England Fan In Coma After Italy Bar Fight

A 65-year-old man is in a coma in Italy after a brawl between England fans ahead of the World Cup qualifier against San Marino.

The victim was injured after he was punched in the face and hit his head against the pavement when he fell.

Police called to the scene have arrested another Briton, Matthew Mabey, 21, who is being held on suspicion of serious wounding.

The incident happened outside the Bounty pub in Bologna, where dozens of England fans had gathered ahead of the journey to nearby San Marino for the match, which England won 8-0.

Violence erupted between a group of seven fans who were drinking in the pub.

Paramedics were quickly on the scene and the victim - who reportedly tried to defend himself with a bar stool - was taken to Bologna's Maggiore Hospital for emergency surgery.

Doctors said he was put into an induced coma and described his condition as ''very serious".

A police spokeswoman in Bologna said: "We were called by staff at the pub and by passers by to a fight that had broken out between a group of England fans who had been drinking heavily.

England players training ahead of the match in San Marino

"From what witnesses have told us a group of men surrounded the victim and as they attacked him he picked up a bar stool to defend himself but was then punched once in the face and fell to the ground hitting his head on the pavement.

"He suffered serious injuries and is now in hospital."

The spokesman said that a 48-year-old man also held in connection with the incident has been released.

An employee at the bar said: "They had been in the bar drinking all day, then all of a sudden all hell broke loose and there was shouting and fighting amongst themselves.

"The next minute one man was on the floor. He looked in a bad way and then the ambulance and police arrived."

A UK Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm the arrest of a British national in Italy on 21 March. We are providing consular assistance."

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Body Image: Four-Year-Olds 'Feeling Pressure'

Children as young as four are refusing to eat certain food for fear of being fat, a survey of teachers has found.

Pressure to live up to unrealistic body images leaves many youngsters with anxiety issues, low self-esteem and eating disorders, according to the poll by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL). 

An early years teacher in England told researches: "I work with 4-5 year-olds and some say things like 'I can't eat cheese, it will make me fat'."

And a teacher at a primary school said: "I am very worried to hear little girls as young as 10 talking about being skinny and dieting."

The survey, which questioned almost 700 primary and secondary teachers in February and March, also indicated that boys are under almost as much pressure as girls to have the "perfect" body.

It found 84% believe that there is pressure on girls to have or maintain a certain body image, with two thirds (66%) saying boys are facing the same issue.

And this pressure is increasing - almost two thirds (63%) of those surveyed said there is more pressure on young people to have a certain body image now than 10 years ago.

The school staff also expressed concerns that pupils who worry about their body image were trying to control their weight and appearance.

Young girls are using sunbeds or spray tans

More than half (54%) of the teachers surveyed said that they knew of girls who had dieted due to concerns about their body image, with just under a third (30%) saying they knew of boys who had started excessive exercise regimes.

In addition, over a fifth (22%) said boys were using protein shakes and supplements to improve their physique.

Almost half (48%) suggested that girls had developed eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia due to pressure to live up to a certain body image.

A head of department at a secondary school in England said: "I've heard girls aged 15 say, without a hint of irony, 'I'm dieting but I need to keep my boobs so boys will like me."'

Almost half (46%) also said that girls are wearing clothes to disguise their body shape, while over half (51%) suggested that girls are choosing outfits that "flaunt" their bodies, and 29% claimed that girls are using sunbeds or spray tans.

ATL general secretary Dr Mary Bousted said: "Young people are under tremendous pressure to have or maintain often unrealistic body images portrayed in the media.

"ATL members report that this not only impacts on female pupils but increasingly leads to low self-esteem, lack of confidence and anxiety in male pupils too.

"With academic and other social pressures young people already have enough to deal with."

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Weather: Snow And Rain Continues To Batter UK

Britain is continuing to endure extreme winter storms as snow, rain, high winds and freezing temperatures affect large swathes of the country.

The severe weather, which has already claimed the life of one woman, has been extending south, hitting areas around London and Kent, where there could be 2cm-5cm of snow on higher ground, forecasters said.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for the public to be aware as a slow-moving band of rain, sleet and snow makes its way across many central and northern parts, and the south and east.

There may be 5-10cm of snow at lower levels and further significant snow accumulations are likely on hills, with continued drifting and blizzard conditions in strong southeasterly winds. 

A yellow warning has been issued for the pubic to be alert

Tens of thousands of homes in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Cumbria remain without power, while many roads are impassable and runways have been forced to close.

In Northern Ireland, 6ft snow drifts left emergency crews struggling to get through but electricity returned to 5,000 homes overnight.

But about 35,000 customers were still cut off and teams were out again from first light to continue with network repairs, Northern Ireland Electricity said.

Birmingham Airport earlier suspended all arrivals and departures due to heavy snowfall but later resumed flights and added some may be subject to delay or cancellation.

Leeds Bradford Airport said flights were not currently operating due to the adverse weather conditions. There was also disruption at East Midlands Airport.

The AA has warned motorists that even short journeys may be difficult, and there could be a repeat of the scenes in southern England last week when hundreds of drivers were stranded in their cars overnight.

A snow plough is pictured toppled over in the bad weather

The South West, which was hit by heavy rain and floods on Friday, is expected to have a relatively dry day, with only one flood warning, meaning flooding is expected, in place.

A further 88 flood alerts, where flooding is possible, remain for that region as well as the South East, the Midlands and Anglia.

Sky weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "Southeast England, East Anglia, the Midlands, north Wales, northern England, Northern Ireland and much of Scotland can expect snow today.

"High ground will be worst affected with some heavy snow at times with drifting in the strong winds and also blizzards.

"Low levels could see 5-10cm, two to four inches, of snowfall today although amounts will probably be lower across London."

She added: "Southwest England, south Wales and southern Ireland looks largely dry and relatively mild with some brighter spells.

"A few showers may nudge into the extreme southwest later. Tonight will stay dry with a frost forming in places."

