World Aids Day: Bid To Break Testing Record

Campaigners in London are marking World Aids Day with an attempt to break an HIV testing record.

It comes as new figures suggested a record number of people in the UK - nearly 100,000 - are living with HIV.

People are being invited to have a 60-second test at the G-A-Y bar in London's Soho between 12pm and 8pm.

Last December's event at the venue officially broke a Guinness World Record for the number of HIV tests conducted in an eight-hour period.

A total of 467 tests were done and around £13,000 was raised for the Elton John Aids Foundation.

Staff from 56 Dean Street, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital's HIV and sexual health centre in Soho, are repeating the challenge to promote HIV awareness and "make history" again.

Jake Jenkins of 56 Dean Street said: "Come along to G-A-Y on World Aids Day to get a free instant and confidential HIV test and support our attempts to promote HIV awareness, reduce stigma and make history.

"The testing will be provided by the friendly, expert team from 56 Dean Street using the world's fastest antibody test which provides a result in just 60 seconds. Testing early can add, on average, 16 years to someone's life."

The PM wants more people to be educated about HIV and Aids

The international annual campaign, symbolised with a red ribbon, is about increasing awareness of Aids, celebrating breakthroughs in treatment and remembering those who have died.

The Prime Minister has said too many people are not educated about HIV and Aids, and almost 25,000 people who have the human immunodeficiency virus are not aware they have been infected.

David Cameron said such people were not benefiting from treatment and were increasing the risk of passing on the virus.

He added: "This means up to 600 people a year could be dying from a preventable, treatable condition.

"People need to know that, diagnosed early, the outlook for most people with HIV in the UK today is a good one, thanks to the availability of effective treatment and the excellent care provided by the NHS.

"Above all, people need to know that it's never been quicker or simpler to get tested."

There were 6,280 people diagnosed with the virus last year, according to the Health Protection Agency.

Mr Cameron said World Aids Day should be used to "spread the message" about education, testing and early diagnosis.

HIV attacks the immune system and weakens the ability to fight infections and disease.

Aids is the final stage of HIV infection, when the body can no longer fight life-threatening infections.

HIV is found in the body fluids of an infected person, and about 95% of people are infected through sexual contact.

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Movember: Razors At The Ready For Shave-Off

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky Reporter

Thousands of men up and down the country are heading to the barbers to get their Movember moustaches shaved off after raising £16m for charity.

Around 360,000 men, including celebrities, have taken part in this year's annual fundraiser, which encourages men to grow and groom moustaches throughout November to raise vital funds and awareness of prostate and testicular cancer.

Homeland star Damian Lewis has been tweeting his Movember efforts, as has former England striker and Stoke City footballer Michael Owen.

His teammate Peter Crouch has also displayed a full upper lip of hair.

Sky News Business Presenter Joel Hills has also taken part and will be getting his whipped off later.

Movember co-founder JC told Sky News: "It is incredible, we are in 21 countries now across the world so there are some crazy moustaches out there ... 1.1 million people have rocked out the moustache for us for 30 days and got involved.

"Here in the UK, a 21-year-old guy named Michael actually saw us on Facebook. He went and got checked. He had a lump - found advanced testicular cancer. He emailed me two days ago. He's had his first bout of chemo, he's had his testicle removed, and it pretty much saved his life.

"To see that happen - that's what we are really about, to get that awareness out there."

Customers at a barbers in Carnaby Street in central London spokes of their relief to finally have the unfamiliar nestling above their upper lip shaved off.

"It's been fun, but such a relief to finally get rid of it," said Mike Robb, a communications manager.

More than 160,000 men are diagnosed with cancer every year, including 40,000 who are told they have prostate cancer.

There are hundreds of support groups for women, but relatively few for men.

According to the Movember campaign, which originated in Australia in 2003, men are also less willing to talk openly with their friends.

It is hoped the record number of people supporting the 2012 appeal will result in more men starting their own support networks.

In the UK, much of the money raised is donated to Prostate Cancer UK and the Institute of Cancer Research.

In 2011, around 854,000 people across the globe took part in the charity event and raised £79.3m. 

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Freddie Flintoff Wins First Heavyweight Fight

Flintoff Swaps Lord's For The Ring

Updated: 12:46pm UK, Saturday 01 December 2012

By Charlie Thomas, Sports Presenter

What to do when you hang up the boots? It's the perennial dilemma for the professional sportsman. And the answer these days comes in a variety of forms.

You might choose to replace the discipline of training by going into coaching, or management.

Miss the dressing room banter? You could head for the studio and take up punditry.

There's always the celebrity circuit of dancing in sequined suits or eating bugs in Australian jungles.

And if you're a cricketer you might well think about becoming a correspondent, as Mike Atherton and Derek Pringle have done with notable success.

Few, though, plunge feet first into a completely different sport, which was what made Freddie Flintoff's desire to take up boxing so compelling.

Would he fall flat on his face or would he reveal skills hitherto hidden? In other words, was this just reality TV in another guise?

But then Freddie's life has never run according to most normal rules.

Comparisons with that other great England all-rounder Ian Botham followed him throughout his playing career, and Freddie also seems to share Sir Ian's maverick appetite for new experiences.

Where Beefy replaced life on the road with marathon charity walks over the Alps or the length of Britain, Freddie chose to raise money for Sport Relief by breaking various unlikely world records, like the farthest distance to score a bullseye and popping the most party poppers in a minute.

To his credit, Flintoff appears to have thrown himself into his latest sporting incarnation with complete professionalism.

Few expected him to win last night; most, especially his wife Rachel and trainer Barry McGuigan, were simply hoping he didn't get badly hurt.

But while there was scant evidence that Freddie had missed his calling by becoming a cricketer rather than a boxer, Super Middleweight champion Carl Froch told Sky News he was impressed by Flintoff's fitness and dedication.

The irony is that Freddie is probably fitter now than at any time during his professional cricketing career.

Had he shown such dedication to the gym in his younger years it's probable that he wouldn't have suffered the weight-related injuries that cut short his playing days.

But then again, he wouldn't have been Freddie Flintoff then would he?

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Snow Starts To Fall As Britain Shivers

A dusting of snow has fallen across parts of the UK, with more predicted over this weekend.

The frosty conditions are in contrast to the torrential rain and windy weather that played havoc in some parts of the Midlands and in North Wales at the start of the week.

Around 1cm of snow has settled in parts of northern England and Scotland, including Cumbria, Teesside and County Durham, while 2.5cm has covered the Pennines and the Southern Uplands.

In the midlands, southern England and Wales temperatures are below freezing, and as low as -5C in some areas.

The frosty weather is expected to last for the next few days, with more snow predicted in the north and Scotland tomorrow night.

Snow and ice follow torrential rain and floods earlier in the week

The freezing temperatures have brought with them a risk of ice, following the recent heavy rainfall.

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The Met Office issued a low-level warning of severe weather, affecting much of the UK for the morning.

It said: "Due to the recent wet weather there is an increased risk of icy patches, even on roads that have been treated with salt, where water run off/seepage may wash off any earlier salt treatment.

"The public should be aware of the risk of ice on roads and pavements."

Patroller Andy Smith warned the weekend would be "winter's first serious test for drivers and their cars".

"Ice is the real concern, as it's been so wet recently, and it's very hard to distinguish between a puddle on the road and treacherous black ice."

Forecasters expect more snow this weekend

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "For much of the day, it will be sunny for most.

"Snow showers will continue to run into northern and eastern Scotland, and may occasionally run into North Sea coasts.

"Top temperatures will reach 5 or 6 Celsius. In western parts, cloud will increase and temperatures will rise as rain spreads off the Atlantic.

"Progress will be slow, however, and it will be Sunday before that rain makes much impact on mainland UK, by which time, there is the risk of seeing some snow on the leading edge.

"For the bulk of the country, there will be a fine end to the day followed by a cold and frosty night, and a bright start to Sunday morning."

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Former Corrie Star Faces Child Sex Charges

Former Coronation Street actor Andrew Lancel will appear in court later this month to face five counts of indecent assault on a child under 16.

