Adam Pickup: Body Found In Missing Teen Search

Police searching for teenager Adam Pickup have found a body they believe to be the missing student.

The 17-year-old had not been seen since the early hours of Saturday morning, when he got separated from his friends during a night out in Manchester city centre.

But officers searching for Adam - whose disappearance prompted a nationwide appeal - have discovered a body in an area near Deansgate Train Station.

Police say there do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

Chief Superintendent Nick Adderley, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "While formal identification has not taken place we believe this is the body of missing Adam Pickup. His family has been informed.

Adam left Fab Cafe in Portland Street and was seen later in Oxford Street

"This is a heart-breaking time for Adam's family and our thoughts are with them.

"Our initial indication is that that there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, however speculation as to what may have happened will not give the answers Adam's family is looking for.

"We will now carry out a thorough investigation which includes a post-mortem examination.

"We would like to thank the media and the wider public for all their support during this appeal, including on social media."

Two men who were earlier arrested have been released without charge.

Adam was known to have left Fab Cafe on Portland Street at around 3.20am on Saturday morning.

Police had earlier released CCTV footage showing Adam walking down nearby Oxford Street along with an unidentified man and woman, who officers had urged to come forward.

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David Attenborough's 'Ghastly' Night Shifts

By Richard Suchet, Arts and Entertainment Correspondent

Sir David Attenborough says he struggled to acclimatise to night shifts during filming for his new documentary.

The 87-year-old historian admits he found 20 nights shooting at London's Natural History Museum a gruelling experience.

He told Sky News: "The first night you think, 'My God this is rather interesting'. Night two you think, 'Yes, well I hope this isn't going to go on much longer'. On day three you think, 'This is absolutely ghastly. Where is a bar of chocolate to console me?'

"But then by night four you are switched and it's as though you have gone to Australia. You're time-lagged.

"But lots of people at 87 spend their nights awake for worse reasons than mine."

His 90-minute film Natural History Museum Alive 3D brings his favourite ancient creatures to life with spectacular 3D and CGI effects.

Sir David's new film is set in London's Natural History Museum

As he explores the museum alone in the middle of the night, Sir David offers his scientific insight as he appears to interact with a sabre-toothed tiger, giant predatory birds, snakes, and dinosaurs.

"I have a bit of a qualm because here I am, a natural historian, and I'm supposed to be dealing with real creatures and what I say is supposed to be true and yet now I have to act a bit, to pretend there's a Dodo there," he says.

"Am I trying to deceive people? Well, we got rid of that problem by making some of the creatures we bring to life simply skeletons - they don't even have skin or feathers or scales, so that people know that this is a trick.

"But I hope they will believe in me as a natural historian enough to know that we're making it as truthful as we can, but at the same time playing this particular game.

"This museum is the great treasure house of natural history. I was a boy in the 30s and living in the Midlands, and to come to London to the Natural History Museum was an enormous thrill.

Sir David filmed at the museum for 20 nights

"It's an astonishment. Kids come in and their jaws sag."

Sir David, who has been making nature documentaries since the 1950s, insists he has no plans to retire and says he is still brimming with ideas for programmes.

"There are a lot of people at 87, friends of mine, who aren't in the position to be doing what I'm doing," he said.

"They don't get about as much or can't remember as much. Who knows what old age is going to do to you?

"And the fact that I feel relatively spry, I feel that I would be very ungrateful if I decided I wasn't going to take advantage of that good fortune.

"Last night I was finishing a script on the evolution of flight amongst animals."

Sir David's Natural History Museum Alive 3D airs on Sky 3D and Sky1 HD on New Year's Day.

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New Year Honours: Women Overtake Men

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

More women than men have been named in the New Year Honours List for the first time ever.

Actress Penelope Keith is made a dame along with Professor Julia Slingo, chief scientist at the Met Office, and Professor Susan Bailey, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Singer Katherine Jenkins, actress Lynda Bellingham and Arsenal Ladies footballer Rachel Yankey all receive OBEs, while businesswoman Karren Brady gets a CBE.

Ruth Jones, star and co-writer of Stella and Gavin & Stacey, is awarded an MBE.

Ruth Jones gets an MBE

In all, 611 women are honoured, accounting for 51% of the list, the highest total since the Order of the British Empire was founded in 1917.

Keith said she was "elated, exhausted and thrilled."

The 73-year-old, known for her crisp diction and roles in sitcoms such as To The Manor Born and The Good Life, receives her honour for services to the arts and to charity.

She said: "It's the big one. I had already got an OBE and then a CBE, so I don't know what is better than the icing on the cake - but this is."

Former England footballer David Beckham and Wimbledon winner Andy Murray had both been tipped for knighthoods but both missed out.

Marcus Setchell, the doctor who oversaw the safe delivery of Prince George, is recognised for his work caring for the Duchess of Cambridge.

Michael Crawford picks up a CBE

Actor Michael Crawford, who played Frank Spencer in 1970s sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, said his CBE for services to children's charities was "the most wonderful surprise".

The parents of murdered teenager Jimmy Mizen were given MBEs for their work setting up a foundation in their son's memory.

Mother Margaret Mizen told Sky News that she heard about the award in November but had to keep it secret.

"I just couldn't believe it I was in total shock," she said.

"We were determined not to be beaten by what happened.

"We go into schools and prisons and we share Jimmy's story but we don't go in telling them what to do, to put their knives down or put their guns down ... but we tell them how special they are."

Julie Bailey, who led the campaign to highlight the scandal at Stafford hospital, dedicated her CBE to her late mother Bella.

She told Sky News: "We haven't let powerful people silence us and brush it under the carpet we have just kept our heads down and kept going with dignity and respect."

MBEs have also been awarded to DJ Pete Tong, Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud and 90-year-old Bettina Dawson, who has been serving fish and chips to the people of Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway since 1928.

PM David Cameron has also faced criticism for "cronyism" over honours handed out to people close to him.

His close friend PR firm boss Alan Parker is knighted.  Karren Brady has worked as a Government business advisor.

In Mr Cameron's constituency Marion Dowding becomes an MBE for voluntary political service. She was once deputy chairman of the Witney Conservative Association and now runs the local Tory Supper Club.

Lib Dem peer Lord Oakeshott told Sky News: "Far too many go to the rich and famous and people who give money to political parties.

"It should be just for the unsung heroes, just for the people who do their job year-in year-out in exceptional circumstances."

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Northern Ireland: No Agreement At Haass Talks

Northern Ireland's main political parties have failed to reach an agreement after marathon overnight talks led by US diplomat Richard Haass.

Dr Haass said all parties supported aspects of a proposed agreement on how to deal with flags, disputed parades and the legacy of the Troubles, but a number of concerns remained.

The next step, he said, would be to form a working group made up of representatives from the five parties which would aim to build on the "significant progress" that had already been achieved.

There was a chance that all the parties would back all or key parts of his proposals in the future, he added.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams says an agreement has not been reached

Dr Haass said: "The choice is not between the text and some ideal.

"Rather it is the choice between going forward with an agreement of this sort which necessarily represents some compromise, and the status quo." 

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams indicated his party was ready to strike a full deal, and urged all those involved "to reflect upon the process" - but he said the talks could not continue forever.

The DUP and Ulster Unionists both indicated they had major difficulties with elements of the text.

Ulster Unionist negotiator Jeffrey Donaldson MP said his team "profoundly disapprove" of some of the report's language.  

The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) said it would also be conducting a consultation, but party leader Alasdair McDonnell said he would be recommending a general endorsement of the proposals.

Alliance party deputy leader Naomi Long said she was willing to endorse proposals on the past, but not on flags and parades.

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said: "It is disappointing that it has not been possible to reach a comprehensive agreement on flags, parading and the past within the timetable set out by Dr Haass and his team.

"Yet this should not be seen as the end of the road in seeking to find a way forward on these difficult and divisive issues.

"The Haass process has seen much valuable work done involving the political parties along with groups and individuals from across the community. Significant progress has been made. It is important to build on this and continue to seek agreement in areas that continue to be a focus for tension and division within society."

Dr Haass and his vice-chair Professor Meghan O'Sullivan - America's former deputy national security advisor on Iraq and Afghanistan - returned to Belfast on Saturday.

