Bali: Death Penalty For British Drug Smuggler

British woman Lindsay Sandiford has been sentenced to death for drug smuggling on the Indonesian island of Bali.

The 56-year-old grandmother, originally from Redcar, Teesside, had been found guilty of violating the country's strict drug laws.

Sandiford was arrested in May 2012 at Bali airport when customs officers found 3.8kg of cocaine worth £1.6m in her luggage. She claimed she had been forced to smuggle the drugs into Bali from Thailand by a criminal gang.

Prosecutors announced in December that they would be recommending a 15-year prison sentence, after she agreed to co-operate in a sting operation in which police swooped on four other suspects alleged to be her accomplices, including Britons Rachel Dougall, Julian Pounder and Paul Beales. 

Sandiford is consoled by her sister Hilary Parsons after being sentenced

Pounder is accused of receiving the drugs in Bali, where cocaine and ecstasy are often bought and sold between foreign nationals. A verdict is expected in his trial on Wednesday.

Delivering Sandiford's verdict, a judge panel headed by Mr Amser Simanjuntak said that Sandiford had damaged the image of Bali as a tourism destination and weakened the government's programme of drug annihilation.

Composed: Sandiford rose to her feet during her sentencing

"We find Lindsay Sandiford convincingly and legally guilty of importing narcotics. We found no reason to lighten her sentence," said Mr Simanjuntak.

In her witness statement, Sandiford said: "I would like to begin by apologising to the Republic of Indonesia and the Indonesian people for my involvement.

"I would never have become involved in something like this but the lives of my children were in danger and I felt I had to protect them."

Local journalist Amelia Rose was in court when Sandiford was sentenced.

"She was in shock, but she managed to hold her composure and stand up while the judge read out her sentence," she said.

Tears: the grandmother looked shocked as the verdict was read out

"Her eyes turned red from tears for a second but she managed to hold her composure again.

"There is still a long way to go before an execution can take place. She can appeal to the High Court then the Supreme Court in Jakarta. If she can present new evidence she can have a judicial review.

"Then there is also the chance of clemency with the President."

Caught: Sandiford was paraded in front of journalists after she was charged

Sandiford's defence lawyer, Esra Karo-Karo, said: "She was very shocked. This is unpredicted, she never thought of receiving the death penalty.

"The judge did not even consider our reason for leniency as we proposed in our defence. We will appeal."

A spokeswoman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "We can confirm that a British national is facing the death penalty in Indonesia.

"We remain in close contact with that national and continue to provide consular assistance and the UK remains strongly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances.

"We will intervene at whatever stage and level is judged appropriate and will use high-level political lobbying when necessary".

Happier times: Sandiford in her forties

Dougall, whose young daughter is reportedly being cared for by their maid and gardener on the island, has claimed she was the victim of a "fit-up".

Reprieve, a charity which seeks to enforce human rights for prisoners, said Sandiford was targeted by drug traffickers.

Spokeswoman Harriet McCulloch said: "Lindsay was targeted by drug traffickers who exploited her vulnerability and made threats against her children.

"Following her arrest, she was interrogated by the Indonesian police without a translator, legal representation or the assistance of the British Embassy for 10 days.

A statement by Dr Jennifer Fleetwood, an expert on the coercion of women in the international drug trade, was also read out, which suggested that Sandiford's "vulnerability" would have made her an ideal target for drugs traffickers. 

"There is evidence to suggest that a trafficker would seek someone who was vulnerable. Having reviewed extracts from Lindsay's medical records I know that Lindsay has a history of mental health issues.

Co-accused: Paul Beales (L), Rachell Dougall and Julian Ponder

"This may have unfortunately made her an attractive target for threats, manipulation and coercion by one or more parties over a period of time, which led to her being stopped at Ngurah Rai International Airport".      

At the end of 2011 there were 13 British nationals sentenced to death and awaiting execution, and approximately 40 British prisoners facing charges that may attract the death penalty.

Indonesia has 114 prisoners on death row, according to a March 2012 study by Australia's Lowy Institute for International Policy. Five foreigners have been executed since 1998, all for drug crimes, according to the institute.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has granted clemency to four drug offenders on death row since he took office in 2004.     

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Sun Reporter Faces Corruption Charges

A Sun journalist and a former police officer will be charged over alleged corrupt payments, prosecutors have said.

