Labour: Miliband Told To Raise His Game

Labour MP Attacks 'Confused' Party

Updated: 4:55pm UK, Thursday 01 August 2013

A veteran Labour MP has condemned the party's "confused" stance on key issues and expressed major fears about its re-election hopes.

George Mudie, MP for Leeds East since 1992, attacked the leadership for failing to set the agenda and questioned the lack of energy.

The former minister, a close ally of Gordon Brown, said Ed Miliband's problems included being "young" and the role played by the unions in his election as leader.

"I have difficulty knowing what we stand for now," he told BBC Radio 4's The World At One.

"We are 18 months away from an election thinking that we will put out a document on all these major items and the public will say 'Oh great.'

"And I think, often, at the moment, the Government are setting the agenda, making the weather and we're responding to it.

"Tony Blair and Gordon Brown never did that... . We're not setting any agenda, we're responding to the Tories."

Mr Mudie declared that Labour had to "demonstrate to people that we are relevant to their lives" if it is to get back into power.

If the party was not "offering something different" people would "stick with what they have got", he warned.

"There has to be and there is some concern that the lead we have in the polls, first of all is not firm enough, big enough," he added.

"Will it withstand a general election discussion?

"But the real thing is, do you know, because I don't, know our position on welfare, do you know our position on education, do you know our genuine position on how we'd run the health service?

"If you're not getting a clear enough message to me, and to some of my colleagues, what are you, what kind of message do you think you're putting out there?

"I remember before we won, 1992, the five years to 1997, this place was bubbling, we were energetic, we were at them, we thought we had all the answers.

"We're not at them and we're slightly hesitant and we're slightly confused and I deeply worry about that."

His comments come after Labour saw its poll lead over the Tories slip to just three points, according to the latest survey from ComRes.

The findings will fuel disquiet within Labour that the party and its leader is not making enough headway, with the next election now under two years away.

Mr Miliband, who is currently on holiday in the south of France, also faces a battle with the unions in the coming months after vowing to reform the party's union ties.

Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan insisted Mr Miliband was doing the "heavy lifting" to win the election in 2015.

"We haven't got the luxury of what George had between 1992 and 1997 of being out of power for 18 years," he said.

"Since Ed has been leader the Labour Party has been ahead in the polls. I would remind you that the Conservatives spent 13 years in opposition up to 2010, and still did not win a general election outright."

Tory chairman Grant Shapps said: "This is all starting to sound very familiar. Yet another senior figure in the Labour Party has broken ranks and condemned Ed Miliband, this time as 'hesitant and confused'.

"Ed Miliband offers weak and directionless leadership to an increasingly restless Labour Party."

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Zanzibar Acid Attack Victim Tweets Her Thanks

Zanzibar Acid Attack: Two Held

Updated: 4:59pm UK, Friday 09 August 2013

Two girls from London who had acid thrown in their faces on the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar have arrived back in Britain.

:: WARNING: This story contains a graphic image depicting acid burns

A medevac plane carrying Katie Gee and Kirstie Trup, both 18, landed at RAF Northolt at lunchtime and the pair were taken away in two ambulances.

They were then transferred to the specialist burns unit at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and reunited with their families.

The teenagers were attacked by two men on a motorbike as they walked through the historic capital Stone Town on Wednesday night.

The acid was splashed over their faces, chests, backs and hands.

Their arrival back in Britain came as a Zanzibar police chief told Sky News that five people have been questioned over the acid attack.

Regional police commander Mkadam Khamis said two of the suspects are being detained for further interrogation while the other three have been released.

Police on the island have also offered a reward of 10 million Tanzanian shillings (£4,000) for information leading to any arrests. 

Sky News Foreign Affairs Correspondent Lisa Holland said there were some suggestions that one of the people held was a local shopkeeper who had been in an altercation with one of the girls a few days before.

But she added that the motive remained unclear - with other reports of eyewitnesses saying the acid was not intended for the British teenagers but someone else walking down the road.

The pair, who had been volunteering at an orphanage on the island, were taken to hospital in Dar es Salaam on the Tanzanian mainland, before being flown home.

Miss Gee's mother Nicky Gee told Sky News her daughter had suffered burns to her "whole face and her whole body" in the "vicious attack".

A photograph released by the girls' families showed the injuries Miss Gee of them suffered in the attack.

The girl is shown wearing an open striped shirt and a silver necklace. What appear to be acid burns are clearly visible on her chin, neck and upper chest.

Miss Trup also reportedly received horrific burns and was said to be "inconsolable".

The young women, who are from north London and were planning to start university in the autumn, were enjoying the last week of a trip as volunteer teachers to the predominantly Muslim island when a corrosive substance was thrown at them.

The trip had been organised by i-to-i Travel, which is based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and runs gap year trips to parts of Africa, Asia, central and South America and Australia.

Trips to teach in Zanzibar, based in Stone Town, start at £669 for two weeks, according to its website.

In its latest statement, i-to-i Travel confirmed the girls had been repatriated to the UK and said: "We welcome the proactive investigations being carried out by local authorities in Zanzibar and continue to liaise with them.

"We wish the girls a fast and full recovery and our thoughts are with them and their families at this difficult time."

The organisation added that it had advised all its customers still in Zanzibar "to remain vigilant" and anyone due to fly out there this weekend had been given the option to volunteer at a different project, but all had chosen to continue to travel to Tanzania.

The Foreign Office travel advice for Tanzania warns that although most visits to the country are trouble-free, "violent and armed crime is increasing".

The advice, available on its website, says: "Mugging, bag snatching (especially from passing cars) and robbery have increased throughout the country."

It adds: "In Zanzibar, incidents have taken place in Stone Town and on popular tourist beaches."

Jakaya Kikwete, Tanzania's president, is reported to have visited the women at the Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam and promised that the men responsible for the "shameful" attack would be found.

Zanzibar is an archipelago of islands in the Indian Ocean around 22 miles off the mainland.

The semi-autonomous region of Tanzania is predominantly Muslim and has been the scene of some religious violence in recent years.

Earlier this year two Christian leaders were killed and in November a cleric was treated in hospital after an acid attack. This is the first such assault on foreigners in the popular tourist destination.

A further announcement from the police in Zanzibar regarding the case is expected later today.

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Chris Huhne Lands Top Job At Energy Firm

Disgraced former MP Chris Huhne has landed a lucrative job at a US energy firm just months after being released from prison.

The ex-energy and climate change cabinet secretary has become the European manager of Zilkha Biomass Energy, according to the company's website.

He is reported to be on a salary of £100,000 for the two-day-a-week position, which will raise questions about the links between politics and business.

Huhne and ex-wife Vicky Pryce were released from jail in May after serving 62 days of an eight-month sentence for perverting the course of justice.

They lied about who was driving when the politician was due to receive penalty points in 2003 so that he could avoid a driving ban.

Vicky Pryce is writing a book about prison

The truth emerged only years later after the then senior Lib Dem left his wife of 26 years for another woman and Pryce approached the press to get her revenge.

Huhne finally admitted his guilt on the day his trial was due to start, after failing to have the case thrown out.

Having already resigned from the Cabinet when he was charged, he then quit as a Lib Dem MP and privy councillor.

Pryce pleaded not guilty, claiming she was forced to take the points by her then husband, but her story was ultimately rejected.

Huhne's biography on the Zilkha Biomass website details his work as a Government minister and previous careers in finance and journalism but does not mention his fall from grace.

It says he was appointed in July "with the remit of growing the business in the European Union".

And it hails the politician, once tipped as a future Lib Dem leader, as "one of the pioneers in calling for political action to deal with global warming".

The move has been given the go ahead by the Advisory Commission on Business Appointments, which advises the Prime Minister about former ministers' new jobs.

This is despite him being Energy Secretary until last year and having access to privileged Government information.

According to The Sun, he also met representatives from Zilkha Biomass during his time as Secretary of State.

