JT McNamara Paralysed After Cheltenham Fall

Irish jockey JT McNamara has been paralysed after suffering a neck injury in a fall at the Cheltenham Festival, doctors have confirmed.

The 37-year-old rider is said to be in a "very positive frame of mind" after having surgery at a Bristol hospital where he has been treated since the fall on March 15.

According to a McNamara family statement, he was also "greatly appreciative" of the "many messages" of support.

He fractured two vertebrae when his mount, Galaxy Rock, fell at the first fence in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup. The horse was unhurt.

McNamara, one of the leading amateurs on the circuit for a number of years, was airlifted to hospital after being treated by the on-course medics.

McNamara was airlifted to hospital after the fall

Apparently conscious after the fall, he was put in an induced coma before being transferred to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.

A statement issued jointly by Adrian McGoldrick, the Irish Turf Club's senior medical officer, and Lisa Hancock, head of the Injured Jockeys Fund, on behalf of the McNamara family read: "JT McNamara remains in the Frenchay Hospital, Bristol.

"Whilst he suffered a serious neck injury resulting in paralysis, he has made progress in the last week and is in a very positive frame of mind."

The statement continued: "He is greatly appreciative of the many messages, cards and letters received and also wishes to thank the Frenchay Hospital who are looking after him so well."

He is expected to be transferred to the National Spinal Unit at Dublin's Mater Hospital to continue his rehabilitation.

McNamara has over 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 the neck injury.

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Lord Carey Attacks David Cameron On Religion

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister David Cameron.

In an article for the Daily Mail, Lord Carey says many Christians doubt the PM's "sincerity" when he pledges to protect their religious freedoms and accuses ministers of "aiding and abetting" discrimination against believers.

He points to Government plans to legalise gay marriage as evidence of an "aggressive secularist and relativist approach" and argues that Mr Cameron has fed Christian "anxieties" more than "any other recent political leader".

Lord Carey also says a new poll suggesting that more than two-thirds of Christians feel they are now part of a "persecuted minority" shows the Government must do more to demonstrate its commitment to stand up for faith.

The ComRes poll commissioned by the Coalition for Marriage also found more than half of Christians who backed the Conservatives in 2010 say they will "definitely not" vote for the party in 2015.

Lord Carey expresses alarm about Labour MP Chris Bryant's campaign to turn the 700-year-old Parliamentary chapel of St Mary Undercroft into a multi-faith prayer room so that gay couples can get married there.

Lord Carey slammed Chris Bryant's campaign for gay marriages in Parliament

But he also directly calls into question the Prime Minister's actions, saying: "I like David Cameron and believe he is genuinely sincere in his desire to make Britain a generous nation where we care for one another and where people of faith may exercise their beliefs fully.

"But it was a bit rich to hear that the Prime Minister has told religious leaders that they should 'stand up and oppose aggressive secularisation' when it seems that his Government is aiding and abetting this aggression every step of the way.

"At his pre-Easter Downing Street reception for faith leaders, he said that he supported Christians' right to practise their faith. Yet many Christians doubt his sincerity.

"According to a new ComRes poll more than two thirds of Christians feel that they are part of a 'persecuted minority'. Their fears may be exaggerated because few in the UK are actually persecuted, but the Prime Minister has done more than any other recent political leader to feed these anxieties.

"He seems to have forgotten in spite of his oft-repeated support for the right of Christians to wear the cross, that lawyers acting for the coalition argued only months ago in the Strasbourg court that those sacked for wearing a cross against their employer's wishes should simply get another job."

The new poll suggests continuing resentment over legalising same-sex unions, even though there is special protection for the Church of England in the law, and Lord Carey's successor Justin Welby has softened the Church's stance on the issue.

Two thirds of those polled said they believed allowing same sex unions was an attempt to make the Conservative Party look trendy.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has vowed to protect religion

The poll comes after a series of controversial cases between Christians and employers over their rights to express their faith in the workplace.

Recent cases include Adrian Smith, a Trafford housing manager who says he was demoted and had his pay docked 40% after questioning the Government's plans for same sex marriage and Reverend Brian Ross who was sacked as the Chaplain of Strathclyde Police, apparently because his support for traditional marriage did not fit with the force's equality and diversity policies.

In another case, graphic designer Jamie Haxby is suing a hotel after claiming he was turned down for a job because he is a Christian.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles insists that unlike New Labour 'we do do God' and has agreed freedom of religion has been undermined.

He has vowed to change the law if necessary to stop people being taken to task for wearing a cross or a rosary, and says council should not try to ban prayers before meetings.

But the march of secularism means Britain will no longer be a Christian country within just 20 years, according to official research by the House of Commons library.

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NHS Drug Plea For Child With Blood Disorder

By Frazer Maude, Sky News Correspondent

The parents of a two-year-old girl with a rare blood disorder fear she faces a "lifetime of hospital visits and dialysis" unless the NHS funds an expensive new drug.

One day in every fortnight, Indie Smith is treated at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital for atypical Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (aHUS), a condition shared by only 140 others in the UK.

It causes abnormalities in the immune system that can lead to the development of blood clots in the filters of the kidney. It is incurable and can lead to fatal kidney failure.

She is treated with a drug called eculizumab, which has been given the brand name Soliris by its developers, US based Alexion Pharmaceuticals, and this allows her to live a relatively normal life.

Indie currently has her treatment provided by Alexion as part of a trial that ends in October.

Her problem is that the NHS will not continue to fund her treatment, at a cost of £250,000 a year, despite a Government advisory body recommending the drug be commissioned nationally.

The study by the Advisory Group for National Specialised Services (AGNSS), took two years, and concluded that: "Eculizumab would help save lives and improve the quality of life for children and adults with aHUS."

But the Department of Health has now referred consideration of the use of eculizumab to the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

Indie would need plasma therapy without the drug

Those with the condition, and their families, now fear another long wait for NICE to complete their research, with no guarantee that they will agree with AGNSS about the drugs benefits.

Without the drug, Indie, who has three older brothers, would need plasma therapy for four or five hours a day, five or six days a week.

"It's not right," said Indie's father Gavin. "It shouldn't be about the money. This Government can find money. It can't be about the money, you've got to give her a future."

Indie's mother Clare said: "It's horrible. We shouldn't have to be doing this. We shouldn't be worrying that my daughter is going to be confined to a hospital bed because we can't afford to give her the drug that allows her to be a normal little girl.

"Without it, it'll mean a lifetime of hospital visits and dialysis."

The Department of Health told Sky News: "We understand this news will be disappointing for patients who suffer from atypical Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome, but we need to make sure NHS resources are being used wisely.

"We have asked NICE to further explore eculizumab's suitability for national commissioning and provide guidance to the NHS."

The Smiths are already planning for the worst - and end of the trial treatment, with no NHS funding to continue it - by fundraising and campaigning.

They have a website and have already visited Downing Street to ask for the Prime Minister to intervene and overturn the Department of Health's decision.

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Post Office Staff On Strike Over Closures

Thousands of staff in the country's biggest post offices are striking in a row over jobs, pay and closures.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) in around 370 so-called Crown offices were mounting picket lines in protest at plans to close or franchise 70 branches.

The union said the walkout was "solidly" supported by thousands of its members, with picket lines set up outside post offices across the country.

The Post Office said scores of branches were open despite the strike.

The union organised the strike because it believes 800 jobs are at risk and also staff had not received a pay rise for two years.

The Post Office put forward the restructuring plan because Crown branches were losing £40m a year and accused the union of ignoring the "harsh realities" the company faces.

Dave Ward, the CWU's deputy general secretary, said: "Our post office members are standing up against destructive plans which would slash 20% of the Crown network and are simply asking for fair treatment and job security.

"The Post Office's plans are short-sighted and would rob the network of the most productive offices while simultaneously putting hundreds of jobs at risk and potentially damaging local economies.

"We'd like to see a better vision for a successful network which maintains services in the heart of communities alongside quality jobs."

The strike follows a ballot of workers in which 88% of those who voted demanded action.

Kevin Gilliland, network and sales director at the Post Office, said: "We regret any disruption to services the CWU's call for strike action may cause to customers. Crown branches are currently losing £40m per year and this is being subsidised by public money. This cannot continue.

"The Post Office is transforming its network to improve customer experience and in turn bring in new business. We are committed to the Post Office remaining a key part of UK high streets and our plans ensure this will happen."

He said the closures - which do not apply to smaller sub-Post Offices - affect less than 1% of the total network. At the same time as closing some branches, the Post Office was planning to improve the 300 other Crown offices.

The union said it was receiving strong public support for its campaign, with petitions circulating in areas affected by the proposals.

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Woman Charged With Neglect Of Two-Year-Old

A 41-year-old woman has been charged with neglect after a two-year-old girl was found on a stranger's doorstep.

The woman, from Carlisle, will appear at Carlisle Magistrates Court on Saturday morning.

The little girl has been placed under the care of Social Services.

Police thanked the public for their assistance and said they would also like to thank the occupants of the property who alerted officers to the initial disturbance which led to the baby being discovered.

It emerged on Friday that police were contacted after the occupants of a house in Warwick Road, Carlisle, said a woman had rang their doorbell and then disappeared.

