Weather: Rain And High Tides Are 'Risk To Life'

Heavy rain, large waves and strong winds are expected to create a "significant risk to life", as parts of Britain are hit by another band of severe weather.

The Environment Agency warned "extraordinary measures" may be taken in Gloucestershire today to keep back tidal and river floods.

It issued severe flood warnings - meaning there is an imminent danger to life - for several parts of the county and the coasts of Cornwall and north Devon, where a spring tide and stormy seas whipped up by gusts of more than 60mph pose a serious threat.

Further warnings are in place along the length of the River Severn amid fears it could burst its banks.

The Severn laps over a road in Arley, Worcestershire. Pic: Neill Woodward

Flood barriers have already been installed in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and Bewdley, Worcestershire, as the water level rises.

The Environment Agency warned against all non-essential travel amid fears drivers could become stranded, while Gloucestershire Police urged people to stay away from river banks.

In the Republic of Ireland, Munster, Leinster, Connacht, Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan were told to prepare for possible flooding, while communities in west Wales and along the south coast from Dorset to Kent were also put on alert.

England and Wales are covered by flood warnings and alerts

Hundreds of university students in Aberystwyth were told to leave accommodation on the town's seafront amid fears high tides could hit the town for the second time in a month.

As well as wind and rain, the Met Office warned of snow for Northern Ireland and parts of western Scotland, as well as icy stretches on roads across much of the UK.

Wintry weather swept across northern areas on Friday, closing the Lake District's exposed Kirkstone Pass and causing hazardous driving conditions elsewhere.

As heavy rain fell in the South, snow swept across parts of the North

The latest forecasts will be met with trepidation in flood-stricken communities in Somerset, where the military is on standby to help with the relief effort.

On Tuesday, Prince Charles will meet people who remain cut off by water after the wettest January on record.

Some residents have criticised the Government and the Environment Agency for what they say is a lack of action to prevent the floods.

Residents in the village of Muchelney, Somerset, have been cut off

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Flooding: PM's 'Enormous Sympathy' For Victims

David Cameron has admitted a "long-term" action plan is needed to reduce the devastating impact of flooding on communities.

With heavy rain, large waves and strong winds expected to create a "significant risk to life" in parts of south and west England this weekend, the Prime Minister said he had "enormous sympathy" for people whose homes had been swamped.

He insisted the Government was doing "everything we can to help people recover as quickly as possible".

However, he admitted there was work to do, especially in Somerset, where some residents remain cut off after the wettest January on record.

In a letter to the Western Daily Press, Mr Cameron said: "Like everybody across the country I feel enormous sympathy for the people who live on the Somerset Levels and are suffering from the devastating impact of the flooding."

He added: "We need long-term action to reduce the risk of this happening again. That is why (Environment Secretary) Owen Paterson is working with the Environment Agency (EA) and local agencies in Somerset to deliver a robust plan for the next 20 years.

"Flooding wreaks havoc in communities and businesses. And the impact on people's lives cannot be underestimated.

"I want to reassure people in Somerset that I am making sure everything that can be done is being done - every resource is being made available to keep Somerset moving and make it a prosperous place for those that live and work there."

The Somerset Levels have seen weeks of flooding this winter

The Prime Minister said plans to dredge rivers will begin "as soon it is safe to do so" and the EA will spend "the coming months improving river flows" across the south west, dredging and weed clearance.

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis has claimed a lack of river dredging for the past 40 years has worsened the impact of the flooding in Somerset.

"The EA decided to abandon the dredging for the sake of the river bank and they sold the wonderful dredging machines for scrap," said the dairy farmer.

"Can you believe it? That was 40 years ago. This (flooding) is the result of that decision."

He said it only used to be that the area flooded every 20 years. "There is flooding every year now; it's a serious disaster, a serious problem. It's impossible to live there and run the whole dairy industry.

"We've been campaigning for years to get this sorted out. Finally, I think the Prime Minister is going to deal with it and get the money to do the job, but it's taken a long time to get there.".

Mr Eavis, who farms at Pilton, on the edge of the Somerset Levels, spoke out after its was announced that Prince Charles will visit flood-stricken communities in the South West.

The visit, on Tuesday, had been planned in advance of the floods for Charles to learn how communities coped with similar problems in 2012.

He is likely to receive a warmer reception than Environment Secretary Owen Paterson who received a hostile reaction from locals when he visited on Monday.

Residents said they were living in "Third World" conditions - with "overflowing" septic tanks and water in their homes.

Emergency workers help people leave the cut-off village of Muchelney

Military personnel are currently on standby to move in to flood-hit Somerset, with further heavy rain and high tides due to hit parts of the UK in the next 48 hours.

An amber severe weather warning has been issued by the Met Office for southwest England, parts of which have been flooded for more than a month.

The public has been warned of significant disruption from flooding across the Somerset Levels.

Pat Flaherty, deputy chief executive of Somerset County Council, said: "With potential for high winds and high tides and more rain... falling on an already soaked catchment we have potential for further flooding over the weekend.

"And with that, ongoing flooding for a number of weeks to come.

"We're still working very closely with the military who remain in Somerset, planning with us and we also have the resilience of knowing that their equipment and personnel are ready to be mobilised should we require them."

The Ministry of Defence has tweeted that personnel involved in helping with Somerset floods are drawn from all three services, with the majority from Taunton-based 40 Commando Royal Marines.

In addition to vehicle crews, up to 100 military personnel are on stand-by for duties likely to include sandbag filling and loading.

The Red Cross has also sent its 7.5-ton Unimog, an emergency supply vehicle capable of driving through deep floodwater.

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Baby Boy's Death: Mother Arrested In Oldham

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

Police are questioning a mother on suspicion of murdering her seven-week-old baby in Oldham.

The 23-year-old mother's partner, a man aged 35, and the couple's lodger, a 26-year-old man, have also been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The baby was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital with serious head injuries last Saturday.

Hospital staff contacted police and the child's mother and her partner were originally arrested on suspicion of assault.

Following the baby's death and the results of a postmortem examination they were re-arrested on suspicion of murder.

Along with their lodger they are also being questioned on suspicion of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

All three remain in police custody.

The infant died at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

Detectives are searching the house where the child lived in the Clarksfield area of Oldham.

