NHS 111: Patient Deaths Under Investigation

The deaths of three people are under investigation in connection with the NHS 111 non-emergency phone line, according to a report.

The general practitioners trade magazine Pulse reported that at least 22 possible "serious untoward incidents" (or SUIs) related to NHS 111 have been reported since the launch of the service.

Those incidents included three where a patient died, the magazine has claimed.

Two of the deaths occurred in the East Midlands, and one in the West Midlands.

The deaths reportedly include the case of a 47-year-old who died from a suspected overdose.

That death occurred after relatives contacted NHS 111 requesting mental health assistance, Pulse reported. 

A further 19 possible SUIs have been recorded by providers or commissioners, the magazine added.

Rolled out across most of the country last month, the NHS 111 service is for people urgently seeking medical help or advice but who are not in a life-threatening situation.

The service was introduced to replace NHS Direct in England and is meant to ease pressure on emergency 999 call centres.

NHS England said it could not verify the data reported in Pulse, however it issued a statement in response to the magazine's report.

"The safety of patients must be our paramount concern and NHS England will keep a careful eye on the situation to ensure NHS 111 provides not only a good service to the public, but one which is also safe," the statement read.

Earlier this week, NHS England announced a review of the 111 service.

A spokesman said: "The performance standards which have been introduced for NHS 111 represent a gold standard which the majority of NHS 111 services in England are now meeting, though in some areas performance is still unacceptable, especially at weekends.

"Some local providers of NHS 111 have not provided the prompt, reliable service the public need and want.

"NHS England's board is determined to ensure that the public have access to a gold standard NHS 111 service wherever they live in England."

But Clare Gerada, chairwoman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, raised concerns about the free-to-call advice line.

"It is extremely worrying that there is still so much uncertainty around the delivery and reliability of the advice provided by NHS 111 in some areas.

"We are also concerned that patients are losing confidence in the new service before it is even fully up and running.

"We call on NHS England to provide more reassurance about its effectiveness and ability to deliver the necessary standards of care for all patients using the service, right across England."

Mrs Pooja Virk from Hornchurch, Essex, contacted Sky News after her nephew was taken ill recently. His ears ached, he had a high temperature and was feeling breathless.

She said: "I called my doctors and got the answer message to call 111.

"I explained his symptoms and the lady on the other end said 'oh take him to the chemist, not life threatening symptoms'."

When she got to the pharmacy she says the pharmacist laughed at the advice she had been given and said he needed to get urgent medical help.

Mrs Virk took him to a local hospital. She said: "They checked him straight away and said you are so lucky you brought him in on time he is suffering from an asthma attack.

"If you had left it any longer you would have been rushing in an ambulance with him!"

She added: "Soon there is going to be a very bad public clash with the NHS if it's not sorted."

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Smartphones: Debit Cards Of The Future?

By Liz Lane, Sky News Reporter

Smartphones could soon become an even greater part of our lives as networks join forces to let us pay for high street goods with our mobiles.

The battle to dominate the market for "virtual wallets" is heating up, but with it come concerns about how thieves and fraudsters could take advantage.

Britain's big-three mobile networks - EE, Vodafone and O2 - are creating an opt-in service that will allow all bank, credit and loyalty card details to be stored on a phone SIM.

The customer will be able to swipe it on a card reader in a shop and instantly pay for goods.

David Sear, chief executive of Weve, the company managing the project, said: "You'll be able to pick up your goods from the counter - your sandwich or whatever it might be, on a small transaction - and simply swipe your phone, rather than having to get your card out of your wallet."

He is hoping to get retailers to sign up later this year, with the promise of advertising opportunities.

Stores will be able to send special offer alerts to customers' phones as they walk past in an effort to tempt them in.

Google, Barclays, Mastercard and Paypal have all come up with their own versions of the virtual wallet, but they have not caught on in the UK.

The contactless payment market as a whole has yet to take off, with only 6% of people in the UK having made such a transaction with a credit or debit card.

Bryan Glick, editor of Computer Weekly Magazine, describes it as a chicken and egg situation.

He said: "Retailers aren't going to offer this as a means of paying unless they know they're going to use it, but people aren't going to use it unless they know there are a lot of retailers they can use it at."

As for security, the new system will have a limit on how much can be spent on a phone without entering a Pin code.

However, cyber security expert Jason Hart said he would take further precautions before using it - including having his smartphone, and the payment system itself, password-protected.

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Philip Hammond Unsure About F-35 Order

By David Bowden, Defence Correspondent

British operational military pilots have begun flying what is being touted as the world's most advanced stealth fighter jet, the F-35.

But even as they take to the skies, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has given the clearest indication yet that the UK may not now buy all the jets it had planned. 

Speaking exclusively to Sky News, Mr Hammond pledged that the first 48 aircraft on order at a cost of around £100m each would be bought to service the new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers from 2020.

But he would not commit to a further 90 planes, which had originally been proposed.

He said: "It's dependent on politics, money and the state of the world, but it's also dependent on what is not yet clearly known, what the mix between manned fighter jets and unmanned aircraft is going to be."

Mr Hammond said there were two trains of thought, one suggesting an 80/20 split of manned to unmanned aircraft in future, the other suggesting the exact opposite.

He said the final decision would determine how many manned F-35s the UK could buy.

The Defence Secretary interrupted a visit to Washington to meet his recently-appointed US counterpart Chuck Hagel and fly to the Naval Air Station at Patuxent River in Maryland where the F-35, or the Lightning II as it will be known in Britain, is being tested.

Philip Hammond inspected the F-35 after meeting US counterpart Chuck Hagel

Mr Hammond looked on as former Harrier pilot Pete "Wizzer" Wilson, who now works for defence contractor BAE Systems, which is part of the project team for the F-35, demonstrated the 'B' variant of the aircraft, which is capable of a short take-off and vertical landing.

In Florida, at Eglin Air Force Base in the northwest of the state, the first UK military operational pilots began flying the F-35B just six weeks ago.

There are only two of them - Lt Commander Ian "Tidders" Tidball from the Royal Navy and Squadron Leader Frankie Buchler from the RAF.

Both have vast experience on other types of fast jets - Lt Cdr Tidball on Sea Harriers and F-18s, Sqn Ldr Bulcher on the Jaguar and latterly Typhoon aircraft.

After frustrating delays due to problems with the test aircraft and then the weather, both British pilots are now qualified to fly the F-35.

Lt Cdr Tidball told me after his qualifying flight: "Having come back from the Harrier and F-18, the aircraft handles absolutely exceptionally, very responsive even in these bumpy conditions."

