Corrie's William Roache Was 'Perfect Gent'

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent, Preston Crown Court

Coronation Street's William Roache always behaved impeccably in the company of young women, his co-star Anne Kirkbride has told a court.

The actress, who plays Roache's on-screen wife Deirdre Barlow, said she had known him since joining the soap's cast in 1972.

Roache, of Wilmslow in Cheshire, who has played the role of Ken Barlow since 1960, denies four charges of indecent assault and two of rape and has told the jury he is not sexually attracted to underage girls.

All the offences are alleged to have happened between 1965 and 1971 and all are said to be against girls aged 16 or under.

Roache arrives at court with his son Linus and daughter Verity

Kirkbride started giving evidence for the defence by recalling the time when she joined Coronation Street as a "terrified and very nervous" young actress and met Roache for the first time.

"He was friendly...we had a really nice chat and he offered me a cigarette," she said.

"We shared a lot of the same interests in spiritual things. I just found him very easy to talk to."

Asked to describe the defendant in one word she replied: "Lovely."

With Roache smiling from the dock, Kirkbride, 59, went on to say that he behaved "impeccably" towards her.

"He was always the perfect gentleman," she said.

Defence barrister Louise Blackwell QC asked: "Was there anything about his behaviour towards young women which would worry you?"

The actress replied:  "Not at all...never. We have obviously had several young actresses playing our daughter.

"He has never been anything other than helpful, supportive. Never a suggestion of anything else in all of the years I have known him."

In a brief appearance in the witness box, Chris Gascoyne, who plays Roache's fictional son Peter Barlow in the soap opera, said the defendant was "kind, warm and open" with a great sense of humour.

He told the jury: "Bill kind of sets the precedent for everybody. Decent, time for everybody, not a 'star'."

He went on to say that Roache was a calm and relaxed man.

"He takes every day as a new day which is inspiring to me,"  Gascoyne said.

Helen Worth, who plays the character of Gail Platt, is also at court and is expected to give evidence in support of Roache.

Granada location manager John Newman told the jury that security at the Coronation Street studios in Manchester was very tight.

He said that strangers found in the corridors would be challenged.

Mr Newman said he had once had Manchester's Lord Mayor removed because he had not recognised him.

Under cross-examination, Mr Newman said he had had no connection with the Granada studios in the 1960s and that the security level had intensified in recent years.

For live updates from the trial, click here.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Texas Skydiver Falls 3,000ft And Survives

A 16-year-old girl from Texas has survived a fall of more than 3,000ft in a skydiving accident in Oklahoma.

Makenzie Wethington is in good condition, despite multiple injuries, including to her liver, pelvis lumbar spine in her lower back, shoulder blade and several ribs, trauma surgeon Jeffrey Bender said.

"I don't know the particulars of the accident, as I wasn't there. But if she truly fell 3,000 feet, I have no idea how she survived," the surgeon from Oklahoma said.

Makenzie is expected to leave the intensive care unit soon, he said.

Makenzie and her father dressed for the flight

The teenager's parents had allowed her to take the jump but father Joe has now said the skydiving company should not have allowed it.

The company involved has defended its decision, saying the father went up with his daughter and was the first to jump.

Robert Swainson, instructor and owner of the company involved, said Makenzie's parachute had opened as it should have done but she began to spiral downward when the chute went up but not out.

Makenzie and Joe Wethington before takeoff

He said skydivers were given instruction during a six-to-seven-hour training session on how to deal with such problems.

The instructor also said Makenzie had a radio hookup in her helmet through which someone gave her instructions.

"It was correctable, but corrective action didn't appear to have been taken," he said.

Makenzie has injured her liver, spine and shoulder

Mr Swainson said he did not jump out to help Makenzie because there was no way he could have reached her.

Also, he explained, another jumper had become scared and refused to make the jump so it was protocol for him to remain with the frightened person because instructors do not know what that person will do.

"The most I could have done is screamed," he said.

Nancy Koreen, director of sport promotion at the US Parachute Association, said its safety requirements allow someone who is 16 to make a dive with parental consent, though some places set the age higher.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Madeleine McCann: UK Police Fly To Portugal

Madeleine: Key Events Timeline

Updated: 9:05am UK, Wednesday 29 January 2014

Here is a timeline of the key events since Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

2007

:: May 3 - Kate and Gerry McCann leave their three children asleep in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while they dine with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant.

