Paul Gambaccini: BBC DJ Held Over Sex Claims

Veteran BBC broadcaster Paul Gambaccini has been arrested on suspicion of historical sexual offences.

He was held at his home in south London on Tuesday morning as part of Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree.

The radio presenter, whose broadcasting career spans 40 years at the BBC, answered questions in police custody before being released on bail.

A BBC spokesman said Gambaccini denies the allegations against him.

"Paul Gambaccini has decided that, in light of [Friday's] media attention, he would rather not be on-air at present and we respect that decision," he said.

"Therefore, Paul will not be presenting on BBC Radio in coming weeks and replacement programmes for the period will be announced soon."

Yewtree has been investigating claims of historical sexual offences since the Jimmy Savile scandal broke last year.

Scotland Yard detectives have run the investigation in three strands - allegations involving Savile, those involving Savile and others, and those involving others.

Gambaccini was arrested under the strand known as "others", meaning the arrest is not connected to the Savile inquiry.

The DJ, one of Britain's foremost authorities on music, hosts a weekly show on BBC Radio 2.

He is the 15th person arrested under Yewtree and was bailed until January.

The presenter was highly vocal last year in the wake of Savile's years of sexual abuse being made public, and said it was known among BBC staff that the late presenter targeted vulnerable, "institutionalised" young people.

A 16th person - a 74-year-old who has not been named - was arrested at a separate address in south London on Tuesday, and also bailed until January.

 

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Pair Charged With Murder Over Bodies In Garden

The daughter and son-in-law of an elderly couple who went missing from Mansfield have been charged with murder, say police.

Susan Patricia Edwards, 55, and Christopher John Edwards, 57, have each been charged with two counts of murder, according to Nottingham Police.

The pair, of no fixed address but who are believed to have been living outside the UK, will remain in police custody until their appearance before Nottingham magistrates tomorrow.

The remains of a man and woman were found buried in the back garden of a house in Blenheim Close, Forest Town, on Wednesday 9 October 2013.

Police have not yet formally identified the pair, but believe they are William and Patricia Wycherley, who lived at the house in the 1990s.

A police spokesman said: "A Home Office pathologist has determined that both people died as a result of being shot."

The elderly couple moved to the address in 1987 and according to neighbours, disappeared in 1998.

Officers have said Mrs Wycherley is believed to have been born in Fulham, west London, and would now have been 79. Her husband would have been 100.

Police said bone analysis has shed further light on the remains.

More follows...

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Brooks And Coulson In 'Secret Six-Year Affair'

Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and ex-News Of The World editor Andy Coulson had a secret affair lasting at least six years, the Old Bailey has heard.

Prosecutor Andrew Edis QC told the court that in February 2004, when the pair were both working at the media giant, they had been having a relationship for some years.

He said during the police investigation into the hacking of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's phone, a letter was found on Brooks' computer to Coulson from February 2004, that made the relationship clear.

The court heard the letter included a declaration of her love for Coulson.

Mr Edis read out an extract of the letter in which Brooks wrote: "The fact is you are my very best friend. I tell you everything, I confide in you, I seek your advice, I love you, care about you, worry about you, we laugh and cry together.

"In fact without our relationship in my life I am not sure I will cope."

He said it appeared Brooks was responding to Coulson's attempt to end their relationship, adding that he did not know whether or not the letter had been sent.

Mr Edis said: "The point that I'm going to make in relation to that letter is that over the relevant period, what Mr Coulson knew, Mrs Brooks knew too.

"And what Mrs Brooks knew, Mr Coulson knew too - that's the point.

"Because it is clear from that letter that, as of February 2004, they had been having an affair which had lasted at least six years."

The court heard the pair had been having an affair dating back to around 1998, spanning the period covered by their phone hacking conspiracy charge.

Mr Edis added: "Mrs Brooks and Mr Coulson are charged with conspiracy and, when people are charged with conspiracy, the first question a jury has to answer is how well did they know each other? How much did they trust each other?

"And the fact that they were in this relationship which was a secret means that they trusted each other quite a lot with at least that secret and that's why we are telling you about it."

Brooks remained with her head bowed and Coulson looked ahead towards the prosecutor as their affair was revealed to the jury.

The court heard that Brooks went on holiday to Dubai in April 2002, but remained in contact with Coulson while she was away.

The jury was told the tabloid's ex-managing editor Stuart Kuttner went to Surrey Police, who were investigating 13-year-old Milly's disappearance, to tell them the newspaper had a tape of voicemail which could assist with the investigation.

"It is good that they gave that information to the police," the prosecutor said.

"What is less good is that they gave the information to the police on Saturday, when they had had it for several days."

He told the jury it was possible that the force "could and should have investigated" that information at the time, but officers would have been focused on finding the missing girl.

