Bosham Murder Hunt As Woman Found Dead

A 55-year-old woman has been found dead at a family home she was looking after during the holidays in a picturesque south coast seaside village.

The victim, named by police as Valerie Graves, was discovered with a serious head injury at the house at Smuggler's Lane, in Bosham, near Chichester, West Sussex, on Monday at 9.50am.

Mrs Graves, of Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex, who had two grown-up children, had been staying at the six-bedroomed house with three members of her family while the owners, listed as Malcolm and Jane Chamberlain, and their two children were away over the Christmas holidays.

Police teams working at the house on Tuesday

A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "They (the owners) have people staying in the house while they are away for the holidays, it could be friends, it could be family.

"It is not rented out, people come because it is a nice place to visit. We do not know who they were, they have been there since Christmas.

"There were cars parked in the drive, they were entirely well-behaved, they came gently and went gently, we heard absolutely nothing."

The home has children's play equipment in the garden outside

She added: "I am just very sad for our neighbours and for everybody. You can't imagine coming back from holiday to this, it must be just horrendous."

Police said that the death was being treated as suspicious and was being investigated by detectives from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team.

Detective Chief Inspector Jon Fanner said: "At this stage we are keeping an open mind as to the motive, but we are appealing for witnesses who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the area from late afternoon on Sunday, December 29 to around 9am on Monday, December 30.

"Please call us if you know anything, no matter how insignificant you might think it is. It could be important to the investigation.

"This is a rare incident for Bosham, which is a safe area. We have increased our neighbourhood policing patrols in the village and if anyone has any information or concerns, I would urge them to speak to one of the officers who are there."

Forensics officers were working at the home, which is valued at £1.5m and has children's playground equipment outside, on Tuesday morning. 

Bosham has a rich history and legend has it that King Canute  lived  in the village and it was there he ordered the waves to retreat.

Bosham church features on the Bayeux tapestry and King Harold sailed for Normandy from Quay Meadow in 1064.

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Veteran Comedian John Fortune Dies Aged 74

Comedian John Fortune, who was best known for the series Bremner, Bird And Fortune, has died aged 74.

The veteran satirist's agent, Vivienne Clore, said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that I write of the death of John Fortune this morning aged 74.

"He died peacefully with his wife, Emma and dog Grizelle, at his bedside.

"A renowned satirist, early work included contributions to Peter Cook's Establishment club and more latterly his work with long term collaborator, John Bird and Rory Bremner.

"He is survived by his adored wife, Emma and three children."

Bird (left), Bremner (centre) and Fortune

Bremner tweeted: ""I'm so sorry to let you know that my friend John Fortune died this morning.

"Lovely man, dear friend, brilliant & fearless satirist."

Fortune enjoyed a long working relationship with Bird, appearing together in A Series Of Bird's in 1967, The Long Johns in 1995 and in Bremner, Bird And Fortune between 1999 and 2007.

The duo were particularly adept at playing self-satisfied but bumbling establishment figures, such as politicians, bankers and military officers.

Fortune was also a popular character actor in feature films such as Match Point, The Tailor Of Panama and Calendar Girls.

Other TV roles included parts in New Tricks, Yes Minister and Murder Most Horrid.

John Challis, best known for his role as Boycie in Only Fools And Horses, tweeted: ""So sad to hear that John Fortune has died.

"I played henchman to his chief villain in Cat's Eyes and we laughed a lot. Another goodun gone."

And Stephen Fry tweeted: "Oh how sad John Fortune has died. He was in the first play I was ever in, 40 Years On. Huge influence on the satire boom. Loved parrots too."

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Schumacher Showing 'Slight Improvement'

Michael Schumacher has shown "slight improvement" after a surgical procedure but is not out of danger, doctors treating him have said.

The operation to remove the largest of a series of blood clots in the racing driver's brain took around two hours, and the coming hours are 'critical' according to medical staff in Grenoble, France.

Schumacher continues to be kept in an artificial coma after he suffered a severe head injury while skiing off-piste in the resort of Meribel on Sunday.

He was reportedly travelling at speeds of up to 60mph when the accident happened, and is thought to have been saved by his skiing helmet, which split on impact.

Rescuers were on hand within minutes and he was initially conscious after the fall before deteriorating into a critical condition.

Doctors have refused to give a prognosis for the 44-year-old Formula One champion.

Schumacher's family are being kept fully informed about his treatment.

Following the surgery, a new scan on Tuesday morning showed "a slight improvement" said the hospital's director general Jacqueline Hubert.

But Professor Emmanuel Gay, one of the specialists treating Schumacher, told a news conference: "The dangers are still there. We cannot say that we have won because there are still some highs and some lows, but it's better than yesterday.

"He is still in a very critical condition, this has not changed. And we still cannot tell how he will be, which state he will be in when he does wake up.

"We cannot speculate on the future because once again it would be too early to do so."

The seven-times F1 champion was admitted to hospital suffering from intracranial haematoma - blood clots - bruising and swelling of the brain.

Professor Gay warned: "There are still many haematomas in the brain, with little bits everywhere.

"That is what makes the situation critical and it needs to be looked at hour by hour, day by day.

"The situation can still evolve, but we won't be able to evacuate the other haematomas at the moment because they are not accessible. They are not as big as the one we removed yesterday."

Schumacher has received an outpouring of support from the racing world, with former and current stars urging him to pull through.

German chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "extremely shocked along with millions of Germans" to learn of the accident.

Schumacher retired from F1 for the final time in 2012 after a three-season comeback with Mercedes.

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Michael Schumacher: Hospital Press Conference As It Happened

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Stag Seriously Injures Woman In Highlands

A Cambridge academic has been seriously injured on holiday after being gored by a stag in a "bizarre and horrific" attack.

