Stephen Sutton's Teen Cancer Appeal Tops £2.5m

A terminally-ill teenager has smashed all records on fundraising website JustGiving, as donations to his charity appeal surged past £2.5m.

Stephen Sutton originally set out to raise £10,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust but soon upped his target to £1m, as celebrities including Jason Manford, Stephen Fry and Russell Brand gave their support.

By Saturday morning the 19-year-old had raised £2.5m, with nearly 100,000 people pledging their support.

Writing on his Facebook page, on which he published a bucket list of things he wants to do before he dies, Stephen said: "I've always been a firm believer that people are 'good' and to see people come together in the way they have is incredibly touching and heart-warming.

Donations to Stephen's JustGiving page have soared past £2.4m

"Thank you from me and thank you from every young cancer patient who will benefit invaluably from the money raised."

Stephen, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, said he was "feeling well" and was in a "stable" condition after his health worsened last weekend.

"The tumours in my body are still rife and dangerous, but I feel so lucky to just still be here," he added.

"In fact, I feel completely privileged to be in a position where I can help make such a difference to other people's lives."

Stephen, who was diagnosed with incurable colorectal cancer at the age of 15, has also released a 10-minute YouTube video called When Life Gives You Cancer, featuring interviews with his mum, his school teachers and his best friend.

Stephen (C) with friends and celebrities at a Teenage Cancer Trust event

His head teacher, Stewart Jones, said: "Stephen is the most amazing person I've ever met, let alone the most amazing student."

Tim Dowling, who runs the sixth form college at Stephen's school, added: "He's very special because he refuses to let his illness beat him or govern the rest of his life."

As donations continued to flood in, JustGiving itself donated £50,000 to Stephen's appeal.

The website stands to make more than £62,000 from the 5% fee it charges charities for online donations.

In a message posted alongside its donation, it wrote: "Stephen, we think you're amazing. It's been a privilege supporting your fundraising. You've now broken all records on JustGiving, so here's a special donation from us."

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Anti-Depressants Use Rising At Record Rate

By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent

The use of anti-depressants is rising at a record rate as struggling patients seek help from their doctors.

In the past three years, the number of prescriptions has risen by close to 25%.

But there is growing concern that drugs are being handed over too readily to those who would be better helped with counselling.

Writer Julia Llewellyn Smith found life tough after the birth of her first child but was shocked to be instantly offered medication by a doctor.

"I said to her: 'I am not depressed, I'm just exhausted and having a bad time with a new baby'.

"She said: 'No you are depressed, I want to give you Prozac ... you will feel very better very soon,' and it really was a struggle to convince her that I didn't want, or in my opinion, need, anti-depressants."

Prescriptions have risen by nearly 25% in the last three years

Instead she went to group counselling and once the nights improved so did her mood.

But the former chair of the Royal College of GPs, Dr Clare Gerada, does not believe that everyday sadness is being unnecessarily medicalised.

Dr Gerada said: "I don't think my profession are giving out anti-depressants when they are not needed.

"But I think if there is a long waiting list for talking therapies, and there certainly is in the areas that I work, it may be that rather than see the patient get worse depression and risk their life, it may be the GP appropriately gives anti-depressants as a bridge."

Statistics from the Health and Social Care Information Centre reveal that 53 million prescriptions for anti-depressants were handed out in England last year.

Julia Llewellyn Smith was offered anti-depressants by her doctor

And twice as many people take the drugs than a decade ago.

Caroline Ashrafi first sought help for depression when she was in her late teens.

For 30 years she has taken different tablets and has now been told she will need to take them for the rest of her life to stabilise her mood.

She said: "There is a stigma but I think when anti-depressants are prescribed in the right situation and with proper medical care, for me they have literally been a lifesaver."

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British Teenager Dies After Tribal Drug Ritual

By Alex Watts, Online Producer

A British backpacker has died after taking a hallucinogenic drug during a tribal ritual in Colombia.

Henry Miller, 19, was in a remote rainforest area, near the town of Mocoa, with other tourists when he drank yage with a local tribe.

The psychedelic drink, also known as ayahuasca, is made from leaves and is used by native people in South America for healing and spiritual purposes.

Mr Miller took the drug on Sunday without any effects. He took it again on Tuesday and was found dead later.

Filip Goematre, owner of Casa del Rio hostel, where the teenager was staying, told Sky News: "Lots of people come to this area to take the yage drug, which is part of an indigenous ritual.

