Kids Given Lessons On Dangers Of Social Media

By Emma Birchley, Sky News East of England Correspondent

The danger of posting personal information online is being taught to children as part of a pilot project to keep them safe from criminals.

Pupils at a primary school in Shropshire and a high school in Cambridge have been taking part in the trial launched by the Information Commissioner's Office.

The Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, said: "I think the danger is of jigsaw identification. You can put little bits of information out there and somebody can piece it all together.

"So the name of the game with the primary school kids is to explain to them how the online world works and how there are organisations who make money by getting a hold of your information and selling it on to someone else."

Between January and October 2012, 35 million pieces of personal information were illegally traded online - up from 19 million during the whole of 2011.

As much as 90% of that trade was in the form of login and password details.

It helps to explain why 24% of UK residents have been the victim of identity fraud.

And the need to teach children early in life became even more evident after an expert at the London School of Economics recently estimated a million nine to 12-year-olds already use Facebook, despite the fact they are meant to be 13 before becoming members.

Mark Neighbour has been leading the pilot project at St Bede's School in Cambridge with year nine pupils.

He said: "We want them to think about what type of information could be used by a third party ... Why do they need to know their age for instance? Why do they need to know where they live? Why do they need to know where they shop?

"What we want them to do is question themselves before they put pen to paper or finger to a keyboard because once the information is gone, once they hit return, it's out there and anyone can get to it and use it."

Many children are also unaware that what may be quickly posted on the internet can potentially still be seen by universities or employers checking up on candidates years later.

Melissa, 14, was one of the pupils who attended the lessons.

"The internet is really scary and you should think twice before you start posting things. What you tweet, talk about on Facebook, pictures, things like that ... it's out there forever."

Rebecca, who is 13, thinks all pupils would benefit from the classes.

"It's actually helped everyone understand what we need to be aware of using the internet and what people can do."

Schools already warn children about online safety as part of the IT curriculum but these lessons are said to go into more detail about the importance of protecting personal data on the internet and in everyday life.

If the pilot proves a success, it will be rolled out in schools nationwide.

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Car Park Dug Up Around Marooned Mercedes

Workers were forced to resurface a car park around a stranded vehicle after its owner decided to move barriers to park there.

The area was blocked off by diggers at Edinburgh Waverley railway station, but when they turned up the next day, they found the Mercedes parked in the middle of the site.

Nonetheless, the workers got on with the job as planned and dug up the surface around the marooned blue car.

However, they also built a small ramp so the vehicle could be removed.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "Part of the car park had been cordoned off so we could begin resurfacing it and improve the lighting too.

"Whoever the driver was, he or she decided to move the barriers and park in the worksite anyway.

"We did the work but we left a ramp for them to exit and will be happy to return their vehicle if they contact us."

The scene was caught on camera by Twitter user Alice Robertson, who tweeted: "Not a good day to park in the Edinburgh Waverley car park."

The work is part of Network Rail's £100m refurbishment project of the station.

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Halal Prison Food Found To Contain Pork DNA

A company which supplies Halal meat to prisons has had its contract suspended after traces of pork DNA were found in pies and pasties.

The Ministry of Justice said it had withdrawn the products immediately, while justice minister Jeremy Wright said the Prison Service was investigating "as a matter of urgency".

It comes after traces of horsemeat were found in burgers sold by some UK supermarkets, including Tesco.

"All prisons have been informed about this very regrettable incident and we reported this issue to the Food Standards Agency immediately," a spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said.

"We are taking immediate steps to suspend the contract with the relevant sub-contractor."

Mr Wright said: "This is an absolutely unacceptable situation and one which we regret greatly.

"This must be distressing for those affected and they can be reassured we are doing everything we can to resolve the situation. The Prison Service is investigating this as a matter of urgency."

The company involved has not been named and it is not known where the firm is based.

Islamic law forbids the consumption of pork and prison rules dictate that Halal meat must be offered to inmates.

Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: "This lapse will have offended and distressed high numbers of Muslim prisoners and their families so apologising, suspending the supplier and investigating the incident are the right steps for the Ministry of Justice to take."

A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency said a local authority investigation would look into the cause of the contamination and determine where the products had been sent.

It is due to meet with retailers and suppliers to remind them of their responsibilities surrounding food labelling after the recent horsemeat scandal.

Burger King has dropped the Irish food processing plant which supplied the contaminated burgers.

The Silvercrest plant in County Monaghan, which is part of the ABP Food Group, has also lost contracts with Tesco, Aldi and the Co-operative Group.

A sample of Tesco's Everyday Value Beef Burgers was found to contain 29% horsemeat.

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RBS Told To Pay Libor Fine From Bonus Pot

Chancellor George Osborne wants any fine paid by the Royal Bank of Scotland over the Libor scandal to come out of its bankers' bonuses.

RBS, which is majority-owned by the taxpayer, is expected to agree a fine of £400-500m next week with US and British authorities.

It is accused of attempting to rig benchmark interest rates.

Sky's City Editor Mark Kleinman said: "A Treasury source has told Sky News that the money that the US regulators will fine RBS will have to come out of the bank's bonus pot.

Sky's Mark Kleinman said the demand is politically important

"It's very important politically, I think, for the Chancellor to be able to say that the taxpayer is not bearing the financial cost of misconduct by bankers who work for a company that is majority-owned by the taxpayer.

"The Treasury is obviously playing hardball on this, and we'll find out exactly how much RBS is going to be paying in fines in the coming days."

The Treasury expects the fines to be paid not just from the bonus pot for 2012 - likely to be around £250m - but money from future years' bonus pots as well.

RBS - which is 81% owned by taxpayers - is also looking to claw back up to £100m from pay deals previously awarded to executives in its investment bank.

The bank's remuneration committee, which is chaired by Penny Hughes, a non-executive director, is assessing plans for a "flat tax" on the pay packets of hundreds of directors and managing directors in its markets business.

The idea would involve about 15% of prior-year pay awards to the relevant individuals being clawed back, netting a total of as much as £100m.

"George Osborne is sending out a clear signal: 'You're paying for this, not us'," said Sky's Glen Oglaza.

"What the Treasury are saying is there won't be bonuses paid this year, but actually your bonuses are going to be clawed back not just this year but probably next year and the year after as well."

Barclays was fined £300m last year for its role in the scandal.

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Blackpool Burning Body: Teen Stabbed To Death

A 16-year-old girl whose body was found burning in an alley was stabbed to death, a post-mortem examination has found.

Sasha Marsden's body was set on fire after she had died from stab wounds to the head and face, police said.

Police cordoned off the area in South Shore, Blackpool, after her body was discovered at 9pm on Thursday.

A 22-year-old man was arrested nearby and police have been granted a further 36 hours to question him.

A woman aged 20 was also held but later released without charge.

Police released this image of Sasha

A police spokesman said: "Following the death of Sasha Marsden, a Home Office post-mortem examination has been carried out and has found that Sasha died as a result of receiving significant stab wounds to the head and face.

"It also showed that attempts were made to set the body on fire and this was after Sasha had died.

"The results have been shared with the family, and specially trained officers are continuing to support them."

The teenager was on a childcare course at college (Facebook picture)

On Friday, specialist crime scene investigators carried out forensic searches of the alley behind Kirby Road and at the Grafton House bed-and-breakfast hotel on the same road, which is a few streets off the Promenade.

Carl Evans, owner of the nearby Kimber Guest House, told Sky News he spotted the fire when he walked out into his back garden on Thursday evening.

"I heard the alarms going and saw the smoke, but I thought it was just someone burning rubbish," he said.

He added that some residents had attempted to put out the flames before realising it was a body on fire.

The crime scene in Blackpool has been cordoned off by police

"The lass two doors up said someone seemed to have put something out - like a mannequin - but it turned out to be the body of a 16-year-old girl."

Sasha was in the first year of a childcare course at Blackpool and The Fylde College and lived with her parents in Staining, near Blackpool.

In a tribute to her, Mandy Pritchard, head of the college's school for society, health and childhood, said she was "a friendly, considerate individual who cared about her fellow students".

Numerous tributes were paid to the youngster on a Facebook page set up in her memory.

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999 Calls Tweeted By West Midlands Police

Police will today be live tweeting details of 999 calls made by the public - after a barrage of bizarre requests to the emergency line.

West Midlands Police is staging a 24-hour tweetathon to show the array of calls it receives - from the life-threatening to the "ridiculous".

The tweetathon - which can be followed here - has been prompted by a string of bizarre 999 calls made by members of the public.

One caller rang to report trouble being served at McDonald's, while another called for advice about a lost laptop password.

Others called to ask for directions or to say they had lost property and another dialled the emergency number to inform officers about being denied entrance to a nightclub.

As the tweetathon began, West Midlands Police said they had already received some unneccessary calls.

One tweet said: "999 call just received from an unlocked phone in a pocket, tying up an emergency line. Remember to check your phone is locked!"

Another said: "We've just received a 999 call from a young man at a phone box who is abusing our 999 operators."

Chief Inspector Sally Holmes, of West Midlands Police, said: "These calls are ridiculous and it doesn't end just there.

