Virgin pilot 'just doing his job'

31 December 2014 Last updated at 02:54

A pilot praised for the way he landed a Virgin Atlantic jet at London's Gatwick Airport after discovering a problem with its landing gear has spoken about the incident for the first time.

David Williams said in a statement that he was just doing his job, but admitted the landing was "out of the ordinary".

He praised colleagues for their support, saying he was "proud" of them.

Virgin flight VS43 was carrying 447 passengers and 15 crew to Las Vegas on Monday when it was forced to return.

The Boeing 747 circled over southern England for several hours dumping fuel before making a bumpy but safe landing just before 16:00 GMT.

Virgin Atlantic said Mr Williams had been trying to stay out of the media since the incident.

The pilot said he was "keen to spend some private time with my family over the new year".

He added: "Clearly this was an out of the ordinary landing, but I was just doing my job and any one of our pilots would have taken the same actions.

"I'm really proud of my colleagues on the ground and in the air and the support they gave me during this event - everyone worked really hard in a difficult situation."

'Very smooth landing'

Sir Richard Branson was among those to praise Mr Williams and his colleagues.

The Virgin president tweeted: "Well done VirginAtlantic pilots & team for safe & skillful landing of VS43. Thoughts with passengers & crew, thanks for support & patience."

One passenger, Mike Kaufman, said: "This was one of the greatest emergency landings in history. It was very smooth."

He praised the pilots and the cabin crew, saying the landing had been "textbook".

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Watch the moment the aircraft landed safely

Trevor Stirling, who was travelling with his wife Catherine and four other friends, said: "Once it was over everyone burst into spontaneous applause. There was just palpable relief."

Nick Hughes, another passenger, said: "All credit due to the crew and the staff and of course the pilots because the landing was probably one of the softest landings I've ever had."

The passengers took to the skies again on Tuesday, landing safely at McCarran International Airport Las Vegas at 20:59 GMT.

Virgin Atlantic said about 95% of the passengers booked on the flight had decided to fly.

Route taken by Virgin flight VS43

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Poppy duo and acting stars honoured

31 December 2014 Last updated at 01:59

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Joan Collins: "Dame Joan, wow"

The creators of the World War One ceramic poppy display at the Tower of London have joined acting grandees Joan Collins and John Hurt on the New Year Honours list.

Ceramic artist Paul Cummins and theatre designer Tom Piper are both made MBEs in recognition of the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation which attracted five million visitors.

The acting profession is strongly represented on the list, with Collins and Kristin Scott Thomas becoming dames and Hurt knighted. There is an OBE for Emily Watson, as well as James Corden and Sheridan Smith, who appeared together in TV sitcom Gavin & Stacey.

A total of 1,164 people are honoured by the Queen on the New Year list, three-quarters of whom have been recognised for work in their communities. The awards are split equally between men and women. And a further 87 recipients are named on the Foreign Office list which recognises service overseas.

Dame Joan, who was made an OBE for her contribution to the arts in 1997, is recognised this time for services to charity. She said she was "thrilled and truly grateful". Dame Kristin, who is shortly to play the Queen on stage in The Audience, said she was "thrilled, astonished and worried that I might suddenly wake up".

Among the other new dames are fashion designer Mary Quant; broadcaster Esther Rantzen, founder of the Childline and Silver Line charities, and Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy.

Trevor Hicks and Margaret Aspinall, who campaigned for a quarter of a century for the families of the 96 football fans who died in the Hillsborough disaster, are made CBEs. A new inquest into the deaths is still going on.

Women's Rugby World Cup winners Sarah Hunter and Rochelle Clark are among the sports stars recognised with MBEs.

Athlete Steve Cram, a former 1500m world champion, becomes a CBE in recognition of his recent work as chair of the English Institute of Sport.

The same honour goes to novelist Ali Smith.

Meanwhile, an inquiry is to be carried out into the apparent leaking of a string of names from the list before they were officially announced. Sir Bob Kerslake, the outgoing head of the Civil Service, said he was "concerned", describing the situation as "highly regrettable".

Continue reading the main story

The poppy installation saw 888,246 ceramic flowers gradually fill the moat of the Tower of London, each one representing a British and Commonwealth military death in World War One. The Queen referred to the artwork in her Christmas message.

Mr Cummins said he felt "taken aback and extremely happy to receive this unexpected honour".

He said everyone who had worked on the project "should feel a part of this MBE, without them this installation wouldn't have been created".

Mr Piper added: "I am extremely proud of the part I have played in this unique collaboration. It has been a real privilege to co-create an artwork which has meant so much to so many people."

Dame Esther said: "I am thrilled that this honour recognises the contribution made by Childline and the Silver Line in transforming lives, and I am delighted that the talented teams at both charities have also been recognised for their inspirational work and devotion to the most vulnerable children and older people in our society."

Games success

Among the political honours, former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Paddy Ashdown is appointed a member of the elite Companions of Honour. Stirling MP Anne McGuire becomes a dame and Southend West MP David Amess is knighted. Baroness Ashton, the former EU foreign policy chief, has been made a member of the Order of St Michael and St George.

Dame Mary Peters, who won a gold medal in the women's pentathlon at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, also joins the Companion of Honour.

The honours for sport also acknowledge the work of ex-West Bromwich Albion footballer and racial equality campaigner Brendon Batson, who becomes an OBE.

Great Britain hockey captain Kathrin Richardson-Walsh, as well as Northern Ireland boxer Patrick Barnes and Scotland judo player Euan Burton, who both won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, all get MBEs.

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Dame Esther Rantzen: "I am used to very grand people being Dames and I can't really adjust"

The success of the Games itself is recognised, with a CBE for Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson and an OBE for Commonwealth Games Scotland chief executive Jon Doig.

Others from the world of entertainment on the list include comedian and author Meera Syal and Grammy-winning producer and one half of 1960s pop duo Peter and Gordon, Peter Asher. Both become CBEs.

Aldeburgh Music chief executive and former BBC Proms director Roger Wright, who receives a CBE, said he was "thrilled to be honoured for my work in the service of music".

Oscar-nominated screenwriter William Nicholson, whose work includes Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, Les Miserables and Gladiator, collects an OBE.

In the world of business, wind-up radio inventor Trevor Baylis is appointed CBE, as are entrepreneur James Caan, who appeared on TV show Dragons' Den, and Brent Hoberman who co-founded travel website lastminute.com with Martha Lane Fox in 1998. There is an OBE for Julie Deane, co-owner and founder of The Cambridge Satchel Company.

Youth channel

There is a knighthood for Dr Simon Campbell who played a key role in the development of Viagra while he was senior vice-president at pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer.

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Jamal Edwards, one of youngest people to be awarded an MBE

Jamal Edwards, who founded influential youth broadcasting channel SBTV, becomes an MBE. The 24-year-old entrepreneur from west London, who helped launch the career of Ed Sheeran among others, said: "I'm overwhelmed. My gran doesn't know yet. My mum and dad know but that's it."

