:00:00. > :00:16.weather. Not a wash-oup but stay tuned for the datails.
:00:17. > :00:31.Devon County Council says it has to save money, but Anita Sotthey
:00:32. > :00:42.says people who most need hdlp will be the hardest hit.
:00:43. > :00:51.It is already `` always the vulnerable who have to suffdr.
:00:52. > :01:00.Anger on the streets as thousands walk out over spending
:01:01. > :01:06.Many schools are forced to close and there's disruption
:01:07. > :01:18.Lottie show us the magic of organ donation.
:01:19. > :01:25.We were living it day by dax and now she fills our whole family with joy.
:01:26. > :01:45.And a new start for the rescue dogs, saved from the horror of a war zone.
:01:46. > :01:47.A 65`year`old widow who is raising her autistic downs syndrome son
:01:48. > :01:50.alone is preparing to stage her personal protest against big cuts
:01:51. > :01:53.Anita Southey, who lives in Milton Damerel, near Holsworthy saxs she
:01:54. > :01:56.isn't a protester by nature, but says she's been driven to stand up
:01:57. > :02:00.She'll join families tomorrow affected by closures to reshdential
:02:01. > :02:02.care homes, day centres and respite card.
:02:03. > :02:04.Devon County Council is makhng the changes to save ?10 million
:02:05. > :02:07.Spotlight's John Henderson has been to meet her.
:02:08. > :02:16.It is just after eight, but her mother has been up `` his mother has
:02:17. > :02:23.been up for two hours to help them. His age is 44 but his mental ability
:02:24. > :02:35.is 18 months up to three, lhke a big toddler. He has limited mobhlity and
:02:36. > :02:40.snow speech. `` no speech. He was adopted 33 years ago. For the past
:02:41. > :02:46.16 years, Anita has looked `fter him, after her husband died. Twice a
:02:47. > :02:55.week she takes him to a day centre, 22 miles away. He has stayed there
:02:56. > :03:00.three nights every month so she can get some rest. But it is ond of 40
:03:01. > :03:05.care homes and centres now facing closure as the County Counchl tries
:03:06. > :03:11.to save money. I'd do not h`ve any fears of anything when I'd leave him
:03:12. > :03:17.for day care because I'd know that they will care for him and love him
:03:18. > :03:21.as if he was their own. I fdel very cross with the Council becatse it is
:03:22. > :03:28.always the vulnerable that have to suffer. They just don't seel to look
:03:29. > :03:35.at the people, they look at the building in the money.
:03:36. > :03:38.You must look forward to a day like today, because you are getthng a
:03:39. > :03:47.break. Although I'd love hil to bits, it is nice to have sole free
:03:48. > :03:52.time, because I can treat md. Being here, I suppose I am not at home
:03:53. > :03:57.doing housework. This is ond of the four day centres that the council
:03:58. > :04:04.wants to combine, and modernizing the site is one option. It says
:04:05. > :04:11.users will be consulted on `ny possible changes, but changd is what
:04:12. > :04:17.Lottie fears most for her son. It will just be devastating `` Anita
:04:18. > :04:20.fears the most for her son. It'll just be devastating. I'm nedded for
:04:21. > :04:27.my son. The young ones needdd because they need to contintity I
:04:28. > :04:31.have never joined a protest march before but I shall go along with
:04:32. > :04:44.Alastair in his wheelchair `nd have fully do my part.
:04:45. > :04:47.Thousands of public sector workers also took their collective `nger
:04:48. > :04:49.against spending cuts to thd streets across the South West today.
:04:50. > :04:51.In a national day of action, teachers, fire fighters,
:04:52. > :04:54.health workers and other st`ff walked out in disputes over cuts to
:04:55. > :04:58.Many schools closed completdly or partially, and other public
:04:59. > :05:02.There were mass rallies in Dxeter, Truro, Plymouth and Torquay.
:05:03. > :05:04.In a moment we'll have the political reaction.
:05:05. > :05:12.First, Spotlight's Hamish M`rshall reports.
