Heatwave Causing Rise In Child Sunburn Cases

Hospitals across the UK say they have seen a rise in the number of severe sunburn cases among children, as Britain continues to bask in its longest heatwave for seven years.

Of the 14 hospitals with specialist burns units contacted by Sky News, almost two-thirds said they had seen a rise in the number of admissions.

A four-month-old baby was among 10 children admitted to the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, West Sussex.

With the hot spell expected to continue well into next week, doctors have warned that prolonged unprotected exposure to the sun could have fatal consequences.

London's Marble Arch fountains provided a respite from the hot weather

Dr David Lloyd said: "We know that children who burn their skin when they are under the age of 12 are much more likely to end up with skin cancer later on in their lives."

The heatwave is believed to have caused up to 760 premature deaths across the country.

Elderly residents are among the most vulnerable, with the British Red Cross opening two call centres in eastern England to ensure patients recently discharged from hospital are coping with the heat.

It comes after the Met Office issued a level three health watch for the South West, the West Midlands and the North West, requiring social and healthcare services to implement specific measures to protect high-risk groups.

Graham Bickler, of the Health Protection Agency, said: "There is considerable evidence that heatwaves are dangerous and can kill.

"In the 2003 heatwave there were 2,000 to 3,000 excess deaths in England. Across Europe, there were round 30,000 excess deaths."

The NHS urged people to consider staying out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, to take cool baths or showers and to drink cold drinks rather than tea, coffee or alcohol.

"Most of the information is common sense," Mr Bickler said. "It's not rocket science but it can have a dramatic effect."

A firefighter tackles a wildfire in southeast England

Meanwhile, fire crews in London say they are dealing with twice as many grass fires this summer compared to last year.

More than 120 firefighters were called to one blaze on Wanstead Flats, near Stratford.

Elsewhere, wildfires tore through the south Wales valleys while flames devastated swathes of Tentsmuir Forest in Fife, Scotland.

Temperatures - which reached 32.2C in London on Wednesday - are expected to be slightly cooler this weekend.

Sky News weather presenter Sarah Pennock said temperatures "will be a touch cooler today for many, particularly across eastern England", although western Scotland will be hotter.

Forecasters say the mercury could climb to around 33C next week, with 35C possible in some places.

However, temperatures - which reached a 2013 high of 32.2C in London on Wednesday - are unlikely to top the high of 36.5C recorded in Surrey in July 2006.

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Woolwich Suspect 'Attack': Prison Staff Suspended

Five prison officers have been suspended following allegations that Woolwich murder suspect Michael Adebolajo was assaulted at one of Britain's top-security jails.

Adebolajo, 28, who is accused of killing soldier Lee Rigby, reportedly lost two teeth as he was being restrained at Belmarsh prison in southeast London on Wednesday.

The Prison Service has refused to comment on the detail of what happened, but the Met Police confirmed it was investigating an allegation of assault.

During an investigation of this kind, the suspension of staff is standard practice, the Ministry of Justice said.

Adebolajo is in Belmarsh Prison awaiting trial for the murder of Lee Rigby

The Prison Officers Association (POA) has denied any wrongdoing by the officers and said its members would challenge the allegations made by the prisoner.

"We are aware of an incident that took place on Wednesday July 17, which involved a prisoner being subjected to restraint using approved techniques called Control and Restraint," it said in a statement.

"Our members strenuously deny any wrongdoing and the POA will be supporting them legally and emotionally during this difficult time.

"The use of restraint is only used where necessary when dealing with incidents up and down the country."

It said it will fully co-operate with any police investigation, and expects the officers to be "fully exonerated".

The prison officers' trade union also accused the Ministry of Justice of not doing enough to avoid what they described as "sensationalist reporting" of the alleged assault.

Adebolajo is accused together with Michael Adebowale, 22, of hacking Drummer Rigby to death near Woolwich Barracks in southeast London on May 22.

The pair are due to stand trial at the Old Bailey on November 18.

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Boston Bomb Suspect: Police Photos Released

Photos showing the moment the Boston Marathon bomb suspect was captured have been released by a police photographer angry at a magazine for "glamorising" the alleged attacker.

Massachusetts State Police tactical photographer Sergeant Sean Murphy took the pictures of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev as the 19-year-old crawled out from beneath the cover of a boat four days after the blasts.

One of the photos shows him with a bloodied face and hand, with the red dot of a police sniper's rifle laser sight on his forehead.

