11/09/2014 Spotlight

later this weekend. Th`nc 9ou. Ph!t is all

A coroner said today that their deaths were an accident but

Tonight one father pays tribute to his son.

Everybody remembers his smile and however versant he was. It came out

in the evidence today how h`ppy and jokey he was and that is a legacy

that will always live on. A divided picture as a North Devon

Hospital is praised and criticised. Concern from health inspectors about

long delays in A but medical Tour de force, the tour of Britain

thunders through Devon, bringing And twice as nice, six sets of

twins join one of our schools. Firefighters have warned

of the dangers of interfering with heat detectors and smoke al`rms

after a three`year`old boy, his teenage sister and her boyfriend

died in a house fire in Devon. They perished

after the alarms were disabled. The fire, in Honiton, was started

by another child in the house who Young Harvey Bennellick, his

17`year`old sister Rosie and her boyfriend Andy Gunn, who was 18

were all in a first floor bddroom. What was as a devastating tragedy.

In a statement the family's mother said another child came into her

bedroom and said he had dond something bad. She said he had been

playing with a lighter and started the fire. Three times her htsband

tried to go upstairs to rescue the youngsters. He said it was pitch

black, I tried to go forward, he said, but it was so hot, thd was

unbearable. He went downstahrs and outside and try to break into the

bedroom window where the three youngsters were with a piecd of

wood. I was screaming for mx babies he said, I thought they werd

burning. 17`year`old Rosie Bennellick, her brother Harvey who

was three and her boyfriend Andy Gunn died in the bedroom of the

house. Rosie had disabled three smoke alarms as they had bedn going

off and disturbing their sldep. Mr Bennellick said his wife was going

to phone the council but shd never did. Fire officers say workhng

alarms would probably have saved the three lives. Do not disable them.

They will still activate evdn if they are beeping. I appreci`te many

homeowners find them an annoyance when they do that but the kdy word

to all occupants is let the landlord or house owner know what is

happening so they can be chdcked out and the operation still continues.

It was the disabling of smoke alarms and heat detectors that led the

coroner to deliver a verdict of accidental death, contributdd to by

neglect. The family of Andy Gunn described today as harrowing. It

left us feeling that in futtre there should be assigned for everxbody not

to disconnect heat detectors or smoke detectors. In that case three

lives were lost because of that and directly because of that, as you

heard in court today so we do not want that to happen again. No one

from Bennellick family was hn court to hear the coroner say that she was

satisfied the fire had been started accidentally. She said the

consequences of removing thd smoke alarms, while unintended, wdre

foreseeable. One of the South West's hospitals

has been both praised and Health inspectors are concerned

about long delays in A at North Devon District Hospit`l

saying managers must do mord to But at the same time the Care

Quality Commission has said medical care is outstanding and has rated

community health services across Emma has hurt her ankle and come to

this hospital to get it exalined. It is running smoothly today btt A E

has consistently struggled to admit or discharge patients within target

times and it has left ambul`nce patients waiting too long. The Care

Quality Commission says the hospital must do better. We have alrdady

appointed more staff into the A E department and they started on the

1st of August and that enables us to assess people in a more prolpt way

and with the reviews that wd have had in our escalation it is enabling

people to see those patients and move them through the systel in a

faster way. The inspectors also found f`ilings

with care given to people at the end of their lives, particularlx in

terms of pain management. The trust said there were procedures hn place

to ensure that patients alw`ys got the pain relief they needed and

those procedures were being strictly followed.

The CQC found plenty to prahse. Medical care at the hospital is

rated outstanding, especially for dementia patients. It is superb The

staff make the place really. They look after you the whole tile.

Nothing is too much work. Fdedback from patients and families `bout

staff in Acute Hospital and community health care is glowing. We

have had uniformly overwhellingly good feedback from patients and

carers and friends. Services are highly valued and appreciatdd so to

see that sort of standard of care being delivered consistentlx is

really very good indeed. As well as the Acute Hospital there ard 17

cottage hospitals and there is community health care across the

area. Those services have today been rated as good. In a shake`up later

this year 's control of comlunity services may be taken away from the

trust. It hopes today's report will prove that is the wrong dechsion.

Dairy farmers worried about the fall in the price they `re paid

for milk are organising a protest meeting in Somerset tonight.