Merseyside Police said the 42-year-old had been charged under his real name - Andrew Watkinson.

He was charged under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

The charges relate to "historic" child sex offences, the force said.

Lancel, from Gateacre in Liverpool, is best known for his appearance as the scheming businessman Frank Foster in the ITV1 soap.

His Corrie career began in November 2010 when he was cast as Foster, a business associate of Carla Connor.

Lancel's role ended in March this year when his character was found murdered.

Lancel also played DI Neil Manson in The Bill, and starred alongside Helen Baxendale in Cardiac Arrest.

He has been bailed to appear at South Sefton Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, December 19.

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Three Babies Die In Whooping Cough Outbreak

Three babies died of whooping cough in October amid the biggest outbreak in 20 years, health officials have said.

The total number of babies under the age of three months who have died as a result of the infectious disease this year now stands at 13, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said.

The number of confirmed cases in England and Wales this year is now 7,728.

The HPA said 1,614 cases of whooping cough were reported in England and Wales in October. In 2011, the total number of cases was 819.

In a move to combat the outbreak, health officials recently announced that all pregnant women are to be vaccinated against the infection.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Government's principal medical adviser, said mothers-to-be will be offered the vaccination to protect their newborn babies.

Health officials say all pregnant women should be vaccinated

Youngsters cannot receive the jab until they are two months old. Vaccinating their mothers before they are born will boost their immunity until they reach the age when they can have the injection themselves, she said.

Women across the UK who are between 28 and 38 weeks pregnant are being offered the vaccination.

Increases in whooping cough are usually seen every three to four years. The last rise in the number of confirmed cases was recorded in 2008.

Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, consultant epidemiologist for immunisation at the HPA, said: "We strongly recommend all pregnant women take up the offer of vaccination."

In the very young, whooping cough can be a serious illness and can lead to death in some cases.

Babies and children can often make a distressing "whoop" sound while gasping for air after a coughing fit.

Professor David Salisbury, director of immunisation at the Department of Health, said: "Whooping cough is highly contagious and infants are particularly vulnerable."

He said there had been nearly 400 cases of the disease in children under three months old this year.

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Supermarkets Back New Price Promotion Rules

What The Supermarkets Say

Updated: 3:19am UK, Friday 30 November 2012

Eight major supermarkets have signed up to a new code on special offers and price promotions, while Asda is considering whether to take part. Here is what some of the retailers had to say...

Lidl: "At Lidl, we consider customer satisfaction and transparency to be at the forefront of our business, and the OFT's set of principles for fair pricing practices is fully in line with our own pricing policies we have set ourselves.

"For example we do not inflate prices of products before a promotion to artificially imply a saving to the customer.

"For this reason the pricing of products in Lidl stores will not be affected as we will continue to apply these principles to our prices in stores."

Tesco: "We work hard to ensure we offer competitive prices and fair, meaningful promotions to our customers.

"We always try to use simple and clear information, so we welcome the OFT's clarity on good practices and support their wish to see a consistent approach to promotions across the sector."

Waitrose: "Waitrose already has clear principles in place to ensure that our pricing is clear and transparent for our customers - so we are supportive of the OFT's code announced today."

Morrisons: "We are happy to sign up to the Office of Fair Trading's principles because they reflect good promotional practice and we are working towards convergence."

Sainsbury's: "These principles are in line with what we already do at Sainsbury's as we have always been committed to fair and transparent pricing. We will continue to ensure that our pricing and promotions are as clear as possible for our customers."

Co-Operative: "We understand how important it is for shoppers to be able to easily understand what the promotional offer is, so they can spot the best deal, and we are committed to providing clear and accurate labelling for our customers so they can make informed purchasing decisions.

"We have been working closely with the Office of Fair Trading, and are fully supportive of the principles set."

Asda: "We're not sure (the OFT's draft code) best helps customers in these challenging times, so we are taking the time to consider its proposals in detail."

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UK To Withhold £21m Aid Due For Rwanda

The UK will be withholding £21m of aid to Rwanda amid concerns the state is supporting rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Announcing the decision, International Development Secretary Justine Greening said the money, which was due to be handed over next month, would not be released because President Paul Kagame's regime had breached agreements.

"The Government has already set out its concerns over credible and compelling reports of Rwandan involvement with M23 in DRC," she said.

"This evidence constitutes a breach of the partnership principles set out in the Memorandum of Understanding and, as a result, I have decided not to release the next payment of budget support to Rwanda.

"We are committed to finding lasting solutions to the conflict in this region and will work with the Governments of Rwanda and DRC to secure a peaceful resolution to the situation in eastern DRC."

She added that the department will provide a further £18m of immediate humanitarian support in DR Congo, providing emergency food for 100,000 people, clean water and education.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame

Violence in DR Congo has been spiralling, with reports of summary executions by the rebel M23 group and growing numbers of refugees.

Rwanda has been accused of equipping them with sophisticated weaponry, including night vision goggles and 120mm mortars.

Last week, the rebel group seized Goma - a crucial provincial capital in eastern Congo - sparking international concern.

The UN has around 1,400 peacekeepers in and around Goma but it could do nothing to stop the rebels' advance through the lakeside city of one million people because they do not have a mandate to engage them.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on Rwandan President Paul Kagame to contact the M23 leaders and halt their advance amid fears their next target is Bukavi, another provincial capital, south of Goma.

Foreign Secretary William Hague has also called for a "cessation of hostilities" and urged the rebel group to engage in talks to avoid further bloodshed.

However, the rebels have refused to withdraw from Goma and have threatened to march all the way to the Congolese capital Kinshasa, about 950 miles (1,500km) away.

The fighting has left thousands of people displaced

The UK suspended the last tranche of £16m of aid in July after an interim UN report highlighted Rwanda's role in backing the insurgents.

However, Ms Greening's predecessor, Andrew Mitchell, controversially reinstated the aid on his last day in the job. He authorised £8m as direct budgetary support, and diverted the other half to specific development programmes.

Pressure to halt aid payments intensified again earlier this month when UN experts presented more evidence of Rwanda's involvement in fuelling the conflict.

Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman denied that the decision to reinstate aid in September had been a mistake. He also insisted the decision was not taken by Mr Mitchell alone, but was a "Government decision".

TaxPayers' Alliance campaign manager Robert Oxley demanded an urgent re-examination of the UK's aid policy.

He said: "It's appalling that British taxpayers' money has gone directly to a government involved in a proxy war that has brought untold misery to hundreds of thousands of people.

"This announcement leaves a huge question mark over why DfID, and specifically Andrew Mitchell, reinstated the aid programme to the Rwandan government which was fanning the flames of conflict in DRC."

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Weather: Snow On The Way As Britain Shivers

A light dusting of snow is expected to fall across parts of the country tonight with up to 4cm forecast to fall in some areas.

Upland areas such as the Pennines, the North Yorkshire Moors and north east Scotland, could be blanketed in white by tomorrow.

Temperatures are expected to plummet to a freezing -5C tonight leaving icy conditions on the roads which are expected to last until Sunday afternoon.

"This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services," the Met Office said.

Forecaster Stephen Davenport of MeteoGroup said a front of rain was moving south, bringing wintry conditions with it.

"There's going to be a mixture of rain, sleet, hail and snow showers," he said.

"In the northern parts of the country, over the hills, there will be a 2cm to 3cm covering of snow with up to 4cm in some spots.

"There may be snow showers down the eastern side of the country. The northern areas will certainly see a covering and further south you are likely to see a dusting on the verges."

The wintry weather is in contrast to the torrential rain and floods have caused havoc in some parts of the Midlands and in North Wales.

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Floods: £120m Govt Cash For Defences

The Government has announced £120m new funding for flood defences which it says will improve protection for up to 60,000 homes.

More follows...

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Pensioner Dies After Stones Thrown At House

Four boys have been arrested by detectives investigating the death of a pensioner after youths hurled stones at her house.

