Snow Starts To Fall As Britain Shivers

A dusting of snow has fallen across parts of the UK, with more predicted over this weekend.

It is in contrast to the torrential rain and windy weather which played havoc in some parts of the Midlands and in North Wales at the start of the week.

Around 1cm of snow has settled in parts of northern England and Scotland, including Cumbria, Teesside and County Durham, while 2.5cm has covered the Pennines and the Southern Uplands.

In the midlands, southern England and Wales temperatures are below freezing, and as low as -5C in some areas.

The frosty weather is expected to last for the next few days, with more snow predicted in the north and Scotland tomorrow night.

The freezing temperatures have brought with them a risk of ice, following the recent heavy rainfall.

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The Met Office issued a low-level warning of severe weather, affecting much of the UK for the morning.

It said: "Due to the recent wet weather there is an increased risk of icy patches, even on roads that have been treated with salt, where water run off/seepage may wash off any earlier salt treatment.

"The public should be aware of the risk of ice on roads and pavements."

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "For much of the day, it will be sunny for most.

"Snow showers will continue to run into northern and eastern Scotland, and may occasionally run into North Sea coasts.

"Top temperatures will reach 5 or 6 Celsius. In western parts, cloud will increase and temperatures will rise as rain spreads off the Atlantic.

"Progress will be slow, however, and it will be Sunday before that rain makes much impact on mainland UK, by which time, there is the risk of seeing some snow on the leading edge.

"For the bulk of the country, there will be a fine end to the day followed by a cold and frosty night, and a bright start to Sunday morning."

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World Aids Day: Bid To Break Testing Record

Campaigners in London are marking World Aids Day with an attempt to break an HIV testing record.

It comes as new figures suggested a record number of people in the UK - nearly 100,000 - are living with HIV.

People are being invited to have a 60-second test at the G-A-Y bar in London's Soho between 12pm and 8pm.

Last December's event at the venue officially broke a Guinness World Record for the number of HIV tests conducted in an eight-hour period.

A total of 467 tests were done and around £13,000 was raised for the Elton John Aids Foundation.

Staff from 56 Dean Street, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital's HIV and sexual health centre in Soho, are repeating the challenge to promote HIV awareness and "make history" again.

Jake Jenkins of 56 Dean Street said: "Come along to G-A-Y on World Aids Day to get a free instant and confidential HIV test and support our attempts to promote HIV awareness, reduce stigma and make history.

"The testing will be provided by the friendly, expert team from 56 Dean Street using the world's fastest antibody test which provides a result in just 60 seconds. Testing early can add, on average, 16 years to someone's life."

The PM wants more people to be educated about HIV and Aids

The international annual campaign, symbolised with a red ribbon, is about increasing awareness of Aids, celebrating breakthroughs in treatment and remembering those who have died.

The Prime Minister has said too many people are not educated about HIV and Aids, and almost 25,000 people who have the human immunodeficiency virus are not aware they have been infected.

He said such people were not benefiting from treatment and were increasing the risk of passing on the virus.

He added: "This means up to 600 people a year could be dying from a preventable, treatable condition.

"People need to know that, diagnosed early, the outlook for most people with HIV in the UK today is a good one, thanks to the availability of effective treatment and the excellent care provided by the NHS.

"Above all, people need to know that it's never been quicker or simpler to get tested."

There were 6,280 people diagnosed with the virus last year, according to the Health Protection Agency.

Mr Cameron said World Aids Day should be used to "spread the message" about education, testing and early diagnosis.

HIV attacks the immune system and weakens the ability to fight infections and disease.

Aids is the final stage of HIV infection, when the body can no longer fight life-threatening infections.

HIV is found in the body fluids of an infected person, and about 95% of people are infected through sexual contact.

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Freddie Flintoff Wins First Heavyweight Fight

Andrew Flintoff has won his first heavyweight boxing match against Richard Dawson at the Manchester Arena.

Flintoff beat Dawson on points by 39-38 at the end of four two-minute rounds in front of a roaring crowd in his native North West.

The former England and Lancashire cricket star was afforded a hero's welcome by the 5,000-strong crowd.

But after taking the first round he was sent tumbling to the canvas by a punch from his American opponent early in the second.

Flintoff - who lost 20kg while training with former world champion Barry McGuigan - came back into the match as the heavier Dawson showed signs of tiredness.

And the Ashes winner showed impressive composure to take a narrow points win according to referee Phil Edwards' scorecard.

Flintoff recovered after being knocked to the canvas in the second round

The win was the perfect response to critics including promoter Frank Maloney, who said the fight would "shame the fight game".

Flintoff was thrilled to have made a winning return to the limelight.

"You mention the Ashes at international level, but as a personal achievement I think this is the best," he told Box Nation.

"It's something that isn't natural to me. I've had to work hard."

The 34-year-old, who has been training for four and a half months with McGuigan and his son Shane, added: "The feeling of being back in front of a crowd and winning at the end - I can't describe it.

"I wanted to experience it. The people around Manchester, and the county, supported me so well playing cricket. It was a no brainer to have it up here.

"The crowd made a massive difference. It's been amazing - humbling, really."

Flintoff's progress was charted in a Sky television documentary, where his commitment and dedication to achieving prime physical condition were clearly evident.

But doubts were raised by seasoned observers about the former all-rounder's technical boxing skills.

More than three years on from his last outing as a professional sportsman - helping England regain the Ashes from Australia at The Oval in 2009 while battling a knee injury that would ultimately curtail his career - Flintoff entered the ring wearing his old Lancashire Lightning one-day top.

The crowd favourite had tipped the scales at a trim 15st 6oz - giving Dawson a near two-stone weight advantage.

A behind-the-scenes Sky documentary about Flintoff's boxing challenge

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Movember: Razors At The Ready For Shave-Off

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky Reporter

Thousands of men up and down the country are heading to the barbers to get their Movember moustaches shaved off after raising £16m for charity.

Around 360,000 men, including celebrities, have taken part in this year's annual fundraiser, which encourages men to grow and groom moustaches throughout November to raise vital funds and awareness of prostate and testicular cancer.

Homeland star Damian Lewis has been tweeting his Movember efforts, as has former England striker and Stoke City footballer Michael Owen.

His teammate Peter Crouch has also displayed a full upper lip of hair.

Sky News Business Presenter Joel Hills has also taken part and will be getting his whipped off later.

Movember co-founder JC told Sky News: "It is incredible, we are in 21 countries now across the world so there are some crazy moustaches out there ... 1.1 million people have rocked out the moustache for us for 30 days and got involved.

