Hillary Clinton In Hospital With Blood Clot

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been admitted to hospital after the discovery of a blood clot stemming from an accident earlier this month.

Mrs Clinton, 65, initially fell ill with a stomach bug that led to her fainting and sustaining a concussion. Officials had insisted she was recovering.

But her spokesman Philippe Reines said in a statement: "In the course of a follow-up exam today (Sunday), Secretary Clinton's doctors discovered a blood clot had formed, stemming from the concussion she sustained several weeks ago.

"She is being treated with anti-coagulants and is at New York Presbyterian Hospital so that they can monitor the medication over the next 48 hours.

"Her doctors will continue to assess her condition, including other issues associated with her concussion. They will determine if any further action is required."

Mrs Clinton has been off work since her return from her last foreign trip on December 7, although her staff have said she was working from home.

Her lengthy absence from public life had sparked claims from critics that she is trying to avoid testifying in a congressional investigation into a deadly attack on a US mission in Libya.

Earlier this month, the State Department said Mrs Clinton had contracted a bad stomach virus during her five-day stay in Europe. She had to cancel a planned trip to North Africa and Abu Dhabi due to the illness.

A week later, Mrs Clinton's doctors said she had become severely dehydrated due to the effects of the stomach bug and had fainted, suffering a concussion.

They recommended she rest at home and avoid the high-intensity travel she had been accustomed to taking as secretary of state.

Mr Obama (L) announcing Mr Kerry's (R) nomination as secretary of state

Mrs Clinton has flown almost a million miles since taking office four years ago, visited 112 countries and spent some 400 days in a plane.

Her health kept her from giving evidence on December 20 about the attack on the US diplomatic post in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on September 11.

The assault, in which the US ambassador and three other American officials were killed, sparked a political firestorm in the United States, and Republicans criticised Mrs Clinton's absence from the hearings, calling on her to testify in January.

Mrs Clinton, who is due to step down from her post in early 2013, also stayed away from the White House last week when President Barack Obama nominated her replacement, veteran Senator John Kerry.

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Plastic Surgery Campaigns Target 17-Year-Olds

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

A study commissioned by the Government to look into the cosmetic surgery industry has found that 17-year-olds are being targeted by aggressive marketing campaigns.

The interim report has found people want to see tighter restrictions around the industry to protect patients from certain sales techniques.

The review was commissioned by the Department of Health following the PiP breast implant scandal.

Science journalist Vivien Parry, who is on the review panel, told Sky News: "I have been really shocked by what I've seen.

"Extraordinary things. For instance, 17-year-olds being plagued by texts saying, 'In less than a year's time you'll be able to have cosmetic surgery.'"

She added: "I just think that's awful. What it does to the psyche of young girls is one thing. But it sets up a cosmetic procedure, which has both short-term and long-term risks, as if it were something entirely trivial."

The report found patients and industry groups want tighter restrictions on advertising including banning two-for-one or time-limited deals, and cosmetic surgery as competition prizes.

The final report is due to be published in March

They want to introduce a two-stage written consent process so that people have time to reflect.

Another demand is for patients to receive better information before making their decision. For example, providing them with photographs showing expected bruising and scarring.

Ms Parry said: "Cosmetic procedures are being sold like double glazing. If you make a decision within a week, you'll get money off.

"You can buy one procedure, get another procedure for free, bring along a friend, or have cosmetic surgery as a raffle prize.

"It concentrates on the money side of it so people forget about the health side."

PiP victim Victoria Newton, who had to have her breast implants replaced after they both ruptured, welcomed the report.

She told Sky News that when she first considered surgery, aged just 19, she was pressured and misinformed ahead of her decision.

Victoria Newton was a victim of implants by the now-defunct PiP company

Ms Newton said: "There was nothing personal about my consultation. It wasn't like I was going in for an operation. It was like I was buying a car or booking a holiday.

"There was a time-limited offer and I was really encouraged to go for that. At the time, I thought I was getting a good deal. They offered £500 off the price of the surgery, if I signed up that day."

After sparking a global health scare, the implants made by now-defunct French company Poly Implant Prothese were pulled from the market in several countries due to fears they could rupture and leak silicone into the body.

The interim report into cosmetic surgery practices suggests anything that pressures patients like Ms Newton to make a snap decision about surgery should be banned.

It states that consultations should always be conducted by the surgeon who will carry out the procedure, rather than sales staff.

But the president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, Rajiv Grover, says the recommendations do not go far enough.

"We're very pleased the report has focused on sales tactics used in cosmetic surgery. It's something we've been campaigning for, for the last decade," he told Sky News.

"However, we'd like to go further and suggest an outright ban on advertising, just as you would have for prescription-only medicines and other types of surgery."

He added: "This is a medical procedure and should be subject to the same regulations as any other medical procedure."

The suggestions highlighted in the interim report will feed into the work led by the NHS Medical Director Sir Bruce Keogh, who is due to publish his full recommendations in March.

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Russia Plane Crash: Video Of Moment Of Impact

Video footage shows the moment a passenger aircraft crashed into a motorway in Russia after it overshot the runway.

The footage, captured from a vehicle on the motorway, shows luggage and other debris flying from the aircraft and hitting other cars on the road as the plane smashed into the ground.

Louds bangs can also be heard as the plane impacted with the ground and the cars were hit by the wreckage.

Four people - the pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and a flight steward - were killed in the crash and another four seriously injured after the aircraft overshot a runway at Moscow's Vnukovo airport.

The Red Wing Airlines aircraft burst through a perimeter fence on to the motorway at Russia's third busiest airport.

Officials said the Tu-204 plane - travelling from the Czech Republic - was carrying eight crew members and no passengers. It broke into pieces and caught fire after crashing.

The passenger plane was sheared in two

The cockpit of the aircraft was sheared off from the fuselage and a large chunk gashed out near the tail during the impact.

Witnesses told state channel Rossiya-24 they saw a man thrown from the plane as it rammed into the barrier of the motorway and described pulling other people from the wreckage.

The airport was closed after the crash and flights were routed to Moscow's other airports, Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo.

Prior to Saturday's crash, there had been no fatal accidents reported for Tu-204s, which entered commercial service in 1995.

The plane is a twin-engine mid-range jet with room to carry about  210 passengers.

Investigators said preliminary findings pointed to pilot error as the cause of the crash.

Vnukovo is Russia's third biggest airport

The billionaire owner of Red Wing Airlines, Alexander Lebedev, said the pilot was experienced, with 14,500 hours of flying time.

The state news agency RIA Novosti cited an unidentified official at the Russian Aviation Agency as saying another Tu-204 had gone off the runway at the international airport in Novosibirsk, Siberia, on December 20.

The agency said that incident, in which no one was injured, was due to the failure of the plane's engines to go into reverse upon landing and that its brake system malfunctioned.

Russia and other former Soviet republics have some of the world's worst air traffic safety records - with a total accident rate three times the world average, according to the International Air Transport Association.

In April, 31 people were killed after a passenger jet crashed after takeoff in Siberia.

Another 44 people, including the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl ice hockey team, were killed when their aircraft smashed into a riverbank in September 2011.

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Cameron: Britain 'On Right Track' For 2013

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

David Cameron has used his New Year's message to declare that Britain is "heading in the right direction" on all the big issues and can look forward to 2013 with "realism and optimism".

In a video address, the Prime Minister acknowledged 2012 was "tough", with many families finding it difficult to make ends meet - and admitted he had "no quick fixes" to the UK's economic problems.

But he cited evidence of "real progress" on cutting the state deficit, reforming welfare and improving school standards, which he said was preparing Britain to succeed in the "global race" with emerging economic giants like China and India for the jobs and opportunities of the future.

Mr Cameron said that his administration was "a Government in a hurry" which would not give in to pressure to slow the pace of deficit reduction or rein in reforms to welfare and education.

"This is my message to the country at the start of 2013," said the Prime Minister. "We can look to the future with realism and optimism.

"Realism, because you can't cure problems that were decades in the making overnight. There are no quick fixes and I wouldn't claim otherwise.

"But we can be optimistic too because we are making tangible progress. We are doing what's right for our country and what's best for our children's future."

Insisting that "we are on the right track", Mr Cameron said: "On all the big issues that matter to Britain, we are heading in the right direction and I have the evidence to prove it."

The deficit is forecast to be a quarter smaller at the New Year than it was when the coalition Government came to office. There are almost half a million more people in work, and more than 1,000 new academy schools have opened, said Mr Cameron.

And he hailed moves to take millions of low-paid workers out of income tax, freeze council tax bills and deliver the largest-ever increase in the state pension.

"This is, quite simply, a Government in a hurry," said Mr Cameron. "And there's a reason for that.

"Britain is in a global race to succeed today. It is a race with countries like China, India and Indonesia; a race for the jobs and opportunities of the future.

