Jessie J Has Hair Shaved Off For Charity

Singer Jessie J said goodbye to her famous locks when she had her head shaved to help raise money for a good cause.

The Price Tag star underwent the daring deed on live TV during Red Nose Day.

Comedian Lenny Henry started off the process of cutting off Jessie's hair to a length of just 0.5mm, before the singer's hair stylist took control of the clippers.

After she was left bald, Jessie touched her head several times, apparently in disbelief.

Speaking to host Dermot O'Leary, the singer said: "It's the weirdest feeling."

Jessie J with her once trademark locks

She had admitted being nervous beforehand, but told viewers: "It feels so liberating. But this isn't about this (gesturing to her head), it's about donating."

She added: "I wanted to do something that wasn't just for today and wasn't just for five minutes, it's going to last a few months. It will remind me and hopefully others that everyday you should do something good if you can."

Jessie, who has visited Comic Relief-funded project Body & Soul which helps young people living with HIV, so far raised more than £500,000 by having her head shaved.

She said it was "amazing" to have raised so much cash, and added: "Everyone's crying. My mum's back there, crying with happiness."

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Primary School Teacher On Child Sex Charges

A primary school teacher has appeared in court charged with sex offences against children.

The 31-year-old defendant was said by North Yorkshire Police to have worked in three primary schools in York.

The man, who appeared before magistrates in the city, has been charged with 23 offences.

They include possessing indecent images of children, voyeurism, making indecent images, sexual touching and sexual activity with a boy under 13.

North Yorkshire Police said he was granted conditional court bail to an address outside the county.

He is due back at York Magistrates' Court for a committal hearing on May 9.

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Wales v England: Cardiff Six Nations Showdown

By Charlie Thomas, Sky Sports Presenter

So much history, and so much at stake; whatever the outcome at the Millennium Stadium this afternoon, it will be a great occasion.

How can it fail to be? The Grand Slam, the Six Nations and the Triple Crown are all up for grabs. Rugby matches don't come much bigger than this.

Wales, after a stuttering start to the tournament, have shown plenty of character to keep alive their title ambitions.

England, meanwhile, have maintained their upward trajectory since Stuart Lancaster took over, their unconvincing display against Italy notwithstanding.

Now they find themselves one match away from a first Grand Slam since their annus mirabilis of 2003.

The size of their task cannot be underestimated.

Not only will they face a resurgent Wales, full of confidence after victory away to Scotland last weekend; they must also do what no England team has managed previously: that is, to win the Grand Slam in Cardiff.

Five of their 12 Slams have been won away from home: three in Paris, one at Murrayfield and one in Dublin.

Wales after their win against Italy

The permutations are thus: an England victory will secure the Slam, regardless of the margin; an England defeat by six points or fewer would be enough for them to win the Six Nations; if they lose by seven points but outscore Wales by three tries or more, they would also win the title.

But, a Wales victory by seven points or more, providing they stay ahead of England on tournament tries (7 to 5 so far), would see Wales retain the title.

Oh, and there's one more: If Wales win by seven points but England score two more tries then the title would be shared. Clear?

I said at the beginning that it would be a great occasion. But will it be a great match? That's something nobody can predict.

If I had to hazard a guess, I would say it will be brutal, nail-biting and desperately close, with point-scoring at a premium.

That is, after all, the pattern which has been set throughout the tournament.

Penalties rather than tries have been settling matches: so far there have been 31 tries compared with 72 penalties, an unhealthy imbalance.

At Murrayfield alone last weekend an astonishing 28 penalties were awarded, a Six Nations record.

This has merely served to underline the impression that international rugby has become solely about brute force, with the finer subtleties now a thing of the past.

Barry John in 1971

This feeling was brought home to me earlier in the week while watching a poignant documentary about the great Wales fly half Barry John.

Known in his heyday simply as the King, John retired 40 years ago, at the peak of his powers.

The footage showed him ghosting between players, leaving them clutching at air. He seemed to find space where there was none.

But where are those pulse-quickening arts of the sidestep, the dummy and the feint now?

Modern players barely consider going round an opponent; the sole aim is to hammer into them as hard as possible, setting up yet another interminable phase. Progress? I think not.

So while being impressed by the extraordinary fitness and physicality on display at the Millennium Stadium this afternoon, a part of me will be mourning the absence of the kind of brilliance that once brought crowds to their feet and at which Barry John was the undisputed master.

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Victoria Cross Award For L/Cpl James Ashworth

A soldier killed protecting his comrades in Afghanistan is to be awarded the Victoria Cross - the UK's top bravery medal.

Lance Corporal James Ashworth's courage was hailed as "beyond words" by friends who served with him until his death last June.

The 23-year-old died in a grenade attack during a fierce battle with the Taliban in Helmand's Nahr-e Saraj district.

He was on foot patrol and battling his way through compounds against enemy fighters when he was fatally wounded.

The cross was first bestowed during the Crimean War

It is expected that the rare VC award to the soldier from Kettering, Northamptonshire, will be officially announced later this month.

The VC has been awarded 10 times to British soldiers since World War Two and only once for bravery in Afghanistan.

At the time of L/Cpl Ashworth's death, his family said: "We are devastated by the loss of our son, brother, uncle and boyfriend. He meant the world to everyone and has left an irreplaceable hole in our hearts."

His father Duane was also a Grenadier Guard, while his younger brother Coran is also a soldier.

He also left behind his mother Kerryann, sisters Lauren and Paige, brother Karl and four-year-old niece Darcy, as well as his girlfriend, Emily.

His company commander, Captain Mike Dobbin, praised the soldier's actions.

He said: "Lance Corporal Ashworth was killed while fighting his way through compounds, leading his fire team from the front, whilst trying to protect his men and he showed extraordinary courage to close on a determined enemy.

"His professionalism under pressure and ability to remain calm in what was a chaotic situation is testament to his character."

Lance Corporal Ashworth's body being repatriated

Guardsman Jordan Loftus also paid tribute to his friend's bravery.

He said: "Selfless, brave, courageous ... words like these don't come close to what Ash demonstrated that day. He will be missed by all as a commander, but most of all a good mate."

L/Cpl Ashworth's Commanding Officer in the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, Lieutenant Colonel James Bowder said: "Lance Corporal Ashworth was an outstanding soldier whose loss has moved us all. A real self-starter, he excelled in everything that he undertook.

"Fit, strong and brilliant at his job, he set the bar very high. Indeed, such was his calmness under pressure, his charisma, and his selflessness that he made an exemplary junior leader."

The previous recipient of the VC in Afghanistan was 29-year-old Corporal Bryan Budd of 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, who died when he single-handedly stormed a Taliban position in Sangin in 2006.

The last living recipient was L/Cpl Johnson Beharry of 1st Battalion the Prince of Wales's Royal Regiment, who twice saved the lives of colleagues under enemy fire in Iraq in 2004.

The medal is the British military's highest bravery award and was first bestowed on troops during the Crimean War in 1854-55.

Johnson Beharry is the last living recipient of a medal

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JT McNamara: Jockey 'Stable' After Surgery

Irish jockey JT McNamara, who was seriously injured on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, is in a stable condition after surgery.

The leading amateur rider was injured in a first fence fall from Galaxy Rock in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup on Thursday.

He was airlifted to hospital after being treated by medics at the Gloucestershire course.

The 37-year-old was conscious following the fall but was put into an induced coma before his transfer to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.

McNamara was airlifted to hospital after the fall

He underwent surgery on his fractured C3 and C4 neck vertebrae on Friday.

A statement on behalf of the McNamara family has been issued by Dr Adrian McGoldrick, the Irish Turf Club senior medical officer, and Lisa Hancock, CEO of the Injured Jockeys Fund.

It read: "We can report that following lengthy surgery yesterday JT McNamara is in a stable condition. He remains in an induced coma at Frenchay hospital, Bristol.

McNamara has more than 600 wins to his name

"No further updates will be released until Tuesday, March 19. [The family] would ... like to thank everyone for their kind support and best wishes for JT."

McNamara, first names John Thomas, has more than 600 wins to his name, including four victories at Cheltenham.

Galaxy Rock's owner, JP McManus - with whom McNamara has a long association - was said to be in tears when he heard about his injury.

The horse was not injured in the fall.

Speaking after his horse At Fishers Cross won the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle, McManus said: "We're all thinking of JT and what he's going through.

"We feel guilty being here ... we feel we should be doing something for him. All our prayers are with him and hopefully they will be answered."

Victorious jockey Tony McCoy said it was very hard to be happy with his win after the accident.

He added: "I'm very pleased to ride a winner for JP as he was in tears ... over what had happened to John Thomas."

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Manchester Siege: Man Armed With Crossbow

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent

Police in Greater Manchester are involved in a stand-off with a man armed with a crossbow.

The siege began at 8.30pm last night after the 31-year-old man is thought to have barricaded himself into his house and threatened police officers and social workers.

Police negotiators have arrived and streets around the address at North Lonsdale Street, in Gorse Hill close to the Manchester United stadium.

Neighbour Kathryn Sherden said the on-going operation had frightened people nearby who had been given little or no information about what was happening.

