Blockbuster Shuts 129 Shops And Slashes Staff

The collapsed DVD and games rental firm Blockbuster is to close 129 of its 528 shops and axe 760 workers in the coming weeks.

Some 31 branches have already been put on notice of closure, according to the company's administrators Deloitte.

The move means the chain is already planning to close a quarter of its branches and make 18% of its workforce redundant.

It was announced just days after the chain went into administration in a run of bad news for the British high street.

There will be fears that this is just the first step in taking apart a company that employs more than 4,000 people in the UK.

Lee Manning, of administrator Deloitte, said: "Having reviewed the portfolio with management, the store closure plan is an inevitable consequence of having to restructure the company to a profitable core which is capable of being sold.

"We would like to thank the company's employees for their support and professionalism during this difficult time. We are also grateful to the customers for their continued support."

An employee helpline and an "employee assistance programme" have been set up to help staff find other jobs.

The firm's trading woes were blamed on competition from internet firms and digital streaming of movies and games.

Blockbuster had struggled to adapt to the changing market and rivalry from internet retailers including Netflix, Amazon's LoveFilm and iTunes, which now offers a movie rental service.

Its collapse came after its own plans to break into film-streaming appeared to stall in recent months.

It follows the demise of camera chain Jessops and electricals group Comet, which also blamed competition from online players for their downfall.

Just a day before Blockbuster went into administration, the music and entertainment chain HMV went under following dismal Christmas sales.

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Letter Bomb: Viable Device Sent To NI Officer

Postal workers have intercepted a letter bomb addressed to a senior police officer in Northern Ireland.

The suspicious package, meant for Chief Inspector Andy Lemon, was discovered in a sorting office in Strabane, Co Tyrone.

Bomb disposal experts examined the package and said it was "a small viable device", the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said.

The device was made up of a battery pack and accelerant and was packed into a brown envelope. It was taken away for further examination.

Six roads around the sorting office were closed for several hours this morning but all have since been reopened.

Chief Inspector Lemon said the vigilance of postal staff had saved lives.

"This was a very dangerous device and I would like to praise the Post Office staff for noticing it. One of them, or one of my officers, could have been injured had they opened it," he said.

He added: "I do not believe this is a personal attack but more a general attack on the police.

"Because I am area commander, a lot of mail would come into the police station addressed to myself, but I do not open any of it. That is done by other members of staff.

"This was an attempt to kill or injure police."

Chief Inspector Lemon said the PSNI was keeping an open mind about who was responsible but said dissident republicans were the most likely suspects.

Northern Ireland's first minister Peter Robinson and his deputy Martin McGuinness condemned the attempted attack.

"There can be no justification for this calculated and callous behaviour," they said in a joint statement.

"This was not just a planned attack on a police officer but also on the postal workers involved and society as a whole."

They urged anyone with information to contact police.

Last month, an explosive device was found under the car of a police officer in east Belfast.

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Pothole Damage Costs Councils £22m In 2011

Councils paid out more than £22m in compensation last year to drivers whose cars were damaged by potholes.

Consumer group Which? said the north west of England was the worst affected region with £8m handed out in damages.

The Government allocated an extra £200m to local highway authorities after a review in 2011 revealed a "significant increase in the number of potholes".

But Which? found the backlog of repairs at each English local authority is still growing, up from £53.2million in 2009 to £61.3m last year.

Local authorities have estimated that it would cost £12.93 billion to clear the entire road maintenance backlog in the UK.

Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: "Potholes are a menace for all road users. With temperatures plummeting this week and the bitter weather conditions set to continue, the backlog of repairs could grow again.

"Drivers should help themselves and everyone else on the road by pointing out potholes to the local council."

The watchdog said the chance of claims being successful depended on whether the local authority was aware of the pothole in the first place and had not repaired it or if it had not followed road maintenance guidelines.

Local Transport Minister Norman Baker said: "We are providing councils with more than £3bn between 2011 and 2015 to maintain their roads and pavements and last month announced an extra £215m to help councils get the best out of their road network.

"This is on top of the additional £200m we gave to councils in March 2011 to repair local roads damaged by the severe winter weather in 2010.

"It is ultimately up to local highway authorities to determine how they prioritise their funding, but we want to help them get the best value for money.

"That is why we are funding the Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme which helps councils work together to deliver a first class service to their residents, at the same time as saving money."

Potholes can be reported via a council's website. The Directgov website lists which council is responsible for specific roads.

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Horse Abattoir Film Reveals Welfare Breaches

By Jason Farrell, Sky Correspondent

Sky News has uncovered shocking animal welfare conditions at a UK horse abattoir.

They include animals being beaten, neglected and illegal procedures in the process of slaughtering British horses destined for European food markets.

It comes amid public anger that some of our biggest supermarkets have been selling beef burgers and other products that contained horse meat.

Sky News visited the Red Lion Abattoir near Nantwich in Cheshire after concerns were raised by Animal Welfare Group Hillside Animal Sanctuary.

Investigators at Hillside fitted secret cameras which filmed horses being beaten with an iron rod to encourage them into the pens. 

Some were then crammed into the slaughter pens in pairs and, on one occasion, a group of three, before being stunned together.

The video revealed horses hit with sticks to goad them into slaughter pens

In harrowing images the horses fall on top of each other. Under The Welfare of  Animals Act 1995, horses should not be slaughtered in sight of one another because of the distress it causes.

Furthermore, Sky News found that sick or injured horses were left untended overnight rather than put down immediately.

As a result of the investigation, two slaughter men have had their licences revoked.

Craig Kirby, head of approvals and veterinary advice at the Food Standards Agency (FSA) told Sky News: "As soon as we got the footage and reviewed it we took immediate action to revoke the slaughter men's licences.

"That means they cannot work to slaughter animals again. We will also look to gather further evidence to see if we can prosecute."

Former government chief veterinary officer Keith Meldrum, who viewed the footage, said he was shocked by what he described as "appalling" welfare breaches.

"We see three animals stunned at the same time and it is totally illegal and contrary to welfare slaughter regulations," he said.

"It's a significant welfare problem for a number of reasons. It's harder to render them unconscious in a group and they have a higher chance of regaining consciousness before you've completed the procedure."

Another incident filmed included a horse that appeared to come round from the stun while being hung upside down before being bled. Mr Meldrum described it as "totally and completely unacceptable".

Some 8,426 horses were slaughtered in the UK in 2012

FSA statistics released to Sky News show a dramatic increase in the number of UK horses slaughtered every year, from 3,859 in 2007 to 8,426 in 2012.

Depending on the size and breed they are bought for anything between £100 to £300 and can fetch around 700 euro on the European meat markets.

The animals come from a variety of backgrounds. Some are former pets, others come from show jumping or the race track.

A report last year from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) found: "The number of thoroughbreds reported dead to the Horse Passport Issuing Authority rose by 580 - an increase of 29% - from 1994 to 2574 horses.

"Of these, 1127 horses either in training, breeding or out of training were reported as killed in abattoirs - and reported to the Government Meat Hygiene Service - from 499 horses in 2010, an increase of 126%."

However, in a statement to Sky News, the BHA added: "This is a wider equine issue and not an issue for the British racing industry, which is one of the country's most highly regulated equine pursuits.

"However, if there are allegations that any horse, whether thoroughbred or not, is being inhumanely treated in an abattoir we would fully support any investigation and subsequent action, if appropriate."

During the investigation, Hillside Animal Sanctuary rescued one racehorse called Underwriter by bidding against the abattoir at auction. They discovered it had a distinguished career.

John Watson, from Hillside, said: "It's not just ill and old horses being killed. There are very many fit and healthy horses, horses with foals, pregnant mares, and thoroughbreds that are being treated badly.

Red Lion Abattoir said they had revoked the license of two slaughtermen

"It blows away the myth of humane slaughter, and there is a misery in that place that is palpable."

Hillside's lead investigator, who did not want to be identified, added: "What we've found has shocked us deeply; animals left with horrendous injuries and horses shot on top of each other.

"In all the years I've been doing this work, without doubt it's the most harrowing experience I've come across. All the horses in there had their heads hung down."

The Red Lion Abattoir told us it views animal welfare and public health with paramount importance.

In a statement it said: "In attendance at the The Red Lion Abattoir are three full time Food Standards Officers comprising of an official veterinarian and full-time meat hygiene inspectors throughout production."

It said the incidents were "not the norm, but of an isolated nature" and they have taken disciplinary action against the individual featured.

The statement continued: "I agree horses should individually enter the stunning area and most certainly not three at a time.

"However, small horses and ponies having spent years together as companions are difficult to separate. Horse lovers would understand that.

"My opinion and that of other veterinarians is it is better to keep those types together to reduce the stress, providing swift dispatch is achieved."

The Red Lion Abattoir also insisted it meat was not part of the recent supermarket burger scandal.

The horses there are destined to be served in European food markets. The scandal this time is the way they are treated, in the last moments of their lives, in a licenced British abattoir. 

Roly Owers, chief executive of World Horse Welfare, viewed the footage and said: "The breaches, from what we've seen, are throughout; from the care of the animals to the slaughter process.