"So, when people say we can slow down on cutting our debts, we are saying no. We can't win in this world with a great millstone of debt round our necks.

"When people say we've got to stop our welfare reforms because somehow it is cruel to expect people to work, we are saying no. Getting people into good jobs is absolutely vital, not just for them, but for all of us.

"And when there is a fight on our hands to change our schools, we are ready and willing to have it, because having a world-class education is the only way our children are going to get on in this world."

He added: "This is what this Government is about: making sure Britain succeeds in this global race and, above all, helping our people succeed - the people who work hard and aspire to a better life for their families."

The message steered clear of the debates over Britain's future in the European Union - due to feature in a long-awaited speech by the Prime Minister in the coming weeks - and gay marriage, which have driven divisions through the Conservative Party over the past year.

Instead Mr Cameron looked back on 2012 as "an extraordinary year for our country", characterised by the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the successful Olympics and Paralympics.

In response, Labour vice chair Michael Dugher said: "It's a case of more of the same from David Cameron.

"In his New Year message, Cameron talks of people who work hard in this country but he's the one hitting hard-working families on lower and middle incomes whilst cutting taxes for millionaires.

"David Cameron stands for the old divide and rule Tory approach of the past - he can't be the One Nation Prime Minister Britain needs.

"Cameron promised change but nothing is changing for the better. Britain's economy is failing under his policies over the last year, with nearly one million young people out of work.

"Prices are still going up faster than wages and borrowing is going up not down, over 7% higher this year than last year.

"This Prime Minister is out of touch, he stands up for the wrong people and he's failing to deliver for working people."

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Hector Sants: Ex-FSA Chief Awarded Knighthood

The man tasked with regulating the City in the run-up to the near-collapse of the UK banking system has been knighted in the Queen's New Year Honours.

Former Financial Services Authority (FSA) chief executive Hector Sants has been recognised for services to financial regulation after overseeing sweeping reforms following the nationalisation of Northern Rock and the bailout of major banks.

The knighthood may be seen as a controversial decision, as it was Sir Hector who led the organisation accused by MPs of being "asleep at the wheel" in the run up to the collapse of Northern Rock.

While he was criticised for the FSA's failure to spot and prevent the credit crunch and subsequent banking meltdown, he has since won praise for cleaning up the regulator and for his role in forcing banks to beef up their balance sheets.

Sir Hector said the award was a "testament to the hard work of everyone at the FSA during the crisis, their willingness to learn lessons and to bring about the changes that were necessary".

The 56-year-old had planned to leave his role in February 2010, but was convinced by Chancellor George Osborne to stay on to see through the coalition's break-up of the FSA.

It was thought he would become a deputy governor of the Bank of England and head the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) - one of two new regulatory bodies that will replace the FSA as part of an overhaul in the wake of the financial crisis.

But Sir Hector unexpectedly resigned earlier this year and has courted more controversy, joining scandal-hit Barclays, where he will become the bank's first point of contact for regulators.

He is believed to be in line for a £3m pay package.

The FSA received a mauling from MPs in the wake of the banking crisis and collapse of Northern Rock.

Northern Rock had to be nationalised in 2008, with the Government also having to bail out Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB and HBOS.

In the aftermath of the crisis, Sir Hector warned the City to "be frightened" as he pledged an era of more intrusive and direct regulation.

He also laid the blame at the door of the US and UK governments for their part in the crisis, saying authorities worldwide sought to "encourage a significant credit boom particularly for the benefit of consumers who wished to purchase housing".

Sir Hector joined the FSA wholesale markets arm from Credit Suisse in 2004. He became chief executive in 2007 - just two months before the run on Northern Rock.

It had been widely expected that Sir Hector would return to the private sector when he resigned from the FSA.

Barclays, which has had its reputation battered following this summer's rate-rigging revelations, has appointed Sir Hector to the newly-created role of head of compliance. He is due to start on January 21.

It is believed he will also play a central role in rewriting the bank's pay and bonus strategy.

Sir Hector is married with three children.

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Bradley Wiggins Knighted In New Year Honours

By Ian Woods, Senior News Correspondent

Britain's gold rush during the London Olympic and Paralympic Games has led to 78 athletes and coaches being named in the New Year Honours List.

Among the top honours are knighthoods for cyclist Bradley Wiggins and yachtsman Ben Ainslie, while Paralympic cyclist Sarah Storey becomes a Dame.

Dave Brailsford and David Tanner, the Performance Directors who have ensured that Britain now leads the world in cycling and rowing are also rewarded with knighthoods.

Every British athlete who won a gold medal in the Olympics or Paralympics is included in the list unless they have already been honoured in the past.

Heptathlete and face of London 2012 Jessica Ennis is awarded a CBE

So Sir Chris Hoy, who was knighted after the Beijing Games, is omitted from the list despite adding two more gold medals to his career tally of six.

Somali-born middle-distance runner Mo Farah becomes a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his stunning double gold medal performances in the 5,000m and 10,000m.

He joins four other competitors who become CBEs having previously collected the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) - rower Katherine Grainger, cyclist Victoria Pendleton, heptathlete Jessica Ennis and wheelchair athlete David Weir.

David Weir was also given a CBE after winning four gold medals in London

Sir Bradley admitted to having mixed feelings about receiving a knighthood. Born in Kilburn, he is now almost as famous for his sideburns and Mod image as his cycling exploits.

This was the year he became the first Briton to win the Tour De France, and he also won the Olympic Time Trial title and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

He told Sky News: "It's an incredible honour and it's an incredible thing to have. It's still not something that sits incredibly easily with me, I don't think it's something I'm going to use in daily life.

"(It's) an amazing thing to have in the drawer for my wife my kids and my family. It's topped the year off really."

Dame Sarah Storey first won Paralympic gold as a swimmer, and achieved even greater success when she switched to cycling.

A birth defect means she does not have a left hand, but she also competes against able-bodied cyclists and was pushing for a place in the Olympic squad.

Ben Ainslie was also knighted after winning four gold medals

"I really hope that everybody who's been connected to what I've done feels a part of what has happened," she told Sky News.

"To be honoured in this way - the top gong as you might say - you never even imagine or dream of it. It's just beyond your wildest dreams."

Her boss, Dave Brailsford, becomes Sir Dave after overseeing not just the Olympic triumphs, but the rise of Team Sky as a professional road racing team. Like Sir Bradley he is struggling to adjust to the adulation.

He said: "[It feels] very strange. On the one hand you feel proud and honoured, on the other hand it feels quite humbling really.

Swimmer Ellie Simmonds gets an OBE, while Sarah Storey becomes a dame

"It's a recognition for everything that's happened in cycling over a period of time. I'm the lucky one who gets recognised."

Jessica Ennis CBE told Sky News: "It sounds very surreal. It's such an honour.

"When you get involved in sport, and when I started, it certainly wasn't something that I ever thought of, so to now be in this position at 26 and be receiving a CBE is such an honour."

Cyclists Jason Kenny and his girlfriend Laura Trott end 2012 sharing four gold medals and two OBEs (Officer of the Order of the British Empire).

Andy Murray gets one not just for his Olympic victory, but also for winning the US Open.

Andy Murray caps his Olympic gold and US Open title with an OBE

Olympic rower Katherine Grainger, double equestrian gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin and paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds and paralympic horsewoman Sophie Christiansen add OBEs to the MBEs they collected following winning performances in the 2008 Beijing Games.

Christiansen told Sky News: "As athletes we work towards getting gold medals but this is the icing on the cake to be recognised."

Lord Coe, the mastermind of the Games, becomes a companion of honour, but one notable absentee from the list is film director Danny Boyle, the creator of the opening ceremony.

He appears to be one of the minority who for various reasons decline to be honoured.

London 2012 mastermind Lord Coe becomes a companion of honour

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Jimmy Savile's 'Love' For Margaret Thatcher

A note written by Jimmy Savile declaring his love for Margaret Thatcher shows how he tried to enlist support for a hospital where he is known to have abused vulnerable people.

In what now appear to be chilling references, Savile refers in the letter to the excitement of his "girl patients" and "paralyzed (sic) lads" at Stoke Mandeville Hospital following a lunch with Thatcher in 1980.

The letter is among a series of previously secret files released to the National Archives in Kew, south west London and show the former Top Of The Pops presenter's communications with the PM as he tried to enlist support for his work to renovate Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

The DJ, awarded a knighthood in 1990 for charitable services, received widespread praise for his work with the hospital in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

But it has since emerged to be one of a series of places where Savile preyed on vulnerable people, abusing them over decades.

An ITV documentary aired on October 4 prompted hundreds of people across the country to come forward about the abuse they say they suffered at Savile's hands.

In his letter to Mrs Thatcher the star spoke of the reaction of his "girl patients" and "paralyzed lads" to his lunch date with her.