"Here in the UK, a 21-year-old guy named Michael actually saw us on Facebook. He went and got checked. He had a lump - found advanced testicular cancer. He emailed me two days ago. He's had his first bout of chemo, he's had his testicle removed, and it pretty much saved his life.

"To see that happen - that's what we are really about, to get that awareness out there."

Customers at a barbers in Carnaby Street in central London spokes of their relief to finally have the unfamiliar nestling above their upper lip shaved off.

"It's been fun, but such a relief to finally get rid of it," said Mike Robb, a communications manager.

More than 160,000 men are diagnosed with cancer every year, including 40,000 who are told they have prostate cancer.

There are hundreds of support groups for women, but relatively few for men.

According to the Movember campaign, which originated in Australia in 2003, men are also less willing to talk openly with their friends.

It is hoped the record number of people supporting the 2012 appeal will result in more men starting their own support networks.

In the UK, much of the money raised is donated to Prostate Cancer UK and the Institute of Cancer Research.

In 2011, around 854,000 people across the globe took part in the charity event and raised £79.3m. 

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Three Babies Die In Whooping Cough Outbreak

Three babies died of whooping cough in October amid the biggest outbreak in 20 years, health officials have said.

The total number of babies under the age of three months who have died as a result of the infectious disease this year now stands at 13, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said.

The number of confirmed cases in England and Wales this year is now 7,728.

The HPA said 1,614 cases of whooping cough were reported in England and Wales in October. In 2011, the total number of cases was 819.

In a move to combat the outbreak, health officials recently announced that all pregnant women are to be vaccinated against the infection.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Government's principal medical adviser, said mothers-to-be will be offered the vaccination to protect their newborn babies.

Health officials say all pregnant women should be vaccinated

Youngsters cannot receive the jab until they are two months old. Vaccinating their mothers before they are born will boost their immunity until they reach the age when they can have the injection themselves, she said.

Women across the UK who are between 28 and 38 weeks pregnant are being offered the vaccination.

Increases in whooping cough are usually seen every three to four years. The last rise in the number of confirmed cases was recorded in 2008.

Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, consultant epidemiologist for immunisation at the HPA, said: "We strongly recommend all pregnant women take up the offer of vaccination."

In the very young, whooping cough can be a serious illness and can lead to death in some cases.

Babies and children can often make a distressing "whoop" sound while gasping for air after a coughing fit.

Professor David Salisbury, director of immunisation at the Department of Health, said: "Whooping cough is highly contagious and infants are particularly vulnerable."

He said there had been nearly 400 cases of the disease in children under three months old this year.

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Freddie Flintoff Admits Boxing Bout Nerves

By Frazer Maude, North of England Correspondent

Ashes winner Andrew Flintoff is no stranger to big crowds, or huge pressure, but stepping through the ropes in front of 5,000 fans at the Manchester Arena for his heavyweight boxing debut will be a whole new experience for him.

The former England, Lancashire and Chennai Superkings all-rounder has trained for over four-and-a-half months and sparred for over 300 rounds under the watchful eye of former World Champion Barry McGuigan and his trainer son Shane.

A man who named his son Rocky clearly has a passion for boxing. He said this new adventure started as a simple conversation with McGuigan, but soon turned into a plan to turn professional and make a television documentary series From Lord's To The Ring.

The slimmed-down ex-cricketer

"A chance to work with a legend like Barry was too good to miss," he explained during his first pre-fight press conference.

"I miss professional sport, and I've worked really hard to make sure I put in a good performance."

But is the ex-cricketer, who has lost 20kg in training, nervous about stepping into the ring with Richard Dawson, the American who weighed in almost two stone heavier?

"I think anyone would be nervous - it's human nature," Flintoff said. "But I used to get nervous before I played cricket, and it never affected my performance, so I don't think it's going to affect me."

His decision has been criticised by some in the sport, including promoter Frank Maloney, whose own heavyweight fighter David Price is taking on former kickboxer Matt Skelton at Aintree Racecourse.

He claims the Manchester Evening News Arena bout of four two-minute rounds will "shame the fight game".

But Flintoff's mentor, Barry McGuigan, says the criticism makes him angry.

He said: "This is my business, I've been in it for 40 years, and I wouldn't get involved in a publicity stunt or do anything to discredit the sport.

"Freddie's trained hard, and the British Boxing Board of Control thought long and hard before granting him his licence. He's got it now and he's worked incredibly hard to get his body and his mind in the right shape."

Flintoff's friend Ricky Hatton, still carrying the bruises from his recent comeback defeat, said: "Freddie deserves to be given a chance to do this. There's millions out there who wouldn't even get into the ring to do a bit of sparring, but he's doing it.

Ricky Hatton says his friend's boxing career shouldn't be dismissed

"He's always been professional in his sport, and he's doing this very professionally too."

His opponent is also relatively new to the sport. Richard Dawson has had just two fights, but won the first of them by knock-out within 20 seconds.

"I'm here to win, and Mr Freddie is here to win," he said at the weigh-in. "I respect Freddie, but I'm going to attack him. I'm here to win and get it over with."

Freddie won't be the first professional to swap their own sport for the square ring.

Footballer Curtis Woodhouse is now the current English light welterweight champion, All-Black Sonny Bill Williams is an undefeated heavyweight boxer, and Wallaby fly-half Quade Cooper has also announced his plans to don the gloves.

The Flintoff v Dawson fight is on the undercard of a programme headlined by the Commonwealth welterweight title clash between Ronnie "Razor" Effron and Denton Vassell.

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Hit-And-Run Death Outside Palace: Man Held

A pedestrian has died after being struck by two cars near Buckingham Palace.

The unidentified woman was pronounced dead shortly after the collision at 2.20am at The Mall in central London, Scotland Yard said.

The driver of the second car, a blue Mercedes e-Class, drove off from the incident.

But police later traced the vehicle to an address in Hendon, north London, and arrested a man on suspicion of causing death by careless driving and failing to stop.

The driver of a black Mercedes e-Class, which hit the woman first, stopped at the scene.

A police spokesman said inquiries are under way to identify the woman, who is described as of heavy build with collar length dark brown hair.

Officers from the Road Death Investigation Unit are investigating.

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Supermarkets Back New Price Promotion Rules

What The Supermarkets Say

Updated: 3:19am UK, Friday 30 November 2012

Eight major supermarkets have signed up to a new code on special offers and price promotions, while Asda is considering whether to take part. Here is what some of the retailers had to say...

Lidl: "At Lidl, we consider customer satisfaction and transparency to be at the forefront of our business, and the OFT's set of principles for fair pricing practices is fully in line with our own pricing policies we have set ourselves.

