NHS 111: Patient Deaths Under Investigation

The deaths of three people are under investigation in connection with the NHS 111 non-emergency phone line, according to a report.

The general practitioners trade magazine Pulse reported that at least 22 possible "serious untoward incidents" (or SUIs) related to NHS 111 have been reported since the launch of the service.

Those incidents included three where a patient died, the magazine has claimed.

Two of the deaths occurred in the East Midlands, and one in the West Midlands.

The deaths reportedly include the case of a 47-year-old who died from a suspected overdose.

That death occurred after relatives contacted NHS 111 requesting mental health assistance, Pulse reported. 

A further 19 possible SUIs have been recorded by providers or commissioners, the magazine added.

Rolled out across most of the country last month, the NHS 111 service is for people urgently seeking medical help or advice but who are not in a life-threatening situation.

The service was introduced to replace NHS Direct in England and is meant to ease pressure on emergency 999 call centres.

NHS England said it could not verify the data reported in Pulse, however it issued a statement in response to the magazine's report.

"The safety of patients must be our paramount concern and NHS England will keep a careful eye on the situation to ensure NHS 111 provides not only a good service to the public, but one which is also safe," the statement read.

Earlier this week, NHS England announced a review of the 111 service.

A spokesman said: "The performance standards which have been introduced for NHS 111 represent a gold standard which the majority of NHS 111 services in England are now meeting, though in some areas performance is still unacceptable, especially at weekends.

"Some local providers of NHS 111 have not provided the prompt, reliable service the public need and want.

"NHS England's board is determined to ensure that the public have access to a gold standard NHS 111 service wherever they live in England."

But Clare Gerada, chairwoman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, raised concerns about the free-to-call advice line.

"It is extremely worrying that there is still so much uncertainty around the delivery and reliability of the advice provided by NHS 111 in some areas.

"We are also concerned that patients are losing confidence in the new service before it is even fully up and running.

"We call on NHS England to provide more reassurance about its effectiveness and ability to deliver the necessary standards of care for all patients using the service, right across England."

Mrs Pooja Virk from Hornchurch, Essex, contacted Sky News after her nephew was taken ill recently. His ears ached, he had a high temperature and was feeling breathless.

She said: "I called my doctors and got the answer message to call 111.

"I explained his symptoms and the lady on the other end said 'oh take him to the chemist, not life threatening symptoms'."

When she got to the pharmacy she says the pharmacist laughed at the advice she had been given and said he needed to get urgent medical help.

Mrs Virk took him to a local hospital. She said: "They checked him straight away and said you are so lucky you brought him in on time he is suffering from an asthma attack.

"If you had left it any longer you would have been rushing in an ambulance with him!"

She added: "Soon there is going to be a very bad public clash with the NHS if it's not sorted."

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Smartphones: Debit Cards Of The Future?

By Liz Lane, Sky News Reporter

Smartphones could soon become an even greater part of our lives as networks join forces to let us pay for high street goods with our mobiles.

The battle to dominate the market for "virtual wallets" is heating up, but with it come concerns about how thieves and fraudsters could take advantage.

Britain's big-three mobile networks - EE, Vodafone and O2 - are creating an opt-in service that will allow all bank, credit and loyalty card details to be stored on a phone SIM.

The customer will be able to swipe it on a card reader in a shop and instantly pay for goods.

David Sear, chief executive of Weve, the company managing the project, said: "You'll be able to pick up your goods from the counter - your sandwich or whatever it might be, on a small transaction - and simply swipe your phone, rather than having to get your card out of your wallet."

He is hoping to get retailers to sign up later this year, with the promise of advertising opportunities.

Stores will be able to send special offer alerts to customers' phones as they walk past in an effort to tempt them in.

Google, Barclays, Mastercard and Paypal have all come up with their own versions of the virtual wallet, but they have not caught on in the UK.

The contactless payment market as a whole has yet to take off, with only 6% of people in the UK having made such a transaction with a credit or debit card.

Bryan Glick, editor of Computer Weekly Magazine, describes it as a chicken and egg situation.

He said: "Retailers aren't going to offer this as a means of paying unless they know they're going to use it, but people aren't going to use it unless they know there are a lot of retailers they can use it at."

As for security, the new system will have a limit on how much can be spent on a phone without entering a Pin code.

However, cyber security expert Jason Hart said he would take further precautions before using it - including having his smartphone, and the payment system itself, password-protected.

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Philip Hammond Unsure About F-35 Order

By David Bowden, Defence Correspondent

British operational military pilots have begun flying what is being touted as the world's most advanced stealth fighter jet, the F-35.

But even as they take to the skies, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has given the clearest indication yet that the UK may not now buy all the jets it had planned. 

Speaking exclusively to Sky News, Mr Hammond pledged that the first 48 aircraft on order at a cost of around £100m each would be bought to service the new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers from 2020.

But he would not commit to a further 90 planes, which had originally been proposed.

He said: "It's dependent on politics, money and the state of the world, but it's also dependent on what is not yet clearly known, what the mix between manned fighter jets and unmanned aircraft is going to be."

Mr Hammond said there were two trains of thought, one suggesting an 80/20 split of manned to unmanned aircraft in future, the other suggesting the exact opposite.

He said the final decision would determine how many manned F-35s the UK could buy.

The Defence Secretary interrupted a visit to Washington to meet his recently-appointed US counterpart Chuck Hagel and fly to the Naval Air Station at Patuxent River in Maryland where the F-35, or the Lightning II as it will be known in Britain, is being tested.

Philip Hammond inspected the F-35 after meeting US counterpart Chuck Hagel

Mr Hammond looked on as former Harrier pilot Pete "Wizzer" Wilson, who now works for defence contractor BAE Systems, which is part of the project team for the F-35, demonstrated the 'B' variant of the aircraft, which is capable of a short take-off and vertical landing.

In Florida, at Eglin Air Force Base in the northwest of the state, the first UK military operational pilots began flying the F-35B just six weeks ago.

There are only two of them - Lt Commander Ian "Tidders" Tidball from the Royal Navy and Squadron Leader Frankie Buchler from the RAF.

Both have vast experience on other types of fast jets - Lt Cdr Tidball on Sea Harriers and F-18s, Sqn Ldr Bulcher on the Jaguar and latterly Typhoon aircraft.

After frustrating delays due to problems with the test aircraft and then the weather, both British pilots are now qualified to fly the F-35.

Lt Cdr Tidball told me after his qualifying flight: "Having come back from the Harrier and F-18, the aircraft handles absolutely exceptionally, very responsive even in these bumpy conditions."

Sqn Ldr Buchler is also a fan of the new jet, parts of which are still classified and Sky News was not allowed to film.

He said: "It's awesome, a boyhood dream. I've always wanted to fly the best fast jets in the world and here we are with a fantastic platform and I'm lucky enough to be one of the first guys from the UK flying it.

The F-35B after its first landing on an Atlantic Ocean aircraft carrier

"It's better than working for a living."

The British pilots fly two of the three UK jets so far delivered. But it will be another five years before the first squadron, based at RAF Marham, is set up on UK soil.

In the meantime, 17 Squadron will be the first UK unit to fly the F-35B out of Edwards Air Force base in California from next year.

The F-35 programme comprises three variants in all.

The A model is the "base" model and will be flown predominantly by the US Air Force, the B variant, which the UK is buying, will also be flown by the US Marine Corps, while the C or carrier variant, is adapted with "cat and trap" equipment to fly on and off American aircraft carriers.

