Family Poisoned After Barbecue Taken Indoors

Four children were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning after their grandmother brought a barbecue indoors to dry her washing.

The woman, who has not been named, lit the device which she set up in the family kitchen before leaving the house.

Her daughters-in-law were in the house with her grandchildren, two of whom were asleep upstairs.

Her three-year-old granddaughter collapsed when she was overcome by the deadly gas later that afternoon and was treated in hospital with five of her relatives.

They included two boys aged two and 10 months, a four-year-old girl and the woman's two daughters-in-law, aged 26 and 29.

Firefighters were called to the home on Hockley Avenue, in East Ham, east London, on Wednesday afternoon, soon after the grandmother set the barbecue alight.

All six have now been discharged from hospital.

Fire chiefs branded the grandmother's behaviour dangerous and campaigners warned of the hazards of bringing barbecues indoors.

Dave Brown, of London Fire Brigade, said: "In my 28-year career I have never heard of anybody using a barbecue to dry clothes let alone using one indoors.

"Never, ever bring a lit or smouldering barbecue indoors. Not only is it a serious fire risk but it also emits carbon monoxide which is a poisonous gas that can kill or seriously injure."

Earlier last year, six-year-old Isabelle Harris, from Gosport, Hampshire, died after her parents brought a disposable barbecue into their tent to keep warm during a break in the New Forest in April.

The schoolgirl was one of a number of campers killed by the gas last year.

The Department of Health believes 50 people are killed by the gas each year, while at least 4,000 are treated in hospital.

But this figure is likely to be much higher because of difficulties surrounding the diagnosis of CO poisoning.

Symptoms are often similar to common illnesses like flu and food poisoning.

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Man Arrested Over 'Murder' Of Missing Mother

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a mother who went missing after a domestic incident at her ex-partner's home.

Janelle Duncan-Bailey, 25, has not been seen since she disappeared in south London in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

A 30-year-old suspect was arrested last night and taken to a south London police station where he remains in custody, Scotland Yard said.

Ms Duncan-Bailey, of Thornton Heath, left her children - boys aged two and seven - with a friend in Bromley while she attended a family function, police said.

She left the friend's at about 4am on Wednesday to return to Thornton Heath, where at about 4.30am she visited her former partner's home.

Police were called there after reports of a domestic incident and Ms Duncan-Bailey left the address with officers.

It is believed she asked to be taken to another friend's house and she was last seen between 5am and 5.30am walking towards flats in Limpsfield Avenue.

Ms Duncan-Bailey was reported missing later that day after she failed to collect her children.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "Janelle has never been missing before and her disappearance is totally out of character."

She is described as being black, about 5ft 5in, of medium build and with shoulder-length black hair which may have been enhanced with hair extensions.

Police are appealing for anyone with information to contact Sutton police station on 0208 721 4054 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Nine Belfast Police Injured In 'Sustained Attack'

Nine officers have been injured in east Belfast after a crowd of up to 300 people hurled fireworks, bricks and petrol bombs during "a sustained attack".

A spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said 18 arrests were made after the public disorder in the Castlereagh Street and Templemore Avenue areas overnight.

Some 30 petrol bombs were thrown at police officers as they dealt with the fresh riots on Friday night.

A range of other missiles including ball bearings, fireworks and masonry were also thrown.

Three attempted carjackings were reported in the Beersbridge Road area and water canon deployed, but not used.

There were also protests in the Robbs Road area of Dundonald, near Ulster Hospital, and in the O'Neill Road area of Newtonabbey, where there was reportedly an attempt to hijack a bus, plus a raid on a commercial premises by masked men.

The latest violence comes after 10 police officers were injured on Thursday during a demonstration against the decision to reduce the number of days the Union flag is flown from City Hall.

Sky's Ireland Correspondent Vicki Hawthorne said: "The latest disorder has been relatively minor compared to other nights.

"There had been an earlier peaceful flag protest which initially dispersed without incident.

"People in the area have said the police have been too heavy handed in how they have dealt with protesters, and that, they say, has sparked trouble."

Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson described the violence against the police as "a disgrace".

He said: "Those responsible are doing a grave disservice to the cause they claim to espouse and are playing into the hands of those dissident groups who would seek to exploit every opportunity to further their terror aims."

He added: "All right-thinking unionists will want to channel their energies into political activity and to support the cause of finding political solutions to the problems that we face.

"In Northern Ireland the ballot box has primacy and is the only vehicle for choosing the people's representatives."

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to contact their local police station on 0845 600 800, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Criminals Could Serve Longer Sentences In Jail

The Justice Secretary has said he would like to see more prisoners serve their full sentences in jail.

Under the current system, introduced by Labour, most prisoners are automatically released after serving only half their sentence, regardless of their behaviour while behind bars.

Chris Grayling says a new system under which only well-behaved prisoners would be eligible for early release would reduce crime.

The Justice Secretary said the new system would reduce crime

"What people don't particularly understand is why sentencing works the way it does," he tells The Daily Telegraph. "If you get [sentenced for] 10 years, you're out after five [years] automatically.

"Every police force will tell you when a serial burglar is behind bars their local burglary rate goes down.

"Ultimately, I'm attracted by an option that doesn't simply automatically release you at a certain point, regardless of whether you've behaved well or not."

He has also sanctioned a review of prison conditions, questioning why some prisoners have access to luxuries such as satellite television.

Mr Grayling conceded it was a "challenge" to make the idea of prison uninviting to criminals from "dysfunctional backgrounds".

"For some young people, prison is the first stable environment," he said. "It is a challenge for us to make it an environment that they don't want to come back to."

"These are not areas where you can deliver radical reforms overnight, you have to work in a direction.

"One of the areas where possibly we've got increased scope in the future in monitoring offenders is GPS tagging, where new technologies mean it's possible to watch an offender wherever they go," he said.

Mr Grayling's comments are a departure from policy under predecessor Ken Clarke, who suggested prison often proved "costly and ineffectual".

The Justice Secretary said he would also like inmates to be met at the prison gate by a mentor to help them get their lives back on track and that rehabilitation was key to his reforms.

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Burnham: High-Sugar Cereals Should Be Banned

High-sugar breakfast cereals should be banned to stop children getting fat, according to the shadow health secretary Andy Burnham.

The Labour frontbencher said regulation should be introduced to cap the levels of salt, fat and sugar in food.

Mr Burnham has started garnering public and expert opinion on the subject as part of a consultation on tackling obesity.

"If we fail to act we are storing up huge problems for the country and the NHS in the long term," he said.

He is floating the idea of a 30% cap on sugar in cereals, arguing that many children's breakfast cereals are over one-third sugar by weight.

"I don't think any parent would be comfortable with their child eating something that is 40% sugar," he told The Daily Telegraph.

Last week, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development figures revealed 26.6% of British girls were obese and 22.7% of boys - double that of youngsters in France.

The coalition says voluntary deals with industry through the Responsibility Deal has cut salt, fat and sugar content in our food.

But Mr Burnham says the current voluntary approach is not working and new drastic measures are required to combat childhood obesity.

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Stephen Lawrence: Murder Marked 20 Years On

The mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence has launched a campaign to mark the 20th anniversary of his death.

Speaking exactly a year after the 18-year-old's killers were convicted, Doreen Lawrence said more would be done this year to ensure no other family has to go through what she endured, including the creation of an outreach programme to new police chiefs.

Mrs Lawrence, who founded the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, said: "It is hard to believe that 2013 will mark 20 years since Stephen died.

"This time last year we faced the conviction of two of Stephen's killers and the relief I felt then has stayed with me through the extraordinary year that was 2012.

"Despite this, our focus has to be on the next 20 years. There is more to be done to get justice for Stephen and to ensure that no other family has to go through what we endured."

Doreen Lawrence carrying the Olympic Torch last summer

A concert is planned for April along with a criminal justice lecture, an annual memorial lecture and a gala ball to help raise awareness and funds.

Mrs Lawrence said the trust would campaign to new police and crime commissioners for fairer community policing.

A memorial service will be held at St Martin in the Fields on April 22, the date Stephen died in 1993, as part of the so-called SL20 Campaign.

