Foiled Car Bomb Attempt In Belfast Condemned

An apparent attempt to kill a policeman in Northern Ireland with a car bomb was an attack on the entire community, Stormont's Justice Minister has insisted.

Police have blamed dissident republicans for placing the booby trap device under the officer's car in east Belfast.

They said the unexploded viable bomb, which was discovered by the off duty policeman on Sunday afternoon, was clearly intended to kill.

His car was parked at his home on the Upper Newtownards Road - a busy route into the city centre.

The scene, which was sealed off until late on Sunday night amid an extensive security and forensic operation, is close to Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) headquarters at Knock and the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont.

Army robot used to examine the device

Justice Minister David Ford condemned those responsible, saying: "This was an attack not only on a police officer and his family but on our whole community. The officer was serving the community - he was working for all of us."

People living in nearby homes were evacuated in the alert. A local church offered them shelter while army technical officers worked to make the scene safe.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said it was very fortunate no one was killed or injured.

"Initial investigations would indicate that this was a viable device placed below an officer's car some time in the last 48 hours," he said on Sunday night.

"It was clearly intended to kill the police officer. His family and neighbours in the vicinity were also put at risk of serious harm.

"Obviously there are people out there who are still intent on causing murder and mayhem."

Map showing the road where the bomb was placed

Dissidents have repeatedly targeted security force members in recent years.

In November, long-serving prison officer David Black, 52, was shot dead in a motorway ambush in Co Armagh as he drove to work.

A group styling itself the "new IRA" claimed responsibility for that attack. The faction was formed in the summer when a number of splinter groups joined forces.

In April 2011, newly-qualified police officer Ronan Kerr, 25, died when a dissident booby trap car bomb exploded under his vehicle at his home in Omagh.

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Revellers Get Ready For New Year Knees Up

Spectacular shows of fireworks and entertainment will take place across the globe as revellers welcome in the new year.

A dazzling display of pyrotechnics and lights is set to illuminate London's night sky to round-off a momentous year in the capital city.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who has organised the event, said: "Our New Year's Eve fireworks will cap a triumphant year for London.

"As we welcomed the world to the magnificent celebrations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the glorious success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, London was at its very best.

"From the thrilling sporting action to the breathtaking cultural celebrations, it has been an unforgettable year and I am immensely proud of the contribution that our Ambassadors made to that success.

"As we go into 2013 with a spectacular fireworks display I hope we can build on that energy and enthusiasm to make ours the best big city in the world."

Last year's London celebrations saw Big Ben lit up

Up to 250,000 people are expected to crowd on to the banks of the Thames to watch the display, with millions more seeing it on television.

Following their hard work during the London 2012 Games, more than 150 of the mayor's 'Team London Ambassadors' will volunteer at the event to help ensure it is a success.

They will be giving out maps, helping direct people to the viewing areas, and providing guidance and advice on getting home safely.

Scots rockers Simple Minds will be headlining the Hogmanay concert and street party in Edinburgh.

The View, Bwani Junction, Reverend and the Makers and The OK Social Club will also be playing to an anticipated crowd of 80,000, and fireworks will be set off to mark the new year.

Celebrations got under way in the city last night with a torchlight procession. A record crowd estimated at 35,000, including 7,000 torch carriers, were led by the massed pipes and drums and the Up Helly Aa' Vikings from Shetland.

The procession made its way through the city streets to the burning of the effigy of a Viking boat and a spectacular Son et Lumiere display on Calton Hill.

Sydney's fireworks are expected to be bigger than last year

The central Pacific Ocean island of Kiritimati (Christmas Island) and the eastern-most island in the island nation of Kiribati will be the first to usher in the new year at 1000 GMT.

Sydney will be the first major world city to see in the new year at 1300 GMT, with some 1.5 million people expected to attend the city's events.

As one of the largest new year events in the world, the traditional firework show on the Sydney Harbour Bridge will display more than 100,000 firework patterns, costing 6.5m Australian dollars (£4.2m).

American Samoa, an unincorporated territory of the US in the southern Pacific Ocean, will be the last place on Earth to herald in the new year on Tuesday at 1100 GMT.

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Alan Greaves Murder: Two Arrests In Sheffield

Police have arrested two men over the murder of pensioner Alan Greaves, who was attacked as he walked to church in Sheffield on Christmas Eve.

The 68-year-old was found with head injuries on the pavement close to his home on Greengate Lane at around 11.15pm.

The suspects, both from Sheffield, have been arrested on suspicion of murder, South Yorkshire Police said. One is in his 20s and the other in his 40s.

Officers are searching properties in the High Green area and a police spokesman has said there is a "high-visibility police presence".

Mr Greaves, a retired social worker, had been an organist and lay preacher at St Saviour's Church in High Green for nine years.

He died on Thursday night surrounded by his family at the city's Northern General Hospital.

Police have called the attack "brutal" and are continuing to appeal for witnesses to come forward.

Detective Superintendent Matt Fenwick said it is likely a weapon was used but the motive for the attack is not known.

Friends and neighbours have described Mr Greaves as a good and kind man. His wife Maureen, a church community worker, is said to be devastated.

"He was a good man and this was an evil act," said Canon Simon Bessant, who worked closely with Mr Greaves and his wife.

"He was a gentle soul. He wasn't foolish - he would have handled the situation as best as anyone would but we don't know what he encountered."

Mr Bessant said Mr Greaves had been attacked 250 yards from the church and that his family had been at home.

"His wife wants justice but she doesn't want vengeance. She is not embittered but obviously she wants this person to be caught."

Mr Greaves had four adult children and had recently become a grandfather to twin boys adopted by his daughter in Mozambique.

He and his wife had recently set up a food bank and community project in the area where he was murdered.

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Cameron: Britain 'On Right Track' For 2013

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

David Cameron has used his New Year's message to declare that Britain is "heading in the right direction" on all the big issues and can look forward to 2013 with "realism and optimism".

In a video address, the Prime Minister acknowledged 2012 was "tough", with many families finding it difficult to make ends meet - and admitted he had "no quick fixes" to the UK's economic problems.

But he cited evidence of "real progress" on cutting the state deficit, reforming welfare and improving school standards, which he said was preparing Britain to succeed in the "global race" with emerging economic giants like China and India for the jobs and opportunities of the future.

Mr Cameron said that his administration was "a Government in a hurry" which would not give in to pressure to slow the pace of deficit reduction or rein in reforms to welfare and education.

"This is my message to the country at the start of 2013," said the Prime Minister. "We can look to the future with realism and optimism.

"Realism, because you can't cure problems that were decades in the making overnight. There are no quick fixes and I wouldn't claim otherwise.

"But we can be optimistic too because we are making tangible progress. We are doing what's right for our country and what's best for our children's future."

Insisting that "we are on the right track", Mr Cameron said: "On all the big issues that matter to Britain, we are heading in the right direction and I have the evidence to prove it."

The deficit is forecast to be a quarter smaller at the New Year than it was when the coalition Government came to office. There are almost half a million more people in work, and more than 1,000 new academy schools have opened, said Mr Cameron.

And he hailed moves to take millions of low-paid workers out of income tax, freeze council tax bills and deliver the largest-ever increase in the state pension.

"This is, quite simply, a Government in a hurry," said Mr Cameron. "And there's a reason for that.

"Britain is in a global race to succeed today. It is a race with countries like China, India and Indonesia; a race for the jobs and opportunities of the future.

"So, when people say we can slow down on cutting our debts, we are saying no. We can't win in this world with a great millstone of debt round our necks.

"When people say we've got to stop our welfare reforms because somehow it is cruel to expect people to work, we are saying no. Getting people into good jobs is absolutely vital, not just for them, but for all of us.

"And when there is a fight on our hands to change our schools, we are ready and willing to have it, because having a world-class education is the only way our children are going to get on in this world."

He added: "This is what this Government is about: making sure Britain succeeds in this global race and, above all, helping our people succeed - the people who work hard and aspire to a better life for their families."

The message steered clear of the debates over Britain's future in the European Union - due to feature in a long-awaited speech by the Prime Minister in the coming weeks - and gay marriage, which have driven divisions through the Conservative Party over the past year.

Instead Mr Cameron looked back on 2012 as "an extraordinary year for our country", characterised by the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the successful Olympics and Paralympics.

In response, Labour vice chair Michael Dugher said: "It's a case of more of the same from David Cameron.

"In his New Year message, Cameron talks of people who work hard in this country but he's the one hitting hard-working families on lower and middle incomes whilst cutting taxes for millionaires.

"David Cameron stands for the old divide and rule Tory approach of the past - he can't be the One Nation Prime Minister Britain needs.

"Cameron promised change but nothing is changing for the better. Britain's economy is failing under his policies over the last year, with nearly one million young people out of work.

