Summary

  • An independent review into how the Church of England handled the case of a Sussex bishop accused of being a child abuser will be published later today.

  • The church has apologised to the relatives of former Bishop of Chichester George Bell for the way it investigated the claims.

  • Primary School children in Medway and East Sussex have fallen below the government's expectations with less than 65% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

  • The family of East Sussex adventurer Christian Velten - who went missing in West Africa 14 years ago - are still hoping he will make his way home after he was apparently seen begging.

  • News, sport, weather and travel updates for the South East of England

  1. Deck the hall...and the landing...and the lounge...and the kitchenpublished at 07:08 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Bob Dale
    BBC Live reporter

    The owner of this house needs every inch of space, and several trees, to display his collection of baubles, gathered over more than half a century.

  2. Property group snaps up two more firmspublished at 00:55 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Lomond Capital's purchases in England bring the value of properties under its management to £2.7bn.

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  3. Avid Christmas fan's 8,000 decorationspublished at 12:55 Greenwich Mean Time 17 December 2017

    Geoff Stonebanks uses 24 trees to display his bauble collection.

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  4. Brighton & Hove Albion 0-0 Burnleypublished at 19:17 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2017

    Glenn Murray misses a penalty as Brighton's winless run stretches to seven matches with a goalless draw against Burnley.

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  5. Crewe Alexandra 3-0 Crawley Townpublished at 18:15 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2017

    A brace from Chris Dagnall and a Callum Ainley wonder goal helps Crewe to a much-needed win against nine-man Crawley.

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  6. Gillingham 4-1 Bristol Roverspublished at 17:52 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2017

    Gillingham claim their first home league victory in three months by thrashing Bristol Rovers at Priestfield.

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  7. Man dies in crash with parked lorrypublished at 16:50 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2017

    The lorry was parked in a lay-by on the A23 near Haywards Heath when the crash happened.

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  8. Hart 'best place to live in UK'published at 10:32 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2017

    The Hampshire district came top in a study that looked at factors including life expectancy.

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  9. You'll need ice scrapers and umbrellaspublished at 19:43 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    John Hammond
    Weather forecaster

    It's a real mixture this weekend, with frost followed by rain.

    Here's my forecast.

  10. Rape accused 'drank with alleged victim'published at 18:53 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Parliamentary aide Samuel Armstrong tells a court he and the woman drank a variety of spirits.

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  11. More than 100 jobs lost at marine firmpublished at 18:31 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Burgess Marine is in administration after problems with payment for a "major refit project".

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  12. Gateshead P-P Wokingpublished at 18:08 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Gateshead's National League match against Woking is postponed because of a frozen pitch.

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  13. Ex-teacher jailed again for sex attackspublished at 17:54 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    The former house master was prosecuted after victims heard about his attacks on other pupils.

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  14. Washed up Sussex whale takes centre stage in Cambridgepublished at 17:44 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Yasmine Djadoudi
    BBC Live reporter

    An enormous finback whale which washed up on a beach in East Sussex over 150 years ago has been given a new home.

  15. It's behind you!published at 17:33 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Yasmine Djadoudi
    BBC Live reporter

    A new exhibition has opened in Canterbury just in time for panto season... oh yes it has!

  16. The machines that save livespublished at 17:07 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Should every school have a defibrillator?

    That's what the parents of a Kent boy who died of cardiac arrest are campaigning for.

  17. Uncertain future for Holy Land donkeyspublished at 16:27 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    The fate of hundreds of donkeys, rescued by a Sussex-based animal charity, is hanging in the balance.

  18. Ex-teacher jailed for pupil sex assaultspublished at 15:59 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    All of the victims - in Kent and Hertfordshire - were aged under 14 years old.

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  19. 'Christmas-mad' family spend £10k on displaypublished at 15:22 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Michael and Lyn Farnes say they are mad about Christmas and make their decorations bigger every year.

  20. Marine engineering firm goes into administrationpublished at 14:52 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Bob Dale
    BBC Live reporter

    A marine engineering company based in Dover has gone into administration, with the loss of 106 jobs.

    Burgess Marine also had premises in Lowestoft, Southampton, Poole, Portsmouth, Portchester, Avonmouth, Devonport and Palma de Mallorca in Spain.

    Burgess Marine in Dover

    The administrators, BDO, said it was due to not receiving the final payment for a major refit project carried out at Porchester earlier this year.

    Burgess Marine's bases in Lowestoft, Avonmouth and Poole are continuing to trade as normal after they were bought by Southampton ship repair company Southampton Marine Services Ltd, saving 45 jobs.

    Burgess Marine, Dover

    The Dover HQ employed 32 people, four of whom have been kept on to help with the winding down of the firm.

    Burgess Marine, Dover
    Quote Message

    Regrettably, difficult trading conditions and a shortfall in the company's working capital position - contributed to by a failure to secure the final payment due in regard to a recent major refit project - significantly affected the business and its ongoing viability."

    Danny Dartnaill, BDO business restructuring partner