Gary Dobson and David Norris were jailed for life last January for Stephen's murder, while Ms Lawrence continues to press for the tracing and arrest of others involved in the murder.

During the trial, the court heard a gang of five or six white youths set upon the A-level student in Eltham, southeast London.

The Metropolitan Police faced fierce criticism of the original investigation into Mr Lawrence's death.

A public inquiry branded the force institutionally racist and claims were made by Mr and Mrs Lawrence's lawyers that some officers were influenced by Norris's former drugs baron father.

The breakthrough in the investigation came when a cold case team of forensic scientists found tiny traces of blood, hair and fibres on clothing seized from Dobson and Norris's homes.

During the trial, jurors were shown police surveillance footage from 1994 of Dobson and Norris using racial slurs.

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Belfast Violence Injures 10 Police Officers

Ten officers have been hurt after masked gangs in east Belfast hurled bricks, bottles and petrol bombs at police in rioting last night.

It was the latest flare-up of violence linked to restrictions on flying the Union flag at City Hall.

A 23-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy have been charged with rioting.

About 100 unionist demonstrators took part in the protest. At one stage, the hooded and masked protesters set a car on fire, blocking access to one road.

At least one officer was briefly taken to hospital.

Protests erupted weeks ago when councillors in Belfast voted to limit the number of days the Union flag could be flown over City Hall to 17 days a year, rather than all year round.

Some of the protests have turned violent.

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Motorists 'Still Texting At The Wheel'

More than a quarter of drivers text while at the wheel, with those using cars for work the most likely to offend, a survey has found.

And more than one in seven say they apply make-up or shave while in the driving seat, the research for road safety charity Brake and insurance company Direct Line found.

Of those who used a vehicle for work, 31% said they texted while driving compared with a figure of 28% for non-work drivers.

A total of 17% of 'for-work' drivers admitted attending to personal grooming while at the wheel compared with 14% for non-work motorists.

Drivers using vehicles for work were also more likely to talk on hands-free mobiles while on the road than non-work drivers.

The poll found that 54% of drivers who were on the road for work purposes admitted to speeding on 60mph roads, compared with 34% of those who were not on a work-related outing.

A law was passed in 2007, banning the use of mobiles while driving

Also, 76% of for-work drivers admitted to speeding more than 5mph above the limit on 30mph roads, compared with 62% of non-work drivers.

"It is appalling so many people who drive in a professional capacity are taking such horrendous and unnecessary risks," Brake deputy chief executive Julie Townsend said.

"People who drive as part of their job should be taking great care.

"We are urging all employers to ensure they have comprehensive safe driving policies in place."

Direct Line spokesman Matt Owen said: "The risk that those who drive as part of their job are taking with their lives and the lives of others is substantial."

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Hand Transplant: What Are The Risks Involved?

Doctors have to carefully weigh up the risks and benefits of any treatment. It can be a tricky judgment.

And not all surgeons believe that the Leeds team was right to cut off Mark Cahill's hand and transplant a new one from a dead donor.

Mr Cahill couldn't feel or move his right hand because of complications from gout.

He says his quality of life was suffering - he couldn't tie his shoelaces, nor play with his grandson in the way he wanted.

So one can understand why he believes his new hand will transform his life.

But the transplant comes with significant risks.

Mr Cahill will need to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of his life and, because of their effect on the immune system, he is more likely to develop cancer and other infections.

And surgeons can't guarantee that Mr Cahill will get useful movement in his hand. That will depend on whether the nerves join properly to allow signals from his brain to reach his fingers.

Clint Hallam, who had a hand transplant in 1998, had it removed two years later, complaining that it was like a dead man's hand, with no feeling in it.

And fertility pioneer Lord Winston, who was involved in a hand transplant early in his surgical career, has warned the operation could lead to "extra inconvenience and complications".

It took many attempts to perfect heart transplantation.

But, of course, that's a life-saving procedure - and well worth the risks.

A hand transplant is only life-enhancing - if it works.

Mr Cahill had a fully-functioning left hand. One can only hope the donor hand lives up to his high hopes.

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Hand Transplant Completed For First Time In UK

A 51-year-old man has become the first person in the UK to have a hand transplant.

Mark Cahill said he was "well happy" after an eight-hour operation by doctors at Leeds General Infirmary on December 27.

He said he was now looking forward to being able to "cut my food up, button my shirts, fasten a pair of shoelaces, and (...) hold my grandson's hand."

But the op was immediately lambasted by one of the UK's most renowned surgeons, who suggested that Mr Cahill could be left with a "dead hand at the end of an arm".

Lord Robert Winston said even when nerves were all carefully joined up "these transplanted hands were very limited and most often caused huge inconvenience".

However, doctors in Leeds said a new technique was used during the latest surgery.

It involved Mr Cahill having his non-functioning right hand removed during the same operation as the donor hand was transplanted.

Mark Cahill with surgeon Simon Kay

This procedure allowed very accurate restoration of nerve structures and is believed to be the first time this approach has been used, surgeons said.

Consultant plastic surgeon Professor Simon Kay, who led the surgical team, said: "This operation is the culmination of a great deal of planning and preparation over the last two years by a team including plastic surgery, transplant medicine and surgery, immunology, psychology, rehabilitation medicine, pharmacy and many other disciplines.

"The team was on standby from the end of November awaiting a suitable donor limb, and the call came just after Christmas.

"It was extremely challenging to be the first team in the UK to carry out such a procedure.

"Any organ donation brings something positive from tragedy and I would like to acknowledge the tremendous gift the family of the donor have made at such a distressing time.

"It is still early days but indications are good and the patient is making good progress."

In an interview with ITV's Daybreak, Mr Cahill, from Greetland, West Yorkshire, said: "Eight o'clock on Boxing Day night we got a phone call saying we may have a donor.

"As you can imagine, the day after Christmas it was quite a shock. I'm getting slight movement now, my feeling has just started coming back, but everything's looking very, very good.

"Long term I won't have 100% use of it, but obviously I'm going to have a lot more use than I had with the existing hand.

"I think I've dealt with it pretty well. The only thing you can't do is know what is going to happen after the operation, and as it has turned out it is brilliant. I'm well happy.

"Hopefully I will be able to get back to work for a start, that's a major difference.

"For a start I might be able to cut my food up, button my shirts, fasten a pair of shoelaces, and mainly I'll be able to hold my grandson's hand."

He told the BBC: "It just does not feel like somebody else's hand. As I look at it and move it, it just feels like my hand."

Leeds Teaching Hospitals announced in late 2011 that it was starting to look for candidates for hand or arm transplants.

Potential patients are put through a series of health checks and psychological assessments to ensure they have carefully considered the implications.

Mr Cahill, who lost the use of his right hand due to severe gout, was one of two potential candidates when a donated limb became available.

He was selected because he was the best tissue match.

The team has been working closely with NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and also colleagues in Lyon, France, where hand transplants were pioneered in 1998.

The first-ever recipient in France was New Zealander Clint Hallam, who later had his new hand removed.

He lost his original hand in a circular saw accident in prison in 1984.

He eventually decided he could not live with his new hand, which was taken from a motorcyclist who died in an accident, because he said it felt like a dead man's hand.

Doctors indicated Mr Hallam had not stuck to the correct drugs and exercise regime.

His experience cast doubt on the whole procedure although surgeons have pointed out that a number of hand transplants have been successfully completed in the US.

Mr Cahill's operation was dismissed by Lord Winston, a surgeon who helped to pioneer hand transplant surgery in the 1970s.

He said: "History repeats itself. The first hand transplant that I was involved with was done by Willy Boeckx and myself in 1975 in Leuven when I was working there (not 1998) when we were pioneering microsurgery. 

"Even then, I am not sure whether it was the first, probably not.

"What is clear is that since that time there have a number of hand transplants (I followed one in my TV series Superhuman in 1999 - 2000) which showed that, even when nerves and vessels and tendons were all carefully joined up under a microscope, these transplanted hands were very limited and most often caused huge inconvenience to the recipient because of lack of function - essentially a largely 'dead hand' at the end of an arm.

