11/08/2014 Spotlight

That is all from the BBC News at 6.00pm. So goodbye from me and

to a festival was blown out of by O'Hara came. The Board masters

Festival is worth millions to the local economy but was cut short by

weather. Also tonight, the crime costing

Devon and Cornwall millions of pounds. Theft of tools is up by a

third. A Plymouth rugby referee in benefit

fraud charges in court. Why Cornwall students may be lagging

behind in A`level results. And the very Happy villagers of

North Devon becoming internet stars. The organisers of one

of the region's biggest festivals are counting their costs tonight

after it had to be abandoned The five`day Boardmasters music

and surf event attracts 30,000 people every day to Newquay

and brings in around ?30 million But winds blew down tents and

rain left campsites waterlogged. Organisers felt it was too

dangerous to carry on. Take more than 20,000 campers, the

tail end of her regain, and this is what you get, wet, windy and blown

out of business. The final day of the Boardmasters festival, which

should have been yesterday, cancelled. Today the Lee Rigby was

well under way and those who had stayed on despite the conditions

were wet, dirty and do it but have made the best of it. We sort of made

our own music. Hanging about. We were all in a two`man pop`up tent,

not waterproof but also it was a disaster. We went out in the data in

Newquay, came back, loads of tents lying around, so we got empty water

cannons and started running away. We had a laugh. The organisers say that

safety was of absolute priority. A festival spokesperson told the BBC

that part of the big top tent had collapsed on Sunday morning. Before

the arena was open, that was, and nobody was hurt. Today the PR

company brought back from that slightly, simply saying they had

issues with the Maverick stage, one of the smaller tents in the arena.

But for some local businesses, an unexpected boost. The visitors

provide a boost in business every year and although the festival was

cancelled, the people and therefore the trade were already here. More

people, I guess, people not being at the festival and they were in the

pubs and businesses. In general, how important festivals like this? 100%

important. Things like these makers and give us a chance to keep people

employed. It was disappointing for the who had hoped to play. The

headline is said... Today organisers said that safety

had to be the primary concern. The director of Boardmasters said people

had been given refunds in proportion to the type and dredging of the

ticket they had bought. It is obviously devastating for us and

devastating for the people who have come to see the headline last night.

Boardmasters are asking people to keep checking their website for the

latest refund information. Rural crime in Devon and Cornwall

is up by more than a third. The latest figures from a UK`wide

survey show it cost the two counties The most common items targeted

by thieves were tools, Stolen from under his nose, David's

brand`new utility farm vehicle was locked but thieves still took it in

the middle of the night. This replacement, like the original, cost

?14,000. They are real professionals and they are quite brazen and not

worried what lengths they go to to get the kit they want. From tractors

to quad bikes, the cost of rural crime is up across much of the South

West according to an F U Neutral. It was ?1.1 million in Devon and

Cornwall in 2013, up 35% on the previous year.

But it felt in Dorset over the same period. Insurers say some areas are

being hit hard with criminal gangs shifting their attention from other

areas to the West Country. The big concern is we are seeing a lot of

organised crime, thieves who will take a tractor worth ?50,000,

whisked across the Channel, sell it on in Eastern Europe, or if they are

livestock thieves, taking 100 or more sheep at once. Police say crime

overall is down and that alongside tackling countryside issues such as

domestic abuse and violent crime, they are dealing with property

theft. We have got a whole network of people through watch schemes. We

have got farm, boat and horse watches. We encourage the use of

Crimestoppers. We take the issue very seriously. People are also

being urged to make sure their property is secure.

One of England's top rugby referees claimed hundreds of pounds

A court has heard that David Rose, from Plymouth,

was claiming jobseekers' allowance at the same time he was being paid

hundreds of pounds for taking charge of Premiership matches.

David Rose is usually used to applying the laws of rugby. Today he

paid the price for breaking the laws of the land. In February 2013 he

applied for jobseeker's allowance. He was paid ?712 but at the time, he

was still refereeing top`flight rugby matches, including teams like

Bath, Gloucester, and the Exeter Chiefs. For each of these games he

was paid ?696. His defence was that this was a genuine mistake. He

believed that because he's rugby commitments took up less than 16

hours per week he was still eligible for benefit but the prosecution said

the money he earned while claiming well exceeded the ?71 limit. The

money has been paid back. Passing sentence of a 12 month conditional

discharge, ?700 in costs, the judge said it puzzled him why Rose did not

think he had to disclose that he was earning money. Rose, just eight men

to have refereed 100 Premiership matches was still agile as he jogged

away from court this morning. He is still banned. It is not known

whether that will be lifted. When that will be lifted.

As thousands of young people wait for their A`level results this week,

the latest figures show students from some parts

of the region are lagging behind the rest of the country and are less

Now efforts are under way in Cornwall to try to get more of them

aiming for the top universities, as Tamsin Melville reports.