When officers arrived they found a pram with the girl inside.

More follows...

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Weather: Economy Hit By Spring Snowstorm

By Nick Martin, Sky News Correspondent

Britain's fragile economy has been hit hard as a result of the spring snowstorm with some businesses reporting a slump in trade.

Some high street retailers say the cold snap kept customers away during what should have been the run-up to a busy Easter weekend.

Kingfisher, the owner of B&Q, reported a 13% drop in trade, while Next said it had seen a fall in sales during the bad weather.

Experts say the costs to the economy of the unseasonable weather could run into billions of pounds and threaten to impact on economic growth figures.

Some towns were cut off by the snow for up to a week making trading difficult on the high street.

In the Derbyshire town of Bakewell, which was badly affected by the snow, businesses were hoping the cleared roads would encourage locals and tourists back into the town.

Zoe McBurnie, owner of the Bakewell Tart and Coffee Shop, told Sky News that takings had dropped by £10,000 in just one week.

"The recession hasn't been too bad to us but the snow has been completely devastating.

"One minute you're busy and the next there's no-one coming in because the town is cut off by snow."

Some of the biggest losses were on farms where hundreds of livestock, including sheep, lambs and cattle, were claimed by the snow drifts.

On Nigel Birch's farm near Monyash in the Peak District, three calves lay dead on the yard, victims of the worse snowstorms there for 50 years.

Hundreds of sheep had to be taken inside and fed on expensive corn feed whilst stocks of silage were running low.

As lambing season enters full swing, newborns were left shivering in freezing conditions and had to be kept under heat lamps.

"This has been a very difficult week - one I want to forget," Mr Birch said.

"We've lost cattle, we're paying for new hay, feed and silage and in the end I think this spell will cost us between £5,000 and £10,000."

Tourism was also badly affected as roads became impassable and families chose to cancel holidays.

Nikki Dick, a B&B owner, said her diary was empty as guests were reluctant to book or could not get to her because of blocked roads.

"If I look at last year's diary for the same time it is full. This year we have a few bookings, but after that there's nothing.

"People have panicked and thought they're best to stay away.

"But the snow has been cleared, and we're all here open for business," she said.

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Teachers Receiving Millions In Injury Payouts

Teachers have been awarded record compensation payouts totalling tens of millions of pounds over workplace injuries, new figures show.

One secondary school teacher was awarded more than £382,000 after his arm was slammed in a filing cabinet, while another won £240,000 after working in a poorly ventilated workshop for a decade, according to information published by teaching unions.

The payouts last year included settlements paid to teachers who tripped or slipped at school.

The NASUWT teaching union said it secured a record £15.6m for its members last year, almost 24% more than in 2011.

Its largest work-related criminal assault payout was for a 45-year-old school worker in the North East who intervened to help a colleague who was being attacked by a pupil.

He was kicked by the youngster and attacked by another student from behind. He was later awarded £268,787 including damages.

A 39-year-old technology teacher from the east of England received a settlement worth £240,000 after working in a poorly ventilated workshop left him with allergies and sinus problems.

A third teacher, from Northern Ireland, slipped on a patch of moss, breaking her leg in two places and dislocating her ankle. She was awarded £66,291.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: "Behind every one of these cases is a person who has been damaged physically or mentally, either because of injury or unfair dismissal."

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) does not release an overall figure for the amount of compensation won on behalf of its members.

One of its members, a secondary school teacher in the South West, was awarded £382,930 in a Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) case after a pupil slammed his arm in a filing cabinet while trying to grab a confiscated football.

The teacher was unable to carry on working.

In another CICA case, a teacher from the same region had their arms and legs pinned together by a pupil in a minibus. The minibus door opened and the teacher fell out, leaving them with a back injury and psychological trauma.

The teacher was awarded £279,381.

There were also settlements for teachers who suffered personal injuries.

One teacher from the London area was given a payout worth £13,500 after tripping on loose carpet and fracturing her elbow, while another from the Yorkshire area got £9,000 for fracturing her elbow when she slipped on an "unusually shiny" classroom floor, the NUT said.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) said it had secured more than £4.3m for members last year in work settlements plus around £1.2m for injured members and their families.

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Measles: Warning As South Wales Cases Spread

Measles cases in Wales are spreading with "alarming" speed despite urgent calls to ensure children have vital MMR protection.

Health chiefs have again warned that the epidemic could leave unprotected children brain-damaged or dead.

Public Health Wales (PHW) says 432 cases have been reported so far, mainly in the Swansea area, with 51 people - many of them babies - in hospital.

In the last week alone, 116 people have been diagnosed and the numbers infected have doubled in less than four weeks.

The disease has now spread to children in 111 secondary and primary schools, nurseries and play groups.

Experts fear the epidemic could rival an outbreak which ravaged Dublin more than a decade ago, when three people died.

PHW is urging parents of all children aged between one and 18 in Wales who have not been fully vaccinated to contact their GP for advice and to arrange vaccination as soon as possible.

Dr Marion Lyons, PHW director of health protection, warned: "Measles is now spreading at an alarming rate across areas of Wales.

"Worryingly, there are still tens of thousands of susceptible children across Wales, yet our weekly monitoring of vaccination rates shows only a slight increase in numbers receiving MMR jabs."

Charlotte Jones, a family doctor in Sketty, near Swansea, told Sky News: "We're extremely concerned because we're seeing more and more cases increasing week by week."

"One would think that as schools break up for the Easter holidays maybe that would slow the spread.

"But people travel during the holidays, and during the incubation period when they may not be showing any symptoms they could be starting an outbreak in new areas.

"Historically, in Swansea and some of the neighbouring areas there has been a very low uptake of the MMR vaccine.

"By having your child vaccinated, not only are you protecting them but everyone else in the family and anyone who is vulnerable or pregnant they come into contact with, so please get you child vaccinated."

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Leeds Hospital Halts Children's Heart Surgery

All children's congenital heart surgery has been suspended at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) with immediate effect.

The temporary suspension follows a number of claims, including some relating to the number of patient deaths, and concerns about surgery standards.

The decision was taken by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust after discussions with the NHS Commissioning Board and the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

In light of the talks, Maggie Boyle, the chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said it has agreed to carry out an internal review, independently validated and supported by external experts.

"This will look at all aspects of congenital cardiac surgery for children undertaken at the unit in Leeds.

"We have taken the decision to temporarily pause children's congenital cardiac surgery and associated interventions while this review is conducted, a process we would aim to complete in around three weeks."

Acute cardiac surgery will continue.

Sky News Correspondent Gerard Tubb described the suspension of congenital cardiac surgery (to correct heart defects from birth) as "a very serious turn of events".

"It will be enormously distressing news for families expecting to have surgery carried out there," he added.

Shortly after the announcement was made, one mother posted on Facebook: "My son is due for an operation on 18 April. I feel sick at the thought of it not happening."

Ms Boyle said: "We apologise to parents and families who will be affected during this time, and can assure them we always put the safety of our patients first.

"Families whose surgery may be affected during this time are being contacted directly by the trust."

NHS England said the suspension was for checks to be made to ensure the unit is operating safely.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will decide LGI's fate

Sir Bruce Keogh, the medical director of NHS England, said: "The trust has taken a highly responsible precautionary step.

"Some questions have been raised by the trust's own mortality data and by other information.

"It is important to understand that while this information raises questions, it does not give us answers.

"But it is absolutely right not to take any risks while these matters are being looked into. The priority must be the safety of children."

The CQC said it is "monitoring the situation extremely closely and will not hesitate to take regulatory action if we believe this is required".

The move came only a day after a High Court judge quashed a decision to stop children's heart surgery at the hospital on the ground the consultation process was unfair and legally flawed.

The unit was earmarked for closure as part of an NHS plan to re-organise services across England into fewer, more specialised centres.

Were it to be shut down children would have to be treated at hospitals in Liverpool and Newcastle instead. Its future now lies in the hands of the Health Secretary.

In the meantime, there have been a number of claims that surgeons at LGI have been avoiding referring children to the heart unit at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle - which would be spared if the original NHS re-organisation plan continues.

The allegations have been strenuously denied by the Leeds Trust.

Following the decision to suspend congenital heart surgery at LGI, Sharon Cheng, from Save Our Surgery - the group which is co-ordinating the fight to keep children's heart surgery in Leeds - said: "We're mystified. We don't know of anything that could justify this step."

The decision to sacrifice the unit in Leeds was taken in July by the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT) when it chose seven specialist centres for the future delivery of paediatric cardiac surgery in England.

These were at Great Ormond Street and the Evelina Children's Hospital in London, Newcastle's Freeman Hospital, Birmingham Children's Hospital, Alder Hey in Liverpool, the Royal Children's Hospital in Bristol and Southampton General.

The controversial decision, if it stands, will mean the closure of the children's heart units at LGI as well as Glenfield Hospital in Leicester and London's Royal Brompton.

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Northern Ireland: Farm Sheep Buried In Snow

By Vicki Hawthorne, Ireland Correspondent

Farmers in Northern Ireland are still unable to assess their losses a week after the big freeze hit.

Thousands of sheep are thought to have died after being buried in the snow in Counties Antrim and Down.

