Mum's Plea After Teen Was Denied Cancer Drugs

By Liz Lane, Sky Reporter

The family of a teenage girl who died from a rare form of bone cancer is calling for the relaxation of rules governing who is eligible to take part in potentially life-saving drugs trials.

Despite the pleas of her parents, doctors and politicians, Chloe Drury was refused access to treatment being trialled by American pharmaceutical company BioMarin.

Her family says she was told last September, when she was 17, that she was too young to take part, and that her participation could "jeopardise [her] safety and the integrity of the trial data".

Chloe, from Purley in Surrey, died in February, a month after her 18th birthday. She had finally been allowed on the course to treat her Ewing's Sarcoma, but the cancer had progressed aggressively and it was too late.

Her mother, Debbie Binner, says she felt totally impotent.

Chloe's mum, Debbie, wants age restrictions for drugs trials to be lifted

"We were just sitting there watching our beautiful 17-year-old daughter get weaker and weaker, knowing there is something out there she could have had and it just seems totally wrong to me, and not a world that I want to live in that treats young people like that."

BioMarin said in a statement: "Our deepest sympathy goes out to the parents who are grieving the loss of their child. It is precisely because of patients who suffer from devastating rare genetic diseases that BioMarin develops therapies where there are few, if any, options.

"Ewings Sarcoma is a terrible, aggressive disease, and we hope to make a difference in this type of outcome. We are conducting a Phase 1/2 trial in several genetically defined cancers. Not only is this an early stage trial, but it is the first clinical trial that we have ever done with this therapy. It is premature to know if it is safe or effective."

The family wants age restrictions for clinical trials to be lifted. Currently fewer than 20% of 15 to 24-year-olds who have cancer are on one.

Cancer Research UK's clinical research director Kate Law admits the criteria, which sometimes stop teenagers taking part, are not always logical.

Chloe seen meeting Prince William and the Duchess Of Cambridge

"Actually for many trials I think there is no good reason. They could either go down, and join the children's trial, or they could go up and join an adult trial. And in fact the committee that I'm responsible for specifically looks at the age range for each new application. So I think we've taken on board some of the concerns that pre-dated even this sad case."

Concerns about the potential compromising of the integrity of a trial is one of the reasons drugs companies are reluctant to bend the rules, as is the fear of being sued if something goes wrong.

Les Halpin, from Tetbury in Gloucestershire, who suffers from motor neurone disease, wants experimental drugs to be available in return for terminally ill patients giving up the right to take legal action if they experience side effects.

He believes such a move would benefit not just the patient.

"The numbers of trials are very low because of the cost of having them and the current regulations put a lot of risk into drug trials which will slow the whole process down. The protocol will allow willing patients to force the pace of drug discovery and bring it much more in line with the pace of technological science."

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Police 'Taser Fireball' Death Investigation

A man who had covered himself in petrol became a human fireball after police shot him with a Taser.

A police watchdog will investigate whether firing the weapon at Andrew Pimlott, 32, caused fatal burns.

Mr Pimlott suffered serious injuries in the incident in on the evening of April 18.

He was taken to hospital and subsequently transferred to the specialist burns unit at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol where he died five days later.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said two Devon and Cornwall Police officers responded to a 999 call from a caller who said that Mr Pimlott was in a garden with a can of flammable liquid.

Shortly after the police arrived he sustained serious burn injuries and an ambulance was called.

An officer deployed a Taser during the incident in Honicknowle, Plymouth, the watchdog said.

IPCC Commissioner Sarah Green said: "My condolences go to Andrew's family and friends for their loss.

"This must be a very difficult time for them and we have appointed a family liaison manager who is ensuring the family are kept informed.

A Taser gun similar to that used in the fatal incident

"Our investigators have already carried out a number of actions, including interviewing the two police officers who attended the incident and ensuring relevant evidence has been secured.

"A post-mortem was carried out yesterday and further forensic analysis will be carried out.

"The IPCC had informed the coroner of our investigation and we will share our report in due course.

"Our investigation will be looking at what information was known to the officers attending the scene, the officer's rationale for discharging a Taser on a person known to be doused in flammable liquid, whether the discharge of the Taser caused the fuel to ignite and we will look at training and policies."

In separate statements, Mr Pimlott's family paid tribute.

His parents wrote: "Dear darling son Andrew, you were a fantastic son to us, you will always be in our hearts and thoughts.

"We will never forget you. Be in our heart forever and always, we send a million kisses up to heaven.

"All our love Mum and Dad. xxx"

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M62 Hen Party Crash: Bride-To-Be Named

The bride-to-be whose hen party turned to tragedy when a minibus collided with a lorry on the M62 has been named locally as Stefanie Firth.

Ms Firth and 20 other members of her hen party remain in hospital after the crash suffering a variety of injuries.