Inquiries are ongoing to trace the child's father.

Detective Inspector Andy Cunliffe from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: "This is a tragic case in which a very young baby has lost his life.

"We are determined to find out exactly what the circumstances were that led to him suffering such injuries.

"News of the death of such a little boy will no doubt come as a great shock to people.

"And I would like to try to reassure the community as much as I can that we have a team of detectives dedicated to working on this investigation, and they will today be interviewing the three people in our custody.

"If anyone has any information at all that they believe may assist us with our enquiries, then please get in touch and tell us what you know."

Anyone with information is asked to contact GMP's Major Incident Team on 0161 856 1722 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Madeleine McCann Cops Hunt Resort Workers

British police investigating Madeleine McCann's disappearance have asked their Portuguese counterparts to search the homes and bank accounts of three suspects.

A Scotland Yard team led by Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood made the request during meetings about new leads in the case with senior members of Portugal's Policia Judiciaria earlier this week.

Investigators believe the trio were workers at the Ocean Club complex in Praia da Luz, where the McCann family were staying in 2007 and were behind a string of burglaries in the weeks before Madeleine, then three, went missing.

Former Ocean Club worker Nelson Rodrigues, told Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt that employees at the complex would have had the perfect opportunity to snatch a child.

Nelson Rodrigues speaks to Sky's Martin Brunt

He said: "Yes, you could suspect (them). The workers there know the shifts and the hours when people are at home or not at home.

"It's waiters, barmen, people from maintenance, reception, the cleaners - it's a lot of staff."

In May 2007, when the McCanns were holidaying in the Algarve, there were some 160 people working at the family resort.

There were around 160 workers at the Ocean Club when Madeleine vanished

One expat apartment owner told Sky News that he had property stolen about a month before Madeleine disappeared and that others had been targeted.

He said there was no sign of forced entry at his property and he suspected that the thieves might have had access to a key.

The man spoke to British police 18 months ago - suggesting that their renewed probe has been focused on Ocean Club employees almost since it began.

British Police visited Faro, near Praia da Luz where the McCanns stayed

Paul Luckman, editor of the expat Portugal News, has been following the latest developments in  the case.

He told Sky News: "It's alleged that they could be employees of Ocean Club, which puts a whole new light on it and that they're not, as we've supposed until now, a little group of opportunist burglars going round stealing passports and wallets whenever there was a window open.

"There are suggestions that this is slightly different."

Kate and Gerry McCann have been 'buoyed' by progress in the investigation

Earlier this month, Sky News reported that police were hunting the three men whose phones were "red hot" after Madeleine vanished.

Mobile phone records show that the men made numerous calls to each other in the hours after Kate and Gerry McCann discovered their daughter had disappeared from her room.

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry are said to be "buoyed" by signs of progress in the effort to find out what happened to their daughter.

But it is unclear whether Portuguese authorities will respond positively to the latest request for help from the British investigation team.

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Flooding: Army On Standby As Heavy Rain Hits

The Army is on standby to move in to flood-hit Somerset, with further heavy rain and high tides due to hit parts of the UK in the next 48 hours.

An amber severe weather warning has been issued by the Met Office for southwest England on Friday, parts of which have been flooded for more than a month.

The public has been warned of significant disruption from flooding across the Somerset Levels.

Northern Ireland, Wales, the South East have yellow weather warnings for rain and Northern Ireland is also expected to be affected by strong gales into the weekend.

A Land Rover makes its way through floodwaters in Muchelney

Military officials were on the ground in Somerset on Thursday to draw up contingency plans amid fears of further flooding.

Pat Flaherty, deputy chief executive of Somerset County Council, said: "With potential for high winds and high tides and more rain... falling on an already soaked catchment we have potential for further flooding over the weekend.

"And with that, ongoing flooding for a number of weeks to come.

"We're still working very closely with the military who remain in Somerset, planning with us and we also have the resilience of knowing that their equipment  and personnel are ready to be mobilised should we require them."

Flood-damaged furniture outside a farm near Langport, Somerset

The Ministry of Defence has tweeted that personnel involved in helping with Somerset floods are drawn from all three services, with the majority from Taunton-based 40 Commando Royal Marines.

In addition to vehicle crews, up to 100 military personnel are on stand-by for duties likely to include sandbag filling and loading.

The Red Cross has also sent the 7.5-ton Unimog, an emergency supply vehicle capable of driving through deep floodwater.

Drainage experts blame two decades of under-investment in flood defence work for turning the Levels into a "disaster area" and said it was "very, very urgent" that rivers are dredged to prevent more damage to homes, livelihoods and wildlife.

Flood warnings issued by the Environment Agency on Friday

Despite coming under fire from MPs and local councils, the Environment Agency (EA) insists that increased dredging of the rivers would not have prevented the recent flooding and was "often not the best long-term or economic solution".

The EA has issued 43 flood warnings on Friday - most in the Midlands surrounding the River Severn.

Flood barriers have been put up at Frankwell in Shrewsbury and temporary defences are also set to be erected at Bewdley on the Severn.

Another 162 less severe flood alerts are also in place, mostly in the South East.

Rain will sweep into the western UK from Friday afternoon

Teams have been running dozens of pumps to try and drain away an estimated 1.5 million ton of water in Somerset - the equivalent of 600 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

University students in Aberystwyth, Wales, have also been told to leave the seaside resort over fears high tides could hit the town for the second time in a month.

Coastal areas in the South West, parts of the South East, North West, Yorkshire and Hull could also be affected by high tides, rain and strong winds.

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Amanda Knox 'Frightened' By Kercher Verdict

Amanda Knox has said she is "frightened and saddened" after an Italian court again found her guilty of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.

Her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito also had his conviction reinstated after judges ruled the pair should not have been cleared on appeal in 2011.

Knox, who was in her hometown of Seattle when she learned her conviction had been reinstated, has been sentenced to 28 years and six months.

The 26-year-old described the decision as "unjust".

"Having been found innocent before, I expected better from the Italian justice system," she said.

"The evidence and accusatory theory do not justify a verdict of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

"Rather, nothing has changed. There has always been a marked lack of evidence. My family and I have suffered greatly from this wrongful persecution."

