Minder star George Cole dies at 90 - after asking director to hurry up because he wanted to make one more film before he died

Minder’s George Cole dies aged 90

Acclaimed actor George Cole (pictured above) who starred as the loveable rogue Arthur Daley in the hit ITV series Minder (pictured above, left in character) and had a career spanning more than 70 years, has died aged 90. He passed away at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, Berkshire, with his wife, Penny, and son, Toby, at his bedside following a short illness. Despite his ill-health, Mr Cole had hoped to star in one more movie and had urged the projects director to 'get a move on.'

BREAKING NEWS: Apprentice star Stuart Baggs died as a result of his asthma after suffering from the condition for many years

Apprentice star Stuart Baggs died as a result of his asthma

Apprentice star Stuart Baggs (left) died as a result of his asthma after suffering from the condition for many years, police revealed today. Mr Baggs, who was known for his nickname 'The Brand', was the BBC show's youngest ever contestant when he appeared on the sixth series in 2010 aged just 21. He was found dead by police last Thursday just days after his 27th birthday when they were called to his flat in a seaside apartment block in Douglas on the Isle of Man (bottom right).

Sports star wins an injunction gagging revelations about him cheating on his wife-to-be with a female celebrity

The 'prominent' sportsman, who has appeared in adverts and held positions of responsibility in his sport, got a High Court injunction banning him and his lover being named (picture posed by model).

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'It was weed heaven': Girl boasts she spent Kids Company handouts on DRUGS as founder claims charity handed £37million taxpayers' cash needed MORE money 

Girl boasts she spent Kids Company handouts on drugs

The charity, whose headquarters are in south London, closed yesterday amid allegations of financial mismanagement and a row over funding. One of the youngsters helped by the organisation has now told how she and her friends would splash the spending money they were given on cannabis. Ms Batmanghelidjh was played a recording of the girl's claims this morning and said only that the full circumstances of the girl's situation were not known.

'I've been targeted for speaking out about child sex abuse by powerful people', claims Kids Company founder as it emerges that philanthropist pulled the plug on £3m donation after finding out about police probe 

Charity founder Camila Batmanghelidjh, pictured today, claimed today there has been a campaign against those attempting to expose child sex abuse by powerful people.

Police are now investigating links between Ted Heath, Jimmy Savile and paedophile ice cream mogul known as 'King Cornet' 

The former Prime Minister is known to have spent time with Savile and his friend Peter Jaconelli, pictured together, who between them abused dozens of children in Scarborough.

Five terror plots foiled in the last year as police reveal that they are arresting suspects EVERY day

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - AUGUST 6:  Met Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe seen leaving the LBC Radio Studios on August 6, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Huckle/GC Images)

Scotland Yard chief Sir Bernard-Hogan Howe warned of growing numbers travelling to Syria, adding it was 'impossible to understand' why people tried to take children to join ISIS.

Has name of Bake Off winner ALREADY been leaked? Bookies stop betting after suspicious flurry of wagers contestant to evens favourite

Ladbrokes said 90 per cent of bets were placed on one contestant, whose odds started at 12/1, with most placed in Ipswich, Suffolk, though the person is not know to have any links to the town.

Who needs a book deal? Former businesswoman became one of Britain's bestselling authors with novel she published herself on Kindle store 

Psychological thriller publisher Rachel Abbott is the country's most popular independent writer. The former businesswoman comes in at number 14 in the overall list of top authors.

It's not just McDonald's! Now KFC, Taco Bell and Nando's reveal secret menus (including a Zinger Stacker and the Incredible Hulk)

KFC, Taco Bell and Nando's reveal secret menus

First came the McDonald's secret menu - a hybrid of burgers created bespoke for those in the know, including the McGangBang and the Monster Mac. Now other fast-food chains have followed suit, with KFC, Nando's and Taco Bell all revealing that they too have off-the-menu concoctions customers can order. Pictured clockwise from top left: KFC's Zinger Stacker, Nando's Peri-tamer, Taco Bell's The Incredible Hulk, KFC's The Ultimate Zinger, Taco Bell's Cheesy Gordita Taco, Five Guys' Patty Melt.

Banker stole £19,000 from elderly customers' accounts to fund her boyfriend's £1,000-a-week gambling habit in 'desperate' bid to save their relationship

Samantha Such, pictured, appeared at Birmingham Crown Court and admitted three charges of theft and one charge of fraud by abuse of position of trust. The 24-year-old was jailed for nine months.