Joyce Moulson, 84, collapsed around 10 minutes after her terraced home in Bradford was attacked on Tuesday night.

She was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary but was pronounced dead soon after she arrived.

The boys - two aged 12 and two aged 13 - were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

One of the 13 year olds has been released without charge.

Local residents described Ms Moulson as "a lovely old lady who always had time for you".

A post-mortem established the cause of death as heart-related illness - further tests are being carried out.

A friend and close neighbour said: "She was helpful, chatty and always had time for you and a tale to tell."

The woman, who asked not to be named, added: "She was just a lovely old lady. I heard the kids outside last night and basically ignored it because I'm so used to it now."

Nicola Taylor, 29, who lives on the other side of the road, said: "It's devastating. She must've been really, really scared.

"There's always a lot of kids hanging round on the corner. It's quite scary. We were really worried when we heard what had happened."

Another neighbour, Laura Schofield, 26, said: "I heard sirens last night but that's just a normal thing here."

Julie Taylor, who owns a shop near Mrs Moulson's house in Fair Road, said: "Youths are always jumping on the wall outside her house and in the garden. Some of them have no respect.

"I didn't know her personally but used to see her coming and going from her house. I'm shocked."

Police are patrolling the Wibsey area of Bradford following the incident, which happened at around 6pm.

Officers are also studying CCTV footage, a police spokesman said.

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Alarm As HIV Cases In UK Soar To Record High

By Gamal Fahnbulleh, Sky News Reporter

A record number of people in the UK are living with HIV, with almost a quarter of those with the virus not aware they are infected.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) says there are about 96,000 people who have the HIV - an all-time high.

Nearly half of all infections in 2011 were through heterosexual sex. Of these, more than half were probably acquired in the UK, compared to only 27% in 2002, according to a HPA report.

The arrival of HIV and Aids in the early 1980s led to predictions of deaths on a massive scale but with advances in science and awareness campaigns most developed countries avoided such a fate.

Thirty years later experts and campaigners fear public understanding of HIV has dropped to a worrying level.

Gary Brough was diagnosed with HIV in 1991 and despite seeing advances in treatment says he is worried the public does not know enough about the virus.

He said: "In the last 10 to 15 years I think the knowledge about HIV has gone down and I think people don't pay enough attention to the messages and there's not the level of education in schools that you need.

"When I was growing up it was when HIV and Aids were first out there and it was big news. Since medication came in and since the change in it becoming a manageable condition that whole intensity of fear around the infection has diminished."

New diagnoses among gay men reached an all-time high in 2011, with 3,010 men discovering they were infected.

The HPA said that one in 20 men who have sex with men in the UK now have HIV. The figure soars to nearly one in 12 in London.

Black African people are also at higher risk, the HPA said, with 37 per 1,000 living with the infection. Overall HIV prevalence in the UK was 1.5 per 1,000 people.

Dr Valerie Delpech, HPA head of HIV surveillance, said: "These figures are a reminder of how vital safe sex programmes remain.

"Promoting HIV testing and condom use is crucial to tackling the high rates of transmission, late diagnosis and undiagnosed HIV still seen in the UK.

"National HIV Testing Week is a great opportunity to encourage people to get tested.

"We also encourage clinicians to take every opportunity to offer the test to those in higher risk groups and, in high prevalence areas, to all general medical admissions and new GP registrants."

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Rape Of 11-Year-Old Girl: Man Charged

An 18-year-old is to appear in court charged with the rape of an 11-year-old girl.

The girl was attacked on Friday, November 23 at around 4.30pm in Enfield, north London, as she walked home from school.

She was dragged into nearby Jubilee Park and raped in an ordeal that police said could have lasted as long as three hours.

The girl, who was wearing her school uniform returned home at around 8pm and was taken to hospital. She had to undergo surgery for injuries sustained in the attack.

Detective Inspector Simon Ellershaw said it was "a horrific and unusual attack of a defenceless schoolgirl".

She had been making her way home along her usual route, one of Enfield's busiest shortcuts, at the beginning of the Friday afternoon rush hour when she was grabbed.

Police have appealed for witnesses and Det Insp Ellershaw said: "Given the significant and unaccounted for amount of time between the incident and the victim's arrival home, we are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have seen her possibly appearing confused or dishevelled following her ordeal. All calls will be treated in the utmost confidence."

Opemipo Jaji, 18, has been charged with rape and attempted rape and will appear at Enfield Magistrates' Court later.

Witnesses or anyone with information that could help police is asked to call the incident room on 0208 345 4326 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Ryanair Customers Face New Card Charges

No frills airline Ryanair is to introduce two new charges from Friday but its reason for imposing a credit card booking fee has been questioned by a regulator.

The carrier said it was bringing in a 2% credit card processing fee on all new bookings made from tomorrow in order to comply with a recent Office of Fair Trading (OFT) ruling.

However, the OFT said: "We have not required any airline to introduce new payment charges, increase their credit card charges, or scrap any discounts they wish to offer.

"We took action to make sure that debit card charges are included in the headline price and credit card charges are transparent and not sprung on shoppers towards the end of the booking process."

Ryanair also announced that its passengers would have to pay a £6 administration fee to cover the airline's website costs.

The only exceptions will be bookings made using Ryanair's "cash passport" scheme in Ireland, Germany and Spain, where administration fees can be avoided until February 1, February 15 and March 21 2013 respectively.

Ryanair defended the move saying it was continuing to "deliver the lowest fares and a no-fuel surcharges guarantee to all our passengers" and that passengers could avoid credit card fees by paying with a debit card.

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Cumbria Earthquake Centred On Lake District

A small earthquake with a 2.1 magnitude has hit Cumbria.

The British Geological Survey said the tremor, which started at a depth of 3.1 miles (6km), struck in Patterdale after 9.30pm on Wednesday.

Several Cumbrian residents took to Twitter to discuss the episode.

One tweeted: "So just a small earthquake - 2.1 - though thought my mum was jump through the roof. Totally freaked her out."

Another said: "Small earthquake felt in Cumbria - epicentre was close by but I didn't notice anything."

According to the BGS, the UK experiences about 20 earthquakes a year of similar strength.

Glenn Ford, from the BGS, said: "This is a very typical British earthquake, just large enough to be felt by the general public, which is approximately 10% of all the earthquakes detected annually in the UK."

The BGS said the earthquake was not linked to fracking - a controversial technique for extracting gas deep underground - which was blamed for last year's tremors in Lancashire.

Two minor quakes with magnitudes of 2.3 and 1.5 in April and May rattled the Blackpool area and resulted in test drilling being suspended.

A report by independent experts last November found the fracking technique, which injects water, sand and chemicals into shale rock under high pressure to release gas, was almost certainly to blame.

The last time an earthquake struck Cumbria was in Coniston in December 2010, measuring 3.5.

In April 2009, a 3.7 magnitude tremor hit Ulverston and could be felt around Barrow, Kendal and Windermere.

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Rail Fares To Rise Above Inflation Again

New Season Rail Ticket Prices

Updated: 1:08am UK, Wednesday 28 November 2012

According to Passenger Focus, these are examples of the new season ticket prices and fare percentage increases on 2012 that will take effect from January 2013:

:: Gillingham to London, £3,672 (4.2%)

:: Canterbury to London, £4,860 (5.9%)

:: Tonbridge to London, £3,796 (5.2%)

:: Guildford to London, £3,224 (4.3%)

:: Portsmouth to London, £4,668 (4.2%)

:: Bournemouth to London, £5,988 (4.2%)

:: Reading to London, £3,960 (4.2%)

:: Oxford to London, £4,532 (4.2%)

:: Hove to London (Victoria), £3,860 (4.1%)

:: Eastbourne to London (Victoria), £4,228 (4.1%)

:: Aylesbury to London, £3,632 (3.2%)

:: Colchester to London, £4,556 (4.1%)

:: Shenfield to London, £2,704 (-0.6%)

:: Huntingdon to London, £4,700 (4.2%)

:: Cambridge to London, £4,400 (3.8%)

:: Morpeth to Newcastle, £1,008 (5.0%)

:: Peterborough to London, £6,888 (4.2%)

:: North Berwick to Edinburgh, £1,604 (3.9%)

:: Ellesmere Port to Chester, £720 (2.3%)

:: Tain to Inverness, £1,204 (3.8%)

:: Stirling to Glasgow, £1,916 (3.9%)

:: Llanelli to Swansea, £624 (5.4%)

:: Bangor to Llandudno, £1,140 (5.2%)

:: Ludlow to Hereford, £1,992 (5.3%)

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Euromillions: £64m Hitchin Prize Unclaimed

A Euromillions player has just seven days to identify themselves as the winner of £64m - the biggest unclaimed prize in UK lottery history.

