British And French Navies Team Up For Drill

By David Bowden, Sky News Senior Correspondent

Thousands of sailors and marines and a flotilla of warships from Britain and France are on manoeuvres in the Mediterranean in preparation for combined operations around the world.

Codenamed Corsican Lion, the operation - the biggest since the two countries signed a military cooperation treaty in 2010 - is designed to get both sets of troops used to each other's fighting methods.

The exercise, which involves 6,000 service personnel, is using a range of vessels from both navies, although the centrepiece is the French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle and her fast jets.

Her presence has re-ignited the controversy over the scrapping of the UK's own carriers almost a decade before their replacements will be in service.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond watched the exercise

The Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond, who flew in to observe the exercise and hold bi-lateral talks with his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, faced a barrage of tricky questions from reporters about the potential embarrassment of the UK having to go cap in hand to her allies to provide carrier cover in the meantime.

Mr Hammond insisted that tough decisions had had to be made and that the new Queen Elizabeth class British carriers would provide an enhanced capability when they came on stream at the end of the decade.

"As I stand on the deck of the Charles De Gaulle, I shall be remembering that we are building two brand new modern carriers," he said.

The commander of the UK Response Force Task Group, Commodore Paddy McAlpine, said the combination of land, sea and air abilities means that in any future deployment, anywhere in the world, "we are the crystal everything else forms around".

The week-long exercise involves not only five British naval ships but Royal Marines from 3 Commando Brigade and their French counterparts.

Air support comes from French Rafaele and Super Étendard jets and dozens of helicopters ranging from Apaches to Sea Kings and Chinooks.

On the water, small boats and landing craft allow the Marines from both sides of the Channel to practice their drills.

It is not without its problems though.

French Lieutenant Benoit Bouquin said: "It's very interesting for us because we can use all the British boats, but quite difficult with the language. Not many of our soldiers speak English."

Few Royal Marines speak French either, although Corporal Ben Cussons says they manage to communicate.

"On the shop floor, you just make do," he said. "It's all smiles and nods and 'hellos'. At our level, that's enough."

Once Corsican Lion is complete the fighting flotilla will move on to the Adriatic and further exercises, this time with the Albanians.

That exercise is imaginatively tagged "Albanian Lion".

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Smokers Who Quit 'Live Up To A Decade Longer'

By Nick Martin, Sky News Correspondent

The largest ever study of the hazards of smoking amongst women has revealed that those who give up by middle age can extend their lives by more than a decade.

The research, published in the medical journal The Lancet today, shows that women who stop smoking before the age of 30 slash their chances of a smoke-related death by 97%.

In one of the biggest studies of its kind more than 1.3m women were recruited between 1996 and 2001.

Those who were still smokers after three years were nearly three times as likely as non-smokers to die over the next nine years, the study revealed.

Professor Sir Richard Peto from the University of Oxford, who co-wrote the report, said: "If women smoke like men, they die like men.

"But whether they are men or women, smokers who stop before reaching middle age will, on average, gain about an extra 10 years of life."

Leanne Dixon, 21, a customer service assistant from Manchester, started smoking when she was 13.

"These statistics really make me think," she told Sky News.

"I've thought about giving up for ages but never have. But it makes you think that you have to stop while you're young."

Alyson Aston and her friend Lyn Faulkner started smoking at the age of 15. Now in their 40s, they say giving up is not an option.

"It's not these statistics that make me want to give up, it's the cost," said Ms Aston.

Ms Faulkner added: "I think a lot about giving up but I don't have the willpower.

"But when you think about living an extra 10 years, it really is a long time."

Those who have had a brush with cancer have a cautionary tale to tell.

June Atherton, 66, used to smoke 60 cigarettes a day. She gave up at the age of 50 but was diagnosed with lung cancer 10 years later.

She said: "I stop young women in the street and tell them that they're killing themselves by smoking. They think I'm mad but it's an important message."

Paula Chadwick, chief executive of the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, told Sky News: "This is important research and tells us that stopping as early as you can will prolong your life.

"More women are being diagnosed with lung cancer and we need to bring those figures down by supporting those who want to give up and making sure the young don't start."

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CCTV Clue In Hunt For Fugitive 'Sex Attacker'

Police hunting for a fugitive who is believed to have sexually attacked two schoolgirls while on the run have released CCTV pictures.

Ivan Leach, also known as Lee Cyrus, did not return from day release from North Sea Camp open prison in Boston, Lincolnshire, earlier this month.

People are being warned not to approach him under any circumstances and described him as "dangerous and predatory".

Officers fear he carried out a very serious sexual assault in Tayside, Scotland, since he absconded on October 9.

Despite a large police search and numerous reported sightings 47-year-old Cyrus remains at large.

New CCTV footage, believed to be of Cyrus in Preston city centre on October 17, has now been released in the hope that someone might come forward with information. It shows him walking down Friargate at 6.50pm in the direction of the railway station.

He has links to Preston, and has known to be in the city on a number of occasions since he absconded, but it is believed he could be anywhere in the country.

Police enquiries are also ongoing in Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Tayside.

Cyrus was jailed in 2005 for robbing a 90-year-old woman in Ribbleton, Lancashire. He was given a life sentence with a minimum tariff of five years. He also has convictions for burglary and robbery and assault.

Detective chief inspector Ian Dawson of Preston Police said Cyrus "is an extremely dangerous and predatory individual who poses a serious threat to members of the public".

He added: "He has previous convictions for burglary, sex offences against a young girl, assault and robberies in which he has targeted elderly people in their own homes.

"We believe he could be sleeping rough and travelling extensively throughout the country."

Cyrus is described as white, around five feet 11 inches tall, of stocky build with cropped hair and hazel eyes.

Anyone with any information about his possible whereabouts is being urged to contact local police either in person or on 101, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Victory For Man Who Took Cold Caller To Court

A businessman plagued by nuisance phone calls offering compensation for Payment Protection Insurance has secured £220 in an out-of-court settlement.

Richard Herman, 53, was so fed up with the unwanted calls arriving from India, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

He warned the company that, in future, he would invoice them £10 for every minute of his time they used.

When the calls continued he began recording them before finally invoicing the company £195 for their use of his "time, telephone and electricity".

Upon receipt of the invoice the marketing firm acting on behalf of UK-based PPI Claimline Ltd, denied making the calls. When Mr Herman revealed he had recorded evidence, they still refused to pay.

But when Mr Herman filed a claim in the small claims court for the unpaid invoice - plus £25 in costs - the company offered to settle the debt out of court and transferred £220 into his bank account.

Mr Herman filed in the small claims court when his invoice was not paid

Mr Herman said: "I kept being called, as we all do, and I thought the only way for them to stop would be for me to speak to them and say, 'For goodness sake, take me off your list!'

"Then it occurred to me to tell them that if they call again I'll charge for my time. When they continued calling I sent them an invoice for 19.5 minutes."

To encourage others to do the same Mr Herman has set up a website with examples of covering letters and invoices to send to nuisance callers.