Snow drifts of up to 12 feet were reported in some areas with roads, hedges and gates completely submerged. 

On Campbell Tweed's family farm in the Glens of Antrim, sheep remain buried in the snow across the 1,600-acre site.

Mr Tweed says he has no idea how many animals he has lost from his 4,000-strong flock. 

He says he won't get a full picture until there is a complete thaw, and that could take until late next week.

Farmer Campbell Tweed does not know how many sheep he has lost

Lambing season has not started on the Tweed farm, so any sheep that were saved are heavily pregnant and the focus is now on keeping them comfortable and well fed.

On Tuesday an RAF Chinook helicopter was deployed from England to drop fodder in Northern Ireland where farmers were not able to get to their animals.

Irish military helicopters joined that rescue mission yesterday. 

Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland Executive has set up a relief package for farmers who have sustained heavy losses due to the adverse weather.

The Agriculture Minister Michelle O'Neill has announced a fund which will help farmers pay for the collection and disposal of animals killed in the snow.

Ms O'Neill said: "There is potential for environmental impact, disease risks and reputational damage associated with dead animals not being collected and disposed of without delay which is why funding for the collection and disposal of fallen animals is an urgent need."

She has also said she plans to bring further proposals to the Northern Ireland Executive on a hardship payment scheme.

The scheme will help with the financial burden on affected farmers. It's thought the entire relief fund amounts to £5m.

The fund has been welcomed by the Ulster Farmers' Union. Its president Harry Sinclair has also praised the community spirit in the worst-affected areas. 

He said: "The farming families directly affected by the crisis are working together to overcome the enormous problems created by the drifting snow. 

"Their resilience is being tested to the limit and with no thaw in sight, the hardship they are facing is set to continue into next week."

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Parents Murder: 'Monster Son' Jailed For Life

A man who killed his parents to get his hands on a £230,000 inheritance has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 40 years.

Stephen Seddon was told he would never be paroled after being convicted of the murders of his father Robert, 68, and mother Patricia, 65 - and their attempted murders four months earlier.

They had made the 46-year-old the sole beneficiary of their estate in their will - and paid with their lives.

They had already gifted Seddon £40,000 in cash and bought him his home in Benevente Street in Seaham, Co Durham.

During the trial, prosecutor Peter Wright described Seddon as the ultimate "ungrateful son".

The convicted fraudster, who was said to have had an "insatiable thirst for cash", had tried to kill the elderly couple by driving into the Bridgewater Canal in Timperley, south Manchester, with them strapped in the back seats in a faked road accident.

Seddon then "played the hero" and boasted of his rescue attempts after he was forced to abort his murder plan when bystanders went to their aid in the submerged hired BMW.

He had taken his parents - and his disabled nephew Daniel, who also managed to get to safety - out on March 20 last year on the pretext of a surprise belated Mother's Day meal.

Undeterred, on July 4 of that year he shot his parents dead with a sawn-off shotgun at their home in Clough Avenue in Sale, Greater Manchester.

Seddon had taken three shotgun cartridges with him. Police believe he also intended to kill his nephew, who he did not realise was in respite care that day.

Mr Justice Hamblen told him: "In effect you have executed your own parents. You have done so by the barbaric act of shooting them at point- blank range with a sawn-off shotgun."

He added: "One can only imagine the horror of your parents' last moments in this life, when they realised what a monster their son, whom they loved, had become. Mercifully their deaths were swift."

He went on to say that, in Seddon's case, life should mean life and he ordered that he serve a whole-life term - which means the father-of-three will never be released.

Seddon had denied the shooting and said it was "ridiculous" to claim he had tried to kill his own mother and father and "sick" to suggest he had intended to murder his nephew as well.

As he was sentenced, Seddon continued to protest his innocence, shouting from the dock: "No, not at all, they were not murdered by me at all. I'm an innocent man."

A jury had convicted Seddon of all four counts on Wednesday after a five week trial at Manchester Crown Court.

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Parents Of Suicide Teen Call For Law Reform

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

The parents of a 17-year-old who were not told he had been arrested for drink driving days before he killed himself are calling for a change in the law.

Nick and Jane Lawton handed a petition carrying 52,000 signatures in to Downing Street where they met with David Cameron.

They claim there is an anomaly in the law that means 17-year-olds are treated as adults when arrested but children when charged.

Joseph shot himself after he was arrested for drink driving

This means police do not have to tell parents when they are taken into custody or give them the chance to have an adult with them during interviews.

Joseph Lawton, an only child, had just passed his driving test when he went to a party near his home in Disley, near Stockport.

He had taken the train but decided to drive back from the station.

His father Nick told Sky News: "He made a bad decision and he chose to drive and he was stopped and breathalysed. He failed the breathalyser and he was arrested."

His parents thought he was staying the night with friends and were not contacted by police.

When Joseph returned home, he did not mention what had happened and had told his friends he had got away with it.

But three nights later, when he was alone at home, he shot himself with a gun from the family farm. Mr Lawton found his body in the sitting room.

His wife Jane said: "The charge sheet was in front of him, telling us that was why he'd done what he did; and that was the first thing that we knew."

His parents believe he could be alive today if the law had been different

Joseph left notes for his parents, best friend and girlfriend. His father said: "When we read his letters eventually they confirmed it. He just thought that he'd closed the door to his future.

"But when you think that if we'd had a phone call from the police while he was in the police station - one phone call - I'd have been straight down there.

"I would have spoken to him - I would have told him, supported him, told him that it's not the end of everything - 'you're still going to university, you'll still get a job. Things might be a little bit more difficult but at the end of the day we'll be able to get through it'.

"But we weren't given that opportunity."

Mrs Lawton added: "We firmly believe that if Joe had contacted us, if we'd have been able to speak to him, he'd still be alive today."

The Lawtons are being supported by the parents of Edward Thornber, who killed himself aged 17 after he was summoned to court for possessing cannabis worth 50p.

Lawyer Shauneene Lambe, who works for the charity Just For Kids Law, told Sky News: "As it stands, at the moment, 17-year-olds are treated as if they are adults when they go to the police station.

"If they are sent to court, if they were charged for example, they would go back to being treated like children in the court system. So there's an anomaly within the police station, that we believe should be changed."

The Home Office said: "The welfare of anyone remanded in custody is considered at every stage of the process.

"Existing laws ensure a proper level of care is provided with special provisions in place for young and vulnerable people."

A judicial review into the issue is ongoing.

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Eric Joyce Avoids Charges For Bar Brawl

Police have decided MP Eric Joyce will face no further action over an alleged brawl in a Commons bar earlier this month.

Mr Joyce was arrested on March 14 on suspicion of assault and actual bodily harm after a disturbance at a bar in the Palace of Westminster.

The MP went to a Belgravia police station in central London to answer bail on Thursday and was told he was not being charged.

Speaking to Sky News outside the station, he dismissed calls for him to stand down immediately and vowed to stay on until 2015.

"I was involved in the margins of the fracas and clearly it is the first time I had been back in a bar for over a year. That was a shame," he said.

"But the fact is the police have looked at it now for two weeks and there is to be no further action."

In a message for his Falkirk constituents, he promised he would "continue to be diligent and vigilant" in acting in their interests for the rest of this parliament.

The MP was held for around 20 hours after the row earlier this month, which was the second time in just over a year that he had been arrested in Parliament.

Police were called after an apparent fracas during a karaoke night at the Sports and Social Club bar in the House of Commons.

Witnesses said they saw him "wrestling" on the ground with two police officers.

Mr Joyce, 52, was banned from buying or being served alcohol from all parliamentary facilities after the latest arrest.

But he later denied being drunk, insisting he had only had a "modest amount of alcohol" and rejecting claims he was an alcoholic.

The MP, a former soldier, is now an Independent after resigning from the Labour Party following his earlier altercation in February 2012.

He admitted being "hammered" when he attacked Tory councillor Luke Mackenzie and Labour whip Phillip Wilson in a Commons bar.

The politician was fined and handed a 12-month community order as well as a curfew after admitting four counts of assault.

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New Health Helpline 'May Put Patients At Risk'

By Thomas Moore, Health Correspondent

Doctors have written to NHS bosses warning that a non-emergency health helpline to be launched on Monday could put patients at risk.

The British Medical Association has told NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson that the official launch of the 111 phone line must be delayed because of 'serious problems'.

The 111 service is replacing NHS Direct in England and is meant to ease pressure on emergency 999 call centres.

Dr Laurence Buckman, chair of the BMA's General Practitioner's Committee, wrote: "It seems that in a number of areas the service is simply not ready to operate, or handle the volume of calls in a clinically appropriate way."

He added: "A smooth transition is essential for patient safety."

In Manchester, where the service has been trialled, the phone line has 'effectively crashed', according to the BMA.

Patients are either unable to get through to an operator, or are waiting several hours for a nurse to call them back.

Other parts of the NHS, including the ambulance service are having to pick up the strain, it said.

The Department of Health has already agreed to delay the launch of the service in some areas.

But the BMA said more time is needed to ensure call centres are fully prepared.

In a statement, NHS England said it was aware of 'some difficulties'.

"But we are confident that measures now in place will ensure resolution of these early problems," it said.

