Miller Redpath: Body Found In Back Garden

Police searching for a missing teenager have found a body in his overgrown back garden.

Public schoolboy Miller Redpath, 18, went missing from his family home in Wenhaston in Suffolk in August.

Suffolk Police said an officer went to the house on Thursday as part of their inquiries and found the body during a search of the garden.

A post-mortem examination has been carried out, however the cause of death remains unknown, police said in a statement.

"At this stage the death is still being treated as unexplained," the statement said.

"Officers have not yet been able to identify the deceased and further tests are required, however early indications suggest that it is the body of 18-year-old Miller Redpath.

"Further searches are taking place at the property and specialist trained officers continue to support Miller's mother at this difficult time."

The discovery comes after Mr Redpath's mother made an emotional appeal for information about her son's disappearance.

"I think he went out purposefully to do something, in order to return shortly, and something went horribly wrong," Anastasia Miller said earlier this month.

"Everything was on track for him as he was doing well at school, he was thinking of London University, had lots of friends and I just don't understand what happened," she added.

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Savile's Chauffeur Bailed Over Sex Offences

Jimmy Savile's former chauffeur has been granted conditional bail after being charged with a string of historical sex offences.

Ray Teret, 72, was freed on strict bail conditions until November 15 when he will appear at Manchester Crown Court.

He has been charged with 32 offences relating to 15 alleged victims who claimed they were sexually abused between 1962 and 1996.

Most of the alleged offences are said to have taken place in the Greater Manchester area.

Ray Teret is also a former DJ

Teret, a former pirate radio DJ, spoke in court only to confirm his name and address during the 30 minute hearing.

He stood with his hands clasped in front of him listening as the lengthy list of charges were put to him. No pleas were entered.

Teret, from Altrincham, is charged with 15 counts of rape of a female under 16, one count of rape, one count of attempted rape of a female under 16, six counts of indecent assault of a female under 16, three counts of indecent assault of a female under 14, one count of gross indecency with a child under 13 and two counts of conspiracy to rape a girl under 16.

The former DJ is also charged with one count of possession of extreme pornography, one count of possession of prohibited images and one count of possession of an indecent image of a child.

Teret, who was initially arrested and bailed last November with another man on suspicion of historic rape allegations, is due to appear before magistrates in Manchester on Saturday.

Police previously said the accusations against him were not linked to the national inquiry into Savile.

Teret leaves Manchester City Magistrates' court after being bailed

DCI Graham Brock, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "This has been a complex investigation that was originally launched in October 2012 when an initial complaint was made to Greater Manchester Police.

"Since that time, we have carried out extensive and wide-ranging inquiries and interviewed a number of people as part of that investigation.

"It is now very important that we make no further comment and allow the correct legal process to take its course unimpeded and without prejudice.

"We will continue to support all those women who have come forward and offer them whatever welfare they need through the use of specially-trained officers."

Two other men have also been charged following the investigation into Teret.

William Harper, 65, from Stretford, is charged with charged with conspiracy to rape a girl under 16 and attempt rape of a girl under 16.

Alan Ledger, 62, from Altrincham, is accused of indecently assaulting a girl under 16 and aiding and abetting the rape of a girl under 16.

Both men will appear at Manchester City Magistrates' Court on October 30.

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'Hurricane': UK Will Take Full Force Of Storm

A storm which could reach hurricane strengths of 80mph or more will definitely hit Britain on Monday, weather experts have warned.

There were hopes the huge storm brewing over the Atlantic Ocean would miss the UK, and sweep instead through the English Channel.

But meteorologists are now certain it will strike the south west of England and could leave a trail of destruction as it gusts north-east across the country, causing structural damage, and bringing down trees and power lines.

Roads may also be hit by flash flooding, bringing rush hour traffic on Monday morning to a halt, and homes could be flooded.

Severe weather alerts are in place for England and Wales, with an amber warning, meaning "be prepared", for the southern half of England and Wales.

There is a lesser yellow warning, meaning "be aware", for the rest of Wales and England up to the border with Scotland.

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "The storm is coming through at the worst possible time; from around midnight to midday on Monday - which takes in the rush hour when people are trying to get to work.

An amber warning is in place across the southern half of England and Wales

"Winds gusting at 80mph are quite capable of bringing down trees and power lines and causing structural damage.

"Trees are still full in leaf at this time of year and the ground is quite damp so there is more chance they can be ripped from the ground, and branches ripped from trees.

"There's also the possibility of flooding with torrential downpours and leaves blocking drains. South Wales and southern England are most at risk.

"There is likely to be flash flooding on roads and the AA will be out in force."

She said Atlantic storms of this type usually develop further west across the ocean, losing strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

But the storm will develop on Saturday and intensify on Sunday fairly close to the coast before it strikes with full force.

The storm will intensify on Sunday and hit the UK on Monday morning

A strong jet stream and warm air close to the UK are contributing to its development and strength.

Winds could top 80mph as they hit seaside towns and villages before slowly losing power as they gust across the UK and out to the North Sea.

Some have compared its potential to the Great Storm of 1987 and record-breaking gales in south Wales in 1989.

It will strike two weeks later than the Great Storm of 1987, which left a trail of destruction on October 15 and 16.

Veteran weatherman Michael Fish famously failed to predict its severity before it flattened trees, knocked out power and left 22 people dead in England and France.

Winds could top 80mph as the storm hits seaside towns and villages

This time he warned people to "batten down the hatches" and keep checking the forecasts as the powerful storm approaches.

Darron Burness, head of the AA's flood rescue team, said: "The timing couldn't really be worse, potentially causing significant travel disruption on Monday morning, which is one of the busiest times on the roads.

"If it's bad where you are, keep tuned to the weather and traffic reports - in case of road or bridge closures - and heed any local police advice about whether it's safe to travel.

"At a minimum, take a fully-charged mobile phone and warm, weatherproof clothing."

He said the AA's specialist flood rescue team, driving modified Land Rovers, have been working all week and are on stand-by.

The Metropolitan Police has urged people to avoid calling 999 during the storm unless there is a real emergency.

A spokesman said: "The Metropolitan Police Service is reminding Londoners to dial 101 when contacting police when it's not an emergency with expected increases in demand brought about by high winds in the next few days."

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Saudi Women Protest Against Driving Ban

By Zein Ja'Far, Sky News Producer in Abu Dhabi

Women in Saudi Arabia have reportedly taken to the wheel to demand the right to drive - despite threats of immediate arrest.

