Body Parts Found At Waste Recycling Plant

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

Police are investigating whether a man whose remains were found at a recycling depot fell asleep in one of the bins.

The body of Matthew Symonds, 34, was found on Friday morning at the Biffa operated site next to Avonmouth docks near Bristol.

Detectives believe he had been transported 45 miles in a recycling bin from his home town of Swindon.

His death is being treated as unexplained and officers are waiting for the results of a post-mortem examination.

Senior investigating officer DCI Gareth Bevan said: "Police enquiries so far suggest the body was transported with commercial recycling waste collected in Swindon and therefore the focus of the investigation will be in that area going forward.

"The investigation is at an early stage and we are keeping an open mind about the circumstances leading to his death. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this very difficult time."

A police team has been working at the waste plant examining machinery and the area where he was found.

Mr Symonds' relatives are being supported by family liaison officers from Wiltshire Police.

:: Human Remains Found In Ireland

Police are investigating after a human leg was found in a recycling plant in Ireland.

A worker found the severed limb at Thorntons plant in Killeen Road, Ballyfermot, west Dublin, on Thursday night.

A doctor was unable to say whether it is from a woman or a man.

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Rolf Harris Spat At During Prison Scuffle

Disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris who is serving a jail sentence for sex abuse has been spat at in prison.

The 84-year-old was targeted during an incident at HMP Bullingdon in Oxfordshire.

A source said that there was a scuffle and the artist and musician was nearby.

"Someone did aim a spit at him, but he was not spat on, and was not physically hurt," the source added.

News of the incident came as it was announced that Harris has applied for permission to appeal against his convictions for a string of indecent assaults.

A spokesman for the Judicial Office confirmed that lawyers had lodged papers at the Court of Appeal this week.

One of Harris' victims who gave evidence against him during the trial told Sky News: "I perhaps should have expected it but it is still a shock."

The victim who cannot be named added: "It feels like such an insult and just beyond belief for him to do that."

Harris was convicted at London's Southwark Crown Court on June 30 of 12 indecent assaults and sentenced to five years and nine months in jail.

The appeal papers will go before a single judge who will decide initially whether or not Harris has grounds for appeal.

The Judicial Office confirmed to Sky News that no timescale had yet been set for the process.

If permission to appeal is granted then a full hearing at the Court of Appeal would fully assess Harris' case.

If, however, he is denied permission to appeal then he would be able to reapply.

One of the assaults was on an eight-year-old autograph hunter, two on girls in their early teens and another on a close friend of his daughter.

Earlier this week, Attorney General Jeremy Wright confirmed Harris' sentence would not be referred to the Court of Appeal on the grounds that it was too lenient, despite 150 complaints that the jail term was not tough enough.

Harris' offences took place between 1968 and 1986 against girls aged between seven or eight and 18.

He was prosecuted in line with the laws in place at the time of his crimes - when the maximum jail term for indecent assault was two years, or five years if the victim was under 13.

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High Street Revival 'Has Shown Little Impact'

By Frazer Maude, Sky News Correspondent

The self-titled "Queen of Shops" has come under fire after her Government-backed bid to revive the High Street has shown little impact.

Wolverhampton was one of 12 town centres chosen to pilot retail guru Mary Portas' High Street revival. It got a £100,000 share of the £1.2m in funding.

That helped finance the opening of five retail outlets. Three of them have been a success, one has diversified, and the fifth went under.

Nick Pitt, manager of the local shopping centre, chaired the Wolverhampton Portas Project. He sees it as a success for the town centre.

"A hundred thousand pounds is good value. And it rallied businesses around to come together in a very selfless way to help people get into business," he told Sky News.

"It was quite a humbling experience. I see people who'd never had the opportunity before to have their own shop and now they have.

"And those people are still helping us now to help other people get into business. And we're determined to do it again."

The celebrity trouble shooter was brought in by the Government two years ago to breathe new life into our struggling High Streets.

But some of her key recommendations, like a reduction in business rates and free parking, were ignored.

Some £1.2m in funding was set aside two years ago to boost business

Labour MP and chair of the Government's Business Select Committee, Adrian Bailey, is critical of the scheme, saying: "Overall, and I would emphasise it time and time again, you will not change the basic problems of the High Street just by putting in these sort of pilots.

"You've got to change the business rates and those obstacles which are deterring people from moving into the High Street in order to provide an imaginative variety of retail offers that people will want to buy into."

Mary Portas was not available for interview, but her CEO David Wood issued a statement to Sky News on her behalf.

It said: "We think there's some justified criticism of the way Government originally implemented the programme and the lack of infrastructure to support the town teams.

"There's also justified criticism of the way the majority of the recommendations were accepted but nothing was done - for example we spoke in the report about parking, business rates, landlords, town-centre-first planning approvals and the like but little was done."

Penny Maudaunt, the newly appointed High Streets Minister, says the scheme has been successful.

"There has been a huge amount of really good work that's gone on locally," she said.

"The pilots have been experiments. There have been a lot of good ideas, some ideas that may not have worked so well, but there are a number of ideas that have worked very well for particular areas and what we have to do is replicate that in other High Streets."

But many businesses say the areas that need tackling are the very ones that Ms Portas highlighted months ago, and which the Government ignored.

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Ebola: Games Athletes Afraid To Return Home

Many members of Sierra Leone's Commonwealth Games team are afraid to return home because of the outbreak of ebola, it has been reported.

A team representative told The Times newspaper the athletes fear they may not be safe if they go back to their country where a national emergency has been declared.

More than 220 people have died in Sierra Leone after contracting the disease - more than any other country.

Unisa Deen Kargbo, the team's chef de mission, told The Times: "Many people are thinking whether or not to go home now.

"Everybody is worried and many of them don't want to go home now because of the ebola.

Medecin Sans Frontieres medics have been treating victims in Sierra Leone

"We have held several meetings with them, but they are still worried. This virus is spreading around our country and everyone is at risk of catching it.

"The problem is, if they want to stay on after the Commonwealth Games end, who will take care of them?

"They will have no accommodation, no work. How do they meet their needs? How will they get themselves employed?"

It was reported in the Daily Telegraph that one of Sierra Leone's athletes, Mohamed Tholley, had failed to turn up to a time trial event he had been due to take part in.

Dr Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol are being flown to the US for treatment

Strathclyde Police told Sky News that Mr Tholley had not been reported missing, but there was said to be confusion over his whereabouts.

Sierra Leone cyclist Moses Sesay, 32, was tested for ebola last week after he was admitted to a Glasgow hospital feeling unwell.

At least 729 people are said to have died as a result of the ebola outbreak in the four African countries worst affected.

Two American aid workers seriously ill with the virus are being transferred from west Africa to the United States for treatment.

They will be the first cases of ebola to be treated on US soil and will be treated in one of the most tightly sealed isolation units in the country.