Dr Kate Stone is said to be fighting for her life after being wounded by the animal near Fort William in the Highlands.

She had to be airlifted to hospital in Glasgow and is understood to be in intensive care, with injuries to her neck and spine caused by the stag's antlers.

The attack happened in the early hours of Monday, December 30, when Dr Stone and a group of friends were standing outside a private home in Lochailort.

The Press and Journal newspaper reports that the animal appeared to single out Dr Stone, who at six foot was the tallest of the group.

The research engineer had been on a short break. Pic: Kate Stone/Facebook

Her friends initially thought she had just been knocked over in the attack, but it soon became apparent she had been badly hurt.

Dr Stone, who was born a man but changed gender in 2007, studied at Cambridge for a PhD in physics and microelectronics, and is now a research engineer at the university's institute of manufacturing.

She also established her own successful start-up company, Novalia, which looks "at making anything that's printed interactive".

She was among a group on a short break in the Highlands, and had been at a ceilidh in Lochailort Inn.

They were staying at the nearby Mo-Dhachaidh B&B owned by Gary Burton.

Mr Burton said he heard about the attack when one of Dr Stone's friends returned at around 2.30am.

"I think what happened was that the stag panicked. It was trapped in a fenced garden having got through a gate. I don't think there was anywhere else to go and it charged out of the gate," he said.

"It's very bizarre and very horrific."

The group was left shocked by the attack but managed to help Dr Stone and contact the emergency services, Mr Burton said.

"The last I heard was late last night that Kate is still in intensive care," said Mr Burton, who explained the community had never experience a stag attack like this before.

He said: "This is a one-in-a-million event which has shocked the whole community. We are at one with nature in Lochailort, and we have deer all around us.

"We are all hoping and praying that Kate pulls through.

"I don't pry into our guests' personal lives but I had a conversation with Kate and I know she is a very outdoors person, and loves camping and walking.

"It would be a tragedy if she couldn't do that any more."

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Schumacher Fighting For His Life, Say Doctors

Former motor racing world champion Michael Schumacher is in a coma following a skiing accident in France - and doctors say they "cannot predict his future".

The 44-year-old German is fighting for his life at a hospital in Grenoble and surgeons are working "hour by hour" to save him.

Michael Schumacher was skiing with his son at the time of the accident

At a press conference this morning, in Grenoble, doctors said he had suffered many lesions to his brain and his prognosis was unclear.

Surgeons operated to remove a blood clot in his brain and are now trying to reduce "dangerous swelling", meaning his condition could go either way. 

The hospital revealed that Schumacher was being kept in a state of hyperthermia by controlling his temperature to keep it at 34C-35C (93.2F-95F).

He is under general anaesthetic in an induced coma.

"He's in a critical situation - this is considered to be extremely serious," Chief Anaesthetist Jean-Francois Payen told journalists.

The "Dent de Burgin" peak under which Schumacher was skiing

The doctor said that Schumacher's family were at his bedside and friends had flown in to the hospital to lend their support.

"We are working day and night at his bedside," Dr Payen said. "It is too early to say anything as far as prognosis is concerned," he added.

Neurosurgeon Stephan Chabardes said an emergency brain scan had revealed internal bleeding, and injuries including contusions and lesions.

Michael Schumacher was staying at this exclusive chalet in Meribel

"On his arrival we examined him clinically and we realised he was in a serious condition, in a coma, with in fact cranial pressure," Dr Chabardes said.

"The brain scan showed a number of pieces of information, some intercranial haematoma but also some cerebral contusions and oedema.

"We operated urgently to try to eliminate the haematoma. After the operation we saw that we had been able to eliminate these haematoma but also sadly the appearance of various bilateral lesions.

The F1 racer was taken to hospital by helicopter

"So therefore he was taken to intensive care to try to help.

"I am very worried just like his family, we are very worried about his condition. The doctors won't tell you more because they can't tell you more, they are working hour by hour." 

Schumacher was wearing a helmet when he hit his head on a rock while skiing in the French Alps resort of Meribel with his 14-year-old son.

Doctors could not give a prognosis at a press conference in Grenoble

"Someone who had suffered this accident without a helmet would not have made it this far," Dr Payen said

The area where Schumacher was skiing is part of a web of trails that slice down through a vast and, in parts, very steep snowfield.

Although challenging, the runs are broad and neatly tended, and the off-piste areas - where Schumacher was found - is free of trees.

The lane to Schumacher's private chalet

The motor-racing champion was conscious when first responders arrived on the scene, although agitated and in shock, according to a resort spokesman.

He was first airlifted to a local hospital and then later brought to Grenoble for more intensive treatment, when his condition deteriorated.

The French Mountain Gendarmerie had earlier said Schumacher's life was not in danger.

The German Formula One legend skiing in Italy in 2006

Fellow drivers, politicians and friends spoke of their alarm. Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "extremely shocked along with millions of Germans". 

Schumacher's family also released a brief statement. It read: "We would like to thank the medical team who we know do everything possible to help Michael.

"We like to also thank the people from all around the world who have expressed their sympathy and sent their best wishes for Michael's recovery."

The accident occurred in the resort of Meribel in France

A leading neurosurgery specialist in London has described Schumacher's condition as "very dangerous".

Christopher Chandler, of the London Neurosurgery Partnership, warned that his injuries may take several days to "reach their peak".

He said the haematoma and bruising could cause "ferocious swelling".

Schumacher, a seven-time world champion, first retired from Formula One in 2006.

