Cancer: 'Half Of Doctors Failing Patients'

Family doctors have been accused of failing cancer sufferers after new data suggested more than half are not referring patients to specialists quickly enough.

Figures from around 4,000 GP practices in England show that, in many cases, only a minority of patients are fast-tracked for investigation by a specialist.

In some practices, only around 10% of patients eventually diagnosed with the disease saw a specialist within two weeks.

The target for the NHS says 95% of patients with suspected cancer referred by their GP must be seen by a specialist within two weeks.

While some GP practices show 100% of patients with cancer making it through the fast-track system, others fall far behind.

In around half of the practices in the sample, fewer than 50% of cancer patients were seen through the two-week system.

Not all patients with cancer visit their GP with symptoms.

Some are diagnosed in A&E, while others have cancer detected during routine tests, or are referred straight to A&E by their GPs because their symptoms are so bad.

Stuart Barber, head of communications and campaigns at Beating Bowel Cancer, said the findings were "intolerable".

Jeremy Hunt calls for action to tackle an 'unacceptable' postcode lottery

He said: "GPs have the tools. There are clear symptoms, there is a clear screening programme and if a patient visits their doctor with what are symptoms of bowel cancer they should have the confidence they are going to be referred quickly."

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt called for tough action to tackle an "unacceptable" postcode lottery in the care being given to patients with life-threatening illnesses.

He said: "Every single patient in the NHS has a right to the very best care - and to see a GP who can spot cancer symptoms early enough to make a difference.

"That's why we've introduced a rigorous new inspection regime for GP surgeries to tackle this unacceptable variation across the country.

"The new chief inspector will speak up for patients without fear or favour, rating each surgery so we can celebrate the best practices and take tough action where standards aren't up to scratch."

The new data has been published by NHS England as part of a raft of information to help patients work out how well their GP practice is performing.

Mike Bewick, deputy medical director at NHS England, said the level of variation between practices is too wide.

He said the data offered an "important insight for commissioners as to where we should be doing better".

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Weather: Tidal Surge Clean Up Under Way

By Emma Birchley, East Of England Correspondent

The task of cleaning and repairing flood-damaged homes is under way after a tidal surge so powerful it swept some houses into the waves.

The swollen sea flooded 1,400 properties across the country overnight on Thursday in coastal communities stretching from North Wales to Essex.

It was the most serious tidal surge to hit Britain for more than 60 years, and the Environment Agency said high tides on Saturday could cause more flooding in areas already inundated with water.

But the number of flood warnings and alerts has been reduced with fewer than 50 now in place, and no severe flood warnings, which are issued when flooding poses a "significant threat to life".

Susan Telford and Paul Citrine are still struggling to get through to their insurers after their home in Rhyl, north Wales, was left coated in mud once the waters receded.

Ms Telford said: "It's just a waiting game now, I suppose, and a long clean up...but we're lucky. We've got our health and we've got each other and material things can be replaced."

Flooding in Rhyl, north Wales

At Hemsby in Norfolk some homes are gone for good. The sheer power of the sea swept three over the sandy cliff and others were left teetering precariously.

Pub landlord Jonathan Thompson rallied his regulars to help save one family's belongings after he saw the cliff beginning to give way.

"It's heartbreaking to watch someone's entire life being swept into the sea never to be seen again," he said.

The Environment Agency says 800,000 properties were protected thanks to both permanent and temporary flood defences.

They helped prevent a disaster on the scale seen in 1953, when hundreds were killed.

But some barriers were breached as the tidal surge combined with high tides and strong winds.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said two women, two young babies in pushchairs and a dog had been rescued after being hit by a large wave at Louisa Bay in Broadstairs, Kent.

Thousands of homes in coastal areas were evacuated after officials warned that lives could be at risk.

People watch rising waters in the River Stour in Sandwich, Kent

Hundreds of people were forced to spend the night camped out in emergency rest centres.

The North Sea surge followed an Atlantic storm which brought severe gales of up to 80mph across Scotland and northern parts of England.

Some mountainous regions in Aberdeenshire and Inverness-shire reported speeds of around 140mph.

One man died after he was struck by a falling tree in a park in Retford in Nottinghamshire, while a lorry driver was killed when his HGV toppled onto a number of cars in West Lothian.

The adverse weather also caused chaos on the transport network, with rail services for Scotland and parts of the North of England suspended and number of flights disrupted.

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Former Priest Questioned In Child Sex Probe

A retired Catholic priest has been questioned by detectives over the alleged sexual abuse of three schoolgirls between 1980 and 2000.

Canon Mortimer Stanley, 82, has been interviewed under caution by Greater Manchester Police following complaints from three women now aged 41, 35 and 21.

Canon Stanley is a former parish priest at St Vincent de Paul RC Church in Norden, Rochdale.

Police say the women were aged between eight and 10 when the alleged offences occurred between 1980 and 2000.

The women were schoolgirls at St Vincent's Primary School in Rochdale at the time of the alleged incidents.

However, police have confirmed that the offences did not occur at the school, but at an adjacent presbytery.

Detective Constable Christian Chivers, from Greater Manchester Police's Public Protection Investigation Unit, said the alleged incidents related to historical offences.

"I want to reassure local residents, and more importantly parents of children currently at St Vincent's, that these are historical incidents," he said.

"While we do not believe there is any reason for current pupils or their families to be unduly concerned, this is extremely serious and upsetting for the victims in this case, who we are continuing to provide specialist support to.

"The safeguarding of pupils is without doubt a top priority for us, the school and Salford Diocese and we are working together as part of this investigation.

"I am appealing to former pupils who may have information about the offences under investigation or who may want to speak to us about similar matters to come forward."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Glasgow Helicopter Crash Pilot's Funeral Held

By David Blevins, Sky News Correspondent

The funeral has taken place of the pilot killed when his helicopter crashed onto a Glasgow bar last weekend.

Captain David Traill was one of nine people who died when the aircraft crashed on to the roof of the city's Clutha bar on Friday last week.

He was a decorated war veteran, having served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, but had flown for a private company since his retirement from the RAF.

Friends, family and colleagues attended a service at Glasgow University, led by chaplain Reverend Stuart MacQuarrie.

Before the memorial, a guard of honour was formed, with police officers on one side and air ambulance pilots and paramedics on the other.

The funeral cortege was led by police outriders and was joined by a friend of Capt Traill who rode his Harley Davidson motorcycle to the service.

The service had been put together by Capt. Traill's fiancee, Lucy, a graduate from the university, and his father, Iain, who sobbed as he read a poem, You Can Shed Tears, to mourners.

The minister read out a tribute from Lucy whom Capt Traill met just over four years ago.

She said: "Dave was the best thing that ever happened to me …He was the most amazing, caring, loving, strong, capable, funny, creative, delicious and sexy boy in the whole world and I cannot even begin to imagine life without him."

The helicopter crashed on the Clutha bar a week ago

She added that some of his passions included cycling, Scotland's west coast, fine dining, kayaking, Take That, and "best of all" karaoke.

"It all seemed too perfect but there was no catch. He just adored me and told me every single day," she said.

Mr Traill Snr read the same poem by David Harkins at his younger son Angus' funeral three years ago.

A close friend from Mr Traill's time in the RAF read a tribute to "the greatest friend a man could hope for".

Andy Rooney said: "David, Dave, Davey, Swampy - he was different things to different people and he touched many lives.