Saudi authorities have warned they face arrest, possible legal action and could be stopped by force if they are caught behind the wheel.

But the threats have failed to put off many, including Bareah Albuzeedy, who says she will fight for her rights regardless of what authorities say.

Protesters were expected to drive their cars in cities across the country. 

Ms Albuzeedy said: "What we're asking for is a very simple right. It's only to let women drive and that's it."

Saudi professor and campaigner Aziza Youssef said the group had received 13 videos and another 50 phone messages from women showing or claiming they had driven, adding that it had no way to verify the messages.

Campaigners Bareah Zubeedy (L) and Dr Mahida Al Ajroush

If the numbers are accurate, this year's campaign will be the most successful effort yet.

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that imposes a state ban on women drivers.

Although there is nothing which legally states women cannot drive, only men are granted licenses and influential clerics have repeatedly called on the police to stop demonstrations from taking place.

Dr Mahida Al Ajroush, a prominent Saudi campaigner and psychotherapist, told Sky News she first drove in the country over 20 years ago and will do so again on Saturday.

She said: "The law says women can drive but the system does not give you a license ... when a woman cannot drive it means she can't go to work on her own, she can't pick up her children, she can't run her errands nor take her children to emergency."

Despite thousands signing a petition supporting the October 26 campaign and expressing solidarity on social media, the group's website has been hacked and an Interior Ministry spokesperson warned that even those campaigning online could be punished.

Last month a conservative cleric drew widespread criticism after suggesting women could damage their ovaries by driving.

The country's ruling establishment fear that demonstrations could lead to bigger and more challenging protests in the future.

The Kingdom is currently pushing for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) and the way in which police deal with the planned action will be closely scrutinised. 

The country's first driving protest took place in 1995 with 50 women arrested for breaking the law and made to sign a declaration promising not to do so again.

In 2011 another 40 women got behind the wheel  in several cities after journalist Eman al-Nafjan was arrested for posting a video of herself driving online.

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UK Economy: GDP Growth Accelerates To 0.8%

The Chancellor claims there is now "real momentum" in the UK's economic recovery after GDP growth of 0.8% was measured in the third quarter.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said it marked the strongest period of growth in more than three years - with services, construction and manufacturing all expanding.

It was also the third successive period of improving output, in line with the expectations of economists, though some had forecast growth to have reached 1%.

The ONS said construction - a sector bolstered by Government initiatives such as Help to Buy - surged by 2.5%.

George Osborne said: "This shows that Britain's hard work is paying off & the country is on the path to prosperity."

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "Today's encouraging #GDP growth figures are another sign we are turning a corner."

Labour argued the growth was "long overdue".

Overall GDP was 1.5% ahead of the same period last year - a time when the economy was being boosted by the Olympics and Paralympics.

But the economy remains 2.5% off its pre-recession peak at the start of 2008.

During the third quarter, construction was boosted by new work on private housing and private commercial building as well as domestic home repair and maintenance but remained 12.5% off its 2008 high.

Housebuilders have been buoyed by the Government's Help to Buy scheme, which recently launched a new phase offering mortgage guarantees.

Production grew by 0.5%, though this remains 12.8% off its 2008 level, while within this manufacturing improved 0.9% in the third quarter.

The powerhouse services sector, which represents three-quarters of economic output, grew by 0.7% and is now 0.6% above its pre-crisis peak.

The largest contributions here came from business services and finance, followed by distribution, hotels and restaurants.

But the wider statistics highlighted one piece of bad news - in terms of UK growth.

The contribution from utilities - including gas and electricity - tumbled by 6.8% in the period, possibly a result of the warm summer compared to the same period last year which was largely a washout and cool.

The figure was seen as a potential factor behind the decision among energy suppliers to increase household bills - to make up for lower demand.

Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said: "Britain is booming again with the economy showing the most sustainable and robust-looking upturn since the financial crisis."

But Alan Clarke of Scotiabank said the figure was a "tad disappointing" - given survey data indicating growth nearer 1% - and "wasn't a home run".

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls said: "After three damaging years of flatlining, it's both welcome and long overdue that our economy is growing again.

"But for millions of people across the country still seeing prices rising faster than their wages this is no recovery at all."

Dave Prentis, general secretary of the Unison union, said growth figures will "mean nothing to the vast majority of people in this country faced with mounting household bills and stagnant wages."

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Grangemouth's Future Saved In Last-Minute Deal

Grangemouth petrochemicals plant has been saved following a last-minute deal.

The 800 workers who were due to lose their jobs at the Falkirk plant - Scotland's largest industrial site and its only refinery - were told the news at 11am today.

It came after the Unite union confirmed it would now "embrace" a survival plan in an effort to reverse a decision by Swiss-based owner Ineos to close the business.

Calum MacLeod, chairman of Ineos' petrochemicals division, told a news conference a "great cheer" went up from workers as he told them their jobs were safe.

But he said "very limited redundancies" would have to be made.

Asked by one reporter if he had held a gun to Scotland's head, he replied: "I don't think that's the case."

He pointed out that Ineos had invested £1bn in the business and would invest another £300m to secure its future for at least the next 15 years.

Another £300m will be invested at the site, Ineos says

He said it was "only right" that by making such a "huge investment" the company had to make sure it had a "long-term sustainable base".

The agreement will see fuel production resume at the company's oil refinery today after a shutdown of more than a week.

The closure would have been a major setback for the Scottish National Party, which is leading the campaign for Scotland's independence from the UK.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said: "This news is a tremendous fillip for the workforce and the whole Grangemouth community, following what could have been a potential disaster."

Later, in an interview with Sky News, Mr MacLeod declined to say how many redundancies would be made. He said the £300m would be spent on building a new gas terminal at the site.

Asked what he thought of union tactics during the negotiations, he said it would have "saved a lot of traumatic effects" if union officials had begun the talks a week ago with the same attitude they had had over the past two days.

The closure would have been a huge blow for Alex Salmond

Jim Ratcliffe, chairman of Ineos Group, said: "This is a victory for common sense. Unite advised employees to reject change and vote for closure. Thank goodness people finally came to their senses. Grangemouth now has a great future."

Ineos said Unite had made a "dramatic U-turn" and had agreed to a three-year pay freeze, no strikes for three years, and moving to a "modern" pension scheme.

Earlier, Unite's general secretary Len McCluskey said shop stewards had decided to accept the company's survival plan "warts and all" in the wake of the closure decision.