Ex-Metropolitan Police constable Paul Flattley and The Sun's defence editor Virginia Wheeler are accused of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.

It is alleged that Flattley was paid at least £4,000 in cheques and £2,450 in cash in exchange for information, including about the death of a 14-year-old girl.

The payments allegedly occurred between May 2008 and September 2011.

Alison Levitt QC, adviser to the Director of Public Prosecutions, said: "The information provided included information about the tragic death of a 14-year-old girl, as well as details about both suspects and victims of accidents, incidents and crimes.

"This included, but was not limited to, information about high-profile individuals and those associated with them."

The charges are being brought as a result of Operation Elveden, Scotland Yard's inquiry into alleged corrupt payments to public officials.

So far, 56 people have been arrested as part of the inquiry, six have been charged, and two - a retired police officer and a former journalist - have been told they will face no further action.

Those charged include former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, Sun chief reporter John Kay and Ministry of Defence employee Bettina Jordan-Barber.

Both Coulson and Brooks have been charged in Operation Elveden

It is alleged that Brooks and Kay conspired to pay Jordan-Barber around £100,000 for information.

David Cameron's former spin doctor Andy Coulson and former News Of The World royal correspondent Clive Goodman also face charges.

They are accused of conspiracy to pay for information including a royal phone directory known as the 'Green Book'.

It contained contact details for the Royal family and members of their households.

Coulson and Goodman face two counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office - one between August  2002 and January 2003, and the other between January and June 2005.

All five are due to appear at the Old Bailey for a plea hearing on March 8.

In a separate case, Detective Chief Inspector April Casburn was found guilty of misconduct in public office earlier this month for offering to sell information to the News of the World.

She will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on February 1.

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Defence Cuts: 5,300 Soldiers To Lose Jobs

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

More than 5,000 soldiers will be made redundant in the latest round of job cuts, the Government has announced.

The Army will bear the heaviest burden in this third wave of redundancies because the Navy and RAF have already completed most of their necessary cuts.

Up to 5,300 soldiers will lose their jobs, although anyone serving in Afghanistan when redundancy notices are issued on June 18 will be exempt.

It will also not affect soldiers recovering from a recent tour of duty or those preparing to deploy within the next six months.

No-one will actually be made redundant immediately and the announcement marks the start of the process for the latest round of cuts. Final decisions will be made by June.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "The Army is actively managing recruitment to reach the target numbers, but unfortunately redundancies are unavoidable due to the size of the defence deficit that this Government inherited and the consequent scale of downsizing required in the Army.

"We will have smaller Armed Forces but they will in future be properly equipped and well funded, unlike before. These redundancies will not affect current operations in Afghanistan, where our Armed Forces continue to fight so bravely on this country's behalf."

Chief of the General Staff General Sir Peter Wall added: "The Army is unfortunately reducing to 82,000 by 2015 and this tranche of redundancy is essential to achieving that.

Around 9,000 British personnel are deployed to Afghanistan

"I fully recognise the unwelcome uncertainty and pressure for those who will be liable in the employment fields announced today. For some it may present an opportunity; for others it will curtail their Service prematurely.

"Our aim now is to apply the process as fairly as possible and to prepare to support those individuals who are selected as they and their families transition to civilian life."

In the last stage of cuts, in June 2012, 72% of the redundancies ended up being voluntary. Military leaders and politicians are hoping for a similar outcome this time round.

Anyone accepted for voluntary redundancy will be expected to work a six-month notice period and those selected for compulsory redundancy will have a full year to find alternative employment before leaving the service.

They will also be given resettlement support.

By the end of the process, the Army will have shrunk to 82,000 soldiers - a reduction of around 20,000 - mostly through a redundancy process but also achieved through slower recruitment.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed on Tuesday that further cuts to the Army, Navy and RAF are "likely" but gave no indication of timing.

The job losses are part of a strategic review driven by budget cuts which aims to produce a new look military by 2020.

The biggest commitment by some way is in Afghanistan - 9,000 personnel are deployed in the country - but the withdrawal process is due to start this year and by the end of 2014 most soldiers will have returned home.

Final numbers have not been announced.

In October last year the Defence Secretary announced plans to rename the Territorial Army the "Reservists" and double its members to 30,000.

There is also a hope that some of those leaving the military because of the redundancy scheme might sign up to the TA so that their experience is not lost.