Milly disappeared on March 21, 2002, and her body was not found until November that year.

Mr Edis told the court private investigator Glenn Mulcaire hacked the 13-year-old's phone for the News Of The World while her parents "yearned for their missing daughter".

The revelation that the newspaper had hacked the missing girl's phone eventually led to its closure in 2011.

The court also heard about alleged phone hacking targeting Eimear Cook, the former wife of golfer Colin Montgomerie, and former government minister David Blunkett.

Brooks, Coulson and Kuttner - among eight defendants on trial - all deny conspiring with others to hack phones between October 3, 2000 and August 9, 2006.

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Sugary Drinks Tax 'Could Raise Treasury £275m'

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

A tax on sugary drinks would reduce the number of obese adults in the UK by 180,000 - and raise over £275m for the Treasury, according to doctors.

Researchers from Reading and Oxford universities say a standard 500ml bottle of some drinks contains as many as 14 teaspoons of sugar, or 210 calories; and they warn the drinks increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and tooth decay.

Professor Richard Tiffin, Reading University: 'Taxing food is a big step'

In the most detailed study of its kind, the researchers calculated that a 20% tax on sugary drinks - adding roughly 12p to a can of fizzy pop - would reduce purchases by around 15%.

That would reduce the average calorie consumption by 28 calories a week - enough to reduce obesity by between 110,000 and 250,000, according to results published in the British Medical Journal.

Dr Adam Briggs of the British Heart Foundation Health Promotion Research Group at Oxford University, and one of the researchers, said: "Sugar sweetened drinks are known to be bad for health and our research indicates that a 20% tax could result in a meaningful reduction in the number of obese adults in the UK.

"Such a tax is not going to solve obesity by itself, but we have shown it could be an effective public health measure and should be considered alongside other measures to tackle obesity in the UK."

The researchers say the impact of the tax would be greatest on young people. On average people aged 16-29 drink around 300ml of sugary beverages a day.

But one of the researchers, economist Professor Richard Tiffin of the University of Reading, warned that the tax wouldn't reduce obesity by enough to justify the hardship it could cause.

Researchers at Reading found some drinks contained 14 teaspoons of sugar

"Taxing food is a big step, especially when spiralling bills are already making households poorer, and will make very little difference if people are unable or unwilling to make healthier choices elsewhere in their lives," he said.

Professor Sir Stephen O'Rahilly from the Medical Research Council's Metabolic Diseases Unit in Cambridge agreed that sugary drinks are "part of the problem"' but he added that taxation was "politically undeliverable" in most democracies.

He said: "A workable alternative might be to encourage the major companies to switch to the aggressive promotion and marketing of less harmful versions of their products.

Soft drinks firms said there was evidence a tax would not curb obesity

"This could be achieved by balancing a 20% tax on sugared products with a 20% subsidy on artificially sweetened versions of the same beverages."

Gavin Partington of the British Soft Drinks Association said there was "ample" evidence that taxing soft drinks won't curb obesity.

"Trying to blame one set of products is misguided, particularly when they comprise a mere 2% of calories in the average diet."

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Phone Hacking: Three Journalists Plead Guilty

Three former News Of The World journalists have pleaded guilty to phone hacking charges.

The Old Bailey heard on Wednesday that ex-chief correspondent Neville Thurlbeck, former assistant news editor James Weatherup, and ex-news editor Greg Miskiw had pleaded guilty at earlier hearings.

Private investigator Glenn Mulcaire had also admitted hacking the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, prosecutor Andrew Edis QC said.

The revelations came at the beginning of a trial of another eight defendants who face 15 phone hacking-related charges between them.

Rebekah Brooks denies the hacking charges

Ex-News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and former NOTW editor and ex-Downing Street spin-doctor Andy Coulson, both 45, are accused of conspiring to illegally access voicemail messages, as well as making illegal payments to officials.

Both deny all charges, as do the other six defendants.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Mr Edis told jurors that "journalists are no more entitled to break the criminal law than anybody else".

He said there was "no justification" for newspaper staff to get involved in phone hacking or to make payments to public officials.

Jurors would have to decide whether Brooks and Coulson knew about the illegal behaviour of the three journalists who had pleaded guilty, Mr Edis said.

"There was phone hacking, and quite a lot of it," said the barrister.

"Given they (Brooks and Coulson) were so senior, if they knew about it, well obviously they were allowing it to happen.

Mr Coulson edited the NOTW from January 2003 to January 2007

"They were in charge of the purse strings."

Mr Edis said Mulcaire had been paid more than £100,000 a year by the News Of The World to hack phones and that such an "extraordinary arrangement" must have required high-level approval.

Coulson and Brooks are alleged to have conspired with former NOTW head of news Ian Edmondson, the tabloid's ex-managing editor Stuart Kuttner, and others to illegally access voicemails between October 3, 2000, and August 9, 2006.