The verdicts are delivered

Sollecito, 29, who was not in court for the verdict but had attended lengthy hearings in the morning, was sentenced to 25 years.

Their lawyers have said they intend to appeal to Italy's highest court and a long legal battle for Knox's extradition is now expected.

Miss Kercher's sister Stephanie and brother Lyle were both at the Nuovo Palazzo di Giustizia courthouse in Florence to hear the outcome of the third trial in the case.

Members of Ms Kercher's family were in court

Speaking outside the court, Mr Kercher told Sky News he could never forgive those responsible for his sister's death.

"I think you'd have to be a very strong-willed - arguably religious - person to find that forgiveness," he said.

"I think it is so easily forgotten what happened to Meredith.

"When I read reports even now, I find myself skimming past the paragraphs that refer to what actually happened to her because it is so horrific."

Knox and Sollecito were charged in 2007 after Miss Kercher's semi-naked body was found with her throat cut in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox in the central Italian city of Perugia.

Exchange student Miss Kercher lived with Knox

The 21-year-old Leeds University student from Coulsdon, Surrey, had been sexually assaulted.

Two years after the pair were found guilty at their original trial in 2009 - and handed jail terms totalling more than 50 years - the verdicts were overturned and both walked free from court, with Knox returning to the US and going on to sign a book deal.

Their acquittals in 2011 came after a damning 100 page report outlined a catalogue of errors and breaches of procedure that had been made in collecting evidence.

The third trial began last September in Florence.

Sollecito is in Italy but was not in court for the verdict

After nearly 12 hours of deliberations on Thursday, the court upheld the 2009 convictions.

In an interview recorded before the verdict, Knox said the court's decision meant she was now technically a fugitive. 

"I'm definitely not going back (to Italy) willingly," she said. "They'll have to catch me and pull me back kicking and screaming."

Speaking to The Guardian, Ms Knox said her memory of what happened on the night the murder was clear.

"I knew what I did that night," she said. "I very clearly remembered what I did that night. That I was with Rafael, we had dinner, we did what we always normally do when we're all the things we do when we're together.

"But they started questioning me about that, making me doubt what I was telling them. I kept telling them, 'look, I don't know what time I was doing things. 

"All I can tell you is I left my house, me and Rafael went to his house, we were hanging out, listening to music, I read some Harry Potter ... I remember reading emails, we talked, we had dinner; that's what we did."

Though Knox has remained in the US, she emailed the court to protest her innocence in a statement read out by her lawyer in which she insisted she ''was not a monster".

Speaking outside the court, Knox's lawyer, Luciano Ghirga, said she will launch an appeal against the decision.

He added: "For those that, like me, are convinced that Amanda is innocent, it is a very difficult time.

"We have to respect the verdict but we will challenge them. We're very sad at the moment."

Sollecito's lawyer Luca Maori said: "There isn't a shred of proof."

Drug dealer Rudy Guede was sentenced to 16 years over Miss Kercher's murder. Investigators said he did not act alone.

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Justin Bieber Charged With Limo Driver Assault

Justin Bieber Is No Stranger To Controversy

Updated: 7:19am UK, Thursday 30 January 2014

Justin Bieber found fame at the age of 14 after a talent manager saw videos of him performing on YouTube.

Since then he has sold millions of records, won awards and has a global fan base, called Beliebers.

In Toronto when he handed himself in to police to face an assault charge, hundreds of his fans were there to support him.

But even before his arrest in Miami for driving under the influence, Bieber was having brushes with the law, annoying fans with late appearances and drawing controversy for his behaviour.

In March 2013 he was booed by hundreds of fans and their parents when he arrived nearly two hours late for a sold-out concert at London's O2. He blamed a technical fault for the late appearance.

During his London stop, he also lashed out at a photographer in a foul-mouthed rant. "Rough week," he later tweeted.

That same month he was reportedly kicked out of one of Paris's most prestigious hotels for bad behaviour.

He was also questioned by customs officials after he flew his pet monkey into Germany from the US on a private plane without the correct papers.

The pet, a capuchin called Mally, is thought to have been given to the singer for his 19th birthday by music producer Jamal Rashid. Mally was quarantined and it was later suggested he should be placed in a zoo.

In April 2013 Bieber was criticised for saying that he hoped Holocaust victim Anne Frank "would have been a belieber".

The Canadian singer wrote in the guestbook at Anne's former home in Amsterdam: "Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a Belieber."

On tour in Sweden a few weeks later, a stun gun and drugs were allegedly found on his tour bus.

An officer on crowd duty told Sky News they had smelled marijuana on the vehicle. No one was arrested.

In May 2013 thieves broke into a stadium in South Africa hours after Bieber performed there, and made off with thousands of pounds in cash.

Weeks later he was reportedly chased back to his California home by furious former American footballer Keyshawn Johnson after allegedly speeding around his gated community in a white Ferrari.

Police investigated the singer over reckless driving.

In July, Bieber telephoned Bill Clinton to say sorry for cursing him and spraying his photo with cleaning fluid in a New York City restaurant kitchen earlier in the year.

A video posted on TMZ.com also allegedly showed the singer urinating in a mop bucket as he and others raced through the restaurant.

In November the pop star stormed off stage at a gig in Brazil after being hit by a water bottle.

He was then investigated by police over claims he sprayed graffiti on the wall of a hotel in Rio de Janeiro.

Graffiti also got him in trouble in Australia, where he was told to clean spray-painted cartoon heads off the wall of the QT Hotel in Surfers Paradise in Queensland.

In December the 19-year-old's grandmother denied the singer needed rehab treatment following an eventful year.

Diane Dale, who was among several of the singer's family to attend the premiere of his new film in Los Angeles, said the media had been "terrible" to him as he travelled the world on his global tour.

"There are so many lies going around," she said.

"A little bit is true but most of it is lies. It's terrible."

He then announced that he was retiring from music.

But 2014 did not start off well after the singer and his friends were accused of causing thousands of dollars worth of damage to a neighbour's home after throwing eggs at it.

The star's home was raided by police and his friend, Lil Za, a 20-year-old rapper whose real name is Xavier Smith, was held on suspicion of cocaine possession.

