:00:00. > 3:59:59BBC website. That's all from the BBC News at Six. It's goodbye from me.
:00:00. > :00:19.On BBC One we You are losing jobs. It's affecting
:00:20. > :00:21.your family. Just think, is it really worth losing all of that for
:00:22. > :00:23.something like alcohol or drugs? We'll meet two women celebrating
:00:24. > :00:25.the festive season sober as the government warns excessive
:00:26. > :00:27.drinking is costing Also tonight: Speeding up
:00:28. > :00:41.journeys and the economy. I've seen my mornings and my evening
:00:42. > :00:44.drive is reduced by 30 minutes so it really makes a difference to me.
:00:45. > :00:46.One year on we'll assess whether the South Devon Highway
:00:47. > :00:54.Welcome to the spotlight express at Lappa Valley Steam Railway.
:00:55. > :00:57.Tonight our destination delivers a heartfelt Christmas story.
:00:58. > :01:00.And celebrating some of the most inspiring people who've appeared
:01:01. > :01:26.One in three people in the South West drink
:01:27. > :01:27.more than the amount the Government recommends.
:01:28. > :01:30.Most of them have no idea they're drinking too much
:01:31. > :01:35.Recent research by Public Health Action says just over a million
:01:36. > :01:37.40-70 year olds are drinking more than they should.
:01:38. > :01:41.But eight out of ten of these "at risk" drinkers see themselves
:01:42. > :01:50.And seven out of ten are not concerned about how much they drink.
:01:51. > :01:54.Campaigners want people to be more aware of the amount they're
:01:55. > :01:57.drinking, and they say the national cost to the NHS and the economy
:01:58. > :02:07.A spot of Christmas shopping and for Julie and Gabby something to
:02:08. > :02:14.celebrate, their first sober festive season for several years.
:02:15. > :02:16.I'm looking forward to Christmas Day.
:02:17. > :02:19.Roast turkey and just a little stocking, you know what I mean?
:02:20. > :02:27.Waking up Christmas morning without a hangover.
:02:28. > :02:30.Drinking two bottles of vodka a day at her
:02:31. > :02:31.lowest, Julie's children were taking into care.
:02:32. > :02:35.Drink-free now for six months she wants others to seek
:02:36. > :02:39.It costs you your self-respect and your morals and your
:02:40. > :02:44.values, which actually is what we lose.
:02:45. > :02:47.If it is starting to cost you those things, look at it
:02:48. > :02:57.Now 22, Gabby's drinking spiralled out of
:02:58. > :03:00.control at 16, starting with binges and leading to her losing her job
:03:01. > :03:06.She is in recovery thanks to a treatment charity.
:03:07. > :03:09.If it gets to a point where you are losing
:03:10. > :03:15.jobs, it's affecting your family, to just think, is it really worth
:03:16. > :03:21.losing all of that for something like alcohol or drugs?
:03:22. > :03:24.It's the season to be merry, but according to
:03:25. > :03:26.figures from Public Health Action too many of us
:03:27. > :03:28.are drinking more than we should all year round.
:03:29. > :03:31.Across the South West region one in three drink above the
:03:32. > :03:36.Here in Cornwall, one in ten are deemed to
:03:37. > :03:39.be at high risk, that's drinking double the recommended guidelines.
:03:40. > :03:42.Those figures are likely to be higher in
:03:43. > :03:45.future as the government's recommended limits
:03:46. > :03:51.For both men and women the number of units is now 14 or the equivalent
:03:52. > :03:54.of six pints of lager or six medium glasses of wine.
:03:55. > :03:56.Any weekend you go to any town in Cornwall and you're
:03:57. > :04:00.there late at night, you would definitely say that binge
:04:01. > :04:03.drinking needs addressing and that's why we have volunteers out trying
:04:04. > :04:14.But more than that, it's the fact that it's so easy
:04:15. > :04:18.You click online and it gets delivered to your door and most
:04:19. > :04:21.people now are drinking more at home than they are out in pubs or clubs.
:04:22. > :04:23.That is where we get real health problems.
:04:24. > :04:32.Next tonight: It cost over ?100 million, and was 50
:04:33. > :04:34.years in the planning, but the long-awaited South Devon
:04:35. > :04:38.For years it was hyped as the solution to Torbay's economic
:04:39. > :04:43.ills, so has it delivered on its promise?
