Poplar Stabbing: Men Arrested For Murder

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was found stabbed in the back in the street.

The victim, believed to be aged in his early 30s, was found in Poplar in east London shortly after 10pm on Friday and died in hospital a short time later, the Metropolitan Police said.

"Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder," a Scotland Yard spokesman said. "They have been taken to east London police stations."

He said officers believe they know the identity of the dead man, who was found in Simpsons Road at the junction with Poplar High Street, but have yet to formally identify him.

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Michael Cope Held For Murder Of Linzi Ashton

Wanted man Michael Cope has been arrested in Manchester on suspicion of murdering his ex-girlfriend Linzi Ashton.

A statement released by Greater Manchester Police, said: "A man has been arrested following the death of Linzi Ashton, who was killed last month in Salford.

"At about 11.55pm on Friday 26 July 2013, police were called to an address on Larch Road in Leigh following a report a wanted man was at the address.

"Armed officers attended and a 28-year-old man handed himself in to police and was arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in police custody for questioning".

Police released this CCTV image of Cope at a supermarket in Wigan

Linzi, a mother-of-two, was found dead at her home on Westbourne Road, Winton by relatives shortly before 6pm on Saturday 29 June 2013.

A Home Office post-mortem concluded she died as a result of pressure to the neck and multiple injuries.

Cope had a brief "acrimonious" relationship with Miss Ashton, 25, who had two daughters, Destiny, seven, and Daisy, two.

In a statement issued shortly after Miss Ashton's death, her family said: "She was the most beautiful, generous, caring person anyone could ever wish to meet. She would never harm anyone and was always there for her children and family.

"Life will never be the same again without her. Our whole family and friends have been devastated by her death. The whole community is in shock."

As part of the manhunt, police searched more than 30 addresses and two men have been charged, one with perverting the course of justice and the other with assisting an offender.

Cope, who is from Salford, had been known to make visits in and around the town centre of Leigh.

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Car Insurance Costs Fall At Record Rate

The cost of car insurance has dipped by record levels, according to new figures.

The average quote for annual comprehensive car insurance has plunged to £594.86 - a 9.8% fall from the figure of £659.53 in July last year, according to AA Insurance.

This is the biggest decrease since the AA insurance index began in 1994.

The figure for third party, fire and theft insurance has also dipped in the last 12 months, going down 4.8% to £820.58.

Comparing July 2013 figures with those of April, the AA showed that comprehensive insurance has fallen 3% and third-party insurance is down 2.2%.

Over the last 12 months, car insurance costs have fallen for all age groups, with those aged 23 to 29 enjoying the biggest decreases with their average costs dipping 12.8% to £738.93.

All age groups have seen 12-month falls of at least 5.4% except those aged 70 or above who have had to settle for a 3.9% fall in premiums. On average, those aged 60 to 69 have the cheapest annual insurance (£342.73) and those aged 17 to 22 have the most expensive (£1,210.54).

AA Insurance director Simon Douglas said: "This will be welcome news for hard-pressed motorists facing sharp fuel price increases.

"Insurers were facing a fast-widening gap between premium income and claims costs, largely driven by whiplash injury claims and fraud which saw very sharp premium increases between 2009 and 2011."

He went on: "That gap is closing and premiums are falling again thanks to competition, as well as improved fraud detection by the insurance industry and tightening of the law that is beginning to curb the number of spurious new whiplash injury claims.

"The news that hundreds of rogue 'no-win no-fee' claims firms have been reined in is welcome and in part, falling insurance premiums reflect that.

"I hope that Britain's shameful reputation as being the 'whiplash claim capital of Europe' will now be put behind us."

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Oxford Shooting: Woman In Serious Condition

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12:17pm UK, Saturday 27 July 2013

Oxford's Crowberry Road where the shooting took place

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Stuart Hall: Judges Retire To Consider Appeal

Judges at an appeal hearing to determine whether broadcaster Stuart Hall's sentence for sexual assault was "unduly lenient" have retired to consider their verdict.

The broadcaster, who appeared in court via video link, will find out if he has to spend more time in prison for assaulting several girls the youngest of whom was nine.

At the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Attorney General Dominic Grieve told the packed courtroom: "The total sentence of 15 months' imprisonment for 14 incidents of indecent assault committed against 13 female victims aged between the ages of nine and 17 ... failed adequately to reflect the gravity of the totality of the offences, and the public concern about offences of this nature.

Attorney General Dominic Grieve said Hall's sentence was 'unduly lenient'

"Some of the sentences should have been made to run consecutively, so that the total sentence passed reflected the culpability of the offender, the harm caused and to deter others."

Hall's QC Crispin Aylett argued there was "nothing wrong" with the sentence imposed. He told the court: "If the object was to see this man punished, disgraced and financially ruined then all of that has been more than achieved."

Hall, 83, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, admitted 14 counts of indecent assault between 1967 and 1987.

The former It's A Knockout presenter was sentenced in June at Preston Crown Court by the Recorder of Preston, Judge Anthony Russell QC.

Hall directly exploited his role as a popular BBC presenter to target four of his victims, while he assaulted another four on the pretence of giving elocution lessons to them at his home.