By the end of the redundancy process, the number of serving personnel in all three services will be reduced to 150,000 from 180,000.

It will result in the smallest army since the 18th century and plenty of concerns over effectiveness.

It is not just serving military personnel taking the hit - the Ministry of Defence is in the process of cutting around 25% of its staff.

The aim is to save £3.8m a year and to make the department less top-heavy with management.

The UK still faces real or potential threats around the globe, demonstrated in the past few weeks by the hostage situation in Algeria and conflict in Mali.

Some, particularly retired service chiefs, question the UK's ability to face these threats with a reduced military and gaps in the equipment locker.

The Government will again need to convince detractors, home and abroad, that the UK military can still earn international respect despite its reduced size.

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Ecstasy: Police Warning After Third Death

By Nick Martin, North Of England Correspondent

Police in northwest England are warning drug users that a possible contaminated batch of ecstasy tablets could be on the streets.

It comes after two men died in Greater Manchester and another collapsed and died in Liverpool.

Up to six other people were admitted to hospital with symptoms including shaking, shivering and complaints of a fever.

Detective Chief Inspector Howard Millington from Wigan CID, talking about the men who died in Greater Manchester, said: "We are very concerned at how these deaths of two apparently fit young men have occurred.

"It is possible that they are linked and this is something we are exploring as part of the investigation.

"Our main concern is that there may be a contaminated quantity of illegal drugs and if this goes unchecked it could result in further deaths.

Jordan Chambers, 19, who died in Manchester on Saturday

"If you are suffering adverse effects after taking one of these tablets I would advise you to go to hospital for a check up.

"I would always urge people not to take illegal drugs and remind them that you do not know what they have been made up with. They can contain poisons and illicit chemicals that can have potentially fatal effects."

The ecstasy tablets are said to be heart-shaped in purple, green, yellow and blue.

One of the men was admitted to Wigan Infirmary on Monday (pic:David Long)

Greater Manchester Police have urged anyone who may have purchased such pills to contact them.

Superintendent Andrea Jones, said the men are believed to have bought the drugs in the Wigan area.

"These deaths were closely linked, both had taken drugs prior to admitting themselves to hospital.

"We want to raise awareness in the community of the risks and dangers of taking illegal drugs. No one knows what poisons these drugs contain."

The men who died in Greater Manchester were 19-year-old Jordan Chambers, who was treated at the Royal Oldham Hospital on Sunday and 28-year-old Gareth Ashton, who died at Wigan Infirmary on Monday. Both had similar symptoms.

Deadly: the batch of ecstasy pills are known to be heart-shaped (file pic)

In Liverpool, a 26-year-old man collapsed and died in the early hours of Sunday. Merseyside Police believe it was also drugs related.

Greater Manchester Police are not currently linking his death to the two in their region, but said they could not discount a connection.

A spokesman for Merseyside Police said: "Emergency services were called at about 3.30am to a guest house in Tuebrook to a report that a male guest was unwell and had collapsed. Paramedics attended and the 26-year-old was taken to hospital where he unfortunately died a short time later.

"Although the investigation is in the early stages it appears that the deceased man visited Liverpool on Saturday and is believed to have taken tablets, possibly ecstasy somewhere in the city."

Anyone with information has been urged to phone police on 0161 856 7149 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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Message In A Bottle Reunited With Family

A message in a bottle found 76 years after it was thrown into the sea has been reunited with the family of the man who wrote it.

The bottle was found on a beach in New Zealand by Geoff Flood in November 2012, but had been set adrift in 1936.

Inside was a note, dated March 17, which said: "At sea. Would the finder of this bottle kindly forward this note, where found, date, to undermentioned address."

Underneath the note was written the name: "H E Hillbrick, 72, Richmond Street, Leederville, Western Australia".

The message had been written on headed paper bearing the mark of the shipping company P&O and the ship's name SS Strathnaver.

Mr Flood had been out for a walk on Ninety Mile Beach at the top end of New Zealand's North Island when he made the discovery.

He told local media he was astonished and quickly decided to find out how the bottle had got there.

He said: "As I picked it up and started looking, I could see it was an old envelope with P&O on it and I thought this might be something special.

"There was a bit of mad panic to carefully extract it. I carefully cut a couple of bits of wire and quietly wound it up with the bits of wire so we didn't damage it.

