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-week-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.

Matthew Breydin, 11, was admitted to Birmingham Children's Hospital last Saturday after suffering from severe sunburn during a family trip to Weston-super-Mare.

His mother Caroline said his back started to blister a few days after the outing although he applied sun cream regularly throughout the day.

She said: "You have to make sure they are not in the sun for very long and keep them well covered all the time because the slightest bit of sun to the skin causes so much damage and there's so much pain as well."

A firefighter tackles a wildfire in southeast England

Dr Naiem Moiemen, a burns and plastics consultant surgeon at Birmingham Children's Hospital, said: "In the last week or two we've had a surge of small burns but substantial burns in children and sometimes we've see it in very, very small kids and that's really a high concern.

He said it has been unusual for sunburn cases to get this bad.

He said: "We may have been caught by surprise and not taken the normal and sensible precautions.

"We have to go out and enjoy the sun but also we have to use high sun factor cream on all areas, don't miss any part of the body that will be exposed. Hats are very important and white shirts and T-shirts that prevent sunbeams going to the skin."

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.

This has now been downgraded to level two for most of England, including Western areas, alerting social and healthcare services to be prepared.

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."

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.

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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Costa Concordia: Five Guilty Of Manslaughter

Five people have been found guilty of manslaughter over the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster which left 32 people dead.

The court in Grosseto in Italy handed down the highest sentence to the crisis co-ordinator for the Italian cruise company Costa Crociere, Roberto Ferranini, who could serve two years and 10 months.

The ship's hotel director was sentenced to two years and six months while two bridge officers and a helmsman got sentences ranging from one year and eight months to one year and 11 months.

None are likely to go to jail though as the sentences of less than two years are suspended, and the longer sentences may be appealed or replaced with community service, judicial sources said.

On Thursday, Francesco Schettino - the captain of the Costa Concordia and the main defendant - asked the judge at his manslaughter trial to order tests on the cruise liner's wreckage to determine why electrical and other systems failed after the vessel struck a reef off the Italian island of Giglio.

Schettino talks to his lawyers in Grosseto

The outcome of his request will not be known until at least September.

His trial was adjourned until September 23 for a summer's break.

Schettino is also charged with causing the shipwreck in January 2012 and abandoning ship before all aboard had been evacuated.

His defence claims that no one died in the collision itself, but that the failure of a backup generator and supposedly water-tight compartments that were flooded created problems during the evacuation, when the deaths occurred.

If convicted, Schettino could receive up to 20 years in prison.

The cruise company Costa Crociere was given an administration fine of one million euros (£860,000) earlier this year, under a law in which companies whose employees commit crimes can be sanctioned. It has put the blame for the collision on Schettino.

Salvage experts are still attempting to work out how to right the ship, which remains stuck on a reef off Giglio, and float it away to the mainland for demolition.

The boat has become a macabre tourist attraction in the area.

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Beijing Airport Blast: Smoke In Arrivals Hall

Chinese media report that there has been an explosion in an arrivals hall at Beijing airport.

Pictures posted on the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, Weibo, show smoke in Terminal 3 but no injuries have been reported.

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Woolwich: Prison Staff Deny Adebolajo Assault

Prison officers "strenuously deny any wrongdoing" after Woolwich murder suspect Michael Adebolajo reportedly lost two teeth while being restrained in jail.

The 28-year-old was injured at high security Belmarsh prison in south east London on Wednesday, where he is being held on suspicion of murdering soldier Lee Rigby.

The Prison Officers Association (POA) 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.

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

"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.

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. prison. An investigation has been started."

Adebolajo is accused together with Michael Adebowale, 22, of hacking Drummer Rigby to death near Woolwich Barracks in south east London on May 22. The pair are due to stand trial at the Old Bailey on November 18.

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Alan Greaves: Church Organist Killers Jailed

Two men who attacked and killed a church organist as he walked to Midnight Mass have been sentenced to a total of 34 years in prison.

Jonathan Bowling, 22, was jailed for life and must serve a minimum term of 25 years after admitting last month that he had killed Alan Greaves, 68.

Mr Greaves died after he was found lying in the street yards from his home

Ashley Foster, also 22, had denied murder but was found guilty of manslaughter after a three-week trial. He was jailed for nine years at Sheffield Crown Court.