Even though the validity of Mr Herman's original invoice was not tested in court, he believes anyone who warns cold-calling companies they will be charged if they call, have a right to invoice them.

"I did business studies at 17 and studied 'offer-and-acceptance' so I knew a verbal contract is just as valid as a written one but harder to prove.

"The recorded calls proved I did tell them I would charge for my time if they called again".

Mr Herman, who works in the telephone industry selling call-recording equipment, said his action was a last resort after asking the Information Commissioner and the Telephone Preference Service for help.

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Jimmy Savile: Seven Claims Made Before Death

At least seven alleged victims of Jimmy Savile made complaints of sexual abuse against him while he was still alive, it emerges.

Scotland Yard has admitted four police forces were aware in the 1980s of claims against the former TV presenter and DJ.

The first of the seven claims was made in the 1980s by a young girl, who said she had been subjected to an indecent assault at BBC TV Centre.

Subsequent claims were made between 2003 and 2008, all relating to alleged instances of sexual abuse during the 1970s.

Commander Peter Spindler said the Metropolitan Police were now dealing with around 300 potential victims, of whom all except two are women.

They have been separated into three categories: those allegedly abused by Savile, those allegedly abused by Savile and others and those allegedly abused by others on their own.

BBC boss George Entwistle has faced questions over the scandal

Mr Spindler claimed Savile was one of the most prolific sex offenders in recent history and that the inquiry into his alleged abuse would be a "watershed" investigation into sex crime.

He said an "arrest strategy" was being devised, but that police had yet to detain anyone under caution.

Child safety expert and former Met detective Jonathan Taylor told Sky News why Savile may have escaped police action during his lifetime.

"It's very different to have evidence to arrest somebody than the amount of evidence required for a prosecution and subsequent conviction," he said.

"If a victim isn't willing to go to court and actually stand up and say, 'This is what happened to me,' then really it's not going to go to court and the chances are that the individual then may not be arrested."

Savile, who died last year aged 84, had a bedroom at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, an office and living quarters at Broadmoor and widespread access to Leeds General Infirmary.

The NSPCC said it had received 439 calls about sexual abuse in the past three weeks, a 60% rise on what they would normally receive.

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EDF To Raise Gas And Electricity Prices

Energy giant EDF is to increase prices for householders by an average of 10.8%.

The rise, gas and electricity, around four times the rate of inflation, is set to be implemented on December 7.

EDF, which has 3.1 million customers and 5.5 million accounts overall, said its annual dual fuel bill was the lowest of the suppliers to have announced price rises so far.

Companies have blamed the changes on rising wholesale prices and increased running costs - especially for transporting gas and electricity to customers' homes - and the cost of energy efficiency programmes.

Martin Lawrence, EDF managing director of energy sourcing and customer supply, said: "We know that customers will not welcome this news and do not want to see prices going up.

"Our new prices will, however, be cheaper on average than those of all the other major suppliers which have announced standard price rises so far this autumn.

"We've taken extra measures to make sure the most vulnerable benefit from the best deals and we continue to help customers reduce their bills with energy efficiency measures."

Earlier this month Npower became the third of the so-called Big Six energy firms to confirm steep rises in its gas and electricity bills ahead of winter.

It said bills would increase by an average 8.8% for gas and 9.1% for electricity from November 26.

Just hours beforehand British Gas confirmed that its average dual fuel tariff would rise by 6% - or £80 annually - from November 16.

The Big Six - British Gas, EDF, E.On, NPower, Scottish Power and SSE - control 99% of the UK's domestic energy supplies.

E.ON is the only big supplier yet to announce price rises after it made a promise not to raise tariffs this year.

Last week the energy regulator Ofgem said it would make the market "simpler, clearer and fairer" for consumers.

The promise follows a call by the Prime Minister to energy giants to overhaul confusing tariff systems.

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Hospital Abuse Scandal: Former Carers Jailed

Care Home Abusers Sentenced

Updated: 12:14pm UK, Friday 26 October 2012

The former staff admitted 38 charges of either neglect or ill-treatment of people with severe learning difficulties. They are:

:: Wayne Rogers, 32, of Purton Close, Bristol, pleaded guilty to nine charges of ill-treating Ms Deville, Mr Tovey and Miss Blake. He denied a charge of ill-treating Miss Bisset, which was accepted by the prosecution and he did not face trial. He was jailed for two years.

:: Alison Dove, 25, of Chipperfield Drive, Bristol, pleaded guilty to seven charges of ill-treating Miss Guilford, Miss Bisset and Miss Blake. She pleaded not guilty to ill-treating Mr Tovey, which was accepted by the prosecution and she did not face trial. She was jailed for 20 months.

:: Graham Doyle, 26, of Brackendene, Bradley Stoke, Bristol, pleaded guilty to seven charges of ill-treating Miss Blake. He denied charges of wilfully neglecting Miss Guilford and ill-treating Mr Tovey. The prosecution accepted the pleas and he did not face trial. He was also jailed for 20 months.

:: Jason Gardiner, 43, of Mellent Avenue, Bristol, admitted two charges of ill-treating Ms Deville and Mr Tovey. His four-month jail term was suspended for two years. Gardiner was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

:: Michael Ezenagu, 29, of Malabar Court, India Way, Shepherds Bush, west London, pleaded guilty to two counts of ill-treating Miss Blake. He denied two further of ill-treating the same patient and a third similar charge against Mr Tovey. The prosecution accepted the pleas and he did not face trial. His six-month jail term was suspended for two years. Ezenagu was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

:: Danny Brake, 27, of Beechen Drive, Fishponds, Bristol, also pleaded guilty to two charges of ill-treating Miss Blake and Mr Tovey. His four-month jail term was suspended for two years. Brake was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

:: Charlotte Cotterell, 22, of Melrose Avenue, Yate, Bristol, pleaded guilty to one charge of ill-treating Miss Blake. She denied a second charge against the same victim, which was accepted by the prosecution and she did not face trial. Her four-month jail term was suspended for two years. Cotterell was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and complete 12 months supervision.

:: Holly Draper, 24, of The Old Orchard, Mangotsfield, Bristol, pleaded guilty to two charges of ill-treating Miss Blake. She was jailed for 12 months.

:: Neil Ferguson, 28, of Emersons Green, Bristol, pleaded guilty to one count of ill-treating Miss Blake. He denied a second charge of ill-treating the same patient, which the prosecution accepted and he did not face trial. His six-month jail term was suspended for two years. Ferguson was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

:: Sookalingum Appoo, 59, of Dial Lane, Bristol, admitted three charges of wilfully neglecting Miss Blake. He was jailed for six months.

:: Kelvin Fore, 33, of Ellesmere Walk, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to one charge of wilfully neglecting Miss Blake but denied a second allegation against the same person, which was accepted by the prosecution and he did not face trial. He was also jailed for six months.