One woman died in the collision, which occurred about 11.30am on Friday. Seven of those wounded suffered serious injuries.

Among the injured is Ashleigh Warner, who posted a photograph on Facebook with Ms Firth.

Before the accident, Ms Firth's friends had posted excited comments about the upcoming hen-do.

On Friday morning, Ms Warner wrote on Facebook: "Jumping on the Liverpool status bandwagon ......... Cos I'm sooooooo excited had my tshirt on since 8 this morning:))) hope Stefanie Firth has the best time xxxx".

The group had set off from South Elmsall, near Pontefract, West Yorkshire, when their vehicle collided with a Farmfoods lorry at junction 32 of the westbound carriage of the M62.

The driver of the lorry, a local man, was arrested in connection with the incident and remains in custody, West Yorkshire Police said.

In total 21 of the women were injured in the crash, which left the minibus on its side across a carriageway and luggage strewn across the motorway.

Six air ambulances were called to the scene, and four took casualties to nearby hospitals.

Firefighters called the crash "the worst they had seen in a number of years", Dave Walton, assistant chief fire officer at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said.

One patient, a woman in her 40s, suffered suspected serious chest injuries and was anaesthetised before being transported, while another was airlifted to hospital also with chest injuries.

An off-duty firefighter was the first person to report the accident and stayed at the scene to help, while members of the public also helped to give first aid.

Doncaster firefighter John Nichol was passing the scene of the accident as a passenger in his father's car.

Mr Nichol said: "I got out to see if I could help, and realised there was only me there.

"First I saw a lady at the back of the minibus and realised her leg was severely broken. Then I put my head through the roof and just saw a mass of bodies.

"I think there were 11 or 12 in there, with various injuries, and around five people were out of the vehicle, hobbling around.

"I tried to calm people down and, although a bystander had called 999, I called them back to say this was a major incident and that several resources and air ambulances would be needed.

"Then I got the first aid kit out of my dad's car and triaged as many as people as I could."

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London Bus Stabbing: Boy, 16, Dies

A murder investigation has been launched following the death of a 16-year-old boy who was stabbed on a bus in London.

Police were called just after 3pm on Tuesday after the boy was stabbed on the route 393 bus.

The bus was stopped at Highbury New Park, and the youngster was treated at the scene by the ambulance service.

He was taken by air ambulance to an east London hospital, where he died late on Wednesday.

His next of kin has been informed.

A post-mortem will be held in due course.

A 15-year-old boy is currently being held at a north London police station on suspicion of attempted murder.

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Nationwide Drive To Boost MMR Vaccination

By Gamal Fahnbulleh, Sky News Reporter

One million children will be targeted in a measles vaccination drive across England as an outbreak in Wales continues to grow.

The aim is to prevent measles outbreaks by vaccinating as many unvaccinated and partially vaccinated 10 to 16 year olds as possible in time for the next school year.

The number of people infected with measles in southwest Wales has shot up by 78 in just five days, taking the total who have contracted the disease to 886.

A 25-year-old father-of-one from Swansea, who had the disease, died a week ago.

Experts believe around 330,000 children aged 10 to 16 years remain unvaccinated.

Mairead Flavin is a nurse at a GP surgery in Middlesex. She has seen an increase in the number of parents getting their children vaccinated and believes the message is getting through.

Gareth Williams, who had measles, died a week ago

"It's more standard practice now. Back in the day it wasn't. You had to do a lot of convincing and had to try to encourage parents to vaccinate their children. At this moment in time I think they're very anxious to have it done."

Experts believe the rise in measles cases can be mostly attributed to the proportion of unprotected 10-16 year olds who missed out on vaccination in the late 1990s and early 2000s when concern around the discredited link between autism and the vaccine was widespread.

Professor David Salisbury, director of immunisation at the Department of Health, said: "At the moment the hotspots in particular are in the North East and North West.

"That's quite different from where the vulnerability is and the vulnerability is all over the country. London is a real risk but we must be sure that any child anywhere in the country who has not had two doses of MMR gets vaccinated."

Dr Paul Cosford, Director for Health Protection at Public Health England, said: " We believe this national framework for a catch-up programme sets out an appropriate response to the situation in England, using the range of expertise and skills across the new public health system.

"Although nationally the numbers needing catch-up vaccination is quite large, the are relatively few in each local area.

"We are confident that local teams have the resources to identify and vaccinate those children most at risk, and the NHS has sufficient vaccine to cover the approaches described in the action plan."

The most effective time to vaccinate babies, Public Health England says, is at 13 months, with a booster follow up at three to provide 95% protection. A baby under the age of 12 months can be vaccinated if he or she comes into contact with a case of measles.

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UK Economy Avoids Triple-Dip Recession

The UK economy returned to meagre - but better than forecast - growth in the first quarter of 2013, averting the prospect of a triple-dip recession.

