Boston Bombing: Suspect Pictured Near Victims

A photograph of one of the Boston bombing suspects has emerged showing him standing close to a family devastated by the blast.

Dzhokhar A Tsarnaev, 19, who is still at large, is believed to be the man in the photograph.

Images of the two suspects were released by the FBI

Standing close to him are the Richard family; eight-year-old Martin Richard was killed in the blast, his mother suffered brain injuries, and his sister lost a leg.

The other suspect, believed to be his brother, is named Tamerlan.

The FBI released this photograph of Dzhokhar

It has been reported that they are from Chechnya or Dagestan and have lived in the US for at least one year.

The father of the suspects, speaking from the Dagestan capital of Makhachkala, called Dzhokhar "a true angel".

A photo of the second suspect was released by police in Boston

He added: "He is a second-year medical student in the U.S. He is such an intelligent boy. We expected him to come on holidays here."

Sky's Moscow correspondent Katie Stallard said the Dagestan region is associated with insurgents.

An image showing one suspect leaving the scene (David Green/LetsRun.com)

"On (a social networking page) he describes himself as having studied in Makhachkala, that's the capital of Dagestan, and that's very much at the heart of the regional insurgency at the moment.

"It used to be that it was Chechnya that was the heart of this insurgency, but a crackdown has forced much of that insurgency into neighbouring regions."

A major manhunt is under way for the remaining suspect

Earlier, the FBI and Boston police released new pictures of the two suspects, who investigators had described as "armed and dangerous".

The images released on Friday morning show one suspect wearing dark clothes, a dark cap and sunglasses.

He is understood to have been shot dead.

The second suspect is seen wearing a white baseball cap, which is reversed allowing a clearer view of his face.

Police say he is armed and should not be approached by the public.

CCTV footage was released of the pair on Thursday, in which they are seen carrying bulky backpacks as they walk the route of Monday's race in the heart of the city.

The men were filmed heading in the direction of the finishing line, moments before both bombs went off seconds apart.

Three people were killed and more than 180 others injured in the explosions.

Earlier at a moving inter-faith memorial service, Barack Obama joined 1,700 people at Boston's Holy Cross Cathedral to honour the victims - the youngest of whom was eight-year-old Martin Richard, from Boston.

The president promised the killers would be brought to justice, saying: "We will find you.

"We will hold you accountable. But more than that, our fidelity to our way of life - to our free and open society - will only grow stronger."

The bombs were crudely made with explosives, nails and ball bearings packed into pressure cookers, investigators close to the case have said.

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Boston Marathon Bombing: Town In Lockdown

Residents of Watertown have been told to stay in their homes as one of the Boston marathon suspects remains on the loose.

Dzhokhar A Tsarnaev, 19 - described as "armed and dangerous" - is on the run and being hunted by police. His brother Tamerlan has been killed.

All traffic in and out of the town, which is part of Greater Boston, has been halted.

Meanwhile, the public transport network across the entire city has been suspended, and those waiting at bus and train stations have been told to return home.

The shooting drew a massive police response

Businesses in many parts of Watertown are closed until further notice, and employees should stay at home, police say.

Officers said that people should not open their door to anyone who they do not know, unless it is a police officer.

Massachusetts undersecretary Kurt Schwarz said those in Watertown and surrounding suburbs should stay in their homes until further notice.

"We are asking you to stay indoors, to stay in your homes, for the time being," he said.

Announcing the temporary suspension of public transport, he added: "People who are at subway stations or bus stops, we are asking them to go home."

Sky's foreign editor Tim Marshall said that by keeping the streets relatively empty, it would be easier to spot the suspect if he fled.

He also said that police may fear that large crowds would be at risk of being attacked with an improvised explosive device (IED) by the suspect.

"On his way out, to escape or go out in a blaze of bloody glory, it's possible the police think their suspect would have tried to carry out another multiple-casualty attack."

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Boston Bomb Victim 'Helped Identify Suspect'

One of the most seriously injured victims of the Boston Marathon bombings reportedly helped investigators to identify one of their two suspects.

Chris Bauman told Bloomberg News that his brother, Jeff, had woken up in intensive care and given a description of the man.

"He woke up under so much drugs, asked for a paper and pen and wrote: 'Bag, saw the guy, looked right at me,'" he said.