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Malala Dad: Shot Schoolgirl 'Will Rise Again'

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

The Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban will "rise again", her father has said.

Ziauddin Yusufzai his wife and two sons were reunited with 15-year-old Malala, who is being treated at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, last night, after flying in from Islamabad.

He described her shooting - which came after she campaigned for girl's education in Pakistan - as a "turning point" for the country.

"She will rise again, she will stand again," he told a news conference.

"When she fell, Pakistan stood. This is a turning point."

Mr Yusufzai said she Malala was walking, talking, eating and smiling - and that all signs of infection were gone. He added that she would be having hearing and sight tests today.

Pakistani police are hunting prime suspect Atta ur Rehman

He said: "I am thankful that you are very much concerned about my daughter's health. You have supported the cause for which she stands, the cause of peace and education."

He said Malala had just done a second mid-term exam and was on her way home in a school van in the Swat Valley on October 9 when two men stopped the vehicle at pistol point and asked which child was Malala, before one opened fire.

Mr Yusufzai, who was speaking as his 12 year old son Kushal Khan sat beside him, said Malala had received good wishes from all over the world.

"She is a daughter of everybody, a sister of everybody," he said.

When asked how he felt when he and his family saw Malala last night, he said: "I love her and last night when we met her there were tears in our eyes out of happiness."

Mr Yusufzai told reporters that he was thankful to doctors for the "excellent" and "world class" care Malala had received in Birmingham.

He was visibly moved as he described how he was told to prepare for Malala's funeral.

"I'm thankful to God," he said.

"I found angels on my side all around me ... she got the right treatment, at the right place, at the right time.

"In Pakistan for the first time we saw that all political parties, the government, children, women, elders, they were crying and praying to God. Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, indifferent of caste, colour or creed, they prayed for my daughter."

It comes after police in Pakistan named the prime suspect in connection with the shooting as 23-year-old Atta Ullah Khan, a chemistry student from the Swat district.

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Ash Tree Disease Threatens UK Countryside

A deadly disease which has devastated ash trees in Europe has been discovered in the English countryside, raising fears it could wreak the same kind of damage as Dutch elm disease in the 1970s.

The Woodland Trust has confirmed that the first British cases of ash dieback, which is caused by a fungus, have been identified on its estate at Pound Farm in Suffolk and at Norfolk Wildlife Trust's Lower Wood reserve at Ashwellthorpe.

The Chalara fraxinea fungus causes leaf loss and crown dieback and can lead to tree death. It has already wiped out 90% of ash trees in Denmark in seven years and is becoming widespread throughout central Europe.

The Trust is supporting a ban on importing and moving ash trees to stop the disease from spreading in the UK, which the Government is poised to bring in as early as next week.

Andrew Sharkey, head of woodland management for the Trust, said losing ash trees would have serious implications for wildlife and the countryside.

Forestry Commission staff have been redeployed from their usual duties to survey woods and forests in East Anglia and across Britain, and forest managers and tree professionals are being urged to inspect trees and report any suspected to be infected.

Dr John Morgan, head of the body's plant health service, said efforts to tackle the disease were a priority.

"It is still early days and investigations are continuing," he said. "But there is a possibility that the East Anglia outbreak is an isolated one which has been present for some time. This emphasises the importance of preventing spread further afield."

The Horticultural Trades Association has also urged members to abide by a voluntary moratorium on importing ash trees for planting in the country.

Ash trees make up around 30% of the UK's wooded landscape.

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Olympic Medals Stolen: Pair Plead For Return

Two of Team GB's Olympic heroes have had their medals stolen just hours after attending a Buckingham Palace celebration of their success.

Rower Alex Partridge and hockey team member Hannah Macleod took to social networking site Twitter to appeal for information in an attempt to find their Olympic bronze medals.

Partridge won bronze as part of the men's eight rowing team. He tweeted that his Olympic blazer had also been stolen from a club in Mayfair, central London.

Macleod wrote on the site: "My medal was also stolen at the same time. Totally devastated."

Both athletes later published a photograph of a man captured on CCTV who they wished to talk to about the alleged thefts.

Partridge said: "To the chap who took my @London2012 Olympic Blazer & Medal last night The police have u on CCTV Please return it."

Macleod said she was not looking for punishment, she just wanted the medal back.

"If you picked up a Bronze Olympic medal that isn't yours pls just send anonymously back to GB hockey-Bisham Abbey," she tweeted.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed it was investigating reports of a stolen Olympic medal and blazer, but said it had not yet been contacted about a second stolen medal.

A spokesman said: "An Olympic medal and blazer were reported stolen from a venue in Mayfair in central London.

"It was believed the items were taken between midnight and 5am on Wednesday, October 24."

A host of Olympic and Paralympic stars had earlier been invited to the palace to mark their achievements along with the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Duchess of Cambridge, Prime Minister David Cameron and London 2012 chief Lord Coe.

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New Mortgage Rules Focus On Ability to Repay

Tough new mortgage lending rules to make sure borrowers are only given deals they can afford to repay and prevent a return to irresponsible lending have been outlined.

Lenders will need to consider a borrower's income and outgoings and interest-only mortgages will only be offered to people with a firm repayment plan, rather than relying on hopes that house prices will rise, when the new measures come into force in April 2014.

They will also have to factor in the impact that future interest rate increases could have on repayment costs.

Martin Wheatley, managing director of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) said: "We recognise that many lenders are now using a far more sensible set of lending criteria than before, but it is important that these common sense principles are hard-wired into the system to protect borrowers.

"We want borrowers to feel confident that poor practises of the past, which led to hardship and anxiety, are not repeated."

The clampdown follows a period during the property boom when would-be buyers increasingly stretched their finances to get on the ladder.

Last year, a house was worth around five times the buyer's income on average, compared with 3.7 times a decade ago.

The regulator estimated, as a result of lenders already tightening their borrowing criteria, up to 45% of borrowers who had taken out a deal since 2005 could be mortgage prisoners.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) previously raised concerns that many more existing borrowers could find themselves trapped under the new rules.

But the FSA has now altered its plans so that lenders would be able to "switch off" the requirements for existing borrowers who wanted to get a new mortgage for the same amount or less, provided they had a good repayment history.

It also announced a new rule stating lenders must not take advantage of a borrower who cannot get a mortgage elsewhere by treating them less favourably than other similar customers, for example by offering them a worse interest rate or terms.

The FSA has previously warned that a "ticking time bomb" has been created over the last 20 years, with an estimated 1.5 million interest-only loans worth around £120bn due for repayment in the next decade.

Paul Broadhead, head of mortgage policy at the Building Societies Association (BSA), said: "No-one can argue with the objective that lenders lend what consumers can afford to repay.

"It is common sense that a mortgage should be repayable from income, rather than rely on increasing property prices, and this is the approach that building societies and other mutual lenders already take."

However, he added it was also good to have had confirmation that interest-only mortgages could still be the right product for some people.

