Devastation of Desmond: Army called in as floods wreak havoc across Cumbria and Scotland with 1,000 homeless, 60,000 properties without power and 186 flood warnings in force 

Storm Desmond sees British Army called in as floods wreak havoc across Cumbria and

David Cameron said Army officers had been mobilised to help those affected by the flooding, as water levels continued to rise today. Military personnel had to be brought in to help deal with severe weather in Carlisle as elderly people, children and pets were pulled from their homes. One elderly woman was carried from her flooded home in the city by an officer (bottom left), as a man climbed down ladders from the first floor of his property this morning with help from the Mountain Rescue (bottom right). Cars and houses were submerged in a street in Carlisle (top) as Storm Desmond brought severe disruption to areas of northern England. More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from houses in Cumbria and the Scottish borders and the Environment Agency has issued 186 flood warnings across Britain.

Shocking video shows police firing taser to take down Tube terrorist: Knifeman yelled 'This is for Syria... blood will be spilled' before 'slashing man's throat' and stabbing two others

Leytonstone stabbing video shows moment police fired taser at Tube terrorist

Dramatic footage has emerged of the moment a knife-wielding attacker was Tasered by police (pictured left, centre, and top and bottom right) after slashing two people in a terrorist attack at a London tube station (inset). The 29-year-old man terrorised passengers at the Leytonstone Underground station last night before a tense standoff with police which was filmed by onlookers. In the footage, a bystander can be heard shouting 'you ain't no Muslim bruv' at the attacker - a defiant rallying cry which has now begun trending on social media.

'You ain't no Muslim bruv': Man's defiant reaction to Tube terrorist as others threw bottles and yelled 'put the knife down, fool'

A defiant East Londoner has been filmed condemning the knifeman who carried out a knife attack 'for Syria' at Leytonstone underground station, dismissing the killer as not being a true Muslim.

British airstrikes in Syria are 'illegal and will fail', says Assad as he mocks Cameron's claim of 70,000 moderate fighters

Syrian President Bashar Assad during a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran, Iran. Speaking in an interview with Russian media on 15 September, 2015, 
Bashar Assad said the refugee crisis now hitting Europe is a direct result of the West's support of "terrorists" in Syria. The Russian president has said it is impossible to defeat the Islamic State group without cooperating with Damascus, and in recent days has sent about a half-dozen battle tanks and other weaponry to Syria. 



FILE - This Aug. 19, 2009 file photo shows
(AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)

The row came as Defence Secretary Michael Fallon urged the public to be prepared for 'setbacks' in the long military campaign against ISIS in Syria, warning: 'War is a messy business.'

Round two: Dramatic cockpit footage shows UK warplanes blitzing ISIS oil fields in Syria as Typhoons and Reaper drones launch a SECOND wave of attacks 

The dramatic footage of the airstrike was recorded as British Typhoons and Reaper drones launched a second round of attacks, in the mission to destroy the brutal jihadi group ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

ISIS army of scientists set to wage chemical and biological war on West: Experts warn weapons of mass destruction 'have been carried undetected' into European Union

ISIS has recruited experts with chemistry, physics and computer science degrees to wage war with weapons of mass destruction against the West, a shocking European Parliament report has claimed.

Elephants, beast masks and bare-breasted guests: Inside Australia tobacco tycoon The Candyman's outrageous £250,000 party where clothing was definitely optional

Travers Beynon's $500,000 Gold Coast mansion party revealed

Daily Mail Australia attended Travers Beynon, aka The Candyman's, out of control party on the Gold Coast, compete with an elephant, fireworks and a shoot out with 'police'. Mr Beynon (left) made a grand entrance to his party by flying is on a zip-line, while other performers - including a fire-eater (bottom right) - put on a show for the guests. Partygoers danced (top right) until the early hours, many in revealing outfits.

The man who's fathered 54 babies in just two years: Britain's most prolific sperm donor also has eight children of his own

Declan Rooney (pictured), 43, from Middlesbrough, boasts a 50 per cent first-time success rate and says he has even helped couples who have been unable to conceive through IVF.

Yorkshire Ripper may face more murder charges as it emerges he told his father he was declared sane 15 years ago

A fresh police review is investigating whether a string of unsolved crimes can be attributed to Peter Sutcliffe, 69, who was handed 20 life sentences and convicted of killing 13 women in 1981.

'We watched Marley and Me and he was crying his eyes out': Mrs Tyson Fury says her boxing champion husband just a big softie

Paris Fury, 26, said her World Heavyweight Champion husband Tyson is actually a big softie who helps out with housework at their Lancashire home and likes to watch the Disney Channel.

