Crane Hoists Injured Worker 75ft To Safety

An injured building worker was hoisted 75ft into the air by a crane to lift him out of a construction site to a waiting ambulance.

The casualty, a man in his 50s, was winched out of Birmingham's Frankley Waterworks using a specialist stretcher because it was the only way to extract him from the site.

Rescuers said the only way to rescue the man was by using a crane

It is believed the man was getting ready to pour concrete for a new water tank when a cherry-picker overturned at about 8.25am on Monday.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "One man in his 40s was treated for a bump to his head, but a second had leg and back pain.

"Due to the location, the only way to get him out was to use a crane at the site.

"This patient and one of the hazardous area response team paramedics were then lifted over 75 feet into the air from the location and then transported to the waiting ambulance by the crane on site."

Both casualties were then taken to Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

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UK Soldier Shot Dead While Playing Football

A British soldier who was killed by a rogue member of the Afghan army as he played in a football match on Remembrance Day has been hailed as a "great man" and an "amazing father" by his wife.

Captain Walter Barrie was playing in a match between British soldiers and members of the Afghan National Army (Ana) at his base when he was shot at close range in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand Province, the Ministry of Defence said.

Capt Barrie, from Glasgow, had been mentoring and advising a brigade of the Ana to take over security in an area of southern Afghanistan.

His wife Sonia said: "Captain Walter Barrie was great man, a doting and amazing father and a fantastic husband. He was much loved and will be missed by many.

"The family would ask that their privacy is respected during this very difficult time."

Capt Barrie, who leaves behind 15-year-old son Callum, had served for 25 years, which included tours of Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan in 2008.

The 41-year-old, who was deployed on August 31, was in the Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

He was described by the MoD as an "approachable and compassionate officer" who "cared deeply for the wellbeing of those around him and had unparalleled rapport with all ranks".

Capt Barrie was killed in the Helmand Province

Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Wrench said: "His role as an adviser to the Afghan army was one he trained for, looked forward to and performed superbly.

"His ability to build relationships and rapport has always made an impact on those who met him. This was down to his enthusiasm for life, for youth and humanity.

"As can be seen from the many tributes, he enriched the lives of everybody he came across. His winning personality and Glaswegian wit will be sorely missed, as will the banter we often had as a result of his fanatical support for Glasgow Rangers.

"It is almost impossible to express the sadness we, as a close battalion, are experiencing at this time."

The "green on blue" death brings the number of British servicemen killed by Afghan soldiers or police to 14 this year, compared to just one in 2011, three in 2010, and five in 2009.

Capt Barrie is the 438th UK service member to be killed in Afghanistan since October 2001.

News of the killing came after the Queen led the nation in honouring the fallen, as the country fell silent to remember its war dead.

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Abu Qatada: Terror Suspect Set To Be Released

Timeline: Qatada Legal Battle

Updated: 3:36pm UK, Monday 12 November 2012

Abu Qatada has challenged and ultimately thwarted every attempt by the Government to detain and deport him since 2001.

Here is a timeline of the legal battle.

1993: Abu Qatada claims asylum when he arrives in Britain on a forged passport.

1994: Allowed to stay in Britain.

1995: Issues a "fatwa" justifying the killing of converts from Islam, their wives and children in Algeria.

1998: Applies for indefinite leave to remain in Britain.

1999: April - Convicted in his absence on terror charges in Jordan and sentenced to life imprisonment.

October - Speaks in London advocating the killing of Jews and praising attacks on Americans.

2001: February - Arrested by anti-terror police over involvement in a plot to bomb Strasbourg Christmas market. Officers find him with £170,000 in cash, including £805 in an envelope marked "For the mujahedin in Chechnya".

December - Becomes one of Britain's most wanted men after going on the run from his home in west London.

2002: Arrested by police in a council house in south London and detained in Belmarsh high-security jail.

2005: Freed on conditional bail and placed on a control order but arrested again in August under immigration rules as the Government seeks to deport him to Jordan.

2008: April: Court of Appeal rules deportation would breach is human rights because evidence used against him in Jordan might have been obtained through torture.

May - Granted bail by the immigration tribunal but told he must stay inside for 22 hours a day.

June - Released from Long Lartin jail in Worcestershire and moves into a four-bedroom house in west London.

November - He is rearrested after the Home Office tells an immigration hearing of fears he plans to abscond.

December - Qatada's bail is revoked by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) after hearing secret evidence that the risk of him absconding has increased.