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North Korea: Kim Jong-Un Official Speaks

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

A senior North Korean diplomat has told Sky News that the United States is to blame for the tense situation on the Korean peninsula but relations between the two countries could be "normalised" if Washington gave up its "hostile policy".

In an unprecedented interview, North Korea's ambassador to the UK Hyun Hak-bong also urged South Korea to cancel an upcoming joint military exercise with the US.

"It is high time for South Korea to cancel or to stop the military exercises. And it is advisable for the international community to try hard to prevent such a kind of dangerous military exercises," Ambassador Hyun said.

But he was not willing to predict how North Korea might respond if the exercise did go ahead.

He said: "It is not helpful for the United States to remain in South Korea.

"The US makes the situation tense all the time by bringing in military equipment and disrupts peace on the peninsula by pursuing hostile policies and threatening the DPR Korea with nuclear weapons.

"So I don't think the US is helpful unless it abandons its hostile policy towards DPR Korea."

The interview follows an open letter sent by Pyongyang to Seoul. The letter calls for "realistic measures to prevent impending nuclear disasters with concerted efforts of the Korean nation".

The ambassador gave an insight into the thinking of Kim Jong-Un's regime

The United States has insisted that North Korea stop all production of nuclear weapons before peace talks can begin again.

But the ambassador suggested that was not a step that his country was willing to take in the current climate.

He said: "DPR Korea has no option but to have the nuclear deterrent in order to defend the sovereignty of the country and in order to save the security and peace on the Korean peninsula as well as the lives of the people."

The Ambassador also explained in more detail than previously heard, the process behind the execution of Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Un's uncle.

He said: "Well Jang Song Thaek did lots of crimes. He made anti-party, anti-government crimes, and as well he abused his power in hindering the national economy and hindering the efforts of the national economy and for improving people's living standards.

"He spent 4.6 million euro in 2009 alone. He made tremendous crimes against the government, against the people, against the country."

The interview is a rare glimpse behind North Korea's pomp and propaganda

"Actually our party pardoned him on several occasions when he made wrong-doings in the past, but this time his crimes is beyond the level, is beyond the red line.

"So they enlarged a meeting of the party and handed (him) over to the legal system. So the special Military Court of the Ministry of State Security put him on trial, he confessed to what he did wrong and according to article 60 of the Criminal Code of DPR Korea he was executed."

"According to the laws by the criminal court he was sentenced to death. Well he was shot to death."

I challenged Ambassador Hyun to confirm the fate of the uncle's family after recent reports suggested they too might have been executed, along with anyone else loyal to the former General.

"This is the political propaganda by our enemies," he replied.

"I think that this fabricated report does not deserve my comment. I know he was punished but if his family were punished or not, I don't know."

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Flooding: Military And Red Cross Join Rescuers

Military planners and the Red Cross have swung into action to bring help to areas of the UK hit by severe flooding.

The Ministry of Defence said planners were deployed overnight to help Somerset County Council "determine what support they might need".

The Red Cross has sent the 7.5-tonne Unimog, an emergency supply vehicle capable of driving through deep floodwater, which has also been used to help people stranded on the Somerset Levels after nearly a month of flooding.

Earlier, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said specialist Army vehicles could be drafted in to help tackle the flooding, delivering food and sandbags and transporting people.

His intervention came after David Cameron said rapid action is needed to deal with floodwaters in the Somerset Levels and promised the dredging of rivers would begin as soon as water levels were reduced to a safe level.

And he told MPs he would "rule nothing out" in dealing with the situation as the Government's emergency Cobra committee met again to discuss ways to ease the situation.

Mr Paterson said: "The Ministry of Defence and the Department for Local Government are discussing how we could deploy specialist vehicles which could help some of those villages which have been cut off, to help people travel backwards and forwards, to get fuel and food in and out, and to help with transport from dry land.

Parts of the Somerset Levels have been flooded since Christmas

"And secondly, there will also be help with sand bags which could help prevent further flooding."

Mr Paterson said the county council asked for assistance "for the first time today" and echoed the Prime Minister's assertions that dredging would take place as soon as it is safe.

Farmers, politicians and church leaders have demanded immediate action to alleviate what furious residents describe as "Third World" conditions.

Many parts of the Levels have been flooded since Christmas and there are fears it could be months before the water is completely pumped away.

The British Red Cross has sent a Unimog supply vehicle to the affected area

Drainage experts blame two decades of under-investment in flood defence work for turning the Levels into a "disaster area" and said it was "very, very urgent" that rivers are dredged to prevent more damage to homes, livelihoods and wildlife.

The Environment Agency has come under fire from MPs and local councils, but insists that increased dredging of the rivers would not have prevented the recent flooding and was "often not the best long-term or economic solution".

Flood victims had become so desperate that Somerset County Council leader John Osman said the authority had been prepared to place its own order for amphibious vehicles out of public funds.

Flood warnings in place across the UK

He added that some residents were being forced to pay insurance excesses of up to £35,000 in some of the worst-hit areas.

The Environment Agency has issued 32 flood warnings - where flooding is expected and immediate action required - mostly in the Southwest and Midlands. Another 166 flood alerts are also in place.

Further patchy rain is expected for parts of England on Thursday, with sometimes heavy rain moving in from the west on Friday.

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Nurse Nathan Filer Wins Costa Book Award

A mental health nurse has shocked the literary establishment by bagging one of its biggest prizes with his first book.

Costa Book Award winner Nathan Filer, 33, drew on his background for The Shock of the Fall - a novel about the descent of one of two brothers into schizophrenia after a tragic accident.

Filer, still a registered nurse working in and around Bristol, beat contenders including bookies' favourite Kate Atkinson's Life After Life to the £30,000 prize - formerly known as the Whitbread.

The judging panel praised the book as "astonishingly sure-footed" for a debut novel.

Filer spoke about the benefits of having more to his life than writing, adding that he was due to work a hospital shift this weekend.

He said he had not set out to raise awareness about mental health with the book.

He said: "I didn't set out to write about mental illness or schizophrenia, I set out to write about this character and his illness is one aspect of his character and there are many more than that".

It is the first time a debut novel has won the prestigious prize since Stef Penney's The Tenderness of Wolves in 2006.

Also in the running for this year's prize were Lucy Hughes-Hallett for The Pike, an account of the life of Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio, and poet Michael Symmons Roberts for his collection Drysalter.