Jane Tanner, one of the friends eating with the McCanns, later reports seeing a man carrying a child away earlier that night.

:: May 5 - Portuguese police reveal they believe Madeleine was abducted but is still alive and in Portugal, and say they have a sketch of a suspect.

:: May 14 - Detectives take Anglo-Portuguese man Robert Murat in for questioning and make him an "arguido", or official suspect.

:: May 25 - Detectives release a description of the man reported by Jane Tanner three weeks earlier after pressure from the McCanns, their legal team and the British Government.

:: May 30 - Mr and Mrs McCann meet the Pope in Rome in the first of a series of trips around Europe and beyond to highlight the search for their daughter.

:: August 6 - A Portuguese newspaper reports that British sniffer dogs have found traces of blood on a wall in the McCanns' holiday apartment.

:: August 11 - Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, investigating officers publicly acknowledge for the first time that she could be dead.

:: September 7 - During further questioning of Mr and Mrs McCann, detectives make them both "arguidos" in their daughter's disappearance.

:: September 9 - The McCanns fly back to England with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.

:: October 2 - Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the inquiry, is removed from the case after criticising the British police in a Portuguese newspaper interview.

:: October 25 - The McCanns release a new artist's impression drawn by an FBI-trained expert showing the man described by Jane Tanner.

2008

:: March 19 - Mr and Mrs McCann accept £550,000 libel damages and front-page apologies from Express Newspapers over allegations they were responsible for Madeleine's death.

:: April 7 - Three Portuguese detectives, led by Paulo Rebelo, fly to Britain to re-interview the seven friends on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine vanished.

:: July 17 - Mr Murat receives £600,000 in libel damages from four newspaper groups over "seriously defamatory" articles connecting him with the child's disappearance.

:: July 21 - The Portuguese authorities shelve their investigation and lift the "arguido" status of the McCanns and Mr Murat.

:: August 4 - Thousands of pages of evidence from the Portuguese police files in the exhaustive investigation into Madeleine's disappearance are made public.

2009

:: January 13 - Mr McCann returns to Portugal for the first time since coming back to the UK without his daughter.

:: March 24 - The McCanns launch a localised new appeal for information focused on the area in the Algarve where Madeleine disappeared.

:: April 4 - Mr McCann goes back to Portugal to help film a reconstruction of the events on the night his daughter vanished.

:: April 22 - The McCanns fly to the US to record an interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey to mark two years since Madeleine's disappearance.

:: June 14 - Dying paedophile Raymond Hewlett says he was in the Algarve when Madeleine disappeared and has an alibi - but has no plans to reveal it.

:: August 6 - Detectives say they are hunting a "Victoria Beckham lookalike" with an Australian or New Zealand accent, reportedly seen in Barcelona three days after the little girl went missing.

2010

:: Feb 18 -  Kate and Gerry McCann say they are "pleased and relieved" at a judge's decision to uphold a ban on a book by former detective Goncalo Amaral.

:: Mar 3 -  A newly-released file from Portugese police on possible sightings is called "gold dust" and could lead to a breakthrough, says a spokesman for the McCanns.

:: May 1 - Kate McCann reveals she had thoughts about being "wiped out" in a motorway crash to end the pain of losing Madeleine - but vows never to give up.

:: November 10 - Madeleine's parents launch an online petition to help force a UK and Portuguese joint review of all evidence in the case.

:: November 15 -  The McCanns sign a deal to write a book about their daughter's disappearance.

2011

:: May 13 - The Prime Minister David Cameron asks London's Metropolitan Police to help investigate the case.

:: November 23 - Kate and Gerry McCann appear at the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics.

They tell how media pressure affected their family life and accuse newspaper editors of hampering the search for their missing daughter.

Kate McCann says she felt "violated" when her diary was published without her permission.

:: December 5 - Scotland Yard detectives spend time in Barcelona as part of their re-examination of the case.

2012

:: March 9 - Portuguese police in Oporto launch a review of the original investigation.

:: April 26 - Scotland Yard says Madeleine McCann may still be alive and release an artist's impression of what she may look like as a nine-year-old.