Lady C goes wild! Shameless. Rude. Howlingly funny - and touchingly frank about the nightmarish twist of fate that saw her brought up as a boy... buckle up for a joyously non-PC romp with a true Jungle Queen

I'm A Celebrity's Lady C is shameless, rude and howlingly funny

EXCLUSIVE: Georgie Campbell, as she is known, left the jungle on Wednesday amid rumours that a tumble in the jungle had hurt her back and shoulder. Now it seems her injuries were emotional, not just physical. There are claims of cruelty and neglect which have led to threats of legal action against the programme makers.

Jeremy Corbyn did NOT pass out from stress, say aides as they claim opponents are running smear campaign to oust him

Such is the scale of Labour's bitter civil war that Shadow Cabinet members also now fear a 'revenge reshuffle' which would see opponents of Jeremy Corbyn replaced by more left-wingers.

New schools and homes in Britain must have windows that won't open because fresh air is so polluted 

Developments across the UK are going to be refused unless they include non-opening windows to keep out air and noise pollution. Projects include a primary school in Croydon and 300 student flats in York.

Schools can win £30,000 grants if they hire gay and transgender teachers under 'profoundly misguided' scheme

The Leadership Equality and Diversity Fund, which helps provide training for minority staff, including gay, transgender, black, or women teachers, has been slammed by critics as 'absolute nonsense'.

Britain's best pub walks revealed: The stunning watering holes where you can enjoy the scenery (as well as a pint)

Whether it be tucked behind a snow-covered Scottish mountain or marking the entrance to a quaint Cotswolds village - these pub walks are nothing short of magical.

Heathrow decision could be delayed for take-off AGAIN as Cameron faces threat of resignations over third runway

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks at a press conference after attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in a hotel in Valletta, Malta November 28, 2015. REUTERS/Andrew Winning - RTX1W7X4

Senior Tories including Boris Johnson, Justine Greening and London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith have vowed to fight any expansion at Heathrow, paving the way for another delay.

Foreign visitors will be charged for A&E; emergency care and visiting a GP to claw back £500million from 'health tourism'

A patient is taken from an ambulance outside the Accident and Emergency ward at St Thomas' Hospital in London, England. 
Figures released suggest that the NHS in England has missed its four-hour A&E waiting time target with performance dropping to its lowest level for a decade.  (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Health Secretary Jeremy said the crackdown would make sure those who do not pay for NHS care through their taxes make a 'fair contribution' to services, including emergency care.

French far right National Front poised for massive gains in regional elections in wake of terror attacks and migrant crisis - giving leader Marine Le Pen a springboard for 2017 presidential bid

France's National Front to make massive gains in regional election polls

Opinion polls show that France's controversial far-right party National Front could make huge gains in today's regional elections, putting leader Marine Le Pen (left) in an ideal position for a presidential bid next year. The party has exploited voters' fear following the Paris attacks and the European migrant crisis to gain popularity among voters. Ms Le Pen is expected to take victory in the Pas de Calais, where up to 5,000 UK-bound migrants and refugees are currently sleeping rough. Her 25-year-old niece Marion Marechal-Le Pen (right) looks set to win in the Provence and Cote d'Azur region. President Francois Hollande's (inset) ruling Socialists party, meanwhile, was on some 22 per cent of the vote.

'You need to learn some manners': Will Young branded 'disgraceful' as he's blasted on social media after flipping the V-sign at a caller on Saturday Kitchen

A caller on Saturday Kitchen was left feeling the wrath of the former Pop Idol star after he chose to put him through 'Food Hell' on the live TV show this weekend.

Let women put careers on menopause: England's chief medical officers say female workers should get time off to deal with the symptoms 

Women going through the menopause should be given time off work to deal with their symptoms and be provided with cooler workplaces, says the Government's health tsar.

Saved from surgery that risks infertility... by a daily tablet: One-a-day pill to ease the fear of hysterectomy for thousands of young women 

The new development in the treatment of fibroids - painful, non-cancerous blood-filled lumps that grow in or around the uterus - could save thousands of women from ever needing surgery.

Having a disabled son has changed our lives, reveal hard-drinking Gogglebox stars Steph and Dom 

Gogglebox's Steph and Dom say 'having a disabled son has changed our lives'

Hard-drinking Gogglebox couple Stephanie and Dominic Parker have revealed a more serious side to their life by speaking about their disabled son.