"We regularly receive calls about lost property, people asking for directions and from people who have been denied entry to a nightclub.

"We are launching a 24-hour tweetathon to show the array of calls made, from serious and life-threatening to bizarre.

"It's astonishing listening to them but they hide a serious truth.

"Each call often takes minutes to deal with as staff have to clarify the situation. It might not sound like much but, if someone is trying to get through to report a genuine life or death emergency, then a minute is a very long time to wait.

"I cannot stress enough that the 999 number is for emergencies only, for guidance this is defined as: a crime is in progress, someone suspected of a crime is nearby, when there is danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened.

"To contact police for any other reason, call 101."

Typically West Midlands Police receives over 1,500 calls a day to the 999 number.

Great Manchester Police launched a 24-hour tweetathon in 2010 to show all the 999 calls the force receives.

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Seabird 'Pollution' Substance May Be Palm Oil

A mysterious sticky substance covering more than 100 birds which washed up on the coast of southern England could be palm oil dumped in the sea.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) was called in on Thursday after the troubled guillemots, a member of the auk family, were discovered on Lyme Bay near Weymouth, Dorset.

The seabirds were taken to West Hatch Animal Centre in Taunton, Somerset, but early attempts to clean them have been hampered by not knowing what the thick, white, substance is, said the RSPB's Grahame Madge.

Many were found on the shores of Chesil Cove in Dorset, but others appeared up to 200 miles away in Cornwall.

An investigation is continuing and Mr Madge said: "We could be dealing with quite a large incident as all these birds could be proved to come from the same pollution incident."

Sky's Ashish Joshi, reporting from Chesil Cove, said more of the birds have been washing up on the shore this morning.

He said of the RSPB: "They think it might be palm oil which has been dumped in a container load out there somewhere."

Joshi added: "If the birds get to this shoreline, they're exhausted, they're unable to fly, they can't get back into the water so their chances of survival are near to minimal.

"So it's important that members of the local community, including the RSPB, are coming to this shoreline and finding these birds."

The rescue operation is being run by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). A spokesman said they were pleased with the public's willingness to help the stricken birds, but warned of the dangers involved.

The spokesman said: "We would urge people to be cautious going down to the coastline affected.

"The instinctive reaction is to go down and look, or to help out. But we don't know what this substance is, so our message is for people - especially those taking dogs down to the coastline - to please be careful."

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Detective Jailed For Trying To Leak To NOTW

A senior police officer has been jailed for 15 months for trying to sell information to the News Of The World.

Detective Chief Inspector April Casburn, 53, was found guilty last month of misconduct in public office for offering the newspaper confidential information in return for money.

In sentencing Casburn at the Old Bailey, Mr Justice Fulford described her crime as "a corrupt attempt to make money out of sensitive and potentially very damaging information".

A year before she was arrested, Casburn, of Hatfield Peverel, Essex, had started the process of adopting a child.

The judge said had that not been for the adopted child he would have sentenced her to three years.

He said he was particularly concerned about Casburn's child, saying that her absence while she is in prison could cause lifelong damage.

Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "The judge said it was such a serious offence that she did have to go to jail.

"It's prison for a police officer and, as the judge acknowledged, police officers find life inside very difficult, and there's no reason to think that she won't find it difficult."

The judge also said Casburn's offence could not be described as whistle-blowing.

"If the News of the World had accepted her offer, it's clear, in my view, that Ms Casburn would have taken the money and, as a result, she posed a significant threat to the integrity of this important police investigation," the judge said.

"Activity of this kind is deeply damaging to the administration of criminal justice in this country.

"It corrodes the public's faith in the police force, it can lead to the acquittal or the failure by the authorities to prosecute individuals who have committed offences whether they are serious or otherwise.

"We are entitled to expect the very highest standards of probity from our police officers, particularly those at a senior level.

"It is, in my judgment, a very serious matter indeed when men or women who have all the benefits, privileges and responsibilities of public office use their position for corrupt purposes."

News Of The World was closed in 2011

Casburn, who worked in the counter-terrorism unit, called the NOTW news desk on September 11, 2010, and spoke to journalist Tim Wood about the fresh investigation into phone hacking.

She claimed she contacted the tabloid because she was concerned about counter-terror resources being wasted on the phone-hacking inquiry, which her colleagues saw as "a bit of a jolly".

The detective denied asking for money but Mr Wood had made a note that she "wanted to sell inside information".

Mr Justice Fulford said: "It seems to me Mr Wood was a reliable, honest and disinterested witness.

"He took time and trouble during the defendant's call to find out exactly what Miss Casburn was saying, questioning the defendant in detail on her account in order to make an accurate note for his superiors at the News of the World which he wrote up in detail immediately afterwards.

"He had absolutely no reason to lie and every cause to be cautious given the risk that the newspaper was to be the victim of a sting, as he suspected."

During her trial at Southwark Crown Court last month, Casburn likened the male-dominated counter-terrorism unit to the TV series Life On Mars.

She was not given a desk for several months, despite more junior colleagues having them, jurors were told.

But the judge rejected this as an explanation for her behaviour.

He said: "It seems to me this is a straightforward but troubling case of corruption.

"I decline to accept that she had significant difficulties working with her male colleagues in the senior ranks of the counter-terrorism unit, which in part she said led her to act as she did."

NOTW was closed in 2011 because of the phone hacking scandal.

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Taxi! Chinese Firm Saves British Icon

A Chinese company has rescued the maker of Britain's iconic black taxi and intends to sell them around the world.

Privately-owned Chinese carmaker Geely has bought Coventry-based Manganese Bronze in a deal worth £11m.

Geely previously owned a 20% stake in the firm before it collapsed into administration last October.

More than 100 jobs have been saved after Manganese Bronze was brought out of administration by the Chinese firm.

Manganese Bronze nearly crashed after it was forced to recall 500 black cabs due to a steering box fault, which came on top of mounting losses at the group.

Geely pledged to retain the group's 107 staff and existing manufacturing site in Coventry.

But 156 jobs have already been axed since Manganese called in administrators.

A security guard at the gates of the manufacturer in Coventry

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group chairman Li Shufu said the firm has ambitious plans for the business.

Geely said it was confident of being able to create new jobs and plans new taxi models with improved energy efficiency, while it is also looking at launching into the private hire market.

"Despite its recent difficulties, we have long believed that the company and the 'black cab' have huge potential," Mr Li added.

Its London Taxi arm was already suffering amid a consumer spending slowdown and increased rivalry from competitors, such as Eco City vehicles, and Manganese had been loss-making for the past four years.

The group's London Taxi Company division makes about 2,700 cabs a year and has produced more than 100,000 since it started in 1948. Its newest model, the TX4, was launched in October 2006.

While the holding company will be known as Geely UK, the new owner said it will retain the London Taxi International brand.

The London icon is used in many towns across the UK

Manganese Bronze can trace its roots back to the 19th century as a maker of ship propellers and was named after the metal used.

The deal was welcomed by Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London.

He said: "I am delighted that Geely has successfully secured the future of the London Taxi Company, ensuring the continuing manufacture of a world famous, fully accessible and instantly recognisable vehicle synonymous with London."

Business Secretary Vince Cable added: "It's only right that the iconic black cabs will be produced in the UK.

"I'm pleased that workers in the Coventry factory will keep their jobs, thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this happen."

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Car Thieves Dump Children By Birmingham Road

Police in Birmingham are searching for two car thieves who drove off with two young children still strapped into the back of the vehicle.

The 23-year-old mother of the children was pulled from behind the wheel of her white Vauxhall Astra in Erdington on Wednesday night by two men who then stole the car, West Midlands Police said.

Her two children, aged five years and 18 months, were driven for about half a mile before being left, unhurt, at the side of the road.

A passer-by found them and they were quickly reunited with their mother.

West Midlands Police Detective Sergeant Julie Woods, said: "The car is a white Vauxhall Astra, registration KV60 BNX, and had blacked-out windows; we want to know where this car is and are asking for anyone who believes they may have spotted it to contact us.

"This was a frightening ordeal for the mum who saw her young children being driven off by the car thieves, but thankfully they were back with her unhurt in just a matter of minutes. The mum was also unhurt."

Police are going through CCTV footage from the area in an attempt to work out where the stolen Astra was taken.

Anyone with information about the robbery or has seen the car is asked to call the 101 police non-emergency number or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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Alps Drowning: Teenager Dies In Pool Accident

A British teenager has drowned in a swmming pool after a night out in a French ski resort.

Lucy Sallis became trapped under a pool cover after jumping into the water in Alpe d'Huez, according to reports.

The 19-year-old from Bognor Regis, West Sussex is believed to have been drinking with friends before they decided to climb over a wall around a municipal pool and go for a swim.

Local police confirmed that a woman had drowned in the pool.

Her friends reportedly tried to revive her after finding her body under the cover but their efforts were in vain.

Friends described Lucy Sallis as "the most perfect girl"

Miss Sallis had been in the resort working in the kitchen at the Belle Aurore hotel.

Tributes were paid to the teenager on Twitter, describing her as "the most perfect girl".

One read: "If that doesn't show you how short life is I dunno what does."