Sgt Murphy released the image after a portrait of Tsarnaev appeared on the front cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

The photographer claims his pictures, which were published in Boston Magazine, show the "real Boston bomber, not someone fluffed and buffed".

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev took the photo which appeared on the magazine himself

"The truth is that glamorising the face of terror is not just insulting to the family members of those killed in the line of duty, it also could be an incentive to those who may be unstable to do something to get their face on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine," he told the publication.

A state police spokesman said Sgt Murphy had not been authorised to release the photographs he took of Tsarnaev.

He said the images would not be handed out to other media organisations.

Boston Magazine reported the officer had been "relieved of duty" and was ordered to attend a hearing next week.

The explosions killed three people, including a young boy

Three people died and hundreds more were injured when two pressure cooker bombs exploded close to the finish line of the Boston Marathon in April.

Earlier this month, Tsarnaev pleaded not guilty to 30 charges, including the use of weapons of mass destruction.

His brother Tamerlan, who allegedly helped commit the attack, died during the manhunt for the pair.

Meanwhile, the editors of Rolling Stone added a statement to the online version of their article about Tsarnaev in which they said: "Our hearts go out to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings and our thoughts are always with them and their families.

"The cover story we are publishing this week falls within the traditions of journalism and Rolling Stone's long-standing commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage of the most important political and cultural issues of our day.

"The fact that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is young, and in the same age group as many of our readers, makes it all the more important for us to examine the complexities of this issue and gain a more complete understanding of how a tragedy like this happens."

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Cory Monteith: Heroin And Alcohol Killed Star

Glee star Cory Monteith died from a heroin and alcohol overdose, according to a coroner.

The 31-year-old actor was found dead in his hotel room in the Canadian city of Vancouver on Saturday.

Barbara McLintock, from the British Columbia coroner's office, said: "There is no evidence to suggest Mr Monteith's death was anything other than a most sad and tragic accident.

Popular musical comedy Glee first aired in 2009

"The cause of death was a mixed drug toxicity, and it involved heroin primarily and also alcohol."

The findings come after a post-mortem examination and toxicological analysis.

Police said the Canadian actor had been out with other people earlier, but was believed to have been alone when he died.

Fans left flowers outside the Vancouver hotel where Monteith died

He was discovered by hotel staff after he failed to check out on Saturday.

The coroner's office said the investigation into his death was continuing, and no other details were available at this time.

Monteith had talked openly about struggling with addiction since he was a teenager, calling it a serious problem and telling Parade magazine in 2011 he was "lucky to be alive".

Monteith was dating Glee co-star Lea Michele

The star, who played Finn Hudson in the TV show and dated his co-star Lea Michele, admitted himself to rehab in April.

He also received treatment when he was 19.

Monteith and the other Glee actors became high-profile celebrities when the hit musical show made its TV debut in 2009.

The Fox network and the producers of Glee, including 20th Century Fox Television, said Monteith was an exceptional performer "and an even more exceptional person".

Gia Milani, who recently produced and directed a Canadian film featuring Monteith, said the actor "seemed healthy" when she last saw him four weeks ago in Los Angeles.

"He looked super fit and he was energetic and excited," Milani said.

She said Monteith showed no signs of a substance abuse problem while shooting the film a year ago.

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Primary School Pupils May Be Nationally Ranked

Primary schoolchildren will be ranked against their peers across the country under Government proposals.

Eleven-year-olds would sit tests and be put into 10% ability bands, with parents then being updated on their child's ranking.

The move is one of a raft of proposals by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Schools Minister David Laws aimed at raising primary school standards and ensuring youngsters are ready for secondary school.

The ministers also suggest testing five-year-olds on their progress, described as a "simple check of a child's ability in the early weeks of a child's career at school".

Outlining the "ambitious" overhaul of England's primaries, Mr Clegg said national rankings of 11-year-olds will help raise the bar.

Mr Clegg said the bar must be raised for pupils

"Every primary school should strive to make its pupils ready for secondary school by the time they leave," he said.

"All the evidence shows that if you start behind, you stay behind. A better start at secondary school is a better start in life.

"I make no apology for having high ambitions for our pupils.

"But for children to achieve their potential we need to raise the bar - in terms of tests, pass marks and minimum standards."

He told Sky News: "What we're saying is that this is information that will only go to the parents and teachers, it's not going to be published.

"It's so that a parent has a rough idea about how their son or daughter is doing compared to other people in the school system."

But Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), does not agree with ranking 11-year-olds through testing.

