Heathrow Dreamliner: Probe Into Cause Of Fire

Air accident experts are continuing their investigation into the cause of a fire on board a Boeing 787 Dreamliner jet at Heathrow Airport amid concerns the aircraft type could be grounded again.

The Ethiopian Airlines-operated plane caught fire while on a remote parking stand shortly after 4.30pm on Friday, but nobody was on board and there were no injuries.

Thousands of travellers faced long delays resulting from diversions as both runways at the airport were closed to all flights for an hour and a half while emergency crews dealt with the blaze. The runways are now fully open.

The US National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending a representative to London to assist the Air Accidents Investigation Branch with its examination of the incident.

Foam surrounds the Ethiopian Airlines Dreamliner

Ethiopian Airlines said the aircraft had been parked at Heathrow for more than eight hours before smoke was detected.

The fire appeared to have caused damage to the top of the plane's fuselage.

Boeing temporarily withdrew the Dreamliner from service earlier this year for modifications after concerns that batteries on board could cause fires.

The Ethiopian Airlines plane involved in the Heathrow fire was the first Dreamliner to fly in April after the battery problems.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident Thomson Airways said a Dreamliner flight to Florida had to be diverted back to Manchester due to a "technical issue".

Boeing shares fell sharply on the New York Stock Exchange after the news broke of the incident.

Damage to the top of the Dreamliner's fuselage

Travel Expert Simon Calder told Sky News: "It's entirely possible that the Dreamliner could be grounded, which I think would be unprecedented in the history of aviation to have an aircraft type be grounded twice in quick succession.

"If that were to happen, clearly, airlines would be very badly affected. They'd have to completely reconfigure their fleets (in) which they were hoping to be a very profitable summer."

Thomson Airways became the first British carrier to operate the Dreamliner earlier this week and is taking delivery of eight of the planes.

The company had hoped to take delivery of the first of its 787s in time to start Dreamliner operations in May, but this was delayed due to the battery problems.

Thomson had to scrap plans to use the ultra-green aircraft in May and only received its first plane in June.

The battery problems followed endless production difficulties for the Dreamliner, which has been marketed as a quiet, fuel-efficient aircraft carrying between 201 and 290 passengers on medium-range routes.

It should have entered passenger service in 2008, but it was not until October 2011 that the first commercial flight was operated by Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways.

British Airways is taking delivery of the first two of its 24 Dreamliners, while Virgin Atlantic said it "remains committed" to taking the first of its 16 Dreamliners in September next year.

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Dartmoor Deaths: Mum And Son Fall From Rocks

Police investigating the deaths of a woman and her young son, who died after falling 100ft from rocks on Dartmoor, have discovered a child's body at her home.

A murder investigation has been launched after the 24-year-old woman, named in reports as Katharine Hooper, and her five-year-old son Joshua died at Haytor in Devon - one of Dartmoor's most famous landmarks which is popular with walkers and climbers.

The body of a two-year-old boy, believed to be her youngest son Samuel, was later found at her home address in Dukes Close, Paignton.

Joshua was found with his mother

Neighbour Tracey Cole, told the Western Morning News: "The whole community is feeling utterly shocked and devastated. This is a close-knit community.

"We always looked after each other, especially because of the kids. With Kat we were always in and out of each other's houses. We would see each other every day.

Samuel's body was found at the family's home

"I really don't understand what happened. Kat was totally and utterly devoted to her children."

Detective Superintendent Paul Burgan said: "We are keeping an open mind about all three deaths, but at this stage we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

Katharine with Samuel

"We are keen to speak to anyone who may have any information or might have been in the Haytor area earlier today, Friday."

An air ambulance, a police helicopter and members of the Dartmoor Rescue Group were called to the scene at 11.50am.

The family's home (Pic: Google Street View)

The Dartmoor National Park Authority asked members of the public to avoid visiting the area due to the tragedy.

Tributes were paid to the mother and child by members of the emergency services.

The Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team tweeted: "The team were called to assist at a tragic incident at Haytor today. Our thoughts are with the family."

Post-mortems are due to take place. Police said the next of kin have been informed.

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Heatwave: Hottest Day Of The Year So Far

This weekend will bring the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures set to top the current record by several degrees.

But the heat has prompted warnings from health authorities urging the public to take care in the potentially "dangerous" heatwave conditions.

Temperatures are predicted to reach 32C (89.6F) in the South East, with the majority of England and Wales still sizzling at between 28C (82.4F) and 31C (87.8F).

And the hot spell shows no sign of ending with temperatures set to remain in the mid-to-high 20s well into next week.

The Saltburn Inclined Tramway at Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire

The hottest temperature of the year so far was 29.9C (85.8F) in Edenfel, County Tyrone, in Northern Ireland on Monday.

Although temperatures in London will soar, Sky News Weather Presenter Jo Wheeler said most other places will be a few degrees cooler with isolated thunderstorms expected over northern England and the East Midlands.