"Prices are still going up faster than wages and borrowing is going up not down, over 7% higher this year than last year.

"This Prime Minister is out of touch, he stands up for the wrong people and he's failing to deliver for working people."

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Bradley Wiggins Knighted In New Year Honours

By Ian Woods, Senior News Correspondent

Britain's gold rush during the London Olympic and Paralympic Games has led to 78 athletes and coaches being named in the New Year Honours List.

Among the top honours are knighthoods for cyclist Bradley Wiggins and yachtsman Ben Ainslie, while Paralympic cyclist Sarah Storey becomes a Dame.

Dave Brailsford and David Tanner, the Performance Directors who have ensured that Britain now leads the world in cycling and rowing are also rewarded with knighthoods.

Every British athlete who won a gold medal in the Olympics or Paralympics is included in the list unless they have already been honoured in the past.

Heptathlete and face of London 2012 Jessica Ennis is awarded a CBE

So Sir Chris Hoy, who was knighted after the Beijing Games, is omitted from the list despite adding two more gold medals to his career tally of six.

Somali-born middle-distance runner Mo Farah becomes a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his stunning double gold medal performances in the 5,000m and 10,000m.

He joins four other competitors who become CBEs having previously collected the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) - rower Katherine Grainger, cyclist Victoria Pendleton, heptathlete Jessica Ennis and wheelchair athlete David Weir.

David Weir was also given a CBE after winning four gold medals in London

Sir Bradley admitted to having mixed feelings about receiving a knighthood. Born in Kilburn, he is now almost as famous for his sideburns and Mod image as his cycling exploits.

This was the year he became the first Briton to win the Tour De France, and he also won the Olympic Time Trial title and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

He told Sky News: "It's an incredible honour and it's an incredible thing to have. It's still not something that sits incredibly easily with me, I don't think it's something I'm going to use in daily life.

"(It's) an amazing thing to have in the drawer for my wife my kids and my family. It's topped the year off really."

Dame Sarah Storey first won Paralympic gold as a swimmer, and achieved even greater success when she switched to cycling.

A birth defect means she does not have a left hand, but she also competes against able-bodied cyclists and was pushing for a place in the Olympic squad.

Ben Ainslie was also knighted after winning four gold medals

"I really hope that everybody who's been connected to what I've done feels a part of what has happened," she told Sky News.

"To be honoured in this way - the top gong as you might say - you never even imagine or dream of it. It's just beyond your wildest dreams."

Her boss, Dave Brailsford, becomes Sir Dave after overseeing not just the Olympic triumphs, but the rise of Team Sky as a professional road racing team. Like Sir Bradley he is struggling to adjust to the adulation.

He said: "[It feels] very strange. On the one hand you feel proud and honoured, on the other hand it feels quite humbling really.

Swimmer Ellie Simmonds gets an OBE, while Sarah Storey becomes a dame

"It's a recognition for everything that's happened in cycling over a period of time. I'm the lucky one who gets recognised."

Jessica Ennis CBE told Sky News: "It sounds very surreal. It's such an honour.

"When you get involved in sport, and when I started, it certainly wasn't something that I ever thought of, so to now be in this position at 26 and be receiving a CBE is such an honour."

Cyclists Jason Kenny and his girlfriend Laura Trott end 2012 sharing four gold medals and two OBEs (Officer of the Order of the British Empire).

Andy Murray gets one not just for his Olympic victory, but also for winning the US Open.

Andy Murray caps his Olympic gold and US Open title with an OBE

Olympic rower Katherine Grainger, double equestrian gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin and paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds and paralympic horsewoman Sophie Christiansen add OBEs to the MBE's they collected following winning performances in the 2008 Beijing Games.

Christiansen told Sky News: "As athletes we work towards getting gold medals but this is the icing on the cake to be recognised."

Lord Coe, the mastermind of the Games, becomes a companion of honour, but one notable absentee from the list is film director Danny Boyle, the creator of the opening ceremony.

He appears to be one of the minority who for various reasons decline to be honoured.

London 2012 mastermind Lord Coe becomes a companion of honour

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Abducted Atiya Back With 'Overwhelmed' Mum

Atiya Anjum-Wilkinson is back with her mother in Greater Manchester three years after being abducted by her father and taken to Pakistan.

The six-year-old flew into Manchester Airport on Friday night on a Pakistan International Airlines flight from Islamabad accompanied by her uncle.

Speaking after seeing her daughter for the first time since 2009, Gemma Wilkinson said she was "absolutely overwhelmed".

She said: "We've literally gone from now knowing where Atiya is, to then finding out that we do know where Atiya is, to receiving pictures of Atiya and how she looks now, and then to Atiya's coming home and now she's here.

"It's been an absolute whirlwind. It's more than I could ever imagine or hope for."

Sky Correspondent Frazer Maude, in Manchester, said: "It is going to be a very difficult period of readjustment that could take some time.

"She has spent three years now living in Pakistan with her extended family we believe and she will be returning here to try and relearn a Western way of life.

"These must be very difficult times for her mother as well, the uncertainty as to what reaction she is going to get from her daughter, whether her daughter will even speak the same language when she arrives."

Atiya vanished in 2009 after she was taken to Pakistan by her father

MEP Sajjad Karim, who contacted Pakistan authorities to try and track down Atiya, told Sky News he wished he had known about the case earlier.

He said: "There is nothing that I have done now, that I couldn't have done three and a half years ago."

Mr Karim added that Atiya was located on Christmas Eve and authorities were able to show up-to-date pictures of her to Ms Wilkinson on Christmas Day.

No money changed hands in getting her back, he said.

Atiya vanished in November 2009 after going to stay with her father, Razwan Ali Anjum.

The former insurance salesman said he was taking her to Southport.

Instead he took her to Lahore, Pakistan and told Ms Wilkinson she was "never going to see Atiya again", courts have heard.

Anjum is serving a prison sentence in Britain for refusing to reveal his daughter's whereabouts despite a court order.

Ms Wilkinson's "on-off" relationship with Anjum ended in 2008.

Anjum was handed a fourth consecutive jail term by a High Court judge in April after he refused to say where his daughter was.

Mr Justice Moor imposed a 12-month sentence after he found him in contempt of a High Court order instructing him to disclose Atiya's whereabouts.

He said Anjum, in his late 20s, would not be eligible for release until he had served at least six months. He had previously been given one two-year and two 12-month sentences.

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Weather: Downpours To Bring Yet More Flooding

Large parts of Britain are braced for yet more flooding with heavy rain forecast on Friday and Saturday.

Just under two inches of rain are needed by Monday for 2012 to be the wettest year on record for the UK overall.

A new record has already been set for England with 43.1in of rain falling between January 1 and Boxing Day, the Met Office said.

The Environment Agency (EA) said that the west of the UK should prepare to take the brunt of more wet weather, with many areas still saturated with water from before Christmas, when floods forced many to flee their homes.

The Thames Barrier was closed to keep the high tide out of London

Heavy rain in the north and west on Friday will increase the risk of flooding, while more downpours are forecast on Saturday.

"The weather is set to remain unsettled into the weekend. With the ground still very wet, and river levels running high, any rain is likely to increase the risk of flooding," an EA spokesman said.

"There is also an ongoing risk of flooding from groundwater, particularly in Dorset, and some larger rivers like the Thames and Severn are still rising as they slowly respond to the recent downpours.

"As a result, we may see further flooding of low-lying land, such as flood plains and low-lying roads as the peak in river levels moves downstream."

A car drives down a flooded road between Sonning and Playhatch in Berkshire

There are 82 flood warning and 182 less-serious flood alerts in place, focused on the Midlands, south west and south east.

The recent heavy rain, coupled with late-running engineering work and other problems, meant a miserable return to work for rail travellers on Thursday.

First Great Western said the main line in the South West, which has been closed since before Christmas because of flooding between Exeter St Davids and Tiverton, is expected to reopen on Saturday.

The Thames Barrier was also raised on Thursday morning to keep the high tide out of London and reduce the risk of flooding.

It reopened later in the day, but was closed again from 10.15pm through to 3am.

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Norfolk Car Crash: Two Young Girls Killed

Two girls aged seven and 10 have been killed and three other people injured after a car crash in Norfolk, police have said.

The children were in a car along with two adults and another child which crashed on the A47 near Wisbech at 6.40pm, according to Norfolk Police.

All five occupants of the black Ford Focus were taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, where the girls died from their injuries.

The crash happened on the A47 near Wisbech at 6.40pm on Thursday

The other three occupants of the car remain in hospital, although police said their injuries are not believed to be serious.

A Norfolk Police spokesman said: "The incident happened on the A47 at approximately 6.40pm when a black Ford Focus left the road, ending up on its side at the edge of a ditch.