"The service has great potential to be a fast, efficient, all-round service that ensures patients get the right care for their needs."

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House Explosion Puts Pensioners In Hospital

Two pensioners have been taken to hospital after a suspected gas blast flattened their home and prompted the evacuation of neighbouring houses.

Police said the home had been "totally demolished" by the blast and a 74-year-old woman and 77-year-old man had been taken to hospital.

Neighbours said they could hear the woman calling for help from under the rubble, while the man had become trapped under debris in the kitchen.

The explosion happened in Callander, central Scotland

Nine houses around the scene of the explosion in Murdiston Avenue, Callander, in central Scotland, had to be evacuated and the council has set up a rest centre in the town for those who have been asked to leave their homes.

Neighbour Alistair Allan, who lives across the road, told STV News: "We were all woken up at 6.30am by this almighty bang. I looked out the window and the house across the road was on fire. I ran across and the elderly gentleman was under rubble, I think in the kitchen, and his wife was in another part of the house.

"I could hear her calling out for help. She was saying 'I can't take it any more'.

"The firefighters were there very quickly. They got the woman out through a window and I think the man was out after about 15 or 20 minutes.

The home was "totally demolished" in the explosion

"My daughter came in last night about 8.30pm and said there was a strong smell of gas in the street but we didn't think anything of it at the time."

Claire Luti, a partner in nearby Dreadnought Garage, said: "I live at the other end of town so I didn't hear the explosion, but I heard the helicopter that was sent to take them (the man) to hospital. They are an elderly couple in their 70s who are quite well known in the town."

Chief Inspector Russell Penman, of Central Scotland Police, said: "The house has been totally demolished as a result of the explosion.

"We are treating this as a suspected gas leak and inquiries are at a very early stage to establish the cause. Scotland Gas Networks are in attendance and working with us."

Emergency services were called at around 6am.

The woman was taken to Forth Valley Royal Infirmary with minor injuries while the man was airlifted to Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Eric Brown, proprietor of the nearby Roman Camp Hotel, said: "I heard a loud bang at around 5.45am this morning.

"The hotel is set quite far back from the road so it wasn't particularly loud from where we are, but it was enough to wake me up.

"I understand that a lot of houses have been evacuated."

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Dog Attack: Tributes To Jade Lomas-Anderson

Tributes have been paid to a 14-year-old girl who is thought to have been killed by a pack of "aggressive and out-of-control" dogs.

Jade Lomas-Anderson's body was discovered with wounds consistent with a dog attack shortly after 2pm on Tuesday, following reports she was unconscious.

The teenager was visiting the house in Chaucer Grove, Atherton, near Wigan, and was alone with the dogs, believed to include two bull mastiffs and two Staffordshire bull terriers.

Four animals were shot by police marksmen and a fifth was contained.

Jade was described as "shy" by friends (Pic: Facebook tribute page)

A post-mortem examination was due to take place on Tuesday night. The dogs' remains will also be examined as part of the investigation, police said.

Superintendent Mark Kenny, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "This remains a deeply distressing incident for everyone involved and the wider community and our thoughts continue to be with Jade's family.

"They are understandably devastated by what has happened, as are Jade's circle of friends.

"Our response is now two-fold - to continue to provide whatever support is necessary to the family alongside a painstaking investigation to establish the truth of what happened."

Two of the dogs were Staffordshire bull terriers similar to this one

Friends paid tribute to the "quiet" and "timid" teenager, who is thought to have returned to the property from the shops with a meat pie when she was attacked.

Flowers were laid at the backyard where Jade was attacked. A sign on the gate read: "Beware of the Dog."

Norman Bradbury, an local councillor told Sky News the whole community was in shock.

"We need to establish what occurred with this horrible incident and how it an be avoided in future but we have to wait for the police to investigate what happened, how Jade died and the circumstances."

Locals said Jade was visiting the property to see a friend, Kimberley Concannon, 16, who lives there with her twin Catrina and mother Beverley Concannon.

Youngsters who knew Jade said they had spoken to Kimberley's twin sister, Catrina, who was not at the property when the dog attack happened.

One 15-year-old said of Jade: "She goes to my school in the year below.

"She's shy, quite timid, if you didn't know her you wouldn't recognise her around and about. It's horrible what's happened.

"She picks her little sister up Sienna from school, every day and walks past my house.

"She had a pie in her hand and has gone to bite it, she moved the pie and the dog's gone for her throat and then they have all gone for her."

It is believed Jade was attacked by four dogs (Pic: Facebook tribute page)

Another friend said the dogs at the house were large and aggressive animals.

"Every time you walk past the house they would be barking and barking and going mad," she said. "You would jump out of your skin."

Jade was a pupil at Fred Longworth High School in Tyldesley, which closed for the Easter break last Friday.

Headteacher Janet Garretts said: "We are all deeply shocked and saddened by Jade's tragic death. She had only been a pupil at the school since the summer but had made a real impact in that short time.

"Jade was a lively student who always had a smile on her face. She loved music and dance and was a regular at our after school dancing club.

"At what turned out to be her last day at school, Jade was given a progress report by her teachers and told everyone was delighted with the progress she was making."

A policeman stands guard outside the house in Atherton, near Wigan

More than 10,000 people joined a Facebook group created to pay tribute to Jade, including the aunt of a four-year-old boy who was killed by a banned breed of dog.

John-Paul Massey died at his grandmother's house in Liverpool after suffering "massive injuries" inflicted by a pitbull.

Tricia Massey wrote on Jade's page: "Such a tragic thing to happen. I know what your poor family must be going through and how they are feeling, I lost my four-year-old nephew three years ago.

"He was killed by a dangerous dog in Liverpool. Something needs to be done about these aggressive animals.

"Sleep tight Jade, I'm sure my John-Paul will look after you."

Natasha Hunt posted: "RIP my beautiful baby girl! Don't know what I'm going do without you!

"Love you loads, you will never be forgotten, you will always be in my heart."

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Man Dragged Down Road As Car Thief Drives Off

A man has been seriously injured after being dragged down the road as he tried to stop a thief from stealing his car.

The 48-year-old victim grabbed hold of his red and silver Mitsubishi pick-up, packed with boxes of apples, as it was driven away on busy Bird Street in the West Midlands town of Dudley.

Police said he suffered serious leg injuries after being dragged along the road a few hundred metres before letting go. He is being treated in hospital.

Officers were called to the scene just after 2.30pm on Monday following a report of a collision. The 4x4 was seen being driven towards Brook Street.

Detective Constable Caroline Morris said: "This happened at a busy time of the day and on a busy road.

"We are still trying to piece together the circumstances around the collision and theft and are currently trawling CCTV and making inquiries to establish any further leads."

Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Operation Elveden: Public Officials Jailed

A former police officer has been jailed for 10 months and a prison officer for 16 months for selling information to The Sun.

Ex-Surrey PC Alan Tierney was sentenced at the Old Bailey after admitting two counts of misconduct earlier this month.

Prison officer Richard Trunkfield was sentenced at the same court for selling information on James Bulger killer Jon Venables.

He had also admitted misconduct in public office.

Tierney pleaded guilty to two counts - one between March 26 and April 3, 2009, and a second between December 2 and 7, 2009.

He sold details about Sue Terry and Sue Poole, the mother and mother-in-law of Terry, both being arrested on suspicion of shoplifting in Surrey.

He also sold details about the arrest of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, 65, on suspicion of beating up his Russian lover Ekaterina Ivanova, who is in her 20s.

The money he received was paid by cheque to his brother-in-law.

Terry, Poole and Wood all accepted cautions over the matters.

One of the stories sold was about Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood

In mitigation, the court heard that most of the details that Tierney had passed on would have eventually become public, and that their leak had not undermined any investigation.

The witness in the Terry case had also approached two other newspapers to try to sell his story.

Trunkfield has since resigned from Woodhill prison and Venables is no longer being held there, the court heard.

New father Trunkfield had contact with a journalist at the Sun between 10 and 15 times and received £3,500 for information.

Mr Justice Fulford told him: "It's for those in authority to decide on the extent to which, if at all, it's in the public interest to reveal the details concerning a particular defendant, balancing a wide range of factors.

"It is most assuredly not for individual prison officers to take it upon themselves to contact the press to reveal information about a defendant in circumstances such as those before the court today, still less to enrich themselves in the process."

In mitigation, the court heard that Trunkfield had no direct contact with Venables and passed on minor details such as what he was eating, including burger and chips.

After he saw the stories that were being published, he assigned his journalist contact a different ringtone so he could ignore the calls, the court heard.

It was also claimed that information was being leaked by another, unidentified source at the prison.

Tierney and Trunkfield were arrested as part of the Operation Elveden, the Metropolitan Police Service's probe into payments to officials.

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Care Home Murder Arrest: Employee Held

A man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a 73-year-old private care home resident in Manchester.

Ivan Campbell died in hospital

Ivan Emmanuel Campbell was admitted to hospital on April 16 last year from Victoria Nursing Home in Rusholme.

He died from "internal injuries" the following day, according to a Home Office post-mortem examination.

A 34-year-old staff member was arrested in connection with his death and in relation to another assault on a resident at the home, which cares for people with complex mental health needs.