Teenage thug, 15, banned from going into his local town centre unless he's with his mother

Frankie O'Dwyer, 15, from Swindon has been accused of 33 allegations of anti-social behaviour since November. He was given Interim Anti-Social Behaviour Injunction on Tuesday.

Too fat for the school run: 26-stone mother who doesn't take her children to lessons because of other parents' taunts insists she's the victim and refuses to slim down

Sarah Rout, 29, said she faced 'fat-shaming' on a daily basis when picking up her seven-year-old son from school in Holbeach, Lincs - but that she needs to stay big so she can still be a plus-sized model.

Moment a suspected cat thief is caught on camera in a suburban back garden trying to lure pets with food before picking them up to walk off 

Residents of Sutton in south London have complained that dozens of cats have gone missing in the past month and believe this could be the culprit.

I'm the public's choice to lead Labour, says Burnham as he promises to scrap tuition fees and nationalise the railways

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The shadow health secretary's manifesto includes details of a poll which shows 36 per cent of voters think he would do most to improve the party's chances - well ahead of rival Jeremy Corbyn.

It's a hay fail! Bales of straw smash into cars after falling off the back of a tractor's trailer

Bales of straw smash into cars after falling off a tractor's trailer in Tenterden, Kent

The trundling bales (main picture) completely flattened a lamppost and damaged at least three cars (pictured inset) after falling from the vehicle as it was towed through Tenterden High Street in Kent. The dramatic incident, which left hay strewn across the village, unfolded when the load clipped the lamppost, causing the bales to shift and fall off the trailer. It then completely crushed the back of one vehicle, before colliding with two others. Describing the incident, which took place last night, local resident Leni White said: 'Our very own Operation Haystack.' Ian McCormick, who was visiting the town at the time, said: 'I hope the tractor driver has good insurance but I suspect he'll be back on the hand plough after this.'

Made In Chelsea star reveals he has beaten cancer just five weeks after telling the world he had leukaemia in emotional blog 

Fabian Bolin 28, who is also known for his role in web sci-fi show Kosmos, was diagnosed with leukaemia, cancer of the blood, on July 1 and admitted: 'There is a risk that I will not survive.'

House prices to keep rising as lack of homes for sale hits, says Halifax, but property values dip in July

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The average home still costs almost £13,000 more than a year ago, at £198,833, with prices up 7.9 per cent annually, according to Halifax.

Prostitution should be made legal because men need sex twice as much as women, says leading Thatcherite think tank

The report, called Supply and Desire: Sexuality and the Sex Industry in the 21st Century, was conducted by sociologist Dr Catherine Hakim and states that prostitution could 'help to reduce sexual crime rates'.

Fears for mother who went missing with her 23-month-old son after picking up from his grandmother's house

Jessica Simpson, 30, disappeared on Friday with her 23-month-old son, Alfie, after picking him up from his grandmother's home in Bloxham, West Midlands, where he lives.

That's a very long distance call: Radio ham contacts International Space Station from his GARDEN SHED after waiting weeks for it to pass directly overhead 

Father-of-two Adrian Lane, of Coleford, Gloucestershire, chatted to an American astronaut for around 50 seconds - asking him what space was like - before the ISS went out of range.

I would do a deal with the SNP to get Labour into power, says left-wing leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn

Party leadership frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn revealed he would back a 'supply arrangement' with the Scottish Nationalists if Labour could form a minority government.

The heart shredding betrayal when your husband sleeps with the nanny: One couple's devastating story - told by both sides

The heart shredding betrayal when your husband sleeps with the nanny

Many women joke about their husbands running off with a nanny or au pair - but for some it becomes a heart-breaking reality. Abigail Shepherd, 38, (right) a project co-ordinator and mother-of-two from Farnham, Surrey, reveals how her husband Ben (left, and together on their wedding day, centre) betrayed her and left her for Anna, their live-in nanny of 15 months. Incredibly she didn't even sack her and throw her out - for the good of her children. She said: 'Ben had left me for another woman. And not just any woman our nanny, who was 23. Worse still, I knew he was, at that moment, ensconced with her in her room just across the landing'. Ben believes his feelings for Anna are anything but frivolous and said: 'I don't feel guilty because I didn't go out looking for love. And it certainly hasn't been easy. I've worried about absolutely everything and the impact it will have - not just on the children, but also Abi and Anna. The person I was least worried about was me'. The situation echoes the scandal surrounding actors Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, after claims were made that Affleck has become romantically involved with their children's 28-year-old nanny Christine Ouzonian just weeks after their split.