The North of the UK has seen the best temperatures over the last few days, with the highest recording in the region of 29.2C in Branham, Yorkshire, on Friday.

A warning issued by the Met Office has been escalated to a level three alert for Yorkshire and the Humber, while level two alerts are in place across most of England.

"Heatwaves can be dangerous, especially for the very young, very old or those with chronic diseases," the alert said.

A spokesman for Public Health England (PHE) said: "Level two alerts are triggered as soon as the Met Office forecasts that there is a 60% chance of temperatures being high enough on at least two consecutive days to have a significant effect on health.

Portstewart Strand on the Causeway coast - 60 miles north of Belfast

"This will normally happen two to three days before a heatwave is expected to occur. As most deaths occur in the first two days, this is an important stage at which to ensure readiness and swift action to reduce harm from a potential heatwave."

Dr Angie Bone, head of the PHE's Heatwave Plan, said: "Everyone can enjoy the sun safely by keeping out of the heat at the hottest time of the day, avoiding sunburn and staying hydrated with plenty of cool drinks.

"The elderly and those with long-term illnesses are particularly vulnerable to the effects of very hot weather, so it's important to look out for them and keep indoor areas as cool as possible."

More than 11 million motorists are planning to hit the road this weekend, according to the RAC.

Popular spots include the Lake District, Devon and Cornwall, the south coast of England, and Yorkshire.

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Teachers' Unions Announce One-Day Strikes

Teachers will stage a one-day national walkout in the autumn in an ongoing row over pay, pensions and workload.

Every region in England and Wales will be affected by rolling regional strikes in the week beginning September 30 and the week beginning October 14, the NASUWT and the National Union of Teachers (NUT) said.

This will be followed by a one-day, all-out national strike before the end of the autumn term.

The announcement comes just weeks after the two unions staged a regional walkout in the North West.

The government has condemned the action.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said: "The secretary of state needs to take seriously the very deep concerns and anger of teachers and school leaders."

She added: "The secretary of state has the opportunity to avoid further national strike action by demonstrating that he is willing to engage seriously on the issues that we have put to him."

Christine Blower, general secretary of the NUT, said: "Strike action is always a last resort for teachers and they are very well aware of the difficulties that this causes for parents and pupils. Teachers, however, have been left with no option.

"If we do not take a stand now to defend the profession, then the consequences for teacher recruitment and education will be disastrous for all."

Under the Government's reforms, due to come into effect from this autumn, teachers' pay will be linked to performance in the classroom - with schools setting salaries, rather than following a national framework.

Changes have also been made to public sector pensions.

Education Secretary Michael Gove wrote to both unions in March to say he was willing to meet them to discuss their dispute, but also insisting that the "direction of travel" on both of their key issues - pay and pensions - is "fixed".

A Department for Education spokesman said: "We are very disappointed that the NUT and NASUWT have announced they will be taking further strike action, which less than a quarter of teachers actually voted for.

"Industrial action will disrupt pupils' education, hugely inconvenience parents and damage the profession's reputation in the eyes of the public at a time when our reforms are driving up standards across the country.

"It is disappointing that the NUT and NASUWT are opposing measures to allow heads to pay good teachers more. We have met frequently with the NUT and NASUWT to discuss their concerns and will continue to do so."

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Litvinenko: No Inquiry Into Spy's Death

The Government has refused to set up a public inquiry into the death of poisoned Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in a blow to his widow's quest for the truth.

Coroner Sir Robert Owen told a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice that his request to the Justice Secretary for an inquiry, in place of an inquest, had been turned down.

Sir Robert previously ruled that vital secret evidence could not legally be considered as part of a normal inquest and asked the Government to hold an inquiry instead.

His call was backed by Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina, who was present at the hearing.

Mr Litvinenko, 43, was poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 while drinking tea at the Millennium Hotel in London's Grosvenor Square in 2006.

Mrs Litvinenko believes her husband was poisoned on orders from the Kremlin

The family believe he was working for MI6 at the time and was killed on the orders of the Kremlin.

Ben Emmerson QC, representing Mrs Litvinenko, said there had been an "utter lack of professionalism" in the way the Government handled the request for an inquiry.

"The repeated catalogue of broken promises is a sign of something gone awry," he said.

Mr Emmerson said the family wants a judicial review into the decision not to hold an inquiry on the grounds of "irrationality".

Sir Robert had determined that he could not hear evidence linked to the alleged involvement of the Russian government in public after the Foreign Office said it wanted to keep some information secret.

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NHS Computers With Patient Data Sold On Ebay

An NHS trust has been fined £200,000 by the data watchdog after it sold an old computer which contained the personal details of more than 3,000 patients.

The sensitive information was left on the computer sold by a data destruction company employed by NHS Surrey.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) was tipped off after a member of the public bought the second-hand computer online.

Sky News understands that some of the PCs were sold on the internet auction site eBay.

The company had been employed by NHS Surrey since March 2010 to wipe and destroy its old computer equipment.