"Five people were travelling in the car, two adults and three children, who were all taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn.

"Sadly, two girls aged seven and 10 died in hospital as a result of injuries sustained in the collision."

The road was closed in both directions for several hours at the scene of the accident - close to the Norfolk border with Cambridgeshire - before reopening just before 10.30pm.

A police spokesman said officers were continuing to investigate how the vehicle came to leave the road and asked for witnesses to the crash to come forward.

The accident comes two days after two young brother were killed in a Christmas Day motorway crash.

Adnan Habib, 10, and four-year-old Arsalaan were killed when the car they were in - also a Ford Focus - crashed on the M6.

In a statement their family said: "Adnan and Arsalaan were our family's precious jewels, spreading joy wherever they went. They were happy and joyous boys who were a central part of the family, always smiling and bringing smiles to everyone they met."

Their 32-year-old aunt, Bushra Tazarib, also died in the crash which happened close to junction 15, near Stoke-on-Trent, at about 11.25am.

Two other women were travelling in the car, including the boys' mother, who was driving at the time of the crash. Both were taken to hospital but discharged on Boxing Day after treatment.

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Knife Crime: Funding To Tackle Youth Violence

By Niall Paterson, Sky News Correspondent

The government has announced extra cash to help tackle youth violence and gun crime.

Half a million pounds will be given to the voluntary sector, charities and other organisations working directly with young people at risk of becoming violent offenders and those already involved in knife and gun crime.

In addition, the Home Office intends to expand the "priority areas" in which its Ending Gang and Youth Violence frontline team works from 29 to 33.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "Serious youth violence has a devastating impact on communities and needs to be stopped.

"We need to change the life-stories of the young people who too often end up dead or seriously injured on our streets or are sucked into a life of violence and crime.

"This package of support will help police protect communities as well as boost the innovative work being done at a local level by charities and voluntary groups to provide vulnerable youngsters with a way out."

The Home Office has already committed £18m to help police, local agencies and the voluntary sector tackle gangs and youth crime in 2013.

Gang involvement and knife crime are commonly linked to social deprivation and poor upbringing.

Figures from the Metropolitan Police show that as much as 60% of knife crime attacks are gang-related.

Home Office Minister Jeremy Browne told Sky News: "The consequences of knife crime are often devastating and when knife crime does take place it rightly worries people a huge amount and there is a clear link between knife crime and gang membership."

Yet critics of the government's approach suggest that until the London riots of 2011 too much emphasis had been placed on criminal justice, and how courts would deal with offenders after crimes had been committed.

The government's Ending Gang and Youth Violence report, published in November 2011, suggested far greater emphasis on utilising the experience of the voluntary sector.

But one youth worker and former gang member, Sheldon Thomas, told Sky that the sums of money being discussed were too small to have any real effect.

He said: "There are many deprived communities up and down this country that are in need of sufficient resources.

"Those resources are being shipped out into foreign wars...to the normal Joe public I don't think they matter. I think what matters is what's happening next door."

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Child Abuse: New Database Of Medical Visits

By Liz Lane, Sky News Reporter

A national database is being introduced in hospitals to flag up potential vulnerable children to nurses and doctors.

It is in order to prevent cases similar to that of Baby Peter Connelly in which health and social service workers repeatedly failed to pick up on signs that the toddler was being abused.

Social services failed to detect signs that Baby P was being abused

He died of multiple injuries in August 2007.

Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter is behind the system and said: "For many years there's been a problem of getting joined-up and co-ordinated information to front-line healthcare professionals about children that may be potentially at risk from abuse."

Under the system, a flag will appear on the child's medical record at any hospital they attend if they have already been identified by a local authority as being at risk, or if they have frequently been taken to accident and emergency departments.

Currently, this sort of information is not shared between hospitals up and down the country.

Dr Simon Eccles, of Homerton Hospital in east London, believes it will help doctors make better judgements.

"Spotting those characteristic injury patterns that tell you a child has been abused is one thing," he said, "but what's much harder is the child whose injuries are completely understandable but actually have just been happening too often."

Lauren Matthews, whose nine-year-old son Leo has been in hospital recently, told Sky News she has her concerns: "Two weeks ago we had to take him to hospital because his friend closed his hand in the door. And then yesterday we had to come into hospital again because he had an asthma attack, so in certain situations it could be taken out of context."

Doctors say the system will only deal in facts and they will objectively assess each case.

Work will begin on it in early 2013 and it will start to be introduced to NHS hospitals in 2015.

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Queen And Royals Attend Christmas Day Service

Transcript Of The Queen's Broadcast

Updated: 4:35pm UK, Tuesday 25 December 2012

This past year has been one of great celebration for many. The enthusiasm which greeted the Diamond Jubilee was, of course, especially memorable for me and my family.

It was humbling that so many chose to mark the anniversary of a duty which passed to me 60 years ago. People of all ages took the trouble to take part in various ways and in many nations.

But perhaps most striking of all was to witness the strength of fellowship and friendship among those who had gathered
together on these occasions.

Prince Philip and I were joined by our family on the River Thames as we paid tribute to those who have shaped the United Kingdom's past and future as a maritime nation, and welcomed a wonderful array of craft, large and small, from across the Commonwealth.

On the barges and the bridges and the banks of the river there were people who had taken their places to cheer through the mist, undaunted by the rain.

That day there was a tremendous sense of common determination to celebrate, triumphing over the elements.

That same spirit was also in evidence from the moment the Olympic flame arrived on these shores.

The flame itself drew hundreds and thousands of people on its journey around the British Isles, and was carried by every kind of deserving individual, many nominated for their own extraordinary service.

As London hosted a splendid summer of sport, all those who saw the achievement and courage at the Olympic and Paralympic Games were further inspired by the skill, dedication, training and teamwork of our athletes.

In pursuing their own sporting goals, they gave the rest of us the opportunity to share something of the excitement and drama.

We were reminded, too, that the success of these great festivals depended to an enormous degree upon the dedication and effort of an army of volunteers.

Those public-spirited people came forward in the great tradition of all those who devote themselves to keeping others safe, supported and comforted.

For many, Christmas is also a time for coming together. But for others, service will come first. Those serving in our armed forces, in our emergency services and in our hospitals, whose sense of duty takes them away from family and friends, will be missing those they love.

And those who have lost loved ones may find this day especially full of memories. That's why it's important at this time of year to reach out beyond our familiar relationships to think of those who are on their own.

At Christmas I am always struck by how the spirit of togetherness lies also at the heart of the Christmas story. A young mother and a dutiful father with their baby were joined by poor shepherds and visitors from afar. They came with their gifts to worship the Christ child. From that day on he has inspired people to commit themselves to the best interests of others.

This is the time of year when we remember that God sent his only son 'to serve, not to be served'. He restored love and service to the centre of our lives in the person of Jesus Christ.

It is my prayer this Christmas Day that his example and teaching will continue to bring people together to give the best of themselves in the service of others.

The carol, In The Bleak Midwinter, ends by asking a question of all of us who know the Christmas story, of how God gave himself to us in humble service: 'What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; if I were a wise man, I would do my part'. The carol gives the answer 'Yet what I can I give him - give my heart'.

I wish you all a very happy Christmas.

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M6 Car Crash Killed Two Young Brothers

Two victims of the three people killed after a car flipped over on the M6 motorway on Christmas Day were brothers, aged four and 10.

The third victim of the accident on a busy stretch of the motorway in Staffordshire was a 32-year-old woman.

The boys' mother, who was believed to have been driving the car, and another female passenger remain in a stable condition at University Hospital North Staffordshire.

Staffordshire Police said the crash happened on the northbound carriageway of the M6 near junction 15 at around 11.25am.

Chief Superintendent Martin Evans said: "Colleagues from the emergency services have worked seamlessly throughout the day in these very sad and exceptionally difficult circumstances.

"Unfortunately the outcome is extremely tragic and our thoughts are with the family of those who have died."

The motorway was closed in both directions following the accident, which included a red Ford Focus, but has now reopened.

The accident occurred on the M6 between junctions 14 and 15

A West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) spokesman said: "Crews arrived to find a single vehicle that had crashed and overturned.

"Two children and an adult that were travelling in the vehicle suffered serious injuries.

"Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of ambulance crews, nothing could be done to save the two boys and one woman, and they were confirmed dead at the scene.

In a separate accident on the M6, four adults and three young children were injured on the southbound carriageway, near Corley Services, at around 7pm on Christmas Day.

A WMAS spokesman said two cars were substantially damaged and it was fortunate nobody was more seriously injured.

Earlier on Christmas Day, Ann Mary Goodrich, 57, and her husband Paul John Goodrich, 56, from Hampshire, died following the collision on the B3349 Odiham Road at Heckfield Heath, near Basingstoke.

