Legal Highs: Ban At Reading Leeds Festival

By Frazer Maude, North of England Correspondent

The parents of a man who died after taking a "legal high" drug have welcomed a decision by the organisers of a music festival to ban the products from their sites.

Christopher Scott, 23, from Swindon, died at the Great Western Hospital in July after taking the chemical marketed as AMT (alpha-Methyltryptamine).

His father Michael says the family are "so pleased" that promoters of the Leeds and Reading Festivals have banned the sale or use of legal highs at the events this weekend.

"Everybody knows illegal drugs - there's a big risk behind them - but as soon as you start saying 'oh it's a legal high' you get the misconception that it's okay," said Michael.

"They think it's not dangerous, it's legal, so it must be fine. And then they get the impression they can take as many as they want."

A photo of Christopher Scott at home of his family

Christopher was a father of three and only after his death did his family find out that his partner was pregnant with his fourth child.

The Government finds it hard to legislate against the drugs, as whenever one is banned the manufacturers only have to make slight changes to the chemical formula in order for the new compound to be legal again.

Former legal highs Mexxy and Black Mamba are now classified as Class B drugs, and are therefore illegal.

Sky News bought a number of the legal highs from a shop in the North of England, including AMT which Mr Scott took.

They are also freely available on the internet.

The websites, sales staff and the packaging of the chemicals all warn that these items are not for human consumption, but are for research purposes.

The drug has been banned at Leeds and Reading Festivals

Melvin Benn, organiser of the Leeds and Reading Festivals, said: "We were happy to fall in line with the Home Office request and not allow these legal highs to be sold on site.

"No one really knows what effects these things have, and of course people are still going to take them. But they won't be buying them from retailers at any of my festivals."

Mr Scott and his family used to make annual visits to the Reading Festival.

Although delighted that the festival has banned the drugs, Mr Scott's father believes more needs to be done.

"The Government needs to really seriously rethink what it's doing with this concept of legal highs. Just the word 'legal' is making everyone think it's ok to do it, that it's fine. It's not," he said.

"I'm never going get my son back. I only had one son and I'm never going to get him back."

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US Forces Closer To Syria As Crisis Escalates

Iran has warned against "military intervention" in Syria amid growing calls for action against Bashar al Assad's regime following an alleged chemical weapons attack.

Tehran also said there was "proof" the alleged gas attack was carried out by rebel forces.

Survivors of the alleged gas attack rest inside a Damascus mosque

American naval forces are moving closer to Syria and US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said President Barack Obama had asked the Pentagon to prepare military options for Syria.

He declined to give details on specific force movements, but the AP news agency said a fourth warship has been sent to the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Three other destroyers are currently deployed in the Mediterranean - the USS Gravely, USS Barry and USS Ramage.

Dead animals lie in the street in the suburb of Zamalka

All four warships are equipped with several dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles which would allow the Pentagon to act rapidly if a military strike was ordered against Syria.

The move comes as the UN disarmament chief, Angela Kane, arrived in Damascus to press the Syrian government to allow UN inspectors to investigate the site of the alleged chemical attack this week.

Mr Hagen said: "The president has asked the Defence Department for options. Like always, the Defence Department is prepared and has been prepared to provide all options for all contingencies to the president of the US."

Syrian refugees in the Quru Gusik camp in Iraq

He said he expected US intelligence to "swiftly" assess whether the Syrian government did use chemical weapons in two Damascus suburbs.

Mr Obama last year threatened to punish Assad's regime if it resorted to using chemical weapons during the conflict, saying the use of weapons of mass destruction constituted a "red line" being crossed.

Russia on Friday joined calls for a swift probe into the alleged chemical weapon attack.

Britain and France have pressed for a team of UN inspectors already in Syria to be granted immediate access to the sites of the gas attack that activists say killed more than 130 people.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Friday there was little chance the attack had been carried out by rebels.

He said: "The only possible explanation of what we have been able to see is that it was a chemical attack and clearly many, many hundreds of people have been killed, some of the estimates are well over 1,000.

"I know some people in the world would like to say this is some kind of conspiracy brought about by the opposition in Syria - I think the chances of that are vanishingly small."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has sent his disarmament chief to Damascus to press Assad's regime to agree to an investigation.

Immediate access would allow inspectors to collect blood and soil samples to detect what chemicals - if any - were used.

The Assad regime has denied it has used chemical weapons, calling the allegations "absolutely baseless".

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Helicopter Crash: Four Dead In North Sea

Police have named the four oil workers who died after a helicopter ditched into the sea on its way to Shetland.

The victims are: Duncan Munro, 46, from Bishop Auckland; Sarah Darnley, 45, from Elgin; Gary McCrossan , 59, from Inverness; and George Allison, 57, from Winchester.

The Super Puma L2 went down at approximately 6.27pm on Friday, around two miles west of Sumburgh airport as it was returning to Shetland from the Borgsten Dolphin platform.

The helicopter was carrying 16 workers and two crew.

One of the rescued workers is moved on a stretcher

"The bodies of three people have been recovered and work is underway to recover the body of the fourth person," Police Scotland said in a statement.

The body of the fourth victim is understood to be in the wreckage of the aircraft.

All the families have been informed.

A search operation involving coastguard, police, RAF and local lifeboats was able to rescue 14 people from the sea, including the two crew. They were taken to Gilbert Bain Hospital in Lerwick.

"Five were discharged and nine detained overnight either for observation or suffering from exposure," the police statement said.

The helicopter is reported to be in several pieces but the wreckage has now been secured by the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution).

Helicopter operator CHC, which operates in 30 countries, said on its website that it was temporarily suspending all Super Puma L2 flights worldwide as a precaution.

Some of those rescued were able to walk unaided after the rescue

It has also suspended flights in Aberdeen "as a mark of respect".

Amanda Smith, the mother of one of the workers, Sam Smith, said that her son had telephoned her from hospital after suffering cuts in the crash.

She told Sky News: "He said it seemed to lose power and there was no time to brace, they just dropped into the sea.

"He was by the window so he was able to escape that way as it rolled over.

"He said he had come off better than a lot of people. It didn't seem real, I would say two hours later it's just beginning to sink in."

CHC said it was flying for oil company Total and that the aircraft had lost communication as it approached the airport on the southern tip of Shetland's main island.