Hand-written on "Jim's 'Daily Dozen' paper", it bears the address Flat 84, 22 Park Crescent, W1.

It reads: "Dear Prime Minister. I waited a week before writing to thank you for my lunch invitation because I had such a superb time I didn't want to be too effusive.

"My girl patients pretended to be madly jealous + wanted to know what you wore + what you ate. All the paralyzed lads called me 'Sir James' all week. They all love you. Me too!!

"Jimmy Savile OBE xxx."

The previously unseen documents reveal Savile's regular communications with Mrs Thatcher and Number 10, including his request for a Government contribution to Stoke Mandeville.

The following year there were discussions about Savile's suggestion of a Government contribution to Stoke Mandeville.

The matter is debated in further letters as where the money should come from is discussed.

In December 1981 it was decided the Government would give £500,000 to the Stoke Mandeville Appeal.

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Reagan's Last-Ditch Falklands Plea Revealed

Ronald Reagan issued a last-ditch appeal to Margaret Thatcher to abandon her campaign to retake the Falklands and to hand over the islands to international peacekeepers, according to official documents made public today.

Files released by the National Archives at Kew, South West London, under the 30-year rule show that as British troops closed in on final victory, the US president made a late-night phone call to Mrs Thatcher urging her not to completely humiliate the Argentines.

However, his request fell on deaf ears as a defiant Prime Minister insisted that she had not sent a British task force across the globe just "to hand over the Queen's islands to a contact group".

Mr Reagan made his call to Mrs Thatcher in Downing Street at 11.30pm London time on May 31, 1982, as British forces were beginning the battle for Port Stanley, the Falklands capital.

British forces regained control of the islands

The Americans had already proposed sending a joint US-Brazilian peacekeeping mission, and the president suggested that the time had come to show magnanimity.

"The best chance for peace was before complete Argentine humiliation," he told her. "As the UK now had the upper hand militarily, it should strike a deal now."

But Mrs Thatcher said she could not contemplate a ceasefire without Argentinian withdrawal.

According to the official No 10 note, she told him: "Britain had not lost precious lives in battle and sent an enormous task force to hand over the Queen's islands to a contact group.

"As Britain had had to go into the islands alone, with no outside help, she could not now let the invader gain from his aggression. The Prime Minister asked the president to put himself in her position.

"She had lost valuable British ships and invaluable British lives. She was sure that the president would act in the same way if Alaska had been similarly threatened."

The Prime Minister said "the most sensible thing" would be for the Argentinians to withdraw, before ending the conversation with a familiar refrain: "There was no alternative."

As the battle reached its climax she even drafted a telegram to the Argentinian leader General Galtieri - although it was never sent - demanding for a final time that he withdraw his forces.

"In a few days the British flag will be flying over Port Stanley. In a few days also your eyes and mine will be reading the casualty lists," she wrote.

"On my side, grief will be tempered by the knowledge that these men died for freedom, justice and the rule of law. And on your side? Only you can answer that question."

The files also include Mrs Thatcher's hitherto unpublished testimony to the Franks Inquiry into the conflict.

In it, she described her horror when, at the end of March 1982, she became aware that the Argentinians were about to invade.

"I just say it was the worst, I think, moment of my life," she told the inquiry.

"I never, never expected the Argentines to invade the Falklands head-on. It was such a stupid thing to do, as events happened, such a stupid thing even to contemplate doing."

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Knife Crime: Funding To Tackle Youth Violence

By Niall Paterson, Sky News Correspondent

The government has announced extra cash to help tackle youth violence and gun crime.

Half a million pounds will be given to the voluntary sector, charities and other organisations working directly with young people at risk of becoming violent offenders and those already involved in knife and gun crime.

In addition, the Home Office intends to expand the "priority areas" in which its Ending Gang and Youth Violence frontline team works from 29 to 33.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "Serious youth violence has a devastating impact on communities and needs to be stopped.

"We need to change the life-stories of the young people who too often end up dead or seriously injured on our streets or are sucked into a life of violence and crime.

"This package of support will help police protect communities as well as boost the innovative work being done at a local level by charities and voluntary groups to provide vulnerable youngsters with a way out."

The Home Office has already committed £18m to help police, local agencies and the voluntary sector tackle gangs and youth crime in 2013.

Gang involvement and knife crime are commonly linked to social deprivation and poor upbringing.

Figures from the Metropolitan Police show that as many as 60% of knife crime attacks are gang-related.

Home Office Minister Jeremy Browne told Sky News: "The consequences of knife crime are often devastating and when knife crime does take place it rightly worries people a huge amount. There is a clear link between knife crime and gang membership."

Yet critics of the government's approach suggest that until the London riots of 2011 too much emphasis had been placed on criminal justice, and how courts would deal with offenders after crimes had been committed.

The government's Ending Gang and Youth Violence report, published in November 2011, suggested far greater emphasis on utilising the experience of the voluntary sector.

But one youth worker and former gang member, Sheldon Thomas, told Sky that the sums of money being discussed were too small to have any real effect.

He said: "There are many deprived communities up and down this country that are in need of sufficient resources.

"Those resources are being shipped out into foreign wars... to the normal Joe Public I don't think they matter. I think what matters is what's happening next door."

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Child Abuse: New Database Of Medical Visits

By Liz Lane, Sky News Reporter

A national database is being introduced in hospitals to flag up potential vulnerable children to nurses and doctors.

It is in order to prevent cases similar to that of Baby Peter Connelly in which health and social service workers repeatedly failed to pick up on signs that the toddler was being abused.

Social services failed to detect signs that Baby P was being abused

He died of multiple injuries in August 2007.

Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter is behind the system and said: "For many years there's been a problem of getting joined-up and co-ordinated information to front-line healthcare professionals about children that may be potentially at risk from abuse."

Under the system, a flag will appear on the child's medical record at any hospital they attend if they have already been identified by a local authority as being at risk, or if they have frequently been taken to accident and emergency departments.

Currently, this sort of information is not shared between hospitals up and down the country.

Dr Simon Eccles, of Homerton Hospital in east London, believes it will help doctors make better judgements.

"Spotting those characteristic injury patterns that tell you a child has been abused is one thing," he said, "but what's much harder is the child whose injuries are completely understandable but actually have just been happening too often."

Lauren Matthews, whose nine-year-old son Leo has been in hospital recently, told Sky News she has her concerns: "Two weeks ago we had to take him to hospital because his friend closed his hand in the door. And then yesterday we had to come into hospital again because he had an asthma attack, so in certain situations it could be taken out of context."

Doctors say the system will only deal in facts and they will objectively assess each case.

Work will begin on it in early 2013 and it will start to be introduced to NHS hospitals in 2015.

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M6 Car Crash Killed Two Young Brothers

Two victims of the three people killed after a car flipped over on the M6 motorway on Christmas Day were brothers, aged four and 10.

The third victim of the accident on a busy stretch of the motorway in Staffordshire was a 32-year-old woman.

The boys' mother, who was believed to have been driving the car, and another female passenger remain in a stable condition at University Hospital North Staffordshire.

Staffordshire Police said the crash happened on the northbound carriageway of the M6 near junction 15 at around 11.25am.

Chief Superintendent Martin Evans said: "Colleagues from the emergency services have worked seamlessly throughout the day in these very sad and exceptionally difficult circumstances.

"Unfortunately the outcome is extremely tragic and our thoughts are with the family of those who have died."

The motorway was closed in both directions following the accident but reopened after several hours.

The accident occurred on the M6 between junctions 14 and 15

A West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) spokesman said: "Crews arrived to find a single vehicle that had crashed and overturned.

"Two children and an adult that were travelling in the vehicle suffered serious injuries.

"Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of ambulance crews, nothing could be done to save the two boys and one woman, and they were confirmed dead at the scene.

In a separate accident on the M6, four adults and three young children were injured on the southbound carriageway, near Corley Services, at around 7pm on Christmas Day.

A WMAS spokesman said two cars were substantially damaged and it was fortunate nobody was more seriously injured.

Earlier on Christmas Day, Ann Mary Goodrich, 57, and her husband Paul John Goodrich, 56, from Hampshire, died following the collision on the B3349 Odiham Road at Heckfield Heath, near Basingstoke.

A 29-year-old man from Farnborough, believed to be the driver of the other vehicle involved, received medical attention at the scene before being taken to hospital with serious injuries.

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Weather: Landslide Alert Amid Floods And Rain

A landslide warning has been issued by the Met Office, as continued heavy downpours sparked fears of unstable cliff faces.

Boxing Day walkers were urged to take extra care in "dangerous conditions" with flooding set to worsen across parts of England and Wales today.

The Met Office has issued the warning following advice from the British Geological Survey.

Forecasters said coastal areas in southwest England are in particular danger of collapsing cliff edges, but stressed that all areas with heavy rain are at risk.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: "We have had such heavy and persistent rain fall over the last few days and weeks and that there is a danger of landslides and rockfall along the coast, even on coastal paths.

