Extreme rainfall in UK 'increasing'

2 January 2013 Last updated at 21:00 ET By Roger Harrabin Environment analyst

The frequency of extreme rainfall in the UK may be increasing, according to analysis by the Met Office.

Statistics show that days of particularly heavy rainfall have become more common since 1960.

The analysis is still preliminary, but the apparent trend mirrors increases in extreme rain seen in other parts of the world.

It comes as the Met Office prepares to reveal whether 2012 was the wettest year on record in the UK.

The study into extreme rain is based on statistics from the National Climate Information Centre, the UK's official climate record.

Upwards trend

Extreme rain is defined as the sort of downpour you would expect once in 100 days.

There are big swings in rainfall from year to year, but the overall trend is upwards since 1960. Last year, for instance, extreme rain fell around once every 70 days.

The phenomenon of more frequent downpours has already been noted elsewhere, particularly in China and India.

Continue reading the main story

There's evidence to say we are getting slightly more rain in total, but more importantly it may be falling in more intense bursts"

End Quote Professor Julia Slingo Met Office

Scientists say that as the world has warmed by 0.7C, the atmosphere is able to hold 4% more moisture, which means more potential rain.

The change in the UK trend is slight, but if the trend is confirmed it will clearly increase the risk of flooding.

This year is already the wettest in England's recorded history. And a series of downpours in late November brought one of the wettest weeks in the last 50 years, causing major disruption.

Professor Julia Slingo, chief scientist at the Met Office, said the preliminary analysis needed further research but was potentially significant.

"We have always seen a great deal of variability in UK extreme rainfall because our weather patterns are constantly changing, but this analysis suggests we are seeing a shift in our rainfall behaviour," she said.

"There's evidence to say we are getting slightly more rain in total, but more importantly it may be falling in more intense bursts - which can increase the risk of flooding.

"It's essential we look at how this may impact our rainfall patterns going forward over the next decade and beyond, so we can advise on the frequency of extreme weather in the future and the potential for more surface and river flooding.

"This will help inform decision-making about the need for future resilience both here in the UK and globally."

The Met Office no longer publishes a seasonal forecast and will not speculate on whether 2013 will produce frequent extreme rain. The immediate forecast, however, is for more stable weather.

Follow Roger Harrabin on Twitter @rharrabin

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Jim Davidson bailed in abuse inquiry

2 January 2013 Last updated at 23:15 ET

Comedian Jim Davidson is one of two men arrested and bailed by the Met Police on suspicion of sexual offences.

Officers from Operation Yewtree, set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal, arrested Mr Davidson in west London earlier on Wednesday.

Mr Davidson's solicitor said his client - who has been bailed to return in March pending further inquiries - "vigorously denies" the alleged crimes.

A 53-year-old man was also arrested in Hampshire and subsequently bailed.

Scotland Yard said the arrests were not connected to the allegations made against ex-BBC presenter Savile, who died in 2011 aged 84.

'Not charged'

In a statement, Mr Davidson's solicitor, Henri Brandman, said two women have made allegations dating back approximately 25 years.

"The complainants were then in their mid-20s. Jim vigorously denies the allegations.

"He answered police questions as fully as he was able after this passage of time.

"He has not been charged with any offence. Neither he nor I will be making any further comment."

Mr Davidson, 59, presented long-running BBC One shows Generation Game and Big Break.

His break came in 1976 when he won TV talent show New Faces, he hosted his own TV show The Jim Davidson Show, and has had continued success as stand-up comic.

Mr Davidson has been widely reported to have been a planned housemate in the Channel 5 show Celebrity Big Brother which begins on Thursday night. The TV channel has made no comment on the matter.

He was appointed an OBE in 2001 for his services to charity.

A BBC News cameraman has filmed footage of people, believed to be detectives, leaving Mr Davidson's house in Stockbridge, Hampshire, with boxes and bags.

Operation Yewtree is the Met's investigation into allegations, some dating back decades, that have arisen since Savile was accused of abuse.

The operation has three strands.

One is looking specifically at the actions of Savile and the second strand concerns allegations against "Savile and others".

The third strand, under which the two men were arrested on Wednesday, relates to alleged complaints against other people unconnected to the Jimmy Savile investigations.