A coastguard boat searches the North Sea

A spokesman said: "The aircraft was on approach to Sumburgh Airport at approximately 6.20pm when contact was lost with air traffic control."

Mark Abbey, regional director for CHC, expressed his "heartfelt sympathies to all those involved" but said the company would not be speculating about the cause of the crash.

Investigators from the Department for Transport's Air Accidents Investigation Branch will look into the incident.

The helicopter was upside down in the water when rescuers arrived, said Sky's James Matthews in Aberdeen.

"At least three of the four who died had trouble getting out of the wreckage. One body remains in there this morning," said Matthews.

The survivors were aided by waterproof immersion suits that helped keep them afloat and warm in the North Sea.

The tide - which was heading towards the land - also helped survivors.

Jim Nicholson, RNLI rescue co-ordinator, said: "There appears to have been a catastrophic loss of power which meant the helicopter suddenly dropped into the sea without any opportunity to make a controlled landing."

He said the weather was not "particularly good" at the time of the incident.

"There was a fresh wind, not overly strong, visibility is not particularly good and it was misty in the area - but I doubt if that would have had any impact on causing whatever happened to the helicopter," Mr Nicholson said.

Last year, two Super Puma helicopters ditched in the North Sea only six months apart.

Several helicopters have been involved in the search operation

All passengers and crew were rescued in both incidents, which were found to be caused by gearbox problems.

However, the latest incident is the fourth in four years involving Super Puma aircraft.

In April 2009, 16 people died when a helicopter returning from BP's Miller platform crashed 11 miles from Peterhead after a "catastrophic failure" in part of its main gearbox.

:: CHC has set up a helpline for concerned relatives on 01224 296 866.

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Northern Ireland: Man Charged With Two Murders

By David Blevins, Sky News Correspondent

A man arrested over the suspicious deaths of three women in the same town has been charged with murdering two of them.

Leslie Ross, of Dromore, County Down, where the women all died, is accused of murdering 47-year-old Michelle Bickerstaff in April last year and 50-year-old Margaret Weiss in August 2007.

A file on the third death, that of 52-year-old Lily McKee, who died in December 2002, has been referred to the Public Prosecution Service.

Ross, 66, has also been charged with indecently assaulting a woman between Jan 1979 and June 1990, committing an act of gross indecency with a child and indecently assaulting a female child between July 1979 and June 1990.

A detective sergeant told the court he believed he could connect the accused with the charges.

A lawyer for Ross said he had "categorically and vehemently" denied the charges during three days of questioning.

He was remanded in custody to appear in court again in September.

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India: Photojournalist Gang-Raped In Mumbai

By Neville Lazarus, Sky News Producer

A photojournalist has been gang-raped by five men while out on assignment with a male colleague in south Mumbai.

The woman, 22, is now in intensive care with reports suggesting she suffered multiple injuries, both internal and external.

Her condition is described as critical, but stable.

The man the victim was with - in an area known as Lower Parel - was tied up and assaulted.

The victims' statements have been recorded and sketches of suspects have been released by the police.

Two of the attackers reportedly called each other by name - Rupesh and Saijid.

Police said they have arrested five people over the gang-rape.

The scene of the gang-rape in Mumbai

The latest attack comes after the gang-rape and death of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student on a bus in Delhi last December.

That incident caused nationwide protests and demands for stringent laws against rape.

Under pressure, the government instituted fast-track courts for crimes against women and six men were subsequently charged with rape and murder.

The case is in its final stages at the Saket fast-track court in Delhi and a verdict is expected soon. 

Suspected ringleader Ram Singh killed himself at the Tihar jail earlier this year.

A juvenile is being tried at a separate court as he was under 18 years old when he allegedly committed the crime.

The other four await their fate when the court delivers its verdict.

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Syria Chemical Attack 'Proof' Smuggled To UN

Syrian activists are smuggling body tissue samples from victims of the alleged chemical massacre to UN inspectors staying in a nearby hotel.

The team of inspectors has been in Damascus since Monday carrying out investigations into previous claims of chemical weapons use during the country's civil war.

However, the Assad regime has yet to allow them to investigate the area where opponents claim his forces gassed more than 1,300 people to death on Tuesday, many of them children.

Activist Abu Nidal said: "The UN team spoke with us and since then we prepared samples of hair, skin and blood and smuggled them back into Damascus with trusted couriers."

President Bashar al Assad's forces have been pummelling the area of the attack, known as the Ghouta region, with air raids and artillery strikes, in a move which could hinder access and damage evidence.

Only a few activists believe their samples may have got through to the inspectors.

Abo Mohammed said: "The problem is the location of the UN committee in the hotel. They're under heavy guard and government minders."

A child is given oxygen after the alleged attack

The development comes after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that any use of chemical weapons would constitute a "crime against humanity".

Speaking at an event in Seoul, Mr Ban said: "Any use of chemical weapons anywhere, by anybody, under any circumstances, would violate international law.

"Such a crime against humanity should result in serious consequences for the perpetrator."

Mr Ban has decided to send Angela Kane, the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, to Damascus following the alleged chemical attack.

Mr Assad's regime agreed last month, following a similar visit, to allow the UN experts to investigate three other sites where chemical attacks were alleged to have taken place.

Mr Ban urged the regime to co-operate with an immediate investigation into the alleged attack, which the opposition has said killed hundreds.

The dead bodies of animals lie in a street in Zamalka

US president Barack Obama said the allegations were a "big event of grave concern", telling CNN that widespread use of chemical weapons would be "very troublesome" and would "require America's attention".

Significantly, Syria's key ally Russia has joined international calls for the inspectors to be given access to the site of the alleged massacre.

Moscow suggested the attack could be a "premeditated provocation" by opposition forces but urged Mr Assad and the UN to agree to a visit to the site in the Damascus suburbs of Ein Tarma and Zamalka.

Footage distributed by activists, which shows unconscious children, people foaming at the mouth and doctors apparently giving them oxygen to help them breathe, has triggered anger around the world.

The government has denied it used chemical weapons, calling the allegations "absolutely baseless".

US Secretary of State John Kerry took part in a meeting with the national security team to discuss the Syria attack.

The alleged chemical attack took place in Damascus suburbs

British Foreign Secretary William Hague has also spoken to Mr Kerry about developments in Syria, the Foreign Office confirmed on Friday.

In June the Obama administration said it had conclusive evidence that Mr Assad's government had used chemical weapons against opposition forces.