Jude Law's ex Rachel Bourlier, 43, reveals he wooed her by jumping in front of her car on school run - then broke her heart when he moved on to new love, 29

Jude Law's ex Rachel Bourlier reveals the actor broke her heart

Jude Law's former lover Rachel Bourlier (right) reveals that the actor wooed her by jumping out in front of her car on the school run - but broke her heart following a year long romance. The 43-year-old single mother told the Mirror that the star, also 43, chatted her up through her car window and took her number, but she was devastated when he moved on to psychologist Phillipa Coan (with Law today, left). The French beauty said: 'I fell deeply in love with him. There was a big intensity between us. It was as though we were in another world together. I was sure he was a wonderful man.

Schools should scrap daily Christian assemblies, says ex-High Court judge

Daily acts of Christian themed worship currently legally required at UK schools should be scrapped according to a government commission looking at the role of faith in British public life.

LIZ JONES: It's Christmas! So get your horrible kids off my cards

LIZ JONES asks why do I want to see photos of your irritable infants or, worse, tyrannical teenagers - young people I have never met, nor would ever want to. I don't know their names.

Princess Beatrice jets off to the Caribbean with boyfriend Dave for her EIGHTEENTH holiday of the year 

The 27-year-old and boyfriend Dave Clark are jetting off to the Caribbean island of St Barts to spend New Year's Eve with Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich at his £59 million home.

'It was like The Hangover': WAG reveals wild night out in Las Vegas pole dancing in front of Coleen Rooney, knocking back vodka and being carted out in a wheelchair

WAG Leanne Brown, 39, who is wed to Sunderland player Wes Brown, has spilled details of a vodka-fuelled night in Vegas with Coleen Rooney. Leanne pole-danced in a casino and fell off the podium.

Simon Cowell feared burglar was going to snatch baby Eric in £500,000 jewellery raid which was foiled by security officer 'while bodyguard was in the toilet'

Simon Cowell feared burglar was going to snatch baby Eric in £500k jewellery raid

The music mogul (left) was at his £10 million West London house with his girlfriend Lauren Silverman and their baby son Eric (right) when the burglar raided a safe at about 2.20am on Friday. A bodyguard who was at the property (inset) at the time has now had his employment terminated. However, last night Cowell hailed another guard who nearly apprehended the thief as a 'hero' - and said he would soon be receiving a Christmas bonus. The couple are pictured leaving The X Factor studios with Eric yesterday.

Hero security officer is in line for a Christmas bonus from Simon Cowell after grabbing £500,000 of jewellery from burglar who raided TV mogul's £10million home

cowell

M'Bathonha Mendes approached the 'suspicious' character holding a rucksack near Cowell's mansion (pictured) in West London's exclusive Holland Park and chased him down the street.

First e-cigarettes to be prescribed on the NHS in the New Year but ministers 'wanted to keep it quiet in case GPs are overrun' 

Doctors will soon be able to hand out the device to smokers who want to quit, a move that will reportedly cost the NHS in the region of £20 per kit and £10 a week for each patient's cartridges.

'I thought she was embarrassed of me. I was fast becoming an old Louis Vuitton handbag': Natalia Vodianova's British ex-husband, 46, lifts the lid on his troubled relationship with Russian supermodel, 33 

Natalia Vodianova’s ex-husband Justin Portman lifts the lid on relationship

The aristocrat (left), who has three children with Vodianova revealed the intimate details on his Facebook page, but has since deleted the post. The 46-year-old said he could not keep up with her high maintenance lifestyle and voluntarily admitted himself into a rehabilitation centre. Vodianova, 33 (right, pictured with Cara Delevingne, Karlie Kloss and Taylor Swift) is now with another billionaire Antoine Arnault.

Peter Crouch gets caught out parking in a disabled bay on Christmas shopping spree with wife Abbey Clancy and two daughters

Naughty Peter Crouch disabled bay Preview.jpg

The Stoke City striker seemed to ignore shopping centre etiquette as he halted their Mercedez-Benz 4x4 in a spot meant for someone less able than himself and his model spouse.

How crack SAS team snared Jihadi John with DIY DRONES: Troops snuck deep inside Raqqa and launched 1lb helicopter to pin point British executioner before calling in air strike that wiped him out

How crack SAS team snared Jihadi John with DIY DRONES

Eight SAS soldiers crept deep into ISIS territory in Syria and 'dug in' just five miles outside the terror group's de fact capital of Raqqa. From there, one special forces man assembled four nano helicopters with infrared and night vision cameras fitted on the nose. These drones were flown to spy on Jihadi John's (top right) hideout, a six storey building in Raqqa, and beamed the footage to SAS HQ and US Central Command. Jihadi John - real name Mohammed Emwazi - was 'evaporated' when a Reaper drone armed with Hellfire missiles shot him near a clock tower (bottom right) where the terror group carried out its brutal executions.