From 'electrifying' Cumberbatch to 'Shakespeare for kids': What the critics said about Benedict's Hamlet debut

The Daily Mail's Jan Moir gave the production five stars and said the 39-year-old Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch was 'electrifying' in his 'Hamlet in a hoodie'.

The weather is a wipe-out! Crowds brave pouring rain to attend annual Boardmasters surfing event at Newquay beach (but those in the water don't seem to mind too much) 

Thousands of people are expected to descend on Newquay in Cornwall over the next five days for a surf and music festival which brings millions of pounds into the local economy.

The best places to live in the UK: Harrogate residents are the happiest with their lot for third year in a row - but East Londoners are the most miserable

Bettys Cafe and Tea Rooms, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
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The report by website Rightmove, which asked people how they feel about where they live, put provincial towns in each of the top five slots, with Shrewsbury coming in second place.

Fat toddlers will be sent to weekly weight loss class: Children will be fed fruit and raw vegetables while parents are taught about limiting portion sizes 

GPs and health visitors are being urged to send obese youngsters to the sessions as soon as they can walk, typically from 18 months, where they will be given raw fruit and vegetables (file photo).

Texting and Facebook spell the end for birthday cards: Fewer than half of 35 to 54-year-olds say they now send a greeting

File photo dated 21/05/09 of a close-up view of customers browsing in a Clinton Cards store. The company has said it expects its largest supplier to take steps to place the company and its subsidiaries into administration.  PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Wednesday May 9, 2012. See PA story CITY Clinton. Photo credit should read: Newscast/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

New figures from Ofcom show that fewer Britons are sending greetings cards, with less than half of 35 to 54-year-olds interviewed sending a card, postcard or invitation in the last month.

Exposed: Jack Straw's bid for public cash to hush up his role in Jeremy Thorpe scandal

The former Foreign Secretary wanted the Government to fund a legal action against journalists who exposed his role in the Jeremy Thorpe sex scandal.

ANNE McELVOY: Corbyn's crazy, but Blair's heirs are a bunch of cowards

Swathes of moderate Labour are aghast at the 1980s throw-back. But this is not Mr Corbyn's fault. He has exploited a vacuum left by the failure of Ed Miliband, writes ANNE McELVOY.

Hillary's embarrassing private emails revealed: British Prime Minister David Cameron was described as 'unsure, inexperienced and oblique' on the world stage

Prime Minister David Cameron talks with Hillary Clinton during a conference in London

A series of emails sent by Sidney Blumenthal, an adviser in Bill Clinton's White House, painted a bleak assessment of Mr Cameron's positioning on the world stage before he became Prime Minister.

Washed up wing part IS from missing Flight MH370: 515 days after it vanished, Malaysian PM says we can finally be sure jet crashed into sea - but we are still no nearer knowing WHY?

Reunion Island wreckage IS from MH370, Malaysia Prime Minister confirms

Najib Razak, left, has confirmed that the wing fragment, main, found last week is from the Malaysian Airlines plane, inset, that went missing last March, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The admission comes after experts at a facility in Toulouse, France today examined the washed-up part, which was found on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. The Malaysian Prime Minister said: 'It is with a very heavy heart that I must tell you that an international team of experts has conclusively confirmed that the aircraft debris found on Reunion Island is indeed from MH370.' The confirmation is now the first sign of the aircraft since it went off radar across the Indian Ocean in March 2014 with 239 passengers on board.

Students flocking back to 'tougher' science and maths: Exam regulator says number taking 'Mickey Mouse subjects are down by half after Government drive 

Exams regulator Ofqual said more teenagers are taking biology, chemistry, physics and computer science at both A-level and GCSE, with a higher proportion also taking further maths.

Why shopping at Aldi may only save you £5 a month: Meagre savings because middle-class still only do part of the shopping at budget retailers 

Experts say the meagre savings were because shoppers were still only doing part of their shopping at the budget retailers, choosing to buy the bulk of their groceries at traditional chains.