Sqn Ldr Buchler is also a fan of the new jet, parts of which are still classified and Sky News was not allowed to film.

He said: "It's awesome, a boyhood dream. I've always wanted to fly the best fast jets in the world and here we are with a fantastic platform and I'm lucky enough to be one of the first guys from the UK flying it.

The F-35B after its first landing on an Atlantic Ocean aircraft carrier

"It's better than working for a living."

The British pilots fly two of the three UK jets so far delivered. But it will be another five years before the first squadron, based at RAF Marham, is set up on UK soil.

In the meantime, 17 Squadron will be the first UK unit to fly the F-35B out of Edwards Air Force base in California from next year.

The F-35 programme comprises three variants in all.

The A model is the "base" model and will be flown predominantly by the US Air Force, the B variant, which the UK is buying, will also be flown by the US Marine Corps, while the C or carrier variant, is adapted with "cat and trap" equipment to fly on and off American aircraft carriers.

The bulk of the projected orders will come from the US - close to 2,500 planes - with the UK originally due to buy 138 in total and the other "partner" nations, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Australia, Denmark and Norway, due to buy about 500 between them.

The projections from Lockheed Martin, the lead contractor, suggest that including sales to other "coalition" countries there will be 3,922 F-35s sold during its planned 30-year production run.

That's good news for the UK economy too, because 15% by value of each sale comes to these shores, largely through the contribution of BAE Systems in Lancashire, where much of the tail of every F-35 is manufactured.

The biggest danger to the programme at the moment is the immense cost, estimated at £2.5bn so far, given that defence budgets across the world - particularly in the West - are being slashed.

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David Cameron Told To 'Reconnect With Voters'

The Conservatives must "break the impression of being privileged and out of touch" if they are to stand a chance of winning the next general election, former leadership contender David Davis has warned.

Speaking after the party suffered heavy losses to the UK Independence Party in the local council elections, the MP for Haltemprice and Howden said David Cameron should stop surrounding himself with fellow Old Etonians and show he understood the concerns of ordinary people.

With the Tories losing 340 councillors and the control of 10 councils, some Tory right-wingers have called on the Prime Minister to firm up his commitment to holding a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union to counter the appeal of UKIP.

However, Mr Davis said the priority for Mr Cameron - who recently appointed Old Etonian Jo Johnson to head the No 10 policy unit - was to reconnect with voters who thought the Conservatives lived in a different world to them.

Local county council election results

"The fact is that if we want to win the next election, we have to break this impression of being privileged and out of touch," he said in an article for The Daily Telegraph.

"The British public are neither snobs nor inverted snobs, but they do expect the Government to understand their problems and do something about it.

"That means more straight talking and fewer focus groups; more conventional Tory policies, not because they are Tory, but because they work; less pandering to metropolitan interest groups; and please, please, no more Old Etonian advisers."

Home Secretary Theresa May, who has been touted as a possible future Tory leader, refused to be drawn on the argument, and insisted the party was focused on "bringing people back to voting Conservative".

She told Sky News: "The Government has shown that it understands some of the problems that hard-working people are facing - the efforts we've taken to helping local councils freeze their council tax, hold down fuel duties, two million people have been taken out of paying income tax, and an income tax cut for 24 million people.

David Davis (L) lost the contest to become Tory leader to David Cameron (R)

"There are other areas we know the task is a sizeable one - controlling welfare and immigration. We are already on the right track in dealing with these issues."

She added: "What we will be doing over the next couple of years is working hard to bring people back to voting Conservative - showing them what we are doing in those areas ... and how the choice in the next election will be Conservatives who will control welfare and immigration and deal with the deficit, and the same old Labour Party who will just ask for more spending, more borrowing, more debt."

Former Tory councillor Rory Love, who contested the Folkestone South seat and finished second with 989 votes behind UKIP's Robert Neaves who polled 1,006 votes, dismissed the row as "nonsense".

"This isn't about Old Etonians, about public schools ... if you want to get into that sort of nonsense, Nigel Farage, I understand is a public schoolboy.

"The issue is about the policies, about how we can better demonstrate to the public that what we are doing is the very thing ... they asked us to do ... and that is to look again at our relationship with the European Union, the effects of mass immigration from eastern Europe ... and that's what we need to concentrate on."

UKIP's gains of 131 councillors in the council elections were dubbed a "game changer" by leader Nigel Farage.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the elections marked a 'game-changer'

While Labour made gains - picking up 268 councillors and taking control of two councils - analysts said they fell short of the numbers needed to show that Ed Miliband was on course for Downing Street.

For the Liberal Democrats it was another grim set of results with the loss of 110 councillors while crashing to a humiliating seventh place in the South Shields parliamentary by-election, just ahead of the Monster Raving Loony Party.

Mr Cameron pledged to work really hard to win back voters who abandoned the Conservatives for the UKIP, promising action to turn round the economy, cut immigration and sort out the welfare system.

Having previously derided UKIP as "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists", the Prime Minister adopted a softer approach, promising to show "respect" for those who voted for them.

Mr Miliband insisted that Labour had made "good gains" but acknowledged there was "more work to do".

"These elections show many people have lost trust in David Cameron's ability to change Britain. But our task is to win the trust of the people we haven't yet persuaded that Labour can make the difference," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the Lib Dems' poor showing reflected their journey from "a party of protest to a party of government".

"I have always said it is understandable why it is that people might be attracted to the simple answers that the UK Independence Party is offering to deal with this country's complex problems," he said.

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Bournemouth Hospital Recalls Breast Patients

Around 250 women have been recalled for further breast cancer screening after concerns were raised about assessments carried out by a junior doctor.

The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has invited around 250 patients who attended its breast clinic between January 2011 and July 2012 to come for a further examination.

They were initially told they did not require a follow-up appointment .

The hospital said in a statement: "This is because the consultants who run the breast clinic have recently raised concerns regarding a junior doctor, who is no longer working in the trust, and the way in which an initial assessment of some patients may have been carried out.

"We have no evidence of any harm to the patients seen by this junior doctor.

"However, as a precaution, we are bringing some patients back for an assessment by a consultant."

Tony Skene, consultant breast surgeon, said: "The vast majority of patients who have attended the breast clinic at Bournemouth during this time remain unaffected.

"We do however realise that for those patients that we do recall this may lead to additional anxiety and we apologise for the distress that this may cause."

He added that patients would be offered a prompt appointment and access to a support telephone line in the interim.

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Prison Van Escape: £10k Reward Offered

By Nick Martin, North Of England Correspondent

Police are offering a £10,000 reward for any information leading to the capture of two fugitives who escaped from an ambushed prison van.

