Kids Given Lessons On Dangers Of Social Media

By Emma Birchley, Sky News East of England Correspondent

The danger of posting personal information online is being taught to children as part of a pilot project to keep them safe from criminals.

Pupils at a primary school in Shropshire and a high school in Cambridge have been taking part in the trial launched by the Information Commissioner's Office.

The Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, said: "I think the danger is of jigsaw identification. You can put little bits of information out there and somebody can piece it all together.

"So the name of the game with the primary school kids is to explain to them how the online world works and how there are organisations who make money by getting a hold of your information and selling it on to someone else."

Between January and October 2012, 35 million pieces of personal information were illegally traded online - up from 19 million during the whole of 2011.

As much as 90% of that trade was in the form of login and password details.

It helps to explain why 24% of UK residents have been the victim of identity fraud.

And the need to teach children early in life became even more evident after an expert at the London School of Economics recently estimated a million nine to 12-year-olds already use Facebook, despite the fact they are meant to be 13 before becoming members.

Mark Neighbour has been leading the pilot project at St Bede's School in Cambridge with year nine pupils.

He said: "We want them to think about what type of information could be used by a third party ... Why do they need to know their age for instance? Why do they need to know where they live? Why do they need to know where they shop?

"What we want them to do is question themselves before they put pen to paper or finger to a keyboard because once the information is gone, once they hit return, it's out there and anyone can get to it and use it."

Many children are also unaware that what may be quickly posted on the internet can potentially still be seen by universities or employers checking up on candidates years later.

Melissa, 14, was one of the pupils who attended the lessons.

"The internet is really scary and you should think twice before you start posting things. What you tweet, talk about on Facebook, pictures, things like that ... it's out there forever."

Rebecca, who is 13, thinks all pupils would benefit from the classes.

"It's actually helped everyone understand what we need to be aware of using the internet and what people can do."

Schools already warn children about online safety as part of the IT curriculum but these lessons are said to go into more detail about the importance of protecting personal data on the internet and in everyday life.

If the pilot proves a success, it will be rolled out in schools nationwide.

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Car Park Dug Up Around Marooned Mercedes

Workers were forced to resurface a car park around a stranded vehicle after its owner decided to move barriers to park there.

The area was blocked off by diggers at Edinburgh Waverley railway station, but when they turned up the next day, they found the Mercedes parked in the middle of the site.

Nonetheless, the workers got on with the job as planned and dug up the surface around the marooned blue car.

However, they also built a small ramp so the vehicle could be removed.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "Part of the car park had been cordoned off so we could begin resurfacing it and improve the lighting too.

"Whoever the driver was, he or she decided to move the barriers and park in the worksite anyway.

"We did the work but we left a ramp for them to exit and will be happy to return their vehicle if they contact us."

The scene was caught on camera by Twitter user Alice Robertson, who tweeted: "Not a good day to park in the Edinburgh Waverley car park."

The work is part of Network Rail's £100m refurbishment project of the station.

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Halal Prison Food Found To Contain Pork DNA

A company which supplies Halal meat to prisons has had its contract suspended after traces of pork DNA were found in pies and pasties.

The Ministry of Justice said it had withdrawn the products immediately, while justice minister Jeremy Wright said the Prison Service was investigating "as a matter of urgency".

It comes after traces of horsemeat were found in burgers sold by some UK supermarkets, including Tesco.

"All prisons have been informed about this very regrettable incident and we reported this issue to the Food Standards Agency immediately," a spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said.

"We are taking immediate steps to suspend the contract with the relevant sub-contractor."

Mr Wright said: "This is an absolutely unacceptable situation and one which we regret greatly.

"This must be distressing for those affected and they can be reassured we are doing everything we can to resolve the situation. The Prison Service is investigating this as a matter of urgency."

The company involved has not been named and it is not known where the firm is based.

Islamic law forbids the consumption of pork and prison rules dictate that Halal meat must be offered to inmates.

Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: "This lapse will have offended and distressed high numbers of Muslim prisoners and their families so apologising, suspending the supplier and investigating the incident are the right steps for the Ministry of Justice to take."

A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency said a local authority investigation would look into the cause of the contamination and determine where the products had been sent.

It is due to meet with retailers and suppliers to remind them of their responsibilities surrounding food labelling after the recent horsemeat scandal.

Burger King has dropped the Irish food processing plant which supplied the contaminated burgers.

The Silvercrest plant in County Monaghan, which is part of the ABP Food Group, has also lost contracts with Tesco, Aldi and the Co-operative Group.

A sample of Tesco's Everyday Value Beef Burgers was found to contain 29% horsemeat.

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Blackpool Murder: Burning Body Found In Alley

Two people are being held as part of a murder investigation after the body of a 16-year-old girl was found burning in an alley.

Police have cordoned off the area in South Shore, Blackpool, where Sasha Marsden's body was discovered, and specialist forensic officers were searching a nearby hotel.

A 22-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman were arrested nearby and are being questioned by police.

Sasha was a student at Blackpool and Fylde College who lived in the Staining area with her parents.

Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Andy Murphy said: "This is an incredibly difficult and complex enquiry and we are working to try and build up a picture of what happened.

Hotelier Carl Evans, with the crime scene forensic tents in the background

"From examining the body, it appears to us that someone has attempted to set fire to Sasha and this is a line of enquiry that we are looking into.

"This is an incredibly difficult time for the family and we are keeping them informed of our investigation. Our officers will be supporting them as they attempt to come to terms with what has happened."

A post-mortem examination is thought to have been carried out on Friday evening.

Carl Evans, owner of the nearby Kimber Guest House, told Sky News he spotted the fire when he walked out into his back garden on Thursday evening.

"I heard the alarms going and saw the smoke, but I thought it was just someone burning rubbish," he said.

The crime scene in Blackpool has been cordoned off by police

He added that some residents had attempted to put out the flames before realising it was a body on fire.

"The lass two doors up said someone seemed to have put something out - like a mannequin - but it turned out to be the body of a 16-year-old girl."

Friends paid tribute to the victim on a Facebook page called RIP Sasha Marsden.

Jordan Silkstone wrote: "Way too young, what this town coming too.. R.I.p huni x."

Emma James wrote: "R.I.P Sasha. I didn't know you very long but you was such a good mate.

"I will miss our little facebook chats. You always knew how to cheer me up when I was down. I hope the people who did this to you get what they deserve. Miss you always beautiful. Xxx."