"Horses are intelligent animals. When they see an animal stunned in front of them you can only imagine the distress that animal is going through. There are, without doubt, welfare issues here and it is plain illegal."

The RSPCA said "The footage is shocking and upsetting to watch."  They have requested a full copy of the film with a view to investigating.

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Weather: Snow And Ice Causes Heathrow Misery

The UK's busiest airport has been forced to cut its flight schedule by 20% as the country's transport network continues to struggle with freezing weather conditions.

Heathrow Airport in west London said it was reducing the number of flights scheduled for Sunday by at least a fifth after forecasters predicted another 2-6cm of snow and low visibility in the area.

Passengers are being urged to check with their airlines before travelling to the airport - where bosses are warning weather conditions at other European airports could further decimate schedules.

Passengers at Heathrow have been facing disruption after many were stranded on planes for seven hours or forced to spend a night on the floor.

More than 100 Saturday flights have been cancelled and travellers have been complaining about check-in queues of up to two hours as staff battle to clear a backlog caused by 400 cancellations on Friday.

Elsewhere, drivers are being warned of treacherous conditions after heavy snow on Friday across much of Britain turned to ice overnight.

A young woman from Peterborough was killed in a crash involving a number of vehicles shortly after 6pm on Friday, Lincolnshire Police said.

Planes grounded at Heathrow Airport

It is not known if anyone else was injured in the accident, which happened in bad weather on the A1 at Little Ponton, near Grantham.

Humberside Fire and Rescue said seven passengers were taken to hospital after a double-decker bus collided with two cars and ploughed into a garden.

The Met Office is forecasting more snow for Sunday and has issued yellow warnings for ice for large swathes of the country and a severe red warning for South Wales, which has experienced some of the worst weather.

:: Are you stuck at Heathrow? Contact the Sky news desk on news@sky.com.

With more heavy snow possible on Sunday, the Highways Agency has said its fleet of snow ploughs and gritters will be out in force throughout the weekend.

Heathrow said its runways were open on Saturday with no restrictions, but services were still being disrupted following Friday's heavy snow.

Of 104 flights cancelled on Saturday, 100 were with British Airways, which has faced criticism for its handling of the disruption so far.

A woman sleeping on the floor at Heathrow

Husband and wife David and Janet Brindle, from Cumbria, branded BA's customer service and treatment of passengers caught up in the chaos as "appalling" and said some people had been close to tears.

The couple sat on a plane at Manchester airport from 9am until 3pm on Friday and have been stuck at Heathrow since missing their connecting flight to New Zealand.

Mrs Brindle said: "They got us off the plane but our bags weren't off. Not a single person came to tell us what was happening.

"Most people missed their connecting long-haul flights from Heathrow. We were advised to make our own way to Heathrow, so that's what we did.

"Nobody knew what they were doing. They couldn't tell us anything - they were quite rude, actually."

A British Airways spokesman said: "We have unfortunately had to make a number of cancellations today, mainly due to knock-on disruption from yesterday.

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled since Friday

"So we've got a number of aircraft out of position and it's quite a complex operation to put that back together."

BA says it is offering customers who no longer wish to travel this weekend the chance to rebook their flight at a later date and providing refunds and overnight accommodation, or letters to make a claim, to those who could not fly.

Some passengers on British Airways flights told Sky News that they have spent up to seven hours on aircraft which have never left the runway.

Sky Reporter Clare Fallon, at Heathrow, said: "It's a surreal sight, there are hundreds of people on the floor trying to get some sleep because they are essentially stranded here. Some have told me they have been here since 11am yesterday morning.

"People feel very frustrated and stressed, and they don't understand how a relatively small amount of snow has been able to cause so much chaos."

A Gatwick spokeswoman said the airport is operating as normal on Saturday, with 505 flights scheduled and no knock-on effect from earlier bad weather.

In Northern Ireland, around 2,400 homes have been left without electricity after the severe weather caused power cuts along the east Down coast.

The Highways Agency said several motorway lanes and major A roads had closed due to the snow and ice, as well as several crashes.

Drivers have been warned to be extra careful as freezing temperatures turn the snow to treacherous ice.

The deepest snowfall has been measured at 26cm in Sennybridge, Wales, although snow has been thawing in other areas and some train services have been returning to normal.

There have also been severe hold-ups for rail passengers, with many companies cancelling services to help them cope with problems caused by the weather.

Eurostar passengers are facing delays of up to 30 minutes due to speed restrictions in France and Virgin Trains cancelled a number of services from London to Birmingham to Manchester, while others were delayed.

But while commuters have been facing misery, the winter wonderland scenes have brought joy to thousands of youngsters who got a long weekend after schools were forced to shut.

The weather has also disrupted the sporting calendar, with six football matches in League One, eight in League Two and six in Scotland postponed.

Race meetings at Ascot and Haydock have also been called off.

:: Send in your weather photos and videos

Heavy snow is once again expected across the North East and Scotland, while other areas will see patchier coverage.

On Sunday, between 2-5cm of snow is predicted for the South East, the Midlands, East Anglia and Lincolnshire.

Darron Burness, from the AA, said commuting in the wintry conditions was "likely to test man and machine".

Those who decide to travel have been urged to travel prepared with a fully charged mobile phone, warm waterproof clothes, boots and a blanket, some food and drink, and have a torch, ice scraper, de-icer and a shovel.

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Jon Culshaw Fronts Prostate Cancer Campaign

Impressionist Jon Culshaw has been impersonating famous faces from the world of sport to raise awareness of the alarming odds of getting prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer kills one man every hour and the number of men with the disease is rising at an alarming rate.

It is already the most common cancer in men, but is predicted to become the most common cancer of all in the UK by 2030.

And due to a prolonged period of under-investment on research, diagnosis and treatment is still decades behind other cancers, according to campaigners.

Culshaw will appear on screens as football manager Harry Redknapp, racing pundit John McCririck and Italian sports journalist Tiziano Crudeli.

Three adverts, created by Prostate Cancer UK, involve various betting scenarios that include spoofs of well-known Ladbrokes and Bet 365 adverts to warn men that the likelihood of getting prostate cancer is 8 to 1.

Prostate Cancer UK aims to reach more than one-third of men over 45 through the campaign.

It coincides with the launch of the Sledgehammer Fund fronted by comedian Bill Bailey which runs until March.

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Earthquake: Tremor Felt In Leicestershire

An earthquake with a magnitude of 2.9 has been felt in the east Midlands, according to the British Geological Survey.

The tremor was reported across Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

Julian Bukits, of the BGS, said the earthquake happened at 5.20am and was "average" for the UK.

Leicestershire Police and the county's fire and rescue services said they had not been called out to any incidents.

The epicentre of the seismic activity was located near Loughborough, Leicestershire, where residents would have felt a bang and a slight vibration.

Mr Bukits said that properties in the area, which has a history of earthquakes, would not have suffered any structural damage.

Mike Flood, 45, who lives in Loughborough with his family, felt the earthquake.

"I was awake, actually - I get up quite early. It was about 5.10am," he said. "It was almost like a plane going over or an explosion in the distance.

"The house creaked - there was no house moving or pictures falling off the wall, but the house just creaked. It was strange. You know something's happened and you know it's not a normal thing."

He said his teenage children were woken up by the quake.

"They were asking what it was, and I said 'Oh, it could have been a plane or it might have been an earth tremor', just to allay their fears.

"Our daughter is in the bedroom at the top of the house so she probably felt it a bit more.

"It woke our son up. I don't think he knew what had happened or didn't hear it, but it woke him up afterwards."

On October 28, 2001, there was a 4.1 earthquake near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, which Mr Bukits described as "big by UK standards".

Putting this quake into perspective, the expert said it was a million times weaker than the 8.9 earthquake which struck off the Japanese coast, causing a devastating tsunami in March 2011.

"Earthquakes generally have to be of 4.5 to 5 magnitude to cause damage," he added.

Earthquakes in the UK are described as intraplate seismic activity, as they take place far from tectonic plate boundaries.

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Snow: Travel Fears For Rush Hour Commuters

Britons face the prospect of a treacherous journey home from work as heavy snow continues to blanket the country, causing severe disruption in parts.

Trains have been cancelled and motorists have been caught up in slushy traffic jams, while hundreds of schools told parents to keep children at home.

Blizzards and strong winds are set to make conditions dangerous on many roads for the rest of the day - and bitterly cold temperatures look set to stay for the weekend.

South Wales had to bear the brunt of the wintry weather first thing, with a rare "red warning" in place from the Met Office there and up to 30cm - a foot - of snow expected.

A runway at Heathrow Airport was closed earlier

The deepest snowfall so far has been measured at 26cm in Sennybridge, Wales, although snow has been thawing in other areas and some train services have been returning to normal.

At first the Home Counties were spared the early-morning flurries, with millions leaving home for work before snow showers spread eastwards.

But with the ice-cold conditions expected to continue for the rest of the day, there are fears the country's transport network could be at buckling point for the rush hour.

