Millions 'Should Not Be In A&E' - Exclusive

By Thomas Moore, Health Correspondent

Up to 6.5 million patients every year should avoid going to A&E and be treated by GPs, paramedics and even chemists instead, the doctor leading the review of NHS emergency services claims today.

Around one third of all people who visit A&E each year could be diverted away from hospital under plans to be unveiled shortly by NHS chiefs.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, the doctor in charge of re-shaping emergency services in England said family doctors, ambulance staff and pharmacists could treat them instead to relieve the pressure on A&E.

Indicating for the first time how he hopes to radically reform A&E, Professor Keith Willett, the national director for Acute Episodes of Care, said: "We know that 15% to 30% of people who turn up to be treated at A&E could have been treated in general practice.

"They did not know that because the system did not obviously make itself available to them."

He said patients with routine medical problems are going to A&E because they cannot get a quick enough appointment with their GP. Others are frustrated by out-of-hours services.

Prof Willett says a long-term solution is needed

"We can look at the way primary care is available to people," he said.

"By changing the way we deliver services we can start to address the demand. We can do the same thing in terms of the ambulance services and how much, how many patients they treat, at the scene, rather than transfer and that's about them having the right information.

"We would look to the public to understand the issues and when the situation does get difficult, to take the advice that I've suggested about phoning first, to get the right advice, to go to the right place, to think of using your general practitioner or indeed your pharmacist, (who) give a lot of advice for minor ailments."

Professor Willett and the medical director for NHS England, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, will publish their plan for reforming emergency services later this autumn. It is expected to be implemented two years from now.

The plan will acknowledge that demand for care will continue to rise with an ageing population. But it will set out a series of measures for reducing pressure on A&E departments.

They are expected to include:

:: A&E units will have to ensure a consultant is available seven days a week

:: Other senior doctors, such as elderly care specialists, will be expected to help assess and treat patients arriving at A&E

:: Paramedics will treat more patients at home or by the roadside so they don't need hospital care

:: Patients will be encouraged to 'ring first', using the NHS111 helpline to be directed towards appropriate care.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt wants GPs to be more proactive

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has also said GPs must take on a bigger role. Next week he will call on GPs to do more to prevent patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, from suffering emergency complications.

In an interview for State Of Emergency, Sky News' 24 hours of live coverage from Nottingham's Queen Medical Centre which begins today at 5pm, Mr Hunt said: "The role of GPs in caring for older people needs to be proactive - checking up on people, finding out how they are, heading off problems before they happen - rather than reactive.

"GPs are busy, so to make that happen we have to find ways of getting more capacity in the system and that is a big challenge.

"But we have to address that. In the end, if the NHS is to be sustainable, it has to be about prevention as much as cure."

But GPs say they are already doing what they can.

Professor Mike Pringle, president of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "They are overwhelmed by the workload they are expected to deliver.

"We have got to start to build general practice, not blame it, not victimise it.

"We have to invest in it if we are going to solve these problems. And I am sure the Secretary of State recognises that."

England's A&E departments were under severe pressure last winter.

Waiting times reached their worst in nine years between January and March 2013, with more than 300,000 patients waiting more than four hours for treatment.

The Government has given the NHS an extra £500m over two years to find short-term solutions to the likely rise in demand for emergency care in the winter months.

Hospitals could bring GPs into A&E departments to see patients with more minor problems and more locum A&E doctors are likely to be employed to fill vacancies.

Only half the training posts for emergency medicine have been filled in the last two years, and more than a third of hospital trusts have vacancies for A&E consultants.

Professor Willett said a long-term solution is required.

"We do have to address the emergency medicine workforce," he said.

"But that will not produce new consultants for several years. So we have to manage the situation and take away from emergency medicine teams those patients who could be managed by other parts of the system.

"Defaulting to seeing an emergency medicine consultant is not necessary for many of those patients and it is frustrating to wait."

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Buckingham Palace Break-In: Two Arrested

Security Scares For Royal Family

Updated: 6:27am UK, Saturday 07 September 2013

The break-in at Buckingham Palace is the latest in a series of security scares involving the Royal Family.

:: In March 2011, a car carrying the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall was mobbed by demonstrators who had split from a protest against higher university tuition fees.

Camilla was visibly distressed after being poked in the ribs with a stick through an open window in the distinctive Rolls-Royce Phantom VI as she and Charles travelled to the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium.

:: In 2003, comedian Aaron Barschak managed to get into Prince William's 21st birthday party at Windsor Castle.

The self-styled "comedy-terrorist" set off a series of alarms and was caught on CCTV before he joined 300 guests at the bash and was removed.

:: In 1994, student David Kang charged at Charles while firing a starting pistol during a ceremony in Sydney, Australia.

Kang was wrestled to the ground by New South Wales premier John Fahey and another man, while Charles was praised for his calm reaction.

:: In 1981, six blank shots were fired from the crowd while the Queen rode during the Trooping the Colour ceremony.

The Queen's horse was startled but she managed bring it back under control while police rushed to grab the shooter.

:: In 1974, Princess Anne was the target of an apparent kidnap attempt in The Mall near Buckingham Palace.

Four people, including her bodyguard, Jim Beaton, were injured after shots were fired when their car was forced to halt by another vehicle which blocked their route.

A police officer chased the driver, Ian Ball, and brought him to the ground before arresting him.

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Winter Wonderland: 'Unbelievable' Hail Storm

A freak hail storm left part of a Cornish town looking like a winter wonderland.

After the hottest summer in the county for seven years, residents in Boslowick, Falmouth could have been left wondering if it was already nearing Christmas with the scenes in their streets.

Hail and flash flooding in Falmouth (Pic: Pirate FM)

Resident Tommy Matthews filmed the snowy-like conditions on Friday morning.

He said they were "the likes of which I don't think I've ever seen before".

Mr Matthews added: "You can see the hail just mounting up everywhere and there are rivers of water just pouring down between it.

"It's absolutely unbelievable".

The hail then thawed and coupled with torrential downpours brought flash flooding to the town on Friday night.

Fire crews were scrambled to help pump water away as roads turned to rivers.

Heavy rain and cooler temperatures have led to a major change from summer heat to autumnal weather across much of the UK.

Sky's weather forecaster Isobel Lang said: "Last week's mini heatwave came to an abrupt halt on Friday with heavy, thundery downpours.

"Durham recorded 63mm in just 24 hours which lead to the Environment Agency issuing two flood warnings on the River Esk.

"Parts of Falmouth in Cornwall were transformed into a winter scene after a thunderstorm left a blanket of hail which proceeded to thaw bringing local flooding.

"Storms of this nature are not unusual at any time of the year, although after the week's sunshine and heat, it was a bit of a shock."

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Bill Walker: Law Change Could Make Him Quit

By Jane Chilton, Scotland Correspondent

The Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore has called on the Westminster and Scottish governments to work together to change parliamentary law - which could force disgraced MP Bill Walker to resign.

The 71-year-old Independent MSP for Dunfermline was found guilty of domestic abuse charges involving his three ex-wives and step-daughter spanning 28 years between 1967 and 1995.

He denied any wrongdoing throughout a two-week trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, and is currently awaiting sentence.

Walker has insisted he will not step down from his position as an elected MSP and, under parliamentary law, little can be done to force him out of office.

He faces a maximum of 12 months in prison, but parliamentarians are automatically expelled only if they are jailed for more than a year.

The rules are laid down by Westminster and cannot be changed by Holyrood.

Michael Moore says Bill Walker should have resigned

Mr Moore has called for a meeting of the Westminster Government and the Scottish Government to jointly work together to change the law.

Mr Moore told Sky News: "It is wrong for someone convicted of domestic abuse to continue to serve as an MSP.

"The right course of action would have been for Bill Walker to resign.

"There is currently no sign of that that is to happen and I am writing to the Presiding Officer and Scotland's party leaders with a view to finding the right outcome to deal with all the relevant issues that this case raises."

Options that could be considered include devolving further powers to Holyrood to enable the Parliament to remove MSPs from their seats in such cases.

On Thursday, Scotland's presiding officer, Tricia Marwick, instructed officials to examine whether Walker's salary could be stopped if he is sentenced to prison, as Holyrood may be able to make decisions on MSP pay provision without having to refer to Westminster.

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'Devoted' Mum Killed In Holiday Boat Tragedy

A British mother has been killed in a boating accident during a dream holiday with her family in Brazil.

Gillian Metcalf, of Tenterden, Kent, was travelling with her husband and two daughters when their boat was struck at high speed by another vessel.