The 27-year-old victim told FBI agents that a man wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses and a black jacket over a hooded sweatshirt looked at him and then dropped a bag at his feet.

"I've had many times alone with him, and yes, he told me every single detail," Chris Bauman told Bloomberg.

Jeff Bauman picture tweeted by football star Julian Edelman

He added that the description helped investigators narrow down their manhunt as they searched through hours of video images from Monday's marathon bombing.

Without his help, that search could have taken weeks, the brother said.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation was not able to verify the details of the account directly.

However, on Thursday agents released images of two suspects. The first matched the description the injured man provided.

Photographs and TV images of an ashen-faced Jeff Bauman, who lost both of his legs at the knee in the bombings, have been seen across the world.

Images of the two bombing suspects released by the FBI

His family learned of his horrific injuries the same way, according to his brother. Their sister saw it first.

"She called my mom, freaking out," he said.

Relatives and friends have set up a Facebook page to support Mr Bauman.

His best friend posted: "Baumans doing awesome, another successful surgery and he's talking, making jokes and in very good spirits."

He was visited in hospital by actor Bradley Cooper and New England Patriots star Julian Edelman, who later tweeted a picture of the young man giving a thumbs-up to the camera.

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Boston Marathon Bombings 'Terror' Suspect Hunt

Armed police are hunting one of two men thought to be behind the Boston Marathon bombings, after shooting dead his alleged accomplice.

Described as "armed and dangerous", 19-year-old Dzhokhar A Tsarnaev is being sought by hundreds of officers in Watertown, after escaping the shoot-out in which his 26-year-old brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed.

At least one gun shot was heard shortly before 4pm UK time in the town, which lies around nine miles from Boston city centre.

The suspect being hunted by police

The pair moved to the US a decade ago from a Russian region near Chechnya and had been living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as legal permanent residents.

Speaking to reporters, the suspects' uncle Ruslan Tsarni issued an appeal to Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, saying: "Turn yourself in, and ask forgiveness."

Mr Tsarni, who lives in Maryland, said he had not seen the pair for several years. He said the family was ashamed and that he loves and respects the US.

Sean Collier, the MIT police officer who was shot and killed

The younger brother is said to have posted links to Islamic websites and others  on a Russian-language social networking site, calling for Chechen independence .

All public transport remains suspended in Boston - and all streets and businesses in Watertown locked down - while a major house-to-house manhunt continues for the suspect who escaped.

The shoot-out in the residential suburb of Watertown between both suspects and dozens of armed officers came after Sean Collier, a 26-year-old campus policeman, was shot dead in his vehicle at the nearby Massachusetts Institute Of Technology.

The suspect at the marathon among the bombing victims (Pic: Kevin O'Keefe)

The suspects are believed to have killed the MIT campus policeman before carjacking a black Mercedes SUV, taking its owner hostage and driving off towards Watertown with police in pursuit.

On their way, the hostage was dumped at a petrol station after around 30 minutes, before the shootout ensued in Watertown.

Boston Police commissioner Ed Davis said: "What we are looking for right now is a suspect consistent with the description of suspect number two - the white-capped individual who was involved in Monday's bombing of the Boston Marathon."

He was described as light-skinned with brown wavy hair and dressed in a grey hooded top.

Mr Davis said: "You have seen the picture. You all have it. That's the individual we are looking for at this moment.

The dead suspect, who ran at officers during the stand-off

"We believe this to be a terrorist. We believe this to be a man who came here to kill people."

"We believe these to be the same individuals who are responsible for the bombing on Monday at the Boston Marathon."

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said a "massive manhunt" was under way.

"This is a serious situation, we are taking it seriously and we are asking the public to take it seriously," he said.

A Swat team on a roof in Watertown (Pic: Samantha England)

Officials said the operation could take hours and asked the public to be patient.

The New York Times quoted Watertown resident Andrew Kitzenberg, who said he saw the pair, wearing backpacks, shooting at dozens of police officers from behind a black Mercedes SUV.

The 29-year-old said the officers and the men were 70 yards apart and engaged in "constant gunfire".

He said an explosive device was also thrown at the police and went off some 20 yards from where they were shooting.

Boston Police commissioner Ed Davis holding a press conference in Watertown

One suspect is said to have run at police and was shot at and apprehended. He later died in hospital despite attempts to resuscitate him.