That crossed what Mr Obama called a "red line" and prompted a decision to send arms to Syrian rebels.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the intelligence community had been tasked with gathering information on the chemical attack, but that it was "unable to conclusively determine chemical weapons use".

It comes as UN figures showed a million children had fled the country since the civil war began more than two years ago.

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Murdered Teen Ajmol Gets Eight GSCE A Grades

Murdered 16-year-old Ajmol Alom achieved eleven GCSEs, eight at grade A and three at grade B, the headmaster of his school has said.

The grades were sufficient to allow him to continue pursuing his ambition of studying medicine at university and becoming a doctor, he added.

Talking to Sky News, Chris Dunne, headmaster of Langdon Park School said: "Ajmol was a very able student and he made full use of his abilities, working hard both at school and during after school activities."

"He got 11 GCSEs, eight at grade A and three at grade B. Significantly, he got As in maths and the sciences, which was important as he was interested in going on to study medicine at university."

Ajmol died after being stabbed in the leg when he and his friends were confronted by a gang wearing hoods and bandanas in Spey Street, Poplar, east London at 9:50pm on August 12.

Ajmol was interested in studying medicine at university

"He was a kind, caring and sensitive young man. He was always looking for ways to help others," Mr Dunne said.

He added that Ajmol had recently travelled to Northern Ireland to take part in a project for young people to promote peaceful initiatives and had acted as a host for Irish teenagers who subsequently visited Tower Hamlets.

"Ajmol was not involved in a bad crowd, not remotely. The vast majority of young people in this area are wonderful people," Mr Dunne said. 

"Sadly, there is a tiny percentage of people who think violence is an acceptable way of dealing with things and that carrying weapons somehow enhances their status.

"Ajmol was standing virtually outside his home when he was attacked. He was on his way back from football practice. He wasn't doing anything wrong."

Police have charged Aminur Nazir Khan, 19, with Ajmol's murder.

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GCSE Results: Record Fall In Top Grades

The proportion of GCSEs awarded at least a C grade has suffered its biggest fall in the exam's 25-year history.

For the second year in a row, the number of pupils given an A*-C grade has dropped - down 1.3% on last year to 68.1%.

The number of A* grades awarded was also lower, falling 0.5% on last year from 7.3 to 6.8%, according to official figures.

The figures show that the overall A*-G pass rate also fell slightly this year, to 98.8% compared to 99% last year.

In contrast to last week's A-level results, girls are still outperforming boys at GCSE and achieved better results at A*-C across every subject.

The national picture emerged as hundreds of thousands of teenagers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their results.

Pupils with their results at St Mary Redcliffe and Temple school in Bristol

The fall in top grades comes amid major upheaval in the exam system.

The huge rise in entries by 15-year-old as well as tougher exams were blamed for the dip in performance.

The number of 15-year-olds taking the exam has rocketed by 91,000 in just a year.

In maths, thousands of pupils also sat the exam more than once. Almost 90,000 were entered for at least three and two sat it eight times.

More children took exams in languages and humanities subjects with the overall number of GCSEs taken up 4.2% on last year.

But there was a fall in the number scoring at least a C in key subjects, including English, maths and science.

In English, 63.6% achieved a C or higher, down from 64.1% in 2012, as 61,000 more entries were recorded in the subject - more than two-fifths were from pupils aged 15.

The Joint Council of Qualifications (JCQ) said there had been "significant early and repeated entries" in maths, with more than half a million before the summer exams.

Results for 16-year-olds were "virtually unchanged" but those for 15-year-olds showed a decline. Overall, 57.6% of entries scored A*-C - down from 58.4%.

Moves by Ofqual to toughen up qualifications prompted a 7.6% fall in the number of entries achieving a top grade in science.

This is the first summer results have been given for the revamped GCSEs, which were changed after a 2009 report by the regulator found they were too easy.

There was a "dramatic" rise in entry levels for modern languages, with French up 15.5%, German up 9.4% and Spanish up 25.8%.

This could be due to the introduction of the English Baccalaureate, which is awarded to pupils with at least a C in English, maths, science, history or geography and a foreign language.

JCQ director Michael Turner said: "This year's upturn in languages will be welcomed across the education sector and beyond. Not since 2008 have there been this many entries in languages.

"However, it remains to be seen if this is the start of a trend and if more students decide to continue to study a language at A-level."

Major overhaul: Michael Gove

Education Minister Elizabeth Truss insisted the results showed that the Government's new English Baccalaureate (EBacc) has "not just arrested the decline in the study of academic subjects at GCSE, it is reversing it".

She said: "It is very pleasing to see the increase in these important subjects - the ones that will keep pupils' options open in the future.

"I am particularly delighted to see a languages revival - with an increase in the number of entries to French, German and Spanish GCSEs after years of decline."

However, experts raised concerns about the number of 15-year-olds taking the exams and over repeat entries.

Andrew Hall of the exam board AQA asked: "Why oh why do we now got a significant increase in 15-year-olds taking GCSE?"

He also warned pupils making multiple entries was "really damaging education in this country".

Mark Dawe, from another exam board OCR, added: "Early entry does not benefit the students. The results are far lower for 15-year-olds.

"These qualifications are designed for 16-year-olds. Students should be left to learn for those two years and that is what we would encourage."

Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said: "Michael Gove needs to get a grip on the multiple entry exam practice that is distorting standards."

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "People's confidence in the GCSE was severely knocked last year.

"That's why they've done things like trying out IGCSE, multiple entry, early entry - all of these things to try and bring more opportunities to get young people good grades.

"I'm not saying we should be doing that but I'm saying it's understandable."

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Syria: Call For 'Force' If Chemicals Proven

France is seeking a reaction with "force" if a massacre in Syria involving chemical weapons is confirmed, its foreign minister has said.

"If it is proven, France's position is that there must be a reaction, a reaction that could take the form of a reaction with force," Laurent Fabius told BFM-TV.

"There are possibilities for responding," he said without elaborating.

He added that if the UN Security Council could not make a decision, one would have to be taken "in other ways".

The Syrian government has been urged to allow UN inspectors to visit the site where it is claimed more than 1,300 people died in a chemical weapons attack.

The National Coalition claims toxic gas was used by President Bashar al Assad's forces during a bombardment of rebel-held areas outside Damascus.

