Runaway Rhea Outpaces Keepers In Hertfordshire

By Joe Tidy, Sky News Reporter

An ostrich-like animal with razor-sharp claws and a strong kick is still on the run in Hertfordshire after breaking free from its enclosure.

The runaway rhea, a female called Chris, has been roaming the countryside for the last month since escaping from her owner.

The 6ft bird has spent the past fortnight holed up in the lush surroundings of Barkway Park Golf Club, near Royston.

Chris, who comes from South America, cannot take flight but her spindly legs can still reach speeds of 40mph.

At 6ft tall, the runaway rhea - similar to this one - is not inconspicuous

Video footage shot by local green keeper Antony Lake of the rhea darting across a field at blistering speed shows why the dangerous animal has yet to be caught.

"I've seen her regularly and filmed her a few times," Mr Lake said.

"This video shows just how fast she is. I was running fast and got nowhere near, although a few of us have got quite close over the last couple of weeks."

Gina Skutela, who also works at the golf course, said the bird seems perfectly happy.

"It's an impressive animal - the biggest bird I've ever seen and also very pretty," she said.

"She looks very relaxed, just grazing and looking around.

"A few golfers have even seen her sat down, chilling out near the fairway."

A spokesman for the RSPCA said the charity was aware of the runaway.

He advised members of the public not to corner the bird because of its powerful kick and ability to deliver a nasty scratch with a swipe of its six-inch claws.

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British Gas Bonus Claims To Be Investigated

Claims that British Gas workers have been paid large bonuses to inflate customer bills are to be investigated by the energy regulator, Ofgem.

It comes after a former employee claimed the energy company encouraged its sales staff to sign up charities, churches and small businesses to its highest-priced tariffs in order to boost their own earnings.

British Gas has strongly denied the allegations.

The whistleblower, who worked for the company between 2010 and 2013, told the Daily Mail the firm's policies were designed "to rip off" customers.

He claimed sales agent typically earned between £4 and £37 in commission per deal if they persuaded existing customers to renew contracts.

But by moving a customer to a more expensive deal they could earn more than £400 a time, he alleged.

"People were desperate to make the salaries they had been promised, so everyone inflated the prices," he told the paper.

"Scout clubs was a favourite one; churches, charities, small businesses, where people would just go for the maximum 5p notch-up," he added.

Ofgem will investigate whether the sales activities were 'honest and fair'

A British Gas spokeswoman said: "British Gas strongly refutes any suggestion that employees are paid commission on any prices charged to residential customers."

British Gas Business managing director Stephen Beynon said his sales agents are paid commission, but he denied any suggestion that contracts were negotiated inappropriately.

"This is a highly regulated market, and every part of the sales negotiation process is closely monitored," he said.

"Sales agents in British Gas Business do receive commission, but we are reducing its importance.

"We're leading the way in addressing the variability in price that customers face in this market, and we'll continue to do so."

Ofgem said in a statement: "There are strict rules in place which require suppliers to take all reasonable steps to ensure information provided is accurate and not misleading, and that sales activities are conducted in a fair, honest, transparent and professional manner.

"Ofgem is an evidenced-based regulator and we would encourage anyone with information that an energy company is not complying with Ofgem rules to provide us with this."

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said: "This is a very serious and deeply disturbing allegation that comes as we are doing all we can to make the energy markets work better for all consumers - whether domestic or businesses.

"The Government fully supports Ofgem's recommendation for a full market investigation.

"In the meantime, we'll continue to help people pay less for the energy they use, driving the competition that has seen the number of energy suppliers triple since 2010 and people switching supplier in record numbers."

The allegations come days after Ofgem fined British Gas Business for a series of failures including blocking firms from switching to other suppliers.

Ofgem said British Gas Business would pay a total penalty of £5.6m of which £800,000 would be in fines, on top of £1.3m already paid to 1,200 customers who paid higher bills because they were not notified when their contracts were due to expire.

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Teachers' Strike Possible If Talks Break Down

By Emma Birchley, Sky News Correspondent

Teachers are considering a fresh walkout just weeks after strike action forced schools across England and Wales to close.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) meeting for their annual conference today will debate the possibility of industrial action next term unless "significant progress" is made in talks with the Government.

NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: "We have a motion that's going to be put to delegates which envisages industrial action in late June if we don't make progress in the talks with the Government in May.

"But the first priority is for a minister to actually come to those talks and we'd like to make progress on a list of things."

That list includes performance-related pay due to be introduced from September, heavy workloads and pensions.

The national walkout on March 26 saw 12% of schools shutting their doors, according to the Government, but thousands more were disrupted.

Any further strike action would be held in the week starting Monday, June 23 after the majority of GCSEs and A Level exams are over. However, some exam boards have papers scheduled for that week.

Teachers gathering for the conference called on Education Secretary Michael Gove to listen to their concerns.

"Certainly I will be thinking about voting to strike," said one. "Where I work people are concerned about the work loads, targets and the pressure Government puts on teachers."

Last month's national walkout organised by the NUT

Another told Sky News: "If Mr Gove would just listen to us and negotiate with us then strike action wouldn't go forward but he has to listen to us."

A poll commissioned by the NUT shows that two thirds of parents support teachers' right to strike.

But for the Lamberti family it smacks of double standards.

Mother-of-two Clare Lamberti said: "We applied for a day's holiday to take the girls away for the weekend and they turned it down.

"They said it would disrupt their education but obviously a day here and a day there for strikes, that's going to disrupt their education.

"One rule for them ... one rule for us obviously."

The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) is also holding its conference this weekend.

Both unions will be discussing concerns over the growing number of unqualified teachers taking classes.

Of 7,000 teachers surveyed, 53% told the NASUWT they worked alongside unqualified staff. That rose to 61% in academies.

But in a separate poll by the NUT, 82% of parents said schools should only employ qualified teachers.

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Aberdeen: Boy Found On Fire After 'Petrol Game'

A seven-year-old boy who suffered serious burns while playing in an Aberdeen street may have been set on fire in a game that went tragically wrong.

Preston Flores, who is believed to have suffered 80% burns, was reportedly playing with friends in Bedford Avenue when he was engulfed in flames.

The children are believed to have taken a petrol can from the back of a van shortly before the fire started, local newspaper The Press and Journal reported.

A police spokesman confirmed petrol was involved but said there was no evidence to suggest the "tragic incident" was a deliberate act.

Witnesses described hearing screams and said the youngster's clothes stuck to his body as neighbours tried to douse the flames.

One relative told the Daily Record that Preston had been "mucking about" with mates before his clothes caught fire.

"I've never seen anything so horrible in my life," the family member said.

"The flames were covering his whole body."

Preston was initially taken to the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital but was moved to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh overnight.

He is being treated in a specialist unit, where his condition is described as critical.

Chief Inspector Nick Topping, the local Police Scotland area commander, said: "We're grateful for the continued assistance we've received from the local community to help us piece together the events leading up to this incident.

"We've spoken to a number of residents about what they saw or heard which has been very helpful and important to our inquiry."

He added: "Our investigation into this tragic incident will continue and I'd reiterate that so far there's been no evidence of any deliberate act."

Anyone who saw what happened or has information that may assist the police inquiry is asked to contact officers on the 101 non-emergency number.