The talks were suspended in the early hours of Christmas Eve, but Dr Haass said the proposals on the table were "extraordinarily close" to gaining support.

He had set a deadline of noon on Monday for a deal to be reached.

Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness invited Dr Haass after weeks of unrest over flags and marches.

There were serious disturbances last December and January when Belfast City Council voted to limit the number of days the Union flag is flown on City Hall.

Rioting flared during the summer marching season too when the Parades Commission prohibited an Orange Order return march at Ardoyne in north Belfast.

Agreement on when flags should be flown has proven most elusive and the parties may decide to defer that issue to another process after the next election.

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North Sea Ferry Arson: Man Appears In Court

A man has appeared in court charged with arson intending to endanger lives after a fire on a North Sea ferry led to an emergency evacuation.

Boden Hughes, 26, of Sunderland, was initially charged with arson following the fire on the DFDS ferry on Saturday but the charge was amended to a more serious charge at North Shields Magistrates' Court today.

The fire is thought to have caused damage worth £815,000.

Four crew members and two passengers had to be winched off the DFDS King Seaways ferry after they inhaled smoke when the fire broke out 30 miles off the Humberside coast.

The ferry fire broke out at around 10.45pm on Saturday

The six people were taken to Scarborough Hospital by RAF helicopter but were not said to be in a serious condition.

A further 15 passengers and eight crew members were treated by doctors for smoke-related injuries on board the ferry after the fire, which started in a cabin at around 10.45pm. It was extinguished within 15 minutes.

The 30,000-tonne ship returned to Newcastle Ferry Port, in North Shields, at around 4am on Sunday but passengers were kept on board until 9am while police investigated.

The 26-year-old ship, which has room for 1,500 passengers and 600 cars, was carrying 946 passengers and 127 crew when the fire broke out.

A 28-year-old man who was also detained on suspicion of affray has been bailed pending further enquiries.

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Debenhams Profits Warning After Poor Xmas Sales

Debenhams has announced it will be slashing prices after issuing a profits warning following poor Christmas sales.

Shares in Britain's second-largest department store plunged by as much as 13% on Tuesday after it disclosed profits nearly £30m lower than last year.

In a statement released by Debenhams management, they say that they now "expect the need for additional markdown to clear stock in January and February".

The store said that while online sales had increased they had not done so significantly enough and that the "final surge" in sales they had expected around Christmas had failed to materialise.

It blamed the poor performance on the continuing decline of the high street, the impact of the recession on household incomes and the bad weather.

The retailer is planning to slash prices in January and February

Michael Sharp, chief executive of Debenhams, said: "As has been widely commented on in the media, the market was highly promotional in the run up to Christmas and we responded to these conditions to ensure our offer was competitive.

"However, this extremely difficult environment has inevitably had an impact on both our sales and profitability.

"Looking forward, I expect conditions to remain highly competitive as we enter 2014. Everyone in the organisation is focused on improving performance and growing the business, building on the four pillars of our strategy which I remain confident will lead to success over the longer term."

The announcement, which had been due on January 17 but was brought forward because of the results, saw the retailer reveal an £85m profit for the 17 weeks to December 28 – some way off the £114.7m in the same period last year, a 26% drop.

The company's statement showed that online sales had increased by 27% during that time and accounted for 15.6% of total sales, compared to 12.4% for the same period last year.

However, the income from online delivery was, it said, still lower than had been anticipated.

It comes after the high street spending spree dubbed 'Manic Monday' that had been predicted for December 23, failed to materialise because of the strong winds and heavy rains.

Analysts had expected 15 million people to take to stores, spending £2.6m a minute on gifts, food, drink and decorations.

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Crawley House Explosion Claims Woman's Life

A woman in her 50s has died after an explosion at a house in Crawley, West Sussex.

Police were called to the address in Banks Road at 12.30pm.

A woman was taken from the property and treated by paramedics but died at the scene shortly afterwards. There is not believed to have been anyone else in the house.

It is unclear what caused the blast, but it is not thought to be suspicious.

Damage was confined to the interior of the house and no other properties were affected.

More follows...

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Veteran Comedian John Fortune Dies Aged 74

Comedian John Fortune, who was best known for the series Bremner, Bird And Fortune, has died aged 74.

The veteran satirist's agent, Vivienne Clore, said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that I write of the death of John Fortune this morning aged 74.

"He died peacefully with his wife, Emma and dog Grizelle, at his bedside.

"A renowned satirist, early work included contributions to Peter Cook's Establishment club and more latterly his work with long term collaborator, John Bird and Rory Bremner.

"He is survived by his adored wife, Emma and three children."

Bird (left), Bremner (centre) and Fortune

Bremner tweeted: ""I'm so sorry to let you know that my friend John Fortune died this morning.

"Lovely man, dear friend, brilliant & fearless satirist."

Fortune enjoyed a long working relationship with Bird, appearing together in A Series Of Bird's in 1967, The Long Johns in 1995 and in Bremner, Bird And Fortune between 1999 and 2007.

The duo were particularly adept at playing self-satisfied but bumbling establishment figures, such as politicians, bankers and military officers.

Fortune was also a popular character actor in feature films such as Match Point, The Tailor Of Panama and Calendar Girls.

Other TV roles included parts in New Tricks, Yes Minister and Murder Most Horrid.

John Challis, best known for his role as Boycie in Only Fools And Horses, tweeted: ""So sad to hear that John Fortune has died.

"I played henchman to his chief villain in Cat's Eyes and we laughed a lot. Another goodun gone."

And Stephen Fry tweeted: "Oh how sad John Fortune has died. He was in the first play I was ever in, 40 Years On. Huge influence on the satire boom. Loved parrots too."

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Bosham Murder Hunt As Woman Found Dead

A 55-year-old woman has been found dead at a family home she was looking after during the holidays in a picturesque south coast seaside village.

The victim, named by police as Valerie Graves, was discovered with a serious head injury at the house at Smuggler's Lane, in Bosham, near Chichester, West Sussex, on Monday at 9.50am.

Mrs Graves, of Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex, who had two grown-up children, had been staying at the six-bedroomed house with three members of her family while the owners, listed as Malcolm and Jane Chamberlain, and their two children were away over the Christmas holidays.

Police teams working at the house on Tuesday

A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "They (the owners) have people staying in the house while they are away for the holidays, it could be friends, it could be family.

"It is not rented out, people come because it is a nice place to visit. We do not know who they were, they have been there since Christmas.

"There were cars parked in the drive, they were entirely well-behaved, they came gently and went gently, we heard absolutely nothing."

The home has children's play equipment in the garden outside

She added: "I am just very sad for our neighbours and for everybody. You can't imagine coming back from holiday to this, it must be just horrendous."

Police said that the death was being treated as suspicious and was being investigated by detectives from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team.

Detective Chief Inspector Jon Fanner said: "At this stage we are keeping an open mind as to the motive, but we are appealing for witnesses who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the area from late afternoon on Sunday, December 29 to around 9am on Monday, December 30.

"Please call us if you know anything, no matter how insignificant you might think it is. It could be important to the investigation.

"This is a rare incident for Bosham, which is a safe area. We have increased our neighbourhood policing patrols in the village and if anyone has any information or concerns, I would urge them to speak to one of the officers who are there."

Forensics officers were working at the home, which is valued at £1.5m and has children's playground equipment outside, on Tuesday morning. 

Bosham has a rich history and legend has it that King Canute  lived  in the village and it was there he ordered the waves to retreat.

Bosham church features on the Bayeux tapestry and King Harold sailed for Normandy from Quay Meadow in 1064.

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Stag Seriously Injures Woman In Highlands

A Cambridge academic has been seriously injured on holiday after being gored by a stag in a "bizarre and horrific" attack.

Dr Kate Stone is said to be fighting for her life after being wounded by the animal near Fort William in the Highlands.

She had to be airlifted to hospital in Glasgow and is understood to be in intensive care, with injuries to her neck and spine caused by the stag's antlers.

The attack happened in the early hours of Monday, December 30, when Dr Stone and a group of friends were standing outside a private home in Lochailort.