According to NBC, police ran over the suspect because he was wearing an IED (improvised explosive device). However this has not been confirmed by police or other officials.

He arrived at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre with multiple injuries mainly around his torso including gunshot wounds, burns consistent with a blast and pieces of shrapnel all over his body.

Watertown Residents heard the gun battle and an explosion

The other, who is said to be badly injured, managed to get away from the stand-off - in which a police officer was also shot and is undergoing surgery at a Boston hospital.

Some 12 victims from the Boston Marathon blasts remain at the same hospital, one in a critical condition. Around 24 others who suffered injuries have been discharged.

Police officers arriving at the scene in the neighbourhood

A spokesman said though the hospital was open as normal, it was restricting access to "ensure the safety of patients, families and visitors", and urged people to show patience when arriving at the site.

One medic, who lives in Watertown, heard the shoot-out from his home and alerted emergency services before rushing to the hospital where he tried to revive the suspect.

Hundreds of thousands of residents across Boston and Watertown have been told to stay indoors and remain vigilant until further notice while police conduct house-to-house searches.

Several homes in Watertown suffered extensive damage from the bomb blast and were caught in the crossfire in the shoot-out.

Bullet holes through the wall and chair of one home caught in the crossfire

Police have sealed off the area and are conducting door-to-door searches and enquiries.

Sky's US correspondent Dominic Waghorn in Watertown, said: "It has been a terrifying night for the people of Watertown, and it remains so until this man is found."

Meanwhile, police converged on what is believed to be the suspects' apartment in Cambridge and a woman was reportedly dragged from the block of flats and handcuffed before she was led away.

The developments come just days after two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston marathon, killing three people and injuring more than 180 others.

The FBI had earlier released pictures and video of two suspects in the deadly Boston marathon bombings.

The shootout took place in the Watertown neighbourhood near Boston

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Texas Explosion: Looters Target Town Of West

Between five and 15 people are believed to have been killed after an explosion ripped through a fertiliser plant in Texas.

More than half of the town of West, near Waco, has been evacuated and people are still being pulled from damaged buildings following the blast.

It comes as looters began targeting parts of the town, and police warned those with no need to be in the area to stay away.

A victim from the West fertilizer plant explosion is wheeled into hospital

"There has been a small amount of looting to my understanding," said Sergeant William Swanton, from Waco Police Department.

"I can't tell you the number of looters, or whether they've been caught … but this is a significant concern to us."

The force of the explosion had a 2.1 magnitude, according to the US Geological Survey, equivalent to a minor earthquake.

An elderly woman is taken into a hospital in Waco, Texas

Paul Earle from the organisation told Sky News the blast would have felt much bigger than 2.1 because the explosion was on the surface unlike an earthquake which happens underground.

And a lot of energy would have been released/lost into the air.

The blast was so powerful that a nearby block of flats was destroyed and 130 residents of a local nursing home were injured.

US Geological Survey graphic shows blast ground waves (L) and sound waves

Firefighters were tackling a blaze at the plant when the explosion happened in West, which has a population of about 2,800 people. A small group of firefighters are among those missing.

Sergeant Swanton said there were scenes of "extreme devastation".

Hundreds of people were injured by the explosion

"We're going house to house, business to business, and we're seeing quite a bit of devastation in the area of the plant.

"They're still pulling victims out, still bringing victims to triage. There may be firefighters that are unaccounted for and potentially a law enforcement officer as well."

He added that locals "are going to be in a state of recovery for a very long time".

Firefighters check a destroyed apartment complex near the plant

He also said that a helicopter which was helping with the rescue operation was damaged.

The blast damaged as many as 75 homes, as well as a local school.

A number of people are also suffering from "respiratory distress due to chemical inhalation".

The explosion at the West Fertiliser Company happened shortly before 8pm local time on Wednesday and could be heard as far away as 45 miles.

A man filmed the initial fire, and captured the moment of the explosion on camera.

Smoke rises as water is sprayed on the remains of the plant

His child is heard shouting: "Dad, I can't hear, let's get out of here. I can't hear anything." The dad says simply: "Oh my god."

Waco Assistant Fire Chief Don Yeager said it was an anhydrous (without water) ammonia explosion.

Anhydrous ammonia is a nitrogen-hydrogen gas widely used as a fertiliser, but it is also a key component of many explosive devices.