Schumacher made a comeback to Formula One for Mercedes in 2010

He has been hurt seriously once before, in a motorcycling accident in February 2009 when he suffered neck and spine injuries.

Schumacher recovered sufficiently from those injuries to make a comeback to Formula One in 2010.

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Volgograd: At Least 14 Dead In Bus Bombing

At least 14 people have reportedly died in an explosion on an electric bus in the Russian city of Volgograd in the second deadly attack in the city in as many days.

Investigators have described the blast, during the morning rush-hour on a trolleybus, as "an act of terror".

Russian investigators said the bus explosion was caused by a male suicide bomber.

A statement from the Federal Investigative Committee said: "It is now possible to preliminarily say that the explosive device was set off by a suicide bomber - a man whose body fragments have been collected and sent for genetic testing."

The death toll could rise further

It comes just a day after a female suicide bomber was blamed for killing 17 people and leaving dozens more injured at the city's main railway station.

Police identified that bomber as a Dagestan national called Oksana Aslanova - who had been married to two Islamists killed by Russian forces.

She apparently detonated a bomb in front of a metal detector inside the main entrance of the station. Russian television is suggesting there may have been two attackers.

That attack was the deadliest in Russia since January 2011, when a male suicide bomber from the North Caucasus killed 37 people in the arrivals hall of a busy Moscow airport.

Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for Russia's main investigative agency, said the latest explosion involved a bomb similar to the one used to target Volgograd railway station. The bomb contained 4kg of TNT equivalent explosive.

He said: "That confirms the investigators' version that the two terror attacks were linked. They could have been prepared in one place."

Security has been stepped up after the station blast

President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia's counter-terrorism agency to step up security in Volgograd and nationwide in the wake of the two attacks, the Kremlin announced.

The explosions have put the city on edge and highlighted the terrorist threat that Russia is facing as it prepares to host the Winter Olympics in February.

Volgograd is about 400 miles northeast of Sochi, where the Games are to be held.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for either of the attacks.

In July, Doku Umarov, leader of an ongoing insurgency in the nearby North Caucasus region, urged militants to use "maximum force" to disrupt the Winter Olympics, a project close to Mr Putin's heart.

Russian authorities have pledged to make the event the "safest ever".

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall said: "It's 39 or 40 days until the Winter Olympics open, this is the opportunity for the Islamic separatists in the Caucasus region to really put themselves on the world map.

"The more this sort of thing happens, if it is indeed them, the more that cause is going to get on the front pages around the world, spoil Putin's Olympics and, more seriously, the more lives it will take."

Known in Soviet times as Stalingrad, and previously as Tsaritsyn, Volgograd is a major industrial centre with a population of more than a million people.

The North Caucasus is the region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, bordered by Georgia and Azerbaijan to the south.

It includes the predominantly Muslim Krasnodar Kai, Stavropol Krai, Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Chechnya and Dagestan.

Insurgents have carried out attacks on Russian military and civilians following two wars against Chechnya in 1994-1996 and from 1999 to 2009.

The violence has spread into neighbouring republics and even Moscow as insurgents attempt to establish an Islamic state in the region.

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Jahi McMath Family Running Out Of Time

A 13-year-old girl declared brain dead could be disconnected from a breathing machine today despite her family's attempt to keep her on life support.

Under a court order, Children's Hospital of Oakland in California is allowed to remove Jahi McMath from a ventilator at 5pm local time (1am on Tuesday, UK time).

But her family believes the girl is alive and is hoping to be able to move her to another facility where she can be kept on a breathing machine.

Jahi went into cardiac arrest earlier this month. Pic: KPIX/CBS

The battle is dividing public opinion in the US.

Jahi suffered complications after undergoing a tonsillectomy at the hospital on December 9.

After she awoke from the operation, her family said, she started bleeding heavily and went into cardiac arrest.

Both the hospital and an independent paediatric neurologist from Stanford University have concluded the girl is brain dead.

The family is hoping to move her to a New York facility. 

"The family is together, and today everybody is praying and being together," Chris Dolan, the family's lawyer, told the AP news agency.

After two California care homes withdrew offers to accept her, Jahi's family views the New York option as their "last, last hope", said Mr Dolan.

The hospital said it would need to confirm there is "lawful transportation" included in any plan to transfer Jahi, and written permission from the coroner.

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Antarctic Ship: Helicopter To Rescue Passengers

Passengers on a ship trapped in Antarctic ice for nearly a week will be evacuated by helicopter as soon as possible, Russian officials say.

The majority of passengers and crew will be removed by a Chinese helicopter after the latest bid to free the vessel failed.

A picture taken from the ship shows the ice around the vessel

The MV Akademik Shokalskiy ship has been stuck since Christmas Eve after blizzard winds pushed sea ice around the ship, freezing it in place.

The ship is not in danger of sinking, and there are weeks' worth of supplies for those on board, but the vessel cannot move.

A statement by the Russian foreign ministry read: "A decision has been reached to evacuate 52 passengers and four crew members by helicopter from China's Xue Long ship, should the weather allow."

Professor Chris Turney is one of the scientists aboard the ship

It was unclear what would happen to the remaining 18 passengers on the ship.

The Australian Aurora Australis ship abandoned the latest rescue attempt because of 30-knot winds, snow showers and poor visibility.

Speaking before the rescue attempt was abandoned, Aurora Australis captain Murray Doyle said ramming the ice around the trapped ship was his "first option".

The Aurora Australis had moved back into open water but may make further rescue attempts once weather conditions improve.

A Chinese vessel, The Snow Dragon, is also in the area after it failed to reach the ice-locked ship during a rescue bid last week.

The scientific team on board the MV Akademik Shokalskiy research ship had been recreating Australian explorer Douglas Mawson's century-old voyage to Antarctica.