"I would have preferred the police to tell us there was an incident going on. My daughter has walked past on her way to school. If I'd known I'd have taken her myself. It terrified me."

Superintendent Simon Retford said: "We do not believe that anyone in the address is there under duress but our priority at the moment is to ensure that we reach a peaceful conclusion to this incident, and that this man gets the appropriate support he needs from our partner agencies.

"I would reassure the local community not to be overly alarmed by what is happening as highly trained officers are currently dealing with this incident.

"We have put a cordon in place around the house as part of the co-ordinated police response that is normally implemented when an incident of this nature occurs.

"As part of this, a small number of officers who are there are armed, but the main focus of our efforts is through the negotiating team.

"We are working closely with the local authority to minimise any disruption to the community and thank them for their support.

"Officers have been on the ground to offer reassurance to local people."

More follows ...

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School Places: Call For 250,000 Extra Spaces

By Gamal Fahnbulleh, Sky News reporter

More than 250,000 extra school places will be needed by next year to meet a continuing surge in demand, the spending watchdog has warned.

The rise in the number of children born in England between 2001 and 2011 was the largest 10-year increase since the 1950s.

This has led to an increase in demand for primary school places.

The Department for Education has increased the funding it provides to local authorities with a net increase of almost 81,500 primary school places in the last two years. More than £5bn has been invested into new school places since 2010.

It is expected more school places will be needed beyond next year

However, there are still indications of a real shortage, the National Audit Office has found.

In May last year just over 20% of schools were full or over capacity despite the more than 80,000 extra places created between 2010 and 2012.

In the next two years 240,000 of the new places needed are in primary schools - 37% in London.

Julian Wood, Study Director at the National Audit Office said: "I think it's important to say that of the 256,000 (places) there has been a year's further work that hasn't been reflected in these numbers.

"The level of funding has increased to something like that which was originally expected to be needed and local authorities are working hard to deliver these places.

"Nonetheless, we think there's an awful lot more that needs to be done to help that money work as efficiently as it can if those 256,000 places are to be delivered."

The report authors say it's important the right amount of money gets to the areas that need it most to prevent part of a younger generation missing out on the first few crucial years of education.

Lindsey Barrett, manager of the Busy Bees nursery in Ealing, London, told Sky News: "Parents are worried that perhaps they are not going to get a school in their local area, or their first choice.

"Being a parent myself I am completely in empathy with those parents because it is a very big decision that is being made - it's their child's future education."

She added: "As a parent you always want the best education you can get for your child."

Schools Minister David Laws insisted the coalition was tackling the problem and had increased funding for new places to double that spent by the previous government.

He told Sky News: "Unfortunately the last Labour government cut the number of primary school places by 200,000 in the run up to 2010 - a really, truly negligent policy."

Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg accused the Government of making the school places crisis "worse".

"David Cameron and George Osborne have cut capital funding by 58% and Michael Gove has wasted £1bn on mismanaging the academies programme.

"Their free school programme is setting up schools in areas which already have enough places. Instead of dogma the Government needs to look at the evidence of where new schools are most needed."

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HS2 High-Speed Rail Scheme's 'Unlawful' Ruling

The Government insists its HS2 high-speed rail project has not hit the buffers after a High Court judge ruled the consultation process for compensating those affected was "unlawful".

It was the only successful case among five in which Mr Justice Ouseley had been asked to send the multi-billion pound project back for reconsideration.

Despite the decision at London's High Court, Transport Minister Simon Burns insisted the scheme would not be held up.

"This has been a convincing victory for the Government," he said.

"It's a green light to go ahead. It will not hold up us going ahead with the project, which is in the national interest."

"This is a major landmark victory for HS2 and the future of Britain.

"HS2 is the most significant infrastructure investment the UK has seen in modern times and a project the country cannot afford to do without.

"The judgment ensures that nothing now stands in the way of taking our plans to Parliament.

The scheme has provoked angry opposition

"We will now move forward as planned with the crucial business of getting the scheme ready for construction in 2017 and delivering enormous benefits for the country."

The decision on compensation was a victory for the High Speed 2 Action Alliance (HS2AA), consisting of more than 70 affiliated action groups and residents' associations.

Human rights lawyer Richard Stein, who helped represent HS2AA, said: "This was never a Nimby argument. Many thousands of people living along the route will not be able to sell their homes for some 15 years because their homes are blighted.

"They should not have to bear the burden for this national project.

"We hope now that proper arrangements are put in place by the Government for compensation for those who live by the proposed HS2 route to make it possible for them to move if and when they wish, in the same way that the rest of us can."

The first phase of HS2 would see a high-speed railway line running through Tory heartlands from London to Birmingham.

Shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle said: "We've now had nearly three years of dither and delay over HS2 which must now come to an end.

"It is vital that the Government now gets on with introducing the necessary legislation to make this scheme a reality on the ground. When they do so, they will have cross-party support from Labour."

Supporters point to the benefits of a reduction in journey times between the UK's two biggest cities.

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Man Accused Of Bus Murder Appears In Court

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of Christina Edkins, the teenager killed on a bus in Birmingham last week.

Phillip Simelane, 22, appeared at Birmingham Crown Court this morning when he spoke only to confirm his name during the ten minute hearing.

He is accused of fatally stabbing the 16-year-old on the number 9 bus on Birmingham's Hagley Road just after 7.30am on Thursday, March 7.

He was remanded into the custody of a secure mental health unit and will next appear at the same court for a plea hearing on May 31.

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Lost Roman Artefact Found in Cupboard

A Roman stone relief of a Cotswold deity which had been missing for more than 100 years has turned up in a castle cupboard.

The artefact, dated 150-350AD, was first found in 1875 during an archaeological dig on the site of what was once a Roman villa in Stancombe Wood, on the estate of Sudeley Castle.

Emma Dent, who was the castle's owner at the time, logged the discovery in her diary together with drawings of the relic.

Historians came across the diary in the 1960s but found no trace of where the Roman altar God had gone, or whether it still existed.

It turned up in a basement cupboard during a routine clear out earlier this month of the archives at the Gloucestershire castle, famous for being the place where Katherine Parr, Henry VIII's last wife, is buried.

Historians have identified the engraved figure, who wears a conical cap, tunic and cloak and holds a bow and arrow, as Cotswold deity Apollo the Hound Prince (Apollo Cunomaglos) - not Mars, as they had initially thought from the drawings.

Experts believe there are only seven other known depictions, four from the Cotswolds and three from London.

They say the discovery is a significant find for Roman religious history and reveals more about the worship of local gods.

The Rev Dr Martin Henig, an archaeologist and historian who recorded the relief as 'lost' in his book on Roman sculpture, said:

"The authentication of the subject as Apollo Cunomaglos with his bow and arrows is of major significance in furthering our understanding of Roman religion in western Britain.

"Whilst archaeologists had until recently thought that the 19th century drawings of the relief depicted the god Mars, the rediscovery of the stone at Sudeley has revealed his true identity."

Lady Ashcombe, resident and owner of Sudeley Castle, said: "Until now we had thought Henry VIII's last surviving wife was our most famous resident.

"It was a surprise to us all to discover the 'lost' Cotswold deity relief had been quietly sitting in a cupboard in Sudeley's archives all this time, patiently waiting to be found."

The artefact will be on display for the first time in a Roman-themed exhibition at the castle from Sunday, March 17.

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Potholes: 'Crumbling Road Crisis' Warning

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

England and Wales are facing a "crumbling road crisis" according to a report that says the cost of repairing all the countries' potholes would be £10.5bn.

The road survey carried out by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) has found one in five local roads is in "poor condition", which is defined as having five years or less life remaining.

Lack of funding for road repair work is blamed by the group, with local authorities in England reporting a shortfall in their annual budgets of £829m.

Rosemarie Dutton broke her leg after tripping up on a pothole while crossing the road in Middlewich, Cheshire, last month.

She told Sky News: "I was checking on the lights that they weren't going to change on me and before I knew it I was down on the floor due to one of the large potholes on the pedestrian crossing.

"Obviously I was in excruciating pain and no-one came to help me - I was amazed."

Mark Morris' son wrote off his car after he hit a pothole and lost control of the vehicle.

He told Sky News: "He hit a pothole which appears to have disconnected the steering of the car.

"As he came down the hill and turned into the bend his steering just hasn't been engaged with the wheel - and the wheel's turned left straight into a lamp post."

Four million potholes have been fixed over the last two years, the LGA says

The Local Government Association (LGA) is calling on Whitehall to free up money and invest it in resurfacing roads.

Councillor Peter Box, the chairman of the LGA, said: "Keeping roads safe is one of the most important jobs councils do and over the past two years they have fixed almost four million potholes - one every 16 seconds.

"Almost half a billion pounds is being taken away from us and our general fund is being reduced by some 30%.

"Now something has to give. It's no good anyone saying 'well, actually, you should be doing this despite the fact that your budget's being cut'."

But the AIA report says there is a mounting cost to councils of not repairing roads. Last year £32m was paid out in road user compensation claims.

It is estimated that poorly maintained roads are costing small and medium-sized businesses £5bn a year in reduced productivity, increased fuel consumption, damage to vehicles and delayed deliveries.