Farmers For Action say they don't accept claims that global

Spotlight's Environment Correspondent Adrian Cambpell

Most of us drink it, but very few of us know the economics of wh`t goes

into a pint of milk. Dairy farmers, milk processors and retailers will

try to take their share of `ny profit. After recent months after a

relatively short period of stability, the dairy farmer has seen

prices fall again. In June the price per litre of link was `` milk was

around 34p and now we are down to 30p and if people make the cuts that

are promised it we will be heading down to 26 or 27p a litre. That is

not sustainable. Since Novelber milk prices have been falling and many

dairy farmers are concerned about further cutbacks in recent weeks.

Could prices really go any lower? In recent months many farmers have

given up altogether or die diversified into different `reas.

The concern now is with the instability in the milk price more

may take a similar route. Wd spoke to retailers and milk processors who

say there is a surplus of mhlk on the world market at the momdnt and a

recent ban by Russia on imports as made things even more volathle. The

National Farmers' Union says we need to look after our dairy farlers We

cannot sustain the sort of prices and once you go out of dairx

production that is it, it is finished. You can never start again.

?300,000 to set up a milking parlour and who will make that investment?

We need to look after dairy farmers or the milk will not be there.

Protests such as this one in Holsworthy last year attracted big

support and for a while the price dairy farmers received went up. Our

more protests on the way? Hopefully with time we will be able to sort it

without needing a protest. We have done it before and we will do it

again. The NFU says it has lanaged to secure European intervention to

help to reduce the amount of dairy product in the market. It is now

calling for better labelling so consumers can support British dairy

farmers. Nearly ?3 million will be spent

upgrading transport links around the site of a new nuclear

power station in Somerset. The government funding will go

towards fixing potholes and general road maintenance before the new

plant is built at Hinkley Point Cycle paths and rail stations

at nearby Bridgwater and Tatnton New figures show thousands lore

people travelled to the Islds The Isles of

Scilly Steamship Company saxs it carried an extra 6,000 people

on the ferry and its planes between It's a rise of around 5%

on last year. They came from around the world

but blink The Tour of Britain cyclists may

have raced through Devon today but the impact on the economic landscape

could be much longer`lasting. It's thought the event will

help bring in ?27 million. Tens of thousands

of spectators lined the route. It started in Exmouth this lorning

and went around the county speeding through Topsham, Bovey Tracdy,

across Dartmoor up to Okehalpton Fast and furious, the turbo`charged

riders of the Tour of Britahn. No holds barred, zipping through Devon.

80 kilometres an hour the fheld are touching. Dartmoor was the perfect

place to catch a glimpse. The crowds turn out here in their thousands to

watch the Tour of Britain. Dxmouth was the start of stage five with Sir

Bradley Wiggins signing before getting off to work. There were 210

punishing miles ahead. Devon has featured in the tour more

times than any other venue outside of London. The county loves its

Lycra. Businesses like this one in Tavistock were geared up. It has

been very busy this morning. There were a lot more people about. To get

a good view you had to get hn front. You have a yellow jersey so you must

be ahead of the pack. They could not keep up with me this morning so I

gave them a chance to catch up. When the peloton pounds and it t`kes no

prisoners. Students saw it but only just. I liked it and I had to watch

it because my mum was going round but I did not see her. Your mum was

on a bike? No! They went through Devon through more stunning scenery.

There was no time to take in the view as they raced relentlessly into

Exeter. More crowds were eager to see the sprint finish. He is not

quite there. He will be there in a few moments time. Here he comes It

is the stage victory. Up coles the zip, the professional appro`ch to

the line. The crowd cheering him on. It is all over very quickly. Is it

worth the wait? Definitely. It is a great spectacle, great atmosphere

and it is great to see thesd guys putting all the effort in as well.

It is great to see youngsters involved and it gives them

inspiration for the future to see people like this here. Another Tour

of Britain cycle race and another triumph for the Devon stage.

You're watching Spotlight tonight with Natalie Cornah and

If you're going into battle on set you need the right armour.

We'll be trying to match thd armour to the film in just a moment.

Then spare a thought for the teachers at a school

Beach huts and chalets have long been ` part

But like the seaside theatrd in Weymouth the local authoritx says

That's because while their long history brhngs

Upkeep the Borough Council says it now can't afford.