It left New Zealand on November 28.

Before the Australian rescue mission was called off, ship passenger Terry Gostlow said passengers were in good spirits.

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Ferry Fire: Man Arrested Over Suspected Arson

A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire alert on a North Sea ferry sparked an emergency evacuation.

Northumbria Police said they had also arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of affray.

Four crew members and two passengers had to be winched off the ferry, which was heading to Amsterdam, after they inhaled smoke when the fire broke out 30 miles off the Humberside coast.

The six people were taken to Scarborough Hospital by RAF helicopter but are not thought to be in a serious condition.

The ferry looped back when it was 30 miles off Flamborough Head

A further 15 passengers and eight crew members were treated by doctors for smoke-related injuries on board the ferry.

The fire broke out in a cabin on the DFDS King Seaways ferry at around 10.45pm on Saturday night but was extinguished "within 15 minutes", according to the company.

RAF helicopters from Leconfield near Hull, and Boulmer, Northumberland were scrambled to the vessel along with two RNLI lifeboats from Bridlington and Filey.

Passengers were reunited with friends and family at Newcastle Ferry Port

The 30,000-tonne ship returned to Newcastle Ferry Port, in North Shields, at around 4am and passengers were kept on board until 9am while police investigated.

Police said earlier that a passenger had been detained by the ship's staff following the incident.

Olivia Elliott, who was in a nightclub on the ferry when the alarm went off, told Sky News she "panicked" not knowing how serious the situation was.

"(It was) scary out there in the middle of the ocean. You've never been in that situation before - you don't know what to do."

This photo of the RAF helicopter was taken by a passenger

She added: "The captain came on the tannoy and said we needed to evacuate to the outer deck because there had been a fire.

"We were outside for about 40 minutes before we were allowed to go back in."

Despite the emergency, she said most people remained calm.

Another passenger, Steven Basford, said: "They sounded the fire alarms, high-pitched alarms, and then made an announcement we would have to evacuate to an outside deck.

"Then, when we started to evacuate to go further up the boat, you could see smoke in the corridors and in the common area and it hit home more then."

Passengers were kept on board until 9am on Sunday while police investigated

Lynn Smith-Davis told Sky News the ship's crew had handled the emergency well but that some passengers had started fighting.

She said: "There was no panic where we were, but then later on when we were inside sitting in the bar and cafe area some people started fighting - fights broke out, which really didn't help the situation."

Were you on board the King Seaways ferry? Email your pictures and video to news@sky.com, text 84501 (costs 25p, network charges vary), or tweet @SkyNews

DFDS Seaways said 946 passengers and 127 crew members were on board the ferry and added that "psychological assistance" would be provided to anyone who needs it.

Police arrived at the Newcastle Ferry Port in the early hours

Spokesman Gert Jakobsen said the company would help people find alternative crossings to Amsterdam.

He added: "The cabin that was burnt is very damaged and there has been some smoke damage to surrounding cabins but the ship's function has not been affected in any way and is safe to travel."

According to the DFDS Seaways website, the 26-year-old vessel has room for over 1,500 passengers and 600 cars and was renovated in 2006.

It offers entertainment including restaurants, bars, a nightclub and a casino.

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Building With Hole Is For 'Flashy Rich People'

Popularly known as the "the flashy rich people's circle", an upright circular building with a 47-metre-wide hole in the middle is proving controversial.

The yellow structure, in the shape of giant Polo mint, has recently been completed and has been praised and criticised alike in China.

One local resident called it "unique" but some people on the internet said it was a crass symbol of wealth and nicknamed it "Tuhao Circle" or "Copper Coin Building".

The 33-storey-high Guangzhou Circle Building is designed to resemble an ancient Chinese jade disc.

It is becoming a landmark of Guangzhou city, despite being in the middle of a suburb 40 minutes away from the central business district.

Architect Joseph di Pasquale drew inspiration from seeing a jade disc at a museum in Guangzhou.

The structure has been criticised by some

He said the hole in the building was key to the structure because the empty centre would evoke an emotional response from its viewers.

It also forms a figure-eight with its reflection on the Pearl River, suggesting the Chinese lucky number eight.

"I think he (the architect) is very brave. He made something that other people did not have the courage to make. It's a circular building, which is really unique in Guangzhou," said architecture student, Ash Sze.

One unidentified student said: "It's quite unusual. I'm quite intrigued to see a building with a circular hole in the middle. Personally, I think it's for the flashy rich people."

The building will house China's largest plastics trading floor, the Guangdong Plastics Exchange, where 300bn yuan (£30bn) worth of plastic raw materials and goods are traded annually.

Encased in 8,920 copper plates and built at a cost of around 70m yuan (£7m), the building on an island in Yangzhong county in the province of Jiangsu, hovers 15 storeys above ground.

It is not the first controversial building in China.

Earlier this year, a viewing tower built in the shape of a giant puffer fish caused a storm of protest on Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter.

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Michael Schumacher Hurt In Skiing Accident

Former motor racing world champion Michael Schumacher has suffered head injuries in a skiing accident.

It happened while the 44-year-old was skiing in the French resort of Meribel in the popular Three Valleys area.

It is understood he was wearing a helmet when he hit his head on a rock in an off-piste area and that he did not lose consciousness.

He was airlifted off the mountain and is now at a hospital in Grenoble.

Schumacher was being treated at a hospital in Grenoble

The duty manager at the hospital told Sky News that Schumacher had been admitted and is undergoing a scan.

He said he had no further information and that ''his injuries are being examined at the moment''.

Olivier Desaulty, sales director at Meribel ski resort, told Sky that rescuers quickly reached Schumacher.