The bulk of the projected orders will come from the US - close to 2,500 planes - with the UK originally due to buy 138 in total and the other "partner" nations, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Australia, Denmark and Norway, due to buy about 500 between them.

The projections from Lockheed Martin, the lead contractor, suggest that including sales to other "coalition" countries there will be 3,922 F-35s sold during its planned 30-year production run.

That's good news for the UK economy too, because 15% by value of each sale comes to these shores, largely through the contribution of BAE Systems in Lancashire, where much of the tail of every F-35 is manufactured.

The biggest danger to the programme at the moment is the immense cost, estimated at £2.5bn so far, given that defence budgets across the world - particularly in the West - are being slashed.

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Bournemouth Hospital Recalls Breast Patients

Around 250 women have been recalled for further breast cancer screening after concerns were raised about assessments carried out by a junior doctor.

The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has invited around 250 patients who attended its breast clinic between January 2011 and July 2012 to come for a further examination.

They were initially told they did not require a follow-up appointment .

The hospital said in a statement: "This is because the consultants who run the breast clinic have recently raised concerns regarding a junior doctor, who is no longer working in the trust, and the way in which an initial assessment of some patients may have been carried out.

"We have no evidence of any harm to the patients seen by this junior doctor.

"However, as a precaution, we are bringing some patients back for an assessment by a consultant."

Tony Skene, consultant breast surgeon, said: "The vast majority of patients who have attended the breast clinic at Bournemouth during this time remain unaffected.

"We do however realise that for those patients that we do recall this may lead to additional anxiety and we apologise for the distress that this may cause."

He added that patients would be offered a prompt appointment and access to a support telephone line in the interim.

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David Cameron Told To 'Reconnect With Voters'

The Conservatives must "break the impression of being privileged and out of touch" if they are to stand a chance of winning the next general election, former leadership contender David Davis has warned.

Speaking after the party suffered heavy losses to the UK Independence Party in the local council elections, the MP for Haltemprice and Howden said David Cameron should stop surrounding himself with fellow Old Etonians and show he understood the concerns of ordinary people.

With the Tories losing 340 councillors and the control of 10 councils, some Tory right-wingers have called on the Prime Minister to firm up his commitment to holding a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union to counter the appeal of UKIP.

However, Mr Davis said the priority for Mr Cameron - who recently appointed Old Etonian Jo Johnson to head the No 10 policy unit - was to reconnect with voters who thought the Conservatives lived in a different world to them.

Local county council election results

"The fact is that if we want to win the next election, we have to break this impression of being privileged and out of touch," he said in an article for The Daily Telegraph.

"The British public are neither snobs nor inverted snobs, but they do expect the Government to understand their problems and do something about it.

"That means more straight talking and fewer focus groups; more conventional Tory policies, not because they are Tory, but because they work; less pandering to metropolitan interest groups; and please, please, no more Old Etonian advisers."

Home Secretary Theresa May, who has been touted as a possible future Tory leader, refused to be drawn on the argument, and insisted the party was focused on "bringing people back to voting Conservative".

She told Sky News: "The Government has shown that it understands some of the problems that hard-working people are facing - the efforts we've taken to helping local councils freeze their council tax, hold down fuel duties, two million people have been taken out of paying income tax, and an income tax cut for 24 million people.

David Davis (L) lost the contest to become Tory leader to David Cameron (R)

"There are other areas we know the task is a sizeable one - controlling welfare and immigration. We are already on the right track in dealing with these issues."

She added: "What we will be doing over the next couple of years is working hard to bring people back to voting Conservative - showing them what we are doing in those areas ... and how the choice in the next election will be Conservatives who will control welfare and immigration and deal with the deficit, and the same old Labour Party who will just ask for more spending, more borrowing, more debt."

Former Tory councillor Rory Love, who contested the Folkestone South seat for the first time and finished second with 989 votes behind UKIP's Robert Neaves who polled 1,006 votes, dismissed the row as "nonsense".

"This isn't about Old Etonians, about public schools ... if you want to get into that sort of nonsense, Nigel Farage, I understand is a public schoolboy.

"The issue is about the policies, about how we can better demonstrate to the public that what we are doing is the very thing ... they asked us to do ... and that is to look again at our relationship with the European Union, the effects of mass immigration from eastern Europe ... that's what we need to concentrate on."

UKIP's gains of 131 councillors in the council elections were dubbed a "game changer" by leader Nigel Farage.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the elections marked a 'game-changer'

While Labour made gains - picking up 268 councillors and taking control of two councils - analysts said they fell short of the numbers needed to show that Ed Miliband was on course for Downing Street.

For the Liberal Democrats it was another grim set of results with the loss of 110 councillors while crashing to a humiliating seventh place in the South Shields parliamentary by-election, just ahead of the Monster Raving Loony Party.

Mr Cameron pledged to work really hard to win back voters who abandoned the Conservatives for the UKIP, promising action to turn round the economy, cut immigration and sort out the welfare system.

Having previously derided UKIP as "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists", the Prime Minister adopted a softer approach, promising to show "respect" for those who voted for them.

Mr Miliband insisted that Labour had made "good gains" but acknowledged there was "more work to do".

"These elections show many people have lost trust in David Cameron's ability to change Britain. But our task is to win the trust of the people we haven't yet persuaded that Labour can make the difference," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the Lib Dems' poor showing reflected their journey from "a party of protest to a party of government".

"I have always said it is understandable why it is that people might be attracted to the simple answers that the UK Independence Party is offering to deal with this country's complex problems," he said.

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Prison Van Escape: £10k Reward Offered

By Nick Martin, North Of England Correspondent

Police are offering a £10,000 reward for any information leading to the capture of two fugitives who escaped from an ambushed prison van.

Ryan McDonald, 20, and Stevie McMullen, 31, have been on the run since Tuesday when the vehicle in which they being taken to court in Manchester was intercepted.

Three men wearing dark clothing and balaclavas stopped the GEOAmey prison van in Salford just after 9am.

Police said a dark-green Saab car was driven in front of the van and the men got out all brandishing weapons, including an axe, a sawn-off shotgun and a handgun.

The side windows of the van were smashed and the driver was forced out of the vehicle.

He was then ordered to open the back of the white van and two of the cell compartments, which contained McMullen and McDonald.

All five are then thought to have fled in the Saab car which did a u-turn and was driven about half a mile to a motorway intersection approach road and abandoned.

The men are then believed to have run into a nearby estate before at least one of them leapt on to a motorbike that was later found abandoned.

McDonald had been on his way to court where he was due to be sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery.

McMullen was on trial having been charged with conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to commit arson and other serious offences.

Police warned the public that the men were dangerous and not to approach either of them.

Chief Superintendent Kevin Mulligan, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "The investigation to recapture these fugitives is progressing well and we have been following up a number of leads.

"This work will continue until the moment all those involved are returned to their prison cells.

"However, we are now offering a large sum of money to anyone with information that leads to their arrests.

"I need to once again reiterate the potential danger posed by all these men - the public should not approach either man and if anyone knows where they are or saw these men escaping I would urge them to contact police immediately."

The van was attacked on Regent Road, Salford near to its junction with Gloucester Street. The Saab had pulled out of Gloucester Street when it stopped the van.

When the gang fled in the Saab, registration C19 JCA, it went along Regent Road to a point near to the M602 roundabout, where it was abandoned.

The five men ran south towards Phoebe Street and into the Ordsall estate, Salford.

