Threat by yobs (From Penarth Times)

Threat by yobs

A SECURITY company guarding BBC TV's state-of-the-art equipment in Penarth over the weekend had to call in police after being threatened by yobs.

A BBC production crew was renting space at Penarth Leisure Centre over the weekend to store high-tech equipment used to film scenes shot at Headlands School for the new Doctor Who series featuring Billy Piper and Christopher Eccleston.

Huw Smart, inspector at Penarth police station, said: "Officers were called in to deal with an incident at the Leisure Centre last Friday night. A group of young people were causing problems at the site where the BBC had stored equipment.

"There is an ongoing problem of youth annoyance at the Leisure Centre in Cogan. We have arranged for regular patrols of the area.

"I met with representatives of the Vale of Glamorgan Council youth services department last Friday to discuss a strategy for dealing with problems we have been experiencing there for some time."

Scott Murray, manager of Penarth Leisure Centre, said: "Last Friday was no different to any other weekend.

"We regularly have problems with a drunken youth element and their anti-social behaviour. My primary concern is for the cars of our customers."

The new 13-part series of Doctor Who is scheduled to be broadcast in 2005.

Christopher Eccleston is the new doctor and his companion Rose Tyler is played by Billie Piper.

The original series was written by Cardiffian Terry Nation who died in 1997 aged 66.

Writer of the new series Russell T Davies says that Rose and the Doctor are partners in the new series.

"They really are written as a team. They have level pegging," explained Davies, "You couldn't have him as the dominant man and her as the humble assistant in this day and age.

"It's very modern and, at the same time, it's very traditional," he adds. "There's still the thrill of watching it."