The 50-year-old died instantly from head injuries during the collision on the Rio Negro river on September 5.

It is believed the other boat did not stop to help.

It was "an accident that should never have happened", her husband Charlie told the Daily Mail.

Daughter Alice, 18, added "she died happy, painlessly and with her family around her".

Friend and colleague Richard Locke said he was "devastated" by the death and paid tribute to Mrs Metcalf, saying "we have all lost a very special person".

Mrs Metcalf was a partner at the affordable housing law firm Sharratts, which she helped set up in 1999.

In a statement on the firm's website, he said: "As you will imagine this news has hit us all very hard.

"Gill was a marvellous lawyer, a generous friend and most of all a loving wife and devoted mother to her two girls."

Mrs Metcalf counted skiing, golf, cinema and reading among her hobbies.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the death of a British national in Manaus on September 5.

"We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."

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Only 20% Of Rapes Reported, Says Charity

By Frazer Maude, Sky News Correspondent

Thousands of women who have been sexually assaulted may have too little faith in the legal system to report the crimes, says a victim support charity.

Rape Crisis carried out a survey of 1,000 women with Reveal Magazine. The results suggest that 16% of women in the UK have been raped, but that only a fifth of those report it to police.

A quarter of those who did not report the crimes said it was because they did not think there was a strong chance of prosecution, and a fifth said they did not think there was enough support from the legal system to help them get through it.

One woman who did find the strength to go to the police was Zoe Priestley from Somerset.

She was raped hundreds of times by her stepfather between the ages of nine and 15.

He has since been jailed for 12 years for assaulting her, and two other young girls.

Ms Priestly has waived her right to anonymity as a rape victim to tell Sky News about the help and support that is available through Independent Sexual Violence Advisors, or ISVAs.

She said: "It means so much to a victim to have them around.

"They are your rock, providing emotional and psychological support. I'd never even heard of an ISVA, or the role they do, but mine was invaluable to me.

Zoe Priestley said the support she received helped her after she was raped

"I feel in a very good place now. I feel great at the moment, everything's out in the open, I've got no secrets. I feel fantastic."

Home Office figures suggest that there are around 95,000 rapes every year, with only 1% resulting in a conviction.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "Rape and sexual violence are devastating crimes which ruin lives.

"It is vital victims have the confidence to come forward knowing they will be supported, taken seriously and that offenders will be brought to justice. 

"This is why we have ring-fenced nearly £40m to tackle violence against women and girls, including funding to rape support centres and other services for victims."

Fiona Elvins, operations co-ordinator for Rape Crisis South London, which commissioned the survey, said: "What we do know about rape is that a lot of women won't even talk about it, so they won't disclose that they have been raped.

"From the British crime survey we've got an estimated 95,000 women in the UK every year experience rape.

"Of those you've got about 10,000 maybe that go through to thinking about reporting it and the conviction rate after that is about 1,000 so it just trickles down and down.

"There is a huge social stigma attached to speaking out about sexual violence, so that in itself is enough to stop someone talking to families, friends, partners about their experience."

Ms Priestly has turned her life around since suffering at the hands of her abuser.

After finishing university, she starts work next week as a mental health carer, and hopes one day to become an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor herself.

She supports the call for the funding of more ISVAs and hopes that if there is help available, more victims will come forward and more men like her stepfather will be brought to justice.

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DJ Dave Lee Travis Faces Trial Next Year

By Tom Parmenter, Sky Correspondent

Broadcaster Dave Lee Travis will face trial next year over 12 alleged sexual offences.

The 68-year-old is charged under his real name of David Patrick Griffin and faces 11 indecent assault charges and one of sexual assault.

At the Old Bailey in Central London the DJ sat in the dock to hear that he will be expected to enter a plea at another hearing on October 21.

The DJ has consistently denied any wrongdoing since he was first arrested at his home near Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, in November 2012.

His defence team argued that he would like to see the matter "resolved as quickly as possible".

A trial date was provisionally fixed for March 4.

The charges span from 1977 to 2007, the youngest alleged victim was 15 years old.

During a long career in broadcasting Travis hosted Top of the Pops and presented the BBC Radio One breakfast show between 1978 and 1980.

Recently he had been working for the Magic Network of radio stations but has been taken off air pending the outcome of the court case.

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Guide Dogs: Study Finds Shops Bar Users

A new study by the charity Guide Dogs has shown that blind people are being illegally turned away from restaurants and shops because of their canine companions.

Sky News has obtained undercover footage from the charity of examples of this taking place, despite legislation being passed three years ago aimed at ensuring disabled people have the same right to services as everyone else.

In the footage, Dave Kent and his guide dog Winston can be seen being refused entry to shops and restaurants.

Despite telling store security guards or staff that Winston is a guide dog, he is told it is against store policy or that the shop is for customers not dogs.

Rob Harris, engagement manager at Guide Dogs, said the problem was a lack of awareness.

He told Sky News: "The Equality Act 2010 states that each service must provide reasonable adjustment to make sure that disabled people can access it, whether that be buying their food, or buying their shopping or their clothes, so there really is no excuse."

The Equality Act 2010 provides disabled people with the same rights to services in shops, banks, taxis and restaurants.

Under the act a store or restaurant could have to pay damages if it discriminated against a blind person because they had a guide dog with them.

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Dale Cregan: Cop Killer In Secure Hospital

Convicted police killer Dale Cregan has been sent to maximum-security Ashworth Hospital because of his behaviour, sources say.

One-eyed Cregan, 30, is now in the secure mental hospital - where Moors Murderer Ian Brady is serving his sentence - after being moved from Strangeways jail in Manchester.

He was jailed for life at Preston Crown Court in June for the murders of two unarmed policewomen and a father and son.

The gangster, who had served only minimal time in jail before, was told he will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Ashworth Hospital on Merseyside where Dale Cregan has been admitted

While in HMP Manchester, Cregan has been kept segregated from other prisoners for fear of reprisals. Reports suggested there is an underworld bounty of £20,000 on his remaining eye.

In protest, Cregan is said to have have started refusing food. He was put in the hospital wing at the jail before his transfer to Ashworth.

A police source said: "His head has gone.

"He can't take it any more, he's not cocky any more, what a difference in attitude.

Moors Murderer Ian Brady is held at the same maximum-security hospital

"He had not been eating and was in healthcare in prison. He was just lying on his bed 24/7, doesn't talk to staff.

"He's not eaten for four weeks, he's gone in the head."

Ashworth Hospital, near Maghull on Merseyside, houses prisoners deemed to be criminally insane.

Cregan lured Pcs Nicola Hughes, 23, and Fiona Bone, 32, to their deaths in a gun and grenade attack last September.

He also killed father and son David and Mark Short in twin attacks earlier in 2012.

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Michael Le Vell: Child Rapes 'Didn't Happen'

Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell has repeatedly denied abusing and raping a child under cross-examination at Manchester Crown Court.

On the fifth day of his trial for 12 charges of child sex abuse, Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, put it to the 48-year-old that he "pushed the limits" with the youngster before "it became a little bit more sinister".

Ms Laws said: "Not that you were not ashamed about this but you could not stop it."

Le Vell, who has starred in the ITV1 soap for 30 years, replied: "It never happened."

Ms Laws continued: "You started to say things to her? Talk to her, say things like 'It's OK'. This was grooming.

"It became a little bit more sinister after a while."

Le Vell replied: "No."

Ms Laws said: "Rubbing up her leg?"

Le Vell replied: "Definitely not."

Ms Laws went on: "Rubbing her, 'I'm just getting rid of the evil'."

Le Vell: "No."

Ms Laws said: "And it moved on to you making her touch your penis?"

"No, not at all," replied Le Vell.

Ms Laws said: "Then it moved on to touching her intimately?"

Le Vell replied: "No."

Ms Laws said: "You started to rape her?"

Le Vell said: "No."

Ms Laws: "She just lay there, didn't she?"

Le Vell: "No, because it didn't happen."

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claims Le Vell repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped her, once while she was clutching a teddy bear.

The alleged offences relate to one complainant and are said to have taken place between September 2002 and September 2010.

Later the prosecutor said: "The problem was she was not doing anything. She was not resisting. There was nothing to stop you, except yourself."

Le Vell said: "It didn't start to stop anything."

As he continued to give his version of events, Ms Laws said: "Are you making this up as you go along?"

He said: "No, this is fact."