The committee reportedly concluded that he had not been involved "in the development of policy, award of grants or regulatory work" that might have affected the company.

A spokesman told The Sun that Huhne "was not aware of any contractual relationship between his former department and ZBE and had no access to commercially sensitive information about any competitors".

Huhne had been keeping a low profile since his jail term, which he described as a "humbling and sobering experience".

Both he and Pryce, with whom he has three children, have to wear electronic tags.

Pryce, a former top economist who last month had her honour for government service revoked by the Queen, is working on a book about her experiences called Prisonomics.

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Sochi Olympics Boycott Call Rejected By PM

David Cameron has ruled out a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Russia, insisting attending is a better way to tackle anti-gay prejudice.

The Prime Minister spoke out after broadcaster Stephen Fry called for the Games in 2014 to be moved because of Russia's anti-gay laws.

David Cameron said he had shared the "deep concern" about the abuse of gay people in the country.

But writing on Twitter, the Prime Minister said: "I believe we can better challenge prejudice as we attend, rather than boycotting the Winter Olympics."

Boycott call: Stephen Fry and David Cameron

Fry had appealed directly to Mr Cameron, asking him to support moves to stop Russia's hosting of the Games in Sochi next February.

The broadcaster compared Russian President Vladimir Putin's approach to gay people to Adolf Hitler's treatment of the Jews.

And he argued that allowing the Games to go ahead would be comparable to the decision to hold the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany.

He said: "An absolute ban on the Russian Winter Olympics of 2014 on Sochi is simply essential. Stage them elsewhere in Utah, Lillehammer, anywhere you like.

"At all costs Putin cannot be seen to have the approval of the civilised world."

Mr Putin signed a new bill into law in June banning "homosexual propaganda".

This makes it illegal to give anyone under 18 information about homosexuality.

Anyone deemed to be promoting gay rights or "non-traditional relationships" to young people could now be arrested and fined, or in the case of foreigners, detained and deported.

Critics say the law is intentionally vaguely-worded and part of a broader crackdown on gay rights.

The country's sports minister has said the law will apply to athletes and spectators at the Games.

Mr Fry later tweeted in response: "@David_Cameron PM, you may be right. Would that have been true in 1936? But is there nothing we can DO? Putin grow and grows in confidence"

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Belfast: 56 Police Hurt In 'Mindless Anarchy'

Police have confirmed the number of officers injured during rioting in Belfast was 56.

Four officers needed hospital treatment with one being kept in after the violence overnight on Friday.

Northern Ireland's chief constable described the loyalist rioters who wrecked parts of central Belfast as indulging in mindless anarchy.

Matt Baggott said protesters attacked police with missiles, including scaffolding poles and paving stones ripped up from a main shopping district.

He warned that the "prisons would be bulging" once the police had identified and arrested those responsible.

Cars burn after the riots in Belfast city centre

The violence erupted in the Royal Avenue area, a usually busy commercial street close to City Hall, as more than a thousand loyalist demonstrators gathered to protest at a republican rally to mark the 42nd anniversary of the introduction of internment without trial in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

The republican parade was rerouted but some sectarian clashes still occurred as the march passed close to the loyalist protesters.

Northern Ireland's Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton had earlier said the violence had been started by "crowds intent on creating disorder."

Water cannon is used to disperse protesters during rioting in Belfast

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers described the violence and attacks on police as "shameful".

She told Sky News: "I blame the people who came out on the streets and carried out this disgraceful violence. The UK government stands fairly and squarely behind Matt Baggott and his officers in Northern Ireland.

"If people on the streets think this is defending a cause then they are completely mistaken. This is not the way to support Britishness.

A loyalist is arrested by riot police in the centre of Belfast

"They are not going to achieve anything from this other than a criminal record."

After a number of years of relative calm following the IRA ceasefire in the 1990s, Northern Ireland has seen increasing outbreaks of violence and sectarian protest. 

Last month parts of Belfast were consumed by more rioting, predominantly loyalist, when Orangemen were banned from parading past the nationalist Ardoyne area.

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Revealed: The UK's Most Wanted Tax Fugitives

By Poppy Trowbridge, Business and Economics Correspondent

A rogues' gallery of the UK's most wanted tax fugitives has been released in an effort to collect hundreds of millions of pounds in unpaid duty.

One year on from releasing the details of the UK's 20 most sought-after tax criminals, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has now added the names and photographs of 10 more fugitives to that original target list.

Those on the list are being pursued for a range of crimes, including VAT fraud, tax evasion and money laundering.

Together, their crimes have cost the taxpayer close to £720m.

Among the new names on the list are Michael "Arthur" Fearon, who is wanted in connection with evasion of excise duty on nearly £8.4m of cigarettes, and is believed to be in the Republic of Ireland.

Chancellor George Osborne says tax evasion 'will not be tolerated'

Anish Anand, who is believed to be in the UK, is wanted in relation to £6m VAT and film tax credit fraud, while Michael George Voudouri is wanted in connection with a £10m VAT fraud. He is believed to be in Northern Cyrpus.

And Sumir Soni (aka John Soni, John Miller, Samir Soni, Bhader Singh), who is believed to be in Kenya, is wanted in connection with evading duty of £3.6m from the illegal sale and distribution of alcohol, and the illegal importation of nine million cigarettes.

Anthony Judge, who was wanted for his role in over £350,000 of tax fraud and had been on the run for 10 years, was detained at Heathrow Airport last month as he attempted to enter the UK on a forged passport.

He is the second of HMRC's most wanted to be captured since the rogues' gallery was first published.

In May, John Nugent was apprehended in the US after the authorities there saw the list.

The gallery has been viewed more than 1.5 million times, with new intelligence received from the public on the current whereabouts of 17 of the 20 named on the original list.

HMRC has also launched an interactive map of the world to illustrate where the tax fugitives are believed to be.

The crimes of those on the list have cost the taxpayer £720m

Chancellor George Osborne said: "Our message is clear, tax fraud and evasion is illegal and will not be tolerated.

"The Government has stepped up HMRC's enforcement activities to enable them to pursue tax cheats relentlessly around the world."

"This new list will help put more tax fraudsters in the spotlight and bring them to justice."

The Chancellor has faced public outrage in recent months over the number of large, multinational corporations operating in Britain that pay little or no corporation tax on earnings which can top billions of pounds each year.

Yet some tax experts say HMRC is missing the real problem in tackling tax avoidance.

Richard Murphy, of Tax Research UK, told Sky News: "The problem is very large companies who aren't paying very large amounts of tax that they might owe because of skilful tax avoidance by accountants and lawyers.

"The second problem is actually ordinary people avoiding and evading income tax by putting cash in their pockets … paying their builders, their plumbers, their cleaners, their tutors and everybody else without tax being paid and that is a massive problem in our economy.

"But the big problem is not this form of crime of which this list is being published about."

Taxpayers Alliance chief executive Matthew Sinclair said part of the difficulty was with the UK's "hugely complex and fundamentally dysfunctional tax system".

He said reforming taxes to make them simpler would reduce the scope for evasion and free up HMRC resources to focus on fraud.

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Hull City AFC Renamed Tigers By Owner Allam

Hull City AFC will be renamed Hull City Tigers, it has been revealed by the Egyptian-born owner who runs the risk of stoking a backlash among fans.

Owner Assem Allam has confirmed that the club will abandon the Association Football Club moniker at the start of the new season. It has been part of the Yorkshire club's name since its formation in 1904.

Mr Allam made the announcement in the Hull Daily Mail, saying: "Hull City is irrelevant. My dislike for the word 'City' is because it is common.

"City is also associated with Leicester, Bristol, Manchester and many other clubs.

"I don't like being like everyone else. I want the club to be special. It is about identity. City is a lousy identity. Hull City Association Football Club is so long."

Any references to AFC on club branding are to be phased out, although AFC will remain on the shirt crest during their first season back in the Barclays Premier League, before being removed from the 2014/15 campaign.