The company carried out the service for free, with an agreement that they could sell any salvageable materials after the hard drives had been securely destroyed.

The ICO said: "On 29 May 2012 NHS Surrey was contacted by a member of the public who had recently bought a second-hand computer online and found that it contained the details of patients' treated by NHS Surrey.

"The organisation collected the computer and found confidential sensitive personal data and HR records, including patient records relating to approximately 900 adults and 2000 children."

The watchdog added: "After being alerted to the problem, NHS Surrey managed to reclaim a further 39 computers sold by the trading arm of their new data destruction provider.

"Ten of these computers were found to have previously belonged to NHS Surrey; three of which still contained sensitive personal data."

The ICO's investigation found that NHS Surrey had no contract in place with their new provider, which clearly explained the provider's legal requirements under the Data Protection Act, and failed to observe and monitor the data destruction process.

NHS Surrey mislaid the records of the equipment passed for destruction between March 2010 and 10 February 2011, and was only able to confirm that 1,570 computers were processed between 10 February 2011 and 28 May 2012.

The data destruction company was unable to trace where the computers ended up, or confirm how many might still contain personal data.

Stephen Eckersley, ICO Head of Enforcement, said: "The facts of this breach are truly shocking. NHS Surrey chose to leave an approved provider and handed over thousands of patients' details to a company without checking that the information had been securely deleted.

"The result was that patients' information was effectively being sold online. This breach is one of the most serious the ICO has witnessed and the penalty reflects the disturbing circumstances of the case.

"We should not have to tell organisations to think twice before outsourcing vital services to companies who offer to work for free."

NHS Surrey was dissolved in March 2013 with some of their legal responsibilities passing to the NHS Commissioning Board.

The board will be required to pay the penalty by July 22 or serve a notice of appeal by July 19.

The full penalty is eventually paid into the Treasury's Consolidated Fund.

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Wimbledon Queue Rape Claim: Police Investigate

Police are investigating claims a woman was raped in the overnight queue for the Wimbledon final.

Dozens of tents were set up in Wimbledon Park as hundreds of tennis fans waited to buy tickets to see Andy Murray on Centre Court on Sunday.

Scotland Yard said a 30-year-old man was arrested and bailed over the alleged attack.

A spokesman said: "Police are investigating an allegation of serious sexual assault in Wimbledon Park, off Church Road, in the early hours of Sunday July 7.

"A 30-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident and has been taken into custody at a south London police station.

"He was bailed until early September pending further enquiries."

The spokesman said the 34-year-old victim was being cared for by specialist teams.

He added: "Inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances of the incident."

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Shard Protest: Activists Climb London Landmark

Six protesters from Greenpeace have evaded security at London's Shard skyscraper and are attempting to climb to the top.

Officers were called at 4.20am when the activists, who are from the UK, Canada, Sweden, Poland, Holland and Belgium, began to ascend the 72-storey building.

A statement from Greenpeace said the action was part of their campaign against oil and gas drilling in the Arctic and that the activists carried out a safety assessment beforehand. 

The group of six women began their climb at 4.20am. Pic: Greenpeace

The women were able to access the Shard from the roof of nearby London Bridge station, after months of planning and training.

The campaigners said they chose the Shard because of its proximity to oil company Shell's three London offices.

"Shell is leading oil companies' drive into the Arctic, investing billions in its Alaskan and Russian drilling programmes," Greenpeace said in a statement.

The lead climbers are understood to be 'free climbing' (scaling the building without assistance) but are fixing safety ropes as they make their way to the summit. 

They accessed the Shard from London Bridge station. Pic: Greenpeace

Greenpeace are streaming live video of the attempt from a camera worn by one of the climbers.

A statement on the Greenpeace UK Twitter account said: "Look up London. We're attempting to scale the Shard, Europe's tallest skyscraper."

The women are understood to be planning to unveil protest artwork "that captures the beauty of the Arctic" if they manage to reach the summit, which could take them all day.

One of the climbers is Victoria Henry, 32, a Canadian living in London. 

Climbers Sabine, Sandra, Victo, Ali, Wiola & Liesbeth. Pic: Greenpeace

"We'll try to hang a huge art installation 310m up that will make Shell think twice before sending their rigs into the Arctic," she said.

"It's going to be really hard work, it's going to be nerve-shredding for all of us and we may not succeed, but we're going to do everything we can to pull it off."

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "We were called at 4.20am today to a group of protesters attempting to climb up the Shard. We are in attendance and monitoring the situation along with British Transport Police."

A Shard spokesman said: "The Shard is being used by protestors as part of a campaign.

"Our primary focus is on the safety of the protestors and the workers and visitors to the building. We are working with the relevant authorities to try to ensure the safety of those concerned."

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Taser Death: Man Dies In Manchester

A man has died after police shot him with a Taser, Greater Manchester Police have said.

The 23-year-old suffered a "medical episode" and died after police fired at him with the stun gun.

Police were responding to a disturbance in Beard Road, Gorton, at about 8.15pm where a man was armed with a knife.

Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said: "Officers were dispatched immediately and arrived in eight minutes.

Help has been provided for the man's family

"On arrival, a Taser was discharged to detain a 23-year-old man.

"At this time it is unclear what happened but at some point afterwards the man suffered a medical episode.

"Paramedics performed first aid on the man at the scene before he was taken to hospital where he sadly died."

The man suffered a "medical episode", police said

Mr Shewan said help has been provided for the man's family.

"Specially trained family liaison officers are supporting his family during this very difficult time," he said.

A police cordon surrounded 10 terraced houses at the end of Beard Road.

A forensic tent was put up in the road within the cordon which was guarded by uniformed officers, a police van and two patrol cars.

The man's death has been reported to the coroner and to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

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Feltham Prison Labelled 'Unacceptably Violent'

A young offenders' institution in England has been classed as an "unacceptably violent place" by inspectors.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons found that Feltham Prison and Young Offender Institution in west London had an "unprecedentedly high" level of staff using batons, some "very serious" daily fights and the "unacceptable" use of prolonged isolation.

The facility, which holds up to 762 offenders, is split between children and young people, mostly aged 16 or 17, and young adult men, aged between 18 and 21.

Chief inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick said: "Feltham as a whole is an unacceptably violent place. Despite excellent work in some cases, staff were unable to prevent a high number of very concerning incidents that carried a significant risk of serious injury.

"In my view, staff were sometimes overwhelmed by the challenges they faced and as a consequence, some of their responses were unacceptable."

The report found that the buildings were covered in gang graffiti and on average there were almost two fights or assaults every day.

Many young people said they were frightened and didn't think that staff could keep them safe, while young adults were self-harming at a high rate and did not have their emergency cell bells answered quickly.

CCTV footage watched by inspectors showed staff putting themselves in harm's way to protect young people and using force to break up fights.

Feltham is used to house young adults who have been remanded in custody by the courts.

Michael Spurr, chief executive of the National Offender Management Service, said: "I have already announced that, from the autumn, Feltham will no longer hold young adult remand prisoners. This will increase stability and provide greater flexibility in the management of this group of prisoners."

But Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, called the inspection report "the worst of its kind we have seen in a decade".

He added: "If you want to see the effects of keeping hundreds of troubled boys cooped up in a prison, you need look no further than Feltham."

Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said: "With shocking levels of violence such as these witnessed in Feltham, it's all the harder to punish and reform offenders, and stop them returning to a life of crime on their release."

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John Terry's Father Charged Over 'Racist Row'

Footballer John Terry's father has been charged with racially aggravated assault following an argument in London.

Ted Terry was arrested earlier this year following the incident on Fenchurch Street, near the Square Mile, on March 22.

When answering bail at Bishopsgate police station on Tuesday, the 59-year-old, of Grays, Essex, was also charged with racially aggravated fear of violence.

He has been charged alongside two other men, Tudor Musteata, 47, of London, and Stephen Niland, 36, of Romford, Essex.

All three are due to appear before magistrates on July 23.

City of London police would not give further details to Sky News.

Former England captain John Terry, 32, was cleared in court of racially abusing fellow player Anton Ferdinand last year.

The Chelsea player denied making the comments during a match against QPR in 2011.

However, the Football Association ruled he had insulted Ferdinand and gave him a four-month ban.

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Deadly Fire: People Jump From Burning Flat

Two people have died after a fire tore through neighbouring flats in Heston, west London.

Some 58 firefighters and officers were called to the blaze, which broke out above a shop in New Heston Road, in the London borough of Hounslow, at around 1.40am.

Three people are believed to have jumped from the second floor of the burning building before fire crews arrived.

An injured woman found in the street was subsequently pronounced dead, while two men, aged 18 and 37, are being treated for multiple injuries at St Mary's Hospital in central London.

Firefighters found the body of another person during a search of the flat.

London Fire Brigade sent eight fire engines to the scene

The names of those killed in the fire, which was spotted by police officers during a routine patrol, have not yet been released.

Kudzanayi Taziwa, who was in the building at the time, told Sky News: "I heard a loud bang. When I opened the window, I saw some shattered windows on the ground and I thought there had been a car crash. That's when I realised there was a body on the floor."

The cause of the blaze is under investigation by police and fire officers and is being treated as unexplained.

It is thought to have started inside one of the flats before spreading to neighbouring properties, damaging half of the roof of the building and parts of the second floor.

Around 50 people who were evacuated from their homes were taken to a nearby village hall.

The local council is attempting to find emergency accommodation for anyone unable to return.

Road closures are also in place while firefighters investigate the blaze.

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Barry Island Missing Teen: Sea Search Stopped

Sea rescue teams have called off their search for a schoolgirl who went missing after getting into difficulty in the sea at a busy resort in Wales.

Holly McClymont, 14, from Glasgow, was visiting Barry Island with her family when she went missing on Sunday afternoon.