Before entering his guilty plea in April, he had made a public pronouncement on the steps of a court, describing all the claims against him as "cruel, pernicious and spurious".

Hall was arrested and subsequently charged on December 5 last year with indecently assaulting three young girls.

More women came forward as a result of publicity and he was rearrested before he later admitted sexual offences relating to 13 victims.

Judge Russell told Hall: "Several of these cases reveal an abuse of the trust placed in you by the parents of these children but all of them reveal an abuse of power by you because your status gave you an influence and standing which you abused."

The judge said Hall would have received 20 months after a trial but he reduced the sentence to reflect his guilty pleas.

At Hall's original sentencing, Mr Aylett said that 27 years had passed since the last offence and the presenter had led an "unblemished" life over those years.

The length of the jail term was immediately criticised as "unduly lenient" by shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry.

Harriet Harman, deputy leader of the Labour party, also added to calls for the sentence to be referred.

The judges verdict is expected some time after 11.30am

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Equitable Life Victims 'May Get No Payouts'

More than 200,000 victims of the collapse of Equitable Life may miss out on compensation payments because of failings in a government scheme, a scathing report by MPs has warned.

The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee accused the Treasury of adopting an "arbitrary" target of March 2014 to close the compensation scheme.

The Westminster spending watchdog urged the Treasury to take urgent action to track down as many former policyholders of the failed insurer as possible before the deadline passes.

"It is completely unacceptable that more than 10 years after the collapse of Equitable Life so many victims still have not received the compensation they are entitled to," Committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge said.

"Hundreds of thousands of conscientious savers are losing out because of the Treasury's failure to get a grip on the payment scheme."

Mrs Hodge also said she was "stunned" to learn that the Treasury destroyed details and addresses of 353,000 policyholders on data protection grounds.

After a decade-long battle by Equitable savers, the Treasury announced shortly after the coalition Government took office in 2010 that it would compensate up to 1.5 million policyholders.

Mrs Hodge slammed the compensation scheme

Chancellor George Osborne capped total payments at £1.5bn in his spending review later that year.

But the report found that the Government "failed to learn the lessons" from previous schemes, such as those for former miners and Icelandic trawlermen.

The Treasury focused on an arbitrary deadline of June 2011 for making the first payments, at the expense of planning properly for how the scheme would be administered, said the report.

A "lack of good planning" led to "unacceptable delays" in payments, with only £168m paid out by March 2012, rather than the expected £500m.

By the end of March this year, some £577m had been paid out to 407,000 policyholders, with a further 664,200 payments totalling £370m due to be made by the time the scheme winds up in March 2014.

But the Treasury estimates that it may not be able to trace some 17%-20% of policyholders - between 200,000 and 236,000 people eligible for payments - by that date.

And ministers are not planning to publicise the closure of the scheme until September, which provides little time for applications to be submitted by these savers, many of whom are elderly.

Urging ministers and the government agency National Savings & Investment (NS&I) to bring forward the publicity campaign, the cross-party committee said it was "concerned" that some policyholders will miss out.

"With less than a year to go before the scheme closes in March 2014, the Treasury still has 664,200 payments worth £370m left to make," Mrs Hodge said.

"Unless the Treasury and its administrator, NS&I, get their act together there is a real risk that large numbers of policyholders will miss out."

A Treasury source said: "While Labour did absolutely nothing about the Equitable Life scandal for a decade, this Government has allocated up to £1.5bn to help people who suffered a great injustice, with tens of thousands of policyholders receiving around £700m in payments since 2011.

"We make no apology for starting to get payments out the door a year after the Coalition was formed.

"We do not agree that the Government has failed to get a grip on the planning or delivery of this important work.

"We continue to monitor the progress of the Equitable Life Payment Scheme very closely and are working hard to maximise the numbers of people who will eventually receive payments.

"Instead of scaremongering, the Labour chairman of this committee should explain why her party shamefully did absolutely nothing about this scandal for a decade."

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Welby Defends Wonga After Church Link Emerges

The Archbishop of Canterbury has insisted he was not picking on Wonga after it emerged the Church of England invests in the payday loan firm.

The Most Reverend Justin Welby admitted being "irritated" and "embarrassed" by the revelation but went on to heap praise on Wonga and its management.

Mr Welby hailed the company for its professionalism and suggested it was far from the worst organisation in the loan sector.

The link between the Church and the firm emerged hours after the Archbishop said he wanted to force Wonga out of business by expanding credit unions.

The Financial Times found the Church's pension fund had put money into Accel Partners, a US venture capital firm that led Wonga's 2009 fund-raising efforts.

Until the report emerged, Mr Welby had no idea about the connection.

Sources suggested he was "furious" but on Friday, in a lengthy interview, he merely said: "I was irritated for a few minutes but, you know, these things happen."

Justin Welby: 'It's very embarrassing'

He did admit the affair was "very embarrassing" and vowed to investigate, signalling there could be a review of the Church's entire investment portfolio.

But he said: "I never took on Wonga in particular. The context was talking about the entire payday lender movement.