Another friend wrote: "Rest in peace beautiful Lucy Sallis. She was such a beautiful girl, praying for my best friend and her family right now! xxxxx."

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Whale Vomit Found on Dog Walk Worth £100,000

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

A man whose dog found a lump of rare and valuable whale sick on a beach is expecting to be able to sell it for more than £100,000.

Ken Wilman, 50, was out walking on Morecambe beach when his dog Madge started sniffing a lump of rock.

He told Sky News: "At first I thought it was a football but as I got closer I realised it was a big stone.

"She wouldn't leave it alone. I picked it up and it smelt horrible so I knocked it with my walking stick and a small lump came off.

"I put both pieces back on the beach but something in the back of my mind told me it might be something unusual.

"I came back home and searched online. I had an inkling it was whale vomit and when I saw pictures I realised it was.

"When I read how valuable it was I got Madge straight back in the car and drove back to the beach to bring it home."

Whale vomit is also known as ambergris and is used to make perfume. It is formed in the digestive system of sperm whales and has a very strong and unpleasant aroma.

The find could leave Ken more than £100,000 better off

Whales excrete it through the mouth when it is too large to pass through the digestive system. Perfume makers use it as it has a smell similar to musk.

Mr Wilman said: "A company in France has offered 5,000 euros (£4,300) per 300g which would make my piece worth 50,000 euros (£43,000) but I'm told companies in Switzerland offer four times that amount."

Mr Wilman, who is a single parent and has been unemployed since a motorbike accident in 2007, said when he does sell it he will spend the money taking his 15-year-old son on a trip to Machu Picchu, in Peru.

He added: "Madge will also be getting a treat for her find by being fed her favourite sausages every day from now on!"

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Mark Duggan: Man Guilty Of Supplying Gun

A man has been found guilty of supplying a gun to Mark Duggan, whose fatal shooting by police sparked the London riots.

Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, 30, was convicted at the Old Bailey of passing the firearm to Mr Duggan after a retrial.

The court heard Mr Duggan collected the BBM Bruni Model 92 handgun just 15 minutes before he was shot dead on August 4, 2011.

The 29-year-old's death in Tottenham, north London, led to riots that swept across London and other English towns and cities.

Hutchinson-Foster had denied a charge of "selling or transferring a prohibited firearm" to Mr Duggan between July 28 and August 5, 2011.

A jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court failed to reach a verdict after a trial last year. But at the retrial, a jury of seven women and five men convicted him by majority verdict.

Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said Mr Duggan was under surveillance by police who "believed he was intent on exacting revenge on another man for the earlier murder of his cousin".

During both trials armed officers, who gave evidence anonymously, described how they opened fire on Mr Duggan because they saw him get out of a taxi holding a loaded gun.

The gun supplied to Mark Duggan by Kevin Hutchinson-Foster

The officer who shot Mr Duggan twice - once in the chest and once in the arm - said he fired because he thought he was going to shoot him and his colleagues.

Mr Duggan had gone in the minicab to Leyton, east London, where he collected the gun in a shoebox from Hutchinson-Foster, before continuing to Tottenham.

The taxi was pulled over by armed police in four unmarked cars in a "hard stop", and as Mr Duggan got out clutching the firearm, he was shot.

The gun was found five metres from Mr Duggan's body, on a grass verge behind railings.

The shoebox, found in the minicab, had both Mr Duggan's and the defendant's fingerprints on it, while mobile phone evidence showed they were in contact with each other in the run up to the shooting.

But Hutchinson-Foster, a cannabis user with convictions for possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to supply, claimed Mr Duggan had wanted his help to sell some cannabis.

The defendant had admitted using the same gun to beat barber Peter Osadebay at a barber's shop in Dalston, east London, just six days before Mr Duggan's death.

Hutchinson-Foster claimed this was why his DNA was found on the gun when it was retrieved from Ferry Lane on August 4, along with traces of Mr Osadebay's blood.

Mr Duggan was killed in a police shooting in August 2011

The defendant said he collected the firearm from someone else so he could beat Mr Osadebay on July 29, but had returned it on the same day.

Chief Superintendent Dean Haydon said: "There is an ongoing IPCC investigation into the death of Mark Duggan and the circumstances of his death will be a matter for the coroner at a later date.

"The Kevin Hutchinson-Foster trial has primarily been about the supply of an illegal firearm and I welcome the verdict of the jury in this case today."

The Duggan family, who did not attend Hutchinson-Foster's trial or retrial, have said the question of whether Mr Duggan was holding a gun is something that should only be addressed at his inquest, expected to begin in September.

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Ex-EastEnder Dean Gaffney Hurt In Car Crash

Former EastEnders actor Dean Gaffney is being treated in hospital for serious head injuries he suffered in a car crash.

The 34-year-old actor, who played Robbie Jackson in the BBC soap for 10 years, was hurt when his car hit the central reservation of a Derbyshire road.

His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

Derbyshire Police said: "We can confirm that a 34-year-old man was involved in a collision on the A38 at around 10.45pm last night.

"There was just one car involved that hit the central reservation.

"He was taken to Royal Derby Hospital where he received treatment for head injuries but those injuries aren't thought to be life-threatening."

Part of the A38 was closed for three hours after the crash.

Since leaving EastEnders in 2003, Gaffney has returned for several special appearances and also had roles in The Bill and a Ricky Gervais Christmas special. He has also taken part in reality TV shows The Club and I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here.

Friends of the actor, who was due to star in Agatha Christie murder mystery A Murder Is Announced at Lincoln Theatre Royal from Monday, wished him well him messages posted on Twitter. 

Actor Tamer Hassan wrote: "Can we all pray for my good friend Dean Gaffney who has just had a bad car accident and is fighting for his life."

A comment left by Steven Van Der Lammie said: "Whenever I've worked with Dean Gaffney, he's always been so kind and funny...I really hope he pulls through his car accident! x"

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HMV Staff Use Twitter To Reveal Redundancies

HMV staff have used the company's Twitter account to reveal workers at the head office and other non-shop staff are being fired.

The staff used the social media service to inform followers that 190 employees were being made redundant.

Joint administrators from Deloitte later confirmed the news and the number of staff being fired.

Administrator Nick Edwards said: "Since our appointment as administrators over two weeks ago, we have been assessing the financial position of HMV.

"Following this review, a number of redundancies at the head office and distribution centres have been made.

"Although such decisions are always difficult, it is a necessary step in restructuring the business to enhance the prospects of securing its future as a going concern."

More follows...

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Tax Deadline: 1.8m Still To File Returns

By Pete Norman, Sky News Online

Nearly two million people have still to file their self-assessment tax returns before tomorrow's deadline, Sky News has learned.

Although a total of 8.8 million returns have so far been filed, a further 1.8 million must get their online returns in before Thursday's midnight deadline to avoid being hit with an automatic penalty.

The £100 fine for filing of the self-assessment document on February 1 or later is imposed even if workers have already paid any tax due for the year or no tax is liable.

An HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) spokesman told Sky News: "If you still haven't sent in your tax return, you've got until tomorrow to file to avoid a penalty – and please also make sure to pay what you owe."

The Tax Office said that on Tuesday a total of 321,000 people filed the returns - at a rate of 13,375 an hour.

In recent years HMRC has bolstered its online data facilities to try and keep pace with online filing.

There has been a near-doubling of people filing tax returns over the internet during the past five years.

In January 2008, 45.9% of the 9.3 million returns were filed online and the figure topped 80.9% of 10.5 million returns by last January.

HMRC recently revealed that on Christmas Day 1,548 people also filled in forms while another 4,685 people filed on Boxing Day.

On January 31, 2012 a technical fault left deadline day self-assessment taxpayers unable to check their payment status.

Sky News understands the fault was caused by outside payment service providers and not internal Tax Office systems.

The glitch occurred as HMRC was inundated with returns on deadline day.

Days later HMRC said that a total of 90.4% of taxpayers had met that self-assessment deadline, by filing online or on paper forms.

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Jeremy Kyle Cancer Battle: Host 'On The Mend'

TV chat show host Jeremy Kyle is recuperating abroad after being treated for testicular cancer.

He is understood to have had chemotherapy following the discovery of a growth late last year.

The 47-year-old presenter has taken a break from recording his ITV daytime programme while he recovers.

He is expected to return to work next week to begin filming new shows.

A statement on his programme's Facebook page said: "Jeremy was diagnosed with cancer just before Christmas. After an operation and chemotherapy treatment, I'm pleased to say he's now on the mend.

"It's been a really tough couple of months for him and his family but he wanted to let you all know that he appreciates your continuing support.

"Jeremy will be back at work next week to start filming new shows which you'll see on TV very soon."

An ITV spokeswoman said: "We wish Jeremy well and are pleased that he is making such good progress."

Kyle has hosted his TV programme for seven and a half years, putting dysfunctional relationships in the spotlight, and many have criticised it for glorifying "broken Britain".

Last week, his show was nominated for the National Television Awards for the best daytime TV show award, although it missed out to This Morning.

Kyle was a salesman before his move into broadcasting, hosting programmes in local radio.