2009: Five Law Lords unanimously back the Government's policy of removing terror suspects from Britain on the basis of assurances from foreign governments and it is ruled he can be deported to Jordan to face a retrial on the terror charges.

He is awarded 2,800 euro (£2,500) compensation by the European Court of Human Rights after the judges rule that his detention without trial in the UK under anti-terrorism powers breached his human rights.

2012: January - European judges rule he can be sent to Jordan with diplomatic assurances but not while "there remains a real risk that evidence obtained by torture will be used against him".

February - He is released on strict bail conditions.

April - Rearrested as the Government prepares to deport him after Jordan gives assurances it will "bend over backwards" to ensure he receives a fair trial.

March - Qatada's legal team loses its bid to have the case heard by the Europe's human rights judges, clearing the way for deportation proceedings to continue.

May and August - Siac rejects Qatada's applications for bail.

October - Siac holds appeal hearing.

November - His appeal is granted and he is granted bail.

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Man Held After Photo Of Burning Poppy Posted

A man has been arrested for posting an image of a burning poppy on a social network site.

Kent Police said in a statement that the man, from Aylesham, had been detained last night on suspicion of making malicious telecommunications and that he was in custody awaiting interview.

The force did not say whether the arrested man actually burned the poppy, or just posted the photo online.

The arrest was met with disbelief on Twitter, where people mounted a fierce discussion over civil liberties.

Tom Williams, tweeting as @tomwilliamsisme, wrote: "The scary thing is, the man wasn't arrested for burning a poppy - that's not illegal. He was arrested for putting it online."

Jamie's Pants, under @thisisrjg, tweeted: "We do not have a right to not be offended. We certainly don't have a right to lock up someone for offending some people", 

And Thom Lumley, tweeting as @Hotstepperrr, wrote: "Dear idiots at Kent Police, burning a poppy may be obnoxious, but it is not a criminal offence."

David Allen Green, a journalist and lawyer for the New Statesman, tweeting as Jack of Kent, wrote: "What was the point of winning either World War if, in 2012, someone can be casually arrested by Kent Police for burning a poppy?"

Australian musician and comedian Tim Minchin also tweeted his incredulity, saying: "You've a right to burn a (fake!) poppy. Whether I agree with the action is utterly irrelevant. Kent Police are out of line."

No one from Kent Police was available to comment.

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British Soldier Killed In 'Insider Attack'

A British soldier has been killed in Afghanistan in an apparent "insider attack" at his base, the Ministry of Defence has said.

The soldier, from The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, was killed while in Patrol Base Shawqat, in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province, a spokesman for Task Force Helmand said.

His next of kin have been informed.

Major Laurence Roche, a spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "I am very sorry to report the death of a soldier ... who was shot by an individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform at his base in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province.

"This is incredibly sad news for the battalion and everyone serving in Task Force Helmand.

"As we mark Remembrance this weekend, our thoughts now turn to the soldier's family and friends whose loss is so much greater than ours."

The insider attack takes to 438 the number of UK service members to have lost their lives in Afghanistan since operations started in October 2001.

The number of British servicemen killed by Afghan soldiers or police, which have become known as 'green on blue' attacks, is 12 this year, compared with one in 2011, three in 2010 and five in 2009.

At least 54 international troops have died as a result of such attacks - where Afghans turn their weapons on their coalition colleagues.

Responsibility for security in Afghanistan is due to be handed over to local military and police from 2014.

News of the killing came last night after the Queen led the nation in honouring the fallen, as the country fell silent to remember its war dead.

In scenes replicated at memorials across the UK and Commonwealth nations, the monarch laid the first wreath at the Cenotaph to commemorate members of the Armed Forces who died fighting in all conflicts since the First World War.

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BBC Crisis: News Executives To Stand Aside

BBC news director Helen Boaden and deputy Stephen Mitchell are to stand aside over the BBC crisis, Sky sources understand.

It follows the resignation of director general George Entwistle at the weekend in the wake of the Newsnight row.

Media commentator Steve Hewlett told Sky News: "Helen Boaden and Stephen Mitchell have up till now been standing aside from all matters Savile - now they'll be standing aside from everything.

"They're going to be replaced by Fran Unsworth, head of Home Newsgathering. She will become director of news, and Kerry Thomas, the editor of Radio 4's Today programme I understand is going to be deputy director."

Acting director general Tim Davie arrives for work

The acting director general is Tim Davie. He arrived for work but did not speak to waiting reporters. Later today he will set out his plans for rebuilding trust in the corporation in the wake of the botched Newsnight child abuse investigation.