:04:44. > :04:46.Sophie Pierce went on a road trip to find out.
:04:47. > :04:48.Rebecca Bashford commutes every day from Torbay to Exeter
:04:49. > :04:53.but her journey's been cut by half an hour.
:04:54. > :05:01.I've seen my morning and my evening drives reduced.
:05:02. > :05:11.It's by about 30 minutes so it really makes a difference to me.
:05:12. > :05:14.It's a far cry from before when traffic had to crawl
:05:15. > :05:16.through Kingskerswell, to get in and out of Torbay.
:05:17. > :05:22.Tens of thousands of cars would go through here every day.
:05:23. > :05:25.Those cars have now come onto this road.
:05:26. > :05:27.Places like Totnes the same, there is less traffic around.
:05:28. > :05:30.All the cars from the side roads that go on to this road,
:05:31. > :05:34.In Torquay Keith Richardson is investing over ?3 million
:05:35. > :05:37.in his two hotels because he thinks Torbay does have a future.
:05:38. > :05:39.He says bookings are 10% up since the road opened.
:05:40. > :05:41.Lots have mentioned how wonderful the road is.
:05:42. > :05:44.It's not only the guests, but my staff, I have got staff that
:05:45. > :05:51.live in Exeter and commute into Torquay and they say how good it is.
:05:52. > :05:54.It is hoped the road will regenerate other industries as well
:05:55. > :05:58.with an ?8 million electronics and innovation centre due to open
:05:59. > :06:01.in Paignton next year, plus the Hilton hotel chain now
:06:02. > :06:10.We have an optics firm that are looking to relocate into Torbay
:06:11. > :06:13.and have major hotel groups, the Hilton group want to develop
:06:14. > :06:24.Torbay Council is forecasting that eventually the new road will result
:06:25. > :06:36.Now a round up of some of the other news in the South West tonight:
:06:37. > :06:39.A man's been committed for trial at Plymouth Crown Court
:06:40. > :06:42.35-year-old Paul Quantick from Union Street is accused
:06:43. > :06:47.His body was found in a flat in the city on Saturday.
:06:48. > :06:50.A second day of strike action has been held by workers at Crown post
:06:51. > :06:54.They're protesting about branch closures, job security
:06:55. > :07:03.Experts say thousands of fish washed up on a Cornish beach could be down
:07:04. > :07:08.Boats sometimes have to release heavy catches to avoid capsizing.
:07:09. > :07:11.The family of a human cannonball stuntman from Newquay who died
:07:12. > :07:13.when his safety net collapsed say they'll never recover
:07:14. > :07:23.Scott May, seen here, has today been given a community order,
:07:24. > :07:28.and his Daredevil Stunt Show has been fined ?100,000.
:07:29. > :07:30.The Isles of Scilly Steamship Company has objected to plans
:07:31. > :07:33.for a new helicopter service between Penzance and the islands.
:07:34. > :07:36.The company, which runs the Scillonian passenger
:07:37. > :07:40.ferry and Skybus flights, said it would undermine
:07:41. > :07:46.Torquay United have been taken over in a deal which is claimed to have
:07:47. > :07:57.Swindon-based Gaming International are the new owners of
:07:58. > :07:59.the National League club, a move that has concerned
:08:00. > :08:13.A lot has changed in over a century here and this is another such
:08:14. > :08:21.moment. The group of fans that bought the club last year have sold
:08:22. > :08:26.the club to a Swindon -based firm called gaming International. It was
:08:27. > :08:30.the only option. This deal had to be done. All the other people in the
:08:31. > :08:35.background such as the Chinese and America, we asked them to put some
:08:36. > :08:38.money in to save the club but it was never forthcoming. They would maybe
:08:39. > :08:45.do deals down the line but it was not good enough for us, we had to
:08:46. > :08:48.get the deal done. Nobody from the club's new owners were here to tell
:08:49. > :08:51.us about their plans are Torbay united but they have said they have
:08:52. > :08:55.a five-year plan to try and secure the future of the club. Fans are
:08:56. > :08:59.concerned about the motives of the new owners who pulled out of the
:09:00. > :09:04.takeover in the summer because they couldn't buy the stadium off Torbay
:09:05. > :09:07.Council. Bearing in mind that with Gaming International our biggest
:09:08. > :09:09.concern is that they are a property developer, they have very little
:09:10. > :09:15.interest in football apparently and they have very little connection
:09:16. > :09:21.with Torquay has a place, therefore what are their long-term intentions?