The Press and Journal newspaper reports that the animal appeared to single out Dr Stone, who at six foot was the tallest of the group.

The research engineer had been on a short break. Pic: Kate Stone/Facebook

Her friends initially thought she had just been knocked over in the attack, but it soon became apparent she had been badly hurt.

Dr Stone, who was born a man but changed gender in 2007, studied at Cambridge for a PhD in physics and microelectronics, and is now a research engineer at the university's institute of manufacturing.

She also established her own successful start-up company, Novalia, which looks "at making anything that's printed interactive".

She was among a group on a short break in the Highlands, and had been at a ceilidh in Lochailort Inn.

They were staying at the nearby Mo-Dhachaidh B&B owned by Gary Burton.

Mr Burton said he heard about the attack when one of Dr Stone's friends returned at around 2.30am.

"I think what happened was that the stag panicked. It was trapped in a fenced garden having got through a gate. I don't think there was anywhere else to go and it charged out of the gate," he said.

"It's very bizarre and very horrific."

The group was left shocked by the attack but managed to help Dr Stone and contact the emergency services, Mr Burton said.

"The last I heard was late last night that Kate is still in intensive care," said Mr Burton, who explained the community had never experience a stag attack like this before.

He said: "This is a one-in-a-million event which has shocked the whole community. We are at one with nature in Lochailort, and we have deer all around us.

"We are all hoping and praying that Kate pulls through.

"I don't pry into our guests' personal lives but I had a conversation with Kate and I know she is a very outdoors person, and loves camping and walking.

"It would be a tragedy if she couldn't do that any more."

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Northern Ireland Talks End Without Deal

Talks being held throughout the night in Northern Ireland aimed at finding a solution to peace process issues have ended without agreement.

The marathon session in Belfast between Stormont's five executive parties and chaired by US former diplomat Richard Haass broke up at 4am.

It had been hoped that a resolution over flags, parades and other matters connected with the troubles of the past could be found before Christmas.

Mr Haass and co-chairwoman Meghan O'Sullivan, a US foreign affairs expert, had hoped to return to the US with an agreement.

Instead, they will fly back home for Christmas empty handed and will instead ask all those involved a number of questions, the answers to which will, they hope, lead to another draft set of proposals - the fifth - that may bring a deal closer.

The pair have said they will consider returning next weekend if an eleventh hour deal can be struck.

Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness appointed Richard Haass to the job

Emerging from the meeting at the Stormont Hotel, Mr Haass insisted the process was not dead.

"I am not in the business of doing post mortems here because the patient is still alive," he said.

Mr Haass said there continued to be "significant differences and divisions" among the parties on all three issues being discussed.

While some progress had been made on parades and dealing with the past, there was no immediate prospect of a deal on flags, he said.

"The work done on flags is quite disappointing by any measure," he explained. "But the other two areas have been, I believe, quite impressive and I believe it would be a real shame not to be able to turn that work into a reality."

He added: "We would like to think there is reason to return....Let me be clear about this - we don't have an agreement, (but) in no way have we given up the possibility of still reaching an agreement before the end of the year."

Mr Haass has already said that neither he nor Ms O'Sullivan will be able to continue to be involved in the process beyond the end of the year because of other commitments.

As the talks were going on, a gun attack was carried out at a police station in Lisnaskea in County Fermanagh, according to members of the Northern Ireland Assembly. No injuries were reported.

Justice Minister David Ford's office tweeted: "Those who tried to kill police officers in Lisnaskea are to be condemned. They have nothing positive to offer."

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Care Home Christmas Tree Theft Caught On CCTV

Police are hunting for a woman who was caught on CCTV stealing a Christmas tree from a care home in London.

The video shows the woman entering the sheltered housing building in Camberwell, southeast London, on the pretence of visiting someone.

However, no one at the home for vulnerable adults knew who she was.

After a short time in the building, the suspect picked up the small tree, which had a star on the top, and walked out of the main entrance with it.

It was the only Christmas tree in the home and had been donated by a member of staff.

No one at the care home knew the woman

Police have now issued an appeal for information from anyone who saw the incident on December 15.

PC Lorna Clark said: "This is a particularly callous crime especially at this time of year involving some of our more vulnerable members of society.

"If anyone is able to identify the female or has any information about the theft they are asked to contact police on 020 8721 2446 or 101 or CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111."

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Alan Turing: WWII Code-Breaker Granted Pardon

Second World War code-breaker Alan Turing has been given a posthumous royal pardon for a 61-year-old conviction for homosexual activity.

Dr Turing, who played a pivotal role in breaking the Enigma code, arguably shortening the war by at least two years, was chemically castrated following his conviction in 1952.

His conviction for "gross indecency" led to the removal of his security clearance and meant he was no longer able to work for Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) where he had continued to work following his service at Bletchley Park during the war.

There's been a long campaign to clear the mathematician's (far right) name

Dr Turing, who died aged 41 in 1954 and is often described as the father of modern computing, has been granted a pardon - effective from today - under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy by the Queen following a request from Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.

He said: "Dr Alan Turing was an exceptional man with a brilliant mind. His brilliance was put into practice at Bletchley Park during the Second World War where he was pivotal to breaking the Enigma code, helping to end the war and save thousands of lives.

"His later life was overshadowed by his conviction for homosexual activity, a sentence we would now consider unjust and discriminatory and which has now been repealed.

"Dr Turing deserves to be remembered and recognised for his fantastic contribution to the war effort and his legacy to science. A pardon from the Queen is a fitting tribute to an exceptional man."

Dr Turing died of cyanide poisoning and an inquest recorded a verdict of suicide, although his mother and others maintained his death was accidental.

Bletchley Park was Britain's main decryption base during World War Two

There has been a long campaign to clear the mathematician's name, including an e-petition backed by 37,404 signatures and private member's bill, along with support from leading scientists such as Stephen Hawking.

The Justice Secretary has the power to ask the Queen to grant a pardon under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy for civilians convicted in England and Wales.

A pardon is only normally granted when the person is innocent of the offence and where a request has been made by someone with a vested interest such as a family member. But on this occasion a pardon has been issued without either requirement being met.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Alan Turing was a remarkable man who played a key role in saving this country in World War Two by cracking the German Enigma code.

"His action saved countless lives. He also left a remarkable national legacy through his substantial scientific achievements, often being referred to as the father of modern computing."

Iain Stewart, Conservative MP for Milton Keynes South, who was involved in the campaign to secure a royal pardon, said it was a "just reward  for a man who was stripped of his honour, his work and the loyalty he showed his nation".

The World War II Enigma decoding machine at Bletchley Park

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, president and vice chancellor of the University of Manchester, where Dr Turing had worked, also welcomed the news and said: "His legacy will live on as one of the most significant scientists of his or any other generation."

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said the granting of the royal pardon was "long overdue" and called for the same treatment to be given to others convicted in similar circumstances.

A GCHQ spokesperson said: "We are delighted about the pardon and point to the personal tribute that Director GCHQ made to Alan Turing in a speech at the University of Leeds in Oct 2012.

"Sir Iain Lobban said at the time: 'If I had to single out one piece of Turing's legacy to GCHQ today, it would be the way that his contribution was part of the irrevocable change that turned the Code and Cypher School from being the mainly cryptanalytic bureau it was between the wars to becoming the highly technological intelligence organisation that GCHQ is today'."

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Adoption: New Online Maps To Ease Process

Would-be adopters are being urged by a minister to use online maps to help match them to some of the 6,000 children in need of a home.

The interactive maps include local information such as the ratio of children in need of waiting adopters and the approval rate.

Children and Families Minister Edward Timpson said there had been "promising progress" to improve adoption rates, but significantly more needed to be done.

The online system has information about each council area

"This Christmas I want anyone considering adoption to look carefully at the information in our interactive maps and consider whether they can offer a child a stable and loving home," said Mr Timpson, who has two adopted brothers.

"There remains significant work to do next year.

"Our new adoption leadership board will play an important role ensuring local authorities and adoption agencies stay on track and recruit more adopters.

"A further £50m for councils in 2014 will help them put the building blocks in place to implement our reforms."

Department for Education figures show a 34% increase in willing adopters and successful adoptions up by 15% following the implementation of reforms.

