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.

An M&S spokesman 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, part of John Lewis, 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 at its head office in Bracknell, Berkshire, 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 six 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 will be taking time out from his executive duties to man the tills in his local branch over Christmas.

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Domestic Abuse Charities May Not Cope At Xmas

By Isabel Webster, West of England Correspondent

Cuts to domestic abuse charities are "putting victims at risk" as organisations warn they are expecting more cases than ever during the festive period.

The Association of Chief Police Officers reports a much higher volume of 999 calls from women over the Christmas holiday.

Gwent Police Chief Constable Carmel Napier said: "Normal life is not going on. The children aren't at school. People aren't at work.

"The expectation of a good time adds pressure and alcohol can be an aggravating factor.

"This combination of factors seems to cause a combustion of tensions that are already there."

According to the charity Refuge, one in four women in England and Wales experience domestic abuse in their lifetime and two women a week die.

Carol, a mother-of-four from Bristol, managed to escape her abusive relationship with the help of the grassroots charity, Survive.

Over several years her partner physically and mentally abused her, sometimes in front of her young children.

"The first night anything happened he just took his belt off and started whipping me. I was so shocked as I'd never seen him violent before," Carol said.

"He hit me with his mobile phone, so hard it left an imprint on my chest. He said he was going to kill me and threatened to throw me out the window - picking me up by my throat. He said he was going to rip my head off.

"But the worst part was the mental abuse. I had to walk behind him, I was timed if I went out to pick up the kids and had to ask permission to leave the room to go to the loo.

"I thought if I just did what I was told, if I was better, I could make it right for everyone, but I was never going to win."

Survive chief exec Anna Smith says charity is under increasing pressure

Carol is now safe and rebuilding her life, but the effect on her and her children remains.

Breaking down in tears, she sobbed: "If I'd known what I know now - what a bad effect it would have on my kids I would have got out sooner.

"I tried to protect them physically but you can't protect someone mentally from what they hear, what they see."

Carol maintains that Survive is the one good thing that came out of her ordeal.

But the charity, which supports women in South Gloucestershire and Bristol, is under growing pressure.

It has seen a 76% increase in high risk cases in the last year.

Over the Christmas period it estimates it will have to turn away 15% of the women and their families who need emergency refuge.

Chief Executive Anna Smith said: "We've been cut, yet we're seeing more women and children than ever.

"I am seriously concerned about it. Vulnerable people won't necessarily be able to get access to the help that they need this Christmas."

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Weather: Rain Sparks Christmas Travel Misery

Britons leaving for the Christmas holiday are battling travel problems as rail failures and floods stall journeys for millions.

Heavy rain has sparked flood warnings that are hampering the road network and train services have been crippled.

Further downpours on Saturday as many start their holiday are heightening the flood risk, with Christmas Day looking set to be a washout.

Some residents in Helston, Cornwall, were evacuated overnight after river levels rose and the Environment Agency warned that widespread flooding was "imminent".

The Agency has a severe flood warning in place for the River Cober in the town, and more rain is expected on Saturday - raising fears some families may not be back home for Christmas.

Another 90 flood warnings have been issued across the UK, with the south west and Midlands the worst affected. There are another 269 flood alerts.

Meanwhile, flooding between Taunton and Exeter St Davids and a signalling problem is causing disruption in the south west.

There are no trains between Plymouth and Tiverton Parkway or Taunton, and a replacement bus service is running from Exeter St Davids to Tiverton Parkway and Taunton.

Water rising on the River Severn in Bewdley

Further road replacements are being organised to run between Plymouth and Exeter St Davids, but this is expected to add another 90 minutes to journey times.

First Great Western and CrossCountry services are accepting each other's passengers, National Rail said.

A major signalling problem caused by a fire yesterday that affected electrical cables and railside signalling equipment at Preston Park is also causing major disruption near Brighton.

Diversions are in place, with trains between Brighton and Gatwick airport travelling half-hourly and buses laid on for some passengers.