Assem Allam celebrates after the team is promoted to the Premier League

According to the Mail's report, Mr Allam wants to market the club as Hull City Tigers locally and Hull Tigers to national and international audiences.

"In the commercial world, the shorter the name, the better. The more it can spread quickly," Mr Allam said.

He took over Hull City in 2010 following their relegation from the top flight and his investment is credited with saving the club from a significant financial crisis.

"I have always used short names in business. It gives you power in the science in marketing. The shorter, the more powerful the message. In Tigers, we have a really strong brand," Mr Allam said.

Mr Allam's son and vice-chairman Ehab Allam defended the decision to drop AFC from the club's name

He said: "AFC is redundant, it is not used by the club, the fans never mention AFC, nor do the media. We have dropped something that is redundant, that is of no value, and is of no use."

However, Ehab Allam admitted the club could not force people to accept the rebrand.

He said: "People have the right to call the club what they like, it's their club.

"We are not going to fans and saying they all have to refer to us in the same way.

"They call it what they like, we will do the same, but it is for commercial reasons that we are choosing this branding."

Managing director Nick Thompson, meanwhile, sought to quell supporter upset over the change by urging them "to judge it in the fullness of time".

Bernard Noble, of the Hull City Official Supporters' Club, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "My personal opinion is I'm disappointed because I'm a bit of a traditionalist. But this guy saved us from liquidation and administration and it's his club."

Fans expressed their anger at the change on various websites.

User Kinoftheheat said on the website Hull City Mad: "It's embarrassing and makes me feel a little further away from the club.

"I will not use the term and will not buy anything with the term on it."

User Exiled said on fan site City Independent: "We are Hull CITY, we have been for 109 years and since we played in black and amber stripes our nick name has been the tigers not the other way around.

"I fear this is going to get ugly just when we should be celebrating our finest hour.

"I'm going to say it sounds like an innocent misjudgement and one that can quickly be put right."

However TenfootTiger said on the same website: "I'm not too bothered. What's matter with you all? You're all being too conservative and Luddite-like.

"Times change, things move on and they obviously want to harness the international marketing opportunities - and what's wrong with that?

"Anyway, nothing has really changed. The name is HULL CITY TIGERS. (NOT Hull Tigers)."

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BA Compensation After Saudi Flight 'Horror'

British Airways has promised compensation after hundreds of Heathrow-bound passengers reportedly endured an horrific experience on a faulty plane that led to fights in Saudi Arabia.

The Boeing 747 had to return to Riyadh twice because of a recurring wing flap problem.

Describing the scenes after the second landing, passenger Dean Jones told the online Daily Mail there was "mayhem" as a BA worker tried to deal with more than 300 passengers while other ground crew allegedly "hid' in a back office.

He went on: "Fights broke out and the military turned up."

The letter to passengers from BA. Pic. Hetaf Bin Saedan

Mr Jones said that on the first return to Riyadh on Wednesday "there was screaming and crying and we hit the runway with a massive bang".

He said passengers had to make their own way to accommodation, before being told to return to the airport at 3am for a flight on the same plane that eventually took off at 8.45am.

Around 30 minutes in, the wing flap problem recurred. Mr Jones said: "This time people were even more frightened. Women were crying. People were being sick."

After landing, around 70 passengers refused to leave and called for an official to explain what was happening.

A BA spokesman said today: "We apologise to customers for their experience, and we sent a replacement aircraft to fly them to the UK.

"Our customer service teams are contacting customers directly to offer compensation, expenses and complimentary tickets as a gesture of goodwill.

"The safety of our customers and crew is always our first concern and due to a technical problem, the decision was taken to return the aircraft to Riyadh.

"Our crew and customer service teams did everything they could to care for customers, and we provided overnight hotel accommodation."

Another BA plane suffered an 'air scare' in May when an engine caught fire

The incident first began 48 hours before a BA aircraft bound for Hong Kong returned to the airport because of technical problems understood to involve the left wing's landing gear.

In May, a BA flight caught fire as it flew over central London - leading to a dramatic emergency landing at the west London hub airport.

According to an official accident investigation, doors on both engines had been left unlatched during maintenance.

They then fell off as the aircraft left the runway, puncturing a fuel pipe on the right engine.

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IPCC To Investigate Newport Double Shooting

The Independent Police Complaints Commission are to look at contact between police and two people shot in Newport on Thursday.

More follows...

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Zanzibar Acid Attack Teens Back In UK

Two girls from London who had acid hurled in their faces on the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar have arrived back in Britain.

A plane carrying Katie Gee and Kirstie Trup, both 18, landed at RAF Northolt at lunchtime and the pair were taken away in two ambulances.

They will now be transferred to a specialist burns unit and reunited with their families.

The teenagers were attacked by two men on a motorbike as they walked through the historic capital Stone Town on Wednesday night.

An ambulance meets the plane carrying the teenagers

The acid was splashed over their faces, chests, backs and hands.

Their arrival back in Britain came as a Zanzibar police chief told Sky News that five people have been questioned over the acid attack.

Regional police commander Mkadam Khamis said two of the suspects are being detained for further interrogation while the other three have been released.

Sky News Foreign Affairs Correspondent Lisa Holland said there were some suggestions that one of the people held was a local shopkeeper who had been in an altercation with one of the girls a few days before.

The terrified girls were taken to hospital on the mainland

But she added that the motive remained unclear - with other reports of eyewitnesses saying the acid was not intended for the British teenagers but someone else walking down the road. 

The pair, who had been volunteering at an orphanage on the island, were taken to hospital in Dar es Salaam on the Tanzanian mainland, before being flown home.

Miss Gee's mother Nicky Gee told Sky News her daughter had suffered burns to her "whole face and her whole body" in the "vicious attack".

Miss Trup also reportedly received horrific burns and was said to be "inconsolable".   

Katie Gee's mother, Nicky, told Sky News her daughter was badly burned

The young women, who are from north London and were planning to start university in the autumn, were enjoying the last week of a trip as volunteer teachers to the predominantly Muslim island when a corrosive substance was thrown at them.

The trip had been organised by i-to-i Travel, which is based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and runs gap year trips to parts of Africa, Asia, central and South America and Australia.

Trips to teach in Zanzibar, based in Stone Town, start at £669 for two weeks, according to its website.

In a statement, i-to-i Travel said the pair were released from a hospital in the country's capital, Dar es Salaam, where they had been flown for medical treatment after the "acid attack".

One of the girls is escorted at the airport in Zanzibar

"All our efforts remain focused on ensuring they are supported whilst assisting them and their relatives with the arrangements for their return home," it said.

The Foreign Office travel advice for Tanzania warns that although most visits to the country are trouble-free, "violent and armed crime is increasing".

The advice, available on its website, says: "Mugging, bag snatching (especially from passing cars) and robbery have increased throughout the country."

It adds: "In Zanzibar, incidents have taken place in Stone Town and on popular tourist beaches."

The family home of Kirstie Trup in north London

Jakaya Kikwete, Tanzania's president, is reported to have visited the women at the Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam and promised that the men responsible for the "shameful" attack would be found.

Zanzibar is an archipelago of islands in the Indian Ocean around 22 miles off the mainland.

The semi-autonomous region of Tanzania is predominantly Muslim and has been the scene of some religious violence in recent years.

Earlier this year two Christian leaders were killed and in November a cleric was treated in hospital after an acid attack. This is thought to be the first attack on tourists.

A further announcement from the police in Zanzibar regarding the case is expected later today.

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Big Baby: Brit Mum Has Heaviest Born In Spain

A British woman has given birth to the biggest ever baby born naturally in Spain, a hospital has said.

Maxime Marin, 40, did not even need an epidural - a painkiller delivered into the spine during childbirth.

The baby girl called Maria Lorena Marin weighed 13lb 7oz (6.095kg) which is about twice the size of an average baby.

Hospital Marina Salud in the Mediterranean city of Denia said she was in "perfect health" following the straightforward delivery.

