Sussex news bulletin on Thursday, May 23

Sussex World reporter Sam Morton brings you the news making the headlines on Thursday, May 23.

Transcript

00:00 Hello, I'm Sam Morton and here is your daily Sussex News bulletin on Thursday May 23rd.

00:05 Doctor Who star Matt Smith has been seen in Sussex this week while filming for his new TV show.

00:11 Film crews from Universal were spotted in Fisherman's Green car park in Eastbourne on Sunday.

00:16 The crews were confirmed to be filmed for the upcoming TV series The Death of Bonnie Monroe,

00:21 which is based on a novel by musician Nick Cave. Lead actor Matt Smith, best known for his roles

00:27 of Doctor Who, The Crown and The House of the Dragon, has been spotted out and about in Eastbourne

00:32 by several eagle-eyed residents. On Monday he was photographed rehearsing his lines while walking

00:37 his dog Bobby along the seafront and even posed for a photo with a fan. He and the crew have also

00:43 been seen filming in Shoreham-by-Sea and Brighton. Meanwhile, a picturesque stargazing spot in Sussex

00:49 has been named among the best in the UK. A study by photography retailer Jessops has found the

00:54 South Downs Dark Sky Reserve is the UK's second best stargazing spot. "Despite being just 90

01:01 minutes from the brightly lit City of London, it is renowned for its clear, dark skies," a Jessops

01:05 spokesperson said. It was designated as a dark sky reserve in 2016 and has since become a magnet

01:11 for astronomers from all over the country. The park hosts 30 annual stargazing events and boasts 15

01:19 prime viewing locations across the region. One of the standout spots is Bigner Hill, known for

01:24 being one of the darkest and highest points in the area, offering breathtaking views of the night sky.

01:29 Finally, plans to build a solar farm in Calfold have been approved by Horsham District Council.

01:35 The application for more than 45 hectares of land at Cobwood, Burnt House Lane was given the nod

01:41 by the planning committee on Tuesday. It will see panels installed on seven field parcels north of

01:47 the A272 Calfold Road and 8 to the south. Between them, they will generate enough renewable energy

01:53 to power 16,581 family homes per year. For all of those stories and much more,

02:00 you can see our website, sussexworld.co.uk