"We are advising Boxing Day walkers in the southwest of England to take particular care in these dangerous conditions, especially those not familiar with the area.

Helston in Cornwall has been badly affected by floods

"Do not get too close to the cliff edge or walk under the cliff face along the beach and remember that coastal paths could be impacted too."

Many coastal paths have been closed over the last few weeks along the South West and train services have been disrupted by small coastal landslides.

Weather experts said up to 15mm of rain fell across southwest England and south Wales, with up to 20mm expected again today.

Sky weather presenter Sarah Pennock said there would be more heavy rainfall over some areas of the UK.

She said: "The main event today is a band of rain already spreading into southwestern Ireland and Scotland.

"This will dump up to an inch in places, will fall on already saturated ground and will exacerbate the risk of further flooding."

The Environment Agency has 151 flood warnings in place, which urge residents to take immediate action against expected flooding.

A further 252 less severe flood alerts have been issued across most of England and Wales.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has removed all its warnings, with lighter showers expected only through the southwest of the country.

Around 470 properties have flooded since Wednesday, while Floodline revealed it has received 18,000 calls during the recent wet weather.

The worst affected areas have been southwest England and stretches along the south coast from Cornwall to Kent, along with Wales and northern Scotland.

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Floods: UK To Remain On Alert For Another Week

Showers could bring more flooding woes for parts of rain-battered Britain this Christmas.

Hundreds of homes and businesses have been swamped with floodwaters as winter rain continues to fall across saturated land.

The Environment Agency (EA) said widespread showers meant many places remain on flood alert despite the persistent heavy rain being expected to ease off by the end of Christmas Day.

An EA spokeswoman said: "While the worse of the weather is behind us, the risk of flooding continues with rain falling on already saturated ground.

"As a result, flood warnings and alerts will remain in place for much of the week ahead.

Railway engineers check inflatable dams on the railway line near Exeter

"This is because river levels remain high and sensitive to further rain fall."

The rivers Severn, Trent, Avon and Thames are most at risk of flooding, the EA said.

There are more than 160 flood warnings in place across the country, and 266 less serious flood alerts.

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning - its second highest alert - for South West England.

The Met Office said the wettest place in the UK since the heavy rain began last week was Tyndrum in Perthshire with 6.1in (155mm).

The Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre in Nottingham was flooded

Cardinham, near Bodmin in Cornwall, is the wettest place in England with 5.1in (128.8 mm) of rain and the wettest place in Wales has been Mumbles Head in West Glamorgan with 4.2in (107mm) of rain.

Ballypatrick Forest in Antrim has been the wettest place in Northern Ireland, with 3.5in (89mm) of rain.

Some areas have exceeded their full-month December average since December 19 - such as Plymouth, which has seen 5.1in (128.8mm) of rain compared with a December average of 4.7in (118.8 mm).

Lower-level yellow weather warnings have also been issued for much of southern England and Wales.

Britain is now set for one of its wettest years ever, the Met Office said.

The UK's average rainfall in 2012, excluding December, is 1,202mm -  placing it 13th in the list of wettest years since records began in 1910.

Forecasters said December's deluge of rain meant that this year was now likely to finish among the country's highest rainfall totals on record.

The year 2000 remains the UK's wettest year, with an average rainfall of 1,337.3mm.

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Christmas Day Online Sales Surge Predicted

Bargain season begins in force today as online retailers slash prices ahead of an expected onslaught of consumers hitting the high street for the traditional Boxing Day sales.

Amazon's UK website said it had seen sales on Christmas Day increase by 263% over the last five years.

It expects this to be its busiest Christmas Day to date, partly due to the growth in home broadband and the popularity of tablets and smartphones.

The retailer is launching its Boxing Day deals a day early, which include clearance offers and "lightning deals" for a limited time and quantity of stock.

Shopping frenzies are moving from the high street to the internet

Trends seen on past Christmas Days on Amazon include an 11am rush for last minute gift cards, the spending of gift cards at midday and sofa surfing at 8.15pm.

Amazon's vice president of EU retail, Xavier Garambois, said: "The digital revolution has certainly played a part in this growth and Christmas Day is our biggest day of the year for MP3 and Kindle book downloads, as many people are buying content from new devices that they have just received.

"It's not just digital items though, we are seeing purchases of everything from baby products to women's clothing rapidly growing on Christmas Day.

"Many customers are shopping on Christmas Day in a way that has previously only been seen in the retail industry on Boxing Day."

According to MoneySupermarket.com, shoppers in the UK are set to spend a total of £2.9bn in the Boxing Day sales.

Furniture Village said visits to its website on Christmas Day last year peaked at 25,000 at 4pm, with that figure increasing to 50,000 on Boxing Day, suggesting that the majority of customers researched products online before buying from high street stores.

Chris Webster, a spokesman for technology analyst Capgemini, said: "Online tills will be ringing all the way from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, including a massive £300m spent on Christmas morning itself.

"Christmas Day will see a surge in online sales as new tablets and smartphones are put through their paces and vouchers are cashed in for virtual goods such as movies and music.

"This year we're as likely to be downloading Queen's Greatest Hits as watching the Queen's speech."

Meanwhile, high street spending was "acceptable but not exceptional" this festive period, according to the British Retail Consortium.

Head of media and campaigns Richard Dodd said poor accessibility on high streets, a lack of parking and weak consumer demand were to blame rather than an increase in online shopping.

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Flood Victims Rescued As More Rain Forecast

Flood victims are facing a festive washout with many being forced out of their homes - and forecasters are predicting more rain is on the way.

Large parts of the UK were lashed with high winds and rain over the weekend, causing widespread flooding.

Southwest England, Wales and northeast Scotland were worst affected, although the Midlands is also on high alert as flooding threatens to ruin Christmas for many.

Christmas preparations have been put on hold as people survey the damage to their homes, while businesses and communities across the country are put on alert with hundreds of flood warnings remaining in place.

Emergency services helped several people who had been swept away in their cars and attended landslides brought down by the torrential rain.

A woman is rescued from flood water in Devon (pic: Devon & Cornwall Police)

In Umberleigh, near Barnstaple in Devon, a woman was rescued in an "heroic" effort by a lifeboat team after she clung on to the branches of a tree for 50 minutes.

She was spotted by a police helicopter using thermal imaging equipment after she was swept away from her car.

Another woman also had a lucky escape after being swept away in her car in Llancarfan in the Vale of Glamorgan. She was saved from the vehicle just moments before her car was washed under the bridge and filled with water.

Homes in the northeast of Scotland were also evacuated after being hit by significant flooding as heavy rain across the country resulted in road closures in Aberdeenshire and Tayside.

Dozens of people were evacuated from up to 100 properties in Stonehaven, and Grampian Police said some were expected to be out of their homes for up to 24 hours.

Torrential rain brought down tonnes of mud and rock into the village of Ystalyfera, near Swansea, overnight. Terraced houses were also evacuated in Pontypridd when a 20ft wall collapsed.

RNLI flood rescue teams across Devon and Cornwall have been helping people and animals to safety using in-shore lifeboats while fire crews use high volume pumps to clear water away from properties.

Flooding in Stonehaven. Aberdeenshire, (Pic: COLINTHIRD1969)

Families in Braunton, North Devon, who were effectively cut off after the River Caen twice burst its banks, had to place sandbags outside their homes and businesses as they prepared for more rain.

The flooding overwhelmed a new £1.2m flood defence scheme, wiping out Christmas plans for many of the residents.

Diane Cohen, 63, runs the flood hit Mariners Arms pub on South Street with her husband.

She said: "If you go into the middle of the village all you can see is people with their belongings out on the pavements, mopping up and cleaning up behind them. It's like a disaster zone."

And flooding problems in Devon spread across the county to the village of Stoke Canon, near Exeter, after the River Exe also burst its banks.

The Environment Agency said 20 properties have been flooded and people from 25 homes were being moved to safety by emergency services.

There was also widespread travel disruption as water engulfed train lines near Exeter, and dozens of minor roads flooded as swathes of countryside remain under water.

Engineers work on the flooded railway line in Exeter (pic: Mike Yearworth)

Flooding minister Richard Benyon said: "It's terrible to have your home or business flooded at any time of year, but for the families affected it's especially distressing for it to happen during the Christmas season."

Despite a brief respite in the torrential downpours on Sunday, more rain fell overnight.

Residents unable to return to their homes face spending the festive period in temporary accommodation or with relatives.

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Queen To Hail Olympics In 3D Xmas Message

Monarch's Message: From Radio To 3D

Updated: 4:41am UK, Monday 24 December 2012

The Queen's grandfather, King George V, delivered the first royal Christmas broadcast live on the radio from Sandringham more than 75 years ago.