The Americans will be flown home in a specially adapted private jet

One was due to arrive on Saturday and the second will arrive a few days later. Both are in a "stable but grave condition".

The two Americans - Dr Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol - worked for US missionary groups in Liberia at a hospital that treated Ebola patients.

The World Health Organisation's director-general warned on Friday that the ebola outbreak, which has killed at least 729 people, is out of control but can be stopped.

Margaret Chan told the presidents of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone - the worst affected nations - that the consequences could be "catastrophic" if the situation continued to deteriorate.

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Brady And Ex-M&S Boss To Get Tory Peerages

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

David Cameron is to hand peerages to The Apprentice star Karren Brady, the former Marks & Spencer (M&S) boss Sir Stuart Rose and a multimillionaire Conservative donor in a wave of appointments that could revive a festering row about membership of the House of Lords.

Sky News can exclusively reveal that Ms Brady and Sir Stuart have been lined up as Conservative members of the upper house.

A Government insider said that Michael Farmer, a co-treasurer of and long-standing donor to the Tories, is also expected to be made a peer when the new list is unveiled.

The appointments of Ms Brady and Sir Stuart will bring two of Britain's most prominent businesspeople into the Lords at a time when the main parties are battling to secure high-profile support from business leaders in the run-up to next year's General Election.

Mr Farmer is less well-known outside the City but earned the nickname 'Mr Copper' after making a fortune from the commodities markets.

He has donated several million pounds to Conservative coffers in recent years and became co-treasurer of the party in 2012.

Another source said Joanna Shields, the former Facebook executive who went on to run Tech City, the London-based hub for technology businesses, had also been mentioned in recent days as a potential appointee, although her presence on the final list could not be verified.

Ex M&S boss Sir Stuart Rose (left, middle) has also been lined up as a peer

The timing of an announcement is unclear, although sources indicated that it could come as soon as next week.

Around 20 new peers are expected to be appointed, with the majority selected by Mr Cameron and Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader.

New members of the Lords are subjected to a strict vetting process, which the Government source said had now been completed in relation to the latest nominees.

The forthcoming arrivals will increase membership of the Lords to more than 850, reinforcing its status as the second-largest legislative chamber in the world, behind only China's National People's Congress.

The frequent appointment of new peers has sparked criticism about the cost to taxpayers and the ability of the Lords to function effectively as a legislative scrutineer.

It has also led to rows about the propriety of handing peerages to prominent party supporters and donors.

A number of leading business figures, including Lord Myners, the former M&S chairman, and Lord Davies, who ran Standard Chartered, were parachuted into the Lords during the banking crisis and took on ministerial roles.

Both Ms Brady and Sir Stuart have appeared at Conservative annual conferences in recent years, with the West Ham United boss also taking on a role as small business adviser to the Government.

Sir Stuart, who has taken on a string of jobs since leaving M&S including the chairmanship of Ocado, the online grocer, has also been advising the Government on NHS reform.

Reports this week said that Michael Cashman, the ex-EastEnders actor, would be one of three new Labour members of the Lords, while David Willetts, the former universities and science minister, and the former energy minister Greg Barker are said to be in line for peerages after the next election.

A Downing Street spokesman declined to comment, while none of the prospective new peers could be reached for comment.

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'Kids At Risk' By Overdue Nursery Inspections

By Gerard Tubb, North of England Correspondent

Ofsted has been accused of putting pre-school children at risk and of not being fit for purpose over a backlog of nursery and childminder inspections.

Sky News has discovered that a quarter of early years providers have not been inspected for at least four years despite Ofsted insisting all inspections must take place within that time.

Jill Rutter, head of policy and research at the Family and Childcare Trust, accused the regulator of putting children in danger.

"Ultimately it does increase risks to children," she said.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said Ofsted has questions to answer.

"If you've got providers out there that haven't been inspected for years and years and years that's not a healthy position and that's not, if you like, fit for purpose," he said.

The delays are the result of Ofsted quietly resetting the clock on inspections on September 1, 2012.

In a statement Ofsted said all early years providers "must be inspected at least once within 47 months".

It went on to say: "The current cycle began on 1st September 2012 and will end on 31 July 2016."

Over 19,000 early years providers have not been inspected for four years

Under the Freedom of Information Act Sky News obtained data on inspections of settings on England's Early Years Register as of 31 March 2014.

It shows 19,204 nurseries and childminders out of a total of 77,509 have been waiting for four years or more for an inspection.

Of those, 342 have never been inspected by Ofsted at all, while 3,655 were judged to be only "satisfactory" at their last inspection - a grading now re-classified as "requiring improvement".

The data also shows 7,280 registered providers have not been inspected for at least five years and 611 have been waiting for six years or more.

Nurseries and childminders used to be inspected every two years, but in 2005 the interval was extended to every three to four years to save £4.7m a year.

At the time a government memorandum stated: "It could be argued that the proposed reduced inspection frequency for childcare providers might lead to very young children being at greater risk."

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Athlete Tested For Ebola At Commonwealth Games

An athlete competing for Sierra Leone at the Commonwealth Games has revealed he spent four days in isolation over fears he had brought the deadly ebola disease into the UK.

Moses Sesay, who came to Scotland to compete in the cycling time trial, fell ill last week and was admitted to hospital.

"I felt tired and listless," he said. "All the doctors were in special suits to treat me. They dressed like I had ebola. I was very scared."

Tests eventually gave Sesay the all-clear and he was allowed to compete in the event, ultimately finishing last.

Medical staff treating ebola patients have to wear special protective suits

But the 32-year-old said he and his team-mates are worried about returning to their homeland once the Games are over.

More than 220 people have died in Sierra Leone after contracting the disease - more than any other country.

"All of us are scared about going back," Sesay told the Mirror.

"We have a three-month visa in our passports and, if I have the opportunity, I will stay here until this ends."

More than 700 people have died after contracting the disease in Africa

Health officials have been warned to be on the lookout for any unexplained illness in people returning from countries where ebola is present.

One union leader said British border, customs and immigration staff feel unprepared to deal with potential cases of the disease, although the Home Office said there was a "well-established plan to deal with different scenarios".

Dr Colin Ramsay, from Health Protection Scotland, said patients could be screened for ebola if they show symptoms including a fever, headache or sore throat, especially if they have travelled from an affected area within the last three weeks.

Putting such patients in isolation is a "standard precaution" and not unusual, he added.

Games organisers stressed the athletes' village has not been affected

A spokesman for Glasgow 2014 stressed there is "no ebola in the athletes' village", while Dr Ramsay said there is nothing to suggest there is any risk to sports stars competing in Glasgow.

"People have a misconception about ebola," he said.

"It is spread, primarily, through contact with bodily fluids, not casual conflict, so it wouldn't be sufficient just to share a house with someone.

"There has to have been close contact to have a substantial risk of being infected with the disease."