Chris Riddell also made the shortlist for his children's book Goth Girl And The Ghost Of A Mouse.

Noveliset Rose Tremain, who chaired the judging panel, said the winning book was about grief.

She said: "This is a subject which we all have experience of and it is grief analysed but treated absolutely without sentimentality."

A spokesman for booksellers Waterstones said: "This is a real giant killer of a winner, and shows the Costa is as exciting as the other major literary prizes.

"While The Pike was a strong second favourite, the Costa does not favour biography so the smart money was on Life After Life.

"But Atkinson's was not the only book people were reading and, essentially, talking about in 2013.

"This will make The Shock of the Fall a major best-seller, and put its multi-talented author firmly on the literary map."

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State Of Union: Obama Vows To Bypass Gridlock

President Barack Obama has vowed to bypass a divided Congress and take action to boost the US economy after a troubled year in office.

Facing strong Republican opposition and low approval ratings after the worst year of his presidency, Mr Obama unveiled actions that do not need congressional approval to bypass partisan gridlock that has held back his presidency.

They include raising the hourly minimum wage for new federal contracts to $10.10, helping the long-term unemployed find work and expanding job training programmes.

He said: "Inequality has deepened. Upward mobility has stalled.

Michelle Obama stands with Sergeant First Class Cory Remsburg

"The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by - let alone get ahead.

"And too many still aren't working at all."

He was greeted with warm applause as he arrived to give the address to a joint session of Congress.

Speaking on partisan politics that have stalled action, including his flagship Affordable Care Act, he said: "We are not doing right by the American people.

"After five years of grit and determined effort, the US is better positioned for the 21st century than any other nation on Earth.

"Let's make this a year of action. That's what most Americans want - for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations."

Mr Obama also singled out the gender pay gap and said bridging the difference between women's and men's salaries would help the US succeed.

He said: "A woman deserves equal pay for equal work. She deserves to have a baby without sacrificing her job.

"A mother deserves a day off to care for a sick child or sick parent without running into hardship - and you know what, a father does, too.

"It's time to do away with workplace policies that belong in a 'Mad Men' episode. Because I firmly believe when women succeed, America succeeds."

He promised to improve US education, by connecting 15,000 schools and 20 million students with high-speed broadband in the next two years.

The initiative will be supported by charitable partnerships with companies including Apple, Microsoft, Sprint and Verizon.

Mr Obama proposed new incentives for vehicles which run on natural gas and alternative fuels, as well as expansion of the earned-income tax credit, which helps boost the wages of low-income families through tax refunds.

He also called on Republicans to stop attempts to stall his health reform.

And he warned Congress he would veto new economic sanctions against Iran as negotiations to limit its nuclear programme continue. An estimated $7bn in international sanctions have been lifted against Iran in exchange for it slowing the programme.

In a televised response, Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers criticised Mr Obama's healthcare and called for lesser government involvement.

She said: "I'd like to share a more hopeful, Republican vision.

"It's one that champions free markets and trusts people to make their own decisions, not a government that decides for you."

A poll this month found 45% of those surveyed approved of Mr Obama, compared to 53% against.

Republicans have blocked many of Mr Obama's initiatives, including on gun control and climate change, and this year's mid-term elections make it unlikely they will rally behind his proposals.

In the autumn, federal government in the US shut down for 16 days and brought the country to the brink of default as Republicans refused to sign through budget proposals.

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Madeleine McCann: UK Police Fly To Portugal

British police have travelled to Portugal to liaise with local officers investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

A Scotland Yard team flew to the Algarve after British authorities sent a letter to Portuguese police requesting help with tracking down and interviewing three burglars who were in the area when Madeleine vanished.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who is leading the investigation for the Metropolitan Police, was pictured arriving in Faro with three colleagues.

They held meetings with senior members of Portugal's Policia Judiciaria and are believed to have discussed leads recently identified by the Operation Grange investigation team in the UK.

Police have held meetings in Faro, around 50 miles from Praia Da Luz

Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said the letter requesting help from the Portuguese authorities is understood to have arrived in Portugal "in the last 24 hours or so".

He said: "Four detectives from Scotland Yard arrived yesterday to meet their Portuguese colleagues - there's a small team of Portuguese police working in the Algarve on behalf of Scotland Yard.

"We know that among those detectives from London is Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who's the officer in charge of the British end of the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance.

Det Chief Insp Andy Redwood is leading the Met Police team in the Algarve

"It's certainly not the first time Scotland Yard detectives have visited Portugal - more than a dozen times in the last two years since Scotland Yard have been reviewing and then investigating Madeleine's disappearance has such a team gone to liaise.

"But it could be of some big significance because we know that earlier this month the UK authorities sent what's known as an international letter of request to the Portuguese authorities seeking, we think, help in interviewing three potential suspects."

Earlier this month, Sky News reported that Det Chief Insp Redwood's team were hunting three men whose phones were "red hot" after Madeleine went missing from her family's Praia da Luz apartment in May 2007.

Kate and Gerry have campaigned to keep the investigation going

Mobile phone records show that the men made numerous calls to each other in the hours after Kate and Gerry McCann discovered their daughter - three years old at the time - had disappeared from her room.

No arrests have been made since the Met set up Operation Grange in 2011 to review the case.

Portuguese police reopened their investigation last year, more than three years after it had been shelved.

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GDP Figures Expected To Show Strong UK Growth

Official figures are expected to show the best pace of growth since before the global financial crisis - indicating that Britain's economic fightback is continuing.

Economists predict that data from the Office for National Statistics will show a fourth consecutive quarter of gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2013.

The rate of economic expansion may be shown to have slowed to 0.7% from 0.8% the previous quarter - but that would still mean overall growth of 1.9% in 2013, up from 0.3% the previous year.

The GDP update is expected to give a boost to Chancellor George Osborne - just a year after the UK was gripped by fears of a "triple dip" recession.

It comes after the International Monetary Fund set aside its warnings about Britain "playing with fire" with its austerity policies and again upgraded its forecast for UK growth.

GDP growth of 0.5% in the first quarter of 2013 was followed by 0.8% in the second and third quarters of the year.

Some experts believe the latest figures will come in just under the 0.9% forecast by the Bank of England for the fourth quarter.