These men are the ninth and 10th to be questioned as part of the police operation.

Of these, nine have been under arrest.

High-profile names arrested in connection with the investigation are PR consultant Max Clifford, comedian Freddie Starr, DJ Dave Lee Travis and former TV producer Wilfred De'Ath, and former Radio 1 producer Ted Beston, who all deny any wrongdoing.

Gary Glitter, who was also arrested, has not yet made a statement.

A man in his 80s was also questioned.

Savile was a BBC Radio 1 DJ and the presenter of the Jim'll Fix It show on BBC One. The police say 450 victims have alleged abuse by Savile alone.

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Argentina reignites Falklands row

3 January 2013 Last updated at 03:17 ET

Argentina's president has called on the UK government to hand over the Falkland Islands, in an open letter printed in British newspapers.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner urges Prime Minister David Cameron to abide by a 1965 UN resolution to "negotiate a solution" over the islands.

The letter says they were forcibly stripped from Argentina in "a blatant exercise of 19th Century colonialism".

The government said the Falklands' population had chosen to be British.

The Foreign Office said there could be no negotiations on the sovereignty of the Falklands "unless and until such time as the islanders so wish".

A referendum on the islands' political status is to be held in March.

'Forcibly stripped'

The letter, published as an advert in the Guardian newspaper and the Independent, follows repeated calls by President Fernandez for the islands - which are known as the Malvinas in Argentina - to come under the sovereignty of her nation.

Continue reading the main story

"In the name of the Argentine people, I reiterate our invitation for us to abide by the resolutions of the United Nations"

End Quote President Fernandez

Last year, marked 30 years since the Falklands War, when the islands were occupied by Argentine forces for 74 days.

Ms Fernandez says her letter is published on the same date - 3 January - when, 180 years ago: "Argentina was forcibly stripped of the Malvinas Islands, which are situated 14,000 km (8,700 miles) away from London".

She goes on: "The Argentines on the Islands were expelled by the Royal Navy and the United Kingdom subsequently began a population implantation process similar to that applied to other territories under colonial rule.

"Since then, Britain, the colonial power, has refused to return the territories to the Argentine Republic, thus preventing it from restoring its territorial integrity."

In her final paragraph, she ends: "In the name of the Argentine people, I reiterate our invitation for us to abide by the resolutions of the United Nations."

'Chosen to be British'

Argentina says it inherited ownership of the islands from Spain, arguing that British colonists occupied the islands by force in 1833 and expelled settlers, violating Argentina's territorial integrity.

It also bases its claim on the islands' proximity to the South American mainland. The islands' capital, Port Stanley, lies about 1,180 miles (1,898km) from the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said that the Falkland Islanders "are British and have chosen to be so".

"They remain free to choose their own futures, both politically and economically, and have a right to self-determination as enshrined in the UN Charter," she added.

"This is a fundamental human right for all peoples.

"There are three parties to this debate, not just two as Argentina likes to pretend.

"The islanders can't just be written out of history."

In June, UK Prime Minister David Cameron confronted President Fernandez about the issue when they came face-to-face at the G20 summit.

During the exchange, the prime minister rejected her demand for negotiations over the sovereignty of the islands and told her that she should respect the result of a referendum .

The Argentine president had earlier raised her demands at the United Nations, appearing at the annual meeting of the UN decolonisation committee on the 30th anniversary of the end of Argentine occupation.

She used the occasion to reiterate Argentina's opposition to any more wars and to criticise the prime minister's decision to mark the day by flying the Falklands flag over 10 Downing Street.

In December, Argentina protested at Britain's decision to name part of Antarctica, Queen Elizabeth Land. A formal protest note was given to the British ambassador, John Freeman, in Buenos Aires.

The area, which makes up around a third of the British Antarctic Territory, is also claimed by the South American country.

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Means-test winter fuel benefit call

3 January 2013 Last updated at 03:22 ET By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News

Winter fuel payments should be means-tested to help pay for care of the elderly, a former minister says.

A report by Lib Dem MP Paul Burstow and the Centre Forum think-tank, said targeting the allowance would help pay for a fairer social care system.

The report said it could fund most of the £1.7bn cost of implementing reforms of elderly care in England proposed by the independent Dilnot Commission.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said a funding model was yet to be decided.