It said the death toll was likely to rise after a neighbourhood with many casualties was discovered in Zamalka.

Government officials said the claims were "totally false" and the international news organisations reporting them were "implicated in the shedding of Syrian blood and support terrorism".

The attacks are alleged to have taken place in Ein Tarma and Zamalka

A spokesperson from the British Foreign Office said: "Our immediate priority is to verify the facts and ensure the UN  team is granted access to investigate these latest reports.

"We believe a political solution is the best way to end the bloodshed. However, the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have said many times we cannot rule out any option, in accordance with international law, that might save innocent lives in Syria."

But Turkey's deputy prime minister has said only the government is in possession of the type of chemical weapons the opposition claim were used in the attack.

Its foreign minister said "a red line" had been crossed.

Iran, Syria's chief regional ally, has rejected claims that the regime was responsible, saying if such an attack was proven it would be down to the rebels, IRNA news agency said.

The incident comes just days after a 20-strong team of UN weapons inspectors arrived in the capital to investigate whether chemical weapons have been used in the conflict.

A survivor rests inside a mosque near Damascus

And following an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, said: "We very much hope that we will be able to conduct the investigation.

"Dr Sellstrom and his team are in place in Damascus.  We hope that they will be given access to the area by the government  - it's a requirement of consent in situations like this.

"And that also the security situation will allow them to enter the area.

"The Secretary-General has already expressed his preparedness to conduct the investigation.

"We are in contact with the Syrian government - we hope that all other parties will co-operate so that we conduct the investigation and we hope that everybody realises the importance of ceasing hostilities."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague urged international supporters of the Syrian regime to "wake up to ... its murderous and barbaric nature" ahead of the UN meeting.

However Russia, which has supported the regime and vetoed past attempts to secure a tough UN resolution, suggested the attack could be a "premeditated provocation" by opposition forces.

Officials from Russia and China are reported to have blocked a stronger press statement supported by Britain, France, the US and others.

Earlier, Mr Hague said that if verified, the attack "would mark a shocking escalation in the use of chemical weapons in Syria".

He added: "Those who order the use of chemical weapons, and those who use them, should be in no doubt that we will work in every way we can to hold them to account."

Unverified footage of casualties, including children, in makeshift hospitals suffering convulsions and breathing difficulties was circulated on YouTube.

Syria is thought to have some of the world's largest stocks of chemical weapons, including mustard gas and the nerve agent sarin, but the government in Damascus refuses to confirm this is the case.

On Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed government forces carried out air raids and shelling in an area near where the alleged chemical attack was launched.

"Warplanes carried out several raids this morning on Khan al Sheikh and Zamalka, wounding several people" and sparking fierce clashes, the monitoring group said.

Their claims have not been independently verified.

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Peru Drugs: British Women Formally Charged

Why Peru Became The Cocaine Hotspot

Updated: 10:35pm UK, Wednesday 14 August 2013

By Pete Norman, Sky News Online

Peru has overtaken Colombia as the world's leading cocaine producer, according to experts.

Home to the ancient Inca civilisation, Peru is rugged, remote and the ultimate source of the mighty Amazon river.

It is also home to a long-running guerrilla campaign by the leftist Shining Path group.

While urban and coastal inhabitants have benefited greatly from market-focused economic development since the early 1980s, when military rule ended, the rural poor have gained little.

Its hilly, isolated and fertile regions are home to the guerrillas, who rely on cocaine production, hostage-taking and corruption for funds.

According to the CIA, Peru was the world's largest coca leaf producer until 1996, when neighbouring Colombia took the lead.

It says that in 2009 Peru had 100,000 acres under coca leaf production compared to Colombia's 286,000 acres - with the potential to produce 225 metric tons of pure cocaine.

US-supported efforts to reduce or eradicate coca leaf in Colombia have now tipped the scales of production towards Peru.

Aerial spraying of herbicide in Colombia has affected coca crops covering 250,000 acres while manual eradication has been done on another 150,000 acres.

Last week the UN said Colombia reduced its area under coca cultivation by 25% in 2012 - the biggest annual reduction since the international body began monitoring it in 2001.

Around 30 Britons are now in Peruvian prisons on drug-related convictions, according to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The UN Office of Drugs and Crime is expected to release its official 2012 Peru coca crop estimate in September.

Its World Drug Report 2011 said that although the area under coca leaf production was around 75% of the 1990 area, the current yield might be up to a third greater.

While Colombia still supplies virtually all of North America's cocaine, the CIA said much of the drug exported from Peru through land, air and sea routes is destined for Europe and other markets.

North America and Europe cocaine consumption has stabilised in recent years while growth has increased in Oceania and Asia Pacific regions.

It said: "Finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the international drug market, (while) increasing amounts of base and finished cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia for … trans-shipment to Europe and Africa."

Smaller quantities are carried through air routes by so-called drug mules, while larger loads travel by sea to west Africa prior to distribution throughout Europe.

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Taxi Crash: 'Devastated' Father Flies To US

The father of a British woman who had part of her leg severed by a New York taxi says the family is "devastated" by what happened.

Sian Green, 23, suffered the leg injury when a yellow taxi mounted the pavement in the centre of New York and struck her.

Sian Green was with a friend when she was hit. Pic: Instagram

"We are a really close family we are all devastated by what has happened," her father Jason told the Leicester Mercury.

"We don't know what to say.

"We just want to be at our daughter's side right now," he said, adding that he is flying to New York to keep a bedside vigil.

He added: "She is in recovery now, and they have had to amputate what's left of her foot."

A street vendor helps by packing the severed foot with ice. Pic: NBC

The cab hit a cyclist and then ploughed into Ms Green in front of a fountain outside the Rockefeller Center at 49th Street, news reports say.

Ms Green was walking down the road with her friend, eating a hot dog she had just bought nearby, when she was hit, according to the New York Post, which cited witnesses.

Among those who helped the victim was also celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, who records his talk show in a nearby studio.

Dr Mehmet OZ and plumber David Justino. Pic. Facebook

Dr Oz said emergency medical crews were already treating the injured woman.

A plumber who was working in the area, David Justino, used his belt to make a life-saving tourniquet for Ms Green's leg.

Mr Justino said: "I just grabbed my belt, went over, lifted her up, put it on and held it.

"From the shin down, (her leg) was gone."

He added: "I just worried about the blood, there was too much blood."