A good Christmas for retailers is not predicted to boost growth by much as the festive 2.6% sales increase came after a weak October and November.

The manufacturing sector slowed in November, while construction slumped by 4%, despite Government schemes such as Help to Buy.

Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls said claims that the UK economy is surging ahead are "cloud cuckoo land".

Chancellor George Osborne is hoping for further vindication of his policies

He told BBC2's Newsnight that three years of economic "flatlining" on Mr Osborne's watch had left the UK lagging behind France, which has recovered to its pre-crisis peak.

He said: "Do you really think up and down the country at the moment when most people are seeing their living standards fall and in most parts of the country there isn't new business investment coming through, do you think that is an economy that is doing really, really well? That is cloud cuckoo land."  

The IMF predicts the UK economy will grow by 2.4% in 2014 - matching the independent Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast.

The Bank of England most recently estimated 2014 growth at 2.8%.

Investec economist Philip Shaw expects a 0.7% GDP growth figure for the fourth quarter of 2013, but said this should not be seen as a disappointment even though it would be a slight slowing from the third quarter.

He said: "There is no evidence whatsoever that the recovery is petering out."

He said a slightly lower figure could ease fears that policymakers may be persuaded to lift interest rates this year.

Experts at Capital Economics and Scotiabank both predicted growth of 0.8%.

That figure would amount to the fastest growth since 3.4% in 2007 - before the worldwide economy went into meltdown.

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Royal Estate: Overspend Leaves £50m Repair Bill

By Rachel Younger, Sky News Correspondent

Financial mismanagement within the Royal household is putting the future of some of our finest buildings at risk, according to the parliamentary watchdog responsible for scrutinising the Royal finances.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) believes over a third of the Royal estate, which includes both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, is in disrepair and has put the cost of fixing it at around £50m.

Margaret Hodge MP, who chairs the committee, told Sky News: "Forty per cent of it needs something doing to it.

"The boilers at Buckingham Palace haven't been replaced for 60 years. Windsor Castle has problems with the bedrooms and the Royal Picture Gallery has buckets to catch the water coming through."

It is the first time that Parliament has scrutinised the Sovereign Grant given to the Queen to support her public duties.

Since the Civil List was abolished in 2013, the Royal household has been given a percentage of revenue from the Crown Estate and is meant to be more accountable to the taxpayer.

But the committee has criticised the household for spending over its means.

According to the committee report, in 2012/13 it received £31m from the taxpayer, but spent £33.3m, raiding its reserves.

That has left a contingency of only £1m - a historic low - with no plan drawn up to pay for the backlog of repairs.

Windsor Castle needs repairs to its bedrooms

The report demands that the household "must get a much firmer grip on how it plans to address its maintenance backlog", adding "it has not even costed the repair work".

It also calls on the Palace to do more with less.

In a financial climate where many public institutions have had to make dramatic cuts the Royal household has only managed to reduce its expenditure by 5% in the last six years.

The committee believes there is scope to generate more income and reduce costs - possibly by opening Buckingham Palace to the public for more than just one month a year.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "The Royal household was charged by the PAC in 2009 to generate more income to supplement the funding it receives from Government.

"This has been done successfully. In 2012-13 the household generated £11.6m in comparison with £6.7m in 2007-8. Work on income generation continues.

"A significant financial priority for the Royal household is to reduce the backlog in essential maintenance across the occupied Royal palaces.

"Recent examples of work include the renewal of a lead roof over the royal library at Windsor and the removal of asbestos from the basement of Buckingham Palace."

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Ukraine PM Quits Amid Unrest

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has offered his resignation, according to a statement on the government's website.

Azarov said he was stepping down to try and encourage a "social-political compromise" to the unrest in the country. Ukraine has seen months of protests and violent clashes.

In a statement he said: "Today the most important thing is to preserve the unity and integrity of Ukraine. This is far more important than any personal plans or ambitions. That is why I have taken this decision."

The rallies began in November last year after President Viktor Yanukovych scrapped a treaty with the European Union in favour of a bail-out loan from Russia, following lobbying by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The move comes as an extraordinary parliamentary session gets underway in the capital Kiev, aimed at adopting vital reforms. This includes abolishing anti-protest laws that have stoked tensions with the opposition protesters. 

Just minutes after the session started, politicians suspended the session for a pause to agree and agenda for the day. A minute's silence was held for those killed during clashes in Kiev.

More follows...

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Brain-Dead, Pregnant Woman Off Life Support

A Texas hospital has removed life support from a brain-dead, pregnant woman, ending a months-long legal battle with her family.

Officials from John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth were ordered by a judge to end care for Marlise Munoz by 5pm on Monday.

Lawyers representing her husband, Erick Munoz, said his wife was disconnected from life support at 11.30am on Sunday.

Mrs Munoz was 14 weeks pregnant when her husband found her unconscious on November 26, possibly due to a blood clot.

Both doctors and family agreed that Mrs Munoz met the criteria to be considered brain-dead, but the hospital continued to treat her over the objections of her husband and parents.

Hospital officials cited the Texas Advance Directives Act, which prohibits withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from a pregnant patient.

A judge, however, ruled in favour of Mrs Munoz's family on Friday, saying the hospital was misapplying the law because the patient was legally dead.

Her case raised questions about end-of-life care and whether a pregnant woman who is considered legally and medically dead should be kept on life support for the sake of a foetus.

The case also garnered attention on both sides of the abortion debate, with anti-abortion groups arguing Mrs Munoz's foetus deserved a chance to be born.

Mr Munoz argued his wife would not have wanted to be kept in her condition, and his attorneys said medical records show the foetus was "distinctly abnormal".

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'Mini Tornado' Sweeps Through Parts Of Britain

A "mini tornado" has swept through parts of the Midlands and southern Britain, bringing down trees, knocking out power causing damage to outbuildings.

The funnel-shaped formation was spotted above several towns in Surrey including Chobham, Epsom and Knaphill, as well as in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, and in Harlow, Essex.

Ferocious thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain and hail were reported in Birmingham, Nottingham and Milton Keynes, as well as parts of Kent and Essex.

Twitter and Facebook were flooded by messages and pictures from people caught up in the severe weather.

