Glasgow Helicopter Crash: Pilot's Funeral

By David Blevins, Sky News Correspondent

The funeral will take place later of the pilot killed when his helicopter crashed onto a Glasgow bar last weekend.

Former RAF colleagues of David Traill are expected to stage a Chinook fly-past following a memorial service at Glasgow University.

Flight Lieutenant Traill, from Stenhousemuir, was a decorated war veteran, having served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, but had flown for a private company since his retirement from the RAF.

The 51-year-old had played an active role in the lives of his three young nephews since they lost their father - his younger brother Angus - to throat cancer three years ago.

He didn't have time to make a mayday call before the aircraft crashed onto the Clutha bar, killing him and two police passengers: Kristy Nelis, 36, and Tony Collins, 43.

The helicopter crashed on the Clutha bar a week ago

Six other people, attending a live music event inside the pub, also died: Robert Jenkins, 61, Mark O'Prey, 44, Colin Gibson, 33, John McGarrigle, 57, Gary Arthur, 48, and Samuel McGhee, 56.

Around 100 people were inside the building when the Eurocopter dropped out of the sky "like a stone" last Friday night and 10 of the 32 injured remain in hospital.

There was no black box data recorder on the helicopter but air accident investigators are examining the wreckage in Farnborough, Hampshire, and are expected to publish their initial findings next week.

Bond Air Services described their popular colleague as "the epitome of the consummate professional" and "a legend" whose passing would be mourned with "a sense of intense loss and sorrow".

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602 and Freeview channel 82.

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Weather: Thousands Evacuated Amid Tidal Surge

Homes have been washed into the sea in the most serious tidal surge to hit Britain for more than 60 years.

The houses in Hemsby, Norfolk, were ripped from their precarious cliff top position, as the sea rose to levels even higher than those which caused the devastating floods of 1953.

Sea defences are estimated to have protected more than 800,000 homes but some barriers were breached as the tidal surge combined with high tides and strong winds.

Rescue workers attempt to salvage possessions from one of the wrecked homes

Coastal communities along Britain's east coast were warned of "exceptionally high tides" to come, as the surge swept south towards the Kent coast.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said two women, two young babies in pushchairs and a dog had been rescued after being hit by a large wave at Louisa Bay in Broadstairs, Kent.

The Environment Agency said further high tides on Friday and Saturday could cause more flooding in areas already inundated with water.

Firefighters pause for a cup of tea after pumping water from people's homes

But the number of flood warnings and alerts in place has been reduced with fewer than 70 now in place, including severe flood warnings, which are issued only when flooding poses a "significant threat to life".

Speaking after a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: "This is not over.

"I would urge everyone to pay very close attention to advice from the Environment Agency, and also to follow instructions from the emergency services."

A postman struggles to complete his round in Lowestoft

Steven Connolly and his wife managed to salvage some of their possessions as their two-bedroom bungalow in Hemsby crashed into the sea.

"We were in the pub when we heard the cliff was going so rushed to get what we could out," he said.

"People we've never even met were helping out, it was amazing.

People fill sandbags to protect against the high tide in Great Yarmouth

"Suddenly we heard someone shout 'it's going, it's going' and we watched our kitchen get ripped apart. The whole house collapsed before our eyes."

Further north in Boston, Lincolnshire, residents told Sky's Gerard Tubb they had seen water "cascading" down the street as sea defences gave way.

Sam Seaton said she was "devastated" to find her home had been so badly damaged she will be unable to spend Christmas there this year.

People gather on a bridge in Sandwich, Kent, as the River Stour rises

"I lifted my new sofas up off the floor before I left but they are still wet at the bottom, so the water must have come up to a foot or two high," she said.

Thousands of homes in coastal areas were evacuated after officials warned that lives could be at risk.

Hundreds of people were forced to spend the night camped out in emergency rest centres.

In Suffolk, residents who evacuated flood risk areas on Thursday night are being advised to return home.

Authorities in the county said the next high tide is predicted to be substantially lower than the previous two tides, with no risk of flooding.

Sky's Becky Johnson, in Rhyl, north Wales, said: "Lots of elderly people had to be rescued by lifeboats and they were really quite distressed by what was happening.

Waves crash onto a beach in Hemsby, Norfolk

"Many residents thought their homes were protected by the sea defences and simply weren't expecting to be flooded."

The North Sea surge followed an Atlantic storm which brought severe gales of up to 80mph across Scotland and northern parts of England.

Some mountainous regions in Aberdeenshire and Inverness-shire reported speeds of around 140mph.