Meanwhile, a US doctor infected with ebola has insisted the only available dose of an experimental serum go to a fellow American patient in Liberia.

Dr Kent Brantly asked for the unit of blood to go to missionary Nancy Writebol, as the World Health Organisation announced a $100m (£59.2m) plan to tackle the outbreak.

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Rolf Harris Plan To Appeal 'An Insult'

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

One of Rolf Harris' victims has told Sky News his request to appeal his conviction is "an insult".

Lawyers for the disgraced entertainer lodged papers at the Court of Appeal this week, the Judicial Office has revealed.

One of the women who gave evidence against him during the trial told Sky News: "I perhaps should have expected it but it is still a shock."

The victim who cannot be named added: "It feels like such an insult and just beyond belief for him to do that."

The artist and musician was convicted at London's Southwark Crown Court on June 30 of 12 indecent assaults and sentenced to five years and nine months in jail.

The appeal papers will go before a single judge who will decide initially whether or not Harris has grounds for appeal.

The Judicial Office confirmed to Sky News that no timescale had yet been set for the process.

If permission to appeal is granted then a full hearing at the Court of Appeal would fully assess Harris' case.

If, however, he is denied permission to appeal then he would be able to reapply.

One of the assaults was on an eight-year-old autograph hunter, two on girls in their early teens and another on a close friend of his daughter.

Earlier this week, Attorney General Jeremy Wright confirmed Harris' sentence would not be referred to the Court of Appeal on the grounds that it was too lenient, despite 150 complaints that the jail term was not tough enough.

The artist and TV presenter's offences took place between 1968 and 1986 against girls aged between seven or eight and 18.

He was prosecuted in line with the laws in place at the time of his crimes - when the maximum jail term for indecent assault was two years, or five years if the victim was under 13.

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PM Hails £300m Project To Unlock Power Of DNA

UK scientists are to map 100,000 complete DNA code sequences in a "landmark" project that aims to revolutionise medicine, Prime Minister David Cameron has announced.

Mr Cameron said the 100,000 Genomes Project, funded by a package of deals worth £300m, will "see the UK lead the world in genetic research within years".

The project will sequence the genetic codes of about 75,000 patients with cancer and rare diseases, and those of their close relatives.

Both the healthy and the tumour cells of the cancer patients will be mapped, meaning about 100,000 will be sequenced in total.

Mr Cameron said: "I am determined to do all I can to support the health and scientific sector to unlock the power of DNA, turning an important scientific breakthrough into something that will help deliver better tests, better drugs and above all better care for patients.

"As our plan becomes a reality, I believe we will be able to transform how devastating diseases are diagnosed and treated in the NHS and across the world, while supporting our best scientists and life science businesses to discover the next wonder drug or breakthrough technology."

Scientists hope that identifying tiny changes in the genetic code that can trigger disease will allow for personalised and more effective treatments.

It is hoped more drugs like Herceptin will be designed for specific cancers

One example of such a therapy that already exists is Herceptin, a drug specifically designed for women with a type of breast cancer characterised by over-activity of the Her2 gene.

DNA samples have already been donated by a few hundred participants in a pilot, and about 10,000 are expected to have donated by the end of the year.

The project is expected to be completed by 2017.

Among the cancers due to be targeted are bowel, breast, leukaemia, lung, ovarian, prostate and leukaemia.

Charity the Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Council and the National Health Service are contributing to the project, which will be overseen by Genomics England, set up by the Department of Health.

The Californian DNA sequencing company Illumina, which won a contract to provide the technology for the project, will also invest about £162m in the project over its lifetime.

Wellcome Trust director Jeremy Farrar said genome sequencing could transform medicine.

"Twenty years from now academics and industry will have developed therapies which will be targeted at you and specific forms of cancer," he said.

"We will look back in 20 years' time and the blockbuster chemotherapy drugs that gave you all those nasty side effects will be a thing of the past."

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Eastbourne Pier Fire Treated As Suspicious

The fire that gutted much of Eastbourne Pier is being treated as suspicious, Sussex Police have said.

"As a result of our investigation we have received information to suggest that the fire may have been started by someone, either deliberately or accidentally, and our investigation is now focusing on that line of enquiry," said Detective Inspector Mark O'Brien.

"A temporary scaffold platform has been erected adjacent to where the fire is thought to have broken out in order to enable scenes of crime officers and fire investigators safe access to the area."

The PM and Chancellor see the charred structure

The news came after Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne visited the resort, pledging £2m to the town to help it recover following the fire on the landmark attraction.

Fire investigators had earlier said they were not sure what caused the fire, indicating it would take some days before they could discover what had happened.

Passers-by stop to look at the damage

A large part of the 144-year-old Grade II-listed structure was on Wednesday reduced to a skeleton as plumes of smoke rose high into the sky above the resort.

Up to 80 firefighters attended, pumping water on to the burning structure from the coast, the beach and from underneath.

The fire took hours to bring under control

It was eventually brought under control shortly before 8pm, with around 30 firefighters staying at the scene overnight.

On Thursday, local MP Stephen Lloyd said it was possible that the pier could reopen as soon as next year.

"There is real damage but I'm confident that it can be repaired," the LibDem MP said.

Up to 80 firefighters worked for hours to put out the flames

"It's very much still standing and I'm very hopeful and confident that it will be reopening next year and be back in business."

Eastbourne is the latest in a series of Victorian piers to suffer major fire damage.

In 2003, the 148-year-old West Pier in Brighton was reduced to a mangled mass of metal by two major fires within two months.

The pier in one piece, pictured in 2010

And in Eastbourne's neighbouring town of Hastings, the Grade II-listed pier was almost destroyed in a fire in 2010 following years of neglect.

Southend Pier in Essex was badly damaged by fire in 2005 and Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare was wrecked by a blaze in 2008.

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West Ham Footballer Remanded In Custody

Premier League footballer Ravel Morrison has been remanded in custody after being charged with assaulting two women in Manchester.

The West Ham midfielder is alleged to have attacked his ex-girlfriend Reah Mansoor, 19, and her mother Parveen Mansoor, 39, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Morrison, who spoke only to confirm his name and age, closed his eyes and puffed his cheeks out after being refused bail at Manchester Magistrates' Court.

Morrison, from Urmston, Manchester, was arrested on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old, who did not enter a plea, has been charged with two counts of common assault, and was remanded in custody until August 7.

Morrison was sold by Manchester United to West Ham in 2012.

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UK Border Staff 'Unprepared' For Ebola

Border, customs and immigration staff feel unprepared to deal with people arriving in Britain who may be carrying the deadly ebola virus, a union leader has warned.

The virus - which has no vaccine and a fatality rate of up to 90% - has now killed nearly 700 people in West Africa, and it is feared it could be spread around the world by infected air passengers.

Public Health England has warned health officials to be on the lookout for any unexplained illness in people returning from affected countries.