There are also signalling problems affecting some Cross Country and London Midland routes in and around Birmingham.

:: Click here for all the latest from Sky News weather

Flooding near Rhoose Cardiff International Airport is causing disruption on Arriva Trains Wales.

And there remain problems on all London Midland routes because of driver shortages that have been an issue since October.

Replacement bus services are also in place between Bedford and Bletchley because of a lack of crew and in Liskeard and Looe in Cornwall due to flooding.

A landslip has caused rail problems in the Glazebrook area near Warrington, affecting some First TransPennine Express services and links to Manchester.

On the roads, the A38 from Bodmin towards Exeter is currently closed because of flooding. The northbound exit slip road on the A19 in Cleveland at the junction with the A139 is also shut.

Rain is affecting much of the UK (Pictures: Met Office)

There are also delays on the A27 eastbound between B2144 and A285 near Chichester because of flooding.

Mike Williams, from the Environment Agency, said: "This is the last weekend before Christmas, so it will be particularly busy with people travelling through the region.

"We would urge people to take extra care when planning their journeys and we aware of the risk of flooding.

"Our teams have been out around the clock to minimise the risks and prepare for flooding.

"People need to keep up to date with the weather forecast and remain prepared for flooding in their area and stay away from dangerous flood water or attempting to drive through it."

Britons attempting to get to Heathrow have also been hit by changes to the Heathrow Express service, which on Friday forced thousands of passengers onto the Underground.

Trains are running normally on Saturday but are due to start later on Sunday and will then not run at all on Christmas Day and Boxing Day because of engineering work.

British Airways alone is set to handle nearly 31,000 passengers on Christmas Day as an estimated four million Britons travel abroad for the rest of the holidays.

There was some good news after two main line rail strikes that threatened to cause travel chaos over the Christmas period were called off.

But the train drivers' union Aslef is still striking on Boxing Day in a move that will hit the Underground and has already forced the cancellation of the Arsenal-West Ham United football match.

The other main train problem for the festive period is likely to be engineering work on the West Coast Line.

There are no direct services from London Euston to Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool or Glasgow on December 23 and 24.

Direct services resume on December 27 but with two of the four lines closed up to and including New Year's Eve.

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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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Weather: Flooding Ahead Of Xmas Getaway

Britain has been warned it faces further flooding in some areas as more rain is set to sweep in over the next few days.

So far southern and south western England have been the worst affected, with deluges in Devon, Cornwall and Hampshire leading to more than an inch of rain in some places.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "There'll be a brief respite from the rain on Friday with drier and brighter conditions across southern parts of England, many central areas and Ireland.

"But as we head into tonight there are further heavy and persistent downpours across southwestern parts of England into Wales, continuing to sweep north and eastwards in Scotland.

"About 25-35mm of water is expected, which is more than an inch, and falling on already saturated ground. So localised flooding is likely.

Friday is expected to be the busiest of the festive period for travelling

"Saturday will continue to be another unsettled day with rather heavy and persistent downpours spreading northeastward across all parts of the UK and Ireland."

On Thursday, residents in Wallington, Hampshire, were advised to leave their homes because of fears that the River Wallington could burst its banks.

The weather is forecast to remain unsettled for up to seven days.

The Environment Agency has nearly 300 flood alerts in place across the UK, where people should be prepared for flooding, and almost 90 flood warnings, which means flooding is expected and immediate action is required.

It comes as the great Christmas getaway is set to begin, with airports, ports and the transport network braced to cope with high demand.

Some 123,000 passengers are expected to leave through Heathrow Airport today, with thousands more heading across the English Channel by ferry or through the Channel Tunnel.

On the roads, the Highways Agency said more than 250 miles of roadworks will have been completed before Christmas.

A further 57 miles of works will be suspended between today and January 2.

But busy sections of the M4, M25 and M5 will still have works taking place.

Engineering work is also affecting a number of train lines, although strike action over the Christmas period has been called off.