Le Vell, whose real name is Michael Turner, denies five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, two counts of sexual activity with a child and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Earlier he told the jury that the "little dark secrets" he had discussed with someone last year were a reference to a number of one-night stands and an affair rather than the allegations.

Closing arguments will take place in the trial on Monday.

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Sheppey Crash: 100 Cars Collide On Bridge

A 100-vehicle pile-up on the New Sheppey Crossing Bridge has left hundreds of people injured in a crash witnesses described as "mayhem".

Nobody is believed to have died in the crash around 7.15am, but police say "there could be people trapped" in their cars.

A Kent Police spokeswoman said visibility was a problem at the time, and witnesses say there was "very, very thick" early morning fog hovering over the bridge.

There are reports of some motorists driving "like idiots" in the conditions before the crash that closed the A249.

Witnesses told Sky News that some motorists were driving without headlights.

Five people have been cut free from their cars. Pic: Chris Buckingham

At least eight people have suffered serious injuries, and another 60 people suffered minor injuries.

Lives were probably saved by a quick-thinking lorry driver who used his truck to block the entrance to the bridge and stop more cars piling into the crash.

A driver involved in the incident, Chris Buckingham, told Sky News: "He was going the other way and ... he's gone down to the end of the carriageway, gone across the roundabout and actually blocked off the road so no more cars could actually enter the dual carriageway before the emergency services got there.

"Whoever that guy is I'd like to shake his hand because he's probably saved lives."

Up to 30 medical response vehicles were on the scene and motorists have been warned to avoid the area.

Fog across south-east England around 8am today. Pic: MeteoGroup

The bridge was clogged with buckled cars, lorries and even a car transporter as people waited at the side of the road to receive help from the emergency services.

A witness to the pile-up, Martin Stammers, told Sky News: "I was very, very, lucky. I was the last car out of it, if you like. As I came to the top of the hill, there were about five cars already smashed up, one was across my carriageway.

"I had to hit my brakes hard as well, I just had enough space to get through.

"From then on, all you could hear was the screeching of car tyres and the thudding, which was endless.

"It must have been going on for five to 10 minutes. You could hear the screeching, you could hear the lorries thudding into cars, you could hear glass breaking, there was nothing we could do.

The crash occurred on the New Sheppey Crossing bridge in Kent

"Even after the police turned up, you still heard further down the bridge – a quarter of a mile, half a mile away - cars still going into the back of each other. It was horrendous."

Student Jaime Emmett, 19, was driving through the fog when she became involved in the pile-up.

"There was a man at the side of the road saying to stop. I stopped in time but a van smashed in to me and I smashed in to the car in front," she said.

"I was lucky I was not injured. It was all quite surreal when it happened."

Another witness, David Ingram, described the scene of the crash as "mayhem".

Some 30 medical response vehicles are on the scene

"People were going quite fast, too fast. We were about 50 to 60 cars back. Luckily people coming on to the island were flashing their lights and waving their arms like mad (to warn us).

"It's carnage, it really is. The fog was very, very thick today. You could not see a vehicle in front of you as you came on to the bridge.

"We managed to stop .. the people in front of us weren't that lucky. It was mayhem."

Valentine Elad, a 46-year-old teacher whose car was struck from behind in the crash, told of the eerie aftermath of the pile-ups.

He said: "There were cars upside-down on other cars. There was a black four-wheel-drive Mitsubishi upside-down on a small white car, and an Audi upside-down on the bonnet of another car. It was horrible."

Witnesses say the fog was very thick at the time of the crash

A statement from the Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: "There are no fatalities but ambulance crews are dealing with a large number of walking wounded casualties.

"Firefighters have used hydraulic cutting equipment to release five people from their vehicles."

AA president Edmund King said the pile-up may have been caused by "stupid driving".

"It's really bad to travel too close to the car in front in good conditions and if you do it in foggy conditions it's an absolute recipe for disaster.

"In dense fog you cannot see the brake lights ahead. By law, you don't have to have fog lights on, although it's recommended.

"Unfortunately many people don't know how to turn their fog lights on. You may only need them once a year but it's vital they get used."

A statement from Kent Police said: "Emergency services are currently at the scene dealing with the incident.

"Officers are urging motorists to avoid the area but if a journey to the Island is essential, the old Kingsferry Bridge remains open but expect long delays."

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Illegal Abortions: Jeremy Hunt Wants Action

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has demanded to know why two doctors accused of arranging abortions based on the sex of the unborn baby will not face prosecution.

Doctors were secretly filmed agreeing to terminate pregnancies because the baby was either male of female as part of a Daily Telegraph investigation.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided there was enough evidence to pursue a prosecution but considered it was not in the public interest.

It said the General Medical Council (GMC) was already involved in the case and could strike doctors off the register.

Mr Hunt has now written to the Government's senior law officer, Attorney General Dominic Grieve, to ask why no action has been taken.

Jeremy Hunt wants to know why no action was taken

The Tory minister said abortion on the grounds of gender selection was "against the law and completely unacceptable".

"This is a concerning development and I have written to the Attorney General to ask for urgent clarification on the grounds for this decision," he said.

As part of the undercover investigation, a pregnant woman acting on behalf of a journalist said she wanted an abortion because she did not want to give birth to a girl.

The sting led to allegations against two doctors in Birmingham and Manchester.

Jenny Hopkins, the deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS London, said the fact that the abortions had not actually taken place influenced the decision not to proceed with a prosecution.

She said: "The Abortion Act 1967 allows for an abortion in a limited range of circumstances but not purely on the basis of not wanting a child of a specific gender.

"While the abortions did not take place, attempting to commit a criminal offence - that is, doing something that goes further than just preparing to commit it - is also a crime in its own right under the Criminal Attempts Act 1981.

"Having carefully considered the evidence, we have concluded that although the case is not straightforward, on balance there is enough evidence to justify bringing proceedings for an attempt. Accordingly, we have considered whether a prosecution is required in the public interest.

"One highly relevant factor in this regard is that the responsible professional body, in this case the General Medical Council, is already involved and has the power to remove doctors from the medical register.

"Taking into account the need for professional judgement which deals firmly with wrongdoing, while not deterring other doctors from carrying out legitimate and medically justified abortions, we have concluded that the cases would be better dealt with by the GMC rather than by prosecution.

"In coming to this conclusion, we have also taken into account that in these cases no abortion took place or would have taken place."

Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said it was "a very difficult and finely balanced decision", and pledged to reveal more about why the conclusion was reached in due course.

The GMC has confirmed it is investigating the two doctors, who are the subject of various conditions while the case continues.

These include a ban on authorising or carrying out abortions.

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Alps Murder Suspect Denies Involvement

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

Alps murder suspect Zaid al Hilli has denied any involvement in the shooting of his brother Saad and other family members.

Speaking on the first anniversary of the massacre, the accountant said: "I have no idea who killed them. Absolutely no idea."

He refused to discuss any details of his questioning by Surrey police after his arrest in June on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. He is currently on bail.

But French prosecutor Eric Maillaud has accused Mr Hilli, 54, of not co-operating with investigators.

M. Maillaud said: "He doesn't co-operate, which is even more intriguing. Saad was scared of his brother. It's for this reason he changed the locks of the house."

Saad al Hilli was shot dead with his wife and mother-in-law

The house is Saad al Hilli's £1m family home in Claygate, Surrey, which the prosecutor believes was part of a bitter inheritance dispute between the two brothers in the months before the murders.

However, Mr Hilli said before his arrest that he had loved his younger brother Saad and could not understand the murder. He denied they had had a row over money.

Saad al Hilli, 50, was shot dead in his car parked in a lay-by in a mountain road near Lake Annecy in France. Also killed were his wife Iqbal, 47, her mother Suhaila al Allaf, 74, and a French cyclist Sylvain Mollier.

The couple's daughter Zainab, seven at the time, recovered after being shot and pistol-whipped and her sister Zeena, who was four, was found unhurt hiding beneath her mother's body.

French investigators and Surrey detectives have explored several theories, including Saad al Hilli's Iraqi background and his work as a satellite design engineer, but have failed to establish a firm motive.

Saad al Hilli's family home in Claygate, Surrey

The apparent lack of progress in the investigation has angered friends of the family.

Engineer James Matthews said: "At Saad's house they dug up the garden, ripped up his book shelves, cut into his safe and took away his music.

"I thought Saad was the victim, but the police were treating him as though he was responsible for his own death."

Mr Matthews also said that Saad had asked him to be a witness for him if the dispute with his brother Zaid went to court.