Flights have been cancelled at several airports including Heathrow, where a runway was closed so workers could clear snow and ice. It had reopened by midday, but closed again at around 12.30pm. By 1.30pm, 240 flights at the airport had been cancelled.

Panic-buying has been reported at supermarkets in Derbyshire and Wales

The West Country, eastern England, the North East and Scotland have also been hit hard.

More than 1,000 schools in Wales were among those shut for the day, with many sixth-form and college students having their A-level exams postponed and others having to trudge through the snow for exams that were going ahead.

Most of the UK is seeing temperatures hover around zero, plunging below freezing in many areas tonight. Amber alerts are in place for the Midlands, London and the South, the east of England, the South West, the North West, parts of eastern Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In Wales, a power cut left 10,000 people without electricity. There were reports of panic-buying in South Wales, the West Country and the Home Counties as shops ran low on stock.

Some have been making the most of the weather

Merthyr Tydfil has been among the worst hit areas and the A4232 leading into Cardiff was packed with commuters who left home despite the conditions. The closure of a section of the M4 at Bridgend caused morning rush hour headaches for many.

There have been severe hold-ups for rail passengers, with many companies cancelling services to help them cope with problems caused by the weather.

Eurostar axed four services between London and Brussels. Train firms are advising passengers to check with operators before travelling.

While commuters have been facing misery, the winter wonderland scenes have brought joy to thousands of youngsters who got the day off.

The Met Office has a red alert in South Wales - amber and yellow elsewhere

Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Staffordshire were particularly badly hit, with almost 700 schools deciding to close across the four counties by the early afternoon.

Few parts of the UK will escape the wintry weather as it continues into the weekend.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said between 20-30cm of snow could fall in South Wales, with blizzards and snow drifts in higher areas.

She said: "There will be heavy snow across Wales for most of the day.

"Southwest England can also expect snow, and it will continue spreading east into the Midlands, northwest England, central and southern England by this afternoon."

:: Send in your weather photos and videos

A bactrian camel braves the snow at Twycross Zoo, Leicestershire

Snow will later reach Scotland, northeast England, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and East Anglia, she said.

There is up to 10cm of snow likely in northern and eastern England as well as Ireland and southern and eastern Scotland on Saturday. Snow elsewhere will be lighter but it will be bitterly cold.

Sunday could also bring persistent but light snow to southeast England and some flurries for Scotland.

Darron Burness, from the AA, said commuting in the wintry conditions was "likely to test man and machine".

Those who decide to travel have been urged to travel prepared with a fully charged mobile phone, warm waterproof clothes, boots and a blanket, some food and drink, and have a torch, ice scraper, de-icer and a shovel.

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Parents Guilty Of Son's Methadone Death

A couple wept in court as they were convicted of the manslaughter of their two-year-old son who died from drinking methadone.

Riley Pettipierre died in hospital after drinking the heroin substitute from a beaker left in a bedroom at his family's flat in Belper, Derbyshire, last March.

A jury at Nottingham Crown Court found his parents, Sally Dent, 33, and Shaun Binfield, 45, guilty of his manslaughter.

During the two-week trial, the jury heard that Dent had a history of drug use going back many years and was prescribed methadone to try to rid her of the habit.

Dent regularly sold some of her methadone to other drug addicts to make extra money and was struggling to kick her addiction.

The jurors heard that a green and yellow child's beaker of the drug was left in the bedroom on March 12 last year so Dent could drink from it during the night if she needed it.

The next morning Dent, who had taken heroin the night before, woke to find Riley unconscious next to her in bed after the toddler drank the drug from the beaker.

The couple told the court a cup was usually kept on top of the wardrobe in their bedroom but had been moved on that occasion because it was more convenient for Dent.

Binfield told the court he forgot to move the cup because he had got caught up with putting the family bins out and the childcare routine after getting up on March 13.

He fought back tears as he admitted he missed three opportunities to move the cup, which the child must have managed to get hold of and drink from.

Dent called 999 and paramedics arrived at the house to find Riley lifeless. His heart had stopped beating and his lips were blue, the court heard.

The child was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arriving and a post-mortem showed that Riley had enough methadone in his blood, stomach and urine to prove fatal.

He is believed to have consumed between 10ml and 20ml of methadone, the court heard.

The jury took just four hours to convict Dent and Binfield of manslaughter.

Dent was also found guilty of a separate charge of cruelty to a child under the age of 16 for failing to keep methadone out of the reach of her child.

Following her conviction, the court heard Dent had previous convictions for possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, assault and prostitution.

Judge Milmo adjourned sentencing until February 19.

He thanked the jury for dealing with such an "emotionally charged" case. "This has been a distressing case and I'm afraid it has fallen to you to deal with it," he said.

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London Helicopter Victim 'Suffered Burns'

Official causes of death have been released for the two men killed in a helicopter crash in central London.

Pilot Pete Barnes, 50, died from multiple injuries, while pedestrian Matthew Wood, 39, suffered severe burns and a leg injury, Scotland Yard said.

Post-mortem examinations were carried out yesterday after the men died in the incident on Wednesday.

More follows...

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National Lottery Ticket Price To Double To £2

The cost of playing the main National Lottery draw is to double to £2, but more winners will get a share of the prize pot.

Operator Camelot said the increase, which takes effect in the autumn, means players who have three correct numbers will win £25 instead of the current £10.

However, the prize for matching five numbers will drop by £500 to £1,000, while the reward for getting five numbers and the bonus number will halve to £50,000.

The winnings for matching four numbers will increase from £60 to £100.

The price rise is the first since the Lotto draw launched in 1994 and follows research which found that consumers "want more ways to win more money" from the game.

An average 800,000 players win prizes for matching three or four numbers each week, while around 800 players match five numbers or five plus the bonus.

The average Saturday jackpot will increase from around £4.1m to £5m and the Wednesday jackpot will increase from an estimated £2.2m to around £2.5m, while a new Lotto raffle will guarantee at least 50 winners £20,000 in each draw, Camelot added.

Managing director Andy Duncan said: "Our players still love Lotto, but after 18 years they say they want more from it.

"We've spoken extensively with them to develop a re-energised game.

"The changes we'll be introducing in the autumn to rejuvenate Lotto will give them what they have asked for: £25 for matching three numbers, bigger jackpots and a brand new way to play and win one of 50 prizes of a guaranteed £20,000 on each and every draw."

Lotto rollover draws will also change, with the number of raffle prizes on offer increasing significantly with each roll of the jackpot.

Total National Lottery sales have increased by 35% since 2002, with the number of players growing by more than 12% in the last five years.

Players have also helped to raise more than £29bn for National Lottery Good Causes.

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N-Dubz Dappy Guilty Over Forecourt Fight

N-Dubz frontman Dappy has been found guilty of affray in connection with a brawl at a petrol station.

The 25-year-old was also convicted by a jury at Guildford Crown Court of a charge of assault by beating, which involved him spitting at a man.

The singer was cleared of two charges of common assault in which he was accused of spitting at - but missing - two 19-year-old women.

The week-long trial heard how Dappy had been out on February 27 last year celebrating the release of his single Rockstar featuring Queen guitarist Brian May.

After spending the night in the VIP area of the Casino nightclub in Guildford, Dappy and his friends were travelling back in three cars to a recording studio in Godalming.

They stopped at a Shell garage in Woodbridge Road at about 3.30am, where Dappy approached Grace Cochran and Serena Burton.

Prosecutor Brian Stork said the women had been sitting on the kerb outside the station shop where Dappy tried to persuade them to get into the car with him.

The court was told that when they refused these advances and began to ridicule him, Dappy allegedly became angry and insulted them.

He was then accused of spitting at them but missing - the two counts of common assault faced by the singer.

Mr Stork said a man called David Jenkins who had been talking to the two women then stepped in to protect them, but was spat at by Dappy.

This spitting, which hit Mr Jenkins, made up the charge of assault by beating. The trial was told that saliva was found on Mr Jenkins' T-shirt which had a DNA link to Dappy.

The court heard that Mr Jenkins put the rapper in a headlock, leading to several other people joining in the fight.

This included two other defendants, Kieran Vassell, 25, of west London, and Kalonji Stewart, 32, of Birmingham, who were both charged with affray.

The jury convicted Vassell but cleared Stewart.

A fourth man, Alfred Miller, 28, of west London, had pleaded guilty to affray and his sentencing was adjourned.

The trial heard that Mr Jenkins suffered several broken teeth in the fight while another man, Oliver Billson, suffered a swollen eye and Christopher Gibson sustained a broken nose.

Dappy had denied attempting to pick up the two women and told the court that he only spoke to them to promote his single.

Judge Neil Stewart adjourned the case for reports to be prepared on Dappy and Vassell.

Sentencing will be carried out on February 15 and the pair were released on unconditional bail until then.

Speaking to the jury, Judge Stewart said: "Thank you for the care and attention you gave to that trial."

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Immigration Flood Fears As Curbs Are Lifted

Britain could see 50,000 immigrants arrive every year from Romania and Bulgaria once access restrictions are lifted, campaigners have warned.