But Immigration Service Union general secretary Lucy Moreton said members are "very concerned" about their personal safety and are not sure what to do if they think someone is infected.

"They serve on the front line; they are the first point of contact usually for people coming off an aircraft and the concern is what do they do if they're confronted with someone that doesn't appear well who appears at the border," she told BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight programme.

"There is no health facility at the border, there is no containment facility and until extremely recently there has been no guidance issued to staff at all as to what they should do."

Ms Moreton said members had been contacting the union for guidance on what to do and how to protect themselves, but it had no answers for them.

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) staff at an isolation area in Kailahun

There have been concerns the disease could spread to the UK after it emerged two people have been assessed for the virus in Britain.

A man was given the all-clear following tests in Birmingham after he travelled from Benin in Nigeria, while doctors ruled out the need for an ebola test on a second male in west London.

The Government's emergencies committee Cobra met to discuss the situation on Wednesday.

Afterwards, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said it is "most unlikely" the disease could spread in the UK.

A story about Liberian diplomat Patrick Sawyer who died from ebola in Lagos

A Home Office spokesman said: "Border Force has a well-established plan to deal with different scenarios including infectious diseases and we work closely with partners like NHS England to minimise any affect on passengers and staff."

Meanwhile, two US volunteers have been placed in isolation amid fears they could have contracted the virus in West Africa.

The pair - working for America's Peace Corps movement  - have not displayed symptoms but are under observation after coming into contact with an Ebola sufferer, who later died.

The Peace Corps said it was evacuating 340 volunteers from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, the three countries worst affected in the outbreak.

:: Special Correspondent Alex Crawford, who covers Africa for Sky News, answers your questions on the ebola crisis.

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Gatwick Staff To Help Ease Baggage Crisis

Gatwick Passengers Suffer Baggage Delays

Updated: 7:29am UK, Monday 28 July 2014

Hundreds of people arriving into Gatwick Airport's South Terminal have faced long delays in picking up their luggage, with many being told to go home without it.

An airport spokesman said the overnight Saturday disruption was caused by "resourcing issues" involving baggage handlers Swissport.

"Due to resourcing issues with the baggage handlers Swissport there were overnight issues and delays with passengers' luggage," he said.

"Gatwick provided extra staff to help the airlines and their baggage handlers improve their service, as well as providing welfare and water for passengers waiting in the baggage areas, but we are sorry for the delays they faced.

"Baggage operations are now returning to normal."

Passengers of four airlines have been advised to go home without their luggage.

Travellers arriving at the terminal on Sunday night were being processed, however rows of luggage could be seen belonging to passengers from July 26.

Officials at the airport informed passengers of British Airways flights who had waited more than an hour on their bags being returned, and those on Monarch, Thomas Cook or Thompson flights who had been waiting 90 minutes or more, that their luggage would be forwarded to their home address.

It is understood easyJet passengers have also been affected but had not been advised to leave without their baggage.

Some passengers took to social media sites to voice their frustrations over the delays - some up to five hours.

Julian C Adams tweeted: "Such shocking service at Gatwick airport! Waiting for the arrival of baggage for over 2 hours now! #shouldhaveflowntoheathrow."

Sophie Wood ‏tweeted: "3 hrs in #gatwick baggage handling ... Apparent Lack of staff appalling shambles #Gatwick#idiots."

Oliver Webb wrote: "‏@2 hour delays at #gatwick for baggage reclaim. #Swissport to blame apparently. No info from airport staff. Rubbish."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

NHS Hospital Paid £1,800 A Day For Nurse

By Thomas Moore, Science and Health Correspondent

NHS hospitals are so short staffed on public holidays they are paying almost £150 an hour for nurses to work, a Sky News investigation has found.

On May Day Bank Holiday this year a locum agency was paid more than £1,800 to supply a nurse for a 12-hour shift, new figures show.

And one hospital paid £2,500 for a doctor to work that day.

The statistics - obtained through a Freedom of Information request - lay bare how much the NHS is relying on private locum staff on public holidays.

In one hospital, half of the doctors who worked on May 5 were locum medics.

And at another, almost one third of the nursing staff was supplied by a private agency.

Experts say that using locum staff unfamiliar with the hospitals they are working in can put patient care at risk.

With the NHS under increasing financial pressure, a nursing body wants the amount hospitals pay agencies to be reviewed.

One trust paid nearly £1,800 for a mental health nurse shift. Pic: File

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "These figures are truly shocking.

"Many (of the nurses) will never have been to that ward before and will probably never be there again.

"It says nothing about continuity of care. Even finding your way round the ward, the geography, it makes life really difficult.

"Agency nurses do not provide good value for money … and the employers who use these extraordinary levels should be held to account for it.

"This is public money that is not being well spent. This is something that should be looked at with the utmost urgency."

Eighty of the 150 NHS trusts in England replied to a Sky News request asking how many locum staff they employed and at what rates on May 5 this year.

At the Heart of England NHS Trust in the West Midlands, half the doctors working that day were temporary locum medics, the figures show.

Experts say a large percentage of locum staff can put patient care at risk

More than three in ten nurses at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust and at Southend NHS Trust were from agencies.

Meanwhile, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay (NHS Foundation Trust) paid an agency £2,500 for a locum doctor to work a single shift.

University Hospitals Bristol (NHS Foundation Trust) paid £1,800 for a nurse on a shift of just over 12 hours - equivalent to almost £150 an hour.

Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust paid almost as much (£1,798) for a middle grade nurse specialising in mental health - almost a month's pay for the average nurse.

Separate figures published in April suggested that the NHS has spent £2bn on agency staff since 2010/11.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "We now have 6,700 more doctors and 6,200 more nurses directly employed by NHS organisations than in 2010.

"The figures … are not a full picture of staffing in the NHS, but we encourage all trusts to maintain a tight grip on their staff costs and we will hold poor performers to account."

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Firefighters Battle Power Station Blaze

Firefighters are battling a blaze at a coal-fired power station in West Yorkshire.

Emergency services were alerted to a fire at the Ferrybridge C plant shortly before 2pm.

The blaze is on the third floor of a four-storey building.

Plumes of smoke can be seen from the fire. Pic: Matthew Merrick

A total of 15 fire engines are currently at the scene, including crews from Pontefract, Castleford and Wakefield.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "A number of members of the public have called our control room due to the plumes of smoke which can be seen in the surrounding area."

No one is reported to have been injured and everyone at the site has been accounted for.

The power station is located close to where the M62 and the A1 meet.

The site is operated by the energy giant SSE and has had three power stations since 1924. The current one has operated since 1966.

Emergency response procedures have been activated. Pic: @SnapperJakeO.

A statement issued by SSE said: "At around 2pm today a serious incident occurred at SSE's Ferrybridge C power station in West Yorkshire.

"The company's practised emergency response procedures have been activated.

"West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are in attendance and dealing with the incident with assistance from expert engineers on site. All employees have been accounted for.

