UK's 20 Worst Burglary Hotspots Revealed

Full List Of The UK's Burglary Hotspots

Updated: 1:04am UK, Friday 24 January 2014

Here are the top 20 burglary hotspots by postcode in the UK, according to the number of previous claims made per thousand people:

1. M21 - Chorlton-cum-Hardy; Barlow Moor, Manchester, 45.2

2. SE24 - Herne Hill; Tulse Hill (part), London, 41.8

3. N10 - Muswell Hill, London, 40.9

4. RM8 - Dagenham; Becontree; Becontree Heath, London, 35.9

5. N2 - East Finchley; Fortis Green; Hampstead Garden Suburb (part), London, 34.5

6. L18 - Allerton; Mossley Hill, Liverpool, 33.3

7. L22 - Waterloo, Liverpool, 32.6

8. N18 - Upper Edmonton; Edmonton (part), London, 32.3

9. UB6 - Greenford; Perivale, London, 30.9

10. SE27 - West Norwood; Gipsy Hill (part), London, 30.5

11. B73 - Boldmere; New Oscott; Wylde Green, Birmingham, 29.5

12. E8 - Hackney Central; Dalston; London Fields, London, 29.4

13. DN2 - Intake; Wheatley; Wheatley Hills, Doncaster, 28.7

14. N20 - Whetstone; Totteridge; Oakleigh Park, London, 28.0

15. E9 - Homerton; Hackney Wick; South Hackney; Hackney Marshes; Victoria Park, London, 27.8

16. N11 - New Southgate; Friern Barnet; Bounds Green; Arnos Grove (part), London, 27.7

17. N16 - Stoke Newington; Stamford Hill (part); Shacklewell; Dalston (part); Newington Green (part), London, 27.7

18. LS16 - Adel, Bramhope; Cookridge; Eccup; Far Headingley; Holt Park; Ireland Wood; Lawnswood; Moor Grange; Tinshill; Weetwood; West Park, Leeds, 27.6

19. B24 - Erdington; Tyburn, Birmingham, 27.6

20. HP10 - High Wycombe; Flackwell Heath; Handy Cross; Hedsor; Loudwater; Penn; Tylers Green; Wooburn; Wooburn Green; Wooburn Moor, Buckinghamshire, 27.3

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New Ultrasound Could Mean End Of Stethoscope

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

The days of the doctor's stethoscope could be coming to an end thanks to modern unltrasound devices.

The latest point-of-care devices are becoming increasingly more accurate and portable.

They scan for trauma, can reduce complications, assist in emergency procedures and improve diagnostic accuracy.

It is all a far cry from the limitations of the trusty old stethoscope, which has been hanging around the necks of doctors since 1816.

An editorial in Global Heart, the journal of the World Heart Federation, said: "Several manufacturers offer hand-held ultrasound machines slightly larger than a deck of cards, with technology and screens modelled after modern smartphones. 

Thames Valley & Chiltern air ambulance trust carry portable ultrasound kits

"Many experts have argued that ultrasound has become the stethoscope of the 21st century."

The journal asks why we do not see ultrasound machines in the pockets of every clinician. Several factors are said to play a play a role, including cost.

Ultrasound can diagnose heart, lung and other problems with much more accuracy than the 200-year-old stethoscope, therefore potentially saving time and money.

A number of air ambulance services in the UK use ultrasound, including the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust.

Dr Syed Masud, a consultant in pre-hospital care, said: "We have to kind of bring the hospital to the patient at the roadside or at their home and the ultrasound has fitted in there, because it is a diagnostic window.

Modern ultrasound devices are becoming increasingly more accurate

"In the past we used to use the stethoscope. Well, actually, if you think about it, a stethoscope on the roadside with the noise level and everything else it is probably not that useful.

"In cardiac arrest, putting the finger on someone's neck and trying to feel for a pulse is less useful than actually using an ultrasound.

"The ultrasound can tell us whether the lungs are up; it can tell us what the heart is doing; whether it is beating; whether there are any particular injuries.

"We can look inside the abdomen rather than just feeling the abdomen to see whether there is fluid inside which could be potential bleeding."

The demise of the stethoscope is likely to be a very gradual process, especially among older GPs who are being appraised and reassured about ultrasound technology and its versatility.