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Man Held Over Killing Of Continuity IRA Leader

A 26-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of former dissident republican leader Tommy Crossan.

The 43-year-old was shot dead at a fuel depot in an industrial complex near the Peter Pan centre in West Belfast on Friday - the sixteenth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) tweeted: "Serious Crime Branch detectives investigating the murder of a 43-year-old man in West Belfast yesterday have arrested a 26-year-old man."

Detective Superintendent John Roberts appealed for information about a red BMW spotted near the murder scene.

Politicians have condemned the killing

He said: "It was a brutal and barbaric attack. He sustained several gunshots to the upper body and I'm appealing for any information from anybody who knows who was involved in this terrible murder to contact police."

Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson condemned the shooting.

He said: "The small minority of people who want to continue terrorising the community need to understand that they will not be allowed to drag Northern Ireland back to the dark days of the past.

"They must be hunted down and brought to justice."

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness added: "The people behind this killing are criminals and will further no cause through this shooting.

"Whoever carried out this act has nothing to offer the community and have no role to play in our future."

Mr Crossan was the Continuity IRA's former leader and was believed to have been the subject of a death threat from his former allies.

He had been expelled from the group some years ago and was jailed for conspiracy to murder Royal Ulster Constabulary officers following a shooting at a police station in West Belfast in 1998.

The organisation has opposed the peace process which largely ended three decades of violence and transformed the region.

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Axelrod Role Is 'Seriously Bad News For Tories'

The man credited with masterminding Barack Obama's back-to-back presidential victories will play a key role in Ed Miliband's General Election campaign.

David Axelrod's appointment has been described by the Labour party as "seriously bad news for the Conservatives".

Mr Miliband said: "It's excellent news that David has agreed to help One Nation Labour win the next election and build our campaign to change Britain so hard-working people are better off.

"He will be a huge asset to our campaign as we work to show the British people how we can change our country for the better."

Following the announcement, Mr Axelrod said: "I've had several conversations with Ed Miliband over the course of the last year in which I have been struck by the power of his ideas, the strength of his vision and the focus he brings to solving the fundamental challenge facing Britain.

"We can't just have prosperity hoarded by a few where people at the top are getting wealthier and wealthier but people in the middle are getting squeezed."

He will work alongside Douglas Alexander - Labour's shadow foreign secretary and the chair of Labour's general election strategy

Mr Axelrod will arrive in London next month for two days of strategy meetings with Mr Miliband, deputy leader Harriet Harman, and other senior shadow cabinet members.

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Boy, 14, Charged With Raping 10-Year-Old Girl

A 14-year-old boy is due to appear in court charged with raping a 10-year-old girl.

West Mercia Police said the teenager has been charged with rape and attempted rape.

The youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will appear at Telford Magistrates' Court later.

It comes after a girl was sexually assaulted at an isolated spot on disused land in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

The offence occurred near the Arc car wash centre, off St Michael's Street, between 3.30pm and 4.30pm on April 11.

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House Price Increases Create 'Generation Rent'

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Reporter

The booming housing market is causing a generation of young people to become increasingly pessimistic about their chances of getting on the property ladder, according to a new study.

Halifax's 'Generation Rent' report found that despite the launch of schemes like Help to Buy to give a boost to people with small deposits, 36% of 20 to 45-year-olds felt they have no realistic prospect of owning their home in the next five years.

Around half of those polled in England, Scotland and Wales agreed Britain will become a nation of renters in the next generation and 20% of people aged 23 to 27 said they have no desire to own their own home.

A fifth of people surveyed said they had no desire to own their own home

Caroline Hill, 23, told Sky News she would rather rent than buy.

"I can see myself being able to buy in the future but I'm just really not interested in doing so," he said.

"My parents have always been renters and I think that has had a big effect on the way I feel about it."

Danny Palmer, 27, is frustrated the market is running away from him.

"I think it's going to be really difficult for me to get onto the property ladder purely because rent these days is taking up about 40% of my salary, and that's before bills, living costs and anything else," he said.

Estate agents say high prices mean potential buyers are moving into rentals

Halifax mortgages director Craig McKinlay, said: "We may be heading towards the point where the aspiration to own a nice home will be replaced by the aspiration to simply live in one.

"It seems that people are now beginning to accept a lifetime of renting and this would not only change the way the property ladder looks in the future, it could even bring into question whether or not it will exist at all for some people."

The report warned that any future collapse in the number of first-time buyers - the "life blood" of the housing market - will have a knock-on impact on people trying to move up the property ladder.

If some existing home owners are unable to trade up because of a lack of potential buyers for their property, the market will be brought to a standstill, the report warns.

Woking estate agent Yassar Latif, said: "People who were thinking of buying, but have been let down by the rise in prices, have moved towards rentals now."

The Government has said that Help to Buy and plans to build more houses should ease the problem. But despite this, only around 30% of the people polled believed Help to Buy was working.

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Kate And William: Royals Visit Aussie Beach

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have taken to the beaches of Sydney - but kept their shoes on.

Accompanied by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, William and Kate watched a surf life-saving demonstration and met with some of the lifeguards taking part.

The Duchess seemed at ease on the sand despite wearing wedges as she started a race between eight youngsters.

At the end the royal couple was presented with a surfboard, but there would be no riding the royal wave.

Kate meets some of the lifeguards of Manly Beach, Sydney

Earlier the Duchess delivered her first and only speech during this tour as she and the Duke visited the Bear Cottage children's hospice, which is forging links with the East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH), a UK charity of which she is patron.

"I am delighted that Bear Cottage and EACH are planning to be part of a 'community of best practice'," she told those gathered.

"The haven that you have created here is inspirational, and there is so much that you can share with each other as you continue to support and nurture those in your care."

Kate meets some of the residents of Bear Cottage

The Duchess then added that her family had enjoyed a warm Australian welcome.

She said: "If I may, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has welcomed me and George so incredibly warmly on our first visit. 

"To be here together as a family has been very special and we will always remember it with fond and happy memories."

Earlier, during a wool demonstration at the Sydney Royal Easter Show Kate - wearing a dress by Australian designer Zimmerman - poked fun at her husband's bald patch.

The Duke and Duchess see some giant pumpkins

The Duchess was handed some alpaca wool, at which point she turned to William, gestured towards his bald patch and suggested he might need it more than her.

At the show, one of Australia's largest annual events attracting 900,000 visitors each year, William and Kate also came face to face with Fred the ram and a giant pumpkin.

At one point Fred appeared to bow to the future king, while Kate just settled for a quick pet.

Prince William talks to a resident of Bear Cottage children's hospice

As well as being treated to a sheep shearing demonstration, the royal couple were wowed by displays of giant fruit and veg produce.

Student Mikayla Rendall had been standing in the sun for four hours waiting for the Duke and Duchess.

She said: "Kate apologised for keeping us waiting in the sun and William said they never get this much sun at Buckingham Palace."

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British Teen Killed In Syria 'No Danger' To UK

The father of a Brighton teenager who was killed fighting in Syria has told Sky News his son was "no danger" to the UK.

Abdullah Deghayes and his older brother Amer travelled to Syria without their parents' permission, Abubaker Deghayes said, adding that they only find out about the 18-year-old's death through a message on Facebook.

They thought the student was visiting family in Libya.

Amer was also wounded in the fighting when he was shot in the stomach.