Surrey police still have 40 officers working on the case on behalf of the French authorities. They revealed they have seized 5,000 documents, taken 560 witness statements and collected 1,600 other pieces of evidence.

Detective Superintendent Nick May said: "The tragic events of a year ago left four people dead in appalling circumstances.

"We remain committed to finding answers to what happened that day on behalf of their families, particularly for the two young girls who lost their parents.

"This remains a complex enquiry and we continue to have a team of officers dedicated to supporting the investigation."

The prosecutor and Surrey detectives are due to hold a news conference in Annecy on Friday, but are not expected to reveal any breakthrough in the case.

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Michael Le Vell 'Turned To Jelly' At Rape Claim

Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell told police "my legs went to jelly" after he was accused of child sex abuse.

The court has been hearing details of four interviews the star, who plays car mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV soap, gave to police after his arrest.

When Le Vell was asked by an officer if he was responsible for raping the girl, he replied "no not at all".

After the actor was accused of rape by the alleged victim's mother, he told police: "When she told me you could have just blew me over. My legs just went to jelly.

"I don't know where these allegations have come from."

The 48-year-old continued: "I just said to the girl's mother, 'Please tell me you are f****** joking. Please, this has got to be a joke'. I was in total shock."

Later in the police interview the officer said Le Vell said: "This is a life changing thing. It will cost me my job."

Le Vell added: "I have not got a clue what to do about it. I am walking about in a daze. She (the alleged victim) has been a silly girl.

"That girl is seriously deluded ... She is telling a pack of lies."

During the interviews, he said the alleged victim's mother "thinks I am the devil reincarnated".

He also told police the girl's mother was "interested in dark spirits".

Le Vell is accused of 12 charges in all - five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, two counts of sexual activity with a child and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

The alleged offences relate to one complainant and are said to have taken place between September 2002 and September 2010.

He is expected give evidence to the jury at Manchester Crown Court later today.

In the police interviews, Le Vell was also questioned about his drinking habits.

He told police he drank "too much" and had been drinking heavily for "best part of 30 years".

Earlier in the trial, the court heard Le Vell was alleged to have raped the girl while she clutched a teddy bear during one attack.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, wept as she told the court that Le Vell told her it was their "little secret".

But Le Vell told police: "I did not rape her and I certainly did not try to smother her."

The 48-year-old, who lives in Hale, Cheshire, is charged under his real name of Michael Turner.

He denies all the charges and has called the claims "an absolute pack of lies".

ITV has said he will not be appearing in any further episodes of Coronation Street pending the outcome of legal proceedings.

His trial before Judge Michael Henshell is scheduled to last around two weeks.

:: A man has been arrested and bailed over publicly identifying Le Vell's alleged victim in a tweet.

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Teachers To Stage New Strikes Over Pay Row

Teachers are planning a fresh round of strikes in October in a move that will affect thousands of primary and secondary schools.

Members of two teaching unions will walk out in eight areas of England next month in a long-running row over pay, pensions and workload.

A national walkout is likely to follow before Christmas.

The new strikes, on two days in October, are the latest move in the campaign by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the NASUWT over Government education reforms.

They said teachers were "angry, frustrated and concerned" by Education Secretary Michael Gove's plans, accusing him of being "reckless and irresponsible".

Mr Gove hit back, declaring there was "no excuse" for the action and accusing union leaders of undermining the teaching profession by suggesting it was in crisis.

Michael Gove insists he is trying to defend teachers from cynics

The union's members in the East Midlands, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside and the Eastern region will walk out on October 1.

Those in the North East, London, the South East and the South West will follow on October 17.

There are no strike dates for Wales because the government there has tried to engage with teachers about their complaints, the NUT and NASUWT added.

There is anger that teachers' pay is being linked to performance, with schools setting salaries themselves instead of following a national framework.

Changes have also been made to public sector pensions.

Unions accused Mr Gove of failing to agree to talks, which they claimed had left them no choice but to strike.

NUT general secretary Christine Blower claimed Mr Gove had left teachers facing a "brick wall".

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates added: "This is not a reckless rush to strike action. We have been trying to engage with Mr Gove since he came to office.

"No one wants to be disrupting children's education. Our experience is parents understand that if you attack teachers' pay and conditions you are putting at risk children's education.

"Since June Mr Gove has taken to going from one public platform to another using megaphone diplomacy rather than sitting down and engaging frankly. It is a reckless and irresponsible way for a Secretary of State to behave."

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), which historically does not take part in industrial action, said it shared the organisations' "frustration".

General Secretary Brian Lightman said: "While ASCL and the teacher unions have different views on the best way to resolve disputes with the Government, we all are united in campaigning for the fairest working conditions and remuneration for teachers and school leaders."

Mr Gove appeared baffled by the row, insisting teachers' pensions were still far better than most deals and that pay reforms would see good performers receive more.

"I fear the reason is that there are people within the executive and leadership of the teaching unions who are for ideological reasons on some sort of kick," he said.

He insisted he was willing to meet with the union bosses for talks "any time, any place, anywhere, to get them to see the error of their ways."

A Department for Education spokesman added: "It is disappointing that the NUT and NASUWT are striking over the Government's measures to allow heads to pay good teachers more.

"In a recent poll, 61% of respondents supported linking teachers' pay to performance and 70% either opposed the strikes or believed that teachers should not be allowed to strike at all."

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One Direction Star Liam Payne Escapes Fire

One Direction's Liam Payne has escaped unharmed after a fire broke out at his home.

The singer was in the flat on the 34th floor of a luxury block in London's Docklands when firefighters were called.

Two men and a women were treated for burns after the blaze started on the balcony, but a spokesman for the star said he was unharmed.

"Firefighters worked quickly and professionally to get the fire under control as quickly as possible," the London Fire Brigade's Laurie Kenny said.

The band onstage at the MTV awards last month

"Around 30 people left the building before we arrived and were not injured.

"Two of the occupants had superficial burns to their hands and the third had burns to his hands and face.

"All three have been taken to hospital."

Six fire engines and 35 firefighters were called to the scene.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.

One Direction's documentary film, This Is Us, went to the top of the UK and US box office at the weekend.

The band became famous after appearing on the seventh series of The X Factor in 2010, where they finished third.

According to The Sunday Times rich list, Payne and bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson now have an estimated personal combined wealth of £25m.

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Ryanair To Cut Flights Amid Profit Turbulence

Ryanair is to reduce flying schedules this winter after seeing its profit hopes dented by growing headwinds including weaker summer demand.

Shares in the no-frills carrier plunged by 14% after it issued the profit warning, just a month after chief executive Michael O'Leary had said that the heatwave in northern Europe in July had put people off travelling abroad to seek summer sunshine.

The airline said on Wednesday that a weaker pound, increased competition and Europe's continued economic problems were also having an impact on fares and the amount of money it makes per passenger.

Michael O'Leary wants to cut costs

It planned to respond to its weaker outlook by selectively reducing its winter season capacity and rolling out lower fares and "aggressive" seat promotions in markets including the UK.

The strategy will cut its annual traffic forecast by 500,000 to 81 million while profits will be at the lower end of its previous forecast of between £483m and £508m.

The announcement prompted share slides across the airline sector in early trading, with rival easyJet losing 7%.

Thomson Holidays owner TUI Travel and British Airways parent firm International Airlines Group were both 4% lower.

Airlines across Europe have been struggling with weak economies, high fuel prices and costly fleet upgrades.

Ryanair announced in July that it was raising charges for hold baggage as part of its campaign to eradicate the suitcase from its flights in a bid to save costs.

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Mother In Court On Baby Murder Charge

A 39-year-old mother has appeared in court charged with the murder of her baby daughter.

Amy Elizabeth Black appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' Court after the death of seven-month-old Zoe Black.

Emergency services were called to an address in Bestwood Park, Nottingham, on Sunday.

The baby was taken to Queen's Medical Centre in the city but was pronounced dead on arrival.

District Judge Leo Pyle remanded Black, of Ketton Close, Bestwood Park, back into custody following a short hearing.

She will appear at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday.

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Rachel Manning: Killer Jailed For Murder

A man has been jailed for life for the murder of Rachel Manning 11 years after her boyfriend was wrongly convicted over the killing.

Shahidul Ahmed, 41, will serve a minimum term of 17 years for the 19-year-old's murder.

The teenager's boyfriend, Barri White, was wrongly convicted of the killing and said he was "over the moon" after the sentencing.