:: July 6 - British detectives examine a claim that the little girl's body is buried near the apartment from where she vanished. It comes after a self-styled investigator sends police radar scans he claims show a burial site.

2013

:: February 11 - Gerry McCann calls for politicians to implement the conclusions of the Leveson Inquiry in full, backed by legislation.

:: February 13 - Police say the results of DNA tests on a girl in New Zealand who was mistaken for Madeleine reveal that she is not the missing British girl.

:: February 21 - Retired solicitor Tony Bennett who published claims that Madeleine McCann's parents caused her death is given a suspended jail sentence.

:: May 2 - Madeleine McCann's parents tell Sky News a police review into their daughter's disappearance is making "excellent progress" as they mark the sixth anniversary since she went missing.

:: May 17 - Scotland Yard say they have identified a number of "people of interest" they want to speak to. It believes it has found enough evidence to reopen the case but the Portuguese authorities are still resistant. 

:: June 15 - The Home Office agrees to fund a full-scale investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

:: October 13 - UK detectives reviewing the case say key details in the timeline of her disappearance have "significantly changed".

:: October 14 - A fresh appeal is launched in a bid to find a suspect detectives say is of "vital importance", with two new separate e-fits - thought to be of the same man seen on the night Madeleine went missing - released by police.

:: October 17 - Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who is leading the Scotland Yard team, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, and Mr and Mrs McCann meet officers in Lisbon to be briefed on the Portuguese case.

:: October 23 - Britain's most senior police officer Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe defends the way the Portuguese dealt with the initial investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, saying it would have been "very difficult" to immediately know if they were dealing with a serious crime.

:: October 24 - Detectives in Portugal reopen the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance after an internal review uncovers new lines of inquiry and witnesses who were never questioned during the original Portuguese investigation.

2014

:: January 3 - A family source says Kate and Gerry McCann have been denied permission to give evidence at a Portuguese libel trial over a book about the case by former local police chief Goncalo Amaral.

:: January 13 - British police investigate three burglars who were in the area when Madeleine disappeared, and whose phones were apparently "red hot" after she went missing. A letter is sent to Portuguese police asking for help to track them down.

:: January 29 - Scotland Yard officers, including the detective leading the case, fly to Portugal to meet police there and discuss the latest developments.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Carney Warns Of Risks Of Scots Independence

By Ed Conway, Economics Editor

Scotland will have to settle for less independence than most other nations enjoy if it secedes from the United Kingdom, the Bank of England Governor has warned.

Mark Carney warned of "clear risks" associated with the economics of Scottish independence, adding that the country would have to surrender some of its sovereignty if it were to retain the pound.

In a closely-watched speech in Edinburgh he said: "A durable, successful currency union requires some ceding of national sovereignty."

He said that might entail having to sign up to stringent fiscal rules to ensure an independent Scotland does not overspend, or allowing London a degree of control and oversight in its finances.

Although the Governor was at pains not to spell out whether Scotland would be better or worse off under independence, his speech raised the prospect of a euro-style crisis, warning that the currency union was largely responsible for "sovereign debt crises, financial fragmentation and large divergences in economic performance".

The speech is likely to come as a disappointment for the Yes campaign, which has sought to reassure Scottish voters that a Yes vote in September would not leave the country prone to economic instability.

First Minister Alex Salmond met Mr Carney ahead of the speech and told Sky News the two had had a productive meeting.

Mr Carney and Mr Salmond after their private meeting

The Governor's speech warned of two primary areas of concern in the event that Scotland became independent and sought to keep the pound.

The first was that in order to maintain competitiveness with the rest of the United Kingdom, without having control over its own interest rates, the country would need to keep tight control on public spending.

Without its own currency to depreciate, it would also potentially have to impose deeper wage cuts on workers in the event of a crisis - such as is happening currently in Greece and Spain.

Second, the Governor said that an independent Scotland would probably need to establish a banking union with the UK, if it wanted to maintain the Bank of England as a potential Lender of Last Resort in the event of a banking crisis.

This would, again, entail potential interference from London.

He concluded: "Decisions that cede sovereignty and limit autonomy are rightly choices for elected governments and involve considerations beyond mere economics.

"For those considerations, others are better placed to comment."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Iceland: 'Bin Thieves' Weren't Shopped By Us

Frozen food firm Iceland insists it did not call the police after three men were charged with stealing food from its bins.