"The Government has a fondness for testing young children in the belief that the tests create reliable measures of performance. They don't," he said.

"And, by relying only on what can be measured, they risk missing what matters.

"There is far more to being 'secondary ready' than a score on an hour's test. A teacher's judgement, built up over four years, has much to contribute."

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), is concerned about children who rank in the lower ability bands.

Children as young as five could be tested on their progress

"I worry what will happen to those children who have tried hard yet are told that they are in one of the bottom bands," he said.

"Children at that age mature differently and their confidence can be easily damaged.

"It could make secondary teachers' job in building self-esteem and confidence even more difficult.

"There are better ways of making it clear to parents and children what they should be achieving at the end of primary school."

Schools also face being labelled as under-performing if they fail to ensure that more pupils reach higher standards in English and maths tests and 11-year-olds will be expected to gain higher results in their national curriculum tests.

Primaries will need to make sure that more of their pupils are reaching these new tougher standards, or face instant Ofsted inspections and being singled out for improvement measures.

The current system requires that children reach Level 4 in English and maths at the end of primary school, with primaries expected to ensure that 65% of their pupils achieve this standard.

They are also measured on the progress they make between ages seven and 11.

The new system proposes that from 2016, schools should have at least 85% of their students reaching the new higher standard.

The plan also contains measures to scrap national curriculum levels and introduce a new scoring system which is used in international tests.

Mr Clegg also announced that primary schools will be given hundreds of pounds more for each poor child to help improve standards among disadvantaged youngsters.

He said the Pupil Premium would rise to £1,300 per eligible primary pupil in 2014/15 compared with £900 this year.

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Susan Taylor: Donations Up After Swimmer Dies

Donations have poured in for a charity swimmer who died while attempting to cross the English Channel.

Susan Taylor, 34, collapsed just one mile from the French coast on Sunday and she was later pronounced dead in hospital.

Mrs Taylor was pulled from the water and on to a support boat by her brother David, a paramedic, who battled to save her.

Her husband, Stephen, was also on board as attempts were made to resuscitate his wife, her family said.

More than 2,000 people have now donated to Mrs Taylor's fundraising page as the current total raised soared to more than £40,000.

She had been attempting to raise money for Rainbows Hospice and Diabetes UK through her Facebook page Create A Ripple Channel Swim.

Comedian David Walliams - who swam the Channel in 2006 - is believed to have pledged £1,000 after a donation was made under his name.

Walliams swam the English Channel in 2006

"Sending all my love to Susan's family and friends," a message from Walliams said on the page. 

The Little Britain star tweeted later: "Despite the shock & sadness, it's good to see heroic Susan Taylor's charity total rising. Please give what you can."

Walliams also tweeted a link to the page, writing: "Susan Taylor's channel swim attempt very sadly ended in tragedy. This is her charity page if you want to donate."

Mrs Taylor had reportedly written in a blog post her ambition to follow in Walliams' footsteps by swimming the Channel.

"I've had an ambition to follow in comedian David Walliams' strokes and swim the Channel since I was a child," she wrote.

The charities which Mrs Taylor was raising money for also paid tribute to her.

Mrs Taylor collapsed a mile from the French coast

Geoff Ellis, chief executive at Rainbows Hospice, described her as a "wonderful woman".

"She has been a much loved ambassador at Rainbows for over two years, helping out at events and tirelessly fundraising for us," he said.

"She was more than an ambassador; she was part of the Rainbows family."

Barbara Young, chief executive at Diabetes UK, said the charity was "extremely sad" to hear of Mrs Taylor's death and offered condolences and support to her family.

Speaking from the family home in Barwell, Leicestershire, Mrs Taylor's father said he was devastated.

"I've lost the best person in the world. She was just wonderful," Arthur Wright said.

The tracker map showing Mrs Taylor's progress stopped near the French coast

Mrs Taylor had given up her full-time job to carry out charitable work and was working part-time as an accountant, her father said.

She had also done wing-walking and a parachute jump, and was a qualified rally driver.

Mr Wright said he had been told the accident happened during the last leg of the swim, which Mrs Taylor had spent 18 months training for.

Supporters who were following Mrs Taylor's progress through a tracker link on her Facebook page began to leave concerned messages when the updates stopped and the boat appeared to travel off course.

Mrs Taylor's crossing was being overseen by the Channel Swimming Association, one of the two official British organisations that authorise the attempts.