One man died after he was struck by a falling tree in a park in Retford in Nottinghamshire, while a lorry driver was killed when his HGV toppled onto a number of cars in West Lothian.

The adverse weather also caused chaos on the transport network, with rail services for Scotland and parts of the North of England suspended and number of flights disrupted.

:: Watch the latest live coverage from around the country on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad.

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Woolwich Killing: 'He Was First Soldier We Saw'

A man accused of killing Fusilier Lee Rigby told police he was targeted because "he was the soldier that we spotted first", a court has heard.

In a police interview played to jurors at the Old Bailey, Michael Adebolajo said the 25-year-old was a "fair target" because people joined the army understanding their lives would be at risk.

He told officers that Fusilier Rigby was "like the non-Muslim version of myself" and said the alleged murder was not a "personal vendetta".

Adebolajo kept his head covered with a blanket for much of the interview

During his statement, Adebolajo told police he felt he was "not in control of myself" when he hit the soldier with his car close to Woolwich barracks in southeast London on May 22.

He said he was "not sure how I struck the first blow" but added: "The most humane way to kill any creature is to cut the jugular."

Some of Fusilier Rigby's family shook their heads as the interview continued, with Adebolajo telling officers: "Why make it prolonged? He may be my enemy. But he is alive. So I struck at the neck and attempted to remove his head to be sure, you know."

Adebolajo and co-defendant Michael Adebowale were seen on CCTV

The court heard how Adebolajo, who at one stage asked counter-terrorism detectives if he could speak to Fusilier Rigby's family, "did not expect to live beyond that day".

"I did not expect to be alive to go to prison, or whatever," he told police, 10 days after the attack.

Jurors also heard him talk about his political beliefs, describing Conservative and Labour politicians as "filthy pigs" but saying he "admired" Ukip leader Nigel Farage.

During police interviews, Abebolajo also said there was a "war between the Muslims and the British people" and he was a "soldier of Allah".

The court also heard that extremist material belonging to Adebolajo was found when they searched his father's house, including a book called Extreme Islam and a book with a chapter entitled,"The virtues of killing a non-believer for the sake of Allah".

Works by Anwar al-Awlaki, who was described to the jury as a Muslim scholar who was arrested in the Yemen, were among the material, and a copy of the magazine Inspire, which the court heard is reportedly published by al Qaeda.

Adebolajo, 28, and his co-defendant Michael Adebowale, 22, deny murdering Fusilier Rigby, attempting to murder a police officer and conspiracy to murder.

The trial continues.

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Weather: Thousands Evacuated Amid Tidal Surge

Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes as a tidal surge hits coastal towns along the east coast of Britain.

It comes after a powerful Atlantic storm - which claimed two lives - with winds of up to 140mph caused widespread disruption.

The Environment Agency has more than 230 flood alerts in place across England and Wales, including 43 severe flood warnings which are only issued when flooding poses a "significant threat to life".

 :: Watch Sky News HD for all the latest on the disruption

Water breaches the sea wall on Great Yarmouth's promenade

Officials say communities from Northumberland to the Thames Estuary and Kent, in addition to those on the Irish Sea coast from Cumbria down to Cheshire, could see significant coastal flooding as the coastal surge moves south.

Last night, Humberside Police said a search and rescue operation had been launched for three people who may have fallen into the River Humber close to Flixborough.

An Environment Agency map showing the worst-affected areas

Describing the storm as a "critical incident", the force warned "the worst is not over yet" with further disruption expected with the morning tide.

It also appealed to the public not ignore flood warnings, saying some people had been risking their lives by running into the tide.

One man died after he was struck by a falling tree in a park in Retford, Nottinghamshire, and a lorry driver was killed when his HGV toppled on to a number of cars in West Lothian.

Across the country more than 100,000 properties have been hit by power cuts.

The Port of Dover has been closed because of adverse weather conditions and the loss of some electrical power.

People fill sandbags as high tide approaches in Great Yarmouth

Tens of thousands of homes along coastal areas in East Anglia, the Midlands and Kent have been evacuated after officials warned that the lives of people in the regions could be at risk.

In Norfolk, 9,000 homes have been evacuated, mainly in the Great Yarmouth area, as officials attempt to stem the damage from the coastal surge.

At Blakeney in north Norfolk, the water breached the quay at about 5.30pm on Thursday.

Forecasters say the storm could be one of the most powerful in decades

Within 30 minutes the floods had advanced some 165ft (50m) up the village's main street. Water reached window height and at least one car was seen being swept away.

Allan Urquhart, who lives on the seafront, took a rowing boat to the King's Arms pub to collect a friend.