The winner in the June 8 draw matched the five main numbers, 5, 11,  22, 34, 40 and two lucky stars, 9 and 11.

Lottery bosses have made several public appeals since establishing that the ticket was bought in the Stevenage and Hitchin area of Hertfordshire.

Posters were even put up at Luton airport in case the lucky punter was a holidaymaker.

The winner is richer than Princes William and Harry - but may be unaware

The winner has until 11pm on Wednesday December 5 to claim the £63,837,543.60 fortune, which would put them ahead of Harry Potter Star Daniel Radcliffe and Princes William and Harry on the Sunday Times Rich List.

The other half of the £127m prize was shared with a winner from Belgium, who has already collected their cash.

The previous biggest unclaimed prize was £9m in Doncaster in the 90s.

The National Lottery says prizes have previously been claimed on the deadline day - including £2.5m in the Worcester and Malvern area in 2009.

The Weirs from Largs scooped the UK's biggest ever jackpot

Players who believe they may have lost or destroyed their tickets have 30 days from the date of the draw to contact lottery operator Camelot so it can investigate their claim.

However that deadline passed five months ago for this ticket, so now only the ticket-holder can come forward.

If no-one claims the money by next week the sum and all the interest it has generated will go to National Lottery good causes - adding to the £29bn already raised through ticket sales since the game's 1994 launch.

Britain's biggest jackpot winners are Colin and Chris Weir, from Largs in North Ayrshire, who won £161m in July 2011.

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Coulson Wins Appeal Over Legal Costs

Former News Of The World editor Andy Coulson has won his battle over the payment of his legal costs in the phone hacking affair.

The ex-Downing Street communications chief won his appeal against a High Court ruling that News Group Newspapers (NGN) does not have to pay his legal expenses.

Coulson, 44, sued over the construction of a clause within the severance agreement he signed in 2007 on leaving the News Of The World after NGN stopped reimbursing him for the fees.

He sought a declaration that the company "must pay the professional costs and expenses properly incurred" by him "in defending allegations of criminal conduct" during his tenure.

Lord Justice Laws, Lord Justice Sullivan and Lord Justice McCombe, sitting at the Court of Appeal in London, allowed the appeal.

NGN could now take the case to the Supreme Court.

The firm's counsel argued at the High Court in December that the clause being challenged covered the "occupational hazards of being an editor" and not alleged criminal activity.

It maintained that, if there was an obligation, it was triggered at the stage when proceedings are complete.

But the Court of Appeal allowed Coulson's lawyers to admit fresh evidence relating to the criminal investigation.

This included material in the press, which NGN would neither confirm nor deny, that ex-News International chief Rebekah Brooks and some current employees of The Sun appeared to have been indemnified in respect of some criminal proceedings as they went along, rather than waiting until the end.

Lord Justice McCombe, giving the unanimous ruling of the court, said he was "satisfied" that the contract did cover the costs and expenses of defending the criminal allegations.

Coulson has been charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice over allegations that he tried to cover up evidence of phone hacking.

Earlier this month, it was announced he faced new charges over alleged bungs to public officials in return for news stories.

Coulson is accused of conspiring to pay for information about the royal family, including an internal phone directory known as the Green Book.

The former Number 10 communications director has always denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to fight to clear his name.

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William And Kate Cheered Through Cambridge

By Paul Harrison, royal correspondent

Cambridge is giving its duke and duchess a rapturous welcome as the royal couple tour the city for the first time.

Hundreds of well-wishers lined the streets to greet William and Kate, who are spending the day celebrating Cambridge's university, and visiting charities, schools and volunteers.

The Duke and Duchess arrived by train and were slowly driven through the city so the crowds could catch a glimpse of them.

Kate was sporting her new hairstyle - layered long dark locks with a parted fringe - first seen in London when she opened a new exhibition at the Natural History Museum without her husband.

As the couple arrived at Cambridge University the Duchess gave a cry of delight as she bumped into her cousin Dr Penny Barton, a graduate tutor at the world-renowned university.

Mrs Barton told Kate that the whole family was "proud" of her and all she has achieved.

The couple are visiting charities, schools and the city's famous university

After meeting students and staff from Cambridge University's many colleges, Prince William addressed a crowd of more than 400.

"This is a day Catherine and I have looked forward to for a very long time; eighteen months, in fact - ever since my Grandmother, The Queen, on the morning of our wedding bestowed on us the name of this great city," the Duke said.

"We both feel immense pride at being associated with Cambridge, a place renowned the world over for its dynamism, beauty and learning, and it is lovely for us to be here together today." ‬

As seems customary, the Duke used the occasion to yet again poke fun at his younger brother.

‪‪"It's not the first time I've been here. My brother Harry and I were fortunate enough to come to Cambridge five years ago, when we spent a couple of days at Trinity."

"I have to say it's the closest Harry's ever got to university", he joked.

Bus driver Simon Newman, 43, from Sutton, near Ely, had travelled into Cambridge with his wife Claire, 48, an easyJet cabin crew member, to see the couple.

They were waiting outside the university's Senate House and said they were pleased that the royal couple had taken the titles of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

"I have the week off and so has my wife so we thought it would be great to come and see them. They are a really attractive couple," Mr Newman said.

Cambridge has been awaiting the royal visit since the Queen bestowed the dukedom on her grandson just a few hours before he married Catherine Middleton on April 29 last year.

The last Duchess of Cambridge was the German-born Princess Augusta Wilhelmina Louisa of Hesse-Cassel, who was married to Prince Adolphus Frederick, the 1st Duke of Cambridge, and a son of George III.

The title was last held by Prince George, a military figure who wed a commoner for love - like William - but also kept a mistress for more than 30 years.

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Comet: Jobs At Risk As Shops Face Closure

Comet's administrators have confirmed a further 125 stores will close by the end of the year if they fail to get a firm offer for the whole business.

Around 70 stores of the original 236 will remain open until the electricals retailer's remaining stock is sold, Deloitte added. 

Some 5,000 jobs remain in the balance at the embattled retailer, which called in the administrators earlier this month.

Deloitte's Chris Farrington said a "small number of interested parties" remained and he hoped a positive outcome could still be achieved.  

"Should any acceptable offers be received for stores we will delay the closure process," he said.

"Unfortunately, in the absence of a firm offer for the whole of the business, it has become necessary to begin making plans in case a sale is not concluded."

Stores will begin closing in December, he added.

Since Deloitte was appointed to work for the electricals chain, some 1,500 jobs have already been axed.

Last week, the entrepreneur behind Appliances Online confirmed he had tabled a bid for Comet's web-based operations - but not for the whole business.

John Roberts said he had put in a "seven-figure offer" for Comet's website, although the deal would see the business disappear from the UK's high streets.

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Second Man Held After Girl, 11, Raped In Park

Detectives have arrested a second man on suspicion of raping an 11-year-old girl in a north London park.

The man, aged 18, was arrested in Edmonton and remains in custody, the Metropolitan Police said.

A 26-year-old who was arrested earlier on Monday has been bailed pending further inquiries to a date in late December.

The youngster is being treated in hospital after she was grabbed by a man on her way home from school on Friday afternoon.

She was dragged into Jubilee Park, in Enfield, before being raped near a pitch and putt course.

The girl, who had caught a bus from Enfield town to Bury Street, was snatched as she was walking along Galliards Road at around 4.15pm.