Celebrities including Kate Moss, Joanna Lumley and Will Young were named in court as some of the defendants' alleged victims.

Brooks is also charged with two counts of conspiring with others to commit misconduct in public office - linked to alleged inappropriate payments to public officials.

One of the payments she authorised was £40,000 to a Ministry of Defence official for information, the jury was told.

Brooks faces another two allegations of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in July 2011.

Coulson, Hanna, Edmondson, Brooks, Brooks, Carter, Goodman, Kuttner

The first alleges she conspired to remove seven boxes of material from the News International archive with former personal assistant Cheryl Carter.

The second alleges that Brooks, her husband Charles Brooks and former head of security at News International Mark Hanna conspired to conceal documents, computers and other electronic equipment from police.

Coulson is also facing two allegations that he conspired with the tabloid's former royal editor Clive Goodman to commit misconduct in public office.

The prosecution claims the two men paid a police officer for a notebook containing phone numbers of the Royal Family

The phone hacking investigation began in January 2011 and led to the closure of the News Of The World and the Leveson Inquiry into press standards.

The trial was adjourned until Thursday when the prosecution will continue its opening.

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Cameras To Film Appeal Court After Campaign

By Ian Woods, Senior News Correspondent

Legal and broadcasting history will be made later when cameras are allowed to film inside the Royal Courts of Justice for the first time.

Permission has been granted to show civil and criminal cases at the Court of Appeal, although there are heavy restrictions on what can be filmed.

Cameras have been banned from courts in England and Wales since 1925.

The rules in Scottish courts are different and earlier this year cameras were allowed to film a murder trial - but only with the permission of all the participants, including the defendant.

Sky News and other broadcasters have been campaigning for a decade for cameras to be allowed to show all trials.

After prolonged negotiations, the Government and the judiciary have agreed to allow cameras inside certain courtrooms.

The move has been welcomed by the Lord Chief Justice for England and Wales, Lord Thomas.

"My fellow judges and I welcome the commencement of broadcasting in the Court of Appeal," he said.

"The Court of Appeal has been open to the public and to journalists for a very long time.

"The bringing of cameras into the Court of Appeal and the recording of its proceedings will enable those to be understood much better by the public as a whole.

Four remotely controlled cameras will be placed in the courtroom

"We hope it will increase confidence in the administration of justice."

Sky News, the BBC, ITN and the Press Association have co-operated on the project, and hired a video-journalist who will recommend which are the most interesting cases on a daily basis.

For now, only one courtroom per day can be televised. Matt Nicholls, an experienced court reporter, will place four remotely-controlled cameras in the courtroom before the case begins.

But he is not allowed to show anyone other than the judges and the lawyers arguing the case.

The dock, where the defendant or appellant sits, will be off-limits and there are no witnesses or jurors in the Court of Appeal.

Mr Nicholls said: "There are very strict rules on what we can and cannot shoot.

"You can't show a reaction shot of a judge. You can only show someone when they're actually speaking, so I'll be making sure I get those permitted shots.

"There's no swearing or graphic language, or anything that legally we can't broadcast."

He has the ability to censor the broadcast feed by muting the sound or cutting the video on the direction of the judges.

A number of monitors will be linked to the cameras

The portable broadcasting equipment has been designed by Sky News technical staff and the control panel is housed in an oak trolley to try to blend in with the historic courtrooms in which it will sit.

Civil cases can be broadcast almost in real time, though there is a 70-second delay built into the feed to allow for contentious material to be removed.

And criminal appeals must be recorded and only broadcast if a retrial has not been ordered, in case a future jury member becomes familiar with the evidence.

Mr Nicholls added: "The judges have been very keen to see the equipment and see how it work.

"But really we don't want to impact on the court business. We've got the cameras and the equipment, but really we shouldn't be getting in the way."

Sky News Associate Editor Simon Bucks, who has led the negotiations over the introduction of cameras into court, said: "Yes it is quite limited, but it is definitely a first step.

"It's not surprising that both the politicians and the judiciary wanted to do this in baby steps and the Court of Appeal is a good place to start doing this.

"But we're really optimistic that this will work well and it won't be long before we're able to get into criminal trials, initially to hear judges deliver sentencing remarks.

"The first thing we have to do is to show that we can do this thing in the Court of Appeal responsibly and effectively."

The control panel will be housed in an oak trolley

But critics fear it could open the door to American-style televised justice.

Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, a leading barrister who also became a successful broadcaster, told Sky News that while she supports cameras in the Court of Appeal, she opposes the televising of criminal trials.

"The television companies are playing a longer game here," she said.

"They want to get into the higher courts and they will behave perfectly well and most of the nation will doze off because what we lawyers do in the courts discussing the law is not that captivating.