Mr Miller took the drug in a rainforest outside Mocoa, southwest Colombia

"But I am not a fan of it. I prefer people come here to enjoy the Amazon and look at the animals and nature.

"Henry came here last week and heard about the drug from other tourists and got motivated to do it.

"I'm not involved in the drug and do not promote it in anyway. But it's an indigenous ritual and involves drinking juice from a medicinal plant. One of the effects of it is to hallucinate.

"Henry stayed at the hostel for seven days. He did it (the drug) once on Sunday night, and on the Tuesday he was travelling on.

"But he changed his mind at the last minute and decided to do the ritual. There is a police investigation going on and an autopsy is being carried out on his body, but it looks like the drink.

"It's an intoxicant, and hundreds of people do it and a couple of times people die. It's not considered dangerous, but it can happen."

Mr Miller, from Bristol, travelled with a group of eight people to land belonging to a local shaman, according to the Daily Mail.

The teenager had stayed at Casa del Rio hostel for seven days

After taking the drug, he reportedly started "lashing out with his hands and feet" and then "made weird animal noises, pig sounds and at one point he tried to fly".

The shaman's family told the other tourists they would look after him, but when they woke up in the morning Mr Miller was not there, the paper quoted one of the group as saying.

Police arrived and showed them a picture of Mr Miller's body, which was said to have been found by a dirt road.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office told Sky News: "We are aware of the death of a British national on April 23 in Colombia. We are providing consular assistance to the family at this very difficult time."

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The Challenges Of Raising A Disabled Child

By Hannah Stott, Sky News Digital Presenter

I have a beautiful six-year-old son named Curtis who lights up any room the minute he walks into it.

Born on Valentine's Day a seemingly normal baby boy, he was a younger brother to Phoebe. We settled into family life with our new addition.

However, three months in it became clear something wasn't right.

Curtis had been born with Coffin Lowry Syndrome - a rare genetic disorder. He has global delay in his development, which means he is affected both physically and mentally.

The spectrum is so huge that early on we had little idea as to how he would progress. There is no cure and no standard course of treatment.

In Curtis' case his advancements have been slow. At six he doesn't talk and his understanding is limited. He walks but not far due to the hypermobility in his joints. In many ways he is similar to a one-year-old.

Hannah Stott's son Curtis and daughter Phoebe in Dubai this month

He loves cuddles - climbing onto the laps of anyone around him, burying his head into their necks in the tightest embrace.

Curtis engages men, women, children and animals like no one I have ever seen. His affection knows no bounds - if there's a hand to grab he will search it out.

I am blessed to have this wonderful child in my life, but along with the tight hugs and endless giggles, it is tireless hard work and it isn't getting any easier.

The tragic events in New Malden, where three disabled children were found dead in their home, brought the difficult moments of the past six years flooding back.

These children almost attended the same incredible special school as Curtis, Bedelsford School in Kingston-upon-Thames.

I have been thinking of all the amazing children in Curtis' school and how I felt when I walked through its doors for the first time.

It wasn't long after my little boy was diagnosed and I was still in shock.

I was surrounded by children being challenged by difficulties I hadn't given much thought to previously - and I was there with my son.

Curtis suffers from the rare genetic disorder Coffin Lowry Syndrome

It's when I look back at those days I realise how important it was for me to have had some professional help for my state of mind.

I never did and still haven't. I recall being given a leaflet once about counselling that was available to me but I didn't get round to following it up - there was no time.

I had Curtis with all his physiotherapy, occupational therapy, hearing and eye appointments among many others to attend, a job to fit in and a daughter to look after. So I carried on with the help offered from those around me.

The borough I live in has been good when it comes to support. Curtis has transport to and from school most days. They agreed to pay for Bedelsford despite it being in a different borough.

He gets free nappies and I have a wonderful key worker who helps me with appointments and any contacts I need.

It took a long time to work out how this minefield of a system worked. When Curtis was one, a huge folder arrived through the post with details and contacts for people who may be of help when you have a disabled child.

At that time he wasn't even diagnosed, and receiving it while I was home alone was heartbreaking. I shoved it into a cupboard and still avoid it to this day.

At times the level of care shown to my feelings was non-existent.

I was concerned about how floppy Curtis was, and the first paediatrician who looked at him just bluntly told me: "I think we can all see he doesn't look like you, he needs to see a geneticist."