They will also be weighing up the potential of increased power and speed of diagnosis against increased cost.

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Older Cancer Patients Are Being 'Written Off'

Some patients with cancer are being denied treatment because they are too old, according to charity Macmillan Cancer Support.

Elderly patients are being "written off" for treatment after being assessed on age rather than fitness, claimed the charity.

The claim comes despite research showing tens of thousands of pensioners have survived the disease for 10 years or more.

"It's wrong to write off older people as too old for treatment," said Macmillan chief executive Ciaran Devane.

Some 130,000 patients over 65 survived at least 10 years with the disease

"With a proper assessment and appropriate treatment, our research shows that many older cancer patients can live for a long time and can even be cured.

"While it's good news that so many older people are benefiting from treatment, many thousands more could live longer if our survival rates for over-65s matched those in comparable countries.

"The barriers to getting treatment - which include age discrimination and inadequate assessment methods - must be tackled now so older people can survive cancer and live for many years."

For cancers such as prostate, breast, lung, stomach, ovary and kidney, the UK and Ireland have a lower five-year survival rate than the rest of Europe, a spokesman said.

At least 130,000 patients in the UK have survived for at least 10 years after being diagnosed with cancer at the age of 65 or above, including more than 8,000 patients diagnosed at age 80 or over.

Dr Mark Porter, chairman of council at the British Medical Association, said: "It is important that all healthcare professionals ensure that patients are treated on the basis of their clinical need.

"With an increasingly ageing population, it should be a key part of medical professionalism to guarantee that older patients are treated with the care and respect they deserve."

Sean Duffy, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, said: "We need to deliver better services for people over 65 and 75 because we know there's an issue and interventions need to be designed to that end."

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Take-Home Pay 'Rising Faster Than Prices'

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky Political Reporter

Nine out of 10 British workers have seen their take-home pay increase in the past year, according to Treasury figures.

In a counter attack on Labour's so-called cost of living crisis, the Tories argued there was "stark" evidence that the economic recovery is for all.

Conservative ministers said nearly everyone except the richest 10% saw their take-home pay rise by at least 2.5% once tax cuts were taken into account.

This is above the Consumer Price Index inflation rate which stood at 2.4% in the year ending April 2013.

It is claimed conditions have improved most for the bottom 50% of earners with take-home pay rising three quarters faster than CPI inflation.

Though the figures take into account cuts to income tax and national insurance, they do not include cuts to benefits to people in work.

The Treasury says all but the top 10% of earners saw a rise last year

Labour accused the Conservatives of being "highly selective" with their statistics and failing to "understand the cost-of-living-crisis".

Minister of State for Skills and Enterprise Matthew Hancock MP said: ‪"Of course as a consequence of the Great Recession people who work hard have been made poorer and times are tough for families as a result.

‪"That's why, as part of our long-term economic plan, we are cutting taxes for hardworking people so they have more money in their pockets and are more financially secure.

"Last year, our tax cuts meant people's take home pay rose faster than prices. So while there is still a long way to go, these figures show our plan is working.

"Only by continuing to work through our long-term plan will we secure a better future for Britain."

Labour though argued that for most - real wages have fallen.

Shadow Treasury Minister Cathy Jamieson said: "The truth is that under David Cameron real wages have fallen by over £1,600 a year and analysis of IFS figures show families are on average £891 worse off as a result of tax and benefit changes since 2010.

Overall, wages rose by a third more than the rate of CPI inflation

"At the same time this government has given a huge tax cut to people earning over £150,000."

Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank, said the Government's figures did not take account of benefit reductions and so did not reflect what has happened to household incomes overall.

Mr Johnson said it appeared that pay was now rising faster than inflation for most workers, but predicted that - after inflation is taken into account - incomes will remain "well below" their pre-recession levels by the time of the 2015 general election.

"There are two problems with this which one needs to take into account," he said.

"First, we have other sets of data - the Office for National Statistics publishes an average weekly earnings index. That went up quite a lot less quickly than inflation in the most recent months.

"And of course they are not taking account of reductions in things like benefits which were occurring over the time.

"So if you are looking at household incomes, that will be different from what's happened to take-home pay," he told BBC Radio.

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Murder Case Misconduct Detective To Keep Job

A detective disciplined for not following arrest guidelines in the Becky Godden-Edwards murder case will keep his job, police say.

Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher had previously been found to have breached murderer Christopher Halliwell's rights by failing to caution him and denying him a solicitor in an attempt to force information out of him.

Although 49-year-old taxi driver Halliwell was jailed for life for killing Sian O'Callaghan, the charge that he murdered Rebecca Godden-Edwards was dismissed due to Mr Fulcher's mistake.

A police disciplinary upheld three allegations of gross misconduct over alleged breaches of Wiltshire Police's policy and the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (Pace).

Two related to the execution of his duty during the Sian O'Callaghan and Becky Godden-Edwards case in March 2011 and one related to inappropriate contact with the media around 12 months later.

The police watchdog report found Mr Fulcher breached the act and ignored orders from his own force during the high-profile inquiry in Swindon.

"The panel have upheld the allegation that Detective Superintendent Fulcher committed gross misconduct by breaching the standards of professional behaviour as outlined by the Police Conduct Regulations 2008," a force spokesman said.

"The panel has decided the most appropriate action is for Detective Superintendent Fulcher to be given a final written warning.

"He will remain within Wiltshire Police."

More follows...

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Syria Terror Offences: Two UK Women Charged

Two women have been charged in relation to funding terrorist activities in Syria, Scotland Yard has said.

Amal Elwahabi, 27, and Nawal Msaad, 26, both from northwest London, were arrested on January 16.

Msaad was detained at Heathrow Airport while Elwahabi was held later that day in northeast London.

Scotland Yard said the pair is accused of "becoming concerned in an arrangement as a result of which money was made available or was to be made available to another, and they knew or had reasonable cause to suspect that it would or may be used for the purposes of terrorism".

The alleged offences are said to have taken place between January 13 and 16 and relate to terrorist activity in Syria, a spokesman said.

He added: "SO15, the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command, will continue to pursue individuals and networks in the UK seeking to support terrorists engaged in the Syrian conflict."

The women will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court later.

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Army Chief Looks To Future After Final Job Cuts

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

A line has been drawn "under the forced exodus of people from the Army", the Head of the British Army has declared.

Later today the Defence Secretary will announce details of the fourth round of military redundancies. It is also expected to be the final tranche.

Philip Hammond is expected to reveal that roughly 350 redundancies will come from the Ghurkha regiment, 70 or so medical and staff from the RAF and Navy.

The majority though will be chosen from the wider Army, although it is hoped a significant proportion will be voluntary.

As has previously been the case, anyone currently serving on operations will be exempt, as will those serving on the date the exact redundancies are announced - expected to be mid-June.

There will be the option for people to transfer to areas of the military that need bolstering, although those opportunities will be limited.

And financial incentives will be offered to anyone leaving the regular force but willing to join the Reserves.

Chief of General Staff Sir Peter Wall

Speaking ahead of today's announcement, the Chief of the General Staff General Sir Peter Wall said this demonstrated the military has done what was asked of it: "This redundancy tranche marks the final leg in our reduction of the Army from its former strength towards 82,500.

"It's the end of a period of significant uncertainty, albeit the relatively small number affected in this final tranche who will get our particular attention in making sure that they are fairly treated and support their transition to civilian life.

"This actually draws a line and we are now concentrating on drawing in the right talent to populate the future Army structure which is all about our operational readiness for future challenges."

It is hoped by senior officials within the Ministry of Defence that this is the last tranche of redundancies and will therefore remove the uncertainty that has been hanging over the military for some years - known anecdotally by troops as "life in the tranches".

It was originally thought as many as 5,000 could be made redundant in this round.

Soldier currently deployed on operations will be exempt from the cuts

That number is significantly smaller, in part due to problems with recruitment meaning that not so many jobs need to go.

"The defence review of 2010 set very clearly the requirements of defence going into the future," explained Major General David Cullen, Assistant Chief of the General Staff.

"We certainly don't need any further redundancies to achieve that target and to deliver the policy outputs that are required of us."

Earlier this month the military launched another recruitment campaign - the third in the space of just a year.

It is a response to inadequate recruiting figures, and a flawed recruitment process, described by one senior military source as being "clunky".

In the case of the Army Reserve, there are now fewer soldiers than six months ago.

However, the MoD is confident that many of the problems have been ironed out.