"But they really are playing the game that they want to get into the courts where things are much juicier. What will be picked out will be the most sensational.

"It will be the most salacious and sexual cases. It will be the stuff that is dramatic and enticing and brings in viewing figures."

Andrew Walker QC is a civil law barrister who deals with appeal cases and can expect to be among the lawyers who may find themselves on camera in the months ahead.

He told Sky News that it will have little impact.

"I suspect that most people will get used to it and it will become part of the background," he said.

Only those speaking will be filmed

"It's a fairly polite and rarefied atmosphere in the Appeal Court and that won't change. Judges aren't impressed by anything other than what the real issues are."

But he does not expect it to lead on to televised trials, with defendants and witness appearing on screen.

"There's been a long-running debate in America about the televising of trials and there are a lot of views both ways," he said.

"That says a lot, that even in America people are wary and see the difficulties, and here we're likely to be much more careful."

The Government says the new rules are designed to bring greater transparency to the judicial system.

Courts Minister Shailesh Vara told Sky News: "I think this is a landmark occasion for the justice system.

"I don't think we need to worry about this becoming a celebrity issue following the American route.

"For the past two years the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court, has been filmed on the internet and we haven't seen any change of behaviour of the judiciary or indeed the lawyers."

Despite the limitations, Mr Nicholls says he hopes the public will find the Appeal Court coverage "eye-opening".

"As an experienced court reporter you do get those dramatic moments in the court where someone's conviction is overturned after a lengthy legal fight, when the people learn of this decision that is going to change their lives," he said.

"Sometimes the arguments might be dry and quite weighty, but you do get those moments of drama as well. All human life is here."

Viscount Hewart, who was Lord Chief Justice for almost 20 years from 1922, originated the phrase about justice not merely being done, but being seen to be done.

Now appeal court judges can be truly be seen by everyone when they hand down their judgements.

:: Sky News will be broadcasting proceedings from inside the Court of Appeal from October 31 - watch coverage on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad.

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Energy Crisis: MPs Turn Spotlight On Big Six

Energy companies have insisted controversial rises in bills were partly down to green taxes but were accused of charging customers "the maximum price they feel they can get away with".

Senior executives from the "Big Six" -  E.ON, British Gas, npower, EDF, Scottish Power and SSE - have been questioned by MPs about the recent increases by some of them.

The Energy and Climate Change Committee hearing was told rising wholesale costs and environmental "stealth taxes" were behind the average 9.1% hike.

But the businesses practices of the Big Six were called into question by the managing director of small, green energy firm Ovo Energy, who also faced the politicians.

Stephen Fitzpatrick told MPs he "can't explain" the price rises being imposed because his company was buying gas at a cheaper price - 5p a therm less - than it had in 2009.

Loyal bill-payers are charged a far higher rate, in some cases £200 more, and loaded with environmental costs than those who switch but the companies responsible go "unchallenged" by Ofgem, he said.

He said: "It looks to me like a lot of energy companies, a significant number of the Big Six, are charging the maximum price they feel they can get away with to the customers that they feel will not switch under any circumstances."

And he claimed if the Big Six charged the same unit rates as Ovo Energy did in 2012, then the total saving would be £3.7bn (£1.4bn in gas and £2.3bn in electricity).

Tony Cocker, chief executive of E.ON, which has yet to announce a price increase, said he had written to Prime Minister David Cameron calling for a competition commission inquiry to investigate the industry to help reassure customers.

Ovo boss Stephen Fitzpatrick criticised the 'Big Six' firms

Npower said it supported the call for an inquiry but Centrica (British Gas) and SSE said they were against.

An analysis by industry regulator Ofgem showed that wholesale prices have risen by 1.7% - adding just £10 to the average household bill of £600.

But npower's external affairs director Guy Johnson said that wholesale prices had increased by 3% and that wholesale prices accounted for 45% of their costs.

He also blamed the 11.1% increase on household bills announced last week by npower on green levies, saying they had increased by 31% and now accounted for 15% of the companies' costs.

In addition, he said that transport costs, which comprised 23% of their costs, had also increased by 10%.

When asked why, over the last few years, the Big Six had all increased prices at a similar level and at a similar time, they claimed it was because the majority of their costs were outside their control and therefore broadly the same.

William Morris, retail managing director of SSE, whose announcement of a 8.2% increase sparked the latest round of price rises, said that his company had been first to announce hikes at each time in the last two years.

He said that "85% of our costs are outside our control" and said that because of this "they are going to be similar at the same time".

Mr Cocker said that his firm E.ON would "hold out as long as we can" over a possible price rise.

However, he said the drivers for each firm to make the increases were similar, citing increases in transport and wholesale costs, and "environmental obligations" (green taxes).