Anyone with information can call Blackpool police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Flooding: Government 'Too Slow To Act'

The Government has been too slow bringing in measures that will protect homes and businesses from the "shattering" impact of flooding, say MPs.

The Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee said the draft Water Bill would help increase competition in the provision of water supplies for customers.

But ministers are not showing enough urgency in implementing measures that will improve the country's resilience to flooding and drought, the MPs said.

A report from the committee criticised the failure to create sustainable drainage systems to prevent flooding from surface water.

This should be achieved through measures such as stopping people laying impermeable surfaces in back gardens and businesses.

And ministers are taking too long over moves to improve the safety of reservoirs at risk of flooding, the report on the draft Bill said.

Concerns were also raised that local authorities and the Environment Agency are not paying enough attention to dredging and maintaining water courses, which can have a major impact on flood risk.

The MPs also called on ministers to provide more information on the solutions being considered to ensure homeowners at high risk of flooding continue to have access to affordable insurance after a deal on the issue expires later this year.

After a year that contained both drought and repeated flooding, the committee said more progress was needed on water efficiency.

Rules for abstracting water from the environment should be reformed and people encouraged to use water meters, the MPs said.

They also warned that the lack of detail in the Water Bill risked uncertainty for investors which could push up costs and lead to higher water bills for customers.

Bill-payers should not have to bear the costs of those who do not pay up, and they should be legally protected from bad debt in the water industry, the MPs added.

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Senior Cop Jailed For Trying To Leak To NOTW

A senior police officer has been jailed for 15 months for trying to sell information to the News Of The World.

Detective Chief Inspector April Casburn, 53, was found guilty last month of misconduct in public office for offering the newspaper confidential information in return for money.

In sentencing Casburn at the Old Bailey, Mr Justice Fulford described her crime as "a corrupt attempt to make money out of sensitive and potentially very damaging information".

A year before she was arrested Casburn, of Hatfield Peverel in Essex, had started the process of adopting a child.

The judge said had that not been for the adopted child he would have sentenced her to three years.

He said he was particularly concerned about Casburn's child, saying that her absence while she is in prison could cause life-long damage.

Sky Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "The judge said it was such a serious offence that she did have to go to jail.

"It's prison for a police officer and as the judge acknowledged  that police officers find life in side very difficult, and there's no reason to think that she won't find it difficult."

The judge also said Casburn's offence could not be described as whistle-blowing.

"If the News of the World had accepted her offer, it's clear, in my view, that Ms Casburn would have taken the money and, as a result, she posed a significant threat to the integrity of this important police investigation," the judge said.

"Activity of this kind is deeply damaging to the administration of criminal justice in this country.

"It corrodes the public's faith in the police force, it can lead to the acquittal or the failure by the authorities to prosecute individuals who have committed offences whether they are serious or otherwise.

"We are entitled to expect the very highest standards of probity from our police officers, particularly those at a senior level.

"It is, in my judgment, a very serious matter indeed when men or women who have all the benefits, privileges and responsibilities of public office use their position for corrupt purposes."

News Of The World was closed in 2011

Casburn, who worked in the counter-terrorism unit, called the NOTW news desk on September 11 2010, and spoke to journalist Tim Wood about the fresh investigation into phone hacking.

She claimed she contacted the tabloid because she was concerned about counter-terror resources being wasted on the phone-hacking inquiry, which her colleagues saw as "a bit of a jolly".

The detective denied asking for money, but Mr Wood had made a note that she "wanted to sell inside information".

Mr Justice Fulford said: "It seems to me Mr Wood was a reliable, honest and disinterested witness.

"He took time and trouble during the defendant's call to find out exactly what Miss Casburn was saying, questioning the defendant in detail on her account in order to make an accurate note for his superiors at the News of the World which he wrote up in detail immediately afterwards.

"He had absolutely no reason to lie and every cause to be cautious given the risk that the newspaper was to be the victim of a sting, as he suspected."

During her trial at Southwark Crown Court last month, Casburn likened the male-dominated counter-terrorism unit to the TV series Life On Mars.

She was not given a desk for several months, despite more junior colleagues having them, jurors were told.

But the judge rejected this as an explanation for her behaviour.

He said: "It seems to me this is a straightforward but troubling case of corruption.

"I decline to accept that she had significant difficulties working with her male colleagues in the senior ranks of the counter-terrorism unit, which in part she said led her to act as she did."

NOTW was closed in 2011 because of the phone hacking scandal.

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Seabird 'Pollution' Substance May Be Palm Oil

A mysterious sticky substance covering more than 100 birds which washed up on the coast of southern England could be palm oil dumped in the sea.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) was called in on Thursday after the troubled guillemots, a member of the auk family, were discovered on Lyme Bay near Weymouth, Dorset.

The seabirds were taken to West Hatch Animal Centre in Taunton, Somerset, but early attempts to clean them have been hampered by not knowing what the thick, white, substance is, said the RSPB's Grahame Madge.

Many were found on the shores of Chesil Cove in Dorset, but others appeared up to 200 miles away in Cornwall.

An investigation is continuing and Mr Madge said: "We could be dealing with quite a large incident as all these birds could be proved to come from the same pollution incident."

Sky's Ashish Joshi, reporting from Chesil Cove, said more of the birds have been washing up on the shore this morning.

He said of the RSPB: "They think it might be palm oil which has been dumped in a container load out there somewhere."

Joshi added: "If the birds get to this shoreline, they're exhausted, they're unable to fly, they can't get back into the water so their chances of survival are near to minimal.

"So it's important that members of the local community, including the RSPB, are coming to this shoreline and finding these birds."

The rescue operation is being run by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). A spokesman said they were pleased with the public's willingness to help the stricken birds, but warned of the dangers involved.

The spokesman said: "We would urge people to be cautious going down to the coastline affected.

"The instinctive reaction is to go down and look, or to help out. But we don't know what this substance is, so our message is for people - especially those taking dogs down to the coastline - to please be careful."

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Barclays Boss Drops Bonus To 'Avoid Public Debate'

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The new chief executive of Barclays is to waive his annual bonus amid continuing pressure on the bank over its involvement in a series of scandals.

Antony Jenkins, who took over from Bob Diamond in August, said he had decided this week not to take a bonus for 2012, about which leading shareholders had been canvassed by the man in charge of setting boardroom pay at the bank.

Mr Jenkins informed the board of his decision on Tuesday, hours after Sky News had revealed the talks between Sir John Sunderland, Barclays' remuneration committee chairman, and the bank's biggest institutional investors.