The Dilnot Commission, which was set up by the government, recommended that the cap on the amount individuals have to pay towards their social care be set at £35,000 over a lifetime.

The commission argued that such a move would protect people from catastrophic care costs that result in them having to sell their homes.

As things stand, older people in England have to contribute to their care costs if they have savings of more than around £23,000.

Under the proposals from Mr Burstow and the Centre Forum, the cap on the amount people should pay towards social care costs would be set at £60,000 but the amount of assets people could hold would rise to £100,000.

Continue reading the main story

We appreciate that the country is facing difficult financial times , but we must be careful that the wider implications for older people of any potential source of funding are fully considered"

End Quote Michelle Mitchell Age UK

They said winter fuel allowance should be limited to those receiving pension credit.

Pension credit takes into account savings and income, and only the poorest retired people qualify to receive it.

The move would save £1.5bn a year and mean about three-quarters of current recipients would lose the allowance, which is worth between £200 and £300, Mr Burstow's report explains.

The report also proposed ending the relief on capital gains tax at death. This would raise another £600m a year, it said.

A trade off

Mr Burstow, the former care services minister, said: "Social care isn't free, but it could be a lot fairer for those who have worked hard all their lives.

"By concentrating the winter fuel payment on those eligible for pension credit, we can pay for a cap on care costs."

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme Mr Burstow said his proposals were a "trade off between those currently receiving the winter fuel allowance and not receiving it in the future" and the poorest pensioners "...the savings being used to ensure the frail, those who have dementia, those that are disabled, can have the peace of mind of knowing they don't face those catastrophic care costs".

He said there were 100,000 pensioners with incomes of more than £100,000 a year and questioned whether it was "right" to continue to pay them winter fuel allowance as many of them admitted to using the money for other things.

Michelle Mitchell, of Age UK, said introducing a cap on social care costs would "lift one of the great fears of becoming older".

But she urged caution over taking away other benefits from the elderly.

"We appreciate that the country is facing difficult financial times, but we must be careful that the wider implications for older people of any potential source of funding are fully considered.

"Until the government sets out concrete proposals it is difficult to assess what the overall impact would be on older people. "

The suggestion that winter fuel payments should be targeted comes amid rising controversy about the allowance. At present, people born on or before 5 July 1951 are entitled to the cash.

Last week, Conservative minister Nick Hurd said well-off pensioners should consider giving their winter fuel payments to charity.

Several other MPs have also said the better-off should not get age-related universal benefits in future.

But David Cameron has insisted he is committed to retaining them.

Mr Hunt said: "We still have a long way to go if this country is going to be one of the best places in Europe to grow old.

"There is no doubt capping costs - the principle recommended by Dilnot - is the best model. The key question is how to fund it sensibly given the current deficit.

"We are looking at how to achieve this, along with taking action to ensure people do not have to sell their homes to pay for care."

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Delhi rape suspects to be charged

3 January 2013 Last updated at 03:36 ET

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People on the streets of Delhi have begun to arm themselves, as the BBC's Andrew North reports

Five men in India are to be charged with the kidnap, gang-rape and murder of a woman on a Delhi bus last month.

The 23-year-old medical student died at the weekend from injuries she sustained during the 16 December attack, in an incident that sparked national outrage.

If convicted, the five could face the death penalty. They are not expected to appear in court in person.

A sixth suspect is reported to be under 18 and a juvenile. Police have ordered a bone marrow test to confirm his age.

The charges will be presented at Delhi's Saket district court.

Although it is mandatory in India for the accused to appear in person to be charged, policemen outside the court say they will not be presented for security reasons.

Continue reading the main story

Geeta Pandey BBC News, Delhi

---

Every 21 minutes a rape is carried out in India, according to government figures, and campaigners say many more go unreported.

But ever since the Delhi gang rape on 16 December, thousands of ordinary people, with no political affiliation or ambition, have taken to the streets daily, protesting and demanding justice for the victim and her family.

The government, initially slow in its response to the public anger, promised a quick trial and conviction for the suspects. And on Wednesday, the city's first fast-track court was inaugurated in south Delhi's Saket district. The court is expected to hear the gang rape case on a day-to-day basis.