He said: "I'm going to row back to the house and we'll stay upstairs tonight. We've put sandbags in place so hopefully we'll be OK. I'm as confident as I can be.

"This is the worst flooding I've seen so it could be a difficult night for lots of people."

The Scarborough seafront

An Environment Agency spokesman said that in some areas sea levels could be higher than those during the devastating floods of 1953 - which battered the east coast of England and claimed the lives of hundreds of people.

Defences built since then - including the Thames and Hull Barriers - mean that many parts of the country are much better protected, he said.

However, some coastal flood defences could be "overtopped" by the combined effect of high tides, high winds and a large tidal surge, he added.

The Met Office said the Atlantic storm brought severe gales of between 60mph and 80mph across Scotland and northern parts of England, and some mountainous regions in Aberdeenshire and Inverness-shire reported speeds of around 140mph.

The adverse weather has also caused chaos to the transport network, with rail services for Scotland and parts of the North of England suspended. A number of flights have also been disrupted.

Lifeboats rescue people in Rhyl

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, who has chaired two Cobra meetings, said: "It is really important that people take steps to prepare for flooding, which is likely to occur overnight.

"Clearly our priority is public safety and I urge people to act on the advice from the environment agency, police and local agencies."

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Weather Alert: 95mph Winds And Tidal Surges

Parts of the UK have been told to expect some of the worst weather conditions for 30 years as a combination of gale force winds and large waves threaten to bring "severe" flooding.

The Environment Agency and Met Office are predicting huge tidal surges within 48 hours that could see water levels breach sea defences along the east coast of England.

Forecasters have warned that sea levels in some places could be as high as in 1953's devastating flooding - when 326 deaths in eastern counties of England and Scotland exposed weaknesses in Britain's flood defences.

The Thames Barrier was closed on Thursday night to protect London.

Train operators are asking commuters to prepare for delays and Scotrail has cancelled all trains before 7am today, with forecasters predicting 95mph winds and a dusting of snow across parts of the country.

Areas most at risk include the North Sea coast from Northumberland down to the Thames Estuary and Kent.

The Environment Agency has issued a severe flood warning - its highest category - to homes and businesses near The Quay in Sandwich, Kent, for high tides at 12.43am and 1.06pm on Friday. At present, there are also 34 flood warnings and 59 flood alerts in place.

Hurricane force winds hit the UK, causing widespread damage, in October

The tidal reaches of the River Trent in Nottinghamshire could also be affected.

On the west coast, from Cumbria down to Cheshire, severe gales and large waves combined with high water levels are also expected.

Environment Agency chief executive Dr Paul Leinster said: "Gale force winds and large waves along the east coast of England are forecast during Thursday and Friday, coinciding with high tides and a significant coastal surge.

"Flooding of some coastal communities is expected and some defences could be overtopped by the combined effect of high tides, high winds and a tidal surge.

"Coastal paths and promenades will be highly dangerous as there is an increased risk of people being swept out to sea."

If the predictions are correct the UK will experience some of its most severe weather since a storm in October that saw hurricane force winds rip through the south of the country, killing four people.

The Met Office has already issued a flurry of weather warnings, having told people in parts of Scotland and northern England they could face a short, sharp, stormy spell of weather over the next 48 hours.

Sky News weather producer Chris England said: "Damaging 90mph gusts are likely in the far north and northwest, while Scotland's Central Belt can expect gusts of over 70mph."

Forecasters said the winds will turn more northerly on Thursday afternoon and into Friday, bringing cold air and snow showers down from the Arctic.

October's storm swept across the south of Britain

England has been largely spared extreme weather so far this winter, though that is expected to change when northerly winds from the Arctic bring freezing temperatures to large parts of the UK with snow showers affecting Scotland, Northern Ireland, parts of northern England, north Wales and the east coast from Thursday.

Temperatures are due to plummet to as low as -4C (25F) overnight on Thursday in parts of Scotland with the bitter northerly winds set to leave the rest of the country shivering.

The weather is likely to bring a certain amount of disruption to transport services, with Network Rail already bracing customers in Scotland and parts of north and eastern England for delays.

Robin Gisby, Network Rail's director of operations, said: "As we saw with the recent storm which affected the south of England, being prepared and on top of severe weather is key to helping us resume normal levels of services as quickly as possible.

"We will be monitoring conditions on the ground closely throughout the night and into the morning and will have teams in place to react quickly to any damage caused by the weather.

