14/08/2014 Spotlight

opher news on the BBC News Ch`nfel, and on our website, but th!t hs all

for now. It is A big switch off `

anger over plans to remove broken Critics say the latest cost cutting

measure proposed They make enough out of the council

tax. I am sure there are other cuts that could be made that wouldn't

affect street lighting. could it finally be time to

tackle one of the region's lost notorious bottlenecks, making

big improvements for drivers? Enormous difference. I don't know

why they didn't continue thd carriageway through in the first

place. And the moment of truth

for thousands of students, as the scramble for univershty

places gets underway. Across the South West, councils have

been turning off street lights Now, Torbay Council is lookhng

at removing street lamps altogether It's all part of a new round

of cuts totalling ?3.8 millhon. The proposal has already catsed

outrage as Sophie Pierce reports. This street in Paignton is `

shopping area, but it also has its So the news that the streetlights

would not be just turned off but actually removed when they fail

has come as a bit of a shock. It is something that you thhnk,

well, cutbacks are one thing but you never expect them to

directly affect you, as such. They were always something that

affects somebody else, and they have been cutting back severely over

the last couple of years on various things and particularly the social

side of things, so I think ht is only obvious that perhaps things

like lighting are going to In a residential street a stone s

throw away, locals are also worried. We pay our council tax

and that is all part of it, The lighting has been going

for hundreds of years from gas lights to the presdnt day,

so why cut them out now? They make enough out

of the council tax. I am sure there is other budget cuts

that could be made that wouldn't If the plan goes ahead,

it will mean that when a street lamp fails, it will be physicallx removed

and not replaced apart from A report to the council says this

could have a significant impact in five years, with some ardas left

completely in the dark. I just think it is

absolutely ridiculous. I think the fact that he has failed

to look at alternatives such as LEDs and solar generated power to

maintain our streetlights is just It is talking

about within five years removing the streetlights having a significant

impact on our communities. Torbay Council has told

BBC Spotlight that this is one of many savings proposed towards

next year's budget Meanwhile,

the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents says lighting hmproves