"I think if somebody has a just cause and he believes in it he should do it," Mr Deghayes said.

"I think as a Muslim that my son is a martyr."

The student is the nephew of Omar Deghayes, who was held by the United States as an enemy combatant at Guantanamo Bay detention camp between 2002 and 2007 after he was arrested in Pakistan. He was released without charge.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are aware of the death of a British national and are urgently looking into it."

The situation in Syria is currently so volatile the UK does not have a representative there, making it difficult to establish the facts.

The government currently advises against all travel to Syria and says it cannot offer consular services.

The Syrian civil conflict has been raging for more than three years

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "On Monday, April 14, we received information that an 18-year-old Brighton man had been killed in Syria in recent weeks.

"The circumstances of this reported death remain unclear and we are in contact with the family."

The teenager's Facebook page says he was a student at Longhill High School, at Rottingdean, near Brighton.

It adds that he intended to be a University of Brighton student from 2015 and works for Adidas.

Messages on Mr Deghaye's Facebook page suggest he left the UK in February.

On April 4, messages were posted saying "may God protect him".

As news of his death in Syria emerged, friends posted tributes on social networking sites.

Finn Langford said: "Feels so weird that your actually gone rip Abdullah Deghayes gone but never forgotten sleep tight mate xxx."

Harry Hall posted: "Never forgett you brother, love ya."

Louise Tierney said: "Miss you like mad! Love you mate forever in my heart."

Nezar El-bayouk posted on Twitter: "R.I.P. To My Boy Abdullah Deghayes. Jannah InshAllah!"

Another woman, Miss'Newland, posted: "R.I.P this is such a shock, can not get my head around it. Everyone's gonna miss you Abdullah Deghayes. much love xxx"

Around 400 Britons are believed to have gone to Syria over the last two years, authorities believe, many of them to join the civil war, with an estimated 20 having died.

The Foreign Office website says: "British nationals in Syria should leave now by any practical means."

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Earthquake Shakes Rutland Residents Awake

A 3.2-magnitude has rattled residents of Oakham in Rutland, with some describing it as a feeling like an "explosion" or "massive bang".

The tremor in one of the most geologically-active areas of the UK shook people awake after being triggered at a depth of 2.5 miles at 7.07am.

Former English rugby union player Austin Healey and Strictly Come Dancing star tweeted: "We've just had an earthquake in Oakham. The house was shaking for about 10 secs."

Sara Dodd, from Whissendine, tweeted that it "felt like an explosion but without any sound".

Another resident  - identified as Ali W - wrote on Twitter: "It was different to the last one ... A massive bang rather than a shake."

"I even thought a train had crashed at the back of us," she added.

Annie Wiffen chose to make a joke of it in her tweet: "Come to mum's for one night and a potential lie in and get woken up stupidly early by an earthquake. Got to laugh!"

The British Geological Survey aid seismologists were analysing data from the earthquake.

Julian Bukits of the BGS told Sky News: "The earthquake was mainly felt in the Melton Mowbray and Oakham area, with reports of it being felt as far south as Wellingborough."

He said the UK experienced around 200 earthquakes a year and the Rutland area was one of the areas where they were more common than other parts of Britain.

"The last one of comparable size - 4.1 - occurred in October 2001," Mr Bukits said.

He added that there were recordings of similar quakes in the 18th century with Leicester feeling a 4.1 earthquake in 1750.

"Compared with the recent magnitude 8.2 earthquake near Chile on 1 April, today's Oakham earthquake is about 100,000 times smaller in ground movement," he said.

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Cancer Patients To Test Personalised Drugs

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Correspondent

A unique new trial could bring hope to thousands of lung cancer patients in the UK by targeting their tumours with more personalised medication.

Cancer Research UK is teaming up with pharmaceutical companies and the NHS to launch the "National Lung Matrix" trial this summer.

When a patient is diagnosed a sample of their tumour will be analysed by researchers to establish its genetic makeup and mutations.

The patient could then be given the opportunity to try out a specific drug designed to target their type of cancer.

Over the course of the trial up to 14 different medicines will be tested from pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Pfizer.

Clinical trials usually involve one type of medication.

Around 42,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year

Speaking to Sky News, Professor Peter Johnson, Chief Clinician for Cancer Research UK, said the amazing advancements in molecular testing mean we now know a lot more about how different types of cancer develop.

"The reason this is exciting for patients with lung cancer is that really for the first time we're able to look at their cancers and screen them for a whole variety of molecular changes as the cancer has developed.

"Then we can say to them this is a treatment we think will be effective for you if chemotherapy hasn't worked.

"So instead of just having a conversation about one type of treatment at a time we now have a whole panel of drugs coming through into testing, and in this way we hope we can make progress much faster."

The drugs will first be tried out on a small group of patients, with researchers looking for signs of improvement, such as increased survival and tumour shrinkage.

Dr Harpul Kumar has hailed the move towards personalised treatment

Medicines that show promise will then be tried out on a larger number of patients.

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the UK, but the deadliest. Around 42,000 people are diagnosed every year, but over two-thirds find out at a stage when it is too late for them to be offered treatment that could cure them.

Fewer than 10% of people diagnosed with lung cancer survive for at least five years after diagnosis.

Dr Harpul Kumar, Chief Executive for Cancer Research UK, told Sky News this new clinical trial could rewrite the rule book on how research into new drugs is carried out.

He said: "This is a very important step forward in the fight against cancer.

"We know that every patient's cancer is unique, so we're moving away from a 'one size fits all' approach and striving for more personalised treatment.

"Critically we are shifting the emphasis from designing a trial around a specific drug, to designing it around selecting from a range of drugs for a specific patient.

"We could hope that within a couple of years we'll be talking about this type of approach in many forms of the disease."

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Co-op Admits 'Disastrous Year' Amid £2.5bn Loss

The embattled Co-operative Group has confirmed a loss of £2.5bn for 2013, in what it described as a "disastrous year".

The loss comes on the back of a £529m figure recorded in its 2012 results.

Interim group chief executive Richard Pennycook said: "2013 was a disastrous year for the Co-operative Group, the worst in our 150-year history.

"Today's results demonstrate that but they also highlight fundamental failings in management and governance at the group over many years.

"These results should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who doubts just how serious the challenges we face are."

It said most of the losses were from "discontinued operations" of its banking arm, which totaled £2.1bn.

Group sales were £10.5bn, down from the £11bn recorded in the previous year.

Profit from its food division were down 8% at £247m but it also recorded a goodwill impairment charge of £226m for its purchase of Somerfield stores.

The Co-operative Group consists of a number of divisions

However, it recorded more encouraging figures for some other divisions.

General insurance profit jumped from £13m in 2012 to £33m last year.

The pharmacy chain, which is being offered for sale, saw profit rise by about a fifth to £33m.

And its funeral services business saw sales up 3% to £370m and profit up £2m to £62m.

Co-operative Group chair Ursula Lidbetter said: "During 2013, it became apparent that our governance had fallen far short of the standards to which we aspire as a co-operative society.

"Now is the time to put that right through fundamental reform - we have to act with urgency if we are to lay the foundations for a stronger, healthier co-operative business in the future."

The group's bank division revealed a £1.5bn capital black hole last year and then in March announced a plan to raise another £400m.