"I really can't see this is much of a breakthrough given that a donor hand has extra inconvenience and complications - not least of which is the serious risk of rejection in spite of the need to take powerful and risky immunosuppressive drugs."

A spokeswoman for NHSBT said it was aware that a limb transplant had taken place.

She said: "Our thoughts are with the family of the donor at this time. Without their agreement for donation, this operation would not have taken place.

"We also send our best wishes to the recipient for a healthy recovery.

"There are currently 10,000 people waiting for a transplant in the UK. NHSBT urges everyone to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register and to tell their families of their wishes."

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Falklands Row Reopened By President's Letter

Downing Street has dismissed a call by the president of Argentina for Britain to hand back the Falkland Islands.

Cristina Kirchner demanded in an open letter that Prime Minister David Cameron abide by UN resolutions to "negotiate a solution" to the row.

But Number 10 strongly rebuffed her latest entreaty, insisting the views of Falklands residents had to be respected.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister told Sky News: "Self determination is massively important. We are giving the islanders the opportunity to say what they want.

"It is very important for people who live on the island to say their views. If they want to remain British we will do everything we can to honour that."

The Foreign Office added that the Falkland Islanders "are British and have chosen to be so".

"They remain free to choose their own futures, both politically and economically, and have a right to self-determination as enshrined in the UN Charter," a spokesman said.

"This is a fundamental human right for all peoples. There are three parties to this debate, not just two as Argentina likes to pretend.

"The islanders can't just be written out of history. As such, there can be no negotiations on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands unless and until such time as the islanders so wish."

Mr Cameron and Ms Kirchner clashed at the G20 summit

Ms Kirchner made her latest appeal in a letter published in The Guardian and Independent newspapers.

It claimed Argentina had been "forcibly stripped" of the islands her country calls Las Malvinas in a "blatant exercise of 19th-century colonialism".

"The Argentines on the Islands were expelled by the Royal Navy and the United Kingdom subsequently began a population implantation process similar to that applied to other territories under colonial rule," she said.

"Since then, Britain, the colonial power, has refused to return the territories to the Argentine Republic, thus preventing it from restoring its territorial integrity.

"The Question of the Malvinas Islands is also a cause embraced by Latin America and by a vast majority of peoples and governments around the world that reject colonialism."

Ms Kirchner first made calls for the return of the islands during last year's 30th anniversary of the two countries going to war.

She and Mr Cameron also clashed over the issue when they came face-to-face at the G20 summit in Mexico last June.

The Prime Minister rejected her call for negotiations about sovereignty and said she should respect the results of a referendum due in March.

The Falklanders will vote then on whether they wish to retain their ties with Britain.

The Argentine president tried again to push the issue when she appeared at the United Nations, appearing at the annual meeting of the little-known UN Decolonisation Committee on the 30th anniversary of the British victory.

She used the occasion to reiterate Argentina's opposition to any more wars and to criticise the Prime Minister's decision to mark the day by flying the Falklands flag over Number 10.

In December, Argentina protested at Britain's decision to name a vast swathe of Antarctica Queen Elizabeth Land. Its foreign ministry handed a formal protest note to British ambassador John Freeman in Buenos Aires.

The area, which makes up around a third of the British Antarctic Territory, is also claimed by the South American country.

Barry Elsby, a member of the Islands' Legislative Assembly, said: "We understand that the Argentine government has put out a letter that both calls our home a colony and claims that the United Kingdom is ignoring United Nations General Assembly resolutions.

"We are not a colony; our relationship with the United Kingdom is by choice. Unlike the government of Argentina, the United Kingdom respects the right of our people to determine our own affairs, a right that is enshrined in the UN Charter and which is ignored by Argentina."

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Jim Davidson 'Vigorously' Denies Sex Claims

Jim Davidson, who was arrested by police investigating the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal, "vigorously denies" the claims against him, the comedian's solicitor has said.

Allegations dating back 25 years have been made by two women, according to lawyer Henri Brandman.

Davidson, 59, was one of two men arrested on suspicion of sexual offences as part of Operation Yewtree.

Both individuals fall under the strand of the investigation termed 'others' and the Metropolitan Police said the allegations are not linked to Savile.

Officers said a 53-year-old was held in Hampshire at around 8am and a 59-year-old in west London at around midday.

Both men were later released on bail until March pending further inquiries.

Davidson had reportedly been detained at Heathrow Airport as he returned to the UK to be a contestant on Channel 5's Celebrity Big Brother.

Six men and a woman were seen leaving Davidson's house in Stockbridge, Hampshire, carrying boxes.

The late Sir Jimmy Savile

In a statement, Mr Brandman said: "Two women have made allegations in respect of Jim that date back approximately 25 years.

"The complainants were then in their mid 20s. Jim vigorously denies the allegations.

"He answered police questions as fully as he was able after this passage of time.

"He has not been charged with any offence. Neither he nor I will be making any further comment."

Scotland Yard is leading a nationwide investigation into allegations against disgraced television presenter Savile and a number of other high profile figures.

They have separated the inquiry into three strands: claims against Savile, those involving Savile and others, and those involving others.

Officers have questioned a number of people including former pop star Gary Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr and PR guru Max Clifford.

Last month, police said a total of 31 allegations of rape had been made against former Top Of The Pops presenter Savile.

Some 589 people have come forward with information relating to the scandal, with a total of 450 complaints against the BBC presenter and DJ, mainly alleging sexual abuse.

Detectives have recorded 199 crimes in 17 force areas in which Savile is a suspect.

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Phone Stabbing: CCTV Of Boy Wanted By Police

Detectives have released a picture of a 15-year-old they want to question over the suspected murder of a teenager in a row over a mobile phone.

The CCTV image, filmed on a bus on Sunday just after 10.30pm, is believed to be the last sighting of Dawda Jallow from Peckham in southeast London, who has been missing since the stabbing.

It shows him travelling on the number 35 bus between Camberwell Green and Newington Causeway.

"If anyone knows him, if anyone knows where he has been staying, if anyone has any ideas that they should put him up for the night, I would urge them not to and call us instead," said Detective Chief Inspector Matt Bonner, who is leading the investigation.

"He must be staying somewhere and so I am urging the community for their help in letting me know where that is."

The schoolboy is described as black, clean-shaven with cropped black hair, 5ft 5in tall and stocky for his age.

He has brown eyes and speaks with a London accent, although he is a Gambian national.

Police made their fresh appeal as victim Dogan Ismail's family issued a statement about their loss.

Dogan Ismail died of a single stab wound

"Our beloved son, friend, cousin, nephew and grandson has been cruelly taken away from us," they said.

"Words cannot describe how much we will miss him. We want justice for Dogan and his killer caught.

"Anyone with information, please tell the police."

The 17-year-old died from a single stab wound after a confrontation with four males on the Aylesbury estate in nearby Walworth.

He had gone there with his younger brother Orhan, 15, whose BlackBerry phone was stolen from him two days earlier.

It is believed they may have been lured there on the promise of getting it back.

A schoolfriend, who did not want to be identified, told Sky News a text message was sent inviting them to come and retrieve the phone.

DCI Bonner said: "It would appear that on the Sunday they went back onto the estate in an effort to recover that phone."

He added: "The line around him being lured there - I'm aware of that information, but it is not something that has been given to us directly, and we will pursue that with other lines of enquiry."

The incident happened just yards away from where 21-year-old Shaun Chambers, from Greenwich, was killed in a gangland attack on September 26.

Police say the two deaths are not connected.

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Obesity: Fat People Could Face Benefit Cuts

Obese people could face cuts to their benefits if they do not attend exercise sessions, under new plans being outlined by a local council.

Westminster City council has published a report looking at how councils can link benefit payments to claimants' lifestyles.

It describes how some local authorities have begun allowing GPs to prescribe leisure activities like swimming and fitness classes.

It is hoped that by using technology such as smart cards, the use of leisure facilities can be monitored leading to housing and council benefit payouts being cut for those not attempting to lose weight.

The document, written with the think-tank the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU), states: "Where an exercise package is prescribed to a resident, housing and council tax benefit payments could be varied to reward or incentivise residents."