"For example we do not inflate prices of products before a promotion to artificially imply a saving to the customer.

"For this reason the pricing of products in Lidl stores will not be affected as we will continue to apply these principles to our prices in stores."

Tesco: "We work hard to ensure we offer competitive prices and fair, meaningful promotions to our customers.

"We always try to use simple and clear information, so we welcome the OFT's clarity on good practices and support their wish to see a consistent approach to promotions across the sector."

Waitrose: "Waitrose already has clear principles in place to ensure that our pricing is clear and transparent for our customers - so we are supportive of the OFT's code announced today."

Morrisons: "We are happy to sign up to the Office of Fair Trading's principles because they reflect good promotional practice and we are working towards convergence."

Sainsbury's: "These principles are in line with what we already do at Sainsbury's as we have always been committed to fair and transparent pricing. We will continue to ensure that our pricing and promotions are as clear as possible for our customers."

Co-Operative: "We understand how important it is for shoppers to be able to easily understand what the promotional offer is, so they can spot the best deal, and we are committed to providing clear and accurate labelling for our customers so they can make informed purchasing decisions.

"We have been working closely with the Office of Fair Trading, and are fully supportive of the principles set."

Asda: "We're not sure (the OFT's draft code) best helps customers in these challenging times, so we are taking the time to consider its proposals in detail."

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Rape Of 11-Year-Old Girl: Man Charged

An 18-year-old is to appear in court charged with the rape of an 11-year-old girl.

The girl was attacked on Friday, November 23 at around 4.30pm in Enfield, north London, as she walked home from school.

She was dragged into nearby Jubilee Park and raped in an ordeal that police said could have lasted as long as three hours.

The girl, who was wearing her school uniform returned home at around 8pm and was taken to hospital. She had to undergo surgery for injuries sustained in the attack.

Detective Inspector Simon Ellershaw said it was "a horrific and unusual attack of a defenceless schoolgirl".

She had been making her way home along her usual route, one of Enfield's busiest shortcuts, at the beginning of the Friday afternoon rush hour when she was grabbed.

Police have appealed for witnesses and Det Insp Ellershaw said: "Given the significant and unaccounted for amount of time between the incident and the victim's arrival home, we are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have seen her possibly appearing confused or dishevelled following her ordeal. All calls will be treated in the utmost confidence."

Opemipo Jaji, 18, has been charged with rape and attempted rape and will appear at Enfield Magistrates' Court later.

Witnesses or anyone with information that could help police is asked to call the incident room on 0208 345 4326 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Indiana Jones' Whip Goes Up For auction

The bull-whip used by Indiana Jones is going under the hammer in London as one of the lots in a massive sale of music and movie memorabilia.

The whip, famously wielded by Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in the first three movies of the adventure franchise, is expected to fetch between £10,000 and £15,000  at the Christie's sale.

The auction catalogue describes it as "a hand-made twelve-plait 450 series 6 ft. bull-whip of kangaroo hide, created by whipmaker David Morgan and used by Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in the Paramount Pictures/Lucasfilm trilogy Raiders Of The Lost Ark, 1981, Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom, 1984 and Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, 1989".

Also from the franchise is a chalice used in Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, with a guide price of £2,500 - £3,500.

Madonna's 1990 Blonde Ambition tour corset (Picture: Christies.com)

James Bond items include a house sign from the latest film, Skyfall, a sunlounger featured in 1964's Goldfinger, and a watch worn by Pierce Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies.

One of the most flamboyant articles in the sale is a stage outfit worn by Madonna, created by fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier for her famous 1990 Blonde Ambition tour.

It is described as "a couture corset in green silk with conical cups and beaded fringe, embroidered with candy stripes of opalescent sequins and peppermint bugle beads, with clustered sequins and beads". Christie's expects it to go for up to £15,000.

Music memorabilia in the sale includes a shirt worn by John Lennon and a flamboyant jumpsuit worn on stage by Mick Jagger.

The sequinned white velour suit was designed by Ossie Clark for the Rolling Stones' US Tour in 1972.

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Rebekah Brooks And Andy Coulson Are Bailed

Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks have appeared in court to face charges linked to alleged corrupt payments to public officials.

David Cameron's former spin doctor and the ex-News International chief executive were among five people to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Brooks, 44, appeared first, along with former Sun chief reporter John Kay, 69, and Ministry of Defence employee Bettina Jordan-Barber, 39.

They spoke only to confirm their names, dates of birth and addresses during the short hearing.

Brooks sat next to Kay in the dock with Jordan-Barber, who is from Shrivenham near Swindon, sitting apart from the pair.

Andy Coulson arriving for the brief hearing

It is alleged that Brooks, from Churchill, Oxfordshire, and Kay, from northwest London, conspired to pay Jordan-Barber around £100,000 for information.

The three each face one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office between January 1, 2004, and January 31 this year.

It relates to allegations that Jordan-Barber was paid to provide information to The Sun newspaper.

They were all released on unconditional bail until they next appear at Southwark Crown Court on December 6.

Coulson and ex-News Of The World (NOTW) royal correspondent Clive Goodman appeared afterwards.

They are charged with conspiracy to pay for information including a royal phone directory known as the "Green Book".

It contained contact details for the Royal Family and members of their households.

Coulson, 44, from Kent, and Goodman, 55, from Surrey, face two counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office - one between August 31, 2002, and January 31, 2003, and the other between January 31 and June 3, 2005.

They relate to the alleged request and authorisation of payments to public officials in exchange for information, including the royal contacts book.

Coulson and Goodman were both released on unconditional bail until the same date as the other three defendants.

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Cumbria Earthquake Centred On Lake District

A small earthquake with a 2.1 magnitude has hit Cumbria.

The British Geological Survey said the tremor, which started at a depth of 3.1 miles (6km), struck in Patterdale after 9.30pm on Wednesday.

Several Cumbrian residents took to Twitter to discuss the episode.

One tweeted: "So just a small earthquake - 2.1 - though thought my mum was jump through the roof. Totally freaked her out."

Another said: "Small earthquake felt in Cumbria - epicentre was close by but I didn't notice anything."

The BSG said the earthquake was not linked to fracking - a controversial technique for extracting gas deep underground - which was blamed for last year's tremors in Lancashire.

Two minor quakes with magnitudes of 2.3 and 1.5 in April and May rattled the Blackpool area and resulted in test drilling being suspended.

A report by independent experts last November found the fracking technique, which injects water, sand and chemicals into shale rock under high pressure to release gas, was almost certainly to blame.

The last time an earthquake struck Cumbria was in Coniston in December 2010, measuring 3.5.

In April 2009, a 3.7 magnitude tremor hit Ulverston and could be felt around Barrow, Kendal and Windermere.