Ryan McDonald, 20, and Stevie McMullen, 31, have been on the run since Tuesday when the vehicle in which they being taken to court in Manchester was intercepted.

Three men wearing dark clothing and balaclavas stopped the GEOAmey prison van in Salford just after 9am.

Police said a dark-green Saab car was driven in front of the van and the men got out all brandishing weapons, including an axe, a sawn-off shotgun and a handgun.

The side windows of the van were smashed and the driver was forced out of the vehicle.

He was then ordered to open the back of the white van and two of the cell compartments, which contained McMullen and McDonald.

All five are then thought to have fled in the Saab car which did a u-turn and was driven about half a mile to a motorway intersection approach road and abandoned.

The men are then believed to have run into a nearby estate before at least one of them leapt on to a motorbike that was later found abandoned.

McDonald had been on his way to court where he was due to be sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery.

McMullen was on trial having been charged with conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to commit arson and other serious offences.

Police warned the public that the men were dangerous and not to approach either of them.

Chief Superintendent Kevin Mulligan, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "The investigation to recapture these fugitives is progressing well and we have been following up a number of leads.

"This work will continue until the moment all those involved are returned to their prison cells.

"However, we are now offering a large sum of money to anyone with information that leads to their arrests.

"I need to once again reiterate the potential danger posed by all these men - the public should not approach either man and if anyone knows where they are or saw these men escaping I would urge them to contact police immediately."

The van was attacked on Regent Road, Salford near to its junction with Gloucester Street. The Saab had pulled out of Gloucester Street when it stopped the van.

When the gang fled in the Saab, registration C19 JCA, it went along Regent Road to a point near to the M602 roundabout, where it was abandoned.

The five men ran south towards Phoebe Street and into the Ordsall estate, Salford.

Moments later the motorbike was seen at high speed near to West Crown Avenue, Ordsall, with the driver dressed all in black, with a white helmet and the pillion passenger described as a white man, wearing a red top and no helmet.

Shortly after 10am, a black Yamaha 1000cc motorbike, registration R1 GNE, was found abandoned on Thurlow Street, between the M602 and Salford Quays.

The prison van was travelling from HMP Altcourse, near Liverpool, to Manchester Crown Square.

A 28-year-old woman and 24-year-old man have been detained at a house on the Ordsall estate in connection with the incident on suspicion of being involved in assisting an offender.

They have been released on bail pending further inquiries until June 26, 2013.

They remain in police custody for questioning.

Police also appealed for anyone who had seen any of the vehicles, particularly the Saab, before, during or after the attack, to get in touch.

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Gatwick Cocaine: Men Aged 82 And 62 Charged

Two men aged 62 and 82 have been charged with attempting to smuggle cocaine into the UK via Gatwick Airport.

British nationals Calvin Campbell, 62, of Gloucester Road in Tottenham, and Donald Garwood, 82, of Circular Road in Tottenham, were arrested by Border Force officers at the airport's south terminal at around 10.30am on Thursday.

They had arrived on a flight from Montego Bay, Jamaica, and between them are suspected of trying to smuggle an estimated 2kg of cocaine, with a potential street value of around £200,000.

The pair, who remain in Border Force custody, were charged with attempting to import a class A drug and are expected to appear before Uxbridge Magistrates.

"Border Force officers at Gatwick are on constant alert to prevent illegal drugs and other contraband reaching the UK," said Border Force South Region deputy director David Holt.

"Drug trafficking is a serious offence and those convicted face long prison sentences."

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Derby: Man Found Dead In Chimney Named

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

Police have identified the body of a man found earlier this week inside the chimney of a law firm in Derby.

Kevin Gough, of no fixed abode, was found at Moody & Woolley Solicitors in St Mary's Gate around noon on May 1 after staff were alerted by the smell.

The area was cordoned off while the 42-year-old's body was removed.

Julie Marson, senior partner at Moody & Woolley, told Sky News: "About a week ago there was a smell, but on Monday flies started to appear and we had the chimney investigated."

Staff at the solicitors reported a bad smell before the body was found

Ms Marson said staff at the firm, which employs around 30 people, were shocked by the discovery and believed it was possible Mr Gough had been inside the chimney for several weeks.

She added: "We know that someone had made a concerted effort to get into the building, partially dismantling the chimney to use the brickwork to try to force through the roof.

"Actually our builder went up and saw there was a big gaping hole. He tried to make an entry into the loft and the smell hit him.

"We all thought there was probably a dead cat or a pigeon or something in there, but unfortunately it wasn't.

"Most of us are mothers here, we understand somebody is going to have some dreadful news and we all feel it is just such a tragedy because there is nothing in the building worth stealing."

She explained that all the fireplaces in the building have been filled in.

Police are treating the death as unexplained and are preparing a file for the coroner.

A spokeswoman for Derbyshire Police said: "We're leaving it to the coroner to decide what he was doing in the chimney."

A post-mortem on the body, which was in a state of advanced decomposition, proved inconclusive. Further tests will be carried out.

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Man Acquitted Of British Soldiers' Murder

A man has been acquitted at Belfast Crown Court of murdering two British soldiers outside an Army barracks in Northern Ireland.

Brian Shivers, 47, had denied all involvement in a gun attack outside Massereene barracks in Antrim in which sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, and Patrick Azimkar, 21, died.

The two soldiers, from 38 Engineer Regiment, were shot by two masked gunmen as they collected pizzas outside the gates of the barracks on March 7, 2009.

They were just hours from deploying to Afghanistan and were already dressed in their desert fatigues.

Two other soldiers and two pizza delivery men were seriously injured in the shooting.

Prosecutors claimed that DNA evidence found on matchsticks and a mobile phone in and around the abandoned, partially burnt-out getaway vehicle used during the attack belonged to Mr Shivers.

But the defence insisted that the genetic traces did not prove he was involved on the night of the shootings.

Mr Shivers was acquitted of two counts of murder, six counts of attempted murder, one of possession of firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life and one of assisting offenders at Belfast Crown Court.

Judge Mr Justice Deeny said prosecution claims that Mr Shivers had played a key role in helping the gunmen get away and burn the attack vehicle were not convincing.

He also questioned why the attackers would choose a cystic fibrosis sufferer, who was also engaged to a Protestant woman, as an associate.

"He was an unlikely associate for this hardened gang to rely on," he said.

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April Jones: CCTV Of Bridger Car 'With Her Inside'

CCTV footage has been released showing Mark Bridger's car and what is thought to be April Jones inside the vehicle on the day she vanished.