Andy Jennings runs a taxi firm in Sandbach and has recently had to spend £400 repairing the suspension on two of his vehicles

He told Sky News: "Obviously we can't afford to do this at the moment. In times of recession every penny counts."

Local Transport Minister Norman Baker said: "We are providing councils with more than £3bn between 2011 and 2015 to maintain their roads and pavements.

"In December 2012 we announced an extra £215m to help councils get the best out of their road network.  This is on top of the additional £200m we gave to councils in March 2011 to repair local roads damaged by the severe winter weather in 2010.

"It is ultimately up to local highway authorities to determine how they prioritise their funding, but we want to help them get the best value for money.

"That is why we are funding the Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme, which helps councils work together to deliver a first-class service to their residents, at the same time as saving money."

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Labour Peer Lord Ahmed Suspended By Party

Labour peer Lord Ahmed has been suspended by the party as it launched an investigation into claims he blamed a Jewish conspiracy for his jail term.

The Muslim peer was jailed for 12 weeks for dangerous driving in 2009 after sending and receiving text messages minutes before he was involved in a fatal crash.

He has now allegedly blamed the sentence on pressure placed on the courts by Jews "who own newspapers and TV channels".

The peer is said to have told an Urdu-language broadcast in Pakistan that the judge who jailed him was appointed to the High Court after helping a "Jewish colleague" of Tony Blair during an important case.

During the interview, Lord Ahmed apparently argued that he should have been sentenced by a magistrate.

"My case became more critical because I went to Gaza to support Palestinians. My Jewish friends who own newspapers and TV channels opposed this," he is alleged to have said.

The peer allegedly suggested High Court judge Mr Justice Wilkie was sent to pass his sentence because other judges refused.

Labour suspended him after the remarks were published in The Times and has launched an investigation.

A party spokesman said: "The Labour Party deplores and does not tolerate any form of anti-Semitism."

Born in Kashmir but raised in Rotherham, Lord Ahmed joined the Labour Party at 18 and was made a life peer in 1998.

However, his political career has been dogged by a series of controversies.

In 2007 he hit the headlines when he criticised the awarding of a knighthood to Salman Rushdie.

And in 2008, he had to publicly deny rumours he planned to defect to the Conservative Party, alleging the speculation was being spread by a Labour minister who was a "sad loser".

He was also suspended by the party for three months last year for allegedly offering a £10m bounty for the capture of US president Barack Obama - which he denied.

After he was jailed in 2009, the peer served only 16 days of his prison sentence before he was freed by the Court of Appeal.

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Hopes Rise Fuel Duty Hike Will Be Scrapped

Hopes are rising that Chancellor George Osborne will scrap a planned hike in fuel duty in next week's Budget to help ease the cost of living.

The move would mean that the coalition has axed or frozen every scheduled rise since 2010 and the prospect has already been welcomed by motoring groups.

The duty was due to rise in the autumn but Mr Osborne will cancel it to appease Tory MPs, according to the Spectator magazine.

He is also tipped to unveil the coalition's long-awaited plans to ease the cost of childcare, with proposals that will apparently go further than expected.

Both moves appear designed to offset criticism from some backbenchers who are concerned the Government is not doing enough to help households struggling to make ends meet.

After a drop in pump prices in recent months, average petrol prices have bounced back to the 140p mark again - crippling many families who rely on their cars for work.

George Osborne's Budget is next week

There has been some respite for drivers this week due to supermarket cuts but many households have to spend a large proportion of their income on petrol.

AA president Edmund King said scrapping the rise would be "very good news for motorists, for businesses and for the economy generally".

The AA had already written to Mr Osborne warning about the high cost of fuel and arguing that scrapping the rise would increase business confidence.

"High fuel costs hit not only drivers but the entire economy. Any scrapping of planned fuel duty increases gives a degree of certainty to the country," Mr King said.

Since the beginning of this year, petrol has risen around 8p a litre to an average of 140p and diesel has gone up 6.5p to an average of 146.38p.

David Cameron was asked about fuel duty during a visit to a Mercedes-Benz plant earlier this week and admitted it was a struggle to run even an "inexpensive family car".

"We've got to do everything we can to help people to get on, help people get to work, help people live their lives," he said.

The Budget on March 20 is probably Mr Osborne's most crucial so far as the Tories suffer in the polls and the economy continues to flounder.

He was widely criticised for his financial statement last year, which was dubbed the "omnishambles" budget because of a series of U-turns.

The Chancellor is likely to be forced to admit that his own economic targets will be broken because of the lack of growth but is not expected to signal a change of course.

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Sunday Mirror Hacking Inquiry: Four Held

Four senior journalists have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in a phone voicemail hacking conspiracy involving the Sunday Mirror newspaper.

Sky sources named those arrested as: Tina Weaver, the former editor of the Sunday Mirror; James Scott,  former deputy editor of the Sunday Mirror and current editor of The Sunday People; Nick Buckley, the former head of news at the Sunday Mirror and now deputy editor of the Sunday People and; Mark Thomas, former deputy editor of the Sunday Mirror and former editor of the Sunday People.

The allegations relate to offences which are said to have occurred in 2003 and 2004.

Police revealed they had made the arrests on Thursday morning in a series of dawn raids.

The four suspects are being interviewed at various police stations in London and police said searches were continuing at a number of addresses.

"Detectives on Operation Weeting have identified and are investigating a suspected conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails at Mirror Group Newspapers," a Met Police statement said.

"This conspiracy is being treated as a separate conspiracy to the two being investigated at the now defunct News of the World newspaper.

"It is believed it mainly concerned the Sunday Mirror newspaper and at this stage the primary focus is on the years 2003 and 2004.

"As part of the inquiry four people were arrested at separate addresses at approximately 0600 hrs this morning (14 March) on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept telephone communications contrary to the Criminal Law Act 1997."

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Philpott Fire Trial: Wife Treated Like 'Slave'

By Darren Little, Midlands Correspondent

A man who is alleged to have killed his six children in a house fire has been accused in court of treating his wife like a slave.

Michael Philpott, 56, was accused at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday of controlling his wife Mairead, 31, and treating her like a "skivvy".

The pair, and a third defendant Paul Mosley, are on trial for the manslaughter of their six children in a house fire at their home in Allenton on May 11 last year. All three deny the charges.

On the second day of giving evidence in his own defence, Philpott admitted he had "been terrible to Mairead, I don't deny that".

Shaun Smith, representing Mairead, asked Philpott: "You regarded her as your property, didn't you? Your slave. That's what she was, wasn't she?

"She did everything in that house, didn't she, even when you were having a relationship with another woman? You think you own her, don't you?"

Tributes outside the family home in Allenton after the fire in May 2012

Philpott shook his head and said "no".

The court heard there was "a pattern" to the women Philpott was attracted to.

He began a relationship with Mairead when she was 19 and he was 43, and with Lisa Willis when she was 18 and he was also 43.

Miss Willis, 29, lived with the Philpotts and her five children - four of them fathered by Michael Philpott - until she left with the youngsters in February last year.

He admitted that Mairead had been present when he and Lisa first kissed but rejected claims she was "hurt" when he brought another woman into their relationship.

He said: "Can you help who you fall in love with?

"I didn't actually want two women in my life. It just happened and I regret it.

"It might sound strange to you but I asked Mairead's permission. And I got it. We was one happy family."

Philpott also told the court petrol residue found inside the house came from filling a garden strimmer.

Jade, 10, and brothers John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six and Jayden, five, all died in the fire on Victory Road, Allenton, last year.

Their brother Duwayne, 13, was taken to Derby Royal Hospital but died three days later.

The trial continues.

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Shark-Wrestler Sacked As He Was On Sick Leave

A man who was hailed a hero after grappling with a shark in Australia has been sacked after it emerged he was on long-term sick leave with stress.

Paul Marshallsea, 62, waded in to the surf and grabbed the 6ft shark by the tail amid fears it would attack paddling children.

The charity worker, from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, claims he risked his life at the beach outside Brisbane in January.

A local news crew caught his exploits on camera and his story made headlines around the world and earned him praise from lifeguards.

But now Mr Marshallsea has lost his job with children's charity the Pant and Dowlais Boys & Girls Club, because he had been signed off with work-related stress since last April.

The grandfather-of-one and his wife Wendy, 56, who also worked for the charity and was off ill at the time, flew back to Britain to letters informing them they had been sacked.

He has now hit back saying he was "disgusted" by the way he has been treated. He said: "What am I going to do now? There's not much call for shark wrestlers in Merthyr Tydfil."

Mr Marshallsea claims that he should have received a pat on the back for his efforts and that he only took the holiday with his wife on the advice of his GP.

"If I hadn't gone in to save the kids on that beach that day my wife and I would still have a job," he told WalesOnline.

Mr Marshallsea worked as project co-ordinator at Dowlais Engine House, where the charity has a base, and his wife was a senior youth worker.

He had been featured on Sky News for his work with the charity and once met Prince Charles, who visited to find out about the project's work in the town.