He had reigned since 1910, but it was not until 1932 that he gave his first festive speech.

He was unsure about using the relatively untried medium of the wireless, but eventually agreed and read a message composed by author Rudyard Kipling.

The original idea was suggested by Sir John Reith, the founding father of the BBC, to inaugurate the Empire Service, now the BBC World Service.

The fixed time of 3pm each year was chosen in 1932 because it was considered the best for reaching most of the countries in the British Empire by short wave.

The General Post Office was used to reach Australia, Canada, India, Kenya and South Africa.

George V's eldest son, who became King Edward VIII, never delivered a Christmas speech as his reign lasted less than a year, ending in abdication.

There was no broadcast in 1936 or 1938.

King George VI, Edward's younger brother, made his first broadcast in December 1937 in which he thanked the nation and Empire for their support during the first year of his reign.

It was the outbreak of war in 1939 which firmly established the tradition, when George VI sought to reassure people and boost morale.

Following her father's death, the Queen made her first Christmas broadcast in 1952 and her first televised Christmas broadcast in 1957, live from Sandringham.

She has delivered one every year except for 1969, when she decided the royals had been on TV enough that year following an unprecedented documentary the family made about their life.

Today the speech is available on the television, radio, the Royal Channel on the YouTube website, and in HD.

This year for the first time the national address will also be broadcast in 3D.

The Queen usually does her speech in one take, recording it a couple of weeks before December 25. Accompanying TV footage is gathered throughout the year.

She writes her own message and each one has a religious framework and reflects current issues.

The speech is one of the rare occasions when the Queen does not turn to the Government for advice and is able to voice her own views.

While the Royal Family gathers together round the TV to watch the broadcast on Christmas Day, the Queen sometimes watches it alone, heading off to another room to scrutinise her message in private.

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Flood Victims Rescued As More Rain Forecast

Flood victims are facing a festive washout with many being forced out of their homes - and forecasters are predicting more rain is on the way.

Large parts of the UK were lashed with high winds and rain over the weekend, causing widespread flooding.

Southwest England, Wales and northeast Scotland were worst affected, although the Midlands is also on high alert as flooding threatens to ruin Christmas for many.

Christmas preparations have been put on hold as people survey the damage to their homes, while businesses and communities across the country are put on alert with hundreds of flood warnings remaining in place.

Emergency services helped several people who had been swept away in their cars and attended landslides brought down by the torrential rain.

A woman is rescued from flood water in Devon (pic: Devon & Cornwall Police)

In Umberleigh, near Barnstaple in Devon, a woman was rescued in an "heroic" effort by a lifeboat team after she clung on to the branches of a tree for 50 minutes.

She was spotted by a police helicopter using thermal imaging equipment after she was swept away from her car.

Another woman also had a lucky escape after being swept away in her car in Llancarfan in the Vale of Glamorgan. She was saved from the vehicle just moments before her car was washed under the bridge and filled with water.

Homes in the northeast of Scotland were also evacuated after being hit by significant flooding as heavy rain across the country resulted in road closures in Aberdeenshire and Tayside.

Dozens of people were evacuated from up to 100 properties in Stonehaven, and Grampian Police said some were expected to be out of their homes for up to 24 hours.

Torrential rain brought down tonnes of mud and rock into the village of Ystalyfera, near Swansea, overnight. Terraced houses were also evacuated in Pontypridd when a 20ft wall collapsed.

RNLI flood rescue teams across Devon and Cornwall have been helping people and animals to safety using in-shore lifeboats while fire crews use high volume pumps to clear water away from properties.

Flooding in Stonehaven. Aberdeenshire, (Pic: COLINTHIRD1969)

Families in Braunton, North Devon, who were effectively cut off after the River Caen twice burst its banks, had to place sandbags outside their homes and businesses as they prepared for more rain.

The flooding overwhelmed a new £1.2m flood defence scheme, wiping out Christmas plans for many of the residents.

Diane Cohen, 63, runs the flood hit Mariners Arms pub on South Street with her husband.

She said: "If you go into the middle of the village all you can see is people with their belongings out on the pavements, mopping up and cleaning up behind them. It's like a disaster zone."

And flooding problems in Devon spread across the county to the village of Stoke Canon, near Exeter, after the River Exe also burst its banks.

The Environment Agency said 20 properties have been flooded and people from 25 homes were being moved to safety by emergency services.

There was also widespread travel disruption as water engulfed train lines near Exeter, and dozens of minor roads flooded as swathes of countryside remain under water.

Engineers work on the flooded railway line in Exeter (pic: Mike Yearworth)

Flooding minister Richard Benyon said: "It's terrible to have your home or business flooded at any time of year, but for the families affected it's especially distressing for it to happen during the Christmas season."

Despite a brief respite in the torrential downpours on Sunday, more rain fell overnight.

Residents unable to return to their homes face spending the festive period in temporary accommodation or with relatives.

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Queen To Hail Olympics In 3D Xmas Message

Monarch's Message: From Radio To 3D

Updated: 4:41am UK, Monday 24 December 2012

The Queen's grandfather, King George V, delivered the first royal Christmas broadcast live on the radio from Sandringham more than 75 years ago.

He had reigned since 1910, but it was not until 1932 that he gave his first festive speech.

He was unsure about using the relatively untried medium of the wireless, but eventually agreed and read a message composed by author Rudyard Kipling.

The original idea was suggested by Sir John Reith, the founding father of the BBC, to inaugurate the Empire Service, now the BBC World Service.

The fixed time of 3pm each year was chosen in 1932 because it was considered the best for reaching most of the countries in the British Empire by short wave.

The General Post Office was used to reach Australia, Canada, India, Kenya and South Africa.

George V's eldest son, who became King Edward VIII, never delivered a Christmas speech as his reign lasted less than a year, ending in abdication.

There was no broadcast in 1936 or 1938.

King George VI, Edward's younger brother, made his first broadcast in December 1937 in which he thanked the nation and Empire for their support during the first year of his reign.

It was the outbreak of war in 1939 which firmly established the tradition, when George VI sought to reassure people and boost morale.

Following her father's death, the Queen made her first Christmas broadcast in 1952 and her first televised Christmas broadcast in 1957, live from Sandringham.

She has delivered one every year except for 1969, when she decided the royals had been on TV enough that year following an unprecedented documentary the family made about their life.

Today the speech is available on the television, radio, the Royal Channel on the YouTube website, and in HD.

This year for the first time the national address will also be broadcast in 3D.

The Queen usually does her speech in one take, recording it a couple of weeks before December 25. Accompanying TV footage is gathered throughout the year.

She writes her own message and each one has a religious framework and reflects current issues.

The speech is one of the rare occasions when the Queen does not turn to the Government for advice and is able to voice her own views.

While the Royal Family gathers together round the TV to watch the broadcast on Christmas Day, the Queen sometimes watches it alone, heading off to another room to scrutinise her message in private.

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Andrew Mitchell: Police 'Tried To Destroy Me'

Mitchell: Plebgate In His Own Words

Updated: 7:41am UK, Sunday 23 December 2012

In a 5,000 word article written for the Sunday Times, Andrew Mitchell talks about the "plebgate" scandal and the effect on him and his family. Here are some extracts.

On the moment he became aware of the story:

"... a senior Downing Street official telephoned at about 2pm. "Houston, we have a problem" was his succinct analysis.

"With hindsight I now displayed stunning naivety. 'Is it a big story?' I asked."

On the public's reaction to the plebgate row:

"The hideous caricature of me that emerged at the hands of the press prompted almost 1,000 hostile emails over the first weekend alone."

On the effect on his health:

"By day four, I could not sleep. I also stopped eating. Weight dropped off me. I lost more than a stone in the first three weeks. (My wife) lost almost as much.

"Day after day the press assault continued. On several days I simply could not get out of bed. I would sit for hours with my BlackBerry in one hand and my ancient mobile in the other."

On a previous altercation with Downing Street police:

"Two-and-a-half years ago, arriving from the Department for International Development on my bicycle at the rear entrance to Downing Street, I was refused entry altogether.

"When I pleaded that I had a meeting with the prime minister starting in three minutes, it cut no ice whatsoever and I was forced to rush around to the front, arriving late in the Cabinet Room."

On his hopes for the future:

"I hope that the 30-strong taskforce working under an impressive senior officer will pursue the truth without fear or favour."

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Flood Warnings In Place As More Rain Forecast

Scores of flood warnings are in place across the country after days of heavy rainfall - and more is on the way.

The Environment Agency has issued around 200 warnings, meaning flooding is expected and immediate action is required.

One severe flood warning remains active at Helston in Cornwall - meaning the flooding is causing a danger to life.

Cornwall has been particularly badly hit.

The streets of Lostwithiel are under water and residents are bracing themselves for further flooding.

A woman is rescued from flood water in Umberleigh, Cornwall

They looked on helplessly overnight as flood water lapped at the sandbags protecting their homes.