He went on to present his Virgin Confessions show on Virgin Radio before landing his TV slot after Trisha Goddard left her daytime ITV series to head to Channel 5.

Kyle has also launched his programme in the US and has fronted other shows for ITV.

In his autobiography, I'm Only Being Honest, the twice-married presenter talked about how he suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder.

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Motorist In Court Over Tandem Couple's Deaths

A motorist has appeared in court accused of killing a couple who were knocked off their tandem bike in an alleged hit-and-run.

Nicholas Lovell, 38, was remanded in custody at North Avon Magistrates' Court in Yate, south Gloucestershire, charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

Lovell, of West Street, in nearby Oldland Common, is also charged with driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and failing to stop after a road accident.

Husband and wife Ross and Clare Simons died in a crash while cycling on Sunday evening in Hanham, near Bristol.

Lovell was arrested after handing himself into police hours after the collision.

He is due to appear over video link at Bristol Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on February 21.

Wearing a navy blue T-shirt and glasses, he was accompanied by two dock officers during the five-minute hearing.

He did not react as the clerk read out the charges against him, and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.

Kathryn Jones, prosecuting, told the court: "The incident on the 27th resulted unfortunately in the fatalities of the two individuals that have been named.

"There is no bail application. The Crown seeks remand in custody."

The couple died less than 24 hours after celebrating the news that they could undergo fertility treatment to start a family.

Mr Simons, 34, and his 30-year-old wife - described by friends as "two peas in a pod" - died when their bicycle was in collision with a Citroen Picasso car.

Their families described them as "very special" and said they had "no words" to describe their loss.

Dozens of floral tributes have been left at the scene.

A 35-year-old woman arrested in connection with the collision remains on police bail.

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Tragic London Marathon Runner Used Stimulant

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

A young woman who died in the London Marathon was using a stimulant which has since been banned, an inquest has heard.

After Claire Squires, 30, collapsed and died in the run last April, a public outpouring of support led to more than £1m being donated to her chosen charity.

The inquest at Southwark Coroner's Court heard that Miss Squires died from acute cardiac failure.

On the day of the race, Miss Squires had put Jack3d in her water bottle, the hearing was told.

The popular stimulant used to contain an amphetamine-like substance DMAA, and experts say this contributed to her death.

DMAA was banned from shelves and internet sales in the UK in August last year over fears it could be lethal when used during rigorous activity.

Jack3d since removed the ingredient from their product.

The court heard how several US soldiers had died after taking DMAA during training, and it was subsequently banned by the US Army.

Mr Van Herrewage arrives at the inquest

It was legal in the UK at the time Claire was using it.

Her boyfriend, Simon Van Herrewage, said she had not used it much before, but that she used it for a boost during the London Marathon.

"She put one scoop in her water bottle and said she would only use it if she hit a wall," he said.

"She was trying to beat her previous time and do it in under four hours."

In a statement, cardiologist William McKenna said: "The presence of a substance found it the blood was an important factor in the outcome." 

Dr Nicola Drake, who treated Miss Squires at St Thomas' Hospital, told the court that the drug makes "heart levels increase".

"It makes the heart work harder than it normally would," she said.

Dr John Van der Walt, who conducted the post mortem, concluded that "acute cardiac failure due to extreme physical exertion complicated by the presence of DMAA was the cause of death."

Miss Squires' boyfriend also told the hearing that she had been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat by an acupuncturist.

But her GP told the inquest that she never went to see him with concerns over her heartbeat.

Miss Squires collapsed and died a mile from the finish line of the London marathon last April.

The 30-year-old hairdresser from NorthKilworth, Leicestershire, was running to raise funds for the Samaritans in honour of her brother Grant, who died of a drug overdose in 2001, aged 25.

Before the race she had raised £500 but following news of her death, thousands of well-wishers have left donations of more than £1m.

She was treated by medical teams positioned along the route before she was rushed to hospital by ambulance where she was later pronounced dead.

She had previously undertaken a string of gruelling physical challenges for charity, including a marathon in Belfast and the Great North Run.

Asked how long she trained for the London Marathon, her boyfriend said "she never stopped training".

"She ran five times a week and she knew how to build up for a marathon."

After the inquest Mr Van Herrewage said: "This has been an extremely difficult time for us, Claire's death has left a gaping hole in our hearts and in our lives.

"We'll always remember her with a big smile on her face trying to make everyone she met feel good about themselves.

"The outcome of the inquest left us feeling a little numb, Claire took part in the marathon to do some good and challenge herself in the same way she did for many other events.

"Claire was passionately against the use of drugs and would never ever have taken anything that would have caused her harm or even worse risk to life.

"She innocently took a supplement that at the time was entirely legal and widely available on the high street, and somewhat worryingly apparently used by so many others."

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Cumbria Votes Against Nuclear Waste Site

Cumbria County Council has voted against proceeding with plans to build an underground nuclear waste dump.

Council leaders rejected a move to the next stage of studying a possible suitable site by seven votes to three.

There were huge cheers from environmental campaigners outside the council chamber in Carlisle when the decision was announced. 

More than 32,000 people had signed a petition against the £12bn underground storage facility.

Greenpeace energy campaigner Leila Deen said: "This decision represents yet another major blow for the Government's attempts to force the construction of costly nuclear power plants.

"Even the Prime Minister admits we need a plan to store waste before we can build a single new plant.

"This decision shows that dumping waste in uncertain geology near one of the country's most pristine national parks is not a solution.

"Ministers must now re-consider their nuclear ambitions and turn their attention instead to clean, sustainable and renewable energy."

Earlier, leaders of Copeland borough councillors voted six to one in favour of moving to the next stage in the search for a site to bury radioactive waste.

But the Cumbria County Council vote over-rides decisions on the waste site taken by borough authorities in the area.

If the site was given the go ahead it would have been the first of its kind in the UK.

Currently most nuclear waste is stored at Sellafield in Cumbria.

Cumbria County Council said in a statement that its cabinet has decided that West Cumbria should no longer be considered as a potential location for a deep geological repository to dispose of higher activity radioactive waste

Council leader Eddie Martin (Conservative) said:  "Cumbria has a unique and world-renowned landscape which needs to be cherished and protected.

"While Sellafield and the Lake District have co-existed side by side successfully for decades, we fear that if the area becomes known in the national conscience as the place where nuclear waste is stored underground, the Lake District's reputation may not be so resilient."

Deputy Leader Stewart Young added: "The case for investment in Sellafield is now more pressing than ever.

"We had always raised concerns over the lack of any plan B from Government and the fact that West Cumbria was the only area to express an interest in the process left the Government with few options if we decided not to proceed.

"It is now time for the Government to secure the long-term future of the nuclear industry and put in place robust storage arrangements at Sellafield while it decides how to continue the search for a repository elsewhere in the UK."

As councillors were meeting, protesters gathered to make their views heard. 

Cumbria resident Miles Fielding told Sky News:  "There are already problems in the continent where there are nuclear dumps with leakage and known cancers occurring in the villages where the dumps are, so it's just not worth playing with."

Also outside the meeting were people staging a demonstration in favour of the plans because of the jobs a new site would create.

Garry Graham, deputy general secretary of Prospect, which represents 12,000 nuclear workers, said: "A decision not to proceed to the next stage of feasibility studies will take us straight back to the drawing board.

"The alternative to building a repository is not no radioactive waste, just continued surface storage. Therefore, the assessment of the scientific case for a geological disposal facility needs to weighed against the pros and cons of the alternatives.

"The next stage consists of experts conducting desk-based geological studies, compiling a waste inventory and discussions over the social and economic implications.

"It is still a long way from a green light for any excavation or exploratory groundwork.

"Not only does the vote have vast implications for the economic wealth of West Cumbria, which relies so heavily on the nuclear industry for jobs and growth, it potentially casts a shadow over any nuclear renaissance in the UK."

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Belcuore Knee Death: Compensation For Widow

The widow of a man who died during a botched knee operation more than three years ago has been awarded an undisclosed amount by a High Court judge.

Luigi Belcuore, known as Louis to his friends, agreed to take part in a clinical trial testing new techniques for treating knee cartilage problems in October 2009.

But the 43-year-old died during surgery when the operation went drastically wrong as air got into his blood vessels, causing an embolism.

His widow, Penny Belcuore, discovered weeks later that she was expecting the couple's third child, now a two-year-old boy. They also had two daughters, now aged five and six.

Speaking after the hearing at the High Court in Birmingham, Mrs Belcuore said it had been "a long slog", adding: "I'm relieved today is over and it's finally come to an end."

Mr Belcuore was a 43-year-old businessman

In a statement, she said: "For the past three-and-a-half years I have felt in a state of limbo, trying to find out exactly what happened and why Louis died suddenly during what should have been a routine knee operation.

"Whilst today's approval hearing brings the civil action to an end and I am grateful that my children's future is now at least financially secure, it remains an ongoing struggle to carry on without Louis by my side.

"I know that he would want me to stay strong and I do this for the sake of our two daughters and our baby boy.

"However, it's incredibly hard knowing that both they, and the son he never even got to see, will now grow up without their Dad and at every milestone in their lives he will sadly not be there to share in their happiness.