It comes as the jury in Bridger's trial for murder heard of the frantic moments when April's parents learned their five-year-old daughter was missing.

The police statements of Coral and Paul Jones were read to the court by prosecutor Elwen Evans QC, who outlined the family's day on October 1 last year.

After April was collected from school, she was taken by her mother for a swimming lesson before they returned home for a tea of spaghetti on toast.

April watched a Disney film and then asked to go out and play on her bike with a friend, her mother said.

Mrs Jones, 43, said: "Paul and I said no, she wanted to take her bike to her friend's next door. She kept on and on and had a little tantrum and I eventually gave in so she went next door to play.

"I told her I didn't want her out for long. I think it was about 7pm and that was the last time I saw her."

Twenty minutes later, Mrs Jones sent April's older brother out to collect his sister as "it was getting dark and a little colder".

April Jones went missing on October 1 last year

"Within a very short time he came running home and he was in a hysterical state.

"When I calmed him down he said that April's friend had seen her getting into a car with a man and that she had gone.

"I immediately went over and asked April's friend what she had seen. I was told that April had got into a car with a man and he had driven off."

Mrs Jones's called the police straight away. She said: "I went out and searched around the estate, everywhere I could think of. I even looked in the bins."

The jury was also shown other CCTV images of the five-year-old before she went missing.

And video said to show her alleged killer's movements in the hours before and after her disappearance was also played in court.

A CCTV camera picked up April, in a white top, and a friend, in a blue top, in the foyer of a leisure centre in Machynlleth, mid-Wales. April had gone there for a swim.

Mark Bridger denies abducting and murdering April Jones

Another sequence shows April and her sister leaving a cafe at the complex and then going towards the changing rooms.

April and her sister are later seen leaving the changing rooms.

They are then pictured departing the centre with April's mother Coral and the youngster's friend at 5.40pm, a few hours before she vanished.

Other CCTV footage apparently showed Bridger's vehicle moving through Machynlleth at 7.20pm, minutes before April disappeared from a nearby estate.

Footage allegedly also showed Bridger the morning after April went missing, walking from the Dyfi bridge direction to Machynlleth.

He is apparently shown getting on to bus, then walking his dog near his home around mid-morning.

CCTV was also said to show Bridger buying alcohol in a supermarket the night before she went missing.

He was then allegedly viewed on CCTV the following morning on October 1, arriving in his Land Rover at the council offices in Machynlleth and then going into the building.

More cameras then allegedly show Bridger's vehicle travelling through Machynlleth.

Bridger, 47, denies abducting and murdering April. The trial at Mold Crown Court in North Wales continues.

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British Poker Player Jailed For Wife's Murder

A British professional poker player has been jailed for 20 years for killing his wife in America in the "heat of passion".

Marcus Bebb-Jones had denied killing his wife Sabrina in 1997, but pleaded guilty earlier this year under an agreement that meant he avoided a trial on a first-degree murder charge.

The couple were running the Melrose Hotel in Grand Junction, Colorado, when Mrs Bebb-Jones disappeared in September 1997.

Her skull was found in 2004 in a national park near Douglas Pass in north-west Colorado.

Bebb-Jones was arrested at his home in Kidderminster in Worcestershire in 2009 amid accusations he went on to spend thousands of dollars on her credit cards before botching a suicide bid.

The 49-year-old lost his appeal against extradition to the US in 2011 and was due to stand trial.

He pleaded guilty at a hearing in the 9th Judicial District Court in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, in February.

District Attorney Sherry Caloia said he made a plea bargain, admitting murder in the second degree, in exchange for a sentence of no more than 20 years.

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Stuart Hall Admits Sex Assaults On Children

Veteran BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall has admitted indecently assaulting 13 girls as young as nine years old.

The Crown Prosecution Service said he was an "opportunistic predator" and almost all the victims provided "strikingly similar accounts".

The CPS also said the victims, among them a 10-year-old and an 11-year-old, did not know each other and Hall's pattern of behaviour was "unlawful".

Hall, 83, admitted 14 charges of indecent assault and the offences took place between 1967 and 1985.

The former It's A Knockout presenter, who was also a regular football match summariser on Radio 5 Live, had previously denied any wrongdoing, telling reporters the claims were "pernicious, callous, cruel and above all spurious".

He said he had endured "a living nightmare" and but for his "very loving family" may have considered taking his own life.

He entered the guilty pleas last month at Preston Crown Court. However, they can only be revealed now after reporting restrictions were lifted.

Hall was surrounded by a media scrum outside court

In court, Hall calmly and repeatedly answered "guilty" when the charges were put to him at the hearing on April 16.

He admitted touching and kissing 13 young victims over nearly two decades, many were daughters of friends.

The Recorder of Preston, Judge Anthony Russell QC, told him he would be required to sign the Sex Offenders Register.

Hall was granted bail until his sentencing date on June 17 and the judge told him all sentencing options remain open including immediate custody.

Hall told reporters he had a "terrible cold"

Hall's barrister, Crispin Aylett QC, said: "The defendant is, of course, sorry for what he has done. Through me he wishes to apologise to his victims.

"He is not a man easily moved to self pity but he is only too aware his disgrace is complete."

Hall was told he must live and sleep at his Wilmslow home in Cheshire and have no unsupervised contact with girls under 18.

Hall did not comment on the case as he left court accompanied by his legal team, saying only to waiting reporters that he had a "terrible cold".

He was surrounded by a media scrum as he was led into a waiting car.

Outside court, Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for the North West, said: "We prosecuted Stuart Hall because the evidence of the victims clearly established a pattern of behaviour that was unlawful and for which no innocent explanation could be offered.

Sentencing is due to take place on April 16

"His victims did not know each other and almost two decades separated the first and last assaults but almost all of the victims, including one who was only nine at the time of the assault, provided strikingly similar accounts.

"Whether in public or private, Hall would first approach under friendly pretences and then bide his time until the victim was isolated. He can only be described as an opportunistic predator."

Hall was facing 18 charges. A court order was lifted so that the pleas could be reported.

It was to avoid prejudicing a possible future trial on a count of rape and three separate counts of indecent assault which Hall had denied last month.

Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, said the Crown was satisfied the rape count could lie on file after it was given consideration at "the most senior level" of the CPS. The three other counts were merged with a charge Hall had admitted.

The BBC said it would not be featuring Hall again in its programmes. In a statement, the corporation said: "In light of today's events, Stuart Hall will no longer be contracted by the BBC."