The bad weather has also hit the sporting calendar, with racing at Doncaster and Newbury called off and some football games in England and Scotland postponed.

The rain was a particular problem on Friday in Cornwall, where a landslide, thought to have been triggered by torrential rain, smashed through a block of flats, partially collapsing the building.

Emergency crews found a woman's body after picking through debris at the Veronica flats in Looe on Friday night.

A woman died when this house in Looe collapsed

The body is believed to be that of Susan Norman, who was in her 60s and had been unaccounted for, according to the police.

Meanwhile, Electricity North West said about 1,500 properties in Cumbria remain without power but repair work was being held back by road closures, preventing access to some communities.

The company said it was considering using a helicopter to transport engineers to the areas to which power could not immediately be restored.

A complete blackout was reported for between 15 and 30 minutes across Belfast on Friday evening.

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Experts Defuse Bomb Found In Northern Ireland

Army experts have defused a bomb found in a car in County Fermanagh, in Northern Ireland, Sky sources confirm.

The device was discovered about 16 miles away from the venue of the upcoming  G-8 Summit, which will be held in June.

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Olympic Stadium: West Ham Handed The Keys

West Ham have been handed the keys for the Olympic Stadium after a deal for the London 2012 venue was finally agreed.

The announcement ends a seven-year battle for the showpiece venue in Stratford between rival football clubs that often saw the process bogged down by legal challenges.

West Ham were named preferred bidders ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton Orient in December, but negotiations with the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) have been lengthy and complicated.

However, the LLDC announced this morning that a deal has now been signed off that sees the Barclays Premier League club become anchor tenants under a 99-year lease.

Plans for the revamped stadium were also unveiled, with the reported £150m facelift due to be completed in time for the 2016-17 football season.

West Ham's David Sullivan and David Gold say the decision is "fantastic"

It will be transformed into a 54,000-seater venue, with the Hammers now set to embark on a supporter consultation process.

West Ham joint chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold said in a statement: "It's fantastic for everyone at West Ham United that at last all the club's hard work over the past three years has paid off.

"Since we came to West Ham in 2010 we have had a vision to really take the club forward so West Ham United can compete on the pitch at the highest level.

"Today's decision offers us a real platform to do this and we are fully committed to making it a real success.

"We understand the responsibilities that come with calling the nation's iconic Olympic Stadium, which will be converted into a world-class football stadium, our new home. It is an honour we will take on with pride."

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Child Smokers: Thousands More Take Up Habit

The number of children who have taken up smoking has risen by 50,000 in just one year - the equivalent of 567 a day.

About 207,000 children aged 11 to 15 started to smoke in 2011, a sharp rise from 157,000 in 2010, Cancer Research UK said.

Almost one in three (27%) of under-16s have tried smoking at least once, a study by the charity found.

It urged the Government to commit to having all cigarettes put in plain standardised packs.

Sarah Woolnough, executive director of policy and information at Cancer Research UK, said: "With such a large number of youngsters starting to smoke every year, urgent action is needed to tackle the devastation caused by tobacco.

"Replacing slick, brightly-coloured packs that appeal to children with standard packs displaying prominent health warnings is a vital part of efforts to protect health.

"Reducing the appeal of cigarettes with plain, standardised packs will give millions of children one less reason to start smoking."

Last April, the Government launched a consultation on plans to introduce mandatory standardised packaging for tobacco products.

Health campaigners have welcomed the proposal, although opponents claim it would lead to increased smuggling and job losses.

Information generated by the consultation, which closed in August, is still being analysed by health officials.

In December, Australia became the first country in the world to put all tobacco products in standardised packs.

Cigarette packets and other products are all sold in a standardised colour, with only the brand name and graphic warnings visible.

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Military Honours: Heroes Rewarded For Bravery

A medic who treated a British soldier on the battlefield while under fire from the Taliban is among 118 heroes to get a military bravery award.

Lance Corporal Abbie Martin, 20, said she was "petrified" as she treated the injured comrade in Afghanistan with bullets flying overhead - but "my training kicked in".

Last weekend it was revealed that Lance-Corporal James Ashworth became the first recipient of the Victoria Cross since 2006 after being awarded it posthumously.

Captain Michael Dobbin, 28, from the Grenadier Guards, who was on the same patrol as L Cpl Ashworth when he died, is to receive the Military Cross.

He personally led a 200m charge at insurgents in Nahr-e-Saraj last summer.

Captain Michael Dobbin led a 200m charge at insurgents

L/Cpl Martin, 20, told Sky News how she was on her first tour of duty and leapt into action when she heard there was a "man down" on the battlefiield.

"At first I was hiding and then everyone was giving me fire support so I could get to the guy and treat him," she said.

"I was just thinking about the casualty - all the things I could do for him - my training just kicked in - as well as not getting shot."

She added: "It was the most petrifying experience of my life but I knew I had that job and I had to do it."

Several days later, despite a struggle to come to terms with the horror of her first patrol, she treated multiple casualties after a grenade blast, saving all the injured.

L/Cpl Martin receives the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service, which recognises meritorious service during, or in support of, operations.

The list also includes Lance Corporal Lawrence Kayser, who is awarded the Military Cross.

Lance Corporal Lawrence Kayser fought with shrapnel in his arm

He saved colleagues from a "potentially disastrous situation" in Helmand in June 2012 when his platoon came upon the enemy while preparing an ambush.

When L/Cpl Kayser, from Woodton, Norfolk, and his platoon suddenly came under fire, the 27-year-old leapt from a ditch and charged Taliban fighters.

He shot one enemy in his path before being hit by shrapnel from a grenade, which wounded his arm, but fought on, driving insurgents out of the compound.

He said: "I am really humbled, my platoon is made up of the best members of the Battalion.

"It's not my medal, even though part of that incident I was alone, I wasn't truly alone."

