Cheers! More Booze-Free Bars For Britain

By Gemma Morris, Sky News Reporter

A growing number of alcohol-free bars cropping up across the UK could signal a shift in attitudes towards drinking.

Catherine Salway set up a dry bar in London last year after spotting a trend in young people wanting to be healthier and cutting back their drinking.

She said: "If you're 30 now, you've grown up in an environment where everyone is getting lashed all the time ... and really, as young people want to do, they are questioning the status quo which is to say why is socialising constantly linked with being drunk all the time?"

Catherine Salway spotted the trend for dry bars

Ms Salway funded her Redemption bar independently, but a number of other dry bars in the country have been backed by alcohol charities.

These have included venues in Nottingham and Liverpool.

Sophie Fordham, a university student who has blogged for Alcohol Concern, reckons younger people are becoming more open to the idea of alcohol-free bars.

"Say you go out three nights a week, if you replace that with one night at a chilled out, nice place, where you don't have to think about spending money on alcohol, you don't have to think about how you're getting home ... It's just a nice alternative," she said.

Instead of cocktails it's mocktails

Figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest UK alcohol habits are changing among young people.

The number of people, aged 25-44, who said they had had a drink in the previous week dropped from 74% to 63% for men and from 62% to 50% for women, between 2005 and 2012.

Other research appears to show a reduction in teenagers drinking alcohol too.

Former Coronation Street star Kevin Kennedy, better known to soap fans as Curly Watts, is a recovering alcoholic who hasn't had a drink for 17 years.

Kevin Kennedy, who has been sober 17 years, is hoping to join the trend

The actor is hoping to open his own dry bar in Brighton.

"I think in the UK we have got a kind of reputation of being just drunks, especially abroad and I think people are getting fed up of that. I think as a collective we are growing up," he said.

But when customers at a typical London pub were asked if booze-free nights can be as fun as alcohol-fuelled ones, the reaction was not overwhelmingly positive.

One drinker said: "I don't think it would be very fun because that's the whole point of a bar isn't it, that it serves alcohol?"

Another added: "Fun sometimes comes when you lose your inhibitions and alcohol helps you lose your inhibitions."

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New Robot Mannequin Is Army's Latest Recruit

A new robotic mannequin - made using Formula 1 technology - will be used to test chemical and biological protective suits for Britain's armed forces.

Porton Man can run, walk, march, sit and kneel, allowing scientists to test suits against attacks such as nerve agents like sarin.

It was made by UK firm i-bodi Technology for the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) in Porton Down, Wiltshire, where military clothing is tested against chemical warfare agents.

Porton Man can run and march

Mannequins have been used by Dstl in the past, but the new £1.1m animatronic version has a raft of improvements and sensors all over its body that allow real-time analysis.

It is also much lighter than its predecessor - 14kg (30lb) instead of 80kg (176lb).

Jaime Cummins, of Dstl's Chemical and Biological Physical Protection group, said it is hoped the mannequin will help produce a new, lighter-weight protective suit for the future.

Jez Gibson-Harris, chief executive of i-bodi Technology, said his firm was tasked with producing a lightweight robotic mannequin based on data collected from 2,500 soldiers, that was easy to handle and had a wide range of movement.

He said: "Of course there were a number of challenges associated with this and one way we looked to tackle these challenges was through the use of Formula One technology.

"Using the same concepts as those used in racing cars, we were able to produce very light but highly durable carbon composite body parts for the mannequin."

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Badgers Should Be Gassed, Princess Anne Says

The Princess Royal has been criticised by animal rights campaigners after she described the gassing of badgers as a "much nicer way" to control them than shooting them.

Gassing has been banned since 1982 and is considered inhumane by animal rights activists. 

But Princess Anne said she believed most people "will tell you that gas is a much nicer way of doing it, if that's not a silly expression".

"Because of the way it works. And how it works is that you go to sleep, basically."

Speaking about the recent badger cull pilot programmes designed to reduce TB in cattle, Princess Anne said controlling the spread of the disease was just one reason for killing the animals. 

"From a conservation issue alone, you'd have to say there are too many badgers. A bigger growth in the badger population is not good for the balance of conservation anyway," she told the BBC's Countryfile programme.

A third of one cattle herd at Princess Anne's Gatcombe estate in Gloucestershire - where one of the pilot culls took place - has been wiped out by bovine TB over the past two years.

Princess Anne farms at her Gatcombe estate in Gloucestershire

An independent experts' report has found the "controlled shooting" of badgers could deliver the level of culling needed to bring about a meaningful reduction of TB in cattle.

Humane Society International UK executive director Mark Jones said a reintroduction of gassing would result in a "slow and painful" death for many badgers and possibly other animals.

"Gassing experiments carried out at Porton Down in the early 1980s were abandoned because of the appalling levels of suffering to which the badgers were exposed," he said.

"Lethal concentrations of gases in complex badger setts are difficult to achieve, making sub-lethal exposure and associated suffering highly likely."