"To be able to fully come to terms with this we need full answers about exactly what went wrong and proof the same errors can never happen again."

Victoria Blankstone from Irwin Mitchell, the law firm which represented Mrs Belcuore, said: "Today is a difficult day for Louis' family.

"Whilst Penny is relieved that the approval hearing means that their three young children will be properly provided for financially, nothing can turn back the clock and the fact remains that Louis' death remains the most appalling and needless tragedy.

"What marks out this particular case is how difficult it has been to get to the truth of what happened and whilst it is a testimony to Penny that she has remained resolutely determined in her search for answers, she is deeply upset that it has taken so long to discover the full facts of what occurred the day her husband died."

The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry, which was ordered to pay the undisclosed sum, made an early admission of liability and had previously apologised to the family.

In a statement a spokesman for the hospital trust said: "The Trust deeply regrets the tragic loss of Mr Belcuore's life and offers its sincere apologies to Mrs Belcuore and her family and would like to wish them well for the future."

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Pimlico Stabbing: Teen Was On Gang 'Periphery'

A teenager who died after being stabbed in the street has been described as a "timid young man" who was on the "periphery" of a gang.

Hani Abou El Kheir, 16, was set upon on the edge of Pimlico by a gang reported to have been wielding swords and knives.

Emergency services battled to save the teenager's life as he lay bleeding in Lupus Street, but he died a few hours later in hospital.

Scotland Yard said police were "retaining an open mind regarding any motive at this stage" and confirmed a post-mortem examination into his death will take place at noon. No arrests have been made.

It has since emerged that Hani had become known to drugs intervention workers, and was believed to be "on the periphery" of local gangs.

Pimlico is one of London's most affluent neighbourhoods

David Savizon, who works for the Westminster Council's Your Choice anti-gangs programme, said Hani's name had been flagged up to drugs workers last week, and he was due to get a visit from outreach workers if it came up again.

Mr Savizon, 34, said: "Unfortunately I wasn't able to meet him. He wasn't deemed significant in terms of being in a gang. He was mentioned as someone on the periphery."

Mr Savizon, who has 12 years of experience working with youngsters at risk of joining gangs, added: "It was more of a bookmark just to see where this young person was.

"Everything I have heard about him ... he was a very timid young man."

The suspected drugs-related attack happened at 7pm on Sunday near Pimlico Underground station. Lupus Street is bordered by extensive council estates on one side and is home to Pimlico Academy.

The Churchill Gardens estate where Hani lived has become a drugs black spot in the last year.

Children as young 10 are paid "tens of pounds" to stash drugs and ferry them around.

Hani's mother, Pauline Hickey, who lives in Gilbert House, 100 yards from the crime scene, was said to be "heartbroken" and is being comforted by friends and a family liaison officer.

It is believed she or a female friend tried to comfort the teenager as he fought for his life.

Mohammed Alzubaidi, 49, from nearby Peabody Close, said his friend witnessed a gang of black and white teenagers carrying out the attack.

"He said they were carrying knives, some of them with wide swords. He said the victim was screaming and trying to get away."

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Bali Drugs Case: Briton Julian Ponder Jailed

A British man has been jailed for six years and fined the equivalent of £65,000 after being convicted of cocaine possession in Bali.

Julian Ponder, 43, from Brighton, was cleared of drug trafficking but found guilty of the lesser offence of possession.

Prosecutors in Indonesia had asked for a seven-year prison term, and he could have faced a maximum sentence of life.

Ponder has been linked to Lindsay Sandiford, the 56-year-old British grandmother sentenced to death for smuggling cocaine worth £1.5m onto the island in May last year.

She alleged that Ponder was the man she was going to deliver the drug shipment to, a claim he denies.

Ponder and his partner Rachel Dougall were arrested alongside Sandiford in a sting operation by Indonesian police.

At the time of her arrest, Dougall, who has a young daughter, insisted she was the victim of a "fit-up" and Ponder claimed he was "trapped".

Ponder's lawyer said he was told that Sandiford was delivering a present for his child's birthday and, when he met her to receive the gift, police officers arrested him.

Sky's Jonathan Samuels said: "It was alleged that he was linked to Lindsay Sandiford ... she was caught at the airport and arrested, and she alleged that Julian Ponder was the man she was going to deliver the cocaine to.

"It's something he has always denied. He was initially charged with drugs trafficking, but that charge was dropped.

"He was then charged with drugs possession after a small amount of drugs was found in his home.

"The judges did have the right to re-examine the evidence, and to re-charge him with drug trafficking.

"They've decided not to do that, so he will spend six years in one of the most notorious jails on the holiday island."

Sandiford, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, has notified Indonesian officials she intends to appeal against her sentence.

She was accused by the Bali court of damaging the image of the resort island and received the sentence despite prosecutors only asking for a 15-year jail term.

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Genetic Map Gives Hope On Cancer Treatment

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

Every cancer patient could soon have a genetic profile made of their tumour so they can be treated with new smart drugs that can dramatically improve their survival.

Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research believe the technique will prove so effective that it will turn cancer into a chronic disease that people live with, rather than die from.

Work at the institute's new Tumour Profiling Unit will begin this year to analyse patients' cancer cells for changes to their DNA. These mutations allow the tumour to grow out of control and even develop resistance to chemotherapy.

By identifying key genetic changes, researchers hope to target specific drugs at individual patients.

Breast cancer patients are already beginning to benefit from such personalised medicine. The drug Herceptin is highly effective - but only in women who have tumours positive for a protein called HER2.

Other cancer patients are now set to benefit.

Professor Alan Ashworth, from the institute, said: "None of this is science fiction.

"One would think in five or 10 years this will be absolutely routine practice for every cancer patient, and that's what we're aiming to bring about."

Tumour profiling has been made possible by the rapid advances in DNA analysis.

A decade ago it took several years and millions of pounds to analyse the genetic blueprint inside cells; now it can be done in days for £1,000.

The technique is also likely to speed up the search for new drugs, and make the research significantly cheaper. The biggest cost in developing a treatment is clinical trials, which involve thousands of patients, who respond to varying degrees.

But by identifying in advance the patients with tumours that are most likely to respond, trials could be far smaller.

"Let's design the trials for success rather than failure," said Prof Ashworth.

"Basically, the way we're developing drugs for cancer is now failing big time.

"The idea of developing old-fashioned chemotherapy is going out the window."

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Childcare Plans: Nursery Ratios To Be Relaxed

By Gamal Fahnbulleh, Sky News Reporter

Nurseries and childminders will be allowed to look after more children under Government plans to help parents battling soaring fees.

Staff will be able to take charge of six two-year-olds rather than four, and the ratio for under-ones will go up from three to four.

Under the new plans, a childminder would also be able to look after two babies instead of one and four under-fives rather than three.

Education minister Liz Truss outlined the changes, which are part of reforms requiring carers of pre-schoolers to have higher qualifications.

She argued that they would make childcare more available as well as improving its quality, suggesting this would help to drive down prices.

But critics branded the reforms a "recipe for disaster" which could put children at risk and cast doubt on the prospect of cheaper care.

One parent writing on Mumsnet said: "How can this possibly improve childcare standards? Common sense says more children, less attention per child no matter how qualified the staff."

Another added: "I fail to see how someone can care for four young babies adequately. I do fear it will lead to accidents or even worse, simply because nobody has that many eyes in their head."

Britain families currently spend an average of 27% of their income on childcare - the second highest proportion in the world.

Despite this, the quality of care provided in the UK is said to be behind other European countries.

Ms Truss told an event at the Policy Exchange think-tank that the Government wants to bring in graduate-level Early Years teachers.

An Early Years Educator qualification will also be created, requiring practical experience and at least a C grade in English and maths GCSE.

The minister declared that nursery staff had to be paid more to improve the system, citing an average wage of £6.60 an hour.

Easing rules on ratios will give nurseries the "headroom to pay higher salaries", Ms Truss said. 

"We have learned from other countries that deliver better value and better-quality childcare. We have looked across Europe and beyond ...

"I have been particularly struck by the high status and trust afforded to childcare professionals in continental Europe."

She added: "Other European countries have taken a different approach on ratios. They think that the quality of staff is the most important thing.

"Whereas in England nursery staff may look after no more than three one-year-olds, in France they can be responsible for five - and there are no limits in Denmark, Germany or Sweden.

"That is why we are encouraging nurseries to use their professional judgment and enjoy greater flexibility."

Anne Longfield, the chief executive of families charity 4Children, said the proposals could "transform the early years profession in this country" and they were also welcomed by Ofsted.

But Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance said: "We are absolutely appalled by this fixation to alter ratios ... This is a recipe for disaster."

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said the changes would "not reduce costs and instead risks reducing the quality of care".

Chris Keates, from the NASUWT teachers' union, warned that sacrificing appropriate ratios to secure higher pay levels and more qualified staff was a "flawed strategy".

"It is more likely that any increased revenues gained by reducing ratios will simply be diverted to increasing profit margins rather than to enhancing the pay and conditions of staff and the quality of provision for children," he said.

Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said: "This Government has created an affordability crisis by cutting support and pushing up costs for parents.