The letter he received read: "Whilst unfit to work you were well enough to travel to Australia and, according to recent news footage of yourself in Queensland, you allegedly grabbed a shark by the tail and narrowly missed being bitten by quickly jumping out of the way, the photographs and footage appearing in newspapers and television broadcasts."

A follow-up letter added: "The breakdown of the trustees' confidence and trust in you and your ability to perform the role is so great that we find that dismissal is the only course of action we can recommend."

Mr Marshallsea said running the club became increasingly stressful as it gained in success and the couple were working up to seven days a week.

"We created a whip to hit our own backs. It grew so big and we didn't realise. There was no stopping it."

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Bionic Eye 'Enables Blind People To See'

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

A bionic eye has enabled blind people to read letters and simple words.

The implant converts images from an external camera into electronic signals that the brain can "see".

Tests on 21 patients with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative disease that destroys light-receiving cells at the back of the eye, showed that three quarters were able to correctly identify single letters.

More than half were able to read four-letter words, according to results published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Before being fitted with the device Richard Barrett only had vague light perception in one eye.

Now he can locate objects and find his way around.

He said: "When I am indoors I can see where windows are. To go to a door you can scan and pick up where the door frame is.

"If you have a path and grass down one side, you can pick up the edge of the path. That's where the device comes into its own."

Lyndon da Cruz, consultant retinal surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, said the Argus II device could "restore some meaningful vision in patients that otherwise would have been left blind".

He told Sky News: "At the best end of it they can start to read small 5cm letters formed into words. This was a huge change in perception of what we thought this device could do."

The Argus II is currently the only approved retinal prosthesis. A camera mounted on a pair of glasses feeds pictures along a cable to an electronic chip resting against the retina inside the eye.

The chip stimulates the optic nerve, which carries signals to the visual processing centre of the brain, giving the wearer a highly pixellated black and white view of the world.

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Danny Nightingale: 'Hopeful' About Gun Ruling

By David Bowden, Senior Correspondent

An SAS sniper jailed for illegally possessing a weapon and ammunition says he is "hopeful" of persuading the Court of Appeal to overturn his convictions.

Sergeant Danny Nightingale, who has spent 11 years in Special Forces and served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, was sentenced to 18 months in military custody after pleading guilty to illegally keeping a pistol.

He had been given the weapon as a present by Iraqi forces he had been training, but had no recollection of owning it after suffering a brain injury.

His sentence was cut to 12 months and suspended by the appeal court last November after a campaign by his wife Sally gathered huge public support for a man described by the appeal court judge as an "exemplary soldier".

Sgt Nightingale pleaded guilty to the original offence in a military hearing because he says the judge there told him he would get a lesser punishment.

He and his legal team wrongly believed this meant he would receive a non-custodial sentence.

Sergeant Nightingale and his wife, Sally, upon his release

As he arrived for today's hearing in London Sgt Nightingale said: "I'm hopeful. Always hopeful."

Since his release the highly trained elite soldier has been at home in Cheshire, unable to rejoin his regiment whilst awaiting the outcome of his appeal.

"It's very frustrating wanting to do something (but having) no routine," he said.

"And yes, being paid to do not what I'm supposed to do.

"You're trained up to do stuff, and you want to do stuff. You can't stand the futility of not doing it. To be told 'that's it, go and do nothing, you can't do anything'. That's hard."

The situation has meant he has spent a lot of time with his two young daughters, Mara, five, and Alys, two.

"I've probably had more time with my family in the last 18 months than regiment (SAS) guys will have in seven years," he said.

Nightingale was given the weapon by Iraqi troops he had been training

Nightingale is desperate to get back to work and said: "I still love it. It was the proudest day of my life when I passed (the notoriously tough SAS selection course)."

Mrs Nightingale is more circumspect about the possibility of her husband rejoining the SAS as a frontline soldier after his brain injury, which she believes still affects him.

For the time being though, her main concern is winning the court appeal.

"I feel quite nervous, our life is in their hands," she said - while adding that the lawyers are "quite confident" about their chances of success.

Mrs Nightingale feels her husband has been made a scapegoat by the Army and wants to know why, but acknowledges she will probably never get the answers to the questions she wants.

If he does win his appeal and returns to work then it will be more upheaval for his young girls according to Sally

"At some point in the near future he will be going back to work," she said.

"So they've got to get used to that again because they have had dad to take them to school, to pick them up from school, do clubs with them, take them swimming," she said.

"You know, he does all those extra bits while I'm working and doing other things. So they've had a really good time with dad."

All that will stop if the appeal is successful.

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No Smoking Day: Charity Launches 'Hijacking' App

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has pledged to hijack cigarette packs from today - No Smoking Day - by virtually transforming them in smokers' hands into items they could afford if they quit.

The charity is encouraging smokers to "swap fags for swag" by thinking about how much money they could save if they quit.

Someone who smokes 20 cigarettes a day could save £7 a day, £49 a week, £210 a month and £2,555 a year if they kicked the habit, the BHF said.

The charity has developed a new smartphone app, Blippar, which virtually transforms a cigarette pack into a puff of smoke, before revealing items they could afford with a week, month, or year's worth of smoking savings.

This year's BHF No Smoking Day campaign

Betty McBride, director of policy and communications at the BHF, said: "The tobacco giants are notoriously protective about their slick cigarette packaging - here's a bit of slick that does some good for once.

"We need to up our game if we are going to help people beat their addiction to tobacco by finding new ways to reach out to them."

The new app comes on BHF's 30th annual No Smoking Day. A survey conducted for the 2013 campaign found that 11% of smokers are desperate to kick the habit.

And 82% of 2,000 UK smokers surveyed had tried and failed to quit.

Around one in five people smoke, according to the charity, and the latest data from the World Health Organisation shows that smoking prevalence in Europe is higher than the rest of the world.

A separate poll, conducted on 2,000 ex and current smokers by Pru Health, found that the average smoker spends 11% of income on tobacco.

:: Smokers who want help in quitting are encouraged to visit wequit.co.uk or call 0800 434 6677

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Minimum Alcohol Pricing: Anger Over U-Turn

The Government is planning to ditch proposals for a minimum price on alcohol in another U-turn by David Cameron, according to Sky sources.

The Prime Minister has personally backed the move for a base price in England and Wales, which experts argue would save lives and cut crime.

But it has been blocked by senior Tories, with opponents said to include Home Secretary Theresa May who has been at the centre of recent leadership rumours.

Education Secretary Michael Gove and Commons leader Andrew Lansley have also signalled their doubts about the proposal.

There were believed to be concerned about hitting responsible drinkers already struggling as the cost-of-living rises, as well as potentially breaking EU laws.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said consultation on the policy had closed last month and the Government was considering responses before setting out its approach.

Senior Tory backbencher David Davis said he would welcome the abandonment of what he called a "blunderbuss of a policy" doomed to failure.

"It will hit poor people, it will hit people in the north, it will hit the pensioner having their one bottle of wine a week, it'll hit the hard-up couple doing the same," he said.

Theresa May (right) was among senior Tories to disagree with David Cameron

"It will transfer £1bn from the public to the people who sell alcohol and it's not going to work."

But other Tories who support the change expressed their dismay at the U-turn, which follows a 10-week consultation.

Totnes MP Sarah Wollaston - a former GP - told Sky News: "We know that when alcohol is too cheap, people die. That is the bottom line. This is about saving lives."

She suggested the plans could go through, with a sunset clause so that the impact could be judged after three years.

Her Tory colleague Tracey Crouch added that the base price would not hit responsible drinkers, who would still be able to buy a bottle of wine for £5.

She said: "We know that the Prime Minister is personally quite committed to this policy so I think we need to continue to press our case."

Campaigners also warned that a change of heart would be a mistake and urged the Government not to give into pressure from the drinks industry.

Eric Appleby, from Alcohol Concern, said: "All the evidence shows it will save lives and reduce crime - and we mustn't allow the interests of big business to derail this important policy."

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore from Alcohol Health Alliance UK added: "We are seeing admissions to hospital rising, we are seeing deaths rising every year. If the Government caves in to pressure from the global drinks industry it will be a disaster.

"At the moment, the UK is being praised around the world for taking tough action and to see a U-turn would be very sad indeed for everyone."

But Miles Beale, the chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, said consumers would welcome the move.

"Minimum unit pricing would penalise responsible drinkers and treat everyone who is looking for value in their shopping as a binge-drinker," he said. "Evidence has also shown it will do little to tackle problem drinking."

At PMQs, Labour leader Ed Miliband sought to exploit the uncertainty about the policy with a jibe at Mr Cameron.

He asked: "In the light of his U-turn on alcohol pricing, can the Prime Minister tell us is there anything he could organise in a brewery?" before suggesting he had been "overruled" by Mrs May.

Labour had earlier accused Mr Cameron of "weak leadership and weak government".

Shadow home office minister Diana Johnson said: "The Home Secretary and the Prime Minister said this measure would cut crime and prevent alcohol abuse. What's changed?"

Introducing a 45p base price per unit would mean a can of strong lager could not be sold for under £1.56 and a bottle of wine for under £4.22.

Last year, ministers claimed the change would cut the number of crimes by 5,000, slash hospital admissions by 24,000 and lead to 700 fewer alcohol-linked deaths annually.