Also honoured are Sergeant Roy Geddes, 43, from the RAF Regiment, and Corporal Kurt Lee, also from the RAF.

The pair battled insurgents when they attacked Camp Bastion in September last year, where Prince Harry was serving his tour of duty as an Apache gunner.

Sergeant Roy Geddes 'breathed fire into the spirit of his men'

Sgt Geddes, from Elgin, Monmouthshire, receives the Military Cross after it is said he "breathed fire into the spirit of his men" when Camp Bastion was attacked.

He fought on despite being wounded in the knee after one of his vehicles was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

Sgt Geddes is only the second member of the RAF to receive the MC for action in Afghanistan.

He is recognised alongside Cpl Lee, 28, from Bury, Lancashire, who is Mentioned In Despatches for his own role in the battle.

Praising the recipients of the honours, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "In a changing world the bravery and commitment to duty of our servicemen and women remains unswerving.

"Whether fighting for our security on operations abroad or rescuing mountaineers and sailors within the British Isles, they deserve our gratitude and respect.

"I hope that the awards announced today go some way to underlining how much this country values the efforts and sacrifices of our Armed Forces."

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Woman And Child Killed By Train At Station

A woman and a child have died after being hit by a train at Riddlesdown rail station in Purley, South London, police say.

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Archbishop Of Canterbury Due To Be Enthroned

The new Archbishop of Canterbury has revealed he is looking forward to meeting and working with Pope Francis as both religious leaders start their high-profile roles.

Speaking ahead of his inauguration at Canterbury Cathedral, The Most Rev Justin Welby told Sky News presenter Eamonn Holmes on Sunrise: "The papacy is a completely different thing to an Archbishop of Canterbury.

"I am one of almost 100 English bishops with a particular role, whereas he is the head of the Roman Catholic Church globally.

"I am greatly looking forward to meeting him. His story - his life story - is extraordinary. He is a great intellectual, but also an incredibly pastoral and simple, down-to-earth character.

"I am absolutely sure that we will be able to work together on a vast number of issues."

The Archbishop chose to visit West Sussex on Tuesday as part of a pilgrimage of his own around five English cities this month, instead of the Vatican for Pope Francis' inauguration.

He will lead 80 million Christians - in comparison to the Pope, who is leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.

The Most Rev Justin Welby with his wife Caroline

However, they do have one thing in common. Like the newly-installed Pope, the Archbishop also likes to travel on the bus.

"I don't know what he will do, but I find it the easiest way of getting around," he said.

In the process of moving into Lambeth Palace, he conceded: "It is a very different life, it'll take a while to settle. We have a very close family. They tease relentlessly and keep my feet very firmly on the ground."

He faces many divisive issues within the Church, including women bishops, gay clergy and relations with the Catholic Church.

"I think reconciliation is about learning to be very different ... and continue to love and care for each other as we should within the Church, and within society to be able to hold very different views without being destructive," he said.

"One of the greatest challenges of my job is following Rowan Williams because he was such an extraordinary, exceptional, wonderful man, and such a wonderful Archbishop."

When he is not working, he likes to spend time with his family, reading and running. Asked what he likes to watch on TV, he confessed he has not owned one for the last two years.

"I love The West Wing. If I want to kick back I watch something like The West Wing - and I must start watching the new series of The Newsroom.

"We do now have a TV and I do watch a bit. The great thing I love about the telly is I like happy endings, simple stories and things that don't make me think too much. Though I do watch some more serious stuff, but not too much, because life is pretty serious on the whole and telly is great entertainment."

The Most Rev Welby was named as Dr Rowan Williams' successor in November and is due to be enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury in a service at Canterbury Cathedral later.

The father-of-five resigned as an oil executive in 1987 after 11 years in the industry to train for the Anglican priesthood.

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Truro: Woman Dies After Car Rolls Into River

An elderly woman has drowned after the car she was in slid into a river from a ferry slipway.

The vehicle plunged into the River Fal while waiting to board the King Harry Ferry near Truro, Cornwall, at around 4pm on Wednesday.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the male driver was not in the vehicle at the time of the car entering the water and escaped unharmed.

The body of the woman was recovered by emergency services two hours later. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police and divers were involved in the search and rescue, alongside fire crews, the Falmouth and Portscatho Coastguard, all-weather RNLI lifeboats and the Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter from Culdrose.

In a statement, the operators of the King Harry Ferry said the car went into the water when the ferry was at the Feock side of the river.

"Our heartfelt thoughts go out to the friends and family of everyone involved in this tragedy," the statement said.

Police are appealing for witnesses with any information to call them on 101 quoting log number 456 20/03/13.

The King Harry Ferry connects St Mawes and the Roseland Peninsula with Feock, Truro and Falmouth and is an alternative route to a 27-mile journey through Truro and Tresillian. It has been operating since 1888.

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One Dead After Train Hits Car On Crossing

One person has died after a train travelling from Devon to London hit a car on a level crossing in Somerset.

The crash happened on the half-barrier crossing near Athelney, which is on the line between Taunton and Castle Cary.

The car became trapped under the front of the train and British Transport Police (BTP) have said the victim was declared dead at the scene.

There have been no reports of any passengers on the train being injured.

A lengthy line of rescue vehicles gathered in Stanmoor Road to help in the recovery phase.

A spokesman for British Transport Police (BTP) said: "Shortly before 6.30am, BTP was called to reports of a car having been struck by a train at Athelney automatic half-barrier level crossing.

"The train involved is the 0546 Exeter to London Paddington service. The train has not been derailed and there are no reports of any injuries to anyone on board.

"The car is trapped under the front of the train and services are currently stopped in the area.

"There was one person in the car who has been pronounced dead at the scene. An investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances leading up to the incident."

Rail operator First Great Western has been using a limited bus replacement service between Taunton and Westbury.

At around 8am the company tweeted: "Due to this disruption customers travelling between London Paddington and Exeter are advised to travel via Bristol Temple Meads."