Squatters Paul May, 35, Jason Chan and William James are facing prosecution under the 1824 Vagrancy Act.

They are alleged to have taken tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese and Mr Kipling cakes from bins behind a branch in Kentish Town.

The store is next to a police station and Iceland say officers attended "on their own initiative".

It has asked the Crown Prosecution Service to explain why charges are being brought.

A statement on the Iceland website said: "The store in question is next door to a police station. Iceland staff did not call the police, who attended on their own initiative. Nor did we instigate the resulting prosecution, of which we had no knowledge until the media reports of it appeared yesterday evening.

"We are currently trying to find out from the Crown Prosecution Service why they believe that it is in the public interest to pursue a case against these three individuals, and will comment further when we are more fully informed."

The items allegedly taken were worth £33, according to a report in The Guardian.

A CPS spokesman said: "I can confirm that Jason Chan, William James and Paul May have been charged with being found in or upon enclosed premises, contrary to section 4 of the Vagrancy Act 1824.

"The next hearing is February 3 at Highbury Magistrates' Court for trial.

"As usual, we will not be discussing the prosecution case in detail ahead of the trial."

The case highlights the practice of 'skipping', where people take goods such as food and clothes from bins in a bid to minimise waste.

The Guardian reported that May – who lives with his co-defendants in a north London squat - is expected to argue that he needed to feed himself and that the food was destined for landfill.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Failures Blamed For Red Arrows Pilot's Death

Red Arrows pilot Sean Cunningham died because of "serious communication failures" by an ejector seat maker, as well as RAF training issues.

Giving a narrative verdict, an inquest criticised manufacturer Martin Baker's failure to pass on a "risk to life warning" about ejector seat bolts to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Flight Lieutenant Cunningham died because he did not separate from the Mk10 ejector seat and his parachute did not deploy because a shackle jammed, the verdict said.

He suffered fatal injuries when he was propelled 200-300ft in the air from his Hawk T1 aircraft while it was on the ground at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, in November 2011.

Central Lincolnshire coroner Stuart Fisher said: "There was a very serious failure of communication by Martin Baker in my view.

"It is unexplained by the evidence. It seems there is no logic to warn and inform some but not others."

The company had been aware since 1990 that over-tightening certain nuts and bolts could cause the parachute not to deploy properly. However, it had not informed all its clients.

The RAF's failure to ensure crew were aware that the ejector seat handle could be in an unsafe position, even when a safety pin was inserted, also contributed to the tragedy, said the coroner.

He described the pin as "entirely useless" and "likely to mislead".

There had been a repeated failure to notice that the pin had been incorrectly replaced, leaving the ejector handle raised, the coroner said.

The inquest heard how Flight Lieutenant Cunningham was doing pre-flight checks when he accidentally fired the ejector seat.

Describing the incident, Mr Fisher said: "Automatic separation from the ejection seat and main parachute deployment failed to occur.

"Very shortly thereafter and when still retained in seat there followed a high-velocity impact with the ground from which he suffered no survivable injuries."

Reacting to the verdict, Flight Lieutenant Cunningham's father Jim said his son "died doing what he loved".

He added: "Sean's death was a tragedy which we hope the evidence revealed in this inquest will help to avoid in the future."

The coroner said that the RAF had made significant improvements to prevent a similar incident.

Ejector seat manufacturer Martin Baker expressed "sincere condolences" and said it was "deeply saddened" by the pilot's death.

It said warnings about the seat how had now been passed on to all aircraft still using it, and that a new bolt and firing handle mechanism had also been designed.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

Related Stories

Red Arrows Inquest: Live Updates

Red Arrows Death: Friend Saw Ejection Tragedy

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Campbell's Bluebird Roars Back To Life

By Roddy Mansfield, in Beaulieu, Hampshire

The first car to break the 150mph world land speed record has roared back to life for the first time in half a century.

Sir Malcolm Campbell's Sunbeam 350hp - which he named Bluebird -  exploded into action after being started by mechanics at the Beaulieu motor museum in Hampshire.

Earplugs were handed out to some 200 spectators and staff as engineers pressurised the fuel and primed Sunbeam's carburetors.