VisitEngland said that as many as 12 million Britons intend to take at least one trip over the festive period, generating around £2.1bn for the economy.

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Stunt Rider's Wife Charged With Assault

The estranged wife of paralysed motorbike stunt rider Eddie Kidd has been charged with assaulting him.

Samantha Kidd is due to appear in court next month accused of assaulting the 53-year-old six times in four months.

The 44-year-old, of High Street, Seaford, allegedly beat her husband between July and October this year.

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Cancer Charity: Elderly Being Refused Treatment

Cancer patients are being refused treatment because they are too old, a leading charity has warned.

The poll by Macmillan Cancer Support found that ageism in the NHS is stopping some older cancer patients getting the best treatments.

And 45% of 155 GPs, oncologists and specialist cancer nurses surveyed said they have dealt with a cancer patient who has been refused treatment on the grounds that they were too old.

Macmillan said the UK has some of the worst cancer survival rates in Europe for older people.

Ciaran Devane, chief executive at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "Health professionals' concerns about the prevalence of age discrimination in cancer care mustn't be ignored.

"Unless staff are given the time and training to carry out a proper assessment of a patient's overall physical and mental wellbeing, some patients will be unfairly written-off as 'too old' for treatment.

"The number of older people (aged 65 and over) living with cancer in the UK is set to rocket in the next 20 years from 1.3 million to 4.1 million.

"Unless the barriers to timely treatment are tackled now, many older people could die unnecessarily from cancer and services will become unaffordable."

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "It is shocking and wrong to deny people treatment just because of their age, which is why we have made it illegal.

"However, we agree that more still needs to be done to improve treatment for cancer patients over 70 - which is why we worked with Macmillan on this report to understand how to address this."

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Flood Fears Rise Ahead Of A Soggy Christmas

Flooding is set to hit Britain as successive bands of heavy rain move across the country ahead of a damp Christmas.

Most of England, Wales and Scotland is expected to be wet today with heavy rain in some places.

Snow is also likely over the Scottish mountains, especially on southeast-facing slopes of the Grampians where blizzard conditions are possible.

The Environment Agency (EA) said large swathes of southern and southwestern England, southeast Wales and the Midlands are potentially under threat today, with flood warnings likely in parts of the South West, the South East and East Anglia.

Some 25mm to 35mm fell overnight in parts of the South West.

Sky News weather presenter Isabel Lang said: "Although it will ease during the day in the South West, there will be persistent rain elsewhere."

"Amounts of rain will vary but a further 25 to 50mm is forecast today which will continue to raise flooding concerns.

"Driving conditions will also be difficult in places with standing water and localised flooding already reported."

Flooding last month in Old Malton, North Yorkshire

Although Friday will largely be dry in the South West, the next band of rain is set to move in by the evening and brings renewed flood risks.

Lang said: "The next band coming through is very moist and warm air. There is the potential for major disruption."

"After a white Christmas in 2010 and an unseasonably warm 2011, we may have a wet 2012 Christmas."

Areas of England and Wales were last month engulfed by flood water that surged through streets and down roads.

Rivers burst their banks and fields were flooded as several days' rain fell in just a few hours.

EA flood risk manager Craig Woolhouse said: "Our teams are out around the clock to minimise the risks and prepare for flooding, clearing drainage channels and ensuring that flood defences are working properly.

People have been advised to check their route for disruption before travelling, and not to drive or walk through floodwater.

The EA now offers a free flood warning service on its website.

Mr Woolhouse said: "We urge people to keep up to date with the weather forecast and local news overnight and remain prepared for flooding in their area by signing up to receive free flood warnings and staying away from dangerous flood water."

:: Information is available on the Environment Agency website or by calling the EA Flood Line on 0845 988 1188.

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Ryanair: Airline Bottom Of Which? Survey

Ryanair is the least popular short-haul airline, according to a survey that gave the carrier its lowest approval rating ever.