In a statement issued on Friday morning, Mr Jenkins said: "I am aware of considerable speculation about, and public interest in, the question of whether I will be awarded a bonus in respect of my performance in 2012.

"To avoid further unnecessary public debate on this matter, I wish to make clear that I concluded early this week that I do not wish to be considered for a bonus award for 2012 and I have communicated that decision to the Board.

"The year just past was clearly a very difficult one for Barclays and its stakeholders, with multiple issues of our own making besetting the bank.

"I think it only right that I bear an appropriate degree of accountability for those matters and I have concluded that it would be wrong for me to receive a bonus for 2012 given those circumstances."

Investors welcomed Mr Jenkins' decision but questioned why it had taken the disclosure of Sir John's meeting to prompt him to make the decision given that Barclays has in the last year set aside the best part of £2bn for Libor-rigging fines and compensating customers for mis-selling payment protection insurance policies and interest rate hedging products.

During their meeting earlier this month, Sir John told shareholders that the Barclays board wanted to pay Mr Jenkins a "significant" bonus.

Sky News reported on Tuesday that it was unclear whether Mr Jenkins would accept a bonus award. His decision not to will put pressure on the chief executives of HSBC and Lloyds Banking Group to follow suit after both banks were also forced to set aside significant sums because of various industry scandals.

Stephen Hester, the chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland, said last year that he would not accept a bonus for 2012.

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UK's Largest Warship Starts To Take Shape

By David Bowden, Defence Correspondent

They will be the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy, each weighing 65,000 tonnes and with their length equal to 28 London buses.

Now the hull of one of these two mammoth aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth, will be in one piece for the first time as construction continues in Scotland.

Sky News was given exclusive access to the site, Rosyth, just outside Edinburgh, as the latest phase of the £5.5bn project was being completed.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the first of two new aircraft carriers being put together there.

The carrier, which is three times the size of any Royal Navy ship now in service, has been built in modules at shipyards across the country.

Its final assembly is using the heaviest lift crane in the UK, itself built specially for the project by the Chinese and nicknamed Goliath.

The forward section weighs around 30,000 tonnes (Pic: QE Class Carriers)

Putting together the various hull sections with an accuracy of just millimetres has been the most demanding aspect of the programme so far.

Programme director Ian Booth said: "Most people ask about how we know all the bits will join up because we are making massive sections of aircraft carrier in yards all over the UK and then all the components that go inside are being made in different places in the UK.

"So far everything we've put together has aligned fantastically."

Each of the ships is much bigger and more powerful than anything the Navy has seen before. They will have more than a thousand miles of cabling and engines that will generate enough power to run a town the size of Swindon.

With a crew of up to 1,600 and 12 to 36 brand new F35 fighter jets on board, they will provide a floating airfield the like of which Britain has never seen before.

Only one of the two vessels will be operational at any one time and even then not before 2020. Queen Elizabeth will be finished in the construction phase by the end of this year and launched in 2014.

How the aircraft carrier will look at sea (Pic: QE Class Carriers)

It will be another three years until she begins sea trials and a year after that before the first jets are flying from her deck.

Despite the time lag, the ship does already have a skeleton crew, another first for the Royal Navy.

Commander Steve Lynn said: "There are already naval guys on board doing test and commissioning work. It is something unique for a ship in build.

"The second thing is that this ship is huge. It is bigger than anything we have ever had in the Royal Navy or are ever likely to have in the Royal Navy and it is going to take us a while to understand how to best operate this vessel."

The carrier will be longer than the Houses of Parliament

For old hands at the shipyard, the sight of such a mammoth hull coming together before their eyes is a source of immense pride.

Willie Richards has been at Rosyth for 30 years and worked on dozens of naval vessels, but never anything like this.

"I've done Ark Royal, HMS Invincible, HMS Illustrious, worked on all the destroyers, HMS Glasgow, HMS Edinburgh, but this is definitely the flagship of the Navy and it is a privilege to be part of it," he said.

The decision to build the two carriers at such vast expense to the nation, especially at a time of austerity, was controversial but the cost of abandoning the project now would be greater than completing it.

So whilst the Royal Navy finds itself in what many believe is the embarrassing position of having no current aircraft carrier capability, it also has the prospect of taking delivery of two of the biggest and most advanced warships in the world in the next decade.

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Alps Drowning: Teenager Dies In Pool Accident

A British teenager has drowned in a swmming pool after a night out in a French ski resort.

Lucy Sallis became trapped under a pool cover after jumping into the water in Alpe d'Huez, according to reports.

The 19-year-old from Bognor Regis, West Sussex is believed to have been drinking with friends before they decided to climb over a wall around a municipal pool and go for a swim.

Local police confirmed that a woman had drowned in the pool.

Her friends reportedly tried to revive her after finding her body under the cover but their efforts were in vain.

Friends described Lucy Sallis as "the most perfect girl"

Miss Sallis had been in the resort working in the kitchen at the Belle Aurore hotel.

Tributes were paid to the teenager on Twitter, describing her as "the most perfect girl".

One read: "If that doesn't show you how short life is I dunno what does."

Another friend wrote: "Rest in peace beautiful Lucy Sallis. She was such a beautiful girl, praying for my best friend and her family right now! xxxxx."

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Naomi Campbell Wins Elephant Story Damages

Naomi Campbell has won substantial libel damages and a public apology over a false story in The Daily Telegraph.

The story claimed the supermodel was planning to organise an elephant polo match for her partner's birthday in India.

Ms Campbell's lawyer, Gideon Benaim, told a judge in London that the article, published last November, reported "detailed criticisms made of these plans by the animal rights group Peta, who were said to have launched a personal attack on Ms Campbell for promoting animal cruelty".

Mr Benaim told Mr Justice Eady that the story was "simply false and the criticisms unfounded" - there were never any plans for an elephant polo tournament at the 50th birthday celebrations in Jodhpur.

Ms Campbell, 42, was not present in court, but said in a statement: "There were never plans to hold an elephant polo tournament, so the allegations should not have been published.

"However, I am glad that the matter has been resolved and I accept the newspaper's apology."

 

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David Beckham 'To Sign For Paris St Germain'

David Beckham is expected to join Paris St Germain after leaving LA Galaxy, according to Sky sources.

The former England captain is believed to be undergoing a medical before his signing is announced at a news conference scheduled for 4pm.

The 37-year-old left LA Galaxy in December after a six-year stint in America's Major League Soccer and is understood to have had a number of lucrative offers from around the world.

In recent days he has been training Arsenal but manager Arsene Wenger said there were no plans to sign the former Manchester United midfielder who "doesn't look at all to be in shape".