Moments later the motorbike was seen at high speed near to West Crown Avenue, Ordsall, with the driver dressed all in black, with a white helmet and the pillion passenger described as a white man, wearing a red top and no helmet.

Shortly after 10am, a black Yamaha 1000cc motorbike, registration R1 GNE, was found abandoned on Thurlow Street, between the M602 and Salford Quays.

The prison van was travelling from HMP Altcourse, near Liverpool, to Manchester Crown Square.

A 28-year-old woman and 24-year-old man have been detained at a house on the Ordsall estate in connection with the incident on suspicion of being involved in assisting an offender.

They have been released on bail pending further inquiries until June 26, 2013.

They remain in police custody for questioning.

Police also appealed for anyone who had seen any of the vehicles, particularly the Saab, before, during or after the attack, to get in touch.

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Gatwick Cocaine: Men Aged 82 And 62 Charged

Two men aged 62 and 82 have been charged with attempting to smuggle cocaine into the UK via Gatwick Airport.

British nationals Calvin Campbell, 62, of Gloucester Road in Tottenham, and Donald Garwood, 82, of Circular Road in Tottenham, were arrested by Border Force officers at the airport's south terminal at around 10.30am on Thursday.

They had arrived on a flight from Montego Bay, Jamaica, and between them are suspected of trying to smuggle an estimated 2kg of cocaine, with a potential street value of around £200,000.

The pair, who remain in Border Force custody, were charged with attempting to import a class A drug and are expected to appear before Uxbridge Magistrates.

"Border Force officers at Gatwick are on constant alert to prevent illegal drugs and other contraband reaching the UK," said Border Force South Region deputy director David Holt.

"Drug trafficking is a serious offence and those convicted face long prison sentences."

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Derby: Man Found Dead In Chimney Named

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

Police have identified the body of a man found earlier this week inside the chimney of a law firm in Derby.

Kevin Gough, of no fixed abode, was found at Moody & Woolley Solicitors in St Mary's Gate around noon on May 1 after staff were alerted by the smell.

The area was cordoned off while the 42-year-old's body was removed.

Julie Marson, senior partner at Moody & Woolley, told Sky News: "About a week ago there was a smell, but on Monday flies started to appear and we had the chimney investigated."

Staff at the solicitors reported a bad smell before the body was found

Ms Marson said staff at the firm, which employs around 30 people, were shocked by the discovery and believed it was possible Mr Gough had been inside the chimney for several weeks.

She added: "We know that someone had made a concerted effort to get into the building, partially dismantling the chimney to use the brickwork to try to force through the roof.

"Actually our builder went up and saw there was a big gaping hole. He tried to make an entry into the loft and the smell hit him.

"We all thought there was probably a dead cat or a pigeon or something in there, but unfortunately it wasn't.

"Most of us are mothers here, we understand somebody is going to have some dreadful news and we all feel it is just such a tragedy because there is nothing in the building worth stealing."

She explained that all the fireplaces in the building have been filled in.

Police are treating the death as unexplained and are preparing a file for the coroner.

A spokeswoman for Derbyshire Police said: "We're leaving it to the coroner to decide what he was doing in the chimney."

A post-mortem examination on the body, which was in a state of advanced decomposition, proved inconclusive. Further tests will be carried out.

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April Jones: Frantic Mum 'Searched In Bins'

CCTV footage has been released showing Mark Bridger's car and what is thought to be April Jones inside the vehicle on the evening she vanished.

The Land Rover is seen in the top right hand corner of the video passing a garage in Machynlleth, mid-Wales, around 7.20pm on October 1 last year.

Bridger, 47, has denied abducting and murdering the five-year-old, who went missing from her estate in the town some time after 7pm, a court heard.

But he admits running her over and does not remember what he did with her body.

According to the prosecution, Bridger told police when he was arrested that he had parked on the estate at 7.10pm and shortly afterwards he ran over April, found her unconscious, put her into the car and then drove off.

April Jones in a leisure centre a couple of hours before she vanished

Sky correspondent Martin Brunt said: "The image released to the jury is about 10 minutes after that - so by Mark Bridger's own admission when that image was taken of his car driving out of Machynlleth, April was in his car."

"And according to what he told police, she was either dead by then or dying."

It comes as the jury in Bridger's murder trial heard of the frantic moments when April's parents learned their daughter was missing.

The police statements of Coral and Paul Jones were read to the court by prosecutor Elwen Evans QC, who outlined the family's day on October 1.

After April was collected from school, she was taken by her mother for a swimming lesson before they returned home for a tea of spaghetti on toast.

April watched a Disney film and then asked to go out and play on her bike with a friend, her mother said.

April, five, went missing on October 1 last year

Mrs Jones, 43, said: "Paul and I said no, she wanted to take her bike to her friend's next door. She kept on and on and had a little tantrum and I eventually gave in so she went next door to play.

"I told her I didn't want her out for long. I think it was about 7pm and that was the last time I saw her."

Twenty minutes later, Mrs Jones sent April's older brother out to collect his sister as "it was getting dark and a little colder".

"Within a very short time he came running home and he was in a hysterical state. When I calmed him down he said that April's friend had seen her getting into a car with a man and that she had gone.

"I immediately went over and asked April's friend what she had seen. I was told that April had got into a car with a man and he had driven off."

Mark Bridger denies abducting and murdering April Jones

Mrs Jones called the police straight away. She said: "I went out and searched around the estate, everywhere I could think of. I even looked in the bins."

In his statement, Paul Jones, 41, said: "We rang the police and Coral went out to search. I felt so helpless. I went to speak to April's friend who said something about a van.

"When she said that, I went around the corner to look. I then went back home and I just paced. I think that I just paced up and down, waiting for any news, for about 24 hours."

The jury was also shown other CCTV images of the five-year-old before she went missing.

And video said to show her alleged killer's movements in the hours before and after her disappearance was also played in court.

A CCTV camera picked up April, in a white top, and a friend, in a blue top, in the foyer of a leisure centre in Machynlleth, where the five-year-old had gone swimming.

Another sequence shows April and her sister leaving a cafe at the complex and then going towards the changing rooms.

April and her sister are later seen leaving the changing rooms.

They are then pictured departing the centre with April's mother Coral and the youngster's friend at 5:40pm, about a couple of hours before she vanished.

The jury was also shown a series of CCTV clips allegedly tracking Bridger's movements in his Land Rover on the day April went missing, and the following morning, walking from the Dyfi bridge direction to Machynlleth.

He is also apparently shown getting on to a bus, then walking his dog near his home around mid-morning.

The trial at Mold Crown Court in North Wales was adjourned for the day and is due to resume next week.

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Massereene: Man Cleared Of Soldiers' Murder

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

A 47-year-old man has been found not guilty of murdering two British soldiers in Northern Ireland four years ago.

Brian Shivers had denied all knowledge of the dissident republican gun attack outside Massereene Barracks in Antrim.

Sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, from Birmingham and Patrick Azimkar, 21, from London were just hours from deployment to Afghanistan.

They were already dressed in their desert fatigues when they were shot dead on home soil outside their security base.

Four other soldiers and two pizza delivery drivers were seriously injured in the terrorist attack in March 2009.

The soldiers had stepped out of their barracks to receive a delivery of pizzas when two masked gunmen opened fire on them.

They fired 65 rounds from their AK-47 rifles, with one gunman taking time to reload and open fire again from point blank range.