Unite's Scottish secretary, Pat Rafferty, said: "Grangemouth is the powerhouse of the Scottish economy - it now has a fighting chance of upholding this crucial role into the future.

"Obviously today's news is tinged with sadness - decent men and women are being asked to make sacrifices to hold on to their jobs, but the clear wish of our members is that we work with the company to implement its proposals."

Ineos caused shockwaves on Wednesday when it announced it could not continue to operate its loss-making petrochemicals division, leaving 800 jobs at risk and many more contractors facing the axe too.

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Weather: Storm Alerts As UK Set For 'Hurricane'

Severe weather alerts have been issued amid fears Britain is about to be hit by the most powerful storm in years.

A Met office image shows a forecast for the storm on Monday

A series of wind, rain and flood alerts are now in place as forecasters predict gales of more than 80mph - classed as hurricane strength. 

The Met Office warned people to "be prepared for the risk of falling trees as well as damage to buildings and other structures".

The storm is currently developing over the Atlantic and will potentially hit UK land on Sunday night and into Monday.

Forecasts show how the storm might develop and move towards the UK

Today, forecasters urged people to prepare for the storm, with some comparing its potential to the Great Storm of 1987 and record-breaking gales in Wales in 1989.

Sky weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "Late October is notorious for strong storms, with a wind gust of 124mph recorded in the Vale of Glamorgan in 1989.

"Should this storm achieve its potential, it is likely to bring down trees and to cause damage to roads and buildings, possibly causing major transport disruption and power cuts."

The Met Office website shows amber and yellow alerts for Monday

Wheeler said the storm was due to develop over the Atlantic in the next 24 hours as a strong jet stream and warm air combine to create a deep low-pressure system.

While its trajectory is unclear, there are fears it may hit land, wreaking chaos over England and Wales.

If it does make land, it is likely to hit Wales and the South West first before sweeping east and touching most of the country.

Exposed coasts in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex and Kent are most likely to feel the brunt of the winds.

The storm could also miss land completely - sweeping instead through the English Channel.

Met Office senior forecaster Helen Chivers said: "Winds of that strength are damaging winds - there will be a risk of damage to homes and trees and disruption to travel.

"This is not a storm you see every winter. The storm of 1987 is one, and the Burns day storm in January 1990 is another."

Atlantic storms of this type usually develop further west across the ocean, losing strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

But this one is unusual in that it is expected to appear much closer to land, potentially moving across the country while it is in its most powerful phase.

The storm is expected to strike two weeks later than the Great Storm of 1987, which left a trail of destruction on October 15 and 16.

There are already fears the storm may compare to the Great Storm of 1987

It flattened trees, knocked out power and left 22 people dead in England and France.

Forecasters at the time famously failed to predict the severity of the storm.

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Bulgarian Couple Confirmed As Parents Of 'Maria'

DNA tests have confirmed that a Bulgarian Roma couple are the biological parents of Maria, the blonde girl found in a Greek Roma camp last week.

More follows...

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Madeleine McCann: Portugal Cops Reopen Case

Madeleine: Key Events Timeline

Updated: 2:42pm UK, Thursday 24 October 2013

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

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

:: Feb 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.

:: Feb 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 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.

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Hurricane-Speed Winds Threaten Britain

Parts of the UK face being battered by hurricane-speed winds which threaten to rip down trees, cause transport chaos, and cut power supplies, forecasters have warned.

The risk of a severe storm has been highlighted by the Met Office, which it said could see gusts of more than 80mph, especially on exposed coasts in the South.

A storm is classed as a hurricane when it has sustained winds of 74mph or higher.

Unsettled weather is expected to continue into the weekend with further spells of heavy rain and strong winds.

But moving into Sunday night and Monday morning, the Met Office warn there is a risk of a 'significant' storm developing.

Based on current predictions, some areas could see some of their strongest winds for a number of years it says.

A strong jet stream and warm air close to the UK, are both contributing to the development and strength of the storm.

Eddie Carroll, Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, said: "There is still a chance this storm may take a more southerly track and miss the UK, bringing impacts elsewhere in northern Europe, but people should be aware there is a risk of severe weather and significant disruption."

Chris England, meteorologist at the Sky News weather centre, said: "There's the potential for some exceptionally strong winds late Sunday through Monday morning, particularly over the southern half of the UK, with potentially damaging gusts of 80-90mph in exposed parts.

"But we are really talking about something that doesn't exist yet, so the forecast of the track, the timing, and the intensity are still open to change.

"It's really a warning of potential at the moment and something to keep an eye on."

Normally Atlantic storms of this type develop much further to the west of the UK and are waning in strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

This storm is more unusual, developing much closer to the UK and potentially moving across the country while still in its most powerful phase.

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ScottishPower Hikes Energy Prices By Up To 9%

Energy giant ScottishPower has raised its prices by 8.5% for gas and 9% for electricity from December 6.

The Spanish-owned power supplier is the latest to announce price increases which have sparked anger from politicians and the public.

Others who have already announced rises include Npower (up 11%), British Gas (up 9.2%) and SSE (up 8.2%).

The rises have generated anger as families' net earnings have stayed flat and inflation has stayed low.

The surge in prices led to former Prime Minister John Major to call for a windfall tax on the energy firms.

Around 2.2 million households are customers of ScottishPower. It is expected that the rises will add another £113 to the typical annual dual fuel bill.

Parent firm Iberdrola had warned in third-quarter results on Wednesday that it had "no option" but to increase tariffs in the UK after claiming ScottishPower had been hit by the Government's energy efficiency and environmental measures

More follows...

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Royal Mail Sale: Union Demands Cable Quits

The union representing Royal Mail staff has demanded the Business Secretary quits amid revelations by Sky News over the privatisation.

Shortly after City Editor Mark Kleinman learned that Wall Street bank JPMorgan told the Treasury the Royal Mail could be worth nearly £10bn ahead of the flotation, the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) called for Vince Cable to go.

Billy Hayes, the CWU general secretary, said: "On the opening day of the flotation Vince Cable wrote off the undervaluation as froth.

"A week later, we were told it was the fault of the CWU.

"We now have a prima facie case of a conspiracy against the UK taxpayer who were opposed to the sale and have now been robbed of billions.

"In any other walk of life this would be a sacking offence and we call on Vince Cable to resign.

"A full inquiry should be launched into the mishandling of this unnecessary privatisation by Vince Cable.