safety, but councils considering removing it shotld do

a very careful risk assessmdnt. And we'd

like to hear what you think about those proposals to remove broken

street lights and not replace them. You can contact us on e`mail,

Twitter and Facebook. There's some optimism tonight that

one of the region's most notorious traffic bottlenecks could bd next

in line for a major upgrade. The single carriageway stretch

on the A30 in Cornwall links Carland Cross and

Chiverton Cross, north of Truro It's estimated that delays

on that section alone cost the Now, the Highways Agency has agreed

to pay for a study, and it's hoped 2017 could m`rk the

start of work on the road itself. Getting stuck in traffic on the A30

has long been a fact of lifd in Cornwall, particularly on this eight

mile stretch of single carrhageway 25 minutes or 30 minutes to get not

even a mile, but we tend to sort of box clever

and not travel when we know other people are going to be travdlling or

travel in the opposite direction. There is a lot

of agricultural machinery that goes along there, so it is a big concern,

really, isn't it? I think they need to widen ht

or do something like that. On the way out, it makes yot late

delivering, on the way back in, it Would the dual carriageway lake

a huge difference? The Highways Agency has agrded to

fund a business case for improvements to this section

of road. The man at the top isn't making any

promises of cash after a medting in But this is widely being sedn

as a statement of intent. There is no guarantee

but without the study there is no So a study is in

the right direction because when you do these road improvements xou have

got to look at a lot of isstes. What is critical is that we can make

the business case over the next few weeks and when it comes

to the Autumn statement, when the Chancellor is laying out

future years' expenditure, And other key A30 route near Bodmin

is already en route to be t`ckled, and it is argued it is vital

for business this next secthon is This would be the next stagd, and

if you think about the numbdr of companies that are down in that part

of the country, losing time, sitting in traffic jams, enormous costs

costs to the environment with the fumes and all,

it is essential that we end up with It is agreed there is a long way to

go and critics point to years of underinvestment in Cornw`ll's

infrastructure, but with a general election looming, and a rash of

recent funding announcements, help with the ?112 million needed

here isn't being written off. A pilot with the Exeter airline

Flybe lost control of a plane when A report by accident investhgators

says the flight, from Birmingham, had 47 people on board as it

approached Belfast City Airport It landed heavily but no`ond was

hurt, and the plane wasn't damaged. Plymouth has been suggested

as a potential new home for Trident nuclear submarines

if Scotland gains independence. A study by the Royal United Services

Institute says relocating the submarines would be far cheaper

than previously assumed. Falmouth is also highlighted

as a possible munitions sitd. There are concerns that certain

types of shellfish being catght off the coast of the south west may

contain a toxin called ASP. People who might be tempted to

gather clams, oysters, mussdls and scallops are being warned they could

contain the toxin from algal bloom. Our Environment Correspondent,

Adrian Campbell reports This is the place where people are

most at risk of coming into contact with an algal toxin which h`s been

found in shellfish along thd coast of the south west this summdr. Under

the microscope, it has a distinctive appearance. Of the shellfish, it is

call ups which concentrate hts toxin the most within their flesh. It

should not be a problem for people getting their fish from repttable

dealers. The main problem whll come from people gathering their own

dish. Divers we spoke to were surprised to hear about the toxin

which has been found this stmmer. Do you know much about the toxhn? I was

not aware of it until just now. I am very surprised. I would havd had no

idea at all about it. So now you know. A bit less likely to dat some

of those things you find? Yds, I think so. I am slightly

undernourished. Here, government researchers have been analysing

shellfish from around the South West. What we do is to open the

shelves and then we remove the meat, place it into a tree like

this, and once we have enough animals, we will put him into a

blender here and turn that hnto a soup. Then, the analysis begins The

authorities say that so far no one has been affected by the toxin. The

industry has strict guidelines to protect the public, but there are

risks for those casually gathering shellfish. People who have consumed

a shellfish contaminated with the toxins may experience diarrhoea

vomiting, confusion, and it can also affect short`term memory whhch can

be permanent and in a few c`ses it can also be fatal. So far this year

's high levels of the toxin have been found in several locathons

around the coast, from Cornwall to West Dorset. It is important the

shellfish are processed verx carefully. It is the deal and the

ducts that need to be removdd around this particular area. To make it

safe to eat. Shellfish gathdring is a popular pastime got Mark ``, but

for now it seems safe to bux them from a reputable source instead

A drive's got underway to pdrsuade Cornwall's farmers

and fishermen that they need to keep an eye on their health.

They're said to be among the worst for getting

Many work long days in remote areas, leaving little time

Now, teams from the NHS are travdlling

around the county's shops and farm stores offering free healthchecks.

We have identified people that didn't know they were walking

around with high blood pressure they didn't know they were `t risk

of having diabetes, and people that have gone on to have further checks

and we are also helping people to stop smoking and to increasd

Pupils across the South West received their A level results today

and for the first time in 32 years, there's been a fall

But because of an increase in places, many will still be able

Spotlight's John Henderson has been to one

of the country's most successful schools, Colyton Grammar in East

Devon, where pupils spend three years studying for their A levels.

Even exceptional grammar school students can struggld

It is completely indecipher`ble but shall I look really, really happy?

Colyton Grammar in East Devon is one of the best schools in the country.

Walter Goodwin got six A`levels four of them A stars,

I worked quite hard close to the exams.

Walter from Bridport is one of nine Colyton students going to Oxford.

In all, 90% of the school's students will be going to university.

But because of a dip in grades, not everyone is going to

their first choice, and some are having to rethhnk.

I got an A star, two As, and two Bs I missed out

So I'll take a gap year and reassess it.

Just over 100 college students received their results.

11 are going on to read medhcine, seven are studying engineerhng,

Like all schools in Devon, we do that, we produce thosd results

on less funding than most schools nationally.

And all Devon schools face that problem, and it is something that we

Those dipping grades could be the result of changes to A`levels

Not something that will worry today's students.

Helplines at the region's universities have been busy today

Some, with worse than expected results, hope they'll still get in.

While others, who've done bdtter, hope they may be able to tr`de up.

Spotlight's Hamish Marshall has been at the University of Exeter.

Well, you can hear the buzz and that has been going on here all

day since 8am this morning, since the admissions helpline opened, as

potential students have been trying to find out if they have got a place

Here is the man in charge of admissions here.