Pam Steadman said parts of an equestrian centre next to her house in Epsom were lifted over trees at the bottom of her garden.

Flashes of lightning lit up the sky in Birmingham. Pic: B1Bobs/Twitter

Heather Riley reported "lots of damage to houses and cars" in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Darran Jaques, who described the weather as "wild", said scaffolding had been ripped down and shop fronts damaged in northeast Surrey, while Jean Ramgoolam tweeted: "Looks like a mini tornado just went past!"

It is thought the intense weather may have been caused by a squall line - a band of thunderstorms that precedes a cold front.

Satellite pictures showed a clear line of heavy storms moving slowly across the country from the North West to the South East.

As well as damage to property, the severe weather caused widespread power cuts across the country.

The weather brought snow to other places, including the Northern Pennines

UK Power Networks, which maintains electricity cables and lines across London, the South East and the East, said it received a "high number of calls" from customers as the storm swept through.

In the area around Tonbridge, Kent, more than 8,000 people were left without power, although supplies have since been restored for most.

The storms come as communities in the South and South West prepare for possible flooding, with further heavy rain forecast to fall on already saturated ground.

Sedgemoor District Council has declared a "major incident" on the Somerset Levels, where pumps are being used to keep floodwater away from homes.

Other parts of the country, including the Northern Pennines and parts of western Scotland, saw a sprinkling of snow.

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UK Set To Freeze Amid Fears Of More Floods

Motorists and commuters have been warned of ice, sleet and snow as well as hail and thundery showers, with temperatures expected to plummet to around freezing across the UK.

The Met Office's weather warning for UK

And with another day of heavy rain ahead, there will be more misery for flood-hit areas with some communities in Somerset - where the council has declared a "major incident" - facing a fourth week under water.

Several counties including Hampshire and Dorset also remain at risk of flooding, while further snowfall is expected across Wales, Scotland and northern England.

The Environment Agency has issued more than 150 flood warnings and alerts across England and Wales.

Temperatures are expected to fall to or just below freezing, according to the Met Office, which has warned of "blizzard conditions".

The Environment Agency's flood alerts and warnings

This will result in the risk of icy patches on roads and the potential for travel disruption.

Its chief forecaster said: "Rain or sleet is expected at lower levels however, above 250m, some wet snow is likely at times with perhaps 2-5 cm of snow accumulating, whilst above 400m a further 10 to 20cm is possible.

"Strong to gale force south to southeasterly winds will combine with heavy snow to result in blizzard conditions at times."

And with a band of rain across the country edging north-eastwards towards the far north-east of England and central and northern Scotland, the forecaster added: "With saturated ground and rivers already high in these areas there is the risk of some localised flooding."

Police pass a submerged car, as a local resident uses the temporary pontoon

Fourteen serious flood warnings are in place for parts of the South West, South East, Midlands and North East with the Environment Agency advising people in affected areas to take immediate action.

The Somerset Levels, which run south from the Mendip Hills to the Blackdown Hills, are particularly vulnerable, as further heavy rain falls on already saturated ground.

There is also potential for further river flooding across the South West and southern counties including parts of Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex, West Berkshire and Surrey into next week.

Snow fell over the Northern Pennines

The Environment Agency is running more than 60 pumps around the clock to drain an estimated 65 million cubic metres of floodwater from the Levels.

A temporary pontoon has been erected near the village of Langport to allow residents to get to their homes and a boat service is ferrying people to and from work and school.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is expected to visit Somerset today to hold crisis talks with community leaders including council chiefs and farmers whose crops have been devastated by the stormy weather and torrential downpours.

Twitter user Grant Kavanagh saw 'strange weather' in Knaphill, Surrey

As well as the flood alerts, parts of Scotland have been told to brace for strong winds gusting up to 80mph.

On Sunday, light snow flurries affected parts of northern England, including in Cumbria, where snow ploughs were used to clear sections of the A66.

A "mini tornado" was reported in parts of the Midlands and southern Britain, where trees were brought down, power supplies knocked out and outbuildings damaged.

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Terrorism Suspects Free Of Tough Controls

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

A group of terror suspects, branded by officials as a genuine threat to national security, are now free of tough controls designed to prevent them engaging in terrorist activity.

From today, seven of the eight suspects on the UK Government's Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIMs) are now no longer subject to any restrictions.

Terrorism experts have told Sky News that the police and security services would now have to implement costly contingency plans to ensure the suspects were still closely monitored.

The TPIMs programme was introduced by the current Government in late 2011 to replace the much criticised Control Orders regime which allowed the state to place tough restrictions on a small number of terrorist suspects who the authorities were unable to put before the courts.

The TPIMs measures include the wearing of GPS tags, tough controls on the use of phones and computers and restrictions on the people a suspect is allowed to associate with.

But in an attempt to address the widespread criticism and legal challenges the previous Control Orders regime received, the Government set a maximum two-year limit on TPIMs orders.

The measures included tough controls on the use of phones and computers

Seven of the eight TPIMs suspects have now reached that two-year mark and are now free to mix with whoever they want and travel freely without restrictions.

Raffaello Pantucci, a terrorism expert at the Royal United Services Institute, said TPIMS were never a permanent fix for what is a complex issue.

"The problem with TPIMs is that they were always a temporary solution. The underlying problem of what to do with individuals who are clearly of concern to the security services but have not crossed the criminal threshold, how to address these sorts of people, was never really fundamentally addressed."

The former TPIMs suspects, now free of their restrictions, cannot be named for legal reasons, but some were described just months ago as being a genuine threat to the public.

They include 'CD' who the authorities have said is "determined to carry out a Mumbai-style attack in Britain".

He attended a terror training camp in Cumbria in 2004 with four of the five men who went on to launch a failed suicide-bombing attack on the London transport network two weeks after the 7/7 bombings.

Missing terror suspect Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed absconded from his TPIM order

Security sources say he repeatedly tried to buy guns for a suspected plot to carry out a mass-casualty attack in the UK.

Another suspect, 'CF,' underwent terror training in Somalia and was caught in the Olympic Park five times in the months leading up to the 2012 games.

Although he never faced trial, 'AM' was described by the authorities as a key player in the foiled plot to blow up transatlantic airliners using liquid bombs.