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Ford UK Job Losses To Hit 1,300, Sources Say

Ford will make 1,300 employees redundant following the closure of its Southampton factory, according to Sky sources.

The US company's stamping plant in Dagenham, which presses sheets of metal used to make Transit vans in Southampton, will also be shut down, Sky News understands.

The Swaythling plant will close next summer - with a loss of more than 500 jobs - and the Dagenham facility will be shut at the same time.

Ford will not make an official announcement on its plans until this afternoon.

It marks the end of more than a century of vehicle production in the UK by Ford, which will now only make engines and other car parts in Britain.

The move, revealed by Sky News on Wednesday, comes after union representatives met with company management.

The national officer of the GMB union, Justin Bowden, described it as devastating for Ford's British workers.

"This is very bad news for UK manufacturing," he said.

"Ford's track record in Britain is one of broken promises and factory closures.

"There will be a feeling of shock and anger, and Ford's commitment on investment will cut little ice."

Conservative MP for Romsey and Southampton, Caroline Nokes, said described the news as a "bitter blow" for the region.

"It is critically important that we do everything we can to help those affected," she said.

"The closure will have a significant impact on employment.

"These 500 employees have broadly similar skills and it is very important that they are given the maximum support possible."

But Ford, which employs 11,400 people at sites across the UK, is also expected to announce some good news for its British workforce.

According to Sky sources, the company will safeguard thousands of jobs by confirming that the next generation of diesel engines will be built in the UK.

The carmaker is in the process of restructuring its European operations following a slump in demand, and on Wednesday announced that it would close its "under-utilised" factory in Genk, Belgium resulting in 4,300 job losses.

The chairman and chief executive of Ford of Europe, Stephen Odell, said: "The proposed restructuring of our European manufacturing operations is a fundamental part of our plan to strengthen Ford's business in Europe and to return to profitable growth."

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Savile: Abuse Charities Report Spike In Calls

Charities helping victims of sexual abuse have been swamped with inquiries – prompted by the widening Jimmy Savile controversy.

The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) has seen nearly a trebling of calls to its hotline.

Napac chief executive Pete Saunders told Sky News: "As we speak it is well over 2,500 calls we have received and is rapidly heading towards 3,000.

"It has been relentless. Normally we deal with up to 300 inquiries weekly but since Savile it is up to 800 a week."

ITV broadcast a documentary on Savile's on October 3, after a similar programme was halted by the BBC Newsnight show, and it included the Napac hotline number for adults who suffered childhood abuse.

"We had 150 calls on the night the documentary was aired and it has remained consistently high. It has been relentless and we have to thank our amazing team of volunteers who have answered calls," Mr Saunders said.

Abuse claims by BBC star Savile date back decades

Children's charity the NSPCC said it has received 161 calls relating to Savile, which have been passed to police, and another 105 not related to the performer.

These came from adults who wanted to discuss being abused as children following media coverage of the case, and 24 of those allegations have also been referred to the police, the charity said.

Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "It's a figure that's rising all the time. The police have been told of these latest figures."

Prime Minister David Cameron has confirmed that the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, is to review legal papers relating to abuse allegations against Savile.

He told MPs that it was essential that lessons were learned from the scandal of Savile's decades of alleged abuse.

It comes as pressure continues to mount on BBC bosses, past and present, over the halting of an investigation into sexual abuse by Savile.

Sources at current affairs programme Newsnight told The Times that director of news Helen Boaden allegedly intervened last year, insisting staff gather evidence as if the late star were still alive and able to sue.

BBC Newsnight editor Peter Rippon has "stepped down" amid an inquiry

It said Ms Boaden's approach subsequently influenced the show's editor Peter Rippon to halt the investigation - he has since "stepped aside" while the corporation undertakes a review into Savile's predatory behaviour over several decades on BBC premises.

The spreading concerns of BBC managerial responsibility have also drawn in the previous BBC boss, Mark Thompson, about how much he knew.

Mr Thompson, who recently resigned as director general, said: "There is nothing to suggest that I acted inappropriately in the handling of this matter.

"I did not impede or stop the Newsnight investigation, nor have I done anything else that could be construed as untoward or unreasonable."

On Tuesday, current director general George Entwistle was urged to "get a grip" on his organisation during a hostile grilling by MPs about the broadcaster's handling of the claims.

Mr Entwistle told the committee he had ordered an internal audit of the operation of the BBC's child protection policies and would report its results to the BBC Trust in December.

He said the corporation was now investigating up to 10 "serious allegations" involving past and present employees over the "Savile period".

Scotland Yard said 60 of the 200 people who have come forward since ITV first aired a documentary on the former DJ's sexual abuse have made claims against people other than Savile.

It is understood that the Metropolitan Police have made preparations for the first arrests in its own investigation.

Lord Patten has been urged to resign by a former parliamentary colleague

Meanwhile, in a letter to BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten, Culture Secretary Maria Miller warned that the scandal had raised "very real concerns" about public trust in the corporation.

In his response Lord Patten said the inquiries would be "comprehensive and independent", but also delivered a thinly-veiled warning that the Government should not wade into the row.

"I know that you will not want to give any impression that you are questioning the independence of the BBC," he wrote.

Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale, a former director of current affairs programmes for the BBC, suggested Lord Patten and Mr Entwistle may have to "fall on their swords".

He said: "Chris Patten is an old friend and a former parliamentary colleague for whom I have had a high regard but in his comment he has made it clear that he is out of touch.

"Not only with the strength of feeling and concern in Parliament about the 'Savile affair' and related matters but, more importantly, with the strength of public revulsion at what has happened at Television Centre and with the corporate culture that, for the best part of 40 years, has apparently covered it up.

"Attack may be the best form of defence but in seeking to criticise a Culture Secretary who has not, ever, sought to challenge the independence of the BBC, he indicates how very little, within that corporate arrogance, has really changed," Mr Gale said.

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Sky Sources: Ford To Close Southampton Plant

Ford is planning to close its Southampton factory, according to Sky sources.

An announcement by the US carmaker is expected tomorrow. 

The factory, which builds Ford's Transit vans, employs around 500 people.

The news comes after the company confirmed it would close its "under-utilised" factory in Genk, Belgium, resulting in 4,300 job losses.

"Ford announced its plans to end production at a major production plant in Genk, Belgium, by the end of 2014," the company said in a statement, adding that the closure would entail a "reduction of approximately 4,300 positions".

Ford of Europe's chief executive Stephen Odell added: "The proposed restructuring of our European manufacturing operations is a fundamental part of our plan to strengthen Ford's business in Europe."

In another development for Europe's carmaking industry, the French government offered Peugeot Citroen a 7bn euro (£5.6bn) lifeline following another drop in sales.

The Paris-based company said it was also close to agreeing a 11.5bn euro (£9.3bn) refinancing deal with creditor banks, in addition to the state guarantees, for its lending arm Banque PSA Finance.

Following the announcement, Peugeot shares fell 6.5% - hitting their lowest levels since 1986.