Amid risks of the bank's collapse, the group reduced its stake in the institution to 30% as private equity bondholders provided capital - raising concerns of how it would maintain its 'ethical' stance.

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David Cameron Says Britain 'Should Do God'

Britain should be more confident about being a Christian country and use faith to "get out there and make a difference to people's lives", David Cameron has said.

In his strongest comments on his faith yet, the Prime Minister admits he, like many, does not manage to attend church regularly.

But he says it is time for the church to play a greater role in politics and society.

His comments, in an article for the Church Times, follow a number of run-ins with prominent Christian figures about the Government's welfare reforms.

Mr Cameron said: "I believe we should be more confident about our status as a Christian country, more ambitious about expanding the role of faith-based organisations, and, frankly, more evangelical about a faith that compels us to get out there and make a difference to people's lives.

"First, being more confident about our status as a Christian country does not somehow involve doing down other faiths or passing judgment on those with no faith at all.

"Many people tell me it is easier to be Jewish or Muslim in Britain than in a secular country precisely because the tolerance that Christianity demands of our society provides greater space for other religious faiths, too.

"Crucially, the Christian values of responsibility, hard work, charity, compassion, humility, and love are shared by people of every faith and none - and we should be confident in standing up to defend them."

The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster was critical of welfare reform

Mr Cameron said he had "felt at first hand the healing power of the Church's pastoral care" and Christians knew how "powerful faith can be in the toughest of times".

Earlier this year the church intervened in politics when 27 Anglican bishops wrote an open letter to warn thousands of people were being forced to rely on food banks because of the coalition's benefit reforms. It followed sharp criticism from Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols.

In his article, Mr Cameron acknowledged that welfare was "controversial".

However, he defended his stance saying: "I sometimes feel not enough is made of our efforts to tackle poverty. Of course, we have been through some tough economic times in turning our country around over the past few years."

Mr Cameron's attempt to reintroduce religion into politics is starkly at odds with that of former Downing Street incumbent Tony Blair, whose former spin doctor memorably said: "We don't do God."

In 2008, Mr Cameron said that, as Boris Johnson had once said, "his religious faith is a bit like the reception for Magic FM in the Chilterns: it sort of comes and goes".

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M26 Pile-Up: Lorry Driver Held After Two Killed

A 45-year-old lorry driver has been arrested after two people died in a pile-up involving five vehicles on the M26.

Two French nationals, aged 22 and 16, lost their lives in the collision and seven other people were taken to hospital.

Two lorries, two cars and a box van were involved in the crash on the west-bound side of the road on Wednesday morning.

The accident closed the carriageway for the day before it finally reopened at 4am on Thursday.

Many Twitter users reported being stuck in the resulting traffic jams for several hours.

The Red Cross sent its emergency teams to help those stranded, many of whom found themselves in stationary cars in unseasonably warm April weather.

Chief Inspector Matt Kendall from Kent Police said: 'We appreciate that some members of the public were inconvenienced for some time but, in light of the tragic circumstances of the incident, we had a duty to conduct a thorough and detailed investigation at the scene.

"We worked with other emergency services to free traffic from the area and to reopen the road as quickly as possible.

"We are continuing to appeal to anyone who witnessed the collision, or the events prior to the collision, to contact the Serious Collision Investigation Unit urgently on 01622 798 538."

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Official: Average Earnings Outpace Inflation

Average UK earnings increased by 1.7% in the year to February, above the inflation rate of 1.6%, according to official figures.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said it was the first time since spring 2010 that the consumer price index for inflation had not exceeded pay increases.

It said pay increases averaged 2% in the private sector and 0.9% in the public sector.

It added the number of people out of work in the UK fell by 77,000 between December and February.

The unemployment rate of 6.9% is the lowest for five years.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "Throughout the economic crisis, and now in the recovery, our labour market has shown itself to be resilient and flexible.

"These latest employment figures show that conditions are continuing to improve rapidly."

The improving statistics have eroded Labour's stance on the economic policies at the heart of the coalition Government.

Sky News Economics Editor Ed Conway said: "There are likely to be quibbles with the data and the timing, and many of them are perfectly legitimate.

"What's less in doubt is that wages and inflation are converging meaningfully for the first time since 2010.

"That implies the squeeze on incomes is in the process of coming to an end."

He added: "By the same token, families have had to withstand a whole five-year period of falling real wages, so in real terms they remain significantly less well-off than they were before the crisis.

"That damage will take some years to mend."

The ONS said the total jobless in the period stood at 2.24 million, with a record 30.3 million people in work.

A total of 691,000 people have gained employment in the last year, taking the rate to 72.6%.

It added the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance last month fell by 30,400 to 1.14 million.

Meanwhile, the number of people in Britain defined as economically inactive, including those caring for relatives or withdrawn from the job market, fell by 86,000 in the latest quarter to 8.8 million.

Those out of work for more than 12 months was also cut by 32,000, down to 807,000.

The jobless figure for 16 to 24-year-olds has also continued to fall, down by 38,000 to 881,000 - the lowest for five years.

The ONS said 1.42 million people are working part-time on the basis of not being able to find full-time employment.

It was a drop of 17,000 over the three months, although still 10,000 higher than the same time last year.

Esther McVey, the minister for employment, told Sky News: "More young people are in work, more women are in work, wages are going up and more and more businesses are hiring.

"It's a credit to them that Britain is working again."

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Ed Balls Facing Police Probe Over Car Prang

Ed Balls is facing a police investigation after hitting a car and driving off without reporting it.

The shadow chancellor was leaving the Labour rooms in Morley during a constituency visit when he damaged the car.

West Yorkshire Police have confirmed officers are making inquiries into a "fail to stop collision".

Mr Balls admitted he caused the damage and has apologised to the owner of the black Peugeot 306.

He said he had turned the car round in a "tight spot" in a private drive beside the Labour rooms and hit another vehicle "parked close by".

In a statement, he said: "The turn took five or seven points and I was aware that at one point the bumpers of the two cars touched.

"I park there all the time in what is a relatively narrow drive.

"But until I was contacted the following Wednesday, I had no awareness at all there had been any damage to the other car."

Mr Balls said he had written to the owner, offering to reimburse them for the damage, and had also contacted his insurance company.

Sergeant Adrian Wright, of West Yorkshire Police, said the damage to the front wing of the car was reported on April 6, the day after the collision occurred.

It is not the first time Mr Balls' driving has come to the attention of the police.

Last year he admitted he was caught "bang to rights" speeding at 56mph in a 50mph zone on the M62 in his constituency.

In 2010 he was fined £60 and given three points on his licence after being caught using a mobile phone while driving on a dual carriageway in Milton Keynes.

At the time, he said: "It was a fair cop."

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Drug Charges For Former Co-Op Boss Flowers

Former Co-Op Bank boss Paul Flowers has been charged with two counts of possession of a class A drug and one of a class C drug.

The former Methodist minister was arrested in Liverpool by West Yorkshire Police officers last year.

A police spokesman said: "Paul Flowers, 63, of Hollingwood Drive, Bradford, has been charged with two offences of possession of a class A drug and one offence of possession of a class C drug.

"He has been bailed to appear before Leeds magistrates on May 7."

Mr Flowers stepped down as chairman of the Co-Op bank in June last year.