Paris killer 'met extremists in the UK' weeks before atrocity: Police probing claims one of two Belgian brothers visited associates in London and Birmingham

Police are urgently investigating claims that either Brahim (pictured) or Salah Abdeslam met associates in London and Birmingham weeks before taking part in the Paris terror attacks.

Terrorists could use DRONES to down planes, warns anti-terror expert

Defence specialist Colin Smith (pictured) said drones already pose the biggest threat to air passengers, with near misses happening on a weekly basis.

Where's your Material, Girl? Lost nudes of 20-year-old Madonna taken 36 years ago resurface from her stint as a life model

Madonna's 'the lost nudes' show her as a 20-year-old exposing her naked body

There are few celebrities who have cannoned control over their naked image as audaciously as Madonna. And it seems the iconic singer has always been body confident as made evident by a series of black-and-white images which show the singer as a 20-year-old during a live modelling shoot for a photography class in 1979 in New York. Dubbed the 'lost nudes', the photos were taken 13 years before the publication of her Sex book and are proof that Madonna's erotic appeal very definitely pre-dated her pop career.

Ex-wife of tycoon Scot Young who fell to his death a year ago claims she has found £187MILLION of his hidden money 

Scot Young's ex-wife Michelle claims she has found £187m of his hidden money

Details of Michelle Young's alleged find have surfaced almost a year to the day her ex-husband Scot, 52, fell to his death from a flat in Montagu Square, central London (inset). The pair had previously been embroiled in a bitter multimillion-pound divorce battle which culminated in Mrs Young (right) being awarded £26million after seven years of legal wrangling. But despite having to go through one of the longest, most costly and toxic divorce cases in British legal history, she was never paid the settlement and is now also bankrupt. In her bankruptcy hearing in July she claimed a private detective had found £171million lodged in a UK bank account controlled by Mr Young, as well as £16million in a New York account. An inquest earlier this year heard Mr Young had phoned his American model ex-girlfriend Noelle Reno (together left) moments before he was found dead.

All I want is a DIY Christmas: Mother who makes fudge 'reindeer poo' and an egg-box tree is boycotting the shops to break the 'cycle of buying, stress and debt'

Jen Gale, from Wiltshire, insists she's no Scrooge but will make food, gifts and decorations from scratch to show sons William, seven, and Samuel, four, that it's not all about consumption.

Throwback Thursday nights! BBC in talks to bring back Top Of The Pops under a new name and with a major musical shake-up

Top of the Pops could soon be making a comeback to primetime television, with the BBC planning to reinvent the axed show with a fresh new twist nearly a decade after the last episode aired.

The richest 20 Americans are as wealthy as half of the entire U.S. population combined

Findings showed that the country's 20 wealthiest people, which includes Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, now own more wealth than the bottom half of the population combined or 152 million people.

Mark Zuckerberg defends his charity from criticism after claims that donation move would help him avoid paying taxes

Mark Zuckerberg said that he and his wife 'receive no tax benefit from transferring our shares to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, but we gain flexibility to execute our mission more effectively'.

The mother of all unholy rows: Songs of Praise star Diane Jordan stands accused of harassing her son-in-law's new girlfriend. Here, the presenter and her daughter's ex set out their cases for you to judge...

Songs of Praise's Diane Jordan stands accused of harassing son-in-law's girlfriend

Mother-in-laws might seem like an easy target, but when, last week, the woman under attack was Diane Louise Jordan, the nation sat up and took notice. Fans of the Songs Of Praise presenter, a committed Christian, were shocked to learn she stands accused of conducting a harassment campaign against her estranged son-in-law and his new girlfriend, and that she had signed a police order acknowledging complaints of verbal and physical assaults. Diane says the claims by David Linton and his partner are false. They had, she said, cast a shadow over her life. There is anger on both sides. Yet there is one thing on which Diane and David do agree: that the true story of the poisoned relationships at the heart of it has never been told - until now. Today, speaking to ANGELLA JOHNSON, Diane alleges that despite the police involvement, David is, in fact, an arch-manipulator whose behaviour towards her daughter was worthy of Rob Titchener, the new villain of the Archers. The police harassment order she agreed to sign, she says, is meaningless. For his part, David claims Diane is the one guilty of breaking up his family through her interference. All he wants, he says, is to be left alone. Each denies absolutely the claims of the other. Here, their cases are set out for you to judge...