Obesity costs the NHS £5.1bn a year and the number of Britons who are overweight is expected to increase by 10% over the next decade.

In recent years the responsibility for tackling public health has moved back to local government, despite many councils experiencing funding cuts.

Councillor Philippa Roe, Leader of Westminster City Council, said: "Councils have a great opportunity to improve lives by thinking how public health can be integrated into existing local services, this can lead to savings being shared across the entire public sector.

"This report contains exactly the sort of bright, forward-thinking and radical ideas that need to be looked at."

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Unis 'Should Target' White Working Class Boys

Universities should treat white, working class boys as an ethnic minority, according to the minister responsible for higher education.

Senior Tory David Willetts wants them viewed as a disadvantaged group after a drastic fall in the number of university applications by men.

This would mean universities having to improve access for young white men before they are given the go-ahead to charge higher fees.

Mr Willetts said the Office for Fair Access (Offa), the university access watchdog, already looked at disadvantaged groups "when it comes to access agreements".

"I don't see why they couldn't look at white, working-class boys," he told The Independent.

Universities Minister David Willetts

The minister plans to suggest the inclusion of white, working class boys as a target group for recruitment in the access agreements to Offa director Professor Les Ebdon.

Figures from last autumn's intake show a 54,000 drop in applications by men, 13% down on 2011 and four times higher than the fall among women, according to The Independent.

Ucas data reveals just 30% of male school leavers applied to go to university in 2012, compared to 40% of female school leavers.

Mr Willetts said this was "the culmination of a decades-old trend in our education system which seems to make it harder for boys and men to face down the obstacles in the way of learning."

He added: "I do worry about what looks like increasing under-performance by young men."

Mr Willetts stressed that he wanted to protect universities' rights to select students but also to make sure that white working class boys had every opportunity for a fair shot at a place.

"This is a long-standing social problem in Britain in which the performance of boys has increasingly fallen behind the performance of girls in education," he told Sky News.

"This is one of the under-represented groups so it is absolutely correct for universities to use some of the extra funding they have got to focus on these groups and reach out to them."

Dr Wendy Platt, director general of the Russell Group, which represents 24 top universities, said: "Universities cannot solve this problem alone.

"The root causes of the under-representation of students from disadvantaged backgrounds are under-achievement at school and poor advice on the best choices of A-level subjects and university degree course."

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Rail Fares: Anger As Commuters Face More Hikes

How Much Will Your Ticket Cost?

Updated: 2:14am UK, Wednesday 02 January 2013

This is a table of rail fare rises, comparing the price of a 12-month season ticket bought in December with one bought from January 2.

The table does not include the price paid if within-London travelcards are also purchased for Tube and bus journeys in the capital.

Where London is mentioned, this means travel to London terminal stations where travel is allowed by any route option shown by the National Rail Enquiry system, Journey Planner, where the journey can be made using only one ticket.

ROUTE                          DEC 2012  JAN 2013  % RISE

Leeds-Wakefield              £908      £964            6.16%

Bishop's Stortford-London  £3,560    £3,704     4.04%

Portsmouth Harbour-London  £4,480    £4,668  4.19%

Basingstoke-London         £3,800    £3,960       4.21%

Ramsgate-London            £4,640    £4,864     4.82%

Woking-London              £2,780    £2,896        4.17%

Folkestone-London          £4,612    £4,836      4.85%

Reading-London             £3,800    £3,960       4.21%

Sevenoaks-London           £2,980    £3,112    4.43%

Aylesbury-London           £3,520    £3,632      3.18%

Bedford-London             £4,004    £4,172      4.19%

Hastings-London            £4,400    £4,584     4.18%

Canterbury-London          £4,588    £4,812    4.80%

Deal-London                £4,640    £4,864    4.82%

Dover Priory-London        £4,640    £4,864    4.82%

Ludlow-Hereford            £1,892    £1,992    5.28%

Bangor-Llandudno           £1,084    £1,140    5.16%

Morpeth-Newcastle            £960    £1,008    5%

West Malling-London        £3,712    £3,876    4.42%

Guildford-London           £3,092    £3,224    4.27%

Bracknell-London           £3,800    £3,960    4.21%

Braintree-London           £3,960    £4,124    4.14%

Tunbridge Wells-London     £3,968    £4,132    4.13%

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Thailand Killing: Family Travel To Identify Victim

The family of a British tourist shot dead at a New Year's Eve party in Thailand are travelling to the country to identify his body and make arrangements for repatriation.

Stephen Ashton, 22, was hit by a stray bullet after getting caught in the crossfire of a gunfight between rival gangs on the island of Koh Phangan.

Mr Ashton was shot with a homemade gun (Photo: Facebook)

His family members will meet the UK's ambassador to Thailand, Mark Kent, on Thursday.

He warned of risks to Western tourists, and urged people to read the travel advice on the Foreign Office website.

"Most people have a very enjoyable holiday, a very trouble-free holiday," he told Sky News. "But there are risks and we've set these out in our travel advice which you can access on the Foreign Office website.

"In particular we do mention that there have been incidents involving Western tourists in Koh Phangan, so there are risks in going anywhere and I think Thailand is certainly not completely trouble free."

Police Colonel Kittakarn Kramomthong, chief of police at the island's station, said officers have arrested a 26-year-old Thai man and confiscated a gun.

The man is expected to be charged with manslaughter, he said.

Koh Phangan is in the south of Thailand

Sky producer Sarah Yuen, who is on the island, said the suspect's first court appearance is likely to be delayed until Thursday while Mr Ashton's body is formally identified.

She added that while Thailand is generally safe, there is an "undercurrent of violence" in parts of the country.

Thai police said Mr Ashton was with a group of friends and 300 other tourists celebrating the countdown to 2013 at a pub and restaurant called the Zoom Bar at Haad Rin beach when he was shot with a homemade gun shortly after 4am on Tuesday.

The Bangkok Post said he was visiting the island with four or five friends and was staying at Pink Bungalow on Haad Rin.

Friends paid tribute to Mr Ashton (Photo: Facebook)

Confirming the identity of the victim, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the death of a British national in Thailand on New Year's Eve and we are providing consular assistance to the family."

Friends expressed their shock at Mr Ashton's death and paid tribute to him on social networking sites.

Robbie-Cameron Gray took to Mr Ashton's Facebook page to express his grief and posted a photograph of the two of them as young boys.

He said: "Don't want to believe it. Still got photos of us on my wall from football and school. Will miss you mate."

Aaron Kelly wrote on Facebook: "Horrible news. Be good up there mate."

Neighbour Dawn Mason, 48, described Mr Ashton as a "very normal, likeable young man".

His family moved to the upmarket area of Purley, south London, about three years ago, she said.

"They've always been very nice neighbours.

"If Stephen or his sister Emily had parties, they'd always be at the house with their parents so they knew where they were. I went to the house today and the family just seem in complete shock."

The tropical island of Koh Phangan, situated north of tourist haven Ko Samui in the Gulf of Thailand, is a popular destination for backpackers and students on gap years.

One of the attractions of the island is its monthly full moon party at Haad Rin Beach, and many people know it as the setting for Alex Garland's novel The Beach, which was made into a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

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Shot Teens' Mothers Urge Young To Shun Gangs

The mothers of two teenagers who were shot dead outside a New Year party have used the 10th anniversary of their daughters' deaths to urge young people not to get involved in gangs.

Charlene Ellis, 18, and her cousin, Letisha Shakespeare, 17, were killed by bullets fired from a car outside the Uniseven hair salon in Aston, Birmingham, in the early hours of January 2, 2003.

Charlene's twin sister, Sophie Ellis, and her cousin, Cheryl Shaw, were injured in the shooting.

The victims' mothers, Beverley Thomas and Marcia Shakespeare, called on young people to think about the devastating effect gangs can have on people's lives.

Mrs Thomas told the Birmingham Mail: "My message to youngsters is to think about the impact it has on families, the community and how it affects people closest to the victims.

"Burying your child is something you never expect to have to do as a parent. You expect your children to bury you."

Mrs Shakespeare added: "We have made young people realise, and will continue to make them realise, that there are choices, alternatives to violent crime.