Former Lord Mayor of London, Fiona Woolf is named a dame for services to the legal profession, diversity and the City of London. She stood down as the head of the inquiry into how public bodies dealt with historical child abuse allegations earlier this year.

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Trevor Hicks: "I'm a bloke who's done a job of work to the best of his ability"

Kate Lampard, who oversaw the NHS investigation into Jimmy Savile, and Britain's most senior female police officer, Cressida Dick, who is to leave the Metropolitan Police after 31 years, both become CBEs.

There are knighthoods for HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Tom Winsor and former Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Matt Baggott.

David Verey, chairman of the Art Fund, which provided funding for the the Verey Galley at Eton College, now opened to the public, is also knighted.

Two Network Rail executives are also on the list. Patrick Hallgate, a route managing director involved in the repair of the flood-hit line at Dawlish in Devon, becomes an MBE for services to the economy in the South West. David Ward, route managing director for the South East, is given an OBE, for services to the rail industry.

Marathon runner

In a rare occurrence, two members of the same family are recognised for separate activities on the same list.

Mairi O'Keefe receives an MBE for services to people with disabilities through her work as chief executive of Leuchie House in East Lothian.

Her mother Catriona MacKinnon receives a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the Gaelic language and culture.

Fauja Singh, who at 103 years old is widely recognised as the oldest marathon runner in the world, is also given a BEM.

Among the less heralded recipients, there is a BEM for Joanne Copsey, a town pastor in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, who co-ordinates a team of 50 volunteers working with the police to ensure people are safe on the streets at night.

Hazel Geach, who has given more than four decades of dedicated service to the Scouting movement in Romford, Essex, is made an MBE.

There is also an MBE for Gbolahan Bright, founder of Bright Futerz which provides counselling and mentoring to young people with behavioural problems.

The honours system

Commonly awarded ranks:

• Companion of honour - Limited to 65 people. Recipients wear the initials CH after their name
• Knight or Dame
• CBE - Commander of the Order of the British Empire
• OBE - Officer of the Order of the British Empire
• MBE - Member of the Order of the British Empire
• BEM - British Empire Medal

Guide to the honours

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Ebola screening tests under scrutiny

31 December 2014 Last updated at 09:10

Procedures for screening health workers returning to the UK after treating Ebola patients will be reviewed after an infected nurse flew from London to Glasgow despite raising concerns.

Pauline Cafferkey told officials at Heathrow she felt unwell but was allowed to continue her journey. She was diagnosed in hospital the next day.

Another passenger on her flight said screening had been "chaotic".

The chief medical officer said the case raised questions over precautions.

However, Dame Sally Davies said correct protocols had been followed.

"The risk of raised temperature when she came back appears to have been very low," she said.

"That's why we look at what we do all the time to see should we have been more precautionary, is it in the public's interest? Is it in the patient's interest?"

But she added: "I doubt it would have made much difference."

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Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies says Ms Cafferkey's temperature was "within the range for flying and that she was well"

Dame Sally said Ms Cafferkey had been in the early phase of the disease when she made the journey to the UK from Sierra Leone, via Casablanca, and her fellow passengers were at "very low risk" of being infected.

She told BBC Breakfast: "The public health risk is negligible - Ebola's very difficult to catch."

Ms Cafferkey was diagnosed on Monday after returning from Sierra Leone, where she had travelled as part of a 30-strong group of healthcare workers from Save the Children.

She was allowed to leave Heathrow after her temperature was taken seven times.

After an initial test, she told officials she believed a fever might be developing while she was waiting for a connecting flight to Glasgow.

Her temperature was taken a further six times over 30 minutes, but each test found her temperature to be normal.

She reported symptoms the following morning after arriving in Glasgow.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "Naturally, we will be reviewing what happened and the screening protocols, and if anything needs to be changed it will be."

Enhanced screening - which involves passengers having their temperature taken and completing a questionnaire about their health - was rolled out at some UK airports, including Heathrow, in October.

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Dr Martin Deahl: "The whole process was a bit chaotic"

Save the Children said they had "robust and strict protocols in place to protect our staff."

A statement added: "Save the Children also asks staff to be careful outside of the treatment centre, where exposure to risks can be less obvious."

The charity's humanitarian director Michael von Bertele told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's really important for us to try and understand whether it was a failure of training, of protection, of procedure, or indeed whether she contracted it in some incidental contact within the community.

"Because our workers don't just work inside the red zone, which is a very high-risk area, they do also have contact - although we are very, very careful in briefing people to avoid personal contact - outside of the treatment centre."

He also said that while protection is "of a very high standard", "nothing is risk-free" when it comes to dealing with Ebola.

But Dr Martin Deahl, a consultant psychiatrist who travelled back on the same flight as Ms Cafferkey, said there had been issues at Heathrow.

He said there were too few staff on duty and the rooms where returning volunteers were held were too small.

Ms Cafferkey is currently being cared for at the Royal Free Hospital, in Hampstead, north London.

She was said to be doing "as well as can be expected under the circumstances" by Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Ms Cafferkey had no detectable fever or symptoms. Anyone displaying symptoms at screening, either in Sierra Leone or in the UK, would not have been allowed to travel.

One third of the 132 other passengers on the flight from Casablanca to Heathrow had been contacted by Public Health England, while advice had been given to more than half the 72 passengers from Heathrow to Glasgow, officials said.

Another healthcare worker who was recently in West Africa and fell ill in the Scottish Highlands has tested negative for the disease.

A third patient from Cornwall, who had recently returned from an affected country, has also tested negative.

Ms Cafferkey could be offered plasma from patients who have survived the virus as part of her treatment.

Dame Sally confirmed that plasma had been donated by British nurse William Pooley, who recovered from Ebola in September after also being treated at the Royal Free Hospital.

Having fought off the infection, his blood should help others do the same.

Other available treatments include antiviral drugs, but there are no stocks left of ZMapp - the drug used to treat Mr Pooley.

Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, such as blood, vomit or faeces.

The virus has killed more than 7,800 people, mostly in West Africa, since it broke out a year ago.

The World Health Organization says the number of people infected by the disease in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea has now passed 20,000.

What are the symptoms?

The early symptoms are a sudden fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache and sore throat.

This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash and bleeding - both internal and external - which can be seen in the gums, eyes, nose and in the stools.

Patients tend to die from dehydration and multiple organ failure.

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US woman killed by two-year-old son

31 December 2014 Last updated at 01:48

A woman in the US state of Idaho has been killed after her two-year-old son accidentally shot her with a gun he found when reaching into her handbag.

The woman, named by the local sheriff's office as Veronica J Rutledge, 29, was shot in a Wal-Mart in Hayden, a town in Idaho's northern panhandle.

She had been shopping with several children at the time, a spokesman for the office said.

Officials said Ms Rutledge had had a concealed weapons permit.