This summer she's swapped dreaming spires

Former community college pupil Beth is studying medicine at Oxford

and wants more pupils like her to follow.

People don't really think about it or think it is all people

who have gone to private school, and that is not true.

Anyone can go and you are definitely not at a disadvantage for having

The year Beth went to Oxford, 2011, the figures for state pupils going

to Oxbridge are so low they do not register in Government figures.

`` Cornwall pupils from state schools going to Oxbridge.

But not all agree this is a useful measurement.

Eerily quiet at this St Austell A`level centre, it will be a very

different scene on Thursday, when 400 students collect their results.

For many, staying relatively close to home is a conscious choice.

Students from state schools in Cornwall make positive decisions

about their future and they are fortunate in geographic

terms with universities to have a vast array of choice relatively

Figures show in Cornwall last year, the percentage of state`funded

students getting the top grades, two As and a B or higher, in core

subjects like English, lagged behind the national average of 12%.

It is similar in Plymouth and Dorset, with Devon,

Various reasons are offered for Cornish students' results

We live in a peninsula so we are a long way from everywhere.

We also have fantastic local provision available to us,

which is great, and we know we come from a deprived area where HE might

not be have been as valued as it is now amongst families in Cornwall.

To get more students aiming as high as Beth, a team is working in, which

includes the council, teachers, business leaders and parents.

It is hoped this year's results will reflect this.

The only flight simulator in the South West that is open to the

public has started training pilots for the airline industry. It also

aims to help the one in six people who have a fear of flying. He is

only nine but John Arthur is at the controls of a passenger jet. The

primary school pupil is flying at 300 knots at 10,000 feet. What is it

feel like? Like being in an aeroplane. He is piloting the South

West's only public flights in the later, identical to a 737 800. Its

anger is this industrial unit. Upstairs there are more flights

immolate us. There is also a small cabin section. I am waiting for a

gym tonic and ice. This is a serious enterprise that has received EU

financial support. It has been brought together by a commercial

pilot with a background in training but aside from helping pilots with

extra courses, the simulator could also help those with a fear of

flying. That is one in six people, and the idea is to get them into the

cockpit. The person gets to fly the actual aircraft. What that does is

give them the opportunity to actually make the noises, see how

the aircraft flies, do the things which frighten them themselves, in a

totally safe environment. So as well as helping those with a fear of

flying, the singer letters are letting pupils see the practical

side of maths and computers. `` the simulators. It is all drip feeding

so they get a lot of information and it just builds as they regress

through their school career. Lots of promise, then, for an aviation

business that has taken off but is staying in Devon.

A suspected outbreak of norovirus is being investigated at a popular

Tests are being carried out after at least 50 guests and staff

at the River Dart Country Park fell ill over the weekend.

A swimming lake was drained as a precaution.

The park said it was doing everything it could to find

the source of the problem and was working closely with health

Plymouth University insists its board of governors is united

behind the review that's led to the chief executive being suspended.

It follows reports of a disagreement among governors

over the decision to place Professor Wendy Purcell on leave.

No reason for her suspension has been given,

Petrol stations across Plymouth should have unleaded fuel back

on sale by midnight, after a slip`up at a storage depot

told some stations to stop selling unleaded because of fears

Spotlight's David George has been to investigate.

This is the Owl, a 70`foot ketch built in 1909 of

Details of her month`long voyage in July 1914 are a chilling glimpse

after the end of the trip but just days after the start

He says, "We were lucky to get clear of Germany when we did, and I look

back upon my holiday not only as an enjoyable time, but the events

which have since occurred have added a special interest to it."

These are people going about their ordinary lives

in a very ordinary way, by our standards quite luxurious

and privileged but nonetheless without any idea at all of what was

about to happen throughout Europe and the whole world.

It is all a bit reminiscent of the plot of this book, The Riddle Of The

Sands, that story of yachting and spying on the German coast in the

In fact, the book inspired many yachtsmen to make a similar voyage.

While here at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, they would love to know

Celebrations are being held tonight as the region welcomes home

its medal winning lawn bowlers from the Commonwealth Games.

Four bowlers, all from the Kings Club in Torquay, are showing off the

And Spotlight's Dave Gibbins is in Torquay for us tonight

wrote it. I have never been amongst so many medals. Look at this for an

array of medals. Sophie, gold medal. And her brother, Sam, that is his

bronze. Natalie, two silver medals and her fiance with another silver.

How about that? Sam cannot be with us because he's just playing there,

on the right`hand side. Sam! Congratulations on your bronze! He

is playing club bowls tonight. For here, the Kings club, in Torquay.