Police say friends saw the schoolgirl struggling in the water in an area of Whitmore Bay which can be prone to strong tidal currents.

But a delay of up to an hour before concerns were reported left open the possibility she had reached dry land and then disappeared.

As a result South Wales Police have been carrying out parallel land inquiries as a low water shoreline search continued.

David Jones, the duty watch manager at Swansea Coastguard, said the operation had effectively become a police missing person search.

"Basically, at the moment, the coastguard has completed the low water search so from our point of view we have now suspended searching and formally handed over to South Wales Police," he said.

"We have exhausted efforts searching the sea. There is nothing to suggest that she was in the water and nothing to suggest she was not in the water.

"As far as we are concerned the sea search element of the operation is complete."

He added: "We just hope that if she is found it will be alive and on land. It is now a police missing persons investigation."

It is believed she may have been in trouble up to an hour before the first emergency call was made at about 3.45pm.

Police have appealed for help from anyone who saw Holly

The coastguard has expressed disbelief that the alarm was not raised sooner when the girl disappeared.

"We are dumbfounded that something wasn't said to us earlier and are investigating but our main priority is the search," Steve Jones, rescue centre manager for HM Coastguard Swansea, said.

Police say Holly is white, 5ft 7in tall, of average build, with long black hair dyed red.

She was last seen wearing a multi-coloured floral dress, described as short at the front and longer at the back.

Superintendent Marc Lamerton, based at Barry Police Station, has appealed for information from the public.

"Our last sighting of Holly is at around 2.45pm in the sea, in the part of the bay nearest the Island Leisure Amusement arcade, Western Shelter, Barry Island," he said.

"We are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen Holly yesterday.

"Barry Island was extremely busy and we would appeal for anyone with information to contact South Wales Police on 101.

 "This is obviously a very worrying time for Holly's family and we are keeping them updated."

Despite the search, hundreds of holidaymakers were not deterred from going back in the sea off the same beach.

Barry resident Sue Voss said locals were aware of the potential dangers of the sea and knew that tides could be treacherous.

"The tides are dangerous here, you can get pulled out to sea. That is why you should always stay between the red and yellow flags," she said.

"If you are from somewhere inland it is easy to think that there is no danger. On a sunny day it all looks so inviting."

She said a friend lost her dog several years ago when it went into the sea at nearby Knap beach and was washed away by currents.

Whitmore Bay is part of an enclosed stretch of coastline although the tidal range - the difference between high and low tide - is one of the highest in the world.

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Children's Bedtimes 'Can Affect Brain Power'

Putting children to bed at the same time every night could help boost their brain power, researchers have found.

A study of more than 10,000 youngsters revealed their cognitive development is affected by inconsistent bedtimes.

Authors of the report tested children's abilities to perform certain tasks by testing their reading, maths and spatial awareness.

They found that three-year-olds who went to bed at irregular times performed worse than those who were put to bed at the same time throughout the week.

The effect was also seen in seven-year-old girls, although boys were not affected. There was no link in girls or boys at the age of five.

"Sleep has a crucial and complex role in the maintenance of health and optimal function," the authors wrote in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

"Inconsistent bedtime schedules might impact on markers of cognitive development in two ways, via disruptions to circadian rhythms (physical, mental and behavioural changes) and/or sleep deprivation and associated effects on brain plasticity (the brain's ability to change during life)."

Laura Downes, a special needs primary school teacher from Ealing, west London, has a well-drilled routine in place for her three-year-old daughter Elizabeth.

She told Sky News: "The routine is key. It needs to be rigid and the same. For us, this means a fail-safe tool to fall back on.

"Whatever happens during the day or whatever is going on ... she knows that routine is coming up."

Emma Janes, a behavioural expert who counsels sleep-deprived parents to help them to cope with their children's bedtimes, said many people underestimate the power of rest and routine.

She claimed understanding the science of sleep is critical to promoting early years development.

"We learn to sleep," she said. "Everyone assumes we know how to already but some children need teaching it.

"We all know children thrive on routine - they love to know the what, why, where, when and how.

"But by changing that routine, we impact on the quality of their sleep. That has severe consequences."

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One In Four Police Stop And Searches Unlawful

One in four people stopped by police officers are searched unlawfully, according to an independent watchdog.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) examined thousands of stop and search records and found that in 27% of cases there were insufficient grounds to justify the use of the powers.

It warned the practice has become "habitual" and said the way it is monitored has "slipped" since the results of an inquiry into the murder of teenager Stephen Lawrence were published in 1999.

The inquiry highlighted the disproportionate use of stop and search among members of black and Asian communities and called for all searches to be properly recorded.

Tom Winsor, chief inspector at HMIC, said: "The police service in the UK is almost unique in investing its lowest-ranking officers with its greatest and most intrusive powers. These include those of stop and search.

"The lawful and proper use of the powers is essential to the maintenance of public confidence and community acceptance of the police, without which the British model of policing by consent cannot function.