Ms Marin said she expected the baby, born after 41 weeks, to be "big but not that big" as her three older children each weighed more than 9lb 14oz (4.480kg) at birth.

She brushed off the five-hour labour as "simple", while the newborn's Colombian father, Jaime Marin, said everything went well.

Dr Javier Rius, head of gynaecology at the hospital, said in his 40 years of practice he had never known a baby born naturally to weigh so much.

Earlier this year, a Californian woman gave birth to a child weighing even more than Maria.

Mum Maxime Marin and her newborn Maria (Pic: Hospital Marina Salud)

Jayden Sigler was 13lb 14oz (6.293kg) when he was delivered by Caesarean section.

And George King became one of the heaviest babies born naturally in England when he was delivered earlier this year weighing 15lb 7oz (7.002kg).

Almost two-thirds of babies born in England and Wales in 2010 weighed between 6lb 9oz (2.976kg) and 8lb 13oz (3.997kg), according to the Office for National Statistics.

Of the 700,000 children born during that year, more than 460,000 were in this range.

The heaviest baby ever born weighed 23lb 12oz (10.773kg) in Canada in 1879, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

But the baby, whose mother Anna Bates had giantism - a condition characterised by excessive growth and height significantly above average, died 11 hours later.

In 1955 a baby boy weighing 22lbs 8oz (10.206kg) was born to Carmelina Fedele in Aversa, Italy.

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Mafia Boss Domenico Rancadore Held In London

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

A Mafia boss on the run for 19 years has been arrested in London, Italian police have confirmed to Sky News.

Domenico Rancadore, 64, was one of Italy's most wanted criminals and had been sentenced to seven years in jail in his absence for Mafia association.

He was head of a crime family involved in extortion, racketeering and drug trafficking, Italian police said.

Italian detectives knew he was living in London and had failed to have him arrested in the past because the crime of Mafia association is not recognised by authorities in Britain.

However Sky sources said "circumstances changed" in recent weeks and police were able to move in.

Rancadore was arrested as he returned to the home in Uxbridge, west London, that he shares with his wife Anna Maria, 60, and two children Giuseppe, 36, and Daniela, 33.

It is thought he initially attempted to escape but was quickly caught and overpowered by unarmed Scotland Yard officers.

The suburban street in Uxbridge where Domenico Rancadore was arrested

Rancadore, nicknamed "u profissuri" (the teacher) as he was a qualified PE teacher but then turned to a life of crime, following in the footsteps of his father Giuseppe, who was also a top Mafia boss and given a life sentence.

He was running a travel agency with his wife and said by Italian police to be "living a golden life" in Britain, with a comfortable home as well as top of the range Jaguar and Mercedes cars.

Italian police sources said he was using the alias "Marco Skinner" and had no official documents in his real name.

He had gone on the run in 1994 after being jailed by a court in Palermo, Sicily, where he ran the Caccamo and Trabia areas on the outskirts of the city in the 80s.

He was said to have been involved in the so-called Mafia Wars 30 years ago but was never directly convicted of murder.

A police source in Rome told Sky News: "Rancadore is a senior Mafia figure and his arrest is highly significant. Obviously we would like to pass on our thanks to colleagues in London who carried out the arrest.

"We had information that he was in London and we shared this with the police there and it led to his arrest.

Mafia fugitive Gianfranco Techegne was arrested at a post office in 2012

"I understand that he did put up resistance initially and tried to escape but he was quickly overpowered and arrested.

"We had tried once before to have him arrested but we faced a problem in that the crime he was convicted of - Mafia association is not recognised by authorities in Britain.

"He was held thanks to good police work in Italy, with the information being passed to London. He will appear in court and hopefully be extradited as quickly as possible."

According to Italian media Rancadore was living so openly in London he was even collecting his pension - considering himself untouchable because his conviction was not recognised. 

He was said to be still running his criminal activities despite being more than 1,000 miles away from Palermo.

During one investigation a Mafia supergrass called Gaetano Lima reportedly told investigators: "Rancadore is dangerous, I can assure you of that. I know that because I brought him up."

It is not the first time a Mafia gangster has been arrested in London.

In 2006 Raffaele Caldarelli was held in Hackney where he was running a shoe shop and in 2012 cop killer Gianfranco Techegne was held outside St James's Park post office.

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Newport Shooting: Woman Dies And Man Injured

A woman has died after a shooting incident which also left a man in hospital.

Armed officers were called to Willenhall Street in Newport at 8.45 this morning where they found the pair in a serious condition.

They were both been taken to the city's Royal Gwent Hospital but the 46-year-old woman later died.

The 49-year-old man remains in hospital.

A police spokesman said officers were called to the scene after reports of gunshots being fired.

He said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

"The 46-year-old female has since died and the 49-year-old male remains in surgery at this time.

"It is not believed anyone else is involved in the incident and both of those involved were known to each other.

"Officers have recovered a firearm from the scene.

Newport is in South Wales

"Officers are supporting family members at this time. Willenhall Street remains cordoned off for police to carry out inquiries."

Local residents have spoken of their shock at the incident on a quiet residential street.

Witnesses told local media they saw two possible victims lying on the floor on either side of a car.

Councillor Majid Rahman, 25, who represents the Victoria ward, said some residents had gone to help after the shooting.

Mr Rahman said: "Some of the residents went up to the people to see if they were okay and to see if they could help. Others saw them through their home windows.

"Everyone in the area is shocked and saddened by what has happened. Residents have told me that they had seen the people around the area before.

"I don't know who they are or where they lived, there doesn't seem to be a lot of information at the moment."

Mr Rahman described Willenhall Street as a quiet, residential "new-build area".

He added: "There are no real crime issues in the area, apart from some minor anti-social behaviour. Nothing like this has ever happened round here before."

Forensic police officers are at the scene.

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Zanzibar: Two British Teenagers In Acid Attack

Two British teenagers have had acid thrown in their faces in a late night attack on the island of Zanzibar.

Katie Gee and Kirstie Trup, both 18, were attacked as they walked through the streets of Stone Town, the historical centre of the capital of the east African island, by two men on a motor bike.

The acid splashed their faces, chests, backs and hands.

The pair, who had been working as volunteer teachers at an orphanage, were flown to hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for treatment after the attack on Wednesday night.

A close friend of Katie Gee's family told Sky News that the two girls had been walking along a street when they were subjected to a "mindless and senseless attack".

Katie Gee had been volunteering as a teacher

They said that the girls were still in hospital waiting for a return flight to London where they would continue to be treated in hospital for their injuries.

They added that the girls had both had an amazing experience during their time in Zanzibar and that they were aware how to dress and behave appropriately in a Muslim country.

The two teenagers, from London, were with the volunteering organisation i-to-i as part of a four-week trip.

They had been due to return home from the island, a popular destination for gap-year travellers, to the UK on Sunday.

In a statement the organisation said: "The motive for the attack is as yet not known and we will await the report from the local authorities in Zanzibar before any comment can be made.

Kirstie Trup was also injured in the attack

"The female clients had been volunteer teachers on Zanzibar and were in the final week of their trip.

"The safety of our customers is of paramount importance to us and our own investigation will be launched as soon as it is possible to do so."

Their parents are understood to have been informed and the teenagers are expected to fly back on Thursday.

Deputy Police Commissioner Mkadam Khamis said: "Police in Zanzibar have launched a manhunt, and we ask for public assistance in identifying the attackers."

He added: "The motive for the attack on the volunteers, aged 18 years, has not been established."

The street in Stone Town where the attack took place

Saleh Mohammed Jidawi, a senior health ministry official, said that the women's wounds were "not life threatening".

The assault is the first against foreigners in the popular tourist destination, however, there have been a series of local attacks in the archipelago, mainly on grounds of religion.

A Muslim cleric was subjected to an acid attack in November. In February a Catholic priest was shot dead and in December another priest was shot and wounded.