"But there was a consistency to him that few could match and many could envy. The calm he offered, the warmth with which he was received."

He went on: "He was the greatest friend a man could hope for. A steady, loyal brother in arms.

"He wasn't perfect, that would be tedious. He was a helicopter pilot who didn't like heights.

"You could get him in a helicopter, but you couldn't get him up a set of ladders. He was a pilot who got air sick, to be fair this was mostly on fixed-wing planes."

The 51-year-old had played an active role in the lives of his three young nephews since they lost their father - his younger brother Angus - to throat cancer three years ago.

Capt Traill did not make a mayday call before the aircraft crashed onto the Clutha bar, killing him and two police passengers: Kristy Nelis, 36, and Tony Collins, 43.

Six other people, attending a live music event inside the pub, also died: Robert Jenkins, 61, Mark O'Prey, 44, Colin Gibson, 33, John McGarrigle, 57, Gary Arthur, 48, and Samuel McGhee, 56.

Around 100 people were inside the building when the Eurocopter dropped out of the sky "like a stone" last Friday night and 10 of the 32 injured remain in hospital.

There was no black box data recorder on the helicopter but air accident investigators are examining the wreckage in Farnborough, Hampshire, and are expected to publish their initial findings next week.

Bond Air Services described their popular colleague as "the epitome of the consummate professional" and "a legend" whose passing would be mourned with "a sense of intense loss and sorrow".

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Air Traffic Control Problem Delays UK Flights

Flights at airports across the UK - including Heathrow and Gatwick - have been delayed or cancelled by an air traffic control system problem.

Thousands of passengers have seen their flights delayed by a problem switching from night-time to daytime operating capacity at southern England's main air traffic control centre in Swanwick, Hampshire.

Airports in the south east of England - the world's busiest airspace - have been hardest hit, with the knock-on impact disrupting flights across the UK and further afield.

Passengers have complained about a lack of information as they spend hours stuck on planes, while budget airline Ryanair has called for the Civil Aviation Authority to step in to prevent further chaos.

The National Air Traffic Control Service (Nats), which coordinates air traffic control across the UK, has said the technical problem will not be fixed until around 6pm.

A spokeswoman at Heathrow, where more than 200 flights have been cancelled, said: "Due to a technical issue with air traffic control, flights from many UK airports, including Heathrow, are subject to delay and cancellation.

"If you are flying today you should check the status of your flight with your airline. We are sorry that passengers have experienced disruption to their journeys."

Gatwick Airport tweeted: "Due to air traffic control systems issues some flights may be delayed. Please check with your airline."

The problems stem from a technical issue at NATS air traffic control

There are also reports of delays at Stansted, Manchester, Cardiff, Southampton, Luton, London City and flights to the south from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The issue has also affected flights UK-bound flights from Ireland and Europe.

British Airways said passengers on cancelled flights would be able to claim a full refund or be rebooked on alternative flights.

The airline said in a statement: "Given that Heathrow is the world's busiest two-runway airport and Gatwick is the world's busiest single-runway airport, there will be problems for all airlines as a result of the ATC failures."

A Ryanair spokesman said: "While we acknowledge problems can occur, where is the contingency? It's simply not good enough and the CAA needs to act now.

"Over 100 Ryanair flights to and from the south of England have been affected, with 10 cancelled so far. We apologise to affected passengers, however these circumstances are entirely beyond our control."

Dublin Airport tweeted: "Technical issue with air traffic control in southern England is causing a delay to some flights to England & continental Europe this AM."

Nats apologised for the backlog, blaming an internal phone system issue, and said it had handled 20% fewer flights than usual by midday on Saturday.

Passengers queue to rebook tickets at Heathrow's Terminal 5

Operations director Juliet Kennedy told Sky News: "We are able to manage the levels of traffic we would normally see overnight perfectly safely but we're unable to open additional control positions at the moment, which results in a reduction in our ability to deal with busier traffic levels."

She said the military had given up airspace to make it easier for Nats to operate some flights while the technical problem persists.

Daisy McAndrew said she had been caught in the "unholy mess" at Gatwick as she tried to fly to Barcelona for work.

She told Sky News: "As ever, staff have been fantastic but they know nothing other than the fact it is going to be a very, very long delay - very frustrating.

"And also, it's embarrassing, isn't it? When you look around a lot of people on my plane are not British, they are flying British Airways, they are probably trying to get back to Spain and they will inevitably be thinking this is something that could have possibly been prevented.

"It doesn't show our air traffic control system or our travel system in a good light.

"I have never heard of an example where every single plane is grounded - it's quite eerie when I look out of the window to see the tarmac in Gatwick, normally so busy, and also the sky above Gatwick which is normally busy - completely static, there's nothing moving."

Mrs McAndrew said the pilot on her flight suggested the delays would cause problems at Heathrow for two or three days.

Cabin crew opened the doors on a grounded flight as passengers milled about

Alwynne Gwilt, stuck at Stansted, told Sky: "We've just been stuck on the tarmac since we boarded the plane - at that point I don't think they realised quite the extent of the issue.

"Once we were settled in they told us there might be a delay of two hours and 45 minutes but we've had no updates since then.

"I understand that safety comes first. Unfortunately you want to make the most of it when you go away for a short getaway, but at the moment we're only seeing the yellow and blue of the Ryanair planes.

"You have to question why we had to get on the plane if they had known a little bit ahead of time. Now we're stuck with no tea, coffee, all those things you would be able to get if you were in an airport."

Take That singer Howard Donald was also caught up in the chaos.

He wrote on Twitter: "Control tower failure at Heathrow as left me stranded for 2-3 hours at dusseldorf. Anyone know any games besides eye spy?"

Radar engineer Dan Holland told Sky News the air traffic computer system runs at around 15% capacity during the night when there are fewer flights and then switches to near 100% during the day.

He said: "It seems that when they have made the switch something hasn't gone right and the data isn't being optimised enough for the safety of the passengers and the planes in UK airspace."

Sky News reporter Clare Fallon said problems at Swanwick had caused a similar backlog last summer.

She said: "There were several airports, mostly in the south of England, including Heathrow, and it took several hours then for them to actually deal with that problem."

The arrivals board at Gatwick Airport, which has been affected

Aviation analyst Chris Yates said passengers due to arrive at UK airports from overseas could find themselves diverted elsewhere.

He said: "There are contingency plans in place whenever this happens.

"Many of the long-haul flights, coming from China, India, the US and so on, passengers sitting on those planes may find themselves diverted to continental airports.

"But it's going to be a long wait for them. When the system kicks back in and starts working, there will be a backlog of flights.

Travel journalist Simon Calder said the technical glitch was a "disaster".

He told Sky News: "The south-east of England is the busiest airspace in the world. London handles far more passengers than anywhere else including Paris, New York, Tokyo and so on.

He explained that the lack of spare capacity at airports like Heathrow means things get "very messy, very quickly" and airlines are forced to cancel flights to create firebreaks, which allow the system to keep running.

He said there was "no way" that passenger safety would be compromised due to the ongoing problems but that airlines were facing losses of millions of pounds.

He added: "If you are flying today, then good luck, if you're only delayed you're in a pretty good place."

:: Are you stranded? Email us: news@sky.com.

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Hewlett-Packard To Cut 1,100 UK Jobs In 2014

Hewlett-Packard (HP) has confirmed it is planning to cut 1,100 jobs at the start of 2014 from three UK sites.