The judge, Mr Justice Deeny, told Belfast Crown Court the attack had been "both ruthless and ferocious".

The prosecution alleged that Mr Shivers' DNA - or partial DNA - had been found on matchsticks and on a mobile phone in the getaway car.

Sappers Patrick Azimkar (L) and Mark Quinsey were killed in the attack

Mr Justice Deeny concluded that he could have touched the items innocently or shaken hands with someone who had touched them.

"Matches and mobile phones are in common use and the presence of DNA upon them is very different from its presence on guns or explosive devices," he said.

Mr Shivers, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, was originally convicted of the double murder but later won an appeal and was sent for retrial.

Outside the court his solicitor Niall Murphy said: "Brian Shivers has suffered the horror of being convicted in what must now be described as a miscarriage of justice.

"He was convicted of the most serious charges... sentenced to a life term which would have seen him die in prison.  He is a seriously ill man and, in prison, was persistently denied access to medication and treatment."

Prominent republican Colin Duffy, who stood trial alongside Brian Shivers in his original trial, was acquitted of the charges.

Shivers too has now been found not guilty of two counts of murder, six of attempted murder, possession of two firearms and ammunition with intent and assisting offenders.

The murders of the two soldiers was the first major terrorist incident for some time in Northern Ireland but no one has been convicted.

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Interest-Only Borrowers Face 'Wake-Up Call'

Up to half of homeowners with interest-only mortages do not have enough money to pay back the loans, according to the new City watchdog.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) fears consumers are under-estimating the scale of the problem and is urging them to "act now".

Interest-only mortgages allow borrowers to pay off the capital only when the mortgage term ends, enabling them to maximise their borrowing capacity.

13% of borrowers were unaware they needed an interest-only repayment plan

They have become much harder to obtain since the credit crunch, with most banks now demanding borrowers have the equivalent sum tied up in stocks, savings or another property.

But the FCA believes around 260,000 people still on the deals have no repayment strategy.

Borrowers surveyed as part of the FCA's research thought their shortfall would be around £22,100 on average but the regulator's estimates suggest around half would exceed £50,000.

Some could end up having to sell their home to pay the money back if they do not take control.

FCA chief executive Martin Wheatley said: "By acting now we are aiming to nip this problem in the bud.

"Mortgage lenders have volunteered to contact their most at-risk customers with a 'wake-up call' to highlight the report's findings and what they need to do without delay."

He added: "My advice to borrowers is to not bury your head in the sand - take action now."

Mortgage lenders will contact homeowners considered most at risk

Around 2.6million interest-only mortgages are due for repayment over the next 30 years but research reveals one in 10 have no plan for paying the money back.

The FCA report said it was not clear how well some borrowers understood the discussions about how the mortgage was meant to be repaid when they took the deal out.

Some 13% of interest-only borrowers said they did not know they needed a plan to repay the whole amount borrowed, not just the interest - and a further 6% were unsure.

However, those unaware of the need for a repayment strategy were more likely to have signed up longer ago, the report found.

Just one in 40 people (2.5%) who said they were unaware still has no repayment plan in place. 

Campaigners are also calling for more work to make sure borrowers were not mis-sold deals.

Richard Lloyd, executive director of consumer group Which?, said: "We're worried that a significant proportion of consumers say they did not know they needed a separate repayment plan on their interest-only mortgage."

The FCA said it is concentrating its efforts on making sure that the people whose interest-only mortgages are maturing will have a way of paying their loan back.

It is thought that despite the report's findings, there are no particular jumps in mortgage complaints figures to suggest that the way that interest-only mortgages were sold was a widespread problem.

A Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) spokesman said that the body's focus will be on helping those who still have no strategy in place for repaying their mortgage.

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Three Die After Catching New C. Diff Strain

Three people have died after contracting a new strain of the bacterial infection Clostridium difficile.

Two of the patients were being cared for at the same hospital in Scotland. One died in December and the second in January.

A third patient within the same health board area died last month.

Health Protection Scotland has alerted doctors to the strain, named ribotype 332, which has been reported for the first time by HPS.

It said in a statement: "All three cases were severely ill due to other underlying conditions and died following their episode of CDI (Clostridium difficile infection).

"HPS has alerted clinicians and laboratory staff throughout Scotland.

"The identification of a novel ribotype does not require any immediate changes to surveillance or in the antibiotics used to treat CDI."

Details of the hospitals where the victims were staying have not been disclosed, due to patient confidentiality.

A CDI is a type of bacterial infection that can affect the digestive system. It most commonly affects people who are staying in hospital.

Symptoms include diarrhoea and abdominal cramps and it can also cause life-threatening complications such as severe swelling of the bowel.

A ribotype is the pattern of DNA fragments particular to a bacterial strain.

A Scottish government spokeswoman said: "Health Protection Scotland have active surveillance and infection control measures in place and are keeping us updated.

"Research shows that, although this is a new strain, there is no increased risk to patients or the public."

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Corrie Actor Bill Roache Denies Rape Claims

Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has "strenuously" denied allegations that he raped a teenager in the 1960s.

The 81-year-old, who has played Ken Barlow in the ITV soap since its launch, said he was "astounded and deeply horrified" by the claims.

He has been charged with two counts of rape of a 15-year-old girl in 1967.

Responding to the accusations this afternoon in a written statement, he said: "I am astounded and deeply horrified by the extraordinary events of the last 24 hours.

"I strenuously deny the allegations and will now focus my full attention on fighting to preserve my innocence in the challenging times ahead.

"I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all those people who have offered me their support and good wishes at this difficult time," the celebrity added.

Roache was arrested by Lancashire Police at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, on Wednesday.

He was charged with the offences some 12 hours later and arrived back at his address last night.

There was a large media presence outside his home on Thursday, but no sign of the actor.

ITV said in a statement that Roache - the world's longest-serving soap actor - will not be appearing in Coronation Street until legal proceedings have concluded.

Roache collected an award from Guinness World Records in 2010 for his long service in Coronation Street, having joined in 1960 and appeared regularly ever since.

He will appear at Preston Magistrates' Court on May 14.

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British Soldiers' Deaths 'A Hammer Blow'

By Jane Chilton, Scotland Correspondent

A comrade of three British soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan earlier this week has described their deaths as a "hammer blow".

Corporal William Savage, 30, Private Robert Hetherington, 25, and Fusilier Samuel Flint, 21, died in Helmand Province on Tuesday.

They were caught by a bomb during a routine patrol as they travelled through Nahr-e Saraj in a Mastiff heavy-armoured vehicle.

Six other men were injured in what was the first case of British troops dying in a Mastiff since the vehicles were introduced into the warzone in 2007.

Cpl Savage and Fusilier Flint were both from The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 Scots).

Pte Hetherington, who was born in the US but raised in Scotland, was from 51st Highland, 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (7 Scots).

Mastiffs are heavily armoured in order to provide protection from bombs

Major Tim Petransky, a spokesman for 2 Scots, said outside Glencorse barracks near Edinburgh that the mood in the regiment was "sombre but determined".

"The loss of three of our brothers in arms in any circumstances would be tragic but to lose three in one go is a hammer blow," he said.

"I know that the battalion, its families and the regiments as a whole will, with great stoicism, pride and professionalism, carry on in a manner that would have made our three men proud.

"Those in Afghanistan will now be concentrating on the job at hand - putting back on their body armour, picking up their rifles and getting on the ground to continue this difficult but vital mission.