More follows...

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Police Reforms: Foreigners Could Run Forces

Foreign police chiefs will be able to run British forces for the first time under a radical shake-up planned by the Government.

Under the proposals, new starters will also be able to join at superintendent level instead of spending two years on the beat.

The reforms also include moves to create a fast track to inspector scheme.

The overhaul is part of a package of reforms that were drawn up by ex-rail regulator Tom Winsor in the most wide-ranging review of police pay and conditions in more than 30 years.

Under his proposals, "exceptional" applicants would have the chance to rise from civilian to inspector in just three years.

Successful businessmen and women, along with members of the armed forces and the security services, should all be encouraged to apply to the fast-track scheme, Mr Winsor said.

Tom Winsor's police reforms have proved to be controversial

Mr Winsor, who is now Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, previously said he wanted to end the notion of policing as an intellectually undemanding occupation.

He added that the "brightest and best" applicants with skills "distinctly above those of factory workers" were needed.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe told a policing conference earlier this month that it was time to "consider and support" direct entry.

He added that he would like to see one in 10 senior officers recruited from outside the police force.

The proposal to allow candidates from the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, among others, to head up forces in England and Wales has already sparked some controversy.

US "supercop" Bill Bratton was not allowed to head up Scotland Yard

Current legislation prevented US "supercop" Bill Bratton, former chief of the New York police, applying to take charge of the Metropolitan Police in 2011.

Mr Bratton gained a reputation for introducing bold measures to reduce crime, heading police departments in New York, Boston and Los Angeles.

In his first two years at the helm of New York Police Department, reports of serious crime dropped 27%.

Mrs May dashed any chances of him becoming Britain's top police officer when she underlined the importance of the Scotland Yard commissioner being a British citizen for national security reasons.

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Horsemeat Scandal: Tesco Drops Supplier

Tesco has dropped its frozen burger supplier following an investigation into why horsemeat was used in its products.

The supermarket giant's technical director Tim Smith said new DNA testing would be introduced for all of its meat products to avoid similar mistakes happening again.

He said: "The evidence tells us that our frozen burger supplier, Silvercrest, used meat in our products that did not come from the list of approved suppliers we gave them.

"Nor was the meat from the UK or Ireland, despite our instruction that only beef from the UK and Ireland should be used in our frozen beef burgers.

Tesco's Tim Smith has revealed the findings of the firm's investigation

"Consequently we have decided not to take products from that supplier in future.

"We took that decision with regret but the breach of trust is simply too great."

Silvercrest says that it has "never knowingly bought or processed horsemeat", and insists that all of its purchases are from approved and licensed EU plants.

Around two weeks ago Tesco and a number of other supermarkets removed certain brands of frozen beefburgers from their shelves, after they were found to contain horsemeat.

A study examining the authenticity of a number of beefburger, beef meal and salami products available from retail outlets in Ireland found horsemeat accounted for approximately 29% of the content in one sample of Tesco Everyday Value Beef Burgers.

The findings sparked a national outcry and 10 million burgers were taken off shelves as a result of the scandal.

Mr Smith added: "Ultimately Tesco is responsible for the food we sell, so it is not enough just to stop using the supplier.

"To underpin the strong measures already in place, we will now introduce a comprehensive system of DNA testing across our meat products. This will identify any deviation from our high standards."

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Jeremy Kyle Cancer Battle: Host 'On The Mend'

TV chat show host Jeremy Kyle is recuperating abroad after being treated for testicular cancer.

He is understood to have had chemotherapy following the discovery of a growth late last year.

The 47-year-old presenter has taken a break from recording his ITV daytime programme while he recovers.

He is expected to return to work next week to begin filming new shows.

A statement on his programme's Facebook page said: "Jeremy was diagnosed with cancer just before Christmas. After an operation and chemotherapy treatment, I'm pleased to say he's now on the mend.

"It's been a really tough couple of months for him and his family but he wanted to let you all know that he appreciates your continuing support.

"Jeremy will be back at work next week to start filming new shows which you'll see on TV very soon."

An ITV spokeswoman said: "We wish Jeremy well and are pleased that he is making such good progress."

Kyle has hosted his TV programme for seven and a half years, putting dysfunctional relationships in the spotlight, and many have criticised it for glorifying "broken Britain".

Last week, his show was nominated for the National Television Awards for the best daytime TV show award, although it missed out to This Morning.

Kyle was a salesman before his move into broadcasting, hosting programmes in local radio.

He went on to present his Virgin Confessions show on Virgin Radio before landing his TV slot after Trisha Goddard left her daytime ITV series to head to Channel 5.

Kyle has also launched his programme in the US and has fronted other shows for ITV.

In his autobiography, I'm Only Being Honest, the twice-married presenter talked about how he suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder.

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Tragic London Marathon Runner 'Used Supplement'

A young woman who died in the London Marathon was using a caffeine supplement she bought online, an inquest has heard.

Claire Squires, 30, collapsed and died close to the finish line last April.

Her boyfriend, Simon Van Herrewage, has told the inquest that she put the supplement which was "like strong caffeine" in her water bottle during the marathon.

Mr Van Herrewage arrives at the inquest

A cardiologist has told the inquest at  Southwark Coroner's Court that "substance found in the blood may have been an important factor" in Miss Squires' death.

Mr Van Herrewage also said Miss Squires had been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat by an acupuncturist.

But Miss Squires' GP told the inquest that she never went to see him with concerns over her heartbeat.

The hairdresser from North Kilworth, Leicestershire, aimed to raise £500 for Samaritans but the total surged to more than £1m on news of her death.

Miss Squires had been a keen fundraiser for Samaritans in support of her mother, Cilla, who has been a volunteer with the organisation for the past 24 years.

The charity has since worked with Miss Squires' mother to develop The Claire Squires Fund - a programme of projects that reflect how she would have wanted the money to be used.

Miss Squires was the 11th runner to die since the London Marathon began in 1981.

She collapsed one bend away from the finish line of the 26.2 mile course.

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Sugary Drink Tax 'Could Pay For School Meals'

Sugary drinks should be taxed at up to 20p a litre, say health campaigners – with the proceeds helping to pay for free school meals.

Food and farming charity Sustain said the Government could raise £1bn a year from the duty, while also saving lives by cutting excessive consumption of unhealthy drinks.

The report has been backed by more than 60 organisations, including the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Friends of the Earth, the National Heart Forum and the Royal Society for Public Health.

Diet-related illness is now costing the NHS £6bn every year, the report said.