Mr Cocker said that the green levies were a "stealth poll tax" and should be removed from energy bills and put into general taxation - a move the Liberal Democrats have indicated they may not oppose.

Mr Morris, of SSE, said that if the Government was to agree then that would "come straight off the customers' bills".

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Supermarkets Announce New Petrol Price Cuts

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

The cost of fuel is being slashed at pumps across the UK in the latest phase of a supermarket petrol price war.

It was sparked by Asda which is cutting prices to its lowest this year. Then, Sainsbury's,Tesco and Morrisons acted quickly to announce reductions.

Asda is imposing a national cap on prices, saying drivers filling up at its forecourts will pay no more than 126.7p a litre for petrol or 133.7p for diesel.

Sainsbury's says it is cutting prices by up to 3p - their cheapest for two and a half years.

Tesco will reduce prices by up to 2p. Morrisons will do the same "at the majority of its sites".

Quentin Wilson from the campaign group FairFuel UK said: "Don't get excited everybody because this will not stay, we will see it go up again.

"But at least now we have a much faster reflection of wholesale prices at the pump. We don't have to wait two or three or four weeks for the fuel to come down in price when we know it goes up in a heartbeat, so I'm pleased, fair fuel is pleased."

The AA has welcomed the move saying it reflects a fall in the wholesale price of fuel, but the continued uncertainty over Libyan oil production continues to leave the market unpredictable.

"The average price of petrol in the UK has hovered around the 132p a litre mark since mid-October, making 126.7p a very good price," said an AA spokesman.

At Asda in Leamington Spa motorists greeted the news with delight.

Susan Cooper, who drives 50 miles a day, said: "This will save me a lot of money. It is about time we had some better news with gas and electricity going up."

Martin Cavanagh said: "It has to be good news. I know oil and everything is a complicated commodity and that's why we get the price jumping around. Let's hope it goes low and stays low."

Oil analyst Richard Mallison said it was significant that retailers were passing on the fall in wholesale oil prices to consumers on the forecourt.

He told Sky News: "The biggest reason for supermarkets being able to slash prices at the pump has been the change in the dollar to pound exchange rate.

"The dollar's weakened, that's brought down the cost of oil and wholesale fuel and that's now being passed on."

But he warned that low prices may not last for long.

He said: "We've seen the UK recovery stronger than expected, we've seen the troubles with the US shutdown and debt ceiling - both of those effects might fade in terms of the exchange rate, which would  then mean petrol prices starting to go up again."

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Storm: Four People Killed By Falling Trees

Four people have been killed by falling trees in the worst storm to hit Britain in a decade.

Bethany Freeman, 17, died after a 30ft tree fell onto a static caravan in which she was sleeping in Kent while Donal Drohan, 51, died after a tree hit his car as he drove through Watford, Hertfordshire.

The family of Mr Drohan, from Harrow, northwest London, said he was the "best husband and father anyone could wish for".

Bethany Freeman and Donal Drohan both died from falling trees

The father-of-three was an operations manager with the public realm service at Harrow Council.

Bethany, known as "Gia" to her friends, died in Hever, Edenbridge. Emergency services and neighbours tried to rescue the Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School pupil. 

Her family, who were sleeping in a neighbouring caravan, were said to be deeply traumatised by the accident.

The caravan in which Bethany Freeman was sleeping when it was hit by a tree

They had been living in the mobile homes for a year while outbuildings on the grounds were transformed into a new house.

Her driving instructor Neil Chapman turned up at the address unaware of the tragedy and said: "I can't believe it. What a shock. She was a super kid. She was a great girl, good fun ... her family must be so devastated. I can't believe it."

Bethany's school described her as "a dedicated and truly outstanding sportswoman" who was "universally respected" and "had everything to look forward to".

The body of the storm's third and fourth victims - a man in his 40s and a woman - were found at addresses in Hounslow, west London, which were devastated after a tree struck a gas main which led to an explosion.

Three people were taken to hospital following the blast in Bath Road, which destroyed three houses and damaged two others.

A man and a woman who suffered facial injuries were later discharged. Another woman was said to be still receiving treatment for burns.

A map showing the passage of the storm's centre and trail of destruction

Fire crews rescued a dog from one of the homes and some 12 people were evacuated from neighbouring premises as a precaution.

A 14-year-old boy, named locally as Dylan Alkins, is also feared dead after being swept out to sea on Sunday in Newhaven, East Sussex.

Up to 607,500 homes suffered power cuts as hurricane-speed winds of up to 100mph swept across the South West, South, South East, the Midlands and the East of England.

People climb over a fallen tree in Shepherd's Hill, north London

UK Power Networks said 92,000 properties in the East and 15,000 in the South East were still without power.

The Dungeness nuclear power station in Kent automatically shut down both reactors after power to the site was cut off.