Car sales in Europe have slumped as consumers in the region find their budgets hit by unemployment and government austerity.

Earlier this month, industry figures revealed that the market shrank at its fastest pace for 12 months in September. 

More follows...

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Hillsborough Police Chief Bettison Quits

Sir Norman Bettison has resigned as Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, after being accused of a cover-up over the Hillsborough disaster.

The 56-year-old had been due to retire next March, but has stepped down with immediate effect.

More follows...

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Equal Pay: Women Win Landmark Ruling

Women who earned less than men on the same pay grade when they worked for a local authority have won a battle for equal pay compensation at the UK's highest court.

The Supreme Court said more than 170 former Birmingham City Council employees could launch compensation claims in the High Court.

Lawyers say the judgment could have "huge implications".

The Supreme Court's decision follows a Court of Appeal ruling in the women's favour.

The "historic" ruling was made at Britain's highest court

Judges heard that 170 women were among female workers denied bonuses similar to those handed out to employees in traditionally male-dominated jobs such as refuse collectors, street cleaners, road workers and grave-diggers.

The court was told that, in 2007 and 2008, tens of thousands of pounds were paid to female council employees to compensate them.

More payments have also been made to women who took cases to an employment tribunal.

But only workers still employed or who had recently left were eligible to make claims in a tribunal.

Those who had left earlier were caught by the six-month deadline for launching claims.

To get around the deadline, the women started actions for damages in the High Court, which has a six-year deadline for launching claims.

The city council attempted to have those claims struck out, arguing that under equal pay legislation such claims could only be entertained by an employment tribunal.

Former care assistant Pam Saunders said she was "over the moon" with the decision, adding: "It's thousands of pounds that we've lost. Whatever we get is a bonus."

Law firm Leigh Day & Co described the ruling as "historic".

In a statement it said the judgment "effectively extends the time limit for equal pay claims from six months to six years, the biggest change to equal pay legislation since it was introduced in 1970, with huge implications for thousands of workers".

It said it is bringing claims against Birmingham City Council on behalf of 174 claimants, with another 1,000 claims pending in Birmingham alone.

The firm said that "there are also thousands more claims in other areas around the UK being handled by Leigh Day & Co awaiting this decision".

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Hillsborough: IPCC 'Can't Cope' With Inquiry

Questions have been raised about the ability of the police watchdog to cope with its own investigation into the Hillsborough disaster.

MPs said they were concerned the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) did not have the resources or manpower to handle the investigation on its own as it emerged it had been given the names of 1,444 officers, including the identities of 304 who are still serving.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the investigation could not be run just by the watchdog, while Keith Vaz, Labour chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said there was a "problem in respect of resources".

An independent panel recently released a damning report into the tragedy

Speaking during a debate in the Commons, Ms Cooper said: "It is clear this investigation cannot be done solely by the IPCC, they have neither the powers nor the resources to do so ... these investigations are beyond the scale of anything the IPCC have done before and it will also require powers that the IPCC simply doesn't have."

The watchdog was asked to investigate South Yorkshire Police's role in the disaster which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool fans during a crush at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium in April 1989.

The damning Hillsborough Independent Panel report revealed a cover-up took place to shift the blame on to the victims and that 41 of the lives lost could have been saved.

Keith Vaz MP said there was a lack of resources to deal with the cases

Meanwhile, Mr Vaz said he favoured the idea of a special prosecutor being appointed to look at all the cases and to act as a co-ordination point.

He added: "As I said to the House earlier, 1,444 names have been sent to the IPCC, of that 304 are still serving officers at South Yorkshire.

"So immediately when you look at the numbers of names that have been referred there will be a problem in respect of resources.

Hillsborough was one of the world's worst football disasters

"I think that we should not wait for the IPCC to come and see the Home Secretary, actually a meeting needs to be convened pretty quickly to ask them what they need and to give them the resources that they need."

Home Secretary Theresa May said she would work with Labour to see if new laws were needed to compel former officers to co-operate with the IPCC.

"This includes proposals to require current and ex-police officers who were maybe witnesses to a crime to attend an interview, and whether this might require fast-track legislation," she said.

Speaking during the opening of a Commons debate on the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report, Mrs May added: "There is the IPCC investigation and there is also the investigation that is taking place by the DPP.

"If he believes that wider investigation is necessary the Home Office will make resource available under the ambit of the incoming National Crime Agency, with an investigator who is completely separate and has no connection whatever with these particular issues."

Her comments came after Attorney General Dominic Grieve last week asked the High Court to consider ordering fresh inquests into the 96 deaths after the report concluded some fans could have survived if emergency services had responded sooner.

Labour former home secretary David Blunkett said any investigation must not focus on the ordinary officers who made an accurate note of what happened at Hillsborough only to have them altered on the orders of senior officers.

Labour MP Maria Eagle used the debate to claim that the chief constable of West Yorkshire police, Sir Norman Bettison, "boasted" about having helped to "concoct" a false account of how the disaster was caused.

She cited a letter written by John Barry, who studied with Sir Norman on a part-time course at Sheffield Business School while he was serving with South Yorkshire police.

Mr Barry said Sir Norman discussed his role within South Yorkshire police weeks after the disaster of 15 April 1989, in which 96 Liverpool supporters died.

He wrote: "We were in a pub after our weekly evening class. (Sir Norman) told me that he had been asked by his senior officers to put together the South Yorkshire police evidence for the forthcoming inquiry.

"He said that 'we are trying to concoct a story that all the Liverpool fans were drunk and we were afraid that they were going to break down the gates so we decided to open them'."

Sir Norman has always denied any involvement in smearing Liverpool supporters or what is now labelled the police's "cover-up".

Shortly after the Hillsborough report was published, he announced he was to retire from the police service in March.

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April Jones: Clock Tower Lit Three Weeks On

The clock tower in missing April Jones' home town has been lit up pink, exactly three weeks since the youngster disappeared.

The 24m-tall landmark in Machynlleth, mid-Wales, was illuminated last night at 7pm, the time five-year-old April went missing on October 1.

She was last seen playing near her home on the Bryn-y-Gog estate.

Machynlleth's clock tower was lit for 12 hours - the colour pink chosen because it is April's favourite.

In the countryside around the town, the search for the schoolgirl continues.

Dyfed Powys Police say 150 specialists are scouring mountainous terrain and checking caves, potholes and mines, often in challenging conditions, in the hope of finding the youngster.

The hunt could last until Christmas or beyond.

April's disappearance has shocked the people of Machynlleth, many of whom joined the search for the youngster in the days after she was reported missing.

Pink ribbons have become a common sight around Machynlleth

Earlier this month, more than 700 people joined a procession through the town to St Peter's Church, where an emotional service was held.

Many of those in the congregation wore pink ribbons, which have also been tied to gates and lampposts in the area.

Chinese lanterns have also been released in the weeks since her disappearance.

Mark Bridger, 46, from Machynlleth, has been charged with April's murder and abduction.