"Young people need to know how being with the wrong people can affect them."

Mrs Thomas and Mrs Shakespeare have fought to help rid the city of gangs and weapons since their daughters' murders.

West Midlands Police said the two women were "inspirational" in their fight against gangs and gun crime.

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Wallis said: "They are making young people realise there's a real choice of not having to become involved in gang culture.

"It can only lead to a small number of places - to a hospital, to a prison, or at worst, a funeral."

Four men were convicted of murder and attempted murder over the shooting of the four girls following a five-month trial at Leicester Crown Court.

Nathan Martin, 26, Marcus Ellis, 24, Michael Gregory, 23, and Rodrigo Simms, 20, were all jailed for life.

An appeal by all four men was turned down at Woolwich Crown Court in 2006 and they were refused leave to appeal to the House of Lords.

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Digital Entertainment Sales Smash £1bn Barrier

Digital sales of music, video and games in 2012 exceeded £1bn for the first time, according to official year-end sales figures.

The Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) said a final year-end tally of £1.033bn was reached, giving a digital sales boost of 11.4% year-on-year.

ERA director general Kim Bayley said: "Breaching the £1bn barrier is an incredible achievement for the UK's digital entertainment retailers.

"And reflects their huge investment in new and innovative services which means you can buy music, video and games literally at any time of the day and wherever you are."

Traditional disc sales of CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray and games still account for just over three quarters of the entertainment market, despite falling by 17.6% compared with 2011.

ERA represents entertainment retailers, specialists and independents, as well as supermarkets outlets along with internet and download retailers.

It combines data from three separate sources to collate the industry-wide figures.

The biggest digital sector by far remains games, mainly comprising massive multiplayer online games, social gaming and online console transactions.

Topping £552m, it was worth more than digital sales of music and video combined.

The video sector showed most growth at 20.3% but this reflects the relatively undeveloped nature of the market, according the ERA.

Music's digital growth of 15.1% also stood out as it is the most established of the three markets, with 16 albums selling more than 100,000 digital copies in 2012 and more than 3.7bn audio tracks streamed.

The Official Charts Company said Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye (featuring Kimbra), Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen and Titanium by David Guetta (featuring Sia) were the three most-streamed tracks in 2012.

Ms Bayley added: "At the same time I suspect that many people will be surprised to learn just how resilient the physical business still is - with three-quarters of entertainment sales still on disc.

"Downloads offer convenience and portability, but people still seem to value the quality and tangibility of a physical product."

The news of the £1bn digital barrier breakthrough comes amid a drop in total sales of 12% for physical and digital products compared to a year earlier.

Total sales in 2011 were £4.78bn but sagged to £4.21bn last year.

The ERA said combined game sales dropped 17.4% in 2012 and said a factor in the fall was poor release planning which affected retailers.

"The dearth of attractive releases during summer 2012 was clearly a significant factor," Ms Bayley said.

She added: "Suppliers need to do more to rebalance their release schedules and improve the quality of their releases.

"No retailer can afford to pay overheads on a store for 52 weeks of the year if all the key releases are going to be concentrated in the last quarter."

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Police Hunt Schoolboy After Phone Stabbing

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

Detectives are still trying to find a schoolboy wanted after the murder of another youth in a row over a mobile phone.

Police want to interview 15-year-old Dawda Jallow who has been missing since the stabbing on Sunday afternoon.

The victim, Dogan Ismail, 17, died from a single stab wound after a confrontation with four males on the Aylesbury estate in Walworth, South East London.

It is believed he and his elder brother were chased up a walkway before a mobile phone was stolen.

Police have appealed for help in finding Dawda and warned the public not to approach him.

Detective Chief Inspector Matt Bonner said: "I am seeking help from the local community to locate Dawda Jallow.

"I appeal to anyone who knows of his whereabouts, or has any information that could assist us, to come forward.

"If Dawda is seen, please do not approach him but contact police."

DCI Bonner added: "I appeal direct to Dawda to present himself at a police station so this matter can be dealt with."

A small part of a first-floor landing in the estate's Latimer House block was cordoned off. Flowers had been laid there.

A few feet away were flowers left for another murder victim, Shaun Chambers, 21, who died at almost the same spot in a gangland attack in September.

Police say they believe the two attacks are not linked in any way.

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River Search For Teen Who Jumped From Ferry

A search is under way for a 16-year-old boy who went missing after he jumped from a ferry into a river in Cornwall.

Jordan Cobb, from Plymouth, was last seen leaping from the Torpoint ferry into the River Tamar, Devon and Cornwall Police have said.

Brixham Coastguard received a distress call at 9.15pm on Monday reporting that a person was overboard near the ferry's slipway in Torpoint.

Authorities conducted an extensive search for the teenager, and officers are now appealing for information.

Chief Inspector Ian Drummond Smith said: "We are treating Jordan as a high-risk missing person and we are working with the coastguard to try and locate him.

"The river was extensively searched by air and sea for several hours, but there remains a possibility that he managed to swim ashore, and I would ask anyone with information to call the police on 101."

The search for the missing teenager resumed early today.

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New Year Celebrations: UK Welcomes In 2013

Large crowds lined the banks of the River Thames in London and the streets of Edinburgh as the UK welcomed the start of the New Year.

Along the Thames, up to 250,000 people watched a major fireworks display which saw the night sky illuminated with pyrotechnics to round-off a momentous year.

Revellers were able to watch clips from the 2012 Olympic Games during an 11-minute firework display set around the London Eye. Millions more watched it all on television.

In Edinburgh, tens of thousands of people descended on the streets of Scotland's capital for the world-famous Hogmanay celebrations.

Around 75,000 party-goers counted down the last 10 seconds of 2012 before joining in a mass rendition of Auld Lang Syne after the clock struck midnight.

Scottish rockers Simple Minds headlined the Hogmanay concert and street party.

The View, Bwani Junction, Reverend and the Makers and The OK Social Club also played, and fireworks were set off to mark the start of 2013.

Fireworks explode around the London Eye

Pete Irvine, artistic director of the Hogmanay celebrations, said: "I think it's going really well this year. It's really, really busy here tonight - probably busier than we've seen it in some time because the weather is so good."

Following their hard work during the London 2012 Games, more than 150 of the mayor's "Team London Ambassadors" volunteered at the Thames event to help ensure it was a success.

They gave out maps, helped direct people to the viewing areas, and provided guidance and advice on getting home safely.

As daylight broke in London, some 200 clean-up staff cleared 160 tonnes of rubbish left by revellers in Westminster.

The workers took just six hours to clear the streets ahead of today's New Year's Day parade in the city centre.

The Metropolitan Police said 96 arrests were made during Monday night's celebrations, with drunkenness, public disorder and assault the most common offences.

More than 3,500 police supported the organisers and stewards of the event, working alongside colleagues from the British Transport Police and other emergency services to keep revellers safe.

Kisses exchanged during Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh

Chief Inspector John Williams said: "This year saw the viewing areas fill up earlier than ever before with thousands of revellers coming to see in the new year London-style.

"Officers worked hard, alongside the stewards, in very large crowds to keep people safe in what is a challenging policing environment, helping to ensure revellers and visitors alike could make their way home at the end of the night."

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "What an amazing end to an incredible year.

"Watched by hundreds of thousands in the capital and millions around the globe, London has proved, yet again, that it can pull off spectacular world-class events in style."

Today's New Year's Day parade will see a procession of Olympic Games Makers, drummers, stilt walkers and Bolivian dancers greet 2013 as they snake their way through central London.

The New Year celebrations got under way in Edinburgh as early as Sunday night, when a torchlight parade was held.

A record crowd estimated at 35,000, including 7,000 torch carriers, were led by the massed pipes and drums and the Up Helly Aa' Vikings from Shetland.

The procession made its way through the city streets to the burning of the effigy of a Viking boat and a spectacular Son et Lumiere display on Calton Hill.

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Bulging Bill Of Britain's Obesity Epidemic

By Gerard Tubb, Sky News Correspondent

Britain is in the grip of an obesity epidemic costing £5bn a year - and not enough is being done to tackle it, according to the Royal College of Physicians.