Sustain urged Chancellor George Osborne to introduce the duty in the Budget on March 20 and to channel most of the cash raised into a Children's Future Fund for programmes to improve children's health.

Money could be spent on campaigns to encourage youngsters to eat more fruit and vegetables, the report said.

The group's campaigns manager, Charlie Powell, said: "Sugar-laden drinks are mini-health time bombs, contributing to dental diseases, obesity and a host of life-threatening illnesses which cost the NHS billions each year.

"We are delighted that so many organisations want to challenge the Government to show it has a public health backbone by including a sugary drinks duty in Budget 2013.

"It's a simple and easy-to-understand measure which will help save lives by reducing sugar in our diets and raising much-needed money to protect children's health."

Sustain chairman Mike Rayner, of Oxford University's Department of Public Health, added: "Just as we use fiscal measures to discourage drinking and smoking and help prevent people from dying early, there is now lots of evidence that the same approach would work for food.

"Our obesity epidemic causes debilitating illness, life-threatening diseases and misery for millions of people. It is high time Government did something effective about this problem."

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Bristol 'Hit And Run' Pair Were To Start IVF

A couple who died after their tandem bicycle collided with a car had celebrated the news that they were to start fertility treatment less than 24 hours before the crash.

Ross Simons, 34, and his 30-year-old wife Clare died when a Citroen Picasso car hit their bike in Hanham, near Bristol, on Sunday.

The car was speeding moments before the incident and police officers indicated for it to pull over, but were forced to follow it after it sped off, Avon and Somerset Police said.

Moments later the car struck another vehicle before colliding with Mr and Mrs Simons' tandem. They died at the scene of the crash.

The previous evening the couple, who had been married for about 18 months and together for several years, had a meal with friends after being given the go-ahead to undergo IVF treatment.

Family friend Diane Pullin, from Kingswood, Bristol, said Mr and Mrs Simons had been out with her daughter Shelley and son-in-law Darren.

She said: "They are a lovely family, so kind and so helpful. They'd just had news that they were able to have fertility treatment ... everything to live for."

She added: "It's just terrible and it shouldn't have happened. Two young people with their lives in front of them ... snapped away just like that.

The couple have been described as "amazing people"

"They desperately wanted children and it wasn't happening. They'd just been given the go-ahead. They were so happy on Saturday night.

"My daughter says she's got helium balloons at the top of her stairs wishing them luck and she can't even look at them.

"Like she said to me just now, 'How can I be with them on Saturday night and they're not here now?'.

"It just shows that nobody knows. No one could have thought this on Saturday night.

"It's just so sad. It's all I can really say. Such a waste of a life. All these questions of 'Why?'"

About 100 people attended a vigil for the pair at the scene of the crash last night, including some of their close relatives.

"Both of our families are completely devastated by the tragic events that took Ross and Clare from us," they said in a statement.

"A very special couple have been taken from us and we have no words to describe our loss."

Mr Simons' father Edwin was among the mourners, as was his sister Kelly, who said: "This is a tribute to Ross and Clare, two amazing people."

Police have been given more time to question a 38-year-old man on suspicion of death by dangerous driving.

A 35-year-old woman has been released on bail.

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Iraqis Seek UK Troop Abuse Public Inquiry

Scores of lawyers representing Iraqis are going to the High Court seeking an "independent" public inquiry into allegations that British interrogators were guilty of the systemic abuse of civilians in Iraq.

Lawyers for the Iraqis allege there were a number of unlawful killings as well as incidents of torture from March 2003 to December 2008 in British-controlled detention facilities.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond plans to investigate the claims through the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT), which includes members of the Royal Navy Police (RNP).

Public Interest Lawyers (PIL), who are acting on behalf of 192 Iraqis, are seeking judicial review on the grounds that the RNP lack sufficient independence as numerous Royal Navy officers were involved in interrogations with the UK Joint Forward Interrogation Team (JFIT).

PIL said a number of unlawful killings and cases of inhuman and degrading treatment were linked to JFIT's activities as interrogators sought to extract information.

They argue justice requires a fully independent public inquiry.

Two judges sitting in London will hear accusations that civilians were subjected to a number of techniques to disorientate and debilitate them, including deprivation of sleep, food and water.

Sir John Thomas (President of the Queen's Bench Division) and Mr Justice Silber will be told there was also hooding, forced nudity, sexual humiliation and repeated and lengthy interrogations.

The three-day application is the second legal challenge in a case in which PIL say there was systemic abuse, as opposed to ill treatment by "a few bad apples".

Ministry of Defence lawyers are opposing the application, saying any acts that have been proven were in isolation.

British soldier Corporal Donald Payne was jailed in 2006 after he was filmed shouting at detainees who were hooded and being held in stress positions. 

An MoD spokesman recently said: "The IHAT is the most effective way of investigating these unproven allegations rather than a costly public inquiry."

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Bali Drugs Case: Briton Julian Ponder Jailed

A British man has been jailed for six years and fined the equivalent of £65,000 after being convicted of cocaine possession in Bali.

Julian Ponder, 43, from Brighton, was cleared of drug trafficking but found guilty of the lesser offence of possession.

Prosecutors in Indonesia had asked for a seven-year prison term, and he could have faced a maximum sentence of life.

Ponder has been linked to Lindsay Sandiford, the 56-year-old British grandmother sentenced to death for smuggling cocaine worth £1.5m onto the island in May last year.

She alleged that Ponder was the man she was going to deliver the drug shipment to, a claim he denies.

Ponder and his partner Rachel Dougall were arrested alongside Sandiford in a sting operation by Indonesian police.

At the time of her arrest, Dougall, who has a young daughter, insisted she was the victim of a "fit-up" and Ponder claimed he was "trapped".

Ponder's lawyer said he was told that Sandiford was delivering a present for his child's birthday and, when he met her to receive the gift, police officers arrested him.

Sky's Jonathan Samuels said: "It was alleged that he was linked to Lindsay Sandiford ... she was caught at the airport and arrested, and she alleged that Julian Ponder was the man she was going to deliver the cocaine to.

"It's something he has always denied. He was initially charged with drugs trafficking, but that charge was dropped.

"He was then charged with drugs possession after a small amount of drugs was found in his home.

"The judges did have the right to re-examine the evidence, and to re-charge him with drug trafficking.

"They've decided not to do that, so he will spend six years in one of the most notorious jails on the holiday island."

Sandiford, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, has notified Indonesian officials she intends to appeal against her sentence.