"Our thoughts are also very much with our sister battalion 7 Scots, to which Private Hetherington belonged. They too will be grieving."

Tributes have been left outside the main gates of 2nd Battalion, The Royal Highland Fusiliers, in Penicuik, Mid Lothian.

One note read: "Sleep in peace my soldier laddies. Sleep in peace now the battle's o'er." Another said: "Rest in peace our hero lads. From the mother of a son."

Cpl Savage's wife Lyndsey, who is pregnant with their first child, has spoken of her devastation but pride of her husband and what he achieved.

"I have lost the love of my life and the father of our son. I know his life will live on through so many amazing memories that we shared together," she said in a statement.

Fusilier Flint had only been in the army since November 2011 and was sent to Afghanistan in March.

His family said in a statement: "The whole family is completely devastated. Everyone should know that Sam loved his job and made his whole family and everyone that knew him very proud.

"Sam was always the life and soul of the party, a real ladies' man, witty,  funny, the real cheeky chappy.

"He was a loving son, the protective brother, courageous nephew, the caring uncle, the loyal grandson that anyone would wish to have."

The men were on a routine patrol in Helmand Province

Lieutenant Colonel Robin Lindsay, Pte Hetherington's commanding officer, said he epitomised "everything that is excellent about the reserve forces".

"Private Bobby Hetherington was a thoughtful and humorous soldier who was always quick to find the fun in Army life and to keep the chain of command on our toes with his sharp wit and insightful mind," he said.

"He was gregarious and open, and this made him a much-liked and respected member of his platoon and the battalion."

The bodies of the three soldiers are expected to be repatriated next Thursday.

Their deaths take the British death toll from the conflict to 444. Six soldiers have now died this year.

Five of the six soldiers injured in the blast have already been flown back to Britain for hospital treatment. The sixth is due to return soon.

An investigation is under way into the explosion, which is thought to have involved a particularly large bomb.

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April Jones Jury Visits Mark Bridger's House

Jurors have been shown inside the home of the man accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones.

Prosecutors say the schoolgirl's blood was found on a washing machine at Mark Bridger's house in Ceinws, around five miles from where she went missing.

Bone fragments thought to be from a human skull were also found in the isolated cottage.

Legal teams, the judge and a court usher accompanied the jury for the visit to Machynlleth, where pink ribbons put up on lamp posts, trees and gateposts to mark her disappearance are still visible.

Their visit began at Machynlleth Primary School where April was a pupil.

Her mum and dad attended a parents' evening at the school just hours before her disappearance on October 1.

April was last seen riding her bike close to her home in Machynlleth

The jury also visited the Bryn-y-Gog estate where April was playing when she vanished.

Sky News correspondent Tom Parmenter said they carried clipboards as they were shown around.

Police officers were dotted around the estate to ensure they could focus on their work, he said.

After visiting the clock tower in the centre of Machynlleth, jurors travelled to Bridger's house.

On the second day of his trial at Mold Crown Court, they were told traces of April's DNA were found on a wood-burning stove, under a carpet and in the grouting of tiles.

Prosecutors said there was a "one in a billion" chance the DNA was not April's.

They also claimed the house was "uncomfortably hot" and smelled strongly of detergent.

Bridger, 47, denies abducting and murdering April, and unlawfully disposing of and concealing her body - which has never been found - with intent to pervert the course of justice.

The trial continues.

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Three British Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan

Three British soldiers have been killed in a roadside bomb attack in Helmand Province in Afghanistan.

The soldiers from The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, were killed when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED) whilst on a routine patrol, the Ministry of Defence said.

The attack took place on Tuesday in the Nahr-e Saraj district. The three were evacuated by air to the military hospital at Camp Bastion but could not be saved, the MoD said.

Their families have been informed.

Sky's Defence Correspondent Alistair Bunkall said another six have been injured.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the country has paid a "very high price" for the work it is doing in Afghanistan.

The soldiers were aboard a heavily-armoured Mastiff vehicle

"It is important work because it's vital that country doesn't again become a haven for terrorists - terrorists that can threaten us here in the UK," Mr Cameron added.

"But today our thoughts should be with the families and friends of those that have suffered."

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said the deaths were "a reminder that there is still a great amount of danger out there".

Labour leader Ed Miliband said it was "tragic news".

The deaths bring to 401 the overall number of British troops killed in Afghanistan in the past 12 years, with total losses at 444.

Six have now died in 2013.

A ministry spokesman said the attack "underlines the threats faced by our personnel as they continue to hand over security operations to their Afghan counterparts ahead of UK combat operations concluding by the end of next year".

"Security in Helmand, where most UK forces are based, is steadily improving with Afghan forces already responsible for the bulk of the province - but the environment in which our troops operate remains risky and dangerous, including the threat of improvised explosive devices and insurgent attack.

"We will continue to do all we can to minimise these risks but they can never be removed entirely."

The attack came on the third day of what the Taliban has called its spring offensive. In past years, spring has marked a significant upsurge in fighting between the Taliban and Nato forces with their local allies.

This fighting season is a key test, as the international coalition is scheduled to hand over security responsibilities to Afghan forces next year.

Sky News' Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall said: "The Taliban have announced their annual spring offensive in a brutal manner.

"By carrying out this attack they are not only saying that spring has come, they are also underlining that even though everyone knows the British are leaving, they will still be coming after them all the way to the end."

The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion.

They deployed to Afghanistan in March from their base in Penicuik, Midlothian, near Edinburgh.

The last time so many UK soldiers were killed in one attack was in March 2012, when six died as their Warrior armoured vehicle was blown up by a massive improvised explosive device near the town of Lashkar Gah.

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April Jones' DNA 'Found At Bridger's Home'

April Jones's DNA was found on a washing machine belonging to the man accused of her murder, a court has heard.

An intensive forensic search of Mark Bridger's home found a stain matching the five-year-old's profile on the glass door, jurors were told.

Prosecutors said her DNA was also found in the "front crotch area" of his tracksuit bottoms, as well as on a shower curtain.

Meanwhile, Mold Crown Court heard how bone fragments thought to be from a human skull were found in Bridger's house.

Blood stains were also found under the carpet and in the grouting of tiles, jurors were told.

Earlier, they heard how Bridger told police he had "tried to revive" April after running her over with his car.

However, prosecutors said there was no evidence of a collision involving his car and say there were no blood stains or signs of a clean-up inside the vehicle.

Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, denies abducting and murdering April, and unlawfully disposing of and concealing her body - which has never been found - with intent to pervert the course of justice.

The trial continues.

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Madeleine McCann's Parents 'Closer' To Truth

Madeleine McCann's parents say a police review into their daughter's disappearance is making "excellent progress" as they mark the sixth anniversary since she went missing.

In an interview with Sky News, Kate and Gerry McCann asked the public to remain vigilant about possible sightings and talked about adapting to life without Madeleine.

Madeleine was nearly four when she vanished from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal on May 3, 2007 as her parents dined at a nearby tapas restaurant with friends.

Friday will mark the six-year anniversary of her disappearance.

"With the review the Met have been doing over the last two years I think we are closer to finding out what happened," Gerry McCann said.

"But for Kate and I until we find Madeleine or the person responsible then we're still miles away."

He also said of the review: "We certainly feel they're making excellent progress".

The couple, who will mark the anniversary with a service in their village, said although they struggle with various occasions, including Madeleine's birthday, they are coping with her absence.

"It's a horrible, confusing, uncomfortable situation to be in. As time's gone on we've obviously got stronger and you do adapt to living in that situation," said Kate.