Adoption UK chief executive Hugh Thornbery said: "We've seen a rise in adoptions this year, but we still need more adopters to provide loving homes for some of society's most vulnerable children.

"We know that key to attracting more adopters is the assurance of accessible, timely and appropriate support."

Successful adoptions are up by 15% following reforms

David Simmonds, chair of the Local Government Association's Children and Young People Board, said an increased focus on improving adoption services was a "positive move, but this isn't new money".

He said it represented a net reduction in funding for local authorities and could impact on services for vulnerable children.

"Councils have been working hard to recruit more adoptive mums and dads and are doing everything in their power to ensure that vulnerable children get the best start in life," he said.

"The fact remains that we still need thousands more potential adopters to come forward to offer loving homes.

"Councils also rightly acknowledge that there is variation in performance across the country and the LGA is working with the Government to help support improvement.

"However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach and decisions must be made on what is in the best interests of each individual child."

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Parents Spend £135m On Babies' First Christmas

By Adele Robinson, Midlands Correspondent

Parents in the UK spend some £135m on gifts to mark their child's first Christmas, according to a survey by the Post Office.

The study found that an average of £166 is spent per couple and that parents in London spend the most at £328.50, while parents in Belfast spend the least at £63.61.

Young parents are shown to be the biggest spenders, with 18 to 24-year-olds buying £245 worth of gifts.

Prince George will spend his first Christmas at Sandringham

Sky News has been following a new mum and dad from Manchester who gave birth around the same time as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Chloe Renwick and Matt Lee-Cook's son Sebastien was born at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester in July - a week after Prince George was born at St Mary's Hospital in London. Chloe and Matt have spent around £50 on Sebastien's first Christmas.

Mr Lee-Cook said: "(It's) less than we will probably spend on future Christmases. He has managed to spend a lot of our money already.

"I don't think he's going to feel the benefit of a material Christmas so we've got him a few little things, a few toys, nothing significant."

Some £245 worth of gifts were bought by parents aged 18 to 24

Ms Renwick said: "It's also the incidentals; all the things that we've bought around it. So he's had a high chair so he can sit with us at Christmas - that's not factored into his Christmas budget, so I suppose in total we've spent a lot more than that, just not specifically for Christmas."

When it comes to gifts the most popular present is a teddy bear, or soft toys, for a baby's first Christmas.

Interactive, or educational baby games came second, followed by baby clothes and then Christmas-themed costumes.

Almost two in five parents (38%) are planning to put money aside in a savings account. The average contribution is around £98.

Prince George is expected to spend his first Christmas at the Queen's estate in Sandringham. Traditionally the Royal Family exchange small gifts which are often humorous.

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Afghanistan: British Soldier Killed By Enemy Fire

A British soldier understood to have been serving in the Special Forces has been killed in action in Afghanistan.

"It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) must announce the death of a soldier from the Royal Engineers in Afghanistan on 23 December, 2013," the MoD said in a statement.

"The serviceman was killed in action as a result of enemy fire whilst on operations east of Kabul."

Next of kin have been informed.

The death takes the number of UK service members who have lost their lives since operations began in Afghanistan in October 2001 to 447.

The majority of British forces are in Helmand Province, in the south of the country, but some also operate elsewhere, including in and around the capital, Kabul.

British combat troops are due to have left the country by the end of 2014.

There are just four bases remaining outside Camp Bastion, due to be closed down one by one in the new year, and the number of personnel has been reduced from 9,000 at the start of the year to around 5,200.

Prime Minister David Cameron said during a visit to the base last week that Afghanistan was "mission accomplished" and that British troops could return to the UK with their "heads held high".

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Addison Cresswell: 'Larger Than Life' Agent Dies

Addison Cresswell, who managed the careers of Jonathan Ross and Jack Dee and was regarded as one of the most influential figures in British comedy, has died at the age of 53.

Cresswell's management company Off The Kerb had also represented Lee Evans, Jo Brand and Alan Carr and his production company, Open Mike, was behind popular TV shows such as Live At The Apollo.

He negotiated the deals which once saw Ross become one of the highest-earners on UK television - the chat show host signed a three-year contract with the BBC for around £18m which ended in 2010.

Following the fall-out from the Sachsgate scandal, Cresswell took his client to ITV where he now has another successful chat show.

A spokesman said the agent and producer "passed away in his sleep at home last night".

Cresswell, seen as a no-nonsense, forceful and larger than life character by many in the industry, got his break in the entertainment industry after becoming entertainments officer at Brighton Polytechnic where he was studying.

His first client was the poet John Hegley and he began his business working from his kitchen table.

He built his empire to such a degree that his acts - who also include Michael McIntyre - often dominate TV comedy shows.

Jonathan Ross and Jo Brand were among Cresswell's clients

His death has shocked the comedy world with many stars taking to Twitter to leave their tributes.

Stephen Fry wrote: "Oh goodness, I've just heard about Addison Cresswell a larger than life impresario manager. My deepest sympathy to all his family & friends."

James Corden tweeted: "Such sad news. An incredible man. An incredible talent. May he rest in peace x."

Omid Djalili tweeted: "Shocking news about Addison Cresswell. 52. Way too young. I miss the headlocks already RIP."

A spokesman said: "Addison will be fondly remembered by all whose lives he touched as a devoted mentor, a dear friend and an unforgettable character. He will be sorely missed.

"He leaves behind a proud legacy in his tireless charity work, initiating and organising the annual Channel 4 Comedy Gala in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital. It was his dearest wish to raise enough to fund the opening of a brand new wing of the hospital, a goal that is now in sight.

He added: "He is survived by his beloved wife, Shelley, his dogs Bonnie and Nessie and many, many pet fish."

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Waitrose Airbrushes Writer A Girl Called Jack

Waitrose has apologised after a writer's tattoos were apparently airbrushed out of a photoshoot for its food magazine.

Jack Monroe said she was "stunned" to see her body art erased without her permission from a photo used in the current issue of Waitrose Kitchen.

The 25-year-old single mother, whose blog about budget recipes for her son earned her a huge following online, said she was commissioned to contribute recipes to the magazine.

Waitrose is traditionally seen as a favourite with middle-class shoppers

She posted a photo of the offending image on Twitter and wrote: "Thanks to Waitrose Kitchen, I now know what I would look like without my tattoos."

Ms Monroe, who has almost 30,000 Twitter followers, added: "I'm missing a massive deck of cards on my shoulder and a big rose underneath it. Wow. Actually stunned."

She told Sky News: "I'm disappointed in the editorial decision to remove my tattoos.

Ms Monroe's tattoos did feature in Waitrose Kitchen's November issue

"Body art may not be to everyone's taste but there's no denying that they are very much a part of who I am - I choose to decorate myself in a similar way that some women would choose statement jewellery or designer handbags, neither of which appeal to me!

"More surprisingly is that in last month's edition of the magazine my tattoos were on full display - so to airbrush them for the following edition seems odd and inconsistent.

"I always take long sleeved tops to photo shoots to give editors the 'option' of featuring my tattoos or not - but airbrushing them out is an entirely different matter."

Waitrose Kitchen's sales rose after Pippa Middleton signed up as a writer

A Waitrose spokeswoman blamed an error in January's magazine and said a previous issue, which featured the tattoos, showed that the supermarket does not have a problem with body art.

She said: "Jack's tattoos were clearly visible in the three pictures in the November issue of Kitchen.

"Unfortunately an error was made in the January edition. We're very sorry for any upset caused."

Waitrose Kitchen - published by John Brown Media and edited by food writer and broadcaster William Sitwell - costs £1.20 and boasts 1.4 million readers.

It saw sales surge by almost 20% after hiring the Duchess of Cambridge's sister Pippa Middleton as a columnist shortly after parting company with 72-year-old Delia Smith.

Jack Monroe started her blog after finding herself with a budget of £10 per week to feed herself and her son Johnny.

The blog's success has earned her a book deal and appearances on shows including BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour and BBC One's The One Show.

Earlier this month, she announced she would be fronting a TV ad campaign for Waitrose's rival Sainsbury's.

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Weather: Christmas Travel Plans Hit By Storms

Travellers are still struggling with transport problems after a night of widespread storms caused flooding and power outages and toppled hundreds of trees.