Without so much as a stubborn splutter, the Sunbeam exploded into life on the first swing with a growl as loud as a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine.

The record-breaking car, which uses a traditional swinging handle to fire, reached 146.16mph (235.226kph) at Pendine Sands, a seven-mile stretch of beach at Carmarthen Bay in west Wales in June 1924.

As land-speed record attempts edged closer toward the magic milestone of 150mph, race tracks and roads became unsuitable as there was not enough space for acceleration or breaking.

A year later Bluebird hit 150.76mph which made Campbell the first person to break the 150mph barrier on land.

After entering the record books she was bought and sold by several enthusiasts until making a surprise appearance at the Southport Speed Trials in 1936.

The Beaulieu Motor Museum workshop team and volunteers began a mechanical rebuild of the engine in 2007, enlisting the help of the Sunbeam Talbot Darracq Register to find parts, specialist services and skills.

Seeing the Sunbeam brought back to life was an emotional moment for the engineers who helped rebuild her.

Ian Stanfield, Beaulieu senior engineer said: "It's a one-off engine. There's nothing else like it.

"We spent a lot of time thinking about everything such as the belt timing and ignition timing.

"We had to pressurise the fuel, prime the carburetors manually, turn the ignition system on, then rotate the handle and hope she burst into life."

Also watching closely was Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, who bought the Sunbeam in 1957 and was the last person to drive her when he took her for a three-lap spin at Goodwood in 1962.

Sir Malcolm's son Donald also drove the car that day.

"That clutch was very sticky in 1962," 87-year-old Lord Montagu said. "She had a very difficult gearbox, too.

"The noise was a bit frightening today, but it's so wonderful; so wonderful to see her restored again at last."

Campbell's choice of Bluebird as a name for the car stuck with vehicles the family used for land and water speed record attempts until Donald lost his life on Coniston Water in January 1967.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Missing Student 'Fell In River After Drinking'

Student Megan Roberts, who has been missing in York since Thursday, probably fell into a river "affected by alcohol", police say.

Megan was last seen near Lendal Bridge in York

Detective Superintendent Phil Cain described the last known movements of the York St John University student almost a week after the 20-year-old went missing.

He said: "The strongest and most probable line of inquiry being pursued by police is that Megan, affected by alcohol, has entered the river.

"On balance, this presents as a group of young friends on a night out that is likely to have ended in tragedy."

Police have concentrated their search around the bank of the River Ouse where it runs through the city. Police divers have been scouring the area around Lendal Bridge.

They say there is nothing to suggest foul play in relation to the disappearance of Ms Roberts who is from Wetherby, West Yorkshire.

Det Supt Cain said officers had established that Ms Roberts was with a group of friends who had been drinking "for several hours" before leaving the Popworld nightclub, in York city centre, at around 2.10am on Thursday.

The student was seen crashing into this cycle rack near the Maltings pub

He said: "All the group, including Megan, were heavily affected by alcohol."

The group were spread out and some of them ran down a street called Tanner's Moat, past The Maltings pub, where Ms Roberts - the last in the group - was spotted bumping into a row of cycle racks.

"CCTV evidence does not show Megan running back up the same street with the others to rejoin the main group," he said.

Officers are confident that none of her friends is directly responsible for her disappearance.

Police divers have been searching the swollen River Ouse

"The possibility still exists that Megan is elsewhere safe and well but, realistically, given the passage of time, such a possibility is increasingly remote," Det Supt Cain said.

Police say there is nothing to link her disappearance to the case of Claudia Lawrence - the university chef who went missing in York in 2009 and who police believe has been murdered.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Congressman Threatens To Break Reporter In Half

A US congressman has threatened to throw a reporter off a balcony and "break him in half" after an interview while the camera was still rolling.

Representative Michael Grimm was asked by New York 1's Michael Scotto about his thoughts on President Obama's State of the Union address.

The Republican then took great exception to being questioned about allegations surrounding his campaign finances.

Mr Scotto said: "And just finally before we let you go, since we have you here: We haven't had a chance to kind of talk about some of the..."

"I'm not speaking about anything that's off-topic," Mr Grimm interrupted.

"This is only about the president's speech tonight. Thank you."

He then walks away, and Mr Scotto says: "So Congressman Michael Grimm does not want to talk about some of the allegations concerning his campaign finances.