"Watering down quality is the wrong way to try to deal with the problem they've caused. Experts are warning this could threaten child safety and won't reduce costs. Parents will be worried.

"With a £1,700 toddler tax for families with two children, and 401 fewer children's centres, parents are being locked into inflation-busting cost rises while the quality of childcare is undermined."

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New British Citizenship Test - Take The Quiz

Changes to the Life in the UK citizenship test, which must be taken by all migrants wanting to settle permanently in Britain, have been unveiled.

The Home Office said the revised exam, which is being introduced in March, will focus less on the practicalities of daily living in Britain and more on the nation's culture and past, with topics such as sport, music and key historical facts featuring heavily.

For example, while foreigners will be expected to know British history stretching back to the Stone Age, through to the Romans, Norman Conquest and the Magna Carta, they will also be tested on last year's Olympics and "Britons' unique sense of humour and satire".

The Two Ronnies and Monty Python are even on the syllabus, according to the Guardian, while British cultural and artistic heritage, from the music of composer Henry Purcell to the worldwide influence of the Beatles and Andrew Lloyd Webber, and the nation's national parks all feature in the 45-minute test.

Foreign nationals will also be asked about the nation's artistic achievements, Britain's love of gardening and garden design and the work of influential architects including Christopher Wren and Norman Foster.

Questions on literary masterpieces by poets and authors such as Geoffrey Chaucer, Jane Austen and Wilfred Owen, as well as the lives of some of Britain's most celebrated writers, scientists and politicians, from William Shakespeare and Robert Burns to Isaac Newton and Winston Churchill also feature.

Ministers said the exam and its accompanying handbook, released today, will cover events and people "who have contributed to making Britain great".

Immigration minister Mark Harper said: "We've stripped out mundane information about water meters, how to find train timetables, and using the internet.

"The new book rightly focuses on values and principles at the heart of being British. Instead of telling people how to claim benefits it encourages participation in British life."

More than 150,000 Life in the UK tests were taken nationally last year, including 77,000 in London.

:: Take the test. Here are some of the possible questions and multiple choice answers:

1. Which landmark is a prehistoric monument which still stands in the English county of Wiltshire?

A) Stonehenge

B) Hadrian's Wall

C) Offa's Dyke

D) Fountains Abbey

2. What is the name of the admiral who died in a sea battle in 1805 and has a monument in Trafalgar Square, London?

A) Cook

B) Drake

C) Nelson

D) Raleigh

3. In 1801, a new version of the official flag of the United Kingdom was created. What is it often called?

A) The British Standard

B) The Royal Banner

C) The St George Cross

D) The Union Jack

4. Who is the Patron Saint of Scotland?

A) St Andrew

B) St David

C) St George

D) St Patrick

5. What flower is traditionally worn by people on Remembrance Day?

A) Poppy

B) Lily

C) Daffodil

D) Iris

6. Which of these sporting events was hosted in London in 2012?

A) The Commonwealth Games

B) Cricket World Cup

C) European Football Championship

D) Paralympic Games

7. At her Jubilee in 2012, how many years as Queen did Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrate?

A) 25

B) 40

C) 50

D) 60

8. The second largest party in the House of Commons is usually known by what name?

A) The Senate

B) The Opposition

C) The Lords

D) The Other Side

9. From what age can you be asked to serve on a jury?

A) 16

B) 18

C) 21

D) 25

10. What is the title given to the person who chairs the debates in the House of Commons?

A) The Speaker

B) The Chairman

C) The Leader of the House

D) The Prime Minister

Answers: you need 75% to pass

1. A 2. C 3. D 4. A 5. A 6. D 7. D 8. B 9. B 10.A

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'Hit-And-Run' Deaths: Tandem Cyclists Named

The car involved in an alleged hit-and-run crash that killed a husband and wife on a tandem bicycle was being followed by police, it has emerged.

The couple, who died at the scene of the collision in Bristol, have been named as 34-year-old Ross Matthews Simons and 30-year-old Clare Simons.

And police investigating the accident revealed the Citroen Picasso involved had collided with the cyclists just moments after officers tried to pull it over.

Lower Hanham Road is west of central Bristol

A statement issued by Avon and Somerset Police said: "Shortly before 4pm yesterday (Sunday), a police officer's attention was drawn to a Citroen Picasso travelling along Lower Hanham Road at speed.

"The officer indicated to the car to stop but it made off. The officer began to follow the car but it was lost to sight almost immediately. Very shortly afterwards the car stuck another vehicle and then collided with two cyclists on a tandem bicycle."

A 38-year-old man is being held by police after being arrested on suspicion of death by dangerous driving and the matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Police also said a 35-year-old woman had been arrested, on suspicion of dangerous driving.

Friends of Mr and Mrs Simons said the couple had been together for many years, married for around 18 months - and that they desperately wanted children.

Family friend Diane Pullin, said she got to know the couple because her son-in-law Darren worked for Mr Simons' father.

Police tape at the scene of the tragic collision

"They are a lovely family, so kind and so helpful," she said.

"They don't deserve this. They'd just had news that they were able to have fertility treatment... everything to live for.

"It's just terrible and it shouldn't have happened. Two young people with their lives in front of them... snapped away just like

that.

"They were trying for children and they had just been told they could have fertility treatment. Everything to live for, they were such a lovely family."

And Inspector Frazer Davey urged any witnesses to come forward.

"Following investigations overnight the circumstances of this collision have become much clearer," he said.

"However I would appeal to anyone who witnessed this incident or saw this car in the area shortly before the collision to come forward and contact us.

"This is a tragic incident in which two people have needlessly lost their lives. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with their families."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or visit www.avonandsomerset.police.uk

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Pimlico Fatal Stabbing: Teenager Named

A teenager, who died after being stabbed in Pimlico, central London, has been named as Hani Abou El-Kheir.

Officers were called to Lupus Street at 6.50pm on Sunday where they found a 16-year-old who had been stabbed. Witnesses heard him screaming for his life.

The victim was taken to a south London hospital but died from his injuries at 8.45pm.

Family friend Mahmoud Abosiad said: "He was a lovely boy. He did not deserve to end up on a slab."

Mohammed Alzubaidi, 49, from nearby Peabody Close, said his friend had witnessed a gang made up of black and white teenagers carrying out the attack.

The street has been cordoned off by police

"He said they were carrying knives, some of them with wide swords. He said the victim was screaming and trying to get away."

Mr Alzubaidi's friend told him the gang had scattered and run off in different directions.

The victim's mother Pauline Hickey, who lives 100 yards from the scene, did not want to comment this morning. But an unidentified man said at the family home: "She's broken-hearted."

The scene of the attack is close to Pimlico Underground station and is bordered by many council estates.

A 58-year-old local resident, who did not want to be named, said there had been two murders in nearby Gloucester Street in recent years and a stabbing of a boy outside a row of shops in Lupus Street before Christmas.

"The violence that has started to occur around here is something else, it is frightening for all the residents. You used to be able to walk around at night but I am starting to be very wary, especially at night-time," she said.

No arrests have been made so far. Police have launched a murder investigation.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "We must retain an open mind re the circumstances of the incident and any motive at this early stage."

Anyone with any information can call police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Baby Rescue: Nurse Revived Harbour Fall Boy

A woman who gave CPR to a six-month-old baby after he had been rescued following a fall into freezing waters says she had never done it before.

The boy, Sam Cooper Stevens, was rescued from the water by a dockmaster and then revived by Tanya Allen, a nurse who had rushed to the scene after hearing screams of help.

"I was really quite worried when I was doing the CPR on him that I didn't hurt him, that I didn't break his ribs. And was I doing it right? Because he was a baby," Ms Allen told Sky News.

Sam is recovering in hospital, where doctors say his condition is no longer life-threatening.

Six-month-old Sam is recovering

The baby, who was strapped to his buggy, was swept into the water by strong winds as his mother Kate Cooper walked along Watchet Harbour, Somerset, on Sunday morning.

The pushchair was upturned in the water.

"It just suddenly became horrific," Ms Allen recalled.

Dockmaster George Reeder dived in and pulled it to the wall, and then Ms Allen threw a rope over and, with the help of others, hauled it to dry land.

"It must have been 10-12 foot down, it was a long way down and it took three or four of us pull it up because it was very heavy by that time," Ms Allen said.

"We were hoping that he was going to be OK, but he had been under the water for a little while so it wasn't looking too good at that time."

She said Sam did not appear to be conscious as he was pulled out of the water. 

"I took the baby out of the pushchair and I started CPR on him straight away," added Ms Allen, who said she had received training many times as a psychiatric nurse but had never performed CPR before.

The first aid technique can be used where someone is not breathing properly or if their heart has stopped, and consists of chest compressions and sometimes rescue breaths.

Baby Sam was airlifted to hospital

"I've never, ever - thankfully - had to give this sort of life support in a real-life situation," she said.

Ms Allen was worried she might hurt the tiny baby. "But then I thought, 'Well if I don't do anything this is going to be disastrous'," she said.

She soon noticed the baby started breathing, though keeping him warm until the air ambulance got to the scene was also a problem.

Soon after, Sam was airlifted to hospital.