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Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell In Court

Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell will stand trial in September charged with 19 child sex offences.

The star, who plays car mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV soap, made his first appearance at Manchester Crown Court today under his real name of Michael Turner.

The 48-year-old is charged with six counts of raping a child, six allegations of indecently assaulting a child and seven counts of sexual activity with a child.

The alleged offences relate to one complainant and all took place between 2001 and 2010.

During the preliminary hearing, which lasted about 10 minutes, Le Vell, wearing a dark pinstripe suit, white shirt and black tie, spoke only to confirm his name.

Six members of his family sat in the public gallery of the packed courtroom.

Le Vell arriving for the hearing, which took place in a packed court

Le Vell has not yet entered a plea but has stated publicly that he is innocent and will fight the allegations through the courts.

Prosecutor Eleanor Laws told Judge Michael Henshell that a plea hearing will take place on May 17 followed by a two to three-week trial starting on September 2.

Alisdair Williamson, defending, asked for an earlier trial date, saying: "Mr Turner has had this hanging over his head for 18 months."

But Judge Henshell said the September date should be fixed and granted the actor bail until the plea hearing, at the same court, in May.

Asked by the judge if he understood, Le Vell nodded and said "Thank you", before leaving the dock.

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Winchester Prison: Inspectors Slam Conditions

Two severely disabled prisoners were locked up in a cell for nearly 24 hours a day and had not showered for months, an inspection has found.

The pair were jailed in the cell at HMP Winchester - designed for just one person - and relied on other prisoners to take them their meals, HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) found.

Staff were unaware that the two older and disabled prisoners could not use the shower on their landing as it was not adapted accordingly.

The men had a small window in their cell that was painted over so they had to choose between keeping out the cold or shutting out the light, the report added.

Elsewhere, one third of the 680 prisoners told inspectors illegal drugs were "easily available", while one in 10 developed a drug habit within the jail walls.

The category B prison, partly built in the 19th century, has deteriorated sharply and is now of serious concern, Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick said.

"Until shortly before the inspection, HMP Winchester was neglected and drifting," Mr Hardwick said.

"There had been pockets of good practice and, although many staff did their best, their efforts were often haphazard, inconsistent and badly coordinated."

In a damning report, the inspectorate said that more than half of prisoners had felt unsafe at some time, while there was insufficient action to tackle violence.

Mr Hardwick said a new governor was appointed shortly before the inspection.

He said: "The new leadership was aware of many of the problems and we saw early signs of a determined effort to tackle them.

"But the prison is just at the start of the process of putting things right again, and it will be a long, hard task to do so."

National Offender Management Service chief executive Michael Spurr said: "As the chief inspector acknowledges, the new governor has begun to tackle the deficiencies and I am confident that these will be properly addressed and rectified."

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Missing Children Policy 'Is Sex Abuse Risk'

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

A children's charity has accused police chiefs of putting vulnerable children at risk of sex abuse with a new definition of "missing persons".

Chief constables say a new two-tier definition will give better protection to children and vulnerable adults.

Full investigations will still be launched into "missing" cases, but specialist officers will record and monitor only those who regularly go "absent" and explore the reasons why.

From next month the new approach will be applied by all police forces to the 327,000 people reported missing each year, two-thirds of whom are children.

But David Tucker, of the NSPCC, said: "We are very concerned that the new definition of 'missing persons' will put vulnerable children at risk of being groomed and sexually exploited. The length of time a child goes missing is irrelevant because they can fall into the clutches of abusers very quickly.

"Children go missing for a variety of reasons; they may be bullied, abused or are generally unhappy. But whatever the reason, this problem must be taken seriously.

"We expect all professionals including the police to invest the right amount of time and take the necessary action to protect all children as soon as they go missing."

Until now all missing person calls were treated the same, with response officers called out to investigate until the person was located.

Police call handlers will now put calls into one of two categories: missing or absent.

The new definition of "missing" will be: "Not at the place they are expected to be, but the circumstances are out of character or the context suggests they may be subject of a crime or at risk of harm to themselves or others."

The definition of "absent" will be: "Not at a place where they are expected or required to be."

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) hopes the new policy will cut bureaucracy and stop officers from being seen as 'taxi drivers' sent to collect runaway children who regularly abscond.

Chief Constable Pat Geenty said: "The police are often the first agency to take a missing person report and our aim is to ensure we get the best possible response to those most at risk of harm.

"This means identifying these cases early so that policing resources go where they are most needed. We need to move beyond a one-size-fits-all response".

The new policy will be introduced nationally in April after being piloted in three police forces as part of the joint Home Office and Acpo Reducing Bureaucracy programme.

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David Bowie Show Is V&A's Fastest-Selling

The Victoria and Albert Museum's David Bowie exhibition has become its fastest-selling event and it hasn't even opened yet.

More than 300 objects have been brought together for the first time to celebrate the singer's 50-year career, including costumes, photographs, film, set designs, and hand-written lyrics.

Although Bowie was not directly involved in the exhibition, the museum was given unprecedented access to the David Bowie Archive.

It showcases seminal items such as the Ziggy Stardust bodysuits from 1972, music videos such as Boys Keep Swinging and set designs created for the Diamond Dogs tour in 1974.

Never-before-seen personal items such as story boards, Bowie's own sketches, musical scores and diary entries, as well as hand-written set lists and lyrics with be on public show for the first time.

The exhibition, which opens this weekend and runs until August 11, is already the V&A's fastest selling on pre-sale tickets alone.

A spokeswoman for the museum said: "We have sold over 47,000 tickets for the exhibition. It is the most pre-sale tickets that we have ever recorded for an exhibition."

Three years in the making, it has coincided with The Next Day, Bowie's first number one album since 1993's Black Tie White Noise, although this was not planned.

The exhibition features 60 stage costumes, including Kansai Yamamoto's designs for the Aladdin Sane tour of 1973 and a Union Jack coat designed by Bowie and Alexander McQueen for the 1997 Earthling Album cover.

