Woodbridge: Nick takes breaking news in someone else’s strides
IPSWICH/WOODBRIDGE: He is normally seen in the halls of Westminster or outside 10 Downing Street, reporting on the ins and outs of government policy.
But the BBC’s political editor Nick Robinson was a little further afield last week when he appeared on the 10 o’clock news, broadcasting from a petrol station in Woodbridge.
The journalist, who has a holiday home in Orford, was at a Shell garage on the A12 just outside Woodbridge.
With the threat of a tanker strike looming the team at BBC News at 10 called Mr Robinson to comment on the panic buying.
But the unexpected call to work caught the jounalist off-guard and without his work attire.
Taking to Twitter after his broadcast, he thanked a man called Steve who stepped in to solve the clothing crisis ahead of his impromptu broadcast.
He tweeted: “Thanks to Steve who lent my cameraman John a suit, shirt and tie for me to wear on the news. I was on a day off and away from home. Nice fit?”
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Mr Robinson told the Star: “I was a having a few days off news when I got a call from the BBC News at 10 about doing a live (broadcast). I explained I was in Suffolk and had no suit with me.
“They discovered that Look East were already broadcasting live at my “local” so asked the team if they could stay on to do the ten and provide some clothes!
“The camerman who’s about a foot taller than me asked his neighbour Steve who came up trumps.”
A number of petrol stations in Ipswich ran out of fuel early on Friday following reports of the potential strike.
However with strike fears being allayed by Unite, the union representing the drivers, queues at stations in the county have significantly decreased.
A spokesman for Suffolk police said: “It has started to return to normality following the announcement.”
The scene of panic fuel buying has led to many criticising the government’s handling of the situation, with many claiming politicians caused unnecessary panic-buying.
However health secretary, Andrew Lansley, defended the government’s position. “It is important for people to prepare,” he added.
n Are you the man who helped Nick Robinson? E-mail starnews@archant.co. uk or call 01473 324788.