Officers were called by staff to the home on March 19 and found a 72-year-old man with a fractured rib.

The arrested worker has been suspended.

Senior Investigating Officer Andy Tattersall said: "Due to the complex needs of those at the care home this has and continues to be an extremely difficult and protracted investigation.

"From the outset we were determined to establish what happened to Ivan and who was responsible for causing his injuries and that remains as true today as it did then.

"We are continuing to work closely with partner agencies in health as well as the home and I want to reassure the relatives of residents there that their welfare is, collectively between us and our partners, a top priority."

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Theresa May Loses Appeal Over Qatada Ruling

Home Secretary Theresa May has lost her appeal court challenge over a decision to block Abu Qatada's deportation.

Judges in the Court of Appeal refused to overturn a ruling made last November by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac).

Siac decided Qatada could not be sent to Jordan, where was convicted of terror charges in his absence in 1999, because of the risk evidence obtained through torture could be used against him.

Mrs May's legal team challenged the ruling at a recent hearing in London, arguing that he was "truly dangerous" and had escaped deportation through "errors of law".

Master of the Rolls Lord Dyson, Lord Justice Richards and Lord Justice Elias unanimously rejected the argument.

"Siac was entitled to conclude that there is a real risk that the impugned statements will be admitted in evidence at a retrial and that, in consequence, there is a real risk of a flagrant denial of justice," the court found.

Lord Dyson said the court accepted that Qatada "is regarded as a very dangerous person" but that was not "a relevant consideration" under human rights laws.

The Home Office immediately declared: "This is not the end of the road" and vowed to keep working to deport the radical cleric.

Officials said: "We will consider the judgement on Abu Qatada carefully and plan to seek leave to appeal.

"In the meantime we continue to work with the Jordanians to address the outstanding legal issues preventing Abu Qatada's deportation."

London Mayor Boris Johnson described the decision as "hugely disappointing".

"Abu Qatada's deportation to Jordan is long overdue and it's utter madness that we can't get shot of this man," he said.

"I'm certain he would receive a fair trial in Jordan. The British Government must continue, and I am sure will continue, to work with the Jordanians to bring about his departure as quickly as possible."

Qatada was once described as Osama bin Laden's right hand man in Europe.

He has battled deportation for over a decade and has so far thwarted every government attempt to remove him.

The cleric is said to have wide and high-level support among extremists and featured in hate sermons found on videos in the flat of one of the September 11 bombers.

He was released on bail last year to live at a London address but was recently returned to custody after being arrested for alleged breaches of his bail conditions.

A hearing over whether he should be granted bail was due to be held last Thursday but was delayed.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Osborne, of the Metropolitan Police, revealed last week that the hate preacher is being investigated over extremist material.

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Summly: Yahoo! Buys Nick D'Aloisio's App

The teenage founder of news app Summly has said he is "more motivated" to develop other services despite already becoming a millionaire.

Nick D'Aloisio, 17, this week sold his app to web giant Yahoo! in a multimillion-pound deal. The exact value has not been disclosed.

The teenager's creation will end in its current form and instead be integrated into Yahoo!'s products.

"Longer term this whole journey has given me an appetite for starting companies, so I'd love to do it again," he told Sky News.

Summly pulls in news articles from online sources and uses an algorithm to identify key points, turning them into 400-character bite-sized summaries which can easily be read on mobile phones.

For now though, the London teenager says he's looking forward to becoming Yahoo!'s youngest employee - part of this week's deal sees Nick join the company.

"There's so much opportunity with what they're trying to do in the mobile ecosystem and what we were doing with Summly," he said.

Nick developed the app when he was 15 and it received investment from Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka Shing's Horizons Ventures, as well as some celebrity backing.

Summly's functions will now be moved over to Yahoo! products

Stephen Fry, Yoko Ono and Ashton Kutcher all contributed to an investment of more than £1m.

"I thought of the idea after I revised for my history GCSE," said Nick. "There's so much information on the web (and) the question is can you do it algorithmically without a human."

The iPhone app launched in December 2012 and Summly worked with around 250 online publishers to make sure it worked smoothly with their content.

It has been downloaded nearly a million times.

The Wimbledon teenager said he taught himself basic programming at the age of 12 after he saw the chance to develop for the newly-released App Store.

He told Sky News that aspiring technology millionaires should stay determined if they have a concept they believe in.

"The real goal is to get it out there because if it's a great idea and you persevere it will get discovered.

"Investors are looking for new companies," says Nick.

And, despite becoming rich, he does not have any extravagant purchases planned.

"We (my family) will probably go out to dinner or something like that," he said.

"I'm getting maybe a new pair of trainers I think - I'll get something small like that as a memento."

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Cement Mixer Death: Body Exhumed In Probe

The body of a man found dead in a cement mixer 10 years ago has been exhumed as part of a new investigation into his death.

Lorry driver Lee Balkwell, 33, was found dead at a farm in South Ockendon, Essex, on July 18, 2002. His head and shoulders were lodged in a cement mixer.

At the time, Essex Police said after an investigation that the death was accidental, but last year the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which intervened after a series of complaints by Mr Balkwell's father Les, found the inquiry was "seriously flawed".

As well as the IPCC probe, West Midlands Police were asked to investigate how Mr Balkwell died, making more than 90 recommendations for further action.

Three men and two women were arrested in connection with the death in November as part of a new inquiry by the Essex and Kent serious crime directorate. They remain on police bail.

Mr Balkwell's body was exhumed by specialist officers, aided by cemetery personnel, on Monday night at Upminster Cemetery, where it was buried in September 2002.

A full examination will be carried out by a Home Office pathologist.

Afterwards, it is due to be returned for a private burial, attended only by Mr Balkwell's family and next of kin.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Janine Farrell said: "This investigation is committed to searching for the truth about what happened to Lee Balkwell in July 2002 and we have not made the decision to conduct this exhumation lightly.

"This event has obviously caused Lee Balkwell's next of kin and family further considerable distress and this whole process is being managed to minimise any further anguish as much as possible."

She said the five people arrested in November remain on police bail, and the case remains "very much an active criminal inquiry" and police "remain open to all hypotheses regarding Lee's death".

:: Anyone with any information regarding the death is urged to contact police, confidentially, on 01634 884033.

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Virgin 'To Bid For' East Coast Rail Line

The Department for Transport has invited companies to bid for the East Coast rail franchise, which is expected to be privatised in less than two years.

Virgin is expected to be among the parties interested in taking over the key line, which runs between London and Scotland, according to Sky sources.

The route has been run in the public sector since 2009 when the recession caused National Express to pull out.

Now Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has unveiled plans to put it back in private hands by February 2015.

Mr McLoughlin announced a new approach to rail franchising following last year's botched West Coast deal - which was scrapped after flaws were found in the process.

The 13-year franchise was initially awarded to FirstGroup, which won a bidding war with the incumbent company Virgin Trains.

Sir Richard Branson's Virgin will run the West Coast line until April 2017

But a string of mistakes by Department for Transport staff saw the deal cancelled and led to two independent reviews into the rail franchising process.

Virgin will continue to run the West Coast service - which it has controlled since 1997 - until the new franchise date, which has been pushed back from November next year to April 2017.

Mr McLoughlin said the new franchise process will deliver improvements to services and bring long-term certainty to the market.

"Above all, in future franchise competitions we are placing passengers in the driving seat by ensuring that their views and satisfaction levels are taken into account when deciding which companies run our railway services," he said.

"Franchising has been a force for good in the story of Britain's railways, transforming an industry that was in decline into one that today carries record numbers of passengers."

But rail unions - angry at plans to privatise the East Coast line again - stressed that the private sector had twice given up the franchise.

RMT's general secretary Bob Crow said hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money had been wasted on the "franchising circus".

"Instead of learning the lessons of the privatisation disasters on the East and West Coast main lines and across the rest of the network, the Government has this morning given the green light to a whole new wave of profiteering that will have the train companies laughing all the way to the bank," he said.

"The proposed reprivatisation of the East Coast, after the public sector rescued the service following two private failures, proves conclusively that the political class have learnt absolutely nothing when it comes to our railways."

Manuel Cortes, leader of the TSSA rail union, added: "The £50m West Coast line fiasco revealed that private franchises are a shambles.

"So they go and privatise the only successful publicly-owned franchise, the East Coast line."

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Choirmaster Michael Brewer Jailed For Abuse

By Nick Martin, News Correspondent

A choirmaster who sexually assaulted a pupil at a music school more than 30 years ago has been jailed for six years.

Michael Brewer, a former National Youth Choir music director, and his ex-wife were found guilty on five counts of indecently assaulting his student Frances Andrade more than 30 years ago.

During the trial, Ms Andrade, 48, was found dead at her home less than a week after she gave evidence against Brewer at Manchester Crown Court. She had reportedly killed herself.

The 68-year-old was convicted of sexually abusing her in his office at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester when she was aged 14 and 15.

Passing sentence, Judge Martin Rudland said: "You were, and may still be, a predatory sex offender. Of that let no-one be in any doubt.

"The extent of your breach of trust in this case cannot be overstated."