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Interest-Only Borrowers Face 'Wake-Up Call'

Up to half of homeowners with interest-only mortages do not have enough money to pay back the loans, according to the new City watchdog.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) fears consumers are under-estimating the scale of the problem and is urging them to "act now".

Interest-only mortgages allow borrowers to pay off the capital only when the mortgage term ends, enabling them to maximise their borrowing capacity.

13% of borrowers were unaware they needed an interest-only repayment plan

They have become much harder to obtain since the credit crunch, with most banks now demanding borrowers have the equivalent sum tied up in stocks, savings or another property.

But the FCA believes around 260,000 people still on the deals have no repayment strategy.

Borrowers surveyed as part of the FCA's research thought their shortfall would be around £22,100 on average but the regulator's estimates suggest around half would exceed £50,000.

Some could end up having to sell their home to pay the money back if they do not take control.

FCA chief executive Martin Wheatley said: "By acting now we are aiming to nip this problem in the bud.

"Mortgage lenders have volunteered to contact their most at-risk customers with a 'wake-up call' to highlight the report's findings and what they need to do without delay."

He added: "My advice to borrowers is to not bury your head in the sand - take action now."

Mortgage lenders will contact homeowners considered most at risk

Around 2.6million interest-only mortgages are due for repayment over the next 30 years but research reveals one in 10 have no plan for paying the money back.

The FCA report said it was not clear how well some borrowers understood the discussions about how the mortgage was meant to be repaid when they took the deal out.

Some 13% of interest-only borrowers said they did not know they needed a plan to repay the whole amount borrowed, not just the interest - and a further 6% were unsure.

However, those unaware of the need for a repayment strategy were more likely to have signed up longer ago, the report found.

Just one in 40 people (2.5%) who said they were unaware still has no repayment plan in place. 

Campaigners are also calling for more work to make sure borrowers were not mis-sold deals.

Richard Lloyd, executive director of consumer group Which?, said: "We're worried that a significant proportion of consumers say they did not know they needed a separate repayment plan on their interest-only mortgage."

The FCA said it is concentrating its efforts on making sure that the people whose interest-only mortgages are maturing will have a way of paying their loan back.

It is thought that despite the report's findings, there are no particular jumps in mortgage complaints figures to suggest that the way that interest-only mortgages were sold was a widespread problem.

A Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) spokesman said that the body's focus will be on helping those who still have no strategy in place for repaying their mortgage.

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Corrie Actor Bill Roache Denies Rape Claims

Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has "strenuously" denied allegations that he raped a teenager in the 1960s.

The 81-year-old, who has played Ken Barlow in the ITV soap since its launch, said he was "astounded and deeply horrified" by the claims.

He has been charged with two counts of rape of a 15-year-old girl in 1967.

Responding to the accusations this afternoon, he said in a written statement: "I am astounded and deeply horrified by the extraordinary events of the last 24 hours.

"I strenuously deny the allegations and will now focus my full attention on fighting to preserve my innocence in the challenging times ahead.

"I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all those people who have offered me their support and good wishes at this difficult time," the celebrity added.

Roache was arrested by Lancashire Police at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, on Wednesday.

He was charged with the offences some 12 hours later and arrived back at his address last night.

There was a large media presence outside his home on Thursday, but no sign of the actor.

ITV said in a statement that Roache - the world's longest-serving soap actor - will not be appearing in Coronation Street until legal proceedings have concluded.

Roache collected an award from Guinness World Records in 2010 for his long service in Coronation Street, having joined in 1960 and appeared regularly ever since.

He will appear at Preston Magistrates' Court on May 14.

More follows...

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April Jones Jury Visits Mark Bridger's House

Jurors have been shown inside the home of the man accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones.

Prosecutors say the schoolgirl's blood was found on a washing machine at Mark Bridger's house in Ceinws, around five miles from where she went missing.

Bone fragments thought to be from a human skull were also found in the isolated cottage.

Legal teams, the judge and a court usher accompanied the jury for the visit to Machynlleth, where pink ribbons put up on lamp posts, trees and gateposts to mark her disappearance are still visible.

Their visit began at Machynlleth Primary School where April was a pupil.

Her mum and dad attended a parents' evening at the school just hours before her disappearance on October 1.

April was last seen riding her bike close to her home in Machynlleth

The jury also visited the Bryn-y-Gog estate where April was playing when she vanished.

Sky News correspondent Tom Parmenter said they carried clipboards as they were shown around.

Police officers were dotted around the estate to ensure they could focus on their work, he said.

After visiting the clock tower in the centre of Machynlleth, jurors travelled to Bridger's house.

On the second day of his trial at Mold Crown Court, they were told traces of April's DNA were found on a wood-burning stove, under a carpet and in the grouting of tiles.

Prosecutors said there was a "one in a billion" chance the DNA was not April's.

They also claimed the house was "uncomfortably hot" and smelled strongly of detergent.

Bridger, 47, denies abducting and murdering April, and unlawfully disposing of and concealing her body - which has never been found - with intent to pervert the course of justice.

The trial continues.

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Charity: 'Scammers Have Never Had It So Good'

Con artists in the UK are thriving during the recession by coming up with new ways to profit from the financial misery of others, Citizens Advice has warned.

The charity said 22,000 scams were reported to it in England and Wales in the last 12 months.

Financial desperation is making people more vulnerable to scams that offer loans or employment opportunities, it added.

"Opportunistic con artists are targeting people who have fallen on hard times with offers of phoney jobs, training and debt scams," Citizens Advice said in a statement.

Typical scams include persuading victims to pay upfront fees to qualify for non-existent loans or to reserve places on fictitious professional training courses, the charity said.

Citizens Advice CEO Gillian Guy said: "Scammers have never had it so good.

"For most people the recession has been really tough but it's a different story for rogues and tricksters as they've cashed-in on other people's misfortune.

"We're seeing people who have been dealt a double-blow by losing their job and then losing money while trying to find a new one."

Citizens Advice will run a campaign throughout May to raise awareness of potential scams.

Leon Livermore, from the Trading Standards Institute, said: "Trading standards officers see first hand the impact these unscrupulous fraudsters are having on often the most vulnerable in our communities. We are working hard with other authorities to stop them."

Citizens Advice said it was worried con artists were already dreaming up new schemes to profit from proposed benefit changes, specifically the so-called Bedroom Tax and the localising of council tax support.

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British Explorer Dies In Trek Across Arctic

A British adventurer has died during an attempt to cross part of the Greenland ice sheet with two colleagues.