According to the first estimate of GDP by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) there was overall growth of 0.3% in the period - driven by the service sector though construction remained in the doldrums.

A contraction in GDP would have given the UK two consecutive quarters of negative output and plunged the UK back into recession, delivering a savage political blow to the Chancellor George Osborne.

GDP had shrunk by 0.3% in the final three months of 2012 but the ONS pointed today to a recovery in services output, with the motor industry particularly strong.

It measured growth in the sector at 0.6%, driven by 1.1% growth in the wholesale and retail distribution, hotels and restaurant trades sector.

Industrial output was lifted by the biggest rise in the mining and quarrying sector since 2002 as some North Sea oil and gas platforms came back on line after repairs that had depressed production in the final quarter of 2012.

The figures also showed that the impact of the cold winter was not as bad as feared, with weather-hit trading on the high street offset by a boost in energy demand as households ramped up their heating.

However, manufacturing output remained weak at -0.3% in the period while construction contracted by 2.5%.

Mr Osborne took to Twitter to give his reaction: "Today's figures are an encouraging sign the economy is healing. Despite a tough economic backdrop, we are making progress.

"The deficit is down by a third, businesses have created over a million and a quarter new jobs and interest rates are at record lows.

"We all know there are no easy answers to problems built up over many years, and I can't promise the road ahead will always be smooth but by continuing to confront our problems head on, Britain is recovering and we are building an economy fit for the future."

The performance will relieve some of the pressure on the Chancellor to rethink his austerity policy, following recent warnings that the UK is a "crisis economy" and last week's ratings downgrade.

IMF chief economist Olivier Blanchard told Sky News last week that Mr Osborne was "playing with fire" with his economic strategy.

Business reaction to the GDP figures was largely positive with the chief economist at the Institute of Directors, Graeme Leach, saying it was a crucial time for some some news.

He said: "Despite the squeeze on real earnings and the negative impact on confidence from the euro crisis, money supply growth has picked up and with more money sloshing around there has been more growth.

"We shouldn't get too excited about 0.3% quarterly growth but it does provide relief from all the doom and gloom."

More follows...

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Weather: Britain Set For Year's Hottest Day

Spring sunshine could see parts of the UK enjoy the country's hottest weather of the year so far - before plummeting temperatures and a sudden cold snap take hold.

Large swathes of east Wales and southern and eastern England have been basking in clear skies and bright sunshine, with 20.5C (68.9F) recorded at Frittenden in Kent on Tuesday.

And while temperatures will plunge by Friday, Wednesday is expected to be the warmest day yet of 2013.

Sky News Weather Producer Joanna Robinson said: "Southeast England looks to keep the warmth over the next few days, but there will be more in the way of cloud around than on Tuesday.

"Temperatures could reach 21C (69.8F) or 22C (71.6F) in the best of the sunny spells there, which would equal the highest temperature we've seen so far in 2013, in Manston and Gravesend on April 14."

But she added that the mercury could drop below double figures in many parts of the country later in the week.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the warmth will last into the weekend," she said.

"Rain will spread across south-east England on Thursday night, allowing the cooler air further north to set in.

"Friday and Saturday look to be fairly cold nationwide, with temperatures reaching a high of just 10C (50F) or 11C (51F) in the South East.

"Scotland and Northern Ireland will see temperatures around 8C (46.4F). It will feel even colder in the northerly wind and we'll also see the return of overnight frosts too.

"Spring is a changeable season so it's not unusual to see spells of warmth along with cold snaps."

Meanwhile, hay fever sufferers have received some good news as experts predicted a shorter hay fever season this summer.

Cold weather over recent months is thought to have delayed the release of silver birch and grass pollen.

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Porn: Bid To Block Sex Sites On Public WiFi

Children will be protected from seeing pornography in public WiFi areas under plans being pushed by David Cameron.

Downing Street has confirmed the Prime Minister wants a Government-backed code of conduct that blocks certain websites in places such as cafes and train stations.

The plan to impose a ban where children are likely to be present follows high-profile campaigning by children's charities for a complete block on unacceptable sites in public areas.

It would stop them accessing inappropriate web content on their smart phones or mobile computers when they are in certain locations.

David Cameron wants a new code of conduct

However, there could be logistical difficulties in defining particular WiFi spots that are child-friendly, and it is not yet clear how the restrictions would be enforced.

Internet companies could automatically restrict access, or it may be the responsibility of individual shops and other public areas to implement the ban.

Number 10 sources have also indicated that there is no timeframe in place yet for when the code will be unveiled.

Mr Cameron, speaking to The Telegraph while campaigning in the local elections, said he wanted "good, clean WiFi".

He stressed the importance of parents having confidence in public internet systems and that their children "are not going to see things they shouldn't".

Internet service providers and government officials have been discussing how to proceed for months.

John Carr, secretary of the coalition of charities behind the campaign, told The Telegraph: "We welcome any deal which is long overdue."

