All Entries in the "National News" Category
Crime reporting will fall if police service privatised
Six in 10 people would be less likely to report a crime if they knew that a private company was in charge of their personal data, a survey reveals today. The poll, commissioned by Unite the union, says that some 61 per cent would be less likely to report a crime if they knew their personal information was being accessed by a third party.
Transport Police out in force as part of European wide crackdown on metal theft
Officers from British Transport Police have been out in force patrolling the regions railways, visiting scrap metal recyclers and delivering cable theft awareness leaflets to mark the latest European wide crackdown on metal theft on Monday, 14 May, and Tuesday, 15 May. Police targeted scrap metal recyclers across the region
Armed Forces to mount spectacular Diamond Jubilee Tribute to HM The Queen
Thousands of troops, six massed bands and the biggest tri-Service flypast in years form part of the celebrations for an Armed Forces Diamond Jubilee Parade and Muster in Windsor on 19 May, in honour of The Queen’s 60-year reign. This will be the first major national event of the Diamond Jubilee
Tanker driver strike averted following narrow ‘yes’ vote
A strike by tanker drivers has been averted today (Friday 11 May) with drivers voting narrowly to accept proposals tabled after eight days of talks at Acas. Members of Unite the union, working for seven major oil distribution firms, voted by 51 per cent overall on a turnout of 69 per cent to accept the proposals
Search continues for baby overboard ferry
Belfast Coastguard is continuing to coordinate a search for a missing child who is believed to have fallen from a ferry in bound to Belfast from Scotland.Last night the Coastguard received a call from a ferry reporting that two people were in the water in Belfast Lough. One person was recovered by the pilot boat at 6.25 pm
Protesting police to wear black caps
Up to 16,000 off-duty officers are to don black caps representing each officer expected to be lost under the Government’s budget cuts as they take to the streets. The officers, banned from striking under law, will march through central London in a protest against proposed changes to their pay and conditions.
PA: Woman and baby fall from Belfast ferry
Coastguards are searching for a baby in Belfast harbour. The child and a woman went into the water from a ferry this evening. The woman has been rescued. Lifeboats and helicopters are involved in the search operation. A spokesman for the Northern Ireland ambulance service said they treated the casualty.
Champion athlete Dai Greene heads new campaign to prevent rail trespass
Three people who trespassed on the railway on Merseyside last year were fatally injured, according to Network Rail. There were other fatalities in Carnforth, Codsall and Winson Green. To highlight the problems of trespass, the company has teamed up with British and World 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene
Police searching for missing 8-year-old Durham boy find body
Police searching for missing 8-year-old boy Ian Thomas Bell from the Willington area of County Durham have discovered the body of a young boy downstream from Page Bank Bridge. Ian’s family have been informed and arrangements are being made for formal identification to take place. The coroner has been informed and an inquest will be held in due course.
Wettest April in a century and still a hosepipe ban
This April is the wettest in the UK in records which date back to 1910, according to early Met Office figures to the 29th of the month. Further rain is to come overnight tonight as outbreaks of heavy and possibly thundery rain affect southern England and Wales, so final rainfall figures for the month will change.
River search update: Police name eight-year-old boy
POLICE have made known the identity of the missing boy who is believed to have fallen into a river in Willington, County Durham, last night. Ian Thomas Bell, aged 8, was playing with his friends in the area of the Brown Trout Pub which is in close proximity to the river Wear where it is thought he has fallen into the water.
Major search underway after 8-year-old boy falls into Durham river
A major search operation is under way after an eight-year-old boy fell into a river while playing with friends near Willington, in County Durham. Officers, firefighters and search and rescue teams are carrying out an “extensive” search of the River Wear near Willington.
Urgent police appeal following two murders in Middlesbrough & Whitby
Cleveland Police and North Yorkshire Police are urgently seeking the whereabouts of a man in connection with two murders in Middlesbrough and Whitby. An 81-year-old man, now named as Colin Dunford, was found dead at this home on Leven Street in Middlesbrough at 10.50pm on Monday 23rd April
Appeal to trace a missing Brendan Taaffe
The family of a missing Birkenhead man have re-issued an emotional appeal for his whereabouts on his 42nd birthday. Brendan Taaffe was last seen at his sister’s home in Larch Road, Birkenhead on January 25, 2010. Police and his family are becoming increasingly concerned about his whereabouts, in particular his mum Ina and his three children Louis, Beth and Ellie.
Madeleine McCann – The Last Hope?
The man leading the UK police hunt for Madeleine McCann has spoken for the first time about “solving it” and having the “best opportunity” yet to find the little girl who went missing from a Portuguese holiday apartment five years ago next week.
Clampdown on dangerous dogs
Dangerous dogs and the people who fail to control them face a new clampdown in order to protect the public, Defra Minister of State Jim Paice revealed today. Approximately 210,000 people a year are attacked by dogs in England alone, including 4,000 postal workers trying to deliver mail. There have been five fatal dog attacks in homes since 2007
Unite urges return to Acas as tanker drivers reject proposals
Tanker drivers employed by national fuel distribution companies have today (Wednesday 18 April) overwhelmingly rejected proposals tabled following six days of talks at Acas. Unite, the union, representing over 1,200 tanker strikers involved in the dispute, has said that it will now seek further talks with the employers
Get youngsters outside this summer
Summer holidays are the perfect opportunity to get kids exploring outside with help from the Woodland Trust. The Trust has developed a series of swatch books to help spot and identify different leaves, fungi, flowers and butterflies. Suitable for all ages, the easy-to-use guides are lightweight and small enough to slip into a pocket
Record your railway view & win £10k in Landscape Photographer of the Year competition
The search to find the best photography of the British landscape and that of the rail network is on. Entries are now open for the Take a view – Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards 2012. Photographers across Britain are being encouraged to showcase the best sights the country has to offer.