:09:22. > :09:24.The short-term future has been secured but as for the long term,
:09:25. > :09:29.the fans will just have to wait and see.
:09:30. > :09:32.Hospitality and restaurant bosses in Devon say they are having
:09:33. > :09:34.major problems recruiting, with an unprecedented
:09:35. > :09:37.The sector has been expanding across the region, for example
:09:38. > :09:40.in Exeter six establishments opened within days of each other.
:09:41. > :09:43.The trade publication The Caterer currently has adverts for 76 chefs
:09:44. > :09:47.in Devon and 53 in Cornwall with hundreds of bar and waiting
:09:48. > :09:56.Chefs have never had a higher profile.
:09:57. > :09:59.Celebrity ones are regulars on TV but there don't seem to be
:10:00. > :10:06.If you're in catering and looking for a job in the south-west
:10:07. > :10:08.and you can't find one then you're not trying hard enough.
:10:09. > :10:15.In Devon and Cornwall there are jobs all over the shop,
:10:16. > :10:17.everywhere from Land's End up to Bristol.
:10:18. > :10:20.The Devon Hotels and Restaurants Association says its members can't
:10:21. > :10:27.You need youngsters coming into the industry
:10:28. > :10:29.as well as experienced staff because there a vacancies
:10:30. > :10:33.across many of the hotels and restaurants that I know right
:10:34. > :10:35.around Devon, also in Exeter and there's not enough
:10:36. > :10:38.people to fill those roles and they are good quality jobs.
:10:39. > :10:41.As well as numerous jobs on the Internet, more signs
:10:42. > :10:44.like this are appearing across Devon and Cornwall.
:10:45. > :10:48.Industry leaders tell me another complication is Brexit.
:10:49. > :10:51.Eastern Europe, which has been a good source of staff
:10:52. > :10:53.over the last few years, well, many people from there
:10:54. > :10:57.are having second thoughts about coming to Britain in case
:10:58. > :11:00.they don't have a long-term future here.
:11:01. > :11:02.So, can youngsters like Mia be convinced that
:11:03. > :11:08.She's off to be a tour guide in Italy, but says
:11:09. > :11:10.the skills she learned as a waitress have helped.
:11:11. > :11:14.The job is not that bad even though the pay is not the best.
:11:15. > :11:22.A lot of weekends are taken up, a lot of hours then the pay is not
:11:23. > :11:25.great so I think that's what puts a lot of people.
:11:26. > :11:27.Bosses say the region risks missing out on a major opportunity
:11:28. > :11:30.unless more people come into the sector.
:11:31. > :11:40.They say wages aren't low for those who want to stay and forge a career.
:11:41. > :11:42.A modern twist on a Christmas Classic coming up.
:11:43. > :11:44.We'll meet the local author behind the story.
:11:45. > :11:48.Plus: As the year draws to a close, a look back at some of the most
:11:49. > :11:51.inspiring people who've appeared on Spotlight.
:11:52. > :11:56.And the uplifting story behind these Christmas lights on the next stop
:11:57. > :12:10.The last of Torbay's Normandy veterans who were still waiting
:12:11. > :12:12.to receive France's highest honour finally received their medals today.
:12:13. > :12:15.The French Government decided to award the Legion D'Honneur
:12:16. > :12:18.to all servicemen who helped Liberate their country
:12:19. > :12:31.But the application from Torbay was beset with problems and has
:12:32. > :12:35.However as Our South Devon reporter John Ayres explains,
:12:36. > :12:38.It's been quite a wait, but finally today the last
:12:39. > :12:41.of Torbay's Normandy veterans waiting to be honoured recieved
:12:42. > :12:52.Better to be given it after the war, but anyway, here we are.
:12:53. > :13:02.Getting medals, you know, at this late day, late hour, you know.
:13:03. > :13:08.There were far more who deserved to win a medal than me.
:13:09. > :13:19.I was lucky, I was able to go through without being killed, so,
:13:20. > :13:22.you know, that was privilige, luck, I don't know
:13:23. > :13:26.My friend was killed that first night.