Wireless internet access in public places has mushroomed in recent years as technology improved and is now widely available.

Parents are able to restrict and police their children's web use while they are at home, which campaigners believe makes them more likely to access inappropriate websites when they are out.

The coalition has already backed moves to introduce other web controls.

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Briton Dies Swimming Off Holiday Island

A Briton has died after reportedly getting into difficulties in the sea off the Canary Islands.

Steve Potter was spotted face down in the water after leaving friends on the beach to go for a swim on the holiday island of Lanzarote.

He was dragged out of the water unconscious, according to reports, but he was pronounced dead after efforts to revive him failed.

The victim, said to be aged 43 and from the north of England, was at the island's Famara Beach with friends when the tragedy happened late on Saturday afternoon.

The results of a post-mortem examination have apparently been sent to a judge put in charge of a routine inquiry into the case, but have not yet been made public.

A source has been reported as saying there was nothing to suggest the case was anything other than an accident.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Lanzarote on April 20.

"We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."

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Millwall FA Cup Violence: Three More Arrested

Police have arrested three more men in dawn raids in connection with violence at an FA Cup semi-final between Millwall and Wigan.

The latest arrests bring the number of people detained in the case to 23, including some who have handed themselves in, police said.

Three people have been charged.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Barnes, who is leading the investigation, said: "We expect to make further arrests.

The images of violence were seen by millions on television

"Our message is clear. Violence at football is unacceptable. If you were involved in the violence come forward and speak with us.

"We will pursue all those responsible."

The police raids happened in London

During the second half of Millwall's 2-0 loss to Wigan on April 13 around 20 Millwall fans were involved in clashes behind the goal at Wembley Stadium.

The disturbing scenes, which were witnessed by millions on television, left some fans bloodied and youngsters in tears.

The three men arrested on Tuesday, aged 21, 22 and 27, were picked up at addresses in London by officers from Operation Arrowtip, which targets football-related crime, Scotland Yard said.

In addition, a further 17 images have been released of people at the match whom police want to speak to.

Anyone with information about the violence or who recognises the people in the pictures is urged to call police on 020 8246 0076 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

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Independent Scotland Could Lose The Pound

The Treasury has warned it may not be in the UK's best interests for an independent Scotland to retain the pound in a currency pact.

The Scottish government has outlined plans to keep the pound if the country becomes independent after next year's referendum.

But in a new report, the Treasury said the economic case for creating a "sterling zone" was not clear and cast doubt on whether a deal could be reached.

Chancellor George Osborne added that he believed such a zone was unlikely to be backed by the rest of the UK.

"It is all very well for the SNP to assert that's what they would like. I think it is unlikely that it could be made to work and therefore if Scotland wants to keep the pound the best way to do that is to stay in the United Kingdom," he told the BBC.

"Scotland could go on using the pound, rather like Panama uses the American dollar, but it would have absolutely no control at all over its currency or its macroeconomic framework.

"There are some countries in the world that use other countries' currencies without their consent if you like, but it's a very, very difficult option for a country to undertake."

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond is pushing for independence

The Treasury report outlines four options for currency if voters north of the border do decide to leave the UK.

One would see Scotland keep using the pound in a formal agreement with the rest of the UK, creating a sterling currency union.

Alternatively, it could continue to use the pound unilaterally with no such deal in place, or join the euro, or introduce a new Scottish currency.

The Scottish Government wants the "sterling zone" and economic experts there have concluded it is "sensible" and an attractive choice for the rest of the UK.

But the Treasury report said it "would only be possible if both an independent Scotland and the continuing UK could reach an agreement that satisfied both countries' economic interests".

It argues a formal sterling currency union would be "very different to the current arrangements and would be a profound economic change for both states".

An independent Scotland would "need to agree a negotiated set of constraints on its economic and fiscal policies", the report said.

Treasury warning: Chancellor George Osborne

It added: "In practice, this would be likely to require rigorous oversight of Scotland's economic and fiscal plans by both the new Scottish and the continuing UK authorities.

"Even with constraints in place, the economic rationale for the UK to agree to enter a formal sterling union with a separate state is not clear.

"The recent experience of the euro area has shown that it is extremely challenging to sustain a successful formal currency union without close fiscal integration and common arrangements for the resolution of banking sector difficulties."

The paper argues the "current currency and monetary policy arrangements within the UK serve Scotland well", describing the UK as "one of the most successful monetary, fiscal and political unions in history".

It concluded: "All of the alternative currency arrangements would be likely to be less economically suitable for both Scotland and the rest of the UK."

It also claims both the Scottish and UK governments would need to agree for the commercial banks in an independent Scotland to continue issuing sterling notes as part of a currency union.

The Treasury has said the role of the Bank of England, as the central bank of the UK responsible for issuing notes by all commercial banks, would have to be reviewed under independence.

Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney condemned suggestions that Scottish banknotes could be lost under the SNP's plans as "insulting" and insisted they would be kept.

He also claimed that the pound was "every bit as much Scotland's currency as it is England, Wales and Northern Ireland's".

He said: "If this scare story is the best George Osborne can do in advance of his visit to Scotland then it betrays the utter weakness of his case."

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Lindsay Sandiford: Gran On Death Row Appeals

Lawyers representing a British woman on death row in Bali have lodged an appeal against her sentence.

Lindsay Sandiford, 56, was sentenced to death by firing squad by a court in Bali in January for taking £1.6m of cocaine on to the island last year.

On Monday Sandiford lost an appeal over the UK Government's refusal to fund her legal challenge against her death sentence.

The Court of Appeal in London heard Sandiford needs about £8,000 to fight on - and only £2,000 has so far been raised.

But the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) refused to fund her case as a matter of Government policy.

The FCO reiterated the UK's opposition to the death penalty and said it had repeatedly made representations to the Indonesian government about the case.

On Tuesday her lawyer, Fadillah Agus, lodged a last-ditch appeal to the country's top court.

"I lodged an official notification to appeal to the Supreme Court through the district court in (Bali's capital) Denpasar," he told AFP.

Sandiford lost her first appeal to the Bali High Court

Sandiford remains in a race against time to raise the money to take her case to Indonesia's Supreme Court in Jakarta as the deadline expires at midnight Tuesday local time (5pm GMT).

Her execution by firing squad has been scheduled for May 7.

If she makes the deadline and the Supreme Court also rejects her appeal, she can then seek a judicial review of the decision from the same court.

After that, only the president can grant her a reprieve.

Sandiford lost her first appeal to the Bali High Court on April 8 after a closed hearing of three judges decided the lower court's original sentence had been "accurate and correct".

Balinese police said Sandiford was at the centre of a drugs-importing ring involving three other Britons.

But the grandmother, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, claimed she was forced to transport the drugs to protect her children whose safety was at stake.

She received the death sentence despite prosecutors asking only for a 15-year jail term, after she was accused of damaging the image of Bali.

Sandiford is from Cheltenham

Sandiford told those who have donated money towards her appeal that she has been humbled by the experience as she deals with "the ultimate emotional rollercoaster ride".

She also said she is appealing "first and foremost" so she can meet her granddaughter, who was born in December.

In a message sent to supporters, she said: "I cannot thank you enough for your generosity and caring. I've always been an independent person and I hate not to be able to pay my way.

"So for me this is a very humbling experience having to rely on the kindness of strangers and am very deeply touched.

"I am trying to help myself. As you are probably aware the Government won't assist despite pontificating that they are opposed to the death penalty.

"I knit and have just finished a piece that I'm hoping to auction to assist paying for my local lawyer and his assistants.

"They are really good people along with the enormous debt I owe to Reprieve for their support and simple caring.

"I know I have been difficult to deal with as the situation I am in leads to the ultimate emotional rollercoaster ride. They have been brilliant."

She also thanked UK charity Prisoners Abroad for "quietly" supporting her with funds for drinking water and food.

"I will never be able to express the joy they gave to me," she said.

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Luis Suarez Bite Video: Liverpool Star Sorry

Liverpool's Luis Suarez has apologised for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic during a Premier League clash.

The striker said sorry on his personal Twitter account around three hours after the final whistle blew on the game at Anfield on Sunday.

The 26-year-old wrote: "I'm sad for what happened this afternoon, I apologise Ivanovic and all football world for my inexcusable behaviour. I'm so sorry about it!!"

In a statement issued through his club, he added: "I have issued an apology and have tried to contact Branislav Ivanovic to speak to him personally.

"I apologise also to my manager, playing colleagues and everyone at Liverpool Football Club for letting them down."

The FA says it will review match footage - seen by millions of television viewers - that shows Suarez biting the Chelsea defender on the arm.

A spokesman told Sky News: "We will speak to match officials today and review any report in relation to the matter and decide on an appropriate course of action."

The spokesman added that the FA "governance team" were looking at the incident and any video footage would be "very important" to that process.

Cameras captured the striker appearing to sink his teeth into his opponent's upper arm during the second half.

Ivanovic remonstrated with referee Kevin Friend following the incident and the match official briefly spoke to Suarez before allowing the game to continue.

Suarez apologised on his Twitter account a few hours after the incident

The match ended 2-2, with Liverpool's controversial star - who is a contender for this year's player of the season awards - scoring an equaliser in the dying seconds.

In a later Twitter message, Suarez said he had spoken to Ivanovic and his apology had been accepted.

He wrote: "I've just spoken to Ivanovic on the phone and I could apologise directly to him. Thanks for accepting."