In Looe, heavy rain caused two landslides which cut off the nearby the village of Hannafore.

In Umberleigh, a police helicopter helped in the search and rescue of a woman who had been swept away from her vehicle during flooding in the area.

Rail company First Great Western has advised customers with non-essential journeys in the South West not to attempt to travel on trains or replacement buses, due to flooding and poor road conditions.

There is a heightened flood risk across Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Bristol, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, West and East Sussex, south Wales, Ceredigion, Gwynedd and North Yorkshire.

Heavy rain and strong winds will continue in Scotland on Sunday, while England, Wales and Ireland will be mainly dry during the day.

The evening will turn wet, though, with more showers on Christmas Day.

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Baroness Thatcher In Hospital After Surgery

Baroness Thatcher is recovering in hospital after undergoing surgery to remove a growth on her bladder.

The former Prime Minister is "absolutely fine" after the minor operation, a spokeswoman said.

The 87-year-old was admitted to hospital on Wednesday after complaining of pains. She is expected to remain there while she recovers.

Former Thatcher adviser Lord Bell said: "Following an examination in hospital on Wednesday Mrs Thatcher had a minimal invasive operation to remove a growth in her bladder.

"The operation was completely satisfactory.

"She will stay in hospital to recuperate for a few days and then she will return home. Her daughter Carol was with her in hospital.

"We will make no further comment."

Baroness Thatcher has suffered a number of health scares in recent years, including a series of minor strokes.

She was not well enough to join the Queen for a lunch with former and serving prime ministers as part of the Diamond Jubilee this summer.

And two years ago she missed an 85th birthday party thrown for her by David Cameron at 10 Downing Street.

In October she was sufficiently well, however, to mark her 87th birthday with lunch at a restaurant in London's exclusive St James's district with her son Mark and his wife.

Her health was thrust into the global spotlight this year when Meryl Streep starred in a controversial Hollywood film about her.

The Iron Lady drew criticism from Mr Cameron and others for concentrating on the dementia she has suffered after a series of small strokes. Streep won an Oscar for the role.

Baroness Thatcher was the first female prime minister - between 1979 and 1990 - and first female leader of the Conservative Party.

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Weather: Rain Sparks Christmas Travel Misery

Britons leaving for the great Christmas getaway are battling travel problems as rail failures and floods stall journeys for millions.

Heavy rain has sparked flood warnings that are hampering the road network and train services have been crippled.

Further downpours on Saturday as many start their holiday are heightening the flood risk, with Christmas Day looking set to be a washout.

Helston in Cornwall has already been evacuated after rising river levels threatened to overtake homes with the Environment Agency warning widespread flooding was "imminent".

The group has a severe flood warning in place for the River Cober, and more rain is expected on Saturday - raising fears some families may not be back home for Christmas.

Another 90 flood warnings have been issued, with the South west and Midlands the worst affected, and there 269 flood alerts.

Flooding between Taunton and Exeter St Davids and a signalling problem is causing disruption in the South West.

There are no trains between Plymouth and Tiverton Parkway or Taunton, and a replacement bus service is running from Exeter St Davids to Tiverton Parkway and Taunton.

Water rising on the River Severn in Bewdley

Further road replacements are being organised to run between Plymouth and Exeter St Davids, but this is expected to add another 90 minutes to journey times.

First Great Western and CrossCountry services are accepting each other's passengers, National Rail said.

A major signalling problem caused by a fire yesterday that affected electrical cables and railside signalling equipment at Preston Park is also causing major disruption near Brighton.

Diversions are in place, with trains between Brighton and Gatwick airport travelling half-hourly and buses laid on for some passengers.

There are also signalling problems affecting some Cross Country and London Midland routes in and around Birmingham

Flooding near Rhoose Cardiff International Airport is causing disruption on Arriva Trains Wales.

And there remain problems on all London Midland routes because of driver shortages that have been an issue since October.

Replacement bus services are also in place between Bedford and Bletchley because of a lack of crew and in Liskeard and Looe in Cornwall due to flooding.

A landslip has caused rail problems in the Glazebrook area near Warrington, affecting some First TransPennine Express services and links to Manchester.

On the roads, the A38 from Bodmin towards Exeter is currently closed because of flooding. The northbound exit slip road on the A19 in Cleveland at the junction with the A139 is also shut.

There are also delays on the A27 eastbound between B2144 and A285 near Chichester because of flooding.

Britons attempting to get to Heathrow have been hit by changes to the Heathrow Express service, which on Friday forced thousands of passengers onto the Underground.

Trains are running normally on Saturday but are due to start later on Sunday and will then not run at all on Christmas Day and Boxing Day because of engineering work.

British Airways alone is set to handle nearly 31,000 passengers on Christmas Day as an estimated four million Britons travel abroad for the rest of the holidays.

There was some good news after two main line rail strikes that threatened to cause travel chaos over the Christmas period were called off.

But the train drivers' union Aslef is still striking on Boxing Day in a move that will hit the Underground and has already forced the cancellation of the Arsenal-West Ham United football match.

The other main train problem for the festive period is likely to be engineering work on the West Coast Line.

There are no direct services from London Euston to Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool or Glasgow on December 23 and 24.

Direct services resume on December 27 but with two of the four lines closed up to and including New Year's Eve.

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Weather: Flooding Ahead Of Xmas Getaway

Britain has been warned it faces further flooding in some areas as more rain is set to sweep in over the next few days.

So far southern and south western England have been the worst affected, with deluges in Devon, Cornwall and Hampshire leading to more than an inch of rain in some places.

Forecasters have warned that up to an inch could fall over Cornwall tonight, with south east Wales, the Midlands and the north east of England also at risk as successive bands of rain sweep across the country.

Residents in Wallington, Hampshire, were told to leave their homes over fears the River Wallington could burst its banks.

The weather is also forecast to remain unsettled for up to seven days.

Friday is expected to be the busiest of the festive period for travelling

The Environment Agency has nearly 300 flood alerts in place across the UK, and nearly 100 flood warnings - the higher level, which means flooding is expected.

It comes as the great Christmas getaway is set to begin, with airports, ports and the transport network braced to cope with high demand.

Some 123,000 passengers are expected to leave through Heathrow Airport today, with thousands more heading across the English Channel by ferry or through the Channel Tunnel.

On the roads, the Highways Agency said more than 250 miles of roadworks will have been completed before Christmas.

A further 57 miles of works will be suspended between today and January 2.

But busy sections of the M4, M25 and M5 will still have works taking place.

Engineering work is also affecting a number of train lines, although strike action over the Christmas period has been called off.

VisitEngland said that as many as 12 million Britons intend to take at least one trip over the festive period, generating around £2.1bn for the economy.

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BAE Strikes £2.5bn Deal With Oman

A deal worth £2.5bn has been completed between British defence manufacturer BAE Systems and Oman.

It will see BAE provide the Gulf state with 12 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft and 8 Hawk training jets.

As well as supplying aircraft, BAE Systems will provide in-service support to the Royal Air Force of Oman's (RAFO) operational tasks.

The deal safeguards around 6,000 jobs in the UK at BAE's two sites in Lancashire.

Work to start building the aircraft will begin in 2014, with the first jets due for delivery in 2017.

Last month, Prime Minister David Cameron visited Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE on a trade mission to promote BAE and persuade the states to buy British-made defence equipment.

It is unusual for a British Prime Minister to promote defence companies so openly but the Government is seeking to build closer ties with friendly Middle Eastern states in the face of what it sees as a growing threat in the region from countries like Iran.

The move also demonstrates an attempt to forge links outside of the traditional Nato countries.

PM David Cameron visited Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE last month

The deal is not only important for BAE Systems, but also for the companies that form the supply chain, many of which are based in the UK.

The deal will support BAE's assertion that it still has a strong business with a positive future after the proposed merger with EADS collapsed in October.

Cuts to defence budgets globally have resulted in a tougher and more competitive market, and BAE had hoped a merger with a company that specialises in civil aviation would lessen any effect of budget cuts.

Guy Griffiths, group managing director for BAE Systems' International business, said: "Receiving this contract is an honour and is excellent news for both BAE Systems and the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium.

"We look forward to working in partnership with Oman's Ministry of Defence, and the Royal Air Force of Oman, to ensure this is a highly successful programme that maximises the potential of both Hawk and Typhoon."

Oman becomes the seventh country in the world, and the second in the Middle East, to operate the Typhoon, joining the air forces of the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and Saudi Arabia.

More follows...

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Energy Bill Breakdown Demanded By MPs

Energy firms should be forced to inform every customer what proportion of their bills will contribute to the supplier's profits, MPs are demanding.

The cross-party Energy and Climate Change Committee called for householders to be given a breakdown of their gas and electricity bills.