"It is too early to give any more information regarding this incident; however, we will issue a further statement when more details become available.

"Our immediate priorities are to deal with the incident and to ensure the safety of staff, contractors and the general public."

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Shooting: Ex-Police Officer Faces Murder Charge

A former police officer is to face a murder charge over the fatal shooting of Azelle Rodney in 2005.

The 24-year-old robbery suspect was shot by a police marksman in Edgware, north London, in April 2005.

He was hit six times - four times in the head and once in the arm and back - when the VW Golf he was travelling in with two other men was stopped by police.

The former police officer who is being charged has been granted anonymity and will only be known as E7.

Mr Rodney's mother, Susan Alexander, said: "I am very pleased at the CPS's decision to prosecute the officer who killed my son.

"I have waited a long time to see this day and hope this prosecution will lead to justice for Azelle."

Alison Saunders, the Director of Public Prosecutions, said: "Azelle Rodney died after the discharge of a police firearm on 30 April 2005.

"Following the outcome of the public inquiry, the Independent Police Complaints Commission re-referred the matter to the CPS, providing us with the evidence previously gathered and the further evidence and material which has emerged since the initial referral.

"We have carefully considered the new file of evidence submitted to us and have decided that a former Metropolitan Police officer, currently identified only as E7, will be prosecuted for murder.

"The individual currently has anonymity granted under section 19(2)(b) of the Inquiries Act 2005, made on 16 January 2012 by the chairman of the inquiry.

"The decision to prosecute was taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. We have determined that there is a realistic prospect of conviction and that a prosecution is in the public interest.

"E7 will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, 10 September 2014."

She added: "Criminal proceedings have now commenced and the individual known as E7 has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings."

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Alfie Sullock: Baby Killer Gets Nine Years

A man who killed his girlfriend's six-week-old baby by battering him with a shoe and a plastic bottle has been jailed for nine years.

Magistrate's son Michael John Pearce was looking after Alfie Sullock while the boy's mother Donna enjoyed her first night out since giving birth.

Michael John Pearce is the son of a magistrate

"Obsessive" Pearce texted his girlfriend while she was out, telling her Alfie was doing well and that he could be trusted - but he later tried to blame her for the child's death.

Alfie was admitted to hospital with severe bleeding to the brain and bruising to his face and abdomen but died after four days.

A jury cleared Pearce, from Caerphilly, South Wales, of murder but found him guilty of manslaughter.

The killer had denied all wrongdoing throughout his three-week trial at Newport Crown Court.

Judge Mr Justice Baker disputed his defence team's claim that he had a "momentary loss of control", suggesting Pearce may have been motivated by jealousy after Ms Sullock said she was not ready to have a child with him. 

He said: "This was not a momentary loss of control by a sleep-deprived parent. Alfie was only in your care for a short time."

"It may well be that, due to your denials... whether you were motivated by jealousy as a result of Donna's refusal to have your child earlier that evening."

During the course of Pearce's trial, prosecutors said the defendant showed "obsessive" behaviour towards Ms Sullock - and had showered her with gifts just a few weeks into their relationship.

Alfie cradled by his mother Donna Sullock

He suggested the former holiday rep go for a night out on August 16 last year so she could get to know more people in his area.

Ms Sullock said that, when she left the house for her night out, Alfie was "happy and healthy" and did not have "as much as a scratch" on him.

While babysitting Alfie, Pearce sent Ms Sullock a text saying: "You can trust me you know".

But at 9.11pm he dialled 999, after claiming he had gone to the toilet and returned to see Alfie had stopped breathing.

When paramedics arrived moments later, they found the baby lifeless and blue.

Alfie was just six weeks old when he was killed

As the nine-year sentence was handed down, a cry of "disgraceful" was heard from the public gallery.

A jury on Tuesday cleared Pearce of murder but convicted him of manslaughter.

Shortly after the verdict was handed down, Ms Sullock said she had been through "a year of absolute hell".

She told reporters: "Whatever sentence he will get, it will never be long enough for taking Alfie's life away."

Pearce could be released from prison on licence after serving half of his sentence.

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Police Dismiss David Moyes Assault Claim

Lancashire Police have dismissed assault allegations against former Manchester United manager David Moyes.

Moyes, 51, was accused of assaulting 23-year-old builder Josh Gillibrand in a wine bar in Clitheroe, Lancashire in May.

In a statement, police said after "careful consideration" of all the circumstances it was decided that no further action would be taken.

It said: "A thorough investigation has been carried out and everyone identified as having been involved in this incident or having witnessed it have provided accounts to the police.

"All these accounts were given voluntarily, it has not been necessary to arrest any person."

The alleged incident took place at the Emporium Wine Bar in Clitheroe

Moyes was having a drink with a friend in the Emporium wine bar when the "minor scuffle" allegedly took place.

Police said they were called to the venue after reports a local man had been assaulted by a 51-year-old man.

They said there was differing accounts of what took place, although no one was arrested at the scene.

The alleged victim did not require hospital treatment, Lancashire Police said.

Moyes was sacked as Manchester United boss back in April following a disastrous season.

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'Precautions' In UK Amid Ebola Virus Fears

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said it is "most unlikely" that Ebola could spread within the UK but "precautionary measures" have been put in place.

Mr Hammond was speaking after a meeting of the Government's emergency committee, Cobra, to discuss what he earlier called a "new and emerging" threat.

Doctors in Britain have been put on alert to spot symptoms of the deadly disease, which has killed more than 670 people in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria since February in what is the largest outbreak in history.

Infection results from direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids and tissues of infected animals or people.

Speaking before the meeting, Mr Hammond told Sky News that while there are no cases in the UK, Prime Minister David Cameron regards the disease as a "very serious threat".

UK and European flight routes to the countries affected by ebola

"We are very much focused on it as a new and emerging threat which we need to deal with," Mr Hammond said.

A person from Birmingham was tested for ebola after returning from Africa, but the tests came back negative.

The man was tested earlier this week after reportedly travelling from Benin in Nigeria via Paris to the Midlands.

Another man visited Charing Cross Hospital in west London after fearing he had the virus, but it was decided by doctors that he did not need an ebola test. 

Dr Brian McCloskey, director of global health at Public Health England (PHE), said the risk to British travellers and workers was low, but doctors needed to be vigilant for "unexplained illnesses" in those who have returned from the affected countries.

Medical staff prepare to bring food to patients in an isolation area

Dr McCloskey said: "The continuing increase in cases, especially in Sierra Leone, and the importation of a single case from Liberia to Nigeria is a cause for concern as it indicates the outbreak is not yet under control."

Those who experience symptoms should "immediately seek medical assistance", Dr McCloskey said.

British Airways, which flies to Sierra Leone and Nigeria, said in a statement it complies with guidance from local health authorities and will "continue to monitor the situation closely".