My mind was racing. After a few more appointments and tests I was told: "He is very delayed and I think he is going to stay that way".

I felt physically sick - the shock was unbearable.

Everyone is different but I needed such news to be delivered more carefully and gradually.

The blunt, thoughtlessness of professionals has been a common theme throughout Curtis' life.

The geneticist thought she knew what his condition was almost immediately. She told us the name, took blood and off we went to Google it at home.

If he had CLS he was going to be affected in every way for the rest of his life - reading that was tough to cope with.

Questions were running through my head. Are you sure he has it? Am I a carrier? Did I pass it on to him?

Curtis and Phoebe on their first day back to school in September 2013

The geneticist said she was "80% sure" and it was confirmed a few weeks later.

When I took the call I was alone again - trying to let it sink in as I also contemplated the fact it is a condition which is passed through the mother.

It turned out I am not a carrier - one bit of good news amongst it all.

However, the fault was in my egg and that is why Curtis will live this compromised life forever. I know it's wrong to think this, but at times I feel his care is more my responsibility than his dad's because it was my "fault".

It's impossible to plan for the future - I don't know how much more Curtis will progress and any decisions I make have to take that into account.

My marriage didn't last. But I have a wonderful partner who sees Curtis as a gift to us, a close family whose support has been unwavering and friends who prop me up on the tougher days.

People surprise me on a regular basis with their empathy but I find it hard if that turns to pity. He's my gorgeous boy and I don't want to be pitied for having him.

I am thankful for having all of them in my life and consider them to be my greatest backing. It's hard to imagine relying on this system if I was alone.

But most of all I am thankful for the personality "Curtie" has. It gets him a long way in life and I am so proud of him.

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Health Atlas Reveals Patterns Of Illness

By Thomas Moore, Science and Health Correspondent

A new health "atlas" has for the first time revealed extraordinary patterns in disease across the country.

The series of high resolution maps covering England and Wales show striking variations in the risk of cancer and other diseases in different areas.

Lung cancer is far more common in the North West and North East of England than in mid-Wales and the South West.

And Leukaemia rates are higher in rural areas, with pockets of cases across South Wales, Somerset and Dorset.

The online tool (www.envhealthatlas.co.uk), published by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit at Imperial College London, also maps air quality, levels of sunshine and pesticides, and chlorine by-products in the water supply.

Users can enter their postcode to assess the disease and environmental risks in their neighbourhood.

Researchers will also be able to investigate whether there are links between pollutants and health.

Dr Anna Hansell, lead author of the atlas, told Sky News: "Ideally if we could measure things on every single person in the country we would do that, but we can't.

"By getting to something closer to where people live and work then we hope to understand a bit more about their exposures and how that might relate to health."

The atlas also reveals that skin cancer is most common in the South West of England.

Yet it's the southeast that gets the most sunshine and researchers will now study whether other lifestyle factors may account for the higher risk in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.

Most striking of all is liver cancer, with a dense cluster of cases across Cheshire and Merseyside.

Dr Martin Lambord, a consultant liver specialist at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, said it could be put down to higher alcohol intake, the prevalence of hepatitis or obesity, or a combination of all these things.

He said the maps could be useful for people to make them aware of the issues they face.

"For the current generation it's about 'could I be at risk of liver disease?'" he said. "Have I put myself at risk of liver disease? Should I see my doctor and have a test? 

"I think increasing awareness is important. Once patients are identified as having liver disease or diagnosed to have cirrhosis, it's very important to offer them early diagnosis for cancers.

"The other problem we find is it presents really late and only 5% of those cancers are curable."

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Paedophile Abused Up To 60 Pupils At School

Child Predator: Husband And 'Popular Teacher'

Updated: 11:44am UK, Thursday 24 April 2014

The serial child predator at the centre of an FBI investigation had a wife and two adult children and was a popular teacher among his students, officials have said.

William James Vahey travelled the world for four decades before his suicide in a Minnesota motel last March.

While teaching, he also served as coach on various school sports teams.

The FBI said he was a "popular and highly respected teacher".

"He had access to children because of his position of trust," said FBI special agent Patrick Fransen.

"He created a system that gave him the opportunity and the means to molest children."

The FBI says he may have carried out child molestation on an unprecedented scale, often drugging his victims.

Vahey told investigators he suffered molestation as a child and went on to prey on boys.