"I'm so glad I had the training and I think a lot more people should have that training so if they come across something like that your instincts kick in," she said.

The infant's father, Martyn Stevens, said Ms Allen had been "brilliant", and he thanked all the rescuers involved. He said he was at home at the time of the accident.

"I just remember the brilliance of everyone," he said, saying their response had been amazing.

Avon and Somerset Police said a gust of wind appeared to have blown the buggy into the water.

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Nicole Falkingham: Businessman's Wife Found Dead

The wife of a prominent North West businessman has been found dead in a car.

The body of Nicole Falkingham, whose husband Jonathan Falkingham is the chief executive of property developer Urban Splash, was discovered on Friday, police confirmed.

The car was parked in a residential road at Eastwood, in Otterspool, Liverpool, when police were called shortly after 10am.

The 41-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.

Merseyside Police said her death is being treated as "unexplained" and have withheld the results of a post mortem examination as they await the outcome of toxicology tests.

Mrs Falkingham was found dead in a car

Two people were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and cannabis cultivation after officers involved in the inquiry entered a house at Eastwood and found a cannabis farm.

They have since been bailed pending further inquiries.

A spokeswoman for Merseyside Police said: "When officers arrived at the address (in Otterspool), they also discovered a cannabis factory with more than 100 plants.

"A 48-year-old man and a 49-year-old woman from Aigburth have been arrested on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis and manslaughter and have been released pending further inquiries."

Urban Splash, which is based in Manchester, is a leading property developer, having created landmark residential and business properties across the UK.

It is known for transforming derelict buildings and bringing them back into use, most notably the famous Art Deco Midland Hotel in Morecambe, Lancashire, and Birmingham's Fort Dunlop.

Bradford-born Mr Falkingham, an architect, was a co-founder of the company.

In a message to staff, Urban Splash chairman Tom Bloxham said: "I am very sad to say, as some of you have heard, that Nicole Falkingham tragically died on Friday.

"Nicole was known to many of us, when she worked in our Liverpool office and was married to Jonathan.

"She was one of life's great characters and her loss so young is a tragedy.

"Our thoughts go out to Jonathan and Nicole's friends and family at this difficult time.

"It is so sad."

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Childcare Better In Wealthy Areas, Report Says

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky Reporter

Children from wealthier areas receive a better standard of childcare, according to a new report.

Research by Policy Exchange showed Ofsted judged 79% of childminders in the richest parts of England as good or outstanding, compared to 64% in the most deprived areas of the country.

It also found that children from richer areas were further ahead when they started primary school.

In the City of London and Trafford 78% were at a good level, compared to just 51% in Middlesbrough at the bottom of the list.

The vocabulary development of the poorest children was 16 months behind those from the highest income families, the report said.

Harriet Waldegrave, the author of the report said: "Early years education will only have a positive impact on a child's development if it is of a high quality.

"While provision is improving, it's not doing so fast enough. Most worryingly of all, lower quality provision in disadvantaged areas means positive effects of early years education are less likely to be seen for the children who need it most."

The government is now being asked to improve the quality of early years teaching and the financial support it gives to families with lower incomes.

In response, a Department for Education spokesperson said: "This report is absolutely right to say early years education needs to improve.

"We need to learn from other countries that ensure the profession is better trained and give them the freedom to do their job. We will be announcing plans on improving the quality of provision shortly."

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Melting Snow And Downpours Cause Flooding

Heavy rains combined with thawing snow are bringing flooding problems to many parts of Britain.

Large parts of the UK are on flood alert and the Met Office is warning people to be prepared for potential travel disruption.

The Environment Agency (EA) has issued 78 warnings across England and Wales, meaning flooding is expected, urging people in the Midlands, South West, Wales and Anglian region to take immediate action against predicted flooding.

Another 325 alerts, meaning flooding is possible, are also in place - increasing every few minutes - after the agency warned of an increased risk of surface water and river flooding.

Flooded roads in Lincolnshire this morning (Pic: Kevin Leach)

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued seven flood warnings and 11 alerts.

Firefighters using boats pulled a canoeist from the swollen River Swale at Reeth in the Yorkshire Dales, with help from a mountain rescue team.

An RAF Sea King was also dispatched to take part in the rescue and the man was taken to hospital by air ambulance.

The AA said crews had been called to at least 17 motorists stuck in water since midnight.

The A34 at Meaford (Pic: Staffordshire Police)

A woman was forced to abandon her car after it became stranded in flood water on the A34 at Meaford in Staffordshire.

In Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales a motorist had to be rescued from floodwater by fire crews who pushed him to safety.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service pumped water from the road - 4ft deep in some places - into a nearby culvert on the advice of the Environment Agency, and warned motorists from driving through flood water after being called out to rescue several people.

Mountain rescue workers were drafted in to help with rescue operations and check on the condition of drivers stranded by the snow.

A house collapses in Barnsley, apparently under the weight of fresh snow

A diabetic man was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital after falling ill, while an ambulance taking a female patient to the Royal Preston Hospital had to be dug out of the snow by Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team.

There were reports of flooding in south Wales too overnight after downpours replaced almost two weeks of snow.

Norfolk Police also reported flooding caused by melting snow and ice, which has closed a number of roads in the area.

Forecasters are predicting a very wet spell through the latter part of Monday and into Tuesday too.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "After very mild, wet and windy weather on Saturday night, snow has melted rapidly. The combination of heavy rain and the thaw has brought flooding in places.

"Flooding will continue to be a concern during Monday and Tuesday as further active frontal systems are set to sweep east bringing gales and heavy rain.

"Western and southwestern parts are most at risk with around one to two inches of rainfall, perhaps more on higher ground.

""The outlook is for it to remain generally mild, windy and unsettled."

Rising temperatures of up to 12C (53F) have sparked a rapid thaw of the snow and ice, after heavy snow storms on Friday night left hundreds of people stranded on motorways in the north of England.

The M6 was blocked in both directions between junctions 25 and 27 in Lancashire when a sudden burst of more than a foot of snow brought drivers to a standstill from around 8.30pm.

Trains running between Chester and Crewe were temporarily suspended because of flooding, with Virgin and Arriva services affected.

An EA spokesman said: "Emergency teams from the Environment Agency will be out in force, shoring up defences, monitoring river levels and clearing blockages from watercourses."

Around 18 buildings were flooded in various locations across Wales on Friday night, including two houses in Solva, Pembrokeshire, and two in Dolgellau, North Wales.

:: Send us your flood photos and videos

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Globetrotting Record: Briton Visits Every Nation

By Jay Singh-Sohal, Sky News Producer

An adventurer from Liverpool is just one step away from entering the Guinness Book of Records for visiting every country in the world without flying.

Graham Hughes, 33, began the challenge to visit all 193 UN recognised nations in January 2009. 

He has since undertaken "surface journeys" to all the world's hot spots - including Iraq, Afghanistan and North Korea - and visited every sovereign nation in the world including Vatican City, Palestine, Taiwan, Western Sahara and Kosovo,  which do not have seats at the UN.

But Guinness World Records ruled that his feat did not stand as he had entered Russia without a valid visa. Mr Hughes' visit to the country came after he waded across the River Narva from Estonia.

On Monday, he will visit Russia again with the hope of officially completing his challenge, travelling 25 hours by train from London Victoria to Gadansk in Poland before taking a bus across the border.

In Togo

When he took up the challenge, Guinness set rules for the record including not using private transport over large distances or hitchhiking.

So Graham has completed his visits through a combination of train, taxi and cargo ship journeys and kept GPS records from all his visits.

He made the trips on a shoe-string budget, spending less than £7,000 a year in the first two years and just under £3,000 thereafter. 

And along the way he's also had to take into account changing borders - South Sudan became a nation in 2012 and Graham travelled there in November of that year by public transport.

In the Solomon Islands

His longest journey has been the 32-day round trip from Australia to Nauru, the world's smallest republic. He said the island in the Micronesia archipelago was worth the journey, as was Palau in the Pacific, which he describes as an "unspoilt tropical paradise with amazing people".

But his travels have also presented some dangers. On a visit to Congo, Mr Hughes was jailed for six days and was only freed with British consulate support.

Pakistan too posed problems. Mr Hughes was not even allowed out of the port at Karachi because authorities said it was too dangerous.

But the most memorable time was the four days he spent on a leaky wooden canoe crossing the open ocean from Senegal to Cape Verde.

During his journey Graham filmed a TV show for the National Geographic Adventure channel and raised money for the charity Water Aid.

He also blogged about the experience on www.theodysseyexpedition.com/

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Payday Loan Sites' Dirty Tricks To Boost Traffic

By Jason Farrell, Sky Correspondent

A Sky News investigation has found that some payday loan brokers have benefitted from hacking into websites to divert the history and status of a legitimate business to their domain.

This increases their ranking on Google, and the tactic has given unregulated brokers access to online traffic worth millions of pounds.

The findings come as the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) prepares its report into dirty tricks in the market, due to be published in February.

Every month, tens of thousands of potential customers use Google to search for payday loans.

The search engine has a complex algorithm based on a website's history and credibility which tries to ensure that users are directed to the most appropriate websites.