Philip Goodeve-Docker, 37, described as a "rookie to the Arctic", was taking part in the unsupported 400-mile trek with friends Andy Norman, 33, and expedition leader Roan Hackney.

Despite being new to the Arctic he had been 'training furiously'

The men had planned to negotiate part of the ice cap from east to west in 30 days, pulling heavy sleds known as 'pulks' containing their food, equipment and supplies.

But they got into difficulties two days and 120 miles into the trip after they were engulfed by a severe snowstorm known as a 'Piteraq' which blew away their tent.

The men radioed for help but a helicopter was unable to reach their position until the next morning. By the time it arrived, Mr Goodeve-Docker was already dead and his colleagues were suffering from frost-bite and shock.

A statement issued by the Foreign Office said: "We are aware that three British nationals were in difficulty during an expedition in Greenland, and have been rescued by the authorities. 

"Sadly one of the team, Philip Goodeve-Docker, died. The other two British nationals are in hospital. We are providing consular assistance to their families at this difficult time."

An expedition website that had been set-up by the men states Mr Goodeve-Docker was "completely new" to the Arctic, but that he had been "training furiously" for the trip.

Mr Goodeve-Docker with team members Roan Hackney and Andy Norman

Expedition leader Roan Hackney is described as an experienced adventurer, having completed several Arctic expeditions, including being part of a team that attempted the same trip two years ago.

On the JustGiving page before he left for Greenland, Mr Goodeve-Docker wrote of the dangers he would face travelling across one of the most "deadly landscapes in the world".

"Part of my reasons for this frankly nutty adventure is my Grandfather, Patrick Pirie-Gordon, who passed away two years ago.

"Amongst his achievements were his key roles as Treasurer and Honorary Vice-President for the Royal Geographical Society, helping fund polar exploration, and Treasurer for the QNI. He was intensely passionate about both these institutions.

Greenland presents one of the most challenging terrains on earth

"It gave me added incentive to say yes to the expedition and, because of their fantastic work in nursing & helping those in need at home, to do my part for QNI. They really do fantastic work.

"So please dig deep and donate now. All the support will be great incentive to come back in one piece! :) I'm going back outside to stumble around with tyres again..wish me luck!"

A statement issued by Mr Goodeve-Docker's family, said: "To our son, brother and friend, we are so glad that you were on your adventure and expedition that you had wanted to do for so long. You will be unbelievably missed and your memory cherished. Xx"

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Three British Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan

Three British soldiers have been killed in a roadside bomb attack in Helmand Province in Afghanistan.

The soldiers from The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, were killed when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED) whilst on a routine patrol, the Ministry of Defence said.

The attack took place on Tuesday in the Nahr-e Saraj district. The three were evacuated by air to the military hospital at Camp Bastion but could not be saved, the MoD said.

Their families have been informed.

Sky's Defence Correspondent Alistair Bunkall said another six have been injured.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the country has paid a "very high price" for the work it is doing in Afghanistan.

The soldiers were aboard a heavily-armoured Mastiff vehicle

"It is important work because it's vital that country doesn't again become a haven for terrorists - terrorists that can threaten us here in the UK," Mr Cameron added.

"But today our thoughts should be with the families and friends of those that have suffered."

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said the deaths were "a reminder that there is still a great amount of danger out there".

Labour leader Ed Miliband said it was "tragic news".

The deaths bring to 401 the overall number of British troops killed in Afghanistan in the past 12 years, with total losses at 444.

Six have now died in 2013.

A ministry spokesman said the attack "underlines the threats faced by our personnel as they continue to hand over security operations to their Afghan counterparts ahead of UK combat operations concluding by the end of next year".

"Security in Helmand, where most UK forces are based, is steadily improving with Afghan forces already responsible for the bulk of the province - but the environment in which our troops operate remains risky and dangerous, including the threat of improvised explosive devices and insurgent attack.

"We will continue to do all we can to minimise these risks but they can never be removed entirely."

The attack came on the third day of what the Taliban has called its spring offensive. In past years, spring has marked a significant upsurge in fighting between the Taliban and Nato forces with their local allies.

This fighting season is a key test, as the international coalition is scheduled to hand over security responsibilities to Afghan forces next year.

Sky News' Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall said: "The Taliban have announced their annual spring offensive in a brutal manner.

"By carrying out this attack they are not only saying that spring has come, they are also underlining that even though everyone knows the British are leaving, they will still be coming after them all the way to the end."

The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion.

They deployed to Afghanistan in March from their base in Penicuik, Midlothian, near Edinburgh.

The last time so many UK soldiers were killed in one attack was in March 2012, when six died as their Warrior armoured vehicle was blown up by a massive improvised explosive device near the town of Lashkar Gah.

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April Jones: Bridger 'Tried To Revive Her'

The man accused of murdering schoolgirl April Jones told police he "tried to revive her" after knocking her down with his car.

Jurors at Mold Crown Court heard a transcript of the answers Mark Bridger gave to detectives shortly after his arrest on October 2 last year.

He said: "I didn't abduct her. I did my best to revive her. I panicked. The more I drove through the night, the more I got p****d."

However, prosecutors claim there was no evidence of a collision involving Bridger's car and say there were no blood stains or signs of a clean-up inside the vehicle.

"I just wish I know what I've done with her, where I've put her," Bridger told police.

"I can't believe I didn't call the police or an ambulance. There was no life in her - no pulse, no breathing, no response in her eyes.

Mark Bridger denies murdering and abducting April Jones

"She was just on the back seat. I tried to revive her. I did my best to revive her. I don't remember having her in the car when I went back."

Earlier, prosecutors said Bridger invited another girl to his house for a sleepover on the day April disappeared from the small Welsh town of Machnylleth.

He allegedly approached the girl - who was playing with a friend close to his daughter's primary school - shortly after attending a parents' evening on October 1.

The court also heard he was spotted on a hillside clutching a black bin bag the following day, as search teams scoured the area for missing April.

Bridger's movements were outlined on the second day of his trial at Mold Crown Court.

CCTV footage of the 47-year-old visiting council offices and a bank in Machnylleth on October 1 was played to the court.

Jurors were told Bridger spent part of the afternoon looking at dozens of images of a local teenager on Facebook.

They were also shown a text message he sent to his employer that day, which read: "Do you mind if I take today off to get my head around things? Sorry to let you down."

Helicopter footage from October 2 showed smoke rising from the chimney of Bridger's house.

He was filmed walking his dog and, the prosecution claims, had changed his appearance.

When he was arrested later that day, he is said to have told police: "I know what it's all about."

Officers who searched his home noticed the heat and the smell of detergent, the court heard.