The New York native graduated from California State University, Long Beach, with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, according to a resume cited by the FBI.

He received a master's degree in curriculum development from Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont.

At the time of his death, he was 64, approximately 6ft (182cm) tall, and weighed about 190 pounds (86kg).

He was teaching ninth-grade world history and geography at the American Nicaraguan School in Managua.

Vahey maintained two residences, one in London, where he had taught at an elite school, and another on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the FBI said.

In 1969, Vahey was arrested in California on six counts of child molestation.

He pled guilty to one count of child molestation and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, followed by five years' probation.

The conviction required Vahey to register with California's sex offender registry for the rest of his life.

However, Vahey eluded that requirement.

Officials said he had not renewed his registration as a sex offender since 1970. He went on to pursue his teaching career in Nicaragua, the UK, Venezuela, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Greece, Iran, Spain, and Lebanon.

His victims are believed to be multinational as many of those schools were attended by the children of American diplomats or military personnel stationed overseas.

Vahey coached boys on middle school, varsity boys' basketball, softball, flag football, and soccer, among other things.

He also served as activities director, student council adviser, cooking club adviser and forensics adviser. 

He often accompanied students on cultural studies or sports trips, the FBI said.

Vahey killed himself two days after agents in Houston sought a warrant to search a computer thumb drive belonging to him.

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Mother Held As Three 'Disabled' Children Dead

A mother has been arrested on suspicion of murdering three young children at a house in southwest London.

Tania Clarence, 42, cared full-time for the three children - a four-year-old girl and two three-year-old boys - who are understood to have been suffering from a life-limiting genetic condition.

Officers discovered the bodies when they were called to a large, semi-detached home in Thetford Road, New Malden, at around 9.30pm on Tuesday.

Mrs Clarence was initially taken to hospital with minor injuries and later discharged. She is in custody at a south London police station.

Gary Clarence and his sons, and their Victorian house in Thetford Road

Chief Superintendent Glenn Tunstall told a news conference on Wednesday afternoon officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

He said specialist detectives were providing support to the family.

Sky's Joe Tidy, at the scene, said the couple moved into the house with their four children around six months ago.

They moved in after the £1.2m property was redeveloped with mobility equipment, including a lift.

The children's father Gary, a director at Investec Bank, was abroad with his eldest child at the time and was travelling back to the UK.

His company said in a statement: "Gary Clarence is a valued colleague and has worked with us for many years.

Flowers and toys have been left outside the house

"We do not know the facts at this time but our thoughts are with the Clarence family. We are doing all that we can to help Gary and his eldest child and ask that their privacy is respected."

Officers removed evidence bags from the property this morning. It is unclear whether the children's bodies are still inside the house.

Post-mortem examinations are to take place later.

Neighbour Michele Bacchus, 38, said two "very, very upset" women had asked to use her toilet last night, an hour after four police cars and an ambulance arrived.

The women, one in her 30s and the other in her 50s, said they were relatives of the Clarence family and had come from Cobham, Surrey.

Police are investigating the incident in New Malden

One had a South African accent and the other was too upset to speak, she said.

Another neighbour, retired nurse Joy Devis, 86, said she had been in the house "once or twice" and described the Clarences as a "delightful couple".

"They'd got every kind of equipment they could possibly get for those children," she told Sky News.

"One I never saw out of a wheelchair; she was in her buggy. The other two were moving about with difficulty."

She said the family had help from a nanny and a maid.

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RAF Jet Chases Russian Planes Away From UK

Two Russian bombers which flew close to UK airspace have been chased away by an RAF jet fighter.

The aircraft, believed to be Tupolev Tu-95 Bears, were spotted off the coast of northeast Scotland.

They were turned away from Britain when a Typhoon fighter was scrambled from RAF Leuchars in Fife.

Aircrew stationed at the base are on standby to intercept unidentified aircraft at a moment's notice.

Dutch fighter jets were also dispatched on Wednesday when the two Russian planes entered their airspace.

An RAF Typhoon escorts a Tupolev 95 over the Atlantic in 2007. Pic: MoD

A pair of Dutch F-16 jets intercepted the Tu-95s at about 4pm after they strayed half a mile into the country's territory.

The incidents come amid heightened international tensions over the situation in Ukraine, following the annexation of Crimea by Russia last month.