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Rail Fares To Rise Above Inflation Again

New Season Rail Ticket Prices

Updated: 1:08am UK, Wednesday 28 November 2012

According to Passenger Focus, these are examples of the new season ticket prices and fare percentage increases on 2012 that will take effect from January 2013:

:: Gillingham to London, £3,672 (4.2%)

:: Canterbury to London, £4,860 (5.9%)

:: Tonbridge to London, £3,796 (5.2%)

:: Guildford to London, £3,224 (4.3%)

:: Portsmouth to London, £4,668 (4.2%)

:: Bournemouth to London, £5,988 (4.2%)

:: Reading to London, £3,960 (4.2%)

:: Oxford to London, £4,532 (4.2%)

:: Hove to London (Victoria), £3,860 (4.1%)

:: Eastbourne to London (Victoria), £4,228 (4.1%)

:: Aylesbury to London, £3,632 (3.2%)

:: Colchester to London, £4,556 (4.1%)

:: Shenfield to London, £2,704 (-0.6%)

:: Huntingdon to London, £4,700 (4.2%)

:: Cambridge to London, £4,400 (3.8%)

:: Morpeth to Newcastle, £1,008 (5.0%)

:: Peterborough to London, £6,888 (4.2%)

:: North Berwick to Edinburgh, £1,604 (3.9%)

:: Ellesmere Port to Chester, £720 (2.3%)

:: Tain to Inverness, £1,204 (3.8%)

:: Stirling to Glasgow, £1,916 (3.9%)

:: Llanelli to Swansea, £624 (5.4%)

:: Bangor to Llandudno, £1,140 (5.2%)

:: Ludlow to Hereford, £1,992 (5.3%)

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Euromillions: £64m Hitchin Prize Unclaimed

A Euromillions player has just seven days to identify themselves as the winner of £64m - the biggest unclaimed prize in UK lottery history.

The winner in the June 8 draw matched the five main numbers, 5, 11,  22, 34, 40 and two lucky stars, 9 and 11.

Lottery bosses have made several public appeals since establishing that the ticket was bought in the Stevenage and Hitchin area of Hertfordshire.

Posters were even put up at Luton airport in case the lucky punter was a holidaymaker.

The winner is richer than Princes William and Harry - but may be unaware

The winner has until 11pm on Wednesday December 5 to claim the £63,837,543.60 fortune, which would put them ahead of Harry Potter Star Daniel Radcliffe and Princes William and Harry on the Sunday Times Rich List.

The other half of the £127m prize was shared with a winner from Belgium, who has already collected their cash.

The previous biggest unclaimed prize was £9m in Doncaster in the 90s.

The National Lottery says prizes have previously been claimed on the deadline day - including £2.5m in the Worcester and Malvern area in 2009.

The Weirs from Largs scooped the UK's biggest ever jackpot

Players who believe they may have lost or destroyed their tickets have 30 days from the date of the draw to contact lottery operator Camelot so it can investigate their claim.

However that deadline passed five months ago for this ticket, so now only the ticket-holder can come forward.

If no-one claims the money by next week the sum and all the interest it has generated will go to National Lottery good causes - adding to the £29bn already raised through ticket sales since the game's 1994 launch.

Britain's biggest jackpot winners are Colin and Chris Weir, from Largs in North Ayrshire, who won £161m in July 2011.

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Comet: 125 More Stores Face Closure In Weeks

Comet's administrators have confirmed a further 125 stores will close by the end of the year if they fail to get a firm offer for the whole business.

Around 70 stores of the original 236 will remain open until the electricals retailer's remaining stock is sold, Deloitte added. 

Some 5,000 jobs remain in the balance at the embattled retailer, which called in the administrators earlier this month.

Deloitte's Chris Farrington said a "small number of interested parties" remained and he hoped a positive outcome could still be achieved.  

"Should any acceptable offers be received for stores we will delay the closure process," he said.

"Unfortunately, in the absence of a firm offer for the whole of the business, it has become necessary to begin making plans in case a sale is not concluded."

Stores will begin closing in December, he added.

Since Deloitte was appointed to work for the electricals chain, some 1,500 jobs have already been axed.

Last week, the entrepreneur behind Appliances Online confirmed he had tabled a bid for Comet's web-based operations - but not for the whole business.

John Roberts said he had put in a "seven-figure offer" for Comet's website, although the deal would see the business disappear from the UK's high streets.

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Louis Walsh Wins £403,500 Over Sun Sex Slur

Louis Walsh has won a 500,000 euro (£403,500) settlement from The Sun after the newspaper carried false sex assault allegations.

The X Factor judge sued the newspaper after it published a story that was based on a false allegation that he sexually assaulted a man in a Dublin nightspot after a Westlife concert.

The newspaper has admitted that the claim, which was made by an unemployed dance teacher, Leonard Watters, was false and apologised to Walsh accepting that the "alleged assault did not occur in the first place".

Speaking outside court following the out-of-court settlement, Walsh said he would not have wished what happened to him on his worst enemy.

He said: "I'm very relieved. This has had a terrible effect on me guys. It was all lies.

"And I'm very satisfied with this total vindication for me, but I remain very angry at the treatment I received at the hands of The Sun."

Eoin McCullough, senior counsel for News Group Newspapers, read an apology to Walsh at the High Court in Dublin.

It said: "The Sun unreservedly apologies to Louis Walsh for any distress caused to him as a result of our article."

The Sun published an article in its editions on June 23, 2011, with the headline "Louis Probed Over 'Sex Attack' on Man in Loo" in which it was wrongly claimed Walsh has groped Watters at the celebrity nightclub Krystle following a Westlife concert in April 2011.

When the official complaint was made, The Sun and the Irish Sun printed the story before Walsh was questioned under caution. He denied the accusations against him.

Watters was subsequently jailed for six months for making the false allegations.

The newspaper accepted that the accusation was false but initially denied defamation, saying it had acted fairly as the story was based on police inquiries into the allegation.

Walsh's lawyer, Paul Tweed, said that a great deal of damage had been done to his client because of the online spread of the story and added that it was something he hoped Lord Leveson would address in his report on media standards, due to be published tomorrow.

Mr Tweed said: "Although the person who fabricated the story has since been convicted in the criminal courts, this is a prime example of the serious damage that can be inflicted on an individual, whether they are well known or not, by the publication of totally unfounded allegations which, in the age of the internet, can circumnavigate the globe in a matter of seconds."

The Prime Minister's spokesman said that half a dozen copies of the Leveson report had been received by Downing Street today, ahead of its publication tomorrow. The report will recommend the best way to regulate the country's press.