Happy meal? McDonald's to start trialling table service that allows customers to order on tablet computers or at digital kiosks as chain battles gourmet burger bars 

The trial will begin at a branch in Mottram, Greater Manchester, before the company decides whether to take it nationwide. The chain is tackling competition from upmarket burger restaurants.

British anarchists are inciting Calais unrest, say French: Police union chief claims storming of tunnel was partly planned by left-wingers 

A French police chief said officers in Calais believe members of British activist group No Borders are among those 'manipulating' migrants into using more aggressive tactics.

Now migrants target ferries to the UK: Hundreds cause mile-long traffic jam before riot police surround Jungle and block access to the terminal 

The attempts were a clear change of tactic for the migrants, who in recent weeks had focused their efforts to reach Britain on the Channel Tunnel terminal in Calais.

Mothballed airport to be used as a lorry park for Operation Stack in move to try and ease M20 chaos as Calais crisis continues 

The former Royal Air Force base at Manston is set to be used as a lorry park in a bid to ease queuing on the M20 motorway in Kent caused by Operation Stack, due to the chaos in Calais.

The best places to live in the UK: Harrogate residents are the happiest with their lot for third year in a row - but East Londoners are the most miserable

Bettys Cafe and Tea Rooms, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
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The report by website Rightmove, which asked people how they feel about where they live, put provincial towns in each of the top five slots, with Shrewsbury coming in second place.

Smart-phone surge blamed as vain Britons take £1.2bn selfies: Three out of ten adults admit taking photo of own face in the past year

Pretty girl making selfie --- Image by © pinkypills/Corbis

According to a major new report by Ofcom, three out of ten UK adults admit to having taken at least one picture of themselves in 2014, while one in ten people snap themselves at least once a week.

'Don't charge 5p for green bags': Two thirds of shoppers think biodegradable and recyclable carriers should be exempt from levy set to be introduced in the autumn 

Ministers are bringing in a 5p charge for plastic bags from October to cut their use. However, a YouGov survey has revealed a consumer backlash against the charge.

Cameron wants peerage for banker who gave the Tories £2.5m... and offered week on his island for party's auction 

David Cameron wants House of Lords peerage for banker who gave Tories £2.5m

James Lupton, who has donated £2.5million to the Conservatives, is in line for a peerage in the controversial dissolution honours list. The investment banker (left, being made a CBE in 2012) reportedly hosted a table at the Tories' infamous Black and White fundraising ball in February, donating a week-long trip for 24 people to his £56million La Fortaleza estate on the Bay of Pollenca in Majorca (pictured right). The dissolution honours are mired in controversy over expectations that a 'big handful' of donors will be rewarded, and a backlash over initial plans for 100 new Tory peers.

Hedge funds 'pocketed £10million' after Treasury's RBS plans were leaked: Row erupts after firms gambled on share price 

Chancellor George Osborne (pictured) is already under fire for short-changing taxpayers after selling a 5.4 per cent stake in the High Street giant at a loss of £1.1 billion.

Now US denies sick Briton in Guantanamo a medical test: Officials claim it would be 'too difficult' for independent doctors to assess him

The development, which campaigners described last night as 'outrageous', is another painful blow to Mr Aamer's (pictured) family in London and dampens hopes he could soon be released.

It's class war! Billionaire opens fire at RSPB's bid to protect birds of prey with crackdown on grouse moors

Old Harrovian hedge fund manager and shooting enthusiast Crispin Odey (pictured) accused the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) of waging a 'class war'.

Clarifications and corrections 

At the Mail on Sunday we take great pride in the quality of our journalism. We aim to correct any errors as promptly as possible.

Long in the face? No, horses share facial expressions with humans and are more animated than chimps and dogs

Horses share facial expressions with humans and more animated than chimps and dogs

University of Sussex researchers used an Equine Facial Action Coding System to identify different individual facial expressions on the basis of underlying muscle movement (muscles are shown top right). They analysed video footage (stills are shown left and bottom right) of a wide range of naturally occurring horse behaviours to identify all the different movements it is possible for horses to make with their face.

How having first baby makes 2 in 3 parents unhappy with effect comparable to divorce or death of a partner 

Two-thirds of parents suffer unhappiness when their first baby arrives - with the greatest effect on well-educated and older mothers and fathers, a study shows.

Rise of patients in 40s suffering from dementia: Researchers warn of 'silent epidemic' of early onset of the disease  

Researchers from Bournemouth University have warned that dementia is often striking those considered young adding they believe pollution from cars and aeroplanes is to blame.