In January, Bowie released the surprise single Where Are We Now? to coincide with his 66th birthday.

A critically acclaimed video was released for the second single, The Stars (Are Out Tonight), co-starring English actress Tilda Swinton.

His new album, The Next Day, went straight to number one on iTunes when it was released.

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David Hockney Aide Death Cause Unknown

A post-mortem has shown "no obvious natural causes" for the death of David Hockney's personal assistant, police have said.

Dominic Elliott died in hospital on Sunday morning after he was taken ill at the world-famous artist's house in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, on Saturday.

A Humberside Police spokesman said: "A post-mortem was carried out on the body of 23-year-old Dominic Elliott yesterday at Hull Royal Infirmary mortuary and it showed no obvious natural causes for his death.

"Further tests will now be carried out, the results of which will not be known for some weeks.

"Mr Elliott's family has been fully updated by Humberside Police."

Mr Hockney's home in Bridlington, East Yorkshire

Officers are continuing to investigate how Mr Elliott became ill before he was taken to Scarborough Hospital by a friend.

Keen sportsman Mr Elliott worked as a personal assistant to the 75-year-old artist, setting up equipment and helping in his studio.

He was the subject of more than one Hockney portrait.

Humberside Police said earlier this week that the circumstances of his death were "not clear" but there was no sign of violence.

Hockney, who is not thought to be the friend who drove Mr Elliott to hospital, is said to be extremely upset by the death.

The Bradford-born painter is sometimes referred to as Britain's greatest living artist and is one of the most influential cultural figures of the last 50 years.

His famous works include A Bigger Splash and the portrait Mr And Mrs Clark And Percy.

As well as his detached house near the seafront in Bridlington, Hockney has homes in London and Los Angeles.

Mr Elliott was a well-known local sportsman and tributes have been paid to him by team-mates at Bridlington Rugby Club and Driffield Hockey Club.

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Roache: Abuse Victims 'Punished For Past Sins'

The actor who plays Coronation Street's Ken Barlow has seemingly claimed victims of sexual abuse are being punished for their behaviour in "previous lives".

Bill Roache made the comments in a television interview, during which he said famous men can be "caught in this trap" by young female fans who follow their movements.

Speaking to New Zealand's TVNZ, he said of the victims: "If you accept that you are pure love ... and therefore live that pure love, these things won't happen to you."

He was then pressed by reporter Garth Bray, who asked: "To some people that sounds perhaps like you're saying victims bring things on themselves. Is that what you're saying?"

Michael Le Vell arrives at court

The 80-year-old replied: "No, not quite, but then yes I am. Everything that happens to us is the result of what we have been in previous lives."

Roache's co-star of 30 years, Michael Le Vell, has been suspended from the ITV soap after he was charged with 19 child sex offences.

Le Vell, whose real name is Michael Turner, appeared in court last month and was bailed until his next appearance in the dock at Manchester Crown Court.

During his interview with TVNZ, Roache insisted: "Everyone's innocent until they're proven guilty."

He described paedophilia as "absolutely horrendous" but added: "There's a fringe here ... particularly pop stars who have these groupies, these girls, who are sexually active and sexually mature.

"They don't ask for their birth certificate and they don't know what age they may be.

"They're certainly not grooming them and exploiting them but they can be caught in this trap."

He added: "These people are instantly stigmatised. Some will be innocent and some will not, but until such time as (any offence) is proven, there should be anonymity for both.

"If someone has done something wrong, the law should take its course. But whether they're proven guilty or not, we should never be judgemental about anyone.

"We shouldn't go round condemning. We should be forgiving about everything."

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Boris Admits: 'I'd Love A Crack At PM'

Boris Johnson has admitted that he would like to be prime minister but insisted "it's not going to happen".

The Mayor of London, considered a future rival to David Cameron, said he would love to "have a crack" at the job.

But he likened the idea to the prospect of him being a renowned painter or composer - or the lead singer of a top band.

He was asked whether he harboured ambitions for the top job in British politics in a forthcoming documentary.

Michael Cockerell, who made the programme for BBC2, told the Radio Times Mr Johnson said: "I would like to be the lead singer of an international rock group. That was my aim, or a good guitarist.

"I would love to have been a world-famous painter or a composer. There are many things that I would like to have been able to do."

When the documentary-maker pressed him again, he replied: "I think it's a very tough job being prime minister.

"Obviously, if the ball came loose from the back of a scrum - which it won't - it would be a great, great thing to have a crack at. But it's not going to happen."

Boris Johnson with David Cameron at the Olympics

Mr Johnson, 48, is seen by some Tories as the party's best hope for the future if Mr Cameron loses the next general election in 2015.

He enjoys huge popular support and veteran MP Sir Peter Tapsell, 83, is said to have offered to vacate his seat for him.

But the flamboyant politician has pledged to stay on as Mayor of London until 2016 and last week urged Tories to "put a sock in it and back the Prime Minister".

Mr Johnson and Mr Cameron, who is two years younger, both studied together at Eton and then Oxford University.

According to Cockerell, Mr Johnson painted a self-portrait when he was 12 which saw him resemble a Grecian demi-God.

His sister Rachel confirms that he always set his sights high as a child. "As Boris was growing up whenever anyone asked him what he wanted to be, he would answer: 'World King'," she said.

She added that he and Mr Cameron are "rather sweet" together because the Prime Minister "even though he's taller looks at Boris as if he's still head boy at Eton.

"Remember, Cameron was two years younger - the young pup."

Boris has pledged to stay as London Mayor until 2016

Asked whether Mr Johnson was now resentful as Mr Cameron had become Prime Minister, she said: "No, it gives Boris a sense of continuing superiority because he was Captain of the School."

Mr Johnson said that he vaguely remembered Mr Cameron at Eton, where the younger pupil was known as "Cameron minor" because his older brother was also at the exclusive school.