"We will keep as much of the network open as is possible however the potential extreme nature of the conditions and the impact it could have on our infrastructure means that speed restrictions and other measures are necessary in the interests of the safety of passengers and our staff."

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cancer Survival Rates Are 'Truly Depressing'

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

Cancer patients in Britain and Ireland are far less likely to survive the disease than people in most other European countries, according to new research.

Results from the biggest cancer study of its kind show that Britain and Ireland have below average survival rates for nine out of 10 common cancers.

The prospects for women with ovarian cancer were particularly bleak, with five-year survival rates lower even than those in relatively poor countries in Eastern Europe.

One cancer charity called the results "depressing" and the NHS has conceded there is much more work to do.

The Eurocare-5 study tracked the outcomes of more than nine million adults and children in 29 countries, who were diagnosed with cancer between 2000 and 2007

The prospects for women with ovarian cancer are particularly bleak

Results published in The Lancet medical journal show that across Europe cancer survival is improving, but there are still big variations.

Women with ovarian cancer have a 31% chance of surviving another five years if they live in Britain or Ireland. In Sweden the figure is 44.1%. And even in Bulgaria 33.4% of women survive five years.

Survival for lung and stomach cancers are also markedly worse in Britain and Ireland.

Just nine per cent of patients with lung cancer survive five years, with only Bulgarian patients faring worse.

And 17.2% of patients with stomach cancer survive five years, far fewer than the European average of 25.1%.

Only patients with skin melanoma in Britain and Ireland do better than average, with 85.6% still alive five years after diagnosis.

The researchers blamed delayed diagnosis, underuse of potentially successful treatments and "poor or unequal access" to treatment for the poor survival in Britain and Ireland.

Survival for lung and stomach cancers are also markedly worse

Ciaran Devane, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support said: "This is truly depressing. 

"One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime so this is a big deal and has to be a wake-up call for the NHS.

"There is no reason why the UK should lag behind the rest of Europe when it comes to either certain cancers or survival rates for older cancer patients."

Public Health England has started a Be Clear On Cancer campaign, to raise public awareness of the early signs and symptoms of the disease.

Di Riley, Head of PHE's National Cancer Intelligence Network said the elderly, in particular, need to be encouraged to go to their GP if they notice suspicious symptoms.

"The recently introduced bowel cancer screening programme should also improve survival from colon cancer, and reduce the number of emergency presentations of elderly people with bowel cancer, particularly as we are now screening people to their mid-70s.

"PHE is also doing a trial of extending breast screening for women in their 70s which should go some way to addressing the poorer survival of older women with breast cancer."

Sean Duffy, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England, said: "Our one-year survival figures show that for (lung and melanoma skin cancers) we are now approaching the outcomes of other countries where survival has historically been significantly better than in England. 

"However, we want the best outcomes for all cancer patients and we know that we need to build on the improvements that have been made and do much more."

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Eurostar: Government's 40% Stake Up For Sale

The Government is to sell its 40% stake in Eurostar as part of a plan to privatise £20bn of financial and corporate assets by 2020.

The announcement is contained in the new national infrastructure plan (NIP) which sets out over £375bn of planned public and private investments to 2030 and beyond.

The plans include a new target for selling off financial assets, doubling the amount from £10bn to £20bn including shareholding in the cross-channel train operator.

It comes just weeks after ministers were criticised for undervaluing the Royal Mail before its flotation.

Ministers have been given a boost by major insurers, who have announced plans to invest £25bn in UK infrastructure projects over the next five years.

Last month Eurostar revealed it had seen an increase in revenues and passenger numbers compared with last summer.

Sales revenue for the period July-September 2013 reached £207m - a 10% increase on the same period last year - and passenger numbers in summer 2013 rose 5% to 2.7 million.

The planned infrastructure investment has increased from £309bn last year to more than £375bn, with 291 of the 646 projects and programmes already under construction.

The decision by insurers Legal and General, Prudential, Aviva, Standard Life, Friends Life and Scottish Widows to invest in infrastructure follows changes in European rules pushed for by the UK which incentivise investment in a wider range of assets.

Danny Alexander will announce the plans

Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander will unveil the NIP alongside Commercial Secretary and former London Olympics chief Lord Deighton.

Mr Alexander will say the announcement is a "massive vote of confidence in the UK economy".

"It supports the wider £100bn public investment to rebuild Britain over the next seven years that I announced at the Spending Round 2013. Underground, overground, onshore, offshore, wired or wireless, tarmac or train track. You name it, we're building it right now.

"This is great news for the people of the UK because after years of neglect, the UK's energy, road, rail, flood defence, communications and water infrastructure needs renewal."

Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Chris Leslie said: "Scheme after scheme has been announced to great fanfare but then little actually delivered.

"Yet another announcement from ministers about possible future investment will do little to reassure business that warm words will finally translate into diggers in the ground."

Other measures being announced include:

:: The scrapping of plans to create the UK's first toll road for a decade. Motorists will not be charged to use the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon once the improvement scheme, due to start in 2016, is completed.

:: A further £50m will be allocated to redevelop the railway station at Gatwick Airport.

:: A Government guarantee could support finance for the development of a new nuclear power station at Wylfa on Anglesey.

:: The £1bn Northern Line extension to Battersea in south west London will also be guaranteed by the Government.

12.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

British Armed Forces 'Could Be Run By A Woman'

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

The British Armed Forces could be run by a woman one day, the nation's most senior female military officer has suggested.

In her first interview since being promoted, Air Vice-Marshal Elaine West told Sky News that the military is modernising to mirror society and insisted that the UK is not out of date by preventing women from fighting on the front line.

She said: "I wouldn't say we are. It might not be absolutely everything but we are making progress and we are reflecting what is going on in society.

"We've had fast jet female pilots for a number of years going back to the nineties. We have people in Afghanistan at the moment who are there both in the medical profession, but also aircraft mechanics who are flying.

"We've got females now who are flying Apaches. We're about to have females coming through to go on submarines on active service. So this is truly an evolving situation."

However, despite more jobs being available to females, only 67% of jobs in the Army are open to women, although the RAF (96%) and Navy (71%) are more inclusive.

Air Vice-Marshal West's promotion was announced in August

The Armed Forces are exempt from the Sex Discrimination Act which is why they are able to restrict women from serving on the frontline.

Asked if she could foresee a day when a woman is appointed Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Vice-Marshal West believed it possible.

She said: "Why not, why not? You wouldn't rule anything out would you? We're evolving with the rest of society, we're no different to outside industry and there are opportunities."

Air Vice-Marshal West's appointment as the country's first two-star ranked woman was announced in August.

She is now responsible for projects involving the Ministry of Defence's infrastructure estate, from accommodation buildings to runways and dockyards.

Since joining the RAF 35 years ago as an Aircraftwoman, the lowest rank, she has served in a variety of jobs around the world.

The women's war memorial is just north of the Cenotaph on Whitehall

Her husband was formerly a Navigator in RAF fast jets but has since left the service.

The couple have one son and Air Vice-Marshal West does not accept the idea that a woman must make a decision between a family or a career in the military.

She said: "There are girls I know at the moment, colleagues, who have more than one child, who juggle a huge amount more than I do.

"Yes I had one child, but it is all about work-life balance.

"I think the armed services can provide that. It's challenging, there are occasions when maybe I don't quite get it right. But you know it works and it can work."

Women are still a minority group in the British military. The latest diversity report published in October shows that females make up 9.8% of the regular forces.

Air Vice-Marshal West spoke to Sky's Alistair Bunkall

There are 8,340 women in the Army, 3,010 in the Navy and 4,950 in the RAF, the largest proportion of all three services.

But Air Vice-Marshal West said she had never worried about a glass ceiling for women in the military.

She said: "I've never worried about it. If there has, gosh, I've never truly thought about it. I think it is fair to say that people in the military are promoted on merit and that's really important.

"I don't know anybody, certainly colleagues of mine, female colleagues of mine, that would wish to be promoted ahead of the pack without being promoted on merit. It's really important with that merit goes credibility."

12.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Charities Turn 'Bedroom Tax' Attack On PM

Transcript Of 'Bedroom Tax' Letter

Updated: 12:50am UK, Monday 02 December 2013

The full letter from 18 charity chief executives to David Cameron is below.

Dear Prime Minister,

This week we wrote to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions setting out the devastating impact on disabled people, their families and carers as a result of the 'spare room' cuts to Housing Benefit.

In that letter, we expressed our frustration at repeated reports that 'disabled people are exempt'.

They are not. As we had warned, the Government's discretionary fund of temporary support for disabled people is inadequate and completely inappropriate for those with long-term housing needs.

ar from being exempt or protected, day after day we are seeing the evidence that disabled people and their families are amongst the hardest hit by this policy.

We are writing to you as we were deeply disappointed by your remarks in the House of Commons on Wednesday 27th November which stated that disabled people are exempt.

In response to a question about the impact on disabled people of these changes, you stated: "Obviously, what we have done is to exempt disabled people who need an extra room.1" This follows a similar statement you made in Parliament in March:

And a further statement in July:

None of these situations reflect the reality of the Government's policy.