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KXLY4 News reporter Melissa Luck explained what is believed to have happened

She and her children had been in the rear of the store near the electronics area when the shooting occurred, they said.

The Wal-Mart closed after the shooting and is not expected to reopen until Wednesday.

Witnesses and video surveillance from the store helped officials determine the shooting was accidental, said broadcaster KREM.

The victim came from Blackfoot, a town in the south of Idaho, the sheriff's office said in a statement on Facebook.

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Children 'groomed in every town'

31 December 2014 Last updated at 06:01 By Tom Bateman Reporter, BBC Radio 4's Today

Young people are currently being groomed in "every town" in Britain, according to a charity.

Parents Against Child Sexual Exploitation (Pace) says "thousands" of children are affected and police forces lack skills to deal with such abuse.

A report into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham found at least 1,400 children were abused over two decades.

The National Child Protection Working Group says police are dealing with an "unprecedented" number of abuse cases.

Child sexual exploitation can take place when a young person is manipulated by an adult into sex following a process of "grooming", involving being given gifts and being distanced from their parents.

Children may then be sexually assaulted by networks of adults over a number of years and can be shamed or intimidated out of reporting the crime.

Long lasting effects

Pace specialises in helping parents whose children have been sexually exploited.

Its director Fleur Strong told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "a significant number" of families were currently trying to cope with a child being sexually exploited.

She said: "I can show you families from Torquay to Exeter to Norfolk, there are families in Edinburgh, Belfast, all of them who will be suffering from this type of crime that lasts for many families for years and years.

Continue reading the main story

Fundamentally we have changed the way that we've dealt with victims"

End Quote Assistant Chief Constable Russ Foster West Yorkshire Police

"I would say that without doubt there are thousands of families being affected today. This type of child abuse is in every town."

In September, West Yorkshire Police began a fresh investigation into the case of a girl who was groomed from the age of 13 and was trafficked to towns in the region.

Her mother, who for legal reasons can only be identified as "Sarah", said the process began in 2007 and her "world fell apart" because of her daughter's ordeal.

"We used to beg her not to go out, because she was begging and pleading and then actually took a knife to herself and said she would harm herself if she couldn't get out of the house," Sarah explained.

"These men had such a hold over her, that was it, they had her."

Police reaction

Sarah said she repeatedly called the police but no proper action was taken and on occasions her daughter and the family were themselves "blamed".

"Some officers would say [to her daughter]: 'What do you keep going back for, you must like what you are doing.'

"I was absolutely appalled, absolutely disgusted."

Sarah's daughter fell pregnant to one of the perpetrators. None of the men who groomed her has so far been caught.

Sarah now says she has "drawn a line" under the previous response from the police and is now satisfied her daughter's case is being fully investigated.

West Yorkshire Police admitted it had been "slow" in the past to recognise the signs of child sexual exploitation, but said that was now one of the highest priorities for the force.

It is currently investigating 84 cases of alleged grooming of children.

Assistant Chief Constable Russ Foster said: "Fundamentally we have changed the way that we've dealt with victims.

"Survivors will be listened to, they will be taken seriously and we will support them and ensure that we maximise every opportunity to bring these perpetrators to justice."

Better training

After the scale of exploitation in Rotherham was revealed, the UK's senior police officers are now more aware of the challenges involved in investigating grooming, according to Pace.

But the charity says that front-line officers still need better training to understand how to recognise the signs of child sexual exploitation.

The organisation also criticised the legal cut-off age for Child Abduction Warning Notices, which can be used by parents in England and Wales to try to prevent a named adult having contact with their child.

Once a child living at home turns 16, the warning notices no longer have effect.

Pace highlighted the case of a 16-year-old girl in Exeter, who was allegedly groomed by men who gave her so-called legal highs.

The charity says the girl's mother "is having a very difficult time" as a Child Abduction Warning Notice can no longer be used.

Detective Superintendent Paul Sanford, spokesman for the National Child Protection Working Group, said the number of abuse cases being investigated was stretching police resources.

He added that this "presents a real challenge to the police service, both in terms of finance and the number of trained and experienced personnel we need to investigate all of these cases".

"The Children's Commissioner estimated that some 16,000 children are at high risk of being exploited for sex across our towns and cities. This is unacceptable, and we are committed to doing all we can to root it out and prevent any more of the young and vulnerable becoming victims."

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Migrant freighter docks in Italy

31 December 2014 Last updated at 06:09

A cargo ship said to be carrying 700 clandestine migrants which was taken under Italian control at sea has docked in the Italian port of Gallipoli.

The Blue Sky M had apparently been abandoned by its crew and at one point seemed to be heading directly towards the Italian coast on autopilot.

Reports suggest Syrians and Kurds are among those aboard the ship.

Photos posted by the local Italian Red Cross show the ship in port with people crowding a deck.

Ambulance crews stood waiting as the ship docked in the early hours of New Year's Eve amid unconfirmed reports that people on the ship were suffering frostbite.

An eyewitness in Gallipoli, local man Gilberto Busti, told the BBC World Service he had seen hundreds of people - who he thought could be Syrian and Kurdish refugees - disembarking from the vessel.

Mr Busti said he had heard reports that some of those on board might be dead.

"I saw the ship arrive and the coaches that carried off the migrants," he said.

"I saw the police and the Red Cross that set up the tents. I have a friend in civil protection who told me that there were about 800 to 900 people inside the ship. We can't confirm that there are dead people inside but my friend told me that there were about four or five dead people."

Italy has had to deal with a massive surge in migrants - many of them from the Middle East and the Horn of Africa - setting off on boats with hopes of reaching Europe.

The most common sea route for the clandestine voyages has been from Libya but this ship is said to have started in Turkey. It is also unusual to find a vessel of this size carrying migrants.

People traffickers who organise the crossings often abandon the vessels at sea to avoid arrest.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, has warned that his agency will face enormous shortages in 2015 as it struggles to deal with what he called a staggering escalation of humanitarian needs across the globe.

Mr Guterres said his organisation might not be able to deliver even the minimum level of assistance needed for many refugees to survive.

'Disaster averted'

The Blue Sky is listed as a general cargo ship, flying under a Moldovan flag.

Italian coast guard spokesman Filippo Marini was quoted by AP news agency as saying the Italians had averted a disaster by interrupting the programmed route that would have had the ship crash into the shore.

Greek officials were first alerted to the ship when it was near Corfu.

A man aboard is reported to have asked for food, water and blankets. The distress call to Greek emergency services prompted the navy to send a helicopter and a warship.

The Greek authorities said no-one aboard the vessel was in danger.

The Blue Sky M was reportedly heading for the port of Rijeka in Croatia from Turkey.

According to tracking website MarineTraffic, the ship abruptly changed direction south of Othonoi on Tuesday morning, heading west towards Italy.

Weather conditions in the Ionian sea have been poor for several days, hampering the rescue of those on board the Norman Atlantic ferry which caught fire in the area, killing at least 10 people.