"I do remember Dave," he said. "Someone said to me once, 'That's Cameron mi' and there was this tiny chap, I dimly remember."

He also revealed his embarrassment about being a member of the notorious Bullingdon Club, a dining group for ex-public schoolboys at Oxford, whose members also included Mr Cameron.

"This is a truly shameful vignette of almost superhuman undergraduate arrogance, toffishness and twittishness," he said.

"But at the time you felt it was wonderful to be going round swanking it up. Or was it? Actually I remember the dinners being incredibly drunken."

Asked about the club's reputation for smashing up restaurants, he admitted: "Yes. And the abiding memory is of deep, deep self-loathing."

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Weather: No Sign Of Spring Amid More Snow

Snow has covered the north of the UK overnight as persistently cold weather keeps an unusual grip on March.

Heavy snow - up to 10cm across lowlands and 25cm on higher ground - has fallen across Scotland, with temperatures hovering around a bitter three degrees.

Sky News Weather Presenter Isobel Lang warned people to prepare for disruption.

She said: "Heavy snow and strong winds will bring travel disruption today with the worst of the conditions likely to be across central and eastern Scotland, northeast England and Northern Ireland.

"Bitter east winds will blow the snow around causing drifting and blizzard conditions."

The outlook for the rest of the UK also looks typically unseasonal.

Lang said: "Heavy showers in other parts of Britain could also bring hail, sleet or snow, especially later today and tonight."

Several inches of snow have fallen in Scotland

Meanwhile, the whole country should be braced for further snow storms and cold wet weather throughout the week - and beyond.

"Tomorrow may start with some snow in the morning, perhaps disruptive in places, but it should turn drier during the day.

"Concerns increase again, though, later in the week as wet and windy weather, preceded by snow, moves in across the southwest and spreads north across the country.

"Although rainfall totals may be enough to cause some problems across the south and southwest, it is likely to be snow that is most disruptive, especially across central and northern parts," Lang said.

The latest snowy spell continues a cold month across the UK which has brought an unwelcome delay to springtime weather.

Forecasters said that while snow was not uncommon in March, the persistent dumpings and low temperatures were unusual.

It is too early to predict if it will be a white Easter or not, but Lang warned that the run-up looked "unsettled and unspring-like".

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Michael Owen: Ex-England Star To Retire

Former England striker Michael Owen is retiring from professional football at the end of the season at the age of 33.

Owen scored 40 times in 89 England appearances, including a memorable solo goal from the halfway line in a World Cup knockout match against Argentina in 1998.

The tally placed him fourth on the country's all-time scorers list behind Bobby Charlton, Gary Lineker and Jimmy Greaves.

Writing on his personal website, Owen said: "I now feel it is the right time to bring the curtain down on my career.

"I have been very fortunate in that my career has taken me on a journey that like many young players starting out, I could only have dreamt of."

Shortly after his announcement he tweeted: "I'm overwhelmed. So many nice messages. Having known it for a while I thought I would be ok. Reduced to tears watching."

Owen made his first team debut at Liverpool at the age of 17 and later played at Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City, which he joined last year.

He won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award for European footballer of the year in 2001, but since joining Stoke at the start of the season and has scored one goal in seven appearances.

Owen said none of his achievements "would have been possible without the tremendous support I have received from managers, coaches, fellow players, back room staff, the supporters and my own personal sponsors.

"I would like to thank each and every one for the huge role they have played in helping me reach the top of my profession."

He went on to thank his family, including his father, Terry Owen, who was also a professional footballer saying: "From those freezing local parks to terrorising the best defenders in the World on the biggest stages of all. I couldn't have done it without you."

Owen scored 179 goals in 306 appearances for Liverpool, his formative club, but his career lost momentum after he joined Real Madrid in 2004.

Unable to make an impression in Spain, he returned to England with Newcastle the following year, but he became plagued by injuries that ultimately curtailed his England career.

A three-year spell at Manchester United yielded his first Premier League winner's medal, in 2011, but he was only ever used as a back-up player and left the club when his contract expired last year.

Owen, who married Louise Bonsall in 2005 has four children.

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Child Porn Is Top Web Concern, Says Watchdog

Child porn is the number one concern among adults when considering a range of harmful content online, a watchdog has revealed.

A survey by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which was set up in 1996 as a UK hotline to report criminal content online, discovered that four percent of men and two percent of women have come into contact with images of child abuse.

However, the survey showed around 40% of Britons would not know how to report child porn if they were to encounter it.

IWF chief executive Susie Hargreaves said: "There is clear public concern over the availability of images and videos of children being sexually abused over the internet.

"What is concerning for us is that not enough people know how to report this or would rather ignore it, especially considering the survey tells us that around 1.5 million British adults have seen this sort of content online.

"Although we've seen record removal times in the UK, during 2012 we saw a higher proportion of images of children under 10 years old being sexually abused."

Around 77% of those surveyed were most concerned by child porn, while 73% were worried about terrorist websites and 68% were concerned by extreme and violent porn.

Just under two-thirds were concerned with hate sites, which display racist or homophobic material, 61% were worried about suicide content and around half of those surveyed were concerned by eating disorder sites.

In the whole of 2012, the IWF logged just 73 UK sites hosting child sexual abuse images or videos, compared with 9,477 hosted in other countries around the world.

Of the 73 UK web pages, 41 of them - 56% - were then removed within 60 minutes of the IWF notifying the host company or internet service provider.

But Ms Hargreaves added: "We are also very aware that there are internet hosting companies in the UK which could do more, and faster, who are not members of IWF.

"We have a responsibility to do all we can to help protect children - and adults who were abused as children - from having their abuse viewed time and time again.

"We need to prevent people from stumbling upon this content and assist other countries in creating a hostile environment for hosting it."

The ComRes poll surveyed a sample of 2,058 British adults.

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Snow Warning: New Cold Snap Brings More Misery

Another cold snap is on its way, with parts of the country facing more snow and freezing temperatures, forecasters say.