His remarks were echoed by Green Party animals spokeswoman Caroline Allen.

The badger cull pilots sparked widespread protests

Ms Allen, a working vet, said: "It is very sad that a high-profile figure such as Princess Anne has chosen to weigh in to the badger debate showing even less awareness and even more ignorance on the issue than we have come to expect from Secretary of State Owen Paterson.

"Defra has clearly stated that gassing with cyanide should never again be considered and there are no alternate gases available without similar unacceptable effects."

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said last year that gassing badgers was being considered but would only be used if proven to be safe, humane and effective.

The Government recently announced the pilot culls would continue this year but will not be extended to other areas.

Princess Anne also spoke of her support for genetically-modified crops in the interview.

"I think the claims are probably slightly greater than most of the deliverables actually are. They do add to our ability to perhaps be more efficient users of the land," she said.

And she admitted she "seldom" discusses the subject with her brother Charles, who once suggested the method risked creating "the biggest disaster environmentally of all time".

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Mafia Boss 'The Professor' Arrested Again In UK

An alleged Italian mafia boss has been arrested on a fresh international warrant a week after he was told he was free to remain in the UK.

Domenico Rancadore had been told by a judge he could return to his home in Uxbridge, west London, after prosecutors withdrew their appeal against a ruling that blocked his extradition to Italy.

But he was arrested in Uxbridge on Friday night on a European Arrest Warrant by officers from Scotland Yard's extradition unit.

The 65-year-old was taken into police custody and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London later this morning.

Scotland Yard said in a statement: "(The warrant) alleges that he has an outstanding sentence of seven years' imprisonment to serve for participation in Mafia association between December 17, 1987 and April 13, 1995 in Palermo, Italy."

The warrant was issued in Italy and certified by the UK's National Crime Agency.

The house in Uxbridge where Rancadore was arrested

Rancadore - known as "The Professor" - was arrested in Britain last August after 20 years on the run.

He had won his legal fight against extradition on March 17 on the basis that returning to Italy's overcrowded prisons would breach his human rights.

At a hearing last week, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed they had lodged an appeal, but said it was not served within the statutory time limit and was therefore being withdrawn.

Rancadore fled to England in 1994 with his wife and two children, and lived under the false name of Marc Skinner.

Italian authorities claim he was a leading figure in the Cosa Nostra, a Sicilian mafia group controlling Trabia near Palermo.

He is one of Italy's most wanted criminals and was sentenced to seven years in prison in his absence.

Italian police claim he was involved in extortion, racketeering and drug trafficking.

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Briton Shot Dead In Rio De Janeiro Carjacking

A British man has been shot and killed in an attempted carjacking in Brazil, where he was working as an oil worker.

Peter Campsie, from Montrose, in the Scottish county of Angus, was shot dead after his Lexus was intercepted by two gunmen in Rio de Janeiro.

The 48-year-old was on his way home to the city of Macae, north of Rio, after a business meeting when the attack happened on Wednesday.

Gunmen shot Mr Campsie twice as he attempted to flee from the scene in his vehicle, Aberdeen's Press And Journal newspaper reported.

It is understood the operations manager died at the scene of the attack, which took place in Rio's Niteroi municipality in the late afternoon. The gunmen fled empty-handed.

Mr Campsie had been working for Diamond Offshore Drilling International and had lived in Brazil for 16 years.

He shared his home in Brazil with his wife and 10-year-old daughter. He also had two sons, siblings and family in Scotland. 

A statement to the Press and Journal issued by his family said: "He was a man who loved life and and brought so much joy and laughter to those around him.

"Wherever Pete went, the good times followed. A darkness has fallen on us all as we try and make sense of why Pete had to die in the prime of his life.

"He was a loyal friend and father, brother and son who cared deeply about making sure everyone got the best out of their lives. Our anchor has been pulled away so cruelly."

A spokeswoman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "We were made aware of the death of a British national in Brazil on April 2.

"We stand ready to provide consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."

News of the carjacking came as federal troops were sent on to the streets of Rio de Janeiro by Brazil's government to tackle crime.

The city is one of the main hosts for this summer's World Cup Finals and is also set to hold the Olympic Games in 2016.

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Triple-Killer Levi Bellfield Wins £4.5k Payout

The killer of schoolgirl Milly Dowler has been awarded £4,500 compensation for a prison attack that left him with only minor injuries.

The payout to Levi Bellfield has been branded a "complete disgrace" and has raised questions over prisoners "playing the system" at the taxpayers' expense.

He was attacked with a makeshift weapon in Wakefield prison in 2009 where he was serving life sentences for the murders of 22-year-old Amelie Delagrange and 19-year-old Marsha McDonnell in southwest London.

He suffered what he admitted were minor injuries but took the Government to court on the basis that he should have been protected.

Bellfield also killed Marsha McDonnell

Labour MP Ian Austin said: "It is a complete disgrace that a child murderer should be getting what most people would consider a lot of money for what he himself admitted were only minor injuries.