She said their home is full of photos and other memories of Madeleine.

"She should be here and we should celebrate with her but we still celebrate her and her being part of our lives."

Gerry McCann said that seen from a distance his family is like any other. The couple, from Rothley, Leicestershire, also have twins.

"Twins do everything that other eight-year-olds do, and they've been a tremendous source of pleasure and joy for us," he said.

"They're so adaptable and it's a matter of fact to them that they've grown up with their older sister missing."

The couple thanked the public for their "tremendous support", and urged people travelling abroad to keep vigilant about possible sightings of  Madeleine.

"Someone knows - not just the people involved in the crime. Other people will know as well, or will be strongly suspicious," said Kate.

Her husband added: "The key message is - if someone thinks they've seen Madeleine, contact police straight away."

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Coronation Street's Bill Roache Arrested

Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has been arrested over historical allegations of sexual assault.

The actor, who has played Ken Barlow in the TV soap since its launch in 1960, was held at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, this morning.

Mr Roache, 81, faces two allegations of raping the same 15-year-old girl in Haslingden, Lancashire, between April and July 1967.

Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "According to neighbours, plain clothes police arrived at his home in Wilmslow at around 8am. His home is being searched and police are questioning him about historical allegations."

An ITV spokeswoman said the broadcaster was not in a position to comment, but it is understood Mr Roache will not appear in the long-running soap while investigations continue.

Coronation Street bosses are also deciding whether to re-edit scenes featuring Mr Roache, which are due to be aired later this week.

An officer walks down the driveway of Mr Roache's home following his arrest

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: "An 81-year-old man from Wilmslow in Cheshire has this morning, Wednesday, May 1, 2013, been arrested by Lancashire Constabulary on suspicion of rape.

"The man will be interviewed at a police station in Lancashire during the course of the day.

"We take all allegations of sexual abuse extremely seriously and would encourage people with any information about sexual abuse, or anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse, to come forward and report their concerns confident in the knowledge they will be investigated appropriately and with sensitivity."

After his Coronation Street co-star Michael Le Vell was charged with 19 child sex offences, Mr Roache called for anonymity for those accused of such crimes because of the stigma they face even if innocent.

Bill Roache, with Anne Reid, who played his first wife in the TV soap

Speaking to Sky News in March, he said: "If there is to be anonymity for the accusers at this stage, then there should most certainly be anonymity for those accused, until such time as there is strong evidence to show that there was some truth to the allegations at least."

Le Vell, who will not appear as mechanic Kevin Webster while he awaits his trial, has stated publicly that he is innocent and will fight the allegations.

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UK Coal Fights For Future Amid Creditor Talks

UK Coal has admitted it is in talks with creditors to keep solvent but refused to deny a claim it is considering voluntary liquidation.

When a fire at the company's Daw Mill mine forced its closure and 600 job losses in February, UK Coal warned the closure could harm the viability of the whole company unless it got outside help from government or creditors.

The country's largest coal miner released a statement to clarify its position after the Financial Times (FT) reported it had proposed voluntary liquidation and the handing over of its remaining mines to a new company.

The statement said: "We remain positive that we have an underlying profitable business," while chief executive Kevin McCulloch added: "I hope we are close to securing a way forward for our remaining mines.

"There will undoubtedly be some difficult decisions as we have had to look at all possible options."

UK Coal said it was working closely with employees, government and others to try and preserve the 2,000 remaining jobs at its mines.

The FT said a proposal made by the company would mean creditors receiving 32 pence for every pound of debt but UK Coal declined to say if any offer had been made.

The company avoided a debt default and closure of its operations after completing a major debt restructuring with shareholders last December.

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Rape Of Boy At Debenhams: Two Men Convicted

Two men have been found guilty of raping a 14-year-old boy in the toilets of a city centre department store.

Alex Wilson-Fletcher, 42, and Abdelkader El Janabi, 55, attacked their teenage victim in the Debenhams store in Manchester on a busy Saturday afternoon last summer.

The boy was in the Arndale Centre at around 5.45pm on June 2 last year when he went to the toilets.

While there he was approached by the defendants, led out of the Arndale Centre and forced to go to the nearby Debenhams where he was raped, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Wilson-Fletcher, of Oldham Street, Manchester, and El Janabi, of Artillery Court, Ardwick, were both convicted by a jury of two counts of rape and two counts of sexual touching following a two-week trial.

They were remanded into custody by Judge Michael Leeming QC who warned they face substantial jail terms when they are sentenced on June 6.

The pair were tracked down after images from CCTV were circulated by police.

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Hotel Swimming Pool Deaths: Tests On Bodies

Post-mortem examinations are being carried out on the bodies of a man and woman found in a swimming pool at a country mansion.

The tests come as it was revealed that a murder mystery game was due to start at the hotel the following night, but was cancelled.

The bodies of a man in his early 30s and a woman in her early 20s, both from the London area, were discovered in the water at Down Hall Country House Hotel in Hatfield Heath, Essex, on Saturday evening.

Staff dived in to try to save them, but their efforts were in vain.

Frankie Heritage, who turned up hoping to attend the hotel's murder mystery event, told Sky News that when he got a phone call to say it had been cancelled due to the police probe - he thought it was part of the game.

"So we drove down here and saw all the police here and even then I thought it was just a hoax," he said.

"Then I walked in and asked a member of staff about it and they were sort of sworn to secrecy. They said they didn't know anything. But I still thought it was part of the murder mystery weekend."

The hotel is said to be used by a number of celebrities

Donna Nash, 37, from Colchester in Essex, who had been to the hotel before, told Sky News: "I've been there three times now and I use the pool every time.

"The pool is quite deep but it's only small - it's a different shape underwater to normal ones. It's awful news."

Essex Police are treating their deaths as unexplained and are focusing on the relationship between the victims as part of their investigation.

Chief Inspector Nick Lee said the police were not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

He said: "Despite valiant attempts from the hotel staff and from the ambulance service, unfortunately it wasn't possible to revive those individuals and they were pronounced dead at the scene.

"Next of kin have been informed about this tragic incident and I can tell you at the moment Essex Police are not looking for any other people in connection with this investigation."

Some newspapers have reported that one of the theories being investigated is that the pair were poisoned, but this has not been confirmed by police.

Asked if the people had been going to any of the functions taking place at the hotel, Mr Lee said: "It's a very busy hotel, there were a number of functions going on."

Police arrive to investigate the deaths of the hotel guests

Events believed to have been going on include weddings, birthday parties and christenings.

Lucy Sparks, 21, from Cheshunt, was reportedly at a wedding reception when the police arrived.

"We saw two police officers rush through reception with a member of staff. There were about five or six police cars outside and we saw the air ambulance land," she told the Daily Mail.

"The hotel just pulled a curtain to separate us and the party still went on as normal."

Hotel manager Chris Falcus said staff at Down Hall were "devastated" by what had happened, adding: "Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those concerned.

"As soon as the alarm was raised, two of our team dived into the pool and did everything they could to try to save them.

"We are co-operating fully with the police investigation."

The hotel describes itself as one of England's most established country house hotels.

Located near Bishop's Stortford on the Hertfordshire and Essex border, it is 45 minutes from central London and also convenient for Stansted Airport.

Dating back to 1322, the Italianate mansion offers a historic setting, with luxury interiors and ornate ceilings.

There are 110 acres of surrounding woodland, parkland and landscaped gardens.