This image shows the initial blast Pic: KWTX-TV

West's mayor Tommy Muska, who is part of the team of local volunteer firefighters, said a number of his colleagues are unaccounted for.

He told CNN: "It's like a nuclear bomb went off."

In a statement, President Barack Obama offered the prayers of the nation to the people of West.

"A tight-knit community has been shaken, and good, hard-working people have lost their lives," he said.

And Texas Governor Rick Perry said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of West, and the first responders on the scene."

The injured are treated at a nearby sports field

Debby Marak told The Associated Press she noticed a lot of smoke coming from the area across town near the plant, which is near a nursing home.

She said she drove over to see what was happening, and when she got out of her car two boys ran towards her screaming that officials told them to leave because the plant was going to explode.

Moments later the blast happened.

"It was like being in a tornado," the 58-year-old said. "Stuff was flying everywhere. It blew out my windshield. It was like the whole earth shook."

A photo from Twitter user @TitansHomer shows a destroyed apartment complex

Police officers have reportedly been transporting the injured to local hospitals in their patrol cars.

As many as a dozen helicopters have been sent to the West High School stadium where ambulances are waiting to transport victims to hospitals.

Glenn Robinson, chief executive of Hillcrest Baptist Medical Centre, in Waco, told CNN his hospital had received 66 injured people for treatment, including 38 who were seriously hurt.

He said the injuries included blast injuries, orthopedic injuries, large wounds and a lot of lacerations and cuts.

American Red Cross crews from across Texas are being sent to the site.

The number of people arriving in the town offering assistance has become a logistical problem in itself, emergency workers say.

They are also anticipating further disruption later, with heavy thunderstorms and potential tornadoes forecast in the area.

The explosion comes on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Waco siege - a deadly confrontation between federal authorities and heavily armed locals.

The Dallas Morning News said that the fertiliser company previously reported to the US Environmental Protection Agency and local public safety officials that there was no risk of fire or explosion at the plant.

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Bomb Plot: Four Jailed For Planning TA Attack

Four men have been sentenced for their part in a plot to detonate a bomb at a Territorial Army (TA) base.

Zahid Iqbal, 31, and Mohammed Sharfaraz Ahmed, 25, who wanted to guide a bomb mounted onto a remote-controlled toy car into the base, have been sentenced to life in prison. 

Security services heard the pair discussing the plot on the telephone between January, 2011 and April, 2012. 

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Wilkie QC said the pair posed "a significant risk of serious harm to the public".

He imposed a custodial sentence of least 11 years and three months, with a five-year extension period subject to licence.

Umar Arshad, 24, and Syed Farhan Hussain, 22, were jailed for six years and nine months and five years and three months respectively for their roles in preparing a terrorist attack.

Security services had heard the four men discussing methods, materials and targets for a terrorist attack, the court heard.

Iqbal and Ahmed talked about making an improvised explosive device (IED) based on instructions in online al Qaeda manual "How to make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom - by the al Qaeda chef", the court was told.

Covert recordings of the pair heard Iqbal suggesting attaching the bomb to a remote controlled toy car and sending it under the gap of an entrance gate at a TA centre in Luton.

Iqbal was recorded telling Ahmed: "I was looking and drove past like the TA centre, Marsh Road. At the bottom of their gate there's quite a big gap.

"If you had a little toy car, it drives underneath one of their vehicles or something."

The men were arrested following a series of raids at their homes in April last year after a joint operation by the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command and the British Security Service (BSS).

The court heard that Iqba  acted as a facilitator for people who wanted to travel for "extremist purposes" and had helped Ahmed travel to Pakistan in March, 2011 for military training.

Mr Wilkie said a further 13 counts relating to the possession of information contrary to the Terrorism Act 2000 should be left on the file.

Addressing Iqbal and Ahmed, Mr Wilkie said: "In each of their cases, their persistent commitment to terrorist activity, in a number of different ways, over a significant period of time and, in each case, their willingness to take practical steps to obtain terrorist training abroad, marks them as particularly dangerous."

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Sinkhole Swallows Up Three Cars In Chicago

A rainstorm pummelling the Chicago area has ripped open a sinkhole large enough to swallow three cars.

One driver was so badly injured he had to be taken to hospital.

Chicago Police Department spokesman Mike Sullivan said the gaping hole opened up in a street on the city's South Side, near Lake Michigan.