He added that "justice has finally been done" and that he was "really happy that Rachel's family have finally got justice and the closure they deserve."

Mr White was convicted in 2002 of Rachel's murder, but five years later this was quashed by appeal judges and he was acquitted in 2008 after a re-trial.

Rachel's former boyfriend Barri White was wrongly convicted of her murder

This came after the case was featured on a BBC Rough Justice documentary which raised questions about key scientific evidence in the first trial.

Mr White's friend Keith Hyatt was also cleared of any wrongdoing after he was wrongly convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by helping to dispose of Rachel's body.

Ms Manning had been to a 70s themed fancy dress party with Mr White and her friends on December 9, 2000.

They went on to Chicago's nightclub and left at around 2.15am, where Ms Manning walked off alone to catch a taxi.

She phoned her home in Wolverton at 2.43am and spoke to her flat mate to say she was upset. She then phoned Mr White and said she did not know where she was and he agreed to pick her up.

When they arrived at 3.13am she was not there.

Ahmed was suspected of Ms Manning's murder after he was arrested over a sexual assault in May 2010.

Thames Valley Police said a woman got into his car after a night out in Milton Keynes thinking he was a taxi driver.

She escaped after being indecently assaulted and was helped by a passer-by who got the car's registration. The arrest led to a DNA match connecting Ahmed to a steering lock used to hit Ms Manning.

He was arrested on suspicion of her murder in September 2010 and charged in December 2011.

The father-of-five, who sat with an interpreter in the dock, bowed his head as the verdict was read out.

Detective Chief Superintendent Rob Mason, of Thames Valley Police, said: "I cannot praise Rachel's family enough; they have remained dignified and courageous throughout despite the unimaginable nightmare they have endured.

"I hope that today will give some comfort to the family after the ordeal they have been through over the past 12 years."

Baljit Ubhey OBE, Chief Crown Prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: "Rachel Manning, who was trying to find her way home after a night out, had the misfortune to come across Ahmed.

"We may never know for sure what happened that night, or why Ahmed murdered Rachel, but what we do know is that Ahmed is an extremely dangerous man who was convicted last year of a sexual assault against another young woman.

"Had it not been for his arrest for that offence Ahmed may never have been brought to justice for Rachel's murder.

"This case represents a tragedy for the family of Rachel Manning. And there are others whose lives have also been affected. Two innocent men were imprisoned as a result of this terrible crime and we hope that this conviction represents closure for them too."

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Border Blunders Spark Urgent Commons Question

Labour has called on the Government to sort out problems at UK borders after a report revealed pressure to cut queues led to fewer checks.

Public spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO) found raised traffic during the London Olympics led to officials overlooking checks on guns and drug smuggling.

Staff shortages and the need to juggle passport checks with keeping queues down led to shortcuts on key duties such as checking for illegal goods.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper accused Home Secretary Theresa May of "reshuffling the deckchairs" on immigration and dodging the blame.

Yvette Cooper described the report as "shocking"

She demanded details about how many times checks were stopped and the publication of an internal Home Office audit into the affair.

The NAO report found nearly 100% of passengers at the border received full passport checks in 2012-13.

More than 99% of European arrivals also cleared controls within the 25-minute target time.

But this success came at the expense of dealing with forgery detections, and seizures of cigarettes and counterfeit goods - which all came in below target.

Staff shortages mean key checks are not being carried out by officials

Margaret Hodge, the chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said: "The Border Force did well to reduce queuing times both during and after the Olympics, but it is deeply worrying that this came at the expense of its other responsibilities, particularly customs.

"The Border Force must be able to check both goods and passengers at the same time - border security cannot be an 'either/or' choice."

Immigration Minister Mark Harper said the Home Office had inherited an organisation with "significant challenges".

"We have recruited more Border Force staff, established command centres to deploy those staff more flexibly and effectively and are reforming working practices," he said.

A fifth of the Border Force's 7,600 employees are employed under terms that restrict working hours to fixed periods during the week, stopping it from deploying its workforce flexibly.

At Heathrow this spring less than half the workforce was contractually obliged to work before 5am without being paid extra, despite a significant number of long-distance flights arriving at that time, the NAO said.

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Young Brits 'Could Miss Digital Jobs Boom'

Up to 750,000 jobs could be created in the next five years to fuel Britain's "burgeoning" digital economy, a report has predicted.

Mobile phone giant O2 said the continued growth of the digital sector offers "fantastic opportunities for tech-savvy young people", but warned not enough was being done to harness their skills.

Ronan Dunne, chief executive of the company's parent firm Telefonica, told Sky News: "If we don't generate those jobs using British youngsters with the right skills, businesses will have to look overseas.

"With the situation in the UK, where one million young people are out of work, we have to make sure we get the schooling elements right, the employer elements right and the readiness for work right."

Research by O2 suggests that 20% of the 750,000 possible vacancies would be entry-level jobs, suitable for people entering the world of work for the first time.

Many roles would be linked to the nationwide roll-out of 4G technology, which offers faster mobile internet speeds.

However, Mr Dunne said employers must show a greater willingness to recruit school leavers in order for the digital jobs boom to have a noticeable impact on youth unemployment.

"The onus cannot be on the Government alone," he said.

"Businesses must proactively seek out opportunities to collaborate to maximise the digital growth opportunity and harness the potential of the next generation.

"As digital natives, young people possess valuable skills that will be the future fuel of our economy, but not enough is being done to harness them."

Mr Dunne's comments came at the opening of Campus Party Europe, one of the world's biggest technology festivals.

Up to 60,000 young people are expected to attend the week-long event at The O2 in London.

As well as 100 guest speakers, the event features a digital skills marketplace, where school leavers can meet potential employers, and a hackathon, which aims to teach young people basic coding skills.

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Rapist Discovers His Victim Had HIV

A jailed rapist will discover this week whether he contracted HIV from his victim.

Richard Thomas, 27, collapsed when police informed him about his victim's medical status and is still waiting to hear if he has contracted the virus.

Thomas knew the woman and was aware that she has another illness but had not known about the HIV.

He was shocked when he was told and asked to be taken to hospital, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

He had let himself into her home in Leigh, Greater Manchester, uninvited in the middle of the night and she awoke to find him raping her from behind.

"She froze and no words were exchanged. He pulled up his shorts and left," said Harry Pepper, prosecuting.

"He was arrested and interviewed and said he had been drinking heavily, taken cocaine and ecstasy and could not recall the incident," he added.

His barrister, Virginia Hayton, said that he still cannot recall the attack but when told about it he said that the woman "would not lie, she tells the truth. If she says I have done it, I have done it."

Jailing Thomas for five years and four months, Judge Mark Brown said he had committed "this dreadful offence" while she lay asleep, having taken a sleeping tablet, and left her distressed and anxious.

He ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Thomas, of Sandringham Drive, Leigh, pleaded guilty to raping the woman on July 20 this year.

Miss Hayton said that Thomas, who has previous convictions but none for sexual offences, "is remorseful and cannot understand why he did it and it is troubling him."

She said that he will not find out the result of his HIV test until Friday and has had the worry of the outcome hanging over him.

"It is his own fault, if he had not committed this offence he would not have placed himself in this position."

She said that he started using cannabis at the age of nine and was drinking heavily at the age of 11. He became addicted to ecstasy and cocaine at 13 and was put in care the following year.

He has been trying to contact his family but they want nothing to do with him, she said, and he will now be away from his partner and their young daughter, as well as his two other older daughters from previous relationships.

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Jon Venables: Bulger Killer Freed From Prison

Jon Venables, one of the killers of two-year-old James Bulger, has been freed from prison for the second time.

Venables was freed from prison after being locked up in 2010 for downloading images of child abuse after previously serving eight years for murdering two-year-old James in Liverpool in 1993.

Legal sources confirmed his release to the Press Association.

The killer has reportedly been given his second new identity at a reported cost of £250,000.

But James Bulger's father, Ralph, believes Venables, 31, will commit more crime, a friend said.

Ralph Bulger pictured in 2011

"He hasn't put a time on it but he is convinced he will reoffend," she said.

She added that James' family were given little information about Venables' release and Mr Bulger was told via his lawyer.

"As ever they are kept in the dark.

"They don't explain the terms of his release, I don't know whether they are going to.

James' mother, Denise Fergus, believes Venables should still be in jail

"But I don't think Venables can enter Merseyside, however that was one of the conditions which he repeatedly broke before."

The toddler's mother, Denise Fergus, told The Sun that Venables is "a danger to the public".