We won't be gagged, Blunkett warns as pro-war MP calls in police after being compared to Myra Hindley by Left-wing thugs 

The former Home Secretary spoke out as rumours swept the party that Mr Corbyn was planning to capitalise on the win by purging his enemies from the frontbench.

Don't say I didn't warn you: He heralded the return of the hard Left in Labour's bloody civil war with astonishing prescience. But now DAVID BLUNKETT fears for democracy itself 

The past few weeks have been some of the most turbulent in Labour's history. For those of us who have devoted our lives to the party, there have been just two bright spots amid all the gloom.

'I got you': Heroic San Bernardino victim died saving the life of co-worker by putting his arm around her to shield her from bullets

In a final heroic act, Shannon Johnson placed his arm around a co-worker and held her closely before saying 'I got you' as he shielded her from bullets during the San Bernardino massacre.

How DO surgeons perform a sex change? Eye-watering animation reveals every stage of how a man becomes a woman

Sex change animation reveals every stage of how a man becomes a woman

This fascinating video reveals exactly how surgeons perform a male to female sex change. The animation, uploaded by the European Society of Urology, shows how a penis and testicles are removed and a vagina is formed. The new genitalia even has a clitoris capable of orgasm. It begins by making clear men who seek to become women must meet certain criteria. The patient must have already had two psychological approvals - where experts deem they should have the surgery - before an assessment by surgeons to ensure they are fit and well. They must also have lived as a woman for at least 18 months, had hormone therapy for 12 months, and changed their first name legally by deed poll.

Why are restaurants so noisy? Can't hear a word your other half says when you dine out? Our test proves restaurants can be a loud as rock concerts

Look around the restaurants on any High Street and you will be confronted with the kind of stripped-back, modern design that amplifies noise to torturous levels, writes JAN MOIR.

Devoted wife who stood by her husband when he was convicted of sexually abusing his daughter turns detective to clear his name after four-year investigation 

Louise Long with her husband Geoff. She has told how she turned detective after her husband was accused of sexually abusing his daughter Tina 

Louise Long from Eastbourne spent hours examining 3,600 pages of witness reports in a bid to clear the name of her husband Geoff who was accused of child abuse by his daughter Tina.

From the man who lives in a skip to the house that looks like a beagle, a tour of the world's weirdest homes

The world's weirdest homes: A dumpster, concrete show and huge giant beagle

Proud home-owners around the world have chosen to live in bizarre constructions that cast the average three-bedroom semi far into the shade. The top 20 World's Weirdest Houses are set to be revealed on Channel 4 documentary airing tonight at 7.30pm. FEMAIL goes through the keyhole of (clockwise from top left) Pierre Cardin's Bubble Palace; the dumpster that doubles up as digs; the dog B&B; a house perched on a rock in a river; a shoe house that was built by a footwear salesman; and a remote cottage created out of granite boulders.

PETER HITCHENS: This boasting BBC cannabis abuser just proves the 'war on drugs' is bogus 

The BBC's bias in favour of the legalisation of cannabis is great, growing and ought to be diminished. The Corporation is supposed to be impartial but on this subject it is partisan.

Airfix plans new models for girls to encourage them to become scientists

Kent-based toy firm Airfix has revealed it is to launch a new range of models aimed at girls to encourage a new generation of female scientists from an early age.

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'My George? He'll be bouncing around like a rabbit!' William admits he won't be getting much sleep on December 24 because young prince has 'suddenly worked out what Christmas is all about' 

Prince George has 'suddenly worked out what Christmas is all about'

'George will be bouncing around like a rabbit,' his father Prince William (right) has revealed in a rare personal interview. 'If I get any sleep on Christmas Eve it'll be good!' The Duke of Cambridge explained that George (inset) would be 'extremely bouncy because he's suddenly worked out what Christmas is all about'. William made his comments to 24-year-old trainee journalist Sophia Kichou (left), who landed the big interview thanks to a promise the Prince made to her four years ago - when she was homeless.

Sick thugs kill a reindeer used to entertain children at Christmas by setting a pack of dogs on it after breaking into their enclosure

Three unidentified poachers broke into a farm in Swanmore, Hampshire. They set five dogs onto the reindeer, killing one and injuring another. Police are investigating the incident.

Doctors' rage as UK's most remote A&E; 'is shut down by stealth': Staff say patients at West Cumberland Hospital have to be driven 40 miles for emergency surgery

There's almost no A&E; surgery at the hospital in Cumbria. Staff claim cut is to save money and are concerned about patient safety. Doctors are threatening to quit if situation stays the same.