"Wonga is actually a very professionally managed company. Errol Damelin, the chief executive is a very clever man, [who] runs it extremely well."

Despite praising the company, he said he was still unhappy about the Church's investment.

"They shouldn't be investing in Wonga. We don't think that's a good thing," he told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme.

And he insisted he was not backtracking on his commitment to clamp down on the industry, which is currently the subject of a Competition Commission probe.

"We need to provide a proper alternative to these very, very costly forms of finance. The worst people are not Wonga. There are plenty of others much worse," he said.

Mr Welby said Church policy allows investments in a company where 25% of its business is in the loan area, indicating the arrangement with Wonga may be against its rules.

"I think we have to review these levels and make sure we are consistent between what we're saying and what we're doing," he said.

The Archbishop conceded that it was almost impossible for the Church to make an investment that was not somehow tainted.

He said: "If you exclude any contact with anything that directly or indirectly gets in any way bad, you can't do anything at all."

Lambeth Palace has said it will ask the Assets Committee of the Church Commissioners to investigate the link to Wonga and review the holding.

It added: "We will also be requesting the Church Commissioners to investigate whether there are any other inconsistencies as normally all investment policies are reviewed by the Ethical Investment Advisory Group (EIAG)."

Mr Welby is seeking to expand the reach of credit unions as part of a long-term campaign to boost competition in the banking sector and clamp down on short-term loan firms.

The Government announced an investment of £38m in credit unions in April to help them offer an alternative option to payday lenders.

The Office of Fair Trading referred the entire payday lending industry, which is worth £2bn, to the Competition Commission last month after finding "deep-rooted" problems.

It said it decided to make the referral because it continues to suspect that features of the market "prevent, restrict or distort competition".

Wonga said in March that it welcomed any attempt to encourage responsible lending and that it has been "instrumental" in helping to raise industry standards.

Mr Damelin, its founder, said: "The Archbishop is clearly an exceptional individual and someone who understands the power of innovation.

"There is mutual respect, some differing opinions and a meeting of minds on many big issues.

"On the competition point, we always welcome fresh approaches that give people a fuller set of alternatives to solve their financial challenges. I'm all for better consumer choice."

The company has launched a new advertising campaign setting out "ten commitments" about its lending practices in an apparent tongue-in-cheek reaction to the Archbishop's original remarks.

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Ex-Police Chief Bettison Faces IPCC Probe

Sir Norman Bettison is to be investigated over claims concerning the public inquiry following the murder of Stephen Lawrence.

More follows...

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Party Shooting: Parent Hurt At Child's Birthday

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

Police are urgently trying to trace a 20-year-old man after a shooting at a child's birthday party in southeast London.

Detectives have released a photograph of the suspect, Alfie Gannon, who is alleged to have opened fire on another man as he stood next to his young stepson.

The shooting took place on May 18 at a house in Bromley but police have been unable to trace Gannon, who is believed to have links to West Yorkshire.

The shooting followed an argument at a house in Ravenscar Road, where a 10-year-old girl's birthday party was taking place.

After an argument, during which threats to kill were allegedly made, the suspect was thrown out of house.

Police say he returned a short time later and shot a 22-year-old man on the doorstep with a semi-automatic pistol. The victim has since made a full recovery.

Detective Constable Paul Buckley, of the Metropolitan Police's gang unit Trident, which is leading the search for Gannon, described the shooting as "shocking".

"Understandably both the children and guests at the party were extremely traumatised by the senseless actions of the suspect," he said.

"We have released an image of a man wanted in connection with the shooting in the hope that he himself will come forward, or that those who may know his whereabouts contact the police.

"I would like to reassure any potential witnesses who may be worried about making contact with police that Trident has extensive expertise in protecting witnesses and there are a range of measures that can be taken to protect you.

"Members of the public are urged not to approach the suspect and instead call 999, the Trident team on 0208 785 8580 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111."

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Danny Nightingale Given Suspended Sentence

By Nick Pisa, in Wiltshire

A former SAS sniper has been given a two year suspended sentence for illegally possessing a gun and dozens of rounds of ammunition.

Sgt Danny Nightingale, 38, a veteran of Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan was convicted earlier this month despite a high profile campaign.

He appeared at the sentencing hearing in full SAS uniform, accompanied by his wife and family where the judge criticised him for his vigorous battle against the army in fighting the case.

Father of two Sgt Nightingale had originally been found guilty last November and given 18 months in jail but the decision was overturned on appeal.

At his latest sentencing at the court in Bulford Camp near Salisbury, he stood and remained impassive as his wife Sally looked at him from the public benches.

Judge advocate general Jeff Blackett made it clear he took a dim view of the campaign to get the serviceman cleared saying it "bordered on contempt" and had "not been helpful".

The 9mm Glock pistol found in Sgt Nightingale's wardrobe

He added that by having the 9mm Glock pistol and 338 rounds of ammunition he had "endangered society", saying the country had already seen the effects of guns through tragedies at Hungerford and Dunblane.

He said: "A weapon is dangerous in the wrong hands, whether it originates from someone with criminal intent who is careless or someone with a baser motive.