She eventually returned home after the attack at 7.45pm.

Detective Inspector Simon Ellershaw, who is leading the investigation, said: "This was a horrific and unusual attack of a defenceless schoolgirl making her way home via her usual route, along one of Enfield's busiest shortcuts, at the beginning of Friday afternoon rush hour.

"She says the attack happened for some considerable time - possibly in the region of two to three hours.

"At present an extensive search of the park is underway and local officers are conducting house-to-house enquiries, and we have already been receiving helpful information from members of the public.

"Given the significant and unaccounted amount of time between the incident and the victim's arrival home, we are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have seen her possibly appearing confused or dishevelled following her ordeal. All calls will be treated in the utmost confidence."

Chief Inspector Taylor Wilson said: "Over the course of the weekend police have been working using every resource available to support the victim, identify the suspect and provide a police response to increase confidence and provide reassurance to residents.

"Although this is an isolated and extremely rare incident, we are treating this with the utmost seriousness."

Witnesses or anyone with information that could help police is asked to call the incident room on 0208 345 4326 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Nadine Dorries Has To Wait For Whip Ruling

Nadine Dorries will find out next week if she is being kicked out of the Conservative Party after appearing on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

The Mid-Bedfordshire MP says she had a "good-natured" meeting with Tory Chief Whip Sir George Young on Tuesday morning.

Sir George suspended her from the party earlier this month after it emerged she was going to Australia to take part in the ITV reality show.

Ms Dorries told BBC Three Counties Radio their talks had now been adjourned and would resume next week.

The backbencher has drawn widespread criticism - including from voters in her constituency - for swapping her parliamentary duties for the jungle survival show.

Ms Dorries hears she is the first celebrity to be booted off (Pic: ITV)

Former chief whip Andrew Mitchell denies he gave Ms Dorries permission to take November off.

He told Sky's chief political correspondent Jon Craig that she had never asked him and the first he knew of it was when the publicity about the show began.

The MP justified her decision to go on the programme by insisting her involvement was a "publicity gift" and the chance to communicate with 16 million people.

Arriving back at Heathrow on Monday after being the first contestant to be voted off the show by viewers, Ms Dorries insisted she did not know what all the fuss was about, and declared: "I'd do it again tomorrow."

The MP after her first bushtucker trial (Pic: ITV)

Defending her decision, she told reporters: "I've had three sitting days away from Parliament. The rest has been over half-term.

"There are still MPs who have been away for two weeks and still haven't returned. I've had three sitting days away. I think that is an important thing to remember."

When asked about the reaction of some of her constituents, she replied: "What they are angry about is what they have read in the newspapers, which is not the truth."

She vowed to donate her MP's salary during her absence to charity, but did not mention what she intends to do with her reported £40,000 fee for taking part in the programme.

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Weather: Hundreds Flee Homes As Floods Rise

Rain-battered Britain is struggling to cope with rising flood levels after further heavy rain brought misery to thousands of residents and motorists across the UK.

Householders have already evacuated over 900 properties after deluges left many properties uninhabitable and caused road and rail chaos.

Hundreds of people were urged to flee their homes after the River Elwy reached record levels and surged through flood defences into the beleaguered city of St Asaph in North Wales.

The torrential downpours spread overnight from the South West to North Wales and northern England. Leading to he Environment Agency issuing more than 200 flood warnings and almost 300 flood alerts across the UK.

Residents in St Asaph say they do not remember the area flooding so badly since the 1960s. Some have used canoes to salvage as many possessions as they could carry.

A family of three is rescued by the RNLI in Maisemore, Gloucestershire

Resident Vincent Jones was asked to leave his home in the early hours of the morning. He said: "I had a knock at 12.30am to say there was an imminent flood, and then at 4.30am we were told to leave.

"When I left, within an hour the water had engulfed us. I put some personal possessions upstairs and made sure we took the children to safety. My sister-in-law on the other side of St Asaph has taken the kids in.

"I'm absolutely devastated. I don't have insurance. It doesn't bear thinking about at the minute. My kids are safe, we'll just have to plod on and sort it out one way or another."

The Environment Agency says that  flood defences in St Asaph which were designed to cope with up to 4m (13ft) of water, appear to be holding.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has expressed sympathy with residents but said most of the flood defences around the UK had held up well.

Hotel owner Charlie Ryan and his dog are rescued in St Asaph

"We offer our sympathies to all those affected. I did see that our flood schemes in the South West are protecting properties. Six thousand key properties were protected in Exeter despite a torrent of water. Fifteen thousand properties in the country are being protected.

"We're spending £2.17bn on flood defences over this spending round. We've opened up new arrangement partnerships with local councils and these flood schemes provide real benefits.

"It's bitterly disappointing and awful for residences who feel safe behind defences which then fail. I can't comment on what's happened in St Asaph because I need to get the details of what's happened there.

"The vast majority of the schemes we've built are designed to withstand floods except under extraordinary circumstances."

But Mr Paterson added that the current system for insuring people against floods is flawed, after claims that hundreds of thousands of homes could be left without flood cover due to a row between ministers and the insurance industry over how future flooding bills would be covered.

Firemen filled sandbags to deliver to residents in North Wales

He also criticised the way insurance companies have raised the issue.

"We're trying to come up with an improved system that gives affordable and universal insurance which isn't a huge burden on the taxpayer.

"We've been involved in detailed negotiations with the Association of British Insurers (ABI), but it was unhelpful of them to throw this into the mix yesterday when people were still struggling to recover from the flooding."

The ABI had claimed that talks about a "safety net" deal to ensure those in flood-risk areas can continue to afford their policies were at "crisis point".

Graeme Trudgill from the British Insurers Brokers Association said the solution could lie in insurers themselves being insured.

"The insurance brokers we represent want to find a solution. It's a question of getting government and insurers to find the right balance.

Residents of St Asaph wade to safety

"Flood mapping technology is so advanced now we can tell which properties are at risk of flooding and we can insure 98% of the properties in the UK. It's the top 200,000 properties that are very high risk.

"Specialist brokers can insure most of them but it's a case of those properties working with their broker and agreeing to things like air-brick covers on their properties so they're prepared if the worst happens.

"We're looking at a re-insurance solution to provide insurance for the insurance companies. We're confident that next year there will be some broker solutions in place.

Flood levels are continuing to rise in the worst hit areas across the UK despite the forecast of drier spells.

Sky's weather presenter Isobel Lang, said: "Drier weather is on the way. That is definitely welcome news after the exceptional rain of the last few days. However the flood risk will not go away.

"Some slow responding rivers such as the Severn, Trent and Thames will continue to rise over the next day or two leading to local flooding problems.

A resident collects her belongings in Willington, central England

"Areas with high ground water could still experience flooding, and Dorset is a county at risk.  There is still a risk of river or surface water flooding across northeast England, north Wales and Northamptonshire, too".

Across the UK, three people have died in the flooding and around 900 homes have been evacuated following a weekend of almost non-stop rain.

There is still a risk of flooding, as the heavy rain in northern England and Wales moves southwards. But the wind and rain are expected to ease over the next few days which are expected to be drier, with freezing temperatures taking hold of the UK instead.

The EA remains particularly concerned about the River Thames, Trent and the Severn, as well as the Northamptonshire area.

The A417 at Maisemore has already flooded and is closed, while the River Severn at Tewkesbury is expected to peak at 4.8m - a metre less than its peak in 2007.

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'Failure' Work Scheme Defended By Government

The Government has defended its flagship employment scheme after new figures showed the programme has missed its target.

Only 3.5% of the long-term unemployed helped by the scheme were still employed six months later, according to data published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Figures showed that 800,000 people had started the Work Programme since it was launched last year, but that only 31,000 stayed in a job for six months.

A target of 5.5% was set for finding sustainable jobs.

But employment minister Mark Hoban defended the scheme, saying the programme is succeeding in getting people off benefits and into work.

He said that 56% of people who joined the scheme were no longer receiving benefits, with one in five of the earliest participants spending at least six months without them.