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AirAsia bodies returned to airport

31 December 2014 Last updated at 09:32

The first two bodies from the AirAsia Flight QZ8501 crash have arrived back in the Indonesian city of Surabaya, where relatives are waiting for them.

Next of kin have been asked for DNA samples to help identify the victims.

The Airbus A320-200, carrying 162 people from Surabaya to Singapore, disappeared on Sunday and remains were located in the sea on Tuesday.

The authorities say seven bodies have been retrieved, but bad weather is hampering further salvage efforts.

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'Six bodies' found in AirAsia search

30 December 2014 Last updated at 09:36

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The BBC's Alice Budisatrijo said there was no confirmation of the objects yet

At least six bodies have been found and at least three recovered in the search for missing AirAsia Flight QZ8501, Indonesian officials and media say.

The bodies were spotted along with debris floating in the Java Sea off the Indonesian part of Borneo, in one of the search zones for the plane.

One official said the debris was 95% likely to be from the missing aircraft.

The Airbus A320-200, carrying 162 people from Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore, disappeared on Sunday.

The search operation is now in its third day, with the area widened to cover 13 zones over land and sea.

During a news conference by the head of the operation, shown live on Indonesian TV, pictures of the debris were shown including a body floating on the water.

Relatives of passengers on the plane watching the pictures were visibly shocked.

Later, reports from officials and media in Pangkalan Bun, a nearby town in Central Kalimantan province, said six bodies had been found and at least three recovered.

AFP news agency later quoted the navy as saying that as many as 40 had been retrieved by one warship, saying the rescuers were "very busy now".

AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes tweeted to the families: "My heart is filled with sadness for all the families involved in QZ 8501. On behalf of AirAsia my condolences."

Search operation head Bambang Soelistyo said he was 95% certain the objects shown were from the plane, adding that a shadow was spotted under water which appeared to be in the shape of a plane.

All resources were now being sent to the area where the debris was found, and all objects or bodies found would be taken to Pangkalan Bun, he said.

Mr Soelistyo added that ships with more sophisticated technology were being deployed to check whether larger parts of the plane were submerged beneath the debris.

Indonesian civil aviation chief Djoko Murjatmodjo, quoted by AFP news agency, said "significant things" such as a passenger door and cargo door had been found.

He added that the objects had been found 160km (100 miles) south-west of Pangkalan Bun.

At least 30 ships, 15 aircraft and seven helicopters joined the operation when it resumed at 06:00 local time on Tuesday (23:00 GMT Monday).

The operation, led by Indonesia, includes assistance from Malaysia, Singapore and Australia, with other offers of help from South Korea, Thailand, China and France. The US destroyer USS Sampson is on its way to the zone.

Communication lost

Earlier, Indonesian officials said they were investigating reports of smoke seen rising from an island close to Belitung island, one of the focal points of the search, though experts cautioned it could be unrelated to the missing plane.

On board the plane were 137 adult passengers, 17 children and one infant, along with two pilots and five crew.

Most were Indonesian but the passengers included one UK national, a Malaysian, a Singaporean and three South Koreans.

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Editor Geoffrey Thomas: AirAsia flight QZ8501 may "have have been caught in a severe thunderstorm updraft"

The plane left Surabaya at 05:35 Jakarta time on Sunday and had been due to arrive in Singapore two hours later.

Safety officials say the captain had asked for permission to take the plane higher but, by the time permission was granted, communication with the plane was lost.

It was officially declared missing at 07:55.

AirAsia previously had an excellent safety record and there were no fatal accidents involving its aircraft.

Are you, or is someone you know, affected by this story? Do you know any of the passengers on the AirAsia flight? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with any information. Please leave a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist.

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Thatcher explored education overhaul

30 December 2014 Last updated at 00:04 By Sanchia Berg Today programme

Margaret Thatcher explored plans to overhaul the structure of English education when she was PM, files released by the National Archives show.

The documents from the 1980s reveal Mrs Thatcher wanted to make state schools independent of local authorities.

This has been the central plank of the current government's education reforms.

In 1986, policy adviser Oliver Letwin wrote that she had "failed" to give people more responsibility for their own lives within the education system.

Words underlined

In Mrs Thatcher's personal files, there is a critical, very direct memo from Mr Letwin - his "swansong" as a member of Mrs Thatcher's policy unit.

"You were elected to give back to individuals a greater degree of responsibility for their own lives," he wrote. "In education, you have so far failed."

He said there had been no effort to change the "framework" - a point endorsed by Mrs Thatcher with a large black tick in the margin - and that education was still "a nationalised industry".

"The provider decides what the customer ought to have, largely ignoring what the customer actually wants," he continued - words which the then prime minister underlined.

Mr Letwin, who is still an MP and a Cabinet Office minister, acknowledged that radical restructuring would not be popular in some quarters.

"It would provoke intense hostility" from the local authorities and the teaching unions, he wrote.

However, he saw it as the only way to improve the "quality" of schools.

Like Michael Gove, who stood down as education secretary in July this year, Mr Letwin believed giving power to the "customer" - the parents - would drive school improvement.

Mr Letwin suggested state schools could "declare UDI", rather like academies today, and suggested extending the "assisted places" scheme where the state paid for places at independent schools.

Parents could then have the choice of moving their children if they were unhappy with the local state school - just as Free Schools are intended to provide an alternative under the current government.

New approach

The files include a paper titled "Education without LEAs", marked "secret" - politicians and civil servants knew how controversial these ideas would be.

The documents show that Keith Joseph, education secretary from 1981 to 1986, had wanted to create 12 new independent state primary schools to show how a new approach would work.

The idea was supported by Mrs Thatcher, and other members of the cabinet were enthusiastic too.

According to a note of one meeting, then cabinet member Norman Fowler said: "It would reverse a trend for parents such as himself to send children to the private sector!"

On the memo, Mrs Thatcher scribbled: "It isn't meant for parents like him!" That idea was dropped.

It was left to Keith Joseph's successor, Kenneth Baker, to create the first state schools independent of local authorities. He set up the first City Technology Colleges in the late 1980s for secondary pupils.

School budgets

However, Lord Baker has now said he is fascinated to see Mrs Thatcher's files. "I didn't know about any of this," he told the BBC.

He said Mrs Thatcher had not told him what to do when he took over as education secretary, and had asked him to come up with his own ideas.

Lord Baker said: "I was on a rather different tangent but we got to the same destination."

Lord Baker gave schools control over their own budgets, established a national curriculum, encouraged grant-maintained schools - so setting the groundwork for Mr Gove's future rapid academies policy.

In recent months there has been growing criticism of this flagship reform.

Sir Michael Wilshaw, chief inspector of schools in England, recently called for an end to "sterile" debate over structures.

He said it was not the most important factor and that in practice there could be little difference in school improvement under an academy chain or a local council.

Since 2010 more than 4,000 state schools in England have become academies, accountable to central government rather than local officials.