She was accused by the Bali court of damaging the image of the resort island and received the sentence despite prosecutors only asking for a 15-year jail term.

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Dock Master Saves Baby From Icy Waters

A dock master has rescued a six-month-old baby after his buggy was blown into freezing cold waters by strong winds.

The infant, who was strapped in the buggy, was swept into the water as his mother walked along Watchet Harbour, Somerset, at 8am on Sunday.

After hearing screams for help George Reeder, 63, initially thought a dog had fallen in but was horrified to see the pushchair upturned in the water.

He dived in and pulled it to the wall, before a member of the public helped attach a rope and hauled it to dry land - but not before the baby had spent around five minutes in the water.

The infant was revived by a passer-by who administered CPR, before being taken to hospital, where he is believed to be out of intensive care.

The Coastguard and an ambulance arrived at the scene

Mr Reeder, who has worked at the marina for 11 years, said he heard screaming from a couple of hundred yards away before jumping on his bike to see what had happened.

He added: "I don't know exactly how he went in, but I was on the esplanade and heard the commotion and I assumed somebody's dog had gone into the water, so I went cycling over.

"They were on the West Pier, where you walk up to the lighthouse, some way away, but the noise travels and I could hear screaming from a woman.

"The mother was there and she said 'my baby has gone in the water', so I went to the edge and I could see the pushchair upside down, floating away.

"I just jumped in and pulled the pushchair back over to the edge of the quay, and then somebody put a rope down over and I tied it on and they lifted it out.

"As far as I know, what the police told me was that the wind blew the buggy in."

The dramatic rescue happened at Watchet in Somerset

Mr Reeder said it was "amazing" that the baby survived, adding: "The baby was still in the pushchair, it was very cold, it is amazing really because he must have been in there for a good five minutes, under the water.

"They pulled up the pushchair and a lady started doing CPR, and then the coastguard came, and the ambulance and the police, so I backed out the way."

A local member of the coastguard took over the CPR from the woman and Mr Reeder said the baby started to take in breaths.

He said: "You could see his little mouth opening and taking in a breath and that's when I thought it's OK, he's going to be OK.

"I know the family and the granddad came over and said he's out of intensive care now and on the ward.

"The poor mother, she'll probably never get over something like that, it's your worst nightmare."

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: "It is believed a gust of wind blew the buggy with the child in it into the water.

"A local fisherman rescued the six-month-old boy and he was airlifted to hospital for treatment.

"The condition of the baby is believed to be no longer life-threatening."

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New British Citizenship Test - Take The Quiz

Changes to the Life in the UK citizenship test, which must be taken by all migrants wanting to settle permanently in Britain, have been unveiled.

The Home Office said the revised exam, which is being introduced in March, will focus less on the practicalities of daily living in Britain and more on the nation's culture and past, with topics such as sport, music and key historical facts featuring heavily.

For example, while foreigners will be expected to know British history stretching back to the Stone Age, through to the Romans, Norman Conquest and the Magna Carta, they will also be tested on last year's Olympics and "Britons' unique sense of humour and satire".

The Two Ronnies and Monty Python are even on the syllabus, according to the Guardian, while British cultural and artistic heritage, from the music of composer Henry Purcell to the worldwide influence of the Beatles and Andrew Lloyd Webber, and the nation's national parks all feature in the 45-minute test.

Foreign nationals will also be asked about the nation's artistic achievements, Britain's love of gardening and garden design and the work of influential architects including Christopher Wren and Norman Foster.

Questions on literary masterpieces by poets and authors such as Geoffrey Chaucer, Jane Austen and Wilfred Owen, as well as the lives of some of Britain's most celebrated writers, scientists and politicians, from William Shakespeare and Robert Burns to Isaac Newton and Winston Churchill also feature.

Ministers said the exam and its accompanying handbook, released today, will cover events and people "who have contributed to making Britain great".

Immigration minister Mark Harper said: "We've stripped out mundane information about water meters, how to find train timetables, and using the internet.

"The new book rightly focuses on values and principles at the heart of being British. Instead of telling people how to claim benefits it encourages participation in British life."

More than 150,000 Life in the UK tests were taken nationally last year, including 77,000 in London.

:: Take the test. Here are some of the possible questions and multiple choice answers:

1. Which landmark is a prehistoric monument which still stands in the English county of Wiltshire?

A) Stonehenge

B) Hadrian's Wall

C) Offa's Dyke

D) Fountains Abbey

2. What is the name of the admiral who died in a sea battle in 1805 and has a monument in Trafalgar Square, London?

A) Cook

B) Drake

C) Nelson

D) Raleigh

3. In 1801, a new version of the official flag of the United Kingdom was created. What is it often called?

A) The British Standard

B) The Royal Banner

C) The St George Cross

D) The Union Jack

4. Who is the Patron Saint of Scotland?

A) St Andrew

B) St David

C) St George

D) St Patrick

5. What flower is traditionally worn by people on Remembrance Day?

A) Poppy

B) Lily

C) Daffodil

D) Iris

6. Which of these sporting events was hosted in London in 2012?

A) The Commonwealth Games

B) Cricket World Cup

C) European Football Championship

D) Paralympic Games

7. At her Jubilee in 2012, how many years as Queen did Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrate?

A) 25

B) 40

C) 50

D) 60

8. The second largest party in the House of Commons is usually known by what name?

A) The Senate

B) The Opposition

C) The Lords

D) The Other Side

9. From what age can you be asked to serve on a jury?

A) 16

B) 18

C) 21

D) 25

10. What is the title given to the person who chairs the debates in the House of Commons?

A) The Speaker

B) The Chairman

C) The Leader of the House

D) The Prime Minister

Answers: you need 75% to pass

1. A 2. C 3. D 4. A 5. A 6. D 7. D 8. B 9. B 10.A

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Teenager Dies After Being Stabbed In Pimlico

A teenager has died after being stabbed in Pimlico, central London on Sunday, police said.

Officers were called to Lupus Street at 6.50pm where they found a youngster who had been stabbed.

The victim, believed to be 16, was taken to a south London hospital but died from his injuries at 8.45pm.

No arrests have been made so far. Police have launched a murder investigation and are keeping an "open mind" as to the motive.

Mohammed Alzubaidi. 49, from nearby Peabody Close, said his friend had witnessed a gang made up of black and white teenagers carrying out the attack.

The street has been cordoned off by police

"He said they were carrying knives, some of them with wide swords. He said the victim was screaming and trying to get away."

Mr Alzubaidi's friend told him the gang had scattered and run off in different directions.