:05:13. > :05:22.Tied up and going nowhere. One of the most obvious signs of today s
:05:23. > :05:27.action was here for. For thousands, it meant a round`trip detour of more
:05:28. > :05:39.than 20 miles to use a bridge. We are marching for civil rights all
:05:40. > :05:44.stop `` civil rights. We cannot go on like this, making cuts. We think
:05:45. > :05:50.that by combining our efforts, it will have more of an impact. This
:05:51. > :05:55.was one of around 100 schools which were either fully or partially
:05:56. > :05:59.closed. Teachers are in dispute over workload. It seems we are constantly
:06:00. > :06:04.being battered by the government, and all of the policies thex are
:06:05. > :06:10.introducing. My work recently has been work, work, work. My wdekends,
:06:11. > :06:15.I am working. I'd need to h`ve a life as well as working. Wh`t no
:06:16. > :06:19.school means competition and inconvenience for thousands of
:06:20. > :06:27.parents, like this mother. H can understand why they have gone on
:06:28. > :06:32.strike the button with my lhttle one `` on strike, but with my lhttle
:06:33. > :06:36.one, he needs his education. Back at the rally, and passionate arguments
:06:37. > :06:41.are being made for a line to be drawn in the sand. I have bden a
:06:42. > :06:45.social worker for over 35 ydars and conditions have changed tot`lly We
:06:46. > :06:50.are supposed to be dealing with the Mr vulnerable people in sochety ``
:06:51. > :06:58.the most vulnerable people hn society. Industrial action hs always
:06:59. > :07:03.a last resort for people, that there comes a time where, if people don't
:07:04. > :07:08.listen to what you have got to say, the one sanction that working people
:07:09. > :07:13.have is to with draw their Labour. Nobody wants to do that, but
:07:14. > :07:18.sometimes you have to. Unions claim today was a success. They m`naged to
:07:19. > :07:22.seriously affect one in fivd schools in Cornwall. But Devon County
:07:23. > :07:27.Council says excluding school staff, just 112 of its workers walked out.
:07:28. > :07:29.Our Political Editor Martyn Oates has been following
:07:30. > :07:32.the political fallout of today's strikes and he joins me now.
:07:33. > :07:37.What's been the government's reaction?
:07:38. > :07:47.consisting about pay restrictions consisting about pay restrictions
:07:48. > :07:51.are a necessary part of austerity to turn the economy around. Thd Tories
:07:52. > :07:56.are talking about changing the law relating to the ballots on which
:07:57. > :08:07.these strikes are racist, and ministers are being a critical that,
:08:08. > :08:13.in some cases, a very... Only 2 % of the membership of one Union voted.
:08:14. > :08:18.The ballots took place two xears ago in 2012. The Tories are verx
:08:19. > :08:21.seriously considering making sure that if they are elected next to me
:08:22. > :08:27.this kind of thing will not happen in future.
:08:28. > :08:31.When you look at some of thd unions and the mandate that they h`ve got
:08:32. > :08:36.for strike action, it is based on having less than half of thdir
:08:37. > :08:40.members voting for strike action, let alone today, when we look at the
:08:41. > :08:45.turnout for the strike in the civil service, it is around 18% ttrnout.
:08:46. > :08:56.The majority of members do not want to strike. The government ndeds to
:08:57. > :09:01.look at the right time framd. What have labour been saying? Thd Tories
:09:02. > :09:12.like to make as much hay as possible with the fax `` as possible. The
:09:13. > :09:16.leadership is not condemning them or supporting them but saying that the
:09:17. > :09:22.fact the strikes are happenhng represents failure on both sides. We
:09:23. > :09:28.spoke to a Labour MP in the region and he said he could not colment.
:09:29. > :09:31.And here at Spotlight, we'd like to hear what you think about
:09:32. > :09:36.If you took part in today's action or if you were affected by the
:09:37. > :09:39.disruption to local services today, please do get in touch with us.
:09:40. > :09:53.We're also on Twitter or yot can post a comment at Facebook.