The US-based firm - which remains the world's biggest maker of PCs - will axe 1,124 posts in total from its operations in Bracknell, Sheffield and Warrington during the first three months of the new year.

The company, which was reacting to an apparent leak by the Unite union, said the proposed losses were part of a workforce management plan that was first raised in May 2012 and expected to result in 7,000 staff losing their jobs across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

HP said at that time it was looking to save £2.2bn, which it would invest in growth areas like 'cloud' storage technology.

Unite national officer Ian Tonks said today: "For the last five years HP has been addicted to a culture of job cuts in the UK, to such an extent that its highly skilled workforce has little faith in the way the company is being managed and will be going forward.

Meg Whitman is implementing a turnaround plan for HP

"Unite will be doing everything possible to mitigate these job losses which are a hammer blow to the UK's IT sector and very distressing for employees in the run-up to Christmas."

Unite said 618 jobs could be lost at the Bracknell hub, although the employees work at multiple locations; 483 will go at Warrington and 23 at Sheffield.

HP's statement said: "HP remains committed to supporting the employability of its employees through a number of internal initiatives, including re-skilling, redeployment and support to obtain alternative employment as appropriate."

The firm is under pressure amid a global decline in PC sales amid growing demand for laptops and greater tablet use.

In a mission statement on the company's website, chief executive Meg Whitman writes: "We are in a multi-year journey to turn HP around, and we have put in place a plan to restore HP to growth.

"We know where we need to go, and we're making progress.

"We continue to drive product innovation in our core markets, with a focus on cloud, security, and big data.

"We see big opportunities ahead, and we are well positioned to take advantage of these opportunities with our remarkable set of assets and strengths.

"We have the people, the plan, and the foundation in place to help us succeed on the next phase of the journey."

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Soldier Held After Nail Bomb Found In Salford

A 19-year-old soldier has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after a nail bomb was found at a house.

The man was detained at an army base in Paderborn, Germany, following the discovery of the suspicious device at a terraced house in Salford.

It is understood the soldier was detained by the Royal Military Police on suspicion of the unlawful possession of explosives, firearms and ammunition.

He was flown to the UK and questioned by detectives in Greater Manchester and has been released on bail until January pending further inquiries.

The nail bomb was discovered after a warrant was executed at an address on Mellor Street in Patricroft on November 28 at 1.30pm.

The nail bomb was found at an address in the Patricroft area of Salford

Residents were evacuated to a local school as army bomb disposal officers were called to safely remove the device from the property.

A 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of abusive images.

Police revealed they recovered "several items of literature which could be viewed by some as potentially inflammatory".

These are understood to be extreme right-wing leaflets, according to Sky sources.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said the soldier was arrested on Monday night on suspicion of Section 57 of the Terrorism Act.

On the discovery of the nail bomb, he added: "During a search of the property on Mellor Street, a suspicious device was found.

"A cordon was put in place and a number of residents were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

"Specialist officers assessed the device and were later able to confirm it was no longer a threat to the community."

The Royal Military Police are said to be working closely with Greater Manchester Police as part of the investigation.

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Royal Mail And Union Reach Deal On Pay

A proposed deal has been agreed between the Royal Mail and union leaders on pay, pensions and other issues linked to the privatisation of the postal group.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) had been threatening industrial action in the run up to Christmas but held off calling strikes so talks could be held.

After what were described as "extensive" negotiations, the two sides announced that a proposed agreement had been reached.

A union statement said: "The proposed agreement will now be considered by the union's postal executive over the next few days and will ultimately be subject to a ballot of the union's members.

Staff had backed the prospect of strikes pending the outcome of the talks

"During the ratification process, the industrial action ballot remains valid.

"Details of the proposed agreement will be made available following the conclusion of the meeting of the union's postal executive."

In a statement to the stock market, Royal Mail said an agreement had been made in principle with the CWU on pay, legal protections, industrial stability and pensions.

"Royal Mail and the CWU have agreed that the union's ballot for industrial action remains valid.

"However, the CWU has confirmed that there will be no disruption through industrial action during the ratification process of the proposed agreement, including the whole of the Christmas trading period.

"An announcement on the content of the proposed agreement will be made when it is ratified by the union's executive committee.

"The proposed agreement is also subject to approval by the Royal Mail plc board."

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Man Arrested After Police Officer Shot In Leeds

Police have arrested a man in connection with the shooting of a female police officer in Leeds.

A major police manhunt for James Leslie was launched following the attack which took place shortly after 4am in Cardigan Road in the city's Hyde Park district.

A weapon is recovered by officers near a car

West Yorkshire Police said two uniformed officers attended a "routine call" to a disturbance and were confronted by a man at the address who fired at them.

The female officer received "serious" but non life threatening injuries to her face, neck and right hand and is currently receiving treatment in hospital.

A male colleague was unhurt and able to remove her from harm's way and summon assistance from other officers.

Speaking at the scene, Chief Superintendent Paul Money said it was thought only one shot was fired.

The shooting happened shortly after 4am

He said: "My understanding at this time is that the officer was hit by one shot. We believe at this stage there was one discharge of that firearm and not multiple discharges."

Mr Money added: "This is quite obviously an incident that is thankfully rare in Leeds but nonetheless very shocking."

The force said a 37-year-old man was arrested at 10.10am in nearby Wood Lane in Headingley following a call from a member of the public, and a firearm was recovered in the area.

Assistant Chief Constable Geoff Dodd said the investigation was "still at an early stage" and while "any potential risk to the public has been removed", a police presence would remain in the area.

Police officers stand guard in Cardigan Road

"The officer has sustained a very serious injury and her wellbeing is of paramount importance to us. The thoughts of colleagues remain with the officer and her family at this very difficult time," he said.

"It is right to say that incidents where police officers face threat from firearms are thankfully very rare but that does not lessen the shocking impact when an officer is injured in such a way," he added.

Ned Liddemore, vice chairman of the Police Federation, described the shooting as a "cowardly attack".

"We will be supporting the officers and their families through this traumatic time," he said.

Forensic officers at the scene

Kieran Williams, 17, described how he had an altercation with Mr Leslie on Tuesday.

The teenager said Mr Leslie came to his house, which backs on to the scene of the shooting, complaining that someone was shining a torch through his window.

A woman police officer called round to take information from his housemates during the night after a bottle was thrown through their window.

He said he later heard multiple shots.

Radio Aire reporter Charlie Frost said she spoke to a couple of neighbours who heard a disturbance.

"They told be that they were very shook by the incident and that it is very worrying that it can happen here on their doorstep," she told Sky News.

Police are not looking for anybody else in connection with the shooting.

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Woolwich Suspect: Killing 'Gives Me Little Joy'

One of the men accused of killing soldier Lee Rigby told police it gives him "little joy to approach anybody and slay them", a court has heard.

Michael Adebolajo, who denies murder, made the comments in a two-hour interview, which was played to jurors at the Old Bailey.

As he sat with a blue blanket covering his head, the 28-year-old, who gave his name at Mujahid Abu Hamza, told officers it was "not my character" to kill people.

The videotaped interview showed him speaking non-stop for 30 minutes, pausing only for a sip of water.

Adebolajo and co-defendant Michael Adebowale were seen on CCTV

He described how the rape of Muslim women "disgusts me to the core", telling officers: "If it does not affect you, you are wicked men."

During his police statement, Adebolajo told officers that Drummer Rigby "was struck in the neck with a sharp implement and it was sawed until his head became, you know, almost detached".