Clare Stevens, from the CPS' Yorkshire and Humberside Complex Casework Unit, said: "We have carefully considered a file of evidence gathered by West Yorkshire Police in relation to alleged criminal offences committed by Paul Flowers in Bradford in November 2013.

"Following a review of the evidence, I have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to charge Paul Flowers with possession of class A and class C drugs relating to an incident on November 9 2013."

Paul Flowers will appear at Leeds Magistrates' Court on May 7.

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Thousands Miss Out On First Choice School

Thousands of children have missed out on their parents' preferred primary school place in the first National Offer Day.

Emails and letters have been sent to parents across England but increasing pressures on schools mean many have been left disappointed.

Education hotspots Bristol and London are expected to be among the worst affected, with one in five children not being admitted to their school of choice.

"There is a shortage of primary school places throughout the country," said Lydia Gibbs, primary teaching and curriculum lead for the Reach Academy in Feltham, west London.

Last year the school had 160 applications for only 60 primary school places.

"There is a sense of competition that parents would love to have their children come to our school. I know that because we were oversubscribed for reception places," she added.

Bristol Cathedral School received 4,000 applicants for 40 places.

National Offer Day marks the first time councils across England have co-ordinated offers for primary school places.

Demand is believed to be increasing due to higher birth rates and immigration, with the number of children entering reception classes at primary schools this September among the highest in years.

According to the Local Government Association some areas - Costessey in Norfolk, Central Croydon and Purfleet in Essex - will see 75% more pupils than school places by next year.

By 2016, councils across England will have to increase school capacity by at least 20% to ensure every child gets a school place.

Parents are now going to greater lengths to secure places at the most popular schools.

A poll by Netmums revealed more than a fifth of those questioned (21.2%) had bought a house closer to their preferred school, with a further 17% renting nearby.

Nearly half had put their children in a nursery linked to a school in an attempt to get their children a place, despite warnings from the schools adjudicator that children should not miss out because the did not attend the right nursery.

The survey also found around one in six (16.2%) parents had started thinking about primary schools when their child was still under one, with a further 9.3% considering it when they were expecting and 6.9% thinking about the issue before they fell pregnant.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said more needs to be done to ensure every child has a school place.

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Coulson Tells Trial He Heard Hacked Voicemail

Former News Of The World editor Andy Coulson has told a jury he heard voicemail messages hacked from David Blunkett's phone.

The 46-year-old told the Old Bailey the paper's then-chief reporter, Neville Thurlbeck, phoned him to say Mr Blunkett, who was Home Secretary at the time, was having an affair with a married woman.

He said Mr Thurlbeck had told him he "believed the story was true" after listening to voicemail messages.

Coulson, 46, who denies the charges against him, said he was on holiday in Italy when he took the call.

His initial reaction was one of "shock and anger" at a "direct breach of privacy", he said.

During his third day in the witness box, Coulson told the court: "I was on my way to the airport to collect my brother who was coming to stay with us. I was lost, I remember that, and I parked up on the side of the road to take the call.

"Neville told me he had a tip that David Blunkett was having an affair with Kimberly Fortier. He said he believed the story was true because he heard some voicemails.

"I was shocked because he told me he had heard some voicemail messages. I was shocked he was telling me this as well because it was in relation to David Blunkett, the Home Secretary.

"I was quite angry about it. I used reasonably colourful language, words to the effect: 'What on Earth do you think you're doing?'

"My concern was it was an apparent breach of privacy and I was concerned also that this was involving somebody who I knew. He was somebody we were broadly supportive of."

Coulson, who later became Downing Street's director of communications, told the court he ordered the reporter to stop the investigation.

However, he said that on his return, his former colleague went to the News Of The World (NOTW) offices to repitch the Blunkett story, saying it was in the public interest and playing the messages to try to convince him of that point.

The revelations were made as the journalist's barrister, Timothy Langdale QC, asked him about the NOTW's relationship with Mr Blunkett which, Coulson said, was good.

Coulson said the more he listened, the more he started to think there was "some public interest justification" in the story but he wanted time to think about it.

He told the court he later decided it was in the public interest because Mr Blunkett was "distracted" by the affair and, Coulson argued, sharing sensitive information.

Coulson insisted he had no previous knowledge of voicemail hacking, adding: "I remained shocked. This was the first and only time a voicemail had been played to me."

Coulson, of Charing, Kent, denies conspiring to hack phones with Rebekah Brooks and former managing editor Stuart Kuttner.

He also denies conspiring with ex-royal editor Clive Goodman to commit misconduct in a public office.

All seven defendants in the phone hacking trial deny the charges against them and the case continues.

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Children 'Damaged By 10-Hour School Days'

Pupils as young as four are spending 10 hours a day in school turning them into "ghost" children who talk to no-one, regularly fall asleep and lag behind, teachers have warned.

The long-hours culture means children are regularly either in school or after-school care from 8am to 6pm, according to research by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers.

Family life is being damaged by the pressures of modern life, forcing parents to abandon time with their children for work or other priorities, they claim.

More than half of the school staff questioned (56%) said they thought children spent a lot less time with their families than 20 years ago, and 94% thought it was because of work.

An early years teacher in a North Yorkshire state school said: "Some children are placed in before and after-school care from 8am to 6pm.

Education Minister Liz Truss wants children to start school at two

"These children walk around like ghosts, do not talk to anyone, fall asleep frequently, do not progress as quickly as their peers. Their parents are also 'too busy' to support them in an adequate way at home."

Steve Wood, a state secondary school teacher from Kirklees, said: "The pressures on family time have grown considerably and work-life balance for many parents is an increasingly difficult area.

"The necessity to stay in work means time spent with children isn't always a priority."

ATL members, who are holding their annual conference in Manchester, are expected to back a resolution saying proposals calling for longer school days and shorter school holidays do not put children first.

Education minister Liz Truss has been pushing for children to start school from the age of two, backed by the head of Ofsted, Sir Michael Wilshaw.

Education Secretary Michael Gove is encouraging schools to stay open for 10 hours.

The survey of 1,300 staff found that most teachers thought children should start school at the age of four, and the primary school day should be five hours, the secondary school day, six.

A Department for Education spokeswoman said: "Extending school nursery hours from 8-6 will give more flexibility to parents and enable more of them to use these high quality facilities to ensure their children start learning basic skills, such as number and letter recognition, from a young age. This can have a real and lasting impact on their development and life chances."

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Coulson 'Knew Nothing' Of Milly Dowler Hacking

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

Former News of the World Editor Andy Coulson has denied he played any part in the hacking of the mobile phone messages of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

It was the revelation the Sunday tabloid had accessed the 13-year-old's voicemail messages, after her disappearance in 2002, which led to the closure of the newspaper.

The Old Bailey phone hacking trial has heard how Andy Coulson was the News of the World's deputy editor at that time of the teenager's disappearance, but had taken charge of the paper as then editor Rebekah Brooks was on holiday in Dubai.

Giving evidence for a second day in the witness box, Mr Coulson said he had never engaged in illegal hacking activity, nor known about attempts to tap into the Dowlers' messages.

Milly Dowler was abducted on her way home from school in 2002

The 46-year-old was asked by his legal counsel, Timothy Langdale, what his reaction might have been had he known that anyone at the newspaper had hacked into the schoolgirl's phone messages.

Mr Coulson said: "I would have been very concerned. My instinctive reaction would have been to think this was interference in a police investigation."