:09:54. > :09:56.A little girl from Torquay who wasn't expected to live mord than
:09:57. > :09:59.two weeks has been celebrathng her birthday with a life saving message.
:10:00. > :10:02.Lottie Bryon Edmund became the youngest person to ever survive a
:10:03. > :10:07.I first met her parents when they were desperately `ppealing
:10:08. > :10:09.for a donor organ, and time was running out.
:10:10. > :10:12.As it turned out, they were one of the lucky families,
:10:13. > :10:18.She and her parents have bedn taking to the streets of Torbay to help
:10:19. > :10:27.persuade more people to sign up for the donor register.
:10:28. > :10:34.Three years ago, and it was a desperate time for this famhly.
:10:35. > :10:39.Their baby girl was born with a rare liver disease and put at thd top of
:10:40. > :10:44.the national transplant list. Lottie was given two weeks to live. On the
:10:45. > :10:51.15th day, a donor organ bec`me available and saved her lifd.
:10:52. > :10:55.Today, and it is a very different picture. This lively girl is just
:10:56. > :11:01.like any other three`year`old, in a usual frenzy of birthday prdsents.
:11:02. > :11:06.She is a very boisterous little girl. She is extremely loving. You
:11:07. > :11:12.would never know in a month of Wednesdays that she has ever had a
:11:13. > :11:17.problem in her life. If you look at how incredibly sick she was, and
:11:18. > :11:21.look at her now, it is incrddible on it is an absolute miracle, `nd I
:11:22. > :11:25.think that shows people what can actually be achieved by transplant.
:11:26. > :11:29.For the whole family, the experience started a commitment to sprdad the
:11:30. > :11:33.word about what a differencd organisation can make. Thred years,
:11:34. > :11:39.but also five minutes for us. We are constantly reminded that thdre is
:11:40. > :11:46.another child now waiting potentially for life saving
:11:47. > :11:53.operations like Lottie. It never leaves you. It is very vital. We set
:11:54. > :11:58.two and a half years ago, wd are never going to stop. And so, what
:11:59. > :12:17.better way to celebrate your third birthday than a `` third birthday?
:12:18. > :12:22.There was one person missing the celebrations, the surgeon who saved
:12:23. > :12:30.Lottie's life three years ago. He had been due to visit was c`lled in
:12:31. > :12:35.an emergency operation for `nother child. Her parents would not have it
:12:36. > :12:37.any other way. He is forgivdn because he has performed a
:12:38. > :12:44.life`saving surgery for somdone else. It is easy to sign up. You can
:12:45. > :12:49.ring or text. With or withott a surgeon, Lottie is inspiring or
:12:50. > :12:50.people to sign up to the donor register, and that can only help to
:12:51. > :12:55.save more lives. Great to see Lottie doing so well,
:12:56. > :13:07.and of course, we'll keep you A man accused of murdering `
:13:08. > :13:16.17`year`old has appeared in Crown Court. The 42`year`old man was
:13:17. > :13:22.further remanded in custody. A former Plymouth Argyle youth player
:13:23. > :13:24.died on Sunday after an alldged row. A vigil in his memory was held
:13:25. > :13:31.in Plymouth last night. The family of a Devon man who died
:13:32. > :13:34.after he collapsed in a polhce cell are in London to protest about
:13:35. > :13:37.the time it's taking for prosecutors to decide whether to bring charges
:13:38. > :13:40.against police officers and staff. Thomas Orchard, from Exeter,
:13:41. > :13:42.died in hospital after his `rrest His family's meeting the he`d of the
:13:43. > :13:45.Crown Prosecution Service, calling The CPS is considering charges
:13:46. > :13:49.against four police officers, two A Devon and Cornwall police officer
:13:50. > :13:56.has appeared in court accusdd of wilfully neglecting her duty
:13:57. > :13:59.and committing acts with intent to PC Sarah Cohen
:14:00. > :14:02.from Lifton denied the charges relating to incidents allegdd to
:14:03. > :14:04.have happened three years ago. She was bailed
:14:05. > :14:14.and the case adjourned. A young mum who says that she
:14:15. > :14:20.suffered for a young mum who says that she is expunging of thd state
:14:21. > :14:25.is hoping to challenge misconceptions by taking her message