"May Allah forgive me if I acted in a way that was displeasing to him," he added.

At one point in the interview, Adebolajo complained that he was refused permission to remove blood from his hands in hospital.

Drummer Lee Rigby was killed in Woolwich on May 22

He was heard telling officers: "I have blood on my hands and I wish, like any sane man, to remove that blood."

When one of them tried to interrupt his monologue, Adebolajo raised his voice and said: "When I'm finished, you may speak."

The court also heard a statement from a psychiatrist who assessed Adebolajo in the days after Drummer Rigby was killed in Woolwich, southeast London, just metres from a military barracks.

He said he showed "no signs of regret or remorse for his actions" but was polite and co-operative with medical staff.

Adebolajo claimed he did not recognise the name of co-defendant Adebowale

There was no evidence of any mental health problems, he added.

Earlier, jurors were shown pictures of the weapons used in the attack on Drummer Rigby, including a meat cleaver, knives and a handgun.

DNA recovered from one of the knives matched Adebolajo's, the jury was told.

Other images showed a box containing a block of knives that was found inside the defendants' Vauxhall Tigra car, and the clothing worn by the pair on the day of the attack.

Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, 22, both deny murdering Drummer Rigby, attempting to murder a police officer and conspiracy to murder.

The trial continues.

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Glasgow Helicopter Crash: Relatives Visit Site

Relatives and friends of some of those killed in the Glasgow helicopter crash have visited the scene of the tragedy.

They looked at tributes and flowers left at the nearby memorial site for the nine people who died in Friday night's disaster.

It came as the Deputy Prime Minister arrived in the city to pay his respects.

Nick Clegg laid flowers and met members of the community to discuss the tragedy.

He said: "The city is united in sadness and grief but also united in very heartfelt sympathy for those affected by the terrible events on Friday night."

Relatives of the victims went to the memorial site

He added that Glasgow was "also united in unequivocal support for the exceptional job done by the emergency services".

Police named the remaining four victims of the crash following the end of the recovery operation last night.

Robert Jenkins, 61, Mark O'Prey, 44, Colin Gibson, 33, and John McGarrigle, 57, were among the nine people killed when the police helicopter crashed into the Clutha pub.

The relatives of both Mr O'Prey and Mr McGarrigle told Sky News of their frustration at the delay in finding out news about the men.

Three people were killed in the helicopter - civilian pilot David Traill, 51, and police officers Kirsty Nelis, 36, and Tony Collins, 43.

The helicopter was raised from the building on Monday

Gary Arthur, 48, from Paisley, and Samuel McGhee, 56, from Glasgow, were the other two people who were killed in the pub.

Confirmation of the names of all those who died came after officials revealed the search and recovery operation at the crash site had concluded.

The site is subject to an ongoing police investigation, but management of the incident scene has been handed over to the city council.

Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick said: "All nine names of those who died in the tragic incident last Friday in Glasgow have now been confirmed.

"Our thoughts first and foremost are with the families and friends of all those who have died. As our investigation continues we will of course go on providing support to the families involved."

Cl'wise from top L: PCs Collins and Nelis, Mr McGhee, Mr Arthur, Mr Traill

On Monday it emerged Mr Traill made no mayday call before the crash.

Dave Miller, deputy chief inspector of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), told reporters there was no explosion and no fire before the helicopter fell onto the roof of the building, causing debris to land on customers below.

He said there was no "black box" flight recorder, although the aircraft did have a "significant number of modern electronic systems on board and it may be possible to recover details from those systems".

Nothing fell from the aircraft before the accident and the helicopter rotors were intact at the moment of impact.

The "extensively damaged" Eurocopter was lifted out by crane and taken by lorry to the AAIB base in Farnborough, Hampshire.

Emergency service workers formed a guard of honour to pay their respects to victims as the last four bodies were driven away in private ambulances.

Eleven people remain in hospitals across the city.

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Woolwich: Police Officer 'Feared Being Killed'

An armed police officer thought Drummer Lee Rigby's alleged murderers were going to kill her, a court has heard.

The officer, identified only as D49, said she "instantly" thought she would die when suspect Michael Adebolajo, 28, ran towards her car in Woolwich, southeast London.

In a statement, she claimed he had a meat cleaver or machete and was "shouting something", adding that his eyes "were so wide" she could "see the whites of them".

Prosecutor Richard Whittam QC read the police officer's account to jurors, in which she said: "I saw a black male running at me, waving both his hands in the air in a chopping motion.

"In his right hand I saw what I call a meat cleaver or a machete. I instantly thought, 'He's going to kill me'.

"I went to draw my Glock. Due to my position in the car ... I could not immediately draw my (gun). It was a split second decision to draw my Taser."

Michael Adebolajo denies the charges

She then saw a second person, said to be Michael Adebowale, 22, holding a gun.

"I thought, 'Oh my God, he's going to shoot me'. I feared for my life," she said in her statement.

Earlier, a woman wept in court as she recalled seeing Drummer Rigby's body dragged into the road in Woolwich.

Tina Nimmo told the trial she saw one of the alleged attackers stabbing the soldier and pleaded with the knifemen to stop as she shouted and swore at them.

Giving evidence, she raised her arm above her head and brought it down sharply, recalling she saw one of them "chopping down at something on the floor".

She told a jury: "I wanted them to stop. At the time you just get on and do what you have to do. And that's what I had to do."

Co-defendant Michael Adebowale has also pleaded not guilty

Ms Nimmo had been in the front passenger seat of a car driven by her daughter Michelle, whose baby was in the back.

A bus stopped near the scene and Ms Nimmo warned passengers to stay back because one of the men had a gun.

As the crowd approached, she told the jury the pair, who she said were holding two bloodied knives and a meat cleaver as well as the gun, "posed a bit more".

They were "very proud of what they had in their hands", she said.

In a statement, Ms Nimmo's daughter said one of the alleged attackers had a "smirk" on his face.

She said she saw a man "lying face down on the floor, covered in blood", and recalled how the two men "dragged him" into the road and "continued to chop away at him all over".

"They looked very proud of what they had done," she added.

Adebolajo and Adebowale both deny murdering the soldier, who the prosecution says was run over before he was attacked.

They also deny attempting to murder a police officer and conspiracy to murder.

The trial at the Old Bailey continues.

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China's 'UK Is No Big Power' Snub To Cameron

UK 'Just An Old European Country'

Updated: 9:04am UK, Tuesday 03 December 2013

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent

The editorial in China's Global Times on Tuesday gives a clear hint about how David Cameron has been received in the country so far.

To a significant extent, editorials in the Chinese (state run) papers reflect the broad thinking of the communist leadership.

Under the headline "China won't fall for Cameron's 'sincerity'", the Global Times' article is less than complimentary.

It reminds Mr Cameron that "the UK is not a big power in the eyes of the Chinese. It is just an old European country ..."

It also points out that on the very day that Mr Cameron was praising the Chinese, his Navy Chief of Staff was meeting the Japanese military and apparently supporting Japan's stance in a bitter territorial dispute.

In short, the editorial paints a picture of a China that is less than impressed.

:: Full transcript of the Global Times editorial:

"The UK Prime Minister David Cameron arrived in China Monday, starting his three-day tour in the country.

"The once halted Sino-British relations, due to Cameron's meeting with the Dalai Lama last year, may see an ice-breaking.