Look at all be spent in for review. What is it like to be back? So nice

to see everybody and get a nice welcome back. It is brilliant. Did

you expect everything like this? We need we did well the whole club

would be behind us and they have been. You won a gold medal so you

are very proud. Clinking and clanking here, Natalie, two silver

is. What about this? Unbelievable. We are members of a really

supportive club and having them behind us all the way has been

fantastic and to bring home medals for all of us has been an incredible

achievement and one we are proud of. It has been pretty amazing. You

have just won the national title as well, singles, you have just come

back. You will want a great big cupboard for all your medals. A lot

of the time you just keep them in the cupboard. It is unbelievable to

win the singles as well over the weekend. A bit of a whirlwind.

Pleased to be home now and we are relaxing for a couple of days before

the pairs. James, your Commonwealth Games debut. How does it feel to be

the seals `` silver medal winner? Very proud. All four offers from

this club, for all of us to bring something home is fantastic.

Somebody tells me that you two are taking a year out from your success.

Can you confirm that on Spotlight? I think we can. We have informed the

relevant authorities. We are getting married next year so we want some

time off to have a nice honeymoon. We have achieved something that we

could only have dreamt of when we started bowling, and it will be nice

to have a bit of a break. Well done. Congratulations on not only the

medals but the wedding. Back to you. Congratulations. Staying with

sport... It was an

inauspicious start to the new football season for the South West's

senior clubs. Only Exeter City came out of the weekend with any reward.

Our commentators on BBC Somerset and BBC Radio Devon describe the drama

from day one of the campaign. He lobs it over the goalkeeper

and the first goal Chris Wills made the decision

to come out of his goal and he Forrester has an empty goal

and he's played the ball That might be game,

set and match for Doncaster. It looks like we've got

a little bit of work to do. Wallace, five yards away, decides to

come infield, inside the penalty We have come into the game

a little vulnerable this week with issues, and embargo and illness

and what have you, and to come away Adam Cunnington has

the ball placed and the ball is And the ball is stabbed in

by Cambridge United, who take As for Torquay United, a 3`1 defeat

at last season's play`off finalists Gateshead indicate they have

a formidable job on their hands if they're to challenge for honours

in the football Conference. After the dramatic weather at the

weekend, let's see what this week has in store.

better as the week progresses. But for the moment Wendy with showers.

Quite rough sea conditions. That curl of cloud across the top of

Scotland is the remnants of the hurricane rain. We are under the

influence of it but we are furthest away from it. The weather will

improve first first. There are showers rotating around that area of

pressure. More to come. There could be some quite sharp showers. By

Wednesday, the showers starting to die down. North West wind. Wind

coming from a cold direction so do not expect temperatures to be too

high. Ordinarily, the showers would fade away overnight but I do not

think that will happen tonight. The showers will keep on going. Some

with the risk of thunder to come. Still quite windy conditions,

especially along the coastline and along the coast of the Moors, too.

Enough clear skies to get those temperatures down quite low. Quite a

cold start to the day tomorrow. Also a showery day. The showers will come

and go throughout. No real spell of weather where it remains basically

dry. If you are lucky, you may see one or two and the rest of the day

is fine and dry but otherwise the showers could be frequently blown in

by the breeze. In terms of temperatures, they are not too high

tomorrow. Up to 17 or 18 for most of us. 19 in sheltered inland parts.

Elsewhere showers quite frequent and where they do occur, the

temperatures drop quite smartly. Hopefully there will be some lengthy

spells of sunshine in between the showers. Blustery wind making it

feel on the cool side. The next couple of days, the tides

are high. Spring tides unusually so. Several flood alerts for the coasts.

North and South coast. Those alerts continue into tomorrow and

Wednesday. The combination of strong wind, of the high tides and also of

the low`pressure living a risk of coastal flooding. Big waves for

surfers, too. Especially on the North coast. Some quite tricky

conditions out at sea. Visibility reduced in those

showers, though. Here is the forecast as we head towards the end

of the week. Quieter in terms of strength of wind. Probably the best

day will be Wednesday. It does get quieter and somewhat, by the time we

get to Friday. Something to be happy about. `` quieter and somewhat more

calm. Now, if you need a bit

a cheering up tonight, we may well It's something which has become

a bit of an internet craze, and the latest version comes

from a community in North Devon. Residents

in Petrockstowe have made their own version of the Happy video

by Pharrell Williams, to encourage Spotlight's John Ayres has

been been taking a look. No doubt it is a catchy tune and as

a result, community groups up and down the country have been recording

their own version of Happy. We are up for anything in this village. It

is wonderful. There is so much to do. You would never be lonely here.

We want to get everybody here and let everybody know how amazing it

is. Not everyone realises what a happy community we have got and

therefore I felt that the PDA using the song would really showcase our

village in its best light. Action! There is even a website where all

the different versions made by different groups will be uploaded.

Is it something anyone can do? Yes, anyone can do it, even you. HE

MINDS. `` MINES. Who were all those people? ! Just

time to say good night. Thank you for joining us. We will leave you

with those happy people.