A friend witnesses the accident. Pic: NBC

Mr Justino told the New York Daily News that she "was conscious the whole time, the poor thing. I wished she would have passed out".

A street vendor reportedly raced to put her severed foot on ice. She was then transport to the hospital.

Sergeant John Buthorn of the New York Police Department said: "The circumstances are still under investigation, whether it was some sort of rage or an accident.

Ms Green is taken to hospital on a stretcher. Pic: NBC

"It looks like her leg or part of it was severed during the accident."

Reports said Ms Green is being treated at Bellevue Hospital, where she underwent surgery to reattach her leg.

According to the New York Daily News, the cab driver was issued a summons for being an unauthorised driver, but was then set free.

Ms Green, 23, had reportedly just started her holiday. Pic: Instagram

Both the driver and the cyclist were treated for injuries, police said.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are aware of a traffic incident involving a British national in New York City.

"Staff at the British Consulate General in New York are providing consular assistance at this difficult time."

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Syria: Hundreds Killed In 'Gas Attack'

More than 200 people have been killed in an alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus, say Sky News sources.

Activists claim "toxic gas" was used by President Bashar al Assad's forces during a bombardment of rebel-held areas outside the Syrian capital.

The government says the claims are "totally false" and the international news organisations reporting them are "implicated in the shedding of Syrian blood and support terrorism".

Sky sources said at least 200 people were killed in the shelling in Zamalka and Ein Tarma, but could not verify whether chemical weapons were used.

Attacks are alleged to have occured in the towns of Zamalka aand Ein Tarma

It comes three days after a 20-strong team of UN weapons inspectors arrived in Damascus to investigate whether chemical weapons have been used in the conflict.

Mohammed Saeed, an activist in the area, said hundreds of dead and injured have been taken to six make-shift hospitals in the eastern suburbs of Damascus.

"This is a massacre by chemical weapons," he said via Skype. "The visit by the UN team is a joke...Bashar is using the weapons and telling the world that he does not care."

Opposition groups said government forces had fired "rockets with poisonous gas heads" in the attack.

Videos posted on YouTube by activists show children being treated in make-shift hospitals. Some are having convulsions and have difficulty breathing. Others are not moving.

Activists posted videos showing children apparently hurt in the attack

Sky News cannot authenticate the footage.

"Regime forces after midnight stepped up military operations in the East Ghouta and West Ghouta zones of the Damascus region with aircraft and rocket launchers, causing several dozen dead and wounded," the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Local Co-ordination Committees, another Syrian pro-opposition group, said hundreds of people were killed or injured in the "brutal use of toxic gas by the criminal regime in parts of Western Ghouta".

Videos claiming to show the shelling were posted on YouTube by the Syrian Revolution General Commission, another activist group.

The YouTube images cannot be authenticated by Sky News

They showed what it called "a terrible massacre committed by regime forces with toxic gas, leaving dozens of martyrs and wounded".

Both the rebels and government forces have accused each other of using chemical weapons in the conflict, which began in March 2011 and has killed more than 100,000 people.

The UN team is investigating three sites where chemical weapons have allegedly been used: the village of Khan al Assal, just west of the northern city of Aleppo, and two other locations, which are being kept secret for security reasons.

If confirmed, this alleged chemical attack would be the most serious since the incident in Khan al Assal on March 19, when at least 30 people were killed.

Casualties are much higher than in previous allegations of chemical attacks

Foreign Secretary William Hague said the UK would be raising the incident at the UN Security Council.

"I am deeply concerned by reports that hundreds of people, including children, have been killed in airstrikes and a chemical weapons attack on rebel-held areas near Damascus," he said.

"These reports are uncorroborated and we are urgently seeking more information. But it is clear that if they are verified, it would mark a shocking escalation in the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

"Those who order the use of chemical weapons, and those who use them, should be in no doubt that we will work in every way we can to hold them to account.

"I call on the Syrian Government to allow immediate access to the area for the UN team currently investigating previous allegations of chemical weapons use."

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Peru Drugs: Pair Set To Face Smuggling Charge

By Nick Martin, Sky Correspondent, in Peru

Two women accused of smuggling £1.5m worth of cocaine out of Peru are expected to be charged later.

Michaella McCollum, from Dungannon, County Tyrone, and Melissa Reid, from Lenzie near Glasgow, have spent the past two weeks in police custody.

The pair, both 20, were arrested earlier this month while trying to board a flight from Lima to Madrid.

Police said cocaine was found inside packets of food in their luggage

Police said they found around 11kg of cocaine hidden inside food packages in their luggage.

Anti-drug officers say they have concluded their investigation into the case, which will now go before the public prosecutor's office.

The pair with their luggage after being arrested

The contents of that report will form the basis of any charges against the pair, which they are expected to hear in a courtroom later.

Ms McCollum and Ms Reid both deny the allegations and say they were forced to carry the drugs by a gang of Colombian drug traffickers who said they would hurt the women's families if they did not go through with the plan.

Police will present their case to the District Attorney of Lima at a hearing today.

It comes just a day after CCTV footage emerged which senior police officers claim show Ms McCollum in the Peruvian capital on August 5 walking around freely despite the women saying they were held at gunpoint on that day.

The police say the CCTV will form the basis of their case when it goes before the district prosecutor.

However, the lawyer acting for Ms McCollum, who is also known as Michaella McCollum Connolly, denied she was captured on the footage and sought to dispel newspaper reports he said were erroneous.

If convicted the women may be sent to Santa Monica jail to serve their term

Peter Madden said: "She was not out shopping in Lima and spending a lot of money, that didn't happen."

"Michaella (McCollum) Connolly did not owe any money to any drugs dealer, she was not and is not involved in the drugs trade, she has no criminal record, she has never been in trouble with the police in her life."

William Reid, the father of her co-accused, also responded following the emergence of photographs that allegedly show them posing on a balcony and on a beach with glasses of beer days before they were arrested at Lima airport.

William Reid said his daughter and McCollum denied the smuggling allegation

Mr Reid, who is in Lima, said: "I believe the trip to the beach was part of a set-up that they asked them to smile to build up a portrayal of them as happy holidaymakers.

"I can only go by what I have been firmly told by the girls. The two girls' stories are very tight, very consistent, with a lot of detail and they seem to be telling the truth, as far as I can gauge."