A report by the RCP says severely overweight patients are suffering from what it calls "patchy" NHS services and a lack of joined-up thinking from the Government.

Thirty-one-year-old Matthew Briggs, from Strensall, near York, says the NHS was of little help when he weighed more than 31 stone.

Now more than 17 stone lighter, and Slimming World's 2012 champion, he says he was offered slimming pills and a drastic diet.

"They gave me very limited options of what I could have," he said.

"You only see your GP for 15 or 20 minutes (and) you've got an entire week or month before you see them again."

He says he eventually relied on a combination of willpower and encouragement from other overweight people to help him slim down so much he is now training for the London Marathon.

The RCP report calls for teams of specialists to be set up around the country along with a national anti-obesity group similar to Action on Smoking and Health, which is credited with helping to reduce the number of people who smoke.

The authors also want to see an obesity champion in each NHS trust, better training for health care professionals, more research into obesity and help for overweight NHS staff.

With around a quarter of UK adults classed as obese, the report says too many doctors and nurses are seriously overweight and setting a bad example to the people they are trying to treat.

Professor John Wass, academic vice-president of the RCP, said: "Britain is getting bigger and whilst we try to prevent the increase in obesity, we must also prepare the NHS for the influx of patients presenting with severe complex obesity."

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "We are committed to tackling obesity and are taking action to help people keep a healthy weight and prevent them needing hospital care for obesity-related conditions.

"The medical profession has a key role in providing advice and treatment to people who are overweight or obese, and the Royal College of Physicians can help its members do this."

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Prostate Cancer: Funding Shortfall Charity Warns

Research into the most common male cancer in the UK is chronically underfunded compared with its female equivalent, a charity has warned.

New figures show that although it is the fourth most common cancer overall, prostate cancer lies 20th in the league table of annual cancer research spending.

The figures, published by Prostate Cancer UK, show that breast cancer - the most common female cancer which has a similar death rate as prostate cancer - received more than double the annual research spend.

While breast cancer research received £853 per case diagnosed, prostate cancer research received £417.

Prostate cancer kills one man every hour.

The number of men with the disease is rising and it is predicted to become the most common cancer of all in the UK by 2030, according to Prostate Cancer UK.

The charity has launched a new campaign, the Sledgehammer Fund, which aims to generate cash to support its work to increase research spending into the disease, as well as improve the support men receive.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "As part of our commitment to improving cancer survival, including ensuring better treatments for all patients, we have invested £104m into cancer research over the past year.

"Improving outcomes for men with cancer will be essential in meeting this aim.

"That is why we are investing £35m in the biggest publicly funded clinical trial ever to take place in this country to look at the effectiveness of treatments for prostate cancer."

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Christopher Martin-Jenkins Dies Aged 67

Christopher Martin-Jenkins, the cricket journalist and former president of the Marylebone Cricket Club, has died at the age of 67.

He was diagnosed with terminal cancer a year ago, and passed away on Tuesday morning.

The Test Match Special commentator was given an MBE in 2009, and served as the MCC's president in 2010 and 2011.

The official account of Lord's tweeted: "Former MCC President Christopher Martin-Jenkins has died. Sad, sad news to start the new year."

Former England cricket captain Sir Ian Botham wrote: "Very sad to hear of the death of the 'Major' ... Christopher Martin-Jenkins. Our thoughts are with the family. A true gentleman!"

Wisden editor Lawrence Booth described him as a "warm voice from childhood and beyond".

Graeme Fowler, the former England cricketer, said: "A magnificent writer, broadcaster, and man. The world has lost a gentleman. Cricket has lost a wonderful voice."

Martin-Jenkins was born in Peterborough and had a modest cricketing career before moving into journalism.

He joined the BBC in 1970 as cricket correspondent, and went on to work for the Daily Telegraph and The Times.

His son Robin was a professional cricketer for Sussex until his retirement in 2010, making 162 first class appearances for the county.

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IDS: Tax Credit System 'Haemorrhaging Money'

More than £10bn of public money has been lost in fraud and error under the tax credit system put in place by Labour, the Work and Pensions Secretary has claimed.

Attacking the welfare model developed by the last government, Iain Duncan Smith said tax credits were "not fit for purpose" but had been extended ahead of the 2005 and 2010 general elections in a pitch for votes.

The system was "wide open to abuse" and "haemorrhaging money", he wrote in an article for The Daily Telegraph.

"In the years between 2003 and 2010, Labour spent a staggering £171bn on tax credits, contributing to a 60% rise in the welfare bill.

"Far too much of that money was wasted, with fraud and error under Labour costing over £10bn."

Mr Duncan Smith said HM Revenue and Customs conducts checks on far fewer tax credit claims than suspected benefit fraudsters.

That is despite about one in 12 tax credit claims being incorrect or fraudulent, compared with fewer than one in 25 benefit claims.

Payments are based on estimates of income for the coming year, and after 2008 HMRC did not attempt to reclaim overpayments of less than £25,000.

That is set to be reduced to £5,000 under the coalition, alongside moves to require proof of payments from those claiming for childcare or that children aged between 16 and 19 are in full-time education.

The Government hopes to save more than £300m in the next three years by reducing fraud and error, and also wants to recover more than £400m in unpaid debts.

Mr Duncan Smith is overseeing a fundamental overhaul of welfare which will see tax credits rolled into a new Universal Credit which is meant to simplify the system and better incentivise work.

"Even for those in genuine need of support, tax credits were not fit for purpose," he said.

"The system was haemorrhaging money while at the same time trapping people in a system where those trying hard to increase the amount of hours they worked weren't necessarily better off."

Mr Duncan Smith said tax credit payments had risen by 58% in 2005 and by more than 20% in the two years before the 2010 election.

"At the most basic level, Labour used spending on tax credits as an attempt to gain short-term popularity. They knew what they were doing - it was a calculated attempt to win votes," he claimed.

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Plastic Surgery Campaigns Target 17-Year-Olds

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

A study commissioned by the Government to look into the cosmetic surgery industry has found that 17-year-olds are being targeted by aggressive marketing campaigns.

The interim report has found people want to see tighter restrictions around the industry to protect patients from certain sales techniques.

The review was commissioned by the Department of Health following the PiP breast implant scandal.

Science journalist Vivien Parry, who is on the review panel, told Sky News: "I have been really shocked by what I've seen.

"Extraordinary things. For instance, 17-year-olds being plagued by texts saying, 'In less than a year's time you'll be able to have cosmetic surgery.'"

She added: "I just think that's awful. What it does to the psyche of young girls is one thing. But it sets up a cosmetic procedure, which has both short-term and long-term risks, as if it were something entirely trivial."

The report found patients and industry groups want tighter restrictions on advertising including banning two-for-one or time-limited deals, and cosmetic surgery as competition prizes.

The final report is due to be published in March

They want to introduce a two-stage written consent process so that people have time to reflect.

Another demand is for patients to receive better information before making their decision. For example, providing them with photographs showing expected bruising and scarring.

Ms Parry said: "Cosmetic procedures are being sold like double glazing. If you make a decision within a week, you'll get money off.

"You can buy one procedure, get another procedure for free, bring along a friend, or have cosmetic surgery as a raffle prize.

"It concentrates on the money side of it so people forget about the health side."

PiP victim Victoria Newton, who had to have her breast implants replaced after they both ruptured, welcomed the report.

She told Sky News that when she first considered surgery, aged just 19, she was pressured and misinformed ahead of her decision.

Victoria Newton was a victim of implants by the now-defunct PiP company

Ms Newton said: "There was nothing personal about my consultation. It wasn't like I was going in for an operation. It was like I was buying a car or booking a holiday.

"There was a time-limited offer and I was really encouraged to go for that. At the time, I thought I was getting a good deal. They offered £500 off the price of the surgery, if I signed up that day."

After sparking a global health scare, the implants made by now-defunct French company Poly Implant Prothese were pulled from the market in several countries due to fears they could rupture and leak silicone into the body.

The interim report into cosmetic surgery practices suggests anything that pressures patients like Ms Newton to make a snap decision about surgery should be banned.