We are now even more concerned that the effects the policy is having on disabled people and their families are not understood in Government.

The policy offers only two very limited exemptions for disabled people - for some disabled children who cannot share with siblings and for disabled tenants or their partners who need a room for someone who does not live with them to come in to provide overnight care.

This means that most disabled people and carers are not exempt, including:

• Disabled, seriously or terminally ill people who need round the clock care and who cannot share a room with their partners because of disrupted sleep or the need for hospital beds or medical equipment through the night.
• Parents of disabled children who need an extra room so that one of them can sleep whilst the other provides overnight care.
• Families of disabled children who need overnight care workers to stay to give them a break from providing care throughout the night (the 'overnight care' exemption mentioned above only applies to tenants and their partners - not to disabled children).
• Disabled and ill people whose extra accommodation is needed for home adaptations or equipment, including dialysis machines, oxygen tanks, hoists and wheelchairs.

All of these groups are being told this essential accommodation is 'spare' and are facing an average bill of £700 a year as a result.

When senior Government figures state that these families are exempt when they are not, our organisations have to respond to the false hope this generates. We receive the relieved calls and messages from families who are struggling to pay their rent shortfall, and it falls to us to tell those families that they are, in fact, subject to these cuts and are not exempt.

The Government has responded that discretionary relief is available, but we laid out our evidence about the failures of the Government's discretionary fund in our letter to the Secretary of State.

To you, we repeat our call for urgent exemptions including those which you have described, but which sadly are not currently part of Government policy.

You said on Wednesday that this policy reflects a fundamental question of fairness.

Surely, if disabled people, those with serious and terminal illnesses and carers caring for their loved ones need additional accommodation, they should not be told this space is 'spare' and forced to pay or apply again and again for insufficient, temporary support just to stay in their own homes.

Yours sincerely,

Heléna Herklots, Chief Executive, Carers UK

Liz Sayce OBE, Chief Executive, Disability Rights UK

Janine Tregelles, Chief Executive, Royal Mencap Society

Lesley-Anne Alexander CBE, Chief Executive, Royal National Institute of Blind People

Deborah Jack, Chief Executive, NAT (National AIDS Trust)

Paul Jenkins, Chief Executive, Rethink Mental Illness

Alison Garnham, Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group

Sally Light, Chief Executive, Motor Neurone Disease Association

Gillian Morbey OBE, Chief Executive, Sense

Richard Leaman, Chief Executive, Guide Dogs

Paul Soames, Chief Executive, Contact a Family

Jane Harris, Managing Director, Campaigns and Engagement, Leonard Cheshire Disability Sonya Chowdhury, Chief Executive Officer, Action for M.E.

Robert Meadowcroft, Chief Executive, Muscular Dystrophy Campaign

Paul Lenihan MBE, Chief Executive, Action Duchenne

Beatrice Barleon, Campaign Manager, Every Disabled Child Matters

Teresa Catto-Smith, Founder, Autism in Scotland

Tracey Lazard, Chief Executive, Inclusion London

12.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Glasgow Helicopter Crash: Ninth Body Found

Police say they have found a further body located within the Clutha pub in Glasgow, bringing the total number of victims to nine.

They have also identified a fifth person who died when the police helicopter came down as Samuel   McGhee, 56, from Glasgow.

Detective Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick said: "We can now confirm that Samuel McGhee died during the incident on Friday. Our thoughts are with his family and friends tonight as they are with all those affected by this tragedy.

"Sadly I can also confirm the discovery of a further body within the site. This takes to nine the total number of people who died on Friday night.

"Our absolute priority has been to locate the bodies of people who were within the pub at the time of the incident and recover them safely. This process takes time, as formal identification procedures have to take place before we can notify relatives and publicly confirm identities.

"We are doing all we can to support the families of those who have lost loved ones. It is essential that we maintain sensitivity and dignity for the families of the deceased."

Emergency services at the scene

She added: "This remains an ongoing investigation and search focused on the Clutha Vaults pub. The site is extremely challenging and the efforts of colleagues from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and investigators have been painstaking."

The other named victims include PC Kirsty Nelis, 36, PC Tony Collins, 43, and civilian pilot David Traill, 51, who were killed when their aircraft smashed through the roof of the pub in Stockwell Street.

Gary Arthur, 48, from Paisley, was among the six people who died inside the pub when the ceiling caved in.

The four other victims who were in the busy pub have not yet been identified. Police have warned that more bodies could be recovered from the wreckage.