Cabin crew are advised to contact air traffic control if they see someone on board who they suspect could have the disease.

Countries affected by the ebola outbreak

In 2012, a man with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, which is related to ebola, was flown from Glasgow Airport to London by the RAF to be treated at the Royal Free Hospital in north London.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "We are well-prepared to identify and deal with any potential cases of ebola, though there has never been a case in this country.

"Any patients with suspected symptoms can be diagnosed within 24 hours and they would also be isolated at a dedicated unit to keep the public safe."

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Usain Bolt Denies Commonwealth Games Slur

Jamaican sprint superstar Usain Bolt has denied making negative comments about the Commonwealth Games.

Bolt was quoted in The Times as calling the event "a bit s***" and saying he was "not really" having fun in Scotland.

Denying the claim, Bolt tweeted: "I'm waking up to this nonsense ... journalist please don't create lies to make headlines."

Manager Ricky Simms waded in to the row, telling BBC Sport the remarks attributed to his client were "utter rubbish".

"The atmosphere in and around the stadiums has been absolutely fantastic and I have absolutely no idea where these quotes have come from," he said.

Bolt met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge earlier in the week

Jamaica sprint teammate Jason Livermore seemed to confuse matters further when, after being asked if Bolt was enjoying Glasgow, said: "I hope so, better than me."

Asked what he meant, Livermore responded: "It's been lovely so far, the people in Scotland are very welcoming, I can't complain. Nice atmosphere, nice crowd, I'm enjoying myself."

Asked how he was coping with the food in the village, Livermore said: "Ooof, sometimes."

Mo Farah and Usain Bolt fool around at the 2012 London Olympics

The Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive, Mike Hooper, said: "We take Mr Bolt at his word. We're very pleased with how he's responded and that's our position."

Glasgow 2014 spokeswoman Jackie Brock-Doyle said: "I think he woke up to the story like everyone else. His tweet says it all. He has woken up to something he didn't believe he said yesterday."

The Times newspaper, however, insists its story is true, saying Bolt did make the comments outside the athletes' village on Tuesday.

Bolt taking part in the 2013 Anniversary Games in London

Its Scottish editor, Angus Macleod, said: "We stand by this story 100%. We have utter confidence in this story."

The reporter behind the article tweeted that the "full conversation" would appear in Thursday's newspaper.

Bolt, who arrived in Glasgow on Saturday, confirmed he would compete in the 4x100m relay heats on Friday and the sprint relay final on Saturday, the final day of the athletics competition.

He said he was eager to make his Commonwealth Games debut having missed the Melbourne Games through injury in 2006 and not appearing at the Delhi Games in 2010.

The Jamaican holds the 100m and 200m world records.

His decision to compete this time has given a huge boost to the Games, particularly as other stars such as Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill are absent.

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Rigby Killer Adebolajo Appeal Bid Rejected

Lee Rigby's Family Says Justice Has Been Served

Updated: 9:58pm UK, Wednesday 26 February 2014

The family of Lee Rigby are "satisfied" with the sentences handed to his killers and believe they received the "right prison term".

Michael Adebolajo, 29, was given a whole-life term, and Michael Adebowale, 22, was jailed for at least 45 years for hacking the soldier to death in Woolwich last year.

In a statement read by a family liaison officer outside the Old Bailey after the sentencing, the family said: "We feel that no other sentence would have been acceptable and we would like to thank the judge and the courts for handing down what we believe to be the right prison terms.

"We would also like to thank everyone who has supported us in the last nine months.

"It has brought us a lot of comfort and we feel satisfied that justice has been served for Lee. We now ask to continue to grieve in private."

Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, who heads Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command, said the sentences reflected the "true horror of their actions in taking this young man's life in such a barbaric way".

Meanwhile, Sue Hemming of the Crown Prosecution Service said the murderers had "revelled in one of the most appalling terrorist murders" she had ever seen.

She said: "Not only was the attack brutal and calculated, it was also designed to advance extremist views. As a soldier, Fusilier Lee Rigby was targeted in a clear act of revenge, deliberately carried out in full view of members of the public for maximum impact."

As sentencing began, the two murderers shouted at the judge in protest at his remarks. 

They then fought with guards in the dock before they were pinned down and taken to the cells. Sentencing resumed without them.

The soldier's family were visibly distressed and sobbed at the developments and one relative needed medical treatment.

There were also dramatic scenes outside the Old Bailey as members of the public shouted at prison vans leaving the building.

Far right protesters had gathered outside the court calling for the killers to face the death penalty.

The British-born extremists ran Fusilier Rigby down in a car before hacking him to death in the street in front of horrified onlookers near Woolwich Barracks in southeast London in May last year.

They both claimed that they were "soldiers of Allah" and were motivated by the plight of Muslims abroad to carry out the killing, and have shown no remorse.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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UK Bankers Face Toughest Bonus Rules

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

Staff at British banks could be made to hand back bonuses seven years after the money has been awarded to them under a regime that will introduce the world's toughest rules on clawing back remuneration.

Sky News has learnt that the Bank of England (BoE)'s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has decided to enforce a draconian proposal outlined in March.

In a policy statement to be published on Wednesday, it will confirm that banks will have to amend the employment contracts of senior staff in order to implement the new rules, which will come into force on January 1 next year.

Coming in the wake of a series of market manipulation and mis-selling scandals which have triggered tens of billions of pounds in fines and compensation to consumers, the tougher framework is likely to be welcomed in Westminster but spark opposition from bank executives who argue that the City's international competitiveness will be undermined.

In its consultation paper published earlier this year, the regulator proposed that clawback should operate for a six-year period after bonuses have vested.

The PRA is to enforce the bonus policy on bankers

That period is still expected to apply to awards made prior to the beginning of next year, in line with the statute of limitations for employment contracts, Sky News understands.

However, insiders said the PRA had also been examining whether bonus awards made after January 1 next year could be reclaimed for up to seven years.

The Bank of England declined to comment on Tuesday on whether it would opt to pursue clawback for post-2014 bonuses over the longer, seven-year period.

Either way, the final details will represent tougher rules for bankers employed by UK lenders than those working for German, Swiss or American competitors.

The toughened regime follows last year's report by the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards, led by the Conservative MP Andrew Tyrie.

Under the BoE's plans, banks will be obliged to reclaim money already paid to employees even where they have not been directly culpable of misconduct.

Lenders will instead be required to demonstrate that they have done so where "there is reasonable evidence of employee misbehaviour or material error - the firm or the relevant business unit suffers a material downturn in its financial performance - or the firm or the relevant business unit suffers a material failure of risk management".

The rules will apply to the overseas employees of UK-based banks, which the likes of HSBC and Standard Chartered will argue will put them at a major disadvantage in their key Asian operations.

Major lenders already operate lengthy bonus deferrals meaning that share awards do not vest until the end of a three or five-year period, during which time part, or all, of the awards can be cancelled under a mechanism called malus.