Mr Davie held his first meeting last night with the BBC Trust since being drafted in to replace Mr Entwistle, who announced his resignation on Saturday.

It came as a row erupted over the disclosure that Mr Entwistle - who served just 54 days in the post - was to receive a full year's salary of £450,000 in lieu of notice.

Under the terms of the his contract he was entitled to only six months' pay but the trust said that the additional payment had been agreed as a reflection of his continuing involvement with the various BBC inquiries now under way.

BBC staff are now braced for further bloodletting.

On Sunday, Mr Davie received a report which Mr Entwistle had commissioned from BBC Scotland director Ken MacQuarrie into how Newsnight came to wrongly implicate former Tory Party treasurer Lord McAlpine in the north Wales children's home scandal of the 1970s and 1980s.

Before he quit, Mr Entwistle warned that it could result in disciplinary action against staff and over the weekend MPs demanded that those directly involved in the broadcast were held to account.

The future of Newsnight also appears to be in the balance, with the chairman of the BBC Trust Lord Patten warning that there would have to be some "tough managerial decisions".

More follows...

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Victoria Cross Charity Role For George, 12

Bereaved Mum's Journey Of Despair

Updated: 9:06am UK, Sunday 11 November 2012

By Lucy Cotter and Richard Suchet

For the families of those killed in war, Remembrance Sunday can be a day of profound grief.

While the nation - and the Commonwealth - expresses its gratitude to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, the bereaved are reminded of their own suffering and loss.

Some 53 British servicemen and women have been killed in Afghanistan in the last 12 months and 437 have died there since operations began in 2001.

Margaret Evison's son Mark died in Helmand Province in 2009.

A lieutenant in the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, he was considered one of the finest officers of his generation.

He died aged just 26 after being shot in the shoulder while leading a patrol in Helmand.

Margaret's book Death Of A Soldier describes the aftermath - from the time she was told her son had been injured, up until after his inquest.

It is an incredibly moving account which articulates the loss of a child, and is deeply thought provoking.

But it also asks important questions about the circumstances surrounding Mark's death, about the army and the war in Afghanistan.

Ms Evison said: "It's a journey through despair, but also a tale of surprises, sometimes magical ... to pay my respects to a young man who commanded such love and respect in his short life."

Mark was clearly a remarkable man, who achieved a great deal and inspired those who knew him.

Nicknamed 007, he was idolised by his men and was destined for a very bright future in the army he loved so much.

Brigadier Tim Radford, heading the 19th Brigade in Afghanistan at the time wrote: "He was charming, utterly focused, thoughtful and he left an indelible stamp.

"I know his soldiers adored him and he was held in such high esteem by them. Mark was described by his solders as having 'a face that was sculpted by angels'. In 25 years in the army, I have never heard soldiers speak with such affection about one of their officers."

The book brings Mark to life through his mother's words, but also uses his own.

He wrote a diary in Afghanistan until a few days before he died which is included, along with extracts from the many letters written to the family from people who knew Mark.

As well as being a very personal story about loss, the book illustrates the heroics of the people involved in trying to save Mark, but also questions whether his death could have been avoided.

Ms Evison battled with the Ministry of Defence and found evidence that there was a lack of resources, poor radio equipment, and a delay in the helicopter sent to rescue Mark which had an impact on his care.

She not only questions the army's deficiencies but the legitimacy of the campaign in Afghanistan.

However the book ends on a very positive note, describing The Mark Evison Foundation which was set up shortly after his death to inspire young people and help them develop their potential.

"We wanted the Foundation to reflect Mark's unusual capacity to be a life-enhancer," she wrote. "That became its strap line 'Bring out the best in you'."

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Remembrance Sunday: Tribute To Helmand Soldier

By Lucy Cotter and Richard Suchet

For the families of those killed in war, Remembrance Sunday can be a day of profound grief.

While the nation - and the Commonwealth - expresses its gratitude to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, the bereaved are reminded of their own suffering and loss.

Some 53 British servicemen and women have been killed in Afghanistan in the last 12 months and 437 have died there since operations began in 2001.

Margaret Evison's son Mark died in Helmand Province in 2009.

A lieutenant in the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, he was considered one of the finest officers of his generation.

Ms Evison's book describes the aftermath of her son's death

He died aged just 26 after being shot in the shoulder while leading a patrol in Helmand.

Margaret's book Death Of A Soldier describes the aftermath - from the time she was told her son had been injured, up until after his inquest.