He said the injured man was driving when the road buckled and caved in.

He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, but his injuries are not life-threatening.

The owner of one of the two parked cars that fell in was about to leave for work and watched it slide into the pit.

Ola Oni told The Chicago Tribune: "It could have happened to me, I am lucky, I'm happy.

"Look at this, this neighbourhood is in danger."

Flooding has also forced authorities to close sections of several major roads around Chicago.

Schools have been closed for the day, and several hundred flights were scrapped at O'Hare International Airport.

Thursday's storm has dumped more than five inches of rain in some areas.

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Teenager Convicted Of Raping 11-Year-Old Girl

A teenager has been found guilty of raping an 11-year-old girl as she made her way home from school in a "vicious and horrific" attack.

Opemipo Jaji, 18, subjected his victim to a three-hour ordeal and threatened to stab her when she tried to escape.

He followed the youngster from a bus stop in November 2012 and first forced her into a housing estate before sexually assaulting her.

The court heard he stuffed a school tie and gloves into her mouth to stop her screaming.

The trainee chef later took the girl to Jubilee Park in Enfield, where he repeatedly raped her, at one point telling her he was close to killing her.

The girl was taken to Jubilee Park where she was repeatedly raped

During his trial at the Old Bailey, Jaji denied the offence, telling police he had seen the girl on the bus but nothing had happened.

He claimed he had visited the park later that evening on his own and sat on the grass, which was why he had her blood on his clothes.

"I am just not capable of doing something as despicable and heartless as this," he told the court.

The attack was described as "vicious and horrific" by the Crown Prosecution Service.

CCTV pictures showed Jaji boarding the bus before he raped his victim

Detective Chief Inspector Adam Lowe said: "Jaji posed a great danger to young girls and, despite the great weight of evidence against him, refused to accept his guilt and forced the victim to give evidence in court.

"This was a particularly brutal but unusual attack on an innocent 11-year-old schoolgirl who will, no doubt, continue to suffer the emotional scars of what happened to her for a very long time."

At the time of his arrest, Jaji had two previous convictions, one involving an attack on a 12-year-old and another for making an indecent picture of a child.

He will be sentenced in two weeks' time.

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Thatcher Funeral: Pockets Of Protests

There have been some protests - though smaller than expected - at the funeral of Baroness Thatcher.

Rows broke out between supporters of Lady Thatcher and demonstrators outside the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand.

A pensioner called Phil Williams, who was dressed in a suit and black tie, was holding a banner saying "Rest in Shame" and a "piece of s***", drawing loud cheers.

"Sorry, but it needs saying, they're burying an old woman," said the 58-year-old former power station worker from Shotton in Flintshire.

A protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice

He added: "No one's ever heard of Shotton apart from the fact that they lost 8,000 jobs when the steelworks closed in the early 80s.

"Look at what she did to the North, steelworks, mining, the poll tax. She trialled all these things in the North and made criminals out of a million people. I have no regard for the woman."

Protester Charmain Kenner, 58, had her back turned as Lady Thatcher's coffin went past Trafalgar Square in the hearse.

She said: "Thatcher's policies were all about individualistic materialism. She created a much greater divide between rich and poor, she ruined many communities and many industries.

Some demonstrators wore Lady Thatcher masks

"Basically, she ruined this country and, to add insult to injury, we're expected to pay for her funeral."

A protester who gave her name only as Helen stood outside St Paul's during the funeral service, wearing a mask of Lady Thatcher's face.

"It would be lovely if other pensioners could spend their last days in luxury at the Ritz," she said.

"I don't really care about Thatcher's death. She obviously didn't really care about the poor or elderly, or those with dementia when she was prime minister.

A protest referring to Lady Thatcher's famous phrase

"I think it's really scandalous that we've spent all this money and time on her funeral. It just adds insult to injury."

Sky's Mick McCarthy, in the former coal town of Goldthorpe in South Yorkshire, said: "There is a truly unique atmosphere. As much of the nation mourns, the mood among former miners and their families in many former coalfields is upbeat and celebratory.

"More than 1,000 people have turned up for what has been described as a death party - unlike any other event I can remember with babies wearing The Witch is Dead t-shirts and a parade lead by a mock hearse and coffin."