However, Google's natural listings system can be tricked. Sky News found three payday websites that were stealing the credibility of other websites to boost their ranking. The target victim sites included a music business, a graduate website and even a church website.

In November last year, Sky News discovered established music licencing website Ricordi was one of several domains that began ranking highly for selling payday loans on the front pages of Google. Clicking on the link diverted the user to a payday broker's site.

Dr Joseph Somerhalder says brokers have been 'stealing identities'

Web analyst Dr Joseph Somerhalder from search optimisation company Chillicow explained what was happening.

He told Sky News: "They hack into the website. They optimise the website for something that it is not about such as payday loans. Then they wait for the right moment, and then they forward all the history and all the credibility from the old website, the legitimate business, into the illegitimate business."

He added: "It's a bit like stealing your identity online. They take the website's identity and history and they point it somewhere else."

Ricordi is owned by Universal Music Group. A spokesperson for the company said: "We recently discovered the unauthorised access to our Ricordi UK website. UMG takes the protection of its sites very seriously and has implemented measures to prevent a recurrence of this type of event."

But other companies may not be aware of the hacking. Using web analysis software, we found that over 10,000 websites have been compromised by this technique on one server alone.

Sky News spoke to the owners of UK graduate website Gradfunding which was also in the process of being hijacked.

Dr Luke Blaxill, director of the website, said he was also trying to deal with the problem.

"To get rid of this we are going to have to rewrite every bit of code on the website and transfer it to a new server."

The payday loan intrusion meant his company was starting to fall down the listings for its own business operations and it could lose years of building up an online reputation.

Dr Blaxill said: "It has taken years for us to get to the position that we are in this particular market and for that effectively to be almost rewritten overnight by a scammer, is a real problem."

Gradfunding was among the target victim websites

Raihan Islam from JAR Applications, which fixed the problem for Gradfunding, told Sky News: "What they did was inject a malicious code into the web server, and the files trick Google by the method of cloaking.

"They then bomb the site with payday loan links to increase its ranking for payday loans and redirect the traffic to their scam website. That's when the hacker starts making money."

During the investigation we found church website Canada had been hacked for this purpose. We also discovered 21,000 payday loan links had been pointed at a Bonsai society website.

There are concerns these tactics leave UK loan customers exposed to unscrupulous, unregulated brokers.

Over the last two months Sky News conducted test searches on Google for payday loans which produced websites high in the natural listings that were in breach of OFT regulations.

Several had no consumer credit licence, a requirement for any loan broker and lead generator.

Some websites claimed to be 100% secure, but actually had no data protection when customers entered their bank details. This exposes customers to fraud and identity theft.

We also found many websites broke legal requirements on transparency to customers, such as failing to prominently display a representative APR or an address where the company can be contacted.

Sky News found three payday websites involved in dirty tricks

Some legitimate lenders in the industry have told us they are aware of the problem. Many of them advertise on Google's pay per-click service as an alternative to the natural listings.

One lender who did not want to be identified suggested the price of Google's sponsored links have gone up because demand has increased with legitimate companies struggling to get on the natural listings.

"Google could solve this problem by tightening up their algorithm" he suggested. "But they have no incentive to do so. We're all having to use the sponsored listings to get any traffic to our websites."

He added: "But customers don't realise that some companies on the natural listings don't have a consumer credit licence, which means they don't have to tell the customer how much they're going to pay back, which feeds into some of the problems we're seeing at the moment of customers not able to pay back their loans."

Google says its key motivation is to try to direct customers to the best websites.

A spokesman told Sky News: "As part of our on-going effort to reduce webspam and return high-quality websites to our users, we are constantly improving our search algorithm to better detect and decrease rankings for sites that we believe are violating Google's quality guidelines and engaging in webspam tactics to manipulate search engine rankings."

For legal reasons we are not naming the websites linked to hacking but we have passed our evidence to the OFT, which told us: "The OFT is clear regarding the standards it expects from those businesses that it regulates and has publicised an extensive suite of guidance documents. We take very seriously any evidence tending to show that businesses are not meeting the standards set out in our guidance.

"The guidance for credit brokers and intermediaries states that creditors should satisfy themselves that persons they deal with are appropriately licenced. Accepting leads from unlicensed sources would raise concerns about a lender's fitness to hold a consumer credit licence."

At one point during our investigation we found the highest ranking website on Google was a four-day-old domain registered to a field in California.

Just a few days in this position can earn the web owner tens of thousands of pounds. Yet this site was in breach of several regulations and displayed nothing on the website to suggest it was licenced to sell loans in the UK.

Last November, the OFT opened formal investigations into the tactics used by an number of payday lenders. But if the regulator wants to properly police the market, it seems it is going to have to work with Google.

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Starbucks Plays Down 'Threats' Over Tax Row

Starbucks is distancing itself from reports that it threatened to pull millions of pounds of investment out of the UK because of "cheap shots" from the Prime Minister over tax.

The company's UK managing director Kris Engskov demanded talks after David Cameron said tax-avoiding firms need to "wake up and smell the coffee", according to The Sunday Telegraph.

The Prime Minister's use of the phrase in a speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos was widely interpreted as a direct attack on Starbucks, which has faced criticism for not paying UK corporation tax.

A "source close to the firm" told the newspaper: "The PM is singling the business out for cheap shots, a company that, it should not be forgotten, has pledged to pay tax now and into the future."

The US coffee chain has faced criticism after it emerged that since its arrival in Britain in 1998, it has paid £8.5m in corporation tax, despite total sales of £3bn. 

It later agreed voluntarily to pay additional tax of at least £20m over the next two years.

Sources close to the business have reportedly said that plans announced last year to invest £100m in new UK branches could be put on hold, meaning fewer jobs will be created.

Starbucks bosses were reportedly unhappy with the PM's Davos speech

But in a statement, Starbucks said: "We had a very constructive meeting which was long-scheduled. We do not discuss the details of our government meetings but can say that we do not recognise how it has been reported.

"Starbucks agrees with the Prime Minister that all businesses should pay their fair share.

"In the UK, we employ 9,000 people, contribute £300m a year to the economy and are forgoing tax deductions that will make the Exchequer at least £20m better off."

Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps told Sky News that the Government was not singling out any company for criticism.

He told Sky's Dermot Murnaghan: "I don't think we'd ever single out a single company but I do think that companies in this country need to pay their way and that applies to that company (Starbucks) and any other company you'd care to mention.

"It certainly applies to the millions of smaller businesses in this country, people who work very hard...and are paying their fair share to taxes all the way through. The same rules have to apply to everyone."

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Flood Fears As Snow Melts And Rain Moves In

Heavy rains combined with milder temperatures which are thawing the snow that has blanketed much of Britain have sparked fears of flooding across the country.

Large parts of the UK are on alert for flooding, and the Met Office is warning people to be prepared for potential travel disruption.

The Environment Agency (EA) has issued 80 warnings across England and Wales, meaning flooding is expected, urging people in the Midlands, South West, Wales and Anglian region to take immediate action against predicted flooding.

Another 328 alerts, meaning flooding is possible, are also in place - increasing every few minutes - after the agency warned of an increased risk of surface water and river flooding.

Flooded roads in Lincolnshire this morning (Pic: Kevin Leach)

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued seven flood warnings and 11 alerts.

The AA said crews had been called to at least 17 motorists stuck in water since midnight.

A woman was forced to abandon her car after it became stranded in flood water on the A34 at Meaford in Staffordshire.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service pumped water from the road - 4ft deep in some places - into a nearby culvert on the advice of the Environment Agency, and warned motorists from driving through flood water after being called out to rescue several people.

The A34 at Meaford (Pic: Staffordshire Police)

There were reports of flooding in south Wales too overnight after downpours replaced almost two weeks of snow.

Norfolk Police also reported flooding caused by melting snow and ice, which has closed a number of roads in the area.

Forecasters are predicting a very wet spell through the latter part of Monday and into Tuesday too.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "After very mild, wet and windy weather on Saturday night, snow has melted rapidly. The combination of heavy rain and the thaw has brought flooding in places.

A house collapses in Barnsley, apparently under the weight of fresh snow

"Flooding will continue to be a concern during Monday and Tuesday as further active frontal systems are set to sweep east bringing gales and heavy rain.

"Western and southwestern parts are most at risk with around one to two inches of rainfall, perhaps more on higher ground.

""The outlook is for it to remain generally mild, windy and unsettled."

Rising temperatures of up to 12C (53F) have sparked a rapid thaw of the snow and ice, after heavy snow storms on Friday night left hundreds of people stranded on motorways in the north of England.

The M6 was blocked in both directions between junctions 25 and 27 in Lancashire when a sudden burst of more than a foot of snow brought drivers to a standstill from around 8.30pm.

An EA spokesman said: "Emergency teams from the Environment Agency will be out in force throughout the weekend, shoring up defences, monitoring river levels and clearing blockages from watercourses."

Around 18 buildings were flooded in various locations across Wales on Friday night, including two houses in Solva, Pembrokeshire, and two in Dolgellau, North Wales.

:: Send us your flood photos and videos

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