The scene of the attack is close to Pimlico Underground station and is bordered by many council estates.

A 58-year-old local resident, who did not want to be named, said there had been two murders in nearby Gloucester Street in recent years and a stabbing of a boy outside a row of shops in Lupus Street before Christmas.

"The violence that has started to occur around here is something else, it is frightening for all the residents. You used to be able to walk around at night but I am starting to be very wary, especially at night-time," she said.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "We must retain an open mind re the circumstances of the incident and any motive at this early stage."

Anyone with any information can call police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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'Hit-And-Run' Deaths: Tandem Cyclists Named

The car involved in an alleged hit-and-run crash that killed a husband and wife on a tandem bicycle was being followed by police, it has emerged.

The couple, who died at the scene of the collision in Bristol, have been named as 34-year-old Ross Matthews Simons and 30-year-old Clare Simons.

And police investigating the accident revealed the Citroen Picasso involved had collided with the cyclists just moments after officers tried to pull it over.

Lower Hanham Road is west of central Bristol

A statement issued by Avon and Somerset Police said: "Shortly before 4pm yesterday (Sunday), a police officer's attention was drawn to a Citroen Picasso travelling along Lower Hanham Road at speed.

"The officer indicated to the car to stop but it made off. The officer began to follow the car but it was lost to sight almost immediately. Very shortly afterwards the car stuck another vehicle and then collided with two cyclists on a tandem bicycle."

A 38-year-old man is being held by police after being arrested on suspicion of death by dangerous driving and the matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Police also said a 35-year-old woman had been arrested, on suspicion of dangerous driving.

Police tape at the scene of the tragic collision

And Inspector Frazer Davey urged any witnesses to come forward.

"Following investigations overnight the circumstances of this collision have become much clearer," he said.

"However I would appeal to anyone who witnessed this incident or saw this car in the area shortly before the collision to come forward and contact us.

"This is a tragic incident in which two people have needlessly lost their lives. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with their families."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or visit www.avonandsomerset.police.uk

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Childcare Better In Wealthy Areas, Report Says

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky Reporter

Children from wealthier areas receive a better standard of childcare, according to a new report.

Research by Policy Exchange showed Ofsted judged 79% of childminders in the richest parts of England as good or outstanding, compared to 64% in the most deprived areas of the country.

It also found that children from richer areas were further ahead when they started primary school.

In the City of London and Trafford 78% were at a good level, compared to just 51% in Middlesbrough at the bottom of the list.

The vocabulary development of the poorest children was 16 months behind those from the highest income families, the report said.

Harriet Waldegrave, the author of the report said: "Early years education will only have a positive impact on a child's development if it is of a high quality.

"While provision is improving, it's not doing so fast enough. Most worryingly of all, lower quality provision in disadvantaged areas means positive effects of early years education are less likely to be seen for the children who need it most."

The government is now being asked to improve the quality of early years teaching and the financial support it gives to families with lower incomes.

In response, a Department for Education spokesperson said: "This report is absolutely right to say early years education needs to improve.

"We need to learn from other countries that ensure the profession is better trained and give them the freedom to do their job. We will be announcing plans on improving the quality of provision shortly."

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Globetrotting Record: Briton Visits Every Nation

By Jay Singh-Sohal, Sky News Producer

An adventurer from Liverpool is just one step away from entering the Guinness Book of Records for visiting every country in the world without flying.

Graham Hughes, 33, began the challenge to visit all 193 UN recognised nations in January 2009. 

He has since undertaken "surface journeys" to all the world's hot spots - including Iraq, Afghanistan and North Korea - and visited every sovereign nation in the world including Vatican City, Palestine, Taiwan, Western Sahara and Kosovo,  which do not have seats at the UN.

But Guinness World Records ruled that his feat did not stand as he had entered Russia without a valid visa. Mr Hughes' visit to the country came after he waded across the River Narva from Estonia.

On Monday, he will visit Russia again with the hope of officially completing his challenge, travelling 25 hours by train from London Victoria to Gadansk in Poland before taking a bus across the border.

In Togo

When he took up the challenge, Guinness set rules for the record including not using private transport over large distances or hitchhiking.

So Graham has completed his visits through a combination of train, taxi and cargo ship journeys and kept GPS records from all his visits.

He made the trips on a shoe-string budget, spending less than £7,000 a year in the first two years and just under £3,000 thereafter. 

And along the way he's also had to take into account changing borders - South Sudan became a nation in 2012 and Graham travelled there in November of that year by public transport.

In the Solomon Islands

His longest journey has been the 32-day round trip from Australia to Nauru, the world's smallest republic. He said the island in the Micronesia archipelago was worth the journey, as was Palau in the Pacific, which he describes as an "unspoilt tropical paradise with amazing people".

But his travels have also presented some dangers. On a visit to Congo, Mr Hughes was jailed for six days and was only freed with British consulate support.

Pakistan too posed problems. Mr Hughes was not even allowed out of the port at Karachi because authorities said it was too dangerous.

But the most memorable time was the four days he spent on a leaky wooden canoe crossing the open ocean from Senegal to Cape Verde.

During his journey Graham filmed a TV show for the National Geographic Adventure channel and raised money for the charity Water Aid.

He also blogged about the experience on www.theodysseyexpedition.com/

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Payday Loan Sites' Dirty Tricks To Boost Traffic

By Jason Farrell, Sky Correspondent

A Sky News investigation has found that some payday loan brokers have benefitted from hacking into websites to divert the history and status of a legitimate business to their domain.

This increases their ranking on Google, and the tactic has given unregulated brokers access to online traffic worth millions of pounds.

The findings come as the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) prepares its report into dirty tricks in the market, due to be published in February.

Every month, tens of thousands of potential customers use Google to search for payday loans.

The search engine has a complex algorithm based on a website's history and credibility which tries to ensure that users are directed to the most appropriate websites.

However, Google's natural listings system can be tricked. Sky News found three payday websites that were stealing the credibility of other websites to boost their ranking. The target victim sites included a music business, a graduate website and even a church website.

In November last year, Sky News discovered established music licencing website Ricordi was one of several domains that began ranking highly for selling payday loans on the front pages of Google. Clicking on the link diverted the user to a payday broker's site.

Dr Joseph Somerhalder says brokers have been 'stealing identities'

Web analyst Dr Joseph Somerhalder from search optimisation company Chillicow explained what was happening.

He told Sky News: "They hack into the website. They optimise the website for something that it is not about such as payday loans. Then they wait for the right moment, and then they forward all the history and all the credibility from the old website, the legitimate business, into the illegitimate business."