"It has been said, and it is right, that you are not a danger to society. However what you have done has endangered society and for that reason your offending is serious."

The court had heard how the weapon and bullets were found in a wardrobe in Sgt Nightingale's house which he shared with another SAS soldier.

The items were found by police in September 2011 after a police tip off led them to the property in Hereford, which is the home of the elite SAS unit.

More than 300 round of ammunition were discovered under the bed

Sgt Nightingale, from Crewe, had told the court he suffered from brain injuries following a 2009 marathon in Brazil that had affected his memory and led to confusion.

However the judge said:"In short, the accounts you have given to this court lacked credibility and this court does not believe you."

The judge also dismissed Sgt Nightingale's claims that he had been targeted and said that suggestions "he was a scapegoat or a victim of political agenda are nonsense".

He added: "You are simply someone against whom there was a strong prima facie case of serious wrongdoing and, given the dangers to society caused by illegal firearms and their misuse, it was in the public interest to prosecute you.

"You have now had a fair trial before a civilian judge and an independent and impartial board.

"All of the issues you wished to raise and all the submissions you wished to make have been fully considered and verdicts properly given.

"It would have made no difference had you been tried before a civilian jury. The evidence against you was overwhelming and I have no doubt the verdicts would have been the same."

It emerged during the sentencing that the family has spent £120,000 in legal bills.

Sgt Nightingale said he was suffering memory loss after a head injury

Sgt Nightingale walked out of court but did not speak to the media. His wife Sally revealed military top brass had warned him he would face further action if he did.

Surrounded by her family and her father in law Humphrey, Mrs Nightingale said they would "take advice from counsel about an appeal".

She said:"We are obviously very disappointed with the sentence but pleased Danny will be coming home with us tonight.

"We really thought he was going behind bars as the judge left it to the very end to say the sentence was suspended."

When asked what she thought of the judge's stinging comments, she said: "That upset me. We have been very honest and open."

She added:"Nobody wants to go through what we've been through. I could never have imagined myself in this position. But we've done it for the right reasons and we have been true to ourselves so I have no regrets."

Her father-in-law said: "We are not coming out of here with a good feeling at all. When we had to listen to what was said earlier that was like a kick in the teeth to every one of us."

Sgt Nightingale left with his wife and family without making any comment. He  is due to be medically discharged in February.

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Conmen Dressed As Women Hunted By Police

Police are searching for a team of conmen who tricked elderly victims out of thousands of pounds and dressed themselves up as women to evade capture.

The men, who have been pictured on CCTV wearing wigs and women's clothes, allegedly charmed their way into pensioners' homes in York and Harrogate by posing as officials from a bank or utility company.

The suspects were "charming and friendly" as they convinced elderly people to part with their bank cards and pin numbers, claiming their account had been defrauded, detectives said.

They then offered to send someone to the victim's house to pick up their bank card to help them to sort out their account.

But they used the details to withdraw large sums of money from banks and travel agencies and to buy goods, North Yorkshire Police said.

The crooks stole bank details to withdraw large sums of cash

"There are a number of suspects involved who go to some lengths to disguise their identity, including dressing up as the opposite sex," said Detective Sergeant Lydia Davenport, of Harrogate CID.

"These people are very plausible and charming when they contact the elderly people and it is easy to see how they can be convinced by what they are saying.

"In reality, they are preying on elderly people's vulnerability and trusting nature.

"We are determined to catch them and bring them to justice. I am therefore asking for the public's help as we continue our investigations."

Police said they are still investigating whether the conmen were dressed as women when they visited their victims, or whether it was purely a ruse to evade detection when they withdrew the money.

A police spokesman said five offences were reported in Harrogate and two in York last month and this month, and urged anyone who recognises the suspects or has seen anything suspicious to contact them.

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Daniel Pelka: 'Mum Permitted Child's Death'

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

A mother's defence barrister has told a court his client is guilty of "permitting the death of her own child" but not guilty of his murder.

Daniel Pelka, four, was allegedly beaten to death after a "campaign of incomprehensible cruelty" which included him being starved for months.

Daniel's mother Magdelena Luczak and stepfather Mariusz Krezolek deny the child's murder and causing or allowing his death.

But, Stephen Linehan QC, in his closing speech to the jury said: "My submission to you is she (Luczak) is guilty of the dreadful crime on the third count of the indictment, permitting the death of her own child, but she is not guilty of his murder".

Mr Linehan admitted at Birmingham Crown Court that Luczak was guilty of an "appalling, wicked and criminal failure to protect him (Daniel)" and she had "put her relationship with Mariusz Krezolek ahead of Daniel", but, he said, she "did not kill him".

Mr Linehan claimed that it was Krezolek who had broken Daniel's arm in January 2011, a year before his death in Coventry in March 2012, and that Luczak had done nothing to help her son because she herself was being "abused".

The barrister said that Daniel had been a chubby boy, but in the last 26 weeks of his life that changed.

He said "someone" had "intervened" and "that someone" was Mariusz Krezolek, who "did not like" Daniel.