Hillsborough remembered
23 years ago today 96 Liverpool supporters died in the Hillsborough disaster. 15 April 1989 began with hope for both Liverpool and Nottingham Forest as they readied themselves for an FA Cup Semi-Final, but it would ultimately end in tragedy and a day that will never be forgotten.
Bill Mellor becomes vice chairman of NFU national livestock board
BSE threatened the future of Bill Mellor’s business back in 1996, so he completely changed his farming system and became an active member of the NFU. Sixteen years later, he proudly sits as the vice chairman of the NFU’s national livestock board with a two year mandate to help provide a profitable, confident livestock industry that can invest in the future and sell to the world.
Parish Councils power to pray reinstated in time for Easter
As Easter weekend approaches Parish Councils across England, including Bideford Town Council, have been handed a new power to continue to hold prayers as part of their formal business, Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles announced today.
Calling all beef producers & farm shops – Help for Heroes
Great British Beef Week is just around the corner and as part of the celebrations the organisers, Ladies in Beef, are calling on butchers and livestock auctioneers across the land to back Help for Heroes. If you have a farm shop, butcher’s business or use your local mart
Bank holiday bike rides made simple
Help is on hand for those looking to plan the perfect bike ride over the Easter break, Local Transport Minister Norman Baker announced today. Any cyclist, from enthusiasts planning a fun and healthy countryside ride over the long weekend to families looking for a safe, pretty route linking city parks can benefit
Thousand farms & rural businesses to benefit from grants
Around one thousand rural farms and businesses will soon turn business plans into reality as the first grants from the new £20 million Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme are approved by Defra, Farming Minister, Jim Paice announced today. Farmers, foresters and horticulturalists will receive grants of up to £25,000
Three new Rural & Farming Networks have hotline to government
Rural businesses in the North West and Southern England will now have a hotline direct to government as three new Rural and Farming Networks are announced by Environment Minister, Richard Benyon. Fourteen Rural and Farming Networks were set up at the start of the year to identify and feed back local issues and concerns straight to the heart of Government
Unite warns government’s political machismo could scupper oil talks
Unite the union today (Saturday) warned that government efforts to politically charge the tanker drivers dispute could scupper the prospect of peace. With talks set to begin at Acas this week, the union is demanding that the government distances itself from reports that Conservative MPs have been instructed to advise constituency
Heating oil theft at an all-time high, double last years levels
The oil-club.co.uk, set up for people who rely on domestic oil to heat their homes and businesses, explains why oil users should be extra vigilant about the hundreds of pounds of oil sitting in their oil tanks. With oil theft at an all-time high, many users do not realise there has been a theft until the radiators go off.
First ‘legal high’ to be banned under new powers
A new temporary control power will be used for the first time to ban so-called legal high ‘mexxy’, the Home Office announced today. Crime minister Lord Henley will introduce the first Temporary Class Drug Order (TCDO) on methoxetamine (also known as mexxy and MXE) after a recommendation from independent drugs experts
Taxi drivers eligible for enhanced criminal record checks
From today, all taxi licensing authorities can request enhanced criminal record checks before issuing licences to taxi and private hire vehicle drivers. This means licensing authorities can find out if someone is barred by the Independent Safeguarding Authority from working with children or vulnerable people before issuing a licence.
National Historic Ships UK: calling photographers of all ages
After a successful second year for the photo competition, National Historic Ships UK has decided to run it again in 2012 in partnership with Classic Boat magazine. We received over 350 entries in 2010 and almost equalled that number in 2011, thanks to support from the sponsors with even more great prizes to be won.
Missing person appeal from Police Service Northern Ireland
The PSNI and family of missing man Padraig Campbell are appealing for information to help them locate Padraig. Thirty seven year old Padraig has been missing for more than a week now and was last seen in the Culloville area of Crossmaglen on Sunday, March 18.
Coastguard warn beachgoers after man buried in sand
All of the teams worked to dig around the man, stabilise him and put him on oxygen. The fire service then called in their urban search and rescue team who shored up the hole so that the man could finally be recovered. Visitors to the beach need to bear in mind that sand is extremely unstable. And sand dunes of course, by their nature are constantly shifting
Aberdeen Coastguard coordinate evacuation from two gas rigs in North Sea
An evacuation of non essential personnel is currently taking place 240km off Aberdeen on the Elgin and Rowan Viking platforms. The evacuation in the central Graben area is due to a well control problem occurring on the wellhead platform at the Elgin field, resulting in a gas release at 12:15pm. Aberdeen Coastguard is coordinating the orderly evacuation
Bluebells on their way – and earlier than last year
The Woodland Trust is calling for the public to find their nearest wood and record the first appearance of native bluebells, as it tracks the arrival of the flowers across the country this spring. The conservation charity is assessing whether the mild winter and short, sharp cold spell in early February is affecting flowering dates