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Confusion over ferry fire survivors

30 December 2014 Last updated at 04:43

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Exhausted and separated families were desperate to reunite

Italian officials say they cannot be certain how many people are still missing from the Norman Atlantic ferry off Corfu, with evacuation complete.

One man died trying to escape the ship, which was on a night journey from Greece to Italy, and a further nine bodies were later found.

More than 400 people were rescued amid gale-force winds and thick smoke.

Survivors have described "scenes from hell" as order broke down aboard the ferry ahead of the rescue.

They gave accounts of passengers trampling over and hitting each other to be the first in line to be taken to safety.

Captain Argilio Giacomazzi was widely praised for staying on board to see the evacuation through, more than 36 hours after sending out a distress signal.

It is unclear what caused the fire to break out on Sunday on the car deck of the ferry. Italian prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation.

'Not on the list'

"We cannot say how many people may be missing,'' Italian Transport Minister Maurizio Lupi said at a press conference on Monday evening.

He said the reason a definitive figure could not be given was because of errors on the passenger list, no-shows at boarding or people getting off at a stopover on the Greek island of Igoumenitsa.

"That is why we are continuing our [search] effort: we cannot know what the exact number was," he added.

Mr Lupi said it was up to the departure port to ensure the passenger manifest tallied with the list of those people who were rescued.

Italian navy Admiral Giovanni Pettorino said 80 of those rescued had not been on the passenger list at all. Correspondents say his remarks give credence to suggestions from Italy that the ferry may have been transporting a number of illegal migrants trying to reach Italy.

Greek Merchant Marine Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis also said the passenger list was "possibly inaccurate" and complained about inadequate communications with Italy.

"I strongly doubt that all the names on the list are real," he told Mega TV. "We have two persons with the same name who turned out to be one person."

Feet scalded

Survivors described how the fire which began on Sunday morning had created chaotic scenes on board, with the crew apparently overwhelmed by the crisis.

Those recued have complained there were initially no fire alarms and no knocks on the door from the crew to awake sleeping passengers as thick and billowing smoke made its way into their cabins.

As passengers tried to escape from the flames by going on to the deck, they were confronted with freezing cold rain and huge waves while heat from the fire below scalded their feet.

It was then that pushing and shoving broke out as passengers fought each other to a lifeboats slot or a helicopter basket.

"Everyone there was trampling on each other to get onto the helicopter,'' Greek truck driver Christos Perlis told the Associated Press news agency from one of the rescue vessels.

"The jungle law prevailed," Greek passenger Irene Varsioti said. "There was no queue or order. No respect was shown for children."

Another Greek passenger said he had "witnessed an image of hell as described by Dante, on a ship where the decks were melting and we were trying to find some place that was not burning to stand on".

Other passengers complained the lifeboats had not worked and that only one had been launched in the water - with none of the crew on hand to help people.

Some survivors suffered from hypothermia or mild carbon monoxide poisoning ahead of their rescue just after dawn Monday.

More than 230 passengers and 34 crew members were Greek nationals. Others came from Italy, Turkey, Albania, Germany, the UK and several other countries.

Are you, or is someone you know, affected by this story? Do you know any of the passengers on the ferry? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with any information. Please leave a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist.

Have your say

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Two children and adult die in fire

30 December 2014 Last updated at 08:44

Two children and an adult have died in a fire in a caravan near Lingfield, Surrey.

The blaze broke out at The Plantation mobile home site in West Park Road, Newchapel overnight.

A man and another child were treated for burns at the scene, Surrey Police said.

The child has since been taken to the East Surrey Hospital in Redhill. A joint investigation between the police and the fire service has been launched.

The police spokeswoman said: "Surrey Police and Surrey Fire and Rescue units are currently at the scene, which remains cordoned off while enquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding the fire continue."

A spokeswoman for the fire service said: "The fire was extinguished using hose reels, however, three people - two children and one adult - died.

"Our thoughts are with the family and friends involved at this tragic time."

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Prescription fraud plan criticised

30 December 2014 Last updated at 08:44 By Michelle Roberts Health editor, BBC News online

Pharmacists have heavily criticised plans to strengthen checks at the counter for entitlement to free prescriptions in England.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society says asking pharmacists to police prescriptions could harm patient trust.

By 2018, a new database will be up-and-running for pharmacists to check before handing over a free prescription.

Ministers say these extra checks could save the NHS £150m a year, which will be ploughed back into the NHS.

Continue reading the main story

Claiming a free prescription when you are not entitled takes money away from other frontline patient services, and reduces the amount of money available to spend on patient care"

End Quote Health Minister Dan Poulter

Fraud checks

Currently, pharmacists largely rely on people's honesty when dispensing medicines for free.

Patients should present an exemption certificate and/or sign the back of the prescription form to say that they are exempt of any charge.

The NHS Business Services Authority runs checks, but only after a free prescription has been issued.

The Department of Health says this is not timely enough, meaning the system can be abused.

An estimated 30m prescription items totalling around £237m are incorrectly claimed each year.

Prescriptions in England

You can get free NHS prescriptions if you are:

• over 60, under 16 or aged 16-18 and are in full-time education
• pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months and have a valid maternity exemption certificate
• have a specified medical condition and have a valid medical exemption certificate
• have a continuing physical disability that prevents you from going out without help from another person and have a valid exemption certificate
• hold a valid war pension exemption certificate and the prescription is for your accepted disability
• an NHS inpatient

You may also be entitled to free prescriptions if you or your partner receive certain allowances, such as income support.

Health Minister Dan Poulter said it was time to get tough on those who avoid paying their fair share towards the NHS.

"Claiming a free prescription when you are not entitled takes money away from other frontline patient services, and reduces the amount of money available to spend on patient care."

Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Dr Keith Ridge said the new measures aimed to strike the right balance between collecting charges and providing care.

But the body that represents pharmacists in Great Britain, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, says the new system could get in the way of treating patients.

RPS Board Chair David Branford said: "This move to make pharmacists police the Government's unfair charging system is totally unacceptable to us.

"Our job is to put the needs of vulnerable people first and make sure they get the care they need."

Around 90% of prescriptions in England are currently dispensed free of charge.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have scrapped all prescription charges.

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India captain Dhoni quits Tests

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has retired from Test cricket, the India cricket board has announced.

The 33-year-old, who made his Test debut in 2005, stood down after India drew the third Test against Australia in Melbourne on Tuesday.

A statement said he had retired from Test cricket "in order to concentrate" on the 50 over and Twenty20 formats.

He will be replaced by Virat Kohli as captain for the fourth and final Test which starts on 6 January in Sydney.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Sanjay Patel paid tribute to Dhoni, who was captain for 61 of his 90 Test matches.

"One of India's greatest Test captains under whose leadership India became the number one team in the Test rankings, MS Dhoni has decided to retire from Test cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of cricket," Patel said in the BCCI statement.

"MS Dhoni has chosen to retire from Test cricket with immediate effect in order to concentrate on ODI and T20 formats.