Accused: Daniel's mother Magdelena Luczak and stepfather Mariusz Krezolek

Mr Linehan said by the time of Daniel's death, Luczak was an "oppressed" woman. He reminded jurors of the evidence of Daniel's sibling who said Krezolek "hurt" Luczak "loads of times".

He also said Luczak was not the "instigator" of her son's punishments, which included force-feeding Daniel salt, as Krezolek had claimed.

The court had previously heard that Daniel had been stealing food from school because he was not being fed properly at home.

Mr Linehan reminded the jury that Luczak, who was "supposed to have deprived him (Daniel) of food, sent him into school with sweets".

He said Luczak had "lied and lied" in police custody to protect herself and Krezolek. But, he said, at the time of Daniel's death, she was "oppressed" by her partner.

Mr Linehan conceded it will be Luczak's "eternal shame" that she did not stop the abuse of her son "but she did not join in the campaign of cruelty as the prosecution allege".

The trial was adjourned and continues on Friday.

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Weather: Heatwave To End With Torrential Rain

Britain's three-week heatwave will be brought to an end by strong and violent storms, weather forecasters have said.

Thunder, lightning and hail will last intermittently throughout Tuesday and Wednesday. Torrential rain will increase the risk of flash floods.

Sky News Weather Presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "There are thundery showers this morning across Ireland, Wales and England.

"These showers will be heavy with lightning, hail at times and strong winds.

"There will be a lot of rain in a very short space of time so there is the risk of localised flooding in some of these areas."

A car drives through a deep puddle caused by heavy rain in Worcestershire

It follows weeks of scorching temperatures, which peaked on Monday at 33.5C in London - the hottest day since July 20, 2006.

The storms will thunder over the Midlands as well as eastern, central, northern and southern parts of England, with the East Midlands, London and Kent seeing the worst of the weather.

Temperatures will dip to the high 20s and remain humid in the South East, but the west of England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be far cooler before the rest of the country gradually follows.

The humid conditions will bring big hailstones, which have already been seen in south London.

The Met Office issued a low-level alert warning of storms and torrential downpours across England, Wales and Scotland.

Britain has been basking in the highest temperatures since 2006

It said: "The public should be aware of the risk of localised disruption to travel, and more generally to summer holiday activities, due to, for example, surface water flooding."

The overall trend for the rest of the week will see the UK gradually cool down, with a continuing risk of showers and thunderstorms.

By next week the temperatures are expected to settle in the low 20s in most places.

The hot weather has taken its toll on the UK in recent weeks, with grass fires in London, mountain blazes in the Welsh valleys and forest fires in Fife, Scotland.

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Royal Baby Name: Odds In Favour Of Tradition

Thousands of punters are banking on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge picking a traditional name for their newborn son.

George is the favourite at odds of 9/4, according to Sky Bet, with James also in the running at 11/4.

Alexander, Louis and Henry are also among the top choices for those placing bets at the bookmaker.

Punters willing to take a long shot can get odds of 66/1 on Daniel, or 50/1 for Andrew - after the baby's great uncle.

The baby could have Philip as a middle name

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expected to follow tradition however, with most Royal infants having names that are passed down through the generations.

Charles Kidd, the editor of Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage, predicted that William and Kate would select a conventional first name for their son.

Charles is another possibility

"I do think that Prince William is quite a traditionalist - that's my feeling," Mr Kidd said.

"The fact that he chose to use the Royal dukedom (of Cambridge) and has followed Royal precedent, I wouldn't be surprised if they use a name that is already familiar in the Royal Family - something that has Royal associations."

The Royal parents may like grandfather Michael to share a name with baby

Midway through her pregnancy, Kate revealed she and William had a shortlist of names and that her friends were giving her ideas.

"We have a shortlist for both (boy and girl) but it's very difficult. My friends keep texting me names," she told a well-wisher.

And new uncle Harry may get a namecheck too

David Beckham has also had his say, jokingly suggesting to Sky News recently that David would be a good choice.

The baby, who will eventually be king, will be styled HRH Prince (forename) of Cambridge, with - when a surname is needed - Mountbatten-Windsor as his family name.

Royal babies also usually have a number of middle names. The Prince of Wales has four names, as does William.

Charles, Philip and Michael are in the frame as possible middle names in honour of the Royal grandparent and great-grandparent and the baby's maternal grandfather.

Francis is another name considered to be a possible middle name because it has strong ties with the Duchess's family.

William's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, was given the female version, Frances, as her middle name.

And then, of course, there is Henry - Prince Harry's real name.

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Royal Baby: Kate And William Thank Hospital

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have issued a statement thanking the hospital where their baby boy was born for the "tremendous care" they received.

The Royal couple said: "We would like to thank the staff at the Lindo Wing and the whole hospital for the tremendous care the three of us have received.

"We know it has been a very busy period for the hospital and we would like to thank everyone - staff, patients and visitors - for their understanding during this time."

A Kensington Palace spokesman added: "Mother, son and father are all doing well this morning."

The Royal baby boy, whose name has not yet been revealed, was born at 4.24pm on Monday, weighing 8lb 6oz (3.798kg).