"[I thought] Who knows where it's been. How many times around the world, you just wouldn't know, would you?"

It took him a couple of months to find the sender, who turned out to be a man called Herbert Ernest Hillbrick.

Sadly, Mr Hillbrick had died in the 1940s, but further investigation led Mr Flood to Herbert's grandson Peter Hillbrick, who was living in Perth, Western Australia.

Peter Hillbrick, who was also amazed by the discovery, said: "For this one to be floating around in the ocean for 76 years and just all of a sudden pop up in New Zealand. Where has it been? What story is it going to tell?"

His only theory was that his grandfather had dropped it into the sea during a P&O cruise. His family still have photos that Herbert and his wife Ethel took on board the ship.

The SS Strathnaver was a British Royal Mail Ship that carried people between England and Australia, but which also travelled between ports Down Under at the time.

He said that because his grandfather had died so many years ago, he had never got to know him so was delighted another link had turned up.

"The only connection I have with Grandfather is now that bottle. That's about all. So, it's a fascinating story," he said.

Mr Hillbrick has decided to donate the bottle to a maritime museum in New Zealand.

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Avalanche Survivor Leapt To Safer Ground

A survivor of an avalanche that killed four climbers in the Scottish Highlands escaped by leaping from the collapsing sheet of snow and wedging his ice pick into firmer ground.

The man, who did not want to be named, said in a statement: "All in the group loved the mountains and are experienced winter walkers.

"My sincere thanks goes to the members of the public, mountain rescue teams and other emergency services who assisted."

PhD students Christopher Bell and Tom Chesters, and junior doctor Una Finnegan, were swept 1,000ft (305m) to their deaths while descending from a mountain in Glencoe on Saturday afternoon.

A second woman was also killed in the accident. Her next of kin have asked for her name to be withheld until her extended family have been informed.

Another survivor, a 24-year-old woman, remains in a critical condition after suffering severe head injuries.

She is being treated at Glasgow's Southern General Hospital, where she was flown after initially being treated at Belford Hospital in Fort William.

Christopher Bell and Una Finnegan died in the avalanche

Friends have been paying tribute to the three young climbers killed.

Mr Bell, 24, from Blackpool, Lancashire, was studying for a PhD in ocean mapping in Oban, while 28-year-old Mr Chesters had been living in Leeds and working towards his qualification at Hull University.

Their friend Sam Morris, 35, said both were elite outdoor pursuits competitors who spent most of their free time on the mountains.

"It was so few years lived but I know there's not much either one of them would have done differently," he said.

"They seized every opportunity. They'd do things that people who spend their whole lives sitting behind a desk wish they could have done.

"When they died they were with the people they loved, doing what they loved."

Ms Finnegan, 25, who was living in Edinburgh, was originally from Coleraine in Co Londonderry.

Independent councillor David McClarty said his thoughts and prayers were with the Finnegan family.

"This young woman, a qualified doctor, had her whole life ahead of her and then it is tragically cut short.

"The family is a Christian one and hopefully they will get some comfort from the fact that she died doing something she enjoyed."

Prayers were held for the victims at St Munda's Church in Glencoe on Sunday

The tragedy struck at about 2pm as the group of six made their descent on Bidean Nam Bian.

A major search operation was launched involving both Glencoe and Lochaber mountain rescue teams, and specialist police dogs.

Andy Nelson, deputy head of Glencoe Mountain Rescue, who co-ordinated the rescue, said the avalanche would have unfolded in "a split second".

"Being in an avalanche is literally like standing on a carpet and having it pulled out from underneath you. Any thoughts of trying to swim out from out of it is futile," he said.

"You are on steep ground, essentially standing on a raft of snow that is sliding downhill at speeds of maybe 40mph to 50mph.

"It would have unfolded in a split second, they would have felt the snow moving and then they would have been travelling at a speed that was impossible to stop.

"The man that survived was standing above the snow and we think he actually jumped and got his ice axe into firmer snow.

"They slid over some very rocky ground and ended up about 1,000 feet below, under between 1.5 and two metres of snow.

"It's a brutal experience. There are enormous forces at work and you are being twisted about at high speed," he added.

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Two Die As Winter Weather Continues Grip On UK

A 25-year-old woman found collapsed in the snow could have died after falling in sub-zero temperatures after a night out, Kent police said.