It also follows the arrival of a Russian warship, the Vice Admiral Kulakov, in waters off the coast of Britain.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the vessel was met by the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon, which is "keeping an eye" on the ship's movement.

Sky's Defence Correspondent Alistair Bunkall said foreign planes often fly close to UK airspace, with eight similar incidents reported in 2013.

"The RAF Typhoon is one of Britain's quick reaction aircraft and would have gone up, made contact with the Russian planes and ensured they did not plan to fly into British airspace," he said.

"These sorts of events happen quite regularly and that maybe surprising for some people.

"It's all about testing defences and seeing exactly what your 'enemy' is capable of."

The two Russian planes were escorted by the Typhoon, as well as military aircraft from the Netherlands and Denmark, until they flew off towards Scandinavia.

The aircraft - turboprop-powered bombers which also conduct airborne surveillance - have been in service for more than 50 years.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace at all times and they are perfectly entitled to do so.

"Russian military flights have never entered UK sovereign airspace without authorisation."

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Gym Fees 'Could Stop Mortgage Approvals'

By Ed Conway, Economics Editor

Homebuyers could find themselves turned down for a mortgage because of their gym memberships, phone bills and pension payments, under new rules introduced this weekend, experts have warned.

Mortgage advisers said new restrictions introduced under the Mortgage Market Review (MMR) would drastically increase the intrusiveness of checks undergone by applicants.

The warning coincided with advice from economists, who claim the rules could dampen down activity in the housing market.

The new rules, part of a push to prevent lenders handing out loans to those unable to afford them, will stipulate banks and building societies must inspect customers' spending commitments to ensure they can keep up their monthly payments.

Those commitments might include items as innocuous as informal club memberships, according to Peter Marriott of Westexe Mortgage Solutions.

He said: "They might have a gym membership, they might be contributing to a pension plan - anything that's deemed by a mortgage lender to be a commitment could be held against them as an ongoing expense, which would in turn affect the affordability and the lender's decision on how much they can borrow."

The MMR changes will also mean lenders have to test whether homebuyers will be able to afford their mortgage payments if interest rates rise sharply, to 7% or above.

The Bank of England's Financial Policy Committee has recommended it should be able to change the suggested stress test rate in future, giving it an extra lever to influence house prices.

The changes come amid growing consternation about rising house prices.

According to the Office for National Statistics, house prices across the UK have increased by 9.1% in the past year.

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1,000 Pupils Caught With Weapons In Schools

By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs and Education Editor

Almost 1,000 pupils were caught with weapons including guns, axes and a meat cleaver in schools in the last three years, a Sky News investigation has found.

New figures show 981 children have had weapons confiscated on school premises since 2011.

They include at least 80 primary school children, the youngest of whom was an eight-year-old caught with a knife.

Some 36 pupils were found with an assortment of guns, including two hand guns, seven air-powered weapons and 27 BB guns.

Of those found with weapons, 329 caught with items including an axe, a cut-throat razor and a stun gun were charged with a criminal offence.

One 18-year-old, who is taking part in a young offender's programme in London, said: "I carried a weapon ... but only because of the environment I was in.

"My generation is a bit wild ... so it's a normal thing to carry a weapon because you know everyone else is. It's making it fair, basically."

Campaigners warned the scale of the problem is likely to be much worse, as 21 of the UK's 52 police forces did not supply figures requested under the Freedom of Information Act.

Data from West Midlands Police, which alone recovered weapons from 538 people during the same period, was not included because it also accounts for colleges and universities.

The figures raise questions about whether schools and the Government have failed to tackle the problem.

Jayne Walmsley, whose son Luke was murdered at a Lincolnshire school in 2003 aged 14, said: "Something is happening to the society we live in.

"We need to think and educate these kids. It's got to stop. We've got to do something about it."

Patrick Regan, CEO of charity XLP, which was founded in response to a school stabbing, added: "There's a culture of fear that needs to be broken down."

The Government said it had given teachers powers to take action if they suspect a pupil has brought a weapon into school.

"Teachers can now search pupils without consent, confiscate prohibited items and use force to remove disruptive pupils from the classroom when necessary," a spokesman for the Department for Education said.

"We've also given heads the final say on expulsions by removing the right of appeal panels to put pupils back in the classroom."

However, Chris Douglas, a youth worker with St Giles Trust, which engages with young people caught up in crime, warned the use of weapons is a growing problem.

"We're not hearing about stabbings because they're becoming more common," he said.