Prince William was at his wife's bedside at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London during the birth.

Crowds gather to watch a special changing the guard for the new prince

The Duchess spent the night in hospital, as did her husband. She and William could leave the hospital with the future king in their arms later today.

Sky News Royal Correspondent Paul Harrison said: "We understand that the Duke and Duchess will depart either later this evening, not before 6pm, or tomorrow morning."

Crowds are gathered outside the hospital in anticipation. The world's media are also waiting with cameras at the ready to snap the first pictures of the Royal heir.

Excitement was fuelled when Kate's hairdresser reportedly arrived at just after 10am, indicating their departure could be imminent - although Royal officials denied such reports.

It is understood the new family of three will go back home to Kensington Palace.

But it is not yet known how the Royals will negotiate putting their newborn into a car seat, as required by law.

No such legislation existed when Prince Charles and Princess Diana left the hospital in 1982 after the birth of Prince William. 

Meanwhile, various celebrations are being held today to mark the special occasion, including gun salutes across London.

This morning guardsmen marked changing of the guard outside Buckingham Palace by playing 'Congratulations'.

A sign at the Tower of London. Pic: @HRP_Palaces or Historic Royal Palaces

And at 2pm the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Honourable Artillery Company will both carry out the ceremonial salutes in honour of the new addition to the Royal Family. There will be a 41 gun salute at Green Park and 62 gun salute at the Tower of London.

The bells at Westminster Abbey, where Kate and William married just over two years ago, will also ring out for three hours from 2pm this afternoon.

Gun salutes are fired for the birth of every prince or princess, no matter where their place is within the line of succession, the Ministry of Defence said.

News of the birth was issued in a statement by Kensington Palace at 8.30pm on Monday.

A very brief statement from the Duke, speaking on behalf of himself and the Duchess, added: "We could not be happier."

William telephoned his family to tell them the good news, speaking personally to the Queen, his father Prince Charles and younger brother Prince Harry.

First-time grandfather Prince Charles on his visit to Yorkshire

The Prince of Wales today said he was "thrilled and very excited" about the birth of his first grandchild.

He and the Duchess of Cornwall were met by cheering crowds of well-wishers on a visit to East Yorkshire.

Villager after villager offered Charles and Camilla their congratulations as the royal couple walked around the green in Bugthorpe, which was decked out with Union flags and bunting for the visit.

Many people asked whether the new baby had a name, but Charles gave little away.

One member of the crowd, Alec Dale, said to him as he passed: "We popped a bottle of bubbly last night at our house. I hope you did too."

To this, the Prince replied: "Yes. But just a little bit."

The birth was announced on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace

Camilla told the BBC that Charles was "brilliant with children so he'll have a wonderful time".

Later, the Duchess of Cornwall enjoyed a lunch of fish and chips in Bridlington.

She said: "I think these are celebration fish and chips. Celebrating the birth of the new baby."

Camilla added that the haddock and chips, which she ate out of a box, was the "best thing I have eaten in an awfully long time".

Chip shop owner John Hutchinson said: "Sue, my other half, tried to prise the name out of her but she wasn't having any of it."

Meanwhile, a huge queue of people eager to get a photo of the easel displaying the official Royal birth announcement has formed outside Buckingham Palace.

Queues forming outside Buckingham Palace to see the official announcement

Officials said it will be on show on the forecourt for about 24 hours after confirmation of the birth, meaning is is likely to be removed soon after 8pm tonight. 

Many people told Sky News they had come before work as they expect larger crowds later.

Kashmira, 31 and from Hertfordshire, told Sky News: "I didn't really want to come last night when it was so hot but it's such a historical event I couldn't not come."

Lauren, 27, from Surrey, said she popped by on her way to the office, adding: "It's a pretty prestigious event so I dashed here before work. It's so exciting."

Police and security have been putting up barriers to keep the queue orderly.

Celebrations are taking place across the world

The jubilation of last night has died down but hundreds of people, from all over the world, still want their slice of the Royal baby excitement.

The Weiner family from Los Angeles, US, told Sky News that they were glad their holiday to the UK coincided with the baby news. They said came to the Palace to take a photo of the announcement because "it's a once in a lifetime opportunity".

There is also great anticipation surrounding the name of the new third in line to the throne, who will be known as the Prince of Cambridge.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge did not find out if their baby was going to be a boy or girl prior to the birth, meaning they are believed to have considered a stock of names for a future monarch of either sex.

George, James, Alexander, Louis and Henry are currently among the favourites at the bookmakers.

The Queen will be informed of the baby's name before it is announced, which may even be weeks away.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were said to be "delighted at the news".

William's uncle and brother of the late Princess Diana also described his joy at the new Royal baby.

Earl Spencer said: "We're all so pleased: it's wonderful news.

"My father always told us how Diana was born on just such a blisteringly hot day, at Sandringham, in July 1961. It's another very happy summer's day, half a century on."

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Pavlo Lapshyn Charged Over Mosque Blasts

A man charged with murdering a pensioner has also been charged with three offences related to explosions near three mosques.