Scotland is already set to introduce a 50p minimum price but is facing legal challenges due to claims the price floor could breach EU free trade rules.

Northern Ireland is still examining the issue.

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UK Economy: Triple-Dip Fears Reignited

By Ed Conway, Economics Editor

The pound has fallen by more than half a cent against the dollar as a sharp fall in manufacturing output raised the likelihood that the UK could slip back into recession.

Sterling dropped from just under $1.492 to $1.484 in intraday trading after the Office for National Statistics reported a 1.5% fall in manufacturing output in January.

The figures, which analysts had expected to be flat, feed directly into the first estimate of UK gross domestic product, which will determine whether Britain is back in recession.

They add to growing fears that the UK economy has slumped decisively over the past six months, and will raise the prospect that the Bank of England acts to pump more stimulus into the economy at its next Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

The Bank Governor, Sir Mervyn King, voted for more quantitative easing at last month's meeting.

Overall industrial production, which also includes mining and quarrying, dropped 1.2% in January – far worse than the 0.1% increase economists had expected.

Some analysts said that the figures had been affected by poor weather in the month, but even bearing that in mind, they were worse than anticipated.

James Knightley of ING said: "It looks as though this sector is going to be a major drag on growth in the first quarter of 2013.

"We have already had poor construction numbers for the start of the quarter so the prospect of yet another return to technical recession is very real.

"This will intensify the pressure on the BoE to do more to help support the economy given government officials suggests they have no intention of letting up on austerity.

"As a result more QE remains probable with sterling very much biased to the downside."

The pound has fallen by around 10% against the dollar since the start of the year, and some economists expect it to fall further in the coming months. It has rarely dropped beneath $1.50 in the long run.

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Brian Lynch: Runaway Killer Held In Manchester

Police have arrested a convicted murderer who fled prison while on day release.

Brian Lynch, 44, was held just before 5am at an address in Gorton, Manchester.

A woman, 40, who was also at the address was arrested on suspicion of harbouring an escaped prisoner.

Lynch fled from Preston city centre last Thursday afternoon while on a day trip from nearby HMP Kirkham.

He was jailed in 1988 for the killing of 21-year-old Chi Yeung Yip in Clayton, Manchester.

A spokeswoman for Lancashire Police said: "Absconded prisoner Brian Lynch was arrested in the early hours of this morning at an address in the Gorton area of Manchester.

"A 40-year-old woman has been arrested for harbouring an escaped prisoner and both are currently in police custody in Manchester.

"Lynch will be charged with absconding and will be sent back to prison."

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Snow And Ice Cause Chaos On Rail And Roads

Police are still assisting hundreds of motorists stuck in their cars across the country after heavy snowfall - with more on its way.

Ice warnings are in place for much of the country, and drivers in snow-hit areas have been urged to postpone journeys if possible.

The Met Office has issued yellow "be aware" warnings for parts of the South East. South West, northern Scotland and Ireland, as well as western parts of Wales.

Temperatures are expected to stay below freezing in many areas for the next few days, with the minimum as low as -7C.

Up to 10cm (4in) of snow is forecast to settle in the worst-affected areas, including Kent, Sussex and southern Hampshire, and over higher ground in areas like the Pennines, while large areas could see around up to 4cm (1.6in) accumulate.

The M20 southbound remains gridlocked due to the severe weather

Some of the roads where driving conditions are at their worst include the M20 in Kent and the A2.

The Highways Agency has warned motorists heading north from the Dover Ports to take the M20 London bound and avoid the A2, while those driving in and around West Sussex have been advised to avoid the A23 and M23.

Rail services also face disruption. Southern has warned of short-notice cancellations and delays of up to an hour on all services.

There have been delays to Southeastern services between Paddock Wood and Strood in Kent because of a signalling problem, while some Gatwick Express services have been cancelled.

On First Capital Connect, journeys between Bedford and Brighton are also subject to short-notice cancellations, with delays of up to 45 minutes.

Popstars Toyah Willcox and Cheryl Baker were among those trapped

Intense showers and possible snowfall are due across Suffolk, Essex and the London area, with gusty winds of up to 55mph.

Eastern and central parts of Scotland have also been hit by poor weather conditions, and a dusting of snow is expected in all other areas of the country.

Ice and snow has made roads across much of the South East impassable, with Dover and Folkestone among the worst affected.

The Channel Tunnel has reopened after technical issues, with delays back to Junction 10 (Ashford) on the M20.

Eurostar has suspended its services for the day because of bad weather in France and Belgium.

A message on its website said: "Our advice to passengers is not to travel today and not to come to our stations. Exchanges and refunds will be available to affected passengers."

Poor road conditions have hampered much of the UK

At the Port of Dover in Kent, cross-Channel ferry operations are operating "as far as possible", but passengers have been advised to allow extra time for their journeys amid possible road blockages on the A2 and A20.

Jersey Airport is closed all day due to snow, while travellers heading for Gatwick have been warned to allow extra time to reach the West Sussex airport due to snow on the roads in the area.

Speed restrictions are in place on the M48 Severn Bridge in Monmouthshire due to strong winds.

Police in Sussex have attended more than 300 crashes in the past 24 hours across the county, where some motorists were trapped in their cars in the snow for up to 10 hours in blizzard-like conditions.

The British Red Cross sent emergency teams out to help those stranded in the freezing conditions overnight on the A23 with tailbacks stretching 30 miles.

A spokesman for the police force said it was stretched to "capacity" recovering abandoned vehicles and helping those stranded.

Residents in Crawley wake up to the snow

Chief Inspector Phil Nicholas, from the force's roads policing unit, said: "Today is going to be about helping recover vehicles as many people fell asleep in their cars or abandoned them, so even when the roads did become clearer they were still blocked.

"Although the conditions have improved slightly, we are asking people to not make any journeys unless they are essential."

Cheryl Baker, the 1980s pop star with the Eurovision-winning group Bucks Fizz, was among those stuck on the A23 as she tried to make her way to Brighton to her children.

At 10.30am she tweeted: "WE'RE HOME!! Only taken 15 1/2 hours!!"

South East Coast Ambulance Service has asked the public to only dial 999 in a genuine emergency with its staff having to be picked up in 4x4s where possible because they are struggling to get into work.

The continuing disruption follows a night of chaos on the roads during which snow ploughs and gritters struggled to get through to clear the roads after a number of vehicles jackknifed causing gridlock.

Temperatures plummeted to as low as -3C (27F), forcing many people to abandon their vehicles for service stations.

Abandoned cars had to be moved to allow the gritters, snow ploughs and emergency teams to pass.

Snow ploughs and gritters were stuck in the traffic. (Pic: Jonathan Lava)

The worst affected areas were the A23 between Crawley and Brighton and the M23 around Handcross Hill.

Toyah Willcox, another 1980s pop star, who was among those stranded on the A23 around 15 miles from Brighton, tweeted: "Still on A23, not moved yet northbound is moving freely. 6 hours! Come on snow isn't that bad."

A number of motorists questioned why gritters had failed to keep the roads clear despite clear forecasts of heavy snow.

The Highways Agency said extra gritters had been out on the roads since 6am on Monday preparing for the freezing weather.

A spokesman said: "We've been working hard with our contractors and partners, including local authorities and the police, to keep the roads across the south east open.

"Our roads have been treated throughout the day; however some lorries have jackknifed causing closures at several locations and as a result our salt spreaders and recovery vehicles have become stuck in the traffic."

Forecasters believe Monday was the coldest March day in 27 years, since March 1, 1986. Saughall, in south Lanarkshire, reached -12C (10F).

Ladbrokes said they have been forced to slash the odds of snow reappearing across Easter weekend, March 29 to April 1.

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Facebook 'Likes' Reveal More Than Users Think

Facebook users' online behaviour reveals intimate details about personality which could let strangers predict their sexuality, political views and religion, researchers have claimed.

Experts say that by studying "Likes" - the system used to show approval on the social networking site - it is possible to predict accurately what a person is like in real life.

Whether it is drug users being more inclined to show approval for Big Momma's movies or people with a high IQ showing a taste for curly chips, the patterns are not always immediately obvious to the untrained eye.

But Cambridge University researchers believe they can work out what lies behind the hidden clues.

     "We believe that our results, while based on Facebook Likes, apply to a wider range of online behaviours," said Michal Kosinski, operation director at the University of Cambridge's Psychometrics Centre.

"Similar predictions could be made from all manner of digital data, with this kind of secondary 'inference' made with remarkable accuracy - statistically predicting sensitive information people might not want revealed.

"Given the variety of digital traces people leave behind, it's becoming increasingly difficult for individuals to control."

The 'likes' may be clues as to the user's personalities

The study, based on the Facebook profiles of 58,000 people in the US, found that online behaviour can be used to make surprising accurate predictions about users' race, age, IQ, sexuality, personality, substance use and political views.

After feeding Facebook preferences into an algorithm, they created models which were able to determine male sexuality with 88% accuracy, race with 95% accuracy, political leanings with 85% accuracy and religion 82% of the time.