The pair, who were described during their trial as "virtually brothers", were caught on CCTV walking behind Mr Greaves seconds before he was smashed over the head with a pickaxe handle and another weapon which has never been found.

Fuelled by lager and Bacardi and Coke, the pair had gone in search of someone to attack after a family party. 

They found Mr Greaves, who was walking to St Saviour's Church in High Green, Sheffield, for Midnight Mass on December 24 last year to play the organ as he had done for 40 years.

Foster handed himself into police after being recognised by family and friends, but said he was a "witness" to the murder.

He and his partner Natalie Evers claimed they were frightened of Bowling.

The pickaxe handle used to batter Mr Greaves

The jury heard Foster never had a proper job, although he did casual work at a local farm.

He and Bowling had known each other since their early teens when Bowling's father was in a relationship with Foster's mother.

Mr Greaves, who was a retired social worker and dedicated community volunteer, died three days after being found lying in the street a few hundred yards from his home in High Green.

He was carrying a briefcase containing sheet music but the police found nothing had been taken from him by his attackers.

Mr Greaves with wife Maureen on their wedding day

Speaking after the sentencing, Mr Greaves' wife Maureen said she was extremely pleased with the result.

"To think Ashley's got nine years is the very best we could have got in the circumstances of the manslaughter.

"To think that Jonathan's got 25 minimum and to think he'll probably never come out, I really am wonderfully pleased with the result."

She told reporters she would not read a letter Bowling had written to her.

"To put it into my hands the days he was going to get sentenced, I didn't think it was very appropriate," she said.

"If he was going to write me a letter he should have written it a long time ago."

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Nigeria Kidnapping: British National Taken

A British national has been kidnapped shortly after landing at Lagos International Airport in Nigeria, the British High Commission has revealed.

Gunmen targeted a four-wheel drive car at around 8.30pm on Tuesday after it left the airport's international terminal, seizing the British man who was returning to a residential area of Lagos, according to security sources.

The Nigerian driver of the vehicle was shot but survived.

In a statement, the British High Commission (BHM) said: "The BHM is working closely with others to secure the release of the hostage.

"Because of the nature of this incident, the BHM is not going into further detail about it."

Major companies with British connections operating in Nigeria include oil giant Royal Dutch Shell, British Airways, Unilever and PricewaterhouseCoopers. There was no indication of where the kidnapped man was employed.

Kidnapping of expatriates and Nigerians by armed gangs seeking ransom has been rife in Nigeria's oil producing southeast, but is rarer in Lagos were most foreigners live.

Four Chinese nationals and the three-year-old son of a state legislator have previously been reported kidnapped this month.

Risk analysts Drum Cussac have reported a "noticeable upsurge" in the number of kidnappings in the southwest of the country, including Lagos.

The consultancy said: "Foreign nationals were targeted in the affluent Lagos areas of Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Epe-Lekki, sparking speculation that organised criminal gangs have renewed their focus on the city's upscale districts given their relatively permissive security environments."

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Man Guilty Of Church Organist Killing

A man accused of killing Sheffield church organist Alan Greaves has been found not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter.

Ashley Foster had been charged with murdering Mr Greaves, 68, but a court decided he was not responsible for his death.

Foster's friend Jonathan Bowling, with who he was accused of carrying out the attack, had earlier been found guilty of murder.

Mr Greaves was so badly injured in the attack a jury at Sheffield Crown Court was told his injuries were similar to those found on victims of a high speed car crashes.

The retired social worker and dedicated community volunteer died three days after being found lying in the street a few hundred yards from his home in High Green area of the city.

Bowling, 22, admitted last month that he had killed Mr Greaves, but Foster, also 22, denied murder. He was found guilty of manslaughter after a three week trial.

The pair, described in court as "virtually brothers", were caught on CCTV walking behind Mr Greaves seconds before he was smashed over the head with a pick axe handle and with another weapon which has never been found.

Mr Greaves was carrying a briefcase containing sheet music to play at his local church Christmas midnight mass as he had done every year for forty years, but the police found nothing had been taken from him by his attackers.