It's hoping to attract outside investors.

Briony Leyland looks at how that's going down at the water's edge.

Vera has had a 20 year love affair with these chalets. The piece, the

sunshine when it shines, thd wind when it howls, the rain, and just

sitting and listening to thd sea. It is just so calming and I just love

it. There were pays ?1000 a year to the council in rent but there is

trouble in paradise. The cotncil cannot afford to upkeep and fear and

other chalets holders are concerned about a possible private takeover.

When you talk to people frol outside Weymouth they talk about Grdenhill

Gardens and the beach and the Esplanade and how safe it is for

children and it is a family place and it is a traditional place and I

just feel that that would bd lost. The main block of chalets w`s built

in the 1920s to create jobs and it is now listed and it needs of nearly

?1 million of structural work. The council is inviting private

companies and community grotps to bid for a lease. People seel to not

be able to accept change. The council has accept change and a lot

of councils are not keen to go this way but needs must. We must look for

partners that can invest and invest and restore and run it. The council

says there is some scope for development but covenants rdstrict

that and the gardens will rdmain council control. The friends group

is not about to step in and take over the chalets. We have indicated

we are not participating as a leader of a community bid at all. We do not

have the funds. One community group told us today that it is in the

early stages of putting a bht together. The council says ht has

significant interest and bidders have until mid`October to m`ke

approaches. The chalet owners hope that the right match is found.

It's been a year of looking back at the beginning of the

First World War, whose outbreak had so many different consequences.

The fact that a group of Belgian refugees couldn't return hole meant

a school was set up which lhves on to this day.

So St John's in Sidmouth is also marking its centenary and vhsitors

have come from across the Atlantic to join in the celebrations.

Carole Madge has been finding out why.

A century of learning on thd coast in Devon. There were sports, the

great outdoors and the companionship. And now 100 xears on

the hallowed halls and playhng fields are still ringing with the

sounds of youngsters. A beattiful stained`glass window. To celebrate

the centenary the headteachdr has a special visitor. It gives md goose

bumps to think my mother worshipped in this room 100 years ago. Penny

has travelled thousands of liles to visit the place where her mother was

at school. It all began with some pamphlets tucked away in her

mother's desk. I did not know she had them but I have read thdm and I

found out things about her H did not know before such as, I knew that she

had gone here to school, but what I did not know was that she w`s

Belgian and her father was ` career officer in the Belgian army and he

knew what Ash back he knew that war was coming so he sent his whfe and

family to England. He wanted them to be safe and they were and hd

mother was one of four refugees in mother was one of four refugees in

need of an education, the school's very first pupils. My mother had

these magazines. She left them in her desk and I found that after she

died. I read through them looking for her but I saw you and you are

all through there. Gosh! Yot won the tennis tournament and the b`dminton

tournament, and you were quhte a sports woman! I enjoyed it hn those

days! At the age of 99 this is a real old girl of the school. For

Penny this meeting provides another link to her mother's passed and she

says it was well worth travdlling across the Atlantic for.

A ?1 million auction of film industry memorabili` next

month will include armour and weapons made by a man in Cornwall.

Terry English has been supplying the silver screen for 50 ye`rs.

Gladiator, Aliens, Harry Potter and Excalibur, just some of

fit? It fitted perfectly. Yds. He has made armour and weapons for

armour to the Tower of London and he readily takes part in fairy

festivals. He is off now to a big one in the Netherlands!

They will turn a few heads driving in that! A remarkable man indeed.

Teachers at one school in Ddvon can hardly believe their eyes after the

school welcomed six sets of twins. It must be some kind of record. The

12 new pupils have all started at the same school in Plymouth and we

have been finding out how the teaching staff will cope with all of

the confusion. Look closely, there is a dr`gon in

the room and a tiger in this class. There is also Zachery and Fhnlay.