"We would also like the matter to be referred to the Public Accounts Committee to scrutinise how badly the taxpayer has been left out of pocket."

Kleinman reported that corporate financiers from JPMorgan presented a spectrum for Royal Mail's value ranging from £7.75bn to £9.95bn - the top end of which was more than two-and-a-half times the price at which ministers ultimately sold shares in the company.

The Government sold shares in Royal Mail for 330p each earlier this month, valuing the company's equity at £3.3bn, but that soon rose by more than 50% in the early days of trading.

Including its roughly £800m of net debt, the privatisation effectively attributed an enterprise value to the company of £4.1bn, above the average valuation of £3.6bn ascribed to it by the nearly two dozen firms which pitched to advise on the sell-off.

Sky News obtained a letter sent by Mr Cable last Friday to the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Select Committee, in which he dismissed concerns that the sale of the postal operator was spectacularly mispriced.

"Value for money has been central to our strategy as we have taken forward the sale of shares through an initial public offering," he wrote.

"Delivering value for money is about more than just the level of proceeds received on day one.

"Our long-term strategy to safeguard the universal service and deliver value for money for the taxpayer involves not only getting good value for the initial stake sold but also getting good value for the residual stake held by Government (30% of the Company assuming exercising in full the Over-allotment Option), and leaving Royal Mail in a strong, sustainable position capable of accessing the capital markets in the future."

A week ago the union confirmed the first national postal strike in almost four years would be held on November 4 over issues linked to the privatisation.

A 24-hour stoppage is being planned for that date unless the CWU secures a deal with Royal Mail bosses on pay and pensions.

The union ballot of around 115,000 of its members at Royal Mail and Parcelforce returned a 4-1 decision on a 63% turnout in favour of industrial action.

More follows...

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Primark Death: Woman Falls From Liverpool Store

A woman has died after falling from a third-floor balcony at a Primark store in Liverpool.

Officers were called to the clothing store in Church Street by paramedics at 6pm on Tuesday.

The 57-year-old woman was found at the bottom of the escalators on the ground floor.

Moments earlier, she had been seen on the balcony next to the escalators on the third floor, police said.

A doctor, who was in the area at the time, treated the woman at the scene before paramedics arrived.

She was taken to the Royal University Liverpool Hospital in a critical condition, but was pronounced dead a short time later.

A police spokesman said: "Merseyside Police can confirm that an investigation is under way after a woman was found with serious injuries inside a clothes store in Liverpool city centre on Tuesday evening."

A post-mortem examination will be carried out to establish a cause of death.

The police spokesman added: "Detectives are speaking to witnesses and viewing CCTV to establish the full circumstances of the incident."

Anyone with any relevant information about the incident should call St Anne Street CID on 0151 777 4065 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

At the same store five years ago a three-year-old girl fell through a gap between the escalators.

She survived the fall, but suffered multiple injuries, including a broken arm and leg.

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Pensioner Jailed For Raping Trafficked Girl

A pensioner who repeatedly raped a deaf and mute girl he trafficked into the UK to work as his domestic servant has been jailed for 13 years.

Ilyas Ashar, 84, sexually abused his vulnerable victim from the moment he brought her into the UK from Pakistan, aged around 10, in June 2000.

The girl, who is profoundly deaf and cannot speak, was beaten and slapped and forced to sleep and work in the cellar of the Ashar's family home in Cromwell Road, Eccles in Salford.

The girl was also used to steal more than £30,000 in benefits on her behalf.

The youngster was even taught enough sign language by the family so she could agree to the benefit money being handed over.

For almost a decade the girl had to work for the Ashar family, who are understood to have a number of business interests in market stalls.

Their victim had no family or friends in the UK and had never been to school in Pakistan or Britain.

Ilyas Ashar would routinely rape the girl in the cellar and other houses the family owned - though she would try to fight him off.

Ashar was convicted of 13 specimen counts of rape by a jury last week, though the court heard the rapes happened "many, many times more".

He had also been convicted at an earlier trial of two counts of trafficking a person into the UK for exploitation, two counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit and one of permitting furnishing of false information to obtain a benefit.

His wife, Tallat Ashar, 68, was jailed for five years for two counts of trafficking a person into the UK for exploitation, and four counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit.

Their daughter, Faaiza Ashar, 46, who was found guilty at an earlier trial of two counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit, and one count of permitting furnishing of false information to obtain a benefit, was given a 12 month community order with 300 hours of unpaid work.

Passing sentence Judge Peter Lakin said: "You Ilyas Ashar and you Tallat Ashar did not treat this girl as a human being.

"To you she was merely an object to be used, abused and cast aside at will.

"You took full advantage of her extreme vulnerability.

"You exploited her physically, you exploited her mentally and you exploited her economically.

"There was throughout a distasteful undercurrent of violence and intimidation.

"All that she had in her life was the love of her family and her own human dignity. You two took that away from her. You consigned her to a life of misery and degradation.

"Throughout these proceedings not one of you have shown any remorse.

"You are concerned with your own selfish, self-centred interests.

"You Ilyas and Tallat Ashar are deeply unpleasant, highly manipulative and dishonest people."

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Christening: George, William And Kate Arrive

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have arrived at St James's Palace with their son Prince George for his christening ceremony.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry will also attend the private ceremony of the future king and supreme governor of the Church of England.

Other guests include Kate's family - parents Carole and Michael Middleton and siblings Pippa and James – along with his godparents and their partners, who were revealed earlier today.

The historic 45-minute service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury will see four generations of British monarchs photographed together for the first time since 1899.

St James's Palace

Celebrity portrait photographer Jason Bell has been chosen to take the official pictures of the christening.

For the ceremony, Prince George will be dressed in a Honiton lace christening gown, a replica of the one used by more than 60 members of the Royal Family since 1841.

The Lily font used by the Archbishop will be brought to the Chapel Royal from the Tower of London where it is normally housed as part of the crown jewels.

While the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William were all christened at Buckingham Palace, the Duke and Duchess have chosen to break with tradition, holding the baptism in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace.

A royal fan outside the palace with a cake

It is the chapel where Diana, Princess of Wales' coffin rested before her funeral in 1997.

Earlier, Kensington Palace revealed the names of Prince George's seven godparents.

These include Zara Tindall, Oliver Baker, Emilia Jardine-Paterson, Earl Grosvenor, Julia Samuel, William van Cutsem and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton.