The woman, named as Bernadette Lucy Lee by Sky sources, was discovered by a man walking his dog in Church Meadows in Deal at 7.30am on Sunday morning.

A man also died following a crash in snowy conditions on the A12 near Kelvedon in Essex about 7pm on Sunday.

Ms Lee was found dead in Deal (Kent Online)

Police are still investigating the cause of Ms Lee's death but confirmed they are looking at the possibility that the she got into difficulties as she made her way to her sister's house, which was near to where she was found. 

A police spokesman said: "There are other possibilities we are looking out but one theory is that this is a tragic accident where a young woman was on her way home from a night out, but she didn't make it to where she was staying.

"We don't know if that was because of the cold, or she slipped or she was drunk or she became ill."

Earlier, police said the woman was pronounced dead at the scene and the death was not being treated as suspicious but it was unexplained.

A post-mortem examination will be held later this week.

Police said Ms Lee's death may have been a "tragic accident"

The man killed in the car crash was a 59-year-old from the Colchester area, police said. He died at the scene after his car left the road and crashed into a tree on the embankment.

His passenger, a 57-year-old woman, also from the Colchester area, was taken to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. 

And a teenager who was badly injured while sledging in Middlesbrough remains critically ill in hospital, police said.

Liam Stafford, 16, hit a tree in Flatts Lane Country Park, Normanby, about 1pm on Sunday.

He would usually be playing football for his team North Ormesby FC Under-16s, but the game was cancelled due to the weather.

He was flown by the Great North East Air Ambulance to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough suffering from head injuries.

In Kent, a man was taken to hospital with broken bones in his face when he was racially attacked after confronting a group of youngsters throwing snowballs at him.

Also, a young woman who was seriously hurt in an avalanche that killed four of her friends in the Scottish Highlands remains in a critical condition in hospital.

The freezing temperatures and icy conditions are once again causing delays and disruption, with more than 1,500 schools shut and motorists being urged to take extra time and care on roads.

As much as 10 to 20cm (four to eight inches) of snow is expected across Scotland and northern England, prompting the Met Office to issue amber warnings which urge the public to be prepared.

Yellow warnings - which advise people to take extra care - continue for parts of the north, east and southeast England as well as Northern Ireland, where up to five centimetres (around two inches) of snow could fall. 

"Today's snowiest areas will be northeast England and eastern Scotland," said Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang.

Spennymore in County Durham

"Although sleety on the east coast, it will be snow inland where 10 to 20cm is forecast. Drifting snow, poor visibility and blizzard conditions are likely over higher routes.

"The snow will continue in the northeast tonight and into Tuesday although it should turn drier across northeast England.

"Later tonight and during Tuesday morning the weather is set to deteriorate across the southwest with the potential for some heavy snow across South Wales and parts of southwest England."

The temperatures will not start rising until the weekend, said Lang.

"Until then there will be further problems with ice and snow and daytime temperatures will continue to struggle to climb much above freezing," she said.

"Wednesday and Thursday look largely dry and cold with ice and patchy fog. Friday should see a slow change spread eastwards and westerly winds bring a rise in temperature later and a slow thaw."

On the roads, there are lane closures on motorways up and down the country, with hazardous driving conditions on the M4 at Bristol.

A man walks his dog in the snow in Gunthorpe, Nottinghamshire

Heavy snowfall has closed two major roads across the Pennines, the A628 Woodhead Pass and the A66 between Brough and Bowes.

The Highways Agency said both routes were closed for some hours and advised drivers to find alternative routes across the Pennines.

A section of the M6 in Cumbria was temporarily closed after a Land Rover vehicle towing a trailer of bullocks overturned.

Heavy falls in the North East made for a tricky morning commute for many. Northumbria Police said the A68 in Northumberland was blocked, with problems at its junction with the A69.

Drivers were advised to avoid the B6341 at Rothbury and reported a four-vehicle collision on the Spine Road at Cramlington, next to the 3 Horse Shoes roundabout.

Officers also said the A1 in the Newcastle area suffered traffic congestion.

Freddy the Boston Terrier plays in the snow in Nottingham

There is also another day of snow and ice-related delays and cancellations on the country's rail network.

Virgin Trains warned of some cancellations in its services between London and Birmingham and the North West, while services into London King's Cross were also affected.

Eurostar said snow and ice in the UK and northern France were leading to speed restrictions and delays on all its trains. Six services were also cancelled, with customers told they could exchange their tickets for another date.