In Durham, dozens of ex-miners arrived at a club in Easington Colliery, with many of them saying they were there to celebrate Baroness Thatcher's death.

A quiet but clearly thought out statement of protest

Hundreds are expected to attend the event, which will also commemorate the end of mining in the town.

Dave Douglass, who worked at Doncaster coalfield for 35 years, said he was there to mourn her birth.

"She wanted to smash the union and sell off whatever was profitable," he said.

"I'm here to mourn her birth as she represents the system that we are all still suffering under.

Protesters in London during the funeral

"I'm also here to commemorate the loss of this pit and every pit in Great Britain.

"If people say it's in bad taste to do this, I would say it was in bad taste when miners were killed on the picket lines.

"I have been watching so much psychotic drivel on the news this morning talking about the names of each horse in the funeral. It's the kind of stage-managed stuff we see in North Korea."

In Liverpool, the city council made the decision not to show the funeral on the big screen in the town centre in Clayton Square.

A spokesman said: "We considered the potential issues and the decision was made not to screen the funeral."

Grimethorpe Colliery has not forgotten its anger

Lady Thatcher was seen as a particularly divisive politician by many on Merseyside due to her attack on the unions which affected thousands of dockers and her perceived lack of interest in the city's problems in the wake of the 1981 Toxteth riots.

At Cumnock in East Ayrshire, the Glenmuir Arms hosted a "funeral party".

Landlord Jim McMahon, a former miner, decked out his pub in Union Flag bunting for a celebration of Lady Thatcher's death in an area where the mining industry was decimated during the years of her reign.

Pub televisions were switched off as a protest against the money spent on the funeral.

Speakers, including former MSP Tommy Sheridan, gave their address from a stage above a pair of papier-mache legs protruding from a sealed box, alongside a witch's broom.

Pub-goers at the Glenmuir Arms in Cumnock celebrate with champagne

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Baroness Thatcher's Funeral At St Paul's

Baroness Thatcher has been given a ceremonial funeral at St Paul's Cathedral as Britain remembers a famous but divisive prime minister.

The Queen, her presence effectively raising it to a state event, joined dignitaries from around the world and all Lady Thatcher's successors.

It was the first time the monarch had attended the funeral service of a former prime minister since Sir Winston Churchill's state ceremony in 1965.

The UK's first and so far only female prime minister was given full military honours, her coffin brought to St Paul's on a gun carriage drawn by six black horses.

Lady Thatcher's family on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral

Security across the capital was tight but there appeared to be far smaller crowds than expected, with some areas where barriers were erected almost empty.

Scotland Yard said no arrests were made in London during the morning, although many onlookers were furious that taxpayers were paying most of the funeral bill.

Inside the famous church, more than 2,300 guests paid tribute, led by the former politician's children Mark and Carol and her two grandchildren Michael and Amanda.

Sitting a few rows behind them among today's parliamentarians was Chancellor George Osborne, who had tears running down his face.

An aerial view of St Paul's as the coffin arrived

Aides to the Cabinet minister declined to elaborate on his emotional response, saying it "speaks for itself".

More than 30 members of the Iron Lady's cabinets, including Lord Heseltine and Lord Howe who played a key role in her downfall, were at the service.

Alongside them were dignitaries from around 170 countries, including two heads of state and 11 serving prime ministers.

No-one from the White House was there, but former US vice-president Dick Cheney and ex-secretary of state Henry Kissinger attended in a private capacity.

More than 50 guests were associated with the Falklands, including one of the conflict's most well-known veterans Simon Weston.

Chancellor George Osborne shedding a tear during the service

Figures from the entertainment world included Sir Terry Wogan, Jeremy Clarkson, Katherine Jenkins, Joan Collins and Lord Lloyd-Webber.

The main service was conducted with more pomp and ceremony than any funeral seen in London since the death of the Queen Mother in 2002.

Lady Thatcher had planned it to the last detail and at her express wish, her granddaughter Amanda read the first lesson.

David Cameron read from the Gospel and the Bishop of London gave an address which deliberately steered clear of talking about her political legacy.

He said: "The storm of conflicting opinions centres on the Mrs Thatcher who became a symbolic figure - even an "ism".

"Today the remains of the real Margaret Hilda Thatcher are here at her funeral service. Lying here, she is one of us, subject to the common destiny of all human beings.