Pavlo Lapshyn, 25, has now been charged in connection with explosions near mosques in Walsall, Wolverhampton and Tipton.

He was charged yesterday with the murder of 82-year-old Mohammed Saleem.

The pensioner was fatally stabbed just yards from his house as he walked home from a mosque on April 29.

 WesWEWWPolice last week found debris from an explosive device close to a mosque in Wolverhampton shortly after arresting Lapshyn - who was detained along with another Eastern European man.

Mohammed Saleem, from Birmingham, was killed on his way home from a mosque

Remnants from a home-made explosive device were also found outside a mosque in Walsall on June 22, and another device, containing nails, exploded near a mosque in Binfield Road, Tipton, on July 12.

No one was injured in the explosions.

Lapshyn is now charged with carrying out a series of acts with the intention to commit acts of terrorism.

He also faces two separate offences of unlawfully and maliciously causing an explosion with the intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to a person or property.

It is alleged he purchased batteries, chemicals, a lunch bag, clock and computer for making explosive devices, as well as carrying out internet research and visiting intended locations to plant the devices.

Prosecutors also claim he modified mobile phones to act as detonators.

The Ukrainian is a student on a sponsored work placement at a software firm based in the Small Heath area of Birmingham.

Police have said they do not believe there is any "ongoing threat from this case", but they are working with the Ukrainian authorities to look into Lapshyn's past.

The new charges came during Lapshyn's 10-minute hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Wearing a black round-neck top with short-cropped hair, he spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth and to request to speak to his lawyer.

He was remanded in custody and will next appear at a bail hearing at the Old Bailey on July 25.

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Economy Figures Set To Show 'Positive Growth'

By Tadhg Enright, Business Reporter

Economists are predicting good news when the first estimate of economic growth during April, May and June is revealed next week.

Analysts expect the Office for National Statistics to say that the economy grew by around 0.5% when it reveals its preliminary estimate for Q2 GDP on Thursday.

They point to several important economic indicators which have been positive in recent months.

Consumer confidence was at a 25 months high in June. Business confidence in Q2 was at its highest since 2007.

Retail sales volumes rose by 0.9% between Q1 and Q2. New car sales were 13.4% higher in June compared with the same month last year. 

Economist Vicky Pryce says consumers are more confident in spending money

Former government economic advisor Vicky Pryce told Sky News: "I think what's going on right now is that the consumer is very keen on spending. The consumer has reduced his savings ratio very substantially from about 7% a year ago to about 4% now so they are spending their way out of this recession. 

"It's not because they're earning an awful lot more because of course average earnings have not really moved very much and there all sorts of restrictions in terms of public sector wages so they are suffering a little bit from that. But they are feeling a lot more confident so they're out there spending."

Even the International Monetary Fund, which recently encouraged the Government to ease public spending cuts, has revised upwards its forecast for UK economic growth in 2013 from 0.7% to 0.9%.

However, some of the economy's biggest problems remain with more Government cutbacks still on the horizon, banks still reluctant to lend and consumer prices rising at a faster rate than average wages.

There are also signs of a resurgence in the property market

Howard Archer, chief UK & European economist at IHS Global Insight, said: "There are still significant headwinds to growth which suggest that the upside for growth will be limited for some time to come and that the economy will likely remain prone to periodic losses of momentum.

"While we are encouraged by the recent extended and diverse good news on the UK economy, we currently remain cautious in markedly raising our GDP growth forecasts - especially given the many false dawns that there have been in recent times and the fact that events in the eurozone still pose a significant threat."

There is also mounting evidence of a resurgence in the property market with house prices rising in June and mortgage approvals at a 41 month high in May.

However critics of the Government's homebuying incentives such as Help to Buy have warned that it risks fuelling a property bubble.

Brunel University professor Moorad Choudhry told Sky News: "I'd like to ask why is the Government subsidising house purchases? That is something we got out of years back when we unwound tax relief on mortgages' interest.

"If I inject cheap money into the stock market and it rises, that's not genuine growth. It's conceptually similar to subsidising anything and it's a false growth."

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Mosque Blasts Suspect Held Over OAP's Murder

One of two Ukrainian men being held in connection to bomb attacks near three mosques in the West Midlands has been arrested over the murder of a 82-year-old man.

West Midlands Police say the 25-year-old terror suspect was arrested in relation to "a further act of terrorism".

A police spokesman said: "This arrest is in connection with the murder of Mohammed Saleem in Small Heath, Birmingham on Monday April 29."

The stabbing death of Mr Saleem, a highly-regarded and well-known figure in the local community, was described by detectives at the time as a "despicable" attack on a defenceless pensioner.

Debris from a device was found close to a mosque in Wolverhampton

A joint family statement read during a press conference at West Midlands Police headquarters on May 2 described Mr Saleem as "a much-loved and respected community member".

The statement read: "We can't express our feelings of sadness and devastation.

"It's hard to accept that our beloved father and grandfather has been taken from us in such a brutal way."

On Saturday, counter-terrorism officers were granted extra time to question the Ukrainian nationals in connection with the explosions.