Gusts of 99mph were recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, according to the Met Office, while the Environment Agency said some 16 flood warnings and 134 flood alerts were in place.

Winds topped 80mph along southern coastal areas and became turbulent inland reaching 81mph in Portland, Dorset, 75mph in Yeovilton in Somerset and 79mph at Andrewsfield in Essex.

A tree crashes through several homes in Hounslow Pic: London Fire Brigade

Some 50mm of rainfall in 12 hours was recorded in Otterbourne in Hampshire and about 44mm in Cardiff.

Fierce winds overturned a double-decker into a field in Coram Street, Hadleigh in Suffolk, injuring the driver and several passengers.

The driver, a man in his 40s, was initially trapped and was treated at the scene by paramedics.

A police spokesman said: "He was suffering from neck pain, had taken a bash to his head and was in and out of consciousness."

Whitehall was closed in both directions in Westminster, London, after a crane collapsed onto the Cabinet Office, which was evacuated.

A bus carrying passengers is blown over onto its side in Hadleigh, Suffolk

A helter-skelter at Clacton Pier in Essex was blown over by the storm, but did not fall into the sea.

Rush-hour commuters suffered chaos on the roads and train network, with falling trees and debris blocking roads and covering railway tracks.

Network Rail said: "Trains will not be allowed to run until the worst of the storm has passed and engineers have been able to check railway lines ... branches or any other debris which may have blown onto or damaged the infrastructure."

Several London Underground and train services were suspended, the port of Dover in Kent temporarily shut after gusts of 65 knots were recorded in the area, and more than 130 flights at Heathrow Airport were cancelled because of the weather.

Scaffolding has been blown down in Francis Road, Leyton Pic: Mark Davies

Dover Port said its Western Docks had borne the brunt of the storm with around 50 Fred Olsen cruise customer cars, parked at the terminal, damaged by the severe seas in the high winds, which at times were gusting above 70mph.

The Environment Agency said there were 11 flood warnings in place across the South West, the Midlands and the East of England. There were also 124 flood alerts telling people to be prepared for flooding.

It has teams working to minimise river flood risk, clearing debris from streams and unblocking culverts.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who held talks with Government departments and agencies at the weekend to ensure they were prepared for the impact of the storm, said the loss of life as a result of St Jude's storm was "hugely regrettable".

A tree crashes onto a London bus Pic: @Casawa2011

He said the Government was working to make sure that the emergency services were able to do as much as possible to provide assistance.

Mr Cameron said: "Any injury or loss of life is hugely regrettable. We have to make sure the emergency services can act as fast as they can to help people."

AA insurance said calls for car insurance claims were about 20% higher than normal, with claims ranging from falling trees to scaffolding collapse.

:: Send us your photos and videos of the storm

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Savile Chauffeur David Smith Found Dead

A former driver charged with sex offences as part of the investigation triggered by allegations of abuse against Jimmy Savile has been found dead.

David Smith, 66, was the first person to be charged by officers from the Metropolitan Police's Operation Yewtree investigation.

He had pleaded not guilty in July to two counts of indecent assault and two of gross indecency on a child following his arrest in December.

But he failed to turn up at Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday for the start of his trial, prompting police to go to his home in Effingham Road, Lewisham.

Smith had previously worked as Jimmy Savile's chauffeur

Scotland Yard said: "At approximately 1420 officers entered the address and found the body of a man. A FME (forensic medical examiner) attended and pronounced the man dead at the scene. Next of kin are being informed."

Smith's barrister, Sandy Canavan, had told the court she was "concerned" that her solicitor had been unable to contact him ahead of the trial as she had regularly been in touch with him.

She told the court Smith was the sole carer for his elderly mother.

Police have separated the Yewtree investigation into three parts, the first concerned with the actions of Savile, while the second concerns allegations against what has become known as 'Savile and others'.

Mr Smith was investigated under the third strand, concerning accusations of sexual abuse unconnected to Savile but made by people who came forward following publicity surrounding the Savile allegations.

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Storm: Newhaven Search For Boy Called Off

A 14-year-old boy is feared dead after being swept into the sea while playing in the surf in rough weather conditions.

The youngster disappeared from West Beach at Newhaven, East Sussex, at about 4.15pm on Sunday.

Rescue teams, including a coastguard helicopter and a RNLI lifeboat, scoured the area in what were described as "atrocious conditions" with poor visibility.

An RNLI lifeboat is buffeted by the waves as it takes part in the search

After around six hours the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said it had stood down its search teams - making the operation one of search and recovery.

The teenager was playing with friends - who have all been accounted for - when the incident occurred.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "This is a very distressing incident and everything possible is being done to try to find the boy."

A rescue worker looks on as his colleagues battle the elements at sea

A MCA spokeswoman said that rescue teams struggled in difficult conditions.