A speedy trial would help temporarily soothe the nerves of a city wounded by the barbaric attack on a young woman. But for such incidents not to recur in future, India has much to do to change society's feudal attitudes towards women.

The trial is expected to begin as early as the weekend, with daily hearings.

Media reports say the charges and evidence run to more than 1,000 pages, including key testimony from the woman before she died, and that police have lined up about 30 witnesses.

Run-over attempt?

On Wednesday, thousands of women marched through Delhi to Rajghat - the memorial to India's independence leader, Mahatma Gandhi - to protest against the rape and Indian attitudes to women.

Delhi's Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit was among the protesters, and called for stringent anti-rape laws.

The family of the victim, who has not been named, have said they would have no objection if a new anti-rape law was named after her, as suggested by India's Junior Education Minister Shashi Tharoor.

Protests have been taking place every day since the gang-rape with protesters expressing anger over attitudes to women in India and calling for changes to the laws on violence against women.

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The woman and a male friend had been to see a film when they boarded the bus.

Police said she was raped for nearly an hour, and both she and her companion were beaten with iron bars, then thrown out of the moving bus into the street.

On Tuesday, police sources said the driver of the bus had tried to run her over after throwing her out, but she was saved by her friend, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

Helpline launched

The Indian government has been heavily criticised for failing to protect women.

According to official figures, a woman is raped in Delhi every 14 hours, while women across the country say they are frequently subjected to sexual intimidation and violence.

Since the bus attack, Delhi officials have announced a series of measures intended to make the city safer for women.

These include more police night patrols, checks on bus drivers and their assistants, and the banning of buses with tinted windows or curtains.

The government has also set up a committee under a retired Supreme Court judge to recommend changes to the anti-rape law.

A telephone helpline has been launched for women in distress, connected with police stations across the city.

But many of the protesters say that women are viewed as second-class citizens, and that a fundamental change in culture and attitudes, backed up by law, is needed to protect them.

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Three shot dead in Swiss village

3 January 2013 Last updated at 04:31 ET

A gunman has opened fire in a village in Switzerland, killing three people and wounding two others, police say.

The attack happened on Wednesday at around 21:00 (20:00 GMT) in the village of Daillon in Valais canton, 100km (60 miles) east of Geneva.

Police shot and wounded the suspect after he threatened to turn a gun on them. He has been arrested.

Investigations revealed the man was a known drug addict and former mental health patient, authorities say.

The unnamed suspect in the Daillon attack is a 33-year-old unemployed ward of court, police said at a news conference on Thursday.

He fired at least 20 shots at his victims. Three women died instantly, while two men were also injured in the attack.

The weapons used in the shooting include a hunting gun and a historical army rifle known as a carbine, which dates back to the first half of the 20th Century, general prosecutor Catherine Sappey said.

Police had previously confiscated weapons from the suspect in 2005 when he was placed in a psychiatric ward.

Back then, "he was not known for having issued threats," Ms Sappey added.

Gun laws

The BBC's Imogen Foulkes, in the Swiss capital of Bern, says the case is certain to call into question Switzerland's relatively liberal gun laws, under which Swiss men, all of whom must serve in the army, keep their guns at home.

The motives for the attack remain unclear at this stage but the assailant is thought to have been related to some of his victims, who include a couple, the general prosecutor said.

The woman died from her injuries while the man is still in hospital.

"It wasn't easy to intervene. The gunman turned his weapon on the officers, who had to shoot him in order not to be injured themselves," said police spokesman Jean-Marie Bornet.

Eyewitness Nathalie Frizzi told local daily Le Nouvelliste: "At first I didn't realise what was going on. I thought children were shooting at cats and I called out for them to stop. I am still shocked that I could have been hit by a bullet."

In a separate incident on Wednesday evening, an armed man in another Swiss village stormed into a restaurant and fired into the ceiling before being overpowered by customers, our correspondent says.

Gun attacks are rare in Switzerland, but shooting is a very popular sport in the country.

There are an estimated two to three million guns in circulation, although no-one knows the exact number because there is no national firearms register.

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Pakistan militant leader 'killed'

3 January 2013 Last updated at 04:39 ET

Senior Pakistani militant leader Mullah Nazir has been killed by a US drone strike, security officials say.

