Four years ago, he was the toast of the music industry, a string of sold-out arena shows under his belt and his third platinum-selling album topping the charts. But then James Morrison disappeared. His soulful voice fell silent, the appearances dried up and baffled fans were kept waiting and waiting for his next release. Morrison had become a virtual recluse from the music scene, holed up in the mansion that his six million album sales had bought him - literally building a high gate to shelter himself from the outside world. Only now has he finally emerged from that self-imposed exile with the release of a long-awaited new album. And only now is he able to speak of the demons that he has fought in his extended spell away.

Even a royal has to pop out for some last minute Christmas shopping from time to time. And wrapped up warm in her favourite coat, paired with stylish black boots, the Duchess of Cambridge looked ready to do battle with the festive hordes on Friday. Kate, 33, was spotted in upmarket Chelsea, where she spent an hour in department store Peter Jones, a branch of John Lewis.

EXCLUSIVE: Billionaire John Caudell (pictured with his diagnosed son Rufus) says Lyme disease is 'one of the most dangerous illnesses to mankind', after it struck down 11 members of his family. These include his ex-wife Kate McFarlane (top right) and his two daughters Rebekah (bottom right) and Libby (bottom centre, with her boyfriend Simon Morgan who has also tested positive). Despite Public Health England's insistence that the disease can only be caught from a bite by an infected tick, Mr Caudwell claims that it can also be transmitted to a baby during pregnancy, or by an adult by sexual contact, and can lie dormant inside a body for years before attacking.

The singer looked incredible in a red carpet worthy glittering gown as she walked to her judges' seat surrounded by hunky men in tuxes, while Lady Gaga's hit Paparazzi blared out. There was little sign of what must have been a trying week for the star as she headed to her seat, with the Fight For This Love singer flashing a huge smile and giving her signature salute for the audience. Cheryl, 32, is battling mounting speculation that her marriage to Jean-Bernard is on the rocks, with the couple spending increasing amounts of time apart in recent weeks.

Leigh Ann Sabine (right), from Beddau near Pontypridd in Wales, had left written instructions for a mystery accomplice to dump her husband John Sabine's (left) remains after her death, it has been claimed. According to John's eldest son, forensic tests have established that his father's remains were kept indoors for years after he went missing in 1997. But around the time suspect Leigh Ann died of cancer six weeks ago, they were moved outside to the garden. Inset: The Sabines' children - (from left to right) Jane, Steve, Susan, Martin, and Lee-Ann Sabine - in an old family snap.

She is hardly one to avoid confrontation. So, when Nigora Whitehorn started a Twitter spat with Lady Colin Campbell, the 66 year-old inevitably hit back in what became an ugly - and very public - war of words.  The savage argument was played out before an audience of millions on Friday, which ended in the I'm A Celeb alumna threatening yet more legal action.

The driver came within seconds of death when his lorry was hit by the passenger train at 7.38am on Friday after he ignored the flashing red light in the Czech city of Frydek-Mistek. CCTV footage shows the moment the lorry was hit with such force that the cab was separated from the container. Amazingly, the driver escaped with only minor injuries.

Doing the splits, clubbing, modelling, beating cancer twice, retraining, reaching the top, looking after your health... these women show how your fifth decade can be the most rewarding.

Shocking photographs reveal the true extent of Luton's fly-tipping crisis, which has seen mounds of rubbish left to rot outside homes. Liberal Democrats blame Labour cutting nearly £1million of funding to the town's street cleaning department, while also introducing a £25 fee to leave bulky items at the municipal dump. Instead, many of those looking to get rid of garbage simply choose to leave it lying in the street. Locals said the council must act now to stop the town 'choking on rubbish'.

More than 60 flood warnings have been issued across Wales and parts of England as a band of wet weather sweeps northwards over the course of the day. Meanwhile, the Met Office has warned of dangerous driving conditions on icy roads across Scotland after temperatures plummeted overnight. There is the possibility that some rural areas could record readings as low as -10C in the early hours of this morning. Yesterday motorists struggled with snow in Hutton, in Cumbria, left, and Glenridding in the Lake District, right.

Summer lee Seymour, 15, (left) was enjoying an afternoon with Jake Ford, 17, (right) when tragedy struck in Sheffield just before 5pm on Friday. Both teenagers were struck by the bus at a busy junction. Summer, a student at Sheffield's Bradfield High School, died from her injuries in the early hours of today. Jake is in hospital intensive care. Jake's dad Scott Ford posted on Facebook just hours after the tragedy: 'I never have a problem with words but tonight I am truly at a loss.'

