South Live: Tuesday 23 January

1. Plans for specialist police cuts in Hampshire 'devastating'
2. Eastleigh FC founder Derik Brooks dies aged 94
3. Sinkhole appears on historic Oxford street
4. Sex abuse survivor tells his story in bid to encourage others
5. Updates from Tuesday 23 January

Goodbye

We will be seeing you again, do not fear.

There will be more news, sport, travel and weather from the South from 08:00 GMT Wednesday, so keep your eyes peeled.

In the meantime, You can get in touch with us using our Oxford, Hampshire, Dorset, and Berkshire Facebook pages, or via our Twitter accounts: @BBC_Hampshire, @BBCDorset, @BBCBerkshire and @BBCOxford.

Van crashes into level crossing barrier

Tax rise stops 'damaging' police cuts

Hospital clerk 'told to improve waiting time figures'

An Isle of Wight hospital clerk cancelled a patient's appointments to improve waiting time statistics, an inquest has heard.

Holly Pritchett, 26, from Ryde, told the hearing she was warned repeatedly she would lose her job if she recorded breaches of waiting time guidelines.

Ms Pritchett "rejigged" appointments for 36 endoscopy patients at St Mary's Hospital before being suspended from her job in May 2016, the inquest heard.

One patient, John Fisher, 64, was found dead at his home in East Cowes from a condition related to alcoholism after his appointments were cancelled four times.

Coroner Caroline Sumeray told Ms Pritchett: "Your actions... didn't lead to his death but they could have done. For that you are very fortunate."

Isle of Wight NHS Trust has been approached for comment.

The hearing in Newport is due to conclude tomorrow.

Behind schedule lifting bridge reopens

Teenage pair attacked with metal pole

A 14-year-old and a 17-year-old have both suffered broken bones after being attacked in Reading with a metal pole.

The pair were attacked at 19:00 GMT on Thursday in an alleyway between Moriston Close and Strathy Close in the town.

The victims were assaulted by two male offenders, who punched and kicked then, as well as hitting them with a metal pole.

Google

The teenagers were attacked in an alleyway between Moriston Close and Strathy Close in Reading

The 17-year-old sustained a fractured arm and the 14-year-old has suffered a fractured cheekbone.

They were both taken for hospital for treatment and have since been discharged.

Thames Water investigating burst pipe near sinkhole

Thames Water says it is looking into whether a burst pipe caused the sinkhole on Oxford's Broad Street.

A spokesman said: "We will investigate if [it] caused the ground to collapse or vice versa while we carry out the repair.

"We’re sorry we’ve had to close off Broad Street, but it’s essential to allow us to complete the work safely. We expect to be finished by tomorrow afternoon."

The burst is on an 8-inch water main.

While there has been no impact to the water supply in the area, the company will have to shut it off temporarily this evening during repairs. It says the impact on customers "will be minimal".

Poole bridge reopens to traffic

Poole Bridge has reopened after extensive refurbishments fell seven months behind schedule.

The lifting bridge closed in September 2016 for the £4.2m works, and had originally been expected to reopen in June 2017.

Apologising for the delay, the borough council said it had been a "challenging project" but there had been no "compromise on quality or engineering standards".

Contractor Interserve has said that alleged financial difficulties at the firm were not the cause of the delays.

Limited and temporary overnight planned closures will take place in February to allow the contractor to resolve "some minor visible defects", according to the council.

Borough of Poole Council

'Whitney' spelling mistake sign removed

A road sign that led to jokes on social media about an Oxfordshire town being accidentally named after Whitney Houston has been removed.

The Witney sign, which includes an extra "h" and was put up by Highways England, was spotted on an A34 slip road north of Oxford.

BBC

Fans of the late singer responded with jokes and graphics on Twitter.

Highways England said it was looking into how the sign escaped its "quality control checks".

'Whitney' spelling mistake sign removed

Social media users suggested Witney had been renamed after late singer Whitney Houston.

Read more

'Whitney' spelling mistake sign removed

Academia reacts to Oxford sinkhole

BBC

The sinkhole was found on Broad Street outside the Sheldonian Theatre early on Tuesday

Forget puns about "police looking into it", when a sinkhole opens up in the middle of Oxford only literary quotes will do.

The Faculty of English (@engfac) reaches for Jules Verne: "Wherever he saw a hole he always wanted to know the depth of it. To him this was important".

Which prompted the English Faculty Library (@EFLOxford) to respond with some Tolkien.

Not wanting to be outdone the Philosophy and Theology Library (PTFLOxford) chimes in with some Lewis Carroll.

A4 crash: Police vehicle involved

A4 Crash: Report from the scene

Jack Winstanley

BBC Berkshire Reporter

The A4 is closed in both directions between Ford's Farm and Langley Hill.

Multiple emergency vehicles are still at the scene - it must be said, less than there were an hour ago.

There are six or seven police cars still on the scene, no ambulances now, the last one left moments ago.

The police cordon is very wide at the moment as the investigation continues.

There is no indication how long the road will be closed for but it could be some time.

BBC

Tax rise stops 'damaging' police cuts

A council tax rise will prevent a police force from making "unacceptable" cuts to frontline services.

Anthony Stansfeld, Thames Valley police and crime commissioner, said he did not approve of raising the police precept, but added it was necessary to prevent "damaging" cuts.

Thames Valley Police Federation

The force revealed its officer levels were "under strength" due to high numbers of retirements and transfers.

The force revealed its officer levels were "under strength" due to high numbers of retirements and transfers.

The changes will mean Band D householders will pay £12 more a year.

Tax rise stops 'damaging' police cuts

Force commissioner says a precept increase will protect frontline services.

Read more

Tax rise stops 'damaging' police cuts

A4 Crash: Pictures from the scene

Two people have been seriously injured in a crash on the A4 Bath Road in Calcot, Reading.

All three emergency services are at the scene of the incident, and the road has been closed in both directions.

BBC

BBC

BBC

Two 'seriously injured' in multi-vehicle crash

Two people have been seriously injured after a two-vehicle accident on the A4 in Reading.

The South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) have said three ambulances are currently at the scene, which is between Bath Road and Honey End Lane.

The road has been closed in both directions, and there are huge traffic delays and diversions in that area.

Historic Oxford road closed by sinkhole

'Whitney' spelling mistake sign removed