Under its March proposals, the new clawback rules would have kicked in at the end of these deferral periods, making a total ranging from nine years to more than a decade before bankers would be able to spend bonus awards safe in the knowledge that they would not have to repay them.

However, some bankers believe the BoE will say that the deferral and clawback periods will be allowed to overlap, meaning that the overall period would be seven years.

The British Bankers' Association argued in its response to the consultation that the PRA's plans were fraught with legal difficulties and that the 'clawback clock' could start ticking at the time bonuses were awarded rather than the point of vesting.

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PM: 'We Will Find You And Send You Home'

David Cameron has put illegal immigrants on notice telling them: "When we find you - and we will find you - we will make sure you are sent back to the country you came from."

Announcing a number of new measures to tackle problems of immigration, Mr Cameron said he wanted to send a clear message that those in the UK illegally would not be able to work or have a home.

He was speaking after attending a raid on illegal immigrants in Slough and said: "We want an immigration system that puts Britain first."

It came after he unveiled a new policy that would mean EU migrants would be able to claim benefits for only three months - half the current time - unless they had serious job prospects.

David Cameron says Britain is 'not a soft touch' for EU migrants

In another pledge to safeguard jobs for British people he said he would limit to 500,000 the number of UK jobs being advertised across the EU through a jobseekers' website - down from 1.1 million jobs currently on offer.

There will also be curbs on "bogus colleges" which offer studying visas for cash.

Outlining his plans in The Daily Telegraph, David Cameron wrote: "Taken together, this is about building a different kind of Britain - a country that is not a soft touch, but a place to play your part; a nation where those who work hard can get on."

The number of Europeans currently claiming benefits is unclear. However, Government estimates from 2013 suggest only 6.7% of non-UK nationals (397,000) claimed benefits, of which 62,000 were Europeans and 58,000 from EU accession countries.

In contrast 16.4% of UK nationals claim benefits.

All job centre posts are advertised across Europe

Sky News' Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones said: "Welfare and immigration are two touchstone issues for the General Election. The idea of benefits tourism, whether real or not, is where the two collide. 

"All the evidence is the Tories have been outflanked by UKIP on this territory, but in the General Election the main objective is to steal a march on Labour. That's what these announcements are all about."

The benefits plan builds on changes laid out in January to make EU migrants wait three months after arriving in Britain before claiming out-of-work benefits.

Mr Cameron has previously been warned restricting benefits conflicts with the EU agreement on freedom of movement.

Yvette Cooper says the Government has 'failed' on immigration

Currently more than a million British posts are advertised on European Commission jobs website called Eures, which is partly funded by the UK taxpayer.

Britain's job centres automatically upload available posts to the site. However, Mr Cameron has pledged this will now be limited to 500,000 roles and will only be included if an employer requests it is shared across the EU.

A number of employers, particularly in manufacturing and agriculture, have routinely complained they are unable to find British recruits and have to fill the posts with workers from across Europe.

It is unclear how many EU residents actually find jobs through the website.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "We need less talk from the Prime Minister on immigration and more action.

"It's almost a year-and-a-half since Labour called for benefit restrictions on new migrants. In that time we've had reannouncement after reannouncement from the Tories but little in the way of firm action."

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'Dirty Diesel' Drivers Face New Tax In Cities

Drivers of diesel vehicles face having to pay more in taxes and levies as cities around the UK strive to cut air pollution.

In London, plans to introduce a £10 charge for the most polluting diesel cars are being considered by Mayor Boris Johnson.

These could come into force by 2020.

The Mayor's plans for the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) are still subject to full consultation, but it is expected it will require diesel cars to be Euro 6 standard - no more than five years old.

Older petrol-driven vehicles beyond Euro 4 - more than 14 years old - will also be hit by the ULEZ charge.

The final figure for the ULEZ levy is expected to be a similar amount to the congestion charge.

The hike in motoring costs would be on top of the congestion charge, pushing up the cost to at least £20 to drive into the capital's ultra-low emission zone.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that unless action is taken, London, Birmingham and Leeds would face dangerous levels of pollution from vehicle exhausts by 2030.

London's congestion charge was credited with reducing traffic volumes

Diesel exhaust emissions are responsible for about a quarter of the 29,000 premature deaths caused by air pollution, according to experts from King's College London.

The number of diesel cars in Britain has grown to 11 million, nearly a four-fold increase since 2000, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

This was largely due to motorists switching to diesel because of greater fuel economy and lower road taxes.

But diesel engines also produce toxins including nitrogen dioxide and particulates, which irritates the lung lining and can cause respiratory disease.

The Labour Party has reportedly planned a countrywide network of low emission zones that would push older diesel cars out of city centres.

Oxford has already introduced a low emission zone for buses and could expand this for other vehicles.

London Mayor environment adviser Mathew Pencharz told The Times: "We want to see an unwinding of incentives that have driven people to diesel.

"Euro engine standards on emissions have not delivered the savings expected, meaning we now have a legacy of a generation of dirty diesels."

All of these initiatives are being driven by the need to meet tighter European regulations on clean air and avoid the threat of heavy fines for breaching them.

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Royal Marsden Hospital Worker Jailed For Scam

A hospital worker has been jailed over her pivotal role in a fraud that saw more than £640,000 meant for cancer drugs being blown on designer goods and mortgage payments.

Stacey Tipler, 32, abused her position of trust in the accounts department at the Royal Marsden NHS Trust to alter payment details that led to the money being funnelled from the world-leading London cancer clinic.

At one point a drugs firm threatened to stop supplying the hospital with medication after failing to receive payment because of the fraud, Southwark Crown Court heard.

Horan (L) was jailed for 21 months and Woollery (R) was sentenced to 10

The sophisticated scam saw Tipler substitute account numbers of pharmaceutical firms who were due payment with the details of men recruited by her partner and the ringleader of the plot Scott Chaplin.

Those receiving the cash kept some for themselves, using it to make mortgage payments or go on shopping sprees at luxury designers Gucci and Louis Vuitton. One spent £200 at the London Parachute School.

But most of the cash was passed back to Chaplin.

The couple maintained a "cash reserve" to meet their bills and mortgage payments.

They are also understood to have spent several thousand pounds on a deposit for a venue in Surrey for their planned wedding, although this never took place.

A drugs firm threatened to stop supplying the hospital because of the scam

Some of the money was recovered but the hospital remains £310,000 out of pocket.

Thomas Quinlan was sent to prison for eight months for his part in fraud

Chaplin was jailed for five-and-a-half-years, while Tipler was sentenced to four years.

Passing sentence Judge Anthony Leonard QC said Chaplin was the "main instigator" but Tipler was "invaluable" to the scam, which he said could had been "catastrophic" for patients.

He told her: "The skill which you showed in trying to ensure the fraud would go undiscovered was very great and very dishonest. It was a very clever but dishonest fraud."