Earlier there were no train services to or from Gatwick airport in West Sussex and power problems at its north terminal meant that only British Airways flights were departing.

But 11 BA flights have been cancelled and passengers have been told the power supply problems mean they will not be able to travel with their luggage.

The airline said bags will be sent to them as soon as possible but after Christmas Day, meaning many will have to choose between leaving Christmas presents behind or cancelling their trip altogether.

Fire crews rescued motorists from cars Pic: Dorset Fire and Rescue Service

EasyJet, which is flying from the south terminal, has cancelled a 38 flights.

Passengers at the airport have complained of a lack of information and spoke of four-hour delays.

In Dorset fire crews rescued around 25 people from cars trapped in floodwater.

Fire control said rescuers helped get people out of stranded vehicles in the Sturminster, Blandford, Shaftesbury, Sherborne and Wimborne areas.

Some have been forced to leave their homes as water levels rise while many villages in the South East have found themselves under water. A severe flood warning has been issued for Leatherhead in Surrey.

The south of the country has had some respite from the stormy weather but parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland are still being battered by strong gales and heavy rains.

Engineers are working to restore power to as many as 130,000 homes across the country, with no guarantee the lights will be back on in time for Christmas Day.

UK Power Networks has said it will buy Christmas dinner for anyone who is still without power on on Wednesday.

A number of train companies were unable to run any early-morning trains and when services did eventually start they were subject to delays and cancellations.

Network Rail (NR) said more than 200 trees had come down on lines during the last 24 hours and there had been "a further 100 major incidents discovered on top of that".

The departures board at Waterloo station shows dozens of cancelled trains

It added that in southern England the storm damage had been greater than that of the 'St Jude's Storm' a few weeks ago.

Customers are being advised to check the latest travel situation before starting their journeys.

Some 900 passengers were stuck on the Spirit of Britain ferry outside Dover for 15 hours as it was considered too risky to enter the harbour.

The ship left Calais last night and managed to dock safely at around 7.30am.

Shortly before the ship reached Dover, Digvijay Rathod told Sky News: "Many people haven't slept. I have 53 people to take care of. There are mothers, there are children who have been sick.

Flooded tracks in West Horndon, Essex, show the challenge facing rail firms

"It's been a tough night - people just want to get home. We left Calais at 4pm and we were supposed to reach here within two hours."

The Environment Agency has issued hundreds of flood warnings across all of England and Wales, with a severe flood warning - the highest level warning of danger to life - in the South West, where properties are expected to flood.

People travelling on First Great Western's service from London Paddington to Devon and Cornwall were left stranded at Taunton in Somerset shortly before 1am because of flooding and signal problems.

Passengers described delays after leaving London before the service was terminated at Taunton with First Great Western then having to put people on buses and taxis to get them to their destination.

Tim Field from the Energy Networks Association told Sky News that it was not possible to promise that power would be restored to homes cut off by the storm in time for Christmas Day.

Families in Edenbridge, Kent, say water levels are rising in their street

He said: "We've been able to restore about 60,000 properties yesterday evening and last night but with the storms that have come in, people are waking up this morning to find themselves without power.

"We've been facing some very difficult conditions. Fallen trees have brought down power lines and blocked roads, which has affected engineers' progress."

The Environment Agency Flood Line can be contacted on 0845 988 1188 for advice and up to date information.

Christmas Day is expected to be calmer with just a few wintry showers in the north and west, while Boxing Day looks mainly fine, but stormy conditions look set to return on Friday.

Passengers on a Calais to Dover ferry spent a miserable 15 hours at sea

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Dog Owner Is Second To Die Trying To Rescue Pet

Two men have been killed in the space of two days trying to rescue their dogs from fast-flowing river waters as storms caused hazardous conditions across Britain.

A 46-year-old man was swept away by the current after he leapt into the River Lemon after his pet in Newton Abbot at 11.15am on Tuesday.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said he was later spotted some distance downstream by police officers, who managed to retrieve him from the river.

An air ambulance took him to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, but he was later pronounced dead.

The dog escaped from the water unharmed.

Much of the country has been battered by wind and rain

The man had entered the water by the Asda store at Bakers Park, where his family are believed to have been shopping at at the time.

It followed an incident in the River Rothay in Ambleside, Cumbria, on Monday, which saw a 48-year-old man lose his life.

Simon Martindale was seen with his dog in the river at approximately 2.25pm before being swept away by the fast-moving water.

His body was found at 3.30pm following a multi-agency search.

Again, the dog managed to get out of the water.

The storms have so far claimed five lives and the Environment Agency has issued scores of flood warnings across all of England and Wales.

Police have warned people against entering fast-flowing water "for any reason".

A woman died in a river in Gwynedd, North Wales, another woman was killed in a car crash in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and a man died in a multiple-collision crash near Bodmin in Cornwall on Sunday night.

A body has also been found in a stream in Horton, Telford, Shropshire.

Police said it was not known how long the body had been in the water or whether the death was related to the recent weather conditions.

Flooding in Guildford in Surrey

:: See the latest weather forecast here

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Nicola Payne: Two Held Over 1991 Disappearance

Two men have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of a young mother as she walked home 22 years ago.

The men, both aged 49, are being held on suspicion of the abduction and murder of Nicola Payne, said West Midlands Police.

The men were arrested at 8am at their home addresses in the Bell Green and Stoke areas of Coventry.

A 51-year-old woman at the same address was also arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

All three were taken to police stations in the West Midlands for questioning.

Ms Payne went missing after setting out on foot from the family home in Coventry on December 14, 1991.

Despite a huge search, 18-year-old Ms Payne - who had a seven-month-old baby son - has never been seen again.

The arrests come just days after a fresh appeal for information was launched, following new forensic results which detectives described as "a breakthrough".

Ms Payne's family are aware of the latest development.

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Woolwich: Adebolajo Evidence 'Is No Defence'

The claim by Woolwich murder trial defendant Michael Adebolajo that he is "a soldier of Allah" is no defence to the charge of murder, a jury has been told.

Mr Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale are accused of running down off-duty soldier Lee Rigby with a car and then hacking him to death with a meat cleaver and knives in a street in south-east London. 

Mr Justice Sweeney told the jury at the Old Bailey that nothing said by Mr Adebolajo in his evidence amounts in law to a defence to the charge of murder.

He said: "I have ruled that nothing said by the first defendant and... his evidence - in short he was a soldier of Allah and was justified in doing what he did - amounts in law to a defence to this count.

"So nothing that he has said amounts in law to a defence to count one."

In his closing speech, prosecutor Richard Whittam QC said Islam was not on trial and told the jury: "The action of these two men acting together as they did, crashing their car into and breaking the back of Lee Rigby and then killing him is indefensible in the law of this country.

"Killing to make a political point, to frighten the public or to put pressure on the Government or as an expression of anger is murder."

He added: "It remains murder whether the Government in question is a good one, bad one or a dreadful one. We submit to you, it is clearly murder."

Fusilier Rigby's family were in court as Mr Whittam showed the jury once again images of bloodied knives, and also replayed video clips of the May 22 killing.

Replaying a video clip showing Fusilier Rigby being dragged into the road, Mr Whittam said: "Is this a humane killing?

The jury was again shown images of knives found at the scene of the killing

"Is this a killing with an attempt to decapitate and then deposit the body in the middle of the road causing traffic to stop and turn around?"

Mr Whittam recalled witness accounts previously read to the jury as well as extracts from a note handed to Amanda Donnelly-Martin at the scene.

"What was the purpose of what they have done, killing Lee Rigby in the way the had done, in putting the body there and staying at the scene? To borrow a phrase from the first defendant - carnage."

Mr Adebolajo's defending counsel, David Gottlieb, said a proper charge for his client would have been "treason, terrorism, or maybe manslaughter".

In his closing speech, Mr Gottlieb said: "All deaths outside of lawful deaths are cruel, needless and unnecessary.

"Do you think really that this is the cruellest, most sadistic, most callous, most cowardly killing that's ever occured in our nation's history? It isn't."

Mr Gottlieb said Mr Adebolajo's family were "victims" in the case as much as the family of Drummer Rigby and told the jury that his client had been "demonised and painted as a monster".