Research indicates up to 250,000 people from the two countries could come to the UK in the first five years once the rules are changed.

The figure, equal to the population of Newcastle, comes from Migration Watch UK who assessed three different methods of predicting the likely arrivals between 2014 and 2018.

It was revealed after the coalition refused to supply an estimate for the number of people who could come to Britain from the end of December.

Temporary curbs were put in place against Romanians and Bulgarians in 2005 to protect the British labour market but they expire in December and EU law stops them being extended.

Migration Watch chairman Sir Andrew Green said: "It is not good enough to duck making an estimate of immigration from Romania and Bulgaria.

"It is likely to be on a scale that will have significant consequences for housing and public services."

The estimate could be considerably higher if a further one million Romanians in both Spain and Italy decided to transfer to Britain, the campaigners added.

Income per head in Bulgaria and Romania is about one fifth of that in the UK, similar to Poland in 2004, Migration Watch said, while youth unemployment is also high.

With youth unemployment in Spain at 56%, Italy at 37% and France at 27%, the campaign group said it expects only Germany and the Netherlands are likely destinations other than Britain.

David Cameron insisted earlier this week that it was currently impossible to predict immigration levels from Bulgaria and Romania when access restrictions are lifted at the end of this year.

The Prime Minister backed Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, who said that nobody knew how many people would come from those two countries.

But Mr Cameron said there was a "big difference" between what happened when Poland acceded and immigration far exceeded expectations and the situation with Bulgaria and Romania.

Migration Watch said its analysis found that the International Passenger Survey, the basis of the official immigration statistics, only picked up half of the East European immigration to the UK.

Sarah Mulley, associate director at think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), said Migration Watch had produced "high" estimates.

She pointed out that opening labour markets to Romania and Bulgaria had been done gradually and it would therefore be "very surprising" if net migration was on the scale predicted.

A Home Office spokesman said: "We are working to cut net migration from hundreds of thousands to tens of thousands by the end of this Parliament and our tough new rules are already taking effect with overall net migration falling by a quarter in the past year.

"In terms of European immigration, we are working closely with other government departments to look at the pull factors that may encourage EU nationals, including those from Bulgaria and Romania, to come to the UK.

"The Government has made clear it will always apply transitional controls on new EU member states and will continue work to cut out abuse of free movement."

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Helicopter Victim Was 'Big Guy With Big Heart'

The sister of one of the victims of the helicopter crash in London has told Sky News he was a "big guy with a big heart".

Matthew Wood, 39, from Sutton, was walking to work as a pest control manager when he was killed in Vauxhall after the aircraft hit a crane on The Tower in St George Wharf.

His sister Amanda Wood said he was a "gentle giant" who had been looking forward to planning his 40th birthday in April.

She said her family had failed to get in contact with Mr Wood after news of the crash emerged on Wednesday and were then told by police that he was one of the two victims.

"You just think, why couldn't he be late for just one day in his life?" Ms Wood said.

She said her brother had "so much love to give" and always put his friends first.

Pilot Peter Barnes was killed in the crash

Pilot Peter Barnes was also killed in the crash and 12 other people were injured - police said it was a "miracle" more were not hurt.

The mother of a workman who should have been in the crane that was hit by the AgustaWestland 109 Power has spoken of her relief that he overslept.

Richard Moule and Nicki Biagioni were late for work and hurrying to climb the crane when the helicopter clipped it at 8am and plunged 700ft to the ground.

Maureen Biaginoi wrote on her Facebook page: "Thank God my son is ok a bit shaken but alive.

"He defo has a guardian angel thank you thank you ssssooooo much."

Mr Moule, 31, a father of two from Harlow, Essex, was supposed to be at work at 7am with his colleague Mr Biagioni, 30, but they were both late.

Mr Moule told the Daily Mail: "It was the first time I've been late since starting this job three years ago. I just woke up late.

"Call it divine intervention if you like."

He was in the basement of the building when the helicopter struck the crane and was evacuated.

Mr Biagioni, from Ongar, Essex, told The Sun he was late because his four-year-old son slept in.

His wife Leanna told the newspaper: "Nicki was at the site minutes before it happened. He gets a lift to a certain level and then climbs a ladder the rest of the way.

"If he'd been climbing he would have died from the fall for certain. It's too horrible to think about."

Mr Barnes, 50, from Berkshire, was alone in the aircraft in thick cloud when it hit the crane. It came down on land near to the building, strewing burning wreckage across the road.

The helicopter was undertaking a commercial flight from Redhill, Surrey, to Elstree, Hertfordshire, but Mr Barnes asked to be diverted to Battersea heliport because of bad weather.

Witnesses described hearing a loud bang and a flash of light as the twin-engine aircraft crashed near Wandsworth Road.

Video footage and photos flooded on to social media sites revealing chaotic scenes, burning wreckage and vehicles charred by flames.

Residents from nearby houses in Lambeth and Wandsworth were not allowed to return home on Wednesday night after debris was scattered over a large area, including on rooftops.

Tributes have been paid to Mr Barnes.

Kevin Hodgson, who worked alongside him on life-saving missions with the Great North Air Ambulance (GNAA), said: "Pete was as good a guy as you can imagine and one of the best pilots I've ever had the pleasure of flying with."

Mr Barnes, who also flew aircraft for films Tomb Raider II and Saving Private Ryan, had around 9,000 hours of flying time, including 3,500 hours on the type of craft involved in the incident.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said helicopter regulations for flying over London included "requirements for lighting on tall structures".

The authority said: "In addition, where appropriate, very tall structures are also notified to pilots for flight planning purposes, as was the case with the crane that was involved in this morning's accident."

Scotland Yard and the London Fire Brigade are working with other agencies including the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and the CAA.

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Weather Warning: Blizzards To Blanket Britain

Heavy snowfall and icy storms are set to leave much of the country shivering during the next few days.

Motorists face travel misery on Friday when a band of snow sweeps the UK

Snow has already started to fall in parts of Wales, and is expected to hit the South West before pushing across the rest of the UK.

But forecasters are predicting the heaviest snowfall of the winter will come on Friday

Up to 10 inches of snow is expected to fall on higher ground, and between three and five inches on lower ground.

Train services are expected to be cancelled, and airports and schools to close.

Snow clings to trees in Sleights, near Whitby, in north east England

Temperatures are expected to remain below zero in most parts, making it bitterly cold, while blizzards and strong winds are set to make conditions treacherous on the roads.

Motorists are being warned that heavy snow will arrive before the morning rush-hour.

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for the East Midlands, North West and South West England, Wales, the West Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber.

It comes after a bitterly cold night for much of the UK, with temperatures over East Anglia dropping to -11C.

Further snow showers are expected on Saturday, particularly along eastern coastal areas, with lighter snow showers on Sunday in the Midlands and northwards.

Shoppers walk in the high street after heavy snowfall in Guisborough

Sky News weather presenter, Jo Wheeler, said: "As evening approaches, temperatures will drop, fog thickening in the east and there'll be a widespread frost.

"As the rain spreads across Wales and the South West, it will give significant snowfall, potentially up to 25cm over exposed uplands.

"There'll also be strong winds, with gusts of between 50mph and 60mph which will give blizzard conditions for a while.

"All in all, the travel situation will be quite atrocious for tomorrow's commute or school run.

"The snow will push eastwards during the day, and is expected to reach London around the middle of the day, and eastern coasts by evening.

"Behind the snow however, it will become milder, with rain showers following onto western coasts."

An upturned car on the A169 road near Whitby on Tuesday

The Highways Agency has warned motorists to check forecasts, allow extra time for their journeys and avoid any unnecessary travel.

Steve Crosthwaite, head of the agency's national traffic operations centre, said: "During periods of severe weather we also suggest people consider whether their journey is essential. They may want to delay their travel until conditions improve."

The freezing weather has already caused havoc on the roads, with the AA reporting about 1,000 breakdowns an hour.

In Kent, four accidents were reported on the A258 in three hours. The first involved a van toppling onto its side. An hour later, a car and a bus were involved in a collision. Police officers also discovered a car in a ditch, before a van crashed into a traffic sign at 7.40am.

In Norfolk, 93 schools remain closed due to the weather.

Motorists drive through snowy conditions in Pickering, northern England

London Fire Brigade has also urged caution during the "Arctic blast".

It follows the rescue of an elderly man from a serious blaze in Wembley, north London, on Wednesday, which is believed to have been caused by a halogen heater being placed too close to flammable items.

Firefighters also battled flames in Fulham, west London, after an electric blanket was left on for the weekend.

Police have said a pensioner who was found dead in the street near his home may have collapsed while clearing snow from his driveway.

Graham Clark, who was in his 70s, was discovered with serious head injuries in the village of Buxhall in Suffolk on Tuesday afternoon.

British Gas said it was expecting a "huge spike of activity" for its home service engineers this weekend, predicting they would attend around 20,000 call-outs.

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Helicopter Crash: Witnesses Talk Of Shock

Witnesses have described their shock at seeing a helicopter crash in central London after it hit a crane on top of a tower block by the River Thames.