We have dealt with around 7000 calls today.

About 3500 of those were in the first two hours.

There are normally two types of enquiry, those who have alrdady been

made offers and they want to check that they have secured their place

at the University of Exeter, and then there are those who ard ringing

Well, we are pretty full at this campus here in Exetdr, but

we do have some vacancies in Penryn, our Cornwall campus, so for those

with high grades, we have bden trying to advise them about that.

We have seen people on the phones all day dealing with

Let's speak to someone who has actually been on the end

What it has what has it been like for you today?

The vast majority of calls unfortunately have been students

calling in and they have narrowly missed the requirements that we have

for them to take up their places here at Exeter, so unfortun`tely

But in one case, we did have a student who dhdn't

believe the good news that he had on UCAS tracking and he just wanted

to call up and here it from the horse's mouth and that was

Nice to be giving someone some good news.

The lines here are going to be open until 8pm tonight.

Also open all day tomorrow and it has not just been here.

At the University of Plymouth, they have been dealing with 500

calls as well as the universities and students try

Staff at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Treliske are fighting pl`ns to

The Hospital Trust is stopphng a parking subsidy given to

employees, in order to prioritise clinical services.

Unions say the average charge will rise from less than ?60

The event was forced to close early due to bad weather. Spectators will

get the face value of their day tickets back.

A hundred years on from the start of the First World War,

the BBC has been reminding visitors to the Okehampton Show what life was

like for both the soldiers on the frontline,

The BBC's World War One at Home on tour gave people the opportunity

to find out about all those affected, even their own relatives.

This music has been inspired by what life was like a centurx ago.

BBC Three Devon brought the World War One at Home tour to Okehampton.

If gave people a taste of life back then, and with the help

of the Imperial War Museum, a chance to find out about the peopld of the

I was trying to find a record of my grandfather, but unfortunately

he was known by two surnames as he was born out of wedlock.

I will have to go and have a good search.

It doesn't have to be a family member,

it might be somebody else you're interested in, perhaps the name

of your local war memorial, or today we had a lady whose free se`rching

School back then was quite different.

There were no laptops, mobile phones or iPads,

I am teaching the lesson, you are learning, all you h`ve to do

I think you should put that down again.

Would you prefer to be at school back then?

No. Why not? Because it is ` bit scary. Signing up with a datnting

prospect for any young man hn 1 14. Millions dead. This was a rdminder

of the sacrifices so many m`de. It would be scary if it was forgotten,

and I think the digital age and things like that, people don't

realise what went on. It is fascinating and it is sad btt we can

still celebrated in a sad w`y I suppose. With almost a centtry gone,

why are we still trying so hard to keep such a dramatic period of our

history alive? It is import`nt because we have to remember the

sacrifices that people made during that time and also to learn that the

entire country was on a war footing, it wasn't just abott the

soldiers, it was a truly worldwide conflict. Today wasn't just a

reminder. It was also helping gather information as a permanent digital

memorial is put together to remember at the 8 million people who

contributed to the war effort. Thousands of people are in Falmouth

this week for the resort's regatta. The event has become one of the

largest of its kind in the south west with around 450 yachts involved

in seven days of competition. And Spotlight's Heidi Davey

is there for us tonight. Hello. As you can see behind me a

rather lively atmosphere here. Racing may be over for the day

here, presentations are now taking place, whilst they take a

well`deserved break, we can look back at what it has already had to

offer this week. And they are off. Races have been taking placd in the

waters of former all week. The event has grown into one of the l`rgest

sailing regatta has. Falmouth is particularly proud of its working

boat history and many crews are here soaking up the party atmosphere Our

boats are working boat, and therefore it is tradition, keeping

tradition at home is very ilportant and as far as I am concerned, we are

here to support Falmouth, and it is what it is all about, because we are

the boys. It is not just thd teams on the water having all the fun

Plenty of action has been l`id on for visitors to the town, whth the

old cobbled streets baffling as people make the most of the weather.

It is absolutely fantastic. I think a lot of people think the s`me as

me, we look forward to it. H think it is one of the most important

things in the calendar of the year. And one of the highlights of the

week so far has been the red arrows. As always, they put on an ilpressive

aerobatic display for the crowds last night. But it is not over yet.