The case was settled before the President of the High Court in Ireland, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns.

More follows...

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Second Man Held After Girl, 11, Raped In Park

Detectives have arrested a second man on suspicion of raping an 11-year-old girl in a north London park.

The man, aged 18, was arrested in Edmonton and remains in custody, the Metropolitan Police said.

A 26-year-old who was arrested earlier on Monday has been bailed pending further inquiries to a date in late December.

The youngster is being treated in hospital after she was grabbed by a man on her way home from school on Friday afternoon.

She was dragged into Jubilee Park, in Enfield, before being raped near a pitch and putt course.

The girl, who had caught a bus from Enfield town to Bury Street, was snatched as she was walking along Galliards Road at around 4.15pm.

She eventually returned home after the attack at 7.45pm.

Detective Inspector Simon Ellershaw, who is leading the investigation, said: "This was a horrific and unusual attack of a defenceless schoolgirl making her way home via her usual route, along one of Enfield's busiest shortcuts, at the beginning of Friday afternoon rush hour.

"She says the attack happened for some considerable time - possibly in the region of two to three hours.

"At present an extensive search of the park is underway and local officers are conducting house-to-house enquiries, and we have already been receiving helpful information from members of the public.

"Given the significant and unaccounted amount of time between the incident and the victim's arrival home, we are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have seen her possibly appearing confused or dishevelled following her ordeal. All calls will be treated in the utmost confidence."

Chief Inspector Taylor Wilson said: "Over the course of the weekend police have been working using every resource available to support the victim, identify the suspect and provide a police response to increase confidence and provide reassurance to residents.

"Although this is an isolated and extremely rare incident, we are treating this with the utmost seriousness."

Witnesses or anyone with information that could help police is asked to call the incident room on 0208 345 4326 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Nadine Dorries Has To Wait For Whip Ruling

Nadine Dorries will find out next week if she is being kicked out of the Conservative Party after appearing on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

The Mid-Bedfordshire MP says she had a "good-natured" meeting with Tory Chief Whip Sir George Young on Tuesday morning.

Sir George suspended her from the party earlier this month after it emerged she was going to Australia to take part in the ITV reality show.

Ms Dorries told BBC Three Counties Radio their talks had now been adjourned and would resume next week.

The backbencher has drawn widespread criticism - including from voters in her constituency - for swapping her parliamentary duties for the jungle survival show.

Ms Dorries hears she is the first celebrity to be booted off (Pic: ITV)

Former chief whip Andrew Mitchell denies he gave Ms Dorries permission to take November off.

He told Sky's chief political correspondent Jon Craig that she had never asked him and the first he knew of it was when the publicity about the show began.

The MP justified her decision to go on the programme by insisting her involvement was a "publicity gift" and the chance to communicate with 16 million people.

Arriving back at Heathrow on Monday after being the first contestant to be voted off the show by viewers, Ms Dorries insisted she did not know what all the fuss was about, and declared: "I'd do it again tomorrow."

The MP after her first bushtucker trial (Pic: ITV)

Defending her decision, she told reporters: "I've had three sitting days away from Parliament. The rest has been over half-term.

"There are still MPs who have been away for two weeks and still haven't returned. I've had three sitting days away. I think that is an important thing to remember."

When asked about the reaction of some of her constituents, she replied: "What they are angry about is what they have read in the newspapers, which is not the truth."

She vowed to donate her MP's salary during her absence to charity, but did not mention what she intends to do with her reported £40,000 fee for taking part in the programme.

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Floods: Hundreds Of Families Evacuated

Rain-battered Britain is struggling to cope with rising flood levels after further heavy rain brought misery to thousands of residents and motorists across the UK.

The Environment Agency has issued more than 200 flood warnings and almost 300 flood alerts across England, Wales and Scotland.

Persistent rain hit water-logged communities through the night, leading to rivers bursting their banks forcing residents to flee their homes.

The torrential downpours spread from the South West to North Wales and northern England.

Denbighshire Council in North Wales has said that residents of 500 properties in the area have been asked to evacuate their properties.

At a housing estate in St Asaph, North Wales, 40 houses were flooded after the River Elwy burst its banks overnight.

According to police the river has overflowed south of the town onto fields and an evacuation of homes is underway.

A resident collects her belongings in Willington, central England

Local residents have said they don't remember the area flooding so badly since the 1960s. Some used canoes to get possessions out of their homes.

Vincent Jones was asked by rescue services to leave his home in the early hours of the morning.

"I had a knock at 12.30am to say there was an imminent flood, and then at 4.30am we were told to leave. When I left, within an hour the water had engulfed us.

"I put some personal possessions upstairs and made sure we took the children to safety. My sister-in-law on the other side of St Asaph has taken the kids in.

"I'm absolutely devastated. I don't have insurance. It doesn't bear thinking about at the minute. My kids are safe, we'll just have to plod on and sort it out one way or another."

The Environment Agency says around 100 people could be affected in the town although some flood defences installed in the area, designed to cope with up to 4m (13ft) of water, appear to be holding.

This man used a digger to salvage his car in Hathern, Leicestershire

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson expressed sympathy with the residents in St Asaph but said most of the flood defences in the UK had held up well.

"We offer our sympathies to all those affected. I did see that our flood schemes in the South West are protecting properties. Six thousand key properties were protected in Exeter despite a torrent of water. Fifteen thousand properties in the country are being protected.

"We're spending £2.17bn on flood defences over this spending round. We've opened up new arrangement partnerships with local councils and these flood schemes provide real benefits.

"It's bitterly disappointing and awful for residences who feel safe behind defences which then fail. I can't comment on what's happened in St Asaph because I need to get the details of what's happened there.

"The vast majority of the schemes we've built are designed to withstand floods except under extraordinary circumstances."

Many areas like these playing fields in Tewkesbury, were wholly submerged

But Mr Paterson added that the current system for insuring people against floods is flawed, after claims that hundreds of thousands of homes could be left without flood cover due to a row between ministers and the insurance industry over how future flooding bills would be covered.

He also criticised the way insurance companies have raised the issue.

"We're trying to come up with an improved system that gives affordable and universal insurance which isn't a huge burden on the tax payer.

"We've been involved in detailed negotiations with the Association of British Insurers (ABI), but it was unhelpful of them to throw this into the mix yesterday when people were still struggling to recover from the flooding."

The ABI had claimed that talks about a "safety net" deal to ensure those in flood-risk areas can continue to afford their policies were at "crisis point".

Graeme Trudgill from the British Insurers Brokers Association said the solution could lie in insurers themselves being insured.