"We have got to get to a position where prisoners are prevented from playing the system and gaining at the taxpayers' expense

"It is impossible to imagine how difficult it must be for the Dowler family."

Mr Austin told Sky News he would be raising the matter with Justice Secretary Chris Grayling in a parliamentary question.

Milly Dowler with her mother, Sally

The Ministry of Justice fought the claim for three years after it was launched by Bellfield but finally had to admit it was liable. Durham County Court made the compensation award on Wednesday.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said it was "hugely disappointed" over the decision.

Bellfield was finally given a life sentence without parole for Milly's murder in 2011, nine years after he snatched the 13-year-old from a street in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey.

It is thought he might be responsible for as many as 20 unsolved attacks on women.

Sentencing him, Mr Justice Wilkins said he was a "cruel and pitiless killer" who had robbed Milly of "her promising life" and "treated her in death with total disrespect".

Speaking after Bellfield was sentenced in 2011, Milly's mother Sally said: "The lengths to protect his human rights have seemed so unfair compared to what we as a family have had to endure.

"I hope that whilst he is in prison, he is treated with the same brutality he dealt out to his victim and that his life is a living hell."

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UK Smog Set To Ease As Cleaner Winds Move In

Air pollution levels will drop towards the weekend as cleaner winds move in from the Atlantic, Defra has said.

Ambulance services in the UK have reported a spike in the number of emergency calls from people suffering with asthma, lung problems and heart conditions as a result of smog.

The poor air quality has been triggered, in part, by dust from the Sahara Desert whipped up by a large storm in north Africa.

During the day on Thursday, air pollution reached "very high" - the highest on a scale of 1-10 - in London and the South East.

Yellow areas show "moderate" air pollution. Pic: Defra

But these levels will drop to moderate or low as the southwesterly winds move in.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "England and Wales will have moderate or low levels of pollution as the cleaner southwesterly winds extend their influence north and east.

"Low levels are expected across Scotland and Northern Ireland."

Sky weather producer Joanna Robinson said: "Air pollution has been a big concern across England and Wales over the last few days, with some locations in the South East reporting very high levels.

"To really improve the air quality we need a change in air mass and the arrival of lower pressure, which will help disperse the pollutants into the higher atmosphere.

"Thankfully, we'll see that change on Friday. Southwesterly winds will develop, bringing in cleaner air from the Atlantic, but it may take some time for eastern England to see the effects.

"Overall there'll be improvements in the air quality going into the weekend, with just low levels of pollution forecast by Sunday."

The Shard in London is obscured by smog

London Ambulance Service said it had received 14% more 999 calls from people suffering with breathing difficulties. West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed it had also seen a rise in emergency calls.

A poll of asthmatics by the charity Asthma UK also found about a third had suffered an attack as a result of the smog, while 84% had used their blue reliever inhaler more often than usual.

The pollution reached record levels in Harrow, northwest London and Rochester, Kent.

Health warnings were issued for people exercising strenuously outdoors

Public Health England has advised adults and children with lung problems, as well as adults with heart conditions, to consider reducing strenuous physical exercise, especially outdoors.

Some of the dust has appeared as red speckles on car windscreens and other outdoor surfaces after being deposited by rain.

However, many of the health fears surround particulates - the tiny chemical particles emitted by diesel-powered cars and industry that can be inhaled deep into the lungs.

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Who To Follow In This Year's Grand National

By Nick Powell, Sports Editor, at Aintree

There is a noticeably more relaxed air about Aintree than 12 months ago, when the anxiety was palpable after two fatalities in each of the two previous Grand Nationals.

Adjustments to fences, the start and jockey instructions seemed to pay dividends, and everyone came back safely.

However, no one will be relaxed come 4.15pm on Saturday at the start of the first £1m National, neither here nor on millions of sofas around the world.

What might you back? Here are a few of the big contenders.

Mr Moonshine jumps a fence

:: MR MOONSHINE

If lightning striking twice is your thing, this is for you.

Sky Bet's Dale Tempest tipped Aurora's Encore last year on Saturday Sport on Sky News. Hardly anyone else did, and it won at 66-1.

Mr Moonshine comes from the same Yorkshire stable of Sue and Harvey Smith, has the same jockey in Ryan Mania, and has been schooled over the same special National-type fences at Malton.

Teaforthree came third in 2013

:: TEAFORTHREE

While Aurora's Encore has been retired, last year's third-placed horse is back for more.

Teaforthree is making the long trek from Pembrokeshire on the day, so much does he like his own bed.

Great chance of being involved in the finish. Odds too short to be attractive for me.

Monbeg Dude is co-owned by Mike Tindall

:: MONBEG DUDE

Clear the front pages if this wins - and it could. Royal connections for the Princess Royal to present the trophy to.

Dude used to be a dud jumper, much more sound after regular Monday sessions with Zara Phillips, wife of co-owner and ex-England rugby captain Mike Tindall.