But police described the attack on the British teenagers as an "isolated incident" and refused to link it to rising religious tensions between Muslims and Christians.

The Indian Ocean islands, famed for their white sand beaches and historical buildings in Stone Town, listed as a world heritage site by Unesco, are mainly Muslim, with 3% of the 1.2 million people Christian.

The attack on the island, 22 miles off the coast of Tanzania, came at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as people began to celebrate the Eid holiday.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "We are aware of an incident and are providing consular assistance."

The Zanzibar Minister for Information and Tourism, Ali Mbarouk, said: "We should cooperate with other government sectors to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice.

"I beg our nationals in any way this is not something they should be doing because tourism is the strong pillar of our economy so if we do such acts we are killing our economy and our livelihoods in general so it is not an honourable thing to do it's a bad thing and it's supposed to be condemned by all citizens of Zanzibar."

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Teen Suicide: Site Refuses To Answer Questions

Staff at ask.fm - the Latvian-based website where a teenager was bullied before she killed herself - have refused to tell Sky News about how it reports abuse.

It comes as the father of victim Hannah Smith called for the website's owners to be charged with manslaughter.

And companies advertising on ask.fm, including Specsavers, Save The Children and Laura Ashley, have pulled their adverts from the website amid "deep concerns". 

The 14-year-old girl from Lutterworth, Leicestershire, took her own life on Friday after being abused on the social network site.

Dave Smith has accused the website owners of not caring that "teenagers are dying and killing themselves".

Speaking to the Daily Mirror in his first on-camera interview since Hannah's death, Mr Smith said: "The people that run it should get done for manslaughter or murder because you try contacting them and they don't care.

"These websites should be got rid of, if nothing else they need to be regulated and they need to stop people from doing this."

"If David Cameron was sitting here now I would want to know why he hasn't done something about this six, 12 - two years ago. Modern technology has gone on but the laws have stuck the same."

Hannah Smith (L) and her best friend Georgia Clarke

Ask.fm allows users to post anonymous questions and messages but has been criticised for not doing enough after several other teenagers took their lives - apparently after receiving abuse on the site.

Hannah committed suicide after repeated messages encouraging her to kill herself and criticising her appearance.

Sky's Ian Woods approached an employee in Latvia and asked to see the system for how the firm moderates its messages and how it reports and tackles abuse.

But the worker said the correspondent should speak to an official from the company.

Mr Smith and Hannah's stepmother Deborah said people needed to think more about the effect of their online posts as it emerged their elder daughter Jo has also been the target of abuse on the site.

David Smith and and Hannah's stepmother Deborah (Pic: Mirror)

"How could you?", Mrs Smith said. "People need to stop and think. You can't just sit behind a keyboard and type something and think that doesn't matter. There's a complete lack of emotional intelligence."

Mr Smith added: "There's something not right with the world today that people can tell someone to die so many times that they actually do it."

The Prime Minister David Cameron has promised the Government would look at any action it can take to stop future tragedies like Hannah's death, which he called "an absolutely appalling case".

He also said: "The people that operate these websites have to step up to the plate and show some responsibility."

Ask.fm has called her death a "true tragedy" and said it is cooperating with Leicestershire Police's investigation.

In a statement the site said it actively "encourages users and their parents to report any incidences of bullying", either by using the in-site reporting button, or via the website's contact page.

"All reports are read by our team of moderators to ensure that genuine concerns are heard and acted upon immediately - and we always remove content reported to us that violates our Terms of Service," the statement added.

:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 08457 90 90 90 or email jo@samaritans.org.

:: BeatBullying.org is also available for advice and support.

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Herne Hill Flood As Water Main Bursts

Residents woke up to find their properties several feet under water in a scene one man described as "apocalyptic".

The street was covered by water several feet deep. Pic: Crispin Sugden

The flooding hit Half Moon Lane in Herne Hill, south London, due to a burst water main and people were being advised to stay in their homes.

Fire crews, using special dingy-style boats, have been working to clear the water estimated at one metre deep and covering about 100 metres (328ft) of road.

The water comes in one house. Pic: Crispin Sugden

One of those affected by the flooding was Simon Eckel, landlord of the Half Moon pub.

He told Sky News the cellar was totally immersed in water up to 3m (9ft) high and there had also been about a metre (3ft) of water on the ground floor at one point.

Pic: Crispin Sugden

He said: "There's mud everywhere. I started hearing a car alarm about 5.15am and thought someone was trying to break in.

"Water was pouring into the cellar and it kept on rising."

Fire crews at the scene. Pic: Oscar Eckel

Mr Eckel estimated the cost of the damage would run into many thousands of pounds.

Another local resident Crispin Sugden tweeted: "Epic burst water main. For a second it was apocalyptic."

London Fire Brigade said: "Fire crews are attending a suspected burst water main on Half Moon Lane in Herne Hill.

A van tries to make its way through the water. Pic: Oscar Eckel

"Over 100m of road is flooded, and the water is a metre deep in some places. The large water main has now been switched off and the water is slowly receding."

The Half Moon pub was among the properties hit. Pic: Oscar Eckel

A spokesperson said: "Our crews are well equipped to deal with floods, and we have lots of specialist skills and equipment used at the scenes of incidents like this one.

"The most important thing for us is making sure that people are safe, so people who live in the affected street are being advised to stay in their homes until the water is cleared.

Pic: Oscar Eckel

"Then we will be helping to clear water out of basements, homes, and local businesses."

"Two fire engines from Brixton and West Norwood fire stations are at the scene with two fire rescue units from Lewisham and Battersea fire stations. Fire crews are using special dinghy-style boats to get around the flooded area."

An aerial image of the flooding. Pic: Met Police

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Britain's Longest-Serving Police Officer Retires

The country's longest-serving police officer is retiring after 47 years in the job.

PC Mick Mountain, 66, from Morden in south London, said he joined the Metropolitan Police Service after taking "the best piece of advice my Dad could have given me".

But he said the role of a modern police officer was "totally different" to when he joined, because they have to do "more or less twice the work" due to increased admin.

And PC Mountain, who for the past 18 years has been attached to the Palace of Westminster - which takes in the House of Commons and House of Lords - said crime was down only because people have "too many problems" reporting it nowadays.

Although he has had "the most fantastic career", PC Mountain expressed frustration at how advances in technology had led to officers having to spend more time ensuring information is electronically filed.

When asked if he thought more time was being spent on admin than on fighting crime, PC Mountain said: "Well I'm finding it is.

He became a policeman after a suggestion from his father

"I don't actually work in a police station obviously any longer. I work at the Palace of Westminster on security, so I don't get as much work as they do.

"From what I gather, yes it is the case, because I've tried to report crimes myself like any other citizen and it's a little more difficult than it used to be. 'Oh yes, could you call in? Or could you send us an email?'.

"I'm a policeman, I want to report it to a police officer, basically. And I think that is one of the reasons recently crime's gone down. People won't report it. Too many problems. But that's another issue."

PC Mountain also said that while people are still as violent as they were in the past, the public expects police officers to "behave in a different manner" now.

Despite the changes he has witnessed throughout his career, PC Mountain, who has arrested thousands of criminals, said: "I've had a great time."

He recalled one frightening arrest when the man, who was holding a hand grenade, threatened to pull the pin.

PC Mountain ripped the grenade from him before throwing it into open space.

Although he feared for his life, he said it is not until after that sort of scenario is over that you realise the danger you were in, and "that's what police do".

PC Mountain, who is married with two children, is looking forward to enjoying travelling more in his retirement.

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Bristol Zookeeper Suspended For 'Punching' Seal

A zookeeper has been suspended after allegedly punching a seal.

Bosses at Bristol Zoo Gardens have launched an investigation into what happened.

It has been alleged that a senior animal keeper lashed out at the South American fur seal, which belongs to the same family as sea lions, when handlers tried to weigh it and it refused to co-operate.