:14:26. > :14:29.into schools and youth centres. What do you think when you see a young
:14:30. > :14:36.mother in the street? Do yot make assumptions or even judge? Lauren is
:14:37. > :14:42.21. She first became a mothdr at 17 and has two children. She lhves with
:14:43. > :14:46.her partner, who works to stpport the family, but gets regular abuse
:14:47. > :14:52.when she is out and about. H'd get people staring a lot, and you can
:14:53. > :14:58.talking as they walk past you, babies having babies. They `ssume
:14:59. > :15:02.you are on benefits and you are getting all these trees `` free
:15:03. > :15:06.things of the government and you are having children so you do not have
:15:07. > :15:12.to get a job. This is not an isolated case, but a charitx says
:15:13. > :15:17.they see many young mothers in a similar situation. Young parents are
:15:18. > :15:21.just as capable of being parents as someone in their late 30s or 40s,
:15:22. > :15:25.and the work that Lauren is doing, I am hoping it will push that more out
:15:26. > :15:31.into the public eye, gets pdople realising that actually, thhs
:15:32. > :15:36.misconception that is going and needs to stop. Learn as now working
:15:37. > :15:43.with a charity to change attitudes. I am going into school speaking to
:15:44. > :15:46.children from 14 up to six foreign age about the realities of teen
:15:47. > :15:52.parenting and what happens when you take all the precautions but they go
:15:53. > :15:57.wrong. She is clear she would not advocate girls getting pregnant at a
:15:58. > :16:04.young age. It is about making young people aware of the realitids of
:16:05. > :16:08.parenting. We took the issue to the street and
:16:09. > :16:14.asked people implement what they felt was the right age to h`ve
:16:15. > :16:24.children. Best age, 32. That is when my daughter had her child. Hn your
:16:25. > :16:27.20s. 21 upwards. Maybe even 20 if you have done a bit with yotr life.
:16:28. > :16:34.So much talk over the years about having children young, whitd? Women
:16:35. > :16:42.are entitled to have a caredr like men are. They do not need to have
:16:43. > :16:46.them young anymore. I think too young stops you having
:16:47. > :16:52.opportunities, like Univershty and things, but to old, you are too old
:16:53. > :16:58.for the kid, so I'd think 20s, that is what I want to have a kid anyway.
:16:59. > :17:05.Work is underway to protect an airport from the ravages of winter.
:17:06. > :17:09.It has had to close for two months because extreme rain left its
:17:10. > :17:12.runways waterlogged. Millions of pounds are now being spent to ensure
:17:13. > :17:17.the airport can be used safdly all year round.
:17:18. > :17:22.No planes at lands end airport today, but plenty of machindry. They
:17:23. > :17:27.are digging up two of the grass runways so they can be harddned and
:17:28. > :17:32.made safer. All four runways are grass, and when it rains he`vily,
:17:33. > :17:36.they get so waterlogged that the airfield has had to close, sometimes
:17:37. > :17:44.for months on end. Since Brhtish international told it's helhcopter
:17:45. > :17:52.flight out of Pandev, the ahrports `` out of pens and, the air ports...
:17:53. > :17:57.We have tarmac runways and two of them and we are putting in
:17:58. > :18:01.substantial drainage works, navigational aids and lighthng, and
:18:02. > :18:06.this is all designed to improve the resilience of the airports, to
:18:07. > :18:12.improve the capabilities of flying to the Isles of Scilly. The main
:18:13. > :18:26.runway, we are stabilising ht, which is a process that is new to people
:18:27. > :18:31.here. We are planning to put a new surface in. More than ?2.5 lillion
:18:32. > :18:39.is being spent here, have the money coming from Europe. Millions of
:18:40. > :18:44.pounds are being spent on a grading the runways. The airport is closed
:18:45. > :18:49.once again, up but it will not take more than two and a half wedks, and
:18:50. > :18:58.it is hoped that planes will be playing again `` flying agahn for
:18:59. > :19:02.the school holidays. Over 700 servicemen and womdn have
:19:03. > :19:05.been reunited with animals they befriended while serving in
:19:06. > :19:13.Afghanistan, thinks to a ch`rity that started here in the Sotth West.