Long Run will be ridden by amateur Sam Waley-Cohen

:: LONG RUN

Could not have a more appropriate name for this four and a half mile slog, nor a jockey with a better record.

Amateur Sam Waley-Cohen, taking time off from running his dental businesses, has finished second, fourth and fifth in his three Nationals - and won Thursday's race over the big fences.

Owned by Sam's dad Robert, chairman of Cheltenham racecourse, where he won the 2011 Gold Cup. Interesting.

Very classy, but is he still as good?

Rocky Creek is fancied by two time National winner Ruby Walsh

:: ROCKY CREEK

Good jumper. Top trainer in Paul Nicholls, who won with Neptune Collonges two years ago.

Second in the Hennessy Gold Cup, and second in January to The Giant Bolster, who so nearly won the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month. Definite chance.

No need to take my word for it - twice National winner Ruby Walsh (missing this year with a broken arm) fancies him too.

:: DOUBLE SEVEN

Trainer Martin Brassil won with Numbersixvalverde in 2006.

If he triumphs again, you'll have to listen very carefully - Brassil is as quietly spoken as trainers come, and owner JP McManus rarely talks above whisper level.

Champion jockey AP McCoy has chosen to ride this Munster National winner, which enhances his chances, but will shorten the price.

Swing Bill might be a long shot

:: SWING BILL 

Great story if he wins. Judy Halewood, leading light of new race sponsors Crabbies, bought him in order to have a runner in "her" race.

But he only just scraped in as one of the last of the 40 runners, and when I sat next to trainer David Pipe at a recent lunch, he did not exude confidence that he can make this fairytale come true.

The Package came third at Cheltenham

:: THE PACKAGE

I think this is a much likelier winner for David Pipe. Quite well backed, especially after a good third place at Cheltenham. Class act.

Pipe says he has jumped well over National-style fences at home.

Unseated his rider here four years ago but he is more experienced now and the fences more forgiving.

Hankies needed if he wins - he still runs in the colours of the late David Johnson, owner of Pipe's 2008 National winner Comply Or Die.

Lion na Bearnai won the 2012 Irish National

:: LION NA BEARNAI

What's in a name ? This one means "fill the gaps". In case you were wondering.

More relevantly, winner of the 2012 Irish National - the right sort of pointer to possible Aintree joy.

Older than most at 12, but no falls over fences. Very decent each-way option.

Battle Group will be ridden by Brendan Powell

:: BATTLE GROUP

Love it or hate it, the National always delivers a story. How about Brendan Powell following his dad 26 years ago in riding the winner?

There is the irritating fact that Battle Group has yet to complete a race this winter (and actually refused to start Newbury in November).

But he has come good in April before.

So which of those 10 will actually win ? If only it were that simple. I could give you good reasons to back at least half the remaining 30.

But here goes, in 1-2-3-4 order: The Package, Rocky Creek, Teaforthree, Mr Moonshine.

Others to consider include Long Run, Monbeg Dude, Double Seven and Pineau de Re; and at longer odds Hawkes Point, Walkon, and Alvarado.

In the latter category I mentioned Mon Mome in 2009. It won at 100-1.

I can stop dining out on that if The Package wins this time.

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Dawlish: Damaged Railway Reopens After Repair

David Cameron has paid tribute to an "orange army" of workmen after they completed a £35m repair project on the badly damaged rail line at Dawlish.

The Prime Minister was in Dawlish to deliver on his pledge made in February that he would do "everything I could" to get the line back in action.

In a speech to those gathered to celebrate the re-opening of the line he said: "This is a really important day for Dawlish. It's really important for the South West but it's also really important too for the whole of our country. 

Storms caused a 100m breach in the sea wall at Dawlish

"I know how cut off people here in the South West felt after that terrible storm and it was so important to get this work done."

Half of Dawlish train station has been rebuilt after the storms

He then called for three cheers for the "orange army" of workers who repaired the railway.

The rail line became a symbol of politicians' failure to adequately respond to the chaos caused by widespread flooding during a months of storms.

The coast-hugging line bore the brunt of the severe weather

A 300-strong team has spent weeks repairing the line, which was badly damaged on February 4 when the sea wall was breached during storms.

The line which links Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance was forced to close after part of the wall collapsed.

A team of 300 workers spent weeks fixing the line

Shipping containers were put into place in Dawlish to act as a temporary sea wall, but they suffered damage after further storms in February and engineers also discovered a cliff face just south of the village in Teignmouth had sheared away above the track.

As part of the repair work, half of Dawlish station has also been rebuilt, new cabling has been installed and the sea wall breach has been fortified with more than 6,000 tonnes of concrete.

National Rail chief executive Mark Carne said: "Our army of engineers has done an amazing job of putting back together a railway that was ravaged by the elements.

"They have overcome every obstacle thrown at them, winning many battles along the way to restore this critical piece of the network, ahead of schedule, and in time for the Easter holidays."