"He lies for his own sick ends," she said.

Venables was 10 years old when he and his friend, Robert Thompson, tortured and murdered James after abducting him from a shopping centre in Bootle.

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: "We do not comment on individual offenders."

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Rush: Lauda Shocked By F1 Movie Crash Scenes

By Richard Suchet, Arts and Entertainment Correspondent

F1 legend Niki Lauda had no idea what happened in the crash that left him with horrific facial burns - until he saw the hospital scenes in a new movie depicting his infamous rivalry with James Hunt.

The Austrian returned to racing just weeks after his Ferrari left the track in the 1976 German Grand Prix as he tried to stop Hunt from being crowned champion.

Australian actor Chris Hemsworth plays 1976 F1 champion James Hunt

Speaking at the world premiere of Rush, Lauda, who was trapped in his burning car for over a minute, told Sky News: "I was inside so I was busy staying alive.

"The movie is done very realistically and I, too, was shocked when I saw the hospital scenes, how they treated me, what they had to do to keep me alive.

"So even the movie for me was a shock in one way."

Olivia Wilde, who plays Hunt's first wife Suzy Miller, signs autographs

Ron Howard's new movie tells the story of the Hunt-Lauda rivalry - widely considered to be one of the fiercest sport has ever known.

"It's a gauntlet, emotional and physical, that they put themselves through to try to achieve greatness, to fulfil that need that they had [to win]," said Howard. 

"All of that was only intensified by the fact that it was played out in Formula 1 - a world that is dangerous, that is visual, that is cinematic, that is so visceral - so I thought it was a fantastic combination."

F1 drivers Sergio Perez and Jenson Button were at the premiere

Rush stars Australian actor Chris Hemsworth as playboy British racer Hunt - a risk-taker, with a penchant for drugs, women and alcohol.

Germany's Daniel Bruhl plays the dour, detail-obsessed Lauda.

Niki Lauda says he now feels "very warm" about his great rival

Asked how he feels about his rival now, Lauda said: "I wish James could be here tonight, because this would be my best day.

"I feel very warm about him."

Hunt died from a heart attack in 1993, aged just 45.

David Hasselhoff and Hayley Roberts arrive at the world premiere

His son Tom, was also on the red carpet, said he was happy with his father's portrayal in the film.

He told Sky News he understood why Howard had covered his father's playboy lifestyle.

"There were bits of that involved in dad's life. That's part of who dad was - that's partly why he was so famous and popular."

Rush is released in the UK on September 13.

In real life Lauda and Hunt were friendly rivals

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Michael Le Vell 'Raped Girl On Regular Basis'

The mother of Michael Le Vell's alleged victim says she believes her daughter was raped by the actor "on a regular basis".

The Coronation Street star is at Manchester Crown Court for the second day of his child rape trial.

On Monday, his alleged victim told the court the actor first raped her when she was six years old as she clutched her teddy bear.

Her mother was in the witness box today and cried as she recalled the moment her daughter told about the alleged rape.

She told the court: "I believe he molested and abused her on a regular basis and there had been a number of rapes."

Le Vell, 48, who plays car mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV soap, denies the claims.

Earlier, the girl, 17, was cross-examined by Le Vell's defence barrister Alisdair Williamson, who accused her of lying.

The girl, who is giving evidence from behind a screen in the court, cannot be identified for legal reasons.

During the cross-examination, Mr Williamson questioned the girl's story and her motivations.

Le Vell, at court today, plays car mechanic Kevin Webster in the soap

The barrister said the girl went to an "inspirational self-help" conference where she heard a motivational speech from a woman who was raped at a young age.

Mr Williamson said the rape victim who gave the talk then went on to rebuild her life and become a success.

The lawyer said: "Is that what some of this is about? You heard this lady talking about how she was raped when she was very young and how she went on and became a model? You want to become an actress or a dancer, is that right?"

The girl replied: "I wanted to, I don't anymore."

During further questions from Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, the girl said she could not remember seeing the motivational speech from the rape victim.

The alleged victim also told the court that Le Vell smelt strongly of alcohol the first time he raped her.

She cried as she told the court: "I hated him because what he did was so wrong and I was so young and I did not know at the time."

The girl said Le Vell took her to an award show and arranged a visit to Coronation Street after he raped her.

As the girl gave evidence, Le Vell repeatedly shook his head.

Le Vell outside the court on Monday

Earlier, the barrister asked the girl about alleged inconsistencies in what she had told police.

Mr Williamson told the court the witness had initially told police she had never talked to anyone about the alleged abuse.

But the lawyer claimed the witness "told lots of girls" about it.

"I told two friends because they saw me crying," the witness replied.

But when police were called in the witness told the officer she had not told anyone, the court heard.

Mr Williamson continued: "The officer came to see you because ... you told people and you told the officer a little lie.

"You told him you had not told the girls, they had just guessed.

"I suggest that was a little lie?"

"No," the witness replied.

Le Vell is facing 12 charges in all - five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, two counts of sexual activity with a child, and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

The alleged offences relate to one complainant and are said to have taken place between 2001 and September 2010. The girl was aged between six and 14.

After his arrest Le Vell, a father of two, told officers the allegations were a "pack of absolute lies" and he has maintained his innocence throughout.

Le Vell, of Hale, Cheshire, is one of TV's most famous faces after playing Kevin Webster for the past 30 years.

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Corrie Star Bill Roache Pleads Not Guilty

Coronation Street star William Roache has pleaded not guilty to committing historic sexual offences against five girls.

The 81-year-old actor formally denied the charges in a hearing at Preston Crown Court.

The veteran soap star was arrested at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, in May and charged with two counts of raping a 15-year-old girl in East Lancashire in 1967.

He was later additionally charged with five indecent assaults involving four girls aged between 11 or 12 and 16, allegedly committed in the Manchester area between 1965 and 1968.

Roache entered the dock and confirmed his name to the clerk.

The indictment containing the seven counts was then read out to him and on each allegation he responded with a firm, clear answer of "not guilty".

Roache's trial will begin at Preston Crown Court on January 14 and is scheduled to last four weeks.

He remains on bail with various conditions including residence, no direct unsupervised contact with anyone under 16 and not to approach named witnesses.

When he was initially charged, Roache said he was "astounded and deeply horrified" by the accusations and vowed to "strenuously deny" the allegations.

The world's longest-serving soap actor, he has played Ken Barlow in the ITV1 soap since its launch but will not be appearing in the programme until legal proceedings are concluded.

Roache made no comment to the media as he left the building following the 30-minute hearing in front of the Recorder of Preston, Judge Anthony Russell QC.

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Summer Sunshine Set To Spill Into Autumn

Parts of Britain will continue to enjoy warm summer temperatures as Britain heads into autumn.

Temperatures are expected to increase this week, reaching up to 28C (82.4F) in some areas, according to forecasters.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "Meteorologists use September 1 as the start of the autumn, however the weather this week is going to be more akin to summer.

"Temperatures could reach 28 or 29C (84F) in southeast England and East Anglia on Wednesday and Thursday. Bear in mind the average is nearer 21C there.

"With high pressure across the south there will be plenty of sunshine too, after perhaps some misty mornings.

"However fronts will bring cloudier skies to northwestern parts of Britain and Ireland with some rain, mainly in northwest Scotland.

"How long will the heat and sunshine last? It should cool down across western parts on Thursday and eastern areas on Friday - showers will become increasingly likely too as we head into the weekend."

The UK has enjoyed its warmest, driest and sunniest summer since 2006, according to Met Office figures.

Average temperatures hit 15.2C (59F) which is 0.8C above the average, according to the estimates covering June 1 through to August 28.

In terms of rainfall, the estimate suggests about 189 mm (7.45in) of rain - which is 78% of the UK average, making this the driest summer since 2006 and ranking about 16th driest in the records dating back to 1910.

For southeast England and East Anglia this will be the driest summer since 1995.

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BA Pilot Simon Wood 'Abused' African Orphans

A British Airways pilot is alleged to have used his position to sexually abuse scores of children in African schools and orphanages.

First Officer Simon Wood, 54, was due to appear in court last Friday on separate child abuse cases in the UK, but was found dead on August 18 after being hit by a train.

Allegations of further abuse abroad emerged after the BA received an anonymous letter in July.

The pilot is alleged to have molested youngsters during stopovers in Kenya under the guise of charity work for the airline.

BA contacted Scotland Yard after the airline's own investigation into a trip to Kenya by Wood revealed "cause for concern".