It is an incredibly moving account which articulates the loss of a child, and is deeply thought provoking.

But it also asks important questions about the circumstances surrounding Mark's death, about the army and the war in Afghanistan.

Ms Evison said: "It's a journey through despair, but also a tale of surprises, sometimes magical ... to pay my respects to a young man who commanded such love and respect in his short life."

Mark Evison was one of the army's brightest stars

Mark was clearly a remarkable man, who achieved a great deal and inspired those who knew him.

Nicknamed 007, he was idolised by his men and was destined for a very bright future in the army he loved so much.

Brigadier Tim Radford, heading the 19th Brigade in Afghanistan at the time wrote: "He was charming, utterly focused, thoughtful and he left an indelible stamp.

"I know his soldiers adored him and he was held in such high esteem by them. Mark was described by his solders as having 'a face that was sculpted by angels'. In 25 years in the army, I have never heard soldiers speak with such affection about one of their officers."

The book brings Mark to life through his mother's words, but also uses his own.

He wrote a diary in Afghanistan until a few days before he died which is included, along with extracts from the many letters written to the family from people who knew Mark.

As well as being a very personal story about loss, the book illustrates the heroics of the people involved in trying to save Mark, but also questions whether his death could have been avoided.

Ms Evison battled with the Ministry of Defence and found evidence that there was a lack of resources, poor radio equipment, and a delay in the helicopter sent to rescue Mark which had an impact on his care.

She not only questions the army's deficiencies but the legitimacy of the campaign in Afghanistan.

However the book ends on a very positive note, describing The Mark Evison Foundation which was set up shortly after his death to inspire young people and help them develop their potential.

"We wanted the Foundation to reflect Mark's unusual capacity to be a life-enhancer," she wrote. "That became its strap line 'Bring out the best in you'."

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Jimmy Savile Inquiry Police Arrest Man

Police investigating sexual abuse claims surrounding Jimmy Savile have arrested a man in his 70s.

The suspect is being held as part of Operation Yewtree - an inquiry into alleged child sexual exploitation by Savile and others.

Police said the man was detained at 7:15am at an address in Cambridge on suspicion of sexual offences, and has been taken into custody locally.

Among those previously arrested by Operation Yewtree detectives have been comedian Freddie Starr and singer Gary Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd.

More follows...

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NHS Volunteers Help Ease Maternity Pressure

By Isabel Webster, West of England Correspondent

Volunteers are being used by the NHS at the Royal Gwent Hospital in South Wales to ease pressure on overstretched maternity wards.

Twenty so-called "maternity buddies" handle babies at the request of new mums while they sleep or shower, sit and chat to keep them company, help with meals, or even change water in flower vases.

The unpaid helpers are given basic training in confidentiality and infection control but are not permitted to carry out any clinical duties including bathing or changing new-borns' nappies.

The buddy scheme was piloted at the hospital over a six-month period and has now gone live due to its success.

Linda Hall, a mother of four and grandmother of two, finds time around her full-time job at a nursery to pop into the postnatal ward whenever she can.

"The midwives are so busy that sometimes the new mums are anxious about buzzing and asking for help," she said.

"So we just come along and get them some milk or some drinks - all the things the midwives struggle to fit into their busy days."

The scheme is intended to free up the midwives so they can focus on clinical care.

The NHS is looking to increase volunteers at hospitals

The Royal College of Midwives believes there is a shortfall of around 5,000 midwives in England and Wales as a result of the birth rate exceeding the rate of midwives joining the profession by around 6%.

But the Aneurin Bevan Health Board in Gwent maintains the buddy scheme is not about plugging a staffing gap.

Suzanna Hardacre, the senior midwifery manager at the Royal Gwent Hospital, said: "We're not short-staffed. We don't have any shortages of health care support workers or with midwives. There are sufficient clinical staff to be able to give that care.

"Our volunteers are purely there to enhance the patient and the woman's experience while she is in hospital with us."

A recruitment drive is now underway to bolster the number of volunteers in NHS hospitals across the UK.

Many hospitals already enlist them to help patients eat their meals and the Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust says their volunteers sometimes help to make the beds.

But Beverley Lawrence Beech from the Association For The Improvement of Maternity Services warns that unskilled helpers are no substitute for trained health professionals.

"If they really want to enhance patient experiences what they should be providing is community based midwifery. But this is the first step towards removing yet more midwives," she said.

"Frilly hand-holding is no substitute for proper trained midwives who know to look out for things like postnatal depression or infections."

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