"This year, China has been actively engaged in relations with Germany and France, which propels the urgency of the Cameron administration to end the chilliness of bilateral relations.

"Some analysts say that the UK, France and Germany have reached an unwritten understanding on the issue of the Dalai Lama to provoke China. When the leadership of one country meets with the Dalai Lama, the other two countries develop ties with China.

"Such an argument does echo the real situation of China's relations with Europe, especially when, yesterday, the British Royal Navy's Chief of Staff, Admiral George Zambellas met with Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and supported Japan's stance toward China's recently declared Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea.

"This has added doubts over Cameron's sincerity in improving ties with China.

"Perhaps there is no need to talk about 'sincerity' in terms of Sino-British relations.

"What Cameron does is out of his own political interest and the UK's national interest. His visit this time can hardly be the end of the conflict between China and the UK.

"Beijing needs to speed up the pace of turning its strength into diplomatic resources and make London pay the price for when it intrudes into the interests of China.

"China has gained some achievement in countering European leaders' moves of meeting with the Dalai Lama.

"China's strategic initiatives in its relations with Europe have been increasing.

"The UK, France and Germany dare not make joint provocations toward China over the Dalai Lama issue.

"The Chinese government will surely show courtesy to Cameron. But the public does not forget his stance on certain issues.

"We know that the British government has been making carping comments on Hong Kong implementing universal suffrage for the chief executive's election in 2017.

"It also gives ulterior support for those who advocate opposition between Hong Kong and the central government. This has added to the negative impression the Chinese public holds toward the UK.

"Chinese people believe that if London interferes in Hong Kong's transition process of implementing universal suffrage, Sino-British ties can be halted again.

"The Cameron administration should acknowledge that the UK is not a big power in the eyes of the Chinese. It is just an old European country apt for travel and study. This has gradually become the habitual thought of the Chinese people.

"China has believed in 'diplomacy is no small matter', while after years of ups and downs, we have acquired the strategic confidence that 'diplomacy is no big matter'. China will act accordingly given how it is treated.

"Finally, let us show courtesy to Cameron and wish him a pleasant trip."

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Education Report: UK Lagging Behind The Best

The UK remains a long way behind countries like Singapore, Korea and Japan when it comes to basic standards in education, according to a major international study.

The 2012 Pisa report found the UK's performance in reading, maths and science has failed to improve in recent years.

Despite the UK spending more than average on education, there has been "no change" in attainment, it said.

Among the 65 countries which took part in the study, the UK ranked 26th for maths, 23rd for reading and 21st for science.

The research by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) assessed how students could use their knowledge and skills in real life, rather than just repeating facts and figures.

The findings show that the UK's average score for maths was 494 and 499 in reading, broadly the same as the OECD averages for the subjects.

In these subjects, the UK was on a par with nations such as the Czech Republic, France and Norway.

In science, the UK's teenagers scored 514 points, above the OECD average and similar to results in Australia, Austria, Ireland, New Zealand and Slovenia.

However, the results leave the UK lagging far behind leading nations such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and Japan in each of the areas tested.

The OECD concluded that across all three subjects, the UK's average performance has remained unchanged since the Pisa tests of 2006 and 2009.

Headteachers have questioned the usefulness of the study

Andreas Schleicher, special adviser to the OECD's secretary-general, told Sky News: "We live in a global economy and the yard stick for success is no longer just improvement by national standards.

"It is about how competitive the school system is (and) how well young people are prepared compared to other people they will be living with in the same world.

"Countries may have different learning environments, different teaching environments and diversity is the strength of the world, but at the very same time we need to see ourselves in a mirror of what other countries show is achieveable."

However, headteachers have questioned the benefit of the study.

Paula Dixon, headteacher at Upton High School in Chester, where 80% of pupils gained grades A* to C in their GCSEs last year, said: "You really cannot expect Britain to do very well in the Pisa study.

"Our whole system is not designed to work well within that kind of framework.

"We know, because we have our own attainment tests in this country, that we are improving standards, and to compare us to South Korea or Finland doesn't make sense."

Anastasia de Waal, deputy director at the education think-tank Civitas, added: "The last thing we want to do is make our system responsive to international rankings.

"What we want to do is address the problems we know we have. They're well recognised, in particular this achievement map that we still have between rich and poor children.

"(We need to) address those, rather than getting distracted by what's happening internationally."

Labour accused the Government of failing schools through its education reforms but the coalition said the figures reflect Labour's policies when it was in power.

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Guardian Editor Faces MPs Over Snowden Leaks

Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger faces MPs over his decision to publish top-secret documents leaked by Edward Snowden.

The 59-year-old, who has been editor at the newspaper since 1995, is expected to be asked whether his decision to publish files obtained from the former NSA contractor damaged UK national security.

More follows...

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Glasgow: No Mayday Ahead Of Helicopter Crash

The pilot of the police helicopter that plunged into Glasgow's Clutha pub killing nine people made no mayday call before the crash.

Dave Miller, deputy chief inspector of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, told reporters there was no explosion and no fire before the crash.

There had also been no mayday call from the pilot, David Traill, a veteran of both Gulf wars.

Nothing fell from the craft and the helicopter rotors were also intact, said Mr Miller. They were removed to help lift the shell from the pub roof.

He said there was no 'black box' flight recorder on board but its does have a "significant number of modern electronic systems on board and it may be possible to recover details from those systems".

A guard of honour marked the passing of the remaining Clutha crash victims

Emergency service workers earlier formed a guard of honour to pay their respects to victims of Friday night's crash as the remaining bodies were carried from the wreckage.

The bodies of four remaining victims could not be recovered from the wrecked Clydeside pub until the police helicopter that crashed through the roof had been removed.

They were taken from the scene in central Glasgow in private ambulances.

The "extensively damaged" Eurocopter craft was lifted out by crane after it had been made safe to remove.

Relatives expressed anger at the time it had taken to recover their love ones.

John McGarrigle, whose father, also John, is thought to be among the dead, said: "What about the dignity for the human beings underneath that police helicopter? If they've got one out, they can get the rest out."

The Eurocopter will be taken to AAIB in Farnborough for examination

Nine people died and 32 were injured when the three-tonne Eurocopter crashed into the Clutha pub late on Friday evening.

More than 100 people were in the pub listening to a ska band when the helicopter hit.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service assistant chief officer David Goodhew said rescuers had been working in very confined spaces with the danger of potential further collapse.

"Crews have been tunnelling underneath the helicopter to try to find further casualties and remove those where necessary."

Once the wreckage was removed, crews were immediately put back into the building to complete their search, which took under two hours.

Mr Goodhew said: "The building has been totally devastated. It's totally unrecognisable in most parts.

"There's a large amount of debris that's underneath the helicopter and therefore you have to dig in slowly and methodically.

The helicopter fuselage was embedded in the roof of the Clutha

"Crews have been working tirelessly. We've been rotating crews, we've used specialist crews, urban search and rescue, every rescue crew.

"They have been committed to the building the whole time, trying to search."

He said: "It's one of the most difficult operations, I think, of this type in the country.

"The helicopter has landed in a building that's fully packed.

"It has been damaged in such a way that it couldn't just be lifted. It's been in an unsafe, unstable condition throughout."

Among those killed in the crash alongside Mr Traill, 51, were police officers Kirsty Nelis, 36, and Tony Collins, 43.

Gary Arthur, 48, from Paisley, and Samuel McGhee, 56, from Glasgow, were among six people who died inside the pub. 