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Tameside Hospital Slammed In Death Rate Probe

Staff at a hospital being investigated by the NHS medical director for having a high death rate put targets ahead of patient care, according to a report seen by Sky News.

Tameside General Hospital in Greater Manchester is one of 14 of the worst trusts in England at the centre of a probe spearheaded by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh into hospitals with high mortality rates after the scandal at Stafford Hospital.

Sky's Health Correspondent Thomas Moore obtained a report detailing the findings into Tameside which revealed a series of critical findings into chronic mismanagement and failings in patient care.

The investigation found "insufficient levels of nursing staff", "poor supervision of junior doctors by consultants" and a "lack of compassion" from staff dealing with patient complaints.

There were insufficient critical care beds which meant patients were being treated in the wrong place.

The report also detailed specific examples of poor care including a patient with the superbug Clostridium difficile being admitted to a six-bed bay which immediately put the other five patients at risk of a potentially fatal bacterial infection.

The Health Secretary will make a statement in the Commons today

In another case, a patient was given penicillin despite telling staff that they were allergic to the antibiotic, while members of one family were left to clean up a loved one with faecal incontinence.

On one unannounced visit to the hospital, the most senior surgical doctor was a trainee with just two years' experience.

"The culture appeared to be one of managing targets rather than ensuring overall quality and patient experience," the report said.

"The panel was not convinced that the board has the capability currently to fully address the cultural change required in the trust."

Moore said: "We had heard that perhaps Stafford was a one-off scandal. This (the report) shows that it wasn't."

Tameside is one of 14 trusts with high death rates in the spotlight

The father of a 12-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who died at the hospital on February 7, 2011, told Sky News what an independent specialist told the inquest into his daughter Emma's death.

"She said in her experience, if medical intervention would have happened at an earlier stage, she said Emma would have probably survived," said Michael Stones.

"And this was verified by the coroner in his verdict. So we are put in a situation where we'll never know because of the absolute, disgraceful behaviour of that hospital towards my daughter. An animal gets treated better."

Among the 14 trusts under close scrutiny because of their mortality rates over the last two years are Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, Buckinghamshire Healthcare, Burton Hospitals, Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation, and The Dudley Group.

Others include East Lancashire Hospitals, George Eliot Hospital, Medway NHS Foundation, North Cumbria University Hospitals, Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals, Sherwood Forest Hospitals and United Lincolnshire Hospitals.

Michael Stones' daughter Emma, 12, died at Tameside in 2011

Moore said the findings into each of them - due to be published on Tuesday - would "paint a terrible picture of an NHS that in some areas still isn't able to provide the care and the compassion that patients would expect".

The long-awaited report commissioned by the Government is expected to reveal that up to 13,000 people may have died needlessly in NHS hospitals since 2005.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will deliver a statement to MPs in the House of Commons on the probe.

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LA Violence: Zimmerman Verdict Sparks Clashes

By Tom Parmenter in Washington DC

Violent clashes have broken out between police and protesters in Los Angeles after George Zimmerman's acquittal over the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin.

The LAPD said officers fired non-lethal bean bag rounds to disperse the crowd after protesters threw batteries and rocks at police.

Protesters have been marching on I-10 highway in the Crenshaw neighbourhood in southwestern LA.

Protesters have been demonstrating on the I-10 highway

In New York, Times Square has been closed to traffic to prevent a similar protests from getting out of control.  

Mr Zimmerman, a neighbourhood watch volunteer, was cleared on Saturday of the second-degree murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida.

A police officer pushes back a protester on the highway in LA

Trayvon had been pursued through a gated community before he was shot.

The verdict has sparked protests in towns and cities all over the US.

The protests in LA caused traffic chaos

While many people believe the jury got it right in deciding that Mr Zimmerman acted in self-defence, many others believe it has again exposed deep racial divisions.

Some of the biggest demonstrations were staged in NY where thousands of people gathered in Union Square and then later in Times Square.

New Yorker Stacey Ann Chin said: "I have a black child growing up in New York City.

Times Square has been closed to traffic due to the protests

"And I felt like I had to get out of my house today, and motivate the household and get everyone out to come and show a presence, some evidence of resistance, some evidence of our displeasure or our aghast, unbelief about what has happened. "

Carmella Alston, also from New York, said : "I just know that my ancestors, my great-grandmothers, my grandmothers all marched before with Malcolm, Martin, Reverend Jesse Jackson, and even marched with Al Sharpton.

"And I didn't think at this age I will have to be going through this as well."