Tipler, a mother-of-two from Carshalton, in the south London borough of Sutton, who worked at the trust for 10 years, was found guilty after a trial of conspiracy to defraud.

Chaplin, 33, also from Carshalton, was convicted of the same charge and a count of conspiracy to money launder.

Money of varying amounts was passed to the accounts of Adrian Horan, 43, Clinton Woollery, 35, Thomas Quinlan, 26, Russell Baker, 32, and William Flynn, 37.

Horan, of Sutton, Surrey, was jailed for 21 months, Flynn, of Wallington, Surrey, for a year, Woollery, of Sutton, for 10 months and Quinlan, of Banstead, Surrey, for eight months.

Baker and another defendant Roy Harriott, 31, of Sutton, were given suspended sentences of nine weeks and 12 weeks respectively.

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Fracking: More Protection For National Parks

Fracking will be allowed in national parks and areas of outstanding beauty only in "exceptional circumstances", ministers say, as new bidding for shale exploration licences opens.

The policy is part of new guidance published by Government which is aiming to offer up vast swathes of Britain for fracking.

The Government has committed to going "all out for shale", claiming development of the gas and oil resource is needed to improve energy security, and boost jobs and the economy.

But opponents say the high-pressure injection of water risks polluting water supplies, damaging the environment and causing minor earthquakes, and argue further fossil fuels should not be extracted due to climate change.

Areas licensed for oil/gas exploration. Pic: Google

Business and energy minister Matthew Hancock said: "The new guidance will protect Britain's great National Parks and outstanding landscapes, building on the existing rules that ensure operational best practices are implemented and robustly enforced.

"Ultimately, done right, speeding up shale will mean more jobs and opportunities for people and help ensure long-term economic and energy security for our country."

Where an application in National Parks is refused and the developer launches an appeal, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles will consider whether to make the final decision himself to ensure the policy is being properly applied.

But Greenpeace campaigner Louise Hutchins warned: "Eric Pickles' supposed veto power over drilling in National Parks will do nothing to quell the disquiet of fracking opponents across Britain.

"Ministers waited until the parliamentary recess to make their move, no doubt aware of the political headache this will cause to MPs whose constituencies will be affected."

Friends of the Earth energy campaigner Tony Bosworth said: "Today the risk of fracking has spread. This threat to the environment and public health could now affect millions more people.

"Those who thought that fracking would only happen in other places will now worry about it happening on their doorstep."

The shale exploration licences which can be applied for from now provide the first step to start drilling, but do not give an absolute agreement to drill.

Planning permission, permits from the Environment Agency and agreement from the Health and Safety Executive will be required for further drilling.

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Full UK Battle Group To Join Poland Exercise

A "full battle group" of 1,350 personnel is to be sent to Poland for a Nato exercise to reassure Eastern European allies in the face of Russia's conflict with Ukraine.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon confirmed the deployment and said more than 350 armoured and other vehicles would take part.

Exercise Black Eagle will be held in October and is part of a series of Nato exercises designed to support allies in Eastern Europe and the Baltics.

Next month, light infantry troops from 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment will also join Exercise Sabre Junction, a US-led exercise - again taking place in Poland - and involving 16 countries.

Four Eurofighter Typhoons from the RAF are helping police Baltic airspace

Four RAF Eurofighter Typhoon jets have been at Nato's Baltic Air Policing mission, based at Lithuania's Siauliai Air Base, since Russia annexed the Crimean region of Ukraine earlier this year.

Normally the mission involves just four aircraft, but since the crisis in Ukraine it has been boosted to 12, including four Lockheed Martin F-16 jets from Denmark and four MiG-29 planes from Poland.

Mr Fallon announced details of the latest exercise during a visit to the Polish capital Warsaw with Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.

Michael Fallon was recently appointed as Defence Secretary

He said: "It is right that Nato members and partners demonstrate our commitment to the collective security of our allies in Eastern Europe, so I am pleased to confirm our participation in these exercises.

"In particular, the commitment of a battle group to Exercise Black Eagle shows our sustained and substantial support to Nato's eastern border."

A Nato summit in Wales in September is also being held to discuss ways to respond to future threats and reassurance measures.

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'Rivers Of Hail' As Freak Storm Sweeps Coast

A freak summer storm has brought chaos to the south coast of England with lightning, floods and hailstones and a power cut on the railway lines.

Forecasters said a "deeply unstable airmass" had brought with it the risk of heavy, thundery showers across East Anglia, the South East and London throughout the day. The Met Office said nearly half a month's worth of rain fell in an hour in some areas.

The scene in Brighton after hail and torrential rain swept in

London Fire Brigade rescued two women from a car which in flood water in South Ruislip, northwest London.

Firefighters also rescued five people from three neighbouring houses which were flooded in Thaxted, Essex. One family remained on the first floor of their home while crews pumped water from the property after flood water affected the electrics.

Lighting strikes Hove, Sussex, taken from the bedroom of Jon Hughes

Commuters in West Sussex braved torrential rain and hailstones as they struggled to work, though the main Brighton to London line was unaffected.

People in Brighton, Hove and Worthing who posted pictures on social media websites described seeing cars submerged and people taking shelter in the town hall.  

Commuters were left stranded after the south-coast line was closed

Network Rail said electrical supply problems had been caused by a lightning strike, near Hove, during the morning, causing delays of up to 30 minutes to trains between Worthing and Hove/Brighton.

South West Trains said Woking-bound trains would not be calling at Esher, Hersham or Walton-on-Thames because of flooding.

A spokesman for East Sussex Fire and Rescue told Sky News they received some 300 calls from the public.

A street in Worthing which became impassable

Richard Fowler said: "The control room started receiving calls at six o'clock this morning. We have had 300 calls so far in the south coast area from Brighton and Hove.

"The power to the track has had to be isolated because the tracks are flooded, and we have sent one of our high pumps over to assist with that.

"People are phoning and saying they have flooded basements which are affecting electrics. We did not expect this kind of extreme weather this morning. There are large hailstones on the ground. It is almost like winter."

Worthing Station was closed after flood water poured into the underpass

Hove resident Adam Batchelor emailed a picture to Sky News of the road outside his home in Hove. "The basement flats flooded and people evacuated to the town hall," he said. "Thankfully I stayed away last night!" he said.

Laurence Hill wrote on Twitter: "Used to be roads. Now rivers of hail. Never seen anything like it."

Hailstones that fell across Sussex

The Environment Agency issued a flood warning - meaning flooding is expected - for the Kidbrooke stream at Forest Row, East Sussex.

It said: "Heavy showers will bring a chance of some localised surface water flooding issues across parts of Sussex and Kent this afternoon.

Hail and slush gave some streets the appearance of being hit by snow

"Further heavy showers are expected from around dawn tomorrow across much of southeast England which may result in some surface water flooding, especially in urbanised areas."

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