Mr Lowther-Pinkerton is William and Kate's former private secretary, who continues to serve part-time as their principal private secretary and equerry.

Mr Baker is an old university friend who attended St Andrews with William and Kate, while Earl Grosvenor, whose first name is Hugh, is the son of the Duke of Westminster.

Ms Samuel was a close friend of Diana, Princess of Wales, and is the founder patron of Child Bereavement UK, which has William as its royal patron.

Mr van Cutsem is an old family friend of William and Harry, while Ms Jardine-Paterson is an interior designer and an old Malborough College friend of Kate, who also uses her maiden name d'Erlanger in her working life.

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Grangemouth Job Losses As Chemical Plant To Shut

The owner of the Grangemouth petrochemical plant is to close the operation permanently and keep shut, for now, its major oil refinery amid a continuing pay dispute.

The move threatens up to 800 jobs at the petrochemicals business, which makes products used in everyday items such as packaging and plastic bags, unless it can be sold.

The Grangemouth site's owner Ineos said while it would retain the refinery, which produces 80% of Scotland's petrol and diesel, production would remain shut down until the threat of industrial action was removed.

The Government said there was no current threat of fuel shortages in Scotland because of contingency planning.

Workers were given news of the closure at a meeting with Ineos petrochemicals chairman Calum MacLean following the passing of a deadline on a survival plan which asked all Grangemouth staff to accept changes to pensions and other terms and conditions.

The Prime Minister described the closure as "disappointing"

The Unite union said around 680 of the site's total 1,370-strong workforce rejected the proposals, which included a pay freeze for 2014-16, removal of a bonus up to 2016, a reduced shift allowance and ending of the final salary pension scheme.

Following the meeting with staff, one worker who did not want to be named, said: "I feel sick. It's gone."

The worker, who appeared close to tears at points, told Sky News he could only listen to about 10 minutes of the meeting, before he felt he had to leave.

"There's no livelihoods left and we don't even know if we're going to get redundancy out of it. I hope they're happy with themselves," he said.

More than 1,300 people are currently employed at Grangemouth by Ineos

Unite has accused the company's owner Jim Ratcliffe of playing "Russian roulette" with the future of Grangemouth, the biggest industrial site in Scotland, and said it would back any efforts by the Scottish Government to find a new buyer for the petrochemical complex.

In a statement, Ineos blamed the union's opposition to its survival plan for the decision to close the petrochemical plant - saying shareholders could no longer fund it.

Mr MacLean said: "This is a hugely sad day for everyone at Grangemouth. We have tried our hardest to convince employees of the need for change but unsuccessfully.

"There was only ever going to be one outcome to this story if nothing changed and we continued to lose money.

"We still struggle to comprehend what has happened here. The employees were offered a chance to secure substantial new investment in the company, preserve their jobs and keep their salaries. Sadly this will no longer be the case."

The company added: "As a result of this decision, the directors of the petrochemicals business have had no option but to engage the services of a liquidator. It is anticipated that a liquidation process will commence in a week."

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "I am saddened to hear of Ineos' plans to place the petrochemicals business into administration, particularly because of the impact it will have on the workforce and local community.

"While respecting Ineos' right to make this decision, it is regrettable that both parties have not managed to negotiate a fair and equitable settlement that delivers a viable business model for the plant.

"Even at this late stage, I urge Ineos to continue dialogue with the workforce and Government will offer help and support with this.

"Ineos have informed us that the refinery will stay open and the management wish to restart full operations as soon as possible.

"We stand ready to help with discussions between the management and the union to ensure this can happen.

"Fuel supplies continue to be delivered as usual and there is no current risk of disruption to supplies."

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Maria Police Investigate Kansas Lead

A baby who went missing in Kansas two years ago is being linked to the young girl allegedly abducted by a Roma family in Greece.

The Kansas link is one of four promising leads being followed up by police in the US.

The parents of Lisa Irwin, who went missing in October 2011, contacted Greek authorities in the hope that 'Maria' could be their daughter.

Lisa was only 11 months old when she disappeared from Kansas City.

Her parents believe she was kidnapped and have set up a website offering a $100,000 (£62,000) reward as part of their efforts to find her.

The American girl would be turning three in November.

Hristos Salis and Eleftheria Dimopoulou have been charged with abduction

However, Greek police believe Maria is five or six years old.

Lisa's family contacted Sky News by email and said "because of the physical similarities between Lisa and Maria we have contacted the authorities here, as well as overseas, and are waiting for their responses".

The family are waiting to receive an official reply.

The mystery blonde girl, known as Maria, was discovered living in a Roma camp near the Greek town of Farsala on Wednesday after a raid by police who were looking for drugs and weapons.

A Roma couple have been formally charged with abducting the girl.

Maria was found near Farsala, central Greece

Hristos Salis, 39, and Eleftheria Dimopoulou, 40, have claimed the girl's biological mother gave them the little girl as a baby because she could not look after her.

They deny charges of abduction and procuring false documents relating to the girl's birth certificate.

DNA tests have confirmed the couple are not her biological parents.

Maria, who utters just a few words in Greek and Roma dialect, is being cared for in Athens by the Greek charity Smile Of The Child and is said to be "doing well".

Spokesman Panagiotis Pardalis told Sky News that Maria is still in hospital and waiting for medical examinations to be completed.

The charity has been inundated with more than 8,000 calls about the girl from around the world.

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'White Widow' Lewthwaite's Ode To Bin Laden

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent

The British terror suspect sought by police following the Nairobi shopping mall massacre wrote a poem in praise of Osama bin Laden in which she warned that al Qaeda is "stronger and fiercer" than ever, Sky News can reveal.

Samantha Lewthwaite - known as the "White Widow" - pledged to continue the fight to bring terror to the West and suggested she was prepared to be a martyr for the Islamic cause.

In the 34-line Ode To Osama, which was found by police on a computer in her Kenyan home, Lewthwaite said her love for the mastermind of the September 11 attacks "is like no other".

She lamented his death in 2011 at the hands of American special forces and called on Muslims to follow his example.

Investigators found an "Ode to Osama" on Lewthwaite's computer

"Us we are left to continue what you started," she wrote.

"To seek the victory until we are martyred. To instill (sic) terror into kuffar (non-Muslims) …Your life an example of how we should be.

"Oh Muslims listen to our beloved sheik's words, Let not his struggle and efforts go unheard, Revive what he started and strive to success, Then maybe we can be raised with the best."