The street was shut down within minutes of the crash

Michael Krumstets and his flatmate were walking to work when "out of the blue, this happened".

He told Sky News: "We saw the helicopter hitting the crane at the top of the building and there was a loud crack, and then the helicopter started spinning out of control and incredibly towards us ... I mean directly towards us.

"We ran to the side of the road and it then crashed into the road just feet away from us and my flatmate fell over and I had to grab him but it was just awful.

"You see a helicopter hurtling out the sky towards you ... it's the last thing you expect on your way to work. And then it exploded.

"You see things like this in films ... of helicopters or planes crashing but when it's actually happening to you, it's coming towards you ... we were so lucky, we were just so lucky.

"We ran to the side of the road and we just managed to get away ... and then it hit the building on the side of the road and then it exploded ... by that point we were just shaken, you couldn't move ... what could you do?"

The crane that the helicopter hit

Commuter Patrick Garland also saw the accident unfold and told Sky News: "I was riding my bike in to work and was about 40 metres from the construction site when I heard a huge collision and a lot of shouting from workers on the site.

"I looked up and saw the helicopter having just crashed into the crane. Debris and rotors had sprayed everywhere and the helicopter had gone into large cyclical loops across Nine Elms and into the flower market.

"I watched what seemed almost like slow motion as it descended into the ground. There was not a large bang when it landed more of just thud and it simultaneously burst into flames.

"A huge plume of acrid black smoke rose and you could see the orange glow of the actual flames. The crane arm came crashing onto the road and there was debris falling everywhere.

"Myself and another cyclist scrambled for a bus shelter to avoid the falling debris. There was metal work (crane tubing and cabling and other building materials) raining down.

A plume of smoke could be seen billowing into the sky

"We sheltered in the bus stop and there were workers running everywhere trying to stop traffic and congregate themselves near the building offices all very chaotic.

"It was a surreal experience and the whole scene just post crash was a scene of chaos and people seeming to not really believe what had just occurred."

Earlier, Sarah-Beth Casey, who lives in an apartment near the scene in Vauxhall, told Sky News: "I have three small children with me in the flat. It's one of your fears that something like this can happen.

"When I heard the explosion it was like a little earthquake. It was like a gas explosion. I looked up to see debris falling off the tower."

Matt Haverson was doing construction work on railway arches close to the crash site.

Wandsworth Road is one of the busiest routes into central London

He said: "It was extremely scary ... I obviously thought it was a terrorist attack." Police have said there is nothing to suggest terrorists were involved.

Commuter Sherna Noah described seeing a "large plume of dark grey smoke" as she crossed Battersea Bridge at around 8am.

She said: "I was coming across the bridge and basically I could see a few cyclists on the bridge looking towards the water. I looked over to see what they were looking at and could see a pall of grey smoke coming from the south side.

"You could see a large plume of dark grey smoke."

People took to Twitter to report gridlocked traffic in the area, with emergency services struggling to get through

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Divorce Battle: Husband Jailed Over Cash Row

A property dealer has been given a six-month jail term after a High Court judge ruled he was in contempt of court.

Scot Young is embroiled in a divorce cash fight with his estranged wife Michelle over missing finances.

Lawyers representing Michelle Young, 48, had argued that her husband, 51, had given the High Court the "run around" after being told to provide details of his finances and should be sent to prison. 

Edward Fitzgerald QC, for Mrs Young, had told the court that Mr Young had been worth £400m in 2006 but had given  "absolutely no explanation" about where that money had gone.

And he said Mr Young pleaded poverty but seemed to be living a lifestyle "consistent with considerable wealth".

Mr Fitzgerald added: "He is going from party to party with champagne glass in his hand and his current girlfriend, some supermodel or other, on his arm."

Mr Young, who represented himself at a High Court hearing in London on Tuesday, said Mrs Young was trying to commit him to prison out of "malice".

He said he had "done everything in my power" and asked judge Mr Justice Moor to give him more time to answer questions about his finances.

Mr Young told the court that he recently been "detained" in hospital under mental health legislation and had been unable to secure the services of a barrister.

He said he had been harassed by "eight private detectives" instructed by Mrs Young and "made unwell". He suggested that he was under greater surveillance that a terrorist.

Mr Young said he had "done everything in my power" and asked judge Mr Justice Moor to give him another 28 days to comply with orders.

The judge said Mr Young was in contempt. "He has not complied," said Mr Justice Moor. "There has been a flagrant and deliberate contempt over a very long period of time."

And he said neither a fine nor a suspended sentence would be a sufficient penalty.

Wednesday's hearing was the latest stage in a lengthy cash battle between the pair.

The Youngs, who both live in London and have two daughters, separated in 2006.

A judge two years ago ordered Young to pay Mrs Young £27,500-a-month maintenance.

Young - who has been described at earlier court hearings as a "property tycoon" - says he is bankrupt and cannot pay. Mrs Young says he has "secreted enormous assets".

The pair's claims are due to be fully argued at a trial scheduled to begin later this year.

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Helicopter Crash In London: Live Updates

9:50am

Eyewitness Mark Louis-Sidney: "I heard a loud bang, looked up and I just saw bits of propeller and parts of the aircraft falling off it, and it just plummeted straight down and a huge plume of lack smoke went up. I got on the phone straight away and got the emergency services. It happened in a matter of seconds, it was like it was in the sky and then within half a second it was on the ground. I thought, wait a minute, has this thing been shot out the sky or what?"

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Helicopter Crash In Vauxhall: Pilot Named

The helicopter pilot who was killed when his helicopter crashed in central London has been named as Pete Barnes.

The helicopter hit a crane on St George Wharf Tower, in Vauxhall, amid heavy fog.

It cartwheeled out of the sky, smashed into two cars as it hit the ground and exploded into flames.

Mr Barnes - the only one aboard the helicopter - and a person on the ground were killed, the Metropolitan Police said.

Pete Barnes has been described as an experienced pilot

Mr Barnes, 50, who worked for the RotorMotion helicopter charter business, was an experienced pilot who had flown aircraft during production of films such as Die Another Day and Saving Private Ryan.

RotorMotion said in a statement they were "devastated" by the accident and offered their "full support and assistance" to authorities investigating the crash.

Thirteen people were injured. Six are in hospital, with one reported to be in a critical condition, and seven were treated at the scene.

One man was rescued from a burning car.

The Agusta 109 helicopter that crashed in central London

Burning wreckage and aviation fuel covered the road, as cars caught fire and people screamed and ran seeking shelter from the flying debris, witnesses have said.

Two office buildings, five cars and two motorbikes were damaged.

Flames raged and a huge column of black smoke billowed from the crash site just off Wandsworth Road near South Lambeth Road.

Firefighters say the crane is now in a "precarious" position, but rule out any "imminent risk" of a collapse.

They have urged people to stay away from the area while specialists assess the damage sustained by the crane.

Rescue crews searched the River Thames following reports that somebody had been seen in the water after the crash.

Emergency services say the Agusta 109 helicopter was on a scheduled commercial flight from Surrey to Elstree, but was diverted to Battersea due to bad weather.

Some cars caught fire and one man was rescued from a burning vehicle

London City Airport in Docklands had delays earlier in the day due to poor visibility.

Shortly after the crash at around 8am, firefighters, police and ambulances rushed to the scene.

Michael Krumstets, who lives in the area, said he had seen the helicopter hit the crane and the aircraft fall "directly towards us".

"We ran from the side of the road and it hit the road just besides us … and then it exploded," Mr Krumstets said.

St George Wharf Tower this morning

Sarah-Beth Casey lives in an apartment near the incident. She told Sky News: "You're always worried about things like 9/11 and things like that.

"When I heard the explosion - it was like a little earthquake. It was like a gas explosion. I looked up to see debris falling off the tower."

The tower is a 185-metre (200-yard) high cylindrical block overlooking the Thames and the Houses of Parliament.

Bruce Grain, a station manager for London Fire Brigade and among the first to arrive at the scene, said the driver of one of the cars that had been hit managed to get out, while the driver of the other vehicle could not be immediately located.

"Large parts of the helicopter are in the road," Mr Grain told Sky News. "There is debris over surrounding buildings … three buildings."

He said firefighters had extinguished the fire.

David Cameron said rules for helicopter flights over central London would need to be carefully looked at following the accident.

The Prime Minister was "very saddened to learn of the fatalities and injuries" in the crash, his spokesman said.

Aviation expert Chris Yates told Sky News that any tall structure must have a warning light on top to alert pilots. The question is, he said, whether there was a warning light on the crane and whether the pilot would have been able to see it in the foggy conditions.

The crash, which happened close to a railway line during rush hour, disrupted transport across central London.

Roads were cordoned off and train services were briefly suspended but are now running in and out of Waterloo station, while the Vauxhall tube station was closed but has now reopened.

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Blockbuster Calls In Administrators Deloitte

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The crisis on Britain's high streets continued on Wednesday when Blockbuster UK, the DVD rental chain, called in administrators in a move which puts more than 4000 jobs at risk.