There are are still two offhcial days of racing left, which will see

flashing sailing club play host to a crew, and on Sunday it is p`ddled at

the ready as Dragon boat racing brings the week to a close. I am

joined now by Roger, who is the rear Commodore sailor at the club. Roger,

you take it in turns to plax host across the bay, don't you? Xes.

Almost week started in the 0960s, although

even matter if it is raining, because you don't notice it, you

just go out there to win. And the town is extremely busy. It brings in

so much revenue. It does. You have to realise that Falmouth wedk is

very important to the local community. It was borne out of the

almost waterfront. There is a print from the 1800, where the entire

waterfront is covered in sm`ll craft. And now we involve the town

in the regatta, so that everybody has a chance to enjoy it. Thank you,

Roger. There are two more official days of racing left, and most of the

fleet will move on to the ndxt regatta which officially st`rts on

Sunday. Thank you, Heidi. Good evening. We have had some

really heavy showers. Thankfully, most of them are now weakenhng and

moving away. The main story for tomorrow is that it is much drier,

warmer, and there will be some sunshine. There will be somd

sunshine. There's been a co`l field to the day to day, because of the

showers. Now, the cloud strtcture that has brought all those showers

is now beginning to pull aw`y from us. You can make out the sotth`west

of England here. What follows is in edge of high pressure. It sdems a

long way off, but it will gdt a little bit closer tomorrow, and by

the middle of the day on Saturday, the high pressure is just about

holding, but there are weather systems coming in from the

north`west as we move into Sunday, so a change on Sunday to cloudier

skies and perhaps rain to. That is a fairly colourful picture. That is

what we have seen so far today. Now, there are still some showers dotted

around. Some of the envious, across Devon and Dorset. This was darlier

today in Exeter. This is whdre our camera lady got very wet filming

these shots in the lead torrential downpours. And the rain falling in

such short spells of time h`s created localised flooding problems.

This is the view in Edgecumbe, filmed by our cameraman Dan. We had

some blue sky and some fine weather, but the showers were never too far

away, and a few look into the distance, you can see the showers

beginning to appear. So before gas for the next couple of days, is

mainly dry. There are some showers across parts of Dorset. Thex will

fade away, and a few will come along during the night. Some trickling

down through the early hours. For most of us, clearly not skids to

turn it quite cold tonight, and those showers have introducdd

slightly colder air, so night`time temperatures may go as low `s nine

Celsius or 10 Celsius, and ` cold night to come. A little bit of mess

around first thing tomorrow morning. No tomorrow, a chance for a few

showers, some coming into Somerset, some clipping the West of Cornwall

will stop even knows will dhsappear into the afternoon to give some

sunshine, and it should be ` largely fine and dry day. The cloud amounts

will come and go through thd day. The winds are still from a cold

direction, so don't expect too high a temperature. Perhaps 18 Cdlsius or

19 Celsius. The North Coast here while the 16 Celsius or 17 Celsius,

with that breeze. As I menthoned, it is mainly dry. There could be some

showers in the early part of the day, but they will fade awax and

then mainly fine and dry. Hdre are the times of high water.

Mainly fear, with generally good visibility. Now, one thing to note

about the outlook is we had temperatures of 25 Celsius or even

27 Celsius at times. It will be much colder through the weekend `nd into

next week. Both daytime temperatures and night`time temperatures a little

below what we would expect for this time of the year. Sunday, the guide

will be picking up for a few spots of rain, and Shari on Mondax with

temperatures no higher than 17 Celsius or 18 Celsius.

This week marks ten years since the Boscastle floods `

when heavy rain sent a wall of water through the villagd.

A hundred people had to bd airlift to safety `

116 cars were swept away ` `nd one of the biggest rescue operations

On tomorrow's Spotlight we will have a special report.

We will also be live in the village to learn what has

been done since the disaster to prevent it happening again.

Also in Spotlight tomorrow we'll catch up with a 25`year`old woman

from Cornwall who was paralxsed in a riding accident two ye`rs ago.

Suzanna Hext broke her back and pelvis and was left in a whdelchair

She's recently started riding again, and is determined to walk whthout

Now she's learning to stand up using a bionic leg.

I'm back with the late news at 10.25pm.