Mr Hoban also revealed that notices had been sent to a number of organisations involved in the programme, asking them to come up with plans to improve their performance

But Labour leader Ed Miliband criticised the programme and said it was on course to be a "miserable failure".

Labour leader Ed Miliband has called the scheme a "miserable failure"

During a visit to Stevenage, he said: "It is just not working. What we've seen from the Government is a failure to reform welfare."

The initiative, which was launched in June 2011 to help the long-term unemployed find work, divides the country into regions, with each comprising a range of private, public and voluntary sector organisations.

It is a two-year scheme which supports some of the hardest-to-help claimants, including the long-term unemployed, disabled and ex-offenders.

Employers are paid by results to get people into work, and providers can earn between £3,700 and £13,700 per person, depending how hard it is to help an individual.

The DWP says the scheme so far has cost just over £2,097 for every participant.

The statistics were expected to be poor after various leaks showed the programme slowly "descending into chaos" as one source put it.

Unemployment is now slowly falling despite a stagnation in GDP, a phenomenon that has become known as the "productivity puzzle".

The Employment Related Services Association (ERSA), the trade body for the welfare-to-work industry, said criticism of the scheme was unfair, predicting that an increasing number of people will be helped into a sustained job.

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Ofsted: Postcode Lottery For Good Schools

More than two million children are still not getting a decent education, and a youngster's chance of attending a good school is often too dependent on where they live, Ofsted has warned.

There are stark inequalities in England's education system, with pupils in some areas of the country facing a less than 50% chance of being taught at a good or better school, the inspectorate said.

In his first annual report, Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw said that for a country which wants to be a global leader, England's schools system is not good enough and must do better.

He also announced the launch of an online league table, ranking local authorities according to inspectors' ratings of schools.

The report shows that there have been improvements in the last few years, with 70% of schools now rated good or outstanding compared to 64% five years ago.

An extra half a million pupils are now being in taught in good or better schools, it says.

But it also means that almost 2.3 million children are still attending a "small minority" of schools that are less than good.

Sir Michael Wilshaw has criticised school standards in his report

In his commentary on the report, Sir Michael said he "worries most about the 30% or so of schools which, at their last inspection, and often before that, were judged to be no better than satisfactory".

In these schools, lessons are often "formulaic", he said, with students that are not fully interested, or being stretched to reach their full potential.

He suggested that in most assessments, a rating of seven out of 10, or 70% could be seen as "fair but could do better".

The new report warns that the overall rise in the performance of England's schools masks real challenges for the education system.

It raises serious concerns about the "marked inequality of access" to a good school across the country.

A primary school pupil in England has, on average, a 69% chance of being in a good or outstanding school, it says, but in some parts of the country, a child has a better than 90% chance, and in others a less than 50% chance.

"Why is it that a child living in Derby or Doncaster local authority areas has only half the chance of attending a good or better primary or secondary school compared with a child living in Wigan or Darlington?" said Sir Michael.

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Winter Weather: Sub-Zero Temperatures Forecast

Winter weather is set to bite later this week with sub-zero temperatures predicted.

Heavy rain will give way to ice, frost and bitterly cold northerly winds from Tuesday onwards.

Temperatures could plummet to as low as -6C in some places, with highs of just 4C.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "The weather is set to change dramatically this week as the area of low pressure bringing today's heavy rain slips away southeastwards drawing in cold northerly winds.

"Conditions look a good deal drier from Tuesday onwards, and much of south-west England, the Midlands and Wales could remain dry for the remainder of the week.

"On the flip side, it will feel considerably colder with brisk northerly winds and much lower night and daytime temperatures. Expect sharp frosts and the risk of icy stretches.

"Some showers are still likely to feed in on the winds, but these should mainly affect North Sea coastal counties where they may bring some snow to the North Yorkshire Moors or Cheviots along with higher ground in eastern Scotland."

The cold snap follows a weekend of heavy rain and strong wind, leaving three people dead and forcing hundreds from their homes.

The heavy rain will continue to deluge parts of the South West today, but North Wales and the North East is expected to bear the brunt of the wet weather.

There are nearly 300 flood warnings and 300 flood alerts in place across the country.

Prime Minister David Cameron he promised to ensure "everything is being done to help".

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Brit Killed In South Africa Farm Robbery

A British man who went to South Africa to run a nature reserve has been killed in a robbery at his farm, police say.

Christopher Preece had gone outside to check why the power was cut at the property when three men attacked him with machetes, according to officers.

The 54-year-old victim bled to death after the attack near Ficksburg, a town near the border with Lesotho, on Saturday night.

His wife, 56, was seriously wounded in the assault and is now being treated in hospital.

Captain Phumelelo Dhlamini of the South African Police Service said the robbers stole about $350 (£220) and a mobile phone.

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West Ham Face Probe Over 'Hitler' Chants

West Ham will face an investigation by the FA over alleged racist chants during their game at Tottenham, according to Sky sources.

Just four days after a Spurs fan was stabbed before Tottenham's game against Lazio, some West Ham supporters appeared to aim offensive chants towards the home crowd about the attack.

"Viva Lazio" and "can we stab you every week" could be heard - and the sound of hissing also came from the away section of White Hart Lane, an apparent mocking of the mass execution of Jews in gas chambers during the Holocaust.

Towards the end of Sunday's match, some Hammers fans were heard singing: "Adolf Hitler, he's coming for you."

It was only last Thursday that a group of travelling Spurs fans were the subject of anti-Semitic taunts from Lazio supporters in the Italian capital prior to a Europa League game.

The FA is now set to launch an investigation into the chants and are due to speak to the Metropolitan Police as well as both clubs, Sky sources have said.

West Ham have pledged to take the "strongest possible action" against any supporters found guilty of inappropriate chanting during the Barclays Premier League match away to Spurs, including the enforcement of life bans.

The chants sparked outrage among the Tottenham faithful given their club's links with the Jewish community.

The pub at the scene of the violence in Rome

But after the game - which Spurs won 3-1 - both managers were reluctant to discuss the matter without reviewing the tapes.

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce said: "I didn't hear it. I don't hear what the fans say or do when I'm concentrating as a manager on a game of football.

"They shouldn't be doing things like that, it is the least of my worries at the minute isn't it? What do you want me to say? If I didn't hear it I can't condemn it can I?"

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas said he did not want the issue to detract attention from what Tottenham achieved on the pitch.

He said: "You know the animosity there is between Tottenham and West Ham and as long as it doesn't reach stupidity it is a great, great rivalry of two London clubs.

"It would be extremely unfair for me to mar the performance of the players, but understanding that a couple of situations are avoidable, we can't decipher the true meaning of what they were saying."

At least 11 Spurs fans were injured during the attack in Rome in which 50 masked assailants stormed into a pub in the city, with Essex builder Ashley Mills most seriously hurt.

The president of Italy's football association has apologised to the English FA over the affair, while two men have appeared in court.

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Man Held After Girl, 11, Raped In Park

Detectives have arrested a man on suspicion of raping an 11-year-old girl in a north London park.

The youngster is being treated in hospital after she was grabbed by a man on her way home from school on Friday afternoon.

She was dragged into Jubilee Park, in Enfield, north London, before being raped near a pitch and putt course.

The girl, who had caught a bus from Enfield town to Bury Street, was snatched as she was walking along Galliards Road at around 4.15pm.

She eventually returned home after the attack at 7.45pm.

A 26-year-old man was arrested at an address in Edmonton and is in police custody.

Detective Inspector Simon Ellershaw, who is leading the investigation, said: "This was a horrific and unusual attack of a defenceless school girl making her way home via her usual route, along one of Enfield's busiest shortcuts, at the beginning of Friday afternoon rush hour.

"She says the attack happened for some considerable time - possibly in the region of two to three hours.

"At present an extensive search of the park is underway and local officers are conducting house-to-house enquiries, and we have already been receiving helpful information from members of the public.

"Given the significant and unaccounted amount of time between the incident and the victim's arrival home, we are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have seen her possibly appearing confused or dishevelled following her ordeal. All calls will be treated in the utmost confidence."

