeting. Edinburgh are fancied to do well. It will be a

good test for the captain and his team. It is nice for me, for once,

to be at the home of a champion club. King's College in Taunton.

It is a year to the day since Dorset born sailor Andrew Simpson died when

his catamaran capsized. To mark the anniversary, a training centre has

opened in his name at the Weymouth and Portland National sailing

Academy. Fellow Olympic Gold Medallists Sir Ben Ainslie and Iain

Percy cut the ribbon, Katy Austin was there too.

Friends, family and colleagues of Andrew Simpson gathered to see a new

sailing centre lodged in his name. Simpson's death in training for the

America's Cup last year shocked the sporting world. He was a

larger`than`life character. Everybody loved him. He was a very

special person. That is reflected in the support we have had to open the

selling centre. And really get the next generation through to help

local kids get out on the water. Fellow Olympic sailor Iain Percy

grew up with Simpson. He was there when he died but is looking

positively to the future. To he was all about helping people. He helped

me into the Sydney Olympics. I remember standing on this spot after

the Olympic trials and he said to me, what are we going to do to win

you a gold medal? No man get more than him to his friends and family.

The Centre is a way of carrying that on. The new centre will be hobbled

the activity run by the Andrew Simson sailing foundation, giving

Portland not just an Olympic legacy but a personal legacy from one of

Britain's's great sailing characters.

Cornwall's association with tin mining is fairly well known, but

Devon too once had a thriving industry. Now, as part of a new art

project, a folk song has been written to celebrate tin and the

mining heritage on Dartmoor. Spotlight's John Danks has been to

meet its composer. When first you found me as dark as

the night. Bound up in granite.

With copper, iron and lead. My brother is all around me laid

dormant not dead. Devon folk singer Jim Causley was

asked to write the song by artist Simon Pope as part of a project on

Dartmoor. We had meetings in three of the four towns around Dartmoor.

And Simon got together in wonderful group of people from musicians and

artists to historians, poets and all sorts of people, and we had some

fascinating chats. I have learnt a lot about ten. `` team.

The song charts the rise and fall of tin mining from the more, which

eventually ceased in the 1930s. We started at the beginning of the tin

mining in Dartmoor and worked right through to when the mining stopped

and looking to the future as well. We also looked at the way the miners

worked, the sort of people they work. And the uses of the tin as

well, the products that came out of it. Such as this tankard. You can

see Jim and Bill performing the song in Exeter tomorrow.

Time for the weather forecast. If you worries about the weekend. It

could be better. We have had some quite bad Ten Tors. This one is

pretty unpleasant. Wet and windy at times. I am going to start straight

for those concerned about forecast for Dartmoor. It will be windy.

Particularly in the afternoon. Possibly 50 to 60 miles per. As well

as some rain. The heavy rain overnight will clear. From any

setting out tomorrow morning, hopefully it is brighter. There is

the risk of some sharp showers. They will stay with us as we move into

Sunday. Not overly warm. A high wind`chill factor and some strong

winds. Hopefully better visibility than we are going to see tonight.

Lots of cloud sweeping towards Britain at the moment. It is quite a

vigorous area of low pressure. As it sweeps across us, it generates a

string of wind, particularly in the southern sector of that area of low

pressure. It is right across us. By the time we get into Sunday, it is

not as windy. Still the low pressure is in charge. Sharp showers, too. We

do have a warning about the sprinkle. It is mostly for Cornwall

and West Devon. Already showing out to the West is being rain band that

will come in overnight tonight. Before it arrives, a pleasant end to

the day. This was Exmouth, where we had a special day today. This is the

arrival of the brand`new Exmouth lifeboat. It is the second of a new

class, the Shannon class. It is being built in Dorset and it arrived

today. It is a jet boat and it is pretty fast. About 50% faster than

the lifeboat it replaces. It can do things like this. It is in a

strategic position along the south coast. The next OnBoard life station

going east is Weymouth, and going west you have Torbay. So we have got

a phenomenal area to cover. Our remit is 50 miles out to sea in two

hours. Now we have a boat that can do it. The lifeboat arrived by sea.

They got out of the water using a piece of kit that takes it off the

beach and put it into housing. It was also built in Devon. This is a

real Southwest project. Many people came along to enjoy what this

lifeboat can do. Because it is a jet boat, it does not have any

propellers. It can turn in its own length. Lots of people watching.

This is what they had to say. It is amazing. I think it is absolutely

brilliant that so many people have come. A lot of locals and I suspect

there are people from further away. It is an excellent thing to support.

The main thing is the job they do. Without it there would be a lot of

people either not here or in the hospital. They need support so we

are here to do it. Very impressive, yes. Well worth the money and a good

addition to the Exmouth scene, I think. Well worth it. The weather is

changing after that fine day in Exmouth. The rest of us already seen

some wet weather sweeping in. That will be the feature of the weather

overnight. Some heavy rain. Accompanying that rain, strong

winds, too. Extensive hill fog developing, too. Moving quite fast,

with the overnight temper to dip into ten or 11 degrees. Tomorrow is

a damp day. Sunshine in the morning. The showers gather together in the

afternoon. Some of them heavy. All the world are the winds increasing.

Even though we see temperatures of 15 or 16 degrees, it will not feel

as one. Gale force winds on the Isles of Scilly.

Very messy survey conditions `` surfing conditions. A quick look at

the coastal waters forecast... Take it easy this weekend.

Good luck to everybody taking part in the Ten Tors challenge. There

will be coverage on our bulletins throughout the weekend. We are back

on Monday. Goodbye.