:13:27. > :13:29.The French government wanted to thank all the servicemen
:13:30. > :13:31.who helped liberate the country from the Nazis
:13:32. > :13:35.They decided to offer the medal to all living
:13:36. > :13:38.The problem was the French and our Ministry of Defence had
:13:39. > :13:41.twice as many applications as they were expecting.
:13:42. > :13:45.Emails got lost, then they may write back and say we haven't got
:13:46. > :13:48.the address of the recipient, only his name or we've got his name
:13:49. > :13:52.It just went on and on and I can only assume that there
:13:53. > :13:56.Sadly seven of our veterans died before they managed to recieve
:13:57. > :13:59.It's been a real chase, but I'm grateful to colleagues
:14:00. > :14:01.in parliament and particularly to the veterans minister who's
:14:02. > :14:03.helped chase this forward and I'm just pleased that now,
:14:04. > :14:05.with Christmas coming, they've got the medals
:14:06. > :14:09.There was also a medal for Rob Barber but he couldn't be here.
:14:10. > :14:12.Awarding these medals is something the French really wanted to do,
:14:13. > :14:14.and although these veterans had to wait, they are very
:14:15. > :14:25.A Devon woman is set for literary fame this Christmas having been
:14:26. > :14:27.selected from almost 1,000 competition entries in the search
:14:28. > :14:30.to find a modern equivalent to the timeless festive tale,
:14:31. > :14:38.The winning children's story is Sol The Slug's Night Before Christmas,
:14:39. > :14:42.A story about a slug living under a family's floorboards,
:14:43. > :14:44.who assumes Christmas is not for him, until he comes
:14:45. > :14:52.face-to-face with Santa, and Lucy joins us in the studio now.
:14:53. > :15:02.Congratulations. Hello, thank you. A slug is not the first creature you
:15:03. > :15:09.would think of at Christmas so how did that come about? Perhaps
:15:10. > :15:12.slightly embarrassingly, we have quite a big slug problem in our
:15:13. > :15:15.house and for many years we have tried to block holes and stop them
:15:16. > :15:19.getting through and at one point we just thought we would accept the
:15:20. > :15:22.slugs and one day I saw they had done a sort of pattern on the rug
:15:23. > :15:27.and that is sort of where the idea for the story came from really of
:15:28. > :15:30.looking at them at a different way. You say looking at a different way
:15:31. > :15:34.because you say slugs are quite surprising and we can learn a lot
:15:35. > :15:37.from them. Absolutely, you look at them and you thinks I'm young
:15:38. > :15:43.discussing that actually they can be artists I suppose. Tell us about the
:15:44. > :15:46.store you focused on because reading the reviews of those who have
:15:47. > :15:49.already read it, there was a feeling it is the true spirit of Christmas.
:15:50. > :15:55.Without spoiling the ending for those who haven't entered -- Reddit,
:15:56. > :15:58.what is the essential story? Essentially it is about a little
:15:59. > :16:02.slut who comes out at Christmas Eve that he sees all the things around
:16:03. > :16:07.him and he thinks Christmas is not for him but Father Christmas comes
:16:08. > :16:12.down and puts him right and since Christmas is for everyone no matter
:16:13. > :16:17.how slimy you are. It is a message of inclusivity. This competition is
:16:18. > :16:22.quite major, what you expect it to do for you? Will lead to other
:16:23. > :16:28.things? Hopefully, yes. It is on Amazon at the moment so hopefully we
:16:29. > :16:33.are thinking... That is a free download, isn't it? Yes, hopefully a
:16:34. > :16:36.lot of people will take interest in it and I will go on writing and
:16:37. > :16:42.hopefully who knows in the future, more books, fingers crossed! Lots of
:16:43. > :16:45.people try to get stories, particularly children's stories
:16:46. > :16:49.published. What do you think the secret of successes. What you have
:16:50. > :16:55.to have? What grain of an idea do you have to have for it to a
:16:56. > :16:59.success? I think a lot of it is just having a magic formula and the idea
:17:00. > :17:04.that works as a story but a lot of it is also just perseverance and
:17:05. > :17:07.keeping going with it. It is a long process. I started writing
:17:08. > :17:12.creatively when I was 19 and I am now 34 so it has taken that long. It
:17:13. > :17:16.is just being in it for the long haul and a bit of patience. This
:17:17. > :17:20.could now be a new Christmas classic! Fingers crossed. Thank you
:17:21. > :17:21.for coming in. Now, it's day two of our