But few users clicked "Likes" which explicitly revealed these traits.

For example, fewer than 5% of gay users clicked obvious links such as "Gay Marriage" and instead inference was drawn from more popular likes such as music and TV shows.

The finding could be used to direct personalised marketing to web users, but also highlights potential threats to privacy.

Mr Kosinski said: "I am a great fan and active user of new amazing technologies, including Facebook. I appreciate automated book recommendations or Facebook selecting the most relevant stories for my newsfeed.

"However, I can imagine situations in which the same data and technology is used to predict political views or sexual orientation, posing threats to freedom or even life.

"Just the possibility of this happening could deter people from using digital technologies and diminish trust between individuals and institutions."

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Soldier Shot At Army Range Unlawfully Killed

A British soldier shot in the head at an army firing range in Wales was unlawfully killed, an inquest jury has found.

Ranger Michael Maguire died after he was hit by a single bullet fired from a machine gun at the Castlemartin Ranges in Pembrokeshire.

An inquest in Cardiff heard the 20-year-old was relaxing at a secure location when he was hit in May last year.

He was described by his company commander Major Richard Bell as an "extremely popular" soldier who had a "cheerful outlook on life, natural charisma and irrepressible good humour".

More follows...

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Weather: Snowfall Causes Rush Hour Accidents

Heavy snowfall across parts of Britain has caused travel disruption, as the possibility of a white Easter looms.

The southern counties of England are taking the brunt of heavy, repeated snow showers moving in from the South West.

That will be followed by a second band of wintry weather which will hit eastern and central parts of Scotland and a dusting of snow is expected in all other areas, bringing with it the risk of travel problems for morning and evening rush hours.

At 12.30pm on Monday, there were yellow weather warnings in place across the south east coast of England, and northern and eastern parts of Scotland.

Allendale in Northumberland pictured after snowfall

Jersey Airport was shut due to snow, and on the roads there were hazardous conditions on many major routes.

Blizzard conditions were reported on the M40 in Warwickshire and there were numerous rush-hour accidents.

Strong winds added to drivers' problems, with falling trees blocking some roads.

On the trains, poor rail conditions led to delays in Sussex and Hampshire, while there was also a number of signalling problems.

The closure of Jersey Airport meant a number of flights had to be cancelled.

On the roads, there were hazardous driving conditions on the A69 and A6 in Cumbria and on the A54 in Cheshire.

In Sussex, police said there had been "a number" of crashes caused by the snowy conditions as they warned motorists to take extra care on the roads.

While drivers contended with heavy snow on the M40 in Warwickshire, motorists in Wales had to put up with strong winds.

One lane of the M48 Severn Bridge was closed and falling trees blocked some Welsh roads.

Some of the roads where driving conditions were at their worst today included the A46 in Nottinghamshire, the A14 in Suffolk and the A353 in Dorset.

Fallen trees blocked roads in Newquay in Cornwall and in Lynton in Devon.

Condor Ferries services between Jersey and St Malo were affected by the bad weather.

Up to 10cm (4in) are likely to settle in the worst-affected areas, including Kent, Sussex and southern Hampshire, as well as over higher ground in areas like the Pennines, while large areas could see around up to 4cm (1.6in) accumulate.

After snowfall on Monday and Tuesday, temperatures will remain below freezing in many areas for the next few days, with minimum temperatures as low as -7C.

Ladbrokes said they have been forced to slash the odds of snow reappearing across Easter weekend, March 29 to April 1.

On Sunday evening it was even money for snow to fall in any major city, and there is a 4/1 chance it is the coldest Easter on record, the bookmaker said.

Spokeswoman Jessica Bridge said: "The odds of snow falling over Easter are dropping as quick as the temperatures."

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Birmingham Terror Charge Teen Pleads Guilty

A teenage boy has admitted possessing explosive chemicals and bomb-making books and diagrams.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to two terror charges and another offence at a hearing at Birmingham Magistrates' Court.

He admitted possessing explosive substances and a host of literature including a book on how to make the explosive Semtex.

The court heard he had planned to carry out a massacre of fellow pupils at his school, and that detailed plans of his classroom were found at his home.

The boy, who was arrested at his home in Northamptonshire, in February last year, admitted possessing explosive substances, namely sulphur powder and potassium nitrate, between January 1 2012 and February 26 2012.

He also admitted possession of numerous books and manuals, of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism between October 1 2011 and February 26 2012 contrary to Section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000.

The texts in his possession included; The Terrorist Handbook; The Black Book Companion: State-Of-The-Art Improvised Munitions; CIA Explosives For Sabotage Manual; Handbook of Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents; Home Explosives Workshop; Home-made Semtex; Home-made C4 - A Recipe For Survival and Improved Landmines - Their Employment And Destructive Capabilities.

The list of manuals also featured; The Department of the Army's Improvised Munitions Handbook; Improvised Munitions Black Book; Improvised Radio Detonation Techniques; Improvised Weapons of the American Underground; Incendiaries - Advanced Improvised Explosives; Kitchen Improvised Fertilizer Explosives; Ragnar's Detonators; An Anarchist Cookbook - Recipes For Disaster; The Anarchist's Cookbook and Department of the Army Manual - Unconventional Warfare Devices and Techniques - Incendiaries.

He also admitted possession of a quantity of prohibited images of children in Northamptonshire, on February 26, 2012.

Since his arrest he has been detained under the Mental Health Act in secure accommodation in the West Midlands area, said Mark Topping, prosecuting.

More follows...

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Missing Grandmother: Partner's Murder Charge

A man has been charged with murdering his partner, following her disappearance more than a week ago.

More than 40 officers and specialist police staff are working on the case of Pamela Jackson, 55.

And her 50-year-old boyfriend Adrian Muir, from Halifax, West Yorkshire, has been arrested in Chester-le-Street and charged with her murder.

Mrs Jackson, who is also known as Cris or Crissie, was reported missing on Thursday evening after her son, Joe, 21, became concerned.

A Durham Police spokesman said there has been no definite sighting of her since Saturday March 2 when she was last seen at her home in The Crescent, Chester-le-Street.

He said there had been no activity on her mobile phone for several days and her Facebook page had also not been updated in the same time.

Detective Superintendent Ken Donnelly said: "Our main focus is on finding Pamela and we have a number of actions to follow up in our continuing search for her."

Mrs Jackson does not drive and does not work due to health issues. She also has two other adult sons, Andrew and Christopher, police said.

The grandmother is described as petite and is 5ft tall, slim and with very long, black hair which is usually straight.

She has a black rose tattoo to the upper right arm and large Celtic style letters to the upper left arm and usually wears what is described as vintage-style clothing with rings and costume jewellery.

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Queen Cancels Westminster Abbey Visit

The Queen will no longer attend today's Commonwealth service as she recovers from gastroenteritis, Buckingham Palace says.

She had been due to attend the Commonwealth Day Observance at London's Westminster Abbey that will see High Commissioners from across the globe in the congregation, and a keynote address from Sir Richard Branson.

The Duke of Edinburgh will now be the only senior royal representative, but the Palace said the Queen would attend an evening reception where she will sign the new Commonwealth charter.

The monarch spent 24 hours in hospital last week being treated for the illness, which leaves sufferers with vomiting and diarrhoea.

Buckingham Palace had said on Friday that the Queen would attend the service and it was "business as usual".

The 86-year-old was struck down by the stomach bug just over a week ago and spent last Sunday night at the private King Edward VII's Hospital in central London before being discharged on Monday.

Concerns were raised about the Queen's general wellbeing as it was the first time she had been admitted to hospital in almost 10 years.

But she left the hospital looking well and cheerful.

Her engagements for last week were cancelled, including a brief visit to Rome to meet Italy's president.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "This time last week she was in hospital, but she's in great spirits and apart from this is in good health and will be going to the reception in the evening.

"It's just the tail end of the symptoms, her condition has not worsened at all."

The Palace announced the cancellation in a short statement: "The Queen will regrettably no longer attend the Commonwealth Observance at Westminster Abbey today as she continues to recover following her recent illness."

It added: "The Queen hopes to undertake some of her official engagements planned for the rest of this week."

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Chris Huhne And Ex-Wife Face Prison Sentences

Chris Huhne has arrived at court where he and his ex-wife are expected to be jailed later for lying about his penalty points.

The former Cabinet minister, 58, and Pryce, 60, have been warned they face prison for perverting the course of justice.

Mr Justice Sweeney, at Southwark Crown Court in London, has said they should be under no illusions about their likely punishment.

Perverting the course of justice carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with an average sentence of around 10 months.

Huhne is also facing a hefty legal bill after the Crown Prosecution Service announced plans to recoup the costs of his "sustained challenges" against the prosecution before his 11th-hour guilty plea.

Vicky Pryce smiling after her ex-husband admitted his crime

The sentencing comes after an ugly and protracted trial which saw Pryce claim she had been coerced into taking speeding points for her husband in 2003.

Huhne admitted lying to police on the first day of the planned joint trial, ending months of denials, but ex-wife continued to claim she was forced.

It was revealed during the court case that Pryce told The Sunday Times about the swap to "nail" her ex-husband after he left her for another woman in 2010.