A sitting of Westminster Magistrates' Court granted officers up to seven days to question the men, who were initially detained on suspicion of being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.

Following the men's arrest, the "seat of an explosion and debris" were found on a roundabout near the Wolverhampton Central Mosque.

Police believe the debris came from a device that exploded on the city's Fiveways roundabout at about 9.15am on June 28.

The remnants of a home-made explosive device were found outside a mosque in Walsall on Saturday June 22, and another device, containing nails, exploded near a mosque in Binfield Road, Tipton, on July 12.

Another device containing nails exploded near a mosque in Tipton

No one was injured by any of the explosions.

Speaking after police were granted further time to question the two suspects, Assistant Chief Consatble Marcus Beale said: "We continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the three explosions and are appealing to anyone who may have seen anything suspicious around these dates to contact us.

"We do not underestimate the impact this will have on communities across the West Midlands.

"The support of all communities has been fantastic with wider faith communities coming together to show solidarity.

"I would appeal to people, if you have the smallest piece of information that my help the investigation then please contact us on 101 at the earliest opportunity."

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Afghan Charity Trek: Ex-Airman On 444 Mile Walk

A former RAF serviceman will complete the last leg of a gruelling 444-mile charity walk across the UK carrying the weight of an injured soldier on his back.

Ben Greer has trekked through 100 towns and cities across the UK in the last two months in order to complete the distance, a mile for every British serviceman killed in Afghanistan since 2001.

His final mile will take him from The Cenotaph to Buckingham Palace in London this morning.

Ben Greer

Mr Greer, who served in six Afghan tours between 2006 and 2010, told Sky News the walk carrying a 100kg pack had been one of the most "arduous" things he had ever done.

"The most that you'd probably carry as a standard load would be up to 60kg so 100kg is the equivalent of putting one of your friends on your back in fighting order and evacuating them from the battlefield."

The former Chinook helicopter crewman, who left the service two years ago, regularly ferried injured servicemen.

"One of our main roles out there was casualty evacuation from the battlefield," he said.

"We picked up an awful lot of guys and had some of the best medical care in the world, certainly trauma wise, and you see a lot in the back of the aircraft.

"I've come back to my family but there's an awful lot who haven't and I think it's pertinent as a personal statement to come back and show that it's had quite an impact."

So far the Big Lift challenge has raised £34,582.57 for various charities including SSAFA, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, Help for Heroes, the Army and RAF Benevolent Funds.

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Child Abuse Web Images 'Must Be Blocked'

Websites will be told to block certain search terms and warn people when they try to view illegal content, as part of a crackdown on child abuse images.

David Cameron will use a major speech to tell companies they have a "moral duty" to protect youngsters.

The Prime Minister will call on websites including Google, Bing and Yahoo! to adopt a blacklist of words and phrases drawn up by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) within months.

He will also recommend splash screens that tell people they could lose "their job, their family, even access to their children" by viewing indecent images online.

The pages could redirect people to the charity Stop It Now's website in an effort to help change people's behaviour.

"There are some searches which are so abhorrent and where there can be no doubt whatsoever about the sick and malevolent intent of the searcher that there should be no search results returned at all," Mr Cameron will say.

"I have a very clear message for Google, Bing, Yahoo! and the rest. You have a duty to act on this - and it is a moral duty.

"You are not separate from our society, you are part of our society, and you must play a responsible role in it.

"This is quite simply about obliterating this disgusting material from the net - and we will do whatever it takes."

The Prime Minister is expected to warn companies that "legislative options" could be used to force them to comply if they have not made progress on a blacklist before October.

He told the BBC's Andrew Marr show that this further step "might take a bit of an argument but it's an argument on behalf of Britain's parents and children that I am prepared to have".

The PM meets the families of April Jones and Tia Sharp

He said international collaboration would be needed to make companies aware of their responsibilities.

Mr Cameron will also urge firms to hold hackathons - events which allow software experts to collaborate on projects - to produce results.

Pressure to prevent people accessing indecent images of children has increased following two high-profile murder trials.

Mark Bridger, who killed April Jones, and Stuart Hazell, the man convicted of Tia Sharp's murder, were both found to have accessed offensive images, including some of children.

Experts argued there was a clear link between their obsessions and their actions.

Labour Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the PM isn't going far enough to tackle online child abuse.

"David Cameron said he would make sure the police had the resources. But the truth is that Theresa May has cut by 10%  the resources for the Ceop - which has identified 50,000 cases of British residents accessing child abuse online but only around 2000 were pursued last year," she said.

"And the failure of the Government to develop workable proportionate communications data plans means Ceop often can't find out who is responsible for the IP addresses used for abusive child images.

"Companies do need to do much more - as Labour called for in our Parliamentary debate in June.  But Ministers need to demonstrate that there will be Government action too - including quickly moving to ban depiction of rape in extreme porn as other countries have done."

Last month, the four main UK internet service providers agreed to donate an extra £1m to the Internet Watch Foundation to help its work with Ceop.

In 2012, the Government abandoned proposals for an "opt-in" system that would have forced users to contact their internet service provider in order to gain access to adult content.

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