"Around 11am Michael Schumacher fell on the slopes," he said. "Well it was not really on the slopes – he was skiing a bit off piste.

The German F1 legend skiing in Italy in 2006

"(He was) close to a slope called Mauduit and he hurt his head.

"We are sure he had a helmet – we hope it will be okay. Some security patrol got to the spot immediately to check everything and we had to ask for a helicopter to take him to the hospital."

Meribel officials have also told French media that the Formula One legend was in shock but conscious, and added that police were looking into the incident.

His agent, Sabine Kehm, said: ''Michael fell on his head during a private ski trip in the French Alps.

"He was hospitalised and is receiving medical care. We ask for your understanding that we cannot give a running commentary on his state of health.

"He was wearing a helmet and was not alone.''

Schumacher owns a chalet in the resort and is a keen skier.

The German driver retired from Formula 1 for a second time in December 2012.

He made a disappointing return to the sport after making his comeback in 2010, managing only one podium finish during his three years with Mercedes.

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New Malden: Teen Found On Fire In Street Dies

A teenager has died after she was found on fire in the street in south-west London early on Sunday morning.

Emergency services were called at 1.10am to reports of a burning woman on the level crossing near a Tesco branch at West Barnes Lane in New Malden.

They managed to extinguish the fire but the woman, believed to be around 18 years old, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokeswoman for the London Fire Brigade said the woman had suffered burns on every part of her body.

Nearby Burlington Road and neighbouring streets were sealed off.

Officers believe they know the identity of the deceased and have informed next of kin. No formal identification has taken place.

Her death is being treated as unexplained pending an investigation by officers from Merton Borough and the London Fire Brigade.

Scotland Yard said it believed the fire started in a nearby house in Linkway.

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Tenerife: Two Britons Injured In Explosion

Two British people were among four injured after an explosion in a hotel pool bar on the island of Tenerife.

A woman suffered serious burns to her face and scalp in the blast in Adeje, on the south-west coast of the island, on Friday evening.

Her eight-year-old British daughter was also injured and treated for less severe neck burns.

Two other women - a Belgian national aged 38 and a 34-year-old Spaniard - suffered minor burns and were taken to hospital.

A staff member at the Bahia Principe Costa Adeje hotel confirmed to Sky News there was an explosion on Friday.

A spokesman said the British woman's husband and a second daughter had avoided injury, but were "obviously in shock".

He said: "This was an accident and we still are not sure what went wrong - we are awaiting the investigation of the judicial police.

"The explosion took place in a metal buffet container by the pool which uses a flammable gel to keep food warm.

"The swimming pool is now open again and the hotel is back to normal. We would like to wish those who were injured a speedy recovery."

Ross Browning, editor of Canarian Weekly, told Sky News: "It's awful what's happened and with so many people around, in many ways it's probably a miracle that only five people have been injured.

"The woman has been transferred to La Candelaria in the north of the island with what is being described locally as severe burns to the face, neck and scalp."

A statement from local government in Adeje said: "At 4.09pm on Friday emergency services were called to an explosion in a machine in a poolside bar at a hotel in the town of Adeje, with several people suffering from burn injuries.

"Emergency resources were immediately mobilised. Fire crews attended to inspect the zone, but their intervention was not necessary."

Initial reports had claimed a British man suffered minor abrasions in the blast, but this was denied by a hotel spokesman.

A Foreign Office (FCO) spokesperson said: "We are aware of an incident involving two British nationals and are providing consular assistance.

"We are currently checking, but based on what we know so far there was no British man injured in the explosion."

Adeje is a popular holiday resort, with nearby sandy beaches such as Playa de Las Americas and Los Cristianos well-known to British tourists.

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Good Samaritan Dog Guards Dead Pal In Web Hit

Pictures of a dog faithfully watching over his canine companion who had been killed by a car in China have become a hit on the internet.

The sandy-coloured 'Good Samaritan' pooch stayed by his friend's side, despite his pal's body lying in the middle of a busy road.

And he refused to move for a whole night as temperatures plummeted to low as -13C.

Some people who live and work nearby saw the pair and decided to put a stool next to the animals to alert drivers and avoid a second dog death after the first accident on December 22.

Passers-by took pictures and put them online, and the images have been re-posted many times.

One woman called Ma Hongyan said: "It is our stool. A kind-hearted woman put it next to the dogs to protect them from being hit again by another car."

Another onlooker in the city of Yinchuan, in the region of Ningxia Hui, said: "The drivers must be careful and not hit them.

"The dog has been here for his friend all night."

Eventually, the deceased white dog was picked up by a restaurant owner and taken to the side of the road.

But even then, the sandy dog refused to let go. Trotting with his tail held high, he stuck close to his pal.

The unnamed man buried the white dog under a tree in a local park.

The fate of the sandy Samaritan dog is not known.

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Weather: Compensation Boost After Power Cuts

Households hit by power cuts after the Christmas storms will get extra compensation, one of the country's biggest power distributors has said.

UK Power Networks - which owns electricity lines in London and the south east - said it would compensate those affected by long-term cuts "as a gesture of goodwill".

It promised that those without power for 48-60 hours over Christmas would get £75 back, instead of the industry standard £27.

Around 4,000 homes were still without power on Saturday morning, according to The Energy Networks Association (ENA).

Meanwhile, the misery continues for many. Some 130 flood warnings remain in place across the UK and weekend showers are likely to delay the clean-up at flood-hit homes.

Across England and Wales 85 flood alerts are in place in addition to another 24 urging residents to take "immediate action".

In Scotland, 18 flood warnings and 8 less serious flood alerts have been issued.