Mr Zimmerman (R) was acquitted of Trayvon's murder

US President Barack Obama has called for "calm reflection" in the wake of Mr Zimmerman's acquittal.

"The death of Trayvon Martin was a tragedy. Not just for his family, or for any one community, but for America," Mr Obama said in a statement.

"I know this case has elicited strong passions. And in the wake of the verdict I know those passions are running even higher. But we are a nation of laws, and a jury has spoken."

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Soldiers Died 'Trying Out For Special Forces'

Police are continuing to investigate the deaths of two serviceman who are thought to have died during a special forces selection process on the hottest day of the year.

A third serviceman is in a serious condition in hospital.

The three were part of a group training in the Brecon Beacons, some of Wales' most rugged terrain, on Saturday when temperatures topped 29.5C (85.1F).

It is understood that the men were taking part in the selection process for the Territorial Army section of the SAS.

Sky News Defence Correspondent Alistair Bunkall said the "very rigorous selection process" would have meant "long yomping walks carrying an awful lot of weight".

With military sources indicating soaring temperatures may have been to blame for their deaths, Bunkall added that the investigation into their deaths was like to focus on the climate and if enough preparations were put in place.

Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander of British troops in Afghanistan, pointed out the difference between the selection processes for the regular Army and the special forces, where the onus is on individual achievement and self-motivation.

He told Sky News: "The Army relies a lot on the buddy-buddy system, in other words of either a commander or fellow soldier looking our for their mates to see if they are exhibiting any symptoms of heat illness. Of course if they are doing SAS selection ... then a lot of that is done as individuals."

The Ministry of Defence and police are both investigating what happened.

An MoD spokesman said: "The MoD can confirm that it is working with Dyfed Powys Police to investigate an incident during a training exercise on the Brecon Beacons on Saturday in which two members of military personnel died.

"The two servicemen's next of kin have been informed."

The Brecon Beacons is one of several locations British military use as part of their training. The deaths occurred near the Storey Arms activity centre.

The area's rugged and sprawling terrain helps prepare soldiers physically and mentally for warfare as well as put their logistic skills to the test, making it an ideal area for elite forces personnel like the SAS.

However the Beacons' jagged topography can prove dangerous even to the most hardened and physically fit.

Earlier this year, an army captain was found dead on a snow-covered Corn Du mountain.

It was thought that Rob Carnegie had been taking part in a gruelling 17-40 mile march in freezing conditions in the Brecon Beacons as part of a selection process for the special forces regiment, when he collapsed and died.

However, this time investigators are examining whether hot temperatures played a major factor.

A source said: "It is a case of the people succumbing to being affected by the training that they were doing."

The Army's website said the Brecon Beacons were used because they are so demanding and prepare soldiers for the "extraordinary things" they have to do on deployment.

The website says: "Training for high-intensity, light-role war fighting is the way soldiers and officers are prepared for any operational situation they may face - conventional war, counter insurgency, security sector reform, peacekeeping or supporting civil authorities.

"This ensures that the training is as close to current operations and pre-deployment training as possible, whilst maintaining the ability to train for high intensity war fighting."

News of the deaths has been met with shock in the nearby town of Brecon, which is home to The Infantry Battle School.

Brecon mayor and Powys county councillor Matthew Dorrance said: "It's incredibly sad for the friends and family of the people who have lost their lives and our thoughts are with the person who is injured.

"In one way we've been blessed with the weather but for people working in this heat, they're tough conditions."

Members of all four of South Wales' mountain rescue teams said they had been called out to assist when the two servicemen died.

Thirty members of Central Beacons, Brecon, Western Beacons and Abergavenny-based Longtown Mountain Rescue Teams joined the operation near Pen y Fan, which is the highest mountain in south Wales.

Mark Moran, from Central Beacons MRT, paid tribute to its members who took part in the rescue operation.

"They are all volunteers, who are highly trained and dedicated" he said.

"We were working alongside military personnel who remained extremely calm and professional during this tragic incident. Our thoughts are now with the families of those involved."

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Trayvon Martin: George Zimmerman Acquitted

George Zimmerman has been acquitted of all charges over the fatal shooting of black teenager Travyon Martin in Florida.

Mr Zimmerman was freed after the jury deliberated for more than 15 hours over two days in the second-degree murder trial.

The jurors notified the judge on Saturday night, shortly before 10pm local time, that they had reached a decision.

Minutes later the verdict was announced. Mr Zimmerman stood impassively as the verdict was read out.