South West Trains said it was running a revised timetable throughout its network because of the weather, and would be concentrating on its mainline services.

The company said there would be no services between Ascot in Berkshire and Ash Vale in Surrey, between Virginia Water and Weybridge, or from Salisbury to Bristol. It was also running revised timetables on other routes.

Southern said trains were unable to operate between Lewes and Haywards Heath in Sussex or between Horsham and Dorking or Reigate and Redhill in Surrey. The Southern service between South Croydon and Milton Keynes was also suspended.

Raby Castle in County Durham

At Heathrow Airport planes have been grounded for a fourth day and passengers were advised to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport. More than 180 flights have been cancelled - about 10% of the day's capacity.

People were left fuming after 260 flights were cancelled - 20% of the airport's usual business - on Sunday.

Gritters have been out in force at Gatwick Airport to keep the planes running. The airport has only had two cancellations on Monday morning, although there are delays of around an hour on the Gatwick Express train service.

Flights have also been suspended at Leeds Bradford, Doncaster Sheffield, Norwich airports and East Midlands airports.

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Obama To Take Second Public Oath Of Office

Barack Obama is due to take a public oath of office and make his second inaugural address on the steps of the US Capitol in Washington in front of a crowd of hundreds of thousands.

Millions more across the world will tune in to see the star-studded ceremony, followed by a traditional parade and formal balls where the presidential couple will dance for the cameras.

On Sunday the US President was quietly sworn in at a small ceremony at the White House to mark the start of his second term.

Mr Obama took the oath on a family bible held by first lady Michelle Obama in the Blue Room, surrounded by portraits of former presidents.

"I did it", Mr Obama tells one of his daughters after the ceremony

At the end of the brief ceremony officiated by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, Mr Obama hugged his family, telling one of his daughters: "I did it".

There was no repeat of 2009, when he stumbled over the oath, prompting the White House to request a redo the following day.

The mood on the streets of the capital is less festive than it was in January 2009, when the swearing-in of the country's first black president drew a record 1.8 million people.

High unemployment, a bruising election campaign and partisan fights over fiscal policies have taken a toll.

Still, between 500,000 and 700,000 people are expected to flock to Washington for the event. The inauguration includes acts by Beyonce and Katy Perry.

The US Capitol on the eve of the public ceremony

Thousands of workers and volunteers have been making final preparations for the ceremonies. Hotels and government buildings along the parade route were adorned with red, white and blue bunting.

A quirk in the calendar this year pushed the public swearing-in onto the national holiday honouring the slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

In his inaugural address, Mr Obama is expected to talk about the need for political compromise where possible, as well as detailing the priorities and goals of his second term.

The president's legacy will be tested by foreign crises, including the war in Syria and Iran's nuclear programme, as well as domestic issues, such as immigration and a weak economy.

Mr Obama is also seeking new restrictions on guns and ammunition.

He will face strong opposition by the Republican Party, as the country remains highly polarised.

Michelle Obama sports her new fringe

Away from the politics, the President has given his opinion on what he jokingly called the most significant event of the inaugural weekend: his wife's new haircut.

"I love her bangs," Mr Obama said. "She looks good. She always looks good."

First lady Michelle Obama unveiled the new fringe last week to coincide with her 49th birthday.

And it has been the talk of the town and social media ever since.

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Weather: Snow And Ice Forecast To Stay

Britain faces another week of travel disruption as forecasters warn there is more snow and ice on the way.

With travel chaos across the country and Britain's busiest airport cancelling more than 110 flights, forecasters predicted further misery in the coming days.

Following Friday's deluge of snow, a blanket of snow is expected to sweep across more of the nation today, hitting London and the South East of England first before spreading into the Midlands, north east Wales, East Anglia and central England.

Freezing temperatures will ensure icy conditions endure for some time, with more snow in northern England expected as the week begins.

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for ice over much of the country, but a red, severe warning for South Wales which experienced the worst of the weather has been downgraded.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "The heaviest snow will be across East Anglia and Kent where around 5-8cm (2-3inches) is expected.

BA says it has cut its flights by a fifth because more snow is on the way

"Further west, from the west of London into the Midlands and Wales around 2-4cm (0.8-1.6inches) could fall.

"Overnight the snow will move northwards into Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, The North East and eastern Scotland and it will be very cold with a risk of ice."

