Inside Out East - 01/03/2010

Joe Crowley goes undercover to investigate a company falsely claiming to work on behalf of the National Blood Service. David Whiteley meets some of the protestors as they remember the demonstrations against the Poll Tax. The Community Charge or Poll Tax was introduced in 1990. It was a flat local tax on every adult and was levied instead of taxing property. A millionaire living in a mansion paid less in poll tax than a low-income family living in a small house. Its introduction led to the Poll Tax riots - some of the country's worst mass disturbances in recent history with chaotic scenes in Norwich and Colchester. And Colleen Harris joins the travelling fair to see what life is like travelling from town to town. Fairgrounds have been part of the country's entertainment for more than 100 years. They are run by travelling showmen - many show families have been going for generations. John Thurston's biggest ride is the dodgems and even new, partly-automated equipment takes two days to set up. But what happens to the families and rides when they are not touring, during the winter? Colleen was given a rare invitation to visit the largest travelling showman site in the country in south Essex. It's the winter home to scores of families and where fairground rides are stored and maintained.