She said police were with the boy's family, who are "distraught".

Meanwhile, the public were reminded of the dangers of being on the coast in bad weather, especially in view of the approaching storm. 

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Severe Storm Batters Britain With 90mph Winds

Britain is facing transport chaos as hurricane force winds batter southern parts of the country, shutting bridges and railways and cancelling flights.

St Jude's storm started battering the south west from around midnight.

The storm is expected to blast across England and Wales throughout the night and early morning.

Gusts of 93.15mph have already been recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, according to the MeteoGroup.

Torrential rain is also forecast and there are a number of flood warnings in place.

The storm is expected to bring severe disruption to transport, with chaos predicted at southern airports when the worst of the weather hits.

Sky's Home Affairs Correspondent Mark White reports airline workers have been that briefed winds of up to 80 knots (90+ mph) could last until midday at Heathrow.

An ominous-looking scene at Brighton marina. Pic: Kevin Long

Engineers have warned that they will be unable to open aircraft cargo hatches or operate walkways used to offload passengers in winds of more than 40-45 knots.

Airlines are believed to be making plans to divert planes to airports in the north of the UK if necessary.

Train companies are warning of widespread cancellations due to possible debris on the tracks.

Southern Railway, South West Trains, Greater Anglia and First Capital Connect are among those predicting travel delays.

Eurostar cross-channel services have been suspended until at least 7am, and around 60 flights have been cancelled at Heathrow airport.

Rough seas at Porthleven, Cornwall

As the storm approaches, the Coastguard said it had "stood down" its search for a 14-year-old boy swept out to sea while swimming at Newhaven, East Sussex.

A lifeboat and helicopter had been searching rough seas for the teenager. Sussex Police has warned people to "stay clear" of seashores during the adverse weather.

The storm has reminded some people of the Great Storm of 1987, when thousands of homes were without power for several days.

Veteran weatherman Michael Fish famously failed to predict its severity before it flattened trees, knocked out power and left 22 people dead in England and France.

An amber warning is in place across the southern half of England and Wales

This time he has warned people to "batten down the hatches" and to delay their morning journey by two or three hours on Monday morning.

He told Sky News' Murnaghan show: "There is certainly a severe storm on the way - and we certainly do need to worry about it.

"If you draw a line from about Aberystwyth to the Humber - everywhere south of there looks like getting affected by strong winds, to the north of that the problem is going to be heavy rain and localised flooding."

His comments were echoed by senior fire chiefs who have urged people to stay indoors if possible, and to take extra care if venturing out.

Meteorologists have warned the fierce winds and torrential rain could leave a trail of destruction, damaging buildings and bringing down trees and power lines.

The Great Storm of 1987 left thousands without power

Roads may also be hit by flash flooding, bringing rush hour traffic on Monday morning to a halt, and homes could be flooded.

The much-anticipated storm was named St Jude after the patron saint of lost causes, whose feast day is on Monday

Prime Minister David Cameron said he had chaired a call with Government departments and agencies to hear about their plans to "ensure people are protected from tonight's storm".

He was updated on preparations and contingency planning for transport, schools, hospitals, councils and power supplies.

Insurance companies have advised homeowners to take steps to protect themselves and their property.

They suggested having an evacuation plan, placing valuable items upstairs to limit flood damage and ensuring gutters are clear.

The Environment Agency says 20-40mm (0.8-1.6inches) of rain could fall within six to nine hours.

It has teams working to minimise river flood risk, clearing debris from streams and unblocking culverts.

A spokesman added: "Seafronts, quaysides and jetties should be avoided due to the risk of overtopping by waves and wind-blown shingle."

Met Office severe weather alerts are also in place, with an amber warning, meaning "be prepared", for the southern half of England and Wales.

A yellow warning, meaning "be aware", has been issued for the rest of Wales and England.

In London, the Metropolitan Police has urged people to avoid calling 999 during the storm unless there is a real emergency.

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said Atlantic storms of this type usually develop further west across the ocean, losing strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

:: For the latest on the storm watch a special edition of Sky News Sunrise from 6am on Monday.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Weather: Met Office Warns Of Severe Storm

England and Wales will be hit by a "significant storm" on Sunday night with winds of up to 80mph in some areas, the Met Office has warned.

Forecasters say the storm is expected to bring "exceptionally strong winds" to parts of the UK when it strikes late on Sunday night.

There were hopes the huge storm brewing over the Atlantic Ocean would miss the UK, and sweep instead through the English Channel.

But meteorologists are now certain it will strike the south west of England and could leave a trail of destruction as it gusts north-east across the country, causing structural damage, and bringing down trees and power lines.

The Met Office said winds of between 60mph and 80mph are expected across the southern half of the UK.

In exposed coastal areas the winds may reach speeds in excess of 80mph.