Weather forecasters say Saturday's showers will mainly affect western and southern England, Wales and parts of Scotland before a light storm moves in tomorrow.

David Cameron was confronted by angry flood victims in Yalding, Kent

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Efforts to deal with the chaos caused by the first storm on Monday were hampered by the arrival of a second storm on Boxing Day night.

Yesterday, power companies were condemned for failing to restore supplies to tens of thousands of UK homes - some of which had been without electricity since Christmas Eve.

Around 5,000 homes are also without power across the Republic of Ireland.

In the south east of England, Prime Minister David Cameron was confronted by an angry flood victim as he visited one of the villages seriously affected.

There continues to be disruption to rail services

The unnamed woman said her local council had done nothing to help those who live in Yalding, Kent, where homes had been inundated.

In a heated on-camera exchange with the PM, the woman said: "We still have no electric. We need electric.

"As I say the council, from Monday we have been trying to contact them, but they have all decided to go on their holidays. Nothing."

Mr Cameron appeared rattled as he tried to defuse the confrontation by promising to contact the council himself.

The network operator's promise to have everyone affected by the Christmas Eve storm back with power by the weekend did little to quell the anger of customers.

A tree rests on a power line in East Peckham, Maidstone, Kent

Stephanie Chapman, 54, from Yalding, said she wished she had been given more warning about the floods.

ENA spokesman Tony Glover apologised to those affected by the storms, but highlighted the difficulties technicians had been facing.

He said: "The problem was that not only did we have a storm followed by torrential rain, but huge amounts of flooding afterwards.

"That impacted on our ability to get to the affected areas, and to get materials that we need."

Robin Gisby, managing director of network operations at Network Rail, said this week "has been one of the most challenging periods we have faced in recent times".

Some train disruption remains - the line from London to Portsmouth via Haslemere is blocked by four landslips near Liphook.

The Environment Agency has issued 130 flood alerts

The track at Ockley between Horsham and Dorking is also closed following a serious landslip, with Southern Railway saying that it will not be a "quick repair".

Track improvement work also means there is still no direct route between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport, with replacement bus services operating along some of the route.

Conservative MP for Hastings and Rye, Amber Rudd, criticised Southeastern trains for failing to provide a replacement bus service for her constituents in the commuter belt towns.

While Southern Railway was offering workers the option of commuting to London via bus and using Twitter to post updates, Southeastern services, including their communications, had been "lamentable", she said.

"So Southern have really done very well," said Ms Rudd. "I think it's partly because they've got Gatwick Airport on their tail wanting a better service.

Many homes have been severely damaged by the floods

"But Southeastern has not been anywhere near as good, and I have received a lot of complaints about them. They have been just too complacent".

The RAC has reported a 20% increase in breakdowns across the country, rising to a 40% increase in the south and South East between Christmas Eve and yesterday.

Meanwhile, North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has warned people about going outside in the gales.

A spokeswoman said the service had taken half a dozen calls in Lancashire alone about people being blown over by the wind, though only minor injuries were reported.

NWAS said that, as a precaution, people should stay indoors, out of the windy weather.

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New York 'Superheroes' Fighting Street Crime

By Hannah Thomas-Peter, New York Correspondent

On New York's mean streets there is a secretive group of men and women fighting crime, poverty and generally lending a helping hand.

They are part of a loose coalition of people called The Real Life Superheroes.

In the day they do relatively normal jobs, but when the sun goes down the costumes come out and the missions begin.

Nobody knows exactly how many are involved, but Sky News met three of them.

Nicole Abramovici is The Prowler, a 'superhero' who specialises in helping animals and the homeless.

The Prowler helps people declutter during the daytime

She runs her own business as a professional organiser, hired by clients to de-clutter and streamline their lives.

It means there is a ready supply of items to donate to the needy, which she tries to do at least twice a month.

Dressed in her cat costume at Penn Station in midtown Manhattan, she explained to Sky News why she does it.

She said: "It was the way that I could interact directly with the recipients of the goods I wanted to give, and not be held up by any bureaucracy or agency, and if wearing a superhero costume was what it took to do it, I was happy to do it.

The Dark Guardian has filmed himself undertaking his superhero patrol

"It's kind of become exciting for me. It helps with approaching homeless people when you have something that makes you stand out.

"They don't think I'm coming up to arrest them, or pick on them, and obviously something fun is going on, so it's a little bright spot in their day.

"The Real Life Superheroes are amazing," she says. "We all do different things. Some of us do homeless outreach in the streets, some of us break up fights that we see outside bars.

"But everybody has a great big heart, everybody has their own style ... we welcome more superheroes. please join us!"

Chris Pollak works at the more dangerous end of the spectrum.

He is a martial arts instructor by day. By night, he is the Dark Guardian.

Often joined by other superheroes, he patrols high-crime areas to act as a deterrent.

Chris Pollak - aka The Dark Guardian - is a martial arts instructor

He said: "We've gotten in the middle of fights, we've been up against some pretty tough criminals.

"We haven't had to really hurt anybody or do anything like that, most of the time de-escalating the situation, talking it down, will work.

"A vigilante is someone who takes the law into their own hands.

"We follow the law - we're not out there hurting people, putting our hands on people ... if somebody's in real danger that's when we'll step in.

"We're working on the first superhero school," he adds.

"It's going to teach martial arts, self-defence, parkour, but more than that it's going to teach heroic ideas and values, and we're going to teach people how to make a difference in the community and how to help others."

Chaim Lazaros is otherwise known as Life, a superhero who tours New York's addiction centres and homeless shelters.