ANNE McELVOY: 'Sane Labour' plot to oust Corbyn - or form a new party

Corbyn may confront more resistance from fed-up Labour grandees. One supporter tells me that former benefactors are giving 'serious consideration' to ways to funnel support to MPs.

'Am I vain? Of course I am. I always have been, haven't I?': Mick Jagger on The Rolling Stones as you've never seen them before

Exhibitionism, a £4 million mega-show that will be held at London's Saatchi Gallery next year (Apr-Sept) will feature a series of interlinked 'immersive' rooms in the life of the Rolling Stones.

Never was so much owed by one man to so many: It wasn't just his tailor that Winston Churchill didn't settle bills with, new letters reveal

The former Prime Minister is said to have racked up several debts around the world, including another London tailor and in the pursuit of love in India before he married wife Clementine.

The Palm Posers, the Brunch Brits and the Lost Souls: New book parodies the 20 tribes of ex-pats you can't avoid in Dubai 

Dubai splits opinion like nowhere else. In her book Only in Dubai: An Essential Guide to the Emirate's Expats, Sophie Robehmed uncovers ten expat cliques living in the city.

'When will we see the monster?': Sailing Scotland's spectacular lakes and canals with children on the lookout for Nessie (and the sun proved to be just as elusive)

One family's tale after spending part of their summer sailing along Scotland's lakes and canals - taking in stunning scenery and keeping an eye out for the Loch Ness Monster.

Is Kim a Dull-un? North Korean army officers look a little bored by their glorious leader's latest speech

North Korean officers find it hard to concentrate on Kim Jong-Un's speech

Photographs have emerged of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un (inset) delivering a speech to officers of the Korean People's Army who are clearly struggling to stay awake. While a few are diligently taking notes on their leader's wise words, others have taken the opportunity to catch up on some shut-eye. The event was held at the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang - named for the date of the establishment of Kim Il-Sung's guerrilla army in 1932 - on December 3 and 4.

Jamie's one-star meals: Customers give Jamie Oliver's Italian chain the lowest marks of any comparable restaurants as staff slam conditions

Essex chef Jamie Oliver 's Italian chain has come under fire from both customers and staff over the standard of food and the treatment of workers as the celebrity looks to sell the business for £200m.

The flying headteacher! Meet the woman who commutes between three of the UK's smallest schools by airplane (and one of her sites has just ONE pupil)

Kate Evans grew up in London but is now flying to her schools in Orkney which have a combined roll of 16 pupils. The smallest of the schools, on North Ronaldsay, has just one primary age pupil.

Did John still love me?: Haunted by the cruel execution of his friend, there was only one man who could give Paul McCartney the answer he craved... the DJ who was with Lennon almost to the end 

Andy Peebles was only one man who could give Paul McCartney the answer he craved

LAST week, to mark the 35th anniversary of the murder of John Lennon, DJ Andy Peebles (left) revealed for the first time details of the legendary interview he conducted with the Beatle two days before he was shot dead - and spoke openly of the troubling relationship that developed between him and Lennon's (right in left picture) widow, Yoko Ono (centre in left picture). Here, in the second part of his remarkable interview, Peebles explains why the murder still haunts him - and tells of an extraordinary meeting with Paul McCartney (top right)...

Amen to that! MPs demand: Lift the ludicrous Lord's Prayer ban in our cinemas... this is a CHRISTIAN country 

They have bluntly told the cinema bosses to apologise for their 'wholly insensitive' suggestion that the prayer might offend movie-goers. The chain's ad agency sparked fury last month.

India sends hundreds of soldiers to devastated Tami Nadu after worst floods in a century killed more than 250 and submerged homes under 8ft of water

Hundreds of soldiers have been deployed to flood battered Tamil Nadu state (pictured), but locals have blasted the government for being too slow in responding to the worst floods in a century

Boy, five, finds his father's wedding ring that was missing for a YEAR... mixed in with the family's Christmas decorations

The family from Llanelli, South Wales were dressing their Christmas tree with lights and tinsel when son Osian spotted something shiny in the box and shouted: 'That's Dad's ring.'

Dramatic moment man tries to rob jewellery shop with an AXE but staff manage to wrestle him to the ground in just seconds

Robber attempted to steal from shop in Heshan, China, on December 3. Staff grabbed him from behind and restrained him until police arrived. He has been detained pending further investigation.