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April Jones Murder Trial: Bridger In Court

The trial of the former lifeguard accused of murdering schoolgirl April Jones is due to get under way.

Mark Bridger, 47, was arrested the day after five-year-old April vanished while playing on her bike near her home in Machynlleth, mid-Wales, last October.

Wearing a short-sleeved pale blue shirt, a blue striped tie and grey trousers, he appeared in the dock at Mold Crown Court flanked by two prison officers.

Trial judge Mr Justice Griffith Williams told 50 potential jurors: "I don't know whether you have been reading the papers or listening to the news but if you have, you have probably worked out by now that I am about to start the trial which arises out of the alleged murder of April Jones in Machynlleth last October.

April Jones' family arrive at Mold Crown Court

"The defendant's name is Mark Bridger, he is obviously sitting in the dock. It may be as well that you have a look at him just to make sure he is not somebody who you know or who you think you know."

Hundreds joined the search for April, who suffered from cerebral palsy, following her disappearance.

Her body has never been found despite a major operation led by Dyfed Powys Police.

Bridger, of Ceinws, is charged with abducting and murdering April, and of unlawfully disposing of and concealing her body with intent to pervert the course of justice.

He has pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

Jury selection has been taking place, with the first day expected to be occupied with legal matters and the trial expected to open later this week.

There will be nearly 60 witnesses called throughout the trial, which is expected to last until the middle of June.

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North Wales Child Abuse: 76 Fresh Allegations

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correpondent

Detectives have confirmed they are investigating 76 new cases of suspected historical abuse at children's care homes in north Wales.

Police officers leading Operation Pallial say the allegations centre on 18 different care homes between 1963 and 1992.

A total of 84 individuals have been named as abusers by complainants and 16 of those have been named by more than one victim. One arrest has so far been made.

The total number of allegations recorded since the new police inquiry was launched in November has now risen to 140.

The alleged victims were aged between seven and 19, while the offences range from verbal and physical assaults and abuse through to indecent assaults and serious sexual assaults.

Detective Superintendent Ian Mulcahey said: "Almost everyone that Operation Pallial is aware of has now been video interviewed by specially trained officers.

"Many have provided graphic accounts of abuse, in some cases of very serious criminality."

North Wales Chief Constable Mark Polin said it was "never too late" to report abuse and urged anyone who has not come forward yet to do so.

Wrexham's former Bryn Estyn home, one where abuse is known to have happened

He also told offenders they should look over their shoulders.

He said: "If you believe that the passage of time will reduce the resolve of Operation Pallial or any police force to identify people still alive who have caused harm to others and bring them to justice, you are are sorely mistaken.

"People who commit serious and sexual offences should live with the knowledge that we will always examine new information and evidence and seek to bring them to justice for their crimes.

"Offenders should quite rightly have to look over their shoulders for the rest of their lives."

One of the victims who has taken new allegations to the police has previously told Sky News how he was abused in various North Wales care homes.

"Michael" also revealed how as a 12-year-old he was repeatedly put on a mini-bus with other children, driven down to London and forced to take part in lurid sex parties.

Last November, he told Sky News how the men who abused him were all "posh people" who plied the boys were drink and drugs before abusing them.

He said: "It was how compliant you were, how nice you were towards them and looking back it was all about what they could get away with."

The Waterhouse Inquiry in 2000 found evidence of widespread sexual abuse and several care home staff members were convicted for various offences.

Compensation was then paid to 140 victims but there have been long held suspicions that the true extent of abuse in the homes in north Wales has never been uncovered.

Operation Pallial was set up to ensure allegations were indeed properly investigated.

Police said the first phases of the work "has resulted in the collection of significant evidence of systemic and serious sexual and physical abuse of children whilst in care".

It has also shown "no evidence of systemic of institutional misconduct by North Wales Police officers or staff".

Last week, detectives made their first arrest as part of the investigation into historical allegations of abuse.

A man was arrested in Ipswich, Suffolk and questioned on suspicion of a number of serious sexual offences before being bailed to until the end of July.

Officers expect phase two of the operation to involve further arrests.

The NSPCC said the inquiry was "a major step forward into probing claims of widespread child abuse".

The charity's director Peter Watt added: "Many who have been waiting decades for justice and for their voices to be heard have now finally found the courage to come forward and we mustn't fail them this time."

The NSPCC urged anyone who has any information about abuse to contact either its round-the-clock helpline on 0800 389 6176, or the police immediately.

The full police report into phase one of the inquiry has been published on the North Wales Police and Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) websites.

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PFA Chairman Sorry Over Reginald D Hunter Set

By Richard Williams, Sky News Online

The chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association has apologised for a comedian's controversial routine at the organisation's awards ceremony, admitting it left him "embarrassed".

Black American comedian Reginald D Hunter frequently used the word 'n*****' during his set at the annual showpiece event, held at London's Grosvenor Hotel.

At the start of his routine, the performer explained he uses the term for people of all races, employing it at one point to refer to Uruguayan player Luis Suarez.

And while PFA chairman Clarke Carlisle refused to criticise Hunter, he questioned the process that led to the comedian being booked.

"I apologise unreservedly," he told Sky News.

"There are some people who found it funny and some who didn't. Some people found it uncomfortable and some people found it disgusting.

"My personal opinion is that I'm embarrassed that we put it up there. It was really uncomfortable and I think a lot of people found it quite embarrassing."

Clarke Carlisle said some were "disgusted" by the routine

English football has suffered from high-profile racial abuse cases involving Liverpool's Suarez and former England captain John Terry over the last two years.

Mr Carlisle, also an ambassador for the anti-racism 'Kick It Out' campaign, said: "It's a really delicate issue and one we've had real problems with, so I really can't understand why we have paid someone who uses a term like that so flippantly.

"It wasn't a comedy club, it was a showpiece event that should be a celebration of professional football. It's not what the night is about.

"I'm not going to lambast Reginald. That's his act and we should have been aware of that. We simply shouldn't have booked him. I would like to have discussions about what our vetting process was."

Some have argued that the use of the word 'n*****' can be acceptable if used by black people who, it is suggested, have the right to take ownership of the term.

But Mr Carlisle said: "He tried to take the sting out of it with his opening gambit (in which he explains he uses the word for everyone, irrespective of colour), but it didn't.

"It is something I feel really strongly about. How can we appropriate something that is so derogatory?"

Reginald D Hunter has been contacted for comment but is yet to respond.

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Young Women Warned Over Heart Disease

By Liz Lane, Sky Reporter

Young women are being warned not to fall for the stereotypical belief that overweight, unfit men are the only ones at risk of heart attacks.

On the contrary, research shows more women suffer from cardiovascular problems in the UK than men.

According to British Heart Foundation (BHF) figures 710,000 women aged 16-44 are living with heart disease, compared to 570,000 men.

It is the biggest killer of females in the UK - more than 30,500 die from it each year, three times the number of women killed by breast cancer.

Michelle White, a mother of three from Manchester, was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at the age of 26.

Her frequent fainting spells had been put down to stress, but after she collapsed at work doctors found she was "a walking time bomb" because her heart was so enlarged and needed operating on.

"When I heard I thought 'they've got my results mixed up, there's no way it could be me.' I did contemporary dance, very athletic, so I was in denial, I just thought they'd got it completely wrong."

Doctors believe the higher rates among women are due in part to their susceptibility to certain rarer diseases, such as coronary artery dissection, where around eight out of 10 cases are women.