Friends have paid tribute to PC Kirsty Nelis

Mr Arthur's daughter, Celtic and Scottish women's footballer Chloe Arthur, 18, paid tribute to him on Twitter, writing "you'll always mean the world to me, I promise to do you proud, I love you with all my heart."

Many of PC Nelis' friends have changed their Facebook profile pictures to a black square cut across by a thin blue line in her memory.

Andrina Romano said: "For my beautiful friend Kirsty and all others involved. You will never be forgotten and I will miss you every day. Rip."

Today, Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael will visit the city to meet emergency service personnel before signing the book of condolence at Glasgow City Chambers.

A special service was held at Glasgow Cathedral

On Sunday, a service for the victims was held at Glasgow Cathedral, with Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon among those attending.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have sent their "most heartfelt thoughts and sympathy to the families of those who were lost or injured in Friday's truly shocking helicopter accident in Glasgow".

The Clutha had been packed with more than 100 people watching a ska band when the crash happened at 10.25pm on Friday.

Twelve people remain seriously injured in three Glasgow hospitals.

A total of 32 were admitted and 20 of them have been discharged. The wounded suffered mostly chest, spinal and head injuries as well as fractures and lacerations.

The cause of the crash is being investigated by the police and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Stephen House said: "Until the helicopter is completely removed from the scene and the right people are in the premises and are able to look through the rubble completely and start to clear it, we cannot say about exact numbers.

The mangled wreckage of the helicopter remains embedded in the building

"No one will be putting pressure on them in terms of time but things are proceeding, we are making progress and I know that people want to be reassured of that.

"It may appear that it's not going as fast as people want. The answer is it's painstaking and it's important that everything there is treated with the courtesy and respect it deserves."

The Eurocopter EC135 Type 2 helicopter involved in the crash was one of many that underwent safety checks as a precaution last year, it has emerged.

Police Scotland said the aircraft was tested on the advice of its operator Bond Air Services last May after reports of cracks on the machines.

12.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Helicopter Crash: Relatives Face Anxious Wait

Families and friends are waiting to hear news about loved ones after the helicopter crash in Glasgow where eight people died.

A "very sensitive and complex" police rescue operation to find potential survivors is taking place at the Clutha pub - where the aircraft came through the roof.

Officers have described it as a "complicated and dangerous" environment.

One worried relative at the scene of the crash, Alice Healy, told Sky News how she had not heard from her cousin who had been inside the pub when the helicopter hit.

Another, John McGarrigle, 38, said that he had been told by someone inside the pub that his 59-year-old father, also called John, had been sitting at precisely the spot the aircraft had come down and that he had been killed but that authorities had not been able to confirm this.

John McGarrigle says he is sure his father has been killed in the crash

Three crew members - two police officers and a civilian pilot - died in the aircraft and five other people lost their lives inside the pub.

Flags across Scotland are flying at half-mast following the tragedy as the Queen says her "thought and prayers" are with those affected.

First Minister Alex Salmond - who called the crash a "black day for Glasgow and for Scotland" - ordered saltire and Lion Rampant flags outside Scottish Government and historic buildings to fly at half mast.

St Andrew's Day events in the city have also been scrapped and a minute's silence has been held at many football grounds.

The helicopter brought down the roof of the pub

With 14 people still seriously injured in hospital, players and fans at Scottish Cup fourth-round matches showed their solidarity and fell silent before kick-off.

Glasgow Rangers and Falkirk players wore black armbands during their game.

A statement from Rangers said: "Everyone at Rangers Football Club is shocked and saddened by the tragic helicopter crash at the city's Clutha Vaults bar on Friday night.

"Our thoughts are with all those affected by this dreadful incident."

The city's other famous football club, Celtic, also tweeted that their "thoughts & prayers (are) with those affected by this terrible accident".

Flowers are being left at the scene of the crash in central Glasgow

A special service was held at St Andrew's Cathedral on Saturday afternoon.

"We pray for our city of Glasgow," said Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, who led prayers for victims and rescuers.

Special prayers will also be said and candles lit for the victims at a service at 11am at Glasgow Cathedral on Sunday.

St Andrew's Day celebrations, due to be held in George Square, were cancelled following the tragedy, while the Scottish Trades Union Congress called off its anti-racism march in the city.

An emotional Gordon Matheson, leader of the city's council, told a press conference: "This is heartbreaking news from the very centre of Glasgow.

Rangers and Falkirk were two of the teams to remember the victims

"The people of Glasgow are praying for and doing everything they can to support the families and those most directly affected by this tragedy."