"The insurance brokers we represent want to find a solution. It's a question of getting government and insurers to find the right balance.

This car was abandoned by its owner in Ruishton, Somerset

"Flood mapping technology is so advanced now we can tell which properties are at risk of flooding and we can insure 98% of the properties in the UK. It's the top 200,000 properties that are very high risk.

"Specialist brokers can insure most of them but it's a case of those properties working with their broker and agreeing to things like air-brick covers on their properties so they're prepared if the worst happens.

"We're looking at a re-insurance solution to provide insurance for the insurance companies. We're confident that next year there will be some broker solutions in place.

Flood levels are continuing to rise in the worst hit areas across the UK despite the forecast of drier spells.

Sky's weather presenter Isobel Lang, said: "Drier weather is on the way. That is definitely welcome news after the exceptional rain of the last few days. However the flood risk will not go away.

"Some slow responding rivers such as the Severn, Trent and Thames will continue to rise over the next day or two leading to local flooding problems.

Five flood warnings and 16 alerts have been issued for the whole of Wales

"Areas with high ground water could still experience flooding, and Dorset is a county at risk.  There is still a risk of river or surface water flooding across northeast England, north Wales and Northamptonshire, too".

Across the UK, three people have died in the flooding and around 900 homes have been evacuated following a weekend of almost non-stop rain.

There is still a risk of flooding, as the heavy rain in northern England and Wales moves southwards. But the wind and rain are expected to ease over the next few days which are expected to be drier, with freezing temperatures taking hold of the UK instead.

The EA remains particularly concerned about the River Thames, Trent and the Severn, as well as the Northamptonshire area.

The A417 at Maisemore has already flooded and is closed, while the River Severn at Tewkesbury is expected to peak at 4.8m - a metre less than its peak in 2007.

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Ofsted: Postcode Lottery For Good Schools

More than two million children are still not getting a decent education, and a youngster's chance of attending a good school is often too dependent on where they live, Ofsted has warned.

There are stark inequalities in England's education system, with pupils in some areas of the country facing a less than 50% chance of being taught at a good or better school, the inspectorate said.

In his first annual report, Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw said that for a country which wants to be a global leader, England's schools system is not good enough and must do better.

He also announced the launch of an online league table, ranking local authorities according to inspectors' ratings of schools.

The report shows that there have been improvements in the last few years, with 70% of schools now rated good or outstanding compared to 64% five years ago.

An extra half a million pupils are now being in taught in good or better schools, it says.

But it also means that almost 2.3 million children are still attending a "small minority" of schools that are less than good.

Sir Michael Wilshaw has criticised school standards in his report

In his commentary on the report, Sir Michael said he "worries most about the 30% or so of schools which, at their last inspection, and often before that, were judged to be no better than satisfactory".

In these schools, lessons are often "formulaic", he said, with students that are not fully interested, or being stretched to reach their full potential.

He suggested that in most assessments, a rating of seven out of 10, or 70% could be seen as "fair but could do better".

The new report warns that the overall rise in the performance of England's schools masks real challenges for the education system.

It raises serious concerns about the "marked inequality of access" to a good school across the country.

A primary school pupil in England has, on average, a 69% chance of being in a good or outstanding school, it says, but in some parts of the country, a child has a better than 90% chance, and in others a less than 50% chance.

"Why is it that a child living in Derby or Doncaster local authority areas has only half the chance of attending a good or better primary or secondary school compared with a child living in Wigan or Darlington?" said Sir Michael.

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Winter Weather: Sub-Zero Temperatures Forecast

Winter weather is set to bite later this week with sub-zero temperatures predicted.

Heavy rain will give way to ice, frost and bitterly cold northerly winds from Tuesday onwards.

Temperatures could plummet to as low as -6C in some places, with highs of just 4C.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "The weather is set to change dramatically this week as the area of low pressure bringing today's heavy rain slips away southeastwards drawing in cold northerly winds.

"Conditions look a good deal drier from Tuesday onwards, and much of south-west England, the Midlands and Wales could remain dry for the remainder of the week.

"On the flip side, it will feel considerably colder with brisk northerly winds and much lower night and daytime temperatures. Expect sharp frosts and the risk of icy stretches.

"Some showers are still likely to feed in on the winds, but these should mainly affect North Sea coastal counties where they may bring some snow to the North Yorkshire Moors or Cheviots along with higher ground in eastern Scotland."

The cold snap follows a weekend of heavy rain and strong wind, leaving three people dead and forcing hundreds from their homes.

The heavy rain will continue to deluge parts of the South West today, but North Wales and the North East is expected to bear the brunt of the wet weather.

There are nearly 300 flood warnings and 300 flood alerts in place across the country.

Prime Minister David Cameron he promised to ensure "everything is being done to help".

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Weather: 'Shocking Scenes' Of Storm-Hit Britain

Heavy rain is continuing to deluge parts of the South West today - but the worst of the weather has moved to North Wales and the North East.

There are nearly 250 flood warnings and 300 flood alerts in place right across the country, after a weekend of almost non-stop pouring rain left at least 800 homes swamped with water.

The rain and strong winds left three people dead, forced hundreds from their homes and brought chaos to the roads.

A car becomes completely submerged after attempting to cross a ford

Prime Minister David Cameron vowed he would "ensure everything is being done to help".

Parts of Devon and Cornwall are the worst hit so far - but hundreds of other areas have also been affected, with the South and the Midlands getting badly hit.

One severe flood warning - the highest alert possible - remains in place for the River Cober in Helston, Cornwall. At one point over the weekend, four were in place.

A man rows through a car park in Keynsham, Somerset

Thousands of motorists have had to be rescued from water-logged roads over the past few days.

Rainfall is estimated to be around 15mm across the spine of Britain today, less than the 30mm of rain in parts of the West Country, but meteorologists said it would offer little respite to homeowners keen to begin cleaning up.

Mr Cameron wrote on Twitter: "Shocking scenes of flooding in Cornwall and around the country. Govt will help ensure everything is being done to help."

A homeless woman died after being crushed by a tree in Exeter

A 21-year-old woman was killed in Western Way, Exeter, after becoming trapped under a fallen tree which injured two others.

Inspector Andrew Webber of Devon and Cornwall Police told Sky News that the dead woman had been living in a small tent sheltered against a wall at the roadside.

"It was a very large oak tree that had been there for ... many years. Obviously we've had lots of heavy weather, it's been raining an awful lot, and the tree for whatever reason came down."

A car is partially submerged in standing water in Ruishton, Somerset

Her death follows that of a man on Thursday, who died when his car became wedged under a bridge near a ford in Rectory Fields, Chew Stoke, Somerset.