The defending barrister also suggested that Mr Adebolajo was "the most law-abiding terrorist in the history of this country" as his client paid for a parking ticket moments before the alleged murder took place.

Mr Gottlieb later explained that he was using a "Sherlock Holmes" approach, adding: "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

He said there were unarmed police near the scene, but Mr Adebolajo chose to wait for armed teams, which would not fit with an intention to kill an officer.

The barrister went on to tell the panel of eight women and four men that the issue of what motivated Mr Adebolajo "raises awkward questions" for the UK's political leaders.

He said: "A person, a human being, can do the most evil act in the world and not actually be evil themselves."

The alleged killers no longer face a charge of conspiracy to murder a police officer after the judge discharged the jury from any further consideration of that count.

Mr Adebolajo, 29 and Mr Adebowale, 22, still face counts of murder and attempted murder of a police officer, which they both deny.

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Top 10 Most Complained About Shows Of 2013

Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has revealed the year's most complained about shows, with Big Brother topping the list.

The Channel 5 reality show received 965 complaints, over 200 more than any other show, to win the dubious honour for a second year running.

A majority of the complaints centred on comments by housemate Jemima Slade and her preferences on men.

On the show she revealed her inclination towards "dark-skinned Mediterranean" men, but "not black men". The comments received 305 complaints, according to Ofcom.

Viewers also complained about housemates bullying Hazel O'Sullivan as well as arguments between Ms O'Sullivan and Daley Ojuederie, another contestant on the show.

The X Factor was the second most complained about show, generating 734 complaints.

Around 317 viewers were concerned about an episode in which US pop star Lady Gaga performed in a skimpy outfit made of shells and flesh-coloured underwear.

Despite the number of complaints, Ofcom said there were no grounds to investigate against the Broadcasting Code.

ITV News came in third, with 574 complaints, many relating to coverage of the killing of Fusilier Lee Rigby on May 22.

Ofcom said an investigation into the news item would be published following the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

The single most complained about TV incident in 2013 related to the BBC's Comic Relief: Funny For Money, broadcast on March 15, in which Rowan Atkinson played the Archbishop of Canterbury.

A total of 487 people complained about the programme, with many citing the actor's portrayal as offensive.

Ofcom ruled that both the use of language and the offence caused by the subject matter explored during the comedy sketch were justified by the context.

The BBC News, Emmerdale, Downton Abbey and Coronation Street were also among the top 10 most complained about shows.

:: The most complained about TV shows of 2013, to December 12

1. Big Brother: 965 complaints

2. The X Factor: 734

3. ITV News: 574

4. Comic Relief: Funny for Money: 492

5. Celebrity Big Brother: 438

6. Britain's Got Talent: 422

7. Emmerdale: 376

8. BBC News: 354

9. Downton Abbey: 252

10. Coronation Street: 225

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Children Of The 1960s Worse Off Than Parents

The children of the 1960s and 1970s are likely to be worse off than their parents, with no higher income or savings, no home ownership and smaller private pensions than those born in the previous decade.

The only way they will be better off when they retire is thanks to inherited wealth, according to the leading economic think-tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

More people born in the 1970s are expecting to inherit (70%) than those born in the early 1940s (28%).

The findings appear to bring to an end to the steady rise in incomes and living standards that successive generations have enjoyed since the end of World War Two.

Incomes for working-age adults born in the 1960s and 1970s were no higher in real terms than those of their predecessors of the same age a decade ago, the study found.

People have spent more over their working career so have not saved much

And, while the Sixties and Seventies generation did have higher incomes when they were younger, they also spent more, leaving them with no more savings than those of the previous generations.

Those in their forties and fifties have also suffered from the move away from final salary pension schemes to less generous deals.

That same generation has also taken longer to get on the housing ladder, with the home ownership rate having fallen back to around two-thirds compared with a peak of four-fifths among those born in the 1940s and 1950s.

The only hope for increased cash is through inheritance

And, as far as inheritance goes, while they are more likely to inherit than their predecessors, the gap between the richest and the poorest will grow, with those already the wealthiest set to receive the most.

Andrew Hood, one of the report's authors, said: "Since the Second World War, successive cohorts have enjoyed higher incomes and living standards than their parents.

"Yet the incomes and wealth of those born in the 1960s and 1970s look no higher than the cohorts who came before them.

"As a result, younger cohorts are likely to have to rely on inheritances to be better off in retirement than their predecessors.

"But inheritances are unequally distributed, with households that are already relatively wealthy far more likely to benefit."

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Robert Hind: Missing Paedophile Murder Charge

A man has been charged with murdering a paedophile who has been missing for almost a week.

Detectives looking for Robert Hind, who was reported missing on December 11, are examining human remains found in Huddersfield on Monday.

David Mitchell, 46, from Cowlersley, Huddersfield, has been charged with murder by West Yorkshire Police and is due to appear before Huddersfield Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

The remains were found in the area of the River Colne, near Colne Vale Road in Milnsbridge.

West Yorkshire Police said an underwater search team, dogs, and specialised search officers are continuing to investigate the scene.

Superintendent Scott Wood said: "A post-mortem examination of the suspected human remains recovered from the Colne Vale area of Huddersfield will take place shortly and a formal identification will follow.

"I am continuing to appeal for anyone who can assist in our investigations and the movements of Robert Hind between 9.20am on Wednesday December 11 2013 and Saturday December 14 2013."

Hind, also known as Dack, was reported missing at 9.30pm on December 11 and West Yorkshire Police issued an appeal at the end of last week to find him.

Detectives said he was a known sex offender who had a range of offending history and presented a risk to the public, particularly children.

They said he had been recalled to prison, having breached the terms of his licence.

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Belfast: Bomber Catches Fire In Failed Attack

A suspected fire-bomber suffered burns to his face, neck and hands while trying to detonate a device in a Belfast city centre store, according to police.

The man's clothes caught fire and he fled from the store through crowds of shoppers and tried to beat out the flames.

It is believed the incendiary bomb went off prematurely underneath his anorak-style jacket, at around 6:40pm on Monday.

More than a dozen people were inside the pop-up golf store, Golf Madness, in the Cornmarket area when the incident happened.

Only the man, believed to be in his 40s, was injured.

"We believe this man may require treatment for burn injuries, to neck, face and hands," said Chief Superintendent Alan McCrum.

It is the latest in a series of attacks in Belfast in the run-up to Christmas and security has been increased due to the heightened threat.

"Police are doing everything to protect Belfast and other places to enable people to go about their business peacefully," said Mr McCrum.

Dissident republicans are believed to be responsible for the recent attacks.

Last Friday, a bomb was placed in a holdall in the Cathedral Quarter, forcing the evacuation of more than 1000 people in the area.

However, only the detonators went off and no one was injured.

In November, a bomb partially exploded in an underground car park at the Victoria Centre, Belfast's largest shopping centre.

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Prominent Republican Appears In Belfast Court

By Vicki Hawthorne, Ireland Correspondent

A prominent republican has appeared in court in Belfast charged with being a member of the IRA.

Colin Duffy, 47, from Forest Glade, Lurgan, Co Armagh, nodded to supporters in the public gallery at Belfast Magistrates' Court as he entered the dock.

He was charged with being a member of a proscribed organisation, namely the IRA, between January 1, 2013 and December 16, 2013.

Duffy appeared in court alongside two other men, Henry Fitzsimons, 46, of no fixed abode and 52-year-old Alex McCrory, of Sliabh Dubh View, Belfast. 

The men did not stand in the dock when asked by the court clerk and they did not respond when the charges were read to them.

Fitzsimons and McCrory are charged with possessing firearms with intent to danger life or property. 

It is understood the charges are connected to the attempted murder of police officers in north Belfast almost two weeks ago. 

Officers escaped injury when shots were fired at their vehicle in the Ardoyne area on December 5.

Three armed police officers stood guard inside the courtroom as all three men were remanded into custody until January 14, 2014. 

As the accused were led from the dock a group of around 30 supporters cheered and clapped in the public gallery. 

The accused waved and gave a thumb's up in response.