Chief Inspector Taylor Wilson said: "Over the course of the weekend police have been working using every resource available to support the victim, identify the suspect and provide a police response to increase confidence and provide reassurance to residents.

"Although this is an isolated and extremely rare incident, we are treating this with the utmost seriousness."

Witnesses or anyone with information that could help police is asked to call the incident room on 0208 345 4326 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Weather: Northern England Braced For Flooding

North East England and North Wales are braced for flooding after the band of heavy rain that swamped southern England moved north.

There are just over 200 flood warnings in place across the country and nearly 300 less serious flood alerts, following a weekend of almost non-stop pouring rain left at least 800 homes swamped with water.

Parts of South West England were particularly badly hit, now people in the North East and North Wales are preparing for possible flooding.

A soldier carries a sandbag in Catterick, North Yorkshire

In North Yorkshire, residents of Richmondshire are being offered emergency sandbags to protect their homes from floodwater.

On the outskirts of Darlington, County Durham, the River Skerne was reported to have burst its banks, while pumps are being used to keep parts of the A66 open in the area.

Days of rain and strong winds have left three people dead, forced hundreds from their homes and brought chaos to the roads.

Residents load sandbags onto a trolley elsewhere in the town

Prime Minister David Cameron vowed he would "ensure everything is being done to help".

Parts of Devon and Cornwall are among the worst hit areas so far - but hundreds of other areas have also been affected, with the South and the Midlands getting badly hit.

Thousands of motorists have had to be rescued from water-logged roads over the past few days.

A man rows through a car park in Keynsham, Somerset

Rainfall is estimated to be around 15mm across the spine of Britain today, less than the 30mm of rain in parts of the West Country, but meteorologists said it would offer little respite to homeowners keen to begin cleaning up.

Mr Cameron wrote on Twitter: "Shocking scenes of flooding in Cornwall and around the country. Govt will help ensure everything is being done to help."

A 21-year-old woman was killed in Western Way, Exeter, after becoming trapped under a fallen tree which injured two others.

A homeless woman died after being crushed by a tree in Exeter

Inspector Andrew Webber of Devon and Cornwall Police told Sky News that the dead woman had been living in a small tent sheltered against a wall at the roadside.

"It was a very large oak tree that had been there for ... many years. Obviously we've had lots of heavy weather, it's been raining an awful lot, and the tree for whatever reason came down."

Her death follows that of a man on Thursday, who died when his car became wedged under a bridge near a ford in Rectory Fields, Chew Stoke, Somerset.

A car is partially submerged in standing water in Ruishton, Somerset

A 50-year-old man, named as Kevin Wilkinson, also died after falling into a canal in Watford on Saturday.

Both the RAC and AA breakdown services reported surges in flood-related call-outs as roads and highways across the country have been closed due to perilous standing water.

But that has not deterred many motorists from taking their chances.

Homes are left flooded on Cheats Road in Ruishton

In Warwickshire three people became stranded on the roof of a four-wheel drive after deciding to go off-road driving.

Police issued a post on Twitter to say the men had been shouting abuse at those who tried to come to their aid. They were eventually rescued by boat.

National Rail said the severe weather is disrupting services around the country.

Hay bales stand in flood water in fields surrounding the Glastonbury Tor

Nearly 71,000 properties have been told they could be at risk, according to the Environment Agency.

Jo Wheeler, Sky News weather presenter, said: "The heaviest rain has now moved north, and there'll be a period of some hours before further wet weather is likely.

"Meanwhile, the storm system has taken the wettest weather into central, eastern and northern parts of England.

Flood water blocking the A361 near Taunton, Somerset

"And the strongest winds are to the south and east of the system, with gale force gusts for eastern England, East Anglia and the South East.  These blustery conditions will also abate as the low pressure system clears away into the North Sea."

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Butlins Balcony Plunge Kills Man

A 23-year-old man has died after falling from a hotel balcony at the Butlins holiday resort in Bognor Regis.

Police and ambulance crews arrived at the West Sussex complex in the early hours of Saturday morning after receiving reports of the fall.

Paramedics attempted to resuscitate him, but he was declared dead at the scene.

The man has been identified as Timothy Wall, of St Leonards, Dorset.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "The death is being treated as unexplained but it is not being considered as suspicious."

A post-mortem will now take place.

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New Law To Tackle Stalkers Comes Into Effect

By Jane Chilton, Scotland Correspondent

Campaigners are celebrating today after new anti-stalking legislation finally becomes law in England and Wales.

It is already illegal to stalk a person in Scotland, with the Scottish legal system changing in 2010, but it has taken until now for the laws to be introduced in England and Wales.

Campaigners claim the laws are now "harmonious" throughout the UK.

In England and Wales, it is estimated that 120,000 victims, mostly women, are stalked each year but only 53,000 are recorded as crimes by police and only one in 50 of those actually lead to an offender being jailed.

As there have been no anti-stalking laws in England and Wales until today, abusers were often charged with the less serious offence of harassment. This resulted in more lenient sentences of 12 months or less in prison, and many being granted community orders.

Since the law changed in Scotland the effect of tougher anti-stalking legislation is clear. Before the changes only 70 offenders were prosecuted over 10 years, but since 2010 the figure has soared to 443.

Ann Moulds, from Ayr, was stalked for almost three years by a man she thought was her friend.

When he heard about her stalker, he even offered her support and even offered to stay in her home to help protect her and make her feel safe in her home. All the time he was her stalker, bombarding her with sexually explicit texts, messages and phone calls.

Ann told Sky News: "I ended up where my home became a prison. I was terrified to go out, I kept the curtains closed, I even stopped putting on the television or playing music so I could listen if there were any sounds outside.

In Scotland, 443 stalkers have been successfully prosecuted since 2010

"I just couldn't see a future, I couldn't see an end to it all. I lost my friends, I lost lots of weight and I lost my hair."

"So when I discovered that my supportive friend was this crazy man who was stalking me it was total shock, disbelief, absolute betrayal and it took me a long, long time to understand how that kind of mind can work."

Ann's stalker was eventually prosecuted and Ann decided to campaign for a change in the law in Scotland. She founded Action Scotland Against Stalking and was instrumental in bringing in the anti-stalking legislation.

Now she is extending her campaign to the European Parliament, which is now looking at making anti-stalking laws compulsory throughout all European states.

While praising the changes coming in today in England and Wales, Ann said: " It's about harmonising stalking laws so abusers can't commit offences in one country then hide behind a lack of legislation in other countries.

"The campaign has lifted the lid off stalking and that helps the police, judges and the courts in dealing with abusers seriously. One in five men and women will become a victim of stalking in some form or another. We are not looking at a small problem."

Stalking is a growing problem, especially through social networking sites. Cyber stalkers falsely believe they have greater anonymity - but protection rights are tightening up.

Digital stalking expert Jennifer Perry told Sky News: "The more prosecutions we hand out, the more people that are harassing individuals will hopefully think twice about it."

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Flood Scenes 'Shocking' Says David Cameron

David Cameron has said the scenes of flooding around the country are "shocking" and pledged help for all those affected.

The Prime Minister took to Twitter to voice his concern about the pictures of devastation coming from the South West as Britain braces for more bad weather to come.

He tweeted: "Shocking scenes of flooding in Cornwall and around the country. Govt will help ensure everything is being done to help."

It comes after a 21-year-old was killed when she became trapped under a fallen tree in Exeter on Saturday night. Two men were also injured.

Inspector Andrew Webber of Devon and Cornwall Police told Sky News that the dead woman had been living in a small tent sheltered against a wall at the roadside.

"It was a very large oak tree that had been there for... many years. Obviously we've had lots of heavy weather, it's been raining an awful lot, and the tree for whatever reason came down," he said.

The site of a fallen tree in Exeter, where a 21-year-old woman died

Rescue services in the West Midlands have appealed for drivers of 4x4s to stop taking unnecessary risks. They say a remarkable number of their call outs have been to people in four-wheel drive vehicles.