A source told The Sun: "The keepers were weighing the sea lions. The senior keeper had taken one off the scales and put the next sea lion on - but the junior keeper forgot to recalibrate the scales.

"As he went to take it off the sea lion then put its flipper on the scales and it is alleged the senior keeper hit it."

The zoo's head vet has examined all of the seals at the popular tourist attraction and they remain on public show in their enclosure.

A Bristol Zoo Gardens spokeswoman said: "A senior animal keeper at Bristol Zoo Gardens has been suspended pending further investigation of an alleged animal welfare incident that has recently come to light.

"As this is an ongoing investigation, Bristol Zoo is currently unable to discuss the details of the incident.

"However, the zoo has acted rapidly and comprehensively by instigating an immediate, formal and extensive investigation in line with its internal policies and legal welfare requirements.

"Michelle Barrows, head of veterinary services, has examined the seal family and all individuals are behaving normally, engaging happily and playfully with keepers and guests in their enclosure.

"The animal has been, and continues to be, on full public show.

"Bristol Zoo would like to make it very clear that it has a zero tolerance towards such behaviour and takes its commitment to the highest standards of animal welfare and conservation seriously."

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Missing Rania Alayed: Police Hunt For Campervan

Detectives investigating the murder of mother-of-three Rania Alayed have released a picture of a white campervan they believe could be connected to her disappearance.

Greater Manchester Police also revealed it had been searching a stretch of the A19 near Thirsk in North Yorkshire for her body.

The white campervan travelled from Manchester to that area of the A19 at about the same time the 25-year-old mother disappeared.

Ms Alayed was reported missing from her home in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, on July 2, having been last seen in public on the evening of June 7.

Her husband, Ahmed Khatib, and brother-in-law, Muhanned Mahmood Al Khatib, have been charged with her murder.

Police want to speak to anyone who saw this campervan on Saturday June 8

Police believe the campervan stopped at a layby on the northbound carriageway by the side of the A19 between 3am and 5am on Saturday June 8.

They have sent out letters to 350 motorists who are known to have driven in the area at that time to see if they have any information on the campervan.

Ms Alayed previously lived in Cleveland and moved to Manchester in January.

Her disappearance was described by the police as "extremely out of character".

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Marsh, of Greater Manchester Police's major incident team, said: "I cannot begin to imagine the hurt Rania's family are experiencing knowing she is still missing.

Officers believe the campervan stopped at a layby on the A19

"Since Rania disappeared in June we have been working tirelessly to find her, and will continue to do so.

"We are hoping to hear from anyone who saw this white campervan and, in particular, if they saw it parked by the side of the road or in a layby.

"I understand there might not be anything unusual about a campervan parked on a layby in the early hours and I recognise it might not have struck you as significant at the time.

"However, we have reason to believe that Rania's body could be located near to this stretch of road and this is where we have been concentrating our searches.

"I am also interested to hear from anyone walking in the area or working who may have seen some suspicious activity or come across any unusual areas of ground such as a disturbance, cut vegetation.

"The area in question is in excess of 15 miles long and we have a large amount of ground to cover."

He added: "We believe that Rania was taken from Manchester up to the stretch of road that we're searching, in that campervan."

He described the vehicle as white, old, with blue writing on the side, with the registration F864 RJB.

Anyone with information on the movements of the campervan, or who saw Ms Alayed after 7pm on June 7, is urged to contact Greater Manchester Police on 0161 856 4711.

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Outcry As Girl Called 'Sex Predator' By Judge

David Cameron has said it was inappropriate for a paedophile's 13-year-old victim to be described in court as "predatory".

Following an outcry from children's charities and campaigners, the Prime Minister agreed the justice system had to stand up for victims.

And he welcomed the review of the eight-month suspended sentence given to Neil Wilson, 41, which meant he walked free from court on Monday.

The Attorney General is looking at the case and will decide if it should ask the Court of Appeal to consider whether the punishment was unduly lenient.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is also under growing pressure to investigate after receiving several formal complaints and a petition calling for a review which already has 15,000 signatures.

Prosecutor Robert Colover reportedly told Snaresbrook Crown Court in London: "The girl is predatory in all her actions and she is sexually experienced."

Passing sentence, Judge Nigel Peters then said he had taken into account that the girl looked and behaved "a little bit older" than she was.

"The girl was predatory and was egging you on. That is no defence when dealing with children but I am prepared to impose a suspension," he said. 

Wilson, now living in York, had watched the girl strip out of her school uniform at his home in Romford, Essex, before she performed a sex act on him.

Police also found images of child abuse and bestiality at his home.

He admitted two counts of making extreme pornographic images and one count of sexual activity with a child.

Judge Peters told Wilson: "Allowing her to visit your home is something we have to clamp down on and in normal circumstances that would mean a significant term in prison."

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the language used by its prosecutor was "inappropriate".

A spokesman said: "The transgressor in this case was the defendant and he bears responsibility for his criminal acts."

Mr Cameron said the CPS was "absolutely right". "It isn't appropriate. We need a criminal justice system that stands up properly for victims," he said.

'Completely appalling': Caroline Criado-Perez

"The victims of crime should always be at the centre of our thinking and I am pleased the CPS has made that statement.

"I am also pleased that the Attorney General has said he is personally going to look into this case."

A petition started by the founder of EveryDay Victim Blaming, who is known only as Jo, calls for the Director of Public Prosecutions to look at Mr Colover's remarks.

She wrote on the Change.org website: "I'm a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I could have been that 13-year-old girl who the judge and prosecutor described as 'predatory'.

"I have seen first-hand how this kind of victim-blaming prevents women from coming forward and protects men who commit these crimes."

The NSPCC warned that the case was part of a wider pattern about how child sex abuse cases are treated in the courts.

Alan Wardle, head of corporate affairs, said: "It was quite clear in the case the predator was the man who was in the dock, not a 13-year-old child, and it is quite clear that a 13-year-old child cannot be complicit in her own abuse.

"Making sure that judges and barristers in all these cases are properly trained and understand the nature of child sexual abuse and how children are groomed in these sort of cases is important."

A spokesman for Barnardo's added: "It is plain wrong to imply in any way that the experiences of sexually exploited children are something they bring on themselves."

Victim Support's chief executive Javed Khan said: "Victims of sexual abuse should be praised for their bravery in coming forward, not censured and have their credibility called into question - least of all by the prosecution.

"It is traumatic enough for anyone who is brought to court to face their abuser, but particularly so when this is a young vulnerable person. It is completely unacceptable for victims to be blamed in any way for the abuse they have suffered."

Caroline Criado-Perez, who received rape threats following her calls for Jane Austen to be the face on the £10 bank note, called the judge's decision "completely appalling".

She told Sky News: "It's really worrying that we're in the 21st century and we're still suggesting victims can be complicit in their abuse which is basically what calling a 13-year-old child a sexually predator is.

"I don't think you can ever call a child a sexual predator because they are a child. They are below the age of consent. We have laws specifically because of this kind of thing so that you can't say a child is responsible for her abuse.

"This adds to the horror that has happened to her. She has been abused and now we are blaming her for it. It's just unconscionable."

The Attorney General said a decision on whether the case is referred to the Court of Appeal will be made within 28 days.

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Two Young Men Drown In Scotland Reservoir

A man and teenager who drowned in a reservoir in Scotland have been identified by police.

The bodies of Sean Marshall, 20, and Ross Munn, 17, were pulled from Mill Glen Reservoir near Ardrossan in North Ayrshire by specialist police divers shortly before midnight.

A search and rescue operation was launched at around 8pm on Monday night after the pair were seen getting into the water but failed to resurface.

A police underwater unit and helicopter were supported by around 10 firefighters and Coastguard staff. Two fire and rescue crews from Ardrossan and Ayr went to the scene, along with a Zodiac water rescue boat from Ayr.

Police said the families of Ross, from Ardrossan, and Mr Marshall, from Saltcoats, have been told of their deaths.