"BCCI, while respecting the decision of MS Dhoni to retire from Test cricket, wishes to thank him for his enormous contribution to Test cricket and the laurels that he has brought to India."

More to follow

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Ebola patient arrives in London

30 December 2014 Last updated at 09:42

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The BBC's Nick Quraishi says the patient was whisked past reporters in an RAF ambulance

A health worker who was diagnosed with Ebola after returning to Scotland from Sierra Leone has arrived at a specialist treatment centre in London.

The woman, who travelled to Glasgow via Casablanca and London Heathrow, was taken to the Royal Free Hospital.

She is understood to have been flown to RAF Northolt in a military plane after leaving Glasgow in a convoy.

Passengers on flights she took to the UK are being traced, but officials say the risk to the public is very low.

The woman left Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow just after 03:00 GMT on Tuesday.

Six police cars accompanied two ambulances as she was taken to Glasgow Airport. She has been taken to an isolation unit at the north London hospital from the RAF base in west London.

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UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said facilities in London were "world class"

The UK health secretary said NHS safety measures in place were working well.

Jeremy Hunt, who chaired an emergency Cobra meeting on Monday evening, said the government was doing "absolutely everything it needs to" to keep the public safe.

"We are also reviewing our procedures and protocols for all the other NHS workers who are working at the moment in Sierra Leone," he added.

The patient, who had been working with Save the Children in Sierra Leone, arrived in Glasgow on a British Airways flight on Sunday but was placed in an isolation unit at Gartnavel Hospital on Monday morning after becoming feverish.

Under UK and Scottish protocol, she was moved to the high-level isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital.

UK nurse William Pooley - who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone earlier this year - was successfully treated at the same facility.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government Resilience Committee on Monday, said the risk to the public was "extremely low to the point of negligible".

She added the patient was thought to have had direct contact with only one other person between arriving in Glasgow and attending hospital on Monday.

A second health worker who returned from West Africa recently is being tested in Aberdeen for Ebola, it has emerged.

But Ms Sturgeon said there was only a "low probability" the woman also had the disease as she has not had direct contact with anyone infected with Ebola.

Analysis: BBC health editor Hugh Pym

This latest incident will raise questions about the screening process in place for passengers leaving West Africa and arriving at Heathrow.

Public health officials say the woman was taken aside on arrival in the UK and her temperature was taken - the procedure followed for all incoming health staff who say they have been in contact with Ebola patients.

Her temperature was found to be normal and she was not feeling unwell, so she continued her journey to Glasgow.

Someone with Ebola only becomes infectious once they develop symptoms. In this case, that only became apparent after she arrived in Scotland.

The task of contacting the passengers and crew on the flights she took is now under way. That will be complicated, but officials are insisting the risk to those people is extremely low.

Efforts are being made to trace the 71 other passengers who travelled on the same flight from London to Glasgow.

A British Airways spokesman said: "The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top priority and the risk to people on board that individual flight is extremely low."

A telephone helpline has been set up for anyone who was on the BA 1478 flight which left Heathrow Airport on Sunday evening. The number is 08000 858531.

Continue reading the main story

• Flight AT596 from Freetown, Sierra Leone, to Casablanca, arriving 06:10 GMT

• Flight AT800 from Casablanca to London Heathrow, arriving 15:50 GMT

• Flight BA1478 from London Heathrow to Glasgow, arriving 22:20 GMT

Reuters

Tom Solomon, director of Liverpool's Institute of Infection and Global Health, said of the reaction to the woman's diagnosis: "We've had training exercises up and down the country and that's why you've seen that the response has been very calm and very controlled.

"It's very important that despite this case we have healthcare workers continue to go out to west Africa to help bring this disease under control."

Paul Cosford, medical director for Public Health England described the woman as a "very brave person", telling BBC Breakfast she had "put herself in the front line of care for people with Ebola".

He also said that about 150 people in the UK had been tested for Ebola recently - with all except Mr Pooley and the female patient being taken from Glasgow returning a negative result.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer for England, said: "We have robust, well-developed and well-tested NHS systems for managing unusual infectious diseases when they arise, supported by a wide range of experts.

"The UK system was prepared, and reacted as planned, when this case of Ebola was identified."

Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with the bodily fluids - such as blood, vomit or faeces - of an infected person.

The virus has killed more than 7,800 people, mostly in West Africa, since it broke out a year ago.

The World Health Organization says the number of people infected by the disease in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea has now passed 20,000.

What are the symptoms?

The early symptoms are a sudden fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache and sore throat.

This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash and bleeding - both internal and external - which can be seen in the gums, eyes, nose and in the stools.

Patients tend to die from dehydration and multiple organ failure.

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North Korea berates Obama over film

27 December 2014 Last updated at 05:39

North Korea has condemned US President Barack Obama over the release of the film The Interview, about a fictional plot to kill its leader Kim Jong-un.

The country's National Defence Commission (NDC) also accused the US of shutting down the country's internet - and used a racial slur to describe the "reckless" Mr Obama.

Sony Pictures had originally pulled the title after a cyber-attack and threats.

But the company later reconsidered, releasing the comedy on Christmas Day.

A number of critics - including the US president - had warned that freedom of expression was under threat if the movie was shelved.

The controversial film was shown in some US cinemas and online, with several hundred independent theatres coming forward and offering to show the film. However, larger cinemas decided not screen it.

Kim Jong-un's potential difficulty is that The Interview - which casts the North Korean leader as a malign, vain buffoon - has been widely reviewed as funny and astute, the BBC's Stephen Evans in Seoul reports.

If activists start smuggling it into North Korea on USB sticks, as they already do with other films, it might prove quite powerful, our correspondent adds.

'Righteous deed'

In a statement on Saturday, an NDC spokesman denounced the US for screening the "dishonest and reactionary movie hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK [North Korea] and agitating terrorism".

President Obama, the statement said, "is the chief culprit who forced the Sony Pictures Entertainment to indiscriminately distribute the movie", blackmailing cinemas in the US.

It added: "Obama always goes reckless in words and deeds like a monkey in a tropical forest."

The NDC also accused also Washington of "groundlessly linking the unheard of hacking at the Sony Pictures Entertainment to the DPRK".

Sony Pictures had initially pulled the film after suffering an unprecedented hacking attack at the hands of a group calling itself the Guardians of Peace.

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The Interview screened at small US cinemas

The hackers also threatened to carry out a terrorist attack on cinemas showed the film on its scheduled release date of Christmas Day.

Last week, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said its analysis pointed the finger at North Korea. However, many cyber-security experts have come forward to dispute this assertion.

At the time, North Korea denied being behind the attack but described it as a "righteous deed".

The country subsequently suffered a severe internet outage.

The Interview saga

The Interview features James Franco and Seth Rogen as two journalists who are granted an audience with Mr Kim. The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate him.