The witness said he was aware of the practice of phone hacking in "very vague terms. I think it was in the ether. It was something that was gossiped about maybe".

He was asked: "Were you ever party to or in agreement with phone hacking at the News of the World?"

Coulson said: "No I was not."

Rebekah Brooks was away on holiday when Milly Dowler went missing

In the spring of 2002, Coulson said he was not aware that to access someone else's voicemail messages was a crime.

But he said: "I would have thought it was intrusive, I would have thought that it was a breach of privacy, and I also would have thought that it was lazy journalism.

Coulson resigned from the News of the World in 2007 shortly after a hacking scandal involving the paper's former royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glen Mulcaire.

He went on to become David Cameron's Downing Street communications director, before having to resign from that job in the wake of the Milly Dowler hacking revelations.

He is charged with conspiring to hack phones with Rebekah Brooks and Stuart Kuttner and conspiring with Clive Goodman to commit misconduct in public office.

Seven defendants are on trial at the Old Bailey, all deny the charges against them.

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Donations Top £44k After Runner's Death

The runner who died after the London Marathon has been named as Robert Berry.

The 42-year-old collapsed after crossing the finishing line and received medical attention, but was pronounced dead when he arrived at hospital.

He was raising money for the National Osteoporosis Society, which issued a statement expressing "heartfelt condolences" to his family.

Mr Berry's Just Giving page has received more than £44,000 following his tragic death.

Claire Severgnini, the charity's chief executive, said in a statement: "Our immediate concerns are for Mr Berry's family. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them at this tragic time."

In a statement, the event's organisers, Virgin Money, expressed their "sincere condolences" to his family.

"Mr Berry was immediately taken to one of our medical facilities where he was treated by four consultants, including one in emergency medicine," the statement said.

"He was transferred to St Mary's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

"We would like to continue to express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr Berry and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them all at this difficult time."

It was the first death at the event since 30-year-old hairdresser Claire Squires collapsed just a mile from the finishing line in 2012 before dying of cardiac failure.

She had been raising money for the Samaritans and donations to the charity soared to more than £1m in the weeks after her death.

A total of 36,000 competitors took part in the 26.2 mile event, which started at Blackheath and Greenwich parks and ended on The Mall.

Runners were advised to take on plenty of water as bright sunshine and light breeze meant conditions were warm, reaching 16C in St James's Park.

The men's race was won by Kenyan Wilson Kipsang, while compatriot Edna Kiplagat finished first in the women's event.

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Imperial Tobacco To Close Nottingham Factory

Up to 900 jobs are to be lost under plans by Imperial Tobacco to close factories in Nottingham and Nantes in France.

The company said it wanted to shut both its production plant and distribution centre in Nottingham, which together employ around 540 people - almost a third of its UK workforce.

The move would represent an end to cigarette production in the UK.

Its statement blamed "declining industry volumes in Europe, impacted by tough economic conditions, increasing regulation and excise and growth in illicit trade".

Imperial, whose brands include Golden Virginia and Lambert & Butler, said the Nottingham factory has capacity to make 36 billion cigarettes a year but will only produce 17 billion in 2014.

It said production would be moved to other European factories and distribution outsourced.

The Nantes plant, which employs 320 staff, would suffer the same fate while its research facility at Bergerac was also under threat.

The company said it was working on the proposals with unions.

Chief executive Alison Cooper said: "These projects are an essential part of securing the sustainable future of the business.

"The prospect of job losses is always regrettable and we will be doing all we can to support employees and ensure that they are treated in a fair and responsible manner."

The company, which has 46 manufacturing sites worldwide, closed a cigar factory in Bristol in 2010.

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Nigel Farage: 'Expenses Claims Are Erroneous'

Nigel Farage has hit back over EU expenses claims saying as an MEP he can spend his taxpayer-funded allowances "as he likes".

The UKIP leader is facing and investigation over how he uses £15,500 of yearly allowances he receives from the European Union, according to The Times newspaper.

The money was used to run his constituency office in Lyminster, West Sussex, according to UKIP records, however, he pays no rent as the property was gifted to him by party supporters.

Speaking to Sky News he said The Times' claims were "erroneous", adding that under EU rules he did not have to account for how he used the £60,000 of allowances he had received since 2009.

He said like all MEPs he was given a general allowance of £3,580 a month to spend "as I see fit" and he did not have to provide receipts.

Mr Farage accused the newspaper of "conflating" his EU allowances with the row over expenses claimed by MPs at Westminster, which he said was an entirely different matter.

He said: "I haven't bought a house or vintage wine."

Farage: 'I haven't bought vintage wine'

Mr Farage told Dermot Murnaghan: "They are not expenses. We don't actually claim for anything. I have not claimed for an office. I have not claimed this figure of £15,000.

"The Times, who are the pro-establishment newspaper have deliberately tried to conflate the expenses row at Westminster, where people have been using taxpayers' money to buy houses and make large capital gains with the way the system works in the EU.

"I'm not defending the system, I want it to end but I get given, as does every other British MEP, £3,850, every month to spend in the UK and in my constituency as I see fit."

He said there was a list of "expenses"  and he could spend the money on newspapers, on books, hotel rooms and restaurants.

He added: "We do not have to provide any receipts, any explanation for how that money is spent so what The Times has written is wholly erroneous."

The Times quoted former office manager David Samuel-Camps as saying it only cost £3,000 a year to run Mr Farage's office, rather than the £1,000 the UKIP leader claims.

However, Mr Farage pointed out Mr Samuel-Camps had written to the newspaper complaining that he had been misquoted and stating it cost £8,400 a year to run the office - closer to Mr Farage's figure.

When asked what the allowance had been spent on, Mr Farage claimed the annual electricity bill was £3,000 - the average bill for a family home is only £1,000 - and said this was because of the machines.

He also said the money was spent on burglar alarms, insurance and dealing with his increasingly heavy postbag.

In a robust response to the newspaper story on the UKIP website the party claims the story is politically motivated because of its success in polls over the weekend.

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Marathon Runner Missing After Finishing 20th

A female athlete from Sierra Leone has disappeared after finishing 20th in the London Marathon.

Mami Konneh Lahun did not return to her accommodation in Greenwich, where she had been staying since April 7, after Sunday's race.  

The 24-year-old is due to fly home later today.

Police said she has no known links to the UK and does not have a mobile phone.

Ms Konneh Lahun is reportedly Sierra Leone's fastest-ever female 5,000m and 10,000m runner. Last year, she won the Sierra Leone and Liberia marathons.

:: Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting reference 14MIS012462.

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Man Dies After Finishing London Marathon

A 42-year-old man has died after running the London Marathon.

The unnamed man collapsed after crossing the finishing line and received medical attention.

But he was pronounced dead when he arrived at hospital.

In a statement, the event's organisers, Virgin Money, expressed their "sincere condolences" to his family.

"We will not be releasing any further details of this tragic incident and would ask for your understanding in this matter," it said.

"We would like to emphasise that our immediate concern is for the family of the deceased.

"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them at this difficult time."

It was the first death at the event since 30-year-old hairdresser Claire Squires collapsed just a mile from the finishing line in 2012 before dying of cardiac failure.

She had been raising money for the Samaritans and donations to the charity soared to more than £1m in the weeks after her death.