Heathrow Airport in west London said it was reducing the number of flights scheduled for today by at least a fifth after forecasters predicted another 2-6cm of snow and low visibility in the area.

Passengers are being urged to check with their airlines before travelling to the airport - where bosses are warning weather conditions at other European airports could further decimate schedules.

Emma Gilthorpe, executive director of Heathrow Ltd (formerly BAA), said the airport had very little leeway to cope with the kind of disruption caused by the weather in recent days.

She told Sky News: "The fact that we operate at almost full capacity means that when there's disruption and we do have to space the aircraft at a greater distance we have little room to manouevre, which is why it's so important we make decisions ahead of time so we don't cause disruption to more passengers than we need to."

:: Are you stuck at Heathrow? Contact the Sky news desk on news@sky.com

Ground staff clear the pitch of snow ahead of Tottenham v Manchester United

Passengers at Heathrow have been facing disruption after many were stranded on planes for seven hours or forced to spend a night on the floor.

More than 100 Saturday flights were cancelled and travellers complained about check-in queues of up to two hours as staff battled to clear a backlog caused by 400 cancellations on Friday.

A 22-year-old man was killed on Saturday when his car was involved in a crash with a bus and also hit a lamppost in Coventry, where temperatures had plunged to -1.3C at the time of the accident.

About 10 people were passengers on the bus and some were treated for minor injuries.

West Midlands Police said the road had been gritted and they did not believe the weather caused the accident.

On the railways, there have been widespread cancellations and delays to services across the country, with First Capital Connect running "ghost trains" overnight in a bid to keep tracks clear of snow.

The freezing temperatures over the weekend have prompted motoring organisations to issue warnings.

Darron Burness, the AA's head of special operations, said: "With the snow compacting down and turning icy, we're likely to see treacherous driving conditions throughout the weekend. Any fresh snow on top will just add to the problems."

The RAC said it had dealt with nearly 9,000 breakdowns - 10% more than usual.

Some have been making the most of the snow this weekend

:: Send in your weather photos and videos

A young woman from Peterborough was killed in a crash involving a number of vehicles shortly after 6pm on Friday, Lincolnshire Police said.

It is not known if anyone else was injured in the accident, which happened in bad weather on the A1 at Little Ponton, near Grantham.

Humberside Fire and Rescue said seven passengers were taken to hospital after a double-decker bus collided with two cars and ploughed into a garden.

In Edinburgh, a 16-year-old broke his leg when his sledge ran out of control and he plunged down a 150ft embankment.

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Hostage Crisis: Three Britons Confirmed Dead

Three Britons have been killed and another three are believed to have died in the Algerian hostage crisis, David Cameron has announced.

The Prime Minister said a British resident is also thought to have been killed in the four day stand-off in the desert which dramatically ended on Saturday.

Mr Cameron called the deaths at the In Amenas gas plant an "appalling terrorist incident" and said every effort was being made to help surviving hostages come home.

The death toll includes the Briton already known to have died on Wednesday in the initial raid staged by a band of Islamist militants.

Mr Cameron said: "We now know that three British nationals have been killed, and a further three are believed to be dead. A further British resident is also believed to be dead.

Freed British hostages Peter (left) and Alan (right). No surnames available

"I know the whole country will want to join me in sending our sympathies and condolences to the families who have undergone an absolutely dreadful ordeal, and now face life without these very precious loved ones."

He continued: "The priority now must be to get everybody home from Algeria."

Mr Cameron said the attack was a "stark reminder" of the continuing terrorist threat and vowed to use Britain's chairmanship of the G8 to ensure that it was at the top of the international agenda.

"This is a global threat and it will require a global response. It will require a response that is about years, even decades, rather than months," he said.

"It requires a response that is patient and painstaking, that is tough but also intelligent, but above all has an absolutely iron resolve and that is what we will deliver over these coming years."

Algerian police escort freed Norwegian hostage Oddvar Birkedal

So far, in total, 23 hostages and 32 terrorists are known to have died with 107 foreign workers and 685 local employees released.

Algeria's chief government spokesman said on Sunday that he "strongly feared" the final hostage death toll would be higher.

According to Reuters, Algerian media are reporting that 25 bodies have so far been found inside the plant.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said two Scots, or people with immediate family connections in Scotland, are believed to have been killed.

