A BBC reporter was in a “complete state of anxiety” while working undercover inside an immigration removal centre, a public inquiry has been told.

The inquiry is examining bullying and physical mistreatment of detainees at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre.

Callum Tulley, who was 18 when he worked undercover for the Panorama programme, said he constantly feared being caught by “hostile staff”. He wore a hidden camera while working as a detention custody officer. During 37 shifts at the centre near Gatwick Airport in West Sussex, he filmed a series of abusive incidents.

The Panorama programme revealed the bullying and physical mistreatment of detainees, some of whom had mental health conditions.

Mr Tulley, now a full-time BBC staff member, had contacted Panorama in 2016. He said he believed his concerns about what was going on would not be taken seriously by G4S, which ran Brook House at the time.

Mr Tulley said a poster informing staff about a whistleblowing policy was scrawled with graffiti warning about “snitching”. He has also told the inquiry managers were involved in some of the abuse, despite the fact that managers would have dealt with any complaints he might make. Mr Tulley said had planned to resign, but then decided to stay in the job after Panorama began to investigate his concerns.

“I was effectively a mole for the BBC for 14 months,” he said.

His job included dealing with suicidal detainees.

“While my mates had gone off to uni I was cutting ligatures and responding to self-harm incidents and witnessing abuse and it was having a detrimental effect on my mental health,” he told the inquiry.

Mr Tulley met BBC producer Joe Plomin each evening after his shift to hand over footage.

“I was as confident as you can be wearing secret cameras into prison with hostile staff,” he told the hearing.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t in a complete state of anxiety [during] the two-and-a-half months that I was wearing secret cameras.

“Was that because of a lack of confidence? No, it was just a fear of being caught.”

He said he was working in “total secrecy”, not telling friends or family.

Mr Tulley was given a BBC-appointed psychiatrist to support his mental health.

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31-year-old Abby Johnson will join Kat Cordiner, 40, who has incurable cancer.

Kat from St Neots, Cambridgeshire, and her two teammates leave the UK later for La Gomera in the Canary Islands, for the 3,000-mile (4,828km) race in December.

She admitted training had been “a challenge” but said “a challenge and something fun” was what she wanted.

“But I feel strong,” Ms Cordiner said.

She will be joined by Charlotte Irving, 32, from London, and Abby Johnston, a 31-year-old professional rowing coach from Surrey.

The trio will be unsupported as they attempt to cross the world’s second largest ocean on their boat, which they have named Dolly Parton. They will live on their 7.6m (25ft) boat, rowing continuously, with two hours on and two hours off for each rower.

Speaking the day before they leave the UK, Ms Cordiner said: “Sometimes I wish I’d had longer [to train], but I’m physically fit, I’ve been signed off medically as well, and I feel mentally ready for the race.

“I feel strong. I think we’re going to be good – but it’s been a challenge.”

Last year, during lockdown, Ms Cordiner was given her second diagnosis of cervical cancer and told it was incurable. She is now in remission and only taking drugs to deal with the effects of an early menopause.

“The doctors have told me I don’t have decades, I have years, so I really want to make the most of them,” she said.

Up to 25 teams are taking part in this year’s Atlantic race and Ms Cordiner’s team hopes to complete it in 49 days or less, in the hope of beating the current Guinness World Record for the fastest female trio to cross the Atlantic. But it could take up to 60 days, she admitted.

They will be on the ocean at Christmas, but the festivities will not be forgotten as they have been given “some tinsel and Christmas toilet paper” by friends. They also have miniature bottles of bubbly – one each for Christmas Day, she said.

Her parents, Kathryn and Hew, said they were “very proud, but also nervous and concerned”.

“We’ll be massively relieved when she finishes the crossing line,” Mr Cordiner said.

“We’ve given her a Christmas cake to take with her, and we’ll slice ours and think of her,” he added.

Asked if she was nervous about the Atlantic challenge, Ms Cordiner said: “On the actual start-line, I’ll probably have a moment of ‘what are we doing?’.

“But the quicker we can get to Antigua [the finish line], the quicker we can have a banana colada,” she joked.

Money raised from their attempt will go to Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

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The Gatwick Express train service is set to return in two weeks.

It is after it was suspended in March last year as the pandemic meant a drop in airport passengers. Those travelling to and from London will be able to use it from Monday 13 December.

However, those using Southern and Thameslink over the festive period are being urged to check times as there will be reductions on some routes for improvement works.

Updates can be found at: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

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A woman who stabbed a Horley man, leaving him for dead has been sentenced to 16 and a half years behind bars.

56-year-old Jennifer Lloyd pleaded guilty to the murder of 62-year-old Nigel Chapman at his home address in Upfield Close.

The court heard she stabbed him twice in the heart claiming that she had acted in self-defence after she had gone round to visit him. Lloyd said when she tried to leave, he blocked her way and made her feel scared.

She then tried to cover her tracks by mopping the kitchen and bathroom floor with bleach before leaving him in his house.
Mr Chapman’s body was found just before 8am the next morning by his carer.

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Work has begun on ancient woodland at Tilgate Park by removing the large presence of invasive non-native species, which is said to threaten the future of the woodlands.

Rhododendron, Cherry laurel and Western hemlock are all said to pose a threat to the area by spreading rapidly.

The restoration work will comprise of six phases, with the aim to tackle areas with the wettest ground earlier in the winter before they become too waterlogged.

Some footpaths will be closed within a section, whilst works are in progress.

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