He was remanded in custody until January 11 after appearing via video link at Caernarfon Crown Court on October 10.

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Charles And Camilla's Tour Details Revealed

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will be treated to a barbecue in the outback, an afternoon on Bondi beach and a tour of a special effects workshop used in the making of The Hobbit movie when they visit Australia and New Zealand.

Details of their packed tour, which also takes in Papua New Guinea as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, have been announced.

Camilla will be making her first trip to the three countries, in a private or public capacity, while Charles, a seasoned traveller, has visited the southern hemisphere nations many times.

Among the highlights will be a visit by Prince Charles behind the scenes of the new blockbuster movie from Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson.

The Prince of Wales will see the studio where Gollum was brought to life

He will visit a leading workshop in New Zealand that created special effects for the much anticipated fantasy film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

The heir to the throne will meet the filmmaker on the day of his 64th birthday, November 14, and be shown make-up props worn by actors including The Office star Martin Freeman, who plays the lead character Bilbo Baggins.

A royal aide said that in the workshop, based in Wellington, Charles would "come face-to-face with rather extraordinary, rather terrifyingly in some cases, life-like prosthetics including the feet and hands of the Baggins family".

The themes of the visit include service to the community, encouragement of economic growth and innovation, promotion of youth enterprise, celebration of sport in the community and support for the Armed Forces.

A traditionally colourful welcome is expected in Papua New Guinea

Speaking about the first leg of the tour to Papua New Guinea, which begins on November 3, the aide added: "The visit is centred on the capital Port Moresby but also includes a visit to a nearby fishing village called Boera where a traditional and probably rather dramatic welcome is planned by the local inhabitants."

In Australia, the royal couple have set themselves the task of visiting four major cities - Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and the capital Canberra - as well as the outback town of Longreach in Queensland and the island state of Tasmania in just six days from November 5-10.

The royal couple have willingly accepted an invitation from race organisers to play an important part in Australia's most famous racing event, the Melbourne Cup, at which Camilla will present the top prize.

The Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse is another highlight of the trip

"We were asked if they would like to do it, and of course they are both great racing fans ... and very touched that they've asked the Duchess to present the Melbourne Cup," Clive Alderton, private secretary to Charles and Camilla, said.

It is a starring role for Camilla, 65, who will overcome a dislike of air travel to make the long trek south.

Other events will see them highlight healthy eating in schools, meet Australian cricketers playing with disadvantaged youngsters and promote the wool trade.

The final leg to New Zealand, from November 10-16, will see the royal couple meet popular children's author Lynley Dodd, writer of the Hairy Maclary stories about the adventures of a hairy dog.

Charles and Camilla will meet survivors of the Christchurch earthquake

The final day takes the royal travellers to Christchurch to see how residents have rebuilt their lives after last year's devastating earthquake.

Details of the tour come as a new survey commissioned by the Australian Republican Movement shows 48% of Australians want a republic.

However, perhaps riding on the popularity of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, only 45% of under-30s questioned want a republic - fewer than any other age group apart from those 70 or over.

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Jimmy Savile: BBC Boss Is Grilled By MPs

Why Child Abuse Goes Unchallenged

Updated: 4:38am UK, Tuesday 23 October 2012

By Peter Saunders, Chief Executive, NAPAC

I founded and am now privileged to work for NAPAC, the National Association for People Abused in Childhood.

We run the UK's only national free phone support line for adult survivors. We receive letters and emails and we run support groups.

We are a small charity but we have helped thousands in the past and we face the mammoth task of trying to help the thousands coming forward as a result of the Jimmy Savile outrage.

An advertising agency has just made us a poster which in a way sums up why the abuse of our children has gone unchallenged for generation after generation.

Abuse is just too painful for many of us to talk about. Children who speak out are often labelled liars or attention seekers. Many will then keep that secret for the rest of their life.

People who witness abuse, or almost see it..."whoops, I didn't see or want to know about that" really hope it will go away and abusers are never going to admit their vile crimes. And why would they? Abusers ensure there are rarely any witnesses. So children are easily silenced.

And as the Savile allegations have shown, many of his own colleagues who "knew" what was going on kept quiet about it and said nothing.

As one major BBC Radio voice said a few weeks ago "nobody messed with Jimmy". If his colleagues recognised and were intimidated by this man, think how impossible it would have been for a child or young person to speak out?

But I think it would be dangerous to blame the BBC or the 'culture' of the day. Abuse and rape have never been acceptable and I think it is dangerous to somehow equate the alleged permissiveness of the 60's and 70's with these crimes.

The Catholic Church tried to blame their on-going crisis of abusing priests on this ("the 60's").  We must not be fooled. Most abuse occurs within families and they rarely want to confront it.

We are a society which has turned a blind eye to the awful things done to children right under our noses - apart from the occasional hysterical outburst when some "monster paedophile" snatches and murders a child.

Mercifully this is extremely rare and children have always been in more danger under their own roof than anywhere else. That's hard for anyone to stomach, surely? But Savile has got a nation stirred.

I think we are at a turning point in history. I strongly believe that society, the majority who have not suffered abuse, are starting to understand the impact of this heinous and life changing crime.

I have lost count of how many journalists I have spoken to since this Savile revelation and I truly believe they are beginning to 'get it'.

Even more so when you mention..."do you have children"? Would you have wanted Savile or any other kind of child abuser getting his (or her) hands on your child? People start to think.

They start to realise that the greatest threat to this country isn't the banks or the energy companies (okay some might argue they are too) but it is people who hurt our children.

They are sowing the seeds for millions of people to grow up feeling worthless, depressed and of course, in the rarest of cases, very capable of hurting others.

When I was starting out on the path to set up this charity 16 years ago, Sky News' were the first broadcaster to give me a voice. This was swiftly followed by the BBC.

We haven't had much of a voice in the intervening years but I trust and hope that we are now all going to work together to put an end to this curse in our midst.

Yesterday I spotted that NSPCC are recruiting a new Chief Executive. I'm going to apply. A past CEO of that huge charity once told me that he really thought it was time a survivor was put in charge! I agree.

I know I won't be offered the job but if I was one of the first things I would do would be to hold a press conference announcing my plans to suggest that NAPAC merge with NSPCC - then we'd see some serious changes to how we treat our kids!

And I would hope Sky would be right there to witness that important little bit of history. Following that event I am confident our children will be a little bit safer.

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Workers 'Need Benefits' To Avoid Eviction

Working families are becoming increasingly dependent on state benefits to avoid eviction due to a soaring housing market, a report has said.

A failure to build enough new homes in recent years has pushed rents and house prices up, and led to an 86% increase in housing benefit claims since 2009 by those in employment, according to the National Housing Federation (NHF) report.

The study revealed 10,000 more working families now need housing benefit every month to help pay their rent, with 417,830 more workers claiming it over the past three years.

David Orr, chief executive of the NHF, called for a solution for "millions of families" who are struggling to keep on top of their rents and being priced out of the housing market.