A 29-year-old man from Farnborough, believed to be the driver of the other vehicle involved, received medical attention at the scene before being taken to hospital with serious injuries.

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Floods: UK To Remain On Alert For Another Week

Showers could bring more flooding woes for parts of rain-battered Britain this Christmas.

Hundreds of homes and businesses have been swamped with floodwaters as winter rain continues to fall across saturated land.

The Environment Agency (EA) said widespread showers meant many places remain on flood alert despite the persistent heavy rain being expected to ease off by the end of Christmas Day.

An EA spokeswoman said: "While the worse of the weather is behind us, the risk of flooding continues with rain falling on already saturated ground.

"As a result, flood warnings and alerts will remain in place for much of the week ahead.

Railway engineers check inflatable dams on the railway line near Exeter

"This is because river levels remain high and sensitive to further rain fall."

The rivers Severn, Trent, Avon and Thames are most at risk of flooding, the EA said.

There are more than 160 flood warnings in place across the country, and 266 less serious flood alerts.

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning - its second highest alert - for South West England.

The Met Office said the wettest place in the UK since the heavy rain began last week was Tyndrum in Perthshire with 6.1in (155mm).

The Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre in Nottingham was flooded

Cardinham, near Bodmin in Cornwall, is the wettest place in England with 5.1in (128.8 mm) of rain and the wettest place in Wales has been Mumbles Head in West Glamorgan with 4.2in (107mm) of rain.

Ballypatrick Forest in Antrim has been the wettest place in Northern Ireland, with 3.5in (89mm) of rain.

Some areas have exceeded their full-month December average since December 19 - such as Plymouth, which has seen 5.1in (128.8mm) of rain compared with a December average of 4.7in (118.8 mm).

Lower-level yellow weather warnings have also been issued for much of southern England and Wales.

Britain is now set for one of its wettest years ever, the Met Office said.

The UK's average rainfall in 2012, excluding December, is 1,202mm -  placing it 13th in the list of wettest years since records began in 1910.

Forecasters said December's deluge of rain meant that this year was now likely to finish among the country's highest rainfall totals on record.

The year 2000 remains the UK's wettest year, with an average rainfall of 1,337.3mm.

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Christmas Day Online Sales Surge Predicted

Bargain season begins in force today as online retailers slash prices ahead of an expected onslaught of consumers hitting the high street for the traditional Boxing Day sales.

Amazon's UK website said it had seen sales on Christmas Day increase by 263% over the last five years.

It expects this to be its busiest Christmas Day to date, partly due to the growth in home broadband and the popularity of tablets and smartphones.

The retailer is launching its Boxing Day deals a day early, which include clearance offers and "lightning deals" for a limited time and quantity of stock.

Shopping frenzies are moving from the high street to the internet

Trends seen on past Christmas Days on Amazon include an 11am rush for last minute gift cards, the spending of gift cards at midday and sofa surfing at 8.15pm.

Amazon's vice president of EU retail, Xavier Garambois, said: "The digital revolution has certainly played a part in this growth and Christmas Day is our biggest day of the year for MP3 and Kindle Book downloads, as many people are buying content from new devices that they have just received.

"It's not just digital items though, we are seeing purchases of everything from baby products to women's clothing rapidly growing on Christmas Day. Many customers are shopping on Christmas Day in a way that has previously only been seen in the retail industry on Boxing Day."

According to MoneySupermarket.com, shoppers in the UK are set to spend a total of £2.9bn in the Boxing Day sales.

Furniture Village said visits to its website on Christmas Day last year peaked at 25,000 at 4pm, with that figure increasing to 50,000 on Boxing Day, suggesting that the majority of customers researched products online before buying from high street stores.

Chris Webster, a spokesman for technology analysts Capgemini, said: "Online tills will be ringing all the way from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, including a massive £300m spent on Christmas morning itself.

"Christmas Day will see a surge in online sales as new tablets and smartphones are put through their paces and vouchers are cashed in for virtual goods such as movies and music.

"This year we're as likely to be downloading Queen's Greatest Hits as watching the Queen's speech."

Meanwhile, high-street spending was "acceptable but not exceptional" this festive period, according to the British Retail Consortium.

Head of media and campaigns Richard Dodd said poor accessibility on high streets, a lack of parking and weak consumer demand were to blame rather than an increase in online shopping.

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Queen To Hail Olympics In 3D Xmas Message

Monarch's Message: From Radio To 3D

Updated: 4:41am UK, Monday 24 December 2012

The Queen's grandfather, King George V, delivered the first royal Christmas broadcast live on the radio from Sandringham more than 75 years ago.

He had reigned since 1910, but it was not until 1932 that he gave his first festive speech.

He was unsure about using the relatively untried medium of the wireless, but eventually agreed and read a message composed by author Rudyard Kipling.

The original idea was suggested by Sir John Reith, the founding father of the BBC, to inaugurate the Empire Service, now the BBC World Service.

The fixed time of 3pm each year was chosen in 1932 because it was considered the best for reaching most of the countries in the British Empire by short wave.

The General Post Office was used to reach Australia, Canada, India, Kenya and South Africa.

George V's eldest son, who became King Edward VIII, never delivered a Christmas speech as his reign lasted less than a year, ending in abdication.

There was no broadcast in 1936 or 1938.

King George VI, Edward's younger brother, made his first broadcast in December 1937 in which he thanked the nation and Empire for their support during the first year of his reign.

It was the outbreak of war in 1939 which firmly established the tradition, when George VI sought to reassure people and boost morale.

Following her father's death, the Queen made her first Christmas broadcast in 1952 and her first televised Christmas broadcast in 1957, live from Sandringham.

She has delivered one every year except for 1969, when she decided the royals had been on TV enough that year following an unprecedented documentary the family made about their life.

Today the speech is available on the television, radio, the Royal Channel on the YouTube website, and in HD.

This year for the first time the national address will also be broadcast in 3D.

The Queen usually does her speech in one take, recording it a couple of weeks before December 25. Accompanying TV footage is gathered throughout the year.

She writes her own message and each one has a religious framework and reflects current issues.

The speech is one of the rare occasions when the Queen does not turn to the Government for advice and is able to voice her own views.

While the Royal Family gathers together round the TV to watch the broadcast on Christmas Day, the Queen sometimes watches it alone, heading off to another room to scrutinise her message in private.

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Adoption System To Be 'More Swift And Robust'

Plans to overhaul the adoption process in a bid to find homes for 4,000 children currently on a national register have been unveiled by the Government.

Potential adopters will be given a "more active role" in selecting a child and granted the same maternity and paternity paid leave arrangements as biological mothers and fathers.

Officials are considering allowing approved candidates access to the register of those waiting to be adopted to help them choose potentially-suitable children.

Those interested in adopting will be given "a more active role" in choosing a child, and additional support will be given to successful adoptive parents.

Prime Minister David Cameron said he hoped the changes would create a "swifter, more effective and robust" system.

David Holmes, chief executive of the British Association of Adoption and Fostering, welcomed the announcement.

"Now, more than ever, we need more people to consider if adoption could be right for them - we must find families for the thousands of children who are waiting whilst ensuring that adoption support is available to meet the needs of all," he said.

Children's Minister Edward Timpson urged people over Christmas to "think seriously about opening up their home to a child awaiting adoption".

He said: "We know that children do well in an adoptive family and I hope this comprehensive package of support will lead to more and more people having the confidence to come forward and provide a chance for these children to thrive and reach their potential.

"This support will also provide more help to those who are already adopting children who have been in care. I urge everyone this Christmas to think seriously about opening up their home to a child awaiting adoption."

Former Barnardo's chief Martin Narey, now the Government's adoption adviser, said new evidence from the US - and more recently the UK - suggested giving adopters the initiative improved matches.

He said: "Of course, that does not mean that adopters can simply choose their child, they still need professional advice on such a vital decision. But it is clear - and indeed I have observed - that there is a chemistry between adopters and children which can provide a foundation for a very successful adoption."

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Teen's Rape Heard By Mother Over The Phone

Police are hunting a man who raped a teenage girl in an attack that was overheard by her mother who had phoned her daughter.

The 15-year-old girl was threatened with a four-inch knife in Elswick, Newcatle upon Tyne, about 8.50pm on Tuesday.

She was then taken to a nearby waste ground where she was raped in an horrific attack that lasted over an hour and a half.

At about 9.30pm, her mother became concerned her daughter had not returned home and tried calling her mobile.

But on the other end of the line she heard the voice of her daughter's attacker and called the police.

After the attack, the schoolgirl phoned her mother to say she had been robbed. But in a later conversation, she revealed she had been raped.

The girl was taken to waste ground and was assaulted

The victim's aunt said the family is devastated.