Bowling and Foster had been drinking during the day and prosecutors had claimed that they went out to look for a victim.

Prosecutor Robert Smith QC, told the jury: "If it had not been Mr Greaves it would have been someone else."

The court heard that both men had talked about how "sick" they were, but the jury found that only Bowling had intended to kill the victim.

Foster told the court "Jonno [Bowling] started running up towards the man, he pulled out a pick axe handle. I shouted no to stop him doing it.

"He jumped off the ground and smacked that man on the head. He hit him hard. All you could hear was a big bang sound," he said.

Foster handed himself into police after being recognised by family and friends, but said he was a "witness" to the murder and he and his partner Natalie Evers claimed they were frightened of Bowling.

Mr Greaves' widow Maureen sat in the public gallery throughout the three week trial.

Following his death she said: "I am so truly thankful to have loved and been loved by Alan. I am so proud of the man he was, and of the life that he lived."

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New Crime Stats Show Lowest Total On Record

The estimated number of crimes fell to 8.6 million in England and Wales in the year up to March 2013, the lowest figure since records began in 1981.

It was a 9% decrease compared with last year, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Overall crime is now running at half the level it peaked at in 1995.

Recorded crime was also down, with police reporting 3.7 million offences in the year ending March 2013, a decrease of 7% compared with the previous year.

But in these times of financial hardship for many, fraud is up by 27%, with over a quarter of a million offences recorded.

Theft from the person - pickpocketing and snatch crime, such as stealing someone's mobile phone - is up by 9%.

The PM said: 'Britain is gettin safer as well as stronger'

The number of rapes recorded by police has risen by 2% in the past year, with the increase thought to be linked to the knock-on effect of the high-profile Jimmy Savile investigation, the ONS said.

The figures - showing drops in many categories, and coming at a time of economic crisis and decreasing number of police officers - were welcomed by the Government.

David Cameron said the figures were "good news".

"We should congratulate the police. As a government we've asked them to do more with less resources and they performed, I think, magnificently.

"I think also all the work that's gone into crime prevention has made a difference, too.

"This is good news. Britain is getting safer, as well as stronger," the PM said during a visit to Hammersmith police station in west London.

Home Secretary Theresa May praised the police forces but also her own government, which she said had "played its part by slashing red tape and scrapping targets to enable the police to focus on crime fighting".

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: "It's one of the great triumphs of recent years that we've seen crime come down." 

The stats also showed that firearm offences have dropped by 15% in year ending March 2013, continuing to fall since a peak registered in 2005/2006.

Offences that involved a knife or sharp instrument decreased by 15% compared with the previous year.

The number of police officers in England and Wales has dropped for the fourth consecutive year - by 3.4% or 4,516 - taking the total to its lowest level since 2002, the Home Office said.

Sky News Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones said the figures were "extremely encouraging" from the point of view of the Government.

"From David Cameron's point of view, he'll be wanting to press home that sort of political advantage," explained Jones.

"As long as those statistics keep coming along those lines, it clearly makes things that much more comfortable from the Government's point of view."

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Michael Cope: Fugitive Murder Suspect On CCTV

Detectives have released CCTV images of what they believe is a recent sighting of fugitive murder suspect Michael Cope.

Cope, 28, is wanted in connection with the "sustained and vicious" killing of mother-of-two Linzi Ashton, who was found at her home in Winton, Salford, by relatives late last month.

The pictures are from a convenience store in Hindley, Wigan, where Cope withdrew money and was seen buying food at about 1.25pm last Sunday.

Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Shenton said: "It has now been almost three weeks since Linzi's murder, since which officers have been working very hard to find Michael Cope."

Michael Cope is wanted in connection with the murder of Linzi Ashton

He said Ms Ashton's family were being updated on the investigation, and he urged the public to get in touch if they spotted anything suspicious in the area.

"We believe Cope is familiar with the canal pathways between Salford and Leigh, and may have spent time near the canal and waterways in Hindley," he explained.

"He may have been sleeping rough and we would urge people to report any suspicious behaviour around outbuildings, sheds or gardens as well as disused railway lines and open land."

He added: "However, in their vigilance we would like to remind people that if Cope is seen he is not to be approached, as we do believe that he is dangerous and could be armed. Anyone who sees him should call the police immediately."