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Gary Bolton Jailed Over Fake Bomb Detectors

A businessman has been sentenced to seven years in prison for making and selling fake bomb detectors.

Gary Bolton, 47, made millions of pounds selling the devices around the world, boasting they could detect explosives, drugs, ivory, tobacco and even money.

In actual fact they consisted of nothing more than empty boxes with handles and antennae which he made at home and at his Global Technology Ltd offices in Kent.

He denied two counts of fraud as a judge at the Old Bailey described the equipment as "useless" and "dross".

Bolton's company had a turnover of almost £3m

Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt, at the court, said Bolton spent £1.82, plus the glue and antennae, on each product and then sold them for up to £15,000 each.

The court was told Bolton's company had a turnover of almost £3m, with up to 5,000 devices made.

Prosecutor Richard Whittam QC said tests proved the detectors, first called the Mole and later remarketed as the GT200, performed no better than random searches for explosives.

Bolton claimed they worked with a range of 700 metres at ground level and 2.5 miles (4km) in the air and said they were effective through lead-lined and metal walls, water, containers and earth.

But "double-blind" tests on a Mole device as far back as 2001 showed it had a successful detection rate of just 9%.

Sentencing the father-of-three, judge Richard Hone QC said Bolton had maintained the "little plastic box" was a piece of working equipment, and that he continued to "peddle" it to scores of international clients - including for use by armed forces - despite evidence proving it was "useless".

He added: "You were determined to bolster the illusion that the devices worked and you knew there was a spurious science to produce that end.

"They had a random detection rate. They were useless.

"Soldiers, police officers, customs officers and many others put their trust in a device which worked no better than random chance.

"The jury found you knew this but you carried on. Your profits were enormous."

Mr Whittam said Bolton admitted in interview to having no background in science, research, training or security, the court heard.

Around 1,200 devices were sold to Mexico, while orders were also shipped to parts of Asia and the Middle East.

The devices are still being used in Thailand.

Detective Inspector Roger Cook, from the City of London Police's Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit, said Bolton put "people's lives and livelihoods at serious risk, but his sole consideration was how much money he could make".

"Bringing Bolton to justice is the result of a long, complex and far reaching international investigation and his seven-year prison sentence should act as a warning to others who seek to act corruptly overseas with the belief that they will go undetected," he added.

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David Miranda: Home Office Defends Detention

The Government has robustly defended the decision to detain the boyfriend of an investigative journalist under terrorism laws.

David Miranda, whose partner Glenn Greenwald reported the Edward Snowden spying revelations, was stopped at Heathrow Airport on Sunday.

He was held under UK terror laws for the maximum nine hours after trying to change planes en route from Germany to Brazil.

In Germany, he had visited US filmmaker Laura Poitras who has been working on the Snowden NSA files with Mr Greenwald and The Guardian.

Russia has given Edward Snowden temporary political asylum

Scotland Yard insists the detention was "legally and procedurally sound" and the Home Office has now given police its full support.

A department spokesman said: "The Government and the police have a duty to protect the public and our national security.

"If the police believe that an individual is in possession of highly sensitive stolen information that would help terrorism, then they should act and the law provides them with a framework to do that.

"Those who oppose this sort of action need to think about what they are condoning. This is an ongoing police inquiry so we will not comment on the specifics."

The detention has prompted a storm of protest from civil rights campaigners and reporter Mr Greenwald called it a "profound attack on press freedoms and the newsgathering process".

Laura Poitras was nominated for an Oscar

He argued it was "clearly intended to send a message of intimidation to those of us who have been reporting on the NSA (National Security Agency) and GCHQ."

But the Metropolitan Police said: "The examination of a 28-year-old man under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 at Heathrow airport on Sunday … was subject to a detailed decision-making process.

"The procedure was reviewed throughout to ensure the examination was both necessary and proportionate. Our assessment is that the use of the power in this case was legally and procedurally sound."

It added: "Contrary to some reports the man was offered legal representation while under examination and a solicitor attended. No complaint has been received by the Metropolitan Police Service at this time."

White House officials have revealed the US was given advance notice by police about their plan but says America did not request the move and was not involved.

Labour's Yvette Cooper called for an urgent investigation

However, Mr Miranda claims UK officials were doing the bidding of the US by trying to force him to reveal passwords for his electronic devices.

He said: "They were threatening me all the time and saying I would be put in jail if I didn't co-operate.

"They treated me like I was a criminal or someone about to attack the UK … It was exhausting and frustrating, but I knew I wasn't doing anything wrong."

The row has deepened after Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger claimed agents from GCHQ were sent to the newspaper's head office to destroy hard drives containing Snowden data.

Mr Rusbridger, in a comment piece for his own paper, said he was told by phone a few weeks ago: "You've had your fun. Now we want the stuff back."

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, in a new statement on Tuesday, called on Home Secretary Theresa May to reveal whether she or David Cameron had known about the detention in advance.

"Is it really possible that the American President was told what was happening but the British Prime Minister wasn't?," she asked.

"The Government needs to explain who authorised the use of terrorism legislation in this case and what the justification was."

She added: "The police and security services work hard to safeguard our national security, and they need powers to prevent terrorism.

"However for public confidence to be maintained it is important that the Government, police and security services are seen to abide by the rule of law, and to operate proportionately with proper checks and balances in place."

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Oscar Pistorius Formally Charged With Murder

Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius has now left court after a judge told him he will go on trial in March over the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius returned to Pretoria Magistrates' Court this morning for the short hearing, in which a judge set his trial date for March 3 next year.

The judge asked him if he was well, to which he replied: "Under the circumstances, your honour."

He was formally charged and told that his bail conditions remained the same.

Court documents show that more than 100 witnesses will be called to give evidence at the trial, including one of Pistorius' ex-girlfriends.

Sky's Alex Crawford said that Pistorius was "very emotional", and appeared to be praying with his brother and sister before the proceedings started.

The three siblings held hands in a small circle, and at one point Pistorius wiped his face with a tissue.

Ms Steenkamp was shot dead at Pistorius' home in February

His brother Carl later tweeted a photograph of Pistorius and Ms Steenkamp, adding: "Remembered like yesterday. My life was impacted by u @reevasteenkamp & the lady u were! Always close to our hearts."

The 26-year-old double amputee is accused of killing Ms Steenkamp, who would have turned 30 today, in a shooting incident at Pistorius' home in February.