The number of staff in the national recruiting centre has been almost doubled and there is a simplified online application process.

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'Missed Opportunities' In Boy's Heart Care

A coroner has ruled there were "missed opportunities" in the care received by a four-year-old boy recovering from heart surgery.

Recording a narrative conclusion, Avon coroner Maria Voisin found no "gross failures to provide basic care" for Sean Turner.

Sean, from Warminster, Wiltshire, was a patient on Ward 32 of Bristol Children's Hospital and died in March 2012 from a brain haemorrhage.

He had previously suffered a cardiac arrest, six weeks after he underwent corrective heart surgery.

Sean's parents Steve and Yolanda Turner, aged 47 and 45, told the inquest at Avon Coroner's Court how they pleaded with doctors and nurses to help him.

Sean died at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children

Mr and Mrs Turner accused doctors of transferring their son to Ward 32 from intensive care too soon and said they missed signs of his worsening condition, with rising blood pressure, vomiting and fluid loss from his chest.

His mother told the inquest: "Sean was deteriorating. We could see it but nobody listened to us.

"We asked so many times and so many staff - from ward doctors, outreach nurses, cardiac liaison nurse and the nurses - if Sean could go back to intensive care as he had been better there.

"We were told no beds or that simply he was not critical enough. Over four days Sean had increasing heart rate, was constantly being sick and was becoming so chronically dehydrated he was grabbing tissues used to cool his forehead and suck the water out of them.

"He kept asking for drinks but we were told he was on a fluid restriction to clear out his drains and this was normal procedure after a Fontan procedure."

After collapsing Sean was transferred to intensive care, where he remained for 11 days before being returned to the ward.

Mrs Turner described it as the "worst news" when they were told Sean was being returned to Ward 32 and the "beginning of the end".

She said nurses did not respond to automatic alarm calls on her son's monitoring equipment, did not complete regular fluid checks and did not fill in his record charts.

He suffered a cardiac arrest on February 16 and returned to the intensive care unit where he remained until he died on March 15.

Up 10 families are believed to be taking legal action against the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust over treatment on Ward 32.

Ms Voisin said there were "lost opportunities" in the treatment of Sean but said this did not amount to a neglect verdict because there was not a gross failure to provide basic care.

Ms Voisin said she would not be writing to the hospital trust to recommend that changes are made to prevent future deaths.

"I am aware that the trust has made lots of changes since Sean's death and I do not consider that I need to make any report in connection with this matter."

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Cable Vows Fight Over Royal Mail Chief's Pay

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

An explosive executive pay row is brewing between Vince Cable and Royal Mail over the £1.5m package earned by the newly privatised company's chief executive.

Sky News can reveal that the Business Secretary is preparing to face down moves by Royal Mail's board to hike Moya Greene's annual remuneration just months after the Government sold a 70% stake in the company.

Mr Cable is understood to be willing to consider going as far as using his vote as the postal operator's biggest remaining shareholder to try to block any such increase.

If that were to happen, it would represent a remarkable new chapter in the privatisation of Royal Mail, which was bitterly opposed by Labour and the Communication Workers' Union.

The Government has been heavily criticised since last October's £3.3bn stock market listing, with the company's soaring share price leaving ministers vulnerable to accusations that it had been seriously undervalued.

The conflict over executive pay has been simmering since last weekend, when Donald Brydon, the boardroom veteran who chairs Royal Mail, said in a newspaper interview that increasing Ms Greene's pay was necessary if the company wanted to retain her services.

"I think it's only fair to pay Moya the right market rate for her job," he told The Sunday Telegraph.

"I'm not in the school that says top executive pay is without fault, there are parts of it that are egregious and wrong. But happily we are so far away from that end of it that to try and right-size her a bit I think is a necessary part of making sure we keep her."

Mr Brydon did not quantify the perceived shortfall in the Royal Mail chief's pay, although Ms Greene is paid less in aggregate than any of her peers at the helm of companies in the FTSE 100. She is also paid substantially less than her predecessor, Adam Crozier.

Last year, she received just under £498,000 in basic salary with further sums totalling nearly £1m based on her performance and directors' judgements about her success at modernising the company.

Royal Mail has pledged not to give Ms Greene a significant pay rise until after the current financial year.