• 22 November: Sony computer systems hacked, exposing embarrassing emails and personal details about stars
• 7 December: North Korea denies accusations that it is behind the cyber-attack, but praises it as a "righteous deed"
• 16 December: "Guardians of Peace" hacker group threatens 9/11-type attack on cinemas showing film; New York premiere cancelled
• 17 December: Leading US cinema groups say they will not screen film; Sony cancels Christmas Day release
• 19 December: FBI concludes North Korea orchestrated hack; President Obama calls Sony cancellation "a mistake"
• 20 December: North Korea proposes joint inquiry with US into hacks, rejected by the US
• 22 December: North Korea suffers a severe internet outage; US authorities decline to comment
• 23 December: Sony bosses appear to change their minds, saying they will now give The Interview a limited Christmas Day release
• 25 December: The Interview is shown in some US cinemas and released online

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Severe flooding hits Malaysia's east

27 December 2014 Last updated at 08:47

Malaysia is battling some of the worst floods in decades along its east coast, which have killed at least five people.

More than 100,000 people have been forced from their homes, and Prime Minister Najib Razak has returned early from holiday in the US.

He is due to visit the worst-hit areas of northern Kelantan state.

Eastern states are often flooded during the monsoon season, but this time officials say heavier rain and stronger winds have made things worse.

In some areas, entire towns have been submerged.

Darius Dramburg, an eyewitness in the flooded region, told the BBC World Service that his entire village was under water and there was no electricity running in some parts.

"Because there is no electricity there's no water either. The shops have all closed down so we don't know how much food we could get.

"I decided to leave the place now and go down to Kuala Lumpur."

Rescue workers are struggling to bring in enough food and supplies for families sleeping in relief centres.

BBC Malaysia correspondent Jennifer Pak, in Kuala Lumpur, says Mr Najib cut short his holiday after the media published pictures of him golfing with US President Barack Obama in Hawaii.

The images reinforce the belief of some Malaysians that the government has not been doing enough to prevent these annual floods, our correspondent says.

Contact us

Are you in Malaysia? Are you affected by the floods where you are? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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Pakistan orders arrest of cleric

26 December 2014 Last updated at 21:25

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The BBC's Anbarasan Ethirajan: "Maulana Abdul Aziz is known for his radical views"

A judge in Pakistan has issued an arrest warrant for a cleric at a radical mosque in Islamabad who has refused to condemn the massacre of children at an army-run school.

Imam Abdul Aziz has been accused of threatening protesters outside the Red Mosque.

The cleric said the charge against him was insignificant.

Last week, Taliban fighters attacked the school in Peshawar, killing 152 people, including 133 children.

Mr Aziz said that the authorities should focus on arresting people accused of more serious crimes.

"My case is very small and even a sub-inspector can grant me bail," he said.

The BBC's Anbarasan Ethirajan says that Mr Aziz is well known for his pro-Taliban views.

Earlier this year, a school run by the cleric renamed its library in honour of the former al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden.

A spokesman for the Red Mosque said they would resist the arrest of Mr Aziz.

Civil society activists had lodged the complaint against Mr Aziz, saying that they had been threatened by mosque employees during a protest about his refusal to condemn the school massacre.

The demonstrators are also being investigated for holding an unlawful protest.

Pakistan has stepped up its anti-terror operations since the attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar on 16 December.

Earlier this week, the government announced new measures to tackle terrorism, including the establishment of military courts to hear terrorism-related cases.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday that there was a "changed Pakistan" since the tragedy and that there would be "no place for terrorism, extremism, sectarianism and intolerance."

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Abducted Mexican priest found dead

27 December 2014 Last updated at 02:25

A priest who was kidnapped in Mexico's south-western state of Guerrero on Monday has been found shot dead, officials say.

The body of Father Gregorio Lopez was discovered near the city of Ciudad Altamirano.

A group of priests later rallied in the city to condemn the murder.

Father Lopez was seized by gunmen from Ciudad Altamirano's seminary, where he taught. The motive for the killing remains unclear.

A friend of the priest told local media that Father Lopez was kidnapped after he accused drug gang Guerreros Unidos of the abduction and alleged murder of 43 students in September.

He is the third priest to be killed this year in Guerrero state, which has been at the centre of drug-related violence in Mexico.

Last month, forensic experts identified the body of a Ugandan Catholic priest among the remains found in a mass grave. Father John Ssenyondo had been missing since being kidnapped in April.

The grave was located by federal police looking for the missing students.

On Friday, demonstrators in several Mexican cities commemorated the disappearance of the students on 26 September - exactly three months ago.

Police in the town of Iguala allegedly detained them following a clash that left six people dead.

Authorities say the police turned the students over to members of a drug gang who killed them and burned their bodies.

So far, the authorities have only identified the remains of one of the students.

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King's Cross trains cancelled for day

27 December 2014 Last updated at 02:29

All trains to and from London King's Cross have been cancelled because of overrunning engineering.

Network Rail said the work near the station was part of a £200m Christmas investment programme and described the move as "regrettable and unfortunate".

Operators intend to run services into other stations but watchdog Passenger Focus said it was "frustrating".

The Department for Transport said it would have talks with Network Rail about the "disappointing" delay.

East Coast Trains said passengers would need to start or finish their journey at Finsbury Park in north London, with at least one change of train.

It said customers should defer travel where possible.

'Passengers annoyed'

National Rail said on its website that services to and from King's Cross would be "significantly disrupted" on Saturday.

Continue reading the main story

Passengers need to be able to plan and rely on Network Rail meeting its deadlines"

End Quote Department for Transport

It said: "A revised timetable is currently being developed and will be made available as soon as possible. Please check our website regularly for updates."

David Sidebottom, passenger director at Passenger Focus, said: "Investment in maintenance and improvement is necessary, and we passengers understand that.

"We will be looking to see that operators and Network Rail are doing all in their power to alert passengers, to help them make alternative arrangements and to make it easy for them to claim refunds or compensation."

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "It is extremely disappointing that Network Rail's engineering works have overrun and will affect travellers during this festive season, passengers will be rightly annoyed.

"This was essential work but passengers need to be able to plan and rely on Network Rail meeting its deadlines for having the network back in service.

"The department is in contact with Network Rail to understand what went wrong and if lessons can be learned for the future."

Sunday delays

A Network Rail spokesman said the work was "a small part of a massive amount of engineering investment taking place over Christmas".

He said 4.5 million passengers use the railways on average every day, compared with two million a day over the Christmas and New Year holiday.

About 300 projects are being undertaken over the holidays across 2,000 sites up and down the country.

National Rail said a reduced service to and from London King's Cross is expected to operate on Sunday, but journeys may be re-timed and take longer than expected.

Trains will leave King's Cross up to 20 minutes earlier than normal, resuming their usual stopping times from Peterborough. Services to King's Cross will arrive up to 40 minutes later than normal.

Other services will start or end at Doncaster, Newark North Gate, Peterborough or Stevenage.