An amber warning is in place across the southern half of England and Wales

Frank Saunders, Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, said: "We are confident that a severe storm will affect Britain on Sunday night and Monday.

"We are now looking at refining the details about which areas will see the strongest winds and the heaviest rain.

"This is a developing situation and we'd advise people to stay up to date with our forecasts and warnings over the weekend, and be prepared to change their plans if necessary.

"We'll continue to work closely with authorities and emergency services to ensure they are aware of the expected conditions."

Roads may also be hit by flash flooding, bringing rush hour traffic on Monday morning to a halt, and homes could be flooded.

The Environment Agency says 20-40mm of rain could fall within six to nine hours.

Severe weather alerts are in place for England and Wales, with an amber warning, meaning "be prepared", for the southern half of England and Wales.

The storm will intensify on Sunday and hit the UK on Monday morning

There is a lesser yellow warning, meaning "be aware", for the rest of Wales and England up to the border with Scotland.

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "The storm is coming through at the worst possible time; from around midnight to midday on Monday - which takes in the rush hour when people are trying to get to work.

"Winds gusting at 80mph are quite capable of bringing down trees and power lines and causing structural damage.

"Trees are still full in leaf at this time of year and the ground is quite damp so there is more chance they can be ripped from the ground, and branches ripped from trees.

"There's also the possibility of flooding with torrential downpours and leaves blocking drains. South Wales and southern England are most at risk.

"There is likely to be flash flooding on roads and the AA will be out in force."

She said Atlantic storms of this type usually develop further west across the ocean, losing strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

But the storm will develop on Saturday and intensify on Sunday fairly close to the coast before it strikes with full force.

A strong jet stream and warm air close to the UK are contributing to its development and strength.

The storm of 1987 caused widespread damage and killed 22 people

Winds could top 80mph as they hit seaside towns and villages before slowly losing power as they gust across the UK and out to the North Sea.

Some have compared its potential to the Great Storm of 1987 and record-breaking gales in south Wales in 1989.

However, it will strike two weeks later than the 1987 storm, which left a trail of destruction on October 15 and 16.

Veteran weatherman Michael Fish famously failed to predict its severity before it flattened trees, knocked out power and left 22 people dead in England and France.

This time he warned people to "batten down the hatches" and keep checking the forecasts as the powerful storm approaches.

Darron Burness, head of the AA's flood rescue team, said: "The timing couldn't really be worse, potentially causing significant travel disruption on Monday morning, which is one of the busiest times on the roads.

"If it's bad where you are, keep tuned to the weather and traffic reports - in case of road or bridge closures - and heed any local police advice about whether it's safe to travel.

"At a minimum, take a fully-charged mobile phone and warm, weatherproof clothing."

He said the AA's specialist flood rescue team, driving modified Land Rovers, have been working all week and are on stand-by.

The Metropolitan Police has urged people to avoid calling 999 during the storm unless there is a real emergency.

A spokesman said: "The Metropolitan Police Service is reminding Londoners to dial 101 when contacting police when it's not an emergency with expected increases in demand brought about by high winds in the next few days."

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Merkel's Phone 'Bugged For Decade By US'

The United States may have bugged Angela Merkel's phone for more than 10 years, it has been claimed.

Der Spiegel magazine said the German chancellor's mobile telephone had been listed by the NSA's Special Collection Service (SCS) since 2002 and was still on the list weeks before Barack Obama visited Berlin in June.

Germany's outrage over reports of bugging of Ms Merkel's phone by the NSA prompted it to summon the US ambassador for the first time in living memory.

In an SCS document cited by Der Spiegel, the agency said it had a "not legally registered spying branch" in the US embassy in Berlin, the exposure of which would lead to "grave damage for the relations of the United States to another government".

Mr Obama met with Ms Merkel in Berlin earlier this year

From there, NSA and CIA staff were tapping communication in the Berlin's government district with high-tech surveillance.

Quoting a secret document from 2010, Der Spiegel said such branches existed in about 80 locations around the world, including Paris, Madrid, Rome, Prague, Geneva and Frankfurt.

The magazine said it was not clear whether the SCS had recorded conversations or just connection data.

Mr Obama apologised to Merkel when she called him on Wednesday to seek clarification on the issue, Der Spiegel wrote, citing a source in Ms Merkel's office.

Ms Merkel's spokesman and the White House declined comment.

The rift over US surveillance activities first emerged earlier this year after reports that Washington had bugged European Union offices and had tapped half a billion phone calls, emails and text messages in Germany in a typical month.

But it appeared close to resolution after Ms Merkel's government said in August - just weeks before a parliamentary election - the United States had given sufficient assurances they were upholding German law.

Mr Obama ordered a review of US surveillance programmes after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked documents that raised alarm in the United States and abroad.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More