Cope had a brief and "acrimonious" relationship with Ms Ashton, 25, who had two daughters, Destiny, seven, and Daisy, two.

A post-mortem concluded she died as a result of pressure to the neck and multiple injuries.

A reward of £25,000 is being offered for anyone with information that leads to Cope's arrest and conviction.

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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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India: 21 Children Die After Eating School Meal

Some 21 children, aged between eight and 11, have died after eating free meals at a primary school in eastern India.

At least another 35 children remain in hospital in Patna, the Bihar state capital. Ten of the youngsters are in a critical condition. 

They fell ill after eating a lunch of rice and lentils in Masrakh village in the Saran district on Tuesday.

They were rushed to hospital in the capital, some 50 miles (80km) south of the village.

A family with their son who fell ill after consuming a free school meal

Some of the other sick children were taken to hospital in nearby Chaapra.

Sky Producer Neville Lazarus, in New Delhi, said: "Masrakh is in one of the poorest of the poor states in the country and in a remote place, so there weren't proper medical facilities."

The meal was cooked in the school kitchen, and police have seized all the ingredients used.

Lazarus said the cook and her two children had also died.

A woman cries after hearing that her grandson was one of the victims

Bihar's Education Minister P K Shahi said a preliminary investigation suggested the food had traces of phosphorous, which is used to preserve rice and wheat.

"It is sad but true that 20 children died after eating their midday meal, which appears to be poisonous," the minister said.

Authorities have suspended a food inspector and registered a case of criminal negligence against the head teacher.

The father of an ill child, Raja Yadav, told reporters that his son was vomiting after returning from school.

Free lunches are used as a way of increasing school attendance

"As soon as my boy returned from school, we rushed to the hospital with him. His condition was not good," he said.

Bihar state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has also ordered an inquiry, announced that families of the dead children will be offered financial compensation of 200,000 rupees (£2,200).

Twenty of the children who died were buried near the school on Wednesday morning as angry residents armed with poles and sticks took to the streets in the city of Chhapra to protest against the state government over the children's deaths.

"Hundreds of angry people staged a protest in Saran since late Tuesday night, demanding stern action against government officials responsible for this shocking incident," district government official S K Mall said.

Angry parents take to the streets in protest at the tragedy

Lazarus described the situation as "tense", with locals saying there was a delay in getting medical help to the children, contributing to the high death toll.

Free meals are offered to impoverished students in state-run schools as part of government welfare measures in many of India's 29 states

The lunches are hugely popular with poor families and educators see the meals as a way of increasing school attendance and stemming malnourishment.

But children often suffer from food poisoning due to poor hygiene in school kitchens and the sometimes poor quality food.

More than 130 students were taken to hospital in the western city of Pune last year after eating lunch at school, the Times of India reported.

A probe revealed that the food served to them was contaminated with E. coli bacteria, strains of which can cause food poisoning.

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BBC Savile Sex Scandal Reviews Cost £4.9m

Three reviews set up by the BBC in the wake of the Jimmy Savile sex scandal have so far cost licence fee payers almost £5m, the corporation's annual report has revealed.

The largest of the inquiries - the Pollard Review - which looked into whether the trust's management team failed in its handling of a dropped Newsnight investigation into the Savile allegations, cost £2.8m (inclusive of tax and VAT).

The cost of the review by former Sky News executive Nick Pollard included £101,000 to cover the "legal and related costs" of Helen Boaden who was heavily criticised in the report.

The then Head of News was among the senior executives who were criticised for failing to act while the BBC was plunged into chaos by the scandal.

Lord Patten said it had been a mixed year for the BBC

Total legal costs for witnesses came to £391,120.92 while Mr Pollard was paid a fee of £81,600.

Costs for that review and subsequent investigations into respect at work and the BBC's culture and practices while Savile worked there, came to £4.9m to the end of March.

But the eventual public bill will be even higher because the review into culture and practices is still being conducted by former High Court judge Dame Janet Smith and will be published later this year.

An extra strand of her investigation is under way in light of the conduct of former BBC presenter Stuart Hall, who was recently jailed after admitting the indecent assault of girls as young as nine.