The reservoir is near Ardrossan in North Ayrshire

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding what happened and a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.

Mill Glen is a small reservoir with an earth embankment dam located about a mile northeast of Ardrossan.

Superintendent Neil Kerr warned people of the dangers of  playing or swimming in open water during warm weather.

"It may look calm on the surface, but there may be strong undercurrents," he said.

"The water can also be very cold and deep, and there are often sudden drops and underwater obstacles and undergrowth that you cannot see, causing even the strongest of swimmers to get into difficulty very easily."

Flowers have been left at the scene

Carlene McAvoy, Scotland's community safety development officer for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: "When the weather hots up, we understand the temptation to go swimming in open water, like a reservoir, but there are many issues that people may not be aware of.

"Things to remember are that the water might be a lot colder and deeper than you expect, and there may be strong currents and underwater debris, which may lead to even the most experienced swimmer getting into difficulties.

"Consider how you are going to get out of the water before you get in, and be honest about your swimming ability."

She advised only swimming at "properly-supervised sites", such as beaches, lidos or swimming pools.

The latest fatalities takes this summer's death toll from swimming accidents to 18.

Some 13 of those occurred during the July heatwave, which was Britain's longest spell of hot weather for seven years.

Last week a 16-year-old's body was recovered from the River Tay near Perth, just days after two teenage friends died when one of them went bathing in the River Wear at Washington, Tyne and Wear, and the other jumped in to save her.

Sussie Ahlburg died at Hampstead Heath ladies' pool

Police have issued repeated warnings about the dangers of entering rivers to cool off during the hot weather.

Meanwhile, a woman who died at a bathing pond on London's Hampstead Heath has been identified as a Swedish photographer.

Sussie Ahlburg, 50, who lived in Holborn, central London, was found in the ladies' pool yesterday afternoon after being reported missing by her family.

She had gone swimming at the popular site in north west London on Sunday, and relatives raised the alarm around 9.20pm that day when she did not come home.

Detectives said her death is being treated as unexplained and are appealing for witnesses who might have seen her around the ladies' pond on Sunday August 4.

She is described as five feet 10 inches tall and slim with greying hair and long legs. She was wearing a white 'Speedo' swimming hat, blue prescription swimming goggles and a dark navy/black tankini.

A post-mortem examination is due to take place at St Pancras Mortuary.

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Football Steward Trampled In Pitch Invasion

A pitch invasion which led to a football steward being trampled by a police horse has been labelled "completely unacceptable" by police chiefs, who vowed to prosecute the troublemakers.

The behaviour towards officers and match stewards from some fans at Monday night's cup tie derby between Preston North End and Blackpool was criticised as "disgraceful".

Police said "a significant minority of determined people" from both sides were intent on causing trouble on the night and added that those identified would be tracked down and prosecuted.

Fans ran onto the pitch at the end of the local derby

The steward, wearing a hi-vis jacket, was on the Deepdale pitch helping clear Preston fans after their team's late winner near the end of the Capital One Cup game.

He was struck by a police horse as it cantered across the pitch, while another horse - also helping with crowd dispersal - seemed to clip the steward as he lay on the ground.

The steward, who got to his feet and was able to walk off the pitch, suffered a shoulder injury and was later taken to hospital for treatment.

Two people were arrested for criminal damage to one of the supporters' coaches outside the ground, with another four people held for minor offences.

The man was struck by a police horse as it cantered across the pitch

Superintendent Richard Morgan said: "The behaviour of those involved in the disorder at last night's game was completely unacceptable. There was a significant minority of determined people from both sides who throughout the day, before, during and after the game, were intent on causing problems.

"There will be a thorough investigation over the coming days and weeks and I want to be very clear that those involved in the disorder can expect a visit from the police and to be prosecuted."

The steward walked off the pitch before being taken to hospital

Match commander Chief Inspector Nick Emmett said: "The behaviour of those involved in the disorder and the behaviour of some people towards officers and stewards was absolutely disgraceful.

"This was a very difficult situation which presented significant challenges for both the club and for ourselves and we were able to bring the situation under control quickly. The disorder last night was completely unacceptable and we will be making significant efforts to locate and prosecute those involved."

The Football Association (FA) said it is investigating the matter and will liaise with both clubs and the police.

Blackpool manager Paul Ince labelled the scenes at the match as an "absolute joke".

He said he hopes that it does not take a fan getting stabbed to make football's authorities take further steps to prevent crowd trouble.

"I understand that fans get excited ... but who knows what can happen.

"We're not listening. Has someone got to be stabbed before we listen?"

Blackpool manager Paul Ince condemned the violence

The former England international continued: "I wondered if we have enough stewards.

"You see enough situations where fans run on a pitch and I can understand fans' excitement, but there have been enough frightening things that have happened to players that we need to stamp down on it.

"There were three or four hundred Preston fans, so who knows what could have happened? Has it got to take something else to happen before we listen? That's not just Preston but it's the whole football community in general. We need to knuckle down on this.

"We're disappointed as our fans were absolutely fantastic and their behaviour was impeccable. There were no louts on the pitch - unlike Preston - and we conducted ourselves in the right manner. We have to take pride from that as a club."

Preston manager Simon Grayson also voiced disappointment.

"You don't want people to be running on the pitch and I would have preferred them to stay behind as the football club might get in trouble over what's happened, but hopefully there's not been too many people seriously injured," he said.

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Lake Woman: Police Issue Photograph Of Dress

Detectives are hoping that a photograph of a dress worn by a woman found floating in a university lake may help to identify her.

Officers have not been able to identify the woman since her body was recovered from the beauty spot at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, on Thursday.

They have launched a nationwide search after ruling out the possibility that she was a student or member of staff at the university and say there are no links to any missing people inquiries in Norfolk, Suffolk or Cambridgeshire.

The dress is black with a large peach or cream rose pattern and a slightly gathered neckline and hem. It is a size 10 and has ties on the shoulders but has no labels indicating where it was bought.

"This is a fairly distinctive dress and we're keen to hear from anyone who may have seen a woman matching the description and wearing this item in the area around the university in the early part of last week," said Detective Inspector Richard Graveling, from Norwich CID.

"We are unable to establish where the dress was purchased and would be keen to hear from any retailers who believe they stock the item."

The woman, who was spotted floating face down in the water by an angler, was 5ft 7ins, slim and in her late 30s or early 40s. She had short, dark brown hair with a natural wave, which had been dyed auburn or dark red.

A post-mortem has failed to establish the cause of death and further tests are being carried out.

DI Graveling added: "There is no evidence at this stage to suggest the woman was the victim of violence or that a third party was involved. However, we are keeping an open mind as to the circumstances surrounding the discovery."

Anyone with information should contact Norwich CID on 101.

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NHS Review: Criminal Offences For Neglect

NHS staff should be prosecuted for wilful neglect or mistreatment of patients, according to a major review of the health service.

Professor Don Berwick, a world expert on patient safety, also recommended new criminal offences for healthcare organisations that withhold information.

But he stressed the offences should only be used in a "very small number of cases" and that unintended errors should not be criminalised.

His report failed to call for a statutory duty forcing health workers to tell patients when their care goes wrong or for centrally-set minimum staff levels.

It said "achieving a vastly safer NHS will depend far more on major cultural change than on a new regulatory regime".

The expert, who was health adviser to Barack Obama, was asked to investigate NHS patient safety by David Cameron in the wake of the Mid-Staffs hospital scandal.

He told Sky News that the main thrust of his recommendations was for a "learning NHS" where hospitals know about mistakes elsewhere and can avoid repeating them.

Hundreds of patients were routinely neglected at Stafford Hospital

He backed calls for a review of staffing ratios so that wards are always properly manned but insisted a single number fixed by law would not work.

Instead, his report calls for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) to devise a formula NHS leaders would use to check they have the right number of staff.

"We think that's a lot smarter than a simple statutory number that would not be responsive to a local context," he said.