He said: "The idea of the superhero allows me to explain very simply to them that I'm doing this purely as an individual, that I'm answering to my own authority, and that I'm doing this out of my own volition.

The masked Life tours addiction centres and homeless shelters

"There's a lot of people and they are struggling and holding on by a thread, and then that thread snaps and suddenly they find themselves in free fall and they don't know where to turn.

"There are great organisations that do lots of good and I just try to plug the many holes."

And this group of people are not alone.

There are other superhero collectives at work in the city and some people who work solely as individuals, unaffiliated with any group.

The NYPD does not have an official position on this kind of activity but police sources have told Sky News that they do not believe it is a good idea.

They point out that crime in New York is actually at a record low.

They also say that people are free to act within the law but are concerned they may be putting themselves in harm's way.

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Footballer Needs Face Surgery After Attack

An amateur footballer's face will have to be rebuilt after he was knocked unconscious and beaten during a night out.

Richie Robins is understood to have been set upon by up to half a dozen men as he apparently stepped in to protect a woman.

The 21-year-old, who is first team goalkeeper for non-league Wivenhoe Town FC and a former Colchester United youth team player, was knocked out and fell to the ground at the start of the attack.

Essex Police said the beating continued while the student was lying on the floor unconscious.

Detective Constable Seff Manesh appealed for witnesses to the attack, which happened outside a Subway shop in Queen Street, Colchester, at 3.30am on December 21, to come forward.

He said: "This young man had been out with his friends after returning home from university for the Christmas holiday.

"We are aware of a disturbance involving a large number of young men and are examining CCTV to establish what happened and who was involved.

"This student has sustained some very nasty-looking injuries which will affect him for the foreseeable future.

"We're looking to speak with those bystanders who saw what happened and what started the melee."

A spokesman for Wivenhoe FC, who play in the Eastern Counties League Premier Division, said Mr Robins suffered "severe" injuries including fractures to his eye socket and cheek bones.

He added: "Naturally, everyone at Wivenhoe Town FC sends Richie their best wishes for a speedy recovery and hope that the people responsible for attacking him are quickly brought to justice."

Mo Osman, chairman and manager at Wivenhoe Town, told the Colchester Gazette Mr Robins had gone to the aid of a woman who was being harassed. He said he had not been drinking as he had a match the next day.

After the incident, Mr Robins was taken to Colchester General Hospital by paramedics and was due to see a specialist surgeon this week.

Essex Police said there were about six attackers who were described as black and in their late teens and early 20s.

Officers have arrested a 19-year-old man from Colchester in connection with the incident. He has been released on police bail.

Witnesses have been asked to contact detectives at Colchester police station on 101.

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Python Kills Security Guard At Bali Hotel

A security guard has been killed by a python outside a luxury hotel on the resort island of Bali.

Agung Bawa, assistant security manager at the Bali Hyatt hotel in the Sanur area of the Indonesian island said the man had spotted the snake crossing a road

The victim, 59-year-old Ambar Arianto Mulyo, succeeded in catching it and managed to grab hold of the snake's head and tail.

The snake struck near a luxury hotel in the Sanur area

But the python then wrapped itself around his neck, strangling him, before escaping into nearby bushes.

Friends who were with the man were too terrified to come to his aid, according to the head of the police criminal investigations unit Gusti Ngurah Yudistira.

He said: "The victim died on the spot as his neck was crushed and he could not breathe.

"We urge residents and tourists to stay on the alert."

The snake is still on the loose after a police search of the hotel and its grounds failed to track down the reptile.

Mr Mulyo was a security guard at a nearby restaurant. The Bali Hyatt hotel is currently closed for renovations until 2015.

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Antarctica: Icebreaker Nearing Trapped Ship

A ship which became trapped in ice while on a scientific mission to Antarctica is about to be reached by a rescue vessel, scientists hope.

Those on board the Academic Shokalskiy have spotted the Chinese icebreaker The Snow Dragon on the horizon.

Some 74 people are on the ship, being used by the Australian Antarctic Expedition to try to follow in the footsteps of explorer Douglas Mawson.

They have been stuck in the same spot since Christmas Eve and are hoping the Chinese vessel will be able to cut through the ice and allow them passage to open waters.

British Professor Chris Turney, who is leading the expedition, said the team had managed to achieve some important research before getting into difficulty.

A number of tourists are also on the ship, which left New Zealand in late November and is now in Antarctica's Commonwealth Bay.

Professor Turney said the ship got into difficulty after satellite data showed their route onward would be safe.

He told Sky News: "Unfortunately, although the satellite data showed the sea ice was open and the weather was quite good, conditions were changing when we got back to the ship.

The MV Academic Shokalskiy is trapped in Commonwealth Bay

"By the end of the day, the wind had picked up and the sea ice was moving around a lot and, in spite of the captain's best efforts, we realised we just couldn't get through.

"On Christmas Eve, he made the call, and issued the alert for help.

"At the moment, very excitingly, we've just seen the Chinese icebreaker Snow Dragon on the horizon.

"It's around nine nautical miles from the vessel. It's not quite here yet but at least we can see it, which is a huge improvement on our prospects."

Professor Turney said the scientists on board the Shokalskiy have been taking readings and measurements so they can be compared with those taken by Mawson and his team in 1913.

Although Mawson, who was knighted later for leading his expedition, never reached the South Pole, he carried out important research and explored previously unknown lands.

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Weather: Ireland And UK Battered By Storms

Thousands of homes could still be without power for the weekend as workers struggle to restore electricity while the country continues to be battered by storms.

As villages clean up after flooding caused by the storms ahead of Christmas Day, the Met Office has issued another slew of severe weather warnings.