Writing in the report, BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten quoted Charles Dickens to compare the success of the Olympics coverage with the Savile scandal saying "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times".

He said the revelations about the scrapped Newsnight investigation and subsequent departure of director-general George Entwistle were "low points".

He said: "The BBC seriously let down both itself and licence fee payers".

Nick Pollard's review into the Savile scandal has been the most costly

The BBC initially said the Pollard Review would cost £2m but Tim Davie, who stood in as director-general following Mr Entwistle's departure after just 54 days in the top job, said that had been an "estimate".

New director-general Tony Hall defended the cost to licence fee payers of the reviews, telling Sky News it was "absolutely proper" to "examine what lessons there are to be learned from the mistakes made nearly a year ago".

He said the results of the inquiries - into events that took place before he took up his role - had been "very helpful" to him so far.

Lord Hall said he wanted to change the culture at the BBC and called for "greater personal accountability" and a simpler corporation.

In a letter to Lord Patten he said he had been "struck by the complexity of the organisation and inhibiting effect that has on creativity."

New BBC boss Tony Hall has pledged to make the BBC a "simpler" organisation

He added that he was "personally leading a major piece of work to look at how we can simplify our organisation".

He also said he would be working closely with HR executive Lucy Adams, who was heavily criticised by a committee of MPs last week over hefty pay-offs to senior staff, and said he had full confidence in her.

Mr Entwistle was given a £450,000 pay-off despite his short tenure and widespread criticism of his handling of the Savile affair.

The annual report and accounts also reveal that the BBC made £580m of savings during 2012/13.

Staffing levels across the corporation were reduced from 21,940 to 21,282 over the year, while senior management teams have been cut by 31% since 2009.

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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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Army Reservist Died 'In Pursuit Of His Dream'

A TA soldier who died alongside a colleague during an assessment to become an SAS reservist on the hottest day of the year was pursuing his dream, his family have said.

Lance Corporal Craig Roberts and another soldier who has not been named died during a military exercise in the Brecon Beacons on Saturday.

A third soldier was also rushed to hospital needing treatment as temperatures soared to 29.5C (85.1F).

In a statement issued through the Ministry of Defence, Mr Roberts's father Kelvin said: "We are all devastated at the loss of our beloved Craig; this has left a massive hole in all our lives."

Mr Roberts said his son, who was due to start a new job in the Education Secretary's office, died pursuing his dream.

"We wholeheartedly supported Craig in his military endeavours and it gives us some comfort, though great sadness, that he died in the pursuit of his dream," he said.

"Next month Craig was due to start a new post in the office of the Secretary of State for Education and we were all very proud of him."

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Murder Victim 'Tried To Help Paedophile'

CCTV images have been released as police hunt an "extremely dangerous man" over the murder of a pensioner.

Graham Buck may have died trying to help his neighbour, believed to be convicted paedophile Francis Cory-Wright, who was apparently being attacked at his home.

Police urgently want to speak to Ian John McLoughlin, also known as Ian John Baker, in connection with the killing in Little Gaddesden, near Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire on Saturday afternoon.

Police are trying to trace McLoughlin

They have released images, thought to be of 55-year-old Mr McLoughlin, to highlight the clothes he was wearing on the day of the murder.

The suspect is described as being a white male, around 6ft tall with greying hair.

He was believed to be wearing sunglasses, blue jeans and a dark, blue, light blue and white checked short sleeved shirt with a button down collar. He is of average build.

Mr Buck, 66, was found dead at the scene by police while Cory-Wright was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Francis Cory-Wright was thought to have been attacked in his home

DCI Martin Branning from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit said: "We would like to reiterate that we continue to search for an extremely dangerous man and our focus is on finding Ian McLoughlin as soon as possible.

"The nature of this murder investigation is one of significant violence and until he is caught the public are asked not to approach him as he is a very dangerous man."

Officers have been conducting additional patrols in the "quiet residential" area to provide reassurance to residents.

In November 2011, Cory-Wright was jailed for 30 months for indecently assaulting a young boy in the 1970s.

:: Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting Operation Acaria, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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British Woman Dies Swimming English Channel

A British woman has died while attempting to swim the English Channel, French authorities have said.