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Aldi And Lidl: Half Of Brits Shop At Discounters

The squeeze on family budgets has seen more than half of British shoppers going to discount stores Aldi or Lidl in the last three months.

It comes as the big four supermarkets all lose market share, new figures have shown.

Aldi and Lidl have successfully broadened their customer base, with the former having a record 4% of the market and the latter retaining the 3.1% it reached during the summer.

Chris Longbottom, director at Kantar Worldpanel, said: "Value continues to be a powerful incentive for the British shopper, a fact that is further highlighted by Farmfoods which, while still a relatively small player in the market, has grown its sales by 36.6% compared with last year."

Some 50.1% of all British households stepped into a discount retailer in the 12 weeks to December 8, compared with 46.1% a year ago, researchers found, as wages grow at a slower pace than the annual rate of inflation.

Aldi and Lidl have broadened their customer base

Mr Longbottom added: "At the other end of the market Waitrose has performed strongly with 6.7% growth.

"Based on past patterns, it is likely to further boost its market share over the busy Christmas period, as is Iceland which traditionally performs well with its party food offering."

Among Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and the Co-operative, the best performer continued to be Sainsbury's although the year-on-year growth of 1.8% was insufficient to match the market growth of 2.8%, said Kantar Worldpanel.

Tesco accounted for 29.9% of sales in the latest period, Asda 16.9%, Sainsbury's 16.8% and Morrisons 11.6%.

The Tesco figure will add to concerns over the effectiveness of a turnaround plan that has seen over £1bn invested in its home market.

Earlier this month, the retailer reported a 1.3% fall in third quarter underlying UK sales.

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Jayden Parkinson: 'Significant' Suitcase Found

Police searching for missing teenager Jayden Parkinson say they have found a suitcase that may be "significant" to their inquiry.

Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Murray said officers have found a number of suitcases but one in particular may be of interest.

Police have still not found the teenager's body, but have received information that indicates Jayden, 17, is no longer alive. 

They have appealed for information about a man seen struggling with a large suitcase in the early hours of Monday December 9 in the village of Upton, Oxfordshire.

Witnesses saw the man with the suitcase a short time later in the nearby town of Didcot.

Jayden was last seen leaving Didcot Parkway railway station on December 3.

Ben Blakeley, 22, from Christchurch Road, Reading, who is accused of Jayden's murder, has been remanded in custody and is due to appear in court again on March 17.

A 17-year-old boy from Didcot has been charged with perverting the course of justice.

Det Ch Supt Murray told Sky News that 50 detectives and "as many and more" uniformed officers are now committed to the search for Jayden.

He told Sky's Kay Burley that specialist search and forensic officers were searching an area of open farmland, woodland and derelict buildings that are of "particular significance".

He said reports that Jayden may have been pregnant when she went missing were "speculation".

The teenager had been living with her mother in Didcot until November but most recently had been staying at a hostel in Oxford.

Det Ch Supt Murray said Jayden's "distraught" family are living through "every parent's worst nightmare".

He issued a direct appeal to certain people who he believes may have crucial information about what happened to the teenager.

He said: "I'm asking them to think about what they've been doing in the last week or so, examine their consciences and take the courage to pick up the phone.

"They need to be thinking about Jayden's parents at this time and they need to be giving us a call to assist with this inquiry."

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Nigella Aide: 'Saatchi Threatened To Destroy Me'

A former aide to Nigella Lawson has told a court she "frequently" found rolled-up banknotes with white powder on them in her handbag, and that the TV cook's ex-husband Charles Saatchi had threatened to "destroy her".

Francesca Grillo, 35, who along with her sister Elisabetta, 41, is on trial accused of defrauding Ms Lawson and Mr Saatchi, said she never saw Ms Lawson taking drugs although she did find evidence of drug use on many occasions.

She also said Mr Saatchi had a "personal vendetta" against her and her sister, who are alleged to have spent £685,000 on credit cards belonging to the now-divorced celebrity couple.

Confronted by the multimillionaire art dealer over her credit card use, the defendant, of Italian descent, told the court: "He was banging on the table ... he said I would end up in handcuffs."

Francesca Grillo (L) and sister Elisabetta arriving at court on Monday

She said the situation became "quite scary" as Mr Saatchi told her: "Hide anywhere in Italy but I will find you and destroy you.

"He said he was going to destroy me and hunt me down. That was his words. His voice was shouting and he was banging on the table and accusing me of various things that were not true.

"The more he got upset, the more I got frightened. You don't cross Charles Saatchi, everyone knows that."

She also said she first saw the rolled-up notes at the food writer's Shepherd's Bush home, in the kitchen after a party and also in a guest bedroom.

One of her jobs as Ms Lawson's aide was to exchange items between her handbags, and she would find rolled-up banknotes in those, she told the court.

Asked how often she found the banknotes, Grillo said: "Frequently. Every time I went through her handbag there was some notes. It was very frequent."

On a few occasions Ms Lawson would come downstairs with white powder "in her nostril", she told the court.

"I said to her, 'you have something in your nose. She wiped it away and said it was make-up. But it was too white to be make-up," she said.

TV cook Nigella Lawson has also appeared as a witness during the trial

The aide also recalled how she improvised an excuse to protect her employer when a child discovered a hollow book containing what the employee thought were drugs.

"She (the child) said 'Look what I found in (the) book!'. It was a small plastic bag with white powder. I made up something," she told the court.

The defendant said she often found remnants of cannabis in the house, but never raised the issue of drugs because "I didn't think it was my place".

She also talked about the photographs of Mr Saatchi with his hands on Ms Lawson's throat outside Scott's restaurant in Mayfair in central London.

"In the photos she appears to be crying. It shocked me because she said she didn't cry very often in public," she said.

"The one that stuck in my mind was the one of him picking her nose. Maybe he found something relating to drugs.

"I maybe thought if he didn't know that, he probably didn't know about the authorisation - the allowance - of the signatures (by Ms Lawson, on personal expenditure)."

She told jurors she raised the evidence of drug use "because it would show a pattern, how Nigella hides the truth and how she behaves".

Charles Saatchi has also given evidence during the proceedings

The jury heard that in the last few years Ms Lawson became "absent and grumpy" and had trouble sleeping.

The ex-PA said Ms Lawson would "swig from bottles containing liquid medication for depression".

The court has heard the siblings bought designer clothes, shoes and luxury holidays on the cards.

The Grillos, of Kensington Gardens Square, Bayswater, west London, deny committing fraud by using a company credit card for personal gain between January 1, 2008 and December 31 last year.

The trial continues.

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Border Force Criticised By MPs Over Failings

"Billionaire gangsters" could be sneaking into the country illegally on private boats and planes because Border Force officials are too busy checking airport passengers, MPs have warned.

Other illegal immigrants are coming in to the country on lorries that go unchecked while officers focus on every single passenger coming into Britain.

In a damning Public Accounts Committee report, the Border Force, in charge of securing Britain's air, sea and rail ports, is accused of failing to protect national security properly because of poor planning and outdated IT systems.

Committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge, said: "The Border Force prioritised passenger checks on arrival at the expense of other duties and weakened the security of our borders.

"The force neglected to examine freight for illicit goods, neglected to check lorries in Calais for concealed illegal entrants, and failed to check passengers coming into Britain on private planes or boats, potentially letting billionaire gangsters off the hook.

"The morale of staff is at rock bottom, threatening the prospect of achieving the increases in productivity and flexibility of workforce which the Border Force so sorely needs.

"Senior management must provide strong and stable leadership capable of providing a sense of purpose."

The report said the Border Force, which admitted it was failing to meet eight of its 19 performance targets, needed to set out plans for how it would meet all its obligations in the future.

A clear timescale should also be laid out for improvements to the IT systems assisting the work of officers, the MPs concluded.

Mrs Hodge added: "(Border Force) has a big task ahead of it, given the limited resources it has and the significant growth in demand from forecast increases in passenger numbers and air freight.

"The planning of the Border Force's workforce has been extremely poor.

"A cut in staff of 500 between 2010 and 2012 was immediately followed, when 100% passenger checks were introduced, by spending to increase the number of frontline staff from 7,600 to 8,000.

"Paying out redundancy and then rehiring staff is bad value for money and demonstrates poor planning."