The British suspect rented an apartment overlooking the Junction mall

Lewthwaite was married to July 7 bomber Jermaine Lindsay and lived with him in Buckinghamshire before the 2005 attacks. They had two children together.

Last year it emerged she had left Britain for East Africa and had been linked to the al Qaeda terror group al Shabaab.

Despite her sorrow at bin Laden's death, she warned the West - and US President Barack Obama - that the jihad was not over.

Sky News gained access to a flat directly below the one Lewthwaite rented

"As for our enemies our words will be less," she wrote.

"You picked the wrong army to contest. Al Qaeda are stronger and fiercer than ever. Their (sic) was no victory for you Mr Obama The honour is his on martyred Osama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

As part of an investigation, Sky News has discovered that Lewthwaite, who is being hunted by Interpol in the aftermath of the Westgate Shopping Mall massacre, lived in a flat in the Kenyan capital overlooking a different shopping centre  for seven months in 2011.

Sky's Alex Crawford spoke to a block supervisor, who recognised Lewthwaite

She used her South African alias Natalie Faye Webb while she rented the apartment with her four children.

Sky News sources who are involved in the hunt for her have said this was one of three addresses she acquired in the capital.

It is the first time she has been specifically placed in the city where last month's attack, which left at least 67 people dead, took place.

Lewthwaite rented the apartment using her known alias, Natalie Faye Webb

Detectives examining the hard drive of a computer left at her house in Mombasa found several self-portraits of Lewthwaite, including one where she posed with two of her children.

They also discovered evidence which led them to an apartment block in Nairobi overlooking the Junction shopping mall, which British and Kenyan intelligence believe was a potential target for the al Shabaab terror group with which Lewthwaite has been linked.

She lived there with her four children and despite having no apparent income paid 60,000 shillings (nearly £500) a month for the three-bedroom flat.

The clean-up at the site of the Westgate mall attacks is ongoing

A man from the apartment block said she used to go shopping at the nearby mall - popular just like Westgate with wealthy expats - for up to four hours at a time.

Police also traced a flash drive back to her which showed the British woman who married a suicide bomber had spent eight years researching chemicals, explosive ingredients and how to make bombs.

One document she downloaded is entitled the Mujahideen explosives handbook.

The examination of her hard drive showed she had also Googled a significant number of dieting and fitness sites, including websites with workout routines to help you lose weight and makeover sites which demonstrated how to have hair like the singer Taylor Swift.

Out of nearly 2,000 files found, a vast number were about health and body image, and she had downloaded documents about getting started in bodybuilding and visited one site about self-defence.

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Ireland: Blonde Roma Girl Taken Into Care

A blonde girl thought to be aged around seven and living with a Roma family in Ireland has been taken into care, Sky Sources have revealed.

Police are understood to have swooped on the family after a tip off from a member of the public.

The girl, who also has blue eyes, was taken into care after officers called to a house in the Dublin suburb of Tallaght on Monday afternoon.

Concerns were raised after the member of the public saw the blonde girl being looked after by the Roma family.

Sky Sources have said that the parents were unable to prove the identity of the girl.

It follows the taking into care of a four-year-old blonde girl called Maria and the arrest of a Roma couple in Greece last Friday.

The youngster taken from the family in Dublin is now being cared for by Ireland's Health Services Executive.

Sky News has been told the couple who were looking after the girl are being questioned by police in Dublin.

Ireland's Sunday World newspaper reported that the couple were asked by police to produce a birth certificate but, at first, could not find one.

The parents, according to the paper, then claimed the girl was born at Dublin's Coombe hospital in April 2006, but inquiries with the hospital resulted in no record being found of the girl being born in the hospital at that time.

After two hours in the house, the parents eventually found a birth certificate but the Gardai were not satisfied that it matched.

It is understood police may seek to take DNA samples to determine if the girl is related to anyone in the Roma camp.

The couple who claimed to be the parents of a blonde, blue-eyed girl aged around four in Greece have been charged with abduction.

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Woman And Son 'Unlawfully Killed'

Rachael Slack and her 23-month-old son, Auden, were unlawfully killed by her former partner, Andrew Cairns, an inquest has found.

It heard how Cairns had threatened to kill them five days before all three were found dead.

Police discovered them with multiple stab wounds at Ms Slack's home in Holbrook, Derbyshire on June 2, 2010.

Coroner Dr Robert Hunter told jurors that Cairns had been known to psychiatric services for a "considerable number of years" before the deaths.

On May 27 2010 Ms Slack went to a police station and told officers that Cairns had made threats to kill.

He was arrested and Ms Slack was considered by officers at "high risk". But, Cairns was released on bail the following morning.

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Boy, 14, Pleads Guilty To Uni Sex Assaults

A 14-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to five charges of sexual assault on five separate women near Manchester University.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in Manchester City Magistrates Court and was given conditional bail.

The case is adjourned until December 2.

The five assaults, including three near the grounds of Manchester University, occurred over a two-week period late last month.

Detective Chief Inspector Colin Larkin thanked the public for their assistance in the case.

"I am extremely grateful to the public for all the calls we received this weekend after putting an appeal out for information in connection with these incidents," he said.

An 18-year-old man also arrested in connection with the assaults has been bailed pending further enquiries.

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Maria Mystery: Roma Couple In Greek Court

A Roma couple are in court charged with abducting a mystery blonde, blue-eyed girl in Greece.

The pair - named in local papers as Hristos Salis, 39, and Eleftheria Dimopoulou, 40 - were escorted into the back of a courthouse in Larissa from a police van.

Their friends and family waited at the front of the building, with reporters and TV satellite crews. It is understood that no press are allowed into the court.

The couple's lawyer Matetta Palavra was surrounded by journalists as he went to visit his clients in holding cells at the back of the courthouse.

"You will leave us alone for now, we have a difficult road ahead of us," he told them.

Asked by one reporter what stage the case was at, he replied: "We will see the prosecutor at noon."

The pair were taken by police van into the back of the courthouse

The mystery girl - known as Maria - was discovered living in a Gypsy camp near the Greek town of Farsala on Wednesday after a raid by police looking for drugs and weapons.

British police say there is no link between her case of and that of missing boy Ben Needham, who was 21 months old when he vanished on the Greek island of Kos in 1991.

A prosecutor who accompanied police on the raid thought it odd that Maria did not look like her darker-skinned "parents".

DNA tests later confirmed the couple are not her biological parents.