Scotland and the north of England are expected to see up to 20cm (eight inches) of snow build up from today into Wednesday morning, with temperatures dropping as low as minus 15C (5F) overnight.

The cold weather also meant more misery for road and rail travellers on Monday morning with serious disruption on a number of key commuter routes.

The Met Office has issued a yellow severe weather warning for today and tomorrow, urging those in the regions likely to be affected by snow to be aware.

The Grampians, eastern parts of the Southern Uplands, the Lake District and the Pennines are expected to be hit hard.

Wales, the Midlands, East Anglia and parts of the South East may also wake to a covering of up to one inch of snow on Wednesday morning and overnight frost is expected throughout the country.

The frost has caused problems for some south-east England train companies were hit by a build-up of ice on the "third rail" from which trains get their power.

Services in Hampshire, Surrey and Kent were particularly affected, with a number of trains being delayed and cancelled.

On the main line in Kent, the third rail problem meant there were delays of up to 50 minutes to trains between Sevenoaks and Orpington, while trains were unable to run between Havant in Hampshire and Guildford in Surrey.

There were also problems on the Tube where late-running engineering work meant a closure of a large section of the Metropolitan line at the start of the rush hour.

Services did resume later, but with severe delays.

Meanwhile, flights in and out of Leeds-Bradford Airport were halted on Monday morning after about 3cm of snow fell. Passengers were asked to check with their airline or tour operator before heading to the airport.

The A66 across the Pennines between Bowes, County Durham, and Stainmore, Cumbria, was also closed because of heavy snow.

The Met Office's yellow warning for the UK

A Durham Police spokeswoman said: "There are currently tailbacks of traffic while this process is under way."

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said the wintry weather would continue even as the spring equinox takes place.

"Snow and strong, cold east winds will cause disruption across eastern Scotland later on Monday and into Tuesday," she said.

"Over 10cm to 20cm (4in to 8in) of snow is forecast, with the highest accumulations over hills. It will feel freezing cold.

"Snow is likely in other areas too, for example across the Cumbrian Fells and Pennines today, and perhaps across eastern England later on Tuesday too.

"Drier, clearer weather midweek will lead to some widespread sharp frosts with lows of minus five to minus 10 Celsius."

Lang said the current conditions are in marked contrast to those last year when high pressure brought a settled and sunny period to much of the UK.

She explained: "Temperatures popped up to 22.8C at St James' Park at the end of the month, and broke Scottish records for March when Aboyne in Aberdeenshire hit 23.6C on March 27."

The third rail difficulties also meant delays for passengers travelling between Reading and Wokingham in Berkshire and there were no services between Alton in Hampshire and Farnham in Surrey and delays between East Grinstead in West Sussex and Oxted in Surrey.

The problem also led to delays of up to 45 minutes for passengers travelling between Horsham and Three Bridges in West Sussex, while similar-length hold-ups were hitting services between Tonbridge in Kent and Redhill in Surrey.

To add to passengers' woes, over-running engineering works caused disruption at Norwich, with trains between Norwich and Cromer/Great Yarmouth/Lowestoft delayed.

London Midland, which has suffered staff problems over recent months, had to replace trains with buses between Nuneaton and Coventry due to a shortage of train crew.

London Midland, and Virgin Trains, also suffered delays between Northampton/Rugby and Milton Keynes Central due to a signalling problem.

Another signalling problem near Glasgow meant trains could not run between Paisley Canal and Glasgow Central, while passengers were warned of possible delays and cancellations to trains East Kilbride and Glasgow Central.

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David Hockney: Artist's Assistant Dead

A man has died in hospital after being taken there from the home of artist David Hockney in Bridlington, say Sky sources.

It is understood that the man was 23-year old Dominic Elliott, a close friend and studio assistant to Hockney.

He was taken to Scarborough General Hospital at 6am on Sunday.

Humberside Police said they were contacted by the hospital shortly after a man arrived in a serious condition.

Curtains drawn at Hockney's house in Bridlington

"The 23-year-old man was sadly pronounced dead at hospital and the police notified," a police spokesman said.

"The circumstances of the man's death are not clear and officers are currently undertaking enquiries to establish events leading to his death.

"There were no signs of violence and a post-mortem examination is due to take place tomorrow which is hoped may provide further information."

Sky's North of England Correspondent Gerard Tubb said Mr Elliott was in Hockney's inner circle and helped the artist set up equipment.

In a statement, Bridlington Rugby Club said: "(The club) would like to send their condolences to the family of Dom Elliott.

"He played for the club at both second team and first team level. He will be sadly missed by all the players and club members."

David Hockney, 75, is one of the most famous British artists of his generation, and was celebrated at the Royal Academy of Arts last year with an exhibition of his large scale landscapes, called A Bigger Picture.

Born in Bradford, he is famous for artworks such as A Bigger Splash, a vivid depiction of a Los Angeles swimming pool, and the portrait Mr And Mrs Clark And Percy.

In recent years he has been exploring the possibilities of using an iPad for his artworks.

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'Hundreds Of Victims' In New Hacking Plot

Police have found a new conspiracy to intercept voicemails with "potentially hundreds more victims" the Law Courts have been told.

More follows...

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Uncovered: The Public Bodies Snooping On You

The Department for Transport is among a range of public organisations that have paid private firms to spy on their behalf, while it has been claimed some 14 bodies, including 10 councils, may have commissioned potentially illegal surveillance.

The findings, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by civil liberties and privacy campaigners Big Brother Watch (BBW), showed that £3.9m has been spent by public bodies in the last two years on paying private investigators for surveillance work  - including snooping on their own staff.

A total of  29 organisations - 27 councils, one public authority and one government department, the DfT - paid private firms to undertake surveillance using powers under Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) in the years 2010/11 and 2011/12.