:17:22. > :17:23.Spotlight Express journey For, those of you who were
:17:24. > :17:27.watching last night, you'll remember I was at the home
:17:28. > :17:30.of the Dartmoor Polar Express as we launched our week long series
:17:31. > :17:33.of films on Christmas trains. Well, as train rides go,
:17:34. > :17:35.the Lappa Valley Steam Railway near Newquay isn't the biggest
:17:36. > :17:37.or the longest. But that didn't stop
:17:38. > :17:41.the Spotlight Special delivering 40 passengers to a very special
:17:42. > :17:44.destination at the end of the 1.5 John Henderson was lucky enough
:17:45. > :17:57.to catch the Santa Express. Welcome to the spotlight express at
:17:58. > :18:31.Lappa Valley Steam Railway. Never a dull moment! I love Lappa
:18:32. > :18:38.Valley. I come four times a year. Honor Roll the Spotlight Express
:18:39. > :18:44.powering down the valley. 40 passengers on board and waiting to
:18:45. > :18:50.meet the big man. Santa also came by train, driven naturally enough by
:18:51. > :18:55.one of his reindeer. Absolutely marvellous, I love coming to Lappa
:18:56. > :18:58.Valley, you know, especially when I fly in over the village of new Lynn
:18:59. > :19:05.East. The lights down below me are absolutely splendid. Here is the
:19:06. > :19:10.proof. A present that just keeps giving, and one that means
:19:11. > :19:16.everything for Jeanette. It is fantastic and it started off at this
:19:17. > :19:21.pub. Everybody has just built on it and build on it and if you look
:19:22. > :19:28.behind you that house has just done an amazing job. That inspiration
:19:29. > :19:35.came ten years ago. The village has never looked back. Jeanette and her
:19:36. > :19:42.husband John saw the light started fundraising for more this. We put
:19:43. > :19:45.the lights up I would buy the lights and people of the village host them
:19:46. > :19:51.and they plugged the moon but three years ago John died and... So... For
:19:52. > :19:56.the collection for his funeral we raised over ?500 and we bought a
:19:57. > :20:04.beautiful shooting star in memory of him. It takes pride of place outside
:20:05. > :20:07.Jeanette 's home and in the last few years people have also made lanterns
:20:08. > :20:12.and followed as Father Christmas as the lights are turned on, but this
:20:13. > :20:17.naturally as special symbolism for the woman dubbed the lady of the
:20:18. > :20:21.lights. It makes me think of him every night when I look up to the
:20:22. > :20:26.sky, but just at Christmas. Every day is Christmas when you look up to
:20:27. > :20:32.the stars. At Santa 's grotto the important work is almost died. And
:20:33. > :20:37.you will make sure to put my doggie on the list does well, remember
:20:38. > :20:42.that. I will put your doggie on the list, of course I will remember
:20:43. > :20:46.that. No trouble at all. All aboard the Spotlight Express for the return
:20:47. > :20:55.journey! Time to take the train home.
:20:56. > :20:59.What a great journey that was a! Some great Christmas lights as well
:21:00. > :21:01.and another stop on the Spotlight Express on the programme tomorrow.
:21:02. > :21:03.From a 100-year-old war hero to youngsters who've
:21:04. > :21:05.overcome huge challenges, we've met some of the South West's
:21:06. > :21:07.most inspiring people on Spotlight during 2016.
:21:08. > :21:13.They've included champions in sport, those who've been determined to beat
:21:14. > :21:16.the odds and others whose exploits have surprised and delighted us.
:21:17. > :21:19.So as the year draws to a close here's a look back at some
:21:20. > :21:38.of the people who've made a lasting impression on us and you.
:21:39. > :21:45.You could be just another person sat at home and eating what you want and
:21:46. > :21:54.carrying on as life is going, until it ends. If you would like to step
:21:55. > :22:01.on the scales, please? Unbelievable. Absolutely incredible. Your weight
:22:02. > :22:07.is 123 kilos which is 11 and a half stone in weight loss. Brilliant. So,
:22:08. > :22:26.fantastic. Fantastic. My brothers were terrible, they said
:22:27. > :22:29.if I didn't come home with two golds than I was getting on the flight
:22:30. > :22:31.back home but unfortunately I came back with a silver and gold, which
:22:32. > :22:39.isn't too bad. Me and Lewis are out OK? -- out
:22:40. > :23:18.front, OK. Good job, Riley! I send e-mails and I don't trust
:23:19. > :23:28.banking on it. It's not that I'm frightened of, I'm afraid of making
:23:29. > :23:57.a mistake myself. I didn't expect to be so near the edge of life really.