Carlos Estrada, a Colombian man who lived in London with his family and worked for BP, has been confirmed dead by President Juan Manuel Santos.

At least one American died before Saturday's assault, and Japanese engineering firm JGC Corp said 10 of its Japanese and seven of its foreign workers are still unaccounted for.

Despite the major loss of life, Mr Cameron refused to criticise Algeria's handling of the crisis.

"The responsibility for these deaths lies squarely with the terrorists who launched these vicious and cowardly attacks," he said.

"When you are dealing with a terrorist incident on this scale with up to 30 terrorists it is extremely difficult to respond and get this right in every respect."

An Algerian army truck in a street of In Amenas, near the gas plant

He added: "What we face is an extremist, Islamist, al Qaeda-linked terrorist group. Just as we had to deal with that in Pakistan and in Afghanistan so the world needs to come together to deal with this threat in north Africa.

"It is linked to al Qaeda, it wants to destroy our way of life, it believes in killing as many people as it can.

"We need to work with others to defeat the terrorists and to close down the ungoverned spaces where they thrive with all the means that we have."

Foreign Secretary William Hague said 22 British nationals had survived the crisis and were already back in the UK.

Britain's ambassador is currently in Algiers and will travel to the south of the country today to help any other Britons trying to leave.

He told Sky's Murnaghan show: "These are cold-blooded murderers and we must remember that. There is no political excuse that justifies behaving in this way."

He also defended Algeria's response, revealing that he had been told the terrorists had been planning to blow up the whole installation - causing even more deaths.

The drama started on Wednesday when a group of around 30 heavily-armed militants mounted a dawn raid on the plant which is close to the Libyan border.

They seized hostages from among the 700 Algerian and foreign workers at the site. Two members of staff, including one Briton, died in the initial assault.

Algerian special forces mounted an operation to take back the plant 24 hours later, without informing any other governments in advance.

The Algerians insisted later that they had to act due to fears that the militants were about to flee into the desert, taking hostages with them.

Algerian police guard the entrance of a hospital located near the gas plant

Fears for the hostages' safety grew amid reports of fierce fighting and multiple deaths.

By Friday, it was being claimed that around 100 foreigners - from a total of 132 - and 573 Algerians had been freed.

Provisional figures put the death toll at 12 hostages and 18 militants but it was clear one group of terrorists was still holding out.

On Saturday, Algerian troops launched a final assault on the site and brought the stand-off to a bloody conclusion.

The state news agency, APS, reported that the terrorists had executed seven of the remaining hostages before they themselves were killed.

Algerian security forces escort a bus carrying freed hostages

Troops later found an arsenal of six machine guns, 21 rifles, two shotguns, two 60mm mortars with shells, six 60mm missiles with launchers, two rocket-propelled grenades with eight rockets and 10 grenades in explosive belts.

The terrorists also booby-trapped the sprawling plant with explosives before the last shoot-out.

Algeria's interior ministry has strongly defended the rescue operation.

"To avoid a bloody turn of events in response to the extreme danger of the situation, the army's special forces launched an intervention with efficiency and professionalism to neutralise the terrorist groups that were first trying to flee with the hostages and then blow up the gas facilities," it said in a statement.

The kidnappers are part of the Masked Brigade - a terrorist splinter group led by the veteran jihadist, Mokhtar Belmokhtar, which broke away from al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

They initially claimed the attack was in retaliation for the French military intervention in neighbouring Mali.

The gas plant is in the desert in In Amenas

It was subsequently reported that they were demanding the release of two terrorists held in the US, including 1993 World Trade Centre bombing mastermind Omar Abdel Rahman, in return for the release of two US captives.

Algeria has fought its own Islamist rebellion since the 1990s, elements of which later declared allegiance to al Qaeda and then set up new groups in the poorly patrolled wastes of the Sahara, where they flourished.

The plant at In Amenas is jointly operated by BP, Norwegian company Statoil and Algerian state oil company Sonatrach.

As freed hostages began to leave the plant, accounts emerged of their horrific treatment at the hands of the kidnappers.

One Algerian worker, who gave his name only as Chabane, described how he heard the militants talking with Libyan, Egyptian and Tunisian accents.

At one point, he said, they caught a Briton.

"They threatened him until he called out in English to his friends, telling them 'Come out, come out. They're not going to kill you. They're looking for the Americans'," he said. "A few minutes later they blew him away."

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