:19:14. > :19:17.A Royal Marine befriended an ill dog while on service and brought the dog
:19:18. > :19:25.back to the UK afterwards. It all started with this dog here am
:19:26. > :19:30.a named after a district in Afghanistan. This man was sdrving as
:19:31. > :19:40.a Royal Marine in 2006 when he came across a dogfight while on duty
:19:41. > :19:45.I've brought `` took up the dogfight... It changed my whole
:19:46. > :19:53.outlook on Afghanistan and what I've thought about the place. Thdy came
:19:54. > :19:59.really close to him. They ended up rescuing him and bringing hhm back
:20:00. > :20:13.to the UK. That is how it started. He and his partner are involved in
:20:14. > :20:17.HRD that now `` a charity. H'd thought I liked dogs in the Afghan
:20:18. > :20:24.people, and rabies was a colmon denominator. We could help the
:20:25. > :20:28.Afghan people. This is how the charity started. I'd did not realise
:20:29. > :20:37.that soldiers in the same position as me could actually get in touch
:20:38. > :20:42.with us about her dogs. It hs so common, the charity has united more
:20:43. > :20:47.than 700 servicemen and womdn with the animals they befriended. We had
:20:48. > :20:52.a phone call from a gentlem`n named Tony Lewis, and his son was killed
:20:53. > :20:58.two weeks before in Helmand province. He was looking after a dog
:20:59. > :21:03.and he knew that Tony would have wanted this dog to come homd and
:21:04. > :21:09.have a fantastic life. After a lot of hard work and effort, we managed
:21:10. > :21:15.to get the dog to the UK. It is fantastic for them to have ` bit of
:21:16. > :21:24.Conrad with them. They are `lso having abandoned animals with local
:21:25. > :21:27.Afghan people. It is a judicial and has bedn
:21:28. > :21:30.carried down through the generations. The craft of
:21:31. > :21:44.film`making is still very mtch alive and thriving `` film`making. Quilts
:21:45. > :21:52.are being displayed in a rather unusual setting. The church has long
:21:53. > :22:00.been renowned for its colourful robes and vestments. But today, this
:22:01. > :22:03.cathedral itself is adorned with an array of stunning needle cr`ft,
:22:04. > :22:09.created in the very heart of Cornwall's communities. But this is
:22:10. > :22:16.not a solitary pursuit. These were hand`stitched by small groups acting
:22:17. > :22:22.all over the duchy. We are puilting. It is a sociable business. Oh, yes.
:22:23. > :22:27.It puts the world to rights. Most groups meet once a week or
:22:28. > :22:34.fortnight, and we all take our quilts that we are doing. Sometimes
:22:35. > :22:40.we are stuck. It is more to do with fellowship and sharing ideas.
:22:41. > :22:50.Socialising, doing lots of talking. And a little bit of quilting. Yes.
:22:51. > :22:56.The theme is Saint of Cornw`ll, and has taken two years to put
:22:57. > :23:02.together. The quilting groups were just given the size and left to
:23:03. > :23:05.their inspiration and imagination. What is the thrill for you of seeing
:23:06. > :23:12.the exhibition finally up? Delighted. Absolutely delighted I
:23:13. > :23:23.think you will find there is not one quilt that is similar. They are also
:23:24. > :23:27.similar `` different and inspiring. This is a really celebration of
:23:28. > :23:33.Cornish quilting. Absolutelx. The feedback we have had has bedn
:23:34. > :23:38.brilliant. If you want to CD quilts, it is a case of a stitch in time.
:23:39. > :23:43.They are only on display until tomorrow and then they are off on
:23:44. > :23:48.tour. Audiences in Harrogatd and Edinburgh will be able to enjoy the
:23:49. > :23:56.craft and beauty of the Saints of Cornwall.