You have guessed it, twins. There are six pairs of twins at this

primary school starting thehr reception week. I have been in

teaching for over 20 years tnder headteacher for ten years and I have

never known anything like this. I have had a twins before in xear

groups but normally one or laybe two sets but to have six altogether is

incredible. I have never known anything like it. Who would have

thought that the two times table would be difficult for a table? Its

policy is to suggest separating the twins into different classes. One

set of parents were very kedn for them to stay together so we said

that was OK but generally speaking we like to keep them apart so they

can grow as individuals. As twins they tend to stick together and form

quite close unit together and sometimes that is at the exclusion

of making other friendships. Not too much double trouble. Parents are

pleased there are a dozen twins in the same year. I think they are all

starting to realise that thdre are other twins so they are starting to

recognise and socialise with them a little bit more which is very good

as well. You are in different classes. How does it feels? Weird.

Weird. What do you like best about school? Dinosaurs. We have fun with

Lego. We asked for the school to separate them because they fight

each other. They always fight each other and cause trouble! So far they

are probably better. Accordhng to the multiple births foundathon the

number of twins has increasdd over the years, probably due to fertility

treatment. Presently around one in 80 berths in the UK are nattrally

multiple compared to one in five after IVF treatment. Maybe the

school had an idea they would have this many twins because alrdady

there is a game for them to play. He is doing well to keep thdm apart.

Aren't they lovely! Imagine having to view!

One is quite enough. It is time for the weather now. It seems cooler

today. It is slightly, but that is the only difference.

I have had a few enquiries today about when it will rain. I cannot

see it happening at the mintte. There will be a change next week and

it is a question of how quickly that happens. I will give you in later in

the broadcast about that. We have had a lovely day. More clout

but just that bit cooler because of it. Tomorrow the sunshine whll be

back out. It is cloudy at thmes and Sunny spells with easterly wind

continuing. They do not bring a lot in terms of wet weather so ht

area of low pressure to the west of area of low pressure to

Spain and Portugal and we h`ve the Spain and Portugal and we h`ve the

high over southern Scandinavia. We are getting easterly winds `nd that

does not change very much over the next few days. This is the forecast

for tomorrow and by Saturdax we still have high pressure and by

the East. We saw these clouds charge and the wind will relain from

the East. We saw these clouds earlier today. There was a cover of

cloud in Somerset and Dorset that was stubborn to move out of the way.

We have had the best of the sunshine today. Patchy cloud across Devon and

Cornwall and decent spells of sunshine as well. A windy d`y

yesterday for West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly but today it has not

been quite as strong. Overnhght tonight missed is forming and patchy

cloud returning. It is still drive and by the morning we wake tp to

some sunny spells. More clott in general in the sky compared to what

we have seen in the last few days. We will see a bit more cloud

floating by tomorrow. The bdst of the sunshine will be on the north

coast of Cornwall and the northern parts of Devon. Let us go to the

north coast of Cornwall tod`y where we had some beautiful weathdr. I

cameraman got a glimpse of the sand and also of the surf. There is very

little at the moment. Many of our surfers have been a bit dis`ppointed

in the past few days becausd their eyes hardly a wave at all.

It is hard to imagine we ard actually still in September.

Temperatures tomorrow will be very similar to today. After the cloudy

start we will brighten up in the sunshine will work through `nd we

will get back up to 19 degrdes. The wind will be from the east `nd

strongest along the south coast of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

This is the forecast for thd Isles of Scilly tomorrow. Some sunny

spells and fine and right whth sunshine. Becky Morgan from the East

South waste just making it feel cool if you are right on the coast. There

are our times of high water. I do not know why I bother to show

the surfing forecast becausd there is not a great deal of surf That

continues over the next couple of days.

I suggested I would give yot a hint of what happens next week so let us

weep ashlar leap forward and go right ahead to Tuesday next week.

Look. It is the same area of low pressure and effectively high

pressure over Scandinavia btt it is much weaker. This area of low

pressure is just extending ` little bit towards southern Britain so

perhaps by the middle of next week we could start to see a few showers

but until then it is fine and dry and again we will see some sunny

spells but more cloud as we head into the weekend. The better of the

two days of the weekend will be Saturday with sunshine here and

patchy cloud floating by. Stnday morn `` Sunday and Monday are still

warm with the same easterly winds but a lot of cloud around so perhaps

not quite as sunny as it has been. That is all from me. Enjoy the

evening. Thank you. The weather has been

consistently good so we will have that. There is more in the News at

ten we are back tomorrow at 6:3 pm. Have a lovely. Goodbye.