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British Man's Body Found On Spanish Beach

A British man believed to have been kidnapped by men posing as police officers in Spain has been found dead.

Francis Brennan, 25, from Anfield, fled to Spain ahead of a sentencing date last October for an assault he committed in the Thames Valley area in 2012.

Police say his body was found on a beach in the La Zenia area of Alicante on Saturday.

Spanish authorities are investigating Brennan's death and his family has been informed.

Brennan was last seen in Alicante on January 24. He was in his friend's car when it was stopped and Brennan was detained by several men who claimed to be police officers.

Mr Brennan was found dead in Alicante

Brennan's parents, Carl and Janet, realised he had been kidnapped when Spanish authorities told them he had not been arrested. 

At the time of his kidnapping they said: "This has come as an awful shock to us as Francis is our only son and we can still remember him as a fun-loving child who was football-mad in a football-mad family who loved nothing more than playing out with his friends."

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Smog Creeps Over UK As Pollution Hits Level 10

Air pollution has reached the highest possible level in some parts of the country, with "very high" readings reported in London and Kent.

High levels of smog are also forecast for East Anglia, the Midlands, Lincolnshire, the Wirral and the north coast of Wales and a health warning remains in force for millions of vulnerable people.

The elderly, people with asthma and those with lung and heart conditions are being told to take precautions, with forecasters warning the smog will not clear until Friday.

Sky News Correspondent Lisa Dowd, at the Acute Medical Unit in Solihull, near Birmingham, said the clinic had seen a "slight increase" in the number of people coming in with respiratory problems possibly linked to the poor air quality.

Forecast for April 3, 4 and 5. Purple/reds are highest levels. Pic: Defra

Karen Lytton, who was among the patients admitted, said: "The breathing problems I suffer with have been getting worse.

"It's been getting harder to get about. Normally I'd be able to walk to the shops but yesterday I had to catch a taxi instead."

Parts of England are experiencing the highest level of air pollution ever recorded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), in part due to dust from the Sahara.

Level 10 readings were reported at monitoring sites in Harrow, northwest London, and Rochester, Kent.

A view of London's Canary Wharf on Wednesday

Tests by an independent monitoring company in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, revealed there were 130 micrograms of particulates - very fine particles, primarily from diesel-powered car and industry - in every cubic metre of air.

That figure is more than six times higher than normal and two and half times the European limit of 50 micrograms.

The plummeting air quality - caused by a cocktail of dust from the Sahara desert, domestic pollution and European emissions, coupled with low southeasterly winds - has led charities and health bodies to warn of possible health risks.

Sotiris Vardoulakis, of Public Health England, advised adults and children with lung problems, as well as adults with heart conditions, to consider reducing strenuous physical exercise, especially outdoors.

Some commuters have taken to wearing face masks

"Anyone experiencing discomfort such as sore eyes, coughing or sore throat should also consider reducing activity," he said.

The UK's 3.6 million asthmatics have also been advised to use their blue reliever inhalers more often to prevent attacks.

Saharan dust gets blown over to Britain several times a year, with the latest episode caused by a large wind storm in North Africa.

Cars in some areas of the country have been covered with speckles of the dust.

The World Health Organisation estimates seven million premature deaths annually are linked to air pollution.

The UK is not the only place to be hit by increased smog levels.

Last month, Paris imposed a day-long driving ban after pollution particles in the air exceeded safe levels for five straight days.

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New Names Request For Abused Siblings

The local authority at the centre of the Baby P scandal has asked to be allowed to give two children waiting to be adopted new identities after an internet campaign backed by their jailed parents.

Haringey Council asked a High Court judge for permission to change the forenames and surnames of the youngsters - aged three and two - because of concerns that they could be "tracked down".

In a written analysis of the case after a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London, Mr Justice Holman said the application raised "considerable issues" over "identity and self-esteem" and would need "very careful consideration".

The children are the youngest of seven siblings taken from their parents, who were jailed after being convicted of child ill-treatment and banned from having any contact with their children.

The judge said the eldest five were in foster homes and the youngest two were placed together with an adoptive family.

Mr Justice Holman did not name the children but confirmed the local authority involved was the London Borough of Haringey

Peter Connelly was 17 months old when he died after months of abuse

He said that the council had asked for the forenames to be changed because "the parents of the children promoted a considerable campaign on the internet and in other places with regard to this case so that the names of their children have apparently gained some notoriety".

"The local authority (and maybe also the prospective adopters) are fearful that unless the two youngest children are given completely new identities with completely new names, they will be tracked down and the placement potentially destabilised," he said.

"That, of course, is a very serious and worrying aspect of this case."

Haringey Council was heavily criticised in a damning 2008 report into the death of a child known at the time as Baby P.

Peter Connelly, who was 17 months old, died in 2007 after months of abuse.

He had suffered more than 50 injuries, despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over eight months.

His mother, Tracey Connelly, her boyfriend, Steven Barker, and his brother, Jason Owen, were jailed in May 2009 for causing or allowing the child's death.