Brewer's ex-wife, Kay Brewer, 68, was also convicted of indecently assaulting Mrs Andrade, then known as Shorney, when she was an adult at their former family home. She was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

The jury returned not guilty verdicts on charges that Brewer raped Mrs Andrade when she was aged 18 and that Mrs Brewer aided and abetted the attack.

Brewer was also cleared of one charge of indecently assaulting Mrs Andrade when she was a child in his home.

The Crown Prosecution Service decided to continue with the trial and the judge ruled that news of Mrs Andrade's death should be kept from jurors until after they reached their verdicts.

Mrs Andrade was visibly agitated on occasions as she gave her evidence over two days on January 16 and 17.

She chose to take to the witness box in full view of everyone in the courtroom, including the two defendants in the dock.

The jury heard that the police investigation was sparked by National Youth Choir teacher Jenavora Williams after Mrs Andrade, her friend, told her about her time at Chetham's.

The mother-of-four, from Guildford, Surrey, who was married to acclaimed viola player Levine Andrade, was supported from the public gallery by one of her sons.

At one point she complained about Brewer smiling as she gave her evidence, but she chose to press on without drawing a curtain to block off the dock.

The judge remarked that she was "clearly undergoing a cathartic experience, whatever the source" while giving evidence.

He said she was "combative" during cross-examination by Kate Blackwell QC, representing Brewer, adding that she had taken personal issue with some of the barrister's questions, although the judge indicated that Ms Blackwell had acted professionally.

During the cross-examination, Mrs Andrade told her: "You are hugely insulting, even though it's your job."

Her son, Oliver Andrade, described his mother as "an amazing person", but appeared to criticise authorities for failing to provide more support despite two previous attempts to kill herself.

He said in a statement: "Like all people she was not impervious. Being repeatedly called a 'liar' and a 'fantasist' about a horrific part of her life in front of a court challenged her personal integrity and was more than even she could bear.

"She was forced to relive the many times Michael Brewer had sexually abused her as a child, both to the police on multiple occasions and in court to a hostile party."

Brewer went on to become the artistic director of the National Youth Choirs of Britain and has directed the World Youth Choir.

The judge told him: "The care and attention which you gave her, in so manipulative and depraved a way, were regarded by her as blessings.

"She was prepared to submit to almost anything, which clearly she did, as you pushed the boundaries further and further - treating her as your sexual plaything in the context of a false loving relationship which she readily accepted."

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Snow: RAF Helicopter Sent To Aid Families

Costs Rise As Lambs Brought Indoors

Updated: 11:46pm UK, Monday 25 March 2013

By Frazer Maude, North of England Correspondent

The Dean family have been farming in the Yorkshire Dales village of Threshfield since 1236.

Toft House Farm will have seen some harsh winters through the centuries, but weather like this in late March won't have happened too often.

Angus Dean runs the farm with his brother, and during lambing season his day starts at around 5.30am. It doesn't end until past midnight.

With almost 1,000 sheep to care for, this is one of the toughest, but most rewarding, times of year.

The rewards are plain to see. He's gentle with his animals, and still can't hide the smile on his face as he delivers triplets to one sheep in its straw lined barn.

Ordinarily though, these lambs would enter the world in a field, not a barn. Their mother would be eating fresh grass, not expensive feed (called cake).

Drifting snow, biting winds, and sub-zero temperatures, mean the three new arrivals would struggle to last even a few hours outside.

"Even in the fields which aren't totally covered in snow aren't usable at the moment," explains Mr Dean.

"Because the sheep need the shelter provided by the dry stone walls. Only there isn't any shelter, because the walls are where the drifts have collected."

That means all but 70 of the flock have been brought indoors to lamb. Those that are still outside are ewes that are only going to have a single lamb, and so won't be giving birth for another couple of weeks.

If the weather doesn't break before then, they'll be brought inside too.

"Having the sheep inside might seem easier," said Mr Dean.

"But it can lead to confusion between the sheep over whose lambs are whose. So we have to move them around into different pens to keep them separated. And of course the feed costs are massively increased."

But even though his sheep are costing much more to feed than if they were eating grass (the cake costs around £250 per tonne), at least Toft House Farm is accessible at the moment to have the feed brought in.

Others aren't so lucky. Rachael Gillbanks from the NFU says: "I've spoken to some farmers in the Dales who are worried that their feed stocks are running dangerously low, and they can't get any more delivered because the farm roads aren't accessible for the delivery trucks. Several are almost running out of cake and hay."

The good news for Angus is that this has been a good year for the lambs. The quantity and quality of the offspring from his mixed flock of Texels, Mules, Swaledales and Leicester Blues has been high, and prices at the moment are reasonably good.

But with hundreds of sheep yet to give birth, and with space in the sheep sheds at a premium, for Angus, and his neighbours, the thaw can't come soon enough.

But like all Dalesfolk, Mr Dean and his brother are nothing if not resilient. And tough though it is at the moment, a farm that could bounce back after losing the entire flock to the devastation of foot and mouth, will surely survive this

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Airfares: Heavier Passengers 'Should Pay More'

Airlines should make heavier passengers pay more for their plane tickets and lighter ones less, it has been suggested.

The controversial pay-as-you-weigh pricing scheme has been mooted by a Norwegian professor who argues that weight and space should be taken into account by airlines pricing their tickets.

Writing in this month's Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management, Dr Bharat P Bhatta has put forward three proposals.

The first would see fares directly linked to the weight of a person and their belongings, with a fixed rate for kilograms per passenger.

Under this method, a person weighing 60kg (132lb or 9st 6lb) would pay half the airfare of a 120kg (264lb or 18st 12lb) person.

Dr Bhatta's second proposal involves charging a fixed base rate, with an additional charge for heavier passengers to cover the extra costs.

Every passenger could have a different fare according to this option.

The professor's final suggestion is for passengers to have the same fare if they have an average weight, but this could be discounted for weights below a certain limit or added to for excess weight above it.

This option would result in three types of fares: high, average and low.

Dr Bhatta, of the Sogn og Fjordane University College in Norway, thinks the third option is most suitable for implementation.

"Charging according to weight and space is a universally accepted principle, not only in transportation, but also in other services," he said.

"As weight and space are far more important in aviation than other modes of transport, airlines should take this into account when pricing their tickets."

Dr Ian Yeoman, editor of the Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management, threw his weight behind the suggestion.

"For airlines, every extra kilogram means more expensive jet fuel must be burned, which leads to CO2 emissions and financial cost," he said.

"As the airline industry is fraught with financial difficulties, marginally profitable and has seen exponential growth in the last decade, maybe they should be looking to introduce scales at the check-in."

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Qatar Tankers: Ships Dock In UK Amid Fuel Crisis

A gas tanker from Qatar is arriving in Britain as the wintry weather continues to deplete reserves.

The giant tanker, called Zarga, is due to dock in Milford Haven, Wales, carrying 266,000 cubic metres of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The arrival follows the weekend docking of the Mekaines tanker - also from Qatar - at the Isle of Grain in Kent.

Together the vessels carry enough gas to power Britain for 12 hours.

A third Qatari tanker is due to arrive on Friday, while a vessel from Trinidad also set sail for Britain on Saturday.

The unseasonal cold snap has increased demand for heating and electricity and gas stocks are down to 10% of capacity.

Britain continues to shiver in the unseasonal weather

"We get our supplies from a diverse range of sources and the market is proving to be highly responsive to the UK's needs," Energy Minister John Hayes said.

He reassured Britons there would be no danger of shortages, and that the energy regulator and the National Grid were closely monitoring the situation.

"The UK's gas needs continue to be met," he said.

Concerns were raised on Thursday when it emerged that Britain had only enough stored gas to meet two days' demand.

Things got worse on Friday when one of the key European supply pipelines - from Belgium - was suddenly shut down after a component failed.

The pipeline was back in operation later on Friday afternoon, but gas doubled in price on the UK's energy markets.

The price fell back again but the incident highlighted Britain's dependence on imported gas.

National Grid has not been forced to use any of its emergency powers to cut gas to industry and redirect it to domestic consumers.

The energy consumer Ofgem said: "While gas supplies are tight at the moment and there is no room for complacency, Britain does benefit from a diverse range of gas supplies and National Grid has many tools to manage the system and to prevent householders' supplies from being disrupted."

The fuel crisis comes as it emerged that gas imported from the US will heat as many as 1.8 million UK homes from 2018.

British Gas owner Centrica said the 20-year contract, worth £10bn, would play an important role in ensuring the UK's energy security.

The first shipments, from the Sabine Pass liquefaction plant in Louisiana, are not due until September 2018.

The deal with Cheniere Energy Partners for 89 billion cubic feet of annual liquefied natural gas (LNG) volumes is the first time that the UK has entered into a formal gas import agreement with the US.

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UK Snow: Cold Snap Could Last Until Easter

Ice warnings are in place for much of Britain as the freezing cold weather conditions and snow continues to cause disruption to communities and commuters.

Power has been restored to all 1,700 homes in Cumbria - but several thousands are still without electricity in other parts and many roads still impassable.

Huge snowdrifts and abandoned vehicles are preventing energy companies from reaching some areas to restore power.

A motorist drives past snow covered trees near Dundrod in County Antrim

Helicopters are being used to get engineers to affected properties in rural and exposed part of Northern Ireland.