"Her mum could hear his voice in the background, she didn't know where (her daughter) was or what was happening," she said.

"She wasn't drinking on the street like a lot of 15-year-olds do. She should have been safe. She is coping. But she doesn't realise the severity of what's happened to her because she's only 15.

"We just want him caught. If anyone saw anything suspicious or anyone hanging around the area, please tell the police.

"My sister is absolutely devastated. She just keeps blaming herself and feels so guilty."

Police have found the knife they believed was used in the attack.

They have also released CCTV images of the suspect, who is in his late teens, around 5ft 8 with dark skin and of slim build.

The knife that police believe was used in the attack

He was wearing a black leather jacket and a black fleece hat.

Northumbria Police Detective Chief Inspector Gary Hetherington, who is leading the investigation, said his team will not rest until the man is caught.

"We have a dedicated team of officers and staff working on this investigation, using every tool at our disposal to catch the rapist," he said.

"We are studying extensive CCTV footage, undertaking forensic tests and working with the family and local community.

"This was a particularly nasty offence, all the more so because of how unusual it is, and I would like to again reassure the community that we have extra officers on patrol in the area and that these will continue over the holidays."

:: Anyone with any information should call Northumbria Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers may offer a reward for information which leads to an arrest and charge.

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Hospital's £400,000 Payout Over Care Failings

A hospital has apologised and paid out more than £400,000 for 38 cases of failings in patient care.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was "disgusted and appalled" at the accounts of suffering and neglect at Redditch's Alexandra Hospital.

Health bosses are now writing to all of the families involved to apologise, after legal action exposed years of bad practice.

Claims ranged from nurses taunting patients to leaving an elderly woman unwashed for 11 weeks.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was 'disgusted and appalled'

In one case, a man had starvation recorded as the cause of his death after being treated at the hospital for two months.

Many of the families are to receive compensation for cases that their lawyer described as "appalling".

In total the hospital has paid out £410,000 in 38 separate cases, five to people who survived, the rest to those whose relatives died.

The hospital did not admit liability but agreed to apologise fully to the families.

A spokesman for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said the hospital has massively improved.

"Whilst the Trust has accepted that certain aspects of the care afforded to some patients fell below the standard that they were entitled to expect, all of the cases cited are several years old, in many incidences, more than a decade old.

"This Trust now has the sixth best standard hospital mortality index (SHMI) in the Midlands and East Strategic Health area based on 2012/13 figures which put the figure at 97 - which is below the national average.

"A number of very serious allegations made by the families of deceased patients are not borne out by the medical records.

"Nevertheless, the Trust accepts that, the care afforded to some patients, some years ago - between 2002 and 2009 - fell below the requisite standard and has apologised for the shortcomings."

Mr Hunt said the Government was acting to ensure failings in care were detected more quickly.

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Retailers Geared Up For 'Busiest Day'

By Tadhg Enright, Business Correspondent

As the last full shopping day before Christmas Eve, today is expected to be the busiest day of the year on high streets and in shopping centres.

The British Retail Consortium expects between £4bn and £5bn to be spent throughout this weekend.

Researchers at the credit card company, Visa, have forecast sales to peak this afternoon between 2pm and 3pm.

At Brent Cross Shopping Centre in north London, management think today could be their busiest on record and extra security and traffic staff have been deployed to help customers.

Centre manager Tom Nathan told Sky News: "Everything shows us that when Christmas is on a Tuesday and the schools only broke up yesterday that today is going to be enormous because people haven't had the chance to go and do their full Christmas shop.

"So combine that with buying the turkey - and today is the start of the big turkey run - and today is going to be a huge one I think."

But the Local Government Association said confidence on the high street remained low.

Its annual Christmas survey found that 84% of town centre managers said confidence among shoppers had either not improved or worsened compared with this time last year.

It also suggested that the particularly cold and wet start to the winter could also be taking its toll on the number of shoppers visiting town centres.

Sales at Brent Cross Shopping Centre could be the busiest yet

Normally the busiest day of the year is December 23 - the last day before Christmas Eve - but this year that falls on a Sunday when trading hours for bigger shops are restricted by law to just six hours.

Big name retailers including John Lewis, Morrisons and Marks & Spencer failed in a bid to convince the Government to relax the restrictions on Sunday trading tomorrow.

M&S has responded by opening more than 100 of its stores at 12.01am on Christmas Eve morning to help shoppers get their Christmas essentials in time.

M&S director of retail said: "We know that the days leading up to Christmas are some of the most hectic for our customers.

"Due to Sunday trading rules, we can only open for six hours on one of the busiest days of the year.

"We hope that these early bird hours on Monday will ease the pressure and give busy shoppers a bit more time to pick up Christmas food orders or last minute presents."

Waitrose will also extend Christmas Eve trading hours in two thirds of its supermarkets by opening an hour earlier at 7am and closing an hour later at 6pm.

Sky News visited one of its four regional distribution centres in Bracknell near Reading and saw staff working to deliver twice the normal volume of food to its stores.

They will be working 24 hours a day between now and 6am on Christmas Eve to ensure Waitrose shelves remain stocked.

But management are disappointed for them and their customers that trading will be curtailed on December 23 which is usually their most important shopping day.

Waitrose supply chain director David Jones told Sky News:  "If you can imagine what you'd normally take in trading over 14 hours and shrinking that into 6 hours, it's quite challenging as you walk around the supermarket.

"You're trying to get people through checkouts and we would have loved to have had the opportunity to trade for a longer time."

Mr Jones himself will be taking time out of his executive duties to man the tills in his local branch on Christmas.

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School Shooting: Tributes To British Victim

The family of a six-year-old British boy killed in the Sandy Hook shootings have paid tribute to their "joyous" son at his funeral.

Dylan Hockley was one of 20 children shot dead by gunman Adam Lanza at the elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, last Friday.

The little boy died in the arms of his favourite teacher Anne Marie Murphy, who was also killed in the shooting.

Mother Nicole Hockley told the congregation at Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel, Connecticut, that Dylan - who had a form of autism that hindered his language development - would flap his arms when he got excited.

When she asked him why, he replied: "Because I am a beautiful butterfly."

Hundreds of family and friends filled the church to commemorate Dylan's life.

Purple and white balloons were released at the end of the funeral to symbolise the 20 children and six adults killed at Sandy Hook school. Purple was Dylan's favourite colour.

He was born in Hampshire to a British father and American mother - Ian and Nicole Hockley - and the family moved to Newtown two years ago.

They praised staff at the school including headteacher Dawn Hochsprung and teacher Vicki Soto, who have been hailed as heroes as they tried to protect pupils from the gunman.

A statement from the family after his death read: "Everyone who met Dylan fell in love with him. His beaming smile would light up any room and his laugh was the sweetest music.

"There are no words that can express our feeling of loss. We will always be a family of four, as though Dylan is no longer physically with us, he is forever in our hearts and minds.

"We love you Mister D, our special gorgeous angel."

It comes after America's leading gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, called for armed guards to be placed in schools to prevent shootings.

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Women Drivers Face Insurance Premium Rise

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky Reporter

Women drivers could see insurance premiums increase by around 25% as new laws come into force that ban setting prices according to gender.

Researchers believe it could force nearly a quarter of women drivers to give up driving altogether.

The European Court of Justice ruling follows a 10-year legal battle against the proposals by insurers.

It is not confined to car insurance but also covers pensions and life insurance.

Car insurance premiums could increase for young female drivers by an average of around £300 a year.

Those aged between 31 and 35 are also likely to be hit with a rise of around 10%, or £53 a year, according to research from comparison website Confused.com.

Michael Ossei, personal finance expert at price comparison website uSwitch, told Sky News: "What we have found is young women between 18 to 25 years old will be heavily affected by the change.

"What that means from our research (is that) 24% will be taken off the road, not able to drive, while a further 11% say they will have to sell their cars."

Men reaching retirement could also be hard-hit with annuities possibly decreasing by up to 13% a year, while women may see their life insurance policies increase by 16%.

Currently, men usually get a higher pension income than women because, on average, they die younger.

The Government is strongly opposed to the change.

Transport Minister Stephen Hammond told Sky News it was unnecessary and that they were working to manage the impact.

"One of the reasons we are against it (is that) the basic principles of insurance previously has been insurance based on risked rather than just gender-based."

The court ruling is an attempt to end discrimination and to bring about equality between men and women - but it is a decision that will come at a price for many.

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CRB Check Rules To Be Relaxed By Home Office

Millions of employees and volunteers will no longer have to apply for a new criminal records check every time they apply for a job, the Home Office announced today.

Individuals will only need to apply once to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a certificate and then organisations will be able to use a new online service for an instant check to find out whether the document is still valid.

Unpaid workers will be able to use the online service for free when they apply for different opportunities, while paid employees will have to pay an annual subscription fee.