Give up! Judges tell feuding couple to stop the £2m divorce battle that has brought the tiger charity they founded to its knees 

Li Quan (pictured) and her ex-banker husband, William Bray, of London, had a determination to save the Chinese Tiger, but it was their love for the animals which eventually drove them apart.

Softer side of Sinatra: Heart-melting photos show Frank playing with children at a British school for the blind where a little girl asked 'what colour is the wind?'

Softer side of Sinatra: Heart-melting photos of the day Frank visited a British school for

Frank Sinatra made disabled children's dreams come true when he visited a school for the blind in Northwood, Middlesex in 1962 during a world tour to raise money for orphanages. In a series of moving pictures, the singer is seen crouching down to play with the youngsters at the RNIP Sunshine House School. But one exchange stayed with him so strongly that he told his family about it afterwards. A little girl asked him if the wind had a colour, to which replied, 'I don't know darling, it travels so far you can't see it.'

Nicki Minaj posts $100,000 bail for older brother Jelani Maraj after he is charged with raping a 12-year-old

Jelani Maraj, 37, was released from jail in Nassau County, New York, on Friday after his sister put up $100,000 bond.
The bond is guaranteed by two homes owned by the rapper, 32

Absolutely frightful! Darlings, Ab Fab fashion was meant to be a joke... so why ARE you all stealing their look?

Remember Eddy's distressed denim onesie that her mother described as looking 'as though your jeans exploded'? LIZ JONES on celebrity Ab Fab fashion

Colombian serial killer who strangled women, cut up their bodies and buried them near one of the country's top tourist sites murdered up to 16 people, police say

IN PHOTO: Fredy Armando Valencia

Colombian authorities are investigating the killings of as many as 16 women, thought to be committed by the same person.

The police said that since last Saturday, they have found the bodies of nine women they believe were killed by a man the press dubbed "The Monster of Monserrate".

Authorities have identified the man as 34-year-old area resident Fredy Armando Valencia.

He reportedly has admitted to killing an additional seven women and burying them inside the Monserrate mountain that dominates Bogota and serves as one of the country's most popular tourist attractions.

Forensic specialists are searching the area for more bodies.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/74773705/colombias-monster-of-monserrate-confesses-to-slaughtering-women

Fredy Valencia, 34, dubbed the 'monster of Montserrate' after the mountain in Colombia's capital where he hid his victims, was arrested this week after he was found carrying human remains.

Take a seat (but only for half an hour at a time): People who exercise but spend long periods sitting down could be harming their health

In an experiment completed by a Canadian research team, the detrimental effects of sitting were apparent regardless of how much time the volunteers who spent exercising.

Sunken Spanish galleon's plunder that's worth up to $1.5BILLION: First look at the wreck of wreck of the San Jose, 300 years after it sank

Columbia reveals wreckage of San Jose galleon holding $1.5bn in gold and jewels

Experts sent down a deep-sea camera off the coast of Baru, Colombia, to examine the wreckage of the San Jose, which sunk more than 300 years ago, ahead of a planned salvage operation. Though no treasure has been found yet, it is believed that items found on the ship could be worth as much as $1.5billion. Thus far, sonar images have spotted bronze cannons made specifically for the ship, arms, ceramics and other artifacts.

Plane makes emergency landing when tyres BURST shortly after take-off with debris left scattered on runway

This shocking picture shows the damage a plane suffered shortly after take-off when its tyres burst. The aircraft had set out from Hangzhou's Xiaoshan International Airport in China.

Not even if you're in first class! Planes named as one of the worst places to make a pass at someone (but they're not as bad as funerals or the gym)

It may seem like the perfect place to make a romantic connection, but a dating website says it is never appropriate to make a pass at someone on a plane because there is nowhere to escape.

None the weisser: 19-year-old US man named Bud Weisser arrested on charge of trespassing at Budweiser brewery

Nineteen-year-old Bud Weisser was cited for trespassing and resisting arrest after refusing to leave when he was found in a secured area of the Budweiser brewery on Thursday night in St. Louis.

Gove plans to introduce US-style 'problem-solving' courts so judges and magistrates can take a hands-on role in helping offenders beat drug or alcohol addictions

Michael Gove said judges were 'very supportive' of the idea, which he tabled after a visit to the US. It would see members of the judiciary play a more active role in monitoring rehabilitation.

The MoS scoops top prizes at press awards: Paper honoured for producing 'hard-hitting popular journalism with mass appeal'

The Mail on Sunday's brilliant news team has been honoured at the British Journalism Awards, receiving the Popular Journalism trophy for a series of compelling stories. 