Bridger, of Ceinws, denies abducting and murdering April, and unlawfully disposing of and concealing her body - which has never been found - with intent to pervert the course of justice.

The trial continues.

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Coronation Street's Bill Roache Arrested

Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has been arrested over historical allegations of sexual assault.

The actor, who has played Ken Barlow in the TV soap since its launch in 1960, was held at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, this morning.

Mr Roache, 81, faces allegations of raping a 15-year-old girl in Haslingden, Lancashire, between April and July 1967.

Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "According to neighbours, plain clothes police arrived at his home in Wilmslow at around 8am. His home is being searched and police are questioning him about historical allegations."

An ITV spokeswoman said the broadcaster was not in a position to comment, but it is understood Mr Roache will not appear in the long-running soap while investigations continue.

Coronation Street bosses are also deciding whether to re-edit scenes featuring Mr Roache, which are due to be aired later this week.

An officer walks down the driveway of Mr Roache's home following his arrest

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: "An 81-year-old man from Wilmslow in Cheshire has this morning, Wednesday, May 1, 2013, been arrested by Lancashire Constabulary on suspicion of rape.

"The man will be interviewed at a police station in Lancashire during the course of the day.

"We take all allegations of sexual abuse extremely seriously and would encourage people with any information about sexual abuse, or anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse, to come forward and report their concerns confident in the knowledge they will be investigated appropriately and with sensitivity."

After his Coronation Street co-star Michael Le Vell was charged with 19 child sex offences, Mr Roache called for anonymity for those accused of such crimes because of the stigma they face even if innocent.

Bill Roache, with Anne Reid, who played his first wife in the TV soap

Speaking to Sky News in March, he said: "If there is to be anonymity for the accusers at this stage, then there should most certainly be anonymity for those accused, until such time as there is strong evidence to show that there was some truth to the allegations at least."

Le Vell, who will not appear as mechanic Kevin Webster while he awaits his trial, has stated publicly that he is innocent and will fight the allegations through the courts.

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Dubai Drugs: Torture Claims As Britons Jailed

Three British men, who say they were beaten by Dubai police and had guns held to their heads, have been sentenced to four years in prison for drug offences.

Grant Cameron, 25, Karl Williams, 26, and Suneet Jeerh, 25, were found guilty of possession of synthetic cannabis, known as spice.

The men, from London, were arrested last July while they were on holiday in the Gulf state.

Cameron's mother, Tracy, told Sky News her son was subjected to electric shocks and beatings at the hands of police.

The three also claimed they were forced to sign documents in Arabic - a language none of them understands - after having guns put to their heads.

Mrs Cameron said on Sunday: "When he was initially arrested, the three boys were separated, handcuffed, put into cars and driven into the desert.

"It did appear that the CID officers were using different tactics to try and disorientate the boys.

"They were beaten while handcuffed while in separate cars. Beaten around the head, guns were held to their head and they received various Taser injuries as well."

Williams also said he had electric shocks administered to his testicles.

Following the sentencing Mrs Cameron said she was "ecstatic" with the result - the men's families had originally been warned they could face the death penalty.

She told Sky News she was confident the men will be granted pardons during an amnesty in Ramadan in July and will be free by the end of the year.

She said she had seen her son for two hours last Thursday and that he is being held in a maximum security prison in "quite harsh conditions".

Jeerh's sister Davena Kumar told Sky News she believes her brother is innocent and that his lawyers will be appealing the sentence.

She also backed up the trio's claims of torture, saying: "I definitely believe he was tortured, not only do I believe he was tortured, I've actually seen the marks on his body still."

Pressure group Reprieve, which campaigns on behalf of prisoners, said the men should be granted clemency and their torture allegations should be thoroughly investigated.

Reprieve investigator Kate Higham said: "The central fact of this case remains that these men were tortured by police, but there has been no proper investigation into their abuse.

"The only reasonable course of action for the UAE authorities now is to grant these men clemency, release them and allow them to return home to their families.

"David Cameron must push for this when UAE President Sheikh Khalifa arrives on a state visit tomorrow."

Number 10 said: "During the state visit of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan there will be opportunities to raise a wide range of issues including concerns about this and other consular cases."

The UAE has said it has investigated the allegations of torture and found them "baseless".

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Tardis Boxes For Police 'Could Cut Costs'

Police forces could save money by opening modern versions of the Tardis police box made famous by Doctor Who, according to a report by a think tank.

The centre-right Policy Exchange believes the public could be better served if officers left police stations and moved into shopping centres and post offices.

It claims the move would make it easier for the public to report crimes such as anti-social behaviour, only a third of which are actually reported to the police.

Doctor Who actor Peter Davison poses in the Tardis in 1981

The boxes could also be used to take witness statements and for the public to discuss concerns and access information, the report said.

In London the number of people reporting crimes at police station front counters has fallen by more than 100,000 - almost half - since 2006, as people chose to report crime over the phone and online.

Faced with budget cuts of 20%, forces need to manage the police estate in a "smarter fashion" and become "more imaginative" with how they interact with the public, according to the report.

The report author, Professor Martin Innes, said: "The truth is that most crime is reported by phone, many stations are getting old and increasingly expensive to maintain and are often located in the wrong places, away from key population centres.

"Rather than just thinking about closing police stations, it might be more productive to engage local people in conversations about replacing outdated police stations with more local police offices."

Steve White, vice-chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, which represents rank-and-file officers, said: "This is something which has been happening around the country for many years.

"We support any initiative which directs funding to operational policing, however police stations are accessible to the public, all day and night, something which is not provided by local shops and businesses, therefore we hope this would be taken into account."

A modern version of the police box in Baltimore, USA (pic: Sturmovik)

A Home Office spokesman said: "Decisions about the most effective use of resources, including the number, location and operating hours of police stations are a matter for chief constables and police and crime commissioners.

"We encourage forces to look at new and innovative ways of providing face to face contact with the communities they serve.

"Police reform is working and crime is falling. What matters is not overall funding or numbers but how effective the police are at fighting crime."

The original Tardis (Time And Relative Dimension In Space) was a futuristic police box used by Doctor Who in the popular television series to travel anywhere and to any time in the universe.

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Hotel Swimming Pool Deaths: Tests On Bodies

Post-mortem examinations are taking place into the deaths of a man and woman found in a swimming pool at a country mansion.

They come as it was revealed that a murder mystery game was due to start at the hotel the following night, but was cancelled.

The bodies of a man in his early 30s and a woman in her early 20s, both from the London area, were discovered in the water at Down Hall Country House Hotel in Hatfield Heath, Essex, on Saturday evening.