Mr Cable is said to be irritated at Mr Brydon's intervention in the context of a row last year which led to Ms Greene returning a £250,000 housing allowance after he objected to the "material" payment.

The sum was disclosed in Royal Mail's annual report last summer. A review of Ms Greene's employment contract by Sky News after the company's flotation found no further discretionary payments of that kind.

At the time, Mr Cable said: "I am pleased that this unapproved payment is being returned. The company acted quickly to rectify the situation.

"A mistake was made in not seeking my approval: I would not have approved it. The chairman is sorry; the payment is being returned. I now regard the matter closed.

"Moya Greene is an exceptionally good CEO and she and the board have my full support to take the company forward."

Under laws passed at Mr Cable's instigation, most listed companies will face for the first time in 2014 a binding shareholder vote on their future pay policies for senior executives.

The prospect of one of the first big protest votes under the new regime being orchestrated by Mr Cable himself would stun the City.

It is not clear whether Mr Cable is opposed to any increase at all in Ms Greene's salary while the Government remains a shareholder in the company, but he is understood to be determined to hold Royal Mail's board to account over the issue.

However, the Business Secretary's stance may leave the Government vulnerable to accusations of hypocrisy given that both Antonio Horta-Osorio and Ross McEwan, the chief executives of state-backed Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland, are paid far higher sums than Ms Greene.

There is a widespread expectation that ministers will sanction the sale of the remaining stake before next year's general election, which would leave Royal Mail's board answerable only to external investors.

The Business Secretary is said to be keen to avoid the "nuclear option" of using the Government's vote to oppose Royal Mail's remuneration report.

Unions are likely to apply intense pressure on him to do so, however, with Unite national officer Ian Tonks saying this week: "Calls to boost Moya Greene's huge salary even further is proof the rushed privatisation of Royal Mail is descending into a farce. The Government should step in and make clear it opposes this sort of corporate greed."

If Mr Cable did vote against it, it could leave some Royal Mail directors feeling that their positions were untenable because they were not able to act in the interests of all shareholders by securing the services of the company's chief executive.

It would also revive memories of the vote by UK Financial Investments against Royal Bank of Scotland's pay report in 2009 following its taxpayer bail-out, although that vote was only on an advisory basis.

Mr Cable will give evidence later on Wednesday to the Business, Innovation and Skills select committee about the department's annual report, when he may face further questioning about the Royal Mail sell-off.

A spokeswoman for Mr Cable declined to comment.

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Flood Victims Demanding More Protection

By Frazer Maude, Sky News Reporter

Flood victims across the country are hoping for reassurances that more will be done to prevent a repeat of their recent problems, as those responsible for defences are quizzed in Parliament today.

None more so than the people of Muchelney, the village on the Somerset Levels that has now been cut off for three weeks.

The only way in and out of the picturesque and historic hamlet is by boat, and for the residents here the novelty, and their patience, is wearing thin.

Most of the villagers think the severe flooding here in recent weeks, and in November 2012, has been due to the rivers around the Somerset Levels not being dredged, a practice that was stopped because of the expense involved.

"It's not rocket science," says resident Paul Belding.

"If you let the rivers silt up to half their size, it'll have a massive impact, and dredging is the only way ahead.

"Eighteen years ago the dredgers were out in force in this area. I haven't seen them since."

Defra Minister Dan Rogerson and Environment Agency chief executive Paul Leinster will today face questions from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.

The thousands of people affected by the floods will be hoping the meeting will prompt some positive action.

Retired doctors Peter and Elizabeth Nightingale now own a smallholding in the village of Muchelney Ham.

They were flooded for the first time in almost 90 years in 2012, and there is still a foot or more of water still in their home after it flooded again this year.

The village of Muchelney has been cut off to road traffic

The couple have around 60 sheep that should have been sold at market in the past couple of weeks, but they simply can't get them there.

"The place is a disaster zone. It's ridiculous in a first world country that the Government doesn't do more to help us and protect us from this sort of thing. It's laughable really," says Mr Nightingale.

"This needs a major effort by the government, not just bits of spending here and there."

Many of the local pumping stations on the Levels are not in use at the moment, because with the rivers still full, there is nowhere for the water to go.

:: Government and Environment Agency officials will face questions from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee later. Watch it live from 3pm on Sky News - Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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