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Burglar Caught On Camera In Pensioner's Home

Images have been released by police showing a burglar looming over a sleeping pensioner as he raided her home.

The burglar came within inches of the pensioner

Hidden cameras captured Patrick Reid, 51, standing over Margaret Woodward as she napped in an armchair in front of the television at her home in Long Eaton, Derbyshire.

Mrs Woodward, 68, had her home burgled five times in a year, which she said had left her feeling terrified.

Police installed cameras in the 68-year-old's home to catch the culprit

Reid, wearing a blue top with the hood up and a rucksack on his back, was caught on film during an incident in April after police installed cameras in Mrs Woodward's home to catch the culprit.

He is seen tiptoeing around the dozing pensioner, often at times just inches from her face, and seen lifting her handbag from the basket of her mobility scooter and rifling through the contents.

Reid rifles through the handbag taken from the pensioner's mobility scooter

In the last raid Mrs Woodward was woken when Reid set off an alarm, and the plucky pensioner chased him away with her walking stick.

Mrs Woodward, who suffers from severe arthritis in both knees, said she wanted to break his kneecaps so he could not escape.

"It was very frightening to wake up knowing there was somebody in my house but I was determined not to let him get away.

"I thought I'd be able to get him but he ran into my bedroom, jumped on to the bed and went straight out of the window like a gymnast tackling a hobby horse," she told the Daily Mail.

Walking stick in hand, Mrs Woodward chases the burglar from her property

She was awarded £1,500 for her bravery from the High Sheriff's fund, Derbyshire Police said.

Reid was later jailed for four years and eight months for two burglaries.

Detective Constable Gill Richardson, the investigating officer in the case, said: "The CCTV footage is chilling to watch and it's particularly shocking how brazen Reid is in it, being just inches away from Margaret.

"It's something that just gets more shocking the more times you see it.

Reid was later jailed for four years and eight months for two burglaries

"We install these cameras in homes where someone has been a repeat victim of crime, or where we believe the homeowner is vulnerable.

"This case shows just how valuable they are and these cameras have helped bring to justice a prolific burglar, who caused such a massive amount of distress to his victim."

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University Boat Race Protester 'Can Stay in UK'

By Stephen Douglas, Sky News Reporter

An immigration judge has indicated that Boat Race protester Trenton Oldfield will be allowed to stay in the UK because of his "value" to the country.

The Australian told an immigration tribunal that if he is deported from the UK his British wife and five-month-old baby daughter will not move to Australia with him because it is a "racist country".

Mr Oldfield was appearing at an appeal hearing in London after his request for a spousal visa was refused by the government on the grounds his presence in Britain is not "conducive to the public good".

The 37-year-old activist has lived in the UK for more than 10 years.

In April 2012 Mr Oldfield swam into the path of the Oxford and Cambridge rowing crews as they raced down the Thames during the Boat Race in a protest against elitism and inequality.

He subsequently served seven weeks of a six-month jail term.

"Australia is a particularly racist country," Mr Oldfield when explaining that if he was deported he would be separated from his wife Deepa Naik, 36, and their child.

Mr Oldfield said Ms Naik had never visited Australia and could not live there because some Indians in the community had suffered violent racist attacks.

The Oxford crew row away from Trenton Oldfield

The Australian said that when he swam in the Thames in 2012 he had recently returned to the UK after caring for Ms Naik's father as he was dying of cancer.

"I think I was vulnerable in terms of realising how short life can be," Mr Oldfield told the hearing before breaking down in tears.

His lawyer, Stephanie Harrison QC, said the boat protest was not of sufficient gravity or seriousness to justify his deportation.

"His presence is neither undesirable or contrary to the public good," she said, adding that separating him from his wife would be a "disproportionate" punishment.

Outside court around 50 of Mr Oldfield's supporters held banners saying 'stop criminalising protest'.

He also had support from staff and students at Oxford and Cambridge universities.

Judge Kevin Moore said he thought Mr Oldfield was of good character.

"It would be my intention to allow the appeal," he said to sighs of relief from Mr Oldfield and his supporters.

It is expected he will make his official ruling in 10 days time.

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Abu Qatada Pleads Not Guilty In Jordan Trial

Radical Islamist cleric Abu Qatada has pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges at his trial in Jordan.

"You know full well I am not guilty and that this accusation is false," Qatada, in prison overalls, told the judge of the state security court in the Jordanian capital, Amman.

After the brief hearing which was open to the media but in which cameras were banned, the judge adjourned the case until December 24.

Qatada was deported by Britain in July after a near decade-long legal battle.

He was then charged in Jordan with conspiracy to carry out terrorist acts. If convicted he could face a minimum of 15 years' hard labour.

Britain's expulsion of Abu Qatada came after Amman and London ratified a treaty guaranteeing that evidence obtained by torture would not be used in his retrial and that the proceedings would be transparent.

The plane the cleric was on arriving at Amman airport in Jordan

The Palestinian-born preacher was condemned to death in his absence in 1999 for conspiracy to carry out terror attacks, including on the American school in Amman, but this was immediately commuted to life imprisonment with hard labour.

In 2000, he was also sentenced in absentia to 15 years for plotting to attack tourists in Jordan during millennium celebrations.

However, Jordanian law grants him the right to a retrial with him present in the dock.

Born Omar Mahmud Mohammed Othman in Bethlehem in the now Israeli-occupied West Bank, Qatada has Jordanian nationality because the town was part of Jordan at the time of his birth.

Videotapes of his sermons were allegedly found in the Hamburg flat of 9/11 ringleader Mohammed Atta.

Top Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon once described Qatada as Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe, although he denies ever having met the late al Qaeda chief.

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Obesity Epidemic Is 'Mass Child Neglect'

By David Crabtree, Sky News Correspondent

The lack of a national policy to ensure children become more active is a form of mass child neglect, according to a new study.

It claims that despite a wealth of evidence showing the benefits of regular exercise, leadership and strategy on the issue are "totally absent".

The report is from the British Journal of Sports Medicine, an influential research organisation which has drawn its findings from a number of experts from the worlds of sport and medicine, including Sam Allardyce, Richard Weiler, Gregory Whyte and Emmanuel Stamatakis.

They say regular exercise in childhood can help boost academic performance, curb anti-social behaviour and determine patterns of physical health and wealth in adulthood.

But only a third of boys and a quarter of girls in England meet the minimum recommended daily physical activity levels.

They warn that one in three youngsters leaving primary education is obese, most of whom will become obese adults.

The authors say: "Despite the well-accepted benefits of physical activity and the recognised importance of schools in delivering the crucial physical literacy and activity opportunities, the erosion of physical education in schools combined with ever-reducing play facilities has the opposite effect.

"Worse, the amount of school curriculum time children spend in physical education and activity is neither monitored nor known by any educational or regulatory authorities.

"And there is no statutory minimum requirement for schools to devote a specific amount of time to physical education."

Most obese children will become obese adults, the report warns

Despite the 2012 Olympic promises to protect school playing fields, these continue to be sold off, say the authors, and although £150m has been pledged for each of the next two years to improve the physical education of primary school children, this translates into just £9,500 per school.

"The Government has allocated £28.4m for competitive school games, but this approach doesn't suit all children, and there is some evidence to suggest that it benefits those who least need it - the wealthiest and most privileged."

They highlight the fact that Team GB came third in the medals table at the 2012 Olympics, but that the UK also took gold and silver in the European obesity league tables last year.

"The minimal funding, lack of interest and absence of a child physical activity strategy strongly support the notion that the state is failing to act to prevent harm against children and failing to meet children's basic physical needs likely to result in the serious impairment of their health and development.

"This is quite literally indistinguishable from the government's own definition of child neglect," they conclude.

They call for current and future governments and educational bodies to act to create a comprehensive child-centred national physical activity policy to give children from all backgrounds and sporting abilities every opportunity to be active on a daily basis.

In response to the BJSM report, a Government spokesman said: "This Government is taking decisive action to harness the Olympic spirit and make sure every child has the opportunity to be fit and healthy.

"We have extended our ring-fenced funding for primary schools to spend on sport to 2015/16 - with a total of £540m now going directly to head teachers to improve PE and sport in their schools."

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