"There is an important place for debating policies and legacy; for assessing the impact of political decisions on the everyday lives of individuals and communities.

David Cameron doing a reading in front of the coffin

"Parliament held a frank debate last week - but here and today is neither the time nor the place."

Music by British composers was played at the beginning and end of the service, and the hymns reflected aspects of Lady Thatcher's life.

They included He Who Would Valiant Be, Love Divine All Loves Excelling to mark the influence of her Methodist upbringing and I Vow To Thee My Country because of her love for the nation.

At the end, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby gave the blessing before the coffin was removed by bearers from units linked to the Falklands War.

The Queen greeting Mark and Carol Thatcher outside the church

The waiting crowd gave three cheers as it emerged, after which the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh joined Lady Thatcher's family on the Cathedral steps.

The ceremony followed a sombre procession through central London, which was on lockdown with 4,000 police officers on duty in case of any unrest.

Many among those lining the streets appeared to be Thatcher supporters, although others booed or performed a silent protest as the coffin passed.

The honours had started at dawn with the lowering of flags over government buildings all around the country, where they will remain until dusk.

Big Ben then fell silent at 9.45am and did not chime again until 1pm, in a mark of respect from the institution that made Lady Thatcher's name.

Her coffin, which had rested in the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in Westminster overnight, was removed from Parliament at 10am.

The Blairs and the Camerons were in the congregation

People applauded as the hearse made its way up Whitehall past Downing Street - the politician's home for more than a decade.

A hand-written card from her two children placed in a single large white flower arrangement resting on the coffin read: "Beloved mother, always in our hearts".

Transferred to a gun carriage outside St Clement Danes Church, it was then escorted by hundreds of troops to St Paul's for the service.

The 1.5 ton carriage travelled at 70 steps per minute - its wheels changed from steel to rubber so that it ran more quietly along the road.

During the procession, a gun salute was fired at one-minute intervals from the Tower of London.

Among the three 105mm light guns operated by the Honourable Artillery Company were two used in the Falklands and last fired in anger at Goose Green and the final assault on Port Stanley.

(L-R) Lords Tebbit, Howe and Heseltine outside St Paul's

At St Paul's, the cortege was met by a guard of honour from the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards on the steps which were lined by members of all three services and 16 Chelsea pensioners.

As crowds packing the pavements applauded warmly, a single half-muffled bell tolled before the 55-minute service began.

After the ceremony, Lady Thatcher's family and guests went to a reception in the City of London ahead of a private cremation in Mortlake, south-west London. Her ashes will be interred at the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

Ahead of the service, David Cameron insisted that his predecessor had settled divisions by winning the big arguments - declaring: "In a way, we are all Thatcherites now."

He added: "She was the first woman prime minister, she served for longer in the job that anyone for 150 years, she achieved some extraordinary things in her life."

Outside St Paul's supporter John Loughrey, from Wandsworth, said: "She saved Britain. She gave my father the opportunity to buy his council house.

"We had all sorts of problems and Mrs Thatcher put it all back together again. We needed the Iron Lady."

The gun carriage entering Fleet Street

Margaret Kittle, 79, had travelled all the way from Canada to pay her respects and was in place on Tuesday to ensure a good view.

She said: "My family came to Churchill's and I wanted to come to Maggie's because they are the two greats of history. We will never see the likes of Mrs Thatcher again."

But student David Winslow, 22, was among the critics in the crowd.

"The message is that spending £10m on such a divisive figure in times of austerity, especially when austerity is being imposed on the poor, is wrong, especially when harm is being caused to the disabled and the NHS," he said.

There was also tension between supporters and protesters near the Royal Courts of Justice, where pensioner Phil Williams held a banner saying "Rest in Shame".

A 45-year-old protester called Helen, who was wearing a mask of Lady Thatcher's face, said: "I think it's really scandalous that we've spent all this money and time on her funeral. It just adds insult to injury.

"I think she ruined Britain's manufacturing industry, which is something the current Government are always harping on about.

"I think she started the culture of vilifying the poor and the disabled and I just think the current Government are following Thatcher's policies."

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said the cost of the funeral to the taxpayer would be "much, much less" than the £10m reported.

Protesters angry that taxpayers' paid for most of the funeral

Many mining towns ignored the funeral but in Goldthorpe, an effigy of the former prime minister in a noose was paraded and residents plan to burn a coffin later.