Staff dived in to try to save them, but their efforts were in vain.

Donna Nash, 37, from Colchester in Essex, who has been to the hotel before, told Sky News: "I've been there three times now and I use the pool every time.

"The pool is quite deep but it's only small - it's a different shape underwater to normal ones. It's awful news."

Essex Police are treating their deaths as unexplained and are focusing on the relationship between the victims as part of their investigation.

The hotel is said to be used by a number of celebrities

Chief Inspector Nick Lee said the police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

He said: "Despite valiant attempts from the hotel staff and from the ambulance service, unfortunately it wasn't possible to revive those individuals and they were pronounced dead at the scene.

"Next of kin have been informed about this tragic incident and I can tell you at the moment Essex Police are not looking for any other people in connection with this investigation."

Some newspapers have reported that one of the theories being investigated is that the pair were poisoned, but this has not been confirmed by police.

Asked if the people had been going to any of the functions taking place at the hotel, Mr Lee said: "It's a very busy hotel, there were a number of functions going on."

Events believed to have been going on include weddings, birthday parties and christenings.

Lucy Sparks, 21, from Cheshunt, was reportedly at a wedding reception when the police arrived.

"We saw two police officers rush through reception with a member of staff. There were about five or six police cars outside and we saw the air ambulance land," she told the Daily Mail.

Police arrive to investigate the deaths of the hotel guests

"The hotel just pulled a curtain to separate us and the party still went on as normal."

Hotel manager Chris Falcus said staff at Down Hall were "devastated" by what had happened, adding: "Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those concerned.

"As soon as the alarm was raised, two of our team dived into the pool and did everything they could to try to save them.

"We are co-operating fully with the police investigation."

The hotel describes itself as one of England's most established country house hotels.

Located near Bishop's Stortford on the Hertfordshire and Essex border, it is 45 minutes from central London and also convenient for Stansted Airport.

Dating back to 1322, the Italianate mansion offers a historic setting, with luxury interiors and ornate ceilings.

There are 110 acres of surrounding woodland, parkland and landscaped gardens.

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April Jones Murder Trial: Bridger In Court

The trial of the former lifeguard accused of murdering schoolgirl April Jones is due to get under way.

Mark Bridger, 47, was arrested the day after five-year-old April vanished while playing on her bike near her home in Machynlleth, mid-Wales, last October.

Wearing a short-sleeved pale blue shirt, a blue striped tie and grey trousers, he appeared in the dock at Mold Crown Court flanked by two prison officers.

Trial judge Mr Justice Griffith Williams told 50 potential jurors: "I don't know whether you have been reading the papers or listening to the news but if you have, you have probably worked out by now that I am about to start the trial which arises out of the alleged murder of April Jones in Machynlleth last October.

April Jones' family arrive at Mold Crown Court

"The defendant's name is Mark Bridger, he is obviously sitting in the dock. It may be as well that you have a look at him just to make sure he is not somebody who you know or who you think you know."

Hundreds joined the search for April, who suffered from cerebral palsy, following her disappearance.

Her body has never been found despite a major operation led by Dyfed Powys Police.

Bridger, of Ceinws, is charged with abducting and murdering April, and of unlawfully disposing of and concealing her body with intent to pervert the course of justice.

He has pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

Jury selection has been taking place, with the first day expected to be occupied with legal matters and the trial expected to open later this week.

There will be nearly 60 witnesses called throughout the trial, which is expected to last until the middle of June.

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North Wales Child Abuse: 76 Fresh Allegations

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correpondent

Detectives have confirmed they are investigating 76 new cases of suspected historical abuse at children's care homes in north Wales.

Police officers leading Operation Pallial say the allegations centre on 18 different care homes between 1963 and 1992.

A total of 84 individuals have been named as abusers by complainants and 16 of those have been named by more than one victim. One arrest has so far been made.

The total number of allegations recorded since the new police inquiry was launched in November has now risen to 140.

The alleged victims were aged between seven and 19, while the offences range from verbal and physical assaults and abuse through to indecent assaults, rape and buggery.

Detective Superintendent Ian Mulcahey said: "Almost everyone that Operation Pallial is aware of has now been video interviewed by specially trained officers. 

"Many have provided graphic accounts of abuse, in some cases of very serious criminality."

North Wales Chief Constable Mark Polin said it was "never too late" to report abuse and urged anyone who has not come forward yet, to do so.

Former Bryn Estyn boys home in Wrexham is at the centre of the inquiry

He also told offenders they should look over their shoulders.

He said: "If you believe that the passage of time will reduce the resolve of Operation Pallial or any police force to identify people still alive who have caused harm to others and bring them to justice, you are are sorely mistaken.

"People who commit serious and sexual offences should live with the knowledge that we will always examine new information and evidence and seek to bring them to justice for their crimes.

"Offenders should quite rightly have to look over their shoulders for the rest of their lives."

One of the victims who has taken new allegations to the police has previously told Sky News how he was abused in various North Wales care homes.

"Michael" also revealed how as a 12-year-old he was repeatedly put on a mini-bus with other children, driven down to London and forced to take part in lurid sex parties.

Last November he told Sky News how the men who abused him were all "posh people" who plied the boys were drink and drugs before abusing them.

He said: "It was how compliant you were, how nice you were towards them and looking back it was all about what they could get away with."

The Waterhouse Inquiry in 2000 found evidence of widespread sexual abuse and various care home staff members were convicted for various offences.

Compensation was then paid to 140 victims but there have long held suspicions that the true extent of abuse in the homes in north Wales has never truly been uncovered.

Operation Pallial was set up to ensure allegations were indeed properly investigated.

Police said the first phases of the work "has resulted in the collection of significant evidence of systemic and serious sexual and physical abuse of children whilst in care".

It has also shown "no evidence of systemic of institutional misconduct by North Wales Police officers or staff".

Last week detectives made their first arrest as part of the investigation into historical allegations of abuse.

A man was arrested in Ipswich, Suffolk and questioned on suspicion of a number of serious sexual offences before being bailed to until the end of July.

Officers expect phase two of the operation to involve further arrests.

The NSPCC said the inquiry was "a major step forward into probing claims of widespread child abuse".

The charity's director Peter Watt added: "Many who have been waiting decades for justice and for their voices to be heard have now finally found the courage to come forward and we mustn't fail them this time."

The NSPCC urged anyone who has any information about abuse to contact either their round-the-clock helpline on 0800 389 6176, or the police immediately.

The full police report into phase one of the inquiry has been published on the North Wales Police and Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) websites.

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