Individuals who require a DBS check, which can take up to 28 days to complete, currently have to re-apply for a certificate every time they change jobs or move workplace.

The move is part of an overhaul of the criminal checks process by the Government.

The service will be managed by the DBS, which launched at the start of the month when the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) were merged.

It is part of a first wave of public services to be moved online by the Government by 2015, which will also include the National Apprenticeship Service, tax self-assessment and registering intellectual property.

Moving services online will save taxpayers up to £1.2bn by 2015 and around £1.7bn a year thereafter, the Cabinet Office said.

Volunteering England (VE), which led a campaign against charging unpaid workers to use the new online criminal checks system, said making the service free for volunteers would give them a "hugely important boost".

VE chief executive Dr Justin Davis Smith said: "This is particularly significant when charities and public services are looking to sustain the enthusiasm for volunteering created by the Olympics and Paralympics."

Junior and locum doctors who need a new check every time they move hospital, agency workers registered with a multiple agencies and volunteers working with more than one organisation are among those who could use the service when it launches next spring.

Criminal information minister Lord Taylor of Holbeach said: "It is a 21st century service that will deliver real benefits to employers and volunteers without compromising on public safety."

However, Nick Pickles, director of civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch, said the need for reform goes "far beyond" making services available online.

He said: "Safety by database still seems to be the popular mindset across Whitehall and far more needs to be done to restore the system to a common sense balance.

"Until there are legal protections against the over-zealous use of CRB checks and proper reform so cautions and information not tested in court does not ruin people's careers, the CRB system will continue to undermine civil liberties."

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Energy Bill Breakdown Demanded By MPs

Energy firms should be forced to inform every customer what proportion of their bills will contribute to the supplier's profits, MPs are demanding.

The cross-party Energy and Climate Change Committee called for householders to be given a breakdown of their gas and electricity bills.

Their proposal would see annual statements provided by energy companies, featuring details of their operating costs, wholesale prices and profits.

It would also show firms' contributions to environmental levies, the costs of smart meters and investments.

Members of the committee say the shake-up would ensure customers are better informed and help improve competition in the widely-criticised energy market.

Conservative MP and committee chairman Tim Yeo said recent reports of wholesale price-fixing had reinforced the need for greater transparency.

"Trust in energy companies is at rock bottom and consumers don't have the right information to hand to make informed choices about where they get their energy," he said.

"Most consumers simply don't know how to interpret their energy bills and this puts them off attempting to switch suppliers.

"The Government should be doing all it can to increase competition in the energy market and must make it easier for new entrants to join the market."

There are concerns that many energy customers are paying more than they need to because of the bewildering array of tariffs available.

The Government recently announced plans to simplify the options and force energy companies to give their customers the cheapest deal available to them.

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Man Charged With NI Prison Officer Murder

A 36-year-old man has been charged in connection with the murder of prison officer David Black.

Mr Black, 52, was shot as he drove to work on a motorway in Co Armagh on November 1.

Dissident republicans claimed responsibility.

A spokeswoman for the PSNI said the suspect, who was detained in the Co Tyrone area, had been charged with terrorism offences.

He is expected to appear at Lisburn Magistrates Court later.

Mr Black, a father of two, worked at the high-security Maghaberry jail in Co Antrim.

He was the first prison officer murdered in Northern Ireland for 20 years.

More follows...

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Newsnight Savile Report: Inquiry Findings Due

The findings of an inquiry into Newsnight's shelving of a report into sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile are due to be published.

Top BBC executives and journalists on the flagship current affairs show have given evidence, some under questioning from a QC, into why a planned news report on the DJ did not go ahead.

It has been claimed the show was axed because it clashed with planned tributes to Savile - who died in 2011 - an allegation the BBC has repeatedly denied.

Witnesses including director of news Helen Boaden, Newsnight editor Peter Rippon and former director-general Mark Thompson are reported to have been questioned for the review, which is overseen by ex-Sky News executive Nick Pollard.

Mr Rippon stepped aside from his role after the BBC said his explanation as to why the show dropped its investigation into the late DJ and TV presenter was "inaccurate or incomplete in some respects" and corrected his statement.

George Entwistle stepped down as director general in November

The publication of the review - accompanied by a separate report by Ken MacQuarrie into how Newsnight reported an incorrect story implicating Lord McAlpine in child abuse allegations - caps a bad end to a year for the BBC.

The corporation managed to shake off criticism over how it covered the Diamond Jubilee and was widely praised for its coverage of the Olympics and Paralympics.

But it has paid out £185,000 in damages to Lord McAlpine this week and lost two director generals in the space of less than two months.

George Entwistle, who was head of BBC television at the time the investigation was dropped, took the top job in September only to resign after just over 50 days in charge as the Savile scandal developed.

Another review led by Dame Janet Smith, looking at the culture and practices of the BBC during the years in which Savile worked there, is expected next year.

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Hillsborough Inquests Set To Be Quashed

By Nick Martin, Sky News Correspondent

An application to quash the original Hillsborough inquest verdicts is due to be heard at the High Court today.

Attorney General Dominic Grieve, who will put forward the application, said the main basis for the move was new medical evidence, made public in the Hillsborough Independent Panel report published in September.

Ninety-six Liverpool supporters died in the crush at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium on April 15, 1989, when their team met Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi-final.

The report revealed a widespread cover-up by police who altered witness statements to put officers in a favourable light and deflect blame for the disaster on to Liverpool fans.

Mr Grieve is expected to rely on new medical evidence from the report that revealed 41 of the 96 fans had the "potential to survive" if the police response been more effective.

Margaret Aspinall, whose 18 year-old son James died in the disaster, was hopeful that new inquests would be ordered.

The Hillsborough Independent Panel revealed a widespread police cover-up

She said: "This is the time now for the 96 to get the justice they deserve and, most importantly, for those families who are left behind.

"So many have died (and) they've been absolutely tortured because they knew the truth but they didn't hear it.

"We have never believed their deaths were an accident, we have never accepted the death certificates and I will hope the judges quash the inquests so we can press ahead with new ones."

Three High Court judges will be asked to make a decision based on the Attorney General's application.

The Hillsborough Family Support Group has organised a coach to take more than 30 families, while the Hillsborough Justice Campaign has arranged train travel for about a dozen people.

Liverpool and Walton MP Steve Rotherham said: "The families have been campaigning for two things; for truth and justice.

"The truth came out with the Hillsborough Independent Panel Report and now they want justice.

"Part of justice (is) that they get the correct verdict recorded on the death certificate of their loves ones ... They have never believed that to be the case."

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Hospital Surgery At Weekends Under NHS Plans

By Becky Johnson, Sky Correspondent

Routine operations, scans and consultations could be set to take place on weekends under new proposed changes to the NHS.

The plans are part of a raft of measures being discussed by the new NHS Commissioning Board which will take over day-to-day control of the health service from April 2013.

A spokeswoman said: "We are looking at options to provide a greater seven-days-a-week service."

The plans are designed with convenience for patients in mind.

Quality of care and patient safety are also factors behind the proposals after research carried out by University College London earlier this year found patients admitted on a Sunday are 16% more likely to die than those admitted mid-week.

The Alexandra Avenue Clinic in London is already open seven days a week.

Dr David Lloyd told Sky News: "It means patients don't have to go two days without seeing a doctor and it means acutely ill patients can be seen in a setting that isn't a hospital and hopefully we can prevent a log-jam in A&E.

"It's one of the adages of the world in hospitals is that you admit for seven days a week, and yet everything grinds to a halt at the weekends.

"In fact if you work a seven day week it means that you can get all the tests done much more quickly, it means that patients have to spend less time in hospital, so in fact you might be able to save some resources."

Patients at the clinic told Sky News it would be more convenient if they could also book hospital appointments on Saturdays and Sundays too.

One said: "I don't want the doctors to work too long hours because that would mean our care is in jeopardy.

"Maybe they could hire more people, in that way it could be good."

Sir Richard Thompson, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: "For some years we have known, particularly with evidence from North America, that the care of patients at weekends seems to lead to a greater death rate.

"They need all the services, there's some quite good evidence that for insistence X-rays and other procedures are not done as frequently at the weekends as in weekdays.

"It may well be the lack or delay to those screening procedures at the weekend is the thing that causes the slight increase in the mortality of patients admitted at the weekend."

NHS bosses are in discussion with doctors about how the changes would affect the way they work.

It is thought no doctor would be forced to work at weekends so incentives may need to be agreed to make weekend working attractive.

The NHS Commissioning Board will oversee expenditure of England's £95.6bn NHS budget from April next year.

It has also allocated £64.7bn for 211 local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), which are led by GPs and will take responsibility for local secondary, community and mental healthcare services.