A Chelsea spokesman said: "Luis Suarez called Branislav Ivanovic this evening. Branislav appreciated the call and his apology."

Liverpool's managing director Ian Ayre, who cancelled a trip to Australia to deal with the fallout from the incident, said: "Luis has made an unreserved apology for his actions today. 

"His behaviour is not befitting of any player wearing a Liverpool shirt and Luis is aware that he has let himself and everyone associated with the club down.

"We will deal with the matter internally and await any action from the FA."

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers told Suarez the bite was 'unacceptable'

The club's manager, Brendan Rodgers, added: "Having reviewed the video footage and spoken to Luis, his behaviour is unacceptable and I have made him aware of this."

Speaking on Sky Sports, former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness said the Uruguayan striker had "crossed a line".

He said: "I'm not sure what to make of it. Embarrassing. He's making it very difficult for himself to stay at Liverpool, that puts him in the last chance saloon.

"Most important is safeguarding the good name of the football club. Liverpool are world renowned. People will be talking about this for a long, long time, and it will show Liverpool in a very bad light.

"This is not the first time he has bitten someone in the football match. He is risking everything this great club stands for. I've never seen something like that in a football match before.

"There are lines you just can't cross, and he has crossed it today."

Professional Footballers' Association chief Gordon Taylor was coy over whether he would support a punishment, but he expressed his dismay at the incident.

Suarez said he spoke directly to Branislav Ivanovic after the incident

He told Sky Sports News: "It was not good to see to say the least. It was unacceptable. I know it's a really difficult one for Liverpool and the FA are going to have to deal with it."

But Marseille's Joey Barton took to Twitter to urge Liverpool to back their player.

He wrote: "Suarez is a good as a player as there is in world football at the minute. Yes, he's messed up and shouldn't have bitten another player but a player like him has to play right on the edge.

"Without it he wouldn't be the talent he is. LFC would be mad not to back him IMO. If they don't I'm sure the queue of Champions League clubs would stretch round the block."

Meanwhile, Suarez has found a new brother in arms in former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, who famously bit the ear of opponent Evander Holyfield.

Suarez's new Twitter follower: Tyson, who took chunk out of his challenger

According to Tyson's profile page on Twitter, he made Suarez his 432nd and most recent follow.

Tyson took a chunk out of Holyfield's right ear in the third round of a bout in Las Vegas in June 1997, after which Holyfield, nicknamed the 'Real Deal', became known as the 'Meal Deal'.

Tyson was disqualified from the fight and fined $3m (£1.9m).

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Stephen Lawrence Murder 'Sparked Change'

The Prime Minister says the racist killing of Stephen Lawrence "sparked monumental change" in British society - but that "more still needs to be done".

David Cameron made the comments ahead of a memorial service today to mark the 20th anniversary of the teenager's death.

Stephen, 18, was killed by a gang of racists who stabbed him as he waited for a bus in Eltham, southeast London on April 22, 1993.

The police investigation into his death was marred by incompetence and allegations of racism, and it took 19 years to bring any of his murderers to justice.

Mr Cameron described the "senseless killing" of Stephen as "a tragedy". 

A 2012 memorial at the site where Stephen was killed

"It was also a moment that sparked monumental change in our society - change that has been brought about by the tireless efforts of Stephen's family in challenging the police, government and society to examine themselves and ask difficult questions," he said.

"I believe that many of those questions have been answered: from improved community relations to more accountability in policing.

"Much has been achieved, but we know that more still needs to be done.

"We owe this to the memory of Stephen."

David Norris (L) and Gary Dobson (R)

Stephen's mother Doreen will be joined by friends and relatives at the memorial service which is taking place at St Martin-in-the-Fields church near Trafalgar Square.

A number of high-profile supporters of the charitable trust that she set up in her son's name are also expected to attend, and public figures including Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.

He and his predecessors have attended previous memorial events for Lawrence, despite the troubled background of the case.

To mark the anniversary, a poster has been put up in New Scotland Yard featuring a personal message from Sir Bernard about the investigation.

Doreen Lawrence carrying the Olympic Torch last summer

The poster says: "Twenty years ago the Lawrence family lost their loved son, Stephen.

"We let them down by not catching his murderers. Then last year we finally brought two of his killers to justice. The Met won't forget Stephen Lawrence."

Stephen's father Neville has chosen to remember his son privately in Jamaica, taking flowers to his grave and saying a prayer with a friend who is a pastor.

Neville and Doreen Lawrence were forced to battle for nearly two decades for justice for their son, and they finally saw Gary Dobson and David Norris jailed for his murder in January last year.

The aspiring architect was set upon by a gang of five or six men, but the remainder of the killers have never been punished.

Neville Lawrence has chosen to remember his son privately

The detective leading the investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll, said the inquiry is still live and that his team will follow any leads that come up.