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Deported Yashika Bageerathi 'Very Frightened'

Teenage girl Yashika Bageerathi is reportedly "very frightened" after landing in Mauritius following her deportation from the UK.

She was interviewed by police at the airport and is now believed to be looking for somewhere safe to stay, according to the headteacher at the school she attended in north London.

Her removal from Britain came after several frantic last-ditch attempts by friends and family to keep her in the country.

Yashika had been trying to claim asylum after arriving in the UK with her mother, sister and brother in 2011, saying that a relative had been physically abusive.

The remainder of her family are still in Britain.

More follows...

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Girl Gets Stuck In Drain After Dropping Phone

Firefighters have rescued a 16-year-old girl who became stuck in a storm drain while trying to retrieve her mobile phone.

Ella Birchenough tried to pull herself out of the hole in Dover, Kent, but panicked when she became wedged.

Tim Richards saw Ms Birchenough stuck up to her waist while he was driving home from work and pulled over to help.

"It's not the type of thing you see every day. It was pretty weird," he said.

"She was more concerned about getting her phone back rather than getting herself out of the drain.

"My mum knows her mum and she went to call on her. She was a bit panicky thinking Ella was going to sink, but when she came down to see she saw the funny side."

Ella Birchenough said she "wasn't really even stuck"

Recounting her ordeal, Ms Birchenough said: "I was talking to somebody and I went to put my phone in my pocket and it fell down the drain.

"I thought to myself, 'I'm not leaving this' and I jumped down to get it. I wasn't really even stuck, I just needed somebody to help lift me out but my mum got all panicky.

"When they pulled me out I ran straight home and jumped in the bath. I think it was just water but I wasn't taking any chances."

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "A teenage girl was released by firefighters from a storm drain where she had become stuck in Eaves Road, Dover.

"Crews then made the scene safe. The girl was uninjured."

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Smog Health Problems Spark Leap In 999 Calls

Paramedics in London have seen a 14% rise in the number of patients with breathing problems, as record levels of air pollution lead to warnings about exercising outdoors.

London Ambulance Service said it was experiencing higher than normal volumes of calls from people with asthma, lung problems and heart conditions for the second consecutive day.

West Midlands Ambulance Service, which covers Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, confirmed it had also experienced a noticeable spike in emergency calls.

A poll of asthmatics by the charity Asthma UK also found about a third had suffered an attack as a result of the smog, while 84% had used their blue reliever inhaler more often than usual.

Air quality is expected to improve on Friday and Saturday. Pic: Defra

Air pollution has reached record levels in Harrow, northwest London, and Rochester, Kent. High levels have also been recorded elsewhere in the country.

Public Health England has advised adults and children with lung problems, as well as adults with heart conditions, to consider reducing strenuous physical exercise, especially outdoors.

Much of the concern surrounding the poor air quality is over particulates - the tiny chemical particles emitted by diesel-powered cars and industry that can be inhaled deep into the lungs.

Combined with other pollutants including nitrogen dioxide and ozone, these can cause breathing difficulties.

The smog has shrouded many of Britain's most famous landmarks

Asthma sufferers and patients with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), a condition which inflames the airways, are particularly vulnerable and may notice their symptoms get worse.

Even those without breathing problems say they have been coughing, wheezing or suffering with sore eyes.

Doctors at the Acute Medical Unit in Solihull, near Birmingham, told Sky News there had been a "slight increase" in the number of people coming to them with respiratory problems.

They include Jason Irving, who suffered an asthma attack and was receiving treatment at the unit.

Jason Irving believes air pollution may have triggered his asthma attack

He told Sky News: "I travelled into work as normal this morning and as I was walking in, my chest and my throat were tightening and I was struggling for breath.

"I sat down and occupational health at work had to call an ambulance.

"I think it could well be to do with the poor air quality."

Karen Lytton, a COPD patient who was also receiving treatment at the centre, added: "It's like when you hold your breath until you can't hold it any longer and then try to breathe again.

Karen Lytton is treated by a doctor at Solihull's Acute Medical Unit

"It's got worse over the last few days. I get very out of breath and have to stop to use my inhalers.

"I took a taxi yesterday to the shops, rather than trying to walk round."

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Edinburgh School Wall Death: Friends' Tributes

Touching tributes have been paid by family and friends of a schoolgirl who was killed when a changing room wall collapsed.

Keane Wallis-Bennett died after the wall fell on her at Liberton High School, Edinburgh, shortly before 10am on Tuesday.

Police and health and safety officials have launched an investigation into the 12-year-old's death and all similar walls at schools in the city are being inspected.

Liberton High will not reopen this week and a full council survey will be conducted before students return from the Easter holidays in three weeks.

Keane's friends pause to remember her at the entrance to the school

Keane's grandfather James Bennett said he was with the youngster's father Clark when he received a phone call from the school.