A total of 36,000 competitors took part in the 26.2 mile event, which started at Blackheath and Greenwich parks and ended on The Mall.

Runners were advised to take on plenty of water as bright sunshine and light breeze meant conditions were warm, reaching 16C in St James's Park. 

The men's race was won by Kenyan Wilson Kipsang, while compatriot Edna Kiplagat finished first in the women's event.

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Man Drives Car Off 80ft Cliff - And Survives

A man who drove his car off an 80ft cliff near Brighton has walked away without any significant injuries.

The arrows show where the car veered off the cliff and landed

The driver lost control of his vehicle on the A259 just after midnight on Sunday morning.

He survived the drop because the car "miraculously" managed to clear the promenade beneath the cliff and land on water.

Some 22 emergency workers attended only to find the driver had made his way to nearby rocks without any serious injuries.

Twenty-two emergency workers arrived at the scene

Chief Superintendent Nev Kemp tweeted after the incident: "Incredibly a man escaped without serious injury after his car went over the cliff near Roedean just after midnight and ended up in the sea."

Emergency crews used ladders and ropes to rescue the man.

The incident occurred in Roedean near Brighton, East Sussex

"A second ladder was installed to use as a slipway and the casualty was secured into Newhaven Coastguard's rescue stretcher and then using some of our cliff rescue equipment we were able to slide the stretcher up the ladders," a Newhaven Coastguard spokesman said.

"With nine members of various agencies on the three ropes and two of the Newhaven team at the top of the ladder we were able to bring the casualty up from the beach where they were handed into the care of paramedics.

The car was a wreck but its driver was relatively unharmed

"All the time the recovery operation was ongoing a member of the Brighton lifeboat crew who had swum ashore in a dry suit was inspecting the vehicle to check for any secondary casualties."

Brighton and Newhaven lifeboat crews made a brief sea search and two coastguard teams searched the beach in case anyone else was in the water.

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Blackpool Toddler Killed: Man Appears In Court

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

A man has appeared in court charged with murdering his girlfriend's two-year-old daughter.

Connor Gibson, 23, is accused of the murder of toddler Kacey Hambleton, who died on Saturday after suffering serious injuries.

Mr Gibson, of Melrose Avenue, Blackpool, did not speak during the brief hearing at Blackpool Magistrates Court.

He stood in the dock wearing a blue T-shirt and black trousers. He was remanded back into custody to appear at Preston Crown Court and sobbed as he was led down to the cells.

Police were called to a house on Granby Avenue in Blackpool on Thursday and found Kacey "unresponsive". She was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital and was later airlifted to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in a critical condition.

Kacey's mother, a 23-year-old from Blackpool, was also arrested on suspicion of murder but has been released on bail until July.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Gilbert from Lancashire Constabulary's Force Major Investigation Team said: "This is a terribly tragic incident where a little girl has sadly lost her fight for life and I am determined to find out exactly what has happened to her and how she has come to acquire injuries so serious that they have proven fatal.

"I personally encourage anyone who may have any information about little Kacey and the days leading up to her death to come forward to help us in what has now developed into a murder investigation."

Reports can also be made anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or Crimestoppers-uk.org. 

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'Muslim Plot' To Take Over Schools Investigated

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

Twenty-five schools are being investigated in connection with an alleged plot by conservative Muslims to force out headteachers and governors.

A new chief advisor is now being appointed by Birmingham City Council to handle the at least 200 complaints received in relation to Operation Trojan Horse after an unsigned, undated document was sent to the council and teaching unions last year.

It apparently set out a blueprint for seizing control of the governing bodies of schools, and forcing out those who do not agree. It claimed to have forced a change of leadership at four schools.

Whistleblowers - including former staff - have made a number of allegations against schools in Birmingham since the accusations came to light, including one claim the teachings of an al-Qaeda-linked preacher were praised in front of pupils.

Other complaints include the alleged segregation of boys and girls in lessons and assemblies, a ban on sex education and bullying of non-Muslim staff.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he was "very, very concerned about allegations that taxpayer-funded schools have become vehicles of particular ideologies".

"I have always supported faith schools but the best faith schools use their religious identity as engines of integration rather than silos of segregation," he added.

The council's investigation, running alongside a separate inquiry by the Department for Education (DfE), is due to initially report back in May.

At a briefing, councillors said the 25 schools being investigated in Birmingham included primaries, secondaries, community schools and academies. Fifteen of the schools have so far been inspected by Ofsted.

Birmingham City Council also confirmed that it was in contact with authorities in Bradford and Manchester who had been experiencing "similar" issues.

Sir Albert Bore, the council leader, told Sky News: "It's about the day-to-day practices in schools we're concerned about, it's also the impact these allegations are having on community cohesion in Birmingham.

"Certainly there is a feeling amongst the Muslim community in Birmingham that there is a 'hue and cry' on at the present moment in time, we have to be concerned about that, just as we're concerned about what is actually happening in the schools themselves."

Councillor Brigid Jones, cabinet member for children and family services, said: "It's a whole range of allegations, some concerning the governance of schools, some concerning the quality of teaching and everything in between, covering a period of around 20 years.

"I do worry about the children in those schools, we know they've felt increasing community tensions as a result of it and a lot of people have felt marginalised and stigmatised. This is something we don't want whatsoever."

West Midland Police is still looking into the source of the document, according to the council leader.

Children in the city have been set two pieces of homework over the summer. One is entitled "What does a good inclusive education in Birmingham look like?", the other poses the question: "What does a safe and resilient citizen of the future look like?"

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "The allegations made in relation to some schools in Birmingham are very serious and we are investigating all evidence put to us in conjunction with Ofsted, Birmingham City Council and the police.

"It is absolutely vital these investigations are carried out impartially, without pre-judgment. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."

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Ed Davey: World's Climate Is 'On A Precipice'

Energy Secretary Ed Davey has said the world is "looking down a precipice" as the UN urges more solar and wind power investment.

The minister, who is also responsible for climate change, told Sky News' Murnaghan programme, that the new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a "stark warning".

The report says massive cuts to greenhouse gas emissions are needed in the next few decades if the world is to avoid "dangerous" climate change.

Mr Davey said: "This is a stark warning that the world is looking down a precipice if we do not take action now."

"But it also says, and some good news, that the cost of renewables, things like solar and wind, are coming down, so we can go green in an affordable way."

The latest UN report is the third part of a detailed review of the way in which the world's climate is being changed by greenhouse gases and what can be done about it.

Two weeks ago the second part of the review said the impact of climate change was likely to be "irreversible" and could lead to wars.

It said that Britain would face soaring food prices, deadly floods and heatwaves, which would only be lessened if action was taken sooner rather than later. 

In the latest part of the report, the IPCC says substantial reductions in greenhouse gases will be needed, through large-scale changes to the ways we generate energy and how we use it.

It says we need to curb deforestation and start planting forests.

Emissions need to be reduced by 40% to 70% on 2010 levels by the middle of the century and to near zero by 2100 to prevent temperatures going up by more than 2C, the report said.

There will need to be a three- or four-fold increase by 2050 in the share of energy that comes from low-carbon sources such as renewables, nuclear and power plants fitted with technology to capture and store carbon underground.

By the end of the century fossil fuel power plants without carbon capture and storage will need to be virtually phased out.