Pistorius denies he committed murder and says he shot Ms Steenkamp by mistake, thinking she was an intruder.

The case was sent to the High Court in Pretoria.

A judge will preside over the trial and ultimately pronounce the world-famous athlete innocent or guilty. South Africa does not have trial by jury.

The mandatory sentence for someone convicted of premeditated murder in South Africa is life with a minimum of 25 years in prison.

Meanwhile, Ms Steenkamp's uncle has said he has already forgiven Pistorius for killing her.

Mike Steenkamp said the family have coped with her death by concentrating on her life rather than how she died.

In an interview on ITV's Daybreak, Mr Steenkamp said: "I think from the beginning and onset that we decided that we could never be sidetracked from Reeva's life, and I think that's helped us tremendously."

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Bradford Dog Attack: Boy 'Seriously Injured'

A 13-year-old boy has been seriously injured after he was reportedly dragged downstairs and mauled by a dog.

The child was visiting a relative and attacked in the kitchen of the terrace house.

Police were called to an address on Frank Street, in the Little Horton area of Bradford, at 7.26pm on Sunday and had to shoot the animal so paramedics could treat the boy.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "The child was then taken to Leeds General Infirmary where his condition this morning is described as stable, with injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening.

"Inquiries are now ongoing as to the breed of the dog and to establish whether any criminal offence has been committed."

Neighbours told the Bradford Telegraph & Argus the boy was heard shouting: "I'm going to die, I'm going to die."

One woman said her partner went to help.

She said: "He didn't know what to do, so he hit the dog with a shovel, just to try and get him off the little boy and he started kicking him.

"The little boy managed to drag himself upstairs. He was crying and was saying 'I'm going to die, I'm going to die'."

The woman said the boy managed to flee to safety upstairs but passed out. She said officers arrived but could enter only after armed colleagues killed the dog.

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Egypt's Ex-Dictator Mubarak 'To Be Freed'

Deposed dictator Hosni Mubarak is expecting to be freed from jail after being cleared of corruption charges, his lawyer claims.

Mubarak was toppled from power in February 2011 following an uprising and has been held by authorities since.

He has made numerous appearances at Cairo's courthouse since on charges relating to the death of protesters during the revolution and of corruption.

However, according to his lawyer Fareed El Deeb, judicial authorities ordered that 85-year-old Mubarak should be released in one of the remaining corruption charges against him.

He said that the only legal grounds for the former leader's detention would be another corruption case, which is expected to be concluded later this week.

He said: "All we have left is a simple administrative procedure that should take no more than 48 hours. He should be freed by the end of the week."

Mubarak still faces charges of complicity in the murder of protesters during the 2011 revolution. His trial has been adjourned until August 25.

The development came after Egyptian authorities disclosed that suspected militants had attacked two police minibuses with rocket-propelled grenades, killing 24 officers in Sinai.

The ambush, condemned by Egypt's interior ministry as the work of "armed terrorist groups", took place as the two vehicles were driving through a village near the border town of Rafah in the volatile Sinai Peninsula.

The van was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades

Two officials, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, said that three officers had also been injured.

Sinai has been witnessing near daily attacks by suspected militants since the Islamist president Mohamed Morsi was ousted on July 3.

It is estimated nearly 50 security officials have been killed in the region since then, and the army claims to have killed nearly 70 "terrorists" in the same time.

In response to the attack Egypt closed the Rafah border crossing with the Palestinian Gaza Strip.

The latest attack follows the suppression of Mr Morsi's supporters in Cairo in scenes of bloodshed over the last five days, which have left at least 750 people dead.

A police officer in hospital after violent clashes in Cairo

The military, which assumed control of the country from Mr Morsi, has been rounding up the former president's Muslim Brotherhood supporters and there have been more than 1,000 arrests.

The Brotherhood has vowed to continue its demonstrations.

Foreign Secretary William Hague has said that the continued unrest across the Middle East represented one of the most significant events of the 21st century so far.

He told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme that events in Egypt and surrounding countries could echo for decades and that the international community should expect significant "setbacks".

European Union ambassadors are discussing the crisis in Egypt amid international alarm.

Demonstrators inside the al Fath mosque in Cairo

Meanwhile, the family of four Irish siblings caught up in violence have said their relatives are being held by Egyptian authorities.

Omaima Halawa, 20, her two sisters Fatima, 22, Somaia, 27, and their younger brother Ibrihim, 17, were among hundreds of people cleared out of the al Fath mosque when security forces stormed the building on Saturday.

They were forced to seek sanctuary in the mosque on Friday after violent clashes between supporters of Mr Morsi and the security forces killed more than 80 people.

Speaking from the family home in Dublin, their sister Nasaybi Halawa said that her 17-year-old brother could have been beaten in the mosque.

Security forces arrive at the Cairo mosque

Miss Halawa said: "The person I'm speaking to told me they were beating men to hell. She doesn't know how my brother looks but she told me 'I can guarantee for you, all the men were beaten there. They didn't exclude anyone from hitting them'."

However, Sky sources understand that the four have been visited in Tora Prison by a Turkish diplomat who reported they were "all well".

Irish diplomats have said they are due to be brought to the prosecutor's office at 2pm on Monday and they were "confident" they would be released.

Hundreds of Morsi supporters also fled to the building in the Ramses area of Cairo, shoving furniture against the doors to stop police from breaking their way in.

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Egypt: EU To Review Relations Amid Violence

The European Union has said it will "urgently" review its relations with Egypt in the coming days as the violence shows no sign of ending.

In a statement, the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso called on all sides to show restraint and prevent further escalation of the violence.

"To this effect, together with its member states, the EU will urgently review in the coming days its relations with Egypt and adopt measures aimed at pursuing these goals," the statement said.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague told his Egyptian counterpart that the "disproportionate use of force" by security forces over recent days must stop.

Mr Hague made the comments in a phone call with Nabil Fahmy after security forces stormed the al Fath mosque in Cairo while Muslim Brotherhood supporters have been blamed for attacks on Coptic Christian churches.

Brotherhood supporters had barricaded themselves inside

At one point, troops exchanged gunfire with men shooting from a minaret of the mosque on Ramses Square, where hundreds of supporters of Mohamed Morsi had fled overnight after violent clashes killed 173 people.

The interior ministry said 385 people inside the mosque had been arrested.