Last year, a study by UCL and charity Kids Company found half the young people working with the organisation had seen someone shot or stabbed in their community in the past year.

In 2009, the then-Government announced new measures to curb the problem of weapons in schools after a spate of attacks against children.

There were plans to introduce airport-style metal detectors as part of a violent crime action plan.

But campaigners are concerned the issue has disappeared from public discourse, leaving children vulnerable.

"Sometimes it's a bit like banging your head on a brick wall," Mrs Walmsley said.

"Schools won't admit to the problem because all they want is more pupils for more money."

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Dying Teen Stephen Sutton's Wish Goes Viral

A terminally ill 19-year-old's online fundraising page has gone viral, helping him raise nearly £1m for a cancer charity.

Stephen Sutton, from Burntwood in Staffordshire, was diagnosed with incurable colorectal cancer at the age of 15.

Last year he was told it was inoperable, prompting him to write a bucket list of 46 things he wanted to achieve.

One of his goals is to raise £1m for Teenage Cancer Trust, and he has been using the internet to help him achieve this.

His JustGiving page has since gone viral, helping him raise £250,000 in a day.

So far, more than £850,000 has been donated. 

Celebrities have been retweeting it on Twitter, and the funds keep on coming. 

Stephen has posted pictures on his bucket list on his Facebook page

Piers Morgan tweeted: "What a remarkable, inspiring, courageous young man ... please help him achieve his total."

Stephen also has the backing of comedian Jason Manford, who said on Twitter: "Woohoo we got it trending #stephensstory. Well done everyone. Now keep going, we are so close."

Stephen posted on his Facebook page on Monday about his deteriorating condition, saying: "Currently I am in a very vulnerable position and do not know what will happen next.

"My right lung has collapsed and I am very weak (I'm finding it hard to type this message)

"I will fight as hard as I can, but if the worst happens I just want to say thank you all for sharing the journey with me- it's been wonderful."

On Tuesday, he posted an update saying he was signing off.

Stephen's just giving page

"It's a final thumbs up from me! I've done well to blag things as well as I have up till now, but unfortunately I think this is just one hurdle too far," he wrote.

"It's a shame the end has come so suddenly - there's so many people I haven't got round to properly thank or say goodbye too. Apologies for that.

"That's it from me. But life has been good. Very good.

"Thank you to my mum and the rest of my family for everything.

"Thank you to my friends for being amazing. Thank you to my medical team for the hard work and effort they've continually they've put towards me. And thank you everyone else for sharing this wonderful journey with me. I love you all.  x"

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Bodies Of Three Children Found In London Home

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after three children were found dead at a house in southwest London.

Officers discovered the bodies when they were called to a large, semi-detached home in Thetford Road, New Malden, at around 9.30pm on Tuesday.

Sky sources say the three children - a four-year-old girl and two three-year-old boys - were disabled and had "life-limiting genetic conditions".

The youngsters were found inside a large Victorian house in Thetford Road

The 43-year-old woman arrested was taken to hospital with minor injuries and later discharged.

She is in custody at a south London police station.

Sky's Joe Tidy, at the scene, said a South African couple moved into the house with their four children around six months ago.

Police officers at the scene in southwest London

They moved in after the £1.2m property was redeveloped with mobility equipment.

It is believed the eldest child and his father are abroad, and are travelling back today.

Tidy said officers removed evidence bags from the property this morning.

It is unclear whether the children's bodies are still inside the house.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "A 43-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.

"We are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident."

Post-mortem examinations on the children are to take place later.

More follows...

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Skin Cancer Rise Linked To Package Holidays

The rise of package holidays and sunbed use have been blamed for a five-fold increase in rates of the deadliest form of skin cancer since the 1970s.

Experts say the quest for a "healthy" tan has contributed to an increase in cases of malignant melanoma.

More than 13,000 people are now developing the disease each year compared about 1,800 in 1975, according to Cancer Research UK.

And the incidence rate has shot up from just over three per 100,000 of the population 40 years ago to around 17 per 100,000.

Malignant melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK and more than 2,000 people die from the disease each year.

Sunburn is known to increase the risk of skin cancer, especially in people with pale skin or large numbers of moles or freckles.

Amanda Crosland had a cancer scare in 2001, despite covering up in the sun

Nick Ormiston-Smith, head of statistics at Cancer Research UK, said: "Since the mid-1970s, malignant melanoma incidence rates in the UK have increased more rapidly than any of today's 10 most common cancers.