David Goodhew of Scottish Fire and Rescue explains the lifting process

Dr Jennifer Armstrong, of NHS Greater Glasgow, said 12 people remain in hospital.  

"The patients continue to be treated for a range of serious injuries including bone fractures, spinal injuries, lacerations, chest injuries and head injuries," she said.

Meanwhile, a 16-year-old boy has been arrested for allegedly posting sectarian and racist comments on Twitter in the wake of the Glasgow helicopter crash. He is expected to appear at Ayr Sheriff Court later.

:: Scotland Secretary Alistair Carmichael will make a statement about the accident in the Commons live on Sky News at 4pm.

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Snow Threat As Cold Blast Hits Britain

Parts of the UK could be affected by snow by the end of the week as an Arctic blast causes temperatures to plummet.

By Friday, average temperatures in England and Wales are expected to drop to just above freezing, with strong winds forecast for some coastal areas.

Patchy rain could then turn into snow showers as the colder air hits the UK.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "Towards the end of this week the winds will swing round to a very cold northerly air flow bringing with it lower temperatures, below freezing across most places during nights with frosts, wintry showers and strong to gale force winds.

"From Thursday a band of rain will spread southwards across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

"As that cold front clears to the south, there will be brighter conditions behind it from Friday.

"High pressure will also keep it dry for many, albeit bitterly cold in the northerly winds, but there will be some showers in the north and along exposed coasts which will turn increasingly wintry."

Snow is also forecast to fall on higher ground, especially in Scotland.

Long term forecasts suggest temperatures across the UK could remain below average for much of December.

November saw some snow showers in high areas of Scotland and North Wales.

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Glasgow Helicopter Crash: Fury At Delays

The son of a man thought to still be inside the Glasgow pub hit by a helicopter has said he is "enraged" at a lack of information.

John McGarrigle has been waiting since Friday for news of his father, also called John, who was inside the Clutha pub when the police helicopter crashed into it.

He told Sky News: "I'm extremely angry my dad is lying in there.

"I was told last night that (the building) would not be getting touched (and that) no bodies were being taken out.

"At three in the morning, I saw a body being taken out on the news.

"I am enraged. I was supposed to get a phone call to tell me exactly what was happening. I've not had that phone call.

The wreckage of the helicopter has been lifted clear of the Clutha pub

"What about the dignity for the human beings underneath that police helicopter? If they've got one out, they can get the rest out."

Mark O'Prey was last seen in the Clutha bar on Friday night by a friend who went outside for a cigarette moments before the tragedy.

His worried family told Sky News they are frustrated at the inability to get information about their loved one.

Hi father Ian said he dropped the phone when his daughter Louise told him the news that his son had been inside the bar.

"I could not believe it because I'd been watching it all night on television from when it happened," he said.

"Here we are two days later and he's still inside.

Ian O'Prey says he is desperate for information on his missing son Mark

"I would hope he would do the same for me if I was lying in that pub. I'd like some answers, not (to be) fobbed off."

David Goodhew, of Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said firefighters had been tunnelling through wreckage inside the building to try and reach people left inside.

He said crews had been unable to search the whole of the building because of how unstable parts of it were, adding that the operation would be completed once the helicopter wreckage had been removed.

"The building has been totally devastated. It is unrecognisable in most parts inside," he said.

"There is a large amount of debris underneath the helicopter.

"We have got to dig slowly. The building is in such an unstable condition.

"You can imagine underneath the helicopter, the sea of devastation.

"We have been unable to dig into the last areas of the building because of the amount of debris and rubble in those areas."

Ann Faulds said she thought people had been blown into rooms below the pub

Sisters Ann Faulds and Nancy Primrose were both treated in hospital after being injured in the crash.

Ms Primrose had 12 stitches in the back of her head after being blown off her feet by the impact.

She told Sky News: "There were no flames, there were no sparks and there was no warning, just an almighty thud.

"I thought it was a bomb. I honestly thought a bomb had gone off in the pub. It's been a horrendous scene."

Her sister, who was trapped inside, described feeling "immense pain and heat".

"The whole place had come down around us so there was no immediate way for us to get out," she said.

"I thought it was a bomb. There are rooms underneath the Clutha bar (and) I was thinking, 'Have people been blown into the rooms below?'"

The survivors' stories came as a crane lifted the wreckage of the helicopter out of the pub.

Police earlier revealed nine people had been killed in the accident and identified a fifth victim as Samuel McGhee, 56, from Glasgow.

The other named victims include PC Kirsty Nelis, 36, PC Tony Collins, 43, civilian pilot David Traill, 51, and Gary Arthur, 48, from Paisley.

Authorities warned that more bodies could be recovered from the wreckage.

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Georgia Williams: Friend Admits Teen's Murder

A man who strangled teenager Georgia Williams and dumped her body in woodland before fleeing to Scotland has admitted murder.

Jamie Reynolds, who previously denied the charge, changed his plea to guilty during a hearing at Stafford Crown Court.

The 23-year-old was at the centre of a UK-wide manhunt in May after killing Georgia in their home town of Wellington, Shropshire.

Her body was found around 50 miles away off the Nant-y-Garth pass near Wrexham.

Reynolds sat with his head bowed in the dock after entering his plea on what was scheduled to the first day of a three-week trial.

Reynolds is said to have made advances to Georgia

The shop worker, of Avondale Road, Wellington, was arrested at a hotel in Glasgow on May 29 this year, three days after Georgia was reported missing.

He is known to have killed Georgia after inviting her to pose for a photo shoot.

The 17-year-old, who had previously done modelling work to help her sister's business, is believed to have died on the day she vanished.

Before Reynolds was arrested, media reports claimed he had made advances to her via Facebook and other social media sites.

Friends said the A-level student, who was just 5ft 3ins and of slim build, had made it clear she was not interested in a relationship with him.

CCTV picture of Reynolds in a Glasgow car park hours before his arrest

Reynolds was described by police investigating the murder as a friend but not a boyfriend of the teenager.

Although the facts of the case were not outlined at today's hearing, the prosecutor told the judge he would have to view distressing photographic material before passing sentence later this month.

Further material relating to photos posted online by other "innocent girls" and examples of extreme pornography also form part of the evidence against Reynolds, David Crigman QC told the court.

"The material in question is photographic material relevant to the moments before and after the murder took place," he said.

Georgia's parents and her sister Scarlett were in court to see Reynolds admit his guilt.

Georgia's funeral was attended by hundreds of people

In a statement, her father Steve Williams, a police detective, said: "The pain we feel is as raw now as it was when our beautiful Georgia was taken from us back in May.

"We will never ever be able to make any sense of what happened, or why it happened to a young woman as caring, kind and generous as our Georgia.

"Today's guilty plea gives us no satisfaction at all; we do not and will never understand the heartbreaking events of earlier this year that changed our lives for ever."

Georgia, who was head girl at Ercall Wood Technology College in Telford, was a member of the Air Training Corps and planned to join the RAF as a paramedic.

Reynolds was remanded in custody until December 19 pending further psychiatric reports.

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Paedophiles Anthony Marsh And Lee Davis Jailed

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

Two "predatory" paedophiles, one of whom kept his HIV diagnosis hidden from his victims, have been jailed for life.

Serial offenders Anthony Marsh and Lee Davis have been sentenced to life imprisonment after admitting a string of sexual offences against children they groomed on the internet.