"It is therefore crucial that police officers can show, with the greatest transparency, that they use these powers with the utmost lawfulness and integrity at all times."

More than one million stop and searches are recorded every year, taking up more than 300,000 hours of police time.

However, just 9% of searches lead to an arrest.

The results of the HMIC inspection come after Home Secretary Theresa May launched a public consultation into the use of stop and search powers, amid fears the practice has become a "dreadful waste of time".

The Government is expected to respond to both the report and the consultation before the end of the year.

A spokeswoman for the Home Office said the Government "supports the ability of police officers to stop and search suspects within the law".

"If stop and search is being used too much or with the wrong people, it is not just a waste of police time, it also serves to undermine public confidence in the police," she added.

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Sea Search For Girl Missing Off Barry Island

Concerns are growing for the safety of a 14-year-old girl who was last seen "in difficulty" in the sea.

Police say the girl was in the water with her friends at Whitmore Bay on Barry Island in south Wales when she got into difficulty.

It is believed she may have been in trouble up to an hour before the first emergency call was made.

"We are dumbfounded that something wasn't said to us earlier and are investigating but our main priority is the search," Steve Jones, rescue centre manager for HM Coastguard Swansea, said.

"If you see someone in difficulty in the water, you should call 999 and ask for the coastguard immediately. Any delay means vital search and rescue time is lost."

Three lifeboats, a police helicopter and an RAF search and rescue helicopter joined the search for the youngster, who is believed to have been on holiday in the area.

"We don't believe she was that far out in the water," Mr Jones said. "We're going on the assumption that she has not come out of the water.

"If she is still in the water, as the time passes by, our concerns grow even deeper."

The missing girl is 5ft 7ins, of average build and with long black hair, and was last seen wearing a multi-coloured dress.

Local councillor Steffan Wiliam said the coastline around Barry Island was "generally very safe, particularly now we have lifeguards", although he added: "You always have to be sensible on the beaches here."

Whitmore Bay is part of an enclosed stretch of coastline although the tidal range - the difference between high and low tide - is one of the highest in the world.

Alun Cairns, MP for the Vale of Glamorgan, said the beach was "relatively busy" on the hottest day of the year so far, despite many families and tourists deciding to stay indoors to watch Andy Murray's match at Wimbledon.

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Jobs Market 'Soaring' In UK, Report Says

Recruitment firms say they are placing the highest number of people into permanent jobs for two years, amid strong evidence of rising wages.

The report by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and professional services group KPMG found that demand for staff was at a three-year high, with vacancies also accelerating.

Pay for permanent staff rose at the fastest pace for two years, the survey suggested, while the position was even healthier for temporary and contract workers.

Bernard Brown of KPMG said: "The latest figures reveal permanent placements enjoying their highest growth rates for over two years and temporary roles being filled at the quickest pace since Christmas.

"Perhaps the sun has finally come out to shine on the jobs market and economy at large."

REC chief executive Kevin Green added: "The UK jobs market has been agile enough to weather the recession and emerge with more people in work than ever before and has performed considerably better than our European counterparts.

"Our main concern is that the soaring success of the jobs market and signs of economic recovery could be undermined if the Government does not do more to address the growing skills gap.

"Roles in engineering and IT are in ever increasing demand as recruiters struggle to source the talent that businesses need to succeed.

"However more roles, such as sales and digital marketing, have been added to this growing list in the last couple of months and show no signs of disappearing."

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Schools' National Curriculum Changes Unveiled

By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent

A controversial new national curriculum that puts the emphasis on building a strong knowledge base will be launched later.

The Government says the slimmed-down document will set out only the "essential knowledge that all children should acquire", leaving teachers the freedom to tailor the rest of their lessons as they see fit.

David Cameron hailed the reforms as a "revolution in education" and Education Secretary Michael Gove told Sky News the curriculum would be "more rigorous and more relevant"

But critics warned the timeframe and lack of resources to prepare for the shake-up would lead to classroom "chaos" and that pupils would be forced to learn endless lists of facts.

The changes, which will affect primary and secondary schools in England, are due to come into force in September 2014 but schools will start introducing elements sooner.

They will apply to children aged five to 14, although secondary academies can opt out.

Michael Gove is overseeing radical reforms

History and design and technology (D&T) will see the biggest rewrites because of concerns about the draft syllabuses of the subjects.

Ministers want pupils to learn a complete chronological history of Britain, but primary pupils would only be expected to learn about events up to 1066.

D&T will change after complaints it was too focused on "life skills" like cookery, bike maintenance and gardening than science-based subjects more useful to industry.

Climate change will also reportedly feature explicitly in the geography curriculum after a campaign about the lack of a specific reference to it gathered support.

The Prime Minister said: "The curriculum marks a new chapter in British education. From advanced fractions to computer coding to some of the greatest works of literature in the English language, this is a curriculum that is rigorous engaging and tough.

"As a parent this is exactly the kind of thing I want my children to be learning and as Prime Minister I know this revolution in education is critical for British prosperity in the decades to come.