The Irish firm received an overall satisfaction score of just 34% in a table put together by consumer magazine Which? from its members' votes.

It was 16th and last in the table, which was compiled from views of passengers on a home-bound flight in the 12 months to October.

On Ryanair, Which? said: "We were inundated with comments about Ryanair - many about its extra charges.

"This partly accounts for the paltry one-star ratings for baggage allowance, boarding arrangements, seat allocation, and food and drinks."

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary is known for his controversial comments

Which? said it was the first time Ryanair had been at the bottom of its survey, adding its customer score was the airline's worst to date.

The most popular short-haul airline was Swiss, with an overall score of 82% and a maximum five-star score on a number of the rating categories.

These included check-in process, baggage allowance, seating allocation and airline staff.

Second in the table was Turkish Airlines with a score of 78%, with German carrier Lufthansa third, Aer Lingus fourth and KLM fifth.

Only airlines which received at least 30 responses were considered.

Swiss' results were based on 59 responses, Turkish Airlines on 38, Lufthansa 74 and Aer Lingus 65.

Ryanair's results were based on 563 responses. In 15th place was Thomas Cook Airlines with a score of 36%, with Thomson Airways 14th on 45% and Monarch 13th with 47%.

Swiss' customers spoke of the staff's "politeness and great service", while Turkish Airlines was the only carrier to get more than three stars in the food and drink category.

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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 head Nick Pollard.

Mr Rippon stepped aside from his role after the BBC said his explanation of 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 an end to a bad 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 little more than 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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Lostprophets Singer Facing Child Sex Charges

Lostprophets vocalist Ian Watkins is due to to appear in court charged with child sex offences.

Police said the Welsh rock star - whose hits include Last Train Home - had been arrested as part of a continuing investigation.

A spokesman said: "A Pontypridd man has been charged with sexual offences against children and is due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates' Court today.

"The 35-year-old has been charged with conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a female under 13 and possession/distribution of indecent images of children.

"In order to assist their investigation, South Wales Police has named the man as Ian Watkins, a member of the rock group Lostprophets."

Police added that two women, a 20-year-old from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, and a 24-year-old from Bedford, had been charged with "similar offences" and are also due to appear in court.

All three have been questioned at Cardiff Bay police station.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Peter Doyle said specially-trained staff were available to speak to anyone with concerns or information regarding the investigation.

"I want to encourage anyone who has any concerns or information which they think may be relevant to contact us," he added.

"Safeguarding children involved in such cases is always a high priority and as such measures have already been taken."

Police are asking anyone with any information concerning the investigation to contact the Operation Globe incident room on 0800 056 0154, or the NSPCC on 0800 389 5347.

Lostprophets have received several Kerrang! Awards and nominations, and have sold around 3.5 million albums worldwide.

Last Train Home and Rooftops were both Top 10 hits on the UK Singles Chart, while Last Train Home took the No 1 spot on the Alternative Songs chart.

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Sandy Hook: British Boy's Parents Speak Of Grief

The British parents of a six-year-old boy killed in the Sandy Hook shootings have said they will never regret moving to Connecticut.

Dylan Hockley was one of 20 children shot dead by gunman Adam Lanza in America's worst school shooting.

He was born in Hampshire to a British father and American mother and the family moved to Sandy Hook two years ago.

In a statement released through the Foreign Office, Dylan's parents gave their thanks to the emergency services and first responders who helped on Friday.

"It was an impossible day for us, but even in our grief we cannot comprehend what other people may have experienced," they said.

The couple, who have an older son called Jake, said they had specifically chosen Sandy Hook to move to from the UK because of its close community and Sandy Hook Elementary School, where the massacre took place.

"Sandy Hook and Newtown have warmly welcomed us since we moved here two years ago from England. We do not and shall never regret this choice.  Our boys have flourished here and our family's happiness has been limitless."