"We would be absolutely appalled if it transpired that an employee of ours had been cynically using this charitable work as a cover for exploitation of children he was trusted to help," BA said in a statement.

The airline now faces legal action from lawyers representing the alleged victims in Kenya.

Martyn Day, from legal firm Leigh Day, said investigations made it "horrifically clear" that Wood had access to "hundreds of vulnerable children" over many years.

The firm is investigating how Wood was given access to the Kenyan children, as well as the extent of his alleged abuse in the UK, which it claims is much higher.

British Airways says it is "appalled" by the allegations

"It is believed the number of those who may have been abused may be far greater both in Kenya and the UK," the firm said.

Wood, from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, faced charges in the UK of indecent assault of a girl under 16, making indecent photographs of a child and possessing indecent images of a child, according to Scotland Yard.

He visited Kenya in Easter 2002, along with 20 other BA crew members, and spent the holiday period with children from orphanages.

Wood told the Press Association, who covered the trip at the time: "We play, sing, organise activities and generally entertain them. We become very close to the children."

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We continue to pursue a number of inquiries. However, the police response will now be proportionate given Mr Wood's death."

An inquest into Wood's death was opened and adjourned at Hertfordshire Coroner's Court last Wednesday.

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Gary Tweddle: Body Could Be Missing Briton

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

A body has reportedly been sighted in a rural area of Australia, six weeks after British man Gary Tweddle went missing.

Police were alerted by the crew of an air ambulance which was on a training exercise in the Blue Mountains, near Sydney.

Blue Mountains police inspector Mick Bostock told the Sydney Morning Herald that police rescue officers would not be able to retrieve the body until dawn on Tuesday.

''It's too dangerous, they are going to have to wait to retrieve the body tomorrow,'' Inspector Bostock said.

''It's very likely it is Gary but we will have to wait and see,'' he said.

''The area can only be reached by abseiling down the rock face," The body appeared to be clothed, he added.

Computer salesman Mr Tweddle went missing from a work conference in the town of Leura in mid-July.

Mr Tweddle, who was born in the UK but had moved to Sydney, had called colleagues at about midnight to tell them he was lost in bushland but could see a light up a hill.

Ten days after the 23-year-old disappeared, the search for him was scaled back to a recovery operation.

"Over the past ten days more than 1,000 people have searched, co-ordinated and supported the efforts to locate and return Gary safely," Mr Tweddle's father David said in his Facebook post on July 25.

Gary Tweddle has not been since mid-July

"Most of these people are volunteers with lives and jobs, yet they did ten days on the bounce.

"A massive thank you to them, their families and their employers. What can I say? Amazing," he wrote.

Just last week Mr Tweddle's partner Anika Haigh said that a report had been filed to the coroner in which investigators listed his disappearance as an accidental death.

"The disappearance of the most beautiful, loving, kind and caring man has left me, family, friends, colleagues and the community utterly devastated," she wrote on the Facebook page titled, 'Have you seen Gary Tweddle?'.

"Our hearts ache for the partner, son, brother, nephew, cousin, uncle, friend and colleague that we no longer have in our everyday lives."

Mr Tweddle's mother Carol Streatfield, who also lives in Australia, had gone to the Blue Mountains to join the search.

In a statement issued last month by the Foreign Office she said: "On the mountain my days were filled with sirens, noise, searching, tireless walking and door knocking. I repeatedly followed the track I believed he had taken in the hopes of finding a clue.

"Every pole and tree were covered with his beautiful face, however, it was on a piece of A4 paper with a 'missing' heading.

The Blue Mountains cover a vast area of south east Australia

"At one point I was so exhausted I found a bench to sit on in the middle of a bush track... I sat down and there to left of me was Gary's photo.

"It was a small comfort as I stroked his face, kissed him and told him how much I loved him and that I will never give up trying to find him, ever."

Ms Streatfield married her partner Clive earlier this month in what she described as an "intimate celebration of our family unity".

She said: "Gary was to give me away that morning and this decision was difficult to come to, however made easy by the fact that Gary was adamant that after 15 years we tie the knot.

"Gary was the most positive person I know, today he would say to me, 'Just get on with it, mother', and so I will."

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Strike Threat Over Royal Mail Sell-Off

Staff will be balloted about national strikes over the Government's plans to privatise the Royal Mail, union chiefs have announced.

The Communication Workers Union, which believes industrial action is "inevitable" without compromise, will ask 125,000 of its members to vote over pay, jobs, pensions and the impact of any sell-off in the coming weeks.

The result of the ballot will be revealed in early October and the first strike could be held on October 10 if there is a yes vote.

The move is a major challenge to the planned privatisation, which ministers are expected to press ahead with in the coming months in a move that will see staff secure free shares worth an estimated £2,000 each.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: "We are dealing with a company that is preparing for privatisation with relish.

The CWU's Dave Ward is leading the union's negotiating team

"While the union continues to fight privatisation we are also dealing with the potential realities for workers if there is a change of ownership. 

"We are looking to reach a groundbreaking agreement on terms and conditions that sets unprecedented legally binding protection for workers in the event of a sale, and regardless of who owns the company."

The union has also called on Royal Mail to negotiate on 'straightforward' salaries, arguing that staff deserved a "decent pay increase."

The union has already rejected what it describes as a below-inflation pay offer for 2013, which was linked to accepting major changes to working conditions and pensions.

Post Office staff are locked in a separate row over closures, jobs and pay

A Department for Business spokesman responded: "Industrial action is not necessary. It is disappointing that the CWU leadership has decided to ballot for strike action.

"They are standing between their members and a generous pay offer of 8.6% over three years, which is more than teachers, nurses and our armed forces, who have had pay increases capped at 1%.

"Royal Mail management are continuing to talk to CWU and we encourage both sides to resolve this dispute.

"Action taken by the CWU will not alter the Government's decision to sell shares in Royal Mail in this financial year.

"Parliament decided over two years ago that selling shares in Royal Mail was the right thing to do to secure Royal Mail's future and protect the six-day-a-week universal postal service.

"A successful, financially sustainable Royal Mail with access to private capital is in the best interests of the workforce and all users of the universal service."

A Royal Mail spokesman added: "Discussions over a new three-year agreement between Royal Mail and the CWU are continuing.

"We are committed to reaching an agreement with the CWU as soon as possible to give our customers and employees continued stability.

"We believe that focusing on the possibility of industrial action is inappropriate," he said.

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Council Paints Nine Inch Double-Yellow Lines

In a move sure to anger motorists, Westminster Council has painted a nine inch double yellow line in Caxton Street, central London.

The lines appeared recently painted on the road between a taxi rank and some parking bays.

Leith Penny, Westminster City Council's strategic director for city management, said: "This was a mistake by a contractor. We are obviously not happy about it, because double yellow lines should play an important part in traffic management and road safety.

The lines are as big as a (toy) double-decker bus

"But on this occasion we can see how absurd this looks and we will make sure it is corrected."

Earlier this year, double yellow lines stretching for just 13 inches were discovered on a street in Cambridge.

The lines were painted on a gap between parking bays in Humberstone Road, West Chesterton, by Cambridgeshire County Council.

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Zanzibar: Acid Attack Girl Pledges To Return

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11:12am UK, Sunday 01 September 2013

Ms Trup says she is frustrated her attackers have yet to be caught

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Suffolk Stabbing: Man Held Over Garden Death

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after another man was found stabbed to death in a garden.

Police were called to an address at Brooksfield in Bildeston, Suffolk at 4.15am and the victim was later pronounced dead at the scene.

A 44-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident and is being questioned by detectives at a station in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk Police said.

The surrounding road has been closed off while police investigate the incident.

Anyone with information should call Suffolk Police on 101.

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Syria: Hague Rules Out British Military Action

Syria: How Crisis Has Developed

Updated: 10:31pm UK, Saturday 31 August 2013

:: March 2011 - Protesters stage demonstrations in Damascus and security forces in Daraa shoot dead several campaigners, leading to unrest and violence.

:: May - The Syrian military deploys tanks in a bid to quash demonstrations.

:: July 19 - The UK freezes £100m of Syrian assets.

:: August 18 - US President Barack Obama calls on Bashar al Assad to step down. The US freezes all assets of the Syrian government.

:: November 16 - The Free Syrian Army attacks a military base near Damascus.

:: February 4, 2012 - A UN Security Council resolution on Syria is rejected for a second time by Russia and China.

:: March 1 - Government troops seize the Baba Amr district of Homs after an intense battle lasting for several weeks.