During the trial, she also claimed that the senior Lib Dem had forced her to have an abortion in the 90s - in a bid to show how much influence he had over her.

Huhne with the woman he left Pryce for, Carina Trimingham

The wreckage of their marriage was laid bare in court and bitter text messages between Huhne and his youngest son Peter were also disclosed.

Pryce, a prominent economist and mother-of-five, was convicted last week after a retrial. The first trial collapsed when the jury failed to reach a verdict.

The case brought an end to Huhne's once-promising political career. His charge forced him to stand down as energy secretary and his guilty plea prompted his resignation as Eastleigh MP.

Despite the impact of his prosecution on the party, Huhne was lavished with praise at the weekend's Liberal Democrat spring conference.

Party leader Nick Clegg described him as an "effective" and "outstanding" politician.

He told a fringe event on Saturday: "Not only was he an outstanding local constituency MP, he was also an extremely powerful thinker and indeed a very effective secretary of state."

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Qatada: May Pledges To Scrap Human Rights Act

Theresa May has pledged that a Conservative government would scrap the Human Rights Act, which she claims has stopped Britain from deporting the radical preacher Abu Qatada.

The Home Secretary also went so far as to indicate the Conservatives could go further by pulling out of its European obligations on Human Rights altogether, an association dating back more than 60 years.

Ms May, who is being touted as a possible future Conservative leader, told Tory activists that the party must "consider very carefully our relationship" with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

She said that Britain must stop human rights laws interfering with its ability to protect the nation.

She pointed to the case of Qatada, once described as Osama bin Laden's right hand man in Europe, who was on Saturday returned to custody following his arrest for allegedly breaching his bail conditions.

Ms May said that the Strasbourg-based court had constantly moved the goalposts on Britain's request for his deportation to Jordan.

"We need to stop human rights legislation interfering with our ability to fight crime and control immigration," she told the Victory 2015 conference.

"That's why, as our last manifesto promised, the next Conservative government will scrap the Human Rights Act, and it's why we should also consider very carefully our relationship with the European Court of Human Rights and the convention it enforces.

Qatada arrives at his London home after his release from prison in November

"When Strasbourg constantly moves the goalposts and prevents the deportation of dangerous men like Abu Qatada, we have to ask ourselves to what end are we signatories to the convention?"

She added: "So by 2015 we'll need a plan for dealing with the European Court of Human Rights. And yes, I want to be clear that all options - including leaving the convention altogether - should be on the table."

The Government is to make a bid at the Court of Appeal on Monday to overturn a judge's decision to allow Qatada, who has been convicted of terrorism charges in Jordan, to remain in Britain.

Ms May made her comments to Tory grassroots as part of a wide-ranging speech in which she also said that she expects the Conservative's public sector reform agenda to "become even more radical" and could include allowing companies to make a profit delivering frontline services.

The country's most senior judge, Lord Neuberger, last week pointed out that if Britain was to scrap the Human Rights Act and end its association with the European Convention on Human Rights, it would also have to withdraw from the United Nations.

He pointed out that it is under the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights that terrorists could not be deported to countries where they might be subjected to poor treatment.

Yvette Cooper, shadow home secretary, said: "She says she wants freedom yet she wants to abolish the Human Rights Act which protects freedom of speech, freedom from torture and freedom of religion.

"And she wants to pull out of the European Convention which is protecting basic freedoms in emerging democracies across Europe and has nothing to do with her failure in deporting fewer foreign criminals."

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Paul Gascoigne Returns Home After US Rehab

Former England football star Paul Gascoigne has told how he thought he was about to die as doctors tied him to a bed to help him beat his alcohol addiction.

The player, who has fought a lengthy battle against alcoholism, said his body went into seizure during a detoxification treatment at an American clinic.

He said doctors said it was the "worst detox" they had ever seen.

"Three doctors didn't think I would make it. It has got to inspire me to never let this happen again.

"I've come through that - death. I was dead," Gascoigne told The Sun newspaper.

He added: "I thought I was on my way out. I looked like a corpse. I was a total wreck."

Gascoigne: once one of England's most naturally gifted players

The 45-year-old said he was in a coma for three days and was admitted to intensive care.

Gascoigne has returned to Britain after more than a month at the rehabilitation clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.

His treatment was organised by former England cricketer Ronnie Irani and radio presenter Chris Evans, a long-term friend.

The move came following a charity appearance in Northampton during which the star appeared unwell and shaking, before breaking down and sobbing on stage in front of a room full of fans.

The world of football has shown its concern at the latest troubled period in the life of Gascoigne, one of England's most naturally gifted players ever.

Gascoigne was sectioned five years ago under the Mental Health Act.

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Sex Trafficking Victims 'Failed' By Authorities

Full Interview With Sophie Hayes

Updated: 12:52pm UK, Sunday 10 March 2013

Sophie Hayes speaks to Sky's Richard Suchet about her life as a sexual and domestic slave at the hands of the man she thought was her boyfriend.

SOPHIE: "I'd known my trafficker for five years before I was actually trafficked, from the UK to Italy. We'd become friends. Very good friends. Then I went on holiday ... and ... just that it would be a holiday ... until three days in, he told me that he hadn't waited five years for me to just leave and that actually I was there to work for him as a prostitute, and if I didn't there would be severe consequences."

SUCHET: "So you did?"

SOPHIE: "Yeah I did. The first night I thought 'this isn't real, this can't happen' and really believed that maybe the next day I could say 'actually, I just want to go home now' until ... I saw that he just wasn't the person that I thought he was. Everything that he was, everything that I knew had completely changed.

"He'd become aggressive, violent. Threats against me, threats against my family. My younger brother was only thirteen at the time and he was the one that had all of the death threats ... and ... the night that he told me, he strangled me, pinned me up against the wall, and told me that if I didn't do as I was told, I would be punished."

SUCHET: "Mentally, how do you cope with that? What goes through your head the first day, the second day, the third day? Where does your mind take you?"

SOPHIE: "Total disbelief. So ... going from a world where I had a good job, a relatively happy life, to another world with someone who had pretended to be something that he wasn't ... it just didn't feel like that was possible or that that could really happen. There's no way I could have done what he expected me to do.

"But as the days went on, I knew that actually there was no way out because he told me that he had friends in the police, that if I tried to run then someone would be there to catch me and ... the more .... the more time past ... I knew. I knew I would never escape him, I couldn't run anywhere ... until a few weeks later I just ... I just switched off.

"There was nothing left anymore. I wasn't me anymore and ... the best thing to do was ... just ... pretend it wasn't happening, that it was happening to someone else and ... just accept it."

SUCHET: "So you just switch off inside, do you?"

SOPHIE: "Completely. To begin with, I tried to hold on. I would look in the mirror and just ... want to scream. And I'd see bruises which I'd never had before.

"Until one night everything changed, with one of the men that came. After that night, I just let go. To the point that I stopped caring. Because nothing I could do or say, no matter how many tears, how many screams, nothing would change the situation ... because I was too afraid to run.

"Many people have asked me: 'Why? Why would you not run away? Why would you not ask for help?' ... but he was the person who kept me from asking anybody to help me, knowing that my family were at risk - my younger brother could be taken.

"He'd already taken me to a lake to show me that if I did something wrong, that's where he would take me. He would put a knife to my neck, a gun in my mouth, a gun inside of me. I knew there was no boundary for him. All I was to him was money. Other than that he didn't care."

SUCHET: "Was it always sexual? Or were there other things you had to do, like chores round the house, or looking after him in some other way? Or was it purely a sexual thing?"

SOPHIE: "It's always more than just sexual when someone holds you in that way. I was only allowed to speak when he said that was ok. When I cleaned, it had to be cleaned in a certain way. If I didn't do it properly, he would ... hurt me again. 

"If I cooked in the wrong way, there would be consequences. For example, I tried to make pasta one night and he told me there was too much sauce. So he smashed the plate ahead of me, and cleaned the floor up with my hair and then told me he was going to shave my hair off in punishment because I couldn't clean properly, I couldn't cook properly and what kind of a person was I that couldn't even do the most basic things?"

SUCHET: "I don't think people can really imagine how you end up in a situation like that. I mean, people might think you would see it coming?"

SOPHIE: "The general perception is that this happens to girls from a different country, from poor backgrounds, and that they perhaps should see it coming, when actually it's the opposite.

"The traffickers are professional businessmen. They have been doing this for years. How to groom a girl. How to make somebody feel completely isolated so that you don't see it coming. And then you're at the point that you're so frightened of them that you can't think about anything anymore, you can't do anything anymore and ... there's no other choice. No way of escape. They have you as a total prisoner."

SUCHET: "So how did you get out?"

SOPHIE: "During the time, I'd lost quite a lot of weight, so I'd gone down to about six stone. I was only allowed to eat once a day. I'd had pneumonia twice, a broken shoulder blade, and at the point I came out I'd been really ill.

"I couldn't have sex anymore. Because some nights I would have sex with up to 35 different men and it was just so painful. So I managed to go to a hospital. The hospital kept me there for a week. But they told me I had no passport, no ID, and that I would have to pay 10,000 euros.