But some 14 organisations - 10 councils and four public authorities - paid private firms to undertake surveillance that was not covered by Ripa - meaning they commissioned potentially illegal activity.

Two public authorities and two councils paid other public bodies to spy on their behalf at a cost of £7,600, while four councils - Caerphilly, Dudley, Leicestershire and York - used private investigators to monitor their own staff.

BBW director Nick Pickles said: "This research has uncovered cases where it looks like the law has not been followed and it's essential they are urgently investigated.

"Unlike the US, British law isn't strong enough to stop evidence obtained by illegal surveillance being used in court and the punishments for people deliberately flouting the law are trivial.

Eric Pickles says councils which have flouted the law should face justice

"We need a proper licensing system for private investigators, reformed laws to stop unauthorised surveillance being used in court and most importantly to replace the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act with legislation that is fit for purpose."

BBW has recommended urgent reform of Ripa to protect against unauthorised surveillance by third parties.

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 should be strengthened to stop unauthorised surveillance by raising the bar about what evidence can be used in legal proceedings, BBW recommended.

The group also wants private investigator licensing to be strengthened and a duty to regulate contracted investigators to be introduced.

Communities secretary Eric Pickles said: "This Government has clamped down on the overuse and abuse of surveillance powers by town halls.

"Such powers can only be used for serious crimes, and require a magistrates' warrant. It is totally unacceptable if councils are trying to sidestep these important new checks and they should be held to account for acting outside the law."

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Police Arrest 60 Ahead Of Football Match

Police have arrested more than 60 people for alleged violent disorder in Nuneaton in the hours leading up to a football match against Lincoln City.

The disorder broke out in a number of pubs in the town centre ahead of the non-league fixture on Saturday.

Officers from Warwickshire Police, West Mercia Police, West Midlands Police and British Transport Police were deployed in the town shortly before 10.30am in response to reports of disorder at a number of licensed premises.

Police began arresting dozens of people on suspicion of violent disorder at The Granby pub from 3.20pm.

The suspects were transported by coach to Nuneaton police station and held in custody for questioning.

Chief Inspector Adrian Knight, who was in charge of the response, said officers from all police units involved were "successful in containing the disorder and protecting the safety and well-being of the general public".

"This operation was a true collaboration utilising resources from across the region.

"I am extremely grateful to our regional colleagues from West Mercia, West Midlands and British Transport Police for their support in this operation. It has been a particularly challenging day.

"Warwickshire Police is committed to protecting people from harm, whether they live in the county or are visiting, and we will not tolerate any behaviour which puts them at risk.

"Anyone intent on causing trouble in Warwickshire should be aware that we will deal with them robustly."

He added: "The fact that 62 people have been arrested is testament to our commitment to tackle violence and disorder within the county."

Nuneaton Town chief executive Ian Neale said the trouble was nothing to do with the football club or its supporters.

He said police went to The Granby pub to organise an escort to town for Nuneaton fans, but only three people said they were interested in going to the match.

"They were allowed to leave the pub to take a taxi to the ground, which is two miles away from where the arrests were made," said Mr Neale.

"The Boro is a family club and people who are looking for trouble are not welcome at our ground. Anyone found guilty of any offences today will be banned from the ground for life."

He added:  "The club works tremendously hard on community programmes to give young people locally aspiration and opportunities in a working class town and we see ourselves very much part of making positive things happen for the town."

Nuneaton went on to win the Blue Square Bet Premier League fixture 1-0.

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Giant Easter Egg Poached From City Centre

Police have joined the hunt for a giant decorated Easter egg that has been stolen while on display in Glasgow city centre.

Organisers of a charity egg hunt are appealing for the eye-catching 2ft-high fibreglass egg to be returned.

Action for Children have placed 101 giant eggs, many of which feature designs from leading artists, around Glasgow's streets and shops as part of its Big Egg Hunt.

Strathclyde Police are now searching for an egg called A Thousand Forests, which is painted with red and yellow trees by graphic designer Matthew Dent.

It was taken from Buchanan Street and is reported to be worth up to £10,000.

Andrew Harris, Director of Fundraising at Action for Children, said: "The hunt is a really fun way for families, locals and tourists alike to enjoy the age-old Easter egg hunt tradition - on a huge scale and as a giant exhibition of modern art - whilst raising vital funds for some of the most vulnerable children across Scotland and the UK.

"We appeal to whoever poached our egg to return it to us soon."

The eggs, which feature popular characters such as Humpty Dumpty and Peter Rabbit, are touring the country as the charity aims to raise urgent funds by putting them up for auction.

They were displayed in London in February and were then taken to Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool.

They will be back in London for the Easter weekend.

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Archbishop Of Canterbury: I Don't Drink Alone

The new Archbishop of Canterbury has revealed he never drinks alone for fear of becoming an alcoholic like his father.

The Most Rev Justin Welby said while he does enjoy a tipple, his wife keeps an eye on his drinking to make sure he does not have one too many.

Asked if he was teetotal in an interview with The Sunday Times Magazine, he replied: "No, absolutely not. I very much enjoy a drink.

"I remember reading that the children of alcoholics have a much better chance themselves of having a dependency problem.

"So Caroline and I have an agreement that she keeps an eye on me, so she'll say if I am going over ... but I have rules myself. I don't drink alone, things like that."

He described his father, Gavin Welby, who died in 1977, as "charming, volatile, unpredictable".

"You never knew what was going to happen," he said.

"It took me a long time after he died to ... think back over my time with him with any equanimity. It had just been all so painful."

Asked if this was because his behaviour was conditioned by his drink problem, he continued: "Yes, very erratic behaviour, very irrational, dishonesty, shouting ... then, of course, one worries how much of this is how one's going to behave oneself."

The Most Rev Welby was named as Dr Rowan Williams' successor in November and is due to be enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury in a service at Canterbury Cathedral on Thursday.

The father-of-five resigned as an oil executive in 1987 after 11 years in the industry to train for the Anglican priesthood.

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