Sheffield Crown Court heard that the two men were "predatory and promiscuous" and targeted teenage boys across the north of England through Facebook, Bebo, Skype and specialist gay websites.

Marsh, 53, and Davis, 39, trawled through various sites before engaging boys in conversation and then arranging to meet them.

Marsh, a salesman from Sheffield, and Davis, from Conisborough, between them admitted numerous offences including sexual activity with a child. 

Jobless Davis also pleaded guilty to a charge of raping an "extremely vulnerable" 13-year-old boy in his home.

Both offenders were described as "family men" who lead double lives.

Although they are not thought to have known each other, they began working together weaving "an intricate web" to hide their crimes.

They singled out "young, naive and immature" children described as "vulnerable because of their dawning sexuality".

Marsh, who also used the names Tony Taylor and Tony Smith, was caught in a Scarborough hotel in May 2012 when he was spotted with indecent and sadistic images of children "of the most serious level," some involving children as young as three.

Both men filmed their own crimes.

Davis, who also used the name James Parkin, had a library of DVDs featuring his sexual offences hidden behind a wooden panel in the cellar of his home.

Having heard of Marsh's arrest he destroyed many of his computer records but police were able to identify 45,000 text messages on his mobile phone.

The court was told that the victims were aged 13 to 17 and that the abuse took place over a nine-year period.

Marsh was married for many years and did not even tell his wife he was HIV positive.

Attempts by Marsh's barrister to suggest that his "HIV was not an aggravating factor" were described by the judge Julian Goose QC as "rather unrealistic".

He told the defendants that they had boasted on the internet of wanting their victims to be as young as possible.

The boys concerned continue to receive the support of specialist agencies as do the families of Marsh and Davis. 

South Yorkshire police believe there may be other victims who have so far not been identified and they have urged anyone who may have been affected to come forward.

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Glasgow Crash Helicopter Had Safety Checks

The police helicopter which crashed into a Glasgow pub was one of many that underwent safety checks as a precaution last year.

Police Scotland said the Eurocopter EC135 Type 2 was tested on the advice of its operator Bond Air Services last July.

It happened after Scotland's two air ambulance helicopters were suspended following a warning about their safety.

Eurocopter issued a safety information notice about its EC135 fleet early last May after reports of cracks on the lower hub shaft flange of the machines.

As a result, Bond Air Services, who operate the aircrafts on behalf of the Scottish Ambulance Service, decided to withdraw them from use.

PC Kirsty Nelis was one of eight people killed in the crash

The police helicopter was subjected to safety checks in July last year but was not withdrawn from service.

The force said: "In July 2012 we received a safety information notice from Eurocopter after a crack was found in the main rotor hub shaft of an EC135 helicopter in France.

"Following detailed inspection, in line with the latest airworthiness directive, no faults were identified and the force helicopter was available for operational deployment."

Eight people died and 12 people are in hospital with serious injuries following the crash at 10.25pm on Friday night.

Witnesses said the helicopter came down "like a stone" from the sky, hitting the roof of The Clutha in Glasgow when more than 100 people were inside the bar.

The three occupants of the Eurocopter EC135 T2 - two police officers and a civilian pilot - were among the dead.

Police have launched a major investigation under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

Workers remove one of the helicopter's rotor blades for examination

At least one aviation safety expert believes something "dramatic" suddenly occurred to cause the helicopter crash.

The pilot would have had either little or no control of his aircraft in the final moments of the flight, Flight Global's operations and safety editor David Learmount told Sky News.

But he added that although a witness has described the helicopter as dropping like a stone, there were indications that the pilot might have still had "some ability to fly" before the impact.

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Lostprophets 'Angry, Disgusted' At Ian Watkins

Welsh rock band Lostprophets have said they are "heartbroken, angry and disgusted" at former frontman Ian Watkins after the singer admitted a string of sex crimes.

The 36-year-old, of Pontypridd, South Wales, pleaded guilty to the attempted rape of a baby and 10 other sex offences.

Band members Jamie Oliver, Lee Gaze, Luke Johnson, Mike Lewis and Stuart Richardson said they did not know about the crimes, and "never imagined him capable of behaviour of the type he has now admitted".

Watkins had faced 24 sex offence charges, but admitted 11 at the last minute as his trial was due to begin at Cardiff Crown Court.

The court heard he plotted the abuse with the mothers of two babies - who pleaded guilty to 13 offences in total between them - in a series of text and internet messages.

Ian Watkins admitted a string of paedophile offences

Watkins also confessed to aiding and abetting a woman to sexually abuse her own child.

And he pleaded guilty to possessing and making indecent photographs of children, as well as having extreme pornographic material involving bestiality on his computer hard drive.

His bandmates said in a statement: "Earlier this week, we learned that the allegations of child sexual abuse against Ian were true, and that he would not be contesting them in court.

"Until then, we found them extremely difficult to believe and had hoped it was all a mistake. Sadly, the true extent of his appalling behaviour is now impossible to deny.

"Many of you understandably want to know if we knew what Ian was doing. To be clear: we did not.

"We knew that Ian was a difficult character. Our personal relationships with him had deteriorated in recent years to a point that working together was a constant, miserable challenge.

"But despite his battles with drugs, his egotistic behaviour, and the resulting fractures and frustrations within our band, we never imagined him capable of behaviour of the type he has now admitted.

The singer is due to be sentenced this month

"We are heartbroken, angry and disgusted at what has been revealed. This is something that will haunt us for the rest of our lives.

"Being in a band has always been a labour of love and a platform to inspire people, not to take advantage of them.

"It's still hard to believe this is happening and that someone we were once so close to has destroyed so many lives, lying every step of the way.

"Our hearts go out to Ian's family, the fans and friends he betrayed, and most importantly, the victims of his crimes and others like them.

"We hope for justice, but also that Ian will truly take responsibility for what he's done."

The group, who had been together since 1997 and announced they were splitting on October 1, urged any other victims to contact the authorities.

:: Anyone who has been affected by the Watkins case, or other cases of child abuse, is urged to contact South Wales Police on 029 20634184 or the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000.

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Energy Bills 'To Fall By £50' Under Govt Plan

Household energy bills will be reduced by an average of £50 a year under plans by the Government which will see a cut in green levies.

David Cameron and Nick Clegg confirmed the plan to reduce the burden on consumers by cutting the green taxes, which add £112 to each bill.

The cost of the Energy Company Obligation Scheme, which funds energy efficiency measures for low-income households and makes up the vast majority of the environmental levies, will be halved under the plan.

Around £12 of the £50 savings to bills will come from a reworking of the Warm Home Discount in a £300m deal. The remainder will come by switching the funding for energy measures to general taxation.

The reductions are expected to be finalised in negotiations taking place with the Big Six power firms this weekend and are to be disclosed by the Chancellor, George Osborne, in his Autumn Statement on Thursday.

They will also include the announcement of a £1,000 grant for energy efficiency measures for anyone buying a new home, which will be funded by a fresh crackdown on tax avoiders.

The two leaders insist the plan is 'serious and credible'

Labour and the Conservatives have been scrapping to gain ground with the public on energy prices as the cost-of-living looks likely to take centre stage in the run-up to the General Election.

Labour leader Ed Miliband announced in his party conference speech in September that if he was in power would freeze energy prices for 20 months.

It was followed by a series of eye-watering price increases by the so-called Big Six energy firms.

In response, Mr Cameron insisted he would roll back the green levies and in return, the energy companies should bring down prices.