Drivers in snow-hit areas across the UK have been urged to postpone their journeys if possible, and the railways have also been severely affected with services delayed or cancelled.

Businesses have also suffered, while farmers - yet to recover from the disastrously sodden summer of 2012 - have said the Arctic weather has come at the worst possible time.

Blizzard conditions are claiming the lives of newborn lambs, affecting spring crops and forcing families to work all hours to try to keep stranded stock alive, according to the National Union of Farmers (NFU).

Farmer Roy Kerby feeds sheep after snowfall in Etwall, central England

And the severe weather and bitterly cold temperatures are set to continue across most parts of the country right up until the weekend, forecasters have said.

This could mean the first white Easter in five years, as the nation enters British summertime.

The Met Office has said there is a 90% chance the unseasonal cold snap will continue to keep large parts of Britain frozen for the rest of the week.

Bitterly cold easterly winds will persist in the days to come, bringing snow showers to northeast England and light snow flurries across other parts.

An abandoned car on the side of the road in the Briercliffe area of Burnley

It is a marked contrast to the warm spring weather the nation enjoyed this time last year.

On March 24, 2012, sun seekers flocked to Brighton to bask in the sunshine and 18C (64.4F) heat. In comparison, the beach was deserted on Sunday with the temperature at just 2C (35.6F).

Some reports suggest Britain could be hit with a similar heatwave towards the end of spring.

But according to Sky News Weather Producer Jo Robinson: "Spring is a changeable season, with extremes possible.

"There's no evidence to suggest that a cold snap at the end of March means there will be a heatwave in April."

A yellow warning - meaning be prepared for bad weather - is in place for north-east England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Brighton beach - this time last year compared to this weekend

But it is the ice that is causing the biggest concern, with large parts of the country being warned about the danger of black ice as commuters wrestle with journeys on foot, by car or public transport to work and back.

"Lying snow in many areas will melt on roads and pavements by day, refreezing by night to give icy patches," a Met Office spokesman said.

"Snow blowing off fields in strong to gale force winds will also affect some roads, especially over high ground."

The Department for Transport has warned motorists to take precautions and only set off from home if they have checked the latest travel conditions.

A spokesman said: "The unseasonal weather is affecting transport networks. Our staff and other transport operators are working tirelessly around the clock to keep roads open, and keep other services running."

People clearing the road to access their homes in the village of Cargan

Nearly 20,000 homes across the UK are still without power since Friday and numerous roads remain closed because of snow.

Engineers have been working to restore supplies to around 7,000 homes in Northern Ireland and 10,000 in Scotland, as well as 500 properties on the Isle of Man.

Emergency oxygen supplies had to be airlifted to an elderly man trapped by heavy snow in Northern Ireland.

Those living in remote areas there have been warned it could be days before they have electricity again, but water supply has now been restored to most of the 1,000 homes affected.

A snow covered narrow boat sits in a frozen canal in Birmingham

Sky's Mike McCarthy, in Buxton, Derbyshire, said: "What is happening is these bitterly cold easterly winds are making the snow drift over the roads, even when it has been cleared by the snow ploughs and gritters.

"We've seen a number of people struggling with the weather, some abandoned cars still, and in other parts of the country, Cumbria for example, they are saying 'don't return to your abandoned car just yet - contact the police first', because the conditions are still very severe.

A man found dead in deep snow after he started walking home in severe weather has been named by police.

The body of Gary Windle, 25, was found by a farmer in Brierfield, near Burnley, in Lancashire, at around 1.30pm on Saturday.

Police said his death was not being treated as suspicious and there were indications it was a "very tragic incident" after he started walking home from a night out with friends.

Gary Windle (left) was found dead in deep snow near Burnley

On Friday, a woman, named locally as Susan Norman, died when her house in Looe, Cornwall, collapsed during a landslip following torrential rain.

A 57-year-old hill walker, named by police as James Jack, died in the Scottish Highlands, although police said it was not clear whether his death was linked to the poor weather.

Sky News Weather Presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said the heavy snow had subsided but added: "As we head towards this Easter weekend, it's going to remain unsettled, In fact, on Good Friday, there's the risk of more widespread snow."

Bookmaker Ladbrokes has cut the odds of snow at Easter to 4/5 after taking a flurry of bets in the past 48 hours.

Forecasters have predicted it could be the coldest March in 50 years. In 1962, average temperatures for the month were 2.8C (37F).

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Prince Harry Returning To US After Vegas Scandal

Prince Harry will be returning to the US in May, but is not due to visit Las Vegas where he admits he "let himself down" when he was photographed frolicking naked with a woman.

St James's Palace said he would be representing a number of charities and the Government, with the central theme of the trip being supporting injured servicemen and women from both Britain and the US.

The photographs of the naked prince partying in 'Sin City' - which were published around the world - overshadowed the last visit.

And in January, the third-in-line to the throne admitted he was probably being "too much 'Army' and not enough 'prince'".

"At the end of the day I probably let myself down, I let my family down and let other people down, but I was in a private area and there should have been a certain amount of privacy that one should expect," he said.

In May, Harry will watch the opening ceremony of the Warrior Games, in which wounded troops compete in Paralympic-style competitions.

Prince Harry has followed his mother in anti-landmine campaigning

A British team is being formally entered in the annual event in Colorado Springs for the first time. Prince Harry has previously met troops who have taken part as individuals.

Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, Harry's private secretary, said: "Prince Harry wants to highlight once again the extraordinary commitment and sacrifice of our injured servicemen and women - our wounded warriors.

"Although a Prince, Harry is also an operational soldier - indeed he's a soldier's soldier - therefore throughout this briefing the recurring theme is to help recognise and bring a spotlight onto the work being done to help these outstanding young men and women."

Also among his engagements will be a visit to Arlington National Ceremony, where more than 400,000 fallen American troops, veterans and their families are buried, and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre.

In Washington DC, Prince Harry will attend an exhibition on Capitol Hill about landmine clearing.

Earlier this month, it was announced that he would follow in the footsteps of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, by becoming the patron of the HALO Trust, which aims to clear landmines and unexploded ordnance from war-torn countries

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Boris Berezovsky's Body Removed From Home

Boris Berezovsky: A Profile

Updated: 10:23pm UK, Saturday 23 March 2013

Boris Berezovsky was once one of Russia's most powerful kingmakers, a member of the influential group of Russian tycoons referred to as the "oligarchs".

Born in Moscow in 1946, the son of a civil engineer, he gained a doctorate in applied mathematics, before becoming one of a number of Russian businessmen who took advantage of Perestroika.

He made his money founding the car company LogoVAZ in 1989, selling local Russian cars and importing Mercedes.

As his wealth grew so too did his sphere of influence and in 1993 he entered the Kremlin's inner circle, eventually earning the nickname Rasputin, after the mystic adviser to the Romanovs.

By the mid-1990s Mr Berezovsky owned a stake in the oil company Sibneft and had a majority share in Russia's main television channel, ORT.

In 1997 Forbes estimated his wealth was $3bn.

At Davos in 1996 he joined forces with other businessmen who had flourished in the ruins of the Soviet Union and they formed a pact, known as the "Davos Pact" in which they agreed to bank roll Boris Yeltsin for his second presidential run.

Together with members of Mr Yeltsin's family, like his daughter Tatyana Yumasheva, and like-minded politicians, like Anatoly Chubais, Yegor Gaidar and Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov, they effectively ran Russia during Mr Yetsin's second term as his health faltered.

When it was clear a successor was needed, it is said that it was Mr Berezovsky who hand-picked the ex-KGB head, Vladimir Putin.

He may have made him king but Mr Putin soon made it clear that he was not to be anyone's puppet and shortly after he became President the two men fell out.

Mr Berezovsky resigned from the Duma and set himself up in opposition then left the country on business. He never returned.

In November 2000, while travelling, he was summoned for economic crimes but he did not respond and set up home in London. He was granted asylum in the UK in 2003.

Mr Berezovsky vowed that he would bring Mr Putin down, but after a series of assassination attempts, he also lived in fear for his life.

According to Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian FSB agent who was assassinated in London in 2006, a Russian agent was preparing a hit on Mr Berezovsky in September 2003.

Mr Litvinenko had also claimed in 1998 when he was an FSB agent that he himself had been ordered to kill Mr Berezovsky.

In 2007, Scotland Yard said it had foiled a plot to assassinate Mr Berezovsky in the UK. The alleged hitman, a Chechen national, was arrested in London and deported to Russia.

Mr Berezovsky also survived an assassination attempt in Russia in 1994 when a car bomb exploded, wounding him and decapitating his driver.

And as Mr Berezovsky's power faded in his self-imposed exile, so did his wealth.

According to the Sunday Times Rich List by 2011, his net worth was only about $900m (£591m).

Mr Berezovsky's stake in Sibneft eventually led to a court battle with Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich, which is estimated to have cost him £100m, and speculation about his financial well-being.

In 2012, he lost the High Court case in which he accused his fellow oligarch of breach of trust, breach of contract and claimed Mr Abramovich "intimidated" him into selling shares in Sibneft for a "mere $1.3bn" (£800m) - "a fraction of their true worth".