"Holidays in hot climates have become more affordable and sunbeds are more widely available since the 1970s.

"But we know over-exposure to UV (ultraviolet) rays from the sun or sunbeds is the main cause of skin cancer.

"This means, in many cases, the disease can be prevented, and is why it's essential to get into good sun safety habits, whether at home or abroad.

Ms Crosland still bears a scar from her successful treatment

"The good news for those that are diagnosed, is that survival for the disease is amongst the highest for any cancer. More than eight in 10 people will now survive it."

Besides avoiding sunburn, other advice includes spending time in the shade, covering up and using a minimum factor 15 sunscreen.

Fair-skinned redhead Amanda Crosland, 43, was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in 2001, despite covering up in the sun.

The mother-of-two from Leeds said: "When I noticed a new mole on my left calf, I knew it was safest to get it checked out by the doctor.

"Spotting it early meant I had a successful operation to remove the cancer before it spread.

"I've always been careful to look after my skin, but I do remember getting sunburnt as a girl.

"I still enjoy getting out in the sun, but now make sure the kids and I are properly protected with hats, T-shirts, and sunscreen, so we can enjoy the sun safely in the garden or at the beach."

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Flying High: Crook Uses Drone To Spot Pot Farms

Criminals are using drones fitted with heat-seeking cameras to spot cannabis farms that can be raided, it has been claimed.

Crooks are fitting the flying remote-controlled devices with equipment to spot the heat given off by farms' hydroponic lights, according to reports.

Once a farm is identified, the property is reportedly either burgled or the owner extorted.

One criminal told the Halesowen News: "It is not like I'm using my drone to see if people have nice televisions - I am just after drugs to steal and sell, if you break the law then you enter me and my drone's world."

Heat-seeking cameras look for the heat from hydroponic lights (File pic)

The 33-year-old criminal added: "Half the time we don't even need to use violence to get the crop. Growing cannabis has gone mainstream and the people growing it are not gangsters."

Labour MP Tom Watson, who is chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on drones, said the story was "remarkable".

He told the paper: "It is no surprise enterprising criminals would want to get the upper hand in the criminal underworld by using drones."

There are a multitude of uses for drones, which were originally developed and used by the military for combat purposes.

Google recently purchased high-altitude solar-powered drone builder Titan Aerospace as part of an attempt to bring internet access to remote areas of the world.

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Leeds Firefighters Tackle Industrial Blaze

More than 80 firefighters have been battling a huge blaze on an industrial estate in Leeds that sent plumes of thick black smoke across the city.

Exploding cylinders made for a "challenging" situation for crews called to the fire at Tradpak, a packaging and recycling firm in the Armley area around 2am.

Witnesses reported hearing loud bangs as the inferno engulfed two buildings in Albion Way.

Witnesses posted photos of the blaze on Twitter

One of the premises was used for storing chemicals and there were also LPG cylinders involved, according to the fire service.

Fifteen fire engines and a number of specialist vehicles attended the blaze. The blaze is now largely under control.

Emergency services initially warned there was a risk of toxic smoke due to "potentially hazardous chemicals" on the site.

Roads around the scene of the fire remain shut

But they later said residents in the city centre should keep windows and doors closed "as a precaution" until smoke from the fire clears.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "The matter is being treated as a large building fire by firefighters but, as with any fire producing large amounts of smoke, nearby residents are being urged to keep doors and windows closed while the smoke clears."

The Armley Gyratory road was closed for a time due to the large amounts of smoke from the fire, but has now re-opened.

Other roads around the site on the industrial estate remain shut.

Firefighters are expected to be at the site for the rest of the day

Steve Beckley of West Yorkshire Fire Service told Sky News: "Firefighters worked extremely hard in the first couple of hours to prevent fire spread.

"We saved around three major premises immediately surrounding where the fire was which is fantastic, but obviously there's significant damage to the two that were involved when we arrived.

"What we have got to do now is work our way into the seat of the fire, but we will certainly be here for the rest of the day."

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Teachers Warn Of 'Constant' CCTV Surveillance

Teachers say they are being subjected to constant surveillance by CCTV schools supposed to keep pupils safe.

A poll conducted by the NASUWT union has revealed 8% of 7,500 members questioned said classroom cameras record their lessons and their performance is being monitored by school leaders.