Earlier on Sky News, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "A targets culture where there are lots of things imposed from the centre can be very counter-productive."

He later added: "The report makes clear that the NHS could lead the world in patient safety.

"Nothing less is good enough for the patients and families who rely on it and this Government will back our hard-working NHS staff to make this a reality."

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said: "All the experts are now telling the Government to get a grip on staffing levels. The time for excuses is over.

"While ministers dragged their feet, over 800 nursing jobs were lost last month alone - now totalling almost 5,000 since the election.

"David Cameron must now urgently intervene to ensure safe staffing levels in our hospitals. These dangerous cuts to nursing posts prove you can't trust the Tories with the NHS."

The Government will consider the report and the Francis Inquiry's conclusions about Mid-Staffs before responding in full in the autumn.

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Man Charged After Bull Gores Rambler To Death

A man has been charged with manslaughter by gross negligence in connection with the death of a rambler who was killed by a bull.

Roger Freeman, 63, was killed by the animal while walking with his wife along a public footpath through a field in Stanford on Soar, Leicestershire, on November 12, 2010, Nottinghamshire Police said.

He died at the scene from multiple injuries.

His wife, Glenis Freeman, who was 67 at the time, was critically injured and spent three weeks in hospital.

Alison Norton, specialist prosecutor handling special crime in the Crown Prosecution Service, said it was in the public interest to charge Paul Waterfall, 39, who was responsible for Underhill Farm, in Stanford on Soar, and its livestock at the time of the incident.

"This decision was taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

"I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the family of Roger Freeman."

Waterfall has been bailed to appear at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on August 21.

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Asda Parking Row: Man Killed Over Disabled Space

A man has been killed in a row over a disabled parking space in a supermarket car park, police have said.

A 65-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the fracas at Asda in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.

He was released on police bail on Sunday night pending further enquiries until August 19, a police spokesman said.

The victim, from Sandy, was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge where he died on Sunday afternoon, Bedfordshire Police said.

Relatives of the victim, who was aged 64, were at his bedside when he died.

Witnesses are urged to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Detective Chief Inspector Tim Redfearn, who is leading the investigation, said: "The men were waiting in the disabled parking area at the time and got into a disagreement about parking.

"We know they became involved in a disagreement which resulted in one man punching the other, knocking him to the ground.

"It would seem an argument over nothing has led to tragic and devastating consequences for both men and their families.

"I know the supermarket car park would have been very busy on a Saturday afternoon so if you were there at the relevant time please contact the police in confidence."

The suspect left the supermarket following the incident at around 3pm, but was arrested at his home address nearby a short time later.

Asda said one of its managers, a first aider, was first on the scene and helped the injured man until paramedics arrived.

A spokesman said: "We're helping the police get to the bottom of what happened. Our thoughts are with the gentleman's family during this difficult time."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bedfordshire Police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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Fracking: 'Fear Of Unknown' In Countryside

Fracking is causing a "fear of the unknown" in the British countryside and people need more information, a Conservative former minister has warned.

Nick Herbert, an ex-justice minister, claimed the controversial technique was considered the next biggest threat after unwanted housing developments.

Mr Herbert did not condemn fracking but made clear his constituents in the West Sussex seat of Arundel and South Downs have deep concerns about it.

The practice involves fracturing rock deposits deep below the ground with high-pressure blasts of water and chemicals.

Ministers believe it could lead to major cuts in energy bills by reducing the UK's reliance on other sources but campaigners are fighting drilling.

Former minister Nick Herbert

Protests were held at a site in Balcombe, West Sussex, last week as test drilling began despite energy company Cuadrilla insisting its current operations will not involve fracking there.

Mr Herbert told the Telegraph: "There is a lot of concern about the impact of new housing in West Sussex. This (fracking) is seen as a second threat to the countryside.

"People are worried about the implications and they don't have enough information to know how damaging it will be. It is the fear of the unknown that is exacerbating local concerns.

"People understand the national arguments about the need for secure and cheap energy, but they don't know how much this is going to damage the local environment.

"What you are talking about here is very beautiful and tranquil countryside that people are keen to preserve. At the moment it is unknown - we just don't know what the potential impact and scale of this is. There does need to be more information."

His comments come amid increasing signs of unease among MPs about the innovative method of extracting gas from shale deposits deep under the ground.

Another Tory MP, Eric Ollerenshaw, has suggested the development of shale gas facilities could create a new "North-South divide".

The Lancaster and Fleetwood MP warned that the North of England would not be prepared to absorb the potential environmental damage while the South reaped the financial rewards.

A young anti-fracking protester in Balcombe last week

He spoke out after Tory peer Lord Howell of Guildford sparked outrage by suggesting fracking should be confined to "desolate" parts of the North.

Lancashire has been identified as one of the areas with the most potential for hydraulic fracking, with a recent report suggesting there could be 1,300 trillion cubit feet of shale gas present.

Mr Ollerenshaw said: "We want [a] level playing field across the country. We do not want ... that the North gets the dirty end and the South sucks up all the energy."

Liberal Democrat party president, Tim Farron, has also said that a "short-sighted" rush to exploit deposits could cause long-lasting damage to the countryside.

"I am afraid the Government has seen flashing pound signs and has not considered the long-term threats fracking poses to the countryside," he said.

"I think this is a very short-sighted policy and we will all be left to live with the consequences."

Energy minister Michael Fallon was this weekend reported to have relished the prospect of fracking under the "chattering class" commentators in The Weald in the affluent South East.

The Mail on Sunday reported he told a private meeting that "the beauty" of drilling in Hampshire, Sussex and Surrey was that "of course it's underneath the commentariat - all these people writing leaders saying 'Why don't they  get on with shale?' We are going to see how thick their rectory walls are, whether they like the flaring at the end of the drive!"

A spokesman for the energy department did not dispute the paper's account of the comments, but said: "Fracking will only be allowed in the Weald if it is safe and poses no risk to the environment."

Friends of the Earth's policy and campaigns director Craig Bennett said: "Michael Fallon's unguarded comments will resonate across the UK and fuel more opposition to the Government's disastrous support for fracking.

"Ministers must pull the plug on shale gas and oil extraction, especially as there's plenty of evidence they won't lead to cheaper fuel bills.

"We need an energy policy based on cutting waste and developing the nation's huge renewable power potential - not one that wrecks our clean and pleasant land and pumps more pollution into our atmosphere."

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Flood Warning As Heavy Rain Sweeps Across UK

A huge rain band spreading from southwest England to southern Scotland has brought a warning of possible flooding from the Met Office.

A "be aware" alert has been issued for the western half of England, Wales and the Borders, with up to 2.3ins (60mm) of rain possible in parts of the South West.

The warning also covers Todmorden in West Yorkshire, which was hit by up to 18in (46cm) of water a week ago after a cloudburst and torrential rain.

While the heavy rain is bad news for most it could help England's campaign to retain the Ashes, forcing a draw in the third Test.

Rain threatens to settle the outcome of the third Ashes Test

Old Trafford woke to persistent rain which will linger throughout the afternoon, only clearing by early evening, says Sky News weather presenter Sarah Pennock.

For other areas, she said: "A band of slow-moving rain will extend from southwest England to southeast Scotland today, bringing tricky driving conditions and localised flooding.

"The heaviest rain will affect northern and western parts of England and Wales - here we could see up to two inches of rain in places."

Pennock added: "It's a very different story for Ireland and much of Scotland - there it will be drier and brighter with sunny spells.

Walden, near Todmorden, suffered severe flooding. Pic: Twitter/@jams1999

"Tuesday and Wednesday will be an improving story for most with drier conditions, some sunshine and temperatures peaking around 24C in the South East."

The rain and cooler temperatures follow weeks of hot weather which saw Thursday, August 1, become the hottest day of the year so far in the UK, when 34.1C was recorded at Heathrow.

The previous highest temperature was 33.5C which was recorded at both Northolt and Heathrow on July 22. 

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