:: April 12 - A UN-brokered ceasefire comes into force after fierce fighting in the country.

:: May 23 - Dozens of people, many of them women and children, die in Houla, near Homs. Foreign Secretary William Hague says they were "massacred at the hands of Syrian forces". The UN later accuses the Syrian military of committing war crimes.

:: August - Barack Obama says the use of chemical weapons against civilians would represent the crossing of a "red line".

:: March 6, 2013 - Foreign Secretary William Hague says Britain will provide opposition forces with "non-lethal equipment for the protection of civilians".

:: April-May - Britain says there is credible evidence to suggest Syrian forces have used chemical weapons in Adra, Darayya and Saraqiq and calls for an investigation by the UN.

:: April 29 - Syrian prime minister Wael Nader al Halqi survives an assassination attempt as a car bomb explodes in Damascus.

:: May 14 - Footage of a Syrian rebel commander apparently cutting out a soldier's heart is condemned by the country's National Coalition.

:: June 6 - Syrian forces, backed by Hizbollah fighters, recapture the strategic border town of Qusair.

:: June 6 - Human Rights Watch releases footage which it claims shows Syrian troops shelling school buildings.

:: July 25 - The UN says the number of people killed in the civil war has reached 100,000.

:: August 21 - An alleged chemical attack in Damascus kills 1,300 people, according to the opposition. Doctors Without Borders says 335 people died from "neurotoxic" symptoms.

:: August 25 - Foreign Secretary William Hague says a chemical attack by the Syrian government is the only "plausible explanation" for the deaths.

:: August 26 - UN inspectors brave sniper fire to gather "valuable" evidence from one site of the alleged chemical attack, as the US Secretary of State John Kerry says the Assad regime would face action over the "moral obscenity".

:: August 27 - The UK recalls Parliament to hold a vote on August 29 on the use of chemical weapons in Syria. David Cameron and Barack Obama agree there is "no doubt" the Assad regime is responsible for the alleged attack.

:: August 28 - Britain tables a draft UN resolution condemning the alleged attack and "authorising all necessary measures".

:: August 29 - David Cameron is forced to rule out military action after narrowly losing a Commons vote on the principle of intervention.

:: August 31 - President Obama says the US "should take military action" in Syria but confirms he will seek authorisation from Congress before launching any strikes against the Assad regime. He says the US is "prepared to strike whenever we choose".

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Sir David Frost Dies Of Heart Attack On Ship

Sir David Frost: Obituary - 1939-2013

Updated: 12:09pm UK, Sunday 01 September 2013

Sir David Frost - who probably interviewed more world figures from royalty, politics, the Church, show-business and virtually everywhere else, than any other living broadcaster - was the most illustrious TV inquisitor of his generation.

He not only won virtually all the major television awards available, but his professional activities were so diverse that he was once described as "a one-man conglomerate".

Sir David was regularly scoffed at by fellow broadcasters for his allegedly non-aggressive style of questioning.

But he invariably had the last laugh because he almost always extracted more intriguing information and revealing reactions from his subjects than other far more acerbic broadcasters who boasted about their hard-hitting treatment of their "victims".

He was as affable and effusive off-screen as he was on it. And his cheery trademark introduction, "Hello, good morning and welcome" to his long running BBC1 Sunday programme Breakfast With Frost set the amiable tone for what was to follow.

His interview with the doomed American President "Tricky Dicky" Richard Nixon was a TV classic. During it, Nixon dramatically admitted that he had "let down the country".

But there were many other historic moments, including one when he suddenly introduced the word "bonkers" during a tense interview with the then prime minister Margaret Thatcher over the sinking of the Argentine warship the Belgrano during the Falklands conflict. She was furious.

Sir David first came to notice nationally with the Saturday night TV satirical programme That Was The Week That Was, which he hosted and co-created in the early 1960s. By today's standards of merciless lampooning, it would appear tame.

But in those days, it cocked a snook at the Establishment and pomposity in a way that had never been tried on the broadcasting media before.

It shocked authority, and was a programme not to be missed by those who were its victims as much as by those who enjoyed seeing the great and the good so savagely ridiculed.

But it "made" Sir David who was then seen as a coruscating rebel, although quite a likeable one, and who was to develop, ironically, as an Establishment figure in his own right.

David Paradine Frost was born on April 7, 1939, the son of a Methodist preacher, at Tenterden, Kent. He was educated at Gillingham Grammar School, Wellingborough Grammar School and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

At Cambridge he joined Footlights, the renowned revue and cabaret society. He then started to do some TV for the regional station in Norwich, particularly a programme called Town and Gown which was about Cambridge.

For the Christmas edition of that programme in December 1959, the programme-makers decided they wanted a spoof of TV and they approached Footlights and asked Sir David and the comedian Peter Cook to write it.

Later Sir David said: "We went to the station to do it, and I walked into this rather odd environment of a television studio and I thought 'This is home. This is for me'. It was an instant feeling, and from that moment on, for me the decision was made. It was a very memorable day."

After the enormous success of That Was The Week That Was, Sir David set up his own company David Paradine Ltd which gave birth to many more hugely popular programmes, including A Gift of Song, Spitting Image, Through the Keyhole, Peeping Times, How to Irritate People and The Spectacular World of Guinness Records.

Sir David was instrumental in starting up two important TV franchises: LWT in 1967, and as one of the Famous Five who launched TV-am in February 1983. In July, 1969, during the British television Apollo 11 coverage, he presented David Frost's Moon Party for LWT, a 10-hour discussion and entertainment marathon.

His dramatic interview with Richard Nixon was at the time the most widely watched news interview in the history of TV. It was shown in almost every televised nation in the world, and garnered the largest audience ever achieved for such an interview in the United States.

It was later dramatised into a sell-out West End play, and more recently a Hollywood movie.

It was a brilliant scoop. Sir David, whose career at that stage appeared to be on the decline, poured some of his own wealth into this interview. It was a gamble, but it totally restored his fortunes - and there was no looking back after that.

Another of his programmes, The Frost Report, effectively launched John Cleese, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett on their subsequent glittering careers.

Sir David's list of interviewees reads like a roll call of the world's most famous and powerful people. They include virtually every US president and British prime minister during his working life.

Others included Prince Charles, the Duke and Duchess of York, the Princess Royal, Robert F Kennedy, Henry Kissinger, Pierre Trudeau, Mikhail Gorbachev, Indira Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto, King Hussein, Golda Meir, Yasser Arafat, Yitzhak Rabin, Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk, and countless more.

He was the only person to have interviewed all six British prime ministers serving between 1964 and 2007 (Harold Wilson, Edward Heath, James Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair) and the seven US presidents in office between 1969 and 2008 (Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush, Bill Clinton and George W Bush). He was also the last person to interview Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran.

Outside world affairs, his roster ranged from Orson Welles, Tennessee Williams, Noel Coward, Peter Ustinov, Woody Allen, Muhammad Ali, the Beatles, Clint Eastwood, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sir John Gielgud, Norman Mailer, Warren Beatty and many more.

His Sunday morning interview programme Breakfast with Frost ran on the BBC from January 1993 until May 2005. The programme originally began in this format on TV-am in September 1983 as Frost on Sunday and ran until the station lost its franchise at the end of 1992. Later it transferred briefly to BSB before moving to the BBC.

Later he was to work for Al Jazeera English and had recently interviewed F1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

Among his awards were two Emmy Awards (for The David Frost Show), the Royal Television Society Silver Medal and the Richard Dimbleby Award in the United Kingdom and internationally, the Golden Rose of Montreux.

American audiences took to him as enthusiastically as British ones, a considerable achievement because more often than not megastars on the British TV screen flop hopelessly in the United States.

The Chicago Tribune once wrote of him: "Few interviewers have been as consistently well-prepared, bright and engaging as David Frost."

The Christian Science Monitor also spoke of his programmes producing "results that are often more revealing than anything on prime-time news", while New York Newsday wrote: "He has become an Anglo-American broadcasting phenomenon."

During one hectic period in his life, Sir David was virtually commuting on a weekly basis to present coast-to-coast programmes in the United States and returning to Britain to host programmes here. He was undoubtedly the busiest, and certainly the most energetic, television personality of his generation.

Over the years, Sir David wrote 17 books, produced several films and started two television networks, London Weekend Television and TV-am.

In 1983, he married Lady Carina Fitzalan-Howard, second daughter of the Duke of Norfolk. There were three sons.

He was awarded an OBE in 1970 and received his knighthood in 1993.

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