They praised the staff at the school including headteacher Dawn Hochsprung, who was killed as she confronted Lanza as he entered the school, and teacher Vicki Soto who was hailed a hero as she tried to protect her pupils by hiding them in cupboards.

"Though our hearts break for Dylan, they are also filled with love for these and the other beautiful women who all selflessly died trying to save our children."

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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 abuse victims placed with sex attackers 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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East Coast Mainline Hit By Severe Delays

Thousands of passengers are facing delays and cancellations on the East Coast Main Line.

East Coast said overhead wire problems were causing problems for a third day between Stevenage and Hitchin.

It had been thought that the problem would be sorted by 7am but on Tuesday morning East Coast said there was now "no estimate" for when a normal service could be resumed.

National Rail tweeted: "No trains through #Hitchin due to further overhead line damage found this morning. Engineers are on site assessing."

Services into and out of Kings Cross were severely delayed or cancelled after the damage on the line that links London with Edinburgh.

East Coast, Grand Central and First Hull Trains are currently starting and terminating at Peterborough, but are not running between Peterborough and London Kings Cross, according to National Rail Enquiries.

First Capital Connect are running shuttle train services between Letchworth Garden City and Cambridge, Biggleswade and Peterborough, and Welwyn Garden City and London Kings Cross.

Replacement buses between Stevenage and Luton and Hertford North, and between Letchworth and Biggleswade and Welwyn Garden City.

East Coast advised passengers to turn to Twitter for more information about the disruption, as well as answers to any queries you may have by using hashtag #Hitchin.

Passengers stuck on their way into London used the service to air their frustrations.

‏@phildoug wrote: "#hitchen all lines 4 lines into London closed on EC train stuck at St Neots, they may turn it round!"

While ‏@noelmc66 said: "Travelling on #eastcoast today? Forget it. Peterborough Stn resembling a (well dressed) refugee camp #chaos."

Tickets have been made valid for other lines and passengers have been advised to stay in London if they are able to postpone their journey.

At least 14 "droppers" - part of the overhead wire - have been broken and contact wires damaged, causing further damage to passing trains.

Network Rail said engineers had been working at the site since Monday afternoon but realised after the first train ran on Tuesday morning that the damage was worse than initially thought.

It was not clear what caused the damage.

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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 series 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 midweek.

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 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 instance 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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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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Jacintha Saldanha: Nurse's Funeral In India

Family and friends of the nurse who was found dead after taking a hoax call to the hospital treating the Duchess of Cambridge have gathered for her funeral in a small town in India.

Mother-of-two Jacintha Saldanha, 46, was found hanged in her nurses' quarters at London's King Edward VII's Hospital on December 7.

Three days earlier the Indian-born nurse had transferred a call from two Australian DJs, believing they were the Queen and Prince of Wales, to a colleague who described in detail the condition of the Duchess during her hospital stay for severe morning sickness.

Ms Saldanha's body was flown back from the UK on Sunday and was due to be buried at a cemetery in Shirva, her husband's home-town, after a funeral in the Catholic parish church at 4.00pm (10.30am GMT).

The coffin was first taken to her mother-in-law's house for prayers and will then be presented in the Our Lady of Health Church for local people to pay their respects, with a large turnout expected.

Ms Saldanha's coffin arrives in Mangalore, India

Ms Saldanha's family have flown to India for the funeral, having arrived from London with the body after a memorial mass in Westminster Cathedral.

After Saturday's service,  her husband Benedict Barboza and two children Junal and Lisha paid an emotional tribute to a "kind-hearted, generous and well-respected woman".

Mr Barboza said: "My wife, you were the light in 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.

"I feel a part of me has been ripped out."

Ms Saldanha's daughter Lisha, 14, said: "We will miss your laughter, the loving memories and the good times we had together. The house is an empty dwelling without your presence.

A candle-lit vigil for the nurse was held in Mangalore at the weekend

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

Her son Junal, 16, said: "Our mother, kind hearted, generous and a well-respected woman in both of our lives. You were the core of the family who kept us together."