More than 100 people were inside the pub watching a band when the helicopter brought down the venue's roof on the banks of the River Clyde.

Political leaders have also expressed their solidarity with those involved.

In a statement, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "This is a tragic event and our deepest sympathies are with the families and friends who lost a loved one last night.

The Archbishop of Glasgow held a special service at St Andrew's Cathedral

"I want to thank the emergency services who worked tirelessly throughout the night and I also want to pay tribute to the bravery of the ordinary Glaswegians who rushed to help."

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond and Labour leader Ed Miliband also paid tribute to local people.

Mr Salmond said: "All of us have seen over the last few hours, the speed and effectiveness of the mobilisation of the emergency services in dealing with this tragedy.

"We've also heard of the instinctive courage of ordinary Glaswegians going to assist their fellow citizens in extremity.

"This is a black day for Glasgow and for Scotland. Our condolences go to those who will be bereaved, our solidarity with those who have been injured."

Members of the public concerned about relatives who may have been involved in the crash can call an emergency helpline on 0800 092 0410.

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Glasgow Helicopter Crash: Police Name A Victim

Police have named 48-year-old Gary Arthur from Paisley as one of the eight people killed in a helicopter crash in central Glasgow.

His body was recovered from the scene where the police aircraft came through the roof of The Clutha pub in Stockwell Street.

The three aircraft crew - two officers and a civilian pilot - were among those killed on Friday night.

Steve Lloyd, manager of the Police Roll of Honour Trust, which remembers officers who lost their lives in the line of duty, said: ""The impact of this accident will be felt by all the extended police family cand will yet again prove the dangers faced by the police in the service of our community."

Emergency services at the scene of the crash

Mr Arthur was one of five other people who lost their lives in the busy bar after the crash caused the pub roof to collapse.

The venue had been packed with more than 100 people watching a ska band when the crash happened at 10.25pm.

Mr Arthur's 18-year-old daughter, Chloe, plays forward for Celtic Women's first-team.

She took to Twitter to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and to pledge that she would make her much-loved father proud.

A nine-piece local ska band were on stage when the aircraft hit the roof

"RIP dad. you'll always mean the world to me, I promise to do you proud, I love you with all my heart," she wrote.

"Thanks to everyone who has tweeted me, text me etc, means so much, I have the most amazing friends ever."

Mr Arthur was a regular on the sidelines watching his daughter play at matches, according to Celtic women's manager David Haley.

"This is devastating for Chloe and her family," he said.

"It is a tragedy that Chloe's father was one of eight innocent victims in this terrible accident - he was regularly seen at Celtic matches, watching his daughter."

An EC135 T2 like the one that crashed

Some 14 people remain seriously injured in three Glasgow hospitals.

A total of 32 were admitted and 18 of them have been discharged. The wounded suffered mostly chest, spinal and head injuries as well as fractures and lacerations.

Police said: "Extensive efforts continue to recover the remaining bodies from the scene, but due to ongoing safety constraints this is likely to take some time."

Emergency services including police officers, firefighters and search and rescue teams with dogs remain at the site on the banks of the River Clyde.

A police officer lays flowers at the crash scene

They are expected to continue working through the night to recover the remaining bodies from the scene, and stabilise the building which has been deemed unsafe following the crash.

The mangled wreckage of the aircraft remains embedded in the middle of the pub.

It is now known how many people are still inside the building.

Sir Stephen House, Chief Constable of Police Scotland, said rescuers were working in a "complicated and dangerous" environment and that the rescue operation would go on for many days yet.

The cause of the crash is being investigated by police and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

Relatives console each other at the site

Witnesses said the helicopter came down "like a stone" from the sky at "a great speed", while some suggested that there was a problem with the aircraft's rotor.

Grace MacLean, who was inside the pub at the time, told Sky News: "There was a band on, they were quite loud, and we just kinda heard a whoosh and some smoke.

"We looked around and no-one really knew what was going on. Everyone just carried on listening to the band. And then we kind of looked again and the roof was gradually coming down."

John McGarrigle, 38, said that he had been told by someone inside the pub that his 59-year-old father, also called John, had been sitting at precisely the spot the aircraft had come down and that he had been killed but that authorities had not been able to confirm this.

As families anxiously wait to hear news about their loved ones, special prayers will be said and candles lit for the victims at a service at Glasgow Cathedral on Sunday.

A minute's silence will also be held later before Celtic´s Scottish Cup tie against Hearts at Tynecastle.

Senior public figures including the Queen, Prime Minister David Cameron and First Minister Alex Salmond have expressed their condolences to those caught up in the tragedy.

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More