"He said Keane had been in an accident and he left immediately," he told the Daily Record.

"Half an hour later, he phoned to say she had died. He was in bits. He could hardly speak."

Joanna Sikorska, who married Keane's uncle last month, added: "You don't expect something like this to happen. Your kids go to school and you expect it to be a safe place for them."

Parents gather at the entrance to the school after the tragedy

Sky News' Scotland Correspondent Niall Paterson, at the scene, said bunches of flowers, a candle and cuddly toys had been left at the school gates.

"Such are the conditions here that a few of the written tributes are almost illegible," he said.

"Yet this bank of flowers, almost an impromptu shrine, has lost none of its poignancy."

One bouquet was accompanied with a picture of Keane and one of her school friends, while another from the youngster's grandmother came with a note addressed to "my beautiful cupcake".

Bunches of flowers have been left at the entrance to Liberton High

A card attached to another bunch of flowers read: "Words can't explain how much we all miss you. You were so bright and funny and, don't forget, extremely beautiful. I hope we will see each other soon."

Keane's death comes just weeks after Edinburgh City Council was fined £8,000 following an accident at the school in which a girl was seriously injured when she fell nearly five metres down a broken-down lift shaft.

The 15-year-old schoolgirl suffered three fractured vertebrae and a sprained wrist as a result of the accident in December 2011.

Parents were informed of the death by text message

There have been reports that students at Liberton High raised concerns about the safety of the wall, but the council said a survey of all schools in its area between 2012 and 2013 had not identified any problems.

Local MSP Jim Eadie said: "My heart goes out to the family at this difficult and distressing time. It's impossible to know what they must be going through.

"I know the school and the wider community will be deeply affected by what has happened here."

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Nationwide - Home Prices Up 10% In Last Year

Average house prices have risen by nearly 10% in the last year, according to a property survey.

Nationwide said year-on-year prices were up 9.5% in March, the biggest annual jump since mid-2010.

The March figure was up on the 9.4% recorded in February and the 8.8% rise in January, the building society said.

The average house price in Britain reached £180,264 in March, it added.

The figure was still around 3% lower than the unadjusted inflation peak recorded by the lender in 2007.

Nationwide chief economist Robert Gardner said: "There is little doubt that the recovery in the housing market is now firmly established, with activity levels picking up and house prices recording their 15th successive monthly increase in March.

"(But) there are some tentative signs of moderation."

On Monday, the Bank of England (BoE) released mortgage lending data that showed approvals slowed in February, possibly reflective of the unstable weather across Britain.

Mr Gardner said a combination of greater credit availability, green shoots of growth and low mortgage rates were all boosting property demand.

However, he warned of the continued lag in housing stock supply.

"The number of new homes being built in England is still around 40% below pre-crisis levels, and this was already insufficient to keep up with the increase in the number of households being formed," he said.

Last month, Chancellor George Osborne said the Government would extend its Help to Buy scheme, which involved the provision of equity loans to buyers of newly built homes until the end of the decade.

BoE governor Mark Carney has played down suggestions that the housing market is overheating.

But the bank refocused its Funding for Lending scheme away from mortgage lending and dedicated it exclusively to business lending at the start of this year.

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Air Pollution: 10 Things You Need To Know

By Martin Jefferies, Sky News Online

People with lung and heart problems have been warned to avoid strenuous activity as air quality falls to its lowest possible level across parts of the country. We look at what is behind the increase in air pollution and ask just how serious the problem is.

:: What is causing air quality to drop?

The poor air quality levels sweeping across much of England and Wales are caused by a combination of dust blown in from the Sahara desert and harmful emissions from both the UK and Europe.

Light winds have allowed this cocktail of natural and man-made pollutants to linger in the skies above the country.

:: What is in the air?

As well as dust and sand particles from the Sahara desert, traffic pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter - combined with the ozone created when sunlight reacts with NO2 and VOCs - cause air quality to worsen.

Although these pollutants can cause air pollution close to where they are emitted, they can also travel long distances, with emissions from mainland Europe adding to the current problems in southeast England.

The dust falls to the ground when it rains, leaving a fine residue on car windscreens and other outdoor surfaces. 

Vehicles and industry are the biggest contributors to air pollution

:: What are the health implications?

Air pollution can cause runny eyes and noses, as well as coughs and sore throats, but the effects can be more serious among the very young, the elderly and those with existing lung or heart problems.

Dr Keith Prowse, former chairman of the British Lung Foundation and an honorary medical adviser, told Sky News: "People with asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) should make sure they have their reliever inhalers with them, and those who use preventer inhalers may have been told to double their dose.

"The best advice is not to go out when pollution levels are high and not to take part in strenuous exercise."

Face masks are a common sight in many parts of the world

:: Will people need to start wearing face masks?

Worsening air pollution in places like China has made face masks a must-have accessory for many people.

However, Dr Carol Cooper, a London GP, said: "A good piece of advice is not to bother. They're not generally very effective and wearing one can actually make breathing more difficult.