"These people are the 'strivers' the Government wants to help, yet their future is looking bleak," he said.

"This cannot continue - we need action now to address the causes of rising housing costs, not just the symptoms."

The cost of privately renting a home has gone up by 37% and is set to continue its upward spiral by a further 35% in the coming years, the research found.

With the economy in dire straits, house prices will continue to fall going into 2013, but the NHF expects price growth of 6% a year across England from 2015 to 2017.

The umbrella organisation, which represents 1,200 housing associations in England, said 390,000 new families were formed in 2011 but only 111,250 new homes were built.

It called on the Government to take a "long-term joined up approach", with measures such as releasing publicly-owned brownfield land to housing associations so they can build more new properties.

Responding to the demands, housing minister Mark Prisk said: "With over three million people relying on the private rented sector for their housing needs, we are determined to attract new players to the market and pull out all the stops to get Britain building.

"That's why we're offering £10bn in loan guarantees to provide up to 15,000 new homes for rent, putting £19.5bn public and private funding into an affordable homes programme, and why we've identified enough formerly used surplus public sector land to sell for 100,000 new homes.

"But it's right that we also take action to get the Housing Benefit bill under control and under our reforms, those on housing benefit can still afford up to a third of homes on the local rental market."

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Oliver Dowden: PM's Aide Is Crisis Managing

By Nicola Boden, Sky News Online

One of David Cameron's closest advisers has admitted he spends most of his time on "day-to-day crisis management".

Oliver Dowden, the deputy chief of staff who is in charge of domestic affairs, told a US broadcaster he is often "surprised" by events.

And he raised eyebrows by saying he only found out the daily political agenda by listening to the news on the radio first thing every morning.

The comments, made as part of a series called World Denver Talks, will deepen concerns about the political operation in Downing Street.

Fears of a lack of control have increased after the Andrew Mitchell row was allowed to rumble on for a month before the Chief Whip finally quit on Friday.

There are also concerns about a lack of attention to detail after Mr Cameron's comments about energy policy in PMQs, which later had to be clarified.

Senior Cabinet ministers are now warning that the "incompetence" within Number 10 could cost the Tories the next election.

Andrew Mitchell finally resigned on Friday after a month of turmoil

Mr Dowden, who is nicknamed "Olive" by the Tory inner circle, gave an interview last month about the coalition and his role within the Government.

He said: "Most of my time is spent with day-to-day crisis management. That's the term we use."

Laughing, he added: "We're not permanently in crisis - but dealing with all the issues that arise on a day-to-day basis.

"The first thing I do in the morning, if I'm not woken up by my very young children, I turn on the Today programme, hear what is going on.

"Hopefully we will have some sense of what is coming up anyway but often you will get surprised by what is going on."

In a possible reference to the "Plebgate" saga, he added: "I'm surprised on a day-to-day basis. There is no accounting for the conduct of individuals."

Mr Dowden described his own job as finding out "what is going on politically for the Prime Minister and working out with him how to respond to it".

Of coalition government, he said: "For people like myself who are very strong Conservatives, it's been a real learning experience."

The insight into Number 10 comes after a week which should have seen the Government able to trumpet falls in unemployment, crime and NHS waiting times.

But instead it was still battling the fallout from "Plebgate" and then created fresh problems by sowing confusion about action on energy prices.

Former News Of The World editor Andy Coulson was communications chief when Mr Cameron entered Number 10 but was forced to quit because of the phone hacking scandal.

His position was taken by Craig Oliver, who moved from BBC Global News.

The PM's key strategist Steve Hilton also left earlier this year after deciding to take a year out to be with his family in California.

One Cabinet minister told The Telegraph: "We will be judged on this incompetence. Margaret Thatcher was not liked but she was backed by the public because she was seen as effective."

Tory grandee Lord Tebbit said on Sunday: "This dog of a coalition Government has let itself be given a bad name and now anybody can beat it."

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Terror Suspects 'Planned Eight Suicide Bombs'

Three terrorist plotters led a plan to set off eight suicide bombs which could have been bigger than the July 7 London attacks, a court has heard.

Irfan Naseer, 31, and Irfan Khalid and Ashik Ali, both 27, are accused of being "central figures" in the extremist plot, jurors at Woolwich Crown Court were told.

Prosecutor Brian Altman QC said: "The police successfully disrupted a plan to commit an act or acts of terrorism on a scale potentially greater than the London bombings in July 2005 had it been allowed to run its course.

"The defendants were proposing to detonate up to eight rucksack bombs in a suicide attack and/or to detonate bombs on timers in crowded areas in order to cause mass deaths and casualties."

All the men are accused of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts, which they deny.

Naseer is accused of five counts of the offence, Khalid four and Ali three, all between Christmas Day, 2010, and September 19, 2011.

The charges are alleged to have included planning a bombing campaign, collecting money for terrorism and recruiting others for terrorism.

Nasser and Khalid are also accused of travelling to Pakistan for training in terrorism, and it is alleged that Naseer also helped others to travel to the country for the same purpose.

In total, 11 men of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin and one woman were arrested over the alleged plot.

Mr Altman told the jury that the three defendants were "central figures" in the plot, and said they are "jihadists" and "senior members of a home-grown terror cell".

The group are also accused of making bogus charity collections in Birmingham for Muslim Aid.

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Goalkeeper Assault: Man Jailed For 16 Weeks

A football fan has been jailed for four months after he admitted assaulting Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.

Aaron Cawley, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, appeared before magistrates in Sheffield today.

The 21-year-old also pleaded guilty to invading the pitch during the Championship match against Leeds United on Friday night.

Cawley was arrested after Kirkland was struck in the face during the 1-1 draw at Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium.

The home goalkeeper, who has played for England, fell to ground and required treatment but was able to finish the game.

Chris Kirkland said he was "shocked" by the attack

"I was sore and ... really shocked at what had happened and it was a strange feeling because of all the adrenalin you feel in such a big match anyway," he told the club's official website.

"It was scary. I thought of my family watching something like that and it was not a nice feeling.

"I would like to thank everyone from the football world for their messages of support."

The incident was caught on camera by Sky Sports, which was broadcasting the derby game live.

Cawley could be seen running from a group of away supporters onto the pitch before pushing Kirkland and running back into the crowd.

In a statement issued after the game, Leeds United said: "We would like to publicly apologise for and condemn the actions of the fan who came onto the pitch at Hillsborough.

"There is no place for that type of behaviour and the majority of Leeds United fans will be ashamed of his actions."

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Fatal Fire: Woman And Two Children Named

Three victims of a fatal house fire have been named - as police continue questioning two neighbours on suspicion of murder.

Lee-Anna Shiers, 20, was killed with niece Skye Allen, two, and nephew Bailey Allen, four, when their first floor flat in Prestatyn, North Wales, was engulfed in flames.

Miss Shiers' partner Liam Timbrell, aged 23, and their son Charlie Timbrell, aged 15 months, are being treated in hospital.