He died with at least five fighters when two missiles struck his vehicle in the north-west tribal district of South Waziristan, they said.

He was the leader of one of four major militant factions in Pakistan, accused of sending fighters to back the Afghan Taliban and fight foreign troops there.

Mullah Nazir was wounded in a suicide bomb attack in November.

Wednesday night's drone strike targeted Mullah Nazir, reportedly as he and his fighters prepared to swap to a new vehicle after his pick-up developed a fault.

It took place in Angoor Adda, near South Waziristan's main town of Wana, close to the Afghan border.

Reports say Mullah Nazir's deputy, Ratta Khan, was also killed in the attack.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

Mullah Nazir headed one of the three major Taliban groups in the Waziristan region that have had peaceful relations with the Pakistani military - the other two being the Haqqani network and the group led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur. As such, his death is likely to upset the crucial strategic balance in the region which the Pakistani forces have worked hard to maintain.

These forces actually boosted Mullah Nazir as a leader in the Wana region in 2007 when they helped him evict ethnic Uzbek fighters and also overcome an intra-tribal power struggle.

But for the Americans, he is a prized catch. Ever since he assumed control of the Taliban movement in Wana, he has focused on the war in Afghanistan, training and sending fighters to engage Western troops there, particularly in the south east.

In 2009-10, he facilitated the deployment of a large number of the so-called "Punjabi" Taliban of Pakistani origin inside Afghan territory, apparently to beef up the Taliban's strike ability in the wake of the looming drawdown of Western troops.

Officials also said four militants were killed in a separate attack in North Waziristan, but their identities are not known.

Presidential approval?

Local residents were quoted as saying that they heard on mosque loudspeakers announcements that Mullah Nazir was dead. Funeral prayers were said for him later on Thursday.

Mullah Nazir's group is one of several militant factions operating in Pakistan's restive north-west - in recent years there have been divisions among these groups.

Analysts say Mullah Nazir had formed an alliance with the government and opposed the Pakistani Taliban, with whom he was at odds because he favoured attacking US forces in Afghanistan rather than Pakistani soldiers.

After November's attack on him, his faction told a rival group led by Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud, to leave the Wana area.

Reports say he was also seen as an enemy of militants from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), and praised by Pakistan for expelling Uzbek and other foreign fighters from Pakistan in 2007.

His death could be a contentious issue between Washington and Islamabad, they add, because the Pakistani military views commanders like him as key to keeping the peace internally.

Continue reading the main story

Militants killed by drones in Pakistan

• January 2013: Senior Pakistani militant leader Mullah Nazir
• June 2012: Senior al-Qaeda leader Abu Yahya al-Libi
• February 2012: Al-Qaeda commander Badar Mansoor
• August 2011: Al-Qaeda commander Atiyah Abd al-Rahman
• June 2011: Senior al-Qaeda figure Ilyas Kashmiri
• August 2009: Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud

However, the Americans will point to the killing as a vindication of their controversial drone programme, says the BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Islamabad.

For years, he was a key figure involved in supplying fighters and support to the Afghan insurgency, our correspondent says.

Drone strikes have increased in frequency since US President Barack Obama took office in 2009. Hundreds of people have been killed, stoking public anger in Pakistan.

The dead include senior al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders, as well as an unknown number of other militants and civilians.

The US does not normally comment on individual drone operations, but last year it emerged in the New York Times that the US president personally approved or vetoed each drone strike.

Islamabad has called for an end to the attacks saying they violate the country's sovereignty, but analysts say Pakistan has privately sanctioned such actions in the past.

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British tourist killed in Thailand

1 January 2013 Last updated at 19:58 ET

A British tourist has been killed in Thailand on New Year's Eve.

Stephen Ashton was reportedly caught by a stray bullet during a fight between two groups at a bar on Koh Phangan.

According to the Bangkok Post, the 22-year-old was shot in the upper body in the early hours and taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The Foreign Office said it was aware of the death of a British national in Thailand, and was providing consular assistance to the family.

It later confirmed the dead man's name.

Police investigating the incident later arrested a Thai man, according to the Post.

Mr Ashton's neighbour, Dawn Mason, described him as a "normal, likeable young man".

She said his family had moved to Purley, south London, about three years ago and had always been "very nice neighbours".