The pair claim they were given the child by a Bulgarian woman who was unable to look after her, two weeks after she was born on January 31 2009.

The couple are appearing at a court in Larissa

Greek authorities have put out a worldwide appeal to help identify the youngster and find her real family.

Maria is being cared for in Athens by the Greek charity Smile Of The Child, and is said to be "doing well".

Charity spokesman Panagiotis Pardalis told Sky News that Maria is still in hospital and waiting for medical examinations to be completed.

"She is talking to hospital staff and seems happy, and is playing with staff and showing normal child behaviour," he said.

The Roma couple claim Maria is four years old. But medical and dental tests have confirmed she is a year or two older than that.

Maria seen in a family video as a toddler

The little girl will be transferred to one of the charity's homes when she leaves hospital.

He said the charity has been inundated with more than 8,000 calls about the girl from people in the US, Scandinavia, Australia, South Africa and other countries.

A few of the calls had specific details and have been forwarded to police.

Neighbours in Farsala's ramshackle Roma camp said Maria's real father had come to look for her soon after she was taken away by police.

Babis Dimitriou, chairman of the local Roma community, told The Daily Telegraph: "There was a Bulgarian husband and wife who were working around Greece in temporary jobs, who used to stay here sometimes.

Maria was found in a Roma camp in Farsala

"At one point they left the girl to be raised by the family here in the village.

"The family raised the child as if it was their own, although her father would come back every now and then to see her. The last time he visited was only five days ago, after the arrests had been made.

"All the other Roma here were telling the Bulgarian man to explain to the police that the girl was his, but he has now disappeared."

His account was backed by other residents, the paper reported.

The Roma community in Farsala is said to be anxious about the world-wide media attention the case is attracting.

In a country already devastated by economic crisis, the Roma in the camp make a living selling fruit, carpets, blankets, baskets and shoes at local markets.

They are already considered by some to be social outcasts, thieves and beggars, and now they are worried they will be wrongfully stigmatised as kidnappers and child traffickers.

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South Africa Toddler Murders: Man Confesses

A man arrested on suspicion of raping and murdering two toddlers in a Johannesburg slum has confessed, said prosecutors.

The case sparked violent riots last week when residents went on a rampage twice, blocking roads with burning tyres and pelting police with rocks.

The man, in his late 20s, appeared in court briefly on Monday on two counts each of murder, kidnapping and rape, said prosecution spokesman Medupe Simasiku.

He was arrested on Friday after the two cousins' bodies were discovered in a communal toilet cubicle earlier in the week in the Diepsloot shantytown in South Africa.

The girls, two and three years old, were raped and strangled.

Four suspected accomplices have also been detained but they have not confessed.

All five will appear in court together on Thursday.

South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world. About 16,000 people are killed a year, according to official statistics.

More than half the 54,000 crimes against children reported in the period from 2010 to 2011 were sexual offences, according to UN children's organisation Unicef.

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Graham Buck Murder: Man Jailed For Life

By Tom Parmenter, Sky Correspondent

A man has been jailed for life after he admitted murdering a Good Samaritan who had gone to the aid of his neighbour during a robbery.

Ian McLoughlin, 55, was ordered to serve a minimum of 40 years for the murder of pensioner Graham Buck, 66, in Hertfordshire in July.

Justice Sweeney said he was barred from passing a whole life term because of a European judgement that those sentences are in breach of human rights.

McLoughlin had been released from a murder sentence and went straight to visit an elderly man who he had met earlier in prison.

The court heard how McLoughlin had intended to steal money from Francis Cory-Wright, who was jailed for 30 months for indecently assaulting a 10-year old boy in the 1970s.

He tied the 86-year-old up in his home in the village of Little Gaddesden, near Berkhamsted.

During the violent struggle, Cory-Wright called out for help. His neighbour Mr Buck tried to intervene but was met on the driveway by McLoughlin who stabbed him.

Another neighbour described how Mr Buck's throat had been slashed "wide open" in the attack.

He died on his front lawn, with his pet dog sitting beside him.

The killer then went on the run hiding in London before being arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police in Tottenham.

He later told officers he intended to hurt Cory Wright but he regretted his attack on Mr Buck.

He said: "I'm not sorry for what I did to the nonce, but I'm sorry for what I did to the pensioner."

McLoughlin was previously convicted of murder in July 1992 at Lewes Crown Court and had served 21 years in prison when he was released on the morning of the latest murder.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Buck's family spoke of their heartbreak at their loss and said how shortly before the murder he had travelled to Poland to see relatives and to meet his newborn granddaughter.

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Mystery Blonde Girl 'Was Well Looked After'

A relative of a Roma Gypsy couple accused of abducting a girl found in their care said the child was given to them and that she was well looked after.

The youngster, known as Maria and aged about four, was found living in squalid conditions in a Roma camp near the central Greek town of Farsala on Wednesday.

She was with people who were pretending to be her parents, but DNA tests later proved they were not.

Kostas said the child was very loved

The couple, a 39-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman, were arrested and charged with abducting a minor.

But a man calling himself Kostas, the brother of the 39-year-old male, said Maria was very loved and cared for.

"We got this girl in a very nice way. We raised her. We got her. She was given to us and we raised her," he said.

"She had problems with her eyes. We took her to the doctor, we took her everywhere.

"We didn't take her to sell her. We loved her so much, with so much passion."

A Roma woman walks next to the house where the girl lived

Giorgos Tsakiris, the general secretary of the Roma association in Farsala, said the girl had a good life with the people who were raising her.

"I can tell you better than her other siblings, the biological ones," Mr Tsakiris said.

"She spent her days very well and that is why the little girl loves them and what they say about abductions is not true."

The girl is being looked after by The Smile of the Child charity

An international search is now under way to find Maria's real family.

Authorities say they have received enquiries from all over the world, including the UK.

The girl, who is now being looked after by The Smile of the Child charity, was found when police raided the camp in search of drugs and weapons.

A police officer became suspicious when he noticed Maria bore no likeness to her supposed family.

Members of the Roma community where the girl was found living

Further investigations into the couple raised even more suspicions.

Authorities allege the mother claimed to have given birth to six children in less than 10 months, while 10 of the 14 children the couple registered as their own are unaccounted for.

Maria's discovery has given hope to the family of Ben Needham, a British boy who disappeared from outside his grandparent's farmhouse on the Greek island of Kos in 1991.