The survey comes as delegates attending the union's annual conference in Birmingham discuss a motion suggesting there is too much surveillance of teachers.

Teachers have complained the cameras are being used to judge performance

It says the monitoring is unreasonable, without justification, and adds little value to pupils' progress.

The motion adds: "Its impact is to stifle creativity in education, disempower teachers, put procedure before purpose and increase the workload of teachers."

One teacher said of their school: "CCTV has been used against staff to imply they are handling a situation incorrectly even though the CCTV has no sound."

Another said: "In my school it has been used specifically with newly qualified teachers that the senior leadership team think are not performing well."

Nearly 90% of teachers who have CCTV in their classroom say they cannot switch the cameras off and 40% claim the recordings are monitored by school leaders and the footage used to make judgments about staff performance.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: "Teachers are already wrestling with excessive monitoring, masquerading as classroom observation, carried out by senior management and a host of other people regularly visiting their classrooms.

"The stories teachers recounted to us in the survey are a shocking catalogue of professional disrespect and unacceptable intrusion.

"No other professionals are subjected to such appalling treatment; no one should be subjected to the stress and pressure of being watched constantly. Lab rats have more professional privacy."

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Teen Thrown Around Ride Like A 'Rag Doll'

A teenager is recovering in hospital after falling 15ft from a fairground ride in Worthing, Sussex.

Beth Thorpe, 18, suffered bruises, head and neck injuries after slipping from the Rocker ride on Marine Parade on Thursday night.

A witness to the incident said Miss Thorpe was flung around like a "rag doll" during the ride before coming out of her seat.

Friend Faith Paine, 18, told The Argus newspaper: "Seconds after the ride started she was flung about like a rag doll and started foaming at the mouth, immediately I knew something was wrong.

"She then started to come out of her seat as her body turned to jelly and just slipped out. I was trying to scream stop and help, but it was too late.

"It was without a doubt the most horrific thing I have ever seen in my life."

Miss Thorpe suffered cuts, grazes and bruising in the accident

The A Level student was later taken to the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton.

Her father, Robert Thorpe, said: "It was traumatic for her and it's traumatic for us, we are just happy she is recovering, I could have lost my child.

"She has got bruising, cuts and grazes all over her body.

"We do not know exactly what happened, we weren't there, we just got a phone call and all we know is that she was flung out of the ride and she blacked out."

A spokesperson from Worthing Borough Council said: "Following an accident on a fairground ride at Worthing seafront our thoughts are with the woman injured in the accident and her family.

"We wish her a full and speedy recovery. We are grateful to the emergency services who attended the scene promptly.

"The fairground ride operators and Worthing Borough Council will fully co-operate with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and relevant authorities into the investigation that will take place.

"In the meantime, the ride will remain closed until HSE clearance is received to reopen the ride. At the current time we are unable to confirm when the investigation will be completed."

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Nurse 'Lost Her Job Over Christian Beliefs'

A nursery nurse has said she lost her job after telling a gay colleague her beliefs on homosexuality as a Christian.

Sarah Mbuyi said she made the comment after she was asked about her Christian beliefs by a co-worker at New Park Childcare in Highbury, north London, in January.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre which is assisting Ms Mbuyi, said the Government has "seriously let down" the Christian community.

Ms Mbuyi is claiming unfair dismissal on the grounds of religious discrimination.

She said: "When I said 'no, God does not condone the practice of homosexuality, but does love you and says you should come to Him as you are', she became emotional and went off to report me to my manager."

During an internal disciplinary hearing she claimed her colleague had alleged she raised the issue of homosexuality of a number of occasions. She was dismissed for gross misconduct.

Ms Mbuyi added: "My disciplinary hearing was hopelessly one-sided because they put my accuser's claims to me as fact, without any forewarning and so I wasn't prepared.

"It seemed to me they had already made up their minds to justify sacking me, before hearing my side of the story."

Ms Williams called for Prime Minister David Cameron to intervene in the case.

She said: "Sharing Biblical truths out of genuine love and concern for colleagues is being outlawed in the workplace by a dominating cultural correctness.

"Sarah's case demonstrates the confusion we're experiencing in current times.

"David Cameron has given public recognition of the enormous positive impact that Jesus Christ has had on our nation but he wants to mould Christianity to his political agenda."

In an article for the Church Times this week, Mr Cameron said Britain should be "more confident about our status as a Christian country".

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