Mr Ashton's family said they were too distraught to speak to reporters.

A former colleague, Michael Jarman, described the junior stockbroker as energetic, happy and full of life.

"He was a breath of fresh air," he said.

"It's a massive loss, not only for his friends and his family of course, but any job prospects that he may have taken up with us."

Koh Phangan is a resort island neighbouring Koh Samui and it draws thousands of backpackers to its famous full moon parties.

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Digital sales break £1bn barrier

1 January 2013 Last updated at 21:08 ET

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There has been a sharp growth in film and music downloads

More than £1bn was spent on downloaded films, music and games in 2012, the highest annual total.

Sales increased 11.4% from 2011, meaning that a quarter of the entertainment market is now digital.

But figures released later by entertainment retailers will also show a big drop in physical sales - more bad news for high street shops.

Sales of CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray and video games fell by 17.6% in 2011 although they still make up most of the market.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

The entertainment industry has been struggling to adapt to the digital age"

End Quote Rory Cellan-Jones BBC technology correspondent

Kim Bayley, director general of the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), which will release the figures, said that breaking the £1bn barrier was an "incredible achievement" for retailers.

"This reflects their huge investment in new and innovative services - which means you can buy music, video and games literally at any time of the day and wherever you are.

"At the same time I suspect that many people will be surprised to learn just how resilient the physical business still is - with three-quarters of entertainment sales still on disc.

"Downloads offer convenience and portability, but people still seem to value the quality and tangibility of a physical product."

More than half of the digital sales went on video games, which grew 8% to £552m.

Continue reading the main story

Digital sales, 2012

• Music £383m (up 15.1% on 2011)
• Films/video £98m (20.3%)
• Video games £552m (7.7%)
• Total: £1,033m (11.4%)

Films and music had a smaller share of the digital market but sharper growth - downloaded films up by 20% and music by 15%.

BBC technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones said: "The entertainment industry has been struggling to adapt to the digital age.

"And while consumers are now paying for downloads, that's not making up for the rapid fall in high street sales."

Sales of video games in shops were particularly badly hit, with retailers blaming a lack of compelling new titles, he added.

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Booze calories 'too often ignored'

1 January 2013 Last updated at 21:11 ET

People watching their weight should pay closer attention to how much alcohol they drink since it is second only to fat in terms of calorie content, say experts.

According to the World Cancer Research Fund, alcohol makes up nearly 10% of total calorie intake among drinkers.

Having a large glass of wine will cost you the same 178 calories as eating two chocolate digestive biscuits.

And it will take you more than a half hour's brisk walk to burn off.

Empty calories

Eating or drinking too many calories on a regular basis can lead to weight gain.

Continue reading the main story

Recent reports have shown that people are unaware of calories in drinks and don't include them when calculating their daily consumption"

End Quote Kate Mendoza World Cancer Research Fund

But unlike food, alcoholic drinks have very little or no nutritional value.

The 'empty calories' in drinks are often forgotten or ignored by dieters, says the WCRF.

Kate Mendoza, head of health information at WCRF, said: "Recent reports have shown that people are unaware of calories in drinks and don't include them when calculating their daily consumption."

Containing 7kcal/g, alcohol is only slightly less calorific than fat, which contains 9kcal/g.

Protein and carbohydrates contain 4kcal/g and fibre 2kcal/g.

Men need around 2,500 calories a day, and women around 2,000.

"Cutting down on drinking can have a big effect on weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight," said Ms Mendoza.

It can also reduce your risk of cancer, she said.

Alcohol has been linked with breast, bowel, mouth and liver cancer.

If you don't want to abstain entirely, there are ways that can help you cut down, including opting for smaller glass sizes, diluting alcohol with soda water or a low-calorie soft drink, alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and keeping a few nights each week booze-free.

WCRF has produced an Alcohol Calorie Calculator for different drinks that shows approximately how much exercise you would need to do to burn off the alcohol calories you consume.

Government guidelines recommend men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units of alcohol a day, and women should limit themselves to 2-3 units a day.

A standard 175ml glass of wine contains about two units and a large 250ml glass contains about three units.

If you have had a heavy drinking session, you should avoid alcohol for at least 48 hours, experts advise.

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