A poster released in the search for Maria's real parents

Ben's sister Leighanna, 20, told Sky News: "Obviously, it's been a strong belief of myself and all my family that Ben was taken by gypsies for child trafficking or illegal adoptions and this case just shows that they can be found.

She added: "I believe that the camp the little girl was found in was looked at (during the investigation into her brother's disappearance).

Ben Needham disappeared in Greece

"But 22 years ago, the Greek police were scared of the gypsies and pretty much point-blank refused to go into the camps ... so our inquiries into these camps never fully got covered."

Ms Needham said the same technology could help find her long-lost brother.

"I think that would be a brilliant thing to get our DNA out there, even if it's not actually Ben but any siblings or any children maybe of Ben (that are found) then that could hopefully lead us to him," she said.

Maria's discovery has also buoyed the hopes of missing Madeleine McCann's parents.

Clarence Mitchell, a spokesman for Kate and Gerry McCann, said: "They have always maintained that until there is evidence to prove otherwise missing children can still be out there waiting to be found."

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Energy Bills: Welby Slams 'Severe' Price Rises

The Archbishop of Canterbury has launched a stinging attack on Britain's energy firms, warning the latest round of price hikes seem to be "inexplicable".

Justin Welby insisted the so-called Big Six energy companies had an obligation to behave morally rather than to simply maximise profit.

His intervention, published in an interview with the Mail on Sunday, came after British Gas followed in the footsteps of SSE by announcing a 9.2% increase in prices.

The head of the Church of England, himself a former oil executive, said he understood the anger the rises had generated.

"The impact on people, particularly on low incomes, is going to be really severe in this, and the companies have to justify fully what they are doing," Mr Welby said.

Last week British Gas announced a 9.2% increase in prices

"I do understand when people feel that this is inexplicable, and I can understand people being angry about it, because having spent years on a low income as a clergyman I know what it is like when your household budget is blown apart by a significant extra fuel bill and your anxiety levels become very high. That is the reality of it."

The Archbishop urged firms to be "conscious of their social obligations", saying they had to "behave with generosity and not merely to maximise opportunity".

"They have control because they sell something everyone has to buy. We have no choice about buying it. With that amount of power comes huge responsibility to serve society," he said.

"It is not like some other sectors of business where people can walk away from you if they don't want to buy your product and you are entitled to seek to maximise your profit.

"The social licence to operate of the energy companies is something they have to take very, very seriously indeed."

Electricity prices are rising faster than those for gas

But the Church Of England owns a significant number of shares in energy companies.

Sky's Chief Political Correspondent Jon Craig said: "Justin Welby has now joined in this increasingly politically charged debate about energy prices - the only embarrassment really for the Church of England really is that it owns more than £7m of shares in Centrica and about £6m of shares in SSE.

Craig added: "The remarks have been welcomed already by the Labour Party - but they will infuriate government ministers, the Prime Minister and the Energy Secretary."

An ongoing bitter political spat over energy has seen Labour leader Ed Miliband attempt to seize the initiative by pledging a 20-month-long price freeze.

Prime Minister David Cameron has dismissed the idea as a "con", and encouraged consumers to switch suppliers to keep bills down.

But polls have suggested that Labour's promise is popular with voters, putting pressure on the coalition to respond.

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Nick Clegg: No 'Coalition Crisis' Over Schools

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has defended his views on free schools saying it's "not a great coalition crisis" but rather a difference of opinion.

Mr Clegg will dramatically disown key parts of the coalition's education policy in a speech at a London school this week.

He insists all teachers should be qualified and the national curriculum should be taught in every school.

Speaking to Sky News, he said the Liberal Democrats view on education was not a "state secret".

"Of course there are tensions and pinch points, we are not identical parties," he said.

"No one should be surprised about this and it's not a political crisis when some of those differences are articulated in public."

Mr Clegg maintains he is a supporter of free schooling but wants to strike a "sensible balance" between Labour and the Conservatives.

"Yes, give schools more freedom and autonomy but also give parents the reassurance that there children … are taught by qualified teachers to the same standard as any other school in the rest of the country," he said. 

He says, on the one hand, Labour wants to "strangle" school autonomy and micromanage everything in the classroom, while the Conservatives don't want any "basic standards".

Mr Clegg denies the new stance is an attempt to cosy up to Labour, calling the suggestion "complete and utter nonsense".

He also played down suggestions of a rift with fellow Lib Dem and schools minister David Laws, who last week defended the performance of unqualified teachers.

"David Laws is right that that is the policy of the Department for Education. He is quite right in stating that is the present approach," he added.

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Syria: Suicide Truck Bombing 'Kills 30'

A suicide bomber driving a truck packed with 1.5 tons of explosives has killed at least 30 people in Hama, Syrian state media reported.

The attacker blew himself up inside the vehicle at a government checkpoint on the edge of the city, the Sana agency said.

The explosion appeared to have set a nearby fuel truck on fire, increasing the damage and casualties, it added.

Sana blamed the assault on "terrorists", the term it uses to describe rebel forces trying to topple President Bashar al Assad.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the al Qaeda-linked Jabhat al Nusra, or al Nusra Front, carried out the attack.

Several vehicles were wrecked in the attack

Meanwhile, a key international conference aimed at ending the civil war will be held in Geneva on November 23 and 24, according to Arab League chief Nabil el Araby.

The announcement came after talks with the Arab League-UN envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi.

The proposed conference will attempt to get Syria's rival sides to agree on a transitional government based on a plan adopted in the Swiss city in June 2012.

Syria's conflict has left over 100,000 people dead and forced two million to seek refuge abroad.

Debris and a destroyed vehicle at the scene

The fractured and squabbling opposition movement has criticised the conference plan, saying they were not consulted.

They said they could not accept any negotiations that allowed Mr Assad to remain as head of state in any transitional period.

The main Western-backed opposition umbrella group, the Syrian National Coalition, is scheduled to hold a meeting on November 1 to decide whether or not to attend the conference.

One of the most prominent factions within the coalition, the Syrian National Council, has publicly opposed taking part in peace talks with the regime.

Medical teams pictured carrying out their work

In the early months of the uprising that started in March 2011, Hama saw some of the largest demonstrations against his rule.

But in the summer of that year, security forces stormed the city, killing scores of people.

They have held a tight grip on the city ever since.

While several other Syrian cities have been engulfed by fighting, Hama has seen only sporadic violence in recent months.

However, the surrounding province has seen some major clashes between troops and rebels.

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