Special prayers are being said for Le-Anna, Bailey and Skye as part of the Sunday service at Christ Church in the town.

Police forensic officers have returned to the flat in Maes y Groes to carry out investigations.

Forensics experts have attended the scene

There remained a police presence at the property overnight and the the roads surrounding the property were sealed off.

Floral tributes from neighbours and relatives were laid against the front wall of the house  by police officers and a pink and blue balloon was tied to the garden gate in memory of four year-old Bailey and his two year-old sister Skye, who died in the blaze.

A 45 year-old man and a 42 year-old woman, tenants in the downstairs flat, continue to be questioned on suspicion of murder.

Firefighters on Friday dragged the five victims from the flat at 10pm.

A Welsh Ambulance Services spokeswoman said the survivors were taken to Glan Clwyd Hospital.

Mr Timbrell, who remains in a critical but stable condition, was later transferred to Whiston Hospital, Merseyside.

Charlie was moved to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.

Detective Superintendent John Chapman said: "My heart goes out to the family and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time."

:: Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.

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Concern Over Elected Police Commissioners

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

A former senior police officer has told Sky News that rank-and-file officers have serious concerns about the role and powers of Police and Crime Commissioners.

David Anthony, who was a Chief Superintendent with Greater Manchester Police, told Sky News that ex-colleagues were "really worried" ahead of next month's elections.

This week the full list of candidates - who do not need to have policing experience - in the running to be PCCs in England and Wales will be published.

Every force area outside of London will hold elections on November 15.

Mr Anthony said his former colleagues had "just seen their pay and conditions changed, their pension arrangements change; some of them are now going to have to work for an additional five years".

"They're seeing police numbers cut, they're seeing their back office changing out of all recognition, they're seeing their police staff colleagues made redundant and now they're reading and seeing that Police Commissioners are coming in on six-figure salaries, some with no policing experience whatsoever, to actually be in charge of them," he said.

"And they're asking the question 'what value can they add when they've never been involved in policing?'

"The elected commissioner by very nature will be a political appointment. Policing in this country has valued itself on being by consent and free from political bias. This is a major step towards actual political interference."

The idea of having directly elected individuals to oversee policing was a key part of the Conservative manifesto at the last general election.

Policing Minister Damian Green says PCCs are 'a democratic voice'

Currently Chief Constables have to answer to their local Police Authority. The new PCCs will replace those authorities.

Every PCC will be required to swear an oath of impartiality before taking office.

The role of the PCCs will be to decide priorities and budgets for police forces.

They will have the power to sack Chief Constables and appoint new ones.

Salaries will be based on the size of the force area but some are expected to be paid more than £100,000.

Policing Minister Damian Green told Sky News that PCCs would not be in charge of police operations.

He said: "What they are is a democratic voice so for the first time people will be able to vote for someone to represent their views on how their street should be policed, what sort of attitude they should take to antisocial behaviour, drug dealing, all those sorts of things that really worry people in their local area."

The Electoral Reform Society is predicting this election will see the lowest voter turnout of modern times. In a report entitled How Low Can You Go the society projects just 18.5% of people will register a vote.

It blames the Home Office for not giving people enough information on the elections.

It also says that winter elections have significantly lower turnout than those held in the summer.

The report also highlights "unrealistic eligibility rules", which it says could block some strong independent candidates.

Independent candidates are also hampered by a lack of funding and other party resources.

The report said an extremely low turnout "could unfairly advantage extremist candidates who would never succeed in winning over a bigger proportion of the electorate".

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Man Charged Over Woman's Bridge Plunge Death

A man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving after a mother-of-one was killed when a car containing five people plummeted into a river.

Police said a 33-year-old from Bristol had been charged in relation to the incident and is also accused of drink-driving and driving without insurance or a licence.

The accident saw a silver BMW crash through railings at Bristol's St Philip's Bridge and into the river Avon, leaving a woman believed to be the front seat passenger dead.

The victim was named locally as mother-of-one Namara Whisker, 21, who is said to have given birth to a boy two months ago.

She is believed to have been at a nightclub in the city before getting into the car.

Friends have described the former business studies student, from the Easton area of the city, as "the kindest person you could ever meet".

School friend Shawnika Sergeant, 22, said: "She was so pretty, bubbly and a special girl. I could not believe it when people started texting me this morning. I have known her for so long, it is hard to take."

A 21-year-old woman from Bristol who was also being held has been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

More follows...

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Cardiff Hit-And Run: Dad Saw Van Target Child

A father has described the terrifying moment his young family were struck by a van in Cardiff.

Adam Lewis' two-year-old daughter Amelia-May was catapulted from her pram during a 30-minute hit-and-run rampage across the Welsh capital.

Luckily, she escaped with only cuts and bruises, while Mr Lewis' partner Annie Jones, 23, was left with a broken leg, fractured ankle and a puncture wound to her hip.

CCTV footage captured the moment the van targeted the young family

He told Sky News: "I caught the van in my peripheral vision but it was too late, he just sped up and smashed straight into us.

"I got pushed to the side with the wing-mirror and unfortunately my partner and the baby took the brunt of it.

"(Amelia-May) ended up face down on the pavement, and my partner was there holding onto her leg, and it was broken."

Amelia-May was left with cuts, bruises and a grazed face.

Ms Jones is undergoing surgery to have metal pins and rods inserted into her leg to help with the healing process.

CCTV footage taken by a shopkeeper showed the Iveco transit-style van veering across the road and targeting the couple and their child just minutes before the driver goes on to kill mother-of-three Karina Menzies, 32.

Ten others were injured in the crashes on the streets of the Welsh capital.

Ms Menzies, 32, was killed on Friday after being knocked down

"We're just so relieved that we're still all OK," Mr Lewis said. "It's just so overwhelming, such as surreal situation to be put in.

"You don't expect a big white van to come and smack you off the pavement.

"Why somebody would want to do that, I'll never know.

The van went on a hit-and-run rampage across Cardiff

"I'm just hoping there's not going to be any psychological effects with Amelia-May."

Detectives were last night granted a further 36 hours to question a 31-year-old man on suspicion of murder.

Officers are also appealing for information about a mystery car seen driving on the wrong side of the road shortly before the crashes.

Reverend Jan Gould will lead a special church service later

Detective Superintendent Paul Hurley said that the suspect left his vehicle and physically assaulted people between the crashes and also carried a steering wheel lock as a weapon.

According to unconfirmed reports, police are also investigating whether the driver was involved in a domestic incident before the collisions.

A special church service will be held later for the victims at the Church of the Resurrection on Grand Avenue.

Reverend Jan Gould said that while community was in shock local people would stand "shoulder to shoulder" together.

Ms Menzies' family have released a statement calling her a "good friend" who would be "sorely missed".

"Karina was a lovely girl. She lived for her kids and her brothers and sisters and everything she did was for her family.

"She was a good friend to everyone and was well thought of in the community. She will be sorely missed by everyone."

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