Blockbuster UK has appointed the accountancy firm Deloitte to handle an insolvency process less than 48 hours after it was also hired to oversee the administration of HMV, the entertainment retailer.

The spate of administrations threatens to make this one of the grimmest periods in the history of the high street as retailers face up to the prospect that they can no longer compete with digital competitors.

Blockbuster has been especially hurt by the growth of online film rental companies such as Lovefilm. A plan for Blockbuster to offer its own version of a film-streaming service appeared to stall in recent months.

Blockbuster UK, which is headquartered in Uxbridge, employs almost 4200 staff and operates from 528 stores.

Its parent company, Blockbuster LLC in the US, is owned by The Dish Network, a US telecoms and media group which is headed by Charlie Ergen, a billionaire businessman.

Lee Manning, a partner at Deloitte, said: "In recent years Blockbuster has faced increased competition from internet-based providers along with the shift to digital streaming of movies and games.

"We are working closely with suppliers and employees to ensure the business has the best possible platform to secure a sale, preserve jobs and generate as much value as possible for all creditors.

"The core of the business is still profitable and we will continue to trade as normal in both retail and rental whilst we seek a buyer for all or parts of the business as a going concern.

"During this time gift cards and credit acquired through Blockbuster's trade-in scheme will be honoured towards the purchase of goods."

A spokesman for the administrator said the company's pension scheme was fully-funded and that gift-cards would be honoured at Blockbuster stores.

The recent flurry of retail collapses threatens to remove some of the famous names on British high streets.

If buyers cannot be found for HMV and Blockbuster, they will join the likes of Jessops, JJB Sports, Clintons Cards and Comet, which have all been forced to call in administrators.

The fact that the collapses of Blockbuster, HMV and Jessops have happened within just a few days of each other - with the potential combined loss of more than 10,000 jobs - also threatens to escalate the crisis into a broader political issue.

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Breast Cancer: NHS Drugs For Women At Risk

By Thomas Moore, Health And Science Correspondent

Women with a high risk of breast cancer could be prescribed drugs to prevent the disease.

New guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) recommend that post-menopausal women with a strong family history of breast cancer are given the option of taking medication to reduce their risk.

The move was hailed as "historic" by a leading breast cancer charity.

Between 3% and 5% of the 48,000 breast cancers each year are caused by genes that are passed down families. They raise the risk of the disease to around 80% - compared to 12% for the average woman.

Sharon Osbourne chose to have her breasts removed as a precaution

Currently, women with one of the genes have regular mammograms to spot tumours early.

Some, including Sharon Osbourne, choose to have their breasts removed even though they are perfectly healthy, to reduce their risk to low levels.

But recent studies have shown that taking the drugs tamoxifen or raloxifene for five years can halve the risk of cancer. Nice says the evidence is strong enough to recommend so-called "chemoprevention".

The US Food and Drug Administration has already approved the drugs for preventing cancer.

Chris Askew, chief executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "This draft guideline represents a historic step for the prevention of breast cancer.

"It is the first time drugs have ever been recommended for reducing breast cancer risk in the UK.

"This is exciting as, even though most women do not have a significant family history of the disease, it's crucial that those who do have an array of options to help them control their risk."

Neither of the drugs is currently licensed for preventing cancer and Nice has warned that any doctor prescribing them would have to take "full responsibility for the decision".

The recommendation is part of new draft guidelines on familial breast cancer.

They also extend genetic testing to more women with relatives affected by the disease, as well as recommend regular MRI scans for younger women who carry high risk genes.

Professor Mark Baker, director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at Nice, said: "It's wise for any person with a family history of cancer to receive appropriate investigations and screening that would otherwise be unnecessary if a family history did not exist."

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Britain Braced For More Snow Disruption

Driving Tips For Winter Weather

Updated: 11:51pm UK, Monday 14 January 2013

With many roads in the UK covered by snow and ice, motorists have being warned to take extra care.

Skidding on ice is the main concern for those driving in freezing conditions.

So what is the best advice when it comes to being safe on the roads?

The Institute of Advanced Motorists has issued some top tips for motorists:

Before setting off:

:: Plan your route according to the driving conditions.

:: Make sure your wipers are in good condition.

:: Clean your windows inside and out.

:: Top up the washer fluid with winter strength screen wash which has a freeze-resistant additive.

:: Check last year's scraper and de-icer are up to the job.

:: Check your tyres, especially the tread depth. For optimum safety opt for at least 3mm instead of the legal minimum of 1.6mm.

:: Check all lights.

:: Pack an emergency kit – high-viz jacket, food and water, boots, de-icer, scraper, torch, shovel and charged mobile phone with your breakdown emergency number.

:: If you are on regular medication, take enough with you in case you get delayed.

On the road:

:: Use the 'ice' setting if your car has one.

:: Slow down and accelerate smoothly and gradually.

:: Drive in the highest gear possible, starting off in second.

:: Make sure you can stop within the distance you can see to be clear.

:: Increase your following distance by ten times even if you have ABS.

:: Beware - light steering and reduced road noise could mean you are driving on ice.

:: Frost, ice and snow remain for longer under trees, on bridges, and in areas exposed to wind.

:: Make sure your wipers are in the off position when you stop – they can freeze to the window.

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Toddler Blind Cord Death Ruled 'Accidental'

A coroner has recorded a verdict of accidental death in the case of a girl who died after becoming tangled in a blind cord.

Alexandra Lucy Hoegh died in her top-floor room at her family's four-storey luxury home in west London's Notting Hill last October.

The inquest heard the toddler was found by her nanny Melinda De La Cruz when she went to wake her from an afternoon nap while her mother Dana Hoegh chatted to a friend, Catherine Mathiesen, downstairs in the kitchen.

Alexandra, who was three weeks from her third birthday, was given mouth-to-mouth in the street by her mother as they waited for an ambulance.

Westminster Coroner's Court heard how she and Ms Mathiesen were found by police crying hysterically in the street as paramedics fought to revive the youngster.

Mrs Hoegh told the inquest the Filipino nanny - who had trained in childcare in her native country but did not complete the course - had arrived late for work at 1.50pm.

She took over from her mother Andrea, who cleaned and helped nanny for the Hoeghs, apologised to Mrs Hoegh and then went upstairs to get the toddler at around 2.10pm.

Alexandra's father Morten Hoegh is estimated to be worth £175m

"A couple of minutes after that we heard a scream, then another scream," Mrs Hoegh told the inquest.

"We went to the door of the kitchen and met Melinda with Alexandra.

"She was blue. She was not breathing.

"I ran downstairs into the street. I asked my friend Catherine to call an ambulance and started mouth-to-mouth on her on the pavement."

Alexandra's father Morten Hoegh, 39, is the chairman of Hoegh LNG - a multibillion-pound oil and gas shipping company based in Norway.

He runs the business between London and Oslo and appears on the Sunday Times Rich List with an estimated fortune of £175m.

Mrs Hoegh said her daughter, the youngest of the couple's three children, had been her usual happy self and had been to her playgroup that morning.

The inquest heard Alexandra was "very adept" at climbing in and out of her cot, using a table next to it. The cot was by the window, which had a roller blind fitted.

Mrs Hoegh added: "I insisted that day she have a nap because she had woken up at 3am."

Coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox recorded a verdict of accidental death.

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Train Acid Scare: Arrest After Station Alert

A 27-year-old man has been arrested after a bottle containing hydrochloric acid was left on a train.

The suspect was detained on suspicion of endangering railway safety.

Middlesbrough station was evacuated and closed after a passenger reported a burning smell on board a Northern Rail service to Darlington on Sunday evening.

The hazardous liquid had been left in a drinks bottle in the middle of the train.

Emergency services, including firefighters and an ambulance, were called to the station as a precaution due to the fumes from the highly corrosive substance, and the train was also evacuated.

British Transport Police released two CCTV images of a man officers wanted to trace, and a Middlesbrough man was later arrested.

A spokeswoman said: "We would like to thank members of the public for coming forward with information, as well as the media for assisting with our appeal.

"The man remains in custody and is currently helping police with their inquiries."

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M5 Pile-Up: Manslaughter Charges Dropped

Manslaughter charges have been dropped against Geoffrey Counsell after seven people died in a pile-up on the M5 during thick fog.

The 50-year-old was operating a firework display in a field close to the motorway, at Taunton Rugby Club, at the time of the crash on the night of November 4, 2011.

Mr Counsell, who is from Somerset, was charged with seven counts of manslaughter on October 19 last year.

But when he appeared at Bristol Crown Court, he was told the manslaughter charges were being dropped and he would instead face a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act of failing to ensure the safety of others.

The incident, which involved 34 vehicles, was described as one of the worst British motorway crashes in memory.

Witnesses afterwards spoke of thick smoke causing visibility problems for motorists.

Anthony and Pamela Adams, Maggie and Michael Barton, Malcolm Beacham, Terry Brice and Kye Thomas all died.

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Devon Tugboat Crash Sparks Pollution Fears

A salvage operation to save a tugboat carrying 200 tons of diesel off the Devon coast is "going well".