There is also the problem that traditionally women have been under-represented in clinical research.

Cardiologist Jane Flint said: "The truth is women under 50 often do worse after a heart attack because of the difficulty of recognition and lack of awareness that their risk is important."

But she added that even health professionals can fail to recognise women's potential vulnerability.

BHF has created an online hub called 'Women's Room' for those living with heart disease or who are worried about their health.

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Motorway Death: Boy's Family 'Devastated'

Relatives of a 13-year-old who was found dead on a motorway have described him as a quiet boy who had a passion for bikes and loved his family.

Michael Easton was discovered in the early hours of Saturday on the westbound carriageway of the M9, between junction five and six at Grangemouth in Scotland.

Floral tributes have been left by friends and family

His family said in a statement that they were "utterly devastated".

"Michael was a quiet and well-behaved boy, who never caused any trouble and who would have helped anybody. He loved his family deeply," said the statement released through police in Forth Valley.

Forensic experts on the M9

"He was a popular young boy who had a keen interest in biking. One of his prized possessions was his scooter and he and his friends spent several hours each week riding around Grangemouth.

"It is difficult not knowing exactly what happened to Michael and we would ask that anyone who knows anything that can help the police with their investigation to pick up the phone."

Police say they are continuing to investigate the circumstances around Michael's death and have appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

He was last seen in Grangemouth town centre at around 9.50pm on Friday.

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Wealthy Pensioners Urged To Give Up Benefits

Wealthy pensioners are being encouraged to hand back part of their universal benefits, if they do not need it.

The Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said it was an "anomaly" that all pensioners receive universal benefits, no matter how wealthy they are.

Most people over the age of 61 are entitled to receive up to £300 in winter fuel payments each year.

He has urged elderly people to voluntarily pay back the taxpayer-funded allowance, if they can afford to live without it.

In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph Mr Duncan Smith said there was "no indication of change" to the current system, despite he and other ministers calling for an amendment to the payment system.

He told the newspaper: "It is up to them if they don't want it to hand it back. I would encourage everybody who reads the Telegraph and doesn't need it to hand it back."

Prime Minister David Cameron promised in 2010 to protect universal payment for the whole term of Parliament, and has so far resisted calls to change it. The Liberal Democrats have proposed a review of the system.

Mr Cable says the issue is unlikely to be addressed by this Parliament

Business Secretary Vince Cable said Mr Duncan Smith had raised an important issue but acknowledged it would be "difficult" for this Government to address it because it was not part of the coalition agreement.

He told Sky News' Murnaghan programme: "Relatively affluent people of pensionable age have done relatively well in very difficult times and it would be fair to acknowledge that. Some people will give it back, some people will fund charities, others will do nothing.

"Relying on individual contributions is obviously not a systematic way of dealing with it but at least he is flagging an important question and I think it's important that he's raised it."

Shadow communities secretary Hilary Benn said the Government needed to "come clean" about its plans for pensioners' benefits.

He told the Murnaghan programme: "I don't agree with him (Mr Duncan Smith). The fact is we have certain universal benefits in our society, people have worked hard, they've paid their taxes and they get that, in this case, when they have retired.

"If Iain Duncan Smith is thinking of changing the commitment that David Cameron made at the last election, to leave those where they were, then it's about time he was clear, and more importantly David Cameron needs to come clean and tell us, is he going to break yet another of his election promises?"

Mr Duncan Smith's appeal to wealthy pensioners comes the day before the beginning of a pilot project for universal credit, a reform of the benefits system that would bring together several different benefits for those of working age into a single payment.

The shift is designed to ensure that no one is better off unemployed and on benefits rather than in work.

The revised benefit would include a commitment from people saying they are available for work, to look for a job and attend interviews, as well as taking the first job available, the Sunday Telegraph said.

If they do not do this they can lose their benefits for a certain amount of time.

Anyone living in the UK who was born before January 6, 1952 can claim winter fuel allowance (apart from a few exceptions), regardless of their income or wealth.

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Hotel Guests Found Dead In Swimming Pool

Police are investigating the deaths of a man and woman who were found under water in a hotel swimming pool.

Officers were called to Down Hall Country House Hotel in Hatfield Heath, in Essex, at about 7.35pm on Saturday.

Hotel staff and ambulance crews tried to revive the man and woman but both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate are investigating and are treating the deaths as unexplained.

The man who was in his 30s and the woman, who was in her 20s, are believed to be from the London area.

Post-mortem examinations will be carried out on Monday, police spokesman said.

Chris Falcus, manager of the hotel, said: "We are devastated by this tragic incident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of those concerned.

"As soon as the alarm was raised, two of our team dived into the pool and did everything they could to try and save them.

"We are co-operating fully with the police investigation."

The luxury hotel's website describes it as "one of England's most established country house hotels".

It was hosting weddings, birthday parties and christenings this weekend.

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'Tortured' UK Trio Face Dubai Drugs Verdict

The sister of a man on trial for drugs offences in Dubai has described how her brother was tortured by police, after he was arrested with two other Britons while on holiday last year.

Suneet Jeerh, 25, was arrested along with Grant Cameron, 25, and Karl Williams, 26, while they were out in the nightlife area of the principality on July 10.

All three will find out on Monday the verdict in their trial in Dubai for possession and intent to supply synthetic cannabis, known as 'spice'.

The men, all from London, claim they were forced to sign documents in Arabic - a language none of them understands - after having guns put to their heads.

The conclusion of the trial is set to overshadow a visit on Tuesday by the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Officials say they will be raising concerns with Emirati officials.

Their case is being backed by the overseas justice charity Reprieve, which is calling for a full review of the treatment they received.

Davina Kumar, the sister of Suneet Jeerh, told Sky News what she believed happened to her brother.

She said: "He was dragged into a car, and he was actually beaten at the time and he was taken to the desert where he was tortured severely - all three boys were.

"They kicked, punched him. They used a gun. They used the back of the gun to hit him on the head. They cut all of his head open from the back.

"They also used a cattle rod to his spine, where they electrocuted him. They electrocuted his spine down the back."

All three have denied charges of "consumption and possession with intent to distribute", and appeared at their first trial hearing in February after spending seven months in custody.

Dubai has become a major destination for tourism

The FCO has called for a full, independent and impartial inquiry into the allegations of torture and has raised them with "very senior officials" in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The UAE said it has investigated the allegations of torture and found them "baseless".

In a draft witness statement provided to Reprieve lawyer Marc Calcutt, Mr Williams described having a towel put on his face by police and having electric shocks on his testicles.

The torture took place in the desert, it was claimed, where the men were initially taken after their arrest, and subsequently in a hotel room.

The statements they signed were not full confessions, but have been used in the trial as evidence.

An FCO spokeswoman said: "The Foreign and Commonwealth Office takes all allegations of mistreatment and torture extremely seriously, and acts with a sense of urgency in all cases.

"We have been providing consular assistance to three British nationals detained in the UAE since July 2012, and are aware of their allegations of mistreatment.

"We have raised, and continue to raise, these allegations at the most senior levels in person and through diplomatic channels, including through ministers.

"It would not be appropriate to pre-empt the court judgment on April 29."

The UAE embassy in London has so far refused to comment.

Mr Cameron and Mr Williams are both from Wanstead, in north east London, while Mr Jeerh is from Ilford, east London.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahayan will stay overnight at Windsor Castle as a guest of Queen Elizabeth II, and will also meet with Prime Minister David Cameron.

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