It states that consultations should always be conducted by the surgeon who will carry out the procedure, rather than sales staff.

But the president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, Rajiv Grover, says the recommendations do not go far enough.

"We're very pleased the report has focused on sales tactics used in cosmetic surgery. It's something we've been campaigning for, for the last decade," he told Sky News.

"However, we'd like to go further and suggest an outright ban on advertising, just as you would have for prescription-only medicines and other types of surgery."

He added: "This is a medical procedure and should be subject to the same regulations as any other medical procedure."

The suggestions highlighted in the interim report will feed into the work led by the NHS Medical Director Sir Bruce Keogh, who is due to publish his full recommendations in March.

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Ronnie Wood's Wedding Photo With New Wife

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood has released an official wedding photo with his new wife and his two famous best men.

The 65-year-old married Sally Humphreys, 34, at the Dorchester Hotel in London earlier this month.

It is the third time the guitarist has been married but he has told Hello! magazine that Sally is the perfect partner for him.

At the ceremony on December 21, he told guests: "I wish I'd met Sal earlier. I can't think of another girl more suited to me."

He also tells the magazine it was a wonderful day, saying: "She looked beautiful walking through that doorway. I feel very blessed to have a new family.

"My dad and brothers are no longer with us so it's really nice to be welcomed by a new gang. Her relatives are lovely."

Pictures of the wedding, taken for Hello! magazine, show Wood and his new wife alongside rock star best men Rod Stewart and Sir Paul McCartney.

The photograph, which also features her seven-year-old niece Heather, comes from the official wedding album, with the couple donating their entire fee to charities.

Wood said his new wife accompanied him to Sir Paul's wedding to Nancy Shevell last year.

"Paul was saying at the time 'Wow, this is wonderful, you two make a great couple,'" he said.

The 34-year-old bride married in the same wedding dress as her mother and wore a red heart-shaped pendant designed by Wood.

Wood's children Jesse, Tyrone and Leah took pride of place in the front row.

"They are happy to see their dad happy," he said. The Stones star said he chose his two best men because "they have always been very supportive of me and Sally".

Wood also reveals how he was so relaxed before the ceremony that he played a game of snooker with friends.

He previously married Krissy Findlay in 1971, before divorcing seven years later.

Wood split from his second wife Jo in 2008, after 23 years together, when he had an affair with a 21-year-old cocktail waitress.

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Curtain To Rise On UK's First City Of Culture

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

To nationalists on one side of the River Foyle, it is Derry. To unionists on the other, it is Londonderry. Now, they are uniting around one name: the UK City of Culture.

Northern Ireland's second largest city beat off stiff competition for the inaugural title - Birmingham, Norwich and Sheffield were shortlisted.

Those behind the successful bid had a rich heritage to draw on.

Martin Bradley, City of Culture chairman, said: "When you look at the prominent people who left the city - Nobel Peace Prize winners, Eurovision Song Contest winners, a Poet Laureate, Field Day, Peter Cunnah, The Undertones - the list is absolutely endless."

Changing the image will not be easy. The place is synonymous with 'The Troubles'. In 1972, British soldiers shot 13 people dead during a civil rights protest on the streets here.

Memorial to those who died on Bloody Sunday

John Kelly, whose brother Michael died on Bloody Sunday, said: "We're in a much better place after the public inquiry. It helped heal our people and heal the city.

"The Saville Report and (Prime Minister) David Cameron's apology helped move things forward."

For others, the war will never be over. Hard-line republicans are still making their presence felt. Terrorist attacks and paramilitary-style "punishment shootings" remain part of the culture in some areas.

Eamon McCann, Derry Journal columnist, said: "The ideology being promoted by what are called 'dissident republicans' is part of what we are in Derry. Are we not to admit that there are these tensions, that there's still this incipient murder?"

For the most part however, things have changed. Protestants and Catholics, previously separated by the river flowing through the centre of the city, have been connected by a peace bridge.

The British army barracks is now a concert venue and the year-long programme is diverse - from Britain's Royal Ballet to the All-Ireland Fleadh, the world's largest festival of Irish culture.

Derry, Londonderry or #Legenderry - the promotional hashtag on Twitter - it certainly has no shortage of names. Most residents would prefer that their city had only one reputation: culture, not conflict.

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Northern Ireland Bomb: Family's Lucky Escape

A policeman in Northern Ireland targeted by a car bomb was taking his family for Sunday lunch when he found the device, it has emerged.

Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton revealed that the officer was going out with his wife and two young children when he checked his car as a matter of routine.

He found the bomb - believed to have been planted by dissident republicans - underneath his vehicle outside his home in Belfast.

The property is close to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) headquarters at Knock and the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont.

"If that officer had not checked his car, we would have been looking at a murder or multiple murders," Mr Hamilton told a news conference as he appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Army robot used to examine the device

"We believe the consequences of this would have been absolutely devastating for the officer, his family, for the police family and for the communities across Northern Ireland.

"For some reason, those people who are anti-peace, who are still hanging on to the past, who aren't prepared to move forward, have tried to murder this officer and his family.

"We consider that completely repugnant. It's inhumane. By any standards in any society, this is wrong and we utterly condemn this attack."

He warned that there was a severe threat level across Northern Ireland and appealed to officers to be vigilant and check under their cars.

It is hoped that the bomb will be useful as evidence because it was discovered and did not engage.

Justice minister David Ford said: "It is ironic that this latest attack was carried out so close to Stormont, where those who are democratically elected seek to move matters forward through debate.

The bomb was planted on Upper Newtownards Road

"The people responsible for this and other recent attacks have no mandate and speak for no one. They need to recognise the futility of their campaign and respect the wishes of the vast majority of our community who want an end to all violent acts."

Dissidents have repeatedly targeted security force members in recent years.

Over the last five years there have been 115 arrests and 35 charges and 64 officers have had to leave their homes, a police spokesman said.

In November, long-serving prison officer David Black, 52, was shot dead in a motorway ambush in Co Armagh as he drove to work.

A group styling itself the "new IRA" claimed that attack. The faction was formed in the summer when a number of splinter groups joined forces.

In April 2011 newly qualified police officer Ronan Kerr, 25, died when a dissident booby trap car bomb exploded under his vehicle at his home in Omagh.

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Paralympic Heroes Hit Out At Honours List

Leading Paralympians have criticised the New Year honours system, claiming it is easier for able-bodied athletes to get knighthoods.

Cyclist Sarah Storey was the only Paralympic athlete among the knights and dames, despite many racking up more gold medals than Bradley Wiggins or Ben Ainslie, the Olympians given top awards in this year's list.

Dressage rider Lee Pearson, who has won 13 medals including 10 golds at four Games, was one of two Paralympians to get OBEs in the list, which was published on Saturday.

He told the Independent: "Obviously, 10 gold, one silver and one bronze just isn't enough.

"I'm disappointed because I do feel I've given a lot to Paralympic sport and equestrianism. I think 10 gold medals is quite an achievement."

David Weir was given a CBE after winning four gold medals at London 2012

Wheelchair racer and six-time gold medal winner David Weir suggested Paralympians have to work harder to earn recognition than their non-disabled counterparts.

Weir, who was the only disabled athlete among five CBEs in the list, told the Telegraph: "Kelly Holmes was made a Dame when she won two gold medals, but it seems we have to get into double figures to get it.

"Sarah Storey should have been awarded this years ago, and I just feel that sometimes we are left out perhaps because we are not in the public eye.

"It is a bit strange, but I am just honoured to get anything from the Queen for doing a sport I love."

The list was drawn up by the Sports Honours Committee, which is chaired by Lord Coe and includes the former Paralympic athlete baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.

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Cameron: Britain 'On Right Track' For 2013

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

David Cameron has used his New Year's message to declare that Britain is "heading in the right direction" on all the big issues and can look forward to 2013 with "realism and optimism".

In a video address, the Prime Minister acknowledged 2012 was "tough", with many families finding it difficult to make ends meet - and admitted he had "no quick fixes" to the UK's economic problems.