A 50-year-old man, named as Kevin Wilkinson, also died after falling into a canal in Watford on Saturday.

Both the RAC and AA breakdown services reported surges in flood-related call-outs as roads and highways across the country have been closed due to perilous standing water.

Homes are left flooded on Cheats Road in Ruishton

But that has not deterred many motorists from taking their chances.

In Warwickshire three people became stranded on the roof of a four-wheel drive after deciding to go off-road driving.

Police issued a post on Twitter to say the men had been shouting abuse at those who tried to come to their aid. They were eventually rescued by boat.

Hay bales stand in flood water in fields surrounding the Glastonbury Tor

Nathan Hudson, of West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: "People who attempt to pass through flooded roads are not only putting their own lives at risk, but also the lives of the emergency services staff who have to rescue them.

"A little bit of common sense from the public will ensure that no one's life is put in any unnecessary danger."

National Rail said the severe weather is disrupting services across the South West.

Flood water blocking the A361 near Taunton, Somerset

Trains were cancelled between Exeter St Davids and Yeovil Junction because of a landslip at Honiton and flooding near Axminster in Devon, and replacement buses were cancelled because of severe flooding on local roads. The route is expected to reopen today, subject to no further damage.

Nearly 71,000 properties have been told they could be at risk, according to the Environment Agency.

In Lostwithiel residents piled sandbags at their doors as they feared the River Fowey would burst its banks overnight. Sky News' Charlotte Lomas said that the Cornish town was braced for more heavy rain.

A woman wades through flood water in the centre of Ruishton

"It won't take much to increase river levels again and yet again there will be another danger of heavy flooding here," she said.

Jo Wheeler, Sky News weather presenter, said: "The heaviest rain has now moved north, and there'll be a period of some hours before further wet weather is likely.

"Meanwhile, the storm system has taken the wettest weather into central, eastern and northern parts of England.

"And the strongest winds are to the south and east of the system, with gale force gusts for eastern England, East Anglia and the South East.  These blustery conditions will also abate as the low pressure system clears away into the North Sea."

Environment minister Richard Benyon met with people in Malmesbury on Sunday where three feet (90cm) of water was reported in some parts of the Wiltshire town.

He described the clear-up work as "heroic", adding: "While many houses have been flooded, some haven't because of the efforts of these people.

"The Government's job, first of all is to make sure people are as prepared as possible with a changing climate ... for these extremes of weather. Secondly, we've got to continue building flood defences."

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Brit Killed In South Africa Farm Robbery

A British man who went to South Africa to run a nature reserve has been killed in a robbery at his farm, police say.

Christopher Preece had gone outside to check why the power was cut at the property when three men attacked him with machetes, according to officers.

The 54-year-old victim bled to death after the attack near Ficksburg, a town near the border with Lesotho, on Saturday night.

His wife, 56, was seriously wounded in the assault and is now being treated in hospital.

Captain Phumelelo Dhlamini of the South African Police Service said the robbers stole about $350 (£220) and a mobile phone.

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Man Held After Girl, 11, Raped In Park

Detectives have arrested a man on suspicion of raping an 11-year-old girl in a north London park.

The youngster is being treated in hospital after she was grabbed by a man on her way home from school on Friday afternoon.

She was dragged into Jubilee Park, in Enfield, north London, before being raped near a pitch and putt course.

The girl, who had caught a bus from Enfield town to Bury Street, was snatched as she was walking along Galliards Road at around 4.15pm.

She eventually returned home after the attack at 7.45pm.

A 26-year-old man was arrested at an address in Edmonton and is in police custody.

Detective Inspector Simon Ellershaw, who is leading the investigation, said: "This was a horrific and unusual attack of a defenceless school girl making her way home via her usual route, along one of Enfield's busiest shortcuts, at the beginning of Friday afternoon rush hour.

"She says the attack happened for some considerable time - possibly in the region of two to three hours.

"At present an extensive search of the park is underway and local officers are conducting house-to-house enquiries, and we have already been receiving helpful information from members of the public.

"Given the significant and unaccounted amount of time between the incident and the victim's arrival home, we are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have seen her possibly appearing confused or dishevelled following her ordeal. All calls will be treated in the utmost confidence."

Chief Inspector Taylor Wilson said: "Over the course of the weekend police have been working using every resource available to support the victim, identify the suspect and provide a police response to increase confidence and provide reassurance to residents.

"Although this is an isolated and extremely rare incident, we are treating this with the utmost seriousness."

Witnesses or anyone with information that could help police is asked to call the incident room on 0208 345 4326 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Butlins Balcony Plunge Kills Man

A 23-year-old man has died after falling from a hotel balcony at the Butlins holiday resort in Bognor Regis.

Police and ambulance crews arrived at the West Sussex complex in the early hours of Saturday morning after receiving reports of the fall.

Paramedics attempted to resuscitate him, but he was declared dead at the scene.

The man has been identified as Timothy Wall, of St Leonards, Dorset.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "The death is being treated as unexplained but it is not being considered as suspicious."

A post-mortem will now take place.

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Hatton Retires Again After Losing Fight

Ricky Hatton's fairytale return to the ring ended in defeat after he was knocked out by a ninth-round body shot from fellow former champion Vyacheslav Senchenko.

Hatton, 34, was back in the ring for the first time since a devastating second-round knockout by Manny Pacquiao in 2009.

The Mancunian started aggressively without landing anything of note, until a left hook and short right connected.

But as the fight went on the Ukrainian landed several power shots which did seem to take their toll in the eighth as his momentum built.

Then Hatton was floored in the ninth by a left to the body which sent him crashing to the floor.

The crowd urged their hero to rise but he was simply in too much agony as referee Victor Loughlin stopped the fight with eight seconds left in the round.

Hatton was hoping to prove something to himself, his critics and his demons after seeing his life fall to pieces since the Pacquiao loss.

Hatton waves goodbye after his brief return to the ring

He had decided not to warm up against a soft touch and instead opted to fight against credible opposition in the form of former WBA champion Senchenko.

After the fight an emotional Hatton said he was retiring from boxing for a second time.

"I needed one more fight to see if I had still got it - and I haven't. I found out tonight it isn't there no more. I can look at myself in the mirror and tell myself I did my best, but there is always an excuse to find.

"I got in the best shape I possibly could but if I hadn't been hit with that body shot I would have just scraped over the line with a points win and I honestly think I would still be telling you all the same thing.

"A fighter knows and I know it isn't there any more. I got the opportunity and I got the answers and, no matter how upsetting it is, I have got to be a man and say it is the end of Ricky Hatton."