Eight people had to be rescued from Christos 22, which is at risk of sinking off the Devon coast after a collision with a vessel it was towing.

The boat, which was travelling from Germany to Turkey, and was damaged as it tried to anchor a mile off Hope's Nose in Torbay.

And while fears remain that the vessel could cause a major diesel spill if it sank, a Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokeswoman said salvage workers were optimistic.

"The pumping out of water continues to go well," she said.

"The situation is more stable and it was confirmed at first light that there is no report of pollution. Salvors are onboard the tug Christos XXII, pumping operations continue to go well. Divers now deployed to inspect and repair."

The crash happened near Hope's Nose

After the crash, the master in chief of the tug and the engineer boarded two Royal Navy ships, which are conducting the salvage operation to stop the boat from sinking.

The watch manager at Brixham Coastguard praised the efforts of HMS Severn and HMS Lancaster, saying their quick response is likely to save the boat.

But a Brixham Coastguard spokesman said: "The problem is this is happening quite close to shore and if this boat sinks there could be a big pollution problem.

"There is a lot of diesel on the boat, and there's a good chance the diesel would leak if it sinks.

"It would contaminate the local beaches - all this part of the coast is a holiday coastline. It is also a fishing area and would impact on the local birds and wildlife."

He added that if the boat cannot be saved the Royal Navy ships will instead begin the "difficult" task of pumping diesel out of the water.

The operation is ongoing with the support of two tugs, one from Brixham and one from Portland, which are pumping water off the stricken boat.

Christos 22 had pulled into the coastline in order to check a problem with the tow at around 7pm last night when it was hit and began taking on water rapidly.

The MV Emsstrom, the decommissioned vessel being towed by the tug became separated but has now been secured.

Torbay Life Boat and Exmouth Life Boat were the first to respond to a May Day call, rescuing six of the eight crew who were unhurt.

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EastEnders Actress Killed 'After Brother Row'

Former EastEnders actress Gemma McCluskie was beaten to death by her brother after a row over an overflowing sink, a court has heard.

Cannabis-smoking Tony McCluskie had left taps on at the London flat they shared and Miss McCluskie, 29, thought this was the "last straw".

She drove home to ask him to leave but was never seen alive again, the Old Bailey was told.

Jurors were told McCluskie killed his sister, cut up her body and dumped her remains in a canal - before leading police on a "wild goose chase" after reporting her missing last March.

McCluskie, 35, of Pelter Street, Shoreditch, east London, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder.

He says that he "blanked out" after arguing with her and has no recollection of killing her, the court heard.

Miss McCluskie played Kerry Skinner, the niece of Ethel Skinner, in the BBC soap in 2001.

Crispin Aylett, QC, prosecuting, said: "For some time, there had been tension between Miss McCluskie and her brother.

"To Gemma, this was largely as a result of the defendant's habitual use of cannabis - and its most toxic form, skunk.

"Gemma told a friend 'He's permanently stoned. He puts a spliff in his mouth first thing in the morning and doesn't know what he's doing'."

He said Miss McCluskie had discovered her brother had left taps on in the sink on Thursday, March 1 of last year and was "exasperated". Her friends later heard her arguing on the phone with her brother.

Mr Aylett said: "It is clear that Gemma regarded this incident as the last straw and that she wanted the defendant to move out."

The next day, McCluskie sent his sister a text pretending she was still alive and ending "Love ya xx", the court heard.

Her friends became concerned when they were unable to reach her and called or sent texts to the defendant, asking if he had heard from her.

He reported her missing to police, who classed her disappearance as low-risk based on details given by her brother.

The following Sunday, McCluskie told officers that a former boyfriend owed her money.

One hundred of her friends held a meeting in a local pub and then distributed leaflets appealing for help.

Her brother did not turn up at the pub until after the meeting had broken up, said Mr Aylett.

On the following Tuesday, a woman on a barge on the canal in Hackney, east London, noticed a floating suitcase. It hit the vessel and sprung open.

Mr Aylett said: "Inside was a female torso, no legs, no arms and no head." Miss McCluskie had been identified by a small tattoo on her body.

Over the next fortnight, her arms and legs were recovered separately from the water.

But her head, which had been dumped in the canal at the same time, was not found until September.

Mr Aylett said McCluskie told police that his sister had been seen in a kebab shop after she went missing, and that she had visited their mother in hospital.

But scientists had found blood in the bathroom and a blood-stained knife in the kitchen of the flat.

Police discovered that a man with a suitcase, who matched McCluskie's description, had taken a minicab to the canal the day after his sister disappeared.

Blood was found in the boot of the car, Mr Aylett said, and McCluskie's father and brother "no doubt with heavy hearts" said they recognised him from CCTV.

Mr Aylett continued: "The defendant must have killed Gemma, no doubt in the course of a quarrel."

Bruises were found on Miss McCluskie's arms and legs made before she died, and there were signs she had been struck over the head at least twice with a blunt instrument.

Mr Aylett said the prosecution did not accept the defendant's claims that he did not know how he killed his sister, nor remember cutting up and dumping her body.

"No doubt he did it in the heat of the moment, no doubt he soon came to regret what he had done," added Mr Aylett.

"He did everything he could to put himself beyond suspicion."

The trial continues.

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Catherine Gowing: Man Admits Murdering Vet

A 46-year-old man has admitted murdering Irish vet Catherine Gowing who went missing in North Wales.

Ms Gowing's body has never been fully recovered, although remains were found at two rural locations near her home in Flintshire, north Wales, and near Chester.

Clive Sharp, of no fixed address, has pleaded guilty to her murder at a hearing at Mold Crown Court.

Ms Gowing, 37, was living in New Brighton, Flintshire, when she disappeared on 12 October, 2012.

She had been working at a vet's practice in Mold.

She was last seen since at about 8pm on the day she went missing when she was picked up on CCTV leaving an Asda supermarket in Queensferry.

Her burned out car was found in a disused quarry near her home a week later.

It took nearly three weeks before two sets of remains, later identified as Ms Gowing, were discovered in a shallow pool in Sealand, Flintshire, and at Higher Ferry, next to the River Dee, in Chester.

More than 300 people attended a remembrance service in Kinnitty, County Offaly, in the Irish Republic, earlier this month.

Her sister Emma told a packed church that she was 'the closest person to perfection', she knew.

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April's Death: Bridger 'Probably Responsible'

By Mike McCarthy, Sky News Correspondent

The man accused of the abduction and murder of April Jones has pleaded not guilty, though his barrister says he is "probably responsible" for her death.

Mark Bridger, 47, sat in the dock at Mold Crown Court flanked by two security guards as details of the charges were read out. 

He clearly replied "not guilty" as five-year-old April's parents stared into the glass-fronted dock.

The judge made an order under the Contempt of Court Act that none of the evidence mentioned should be publicly reported.

But he added that Bridger's barrister's statement that the former lifeguard was "probably responsible" for April's death could be reported.

Earlier the murmurings from people gathering in Court One were silenced as Mr and Mrs Jones walked in with police family liaison officers.

Mrs Jones shook her head as Bridger was led back into custody by court officers after the hearing.

As well as facing charges of abducting and murdering April, he is also accused of unlawfully disposing of and concealing her body with intent to pervert the course of justice.

April's parents leave court after attending the hearing

The girl was last seen playing on her bike on Machynlleth's Bryn-y-Gog estate, in north Wales, where she lived, on October 1 last year.

Her disappearance sparked an outpouring of public support, with hundreds of people joining the search in the early days. 

On the day she went missing, Mr and Mrs Jones had allowed April to play out late as a treat after she received a glowing report from school.

Bridger was arrested the following day.

Officers resumed efforts to find April's body on January 7 after a two-week break.

In December, Superintendent Ian John, who is heading the search, said it would continue on the same scale and with equal numbers into the new year.

Just before Christmas her parents made an emotional plea on Facebook which said: "We just want you home for Christmas."

The message continued: "11 weeks now my baby April been missing. It's so hard you not here running around asking how long before Father Christmas is coming + you trying to open your present + try and help us wrap presents for family + friends ... please come home."

Bridger, who appeared in court wearing jeans and a navy sweater, will face trial next month.

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Snow: Cold Snap Bites With More To Come

A heavier band of snow is on its way today after parts of Britain had a dusting earlier in the day.

The worst affected areas are expected to be North East England, Yorkshire, East Anglia and the East Midlands, with up to 10cm (4in) of snow predicted to fall on higher ground.

The Met Office has issued amber warnings for these areas, highlighting the hazardous conditions and likelihood of disruption to travel services caused by the ice, snow and freezing temperatures.

There are also eight yellow warnings covering parts of England and Scotland, making people aware of possible disruption.

Central England will widely see up to 5cm (2in) of snow with temperatures hovering around 1C (33.8F).

A dusting of snow was earlier reported in the Midlands, southeast England, Yorkshire and parts of Scotland.

Amber and yellow warnings have been issued in the UK

A heavier band of sleet and snow is expected to move eastwards across the country today.

The second highest ice and snow alert - level three - is in force for all of England - with a 90% chance of severe cold conditions between now and Friday.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "Central and eastern parts of England will have snow showers this morning, perhaps quite sleety in parts of the Midlands.