"We wanted to get him on camera on that but he, as you saw, refused to talk about that. Back to you."

New York 1 reporter Michael Scotto

With the camera still rolling, Mr Scotto suddenly looks to his left and Mr Grimm, again on-camera, but off-mic, can be heard speaking to Mr Scotto in a low voice.

Mr Grimm said: "Let me be clear to you, you ever do that to me again I'll throw you off this f*****g balcony."

"Why?" Scotto said. "I just wanted to ask you..."

Mr Grimm is heard again saying, "If you ever do that to me again..."

"Why? Why?" Scotto asks. "It's a valid question."

As the argument continues, Mr Grimm says: "No, no, you're not man enough, you're not man enough. I'll break you in half. Like a boy." Mr Grimm then walked away.

Cable news station NY1 said Mr Grimm released a statement following the incident saying: "I was extremely annoyed because I was doing NY1 a favour by rushing to do their interview first in lieu of several other requests.

"The reporter knew that I was in a hurry and was only there to comment on the State of the Union, but insisted on taking a disrespectful and cheap shot at the end of the interview, because I did not have time to speak off-topic.

"I verbally took the reporter to task and told him off, because I expect a certain level of professionalism and respect, especially when I go out of my way to do that reporter a favour.

"I doubt that I am the first member of congress to tell off a reporter, and I am sure I won't be the last."

NY1 political director Bob Hardt also released a statement, saying: "It is extremely disturbing when anyone threatens one of our reporters - let alone a US congressman.

"The NY1 family is certainly alarmed and disappointed by the behaviour of Representative Grimm and demands a full apology from him. This behaviour is unacceptable."

According to NY1: "The FBI earlier this month charged 47-year-old Diana Durand with using straw donors to exceed the maximum allowable contribution to Grimm's campaign committee.

"After contributing $4,800, the maximum amount allowed under federal law, Durand allegedly offered to reimburse four friends if they contributed to the campaign. Grimm is not charged with any wrongdoing in connection with the probe."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Flooding: Cameron Vows Rivers Will Be Dredged

David Cameron says he will "rule nothing out" in tackling flooding in the Somerset Levels, as he warned that political arguments must not delay help for frustrated residents.

The Prime Minister told MPs that the current situation was not acceptable and that rivers will be dredged.

Speaking in parliament today, Mr Cameron said dredging would begin once water levels had receded to safe levels. 

"I can confirm that dredging will start as soon as it's practical, as soon as the waters have started to come down," he told MPs.

"The Environment Agency (EA) are pumping as much as possible given the capacity of the rivers, but I've ordered that further high volume pumps ... will be made available to increase the volume of the pumping operation.

"We're urgently exploring what further help the government can give to locals to move around and I rule nothing out for the days ahead to get this problem sorted."

Mr Cameron's comments came ahead of another meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee to discuss ways to help flood-hit residents.

The EA has issued some 24 flood warnings and 151 flood alerts, mostly for areas in the South East and the South West.

Many of those in flood-hit areas are calling for immediate action to alleviate what some residents have described as "Third World" conditions.

Parts of the Levels have been under water since Christmas. There are fears that it may be months before the water is entirely pumped away.

Further showers have fallen across England and Wales today. Rain is also expected to spread across the Republic of Northern Ireland tomorrow, and there will be more patchy rain for parts of England.

The further weather warnings came as it was revealed insurance claims from the floods and storms over Christmas and the New Year could reach £426m.

A number of farmers in Somerset have been hit by the weather

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) says that between 23 December 2013 and 8 January 2014, insurers dealt with some 174,000 claims for damage to homes, businesses and cars.

Aidan Kerr, ABI spokesperson said: "Insurers are playing a crucial role in helping customers affected by the storms and floods recover.

"Together with loss adjusters, insurers reacted quickly to help flood victims get through Christmas. Insurers will continue to work closely with customers to ensure the repair process is completed as soon as possible.

"This was a traumatic event for those affected, and shows the importance of having adequate property insurance. The insurance industry is fully prepared to deal with the damage caused by bad weather like this."

The Environment Agency has advised claimants to request insurance pay for repairs that will better protect properties from flooding in future.

Claimants should also mark the height of flood water on the wall with a permanent marker in all flooded rooms and take pictures of property damage.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More