French maritime and coast guard officials say Susan Taylor was north-east of Cape Gris-Nez in Wissant Bay, Pas-de-Calais, when emergency services were alerted.

The 34-year-old from Leicester's support team, who were accompanying her on a 33ft-ship, reportedly radioed authorities requesting a defibrillator.

A French naval helicopter took Ms Taylor to hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer, where doctors pronounced her dead at 7.15pm on Sunday.

Tributes were left on Ms Taylor's Create A Ripple Channel Swim page

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

A message posted on the page said: "Whilst attempting to swim the English Channel yesterday my sister, Susan collapsed suddenly in the water. She was immediately recovered from the water and treated on the support boat.

"She was then airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Boulonge. Susan tragically passed away.

"Thank you for your messages of support. If you would like to leave a sign of respect please feel free to donate to her fund raising page."

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Stuart Hall: Further Sex Abuse Allegations

Lancashire Police have received further sexual abuse allegations against the former BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall.

The 83-year-old was jailed last month after admitting 14 counts of indecent assault against girls as young as nine between 1967 and 1987.

Officers say they are working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to determine the most appropriate course of action concerning the new claims.

It comes just days after it was announced that the disgraced presenter's 15-month jail term will be reviewed following complaints that his sentence was too lenient. The case has been referred to the Court of Appeal by the Attorney General.  

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'Up To 13,000 Needless Deaths' In NHS Hospitals

By Sophy Ridge, Political Correspondent

Up to 13,000 people may have died needlessly in NHS hospitals since 2005, according to a report to be published in the coming days.

Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, the NHS's medical director, will expose failings in 14 of the worst trusts in England.

He was commissioned by the Government to look into hospitals with high mortality rates after the scandal at Stafford Hospital.

The report, to be released on Tuesday, will criticise care standards and management failures, fuelling concerns about a problem with the NHS's culture where whistleblowers are afraid to speak out and regulators often fail to do their job.

Robert Francis QC issued a scathing report on Stafford hospital

It is expected to confirm fears that the 1,400 excess deaths at Mid Staffs were not a one-off.

One of the 14 trusts investigated, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation trust, had 1,600 more deaths than would have been expected in seven years, according to The Sunday Telegraph.

At Tameside - which is around half the size of Basildon - there were more than 830 excess deaths.

Christine Green, its chief executive, and Tariq Mahmood, its medical director, resigned just over a week ago, ahead of the publication of the report, and several board members have also stepped down.

A source close to the Health Secretary told Sky News that Jeremy Hunt is likely to put several hospitals on special measures as a consequence of Sir Bruce's report and warning signs being missed over many years.

The Conservatives are set to seize on it to attack Andy Burnham, who is now shadow health secretary and was in charge of the NHS in England from June 2009 until May 2010.

The report was commissioned in February by the Prime Minister after the results of the inquiry by Robert Francis QC into how the NHS failed to stop the Stafford hospital scandal happening.

The inquiry exposed appalling lapses in both the care of patients and the regulation of hospitals.

Jeremy Hunt is likely to put some hospitals on special measures

The 14 hospital trusts with the worse mortality rates over the last two years are Basildon and Thurrock, in Essex; United Lincolnshire; Blackpool, Lancs; The Dudley Group, West Midlands; George Eliot, Warwickshire; Northern Lincolnshire and Goole; Tameside, Greater Manchester; Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire; Colchester, Essex; Medway, Kent; Burton, Staffordshire; North Cumbria; East Lancashire; and Buckinghamshire Healthcare.

Sir Bruce examined not just mortality rates, but measurements including infection levels, the number of patients suffering from preventable and potentially fatal signs of negle

ct, and the numbers harmed by so-called "never events" such as operations on the wrong part of the body, or surgical instruments left inside a patient.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "We are not prepared to speculate about the contents of Sir Bruce's review, or our response to it. We've shown consistently that we expect the NHS to be accountable where things go wrong.

"That is why the Prime Minister ordered an investigation to get to the bottom of these issues."

Mr Burnham told Sky News' Murnaghan programme he would account for all decisions he made in office and defended his record.