Supporters of Trayvon Martin outside court after the verdict was reached

The parents of the teenager were not in court for the verdict.

But outside the court supporters of Trayvon reacted with disappointment and anger.

Some chanted and held up a large banner saying "End racial oppression", while others yelled "No" in disbelief at the acquittal.

The six-member, all-woman jury began deliberating at 2.30pm on Friday after spending part of the day listening to the defence team's closing arguments and a rebuttal from the prosecution.

George Zimmerman is congratulated by his defence team

The jurors considered nearly three weeks of often wildly conflicting testimony over who was the aggressor on the rainy night the 17-year-old was shot while walking through the gated townhouse community where he was staying.

Mr Zimmerman's lawyers said the case was classic self-defence, claiming Trayvon knocked Mr Zimmerman down and was slamming the older man's head against the concrete footpath when Mr Zimmerman fired his pistol.

Trayvon Martin was shot dead in a gated community

"We're ecstatic with the results," defence lawyer Mark O'Mara said after the verdict.

"George Zimmerman was never guilty of anything except protecting himself in self-defence."

Another member of his defence team, Don West, said: "I'm glad this jury kept this tragedy from becoming a travesty."

Prosecutors called Mr Zimmerman a liar and portrayed him as a wannabe police officer and vigilante who had grown frustrated by break-ins in his neighbourhood committed primarily by young black men.

The teen's death drew protests in cities across America

They said Mr Zimmerman assumed the teen was up to no good and took the law into his own hands.

The case divided public opinion in the United States, with even President Barack Obama commenting on the shooting. Congressman Bobby Rush wore a "hoodie" in the House of Representatives in support of Trayvon.

Further criticism came from the 44-day delay before Mr Zimmerman was arrested.

Trayvon's father was not in court for the verdict

After hearing the verdict, judge Debra Nelson told the defendant he was free to go and the GPS tracking tag unit would be removed.

"You have no further business with this court," she said.

Mr Zimmerman later hugged his family, and his wife Shellie smiled and cried.

Fearing further social unrest over the controversial shooting, the police chief in Sanford, where Trayvon Martin was shot and where the trial was held, urged peace.

State Attorney Angela Corey said she believed second-degree murder was the appropriate charge because Mr Zimmerman's mindset "fit the bill of second-degree murder."

"We charged what we believed we could prove," Ms Corey said.

Second-degree murder is classed as a death that does not include specific intent to kill, and the trial centred on the state's controversial self-defence rule of "Stand Your Ground".

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Manchester Shop Blaze: Firefighter Dies

A firefighter has died after being pulled from a major blaze in a shop in the centre of Manchester, the city's fire service says.

Firefighter Stephen Hunt, 38, was part of a team responding to a fire at Paul's Hair World in Oldham Street when he and a colleague got into difficulties last night.

Both were rescued by firefighters and taken to hospital, but Mr Hunt died, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said.

County Fire Officer Steve McGuirk said: "We are devastated by the loss of one of our colleagues who has died in the line of duty.

"We never expect to lose a colleague in this way and it brings home the dangers that our firefighters put themselves in every day to keep the community safe.

Pic: @manchesterfire

"Stephen had been a dedicated firefighter since 2008 and we are all in a state of shock.

"It is a very sad day for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and all our thoughts are with Stephen's family and friends."

He said details of exactly what happened are unclear at this stage but will be investigated. Arson had not been ruled out.

"We have asked our neighbouring Fire and Rescue Services to immediately start an investigation into the incident and circumstances leading to this terrible tragedy," he added.

"We are working alongside Greater Manchester Police to establish the cause of the fire. At this stage arson is not being ruled out.

Pic: @manchesterfire

"(The firefighters) are clearly devastated by the loss of their colleague and I pay tribute to their professionalism, courage and dedication - while in mourning they are continuing to keep the community safe."

The fire began around 2.50pm on Saturday and is still being dealt with.

The second firefighter pulled from the blaze remains in hospital but his injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

The pair got into trouble inside the building at around 8.35pm.

The fire, which started in the store room of the shop, has been particularly difficult  to tackle due to the complex layout of the building and the amount of materials inside, a spokeswoman for the fire service said.

The owner and a passer-by had tried to put the fire out but were unable to and both were taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation, she added.

Pic: @manchesterfire

By 4pm yesterday, 12 crews and more than 60 firefighters from stations around the county were tackling the fire which broke through to the first floor.

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