But he cited evidence of "real progress" on cutting the state deficit, reforming welfare and improving school standards, which he said was preparing Britain to succeed in the "global race" with emerging economic giants like China and India for the jobs and opportunities of the future.

Mr Cameron said that his administration was "a Government in a hurry" which would not give in to pressure to slow the pace of deficit reduction or rein in reforms to welfare and education.

"This is my message to the country at the start of 2013," said the Prime Minister. "We can look to the future with realism and optimism.

"Realism, because you can't cure problems that were decades in the making overnight. There are no quick fixes and I wouldn't claim otherwise.

"But we can be optimistic too because we are making tangible progress. We are doing what's right for our country and what's best for our children's future."

Insisting that "we are on the right track", Mr Cameron said: "On all the big issues that matter to Britain, we are heading in the right direction and I have the evidence to prove it."

The deficit is forecast to be a quarter smaller at the New Year than it was when the coalition Government came to office. There are almost half a million more people in work, and more than 1,000 new academy schools have opened, said Mr Cameron.

And he hailed moves to take millions of low-paid workers out of income tax, freeze council tax bills and deliver the largest-ever increase in the state pension.

"This is, quite simply, a Government in a hurry," said Mr Cameron. "And there's a reason for that.

"Britain is in a global race to succeed today. It is a race with countries like China, India and Indonesia; a race for the jobs and opportunities of the future.

"So, when people say we can slow down on cutting our debts, we are saying no. We can't win in this world with a great millstone of debt round our necks.

"When people say we've got to stop our welfare reforms because somehow it is cruel to expect people to work, we are saying no. Getting people into good jobs is absolutely vital, not just for them, but for all of us.

"And when there is a fight on our hands to change our schools, we are ready and willing to have it, because having a world-class education is the only way our children are going to get on in this world."

He added: "This is what this Government is about: making sure Britain succeeds in this global race and, above all, helping our people succeed - the people who work hard and aspire to a better life for their families."

The message steered clear of the debates over Britain's future in the European Union - due to feature in a long-awaited speech by the Prime Minister in the coming weeks - and gay marriage, which have driven divisions through the Conservative Party over the past year.

Instead Mr Cameron looked back on 2012 as "an extraordinary year for our country", characterised by the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the successful Olympics and Paralympics.

In response, Labour vice chair Michael Dugher said: "It's a case of more of the same from David Cameron.

"In his New Year message, Cameron talks of people who work hard in this country but he's the one hitting hard-working families on lower and middle incomes whilst cutting taxes for millionaires.

"David Cameron stands for the old divide and rule Tory approach of the past - he can't be the One Nation Prime Minister Britain needs.

"Cameron promised change but nothing is changing for the better. Britain's economy is failing under his policies over the last year, with nearly one million young people out of work.

"Prices are still going up faster than wages and borrowing is going up not down, over 7% higher this year than last year.

"This Prime Minister is out of touch, he stands up for the wrong people and he's failing to deliver for working people."

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New Year's Reprieve: Rain Clears For 2013

The heavy rain which has washed out December will stop in time for New Year's Eve celebrations - bringing a brighter start to 2013.

Showers will soak much of Britain overnight and during the day tomorrow - but skies will clear over many parts in time for the evening of the 31st.

Forecasters predict that London - where thousands will turn out for fireworks - should have clear skies, though temperatures will be quite low.

The heavy rain should also subside in time for the celebrations in Edinburgh, but there will still be a risk of some light showers.

2012 is set to become the wettest year on record in the UK

Sky weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said the start of 2013 should be brighter, and less wet, than the worst of December.

The south of the country should be mostly dry during the first few days of the new year, with some outbreaks of rain further north.

Meanwhile, flood warnings remain in place across Britain with another band of miserable weather swamping the country today.

Strong winds and showers followed by more heavy downpours are bringing the last weekend of the year to a wretched end.

Days of almost relentless downpours blighted parts of the country for much of December, punctuated only by the briefest of dry spells.

Hundreds of alerts have been issued by the Environment Agency this month, as several days' worth of rain has fallen in just a few hours at its worst.

It has contributed to a year of bad weather with records, dated up to Boxing Day, showing England on the brink of its wettest year since records began in 1910.

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Attacks On Women In Wapping 'Could Be Linked'

Violent attacks on two women in east London could be linked, police have said.

The women were both stabbed in separate attacks 15 days apart as they walked through the same park in Wapping.

The first attack occurred at around 6.25pm on Tuesday, December 4, as the 38-year-old victim walked through the park, known locally as Wapping Woods, off Garnet Street.

The attacker approached her holding a knife and stabbed her before taking a digital camera from her bag and running off towards The Highway.

Then on Saturday December 29, at around 12.25pm, a 26-year-old woman was approached by a man holding a knife and forced into bushes where she was stabbed.

It is not believed that anything was taken before he ran away towards The Highway.

The victim was taken to an east London hospital in a serious condition, though her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

Following the first incident the description of the suspect was given as an Asian male in his late teens or early twenties, between 5ft 2ins and 6ft in height, chubby build with short black straight hair with a brushed forward fringe.

He was wearing a dark, unzipped hoodie with light tassels, and jeans.

The second victim described her attacker as an Asian man, aged around 30 years, 5ft 6 to 7ins in height, with gelled messy hair and light stubble, and wearing denim jeans and a dark jacket.

Given the similarities between the circumstances and victim descriptions in both attacks, they are being treated as potentially linked.

Inspector Joseph McDonald of Tower Hamlets police said: "There are clear similarities between these incidents and officers are doing everything possible to find the man or men responsible.

"The violence used in these attacks is hugely concerning and could easily have led to a fatality.

"I would urge anyone with information that could assist officers to make contact with the police as soon as possible so that we can apprehend whoever is responsible."

Anyone with information should call Tower Hamlets Police on 101 or, to remain anonymous, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Organist Death: Grieving Widow Speaks Of Evil

The widow of Alan Greaves, who died after being attacked on his way to a Christmas Eve midnight mass, said she has not stopped crying over her husband's death and the "evil that has been done".

Mr Greaves, 68, was discovered badly beaten near his church in High Green, Sheffield, on Monday.

The father-of-four died in hospital on Thursday after suffering serious head injuries in the attack.

Two Sheffield men - one in his 20s and the other in his 40s - are in custody after being arrested on Saturday on suspicion of murder.

At the service at St Saviour's Mortomley and High Green Church, Mrs Greaves, a church community worker, thanked the couple's congregation for their support.

"I've never stopped crying for Alan, and I know that you've never stopped crying with me," she said.

"I've grieved over the evil that's been done, and I know you too have grieved over the evil that has been done.

"I have prayed for you, and I know that you have prayed for me.

Mr Greaves has been described as a 'gentle soul'

"I want to thank you because I really have sensed your very deep love and affection for me.

"You were Alan's Christian family and he loved belonging to this church."

The Bishop of Sheffield, Dr Steven Croft, led the service at the church, where Mr Greaves was a lay preacher.

Dr Croft said Sheffield had lost a "shining light".

"There is a sense of shock and a sense of outrage, not just in this community but across the whole city of Sheffield," he said.

"Alan was the victim of a brutal attack as he was on his way to church on Christmas Eve, as he was walking to this church to bear witness to his deep Christian faith.

"There will be immense grief for those who knew Alan well, which includes many in this church and community."

He went on to speak of the love and support that has been offered to the family and also appreciation for the medical teams that tried to save Mr Greaves's life.

"And in the midst of all this, I am sure, many will be giving thanks for Alan himself, for all he showed us of God's grace and love," he said.

Police say the motive remains unclear

"There will be occasions in the future for many generous tributes to be given.

"Goodness is not as common as it should be and this community and this city have lost a shining light."

Detectives are still appealing for anyone with any information about the murder to come forward.

Police are treating his death as murder but say the motive for it is unclear.

Canon Bessant said Mr Greaves had been attacked 250 yards from the church and that his family had been at home.

"His wife wants justice but she doesn't want vengeance. She is not embittered but obviously she wants this person to be caught."

Mr Greaves had recently become a grandfather to twin boys adopted by his daughter in Mozambique.

He and his wife had recently set up a food bank and community project in the area where he was killed.

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