"This is a curriculum to inspire a generation and it will educate the great British engineers scientists writers and thinkers of the future."

Mr Gove said: "I have got every confidence that our own children and our teachers are the equal of anyone in the world but we do need a more rigorous and relevant curriculum to help them to achieve everything of which they are capable."

But Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said the Government had "got into an absolute mess" and voiced fears the system would "go into meltdown" because of the number of changes.

"They say they want a slimmed-down curriculum, but then they make key subjects like history, English, maths and science much more prescriptive," she said.

"But that is not the way you should think about curriculum. You should think about the curriculum as a whole.

"You should think about how maths and English and science are going to inform other subjects and how the other subjects are going to inform practical work in maths, English and science."

She added: "Michael Gove is risking total chaos in September, with schools unclear about what they need to be planning for."

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), added: "We need the Government to  publish a fully developed implementation plan of how it is going to support schools to achieve all of this in 12 months.

"Our young people shouldn't be treated as guinea pigs in an educational laboratory."

Mr Gove insisted: "Given that we have got the best generation of teachers in our classrooms now, I have got every confidence that they will be able to implement this without a hitch.

"It is just a pity that there are one or two union figures who do not have the same confidence in the teaching profession as I do."

Rachel de Souza, executive principal of Ormiston Victory Academy in Norwich, where teachers have been helping draft parts of the document, said her school was ready to embrace the new curriculum.

"I think some of the educational concepts were outmoded in the old one," she said.

"One of the real strengths of this new curriculum is its strong focus on knowledge and on what students need to know to give them a real foundation for their future.

"We are doing children a disservice if we don't teach them the fundamental things about our culture, mathematics and science. With that knowledge they can then go on to 'think'."

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Newlywed Brit Killed In Cancun Hit-And-Run

A newlywed has died in a suspected hit-and-run crash while he was on his honeymoon in Mexico.

Ray Cottam, 55, died in Cancun, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said.

Mr Cottam, of Middlestown, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was on holiday with his new wife Karen after they were married at a hotel near Pontefract last Saturday, according to reports.

He reportedly worked for Fox's Biscuits in Batley, but had previously run a fish and chip shop in nearby Ossett.

Janet Barnes, 56, of Ossett, who worked with him at the chip shop and attended his wedding reception, said she was struggling to come to terms with what had happened.

She told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "He was a diamond - a one in a million. He would do anything for anyone.

"Him and Karen were made for each other. It is a total shock and we still can't believe it."

An FCO spokesman said: "We were made aware of the death of a British national in Cancun, Mexico, on June 30.

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

Mrs Cottam is now back home in Middlestown being comforted by family.

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Police Facing 'Serious Drag' On Morale

By Clare Fallon, Sky News Reporter

Police morale has been significantly undermined not just by cuts but by scandals such as the alleged smear campaign of Stephen Lawrence's family and the Hillsborough cover-up, the Police Minister has suggested.

Damien Green said recent allegations involving the improper behaviour of the police have had a "really serious drag" on serving officers as well as harming public confidence in them.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, the minister said that despite complaints by the Police Federation that cuts are harming frontline officers, crime is falling.

He added that the historic actions of some members of the police have significantly contributed to discontent among the ranks.

"Morale is always difficult at a time when you've got difficult spending decisions to be made but also I think recently the various allegations we've seen about the way the police behaved in the past are a really serious drag not just on morale but on public confidence," he said.

"So we will take steps to make sure the police are more transparent, to make sure that there's a proper code of ethics that everyone knows about and everyone knows the detail of how they should be behaving ... so we can carry on changing the culture so again like a modern public service the police are self-confident and open and transparent."

Last year, it emerged that South Yorkshire police officers had attempted to cover up details of their role in the Hillsborough disaster that left 96 Liverpool fans dead in 1989.

The Met Police has been accused of smearing the family of Stephen Lawrence

And last month, the Metropolitan Police was accused of using undercover officers to try to smear the family of the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence during the investigation into his death in 1993.

Both cases are now the subject of investigations.

But the Chairman of the Police Federation - which represents rank and file officers - insists cuts are having a major impact.

Steve Williams told Sky News the police service has shouldered more than its fair share. 

"Bobbies are feeling aggrieved at what they perceive to be attacks by the Government on the service. We're facing the comprehensive spending review second round of cuts and we feel that they've been too deep, too fast - and they've affected service delivery."

Mr Williams concedes though that negative headlines about the conduct of police have also had an impact.

"It doesn't help when things are reported in the media about some misdemeanours ... that (are) police officers in the minority and it's right and proper that we get rid of those. But that said, the media tend to suggest that it's the whole of the police service and that does tend to affect morale. That in conjunction with the attacks on pay, terms and conditions of police officers clearly does have an effect on morale up and down the country."

But Mr Green hit back at the Police Federation claims, saying it has resisted Government cuts and changes to working practices.