However, the Liberal Democrats have insisted that environmental measures - one of their election pledges - should not be dropped and have fought to find alternative ways of funding them.

Bills are burned during a protest this month against prices and budget cuts

Mr Osborne today insisted that the energy firms would not just pocket the green levy reductions and that the Government had been "absolutely insistent that this is passed on".

"We are doing it in the way that government can do it, which is controlling the costs that families incur because of government policies.

"We are also doing it in the way that is not going to damage the environment or in any way reduce our commitment to dealing with climate change," he told BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

The Shadow Business Minister Chuka Umunna told Sky's Dermot Murnaghan that the measures were a "pale imitation" of Labour's plans to freeze energy prices and reform the market.

Ed Balls, Shadow Chancellor, told Andrew Marr: "Anything they do is better than nothing" but that shifting the cost to households from bills to taxes was simply "taking with one had to give with the other".

In a joint article for The Sun on Sunday, Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg wrote: "Later this week, we'll announce further help: proposals that will be worth around £50 on average to energy bill-payers.

"We're doing it without taking any help away from poor families or sacrificing our green commitments; and in a way that will keep Britain's lights on in the long-term too."

The pair added: "Alongside the Green Deal, when you buy a new home, you could get up to £1,000 from Government to spend on important energy-saving measures - equivalent to half the stamp duty on the average house - or even more for particularly expensive measures.

"It's an all-round win: better insulation means cheaper bills; it's how we cut carbon emissions; and it will boost British businesses who provide these services."

EDF, one of the Big Six welcomed the move, and said it did not expect to raise prices again before 2015.

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Pub Stab Victim: Case of 'Mistaken Identity'

A man stabbed to death outside a London pub was a victim of mistaken identity, police believe.

Christopher Foster was attacked while having a cigarette with a male friend in an alleyway outside St Christopher's Inn, in Borough High Street, Southwark, central London.

Witnesses said they saw seven suspects wearing hooded clothing carrying baseball bats and at least one knife.

Emergency services were alerted to the stabbing at about 11.45pm on Friday.

The attack happened outside St Christopher's Inn in Borough High Street

Mr Foster was taken to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London, where he died at 1.05am on Saturday.

The unmarried 34-year-old, who had a four-year-old daughter, lived in Walworth, southeast London.

He worked in administration for a firm of lawyers.

A post-mortem will be held at Greenwich.

Detective Chief Inspector John Sandlin said: "At this stage of our investigation, this appears to be a case of mistaken identity.

Flowers were left at the scene of the murder

"I am keen to identify a group of males who were seen running from St Christopher's Inn along Borough High Street towards Elephant and Castle immediately after the stabbing."

Witnesses or anyone with information can call the incident room on 020 8345 3865, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. She was taken to an east London police station where she remains in custody.

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Glasgow Helicopter Pub Crash: PC Is Victim

PC Kirsty Nelis was one of the eight people killed when a police helicopter crashed into a crowded pub in Glasgow, officers have confirmed.

Many of the 36-year-old officer's friends have changed their Facebook profile pictures to a black square cut across by a thin blue line in her memory.

David Traill was flying the police helicopter

Andrina Romano said: "For my beautiful friend Kirsty and all others involved. You will never be forgotten and I will miss you every day. Rip."

Police said her colleagues PC Tony Collins, 43, and civilian pilot David Traill, 51, also died in the helicopter.

Four of the eight known victims have so far been named.

Gary Arthur was drinking in the pub when the crash happened

Gary Arthur, 48, from Paisley, who was drinking in The Clutha pub in Stockwell Street at the time of the incident, was also killed. Four other people also died in the pub.

Friends of a man called Mark O'Prey have been tweeting pictures of him, saying he is missing and was drinking in the pub on Friday night.

Emergency services at the scene on Sunday morning

The mangled wreckage of the helicopter remains embedded in the middle of the building. It is not known how many people are still inside the pub.

Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Stephen House told a news conference he "couldn't discount the possibility" that the death toll will rise.

Earlier, Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick said: "Until we remove the helicopter, we cannot be sure what we'll find."

Mark O'Prey was in The Clutha when the aircraft crashed

Officers have removed a second body from the wreckage, and are continuing the formal process of identification.

DCC Fitzpatrick said it was a "painstaking" recovery operation because they had to ensure the safety of the emergency services at the scene.

A service for the victims was held at Glasgow Cathedral on Sunday morning, with Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon among those attending.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have sent their "most heartfelt thoughts and sympathy to the families of those who were lost or injured in Friday's truly shocking helicopter accident in Glasgow".

The Clutha had been packed with more than 100 people watching a ska band when the crash happened at 10.25pm on Friday.

A special service has been held at Glasgow Cathedral

Twelve people remain seriously injured in three Glasgow hospitals.

A total of 32 were admitted and 20 of them have been discharged. The wounded suffered mostly chest, spinal and head injuries as well as fractures and lacerations.

Mr Arthur's 18-year-old daughter, Chloe, who plays forward for Celtic women's first-team and is on the Scottish team, tweeted her thanks to everyone for their support.

"RIP dad. you'll always mean the world to me, I promise to do you proud, I love you with all my heart," she wrote. "Thanks to everyone who has tweeted me, text me etc, means so much, I have the most amazing friends ever."

A post on the Facebook page of Mr Traill's cousin Heather Lawson read: "RIP David Traill my lovely big cousin away far to soon xxx."

A police officer lays flowers at the crash scene

The cause of the crash is being investigated by the police and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

A large crane was brought in overnight and one of the aircraft's rotor blades has been removed for examination.

Witnesses said the helicopter came down "like a stone" from the sky at "a great speed", while some suggested that there was a problem with the aircraft's rotor.

Grace MacLean, who was inside the pub at the time, told Sky News: "There was a band on, they were quite loud, and we just kinda heard a whoosh and some smoke.

"We looked around and no-one really knew what was going on. Everyone just carried on listening to the band. And then we kind of looked again and the roof was gradually coming down."

The Eurocopter EC135 Type 2 helicopter involved in the crash was one of many that underwent safety checks as a precaution last year, it has emerged.

Police Scotland said the aircraft was tested on the advice of its operator Bond Air Services last May after reports of cracks on the machines.

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Pub Stab Victim: Case of 'Mistaken Identity'

A man stabbed to death outside a London pub was a victim of mistaken identity, police believe.

Christopher Foster was attacked while having a cigarette with a male friend in an alleyway outside St Christopher's Inn, in Borough High Street, Southwark, central London.

Witnesses said they saw seven suspects wearing hooded clothing carrying baseball bats and at least one knife.

Emergency services were alerted to the stabbing at about 11.45pm on Friday.

The attack happened outside St Christopher's Inn in Borough High Street

Mr Foster was taken to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London, where he died at 1.05am on Saturday.

The unmarried 34-year-old, who had a four-year-old daughter, lived in Walworth, southeast London.

He worked in administration for a firm of lawyers.

A post-mortem will be held at Greenwich.

Detective Chief Inspector John Sandlin said: "At this stage of our investigation, this appears to be a case of mistaken identity.

Flowers were left at the scene of the murder

"I am keen to identify a group of males who were seen running from St Christopher's Inn along Borough High Street towards Elephant and Castle immediately after the stabbing."

Witnesses or anyone with information can call the incident room on 020 8345 3865, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. She was taken to an east London police station where she remains in custody.

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