The shadow health secretary said he had warned about a number of hospitals when he left office but that several of the hospitals involved had deteriorated since the coalition took over.

He said: "I will account for all of the things I did as secretary of state. I took actions to reveal what happened at Stafford, I took actions at Basildon, at Tameside, I left warnings in place on five hospitals.

"The Conservative Party briefed this week they were wanting to target me personally. That is what they are wanting to do."

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Cory Monteith: Glee Star Found Dead In Hotel

Glee star Cory Monteith has been found dead in a hotel room in Canada, Vancouver Police have confirmed.

The 31-year-old's body was discovered at Vancouver's Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel just after noon on Saturday after he failed to check out.

Police believe he was alone when he died, and have ruled out foul play.

Doug LePard, the acting chief of Vancouver Police, said: "As was the case in countless homes, I watched Glee regularly with my daughters, and I know there will be shock and sadness in many households with the news of his tragic death.

Monteith had reportedly been dating Glee co-star Lea Michele

"Mr Monteith checked into the hotel on July 6 and was due to check out of the room (on Saturday).

"There were others with Mr Monteith in his room earlier ... but video and fob key entries show him returning to his room by himself in the early morning hours and we believe he was alone when he died."

Monteith had voluntarily entered rehab for substance abuse problems in April.

It was not Monteith's first time in rehab. He received treatment when he was 19 and had previously talked about his addiction struggles, saying he had a serious problem and took just "anything and everything".

Popular musical comedy Glee first aired in 2009

He told Parade magazine in 2011 that he was "lucky to be alive".

He was best known for playing Finn Hudson in the popular musical comedy series Glee, which follows a group of American secondary school misfits.

A post-mortem examination will take place on Monday, and the coroner will decide on the next steps to establish the cause of death.

A statement on behalf of Glee's executive producers and 20th Century Fox Television said: "We are deeply saddened by this tragic news.

"Cory was an exceptional talent and an even more exceptional person. He was a true joy to work with and we will all miss him tremendously. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones."

Stars have spoken of their shock at the news.

Dot-Marie Jones, who plays Coach Bieste in Glee, wrote on Twitter: "I have no words! My heart is broken, Cory was not only a hell of a friend, he was one amazing man that I will hold close to my heart forever."

Singer Taylor Swift wrote: "Speechless. And for the worst reason."

Actress Jaimie Alexander added: "Sweet man... Gone far too soon. Peace be with you friend."

Singer Lance Bass said: "Devastated about the news of Cory Monteith - such an incredible guy - my thoughts are with his family and friends."

And Zooey Deschanel wrote: "What an absolutely tragic loss of a very talented young man."

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Manchester Firefighter Death: Girls Arrested

Greater Manchester Police have arrested two 15-year-old girls in connection with the death of firefighter Stephen Hunt, who was killed tackling a blaze in the city centre.

The 38-year-old father-of-two 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.

Police Detective Superintendent Phil Owen said: "We are working with our colleagues from the fire service to establish how this fire, which has tragically claimed the life of a fire fighter, started.

Manchester Firefighter Stephen Hunt

"We have already arrested two juveniles in connection with the fire and our enquiries are continuing.

"If anyone has any information about how the fire started please get in touch."

Earlier, County Fire Officer Steve McGuirk said arson had not been ruled out.

The chief fire officer said Mr Hunt had two teenage children and that his family were "absolutely grief-stricken" and said it was still a "very raw situation".

He 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.

"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."

Mr McGuirk said Mr Hunt is thought to have been enveloped by some kind of "super heat".

The store house and above offices are the headquarters of a hairdressing supplies company where various chemicals used in the trade are thought to have been stored.

Pic: @manchesterfire

He added: "At the minute it's really too early to say what's led to the firefighter's death. It doesn't look like a building collapse or that he fell through any floors.

"The early indications are an absolutely massive, ferocious and sudden build-up of heat."

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.

Pic: @manchesterfire

Sky News correspondent Nick Martin said among the materials were chemicals commonly used for hairdressing like hydrogen peroxide and aerosols.

Roxxi Watson, 48, who owns a shop called Strawberry Peach, in the neighbouring Afflecks Palace complex, said more than 200 businesses had been affected.

A fire service spokeswoman 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.

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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