One home in the town displayed a huge sign saying: "The Lady's not for turning but tonight she'll be for burning."

Meanwhile in Glasgow, a rally was being held to remember the "industries and communities who suffered" during her premiership.

Prominent left-winger Tommy Sheridan, who helped lead the protests against the poll tax in Scotland, will speak at the event.

However, in Lady Thatcher's hometown of Grantham, dozens gathered to watch the funeral and to pay their respects.

Christine Taylor, 66, said: "I think people forget the way Britain was before she came to power. They forget the winter of discontent."

"I felt Mrs Thatcher was somebody who was going to stand up for people. I know she has been divisive but I think she was a great leader."

The hearse passing by the gates of Downing Street

In Belfast, Unionists marked the funeral in the traditional fashion by flying the Union Flag at half-mast on the City Hall despite recent tensions over a vote to reduce the number of days it is flown.

But Sky's Ireland correspondent David Blevins said Republicans were preparing for evening protests.

On Falls Road in west Belfast, they will honour 14 IRA hunger strikers who died when Lady Thatcher refused to grant them political prisoner status in 1981.

By mid-afternoon, a small group of Republicans - around 50-75 people - had already started protesting at Free Derry Corner in Londonderry.

Ken Clarke, who held a series of senior roles in Lady Thatcher's Cabinets, dismissed people celebrating her death as "adolescents making silly points".

Of the funeral service, he said: "Being as objective as I can be, she was the first woman prime minister. She was the longest-serving prime minister in modern times.

"And she changed the country on a scale which no other prime minister came near. She was a huge national personality so I think it was entirely suitable."

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Thatcher's Funeral: Osborne Moved To Tears

George Osborne was moved to tears during the funeral service for Baroness Thatcher despite hardly knowing the former prime minister.

The Chancellor, who is a huge admirer of the Iron Lady, could be seen crying as he sat with his wife Frances behind David and Samantha Cameron.

Aides to the Tory Cabinet minister declined to elaborate on his emotional response at the service which was attended by the Queen - saying it "speaks for itself".

Sitting behind David Cameron with tears in his eyes

Mr Osborne was only 19 when Lady Thatcher left power in 1990 and his formative political years were dominated by Tony Blair.

But in an article after the former Tory leader's death last week, he wrote of the "overpowering" effect of her historical significance on his generation of Conservatives.

"I remember bringing my young son to a tea in the House of Lords with Baroness Thatcher a few years ago and trying to explain to him as we walked along the corridor that he was about to meet a great figure from British history," he wrote in The Times.

"I said to him that just as he was now studying at school the lives of Elizabeth I, Oliver Cromwell and Winston Churchill, so schoolchildren for hundreds of years to come would study the life and times of a woman he was nervously about to have tea with. He told me that they already were studying her.

"Sometimes that sense of historical greatness risks being overpowering for the two generations of politicians who have come after her, including my own.

"Whatever we try to achieve and whatever parliamentary battles we fight, all seem to shrink in size alongside the struggles and triumphs of Margaret Thatcher."

Arriving for the funeral with wife Frances

Mr Osborne said he had watched "bemused" in his rooms at Magdalen College, Oxford, as Lady Thatcher was ejected from Downing Street.

He said he met her "a few times" following his election as MP for Tatton in 2001 but their only long one-to-one meeting was after he became shadow chancellor in 2005.

She left a "powerful impression", he recalled, despite already being unwell and "unengaged with contemporary issues".

Leaving the service, eyes dry once again

"She was flowing with advice to me: you can't spend what your country hasn't got; strong defence rests on a strong economy; in Parliament, if you're not on the attack you're in retreat. Wow!," he wrote.

"I saw for myself for the first and only time why she had been such a force of political nature throughout my whole life."

Mr Osborne described himself as one of "Thatcher's children", praising her optimism about the human spirit.

In a 2005 interview with The Independent, Mr Osborne pointed out that he was too young to remember many of Lady Thatcher's biggest battles.

"For much of my life, Tony Blair has been the dominating figure of British politics," he said.

"Because of my age, I don't look back on the Thatcher years or have memories of the winter of discontent. My adult lifetime has been about a Blair-dominated political environment."

Mr Osborne was also said to be pleased when the Daily Mail ran a Budget front page in March which merged his picture with Lady Thatcher's.

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