:23:57. > :24:01.What an amazing amount of work that has gone into that. Really
:24:02. > :24:09.intricate. You will only nedd a light quit `` felt at the moment.
:24:10. > :24:11.You are not going to need to many blankets overnight, but overnight
:24:12. > :24:17.temperatures are quite tight tonight. Tomorrow, there will be
:24:18. > :24:21.some sunshine and a very slhght chance of a few showers dotted
:24:22. > :24:28.around, but our dry story continues until we get into the weekend. For
:24:29. > :24:32.the next 24 hours or so, it is fine and try. The cloud will comd and go.
:24:33. > :24:38.There might be a strand of cloud that comes down through the Irish
:24:39. > :24:41.Sea, that could give us a fdw light showers across Cornwall latdr
:24:42. > :24:48.tonight, but apart from Schreiber apart from that, not much change. ``
:24:49. > :24:53.apart from that, not much change. Top temperature today, 23 ddgrees. A
:24:54. > :24:59.degree or so warmer tomorrow. Heading into the weekend, this
:25:00. > :25:03.weather system gets closer. By the middle of the day on Saturd`y, it is
:25:04. > :25:11.starting to arrive, bringing the car cloud and potentially some outbreaks
:25:12. > :25:19.of rain all stop `` Raina. That is the picture from earlier today. The
:25:20. > :25:23.skies have been off and on clear with the sunshine will stop this is
:25:24. > :25:30.earlier today in the Victorha Gardens where our cameraman got some
:25:31. > :25:36.great shots. Just look at the flowers. They are looking f`ntastic.
:25:37. > :25:40.The sunshine has brought out the flowers in many of our garddns right
:25:41. > :25:45.across the South West of England. We have had a couple of e`mails about
:25:46. > :25:49.when it will rain because there is some concern that some of the
:25:50. > :25:53.gardens and fields and farms could use a bit of water over the next
:25:54. > :25:59.week or so. The only chance is overnight Saturday going into
:26:00. > :26:02.Sunday. Clear skies overnight tonight will be replaced by bigger
:26:03. > :26:08.clouds drifting down from the north. Just a few showers in parts of West
:26:09. > :26:14.Cornwall by tomorrow morning. Quite a Monday night, temperatures no
:26:15. > :26:16.lower than 14 or 15 degrees. Tomorrow, the showers and Wdst
:26:17. > :26:22.Cornwall have disappeared and it will be another nice day with just a
:26:23. > :26:28.developing and a sticky humhd developing and a sticky humhd
:26:29. > :26:37.feeling. Top temperature around 23 or 24 degrees. That is the forecast
:26:38. > :26:47.for the Isles of Scilly. At times, quite cloudy.
:26:48. > :26:55.Surfing emissions have not been good today. `` conditions. Slightly
:26:56. > :27:07.bigger waves along the north coast. It is quite choppy. Northwesterly,
:27:08. > :27:11.mainly fair, with good visibility. The wind direction is prettx much
:27:12. > :27:14.the same as we head into thd weekend. It changes a littld bit on
:27:15. > :27:20.Saturday he cause the weathdr front comes in. That will produce
:27:21. > :27:25.outbreaks of rain, not everxwhere, but will gradually spread through
:27:26. > :27:30.the rest of the counties through the day. Sunday, bright and dry but
:27:31. > :27:32.rather cloudy. Somewhat fresher and cooler in the second half of the
:27:33. > :27:35.weekend. Have a nice weekend. cooler in the second half of the
:27:36. > :27:41.weekend. Have a nice We havd lots of comments coming in on our top story
:27:42. > :27:47.on the strike action, thank you very much for that. Keep them coling in.
:27:48. > :27:54.From all of us, have a good night. Goodbye.
:27:55. > :28:02.with some new adventures to share with YOUR little ones.
:28:03. > :28:11.Please, double please. We're going to Dad's office today.
:28:12. > :28:17.These look really yummy. I'm so excited about going to school.