Imposing restrictions on those who have never been convicted of a crime has always been controversial and both Control Orders and now TPIMs have been criticised by human-rights groups.

Cerie Bulivant was the subject of an anti-terrorism Control Order for two years. His movements were strictly monitored and his access to people and technology were severely restricted.

At one point he absconded before later turning himself in. After a long battle through the courts, he was eventually cleared of all involvement in terrorist activity.

He told Sky News: "Terror control measures do not work and risk further alienating people."

Cerie Bulivant was subject to a two-year Control Order

Under his Control Order, he said: "I felt like you have a sword hanging over your throat. Any slip or misdemeanour on any number of conditions could lead to you being in prison for five years; all on the basis of what is fundamentally secret evidence and secret courts."

The Government believes the TPIMs programme has been "effective in reducing the national security risk posed by a number of individuals".

Security minister James Brokenshire said: "It is not possible to discuss individual cases, but the police and security services have been working for some time to put tailored plans in place to manage the risk posed by these individuals once their TPIM restrictions are removed.

"These plans, which are similar to those put in place for the release of prisoners who have served their sentences, are kept under constant review."

Some experts estimate it could cost up to £20m to keep the former TPIMs suspects under effective surveillance.

Baroness Neville-Jones says 'society has to be protected against threats'

Former security minister Baroness Neville-Jones said that whatever the cost, they would be monitored.

"Society does have to have protection against people who have represented and may continue to represent a real threat to the community.

"This is a very mild way of doing it because people are having their freedoms restored but on the basis that there is an ability on the part of society to continue to ensure for themselves that actually that freedom isn't being abused."

But the authorities acknowledge no surveillance system is full-proof. Even under the Control Order and TPIM regimes, several suspects managed to escape.

Late last year, Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed absconded from his TPIM order after leaving a west London mosque wearing a Burkha. Three months on, he is still on the run.

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Ukraine Unrest: Opposition Offered Top Jobs

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has offered to share power with opposition leaders in an attempt to resolve the country's deepening political crisis.

The move comes as violence and protests continue in Ukraine with demonstrators trying to seize government buildings across the country.

Mr Yanukovych offered opposition chiefs Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Vitali Klitschko the posts of prime minister and deputy prime minister in a new government.

Anti-government protesters attempt to enter the 'Ukrainian house'

But the fig leaf was rejected by world boxing champion Mr Klitschko.

"Our demand is the holding of presidential elections this year... We will not yield but talks will continue," he told tens of thousands of protesters in Independence Square in Kiev.

Mr Yatsenyuk, head of the Fatherland party, gave no clear response to the proposal in his speech.

He said the opposition was prepared to take on responsibility, but added: "The people will determine the power in Ukraine. We will not step down from our position."

Demonstrators have tried to seize government buildings across the country

In recent talks between Mr Yanukovych and the opposition, both sides agreed the protests and police presence in Kiev would be scaled down, raising hopes of a resolution to the crisis.

Mr Yanukovych also said he was willing to consider changes to the constitution that would reduce the presidency's huge powers.

He also promised to consider changes to anti-protest laws passed by parliament on January 16 which sparked the latest crisis.

Until the past week, protests had centred mainly in Kiev, with only smaller rallies elsewhere.

But following the latest clashes, a series of government buildings have been seized in the west of the country, where support for Mr Yanukovych is weak.

Opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko (L) at a rally in Independence square

Protesters clashed with riot police as they forced their way into a regional administration office in the town of Vinnytsia, around 120 miles from Kiev.

And about 100 anti-government activists rushed the country's energy ministry in Kiev, where clashes with police have continued.

Energy Minister Eduard Stavytsky said their actions had threatened the country's entire power supply.

Protesters also continue to occupy Kiev city hall, which they have turned into a makeshift headquarters.

Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovich (2nd L) meets with opposition leaders

The rallies began in November last year after Mr Yanukovych scrapped a treaty with the European Union in favour of a bail-out loan from Russia, following lobbying by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt suggested Mr Yanukovych was losing control over his country. He posted a map of Ukraine on Twitter showing which regions had been hit by protests.

"If Kiev regime tries a military solution to this situation, it will be very bloody and it will fail," he tweeted.

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Weather: Heavy Rain Could Add To Flood Misery

Communities across southern England have been told to prepare for possible flooding as further heavy rain is forecast for today through to Tuesday.

The Environment Agency (EA) has eight flood warnings in place for the South West, which mean flooding is expected and immediate action is required.

It highlighted the Somerset Levels, which run south from the Mendip Hills to the Blackdown Hills, as an area which should be prepared for further flooding.

An EA spokeswoman said: "With the ground already saturated, rivers and groundwater levels remain very responsive to rainfall, particularly on the Somerset Levels.

"Environment Agency teams continue to operate up to 62 pumps 24 hours a day to drain an estimated 65 million cubic metres of floodwater off an area of the Levels spanning 65 square kilometres."

There is also potential for further river flooding across the southwest and southern counties including parts of Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex, West Berkshire and Surrey into next week.

Somerset flood warnings (red) and alerts (orange). Pic: Environment Agency

The Met Office has issued an amber warning of severe weather for the South West from 6am to 2pm today.

It said rain across the UK would be accompanied by strong winds, and up to 20mm of rainfall is expected.

Many communities are still coming to terms with the flooding that hit Somerset at the beginning of January.

Somerset County Council has declared a "major incident" for all areas affected by flooding in the county.

The leader of the council, John Osman, told Sky News: "There's no let up in the rain coming down. The water levels on the moorlands are rising. We are getting towards breaking point."

A vital boat service operated by Somerset County Council, which is ferrying people to work and school, as well as taking in supplies, is continuing as the access roads are still flooded.

The Somerset village of Muchelney has been cut-off by floodwaters

Sedgemoor District Council has also declared a "major incident" on the Somerset Levels.

Strong winds on Saturday blew bricks and tiles off the roofs of houses and forced residents to be evacuated in a street in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Several people dialled 999 as the storm swept through the town but nobody was hurt, Warwickshire Police said.

Elsewhere in the county the emergency services and the highways agency have been working with local councils to deal with a number of other storm related incidents including trees which had been brought down by the strong winds, and flooded roads as a result of the heavy rain.

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