"It's a live investigation. All avenues of the investigation will be left open and we will revisit them whenever we feel we have to. You never close your mind to anything," said Detective Chief Inspector Driscoll.

"We will endeavour to follow all the leads that we can."

Mrs Lawrence said she does not dare to get her hopes up about the future of the case, while her former husband said he has not given up hope of further charges being brought.

"It took us nearly 20 years to get this result and we did not know whether we would get it," Mr Lawrence said.

"I do not know if I am going to live another 20 years but I have not given up on the detectives finding a way to get the others."

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Ofgem Changes: Warning Over New Energy Tariffs

More than three million households could be paying more than they need to under new energy tariffs proposed by Ofgem, according to new research.

The consumer group Which? estimates energy customers could face bills of an extra £55m in total.

Ofgem's proposed tariff comparison rate aims to simplify energy tariffs and allow consumers to compare tariffs across the market.

Consumers will be advised on their best deal based on medium usage of gas and electricity, but only 26% of consumers use this level of energy.

The remaining 74% will be directed to tariffs which could be unsuitable for their usage and would cost them more, Which? claimed.

Which? estimates around 500,000 low energy users, who tend to be on the lowest incomes, could be advised on the wrong tariffs.

Richard Lloyd, executive director at Which?, said: "Rising energy bills remain one of consumers' top financial concerns yet six in 10 of us have never switched supplier as people are left baffled by the vast array of complicated tariffs.

"These current proposals are far too complicated and will fail to achieve their aim of making it easier for people to find the best deal, with three-quarters of people being asked to compare prices that are not based on their energy usage.

"The Government should introduce single unit prices for each energy tariff so people can easily see the best deal for them at a glance. Only then will people have the confidence to switch, injecting much-needed competition into the broken energy market."

But an Ofgem spokesman said the reforms would "deliver a simpler, clearer and fairer energy market for consumers and will make it much easier for consumers to choose the right deal for them".

He added: "Which? is misrepresenting the purpose of the tariff comparison rate and how it fits into the full scope of Ofgem's reform package. The tariff comparison rate acts as a prompt to consumers to take a look at comparative deals.

"The tool is similar to the 'typical APR' used in financial services marketing. But it is partnered with personalised consumption information necessary to make a full and accurate cross market comparison, which every supplier must provide via bills and annual statements. Ofgem's reforms will also see suppliers' cheapest deals on your bill.

"We share the desire with Which? to see an at-a-glance tariff comparison. We are taking forward our innovative proposals to put the market cheapest deal on consumers bills - even if it is from a rival supplier - and this will remove the need to compare tariffs altogether. We hope Which? will respond positively to our invite to them to join this next stage of our work."

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Nurses 'Drowning In Sea Of Paperwork'

Nurses are "drowning in a sea of paperwork" and spend much of their working hours doing admin, a survey reveals.

The poll by the Royal College of Nursing found its members, who work for a combined 14.3 million hours a week, are being prevented from caring for patients.

Over four in five nurses (81%) said that having to complete non-essential paperwork prevented them from providing care.

Almost nine in 10 of the 6,000 nurses surveyed said the amount of non-essential paperwork such as filing, photocopying and ordering supplies had increased in the last two years.

In February, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced he had commissioned the NHS Confederation to work with bodies to see how paperwork could be reduced.

"These figures prove what a shocking amount of a nurse's time is being wasted on unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy," said Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary of the RCN.

"Yes, some paperwork is essential and nurses will continue to do this, but patients want their nurses by their bedside, not ticking boxes.

"We are encouraged that the Government has acknowledged this issue, and the ongoing review by the NHS Confederation is a step in the right direction, but urgent action is needed now."

Labour's shadow health minister Andrew Gwynne said: "David Cameron is cutting the NHS front line and wasting billions on a chaotic reorganisation, leaving hospitals to operate without enough staff. Now form-filling is taking nurses away from their patients for longer and longer.

"Under this Government, close to 5,000 nursing posts have been axed, with over 800 going in the last month alone.

"On understaffed wards, a nurse's time becomes increasingly precious - they must be free to care for patients. Ministers must stop the job losses and ensure all hospitals have enough staff to provide safe care."

Health minister Dr Dan Poulter said the coalition Government has significantly cut the amount of red tape in the NHS and is examining how to reduce bureaucracy further.

He added: "NHS staff need to be free to do what we were trained to do - look after patients, so patients not paperwork must be our NHS's priority."

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Arsenal Co-Owner Is Now UK's Richest Man

Britain has a new richest man - Russian co-owner of Arsenal Football Club Alisher Usmanov has taken the top spot from the previous Rich List number one Lakshmi Mittal.

Mr Usmanov, who has a near-30% stake in Arsenal, is worth £13.3bn, putting him into the top spot of the 25th annual Sunday Times Rich List.

Researchers found the 1,000 richest people in Britain have wealth totalling almost £450bn.