A failure to take action could result in temperatures soaring 3.7C to 4.8C by 2100, the experts warned.

Mr Davey admitted that there was a split at the heart of government over plans to cut green subsidies.

But he said the government's record showed that there was agreement about what could be done.

"The coalition government actually has done more on the green economy, more on low carbon, than any predecessor.

"Britain is leading the way. Not only have we implemented action, the Energy Act 2013, to create the world's first ever low carbon electricity market; we've got the green investment bank - the first bank that's not just being judged by financial performance, but by how it is cutting carbon - and in Europe, the coalition have been leading the way to make sure Europe has the most ambitious, the toughest, greenhouse gas reduction target."

He added that the UK is the world leader in offshore wind power, with more offshore wind electricity generating capacity in the pipeline than the rest of the world put together.

Also, he said, the UK leads the world on carbon capture, which involves removing carbon dioxide from gas or coal-fired powerplant emissions and storing it underground. 

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UKIP Poll Boost: Tory And Lib Dem Support Falls

Nigel Farage's UKIP has been given a boost in a new poll which puts support for the party at 20%, four points higher than last month.

It comes after he was said to have come out top in the head-to-head clashes with Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg over Britain's future in Europe.

It is UKIP's highest rating in a ComRes survey, while the Conservatives have scored their lowest rating so far this year at 29%, down three.

In the new poll for the Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror, the Tories are six points behind Labour which are unchanged on 35%.

The Liberal Democrats have fallen to just 7% - a dip of two points and their lowest since they went into coalition with the Conservatives in 2010.

Mr Farage's personal rating also appears to have received a boost after the recent debates.

Nigel Farage was said to have come out top in the debates

The UKIP chief has enjoyed a seven-point bounce since February, taking him to 27%.

Deputy Prime Minister Mr Clegg is down one point to 12%, while Prime Minister David Cameron has dropped four points to 27% and Labour leader Ed Miliband is down two points to 20%.

Mr Cameron's rating may have been dented by his handling of the expenses furore involving former culture secretary Maria Miller.

Some 62% of voters believe he showed a serious lack of leadership in the way he dealt with the case.

Most voters, 62%, believe constituents should be able to force sitting MPs to defend their seat in a by-election if enough people sign a petition demanding it, the research found.

A second poll also puts Labour in a six-point lead

Sky News Political Correspondent Anushka Asthana said: "We're only a few weeks out from the European elections and UKIP are kind of what the Lib Dems used to be - the party that stands against the establishment.

"They used to just talk about Europe - now it is local, popular issues such as HS2.

"The Conservatives are really badly hit by UKIP rising because that tends to split the right.

"And pollsters say if UKIP get anything over eight points in a general election they would split the right and would stop David Cameron from winning an overall majority.

"So he will be very worried about that."

Meanwhile, a Opinium poll for the Observer newspaper puts the Conservatives on 30%, Labour 36%, Lib Dems 7% and UKIP on 18%.

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Doctors' Surgeries Are Told To Open All Hours

Patients will be able to visit their GPs outside of work hours under plans announced by David Cameron to boost access to family doctors.

More than 7.5 million people will have increased access to GP services as part of the £50m GP Access Fund, including late night and weekend appointments.

The plan will see extended surgery opening hours, as well as new consultation methods including video and email.

The fund will benefit patients at 1,147 GP practices across England.

The Prime Minister has also announced plans to enhance care services for the elderly.

He said some 800,000 people over the age of 75 and those with serious health complaints will receive tailored care, coordinated by one local GP.

"Back in October, I said I wanted to make it easier for people to get appointments that fit in around a busy working week and family commitments," Mr Cameron said.

"There has been a great response from doctors, with lots of innovative ideas, and we will now see over seven million patients given weekend and evening opening hours, alongside more access to their family doctor on the phone, via email or even Skype.

"This is an important step and good news for patients."

Around 500,000 people were originally thought to benefit from the cash fund, but due to high levels of interest it has been rolled out to cover more GP services, a Department of Health spokesman said.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News: "The evidence I think is that for people who working hard, who have busy lifestyles, maybe working long hours, doing shift work over the weekends, often they would like to be able to contact their GP by email, and if we can find a way that doesn't overwhelm GPs, then I think that would be something that people would really welcome.

"We do recognise that GPs and nurses in the community work extremely hard.

"But I think it's a false economy if we don't invest in out-of-hospital care - because in the end if you don't look after people well when they're at home, they end up having to go to hospital and that ends up being worse for them and costing the NHS more as well."

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High UV Ray Threat Triggers Sunburn Warning

People are being advised to guard against an increased risk of sunburn due to stronger than usual ultraviolet rays normally associated with high summer.

The Met Office says the high UV levels are due to an "ozone anomaly" currently affecting the UK, where there is less of the gas in the upper atmosphere available to absorb the UV rays before they reach the ground.

The Met Office said: "This is quite normal and similar events have occurred previously around this time of the year.

"We are confident that the levels should be no higher than those of a sunny day in June.

But it added: "It is important that, if you are in an area that is particularly sunny over the next few days, you take steps to ensure that you and your family are protected from these increased UV levels.

"During the next few weeks, we will continue to keep an eye on these low ozone events (which can be seen in satellite data) in order to warn the public when they are happening."

Sky News Weather Presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "UV levels are at their greatest when the sun is at its highest in the sky, so as we head into the summer months UV levels increase.

"At this time of the year, we usually expect levels of UV to be low to moderate, but today they could be higher due to an ozone anomaly affecting the UK at the moment where levels are noticeably lower than normal.

"This isn't an unusual occurrence and similar events have happened previously around this time of the year."

As well as the amount of ozone gas in the stratosphere, other key factors affecting the strength of UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface are the height of the sun in the sky, and the amount of cloud, dust and pollution in the atmosphere.

So-called "ozone anomalies" occur when low-level pockets that have formed near the North Pole over winter, due to the lack of sunlight, break away.

These can sometimes pass over the UK.

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London Marathon: Mo Farah Beaten By Kipsang

Kenyan Wilson Kipsang has beaten Britain's Mo Farah to win the London Marathon, breaking the course record for the race.

Double Olympic gold medallist Farah finished in eighth place with a time of 2hrs 08mins 20secs, narrowly missing out on the British record he had targeted.

Kipsang crossed the finish line in 2hrs 04mins 27secs, beating the previous best time for the event by 13 seconds.

Farah admitted the race had been "tough" but defended his decision to switch from the track to the road and make his 26.2 mile debut in his home town.

He said: "London, this is my city, it would have been wrong to do any other marathon."

Edna Kiplagat won the women's race in a time of 2hrs 20mins 21secs.

The elite runners started ahead of 36,000 competitors tackling the course on a warm and sunny day in the capital.

Famous faces taking part include former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen, Game of Thrones actress Natalie Dormer, and Michelin-star chef Michel Roux Jr.

The amateur field includes Katie and Polly Ryall who are aiming to set a new world record for a pair of sisters combined by beating the current 5hrs 09mins 21secs benchmark while running for the charity Sense.

British Paralympian David Weir failed in his bid to become the best wheelchair racer in the event's history as he finished second behind Switzerland's Marcel Hug.

The races started at Blackheath and Greenwich Park ended on The Mall.

Many roads in central London have been closed and some delays are expected on public transport.

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