Contact us

Were you planning to travel from King's Cross today? How has the disruption affected your plans? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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Ukraine awaits fresh prisoner swaps

27 December 2014 Last updated at 02:54

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The swap was watched by independent monitors, as Ben Bland reports

More prisoner exchanges are expected between Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels in the east - a day after the two sides swapped hundreds of captives.

Ukrainian officials say they are hoping that four soldiers will be freed. The number of militants due to be released has not been confirmed.

On Friday, Ukraine said 146 of its soldiers had been freed for 222 rebels.

Meanwhile, Ukraine froze vital bus and rail links with Crimea, its southern peninsula annexed by Russia in March.

Crimea has no land corridor to Russia, and relies on a ferry in the Azov Sea and flights from Russia.

The peninsula - which is also heavily dependent on Ukraine's power supplies - has also seen blackouts in recent days.

Kiev says it has to limit supplies, because Ukraine itself is experiencing power shortages.

In a separate development, the world's two largest credit and debit card companies, Visa and Mastercard, said on Friday they could no longer support bank cards being used in Crimea, following fresh US sanctions imposed this month.

The moves come ahead of the traditional holiday season in the region, when people travel to be with their families for New Year.

Russian media reported that a number of people in Crimea on Friday were unable to withdraw cash or pay for goods bought in local supermarkets.

Inconclusive talks

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's spokesman said on Friday that Kiev expected four more of its soldiers to be released on Saturday.

Spokesman Vyacheslav Tsegolko wrote in a Facebook post that the soldiers "would be able to celebrate New Year and Christmas with their families".

Ukraine - a predominantly Orthodox Christian country - celebrates Christmas on 7 January.

Friday's prisoner exchange - the biggest since the conflict began in April - took place near the town of Avdiyivka, about 35km (22 miles) north of Donetsk.

Ukrainian and Russian media showed rows of men in civilian clothes standing on a road, supervised by armed men.

"They only just told us that this would happen," freed Ukrainian soldier Artem Syurik was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.

"I am looking forward to seeing my parents and wife. They do not know I am coming."

Freed rebel fighter Denis Balbukov said: "I want to eat fried potatoes and talk to my relatives."

But he added: "I will go back to fighting. It was all right once we were moved to the detention centre, but to begin with, they really tormented and roughed us up."

Inconclusive talks were held this week in Minsk, Belarus, on ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which has claimed 4,700 lives.

Although fighting has lessened considerably, the conflict continues and more than 1,300 people have died since a truce was announced in September.

Ukraine accuses Russia of actively supporting the militants with Russian soldiers and heavy artillery.

The Kremlin denies this but says its regular forces are fighting in eastern Ukraine as volunteers.

Ukraine: the human cost

• 5,200,000 affected by conflict
• 4,707 people killed including 36 children
• 10,322 wounded including 102 children
• 542,080 people displaced inside Ukraine
• 597,956 refugees and asylum seekers outside Ukraine

Source: United Nations 16 December

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Motorists stranded by snowfall

27 December 2014 Last updated at 09:48

Dozens of coach passengers and drivers were stranded overnight in Yorkshire after snowfall swept parts of the UK.

A group of coach passengers spent the night in a Sheffield church, and the AA said "lots" of cars had been abandoned in the city.

Rain, sleet and snow moved east across Northern Ireland, Wales, central and northern England and southern Scotland on Friday and overnight.

Forecasters say the "worst of the snow" has now passed.

In other developments:

• The Met Office said on Friday that 10cm (4in) of snow had fallen in Leek, Staffordshire
• Flights into Liverpool Airport were diverted to Manchester on Friday while snow was cleared and Leeds Bradford Airport was closed on Friday evening
• Snow also created difficult conditions at football matches, including in the West Midlands where West Bromwich Albion took on Manchester City
• Weather warnings remain in place, along with a "cold weather alert" meaning the cold could put vulnerable people at risk

Chloe McIntosh told the BBC she was one of 20-30 passengers who tried to catch a 14:15 GMT National Express coach from Sheffield to London on Friday.

She said the coach did not arrive to collect the passengers, but a replacement picked them up and set off at about 18:45.

But she said this got stuck in the snow on a steep hill before getting out of Sheffield.

"Some people from the houses nearby have come and offered us tea," she said.

"Then they opened up the church."

The passengers took shelter at Our Lady of Beauchief & St Thomas of Canterbury Church before eventually boarding another coach at 06:30 GMT.

Miss McIntosh told the BBC: "National Express unfortunately did nothing for us - they went missing between 12 and 4am."

National Express said it was arranging "alternative travel" for its customers, adding: "We apologise to the passengers whose journeys have been so severely disrupted."

How to drive in snow and ice

• Balance your speed - too fast and you risk losing control, but if you go too slow you risk losing momentum
• Start gently in second gear, avoiding high revs. Stay in a higher gear for better control.
• Only use the brake if you cannot steer out of trouble.
• Increase the distance at which you follow other vehicles.
• Plan your journey around busier roads, which are more likely to have been gritted.
• On a downhill slope, get your speed low before you start the descent, and do not let it build up.
• In falling snow, use dipped headlights or foglights but switch off if conditions improve.

Read more about how to prepare your car and get readers' tips on driving in freezing weather.

At 23:30, the AA's Special Operations Response Team tweeted a picture with the message: "Prince of Wales Rd, #Sheffield around 30 mins ago! Lots of abandoned vehicles locally!"

Dr Stan Fowler told the BBC he was one of a "handful" of drivers spending the night in their cars at Woodhall Services on the M1.

"I arrived here at 20:30 and have bedded down for the night after parts of the car park became impassable," he said.

"The staff have been excellent and have brought duvets from the nearby hotel and although it wasn't how I would have chosen to spend Boxing Day night, it really hasn't been too bad at all."

A crashed lorry blocked all southbound lanes of the M1 south of Barnsley earlier, and there are still delays on the motorway on the stretch between Sheffield and Barnsley.

Motorist Rob Simpson said some roads in Yorkshire were "almost undriveable".

"I was on the M1 near Rotherham in South Yorkshire and it's taken me about two hours to get home to Leeds," he said.

"The journey normally takes about 40 minutes."

BBC Weather forecaster Laura Gilchrist said the "worst of the snow" had now passed, but there could be some wintry showers and icy conditions on Saturday.

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings - meaning "be aware" - for snow and ice for much of Scotland.

There is also an ice warning for Northern Ireland and parts of England and Wales, and a warning of high winds for the far south-east of England.

Issuing a cold weather alert for parts of England, the Met Office said there was a 90% chance that severe weather between 15:00 GMT on Friday and 12:00 GMT on Wednesday could "increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services".

The amber - level three - alert is one below a national emergency and indicates social and healthcare services should target "high-risk" groups, such as the very young or old, or those with chronic diseases.

Public Health England also urged people to look out for vulnerable friends and family and neighbours during the cold snap.

Contact us

How are you being affected by the snow where you are? How has the weather caused you to change your plans? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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