Nathan Hudson, of West Midland Ambulance Service, said: "Perhaps surprisingly, we have had to deal with a remarkable number of stuck 4x4s.  Just because your vehicle has four wheel drive, does not make it amphibious.  They too can become stuck in deep flood water.

"We would urge people to not try and get across flood water and instead take a short detour, rather than become trapped in their cars and have to be rescued."

The warning follows a report from Warwickshire, police that three people who had decided to go off road driving in the bad weather had become stranded and were stuck of the roof of their vehicle shouting abuse at rescue teams.

The Environment Agency has issued two severe flood warnings, which means serious threats to life and property, in the South West.

Cars stranded in floodwaters outside homes in Malmesbury, Wiltshire

There are 220 flood warnings in place across the country, mainly in the South West and the Midlands, and 266 less serious flood alerts.

Emergency services were called to rescue people from their homes in the historic town of Malmesbury, in Wiltshire, where waters were 3ft deep in places due to flooding from the River Avon.

A spokeswoman for Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "It's been building up there for a few days and has flooded now in the area down by the river.

"Streets and houses have been flooded and we've rescued four people from two properties, three people from one house and a chap with asthma from another."

In Devon 60 people were evacuated from 12 locations because of safety concerns, while in Cornwall 80 properties had been hit by flooding.

Emergency teams have been working to shore up defences, deploy temporary barriers, monitor river levels, clear blockages from watercourses and pump-out flood water from towns.

British team kayaker Sam Anderson takes to the water in Exeter

Richard Benyon, the Environment Minister, said: "We recognise that while somewhere over 400 homes have been flooded, we have actually managed to protect over 24,000 homes by recently constructed flood defences, and so that is, if you like, the silver lining to this cloud."

In Exeter a member of the British kayaking team, Sam Anderson, took advantage of the white waters generated by the floods and took to the River Exe in his kayak.

He told Sky News that he would not encourage others to do the same thing but that he had been kayaking for 10 years and was wearing safety equipment, including a helmet.

He said: "It's really powerful the current. You just cannot go against it you have to go with it because it is really strong and it's really deep as well."

The rest of Britain is also bracing itself for more flooding and travel disruption, with forecasters predicting further heavy downpours.

Jo Wheeler, Sky News Weather Presenter, said: "The low pressure system that brought flooding rain across the country last night, will slowly clear north-eastwards through the day. 

Flooding in Newlyn, Cornwall (Pic: Adam Gibbard)

"The heaviest hit areas of Devon and Cornwall received over two inches of rain in some places.  But the heaviest rain has now moved north, and there'll be a period of some hours before further wet weather is likely.

"Meanwhile, the storm system has taken the wettest weather into central , eastern and northern parts of England. 

"And the strongest winds are to the south and east of the system, with gale force gusts for eastern England, East Anglia and the south-east.  These blustery conditions will also abate as the low pressure system clears away into the North Sea."

Network Rail said trains were likely to be suspended between Exeter and Bristol until Monday. Landslips at Honiton and Dawlish have led to the cancellation of a number of train services.

In North Yorkshire flooding has caused the closure of major roads including the A66, between the A1 and A67.

North Yorkshire Police tweeted: "Please take care when travelling in North Yorkshire. There is lots of standing water on many roads. Reduce your speed."

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PM 'Open-Minded' On Leveson's Press Report

David Cameron is said to be keeping an "open mind" about the future regulation of the press and will make no decisions before he has seen Lord Justice Leveson's much-anticipated report.

Downing Street has rejected any suggestion that the Prime Minister has already decided to rule out full-blown state regulation following reports he is heading for a showdown with Lord Justice Leveson when he delivers his report into the findings about the British press.

The Mail On Sunday claimed Mr Cameron would back a new, tougher model of self-regulation to replace the Press Complaints Commission - but with the threat that a statutory system could be brought in later if matters do not improve.

The Leveson report is supposed to be shrouded in secrecy until its publication on Thursday.

Mr Cameron and some other senior Government figures will have access to it on Wednesday so that he can make a substantive response when it is released.

"The Prime Minister is open-minded about Lord Justice Leveson's report and will read it in full before he makes any decision about what to do," a spokesman said.

The Prime Minister himself gave evidence to the inquiry

Victims of press intrusion are calling for an independent regulator, backed up by law, while editors fear that statutory regulation could serve only to limit press freedom.

Christopher Jefferies, the landlord who was wrongly arrested for the murder of his tenant Joanna Yeates, revealed today he has yet to receive a written apology from any of the editors and reporters responsible for his "vilification" in the press.

The 67-year-old retired teacher won substantial libel damages from eight newspapers following their coverage of his arrest in connection with the architect's disappearance in 2010.

He was released without charge while another tenant, Vincent Tabak, was later sentenced to life for murder.

And Mr Cameron set up the Leveson Inquiry in July last year in response to revelations that the News Of The World (NOTW) commissioned a private detective to hack murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's phone after she disappeared in 2002.

Lord Justice Leveson's report will be published on Thursday

This Thursday's report follows the first part of the Leveson Inquiry looking at the culture, practices and ethics of the press, and will include recommendations for press regulation.

Speaking to Sky's Dermot Murnaghan, the Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission Lord Hunt said he had made his own recommendations.

"I think some time ago (the PCC) realised it needed to be replaced by a tough independent regular, so I came along, I was given a blank piece of paper, I set out what I thought was the best way forward, basing the whole structure on contract rather than statute, and that's what I put to Lord Justice Leveson," he said.

"It's got to have enough power to deal with the sort of outrageous behaviour we have seen uncovered."

He added that he wanted to see more "internal regulation".

"We're dealing with publishers, some of whom have hundreds of editors, I think they have taken insufficient responsibility. I want the buck to stop there."

London Mayor Boris Johnson told Sky that the present system, "doesn't really carry confidence amongst the public at large."

"There needs to be a tougher system of self-regulation," he added.

"Where I think we don't want to go is in the direction of a media that is controlled by politicians."

Members of campaign group Hacked Off, including victims of press intrusion, want an independent regulator - possibly backed up by law to ensure newspapers comply.

Hacked Off director Professor Brian Cathcart said they wanted "something effective that will make a difference" - probably backed by law to give it the necessary "clout" - but said if the chairman found a way of doing that without law, they would be happy as long as it was effective.

But Bob Satchwell, executive director of the Society Of Editors, called for "proportionality", saying he hoped Lord Justice Leveson had not only taken the "headline evidence" into account.

"Some of the points that came out were absolutely dreadful and nobody is trying to hide away from the fact that there were some pieces of behaviour in some parts of the press that were quite appalling," he said.

"But it's got to be seen in context - we want to see some proportionality."

Former Crimewatch presenter Jacqui Hames, who was placed under NOTW surveillance along with her husband, said victims wanted to "draw a line under all this".

"We want to be able to trust our journalists again and pick up our newspapers and be confident that what we're reading is accurate and it hasn't been obtained illegally or at the detriment of somebody's life," she said.

"We have a fantastic historical tradition of newspapers and journalism in this country and I would love to see that restored.

"It's a fantastic opportunity to look to the future so that in 50 years' time people will look back and see this as a pivotal moment and a restoration of faith in our free press."

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Spurs Attack: Attempted Murder Charges Dropped

Two men who were charged with attempted murder following an attack on a Spurs fan in Rome have had the charges dropped.

Ashley Mills, a Tottenham Hotspur fan who was in Rome to watch the team play Lazio, suffered serious injuries to his skull and thigh when violence broke out in one of the city's bars.

The 25-year-old builder had been drinking with friends in The Drunken Ship pub before the match when 50 masked assailants stormed in.

Two men, who were charged with attempted murder following the attack last week, appeared in court today.

Lorenzo Contucci, a lawyer for one of the men, said that the attempted murder charges had been dropped but the men instead face charges of aggravated wounding with a weapon.

Mr Contucci said the judge said the violence in the pub had not been racially motivated but that it was a "football-related crime".

More follows...

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