He added: "It's a bit like stealing your identity online. They take the website's identity and history and they point it somewhere else."

Ricordi is owned by Universal Music Group. A spokesperson for the company said: "We recently discovered the unauthorised access to our Ricordi UK website. UMG takes the protection of its sites very seriously and has implemented measures to prevent a recurrence of this type of event."

But other companies may not be aware of the hacking. Using web analysis software, we found that over 10,000 websites have been compromised by this technique on one server alone.

Sky News spoke to the owners of UK graduate website Gradfunding which was also in the process of being hijacked.

Dr Luke Blaxill, director of the website, said he was also trying to deal with the problem.

"To get rid of this we are going to have to rewrite every bit of code on the website and transfer it to a new server."

The payday loan intrusion meant his company was starting to fall down the listings for its own business operations and it could lose years of building up an online reputation.

Dr Blaxill said: "It has taken years for us to get to the position that we are in this particular market and for that effectively to be almost rewritten overnight by a scammer, is a real problem."

Gradfunding was among the target victim websites

Raiham Islam from Jar Applications, which fixed the problem for Gradfunding, told Sky News: "What they did was inject a malicious code into the web server, and the files trick Google by the method of cloaking.

"They then bomb the site with payday loan links to increase its ranking for payday loans and redirect the traffic to their scam website. That's when the hacker starts making money."

During the investigation we found church website Canada had been hacked for this purpose. We also discovered 21,000 payday loan links had been pointed at a Bonsai society website.

There are concerns these tactics leave UK loan customers exposed to unscrupulous, unregulated brokers.

Over the last two months Sky News conducted test searches on Google for payday loans which produced websites high in the natural listings that were in breach of OFT regulations.

Several had no consumer credit licence, a requirement for any loan broker and lead generator.

Some websites claimed to be 100% secure, but actually had no data protection when customers entered their bank details. This exposes customers to fraud and identity theft.

We also found many websites broke legal requirements on transparency to customers, such as failing to prominently display a representative APR or an address where the company can be contacted.

Sky News found three payday websites involved in dirty tricks

Some legitimate lenders in the industry have told us they are aware of the problem. Many of them advertise on Google's pay per-click service as an alternative to the natural listings.

One lender who did not want to be identified suggested the price of Google's sponsored links have gone up because demand has increased with legitimate companies struggling to get on the natural listings.

"Google could solve this problem by tightening up their algorithm" he suggested. "But they have no incentive to do so. We're all having to use the sponsored listings to get any traffic to our websites."

He added: "But customers don't realise that some companies on the natural listings don't have a consumer credit licence, which means they don't have to tell the customer how much they're going to pay back, which feeds into some of the problems we're seeing at the moment of customers not able to pay back their loans."

Google says its key motivation is to try to direct customers to the best websites.

A spokesman told Sky News: "As part of our on-going effort to reduce webspam and return high-quality websites to our users, we are constantly improving our search algorithm to better detect and decrease rankings for sites that we believe are violating Google's quality guidelines and engaging in webspam tactics to manipulate search engine rankings."

For legal reasons we are not naming the websites linked to hacking but we have passed our evidence to the OFT, which told us: "The OFT is clear regarding the standards it expects from those businesses that it regulates and has publicised an extensive suite of guidance documents. We take very seriously any evidence tending to show that businesses are not meeting the standards set out in our guidance.

"The guidance for credit brokers and intermediaries states that creditors should satisfy themselves that persons they deal with are appropriately licenced. Accepting leads from unlicensed sources would raise concerns about a lender's fitness to hold a consumer credit licence."

At one point during our investigation we found the highest ranking website on Google was a four-day-old domain registered to a field in California.

Just a few days in this position can earn the web owner tens of thousands of pounds. Yet this site was in breach of several regulations and displayed nothing on the website to suggest it was licenced to sell loans in the UK.

Last November, the OFT opened formal investigations into the tactics used by an number of payday lenders. But if the regulator wants to properly police the market, it seems it is going to have to work with Google.

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Flood Fears As Snow Melts And Rain Moves In

Heavy rains combined with milder temperatures which are thawing the snow that has blanketed much of Britain have sparked fears of flooding across the country.

Large parts of the UK are on alert for flooding, and the Met Office is warning people to be prepared for potential travel disruption.

The Environment Agency (EA) has issued 70 warnings across England and Wales, meaning flooding is expected, urging people in the Midlands, South West, Wales and Anglian region to take immediate action against predicted flooding.

Another 309 alerts, meaning flooding is possible, are also in place - increasing every few minutes - after the agency warned of an increased risk of surface water and river flooding.

Flooded roads in Lincolnshire this morning (Pic: Kevin Leach)

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued nine flood warnings and 11 alerts.

The AA said crews had been called to at least 17 motorists stuck in water since midnight.

Staffordshire Police tweeted images of flooding on the A34 around the Meaford Road junction in Stone, earlier, while Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service warned motorists against driving through flood water after being called out to rescue several people.

There were reports of flooding in south Wales overnight after downpours replaced almost two weeks of snow.

The A34 at the Meaford Road junction in Stone, (Pic: Staffordshire Police)

Norfolk Police also reported flooding caused by melting snow and ice, which has closed a number of roads in the area.

Forecasters are predicting a very wet spell through the latter part of Monday and into Tuesday too.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "After very mild, wet and windy weather on Saturday night, snow has melted rapidly. The combination of heavy rain and the thaw has brought flooding in places.

"Flooding will continue to be a concern during Monday and Tuesday as further active frontal systems are set to sweep east bringing gales and heavy rain.

A house collapses in Barnsley, apparently under the weight of fresh snow

"Western and southwestern parts are most at risk with around one to two inches of rainfall, perhaps more on higher ground.

""The outlook is for it to remain generally mild, windy and unsettled."

Rising temperatures of up to 12C (53F) have sparked a rapid thaw of the snow and ice, after heavy snow storms on Friday night left hundreds of people stranded on motorways in the north of England.

The M6 was blocked in both directions between junctions 25 and 27 in Lancashire when a sudden burst of more than a foot of snow brought drivers to a standstill from around 8.30pm.

An EA spokesman said: "Emergency teams from the Environment Agency will be out in force throughout the weekend, shoring up defences, monitoring river levels and clearing blockages from watercourses."

Around 18 buildings were flooded in various locations across Wales on Friday night, including two houses in Solva, Pembrokeshire, and two in Dolgellau, North Wales.

:: Send us your flood photos and videos

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