Carry on bitching! Bores! Fools! And a mediocre fossil! The MoS has a glorious sneak preview of unseen Kenneth Williams diaries - and what a delicious, scathing hatchet job they are

From beyond the grave, Williams is about to shock once again after 43 of his diaries along with 2,000 letters were snapped up by the British Library for £220,000 to be made public for the first time.

Woman at US exhibition follows visitor, then stabs her in the neck - while witnesses do nothing because they think it's ART

Woman stabbed at Art Basel in 'random attack'

A frightening scene emerged Friday at the legendary Art Basel Miami Beach as a woman was stabbed, causing some patrons to think they were watching performance art. Police said the victim confronted the suspect, Siyuan Zhao, about purposely following her around the art show and bumping into her several times. Zhao then pulled out an X-Acto knife and stabbed the victim in the right side of the neck and left shoulder without warning or provocation, authorities said.

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A film set from a galaxy far, far away: Haunting images show abandoned Star Wars props deep in the Tunisian desert

Abandoned Star Wars sets deep in the Tunisian desert like Mos Espa

These surreal photographs are instantly familiar to any fan of Star Wars - they show the landscape of Tatooine, where Luke Skywalker grew up in the sci-fi blockbuster. Tunisia, where much of the classic film was shot, was a popular tourist destination before being caught up in the 'Arab Spring' of 2011, and is now trying to rebuild its tourism industry. Here, MailOnline Travel takes a look at some of the fascinating sets left behind that will bring fond memories for dedicated Star Wars fans around the world. Included is Luke Skywalker's home (bottom right), a collection of vaporators (bottom left) and even toilets that were used by the cast (inset centre).

'She died with tears in her eyes': Terminally ill teenage girl passes away in US before fulfilling her dying wish to see and hug her Pakistani parents one last time

Qirat Chapra, 18, died on Saturday without getting her wish to see her parents one last time. Chapra's parents arrived in Houston, Texas, on November 28 after they were granted visas to enter the US and see Chapra.

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Coney Island in its heyday: Fascinating images show the New York seaside retreat jammed with city revellers lining the beaches and enjoying elephant rides

New York's Coney Island in its heyday in fascinating images

Nicknamed America's Playground, Coney Island offered New Yorkers the chance to escape the city and enjoy amusement rides, theatre shows and even have a dip in the sea. In the later years of the 19th century, the rough and tumble party spot was even dubbed 'Sodom by the Sea,' although family amusements began to later pop up in the 1900s. Here are some incredible black and white retrospective photographs showing Coney Island in its heyday during 1896 to 1905.

From 0 to £75m in moments: Motoring world prepares for auction of classic cars including a 1956 Ferrari and an Aston Martin dubbed 'the greatest of all time' 

Steeped in motoring history and showcasing the moulds broken by engineers and designers, these are some of the 30 classic cars that will make up a £75million auction in New York City next week.

Love chilling in front of the TV? This will sleigh you! After its canal trip snoozathon, the BBC devotes two hours to a reindeer-eye view of the Arctic... with no music or commentary

Chilling in front of the TV will take on a whole new meaning on Christmas Eve, as the BBC devotes two hours of prime-time TV to a reindeer-eye view of the wintry wilderness of the Arctic Circle.

Inside Hitler's bunker where Nazi leader plotted to invade England: Crumbling walls and vaults are all that remains of the last command centre used by Adolf outside Germany 

A series of images show dark concrete corridors and shabby tunnels stretching along six miles and as far as ninety-eight feet underground in the bunker, which is in a secret location.

Vast blocks of ice, dramatic craters and strange patterns on the surface: Stunning new images reveal Pluto's 'badlands' in unprecedented detail

At around 80 metres per pixel, incredible details can be picked out, such as huge ice blocks, dramatic craters and crumpled ridges - all less than half the size of a city block on Pluto's diverse surface.

The terrifying proof that nobody should drink and drive: MailOnline tries out a 'drunk suit' that mimics your movement when you're FIVE times over the limit

Daily Mail Australia tries out a 'drunk suit' that mimics your movement

Daily Mail Australia journalist Louise Cheer tried on a drunk suit (inset) to see how hard it was to perform simple tasks like throwing a ball (top right) or walking in a straight line (bottom right) with a blood alcohol level of 0.25. She had weights, bandages and a neck brace strapped to her body as well as a pair of goggles (main is the view through the eyewear) to emulate a drunk person. Cheer found she could barely walk straight as her balance was off and she could hardly dunk a tennis ball in a basket that was just centimetres in front of her.

   

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