A statement by the Anti-Coup Alliance said several marches would take place in the capital this afternoon, continuing the daily campaign of protests in defiance of an intensifying crackdown.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "The foreign secretary and the Egyptian foreign minister spoke about the tragic violence and loss of life over recent days.

"The foreign secretary emphasised UK condemnation of all acts of violence, whether disproportionate use of force by the security forces or violent actions by some demonstrators.

State TV ran an English 'Egypt fights terrorism' caption as the PM spoke

"They also discussed the recent attacks on places of worship and the foreign secretary stressed that attacks on mosques and churches were unacceptable and that places of worship must be protected."

Mr Hague also underlined the need for urgent steps by all sides "to end the violence and enable a return to dialogue", the spokeswoman said.

Meanwhile, the interim army-backed government announced it had begun deliberations on whether to ban the Muslim Brotherhood, a long-outlawed organisation that swept to power in Egypt's first democratic elections a year ago.

Egyptian presidential adviser Mostafa Hegazy said: "When you talk about a difference or a divide that's happening in Egyptian society, I think it's either wrongful thinking or wishful thinking.

"Egyptians today are more united than ever before. We are not only united towards a common dream, but we're united against a common enemy."

Last night, Islamist marchers clashed with civilians in the port city of Alexandria during the funeral of politician Khalid Mohsen, who was shot on Friday.

A few hours later Alexandria's streets were deserted, as night fell and a dusk to dawn curfew began.

The curfew was imposed when Egypt's military rulers declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, and is set to remain in place for at least a month.

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Pair Held Over 'Swiss Suicide Clinic Plan'

A 65-year-old woman and 25-year-old man have been arrested after police were warned they could be planning to take a "vulnerable" pensioner to end his life in Switzerland.

The pair were held by officers in West Sussex who are now investigating the mental capacity of the 71-year-old to determine how able he is to make decisions for himself.

The woman and man, reported to be mother and son, were questioned on suspicion of encouraging or assisting a suicide.

Their names have not been released by police but they are believed to be from Chichester.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "Both have been released on bail without charge until 8 October while officers carry out further inquiries."

Keir Starmer released guidelines for prosecutors on assisted dying

The charity Dignity in Dying told Sky News they were not aware of the family and had not been in contact with them.

However a spokesperson said: "Sad cases like these highlight why a robust assisted dying law with upfront safeguards would far better protect everyone than the current situation does."

It is an offence to encourage or assist suicide under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and officers are investigating whether any crime has been committed or is likely to be committed if they do not take action.

In February 2010 the director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer QC released guidance to prosecutors in relation to cases of encouraging or assisting suicide.

It was indicated that anyone acting with compassion to help end the life of someone who has decided they cannot go on would be unlikely to face criminal charges.

Assisted suicide remains a criminal offence in England and Wales, punishable by up to 14 years in prison, but individual decisions on prosecution are now made on the circumstances in each case.

Mr Starmer said at the time: "The policy is now more focused on the motivation of the suspect rather than the characteristics of the victim. The policy does not change the law on assisted suicide. It does not open the door for euthanasia. It does not override the will of Parliament. What it does is to provide a clear framework for prosecutors to decide which cases should proceed to court and which should not.

Sir Edward and Lady Joan Downes

"Assessing whether a case should go to court is not simply a question of adding up the public interest factors for and against prosecution and seeing which has the greater number. It is not a tick box exercise. Each case has to be considered on its own facts and merits.

"As a result of the consultation exercise there have been changes to the policy. But that does not mean prosecutions are more or less likely. The policy has not been relaxed or tightened but there has been a change of focus."

There have been a number of high profile cases of Britons going to Switzerland to end their lives.

The parents of paralysed rugby player Daniel James, 23, did not face charges after attending the Dignitas clinic with their son in 2008.

In 2009 conductor Sir Edward Downes and his wife Lady Joan chose to die together at the clinic rather than struggle on with health problems.

:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 08457 90 90 90 or email jo@samaritans.org.

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Gibraltar Dispute: Spanish Boats Hold Protest

Spanish fishermen have held a protest near the spot where Gibraltar's government placed 70 concrete blocks in disputed waters next to the British territory.

The demonstration comes 24 hours before the Royal Navy warship HMS Westminster is due to arrive in Gibraltar in a visit described by the Ministry of Defence as "long-planned".

Gibraltar says it has created the concrete artificial reef there to protect local fish stocks from trawling, but Madrid says it restricts their right to fish.

The move has led to further tensions between the UK, Gibraltar and Spain - which has imposed tougher border checks in retaliation.

Around 30 fishing vessels set out from the "Campo de Gibraltar" in southern Spain to form a floating protest - a smaller number than expected.

Sky's David Bowden, at the scene, said hundreds of Gibraltarians turned out in force to rebuff the protest.

"They lined the bay as a flotilla of small fishing boats sailed across from Spain at the other side of the Bay," he said.

"The flotilla, only a dozen or so boats strong, was escorted by a handful of sleek Spanish Guardia Civile speedboats.

HMS Illustrious docks at Rota naval base on Gibraltar

"They were met by an equally strong show of force from the Gibraltar marine police in patrol vessels and highly manouvreable ribs making sure the Spanish invaders did not stray off the imaginary line in the sea that marks Spain from British Gibraltar."

The Spanish government has accused Gibraltar of laying the blocks "without the necessary authorisation" in "waters that are not theirs".

It responded by introducing additional checks at the fenced border, and suggesting a 50 euro (£43.30) fee could be imposed on every vehicle entering or leaving Gibraltar.

On Friday, Prime Minister David Cameron raised the matter with European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.

He said the checks - which have seen huge delays at the border in recent weeks - were "politically motivated and disproportionate" and therefore contrary to the EU right of free movement.

UKIP MEP William Dartmouth, member for the South West of England and Gibraltar, has suggested that a member of the Royal family should visit Gibraltar to mark 300 years of British sovereignty.

The border checks have led to massive queues in recent weeks

"Nothing could demonstrate more to the citizens of Gibraltar how strongly Britain stands behind them in wishing to stay part of the United Kingdom than a visit by a member of the royal family," he said.

The row has set relations between Spain and the territory back 40 years, according to Edward Macquisten, chief executive of the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce.

He said it was also having an impact on Gibraltar's high season tourist trade, which usually sees hordes of British visitors from Spanish resorts.

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