:23:58. > :24:19.Congratulations. Thank you very, very much indeed. I believe you me,
:24:20. > :24:23.I treasure it. It is an honour. That has made us all well up again,
:24:24. > :24:28.hasn't it? That has to be one of the most incredible moments of the year.
:24:29. > :24:33.Look, we have found our tree from last year. I thought he had been
:24:34. > :24:36.banished to the loft, never to be seen again! Delighted to see again
:24:37. > :24:41.after all this time. David, is there a storm coming in?
:24:42. > :24:49.There is on Friday but maybe not for us, it is passing through the north
:24:50. > :24:54.of the country. The next few days are not looking too bad for us, it
:24:55. > :24:58.is damp with rain in the forecast and more tomorrow and a bit breezy
:24:59. > :25:02.but especially tomorrow morning. Generally quite mild. I don't think
:25:03. > :25:05.there was any chance of seeing anything white this Christmas. The
:25:06. > :25:11.layer of crap that stretches from the rest of Scotland act here to the
:25:12. > :25:15.middle of the Atlantic joins up with a weather front over Canada at the
:25:16. > :25:19.moment. That weather system will drag its way over and asked for the
:25:20. > :25:24.night to come and it is reasonably close in the day tomorrow but it
:25:25. > :25:28.will go through and Thursday is going to be the brightest day of the
:25:29. > :25:33.week, largely dry. Perhaps a chance to get outside and make sure the
:25:34. > :25:37.garden is secure because there is a new area of low pressure that has
:25:38. > :25:42.been called Barbara by the Irish Met service and the UK Met Office. It
:25:43. > :25:47.looks like it's track will take us -- take it well away from us, to the
:25:48. > :25:52.north, but there was a squeeze on the eye to bars and a weather front
:25:53. > :25:55.that will produce heavy rain for a time on Friday afternoon. This
:25:56. > :25:59.evening and overnight tonight has rain coming in which is patchy right
:26:00. > :26:03.now but it will become more widespread and persistent later in
:26:04. > :26:08.the night. Temperatures will fall to five or 6 degrees for most of us but
:26:09. > :26:13.I think a lot of the wet weather should be gone by the time we get up
:26:14. > :26:16.in the morning. The exception is parts of Dorset and the ease of
:26:17. > :26:22.Somerset where temperatures will start the day at five or six or 7
:26:23. > :26:25.degrees for most of us. Not a bad start with briefly some brightness
:26:26. > :26:28.but quickly the weather front returns and produces further
:26:29. > :26:32.outbreaks of rain, particularly in the afternoon. Winds are fresh from
:26:33. > :26:35.the South West but will slowly drop and become north-westerly by the end
:26:36. > :26:41.of the afternoon and temperatures should get up to double figures. The
:26:42. > :26:45.forecast for the Isles of Scilly. Brighter in the afternoon once the
:26:46. > :26:51.weather front clears. Times of high water.
:26:52. > :26:59.As we saw through the weekend and last week the waves are out there
:27:00. > :27:03.and the north-west is between nine and 12 feet with quite choppy
:27:04. > :27:13.conditions as well, if not messy. There is the coastal waters
:27:14. > :27:19.forecast. Patchy rain around with moderate visibility in the rain.
:27:20. > :27:23.Friday looks like it will be a wet and windy day but mild with
:27:24. > :27:27.temperatures up to 12 or 13. Saturday is Christmas Eve and it
:27:28. > :27:31.will be quite blustery but mainly dry. Saturday night is windy for
:27:32. > :27:35.Father Christmas, but he can cope with that.
:27:36. > :27:40.Let's hope so! Thank you very much. That's all from us for now with the
:27:41. > :27:45.next update at 10:30pm. Remind me what this Christmas decoration did?
:27:46. > :27:47.It will drive everyone mad. So glad I asked. Good night.