From the supermodel's 'green gunk' elixir of powdered veg and digestive enzymes to the wrinkle-busting pillowcase, our selection of gifts that are gorgeous AND good for you.

She was the It-girl who seemed to have it all, but Tara Palmer-Tomkinson's party lifestyle brought her nothing but heartache. She talks to Catherine O'Brien about the new project that's helping her to like herself again.

A cat with a mean right hook has given a stuffed tiger toy a serious pounding in a hilarious video. Footage shows the ruthless animal rising onto it's back legs and hissing before repeatedly punching the toy square in the eye. Uploaded to Youtube on Saturday, the minute-long clip has accumulated more than 8000 views, with viewers labelling the furious feline as 'Cat-sius Clay' and 'a boxing champion.'

Just when you thought you were clever for solving a ridiculously difficult quiz, several more have arrived to wipe the smile off your face. A crossword-style puzzle released by the UK governments communications headquarters (GCHQ) had people across the country and the world scratching their heads, even though it is only stage one of the intelligence agency's festive brainteasers. Those who solved it found out the solved grid was actually a QR code that grants access to fiendishly hard challenges (pictured), including some that don't even come with instructions.

A soldier with the U.S. Army Military Police and his working dog who were injured by an IED in Afghanistan are recovering at a hospital in the United States. Specialist Brown and his military working dog Rocky were wounded in the first week of December, and were being treated in the same hospital room, according to the 89th Military Police Brigade's Facebook page.

The jump occurred on Friday at a building (pictured) on First Avenue near 51st Street around 3.15pm. The jumper was pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital and the victim was taken to Cornell University Hospital with injuries that are serious but not believed to be life-threatening. The woman who was hit was walking on the sidewalk when she was struck from above and the jumper's husband and several other people tried to help, but it was too late.

As Doctor Who, he's become a master at materialising in unexpected places. And actor Peter Capaldi certainly caught teenager Daniel Norton by surprise - when he suddenly appeared beside his hospital bed at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London. Capaldi, 57, decided to make the unannounced call on Daniel (pictured with Capaldi) when he read on social media that the ardent Time Lord fan had been forced to cancel a visit to London's Doctor Who Festival after being rushed to hospital in London.

Meet the stars of Gogglesprogs, a festive spin-off from Channel 4's Gogglebox that will feature ten sets of children - aged between five and 12 - giving their verdict on some of 2015's best TV. It seems MPs need to watch out: Molly, five, top left, thinks politicians should dress up as characters from Frozen, while Toby, sitting left with friends Sam and James, top right, thinks David Cameron is a gremlin. The X Factor is also given consideration, with Simon Cowell being labelled a 'superhero' by Janai, seven, bottom right with friend Shuaib, while Jabob, left with friend Connor, bottom left, thinks the music mogul is 'like a lion'.

The Wendelstein 7-X machine in Germany, which cost €1billion to build, recreates conditions similar to those occurring inside stars and heralds a big leap towards a limitless supply of clean energy. On Thursday, scientists made huge progress by heating one milligram of helium gas inside the 50ft-wide twisted pretzel, to create a one-million-degrees-centigrade plasma which lasted a tenth of a second. One British scientist said last night that nuclear fusion as a source of clean energy was 'close enough to be able to taste it'.

The footage, which offers a new take on the 'condom challenge' internet craze, demonstrates two men from Austin, Texas, enjoying the bizarre use for contraceptives. Daniel Gruchy is the guinea pig as partner Gavin Free fills three condoms with water and drops them on his friend's head from a height.

The rift developed after Sir Mark Thatcher objected to sister Carol's decision to mount a £1 million sale of their mother's handbags, shoes and No 10 mementoes at Christie's this week. It means the 62-year-old twins now 'cannot bear to be in the same room', according to friends. One item, a pearl, sapphire and diamond necklace which is listed in the Christie's catalogue as having been 'given to Margaret Thatcher (left) whilst serving as Prime Minister', has a guide price of £50,000. Other official gifts include a porcelain vase given to Lady Thatcher by Russian president Boris Yeltsin in 1990, estimated to be worth £5,000, a book on foreign policy by US president Richard Nixon with a handwritten dedication to Lady Thatcher (£600), a clock shaped like a handbag (£5,000) and a white metal bowl donated by Benazir Bhutto, prime minister of Pakistan (£500).

A series of stunning photographs capture the moment a large leopard seal decided to play with a team of French divers, under the ice on an expedition to Antarctica. Photographer Alexandre Voyer managed to take the snapshots while he got up close and personal with the giant mammal. But he had to approach the seals with caution as they have a sharp set of teeth (inset) and can become very dangerous when threatened.