In July 2011 his ex-wife Galina Beshanrova, 53, won the biggest divorce settlement in history, said to be worth hundreds of millions of pounds.

Mr Berezovsky ran up further legal bills of more than £250,000 later in 2012 fighting a case against his former lover, Elena Gorbunova.

Ms Gorbunova, who had two children with Mr Berezovsky, complained that she had not been given millions promised by him.

On Wednesday, Mr Berezovsky sold Red Lenin, an Andy Warhol screen print, for £133,875 at Christie's auction house, prompting more speculation about his financial situation.

Demoralised by the Abramovich case, the Kremlin claims that Mr Berezovsky, the kingmaker, was a broken man in the days before he died.

He had written, Mr Putin's spokesman claimed, to beg forgiveness and to finally return to Russia.

He never did.

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Immigration: PM Talks Tough On Social Housing

Immigrant families will be kept off council house waiting lists for up to five years under a crackdown being unveiled by Prime Minister David Cameron.

He is to set out a tougher approach on housing and benefits in a keynote speech today - promising to tackle the culture of "something for nothing".

Councils currently have powers to impose local residency tests for social housing but ministers are frustrated that only around half do so.

Arguing that Britain became a "soft touch" for immigrants under Labour, Mr Cameron will announce that statutory guidance is being issued.

Local authorities will have to introduce minimum residency times of between two and five years for joining waiting lists - or justify why they are not.

The Prime Minister is likely to cite figures in his speech showing that nearly one in 10 new social lettings go to foreign nationals. The proportion has risen from 6.5% in 2007-08 to 9% in 2011-12.

The harder line will please the Tory right, who have blamed the lack of action in such core areas for the party's dismal third place behind UKIP in the Eastleigh by-election.

Concerns have been rising of an influx from Bulgaria and Romania when movement restrictions are loosened at the end of this year.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg performed a U-turn last week by abandoning the Liberal Democrats' controversial "earned citizenship" policy, which would allow illegal immigrants to stay once they have been in the country for more than 10 years.

He said such an amnesty now risked "undermining public confidence".

Under the new rules, ministers will take steps to ensure British nationals are protected when they move for "genuine reasons" - such as work or family breakdown - by ensuring local authorities retain the ability to set exceptions.

Such protection is already legally in force for members of the Armed Forces.

Mr Cameron is also expected to use his speech to reiterate his commitment to reduce net immigration.

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Military Honours: Code-Breaker Receives MBE

A soldier who cracked codes used by Afghan insurgents to hide deadly weapons is among those recognised in the latest military honours.

Private Lewis Treloar, a 23-year-old former builder, volunteered for the role as lead IED (improvised explosive device) searcher on his second tour of Afghanistan last summer, despite his wife expecting their second baby.

"I didn't want to witness anything bad happening to anyone else," he said.

After cracking the coded warning signs used by the Taliban, Pte Treloar, of 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, went on to find more than 40 stores of IEDs and weapons.

He said he was "shocked" to receive an MBE but added: "The real reward is seeing these weapons off the streets."

Pte Treloar is one of 118 members of the Armed Forces honoured for their bravery.

Others include Flight Lieutenant Christopher Gordon, who receives the Distinguished Flying Cross for rescuing 30 British and Afghan troops while under heavy fire.

Flt Lt Gordon said receiving his medal was "very humbling"

The 29-year-old flew his Chinook into an insurgent "safe haven" in Helmand Province, despite one of the helicopter's two engines being disabled.

He made his way back to Camp Bastion at a height of less than 20ft, creating a dust cloud that meant he "couldn't see anything".

On Friday, it emerged Lance Corporal Lawrence Kayser would receive the Military Cross after single-handedly clearing an entire compound of insurgents.

Medic Lance Corporal Abbie Martin receives the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service for treating a British soldier on the battlefield while under fire.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "In a changing world, the bravery and commitment to duty of our servicemen and women remains unswerving.

"Whether fighting for our security on operations abroad or rescuing mountaineers and sailors within the British Isles, they deserve our gratitude and respect.

"I hope that the awards ... go some way to underlining how much this country values the efforts and sacrifices of our Armed Forces."

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Gallagher And Albarn Bury Hatchet For Charity

Former rivals Noel Gallagher and Damon Albarn have put their differences aside for a good cause.

The Oasis and Blur singers performed alongside each other at The Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

As part of a series of concerts curated by Gallagher, the musicians were also joined by Blur guitarist Graham Coxon for a rendition of the band's 1999 song Tender.

Paul Weller also joined the star-studded line-up playing the drums for the hit.

Albarn, Gallagher and Coxon pose for pictures backstage

Fans took to Twitter to praise the stars.

User @areminder wrote: "Noel Gallagher playing Tender with Damon Albarn & Graham Coxon (& Paul Weller) is blowing my 16 year old mind."

Photographer Yui Mok, who was there to record the moment, described how the collaboration began.

He said: "To the initial chords of Blur song Tender, it seemed like everyone was on their feet and you could feel the temperature in the room rise several notches.

"It was one of those moments that are quite few and far between these days,a genuine bit of musical history."

The pair shared a microphone for two lines of a chorus, exchanging wide smiles as they sang the song, the last of Albarn and Coxon's set of the night.

Fan Catherine Morgan said of the performance: "It was electric. Who would have thought you would have seen Damon, Graham and Noel singing Tender, and with Paul Weller. on drums!

"It sounded great, true rock and roll, and for a great cause."

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Berezovsky Death: Police Give Home 'All Clear'

Boris Berezovsky: A Profile

Updated: 10:23pm UK, Saturday 23 March 2013

Boris Berezovsky was once one of Russia's most powerful kingmakers, a member of the influential group of Russian tycoons referred to as the "oligarchs".

Born in Moscow in 1946, the son of a civil engineer, he gained a doctorate in applied mathematics, before becoming one of a number of Russian businessmen who took advantage of Perestroika.

He made his money founding the car company LogoVAZ in 1989, selling local Russian cars and importing Mercedes.

As his wealth grew so too did his sphere of influence and in 1993 he entered the Kremlin's inner circle, eventually earning the nickname Rasputin, after the mystic adviser to the Romanovs.

By the mid-1990s Mr Berezovsky owned a stake in the oil company Sibneft and had a majority share in Russia's main television channel, ORT.

In 1997 Forbes estimated his wealth was $3bn.

At Davos in 1996 he joined forces with other businessmen who had flourished in the ruins of the Soviet Union and they formed a pact, known as the "Davos Pact" in which they agreed to bank roll Boris Yeltsin for his second presidential run.

Together with members of Mr Yeltsin's family, like his daughter Tatyana Yumasheva, and like-minded politicians, like Anatoly Chubais, Yegor Gaidar and Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov, they effectively ran Russia during Mr Yetsin's second term as his health faltered.

When it was clear a successor was needed, it is said that it was Mr Berezovsky who hand-picked the ex-KGB head, Vladimir Putin.

He may have made him king but Mr Putin soon made it clear that he was not to be anyone's puppet and shortly after he became President the two men fell out.

Mr Berezovsky resigned from the Duma and set himself up in opposition then left the country on business. He never returned.

In November 2000, while travelling, he was summoned for economic crimes but he did not respond and set up home in London. He was granted asylum in the UK in 2003.

Mr Berezovsky vowed that he would bring Mr Putin down, but after a series of assassination attempts, he also lived in fear for his life.

According to Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian FSB agent who was assassinated in London in 2006, a Russian agent was preparing a hit on Mr Berezovsky in September 2003.

Mr Litvinenko had also claimed in 1998 when he was an FSB agent that he himself had been ordered to kill Mr Berezovsky.

In 2007, Scotland Yard said it had foiled a plot to assassinate Mr Berezovsky in the UK. The alleged hitman, a Chechen national, was arrested in London and deported to Russia.

Mr Berezovsky also survived an assassination attempt in Russia in 1994 when a car bomb exploded, wounding him and decapitating his driver.

And as Mr Berezovsky's power faded in his self-imposed exile, so did his wealth.

According to the Sunday Times Rich List by 2011, his net worth was only about $900m (£591m).

Mr Berezovsky's stake in Sibneft eventually led to a court battle with Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich, which is estimated to have cost him £100m, and speculation about his financial well-being.

In 2012, he lost the High Court case in which he accused his fellow oligarch of breach of trust, breach of contract and claimed Mr Abramovich "intimidated" him into selling shares in Sibneft for a "mere $1.3bn" (£800m) - "a fraction of their true worth".

In July 2011 his ex-wife Galina Beshanrova, 53, won the biggest divorce settlement in history, said to be worth hundreds of millions of pounds.

Mr Berezovsky ran up further legal bills of more than £250,000 later in 2012 fighting a case against his former lover, Elena Gorbunova.

Ms Gorbunova, who had two children with Mr Berezovsky, complained that she had not been given millions promised by him.

On Wednesday, Mr Berezovsky sold Red Lenin, an Andy Warhol screen print, for £133,875 at Christie's auction house, prompting more speculation about his financial situation.

Demoralised by the Abramovich case, the Kremlin claims that Mr Berezovsky, the kingmaker, was a broken man in the days before he died.

He had written, Mr Putin's spokesman claimed, to beg forgiveness and to finally return to Russia.

He never did.

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