Their proposal would see annual statements provided by energy companies, featuring details of their operating costs, wholesale prices and profits.

It would also show firms' contributions to environmental levies, the costs of smart meters and investments.

Members of the committee say the shake-up would ensure customers are better informed and help improve competition in the widely-criticised energy market.

Conservative MP and committee chairman Tim Yeo said recent reports of wholesale price-fixing had reinforced the need for greater transparency.

"Trust in energy companies is at rock bottom and consumers don't have the right information to hand to make informed choices about where they get their energy," he said.

"Most consumers simply don't know how to interpret their energy bills and this puts them off attempting to switch suppliers.

"The Government should be doing all it can to increase competition in the energy market and must make it easier for new entrants to join the market."

There are concerns that many energy customers are paying more than they need to because of the bewildering array of tariffs available.

The Government recently announced plans to simplify the options and force energy companies to give their customers the cheapest deal available to them.

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BBC Slated Over George Entwistle Pay-Off

By Niall Paterson, Media Correspondent

The BBC has been criticised over its decision to award a former director-general a pay-off of £450,000 - double what he would have received had he resigned voluntarily - less than two months after he started.

George Entwistle resigned after just 54 days in the job, following widespread criticism of his handling of the aftermath of the Newsnight Jimmy Savile investigation.

He received the bumper pay-off in order to speed up his departure from the broadcaster.

But a report from the Commons' Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has accused the BBC of "cavalier" spending of public money, and said it was "out of line both with public expectations and what is considered acceptable elsewhere in the public sector".

The committee also criticised the pay-offs given to 10 other senior managers. Former deputy director-general Mark Byford got £949,000 on his departure.

Former chief operating officer Caroline Thomson received £670,000 when she left earlier this year.

During a PAC session, MPs claimed she had been awarded the money partly as "compensation" after she missed out on the job of director-general.

Describing the severance payments as "excessively generous", the committee's report also highlights its concern that the BBC Trust, which agreed Mr Entwistle's package, turned down an offer from the National Audit Office to examine the deal on his departure.

BBC chair Lord Patten has defended Mr Entwistle's pay-off

PAC chairman Margaret Hodge said: "This cavalier use of public money is out of line with public expectations and what is considered acceptable elsewhere in the public sector."

But the BBC Trust defended Mr Entwistle's pay-off, saying the "terms reached were the best available in the circumstances".

A Trust spokeswoman said: "It is simply wrong to suggest the BBC Trust had a choice between a severance payment of £450,000 or half that level.

"Indeed, if we had faced a constructive dismissal situation it would have cost us more and could have been a messy and long drawn-out process.

"It is also not the case that the Trust refused to take up the offer to review the package - on the contrary, we suggested a wider study of severance payments at the BBC, which the NAO will now undertake."

The committee raised further concerns about the use of public money to provide private health care for senior BBC staff.

Ms Hodge said: "The BBC's generosity with severance packages goes beyond the one awarded to George Entwistle. Since 2010, over £4m in total has been made in severance payments to 10 other departing senior managers.

"The BBC is also providing 422 senior managers with private medical cover as part of their remuneration packages.

"We have asked the comptroller and auditor general to include in his 2013 programme of work on the BBC an examination of severance payments and benefits for senior managers."

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Twitter Prosecutions 'May Fall' Amid New Advice

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

There are likely to be fewer criminal prosecutions against those who abuse and offend others on social media, under new guidelines which come into effect today.

Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer QC has issued the new guidance in response to a huge increase in the number of prosecutions his department is having to deal with.

From today, the threshold for criminal action will be raised, meaning those who post offensive messages on the likes of Facebook and Twitter, however hurtful, will in most cases escape prosecution.

Mr Starmer said the guidelines were intended to strike the right balance between freedom of expression and upholding criminal law.

Now, social media messages which amount to credible threats of violence, a targeted campaign of harassment, or which breach court orders will be prosecuted robustly.

An example of this is the nine people each ordered to pay compensation to the woman raped by footballer Ched Evans after they named her on Twitter and Facebook.

Keir Starmer is looking to strike the right balance

Her naming breached a court order prohibiting the identification of victims of sexual offences. Any similar cases would still be prosecuted robustly.

Aggressive "trolling" would also probably fall under this banner as it could be specifically targeted and constitute harassment or stalking, Mr Starmer said.

But in cases where someone is simply deemed to have posted offensive messages, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lawyers will need to be satisfied that a prosecution is in the public interest.

For criminal charges to be brought, a message must now be shown to be more than offensive, shocking or disturbing; more than satirical, iconoclastic or rude; and more than the expression of an unpopular or unfashionable opinion, the guidelines state.

Ched Evans' rape victim was named on Twitter and Facebook

Also, if a message is swiftly deleted, blocked by service providers or websites, or shown not to be intended for a wider audience, a prosecution is unlikely.

"In most cases, once you have put the (new) safeguards in place then a prosecution is unlikely to be the appropriate response," Mr Starmer said.

"To that extent, therefore, it is to make it less likely that these cases will be prosecuted."

It might mean in future that people like Matthew Wood, jailed for 12 weeks in October 2012 for posting "abhorrent" messages about the missing five-year-old April Jones, would escape criminal sanction.

Swansea student Liam Stacey might also have been spared a prosecution.

He was jailed in March 2012 for 56 days for tweeting abusive messages after Bolton Wanderers footballer Fabrice Muamba collapsed with a cardiac arrest during an FA cup match against Tottenham Hotspur.

Paul Chambers joked on Twitter about blowing up an airport

The guidelines point out that context is important and the tone of social media messages is different to other communications.

The May 2010 conviction of Paul Chambers for joking on Twitter about blowing up Robin Hood Airport in South Yorkshire is one of the most well-known cases in this area.

His conviction for sending a "menacing" tweet drew widespread condemnation and was eventually quashed on appeal in the High Court in July this year.

Mr Starmer now admits that the CPS made the wrong "judgment call" to prosecute the 28-year-old and included his solicitor in discussions over the law.

The guidelines also state children (under-18s) will rarely face criminal charges for offensive tweets or Facebook posts.

While intended for the CPS to make a decision whether to charge someone or not, the guidelines are also designed to offer early advice to police - while encouraging officers to seek guidance from the CPS at the earliest possible opportunity.

With more than 340 million tweets a day and growing, the new guidelines have been welcomed by those who see raising the threshold for prosecution as a common-sense approach.

But equally, there are others, including many victims who will fear the new guidance could be seen by some on social media as a charter to abuse.

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School Shooting: NRA 'Shocked And Saddened'

The National Rifle Association has broken its silence over the Sandy Hook school massacre, saying its members were "shocked and saddened" by the murders.

After a self-imposed media blackout, the powerful gun rights organisation made its first public statement on Friday's gun rampage by 20-year-old Adam Lanza.

He killed 20 pupils, aged six and seven, as well as six female members of staff after opening fire at the elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.

Lanza earlier shot dead his mother Nancy at the home they shared, and the gunman later killed himself at the school as police closed in.

The NRA said its members were "shocked, saddened and heartbroken by the news of the horrific and senseless murders".

Protesters demonstrated outside the NRA's headquarters in Washington DC

The group also said it wanted to give families time to mourn before making its first public statement.

It pledged "to help to make sure this never happens again" and has scheduled a news conference for Friday.

The massacre has re-ignited the debate over gun control in the US, with some calling for a clampdown on firearms.

President Barack Obama backs a new bill to reintroduce a ban on assault weapons that expired in 2004.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said Mr Obama is "actively supportive" of an attempt by Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein to write the bill early next year.

Adam Lanza killed his mother before shooting dead 20 children and six staff

The president has also telephoned pro-gun senator Joe Manchin, who has shifted his position on firearms laws since Friday's carnage in Connecticut.

Mr Manchin, along with fellow democrat Mark Warner, who have so-called "A" ratings from the NRA, said the Newtown massacre has convinced them the time for reform has come.

West Virginia's Senator Manchin told MSNBC it was time to "move beyond rhetoric" on gun control. He said: "I don't know anyone in the sporting or hunting arena that goes out with an assault rifle. It's common sense."

Senator Warner said "the status quo isn't acceptable" and in a later interview called for "rational gun control".

On Monday, 75 activists demonstrated outside the NRA's headquarters in Washington DC. They chanted: "Shame on the NRA," and demanded the organisation drop its hardline stance and make way for new gun control laws.

"More than anyone else, the NRA is responsible for the more than 12,000 people murdered by guns every year in this country," said Josh Nelson, the campaign manager for the progressive Credo Action group that organised the protest.

"We call on the NRA's lobbyists to stand down and allow Congress to pass common-sense gun laws."

:: Watch USA: The Gun Debate on Sky News on Wednesday at 8.30pm.

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Newtown Shooting: New School For Survivors

By Brian Donathan, in Monroe, Connecticut

Officials admit the school where 20 children and six adults were shot dead may never reopen, as new classrooms are set up nearby for survivors of the massacre.