"Wearing a face mask in somewhere like southeast Asia is more of a cultural thing than a medical one."

Dust from thousands of miles away in Africa is adding to the problems

:: How does sand from the Sahara end up in the UK?

"There are currently strong dust storms across the Sahara and because the winds in the upper atmosphere are blowing in a southerly direction, this is sending the dust and sand particles over western Europe and into the atmosphere over England and Wales," Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said.

"The reason we've seen the orange deposits is because of recent rainfall. Any rain clears the dust from the upper atmosphere, bringing it down to lower levels, and as the water evaporates it leaves behind the orange dust.

Airports are not expecting the Saharan dust to cause significant problems

:: Is the dust likely to cause any disruption to flights?

Many air passengers will remember the chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud generated by the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull in 2010.

Flights were grounded across the UK and Europe amid fears dust could cause engine damage.

However, a spokesman for Nats, the British air traffic control service, said it was "not aware" of any likely disruption to flights, while a British Airways official added: "We are not expecting our customers to be affected in any way."

London and the South East are among the areas worst affected

:: How is air pollution measured?

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) measures air quality on a scale of one to 10, with each number given a different colour to visualise the extent of pollution on a map of the country.

London and the South East, including East Anglia, Essex and Kent, are currently coloured purple, indicating "very high" levels of air pollution, whereas the North, Scotland and Northern Ireland appear green, suggesting levels are much lower.

Beijing, in China, has battled with smog for many years

:: How does air pollution in London compare to other countries?

London appears way down a World Health Organisation (WHO) list of the most-polluted cities in the world, with similar pollution levels to other major cities such as Budapest and Dusseldorf.

The capital is around 13 times less polluted than the city with the worst air quality - Ahwan in southwestern Iran - and has air seven times cleaner than that of Delhi, although it lags behind places such as Munich, Tokyo and Canberra.

Pollution is measured by the average number of tiny particles in the air per cubic metre.

Smog descends on Christmas shoppers in London's Regent Street in 1962

:: Has air quality not been improving in the UK?

There has been a marked improvement in urban air quality over the last two decades.

In 1993, air pollution was at moderate or higher levels for roughly one day in every six. Using the same methodology, that figure is now around one in every 36.

There has been a huge drop in the amount of carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide in the air, but although pollution at the roadside has shown signs of long-term improvement, it has remained relatively stable since 1998.

In February, the European Commission launched legal proceedings against the UK over claims it is years late reaching agreed EU standards.

Smog hangs over many of central London's most famous landmarks

It says levels of toxic gas nitrogen dioxide remain "excessive" and are contributing to respiratory problems and premature deaths.

:: How long is this latest bout of air pollution like to last?

Air quality is expected to return to higher levels by the weekend, helped by outbreaks of rain in the West that will effectively wash away dust and other contaminants from the atmosphere.

However, Ghaffar said: "Rain is only a brief relief from the dust in the atmosphere. A change in wind direction is needed to stop the flow of particles blowing through and from Thursday, that is what we can expect."

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Clegg And Farage Set For Debate Round Two

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

EU foreign policy in relation to Ukraine and Syria is likely to dominate when Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage clash tonight in their second televised debate.

The Lib Dem and UKIP leaders have already started to gear up for the contest by trading blows over the role of Vladimir Putin.

Mr Farage picked out the Russian president when asked who he most admired in an interview for GQ by the former Labour spin-doctor Alastair Campbell.

"As an operator, but not as a human being, I would say Putin," he said.

"The way he played the whole Syria thing. Brilliant. Not that I approve of him politically."

Mr Clegg hit back describing the comment as "utterly grotesque". He said Mr Putin had been the "chief sponsor and protector of one of the most brutal dictators on the face of the planet, President Assad".

A UKIP source said it seemed the Lib Dems wanted to focus Wednesday's debate on the issue.

"We are ready for a row about foreign policy," he said. "We think most people agree with Nigel on this one. Clegg, Hague, Miliband, Cameron have been behaving like a bunch of sanctimonious students."

Polls suggested Mr Farage won the pair's first debate

Mr Farage is likely to argue that the British public are fed up of being dragged into conflicts with no pressing national interest. He has accused UK leaders of "destabilising" countries such as Ukraine and Syria.

Meanwhile, the Lib Dems are keen to focus on the fact that the Conservative and Labour leaders have chosen not to take part in the debate.

The party has released a poster overnight that describes Mr Clegg as the only leader "standing up for British jobs" - and slams Ed Miliband and David Cameron as "missing in action".

A Lib Dem poster takes a swipe at the absence of Labour and the Tories

Although the immediate polls following last week's debate suggested Mr Farage had won overall, both leaders saw a boost.

The Lib Dems want to use the debates to help them win pro-European votes off both the Conservatives and Labour.

A senior Lib Dem source said: "Although we are low in the polls, being able to move one or 2% of people might make a big difference to this. It is exposure and it is an important debate."

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