Heart risk for slow thinkers: Over-75s with the poorest mental agility found to be 85% more likely to suffer an attack than those in the highest group 

People with poor thinking skills may be at higher risk of heart attack or stroke, a study has shown. Scientists monitored almost 4,000 individuals with an average age of 75 for three years.

Fix split ends... with prawns: Shells of the crustaceans contain substance that can replace man-made chemicals in shower gels and shampoo

Scientists have found using prawn shells in shampoo could keep hair moisturised and reduce split ends.The team of researchers discovered a polymer called chitosan.

40 years on Rod and The Faces are rocking again: Stewart, Ronnie Wood and Kenney Jones announce plans for a one-off gig this year

The band will play a 'short set' for Prostate Cancer UK at the Rock 'n' Horsepower charity event at Hurtwood Park Polo Club in Ewhurst, Surrey, on Saturday September 5th.

'Sgt. Pepper's is a load of s***!': Rolling Stones rocker Keith Richards slams The Beatles' iconic album in new interview

The 71-year-old has just finished touring the states with his band and despite having outlasted The Beatles it seems that some of The Rolling Stones are still carrying a grudge.

Mousse meltdown: Yes folks, Bake Off's back and soggy bottoms are the least of the new contestants' worries - JAN MOIR on the joyous return for the hit TV show

As the Great British Bake Off returned to TV screens, there was drama in the tent as Dorret's Black Forest gateau collapsed into puddles of cocoa goo right in front of host Sue Perkins

The dogs (and kittens!) of war: Ukrainian soldiers post photographs of their pets online after they were allowed to take them to the front line to combat heavy boozing among troops 

Ukrainian soldiers post photographs of their pets on front line online

Ukrainian soldiers have given a rare insight into life on the frontline by surprisingly posting pictures of their beloved pet dogs and kittens. Dressed in his camouflage military uniform, one Ukrainian soldier stares into the camera looking tired and battle hardened. Instead of holding his heavy rifle, in his hands lies a small, fluffy white kitten with a slight brown smudge on the top of its head.

Books by British historians that focus on Red Army atrocities are stripped from Russian libraries after officials say they promote 'Nazi-era stereotypes' 

Russian officials have ordered to inspect and remove books by well-known British historians John Keegan and Antony Beevor from libraries, saying they promote Nazi-era stereotypes.

Father travels 3,000 miles from Finland to Africa on a JETSKI after his son asked him if it was possible 

When your son asks you if it is possible to jetski from Finland to Africa, most fathers would laugh it off with a smile or dismiss the suggestion as an unrealistic dream. Risto Piispa tried it for himself.

As many as 600 people feared to have drowned after boat carrying 700 migrants across the Mediterranean capsizes 

The fishing boat overturned 25 miles of the Libyan coast just before midday on Wednesday, with initial reports suggesting there were at least 150 people in the sea.

Horrifying giant swarm containing MILLIONS of locusts sparks state of emergency in southern Russia as crops are decimated 

The swarm - which includes insects 'the size of small sparrows' - have eaten their way through vast swathes of the corn fields in the Stavropol region of Russia.

WORLD NEWS

       

Held down by three jihadis and beheaded: Shocking new video shows depraved Boko Haram decapitate a POLICEMAN in Nigeria

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT - The footage released by Boko Haram shows sieges on the barracks in the states of Borno and Yobe, as well as the murder of a man in uniform.

Wish you were here...? ISIS release bizarre jihad holiday brochure for cheap package deals to Islamic State promoting swimming, farmers' markets and BEEKEEPING

The travel guide includes shots of jihadis enjoying a swim in an Olympic-sized pool in Mosul, Iraq, and others of tranquil scenes including a sheep farmers' market and a jihadi beekeeper at work.

STEPHEN GLOVER: Has sulking Boris the cojones to lead the fight to quit the EU - and rescue his flagging career? 

There could be a glittering future for Boris Johnson if only he has the courage and determination to lead the 'No' campaign in the forthcoming EU referendum, writes STEPHEN GLOVER.

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Broken promises that shame Barack Obama's presidency

In the latest act of inhumanity to take place at Guantanamo Bay, the Londoner Shaker Aamer (pictured) has been refused a medical exam to see if he is suffering from psychiatric problems.