Staff and volunteers have been working around the clock, moving desks, chairs and filing cabinets from Sandy Hook Elementary, Newtown, to the former Chalk Hill Middle School in neighbouring Monroe.

Sandy Hook has been shut down indefinitely following Friday's massacre.

Lieutenant George Sinko, of Newtown Police Department, said he "would find it very difficult" for students to return to the same school but added: "We want to keep these kids together. They need to support each other."

A Newtown school employee, who wanted to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the process and because his son attended Sandy Hook, said the furniture being moved to Chalk Hill was from sections of the school not affected by the shooting rampage.

He said officials have examined the floor plans of both schools to help make the young students' secondary home as familiar as possible.

"The classrooms will be set up to be as seamless as possible, so they'll think they're walking into their old classrooms," he said.

Survivors will study at the old Chalk Hill Middle School, seven miles away

The worker added that despite some people in the town saying it was too soon to send the children back to school, he believes the sooner they are back in the classroom the better.

"My son is getting on that bus," he said. "I'll follow him to school, and when he gets off the bus I'll give him a wink. He'll be fine. They're all going to be fine."

Lieutenant Brian McCauley, a spokesman for the Monroe Police Department, said: "These kids have been through something that none of us ever, ever want to go through in our lives, and we want to make their transition back to school as easy, simple and sensitive as possible."

Officials have not determined an exact start date at Chalk Hill, but Monroe Fire Marshal William Davin said the process of making sure the school meets fire and state building codes should be completed in "a matter of days".

Representatives from the Newtown school district will make the final call on when the students will return, Lt McCauley explained.

He said police had been stationed at all schools in Monroe and that officers will be on hand once Chalk Hill opens.

Monroe resident Vicki D'Auria expressed pride in knowing that her town had reached out to aid survivors of the Sandy Hook massacre.

"I've never been more proud to live in Monroe," she said. "The fact that all those kids can now come ... they don't have to go back to that school, it's very nice."

She said her 10-year-old son, who is a fourth grader at Fawn Hollow Elementary next to Chalk Hill, is hoping he gets to make a welcome poster before the Sandy Hook children arrive.

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Newtown Shootings: Protesters March On NRA HQ

Protesters have marched on the headquarters of the US gun lobby as the clamour for tighter firearm controls grows following the Newtown school massacre.

As the first two funerals for young victims of the Sandy Hook shooting took place, 75 activists descended on the Washington DC headquarters of the powerful National Rifle Association.

The protesters chanted "Shame on the NRA!" and demanded the organisation drop its hardline stance and make way for new gun control laws.

"More than anyone else, the NRA is responsible for the more than 12,000 people murdered by guns every year in this country," said Josh Nelson, the campaign manager for the progressive CREDO Action group that organised the protest.

"We call on the NRA's lobbyists to stand down and allow Congress to pass common-sense gun laws."

The activists' cause has been backed by two pro-gun US senators, who have come out in favour of reform after the murder of 20 children and six adults at the elementary school.

Governor Dan Malloy was emotional after victim Noah Pozner's funeral

Democrats Mark Warner and Joe Manchin, who have so-called "A" ratings from the NRA, said the Newtown massacre has convinced them that the time for change has come.

West Virginia's Senator Manchin told MSNBC it was time to "move beyond rhetoric" on gun control.

He said: "I don't know anyone in the sporting or hunting arena that goes out with an assault rifle. It's common sense."

Senator Warner said "the status quo isn't acceptable" and in a later interview called for "rational gun control".

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy called for changes to the law during an emotional news conference, where he broke down while describing the ordeal of parents who lost their children at Sandy Hook.

He said: "You try to feel their pain, but you can't. You try to find some words that you hope will be adequate, knowing that they will be inadequate, and you see little coffins and your heart has to break."

New York's Mayor Bloomberg appeared with gun violence victims

He added: "I'm a big believer in hunting rights and a big believer in supporting the Second Amendment, but there's a reality that this stuff has gone too far and is too easy to own.

"Do I think Washington DC needs to get its act together and enact stricter gun control laws at the federal level? You bet I do."

New York's popular mayor Michael Bloomberg made an appearance flanked by relatives of shooting victims and demanded that President Obama make good on his promise to tackle gun violence in the US.

On Sunday, President Obama told residents at a vigil in Newtown the US must do more to protect its children.

Since then White House spokesman Jay Carney has said tighter gun control laws are part of the answer to violence in the US, but the president did not have a specific policy to announce.

Mr Obama is understood to support reinstating a ban on assault rifles that expired in 2004.

Since the shootings, the NRA has been silent.

Requests for comments have gone unanswered, and officials are turning down interview requests until they have more details.

The NRA's 1.7 million-strong Facebook group has disappeared, and the group's Twitter account - which is a favourite platform to communicate with supporters - has not sent a message since before the grim reality of Friday's shootings set in.

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US Shooting: Obama Visits Newtown In Mourning

Barack Obama has told relatives of the 26 people killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School that mass shooting tragedies "must end".

Speaking at a vigil in memory of the victims, the US President told an emotional audience: "Newtown, you are not alone."

He struggled to maintain his composure - and there was audible sobbing throughout the packed hall - as he read the first names of each of the 20 children killed in America's worst school shooting.

He said: "God has called them home. For those of us who remain, let us find the strength to carry on and make our country worthy of their memory."

Mr Obama told the audience: "I come to offer the love and cares of the nation. I'm very mindful that mere words can not match the depths of your sorrow.

"I can only hope it helps for you to know you're not alone in your grief - our world too has been torn apart ... we have wept with you."

The president paid tribute to the six adults who lost their lives when 20-year-old Adam Lanza went on a rampage through the school armed with an assault rifle.

The grief is too much for one woman at the moving service

He said: "We know when danger arrived the school staff did not flinch. They responded as we all hope we might respond in such terrifying circumstances. With courage and with love, giving their lives to protect the children in their care."

He hinted at changes to America's gun laws after the massacre, admitting: "We, as a nation, are left with hard questions."

Mr Obama also told the hall the US is "not doing enough" to protect its children.

He said: "These tragedies have to end, and to end them we must change."

Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy told the audience the president had confessed the day of the shootings had been the most difficult of his presidency so far.

Mr Obama also met emergency service workers who were among the first on the scene, minutes after the shooting started.

The president listened carefully as religious leaders led the service

Kevin Paturzo, 25, said: "Just him coming to this town is much appreciated.

"It's a small community, everybody knows everybody around here. Him coming out here, reaching out to the families is deeply respected, but it's going to take a lot of grieving."

At a packed St Rose Catholic Church, the priest's announcements included news that the Christmas pageant rehearsal would go on as planned, but without six-year-old Olivia Engel, who died before she could play the role of an angel.

Shortly before Mr Obama was due to arrive, worshippers at the church close to the school were evacuated after a reported bomb threat.

Armed police were sent but it was quickly decided that there was no danger to the public.

Makeshift memorials have appeared around the town, the largest of which sits at the end of Dickenson Drive where Sandy Hook Elementary stands.

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Newtown Shooting: Young Survivor Recalls Horror

By Tom Parmenter and Brian Donathan, Sky News

An eight-year-old consoled his classmates as Adam Lanza went on his shooting rampage, reassuring them his policeman dad was on the way to save them.

Luke Santana, a third grader at Sandy Hook Elementary School, said he was ushered into an adjacent classroom by teachers as the gunman began his killing spree.

He told Sky News: "It was awkward because everyone was piling up on each other, and I was saying, 'Don't worry ... stop crying. My dad is a police officer, he's going to help'."

Luke said his father was physically sick after facing the traumatic task of dealing with the aftermath of the massacre of 20 children and six adults at the school.

Luke's mother Lisandra Santana said her husband heard the call go out on the radio and rushed to the scene both as a father and a first responder.

"He wasn't sure if his son was alive," she said.

The Santanas did not have to confront the nightmare that has been thrust upon the parents of 20 murdered children in Newtown, Connecticut.

"I was really happy to know that he was OK," said Mrs Santana as she stood next to her son near a makeshift memorial not far from the school. "I just ran in there and hugged him and started kissing him."

"I just pray for those who didn't make it," she added.

Luke's father, also named Luke, agreed to allow his son to speak to Sky News, but declined to comment himself.

With his mother looking on, the younger Luke expressed his condolences for the families who lost loved ones, including a classmate whose little sister was killed and his former first grade teacher Victoria Soto.

Ms Soto has been praised for saving students by hiding them in a closet before Lanza entered her classroom.

"She shielded her students," Luke said.

Mrs Santana acknowledged her son's bravery as well.

"He's gone through a lot, but I'm so proud of him," she said.

"I'm glad he was brave and that he was able to talk to his classmates and tell them everything was going to be OK."

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