There are now a record 88 billionaires among the country's wealthiest 1,000 individuals and families, up from 77 billionaires in 2012 and just nine in 1989.

The combined wealth of the top 200 people in the 2013 Sunday Times Rich List is £318.2bn, a more than eightfold rise on the £38bn for the combined wealth of the 200 people featured in the first Rich List in 1989.

In 1989, the Queen was Britain's richest person.

Russian businessman Mr Usmanov started off making plastic bags, but went on to found a business empire with numerous interests.

As well as Metalloinvest, the country's biggest iron ore producer, he owns a stake in mail.ru, the largest internet company, and has a big holding in MegaFon, a mobile phone operator that listed on the London and Moscow stock markets last year.

Uzbekistan-born Mr Usmanov, 59, also owns Sutton Place, the former Surrey home of the late oil baron J Paul Getty, as well as a £48m mansion in north London.

He shares a passion for sport with his wife, Irina Viner, 64, head coach of Russia's rhythmic gymnastics team, whom he met when he was a young fencer.

Second in the list is Ukrainian Len Blavatnik, the highest riser in the list in wealth terms.

Mr Blavatnik is now worth £11bn, an increase of £3.4bn on last year.

Odessa-born Mr Blavatnik, who owns Warner Music, received £2bn last month for his stake in TNK-BP, when company was sold to state-owned Russian oil company Rosneft.

After eight years at the top of the Sunday Times Rich List, steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal has dropped down to fourth place.

Mr Mittal is now only worth £10bn, making him the biggest faller in wealth terms.

The 40% stake Mr Mittal and his wife Usha hold in the steelmaking giant ArcelorMittal has plummeted from £28bn at its peak to £5.95bn.

The highest placed UK-born person in the 2013 Sunday Times Rich List is The Duke of Westminster, ranked eighth and worth £7.8bn. The Duke's interests are mainly in London land and property.

Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovic was fifth with £9.3bn.

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London Marathon: Show Of Solidarity For Boston

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

The London Marathon has started with the elite women race, with runners wearing a black ribbon to remember the victims of the Boston bombings.

Runners have also been asked to observe a 30-second silence as a mark of respect to victims of Monday's attack.

Virgin London Marathon has pledged to donate £2 for every finisher to The One Fund Boston, which was set up to raise money for the victims of the explosions.

Meanwhile, Mo Farah's preparation for the London Marathon did not go quite as well as he might have hoped this morning: the London 2012 double champion overslept.

The 30-year-old said, laughing: "I'm late! I woke up late! I'm going to miss the bus!"

Every participant is being given a black ribbon to wear during the race

Security has been beefed up for the event, which takes place less than a week after the Boston Marathon ended in tragedy.

Richard Inchley, who has been registering runners for the marathon, says events in Massachusetts have not deterred competitors from taking part in the 26.2-mile challenge.

"People are more determined than ever to take part, and I can't think of a single person who wasn't eager to wear the ribbon," he said.

"One German runner was in tears as he showed me video footage of him crossing the line in Boston as the bomb went off behind him. But I think running in London will be a kind of therapy for him."

British runner Jack Cummings, who ran in the Boston Marathon, said he would also run again today.

"My wife and daughter were across the street from the second blast. It was very unnerving as people at the finish line didn't know what was happening," he explained.

"I was very apprehensive about running today. I felt so empty after what happened in Boston, but I didn't want to disappoint the charity and today I'm running for all those in Boston that got hurt or died."

The police presence during the London race is being stepped up by 40%

Three people, including an eight-year-old boy, were killed at the Boston Marathon bombing, and scores were injured, some seriously.

Even with one of the suspects dead and the other one captured, hundreds of extra police officers have been deployed to reassure the runners and spectators.

The Met is in close contact with the FBI and Boston Police, and there is nothing to suggest any link with the bomb attacks.

Malcolm Baker, a former Police Counter-Terrorism Officer, told Sky News: "The main objective of the police is to provide reassurance and public safety for both the runners and spectators, and secondly it will be to deter any copycat attacks."

Despite the 40% increase in police presence, the marathon will maintain its carnival atmosphere.

Hundreds of runners will turn out in fancy dress for the winding route from Black Heath to Buckingham Palace past some of the capital's most famous landmarks.

Mo Farah says he overslept ahead of the race

Half a million people usually turn up to watch the spectacle.

Farah, the Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion, is running half of today's race.

The build-up to his participation in the event has been shrouded in controversy as he will be paid a reported £425,000 for taking part in the 2013 and 2014 events.

But Farah, who won the mini-marathon event three times in a row between 1998 and 2000 as a west London schoolboy, has said the race brings back plenty of happy memories.

One volunteer race official, Lesley Inchley, said: "I think there will be even more people than usual coming to watch. Spectators will want to lend their support to the runners and send a really clear message that we won't be frightened by bombers."

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