"I managed to steal a moment to call my mum and they drove over to come and collect me, and drove me back from Italy, back to the UK."

SUCHET: "So, effectively, you became useless to him? That's how you managed to get out of his sight?"

SOPHIE: "I was still with a client when I managed to go to the hospital. I didn't tell him where I'd gone. He told me after three days of being in hospital that he was taking me out because he'd actually met some Russians, and he was going to take some girls. And ... I don't know whether or not I would have been sold to the Russians.

"And when I did come back to the UK, he took my credit card off me, and booked me a ticket to go back to Italy, and that I had to go back to work. He was never willing to just let me go. He would have just carried on. To him, he said I was a gold mine, and that because I was British I was actually the perfect person because I could stay freely in [Italy], and people paid more for me, so I was the perfect person for him."

SUCHET: "What was the reaction from the authorities when you got back to the UK?"

SOPHIE: "I had quite a challenging time with the authorities when I came back because at that time no one really knew - or understood - actually what is human trafficking and, because they'd never dealt with cases of somebody being British being taken out of the country and then back in, there wasn't really anywhere for me to go, or any real understanding.

"One policeman actually told me: "Well, you won't do that again," which ... just .... again made me lose all faith ... and ... I had no one. I was on my own. I had my mum, and my mum helped me through it. And I just .... had to pick myself up and carry on and try to live a normal life again."

SUCHET: "How did you finally extricate yourself from him?"

SOPHIE: "It turns out he was wanted in this country for an attempted shooting, years back. The police had him under surveillance and had an arrest warrant out for him. In 2008, when he returned to the UK, they performed a stop and search on him - but made it look completely random.

"They obviously knew he'd have fake documents and that they could arrest him on those grounds. And they knew that his fingerprint would then link him to other crimes. They sent me abroad for a week while all that happened so it would look as if I had nothing to do with his arrest. Anyway, he went to prison and was eventually deported back to Albania."

SUCHET: "You seem to me like the most stoic and normal person, if I may say. No one would ever be able to tell what you've been through. But is there a part of you that feels a little bit damaged? Do you ever get over something like that?"

SOPHIE: "This is something that I will never get over. But can I manage it? Yes, it has become more manageable. Although many people still don't know who I really am.

"I still have a lot of physical problems. After he broke my shoulder blade, I still have therapy and I need a lot of treatment on my back. And also ... mentally I have to stay really strong ... because ... something like that can't happen for no reason.

"And this is why I feel I have to try and help other women and other girls who are in the same situation, or could be at risk of that situation. I tell myself a lot that I can't let my past steal my future. And no matter what happened, I am still alive. And regardless of how painful it is, how many memories I have, how many times I cry ... actually it's the future, and the hope, and the hope I bring to others, that keeps me strong."

SUCHET: "Do you still cry about it?"

SOPHIE: "Yeah, if I see things or hear things and generally when I can see another women being abused or beaten - that brings it all back to me. Every day I can still picture how much he hurt me and how much he frightened me. What he made me do, hurts me. What he did to me and what he said to me is the memory that stays with me and the echoes that I can still hear."

SUCHET: "Do you trust men? Do you have problems trusting men anymore?"

SOPHIE: "I ... I would like to believe that I can still have trust in people because I can't allow one person to take over how I feel and how I behave in the future, and dictate how I have relationships. So I really try and make sure it doesn't, again, take over me, and absorb, and change my perception on men."

SUCHET: Where is the man who trafficked you? And do you now feel safe?

SOPHIE: "I don't know where he is. We've tried to locate him and police have markers on him so to speak. Potentially he's in prison (abroad). But no, I will never feel 100% free and safe. He will always be on my shoulder.

"So on a mental level, there's always a part of me that won't be free, that can't escape. But setting up the Sophie Hayes foundation has made me feel like he can't dictate my future. I can take a grip of my future, and, in that sense, I'm now free."

:: Sophie Hayes is not her real name. There are only a handful of people who know both her real name and her story and she says it's important that she remains anonymous.

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Archbishop: Benefit Cuts Will Hit Children

PM Faces Criticism Over 'Mummy Tax'

Updated: 11:11am UK, Sunday 10 March 2013

By Tadhg Enright, Business Correspondent

David Cameron will have a Mother's Day card delivered to his door by campaigners for new mums whose benefits are about to be capped.

Labour has accused the Government of imposing a "mummy tax" and said the welfare reforms are part of a series of austerity measures which unfairly target mothers.

Shadow minister for women Yvette Cooper MP told Sky News: "It's like David Cameron and George Osborne have a blindspot about women because they're paying three times more than men in tax and benefit and pay and pension changes.

"That is so unfair when women earn less and own less than men.

"It shows that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor just don't get it and it's outrageous that new mums are hurt hardest."

The criticism came as the Archbishop of Canterbury was among 43 bishops who have written an open letter condemning the Government's plans to change the benefits system, saying it will have a "deeply disproportionate" effect on children.

The Most Rev Justin Welby has warned that "children and families will pay the price" if plans to change the system go ahead in their current form.

Around 340,000 women claim either statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance every year.

Until now their benefits have gone up in line with inflation, which currently stands at 2.7%, according to the Consumer Price Index.

But from next month new mothers' benefits will go up by just 1% every year as part of a three-year cap on welfare increases.

So by 2015 critics have calculated the benefits will be effectively cut by £180 because they will not increase by as much as the cost of living will.

Conservative MP Amber Rudd said: "The fact is there are so many good things we are doing to try to help mothers.

"What mothers really want is welfare that works, improved education and jobs.

"That's what they talk to me about on the doorstep and I feel this Government is doing a lot on that front.

"And it's rank hypocrisy of Labour to accuse us on this front when they have made no suggestions about how to reduce the deficit."

And Schools Minister, Liberal Democrat David Laws MP, also defended the welfare reforms and said the Coalition had tried to help those on lower incomes.

He told Sky's Dermot Murnaghan: "We've had a public sector pay freeze. We've also had a 1% cap in the future on public sector pay. So we've have had to take difficult decisions not just for some of those on lower incomes but for everybody in society.

"And actually we've tried to help some of those on lower incomes by raising the tax free personal allowance and also exempting some of the lowest paid public sector workers from the effects of the pay freeze."

Single mum-to-be Helen Mockridge has one clear suggestion for a better way to reduce the deficit.

"Taxing really rich people, obviously, that's where the money should come from," she said.

"For me it's a real no-brainer and it makes me really angry that certain parts of society are very, very wealthy and the gap between rich and poor is getting bigger.

"That's where the money should be coming from, not from single mothers or the disabled or any other vulnerable group."

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'Mummy Tax': Benefit Changes Criticised

By Tadhg Enright, Business Correspondent

David Cameron will have a Mother's Day card delivered to his door by campaigners for new mums whose benefits are about to be capped.

Labour has accused the Government of imposing a "mummy tax" and said the welfare reforms are part of a series of austerity measures which unfairly target mothers.

Shadow minister for women Yvette Cooper MP told Sky News: "It's like David Cameron and George Osborne have a blindspot about women because they're paying three times more than men in tax and benefit and pay and pension changes.

"That is so unfair when women earn less and own less than men.

"It shows that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor just don't get it and it's outrageous that new mums are hurt hardest."

The criticism came as the Archbishop of Canterbury was among 43 bishops who have written an open letter condemning the Government's plans to change the benefits system, saying it will have a "deeply disproportionate" effect on children.

The Most Rev Justin Welby has warned that "children and families will pay the price" if plans to change the system go ahead in their current form.

Yvette Cooper says the changes are unfair

Around 340,000 women claim either statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance every year.

Until now their benefits have gone up in line with inflation, which currently stands at 2.7%, according to the Consumer Price Index.

But from next month new mothers' benefits will go up by just 1% every year as part of a three-year cap on welfare increases.

So by 2015 critics have calculated the benefits will be effectively cut by £180 because they will not increase by as much as the cost of living will.

Conservative MP Amber Rudd said: "The fact is there are so many good things we are doing to try to help mothers.

"What mothers really want is welfare that works, improved education and jobs.

"That's what they talk to me about on the doorstep and I feel this Government is doing a lot on that front.

"And it's rank hypocrisy of Labour to accuse us on this front when they have made no suggestions about how to reduce the deficit."

And Schools Minister, Liberal Democrat David Laws MP, also defended the welfare reforms and said the Coalition had tried to help those on lower incomes.

He told Sky's Dermot Murnaghan: "We've had a public sector pay freeze. We've also had a 1% cap in the future on public sector pay. So we've have had to take difficult decisions not just for some of those on lower incomes but for everybody in society.

"And actually we've tried to help some of those on lower incomes by raising the tax free personal allowance and also exempting some of the lowest paid public sector workers from the effects of the pay freeze."

Single mum-to-be Helen Mockridge has one clear suggestion for a better way to reduce the deficit.

"Taxing really rich people, obviously, that's where the money should come from," she said.

"For me it's a real no-brainer and it makes me really angry that certain parts of society are very, very wealthy and the gap between rich and poor is getting bigger.

"That's where the money should be coming from, not from single mothers or the disabled or any other vulnerable group."

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