The NHS Commissioning Board will monitor standards. It has said any referral to treatment wait of more than 52 weeks should attract financial penalties and indicated there should be zero tolerance of MRSA.

Sir David Nicholson, the NHS Commissioning Board's chief executive, said: "The NHS can be justly proud of its achievements. 

"People wait less, they are diagnosed and referred quicker and our hospitals have fewer infections. But everyone in the NHS knows we must continue to improve. 

"We want to make the NHS the best customer service in the world by doing more to put patients in the driving seat."

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HMIP Care Report: 'Distressing' Findings

Up to 3,000 vulnerable children are being failed by a care system that has seen sex attackers placed with abuse victims and a third of children moved 100 miles from home, inspectors say.

A report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP) has found that children are "shipped" out of their home areas, leaving them to face "extremely poor" futures.

Basic checks are not being made by children's services when placing these "vulnerable and potentially dangerous" children into homes, HMIP warns.

Around a third of children in the study were placed more than 100 miles from home and nearly two thirds more than 50 miles away.

In one example, a 16-year-old boy was moved 31 times since being taken into care at the age of three - including one placement that lasted less than 24 hours.

Liz Calderbank says the report's findings are "distressing"

In another, a 13-year-old girl, a victim of sexual exploitation, was found having sex with a 15-year-old boy in the children's home.

Sexual videos of her were later found on his mobile.

The findings come at a time of intense focus on the treatment of vulnerable children following the Jimmy Savile scandal and revelations about horrific sex abuse in North Wales children's homes like Bryn Estyn.

Chief inspector of probation Liz Calderbank said she is shocked by the "distressing" findings, saying that "shipping" children over 50 miles away makes offending "inevitable" in some cases.

Revelations about the Bryn Estyn home in Wales highlighted abuse issues

"The system is failing in terms of how it is trying to look after them," she said.

The inspectorate, along with education watchdogs Ofsted and Estyn, looked at 60 children in six regions in a joint inspection into the work of youth offending teams (YOTs) with children placed away from home.

A fifth of the children had themselves been a victim of crime while under supervision of the YOT and just over half the children inspected had offended within the care environment.

In one area a host YOT was unaware a 13-year-old girl, who previously set fire to a children's home, was in its care until two weeks after she arrived. It then took three weeks to obtain assessments.

Paedophile ex-BBC star Jimmy Savile preyed on vulnerable youngsters

The HMIP report makes several recommendations, including for the Department for Education (DfE) to strengthen regulations and local agencies to work together more effectively.

A Department for Education spokesperson said three expert groups are developing proposals to improve the care provided by children's homes.

They said: "It is completely unacceptable that some local authorities and homes are letting down children by failing to act as a proper 'parent'.

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Bradley Wiggins Is Sports Personality Of Year

Tour de France champion and Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins has won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

The 32-year-old cyclist was presented with the trophy by the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, who was making her first public appearance since being treated in hospital for severe morning sickness.

Wiggins picked up the most public votes after becoming the first Briton to win the Tour - known as cycling's ultimate prize - in July.

Then he followed up his victory days later by taking the Olympic Time Trial on the streets of Surrey.

Team GB Heptathlon gold medal-winner Jessica Ennis was second at the ExCel ceremony in London, with US Open tennis winner and Olympic gold medallist Andy Murray third.

Wiggins said: "I'm not going to swear tonight so I am just going to say 'thank you' to everyone that picked the phone up and voted.

The Duchess of Cambridge presented the award to Bradley Wiggins

"We have had all that jungle stuff (I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!) and X Factor the last couple of weeks, so for people in half an hour to pick up and pay £1.50 to vote, thank you very much.

"And my nan: the cheque is in the post because you pressed redial God-knows how many times."

He also paid tribute to fellow riders plus the performance director and coach who have guided British cycling to a new high.

He said: "I'd like to thank my team-mates, Dave Brailsford and Shane Sutton. I'd like to thank British Cycling and Sky for paying me."

Speaking about Wiggins' latest triumph, Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "Congratulations to Bradley Wiggins -a truly inspirational winner, after an incredible year for British sport."

Dave Brailsford was named Coach of the Year

Cycling chief Brailsford, who helped deliver a large chunk of Team GB's success this year, was named coach of the year at the awards.

Under his leadership, Britain won 15 cycling medals in London and he also headed the Team Sky outfit which guided Wiggins to victory in the Tour de France.

Brailsford, who beat Ennis' coach Toni Minichiello and rowing coach Paul Thompson to the award, said: "It's a huge privilege to win this because it was a fantastic summer of sport. There is a great team behind me at British Cycling and Team Sky.

"They did a brilliant job. I would like to thank head coach Shane Sutton and all the team for the work they have done. They did such a good job. Our opponents thought our wheels were rounder than theirs.

"It's great because everyone sniggered when we said we would win the Tour de France in five years with a clean British rider."

Lord Coe received the lifetime achievement award

Team Sky tweeted: "Bradley Wiggins has won Sports Personality of the Year!!! Thank you SO MUCH to all of you who voted!!! It really is appreciated."

The Team of the Year award went to Team GB and Paralympics GB for their successes in the Games during the summer.

The lifetime achievement award, also presented by the Duchess of Cambridge, went to London 2012 chairman Lord Sebastian Coe.

He was given his prize for his athletics career and in recognition of his role in bringing the Olympics and Paralympics to London and their success.

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Kate In First Public Engagement Since Hospital

Wiggins Sports Personality Of Year

Updated: 11:40pm UK, Sunday 16 December 2012

Tour de France champion and Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins has won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

The 32-year-old cyclist was presented with the trophy by the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, who was making her first public appearance since being treated in hospital for severe morning sickness.

Wiggins picked up the most public votes after becoming the first Briton to win the Tour - known as cycling's ultimate prize - in July.

Then he followed up his victory days later by taking the Olympic Time Trial on the streets of Surrey.

Team GB Heptathlon gold medal-winner Jessica Ennis was second at the ExCel ceremony in London, with US Open tennis winner and Olympic gold medallist Andy Murray third.

Wiggins said: "I'm not going to swear tonight so I am just going to say 'thank you' to everyone that picked the phone up and voted.

"We have had all that jungle stuff (I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!) and X Factor the last couple of weeks, so for people in half an hour to pick up and pay £1.50 to vote, thank you very much.

"And my nan: the cheque is in the post because you pressed redial God-knows how many times."

He also paid tribute to fellow riders plus the performance director and coach who have guided British cycling to a new high.

He said: "I'd like to thank my team-mates, Dave Brailsford and Shane Sutton. I'd like to thank British Cycling and Sky for paying me."

Speaking about Wiggins' latest triumph, Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "Congratulations to Bradley Wiggins -a truly inspirational winner, after an incredible year for British sport."

Cycling chief Brailsford, who helped deliver a large chunk of Team GB's success this year, was named coach of the year at the awards.

Under his leadership, Britain won 15 cycling medals in London and he also headed the Team Sky outfit which guided Wiggins to victory in the Tour de France.

Brailsford, who beat Ennis' coach Toni Minichiello and rowing coach Paul Thompson to the award, said: "It's a huge privilege to win this because it was a fantastic summer of sport. There is a great team behind me at British Cycling and Team Sky.

"They did a brilliant job. I would like to thank head coach Shane Sutton and all the team for the work they have done. They did such a good job. Our opponents thought our wheels were rounder than theirs.

"It's great because everyone sniggered when we said we would win the Tour de France in five years with a clean British rider."

Team Sky tweeted: "Bradley Wiggins has won Sports Personality of the Year!!! Thank you SO MUCH to all of you who voted!!! It really is appreciated."

The Team of the Year award went to Team GB and Paralympics GB for their successes in the Games during the summer.

The lifetime achievement award, also presented by the Duchess of Cambridge, went to London 2012 chairman Lord Sebastian Coe.

He was given his prize for his athletics career and in recognition of his role in bringing the Olympics and Paralympics to London and their success.

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Norovirus: Hospitals Shut Doors To Visitors

Hospitals across the country are closing their doors to visitors because of outbreaks of the winter vomiting bug norovirus.

Birmingham City Hospital has asked visitors to stay away after closing four wards while at Maidstone Hospital in Kent three wards have closed to new admissions and visitors have been banned from all wards.

The George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton has shut one ward, partially closed three and is turning away visitors. Five hospitals in Wales are also closed to visitors.

The number of cases of the winter vomiting bug is up 72% on this time last year, according to the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

This season 2,630 cases have been recorded - at the same time last year, just 1,533 had been noted.

However, the HPA admits that for every confirmed case there are likely to be a further 288 unreported sufferers, which means some 750,000 people could have been struck down by the bug across the country.

Norovirus is a highly contagious bug and spreads quickly in close environments such as hospitals and schools.