Standing outside the cathedral alongside their local MP Charlotte Leslie and MP Keith Vaz, who has been campaigning on behalf of the family, Mr Barboza said the family "could not have foreseen the unprecedented tragedy that has unfolded in our lives".

"The events of the last week have shattered our lives. We barely have the strength to withstand the grief and sorrow."

He thanked the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prime Minister David Cameron for their condolences.

Memorial services have already been held at the hospital where Ms Saldanha worked and in Bristol where her husband and children live.

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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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Hampshire Robbery And Kidnap: Police Appeal

Police have appealed for a suspected armed robber to give himself up after a woman was kidnapped and driven around in her own car.

The man approached a house in Rookes Lane, Lymington, Hampshire on Saturday morning, and pointed a gun to threaten the people who live there - the woman, who is in her 60s, and a man in his 70s.

The man received a minor head injury during a confrontation with the suspect inside the house, where money was demanded. No shots were fired, and about £100 in cash was stolen.

The robber then stole the couple's car, a silver/grey Peugeot 207 convertible, which was driven erratically at speed around the local area.

The woman was forced to travel as a front passenger seat of the car, but was not injured and was returned home around 15 minutes later.

The suspect drove away into Newenham Road, where he abandoned the car at the end of the cul-de-sac.

Chief Inspector Tony Rowlinson said: "I am appealing directly to the suspect to consider the consequences of his actions.

"From our initial inquiries, we understand you might be facing personal and painful circumstances in which you feel trapped and desperate for money.

"However, think long and hard about the distress and fear you are causing. I am imploring you to explore your conscience and do the right thing by contacting police to tell us where you are before you make any more reckless choices, which could hurt innocent people. Please phone us on 101.

"My appeal extends to any family or friends who think they may know this person or their current whereabouts. Please contact the police with what you know about this man."

He added: "This was a shocking crime committed against a couple who were subjected to an unprovoked, terrifying attack in their own home and car. I would like to praise their immense courage in dealing with the robber, who was violent towards them."

Police said they were linking the incident to a robbery on December 5 at Brockenhurst railway station.

Chief Inspector Rowlinson said: "I am calling on the community to be alert in spotting and reporting any suspicious behaviour or any information about the suspect's identity or location.

"We cannot confirm at this time whether the gun seen by the couple was real or an imitation firearm, but my advice to members of the public is to phone police on 999 immediately if you see someone matching the suspect's description. Do not approach him; his behaviour is unpredictable, and he could become distressed and agitated if approached."

He also appealed for help from the driver of a 4x4 car, saying: "We remain particularly keen to trace and speak with the driver of a sandy-coloured 4x4 car.

"This motorist is an important witness as it is reported the 4x4 car stopped in West Lane in Lymington to allow the Peugeot 207 to drive past while the robber was at the wheel.

"The woman has told police she waved at the 4x4 driver, who waved back, but did not appear to realise the reality of the situation inside the Peugeot."

The suspect was described as white, 35-55 years old, 5ft 10in, of average build, with dark hair.

The suspect, witnesses or anyone with information have been asked to contact CID at Southampton Central police station by phoning 101 and quoting Operation Prenton. Alternatively, information can be given anonymously by phoning Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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UKIP 'Now The UK's Third Largest Party'

The UK Independence Party has surged to a record poll rating - knocking the Liberal Democrats into fourth place.

The ComRes poll for The Independent on Sunday and the Sunday Mirror put Ukip on 14% - a six-point gain on last month and the party's highest rating in a ComRes poll.

The findings will alarm Tory MPs who fear the party is haemorrhaging support over issues such as Europe, the economy and its support for gay marriage.

The poll put the Conservatives on 28%, down three points from a month ago and 11 points behind Labour, who are down four on 39%.

Support for the Lib Dems is down to single figures at 9%, a one-point fall on the month.

:: ComRes interviewed 2,002 GB adults online between December 12 and 14.

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