"It's a quasi-trade union so you would expect it to say those sorts of things. But actually individual officers going about their day to day business are reforming, are doing things differently.

"We've seen, for instance, forces taking up cameras worn on the body so they can record evidence much more efficiently. It's that kind of willing adoption of new technology that helps to make the police more efficient and that's why crime is falling."

There are 12,500 fewer police officers since the coalition came to power

According to figures released by the Home Office earlier this year, the number of police officers in England and Wales has fallen to its lowest level in 11 years. 

Since the coalition came to power in 2010 there has been a decrease of more than 12,500 police officers. 

Speaking ahead of a major conference this week on the future of the policing, Mr Green said the service needs to be brought into the 21st century. 

"We've been doing hugely radical reform to the police for the past three years and it's working - crime has fallen by more than 10%. And doing that at a time when we all know the squeeze is on public spending and the police have had to bear their share of that - that's huge credit to everyone involved. But that reform needs to carry on. We can't stand still.

"Obviously any change is difficult. Change at a time of austerity is going to be difficult. But the fact is crime has continued to fall despite all the reforms. Some of them have involved painful decisions but nevertheless if you can release the police to do their job by cutting bureaucracy, by organising them better so they can get out on the streets, then what you see is more effective policing. And that's what we've been seeing."

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Abu Qatada Leaves UK And Arrives In Jordan

Radical preacher Abu Qatada has arrived in Jordan after being flown out of Britain in the early hours.

Home Secretary Theresa May told Sky News that she was "very pleased" to have finally succeeded in deporting the cleric.

"He is now where people wanted him to be - which is not in the UK, but back in Jordan," she said.

Qatada left RAF Northolt in west London on a military plane bound for Jordan to stand trial on terror charges.

It is understood Jordanian authorities allowed his family to greet him on his arrival.

Qatada became a household name for all the wrong reasons

It marks the end of an eight-year legal battle to remove the radical cleric, who the Government has described as a "truly dangerous individual" and a "key player" in al Qaeda-related terrorism.

Sky News correspondent Mark White said: "He has been a thorn in the side of five home secretaries who have tried to get rid of him. As far as the British Government and senior politicians are concerned, there will be quiet celebration that he has finally left the country."

Qatada used his human rights to make a series of costly challenges to moves to deport him to his native country.

The case became a national embarrassment, which critics of European human rights legislation claim has rendered UK politicians powerless to remove someone who they believed to be a clear threat to national security.

Ms May said: "Abu Qatada was deported today to his home country of Jordan to face terrorism charges.

"His departure marks the conclusion of efforts to remove him since 2001 and I believe this will be welcomed by the British public."

Theresa May believes his departure will be widely welcomed

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I am absolutely delighted. This is something this Government said it would get done and we have got it done.

"It is an issue, like for the rest of the country, has made my blood boil. That this man, who has no right to be in our country, who is a threat to our country, and that it took so long and was so difficult to deport him.

"But we've done it, he's back in Jordan, that's excellent news."

The Home Office spent a total of £1.7m on legal fees from the many court proceedings.

Mrs May added: "I am glad that this government's determination to see him on a plane has been vindicated and that we have at last achieved what previous governments, Parliament and the British public have long called for.

"This dangerous man has now been removed from our shores to face the courts in his own country.

The military plane with Qatada on board

"I am also clear that we need to make sense of our human rights laws and remove the many layers of appeals available to foreign nationals we want to deport. We are taking steps - including through the new Immigration Bill - to put this right."

It was a treaty signed between the UK and Jordan that finally secured Qatada's departure, giving him the assurances he needed to leave his taxpayer-funded home behind.

The agreement, announced by Mrs May earlier this year, aimed to allay fears that evidence extracted through torture will be used against the father of five at a retrial.

In a shock decision, Qatada pledged in May to leave Britain - with his family in tow - if and when the treaty was fully ratified, a process that to the relief of many concluded earlier this week.

After landing at an isolated airstrip near the Jordanian capital Amman, Qatada was being transferred to the maximum security Muwaqqar prison, which houses dozens of convicted terrorists.

It is understood he will be held in solitary confinement at the jail, until the Jordanian authorities can put him on trial.

Qatada was taken from Belmarsh to RAF Northolt under police escort

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Abu Qatada should have made this decision to face justice in Jordan before, as this has dragged on far too long, but it is extremely welcome news that this saga is now at an end."

Qatada originally fled the Middle East and arrived in the UK in 1993. He was granted asylum the following year.

His increasingly radical sermons caught the attention of the security services in Britain and in numerous other countries.

A Spanish judge described him as the "spiritual head of the mujaheddin in Britain".

A number of people arrested on terrorism offences, including British born "shoe-bomber" Richard Reid, admitted seeking religious advice from him.

His sermons were found in the Hamburg flat used by a number of the 9/11 hijackers.

In 2001, on the eve of tough new British anti-terror laws allowing for the detention without trial of foreign terror suspects, Qatada went on the run, before later being arrested and held in Belmarsh prison.

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