The symptoms include sudden vomiting and diarrhoea, which usually last for around two days.

Good hygiene is key to stopping the spread of norovirus

Professor John Oxford, a biologist at Queen Mary's College and Chairman of the International Hygiene Council, said the best way to avoid the virus is to keep away from people who have it.

He told Sky News: "We don't really know why norovirus pops up its head at this time of year. All we know is that it does with some regularity more or less at the same time as influenza.

"It could be that the winter conditions drive us indoors, we are more close together and a virus like noro depends on closeness and also lack of hygiene.

"And I must say in the United Kingdom and around Europe there is a lack of hygiene that gives the virus an opportunity to start jumping from person to person."

John Harris, an expert in norovirus at the HPA, said: "People should be vigilant in their hygiene and we would like to remind anyone who has typical symptoms suggestive of norovirus infection to avoid visiting friends or relatives in hospital or care homes."

It comes as the P&O cruise ship Azura docked in Southampton carrying 3,059 passengers after an outbreak of the virus on board.

The ship had been on an 11-night cruise of the Iberian Peninsular. P&O confirmed there had been 10 cases and those passengers had been confined to their cabins to prevent its spread.

Some 300 people on one of the company's other ships, Oriana, were hit by the virus during a cruise earlier in the week.

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Royal Prank Call Nurse's Family 'Shattered'

The children of the nurse found dead days after taking a prank call say they are "shattered" by their loss.

Jacintha Saldanha was discovered in a nurses' accommodation block close to King Edward VII's Hospital, London, where the Duchess of Cambridge was treated for severe morning sickness.

The 46-year-old answered a phone call from Australian radio presenters Michael Christian and Mel Greig, who pretended to be Prince Charles and the Queen and asked for an update on the duchess's health.

Jacintha Saldanha worked at the hospital where Kate was treated

A service for Ms Saldanha, a mother-of-two, was held at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday.

Outside, her daughter Lisha said: "We will miss your laughter, the loving memories and the good times we had together.

"We are shattered and there is an unfillable void in our lives.

"We love you mum. Sleep in peace and please watch over us until we meet again in heaven."

Benedict Barboza read a tribute to his wife, Jacintha Saldanha

Ms Saldanha's husband Benedict Barboza said his wife was "the light of my darkness who always showed me the way forward".

"From the day we met, you always stood by me, in times of hardship and happiness," he said.

"Nineteen years of togetherness, with a strong bond of affection and understanding, will be cherished forever in my life."

Mr Barboza's son Junal added: "In times of difficulty, you showed us the way forward to happiness and success."

On Friday, John Lofthouse, chief executive of King Edward VII's Hospital, said staff had stood by Ms Saldanha and insisted the nurse was the "victim of a cruel trick".

Writing in reply to a letter sent by Keith Vaz MP, Mr Lofthouse said: "Jacintha believed that the call was genuine, and she felt it appropriate to put the call through. We stand by her judgement.

Australian DJs Michael Christian and Mel Greig made the prank phone call

"Jacintha was reassured on a number of occasions by senior management that no blame was attached to her actions and that there were no disciplinary issues involved, because she had been the victim of a cruel trick."

Ms Saldanha's funeral will be held at a church in India on Monday.

An inquest into her death, which opened on Thursday, heard Ms Saldanha had hanged herself. She left two notes in her room and another among her personal possessions.

A provisional date of March 26 has been set for the next inquest hearing.

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Connors Family Found Guilty Of Forced Labour

Five members of the same traveller family who made their staff perform humiliating tasks have been found guilty of forced labour.

William Connors, 52, his wife Mary, 48, their sons John, 29, and James, 20, and their son-in-law Miles Connors, 24, were all convicted of conspiracy to require a person to perform forced or compulsory labour between April 2010 and March 2011.

Bristol Crown Court heard how the Connors would pick up the men - many of whom were homeless or drug addicts - to work for them as labourers.

Jurors were told the victims lived in squalid caravans on traveller sites as they moved around the country working on the Connors' paving and patio businesses.

Prosecutors said the men were paid as little as £5 a day for their work, which included emptying the buckets used as toilets by their bosses, and were forced to scavenge from dustbins for food.

The inside of a caravan occupied by two people who worked for the Connors

Some workers were beaten with broom handles, belts, a rake and a shovel, and one had a hosepipe forced down his throat, it was claimed.

By contrast, the court heard, their employers lived in large, well-equipped caravans, enjoyed holidays in Dubai, Mexico and the Caribbean and drove luxury cars, including a Rolls-Royce, a Mercedes A-Class and a Mini convertible.

Prosecutor Christopher Quinlan QC said: "It was a clear and unequivocal demonstration of control and dominance of one set - the family - over another.

"If you compare and contrast the lifestyles of the workers and bosses it is like comparing a Maserati with a clapped-out Zephyr."

Police began investigating the Connors following the discovery of a worker's decomposed body in a garden shed close to one of the family's caravan sites.

A fellow worker contacted officers in 2009 to say he had been recruited by William and Mary while living on the streets of Cheltenham.

He told detectives he had his identity documents taken from him, was rarely paid, received little food and lived with other workers in the same situation.

When the Connors family was placed under covert surveillance the following year, police recorded evidence of the men being assaulted.

Caravan sites in Gloucestershire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire were raided in March 2011 and 19 men were rescued.

The Connors said their workers were "free agents" who were able to come and go as they pleased.

William and Mary insisted they were "good Samaritans" who provided vulnerable people with food, work and accommodation.

All five defendants had faced a second charge of conspiracy to hold another person in servitude but the judge ordered the jury to find them not guilty of that offence.

They are due to be sentenced on Monday.

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Witches Coven: Child Sex Abuse Pair Jailed

Two men have been jailed for a total of 32 years after sexually abusing several children as part of a witches' coven in Cornwall during the 1970s.

Peter Petrauske, 72, and Jack Kemp, 69, were said to have donned ceremonial robes and pagan paraphernalia before abusing young girls.

Police believe one of their victims may have been as young as three.

During the three-week trial at Truro Crown Court, sex abuse victims said they were given money and sweets to buy their silence.

Petrauske, who described himself as the high priest of a white witches' coven in St Ives, Cornwall, was convicted of one count of rape, one count of aiding and abetting an attempt to rape, and one count of indecent assault, all by unanimous verdict.

Kemp was unanimously found guilty of indecent assault and indecency with a child, as well as seven other sexual offences by a majority verdict.

Jailing Kemp for 14 years and Petrauske for 18, Judge Graham Cottle told them: "The offences range from the extremely serious to the truly horrifying.

"(The trial) has featured ritualistic, sickening abuse of young, young children.

"The scars left are so obvious that it would seem extremely unlikely that either of them have any real prospect of recovery."

The child abuse was only investigated further by police last year when Kemp was arrested in connection with another incident, causing rumours to spread around his home town of Falmouth and prompting the alleged victims of the historic offences to contact detectives.

Petrauske was backed up by female members of the coven who said that, while children were occasionally present, nudity never played a part in the ceremonies.

One female friend also described him as "a gentleman".

Kemp denied any involvement in paganism, saying it "wasn't his cup of tea", and said he was the victim of a bizarre conspiracy.

He said the girls were wrong to name him in the case.

Witnesses also named murdered pagan Peter Solheim and notorious Cornish paedophile Stan Pirie as among their abusers.

Solheim was a 56-year-old parish councillor whose body was found five miles off the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall, by fishermen on June 18, 2004. He had been drugged and mutilated with a machete or an axe.

Kemp was cleared of five charges, while Petrauske was also found not guilty of one count.

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Savile Revelations Spark NSPCC Abuse Campaign

The NSPCC has launched a campaign in a bid to prevent people thinking sexual abuse is a problem from the past following the Jimmy Savile abuse revelations.

The children's charity is worried that due to many of Savile's victims being abused in the 1970s and 80s, people may believe sexual abuse is not as common now as it was then.

The charity also fears that people still don't know where to turn for help or that they will hesitate to report child abuse until they feel 100% certain.

Peter Watt, director of the NSPCC helpline, said: "By bravely speaking out, Savile's victims have done a great public service in raising awareness of child sex abuse and its long-lasting, devastating effect on victims.

"Our advert aims to remind people that child abuse remains a widespread problem and children are still abused today.

"To end their suffering and bring their abusers to justice we must all act now. Savile's victims waited decades to be heard and helped. We can't let this happen again.

"With this advert we want to send out a clear message about how vitally important it is to act on your suspicions and that the NSPCC is here to help you do this.

"Our trained counsellors will discuss your concerns and the best course of action."

Some 589 people have come forward with information relating to the Savile scandal, with a total of 450 complaints against the the BBC presenter and DJ himself, mainly alleging sexual abuse, Scotland Yard said.

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