The Bognor Regis rail route was closed after this landslip at Ockley

Hundreds of flights and train journeys have been cancelled and diverted and more than 20,000 homes are still without power.

Police are warning people to take "extreme caution" when driving in the ferocious conditions, which look set to calm over the next 24 hours but will return early next week.

Power companies have been condemned for failing to restore supplies quickly enough after the storms left 50,000 homes with no electricity on Christmas Day.

In the south east of England, Prime Minister David Cameron was confronted by an angry flood victim as he visited a village seriously affected by the latest storms.

The unnamed woman said her local council had done nothing to help villagers in Yalding, Kent, where homes had been severely damaged in the latest storms.

Resident Erica Olivares accused her local council of failing to help flood-affected homeowners.

She told Sky News: "We had no help, especially over Christmas Day. We were totally abandoned, no hot food, no hot drink, nothing, we were up to our waists in floodwater literally the whole of Christmas Day."

This landslip also blocked the line on the Brighton Main Line near Redhill

Mr Cameron said: "We need to learn the lessons, we are seeing these events take place more event.

"The Government is spending more on flood defences over the next four years than over the last four years.

"There's a lot of flood defences being built, something like 80,000 houses were protected this time but we've got to do more."

The Energy Networks Association (ENA) warned it could be some time until power is restored after winds of up to 109mph lashed Britain again overnight and flooding has significantly hampered repair work.

David Cameron is confronted by Erica Olivares

ENA spokesman Tony Glover said: "The problem was that not only did we have a storm followed by torrential rain, but huge amounts of flooding afterwards.

"That impacted on our ability to get to the affected areas, and to get materials that we need.

"It meant that we were not able to get cherry pickers to replace and repair damaged infrastructure. We simply cannot put a cherry picker in the middle of a lake.

"We know that it is very tough and that it has been horrendous for people – I am not going to downplay it - but we are doing our best and working around the clock to help everyone who has been affected."

Mr Glover said that 13,000 homes were still without power across the south of England and Wales.

A man removes items from his home after flooding in Tonbridge

Some 6,500 additional households remain without power in North Wales and 3,000 homes remain offline in Dumfriesshire, ScottishPower said.

More than 3,000 people in Kent, Surrey and Sussex are still without power since the Christmas Eve storm, according to UK Power Networks.

Meanwhile, about 5,000 customers in Northern Ireland were without electricity after severe gales with gusts of up to 75mph swept across southern and eastern counties overnight.

According to ESB Networks, in Ireland, some 35,000 homes and businesses are understood to be without power with engineers dealing with hundreds of individual faults.

A man paddles his canoe past a flooded property in Yalding

On the roads, the Highways Agency closed the Humber Bridge to high-sided vehicles due to the winds and a lorry was reported to have overturned near Immingham docks, north of Grimsby.

The worst of the winds hit Ireland, Wales, the North and western Scotland, while rain fell on already soaked ground in the South East bringing more flooding misery.

Southeastern trains said it would not be running any services until further notice, while Virgin, East Coast and Southern trains also warned of travel disruption.

A downed tree in Toys Hill, Kent

There are also no trains from Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport, and between London's Victoria station and Gatwick Airport.

Dublin Airport is not allowing aircraft to leave due to the high winds.

A tweet from the airport said: "No flight departures so far this morning due to gale force winds blowing across both runways."

And Gatwick Airport said it had "additional teams of engineers, electrical staff and volunteers at the airport to minimise the risk of disruption".

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Police and fire services across both the UK and Ireland have reported road closures because of uprooted trees.

Waves smash against a flood wall in County Donegal. Pic: Mitchell family

The Met Office recorded a gust of wind in Aberdaron, in West Wales, of 109mph early this morning. General wind speeds were expected to be between 60mph and 80mph.

The Environment Agency (EA) is warning of more "significant disruption" across southern England.

A spokesperson for the agency said overnight rainfall was less than expected, with around 10mm falling in the south east.

The spokesperson added: "The levels are still peaking for rivers with bigger catchment areas, such as the Stour through Canterbury and Ashford and the River Medway, which runs through Maidstone."

Around 1,200 properties have been flooded so far, according to the EA, with 42 flood warnings and 107 flood alerts in place.

The highest ever water levels were recorded downstream of the Leigh Barrier, a large storage reservoir which protects Tonbridge in Kent from flooding.

Met Eireann imposed red alert warnings in the south and eastern parts, with Wexford, Galway, Mayo, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Waterford experiencing the worst of the stormy weather.

AA Roadwatch described driving conditions on Ireland's country roads as "treacherous" - and advised motorists to drive with extreme care.

ESB Networks engineers attempt to repair downed power lines in Ireland

An elderly couple were treated in hospital after an electricity pole fell on top of their Mayobridge home during the overnight storms, causing a fire which caused widespread damage.

The pair were in their home with their son when the pole hit the roof of the property.

Two other pensioners were also treated after the accident caused smoke and water damage to their home.

Network Rail advises that routes need to be checked and tracks will need to be cleared of any fallen trees and any damage will need repaired before train services can start.

This home in Mayobridge, Northern Ireland, was gutted by fire

Robin Gisby, managing director of network operations at Network Rail, said: "Passengers have had a tough week of travelling and unfortunately that is likely to continue for at least another day.

"Thousands of railway workers have worked tirelessly over the holiday period to try and repair the significant damage caused by Monday's storm and will be called on again over the next 24 hours.

"As ever, safety comes first, as we ensure routes are safe for passenger services leading to a delayed start-up in some regions."

Sky News Weather Presenter Isobel Lang said: "If you're travelling today, there will be really squally, buffeting winds everywhere, trans-Pennine routes especially, it will be really bad today."

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