"This afternoon there will be further rain, sleet and snow for central and eastern England, southern areas most likely to have rain or sleet.

"Rain and sleet as well for Wales and western England first thing. Once this clears south-eastwards, it'll be drier and brighter for the afternoon but with some showers, some of which will be heavy and wintry."

Children play on their sledge in Bingham, Nottinghamshire

Leeds Bradford Airport reported severe weather was causing disruption to its flight schedule - but it later removed the warning from its website.

Staff at Heathrow Airport monitored the weather closely but no flights were cancelled due to the weather.

The Highways Agency reported no major problems overnight, but are still braced for potential adverse weather conditions to come.

The agency has said it is "well prepared" for winter conditions.

A spokeswoman said: "We have a fleet of 500 state-of-the-art winter vehicles on standby, supported by tried-and-tested winter resilience plans.

"We have reviewed salt stock levels and taken action where needed to enhance our resilience and we have again established a reserve salt stock to help ensure that there is enough salt to deal with severe winter.

"Our roads will be treated whenever there is a risk of ice or snow. However, even when roads have been treated, drivers should still take care, especially on stretches where the local road layout or landscape means there could be a greater risk of ice forming."

Eastergate, West Sussex, by Sky News viewer Grannygill

Looking ahead to Tuesday, Ghaffar said it would be "cold again but most places will be dry with sunshine. There will be wintry showers down the east coasts with the chance of some heavier snow across Kent".

"Wintry showers as well across western coasts, especially for Wales and south-west England."

Temperatures are expected to drop further to around -8C on Wednesday night with the possibility of more light snow flurries.

:: Send us your photos or videos of the snow where you are.

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Belfast Protests: 29 Police Officers Injured

Twenty-nine police officers have been injured during disorder in east Belfast.

Police used water cannon during sectarian clashes overnight between loyalists and republicans in the Castlereagh Street area.

Trouble flared after a city centre demonstration against the council's decision to limit the number of days the Union flag is flown from City Hall.

Four of the 29 injured officers were taken to hospital and two remain in treatment.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) chief constable Matt Baggott said: "This was a difficult operation dealing with a large number of people determined to cause disorder and violence. My colleagues brought the situation under control with exceptional courage and professionalism.

"I know the vast majority of people will be grateful for their efforts. Police will continue to engage with all those committed to finding a solution to these issues."

Police officers helped an injured colleague during the protest

Water cannon were deployed and a non-lethal baton round fired by riot police as they separated opposing factions.

A hail of bricks and fireworks rained down at the Albertbridge Road near the nationalist Short Strand.

Earlier on Saturday, nearly 1,000 people gathered at City Hall to protest.

Senior politicians from Belfast, Dublin and London are to meet next week to discuss the protests after more than 40 days of road blocks and sporadic violence by loyalists have failed to produce a solution.

Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson and his deputy Martin McGuinness will join Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers and Ireland's Tanaiste (deputy leader) Eamonn Gilmore.

Mr Gilmore said: "This violence is being orchestrated and those behind it are known criminals, intent on creating chaos.

"This has nothing to do with real issues around flags and identity in a shared society, which are the subject of intensive political discussions at present."

Cars were set alight during the rioting

The demonstrations against Belfast City Council's decision to hoist the Union flag only on designated days like royal birthdays have brought many parts of Northern Ireland to a standstill.

More than 70 officers have been injured and over 100 arrests made during weeks of sporadic trouble, the PSNI said.

Businesses in Belfast's city centre have struggled to cope, with many reporting lost trade, and the Confederation of British Industry warned some investors may think again.

A doctor was prevented from attending a terminally ill cancer patient because of loyalist road blocks in south Belfast, it was revealed.

A loyalist protester throws a wooden post at police

The GP was travelling to a home call with the sick man when he was stopped twice by crowds of demonstrators who blocked the road.

Police asked them to move but they refused, nationalist SDLP MLA Conall McDevitt said.

He said: "These are depraved acts which immediately dismiss any claim on a protest being peaceful."

The doctor had to wait until the blockade was lifted.

A unionist forum chaired by DUP leader Mr Robinson and UUP leader Mike Nesbitt met last week to discuss ways of empowering loyalist working class communities.

A second peace rally is to be held outside City Hall later today.

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British Girl, 8, Killed In Jamaica Gun Attack

A family is in shock after a "happy, playful" British girl was killed by a gunman who opened fire in a cafe in Jamaica.

Imani Green, eight, was visiting relatives on the island with her mother when she was shot in the northwestern village of Duncans, in Trelawny.

Local journalist Nicky Williams told Sky News the attacker entered the premises - which was owned by a family member - on Friday evening and began arguing with another man shortly before the shooting.

Imani, from Balham, south London, is reported to have been shot twice, first in the head and then the shoulder. She was taken to hospital but later died. Three others were injured in the shooting.

Imani's brother Dean Palmer, who is in his 20s, told Sky News he was completely devastated by the death of his sister, who he described as "an extremely brave girl".

Speaking before he left the UK for Jamaica, he said Imani suffers from sickle-cell anaemia and visits relatives there twice a year to get away from cold weather that worsens her condition.

He said the family had been in two minds about whether to take her this time but the trip went ahead.

Deputy Superintendent Steve Brown, from Kingston Police, told Sky News officers were yet to establish a motive for the shooting.

"We do not know the motive. What we can confirm is that Imani was not the target of this shooting," he said.

Imani's head teacher at Fircroft Primary School, in Tooting, said everyone was "deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic news".

"Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, to whom we pledge our continuing love and support," she said.

"Imani was a happy, playful child who was popular with staff and pupils alike.

"She dealt with her illness very bravely and coped well with the special arrangements we had to have in place to support her.

"She had been given special permission to travel to Jamaica so that she could benefit from the warmer climate and we had been in contact with the local primary school she was attending whilst there to make sure she was receiving an appropriate education.

"We are now in the process of contacting all the families of children in the same year group to break this terrible news to them and we will be taking steps to offer support and counselling."

Imani's cousin, Marco Dane, 17, who also lives in London, told Sky News: "She was a sweet, innocent girl. She always had a smile on her face."

The British Foreign Office said: "We are providing consular assistance and liaising with local authorities."

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'Bucket List' Cancer Teenager Alice Dies

A teenager who gained nationwide fame after writing a "bucket list" of things to do before she died has lost her battle with cancer at the age of 17.

Alice Pyne, from Ulverston in Cumbria, managed to complete most of her list, including meeting Take That and going whale watching.

She was feted by celebrities and politicians as the nation rallied to help her fulfil her dreams.

The list - part of her blog - attracted the attention of footballer Rio Ferdinand, Hollywood actor Channing Tatum and TV host Philip Schofield.

Alice's idea was inspired by the film The Bucket List, which follows Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as they embark on a road trip to do things they want to before they "kick the bucket".

The teenager, who lived with her parents, Simon and Vicky, and younger sister, Milly, achieved many of her wishes, she told in her blog.

She died on Saturday after battling illness for the past six years.

In a posting on Alice's blog, her mother Vicky gave the sad news.

"Our darling girl, Alice, gained her angel wings today. She passed away peacefully with Simon, Milly and myself by her side," she wrote.

"We are devastated and know that our lives will never again be the same."

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Weather Warning: 'Severe' Ice And Snow Ahead

Forecasters have issued a new severe weather warning, with a high chance of disruptive ice and snow in England for much of next week.

The Met Office has raised its alert level to three - one step below a national emergency - and said icy conditions could last until Friday morning. 

Snow is expected in the North and East of the country, where downpours will build up on the ground as temperatures remain below zero.

Some snow is also expected in the South East and South West, along with central areas.

The alert warns of severe weather until Friday

All of Britain is already feeling the effects of winter as temperatures continue to linger at zero or just above.

Commuters have been warned to expect difficult journeys on Monday, when several centimetres of snow is expected across large swathes of the UK.

Snow has already begun to fall in Scotland and will slowly spread south today and overnight delivering a light dusting, but a heavier dump is expected to land over north Wales, central England and northern England tomorrow.

On Saturday, temperatures in some areas were between 2C and 5C (36F-41F), but in Inverness and Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands they never got above -1C (28F).

Temperatures were low across the UK overnight into Sunday, with the lowest reading -6C (21.2F) at Shap in Cumbria at 3am.

Road conditions could play havoc

The AA has warned that 75% of drivers are not prepared for conditions on the roads, and urged drivers to carry an essential winter kit and check their cars before getting behind the wheel.

The RAC is expecting up to 56,000 breakdowns and widespread disruption.

It has placed extra patrols on stand-by to help stranded motorists and said call-outs are expected to rise by 20% or more.

The Highways Agency said it is "well prepared" for winter conditions, adding that a fleet of 500 state-of-the-art winter vehicles were on standby.

A spokeswoman said: "Our roads will be treated whenever there is a risk of ice or snow. However, even when roads have been treated, drivers should still take care, especially on stretches where the local road layout or landscape means there could be a greater risk of ice forming."

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