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New Law To Tackle Stalkers Comes Into Effect

By Jane Chilton, Scotland Correspondent

Campaigners are celebrating today after new anti-stalking legislation finally becomes law in England and Wales.

It is already illegal to stalk a person in Scotland, with the Scottish legal system changing in 2010, but it has taken until now for the laws to be introduced in England and Wales.

Campaigners claim the laws are now "harmonious" throughout the UK.

In England and Wales, it is estimated that 120,000 victims, mostly women, are stalked each year but only 53,000 are recorded as crimes by police and only one in 50 of those actually lead to an offender being jailed.

As there have been no anti-stalking laws in England and Wales until today, abusers were often charged with the less serious offence of harassment. This resulted in more lenient sentences of 12 months or less in prison, and many being granted community orders.

Since the law changed in Scotland the effect of tougher anti-stalking legislation is clear. Before the changes only 70 offenders were prosecuted over 10 years, but since 2010 the figure has soared to 443.

Ann Moulds, from Ayr, was stalked for almost three years by a man she thought was her friend.

When he heard about her stalker, he even offered her support and even offered to stay in her home to help protect her and make her feel safe in her home. All the time he was her stalker, bombarding her with sexually explicit texts, messages and phone calls.

Ann told Sky News: "I ended up where my home became a prison. I was terrified to go out, I kept the curtains closed, I even stopped putting on the television or playing music so I could listen if there were any sounds outside.

In Scotland, 443 stalkers have been successfully prosecuted since 2010

"I just couldn't see a future, I couldn't see an end to it all. I lost my friends, I lost lots of weight and I lost my hair."

"So when I discovered that my supportive friend was this crazy man who was stalking me it was total shock, disbelief, absolute betrayal and it took me a long, long time to understand how that kind of mind can work."

Ann's stalker was eventually prosecuted and Ann decided to campaign for a change in the law in Scotland. She founded Action Scotland Against Stalking and was instrumental in bringing in the anti-stalking legislation.

Now she is extending her campaign to the European Parliament, which is now looking at making anti-stalking laws compulsory throughout all European states.

While praising the changes coming in today in England and Wales, Ann said: " It's about harmonising stalking laws so abusers can't commit offences in one country then hide behind a lack of legislation in other countries.

"The campaign has lifted the lid off stalking and that helps the police, judges and the courts in dealing with abusers seriously. One in five men and women will become a victim of stalking in some form or another. We are not looking at a small problem."

Stalking is a growing problem, especially through social networking sites. Cyber stalkers falsely believe they have greater anonymity - but protection rights are tightening up.

Digital stalking expert Jennifer Perry told Sky News: "The more prosecutions we hand out, the more people that are harassing individuals will hopefully think twice about it."

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Flood Scenes 'Shocking' Says David Cameron

David Cameron has said the scenes of flooding around the country are "shocking" and pledged help for all those affected.

The Prime Minister took to Twitter to voice his concern about the pictures of devastation coming from the South West as Britain braces for more bad weather to come.

He tweeted: "Shocking scenes of flooding in Cornwall and around the country. Govt will help ensure everything is being done to help."

It comes after a 21-year-old was killed when she became trapped under a fallen tree in Exeter on Saturday night. Two men were also injured.

Inspector Andrew Webber of Devon and Cornwall Police told Sky News that the dead woman had been living in a small tent sheltered against a wall at the roadside.

"It was a very large oak tree that had been there for... many years. Obviously we've had lots of heavy weather, it's been raining an awful lot, and the tree for whatever reason came down," he said.

The site of a fallen tree in Exeter, where a 21-year-old woman died

The Environment Agency has issued two severe flood warnings, which means serious threats to life and property, in the South West.

There are 220 flood warnings in place across the country, mainly in the South West and the Midlands, and 266 less serious flood alerts.

Emergency services were called to rescue people from their homes in the historic town of Malmesbury, in Wiltshire, where waters were 3ft deep in places due to flooding from the River Avon.

A spokeswoman for Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "It's been building up there for a few days and has flooded now in the area down by the river.

"Streets and houses have been flooded and we've rescued four people from two properties, three people from one house and a chap with asthma from another."

Cars stranded in floodwaters outside homes in Malmesbury, Wiltshire

Roads have been closed across the region because of flooding and debris, the M5 was shut between junction 25 and 26.

In Devon 60 people were evacuated from 12 locations because of safety concerns, while in Cornwall 80 properties had been hit by flooding.

Emergency teams have been working to shore up defences, deploy temporary barriers, monitor river levels, clear blockages from watercourses and pump-out flood water from towns.

Richard Benyon, the Environment Minister, said: "We recognise that while somewhere over 400 homes have been flooded, we have actually managed to protect over 24,000 homes by recently constructed flood defences, and so that is, if you like, the silver lining to this cloud."

Sky News' David Crabtree said the worst of the rain in the South West had passed and that there would be 12 hours respite for residents there. However, he added, the bad weather would return.

In Exeter a member of the British kayaking team, Sam Anderson, took advantage of the white waters generated by the floods and took to the River Exe in his kayak.

British team kayaker Sam Anderson takes to the water in Exeter

He told Sky News that he would not encourage others to do the same thing but that he had been kayaking for 10 years and was wearing safety equipment, including a helmet.

He said: "It's really powerful the current. You just cannot go against it you have to go with it because it is really strong and it's really deep as well."

The rest of Britain is also bracing itself for more flooding and travel disruption, with forecasters predicting further heavy downpours.

Jo Wheeler, Sky News Weather Presenter, said: "The low pressure system that brought flooding rain across the country last night, will slowly clear north-eastwards through the day. 

"The heaviest hit areas of Devon and Cornwall received over two inches of rain in some places.  But the heaviest rain has now moved north, and there'll be a period of some hours before further wet weather is likely.

"Meanwhile, the storm system has taken the wettest weather into central , eastern and northern parts of England. 

Flooding in Newlyn, Cornwall (Pic: Adam Gibbard)

"And the strongest winds are to the south and east of the system, with gale force gusts for eastern England, East Anglia and the south-east.  These blustery conditions will also abate as the low pressure system clears away into the North Sea."

Network Rail said trains were likely to be suspended between Exeter and Bristol until Monday. Landslips at Honiton and Dawlish have led to the cancellation of a number of train services.

In Warwickshire, police reported that three people who had decided to go off road driving in the bad weather had become stranded and were stuck of the roof of their vehicle shouting abuse at rescue teams.

In North Yorkshire flooding has caused the closure of major roads including the A66, between the A1 and A67.

North Yorkshire Police tweeted: "Please take care when travelling in North Yorkshire. There is lots of standing water on many roads. Reduce your speed."

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